‘Or perhaps you could—’
‘Yes?’ she said, when Ralph fell silent.
‘No. I can’t ask you what I was about to. It wouldn’t be right.’
Ever since she had married Arthur, Julia had wanted to have a better relationship with Ralph. Until now she had believed he didn’t much care for her, that he resented her for marrying his father. In fact, until this evening they had never had a proper conversation. Perhaps this was a turning point for them. She hoped so because then he might also want to be closer to Charles, his stepbrother.
‘Just say what you were going to say, Ralph,’ she said.
He breathed in, then exhaled. ‘I wondered, rather than bother my father, if you couldn’t help me out a little.’
‘Me?’
‘Yes. I wouldn’t ask, only that things are getting a bit embarrassing for me. Of course, once I have a job, I’ll be able to repay you whatever you’ve managed to spare me.’
She thought how accurately she had to account for every pound, shilling and penny Arthur gave her and couldn’t see any way in which she could help Ralph. But she couldn’t bring herself to disappoint him.
‘You know,’ he went on, ‘you really are quite an amazing woman.’
‘I am?’
‘Oh yes. You’ve made my father happier than I’ve ever seen him before.’
‘Really?’
‘Don’t sound so surprised, it’s obvious the difference you’ve made to his life.’
‘Well,’ she said cautiously, ‘I suppose he’s had so much sadness in his life, hasn’t he, what with his first wife leaving him and then his second wife dying?’
‘Precisely! You’re a ray of sunshine in what had been a dark world for him. Now what do you say? Could you help me out financially, just temporarily?’
Julia was not as stupid as some people thought she was. She knew that Ralph was using charm and flattery to twist her arm, but she was prepared to overlook that if it meant he became a better stepbrother to Charles. ‘I’ll see what I can do,’ she murmured.
‘Good girl,’ he said, a rakish smile brightening his handsome face. ‘I knew I could count on you. Come on, drink up and we’ll take another turn around the dance floor.’
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Meadow Lodge, Melstead St Mary
October 1962
Hope
‘Everything all right?’
Watching Edmund dance with his niece, Hope turned to find Kit standing next to her.
‘Of course everything’s all right,’ she said, ‘why wouldn’t it be?’
‘No reason. Although I haven’t seen you dance yet.’
‘Nobody’s asked me. And I’m certainly not going to make a fool of myself the way Edmund is. Just look at him with Em.’
‘It’s called the Twist.’
Hope grimaced. ‘You can call it what you want, but it’s not for me. Where’s the elegance?’
‘I suspect elegance isn’t part of the deal,’ Kit said with a chuckle. ‘I’m reliably informed by both Pip and Em that to do it properly one has to imagine drying one’s bottom with a towel while grinding out a cigarette with a foot.’
‘Is that so?’
‘I could ask the band to play a nice gentle waltz, or a foxtrot, if you’d like.’
Hope shook her head. ‘Just ignore me, I’m not at my best at parties.’ Observing her husband again, as he loosened his tie and threw off his jacket, and tossed it to Evelyn, she said, ‘Have you noticed a difference in Edmund lately?’
‘What sort of difference?’
Seeing the concern in Kit’s face, she thought better of pursuing the subject. ‘Sorry, I’m being a bore and a damp squib.’
‘No you’re not. And I know you well enough to recognise the signs when something is worrying you. You have your anxious ‘frowny’ face on.’
She smiled ruefully. ‘Some would say that’s my every-day expression. Oh yes, I know what the children used to say about me, there she goes, Auntie Crabby.’
Kit laughed. ‘I’ve never heard them describe you that way. And the millions of children around the world who read your books would never say that of you.’
‘Dear sweet Kit, you’ve always been so loyal to me. What would I do without you?’
He put an arm around her. ‘Tell me what’s troubling you, big sis.’
Leaning into him, she said, ‘Do you ever feel we’re being left behind, that we’re no longer relevant?’
‘You sound like Evelyn. She was asking me earlier if I ever wanted to turn back the clock.’
‘Maybe it’s seeing the younger members of the family all grown up that’s giving us both pause to reflect on our mortality.’
‘The pair of you need to snap out of it. We all have plenty of good years ahead of us yet. This party tonight is not only a celebration of what’s gone before for Evelyn and me, but what we’ll all share in the future.’
Hope smiled. ‘You’re a lucky man always to feel so positive about life.’
He squeezed her shoulder gently. ‘I know it’s not easy for you sometimes, Hope, but don’t ever lose sight of how loved you are.’
‘You dear man. You’re eternally thoughtful and caring.’
He laughed. ‘That’s not what Pip and Em say when I’m asking them to turn down their music. Or when I’m questioning whether it is actually music. “Oh Dad,” they say, “you’re such an old square, you need to get with it!”’
She smiled, and knowing just how much her brother loved his children, she said, ‘Family life really suits you, doesn’t it?’
‘Marrying Evelyn and having Pip and Em is the best thing I ever did. But you know, I sometimes wonder why Evelyn did marry me. She’s beautiful and clever – much cleverer than me – and could have married anyone she wanted. She could—’
‘She chose you, Kit,’ Hope interrupted him. ‘Don’t ever lose sight of that.’
‘And don’t ever lose sight of how proud we all are of you, for everything you’ve achieved. You’re amazing, you really are.’
For some reason his words filled her with an emotion she couldn’t tolerate – self-pity. To her horror and disgust, tears pricked at the backs of her eyes.