A Winter Love Story

‘There’s that Miss Thompson on the phone, reminding you that she expects to see you this evening. I told her that you were still at the hospital and there was no knowing when you’d be home.’ Cork lowered his eyes deferentially. ‘I trust I did right, sir.’

Mr Tait-Bullen was looking through the post on the hall table. ‘You did exactly right, Cork. I don’t know what I would do without you.’ He glanced up. ‘Did I say I would take her somewhere this evening? It has quite slipped my mind.’

Cork drew a deep breath through pinched nostrils. In anyone less dignified it would have been a sniff. ‘You were invited to attend the new play. The opening night, I believe.’

‘Did I say I’d go? I can’t remember writing it down in my diary.’

‘You prevaricated, sir. Said if you were free you’d be glad to accept.’

Mr Tait-Bullen picked up his case and opened his study door. ‘I’m not free, Cork, and I’m famished!’

‘Dinner will be served in fifteen minutes, sir. The young lady’s phone number is on your desk.’

Mr Tait-Bullen sat down at his desk and picked up the receiver. Honor Thompson’s rather shrill voice, sounding peevish, answered.

‘And about time, too. Why are you never at home? It’s so late; I’ll go on to the theatre and meet you there. The Pickerings are picking me up in ten minutes.’

Mr Tait-Bullen said smoothly, ‘Honor, I’m so sorry, but there is absolutely no chance of me getting away until late this evening. I did tell you that I might not be free; will you make my excuses to the Pickerings?’

They talked for a few minutes, until she said, ‘Oh, well, you’re not much use as an escort, are you, Thomas?’ She gave a little laugh. ‘I might as well give you up.’

‘There must be any number of men queueing up to take you out. I’m not reliable, Honor.’

‘You’ll end up a crusty old bachelor, Thomas, unless you take time off to fall in love.’

‘I’ll have to think about that.’

‘Well, let me know when you’ve made up your mind.’ She rang off, and he put the phone down and forgot all about her. He had a teaching round the next morning and he needed to prepare a few notes for that.

He ate the dinner Cork set before him and went back to his study to work. He was going to his bed when he had a sudden memory of Claudia, her fiery hair in a mess, enveloped in that old jacket and a sack. He found himself smiling, thinking of her.

The first few days of November, with their frosty mornings and chilly pale skies, had turned dull and damp, and as they faded towards winter Great-Uncle William faded with them. But although he was physically weaker there was nothing weak about his mental state. He was as peppery as he always had been, defying anyone to show sympathy towards him, demanding that Claudia should read The Times to him each morning, never mind that he dozed off every now and then.

His faithful housekeeper’s endless efforts to prepare tasty morsels for his meals met with no success at all. And no amount of coaxing would persuade him to allow a nurse to attend to his wants. Between them, Claudia, her mother and Tombs did as much as he would allow them to. Dr Willis, inured to his patient’s caustic tongue, came daily, but it was less than a week after Mr Tait-Bullen’s visit when Great-Uncle William, glaring at him from his bed, observed in an echo of his former commanding tones, ‘I shall die within the next day or so. Tell Tait-Bullen to come and see me.’

‘He’s a busy man…’

‘I know that; I’m not a fool.’ The Colonel looked suddenly exhausted. ‘He said that he would come.’ He turned his head to look at Claudia, standing at the window, lingering after she had brought Dr Willis upstairs.

‘You—Claudia, go and telephone him. Now, girl!’

She glanced at Dr Willis, and at his nod went down to the hall and dialled Mr Tait-Bullen’s number. Cork’s dignified voice regretted that Mr Tait-Bullen was not at home.

‘It’s urgent. Do you know where I can get him?’ She added, so as to make things clear, ‘I’m not a friend or anything. My great-uncle is a patient of Mr Tait-Bullen’s and he wants to see him. He’s very ill.’

‘In that case, miss, I will give you the number of his consulting rooms.’

She thanked him and dialled again, and this time Mrs Truelove, Mr Tait-Bullen’s receptionist, answered.

‘Colonel Ramsay? You are his niece? Mr Tait-Bullen has mentioned him. He’s with a patient at the moment. Ring off, my dear; I’ll call you the moment he’s free.’

Claudia waited, wondering if Mr Tait-Bullen would have time to visit Great-Uncle William or even to phone him. She supposed that he was a very busy man; he could hardly be blamed if he hadn’t the time to leave London and his patients to obey the whim of an old man who had refused his services. Then the phone rang, and she picked it up.

‘Yes,’ said a voice in her ear. ‘Tait-Bullen speaking.’

This was no time for polite chit-chat. ‘Great-Uncle William wants to see you. He says he’s going to die in a day or two. He told me to phone you, so I am, because he asked me to, but you don’t have to.’

She wasn’t sure if she had made herself clear, but apparently she had. Mr Tait-Bullen disentangled the muddle with a twitching lip and answered her with exactly the right amount of impersonal friendliness.

‘It is very possible that your great-uncle is quite right. I’m free this evening; I will be with you at about seven o’clock.’

He heard her relieved sigh.

‘Thank you very much. I’m sorry if I’ve disturbed your work.’

‘I’m glad you phoned me.’

She could hear the faint impatience in his voice. ‘Goodbye, then.’ She rang off smartly, and then wondered if she’d been rather too abrupt.

He arrived punctually, unfussed and unhurried. No one looking at his immaculate person would have guessed that he had been up since six o’clock, had missed his lunch and stopped only for the tea and bun his faithful Mrs Truelove had pressed upon him. Dr Willis was waiting for him, and they spent a few minutes talking together before they went up to the Colonel’s room. Dr Willis came down presently. ‘They’re discussing the merits of pyrenaicum aureum as opposed to tenuifolium pumilum…’

Mrs Ramsay looked puzzled. ‘Is that some new symptom? It sounds alarming. Poor Uncle William.’

‘Lilies,’ said Claudia. ‘Two varieties of lily, Mother.’

Dr Willis patted her mother’s arm. ‘Don’t alarm yourself, my dear. Your uncle is enjoying his little chat. It was good of Mr Tait-Bullen to come.’

‘But he’s not doing anything to help Uncle…’

But that was exactly what he was doing, reflected Claudia, although she didn’t say so. Instead she asked, ‘Do you suppose he will stay for supper? Mrs Pratt can grill a couple more chops.’

But when he joined them presently, he declined Mrs Ramsay’s offer of supper, saying that he must return to London.

‘I hope we haven’t spoilt your evening for you—caused you to cancel a date?’

Claudia noticed that he didn’t answer that, merely thanked her mother for her invitation. ‘If I might have a word with Dr Willis?’

They left the two men, returning when they heard them in the hall.

Mrs. Ramsay shook hands. ‘We’re so grateful to you. Uncle did so wish to see you again—although I’m sure you are a very busy man.’

He said gravely, ‘The Colonel is going to die very soon now, Mrs Ramsay; he is content, and in no pain, and in Dr Willis’s good hands.’

He turned to Claudia. ‘I was bidden to tell you to read the editorial in The Times before he has his supper.’ His hand was firm and cool and comforting. ‘He’s fond of you, you know.’

He left then, getting into his car and driving back to his house to eat the meal Cork had ready for him and then go to his study and concentrate on the notes of the patients upon whom he would be operating in the morning. Before that, he paused to think about the Colonel. A courageous old man hidden behind that crusty manner. He hoped that he would die quietly in his sleep.

Great-Uncle William died while Claudia was still reading the editorial. So quietly and peacefully that it wasn’t until she had finished it that she realised.

She said softly, ‘You had a happy talk about lilies, didn’t you, Uncle William? I’m glad he came.’

She bent to kiss the craggy old face and went downstairs to tell her mother.

CHAPTER TWO

THE Colonel had been respected in the village; he had had no use for a social life or mere acquaintances, although he had lifelong friends.

Claudia had very little time to grieve. Her mother saw the callers when they came, arranged things with the undertaker and planned the flowers and the gathering of friends and family after the funeral, but it was left to Claudia to carry out her wishes, answer the telephone and make a tidy pile of the letters which would have to be answered later.

Dr Willis was a tower of strength, of course, but he was more concerned with her mother than anything else, and Mrs Ramsay leaned on him heavily for comfort and support. She needed both when, on the day before the funeral, the cousin who was to inherit the house arrived.

He was a middle-aged man, with austere good looks and cold eyes. He treated them with cool courtesy, expressed a token regret at the death of the Colonel and went away to see the colonel’s solicitor. When he returned he requested that Mrs Ramsay and Claudia should join him in the morning room.

He stood with his back to the fire and begged them to sit down. Already master of the house, thought Claudia, and wondered what was coming.

He spoke loudly, as though he thought that they were deaf. ‘Everything seems to be in order. The will is not yet read, of course, but I gather that there are no surprises in it. I must return to York after the funeral, but I intend to return within two or three days. Monica—my wife—will accompany me and we will take up residence then. My house there is already on the market. You will, of course, wish to leave here as soon as possible.’

Claudia heard her mother’s quick breath. ‘Are you interested as to where we are going?’

‘It is hardly my concern.’ He eyed Claudia coldly. ‘You must have been aware for some time that the house would become my property and have some plans of your own.’

‘Well,’ said Claudia slowly, ‘whatever plans we may have had didn’t include being thrown out lock, stock and barrel at a moment’s notice.’ When he started to speak, she added, ‘No, let me finish. Let us know when you and your wife will arrive and we will be gone in good time. What about Tombs and Mrs Pratt and Jennie? I understand that they have been remembered in Uncle William’s will.’

‘I shall, of course, give them a month’s wages.’ He considered the matter for a moment. ‘It might be convenient if Mrs Pratt remained, and the girl. It will save Monica a good deal of trouble if the servants remain.’

‘And Tombs?’

‘Oh! He’s past an honest day’s work. He will have his state pension.’

‘Have you any children?’

He looked surprised. ‘No. Why do you ask?’

She didn’t answer that, merely said in a matter-of-fact voice, ‘Well, that’s a blessing, isn’t it?’ Then she added, ‘I’m glad you’re only a distant cousin.’

He said loftily, ‘I cannot understand you…’

‘Well, of course you can’t. But never mind that. Is that all? We’ll see you at dinner presently.’

She saw him go red in the face as she got up and urged her mother out of the room.

In the hall, her mother said, ‘Darling, you were awfully rude.’

‘Mother, he’s going to throw Tombs out, not to mention us. He’s the most awful man I’ve ever met. And I’m sure Mrs Pratt and Jennie won’t want to stay. I’m going to see them now.’

She gave her mother a reassuring pat on the shoulder. ‘Why don’t you go and phone Dr Willis and see what he says?’

Over a mug of powerfully brewed tea, she told Tombs and Mrs Pratt and Jennie what her cousin had said. They listened in growing unrest.

‘You’ll not catch me staying with the likes of him,’ said Mrs Pratt. She looked at Jennie. ‘And what about you, Jennie, girl?’

‘Me neither.’ They both looked at Tombs.

Claudia hadn’t repeated all her cousin had said about Tombs, but he had read between the lines.

‘I’ll never get another place at my age,’ he told them. ‘But I wouldn’t stay for all the tea in China.’

He turned a worried old face towards Claudia. ‘Where will you and madam go, Miss Claudia? It’s a scandal, turning you out of house and home.’

‘We’ll think of something, Tombs. We’ve several days to plan something.’

‘And Rob?’

‘He’ll come with us. I don’t know about Stokes…’

‘I’ll see that he gives in his notice,’ said Tombs. ‘What a mercy that the Colonel isn’t here; he would never have allowed these goings on.’

‘No, but you see this cousin of his has every right to do what he likes. If you intend to leave when we do, have you somewhere to go? Mother’s on the phone to Dr Willis, who may be able to help. If not then we will all put up at the Duck and Thistle in the village.’

‘I could go home,’ ventured Jennie. ‘Me mum’ll give me a bed for a bit.’ She sounded doubtful, and Claudia said, ‘Well, perhaps Dr Willis will know of someone local who needs help in the house. I think we’d all better start packing our things as soon as the funeral is over.’

She found her mother in the morning room. It was cold there, for the fire hadn’t been lighted, and Mrs Ramsay was walking up and down in a flurried way.

‘Mother, it’s too cold for you here, and you’re upset.’

‘No, dear, there’s nothing wrong—in fact quite the reverse. Only I’m not sure how to talk to you about it.’

Claudia sat her parent down on the sofa and settled beside her.

‘You talked to Dr Willis? He had some suggestions? Some advice?’

‘Well, yes…’

‘Mother, dear, does he want to marry you? I know you’re fond of each other…’

‘Oh, yes we are, love, but how can I possibly marry him and leave you and the others in the lurch? At least…’

‘Yes?’ Claudia had taken her mother’s hand. ‘Do tell. I’m sure it’s something helpful. He’s such a dear; I’ll love having him for a stepfather.’

Mrs Ramsay gave a shaky little laugh. ‘Oh, darling, will you really? But I haven’t said I’d marry him.’

‘But you will. Now, what else does he suggest?’

‘Well, it’s coincidental, but his housekeeper has given him notice—wants to go back to her family somewhere in Lancashire—so Mrs Pratt could take over if she would like the job. And he knows everyone here, doesn’t he? He says it should be easy to find a place for Jennie.’

‘And Tombs?’

‘George said he’s always wanted a butler. His house is quite small, but there would be plenty for Tombs to do. And he’d love to have Rob… Only there’s you, darling.’

‘But, Mother dear, I’ll be getting a job. I’ve already applied for several, you know, and none of them are too far from here. I can come for holidays and weekends, if George will have me.’

‘You’re not just saying that to make it easy for the rest of us?’

‘Of course not. You know that was the plan, wasn’t it? That I should come here for a week or two while I looked for something nearer than London?’

She didn’t mention that she had had two answers that morning from her applications, and both posts had been filled. There was still another one to come…

‘Well, Claudia, if you think that’s the right thing to do. We shall go and tell Tombs and the others.’

‘Yes, but no one had better say a word to Mr Ramsay. When do you see Dr Willis—no, I shall call him George if he doesn’t mind?’

‘After the funeral. He thought it best not to come here.’

‘Quite right too. We don’t want Cousin Ramsay smelling a rat. Mother, you go to the kitchen; I’ll hang around the house in case he comes looking for us.’

Later at dinner, Mr Ramsay made no mention of their plans; he had a good deal to say about the various alterations he intended making in the house. Monica, he told them, was a woman of excellent taste. She would have the shabby upholstery covered and the thick velvet curtains in the drawing room and dining room torn down and replaced by something more up-to-date.

‘The curtains were chosen by Great-Uncle William’s mother,’ observed Mrs Ramsay, ‘when she came here as a bride.’

‘Then it’s high time that they were removed. They are probably full of dust and germs.’

‘Most unlikely,’ said Claudia quickly. ‘Everything in the house has been beautifully cared for.’

He gave her an annoyed look. He didn’t like this girl, with the fiery hair and the too ready tongue. He decided not to answer her, but instead addressed Mrs Ramsay with some query about the following day.

It was after the last of the Colonel’s friends and acquaintances had taken their leave, after returning to the house for tea and Mrs Pratt’s delicious sandwiches and cakes, that Mr Potter, the Colonel’s solicitor, led the way across the hall to the morning room. He had been a friend of the family for years, and his feelings had been hurt when Mr Ramsay had told him that he would no longer require his services.

His father and his father before him had looked after the Ramsays’ modest estate, but he was old himself and he supposed that Mr Ramsay’s own lawyer would be perfectly capable. He said now, ‘If someone would ask Tombs and Mrs Pratt and Jennie to come in here.’ He beamed across at Dr Willis. ‘I had already asked you to be present, George.’

He took no notice of Mr Ramsay’s frown, but waited patiently until everyone was there.

The will was simple and short. The house and estate were to go to Cousin Ramsay, and afterwards to his heirs. Mrs Ramsay was to receive shares in a company, sufficient to maintain her lifestyle, and Claudia was to receive the same amount, but neither of them could use the capital. Tombs received five thousand pounds, Mrs Pratt the same amount, and Jennie one thousand pounds. Claudia heard Cousin Ramsay draw in a disapproving breath at that.

Mr Potter put the will back in his briefcase and said, suddenly grave, ‘If I might have a word with you, Mrs Ramsay, and Claudia, and you, Mr Ramsay?’

When the others had gone, he said, ‘I am afraid that I have bad news for you; the company in which the shares were invested and destined for you Mrs Ramsay, and you, Claudia, has gone bankrupt. I ascertained this the day before the Colonel died, and I intended to visit him on that very day. There is nothing to be done about the terms of the will, but perhaps you, Mr Ramsay, will wish to make some adjustment so that Mrs Ramsay and Claudia are not left penniless.’

He saw no sign of encouragement in Mr Ramsay’s stern features. Nevertheless he persisted. ‘Their incomes would have been small, but adequate. I can advise you as to the amount they would have been. One wouldn’t expect you to make good the full amount, but I’m sure that a small allowance for each of them…’ His voice faded away under Mr Ramsay’s icy stare.

Claudia saw the painful colour in her mother’s face. ‘That is very thoughtful of you, Mr Potter, but I think that neither mother nor I would wish to accept anything from Mr Ramsay.’

Mr Ramsay looked above their heads and cleared his throat. ‘I have many commitments,’ he observed. ‘Any such arrangement would be quite beyond my means.’

Mr Potter opened his mouth to protest, but Claudia caught his eye and shook her head. And, although the old man looked bewildered, he closed it again.

It was Mrs Ramsay who said, in a voice which gave away none of her feelings, ‘You’ll stay for supper, Mr Potter? I remember Uncle William promised you that little painting on the stairs, which you always admired. Will you fetch it, Claudia?’

She smiled at Mr. Ramsay. ‘It is of no value, and one must keep one’s promises, must one not?’

Mr Potter refused supper and, clutching the picture, was escorted to his car by Claudia. ‘It is all most unsatisfactory,’ he told her. ‘Your great-uncle would never have allowed it to happen. How will you manage? Surely even a small allowance—’

Claudia popped him into the car and kissed his cheek. ‘I’ll tell you a secret. Mother is going to marry Dr Willis and I’ve my eye on a good job. We haven’t told Mr Ramsay and we don’t intend to. And Tombs and Mrs Pratt and Jennie are all fixed up. So don’t worry about us.’

He cheered up then. ‘In that case I feel very relieved. You will keep in touch?’

‘Of course.’

She waved and smiled as he drove off, then went back into the house. Despite her cheerful words she would hate leaving the old house, although she told herself sensibly that she would have hated staying on there with Mr Ramsay and his wife, who would doubtless alter the whole place so much that she would never recognise it again.

Later, in her mother’s bedroom she said, ‘You’ll have to marry George now, because I told Mr Potter you were going to.’

‘But, Claudia, there’s nothing arranged…’

‘Then arrange it, Mother dear, as quickly as you can. There’s something called a special licence, and the vicar’s an old friend. Now, what’s to happen when we leave? Is George giving us beds, or shall we go to the Duck and Thistle?’

‘George wants me to go and see him tomorrow morning. I think he has something planned. Will you stay here, in case Mr Ramsay wants to talk to us about something?’

‘Not likely. But I’ll be here. Take Rob with you, Mother; he doesn’t like dogs.’

Mr Ramsay spent the next morning going from room to room, taking careful note of his new possessions. The kitchen and its occupants he ignored; they could be dealt with when he was satisfied with his arrangements. He kept Claudia busy answering his questions about the furniture and pictures, all of which he valued.

‘We shall sell a good deal,’ he told her loftily. ‘There are several pieces which I think may be of real value. But these…’ He waved an arm at a pair of Regency terrestrial and celestial globes in one corner of the morning room. ‘I doubt if they’d fetch more than a few pounds in a junk shop.’

Claudia, who happened to know that they were worth in the region of twenty thousand pounds and had been in the family for well over a hundred years, agreed politely.

‘And this clock—Monica has no liking for such old-fashioned stuff; that can go.’ He pointed to a William the Fourth bracket clock, very plain and worth at least two thousand pounds.

He brushed aside a stool. ‘And there are all these around. I have never seen such a collection of out-of-date furniture.’

The stool was early Victorian, covered with petit-point tapestry. Claudia didn’t mention its value, instead she said politely, ‘There is a very good firm at Ringwood, I believe—a branch of one of the London antiques dealers. But I expect that you would prefer to go to someone you know in York.’

‘Certainly not. I am more likely to get good prices from a firm which has some knowledge of this area.’

Claudia cast down her eyes and murmured. If and when he sold Great-Uncle William’s family treasures, and she could find out who had bought them, she might be able to buy one or two of them back. She had no idea how she would do this, but that was something she would worry about later.

She knew the elder son of the antiques dealer at Ringwood; he might let her buy things back with instalments. Which reminded her of the letter she had stuffed in her pocket that morning. The post mark was Southampton, and it was the last reply from the batch of applications she had sent. Perhaps she would be lucky…

She was roused from her thoughts by Mr Ramsay’s sharp, ‘Where is your mother?’

She looked at him for a moment before replying. She wondered if she dared to tell him to mind his own business, but decided against it.

‘Well, she will have gone upstairs to check the linen cupboard with Mrs Pratt—a long job—then she told me that she would be taking Rob for his walk and doing some necessary shopping in the village. She should be back by lunchtime. I don’t know what she will be doing this afternoon.’