‘I don’t, for precisely the same reason you don’t tell your son to stop believing you’ve failed in some way. And if he could get over his determination to never be guilty of that, he’d see that you’re actually pretty happy too, just as I am.’
Henry smiled, picking up his mug. ‘Can I tell you a secret, Blanche? It’s not really a secret, but it is something I’ve been keeping to myself because I don’t want the thought of it spoiled by the comments I know my son would make if I told him.’
‘Oooh, gossip, how naughty. Yes, do please tell me.’
‘I met a woman on the drive down here. I hardly know her. But she has long black hair which she wears in plaits, the kindest smile, and makes the most wonderful cheese and beetroot sandwiches. I bumped into her at a petrol station and then again some seventy miles later when we were both caught in the same traffic jam. She saw me and came over to share her lunch with me. We sat and talked, and now I can’t get her out of my head. Turns out she only lives fifteen minutes away, which really isn’t helping.’
‘And presumably, with it being Christmas, she’ll be surrounded by family, so even if you did want to see her, you can’t just barge in and say hello.’
‘Actually, she’s on her own. She’s a widow. And her children are both away, skiing…She described how she was planning to spend the next few days and it sounded heavenly. Not a golf club do in sight, or an endless stream of people and small talk. No rounds of jolly festivities either…’
Blanche tipped her head to one side. ‘You know, now we’ve established that I’m a sherry-drinking card shark and not a doddery old fool who can’t be trusted, I’d be perfectly happy on my own for a few hours. Sofia and Adam won’t be back for ages yet. I’ll stick on some trashy TV programme and raid Sofia’s stash of Baileys while you’re gone. And if I wash up my glass, no one will be any the wiser.’
Henry stared at her. He couldn’t do that…could he?
‘I’d probably need to take her a present…’
‘I saidstashof Baileys. There are three bottles in the pantry, and quite a lot more besides. Take your pick.’
Henry almost turned around several times on the way over, convinced that he was being foolhardy in the extreme. Just because he thought Peg’s final words to him might have been ‘come over’, it didn’t mean that they were. She could have said anything. It could also have been something said in the rush of the moment as they were saying goodbye – a polite remark which they both knew was exactly that and no more. He glanced at the bottle of Baileys nestled on the passenger seat and rolled his eyes.
Lower Steeping was a pretty village which didn’t seem to have changed at all since Henry was last there. Still the same tree-lined lanes, dotted with warm honeyed stone cottages andneat front gardens. Gardens which, come summer, would be abundant in flower and teeming with bees. The green was at the far end of the main street, a bend in the road meaning that the houses formed a sweeping circle around it, but as Henry drove closer he realised that, although Peg had told him her house was at the far end of it, he couldn’t know which one that was. Not unless he knew in which direction she was travelling. Or she knew in which directionhewould be travelling. And her reference to the church gave him no clue either; it was down a different lane altogether. He pulled into the side of the road and slowed to a stop. This was madness.
He looked first one way and then the other. There were indeed two houses which arguably could be said to be at the end of the green – one, a ramshackle thatched cottage, and the other, set slightly further back from the road, that was painted pink with a bright green front door. Was that the more likely home of a woman who wore her hair in plaits and favoured colourful clothes? He decided that it was and set off towards it, the bottle of liqueur in his hand.
With his heart still pounding in his chest, Henry was almost relieved when there was no answer to his knock on the door. That was until he realised someone was calling to him. Turning around, he spied a woman’s face peering at him from over a thick hedge which bordered the property to one side.
‘Are you looking for Peg? Only she’s not here, you’ve just missed her…Can I help you?’ At least he’d got the right house.
The owner of the voice sounded friendly enough, but she was obviously keeping an eye on things for her neighbour. And he had no idea how to introduce himself.
‘Hi, I was just calling on the off-chance that Peg was around, but no problem. I didn’t say I was coming, so…Do you think she’ll be long?’
The woman’s eyes narrowed as she assessed him and Henry wondered whether he’d be considered friend or foe. ‘Hard to say, but not for a bit yet. She’s gone to visit her aunt in hospital. Is that for her?’ She indicated the bottle in Henry’s hand. ‘I can pass it on for you, if you like.’
Henry thought for a moment. He didn’t blame her, but the neighbour was obviously fishing for information. He was pleased that Peg had someone looking out for her, but perhaps it was better to assume that her absence was a sign that he should stop being silly and get on his way. On the other hand, he didn’t want the woman to think there was anything suspicious about him. Peg had spoken very fondly about an aunt – the one she’d been to visit – and he wondered if it could be the same one. Now, what was her name…?
‘No, it’s fine, thanks. I just hate turning up empty-handed, but I can give it to her another time. Is her aunt okay? Didn’t she just get back from visiting her?’ As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he could see he’d said the right thing. The woman’s expression relaxed and she smiled, leaning further forward over the hedge.
‘She’s had a fall, broken her wrist I think Peg said, so she’s gone haring off up there again to look after her, only got back yesterday, too. I’m sure everything will be fine, but you never know, do you? Peg mentioned possible concussion as well, and that can be nasty, especially for someone of Mim’s age. And I can’t help but feel for Peg if anything were to happen. It’s not a great time of year for her as it is.’
Mim, that was it…Henry nodded. ‘No, I know. But like you said, hopefully it will all be okay. Just such as shame Mim lives where she does; it’s a longish drive.’
‘That’s what I said. I told her to take it easy, but I can understand her wanting to go, she dotes on Mim. Aside from her kids, she’s virtually the only family Peg has now.’ She smiled,indicating the bottle again. ‘Are you sure you don’t want me to take that in for her? It’s no bother. I’ll be round later to feed the cat.’
Henry shook his head. ‘That’s kind, but I’ll give Peg a ring and pop back another time. Thanks, though. Oh, and Happy Christmas.’ He gave a small wave and began to walk back towards his car. He needed to end the conversation before it got any more difficult, or he was forced to tell lies.
He drove off immediately, but as soon as he was out of sight of Peg’s house, he pulled back into the kerb and stopped again. If the neighbour was still watching he didn’t want it to seem as if he was lingering, but an even more ridiculous idea had popped into his head while they had been talking, and he needed time to think about what had been said,andwhat he should do. Peg was clearly very fond of her aunt, and now he knew that she was one of her only relatives. It was Christmas. Whatever Peg was facing, she would be doing so alone – without the comfort of her children, and only three days away from the anniversary of her husband’s death. Might she be grateful for a friendly face? Or someone to talk to? It wasn’t difficult to work out which hospital Mim would be in. She lived in Stoke, the same as Henry, and there was only one she would have been taken to. He checked his watch. It was just gone two. If he left now, he could be back by tonight. It would be late, admittedly, but the roads would be quiet by then, he’d make good time. Blanche would be fine, and he still wouldn’t miss any of the things which Adam and Sofia had arranged. He pulled out his phone and dialled.
‘I’ve never heard anything so ridiculous,’ said Adam, a few minutes later after Henry had explained. The golf club lunch was evidently still in full swing; Henry could hear the sound of some very merry people in the background. He’d probably be the first to admit that it was a ridiculous idea, but the fact that his sonhad reacted in such a way irritated him enormously. He hadn’t shown the slightest concern for Peg, or the situation she was in.
‘Who is this woman anyway?’
‘She’s just a friend.’ He was trying not to let his annoyance show. ‘This woman’ wasn’t exactly a complimentary way of describing Peg, but more to the point, completely ignored the fact that Henry was an adult, and perfectly entitled to make friends with whom he chose. And if he had any doubts about the way Adam’s mind was working, his next statement made it obvious.
‘Oh, I get it…playing the knight in shining armour, are we?’
Henry bristled. ‘You could just think of it as showing someone a little kindness, Adam, instead of making stupid comments. Kindness, because she’s on her own and it’s Christmas – the season of goodwill to all men – the season when we’re supposed to be kind and thoughtful and selflessinstead of selfish.’
