15 Damage Limitation

15

Damage Limitation

‘Morning, Georgina. How was your weekend?’

‘Lovely, thank you. I managed to get tickets for the Santa Christmas Cruise, and I had a wonderful afternoon with my daughter and the grandkids, up at the canal at Frampton on Severn. We bumped into Nigel and Daniela; what a lovely little family they are but, oh my, do they have their hands full. Pixie kept straining on her lead and almost pulled poor little Clara over. And William spent the entire time we were chatting trying to escape from his pushchair. How was Cornwall?’

She pours me a large mug of coffee and I smile, gratefully. ‘We had a wonderful time, but this morning I’m feeling shattered. Yesterday, we did a two-hour ramble along the cliff path and back, and a walk along the beach, before enjoying a traditional Sunday roast at Mum and Greg’s local pub. My calf muscles are aching like crazy this morning. Is Elizabeth, or Grandma, up and about yet?’

‘No. Veronica left me a note to say all the bedrooms were occupied on Saturday night but there are only two for breakfast and they won’t be down until nine. I guess the party weekend went well.’

‘Oh, I didn’t realise they had plans for yesterday, too. Gosh, they’ve got more stamina than me!’ I laugh.

‘You know what they’re like when Elizabeth and your grandma get together to let their hair down. Still, the kitchen was spick and span when I arrived first thing. If I’d known it was going to be a full house, I’d have got my ladies in early this morning to make a start stripping the beds.’

Even so, her expression tells me that she’s not complaining.

‘It’s not been an easy time for anyone, has it?’

Georgina lets out a poignant sigh. ‘Elizabeth used to brief me every morning straight after breakfast. That hasn’t happened since Freddie passed. Admittedly, with very little happening here by way of entertaining, there hasn’t been much going on during the week for me to organise. Whenever I get the chance I do ask her if she’s expecting company at the weekend. She’ll often look at me rather vacantly and mutter something about not being sure. So, I simply order a little extra, just in case, because I know she doesn’t like to waste food and neither do I. However, several times I’ve arrived on a Monday morning to find the fridge almost empty and it’s obvious they descended en masse.’

‘And probably unannounced,’ I add, tetchily. I know it’s been annoying Elizabeth. She’s too polite to turn family away and tell them what she really needs is a little recovery time, alone. ‘It’s not your fault, Georgina. You’ve been doing your best during a difficult period.’

‘Yes, but I’m worried her brothers might feel I’m not doing my job properly.’

‘Well, what they think doesn’t really matter. Everything has been in limbo and we’ve all been treading carefully around Elizabeth, out of respect. If Freddie were still here they wouldn’t be inviting themselves over unannounced.’ It makes me fume!

‘I’m not complaining, Sienna … I just wanted you to be aware. Your grandma had a quiet word with me and she’s assured me I’ll be in the loop from now on. But you know what Elizabeth’s family are like, the changes will no doubt cause a bit of a stir. When it comes to weekend events, your grandma and I are going to put our heads together to get everything organised well in advance.’

‘That’s great news, Georgina. It should definitely help to get things back on track.’

‘I hate bothering Elizabeth when it’s obvious that her thoughts are elsewhere. Often, she raises a smile, but she wears it like a protective coat.’

The look we exchange is empathetic.

‘I know. I get that too, but maybe things are finally about to change for the better.’

‘Yes, well … let’s hope the family back off a little, eh?’

I raise my eyebrows to the heavens, thinking that’ll be a miracle in itself and Georgina gives a little laugh. I hope it sends out a clear message to them all that they can’t simply regard Silverberry Hall as their personal home-away-from-home just because Freddie is no longer here.

‘Right, if anyone asks, I’ll be in the study and I probably won’t surface until lunchtime.’

‘I doubt you’ll get any interruptions. The partygoers will need time to recover,’ she giggles, as I head off to start my working day.

I grab the carrier bag I’d left in the boot room, eager to get started. To my surprise, when I sit down at my desk there’s a small piece of paper tucked under the edge of the keyboard. I unfold it to see it’s a note from Grandma.

Morning! When you get here, text me and I’ll be straight down. We had two very late nights, but you know me. No doubt I’ll be up with the lark and lying on the bed reading. x

As my fingers tap away, I wonder what this is about. I hope Mum hasn’t spoken to her about the little exchange we had on Saturday night at the restaurant. By comparison, yesterday was much more relaxed and the two of us got to wander off together and chat a little more openly. I apologised to her for overreacting, but she said there was no need. Mum said that she regretted not being there for me after the split with Liam, and that it was only natural that I needed time to think about my future.

In the car on the journey back to Darlingham, Oliver seemed to think it wasn’t quite as awful an exchange as I’d perceived it to be. He said it was simply a frank discussion, but my recollection was that there was a distinct edge to Mum’s tone. I felt she wasn’t really listening to what I had to say, and to my embarrassment, in standing my ground I succeeded in making both Greg and Oliver feel uncomfortable.

When I switch on the PC I immediately begin trawling through my emails. I’m delighted to see one from Ron, at Backlight Enterprises, confirming that the carousel will be delivered the afternoon before Christmas Eve. He’ll arrange for it to be collected on Boxing Day morning, as it has to be taken to a film set in Somerset. I thank him and give him my mobile number, suggesting that he give me a call when he sets off so I can get people to move their cars ahead of his arrival.

There’s a tap on the door and Grandma appears. ‘It’s only me!’ She hurries over and sinks down into the seat alongside the desk. ‘Well? How did it go?’

I take my hands off the keyboard, surprised to hear the excitement in her voice. ‘Fine. Mum’s really settling into the community there and—’

‘Oh, I know she’s fine, but what about the other little matter?’

I grab my phone, get up the photo I took of James and hold it out to her. ‘I think I might have found him.’

Her jaw gapes as she stares down at it. She passes the phone back to me, putting a finger in the air. ‘Give me a moment!’ And off she scurries.

Please, please don’t fetch Elizabeth down here, Grandma , that inner voice pipes up. But I needn’t worry, as she returns with one of the photos Elizabeth keeps on top of the piano in the main sitting room. She places it on the desk beside the phone and we both stare down in amazement.

‘He has Freddie’s eyes!’ she half whispers.

‘I thought the same thing. And his chin, too. Are there any photos of Peter?’

‘Not on display, but I know Elizabeth has a special album she keeps in her bedroom next to her bed. Oh, Sienna! Tell me all about it.’

I explain that it was more by chance, and down to Oliver striking up a conversation with someone working in the garden, rather than my detective skills, that tracked him down. ‘As soon as I saw him, despite the fact he goes under another name, I knew it was James.’

‘But he’s not James Stuart-Adams anymore?’

‘No. He’s Ashley Freeman, Ash for short, and he lives with a young woman named Jasmine. Together they run a shop in the heart of Charlestown.’

‘As in Free Man ?’ Grandma gasps in disbelief.

‘Gosh, the irony of that went right over my head!’ I muse. I hand her the carrier bag tucked beneath my desk. ‘I brought this back for you. Ash is a carpenter and he made this in his workshop.’

Grandma unwraps it, setting it down on the desk as if it’s not simply a lump of driftwood, because we both know that it’s so much more than that. ‘It’s beautiful. What are you going to tell Elizabeth?’ she asks, a little breathlessly.

‘I don’t know. He’s a nice guy, hard-working and oblivious to why I was there.’

Grandma closes her eyes for a second. ‘I was worried you might have inadvertently let something slip, but that’s not what Elizabeth wants.’

‘I know, but our paths only crossed fleetingly and he had no reason to suspect I wasn’t just another customer.’

‘It’s a lovely gift, Sienna, and I appreciate the thought but I would love it if you gave this to Elizabeth as a memento of your trip, without telling her what the connection is. It seems only right.’

‘Aww … that’s a lovely thought, Grandma. I have what she needs to pass on to the Italian solicitors – the name he now goes by, a contact address and even a telephone number, so I know she’ll be happy.’

‘The solicitors won’t ring him. It’ll all be handled via correspondence, but you did well.’

Obviously, Grandma thinks my job is done. ‘Do you think it’s best not to show Elizabeth the photo I took, or tell her what I discovered?’

‘Only if she presses you. She doesn’t want to cause James any upset whatsoever but there’s also an element of self-preservation to it. Contacting him directly would be an emotional nightmare at a time when she’s still extremely fragile.’

‘It doesn’t feel right, Grandma. I can see Freddie in him,’ I appeal to her. ‘He might resemble his father too, but I guess Elizabeth will never really know for sure, will she?’

Grandma suddenly looks rather agitated, lifting her hand to her mouth and pressing a finger to her lips. I’m no expert at body language, but it’s as if she’s willing herself not to answer my question. Seconds pass and her eyes tell me she’s in two minds about what to say.

‘It’s simply too painful for her to comprehend, Sienna. It was cruel of Peter to keep James’s existence a secret for all these years.’

‘I understand that, but once things calm down, isn’t there a chance she might change her mind and reach out to her grandson? Unless she has her doubts that Peter is James’s father, of course.’

Grandma’s brow furrows. ‘Peter wouldn’t have included him in his will if he wasn’t one hundred per cent sure James was his son.’

‘You think there’s some other reason Elizabeth is holding back?’

Grandma lowers her hand, letting it fall haplessly into her lap. ‘Perhaps, but I can’t be sure of that. What son doesn’t row with his father as he’s growing up and asserting his independence? The young Peter wasn’t a bad lad, although he was feisty. I didn’t really get to see much of him as he grew into adulthood. However, I’m led to believe that the final row was something entirely different.’

‘How?’

I can see that she’s torn, probably feeling that I deserve to know whatever she’s privy to, while feeling it’s no one’s business but Elizabeth’s.

‘The truth is that I don’t know.’

‘But you were in regular contact back then?’

‘Yes, of course! I do remember being shocked when Elizabeth eventually confided in me – several months down the line – that Peter still hadn’t been in touch. Whenever we met up, if anyone mentioned Peter’s name Freddie immediately changed the subject. Before long, everyone got the message that it wasn’t a topic of conversation but, as far as I’m aware, no one really knows what caused Peter to disappear from their lives.’

I feel my whole body sag. ‘Elizabeth must have been distraught.’

‘Much later, she wept when she eventually shared how she’d tried to get Freddie to calm down and listen to what their son had to say on that fateful day. She said that they were shouting at each other across the room and she watched, horrified and unable to do anything about it. When Peter stormed out, she begged Freddie to go after him but he was so angry he turned his back on her. Can you imagine that?’

‘It must have been a truly awful thing to witness,’ I mutter, feeling the hopelessness of the situation.

‘Afterwards, Elizabeth said that Freddie bitterly regretted losing his temper and the harsh words he uttered that day. His son left the house believing that his father would always look on him as a failure. The damage had been done and I think they all knew there was no going back.’

My jaw drops, as I sit here in disbelief at what I’m hearing. A failure? ‘That doesn’t sound like Freddie at all.’

‘Unbelievable, isn’t it? I got the drift that Peter was in some sort of financial trouble and it was serious. If what Richard told you is true, suddenly, ten years later he’s made enough money for him to hand over a considerable sum to Briony, just like that? It doesn’t make any sense.’

‘Oh … I see what you mean. He was starting from scratch with nothing and that can’t have been easy, especially as at some point he got married.’

‘I’m sure he would only have handed over a lump sum of money if he had proof that James was his.’

‘A DNA test, maybe, or perhaps a photograph of the baby, so that Peter could see for himself the family resemblance before destroying it?’ I ponder.

‘Who knows? It’s a poignant ending to a sorry tale. In one way, it’s closure for Elizabeth after all these years of wondering whether one day her son would simply turn up at the Hall.’

However, I can’t help wondering whether Elizabeth has good reason to feel it could do more harm than good by reaching out to James. What if he asks awkward questions that she isn’t prepared to answer, because the truth is too painful to acknowledge?

‘I wonder whether, as the years went on, not being a part of his son’s life lay heavily on Peter’s conscience,’ Grandma continues. ‘The dear boy thought he was doing some good by including James in his will. However, in making that gesture, it’s triggered a search and that has had an impact on both his wife and his mother. And what about James? It’s his birthright, but how will he feel about being tracked down and having the past raked up again when the solicitors make contact?’

And that’s my fault.

‘Oh, Grandma. It breaks my heart to think that he doesn’t know how much Elizabeth would love the chance to welcome him into her life if …’

‘If they choose to focus only on the future and ignore the past? He’s bound to be curious.’ She sighs. ‘Even so, it’s terribly, terribly sad. I can’t even begin to imagine how different my life would have been without you in it, Sienna. All those precious memories are dear to my heart. You’re my little ray of sunshine and you always put a smile on my face. You’ve had your fair share of battles and setbacks, but I really do think your life is about to blossom. I’m proud of the woman you’ve become.’ A solitary tear tracks down Grandma’s cheek and I jump up out of my chair to stoop and wrap my arms around her.

‘Aww. I feel blessed having two strong women as an example to help pick me up every time I fall. And you’re right, each little battle has taught me something … hopefully,’ I quip.

‘A couple of weeks ago, Elizabeth admitted to me that she can’t take any more sadness. That’s a large part of the reason why I’m moving into the Hall. The weekend was so light-hearted and fun. We laughed, we had a jolly time among caring friends, who’d backed away because they wanted to give Elizabeth her space; but I know exactly what she’s going through. Freddie’s passing, your mum moving to Cornwall and you breaking off your engagement have all thrown me into …’

I straighten and she stands, grasping one of my hands in hers.

‘It was as if everything in my life was falling apart,’ Grandma admits. ‘We knew we had to turn it around and accept that with change comes new, exciting opportunities. But, as far as Elizabeth is concerned, she’s going to change her will to include James, in addition to various bequests to her nephews and nieces. It will give them all a nest egg. But more importantly, James won’t feel obliged to keep this place going, they will all simply benefit from it and continue on with their lives.’

‘But—’

‘No buts , Sienna. This is what Elizabeth wants. Just give her the details you have, so that she can forward them on to the Italian solicitors and include Ashley Freeman in her will. Then let her and James get on with the rest of their lives in peace.’

Grandma hugs me fiercely, as if she senses that I’m struggling to accept this is absolutely the right thing to do.

‘There are only so many times a person our age can recover from having their heart torn apart. I think it’s time Elizabeth put herself first for a change. That means waking up each morning with a smile on her face. And spending time with friends she knows will gladly donate to her favourite charities if plied with gourmet food, fine wines and music! I think she’s earned that, don’t you? And I intend to be her companion throughout. When I lost Pops, I had you and your mum to keep me going. But it was Elizabeth and Freddie who made sure I didn’t have time on my hands to dwell; that was what saved me from myself. I’m simply repaying that kindness.’

We both swipe away our tears and do what we always do. Push our shoulders back, hold our heads high and get ready to make the best of the day ahead.

‘OK, Grandma. I hear what you’re saying.’

‘Thank you, darling. I truly believe it’s what Freddie would have wanted.’

And who am I to argue with that? Sadly, the one thing no one can change is the past.

‘I’ve been waiting for a call, or at the very least a text. How did your trip to Cornwall go?’ Daniela’s clearly a little miffed at me.

‘Sorry. It was lovely, if tiring,’ I apologise. ‘And today was full on; it was one problem after another.’ I was going to say an emotional day, but Daniela would have been eager to know why.

‘And did you and Oliver get to enjoy some quality time alone together?’ The inflection in her tone is one of amusement.

‘No, it wasn’t like that. We ended up sitting around a table at a wonderful restaurant on Saturday evening while Mum and I had a bit of a heated discussion, and it was highly embarrassing. Fortunately, Sunday was much more relaxed. We all went for a long walk before lunch and then bid them goodbye early afternoon. Mum and I managed to have a quiet chat while we did the cliff walk and we both admitted things had gotten a little out of hand the night before. It’s to do with Grandma moving into Silverberry Hall.’

‘Really? What a brilliant idea!’ Daniela enthuses.

‘What, Grandma moving out of River View Cottage permanently and handing it over to me? I’m not ready for that sort of responsibility.’

‘Nonsense!’ she insists. ‘You sort out all the bill paying and wages at the Hall; taking on a four-bed cottage would be a doddle by comparison.’

‘It’s … um … the upkeep and the maintenance bit that worries me. I don’t want to take on that sort of challenge right now. I’m happy with things the way they are for the time being.’

There’s a momentary hesitation before she replies. ‘I can’t think of a better way of spending your savings than giving the place a refresh. I know that splitting up with Liam hit you hard, but this is a perfect opportunity to get out of the slump you’ve been in since you moved back to the village.’

‘I’m in a slump, am I?’ I challenge her.

‘Please don’t take this the wrong way, because I only want what’s best for you. It’s like you’re standing still. You let one day follow another and what … almost six months on from the split and you’re still not dating, or even trying to expand your horizons. Marissa managed to drag you away from Darlingham for a whole weekend, but aside from that you spend the majority of your working days in the company of two elderly ladies. It’s time to rejoin the world and start considering your future.’

Talk about tough love. If it were anyone else saying this other than Daniela, I’d brush it off, even though she’s right. Elizabeth didn’t even look at the details I tried to hand her when I said I thought I’d found James. She simply broke into a wistful smile, then asked me to email everything to the Italian contact and to her own solicitor, Mr Berridge. Grandma was right, she’s not going to risk reaching out to her grandson. She did ask me if he seemed happy and I told her that he has a good life in Cornwall.

In fairness, I can see where her thought processes have taken her. No one will hold it against him if he feels nothing but contempt for his father’s family, given what happened.

‘I’ll get there, Daniela, but now is not that time.’ And no one’s going to wave a magic wand so that a grandmother can be united with a grandson she’s never met. Life is a process and in between the high points, the harsh lessons take a while to sink in.

‘Honestly, I don’t know what’s going on with you at the moment. Most of the time you seem distracted. I hoped that spending a little time with your mum and Greg would finally help you to see that change can be good. Instead, you sound down. However, I’m really glad that Oliver’s been around because his presence has definitely perked you up a bit. I’m hoping this is just the start of the new you and you’ll come bouncing back.’

It’s nothing to do with Oliver. Daniela doesn’t know that she was his first love, maybe his only love, so she couldn’t be further from the mark. He and I have become friends, which is why Mum thought there might be something more going on between us, but I’m no substitute for my talented friend. She’s intelligent, ambitious and fascinating, whereas I’m more of a plodder, a bookkeeper and an organiser. How could I ever compete … even if I were tempted?

‘I don’t know about that, but I was so grateful he was there to get me through the weekend. Mum felt I was being ungrateful when I said I didn’t think it was a great idea for Grandma to move into the Hall permanently. It was one of those conversations where she didn’t actually say the one day everything I own, too, will be yours speech, but it was on the tip of her tongue. I just think things are moving too fast and I don’t want Grandma to have any regrets.’

‘Gosh, poor you. No one likes talking about that stuff, do they? But she has a point. Every time you walk past your old family home you get prickly about the changes the new people are making. You don’t want to see strangers in River View Cottage too, do you?’

‘No, that’s the last thing I want. But this came out of nowhere.’

‘See it as a blessing, Sienna. Think how exciting it will be putting your stamp on the place. Your grandma will be there encouraging you to look at paint charts and you can upcycle some of the furniture. See it as a bonding thing, something that will give her a great deal of pleasure to witness. Let’s face it, she spends most of her time at the Hall now anyway, since Freddie passed. And together she and Elizabeth bolster each other’s spirits; it keeps them young.’

‘Not you, too! I had to listen to all that from Mum,’ I moan. ‘It’s time to change the subject. How was your weekend?’

‘Fabulous! Clara and William were enthralled by Santa, although Pixie wasn’t too impressed. The bonus was that Nigel’s parents offered to have the kids overnight at their place. Undisturbed date nights are few and far between at the moment, so it was heavenly.’

She does sound all loved up, like she was in the early days before she found herself going to bed before Nigel, because she couldn’t keep her eyes open.

‘And you deserve it!’

‘Well, after immersing myself in the history of Inglewick Hall, and stumbling across some rather intriguing family secrets that are best left buried, I was ready for some light-hearted fun. But I have the bare bones now and a firm idea of how I’m going to shape it into an interesting retelling of the history of the property.’

‘You do sound like you’ve cracked it.’

‘It’s a turning point, as now I just have to write the script. Anyway, will you be joining us on Saturday for the run-through?’

‘Sadly, no. Veronica will be on hand to give you the key as I’m not in at all this weekend.’

‘Don’t forget that I’m having a bit of a jolly afterwards back at my place, if you’re free to join us then.’

‘I’ll have to pass on that too, I’m afraid.’

‘Aww … that’s a shame. They’re a noisy bunch and it might be a late one, so I have no idea what Nigel will make of it. Fortunately, my parents have offered to have the children for the entire weekend. It will make life easier, and I’ll be getting caterers in. Although my other half loves donning his chef’s apron and he makes a good beef bourguignon, they’ll all deserve a sumptuous three-course meal after what I’m going to put them through,’ she laughs.

‘Right. So, bed and breakfast at Oakleigh for Oliver this weekend then.’ I smile to myself.

‘What fun!’ she replies, suggestively.

‘What? I’m simply looking forward to having some company to brighten my Sunday morning, now that Grandma is staying at the Hall.’

‘Of course, it’s all change for your weekend routine, too. Are you sure you won’t join us Saturday evening for dinner? I’m sure Oliver will be disappointed by your absence. After all, we wouldn’t be ready to test out the stage if you hadn’t stepped up to help.’

‘It’s kind of you to offer, but I have my afternoon and evening all planned out. I’ve downloaded an entire series I’ve been wanting to watch for ages, and I fully intend to lounge around eating ice cream and snacking.’

‘Really? That sounds a bit lonely.’

‘Believe me, I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be a busy week at the Hall, and I probably won’t be good for much by then. At least if my eyelids droop, I won’t risk offending anyone,’ I chuckle. ‘I’ll simply rewind whatever I’m watching and pick up at the point where I drifted off. I’ll give Oliver a key and he can let himself in, as I’ll probably be sound asleep by ten o’clock.’

Daniela makes a tutting sound. ‘I know you’re shouldering a lot more than usual in the run-up to the party, but please pace yourself or you’ll fall prey to the winter lurgy. And get your head around moving into River View Cottage. Once my project is out of the way, I’ll be around to lend a hand. We can go shopping for furniture, bedding and curtains. You know me, I love to shop!’

‘I do, but I think I’m going to take it slowly. Who knows, Grandma might have a change of heart in the meantime.’

‘Hmm, don’t bank on it. Anyway, I must go. Nigel is cooking dinner, and my stomach is rumbling. Just take care of you and stop worrying about your grandma; she’s perfectly capable of steering her own future.’

Now that’s something I can’t dispute. Grandma knows exactly what she wants, whereas I feel like a work in progress, stretching out endlessly with no hint of any milestones on the path ahead.