The Girls in Blue (27 page)

‘I knew we should have telephoned first,’ Maggie said as they trudged along the narrow lane towards the village. ‘He could be anywhere.’

‘In the pub most likely, if there …’ Miranda leapt aside as someone shot past them on a bicycle. Then with a screech of brakes the bike came to a halt.

‘Manda!’ Rita leapt off the saddle and propped the machine up against the hedge. She came hurrying towards them, grinning broadly. ‘And Mrs B, too. What are you two doing here?’

‘We’re looking for Jack,’ Miranda said before her grandmother had a chance to speak. ‘Have you seen him today?’

She shook her head. ‘No, but I’ve got a pretty good idea where to find him.’ She glanced doubtfully at Maggie’s court shoes. ‘It’s quite a long walk, but you can ride my bike if you want to, Mrs B.’

‘Thank you, Rita. I’m not in my dotage yet. I can walk. Which way?’

‘Straight ahead.’

‘Come along then,’ Maggie said impatiently. ‘Don’t loiter, girls. We haven’t got all day.’ She strode off at a brisk pace.

Rita retrieved her bike and they fell into step behind Maggie. ‘The Frampton Arms is where he’s most likely to be,’ Rita said in a low voice. ‘Jack’s been hitting the bottle since the party. We’ve all tried to help him, but he took it really badly when he found out that Max was his dad.’

‘Well, we’ve got good news for him. Jack is a Beddoes through and through.’

Rita let out a whoop. ‘Well if that doesn’t take the cake.’ She quickened her pace. ‘I’ve got to be in on this one, although I’m supposed to be back at the aerodrome. Anyway, I’ll say I had a puncture. It’s my job to fix it anyway.’ She chuckled. ‘Yeah. That’s it, Miranda. I’m an official bicycle repairer. That’s what most of us girls do at Warmwell.’ She grinned. ‘Apart from keeping up the morale of the glamour-boys, but that’s a pleasure, not a duty.’

‘What does Tommy think about that?’

Rita shrugged. ‘I don’t see much of him, and it’s none of his business anyway. We’re not going steady, Manda. I thought you knew that.’

‘I’m sorry. It’s just that you’ve always seemed to get on so well.’

‘Toopy’s okay, but he’s more like a brother. I don’t
fancy
him.’ Rita shot her a sideways glance. ‘Anyway, what about you? Have you got over your thing with Raif?’

‘Rita! Keep your voice down. There’s nothing between me and Raif. There never was.’

‘I believe you, ducks. Thousands wouldn’t.’

Maggie stopped suddenly, turning on them with a look of disapproval. ‘Stop nattering, you two, and get a move on.’

‘Yes, Granny,’ Miranda said meekly.

‘We’re there anyway.’ Rita pointed to the pub. ‘I’m pretty certain this is where we’ll find Jack.’

‘We’ll see about that.’ Maggie strode the last few yards and stormed into the bar.

‘There’ll be fireworks now,’ Rita said, propping her bicycle up against the outside wall. She was about to follow Maggie when Miranda caught her by the sleeve.

‘Wait a moment. There’s something else, and I don’t know how Jack will take it.’

Rita’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. ‘What’s that?’

‘Izzie’s pregnant. She’s only just found out and she’s in quite a state.’

‘What’s the problem? They were going to get married anyway and now they can. It’s that simple.’

‘Yes, I hope so for her sake, but Jack might have other ideas.’

‘Not Jack. He’ll stand by her. I’d bet my life on it. Stop worrying, and let’s go inside. I want to see his face when Mrs B tells him the good news.’

They hurried into the lounge bar to find Jack sitting at a table beside a roaring log fire with a pint glass in his hand, staring up at his mother open-mouthed. ‘What are you doing here?’

She pulled up a chair and sat down. ‘I’m here to sort you out, Jack Beddoes.’ She stared pointedly at the half empty glass. ‘What do you think you’re doing?’

‘Having a quiet drink in my local, Mother. I’m sorry, but I’m a big boy now.’

‘And you’re still acting like a two-year-old.’ Maggie snapped her fingers at the astonished barmaid. ‘I’ll have a pot of tea, please, miss. And whatever the young ladies want.’

‘Yes’m.’ The barmaid met Miranda’s amused gaze with raised eyebrows. ‘Tea for three, is it?’

‘That’s right, love,’ Rita said hastily. ‘I don’t suppose you’ve got anything on the menu, have you? I’m ravenous.’

‘There’s only pickled eggs or an arrowroot biscuit. There is a war on you know.’

‘What d’you think this is, darling?’ Rita pointed at their uniforms. ‘Fancy dress?’

‘Tea for three then.’ The girl flounced out of the bar.

Miranda went to sit at a table in the window and Rita pulled up a chair. ‘Let’s hope she can sort him out.’

‘I do hope so.’ Miranda could do nothing other than wait and watch. She could not hear what passed
between
mother and son, but she could tell by the change in Jack’s expression that the truth was beginning to sink into his befuddled brain. By the time the barmaid returned with the tea, Jack was on his feet, hugging his mother until she protested.

‘Sit down, Jack. You’re making a spectacle of yourself and me.’ Maggie straightened her hat. ‘Drink your tea, girls. We’d better get back to the aerodrome. I don’t want Elzevir to drive off without us, Miranda.’

Jack shot her a reproachful glance. ‘Mother, you didn’t let that old reprobate drive you all the way from Weymouth?’

‘How else were we supposed to get here? And for your information we walked from the aerodrome and my corns are killing me.’ Maggie tempered her words with a smile. ‘So now I expect you to do the decent thing by that poor girl.’

‘I’ll have to speak to her father. How would you feel about that, Mother?’

Maggie squared her shoulders. ‘After all these years I think it’s high time that we all moved on. Anyway, Isabel must be over twenty-one. She doesn’t need her parents’ permission, and I don’t think it would worry her even if they refused to give you their blessing. She might look as fragile as a butterfly, but I would be surprised if there wasn’t a core of steel somewhere beneath that fluffy exterior.’

‘I’ll telephone her tonight, Mother.’ Jack took a handful of coins from his pocket and placed them
on
the bar. ‘Have a drink yourself, Edna. You won’t be seeing so much of me in the future. I’m going to be married.’

Maggie finished her tea and stood up. ‘Come along, Jack. You can accompany us back to the aerodrome.’ She glanced over her shoulder at Edna, who was counting the money. ‘The tea was awful. I suggest you use fresh leaves next time or you’ll lose all your customers, and service with a smile would be an improvement.’

When they arrived back at the aerodrome there was no sign of Elzevir or his horse and cart and it had started to rain.

‘Come and wait in the mess,’ Jack said, glancing up at the stormy clouds. ‘The corporal will let us know if your date turns up, Mother.’

Maggie raised an eyebrow. ‘Thank you, Jack. I’m sure that even at my age I could do better than Elzevir Shipway. Besides which he’s been like a sulky schoolboy since his supply of raw spirits was cut off. He can’t forgive me for stopping your grandfather’s chemistry experiments.’

Jack threw back his head and laughed. ‘I don’t know how Father got away with it for so long, or you come to that, Mother. I heard that you bartered the hooch for extra rations. You and Father really are a pair.’

‘Yes,’ Maggie said simply. ‘We are, and always will be.’

Rita nudged Miranda in the ribs, jerking her head towards the young officer who had just emerged from the watch office. ‘Don’t look now, but here comes trouble. I’m off, Manda. See you soon, I hope.’ She mounted her bicycle and pedalled off towards a row of workshops.

Miranda turned her head to see Raif walking towards them and experienced the familiar undeniable tug of attraction. He walked with a slight swagger and even his worst enemy would have to admit that he looked handsome in his immaculate uniform. Miranda could not help comparing him to Jack who appeared to have thrown his clothes on whilst half asleep, and it was obvious that he had not bothered to shave that morning.

‘Mrs Beddoes,’ Raif said, tipping his cap. ‘Miranda,’ he added with a hint of a smile. He glanced at her uniform with a question in his eyes. ‘Is this an official visit?’

‘No, Flight Lieutenant, it’s purely personal,’ Maggie said, answering for both of them. ‘Miranda is on compassionate leave and I had a family matter to discuss with my son.’

‘I’m taking them to the mess,’ Jack said hastily. ‘They’re waiting for a lift home.’

‘Better get them inside out of the rain.’ Raif inclined his head towards Maggie. ‘Good day, ma’am.’

Maggie acknowledged this with a brief nod. She
linked
her hand through her son’s arm. ‘Is it far to the mess?’

‘No, Mother.’ Jack hesitated, casting a wary glance at Raif. ‘There’s something we need to discuss, Carstairs.’

‘Say what you’ve got to say and be done with it, man.’

Miranda could feel the underlying tensions rising rapidly to the surface, but this was neither the time nor the place to air family matters, especially with her grandmother present, and they were all getting very wet. She laid her hand on Raif’s sleeve. ‘I’m only here for a short visit. Would it be asking too much for you to show me round the aerodrome? It’s quite different from Henlow Priory where I’m stationed at the moment.’

Jack opened his mouth as if to protest but a frown from his mother silenced him. ‘Don’t be too long, dear,’ Maggie said, turning to Miranda. ‘We’ll leave as soon as Elzevir turns up.’ She walked off, leaning on her son’s arm.

Raif waited until they were out of earshot. ‘Why did you come here today?’

‘We had something to tell Jack that changes everything.’

‘Does this have anything to do with Izzie?’

She could feel the rain beginning to soak through her uniform. ‘Can we go somewhere a bit drier? I’m getting very wet.’

‘Of course.’ He led the way to a single-storey
office
block. ‘The clerks are at lunch,’ he said, opening the door and ushering her inside. ‘We won’t be disturbed.’ He pulled up a chair. ‘Take a seat and tell me what’s on your mind.’

‘Thanks.’ She sat down, wondering just how much she ought to tell him. ‘Jack really loves Izzie, you know.’

Raif perched on the edge of the desk. ‘Yes, I had realised that.’

‘I saw her yesterday.’

‘How is she?’

His offhand manner grated on her nerves, which were already stretched to breaking point. ‘How can you be so calm and detached from what’s been going on with your own family? Don’t you know that your sister is breaking her heart?’

‘Izzie will get over it. She’s very young and there’ll be other men who are much more suitable than Jack Beddoes. I’m sorry, Miranda, but even if Jack isn’t our half-brother, he’s not the sort of chap I’d want my sister to marry.’

‘That’s the real problem, isn’t it? You were against him from the start. You must have been delighted when Ivy spread that malicious rumour about your father and Granny.’

‘I’ve no doubt it was true.’

‘Yes, but only in part. I tackled Granny about it yesterday and she admitted having an affair with your father, but she swears that Jack is not his son, and I believe her.’

‘Even so, it doesn’t make any difference. He’s not the man for my sister, so I hope you won’t encourage her to think he is.’

She leapt to her feet. ‘You have no right to dictate to Izzie. She can make her own mind up.’

‘Don’t be so dramatic. I’m not doing anything. She’s seen Beddoes for what he is – a philandering bastard.’

The urge to slap his smug face was so strong that Miranda had to clench her fists at her sides. She would not stoop so low. ‘Your sister is pregnant, so I wouldn’t mention bastards in her company if I were you.’ She had the satisfaction of seeing him shocked out of his complacency.

‘You’re lying.’ White lines etched the corners of his mouth and his eyes narrowed as he stared at her in disbelief.

‘No, I’m not. She told me yesterday and she was so desperate that she was thinking of going to London to get an abortion.’

‘That’s impossible. Izzie would never do such a thing.’

‘She won’t now because Jack is going to telephone her the moment she gets back from work. He wants to marry her, Raif. For God’s sake leave them alone, and let them work it out together.’

‘What a bloody mess.’ He stood up and walked to the door. ‘This will destroy my family.’

‘That’s stupid, and so are you if you believe that.’

‘Izzie won’t be welcome at Thornleigh Court if she marries Jack Beddoes.’

She stared at him aghast. ‘I can’t believe you said that.’

‘My parents’ marriage is rocky now. This will finish it completely.’

‘And do you think that Izzie being left with an illegitimate baby is going to bring them closer together?’

‘It would be better than having to associate with the Beddoes clan. Your grandfather tried to ruin my father’s career and very nearly succeeded.’

‘What utter rot. From what I’ve heard my grandmother wasn’t the only woman who fell for Max Carstairs’ charms. He’s had more affairs than Don Juan.’

‘My father is the most eminent man in his field and he’s in line for a knighthood. A scandal like this really could ruin him if the press got hold of the story.’

‘There won’t be any scandal if you all accept the fact that Jack and Izzie are going to be married.’ As she met his angry gaze Miranda experienced a sudden wave of revulsion. The glossy image of him that had haunted her dreams suddenly cracked and splintered into shards. ‘I always respected you, Raif. I thought you were something special, but now I can see that you’re just a shallow, selfish person who cares nothing for his sister or anyone else for that matter.’

He turned his head to look at her and his lips tightened into a thin line. ‘I never encouraged your juvenile attentions, Miranda. You can’t say I did.’

‘Maybe not, but you certainly turned on the charm when we first met. You knew all about the family feud and yet you went out of your way to be nice to me. Why did you do that?’

He shrugged his shoulders. ‘I’ve asked myself that a dozen times. I could see that you were impressed by me, and I suppose I was flattered. I think I was curious about the Beddoes family too. I needed to see the woman whose affair with my father almost cost him everything.’