...
Saturday, around 10 pm.
The later it got the more serious the topics became.
Not only Tommy's siblings had found new love in their lifes, also his mother eventually admitted that she lately had started to date a man. This was commented by an appreciative whistle from Peter which earned him a stern look from Tommy. Couldn't he grow up? Her date was serious enough to invite him for tomorrow's party. She also admitted that she finally had thought about retiring from her duties anyway. It would be time to enjoy the horses from their backs and not from behind the desk at the stables' office. And then there was this manor.
"Alfred is a widower and has a huge empty house like this. If-" and here she blushed a bit. "we're going on to meet still more frequent than now, and I have to admit that I would like that, there would be one house too much, I think." Having hinted that she might move in with that man she smiled sheepishly and blushed a bit more, something Barbara never would have expected from Lady A.
"And that would mean?" Tommy asked tight lipped.
"And that would mean... I'd probably move in with him." Daze smiled, a bit too happy for her son's liking. He suddenly was her 19-year old angry young son once more. He told himself to keep in mind that he was past this point, to keep in mind that he had no rights to tell his mother whom to love or prohibit her from loving only because he envied her for this. He told himself to keep in mind where this angry young man's behaviour would lead. He deeply sighed.
"And what about Howenstow?" he asked, still with a certain hurt in his voice.
"I don't know." his mother admitted. "I've not yet thought it over, it was just a possible development I've mentioned. And it's not my own decision anyway. Why, yes, maybe once this house will become a family home again?"
"Well, Tommy, you're in London most of the time." Judith interposed. "And even when you've been married to Helen and - sorry for bringing it up - when you've thought to raise a family with her, even then you never had thought of moving here."
Tommy winced but nodded. His sister was right but it had not been his decision. Helen had hated the old walls of the manor, the rural aspect of Nanrunnel's countryside and she had had no interest in the horses. Quite unlike Barbara, he thought, despite all her fears of the height of those animals. And despite all her concerns about differences and not belonging to the family she always relaxed when they spent some time here. Briefly he looked at her but she was busy with picking up a cherry in her drink. He frowned. She obviously was not at all interested in Howenstow that much to attend to the discussion.
In fact Barbara would have loved to be anywhere else in that moment. She could feel Tommy's unease in that matter and felt herself not really comfortable with the open words, so strictly avoided at the dinner table. She was quite embarrassed with how Judith blatantly talked about Helen and their unsuccessful attempt to raise a family, which she knew now was far out of reach as long as he was not dating anybody. And that was a fact she had observed for some time. He still was a single and had made no attempts lately to change that. Barbara could see that he was not happy with it but what could she do to help him?
"So, now that you are the first of us to raise a 'real family', would you perhaps like to move in here?" Tommy asked his sister. The 'real family' was dripping with sarcasm that it even hurt Barbara. Tommy had his lips tightly pressed and it did not seem that he would smile again tonight. Brilliant! Barbara thought. This is going to be a wonderful evening...
"Well, as long as I'm having this job in Inverness, and I think it would be idiotic to give it up, we probably won't move to Cornwall." Martin said and Judith squeezed his hand with a nod.
"Haha!" Peter suddenly laughed. "What about we get rid of this old manor and give it to the National Trust? Isn't that a good idea?" While he went on suggesting to keep the stables and the horse business Tommy looked at him as if he had suggested to tear the walls down and raze his old childhood home.
"Are you crazy?" he asked. He thought that this could not be a serious suggestion. Tommy's face expressed a mixture of feelings that turned into a heavy anger while Peter went on spinning these thoughts and soon Barbara recognised that he was going to explode and shout at his little brother about that ridiculous idea if nobody would interfere. Everybody else seemed not to notice it and just followed Peter's strange deliberations with increasing amusement. Tommy obviously was the only one who had no fun with this ridiculously meant idea.
"Sir, can I get another... what's this that you've mixed?" she innocently asked with the purpose to keep him from finally ruin this strained evening.
Tommy deeply inhaled. With a last angry glare at Peter he managed to swallow his fury and mixed her another drink. He could do with one more, too.
.
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