Poppy's War (39 page)

‘Well, if you’re half as happy as Algy and me, you’ll be ecstatic,’ Jean said, kissing each of them in turn.

Algy strolled over to them, having just shaken hands all round as he took his leave of the guests. ‘Your carriage awaits, Mrs Fenton-Jones.’ He tucked her hand in the crook of his arm.

Jean smiled up at him. ‘Mrs Fenton-Jones. Doesn’t that sound grand?’

Everyone followed them outside and they left in a shower of confetti and ice-cold rain. Poppy wiped her eyes, thankful for once for the bad weather which disguised the fact that she was crying. She looked down as a warm little hand clutched hers.

‘Don’t be sad, Poppy,’ Rupert said, squeezing her fingers. ‘I expect he misses us too.’

He was too big to scoop up in her arms and so she did the next best thing, which was to give him a hug. ‘You’re a special boy, did you know that?’

‘Yes,’ he said, grinning impishly. ‘I did as a matter of fact.’

Jean’s return from honeymoon was bittersweet. She was deliriously happy with Algy but parting from him so soon was deeply upsetting. She tried to make light of it, describing the dire food served up in the hotel, which was filled with American army officers. She said that they had not seen the sea. The bay was
crammed
with vessels of all types so that you could have walked the length and breadth of it jumping from ship to ship.

Even if Jean had not told them about the frantic activity on the coast, it was obvious that something important was going on at Squire’s Knapp. More troops arrived and there was a constant stream of staff cars filled with high-ranking British and American officers. Poppy had given up hope of meeting Brigadier Beecham again and had almost managed to convince herself that he was not the man who had fallen in love with her mother. It was a mystery that she was unlikely to solve. Heartsore and still mourning privately for Guy, she did what was demanded of her daily and tried not to think of the future.

At the beginning of June it was obvious that some major offensive was about to begin. Convoys of tanks roared along the road into Weymouth, and the skies were filled with a seemingly endless stream of planes towing huge gliders escorted by swarms of fighters. It was only after the news of the D-Day landings was announced on the wireless that Poppy realised why Squire’s Knapp had played such an important role in the Allied invasion of France.

It seemed that the dark days of war must come to an end soon, but although the tents were deserted there was still a military presence in the main house. Poppy had just returned one morning from taking Rupert to school when she heard the sound of a car
engine
in the lane. She paused by the garden gate, her curiosity aroused. She watched as the army staff car swung through the gates, and was surprised to see it slow down and come to a halt in front of the lodge.

The driver leapt out to open the rear passenger door and suddenly she had a feeling of déjà vu as Captain Fellows climbed out of the car, followed immediately by Brigadier Beecham.

‘Good morning, Miss Brown.’ Captain Fellows saluted her smartly.

Brigadier Beecham came towards her and Poppy was suddenly uneasy. Visits from high-ranking officers usually meant only one thing – what further bad news could he possibly bring? Her hand flew to the pendant hanging round her neck. She fingered it nervously. ‘What can I do for you, Brigadier?’

His smile froze as his eyes rested on the glass heart glistening in the warm June sunshine.

‘What?’ Poppy asked nervously. ‘Why are you staring at me like that?’

‘Where did you get that pendant?’

Surprised by the sharpness of his tone, she dropped her hand to her side and the glass heart felt suddenly cold against her bare skin. ‘My father gave it to my mother and she gave it to me.’

‘Mary,’ he murmured dazedly. ‘It was Mary. I knew you must be her daughter, but I hardly dared to hope …’

Captain Fellows cleared his throat. ‘May I suggest we go into the house, sir?’

‘Not now, Fellows. Give me a moment.’ Brigadier Beecham caught Poppy by the shoulders, looking deeply into her eyes. ‘Mary Brown was your mother?’

Poppy nodded wordlessly.

‘I gave her that pendant. My God, you’re so like her, but I didn’t know – she didn’t tell me about you.’

‘You’re Harry.’ Poppy caught her breath on a sob. ‘You are Harry Beecham. I knew it. I mean I felt it.’

‘She told you about me?’

His eager expression made him look suddenly younger and vulnerable. Poppy could hardly bear to disappoint him. ‘No. I found out by chance. As a matter of fact it was a spiteful old woman who told me that my mother had been sacked from her job because she was having an affair with the son of the house.’

Harry winced. ‘It wasn’t like that, Poppy. Your mother and I were very young and we fell deeply in love. I wanted to marry her but I was entirely dependent on my father. He sent her away, forbidding me to see her again. That was before I joined the army.’ He touched the glass heart with the tip of his finger. ‘This was my parting gift to her, and you say that she gave it to you.’

‘It was the last time I saw her.’ Poppy paused, blinking away tears. ‘She didn’t have a Christmas present for me. She said that my father had given it to her, and she’d worn it ever since.’

‘We swore to love each other forever,’ he said,
smiling
sadly. ‘It seemed like a miracle when we met again years later and realised that nothing had changed between us.’

Poppy held her breath. She knew now why the glass heart had been so precious to her mother.

Harry turned to his aide, who was hovering anxiously at his side. ‘I know I can trust you to be discreet, Edmund.’

Captain Fellows nodded emphatically. ‘Absolutely, sir.’

‘Wait in the car, there’s a good chap. I’d like to speak to my daughter in private.’

Poppy opened the gate. ‘Come into the house. Mrs Carroll is out walking with Mrs Toon. She manages very well these days.’ She held out her hand and felt the warmth of her father’s fingers as they curled around hers.

In the cottage, his presence seemed to overpower the small living room and she felt suddenly shy. ‘I wish that Mum had told me about you, but I suppose she couldn’t because of Dad. She was very loyal to him and he was good to me.’

‘I’m sure he was. I only met him once but I know that he was a fine man. If I’d only known that Mary was pregnant I would have fought for her no matter what the consequences. But she finished with me because she couldn’t bear to hurt her husband or abandon her young son. I left because I loved her too much to want to see her suffer in any way. I want you to believe that, Poppy.’

‘I do,’ she murmured. ‘And I’m glad I’ve found you at last.’

He stood with his back to the empty grate, gazing at her as if he could not bear to look away. ‘You are so beautiful, just like Mary. I knew there was something familiar about you when we first met, but I could never have imagined the truth. You must think me a terrible fellow.’

‘No,’ Poppy said slowly. ‘I know what it is to love someone with all your heart and soul. Losing them is the hardest thing to bear.’

‘I think I can guess who it is you love with such a passion.’

‘I don’t see how you could. I mean …’

He took her hand and held it in a firm grasp. ‘The reason I came here today was to bring Mrs Pallister some wonderful news. Hector rang me in the middle of the night to tell me that Guy was discovered by the Allied troops in a German field hospital near Paris. He’d been there for months. Apparently he was plucked out of the sea by the crew of a French fishing boat and taken to hospital suffering from a broken leg and exposure, which turned into pneumonia.’

‘He’s alive.’ Still clutching his hand, Poppy sank down onto Marina’s chair. ‘Guy’s alive! You don’t know how happy that makes me.’

He squeezed her fingers. ‘I think I do, my dear.’

‘But why didn’t Mr Pallister let us know sooner?’

‘The news had only just filtered through to him,
Poppy
. In the grand scheme of things it was not the most urgent communication between the landing forces and London, which accounts for the delay.’

‘Mrs Carroll must be told. She’ll be overjoyed, although of course she won’t show it. She never does.’ Poppy knew she was babbling but she was so happy that it hurt. She felt like throwing her arms around her father and dancing round the room, but she was still a little shy of him.

‘Hector thought it best if Mrs Carroll was told in person. He’s well aware of her delicate state of health, and he didn’t want to risk anything that might cause her a sudden shock.’

‘He couldn’t have told you that I had feelings for Guy. How did you know?’

He smiled gently. ‘Watching your face just now when you spoke of undying love – it wasn’t hard to put two and two together, my dear. You’re so like Mary. Your eyes will always give you away. Besides which, Guy has been asking for you, which is another reason why Hector asked me to come here in person. I think he too is quite capable of putting two and two together, Poppy.’ He raised her gently to her feet, wrapping his arms around her. ‘Might I be permitted to give my daughter a hug?’

She slid her arms around his neck. ‘Yes.’ She smiled shyly. ‘May I call you Dad?’

‘Oh, yes.’ His eyes were moist and he hugged her so hard that the brass buttons on his tunic pressed into her flesh, but it was a sweet pain.

‘Dad,’ she repeated. ‘Or Father, if you prefer it.’

‘You may call me whatever you please, my darling. I can’t begin to tell you how happy I am to have found you, and to be the bearer of such good news too.’

Dazed with happiness, Poppy felt her heart swell inside her like a balloon about to burst. ‘Where is Guy now? Will he be allowed to come home soon?’

Harry chuckled. ‘One question at a time, Poppy. He’s been transferred to a hospital in Cherbourg, and he’ll be brought over to Weymouth on the first available ship. Of course he’ll have to spend a day or two in hospital being checked over, but I gather he was on the mend when they found him.’

Poppy brushed tears from her eyes, but they were tears of happiness. In the space of a heartbeat she had found her father and been given the news that Guy was alive and well. All her prayers were answered and she vowed she would never bother God again as long as she lived.

‘Perhaps we’d better go and find Mrs Carroll,’ Harry said softly. ‘She needs to know that her days of grieving for her son are over.’

‘How dreadful. I almost forgot poor Mrs Carroll,’ Poppy said, fumbling in her pocket for her hanky. ‘I’m so happy and excited I don’t know what I’m doing.’

Jean was ecstatic when Poppy told her that Guy was safe and on his way home and she rushed off to tell
Edie
and Mavis. That evening they celebrated by sitting round the pot-bellied stove drinking mugs of cocoa and eating some of Mavis’s store of chocolate given to her by her adoring Lester.

‘So you really are going to end up as lady of the manor,’ Edie said, licking her fingers one by one. ‘I hope you’ll invite us all to the wedding, Poppy.’

‘He hasn’t asked me yet,’ Poppy said hastily. ‘I mean, he might take one look at me and decide that it was all a huge mistake.’

Jean snorted with laughter. ‘Have you taken a look in the mirror recently, kid? Apart from the fact that you’re one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met, you’re absolutely gorgeous. He’d be mad to let you get away.’

Unused to such fulsome compliments, Poppy covered her hot cheeks with her hands. ‘Stop it, Jean. You’re making me blush.’

‘It’s poor old Dennis I feel sorry for,’ Mavis said, grinning. ‘He never stood a chance.’

‘He’s okay,’ Poppy said, smiling ruefully. ‘According to Mabel he’s engaged to the girl from the horse meat shop. She’s a peroxide blonde who wears bright red lipstick and loves cream cakes. I’m sure she’ll make him much happier than I ever could.’

The next few days were spent in a flurry of activity and anticipation. The army had all but vacated the big house, but Harry and Captain Fellows remained there with just a few key officers and a skeleton staff to attend to their needs. Marina and Poppy were
invited
up to the main house and entertained by Harry and some of the visiting top brass. At first Poppy had thought it might be too much for Marina, and she was worried that the house might be in a parlous state which would cause her even more distress. But the moment she set foot in her old home, Marina seemed to positively bloom. Apart from her need for a walking stick and her hesitant speech, she assumed the mantle of gracious hostess, completely turning the tables on the assemblage of high-ranking military men who now found themselves outranked and outflanked. Marina Carroll was in her element, and Poppy felt that life had come full circle.

Harry made time for her in his busy schedule and Poppy saw him every day. Discovering a mutual love of riding, they exercised the horses every afternoon. Poppy was able to show her father the extent of the Carrolls’ estate and some of the surrounding countryside that she had grown to love. These were moments of shared peace and tranquillity snatched in between the business of war that still occupied much of Harry’s waking hours. It gave Poppy pleasure to see him mounted on Goliath and handling the horse with the same expertise that Guy had always demonstrated. All she needed now was for Guy to return home and her happiness would be complete.

It all happened suddenly. One minute Poppy was hanging the washing on the line in the cottage
garden
and the next she was in the staff car being driven to Weymouth. She sat in the back seat holding her father’s hand. ‘I’m scared,’ she whispered. ‘What if he’s changed his mind? What shall I say to him, Father?’

Harry raised her hand to his lips and brushed it with a kiss. ‘You’ll find the right words, my darling. Trust me.’

Leaving Harry standing in the atrium of the hospital, Poppy made her way up two flights of stairs to the male wards. The receptionist had told her where to find Guy but Poppy was suddenly stricken with shyness. The fast-moving events of the day had left her reeling slightly, but now the initial feeling of euphoria had worn off she was tense and nervous. It was many months since she had last seen Guy, and despite what Jean, Mavis and Edie had said, he might find the young woman she had become quite different from the girl he had left behind.