The Day She Came Back(70)

‘Who’s Gerald?’

Sarah might know all about the history of Rosebank and their family stories, but on recent events she was a little behind. It was a strange mental juggling act as the past and present collided with huge gaps in the understanding of them both.

‘Gerald – he spoke at the funeral?’

‘Yes, of course!’ Sarah shook her head, as if she was embarrassed to have not made the connection.

‘He was Prim’s friend, companion – whatever you want to call it; her beau. They went to the theatre together and out for supper. He’s been very kind to me.’

Sarah’s eyes widened. ‘God, that’s so weird for me to hear.’ She placed her hand over her mouth, as if shocked.

‘That Gerald has been kind to me?’ She felt a flare of anger – for what, she didn’t know, but it seemed any negativity from Sarah was akin to putting a match to the defensive kindling that lay bunched in her stomach and ready to flare.

Sarah shook her head. ‘No, no.’ She bit her bottom lip. ‘I know it’s ridiculous, but I can only ever think of my mum with my dad.’

‘Bernard didn’t mention Gerald?’

Sarah stared at her. ‘No, he didn’t. It was only ever short cards saying things like you had passed ten GCSEs or how you had got really good at the piano. Snippets, as if he was a bit reluctant to go into detail. He loved Mum and was loyal to her. I am grateful to him, still.’

‘He loved her?’ This was news.

‘Yes, I think so. Not in a romantic way, but he’s worked for her for decades, as you know, Rosebank is a safe haven for him.’

Victoria felt glad that she had made things right with him.

‘I don’t think Bernard has had the nicest life. His wife is quite scary. She has a mean mouth, I seem to remember.’

This too: news. Victoria felt the rise of guilt in her chest.

‘And without him I would have lost touch with you completely and this would not be happening, so I’m grateful to him and I always will be.’

‘I wanted to ask you. I know Bernard would’ve let you know, so why didn’t you come to Grandpa’s funeral?’

They stepped in unison on to the escalator that would take them to the platform. Sarah, on the stair below, turned to look at her.

‘I wanted to!’ Her response deliberate and wide-eyed. ‘More than I can tell you – the chance to say goodbye to my lovely dad . . . But that was the rule!’ She wiped her face.

‘The rule?’ Victoria gave a short laugh. ‘Who made the rules?’

Sarah bit her lip and looked decidedly uncomfortable. ‘I knew getting in touch with you would only be possible when Mum died, and even then I knew it would be going against everything we had agreed.’

‘But what did you agree and why? How was the whole thing concocted?’ She knew she was pushing, but her need to know the details had not lessened.

‘I want you to read some more of the letters when we get back and then I promise we can talk about it fully.’ Sarah looked around, like she was afraid of being overheard. ‘I think Prim knew I would get in touch. I sensed that from her.’ Sarah held her wedding ring, like it was a thing of comfort. ‘Strange how, even after all these years, it never really occurred to me that she might have someone else.’ She changed the topic. ‘I can’t picture her in my mind with another man, someone who replaced my dad.’

The two walked from the escalator and Victoria followed Sarah until they came to a bench and sat down. She placed her carpetbag on the floor by their feet.

‘Gerald didn’t replace Grandpa.’ Her tone was kinder now. ‘I don’t think anyone could have done that. But Prim was sociable and outgoing until the end, and I think it was nice she had someone to sit on the veranda with or to discuss her plants. Gerald used to do a lot of jobs in the garden and the lake. And there were a lot of jobs to be done.’ She smiled, remembering the way they would call to each other through open windows or the French doors and meet in the garden room or on the veranda for tea and shortbread . . . or gin. She thought fondly of his neat house, and liked knowing that if and when she needed him he was on call – to offer toast from his dainty toast rack, a warm bath with the provision of soft towels or to tote a gun to dispel an unruly crowd. It felt good to know he was in her corner.

Sarah put her hands in her jacket pockets and hunched her shoulders. ‘I know I have no right to feel odd about Gerald, none at all, but it’s a bit like the world I left at twenty is frozen in my mind. I don’t imagine it to have moved forward at all. It’s good Mum had help in the garden. The house takes a lot of upkeep; I remember that even back in the day. But you will have your inheritance and your money from Granny Cutter too to help with that.’

Victoria felt uncomfortable that it was being mentioned so casually, feeling suddenly protective of not only what was hers, but also her gran’s choices.

‘Mind you, the question is whether you want to spend that money maintaining a big house when there’s a whole wide world waiting to be discovered.’

‘Actually, Daks and I are going away in March. At least, that was the plan. We’ve been thinking about it for a while. I don’t always feel like going, not with my head all over the place, but I know it will be good when it comes to it. We’re going to the Far East and South America and will stay away until our money runs out.’