Rufus moved into Birchwood the following weekend.
Sophie seemed to spend a lot of time there with him, working on their plans to reopen it. Sometimes she stayed over, saying they’d worked so late she felt too tired to drive home safely, and she didn’t feel that confident in Grania, her sister’s clapped-out car, which might dump her in the middle of nowhere in the night.
Amelia being out teaching most of the day was tired when she got back, so she did not ask Sophie if she’d had any news from Dom, or whether he might come down for a weekend soon. Though, when she noticed that Sophie had taken off her engagement ring, she asked, hoping she sounded laidback and not showing much interest, if it was somewhere safe.
‘There’s so much dirt at Birchwood I don’t want to spoil it, or worse, lose it there. I put it away in my jewellery box.’ She eyed her mother firmly as if to forbid more interrogation.
‘Good thing to do. I must say that house was pretty depressing,’ Amelia said.
‘I don’t know how they could live like that.’ Sophie shivered in disgust. ‘They obviously only lived in a couple of rooms and just left the rest to get dirty and damp.’
‘They were getting old, and no doubt it all got too much. Their generation had pride, don’t like moaning when things get difficult,’ she said.
‘Well, it is sad, I’m sorry for them. I hope you don’t get like that, Mum.’ She eyed her nervously.
‘So do I, love, but I hope I’ve quite a few good years left, yet,’ Amelia said. ‘Anyway, I’m sure you’ll soon get it clean again and don’t they want a lot of the furniture and stuff anyway?
‘Rufus is sorting that now; it will look better when it’s not so stuffed with things.’
The phone rang and Sophie jumped to answer it. ‘Oh, hi sis, having a good time?’
Amelia’s heart leapt. It was Grania, she hadn’t heard from her for a while.
‘Oh, so you’re coming home the weekend after next, Mum will be pleased,’ Sophie said, then went on to tell her about the kennels, making Amelia sigh with boredom, longing to talk to her daughter herself.’ She took the phone from her.
‘So, you’re coming home, that’s wonderful. I thought you’d be there another few months,’ Amelia said, hoping nothing had gone wrong.
‘Yes… well I’ve met someone rather special and he’s coming home so I thought I would too.’
‘That’s exciting,’ Amelia said, ‘tell me all about him.’
‘Gus, I sort of knew him before, from uni. We ran into each other here and so now, well we’re together and though I love it out here, I don’t want to stay here without him.’
When she finally rang off, Amelia felt happy for her, both her girls settled or perhaps Sophie was not, but she wouldn’t ask her now.
‘Do you know this Gus?’ she asked Sophie.
‘No, never heard of him, can’t wait to meet him,’ Sophie said. ‘You know how secretive she is, he must be someone very special.’
‘I’m glad.’ Amelia smiled, then said carelessly, ‘If he’s as special as Dom I shall be very happy for you both.’
‘Yes, but he’ll be with her, they are going to share a flat together and Dom’s probably going to the US and he’ll probably meet some American woman.’ Sophie’s voice wobbled, near tears.
Amelia put out her hand and held hers. ‘Why should he? He loves you and you can visit. True love, which I think you have between you, is very strong.’
She wondered if Sophie was feeling vulnerable and would be seduced by Rufus. She sensed she mustn’t say anything.
Sophie said, ‘I hope so. Now I must go and wash my hair, I’m sure it’s full of spiders and goodness knows what else.’
It was icy in the mornings when Amelia set off to the school. She kept a special eye out for Dickon who seemed to have got over his upset at Cynthia forgetting to pick him up.
Giles came for him some days or Janey and once Jules. He greeted her warmly as Dickon thrust his bag at him, asking if they could buy an ice cream on the way home.
‘Surely it’s far too cold for that,’ Jules said. He was about to leave the room. Amelia was still waiting for three more children to be collected and knew they were often last as their mothers had to come from work. Halfway out of the room, he stopped and turned to face her.
‘I understand that Rufus is now living in the house and with the help of your daughter, he hopes to reopen the place.’
‘Yes, that’s right, Sophie says most of the rooms are dirty and they are trying to clean it up.
‘Well, good luck to him. I’m sure everyone would like the kennels to be available again. Tell them I’d be willing to help him if need be,’ Jules said.
‘I will, thank you. Grania, my elder daughter is coming back from India I wonder if Sophie will rope her in to help get the place clean,’ she said.
‘That’s good news, you’ll be pleased to have her back,’ he said.
‘I will, and don’t worry she’s not at all like Sophie, she won’t join her to fight to open the kennels again.’
He laughed. ‘That’s a relief.’
She wanted to say more, hold him back a moment longer, but the mothers arrived for the last children, hot and bothered, apologising for being late, their children relieved to see them.
She remembered that she’d see Jules this weekend at Vero’s supper party. She wondered who else would be there.