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to be one of those dreadful possessive, interfering mothers - but I can’t help worrying when James behaves so oddly. I thought perhaps you and he might have had a tiff. But if you haven’t, it must be something else that’s upset him.’
    ‘I haven’t seen him since he took me to the pictures.
    Perhaps he’s working too hard,’ Jenny suggested.
    ‘Yes, he has been very busy recently, but I’m sure it’s not only tiredness that has him so edgy all week. He swallows his meals with no idea what he’s eating, and at night I hear him prowling about his room till all hours.’
    A faint flush coloured Jenny’s cheeks and she bent her head, smoothing the silver paper from the candied chestnut.
    ‘Perhaps it’s just the spring. Most people feel restless and jumpy at this time of year, don’t you think?’
    ‘Especially if they’re in love,’ Mrs. Langdon said dryly.
    Jenny gave her a swift startled glance.
    ‘Is James in love?’ she asked unsteadily.
    ‘I thought you might know the answer to that, my dear.’
    The flush became a wash of vivid colour and, seeing it, Mrs. Langdon went on quickly, ‘Perhaps I ought not to be saying this, but you must know that everyone thinks you and James have “an understanding”, Jenny dear. If it’s so -
    and nothing would make me happier – don’t you think it’s time it became official? I don’t know how strongly you feel about James, but I’m sure he’s devoted to you, and perhaps lacks the courage to tell you. People don’t realize it, but he’s terribly conscious of his limp and his cheek.’
    ‘I know,’ Jenny murmured.
    ‘Then perhaps if you were to give him some definite encouragement...’ his mother suggested, with a gesture.
    Before Jenny could reply, James came out of the house and walked towards them. He was wearing a blue cotton shirt and khaki drill slacks - his customary working kit in warm weather - and carrying a can of beer and some food on a plate.
    ‘Home at last. Hello, Jenny.’ He bent to kiss his mother, then dropped into a deck chair.
    ‘Hello, James.’ Jenny found herself unable to look at him.
    ‘Did you get the cow out of the ditch?’ Mrs. Langdon asked.
    ‘Yes, after much heaving and tugging.’ James stretched his long legs and began to eat a cold leg of chicken. ‘Phew -
    it’s hot. I hope this early heat wave isn’t going to be our one brief spell of summer, like last year.’
    He sounded perfectly normal, Jenny thought.
    When, half an hour later, she said she must go, James at once offered to run her home.
    ‘Oh, no, please, don’t bother,’ she said hastily.
    ‘No bother - I’d like to. See you later, Mum.’
    Jenny had never imagined that she could ever be so ill at ease with someone as long a part of her life as James. But as they went through the house and climbed into the estate car, she was tense with nervousness.
    ‘What were you and Mum nattering about before I came back?’ James asked, as he put the car in gear.
    ‘Nothing much ... the sale of work and so on.’ She paused, then blurted out, ‘She says you’ve been rather liverish lately.’
    James did not answer, and within a couple of minutes they were at the Rectory. Then he switched off the engine and turned to face her.
    ‘Yes, I know I have,’ he said equably. ‘Do you want to know why?’
    Suddenly Jenny felt frightened. She was almost sure what he was going to say, but she wanted to stop him. ‘No, not yet - it’s too soon. Not yet,’ she thought desperately.
    Aloud she stammered, ‘I - I expect you’ve been overdoing things. You need a holiday.’
    ‘Don’t be silly,’ James said gruffly. ‘I need you.’
    In full view of anyone who might be looking out of the Rectory windows, or passing in the road, he took her in his arms and kissed her again.
    At first it was like the other kiss, gentle and tender. Then she felt a kind of shudder run through him, and he strained her against him, his lips suddenly fierce and demanding.
    When he let