Letters to Alice

by Rosie James

  Just then, there was a loud ring from the telephone which stood on the hall table downstairs. The instrument had a very strident sound, making it audible throughout the house. Helena stood up.

  ‘I’ll just go and answer that,’ she said, ‘and when I come back we’ll take turns at telling stories, shall we?’ The children making up their own stories had been Alice’s idea from the beginning, and the twins had become very good at it.

  ‘But when are we going to sing “Happy Birthday” and have the cake?’ Rose said. That was always left to the very last.

  ‘We’ll do that after the stories,’ Helena said. ‘I think you’ve had quite enough to eat for the moment. Besides, your father might be back by then.’

  She left the room, and Cook went over to the fireplace and moved the big brass guard aside so that she could add a few more lumps of coal to the flames. The January days were short, and it was pitch dark outside, and raining. She replaced the guard, then stood up and smiled at Alice.

  ‘What a horrible, wet, dark, Monday afternoon!’ she said. ‘And your birthday, too, Alice. Not very cheerful, is it?’

  ‘Oh – I don’t care what it’s like outside,’ Alice said. ‘Because it’s lovely up here, isn’t it…and I’m having a lovely birthday party!’ She glanced down at the twins. ‘With all my favourite people here to help me share it! And I’ve had such beautiful, beautiful presents…’

  ‘We helped Mummy wrap them!’ the twins chimed in. ‘Mummy says you are worth your weight in gold, so that’s why you’ve been given some gold things!’

  For a few moments, the occasion became almost too much for Alice and she had to choke back her tears. She never stopped feeling grateful for living here with this family. With every comfort provided. With every possible wish granted. It had taken her some time to open all her presents – and she had not been forgotten by anyone.

  The letter, with a small packet enclosed, had arrived this morning.

  Dear Alice

  Happy birthday!

  I am really sorry that, once again, I am not at home to share in the celebrations Why do I have to miss out on everything! I sometimes think that this education lark is over-rated…takes up too much of my time, and takes me away from my family. (I am only joking, but you know what I mean.)

  I won’t bore you by going on and on about all the lectures I have to attend – and the subsequent submissions demanded of me– but I have met some really decent people and we do manage to enjoy ourselves as well. Our accommodation is OK and the student bar is a lively place! So I don’t want you to think I am wearing sackcloth and ashes!

  When I woke up this morning, the first thing I thought was – it’s Alice’s fifteenth birthday! It seems such a long time ago that I first saw you – you were seven years old then, weren’t you, and I was ten – nearly eleven – and had just started boarding school. And when I was away, your letters were the things I really looked forward to. I really did. Even more than letters from my real family – don’t ever tell anyone I said that! You were so grown up, and the funny things you wrote always made me laugh.

  I hope Rose and Margaret are not being too boring – or even worse, not being too revolting!

  I hope you like the little present. I took a long time choosing it!

  Happy birthday once again, Alice. And my very, very, very best wishes!

  Sam.

  PS. You are not obliged to like the bracelet…if you don’t, you can just pretend! (I sometimes do that with presents…isn’t that awful.) S

  As if she might not like the bracelet! Or anything at all that had been held in Sam’s hands, and chosen by him, specially for her! Alice’s treasure chest was beginning to bulge with wonderful things!

  Upstairs, Cook was sorting out all the party food on the table which hadn’t been eaten, and was just putting on the kettle to make another pot of tea – cups of tea were what kept her going all day – when Helena returned to the nursery. She sat down in her chair, put her elbows on the table, and looked across at the others. And after a moment –

  ‘Well, that was the professor on the telephone,’ she said quietly. ‘And oh my goodness…I knew this was an important day for our family, but I didn’t realize it was going to be this important…’

  ‘Why, Madam…what is it?’ Cook said, her perceptive gaze noting at once that something had disturbed her employer – ‘Is there something wrong?’

  Helena paused briefly, then – ‘We are going to be receiving a very, very important guest at 5.30,’ she said. ‘And he will be with us for one hour only!’

  The twins burst out in unison. ‘Who is coming? Who is it, Mummy? Are they coming because it’s Alice’s birthday?’

  Helena shook her head quickly, smiling. ‘Well, not exactly, but I think Alice will remember this birthday a little more than any others!’ She sat back in her chair. ‘Now, let me explain. Last week, the professor told me that a very important personage would be coming to the Infirmary today, but that it was a secret. No one else must know about it beforehand.’

  Cook couldn’t contain her curiosity any longer. ‘Well – are we allowed to know now, Madam?’ she said.

  ‘Of course.’ Helena took a deep breath. ‘My husband will be bringing His Majesty home with him. For a very short stay…and a light tea.’

  Cook’s gasp of amazement almost made her lose balance, and she gripped the edge of the table for a minute. ‘Do…do you mean…King George the fifth…our king…is coming here? Here? And we…I…am going to serve him tea?’

  Helena smiled at Cook’s incredulity – though she was feeling very much the same herself. ‘Yes, I do mean that, Cook,’ she said simply.

  ‘Oh my good lor’, oh my good lor’,’ Cook said, sitting down heavily and rocking to and fro for a few moments. ‘That’s made me come over all funny…’

  Helena leaned forward and touched the older woman’s hand. ‘Now, you are not to worry,’ she said. ‘And as it happens, today there is an abundance of lovely food to offer him, isn’t there?’ Seeing that Alice was looking completely mystified, Helena decided to explain the situation more fully.

  ‘His Majesty’s visit to the hospital today is completely private, and unofficial. A handful of senior staff were only told about it last week – and were sworn to secrecy in case the news got out. The press were to be kept out of it at all costs. It is apparently all to do with some important research that’s been going on at the Infirmary, and a possible award that may be presented at some point in the future. After he’d been informed about this particular research, it was the King’s own idea to make today’s visit – which was to be very brief – and the instruction was that no others should know about it until after the event had taken place. He doesn’t take kindly to unnecessary fuss.’ Helena paused. ‘When he was first told about it, the professor did tell me of the anticipated visit, of course, but gave me no details at all – it was all so hush hush. However,’ Helena cleared her throat. ‘The other thing I certainly did not know was that His Majesty was coming here to tea!’

  Alice spoke for the first time. ‘Well, there has to be a very special reason – other than it’s my birthday!’ she said. ‘Perhaps he has heard about Cook’s chocolate cake!’

  ‘No – it’s even more important than Cook’s chocolate cake!’ Helena said. ‘I think everyone knows that the King is an avid stamp collector – and the professor is, too, as you know – and apparently at some point during the afternoon the subject came up in discussion and His Majesty expressed a wish to come here to look at the professor’s latest find in his portfolio. And of course the professor was more than happy to oblige and show off his collection – and he automatically issued a tea invitation at the same time!’ Helena shook her head briefly. ‘Incredible, isn’t it,’ she said, ‘that everyone, even the highest in the land, must have a diversion? Something to take their minds off the daily grind, the daily anxieties. Of which, I am sure, His Majesty has many.’

  Cook was still rocking backwards and fo
rwards, hugging her arms. She was not used to serving royalty! And she was going to be doing that in less than half an hour!

  Well, she hoped she could control her nerves, and not send a cup of tea straight down the royal neck!

  At 6.45, Alice and the twins were huddled together at the top of the staircase, looking down excitedly into the large entrance hall where three security men were standing around, occasionally looking at their watches. The King had already stayed fifteen minutes longer than was expected at this unusual diversion to the day, and the official schedule was now all over the place. But it was time for His Majesty to leave Bristol and resume his Christmas break with his family. Still, the whole day had gone as planned, with very few citizens realizing that their King had been present in the city.

  Alice and the children had kept a very low profile when the King had arrived earlier, but Helena had said that when he was due to leave, they could spy on the royal departure from the upstairs landing.

  ‘There’s no need to feel nervous if he happens to see you,’ Helena had told them, ‘because the King loves children…his two little grand-daughters, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose, are apparently his pride and joy, and spend quite a lot of time with him at the Palace. I believe he is specially fond of Princess Elizabeth,’ she added.

  ‘Well, he should like Margaret Rose best – because that’s what we’re called!’ Margaret had pointed out.

  At 6.50, the inner door opened, and the King, followed by Helena and Edward Carmichael, came out into the hall. To the onlookers upstairs, the King appeared immensely tall, and very elegant in his formal suit. And Alice automatically remembered the times she had watched Helena and the professor leave for one of their own special occasions over the years…how exotic they had always looked in their glamorous attire.

  Now, the formalities were going on as the professor, bowing his head slightly, took the King’s hand in farewell, and Helena did the same as she bent at the knee.

  And suddenly, His Majesty looked up and saw the trio on the landing – and raised his hand, giving them a smile and a little wave, his eyes twinkling.

  Then, it was all over, and he was gone. And the house settled back down, breathing a sigh of relief.

  And in the kitchen, Cook plonked herself down by the range and indulged in a very large glass of sherry. Or two.

  Presently, as she got the twins ready for bed, Alice wondered how the King had noticed them up there on the landing. They had all kept as still and quiet as mice.

  But he’d known they were up there, hoping for a glimpse of their very important guest.

  Because Helena had told him.

  Presently, with the twins asleep and the house quiet for the night, Alice went along to her bedroom, and closed the door. There was one last thing – one very important thing – to do on her birthday. To make precise notes of the day’s happenings in her scribble pad. Her aide memoire. (Alice liked the sound of that phrase.) She always did this when exceptional things occurred, because one day they could perhaps filter in and out of her novel, help to bring it alive. As she bent over the pad, she frowned briefly. It was so hard to find time to do much writing because she was often too tired at the end of the day.

  But she’d get her book finished. Because she was never going to give up. She’d promised.

  Dear Samuel

  Thank you so, so, so, much for the bracelet! I love it, I really do! And it fits perfectly.

  Sam, you will never guess who came to my birthday! The King came! He really did. He was on some sort of business with the professor, and stayed for tea with your parents! The twins and I only saw him from the upstairs landing, of course, but he looked so kind, and gave us a little wave!

  I have had the most wonderful birthday, but if you had been there as well it would have been just perfect!

  My very best wishes, and thank you again – Alice.

  Chapter Eleven

  November 1941

  It was the Sunday morning after the Welcome Home Concert, and as it was technically their day off – though they still usually helped out where necessary – the girls generally went down for a later breakfast than usual. And today, there was so much Fay and Alice wanted to ask Eve! About that stellar performance of hers last night! As they were getting into their uniforms, Fay said –

  ‘What time did you eventually come home last night, Evie? It must have been late because I didn’t hear a thing.’

  Eve shrugged casually. ‘Oh – not that late. Though I suppose it was well past midnight before Roger and I helped Mrs. Foulkes put everything away at the hall and lock up…there were others there as well, of course, but she did seem to be taking much of the responsibility for everything.’ Eve smiled briefly. ‘I must admit that it was a bit of a tight fit coming back in the Morris…I had to sit on Mabel’s knee!’

  When Alice and Fay had left early because of Fay’s headache, and because Eve was staying on to play for the Old Time dancing, Roger had promised to bring Eve back with his mother – and all her belongings – in the van.

  Alice looked across at the girl as she spoke, still not quite believing Eve’s performance on the piano last night…the way she had led the entire gathering in that sing-song – not to mention accompanying all the youngsters with their party pieces. ‘Anyway – how on earth did you know what to play for the dancing as well?’ Alice asked.

  ‘Oh – I found all the music for that in the piano stool,’ Eve said, as she started brushing her hair. ‘It was quite straightforward.’

  Fay finished dressing, then sat down on her bed and stared across at Eve, folding her arms. ‘Well, I do think you might have told us what a clever clogs you are, Evie,’ she said firmly. ‘Why have you been keeping a secret like that? I mean – honestly – when I saw you get up and march down the length of that hall and agree to play for everyone I was nearly sick! Was that our Evie, I asked myself? And then – when you got us all singing along to all the tunes…how on earth were you able to do it? How did you know them all?’

  Eve raised her shoulders, then dropped them again. ‘I didn’t realize I was keeping a secret,’ she said. ‘But, well, I’ve been playing the piano since about the age of five. My parents taught me everything I know…they were both concert pianists in their younger days.’

  This immediately interested Alice. ‘How amazing,’ she said slowly. ‘Fancy being professional pianists – playing to critical audiences – did your parents travel, doing that?’

  ‘Oh yes – all over the Continent,’ Eve said. ‘Of course, not so much after I came along. After I was born, they mostly played in this country. They played many times at the Wigmore in London, and used to fill the Assembly Rooms, and the Guildhall and the Pump Room in Bath on a regular basis. I was very young when I began to attend their concerts, and I used to watch their fingers fly up and down the keys and I knew I wanted to do that, too.’ Eve smiled at the others. ‘Of course, they wouldn’t hear of me being taught by anyone else, so I was home-grown, so to speak. But I only ever played the Classics at home– because they wouldn’t expect anything else. They’ve never played modern stuff themselves. It’s not allowed in the house!’

  ‘Well, you weren’t playing the Classics last night,’ Fay observed dryly. ‘How did you learn all that current, popular stuff? The sing-along stuff? How did you know how to do it?’ Fay was still mystified.

  ‘Well – once you understand the keyboard,’ Eve explained, ‘it’s not that difficult to play anything, really – by ear, and within reason. And of course, having worked in a music shop has been a tremendous help, because Milsoms have practice rooms upstairs that people can use, and often in my lunch break, or if we weren’t busy, I’d go up for an hour and let my hair down.’ She started to tidy her bed and plump up the pillows, then glanced back at the others. ‘You see, Milsoms don’t only stock the Classics – they stock every kind of music – everything, ancient and modern – keeping up with all the trends. So I used to borrow their sheets of music and go up and pl
ay away to my heart’s content. Other members of staff would come up to listen sometimes, and have a bit of a sing-along.’ She grinned suddenly. ‘Of course, my parents have no idea what I’ve been getting up to! Popular stuff doesn’t enter their vocabulary and I only ever play the Classics at home.’ She paused for a second. Then – ‘But what the eye doesn’t see, the heart can’t grieve over, can it? I haven’t been doing anything wrong, have I?’

  ‘You’ve been doing everything right, Evie,’ Alice said firmly. ‘Last night would have been a total wash-out if you hadn’t been there!’

  Down in the kitchen, Mabel couldn’t stop going on and on about last night as she ladled out their porridge. That everyone had said last night’s concert had been the best one ever and they’d all been so grateful for the music.

  ‘Oh, I let them all know whose Land Girl wer’ on that piano!’ she declared. ‘I felt so proud of you, our Eve – and of you two, as well.’ She glanced at the others. ‘The three of you were like a little beauty parade! See…it’s always nice to see folks, girls, dressed up a bit…you know…wearing pretty things…makes a nice change from dirt and dungarees, don’ it?’ she added.

  Dull November lived up to its name, and soon the days became shorter, more dank and more drear on the farm. But the work went on as usual, and there was always plenty for the girls to do. Including taking their turn at milking the cows – which they’d become quite used to.

  One morning, as Fay and Alice sat near each other, milking, Alice said –‘Have you noticed anything different about Evie lately, Fay?’

  Fay, intent on the task, didn’t look up from the hind quarters of her cow. ‘What sort of difference?’ she said.

  ‘I think she’s become very solemn, and withdrawn, that’s all,’ Alice said.

  ‘Maybe the weather’s getting to her,’ Fay said. ‘I can’t say it fills me with much delight and enthusiasm myself.’ She stopped for a moment, and sat back, easing her shoulders. ‘But yes, now you mention it, she has been a bit – well – off recently. I don’t mean with us, or anything. But…just not quite herself, I agree.’