Chapter Twenty-Seven
It was a warm afternoon in August when Selina directed William down the narrow, bumpy track just past Porthcurno village to park outside Arthur and Joan Green’s pretty, thatched cottage.
Stretching wearily, she climbed out of the Wolseley, and peered into the back of the car.
Faith was fast asleep, leaning against her big brother, and Jemima was engrossed in a paperback, none of them aware that they had arrived at their destination.
‘We’re here, sleepyheads!’ she exclaimed. ‘Wakey, wakey!’
Peter, who’d been daydreaming, looked round with a start. This woke Faith, who yawned and rubbed her eyes, while Jemima carefully checked her page number before closing the paperback and peering out of the window.
‘This doesn’t look much like a farm,’ Jemima remarked.
‘That’s because this isn’t Postbridge Farm, silly.’ Peter jumped out of the car, and then turned to help Faith clamber out too. ‘We’re staying with Aunt Selly’s friend tonight, remember? We won’t go to the farm until after the old lady’s wedding tomorrow.’
‘Old lady? That’s Mrs Newton to you,’ Selina exclaimed, stifling a horrified laugh. ‘Soon to be Mrs Bailey, of course.’
Jemima got out of the car, staring past Selina. ‘Is that your friend, Aunt Selly? Look, she’s got a baby!’
Selina turned hurriedly to greet her hostess, who was indeed cradling a baby in her arms. ‘Joan!’ she cried, kissing the curvy, dark-haired young woman on the cheek.
‘Goodness, don’t you look marvellous? Such a glow in your cheeks …
And is this your little one? Caroline wrote to tell me you’d had your baby in June. ’
‘Yes, this is Felix.’ Joan beamed, showing Selina the soft-cheeked young baby she was cuddling. ‘He’s nearly two months old now.’
‘Congratulations!’ Selina stroked the baby’s tiny fist, feeling again that tug of longing to be a mother herself. ‘And how’s Arthur? Has he taken to parenthood or is he still wondering what hit him? All those broken nights …’
‘Oh, we couldn’t be happier,’ Joan assured her, looking tired but ecstatic. ‘Even with having to wake in the night to feed and change him … He’s the most adorable little soul.’
Selina smiled, feeling thrilled for her. ‘I’m sorry we’re so late. Poor William doesn’t know this part of Cornwall very well. I said I’d drive, but he insisted on taking the wheel.’
‘Is that him?’ Joan whispered, looking past her.
Selina turned, smiling. William was indeed coming around the Wolseley, rolling down his crumpled shirtsleeves that had been pushed to his elbows in the summer heat.
‘Yes, this is my fiancé, William MacGregor,’ Selina introduced him shyly. ‘William, this is my good friend Joan, a former Land Girl from Postbridge Farm. We’ve shared many adventures together.’
‘Very good to meet you,’ William said, smiling.
They shook hands. Joan’s eyes were twinkling. ‘Fiancé?’ she repeated. ‘I must be behind the times.’
‘Not at all, we’ve hardly told a soul yet,’ Selina reassured her, and glanced back at the children.
‘In fact,’ she added, lowering her voice, ‘we haven’t even told the children.
So if you could keep it under your hat for the time being?
I was planning to tell them before this visit, as it’s going to mean some changes.
Only, the household has been chaotic as usual, and I’ve barely had time to sit down with them for a proper discussion. ’
‘Of course.’ Joan smiled down at Jemima, who was standing a little forlornly on the grassy track. ‘You must be Jemima. Your aunt has told me all about you. I’m Mrs Green, but you can call me Joan.’ She gazed about at the three children. ‘Would you all like to see your rooms?’
As they all headed towards the house that belonged to Joan’s in-laws, Mr and Mrs Green, Selina said quietly, ‘By the way, thank you for agreeing to this. You’re a brick. There was no room at the farm, and I’m trying to keep a tight rein on the budget. So this is a lifesaver.’
‘It’s my mother-in-law who’s the brick, since we’ve no room in our little cottage. I’m only sorry I couldn’t find a bed for your Mr MacGregor as well.’
Selina bit her lip. ‘Oh, William’s staying in a pub outside the village. We thought it best. You know how people gossip.’
Joan laughed. ‘Don’t I just?’ She threw a glance back at William, who was retrieving their suitcases from the back of his car. ‘I say, he’s rather distinguished-looking. You’ve landed on your feet there. Something of a military bearing too?’
‘He served in a local regiment in the war. Came out of it with a commendation. But he doesn’t like to talk about it.’
‘Arthur’s the same. Though you can hardly blame him.
Poor lamb, he had a dreadful time of it.
But that’s all in the past.’ Joan smiled.
‘Now we have Felix, we’re both looking to the future.
’ She paused. ‘By the way, I daresay you’ll discover this tomorrow, but Violet Postbridge is also in the family way. ’
‘Again? Sounds as though the farm will be busier than ever soon.’ Selina chuckled.
‘You know, it seems only yesterday we were all scrambling about Postbridge Farm in those horrid mustard breeches, getting mucky and exhausted. Terrible times, I suppose. We were always worried about getting blown to bits or Hitler invading, and eating the most disgusting stuff just to stay alive. Yet it’s strange …
When I look back on those days, I only remember the good times, all the laughs we had together. ’
‘Me too,’ Joan agreed, smiling softly.
‘Though I was rather catty to everyone, I’m afraid,’ Selina admitted guiltily. ‘I hope you can forgive me.’
‘I don’t remember you ever being catty,’ Joan assured her, with more tact than truth, Selina felt sure.
‘Where is Arthur, by the way?’ Selina hesitated.
‘I was hoping he might have time for a proper chat with Peter while we’re here.
The boy likes cars, if that’s any use as a starting place.
’ They were nearly at the Greens’ comfortable-looking detached house, which stood in its own grounds with a neatly clipped, low privet hedge leading to the front door.
‘You remember I wrote to you about his expulsion from school?’
‘Yes, and I read your letter out to Arthur, who quite understood.’ There was sympathy in Joan’s kind face.
‘Poor Arthur, he’s been staying out of my way today while I’ve been madly baking cakes.
’ She glanced at Peter, who was bringing up the rear, his hands in his pockets.
‘I say, Peter … Your aunt tells me you know a thing or two about engines. My husband’s messing about with a sidecar that won’t start.
’ She pointed out their little cottage down the lane opposite.
‘I don’t suppose you’d mind giving him a hand? ’
Peter’s face brightened. ‘Rather,’ he agreed readily, and hurried off.
Joan and Selina shared a conspiratorial smile.
‘I’ll carry your bags upstairs, shall I?’ William was peering through the open doorway of the house. ‘Then I’ll go and find that pub where I’m staying tonight.’
‘Good idea, thank you.’ Selina added with a shy smile, ‘But you’ll come back and join us for tea, won’t you? Joan has baked us some cakes.’
‘Sounds perfect.’
An hour later, Selina and Joan were sitting in the sunny cottage garden, catching up with all the latest gossip while baby Felix had a nap in his cot indoors.
Jemima read her paperback on the grass and Faith played games with snapdragons, popping the bright flowers over her fingers to make little creatures that growled at each other.
From the lane beside the cottage came the sound of male voices and spanners as Arthur and Peter tinkered with the sidecar.
From the few words Selina caught, it was clear that Arthur was also talking to the boy about the nature of grief and how it could change people.
Her heart ached for her nephew, who was still coping with the early death of his beloved mother. But he’d improved in recent months, perhaps with William a more frequent visitor to the hall. She rather thought it was a father figure he lacked, but he would surely never admit it.
William returned to join them, and just as Joan was bringing out more tea and cake, Caroline and Tilly came bounding towards them, with Grace sauntering into the garden in a more dignified manner.
Selina jumped up to embrace her dear friend Caroline, and to kiss Tilly on the cheek.
She shook hands with Grace, who didn’t look like the hugging sort.
Or not until one knew her better, at least.
‘How are you all?’ she demanded of the Land Girls with a grin, and was being regaled with their news when a car horn sounded outside in the lane, and more new arrivals soon crowded into the garden.
Selina gasped. ‘Alice!’ she cried, rushing over to greet Violet’s youngest niece, who was wearing a smart linen dress smoothed over a slightly rounded belly. ‘Oh my goodness … Joan’s just had a baby, and now I hear your aunt Violet is also expecting. Not you too?’
‘Blame Patrick,’ Alice grinned.
‘Eh?’ Her husband looked wide-eyed. ‘I seem to recall, my darling, that it was six of one and half a dozen of the other.’ He shook Selina’s hand.
‘Good to see you again. You’re looking very smart.
’ His gaze flicked to William, hovering nearby, and he added in a murmur, ‘And that must be the solicitor. Alice has been gossiping on the telephone to Caroline, you understand.’
Blushing, Selina shook her head at them both. ‘Stop it … Anyway, congratulations. Everyone, but everyone, seems to be producing babies at the moment. What on earth is going on?’
‘Britain’s repopulation programme, of course,’ William said calmly, leaning in to shake Alice’s and Patrick’s hands. ‘It’s not unexpected, only nature redressing a balance. Hello, I’m William MacGregor, pleased to meet you both.’