25
WAKING UP AFTER a very sound night’s sleep, Nora felt better. She was hungry but reluctant to eat, in case it made her feel sick again. She rang down to the hotel reception, organised a late check-out and then made herself a cup of tea and went back to bed, sipping the tea and nibbling on a biscuit while she watched some morning television.
After half an hour or so, she decided perhaps it would be best to drive back to Croftwood while she felt better. She called Val to let her know.
‘If you’ve got a bug, it’s always nicer to be in your own bed. Are you sure you’re alright to drive?’
‘Yes, I feel okay and I haven’t been sick today.’
‘That’s a relief. I was half wondering whether you might be pregnant!’ Val laughed.
Nora laughed too. ‘Not much chance of that.’
‘That’s what you say, but you and the lord have been busy.’
It was true, but Nora had been on the pill for years and had never even had a scare. ‘Thank god for reliable contraception, is what I say.’
‘Look after yourself. Better still, get the lord to look after you. See you when you’re better. Want me to get Neil to send pictures of your pots?’
‘No, that’s okay. It’s more exciting seeing them in person.’
‘I know. You’re bonkers. I’d be desperate to know if they’d survived the kiln or not.’
‘It’s all part of the fun. Got to go.’
A wave of nausea hit and Nora ran to the bathroom, but then it passed. She shouldn’t have eaten the biscuit. She went back to bed and, when she felt better, she made another cup of very sweet tea. It was a long time since she’d felt as rough as this, but then there had been lots of norovirus outbreaks reported on the news. Perhaps it was a mild version of that.
Playing it safe, she headed back to Croftwood on the A and B roads rather than the motorway, so that she could pull over if she felt ill. As it was, she made it back without any further episodes of nausea. But she felt exhausted and fell into bed as soon as she got back.
It was dark when she woke. She heard the front door open and then Archie called up the stairs.
‘Come up!’ she called, snuggling under the covers to wait for him.
‘Oh, my love,’ he said, sitting on the bed next to her, his hand automatically feeling her forehead for a fever. ‘Are you still feeling poorly?’
‘I feel okay, actually. I’m just a bit tired.’
‘Have you eaten yet?’
‘No, and I’m starving. Have you?’
He shook his head. ‘I had a sandwich earlier. Mama’s gone to her knitting circle tonight and they were having pizza delivered.’
‘I can’t imagine Constance tucking into pizza,’ Nora giggled.
‘Neither can I. Let me conjure up some food for us while you get up,’ he said, patting the duvet in the general area of her arm. ‘Unless you’d like a tray?’
‘No. I’m getting up.’ She pulled Archie down for a hug. ‘I’ve missed you.’
‘I’ve missed you too.’
‘I miss being in Dorset together. I loved that so much.’
‘I know.’ He kissed her nose. Nora didn’t blame him. She’d avoid a proper kiss too if she were him.
When Archie had disappeared back downstairs, she got up and pulled on some jogging bottoms, a voluminous hoody and her favourite pair of fluffy socks and ventured down after him.
‘Have I got any food?’ She sat at the kitchen table while Archie busied himself at the stove.
‘Will beans and cheese on toast do?’ he asked over his shoulder.
‘Ooh, yes. Lovely.’
A few minutes later, Archie presented two plates of steaming hot beans on toast with grated cheese that was melting into the beans.
‘I always forget how much I enjoy beans on toast,’ said Nora. ‘It’s delicious.’
‘Any plans for the weekend?’
‘No, apart from hanging out with you. Maybe we could go out for brunch with Hilary and Toby.’
‘Actually, I need to talk to you about the weekend. My sister and her family are coming to stay.’
‘Oh, brilliant,’ Nora said, smiling enthusiastically. ‘Well, why don’t we all go?’ She’d been looking forward to meeting the elusive Betsy.
Archie shook his head. ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea.’
‘Why?’
‘Because she’s not like you. She won’t fit in with what we’ve arranged. She’d want to change the plans to suit her and the whole thing would turn into a nightmare for all of us.’
Nora was surprised to hear Archie talk like this. As an only child, she’d always longed for a brother or sister and so found it odd when siblings didn’t get on. He’d mentioned that his sister was high maintenance, but she’d thought he was joking.
‘What do you usually do when she visits?’
‘Survive.’
‘Archie. It can’t be that bad.’
He looked at her with a resigned expression. ‘You’ll see. She wants to meet you and Mama says she’s keen to talk about the vase.’
‘What about the vase?’
‘I think she wants some of the money.’
‘It’s as good as spent, isn’t it?’
‘Yes, but I don’t think Betsy will take that very well.’
Nora put her knife and fork down. ‘I’m looking forward to meeting your sister. But I’m going to find it very difficult not to stick up for you if she starts demanding things like that. It’s none of my business, I know that, but selling that vase hasn’t added to the personal wealth of you or Constance and so Betsy shouldn’t be expecting that for herself. You’re using the money to enhance the assets that she may one day inherit.’
‘I suppose she will feel that the vase belongs to the family,’ Archie said weakly.
‘It belongs to you. It’s kind of you to consider the wishes of Constance and your sister, but at the end of the day, you’re the one who inherited. And you are the one carrying the burden of the estate on your shoulders, not Betsy. So don’t let her waltz in for the weekend and call the shots.’ She’d gone too far. She was sure of it. It wasn’t her place to tell Archie how to manage his family. She would never truly understand the position he was in, and she acknowledged that. But at the same time, it filled her with rage that his sister was so intent on material gain that she’d put that ahead of Archie’s priorities, which in the main were preserving her family’s legacy. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘It’s not my place to tell you how to deal with your sister, or anything else for that matter.’
Nora slipped onto Archie’s lap for a cuddle.
‘You’re right, though. Everything you’ve said is absolutely right. And I want to tell her that, but it’s so hard. I regress into being a pushover, unable to stand up for myself whenever I’m around her.’
‘It’s important to make her understand,’ Nora said, trying to take the aggression out of her tone. ‘It’s too much for her to expect any more than she already has. You could threaten to start charging her a nominal rent for the London flat.’
Archie buried his head in Nora’s shoulder and laughed. ‘God. Are you trying to start a war?’
‘No. As I said, nothing to do with me.’ What was wrong with her? She couldn’t let it go. ‘I don’t want to see you being railroaded into things by someone who’s supposed to love you.’
‘If you’re there, perhaps she won’t.’
‘Are you planning to use me as a human shield against your sister?’
‘Yes. Is that alright?’
‘I’ll do whatever I can to help. But it’s probably best if I leave the talking to you.’
‘Perhaps.’ He kissed her nose again.
‘Or maybe we’ll get on like a house on fire and be best friends forever.’
The following day, Nora was still too under the weather to feel like swimming. Archie had stayed over and unusually, they had actually slept rather than talk late into the night or make love.
‘Morning, my love. How are you today?’ Archie said, setting a cup of tea down on the bedside table. ‘I popped a teaspoon of sugar in there to give you a bit of a boost.’
‘Thank you. It’s ridiculous, but I still feel quite tired,’ she said, yawning.
‘Why don’t you have your tea and then go back to sleep? I must go and see how the roofers are getting on. Oh, I forgot to tell you. The chimney pots fitted a treat. Simon the roofer was incredibly impressed. Look.’
He pulled his phone out and showed her a photo of the chimney pots in situ.
‘Your chimneys are so beautiful. I’d love to go up and have a closer look sometime.’
‘I can arrange that. Let’s wait until the roofers have finished, though. You’ll be feeling better by then.’
‘I hope so.’ She was desperate to get back to the pottery so she could concentrate on fulfilling her latest order.
‘Look, there’s no need for you to meet Betsy this time. I can make your apologies. Perhaps we’ll go to London for a weekend instead.’
‘No, I’ll be fine later,’ Nora said. She had been yesterday, and at least she wasn’t feeling so sick anymore. ‘I think I must have had a bug, and it’s wiped me out. I want to come and hang out with you this weekend. And your sister.’
‘Liar. But thank you from the bottom of my heart.’
Thankfully, by the time Nora and Archie got to the Court later on, Betsy and her family had not arrived. Constance was sitting in the drawing room perched on the edge of a sofa but craning her neck so that she could see the driveway.
‘Archie, Nora. I’m so relieved you’ve arrived ahead of Betsy,’ she said.
‘I think we’re all a little on edge,’ said Archie, bending down to kiss her on the cheek.
‘Is there anything I can do?’ Nora asked.
‘Ursula has it all in hand, but thank you for offering. How are you feeling? Archie said you’ve been under the weather.’
‘Much better today, thanks,’ Nora said, not sure it was true now that she’d had to go to the effort to get ready and leave the house. ‘It was only a twenty-four-hour thing.’
‘They’re here, your Lordship,’ Ursula said, popping her head around the door.
‘Best foot forward, Mama,’ Archie said, offering Constance his arm.
Nora followed them, finding it intriguing that they were both dreading the visit.
A huge black Range Rover had pulled up outside the front door. The passenger door opened and Betsy climbed out. Nora’s first impression was that she was glossy. She looked expensive in the way that only certain people who had been privileged their whole lives could.
‘Mama!’ She headed for Constance, who did a good job of looking pleased to see her daughter. They kissed on both cheeks, and then Betsy turned to Nora, ignoring Archie entirely.
‘You must be Nora. It’s wonderful to meet you,’ she gushed, enveloping Nora in a cloud of expensive perfume as she leant in and air-kissed her.
‘It’s lovely to meet you, Betsy,’ said Nora. Archie had started helping Caspar to unload the boot. There was already an enormous pile of luggage and baby paraphernalia stacked beside them.
‘Have you over-packed, darling?’ Constance said.
‘It’s mostly Florence’s. Caspar! Can you get Florence out of the car?’ she snapped at her husband. Then, when he didn’t put down the bag he was unloading in the two seconds since she’d asked, she sighed and flounced back to the car. ‘Florence, we’re at Granny’s house,’ she said, taking the child out of her car seat and carrying her over to Constance. ‘Say hello to Granny.’
Florence hid her face in her mother’s shoulder, then peeked out shyly.
‘I can see you,’ Nora said in a sing-song voice, remembering Val doing something similar when one of the women at the pottery had bought their grandchild in to visit. That child had thought it was a brilliant game, and Florence thought the same. She hid her face, then looked at Nora again, smiling, waiting for the game to start again.
‘I can see you,’ said Nora, then ducked behind Betsy to trick Florence into thinking she’d disappeared. Florence looked for her and then Nora said ‘Boo!’ from behind her and she started chuckling in the marvellous way that babies do.
‘Oh, Nora, she loves that game, don’t you Florence?’ said Constance.
‘Please don’t get her overexcited. She needs to go down for a nap,’ said Betsy, striding into the house. ‘Caspar! Bring the cot in first!’
Constance rolled her eyes at Nora. ‘And so it begins,’ she said.
Nora followed them back into the house, trying not to cringe when Betsy started interrogating Ursula about what sheets had been put on the bed they’d be sleeping in.
‘Can you help bring the luggage in, Ursula?’ Betsy said.
‘No need, Ursula,’ said Constance, out of earshot of Betsy. ‘If you could make a pot of tea, though I’d be grateful.’
Ursula, equally grateful, escaped downstairs while Constance headed back into the drawing room. Nora went outside to help ferry everything in.
‘Caspar, this is my partner, Nora,’ said Archie.
‘Lovely to meet you, Nora,’ said Caspar, beaming at her despite the weariness emanating from him. ‘Sorry for descending on you.’
‘Not at all,’ said Archie, clapping him on the back. ‘It’s always nice to see you.’