The Linden Walk

‘Forget. And I’ve got Nathan, now, bless the lovely man. Newly ordained yet he assisted at our wedding. Blessed Andrew and me, even though he was in love with me himself. Hadn’t realized, he once let slip, that until I told him I had met a young doctor, that he’d been in love with me all his life, practically, and hadn’t known it until it was too late. It’s the same for Drew, now. He can talk about Kitty and accept that she has gone. Not that he’ll ever forget her, of course.’

‘None of us will, Julia. She was the naughtiest of all the Clan. Poor Bas was terrified of his Grandmother Clementina, yet Kitty didn’t care one bit about offending her – said the most awful things.’ She took Julia’s arm. ‘But let’s go in the back way? There’ll be no one in your kitchen and it’s always so snug, there. And we won’t be disturbed. I want to talk to you. Been trying to for a couple of weeks, now.’

‘Sounds interesting. Gossip?’

‘Far from it.’ The warmth of Rowangarth kitchen met them as they opened the door. ‘Wasn’t sure I should mention it, then talking about Kitty did it, I suppose. Shall I put the kettle on?’

‘Please. And what about Kitty?’ Julia settled herself at the table, chin on hands.

‘It’s more about Lyndis. The poor lass is getting herself into a state.’

‘Wedding nerves? But it’s months away.’

‘In a state about Kitty, it seems.’ Alice busied herself setting a tea tray as she had done so often in this kitchen in the past – in another life, it seemed. ‘It was Daisy told me. I’ve been wondering if I should tell you, especially as it should be something between the two of them. Drew and Lyn, I mean. To put not too fine a point on it, Julia. Lyn opened her heart to Daisy and to my way of thinking, it should have been to Drew.’

‘Oh, Lord. She’s not having second thoughts?’

‘Not about loving Drew. As far as I can see, she’s got a thing about Kitty – thinks she’ll never be able to take her place. And you’ve got to admit, Julia, that Kitty is a hard act to follow. She and Drew were besotted.’

‘That war has a lot to answer for, Alice.’

‘Like our war. But you and I managed. Things came right, in the end. And don’t think I haven’t thought long and hard about telling you, because I have. Drew and Lyn’s business, really, but Lyn confided in Daisy. That’s why I think you should know. But we’ll wait till I’ve seen to the tea.’

‘Fine by me.’ Julia dipped into her coat pocket, bringing out cigarettes and lighter. ‘And don’t go on about me smoking. I know I promised Nathan faithfully I would give them up when the war ended …’

‘Then why don’t you? You’ll end up with bronchitis and it’ll be too late, then.’

‘Oh, all right. I’ll give up smoking when Drew is married – will that suit you? And pour us a cuppa, old love, then tell me what’s bothering you.’

Alice repeated the conversation she had had with Daisy, word for word, then said, ‘You can see Lyn’s point of view, can’t you? And I haven’t liked telling you, but it’s far better you and I try to help things along, rather than our Daisy blurting the whole thing out to Drew. I told her to leave it to you and me. It’s a rum do, isn’t it?’

‘Not really. I always thought Drew and Kitty were lovers, and good luck to them, I said. I mean – think of the times I wanted Andrew and me to jump the gun. I was desperate to get married, if only to sleep in his bed! Drew and Kitty only did what I wanted to do.’

‘Couldn’t agree more. But Lyn thinks she’s going to mess up their wedding night; thinks of herself as second best, it seems to me.’

‘So are you going to tell Daisy you’ve told me, Alice?’

‘I think I should. And I’ll tell her that me and you both sympathize with Lyn and we’re on her side. And I’ll tell her to let the matter rest; not to say anything about it unless Lyn brings it up.’

‘Of course. Shall I mention it to Nathan?’

‘Best not. I’m glad I’ve told you, for all that. Lyn’s such a grand lass and very much in love with Drew. And he’s in love with her, an’ all – but maybe differently. Happen she’ll come to see that, in the end.’

‘Yes, but what I’m mystified about, Alice, is Drew setting a date for June of all times. Either he’s forgotten about Kitty – and I know he hasn’t – or he’s decided to meet things head-on and –’

‘And go with the flow, you mean, because haven’t we all said that June is such a lovely month for a Rowangarth wedding? Said it often, and it is. Even the white orchids will be flowering and June is the time for marquees on the lawn and, oh, everything. Trouble is, we none of us thought.’

‘You’re right, of course. It’s the one thing I can’t stand about you, Alice Dwerryhouse. You usually are! And I suppose May would be just as nice a month as June – if Willis can bring the white orchids forward in time. I suppose, with Jack Catchpole to help him, he should be able to produce enough for a bouquet.’

‘A bouquet? But there’s a bouquet of orchids goes on Kitty’s grave every eighteenth of June – and will do, an’ all, as long as Jack Catchpole draws breath. Happen now might be the time to break with tradition. Maybe Lyn would like to carry roses. There’ll be enough of them about, in May.’

‘I see what you mean, but it would be so wonderful if the tradition could be kept up, though I suppose it wouldn’t do to make a fuss and bother about it. Not really. I’m just thankful the two of them are getting married. Wouldn’t care if they had a quiet wedding like Tatty and Bill. I just want Drew to be happy again, that’s all. Lyn is such a capable girl, really. Apart from Kitty, I can’t think of anyone better to look after Rowangarth when Nathan and I leave. And I’ve done it again, haven’t I? “Next to Kitty,” I as good as said. Y’know, we must be extra nice to Lyndis next weekend when she comes to visit. Wish she were on the phone. There’s nothing I’d like more, right now, than to give her a ring and have a good old chat. Pity there’s a waiting list for phones, too. You’d have thought, after all this time, that things would have got back to normal!’

‘Well, at least the war is over, Julia love. At least we can look forward to things getting better. We’ve got a lovely twelve months ahead. Tatty’s wedding and Bas and Gracie’s baby. And them coming over to have Nathan christen it. And then the wedding …’

‘Yes. Whenever it is, and whatever date they fix, Drew’s wedding is something I’ve lived a long time to see, Alice. And they’ll surely have children. Lyn did say that she didn’t care how soon.’

And hope and pray, Julia thought soberly, that nothing goes wrong; that Lyn accepts what is past and looks to the future. In time, she was sure Lyn would. Maybe when she held her first baby in her arms it would happen. Maybe when she gave a son to Rowangarth, or a lovely little fair-haired daughter. Or one with chestnut hair!

‘And share the joke, will you?’ Alice demanded. ‘You were grinning like the Cheshire cat.’

‘Was I? Then if you must know, I was thinking about a granddaughter with hair the colour of Lyn’s. Now wouldn’t that be just something?’

And Alice agreed that it would. Really, really something!

‘I love my daughter to bits, but it’s so nice to have a mother and mother-in-law close at hand to baby-sit.’

Daisy sat on the hearthrug, her arms on Keth’s spread-eagled knees, toes curling from the heat of the fire.

‘And it’s nice to be home from London,’ Bill Benson grinned. ‘Last time I saw it, I was blind – if you get what I mean.’

‘Y’know, I’d never thought of that, sweetheart – that when you were in London you couldn’t see anything, I mean. Did it live up to your expectations, now you’ve had a look at it?’ Tatiana wanted to know.

‘I’d prefer Glasgow. Folk’ll give you a smile, there, and the time of day. But I liked the wee house fine.’

‘Aunt Sutton’s house in Montpelier Mews? It’s a snug, tucked-away little place. When I was tiny, there was a lovely lady called Sparrow used to caretake it for Mother.’ Drew had been fond of Sparrow.

‘She looked after me and Kitty,’ Tatiana smiled, ‘when we lived there during the war. She wasn’t half bossy, but we adored her. I remember –’

She stopped, looking down at her hands. What she remembered should not be talked about in front of Lyn – or Drew, for that matter – but she and Kitty had been very happy being bossed about by Sparrow. Until the flying bomb, that was.

‘Go on, Tatty – what do you remember?’ Keth unthinking urged.

‘Oh – we-e-ll – I – I suppose it was when the siren used to go,’ Tatiana said, disliking herself for not being more careful. ‘That house had once been a stable, belonging to one of the big houses in the Square. Then, when cars became all the rage, stables were made into garages.

‘Aunt Sutton’s house still had the inspection pit. No one had bothered to fill it in when the garage was made into a house. Sparrow made a shelter out of it. A bit of a squash, but we survived. There was a searchlight and an ack-ack gun in the park nearby, and when the searchlight lit up we all got into the pit. Mind, we were very near Hyde Park. The bombing wasn’t so bad, there. Not like they got it in the East End and oh, damn, damn, damn!’

She covered her face with her hands. What had she said! They had been in Hyde Park the day the flying bomb dropped. Kitty had crossed the road to post a letter to Drew.

‘Look – I’m sorry. It was just that – Oh, dammit, I didn’t think. Me and my big mouth. Sorry, Drew. Sorry, Lyn.’

‘That’s all right,’ Lyn said so softly that her words came in a whisper. ‘It was a terrible thing to have happened. Daisy and I were lucky, in Liverpool. It could have been either of us. And I’ve just had the most marvellous idea,’ she rushed on without stopping to draw breath. ‘We can’t go abroad for our honeymoon, so why don’t we stay at Montpelier Mews? Would your mother let us, Drew? Tucked away, you said …’

‘Darling. What a good idea.’ Drew reached for Lyn’s hand, holding it tightly, sensing her distress. ‘Why didn’t I think of it?’

‘Lyn, you’ll love it! But let’s not get on the subject of honeymoons!’ Knowing what she did, Daisy was eager to talk about something else. ‘Now that we’re all together, I wouldn’t mind hearing about the Motor Show. All I could get out of Keth was that the three of you had a good time out on the loose in London!’

‘Well, I had a great time,’ Bill enthused. ‘Not only did an agent take me on his list, but the show was fine, an’ all. New models, all sleek and shiny. There was a little job; a Morris Minor. Jeez, I’d have killed for one of those. Trouble is, I can’t drive.’