The Grail Tree (27 page)

‘Safe, darling.’ She put her arms around me happily. ‘Perfectly safe. I’m keeping it for you.’

‘Where is it?’
I sank, groaning. ‘Oh, hell fire.’

‘In a month you’ll be convinced of my . . . attributes, darling,’ Lydia said calmly. ‘If I haven’t persuaded you that I am exactly what you need, Lovejoy, I will fully deserve to be banished. A month is a perfectly fair trial period. Do you agree, darling?’

I thought and thought while Lydia waited, smiling compassionately. There was no other way.

‘And then you’ll give it me, no matter what?’

‘I promise,’ she said seriously, placing her hands on her heart. I watched her hand and her heart. She did have a lovely heart. I swallowed. ‘Agreed, Lovejoy?’

I managed to say it third go. ‘Agreed, Lydia.’

‘Lydia,
darling
,’ she corrected.

‘Lydia, darling,’ I said at last. She clapped her hands delightedly. ‘There’s only one thing, love,’ I asked. ‘Will you, er, answer the door when people call? I don’t feel up to many visitors just yet.’

Trapped, I listened helplessly to her singing as she brewed up, honestly not knowing whether to hate or admire her. You can’t beat a woman for trickery.

I don’t think they’ll ever learn to be honest and fair-minded, like me.