Jenny's War (45 page)

Jenny held her breath, expecting an onslaught of accusations. The police must have paid her mother a visit after Jenny had confessed to PC Webster. But it seemed as if her name hadn’t been mentioned as Dot went on, ‘Did you see it in the papers? About Arfer?’

Jenny shook her head.

‘Got caught, ’ee did. Up in Manchester. Got done for black market trading. Six months, ’ee got. Just think, we could’ve got done an’ all if we’d still been with him.’

Jenny didn’t quite know what to feel. Arthur Osborne had been a criminal, there was no denying that and she’d hated him for involving her in his activities. And yet in a lot of ways he’d been good to her. Her drifting thoughts came back to what her mother was saying, ‘I ’ad a lucky escape there, and from that Jim, but now me an’ Donald are doing all right together, see? So don’t you spoil it.’

‘I’ve no intention of spoiling it for you, Mum. And I’m glad you’re happy. I just wanted to make sure you’re all right, that’s all.’

‘I’m all right and I always will be.’ She fluffed her hair with the gesture that Jenny remembered so well. ‘I’ve still got me looks.’

Jenny gazed at her with pity. Maybe once, when she’d been a young girl, Dot had been pretty, but now the years, and the way she’d lived, had taken their toll. But she was lucky. She still had a man at her beck and call and she appeared to be as happy as she ever would be. Jenny felt any burden of guilt slip away. She could leave now with a clear conscience. She’d always keep in touch with her mother, but she could get on with her own life without forever looking back over her shoulder.

After a long silence when it was obvious that they had nothing to talk about, Dot said, ‘You’d better go. He’ll be home soon.’

Jenny nodded, kissed Dot’s cheek and left the house.

At last life seemed to be settling down for Jenny; she was truly happy living in London in Felix’s apartment, working hard at college and at home, too, for Felix gave her free run of his own cluttered studio and there her talent really blossomed. Once her homework was done, she painted for pure pleasure working in every different media and honing her skills. Her paintings of London scenes were pounced upon eagerly by Felix and carried off to his gallery.

‘You’re getting better and better, my dear.’

There was only one cloud on her otherwise clear blue horizon: Georgie. Whenever she visited Ravensfleet, he was as kind and affectionate as he always had been, but now Jenny wanted more. So much more.

‘But at least he hasn’t found another girlfriend,’ she comforted herself.

Another Christmas came and Jenny and Felix travelled together to Ravensfleet to be met at the station by Miles in the motor car.

They saw him standing on the windswept platform, huddled in a thick overcoat. To Jenny’s perceptive eyes, he looked suddenly much older than she remembered him. Maybe it was just the winter weather.

‘Is everyone all right?’ was Jenny’s first question as she scrambled into the back seat, leaving Felix to take the front passenger seat.

‘Fine,’ Miles said as he started the engine. ‘How are you both? Good journey?’ He was asking all the usual questions and yet he seemed distant, as if there was something on his mind that was troubling him. Felix, however, didn’t seem to notice. He chattered on the short journey to the manor, but Jenny was acutely aware of Miles’s silence.

Charlotte opened the front door as the car drew to a halt in front of the steps. Smiling, she threw her arms wide to envelop them both, but Jenny could see that the smile did not reach her eyes. ‘Come in, quickly. We’ve tea waiting, you must be frozen.’

Amidst the flurry of their arrival, Jenny had no opportunity to question Charlotte, but later, as she took her suitcase up to her old room, Charlotte followed her and closed the door behind them.

‘Charlotte, what’s the matter and don’t tell me “nothing” because I know there is something.’

‘I won’t,’ Charlotte said softly. ‘Let’s sit down, here on the side of the bed.’

As they sat together, Charlotte took her hand. ‘Darling – ’

Fear clutched at Jenny’s heart. ‘Georgie? It’s Georgie, isn’t it? Oh – he’s had a crash in his aeroplane. He’s—’

‘No, no, nothing like that. I promise you – he’s fine.’ Charlotte bit her lip. ‘But it
is
about Georgie.’

‘Then tell me quickly.’

‘Cassandra’s back.’

Jenny stared open mouthed at Charlotte. Then she ran her tongue round her lips. ‘How? What happened?’

‘Georgie’s business is flourishing and expanding. He’s got another plane and taken on another pilot. A pal from his RAF days. They make a great team. Georgie was doing some work for a businessman in Nottingham and he went out to dinner with him one evening and there was Cassandra. She came over to their table and started chatting. The following day she rang Georgie and asked to meet him.’ Charlotte sighed. ‘I don’t know what passed between them, but they’ve started seeing each other again. Oh Jen, I’m so sorry.’

Despite her heart feeling as if it was dropping like a stone and her hopes and dreams once more fading into the mist, Jenny asked, ‘Is that what’s troubling Miles?’ Jenny asked.

Charlotte nodded. ‘Darling, he’s known for a long time how you feel about Georgie and he’s worried – as I am – about you.’

‘Has she altered at all?’

‘No, she’s just the same. She sticks her nose in the air at just about everything. The house is too cold for her. There’s nothing to do. No dancing, no parties. And she’s for ever referring to here as “this Godforsaken place”.’

‘And Georgie? Is he happier now she’s back?’

Charlotte wrinkled her brow. ‘Hard to tell. He’s fond of her, I’m sure – though I’m sorry to have to say it. But maybe this time there is a wariness about him where she’s concerned. You know, as if at the back of his mind he thinks she might up and leave him again.’

Jenny laughed wryly. ‘Let’s hope she does.’

‘And there’s one more thing to tell you. She’s coming for Christmas.’

‘Right,’ Jenny said firmly, ‘then I’m declaring war. I was too young to do much about it before, but now I’m going to fight for him.’

Cassandra, when she arrived, was just as beautiful, but still had the same haughty, disdainful expression on her face.

‘Shame the samphire’s not in season,’ Jenny murmured to Charlotte, who chuckled deliciously and whispered back, ‘Oh, you wicked girl!’

Miles and Charlotte were polite to their guest but Ben disappeared as often as he could, pleading being short-staffed on the farm over the Christmas holidays. ‘The animals still need feeding.’

‘Can’t you get someone else to do it?’ Cassandra said, fixing yet another cigarette into a long holder and lighting it. Jenny saw Charlotte and Miles exchange a glance. Miles smoked a pipe but in deference to the rest of the family he only ever smoked in his study. Cassandra hadn’t even asked if anyone minded; she just lit up whenever she felt like it.

‘Would you like a walk this morning?’ Georgie asked her.

‘A walk?’ Cassandra was appalled. ‘In this weather?’

‘A drive out to the airfield, then? I’d like to show you my new plane.’

Before she could answer, Jenny chipped in, ‘Charlotte said you’d got another one. I’d love to see it.’

Failing to inspire interest in Cassandra, Georgie turned to Jenny. ‘I’m hoping to license it to carry passengers. In the summer I want to take the holidaymakers up in it to show them the sights from the air, like I planned.’

‘I’ll be your first passenger.’

Georgie grinned at her. ‘You’re on. But it won’t be yet. It’s got to pass it’s airworthiness test first.’

‘Easter?’

‘I hope so. I want to start taking the visitors up by then.’

‘Let me know and I’ll come home.’

‘I’m not sure I ought to let you,’ Felix said, his eyes twinkling. ‘People with a talent like yours shouldn’t endanger themselves.’

‘Georgie will look after me,’ Jenny said and was delighted by the glare Cassandra gave her.

Despite Cassandra’s moodiness, they managed to have a merry Christmas. The only time she smiled was when she opened her numerous presents. Georgie had showered her with several expensive gifts.

‘She hasn’t got much family. Only her mother and father,’ he explained.

‘You don’t have to excuse yourself,’ Charlotte said softly. ‘Look how your father has always spoiled all of us and he still is doing.’ She laughed as she pointed to her own pile of parcels under the tree. ‘And Louisa has a veritable mountain to open.’

‘It’s a shame she’s too old to believe in Father Christmas any more,’ Georgie murmured. ‘I used to love creeping into her room when she’d finally gone to sleep with a pillowcase stuffed with presents.’

‘Happy days. But one day you’ll have children of your own and you’ll—’

‘Cassandra doesn’t want children,’ he blurted out. ‘She’s made that very clear already.’

Charlotte stared at him with something very close to horror on her face. ‘Doesn’t want children! Oh my dear, you’d be such a wonderful father.’

His eyes clouded. ‘I’d certainly like the chance to try,’ he murmured.

‘Then—’ Charlotte put her hand on his arm. Out of all the family, only she would have dared to say such a thing to him. ‘Do you really think she’s the right one for you?’

‘I – think so, Charlotte. She’s pretty and vivacious. She’s the life and soul, as they say, of any party.’ Georgie was spending more and more time at Cassandra’s home near Nottingham.

‘But?’

He shifted uncomfortably. ‘But nothing, really. I mean, her parents approve. They always make me very welcome. They throw a big party nearly every time I visit. They’re big on parties.’

‘And we’re not, you mean?’

‘No, no, Charlotte, I didn’t mean to imply—’

Charlotte touched his hand quickly. ‘No, I know. City people are very different to us country bumpkins.’

‘Oh now Charlotte—’

She laughed. ‘It’s all right, I’m teasing you. We can’t alter just to please her, but we’ve tried to make her welcome in our own way.’

‘You have, you have.’

Serious now, she added, ‘We all just want you to be happy, Georgie. Just be sure she’s the one, that’s all I ask.’

He nodded and said huskily, ‘I will. I promise.’

Jenny went back to start the spring term with a heavy heart. She hadn’t won the war against Cassandra; she couldn’t even claim a small victory. Cassandra had spent most of her time in the morning room reading glossy magazines that she’d brought with her. The only time the girl had brightened up had been when Georgie suggested going to a New Year’s Eve dance in Lynthorpe but even then she came back grumbling about ‘clod-hopping farmers’. The day after New Year’s Day, she insisted that Georgie should drive her back to Nottingham.

‘She’s not right for him,’ Miles burst out as soon as the car had driven off down the drive and Georgie and Cassandra were safely out of earshot. He ran his hand through his thinning hair. ‘I thought it before and I haven’t changed my opinion.’

‘Well, she certainly wouldn’t do for me,’ Ben said, showing an unusual spurt of anger. ‘Why on earth is he so blind? Can’t he see for himself the one person who’d be perfect for him? The girl who’s loved him devotedly for years.’

Miles frowned and shook his head, trying to stop the usually taciturn Ben from saying any more, whilst Charlotte cast an anxious glance at Jenny, who was trying to stop the colour rising in her face. Now Ben seemed to realize that, for once in his life, he’d opened his mouth and put his size-ten boot right in it! He cast an apologetic glance at Jenny. ‘Sorry! I’ve said too much.’

Jenny sighed and glanced around the room at them, including Felix, but they all avoided meeting her gaze. Only Louisa looked puzzled. Then, suddenly, she sidled up to Jenny and took her hand. With a child’s candour she said what none of the others dared to put into words. ‘It’s you, isn’t it, Jen. You love Georgie, don’t you?’

There was no point in trying to deny it. ‘I always have,’ Jenny admitted. ‘Ever since the moment he came into the bathroom when I was a scruffy little evacuee screaming the place down because your mummy was trying to give me a bath.’

Louisa leaned her head against Jenny’s shoulder and squeezed her hand. But now even she could think of nothing to say.

Jenny threw herself back into her work and life at college. Felix was full of plans.

‘As soon as your end-of-year exams are out of the way, we must have an exhibition of your work in my gallery. In fact, I’ve been in touch with my friend at the Slade and have offered to have a special students’ exhibition. What do you think about that?’

‘It’s a splendid idea,’ Jenny said.

‘Just your class, I thought, to start with. Do you think they’d like that?’

‘They’d love it and be so grateful, Felix.’

‘I don’t want gratitude,’ Felix chuckled. ‘I want to be the one who discovers the next generation of famous artists and you, my dear, are certainly going to be one of them.’

When their tutor announced the proposal to Jenny’s fellow students, her friends were ecstatic and, as she had predicted, grateful for the great man’s interest.

‘He’s a fabulous artist in his own right, you know,’ they told her. ‘And to think you’ve been friends with him for years.’

‘He’s been very good to me,’ Jenny was swift to acknowledge. ‘I don’t think I’d be here at the Slade if it hadn’t been for him.’

‘Don’t knock it, kid,’ one of her classmates said and the rest agreed. ‘And don’t feel you have to apologize. Because of you, we’re all getting the chance to show our work in a prestigious gallery. And we promise not to be jealous if your work has pride of place.’

As the time for the proposed exhibition drew close, Jenny confided in Matthew Baxter, one of the students in the same class to whom she’d become close. ‘I don’t know whether I’m excited or just plain terrified.’