Pips wasn’t sure which gave her the greatest thrill; careering round the racetrack or being up above the clouds, the sun glinting on the wings of the aircraft. One day, she promised herself, when I’ve got my aviation certificate and she’s a little older, I shall bring Daisy here and take her up. I know she’d love it too.
‘I’ll be going home for Christmas as usual,’ Pips said, ‘but I expect you’ll want to be with Rebecca.’ She tried very hard to keep any resentment out of her tone, but it was difficult.
‘As a matter of fact, she’s working over Christmas and I’ve already told her that if you invited me this year, then I would say “yes”.’
‘And was she comfortable with that?’
‘I didn’t ask,’ he said shortly. ‘She’s just going to have to get used to the idea that we’re a couple and also that, as soon as you say the word, we’ll be married.’
Pips wriggled her shoulders. ‘George, I do want to marry you, but it’s just – not the right time. I’m having too much fun and, when we do marry, I want to be a proper wife to you. Besides, I’d really like Rebecca to be happier with the idea. If she isn’t, I’m so afraid it would eat away at our relationship.’
‘We wouldn’t let it. But do remember, I’m not getting any younger. I mean, we’ve never discussed having a family, but I don’t want to be an old man by the time we have children.’
Pips put her arms round his waist. ‘You, my darling, will never be old and children would keep you young.’
She forbore to ask what Rebecca would think of having half-brothers and sisters. She didn’t think she would like the answer.
Christmas 1921 was a joyous time for the Maitland family and even the Dawsons, with Luke as their focus, managed to put their sadness aside just for a day or two. Each Christmas since their deaths, Norah’s heart had ached to see the empty chairs around the dinner table. No one mentioned the missing members of the family, especially the three who could never return, but they were in everyone’s mind. Every celebration, every birthday, the anniversary of their deaths and especially Christmas were difficult days to live through. But this year, Norah had insisted, for once determined to ignore any grumblings from Len, that their kitchen should be filled with guests.
‘I’m inviting Sam and Peggy along with Luke, of course.’ Norah ticked them off on her fingers. She stood facing Len, though she was sure her heart was beating in her chest loud enough for him to hear. ‘His mam and Dad – else they’ll be on their own – and Bess, Charlie and Betty Cooper an’ all.’
For a moment Len gaped at her and Norah held her breath. It was Ma, from her chair near the range, who spoke first. ‘That sounds like a lovely idea, Norah duck.’ Craftily, she added, ‘Luke’ll love having all his family together. And we’ve all been invited to the hall on Boxing Day for what they’re calling a buffet lunch. Haven’t a clue what that is, mesen, but if Hetty’s behind it, it’ll be nice.’
Len seemed to be struggling for a moment before he shrugged and muttered, ‘Aye well, if that’s what the lad wants, then it’s all right by me. Mind you,’ he added with a smirk, ‘I dun’t know how you’re going to fit ’em all in, Norah.’
‘I’ll manage,’ his wife said, unable to remember the last time she had felt quite so happy. Now she had something to plan for, to bake and cook for.
When Len left for work, Norah whispered, ‘That was a stroke of genius, Ma. Mentioning Luke. Thanks.’
The old lady put her head back against her chair and closed her eyes with a contented smile.
Twenty-Six
‘Have you heard?’ Bess could hardly contain herself. ‘Miss Pips has brought home that soldier chap again. It must be serious, you know, if he’s joined the family for Christmas. D’you reckon we’ll hear wedding bells in the spring?’
‘Oh, I don’t know,’ Norah said as she handed round the vegetables whilst Len, at the head of the table, carved an enormous goose. ‘He’s a lot older than her, isn’t he?’
‘What does your Alice say, Norah?’
‘Just that he’s a very nice feller.’
‘He is,’ Betty put in. Now that Peggy was married with a family of her own to care for and her baby due any day, Betty was the only one of their family who still worked at the hall. ‘But he’s very quiet and – oh, what’s the word – a bit staid. I think he’s too reserved for Miss Pips. She’s always so lively.’
‘Aye well, mebbe he’ll settle her down a bit,’ Ma put in. ‘I know her mother would like to see her married.’
‘You’ve done us proud, Norah,’ Bess said. ‘We’re very lucky to be able to get plenty of food, aren’t we? And I suppose it’s thanks to Mrs Maitland. She’d never see any of the villagers going hungry, would she?’
They all nodded their agreement.
‘Me an’ Charlie’s been talking and we’d like you all to come to us on New Year’s Day. Now we’re all connected by marriage, it seems only right we get together on special occasions. You an’ all, Clara and Bert. We’re lucky in the country. Still got plenty to eat, but I hear times are hard in the cities.’
‘So I’ve heard,’ Len said. He’d unbent enough to play the gracious host. There weren’t many people in the village he actually liked, but Charlie and Bert were all right. It was their wives he couldn’t stand. Still, they came as a package, so he supposed he’d just have to put up with the two gossiping women. Like they said, they were all connected now. ‘It’s in the papers that there was a bit of a boom after the war finished, but now, there’s a lot of unemployment as the soldiers have come back.’
There was a brief silence around the table, as if each one of them was thinking about those that would never come back, but Luke lightened the moment by saying, ‘Well, I know what I’m going to be doing the rest of me life, don’t I, Granddad?’
Len ruffled his grandson’s hair fondly. ‘That you do, m’lad. That you do.’
‘And Sam’ll always be there to help me, won’t you, Sam?’ It had been decided within the family that Luke should continue to call Sam by his Christian name and not ‘Dad’. It was a decision that suited them all.
‘I will, Luke,’ Sam said solemnly.
‘And soon I’ll have a baby brother or sister, won’t I? If it’s a boy, maybe he could learn the trade as well. Would you mind that, Granddad, ’cos he won’t actually be your grandson, like me, will he?’
Len shook his head and his voice was husky as he said, ‘No, lad, he won’t. But I wouldn’t mind, because, like Bess says, he’ll be one of the family.’
Luke smiled and tucked into his dinner, his future assured.
Slyly, Bess said, ‘And what about Miss Daisy, Luke? Where does she fit into all this?’
For a moment, Luke paused and glanced at his grandmother. Then he laughed. ‘I don’t reckon Daisy will want to wield a big hammer, d’you?’
‘No, but the two of you are very close, I just wondered . . .’
‘Not the time or the place, Bess duck,’ Ma said, her mouth full of potato. ‘They’re only six and four years old. Time enough for your matchmaking.’
Bess bent her head and concentrated on her piled plate. Even she didn’t argue with Ma Dawson.
Bess’s gossipy nature could not be quelled for long and, the following day at Henrietta’s buffet luncheon, her eagle eyes watched Pips and George together. ‘Oh there’s summat going on there an’ no mistake. Have you seen ’em, Peggy, just— Oh my lor’, what’s the matter?’
They were sitting together on one side of the Great Hall, with a plate of sandwiches and cakes on their knees. But now, Peggy’s hand was shaking and before Bess could reach out and take it, the plate slipped out of Peggy’s fingers. The crash and sound of breaking china made everyone turn. Now Peggy was clutching her stomach and bending forward. ‘Oh!’
Edwin set down his glass and hurried towards her. Peggy seized his arm and gasped. ‘Doctor, no disrespect, but I want Master Robert. He delivered Luke. I want . . . Aaah!’ She doubled over as another contraction
gripped her.
Edwin glanced around but he could not see his son. ‘Alice – Alice. Find Robert, if you please. Peggy is going into labour.’
‘Oh lor’, we must get her home.’ Bess began to panic.
‘No time, Mrs Cooper. If you can walk, Peggy, we’ll get you into my consulting room. We can deliver your baby there.’
Alice returned, with a reluctant Robert following her. ‘Peggy, I can’t deliver your baby. Not this time. You must see that.’
‘But I want you there. You calm me down. You tell me what to do . . .’ She cried out again. ‘Please!’
At once, all Robert’s training and his innate sense of care for anyone in distress took over. He forgot that he had lost an arm, he forgot that he wouldn’t physically be able to deliver her child, and remembered only that in front of him was a young woman suffering the pangs of childbirth and begging for his help.
‘Just relax, Peggy. Try not to fight the pain. When this contraction dies away we need to get you to a bed.’
‘My consulting room, Robert,’ Edwin said.
‘Good idea, Father. Now, Peggy, up you get. Take my arm. I’ve still got one for you to hang on to.’ He tried to make light of it, but as the young woman stood up, her waters broke and flooded onto the polished wooden floor. ‘Oh, I’m so sorry, Mrs Maitland. And your lovely plate . . .’
‘No matter, my dear. Just let’s get you onto a bed.’
On the way through the house, two more contractions gripped her, but by the time the next one began, Peggy was lying on Edwin’s examination table whilst Alice scuttled around the room gathering together whatever would be needed.
Pips appeared in the doorway. ‘I’ve only just heard. I was outside with the children. What can I do?’
Already, Robert was sitting beside Peggy holding her hand and talking to her in a low, comforting voice. Edwin rolled up his shirt sleeves and washed his hands in the basin.
‘Go and reassure her family – especially Luke, if he’s heard what’s happening. And poor Sam. He looks petrified.’
Back in the Great Hall, the conversation was muted and, as Pips hurried back in, all eyes turned towards her.
‘She’s in good hands.’ Her gaze sought out Luke’s white face. Daisy was standing beside him gripping his hand, her dark eyes large with fear. Briskly, Pips went to them. ‘Come on, you two. Jake—’ Pips looked round for him. ‘Will you please saddle up the ponies and we’ll take them out for a little ride. George, will you come with us, please? Sam, you’d better stay here in case Peggy needs you.’
She could see that one or two people were shifting from one foot to the other, feeling as if perhaps they ought to leave. ‘There’s no need for anyone to go,’ Pips said brightly. ‘By the look of things, it won’t be long and I’m sure you’d all like to hear the news. After all, you’re all family.’ As she turned to go, Pips added, ‘And please will someone get Mrs Nuttall a stiff drink. She looks as if she needs it even before her grandchild arrives.’
Her words eased the tension and Henrietta hurried forwards to attend to Clara.
‘Now, children, come along.’
‘But, Miss Pips, Mam—’
‘Your mam’s in the best place possible, Luke dear. Two doctors and a competent nurse. She wouldn’t get better attention if we were to try to take her home or to the Lincoln Hospital. We don’t want your baby brother or sister born on the way there, now do we?’
Luke tried to smile and clung to Daisy’s hand even harder. ‘They’ll – they’ll come out and tell us, won’t they?’
‘Of course they will. The moment there’s some news. Now, come along, let’s go and find your ponies.’
With George leading Luke’s pony, Jingles, and Pips walking beside Daisy on Lucky, they had done two circuits of the orchard and were heading back towards the house when they saw Sam appear round the corner and come running towards them, waving his arms.
‘It’s a boy! It’s a boy!’
Luke slid from his pony and ran to his stepfather to be lifted high into the air and swung round. Pips lifted Daisy down and she ran after Luke.
Tears of joy were coursing down Sam’s face as Pips and George reached them in time to hear Luke ask, ‘Me mam? Is me mam all right?’
‘She’s fine,’ Sam reassured him. ‘Mrs Maitland has insisted that she stay here for a few days. She’s getting a bedroom ready and then I’m going to carry her up there.’
‘Can I see her – and the baby?’
‘Of course you can, Luke, but we’ll just give them time to get everything sorted out, shall we?’
Luke’s face fell – he wanted to rush into the house to see his mother that instant – but he bit his lip and nodded.
An hour later, Luke was introduced to his half-brother.
‘What d’you think we should call him, Luke?’ Holding the baby in her left arm, Peggy drew Luke close to the bed and put her right arm around him. ‘Sam and I can’t decide on a name. We thought perhaps you could settle it for us.’
‘I like the name Harry.’
Peggy glanced up at Sam standing at the end of the bed. She was unsure whether he would mind the name for his son being so close to Harold’s. But Sam, ever generous, smiled and nodded. ‘That’s a perfect name, Luke. Harry, it is. Mebbe we could christen him “Henry” but he’d always be known as Harry. How would that be?’
He glanced at Peggy who, with tears in her eyes and unable to speak for the lump in her throat, nodded. How kind and tactful Sam was.
‘And now, we must leave your mam to rest,’ Sam said. ‘Your grandma Dawson has invited us to stay with her tonight and Mrs Maitland says we can come back any time we like to see your mam and the baby over the next few days.’
Luke kissed his mother’s cheek and gave a little wave to the baby, who slept on, blissfully unaware of the disturbance he had caused.
As they left the room, Peggy heard him say, ‘It’ll be a long time before he’s big enough to play with me, won’t it, Sam?’
‘’Fraid so, but you’ve got Daisy.’
‘Yes,’ Luke murmured. ‘I’ll always have Daisy.’
Twenty-Seven
‘Fancy,’ Pips laughed as she and George travelled back to London, ‘another little one born around Christmas. It’ll soon get very expensive.’
‘You spoil them,’ George murmured, ‘always buying the same kind of present for Luke as you do for your niece.’
‘He’s such a nice little boy and he’s Daisy’s cousin.’
‘He’s very grown up for his age.’
‘I expect that’s being around adults all the time. He doesn’t seem to have any other friends in the village apart from Daisy. When he’s not playing with her, he’s at his grandfather’s workshops. Besides, I love buying presents.’
‘And now you’ll have to treat Harry the same as the other two.’
‘Yes, I will, won’t I?’ she said happily. ‘Now, where are you going? To Milly’s with me, or back home?’
George sighed. ‘I’ll have to go home. With working over Christmas, Rebecca has all of New Year off, so . . .’
‘That’s all right,’ Pips said, forcing herself to be generous. After all, the girl hadn’t seen her father all over the holiday. ‘We’ve had a lovely time together, haven’t we? So now it’s Rebecca’s turn to monopolize you.’
‘It shouldn’t be like that, though. We should all be together. Will you join us on New Year’s Eve?’
Pips couldn’t think of anything she’d like less. ‘I’ll be fine. Milly’s organizing a party for the Brooklands gang. You’re invited, of course, but I think you should be with Rebecca. This time, anyway.’
She risked a glance at George and saw that his mouth was tight. Deliberately, she had pre-empted his suggestions. No doubt, she thought with amusement, he was thinking that Mitch would be at the party.
But George said nothing.
‘It’s fancy dress again,’ Milly told her, ‘and we’re having the party at a nightclub.’
‘A character from history, so come as anyone you like. I’m going as Marie Antoinette.’
Pips laughed. ‘Just mind you don’t lose your head.’
‘They’re all coming. It’ll be such fun. What about George?’
‘No, Rebecca’s off duty.’
‘Ah,’ Milly said, understanding at once. ‘You know, Pips darling,’ she added, for once very serious, ‘you’re going to have to make up your mind about George and his daughter. If you really want to marry him, you’re going to have to do something about the situation.’
‘Probably, but at the moment, I’m having too much fun to bother. Now, about this party . . .’
They were all there; everyone who was involved in Brooklands in any way, several of whom Pips had not met before.
She was dressed as Salome and her costume seemed to attract a lot of admirers.
‘I did think of coming as Lady Godiva, but I thought it was a bit cold at this time of the year,’ she joked.
Mitch pretended to leer. ‘I must make sure we organize a party in midsummer, then.’
‘So,’ Jeff said, seeking her out. ‘Where’s the boyfriend tonight?’
Pips arched her eyebrow playfully. ‘And which one might that be?’
Jeff guffawed. ‘Oh, so it’s true what I’ve heard, then?’
‘That depends on what you’ve heard.’
‘That you’re keeping one or two dangling on the end of a string.’
Pips frowned. It wasn’t quite how she liked to hear herself described. ‘It’s more complicated than that. And it’s certainly not two. Whatever gave you that idea?’
He eyed her quizzically and said airily, ‘Oh just something Mitch said.’ He paused and then added, ‘George is quite a lot older than you, isn’t he?’
Pips nodded. ‘It isn’t just that. He’s a widower and has a daughter.’
There was silence between them until Jeff asked gently, ‘And you’re not prepared to tell me any more?’
The Brooklands Girls Page 18