A Friend of the Family (35 page)

Miranda nodded against his chest. ‘It was such a relief. I thought I'd explode while I was waiting. And then to see Daddy looking like he did when he came in. It was as if his face had been sort of smoothed out and I realised how unhappy he's been. Oh, Tim. If only Felicity hadn't died.'

‘We must forget all that now.' Tim's voice was strong. ‘We can't keep going back. If we let it, it will destroy our lives. You must put it out of your mind and think of the baby. We shall never know the ins and outs of Felicity's life. It's simply not for us to judge.'

‘I know you're right.' Miranda clung to him, pushing away her private, closely hugged guilt.

Tim held her and let his mind range quietly over the events of the past few days. He thought of Polly and how easily he had been let off the hook. He remembered David's face as he had come into the library that evening. He thought of his grandparents and how he had held Hermione when she died. Thoughts mingled with dreams and presently he slept.

 

Thirty-six

 

THAT YEAR, CHRISTMAS AT
the Old Station House moved on to a whole new plane, and was remembered for years afterwards by all those who took part in it. Polly and Maggie between them had worked hard, cleaning, polishing, cooking, preparing, and, when Thea and George arrived with three-year-old Amelia and the baby, Julia, the whole place was
en fête.

Thea walked from room to room, her hands clasped, her eyes shining. How wonderful to be home, amongst her old friends and beloved belongings. She hugged Jessie and shed a few tears when Percy talked to her in Hermione's voice. Everyone was speaking at once and it wasn't until Maggie had finally gone home clutching exciting foreign presents for her and Wayne, and the children were tucked up for the night, that Thea and George could listen properly to everything that Polly had to tell them. There was so much to tell. Polly had made some recordings and been interviewed for television and Percy the Parrot soft toys were in the shops for Christmas. Much of this Thea knew already. Marcus had kept her well informed but it was exciting to mull it over and shake her head in wonder at these miracles.

‘If only G.A. could have known,' she said to Polly later as they sat on the sofa before the fire whilst George gave Jessie a last stroll along the track. ‘I hate it that she died whilst all that grief was going on with Felicity. She would have been so thrilled about Percy.'

‘But if she'd been alive,' Polly pointed out, ‘none of it would have happened. He'd have still been sitting at Broadhayes with her. I know
that you used to like to do sketches of him but I doubt you'd have done all those drawings and stories.'

‘I suppose you're right. 1 really got going as a sort of fight against Felicity. To help me not to give in. How odd life is.'

‘You're so right,' agreed Polly fervently. ‘Who'd have thought when 1 spoke to Marcus about you and Percy that one day he'd be launching me in a new career?'

‘How is he?' asked Thea, drawing her knees up and facing Polly. ‘We communicate mostly by letter. It will be lovely to see him again.' ‘He's fine.' Polly gazed reminiscently into the fire and Thea watched the colour creep into her cheeks. ‘He came down again a few weeks ago. He stayed at the Bedford and we went out to dinner. I felt a bit sorry for him, actually. He's all on his own this Christmas. His mother's going to friends and his son is abroad. He was quite philosophical about it but I felt a bit of a twinge. He's been so good to me.'

‘And to me!' cried Thea. ‘He mustn't be on his own. He must come here. Why not?' she asked as Polly gazed at her in amazement. ‘That's what Christmas is all about, isn't it? I'll phone him up.'

‘But what about George?' asked Polly as Thea leaped up from the sofa and hurried over to her little desk to find the address book.

‘Oh, George won't mind. The more the merrier, he'd say. His mother's coming for Christmas lunch, so it will be a real old-fashioned gathering. I wish m ν father could come but Christmas is such a busy time for him. I'm going to telephone.'

She whisked out of the door and Polly remained staring at the flames, excitement building in her breast. She was getting used to how very pleased she always felt when she saw Marcus and the thought of spending a few days with him under the same roof filled her with a special kind of joy. In a moment Thea was back.

‘He was thrilled to bits,' she announced, sinking down again beside Polly. ‘Isn't that nice? He says that he's going to dash round and do some Christmas shopping in the morning and then drive down. He'll probably be quite late but he'll be in time for Christmas Eve. He
can help decorate the tree. I can't wait to see the children's faces! Oh, Polly! It's going to be such fun!'

The next day there was more excitement. Tim telephoned to say that Miranda had gone into labour and he had taken her into the nursing home. He and David were waiting it out together. Thea immediately suggested that Tim and David should come to Christmas lunch.

‘Do come,' she begged. ‘If Miranda doesn't mind. Just come to eat. You can visit her before and afterwards. Anyway, by then she'll probably have had the baby and you can relax. Stay in touch.'

The telephone rang again later when they were sitting round the fire having tea. Tim was almost incoherent with joy and relief. Miranda had been delivered of a big healthy boy and they were both doing well.

Thea, who had gone into the kitchen to take the call, burst into tears. ‘Now the girls have got a second cousin,' she cried. Oh, Tim. They'll all be friends just as we were. If only G.A. were here. If only she could have seen them all. Now you will come to lunch, won't you? Promise. It'll be so special. And we'll have lots of things for you to take back to Miranda. You will? Oh, bless you. Love to David. How does he like being a grandfather? Tell him we're looking forward to seeing him. Love to Miranda.'

She replaced the receiver and wept in earnest and Polly, who had slipped out behind her, put her arms round her.

‘I'm happy really,' Thea sobbed whilst Percy eyed her from his cage. ‘It's just I keep thinking about G.A. and all that she's missing.'

‘Jesus wept!' exclaimed Polly. ‘And after all the things you used to say to me! I'm ashamed of you!' She hugged Thea tightly. ‘You know very well that she can see all that's going on and that she's with you all the time.'

Thea raised her head and stared into Polly's eyes. ‘But you don't believe that,' she said, swallowing hard.

‘How do you know?' countered Polly. ‘Anyway, you do! You were always telling me things like that and reciting the collect for the ninety-seventh Sunday after Lent or something.'

Oh, Polly. What a prig you make me sound.'

‘Not a bit. It was all good stuff. I've tried it a bit myself. Jolly comforting and uplifting it is, too. But I wasn't brought up to it like you were. Stop crying, you daft old besom, and get the booze out.'

‘Now I feel like I'm home,' said a voice from the doorway. ‘Women weeping and talking about booze. Story of my life.'

‘What signifies the life o' man,' began Percy, perking up a little, ‘an' ‘twere not for the lasses O.'

‘My dear old bird, you never spoke a truer word,' said Marcus and held out his arms to the girls.

 

CHRISTMAS DAY DAWNED BRIGHT
and clear. Amelia, who was just old enough to remember Father Christmas, woke early although Julia slumbered peacefully on and woke at the usual time to open surprised eyes upon a world of presents, wrapping paper, chattering adults and decorations. Thea and George went to church with Esme and Amelia, leaving Polly and Marcus in charge of Julia and the turkey, and arrived back as Tim and David turned up.

George was in his natural element as host: filling glasses, settling his mother by the fire with Julia on her lap, showing his pride in Thea's achievements and his adoration of his pretty daughters. Jessie sashayed to and fro getting in everyone's way and Percy worked through nearly his whole repertoire. Tim hugged Polly and they beamed at each other with the relief of those who know that they have been rescued from making a terrible mistake. And Marcus kissed Polly under the mistletoe in a way that made her come over all hot and trembly and mutter something about helping Thea. Thea, used now to entertaining, took it all in her stride and presided over the day with a confidence and joy that would have gladdened Hermione's heart.

Only David was a little restless and after lunch he took Tim aside and told him that he would like to pop out for an hour or so to see a friend. Tim, made expansive with fatherhood, had no objection so long as he was back in time for evening visiting at the hospital and
David let himself out into the quiet frosty stillness of the winter afternoon. He remembered the journey quite well and turned into Kate's gateway moments after she had returned from Christmas lunch with Cass and Tom. She was still on the doorstep and her eyes widened with surprise and then pleasure as she recognised him.

‘How nice,' she said as she opened the door and a large golden retriever came out to meet them. ‘This is Felix. He's quite harmless. Are you staying with your daughter for Christmas?'

‘She was delivered of a baby boy two days ago.' David followed her into the house. ‘Tim and I have come over to have our Christmas lunch with Thea and George but we've got to be back for evening visiting. I wanted to see you. To say Happy Christmas to you.'

‘How nice,' repeated Kate, hanging up her coat. ‘And thank you for that quite beautiful card. I shall have it framed so that I have two famous Porteous watercolours. I wonder that you have such a feeling for the moor and you a townie.'

‘Even townies are capable of experiencing beauty. Are you all alone? Where are your boys?'

Kate let Felix out of the kitchen door into the garden and leaned back against the Rayburn. She wore a long soft dress in an unusual blue colour that made her eyes look dark.

‘Giles is with his girlfriend upcountry and Guy is in Canada.'

‘Canada.' David raised his eyebrows, undeceived by the light, brittle tone. ‘That's a long way to go for Christmas. I thought you said that he runs a yacht brokerage in Dartmouth.'

‘He does.' Kate was silent for a moment. ‘His father lives in Canada,' she said at last. ‘I think I told you that when we talked about Felicity. He invited them out. Just suddenly out of the blue. None of us had heard from him for eight or nine years. Giles wouldn't go but Guy decided that he would like to make friends with him again.'

‘That must have hurt. To leave you alone at Christmas to be with a man who deserted him as a child.'

Kate looked at him. ‘I knew that I was telling you too much that evening,' she said. ‘And you guessed at far more than I told you. Yes,
it hurts. It hurts that Guy was prepared to leave me alone for Mark. And Mark will know it and I hate the thought of the pleasure that it will give him.' She stared at David, daring him to sympathise. ‘My brother is abroad and even Giles chose to be with his girlfriend's family rather than come home. Although they did invite me to go, too. Felicity warned me that I had given Alex up for nothing, that the twins would grow up and leave me, and she was right. But it was too late.'

‘Have you been on your own all day?'

‘No, no. I had lunch with Cass and Tom. I told you about Cass. I don't know what I would have done without her. But you can't live your whole life through other people and their lives, however close you are to them. Let's not talk about it. How nice of you to come. I wish I'd known. I've nothing special to give you.'

‘I came to thank you and to tell you that you changed my life that day,' said David, moved by her loneliness and the dignified attempt to hide it. ‘I wanted to ask if you ever come to London and if I could take you to a theatre or the ballet? Or a concert? I should like it so much.'

Kate laughed and shook her head. ‘London!' she said and made big eyes at him. ‘Heavens! I haven't been to London for years and years. And I couldn't leave Felix. But thank you.'

‘Oh, please!' David was taken aback by the depth of his disappointment. ‘I do so want us to be friends, d'you see? Please won't you think about it? Surely someone could look after your dog? What about Cass? Or bring him with you. I'm sure we'd manage.'

Kate looked surprised at his insistence. ‘I'm not really a London person, you see,' she explained. ‘I find cities so claustrophobic. And I don't have the clothes for it.'

‘Then buy some. I really will not take no for an answer.'

‘Goodness.' Kate chuckled a little. ‘That sounds terribly fierce.'

‘Please.' David held out both his hands and his face was quite serious. ‘You have made life worthwhile again for me. Let me feel that there is something that I can do in return. You've just said that you don't want to live your life vicariously through others. Perhaps it's time for you to take your shoes off again.'

The laughter died out of Kate's eyes and, after a moment, she placed her hands in his.

‘I can still feel the scars from the glass.' Her face was sombre. ‘This Christmas seems to have opened them up again.'

‘Oh, my dear.' David drew her gently towards him.

For a moment she resisted him and then gave in and allowed herself to be encircled in his arms. She rested her forehead against his shoulder and they stood thus for some moments in silence. Presently he put his fingers beneath her chin and tipped her face to his. Her eyes were big with fright but when he kissed her her lips opened beneath his and he held her more closely. When they drew apart she was trembling and he smiled at her reassuringly.

‘I've thought of you constantly,' he said. ‘Did you ever think of me?'

She nodded and he bent to kiss her again.

‘I wanted the time to be right, d'you see? It was very important that this is you and me and nothing to do with anyone else. I didn't mean it to be quite so soon. I wanted to give you time to get used to the idea.' He moved his lips against her hair and strained her against him suddenly. ‘Is it what you want, Kate? Or have I got it all wrong?'