Marlford by Jacqueline Yallop Page A

the game. Having her flaws exposed in such a casual, friendly manner seemed perilous.
    â€˜Yes, I suppose.’
    He grinned. ‘You’re supposed to say “Well played”, too. It’s traditional.’
    â€˜Yes, of course. You played well. You did. I see that. I didn’t mean to be ungracious. It’s just—’
    â€˜It’s just that when you play by yourself, you always win.’ He winked at her and offered his hand again, almost touching her. She stepped away and before she could speak, Dan came in to join them again, polishing his spectacles briskly on his T-shirt.
    â€˜You know, I think the best thing is if we just push the van somewhere out of the way and I get someone to come for it.’ He was newly purposeful after slipping through the histories of the house in the scented dark. ‘That’d be OK, wouldn’t it?’
    Ellie anchored the base of her cue into the forgiving old wood of the floorboards. ‘Oh, yes, of course. Yes, I don’t see why not. I don’t see that Papa will mind. Why don’t you… you can put it in the stable yard, if you like – there’re no horses any more.’
    â€˜What, no string of thoroughbreds?’
    Ellie shook her head. ‘No, just rats. And some birds. A few old saddles, I think.’
    She wanted to laugh at her assessment of Marlford’s livery, to show she understood how ridiculous it all was, but the boys were already hurrying out of the house, pushing at each other, jostling, Dan making a fuss of looking for his keys in his pockets, their quick footsteps crunching on the front gravel. She was left behind.
    She did not join them again until they had heaved the vehicle under the archway and stowed it safely in the yard.
    Dan brushed his palms together, creating a brisk series of claps. ‘That should do it, man.’ He appraised the van’s garaging arrangements as the echoes of his gesture subsided, then looked hard at Gadiel.
    â€˜We’ll be off, then,’ Gadiel said.
    Ellie sensed his wariness, but did not understand it. ‘It’s been very kind of you to visit.’ She held out her hand.
    This time Gadiel touched her, but she hardly noticed.
    â€˜It was most pleasant,’ she said. ‘I’m so glad you could come. I’m sure Papa enjoyed your company a great deal.’ She looked off to one side, impolite in the speed of her farewells. Her head was full of something painful: their faces there in front of her – coarse, she thought, gloating in the dusk – seemed too close and intrusive. It was such a terrible confusion.
    She scurried away, leaving them.
    The boys stood together, watching her go.
    The dark was settling quickly, blurring the lines of the old stone. The stable clock struck ten. Dan looked at his watch. ‘This place is mad. Even the clock’s set to a different age. It’s nearly eleven.’
    Gadiel tapped the side of the van. ‘What are we going to do, then? Are we sleeping here?’
    Dan ignored him. There was something set in the wall at the far end of the yard that seemed to attract his attention, but Gadiel could see only the uneven texture of the old bricks, a couple of metal fixings and a half-closed window.
    â€˜What about heading into the village? We could find somewhere – there’ll be a pub, I bet, and there’ll be the Apollo stuff – if we can find a television.’
    Dan was still.
    â€˜Come on, Dan,’ – Gadiel shoved at him – ‘astronauts, you know… men on the moon? Hanging around here all evening, we’ve missed the best of it.’
    Dan stepped out of reach.
    â€˜She should have come to see the van.’
    â€˜You’re not going to hold that against her, are you? It’s just a van. Girls don’t get that kind of thing.’
    â€˜She can’t shake old habits, can she? Playing billiards after dinner – all that stuff.’
    â€˜The