Autumn Leaves at Mill Grange by Jenny Kane (best free e reader .TXT) 📕

long at all.’ Bert tapped another part of the paper, explaining, ‘And from here to here – beginning at the main door, going along the same corridor towards the back door, past the old scullery – would take about forty seconds. Twenty if you ran.’

‘That’s less than one minute from the inside to the outside.’

Bert emphasised the point. ‘Approximately a minute of your life within Mill Grange if you do both routes one after the other.’

Sam concentrated on the contents of his mug. ‘That’s nothing is it?’

‘Nothing.’

‘So why has my pulse accelerated and my mouth gone dry?’

‘Because time feels different when we’re afraid. One of the first steps in addressing that part of the problem is accepting the problem exists.’ Bert’s voice lilted in triumph. ‘So, I make that three successes from you today.’

‘Come off it, Bert.’

‘I will do no such thing.’ The pensioner hauled himself upright, plonking his mug over the plans so they didn’t blow away. ‘Have you told Tina that I’m helping you yet?’

‘No, I still want to surprise her when we get to Malvern.’

Bert was thoughtful. ‘I was just thinking, it might be easier with her supporting you, that’s all.’

Sam finished his mug of tea. ‘Probably, but I have put enough pressure on her with all the work at Mill Grange. She deserves not to have to worry about helping with this too.’

‘Fair enough.’ Bert clambered to his feet. ‘That’s enough of a break for you, Sam. One more go, and then we’ll call it a day. You have a job interview to give and I promised Mabel I’d come to the manor and help with the lunches the archaeology students will need.’

‘I didn’t know you had culinary skills as well, Bert.’

He winked. ‘I don’t, lad, but I know an order from my wife when I hear one.’

*

As Bert and Sam arrived around the corner of the manor, Tina waved to the pensioner as he waddled off to find his wife. ‘That is a lovely man.’

‘I aspire to be like Bert when I grow up.’

‘Good plan,’ Tina said, but quickly added, ‘providing I don’t have to be like Mabel! She’s lovely but…’

‘Her constructive bossiness really isn’t you. Fear not, I don’t see you as a grown-up Mabel.’ Sam kissed Tina on the nose and led her to the nearest bench. ‘I don’t suppose that bag has any lunch in it?’

‘How did you guess?’ She flipped open the bag that hung on her shoulder, and produced two sets of sandwiches wrapped in greaseproof paper. Sam took a bite of his lunch. ‘I wanted to talk to you about this afternoon’s interview. Are you still okay with us tackling it in two parts?’

‘Yep. I will meet Tom Harris, when he arrives, and take him into the office to meet Thea. We’ll do the formal part of the interview there, concentrating on his work in archaeology. Then we’ll come outside to you and head to the dig.’

‘I’ll wait at the picnic table nearest the site.’ Sam pointed across the garden. ‘Meet Tom, have a chat and learn a bit about his military background. Then we can head to Helen and the archaeology students together. Be good for him to see the place he’d be working from.’

From where they sat, Tina could just see the tops of the ranging rods and the occasional head as a student stood up from their labours. ‘Sounds good.’

‘If he’s the chap for us, we’ll stick to offering him a four-month contract.’

‘I was surprised we had so many interested people in such a short contract job.’

‘Again, normal in archaeology according to Thea and Helen.’

‘Right.’

Sam observed Tina as he munched into his egg and cress sandwich. ‘Something bothering you?’

Tina pulled a letter with a Malvern postmark from her pocket. ‘This came. I’ll admit I’ve been a bit nervous about giving it to you. It’s bound to have a date for our meeting with your parents.’

Sam took the rather crumpled letter. ‘Been in your pocket long?’

‘Since yesterday.’

‘Let’s take a look then.’ Sam ripped the top off the envelope and slipped out a single sheet of matching blue paper. Reading the short letter quickly, he passed it to Tina. ‘What day of the week is the 26th of September?’

‘I’m not sure.’ Finishing reading the note, which felt rather like a summons, Tina opened her phone to its calendar function. ‘It’s a Saturday.’

‘That’s something at least, and it’s before we have guests in here.’

Tina regarded Sam suspiciously. ‘You’re remarkably calm about this.’

‘The last time Mother suggested a date, it was for an overnight stop. This is just a day.’ Sam hugged Tina close. ‘Anyway, I told you, I want to show you off. I’m sure you’ll like my mum, and I know she’ll like you, but…’

‘Your father.’

‘Quite.’ Sam took a big bite of his sandwich. ‘Let’s hope it’s a dry day so we can eat outside.’

‘Sam, it’ll be too cold to eat outside, even if it is dry.’

‘I know.’ He sighed heavily. ‘Maybe we’d better buy some massive brollies.’

Twenty-Eight

September 22nd

Tom stepped out of his ageing Ford Fiesta and stared up at the house. Impressive didn’t cover it. Before he’d registered what he was doing, he was stroking a palm over the grey stonework.

‘Stunning isn’t it?’ A woman wearing a smart pair of trousers, a white shirt and navy jumper, with contradictory girlish pigtails, was striding towards him, her hand outstretched. ‘I’m Tina Martin. Tom Harris?’

‘Pleased to meet you.’ Tom shook her hand. ‘This is a stunning building.’

‘I’d be happy to show you around afterwards.’ Tina gestured towards the main door. ‘I’d take you now, but I suspect you’d like to do the interview bit first.’

Wondering if his prospective employer was more nervous than he was, Tom admired the exquisitely carved oak doors, and replied, ‘I think that’s a good idea.’

Noting the original Victorian tiles on the floor of the corridor he was being led down, Tom tried to blank out how much was riding on him getting this job. Following the arc of Tina’s gesture, he