In The Fast Lane

by Lotte Moore

  “My brother was killed during a robbery. It’s just so cruel. I only hope they catch the evil, thieving murderers.”

  “I’m so sorry, what an awful thing to happen, I can’t imagine…” said Gems.

  “I just can’t do it,” wailed Serena, tears pouring down her face. “Please just tell them that my brother has passed. Explain to the attaché. Also, please ring Oleg Paranovsky and tell him the situation. I must go home after I’ve signed these letters. Lang is with Cheryl, so I must pick up the kids from school and help arrange the funeral,” Serena said sadly.

  “Do let me know if I can do anything else. I’m so sorry, Serena.”

  Chapter Twenty Eight

  Chiswick

  Vivi and Theo discussed how to tell their children about Uncle Jonty’s death. They decided to wait a few days until the weekend. Little Sebastian was sleeping right through, which gave both parents a welcome night’s sleep.

  Vivi was greatly subdued by her brother’s violent death and cancelled all her clients for a week.

  Theo had phoned Sergei on Sunday suggesting that the proceeds from the sale of Baba’s apartment be sent to his bank in Chiswick. He was pleased that it had gone to someone he knew, and also that it made the break from Sergei easier and final.

  They talked about Murel’s new orchestra, and several new soloists including a young Ukrainian pianist who played a lot of modern Russian music. Theo felt a pang of jealousy thinking back to his early days there as the special pianist but showed no emotion on the phone.

  “I’m coming to London next month to arrange a tour. We must meet,” suggested Sergei.

  “Maybe, if I’m here,” Theo said distantly. They said goodbye and Theo picked up Sebastian and cradled him tenderly as he walked round the garden.

  That evening Vivi rang Cheryl to check up on her and was pleased to hear that she sounded a bit more like her old self.

  “I’ve been overwhelmed by tributes to dear Jonty from people near and far,” said Cheryl. “The pony club children have written a beautiful poem called ‘The Tree Man’ about him. Have you told the children yet?”

  “No, we just don’t know how to,” Vivi said truthfully.

  Just at that moment the doorbell rang. Theo answered it. “Hello, Daddy!” Georgie jumped up as Jago wrapped his arm around Theo’s legs. “This is Sally and her mum.”

  Theo shook hands and thanked the attractive blonde mother for having his children to tea.

  “Nice to meet you, I’m Cathy.”

  “Do come in.” Cathy followed him into the garden. “Georgie tells me your husband teaches music at school?”

  “Yes, Alan’s part-time because he’s the first violin at the Royal Philharmonic,” Cathy replied.

  Vivi came in offering a glass of wine. The adults chatted while the children raced round the garden and hung on the climbing frame. Theo became very relaxed talking about the music world.

  “Why not come to the Phil concert? You could meet Alan afterwards,” suggested Cathy.

  “That would be delightful,” said Theo.

  Georgie waved goodbye to Sally as Cathy thanked Vivi and Theo for the drink.

  “Let’s have stroll round the garden,” suggested Vivi to Georgie. Sebastian was sleeping peacefully in his pram.

  She walked at a slow pace gently holding Georgie’s hand.

  “Darling, I have to tell you some very sad news. Dear Uncle Jonty has died,” Vivi said quietly.

  “He can’t have done, we saw him last week,” Georgie replied emphatically.

  “It’s true sweetheart,” Vivi said tearfully.

  “But how?” demanded Georgie.

  “That doesn’t matter for now, darling.”

  “I shall miss him so, so much. He always played games with us,” cried Georgie. Vivi wrapped her arms around her.

  Chapter Twenty Nine

  Oving

  Alicia and Freddie were thrilled when Serena picked them up from school. Several parents stopped to offer condolences over her brother’s death. Luckily, the children had run on ahead chatting to their school friends.

  As she drove back in the low autumn sunlight, Serena went to the top of a local hill and stopped the car.

  “Look at this view, kids. Let’s walk along the top.” Once they got there, she turned to her children and held their hands. “Last week something very sad happened, Uncle Jonty died.”

  Alicia burst into tears. “I don’t believe you! We were playing our special game with him at the christening.”

  Freddie sank onto the grass. “He was my bestest friend. Why did he die?”

  Serena realised she had to tell the truth. “He got run over trying to stop some bad men stealing his sheep.”

  “How could they kill our best uncle?” wailed Alicia, clinging onto Serena.

  “At least he’s up in heaven looking down at you both,” she replied, trying to soothe both sobbing children. “We’re going to see Auntie Cheryl on Saturday. Shall we make some pictures to cheer her up?”

  “I’d like to buy her a beautiful dress,” said Alicia.

  “Alright, that’s a great idea. We’ll have a look tomorrow on the way back from school.”

  “I want to buy her a parrot,” said Freddie.

  “Good idea, only her cat might try to eat it,” said Serena, stroking his cheek.

  They drove back in silence, both children digesting the awful news.

  After homework, Serena got the children to paint some colourful pictures, then allowed them to watch TV while she prepared supper and talked to Maggie.

  Lang phoned from Aylesbury to say goodnight. Serena told Lang that they’d all come over on Saturday. Maggie would roast a chicken and Alicia had promised to make some more meringues.

  “It’s strange at night without you,” Lang suddenly said. “I’ve been with Jacob most of the day. We’re discussing Cheryl letting the fields out to a local farmer. He suggested selling the sheep, so we have no more thefts and no more worry.”

  “That’s an excellent idea and much safer,” agreed Serena.

  “Cheryl has asked if I would consider taking over the management of the forest with Jacob, who’ll no doubt teach me a lot, but I said that I must fit in all my school runs for the kids,” Lang went on. “The pay is pretty good.”

  “What a great solution that would be,” enthused Serena. “And actually, I have an idea too about the woman who helps out in the farm shop. Do you think she might be prepared to live in and keep Cheryl company? She’s a single parent and her son is at university.”

  Having finished his conversation with Serena, Lang walked slowly down to the plantation with Cheryl and Jacob.

  “Jonty’s here” Lang whispered.

  Cheryl collapsed with an agonised wail. Both men sank down and Lang put an arm round her protectively.

  “This is Jonty’s forest and we will tender it with loving care forever, Cheryl,” Lang whispered.

  She slowly rose, clinging onto Lang for support. “Let’s walk through this paradise. I want to walk all the way through, I can almost feel him here,” Cheryl said.

  The two men glanced at each other and strolled in silence. The sun was setting slowly behind the forest and it was very peaceful.

  When they walked back towards the house, Jacob left them to feed the sheep and Lang squeezed Cheryl’s hand.

  “By the way, Serena’s bringing the children over to see you on Saturday,” he said.

  “Oh, how lovely, I do enjoy seeing them. As you know, I’m particularly fond of Alicia. She’s a very practical child and learns things quickly.”

  “Yes, she’s certainly bright,” said Lang proudly. “I think Vivi’s coming down as well, so you’ll have all the family around you.”

  “I hope they all know about Jonty now; I couldn’t possibly tell them,” Cheryl said.

  “Yes, they know,” answered Lang quietly.

  *

  A few days later the farmhouse was buzzing with activity. There were children in the ha
ystacks, kittens being chased by Benjie and Jago, and Jacob was busy showing Freddie how to make cheese.

  Vivi and Serena prepared lunch while Cheryl enjoyed talking about the farm with Lang. Theo asked her if she would like him to play a small piano piece at the funeral.

  “Oh yes, that would be very special. Jonty loved Fauré and Chopin. He often put a tape on at dusk while we sipped a glass of his wine,” she reminisced.

  The whole family assembled at a wooden table outside, overlooking some rolling hills beyond the forest. The children babbled away as usual as though nothing had happened.

  Alicia suddenly stood up. “Auntie Cheryl, I’ve got a special present for you.” She handed her a large carrier bag. “Open it now. It’ll make you happy.”

  Cheryl slowly undid the paper and held up a colourful green dress. Cheryl felt her eyes welling up. “That’s lovely Alicia, how very kind of you.”

  “I wanted to give you a parrot who would talk and make you laugh,” said Freddie.

  “I love birds, but the cats would get too excited with a parrot in the house.” Cheryl smiled.

  Georgie had made some colourful flowers out of tissue paper that she had arranged in a vase, at which point Jacob appeared with three little chicks in a basket. The children jumped down and gathered round him.

  Everyone enjoyed Alicia’s homemade meringues and chatted away trying to fill the silence. Little Sebastian lay peacefully in Cheryl’s arms while the adults finished their wine and beer with the homemade cheese. It was a radiant afternoon even though everyone was missing Jonty dreadfully.

  “What’s the name of that nice helper who works in the farm shop with you?” asked Serena.

  “Yes, she’s lovely. Her name is Hilary,” replied Cheryl.

  “I met her son at the stables helping with the lessons,” recalled Serena. “Actually, I had an idea which might involve her…”

  Lang and the family drove back to Oving. Cheryl took Georgie and Jago to feed the ponies, while Beady and Vivi went upstairs to bathe Sebastian who lay gurgling and splashing his tiny feet in a baby’s tub.

  Theo hadn’t yet seen the plantation. Walking through he felt a profound air of tranquillity and was amazed at the large selection of trees. He sat down on a tree trunk briefly and relished the silence. In his head he began composing the gentle notes of a sonata.

  “Daddy, where are you?” he heard Georgie’s voice echoing down the hill. Reluctantly he began walking back up to the house.

  “My goodness, this place is good for the soul,” he said to Vivi who sat in the kitchen tenderly rocking Sebastian. “It’s very peaceful, darling, isn’t it?”

  “I forgot you’d never seen the forest before. You were always in Moscow when we came down at weekends.”

  Theo briefly recalled the anxieties and glorious musical achievements of Moscow. It all seemed so far from recent events, his new son, and the tragic death of dear Jonty. He went over to Vivi and kissed her.

  “While I was deep in the forest I began to compose a sonata on the tranquillity of Jonty’s creation. I’ll play it to you when we get back.”

  “I do miss my brother so much,” Vivi said, stretching out an arm to Theo who came over to comfort her.

  The phone rang and Theo picked it up. “Where’s Cheryl? It’s Dr Ashworth.”

  “She’s upstairs with Beady,” replied Vivi.

  Cheryl arrived hastily to speak with the doctor who told her the post-mortem was finished and concluded that Jonty died from a haemorrhage to the brain caused by the impact of being hit by the van. Cheryl thanked him calmly and put the phone down, collapsing into the old kitchen chair. Theo put an arm round her shoulders.

  Georgie and Jago rushed into the room.

  “Mummy, we’ve just seen two rabbits with tiny babies running along the field,” Georgie exclaimed.

  “Could we have a rabbit at home?” Jago asked.

  “Let’s go see where Granny is,” Theo said, trying to move them out of the kitchen.

  “No, don’t make them go,” said Cheryl quietly. “I promised to show them a bird’s nest with three eggs in it. I think it belongs to a thrush.”

  She took both children by the hand and guided them to a thick hedge by the vegetable garden. The mother bird was sitting on the nest as one chick burst out of its shell, a little wide-open beak gaping for food.

  “Oh, it’s so tiny,” whispered Georgie.

  “Will the other chicks pop out now?” asked Jago.

  They stood entwined inside Cheryl’s arms, totally absorbed for several minutes. Suddenly, the mother bird flew off hurriedly in search of food and returned with a wriggling worm.

  “Fancy eating worms. Ugh!” said Jago.

  Beady and Lang were standing by the kitchen door, pleased to see Cheryl immersed in nature with the children.

  After supper, once bedtime stories had been told, the adults listened to the Fauré excerpt that Cheryl wanted at Jonty’s funeral. They discussed arrangements and who to invite.

  “It’s probably better to have it on Saturday,” suggested Vivi. “I’d like to read something.” She took out a piece of paper and tearfully read a poem.

  “That’s beautiful. Do read it in church,” said Cheryl quietly.

  *

  The following day both families attended church, then enjoyed a pub lunch by the canal.

  Serena had to return to Oving. She rushed into her workroom to catch up with arrangements for finishing the two four-poster beds during the week. She phoned Oleg Paranovsky assuring him she’d be in first thing in the morning.

  Meanwhile, the Hanovers arrived home with two very dejected children and listened to myriad answer phone messages about Theo’s next concert. He had an appointment with his new manager the next day.

  *

  By the end of the week, the family had prepared for the funeral on Saturday. Jacob helped decorate Jonty’s coffin with hay and small sprigs of golden beech leaves along the sides. Cheryl and Hilary had prepared four dozen scones, some cinnamon biscuits and a raft of cucumber sandwiches for the wake.

  “Would you mind if I stayed for the next couple of nights?” Hilary suddenly asked. She was a tall, diffident lady who seemed fond of Cheryl, having worked in the farm shop for over five years.

  “No, of course not. It would be company for me, and we could do some crocheting together in the evening,” said Cheryl.

  Both women had lost their husbands and shared an invisible loneliness that gave them ease together.

  “My boiler’s packed up,” Hilary explained. “The room’s so cold without central heating and hot water. The plumber can’t come until next week.”

  “Oh, in that case I’ll tell Lang he needn’t stay the night,” said Cheryl. “He ought to be back with his family anyway. Did I mention I’ve asked him to take care of the plantation? Jonty would have liked that.”

  Vivi phoned to see how the preparations were going and was delighted to hear that Hilary would be staying the night.

  “Can we come and stay on Saturday as well?”

  “Yes, it would be lovely to have you all here. The more the better. I love to have the house full,” replied Cheryl.

  “Theo’s composed a beautiful slow sonata for Jonty,” said Vivi enthusiastically.

  “Oh, how thoughtful of him,” said Cheryl. “I’m looking forward to hearing it.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Aylesbury

  It was a bright September morning as the family waited for Jonty’s coffin to be driven off up the hill towards their local church. As they walked to the front pews, Cheryl was supported on either side by Beady and Vivi, followed by Serena and all the children. They were astonished by the packed congregation.

  Jonty’s decorated coffin was carried in by Lang, Theo, Jacob, Hilary’s son Ed, and two friends.

  Theo played his tender adagio, Vivi read her poem, followed by two friends who recounted amusing incidents of their times with Jonty. Serena led the children in the hymn ‘All things bright and
beautiful.’

  Cheryl got up and gave an impromptu eulogy to her dear man. There were gasps, gulps, and sobs after her moving words. She stood poised while speaking to over two hundred faces and finished by saying that Jonty’s ashes would be buried beside a tree in his forest.

  As the coffin finally slid through the curtains, Cheryl’s body trembled. The finality was unbearable for her.

  Many people came to the wake. Cheryl was pleased to greet so many familiar faces and there was much laughter in people’s reminiscences. Even Prince Charles had sent a representative to pass on his condolences. Cheryl felt a warmness surrounding her and in that moment, she felt a small amount of peace.

  “I can feel you,” Cheryl whispered, knowing that Jonty was right beside her.

  Chapter Thirty One

  Chiswick

  On Monday, after the school run, Vivi decided to rearrange the drawing room because the piano tuner had said that sunlight was damaging the instrument. Bella heaved it round as Vivi pushed the concert grand toward a shady corner.

  “Thanks Bella. That’s well out of the sunlight now. Ah, here’s Theo’s fountain pen! He lost it last week. I’ll put it back in his desk.”

  As Vivi unlocked the bureau her eyes were drawn to a pale blue letter lying open. It was from Sergei. Unable to put it down, she began reading the contents, slowly sinking into a chair. The intimate words madeherfeelsick. The shock ofseeing, ‘how I miss you already,’ made her shake and to then see more loving words across the page was unbelievable. As she put the letter downshe saw that the Russian had signed off with the words, ‘Farewell, my darling Theo.’

  Beneath that letter was another. Theo had started a reply with the words, ‘My darling Sergei…’

  She began to tremble and hurried upstairs, sobbing. Sebastian let out a loud wail and she looked out of the window to see Theo tenderly rocking the baby in his arms.

  “How could you betray me,” she whispered.