Best Kept Secret (The Clifton Chronicles, #3)(19)

Emma pretended to be looking at a picture of a duck, or was it a cat, while she tried to work out which of the children was Jessica, but she was none the wiser by the time Matron joined her and said, ‘This is Sandra.’

‘What a wonderful painting, Sandra,’ said Emma. A huge grin appeared on the girl’s face, while Sebastian bent down and took a closer look.

Harry walked across and began chatting to Sandra, while Emma and Sebastian were introduced to Sophie.

‘It’s a camel,’ she said confidently, before either of them could ask.

‘Dromedary or Bactrian?’ asked Sebastian.

‘Bactrian,’ she replied equally confidently.

‘But it’s only got one hump,’ said Sebastian.

Sophie smiled, and immediately gave the animal another hump. ‘Where do you go to school?’ she asked.

‘I’ll be going to St Bede’s in September,’ Sebastian replied.

Harry kept an eye on his son, who was clearly getting on well with Sophie, and feared he’d already made up his mind, but then suddenly Sebastian switched his attention to one of the boys’ paintings, just as Matron introduced Harry to Jessica. But she was so engrossed in her work she didn’t even look up. However hard he tried, nothing would break the girl’s concentration. Was she shy, even petrified? Harry had no way of knowing.

Harry returned to Sophie who was chatting to Emma about her camel. She asked him if he preferred one hump or two. While Harry considered the question, Emma left Sophie and strolled across to meet Jessica, but, like her husband, she couldn’t get a word out of the girl. She began to wonder if the whole exercise was going to end in disaster with Jessica going to Australia while they ended up with Sophie.

Emma moved away and began chatting to a boy called Tommy about his erupting volcano. Most of his paper was covered in deep red flames. Emma thought that Freud would have wanted to adopt this child, as he daubed even more blobs of red paint on to the canvas.

She glanced across to see Sebastian chatting to Jessica while staring intently at her painting of Noah’s Ark.

At least she seemed to be listening to him, even if she didn’t look up. Sebastian left Jessica and gave Sandra’s and Sophie’s paintings one more look, then went and stood by the door.

A few minutes later, Matron suggested they all return to her office for a cup of tea.

After she had poured three cups and offered them each a Bath Oliver biscuit, she said, ‘We will quite understand if you want to go away, give it some thought and perhaps return later, or visit one of our other homes, before you come to a final decision.’

Harry remained resolutely silent, as he waited to see if Sebastian would show his hand.

‘I thought all three girls were quite delightful,’ said Emma, ‘and found it almost impossible to choose between them.’

‘I agree,’ said Harry. ‘Perhaps we should do as you suggest, go away and discuss it between ourselves and then let you know how we feel.’

‘But that would be a waste of time if we all want the same girl,’ said Sebastian, with a precocious child’s logic.

‘Does that mean you’ve made up your mind?’ asked his father, realizing that once Sebastian had revealed his choice, he and Emma could outvote him, although he accepted that might not be the best way for Jessica to begin her life at Barrington Hall.

‘Before you decide,’ said Matron, ‘perhaps I should supply a little background information on each of the three children. Sandra has been by far the easiest to keep under control. Sophie is more gregarious but a bit of a scatterbrain.’

‘And Jessica?’ asked Harry.

‘She’s undoubtedly the most talented of the girls, but lives in a world of her own and doesn’t make friends easily. I would have thought of the three, Sandra might well suit you.’

Harry watched as Sebastian’s frown turned into a scowl. He switched tactics.

‘Yes, I think I agree with you, Matron,’ said Harry. ‘My choice would be Sandra.’

‘I’m torn,’ said Emma. ‘I liked Sophie, bubbly and fun.’

Emma and Harry stole a quick glance at each other. ‘So now it’s up to you, Seb. Will it be Sandra or Sophie?’ asked Harry.

‘Neither. I prefer Jessica,’ he said, then jumped up and ran out of the room, leaving the door wide open.

Matron rose from behind her desk. She clearly would have had words with Sebastian if he’d been one of her charges.

‘He hasn’t quite got the hang of democracy yet,’ said Harry, trying to make light of it. Matron headed for the door, looking unconvinced. Harry and Emma followed her down the corridor. When Matron entered the classroom, she couldn’t believe her eyes; Jessica was unpinning her picture and handing it to Sebastian.

‘What did you offer her in exchange?’ Harry asked his son as Sebastian marched past him clutching on to Noah’s Ark.

‘I promised her that if she came to tea tomorrow afternoon, she could have her favourite food.’

‘And what is her favourite food?’ asked Emma.

‘Hot crumpets covered in butter and raspberry jam.’

‘Would that be all right, Matron?’ asked Harry anxiously.

‘Yes, but perhaps it would be better if all three of them came.’

‘No thank you, Matron,’ said Emma. ‘Jessica will be just fine.’