Read Online The Mistress of Alderley by Robert Barnard - Free Book Online Page B

enough to drive his mother’s car, things might have been different, but he couldn’t even think of having lessons until he was seventeen. Stella had to take the bus to Doncaster and go to an afternoon showing of a film (last time, they had had a lift home arranged, but in spite of ringing around all their acquaintances, Stella had not found one going in that weekend, and would have risked being stranded there overnight). For Alexander the best thing offered in the way of entertainment was an afternoon walk to the village.
    As it turned out, Marsham did offer more than he had expected. First he went to Mr. Patel’s shop, where he didn’t buy more things than he needed or wanted because he was too hard up and too canny, but he did buy two packets of cigarettes, with which he intended to smoke himself silly over the weekend if he could do it without Stella guessing his new vice. One of Alexander’s pleasures was doing things without people knowing.
    As he left the shop with cheery farewells to its owner, he bumped into Gina Watters, the rector’s daughter. Gina was the sort of girl Alexander thought he might fancy, if he went in for older women. Neat, rounded where it mattered, but quite sharp and funny.
    â€œHi, Gina. I thought you’d be back in Leeds.”
    Her face creased into a smile of anticipation.
    â€œTuesday. I can’t wait. It seems like months since I went clubbing. Well—it is months. I’ve been working like a navvy to finance the good life once I get away from this dump. Here—wait a sec: I only want a box of tissues, then you can walk me home.”
    Alexander wondered where the idea of walking a girl home came from, and concluded it was from her antediluvian parents. When she came out clutching her box, he asked her, “And is the Metropolitan University convenient for the club scene in Leeds?”
    Gina stopped and looked at him.
    â€œYou’re a little Sherlock, aren’t you?”
    â€œIt’s no big deal, is it? I thought it was your parents, not you, who made a secret of it.”
    â€œIt is. And do you know, we’ve never talked about it, them and me. I noticed when I got my place that they always just said ‘Leeds,’ and when I twigged what was going on I thought I ought to go along with it. It’s a fairly harmless piece of snobbery, isn’t it? And it’s not as though Leeds University proper is one of the world’s great universities.”
    â€œBut it’s a pretty good one, isn’t it? Whereas the Metropolitan University…”
    â€œNow who’s being a snob? It suits me. It has the sort of course I can manage without too much sweat.”
    â€œThat’s nice. Do you tell the people there about Mum having come to live in the village?”
    She stopped again to look at him.
    â€œWhat’s all this about?”
    â€œI’m just asking.”
    â€œWell, I may have. I mean, we haven’t got much in this little arsehole of a place, have we? There’s those from Manchester at Uni who boast about all the rock groups there, and how they’ve met this or that lead singer, slept with that one, maybe….”
    â€œDo you believe them?”
    â€œSome people will sleep with any one. Anyway, we haven’t got much here, and you can’t boast about a baronet in Leeds Metropolitan circles, so it has to be your mum.”
    â€œAnd Marius?”
    â€œWell, yes. The ‘mistress installed in state’ story needs the rich lover as the other part of the equation. Why?”
    â€œDo you know someone called Pete Bagshaw?”
    Gina creased her brow.
    â€œMy best friend’s on-off boyfriend is called Pete, and then something common. It could be Bagshaw. I barely know him.”
    â€œBut you could have told your best friend—”
    â€œAbout your mother? I’ve definitely told Trix. She’s my flatmate. We talk about everything.”
    â€œAnd she could