“Did you tell Hugh, what I told you last night on the telephone?”
“Yes. I got out the car and went round to his flat, because I hadn’t the heart to tell him on the telephone.”
“How did he take it?”
“You never know, with Hugh. But I got the idea, in a funny way, he’d been expecting something like this to happen. Not that he said anything. He’s a very self-sufficient sort of person, very civilized. The fact that Caroline’s in hospital takes some of the sting out of having to postpone the wedding, and by the time the engagement is formally broken off, people will have got used to the idea.”
“I hope so.”
Diana’s voice changed. “And after I’d seen Hugh, I went round and saw Caleb, the stupid old goat. Of all the irresponsible things to do, lending the children his car like that. It’s a wonder it got as far as Bedfordshire without blowing up. And never saying a word to me. I really could have strangled him.”
“He did it with the best motives in the world.”
“He could at least have made sure the car was serviced first.”
“He’s obviously very fond of Jody and Caroline.”
“Yes, he was fond of them all. Their father, and Jody, and Caroline, and Angus. You know, I wanted Angus to stay with us after his father died, but he didn’t want my sort of a life, or any of the things I could offer him. And he was nineteen and I would never have thought of trying to stop him going off on that mad excursion to India. I just hoped that eventually he’d get it all out of his system and then he’d come back to us and start living a normal life. But he didn’t. I expect Caroline told you. He never did.”
“He told me,” said Oliver. “Last night. We talked until the small hours of the morning. And I told him what Jody wanted him to do … come back to London and make a home for Jody. And Angus told me what he wants to do. He’s been offered a job with a yacht chartering firm in the Mediterranean. He’s going back to Aphros.”
“Does Jody know this?”
“I didn’t tell him. I wanted to discuss it with you first.”
“What is there to discuss?”
“This,” said Oliver and told her, and click, click went the pieces, dove-tailed, fitting together as cleanly as if they had been planned. “I’m going to marry Caroline. Just as soon as she’s better I’m going to marry her. My job’s in London, and I already have a flat there where we can live. And, if you and your husband will agree to it, Jody too. There’s plenty of room for the three of us.”
It took some time for this to sink in. Then Diana said, “You mean, not take him to Canada with us?”
“He likes his school, he likes living in London, he likes being with his sister. He doesn’t want to go to Canada.”
Diana shook her head. “I wonder why I never guessed.”
“Perhaps because he didn’t want you to know. He didn’t want to hurt your feelings.”
“I … I shall miss him dreadfully.”
“But you’ll let him stay?”
“Is that what you really want?”
“I think it’s what we all want.”
She laughed. “Hugh wouldn’t have done that. He wasn’t prepared to take Jody on.”
“I am,” said Oliver. “If you’ll let me. I only had one brother and I miss him very much. If I’m going to have another, I’d like it to be Jody.”
* * *
They came up the avenue at Cairney and Angus and Jody were waiting for them, sitting on the front-door step, a patient reception committee of two. Almost before the car had stopped, Diana was out of it, scrambling, not dignified at all, stooping to gather the excited Jody into her arms, and then, over his bright head, looking up into Angus’s face. His expression was wary, but unresentful. They had never seen eye to eye but he had grown beyond her, and now, whatever he chose to do could be none of her concern and for this she was very grateful.
She smiled and straightened, and went into his huge, bear-like embrace. “Oh, Angus,” she said, “you impossible creature. How wonderful to see you again.”
All Diana wanted was to see Caroline, so Oliver unloaded her luggage, handed Angus the car keys and told him to take her.
“But I want to go too,” said Jody.
“No. We’re staying here.”
“But why? I want to see Caroline.”
“Later.”
They watched the car drive away. Jody said again, “Why didn’t you let me go?”
“Because it’s nice for them to be together. They haven’t seen each other for a long time. Besides, I want to talk to you. I’ve got a whole lot of things I want to tell you.”
“Nice things?”
“I think so.” He put his hand around the back of Jody’s neck and turned him gently, and they went indoors. “The best.”
Read all of Rosamunde Pilcher’s wonderful novels
The Shell Seekers
The Carousel
Voices in Summer
The Blue Bedroom and Other Stories
September
Flowers in the Rain and Other Stories
Coming Home
Wild Mountain Thyme
Under Gemini
Sleeping Tiger
The Empty House
The End of Summer
Snow in April
The Day of the Storm
Another View
Winter Solstice
ENTER THE ENCHANTING WORLD OF ROSAMUNDE PILCHER…
PRAISE FOR COMING HOME…
“Rosamunde Pilcher’s most satisfying story since The Shell Seekers.”
—Chicago Tribune
“Captivating … The best sort of book to come home to … Readers will undoubtedly hope Pilcher comes home to the typewriter again soon.”
—New York Daily News
… FOR SEPTEMBER…
“A dance of life!”
—Philadelphia Inquirer
“Her characters inhabit your daily life … [a] rich story to get lost in … the sort of novel so many seek to imitate and fail. I’d call Pilcher a Jane Austen for our time.”
—Cosmopolitan
… FOR THE BLUE BEDROOM AND OTHER STORIES…
“Breathtaking … A book you will want to keep, to read and re-read!”
—Grand Rapids Press
… FOR THE CAROUSEL…
“Delightful … It exudes comfort as it entertains.”
—Publishers Weekly
… FOR VOICES IN SUMMER
“I don’t know where Rosamunde Pilcher has been all my life—but now that I’ve found her, I’m not going to let her go.”
—The New York Times
SNOW IN APRIL
Copyright © 1972 by Rosamunde Pilcher.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
ISBN: 0-312-96129-4
EAN: 80312-96129-9
St. Martin’s Press hardcover edition published 1972
Dell paperback edition / May 1989
St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / January 1997
St. Martin’s Paperbacks are published by St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
eISBN 9781466824980
First eBook edition: February 2013
Snow in April Page 16
