Paper Doll (18 page)

‘Army and navy supplies.’

‘I thought I heard you tell Mr Lee-Trafford it would be domestic ware.’

He laughed. ‘Servicemen don’t use their fingers as spoons and forks unless they have no choice. It’s cutlery, canteens, tin plates and other goods. I also need storage space and the Howard factory is central and on the river. Your father made me pay through the nose for it, you know.’

‘Will you keep his former staff on?’

‘I see no reason to lay good men off if they’re needed and can do the work. I’ll consult with Lee-Trafford on that. He’s got a good head on his shoulders.’

Now it was her turn to smile. ‘Yes . . . he has. My father was very attached to his workers.’

‘I know, but that’s what got him into such a hole. Lee-Trafford has been whittling down the staff by natural attrition.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘That when they leave they’re not being replaced. Once your father’s debts are cleared what’s left will go to you. By the way, there has been a good offer for your flat, so the mortgage will be finalized with some left over.’

‘Will it be much?’

‘The amount will be enough to help clear his other debts. His affairs are complicated. The moneylenders were irresponsible in furnishing large loans on a failing business. Unfortunately, people of your father’s era operated on the old school tie and a handshake principle, and unsubstantiated small debts keep coming out of the woodwork. Right now I’m negotiating with his bank on the overdraft interest. I think they’ll come to understand that it’s better to forgo some of the accumulated interest than have the debt left on their books as a monument to their bungling.’

‘I’m sorry you have so much of my father’s business to clear up as well as doing your own.’

His head cocked to one side and he gave a soft chuckle. ‘I enjoy the cut and thrust of business and I’m pretty certain I can save some of your father’s estate for you and leave his reputation intact while I’m doing it.’

At that moment she felt closer to him than at any time during their short marriage. ‘Thank you. My father’s reputation means a lot to me, as it did to him.’

‘I know. If you’ll allow me to invest any monies left over, it will amount to a tidy sum in the years to come.’

She nodded.

‘I’m going to take the dogs for a walk; would you like to come with me?’

‘Not today, Latham; I feel a bit off colour.’

His expression questioned her. ‘Time of month?’

When she nodded he looked disappointed.

‘Goodness, we’ve only been married a few weeks,’ she said, making light of the moment as best she could. Julia would have loved to be able to tell him she was expecting a child – he might stay away from her then.

Latham was off walking with the dogs one day, when Irene was announced.

‘Please show Miss Curruthers into the sitting room, Mrs Finnigan. I’ll join her there shortly.’

Julia went upstairs and combed her hair. She didn’t really want to be pleasant to Irene, who had snubbed her since the day of the apology, but she supposed she must.

Irene looked fabulous in a dark-blue crepe-de-chine frock and flat walking shoes. Her hair was a dark cap with perfect scimitar curves pointed against each cheek. She was as thin as a reed. Her smile was wide, but there was a hollowness to her eyes when she said, ‘Darling Julia, marriage to Latham obviously suits you.’

It didn’t suit her at all! Julia took a moment to remember that as much as Irene could love anyone, she had loved Latham, and she felt a twinge of remorse. ‘Irene, how lovely to see you again, to what do I owe the pleasure?’

‘Liar to the first . . . curiosity mostly to the second.’

Julia laughed; she couldn’t help herself. ‘You haven’t changed, have you?’

‘Not in the least.’

‘Would you like some coffee?’

‘Of course I would. I’m absolutely parched after that walk. I’ve never liked the country much, except when we have a party, then its perfect since the neighbours are too far away to complain about the noise.’ She eyed Julia up and down. ‘Oh, for crying out loud, come here and give me a hug . . . Hating each other is stupid, especially because of a man.’

Irene was wearing the same perfume that Julia had smelled on Latham in London. ‘I don’t hate you, Irene . . . actually, I haven’t given you much thought.’

Irene’s eyes flickered. ‘When you take the gloves off you really take them off, don’t you? Do stop being such a bitch, Julia, though I suppose I deserve it.’

Julia rang the bell and ordered some refreshment before asking, ‘Why are you really here?’

‘I wanted to say how sorry I was about your father.’

‘You sent me a card.’

‘I know I did. I only met him twice but he was a nice old duffer . . . decent, you know. Oh hell, Julia, I used him as an excuse to come over and visit you. Besides wanting to commiserate with you, because I know you adored your father, I wanted to apologize for what nearly happened at New Year.’

‘You did apologize.’

‘Latham insisted so it was under protest then. Now I really do feel guilty about it, and I’d like us to put it behind us and remain friends.’

Astonished, Julia stared at her, then she shrugged. They were bound to run into each other socially, and it would be silly to ignore each other. ‘Of course we can still be friends. I never blamed you, you know.’

‘No, you wouldn’t have . . . You’re so noble that sometimes I could kill you. The hug, please? I warn you, there’s only so far I’m going to crawl before I give you a good slap or puke all over your carpet. I’ve just about reached that limit.’

Julia laughed as they gently hugged and kissed the air at the side of each other’s cheeks. She doubted if she’d ever trust Irene again, even though she’d missed her company. ‘Exquisite perfume,’ she said.

‘Chanel number five. It was a gift . . . I take it you finally lost your virginity, and to Latham. Was the experience as good as you expected?’

‘Better.’

Irene looked her straight in the eye and answered the lie with one of her own. ‘I’m so glad.’

Fifteen minutes later Julia heard the distant bark of the dogs. Latham was on his way home. This could prove to be interesting.

He came into the sitting room just as they’d finished their second cup of coffee, a bunch of bluebells in a small vase. ‘Look what I found in the woods. I picked you a bunch and put them in water . . . and I found a four-leafed clover.’

Julia couldn’t resist it. ‘How sweet of you, Latham,’ and she turned her face up to be kissed. The touch of surprise in his eyes at her wifely gesture was gratifying.

It didn’t fool Irene. ‘How touching . . . Latham Miller, with a jam jar full of bluebells and a kiss for his lady love. Good Lord, Latham, your background is showing,’ she drawled from her position in the other chair.

His eyes flew open in shock, then shuttered down. It was almost an anti-climax as he turned towards her, his voice flat: ‘Irene . . . What are you doing here?’

‘Visiting your wife, of course . . . You can’t keep her in seclusion, you know, and you are by far the most interesting people in the village; everybody says so.’

‘Why?’ Latham said.

‘You seem so ill-matched.’

‘We’re perfectly matched. I was asking: Why are you here?’

‘I’m delivering an invitation from the parents to come to an informal lunch on Saturday.’

‘I’ll check my diary.’

‘Several people will be there who might be useful to you, and Charles of course. I thought we might make up a four for tennis.’

‘Charles is coming down?’

‘He’s been sent down for the rest of the term. Father is furious, of course, so Charles has been summoned and will get a fearful wigging. Lord . . . I’ve never seen Daddy so incensed.’

‘What did Charles do this time?’

‘Apparently he buzzed the chapel in his plane with Rupert standing on one wing and Adam standing on the other . . . both of them debagged.’ She gave a gurgle of laughter. ‘They must have frozen their arses off.’

Latham laughed and even Julia giggled at the picture Irene presented.

‘Pater has threatened to ground Charles’ plane. It’s terribly inconvenient, since we had plans to go over to the continent next month. I suggested to Charles that he lands on your meadow. You won’t mind, will you? It won’t be the first time, and they’ll think he travelled down on the train.’

‘It’s too late if I do mind.’

‘Don’t be such a meanie, darling.’ She stood, smoothing down the skirt of her dress. ‘Julia, you look marvellous. Marriage must agree with you. No, don’t get up, dear. Latham can see me out . . . Let’s go up to the meadow and wait for Charles, shall we, Latham? He won’t be long. Do put those flowers down on the table. You look slightly ridiculous holding them, just like a lovesick schoolboy. How terribly boring of you.’

They went out together, Latham closing the door behind him. Julia wished he’d left the bluebells behind in the woods because they were already beginning to wilt and would be dead by nightfall. And there was the four-leafed clover. Perhaps it would bring them luck – perhaps she would learn to love Latham. She took it upstairs and placed it between the pages of a book to dry.

The sun came out from behind a cloud and she saw her husband’s shadow, and that of Irene. The two merged together for a long moment, then they moved apart as the couple strolled away from the house, Irene chatting and laughing, the gap between them left deliberately wide in case the truth of the relationship was detectable by closeness.

Irene had separated her from Latham, making her prior claim on him perfectly clear with a gesture so manipulative it took Julia’s breath away. She didn’t care if they were lovers, but Irene had lied to her. She hadn’t come to visit her, she’d come to see Latham. She wouldn’t sit meekly by and be made to feel like an interloper in her own home.

She’d discarded hard black mourning for casual wear at home. Pulling a pale-green cardigan over her charcoal slacks she ran downstairs and caught the pair up. The gap between them was big enough to slide into, so she claimed it, saying, ‘I do wish you’d both waited for me. I’ve never seen an aeroplane up close.’

Latham slid his arm around her and pulled her against him. She felt like provoking Irene. This time her arm went round him. He looked down at her, smiled and kissed her cheek.

A breath hissed between Irene’s teeth and she shrugged. ‘You should have said you were coming with us.’

‘Why . . . do I need your permission?’

‘Enough, Julia,’ Latham said, and Irene raised an eyebrow and offered her a smug little smile.

Julia heard the plane before she saw it. The three of them stood together and waved. The wings waggled as it circled the house and grounds then it came in to land, skimming the hedges and touching down to bump over the tussocks. It trundled down a slope out of sight of the house, and the sound of the engine died away.

Charles had a smile on his face as they drew near to the plane. Looking every inch the handsome fly-boy hero, he stripped off his blazing red scarf, leather helmet and jacket and threw them into the plane before he swung down to the ground. The breeze ruffled sunlight through his hair.

‘Hello, Sis – and to you as well, Latham.’ He shook Latham’s hand, then his glance came her way and his smile became all charm with just a hint of mischief. ‘Why if it isn’t the delectable Julia Miller. What a corker you are. If you feel like eloping with me just say, and we’ll fly off into the sun together.’

‘And like Icarus your wings will melt and you’ll crash into the sea.’

For some reason a chill ran through Julia at Latham’s words.

‘What trouble are you in now?’ Latham said.

Charles’ smile faded. ‘I imagine Irene has told you. I got a blistering lecture from my tutor. I expected him to gate me, but he sent me down for the rest of term, pending consideration of making the arrangement permanent. I’m dreading seeing my father, who will probably stomp all over me like a herd of rampaging buffalo. It was just a prank!’ Another smile crept across his face, wider this time. ‘It was a damned good one actually. I say, Latham, you know my tutor quite well; could you convince him that I won’t do it again? In fact, I’ll knuckle down and act like a parson for the rest of the year, and make him proud of me.’

‘Is that a promise, Charles?’

‘Cross my heart and hope to die,’ and he placed his hand against his chest and looked so sincerely holy that Julia giggled. Charles sent her a gratified look. ‘I think my tutor was more worried about the spire being left intact than seeing Rupert and Adam with their shirt tails blowing in the wind.’

‘I’ll get on the telephone and see what I can do.’

The breeze carried the smell of hot oil to Julia. ‘It must be exciting to fly an aeroplane,’ she said. ‘What does the ground look like from up high?’

An indulgent smile came her way from Latham. ‘Perhaps Charles will offer to show you, after all he can’t get up to anything improper in an aeroplane.’

‘I wouldn’t put it past him,’ Irene murmured.

Charles was all enthusiasm. ‘I’ll say. Everything looks small; the buildings look like dolls’ houses and the people like fleas. I’ll take you up in her tomorrow if you like, that’s if pater hasn’t thrown me into the dungeons. You won’t mind that, will you, Latham?’

‘I daresay she’ll enjoy it. Come about eleven, Charles; I might have some news to butter your father up with by then. You and Irene can join us for lunch afterwards.’

‘Will do. I’d better get off home now. If I’m late he’ll work himself up into a bigger ferment. As much as I dislike the miserable old codger, I don’t want to be the cause of him having a seizure, especially since I’m his heir. I’m not responsible enough to take over the ancestral pile yet.’

The flight the next morning turned out to be more exciting than Julia had thought it would be. She couldn’t imagine how anyone would have the courage to stand on the wings and hold on to the struts.

Despite the wild ride in Charles’ motorcycle and sidecar, Charles flew the aeroplane with a steady hand, taking her in a wide circle.

As soon as Julia felt secure she began to enjoy the sight of the countryside below. The buildings did resemble dolls’ houses and the fields seemed stitched together by the hedges to form a patchwork quilt. They flew out over Brighton and the channel, where he took the plane down to skim just above the water. The shadow of the aircraft formed a dark cross on the water. People in a boat waved at them.