“Is Blackpool in particular need of a dragon?”Simon asked from where he leaned on the chimneypiece, one hand playing with his son’s curls while Iggy paged through his copy ofThe Boy’s Own Paperon the hearthrug.
“It’s where the Lancashire Aero Club has an Aviation Week, every July,” Violet said.“I went to the first one, last year.”
“With flying machines?”exclaimed Iggy, looking up with bright eyes.
“Like the ones in Father’s books?”asked Dolly.
Violet nodded.“All kinds of them!They race each other.They had aeronauts from all over Europe and North America.TheDaily Mailgave a thousand pounds for the fastest lap, and the chap who won it only got it a few yards off the ground!Everyone made such a fuss about that French fellow who got across the Channel last year in one piece, but that’s nothing to us!Can’t you just imagine their faces if one of us went faster than any air machine they’ve been able to make, on adragon?”
Simon eyes went all faraway, and the firelight played over his face.“You want to enter a dragon into an air race,” he said.It wasn’t a question.
“Why not?”Violet said.“Their machines are flimsy as anything.Half the time they don’t even take off properly!”
“Would they allow it?”Edith asked.“Don’t the rules specify a machine?”
“I can’t imagine they’ve ever thought to rule out a large reptile,” Simon said sensibly.
“Just imagine it—Edith on Cariad, swooping in and outpacing all of them!”said Violet.
“And the look on their faces!”crowed Iggy, and Dolly’s face was glowing.
Una and Uncle George were the only ones that didn’t look excited about the whole idea.
“Yes, I imagine itwouldcause a sensation—especially in my interesting condition!“ Edith agreed, laughing.“And after Mr Wells was so very rude about our dragons—nostalgic relics of the Dark Ages, indeed!We could show they actually belong in the twentieth century!”
“Think how Aunt Gwen would love it!”cried Dolly.
“She would, wouldn’t she?”Edith mused.Then Edith sighed, bringing herself back to earth.“It’s a lovely dream.But it’s yours, Violet—not mine.I’m so sorry about Blackpool.But I know thereisa place for you in Ormdale, Violet, if you want it.You just have to find out what it is, like I did.“ Edith slid her arm through her husband’s and leaned on him.“Like Simon did.”
Violet was old enough to remember that before Simon married Edith, there had been something slightly wrong about him, as if he didn’t quite belong.Now he unapologetically filled every inch of the space his frame required.
What was it Janushek had said yesterday?That he had stopped looking for a better country and started making one?
Violet noticed Edith’s eyes shift to her father-in-law, Peter Forrester, where he sat with Dolly’s head on his shoulder.“Like all of us did, really,” Edith said softly, with a smile at Violet, as if to saySee?
For an instant, Violetdidsee—the hope that her family had that she, too, could find a place for herself just as they had.
Violet just found it hard to believe.After all, if she was going to find a place here, why hadn’t she done it already?
Her eyes went to Una, and Una looked away quickly.
Chapter thirty-four
Ormdale
Edithwasabouttoask Simon to find her muffler when she saw her father give her father-in-law a discreet but unmistakable nod and pick up a candle from the chimney-piece.Then he moved to the door, where he paused to give her the same speaking look.
Edith spotted a storybook lying on the side table and thrust it at Violet.
“Do read a story to the twins for a moment, would you while I speak with Father?”
She winked at Simon and the two of them followed their fathers out of the room.
“Is it bad news from Windsor, Father?”Edith asked, as soon as the four of them were together in the passage.
“I’m not entirely sure,” Sir George answered.“The King did not have time to see me in the end, but some of his people spoke to me and… The legal status of my position of Dragon Master is a subject of debate.I have been given to understand by the palace people that various offices of government have shown a strong interest in what we do here, and that I should be prepared to receive inquiries.”
“Inquiries?”Edith repeated, a chill running over her.Her experience of government offices had not been entirely salutary in the past.
