by Jonker, Joan
‘I should think all your friends will be very happy for you, Philip, for you are very well liked and have never spoken ill of any of your women friends.’ Cyril was so happy he thought his heart would burst. This was one day in his life he would never forget. To see again the woman his son had married, and the granddaughter who was the fruit of that short marriage. Then to find out that Philip, the son of one of his best friends, was in love and wanted to marry Evelyn – well, it was like a storybook ending, where everyone lived happily ever after. But was he being over-optimistic?
Philip stopped his pacing and stood in front of Cyril’s desk. ‘Do you have a spare office where Evelyn and I could talk in private?’
‘There is an office on the next floor which is furnished and comfortable, you are very welcome to use that. While I ring Oscar to ask him to bring Evelyn and her daughter, I suggest you help yourself to another whisky to steady your nerves.’
When Oscar answered the phone, he was asked to bring Evelyn and Milly back to the office. Cyril suggested that as soon as they arrived, Evelyn should be directed to the office on the top floor while Milly be brought into his office. ‘It’s been quite a memorable day, my boy, don’t you agree? It is a long time since I have felt so happy and light-hearted. A great weight has been lifted from my shoulders.’
Oscar chuckled. ‘It has certainly been a day of surprises. Gwen’s eyes have been as round as saucers since Evelyn arrived. I know a little of what is happening but not all. I have been keeping Milly amused and out of the way. What a treasure the girl is! She is clever, without a doubt, but what I find most endearing is her sense of fun. When she laughs, it’s catching. You can’t help laughing with her. If she were mine, I would love her to bits.’
‘I can’t wait for Matilda to see her. And, as you know I love her dearly, you will not think I am making fun of her when I say the bottle of smelling salts will definitely be needed.’
‘The door facing you at the top of the stairs is the one you need,’ Oscar told Evelyn when they entered the lobby. ‘You can’t miss it.’
She was shaking visibly. ‘I know it’s silly of me, but I’m scared.’
‘I’m quite sure there is nothing to be afraid of, my dear, so take a deep breath and run up those stairs as though you haven’t a care in the world … which I’m sure you haven’t.’ He held on to Milly’s hand and together they watched Evelyn mount the stairs.
‘Why is Mother scared, Uncle Oscar? There’s no bogeyman up there, is there?’
‘Now, you don’t believe in bogeymen, do you? You’re a clever girl, and if you are clever, you will know there is no such thing. Come along and ask your granddad if I’m not telling the truth.’
Milly pulled her hand free. Giggling, she said, ‘I’ll race you to Granddad!’ With that she took off like a shot, flung the office door open and ran across the floor to the desk.
Cyril looked up when the door burst open, to see Milly running towards him, her face aglow and her childish laughter filling the room. ‘Well, I never, what have we here?’
‘I bet Uncle Oscar I could beat him to get to you first.’ She turned to Oscar, who was leaning on the back of a chair pretending to be out of breath. ‘I won!’
‘Ah, but did you win fairly?’ Cyril asked. ‘That is what you should ask yourself. Did you give Oscar a start because he is older than you and is carrying more weight?’
Milly’s brow furrowed. ‘I never thought of that, Granddad, because I’ve only ever raced the girls in school. But you are right, it wasn’t fair, and I’m sorry, Uncle Oscar. So shall we call it evens?’
He dropped into a chair, chuckling. ‘You weren’t behind the door when they were giving brains out, my dear. I must remember never to play cards with you.’
Now this remark was of interest to Milly. ‘Oh, I can play cards, I’m getting very good at it. I win more games than Jack does.’
‘And might we ask who Jack is?’ Cyril asked, eager to know as much as possible about his granddaughter’s life. ‘And where do you play cards?’
‘Jack is my best friend, he lives in the house opposite ours. He is one year older than me so he is nine. Because he’s older than me, wouldn’t you think he’d win more games than me, Granddad?’
‘Perhaps he likes you and lets you win?’
‘Oh, he does like me, but he doesn’t let me win. In fact, I have to keep my eye on him because if he gets the chance, he cheats.’
The two men exchanged glances. How refreshing it was to listen to a child who was too innocent to tell an untruth. ‘Your grandmother is very fond of playing cards, Milly, so you would get along very well with her. Perhaps the games she plays are more grown-up than the ones you play, but she would love to teach you so you could play with her.’
Milly’s eyes slid from side to side as she weighed up the situation. Then she asked, ‘Does Grandma’s table have a cloth on it that hangs right down over the sides?’
Cyril rubbed his chin. ‘No, I don’t think it does, my dear, but I’m not really sure. Why do you ask?’
‘Well, if there was a cloth on the table that hung right over the sides, I’d have to keep my eye on her in case she tried to cheat.’
The hearty laughter of the two men reached the office of Miss Williams, and brought a smile to her face. She hadn’t been told who the young girl was, but she didn’t need telling. She remembered Evelyn from when she was courting Mr Charles, and as soon as she’d looked into Milly’s face she saw the same features and the same green eyes as Mr Cyril’s son. And there was the age of the girl. All the signs told the wise secretary that this was the granddaughter her boss had pined for for a long, long time. And because he was such a caring boss, and she had grown very fond of him over the years, Miss Williams was happy for him.
Chapter Thirty
Philip had pulled the two office chairs close together and, after holding Evelyn tight and smothering her with kisses, he pressed her gently down on to one of the chairs, still gripping her hands. ‘My beloved Evelyn, why didn’t you tell me all the things that were on your mind, and apparently worrying the life out of you? What sort of a man do you think I am, that you were afraid to confide in me?’
‘I didn’t think our relationship was going to become serious, and by the time it did, and I found myself in love with you, it was too late. I thought you would think badly of me, and couldn’t bear for that to happen.’ Evelyn stroked his cheek. ‘I was afraid of losing you. If I had known your family were friends of the Lister-Sinclairs, then I would have been more open with you. But, as Cyril has probably told you, we didn’t part on the best of terms.’
Philip nodded. ‘He has been very open and honest, and I would expect nothing less of the man I have known and admired all my life. He wanted to be the one to tell me, so as to spare you. He has admitted that he did you a grave wrong, and by telling me of his involvement in your break from the family, is trying to put things right. He is so happy to have you back as part of the family, and his joy in seeing his granddaughter is beyond words. He is like a new man, now he has something to live for.’
‘I would like to set the record straight, my darling, and tell you that all the fault does not lie on Cyril’s shoulders, I was as much to blame. I wasn’t a very nice person then. I was too selfish, and thought only of myself. Never once did I consider the anguish he and his wife must have gone through when they heard their son had been killed. As Charles’ wife, I should have been a help to them in their grief.’
Philip raised her hand to his lips. ‘It is all over now, my love, your worries are at an end. No need for any more secrecy, your life can be an open book.’
Still the frown was on Evelyn’s face, for she couldn’t believe life was going to be happy ever after. That would be too easy. ‘What is going to happen now, Philip?’
‘The only thing I am certain of at the moment, my lovely, is that you and I are going to be married as soon as possible.’
‘I’m worried about your parents,’ she told him. ‘What are they goin
g to think of me, and how will they feel about Amelia? I know they are longing for you to give them a grandchild, but I think it would be a great disappointment to them if they were asked to accept an eight-year-old child. It would be asking a great deal of them.’
Philip lowered his head. ‘I’d be telling a lie if I said they wouldn’t mind, for I agree with you that it would be a great disappointment to them. Given time, I’m sure they, and myself, would grow to love your daughter, but at the moment it is quite a lot to take in.’ He raised his head, a half smile on his face. ‘In any case, we don’t have a house yet, and for a while after we marry we would have to live in the apartment which only has one bedroom.’
‘Are you quite sure you want to marry me?’ she asked. ‘Is it not too much for you to take on? I would quite understand if you had second thoughts.’
‘If there is one thing in my life of which I am certain, my lovely Evelyn, it is my intention to make you my wife. There could, however, be a short-term solution. Cyril has said he would love to have Milly living with him. He said it would be a joy for him and his wife to have Charles’ daughter under his roof. I didn’t make any comment on that, I was sure you wouldn’t agree.’
Evelyn mulled this news over for a while then said, ‘That could be a solution, darling. If Milly was with Cyril and Matilda, I could see her very often, and she would still be my daughter. And, quite honestly, I believe she would welcome it, for as I have told you, my daughter and I do not have a close relationship. That is my fault entirely, not hers, and something I intend to rectify now, if she will let me. It may take a while, but I have to make up for the years when I treated her like a stranger.’ She squeezed his hand. ‘You will like her, I know you will, and if everything turns out as we both wish, then it would be my hope that when we have children of our own she will be treated as their sister. I have left her out in the cold for so long, it has to end. I want to win my daughter’s love.’
‘Does she know about me,’ Philip asked, ‘or not?’
‘Not until today, and not from me. Cyril said he would mention it to her casually, so it won’t come as a surprise when she meets you.’
‘And is that to be today?’ Philip found himself wanting to meet the child who was born of the woman he loved and his old friend Charles. ‘I am looking forward to meeting her, and I hope she likes me and we can become friends.’
‘She is a very friendly girl, with winning ways. Which shows she has a strong character since I have done little to help her development. She will like you, and I have no doubt that you will like her. Would you like to go downstairs now and meet her?’
Philip pulled her to her feet. ‘Let me hold you in my arms for a while, so I know you are real and our future together is sealed.’
Down in Cyril’s office, Milly was entertaining Cyril and Oscar. A real chatterbox, with a keen sense of humour, she was telling them of the capers she got up to in school. When she mimicked her class mates and her teacher, her facial expressions and changes of voice had them roaring with laughter. Cyril wanted to hold her tight and never let her go, but was afraid of scaring her off. Then she surprised the men by asking, ‘Who has my mother gone upstairs to see?’
Cyril cleared his throat. ‘Your mother has met a man she has grown very fond of, and he is very fond of her. In fact, he would like her to marry him.’
Milly took the news very calmly. She had never really believed that her mother went to stay with an old school friend every weekend, but hadn’t minded for it meant she could stay with her Auntie Bessie. ‘Oh, I’m glad Mother has a friend. Will she bring him down to meet me, d’you think?’
‘Would you like to meet him?’ Oscar asked. ‘He’s very nice, I’ve known him since I was about your age and we were at school together, with your father.’ He had given some thought as to whether he should mention Charles, in case it upset Cyril, but after careful consideration decided it was best to put the child in the picture.
Milly was standing at the side of Cyril’s chair, and she put her arms around him. ‘I didn’t know my father, he was killed before I was born. But he was your son, and you must have been very sad.’
‘I was, my dear, and so was my wife. And that is why I am so happy that you have come into our lives, for you look so like him, you will be a constant reminder. It will be like having him back again.’
There came a rap on the door, then it was opened and Evelyn and Philip came in. Oscar broke the silence by greeting Philip. ‘Hello, old boy, it’s a while since we met. Haven’t seen you at any of the parties over the holidays.’
As they were shaking hands, Philip said, ‘I have been off the social scene for reasons you have probably guessed. But it is nice to see you, and when you go home, please give my love and regards to Gwen.’
Milly watched the scene with interest, her hand clasped in one of her grandfather’s. Then she asked, ‘Are you my mother’s friend?’
Philip walked over to the desk and held out his hand. ‘I am a very good friend of your mother’s, I hope you don’t mind?’
Milly pursed her lips while shaking his hand. There were thoughts going round her head, the main one being that if her mother married this man, would she ever see her Auntie Bessie again? But he looked a nice man, and he was smiling at her so it would be rude not to smile back. ‘You can’t be a friend of my mother’s without being a friend to me, can you? That would make us enemies and we’d have to fight each other with swords, in the park at dawn.’ Suddenly she giggled and her face was transformed. ‘I’m fast asleep in my bed at dawn, and I haven’t got a sword anyway, so we’d better be friends.’
Philip was captivated. ‘I wouldn’t fight you, my darling, you are far too pretty.’ He grinned, and that won Milly over. He’s nice, she thought. And I’ll really like him as long as he doesn’t take me away from Auntie Bessie. ‘Besides,’ Philip went on, ‘my sword has been sent away to be sharpened.’
‘Thank goodness for that!’ Cyril said. ‘I wouldn’t like any blood spilt on my floor, the cleaner would be very upset and think I’d murdered someone.’ He raised his eyebrows and looked at Evelyn. ‘Have you and Philip had a good talk?’ When she nodded, he asked, ‘And have all the problems been sorted out to your satisfaction?’
She looked to Philip. ‘Would you say they have?’
‘Most of them. There was never any doubt on my part, but there are others to consider.’ He took a deep breath and decided to take the bull by the horns. ‘Milly, I have asked your mother to marry me, but she won’t give me an answer until she knows that I meet with your approval.’ He dropped down on one knee and put his two hands on his heart. ‘Please, Milly, will you allow me to take your mother’s hand in marriage?’
Peals of childish laughter rang out and brought smiles to all those in the room. Even to Miss Williams in her office, but no one could see that. ‘Oh, you are funny!’ Her laughter turned to giggles, and her green eyes sparkled. She whispered to Cyril, ‘Granddad, I do like him, so shall we let him marry Mother?’
‘I think we should say he can, my dear, so he can get back on his feet. The wooden floor isn’t very comfortable for his knees.’
Milly put a hand over her mouth and spluttered, ‘It won’t be very comfortable for his trousers, either, I bet they’re not very happy.’ She skipped round the desk and took hold of Philip’s elbow. ‘I’ll help you up, then you can say sorry to your trousers.’
He was chuckling as he dusted his knees. ‘Am I to take it that I have your approval to marry your mother?’
Milly nodded. ‘I suppose so. Uncle Oscar has a very big house, and it’s full of lovely things. Do you have a big house?’
‘I don’t have a house yet. I live with my parents part of the week, then spend some time in my apartment. But I will be buying a house when your mother and I marry.’
‘Will it be as big as Uncle Oscar’s?’
Evelyn gasped. ‘Really, Amelia, it is rude to ask such questions.’
But Philip brushed her objection a
side. ‘It’s only natural she should be curious. And to answer her question, I hope we will eventually have a house as big as Oscar’s. But if you want to see a really big house, my dear, then you should see your grandfather’s. It is probably the largest house in Liverpool.’
Milly’s mouth and eyes widened at the same time. ‘Is that true, Granddad? Do you live in a castle?’
‘See what you have done now, my boy?’ Cyril said, chortling. ‘The child will expect to see a throne, and Matilda with a tiara on her head. The only thing I can do now is take her to see for herself. Would you like that, Milly?’
Evelyn spoke before her daughter could answer. ‘I’m sorry, Cyril, but I have to be getting home soon, or our friends will worry about us. Could we not leave it until tomorrow?’
Oscar saw the disappointment on Cyril’s face and stepped in. ‘I can run Milly and Cyril there in ten minutes, and that would give you and Philip time to talk some more. I promise to have Milly back here in an hour, then I could run you both as near to your home as you want me to. Does that suit you, Cyril?’
‘It would be wonderful. I want to surprise Matilda, and couldn’t keep this to myself until tomorrow.’
And Milly added her voice, because she wanted to see the house that was bigger than her Uncle Oscar’s. And, most of all, she wanted to see her grandmother. ‘Go on, Mother, give in, please?’ So much had happened today, it was like being in a dream. She didn’t want to go home to bed, wake up in the morning and find it had all disappeared. ‘I want to see my grandmother.’
A few minutes later she was sitting on the back seat of Oscar’s car, with her grandfather sitting next to her. ‘It’s been a lovely day, Granddad, the best I’ve ever had.’ Then she remembered her friends, Aunties Bessie, Rita and Aggie. She must never forget how good they’d been to her. ‘Well, one of the best, Granddad, ’cos I had a wonderful Christmas.’
When Oscar turned into the long drive, and the house came into view, Milly lost her tongue all of a sudden. It wasn’t a palace, but it was nearly as big as one. ‘Is this where you live, Granddad?’
