A Trick of the Light by Ali Carter (surface ebook reader txt) 📕

‘I’m very sorry to hear all you’re going through.’

I stood up and took a step towards her.

‘I’m not looking for your sympathy.’ She flapped her hand and I sat back down. ‘What I need is your understanding.’

‘Okay.’

‘That yellow diamond necklace is worth about three hundred thousand pounds.’

‘Jane,’ I said, shocked by the huge sum. ‘I have a tiny diamond. Here.’ I took it out of my jewellery case and without even looking closely she grunted and dropped it into her top pocket. ‘I found it under the floorboard but I want rid of it. It’s not my role to give it to the Muchtons. That’s for you to…’

‘Let me explain the calculation. Then hopefully, finally, you’ll understand.’ Jane held out her hand and ticked the separate elements off her fingers. Fore finger: ‘Five years’ tuition fees, that’s forty-six thousand pounds, assuming annual fees don’t increase, though they’re bound to, so, accounting for that and living expenses, which we’ll be covering too so that our daughter can study hard, I’ll have to put aside one hundred thousand for her.’ Middle finger: ‘Twenty-five thousand for our eldest. IVF hasn’t worked on the NHS so she must now go private. It’s five thousand pounds a pop and with a twenty-nine per cent success rate it could take several goes.’ Ring finger: ‘Not to mention the likelihood of Neville being made redundant.’ Jane wrapped her other fist round her little finger and her eyes shut.

‘Jane, I’m worried about you.’

I felt a great need to put a hand on her shoulder but I didn’t dare.

‘I’m fine,’ she said, brushing away my concern.

‘Are you sure? Please sit on the bed if you’d like.’

‘I’m fine.’ She pulled a handkerchief out of her sleeve and blew her nose with great effect.

‘I completely understand your situation.’

‘Do you? Do you really, Miss Mahl? No. I don’t think you do.’

This woman was something else.

She continued: ‘I’ve waited years, literally years, for this opportunity. I swore to myself I wouldn’t do anything until I needed the money. But that didn’t stop me keeping a close eye on life up here.’ Jane shoved the handkerchief back up her sleeve. ‘Now I desperately need the money. So when the painting residency was advertised I made damn sure I got on it. The half-wit Felicity’s sob story was a great help with that.’

Blimey, my sympathy buckled just like that, and Jane’s threat, ‘There’s much good to come from this and if you blow my cover, don’t underestimate what I’ll do’, had no effect.

I accused her again of stealing the necklace. ‘Don’t you feel it’s wrong to do this?’

‘Before you got involved there was no right or wrong dilemma.’

‘So you agree it’s wrong to take it?’

She condescended to provide an explanation. ‘The Muchtons got the insurance money from the necklace, Fergus said so himself. Other than sentimental value, which I think we can overlook in these circumstances, my taking the necklace won’t leave anyone out of pocket. The fact it might be wrong is a minor consequence in a much larger philanthropic picture.’

‘But Fergus would be thrilled to have it back in the family.’

‘We can’t always have what we want. You’d do well to remember ignorance is bliss. My family need the money much more than the Muchtons need their necklace.’

It was then I clicked: if the necklace is returned to Fergus, he’d have to declare it to his insurance company – pay them back what they’d paid out. The Muchtons simply don’t have enough cash in their pocket to keep this necklace in the family.

I’m ready to give up, surrender, leave Jane to it. Follow her instruction: keep things simple, remain quiet, not say a thing. Maybe then I’d get rid of this horrible feeling inside me.

My fail-safe mantra in life when up against a moral problem is simple: answer yes or no. Everything, no matter what, no matter how complex, can be stripped back and there’s your answer, yes or no. There is right and wrong, good and bad. Stealing is wrong.

But here, with Jane, I’m in a terrible muddle. Her daughters would benefit enormously from the sale of the necklace.

Is stealing for the greater good so bad?

I looked at her sympathetically. But there was no need, her fearful strength of character was in command. ‘Please. Leave me be. There’s far more wrapped up in this than you will ever know. If I were you I’d get your little snout out of other people’s business.’

I caught myself before any more words came out of my mouth. I’d forgotten there might be more to Jane’s revenge. Her mission goes back a whole generation, to the day she was frightened as a little girl. My conscience has spoken: it’s time for me to butt out.

I picked up the bedroom chair and carried it into the corridor. Jane settled herself down in front of the Annunciation, and when I asked if she’d like any guidance she said, ‘Leave me alone now, Susie, off you go back downstairs.’

Louis. Oh Louis. Where is Louis?…Finally, I found him sitting at the dining room table with Zoe.

‘Susie, I do hope you don’t mind me pinching him,’ she said all giddy. ‘We’re going through photographs and he’s just so much quicker on the computer than I am.’

Louis grinned; he knew exactly what I was thinking: you’re the same age, for goodness sake.

‘Not at all,’ I said.

‘I thought it would be wise to get his advice on photographs while I still have him here. But I do want to get together, Susie, you, Fergus and I, to discuss how it’s gone.’

‘Very good idea.’

‘How’s the drawing from painting going anyway?’

‘Everyone’s begun so here’s hoping they stick at it.’

‘Can you spare some time and join us?’

‘I’d love to.’ Literally. I was longing to see some of Louis’ work.

‘Here. Pull up a pew.’ Zoe moved her chair closer to Louis. ‘You’ll have a good idea of what