Читать книгу The Long Road Ahead - Rosie James - Страница 10

Chapter Four

It was 3.30 the following Sunday. Alice had been met at Temple Meads by Fay, and Eve had come over to Bristol by bus. And as the three greeted each other exuberantly outside the Royal Hotel, one or two passers-by glanced at them quickly. Obviously some sort of celebration going on over there…

Fay glanced over her shoulder, giving a rather lop-sided victory V sign to one particularly interested observer. ‘’Ave I got something belongin’ to you, or are you just admirin’ me get-up?’ she called out, turning around with a swirl to give a better view of herself.

Eve caught hold of her, laughing. ‘Oh, Fay…you are awful!’ she exclaimed. ‘We can’t take you anywhere! Now you’ve embarrassed the poor chap!’

‘So what? He shouldn’t be staring at us like that,’ Fay said firmly. She glanced behind her again. ‘Still – he’s a good-looker, isn’t he? Perhaps he’d like to join us for tea – or join me later for something stronger!’ She put two fingers in her mouth and emitted a long shrill whistle. ‘Oy, you over there – I’ll be up the Mauretania later,’ she shouted suggestively.

The other two instinctively put their arms around Fay’s waist and escorted her into the entrance, and Alice said – ‘Fay Reynolds, you have not improved one bit since we last met! Remember how you were always teasing poor Roger like that? On our very first night you shouted down the stairs asking him to come and tuck us up! Remember?’ Alice shook her head. When you turned up at the farm, life was never going to be the same for him again!’

‘I certainly hope hot,’ Fay replied smartly. ‘He needed a kick up the pants, spending his whole life in solitary confinement down there.’ She grinned. ‘Anyway, he enjoyed a bit of a tease, didn’t he…’

‘And you were the one who always gave it to him, Fay,’ Eve said, sighing. ‘I always envied your cheek, how you always seemed able to get away with anything.’

Alice glanced at the other two fondly. Being with Fay and Evie again was like putting on a pair of lovely, comfy shoes…shoes that she knew wouldn’t suddenly expose underlying problems…

Inside, as they took their seats at the low, round table, there was a distinct air of excitement between them…well, they hadn’t been together for months, and Evie had such a lot to tell and had waited too long to get it off her chest – in person. Now there would be no stopping her!

And presently Alice would tell them her news. She had deliberately kept her gloves on to keep her secret for just a bit longer. Besides, the main reason they were here was to listen to Evie – who’d insisted that today’s occasion was to be her long-awaited treat for them all.

Fay, who was dressed in dark slacks and a bright red blouse the colour of her lipstick, her long hair dyed blonde, as usual, looked across at Eve and grinned. ‘Come on then, our Evie, spit it out,’ she said.

‘Well, I told you most of it on the phone,’ Eve said, ‘but the thing is, it’s still all going brilliantly – with Max and my parents, I mean. You remember I told you that they’d invited him to tea just after Christmas? Well, that’s become more or less a weekly occurrence – and I still can’t believe that it’s happened quite so easily – or so quickly. They’re beginning to treat him like one of the family!’

Eve paused for a moment, letting her words sink in. Then – ‘I only found out at Christmas time how they’d loved to have had more children,’ she said slowly, ‘so I was wrong, wasn’t I, in thinking that they’d resented having me…in fact, they said they were really sorry not to have given me a brother or a sister to grow up with.’

Alice dropped her gaze for a second as she listened to what Eve was saying. Yes, she thought, having a family, a family of your very own, always there to support you in every way must be wonderful. A family whose genes you shared, genes which bound you all together for ever. And however close she felt to Sam – and to his family – she could never really belong to them like a proper relative. It was just not possible. She bit her lip at her own thoughts. Sam still had his father, and four siblings…four! Just one or two would be enough for Alice. And he also had an uncle, and cousins…blood relatives, proper relatives…while she had only ever had her mother – and her father for a very short time. The uncles she’d heard about had been killed in the Great War, and she’d never met either of her grandparents because they had all died very young.

‘Anyway,’ Eve went on, ‘my father’s scones are getting better all the time – in fact we have Victoria sponges as well now. And of course my mother loves getting out her rosebud china tea service for each occasion.’

Both the others smiled at Eve’s exuberance – and thought how lovely she was looking. She was wearing a pretty, floral print dress and green jacket, her wonderful auburn curls framing a face which was alive with joy and excitement. Today was going to be a far happier event than the last time they’d been together, when Eve had been so certain that her parents would never accept their daughter having any sort of relationship with a divorcee.

‘And how is it between you and Max at work?’ Alice asked. ‘Do the rest of the staff know that you’re seeing each other – properly, I mean?’

‘Oh yes, they do now,’ Eve replied. ‘I think they’ve always known that we, well, like each other, but it must be obvious that we’re going out together. And I’m working four days a week now, so we see each other even more.’ She smiled at the others. ‘He’s teaching me the guitar – honestly, Max can play so many instruments! He puts me in the shade with my piano playing.’

‘No one will ever put you in the shade, Evie,’ Fay said firmly.

‘And as well as that, he’s going to tune our piano at home,’ Eve went on, ignoring Fay’s remark. ‘He does that as well, and he’s always out and about visiting clients – he’s promised my father that he’ll come over soon, and tune ours for us. And I can assure you that my parents are very, very fussy about who has anything to do with their precious instrument – which after all did feature so strongly in their professional music careers.’ Eve’s eyes clouded for a moment. ‘Of course, there’s still lots going on about Max’s divorce, but he should soon be free. Until then he’s living by himself at home in Newbridge – so I think he really likes coming to our house which he says he finds so cosy…and welcoming. Diana, his soon to be ex-wife, is already living with her new lover at his place in Combe Down.’ Eve sighed. ‘Poor Max,’ she said slowly, ‘he never deserved to be let down like that.’

Just then the waitress arrived with their tea – tiny sandwiches and iced cakes on tiered stands, together with a plate of scones, jam and cream. And as the girl placed the large silver tea pot and water jug down on the table, Alice, Fay and Eve exchanged glances. This might not exactly be the Ritz experience they’d had during the war, but it was near enough. And they were going to enjoy it.

The waitress departed, and Alice decided that this might be a good moment to share her news. She reached for the teapot.

‘I’ll pour,’ she said, slipping off her gloves.

But before she could begin to fill even half a cup, Fay nearly jumped off her chair.

‘Flippin’ ’eck, Alice,’ she exclaimed, leaning right across to stare at Alice’s hand. ‘What is that on your finger? And why the hell haven’t you spilt the beans before this?’

Now Eve joined in. ‘Alice…you’re engaged! When…how…I mean, I – we – had no idea! Is the wedding going to be soon?’

Alice glanced around quickly to see if anyone was listening. ‘Shhh,’ she said, ‘no need to tell the whole of Bristol, Evie.’ She lowered her voice. ‘I didn’t tell you because it’s all happened so quickly. I’ve only been engaged for a couple of weeks – and I’m still getting used to it.’ She went on filling their cups, her hands visibly shaking. Well, they always shook when she was excited. And Alice was certainly excited today to share her wonderful news with her two best friends.

For the next few moments, all thought of food was forgotten as the other two bent their heads over Alice’s ring, both murmuring their total admiration of the beautiful diamond. And today it seemed lovelier than ever in the discreet lighting of the tea room. Then Fay looked up at Alice, her face serious for a second.

‘And is this the man of your dreams, Alice?’ she said quietly. ‘The man who’s possessed your heart for most of your life?’ She didn’t mention those letters of his which she’d seen Alice reading, and which she knew Alice treasured above all else.

Alice nodded happily. ‘It is, Fay,’ she said. ‘It’s Sam. Sam Carmichael. And his proposal came as a complete surprise – or should I say shock! He’d asked me to go to their Clifton house where he was staying temporarily, to discuss something he needed an answer to. And it turned out he wanted to ask me to marry him! But he wasn’t sure that any woman could bear to be a surgeon’s wife – with all the pressures, the long hours, and absences when he wouldn’t be there.’ Alice leaned forward. ‘The funny thing is – I thought he was talking about Millicent – his cousin – you know, the woman we saw him with at The Ritz? But he wasn’t talking about her – he said she’d never been anything to him but his cousin, and that he has always loved me. Me!’ Alice shook her head slowly. ‘I still can’t believe it,’ she added.

‘Well blow me down,’ Fay said. ‘Why on earth didn’t the silly blighter come out with it sooner and save you all the heartache? Honestly, men! Still,’ she looked at Alice, thinking how beautiful the girl looked in that rather nice grey cashmere dress. She’d swept up her hair, as usual, Fay noted, but it was more casual today, with several dainty fronds left loose to follow the contours of her face. Alice had never done her hair like that before, and it suited her.

‘Anyway, better late than never I suppose,’ Fay went on, ‘and if you ask me, he’s a lucky beggar to be marrying you, Alice, whoever he is.’ She paused to drink from her cup. ‘So – when are we going to get a look at this Adonis may I enquire? And when’s the happy day? Not too soon, I hope,’ she added, ‘because I’ve chipped a nail and it won’t look good for several weeks.’

For a while after that they began to really enjoy their tea, and presently, when all the sandwiches had been eaten and they’d begun to tuck into the cakes, Alice said –

‘The wedding’s not until December, so you’ll have plenty of time for your nail to grow, Fay, but…’ she paused for a moment, ‘but to be perfectly honest, the thought of everything that’s ahead of me, all the planning and arranging, is already giving me nightmares.’ Alice paused before drinking from her cup. Should she share anything else with the others…the stupid anxieties that had begun to creep in? Like whether she could really be the wife Sam might expect, or whether she was ever going to fit in as a Carmichael? Deciding against confiding in them, Alice went on – ‘I mean – how soon should I give in my notice – don’t forget that when I leave, I’ll lose my home as well as my job…and where shall I get my dress – if there are any worth looking at in the shops – and will I have enough coupons and enough money to pay for my share of things?’ She shivered. ‘I’m feeling panicky already and there are still nine months to go.’

‘Oh for Gawd’s sake, Alice, don’t be so wet!’ Fay said crossly. ‘Me and Evie’ll help you sort out all your problems. So stop going on – and pass me one of those iced things.’

Alice decided to change the subject. Passing the cakes over to Fay, she said, ‘How are your mother, and your grandmother, Fay? Are they still living together in Brislington?

‘Yep – thankfully, ‘Fay said, ‘in fact, my mother recovered from my father’s death very quickly – and seems happier than I’ve ever seen her. But of course, that’s thanks to my gran,’ she went on, ‘because she’s encouraged my mum to join the local church with her where there’s a little club for older people, and they have whist drives and the occasional tea party…and twice last year they all went on a charabanc outing to Weston and Cheddar…they really enjoyed that.’

Fay looked pensive for a moment. Then, ‘Yes, my mum seems to have come right out of herself…more alive to what’s going on. And I’m so thankful to see her happy. Because that makes me happy, too,’ she added.

Alice kept her eyes on her plate. There it was again, loud and clear. Family. People to care about, and who care about you. She didn’t know whether Fay had any other relatives but she still had her mother and grandmother. And Eve had both her parents, still there and going strong by all accounts. While she, Alice, had absolutely no one left at all. She suddenly felt very alone, and it frightened her…but how silly was that? Because she’d been “alone” for many years, hadn’t she? But she couldn’t help it. Even though her longed-for wish had come true, she was frightened at the thought of all that went with becoming Sam’s wife, and it was making her feel like a very small boat being tossed about in a vast sea of uncertainty.

Annoyed, Alice gritted her teeth. This introspection had to stop. She reached over to re-fill Eve’s cup, and glanced across at Fay.

‘We haven’t heard all about your driving lessons yet, Fay,’ Alice said.

Fay grinned. ‘Well, they were a bit of a laugh, really,’ she said, ‘because of course we had very little petrol. Miss Downs’s ration didn’t go that far, so a lot of stuff I learned off-road, on her drive! There was just enough room to practise the three-point-turns, and her house is on a bit of a slope so we didn’t have to go far to do the hill-starts. Anyway, Miss Downs said I was a natural.’ Fay smirked. ‘The last bit of advice she gave me was not to get fresh with the examiner on the day. As if I would! So there you have it – driving’s a piece of cake – and you two should learn, as well,’ she added. ‘It’s as important for a woman to be able to drive as it is for any man to do it – after all, a lot of the trucks and ambulances during the war were driven by women – and more and more of us will have our own cars one day, you’ll see. There’ll be as many women behind the wheel as men in the future – and it won’t be long coming, either.’

The others nodded, Eve slightly anxious at the thought of being in charge of anything that had an engine, and Fay went on, ‘See, one of the reasons I wanted to have a car was to that I could take my mum and my gran out sometimes…out in the country. My gran used to live near Chew Magna when she was a child, and she’s going to love being taken around her old haunts.’ Fay paused. ‘I love my gran…she’s been so good to me,’ she added.

‘And have you joined the Young Conservatives, yet, Fay? Eve asked, stirring sugar into her cup, and Fay nodded.

‘Yeah – I’ve been to a few meetings. They’re usually held in the Gaiety Ballroom.’ She shrugged. ‘I usually sit at the back somewhere and watch what’s going on – and I can tell you, nothing much does! Whoever stands up to talk they take about five minutes to say something that could have been said in five seconds, and you’d never believe how long the discussion took about a new road sign that the Council have put up at the end of Broad Walk! The nattering went on for ever! And last time, there was the hot topic of the tennis courts being opened at different hours… all talk for the sake of talk. Anyway,’ Fay shrugged, ‘to be honest. I don’t know if I can be bothered with all that blathering.’ She grinned. ‘It might be different if I could get straight to No.10 Downing Street and make sure that women were paid the same as men for doing the same job!’

‘Oh,’ Eve said, slightly disappointed. She’d have thought Fay could have been a useful person in politics. Then – ‘And what about your job at the Council House?’

Fay shrugged. ‘It’s OK,’ she said doubtfully. ‘But I don’t think it’s for me in the long term. I used to have more fun at Woolworths! Still,’ she helped herself to another iced sponge, ‘I don’t know what really is for me, Evie,’ she said flatly. ‘Never satisfied, that’s me. I’ve told you – I’m the restless type. Perhaps it’ll have to be London, one day, after all.’

Presently, with almost all the food eaten and the last of the tea squeezed from the pot, Eve said –

‘Won’t it be lovely to see the Foulkeses again? We haven’t been back at all, have we? It’s ages since we saw them. Dear Mrs. Foulkes! What shall we give her for her birthday?’

The others had already thought about this. ‘Well,’ Fay said, ‘I tracked down some more of that Coty perfume we gave her when we left – d’you remember how thrilled she was to have it? I’m sure she’ll have used all that up by now…this other one’s different, but just as nice. Shall we give her that?’

Alice and Eve agreed at once, and Alice said, ‘There are lovely little shops in Dorchester and the other day I spotted a really pretty china dish with a lid…you could use it for almost anything, but I thought it could hold bath salts…or peppermints…or even to save some coppers in…anything really. It would look nice on Mabel’s dressing table – if she has one. We never saw their part of the farmhouse, did we? But we’ve given her pretty things in the past and she was always pleased to have them, wasn’t she?’

They went on discussing anything else they might take, ending with sharing one or two of their clothes coupons to buy Mabel a patterned, wrap-around apron which had a frill around the hem and pocket, which Alice had seen in one of the shops.

Just then, the waitress returned to enquire whether they’d like more tea, and Fay immediately answered for all of them.

‘Yes please,’ she said. ‘And just three more of the iced fingers?’

It was 6 o’clock before they finished their tea and they were the last ones in the dining room. But Fay was in no hurry to leave just yet. There were things she wanted to know more about. She leaned towards Alice, her elbows on the table.

‘So – when are you going to see lover boy again?’ she enquired bluntly. ‘And where will you be living – after you’re married, I mean?’

‘Oh well…’ Alice realized that she hadn’t thought about Sam for at least half an hour. ‘Sam’s medical training is mostly in London,’ she said, ‘but he does come back to Bristol, to the Infirmary from time to time, on a sort of lease-lend, I suppose. That’s where his father is the big cheese.’ She sighed. ‘But Sam’s training is going to go on for ever by the sound of it – he hopes to become a paediatric brain surgeon eventually.’

Fay whistled through her teeth. ‘Blimey,’ she said.

‘How wonderful!’ Eve exclaimed.

‘So where will you be, while he’s training?’ Fay persisted.

‘I don’t really know yet,’ Alice admitted. ‘Somewhere in London, I expect – everything’s up in the air at the moment. But of course the big Clifton house – the Carmichaels’ family home – will always be available for us if we want it.’ She paused. ‘Professor Carmichael lives there, obviously, and Sam has four siblings – two sets of twins…I think I told you once that I was their nanny at one time. They’re all away somewhere at the moment, but it will always be their home too, I imagine.’

‘That could be awkward in the future,’ Fay said at once. ‘Having the in-laws under your feet all the time.’

‘Yes – but when are you seeing Sam again?’ Eve said impatiently. She was intrigued to know more about the handsome man with the brilliant brain. ‘You should be together now, today, shouldn’t you?’

Alice nodded. ‘He did say that he had some time off and could come and see me this weekend, but when I said I was meeting you two today, he wouldn’t hear of me changing my plans.’ Alice looked away for a second. In fact, she thought, Sam had seemed quite relieved – almost too relieved – that he wouldn’t be seeing her, because afterwards he’d mentioned yet another lecture he really should attend.

‘Oh well then, he sounds a very considerate sort of bloke to me,’ Fay said. ‘Unusual in a man. Well, in most of the men I’ve ever known.’

Alice smiled a quick smile. Yes, Sam was considerate…always had been, to everyone. But still…what she would really have liked was for him to beg her to change her arrangements with Fay and Eve so that they could be together this weekend. Surely he should have insisted on it!

The waitress hovered near them anxiously – she had the tables to lay up for evening dinner – would these three, who hadn’t stopped talking all the afternoon – ever leave the place?

Eventually they did, each of them fighting to pay the bill, but this was Evie’s treat, and presently they left the building and went out into the street, arm in arm.

‘Thank you so much for that, Evie,’ Alice said, ‘and thanks for arranging it. It’s been so good for us to be together again…and your news is just wonderful. I’m so pleased for you…for you and Max,’ she added.

‘And we’re thrilled for you and…Sam…aren’t we, Fay?’ Eve said.

‘Course we are!’ Fay said at once.

‘So when are you going to produce some special beau for us to admire, Fay?’ Eve said.

Fay snorted. ‘That’s hardly likely to happen,’ she announced firmly. ‘I prefer the fancy-free and fun life, me.’

Later, Alice took her place in the corner of an empty carriage of the train and gazed out of the window, going over and over everything that had been said that afternoon. She smiled as she thought about it all. Evie was on top of the world, no doubt about that. And Fay, too, seemed unusually contented with her lot…content about her mother and grandmother. After all, happiness comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and for all sorts of reasons…

Alice was pensive for a moment, thinking what Fay had said about those meetings she’d attended. It did seem that local politics was not for her, after all, and in a way Alice wasn’t surprised. The dissatisfaction and antagonism which Fay had often demonstrated about so many things were probably much more to do with her past, her underlying personal problems, rather than anything to do with putting the world to rights. So perhaps she needed to put herself right first, Alice thought. Besides, Fay was too impatient, too ready to fly off the handle. Not the sort for reasoned, restrained discussion.

And now, thinking of her own situation, Alice couldn’t deny that sense of loss. Her sense of despondency. What on earth was going on? How could you change from being completely overwhelmed with joy one minute, to feeling…well…flat and unsure of yourself the next? It didn’t make any sense. Surely it wasn’t to do with Sam being so ready not to see her this weekend? Surely she wasn’t that stupid and self-centred?

She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, her heart-beat seeming to keep time with the chuff chuff chuffing of the engine as they trundled towards Dorchester. And she decided to be honest with herself.

The fact was, she was scared – not only about the wedding day itself and all the planning there was to do, but actually frightened of the road ahead… of what it held – and of whether she could cope with a completely new, and rather important style of life as Sam’s wife. Because one day – presumably – she would become the next Mrs. Carmichael of Clifton. One day she would be taking Helena’s place as head of their household. Could Alice ever measure up to the example Helena had set? Did she have it in her to do everything that wonderful woman had done in her lifetime…her charity work, her unswerving support for her husband, her devotion to her children and her employees, her compassion for the poor? Would everyone love and respect her, Alice, as they had loved and respected Helena Carmichael?

Alice shifted in her seat, trying to change the pattern of her thoughts. And failing miserably – because – there was another thing…once she was Sam’s wife, what would she do with herself while he was working all day and perhaps half the night? Alice had never known what it was to be idle…to Alice, and her mother before her, work was life and life was work. Should she get a job? There’d be no shortage of opportunities anywhere, because good clerical staff was always at a premium, she knew that. But what if Sam didn’t want her to work after they were married? What if he would always expect her to be home whenever he came off duty? But that would mean hours and hours of twiddling her thumbs – which would drive her mad…

Alice clasped and unclasped her bag, giving her hands something to do as she thought about it all. She really must talk to Sam about this, sooner rather than later. And tell him – let him be aware – that she was not just little Alice, the ex-employee he’d fallen in love with, and who he wanted by his side at all times. After all, she had gained her independence a long time ago, she’d survived the war, which had had its effect on her – and on so many others – in unexpected ways. She had learned how to do so many things working on a farm, had met new friends, had had new experiences, had been in charge of a prestigious estate agency, had had her life opened up…in fact, she realized, she had learned what she was capable of. Everything was different now. She was different.

Then something else crossed her mind as she leaned forward and peered into the gloom of the evening. What about that novel? Her novel? The novel she’d promised her mother she’d write one day? Perhaps fate – or Lady Luck – was going to give her the chance to have some time to actually complete it at last…if it was what she really wanted to do.

Alice had always been an avid reader, and a furious scribbler – which, so, far, had resulted in having had just one short story accepted for a woman’s magazine before the war. She cringed as she thought about that letter she’d sent to the fiction editor of a small publishing house in Bristol, asking that he should publish a short story she was submitting for his kind attention. As if! She had been just ten years old, and had been convinced that she was to see her words in print – straightaway with no delay! But his reply had been so kind, making suggestions on how she could improve her writing, and urging her not to give up on her dream of becoming a famous writer. Alice remembered how she had told them that one day she hoped to join the ranks of Jane Austen, or one of the Brontës. How they must have laughed at that. The innocence, the naïve self-assurance of childhood…

By now, all Alice could see in the darkness was the vague reflection of herself in the window pane as she stared out at nothing. Perhaps, next year, or the year after, she might really have the time to pursue her ambition…but before she could even begin to think along those lines there was all this other stuff ahead of her. All the hurdles and jumps ahead before she became Sam’s wife…

She shuddered as she thought, again, about the wedding day. It was supposed to be the day every girl looked forward to, wasn’t it? But she was already dreading it! She bit her lip. Everything would have been all right if her darling Papa had been here to give her away – and Oh golly, help! Who was going to give her away? She’d only just thought of that! And straight off – there was no one. No one she could think of who might be suitable or appropriate for that particular post…no one at all.

By now, Alice was almost wringing her hands at all her contemplation. But…if only she’d seen Sam this weekend…a few hours yesterday would have been enough, because when she was with him she felt so secure, so confident, so at ease with herself and everything around her.

They were coming into the station now, and Alice stood up, sliding the compartment door open and going into the corridor. There was little to see outside, just a few rather dreary lights piercing the gloom. But soon she would be home, with time to relax and put all her worries to the back of her mind for a while. And she was looking forward to work tomorrow…work was uncomplicated, usually straightforward, nothing emotional going on there.

The train pulled in and came to a stop, and as she alighted, Alice thought that perhaps, after all, it was good that she and Sam couldn’t see so much of each other all the time, like other engaged couples usually do. Life was giving her plenty of space – which was probably what she needed after all.

Alice felt listless when she woke the following morning, despite having had a reasonably good night’s sleep – though not before she’d tossed and turned, thinking about her future – a future that seemed to have taken on ridiculous proportions.

Presently, in the kitchen making her tea and toast, she heard the postman at the door, heard the brief plop of a letter falling on the mat. And at once she went out into the hall to see who had written to her. Picking up the envelope, a warm rush of pleasure ran right through her.

Sam had written to her. It was Sam’s writing on the envelope.

My own dearest darling Alice

I’ve been feeling really miserable the last couple of days. Isn’t that strange – when really I am on top of the world. But it has been hard to concentrate on anything. And I know why. It’s because I haven’t seen you for over a week, and it’s going to be another whole one before we are together again. I don’t know if I can wait that long. I shouldn’t have to wait that long.

Ever since I put that ring on your finger, all I want is just to be with you…to be close to you. When I am supposed to be thinking of work, all I am doing is thinking about you, thinking of your lovely face and of the funny things you say that make me smile. I am so, so, so lucky that you really have agreed to be mine, Alice. I still can’t quite believe it.

We’ll be together next weekend, won’t we, and it cannot come quickly enough for me. But instead of me coming to Dorchester, will you come to Clifton instead? We could go for a long walk on the Downs again, like we used to, and just talk and talk and make each other laugh, and of course start thinking about our immediate future. We do have certain things to discuss!

Let me know if you agree, and I will tell Betty we’re coming home – you know how much pleasure it gives her to indulge us with her spectacular cooking.

Until Saturday, my sweetest Alice – all my love –

Sam