Page 42 of Save Us
“Maybe I misheard then, and she said it’s old enough to go to school itself.”
She sticks her tongue out at me. At that moment, I long to kiss her so badly that I have to grip the steering wheel and force myself to focus.
I’m not doing a great job of keeping my mind on the road. Ruby is sitting right next to me, and I’m still yearning for her. Last night almost drove me crazy. I spent it lying awake, trying desperatelynotto remember that my girlfriend was only a staircase away, wearing nothing more than short polka-dot pajamas.
You could go to hell for thoughts like the ones I had after that.
“You can have the James bag back if you like,” I suggest croakily, staring through the windshield. I focus on the sound of the engine and the green fields and hills rushing past.
Anything to distract me from the fact that my trousers are getting tight in the crotch because my imagination is straying in an indecent direction again.
“That would be lovely,” she says, but she suddenly sounds so down that my filthy thoughts fizzle away. “But I don’t need a school bag anymore.”
“The James is an all-rounder. You can use it for anything. Anyway, you’ll be back at Maxton Hall by the week after next, tops,” I say firmly.
That makes her smile, at least, and from the corner of my eye I can see her shoulders relax slightly.
“You’re right. Maybe the bag thing isn’t such a bad idea.”
“I never have bad ideas, Ruby Bell.”
She snorts quietly, and it sounds suspiciously like a laugh. My stomach floods with triumph.
I’m so glad we finally get to have a Saturday together, to beclose like this, without anyone—Cyril, Dad, Ruby’s parents, or anyone else in the entire world—getting in the way. It’s a dream come true for Ruby to have let me back in her life despite everything that’s happened.
“Know what I was just thinking?” she asks suddenly.
“Hmm?”
“It’s so weird seeing you actually driving in person,” she says with a smile. “I’ve only ever seen you lounging on the back seat of the Rolls, eating or drinking.”
Now it’s my turn to snort.
“I didn’t even know you had your own car.”
“It was a present when I passed my test,” I say. “But I’m not gonna lie, it spent most of the time sitting in the garage.”
“Don’t you like it?” Ruby asks, looking around inside the black coupe.
“No, it’s not that,” I reply somewhat belatedly. “Percy’s driven Lydia and me since we were kids. I hardly remember a day when he wasn’t around. And now…”
“And now?”
I shrug. “Now he isn’t driving me.”
“Have you heard from him?” Ruby asks cautiously, and I shake my head.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Chauffeuring me around was his job. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s glad to see the back of me.”
“Do you think so?” Ruby asks skeptically. I just shrug my shoulders again, so she adds: “He’s known you and Lydia all your lives. He must be upset by everything that happened. Especially after…”
“You think so?”
She spends a moment searching for the right words. “A couple of weeks ago, when he drove me to Pemwick, we talked about your mum for a bit. I got the impression he was really upset by her death.”
