The Perfect Retreat

‘More films actually,’ she said, with an edge to her voice.

‘Right. I don’t see many films. Sometimes I see them on the planes but I never pay much attention. Those headphone things are too small for my head,’ he said ruefully, rubbing his mop of hair.

Kitty laughed. ‘Silly. Willow’s won an Oscar,’ she declared, proud of her boss.

Willow shrugged. She wasn’t proud of her award.

‘Wow, an Oscar. Well done you,’ said Merritt, looking at her carefully. He knew what flower she was now. A Japanese windflower. Tall, fair, elegant. Liable to snap at any minute, he thought, looking at the dark circles under her eyes.

‘You still haven’t told me why you’re back?’ asked Kitty to Merritt.

Merritt turned the glass in his hand. ‘I just thought I should check up on the house. And you, of course.’

‘Well, I’m glad you’re back,’ Kitty said happily. ‘How long will you stay?’

‘Not sure yet,’ he said vaguely, ‘I want to get an idea of how things are here, and if the house can be saved or if we should sell.’

‘What do you mean “saved”?’ asked Kitty.

‘Well, it’s in pretty bad shape,’ he said, looking around the old kitchen.

‘I know,’ said Kitty sadly.

The kitchen door opened slightly and the three turned to look. A small face peered through the crack at them. ‘What are you doing out of bed?’ asked Willow.

Poppy walked through the door shyly and looked at Merritt. ‘Who’s him?’ she asked.

‘Who’s that?’ corrected Willow.

‘Who’s that?’ asked Poppy again, more confidently.

‘Hello, I’m Merritt. I’m Kitty’s big brother.’

‘I’m Poppy,’ she said, and stood next to Kitty.

‘Poppy – the flower of magic, beauty and imagination,’ said Merritt.

‘Your name is silly,’ said Poppy, and put her thumb in her mouth.

‘Poppy!’ exclaimed Willow. ‘That’s rude.’

‘No, she speaks the truth,’ laughed Merritt. ‘It’s terrible, I agree, Poppy. It’s a family name. Has Kitty told you her full name yet?’

Willow and Poppy turned expectantly to Kitty. She looked down at the table.

‘Tell us,’ said Willow, not quite believing Kitty had worked for her for three years and she had never known her nanny’s full name.

‘Katinka Iris Clementina Ceres Middlemist,’ she sighed. It was such an awful lot of letters to spell out. It always took her ages to fill in forms, and she had begun to hate it over the years.

Willow looked at her, eyes wide. ‘That’s quite a name,’ she said.

‘I know, I hate it.’

‘So where’s Kitty from?’ asked Willow, as Poppy crawled onto her lap.

‘My mother called me Kitty-Kat as a baby and the Kitty stuck. I much prefer it.’

‘They are all beautiful names though. Katinka Iris Clementina Ceres Middlemist,’ she repeated to herself. ‘How did your parents come to choose those names?’

‘Katinka is a family name – some mad aunt I think. Iris is my mother’s name. Clementina is after my great-great-grandmother and Ceres is the goddess of agriculture and the harvest. Merritt’s full name is Merritt Edward Oswald Middlemist. It sounds like a name for a duck,’ said Kitty.

‘Thanks so much. I shall walk about quacking now.’ He looked at Poppy and gave an almighty quack.

Poppy laughed hysterically and Willow smiled. ‘You have children, Merritt?’

‘No.’

‘You’re so good with them,’ said Willow, watching the adoration in Poppy’s eyes for her new friend. For a brief moment sadness swept over her and she wished Kerr had been able to have fun with the children, with her.

‘Perhaps. Kitty’s the one who children love,’ he said, and Kitty smiled at him. ‘What about your name, Willow?’

‘Ah, I was named after Willa Cather.’

Kitty looked at her, puzzled.

‘Willa Cather the author – you know, Prairie Trilogy and all that? Perhaps she’s not known in the UK.’

Merritt nodded. ‘I know of Willa Cather.’

‘No middle names?’ asked Kitty swiftly, moving the conversation along.

‘Nope.’

‘Lucky thing,’ said Kitty, thinking of all the letters in her long name.

Willow looked down at a tired Poppy in her arms. ‘Kitty, would you?’

‘Sure.’ Kitty stood up and took Poppy from Willow.

‘So, just Poppy?’ asked Merritt as Kitty left the room with the sleepy little girl in her arms.

‘No. Two more. Lucian, who’s five, and Jinty, who’s eighteen months.’

‘Wow, and no husband to help?’ Merritt shook his head.

‘No, but then who needs a husband when you have Kitty?’ said Willow.

Merritt looked to see if she was joking and saw she was serious. ‘Fair enough,’ he said.