He breathed in, then exhaled. ‘I wondered, rather than bother my father, if you couldn’t help me out a little.’
‘Me?’
‘Yes. I wouldn’t ask, only that things are getting a bit embarrassing for me. Of course, once I have a job, I’ll be able to repay you whatever you’ve managed to spare me.’
She thought how accurately she had to account for every pound, shilling and penny Arthur gave her and couldn’t see any way in which she could help Ralph. But she couldn’t bring herself to disappoint him.
‘You know,’ he went on, ‘you really are quite an amazing woman.’
‘I am?’
‘Oh yes. You’ve made my father happier than I’ve ever seen him before.’
‘Really?’
‘Don’t sound so surprised, it’s obvious the difference you’ve made to his life.’
‘Well,’ she said cautiously, ‘I suppose he’s had so much sadness in his life, hasn’t he, what with his first wife leaving him and then his second wife dying?’
‘Precisely! You’re a ray of sunshine in what had been a dark world for him. Now what do you say? Could you help me out financially, just temporarily?’
Julia was not as stupid as some people thought she was. She knew that Ralph was using charm and flattery to twist her arm, but she was prepared to overlook that if it meant he became a better stepbrother to Charles. ‘I’ll see what I can do,’ she murmured.
‘Good girl,’ he said, a rakish smile brightening his handsome face. ‘I knew I could count on you. Come on, drink up and we’ll take another turn around the dance floor.’
ChapterTwenty-Seven
Meadow Lodge, Melstead St Mary
October 1962
Hope
‘Everything all right?’
Watching Edmund dance with his niece, Hope turned to find Kit standing next to her.
‘Of course everything’s all right,’ she said, ‘why wouldn’t it be?’
‘No reason. Although I haven’t seen you dance yet.’
‘Nobody’s asked me. And I’m certainly not going to make a fool of myself the way Edmund is. Just look at him with Em.’
‘It’s called the Twist.’
Hope grimaced. ‘You can call it what you want, but it’s not for me. Where’s the elegance?’
‘I suspect elegance isn’t part of the deal,’ Kit said with a chuckle. ‘I’m reliably informed by both Pip and Em that to do it properly one has to imagine drying one’s bottom with a towel while grinding out a cigarette with a foot.’
‘Is that so?’
‘I could ask the band to play a nice gentle waltz, or a foxtrot, if you’d like.’
Hope shook her head. ‘Just ignore me, I’m not at my best at parties.’ Observing her husband again, as he loosened his tie and threw off his jacket, and tossed it to Evelyn, she said, ‘Have you noticed a difference in Edmund lately?’
‘What sort of difference?’
Seeing the concern in Kit’s face, she thought better of pursuing the subject. ‘Sorry, I’m being a bore and a damp squib.’
