by Betty Neels
The city delighted her. The old houses lining the canals were picturesque and the fifteenthcentury old St Martinkerk was magnificent. `A pity the tower is closed for the winter,' observed the professor. `It is three hundred and fifteen feet high; a splendid climb.'
`I don't like heights,' said Sophie baldly.
The university was a fairly modern building, its thousands of students each wearing a coloured cap to denote his or her faculty, and since the professor knew several of the lecturers there they were allowed to wander around while he patiently answered Sophie's questions.
Presently he took her to a restaurant on the Gedempte Zuiderdiep and, while they drank their coffee, explained the layout of the city to her. `Of course you can see very little of it in such a short time, but we will come again.'
She let that pass. `Do you come to the hospitals here as well?"
'From time to time, but of course Leeuwarden is my home territory.'
Since they had finished their coffee he took her to the Prinsenhof Gardens, which even in winter were beautiful.
True to his promise, they drove back along country roads, taking a roundabout route which went through several small villages. It was already dusk but the sky was clear and there were still a few golden rays from the setting sun. The villages looked cosy and there were lighted windows in the farms they passed. There was little traffic, but they were held up from time to time by slow-moving farm carts, drawn by heavy horses. `I like this,' said Sophie.
`So do I; this is Friesland, how I think of it when I'm away.'
Rauke, without being asked, brought in the tea-tray as soon as Sophie joined Rijk in the drawing-room. It was already five o'clock, well past the normal tea hour, but all the professor said was, `We will dine later-there is no hurry this evening.' He said something to Rauke, who murmured a reply and went softfooted from the room.
The tea was hot and quite strong. Sophie, when she had first arrived, had expected Earl Grey or orange pekoe-it was that kind of a house, she had decided-so it was delightful to find that the tea in the lovely old silver pot was the finest Assam. It hadn't occurred to her that the professor-a perfectionist in all he did had taken the trouble to find out her preference. There were tiny sandwiches too and fairy cakes and a plate of biscuits which Matt was allowed to enjoy, leaning his furry bulk against his master, delighted to have them home again.
`He will miss you,' observed Sophie, sinking her nice white teeth into a fairy cake.
`Indeed, as I shall miss him. And you, Sophie, will you miss me?'
He was watching her intently and she wished that she knew how to give him a light-hearted answer which promised nothing. After all, he might be joking...
A quick glance at his impassive face made it clear that he wasn't joking; she said simply, `Yes, I shall. I like being with you, Rijk.'
When he smiled she went on impulsively, `And there is no need to wait...'
The door opened and his mother came into the room and Rijk got up, to all intents and purposes delighted to see her. Sophie, on the very brink of telling him that she would marry him, wondered if it was a sign of some sort to make her change her mind at the last minute.
As for the professor, there was nothing in his manner to indicate whether he regretted the interruption; his mother sat down, declaring that they had had a cup of tea an hour or more ago. `I am very fond of your aunt Kinske, but she serves a poor cup of tea; she should speak to her cook.' She turned to Sophie. `You enjoyed your afternoon, Sophie?'
Sophie said that yes, she had and added that she liked the villages they had driven through.
`Not at all like your own countryside, though,' Rijk's mother commented. `I shall enjoy looking around me when we come to your wedding.'
Sophie opened her mouth to speak, caught Rijk's eye, and closed it again. He wasn't smiling, but she knew that he was amused. She went rather red and Mevrouw van Taak ter Wijsma, thinking that she was blushing for quite another reason, nodded her head in a satisfied manner.
Really, thought Sophie, they all take it for granted and I haven't even said... She remembered what she had been on the point of saying only a short time ago and made some trivial remark about the English countryside without mentioning a wedding. The professor's lips twitched and his mother thought what a nice girl Sophie was, and so exactly right for her eldest son.
The rest of the day passed pleasantly enough, but Sophie had no opportunity to speak to Rijk alone, even if she had wanted to, and, as she told herself in bed later on, she hadn't wanted to. What a good thing his mother had joined them when she had, although it would have been interesting to see what he would have done or said. He wouldn't do anything, she reflected peevishly, probably shake hands-wasn't that what friends did when they agreed to do something together? She bounced over in bed and thumped the big square pillow, feeling put out and not sure why.
She felt better in the morning; after all, she was doing what she wanted: marrying someone who shared her ideas of married life as well as a mistrust of romantic nonsense, which led only to unhappiness. She went down to breakfast with a cheerful face.
They drove to Leeuwarden later in the morning, to be joined by all five of Rijk's sisters at his parents' house, although, rather to Sophie's relief, the husbands and the children were absent. As were his brothers.
`You will see them all at the wedding,' said Mevrouw van Taak ter Wijsma in a consoling voice. She didn't appear to expect an answer, which was a good thing, for Sophie hadn't been able to think of one.
They sat over lunch; the talk was all of Christmas and the New Year and there was a good deal of sympathy for Rijk, although Tiele said, `Next year will be different, Rijk. We'll have a marvellous family house party at your place; we can come over for the day and you can put up the rest of us.' She glanced at Sophie, `You have brothers, haven't you, Sophie? And parents. What a splendid time we'll have...'
Sophie smiled and the professor sat back in his chair, saying nothing and looking wicked. He had put her in a very awkward position, fumed Sophie, and she would make no bones about telling him so.
Her chance came as they drove back to his home. The goodbyes had been protracted and affectionate; she had been thoroughly kissed and warmly hugged and Rijk's father had taken her hands in his and told her that Rijkk would make her happy. `I shouldn't boast of my own children, but I am sure that you will suit each other very well, and that,' he had added deliberately, `is just as important as loving someone.'
She remembered that now, peeping at Rijk's calm profile. `Your family seem to have made up their minds that we are to marry...'
He said easily, `Yes, indeed. What did you think of Nanny?'
It was a successful red herring. `Oh, she's an old darling, isn't she? A bit peppery but I can quite see why you have such an affection for her.' She paused, remembering her brief visit to the old lady, sitting cosily in the sitting-room leading from the kitchen, surrounded by dozens of photos of her charges. The room had been most comfortably furnished and Sophie had seen the bedroom leading from it.
`She wanted to be there,' explained Rijk, `within sound of the kitchen, and of course people are popping in and out all the time so that it never gets lonely. Mother quite often has coffee with her.'
Sophie remembered that she was annoyed with him. `You could have explained-' she began.
`No need.' He sounded placid. `If you should decide against marrying me, then that is time enough to explain.'
`Will you be annoyed if I do that?"
'Annoyed?' He considered the question. `Why? I thought I had made it clear that you were free to make up your mind; you are surely old and wise enough to do that.'
That nettled her. `How well you put it,' she said peevishly.
He ignored the peevishness. `Will you mind having your tea on your own? I still have some work to clear and we must dine early. We need to leave here around half-past seven-if we dine at half-past six? Will that suit you?"
'Yes, of course. I've only a few th
ings left to pack.' Her ill humour had vanished; indeed, upon reflection, she wasn't quite sure why she had felt so cross in the first place.
They went on board the ferry with little time to spare, but that, she realised, was what Rijk had intended, taking Matt for a last-minute romp in the dark, cold grounds, bidding Rauke and Tyske a leisurely goodbye, and then racing smoothly through the dark evening, over the Afsluitdijk and down the motorway until they reached the Hoek with just sufficient time to go on board before the ferry sailed.
Sophie, who had watched the clock worriedly for the last fifteen minutes or so, realised that she had been anxious about nothing. Rijk was a man who knew exactly what he was doing, and she had no need to fuss. The thought was reassuring as she curled up in her bunk and went to sleep.
Her mother was waiting for them as they stopped outside her home the next morning. The door was flung wide to allow Monty and Mercury to rush out to greet them, closely followed by the lady of the house. They drank their coffee in a flurry of talk, although the professor said little.
`You must be tired,' said Mrs Blount. `Are you sure you can't stay?"
'Quite sure, I'm afraid. I must go to St Agnes's this afternoon, but I'll come in fourno, three-days, if I may.'
`You're always welcome.' Mrs Blount gave his massive shoulder a motherly pat. `Arthur will be back presently. You can have a nice chat while you unpack, Sophie, and I can get on with lunch.'
So Sophie had little chance to be alone with Rijk, and she wasn't sure if she was glad about that or not; certainly he gave no sign of annoyance at the lack of opportunity to be with her and presently, after lunch, when he took his leave, his placid, `I'll see you in three days, Sophie,' and the peck she received on her cheek hardly stood for any eagerness on his part to have more of her company.
The car was barely out of sight when her mother asked, `What have you decided, darling?' She glanced at her beautiful daughter's face. `Perhaps you still aren't quite sure...'
Sophie sat down on the edge of the kitchen table. 'I'm sure-I think I was sure before we even went to Holland. You see, Mother, he thinks as I do; we both want a sensible, secure marriage. We like each other and we like the same things and we do get on welll together. There won't be any violent feelings or quarrels. Rijk has had his share of falling in love and so have I. We shall be very happy together.'
Mrs Blount listened to this speech with an expressionless face. It sounded to her as though her dear daughter was reassuring herself, and all that nonsense about being sensible and secure. That was well enough, but no use at all without love. A good thing that Rijk loved Sophie so much that he was willing to put up with her ideas. Indeed, she suspected that he might even be encouraging them for his own ends, whatever they might be.
She said comfortably, `Now just sit there and tell me what his home is like.'
`It's beautiful and rather grand, a long way from everywhere, although there's a village ten minutes' walk away. There's a lake close by. Mother, Rijk's a rich man-I didn't know that. Oh, I knew he was comfortably well off I mean, he's well known internationally for his brain surgery-but I had no idea. There's a butler and a housekeeper and two maids, only he doesn't seem to be rich, because he never mentions money or his possessions. His parents have a large house in Leeuwarden and of course he has his house in London.' She cast a worried glance at her parent. `Do you suppose it will be all right? I do like him, he's become a dear friend, and I don't care tuppence if he's without a shilling.'
`Money is nice to have, love, and I'm sure it won't make any difference to you-you're too sensible and well brought up-and someone like Rijk who has been born into it and been taught its proper place in life isn't likely to let it interfere with his way of life.' She became all at once brisk. `I suppose you will marry quite soon? After Christmas? You will need clothes...'
`Yes, but I won't do anything until I see Rijk.'
`Of course not, dear. Now come upstairs. The boys will be home tomorrow and I've still any number of presents to tie up; do come and help me.'
The three days went quickly; there were the preparations to make for Christmas, lastminute shopping, friends calling, and the last Christmas cards to send. Sophie was in the kitchen making mince pies when Rijk arrived. She saw that he was tired and put down her rolling-pin at once and came across the kitchen to meet him.
`You've been working hard?' And then she added, `It's nice to see you, Rijk.' She put a hand on his sleeve. 'You'll stay for lunch?'
He put a hand over hers. `No. I must get back to the hospital as quickly as possible; I've an out-patients clinic this afternoon and a consultation. I mustn't miss the evening ferry.'
`At least have a cup of coffee-it's here, on the Aga."
'That would be nice.' He sat down at the table and ate a mince pie, still warm from the oven.
`You're ready for Christmas?"
'Yes.' She put a mug of coffee before him and went to sit down opposite him. He took another mince pie. `I've come for my answer, Sophie.'
`I'll marry you, Rijk, and I'll try to be a good wife-I hope I'll be able to cope...'
`Of course you will. I'll get a special licence.
You would like to marry here?"
'Yes, please, and would you mind if we had a quiet wedding?'
`I should like that myself. My mother and father and Bellamy for my best man-I was his...'
`When will you be back here?"
'In two weeks' time.' He thought for a moment. `Any day after the seventeenth of January will be fine.' He smiled suddenly at her. `The eighteenth or nineteenth?'And when she nodded, 'I'll try to come over before then so that we can see your rector.' He put down his mug. `I must go...'
`Where have you come from?"
'Leeds.'
`That's miles away; you must be worn out.'
`Not a bit of it.'
He came round the table and put his hands on her shoulders. `We shall be happy, Sophie.' He bent and kissed her gently. `And here is a token of our happiness.' He fished a small box from his pocket and opened it. The ring inside was exquisite; sapphires and diamonds in an old-fashioned gold setting. `My grandmother's ring; she had it from her husband's grandmother.'
He slipped it on her finger and then kissed her hand.
`Were you so sure?' asked Sophie.
`Oh, yes. Tot ziens, Sophie' He had gone as unfussily as he had come, leaving her looking at the ring on her finger and wondering if other girls arranged their weddings in such a businesslike way, and all in the space of a few minutes. Of course neither she nor Rijk were hampered by sentimental ideas about getting married. She heaved a sigh and began cutting rounds of pastry and when her mother came into the kitchen she said soberly, `He'd driven down from Leeds and he's got a full afternoon's work...'
Her mother, who had seen the professor getting into his car and been the pleased recipient of a warm hug, said cheerfully, `Yes, dear, but I should imagine that he knows just how much he can do before he needs to rest. He's a very strong man.' She admired the ring and noted with satisfaction that Sophie was still fretting about Rijk.
`When you are married I dare say you will be able to persuade him to work a little less hard, dear. Have you fixed a date for the wedding?'
When Sophie told her she said, `You might go and see the rector tomorrow before he gets tied up with Christmas. A quiet wedding?'
`Yes. We would both like that. Just you and Father and the boys and Rijk's mother and father and the best man-Mr Bellamy from St Anne's-they've been friends for years.'
`His sisters and brothers?' prompted Mrs Blount.
`I don't know, but I dare say they'll comethey're a close family.'
`How nice. What will you wear?'
They finished the mince pies together, arguing the merits of a winter-white outfit or a pale grey dress and jacket. It was bound to be cold and probably a grey day to boot. `Directly Christmas is over you must go shopping.' She frowned. `Of course the sales will be on, but you might find something.'
`It sounds super,' commented Paul. 'We'll all come and stay and you can be the gracious lady of the house.'
`Why not?' said Sophie placidly. `There's heaps of room and I dare say there'll be iceskating if it gets cold enough.'
`You won't want us to visit you as soon as that,' declared Tom. 'You'll need a few weeks to be all soppy with each other.'
Sophie laughed, knowing it was expected of her. She couldn't imagine Rijk being soppy. For that matter, she had no intention of being soppy either.
She went out the next morning and bought a Dutch grammar; she must do her small best to make their marriage a success, and a good start would be to speak at least a few words of Rijk's language. There was very little time to do more than glance through its pages, what with helping around the house and helping to cook the nourishing meals her brothers constantly needed, besides entertaining various friends and acquaintances who popped in for a drink and to admire the ring. It was amazing how quickly the news had spread through the village; it wasn't until she picked up the Telegraph and saw the announcement of their engagement that she discovered why.