The Best of Daughters (24 page)

Rupert and Teddy exchanged wry glances. Rupert set the tray down and poured three tots of brandy. He pressed one into Teddy's hand and offered another to Daisy. ‘Here, my love. I think you need this as much as we do.'

She shook her head. ‘No, thank you. I can't stand the smell of the stuff. I'd rather have a cup of tea, and I'm going to take one up to Ruby. I need to see how she is.'

‘You shouldn't mollycoddle the servants,' Teddy said, tossing back the brandy in one gulp. He held the empty glass out to Rupert. ‘I'll drink Daisy's if she doesn't want it.'

‘That's rich coming from you, Teddy.' Daisy poured the tea. ‘You've just got one of the servants in the family way, and you think you can lecture me on how to treat Ruby, who is more a friend than an employee.' She lit a lamp and placed it on a tray with the tea. She paused in the doorway, turning her head to give Rupert a steady look. ‘You sort him out. He might listen to you.' She left the room without giving either of them the chance to respond, and she was suddenly angry. Her fear for her brother's wellbeing was suddenly overcome by her concern for Iris, who was probably suffering as much as Ruby had done when she had discovered her condition. It was all very well for men to have their fun, but it was always the girls who paid the price. She had never had much sympathy for fallen
women in the past, indoctrinated as she had been by her mother's teachings that purity was the most important virtue for an unmarried girl, but her emotional and physical response to Bowman had turned her world upside down. She could understand what led young women to risk everything for love, and how commonsense could fly out of the window when passions were aroused. She went upstairs to Ruby's room and knocked on the door.

‘Come in.'

She entered and found Ruby curled up in bed with a hot water bottle. The only candle in the draughty attic had burned down to a mere stub and was guttering. Daisy placed the tray on the chest, and the glow of the paraffin lamp made a warm circle around the bed. ‘How are you feeling?'

‘Better, thanks.' Ruby raised herself on her elbow. ‘You was a brick last night, miss. I dunno how to thank you for what you done.'

Daisy perched on the edge of the bed, covering Ruby's hand with hers. ‘Don't mention it. You'd have done the same for me if I needed help.'

‘I can't imagine you getting yourself into that sort of trouble.' A slow smile lit Ruby's pale face. ‘You're a lady and I'm not.'

‘We're sisters under our skins, as Rudyard Kipling so rightly put it. Have you eaten anything today?'

‘I made meself a sandwich and had several cups of tea. I'll be up and about as usual tomorrow. You needn't worry about me.' Ruby eyed her curiously. ‘But you ain't had such a merry time by the looks of you.'

‘You've an uncanny way of reading my mind,' Daisy said ruefully. She hesitated, not wanting to burden Ruby with her personal problems, but somehow it all came spilling out. She had not meant to breathe a word of what had passed that day, but suddenly she had to confide in someone. She told Ruby everything, from Rupert's request to set the date to Teddy's fight with Jed and the cause for their enmity.

Ruby listened in silence, sipping her tea. ‘Well, there's a to-do, I must say. It'll take that snooty Iris down a peg or two, but I wouldn't wish what's happened to me on anybody. I know exactly how she must be feeling now, and if neither of the blokes want to make an honest woman of her then she's in trouble.'

Daisy rose to her feet. ‘You're right, and my brother must take responsibility for what he's done. Even if Jed is the baby's father, we'll never know for certain and one of them must stand up to be counted.' She leaned over to pat Ruby on the shoulder. ‘I'm glad to see you looking so much better, but I do sympathise with your loss as well. I can't imagine what you must have been going through, but I'm glad you're on the mend.'

‘Ta. That means a lot to me.' Ruby snuggled down below the coverlet. ‘I'll be down at the usual time tomorrow.'

‘I'm sure you will.' Picking up the lamp, Daisy left her in darkness and went downstairs to the kitchen where she found Teddy and Rupert sitting opposite each other at the kitchen table, drinking brandy. ‘I suppose you've decided to let matters drop,' she said icily. ‘Never mind what happens to the girl.'

Rupert rose to his feet. ‘Actually, that's not quite true, darling. Teddy and I have talked it over and I'm going to have a few words with Jed first thing in the morning. I know he'll do the right thing by Iris, with a little financial encouragement.'

‘So you're going to pay him to marry her?'

‘Call it a wedding gift,' Rupert said easily. ‘And Teddy has decided to join my regiment, haven't you, old boy?'

Slightly bleary-eyed and with bruises beginning to show after his bout of fisticuffs, Teddy managed a crooked grin. ‘It's something we talked about at school, Daisy. I always said I'd join the military and now seems as good a time as any. If there's a war we'll be called upon to do our duty anyway, so I might as well get a head start and enlist now.'

‘So as usual, you men have arranged everything,' Daisy said, frowning. ‘What if the child is yours, Teddy? Don't you care that your flesh and blood will be raised by another man?'

He shook his head. ‘Frankly, no. It's not real to me, and if Jed Smith don't mind then that suits me. I rather fancy myself in uniform.'

‘It's the best way all round, sweetheart,' Rupert said gently. ‘Jed is a good sort beneath the rough exterior, and he's obviously frightfully keen on Iris, or he wouldn't have come to the house as he did. Leave it to us, and don't worry about Iris. She's no vestal virgin.'

Daisy said nothing but she was horrified by their callous indifference to the girl's feelings, and their casual assumption that she was no better than she
should be. She sat down at the table and drank her tea, listening to their eager talk about army life. Teddy seemed to have forgotten his painful nose and blackened eye, and was hanging on Rupert's every word. In the end she put down her cup and saucer and rose to her feet. ‘I'm very tired. If you'll excuse me, Rupert, I'm going to bed.'

He jumped up with a guilty smile. ‘I'm so sorry, darling. We've been neglecting you.'

‘Not at all. You talk sense to Teddy. If the army is what he wants, then that's what he must do, although I wouldn't want to be there when he tells Mother.' She kissed him on the cheek. ‘Goodnight.'

He caught her by the hand, holding it as if unwilling to let her go. ‘I'll see you tomorrow. We've lots to talk about.'

She smiled. ‘Yes, of course, Rupert.' She withdrew her hand gently. ‘Goodnight, Teddy. And if I were you I'd think up a good reason for that black eye and bloodied nose.'

‘Oh, Lord,' Teddy murmured. ‘That's a point. What the hell do I say, Rupert?'

‘That's up to you, old man. I think a slip on the icy cobblestones might do it, or we could say we were larking around and you bumped into my fist.'

Their laughter followed Daisy as she went upstairs to her room. She loved them both dearly but they were just boys at heart, not ready for the responsibilities that came with marriage and fatherhood. She felt genuinely sorry for Iris.

Teddy got away with it somehow, but then he always had. Both parents accepted his explanation of the injuries he had suffered without question. Daisy had realised long ago that he could twist their mother round his little finger, and their father was almost as soft-hearted when it came to his son and heir. She had never resented Teddy's claim to their parents' affections, and Beatrice was too much immersed in her own life to care one way or the other. Daisy could only wonder what would happen when Teddy announced that he intended to join the army. She did not have long to wait.

On the penultimate day of Rupert's leave he told her that he was meeting Teddy in Colchester at the recruiting office. Teddy could not afford to buy a commission and there was no question of his attending Sandhurst, therefore he would join as an ordinary soldier. Daisy did not think that would go down well with her parents but there was nothing she could do to prevent it happening. She could only wait until he came home either a civilian still or an enlisted man.

‘Why do you keep looking out of the window?' Beatrice demanded. ‘Are you expecting Rupert?'

Daisy returned to the task of taking the decorations off the Christmas tree. ‘Yes, of course. He's going back to his regiment tomorrow. This will be his last evening.'

‘Are you doing anything special?'

‘Not really. We're having dinner at Pendleton Park and listening to his mother going on about the wedding, even though it's months and months away.'

Beatrice continued her task of unclipping the tiny
candle holders, grimacing as she pricked her fingers on the sharp pine needles. ‘You don't seem very excited about it. If it was me I'd be thrilled to bits.'

‘They're deciding everything for me. Mother and Lady Pendleton have got their heads together and they're arranging every last detail from the date in August to the wedding gown itself. I feel like a puppet with someone else pulling the strings.'

‘Well, you're going up to town in January, aren't you? You'll have more say in things when you're away from Mother.'

Daisy glanced anxiously over her shoulder. ‘Don't speak so loudly. She might come in at any moment and she'll hear you.'

‘I don't care. I only speak the truth. You should stand up for yourself more, Daisy. Tell them that you want a quiet wedding and that you don't want to wait until August.'

‘It's not that,' Daisy said slowly. ‘I mean I would like to get married without all the fuss, but . . .' She hesitated. It was almost impossible to put her feelings into words. She should be overjoyed at the prospect of marrying so well, but she was still tormented by doubts. She wished that she was as certain that they were doing the right thing as Rupert, who had no qualms whatsoever. She knew that he was desperately in love with her and she ought to be able to return the feeling, but something was stopping her and she was afraid to speak his name even in her thoughts. She had not seen Bowman since their brief meeting in his cottage. He had completed the work on the Humberette and now
there was no reason for him to call at the house. He seemed to have abandoned Ruby completely and that alone was evidence of his perfidy, but somehow she could not believe that he was a bad man at heart.

‘They're here,' Beatrice said, breaking into Daisy's thoughts. ‘Teddy is with Rupert and he looks frightfully smug. What do you think they've been doing?' She dropped the box of candle holders on the floor and ran from the room.

Daisy stood motionless by the tree, waiting to learn the worst, or maybe the best. She was in two minds as to whether it was a good or a bad thing for her brother to join the army. Moments later Rupert breezed into the drawing room and crossed the floor to take her into his arms. His lips found hers in a warm embrace. ‘Have you missed me, Daisy Bell?'

She extricated herself from his grasp. ‘Of course I have. What a silly question.' She glanced over his shoulder. ‘Where's Teddy? Did he . . .' She broke off as her brother strode into the room followed by an excited Beatrice.

‘Guess what?' Beatrice cried before anyone had a chance to speak. ‘Teddy's only gone and joined up. What a lark.'

Daisy managed a tight little smile. ‘So you did it?'

He saluted, grinning. ‘Absolutely. Private Edward Lennox reporting for duty, ma'am.'

Rupert took her hand in his. ‘Don't worry, darling. I'll look after the boy.'

‘Less of that,' Teddy said, chuckling. ‘I'll be looking after you, old chap.'

‘And less of the old chap,' Rupert said with mock severity. ‘It's sir from now on, Private.'

Beatrice flopped down on the sofa. ‘Well I think it's terribly exciting. Teddy's going to be a hero.'

‘Teddy's going to be a what?'

Everyone turned to look at Gwendoline as she stood in the doorway with her hand pressed to her bosom. ‘What have you done, Edward?'

He pulled up a chair. ‘Sit down, Mother. I wanted to tell you myself, but Beatrice can never keep her mouth shut.'

‘Never mind what Beatrice does or doesn't do.' Gwendoline sank down on the seat, gazing up at him with an anxious frown. ‘You haven't done anything silly, have you, Teddy?'

He knelt at her side, taking her hand and chafing it. ‘Not silly, Mother. I've enlisted in the Rifle Brigade, just like Rupert. I'll be off to serve king and country and I'll make you proud of me.'

Gwendoline snatched her hand away. ‘Proud? You stupid boy! Of course I'm proud of you already. I don't need to see my son in uniform to be proud of him.'

Daisy made a move towards the door. ‘We'll leave you two to talk it over,' she said softly. ‘Come along, Rupert.'

‘I'm staying,' Beatrice said, curling her legs beneath her on the sofa. ‘I wouldn't miss this for the world. Are you going to give him a good dressing down, Mother?'

Daisy hurried from the room without giving Rupert the chance to argue. She went into the dining room. It
was getting dark and Ruby had not yet lit the fire. She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. ‘How long has he got before he leaves us, Rupert?'

He took her in his arms and held her so close that she could feel his heart beating. ‘I'm sorry if you're upset, Daisy Bell, but it's what he wanted, and it does get Teddy out of a damned awkward scrape.'

She tilted her head to look him in the eyes. ‘Is that all the poor girl means to you men? She and her unborn child are just a scrape to be avoided at all costs.'

He frowned. ‘I didn't mean to sound uncaring, but Iris is Jed Smith's responsibility now. The man is madly in love with her and who knows whether he is the father or if it's Teddy. The main thing is that the girl will be looked after. Mother will see that she's paid off handsomely and that will be an added incentive for Smith to make an honest woman of her.'