Intrigue in the Village (Turnham Malpas 10) (32 page)

‘He does? He might not if I got fat.’

‘He would because he loves you like I do.’ Beth entwined her fingers with Caroline’s and smiled at her, but there were memories of her real mother in her eyes.

With dread deep in her heart, Caroline asked, ‘You’ve met her?’

There was a short silence before either of them answered her.

Alex spoke first. ‘In the distance. We haven’t spoken.’

‘Was she with her husband? Mr Palmer?’

Beth and Alex exchanged a swift glance.

‘Yes.’

‘No.’

‘Well, was she? Yes or no.’

‘No. We didn’t know to whom she was speaking.’ Alex glared at Beth to shut her up.

Caroline finished her tea, put down the cup and said, ‘Things to do. Things to do.’ Then she hurried off like the Red Queen in
Alice in Wonderland
or was it the White Queen in
Through the Looking Glass
? Alex couldn’t remember. Whichever it was, his mother was distinctly harassed.

The tables were rapidly filling up now as the band had paused for an interval, and to his absolute horror, Alex spotted the Suzy Meadows person in the queue with a man he recognized from the school photos as Mr Palmer. He gave Beth’s foot a slight tap with his and nodded towards the queue.

Beth saw the two of them and her heart gave that great bound it had done earlier. It was no good, she couldn’t face them. But it was too late to escape; Suzy was coming directly towards them, a tentative smile on her face. As she got nearer, the two of them realized Beth was not entirely like her, similar but not the same.

Alex got to his feet. ‘Good afternoon,’ he said, sounding more like a frog croaking.

‘Good afternoon. Would you mind if I sit with you for a moment?’

‘Not at all. There’s really nowhere else to sit.’ Alex pulled out a chair for her, and then sat down again.

Beth was staring into her teacup. Now the moment had come she couldn’t find any words to say. She just wanted
her to go away and stay away and not upset her mother or any of them any more.

‘My husband, Michael Palmer, is paying for our tea. I see Jimbo Charter-Plackett’s catering is still coming up to scratch. His cakes look lovely.’

‘They are,’ Alex agreed.

‘I’ve chosen a cream puff. Have you tried one?’

‘No.’

Almost pleadingly she asked, ‘Am I right? You’re Alex and Beth Harris?’

Neither of them answered her.

‘You won’t know me.’

‘No,’ Alex replied. He wasn’t going to make it easy for her. How he wished his dad was there to help. He’d have known what to say.

‘You’re like your father, Alex.’

‘I am?’

‘Oh yes. The absolute image. Which school do you go to now?’

‘Prince Henry’s.’

‘Then you must be clever.’

‘Mediocre.’

‘No. Much better than mediocre I think.’ The Suzy person turned to Beth and asked, ‘And which school are you at, Beth?’

Beth didn’t reply. The excitement that had been in her ever since she’d realized she might meet the Suzy person had quite melted away. Now all she felt was a terrific let-down, and stubbornness too. So Alex answered for her. ‘She’s at Lady Wortley’s.’

‘Another clever person then. Your mum and dad must be very proud.’

‘They are.’ And then the words tripped off his tongue before he could stop them. ‘Are you?’

He shouldn’t have said that, it was too grown-up for someone his age. But who did she think she was kidding, behaving as though they had no connection? Beth wasn’t helping with her stubborn silence. A mist came down over his eyes and all he could see was the Suzy person’s face. Then he heard the thump of a tray and a rattle of teacups. Someone was pushing his cup aside, and mentioning how tempting the cakes were. ‘Jimbo hasn’t lost his touch, has he? Should I know you two young people?’

‘Michael! This is Beth and Alex Harris. From the Rectory.’ The emphasis she put on their names and where they came from was very obvious, she might as well have said ‘you know who I mean, be careful what you say’.

‘I see. Lovely day for such a lovely event. When I’ve drunk my tea I’m going to see the exhibition in the school hall. I used to teach here, before your time, of course.’

Alex answered, ‘You will be interested then.’

‘Of course. This lady used to teach in the playgroup, didn’t you, Suzy?’

‘Yes, I did.’

A silence began, which grew longer and longer. Mr Palmer was taking huge bites of his cream puff, the cream oozing out on to his lips. The Suzy person was nibbling hers and Alex could see she was at a loss to know what to say next and not really knowing if the children realized just exactly who she was.

But Alex knew all right. ‘We’ve got to go. We told our mum we wouldn’t be long. Nice to have met you.’ He did what his dad would have done and offered to shake hands with the two of them. The Suzy person gripped his
tightly as though she would never let go. As for Mr Palmer, well, using a phrase he’d heard his mother use once, it was like shaking hands with a piece of wet fish. Beth got up and followed him. The moment they got outside she burst into tears. Alex took her down the side wall of the church hall and stood in front of her so no one could see. He normally hadn’t much patience with her when she cried but he felt like crying himself so he protected her while she did his crying for him.

‘I want to find Mummy.’

‘Not while you’re crying.’

Beth gave several huge sniffs, rubbed vigorously at her cheeks to rid herself of tears, stored her hankie away in her trouser pocket and stood tall. ‘There, I’m not crying now. Let’s go find her.’

‘We’ll go home and you can wash your face, otherwise she’ll see you’ve been crying.’

‘I didn’t like him, did you? I’m glad he’s not my daddy.’

Alex put his key in the door and opened it, pushing Beth in the direction of the kitchen. He followed her in to find Beth hugging her mother.

‘There, there, darling. What’s the matter?’

‘Nothing. I couldn’t find you.’

‘I’m only getting some more tea towels for the church kitchen, they’re beginning to run out.’

But Alex knew differently. She might be getting the tea towels but she was also using it as an excuse to hide. And no wonder. The hurt she must feel. ‘Mum, do we have to go back?’

Caroline hesitated for a moment and then said, ‘I think we must. Better face everything and get it over and done with.’

Beth tightened her grip. ‘I don’t want to see her again.’

‘You’ve met, then?’

They both nodded.

‘In that case, let’s be off. Alex, will you take the tea towels for me? It could be urgent by now. I promised Lady Bissett I would take a look at her flowers in the church, I’m told they’re spectacular.’

‘OK. Come on, Beth. Let’s go to the fair. I’ve still got some money left.’

Beth released her mother reluctantly. ‘Have
you
seen this Suzy person?’

‘In the distance.’

‘We spoke.’

Caroline didn’t ask what she said.

‘She didn’t say much really. I’m like her but not quite.’

‘Right.’

‘She knew us when she saw us.’

Alex urged Beth to leave.

‘OK. Where are you going when you’ve seen the flowers, Mummy?’

‘Don’t know. I’ll be around.’

Beth vigorously threw water on her face and then dried it on the kitchen hand towel. ‘There. I’m ready.’

The three of them went as far as the lychgate together and Caroline went up the path to the church. She stopped to greet several old pupils who remembered her and then was free to make her way in. Sheila Bissett had said something about school pupils being all over the world by now, thinking of our Kenny and Terry Jones, so she’d introduced an international flavour to her flowers.

Caroline gasped when she went in. The air was heady with the perfume of the blooms and her eyes were dazzled
by their magnificence. Sheila must have spent at least a whole day arranging them. The church was filled with vivid displays. She paused to inspect the one by the font. It was made entirely of white flowers, Sheila’s favourite colour, and began in the font, trailing right down to the floor and down two steps in an unbroken stream of white flowers and green and silver foliage. Caroline crouched down to find out how she’d achieved it and didn’t hear someone’s footstep on the stone flags of the church aisle.

The person who’d come in didn’t notice her and wandered down to stand in front of the altar. Then she turned to face the body of the church, looking up into the rafters and remembering, oh yes, remembering, studying the old banners hanging wispily threadbare. She turned to look at the old memorial chapel and recollected the last time she’d stood here, in this very spot. She’d been at a loss for words when Peter had surprised her by coming from behind the screen that shielded it; she remembered the touch of his hand, his glorious presence, his endearing vulnerability, but most of all his spiritual strength. Such was her love for him that day, if he’d even only half suggested it, she’d have gone to the ends of the earth with him.

Startled by Caroline’s movement as she stood up, Suzy froze with surprise. She half raised her hand in greeting and then let it fall to her side. What did you say to the woman who’d taken the children you couldn’t cope with? Maybe she could have managed somehow. Perhaps she ought never to have let them go. Having met them, she knew so positively that she should have kept them. Especially Alex. He was so bewilderingly like Peter; his
gestures, his protectiveness to his sister, that same kind of caring.

It was Caroline who opened their conversation. ‘Hello.’

‘Hello.’ Suzy saw that Caroline’s arms were held rigidly by her sides so she didn’t hold out her hand to shake. ‘Lovely day, as usual when there’s an event at Turnham Malpas.’

‘I’m amazed by all the people who’ve come. We didn’t expect such a huge response.’

‘No. It’s surprising.’

‘I understand lots of people are staying over for the service tomorrow.’

‘We’re going home tonight.’

‘Right. Your girls, Rosie and Pansy and Daisy, are they well?’

Suzy gave her a huge smile. ‘Yes, thank you.’

‘And Michael?’

Suzy’s face lost its smile. ‘He’s well.’

Caroline, seeing the discomfort, had to know. ‘Has it worked out with him? Are you happy?’

‘Tolerably. I’ve known worse.’

‘I’m sorry.’

An uncomfortable silence followed in which Suzy contemplated asking about the twins and Caroline decided they couldn’t stand here much longer avoiding the subject.

‘The children say you’ve spoken to them.’

A great ball of emotion lodged itself in Suzy’s chest. ‘Yes, I have. They are lovely. Beth doesn’t have much to say, does she?’

‘She never stops talking usually.’

‘Alex is obviously in charge.’

‘I don’t know about that.’

‘That’s how they came across to me.’

‘I expect they felt embarrassed. Awkward, you know.’

‘You’ve told them everything?’

Caroline nodded. ‘Yes.’

Suzy sighed. ‘I’m glad, it’s only fair.’ Caroline asked sharply, ‘To whom?’

‘To them, of course.’

‘It didn’t seem fair to
me
.’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘Is that all you have to say? On a whim you all but trashed my marriage, decided you could give your children away very conveniently to their father and then you went off into the blue for a new start with your next husband. And you say
sorry
? It is hardly adequate.’

Suzy jerked back with the shock of Caroline’s onslaught. ‘But I thought you wanted them.’

‘I did. I do. But in here,’ she patted her chest, ‘in here I’m desperately sad because Alex can’t get over you giving him away. I explained your circumstances to him, but he still came to the conclusion that you couldn’t have wanted him. That’s a terrible thing for a child to feel.’

‘Haven’t you compensated for that? Do you not love him then?’

‘Of course I do. I love both of them like they were my own. And don’t you dare entice them while you’re here with promises of this and that. You understand? I can’t even begin to get my mind round why you’ve come today. Michael, yes. You, no. Do you have any idea how hurtful it is? To me, to the children and especially to Peter.’

Suzy hesitated. ‘I’ve spoken to Peter; he seemed all right.’

‘That’s Peter, having consideration for everyone as usual and not wishing to wound.’

Suzy opened her mouth to apologize yet again, realizing for the first time that the anxiety she’d felt about coming was justified and she should never have allowed Michael to persuade her. But in truth she’d been easily persuaded. She’d desperately wanted to see her twins, just this once. ‘I . . . I . . .’

‘Why
did
you come? Just to hurt us?’

Someone came in, their heels busily tip-tapping on the stone floor. ‘Oh! Ah, yes. Just coming to check my flowers but I’ll come back later. Sorry.’ Sheila Bissett turned to go.