The Heart of the Home
Page 29
Gerald coughed in an embarrassed way, aware he had never bothered to find out if they were safe. ‘I had heard,’ he admitted, ‘but working in Cardiff and being so busy,’ he let the words fall and Teifion stared at him in disgust.
‘To think that she might have married you. What a disaster that would have been.’
‘Lucy will marry me and when the time is right I’ll ask her. She’ll be happy being the wife of a successful salesman.’
‘You’re too late, she’s going to marry me.’ Teifion handed him his drink, snatched the money from the bar and walked away. Gerald sipped his drink nonchalantly. Plenty more women about and he really deserved better than Lucy. She really wasn’t the type to fit the new, exciting life that was opening up for him.
*
George was back in the office but finding it hard. He was constantly tired yet was unable to sleep. Frieda had phoned offering help but had been told to stay away, so she continued to live at Badgers Brook, helping by cleaning and cooking for the two friends; a fact that increased his anger.
His assistant did all he could to please him at work and his housekeeper made things comfortable for him at home but once she had gone the hours dragged by in utter loneliness, although he still refused to admit the loneliness was of his own making. He thought about Walter, Lynne and Meriel and wished he could think of a way to destroy their happiness. Between them they had ruined his. This was a distortion of the facts, but his weary mind believed it utterly.
*
One Saturday morning, Meriel and Lucy dressed with extra care but they didn’t go into the office. Leaving a happy Kitty and Bob in charge, they set off in Teifion’s car, their own still being under repair, and headed for Cardiff buzzing with excitement.
They pulled up at the register office and an excited threesome stepped out. Leo and his mother were waiting for them and they went inside. Half an hour later, Mr and Mrs Teifion Dexter emerged and they all drove back to Badgers Brook.
Lucy and Teifion had discussed their plans with Meriel and all had agreed that with Lucy’s family so indifferent and George being so unreasonable and likely to spoil the day, it was best to arrange a small ceremony with as few people as possible being told.
They were negotiating to buy a small terraced house not far from the High Street and had arranged for its decoration. Until then, they would take a room in the bed and breakfast establishment belonging to Betty’s brother and his wife.
Betty Connors had left to open the Ship but she had given them a wedding cake and several plates of sandwiches and some tiny decorated cakes. Frieda had set everything out and with Kitty and Bob joining them when the office closed at one o’clock, the simple celebratory meal took place. The small wedding cake was cut to enable a photograph to be taken but otherwise untouched, intended for the party on the following day when the news would become public.
*
George heard the news via his assistant who had heard it at the post office, Stella Jones being the recipient of all that went on in Cwm Derw. Ignoring the pain that had settled in his chest, he went to the garage and started the car. He drove towards Badgers Brook without any clear idea of what he intended.
He reached the turning, slowing down as a bus lumbered past, then without waiting to see whether his way was clear, he swerved into the lane. A car was approaching and he braked suddenly, his heart racing with the shock of it. He pulled up onto the grass verge near the gate, turned off the engine and heard laughter and music coming from the house. Anger consumed him and he sat there unable to decide what he could do. He wanted to tell Teifion what he thought of him for arranging his wedding in secret, and he tried to prepare what he would say, but the words wouldn’t come.
*
Teifion and Lucy were the first to leave, intending to visit George and tell him what they had done. They walked to the gate shrugging on their coats with confetti falling from their clothes and laughing in sheer happiness and stopped as they saw George sitting in his car on the grass verge.
Apprehensively Teifion tapped on the window. ‘Dad?’ he shouted. He called again but George didn’t respond.
When Teifion opened the door he realized his father was dead.
They ran back inside and Leo drove to the phone box to call the doctor, the police also came and the day which had started out in happiness and joyful expectation, ended in guilt, grief and sadness. Amid all the regrets and recriminations Teifion said, ‘He even had to spoil today for me.’ And was immediately ashamed.
The idea of a party on the following day was abhorrent and they left messages to let people know it was cancelled. Sunday passed in a series of visitors all wanting to tell Teifion how sorry they were. Most referred obliquely to the loss of his father, the comments were regret for his ruined wedding day.
Walter and Lynne came and offered sincere congratulations to the couple, bringing some beautiful bedding as a wedding gift for when they moved into their home. Meriel greeted her mother with the same affection, momentarily forgetting George’s final spiteful act. He had done his worst and they had survived.
To their surprise Mr and Mrs Roberts-Price came with Martha and their soldier son, Noah. No one had thought to tell them the party had been cancelled. They stayed and shared their meal, offering sympathy to Teifion, shaking hands nervously with Walter and Lynne, then departed. Martha managed to have a word with Lucy to tell her she had her job back, and was allowed to keep her gramophone and was happy.
*
The will reading was awaited with bated breath after the sombre funeral had taken place. Teifion was expecting nothing and beside him Frieda sat expecting the same. A bitter man to the end, they knew George had undoubtedly willed away his money and business to some obscure relative or to a charity, as he had threatened many times.
The solicitor attended the funeral which took place at George’s home with tea and sandwiches provided by his housekeeper as he had requested. Afterwards he called Teifion and Frieda into another room.
The will was very brief and surprising.
‘The business is left to my son, Teifion, for him to run or to sell as he wishes,’ the man read. ‘My house is for my wife Frieda and all monies remaining after all accounts are settled will be divided between them.‘
‘I won’t take your home,’ Frieda said at once, putting a hand on her stepson’s arm. ‘It’s your home and should always be yours.’
‘Of course not! Thank you for such a wonderfully kind thought but I would never take it. It’s yours and you can sell it and buy yourself a place where you’ll be happy.’ Lucy hugged her, agreeing with her husband.
‘What will you do?’ Lucy asked Teifion.
Would he take over his father’s business and compete with Evans and Calloway? she wondered.
‘Sell it of course,’ he said. ‘My loyalties are with you.’
Meriel, Teifion and Lucy walked back to the office where once again a proud Kitty and Bob had been left in charge. The place had been closed as a mark of respect but Kitty was delighted to tell them there had been two phone calls and one caller to whom she had given some leaflets and allowed to leave a name and an address. ‘George Dexter would have understood,’ she defended.
Things began to settle down and, with Lucy no longer living there, Meriel was glad to have Frieda staying. When she eventually left, Badgers Brook would seem very empty. A week later, Frieda announced that she was going to stay with her sister. ‘Not a cover for meeting Kit this time. I really am going to Brighton,’ she said wryly.
*
Meriel sat in her dressing-gown, stoking up the fire and making the flames dance around the walls. The dancing reflections peopled the room with a pretence of company but did nothing to expel her loneliness. When there was a knock at the door she leapt up to answer it, thankful for a visitor to fill a few minutes.
‘Hello, Meriel,’ Leo said. He didn’t walk in but stood there, the lights playing shadows across his face so she failed to read his expression.
> ‘Well?’ she demanded peremptorily, unwilling to show how pleased she was to see him. ‘Are you coming in?’
‘No, you are coming out,’ he said.
‘What, dressed like this?’ she opened her arms to display her dressing-gown.
‘If you wish, although I’d prefer you wore something more suitable.’
‘Suitable for what? Where are you intending to take me?’
‘Through the woods to watch the badgers. We’ve just got time to test the wind and find a suitable place to sit.’
Bemused she changed into trousers and dark coat and they walked across the lane and into the dark trees. He took her hand and occasionally shone a torch to guide her until they were sitting on a low branch some distance from where the badgers had trodden their path across the brook.
An hour later, having seen about eight badgers set off on their nightly foraging trip; chasing, mock-fighting, happy to be free to wander, he took her into his arms and said, ‘I’ve always loved you and waited for you to love me. Now, despite your occasional huffs—’
‘I don’t huff,’ she protested.
His teeth glistened as he smiled in the darkness and he said, ‘In spite of your occasional “huffs”, I now think you do. Marry me.’
‘I don’t know, there’s so much to arrange and—’
He silenced her with a kiss.
She laughed, hugging him so close, feeling so good in his arms, utterly content. ‘It seems I have a very determined man in my life so what can I say? Except, yes.’
First published in United Kingdom in 2005 by Severn House Publishers Ltd
This edition published in the United Kingdom in 2016 by
Canelo Digital Publishing Limited
57 Shepherds Lane
Beaconsfield, Bucks HP9 2DU
United Kingdom
Copyright © 2005 by Grace Thompson
The moral right of Grace Thompson to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents act, 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 9781910859308
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Look for more great books at www.canelo.co