A Summer Promise (17 page)

‘It seems disappearing is his long suit,’ Maddy said ruefully. ‘He certainly isn’t lazy – he works extremely hard in the kitchen garden, for instance – but he’s a past master at the art of melting into the landscape. And you’re right – I saw him several times too, but then he did his disappearing trick, though I do believe he “disappeared” some sausages at the same time. Still, I’m sure Alice’s uncle and aunt won’t grudge the O’Hallorans and my gran a few sausages.’ She felt as though she was floating on a sea of dreams, and when she said so and Tom tightened his hold around her waist she knew a moment of pure happiness. She looked up into the dark bowl of the sky above her. ‘Have you ever seen the sky so dark or the stars so big?’ she asked softly. ‘I never have, and I’m the one who shuts the poultry up each evening so that the fox doesn’t get them, so I see the stars every night of my life . . . when there’s no cloud about, of course.’

She snuggled closer to Tom’s side and then, unable to prevent it, gave an enormous yawn, causing Tom to chuckle deep in his throat. ‘You poor little kid, you’re exhausted,’ he said. ‘You’ll sleep like the dead tonight; I can guarantee it. But you mustn’t fall asleep yet, because I don’t fancy having to carry you the rest of the way to Larkspur Farm. I’d be bound to step on a loose stone and drop you and then we’d both be in trouble. But keep hold of me, because we’re coming to the bit of the lane which is like a tunnel . . . hey up!’

‘Hey up to you,’ Maddy said, still sounding sleepy. ‘Don’t say you’ve seen a ghost, Tom Browning?’

‘No, not a ghost, but I felt something hit my head and it means old Mr Grimshaw got it right as usual. The thaw has started, my little water baby, and soon the beck will be running again and the fish in the bottomless pool will come up to the surface to snap for the flies. Ever tickled a trout, young ’un?’

‘No-o-o, but I’ve tried,’ Maddy admitted. ‘Is it something that can be learned? If so, how about teaching me when the summer holidays come?’

‘I’ll see,’ Tom said cautiously. ‘Do you remember how we used to talk about finding Vendale one of these days?’ Tom gave her a little shake. ‘
Do
you remember, little sleepy-head? Gosh, weren’t we a credulous trio? And come to think, it was you who started the whole thing off with your conviction that because Mr Kingsley was a clergyman every word he wrote must have been true.’

Maddy shook off the sleepiness which was causing her to drag on Tom’s arm, and conjured up indignation. ‘I did
not
believe in water babies. Or if I did believe in poor little Tom, that wasn’t believing, that was wishing.’ She looked round and was genuinely startled to realise that they were crossing the farmyard and heading for the kitchen door. She said so, which made Tom laugh. ‘There’s nothing like being half asleep for making a journey shorter,’ he said. ‘Yes, I can see the headlights of the Daimler coming round the bend at the top of the lane. Night night, Maddy; I expect we’ll bump into each other again before term starts and I promise I won’t tease you about water babies.’

‘Thanks ever so much for bringing me home, Tom. I’ve never been nervous of the dark but it was really nice to have your company.’ Impulsively she took his hand and squeezed it. ‘Goodnight – and thanks again.’

Tom sketched a bow and she could see his teeth flash into a broad smile in the moonlight. ‘It was a pleasure, madam,’ he said formally.

Maddy had the strangest of feelings that she had left something unsaid, but he had swung away from her and was heading for the road. She watched the car’s tail lights until they disappeared, then went into the house. She half expected to find Gran and the O’Hallorans still settled at the kitchen table, but the room was deserted. Gran must have toddled off to bed at her usual time and, presumably, the O’Hallorans had followed suit.

Maddy laid the table for breakfast, banked down the fire and headed for bed, but tired though she was she did not fall asleep at once. Ever since she had confided in Tom about seeing a stranger in the lane he had urged her to question the Irish couple, and the problem of how to do so still nagged at her at night. ‘It’s not that you’re suggesting they abused your trust,’ he had told her earnestly. ‘It’s just, first, that you have every right to know how they came to leave your gran alone – if they did – and, second, that a stranger so near your property might be up to no good. Unless they are prepared to answer a couple of innocent questions, one must conclude that they have a reason for their silence on the subject. You are a young girl and Gran is an old woman. You can do without mysteries which may have perfectly respectable solutions, but on the other hand may put you at risk.’

It was good advice, but Maddy had not taken it. For a start, she knew that Gran would be furious if she cast any doubt on the O’Hallorans’ characters. Gran, despite her occasional outbursts, got on well with the O’Hallorans and championed them at every turn. At first she had been suspicious, had tested every word the O’Hallorans spoke to see if it was true, but latterly she had grown more and more fond of the Irish couple. Maddy had been at first amused and then a little put out to discover that the O’Hallorans were trusted before herself, as in the case of the savings book.

But when she taxed Gran with it, her words had been brushed aside. ‘Eileen and Declan are my very good friends,’ she told her granddaughter. ‘You must know I pay them only a tiny wage and yet there’s nothing they wouldn’t do for me. So you think they went off to the Christmas market and left me alone, do you? Well, you’re wrong. They wanted to buy me something special for a Christmas treat, so Eileen stayed with me while I had my nap and Declan went to the market and bought me that lovely box of chocolates and a pot of goose grease, enough to spread on all my joints and help ease the aching. So don’t you go bad-mouthing them to me or anyone else.’

She had shut her mouth like a trap at almost the same minute that Maddy’s own mouth had closed sharply. For a moment the two had glared at each other, then Maddy had relaxed and actually dared to laugh. ‘All right, all right, you silly old Gran,’ she had said affectionately. ‘The O’Hallorans are a couple of saints and I’m a sinner for asking questions. But Gran, it’s for your own sake . . .’

‘Ho, yes, and I’ll thank you to keep your nose out of my business, you nasty little snooper,’ Gran had said wrathfully. ‘Let me tell you, they’ve made
your
life a lot easier. How do you think you’d have got on at that posh school if they’d not been here, hey? How would you have coped with trying to get to and from town so’s you could give me my meals?’ Her eyes had sparkled with all their old malevolence. ‘The O’Hallorans never complain and they do whatever I happen to ask. If
he
can’t do it,
she
will. And as for you, you conceited little madam, you ought to be down on your bended knees thanking them. The money I pay them is peanuts yet they never grumble, so just you be grateful and don’t let me hear you criticising my friends ever again . . . hear me?’

‘I’d have to be deaf not to hear you,’ Maddy had said drily. ‘But about your savings book . . .’

But that had been enough to set Gran off once more, and in the middle of a tirade about serpent’s teeth and ungrateful granddaughters Maddy had slipped quietly out of the room. Curiosity was all very well, but a fully fledged ticking-off could wait until she had a bit more time.

IT WAS A
glorious summer, and when the Thwaites returned from the promised trip to the south of France. Maddy, Tom and Marigold had listened with envy to Alice’s description of the days of sun and sea which she had enjoyed.

‘I wish we could go away, like you did,’ Maddy sighed as the four of them slogged across the Hall gardens and headed for the beck. ‘It would be such fun to learn to swim! Isn’t it just like fate to give us super sunny weather and make the beck shrink so no one can possibly swim in it? Oh well, at least we can paddle.’

‘True,’ Marigold said. She and her mother had been to stay with relatives, and had only returned the previous day. ‘But we might go off on an expedition.’ She turned to Maddy. ‘Didn’t you once say you wanted to look for Vendale? That might be quite fun.’ She spoke to Tom, pointedly turning her back on Alice. ‘You’d come with us, wouldn’t you, Tom? We could take a picnic . . . we could even camp out!’

‘No we could not,’ Alice said coldly. ‘And it’s our cook who makes up the picnics and my aunt who provides the nice things to eat. Your mother . . .’

‘My mother gives us chocolate bars and shop cakes,’ Marigold said quickly. ‘She does what she can; she’s a working woman, don’t forget. And what does Maddy contribute, hey? Nothing! But you don’t pick on her.’

‘I’m not picking on anyone,’ Alice said untruthfully. ‘But if I’m honest, Marigold Stein, I’d rather you stayed at home. The three of us got on pretty well before you came along . . .’

‘Stop sniping this minute,’ Tom said suddenly. ‘Haven’t you heard that there’s almost certainly going to be a war? Isn’t it bad enough to be on the brink of what could prove to be every bit as bad as the last lot without you two not only competing in school but competing at home as well?’ He scowled at Alice. ‘There’s your aunt Ruby bottling half the orchard and putting the other half down on straw in the apple loft, and the only thing you do to help is deride everyone else’s efforts. Why, Maddy is the only one of you with a grain of sense.’ He glared wrathfully at Alice and Marigold. ‘Will you two shake hands and make up? Because if you won’t, I’m off.’

Alice and Marigold stared at Tom as though they could not believe what he was saying. Alice was the first one to break the uneasy silence. ‘I’m sorry you think I’m argumentative,’ she said stiffly. ‘It’s Marigold; everything I say she contradicts, and as for Maddy not being argumentative, that’s just because she wants to be your little favourite. But if it will make you happy, Tom, I won’t open my mouth for the rest of the day.’ She turned to give Marigold the benefit of an icy smile. ‘Will you say the same, Marigold? Though I doubt if it’s possible for you to shut up for five minutes, let alone five hours.’

At this point Tom gave a shout of laughter and Maddy joined in. Laughter is infectious and soon all four were rolling around on the bank of the beck, unable to sober up. When eventually they did stop laughing, Tom spoke before either of the combatants could do so. ‘That’s better!’ he said approvingly. ‘Are you going to shake hands and be friends? I know you thought I was just kidding, but I meant it; either we have a permanent truce or I’m going to help Dad clean the car or something.’

Maddy watched with considerable amusement as Alice and Marigold, both looking extremely sulky, conferred, moving a little way off in order that whatever they had to say to each other would not be overheard. But she knew both girls wanted to please Tom and was not unduly surprised to see them shake hands. Alice was the first to speak.

‘Sorry, Tom. You’re quite right, of course; it’s downright daft to fight amongst ourselves. How about going up to the house, persuading Cook to make us a few sandwiches and then deciding what to do.’

By the time they reached the kitchen several ideas had been put forward, but it was Cook, making sandwiches with incredible speed and packing them into a handy bag, who made the suggestion that proved to be the most popular. ‘Rare hot both in and out today,’ she said placidly as she worked. ‘Where are you goin’? What you want is somewhere cool. Ever been to the limestone caverns? Can’t say I’ve ever been myself, but folk say the fells is riddled with caves and that, and the deeper in you go the colder it gets.’ She chuckled richly. ‘Just the ticket for a day like today. They say there’s an underground lake with white fishes in it what have got no eyes ’cos it’s always dark down there. Now, if you could find that there lake you could cool your little tootsies in it before comin’ home with one of them eyeless fish to prove where you’ve been.’

They left the kitchen and set off towards the little stone bridge in whose welcome shade they sheltered as they began to make plans to visit the caves the following day. ‘We’ll have to meet at the crack of dawn – well, no later than eight o’clock – because it’s a fair walk to the limestone cliffs,’ Tom said. ‘And we’ll want to get there before the heat of noon. We’ll ask Cook to make up a picnic basket this evening and then we shan’t have to wait around in the morning. What else will we need? Oh, I’ll bring my big torch along as well. See you all here at eight o’clock, then – Alice, don’t forget the picnic basket – and in the meantime we can get all our chores done.’

‘Alice doesn’t have any . . .’ Marigold began, her tone distinctly spiteful, but Maddy saw Tom raise an eyebrow, and Marigold deflated. ‘Sorry, sorry . . .’ she said, and Maddy thought she meant it. ‘I forgot. I will be good even if I can’t stay silent for five hours!’

Within an hour of setting out, the heat was beginning to get to all four of them. So high in the fells there were no trees to cast any shade, and very soon Alice began to say that they might as well start on the picnic Cook had packed. ‘Because if I don’t have a drink soon I shall expire,’ she said pathetically. She turned to the others. ‘Anyone with me?’

But to her dismay two heads were shaken in a strong negative, though Marigold looked a little wistful. However, Tom, who was carrying the basket of food, announced that anyone who wanted to raid the picnic before they reached the caves would have him to tackle. ‘There’s a beck with lovely clean water bubbling past and you want to sully your lips with ginger beer?’ he asked incredulously. ‘I thought better of you, Alice. It’ll only make you thirstier, you know. Now be a good sensible girl and dip a mug into the beck; there’s nothing as sweet as cold fresh water bubbling up from its source in the high fells.’

Alice hesitated, but Maddy dipped her mug in the water and drank thirstily and soon everyone else followed suit. They perched on rocks in the stream and enjoyed the respite for a moment, but Tom did not intend to let them linger for long.

‘Come on, troops!’ he said cheerfully. ‘Cook said if we followed the beck we’d be able to see the caverns quite clearly above us and I think I can see the cliffs, so best foot forward and the last one there’s a sissy.’