541

“Will you have enough money for that?”

Jason smiled suddenly.  “Yes.  Much more than enough.”

“You’ll be getting mine when I die, darling,” said Lucasta.

“That could be a hundred years away, grandam!” joked Jason.  “You’re indestructible. Seriously, grandam, I hope it is.”  He reached across the table and took her hand.  “I love you.  And you too, Eleanor.  My honorary grandmother.  I’m so glad I came here to this house the first day I arrived.  You made me feel welcome and at home.  Australia made me feel wanted and liked and accepted, despite being a toff and speaking with a funny accent.”  He swallowed the lump in his throat.  “I just hope my news doesn’t change my friendships with Keith and Esmé and Lou.  Because the money I have won’t be for me—except for airfares to visit you, grand—but for the home.  So I won’t actually be any richer.  Not really.”

“They won’t change,” asserted Eleanor with complete assurance.  “They’re your friends and they love you for you.  As I do.  What’s more, I can help you.”

Jason raised his eyebrows. 

“You can have one of the houses in the terrace.”

“That wouldn’t be fair on you.”  Jason had no idea she owned more than the house they were in.

“I’ll do it in memory of Bart.  And for you.  And anyway, I own the whole terrace.  This was the first house I owned, but when I’d paid off a lot of the mortgage, I bought the others one by one and used the rent to pay off the loans, and now I have more than enough.  I’d like to help.”

Jason just nodded.  He was quite unable to speak.

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Episodes 1 to 500 (without pictures, 20 episodes per chapter)   

540

“When I came here, after Brent …. killed himself, I decided not to use my money, because in the end it was money and fussing about money that killed Brent.  And my selfishness.  So I decided to work for my living and not use any of my inheritance.  But money is like any other weapon—or tool.  It can be used for good.  And if you have money and … um … high birth you have power, power to do good.  And I thought, you know, there’s Keith who was thrown out of home because he was gay, or bi, anyway, and Bart who was driven to his death”—his voice faltered for a moment—“and then Brent, who wasn’t driven out of his home by his parents and was accepted by all the blokes in the cricket club but wasn’t accepted by my … by who I used to think were my friends.  So I’m going to make a difference.  Something to change the world, something to help gay and bisexual and lesbian and trans young people so that they can come to terms with themselves and be happy.”

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Episodes 1 to 500 (without pictures, 20 episodes per chapter)   

539

By this time the toast was made and table set.  Eleanor came in and wished them both a good day. 

While they were eating, Jason avoided any deep topics.  They talked of simple things, until when they were finished, just crumbs on the tablecloth and dregs in the teacups, he said, “Eleanor, I have to tell you something.”

She cocked her head at him, her iron-grey hair already coming loose from its grips.  Bolt whined a little at Jason’s feet, wanting another morsel of buttered toast.

“Well, I haven’t been honest with you.”

She raised her eyebrows, her eyes intelligent and kind and a little amused.

“My real name isn’t Jason Wellbury.  You remember I told you that was my name when I first came here?”

“Yes, I remember.”

“It’s … well, it’s a bit more complicated than that.  A lot more complicated. Unfortunately.  My father is the Duke of Coniston. Wellbury was my mother’s maiden name.  My real surname is Armstrong-Beaufort.  But it is such a mouthful and anyway I also have a title, Viscount Saint James.  I didn’t want any fuss.  I wanted to get away from England, from the whole situation there and …”

“I know.”  Eleanor placidly sipped her tea.

“You do?  How?” 

She smiled at Jason’s surprise.

“I guessed last night after Lucasta talked about the Queen.  I looked it up in my very old Who’s Who.  Of course, you weren’t in it, but you,” she turned to Lucasta, “were.”  She smiled slightly.

“Oh.  Right.”  Jason and his grandmother exchanged glances.  “You see, Eleanor, I’ve decided to stay in Australia, and to set up a place, a kind of hostel where gay or bisexual children who’ve been thrown out of their homes can stay.”

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536

“I’m going to do something with my money, grandam.” He looked away, absently wiping crumbs from the counter.  “I’m going to set up a trust for children or teenagers who’re thrown out of their home by their parents for being gay or effeminate or just different.”

She knew at once what he was telling her.  “I wondered whether you’d be coming back to England,” she said.

“Not to live.”  He shook his head.  “That’s why I’ve decided to tell them.  They’re—I don’t want any lies.  And I want to do something good in the world.  Make a difference.  I don’t just want to be a drone, a parasite.  You see, with Brent I … scr—failed.”  He was silent for a few heartbeats.  “It won’t be just my money.  I’ll register a charity and raise funds.  Use my money—and my name—to raise more money.  Make a splash.”

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470

“Yes,” she said crossly, annoyed at her muddle and blaming him for it. 

His mouth curled up at the corners and his eyes smiled, and he said, “That’s the whaole point, love.”

Love?  He’d never called her that before.

“What?  To confuse me with all your masculine wiles?”

He opened his hands in a what-you-see-is-what-you-get gesture.  “Moi?”  He pronounced it ‘moy’.  “Plain old moi?”

“Yeah, well, you know you’re sexy.  Don’t play the ingénu with me!”

He sobered.  “I’ve been thinkin’ of you ever since the last toime.  ’Cos I want ya to have … a good toime …”  Esmé made an inarticulate protest.  “…yeah, a good toime, because ya deserve it. Just because your dad was a vile loathsome bully and pervert doesn’t mean …”

“He used to say gays were perverts and abominations,” Esmé observed quietly.

Keith stared at her.  “After what he did to you?  What a prick!  What a cunt!  He is the abomination!  A loathsome worthless piece of dogshit!”

She was glad of his fury.  It proved—and despite all the evidence which he’d already given her that he loved her—it proved that he did.

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Episodes 1 to 460 (without pictures, 20 episodes per chapter)