Richard smiles. “If you’d told me at the beginning of the year that we’d all be here celebrating Christmas together, well, you could have knocked me over with a feather. I wasn’t sure how I’d feel, but it’s rather nice to be here and not have the burden of it weighing on my shoulders. I didn’t realize how much I felt it. Funny how time changes things, isn’t it?”
Cassie looks across at her father and sees a definite lightness in his face.
“We’re all just muddling through, I suppose,” he continues. “Your mother is being very gracious, and Violet, well, Violet has such a big heart I don’t think she’d see all of this as anything other than a wonderful excuse for a party.”
Cassie smiles. “It will be good to see Dora and Dan,” she adds. “Dora invited me for dinner a little while ago. I met Dan and got to check out the bump. It was tiny then, but she says she’s huge now.”
Richard laughed. “She is. Hard to believe she still has a few weeks to go. She looks great, but if you ask me she looks ready to pop!”
Cassie looks out of the car window and sees a sign for Summertown illuminated in the car headlights. Three-quarters of a mile. They are nearly there.
It is Helen who greets her at the front door. She looks nervous, hovering on the top step with her long cardigan pulled around her body as Richard’s car sweeps up the driveway. Cassie grabs her bag and the bouquet of flowers off the backseat and then crunches her way up the gravel to the front door. They study each other for just a moment before Cassie walks into Helen’s open arms.
“It’s lovely to have you home, Cassie.” Her mother’s embrace feels warm and tight.
“Thanks, Mum, it’s good to be back.” She pulls away from her for a moment and lets Helen smooth her hair and squeeze her shoulder.
“Don’t cry,” Cassie adds. “It is Christmas after all.”
Helen nods and bites her lip. “I know. I’m not sad. I’m happy. It’s just so good to see you. It’s wonderful to have both of you girls back home, together.”
As if on cue Dora appears in the hallway behind them. “I thought I heard a car! And just in time for dinner as well, lucky you.” She pulls a funny face behind Helen’s back, leaving Cassie struggling to control her giggles. The two sisters embrace and Cassie feels the hard bulge of Dora’s tummy push against her.
“You weren’t kidding,” Cassie says, pulling back to regard her sister. “You’re enormous!”
“I know.” Dora beams and pats her stomach. “How was the trip? Train okay?”
“Oh, you know. Delayed, crowded, smelly…but I’m here now. Oh,” she says, remembering the flowers, “these are for you, Mum.” She hands Helen the bouquet.
“They’re beautiful. Are these from your garden?”
Cassie nods. “We grew the roses in the greenhouse.”
“Clever you.” Helen bends her head to smell the flowers. “Thank you. Let’s go into the kitchen. I’ll find a vase and you can tell me how things are going.”
She follows her mother down the hallway. The house appears exactly as she had left it all those years ago. The same faded wallpaper and heavy oak panels, the same scuffed skirting boards and carpets, even the same photographs on the sideboard as she walks past. It is strangely comforting to see that things, in some ways, have remained the same at Clifftops.
Helen pushes open the swing door into the kitchen, releasing a glorious smell of roast lamb, garlic, and rosemary. It makes Cassie’s stomach rumble and her mouth water. She hasn’t eaten anything since lunchtime and she is starving.
“I hope you’re hungry,” Helen says, as if reading her mind. “I’ve cooked a huge roast—far too much for the seven of us. But we can always have cold cuts on Boxing Day.”
“It smells so good!” Cassie exclaims. “What’s going on?”
Helen gives a little laugh. “Okay, okay.” She holds up her hands. “I admit it. I’ve been taking lessons.”
Cassie takes another gulp of the delicious warm air filling the kitchen. “It certainly smells as though you’ve found an excellent tutor.”
“Yes, probably the best. Betty Dryden offered to teach me. I go down the road once a week to her house and we spend the day pottering around her kitchen. She takes me through her favorite recipes and teaches me all the tricks of the trade. This is one of hers: slow-roasted garlic and rosemary lamb with sweet potatoes and green beans.”
“Oh yum! That certainly makes the journey worthwhile.”
Helen smiles. “I wasn’t that bad at cooking, was I?”
“Don’t answer that, Cassie. It’s entrapment.” Dora has burst through the kitchen door and is wielding an empty tray. “Dad’s looking for the decanter and I need some more wineglasses.” She stops in her tracks. “What’s that amazing smell?” She looks from Helen to Cassie. “Is that…dinner?” she asks in disbelief.
Cassie nods. “Mum’s been taking cooking lessons from Betty Dryden.”
“Well, well,” says Dora. “Wait until I tell Dan we can call off the fish-and-chips run.”
Helen gives a wry smile. “The glasses and the decanter are in the sideboard in the dining room. Use the good ones. It’s a special occasion, after all.”
Dora nods. “Cassie, why don’t you come with me? You can help me with the glasses.”
“You go,” Helen agrees. “I just want to finish off in here. I’ll join you all in a moment.”
Cassie follows Dora into the dining room. She watches her sister with interest as she moves ahead of her. There is a new, unmistakable waddle to her walk, a tilting of her pelvis and a fresh swing to her hips. It is fascinating to see her sister so physically changed, so plump and bursting with life. Dora turns and catches her staring.
“Weird isn’t it? I catch sight of myself in the mirror and have to do a double take. I mean, I know I’m pregnant. I can feel the baby booting me from the inside out, but it’s all this.” She gestures to her swollen belly. “It’s so…big!”
“I think you look great,” Cassie says. It is the truth. “So you can feel the baby move?”
“Yes. It’s really squirmy. Do you want to feel?”
Cassie isn’t sure, but Dora has already grabbed her hand and placed it on her belly.
“Wait for it…any minute now…” Cassie holds her breath. She isn’t sure she’ll be able to feel anything, but then out of nowhere comes a definite jolt against the palm of her hand, the insistent little punch of a flailing limb.
“Oh my God!” Cassie laughs. “That’s so weird. Nice, but weird.”
“Tell me about it! You should try feeling it from the inside.”
Cassie smiles. She’s not sure if she’ll ever experience the sensation of growing a baby. It’s not something she’s sure she wants, but she’s happy for Dora. “Wow, so that’s my niece or nephew?” She leans in toward her sister’s stomach, her hand still on her belly. “Hello, little one, it’s Aunty Cass. I can’t wait to meet you.” There is another kick. Cassie laughs.
“I think that was ‘Hello.’”
Cassie is still surprised at the transformation Dora has undergone since she came to visit her in Oxford in the summer. It isn’t just the physical changes her sister’s body has gone through, but more the calm serenity she now exudes. Dora, it seems, has finally resolved her inner turmoil and is at peace. Cassie is pleased to see her so content.
For just a moment the two sisters are silent. Neither of them knows what to say next.
“Thanks again for dinner the other week,” Cassie tries. “I enjoyed meeting Dan. He seems great.”
Dora nods. “He is. He likes you too.”
“I wasn’t sure I’d hear from you after your visit to Swan House…you know…I guess what I’m trying to say is that it meant a lot that you called.” She manages to get the words out eventually.
Dora smiles. “That’s okay. I figured it’s hard to move on if we don’t at least give things a chance, right? After all, I’ve only got the one sister.”
It’s Cassie’s turn to smil
e. “Wow, you really lucked out with me then.”
They don’t need to say anything else. It will take time, but it feels as though the roots of a friendship are forming slowly again between them.
“So, have Mum and Violet come to blows yet? I haven’t missed any Dynasty-style blowouts, have I?” she jokes.
Dora smirks. “Everyone’s been very well behaved, so far.”
“Just you wait till they’ve all had a few drinks…”
Dora laughs. “God, don’t say that!”
“Come on,” says Cassie, picking up the tray of glasses, “we’d better get to it. They’ll be dying of thirst in there.”
“About time!” cries Dan as they enter the living room moments later. “Hello, Cassie! Lovely to see you. You look well.” He pulls her into a bear hug and Cassie submits herself to the feel of strong arms and his warm, soapy smell. She likes Dan. He is kind and genuine and obviously madly in love with her sister.
“My turn!” pipes up a female voice from beside them. “I want to say hello too.” It is Violet, resplendent in a silk magenta dress that shows just a little too much cleavage and rather a lot of leg.
“Hello, Violet, how are you?” The two women embrace warmly.
“I’m wonderful, thank you. It’s so lovely to be here. Isn’t it kind of your mum to host Christmas this year? I was just saying to Betty here that it’s such a lot of work hosting us all like this.”
Cassie nods. Dora was right. Despite the obvious tensions and awkwardness, everyone is trying very hard to make it feel as normal as possible. Richard is standing behind her, beaming as he fills glasses with mulled wine. She turns and sees Betty Dryden settled on one of the deep sofas.
“Don’t get up, Betty,” she says as the elderly lady struggles to pull herself off the seat. “I’ll come to you.” She goes over and gives her a kiss on her cheek. Her skin is thin like tissue paper, but soft, with the floral scent of talcum powder.
“Cassie, it’s wonderful to see you.”
“Thanks, Betty. How are you?”
“Oh, bearing up. I’m getting a bit doddery these days, and I miss my Bill. But I mustn’t complain. Between you and me, some of the old dears in the village are much worse off than me.”
Cassie smiles. Betty is nearly ninety years old herself. She takes the woman’s wrinkly hand in hers and gives it a little squeeze. “I miss Bill too.”
Betty’s eyes water slightly. “He was very proud of you, you know. He loved receiving your letters and photos. He’d read them to me in the evenings.”
“It’s him I have to thank for my job,” said Cassie. “If it hadn’t been for him…”
“Oh tsk!” shushes Betty with a spirited wave of her hands. “It’s your own hard work that’s got you where you are right now. Bill might have given you a jump start, but you’ve earned your success.”
Cassie shrugs. “I still have a lot to thank him for.”
“Okay, everyone,” says Helen, entering the room, “dinner is served. Will you all come through to the dining room please? And bring your drinks. Richard, will you bring the wine?”
Dora and Dan go first, Dan putting a protective hand on her sister’s back as he guides her out of the room. At the doorway he leans in toward her and whispers something in her ear, which makes Dora smile up at him and touch his cheek. Violet follows, swaying on her high heels while Richard helps Betty up off the sofa. Cassie collects their wineglasses and carries them through to the dining room. The curtains have been drawn and candles lit on the sideboard and table so that the room is filled with a soft amber glow. Helen has laid the table with white linen, silver cutlery, and tiny arrangements of holly and winterberries at each place setting.
“It looks gorgeous, Mum!”
“Thank you,” says Helen, standing back to survey her work. “It does look nice and festive, doesn’t it? Violet did the flowers.” She throws the other woman a small smile, and Violet beams back at her.
“Well, Helen, I must say, something smells delicious,” adds Violet, returning the compliment.
Cassie winks at her sister and watches as Dora struggles to control her giggles.
“Well, don’t just stand there, everyone,” urges Helen. “Take your seats.”
The room is suddenly filled with chatting and the clinking of glasses and cutlery as they all find their place settings. Richard wanders round the table topping up glasses until they are all poised expectantly for a toast.
“I think it’s only right, don’t you,” he says, clearing his throat, “that we remember our absent friends and family on this happy night? Our dearly departed.”
Cassie sees her mother look across at Richard and give a little nod. There is a pause, while everyone thinks of those absent from around the table. Daphne and Alfred, Bill…and Alfie, of course. Betty gives a quiet sniff and Cassie reaches across to squeeze the old woman’s hand.
“Our dearly departed,” repeats Richard. He raises his glass, and they all drink to his toast in silence.
“If you don’t mind, Richard, I also have a little announcement I’d like to make,” Dan puts in just as they are all returning wineglasses to the table and looking expectantly at the steaming dishes in the center.
Cassie looks from Dan to her sister. Dora’s eyes are shining, and there is a definite flush to her cheeks.
“It’s twins!” shouts Cassie, making them all laugh.
“No,” says Dan, “as far as we know there’s just the one baby in there.” He pats Dora’s stomach protectively.
“Though you’d be forgiven for thinking it was octuplets judging by the size of me!” chips in Dora, causing further laughter around the table.
“No, seriously, there is something else we would like to share with you all.”
There is an expectant hush at the table, before Dora suddenly stands up next to Dan and takes his hand. “We just wanted to let you all know,” she starts with a smile, “that we were married yesterday morning in London.”
There is a stunned silence.
Cassie looks from Dora to Dan and then back to Dora. Her sister is grinning from ear to ear like a Cheshire cat. She glances quickly across at their mother, who is sitting openmouthed, staring up at Dora with undisguised surprise. Momentarily Cassie sees the shadow of a frown pass across Helen’s face, but as soon as it appears, it is gone again. She seems to gather herself, and smiles benevolently up at her daughter. And then, the room is filled with a sudden rush of noise. Violet gives a piercing but delighted shriek. Richard leaps up off his chair and starts wildly pumping Dan’s arm up and down with excited congratulations. Helen reaches for Dora and pulls her into an embrace, while Cassie sits quietly beaming at them all, waiting for her turn to congratulate the happy couple amid all the laughter and the joking and the tears.
“You dark horses!” cries Richard. “So you just snuck off yesterday morning and tied the knot, did you? Thought you could avoid all the fuss, eh?”
Cassie sees Helen release Dora and look searchingly into her eyes. She knows their mother is disappointed, probably feeling shut out from Dora’s big day, but she is, at least, trying to hide it.
“Didn’t you want a party? We would have thrown you a wonderful wedding if you’d wanted one you know. I’d always thought you might get married here at the little church in Summertown. We could have put a marquee up in the garden—”
“I know, Mum,” says Dora, cutting her off. “I’m sorry if you feel we cheated you out of a big family day, but we only decided earlier this week to do it. It was a spur-of-the-moment thing and we really didn’t want a big fuss. It just seemed right this way. I’m not sure I could have faced that church. You know?”
Helen gives a little nod of understanding.
“I thought it was about time I made an honest woman out of her,” adds Dan with a smile, throwing an arm around his wife’s shoulders.
“You’re not too disappointed, are you? It really seemed like the best way, for us.”
Helen shakes her head and s
miles. “No, darling, if you’re happy, then I’m happy.”
Cassie sees the tension leave her mother’s shoulders.
“Well I’m peeved!” exclaims Violet theatrically. “There goes another excuse for a posh new frock. Thanks, Dora!”
Richard rolls his eyes and they all burst out laughing around the table.
“So it looks like we have another toast then,” he adds. “To the happy couple…and happy Christmas!”
“Happy Christmas!” they all chime.
As the hullabaloo eventually dies down Betty Dryden leans across to Cassie. “What was that, dear?” she whispers. “Are they having twins?”
It is agreed by everyone that Helen’s meal is a triumph. The seven of them sit around the old mahogany dining table talking and laughing and feasting on roast lamb and a perfect Cabernet Sauvignon that Richard produces from the cellar with a flourish. Cassie eats heartily and watches the proceedings with interest. It seems her mother and father have become friends in recent months. There is a lightness to their exchanges and laughter that she doesn’t remember from years gone by. All of the brittle tension, all the thinly veiled insults and sniping criticisms have disappeared. In their place remains a genuine, good-natured banter and a warm affection for each other.
After dinner the group retires to the sitting room. Helen makes coffee and produces a plate of delicate, homemade petits fours that Betty baked earlier that day. Then Violet, tipsy on red wine and cognac, instigates a riotous game of charades that pits the competitive spirits of Dora and Richard against each other and keeps them all up drinking and laughing until gone eleven.
“Oh goodness, is that really the time?” Betty exclaims, peering at her watch. “I clean forgot about Midnight Mass!”
Much kissing and hugging ensues as the party breaks up and they all begin to bid each other good night. It is decided that Richard, Violet, Betty, and Dan will head out to the village church. Cassie and Dora want to stay back. There is clearing up to do, and Dora is tired. The sisters stand on the doorstep waving the merry party off into the night.
“I’m knackered!” exclaims Dora as the last torch beams disappear down the driveway. “I’ll just help with the dishes and then I think I’d better turn in; otherwise I’ll be a total waste of space tomorrow.”
The House of Tides Page 37