Page 53 of On Circus Lane

“Oh, silly me, it must have slipped my mind,” I say faintly.

“Anyway, Jack and I are going to spend the day together.Alone,” he adds in case we hadn’t got the memo.

“Will you be planning your pensions for the next life as well as this one?” Freddy asks.

Steven rolls his eyes. “I sorted my pension years ago, Fred. As should you have done.” He looks around the room. “I hope it’s okay with everyone if we vanish.”

Tom looks like a retort is hovering on his lips, but he just winks at Jack. “I’m fine with you lovebirds having some alone time.”

Jack snorts, but Steven nods in an important manner.

“What’s everyone else doing?” I ask, trying not to look at Tom, even though I can feel his gaze warming the side of my face.

“We’re going shopping,” Georgina says, leaning forward on the couch.

“Again?” Freddy says.

Theo nods resignedly from beside her. “Yay,” he says feebly and gets a punch on the arm from his girlfriend. “Ouch.”

“Sal and Ivy,” Georgina says, “what do you think about going to Multrees Walk and lunch afterwards?”

“Don’t you want some alone time with Theo?” Ivy asks.

Theo grins at her. “Not while shopping. I find it best to keep my distance. Sometimes, I pretend Georgie lives in China, and I’m at the North Pole.”

I laugh and look over at Ivy. “Are you going shopping?” The thought makes me want to squirm. I don’t want to see the insides of any more shops this holiday. They’re too bright and busy.

She looks torn. “I thought I’d have the day with you.”

“No need.” I pull my sheet of paper from my pocket, noting disapprovingly how very few things have been crossed off. “I’m going to Holyrood and the Scottish Parliament, and then the Scott Monument and the National Museum of Scotland.”

She blinks. “In one day?”

I nod. “It can be done.”

“By someone with a time machine.”

I grin at her. “So go shopping. You hate sightseeing.” I hold up a hand to forestall her objections. “I honestly don’t mind.”

And I don’t. I like sightseeing on my own. Nobody rushes me with sighs and demands for hot chocolate and food breaks. Namely, Ivy.

“Are you sure?”

I nod.

She grins at the girls. “Yay, shopping.”

Freddy gets up and stretches. “The girls from next door are going zip lining at a place outside the city.” He looks at Tom. “Coming?”

I can see the temptation in Tom’s eyes, so I’m amazed when he shakes his head. “Nah, mate. I think I’ll go with Bee.”

The conversation stops, and everyone stares at Tom. The tips of his ears turn red.

Jack stirs. “Youare going to a palace, a parliament, a monument, and a museum?You?”

“Yeah, why not?” He smiles at me. “It can be done with enough determination.”

Jack looks amused. “Culture. You?”

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