and since one of the main reasons for taking this job was to refocus her mind, she turned to the pages Freda Donahoe had left for her.
By the look of them, they’d been composed on an old-fashioned typewriter that possibly wasn’t even electric. Joely found this quaint and even admirable, though she was relieved she’d brought her laptop for she couldn’t imagine trying to create a single sentence of her own without the luxury of delete, cut and paste.
If Callum and Martha were words just think what she could do to them; certainly she wouldn’t pair them with ‘and’ in the middle. More likely she’d put them on separate pages, probably even in separate books, or she could simply dump Martha in the trash.
Sighing, she turned to the first page of Freda Donahoe’s memoir and started to read.
Half an hour later she went back to the beginning and read through both chapters again, this time asking herself what kind of input Mrs Donahoe might be hoping for from her.
‘There’s not much of it yet,’ she told Andee when she called to find out how Joely was settling in, ‘but what there is paints a pretty clear picture of a teenage girl on a mission to seduce her music teacher.’
‘And the girl is her?’
‘I think we can take that as read.’
‘Is the teacher male or female?’
‘Very definitely male. It’s possible he’s encouraging her to come on to him, that actually he’s the real manipulator of the piece, but at fifteen she’s not mature enough to understand that. It’ll be interesting to see where it goes.’
‘Or ends? I’m thinking of the tragedies you mentioned.’
Joely nodded thoughtfully, ‘An affair with an underage pupil would be a crime, consensual or not, and might indeed impact the rest of the girl’s life. Anyway, I don’t actually know yet if it does develop into an affair. It’s left with some pretty powerful chemistry doing its best, or worst, during a private piano lesson, but so far no physical contact.’
There was a smile in Andee’s voice as she said, ‘Have you googled the music teacher yet?’
‘No, but I will when I get a decent connection – although it’s possible she’s using a pseudonym.’ She started as a gust of wind suddenly rattled the French doors and howled eerily around the tower. ‘Are you having a storm over your side of the moor?’ she asked, staring out at the turbulent shadows of twilight and hoping she didn’t spot anything she’d rather not.
‘We are,’ Andee confirmed, ‘but it’s forecast to blow itself through by morning. Have you explored much of the house yet?’
‘Actually, no. It’s so cosy in this kitchen that I haven’t wanted to move, but I suppose I ought to go and check out the blue bedroom where she’s put me before it gets dark. I hope she doesn’t get power cuts here, that would freak me right out.’
‘Maybe you should try to find some candles or a torch in case you need them,’ Andee advised.
‘Good idea. I’ll do it now, but I swear, if she keeps them in the basement they’ll be staying there.’
Still smiling at Andee’s laugh as she rang off, Joely unravelled herself from the chair and keeping the warm fleece around her shoulders she began rummaging about for a form of emergency light in case she needed it. Fortunately she came across a torch that worked in a table drawer, and spotting an old photograph beside it she took it out and held it up to the light. It was of a small girl, probably no more than three or four, sandwiched between two boys, one not much older than her, perhaps six or seven, the other closer to eleven or twelve. She guessed from their similar shocks of blonde hair and round faces that they were related, probably brothers and sister, though there was nothing written on the back to identify them or the date of when it was taken.
Freda’s children when they were young? They might even be grandchildren.
Reflecting on how sorry she was that she and Callum hadn’t been able to have more children she put the photograph back in its place and closed the drawer. Time, she decided, to make her first foray up the stairs before it was completely dark outside.
CHAPTER SIX
When Joely woke in the morning it took her a while to remember where she was. She peered around the shadowy room taking in elegant antique furniture, a washstand in one corner with polished brass taps and