‘I do not think there is any worry from your point of view.’ The commander was definite. ‘From what I understand, unofficially, one of the other lines of enquiry has turned up something that they needed to investigate in greater depth. Plus, from what I have heard, there was a bit of a demarcation dispute over who should conduct that investigation: the Security Service or Special Branch. By the time they’d sorted out who was doing what, two weeks had passed!
‘If there was any doubt concerning you, I suspect you would have been brought back in for further questioning, which has not been the case; so, logically, they must be satisfied with your version of events. However, we need to get your project moving, and I understand that Colonel Swann has notified the board of inquiry that you will be unavailable from 28th October, so if they want to see you, they cannot delay any longer.
‘Therefore, if I were you, I would enjoy the good fortune that circumstance has granted you. You can spend more time with your wife, because you cannot be certain when you will see her again after your deployment. Also, now that you have responsibilities, it might be wise to put your affairs in order before you leave.’
‘Sorry?’ Alex did not understand.
‘Make a will; if things go against you, it would be unfortunate if administrative procedures got in the way of your wife receiving the full support of everything that we can offer.’
‘I see.’ Alex became pensive. ‘Thank you; that was not something I had considered. I shall, of course, ensure that my affairs put in order before I go.’
‘For God’s sake, man, don’t look so gloomy! Your assignment is relatively straightforward and should be quite safe, unless you do something foolish. I have every confidence that you will do well in Finland, and will come back to live a long and happy life with your family. Just remember the golden rules: expect the unexpected; trust nobody; and make sure that, in every situation, you have an escape route. Remember those, and you will be fine.’ He shook hands with Alex as their appointment had now overrun considerably.
After leaving the commander, Alex found a telephone and called Teddy, who told him that Cordelia was coming around to visit that evening, as she was distraught that Simon had left for Stockholm, so, unless he wanted to spend time with weepy girls, he might like to be elsewhere. Alex agreed – that was the last thing he wanted!
XXXIII
For the first time since they had been together, Alex was not eager to get home to Teddy. The fact that Cordelia would be there bemoaning Simon’s departure would be hard enough, but knowing why he had received the posting and not being able to say would unquestionably compromise the honesty that he shared with his wife.
Alex thought about visiting his mother and uncle at Bedford Square, but the thought of arriving unannounced went against all of the good manners that he had been brought up to respect. One of the weaknesses of having a small circle of friends, he thought to himself, is that, when one is at a loose end, one becomes bored quickly. In the end, he had a quiet, solitary meal in an average restaurant before heading home at about 9.00pm.
Luckily, Alex found a cab relatively quickly, in which he made good time, even though the taxi was dragging a fire tender that made it bounce around the road on the way back to Cavendish Court.
When he arrived at the flat, he was slightly dismayed to discover that Teddy had offered Cordelia a bed for the night, and more so that she had accepted. Alex understood that, with a guest in the house, intimacy was out of the question, so he got dressed in his pyjamas and went to bed in a sullen mood. Even when Teddy joined him and tried being amorous, Alex heard himself say rather petulantly, ‘Should we? We don’t want to disturb Cordelia, do we?’
So they both went to sleep.
*
Alex woke the next morning to find that Cordelia had already departed, leaving a note on the kitchen table telling them that she did not want to be an imposition, so she had gone home to start sorting things out. Alex made Teddy a cup of tea, which he placed neatly on a tray before carrying it into the bedroom, where he woke Teddy gently and gave her the news of Cordelia’s departure.
‘I do hope she does not do anything stupid,’ Teddy said, ‘She was dreadfully miserable last night!’
‘The way I see it,’ Alex said, ‘is that Simon has secured a cushy job in the British embassy of a neutral country that has a reputation for avoiding conflict. I rather think that he has landed on his feet! I genuinely feel that Cordelia’s fears are unfounded. She would have far more to worry about if he was stuck on a submarine somewhere or defending convoys in a destroyer. Simon will be fine; I have no doubt.’
‘I know,’ Teddy said, ‘it’s just that she believes that Simon has gone forever.’
‘Well,’ said Alex, ‘she obviously she doesn’t trust Simon to keep out of mischief or is worried that a Scandinavian beauty will seduce him; either way, if she doesn’t snap out of it quickly, she will have a very miserable time while Simon’s away.’
‘Perhaps I should “snap out of it” too when you’re away,’ responded Teddy tetchily, ‘God, men can be so insensitive when they try!’
Alex knew the signs that he was not going to win this argument, so he slunk out of bed and went to the bathroom to wash and get dressed.
*
The day passed with Alex and Teddy visiting Onslow Gardens to set about putting their personality on the place; they walked through each room, itemising furniture that would have to go while trying to decide what to replace it with. Both agreed on more modern décor, so they went in search of a furnisher who could supply the amount and quality of furniture that they desired, and at a reasonable price. They thought about redecorating, but they decided to wait and see whether it would be needed after the furniture was installed.
In the evening, they tuned into the new BBC Home Service on the wireless. Alex sat on the sofa, with Teddy’s head resting in his lap while he stroked her hair, as they listened to the It’s That Man Again comedy programme starring Tommy Handley, but it was still early when they decided to go to bed, even though it took a while for them to fall asleep.
*
The next morning, Miss Willoughby called to suggest that Alex might like to keep away from the office that day and might even think of spending the weekend in the country. There had been some consequences arising from one of the other investigations, Miss Willoughby reported, which might make it prudent for Alex to make himself scarce for a while. Alex was a little anxious, but he agreed and asked Teddy whether she would like to go to Gloucestershire again.
‘Not especially,’ she said, ‘but I do want to move into Onslow Gardens as soon as possible.’
So, they spent much of the day packing Teddy’s belongings into boxes that Harry supplied and arranging for transport to their new home. Harry was quite sad as he bade Teddy and Alex farewell, but Teddy reassured him that she would be available to show people around, should any viewings be necessary. They left him their forwarding address for any mail that might arrive.
*
That evening, while unpacking the cases that they had brought, Teddy decided that they definitely needed to find somebody to help look after the house, especially as the previous maid had decided not to stay on in London and had gone to live with her sister in Suffolk. Alex agreed.
So, the following day, they sought the advice of Uncle Walter and then contacted his recommended domestic agency to recruit a new maid.
The agency could not have been more helpful and telephoned back later in the morning to say that they had three suitable candidates, which they promised to send round to Onslow Gardens that same afternoon. One, a Mrs Donovan, sounded just perfect, as she had been a nanny previously, but when the children grew up, she had stayed on as housekeeper.
*
Teddy went shopping on the Brompton Road, where she bought enough provisions to last for the week. The butcher she found was quite surprised to be offered cash, as most
of his customers ran an account, and when he heard that Teddy had moved into Onslow Gardens, he readily offered credit. Teddy thanked him, promising that she would discuss the matter with her husband, but on this occasion insisted that she paid cash for her lamb chops. The butcher agreed happily, even slipping an extra chop into the neatly wrapped package that he handed to her.
Teddy was surprised that she was treated similarly at the other merchants and retailers she visited; one even asked for the name of the household where she worked. The assistant had looked most confused when Teddy explained that she was the lady of the house and that she worked for nobody. When Teddy returned home and recounted these experiences to Alex, they both laughed, but, afterwards, when Alex had thought for a moment, he confessed that he could honestly not remember his mother ever going shopping for anything.
*
Mrs Donovan was the first applicant to arrive that afternoon, and, on answering the doorbell, Teddy found a robust, elderly woman on the doorstep when she opened the door.
‘Mrs Donovan?’ she asked
‘Miss!’ came the sharp response, ‘I was never wed.’ She entered when invited before looking critically around the downstairs of the house, paying particular attention to the kitchen.
‘It is not very modern,’ she complained, ‘but if you are not cooking for a large household, it will do, I suppose.’
They finished the tour of the downstairs in the morning room, where Alex was reading a newspaper.
‘Darling,’ Teddy announced, ‘this is Miss Donovan,’ and she rolled her eyes at her husband.
Alex extended his hand in greeting as he raised himself from the chair, ‘Good afternoon, Miss Donovan,’ he greeted her.
She looked at his hand as if inspecting it for dirt before gripping it briefly and letting it go as if she had taken hold of something distasteful.
‘Has my wife shown you around?’ enquired Alex.
‘She has, and some improvements will need to be made if the house is going to be run efficiently,’ the woman stated.
‘Well, I am sure that if we choose to employ you, you will discuss such matters with my wife.’ He sat down and picked up the newspaper again; he considered his duty done in the matter.
Teddy showed Miss Donovan around the rest of the house, indicating the room that they had earmarked as a nursery.
‘Oh, no,’ Miss Donovan said, ‘that will not do at all. It has a radiator that will make the room too warm. Besides, children sleep better with the window open for fresh air, and this room is on the street side, so that it will be too noisy to do that.’
Teddy assured her that she would consider her recommendations, should a job be offered, but there were two other applicants to interview before they made a decision. Teddy guided Miss Donovan out of the house as quickly as was polite.
Next on the list was Miss Sanderson, who had nursed her aged mother until she had died; this was to be her first position in service.
When asked whether she was experienced with children, she replied, ‘I’ve never had much to do with them, and those whom I have met, I did not much like. Perhaps it would have been different if I’d have had my own family.’ Was there a note of resentment in her tone that suggested that she felt bitter about never having married?
Two down, and both unsuitable concluded Alex and Teddy when they discussed the progress of the afternoon together.
The final applicant was a Mrs Williams; neither Alex nor Teddy held out much hope that she would be any more suitable for the position. On answering the doorbell, Teddy found a young woman standing on the step. Although slightly older than she, Mrs Williams was neatly dressed but looked thoroughly nervous.
‘Mrs Carlton?’ she asked.
From this, Teddy identified a distinct accent straight away. Was it Welsh? It could be with the name Williams. ‘Please come in, Mrs Williams,’ she invited, ‘I must say, we were rather expecting somebody a bit older.’
The girl looked even more nervous. ‘That is what most people say,’ she said, ‘but I am nearly twenty-six.’
‘Of course,’ Teddy said, ‘I did not mean it as a criticism.’
As before, Teddy showed her around the ground floor of the house, about which Mrs Williams commented favourably in each room. Teddy introduced her to Alex, who was as relaxed as he had been previously.
‘You are not English?’ he asked.
‘No, I am Polish,’ Mrs Williams replied. ‘I came to England as a student in 1936 to study music at the Guildhall. I am a pianist,’ she said modestly.
‘But your name is Williams?’ Teddy asked.
‘Yes, I married my Rhodri last year,’ she explained.
‘I see,’ said Alex ‘Where is your husband now?’
‘With the British Expeditionary Force, in France, I think,’ she stated, ‘or it could be Belgium. He’s in the Welsh Guards. I don’t have many friends in England, and Rhodri’s family did not take to me because I am foreign, so I thought I might find some work. I was in service for a year in Poland before I came to England, looking after an old lady, but she died.’
‘Do you like children?’ Teddy asked.
‘Oh, yes,’ Mrs Williams face lit up, ‘I am hopeful that Rhodri and I might have a family of our own one day. I think children are absolutely splendid.’
It was funny hearing the words “absolutely splendid” spoken with a slight Polish accent, so both Teddy and Alex smiled.
Teddy showed Mrs Williams the rest of the house before bringing her downstairs to the drawing room, where Alex was then sitting.
‘You know that this is a live-in position?’ queried Teddy.
Mrs Williams nodded.
‘And that we shall likely be going to live in Gloucestershire shortly.’
‘I did not know that,’ Mrs Williams said, ‘but it would be nice to see the countryside. I do not mind.’
Teddy looked over Mrs Williams shoulder at Alex, who nodded slightly, so Teddy asked, ‘When can you start?’
The look of joy that came over Mrs Williams’s face brightened the entire room. ‘I have the job?’ she sounded almost incredulous.
‘You have the job,’ said Teddy, ‘on a month’s trial, after which we shall take it from there.’
‘Dziękuję bardzo!’ she exclaimed, lapsing into Polish, ‘I mean, thank you so very much!’
‘Would it be convenient for you to move in on Monday evening?’ Teddy asked.
‘Of course,’ said Mrs Williams.
‘And we cannot keep calling you “Mrs Williams”; what is your first name?’
‘Klara,’ she replied.
They agreed that Klara would move in early the next Monday evening and that Alex would pay for a taxi to help her move her belongings to the house.
‘I don’t have much,’ she apologised, ‘Rhodri and I only rented a room in a house.’
‘That’s all right,’ Teddy said warmly, ‘let me show you your room.’
*
After Klara had left, Teddy said, ‘What a thoroughly nice young lady.’
‘I agree,’ concurred Alex. Borrowing a phrase from his office, he joked, ‘I think we might have found the third witch for the coven. My mother, you and Klara. God help poor Uncle Walter!’
‘You beast!’ said Teddy, before kissing her husband.
*
Teddy grilled the chops, boiled some carrots, and made mashed potato and gravy; Teddy again slipped a small knob of butter into the potatoes, which she covered quickly with the mash. When it unexpectedly exploded over Alex’s dish, causing him to jump back in surprise, but remembering the adage of the “fairy”, he scooped the butter quickly into his potatoes.
‘Good,’ Teddy said, ‘you remembered to catch the fairy; now I know everything will be all right!’
‘You really are a funny, old thing,’ Alex said.
; ‘Less of the “old”, old man; I’m still younger than you!’
They laughed together before Teddy became thoughtful, ‘I wonder if Klara has family in Poland?’
Alex thought for a moment. ‘Do you know, I quite forgot to ask. Is it our position to enquire? Perhaps we should wait until she tells us?’
Later that evening, as they were listening to the wireless, Alex noticed some subtle changes to the furnishings in the room. ‘This could have waited until Klara joined us,’ he said sternly, ‘You really must start to look after yourself!’
Teddy smiled at Alex, grateful for his concern.
XXXIV
Keeping out of the way at the office proved not to be a bind at all for Alex. There was much to do at Onslow Gardens over the next few days; it was a time during which both Teddy and Alex enjoyed looking for furnishings to make sure the house was just as they liked it. More to the point, Alex was more relaxed since he had taken a telephone call the day before from Commander Jeffers, who assured him that, after reading the recently received preliminary reports for the board on Wednesday, all of the investigations had concluded that Alex acted reasonably. Regarding the matter that Miss Willoughby had spoken of, that particular cloud had blown over.
It was on the Monday morning, 23rd October, just two days before the board of inquiry, that Alex found Teddy in a reflective mood. She was definitely not her usual ebullient self, which Alex put down to the knowledge that he would have gone off to war within a few short days. He resolved to make their remaining days together very special.
That, however, was not the reason for Teddy’s concern; during the previous night, she had experienced a couple of sharp twinges in her stomach, which led her to worry that something might be wrong with her pregnancy. She resolved to make an appointment with Dr McLintock at the first opportunity, perhaps while Alex was tied up with this board of inquiry.
Teddy told Alex that she was feeling a bit tired and proposed that she spend the morning curled up in bed – alone. Alex broke out in concern at this point, and he asked if she was all right. But Teddy assured him that she was merely feeling a bit tired, and the morning in bed would likely see her much better that afternoon.
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