Discovering Daisy

by Betty Neels

  The next few days went quickly seeing to the invalids, the housework, the shopping, the washing, and cooking the kind of food needed to tempt poor appetites kept Daisy busy. It was hard work but she didn’t mind; the more she had to do the less time she had to think about Jules.

  All the same, at bedtime, when there was nothing else to be done but get into bed and go to sleep, she allowed her thoughts free rein, going over every moment of their day together and his kiss. She had never meant to let him see how she felt when they had said goodbye; she would regret that for as long as she lived. Although it didn’t matter now that they wouldn’t see each other again. She wondered what he was doing, picturing him with Helene, dining and dancing or at the theatre. And Helene would be more beautiful than ever, and most certainly wearing the diamond brooch…

  Her reflections, although vivid, were quite inaccurate. Mr der Huizma was at that very moment making his final preparations to travel to England.

  Janet was back on her feet, rather pale and wan, and the children had been allowed out of their beds, which meant that they needed amusing for a large part of the day. Daisy, although she loved them dearly, couldn’t help wishing that they could have had a few more days in the beds. Their spots were fading and they were more cheerful now, and beginning to eat their meals, but their increasing liveliness made Janet’s head ache, so that she spent a good deal of time on her bed. Shopping was difficult, because it meant rousing Janet to look after the children while she was out, and there was always a small mountain of washing and ironing waiting.

  It had been a trying morning. Lucy had been sick and James had flung his breakfast onto the floor; Janet had crept back to bed with a splitting headache. Daisy, mopping up and wiping tearful little faces, hoped that the day would improve. And certainly there was a bright spot—Jack phoned to say that he would be home in two days’ time. Daisy assured him that all was well, settled the children with their toys, took a cup of coffee up to Janet and went to inspect the fridge. Scrambled eggs for lunch, she decided, and there was enough ice cream for the little ones. If Janet felt better later in the day she could go out to the shops…

  She took a tray up to Janet presently, and then sat down at the kitchen table with James in his high chair and Lucy on her knee, spooning in the scrambled egg. They would have their afternoon nap presently, and she would make herself a pot of tea and some toast.

  She frowned as the front door knocker was thumped in a no-nonsense manner. The milkman had been, and so had the postman; it would be someone wanting to read the meter or sell her some dishcloths. She ignored it, and popped another spoonful of egg into a small pink mouth. But whoever it was wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

  She hoisted Lucy onto her shoulder, bade James be a good boy for just a minute and went to the door.

  Mr der Huizma stood there, large and relaxed.

  Daisy heaved Lucy into a more comfortable position. She said in a disbelieving voice, ‘How did you get here?’

  He looked down at her; anything he had intended to say to her was obviously something which must wait. He said, in a voice which held reassurance and a certainty that he was there to help, ‘Hullo, Daisy,’ and took Lucy from her. ‘May I come in?’

  ‘We’re having lunch—scrambled eggs,’ said Daisy. ‘If you don’t mind…’

  He walked past her into the kitchen, sat down at the table, arranged Lucy comfortably on his knee and began to spoon egg into her mouth.

  ‘Well,’ said Daisy astonished.

  ‘You forget,’ he said smoothly, ‘that I am a children’s doctor.’

  Janet’s voice from upstairs wanted to know who it was. Daisy said, ‘I’d better go and tell her,’then added, ‘She’s my cousin. Her husband isn’t coming back until the day after tomorrow—she’s been ill and the children have had chickenpox.’

  ‘Ah—a family crisis; they do occur. Have you had your lunch?’

  ‘Me? No. I’ll have something later.’ She blushed. ‘I will make you some scrambled eggs and a cup of coffee if you don’t mind waiting until I’ve put these two down for their nap.’

  He said matter-of-factly, ‘Go and tell your cousin that I’m here, and then see to these two. I’ll go and get us something to eat and you can tell me how I can help.’ When she hesitated, he said, ‘No, don’t argue, dear girl.’

  So she went upstairs and told Janet, who watched Daisy’s face as she talked and drew her own conclusions. ‘How kind,’she commented. ‘You could do with some help. If he likes to stay for tea I’ll crawl down and meet him.’

  And when Daisy went downstairs Mr der Huizma went quietly out of the house; by the time she got downstairs again, after putting the children down for a nap, it was to find that he was back, the table cleared and set with knives and forks and plates, one of the local butcher’s famous pork pies on a dish and a bowl of salad beside it. There was a bottle of wine too.

  ‘Come and sit down and tell me about it,’he invited. ‘I hope your cousin doesn’t find me a nuisance.’

  Daisy eyed the pork pie. ‘She says she’ll come down to meet you if you would like to stay to tea.’

  ‘Good. This isn’t much of a meal, but if you’re hungry…’

  ‘Oh, but I am,’ said Daisy and fell to!

  Mr der Huizma resisted a strong desire to snatch her off her chair and carry her off somewhere quiet and tell her that he loved her, but he could see that his desires must take second place to the pork pie. His darling Daisy had obviously not been eating enough to keep a mouse alive…

  He poured her a glass of wine and said soothingly, ‘Drink this; it’s a very light wine, just right for the pie.’

  And when they had eaten he helped her clear the table and then washed up.

  Daisy, drying plates, said, ‘I’m sure you never wash up at home.’

  ‘No, but I know how to do it.’ He emptied the water away, wiped the sink tidily and hung up the teatowel. ‘Now, let us sit down and see if we can improve this situation.’

  ‘Well,’ began Daisy, ‘you’re very kind, but shouldn’t you be with your friends? Where you stay when you come down here?’

  ‘I shall return there this evening, but in the meantime may I suggest that I do any necessary shopping for you? There is nothing much in the fridge, is there?’

  She looked at him doubtfully. ‘I can’t think why you’re here. How did you know?’

  ‘I called on your mother and father. Let us keep to the point. What do these toddlers eat other than scrambled egg? Make a list and I’ll fetch whatever you need.’

  ‘Now?’

  ‘Now, Daisy. And when I come back perhaps your cousin will feel well enough to come downstairs and we can have a cup of tea together.’

  She had the feeling that he was taking over the household whether she liked it or not. Upon reflection she decided that she liked it. She sat down and made a list.

  ‘You’re very kind. I’ll give you some money…’

  ‘No, no. We can settle up later.’

  When he had gone she went upstairs and explained to Janet, who declared that she felt better and was all agog to hear what Daisy had to say.

  ‘You mean to say,’ she said, when Daisy had given her a brief resumé of her visitor, ‘that he’s come over here to see you?’

  ‘No, of course not. He comes to England quite often to the London hospitals. I told you he had met Mother and Father; I dare say they mentioned that I was staying here and he’s just called on his way to somewhere or other.’

  ‘Well, when he is back and tea’s ready, I’ll come down,’said Janet. ‘And I’ll see to Lucy and Jamie when they wake.’

  He’d be gone for an hour at least, decided Daisy, and got out the ironing board.

  Unlike the average housewife, going from shop to shop with an eye on the household purse, Mr der Huizma had walked into the nearest grocer’s and asked for everything necessary to keep a small household with two children supplied with suitable food. ‘Enough for two or three days,’
he’d added.

  Janet had come downstairs and was there to open the door to his knock. He introduced himself and was led into the kitchen, where Daisy stood ironing diminutive garments. She looked up as he went in.

  ‘I’m going to make tea as soon as I’ve finished this…’

  He put his carrier bags down on the table. ‘I dare say you’d like to put these things away?’ he asked Janet. ‘And I’d love a cup of tea when Daisy’s finished.’

  Daisy went on ironing, listening to him and Janet chatting as they stowed the food away, and then the children woke up and Janet went to bring them downstairs.

  ‘I’ll put the kettle on,’ said Mr der Huizma.

  ‘You’re very domesticated,’ said Daisy tartly. She was tired, and he was behaving like a big brother or an uncle or someone equally dull.

  ‘Only when I am obliged to be! You’re cross, aren’t you? Tired too. There’s a steak pie in the fridge; it only needs to be warmed up. And a milk pudding for the children. Go to bed early, Daisy.’

  Janet came down with the children then, and he sat down with them on his knee until Janet had made tea. Daisy, ironing the last nightdress, could see that he was quite at ease with them. She supposed that he had plenty of practice on his wards…

  After tea he got up to go, waving away Janet’s thanks. At the door he said, ‘I’ll fetch you tomorrow evening, Daisy. I have to go to Plymouth in the morning but I should be here around six o’clock.’

  ‘I won’t…’ began Daisy.

  ‘Yes, you will!’ he assured her, and smiled so that her heart missed a beat.

  When he had gone, Daisy said, ‘I was going to stay until Jack got here. Can you manage, Janet?’

  ‘Of course I can. I’m feeling quite well again, and the children are themselves once more. Jack will be home in the morning and I’ll have everything ready for him. You’ve been an angel and that Mr der Huizma of yours is marvellous. Are you sure he isn’t in love with you, Daisy?’

  ‘Well, perhaps he is a bit, but he’s going to marry someone in Holland.’

  ‘Holland’s a long way off and you’re here,’ said Janet. ‘Now, let’s get supper and go through the fridge. He wouldn’t let me pay for anything, said it was a small return for accepting him as a friend…’

  Daisy was ready when he arrived the following evening. He had flowers for Janet and a soft woolly toy for each of the children, and when Janet invited him to come and see them any time he was in England, he accepted with the charming good manners which came naturally to him. He had greeted Daisy with a casual friendliness which lasted for their journey back to her home. He didn’t talk much, and when he did it was about impersonal matters, and Daisy, facing another goodbye, was in no mood to make polite conversation. When they reached her home he went in with her and spent a short time talking to her mother and father. Going to the door with him at last, Daisy offered a hand. Another goodbye, she thought unhappily, and this must really be the last one. Perhaps he would kiss her…

  He didn’t. He shook her hand briefly and got back into his car. Daisy went back to the living room and gave her mother and father a long and elaborate account of her stay with Janet, making light of Mr der Huizma’s visit.

  Her mother, listening to her bright chatter, said presently, ‘Well, darling, you’ve earned a day or two’s holiday. Mrs Coffin is coming in for the rest of this week so you can do whatever you want to do.’

  Daisy cried herself to sleep and woke early. She couldn’t think of anything she wanted to do; she would potter around at home, helping her mother and doing the shopping. She didn’t want to go near the beach. To see Jules again didn’t bear thinking of.

  She collected her basket and her mother’s shopping list after breakfast and set off for Pati’s supermarket up by the church. It wasn’t really a supermarket but Mr Pati, hard-working and a good businessman, liked to keep up with the times, and although it was small, it was an exact model of the vast supermarkets in Plymouth and Exeter.

  It was still early, and there were no customers. Daisy asked after his wife’s asthma, his small son’s tonsils and his own aches and pains, which all took some time, but since time was something to pass as quickly as possible that didn’t matter. Presently she took a trolley and got out her list.

  She was reaching for Assam tea, always on the top shelf and almost out of reach, when a large hand lifted it down.

  ‘One or two?’ asked Mr der Huizma.

  Daisy turned to face him. It really was too much. Why couldn’t he just go away? She voiced the thought out loud.

  ‘I came to England—and it was most inconvenient too—to talk to you, Daisy. That was impossible at Totnes, so I am reduced to going shopping with you.’

  Daisy put two tins of Italian chopped tomatoes into the trolley. ‘Well, whatever it is you want to talk about, we can’t do it here.’

  ‘Oh, but we can! It is hardly the ideal surroundings, but I haven’t the time to look for a suitably romantic background.’

  He tossed two tins of asparagus tips into the trolley, and then added a packet of ravioli. Daisy reached for a jar of coffee and he, not to be outdone, added three tins of cat food.

  ‘We haven’t got a cat,’ said Daisy.

  ‘Then we will take it back with us; Jette has a cat and kittens.’

  They were going slowly along the shelves, the list forgotten, although from time to time Mr der Huizma added some item or other to the growing pile in the trolley. At the end of the narrow aisle he put a hand over hers on the trolley handle.

  ‘My darling girl, will you stand still just long enough for me to tell you that I love you? I’ve come all this way just to tell you that.’

  Daisy looked at him. ‘Helene,’ she said in a sad voice.

  ‘Helene has broken our engagement; she will eventually, Ibelieve,go to California with someone called Hank.’

  ‘You loved her…?’

  ‘No. I may have been a little in love with her when we were first engaged. And then, when I saw you walking along the shore—you have been in my heart and my head ever since, my dear love. And I thought I had no chance with you, and then, that last time when we said goodbye, and you said, “Jules,” in such a loving, unhappy voice… Will you marry me, Daisy? And learn to love me as much as I love you?’

  ‘Oh, Jules,’ said Daisy, an entirely satisfactory answer which swept her into his arms to be kissed and kissed again. Presently, when she had her breath back, she said, ‘Yes, I’ll marry you, Jules, of course I will. I’ve loved you for weeks.’

  He kissed her again, and Mr Pati, watching from a discreet distance, crept a bit closer and stealthily wheeled the trolley back to the check-out desk. He was a romantic man at heart, and he liked Daisy, but business was business, so he began to tot up the goods in the trolley. A most satisfactory start to the day.

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-2795-2

  DISCOVERING DAISY

  Copyright © 1999 by Betty Neels.

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  Betty Neels, Discovering Daisy