(11/20) Farther Afield (23 page)

'Poor fellow,' said Mr Partridge sincerely. 'I heard he had been injured. He's lucky to have such a good wife to nurse him back to health.'

If he had added: 'And to his responsibilities as a married man,' I should not have been surprised. Clearly, the vicar knew exactly what had been happening at Bent.

One morning, during half-term, I was surprised and pleased to have a visit from Amy.

'Mrs Bennett's back,' she explained. 'Still a trifle wobbly, but it means I can get out now and again. James is in bed most of the day, so he's not in the way of Mrs Bennett's Hoover.'

She presented me with a splendid bunch of late chrysanthemums.

'By the way, you were right about Vanessa. She rang the very same night that we saw the photograph of Gerard and Hattie. I don't know if she was putting on a stout act, or whether she was genuinely pleased, but I must say she sounded so.'

I could afford to be magnanimous in the face of this.

'Well, naturally, as an aunt, you would be more anxious about Vanessa's feelings than I needed to be. But I always thought that Gerard's manner was more
avuncular
than
amatory.
'

'At Gerard's age,' commented Amy, 'it might well be both. He is practically the same age as James.'

We seemed to be treading close to dangerous ground.

'What did Vanessa say?' I asked hastily.

'Well, it seems that Gerard had confided to Vanessa his hopes of wooing Hattie some time ago. You remember she bought that house near the hotel? Evidently he was a constant visitor. Of course, all this is Vanessa's story, you understand. She may well be putting a good front on a somewhat humiliating episode.'

'I don't think so for a minute,' I said stoutly.

'He knew Hattie years ago. In fact, it was his friend who cut him out, so Vanessa says, which is why he's never married. It's rather romantic, isn't it, to think of him being faithful for all those years?'

'Maybe he didn't meet anyone he liked.'

'Trust you to throw cold water on any small fire of passion,' observed Amy, but she was smiling.

'I'm very glad it's ended this way,' I told her. 'Hattie May was always a darling, and the more I see of Gerard the better I like him. I look forward to meeting them both.'

'And so you shall,' declared Amy, 'for I'm inviting them down for a weekend as soon as James has properly recovered.'

She looked at me speculatively, as if weighing up something in her mind. I wondered what was worrying her.

'Have some coffee?' I suggested.

Amy shook her head.

'Not at the moment, thanks. I just wanted to let you know how things have worked out for James and me. You were such a help, when I was in the depths. It's only right that you should know the end of the story.'

'Amy,' I protested, 'there's absolutely no need!'

'Don't get alarmed! I shan't tell you any details that might bring a blush to your maiden cheek, I assure you.'

'Thank God for that! You know I hear far too many confidences for my peace of mind as a spinster.'

Amy looked suddenly contrite.

'I hope I didn't burden you too desperately,' she said, in a low voice. 'Perhaps I imposed on you as thoughtlessly as so many others do. I'm sorry.'

'Your troubles are quite different,' I said. 'And if two old friends like us can't help each other in a fix, it's a pity. You rallied to my support when I needed it. I hope I helped a little when things were tough with you. So, rattle away, and tell me what happened. Of course I want to know. It's just that I don't want you to feel obliged to
Tell All.
'

Amy laughed.

'Well, poor James has had long enough to think about things. I was careful not to press him too much. It was plain that he was desperately unhappy, and one evening after we were back at home he volunteered the information that Jane's affections had been cooling for some time. In fact, it was for this reason that he had insisted on taking her away for the week-end to see if they couldn't make things up. I think he was feeling pretty silly too, as he had asked me for a divorce, and now the girl was about to ditch him.'

'But surely, it would have been more sensible to have broken with Jane then, rather than pursue her further?'

Being sensible is not the usual state of mind when a man's in love. Especially a middle-aged man. And you know James! Love him as I do, I face the fact that he is a terrible show-off, and always has been. The handmade shoes, the vastly expensive suits, the fast cars – they're all the dreary old status symbols that James loves to play with. They've never impressed me particularly, as he well knows, and perhaps that's where I have been wrong – in letting him see that I have simply indulged his weakness for his toys instead of letting him think I'm dazzled by them. Well, we live and learn, and we've both learnt the hard way these last few months.'

'It's over now,' I said consolingly.

'Yes, I think it is, as far as our natures will allow it to be. If only we'd had children, I think we should have escaped some of this damage.'

'There would have been other risks. They might have turned out unsatisfactorily in one way or another, and I think that's harder to bear than any result of one's own actions.'

Amy nodded and sighed.

'I suppose the old saying that man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward, is pretty true. However, our particular trouble had a funny side.'

'Tell me.'

'Well, on the day of the accident, evidently, Jane was being remarkably offhand and James was doing his best to impress her as they drove – much too fast, I gather – down to Devon. According to him, she picked a quarrel about the best route to take, and was actually tugging at his arm when he was turning right, shouting that it was the wrong road.'

'I think there may be some truth in this. James isn't a liar about matters of this sort, and it's unlike him to have missed seeing the van coming up behind him. He drives much too fast, I always think, but he prides himself on being a good driver, and really he is.'

'So she may have caused the accident?'

'Who's to say? Anyway, she was furious with him. I heard a bit about her behaviour from the hospital staff. And she wouldn't answer the telephone when James tried to ring her. After some time, he began to accept the position, and it was then that he told me all about it.'

'Was he very miserable?'

'I think he'd begun to get over that. Let's say he was beginning to be more clear-headed, and to face the fact that he'd behaved badly. Also, that he was well out of a situation which would have been distinctly uncomfortable. Jane's mother, I gather, is a holy terror.

'Anyway, recovery was complete last week when a letter came from Jane. I've brought it for you to read.'

'Oh no!' I demurred. 'I'm sure James would be horrified if he knew you'd shown it to me!'

'Not he! Here, take it.'

She handed over the sheet of bright blue paper. In a large schoolgirl scrawl was Jane's final communication, presumably, to James.

It said:

"Dear James,

This is to give in my notice. I don't want to set foot in that office again, or to see you.

My mother says I should sue you for damages, but I've told her I don't want anything more to do with you. I must have been mad to waste my time with someone so old and dotty he can't even drive.

Jane

P.S. Yesterday I got engaged to Teddy Thimblemere in Accounts and we are getting married at Christmas."

'And how did James take that?' I asked, handing it back.

'He lay back on the pillow with his eyes closed, and then he began to shake. I was quite worried, until I realised it was with laughter. He laughed until the tears ran down his cheeks, and of course that set me laughing too! You should have heard the hullabaloo, and poor James gasping for breath, and saying: "Oh God, my poor ribs hurt so!" And me, wiping my eyes, and saying: "Try
not
to laugh, darling, you'll burst something!" And, after a bit, he would quieten down, and then remember some particular phrase like "so old and dotty he can't even drive", and double up all over again. It did us both a world of good!'

'Not enough laughter about these days,' I agreed.

'It's as good a healer as time,' said Amy, putting the letter into her bag. 'That little bout certainly restored us to happier days.'

'And so, all's well again?'

'As well as one can expect in an imperfect world,' said Amy. 'I daresay James will recover enough to turn to look at a pretty girl again, when he's had his nose patched up and a false tooth put in the gap. And no doubt I shall be as bossy and bitchy as I am at times. But somehow, I feel sure, nothing quite so serious will ever happen again.'

'I'm glad you told me,' I said. 'I like a happy ending.'

'Then let's have that coffee,' said Amy.

A week or so later, I was talking to Mr Willet in the playground after school, when a long low sports car of inordinate length drew up outside the school house.

It was a dashing vehicle, bright yellow in colour, with enormous headlamps and one of those back windows on top of the car like a skylight. The bonnet seemed about six feet in length, and the whole thing was dazzlingly polished.

'My word,' said Mr Willet, with awe, 'that must've cost a pretty penny! One of your millionaire friends droppin' in?'

'Strangers to me,' I was saying, when the door by the passenger's seat opened, and Vanessa emerged.

'Hello!' I welcomed her. 'How lovely to see you!'

'We're on our way to see Aunt Amy,' said Vanessa, kissing me, and enveloping me in fair hair and expensive scent. 'And this is Torquil.'

An enormous young man disengaged himself from the interior of the car, and shook my hand so warmly that I wondered if I should ever be able to part my fingers again. He was so good-looking, however, that I readily forgave him, and they came with me into the sitting room.

I thought I had never seen Vanessa quite so lively. It was quite apparent that Gerard's affairs were not worrying her.

On the contrary, she spoke of his marriage with the greatest joy

'Wasn't it fun? That's really why he was off to town last time we called. He really deserves someone as nice as Hattie. He's so
kind
! I can't tell you how good he's been to me. I've
always
asked his advice about
everything,
and he's never failed me. And see what else he did?'

She gazed fondly upon Torquil, who gazed back in an equally besotted fashion.

'He introduced me to Torquil. And here, you see, we are! Just engaged!'

I hastened to congratulate them.

'We're not sure if we're on our heads or our heels,' said the young man. 'We rang Vanessa's father and mother last night, and we're going to stay there over the week-end.'

'And I said,' broke in Vanessa, 'we simply
must
call on you on the way, and Aunt Amy, because we wanted you to know before it was in the paper.'

'Well, I call it uncommonly nice of you,' I said, 'and I very much appreciate it. When will the wedding be?'

'Tomorrow,' said Torquil, 'if I had my way.'

'Dear thing!' said Vanessa indulgently. 'Probably early in the New Year.'

'As long as that?' exclaimed the young man.

I asked them to have a drink in celebration, but they looked at the clock, and each other, and said that they must go.

They fitted themselves skilfully into the gorgeous car. I kissed Vanessa, and kept my hands out of the way as I wished Torquil goodbye.

The car roared away. Mr Willet, who was carrying a bucket of coke to make up the stoves for the night, set it down, and pushed his cap to the back of his head with a black hand.

'You was cut out, I see,' he observed. 'That young lady saw him first.'

Sadly, I had to agree.

Three days later, Amy rang me.

'Have you seen the paper? And I
don't
mean
The Caxley Chronicle
!'

'Why? Is Vanessa's engagement in it?'

'Yes. Have you read it?'

'I had an accident with the paper today.'

'How do you mean?'

'I muddled it up with yesterday's, and gave it to the children to tear up for papier mâché bowls.'

'Really! The things you do! Sometimes I despair of you!'

'I despair of myself.'

'Well, listen! I'll read it to you.

"The engagement is announced between Torquil Ian Angus, only son of Wing Commander and Mrs Bruce Cameron of Blairlochinnie Castle, Ayrshire, and Vanessa Clare, only daughter of Mr and Mrs Charles Hunt of Hampstead, London."

'And will she live at Blair Tiddlywinks Castle?'

'Not for a long time. Torquil's father is in splendid health, I gather, and I don't think the banks and braes are altogether to Torquil's taste just yet. You know what he does?'

'No.'

'He's a band leader. And fairly rolling in money. No, I think London will be the place for those two for the next few years anyway.'