(12/20) No Holly for Miss Quinn (13 page)

For the first time, Miriam saw the children frightened that night. The house shuddered in the onslaught, and the banshee wailings, which Miriam had thought belonged to the kitchen only, were increased to envelop the upstairs corridors.

Miriam left a night-light burning in a saucer of water to comfort the little girls. The tall shadows, made by the brave little light, took her back in an instant to her own childhood in just such a bleak vicarage, and she kissed the little girls with extra warmth and sympathy.

The nine o'clock news was devoted largely to the havoc caused by the storm, related with the usual zest with which the imparting of bad news is passed on. Shades of Mrs. Pringle, thought Miriam, watching a woman smugly explaining how she had found her neighbor pinned beneath her own coal shed and describing, with relish, the extent of her injuries.

"That's enough of that!" said Lovell, switching it
off. "If
I know anything about it, it will have blown itself out within twenty-four hours."

***

It was at twelve the next day when the telephone rang, and it was Eileen on the line, sounding highly jubilant.

"It looks as though I can come home tomorrow. Isn't it wonderful? Can Lovell fetch me in the afternoon? The doctor wants to see me in the morning, and it's really simpler if I have lunch here."

"Marvelous!" cried Miriam. "Let me call Lovell. He's in the garden, sawing the apple tree into logs."

"Any damage?"

"Very little," Miriam told her, "and the wind is dying down nicely."

"Look out for floods by the river," warned Eileen. "The papers haven't arrived yet, and they say a lot of people have had to leave their houses in the low-lying part of the town. Poor things! Can you imagine anything worse than finding your carpets floating downstairs?"

"Yes. Floating upstairs. Here's Lovell now," called Miriam, handing over the telephone to her wind-blown brother.

She could hear the excitement in his voice as she returned to the mound of washing which she was tackling. With any luck, she thought, it would be dry and ironed before the mistress of the house returned. And tomorrow morning, she must go foraging for food again.

That afternoon, when she and the children returned from a windy walk, they found Annie on the doorstep. The children rushed to greet her. Robin put his arms up around her waist and kissed the fourth button of her raincoat rapturously.

"How lovely to see you," cried Miriam. "Come in, and tell me what you usually do."

"Well," said Annie, "I help to get tea, and then I bathe Robin, and then I do anything Mrs. Quinn wants—ironing usually, or a bit of mending—and then I help put Jenny and Hazel to bed, and then I go home."

She was a thick-set cheerful girl with long straight hair tied in a pony tail and the brightest dark eyes that Miriam had ever seen.

"That sounds wonderful," said Miriam. "Let's get tea together now, and I'll start the ironing while you put Robin to bed later on."

"And my mum said, as it's school holidays and Mrs. Quinn's been took bad, I can come most of the day, just when it helps. I could do shopping and that, and take the children out for their walk. Just what's best."

"You are an angel," said Miriam fervently. "I'll speak to Mr. Quinn when he comes in, and we'll arrange something."

Tea was taken at the kitchen table, and Miriam could see how competent and calm the young girl was with her charges, and how much they adored her. It was a noisy meal, with constant interruptions to fetch new toys to be admired. No doubt about it, thought Miriam, Annie was a treasure.

Miriam heard Lovell come in, and hurried into the sitting-room to tell him the good news.

"God bless Annie!" he said sincerely. "For this week, anyway, it would seem perfect if she came, say, at eleven and had coffee with us, and stayed the rest of the day, up till the children's bedtime, if her mother is agreeable."

"Go and have a word with her," suggested Miriam.

And so, to everyone's relief and joy, matters were arranged.

***

Annie's addition to the household was certainly a blessing, as Miriam soon discovered. By the time she arrived on Tuesday morning, Miriam had put Eileen and Lovell's bedroom to rights, had changed sheets, put out fresh soap and towels, and even found a few sprigs of yellow winter jasmine to put in a little vase by Eileen's bed.

Annie departed towards the village after her coffee, with a long shopping list, three baskets, and the children. Copper too decided to accompany them, and for the first time Miriam found herself the only living thing in the house, for Lovell was out visiting sick parishioners.

It was bliss to have the kitchen to herself, and to be able to follow a train of thought without urgent infant demands for attention. She prepared lunch, and even made a large batch of shortbread which, with any luck, could be stored in a tin for future use when she herself had gone back to Fairacre.

She had purposely made no firm plans for her return. It all depended on Eileen, but secretly she longed to get back within the next few days to finish her sitting room and to be ready for the office on the following Monday.

Her meditations were soon interrupted by the return of Annie and her charges, and the necessity of storing away shopping and setting the table for lunch.

"Why can't we go with Daddy to fetch Mummy?" complained Hazel.

"Because it will be much nicer to get things ready for her here," said Miriam firmly. "You can put a hot bottle in her bed in case she feels tired, and Jenny can get the tea tray ready."

They looked doubtful about these arrangements but fell in with the plans without argument. On such a joyous occasion, fighting seemed out of place.

As if to add to the general air of festivity, the sun had come out, and the wind was less violent, although strong enough to send great galleons of white clouds scudding across the blue sky. On the wide Norfolk fields below, the shadows chased each other across hedges and ditches, so that the countryside was alternately lit with golden sunshine and deepest shadow. The change in weather brought a refreshment of spirit, and when at last Lovell's car drew up at the front door and Eileen emerged with arms outstretched, the family burst from the front door with cries of excitement.

"Do you want to go to bed?" demanded Hazel, when their mother was at last sitting by the fire.

"Heavens, no!" cried Eileen. "Why?"

"Because I've put in a bottle for you."

"That's very kind, but it will do beautifully for later on."

"Have some tea," urged Jenny, anxious to display her preparations.

"Not at three, darling," said her mother. "Just let me sit and look at you all and the house. It's so marvelous to be back. And how
clean
everything looks!"

Miriam was amused to find herself as gratified with this last compliment as she was when Barney gave her a rare pat on the back for some meticulously arranged conference or for some particularly diplomatic handling of a difficult client.

It was good to see the family united again, and to see too how much Annie was included in the general reunion. Eileen was genuinely touched at the girl's offer of help while she was on holiday, and when at last the young people went off in her charge, Eileen spoke of her to Miriam.

"She's absolutely splendid with children. We hope she'll be able to take up nursery training. It's what she wants to do, and Lovell and I are going to do all we can to persuade her mother to let her. She's about the most unselfish person I ever met—next to you, I should say."

"Not me!" protested Miriam. "I am
horribly
selfish. All I think about is my own affairs."

"Then the virtue's all the greater when you put them aside so readily to come to our aid," said Eileen firmly.

Later that evening when the children were abed and Annie had departed, the three sat by the fire in amicable drowsiness.

"Are you sure you wouldn't sooner be in bed?" asked Miriam.

"No, it's bliss to be here, and honestly I feel better, if anything, than when I went in. The diet's helped a lot, and all I need now is a little exercise to get my legs less wobbly."

"You look more relaxed," agreed Lovell, "but I shouldn't venture out for a day or two. After that hothouse of a hospital you'll find the vicarage garden pretty chilly."

"Pottering round the house will suit me," said Eileen. "And I hope Miriam will stay on now for a holiday instead of being a hard-working housekeeper, and let me look after her for a change."

"I shall stay as long as I'm needed," said Miriam, "but let's see how you feel tomorrow morning before we make plans. I've thoroughly enjoyed myself here. It's been a break—"

"
But,
" broke in Eileen, "you have your own affairs to see to, and we've trespassed on your precious free time already. Honestly, my darling Miriam, I am perfectly recovered, and I think next week's check-up will be the last that's needed, so if you want to go ahead with your own plans,
please
feel free."

"Well," said Miriam, weakening in the face of this reasoning, "let's decide tomorrow morning. If all is well, perhaps I could go on Thursday. Now that Annie's here—"

"Even if Annie weren't here we could manage, I feel sure. Lovell can be here pretty well nonstop until Sunday, and the girls are quite big enough to help now."

At that moment the telephone rang and Lovell went to answer it. He returned to say:

"It's for you, Miriam. It's Martin on the telephone."

***

"Look, Miriam," said Martin, "this Welsh trip has cropped up sooner than I thought. The dealer has some good cattle at the moment, and I propose going down on Saturday and coming back on Sunday. Can we meet?"

Miriam thought quickly.

"What about Sunday lunch with me? Something pretty simple, as I'm in the throes of decorating and the paint may still be wet, but—"

"No, no. I insist on taking you out to lunch. But Sunday will be fine for me. Do you know somewhere?"

"I'll book a table in Caxley," said Miriam. "Shall we say twelve-thirty at The Bull'? It's just off the market square."

"Lovely!" said Martin. "Now we've found each other again, it will be good to catch up with old times."

"Yes, indeed," said Miriam politely. But she wished he had said: "Now we've
met
each other again" instead of "
found each other
" which sounded uncomfortably intimate to one of her temperament.

"Martin's coming my way next weekend," she said, returning to the fireside. "And taking me out to lunch."

"Well, he hasn't lost much time," said Lovell, with a satisfaction which his sister found distasteful in the circumstances. But she forbore to retort.

***

Next morning, to her surprise, she found that Eileen was in the kitchen before her, and was busy frying bacon and eggs for the family.

She smiled at Miriam's astonishment.

"This is just to show you how fit I am. I feel a positive fraud being treated as an invalid."

"How did you sleep?"

"Like a top. Woke up an hour ago feeling I could mow the lawn, walk to Norwich, and eat a couple of horses."

"Wonderful! You've certainly recovered."

She began to cut bread ready to toast. It was good to see Eileen in command again.

"So, Miriam dear, don't linger here on our behalf if you really want to get back. I couldn't help overhearing your remark to Martin that you were in the midst of decorating. You are an absolute marvel to have dropped everything—paint brushes included—to come all this way."

She put down the fork with which she was turning the bacon and came to put her arms round Miriam.

"This isn't speeding the parting guest. I'd like you to stay, you know, but if you can't now, then come very soon for a real holiday. But if you'd feel happier about getting back, please believe me when I say we can really manage now, and will
never
forget your kindness when we were in trouble."

Miriam hugged her affectionately.

"If you're quite sure, then I might even push off later this morning. The weather seems more settled, and if Annie turns up as usual, I'd feel quite happy about leaving you with that tower of strength."

And so it fell out that at half-past eleven, with her case in the car, sandwiches cut by Eileen, a flask filled by Annie, and a posy of mixed winter flowers collected by the children, Miriam was ready to start on her long journey.

All the family, including Annie, were on the doorstep to wave goodbye. Their embraces had been unusually warm and loving, and Miriam was astonished to realize how sad she felt at parting. To think that just over a week ago she had arrived in a mood of stern duty! Now it was as much as she could do to keep back the tears as she drove away.

"Don't forget you're coming at Easter!" shouted Hazel.

"Before if you can!" added Eileen.

"A thousand thanks!" called Lovell. "I shall be writing."

She hooted all the way down the drive in reply to their valedictions, and had to fumble for a handkerchief when she was safely out of their sight.

***

The floods were out between St. Neots and Bedford, and traffic was diverted around narrow lanes bordering water-logged fields. At Newport Pagnell there were more floods, but the sky was clear and the wind had dropped to a gentle breeze, and Miriam pushed on steadily.