Thank you for the lovely reviews of this alternative life for the Blake's and their friends and family. Here's another chapter, with the visit of Christopher, Ruby and Amelia.
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Jean stood on the platform rocking the stroller back and forth as Julia dozed. She had no idea if Christopher had received her letter about the children so this could be an interesting reunion, very interesting. He was bound to blame Lucien even if he had softened his attitude to her husband. The train drew in, squealing to a stop and she looked along the carriages. She couldn't see any familiar faces leaning out of the window but, knowing Christopher, he would alight first then look for her. The squealing of the train brakes had woken Julia suddenly and she had started to cry. Jean bent down to soothe her but found she would have to lift her out and give her a cuddle. She was just telling her that it was only the train and not to be frightened when a voice caught her attention.
"Hello, mum," Christopher murmured, "how are you?"
"Christopher," she smiled, "well, and you? Hello Ruby, and Amelia, oh, it's so good to see you."
He bent and kissed her cheek, "we're well too," he smiled and lifted Amelia up to greet her grandmother, "say 'hello' Amelia," he whispered, "to grandma."
Amelia, ever one for a hug, extended her arms to wrap them round Jean's neck, 'hello, gan'ma."
"Hello, my sweet girl," Jean put her free arm round the child, "my, how you've grown. Would you like to say 'hello' to Julia."
Amelia looked at the tearful baby and reached out to stroke her face, "hello."
Jean looked up and smiled at Ruby, "come on, let's go home, I expect you could do with a cuppa."
"That would be lovely, Jean," Ruby reached over for Amelia, "come on, love, grandma can't carry both of you."
Jean put Julia back in the stroller, Christopher picked up the cases and they headed out to the car.
"So," he closed the car boot, "this is Julia, then?"
Jean fastened her in the car seat and turned to smile at him, "yes, Lucien is picking Ted up from school." So it would seem he had got the letter.
They got into the car, with Ruby holding Amelia in the back, "we only got your letter about the children after we had written to you," Ruby confirmed what she thought, "how long are you fostering for?"
"We're hoping to adopt them," Jean pulled out of the parking space, "if all goes well." She let that sink in, sensing the shock from her son and his wife.
"Adopt them!?" Christopher gasped.
"We'll talk about it later, dear," she sighed, "after the children are in bed, there's too much to explain in front of, particularly, Ted."
"Right," he replied, stiffly.
'Oh dear,' thought Jean.
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Lucien was just opening the front door when she pulled onto the drive. He sent Ted in, to put his school bag down, while he went to help unload the car. He opened Jean's door and offered her his hand as she elegantly stepped out. He kissed her, searching her face for any sign of problems, but found only a loving smile.
Christopher helped his wife and child out of the car and they went round to speak to Lucien.
"Good to see you, Christopher, and Ruby," he grinned, "and Amelia, quite the little lady." They shook hands and Lucien stroked Amelia's cheek, which made her giggle.
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Cases put into the rooms, kettle on, Jean saw to the children, taking Amelia to meet Ted, introducing them over milk and biscuits.
"How was school today, Ted?" Jean asked, stroking his head, a habit she had got into.
He swallowed his biscuit, "it was good," he replied with a smile, "we did drawing and painting today."
" I did wonder," she lifted his hand to reveal a splodge of green paint up his sleeve.
"Sorry," he grinned, "Miss says it will wash out. Fraser got it all over his front." Jean rolled her eyes and went to wipe the girls down. He and Fraser seemed to be good friends, which was good, she thought, he seemed like a nice, well brought up child.
Ruby appeared in the doorway and watched as Jean chatted away to the children, cleaned off the crumbs and wiped the milk from their faces. Sensing her presence Jean looked up and smiled, "hello, Ruby, did you find everything?"
"The rooms are lovely, thank you, Jean," she moved further into the room, "Christopher is just freshening up."
"Good, well, tea in the living room, Ted," she turned to the boy, "why don't you and the girls go and play with the toys. Remember, Amelia isn't used to sharing her toys so be kind."
"Ok, mum," oh, he did like saying that, 'mum' "come on Amelia, wanna see my train set?"
Jean unclipped Julia from the high chair and placed her on the floor. She waddled over to the other children, Ruby laughed, "I remember Amelia being just as wobbly."
"She's not been walking long," Jean smiled, "that's why we put gates on the stairs. Before, she was easily contained..."
"Of course." Ruby looked at her, she looked different to what she remembered, but a good different. She'd work it out, she was sure. "Can I do anything?"
"You can take the tray to the living room, please," Jean indicated it on the table, cups, saucers, milk and sugar ready. "I'll bring the pot over."
"Right, coffee table?"
"Ah ha," Jean nodded as Lucien came back from the study. "Everything alright?" she asked.
"Yes, just wanted to put the notes away, left them out when I went to get Ted," he bent and kissed her softly.
"Right," she smiled, "come on, tea."
"Mm... could think of something else," he whispered in her ear.
"Lucien," she hissed, a wicked smile on her face, "we have guests." She made to walk away, "maybe later."
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While the children played on the floor they talked of the posting Christopher had, how Ruby and Amelia spent their days, with other mothers and children.
"We wander through the market, which is fascinating," Ruby sipped her tea, "Amelia loves looking at the colours on the clothes stalls."
"It sounds like you are enjoying yourselves," Jean smiled. Once upon a time she would have been a little envious, not having had the chance to travel, but, since her four month honeymoon travelling Europe with Lucien, she was just happy Ruby had the chance denied her, originally.
"Oh we are, Jean," Ruby smiled, "but now you've had the chance to travel... on your honeymoon. The postcards were lovely, we tracked your trip on a world map."
"It was wonderful, Ruby, thank you," Jean agreed, but declined to go into too much detail save to say it was a trip beyond her wildest dreams.
Christopher listened to his wife and mother happily chat, at last. So often at odds, even when Jean had gone to help out after Amelia's birth, but they seemed to have found a peace between them.
"Well, I need to get on with dinner," Jean stood up, "we like the children to eat with us, if that's ok with you two?" She looked at Ruby and Christopher.
"It's your home," Christopher nodded, "Amelia is often in bed when I get back, so it would be nice to have a family meal, wouldn't it, Ruby?"
"Of course, can I help, Jean?" Ruby smiled and placed her cup on the tray, "the children are occupied."
"That would be lovely, thank you," Jean recognised the offer for what it was, a chance to talk about their men without them listening. Also, perhaps Christopher could get to know Lucien better, if she and Ruby could do it...
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"It's just the vegetables that need doing, Ruby," Jean put the colander on the table and some potatoes and carrots. "Lucien turned the oven on for the roast when he left, he'd got very good at that. Next I need to teach him how to prepare it," she added in a lower voice.
Ruby giggled, "good luck with that, Christopher is always somehow otherwise occupied when that needs doing."
"Typical," Jean smiled and handed her the paring knife.
Ruby sat and started on the potatoes, "Ted seems a sweet little boy," she observed, knowing they would find out everything later.
"He is," Jean agreed, "very protective of Julia. It's Julia's birthday, tomorrow, so the children will have a little tea party instead of dinner," she looked out of the corner of her eye for a reaction, none, Ruby was waiting for her to finish, "that includes Amelia. There is also a little boy, George coming. He's Ted's friend but is happy to play with Julia too."
"That sounds lovely, Jean," she smiled, "I'll nip out in the morning and get her a little gift."
"You don't have to do that, she won't know."
"I insist, perhaps a little dress or something you think she needs," Ruby looked up, there was a light in her eyes, a sense of belonging, Jean thought.
"Well, she is getting a rag doll, stacking rings and a pull along toy from Ted and us, so I shall leave it up to you, it is very thoughtful of you."
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Dinner was a happy affair, Amelia needed cushions on a chair so she could reach and she was seated between her new friend Ted and Christopher. Ted was a little quiet at first, until Christopher remarked on his good fortune at having a train set.
"Mum and dad bought it me for my birthday," he grinned, "I can add to it, dad says, make it bigger."
"I see," Christopher nodded, "and what would you add to it?"
"Some more rails, I think, then engines and trucks," Ted tipped his head in thought, "but I'll have to be a good boy, or get a job, to pay for them."
Jean smiled at the idea that he would get a job just to buy his toys, "perhaps, sweetheart," she murmured, "you could put them on your Christmas list..."
"...put what on his Christmas list?" Matthew appeared, "sorry I'm late, smash at the lights on Sturt Street. No one hurt but hold ups."
Christopher stood up and held out his hand, "Superintendant, good to see you again."
"You too," Matthew shook his hand.
Jean stood up and took his plate off the pan where it was keeping warm, "come on, Matthew, dinner."
"Thank you, Jean," he sat down, "I'm ready for this," he started to tuck in, " so Ted," he swallowed a mouthful of roast chicken, "what needs to go on your Christmas list?"
"Er... things for the train set, Uncle Matthew," Ted didn't know what Christmas was but he'd go with the general flow of conversation. Mum would explain later.
"Right, well, you've got a while but no harm in starting early," Matthew winked and Ted grinned back.
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Jean and Ruby bathed the girls together while Christopher and Lucien washed up and Matthew read with Ted. It wasn't often he got the opportunity and he liked it. There was no chance he would have children of his own and living with the Blake's meant he got all of the fun without the work involved. When he'd said as much to Jean she had threatened to leave him with them for a weekend while she and Lucien went away, if he wasn't careful. Privately he thought that if they left it until Julia was out of nappies he could probably cope, with a little help from a particular friend; though how she would feel about that, he had no idea!
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"I usually put Julia back in the living room while I get her a drink of milk," Jean said, as she wrapped the baby in a fluffy towel, "does Amelia have a bedtime drink?"
"Sometimes, it depends if she wants one or not," Ruby dried her off, "I don't insist."
"Right," Jean lifted Julia up, "I'll just go and put this one in her night things and see you in there, then."
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Julia toddled over to Lucien and held her arms up to 'dada'. He settled her on his knee, much to the interest of Christopher, he didn't know why he should find it interesting, he just did, but the doctor looked so at ease with her playing, sleepily, with his tie it somehow seemed right. Jean passed her cup of milk over and then went to see to Ted, still happily playing with his train set.
"Time to get ready for bed now, Ted," she crouched down to him, "put the trains away please."
"Ok, mum," he smiled then yawned.
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Children in bed, Lucien poured whisky for himself and Christopher and offered Ruby a sherry as he poured Jean's customary evening drink.
"Oh, yes please," she smiled, "that would be lovely."
"So, mum," Christopher sat back in his chair, "you said, in the car, you plan to adopt the children, how come?"
"Well..." she sighed and looked at Lucien, he smiled and nodded, "it's a bit of a story..." and so she related how the milk had gone missing and they had done a bit of investigating, how they had found the two children in the shed... then how Agnes Clasby had put voice to the idea that Ted was very like Lucien at that age.
Lucien took over the story, as it was his father that had had the affair. Christopher and Ruby just sat there open mouthed, especially aghast at the story of Pat.
"So, what will happen to her?" Ruby asked, sure that they wouldn't just leave her to rot.
"We're not sure," Jean leant against Lucien's side, "we don't want to just walk off with her children, but she wants nothing to do with them or Lucien."
"I did offer to find somewhere for her to live, somewhere nicer, and see her safe, but I was met with abuse and hatred." Lucien twirled his glass round, "so at the moment I'm at an impasse, with her."
"It's really rather sad," mused Ruby, "I'm sure you'll find a way to help her, perhaps without directly being involved, somehow."
"I hope so, Ruby," Lucien sighed, "we're giving the children a chance, why not her?"
"Maybe she doesn't want one," Christopher had listened and thought, "maybe this is her way of giving the children all she can't personally, a better go at life than she had, her last, and possibly, her only, loving act."
They looked at him, open mouthed, "what do you mean, love?" Ruby gasped.
"Well," he accepted a refill of his glass, "it sounds a bit like Sandra," he turned to Ruby, "you remember." Ruby looked at him, the put her hand to her mouth in realisation of what he was thinking. She nodded.
"Sandra," he addressed the rest of the group, "Western, her name was. Married to a corporal, later sergeant. Nice couple, two kids, little lads. He was killed, training accident, bloody awful business, but I won't go into it, here. Safe to say she was left with the kiddies and not much else. She went off her head, wailing and blaming everybody; the army, him, the Lieutenant in charge, god, you name 'em, they were to blame. Trouble is the boys, they got the brunt of it, she started to drink. Not much at first, just an extra shot after dinner, she admitted it, didn't she, Rube, just to help her sleep. Well, I suppose we just accepted it, at first. She kept it together, in the first weeks, numb I guess," he sipped his whisky thoughtfully, "anyway, she went to pick the kids up from their friends one day, after school, drunk, not too drunk, but not capable of looking after the lads. The other mother, can't remember who, gave her coffee, sat her down, gave the kids their tea, put 'em to bed with hers and tried to get her to take it easy. Most of the mums tried to help her..."
"...it wasn't easy," Ruby chipped in, "we all had kiddies, of various ages, and didn't want them to see her falling apart, so we kind of took it in turns, to go round, help her with the boys, leave ours with another mother, pitched in as best we could. We tried to get her to see the doc, but she wouldn't. School got involved, reported her to the authorities, child neglect, or some such; the boys were taken off her, given to someone, bit like you two, to care for, just 'til she got herself sorted."
"I guess," Christopher resumed speaking, "that gave her the freedom to drink and, well, you get the picture. We couldn't do any more, she ended up in the loony bin, sorry doc, asylum, and the boys were adopted. She gave them up, like you say Pat did...I sure hope you can help her, to go the same route as Sandra, well..." he stared into his glass as the silence rang round the room. "...but I think Ted and Julia are in the best place. Though it was a hell of a shock when you said, in the car, mum. I thought, at first, well... sorry."
Jean smiled, "I understand, and I'm sorry if we shocked you. Poor Sandra."
"Bill and Danny are patrolling past the house, twice a day," Matthew joined the conversation, "thought it might help."
"Thanks, Matthew," Lucien smiled, "the neighbour has my number if she sees anything untoward, but it's nice to know."
"Yeah, well," he coughed, "she's family, even if she doesn't want to be." He swallowed his whisky and stood up, "think I'll go for a walk. I may be back late."
Jean and Lucien smiled and nodded their goodnight's to him, understanding what he meant. Christopher and Ruby looked perplexed, Jean thought she better explain when he'd gone, without going into too much detail.
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The click of the lock signified he had left.
"Wonder how late, tonight?" Lucien teased.
"That's enough of that, Lucien," Jean warned, "you're not his father."
"Er..." Christopher was afraid to ask. He had known Matthew for long enough, where would he go at night that would amuse the doctor and his mother.
"Matthew has a 'friend'," Jean told him, " he just likes to pop along some evenings for a chat and a nightcap."
"You mean a female friend?" he gasped, "surely not, I thought he was a confirmed bachelor."
"Things have changed round here, Christopher," Jean smiled, "and even Matthew is allowed to find that certain someone."
"Go on, then, who? Do I know her?"
"Goodness, what a gossip monger you are," Jean laughed, "what makes you think you would know her? People come and go, you know."
"Yeah, but his friends are usually yours," he drained his glass, "so... and I wouldn't want to put my foot in it, while I was here."
"As long as you don't say anything, to Matthew, that might embarrass him, or her," Jean looked at Lucien, who had that wicked twinkle in his eye when he thought of his old school friend and his new-ish colleague, "Alice Harvey, the doctor who did the tests when Jacqueline Maddern was killed."
"The one that bloke threatened to snap her neck, in the club? Phew!" He gaped, eyes wide, "she seemed a bit... er ... formidable."
Lucien guffawed at the description, "that's an interesting description." He smiled, "Alice is just right for him, they have a similar sense of humour."
"I'll take your word for it," Christopher grinned, "but I think we'd better get some sleep, been a long day. Thanks for letting us stay, mum, doc, just hope it's not too much for you." He looked directly at Jean, who reached round for a cushion to throw at him.
"Now, Christopher," Ruby touched his arm, "what is ever going to stop your mother when she has set her mind on something? Hm?" She looked at them and smiled, "goodnight, Jean, Lucien."
"Night, sleep well," they said together watching them head off up the stairs, carefully closing the gate behind them.
Lucien turned to her and took her glass out of her hand, "alone at last," he sighed.
She giggled, "our room, I think, dearest," and stood up, holding out her hand to him.
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Jean came out of the bathroom wearing her robe over her nightdress. Lucien was sitting on the bed, still partly dressed, apparently staring into space.
"Lucien," she called, softly. He didn't turn so she went closer and stood in front of him, "Lucien."
"Hm?" he looked up, "sorry, Jean," he reached for her and pulled her onto his lap, "it isn't too much, is it? You know, having them and the children and Matthew and..." she stopped him by putting her fingers over his lips, then leaning forward and lightly kissing him.
"Shh," she whispered, undoing the buttons on his shirt.
He snaked his hands round her trim waist and pulled her into a long slow kiss, she hummed and sighed before pushing him down onto the bed and sitting astride him. She continued helping him to take his shirt and singlet off while rocking gently against him.
"Jean," he groaned, "Jean, let me just..." he reached down to undo his trousers at the same time tipping his hips and rolling her onto her back on the bed. She wriggled out of her robe as he slipped his trousers off. He lay on his side facing her and running his hand under her nightdress to cup her breasts and thumb her nipples. He lifted the cotton fabric and kissed her stomach, then trailed little kisses up, pushing the garment out of the way, until she lifted her arms and he took it off her, leaving her naked and a delicious sight to behold.
"Lucien" she whispered as he moved his hands over her, and his mouth, "oh, god," she groaned, "yes, yes..."
He moved his whole body over her and made love to her, most thoroughly, until, satiated and breathless they curled together, exchanging little kisses and touches until they fell asleep.
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"You alright, Chris?" Ruby asked as he slipped into the bed beside her.
"Fine, why?"
"Just, I don't know, you seem, a little, well, unhappy about the idea of them adopting two children."
"I think I'm just a bit surprised, I didn't think they'd be thinking of having children, at their..."
"...age. Oh, Chris, what a thing to say." Ruby giggled, "why shouldn't they have children, I'm sure if your mum was still able to have one of her own she would have tried for that. Now keep your thoughts about it to yourself, they're happy, and so should you be. I think it's lovely, and just think, Amelia will have someone to play with when we visit." She wriggled against him, "now, just how tired are you?"
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Jean had put Julia's birthday presents in her place at the breakfast table so she could open them before Ted went to school. She was a little worried that Amelia would feel left out but after a quick word with Ruby she was assured Amelia had been to a couple of birthday parties and didn't seem to mind that it wasn't her turn to get presents.
The little girl needed help to unwrap her presents and cards and bounced up and down in her chair with delight as each treasure was uncovered. She hugged the rag doll, and rolled the stacking rings along the table, until Jean took them and put them in the toy pile by the train set.
Later, darling," she smiled, "first breakfast."
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Jean offered to drop Christopher and Ruby in town when she took Ted to school but they said they would look after the girls while she took him, then they would walk.
"Save the faff of getting them all in the car, Jean," Ruby smiled, "we'll wash the breakfast things for you. Unless you need to go into town?"
"No, I don't." Jean smiled, she actually agreed with Ruby but felt she had to make the offer anyway, "and thank you, it would be most helpful."
Jean, out of the house they set to clearing up while the girls played with the toys.
"See Matthew didn't make it back, last night," Christopher raised his eyebrows.
"Christopher, really," Ruby chided him, "he's a grown man. Is he supposed to stop 'that' just because he's over forty? You can be such a prude sometimes." She teased, "are you going to stop wanting me when we hit that age?"
"I doubt it," he bent and kissed her cheek, "it's just that when you think of people your parents age..."
Ruby shook her head and sighed, sometimes he was such an idiot.
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Christopher and Ruby told Amelia to be a good girl and headed off, hand in hand, to see what they could buy for Julia. It made Jean's heart glad to see them so happy, even if Christopher still didn't smile much. With Ted at school she had decided she could have the girls in the garden and living room while she quickly made a cake for Julia. They could toddle around quite safely while she got on with the jobs that needed doing before lunch.
Lucien had taken the car when Jean returned and was down at the station. Some ne'er do wells in the cells needed patching up and he would probably want to stay for any interviews. He had said he would check up with Bill and Danny about Pat, see if there was any news, then pop out and see the neighbour.
There was a kind of peace in the house, a peace that Jean liked, just her and the children. She couldn't do with it every day, but once in a while it was nice. She turned the radio up a little but not so much she couldn't hear the children and started to make a chocolate cake.
Amelia helped Julia put the stacking rings on the post then Julia took them off and put them on the other way up.
"Upsy-down!" Amelia laughed, and Julia tried to copy her.
"Ussy-dow!"
The rings could be heard clattering onto the wooden floor, 'obviously a nicer noise than on the rug,' Jean thought.
"Dis way," Amelia showed her how to put them back with the largest at the bottom.
Who knew such a simple toy could bring so much joy to two small children, Jean smiled, it brought back happy memories, though the boys usually ended up hitting each other, or throwing toys around. She wondered how long the girls would play so nicely. Still, she would give them a snack mid-morning, that would break up the game. Then, while the cake cooled she could go out and do some tidying up in the garden, they could come out with her.
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While all was harmonious in the house, Lucien was having a cuppa with Pat's neighbour.
"Yes, I have noticed the coppers," she nodded in answer to his query, "it's nice, sort of comforting."
"Has Pat?" he wondered if she had reacted to the heightened presence of the law in the area. "I would have thought, after her last visit from Sergeant Hobart and Mr Cross, she might be suspicious, even give them the rough edge of her tongue."
"A couple of times, yes," the neighbour, a Mrs Edna Colley agreed, "wanted to know what they were doing, harassing folks."
"And..."
"Sergeant Hobart just waved, and wished her 'good morning'," she smiled at the memory, "got a mouthful back. He just said, 'and to you too'. Oh, he's such a card, is Bill Hobart." she laughed, "bless him."
"How is she feeding herself, does she go out shopping?" Lucien asked, "none of the police in town have reported sightings. I'm concerned she's living on fresh air."
"Not so fresh in that house," Mrs Colley turned her nose up, "I haven't seen her go out, but that's not to say she doesn't."
"Of course, I didn't mean..."
"I know you didn't, doctor," she smiled, "but not much happens round here, we tend to know everybody's comings and goings."
"Well," he stood up, "I'd best be off, thank you for the tea."
"May I ask, doctor," she stood up to go with him to the door, "what is your interest in Pat, surely you have better things to do?"
"Her family were friends of my father's, long gone now," he hastily fashioned an excuse, "I can't just ignore her. And I am a doctor."
"Of course."
He drove slowly home, thinking, trying to come up with a way to help Pat. He felt his father should have tried harder to find her mother, find out why she left, if he really didn't know about the baby.
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Ruby helped Jean by getting the tea ready for the children while Christopher kept Amelia occupied during surgery. Julia was put down for her usual nap and Jean flitted between the kitchen and the waiting room.
"Can you mind Julia?" Jean asked, reaching for her coat and keys, "I'll just nip down and pick up Ted from school, she's still asleep so..."
"Of course," Ruby smiled, "we'll be fine." She watched her go, amazed at how unflustered she looked, in spite of Christopher's misgivings about her raising two children 'at her age'.
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George and his mother arrived, delighted to be invited to a birthday tea, again. George, according to his mother, had insisted he help choose Julia's gift and he shyly handed over a small, soft gift. Jean helped Julia unwrap the parcel; a small, fluffy toy dog, perfect for cuddling at night.
"Oh, George," Jean smiled, "how lovely, Julia," she turned to the little girl, "what do you say?"
"Ta," Julia smiled and hugged the toy, then George.
Mrs Porter was introduced to Ruby and, while the children, including Christopher and, after surgery, Lucien, played with the toys, the ladies put the tea things out. Ruby and Mrs Porter got on well, being of a similar age, both remarking they didn't know how Jean did it, everything in the house and the surgery.
"I suppose it's because she always has done." Ruby passed the plates to her, "my husband says he has never known her put her feet up just for the hell of it."
"It's such a shame," Mrs Porter whispered, "that the church dispensed with her services, when she married the doctor, the flowers are never as nice as they used to be."
"The church's loss is the children's gain, I suppose." Ruby smiled, she didn't really want to be drawn on that, she had felt it wrong that the one place she should have been able to turn turned away from her.
"Quite."
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Getting Julia to blow out her candle caused much laughter. She couldn't quite get the hang of blowing without spitting, Jean tested her before putting the cake in front of her, so she had a little help from her brother who stood next to her and blew it for her.
George had saved room for cake, this time, so by the end of tea there was just enough for Matthew and Alice, as a thank you for the lovely picture book they had given the birthday girl. Matthew had admitted they had no idea what to buy a one year old, but Alice reckoned that books, if looked after, would last a lifetime. Jean agreed, her boys had kept theirs until they literally fell apart. Ruby and Christopher had also chosen books, but a good selection of rag books that she could play with and not spoil.
"And given how messy she is, they will wash," Jean had laughed and thanked them.
By the time the adults had eaten their slightly delayed dinner the children were ready for bed. George had left shortly after cake, thanking Mrs Blake for a lovely tea again. Julia barely made it through bath-time and Jean took her through just for a goodnight kiss from Lucien.
"Worn out?" he kissed her cheek.
"Absolutely," Jean smiled and carried her to the bedroom. She was asleep before Jean tucked her in and kissed her forehead.
"Sweet dreams, little one," she whispered.
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Matthew had made his excuses and taken the pieces of cake to Alice. Jean remarked to Lucien she felt he would move out in the not too distant future.
"Do you think so," he held her close in bed, "I thought he was happy here."
"I think he's in two minds," she tipped her head and smiled, "he wants to be with Alice, but he also likes spending time with Ted and Julia."
"Well," Lucien thought, "even if he did move in with her, not that she's the marrying kind," Jean looked at him in shock, "sorry, do you think she is?"
"Depends who asks her, I suppose," Jean agreed. "Whoever it was would have to let her keep her independence, not expect her to stay at home and mend his shirts."
"I think that's why they seem such a good match," he sighed, "anyway, as I was saying, if he did move in with her, he would still be able to see the children. You're not going to stop him just because he's living in sin, are you?"
"Heavens, no!" she gasped, "that would be cruel, to the children as well as him. We shall just have to see, shan't we? Now, enough of Matthew's love life, what about ours?" she wriggled enticingly against him.