The Long Way Home: A moving saga of lost family

by Whitmee, Jeanne

  ‘Well, I bow to your superior knowledge there.’ Bill rose unsteadily to his feet. ‘As for moving back in — don’t make me laugh. I might have known there was something more behind the Florence Nightingale act. Let me tell you, Janet, I wouldn’t have you back if you were the Queen of bloody Sheba. Sod off, and don’t show your face here again unless you want it slapped.’

  He listened, unmoved, to the stream of obscene invective she flung at him; winced as she slammed the door so hard it almost left its hinges; and watched dispassionately through the basement window as her five-inch heels tapped their way furiously up the area steps. As her footsteps died away he sighed. That was that then. Any hopes of repairing his broken marriage were well and truly laid to rest now — and probably all to the good. Even in the beginning, when they were in love, he and Janet had always fought like cats. In those days her aggression had fascinated and excited him. It had been stimulating — fun even. Now he found it tiresome and irritating; their arguments merely bored and exhausted him. Perhaps she was right. Maybe he was old and washed-up.

  When he’d received Leah’s letter he’d been somewhat mollified. At least she’d had the decency to write. But he was more disappointed than he’d cared to admit about the collapse of the restaurant venture he’d had such hopes of sharing with her. Janet was right there too, damn her. He’d lost his zest for journalism, unable to see it nowadays as anything more than preying on other people’s misfortune. If wanting a quiet life, if caring about screwing up other people’s lives, was going soft then it was something he’d known he was guilty of for some time. If nothing else, Janet had made him face it — at least from now on he wouldn’t have to despise himself.

  *

  Ten days later Marie had received replies to most of the invitations she had sent out. She and Leah went through them one morning in the office so that Leah could get some idea of the number she would need to cater for.

  ‘I did think of sending one to the Recorder,’ Marie said. ‘After all, if they were interested in the bad things that happened to us then maybe they’ll be interested in the good things. And they’re more likely to get things right if they come and see for themselves.’

  Leah shook her head, her heart quickening with alarm. ‘Oh, I’d rather you didn’t. Anyway, I’d have thought he — or she — would have been the last person you’d want under your roof.’

  ‘But it isn’t my roof, Leah,’ Marie reminded her. ‘It’s yours now. And it’s not just a roof, it’s a business. If they can print what we don’t want, they can print what we do. They owe us one and I don’t see why we shouldn’t call in the debt.’

  Leah sat down. ‘Marie — I’ve never asked you, but do you think that article was the cause of your husband’s …’

  ‘The inquest verdict was accidental death, Leah,’ Marie interrupted.

  ‘And you believe it?’

  ‘I believe that Ralph would never commit suicide,’ she said. ‘He was a calculating man, Leah, a violent one too. It still puzzles me that he could have got into such deep financial trouble. But suicide — definitely not.’

  ‘I see,’ Leah took a deep breath. ‘Marie, don’t send an invitation to the Recorder. You see, I have reason to believe that a friend of mine wrote the article. He was someone I trusted. I can’t forgive him and I don’t want to see him again.’

  ‘Someone you cared for a great deal?’ Marie saw the pain in Leah’s eyes and smiled sympathetically. ‘I see. And of course I understand, dear. In that case we’ll leave it.’

  *

  Leah had planned a fairly simple menu. Cream of celery soup, saddle of lamb with baby spring vegetables, followed by a special bombe surprise she had created herself, with coconut liqueur, pineapple and kiwifruit.

  Marie had organised the temporary staff they would need and Sally had excelled herself with the floral arrangements. They were spectacular and would have cost them a small fortune if they’d engaged an outside florist. Banks of lush tropical green plants would welcome the guests in reception, whilst the dining room was aglow with colour and fragrant with the delicate perfume of spring flowers. To add to the occasion, Sally had made each of the female guests a dainty posy to be laid beside their place at the table. Each one was different, varying from a single rose or a fragile spray of pastel freesias to gardenias or violets.

  On the day of the dinner the atmosphere at ‘The Ocean’ was electric. All Leah could think about was whether everything would be ready on time. Marcus, the new chef she had engaged just one week previously, good-naturedly donned his white overall, rolled up his sleeves and helped, assuring her that all would be ready on time.

  In spite of his name, his short, stocky figure and dark, Gallic looks, Leah had been amused to hear him speak with a broad Yorkshire accent. He told her at his interview that his father was French but his mother was from Halifax. Despite Marie’s prophecy he didn’t seem in the least temperamental. He admired Leah’s culinary ability and her willingness to turn her hand to any job. He even displayed his approval by teaching her some of his favourite tricks of the trade — special garnishes he had devised himself and little short cuts that made life in the kitchen easier and less fraught. She soon discovered to her delight that he was an inspired genius when it came to exotic decoration. Going to work on her bombe surprise, he made it look like something from a Caribbean banquet.

  At last everything was ready. The dining room looked elegant and the waiters had arrived and been inspected and briefed by Marie and Marcus. Marie came into the kitchen to tell Leah that their guests had begun to arrive and, confidently leaving Marcus to take charge, she slipped up to the flat to change and join them for a pre-dinner drink.

  The reception area was quite full when she stepped out of the lift in the slim-fitting garnet red dress she had bought specially for the occasion. She hoped that the new sophisticated short hairstyle made her look older. She badly wanted to be taken seriously as the new proprietor of ‘The Ocean’.

  Looking around her and trying hard to look self-assured and confident, her eyes searched the room.

  She spotted Doctor Philip Hodges, looking handsome and distinguished in his dinner jacket, and David Evans, smiling proudly as he stood beside Marie. Mavis and Ken Payne were there, talking to Sally. They had left baby James with Ken’s sister, Jean, and were combining the occasion with a weekend of house hunting. Leah was particularly pleased to see that Hannah had managed to make it. She stood in the far corner, looking attractive in a black dress, talking to Bill Fenton. Leah wanted to go at once to them, take refuge in the familiarity of people she knew well, but she knew she must first give her attention to the local guests. There were journalists from the local press and radio stations; even the Mayor and Mayoress had arrived with their little entourage. Everyone she had invited was there, yet now that her moment of triumph had arrived she felt curiously lost and insecure. Sally had her adoptive parents for support; Marie had her father-in-law and her handsome doctor friend. She, Leah, had no one close to reassure her and bolster her confidence. For the moment she was just an anonymous young woman in an eye-catching red dress.

  She stood for a minute, part of her clinging to her anonymity and putting off the moment when she must step forward and accept the responsibility for her new role. She fought hard not to think of Terry, and how perfect this moment could be if he were here to share it with her. Then she shook off the negative feelings and straightened her shoulders. Taking a deep breath, she assumed her new mantle and moved forward, smiling, to introduce herself and welcome her guests.

  *

  The dinner went without a hitch. Marcus had taken charge in the kitchen, proving his worth by serving everything to perfection and keeping the staff firmly in order. As they reached the coffee stage Leah drew a sigh of relief. She had never prepared a meal for so many people before and now that it was safely over she felt a glow of achievement. The editor of the local paper, with whom she had earlier had a long chat, stood up to propose a toast and make a
small speech of thanks. He praised the food, the service and ambience of the new ‘Ocean’, and wished its new young owner every success. His compliments were echoed by the applause that followed and Marie nudged Leah, signalling to her with her eyes that it was up to her to respond. She rose shakily to her feet.

  ‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ she began. ‘Thank you all for coming this evening to share with me the beginning of what I hope will be a great new adventure. Most of you will have read in the press of some of the tragedy and misfortune that has dogged “The Ocean” in the past months. Also you will probably know that although I have the help and support of my family, we three are as yet comparative strangers. But I like to think that my joining together with my mother and sister will mark the beginning of a new era for all of us as well as for this hotel. All three of us have put a great deal into this project and we intend to make a success of it. Our aim is to make it a place for families.’ She smiled. ‘It’s only when you have been deprived of your family you appreciate how precious it is. We want “The Ocean” to be somewhere where families can relax and be together.’ She turned to smile at Marie and Sally, holding out a hand to each of them. ‘Once again, we thank you all for coming. I hope you enjoyed your evening.’

  She sat down to applause and reached with some relief for her glass of wine. Marie took a sip of her wine too, but in her case the action was to mask the gleam of moisture in her eyes. Leah had referred to her as ‘my mother’ — and she clearly hadn’t even realised she had said it.

  *

  ‘Thank you for inviting me, Leah. I’m impressed.’ She had been mingling with her guests. Now she turned to see Bill smiling at her. ‘Bill! How lovely to see you.’ She kissed him. ‘Thank you for coming. I’m glad you’ve enjoyed it.’

  ‘I have. It’s good to see you and Sally doing so well together. I do wish you all the very best of success.’ He gave her a rueful smile. ‘I can’t say I wasn’t disappointed about Bella’s though, and I miss you too. The place isn’t the same without you.’

  She looked more closely at him, He’d lost weight and there was a weary dullness about his eyes. ‘Are you taking proper care of yourself?’

  He laughed. ‘Don’t you start. I’ve had Janet round fussing. I had a bad bout of ’flu a few weeks ago but I’m fine again now.’ A hand on her arm, he drew her to one side. ‘Leah — can I have a word with you?’

  ‘Oh dear, you do look serious. What can I have done now?’

  ‘I wouldn’t press it now when you have guests,’ he said apologetically, ‘but I’ll have to go soon and it’s important. It’s — er — it’s about Terry.’

  ‘Oh.’ The smile left her face. ‘Do I really need to hear this, Bill?’

  He grasped her wrist. ‘Yes, I’m afraid it’s vital that you do.’

  He looked so grave that she felt a sudden chill. ‘He — he’s all right, isn’t he?’

  ‘Is there somewhere we can talk in private?’

  She looked around her and, satisfied that everyone was happily occupied, turned back to him. ‘We can go into the office, if you like.’

  Closing the door, she turned to face him. ‘Bill, if you’ve come to make excuses …’

  ‘Listen — Terry didn’t write that guff in the Recorder, Leah.’

  She shook her head. ‘It couldn’t have been anyone else, Bill.’

  ‘Janet wrote it. She told me so when she came round the other day. It was after she met you at Christmas. She was looking for a good story to get herself started in free-lancing. It seems she hung around at the hotel where you met your mother. After you’d left she somehow contrived to speak to her. They had lunch together and for Janet the rest was child’s play. She always was good at coaxing people’s innermost secrets out of them.’ He looked at her. ‘I’m not making it up. It’s true, Leah. Terry had nothing whatever to do with it.’

  Leah’s heart was thumping sickeningly in her chest. ‘Oh, God. But why didn’t he get in touch with me?’

  ‘He tried to. He went to Norfolk to look for you; unfortunately he arrived on the day you left, then he just missed you at Melbury Street too. He was frantic to put things right with you before he went to Yugoslavia.’

  Her eyes opened wide. ‘Yugoslavia? Is he still there?’

  ‘As far as I know.’

  She bit her lip. ‘Oh, God, Bill, it must be horrendously dangerous.’

  He shrugged. ‘There are bound to be risks.’ He leaned forward. ‘The point is, Leah, when he does get back he’ll be coming back to London, to the Globe. Do I have your permission to tell him you know? Shall I ask him to come down and see you?’

  ‘Yes — though what I’ll say to him I don’t …’

  ‘You’ll think of something. You’ll be fine.’ He looked at his watch. ‘I suppose I’d better go and look for Hannah. I came down by train but she’s very kindly offered me a lift back.’

  She stepped forward to catch at his wrist. ‘Bill — is Terry — what does he think — about me blaming him?’

  He shrugged. ‘I don’t know, love. All he wants is to put things straight. He loves you, Leah. But of course you know that.’

  She bit her lip. ‘Why couldn’t I have trusted him? I should have known.’

  He looked at the anguish in her eyes and squeezed her hand. ‘Trusting is something you’re going to have to learn, Leah.’ He smiled. ‘It’s not easy for some of us. But I’m sure you and Tel are going to be all right from now on.’ He kissed her cheek. ‘Good luck, m’love. You deserve it. It’ll all work out, you’ll see.’

  *

  It was much later, upstairs in the flat when everyone else had gone home, that Leah and Sally sat drinking coffee and talking about the evening’s success.

  ‘Mum and Dad told me that they’ve sold the house in Leicester,’ Sally said. ‘And they’ve seen a place they like here. It looks as though it won’t be long before I can see James every day again.’

  ‘You’ve missed him, haven’t you?’ Leah asked.

  Sally nodded. ‘More than I’d ever have imagined I would.’ She looked at Leah. ‘When I think that I almost let him go … I’ve got you to thank for all that, Leah, as well as the job here. Marie and I owe you a lot.’

  ‘Rubbish,’ Leah said dismissively. ‘We all owe it to Kate Dobson really. I couldn’t have done any of it without her.’

  ‘That’s not quite true and you know it. But we won’t argue. It was good to see Bill, wasn’t it?’ Sally said. ‘I was pleased to be able to introduce him to Mum and Dad. Did you notice how well he and Hannah were getting along together? It’d be great if those two got together, wouldn’t it?’

  Leah nodded abstractedly. ‘Yes. I think Bill needs a strong woman like Hannah. His wife was certainly strong, but it was the wrong kind of strength.’

  Sally looked at Leah’s pensive look and asked: ‘Did he bring you some news? I saw you take him into the office and you’ve been very thoughtful since he left.’

  ‘Yes.’ Leah sighed. ‘He wanted to tell me that it was his ex-wife who wrote the article about the three of us. All this time I’ve blamed Terry for it.’

  ‘That article did a lot of good in many ways,’ Sally said.

  ‘Not for Marie. Up until then her husband never knew about us. It can’t have done their relationship much good.’

  ‘But surely it wouldn’t have caused him to commit suicide?’

  Leah looked thoughtful. ‘I’m beginning to wonder about that. Marie seems to think it was totally out of character. Maybe it was just accidental as the inquest found. But caused because he was so furiously angry and driving recklessly.’

  ‘Well, at least now you know that Terry wasn’t responsible for the article,’ Sally said. ‘Are you going to get in touch?’

  Leah sighed. ‘I only wish I could. At the moment he’s in Yugoslavia on an assignment for his paper.’

  ‘You must be worried about him.’

  ‘I just wish I’d had the chance to sort things out with him before he went.’ Leah b
it her lip. ‘I should have trusted him, Sally. I should …’

  ‘You’re in love with him, aren’t you?’ Sally asked gently.

  Leah shook her head bemusedly. ‘I’ve tried not to believe in love. I’ve always mistrusted it. I’ve always thought you had to snatch what you wanted from life before it kicked you in the face, and most of the people I’ve met seemed to confirm that belief.’

  ‘Until Terry?’

  ‘I believed he was different — till that article in the Recorder. He was the only person I’d confided in, you see. I couldn’t see who else could have written it. I felt so betrayed. Now I wish I hadn’t jumped to such hasty conclusions.’

  ‘You could always write to him,’ Sally suggested. ‘You could tell him you were mixed up at the time — that you weren’t thinking straight.’

  ‘Bill asked if he could send him down to see me,’ Leah told her. ‘I said yes. And now I’m wondering what on earth I’m going to say, and if things can ever be the same between us again.’ She looked up. ‘If he comes, that is. He may not even want to see me again now.’

  ‘He will,’ Sally said softly. ‘And if you really love each other, everything will be all right.’

  *

  David was tired when they got back to the flat. He rarely stayed up this late. Marie made him a hot drink and took it to him in his room, but when she got there he was already in bed and fast asleep. Smiling affectionately, she tucked his arm under the covers, switched off the light and picked up the untouched cup. She was in the hall when the telephone rang. Afraid that the noise would waken David she lifted the receiver hastily. Who could be ringing at this hour?

  ‘Hello? Marie Evans speaking.’

  ‘Hello, Marie.’

  The sound of his voice sent a tremor though her body, turning her blood to ice. For a moment she stood there, numb with shock. Someone must be playing a cruel trick on her. As though from somewhere a long way off she heard her own voice say shakily: ‘Who — who is this?’