‘Good Lord!’ said David. ‘That is gorgeous! Queen Anne, I reckon. Probably the wings are a bit later. But a really lovely country house.’ He sighed. ‘I hope you girls appreciate where you’ll be staying.’
‘I’m sure we can smuggle you in, David,’ said Alexandra. ‘They’d never notice you, I’m sure.’
‘Ha ha,’ said David without humour.
Lizzie’s mouth went dry. Hugo’s parents lived in a stately home. How could she even have a crush on someone who came from a house like this?
She was now worried about what would happen should a butler or footman appear to open the car doors for them. David’s old Citroën wasn’t exactlysmart. But in fact no one seemed to notice their appearance at all and they had to bang the lion’s head knocker on the front door.
‘Are we horribly late or early?’ Lizzie said. ‘And do we look all right?’ She had worked hard to look appropriately dressed. She wore a pinafore dress over a white polo-necked jumper (remembering the house was likely to be cold). Using the fabric she’d cut out to make the deep scoop neckline, she’d made a little triangular headscarf and little handbag. What had seemed so clever when she’d been making it now seemed far too ‘matching’ and she felt as though she was modelling a paper pattern or a fashion tip from a magazine.
‘We all look lovely,’ said Alexandra, who, as always, was understatedly stylish. Her handbag dated from before the war but was so elegant she might have bought it in Bond Street that week.
‘I wish there’d been a time on the invitation,’ said Meg. ‘But I expect we’re late. It’s half past four, after all.’
‘We’ve arrived now,’ said Alexandra, ‘and they’re very lucky to have three such beautiful young women to grace their establishment. Ah, someone’s coming.’
Lizzie had been beginning to hope no one would come and they could just tiptoe down the drive, carrying their cases, and tell Vanessa they’d had an accident on the way there. What had started out asa jolly invitation to a party had become something full of social anxiety.
‘Miss Alexandra Haig and party,’ said Alexandra.
‘You are expected,’ said the butler with a bow.
Much to Lizzie’s relief, Vanessa appeared. ‘You’re here. Thank goodness. Would you mind just washing your hands or whatever you want to do before coming into tea? We’ve started and Mummy’s quite hot on punctuality.’ She seemed flustered.
‘We got a bit lost,’ said Lizzie. ‘We’re so sorry.’
‘Oh. Didn’t you take a taxi from the station?’ asked Vanessa, leading the way to a downstairs cloakroom.
‘David drove us down,’ said Meg.
‘Just leave your bags here. Someone will take them up to your rooms.’ Vanessa paused. ‘Actually, you’re sharing. Will that be all right?’
‘Of course,’ said Lizzie.
‘I’ll wait while you get ready,’ said Vanessa.
When they emerged, as smartened up as was possible given the basic nature of the downstairs cloakroom, Vanessa looked at Lizzie with a worried expression.
‘Gosh, your dress is a bit short. Stay out of sight of my father. He’ll make a sarky comment. He doesn’t approve of any modern fashions. Aren’t you worried your stocking tops will show?’
‘No!’ said Lizzie. ‘I’m wearing tights!’ They’d seemed awfully expensive and she really hoped shedidn’t ladder them. A run in one leg meant that both legs were ruined.
‘Oh well, at least it means you won’t give Uncle Bertie an unexpected thrill by showing the tops of your thighs.’ Vanessa gave Lizzie’s hair a frown and then said, ‘Come on. The house is heaving with relations, I’m afraid.’
Her heart in her kitten-heeled slingbacks, Lizzie followed the others. Her dress was shorter than she’d have liked it but the remnant she’d bought had been rather narrow. She’d thought about putting a border on it but had got distracted.
The huge drawing room seemed to be full of sofas and armchairs surrounded by little tables. On the little tables were cake stands, teapots, side plates and cups and saucers. Uniformed maids were hovering round passing things. It was like something out of a film, thought Lizzie. Only it felt horribly real. Why had they come? No party could be worth going through all this first.
‘I’ll just introduce you to Mummy and Daddy,’ said Vanessa. ‘Don’t worry if they seem a bit – formal. It’s just their way.’
Lizzie tucked herself behind the others and held her bag in front of her knees, hoping it would make her skirt look longer. If she’d known she would have carried her scarf, too, instead of leaving it with her case.
‘Mummy? Daddy? Can I introduce my friends from Mme Wilson’s to you?’
Vanessa’s parents seemed to be an off-putting combination of bewildered and cross. ‘Oh yes,’ said Vanessa’s mother. ‘The last-minute guests.’
‘This is Alexandra …’ Vanessa introduced each one of them and they all nodded in turn. Vanessa’s parents’ smiles were icy and their interest in their daughter’s friends only fleeting.
