After two days of her newly discovered cousin’s company, Olivia felt she had made a good friend as well as found a relative. But she could see that Phoebe was looking a little tired and wondered if she was trying to do too much in her condition.
‘I think I’d better leave you for a while,’ she said that evening. ‘You need to rest more and I need to make a start on gathering together the information for the WIs and planning my talks.’
‘Perhaps a quiet day or two would be good for me,’ Phoebe agreed. ‘I get tired much more easily at the moment.’ She looked down at her stomach and grimaced. ‘It seems to be growing more quickly than I’d expected.’
‘What do you want, a boy or a girl?’
‘Either. Just a healthy child.’ She patted her stomach fondly, then smiled at her companion. ‘Not that I haven’t enjoyed your company, because I have, and you must certainly come back soon for another visit. Or if you’re working nearby, you could stay here overnight any time. Don’t hesitate.’
‘I’d like that.’
‘Why don’t you telephone your friend and ask him if tomorrow would be convenient for him to pick you up?’
Olivia hesitated to call Alex, waiting for her husband’s voice to echo in her mind, as it sometimes did when she was doubtful about doing something. But that jolly voice had been quiet the whole time she’d been at Greyladies and she was beginning to wonder if she’d ever again hear it echoing so clearly in her mind. ‘Very well. May I use your telephone?’
‘Of course.’
She lifted up the earpiece and listened for the operator’s voice.
‘Exchange and number, please.’
She told the woman the details Alex had given her and waited. Within a couple of minutes they had been connected and she heard his voice. It sounded a bit tinny and echoed slightly, but no man she’d ever met had a deep, soft voice as beautiful as his. She’d recognise it anywhere.
‘Alex, it’s me, Olivia.’
‘How lovely to hear from you! Are you all right?’
‘I’m fine. Did Babs tell you what happened to me?’
‘Yes. That must have been a big shock, however pleasant.’
‘It was.’ She hesitated. It wasn’t a small favour to ask.
He said it for her. ‘Babs told me you’d need picking up, since there isn’t a railway station in Challerton.’
‘Is that convenient?’
‘It will always be convenient to fetch you, Olivia. You know that.’
There was a silence, then she said quietly, ‘Yes, I do know it. Thank you, Alex. I appreciate your helpfulness.’
She felt as if some other message had passed between them, words of encouragement from her, even. She knew something inside her had changed greatly during the few days she’d been at Greyladies. Could a house do that to you?
She realised she was wasting the phone call and he was politely waiting for her to continue. ‘Can you come for me tomorrow?’
‘Oh, yes. I’d set off right now, if you needed me.’
She chuckled. ‘I think I can allow you to sleep in peace tonight. Phoebe, who turns out to be a distant cousin of mine, has invited you to take luncheon here before we leave.’
‘That will be a pleasure. I’ll arrive about twelve o’clock, shall I?’
‘Yes. You’ll need to drive round to the back of the house. The front part has been requisitioned.’
‘Yes, Babs told me.’
‘Well … Goodbye for now, then.’
She hung up the earpiece, thus cutting the connection, and smiled at her own face in a nearby mirror. Or was she smiling at the thought of Alex? She was looking forward more than she’d expected to seeing him. She waited, expecting to feel guilty about that. But she didn’t.
‘Forgive me, Charles,’ she murmured and thought she heard him laughing gently.
Nothing to forgive, old girl. Be happy.
Something told her it’d be the last time she heard him in her mind.
When he put down the telephone, Alex smiled and didn’t move for a few minutes, going over their brief conversation two or three times. Olivia had asked his for help and had sounded glad to speak to him. Was he wrong to think that promising?
At length he realised he’d been sitting there for a while, smiling like a fool, so went to find his assistant and ask him to take over the shop. Then he tried to get on with the rest of his day’s work. But he had no valuations to go out to that day, or even that week, a rare lull in that sort of business, and he couldn’t concentrate on paperwork or even on designing a new display of some rather beautiful Georgian furniture he’d acquired recently.
For once he went home early, stopping on the way at a pie shop he patronised when he didn’t want the bother of preparing an evening meal.
People kept telling him he ought to find himself a cook–housekeeper, but he didn’t want anyone in the house when he got home. And he wasn’t a hearty eater, anyway. He had a system for running the house: he left messages for his daily help, who did some shopping for him. Madge had been working for him for long enough to know what he needed almost as well as he did.
After he’d eaten the steak pie while it was still warm, he finished off with a nice, crisp apple and washed his plate and cutlery. Then he went upstairs to pack an overnight bag. He could get to Challerton and back in one day, but something might go wrong and then he’d have to stay away overnight.
That had happened to him once when he first started driving around the countryside, and though he’d found a mechanic and somewhere to spend the night, he’d had no clean clothes for the next day, no toothbrush or washing things, which he’d hated. He always took a change of clothing with him now when going on longer drives, just in case.
Olivia was waiting for Alex in the library area of the medieval hall. She looked fondly across at Phoebe, who had sat down with a book but had promptly dozed off. She had that look some women got when they were expecting, like a luscious ripening fruit.
When a car engine sounded and Alex’s sleek vehicle turned into the stable yard, Phoebe jerked awake and Olivia went to open the door. No need to disturb the two maids in the kitchen.
Yesterday’s biting wind seemed to have dropped but it was so cold her breath clouded the air around her and she wished she had a shawl to throw round her shoulders.
‘Go inside. You’ll catch your death of cold!’ he scolded.
When she didn’t move, he put an arm round her in a companionable way and they walked to the door together. ‘I’m so very glad to see you again,’ he said softly and planted a quick, shy kiss on her cheek.
‘Oh.’
He raised one eyebrow as if asking whether she was upset at this familiarity and she smiled. ‘I’d forgotten how nice a kiss of greeting can be.’
But his kiss had been more than that, they both knew.
She opened the door. ‘Quick! Don’t let the warm air out.’
Laughing, they almost tumbled inside, by which time her cousin was wide awake. ‘Phoebe, this is Alex. Alex, meet Phoebe.’
He went across to shake his hostess’s hand. ‘I can see the resemblance between you two.’ But his eyes lingered on Olivia.
She was only too aware of that and tried to speak lightly. ‘Both of us are carrot tops, you mean.’ But she felt herself blushing at the warmth of his smile.
‘It would be more accurate to say that both of you have beautiful red hair,’ he corrected.
‘Please sit down, Mr Seaton,’ Phoebe said.
‘Do call me Alex. Since I’m a good friend of Babs and Olivia, surely you and I needn’t be so formal.’ He stopped, frowned slightly and looked behind him. ‘What a beautiful room! Is that a minstrel’s gallery?’
‘Yes. It has some beautiful carved woodwork.’
‘There’s a light up there.’ Without asking anyone’s leave, he walked down the long room and looked up the stairs. ‘Do you mind if I go up?’ But he didn’t wait for permission; he started climbing the stairs.
The two women exchanged startled glances.
‘She doesn’t usually appear to men,’ Phoebe whispered. ‘Go and see what’s happening.’
Olivia hurried across to the foot of the stairs and saw the figure of Anne Latimer at the top, fainter this time and transparent, but still clearly delineated.
From part way up the stairs Alex glanced down at her, then continued upwards. He stopped and waited for the ghost to speak, looking calm and almost happy. She could hear their conversation clearly.
‘Welcome to Greyladies, Alex Seaton. One day you will live here.’
‘With Olivia, I hope?’
‘Yes, of course. And you’ll both be very happy here, in ways you never expected.’
‘I’d be happy anywhere with Olivia, but this is a beautiful house.’
‘It’s getting shabby. You will do a lot to restore it.’
‘That would be a great pleasure.’
‘But first you must look after my two ladies. They are both in danger. Find a gun and make sure you can use it. You’ll need it.’
The figure shimmered out of existence abruptly.
Alex stood near the top of the stairs with his head bent, then Olivia heard him blow out his tension in a long, slow breath.
When he turned to come down again, Olivia said quietly, ‘Take your time. It leaves one feeling rather disoriented. Have you ever seen a ghost before?’
‘Several times.’
‘Then you must be sensitive to them.’
‘Yes. It runs in my family.’ He began to move slowly down the stairs and at the bottom he took Olivia’s hand and gazed at her lovingly. ‘It seems she approves of us being together.’
‘Yes. I’m … the words which came out weren’t what she’d expected, ‘happy about that.’
He didn’t let go of her hand. And she didn’t pull away from him as they walked to the other end of the long room to join Phoebe.
‘I don’t remember ever hearing about a man seeing her before,’ she said.
‘She’s lovely. Warm and kind. What’s her name?’
‘Anne Latimer. She was the founder of this house and set up the legacy that goes with it, to help women in trouble. May I ask what she said to you? I couldn’t make out the words from here.’
‘She told me you and Olivia are both in danger and said I must protect you. What sort of danger could that be?’
‘Ah. There’s a man in the village, Sidney Hatterson. He lost a leg in the war and he’s leading a hate campaign against the Germans interned here, and also against me because I’m the chatelaine. I’m rather worried about what he’ll do next.’
‘Your ghost said I would need a gun. Do you mind if I bring mine in?’
‘You have a gun with you?’ Olivia was astonished at that.
‘I felt if the war went badly, even civilians should be able to defend themselves, so I learnt to shoot. And as I visit some very remote places, I carry the gun with me in the car. I haven’t had to use it, though.’
‘I’d never have thought it of you.’ Olivia flushed again. ‘I didn’t mean to sound insulting. It’s just that you seem so gentle.’
‘I’m not a violent person but I hope I would defend myself if I had to … or try to protect those I care about.’
‘My maid is carrying a gun around with her too.’ Phoebe swallowed hard and glanced down at herself. ‘My husband said I should keep it nearby but I’m not in the best fighting form at the moment.’
‘Carrying twins must be even more wearing than carrying one baby.’
Both women gaped at him.
‘Oh, hell. I’m sorry if I’ve shocked you. I don’t usually blurt things out. It’s just, I can sometimes sense things like that.’
‘Twins?’ Phoebe asked faintly. ‘You think I’m carrying twins?’
‘I’m fairly sure of it. Sensing that is a gift that runs in my family. I don’t usually mention it to strangers because people get upset. They tell me I’m lying, or when I turn out to be correct, they say it was just a lucky guess. Do you want to know whether they’re boys or girls? I can sense that too.’
She thought for a moment, then nodded. ‘Yes. I’d like that. It’ll be easier to make the right sort of clothing.’
‘You’re carrying two boys.’
‘Ah. That explains it.’ She spoke slowly, looking sad.
The others waited for her to explain what she meant.
‘That’s the reason I’m leaving. The women who act as chatelaines at Greyladies rarely have children and if they do, it’s usually girls. I’ve never heard of anyone having more than one baby at a time, let alone two boys.’ She saw they were still looking puzzled. ‘With two babies to look after, I’d not be able to give the Greyladies legacy the attention it deserves. There’s quite a lot of work involved, especially when we’re not at war.’ She brushed away a tear. ‘I can’t help feeling sad about leaving, but it’s the right thing to do. We chatelaines have helped a lot of women over the years. That must go on.’
Olivia went to sit on the arm of her cousin’s chair and hold her hand, patting it to offer comfort.
Phoebe smiled suddenly. ‘It seems Corin has inadvertently reclaimed his birthright. Anne wouldn’t take a woman away from her children, I’m sure. She had two daughters, you know, but five years apart. And regretted that she couldn’t spend more time with them.’
Unexpectedly Olivia felt tears rise in her own eyes. Of course Alex didn’t miss that.
‘What’s wrong?’
She stood up and shrugged. ‘Jealousy, really. I envy you, Phoebe. I’ve never been able to have a child. Charles and I tried very hard, consulted a couple of doctors, but nothing helped.’
He put one arm round her shoulders. ‘I can understand how you feel. I never expected to meet someone to love, let alone have children.’
After a few moments, Phoebe said firmly. ‘We might as well eat now. We’ll have plenty of time to think about the future.’ She rang for Ethel to serve the meal.
‘There’s trouble in the village,’ Ethel announced the minute she came through the door from the kitchen.
Cook followed her, standing by the door.
‘What’s happened?’
‘Someone’s thrown stones at Miss Bowers’ windows. Broken three of them, they have. Woke her up in the middle of the night. Of course the neighbours came running so she wasn’t left alone in case the rascals came back.’
Phoebe looked at her in shock. ‘Who would do that?’
‘Same fellows who threw the stones here.’ She looked at Alex and Olivia. ‘Me and Cook don’t like to think of Mrs Latimer being here on her own till he’s been stopped.’
‘Perhaps I shouldn’t leave you yet,’ Olivia said.
‘Perhaps I should stay as well, just for a day or two,’ Alex offered. ‘I do carry an overnight bag with me and I have my gun.’
Ethel produced a gun from her skirt pocket underneath the apron, making Cook jump and bless herself. ‘I’m carrying this with me all the time till he’s stopped.’ She looked at Alex approvingly. ‘Mrs Latimer won’t carry it, and anyway, I’m a better shooter than she is. I think you should stay, sir. You and your gun.’
He looked at Phoebe, who threw up her hands. ‘You’re more than welcome to stay, but we do have soldiers on guard at night and other men next door as well who will come running if we shout for help.’
‘One soldier patrolling the grounds and the other sitting in the kitchen protecting the house,’ Ethel said scornfully. ‘Excuse me if I’m going beyond what I’m supposed to do, ma’am, but your husband asked me to look after you and I’ll do it, whatever it takes. The same way you looked after me when I first came here.’ She took out her handkerchief and blew her nose loudly.
‘It seems I’m surrounded by protectors,’ Phoebe said. ‘Thank you, Ethel. I really appreciate you caring about my welfare. Now it’s all decided, could we have our luncheon, please, Cook? I’m sure Mr Seaton is hungry after driving down from London. And afterwards, could you please prepare a room for him, Ethel?’
‘I’ll put him within screaming distance of you and Mrs Harbury.’
When the maid had gone, they exchanged smiles.
‘Screaming distance! How loudly can you scream?’
‘I don’t know and I’m not intending to practise.’
Alex chuckled. ‘I wouldn’t like to face Ethel if she was protecting you. She’s an amazing woman.’
In a big old house near London, Corin felt uneasy all day. He didn’t know why, he just … kept worrying about Phoebe.
In the end, his commanding officer asked him bluntly, ‘What’s wrong, Latimer? And don’t pretend there’s nothing. I wasn’t born yesterday.’
‘I’m not sure, sir, but I’m worried about my wife. There’s a man in the village who’s been trying to harm her, and harm the internees living in our house. Others are keeping an eye on the situation but … I keep feeling I should go to her. She’s … that is, we are expecting a child.’
‘Congratulations.’ He leant back in his chair. ‘Well, you’re not a fool and we’ve almost finished this stage of the planning. How about you take one of the staff cars and a driver, and go down to Wiltshire the day after tomorrow. You can stay overnight, check for yourself that she’s all right, then come straight back. Two days maximum, mind.’
‘Thank you, sir. I appreciate that. But I can drive myself down.’
‘No, take a driver and an official car. That way you’ll have his help if you need it. Also, you’ll be able to sleep on the way back, if necessary.’
‘I’d rather drive down late tomorrow.’
‘Arrange it as you please, but now it’s me who has a feeling you shouldn’t go alone. Humour me in this.’
‘Very well, sir. And thank you.’
‘You’re contributing a lot. You come up with some interesting ideas, as if you’re looking at a situation from a different angle. We need that, which is why you haven’t been sent back to the front. What this boils down to is, you’ll work better if your mind is at rest. Stands to reason.’
It was the best he could hope for, Corin knew. But he wished he could go immediately.