Beth carried them into the hall for her and laid them at one end of the table. ‘Dad says there might be some photos of the playgroup in here.’
‘Oh good. I have some pictures belonging to the school in my bag, which I’ve already sorted out. It’s such fun looking at the really old pictures; for some reason the children all look dreadfully unhappy. I don’t think there’s a smiler among them.’
‘Children smile nowadays though, don’t they?’
‘They do. Now . . . here we go. Alex gone to his match?’
‘Yes . . . No. He doesn’t have one. He just didn’t want to help.’
‘I see. Well, never mind, we’ll manage, won’t we?’
Back at the Rectory Alex had got up, showered and was downstairs in the kitchen eating his breakfast. Caroline was sorting out the freezer while he ate. She’d made up her mind she wouldn’t ask his reasons for not helping at the school.
‘Mum?’
‘Mmm?’
‘Is she coming? This . . . Suzy person?’ There was only a slight hesitation before Caroline answered, ‘Yes. So I’m told.’
‘I shan’t speak to her.’
‘That’s all right, but you must be polite if she speaks to you.’
‘Why?’
‘Because you must.’
‘Why?’
‘Well, for one thing, she gave you life and carried you for nearly nine months.’
‘She didn’t want me though, did she? She gave me away.’
‘She gave you to your father and to me, and I needed you so desperately.’
‘Did you?’
‘Yes. I wanted Dad’s children because I love him so, but I couldn’t have them with him.’
Alex lingered over his cup of tea, thinking about what his mother had said. He poured himself another cup, rested his elbows on the table and drank. After a few sips he said quietly, ‘How did you find out what had happened?’
‘Your father told me as soon as he knew you were expected.’
‘What did you think?’
Caroline shut down the lid of the freezer and propped herself against it. ‘If you want the truth, my world fell apart. I went home to Grandma’s and had a big think and I decided I couldn’t live without your dad and I’d have to forgive him.’
‘And you did?’
‘Yes.’
‘I don’t think I could forgive my wife having a secret like that.’
‘Well, there we are, that’s you but not me. Best of all, I got the two of you and I loved you from day one. It wasn’t difficult, believe me. I saw you being born and held you immediately, and instantly felt right here in my heart you were mine. You see, your mother couldn’t tolerate even seeing you, not because she hated you, or wanted rid of you, but because she knew if she did see you she’d never give you to us. Which she knew was the best because being widowed, this was before she married Mr Palmer, and having her three girls to feed and clothe, tiny twins would have been impossible financially. Praise be, Alex! You’re ours, Dad’s and mine, and I can’t begin to describe how full of gratitude I am for her generosity. So remember that when you think of her.’
He sat silently gazing out of the window absorbing what she’d said. ‘But he—’
‘Yes?’
‘Never mind.’ Alex cleared the table, put his dishes in the dishwasher and went to leave the kitchen. He hesitated in the doorway and turned back. ‘Thanks for talking, Mum.’ He disappeared up the stairs to sit at his desk in his bedroom, staring out of the window and thinking about grown-ups and how wrongly they could behave and yet be forgiven for it. Then he recollected how when he was nine, or was it ten, he’d been so defiant and rude to his mother every day for a week that in exasperation his dad had banned him from eating with them for a whole weekend and he’d had to stand at the kitchen worktop to eat his meal after they’d all finished. But his mum had forgiven him that. He couldn’t even remember now what it was that had made him swear and be so cruel. Now he couldn’t believe he’d done it and when he recollected some of the words he’d used to her, he wondered how on earth she could have forgiven him. But she’d forgiven his dad for . . . with that Suzy Meadows so . . .
Alex leapt to his feet, cleaned his teeth, looked in the mirror as he combed his hair and realized how like his dad he was. He very much liked the idea of that.
He ran down the stairs, jumping the last four in one leap as he loved to do, landed at the bottom with a thud and shouted, ‘I’m off to the school.’ He shot out of the door at the speed of light. He pondered what he would say to Mrs Fitch, thinking it might be good to have a kind of rehearsal of how very polite he could be, in preparation for speaking to that Suzy.
Mrs Fitch beamed a great big smile at him. ‘Why hello, Alex! So pleased you could come. You’ve arrived at just the right moment. We really want someone to climb up on the piano and fasten this card to the wall below the clock. Could you do it for us, please? This one, look.’
So before he knew it he was doing a balancing act on top of the piano with Mrs Fitch and Beth gazing up at him, admiring his athleticism. There was no need for an apology and altogether he spent a very satisfying morning being male and useful.
The three of them had coffee and biscuits halfway through the morning in Mrs Fitch’s office, talking nineteen to the dozen about school, their new schools and what would happen on the ‘big’ day.
‘Beth, I have an idea. Would you present flowers to the headmasters’ wives on the Saturday?’ The moment the words were out of her mouth Kate could have bitten her tongue out. What a stupid, stupid thing to have suggested.
Alex caught Beth’s look of panic and answered for her. ‘I think it would be better if someone from the top class did that. People might think it favouritism if Beth did it, mightn’t they?’
‘Of course, I think perhaps you’re quite right.’ Kate almost sweated with relief at the wonderful reason he’d given. ‘Yes, you’re quite right. I did say I wanted someone with a smattering of intelligence to help. Thank you, Alex. Shall we get on?’
By noon the hall was looking festive. They’d had such fun choosing which photographs to put up and where to place Mrs Fitch’s graphs of school numbers over the years, of scholarships won to Lady Wortley’s and Prince Henry’s, of careers chosen by old pupils and any number of facts about the school. There were even copies of some of the school log book pages scanned by Mrs Fitch and printed out on her state-of-the art computer. In fact, Beth was of the opinion that they’d all be so interested in the hall displays, especially looking for themselves in the photos, they’d never move outside to watch the play and the dancing and to listen to the choir and to take advantage of the buffet in the church hall.
‘Thank you so much for helping. I’d never have got it all done by myself.’ Mrs Fitch gave them a box of toffees from the toffee specialist in Culworth as a thank you and Beth and Alex went to sit on the seat by the pond.
With her speech impaired by the rather large piece of toffee she’d chosen, Beth said, ‘You came then.’
‘Yes.’
‘Why? You said you wouldn’t.’
Alex shrugged. ‘Don’t know really. Just thought I’d help. But I’m not speaking to her on Saturday, even if she speaks to me.’ He glared at Beth, daring her to persuade him otherwise.
Beth chewed her toffee and gazed at the geese.
Alex offered a piece of information on the subject foremost in their minds. ‘Mum just said the Suzy person daren’t look at us when we were born in case she wanted to keep us.’
‘Mummy said so? You’ve talked to her about it then?’
‘Yes, just now before I came to school.’
‘She must have wanted us then. Really.’
It was Alex’s turn to stare at the geese.
‘But she couldn’t work to feed her family and look after two babies. Mummy says we were very small when we were born so we needed a lot of care.’ Alex muttered something she didn’t catch and then he added, ‘Will you speak to her?�
��
‘I don’t know. I shan’t be rude, if that’s what you mean.’
‘Mum said we mustn’t ever forget that she made us and carried us for nine months.’
Beth asked for another piece of toffee and this time chose a smaller piece. ‘Let’s go home and give Mummy and Daddy some.’
Alex closed the lid of the box. ‘We’d better not eat any more anyway or we shan’t want lunch.’ He stood up to go but Beth didn’t make a move. ‘Come on then.’
Beth said almost to herself, ‘They’ll all be watching us. Everyone in the village knows.’
‘They never say.’
Beth stood up. ‘That’s because they don’t want to hurt Mummy and Daddy. They love them so much.’
‘I might speak to her, but I shan’t make a fuss because I don’t want to upset Mum.’
Beth looked at him for a moment and then she said in a whisper, ‘Do you think Mummy and Daddy will speak to her?’
‘I haven’t thought about that.’
‘Neither have I till just now.’
They stood close together, the two of them, puzzling over their problem, both of them envisaging watching their real parents speaking to each other, aware that everyone there knew what was between them. It was more than they could cope with so they brushed the idea aside and set off for home, Beth saying hopefully, ‘They might not bump into each other.’
As they were about to cross the road to the Rectory they saw Maggie Dobbs heading there too.
‘Hello, Mrs Dobbs. Are you wanting Daddy?’
‘Hello, you two. How’re things? I’m wanting anyone who can lend me a couple of light bulbs and no one seems to be in today. They haven’t got the bayonet kind I want in the Store, just fancy ones. And I can’t spend the whole weekend with no light, now can I?’
‘I’m sure Dad’s got some.’ Alex put his key in the door and opened it up. ‘I know just where they are.’
He disappeared into the kitchen. Beth offered Mrs Dobbs a piece of toffee.
‘Thanks very much but no, I’m trying to lose weight. A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips, they say.’
Peter appeared carrying two light bulbs. ‘Here we are, Maggie.’
‘Thank you, Rector. I have such trouble with light bulbs; they’re always going. Spent a fortune, I have.’
‘Is it the wiring, do you think? Don Wright modernized the cottage but perhaps he didn’t think to rewire.’
‘Do you know, I bet that’s it. You could be right. I’ll let Vera know. He’s home this weekend, you know, Don. Isn’t it great? Fully recovered, they say, all because he’s a fighter and didn’t give in. He’ll never be quite the same again, climbing ladders and that, but his brain’s working OK and with a bit more physio he’ll be in the Royal Oak same as usual and driving his car. Same for Jeremy Mayer. He’s fighting fit and home this week too. Isn’t it good news?’
‘It most certainly is.’
‘See you Sunday, Rector. Thanks for this. I’ll go into Culworth next week and get you replacements.’
‘Don’t worry, I shan’t go bankrupt over a couple of light bulbs.’ Peter laughed.
Maggie said, ‘Well, I shall get you some, I don’t like to be in debt to anyone, least of all the Rector.’ She turned to leave and then changed her mind. ‘I want to thank you, Rector, for what you’ve done for me. You’ve made things so clear. It’s good to have someone who makes me feel reassured. We’re all well blessed with you. Perhaps people don’t say it often enough, but we are.’ She held up the light bulbs. ‘And thanks for these.’
Peter went into his study after she’d left and didn’t see Alex hovering indecisively by the study door. Finally Alex made up his mind, knocked and went in.
‘Dad?’
Peter looked up from his desk, ‘Yes?’
‘Dad . . .’
‘What is it, Alex?’
‘Dad, you know this weekend with the school anniversary, I don’t know what to do.’
‘What about?’
‘Speaking to Suzy Meadows.’
Peter put down his pen and leaned back in the chair. ‘Neither do I.’
‘Oh!’
‘Whatever takes place, we must be very careful not to upset Mummy, Caroline I mean. I think the best approach is to be utterly polite. If you bump into her then . . . speak politely. I don’t want to have a scene. It is the school’s anniversary and that should be paramount, not our private business.’
‘“Our private business.” But everyone knows.’
‘I’m aware of that. But the matter is never mentioned and that’s how I want it to stay. I don’t want anything to happen that will cause tongues to wag.’
‘So I’ve to shake hands politely and say good afternoon. Or how nice to meet you or something.’
Peter nodded.
‘Right. Will you speak to her?’
‘If the occasion arises. I shan’t seek her out.’
‘And Mum?’
‘That’s for her to decide. OK? It’s going to be difficult for us all. She’ll understand though.’
‘She will? She won’t cry and go all mushy?’
Peter had to smile. ‘I hope not. But she will be upset, I expect. Old pain, you know.’
‘Yes, of course.’ Alex burst out of the study as quickly as he’d come, leaving Peter to his work, but somehow Peter couldn’t concentrate. In his mind’s eye he could see Suzy with her platinum hair and those rounded cheeks of hers and her eyes looking so pleadingly at him when he refused her request to see the children the weekend she’d come back to visit Michael Palmer before they married, believing he and Caroline were on holiday with the children. A lump came in his throat at the memory of her. She’d left herself with him in Beth’s face and hair. The telephone rang. ‘Turnham Malpas Rectory, Peter speaking.’
‘Hi, Peter. It’s Kate from the school. I’ve got a problem I need to tell you about. You know the Tranter family from Penny Fawcett? Well, they’ve sent a complaint about the school to the education office.’
‘What about?’
‘In a nutshell, we’re not doing enough for their children.’
‘In the circumstances you couldn’t have done more than you have.’
‘Exactly. They’re really special needs children but of course there isn’t a school for them within fifty miles. I’m very upset about it. We’ve all tried so hard to help. Frankly, the Education Committee has let them down all through their school lives. Just thought I ought to let you know in case someone mentions it to you. However, they are right in that they haven’t had the special teaching they need, but it can’t be laid at our door. We’ve done all we can. Anyway, change of subject. I can’t wait for the anniversary weekend.’
‘Neither can I. Sorry you’re having this difficulty. Keep me in the picture, won’t you? If there’s anything you need or anyone I can have a word with on your behalf, and indeed anything at all about the anniversary weekend, just let me know. Sorry about the Tranters.’
‘Thanks. That’s great. If I come up with someone who might be more amenable to a word from you rather than me I’ll let you know. Be seeing you.’
Peter put down the receiver sick at heart. Thank God it was Saturday. He leapt to his feet, intent on finding Caroline and suggesting they all went out somewhere. Anywhere to escape his anguish.
‘Who’s for an outing? Lunch in Culworth then a visit to the open-air pool? It’s hot enough.’
‘How about lunch at home as it’s almost ready, then a visit to the pool, followed by the new museum in Culworth and then an evening meal out?’
‘Excellent! Beth, Alex? Come down, we’re going out!’
But a day out of the village only served to push their problems to the back of their minds for a while. When they returned, all four of them realized they’d only had a temporary respite from the critical situation they faced on the anniversary weekend.
Chapter 17
If you lived in Penny Fawcett or Little Derehams and were planning an
important family picnic or some outdoor activity then you knew to choose the day Turnham Malpas was having a special event because they always had good weather. The weekend of the school anniversary was no exception. It had rained on and off every day that week but come Saturday morning they opened their curtains to a brilliant, cloudless sky and the hint of mist arising from the fields, which augured a beautiful day.
At first light, the cricket pitch was inspected, the pavilion’s shutters were opened and the windows flung wide to air it after all the damp, and the ladies of the cricket team were busy preparing the tables. Colin Turner’s idea of a cricket match, the Village against the Old Boys, was going to give a rousing start to the day. The scratch team of Old Boys he’d managed to cobble together had some cracking bowlers in it, to say nothing of Colin who was well known for his prowess at the crease. When he opened his shoulders and sent the ball flying to the boundary at the threat of fading light and thirty runs needed to win, he was a sight to behold.
In the village hall, Pat Jones was in charge. She never tired of facing the challenge of providing food and good service for her customers. This time she was doing it on a voluntary basis, but the enthusiasm was present just the same. She’d gathered a good volunteer team to serve food from four o’clock onwards and soon had them folding paper napkins, stacking plates, polishing any lacklustre cutlery and checking that Jimbo had provided everything she needed in the way of rolls, meats, cakes and desserts. Her team might not be earning money today, but she was determined to make money for the school and provide a memorable feast.
‘Another table in that corner, Willie. Jimmy, bring in more chairs, we’ll have four chairs at each small table and six chairs at the bigger ones.’
‘We’ve got to leave room for people to get between.’
‘I know that. Willie, put a few tables in the small hall for the VIPs.’
‘How many?’
‘Three, I reckon. See what it looks like. That sounds like the food arriving.’
Intrigue in the Village (Turnham Malpas 10) Page 22
