The Pledge Chapter 3d

“It's not a problem. Here's a deal. I'll forget your bizarre behaviour if you forget mine. OK?” Jack laughed.

“Deal!” Lavinia laughed too. “Are you busy? I know I have a cheek but could you come and look at this infernal computer of mine? I cannot get any sense from the dratted thing, but I do need it for my work, unfortunately. Do you do housecalls?”

“Not usually but I can make exceptions. We haven't got off to a good start have we? We keep fainting on each other!” Jack smiled. “I take it Eric isn't technically minded?”

“No, not really. I phoned him already and he's stumped.”

“Get him to unplug it all for me.”

“OK, If I need to. I'll have to phone him though.”

“He's not there?” Jack said in confusion.

“Well, no. Oh! Oh Jack!” Lavinia started to laugh. “I think you have the wrong end of the stick. Eric's my brother.”

“Oh! I'm so sorry. Yes, I'm dense. I presumed he was your husband. I'm sorry.” Jack cringed. “Right! I need to nab my fantastic housekeeper to watch my son, then I'll come take a look at the computer.”

“Would you? That's wonderful. Thankyou. I hate it, I really do. It has me in tears half the time. Forty One Gall's Villas.”

“Oooo!” Jack whistled at Alex after he'd hung up. “Gall's Villas! I better polish my discs. Posh eh?”

“Wow!” Alex was very impressed. “They're mansions!”

“And I think Ms Stark is a Lady. A proper one, I mean.” Jack frowned and tried to recall who he'd heard calling her Lady Lavinia.

“I better go and tidy my room. Uncle Greg got Lego all over the place and Mrs Wilson said she was going to make him eat it.” Alex said seriously and Jack sniggered.