‘I’m American enough that I like family photographs around,’ Mother said. ‘It took Maximilian quite a while to get used to it.’
‘Sorry we’re late,’ her father said. ‘An overrunning meeting.’
They all turned, and Max felt John stand even straighter beside her, if that was possible.
‘Mr Knox, wonderful to see you. Let me introduce you. Sir Marcus Caldwell, John Knox. He and Max have been seeing each other for… well, a while now.’
‘A month or so,’ Max said.
‘A pleasure to meet you, sir,’ John said. They shook hands, but Uncle Marcus held John’s a fraction too long.
‘And you. When Bartlemas told me he was meeting Max’s young man, I thought I’d have to have a look too. One of my roles.’
‘Uncle Gerald might have something to say about that,’ Max said.
Uncle Marcus laughed. ‘Just because I’m not your godfather doesn’t mean that I don’t take a familial interest, darling Max.’
Max touched John’s shoulder. ‘I should explain—Sir Gerald Hays is my godfather. Uncle Marcus was George’s.’ John’s muscles felt tense under her hand, more than she would have anticipated.
Dad beckoned Charlie over. ‘Marcus, you remember Charlie.’
‘Of course. You’ve shot up since last summer. I’ve sent my men down to the kitchen, Nancy, if that’s all right.’
‘Certainly, Marcus.’ She glanced at Max, who tried not to laugh.
‘Bartlemas said you’ve been away on a business trip, Mr Knox.’
‘I just came back this morning.’
‘John works for Universal Dispatch, Uncle Marcus,’ Max said. Had John actually written the article signed James Carter?
‘How did you find Berlin?’ Somehow, Uncle Marcus steered John away from the mantel. Max tried not to look at George’s beaming face repeated over and over in the frames..
‘This is what I didn’t want. I don’t give a fig about Mr Knox’s business trip,’ Mother muttered. ‘I want to find out about him, not his work.’
Max sighed. ‘Uncle Marcus was never so interested in Daniel.’
Harris came in to announce dinner. Mother snagged John’s arm to escort her in, and Uncle Marcus took Max’s.
‘How serious are you about Mr Knox, darling?’
Max forced herself to relax her pinched lips. ‘I—it’s early days.’
‘How much do you know about him?’
‘He’s from North Carolina.’
They reached the dining room door. ‘His work?’
‘At the newspaper? It seems rather dull, to be honest.’ Would she be able to keep such a smooth face without the years of finishing school?
‘Mm.’ He ushered her to her chair.
Could he possibly know what John actually did?
They barely had started on the cold soup when Mother launched into her questions.
‘How did you know George, Mr Knox?’ she asked. ‘Were you in the Air Force?’
‘Army. It was on leave. In Tokyo.’
‘You’re that American John!’ Dad grinned.
‘What are you talking about?’ Max asked.
Her father looked at his plate. ‘George sometimes wrote me at work. More, ah, frankly than he did to home.’
‘About the war?’ Max glanced at her mother. ‘Did you know this?’
Her mother nodded.
‘Not just the war,’ her father said. He coughed lightly.
‘Can I see them?’ asked Charlie.
John lifted his wine glass, but his lips tightened. Probably trying not to smile.
‘So, you and my little brother went whoring together in Tokyo?’
‘Max!’ her mother exclaimed. Charlie choked on his soup as her father and Uncle Marcus collapsed into laughter.
‘Whatever else, knowing you has certainly given us the old Max back,’ her father said.
‘I can’t vouch for your brother, but I was just having a drink in a bar.’
‘Knowing George…’ Uncle Marcus started.
‘Charlie’s sixteen,’ Mother said sharply.
‘He was homesick. He talked a lot about you, but I’ve told you that before.’ John looked over at her father. ‘What did he say, sir?’
‘Mostly he said that he’d met a chap he thought Max would like. And here we are, so he was clearly right.’
‘When was that, Mr Knox?’ Mother asked.
‘Last year, in the spring. We planned to meet up again, but I got, well, I got sent to Europe for a while. I read the notice in the paper when I arrived, so… I waited. Before looking you up.’
Max thought about the long scar down John’s side, and could guess what filled the gap. She slid her foot to the left, but she couldn’t reach him.
‘He was a fine man,’ John said.
Her mother’s eyes blurred with tears. ‘Thank you.’
After dinner, Mother rose. The men followed, Charlie a beat slower than the rest. ‘Max, should we leave the gentlemen to their cigars?’
Max nearly didn’t move. Why did Charlie get to stay when she didn’t? But she stood obediently, although she brushed her hand over John’s arm as she left.
Their heels tapped down the hallway. ‘Max, I can’t believe you said that.’
‘Oh, come on, it shocked no one. Except Charlie.’ She sat in the drawing room and then crossed the room to pour herself a whiskey. ‘What do you think?’
‘He’s nice. Marcus is being very odd though.’
The door opened, and Charlie flung himself on the sofa. ‘They sent me away. Apparently, I’m not old enough. At least tonight.’ He turned and rested his chin on the arm. ‘I was old enough last week. What is it about Knox?’
‘Maybe it’s because of Berlin. But I was in Berlin too, and Uncle Marcus didn’t interrogate me.’
‘Feet off the sofa, please, Charlie,’ Mother said.
‘Want to play cards, Max?’ Charlie asked.
‘Okay. Mother?’
They were four hands into Canasta before Mother looked at the door. ‘Where are they? This is most unusual.’
‘They’re taking vetting Knox really seriously,’ Charlie said. ‘You’d think you were ready to get married.’
‘Mr Knox, please, Charlie.’ Mother rose and tugged a bell. Harris appeared.
‘Could you check on the gentlemen, please, Harris? Don’t say I sent you, but…’
‘I did, madam. They don’t seem to be in any hurry.’
‘Well, I have things to do tonight.’ Mother tapped her cards on the table.
‘I’ll go,’ Max said.
‘Max, you can’t.’
‘Sure, I can.’ She went out into the hallway, ignoring her mother calling her name. She steeled herself before she knocked on the door. Why should her father invite Uncle Marcus at the last minute, then keep the men closeted away for over an hour when he knew how frantic Mother was? Would John expect things to be the same way, just as Brian selectively heard what Vivian said?
‘Come in,’ her father’s voice called.
She opened the door and coughed in the thick smoke. They stood, although none of them put down their cigars, including John. She didn’t expect to see a fourth man to the right of Uncle Marcus. Light shone off his glasses, obscuring his eyes.
‘You might want to open a window.’ She glanced at John. ‘I didn’t see you as the cigar type.’
He shrugged.
‘Max, what is it?’ her father asked.
‘Mother wants to know when you’re joining us.’ She smiled. ‘And no, she didn’t send me. You’ve been in here for over an hour.’
‘This is my secretary, Derek Cole. Max Falkland, my nearly goddaughter,’ Uncle Marcus said. ‘As you may have gathered, Mr Knox is Max’s young man.’
‘Hello,’ Mr Cole said. His red hair had been brushed back into a pompadour like John’s, but he was far slighter. Mr Donaldson, Uncle Marcus’s previous secretary, had looked sturdier.
‘It’s nice to meet you,’ she sai
d. She crossed to the window and reached for the latch.
John followed her. ‘Need help?’
‘To open a window? No.’ She hoisted it and leaned out into the fresh air.
‘Thank God you came,’ he murmured. His hand briefly covered hers on the window sill.
‘Let’s go appease Nancy.’ Her father, Uncle Marcus and Mr Cole headed out of the room, rather deliberately leaving them alone, it seemed.
Max turned to John. ‘You look exhausted.’
‘Did you just not want to tell me as a sort of sick surprise or…’
‘Tell you what?’ The breeze blew against her thin dress, and she shivered.
‘That you call the head of the British Intelligence Services uncle,’ John said. He scrubbed at his face.
‘He’s what? Bloody hell.’ No wonder Uncle Marcus wanted to meet John. ‘I had no idea.’
‘That was one of the most intense hours of my life. And that includes several times I thought I might die, in war and out.’
‘Did they ask about Berlin? Did they already know about you?’
‘Your father didn’t, but Sir Marcus did.’ He leaned against the wall. ‘They asked about everything. I’ve been interrogated, but never by somebody whose daughter I really want to marry. Not like that.’ He shoved his hands in his pockets.
Did he wonder if she was worth it at any point? She opened her mouth to ask, but couldn’t quite form the words. ‘So, did you go whoring with George?’ She hadn’t intended to say that either, but at least she hadn’t completely revealed herself.
‘Good Lord, Max. No. Honest.’
Max laughed and hugged him. ‘I am sorry,’ she murmured into his neck. ‘I prefer cigarette smoke.’ Really want to marry, he’d said.
‘Me too.’ He stroked her back. ‘You’re unaware of my job, by the way.’
‘They bought that?’
‘I don’t know. I said I’d told you I needed to interview the Dinsmores for an article.’
‘Okay. Why…’ She hesitated. ‘Why did you tell me?’
‘Because I love you.’
A coil of tension in her chest eased.
‘Besides, you’d clearly figured it out already anyway. I wanted to tell you before you left for Berlin. I nearly did.’ John took a deep breath. ‘You smell so good.’
‘I can’t believe you can smell anything in here.’ John’s aftershave nearly disappeared in the fug of smoke.
‘Mm.’ He tightened the hug. ‘God, I’m tired.’
Max sighed. ‘They shouldn’t have.’
‘It’s understandable. It’s their jobs, leaving aside the personal interest. We should go, right?’
‘Yes.’ She kissed him. Their first kiss since Berlin, but the heavier taste of the cigar kept her from being too maudlin about it. She pulled away. ‘I definitely prefer your cigarettes.’
John laughed. ‘Noted. Next time I’ll refuse.’
‘There you are.’ Mother beamed as they came into the room. ‘Mr Knox, would you like a drink?’
‘Bourbon?’ Max asked John. He followed her to sideboard, and she lifted the stopper from the decanter and poured a glass for them both. Charlie limped a little as he approached them.
‘One for me too, Max?’
Max glanced at Mother, talking to Uncle Marcus. ‘I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t corrupt nearly seventeen-year olds, Charlie.’
Charlie flushed as John smiled. Max tipped a small amount into another glass. ‘She’s going to tell us both off.’ They moved to the sofa. She’d sat here to play cards with Charlie and John, the night of her first date with John.
‘My previous secretary retired, Nancy,’ Uncle Marcus said. ‘But Mr Cole has been with me for eight months. We just haven’t seen each other for a while.’
‘Knocker’s doing some work in Thetford, Max,’ Dad said. ‘I’ll stop by when I come up, but you should go check out his dig when you get there.’
‘Knocker?’ Charlie asked. His face twitched, but he hid it in his glass.
‘Group Captain Guy Knocker,’ Max said before Charlie giggled and offended Dad.
‘Served with him in the war,’ Dad said. ‘He’s done solid archaeology since.’ He frowned. ‘Not like me, stuck behind a desk all the time.’
‘You love it,’ Uncle Marcus said. ‘You’ve had lots of opportunities to sink back into gentle estate management and popping into the Lords every so often.’
‘And you’ve turned them all down,’ Mother said. ‘Even volunteered for more work.’
Dad grinned. ‘I’ll acknowledge you may have valid points.’
‘What about you, Mr Knox? Did you find transitioning to a desk difficult?’ Mother asked.
‘At times. But I was injured in Korea, so it made sitting still a little easier for a while.’
Max closed her eyes. Everyone in the room knew except Mother and Charlie.
‘Is that why you didn’t see George again?’
‘Yes, ma’am. My leave was cut short, and I was only back in Korea for a few hours when I was hit.’
‘I’m sorry to hear that.’
‘I was lucky, really. It could have been worse. And I travel a lot with my job, so at least I get to see different places.’
Uncle Marcus looked at him sharply. Max sipped her bourbon. She’d known Uncle Marcus forever, and she’d never questioned what he did.
‘What made you go into journalism?’ Mother asked. ‘I think Max said you studied languages?’
‘Yes, ma’am. I’m a foreign manager at the paper, so my languages are an asset. I don’t get to do all that much writing.’
‘How many do you speak?’
‘Seven fluently.’
‘Bloody hell,’ said Charlie.
‘Charlie,’ Mother said. ‘What are you drinking?’
‘I mean, I struggle with the ones I have at school.’ Charlie sighed. ‘It’ll be worse when I go back.’
‘Then we should be practicing,’ Max said.
‘All the way to Norfolk,’ Charlie said. ‘Dibs on riding with you.’
‘Now, Max, have you invited Mr Knox yet? In fact, why don’t you travel up with us tomorrow?’
‘Mother…’
‘How long could you stay? At least till Friday, when we have our ball for the Fourth, and then it’s the weekend. You could travel back with Maximilian on Sunday evening.’
‘I do have a few days off,’ John said slowly. ‘I could probably arrange a couple more.’ He glanced at Max.
A week. A week with John, without his work. A week in the same house.
‘It’s settled then. Max, you could collect Mr Knox tomorrow morning, couldn’t you?’
Max nodded.
Max walked John to the door. ‘Thanks for agreeing to come.’
‘Thanks for inviting me.’ His fingers laced through hers. ‘If we can just have some time to talk.’
‘Max?’ Her father stepped into the entryway. ‘Oh, I beg your pardon.’
John dropped his grip.
Her father strode closer. ‘I’m aware I didn’t say thank you, Mr Knox.’ He shook his hand. ‘I’m incredibly grateful.’
‘For what?’ Max asked, although she knew full well he meant the distillery on Mull. Where John had clearly fired the gunshots that allowed her to escape.
‘Mr Knox did a favour for me a while back.’ He smiled. ‘And he was a good friend to George.’
‘I don’t know about that. We just drank together.’
‘Not the way he described you in his letters.’
John shifted his feet.
‘Max already told me you proposed. I’d be more than happy to welcome you as a son-in-law.’
‘Thank you, sir.’
‘Now, it’s just up to Max.’ He laughed. ‘But I raised her to make up her own mind, so you might have to wait a while.’
‘That’s okay. I’m in no rush.’ John squeezed her hand.
‘Mother still doesn’t know,’ Max added. ‘Or she’d have me at dress fittings now.’<
br />
Her father nodded. ‘I’ll let you say goodnight.’ He returned to the drawing room but left the door ajar.
‘I guess I’d better go pack. You don’t mind?’ John asked.
‘No. Of course not.’
‘I can’t remember the last time I took a vacation properly.’
A week would give her time to figure everything out. To be certain. She smiled and kissed him. ‘More bourbon than cigar now.’
John laughed. ‘Good night, honey.’
Max retrieved his hat and pressed another kiss to his cheek. ‘See you tomorrow. I’ll aim for nine, but given my family, it’ll be ten.’
CHAPTER NINE
LIFTED THE PICNIC basket. ‘This is insanely heavy.’ He dropped it back down to the floor of the entry hall.
‘We could always stop at a pub, Mother.’
‘Promise me you’ll drive back. It’s better to go together.’
‘It’s Norfolk, not Outer Mongolia,’ Charlie said. ‘Max’s car will go much faster too. Let’s race.’
‘Charlie, why are you so obsessed with speed? We always go together.’
Her mother’s knuckles whitened. Their first summer trip without George. He’d been deployed last time, but alive. Max took her mother’s hands, rubbed until they relaxed. ‘We’ll come back.’
Charlie followed her outside.
‘I’m only going to Hampstead.’ She took the keys to the Daimler out of her handbag.
‘You think I’m staying here? Aren’t we taking the DB2?’ Charlie stood next to her car.
‘Look inside. See those two seats? Do you suggest I strap you or John to the roof?’
‘Okay, fine.’ He climbed in the front seat of the Daimler. ‘Aunt Nancy’s crazy.’
‘She’s grieving.’ Max slid into the car and started the engine.
‘Who bloody isn’t?’ He smiled. ‘Besides, I want to see where Knox lives.’
‘Since when do you call your elders by their surnames?’ Max drove, only half listening to Charlie chatter. Dad had hugged her before she went up for bed, but he hadn’t mentioned John.
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