Chapter 9
Jack spent the next few days looking over the house and estate and going through the books. The estate was financially secure, considering the times; he had to admit that Gray had done a good job. There was no mortgage on the site and a steady income came from the regular shoots and the management of the forests. Jack wasn't sure about the shoots as he'd seen enough killing in his life but for now he'd leave that to the gamekeeper. There were also other workers in the house and estate. Indoors the house was managed by the butler and housekeeper and there was also a cook. He planned to meet all of them and introduce himself as soon as he could.
He spent the morning walking around the immediate grounds. The views from the main house were spectacular, especially the one of the loch through the trees with the mountains behind. The sun was glinting off the surface of the water and Jack could see one of the regular cruise boats chugging across. He returned reluctantly to the house and went to his study. Jamie McCrimmon, the butler, came in carrying coffee. He was relatively new to the job but seemed efficient.
'Will that be all, Sir?'
'Yes, Jamie, just me for meals today.' Jack looked up at the portrait of his father which dominated the room.
'Have you any idea what you're going to do now, Sir? You'll get very lonely rattling around in this old place.' Jack wondered for a moment if Jamie had an ulterior motive but dismissed the idea.
'I don't know, Jamie. I thought perhaps that I might take up writing. Perhaps there's a story in my experiences. War stories certainly seem popular and I've a few of them I could tell. I wonder what my father would have liked me to do. We always had a difficult relationship. He wasn't pleased when I joined the army but we came to an understanding eventually.'
'I think he'd have liked you to follow him into the business, Sir. Isn't that what all fathers want?'
'No, not for me; Gray is the businessman in this family,' Jack protested.
'There's time for you to learn, Sir,' Jamie suggested before leaving.
Jack leant back in his chair. He felt the key in his pocket and, once again, he wondered where it was from and about the two years he'd lost. Perhaps Jamie was right; perhaps he did need a role in the business, or possibly he could branch out with his own ideas. The Internet offered all sorts of possibilities now.
As the weeks went by Jack received lots of e-mails from Gwen telling him all about her days at the university and how she was longing to see him. He tried writing but nothing came. It was like his brain just wanted to fill in the gaps left by his memory loss and wouldn't let him create anything meaningful.
'So you've decided to go into business after all,' Gwen wrote. 'Mary said that you're brilliant at all this web stuff and that you're going to make the family very rich. I can't wait to see you again.'
The weeks turned into months and the months into years. Jack sat in his study looking at the photo of Gwen in her graduation gown. She was no longer a teenager. She still had the gap in her teeth and that glossy brown mane of hair, but now she was much more confident. She'd made it quite clear to Jack what she wanted but Jack had kept her at arm's length. He was twice her age after all and there was just something that held him back. It wasn't that he'd lived like a eunuch over the last two years; Glasgow and Edinburgh offered their pleasant diversions, but there was always that sense of something being missing. Times were hard; the government had a crisis to deal with and wasn't dealing with it particularly well. However Jack had found a gap in the market. If he couldn't write, he'd encourage others and e-reading was the coming thing. It was easy to publish online and overheads were less. It seemed that everyone had a book in them, except him. Every time he tried to write the blank page just stared back at him.
That morning he strode into the office to find Gwen waiting for him. She was dressed up and the outfit must have cost a fortune. She stood and did a twirl for him.
'Hello Nuisance,' he said, indulgently
'Well, what d'you think, Jack? It seems a pity to waste all this effort. I think you should take me to lunch today. There's a new place just opened up. It's the place to be seen, Jack, and I'm sure that your name would get us in.'
'Gwen, I haven't really got the time,' Jack protested.
'That's not what your PA says; so modern of you to have a male PA, Jack. He says that you should be able to manage an hour or two. He's very handsome, isn't he?'
'Is he?' Jack replied. She was certainly right that he looked good in a suit. The man was so efficient that Jack wondered how he would manage without him now.
'Mr Gillespie,' he said, pressing the intercom button. 'I'm going out to lunch. I'm told that you approve.'
'Yes, I thoroughly approve, Mr Harkness.'
'I need the Browning papers. Do I have anything at two this afternoon?'
'Yes, Sir.'
'Can you postpone it?' he asked. Gwen smiled, knowing that she'd won.
'Certainly, Sir. Will there be anything else?'
'No, Mr Gillespie, that will be all. I'll be back later. Right my dear Gwen, I'm all yours for the next two hours.'
'I hope so,' Gwen thought. 'I certainly hope so!'
Gwen was right about the restaurant; it was new and prestigious and owned by one of the new breed of chefs, keen to get patronage from the rich or famous. Gwen practically bristled with importance and ate hardly anything.
'You've been very good Jack, and not looked at your watch once.'
'I must go soon though; Mr Gillespie will be wondering where I am,' Jack said.
'You used to say that you hated business,' Gwen pointed out.
'Did I?' Jack questioned.
'You know you did. You came in to help out and ended up staying.'
'So many people depend on our business, Gwen. Gray knows his stuff but he's not prepared to try anything new and technology changes so quickly these days. We have to keep up.'
'But, Jack!' she said, giving him her sweetest smile. 'Don't you ever want to get out and have some fun?' Jack thought about the week before. He'd been on a trip to Paris and certainly had some fun there, but he wasn't sharing that with Gwen! Jack realised he was listening to the man behind him. The accent caught his imagination.
'What is it?' Gwen asked, noting his inattention.
'Nothing really; it was just that accent. Sometimes I get a wisp of memory that fades away before I can catch hold of it. Anyway you were talking about fun.'
'I think you should take a holiday, Jack. You've got to spend your money on something, so why not me?'
'I may have the money, Gwen, but I haven't got the time. In case you haven't noticed, there is a recession looming.' He paused for a moment.
'Oh, I don't care about that, Jack!' She looked at him. 'How old are you really? You never seem to change and you're really very good looking.'
'Thank you, Gwen; it's kind of you to notice.'
'Oh Jack, you know that there isn't a person in this room who hasn't noticed, including that waiter who would have fed you by hand on his knees if you'd asked him!'
'What can I say? It's hard being this perfect.' They both laughed.
'That's just it, you are. You're clever and interesting. You dress well and, well, you've completely spoilt me for other men. It's no secret, Jack. You know that I've always been mad about you.' She batted her eyelashes. 'You must love me a little bit, Jack, or you wouldn't put up with me. We're very alike, you know. We laugh at the same things and we always have fun together, don't we? I do wonder why you've never even tried … well, you know that I'd only be too pleased if you would look in my direction.'
'Look, Gwen, I haven't said that I don't have feelings for you. I do. You are really special and any man would be lucky to have you.'
'I sense a 'but' there though, Jack. You still see me as a silly teenager, don't you? A silly thing, but I'm not, not anymore.' He took her hand.
'There's no 'but', Gwen. I can see that there are lots of good things about us being a couple.' Jack momentarily felt a shiver.
'Really, Jack? That would be fantastic, but do you mean it? You're not just humouring me, are you?'
'No, it's time I settled down Gwen, and you're right, we do have fun together and I'm sure we could have more.'
'Are you really, Jack? Are you sure? I won't get to your office tomorrow to find that you've forgotten everything that's been said today?'
'Nah! I'll get Mr Gillespie to remind me. He remembers everything as well as making the most amazing coffee I've ever tasted!'
'Well then,' Gwen said, sensing that she'd better seal the deal. 'Let's get out of here. Take me home to Torchwood, Jack, and show me that you mean it and that you really do love me!'
