‘What’s going to happen to the Manor?’ It was Nell asking the question, and he said, ‘Oh, naturally, that’s got to be sold, Nell. She’d never go back there. Anyway, the upkeep is phenomenal, and it wants so much doing to it. They’ll likely pull it down and sell the land.’
‘Will they now?’ Bill’s head was nodding, and Rupert replied, ‘Yes, they will now, Bill. And I was thinking that you should look into it.’
‘I certainly shall, Rupert, I certainly shall, because the boundary of the estate is cheek by jowl with the last row we’re on now. Yes, Rupert, I certainly shall look into it. Anyway, come on into the kitchen and I’ll make your toddy.’
As Rupert rose, so, too, did Katie, only to be checked by Fiona, saying, ‘Katie, stay where you are.’
‘Oh, Mam!’
‘Never mind, oh Mam!’
‘Could you do with a hot ’un, Bert? No; I’m not enticing you to break the pledge, man, but hot ginger ale isn’t bad with lemon. I’ve had it meself. Good for a cold.’
‘Thanks all the same, Bill, but I don’t trust you.’
‘My God! What d’you think of that?’ He turned to Rupert. ‘He’s tellin’ me I’d put a dollop of the hard stuff in.’
‘Well, that wouldn’t surprise me either, Bill.’
Bill led the way from the room, saying, ‘I read somewhere that some bloke said if you could count on one hand two real friends you were lucky. He didn’t know what he was talking about.’
When the door closed on them, Bert rose from the couch, saying to the boys, ‘What about a game of table tennis? Sammy and me will take you two on.’ He nodded from Mark to Willie, and Willie cried, ‘Fine! Fine!’ Then turning to Fiona, he asked her, ‘What time’s the birthday tea, Mam?’
Fiona glanced at Nell, who just shrugged her shoulders as she said, ‘Half past four, say. You’ve got a good hour.’
As the boys went to scamper from the room, Bert said to Katie, ‘You coming along?’
‘No. What would I do? Just stand and watch.’
‘We could take turns.’
‘No thanks, Bert; I’m all right here. I’m going to read.’
‘OK. Everyone to their fancy.’
Nell was the next to rise from the couch, saying to Fiona, ‘Well, I’ll go and put the final touches and set another place for Rupert, that’s if he’ll be staying.’
‘Oh yes, he will, ’cos he’s got no place else to go.’
Both Fiona and Nell turned to look at Katie, who then said, ‘Well, he hasn’t, has he? I mean now that the Manor is going to be sold.’
Nell again shrugged her shoulders and went out. And Fiona said to her daughter who was curled up in the corner of the couch, ‘Come here, Katie.’
Slowly Katie unwound her legs before hitching herself up towards her mother, who was now leaning forward and placing the child on a cushion in the middle of a large armchair to the side of the couch; and having settled the child she turned to her daughter, and, taking both her hands, said, ‘My dear, I must talk to you about Rupert. Please! Please, don’t pull your hands away; and don’t look like that, dear. You have been such a good daughter to me this past year; we’ve never had a cross word and I don’t want us to have one now. But…but it’s for your own good I’m going to say, you must stop—’ she was going to use the words pestering; instead she softened it with, ‘paying so much attention to Rupert.’
‘Oh, Mam! Mam.’ The words were a cross between a cry and a protest.
‘I know, I know how you feel. I felt like that once, just the same as you do now. He happened to be a greengrocer and I couldn’t wait for his weekly visit. Don’t…please don’t pull away from me. Rupert is a man; he is thirty years old. He is admittedly very attractive. And you are a twelve-year-old girl.’
‘I’m nearly thirteen and older men marry young girls. The film star Frank…’
‘What film stars do and ordinary people do are vastly different things.’
‘Do you consider you and Dad ordinary, Mam?’
This was a poser, but Fiona had to say, ‘Yes, yes, I do.’
‘Well, you are only thirty-two and Dad is forty-nine; so what are you talking about? There are seventeen years between you, and…and I could be married when I’m sixteen.’
‘Katie! Katie! What are you saying? And what are you thinking? Oh, I know what you’re thinking. Well, let me tell you that Rupert will never marry anyone. Never!’
‘What…what are you saying? He’s already married?’
‘No; he’s not already married. More’s the pity.’
‘Then, why can’t he marry?’
‘There is a reason.’
‘I…I don’t believe you, Mam. You are just saying this to put me off. But it won’t; I’ll wait. I know how I feel. I’ll wait.’
‘Katie!’ She now pulled her hands from Katie’s and clapped one across her mouth, realising that she had shouted.
And she expected Katie to turn now and fly from the room, but the girl just sat, staring at her, her lips trembling, her eyes wet with unshed tears.
‘You’re being cruel, Mam. I…I love Rupert.’
‘Katie’—Fiona closed her eyes and brought her chin tight into her neck—‘girls of your age all go through this pash experience…’
‘It isn’t a pash. Nancy Burke’s got a pash on Mr Richards and Mary Parkin has a pash on Miss Taylor, and so have other girls. But I haven’t got a pash on Rupert. It isn’t like that. I know it isn’t. I know it isn’t.’
Looking at her daughter, Fiona thought very likely it isn’t; these things happen. And she is a sensible girl. She’s always been sensible, always older than her years. She…she must tell her.
She turned and put her hand out and straightened the dribble bib on the baby’s pretty frilly dress; then she turned back to Katie and said, ‘Do you think you’re old enough to keep a secret?’
Katie did not reply, and so she went on, ‘If I tell you why Rupert will never marry, will you promise not to divulge it or let him know you know the reason?’
When again she got no answer from her daughter, only that wide, bright-eyed, moist stare, she said, ‘Rupert was to be married to his childhood sweetheart. Everything was arranged. The young girl was a distant relative of Sir Charles and Lady Kingdom. One night just before the wedding, they attended a dance. He had gone to get the car to take her home. When he returns she’s not there. She was found the next morning in the shrubbery. She had been—’ she hesitated, then went on, ‘she had been raped and hit over the head with some instrument. And this resulted in her being in a coma for a long time, and from then has never spoken. But she has dreadful screaming fits, and is now in Hetherington Hospital, where she will likely remain until she dies. And she’s still a young girl, frozen into the time when that dreadful thing happened. That’s why Rupert acted as secretary to Sir Charles, in order to stay near her. And that is why, since Sir Charles has died, he will now remain here in order to be near her, for as he told your father, he feels he is married to her, that she is his wife in everything but name.’
Her daughter’s face was now drained of colour; the eyes were wide; the moisture had gone from them, and in its place was a look of what she could only describe as hopelessness. But then Katie’s next words contradicted her assumption, for she said, ‘She could die sometime.’
‘Oh, Katie, how can you say such a thing? Anyway, she could live for years, years and years. And let me tell you that Rupert lives in hope of her recovering, no matter what the doctor says, because a while ago she called his name, and that was the first time she had spoken. So get it out of your head, girl’—her voice was harsh now—‘Rupert is not for you; nor does he want you. He thinks of you as a child. He puts up with your fussing, let me tell you, because he’s a gentleman and it would be bad manners to thrust you off.’
She watched the colour flood back into her daughter’s face, saw the lips tremble and the tears spurt from her eyes. And when her arms went out and pulled her into her embra
ce Katie muttered, ‘Oh, Mam. Mam,’ and she murmured, ‘There, there.’
‘Oh, Mam, I’m so unhappy, I…I want to die.’
‘I know, dear, I know; but that feeling will pass.’
‘No; it never will. It never will.’
‘I promise you it will. It won’t be long before you find another boy; in fact, I know someone who already has his eye on you. In the words of a story, I would say he is enamoured of you. Mark laughs because Roland is always talking about you.’
‘Oh; Roland Featherstone. He’s only a boy!’
‘He is fast growing out of being a boy: he’s turned fourteen, nearly fifteen and very attractive.’
‘Oh, Mam, be quiet! Be quiet! I…I can’t help it about Rupert and…and that woman.’
‘Girl, Katie.’
‘Well, whoever, I…I’ll go on loving him.’
‘That’s up to you, my dear, if you want to cause yourself pain. But you’ve got to also tell yourself that he will never love you other than as a nice girl. Now look, dry your eyes, the others will be coming back shortly. Better still, go out of the side door, through the conservatory and up the back way to your room. Wash your face and put some cream on. You made up very well the other night for the school party, a bit too heavy in parts, especially round the eyes. Really you don’t need mascara; your lashes are dark and long and they enhance your eyes. I’d always go lightly with make-up around the eyes if I were you. Go on now. Wait a moment!’ She grabbed her arm. ‘You won’t let Rupert know what I’ve told you.’
‘No. No, Mam.’
‘Go on now, dear’…
Meanwhile in the kitchen Rupert was saying to Bill, ‘But I know nothing whatever about cars except how to drive them.’
‘You’re not expected to know anything about cars, man. Mechanics can see to that side of the business. But it needs somebody there with a presence like yours, a fella who can talk to customers and give an air of class to the place. Oh, aye, I know, I’m rubbin’ it on thick; but you must have the same opinion of yourself if you spoke the truth. Anyway, Fuller and his wife are goin’ next week. I took him on the references and they were glowing. He must have written them out himself. Aye, there was one thing he could write all right, his expense accounts. My God! If you saw how much it cost me for him to even run into Newcastle! But when he went to Harrogate and took his wife and two kids with him and stayed in a five-star hotel, well, that put the finish to Mr Fuller. Anyway, there it is. There’s a flat above, and it’s a very pleasant flat. The back looks on to fields, the only farm left in this district I should think. What is more, I want somebody who can give orders in a nice way, an’ you’re used to that, for you’ve been the mouthpiece of the old boy for years…Oh I know. An’ so did Lady Kingdom. She said as much to me: “What would we do without Rupert to soothe the savage breasts that a certain gentleman creates.” She was meaning Sir Charles. And I don’t know what screw the old fella gave you, but I’ll meet it and a little more likely. You’ll also get your cut on sales. As for the fellas there: two are good mechanics, but the third one’s goin’. He’s simply a greaser and I’m not payin’ a greaser mechanic’s wages, I can tell you that. And as yet there’s only one young fella in the showroom. He’ll come on, I’m sure. He had to do the business when Fuller went on his jaunts. From what I understand his wife liked jaunts: hardly a day but they didn’t take a jaunt. There’ll have to be a lot of reorganising done; I’ll leave that to you. You’ve been in enough garages, I’m sure, to see the ones you’d go back to and the ones you wouldn’t. With the right management and the right workmen that place could be a little gold mine. What about it?’
‘I’m very grateful, Bill. As you know I can’t leave the county. But only this morning I rented a flat for three months.’
‘Aw, don’t worry about that; we’ll make that good. Here, shake hands on it.’
As they shook hands Rupert said, ‘Thank you, Bill. You’ve been a good friend to me.’
‘I wasn’t at first; now, was I?’
‘No; no, you certainly weren’t: you played the jealous husband to a T.’
‘Yes, I did; and that would have gone on, mind, if you hadn’t told me the situation. And I shouldn’t have been a bit surprised if I’d done a Davey Love on you.’
‘By the way, how is Davey these days?’
‘Oh, the same as ever. If that fella was being hanged you’d have to laugh at him. You know, he made more friends when he was doing his community sentence than half a dozen men would make in their lifetimes. You’ll see him later; he’s comin’ to the tea, so we’ll get a laugh if nothin’ else. He’ll likely shock Miss Isherwood; but then, I don’t know.’
‘Have I met her?’
‘Oh no; I forgot. She’s come on the scene since you’ve been away. Our scene, I should have said, for she’s been on the scene for longer than this house has stood. She lives in the bungalow just down the road. It’s the only other habitation around here. Fiona met up with her when she was out with the pram one day and they got on talkin’. Our land here belonged to her grandfather. The bungalow has been extended from an old stone cottage which was their original home, so she tells us. Yes, her grandfather owned all this land. Of course, it was merely fields then, and he sold it to Mr Oliver, that was before he was knighted. He built this place, and I am glad he did because where would you find a more lovely house, Rupert, eh?—and a happier family—because somethin’ seems to have happened to everybody since we came here.’
Bill paused and looked away for a moment before he added, ‘But I don’t think that’s quite true; I think we might have something to thank the child for. She has linked the lot of us in a chain around her, a happy chain. Anyway’—his voice rose again—‘Miss Caroline Isherwood is comin’ to Angela’s first birthday party. She is a librarian by the way.’
‘Librarian? Oh. Young, middle-aged, or getting on a bit?’
‘Young, my dear sir, young. I don’t know her age, but I would say it would be twenty-four, twenty-five; not good-looking, no interestin’ face, but very smart. You know, a figure like two laths.’ He pushed Rupert on the shoulder. ‘Davey’s lost his lady-love, the barmaid, you know. I think it was all to do with Sammy. Sammy didn’t take to her. I wonder if he’ll take to the librarian? That would be funny, wouldn’t it?’
‘It would be funnier if the librarian took to Davey.’
‘Aye; you’ve said something there, it certainly would. But still, you never know, stranger things happen. Have you finished that toddy?’
‘Yes; and it’s gone down to my toes.’
‘Well, let’s get back and see if we’ve been missed. Oh—’ he nodded at Rupert now, ‘you’ll have been missed all right, Katie’s taken you over. But I’m tellin’ you, she’s a determined young miss, that; you’ll have to slap her down if she gets a bit too possessive like. You know what I mean. Young lasses like that want slappin’ down. So you slap her down. You have my permission.’
‘Oh, Bill! I could never slap Katie down. Anyway, she’s just a child.’
He was about to repudiate this and say, ‘Katie’s no child, lad. Katie’s no child,’ but then if Rupert thought that Katie was just a child, well and good.
Part Three
The Second Birthday
One
Bill pulled his car to an abrupt stop on the wide forecourt of the garage, jumped out and almost ran into the showroom, then wended his way through a number of new cars to the office where Rupert, having seen his approach, had risen from his seat behind his desk. And as Bill came in the door he said, ‘I can see by your face it’s good news.’
‘Aye, lad; I’ve clinched it.’
‘The lot?’
‘Aye, the lot. But of course, there’s conditions. I knew there would be. All that matters though is we’re all set for another spell. By lad, it’s been hard work!’
‘Will I get you a cup of tea?’
‘No, no; I want more than a cup of tea, man. I’m on me way home, but I thought I�
�d pop in and tell you because I’ve got you to thank for this.’
‘I’ve done nothing.’
‘You put me on to it and tipped me off as to who to see an’ who to deal with. And there’s been some sticky individuals.’
‘You can take the house down?’
‘No, I can’t. But that might prove better in the end. It’s got to stand in three acres; but I can turn it into some high-class flats.’
‘Yes. Yes, that’s an idea.’
‘Of course that’s another thing that’ll have to be worked out. But as it stands it’s detached houses with not less than a quarter of an acre. They were adamant on that. And that suits me. McGilroy’s got good ideas in that head of his. We’ll put up some spankers. Aw, lad!’ He now pushed Rupert with his doubled fist. ‘It’s been a long haul and I hadn’t Sir Charles’ voice for me at the table this time.’
‘And he was always for you. He thought a great deal of you, you know, Bill. He used to say, given the chance earlier on and you could have been a captain of industry. But you could still, you know.’
‘Huh!’ Bill laughed. ‘Captain of industry. I’m damn lucky to be second mate, even one of the crew. But no, never one of the crew, not me! But I must get back and tell Fiona. By the way, we’ll hold the tea for you.’
‘No; don’t do that. You know I won’t be able to get there till about seven.’
‘Let Mickey close up for you and Joe see to the shop below.’
‘I’d rather you didn’t wait; I’ll pop along later. And you know, I can’t think it’s a year since her last birthday.’
‘Nor me. Her birthday, as you know, was really on Monday; but Nell was under the weather, had been for a couple of days, so we put it off.’
They walked down the showroom together; then as they reached the door it was pushed open and Bill said in some surprise, ‘Well! Fancy meetin’ you here. What you after? Goin’ to buy a car? Oh I can sell you a nice one; it’s goin’ cheap at the price. Seven thousand five hundred. I’ll knock a hundred off to you. What d’you say?’
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