by T A Williams
He slid his not inconsiderable bulk onto a chair and accepted the cup of coffee gratefully. ‘Want to talk about it?’
She realised that she did. She took a coffee for herself and sat down beside him. Conscious that he was flying off the next day, she told him pretty much everything. She told him of her feelings for Daniel Tremayne, as well as her part in his return to happiness with his wife and child. She told him how she felt about Danny Kemp, her evening on the cliff top and at least some of her plans for the previous night. A thought struck her.
‘Do you like scallops?’ He looked up, surprised at the change of subject.
‘Do I? Alice, when you live over a thousand miles from any ocean, fresh seafood becomes a real luxury. Why? Have you got some?’
‘Let’s just say that there is a certain amount of food in the fridge left over from the dinner that didn’t take place last night.’ She looked at her watch. It was almost three o’clock. ‘There’s never a bad time to eat scallops, is there?’
She spent the next few minutes preparing two small plates of salad before dropping the scallops into a frying pan, flipping them over, and taking them out again almost immediately. During this time Derek said very little, his mind running over what she had told him. She set the plates down on the table and pulled the remains of the Chablis from the fridge. She filled two glasses and passed one over to him.
‘First coffee, and then wine? This doesn’t appear in the recipe books too often.’ Nevertheless, he took the glass and toasted her. ‘Here’s to you, neighbour.’
She clinked her glass against his and speared a piece of scallop. It was exquisite. From the other side of the table he was making appreciative noises. ‘Wow, these are good. Your Danny missed a treat last night.’ He took a mouthful of wine. ‘Terrific wine, too.’ He attacked the salad with gusto.
He swallowed the last piece of scallop, wiped his mouth and sat back. ‘But, of course he knows what he missed, Alice. You need have no fears on that score. And if you are here feeling miserable, spare a thought for him.’
She nodded. She had been thinking about him a lot.
‘For him there’s only one Alice. But he can’t be with her, at least for the time being. As for you, you’ve still got lots of Dannys. There’s this big guy here.’ Derek pointed downwards. The dog, smelling the food, had positioned himself with his nose on her lap. There was always the possibility of something falling from the plate. ‘You know what you’ve got there, don’t you? Plain, simple, uncomplicated love. It takes a lot of beating.’
She looked down. The big eyes stared up at her. She stroked his head and he gave a deep, contented sigh.
‘Then, there’s little Danny. You’re friends with his mom and his dad, so you’ll still see a lot of him. Then there’s Daniel Tremayne himself. You will always have his friendship.’
‘Thanks, Derek. I’m going to miss you.’ She reached over and gripped his hand.
‘You’re welcome, Alice. Now, just one final thing: remember that Danny, your Danny, only has the one Alice – and he’s going to come back for her, just as soon as he can.’ He stood up. ‘I look forward to seeing you both in Canada.’
Chapter 48
Over the next three weeks, Alice’s mood gradually improved. This was aided by a succession of events. The first happened the day after the funeral, only a couple of hours after she had waved goodbye to Derek Tinker. She was sitting at the kitchen table, researching the First World War, when her phone rang. It was a local number, but not one she recognised.
‘Hello, Alice speaking.’
‘Oh good, it is you, dear.’ She recognised the old voice. ‘This is Gladys Cooper.’
‘Hello, Mrs Cooper, I was just thinking about you the other day when we had the floods. Were you all right?’
‘That’s very sweet of you, but remember, these houses are over three hundred years old. They’re built here for a reason. Although we’re only a few feet above the river level, when it floods, the water spreads out over the fields on the other side. I was fine, thank you. Now then.’ She sounded businesslike. Alice wondered if it was about the suitcase full of letters. She was right.
‘Alice, I am ringing to apologise on behalf of my nephew. He’s a very naughty boy.’ Alice found herself smiling at the image. ‘He has behaved badly to you and to me. I told you I was happy, very happy, for you to use my father’s letters in any way you decide. I am also happy for him to use them, but it was quite improper of him to try to shut you out. So, you go ahead and use them as you think fit. I’ve told Daniel and he will write you a letter so it’s all clear and above board. Naughty, naughty boy.’
A day later, Alice got another shot in the arm. She was in the kitchen, finishing a load of washing up she should have done the day before, when the doorbell rang. She opened the front door to find two familiar faces on the doorstep. She beamed.
‘Vicky and my little boyfriend! What a wonderful surprise. Come in and let me start working off all those cups of tea you gave me.’ She showed Vicky through to the kitchen with the buggy. ‘Have a seat. How nice to see you. So, what’s new?’ She was pretty sure she already knew the answer and was not disappointed.
‘I’m home again.’ Vicky could hardly talk, she was so happy. ‘I’ve moved out of Lyndhurst Avenue, and I’m back at the farm. Oh, Alice, it’s a dream come true.’
Alice put the kettle on to boil and took a seat beside her. Little Danny stretched his hands up from the buggy. Vicky gave her a smile. ‘You appear to be in demand.’ Alice picked him up, relishing the contact with the little boy again. While waiting for the kettle to boil, she told Vicky about the phone call from Mrs Cooper. Vicky was delighted for her.
‘That’s brilliant. Your soldier’s back in your life again. I know what it feels like to get a man back.’ She looked across with a huge smile. ‘My life is coming back together again, too. After everything that’s happened, it looks as though we might get a bit of good luck for a change.’
Alice handed her the baby and got up to make the tea. ‘So, you and Daniel? Back to what it was?’
Vicky nodded. ‘I think he’s mended, Alice, or as good as. Yes, he’s still taking a few pills, but he’s the man I married once again.’
‘I couldn’t be happier for you.’ And she meant it. They chatted for an hour. As Vicky left, she invited Alice to come for Sunday lunch, followed by tennis.
That evening, as she sat at the computer, she counted on her fingers. Her Dannys were once more expanding. She now had wartime Danny back. She was really pleased about that. Through reading his letters, she had developed a real rapport with him that she had feared was lost forever. She had got little Danny back and, indeed, his dad as well. Maybe not in the sense she had once anticipated, but as a good, close friend. The sort of friend who comes and tows you out of a muddy field. That’s as good a definition of friendship as I’ve heard for a long time. And then, she thought with a wry smile, there was even another Danny, Dr Daniel Rogers in the history department of the university. Just that morning she had received an e-mail from him with the reading list for the MA course. He signed himself “Dan”.
And, of course, she would get her Danny back. She was sure of it. If Danny could come back from the trenches, the other Danny, her Danny, could come back into her life as well.
Two other things added to her happiness quota. First, there was the miraculous recovery of her pricey sandals after their ordeal in the mud. After liberal applications of polish and regular massage, they had returned to showroom condition. More important was the progress in Lyndhurst Avenue. By early July, number 23 was decorated – inside and out. The kitchen was fitted and the carpets laid. Rolls of turf formed a new lawn and she even invested in a garden shed. It all looked very good. So good, in fact, that the estate agent, Mr Melhuish – of Melhuish, Melhuish and Seymour – informed her that he now had a number of clients interested in coming along to take a look. After he had viewed the property and expressed his admiration for what had been done,
he had a suggestion.
‘Why don’t we have an open house one afternoon? That way, anybody who’s interested can come along and take a good look.’ She nodded enthusiastically.
‘Should I be here for that?’
‘It’s not absolutely necessary, but I would advise you to be here if you can. You can tell people all about all of the work that was done. Although,’ his face took on a cautionary expression, ‘I would suggest that you play down the whole “house full of poo” business. Now, how about a week on Saturday? Say from four to six?’
Alice agreed immediately. She had few other commitments these days, spending most of her time either walking the dog or playing tennis with Vicky or Daniel – not to mention, of course, working her way through the university reading list. She had begun to feel better with the passage of the days. Even glimpses of Danny, her Danny, in the distance didn’t upset her too much. She knew that he had his work cut out and had made a vow to keep her distance from him. And she’d stuck to it.
Once the open house had been decided and publicised, Alice had the idea of turning it into a housewarming party. She wanted to thank all the people who had worked on the house and encouraged her, so had invited everybody she could think of to come for a drink after the potential buyers had left. By the time she had invited all the tradesmen, neighbours and friends from Beauchamp and Woodcombe, it looked like she would have a pretty full house. She thought about not inviting my friends call me Danny, but decided to do it anyway. His letter to her had contained a fairly full apology for his behaviour with regard to the wartime letters, and a legal-sounding retraction of his interdict. She did not, of course, invite Danny the windsurfer, her Danny, sticking to her resolve not to intrude in his life.
A few days after seeing Mr Melhuish, she received a visitor. Megan brought news, very good news.
‘I’ve told my old mum, but you are the first person in the village to know. Reggie has asked me to marry him. I know it’s all happening a bit quickly, but it just feels so right.’ She was brimming with joy. Alice held out her arms and gave her a hug.
‘That’s the most fantastic bit of news. I’m so very, very happy for you both. Oh, Megan, that’s awesome.’
‘Awesome?’ Now it was Megan’s turn to raise an eyebrow.
Alice was unrepentant. ‘I can’t think of a better word. Now, then, let me see.’ She burrowed in the fridge and emerged with a bottle of Prosecco. ‘It should be champagne, but this is the best I can do tonight. It’s got bubbles anyway.’ She ignored Megan’s protests and opened it, filling two glasses before passing one across to her. ‘To the happy couple! At least I suppose you’ll be able to get a discount for the church service.’
Chapter 49
The open house event was a great success. A dozen or so people came along to view the house in the afternoon, a good number of them expressing serious interest. The negotiator from Mr Melhuish’s firm declared herself very happy with events and promised to report back after the weekend. No sooner had she left, than guests started arriving for the housewarming party, among them Mr Melhuish himself. Alice had spent a small fortune on wine and beer, as well as on an assortment of canapés from the local delicatessen. As far as she was concerned, it was the least she could do to thank everybody and, in recognition of their efforts, she was wearing her Awesome T-shirt.
Megan and Reggie were among the early arrivals, Megan ostentatiously waving an engagement ring in front of Alice’s nose. They were followed by the rest of the Burrell family, including Billy. After a few beers, he started telling everybody how the first gig of the Builderdales had gone. Apparently he had had trouble with some zipper or other. Fortunately, for Alice, just at that moment, the doorbell rang so she left him to explain just exactly what had happened. At the door was my friends call me Danny.
He looked embarrassed and, from his breath, had started on the Dutch courage before coming over.
‘Hello, Daniel. Please come in.’ She gave him a civil reception. He walked in, then stopped and turned towards her.
‘Look, Alice, I’m awfully sorry. I have behaved very badly.’
‘Your aunt said you were a naughty, naughty boy.’ Alice was smiling now.
‘And I was. You see, Alice, I’ve got to come clean and tell you the truth. I’ve been writing for years, but I’ve never had any great success. My Roman series books are self-published. I couldn’t get a publisher interested in my work. I’ve been trying for years and years and, to be honest, I’ve been getting very depressed about it. That’s why I’m home now. I had a fight a few weeks back with Lorenzo. He said I was breaking his balls.’ He looked up apologetically. ‘Sorry, that’s a literal translation. Basically I was getting on his nerves. So, when you told me about the letters, I just jumped at the chance. I’m afraid my desperation made me very selfish. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?’
She reached over and kissed his cheek. ‘Water under the bridge. Now, let me get you a drink. I’ve got some Prosecco.’ Both of them were smiling as she led him into the kitchen.
A bit later on, Joyce Parker from number 44 arrived, accompanied by another old lady. She lived just across the road and always waved at Alice when she saw her. A few moments after them, Daniel and Vicky appeared, this time without young Danny.
‘He’s visiting his grandma, but sends his love.’ Vicky was looking happy and very pretty. Beside her, Daniel was looking more relaxed than Alice had ever seen him. They both gave her a hug and accepted glasses of elderflower cordial. Then, Alice gave them the grand tour of the house.
Before long, the doorbell rang again and Alice ran back down the stairs to welcome Peter, the surveyor. Unusually, he was dressed informally in jeans and a jumper.
‘Sorry to be late, Alice. I’ve been on a fishing trip. In fact,’ he held up a plastic bag, ‘I’ve brought you a present.’ Inside were two handsome sea bass.
‘Hey, look at those beauties. Thanks very much indeed.’ She smiled. ‘They’re awesome.’
Reg had been drawn by the sound of a fellow fisherman and Megan and Alice looked on tolerantly as the two men started discussing the technicalities of sea fishing.
Alice took the bag from him. ‘Thank you very much. What can I get you to drink, Peter?’
‘Have you got a beer?’ She nodded and turned for the kitchen. Behind her, she heard Reggie asking, “So where were you fishing?’
‘Berry Head, off the rocks looking this way.’ Suddenly it came back to Alice. She remembered how this name was so familiar. Danny Green had mentioned it to Gladys in one of his letters from the trenches, describing their special spot. From their bench, the view over the cliffs was to Berry Head in one direction and Portland Bill in the other. She whirled back again.
‘Peter, Reg, can you help me please? Can you tell me where around here there’s a place with a good view of both Berry Head and Portland Bill?’ In answer to their looks, she explained the connection. They both paused for thought before replying pretty much in chorus. Reg just got there first, ‘High Hill Point.’
‘High Hill Point.’ Peter was nodding. ‘There are some spots on the cliffs on the other side of the town where you can see both at the same time, but there aren’t that many.’ He went on to give her directions. It soon became clear to Alice that it was the same spot where she and her Danny had had their picnic.
Chapter 50
Alice parked in the same place on the top of the cliff. It was very early in the morning and the car park was empty. She picked up a jumper, although the forecast for the day was for bright sunshine, let Danny the dog out of the car and crossed the road into the fields. She could see the patch of gorse where she and two-legged Danny had spent their romantic evening back in June. She sighed inwardly for what might have been and for what might still be.
The sun was still low on the eastern horizon, a bright orange glow reflecting across the sea towards her, dazzling even at that early hour. Even screwing up her eyes, she was unable to get sight of Portland Bill. She co
uld remember, however, where it lay. Danny had pointed it out to her that wonderful evening on the blanket among the gorse bushes. Off in the other direction, the view down to Torbay and Berry Head was crystal clear. By a process of trial and error, she soon worked out that the only spot on that hilltop from where both headlands would be visible at the same time was a relatively small area, right by the edge of the cliffs.
She walked up and down, but it was clear that there was no bench to be seen. Danny Green had mentioned it in his letters on numerous occasions, so she knew that if this was their special place, there would have to be a bench. She and the dog walked about half a mile down the gently sloping field towards the west. Once she reached the point from which Portland Bill would no longer be visible, she turned back, walking as close to the cliff edge as possible, keeping a careful eye on the dog. Once again she blessed Mrs Tinker for training him so well. He trotted along beside her quite happily, keeping a safe distance from the edge.
Nearing the top again, she saw that the coastal footpath took a dogleg inland. A notice warned walkers of cliff erosion. She remembered what Danny had told her about being careful of rock falls. A new fence had been erected to stop people trying to follow the old path that disappeared from sight into bushes and then, presumably, into nothing. It was when she was crouching down, squinting underneath the bushes, that she saw it. She breathed in deeply. There was no doubt about it. Through there, tottering right on the edge of the cliff, was an old bench. The legs on one side were still standing, the legs on the other side hung precariously out over the edge of the cliff, with a drop of hundreds of feet to the beach below.
‘That’s it, Danny.’ The dog pricked up his ears. ‘That’s the bench. This is their spot. This is Danny and Gladys’s special spot. We’ve found it.’ She went over to a rough patch of ground and laid her hand down. It was cool, but dry. She sat down, her knees tucked up to her chest, her head resting on her arms. Danny the dog came up and settled alongside her as Alice looked out over the view on this spectacularly beautiful summer day.
