‘Would you like a drink of tea, or some water?’ he asked when she was sitting down.
‘No, thank you. I just wanted to ask about… well, Florrie said you were thinking of moving back down south. That can’t be true, can it?’
The captain sighed as he took a seat opposite her. ‘I’m afraid it is.’
Bobby shook her head. ‘But you can’t! I mean, I’m sorry, of course you can do whatever you like. But I really wish you wouldn’t.’
‘You heard about my engagement being broken off, I suppose?’
‘Yes. I was sorry to hear it.’
George looked past her out of the window, as if half his thoughts were somewhere else. ‘It seemed only fair. I couldn’t tie a young girl like that to me knowing my heart was somewhere else. Besides, she never had been able to win the admiration of the children. It was them I was thinking of more than myself when I formed the connection – their need for a mother.’
‘When you say your heart was somewhere else…’
‘I doubt I need to explain it to you, do I?’
‘No,’ Bobby said quietly.
‘I was naive,’ he said with a sigh. ‘The intention was innocent, in the beginning. Your sister reminded me of my Rose, and how I’d longed to pamper her after Jess was born. When I saw something I knew Lilian would like – the coat – I thought, well, where is the harm? She made me smile, in a way I hadn’t smiled in so long. Then before I knew it, I… felt for her in a way I wasn’t able to change.’ He met her eyes. ‘It wasn’t planned, Bobby. None of this was planned. It just seemed to happen.’
‘I am sorry. You acted unwisely, as did my sister, but neither of you can help your feelings being what they are.’
‘If I could, I’d change them in an instant.’
Bobby leaned forward. ‘But do please reconsider moving back to London. This business has brought you pain, I know, but it will bring so much more to so many people if you take the girls away. They belong here.’
‘What else can I do? I know it must be as hard for Lilian to see me as it is for me to see her, and while I’ll always believe Tony Scott to be a boor entirely unworthy of her, he is nevertheless her husband. It complicates things for me to be here, and it gives rise to gossip that affects your sister’s standing in this community. I won’t be responsible for bringing her further unhappiness.’
‘It isn’t only about you and Lil though. Do you have family in London?’
‘None of any significance, now,’ he told her. ‘There was only my brother Jack, who as you know was killed in the war. His widow has a new husband, and no interest in her former family.’
‘And yet here you’ve found a large family. Mary Atherton loves those girls like a mother. We all love them, and we’ve grown fond of you as well, George. It will break the children’s hearts and ours if you take them away.’ Bobby looked earnestly into the solemn, honest green eyes above his broken nose. ‘Please, please do stay. You’ve got a good job, and people who care about you. If you and Tony can make it up, perhaps we can move beyond this.’
‘It wouldn’t change the way I feel about his wife,’ the captain said quietly. ‘Nor the way I believe she feels about me. As long as I’m here, it must cause problems between Mr and Mrs Scott. I acted very wrongly in my dealings with them. It’s right that I remove myself from their lives so they can be happy with one another.’
‘But what of your children? What of their happiness?’
‘Young people are generally resilient. The girls may be sad for a time, but no doubt they will find happiness in their new life after a period of adjustment. So, I suppose, will everyone here.’ He closed his eyes. ‘Still, I will miss this place. We could have been content here, if I had only been stronger. What a damn fool I was to give in to it!’
‘Please, George, I wish you’d reconsider. For the children’s sake.’
‘I’m sorry, Bobby. I made a poor choice in allowing myself to grow close to a married woman. Now it’s time to choose what’s right.’
Chapter 35
Bobby knew it was no use remonstrating further. The captain had made up his mind, and she had no idea what she could say to alter that.
She almost walked into Tony going over the bridge – or more accurately, he almost walked into her. In fact he almost knocked her over. Her brother-in-law looked a million miles away, his brow furrowed in thought.
‘Oh.’ He stopped short before he careered into her. ‘Sorry, Bob. Didn’t see you.’
He looked tired, but not sad particularly. Perhaps wistful.
Bobby knew from Lilian that the two were no longer sharing a bed. Tony himself had been the one to move his things into the nursery, while Annie went to share with her mother. Lil had confided to Bobby that she was unable to see Tony’s absence from her at night as anything other than a blessing.
‘Are you all right?’ Bobby asked him.
