A Family Holiday (7 page)

‘Melvyn Halsey, Chiropractor. What do I need that for?’

‘Job, Duh? Their nanny is having a baby. They’ve got two girls… no two boys… or is it one of each? Anyway they’ve got two children and they’ll soon need a new nanny and they only live ten minutes away from me, so it would be perfect.’

Charlie gazed at the business card. This was her get-out clause; the easy answer. ‘Um, thanks,’ she said, stuffing it into her jeans pocket and trying to halt all the questions it was triggering in her mind. Was this the point where she made a decision? She could wish the children well and walk into a new job. That would be the sensible thing to do. She’d worked hard to get her life on track and this would be another step in the right direction, with another professional family on her CV. Or she could risk everything and fight for the children she loved.

‘Pa will give you a reference because, well, the Cobleys can’t.’

Charlie felt a wave of grief come over her. Why did the Cobleys have to die? Why did everything that was so perfect have to change? She lay back on the grass and fought hard to stop the tears she knew were brimming in her eyes.

They had to visit the Joy of Life Fountain before they left the park, as Millie always loved to hurl coins in. Charlie already had a few pennies in her pocket in anticipation. The others usually wandered off when they got to the fountain, but today they all took a penny from Charlie, tossed them in and stood silently. Charlie wondered what wishes they were making and if any of them could possibly come true. Millie asked for another coin and this time did an impressive over-arm lob and narrowly missed Fleur.

‘I bet your wish was that you weren’t standing in Millie’s firing line,’ joked George.

Charlie flipped in a coin and watched it disappear under the water. Her wish was a simple one – she wished she knew what to do.

The walk back was definitely more upbeat, the children seemed to have perked up at the thought of returning to school and it was good to feel that they were taking steps in the right direction, even though they were baby ones. Ted was still looking slouchy but even he had a fleeting smile on his face. Charlie started to mentally go through all the school things she would need to get ready for tomorrow. She would also get Millie back into her toddler groups, which she knew she had been missing. That would also mean that Charlie was back in her old routine and she felt a great wave of comfort at the thought of it and realised that this must have been the same for the children.

‘Is that people at the house?’ asked Fleur, pointing up the road to where two figures were standing on the steps.

Charlie squinted. ‘Oh great, it’s Ruth and she’s got some woman with her.’

‘Hello,’ said Charlie, turning to the smiley woman wearing a funny little brown hat with a gold letter N on it, a white-edged beige dress and white gloves. Charlie couldn’t help grinning, but it was more in response to the outfit than the woman’s smile. ‘Children, say hi,’ added Charlie, as they streamed up the steps.

There was a mumbled chorus of ‘Hi’.

Charlie opened the front door and the children trooped in followed by Fleur. Charlie turned to address Ruth and the oddly dressed woman.

‘I’m Charlie,’ she said, offering the woman her hand to shake, which she did enthusiastically.

‘Hello! I’m Sally.’

Charlie nodded and looked to Ruth for an explanation. Ruth was looking rather smug. ‘Sally is a Norland Nanny, and actually
…
shall we go inside?’ said Ruth, stepping past a stunned Charlie and into the house. Charlie took a moment to get the sudden rush of emotions in check before following them inside.

‘What’s going on?’ whispered Ted, as his eyes followed the Norland Nanny.

‘I think this is a hostile takeover,’ said Charlie, handing all the picnic stuff to him, which he took and put on the floor at his feet.

‘Edward could you show Sally round the house while I speak to Charlie?’ asked Ruth. Ted looked to Charlie and she nodded that he should do as he’d been asked.

‘I know this will come as a shock,’ said Ruth, handing Charlie an envelope, ‘but I think you’ll find I’ve been more than generous.’

Charlie said nothing but she felt sick. She tore open the envelope and as she opened the letter that was inside a cheque floated to the floor. Fleur picked up the cheque as Charlie scanned the typed letter. There was lots of jargon and long words but the two things that hit her were ‘one week’s notice’ and ‘terminating your employment’.

‘Ooh, this is good, Charlie, look,’ said Fleur, trying to distract Charlie with the cheque. Charlie closed her eyes for a moment, reviewed her ‘Kipper List’, and proceeded, in her mind’s eye, to whack Ruth with a kipper. When she felt she was in control she opened her eyes again as Ted and Sally returned to the hall.

‘It’s a lovely house. It’s a shame I’m only here as a stopgap for a permanent placement. I would like the en-suite room, if that’s possible?’ said Sally.

Charlie turned to her and spoke slowly and deliberately. ‘That’s the Cobley’s bedroom. I don’t think that’s appropriate.’

‘Right, well. I only wanted to serve you your notice and introduce Sally to the children, so we’ll be off,’ said Ruth, her tone jolly. ‘Bye, children.’

‘Hang on,’ said Charlie. ‘If you’re sacking me you need a reason.’

‘You can’t do that!’ said Ted, before turning to Charlie. ‘She can’t do that, can she?’

‘Your friend, Charlie, is not all she pretends to be,’ said Ruth to Ted, before leaning towards Charlie. ‘I know about your past and because of that I can dismiss you without notice. But, like I said, I think you’ll find I’ve been more than generous in the circumstances.’

Charlie slowly sucked in a steadying breath. ‘Ruth I am going to call the solicitor and take advice from him about this situation. Would you both like a cup of tea?’ asked Charlie, looking from Ruth to Sally and back again. Ruth was eyeing Charlie suspiciously, perhaps this wasn’t the reaction she was expecting or hoping for.

On Charlie’s suggestion Ted took Ruth and Sally into the living room whilst Charlie and Fleur went to the kitchen. Fleur put the kettle on.

‘This has worked out quite well,’ said Fleur, distracting Charlie from dialling the solicitor’s number.

‘What?’

‘You can leave here with a big fat cheque, have a few weeks’ holiday away somewhere, then start the new job. I’d say that’s great timing!’

Charlie blinked hard. She was tired and she did need a holiday, but what she wanted above everything was a family holiday like the ones she used to go on when the Cobleys were alive, not a week on her own. ‘Fleur, the children need me.’

Fleur gave a reticent smile. ‘Perhaps it’s time to give in gracefully?’ she said, taking Charlie’s hand and giving it a supportive squeeze. ‘Ruth’s got a Norland Nanny for the children. They don’t come any better than that, Charlie. The Royal Family have Norland Nannies. Ooh, I wonder if Sally has met the Queen…’

Charlie shook her head and left Fleur to make the tea and prattle on while she phoned Jonathan Steeple. Thankfully he was available and was quick to respond once Charlie had read him the letter.

‘The guardianship has not been formally agreed and Miss Talbot does not have the authority to terminate your employment,’ said Jonathan, and Charlie felt relief wash over her, although she still felt quite sick.

‘Thank you. That’s brilliant news. Now what do we do about Miss Talbot and her Nanny, who are sitting in the living room?’

‘Let me speak to her, would you?’ asked Jonathan.

‘With pleasure,’ said Charlie, as she hurried Fleur and two clinking cups and saucers up the stairs. They entered the living room and Fleur put the drinks on the low table and sat on the sofa to watch the proceedings. Sally was perched on the edge of a chair, looking uncomfortable, and her cup and saucer rattled when she picked them up.

‘Ruth, I have Jonathan Steeple on the phone and he would like to speak to you,’ said Charlie, as she tried to hand her the phone.

‘I do not wish to speak to him.’

Charlie thrust the phone towards her. ‘I think you should.’

Ruth picked up her cup and saucer and Charlie now had nowhere to hand the phone to. She spoke into the receiver, ‘She won’t speak to you. What should I do?’

Jonathan suggested that she put the phone on loudspeaker, which she did, and she placed it on the coffee table near Ruth.

‘Miss French is employed legally by the Cobley Executors. They and only they can terminate her employment and…’ started Jonathan.

‘Unless that employment was based on lies,’ said Ruth, before taking a sip of her tea.

‘Hold on, Jonathan,’ said Charlie. ‘What lies, Ruth?’

‘You have been in trouble with the police. If my sister had known that she would not have employed you. Therefore you got this job on false pretences; therefore you have breached the terms of your employ. I spoke to a solicitor too.’ Charlie’s head started to spin and she sat down on the sofa with an inelegant thump. All the old memories and emotions so well buried surged up and momentarily took her breath away.

Ted was sitting forward, looking worried. ‘Is that true?’

Charlie swallowed hard and tried to compose herself. ‘It is true about me being in trouble a very long time ago, yes. But your parents were aware of my background and they employed me knowing that.’

‘I can vouch for that,’ said Fleur. ‘My parents introduced Charlie to the Cobleys and they are the most honest people on the planet. I can call them if you like?’

There was a moment where everyone’s eyes were darting around the room but nobody spoke. Eventually there was a noise from the telephone and they all tuned back in to Jonathan.

‘There is no reason to believe that Mr and Mrs Cobley were not aware of Miss French’s record and I repeat that legally only the executors can dismiss her. We should have been consulted before you did this, Miss Talbot, and…

Charlie cut in and addressed Ruth, ‘And you should leave before I call the police and have you removed,’ said Charlie, her face starting to colour. She picked up the phone and took it off loudspeaker. ‘Thank you, Mr Steeple, you’ve been ace, good-bye.’ Charlie ended the call.

Sally looked shocked and placed her rattling cup and saucer back on the table. ‘I should leave,’ said Sally, standing up and facing Ruth. ‘Good-bye, Miss Talbot, perhaps we should speak once these issues have been resolved,’ she added, before heading for the door double-quick.

‘Good decision, Sally. Lovely to meet you. Nice hat,’ said Charlie.

‘This isn’t over,’ said Ruth, rising to her feet. ‘I will not rest while these children are in the care of a convict.’

Fleur was pleased to be back in her own little car, albeit crawling along the M25. She was even more pleased to find that her car was still in one piece and had all its wheels, but she had known that the neighbourhood watch were a vigilant lot. There had been a surprise; there was a note left on her car. At first she had held it in her hands, a little afraid to open it, assuming that the message inside would be something abusive. But the only way to find out was to unfold and read it. As soon as she opened out the scrap of white paper she recognised Rob’s slopey handwriting. She read the note and looked around, expecting to see him appear nearby or to be watching her from a window. But he wasn’t there. His car wasn’t there either.

As she drove home, Fleur was still trying to work out if the note was a nice surprise or not. She turned up her latest favourite song and sang along. She glanced across at the passenger seat and the small, simple white business card with its blue edging. Maybe she shouldn’t have taken it without checking with Charlie, but it was Charlie who had told her to take control, to show her parents that she could sort out her own problems. She had even told her to get a solicitor, and there on a shelf in the Cobley’s hall had been their solicitor’s business card and from the loudspeaker Mr Steeple had sounded like he knew what he was doing and he had a nice voice, which made him ideal, in Fleur’s view.

As soon as she got home she had to have a much-needed talk with her parents. Charlie was right, she needed to be in charge of her own life and a good start would be to come clean about last night’s escapade. Fleur knew she was drifting in life, the sudden void after the wedding had told her that and it had to stop. The question was, if she wasn’t drifting, what was she doing? And right now Fleur had absolutely no idea.

Charlie hated the feeling that she was fast running out of options and after some thought she decided that it might be worth a call to Ted’s birth father. The last thing she wanted to do was split the family up, but if there was anything that held the merest possibility it was worth checking out.

‘Anthony Penton,’ said the brusque male voice.

‘Hello. You don’t know me, but I’m Charlie, Helen and Toby Cobley’s nanny. Have you got a minute?’

‘Not really.’

‘But it’s important…’ started Charlie, but Anthony Penton talked over her.

‘Fine. I’ll call you back,’ he said and the line went dead. Charlie stared at the phone, thinking what an unpleasant man and wondering exactly when, or even if, he would bother to call her back when the phone rang.

‘Hello,’ said Charlie, noting the ‘number withheld’ message on the small screen. She was half expecting it to be a telesales call, which she now particularly hated as they didn’t always seem to understand when Charlie told them that ‘Mr and Mrs Cobley had both died.’

‘Anthony Penton. You’ve got five minutes.’

Oh, you are a complete delight, thought Charlie, I’m so glad something pricked my conscience and I called you. ‘Okay. I’m very sorry to have to tell you that Helen and Toby died in a car accident a couple of months ago.’ Charlie paused to give him time to digest the sad information. He may have been bolshie to start with but she knew this would come as a shock. But apparently Anthony Penton didn’t need time to digest what she’d said as he came straight back in the same business-like tone.

‘I see. I don’t know what I thought you were going to say but it definitely wasn’t that.’

‘I’m sorry,’ said Charlie and she meant it. This man must have loved Helen once, so it couldn’t have been easy for him to hear.

‘So how does this affect me?’

‘Social Services said I should inform you. There’s a lot of confusion over who will be guardian for the children, but it was Helen’s wish that they should all be kept together. There’s four of them,’ she said, trying to mimic his unemotional tone and failing badly. ‘That includes your child, Ted,’ she added in haste, just in case that wasn’t blindingly obvious.

‘Thank you for letting me know,’ he said and this was followed by a long pause, which Charlie filled by silently waving her right arm in circles like a prompter on a film set.

‘Is that it?’ she said at last.

‘As far as I can tell, there is nothing for me to do. Do tell me if I’m wrong.’

‘Maybe there isn’t anything for you to
do
. But your child has been orphaned…’ as she said the word she knew it wasn’t technically correct, but to hell with it, she was on a roll now, ‘so I guess I thought that you might want to know how he was feeling.’ A chilly silence ensued. There was a brief sigh from Anthony’s end and Charlie pulled the phone away from her ear to give it a stern look.

‘How is he?’ asked Anthony, at last starting to sound a little uncomfortable.

‘Not great, he’s recently lost his parents, who loved him very much.’ Charlie couldn’t help herself. She was trying very hard not to turn completely unreasonable but she knew it wouldn’t take much. After the events of the last few days the emotions had been building up inside her.

‘Quite. Look, Charlie was it? I don’t do kids. I don’t know the person you’re talking about. I’m not about to give you my life story, but Helen and I went our separate ways after university. It was her decision to have the baby and she wanted to do it alone.’

‘Because it’s every woman’s dream to be a single parent?’ she said. Or because you were, and apparently still are, a useless, unfeeling tosser, she added silently?

‘Thank you for calling. You’ve done what Social Services asked you to do, but let’s leave things as they are. I don’t know if you thought this would be a long-lost family reunion opportunity but I can assure you that it isn’t and it never will be. Am I making myself clear?’ he said with a firmness that sent Charlie’s irritation level up another notch.

‘Perfectly,’ she said, with as much venom as she could inject into the all-too-short word. She put the phone back on its holder with force and it gave a friendly chirrup of acknowledgement. The ‘Kipper List’ had a new starring member.

Charlie was about to tidy up when she was aware of a figure in the doorway. She turned around to see Ted standing there.