For the next ten minutes, Bess cooed over the photographs of William and his family, but when they heard the back door open again and Luke’s voice, Pips gathered them up quickly, leaving only the ones of the graves of the three brothers for Len, who came in with Luke, to see.
He, too, studied them for some time before he looked up slowly and met Pips’s gaze. From the look in his eyes, she could tell he knew very well that they had all seen William, but all he said was, ‘Thank you for taking Luke with you. He’s been telling me about seeing his dad’s grave, and his uncles’.’ He paused and seemed to be struggling, deciding whether to say more, but the moment passed and he merely nodded and held the photos out to her.
‘They’re for you to keep, if you’d like,’ Pips said quietly.
‘Thank you. Norah, you put these wherever you want ’em. If I want to see ’em again, I’ll ask you, but I’d rather not have ’em framed and on display, if it’s all the same to you.’ He turned away to go back into the scullery to wash at the sink before his midday meal.
As Pips said, ‘I must be going. I’ll call to see you again before I go back to London,’ she handed the other photos to Norah, who nodded her thanks and swiftly put them all in her apron pocket.
Over dinner at the hall that evening, when the dessert arrived, Robert said, ‘So, Pips, what is this announcement you have to make?’
‘I think you’ll all be pleased to know that George and I have fixed a date for our wedding.’
Henrietta dropped her spoon onto her plate with a clatter. ‘Oh my, Philippa. When?’
‘We’ve agreed on Saturday, the seventh of December—’ She paused and drew breath before adding, ‘1929.’
Henrietta’s face was a picture. ‘But – but that’s two years away.’
‘I know. That’s exactly what George said.’
‘But why? Why need you wait so long?’
‘Because, Mother dear, I have promised that when we marry, I will give up motor racing. And I just want to take part for another two years. He’s not demanded it – not even asked me – but I know it will worry him every time I climb into a car.’
‘And you think it won’t in the intervening years? Really, Philippa, for a clever girl, you can be irritatingly obtuse at times.’
‘What about the flying?’ Edwin asked.
‘Oh, I shall keep doing that.’
Henrietta tutted in exasperation and cast her eyes to the ceiling.
The following months seemed to fly by for Pips. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to marry George. She loved him and missed him acutely when they were apart, but she loved her life at the moment. She loved the tranquillity of her family home in Lincolnshire, but the bustle of London excited her. The music and dancing, the nightclubs, the live theatre and then, Brooklands; all were exhilarating and helped to obliterate sombre memories. Although she meant to keep her promise to her future husband, the nearer the day came that she would have to give it all up, the more she clung to the frenetic lifestyle. And then there was the ‘Rebecca problem’, as she always referred to it. George didn’t seem to be making any headway with his daughter’s acceptance of his forthcoming marriage at all.
Daisy, Luke and even young Harry were growing up. Each time she went home, Pips could see a subtle change in them. The three of them now went about together all the time, but Pips was unsure whether it was such a good thing.
‘She ought to make other friends,’ she told Alice.
‘They don’t spend that much time together,’ Alice said. ‘Luke works most nights after school at Dad’s workshop and even at weekends when they’re busy.’
‘I was thinking more of Daisy.’
Alice smiled. ‘Of course you were. Silly me.’
The two young women smiled at each other.
‘I just think it’d be nice for her to have girls as friends, not just Luke and now Harry too. Has she not made any friends at school?’
‘A few, I think, but she never asks to have anyone here for tea. Perhaps, when she goes to the high school, she’ll make more friends there.’
‘I was delighted to hear that Luke got a place at the grammar school. How’s he getting on?’
‘Very well. He’s quite a bright lad, you know.’
‘Will Len let him stay on?’
‘I very much doubt it. As far as my dad’s concerned, Luke’s future is settled.’
‘What about Daisy?’
‘Oh, she’ll get to the high school. No problem. She’s too clever for her own good.’ Alice chuckled. ‘Just like her Aunty Pips.’ Pips had the grace to smile as Alice went on, ‘And don’t be too concerned about her closeness to Luke and Harry. It’ll all come out in the wash, as Ma always says.’
Thirty-Nine
‘Do you have to tag along with us everywhere we go, Harry?’ Luke said.
‘Oh, leave him alone. He’s all right,’ Daisy said. ‘He hasn’t anyone else to play with.’
‘Hardly surprising,’ Luke said grumpily. ‘He’s a pain. He always wants his own way.’
But Harry only grinned and linked his arm through Daisy’s. ‘Daisy likes me, don’t you, Dais?’
‘’Course I do.’
‘I’m going to marry you one day, you know.’
‘Oh no, you’re not,’ Luke shot back.
The two brothers glared at each other, but Daisy only laughed. ‘I wasn’t thinking of marrying anyone just yet. Come on, let’s go riding.’
They found Jake cleaning out Samson’s stable, whilst the big horse stood tethered to the mounting block in the centre of the yard. The animal harrumphed and tossed his head when he saw the three youngsters.
‘Now then, old feller. Do you want a good gallop today?’ Daisy said, stroking his nose and producing a carrot from her pocket.
‘If you want to ride him, miss, I’ll come with you.’
‘No need, Jake, we’ll be—’
‘Oh yes, there is, Miss Daisy. Mrs Maitland’ll have my guts for garters if I let you go out on Samson on yar own. To say nothing of what Master Robert and Alice would do to me. And now your Aunty Pips has gone back to London, there’s only me to keep an eye on you.’
‘I wouldn’t want to get you into trouble, Jake, you know that, but we haven’t got enough mounts for the four of us. Granny said that Lucky is getting a little old now for us to ride.’
Jake nodded. ‘Mrs Maitland has suggested we put him out to pasture.’
Daisy’s eyes widened. ‘She’s not going to sell him, is she?’
‘Heavens, no. He’ll just live out a very happy retirement here.’ Jake grinned. ‘But you’re wrong about us not having enough for us all to ride. We got another yesterday from Horncastle. A bigger horse for Luke to ride and Harry can have Jingles. The new one’s called Napoleon. I’ve tried him out and he’s very well behaved.’
‘I aren’t having his cast-offs,’ Harry said. ‘It’s bad enough me mam making me wear his hand-me-down clothes. They’re half worn out when I get ’em.’
Jake turned to him and said sternly, ‘You’ll have what you’re given and be thankful for it. Not all the village kids have the privilege of being able to ride the horses at the hall. Just remember that.’
Harry was immediately contrite. ‘Sorry, Jake. Don’t tell the missus, will you?’
Jake grinned, his sharpness with the boy forgotten. ‘’Course not.’
‘But we are family, aren’t we?’ Harry was not quite ready to capitulate completely. ‘Well, sort of.’
‘He always has to have the last word,’ Luke muttered.
‘In a way, I suppose,’ Jake said gently now. ‘Luke is related to Alice, of course. She’s his aunt. And he’s your half-brother . . .’
‘More’s the pity.’
‘Hush, Luke,’ Daisy admonished him. ‘That’s not nice.’
‘But you’re Sam’s son and so not directly related to the Maitland family, but they always treat you just the same as they treat Luke, so they’re very fair, wouldn’t you say?’
Harry nodded, forced at last to agree.
‘I think they’ve bought this horse so that we can all go riding together with Master Robert when he wants to go. Come on, then,’ Jake said. ‘I’ll get all four saddled up and we’ll go for a nice canter. And you, Miss Daisy, no galloping. Not when your Aunty Pips isn’t here.’
Daisy pulled a face, but said nothing.
‘Now, come and meet Napoleon. I’ll ride him today just to see how he shapes up and you can ride Boxer, Luke.’
An hour later the four of them were riding through the fields belonging to the Maitlands’ estate.
Suddenly, Daisy kicked her heels and urged Samson into a gallop, leaving the other three behind her.
‘The little madam,’ Jake muttered and spurred his horse to follow her, but she was halfway across the field and, riding the smaller horse, he had no way of catching her. He held his breath as she neared the hedge on the far side of the field, galloping straight towards it. ‘Oh no, Miss Daisy. Please don’t . . .’
She sailed over it, landed the other side and disappeared from their view. Arriving at the point where Samson had jumped, Jake slid from Napoleon’s back and ran to the hedge. He dared not set his mount to jump it; he wasn’t sure of the new horse’s capabilities yet. As he peered over the hedge, the first thing he saw was the horse a short distance away. He’d come to a halt and was pulling at the grass – but there was no Daisy on his back. Jake felt fear flood through him. He couldn’t even see her . . . then he heard a sound just below him near the hedge.
‘Luke, give me a leg up. Daisy’s fallen.’
The two boys dismounted and ran to help Jake scramble over the hedge. He dropped down on the other side.
Daisy was sitting on the ground, her head thrown back, and she was roaring with laughter.
‘Well, that’s brought me off my high horse. Don’t say it, Jake. It serves me right.’
Jake had no intention of saying any such thing. He dropped to his knees beside her. ‘Oh Miss Daisy. Don’t move. Are you hurt?’
‘Only my pride, Jake. And probably the biggest bruise you’ve ever seen on my bum, but no, I’m fine. Nothing broken, I promise.’
‘Whatever will your folks say?’ he muttered as he helped her to her feet. ‘Your gran will likely sack me.’
‘You’re not to tell them, Jake, else I’ll never speak to you again.’
Now he faced an awful dilemma. Somehow, he had to stop Daisy repeating this escapade and yet he didn’t want to quarrel with her. But her safety was paramount.
‘I’m sorry, Miss, but they’ll have to know. I can’t risk you doing that again.’
Daisy pulled a face as Luke and Harry arrived beside them.
‘Is she all right?’
‘Are you hurt?’
‘I’m fine, honestly. Don’t fuss. Just help me up.’
Jake and Luke stood one on either side of her as she stood up gingerly. Then she nodded again as if to reaffirm her own statement. ‘See, I’m fine,’ she repeated.
‘How are we going to get her over the hedge?’ Harry said.
‘No need. There’s a gate a few yards down. Harry, go and catch Samson, but just lead him back, mind. I don’t want any more accidents.’
They walked slowly along the hedge side, Daisy limping a little, through the gate and back to where the other two horses were chomping grass.
‘Come on, let’s get you home. Do you want to walk or shall we help you onto Samson?’
Daisy seemed to hesitate and then said, ‘I’ll ride.’
And then Jake began to worry that she had hurt herself, but wasn’t telling him.
Back at the stable yard, Jake tied up the horses and took Daisy to the back door. In the kitchen he said, ‘Cook, where’s Master Robert?’
‘In his consulting room, I think. They’ve both just finished morning surgery.’
‘Come on, Daisy. I’m taking you to him and no arguments, and if you choose not to speak to me again, so be it.’
‘What’s happened?’ Mrs Bentley frowned.
‘She took a tumble.’
‘Then you’re in trouble, Jake, for not looking after her.’
‘I know.’
‘No, he isn’t. It wasn’t his fault. I won’t have him blamed,’ Daisy said. ‘But he shouldn’t be telling tales.’
‘Master’s got to know, Miss Daisy.’
Minutes later, Jake, with a tight grip on Daisy’s arm, was knocking at the door to Robert’s consulting room.
‘Come in.’ His tone was surprised; he thought he’d seen all the patients. He was even more shocked to see Jake helping Daisy into the room, but before he could ask questions, Daisy said, ‘Daddy, it’s nothing, honestly. Jake’s fussing.’
‘I’ll be the judge of that. What happened?’
There was silence until, realizing that Daisy wasn’t going to say anything, Jake said, ‘She took a tumble, Mester Robert. Off Samson.’
‘Help her onto the couch, Jake. And would you tap on my father’s door and ask him to come in here.’
‘Daddy, there’s no need . . .’
‘Lie back, Daisy, there’s a good girl,’ Robert said firmly.
Jake scuttled out of the room, relieved that he wasn’t going to be asked any more questions. At least, not for the moment.
‘Now, what have you been up to, Daisy my girl?’ Edwin asked jovially as he entered the room. ‘Nothing broken, I trust?’
‘That’s what I want to find out, Father, if you’d do the honours.’
Edwin examined his granddaughter carefully. ‘No, all in one piece, but did you bang your head?’
‘No, Gramps.’
Nevertheless, he checked for any sign of concussion and then pronounced, ‘Just a few bruises, but no harm done.’ He looked at her quizzically over the top of his spectacles. ‘I don’t suppose it’s any use us asking you not to take any more risks?’
‘Not a chance,’ Daisy said, grinning as she sat up.
‘Just like your Aunty Pips,’ Edwin murmured with a smile. ‘I couldn’t count the times she came into my surgery with cuts and bruises, but she never had any serious injury. Not until . . .’ He had been going to mention her war wound, but decided against reviving disturbing memories for Robert. Instead, he said, ‘Well, just be a bit more careful in future, young lady, and not so adventurous. I expect you nearly gave poor Jake a heart attack.’
‘Please don’t be angry with him. I disobeyed him,’ Daisy said, ever truthful. ‘He said Granny would have his guts for garters.’
Edwin and Robert glanced at each other and stifled their laughter. Controlling his amusement, Robert tried to say sternly, ‘Then you mustn’t disobey him again. You’re being very unfair on him when he’s trying his best to look after you – all of you. You three aren’t the easiest youngsters to handle when you all get together.’
Surprisingly, Henrietta didn’t blame Jake at all. ‘It was Daisy’s wilfulness. She’s just like Pips used to be.’ She sniffed disparagingly. ‘And still is, if I’m honest. All this car racing and flying. Next thing, she’ll be wanting to take Daisy.’
Henrietta’s words were prophetic for the very next time Pips came home she asked, ‘Alice, will you let me take Daisy to London during the summer holidays? She’s been asking me for ages if she can come and stay with me. And there’s so much in London I’d like to show her.’
Alice laughed. ‘As long as you don’t take her racing, yes. If Robert agrees, of course.’
Pips ran her tongue round her lips. ‘Well, no, I hadn’t intended to let her drive or even take her round the track, but I’d take her to watch, if that’s all right.’
‘Of course. That’d be fine.’ There was a pause whilst Alice eyed her sister-in-law. ‘Out with it, Pips. There’s something else, isn’t there? I know you too well.’
‘We-ell, I would like to take her flying?’
‘Is it safe?’
Pips cocked her head on one side. ‘Do you think for one instant that I�
�d put Daisy in danger of any sort?’
‘No. Sorry. I should have known better than to ask that.’
‘I’ll ask Robert, of course.’
Robert didn’t need to ask his sister if it was safe; he knew how devoted Pips was to her niece. But it was Henrietta who worried. ‘Oh Pips, what if she’s airsick? I mean, in those tiny little planes. And you won’t be able to help her if she’s in a separate seat. What if—’
‘Mother, I will only take her up for a very short circuit the first time.’
‘The first time?’ Henrietta almost squeaked. ‘It’ll be just the once, Philippa. If I had my way, it wouldn’t even be that.’
Edwin, however, was more trusting. ‘Pips will take good care of her, Hetty, my love, and she’s just the right age for her first trip to London.’ His eyes twinkled behind his spectacles. ‘And for her first flight too.’
Henrietta flapped her hand. ‘It seems I am outvoted as usual. Just take good care of her, Pips. She’s very precious to all of us.’
‘As she is to me, Mother dear.’
‘Yes, well, I do know that. But you were always a little wild and I fear Daisy takes after you. I caught her riding Samson again the other day. I was very angry with Jake for allowing it after what happened last time.’
‘Please don’t blame Jake, Mother,’ Robert said. ‘He wouldn’t have been able to stop her and it’s much better that he should be with her than that she should try riding Samson on her own. I doubt she’d be able to saddle him up properly anyway and that would be dangerous. You’ll have to accept that she is just like Pips in many ways. Certainly in her daring.’
Henrietta sighed with heavy sarcasm as she said, ‘Why was I blessed with a wayward daughter and now a wilful granddaughter too?’
Robert chuckled. ‘I rather think they both take after you in some ways.’
‘Nonsense, Robert. I was never so rebellious.’
‘Maybe not, but you are strong-willed. You couldn’t run this estate the way you do so magnificently if you weren’t. I don’t wish to sound morbid, but I’m almost hoping that the estate will bypass me and go straight to Daisy.’
‘I’m hardly in my dotage yet, Robert,’ Henrietta said with asperity, then, softening, she moved to his side and put her hand on his shoulder. ‘Whatever happens, the estate will be in safe hands, I know that.’
The Brooklands Girls Page 26