Peace Comes to Honeyfield

by Anna Jacobs

  Georgie felt for her embarrassment and spoke lightly. ‘Don’t be silly. Of course I’m paying for any shopping we do, since you’re all here because of me. What’s more, I’m still determined to come shopping with you. No! Don’t argue. I don’t care what Patrick said. I just don’t believe I’ll be in danger in the centre of the village at half-past eleven in the morning.’

  ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘I’m not sure about anything except that I’ll go mad if I’m shut up in here all day with dust flying and that horrible smell of whitewash.’ She looked round, stretching her aching muscles. ‘We’ve made a big difference in the kitchen at least, haven’t we?’

  The younger woman gave an equally satisfied nod. ‘More than I’d expected.’

  Patrick, who was working in the next room, must have overheard their conversation because he walked into the kitchen to join them, rolling his shoulders to stretch the stiffness out. He looked from one woman to the other. ‘Are you two going to the shops?’

  ‘We’ll have to or there won’t be any dinner.’ Georgie gave him a challenging look. ‘Do you want me to get you anything in particular?’

  ‘Couldn’t you … leave the shopping to Rosie?’

  ‘Patrick, do we have to keep going through this? I’m going shopping with Rosie.’ She held her breath when he didn’t answer immediately.

  ‘Well, since I’m the one in charge of keeping you safe, I’d better come with you. I wouldn’t mind getting a breath of fresh air. Just give me a few minutes to clean myself up and change my clothes.’ He held out his arms and grimaced at the white spatters on his sleeves, hands and bare forearms. ‘Good thing Tez had some old clothes for me to work in. They’re messed up already.’

  He turned back to look at her sternly. ‘Promise me you won’t go out till I’m ready.’

  ‘I promise.’

  She watched him leave, wishing now that Rosie wasn’t coming with them. She hadn’t had much time alone with Patrick since their stay at the farm. It was so frustrating! How were the two of them going to get to know one another better if they were always caught up in problems and crises, and never alone?

  Come to that, how would they even know when the current danger had passed? All she could hope was that her father was as omniscient as people said and would sort out this set of problems quickly, then come and find them. Surely he would?

  Rosie came back to join her, dressed to go out. ‘Not ready yet?’

  ‘What? Oh, I was thinking about something.’

  ‘You’ve got a smear of dirt on your nose, so you’d better wash your face.’

  ‘No!’ She rushed across to the speckled old mirror on the wall. ‘Oh, my goodness what must he think of me?’

  Rosie chuckled. ‘Patrick won’t let a bit of dirt put him off. You still look pretty. I’m just going to nip next door and see if I can borrow some shopping baskets while you tidy yourself up. Dennis will stay with you and make sure no one gets into this house.’

  They were taking it so seriously that someone had to be with her at all times. Georgie felt humbled by their care. She wiped away the smut, combed her hair standing in front of the hallstand mirror, put on a beret in lieu of a hat and dragged on her gloves. Dennis waited in the still-dusty front hall, then followed her back into the kitchen.

  Rosie came back from next door with two huge shopping baskets, letting in a gust of cold air. ‘Here you are. Where’s Patrick?’

  ‘He hasn’t come down yet.’

  There were footsteps on the stairs shortly afterwards and he appeared in the doorway. ‘Ready? I’ll take one of those baskets.’

  Rosie nodded, then nudged Georgie. ‘Better put a scarf round your neck. It’s turned cold and windy outside, and the sun’s gone behind some clouds. There’s rain brewing, if you ask me.’

  ‘I didn’t bring a scarf with me.’

  ‘Take mine. I rarely feel the cold.’ Patrick unwrapped it from his neck and handed it to her.

  ‘Thank you.’ It was warm against her skin, almost as if he’d touched her.

  ‘Oops!’ Rosie spun round again. ‘Just a minute! I’ve left my list in the kitchen.’

  Georgie had wanted to be left alone with Patrick, but now that they had a moment together, she couldn’t think what to say to him.

  ‘We’ll get our time together after this is all over, my bonny lass.’

  It was as if he could read her mind. She felt tension drain out of her. Something about him seemed to set her world to rights. ‘I’m looking forward to that.’

  ‘So am I.’

  But then Rosie came clattering back again and the lovely feeling of togetherness faded. But she still had his scarf round her neck. She stroked it and rubbed her cheek against it, then flushed as she saw that Patrick had noticed and winked at her.

  Tez’s mother wasn’t at home so he had to leave a message to call him back urgently. It was noon before the phone rang, however. He ran into the hall to pick it up. ‘Is that you, Ma?’

  ‘Yes. How are you, dear?’

  ‘Fine. I’m trying to find a place for some friends to stay. They’re a bit desperate.’

  ‘I’m sure you’ll find somewhere easily, you have a lot of friends nearby. Some of them are bound to have a spare bed.’

  He was sure she’d guessed what he’d been going to ask and thank goodness for that! ‘I’ll phone again soon. Bye.’

  After hanging the earpiece up, he watched it swing to and fro gently as he ran through what they’d said in his mind. Yes, she had taken his meaning, surely?

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Clouds were scudding across the sky as they left the house. A gust of wind blew the ends of her scarf up into her face by way of a greeting and Georgie breathed in the cold, fresh air with deep pleasure.

  She stood for a moment to watch the wind whisking the last of the dead leaves to and fro. It was like a child, piling them in corners and chasing them out again to play more games. She wished she wasn’t too old now to go and wade through the dead leaves and make them crunch beneath her feet. They’d soon be gone and who knew where she would be this time next year? There were no leaves to crunch where she lived in London.

  At the end of their little street Patrick said, ‘Just a moment!’ and held out one arm to bar the way, stopping to scan the village green and the few shops dotted among the houses along the upper edge. ‘Hmm. There are fewer people out than I’d expected. I really don’t think you should have left the house, Georgie.’

  ‘We’re still going to need some food,’ Rosie protested.

  ‘You and I can get that after we’ve taken her back.’

  ‘I’m not going back! There’s no sign of any strange car lurking near the village green. You hardly ever see cars round here at all, in fact, so we’d definitely notice one. I’m sure I’ll be safe.’

  He looked round again. ‘Well … let’s get it over with.’ He set off walking at a brisk pace, his limp not as bad now and they had to hurry to keep up.

  But after a hundred yards or so, a big dark car surged out of the narrow dirt side road further on to their left. It drove along the side of the village green coming towards them, accelerating.

  Patrick knew they’d never get back to Pear Tree Close in time to avoid trouble, so he tossed his basket aside and yelled, ‘In here!’ Opening the nearest gate, he shoved the two women through into the garden of a shabby cottage, muttering, ‘I hope to hell someone’s in.’

  At the sound of the gate crashing back against the wall, a dog began barking furiously from inside the building and the front door opened before they got to it.

  Patrick called out, ‘Thieves after us!’

  A large man surged out, yelling, ‘Let my dog get out, then you two ladies go inside. Gate, Rex! Gate!’

  The two women flattened themselves against the house wall to each side of the door as one of the biggest dogs they’d ever seen pushed past them. The man shoved Rosie and Georgie inside then followed his dog.

  It stood at
the gate next to him and Patrick, barking furiously. With its paws on the top rail, it came up to their shoulders.

  The car had slowed down and was creeping the last few yards to the cottage, as if the driver was uncertain what to do next.

  With the man beside Patrick and his dog, the three of them completely barred the way in.

  ‘Word’s out that someone wants to hurt your young lady,’ the man said. ‘Soon as I saw you through the window, I come running out.’

  ‘Who told you?’

  ‘Cole passed the word to me and some others on his way home last night. By now everyone in the village knows.’

  The car stopped just across from their gate, its engine purring smoothly.

  ‘Just let ’em try to get in here!’ the man muttered. ‘My Rex will bite them if they so much as poke their noses out of that car. You tell ’em, boy! You tell ’em.’

  The dog renewed its furious barking, showing a fine set of big white teeth.

  The people in the back seat of the car couldn’t be seen clearly because the glass of the side windows was darkened. The driver had a chauffeur’s cap pulled down and a scarf round his lower face. He seemed quite young and the lock of hair that had escaped from one side of his cap was dark.

  For a moment or two the car lingered, then it drove off along the street, speeding up quickly.

  ‘Cheeky devils. In broad daylight, too. I’ll recognise that car if it comes back and see if I don’t chuck a rock through one of its windows. Allus wanted to do that.’ The man grinned at Patrick. ‘Don’t worry. Everyone will be watching for them sods twice as carefully now.’

  He turned to yell towards the cottage. ‘You can come out again, ladies.’

  They did so, looking cautiously round.

  ‘How about I take a walk with you to the shops. Me and Rex. Let me introduce you to him.’ He laid a hand on each of them in turn, saying, ‘Friend, friend.’ The dog wagged its tail each time as if acknowledging that.

  Afterwards Patrick stuck his hand out and gave his name. The man shook it and said, ‘Gregory Clarke.’ He nodded to the two women and picked up the discarded shopping baskets for them.

  Two older women had come to their front doors in the row of cottages to watch what was going on.

  Gregory scowled in their direction. ‘Trust them old gossips to be watching the show from inside. They’d not think of coming out to help you, though, would they? No, not them two.’

  A flurry of large raindrops sent the women scurrying back into their houses.

  ‘Going to pour down soon,’ Gregory said. ‘Better get your shopping done quickly, ladies. Should have brought an umbrella. I ent got one to lend to you. I allus cover my head and shoulders with a sack if it looks like rain is setting in.’

  He was obviously a man who liked the sound of his own voice, Georgie thought. But he’d saved them, so she was happy to let him chat away.

  Before they went into the first shop, she said in a low voice to Patrick, ‘I’ve got plenty of money from my father and you’re doing this to help me, so I’m paying.’

  He scowled but nodded.

  Unfortunately, it was impossible to follow Gregory’s advice and hurry because each shopkeeper was delighted to see Georgie again and had to enquire how she was and how long she was staying this time. They had noticed or been told about the car and every single one wanted to know if it belonged to ‘them rascals’.

  At the baker’s they bought four big crusty loaves, an apple pie and cinnamon buns. He said he’d send the lad to carry it all back for them once he’d seen them turn for home.

  At the grocer’s they bought two pounds of butter, a jar of jam, a big wedge of cheese, tins of salmon and peaches, a jar of Marmite, sugar, tea, bacon and eggs, and at the shopkeeper’s suggestion a jar of pickled onions to go with the cheese. It didn’t have a fancy label on it.

  ‘My wife makes these, best you can buy,’ he told them proudly.

  They watched him start to weigh out the butter and cheese, and use a big knife to slice the bacon thinly from the piece swathed in muslin and hung from a hook in the back wall.

  Georgie turned to Rosie. ‘What else do we need? I’m sure I’ve missed something.’

  ‘Biscuits?’

  ‘Oh, yes. What sort do you like?’

  ‘My favourites are Nice biscuits. I love the coconut taste and I like to lick the sugar off the top.’ She flushed slightly. ‘Sorry. That’s not good manners, I know.’

  Georgie grinned at her. ‘That’s how I eat them too, when I’m on my own. My father would have a fit if he saw me. He’s a stickler for table manners.’ She turned back to the shopkeeper, ‘Two pounds of Nice biscuits, please.’

  Patrick moved forward to join them at the counter as they waited for the biscuits to be weighed and put carefully into two white paper bags, with the top corners twisted to hold the bags closed. ‘How about some humbugs, ladies? My treat.’

  ‘Good idea, but I’m still paying.’

  He looked at Georgie.

  ‘You can buy us some sweets another time,’ she coaxed.

  The shopkeeper finished weighing and put down the second bag of biscuits near their other purchases, then got down the big jar of humbugs from a shelf. He looked from one to the other. ‘Do you want some humbugs or not? I don’t care who pays as long as I sell them.’

  The tension eased and they laughed. Patrick was touchy about money, Georgie thought. She didn’t care about it, but then she’d inherited enough to live on comfortably if she didn’t spend lavishly, which made a big difference to your life, she was sure. So many people had trouble putting enough food on the table for their families.

  As they left the grocer’s Georgie realised she would have to tread carefully with him if she hoped to … Her thoughts faltered, then she grew angry at her own feebleness and told herself not to be so stupid. Everyone wanted to be happy, have a family, have someone to love. She had to be brave to achieve that. If Patrick continued to show signs of being attracted to her … She could feel her cheeks heating up at the thought of where that might lead.

  She was glad they arrived at the butcher’s door at that moment, just as another heavy shower started, and hoped her blush hadn’t been noticed in the bustle of getting inside the shop quickly. Its floor was covered in clean sawdust and its wooden chopping bench had been scrubbed white so many times over the years it had a dip in it.

  After that there was the greengrocer’s. Not as many things for sale here as in summer but they needed potatoes, parsnips, onions and carrots to go in the stew she and Rosie planned to make for tea.

  When they came outside, it was still raining, so they walked home briskly, the men carrying the laden baskets, leaving the butcher’s lad to bring their meat and sausages, and the baker’s lad to bring the loaves and cakes on the front basket rack of their delivery bicycles.

  There was no further sign of the black car, or any other car, come to that, but Gregory and his dog escorted them right to the kitchen door.

  Georgie, who had seen Gregory eyeing one of her purchases with particular longing, had bought two tins of salmon. Now she pulled one out of her basket and thrust it towards him. ‘This is to say thank you for your help today.’

  He made no attempt to take it from her, holding out his hands, palms outwards, fingers spread wide. ‘I don’t need paying to help a neighbour, miss.’

  ‘No, of course not. But I can buy a present for a friend, if I want. And you are my friend after today, I’m sure. Go on. Take it, Gregory,’ she coaxed. ‘It’s only a tin of salmon.’

  He hesitated, then took it from her. ‘Well, that’s a rare treat, so me and the missus will relish some for our tea and think of you kindly.’

  ‘We’re all in your debt today, Gregory.’ She was glad to see him straighten his shoulders proudly.

  ‘You can always count on my help if you need it, miss.’

  ‘And I won’t hesitate to ask.’

  Inside the house Georgie leant on the back of a ki
tchen chair and let out a long shuddering sigh of relief, before taking off her beret and shaking the moisture from it. ‘Who’d have thought they’d try to grab me in daylight? That car with the darkened windows was frightening.’

  ‘It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have let you go out in the first place.’

  ‘It’s just as much my fault because I was determined to get some fresh air and you’d have had to tie me up to stop me. Today’s taught me a lesson, though, believe me. I’ll be far more careful in the future and listen to your advice, Patrick.’

  ‘I doubt they’ll try that trick again, but what will they try next? That’s what keeps me awake at night worrying.’

  ‘It’s a good thing Tez and his friend Cole spread the word that we might be attacked, isn’t it?’

  ‘Yes. Gregory made all the difference today. Stout fellow, he is, and that’s a fine dog. I knew a lot of men like him in the Army. I can’t help wondering why he isn’t in the forces.’

  ‘He squinted at the stuff in the shop, as if he found it hard to read the labels. I should think he’s not got good enough eyesight to aim a gun. He probably needs spectacles but he wouldn’t consider them a necessity. Poorer men don’t usually do a lot of reading or close work, anyway. It’s the women who bother to get glasses to do jobs like mending.’

  ‘You sound as if you know something about that.’

  She nodded gently. ‘I’ve seen the difference spectacles can make to women’s lives and I’ve helped a few people to buy them. Doesn’t cost much to make a difference. Anyway, enough speculation, let’s get this lot unpacked.’

  Patrick stayed with them in the kitchen while the two women put away the food in the newly scrubbed and whitewashed pantry, using the big marble shelf at waist height for the things that needed to be kept as cold as possible and keeping out in the kitchen only what they’d need for a simple dinner, bread and butter with some cheese and the pickled onions they’d just bought.