Mistress of Greyladies (20 page)

‘No. They’re on our side in this war, because most of them want to stay in England.’

‘Your German is coming on well. You must have an ear for languages. I have such trouble with the endings of words.’

Phoebe was enjoying the language lessons the adjutant had set up for them. This job was so much more interesting than her last one. ‘I had a head start. The Steins taught me some German phrases, and I could understand more than I could speak, from working with them. I liked being able to speak a bit of another language. I never thought it’d come in useful like this, though.’

The nurse lingered to chat for a little longer before moving on. Phoebe sighed with relief and started reading the rest of the letter. Mr Stein was reluctant to have his wife sent to Greyladies, but Beaty was sure Phoebe would persuade him to do that.

There were women who needed language practice as well as men, and they seemed to do better when taught by other
women. Anyway, the internees would surely be happier with their families there.

Unfortunately, people in the know said it wasn’t likely that the war was going to end quickly.

On a sunny day in March, Mr Stein arrived at Greyladies. Phoebe heard the sound of a charabanc driving up to the front of the house and went to peep out of the window. She let out a cry of joy when she saw him sitting in the back row of the long vehicle. But oh, he looked so much older.

‘The friend I told you about has just arrived. May I go and help settle the newcomers, Matron?’

‘Go on. Judging from the way you’ve been looking forward to seeing him, I’ll get no more work out of you till you’ve made sure he’s all right.’

‘Thank you.’ She raced off to the charabanc.

Mr Stein was just being helped down and to her dismay, the orderly was signalling for a wheelchair. She slowed down, not wanting to shock him if he was so frail.

But she needn’t have worried. When he saw her, he beamed and she rushed to give him a big hug.

‘I’ve been so worried about you, Herr Stein!’

‘You needn’t have, my dear. They’ve treated me, treated us all as decently as they could. It wasn’t the fault of those running the camps that the places were so crowded. And I prefer to be called
Mr
Stein now.’

‘And how is dear Mrs Stein?’

‘I don’t know. I told her not to write to me. I don’t want her put into a camp.’

‘But you know where she is?’

He looked round to make sure no one could overhear
him before replying, ‘We will discuss this later, my dear.’

The wheelchair arrived just then and he was helped into it.

‘Friend of yours, is he?’ the orderly asked her.

It seemed an innocuous question but she’d noticed before that this man had a very shrewd expression, and the questions he asked were usually to elicit information, rather than merely chatting. ‘He was my employer – well, he and his wife together. Mrs Stein was training me to make curtains, while Mr Stein ran the shop and did the accounts. They treated me very kindly after my mother died, letting me rent the attic at the shop to live in.’

She looked the man straight in the eyes. ‘Anything else you want to know, George?’

He grinned, holding out his arms, palms towards her in a gesture of surrender. ‘I’ll ask if I do.’ Then his smile faded. ‘Most of these men are genuine refugees, Miss Sinclair, but one or two may be spies. We have to be aware of that possibility at all times.’

‘Well, Mr Stein isn’t a spy, I promise you.’

‘I’ll bear your opinion in mind.’

‘You’re not really an orderly, are you?’

‘
Shh!
’

‘It’s all right. I won’t tell anyone. But I can’t help noticing how carefully you watch people, and what sort of questions you ask. I’m not stupid.’

‘No. That’s obvious. Major McMinty wouldn’t be so fond of you if you were.’

She could feel the telltale blush creeping over her face and whisked back into the house to see where they were putting Mr Stein.

That evening Corin invited her to stroll round the gardens. ‘George tells me you’re on to him.’

‘If you mean I guessed that he’s keeping an eye on things, yes. It’s all right, though. I won’t tell anyone.’

‘You might keep an eye on things, too. You seem very attached to this old house. You might see things he doesn’t.’

‘I’ll do anything I can.’ She hesitated, then decided to tell Corin about her new, if still secret status.

When she’d finished, he was frowning.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘That would mean you staying here after the war ends.’

‘Yes.’ She looked at him, praying he’d speak out now about their future.

‘You’ve been frank with me, so I’ll be equally frank with you, Phoebe. I was hoping, after the war, if I survive—’

‘Don’t even say that!’

‘We both need to face facts. At the moment I have a relatively safe job, and it might stay that way. Or I may be sent to the front. That’s why I’ve been waiting to put things between us on a more formal footing.’

‘Shouldn’t it be the other way round, Corin? Shouldn’t we seize the moment?’

‘It’s hard to know what’s best. I thought I knew the right way to go, but every time I see you, I’m tempted, I must admit. And … there’s something you need to know about me, as well.’

‘Oh?’

‘I’ve been married before.’

She was shocked by this. She hadn’t guessed. He didn’t behave like a married man, not in any way. In fact, he gave the impression of being a confirmed bachelor. ‘What happened?’

‘She died. She had a motor car, a “Prince Henry” Vauxhall. Her father had bought it for her on her twenty-first birthday, but I was worried because she drove it too fast. We quarrelled about that. We quarrelled if she joined me at the barracks, and we quarrelled when I went home.

‘One day she flung out of the house after a particularly furious quarrel, and drove off, deliberately going fast to annoy me, even though it was raining. She didn’t get far, came off the road at a corner and crashed into a tree.’

Phoebe grasped his hand to offer comfort.

He paused, swallowing hard. ‘It was … ghastly. I felt, still do feel guilty.’

‘I’m so sorry. You must miss her.’

‘That’s what makes it worse. I don’t. We weren’t well suited and things were getting worse between us. She had been talking about asking Daddy to pay for a divorce. No one in my family has ever been divorced and the idea of it shocked me. Then Norah found she was carrying my child and she was furious about that, talking of … doing something drastic to get rid of it.’

Phoebe didn’t say anything, just waited for him to continue, but she noticed that his eyes were bright with tears.

‘It’d have been a boy,’ he said abruptly.

‘Oh, how awful for you.’

‘Anyway, after all the fuss was over, I found it a relief to live more peacefully, mostly staying at the barracks. And I swore I’d never marry again.’

He smiled and raised one of her hands to his lips. ‘Then I met you, played Sir Galahad and fell in love like the naïvest of young men. I was reluctant to get involved, with a war on, but the more I got to know you, the more I loved you.’

‘I fell in love with you, too, Corin.’ She waited and saw him frowning. ‘There’s something else, isn’t there?’

‘Yes. My family. I’m the only child. I’ll inherit the family estate when my father dies. It’s not a big place like Greyladies, but I love it. I’ve never wanted to live anywhere else but near the moors. Only, from what you’ve told me today, you’ll be tied to Greyladies. And I’m not sure I could give up Meredene.’

‘Oh.’

‘That’s enough confidences for tonight, I think. We both have a lot to think about. I was going to ask you to show me the crypt. How about we do that another evening? You said you could get the key.’

‘I’ve never visited it, but Harriet says I must, and Miss Bowers has told me about it. Tomorrow, perhaps?’

‘I’d like that. I love old buildings. Imagine a crypt dating from the sixteenth century.’

They didn’t discuss anything personal as they walked back to the house, and he only gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek in farewell. His expression was as troubled as she felt.

When she got up to the room she shared with one of the younger nurses, Milly said at once, ‘You look down in the dumps. Did you quarrel with him?’

‘What? Oh, no. Of course not. We’ve been having a serious talk, that’s all. There are things to decide.’

‘Has he told you yet that he was married?’

‘Yes. His wife was killed in an accident. How did you know about that?’

‘One of the orderlies let it out. George. The one who keeps an eye on things.’ She yawned. ‘I’m tired, so I’m going straight to sleep.’

‘I’m tired too. I don’t want to read in bed tonight.’ She pretended to yawn.

Milly was asleep within a couple of minutes, as usual. But Phoebe lay awake till the hall clock struck one, worrying about their dilemma.

There was no obvious way of solving it.

She had been chosen to look after Greyladies. How could she refuse to do that? She’d been shown by Harriet how much good the chatelaines did for women in distress, and wanted to do the same sort of thing. And she’d fallen in love with the old house at first sight.

But she’d fallen in love with Corin at first sight, too.

How could she choose between them?

Phoebe thought it was about time she told the kindly old man that she had his money safe, but as soon as she uttered the word ‘money’, Mr Stein shushed her till they got outside. Even then he continued to whisper and kept checking that no one was close enough to overhear what they were saying.

His English grew more heavily accented in his agitation. ‘I knew we could trust you, Phoebe. Once the war is over, you can give the money back to us. Not now. The government is looking after me, so I don’t need it. My Trudi is safe with some very good friends. She will be relieved that we will have some money afterwards. Maybe we’re not too old to start again, in a small way.’

She felt so sorry for him, knowing how frail he was, and admired his bravery in trying to think positively about his future. This man was no enemy of their country, she was quite sure of that.

She managed, with Corin’s approval, to persuade Mr Stein that it was safe to send for his wife, who was allowed to join him at this special internment centre.

Corin went further and arranged for a car to pick up Mrs Stein.

Mr Stein spent the late morning staring longingly out of the window, even though there was no chance of his wife getting there so quickly. He refused lunch, accepting only a cup of tea.

Phoebe kept an eye on him and got permission to join him after lunch, because Matron was worried about him getting too excited for his own good.

When she sat down next to him and started chatting, he smiled at her. ‘You are a kind girl. Very kind.’

‘And you were kind to me when I was looking for work.’

Just then she thought she heard the sound of a car coming down the drive and put one finger to her lips to stop him talking.

He looked at her with hope in his eyes. ‘Is it …?’

The car came into sight. ‘This is the one. Let’s go out to meet her.’

She opened the front door, then stood back to let him lead the way, keeping an eye on him that he didn’t trip and fall in his excitement.

He walked slowly down the steps, reaching the bottom just as the driver got out and opened the passenger door of the car.

‘Ach, my Trudi!’ he murmured softly.

Mrs Stein had lost weight, but her smile was still as brilliant with love. She walked across to her husband, moving as stiffly as he did after sitting in the car. They didn’t speak, just walked into each other’s arms, tears pouring down their wrinkled faces.

Phoebe stood back, exchanging glances with the driver,
and feeling her own eyes welling with happy tears for her old employers.

When the Steins separated, he offered Trudi his arm, with courtly, old-fashioned grace, and led her up the steps. ‘Look who is here.’

‘Phoebe. Dearest child, how lovely to see you! You look well.’

She didn’t comment on the fact that both of them had aged greatly, she just went to clasp Mrs Stein’s hand in hers and say, ‘Welcome. You’ll both be safe here, I promise.’

Corin joined them at the top of the stairs. ‘I was right. It was Mrs Stein.’

More introductions, then Mr Stein said, ‘I will show you our bedroom,
Liebchen
, then introduce you to some of our friends. Is that all right, Major McMinty?’

‘It’s fine. We’d like to check Mrs Stein’s health later – tomorrow, perhaps. Just in case there’s anything she needs. Apart from that, you’ll show her around, I’m sure, and help her settle in here.’ When the Steins had gone slowly up the stairs, Phoebe took out her handkerchief and blew her nose hard. ‘That was lovely to see.’

Corin smiled at her. ‘You’re a soft-hearted woman.’

‘Is that wrong?’

‘No. It’s very right.’

His eyes were so warm on her face she could feel herself flushing.

As the days passed and Mrs Stein’s vitality improved, Mr Stein was so grateful, he threw himself into his work with more energy than he’d shown for the whole of the time he’d been interned so far.

‘He’s a shrewd old fellow, your former employer,’ Corin said one day. ‘He’s filling in some gaps about German towns and transport systems that are most helpful. He must have enjoyed travelling.’

‘He did. He and Mrs Stein used to tell me about their holidays.’

‘And the doctor says his health is continuing to improve. Mrs Stein was just fretting, he thinks, and not eating properly. I like to think we look after people in our charge,’ Corin added with satisfaction.

‘You can see it. He’s so much better since his wife arrived, as well. They’re such a devoted couple.’

Corin’s eyes lingered on her warmly. ‘We should all find a spouse to love like that.’

She didn’t know what to say and the next minute he was back using his business tone of voice, studying a list and suggesting she get on with her work.

But she carried the warmth of his words with her all day.

Surely they’d find a solution to their problem about Greyladies?

A few days later Mrs Stein cornered Phoebe and insisted on showing her the wear and tear to the curtains in various bedrooms. ‘It can be stopped now if someone will get me some sewing materials, then the curtains will last another few years. I would be happy to have something to do with my time. Tell the commandant that.’

‘Tell him yourself.’

‘He vill listen to you. I’ve seen the way he looks at you.’

Phoebe took the request to Corin. ‘Mrs Stein would love to do the job. I know how much she misses being busy.’

‘It’s a good idea. We have to keep our charges happy. What exactly will she need?’

‘In the first place, help from the orderlies to take the curtains down and beat the dust out of them.’

‘That’s easy enough. And?’

‘Sewing materials, of course. But not ordinary dressmaking equipment. The right things will be for sale in a town as big as Swindon.’

‘You must take her there and buy what she needs. I’ll give you an official chit to pay for that.’

She shook her head. ‘I’d rather not go into Swindon. What if Frank sees me?’ She was surprised to think that Corin could have forgotten that.

‘Look, I didn’t tell you, but I had people keeping an eye on him after the last incident and they caught him selling black market items, as we suspected. The plan was to force him to enlist in the army rather than go to prison, but unfortunately he proved to have a serious heart murmur, so he wasn’t considered fit enough. The doctor didn’t even want to put him in jail, said he could drop dead at any moment.’

‘
Frank?
’

‘Yes. Did you never suspect?’

She frowned, thinking back. ‘Well, he wasn’t a very
active
person, didn’t like kicking a ball around, even as a young fellow, but he looked so big and strong … No, I never suspected a thing. If I thought anything, it was that he was lazy – and that his mother spoilt him. Do you know where he is now? Is that why you think it’ll be safe?’

‘No. After the police released him, he vanished and hasn’t been seen since.’

‘He’ll be hiding at the farm.’

‘We’ve checked the farm a couple of times and asked around, but none of the neighbours have seen him. Everyone he used to deal with in town thinks he went elsewhere. The police are still keeping their eyes open, though.’

‘I still think he’ll be at the farm.’ Ironically, so would the very things they needed, the stuff he’d looted from the Steins’ shop. But she wouldn’t go near the farm, not for anything.

‘Well, if he is, you should be safe going into Swindon, especially if you don’t wear your VAD uniform. We will, of course, send an orderly with you, and we’ll tell him not to wear his uniform, either. Mrs Stein trusts you, and you understand her needs after working with her, so you’d be the best person by far to accompany her.’

He smiled at her. ‘I’d not suggest this if I didn’t think you’d be perfectly safe.’

Phoebe didn’t feel she could refuse for another reason. One day it would be her responsibility to look after the house and that included curtains and furniture. But the idea of going into town still worried her. She decided in the end to ask Corin to send Harriet instead of her, and her friend agreed to take her place.

But before she could tell him about the exchange, fate intervened.

Joseph’s face turned white when the post was brought in and he found another black-edged envelope set before him.

Harriet moved across to stand beside him in unspoken sympathy and support.

He tore open the envelope with hands which shook, scanning the letter inside quickly, before passing it to her. ‘Selwyn.’

‘Oh, no! Three sons killed. Your poor mother! How will she bear that?’ She waited, ready to comfort him in any way she could, but Joseph didn’t weep this time, probably because he had never been close to Selwyn.

But he looked deeply sad as he echoed his wife’s words. ‘Poor Mother, indeed. She’ll need me.’

‘Are we taking the boys with us again?’

‘We must.’

He didn’t say it, waiting for her to say it for him.

‘So it’s time for me to leave Greyladies.’

‘I’m afraid so.’ He cupped her face in his hands. ‘No man could have a better wife than you. I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but you’re the light of my life, Harriet. You know that, don’t you?’

‘I feel the same way about you.’

They stood holding one another close for a few moments, then he sighed and moved away. ‘Once I’ve confirmed that I am indeed the heir, we’ll start making arrangements to move to Dalton House.’

‘I’ll go and tell Phoebe. I’d hoped to spend longer with her, but she’ll have Miss Bowers to guide her, at least.’

‘And Anne Latimer,’ he added quietly.

‘Do you suppose ghosts can guide people?’

‘They can frighten the villains off, that’s for sure.’

‘Anne has never frightened me … or Phoebe. Still, even after we’re settled at Dalton House, Phoebe can write to me if she needs help or advice.’

‘Or you can come here for visits.’ He looked at her, drew her closer again, his turn to offer comfort. ‘I’m only too aware how much leaving Greyladies will upset you. Thank you for helping my family like this.’

‘I know it’s the right thing to do. There are other people to care for Greyladies, but there’s only you left now to look after Dalton House.’

Phoebe stared at Harriet in shock. ‘Oh, poor Joseph!’ Then the implications dawned on her. ‘Does that mean you’ll be leaving here permanently?’

‘Within a week or so, probably. After the funeral, we’ll be coming back to pack up. It’ll take a while to sort through our things, and we don’t know what state Dalton House will be in. They’ve got three young women and their children staying there now, so it shouldn’t be too bad. I can’t turn them out, but there’s plenty of room. It’s a big house.’

‘That means you can continue to help people.’

‘I hope so. It’s the financial situation of the Dalton family that worries me. Selwyn was a gambler. If the house has to be sold to pay his debts, we shall be staying on here.’ But that sounded wrong even as she was uttering the words.

Phoebe studied her thoughtfully for a moment or two. ‘I don’t think you’d have been prepared to leave Greyladies if you weren’t going to rescue Dalton House for your husband and children.’

It was Harriet’s turn to feel surprised. ‘No. Of course not. You’re right. I’ve known for a while that I’d leave. That won’t change. I’m not thinking as clearly as usual, I’m afraid. I keep worrying about poor Mrs Dalton. I’d better go and round up the boys now.’

She stopped at the door to add, ‘I nearly forgot. I’m afraid this means I won’t be able to take your place to do the shopping in Swindon. But I’m sure you’ll be all right if neither the police nor his former associates have seen a sign of Frank.’

‘Yes, of course I’ll be all right.’

But Phoebe intended to keep a careful look out for him, and she’d wear a hat that pulled down as well as bulky clothing that made her look a different shape.

She’d be very relieved to get back to Greyladies after her outing.

Although she tried to share Mrs Stein’s pleasure at the thought of the shopping trip, she couldn’t. Apprehension skittered across her skin whenever she thought about going into Swindon.

Harriet and Joseph got out of the car at Dalton House and stood staring at their future home.

‘It looks different,’ she said.

‘The windows are clean, for a start. It’s as if the old place has started coming to life again.’

This time Mrs Dalton didn’t come to greet them and a young woman they didn’t recognise opened the door. She was heavily pregnant.

‘I’m Joseph Dalton,’ he told her.

‘Yes, sir. Your mother showed me your photo. I’m Mavis.’ She gestured. ‘She’s in the drawing room. Do you want me to look after the boys? She’s in a terrible state. We’ve done our best to comfort her, but she’s crushed by this latest death. And who can blame her?’ She looked down at the full curve of her stomach. ‘There are a lot of men who won’t be coming back.’

Mrs Dalton wasn’t weeping; she was sitting utterly still, as if frozen by her grief. She looked a shadow of her normal self. In a tight voice she thanked them for coming, then sat still again, as if waiting for Joseph to take charge.

Harriet had never admired him more. He managed to make his mother relax a little, and got her permission to finalise the arrangements for a memorial service, because once again, there was no body to bury.

‘You must call our lawyer as well, Joseph dear,’ Mrs Dalton said. ‘He’ll know how things have been left.’

‘I’ll do that.’

She lapsed into silence, then stood up suddenly. ‘I need a rest. I couldn’t sleep last night. It’s been … a very upsetting time. I feel so much better now you’ve come.’

‘Shall I come up with you?’ Harriet offered.

Looking as if she hadn’t heard this offer, Mrs Dalton walked slowly out of the room and Harriet decided not to intrude on her grief. Their relationship was still awkward, and she was finding the transition from maid to mistress of the house very difficult to get used to.

In the middle of the night, Joseph woke because the grinding pain in his hip was bad, as occasionally happened when he overdid things.