Lizzie’s Daughters

by Rosie Clarke

  ‘It’s not fair,’ Francie said and embraced her. ‘Come and stay with us for a while. Your artistic flair could be put to good use in millinery. After all, art comes in many forms, doesn’t it?’

  ‘I wish I had the chance to work for your mum,’ Jilly said. ‘I’d love to be her secretary-cum-assistant…’

  ‘I’ll ask her,’ Francie said but Jilly shook her head. ‘Mum will be so cross that I didn’t win a scholarship. She’ll insist I do a proper job…’

  ‘Mothers,’ Averil moaned. ‘Mine wants me married at the earliest opportunity. She doesn’t see the point of a career for women… even though I’ve got my first commission, but I’m determined to resist and my aunt agrees with me.’

  ‘You’ve done better than any of us to be already working in the art department of a design firm,’ Francie said admiringly. ‘It’s a good job and you can do very well in commercial art.’

  ‘I certainly intend to…’

  ‘Lucky you,’ Jilly said. ‘A nice sensible little job until I’m older and then find a rich man to marry that’s Mum’s idea of the dutiful daughter… especially as I’ve been told I have no real talent for art…’

  ‘You should go and live with your gran,’ Francie said, ‘but both of you got better marks than I did…’

  ‘It’s so unfair,’ Jilly cried. ‘Those portraits were wonderful, Francie. If they’d marked them you would’ve got an A at least… but to just ignore them isn’t fair.’

  ‘I knew they didn’t fit with the work we were supposed to do, but it doesn’t matter,’ Francie said and hugged both girls in turn. ‘I’ll just have to see what my parents say…’

  ‘Good luck,’ Jilly said and squeezed her round the waist. ‘Well, I’d better go if I’m going to catch that train. I’m going to Gran’s for Christmas. My mother is abroad with some friends and won’t be back until next year so I’ve got breathing space.’

  ‘You should come and see Mum,’ Francie said. ‘She really might have a job for you…’

  ‘All right, I’ll come for a couple of days. I’ll telephone and let you know.’

  With promises to meet in future, the three girls separated, going outside with their hand luggage. Their trunks had been sent on by train, and Francie’s portraits would arrive within a few days. She was thoughtful as she boarded her train half an hour later. She’d hoped she might hear from Michael that Vogue had taken one of his freelance photographs of her for the front cover of the magazine, but so far she’d heard nothing. Styled hadn’t written to her either so it looked as if the work had dried up, at least for the moment.

  She’d failed her exams because she’d taken too much time off for the modelling, which now looked as if it might have come to a halt – and what her father would say when he knew, Francie hardly dared to think. She knew he was proud of her talent and he was sure to be angry – but the best thing she could do was to tell him as soon as she got in, because the longer she left it the harder it would become.

  *

  ‘Betty darling,’ Lizzie jumped up and opened her arms as her daughter entered the room. ‘I’m so glad to see you, my love.’ Tears trickled down her cheeks as Betty ran to her and they embraced.

  ‘Mum, I’m so sorry for all I’ve put you through…’

  ‘Not your fault, my love. That awful man taking you off like that… thank God for Frank! I don’t know what we should have done if he hadn’t been so brave.’

  ‘I was very lucky Frank was on his way to see me,’ Betty said solemnly, ‘but it was my fault, Mum. If I hadn’t gone off with Pierre in the first place, none of it need have happened.’

  ‘You were upset and that’s our fault for discussing you behind your back.’

  ‘No, it was mine,’ Betty said and swiped away her tears. ‘Will you forgive me?’

  ‘Of course, I will, my love. Don’t you know how much we love you?’

  ‘I think I do now,’ Betty said and kissed her cheek.

  ‘You’d better, because I need my daughter here with me, Betty.’ Lizzie placed her hands on her bump and sighed. ‘I shall be glad when this is all over – and I want you here with your family when your brother is born…’

  ‘Of course I shall be here, Mum. I’ve got some ideas for the future, but I’m not going anywhere yet and when I do I’ll talk to you and Dad about it…’

  ‘No running off to the Borders or anywhere else?’

  ‘No, I shan’t go back there just yet, though I’ve been invited for a holiday in the summer – in fact we’re all invited to go whenever we like…’ She smiled at a memory of walking the hills with Matt. ‘Did you know Matt came down to see me and then brought me home? Frank asked him to look after me…’ Betty looked around her, feeling happy to be home. ‘Where’s Francie? I tried phoning her college but she wasn’t there.’

  ‘You got here before your sister,’ Lizzie said. ‘Just in time to have lunch with Aunt Miriam…’ She led her daughter into the sitting room where her father’s aunt was sitting. ‘I hope Sebastian will be able to join us for lunch, but he had something he had to attend to this morning. I know he wants to get back, but he said if he isn’t here by one we should just go ahead.’

  ‘Betty, darling, come and kiss me,’ Aunt Miriam stood up and opened her arms. ‘I’ve been so very worried about you, my love. Let me look at you…’ She held Betty at arm’s length and studied her. ‘You look marvellous. Have you put on the tiniest bit of weight?’

  ‘I may have, just a pound or two,’ Betty said and laughed, giving her a hug. ‘I’m so glad to see you, Miriam – and sorry I put you through all that stress…’

  ‘Oh, don’t worry about me; it’s your mum you need to apologise to.’ Miriam frowned at her.

  ‘Mum knows I’m sorry…’

  ‘No more apologies,’ Lizzie said and smiled at her. ‘You’re home now and you can take your time deciding what to do next…’

  ‘I don’t want to return to school…and I doubt Mr Walter will take me on now. I tried to speak to him from the village phone box once but his secretary said he was busy and asked me not to bother him again. I think he was offended because in his eyes I didn’t bother to show up…’

  ‘Well, we could hardly tell him what really happened. Romany said you weren’t well, but perhaps he didn’t believe her. You can work with her for a while, but there’s no rush to do anything, love…’

  ‘I was looking forward to working at that fashion house, but…It doesn’t matter. I’ll be happy with Romany or Ed…’

  ‘Your father won’t try to stop you, though he has a few plans of his own. He hasn’t shared them with me yet, but I expect he will when he gets us all together…’

  ‘Gosh that dinner smells good, Mum. Frank’s gran is a good cook too, but she doesn’t do salmon in white wine or that prawn thing you do – it’s all meat puddings and chicken casseroles, food that fills you up and keeps you going in the fields. Sometimes it’s bitterly cold there but they still have to count the sheep and make sure the silly creatures haven’t hurt themselves. They’re always getting into trouble…’

  ‘You seem to have enjoyed yourself there, love?’

  ‘Yes, I did,’ Betty smiled. ‘Frank’s grandmother gave me this trunk of old clothes and I made things for myself – and also a dress for her. She couldn’t believe how smart it looked. I also helped with some of the chores and went up on the hill with Matt and the dogs…’ She broke off, looking at her mother. ‘That’s enough about me – what about you, Mum? How are you?’

  ‘I’m very well, darling,’ Lizzie’s hand lovingly stroked her stomach. ‘Your brother is behaving himself nicely.’

  Betty laughed, looking at her mischievously. ‘How do you know it’s a boy?’

  ‘I just know. I’ve had two girls and this is – well, it’s just different…’

  ‘Yes, I agree with Lizzie. I think she’s carrying a boy this time…’ Miriam said and smiled, then, ‘I’ve got a letter for you in my bag, Betty. Don’t let me forget, I’l
l give it to you before I go…’

  Lizzie reached for Betty’s hand and squeezed it tightly. ‘It’s so good to have you back and safe with us, darling. I was so afraid I might lose you…’

  ‘I’m glad to be here, Mum. I’m looking forward to Christmas and helping you and Francie decorate the tree and shopping for presents – and I’m truly sorry I caused you and Dad all this trouble…’

  ‘It’s over now and we shan’t speak of it again, unless you want to, my love. For now I want you to stay here, get ready for a lovely family Christmas and be happy drawing your lovely designs – and then we’ll talk about the future…so come and have your lunch now…’

  *

  After lunch, Betty unpacked her clothes in her bedroom. She’d brought the things she’d made while staying with Gran and her family, because she liked some of the ideas she’d put into them and would now have the opportunity to make them and sketch them again with different materials. Her short stay at Gran’s had been wonderful, but she was glad to be home. Betty wanted to spend time with her family… to put all the things that had hurt her safely behind her… and then perhaps she might be ready for a new life.

  The peace and serenity of living in the Border countryside with Gran and her family had restored her spirit and she’d particularly enjoyed walking the hills with Matt and the dogs.

  They’d laughed and talked, just as they always had, and somehow the shadows of that time in Paris had begun to lift. Matt was still her big brother, the generous protective man she’d known all her life, but Betty knew in her heart something more was happening between them. As yet it was little more than a special friendship. Matt was treating her like a precious piece of china, and she thought he knew or guessed some of what had happened to her so he was being careful not to scare her, but Matt could never do that, because she’d always loved him…Betty wasn’t sure if that love was changing, becoming something more and it was far too soon to think about a relationship, because there was Frank too and she didn’t want to hurt his feelings. He’d done so much for her, but she couldn’t give him the kind of love he wanted from her…

  ‘Are you coming down, darling?’ her mother’s voice cut into her reverie. ‘Miriam is ready to leave and she has something for you…’

  Betty smiled at her and followed her from the room. Her aunt had her hat and coat on and was standing in the hall, looking a little anxious. She took a crumpled envelope from her pocket and offered it to Betty.

  ‘This came a week or two ago. I wasn’t sure what to do, love – because it’s from Paris and I thought… I wondered if it was something you would rather not see…’

  ‘I don’t think Pierre sent it,’ Betty said, ‘it isn’t his writing; I think it’s Marie’s…’ She took the envelope from her aunt. Inside were three sheets of paper, and a cheque. The cheque was for a thousand francs and she stared at it for a moment, before turning to the letter. As she read her excitement mounted. ‘This is from Marie… I worked in her café for a while and made her a dress. She showed it to her cousin and, although I didn’t know, she took her one of my sketchbooks. Marie’s cousin runs a small fashion house in Paris and she has used four of my designs in her winter collection… and this is in payment…’

  ‘That’s wonderful,’ Lizzie said. ‘Exactly what you’d hoped for – isn’t it?’

  Betty nodded, reading on down the page. ‘Marie’s cousin Hortense wants to meet me and discuss terms for…’ She looked up at her mother. ‘She is willing to give me a job designing and making the designs into samples – or to simply buy the designs she likes from me… but she wants me to go to Paris in early spring for a meeting…’

  ‘Betty…’ her mother looked at her doubtfully. ‘How do you feel about that, darling?’

  ‘I’m not sure. Of course it would be wonderful… but I shouldn’t want to go alone and only if Dad agreed…’

  ‘If Dad agreed to what?’ Sebastian’s voice asked from the end of the hall. Three pairs of eyes turned to look at him as he strode towards them. ‘Betty, my dearest daughter… how good it is to see you…’ he said and swept her into a bear hug that left Betty laughing and gasping for breath. ‘Never run off without telling us where to find you again. I don’t think I could stand it…’

  ‘I won’t; I promise I won’t,’ Betty vowed as she looked into his eyes and saw the love of the father she’d adored as a little girl. ‘I’m so very sorry, Dad. I’ve wished a thousand times it had never happened… I was such a spoiled little fool…’

  ‘No. It was all my fault. I spoke hastily and without thinking of the hurt I could inflict. If you’d waited for me to talk to you, Betty, I was going to tell you that your talent lay with clothes not hats… though you’re good at trimming them, but no one gets close to your mother for designing hats…’

  ‘He’s biased, but right, you do have a talent for designing clothes,’ Lizzie said and laughed. She was looking very happy as she watched their reconciliation. ‘Betty has an offer to design for a fashion house in Paris. They want her to go and visit in the spring…’

  ‘That’s wonderful news, Betty,’ Sebastian said, ‘but I think you should wait until later in the year before you decide to work there again, although I’ll take you over for a couple of days to a meeting if you wish…’

  ‘This is a family discussion. I think I should go,’ Miriam said, but Sebastian turned to look at her.

  ‘No, please stay. I was saving this until Francie got back… but I’ve arranged to rent a house for us in France for three months next summer – July to the end of September… it’s quite large so there would be room if you wanted to come, Miriam…’

  ‘Sebastian!’ Lizzie cried, looking puzzled. ‘You haven’t said anything about this to me…?’

  ‘No, I wanted it to be a surprise. Betty can work with this fashion house if she wishes and it will help her to know we’re there if she needs us – and Francie will be on holiday from Art College. So it will just suit everyone…’

  ‘Just one thing wrong with that, Dad,’ Francie’s voice said and they all turned to look at her in the doorway from the kitchen. No one had heard her arrive in the excitement of Sebastian’s announcement. ‘I’m afraid there isn’t going to be a scholarship – I only got a B for my exams and Miss Honiton gave the scholarship to someone else…’

  ‘Francie?’ Sebastian’s face clouded. ‘Your teacher was a little harsh but she will realise that you’ve been worrying over your mother…’

  ‘Miss Honiton knows that, Dad,’ Francie said, coming forward to join the group. Betty moved to meet her and they hugged. Betty whispered in her ear and Francie smiled and shook her head. ‘It’s no one’s fault but mine. I neglected the coursework to do other stuff. One of the examiner’s loved the portraits so much that he asked if he could sell them in his gallery, but I said no. I have other plans for them…’

  ‘Your fault, Francie?’ Sebastian was looking at her hard and Betty felt her tense. She entwined her fingers with her sister. ‘Are you admitting the modelling is to blame for this?’

  ‘Not entirely,’ Francie said. ‘I’ve loved it and it’s been fun, but I’ve managed to fit in some work all the way through – I just couldn’t make myself do some of the stuff the college wanted. I don’t know how far I’ll go as a model but I should like to try – if I get the chance. Michael says I may not be offered anything else anyway…he says I need to be based in London if I want to grab all the available work, because you have to be ready to fly anywhere at a few hours’ notice…’

  ‘Who is this Michael?’

  ‘A brilliant freelance photographer. He took some great pictures of me to sell but I don’t know if he did…’

  ‘So then you can go back to college and settle to your real work,’ her father said. ‘Your teacher contacted me about this, Francie. We had a long talk and after some persuasion, she’s agreed to give you one more chance. You have to return to college after Christmas and finish all the coursework you neglected and if you pass y
our exams at the end of the summer term, you can go to the Art School in Paris next October when you’re sixteen – and perhaps Betty will be working there by then…’

  ‘Are you sure, Dad?’ Francie asked and her father smiled.

  ‘You have to promise to settle to your work, Francie…’

  ‘Yes, Dad…’ she said and Betty gave her a sympathetic smile.

  ‘That’s a wonderful chance for you, Francie,’ Aunt Miriam said and kissed her cheek, ‘Take notice of your father, like a good girl – and now I really am going, because I’m meeting someone for a game of bridge later…’

  Sebastian laughed as she shut the front door with a little click. ‘Our Miriam has more to her than meets the eye…’ He looked at Betty and Francie. ‘Why don’t you girls go upstairs and have a chat – and then I’ll take you all out to a nice meal… it’s almost Christmas and we should celebrate now that we’re back together again…’

  *

  Lizzie looked round as Sebastian entered their bedroom late that night. She’d undressed and was sitting brushing her hair, which had recently been cut into a fashionable bob that suited her and made her look younger. His smile as he saw her made her heart race and she stood up, holding out her hand to him. She felt so lucky to have him back in one piece after what he’d told her about his meeting with Eric and Jack.

  ‘Everything all right, darling?’ she asked a little tentatively.

  ‘Yes. I just telephoned Marianne. I wanted to let Gretchen know that Eric is safe. I have to talk to her and give her a message from him. She has gone out with a friend – a woman, not a man. I doubt she’ll ever marry after what she went through, but they’ve signed the lease of the café. She thinks they might just manage to open on Christmas Eve – and she wants us all to go for a meal. Miriam and the girls and friends if they like. I accepted because she needs to show gratitude and it will be rather nice to have a typical German Christmas meal…’

  ‘Of course we’ll go. We shall have turkey on Christmas Day as usual. The girls will help so it won’t be too hard for me, Sebastian… why don’t you ask Marianne and Gretchen to come to us on the day?’