Read The Chaos Code for Free Online Page A

up at the manor house if you want, there’s plenty of room there, of course. But I thought this was more cosy and I’d rather you were with me. If that’s all right?’
    Matt nodded. ‘I’ll be fine. Thanks.’
    â€˜Of course, you’re welcome to use Mr Venture’s library and do your homework or whatever you have to do up there. I’ll show you round this afternoon if I havetime. I’m sorry I’m going to be rather busy, but of course I didn’t know you were coming until …’
    â€˜That’s OK,’ Matt assured her. ‘I’ll be all right. It’s lovely here. And thank you for letting me stay.’
    â€˜Oh, my pleasure. Now, you must be hungry – I know it’s early for lunch, but I also know what growing boys are like with food.’ She led the way back down the narrow staircase and into the kitchen – which seemed to be the biggest room in the house. ‘I need to organise lunch up at the manor, and I have a lot to do this afternoon. So I’ll get you a sandwich or something and then leave you to unpack and explore. Help yourself to anything you need. My home is your home.’ She smiled, and it made Matt feel welcome and wanted, and it made Aunt Jane look suddenly younger.
    â€˜So what do you do, Aunt Jane? For Mr Venture? And who is he anyway?’ Matt asked between bites of his ham sandwich. Aunt Jane had given him a bowl of salad too – lettuce and slices of cucumber and small tomatoes. He left that.
    â€˜I suppose I’m a sort of estate manager and personal assistant,’ she told him. ‘Mr Venture is a businessman and an academic. He’ll be off to meetings and visiting archives at a moment’s notice. He leaves it to me to keep the day-to-day things going while he’s away and to organise his time and run the place when he’s actually here.’
    â€˜So, he’s a bit like Dad?’ Matt said. ‘Researching and stuff.’
    â€˜A bit.’ She busied herself at the sink. ‘Their interests stem from rather different sources, but I suppose so.’
    â€˜And you and Dad grew up here. In the village, I mean?’
    â€˜Yes. The village is further down the road, on the west side of the estate, so I don’t suppose you drove through it. The church is actually on estate land though.’ She turned back to face him. ‘So many questions.’ The light was behind her, so she was just a dark silhouette, but Matt thought she sounded sad and he wondered why.
    â€˜Why did you stay?’ he asked.
    â€˜Here? In the village?’
    He nodded. ‘Dad left, but you stayed.’
    â€˜I had to look after our mother. Your father got interested in archaeology and was off studying. Then he got the job at the university, met your mother … I just never felt the need to move on, I suppose. Everything I wanted was here.’ She sat down at the table beside him. ‘Still is.’
    â€˜So you’re happy here?’
    She smiled thinly. ‘Oh yes. Not a lot to do for young people like you. Your father and I used to play in the woods behind this cottage. We had the run of the estate, made friends … They were good times,’ she said quietly. ‘But things move on, change, come to an end. It’s different now, and yet it’s the same. Perhaps the worldhas moved on and I haven’t really accepted the change. But I keep busy and I enjoy my work, and Julius is …’ She shrugged. ‘Well, he’s Julius.’
    â€˜He’s a good man to work for?’
    She stood up, the chair scraping back across the stone floor. ‘The best. I couldn’t work for anyone else, not now.’ She laughed, but Matt got the impression it was for his benefit. ‘Must be getting set in my ways in my old age.’
    â€˜You’re not old,’ Matt told her. ‘Well, not really.’
    â€˜No,’ she replied. ‘No, I’m