The Perfect Match by Unknown

affairs; he thought of his own brother David and himself. 'Your mother need have no fears that either she or her parents are remembered locally with anything other than very great fondness and respect,' he told Chrissie gently, adding, 'Your grandmother, in particular, was very well known locally for her generosity to a number of charities, both financially and through the voluntary work she did.'
    'It's a family tradition my mother has continued,'
    Chrissie informed him, going on to explain to him a little of her parents' current way of life and the reasons why neither of them could be in Haslewich. 'To be truthful, I'm rather glad that my mother didn't come. The impression I've had from...from certain people is that my uncle wasn't particularly well liked.'
    'No, I'm afraid he wasn't,' Jon agreed after a telling but brief moment of hesitation. 'He was a drinker and like all those who suffer from any kind of addiction, when he was in the grip of it, nothing and no one else mattered.'
    'I understand what you're saying,' Chrissie returned quietly. 'And my mother...' She stopped and shook her head. It was obvious that Jon was well aware of what the situation was and she was thankful that there was no need for her to explain to him what manner of man her late uncle had been.
    'There's no need for your mother to feel that her presence in Haslewich wouldn't be welcomed or that she will in any way be held responsible for her late brother's behaviour. There are very few families who can't count at least one black sheep amongst their number,' he added with a wry smile that warmed Chrissie's heart.
    'I think my mother would like to come back. She often talks about the farm.'
    Jon Crighton was an extremely likeable man, Chrissie reflected, all the more so because one could somehow sense that at heart he was basically a sincere and self-effacing person, one who would draw other people and their problems to him. He went on to tell her that he would do his best to expedite all the legal matters with regard to supplying her parents with a list of her late uncle's creditors.
    'Although,' he added a touch hesitantly, 'from what I gather from my wife, it seems that you are not in any particular hurry to leave Haslewich.'
    To her chagrin, Chrissie discovered that she was blushing as well as smiling as she made some inar-ticulate response to Jon's gentle teasing.
    Half an hour later, their meeting concluded, Jon watched her as she walked across the town square.
    She was an attractive and pleasant self-possessed young woman and he could well understand why Guy Cooke should be 'smitten' with her as Jenny had claimed.
    'Oh good, you're on your own.'
    The sound of his wife's voice from the open door-way of his office had him turning round to welcome her. 'I thought when you phoned earlier you were going to be tied up for the day at Fitzburgh Place with the fair,' he commented.
    'I was, but I decided to give myself a break, come home early and then perhaps go back later this evening. Is there any chance that you might be free to take me somewhere rather nice like the Grosvenor for afternoon tea?' she suggested.
    'Mmm...' Jon pretended to give the matter some serious consideration before offering, 'I'm not so sure about the Grosvenor. We'd have to drive over to Chester and then back again, but there is this rather special little place I know where we could be all alone and where, if we're very lucky, we might be able to share rather more than afternoon tea.'
    Jenny looked at her husband suspiciously. 'If you mean what I think you mean,' she began warningly,
    'you're going to be out of luck. For one thing, I haven't been out shopping and we don't have a thing to eat other than last night's leftovers and for another...' She continued, overriding Jon's attempt to break in.
    'I don't mind passing on the food,' he murmured.
    'Jack and Joss will be at home.'
    'Ah,' Jon sighed at this mention of the boys. Joss was his younger son and Jack was Jon's brother