Death is a Word

by Hazel Holt

  She smiled. ‘I know, but that sort of thing was run-of-the-mill to Alan, all part of the job. I used to pester him for every detail at first, but I suppose I just got used to it.’

  ‘There may be some reference to it in his papers,’ I said.

  ‘Donald was asking about them. I really must get down to doing something about it.’

  Anthea suddenly appeared with Alison Shelby in tow, introduced her to Eva and darted away towards the kitchen muttering something about mulled wine.

  ‘I’ve so wanted to meet you,’ Alison began, ‘such an admirer of your wonderful husband – Anthea has told us all about him. Maurice always has the news on, never misses it, and we always say we can’t imagine how people could – be so brave, I mean. When they don’t have to, that is. After all they’re not soldiers, are they, and they only have those jacket things when all that is going on around them. I know we have to see those terrible things – though sometimes I wonder if we really do – and television is wonderful. A window on the world, I always say. Oh here’s Maurice, he’ll tell you …’

  Maurice Shelby approached, shook hands formally with Eva and expressed his admiration for Alan’s work in more measured tones.

  ‘It was a job he loved,’ Eva said. ‘He wouldn’t have been happy doing anything else.’

  ‘He was a very brave man,’ Maurice said, ‘and a really excellent reporter. A collection of his broadcasts would make a most interesting book. Is anything being considered?’

  ‘There are a lot of his papers that need to be sorted – at present in my garage – I do intend to do something about them soon.’

  He nodded. ‘I will look forward very much to seeing something in print. And now you have moved down here. Do you have connections in the area?’

  ‘My parents lived just outside Porlock. They’re both dead now, of course, but I was born and brought up here.’

  ‘I wonder if I knew them?’

  ‘My family name is Benson.’

  ‘Really?’ he thought for a moment. ‘The name doesn’t ring a bell. And do you have any close family here?’

  ‘I was an only child. Rosemary here’s a sort of second or third cousin – but that’s all.’

  ‘Well, I hope you have settled in well and are happy here.’

  He bowed slightly and, gathering up his wife who showed signs of wanting to continue the conversation, moved away.

  ‘Goodness,’ Eva said when they were out of earshot, ‘what an unusual man.’

  ‘Old-fashioned,’ Rosemary said. ‘I always feel he should be wearing a stiff wing collar and pince-nez.’

  ‘He’s got a single practice in Taunton – at least he’s on his own now. He had a partner, who went abroad somewhere. I can’t imagine how he deals with modern things like computers, timed interviews and all the stuff they have to cope with these days. But Michael, who knows him quite well, says he’s very much on the ball, so I suppose that formal manner is just a façade.’

  Rosemary glanced towards the kitchen where Maureen and Anthea were emerging, each carrying a tray of glasses.

  ‘Do we really want to sample Maureen’s mulled wine,’ she said, ‘or shall we slip quietly away and have a real drink?’

  A few weeks later, I’d just opened the back door to dispel the smell of Foss’s fish (why does fish for an animal, even if very expensive and of a high quality, smell quite different from fish meant for humans?) when the telephone rang.

  ‘Sheila, can you come over to Eva’s? Something’s happened.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘There’s been a fire in her garage.’

  ‘Is she all right?’

  ‘Yes, just a bit shaken. I thought we should rally round.’

  ‘Of course, I’ll be right over.’

  When I got to the cottage there was a smell of burning in the air and the grass verge of the lane was churned up, presumably by the fire engine. The garage door was shut and blackened, but there was no other sign of damage.

  ‘What happened?’ I asked as Eva poured coffee for us all.

  ‘I’d gone to bed and was asleep when something woke me – a noise in the lane, I thought. You know how it is if you wake up when you’ve just gone to sleep, sort of disoriented. But then I smelt burning. So I got up and looked out of the window. I couldn’t see anything, it was pitch-black, so I thought I’d better go down and check things. When I opened the front door I saw smoke coming out of the garage, so I phoned the fire brigade and, fortunately, they came very quickly and put it out before too much damage was done.’

  ‘How awful for you!’ I said.

  ‘It all happened so quickly I didn’t really take in what was happening until it was all over.’

  ‘But frightening. Thank goodness the fire brigade came so quickly. Do they know what started it?’

  ‘Not really. They said there was no immediately apparent cause. I got the impression it was some electrical fault.’

  ‘I must say,’ Rosemary broke in, ‘I didn’t like the look of that bulb hanging from the ceiling on what looked like a very old flex. I think you should have the wiring in the cottage checked. You can’t be too careful.’

  ‘I thought the surveyor had all that sorted,’ Eva said. ‘But,’ she went on quickly, ‘it wouldn’t hurt to have that nice electrician you found me have a look at it.’

  ‘Was there much damage inside?’ I asked. ‘How about the papers; were they all right?’

  ‘Fortunately they were at this end of the garage – the light fitting’s up near the door.’

  ‘You really must get them sorted,’ Rosemary said. ‘Or at least bring them indoors. That garage door is badly burnt and I bet you haven’t got the padlock on it!’

  ‘Well, no. But, honestly, I really can’t imagine why anyone would want to steal them.’

  ‘It’s not just stealing. There’s a lot of vandalism about. There were a couple of cases in the Free Press lately – children destroying things. And in one case they’d burnt a barn down.’

  ‘Oh, but that was quite different,’ I protested. ‘They were playing in there and it was a dutch barn, wide open, and during the day not in the middle of the night.’

  ‘Oh well, it’s done now,’ Eva said. ‘Could have been much worse. I’ll get a new door and have the electric light seen to.’

  However Rosemary insisted on moving the papers to a place of safety, so we spent the next few mornings transferring them, and the filing cabinets, to the spare room.

  ‘Oh dear,’ Eva said, looking round the now overcrowded room, ‘there’s no way I could have anyone to stay. I suppose I ought to get rid of those books – the ones I couldn’t make my mind up about – and see what I can do with all these.’ She gestured despairingly at the filing cabinets now lining the walls and taking up an inordinate amount of room so that it was almost impossible to get through the door.

  ‘There’s just one more lot of papers,’ Rosemary said encouragingly. ‘I’ll just go and bring them up from the garage.’

  Eva sighed. ‘It’s very good of Rosemary …’ she began.

  ‘But you wish she wouldn’t?’ I said.

  ‘Well, yes. I feel dreadfully ungrateful, and I know I’ve got to get down to things sometime, but for now I wish I could just be.’

  ‘It’s early days yet. Rosemary, bless her, has always been a one for getting things sorted.

  ‘And it’s just as well someone does otherwise nothing would ever get done. Anyway, she’s always had to because of her mother.’

  Mrs Dudley was a great one for getting things done – usually by other people. ‘Never put off till tomorrow,’ she would say impressively, as if it was a completely original thought, ‘what you can do today.’

  ‘I think,’ Eva said, ‘she feels responsible for me, being a sort of relative. I don’t mean that’s the only reason, but she’s always had a strong feeling about family.’

  ‘Just like her mother,’ I said. ‘Though don’t tell her I said that!’

  Christmas came
and went. I spent it with the children and Eva was with Rosemary and Jack

  ‘Dan and Patrick don’t do Christmas,’ she said in response to my enquiry. ‘They sit around in their dressing gowns and eat boiled eggs.’

  Donald Webster continued to contribute to the proceedings at Brunswick Lodge.

  ‘I thought he might be sick of it by now,’ Rosemary said. ‘Being bossed around by Anthea.’

  ‘I don’t think he is,’ I said. ‘It seems to me he only does what he wants to do, and always with that half-amused attitude, as if he thinks it’s all a bit of a joke.’

  ‘Harold says he worked for one of the big American multinationals, chemicals and things. Apparently he ran their main South American operation, whatever that might mean.’

  ‘Goodness. He must have been important. Odd that he should have ended up in Taviscombe. I mean, I know he said it was because of his childhood holidays, but, really, when he had the whole world to choose from—’

  ‘There’s nothing wrong with Taviscombe,’ Rosemary said sharply. ‘Area of outstanding natural beauty and all that.’

  ‘Yes, I know,’ I said thoughtfully. ‘But he never seems to go for walks or drives, doesn’t appear at all keen on the outdoor kind of things. In fact, he spends most of his time here, at Brunswick Lodge. Why would he choose to help with coffee mornings in a small seaside town after the life he’s been used to?’

  ‘Nice and restful after all that time abroad.’ Rosemary doesn’t have a very high opinion of abroad.

  ‘And those tea parties with your mother.’

  ‘I agree that’s odd. But perhaps he collects characters.’

  ‘Yes,’ I said, ‘you might call Anthea and your mother characters. But after all this time, what is it – several months now – you’d think he’d be bored …’ I shook my head. ‘I don’t know – there’s something about him that doesn’t add up.’

  ‘Never mind, let’s make the most of him while we can. Anthea’s never been so little trouble since he came and Mother’s taken on a new lease of life. He drove her out to that place at Exford for lunch the other day. And you know how she said she couldn’t possibly manage a car journey that far when I suggested it ages ago!’

  ‘He certainly has charm. And a subtle kind of charm, nothing obvious or over the top. Everyone likes him. Even Derek said that Donald’s the only person who’s ever appreciated just how complicated the finances of Brunswick Lodge really are.’

  I was on my hands and knees scrubbing a stain on the carpet in the dining room when there was a ring at the front door. Wondering why my animals never chose to be sick in the kitchen, which is tiled and easier to clean, I hurried to answer the bell which was being rung again with some urgency. It was Rosemary.

  ‘Whatever’s happened?’ I asked as she hurried inside.

  She made for the kitchen, which is where we usually chat, and sat down at the table, looking quite agitated.

  ‘It’s Eva.’

  ‘What is it? Is she all right?’

  ‘Donald Webster’s asked her out to dinner!’

  ‘So?’

  ‘At the Castle in Taunton.’

  ‘Lucky her,’ I said enviously. ‘So what’s the fuss about?’

  ‘Well, don’t you think it’s significant?’

  ‘Significant of what?’

  ‘Oh, for goodness’ sake, Sheila. You don’t take just anyone to the Castle. It sounds like a date!’

  ‘Not necessarily so. I mean, they’re both used to what Dan would call fine dining. Where else would he take her?’ I said. ‘I’ll put the kettle on.’

  Rosemary laughed ruefully. ‘You think I’m being ridiculous?’

  ‘Well …’

  ‘It’s just that when she told me she seemed excited and, well, I remembered what you said about him, and I was worried for her.’

  ‘And as for it being a date, as you call it, he probably just wants to talk to her about Alan.’

  ‘You’re right, of course. It’s just that she’s family and I feel responsible for her.’

  ‘And even if it is a date, Eva’s perfectly able to look after herself. Here, have a biscuit.’

  ‘But she’s in a vulnerable state at the moment and I would hate her to be hurt. Donald Webster is a bit too charming, if you ask me.’ She bit into the biscuit. ‘You said yourself there’s something fishy about him.’

  ‘I didn’t say fishy, exactly. But, honestly, Eva’s been out in the world long enough to know what’s what.’

  ‘Yes, of course, I’m being stupid. It’s just that I was taken by surprise.’ She took another biscuit. ‘What I’m not looking forward to is Mother finding out that he’s taking Eva to the Castle when he only took her to that place at Exford.’

  Chapter Four

  A few days later, I was sitting in the Buttery when Eva came and sat down beside me.

  ‘Great minds think alike,’ she said as she put her cup of hot chocolate down next to mine.

  ‘The only thing on a horrible day like this! And I got a Danish pastry. I shouldn’t really, but I couldn’t resist.’

  Eva has diabetes, has done for years, but it never seems to restrict her diet. That’s another thing Rosemary worries about.

  ‘Did you have a gorgeous pudding at The Castle?’ I asked. ‘I believe they do really super ones.’

  ‘Well, I did have a chocolate thing but it was quite small.’

  ‘Was it a good evening?’

  ‘Yes, it was.’ She smiled. ‘A really good evening.’

  ‘Did Donald want to tell you about Alan and their tight spot?’

  ‘For a bit, but really we just talked. He’s the most interesting man, been everywhere, seen everything, met the most extraordinary people.’

  ‘Like Alan.’

  She nodded. ‘Oh, Sheila, I do love being down here – I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else – but sometimes, just sometimes, I do miss it all. For goodness’ sake don’t tell Rosemary, but I miss the – the buzz, not just Alan, though of course that’s the worst, but just the feeling of being at the centre of things, of conversations that aren’t just – well, you know …’

  ‘Parochial. You miss the great metropolis. Of course you do. And Donald comes from the same world.’

  She nodded again. ‘Exactly.’

  ‘Well, good for you. Does he feel the same way? He seems to have settled down here very comfortably – all that stuff at Brunswick Lodge. I thought he might have become bored with it by now, but he doesn’t seem to be.’

  ‘No, I think he really has settled. He didn’t say why, but I think he was quite glad to leave South America.’

  ‘It sounds as if it must have been a great responsibility.’

  ‘That’s what I thought. He didn’t talk much about his actual job – I gather there’d been some major disagreement – but we had so much else in common, the time really flew by.’

  ‘Are you going to see him again?’

  ‘He said something about getting tickets for this thing at the Theatre Royal in Bath.’

  ‘That would be nice,’ I said, thinking that Rosemary would be quite hurt, remembering that Eva had turned down her offer of that particular treat.

  ‘Yes, it would be fun. It’s ages since I went to a theatre.’ I didn’t remind her that she’d been to several theatres with Dan and Patrick when she was in London, but, I thought, this was different. Looking at her animated face and the lively tone of her voice I decided that, yes, it obviously was quite different.

  Thinking about it when I got home, I decided I was glad for Eva. It really had been a massive change of lifestyle for her and it was natural that she should be drawn to someone from her old world. I still wasn’t sure what I thought about Donald. Like everyone else, I had felt his charm, and, although I instinctively mistrusted it, I had absolutely no reason to do so. He was probably just a really nice, sociable man. But, then, he had risen to a very prominent position in a very large international corporation, and I felt, also instinctively, that rea
lly nice men didn’t achieve that sort of thing. Those who did had other qualities, less agreeable. But, I reminded myself, Eva had lived in that world. As I told Rosemary, she was perfectly capable of looking after herself. And, really, it was quite natural that Donald, in a small town like Taviscombe, should turn to someone he had so much in common with. But, oh dear, if Eva did go out with, take up with – what was the suitable phrase? – Donald Webster, Rosemary would be upset, and I hated the thought of her being hurt by what she might feel was Eva’s desertion.

  Donald must have moved quite swiftly because tickets for the Theatre Royal in Bath duly arrived.

  ‘It’s for the pre-London run of Heartbreak House,’ Eva told us enthusiastically. ‘It’s got a marvellous cast. It was so clever of Donald to get tickets, it’s pretty well sold out.’

  ‘How splendid,’ I said. ‘It’s such a gorgeous theatre,’ I went on hastily to cover up Rosemary’s lack of response, ‘and they have such terrific things on there and it’s not really that far away, but I never seem to do anything about it. Silly, really.’

  ‘Next time there’s anything special on, we must all go,’ Eva said.

  Anthea had stopped badgering Eva to give a talk at Brunswick Lodge since Donald had proved an easier target.

  ‘South America is such a fascinating place,’ she was saying, ‘and we none of us know anything at all about it. It’s a real privilege to have someone like Donald, who held a very high position out there, to tell us all about it.’

  ‘He’s only going to talk about the country,’ Derek cut in. ‘More a sort of travelogue.’

  ‘Well, it’s all going to be most interesting,’ Anthea responded.

  ‘I didn’t say it wasn’t going to be interesting,’ Derek said. ‘Donald is a very interesting man and whatever he has to say will be worth listening to. Unlike that woman who went on about Corfe Castle, who you said was so wonderful. Hardly anyone turned up for that. We should have a full house for Donald and I reckon we could easily charge five pounds for him.’

  ‘With refreshments,’ Maureen said. And the conversation turned to who was going to bring what and wasn’t it time something was done about the tea urn.