The Fairbairn Fortunes

by Una-Mary Parker

  Lizzie paid no attention to what her sister had to say and became even more furious. ‘Just because her father is a bankrupt alcoholic you’ve overcompensated and ended up making her a thoroughly spoilt little brat! I, for one, will never forgive her for breaking Margaret’s heart. Did we try and steal each other’s boyfriends when we were young? No, our mother taught us better manners.’ Lizzie rose. ‘I can see myself out.’

  When she’d gone Laura burst into tears. Had she really been such a bad mother? Was Caroline the selfish, grabbing little minx that Lizzie declared she was? Did she still indulge and spoil her daughter? It was true she wanted the best for the only child she’d had and yes, she would love her to marry well but never at the cost of cheating or stealing a cousin’s boyfriend. She’d done her best to support Caroline; she’d worked night and day to make enough money to send her to ballet school but now, suddenly, it all seemed to have gone wrong. She’d fallen out with Lizzie and her other sisters would criticize her for pampering her daughter at the expense of others. The first night of Rainbows was in a week’s time. Would all the family come to the premiere? Somehow she now doubted it.

  Eleven

  London, 1922

  Beattie reached to turn on the bedside light as her heart pounded with fear. ‘Andrew?’ she cried out.

  Her husband woke up immediately. ‘What is it?’

  ‘I’m bleeding badly and I’ve just had a contraction.’

  Andrew knew the baby wasn’t due for another month and this had never happened with their three other children. Panic seized him as he sprang out of bed. This was exactly what had happened to Beryl Cooper and she hadn’t only lost their baby, she’d lost her life.

  ‘I’ll call for an ambulance. Just lie there. Don’t move.’

  He dashed from the room and hurried down the stairs to the telephone on the hall table, muttering under his breath, ‘Please God, don’t let this happen again. Haven’t I been punished enough? Oh, God, please take care of Bea and the baby.’

  Up in the bedroom, Beattie was saying her own prayers and trying to keep calm. As soon as the ambulance arrives everything will be all right, she assured herself. At that moment she had another severe contraction and the flow of hot blood increased, frightening her.

  Andrew came rushing back to the room. ‘They’ll be here in a few minutes, darling. I’m just going to put on some clothes so I can come with you.’ Disappearing into his dressing room he grabbed trousers, a tweed jacket and a pair of shoes.

  ‘I’m scared,’ Beattie whispered as he walked over to the bed to hold her hand. Her face was very pale and there were dark shadows under her eyes. For the first time she looked very frail and vulnerable.

  ‘Would you like me to get Laura or Lizzie to be with you, sweetheart?’

  She shook her head and gritted her teeth as another contraction gripped her with agony. When it passed she sobbed, ‘It’s never been like this before. Perhaps I’m getting too old to have babies.’

  The same thought had crossed Andrew’s mind but he said robustly, ‘Too old? Nonsense my darling! You’re not old at all.’

  At that moment they heard the ambulance arrive.

  ‘Thank God! I’ll run down and let them in,’ he exclaimed with relief, while Beattie lay there hoping it wasn’t too late.

  Laura awoke at four o’clock in the morning, roused by her sixth sense and a bad dream. Instantly alert, she climbed out of bed intent on making sure Caroline was all right. Now they had separate bedrooms she often awoke in alarm because there was a new fear now: was her daughter alone? Was it possible that once she’d gone to bed Caroline might slip out to meet Richard at some secret rendezvous or, worse still, allow him to creep into her bedroom?

  With bare feet she padded down the corridor and opened the door silently. Caroline lay curled up, fast asleep, and Laura instantly felt a mixture of relief and guilt. How could she not trust her beloved daughter? She’d been strictly brought up and Laura felt ashamed of not trusting her now she’d reached the age of eighteen.

  She climbed back in to bed but a heavy premonition still hung over her. Deciding it was just the lingering result of a disturbing dream, she went back to sleep.

  Lizzie was still wide awake, fretting over Richard having dropped Margaret in favour of Caroline. How could he have been such a bounder? Just when she’d thought her second-youngest daughter had a secure future with the right kind of husband. It was time Isabel came out and was presented at court and she’d need to find a husband, too.

  It was going to cost Humphrey a fortune to bring out his daughters and the expense didn’t end with balls. There were the clothes and hats for going in the Royal Enclosure at Ascot, then there was Goodwood, Henley and a hundred other balls to attend. Her thoughts were interrupted when she suddenly heard the telephone ringing down in the hall. Who on earth could be ringing them at two in the morning?

  Flinging a shawl around her shoulders, she hurried down the stairs to the hall. Something told her it could only be bad news and she thanked God that at least Humphrey and the girls were all safely home and asleep in their beds.

  The white marble hall floor felt icy beneath her bare feet as she reached to lift off the earpiece.

  ‘Hello?’

  ‘Oh, Lizzie! We’re at Saint George’s Hospital – Beattie is desperately ill.’

  She recognized Andrew’s voice and he sounded frantic. She’d never liked him much with his boasting and bragging about how much money he’d made, and she’d found it hard to forgive him the affair he’d had with his secretary, but now she felt desperately sorry for him.

  ‘My dear Andrew, I’m so sorry. Has the baby been born yet?’

  ‘No, but it won’t be long now. The trouble is Bea’s haemorrhaging badly – something to do with the placenta – and her heartbeat is irregular.’ His voice trailed off and she heard him sob. ‘I’m so afraid she isn’t going to make it.’

  Lizzie’s own heart froze. ‘I’ll come right away so you’re not on your own,’ she said, trying to keep her own voice steady.

  The nurse hurried towards Andrew with a little bundle in her arms. ‘You’ve got a beautiful little boy, Mr Drinkwater,’ she said as she put the baby in his arms.

  Andrew looked down at the pink, crumpled tiny face and then looked up at the nurse. ‘How is my wife?’

  There was a fraction of a pause before she answered but he knew she was making an effort to keep the calm expression on her face. ‘The doctor is with her now.’

  At that moment Lizzie came hurrying along the corridor, followed by Humphrey. It was obvious they’d quickly put on day clothes over their nightwear.

  ‘What a beautiful baby,’ Lizzie whispered while her husband patted Andrew on the shoulder, murmuring, ‘Well done, old chap.’

  Andrew nodded, unable to speak as silent tears ran down his cheeks.

  ‘How is Beattie?’ Lizzie whispered nervously.

  Andrew shrugged, holding the baby tightly to his chest, unable to answer.

  ‘I’ll see what I can find out,’ Humphrey told them reassuringly as he shuffled off, his pyjama top showing above his tweed jacket and his hair ruffled from sleep. Lizzie watched him with gratitude, loving him more at that moment than she’d ever done. A nurse came hurrying towards them but she’d come to take the baby off to be washed and dressed.

  ‘You can see him when he’s in the nursery with all the other babies,’ she told Andrew. When they’d gone he covered his face with his hands in a gesture of sheer despair.

  ‘Beattie will be all right.’ Lizzie tried to sound positive. ‘We’re a very strong family, Scottish born and bred, and she’ll be absolutely delighted she’s had a little boy. Your son and heir, Andrew.’

  Then they saw Humphrey walking quickly towards them. Beside him was a figure dressed in the white clothes of a surgeon.

  ‘Mr Drinkwater?’ he asked as he neared Andrew and Lizzie.

  Andrew nodded as if bracing himself for the worst.

  ‘Your wife has
had a very nasty time but I’m delighted to tell you she’s out of danger. We’ve managed to stop the haemorrhage but she’s very weak and needs a lot of rest. I’d like her to stay in the hospital for a couple of weeks to regain her strength.’

  It was as if a ten-ton weight had been lifted from Andrew’s shoulders, and as he shook the doctor’s hand he thanked him profusely.

  ‘You’ve got a fine little fellow, too. There’s nothing the matter with him. Now, Mr Drinkwater, you can see your wife, but only for a few minutes.’

  Andrew was prepared to agree to anything, he was so thankful.

  Lizzie smiled, light-headed with relief too. ‘Give Beattie my love and tell her I’ll come to see her in a day or so.’

  ‘Thank you both for being here,’ Andrew replied. ‘I don’t know what I’d have done without you.’

  As Humphrey and Lizzie drove home, he said, ‘When you get to know him he’s not such a bad fellow, is he? There is a genuine man underneath the showing off.’

  ‘Yes, and he certainly loves Beattie. I’m glad now they’re still together.’

  ‘When you think about what’s happened it’s absolutely true that God moves in mysterious ways.’

  This wasn’t the way Laura had expected Caroline’s ballet debut in the famous Sadler’s Wells Theatre to be. Beattie was still in hospital recovering from her near-death ordeal and Lizzie and Margaret still held a grudge about Richard, so the whole family had decided to stay away. Diana and Robert were unwell with bad influenza. Further north, Georgie was pregnant and Shane was nervous of her travelling as she’d suffered a bad miscarriage with her previous pregnancy. That left Alice and Colin, but he was conducting a wedding and a funeral that week and Flora couldn’t get away from the school where she worked. When Walter telephoned to say Rowena wasn’t well and would be unable to come Laura began to feel there was a family pact to shun Caroline’s first night performance.

  ‘But you’re coming?’ she asked sharply.

  ‘I wouldn’t miss it for the world,’ he assured her warmly. ‘I’ve booked into a hotel round the corner from Emperors Gate.’

  ‘You must stay here as you’re on your own. You can have my room and Caroline will be thrilled when I tell her you’re staying with us.’

  ‘That would be very nice.’

  When she’d said goodbye it suddenly struck her that she was going to be escorted by a handsome man on this auspicious occasion and it was a refreshing thought after years of going everywhere on her own. All her sisters except Flora took it for granted that they’d be accompanied by their husbands, something she’d missed more than she realized, especially at her mother’s and Catriona’s funerals.

  Now, with a light heart, she started planning what she was going to wear. No one in the stalls would know she was the lead ballerina’s mother, but she knew and was bursting with pride at the prospect.

  ‘Dada is staying with us when he comes to London,’ she told Caroline.

  The girl’s face lit up, her brown eyes shining and her wide smile radiating beauty. ‘How did you manage that? Where’s Aunt Rowena going to sleep?’

  When Laura had explained she wasn’t well Caroline clapped her hands. ‘What a bit of luck!’ she crowed with delight.

  ‘That’s a nasty thing to say.’

  ‘Muzzie, don’t pretend you like her. She’s always hated me and the only reason I’m sorry she’s not coming is she’ll miss my moment of success. I don’t think she thought it would ever happen.’

  ‘I’m thinking of wearing my sapphire-blue lace dress with the matching velvet coat I made. I might get a new pair of satin evening shoes dyed to match.’

  ‘But nobody’s going to look at you,’ Caroline scoffed.

  ‘Your father will,’ Laura replied with a smile.

  The applause was thunderous and several members of the audience jumped to their feet as Caroline, representing the sun in a golden costume and headdress, posed on her points centre stage with her arms outstretched. Surrounding her a dozen ballerinas twirled around in their costumes which were made of wide ribbons which floated as they moved, each one reflecting the many colours of a rainbow.

  After a moment they lined up and, led by Caroline, made low curtsies to the ecstatic audience. Laura felt her throat contract and her eyes brim with tears of pride. Beside her Walter was clapping and shouting ‘Bravo,’ and then Laura spotted Richard two rows in front of them. It was obvious he’d brought a lot of friends and was laughing and also yelling, ‘Bravo.’

  Caroline had warned her mother that the performers were having a party after the performance but she wouldn’t be late and the company manager had hired a charabanc and would make sure all the dancers got home safely.

  ‘I’m going to take you to dinner at the Café Royal,’ Walter told Laura.

  This was a surprise she hadn’t expected, and as they climbed into a taxi Laura was reminded of how he’d taken her out all those years ago in Edinburgh when he’d been a well-off retired army officer before becoming a successful businessman who’d then ruined his health and his life with alcohol. He hadn’t had a drink now for nearly fifteen years and tonight it struck Laura that he’d once again become the man she’d fallen in love with. Witty and highly educated, she found herself responding and they were soon laughing in a way she never did when she took Caroline to stay at Dalkeith House. It made her realize that Rowena had a dampening effect on the conversation, apart from which she seemed to guard Walter jealously. Laura had always realized that as a widow Rowena desperately needed her brother’s companionship. She always inferred that he hadn’t had a drink problem before he’d married Laura, and had been able to give it up the moment she’d taken care of him in her house – something Laura had always known to be untrue.

  The food was exquisite at the Café Royal and as if it was the most normal thing in the world Walter ordered wine for Laura and sparkling water for himself.

  It was after midnight when they got back to Emperors Gate and Laura went to check that Caroline was home. Opening the bedroom door silently, she realized that the bed was empty.

  ‘She’s not back yet,’ she told Walter, sounding anxious.

  ‘Did you expect her to be? This is probably the biggest night of her life so far. She’ll be all right, my dear. I don’t think she’ll be back before two o’clock. Why don’t you go to bed and I’ll kip down in here,’ he said, indicating the sofa in the drawing room.

  ‘No, Walter. You probably didn’t get much sleep on the train last night. I want to see her anyway when she comes in,’ Laura insisted. Jokingly calling her ‘as bossy as ever’, Walter retired for the night while Laura kept vigil, waiting for Caroline’s return.

  Richard was waiting for Caroline and as soon as she emerged from the stage door he rushed forward to embrace her, a handsome figure in a dinner jacket, causing the other performers who were spilling out of the theatre to look impressed.

  ‘My darling, you were magnificent,’ he exclaimed passionately. Caroline looked up at him in adoration.

  ‘I’ve got a car waiting to whisk us off to the Savoy,’ he said, leading her to a chauffeur-driven Daimler.

  At that moment she knew this was the life she really wanted. To dance before an appreciative audience who thought she was wonderful was what she’d worked so hard to achieve. What made the moment perfect was having a rich, handsome boyfriend dance attendance on her, complete with a waiting car that would take them to the smartest hotel where one could dine and dance until two in the morning. The sheer bliss of the moment as she stepped into the luxurious pale grey suede of the Daimler made up for all the years of poverty in a small Edinburgh flat with a mother who was always tired and anxious. Now, at last, she could look her twelve rich cousins in the face as if to say, ‘Look at me! And I got here by my own cleverness! You lot had it easy with your rich fathers.’

  The bitterness that had seeped into her heart ever since she’d stood on the pavement outside what was no longer their house as she and her mother watch
ed the enormous removal van drive away with all their possessions was forgotten for a little while as she smiled gaily at Richard.

  ‘Did you get my flowers?’ he asked.

  ‘I had so many bouquets,’ she lied, thinking of the bunch of roses from her mother and father, ‘but yours was the prettiest of all.’ And I could have bought a new pair of shoes with what it must have cost, she thought.

  Although she didn’t usually drink because Muzzie forbid it, Richard insisted they have champagne to go with the dressed crab, followed by roast lamb and then ice cream with hot chocolate sauce while a live band played the new popular dance music of the day.

  ‘What divine food,’ she said, scooping up the last morsel of her pudding. ‘I’m more hungry than usual these days.’

  ‘I’m not surprised,’ he remarked. ‘You’re like an athlete in training. So much energy goes into your dancing and it shows. The other dancers look half asleep compared to you.’

  ‘Do you think so?’ she asked, pleased.

  ‘Absolutely.’

  She almost purred like a contented cat.

  ‘Do your family know you’re dining with me tonight?’

  Caroline smirked. ‘They think I’m at a first-night party with all the other performers.’

  His face fell. ‘Haven’t you told them about us?’

  She shrugged. ‘Who I go out with is my business. I don’t think they’ve got over the shock of hearing you chucked Margaret,’ she added candidly.

  ‘I think you ought to be honest with them,’ he pointed out in concern. ‘I want to be a part of your life in the future, so why can’t they know about me now?’

  Caroline felt rattled by his criticism. It was as if he was accusing her of being dishonest. ‘My mother makes such a fuss about my going out with a man, she’s a nightmare. I’m no longer a child and I can do what I like.’

  He leaned forward, elbows on the table, and spoke earnestly. ‘You know I’m madly in love with you and from now on I want to be a part of your life. The thing I adore about you is your independence. Your strength. Your single-mindedness. You’ll go far, my darling, and I’d like to be with you as you do.’