The Camberwell Raid (18 page)

‘I won’t quarrel with that,’ said Major Armitage, ‘it’s a beginning.’

Rosie smiled. She had secured what she most wanted, freedom from worry for Boots and Emily. She didn’t really think the law would have quashed the adoption on the grounds that the natural father had had no say in the matter, but she’d hated the thought of Boots and Emily being dragged into court. Actions in civil courts could be prolonged, and were meat and drink to barristers.

‘I shall keep my promise to visit you,’ she said.

‘It’s the kind of beginning I must accept,’ said Major Armitage.

‘Well, a friendly beginning is much more acceptable than an unfriendly finish, isn’t it?’ smiled Rosie.

THE REST OF
the day was very pleasant for Rosie, Tim and Eloise. They enjoyed a superb lunch in a beautiful dining-room, with Major Armitage a friendly and attentive host. His wife was not present.

After lunch, he took them around the gardens, where a profusion of daffodil and tulip beds blazed with spring colour, and rhododendrons and azaleas were bursting into flower. Eloise exclaimed in excited admiration, hiding the fact that her curiosity was close to boiling point. She was sure that Rosie’s private conversation with Major Armitage had resulted in something to Rosie’s advantage. Ah, yes, as his only child, Rosie must mean much to him, and because of all he had, this magnificent house and estate, he must mean something to her, despite her love for the Adams family.

Eloise whispered a question.

‘Rosie, what ’appened, if you please?’

‘I’ll tell you later.’

‘No, now. I’m your sister.’

‘Later,’ said Rosie.

From the gardens they went to the stables and saw the string of horses kept by Major Armitage. There were carriages too, but kept only for show and not for use. The tour became extensive, and everything reflected the affluence of Major Armitage as a landowner, or rather, as the heir to it all. His
three
guests engaged him throughout in animated conversation, and because of the vitality and unspoiled nature of all three, he experienced new regrets that his wife had given him no children, children who might have grown to become very much like these had, Rosie especially.

They returned to the house for tea, Tim very voluble about all they had seen and very taken with the hospitality and friendliness of their host, while Eloise was still fascinated by everything, and more particularly, of course, by what had taken place between Rosie and her father.

After tea, at Rosie’s request, Major Armitage drove them back home. He said nothing about what had been agreed, and Rosie said nothing, either. Eloise had the fidgets about being kept in the dark, but Tim had none. He knew Rosie better than Eloise did, and was sure she’d have played Major Armitage with a straight bat. A bloke could always rely on Rosie.

The journey from Godalming was quite lively, the passengers finding plenty to say to each other and to Major Armitage, who had shown himself to be charming as well as civilized. When they reached the house in Red Post Hill, Rosie asked him if he would like to come in, and he said if Mr Adams could possibly spare him ten minutes, he’d like to talk to him.

Boots, of course, was willing, and they met again in the study, while Rosie at last eased the frustrations and curiosity of Eloise by recounting how she had dealt with Major Armitage. Emily, Tim, Chinese Lady and Mr Finch also listened.

In the study, Major Armitage spoke to Boots of his conversation with Rosie, and how an agreement had
been
reached. He was frank in admitting he’d hoped Rosie would spend several weeks a year at Headleigh Hall. However, she was a young lady with her own ideas about what was fair to all concerned.

Boots smiled.

‘She actually said, did she, that she’d never see you again if you went against her wishes, Major Armitage?’

‘She was quite uncompromising in her ultimatum, Mr Adams, and I was left defeated. I must congratulate you and Mrs Adams for bringing her up so well, for obviously allowing her to develop in her own way. Although I’m her father, it’s you and Mrs Adams who command her affections and loyalties, and I only ask for you to go along with her promise to visit me four times a year. If that’s all I can have, I must accept it, and I hope you’ll put nothing in the way of it.’

‘I wouldn’t dream of trying to persuade Rosie to break a promise,’ said Boots.

Major Armitage regarded him sombrely.

‘You say you were a sergeant with the Royal West Kents during the war, Mr Adams?’

‘That’s true,’ said Boots.

‘Why not an officer?’

‘My background was wrong,’ said Boots, ‘I’m one of the ordinary people.’

‘Rubbish, man,’ said Major Armitage, ‘if you’re ordinary, I’m a pink elephant. Do you see yourself as ordinary?’

‘Not all the time,’ said Boots, looking whimsical.

‘Mr Adams, there’s going to be another war.’

‘I know,’ said Boots.

‘Well, watch out for it. Nothing is going to stop that
madman
Hitler. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must get back. Give my regards to Mrs Adams, whom I met when I arrived this morning, and thank you for your time and understanding. Perhaps on one of Rosie’s visits to Headleigh Hall, you and Mrs Adams can be my guests too. You’ll be very welcome.’

‘Thanks,’ said Boots. ‘I’ll see you out.’

Meanwhile, Emily, Eloise and Chinese Lady had spent time blinking and staring at Rosie while she told them all they needed to hear, doing so with the calmness of a young lady who did not seem to realize that, aside from Tim and Mr Finch, her audience was quivering. Tim only ever quivered when he went in to bat for his school cricket team in moments of crisis, and Mr Finch was a man who was always as calm as Rosie herself. What Rosie came up with in her exposition amounted in the end to a triumph, but at no time did she sound smug about it. Her sense of humour danced about a little, and all her references to Major Armitage suggested she found him a very reasonable and likeable man. Well, bless my soul, thought Chinese Lady, our Rosie, what education’s doing for her is a lot more than mine did for me except reading, writing and arithmetic. She takes after Boots, that’s what, he was always good at learning and at not turning a hair about anything. Our Rosie’s modelled herself on him, she’s always looked up to him, and even liked his airy-fairy ways. And now she’s been and gone and cooked Major Armitage’s goose for him, and done it in a nice fashion, I’d say, like a lady.

‘Rosie, there’s not goin’ to be a fight, no-one’s havin’ to go to court?’ said Emily.

‘No-one,’ said Rosie.

‘Congratulations, Rosie,’ smiled Mr Finch who, truth to tell, had anticipated this kind of outcome.

‘I am amazed,’ said Eloise, not for the first time that day. ‘Mama, you should have seen the gentleman—’

‘I did see him, when he came this mornin’,’ said Emily.

‘No, no, I mean in ’is grand house with all ’is land,’ said Eloise. ‘Such an aristocrat. I should not ’ave been able to argue with ’im myself, no, my feet would ’ave been shaking in my shoes. Imagine, Mama, Rosie saying no to all of it. Amazing, yes, isn’t it?’

‘Here, leave off, Eloise,’ said Tim, ‘Rosie was never going to say yes to living there.’

‘But it was so magnificent,’ said Eloise.

‘This is Rosie’s home, Eloise,’ said Chinese Lady.

‘Yes,’ said Tim. ‘I bet even if Rosie was invited to Buckingham Palace for a week, she’d still come back home to us.’

‘With honours, Tim,’ said Mr Finch.

‘Rosie, I’m so relieved,’ said Emily, ‘and I’m sure me and your dad won’t mind a bit about you visitin’ Major Armitage four times a year. I think it’s right you should. I mean, he did father you and he’s been very agreeable about not makin’ any trouble.’

‘Well, he and Daddy have something in common,’ said Rosie, ‘they’re both gentlemen. Mind you, Daddy’s funnier.’

‘You can say that again,’ smiled Emily, ‘except I’m not always sure I laugh in the right places.’

‘It’s a blessing that some of you don’t mind Boots talkin’ out of the back of his head at times,’ said Chinese Lady, ‘and like I’ve said before, he didn’t get it from me or his late dad. Still, I will say your Aunt Victoria always remarked on him bein’ a born
gentleman
. And now what’s ’appened, Em’ly? Our Rosie’s handled Major Armitage like a born lady.’

‘Yes, you see, Grandmama, she was born of the English nobleman,’ said Eloise, ‘so she was a lady at birth, wasn’t she?’

‘I didn’t mean that,’ said Chinese Lady, ‘I meant the way she’s been brought up at home. She might easily have been like her—’ Chinese Lady checked herself before mention of Rosie’s mother fell tactlessly from her lips. ‘Well, never mind that, I’m sure we’re fortunate in all our young people. I’ve spent a worrying day thinkin’ about Rosie, but Boots was right in saying we had to leave it to her to sort things out, which was sensible of him and a change from bein’ a bit casual. Yes, our Rosie’s turned out a very capable young lady.’

‘Agreed, Maisie,’ said Mr Finch.

‘There you are, one up to you, Rosie,’ said Tim, ‘you’re a lady. And what’s more, you don’t half play with a straight bat. Of course, I knew you would.’

‘Oh, don’t mention it, Tim lovey,’ smiled Rosie.

‘What is playing with a straight bat, please?’ asked Eloise.

‘I think it means not getting bowled out,’ said Mr Finch. German-born, he had come to know cricket. One couldn’t fully relate to Boots and his family without having a love of cricket.

‘What is “bowled out”?’ asked Eloise.

‘Summer’s coming,’ said Tim, ‘so you’ll soon learn.’

Boots came in then. He looked at Rosie, a smile on his face.

‘Well done, poppet,’ he said, and Rosie warmed to his expression, one of frank and grateful affection.

‘Boots, has Major Armitage gone now?’ asked Emily.

‘Yes, and without leaving any complaints behind,’ said Boots. ‘He’d like to have Rosie under his roof, of course he would, but accepts things have to be the way she wants.’

‘Well, perhaps he’s a nice man, after all,’ said Emily.

‘Yes, he’s nice,’ said Rosie.

‘But you still knocked him for six, Rosie,’ said Tim.

‘Bowled him over,’ said Emily, and laughed. She was up in the clouds about not losing Rosie.

‘What is “knocked for six” and “bowled over”, please?’ asked Eloise.

‘That’s more cricket,’ said Tim.

‘I don’t understand,’ said Eloise.

‘Oh, you will once we start to teach you the game,’ said Tim.

‘If it’s fine on Easter Sunday, Eloise,’ said Boots, ‘we’ll let you open the batting.’

‘No, no,’ begged Eloise, ‘it will frighten me to death.’

‘Can’t be helped,’ said Tim.

‘All in the game,’ said Boots.

‘Some game,’ said Rosie, and laughed.

Chinese Lady smiled. Her family was still intact.

Later, when everyone was retiring to bed, Rosie intercepted Boots on his way to switch off the outside lamp.

‘I told you not to worry, didn’t I?’ she said.

‘Did you have it all worked out from the start?’ he asked.

‘No, not from the start,’ said Rosie, ‘only after some due thought processes. Pleased with me, are you, old thing?’

‘Love you,’ smiled Boots.

Which was all Rosie needed to hear as a reward. She might be a composed young lady and a promising undergraduate, but her adoptive father meant more to her than even he realized.

AN OPEN CAR
pulled up outside the florist’s shop in Kennington Park Road. Cassie, raven hair worn long and tied with a bright ribbon as always, glanced up from just inside the doorway, where she was rearranging a huge display of daffodils in a large stone pot. Recognizing the driver, she called to Mrs Dewhurst, wife of the owner of the shop.

‘Oh, won’t be a tick, I’m just goin’ to have a word with someone I know.’

‘That Freddy of yours, I suppose,’ smiled Mrs Dewhurst, who was making up a bouquet.

‘Bless him,’ said Cassie, and out of the shop she went to speak to the driver. It wasn’t Freddy, it was Boots, and Cassie’s smile sparkled in the morning light.

‘Hello, Cassie.’

‘What’re you doin’ here?’ asked Cassie.

‘Hoping to see you,’ said Boots.

‘Oh, that’s nice,’ said Cassie, ‘and I won’t tell Em’ly, or Freddy. Only I can’t go riding with you, Boots. Well, I can’t leave the shop, I’ve got to work conscientiously this week, which is my last. I’m leaving Thursday, the day before Good Friday, and gettin’ married Saturday. Oh, lor’, I think I’ve already got butterflies. Imagine that. I mean, it’s only Freddy, not the Prince of Wales. Mind, I don’t mind it’s
only
Freddy, because he’s always been devoted, and I’m really quite fond of him.’

‘Yes, I believe the latest gossip is that he’s your beloved,’ said Boots.

‘Oh, that Annabelle,’ said Cassie, ‘I suppose she’s the one who makes gossip stretch all the way from Walworth to Denmark Hill. Oh, what did you mean about hoping to see me?’

‘I’ve something for you,’ said Boots. ‘I understand Sammy’s giving Freddy a wedding cheque for fifty pounds.’

‘Yes, would you believe?’ said Cassie happily. ‘A cheque for all of fifty pounds to put into a bank.’

‘Well, here’s one for you, Cassie,’ said Boots, extracting an envelope from the inside pocket of his jacket. He handed it to her.

‘What d’you mean, one for me?’ said Cassie.

‘A cheque for fifty pounds, Cassie,’ said Boots, ‘from Emily and self to you, with our very best wishes. You’ll make a go of it with Freddy, I’m certain you will, and along with Sammy and Susie, Emily and I want to give the pair of you a good start.’

Cassie stared at the envelope.

‘Fifty pounds for me?’ she breathed, eyes a little misty.

‘You’ll find the cheque inside,’ said Boots.

‘Oh, crikey, I’m overcome,’ said Cassie, ‘I never knew anyone nicer. I could easily marry you if I wasn’t marrying Freddy and you weren’t already married to Em’ly.’

‘Well, as I don’t think it would be a good idea to get rid of either of them,’ said Boots, ‘we’ll have to leave things as they are. Good luck, Cassie, see you at St John’s on Saturday.’