The tape paused with the final image of Ms Tallis leaving its evidence upon the television screen.
"Haven't you watched that thing 15 times already?"
Ellie chuckled to herself, finally laying the remote control to rest upon her bureau as her tired eyes finally met Tom's.
"How long have you been stood there?" She asked, noticing the two steaming hot coffees that were grasped in each hand, he had obviously made the 10 minute journey to Starbucks as no one in their right mind would ever dare to drink the gritty residue that they sold at the canteen below. He didn't answer but instead placed the cups upon the desk that Ellie had snuggled herself behind and came beside her, wrapping his arms lazily around her torso as his lips showered hers with an array of tiny kisses.
"Tom" she interrupted, unhooking his arms from around her slim waist. Although she enjoyed the attention it had caused her a lot of trouble in the past; her manager still questioned whether it was wise to allow two people to have a working relationship when they already had a physical one. She smiled slightly coiling her mousey brown hair behind her ears as her hand reached for the caffeine infused drink her body was craving for.
"So, are you going to give the tape to the publishing department or are you going to keep it locked up in here with you?" Tom was known for his teasing manner, it was what had attracted Ellie to him in the first place. She hesitated, unsure of her answer, she had been pestered for the return of the footage for almost a week now as the interview was to be shown in only a few days time, and yet Ellie had ignored the editing department's demands. Since she could remember, Ellie had always been a book worm, it was known by her friends as her Achilles heel for in her eyes anything could be postponed or cancelled when there was a book to be read. Over the years she had been a fond reader of Ms Tallis however with each book Ellie seemed to be both inspired and angered by the author's work. It seemed to Ellie that with each emotional situation Tallis always seemed to be holding something back, as though she was enraptured with emotions that were too complicated for a reader to ever grasp or understand, it had been a flaw of hers for some time and even though she accomplished many awards and recognition this restrain was always picked upon. With every novel that Ellie read she always felt distanced from the author for not once did Briony place part of herself into her characters, until now. By the side of the remote control laid a copy of Atonement, Briony's new book which Ellie had been reading and re-reading since it had been given to her by John Holmes, her esteemed colleague who had not only given her the unpublished manuscript and tape but had also conducted the interview, a feat which Ellie was unashamedly jealous of. Why could she not give the tape up? Was it because after so many years Briony had finally done the unthinkable and released her sheltered emotions on the page or was it because of the dramatic irony of the whole situation? Ellie was unsure.
"Ellie?" No longer was Briony's face upon the television screen, instead the tape was in Tom's hands. "I'm taking this back to the editing department before you end up spending the night here!"
At first Ellie wanted to stop him, but before she spoke she realised that no matter how many times she watched the tape back she would not find the answers she craved.
"Your right" Ellie sighed collapsing back upon the nylon seat. "Take it before the editing room have my guts for garters."
As Tom was about to depart he remembered something that he had meant to ask days before but due to Ellie's work commitments had completely forgotten about. His head coiled from around the door. "Before I forget, this weekend, I wondered whether you'd like to come with me to the new exhibition opening at the Tate, might aswell have some company while reporting"
"No can do" Ellie replied without viewing him in the eyes, she hated letting him down "This weekend I have the dreaded family gathering, grandparents included and who knows what mayhem and gossip will occur"
It was a while after Tom's departure that Ellie finally left her 5th floor office and began the 4 hour journey to the Yorkshire dales where, hiding between acres of forest stood majestically her grandmother's home. The house had been in the family for years and several generations of the Earnshaw clan had grown up there including Ellie herself who had found her love for literature in her grandfather's library. He had regularly found her there nestled in a fortress of books with Alice in Wonderland imprinted in her hands. He always had that same loving smile and begged profusely for her to read out loud so he too could enjoy the wonders of a childhood favourite. As Ellie's battered Clio hurtled down the motorway she began to light a cigarette and pondered on old memories of the Earnshaw residence till finally, as dawn broke over the valley she realised home was only a mile away and the aroma of fresh morning dew filled the car from her opened window. It had been too long since she had been home and no doubt her extended absence would be commented on at some point during her stay.
As the car chugged up the perfectly paved drive Ellie noticed that the gardens surrounding the house were already alive as rabbits upon the cobbles darted to and fro to dodge the oncoming car while geese flew upon the horizon to find a spot on the west garden's lake. How had it taken two long years for Ellie to return to such a majestic place?
Finally the house came into view; its grand facade over shadowing the entire splendour of the grounds with its intricate Georgian columns and long white windows. This was home Ellie thought as she parked her car next to her grandfathers and tried not to compare them both in size and value, instead, she judged her own appearance, scrapping back her long mousey brown hair into a hair band before applying a layer of lip gloss to her slightly chapped lips. For a finishing touch a dousing of perfume was sprayed upon her person to hide the cigarettes that had been savoured during her journey it was still one little habit that she had not indulged her family upon just yet.
"Miss Eleanor! We weren't expecting you until tomorrow!" i" It had been 2 years since she had seen her grandmother's housekeeper, Ms Matthews yet still she carried that knowing gaze which seemed to bore deep within Ellie and pull out her deepest secrets, Ellie swore as teenager that she could read her mind and knew that it was her who had been having a few crafty cigarettes in the orangery. Even now as she stood before her Ellie was still nervous that anything could be exposed.
"I wanted to beat the weekend traffic, besides I haven't been home in years"
"Too right missy" replied Ms Matthews "We've been wondering when you'd come back, no doubt the lights of London have been keeping you away, but as I always say whatever London can do we can do twice better here!"
Ellie forced a smile as Ms Matthews in her deep accent continued to ramble on how society in Yorkshire was changing with all these "big wigs" from the large cities moving in and changing the community atmosphere of the nearby villages.
"...As I was saying to Lily who lives in Pocklington the village spirit needs to be kept intact and she said, NOAH!"
"Noah?" Ellie thought, seeing that Ms Matthew's gaze had moved, turning to see herself she noticed the man behind her, clutching a wheelbarrow filled with what seemed to be a broken statue. His deep blue eyes stared at Ellie for a moment before returning to Ms Matthew's all seeing gaze.
"Just where are you taking that?"
"To the work shed for some much needed repair" By the exhausted expression upon his tanned features this intrusion by Ms Matthews was a regular occurrence.
"Did I give you permission to move such an object? Did Mr Waters? Or Mr or Mrs Earnshaw?" by this point Ms Matthews had moved from her position on the stone steps to examine the wheelbarrow and its contents. Ellie took this as her opportunity and before she could be sucked into the argument that was brewing she made it into the house.
Sorry its so short I'm really busy at the moment. Please stay with me on this one I have some big ideas but its going to take some time to set the scene, please review constructive criticism is welcome :)