by Rosie Clarke
‘I suggested it but they wanted their first Christmas here on their own – and they will have so much work to do setting up their restaurant. We’ll ask them round in the New Year perhaps, and then gradually introduce them to all our friends.’
‘Yes, but we must make sure they don’t feel neglected. Perhaps I could call on Marianne and take her our presents…’
‘That would be nice, darling – if you’re up to it?’
‘I’m really very strong, Sebastian.’
‘I know, besides, you look so well.’
‘I feel marvellous. Our son seems quite happy where he is for the moment…’ Lizzie held out her arms to him and nestled into his chest as he kissed her.
It would be Christmas very soon now and she had everything she could ever want right here in her own home. Her daughters were safe and Sebastian loved her. She had never been happier…
Chapter 30
‘Look it’s the new Styled cover…’ Francie said as the two sisters paused by the stall selling newspapers and magazines. She picked it up, disappointed to see that her picture hadn’t made the front cover. They’d used one of Michael’s photos but it was of the more experienced girl who had also been in Cornwall for the shoot. ‘Arlene said they might use me on the cover but they haven’t…’
‘Are you inside?’ Betty asked, leaning over her shoulder to look. ‘We’ll buy a copy and have a proper look – let’s have a drink and go through it carefully…’
Francie followed her sister into the small café and they ordered fizzy drinks and a sticky bun each. Francie flicked through the magazine. She saw several of Michael’s pictures, but there was only one small one of her.
‘He took loads. I was sure they would use them…’
‘Never mind, love,’ Betty said sympathetically. ‘I know you enjoyed the modelling but if you wanted to carry on you wouldn’t be able to continue your art – do you really want to give it up. I could talk to Dad; try to make him understand…’
‘No…’ Francie’s eyes pricked with tears. Her sister was just being sensible and Francie knew in her heart she was right. Modelling was fun, but her true talent was for her art. ‘No, it’s probably for the best. Michael told me that I would be lucky to get the cover spot. He warned me that lots of girls never really make it.’ She raised her head proudly. ‘I’d be a fool to throw away my chance of getting a place at the college in Paris for a silly dream, wouldn’t I?’
‘Let’s not worry about it now, Francie. We’ve got Christmas to look forward to and then we’re going to France next summer holidays. You’re going to be a successful artist that’s all that matters, isn’t it?’
Francie nodded, and then a determined look came into her eyes. ‘I’ll work hard at my art – and forget about modelling. Why don’t we buy Mum a nice twinset and some perfume? She always likes things like that…’
‘Yes, she does,’ Betty agreed and smiled. ‘I’m going to get Aunt Miriam some new leather gloves and you can get her a scarf. I’m not sure what Dad would like…’
‘Us home and happy,’ Francie told her. ‘We’ll get him brandy and cigars if you like. But I’m giving him a special present… and I’ve got one for you too…’
‘I’m not telling what I’ve got you,’ Betty said and laughed, because the shadows had fled from Francie’s face. ‘I’ve got a lot of extra ones to buy this year – Gran needs a nice warm pair of sheepskin slippers and I want to get both Matt and Frank something really nice – though I’m not sure Frank will be here for Christmas.’
‘Why not?’
Betty shook her head. ‘He rang me earlier this morning. I think he may be going away…’
*
‘But why, Frank?’ Betty asked later that afternoon when Frank called round to tell her that he was flying to America on one of the new transatlantic flights with BOAC. ‘Why must you go away now? You’ve only just got back from your last trip abroad; I thought you were planning on working in London?’
‘My firm changed their minds and asked me to transfer to their office in New York…’
‘Is that the only reason, Frank? I know what you did for me – but all that awful stuff with Pierre is finished..’
‘I know and I’m glad you’re safe, more so than you will ever know,’ Frank said and his eyes were warm with love. ‘I care about you, Betty; so very much – but my firm wants me to leave for America next week. It’s important and I can’t really refuse. I’ll be gone for eighteen months…besides, I don’t think I’m the right man for you. I think there’s someone else who might be, though…’
‘Is that why you told Matt to come down and bring me back to London?’
‘You’ve always listened to him. I think you care about Matt more than you ever realised, Betty. Pierre was different and he seduced you, but he was never the right man for you, even if he’d loved you…’
‘Frank… I don’t know what to say…I’m not even sure what I do feel…’
‘You don’t have to say anything. I only did what any friend would do – it was just lucky that I was in the right place at the right time. If Matt had been there he’d have done just the same…’
‘Matt?’
‘Yes…’ Frank smiled. ‘I told him I’d killed Pierre and he said I did just what he might have done in my place.’ Frank’s voice was husky with emotion. ‘That meant a lot to me, Betty…’
‘Oh, Frank…’ Betty was close to tears, because she sensed that he’d had a choice about going off to America, but he’d made his decision in order to set her free – free of any sense of duty or obligation. ‘You’ve done so much for me… rescuing me and taking me to your family home…’
‘I wanted to be sure you were safe – because I care what happens to you…’
‘I’m truly grateful for all you did…’ the pain in his face stopped her. ‘I’m so sorry, Frank…’
‘Don’t be, my darling.’ He came forward to take her hands. ‘I think I knew after it happened that somehow Pierre’s shadow would always lie between us – but you have to move on, put it all behind you now…’
‘I have, truly, I have,’ Betty said and went to kiss him softly on the lips. ‘Thank you for making it easy for me, Frank. Believe me when I say that I sincerely wish you happiness in the future.’
‘And I hope that you will find love with the kind of man who can care for you and make you happy. I’ll never forget you, my special girl…’
Betty stood staring at the door as it closed behind him, and her eyelashes were wet with tears. Frank had made the decision she’d found too difficult – he’d walked away and left her free to live her own life.
*
Francie sat on her bed wrapping her Christmas presents for the family. As a child she’d always been unbearably excited as the day came nearer and secret parcels were hastily tucked out of sight whenever she or Betty entered a room. This Christmas was going to be exciting for her, because she had her special presents to give. The portraits she’d been given no marks for her in her exams and the small oil on canvas she’d done of her mother that no one had seen.
After seeing the contentment in her mother’s face after her father had announced that he was taking them all to France next summer, she’d decided on the picture she wanted to paint – and it was one of those halcyon days they’d all spent on the beach one lazy summer in Cornwall. She’d copied the photograph; at least, she’d taken drawings of her mother’s face then and painted it in the delicate colours that suited her lovely English rose complexion, which had been just kissed by the sun. The photograph was in black and white but in her mind Francie saw her mother as she’d been then and as she worked on the canvas it had come magically to life – and yet when she’d finished she saw that she’d made Mum older than when they were children. All the images she’d been juggling in her head had somehow come together, showing Lizzie Winters as a beautiful, wise and loving woman, which was exactly what she was… but there was also a hint of something more there, perhaps so
rrow or hurt or just uncertainty. Francie’s mind’s eye had seen it, even though she couldn’t put a name to it.
Francie smiled as she finished all the small gifts with bows of ribbon and sparkly tinsel. She enjoyed making her presents look special and for the moment she had nothing else to do – until her return to college.
She was lucky that her father had managed to persuade Miss Honiton to give her another chance, and she made up her mind that she would work really hard to pass the exams she’d failed. If she didn’t manage it this time then she would have to decide what she wanted to do next. Perhaps she could afford to pay for a shorter course in Paris from the money she’d earned from her modelling, though she wanted to pass with flying colours and make everyone proud of her. Modelling had been fun while it lasted, but perhaps Michael had been a better friend than she’d realised by suggesting she would do better to stick to her art.
Chapter 31
Lizzie looked round her festive table at her family. Bright, glittering crackers were waiting to be pulled, and the napkins were special ones with Christmas trees embroidered into the corners. Aunt Miriam, Beth, Tony, Tom and Matt as well as her daughters and Sebastian. They were all her family and she loved them all dearly. Beth’s daughter had been taken into the maternity hospital the previous evening and they were awaiting the call that would tell them there was another new baby in the family. Beth had gone straight to the ward but been told to go home and wait for a phone call, because it might be hours before Jenny gave birth and her husband was with her.
Sebastian raised a glass of the special wine he’d bought to accompany the turkey and all the trimmings. ‘Good health and happiness to you all,’ he said and touched his glass to Lizzie’s and then to Beth’s. Everyone else did the same and then sipped the wine.
‘Great stuff, Sebastian,’ Matt said and grinned at Betty. ‘You won’t mind if I come over and stay with you at the chateau for a while in the summer? I’m writing a book and some of it is set in Paris. I’d like to stay for a few weeks to get the flavour…’
‘The chateau has about twenty rooms,’ Sebastian said. ‘It belongs to a friend of mine and he’s off to America for the next year, and since it is only a few miles outside of Paris I thought it would make an ideal base for us – room for friends, boyfriends, girlfriends and relations… as many as you like. Lizzie loves to have her family and friends around her…’
‘It’s going to be lovely for you all,’ Beth said. ‘I’m not sure if Tony has time, but I’d love to come for a couple of weeks when you go…’
‘You will both be welcome,’ Lizzie said and smiled at her. ‘Now tuck in everyone, because I don’t want any of this going to waste…’
The conversation flowed as easily as the delicious wine; laughter and love and friendship, making it yet another wonderful Christmas, as so many others had been in the past. In the drawing room, which Francie and Betty had decked with holly, paper chains and glittery baubles there was a huge Christmas tree, which almost touched the ceiling in front of the long French windows. It had taken three of them to get it in and most of a morning to decorate it, a shining silver star on top. Several big comfortable chairs were grouped about the room and a huge fire threw out lots of heat so that the big room was warm and cosy. Sebastian had placed a long play stereo record of Christmas music on the new High Fidelity radiogram that he’d bought for Lizzie’s present and the words of ‘Silent Night’ could be heard in the background, though the laughter and chatter almost drowned it out.
Beth and Lizzie had placed gifts for each other and each other’s family beneath the tree, and that came after the sumptuous lunch. It was a good thing their drawing room was big enough to accommodate their growing family, Lizzie mused as she looked at Betty. Her eldest daughter looked so happy that Lizzie’s heart swelled with love. For a time she’d thought they’d lost the daughter she loved so much, but she was back with them, and that was all she needed to make her happiness complete. Betty hadn’t told her about what had happened in Paris yet, but they were becoming close again and Lizzie knew that when she was ready Betty would tell her as much as she could.
Lizzie’s gaze moved to her younger daughter. Francie would be sixteen next October, but she already looked seventeen at least. Perhaps it was the experiences of this past year that had made her grow up? She seemed to have accepted that she was going back to college and had to work hard for her exams if she wanted that scholarship for Paris.
Turning her gaze on her husband, Lizzie smiled. For a while she’d feared that she might have lost the love that was so precious to her, but it was there in his eyes as he met her gaze, and she loved him all the more for what he’d done. Lizzie had been thinking of taking on another designer for business now that she had a new baby on the way, and Francie’s friend Jilly had given her an idea. When she’d popped up for a couple of days before Christmas Lizzie had asked her if she would like to come and stay with them here in London and go to France with them in the summer.
‘I shall need someone to pop back to London and visit the workshops, talk to Romany – and to take any models or samples I make. I need a girl who will be loyal to me and if I train her in my ways will gradually be able to take over from me in years to come…’
Jilly had looked at her as if the heavens had opened. ‘Will you truly take me on as your assistant, Mrs Winters? You know I only got a B+ in design…’
‘Francie got just a B,’ Lizzie said and smiled.
So it had been agreed that Jilly should work for her and Lizzie was looking forward to gradually passing on the load for Lizzie Larch Hats. She was excited about taking the girl on her staff and as a member of her ever growing family.
Lizzie sighed with contentment as she saw all the happy faces around her. It was such a lovely day – and they still had all the present giving to come after lunch and the Queen’s speech…
Everyone quietened as Sebastian switched on the TV and they saw the setting of Her Majesty at home in Sandringham, watching with pleasure as some footage of the royal children were included for the first time at Christmas. The speech spoke of the importance of family and spiritual values, and for Lizzie it brought home even more how lucky she was to have both her daughters home safe and well…
*
Betty stared at the portrait of her father, hardly believing that it was hers. Francie had told her that the look on his face was when he’d asked if she were home and she’d caught the hope, anguish and hurt so perfectly that it caught at Betty’s heart. If Dad felt like that about her she would be an idiot to ever doubt his love again… and then she looked at the present he’d given her this year. It was the exact same swan that she’d smashed so wantonly against the wall when she’d been so angry with him. Tears stung her eyes and her gaze strayed to him, as for a moment their eyes met and she felt the warmth of the love that had always been hers. She smiled and got up, went across the room to hug him, feeling her throat close with emotion as he held her tight.
‘Thanks, Dad, it’s lovely…’ was all she could manage but she looked up and knew that he understood.
Betty had tried to buy a swan for herself but she’d been told they were unavailable, out of production. Dad must have searched everywhere to find it – or perhaps he’d had it commissioned specially knowing him. He was like that, always going that extra length to please. She turned as Francie came back from trying on the new dress she’d made for her. It was a full-skirted shirtwaist in yellow and white gingham and it suited her well. She was also wearing the yellow ballerina-style leather shoes that Betty had had dyed to match.
‘You look lovely, Francie,’ she said and hugged her. ‘I love your present. Nothing could ever be as wonderful as this…’
‘I did it for you so that you could never forget how much Dad loves you,’ Francie said and kissed her cheek. ‘We all love you, Betty. Every one of us…’
‘I know. I’m very lucky,’ Betty said and smiled happily. ‘Mum was crying over the picture you did of her when y
ou went to change… she loves it and so do I…’
‘Well, then, Betty,’ Matt said, coming up to them with a box of peppermint creams. He’d given Betty an Elvis Presley record she’d been wanting for ages as his present and some Coty perfume. She’d bought him a silk tie, which he’d put on immediately. ‘I hear that you’ve been given a chance to train with a fashion house in Paris. So how long before I see your label in all the fashionable shops?’
‘I’m not sure I can take it up,’ Betty said. ‘Dad’s coming to the meeting with me in February, but I’m a bit nervous of living over there again… I’ll probably take a short course in the workshops when everyone else is there in the summer, but Romany says I can do some evening classes here.’
‘If you need to pop over to Paris anytime just ask me,’ Matt told her. ‘I can always spare a couple of days, or longer, to come with you… and I promise you no one is going to hurt you with me around…’
‘You’re my private bodyguard…’ Betty said laughing and pinched one of his chocolates. ‘All right, that’s a deal… I’ll probably need to pop over now and then when I have some designs to show her – and I should like to study in her workshops for a while.’ And she would be much happier if Matt was around…
‘Who the hell is that?’ Matt said as the doorbell rang. ‘I’ll go and send them packing unless it’s someone we want…’
Betty laughed, because he could do it easily with a glare. She couldn’t think who would be calling on Christmas afternoon. She sipped her glass of orange juice and ate another peppermint cream from the box he’d left with her. Matt came back looking puzzled. He had something in his hand, but it was just a rather large envelope, so not a late present.
‘Who was it? Surely not the postman?’
‘I’ve no idea,’ Matt said. ‘He wouldn’t give me his name… just handed me this for Francie…’
