Coming Home – Part XIV – Chapter 53 through 56
For all you Mary lovers make sure you read all the way to the end. WWII was really the end of the large houses with loads of servants and a very large transition in attitudes towards the aristocracy. It didn't happen overnight. We think often of how things changed for the average person but for someone raised with expectations of grandeur it must have been especially difficult. I know the descriptions of Carragh internment camp sound ridiculous but they are based on fact. There is an obscure Irish film called The Brylcreem Boys made in the 1980's about it. I haven't managed to get a copy yet. Not to be confused with a 1970's movie of the same name.
Chapter 53 – No Longer the Youngest
Garret placed his violin and bow back in its case. It was his first lesson with Hans in January 1945. The weather had been brutally cold so far this winter and people weren't moving around much. His trip from Dublin to Carragh was as much a social call these days as a lesson. They were both considered to be virtuoso and as such understood the way each other thought.
"Let's go to the pub," Hans said as he snapped the case of his violin shut. He taught private lessons from the same classroom he taught the children in. "Everyone has cancelled for today. The weather is too cold to make the trip." He pulled on the Aran sweater Rose had sent him via Garret then pulled his overcoat overtop.
"I wouldn't mind a hot drink, not a cold one," Garret said with a slight grin. "The cold is stiffening my hands already."
"You must wear gloves to protect your hands. The others at the camp think it is odd how I wear gloves always, especially for farm work, but it is necessary for us."
Garrett nodded and pulled on his gloves before they left the building. They headed to the pub with Han's guard trailing along behind.
"Can't they dispense with the guard, already," Garret said disgustedly.
"My foolish sister works at German High Command. I am a risk even though we do not write. We are very different."
"My older sister is a lot of fun," Garret commented. "I haven't seen her in quite a while with the war on."
"She is the one in England?"
"That's her, Sybil. She fusses over Bradley and our oldest brother Redmond. You haven't met him either, yet."
"Perhaps one day," Hans replied. "How was Christmas with younger brothers and sisters?"
"Let's see. None of us could sit down without at least one on your lap in a flash. The moment I went to the piano I had one on either side of the piano bench. The first two that arrived are jealous of the last four. The three out of the four newer ones have such thick accents I can barely understand them. The youngest is just starting to talk. Rory threw a fit when I took his favorite horse out when I went to visit my friends. It's my bloody horse in the first place. Well, my favorite horse. I had to take him along with me to shut him up. The worst of it was our annual fishing trip on Christmas Eve. Not a one of us could cast or hold our rod ourselves."
"You were different when you were a child?" Hans asked. He smiled at the picture Garret painted of suddenly being an older brother.
"Sybil needed me to hold her rod for her," Garret said with a grin. "Bradley always held our mother's, Dylan usually managed to take over from our father."
"You are baby no more. Now you are the older brother," Hans said.
"I'm not exactly the baby," Garret replied in disgust.
"You are baby for your parents. Now they have six more babies."
"Da looked into adopting you as well when they adopted Declan, Lorcan, Yseult and Niall. It can't be done. You're too old," Garret said.
"I would be honored to be your brother," Hans said seriously.
"You pretty much act like one anyway," Garret replied. They had arrived at the pub and ordered two drinks. The guard wandered off to chat with his friends.
"Can I ask you for a spot of advice?" Garret inquired.
"If it is advice on how to get out of prisoner of war camp, I cannot help you," Hans teased him.
"It's more personal than that," Garret replied with a grin. "It's about girls. Da is too old fashioned and I couldn't get a minute to speak to him anyway with all the little ones. Dylan and I were sharing a room. It was like playing musical beds with the little ones running in and jumping into bed with us. Besides Dylan changes girl friends as fast as he changes his socks. Davin has only ever had one girlfriend in his entire life and my other brothers are all in England."
"I don't know if I am much help," Hans replied. "Girls will throw themselves at you when you perform and it is easy for…you understand." Hans made a hand gesture.
"I've noticed," Garret replied.
"You must take care of that part so there are no babies. To find one that is more is not easy. I delayed too long with one of the teachers at the school where I teach now and she is with another. Perhaps I am not so good with women either."
"There's this girl, I've known her for a quite a while. I taught her to play piano. I haven't seen her in a long time because of the war."
"She will most likely have moved on as you have grown up," Hans said with a shrug.
"The thing is I still hear from her from time to time. I think she thinks of me as a friend. I don't know. Bradley and I were both friends with her. Now he's there and I think she might prefer him now."
"The war and circumstances are not what we would normally choose," Hans said with a shrug. "If she loves your brother and she is a nice girl then be happy for him. Don't look for what could have been, look for what is."
"I don't understand you?" Garret replied.
"I could have been famous if there was no war and I was still in Berlin, but that is not what is. I am a schoolteacher and sometimes performer. I must accept what is. It is the same with women."
An English officer at the pub wandered over to their table. Hans introduced Garret.
"I thought I heard an upper crust Limey accent," the officer said.
"My mother is a Scottish Lady," Garret replied. "I was born in England."
"Then why aren't you back home helping push this lots' face in the dirt?" he asked. Hans playfully punched his shoulder.
"I'm more Irish than English. Two of my brothers feel they're more English than Irish. It's a personal choice."
"You sure as hell don't sound Irish," the Englishman replied.
"I do when I play this," Garret said with a grin as he pulled his tin flute out of the inside pocket of his jacket. He pulled his violin case out from under the table as well. "I've got time for a reel or two before I head back into Dublin."
"Drinking songs they like around here, even the children," Hans said with a slight shake of his head.
"I say we show this lot exactly how Irish our family is," Garret said motioning Hans to join him.
Hans tossed back the rest of his drink and pulled out his violin as well. He had another hour before he needed to be back at the camp. He got up to join Garret with a smile on his face. It was time to play a little music for a crowd that would be happy with a few off color songs they could sing along to and have a little fun.
-0-
"Dalaigh and Claire drew you some pictures," Redmond said to George Crawly. He tacked the pictures up on the wall where George could see them.
"Cute," George replied, trying not to move his mouth too much. The left side of his body, his arm and leg were badly burned and covered in burn dressings. The burns skipped a spot on his neck and were on the left side of his jaw as well. He was in the early stages of treatment and had to lie still and let things heal. He was in a great deal of pain. The nurses came by and immersed him in cold water once a day. It hurt like hell and he had screamed from the pain more than once. Redmond stopped by almost every day at the end of his shift for a few minutes to catch him up on family news.
"Who's the stick person with the hair standing straight up supposed to be?" George asked.
"Sybil when the sirens sound for the doodlebugs," Redmond said with a slight laugh. He was in gown and mask with a cap over his hair. He placed a hand on either side of his face. "Stop what you're doing and run to the shelter," he said in a high-pitched voice to imitate his sister.
George chuckled slightly.
"You're mother, grandmother and sister are all champing at the bit to come down and stay with Sybil," Redmond told him. "Another month or maybe six weeks and you should be able to have visitors. Sybil is first in line."
"I don't want them to see me like this," George said. He tried to divert his gaze from Redmond.
"They want to see you and they know you're not going to look perfect," Redmond said. "You've still got your looks and what counts to produce the next heir."
"That isn't going to happen now," George replied.
"It will happen. Not overnight but you will recover. That is my professional opinion," Redmond replied. "Are you trying to tell me after nine years of study, I don't know what I'm talking about?"
"I could study till the cows come over the hill and I still wouldn't know what I'm doing," George replied.
"You're a farmer, the same as my Da and you always have been," Redmond replied. "Apparently your sister has turned into quite the aficionado on your estate and your Dad's."
"As big a pain in the ass as ever, last time I saw her," George replied.
"Not as bad as she used to be," Redmond said. The corners of his eyes crinkled when he smiled. "I got a letter from Garret. I brought it along to read to you."
George laughed in parts of Garret's letter when he complained about the antics of the children Tom and Rose had adopted. It reminded him of the misadventures they'd had as children with Garret tagging along behind. He was getting it back in spades.
"Who's this Hans bloke?" George asked.
"I've never met him," Redmond replied. "Apparently he's a German flier that bailed out and was broken up pretty bad. He was out at the estate for seven months recovering before they carted him off to internment. Garret and him are close. They're both music obsessed."
"Too bad he didn't break his damn neck," George said angrily.
"George, you're going to have to let it go," Redmond said. "Things will all be over soon and people are going to have to learn to get along. It's part of my job to treat the injured regardless of who or what they are."
"What about your wife?"
"It was her time, I've accepted it. What about all the wives and sweethearts our side has killed? Will any of those men returning grieve any less than I did? It's got to end somewhere."
"I'm not that magnanimous," George replied sulkily.
"You've got more than enough time to think it over," Redmond replied before he left for the day.
-0-
Tom reached over and switched off the wireless. They had decided not to let the children listen to the news broadcasts. They were filled with nothing but fighting and death in Europe. The latest news was the allied forces had bombed Dresden, Germany. There were thirty thousand dead from the city alone. Even more alarming were the conditions that were being reported of liberated POW camps. The allies were pushing forward but the fighting wasn't over yet.
He opened the door to his office and headed into the drawing room to join Rose and the children. He was starting to think raising a young family was a young man's game. When he got home from being out to meetings or around the estate all day he'd gotten used to coming home and putting his feet up. Now he had six children under the age of six and his lap had become the most coveted seat in the house. Aisling and Rory were almost fluent in English and were slowly getting used to having a group of brothers and sisters. They hadn't realized how attached the two of them had become to Rose and himself until the others had arrived. They had immediately started clinging and become very possessive of their toy horses.
Declan and Lorcan weren't unlike Redmond and Davin when they had arrived in England all those years ago. They were grieving their parents and trying to do as they were told. The ride to the house with the constable had frightened them and they were trying too hard to be good so they wouldn't be sent away. Yseult was confused and had kept asking when they were going home and Niall was only just two. He had made strange and clung to his older brothers at first. All the children had a great deal of adjusting still to do, learning manners, house rules and how their new parents expected them to act. They'd gone through the rigmarole before of teaching table manners but usually only to one or two children at a time, not a whole group. Thankfully Rory and Aisling had already caught on to quite a bit and were quite taken with Davin, Dylan and Garret when they visited. It had quickly become the thing to do to imitate Davin's manners and Dylan and Garret's speech. The haircuts, new clothes and mother with a different accent were difficult especially for Declan and Lorcan who had heard their parents speak against the English more than once. They'd had to quickly correct the children's assumptions on that score as they were now part of a family of mixed English, Irish and Scottish background with four older siblings of noble descent.
"Here's Daddy," Rose said. "We'll finish the picture puzzle and then we'll have a story in front of the fire where it's nice and warm once you're all changed and ready for bed."
Tom went over and helped the girls put pieces into the simple puzzle. Niall was already on Rose's lap getting help to take part in the activity. The four children had reddish blonde hair not unlike Davin and Redmond. As full siblings they didn't look all that much alike. Not a one of them had a roundish face like Tom's had been when he was young. None of them had angelic fair looks like Dylan and Rose's side of the family either but they were all cute children in their own way especially when they forgot themselves and smiled which was happening more and more these days.
"We made a picture of a train," Lorcan said with a smile once their puzzle was together.
"That you did," Tom replied ruffling his hair.
"What sounds do trains make?" Rose asked them. She got all sorts of chugs and toots from the group.
"Make a line and pretend to be a train all the way upstairs to get cleaned up," she told them. "Let Declan go at the front."
The children headed off upstairs in a line with Lorcan helping Niall up the stairs. The nanny was waiting for them at the top to start getting them into pajamas.
"A bit different than our older ones," Rose commented as she got up to go and help with changing.
"No old lady Grantham breathing down our necks expecting perfect manners in a blink," Tom replied with a wink.
"No, only an old fuddy-duddy Daddy that would like perfect manners in no time," Rose teased. She dropped a kiss on his mouth before she climbed the stairs.
There was a bit of maneuvering for position as to who would sit where during story time. They'd had to put the children on a rotation of who got the seat of honor each evening. Tonight it was Declan's turn and he happily curled on Tom's lap to look at the pictures in the book of fairy tales. It had been unusually cold that year and the children nestled under a quilt on the sofa while Tom read. Their feet were covered with hand knit slippers and their robes were an assortment Rose had collected from their friends most of whose children were long since grown up. She couldn't help wish Sybil were living a little closer. Over the years when Sybil was home she had come to rely on her remaking clothes for her brothers. Rose wasn't anywhere near as proficient but between her and the housekeeper they had managed to remake quite a bit the children could wear. There wasn't a great deal of assortment in the shops and even so clothing six children all at once was on the expensive side.
Once the final page was turned the children who weren't already nodding off made their way up to bed. They had two per room in double beds. Tom carried one while Rose carried another. He had to make a second trip to retrieve Ysleut who had fallen asleep half way through the first fairy story. He tucked the girls in making sure they each had their stuffed toy in bed beside them before he clicked out the light. Niall was already asleep when he joined Rose to tuck Rory in. "You stay put tonight," Tom whispered to him before he turned out the light. The two oldest boys were already asleep with the light out.
"What was on the news?" Rose asked as they made their way to their own room. She started to change quickly to avoid the chill in the room.
"Thirty thousand dead in Dresden," Tom replied. The Germans are surrendering in droves and more rockets landing on London. Each side is determined to blow the other to bits before this thing is done."
"Sometimes I think why did we take all these children in and then I give myself a good talking too," Rose replied. "Our small troubles here in our little corner are nothing to what others are facing. We have a beautiful home, food on the table, and six wonderful children who are already raised. We should have six more by the time we're done."
"Hopefully a year from now, everything will be said and done. The children will be settled and the older ones will be able to come home for a visit," Tom said. "A family reunion with everyone home would be nice."
"With grandchildren older than our own children," Rose said pulling the covers over her head to smother her laugh at the look on Tom's face.
"I'm going to have to live to be a hundred to get them all raised and see all the grandchildren," he gripped pulling the covers up and clicking off the light.
Chapter 54 – Unexpected Weapons
"We have some news," Elizabeth said to her brother. She and Mary were in to visit George in hospital. The bandages were off his face and the new pink skin had formed along his jawline. He was still bandaged on the left of his body with massive amounts of burn dressings to keep his fingers and toes apart so they wouldn't heal together.
"Elizabeth, your brother needs to rest not hear about things on his estate," her mother scolded her.
"I think he should know," Elizabeth replied imperiously. "I don't think things are as bad as you do."
"Now you've got my curiosity up," George said.
"We've had a bit of a tragedy on the estate just after the first of the year," Mary said slowly. "The Abbey caught fire and we've lost over a third of the building."
"How?" George asked in surprise. "Did anyone get hurt?"
"The alarm was raised quickly and everyone got out," Mary replied. She dabbed the corners of her eyes with the smock she was wearing. They didn't have to wear the facemasks but their hair and clothes still had to be covered.
"Was it a doodlebug or a V2? Did a plane crash on the building," George asked again.
"Nothing quite so dramatic," Elizabeth said disdainfully. "It was a toaster."
"A toaster?"
"An unattended toaster burned a piece of toast in the kitchen, it caught on fire and well, the rest shall we saw is history," Elizabeth replied dryly.
George got a smile on his face. He and his sister exchanged a glance and started to laugh. He laughed until he thought he was going to be sick.
"It's not funny," Mary scolded them. "That house is your heritage and it's in ruins."
"Oh, Mama, can't you see," George said once his laughter had started to subside. He still had a smile on his face. "The mighty house of Grantham brought down not by wars or political strife, but by a toaster."
"An American made one at that," Elizabeth said trying to hold back her mirth.
"I fail to see how any of this is humorous," Mary scolded.
"Mama, I never cared for the house. The contract with the military, I believe has a clause stating they will pay for any damages. We can rebuild something we like and live in a simpler way," George reached out with his good hand and took his mother's. "We have the land. The land is our heritage and the people who live on it, not that house. It's not who I am or who Elizabeth or Edward are. Our happiest times at Downton have been at the pond with our friends, out riding horses and family celebrations. The house has never been part of it for me."
"Me either when I think about it," Elizabeth said. "Sybil asked me to see if anything can be salvaged from the old ball gowns in the attic, the rest can be replaced or repaired. Papa has already met with the lawyers to force the government to do the reconstruction."
"Poor blokes that were staying there for rehabilitation, now they'll have been shuffled off somewhere else, is all I have to say," George said.
"Didn't I raise either of you to honor tradition?" Mary questioned.
"I honored tradition by becoming a military officer like every Earl of Grantham before me," George said. "Here I am, a complete mess. I'm a farmer and I should have stuck to it and studied agriculture not business and not got any ideas of grandeur about being a pilot. I did my bit as a copilot, not a great one and here I am."
"Traditions have changed Mama," Elizabeth said. "I'll put my business degree to use on the Estate working with Papa in two years when I graduate. I'll do the business part of the estate and when George is well he can run the farms. He'll be the Earl and I'll be his Lady sister. We'll entertain at separate homes in style as tradition dictates but we'll set our own rules for what roles we play, thank you."
"I just don't know what's gotten into you two," Mary said.
"War, Mama. We've had enough. It's time to try a new way," George replied. "Now tell me about this bloke you're seeing Elizabeth. He's a friend of Bradley's?"
"Heath Wilson, he's a year older than I am and a medical student," Elizabeth replied with a flush. "He wants to be a country doctor."
"Sounds promising," George replied with a slight smile.
-0-
Rose wondered how anyone could have managed to so thoroughly spoil a three-year-old. It was the beginning of March and she was heading over to the village mercantile to pick up a few odd things for the house and their home classroom. The three oldest boys by rights should have been in school, but they had decided to teach them at home to give them time to adjust and save on tuition as they had done with their other children during the depression. Distinct separate personalities were starting to emerge with the children. Yseult had been the only girl in her family and as a result it had become obvious she had been spoiled. She was accepting taking turns at home as she wasn't given any choice. Rose hoped eventually always wanting to be first would fade as she became used to their rules. Going to the shops was another matter. Every time they had taken her to a shop she had a tantrum that ended the shopping trip and resulted in her being put in the corner the minute they got back to the buggy or home in the village. She had no desire to stand in the corner and the work to get her to take her punishment was exhausting.
Today Rose was trying a trip to the shops yet again. She had left the four boys with Mrs. O'Rinn. They were sitting at the kitchen table peeling vegetables and had their list of chores to help with for dinnertime. Aisling was very shy. At the shops she would stand and stare at the toys or a frilly dress. A cross look from a stranger would send her clinging and crying against Rose's skirts. Yseult had received a talk about acting like a lady when she was in public before they left the house. Aednat was along to help out. As a leading family everyone knew what was going on at Tom and Rose's home on the estate. The tongues clacked when they were out with the children when they behaved and they clacked even more when the children acted up. Word had gotten back via the Ladies Auxilary the farmwomen were quite proud of their chairperson for opening the door to children in need. The wealthy ladies had tsked among themselves at the thought of taking on a young family in middle age.
Aisling had ahold of Aednat's hand as they walked through the village and Yseult was holding on to Rose's. She was smiling up a Rose happily as it was her turn to walk with Mummy. Rose turned to speak to the girls before she went in the shop.
"Girls, ladylike behavior in the shop please," Rose said. "Ladies smile at the people they meet, they don't cry in public and they definitely don't stamp their feet. How do you ask if you see something you would like to touch?"
"May I?" Aisling said quietly.
"That's right. You ask May I see or touch. Do you understand Yseult?"
Rose got a head nod from Yseult. They went into the shop. Rose waited in line at the counter. She had thought the shop would be quiet this afternoon but it seemed a number of other women had the same idea. She was answering questions about the latest endeavors of the Ladies Auxiliary when Aisling came over to her. Yseult was with the nanny actually being quiet for once. Rose had her fingers crossed she would continue to behave.
"May I choose a coloring book for everyone," Aisling whispered once Rose had leaned down.
"One book for everyone to share," Rose replied. Aisling nodded and went back to the nanny.
Rose thought things were going well when she got to the counter and it was her turn. Aisling returned and gave her the coloring book to pay for. Ysuelt hadn't fussed a bit. Rose was about to pay for the order when Ysuelt popped up at Rose's side. She had her hands on the counter and was pulling herself up on her tiptoes so she could see what Rose was doing.
"May I choose a candy for everyone?" she asked.
"Not today, we are purchasing a coloring book for everyone to share. One treat is enough," Rose replied.
"I want to pick out a treat too," Ysuelt said sticking out her lip.
"Did Aisling let you help choose the coloring book?" Rose asked.
"Yes, but it's from her not me," Ysuelt started to pout.
"It was Aisling's idea and a kind one," Rose said. "You may pick a treat another day."
"I want to pick one today," Yseult said she was starting to get wound up.
"What was Mummy's answer?" Rose asked her. Rose received the change and her parcel of goods. Aednat came forward to carry the items home in her basket as Rose was occupied with Ysuelt. Aisling took the coloring book under her arm and went to wait by the door.
"I want to pick one," Ysuelt said putting her lip out.
"Come along Yseult, it's time to walk home," Rose said taking her by the hand. Rose thought she had handled the incident well until they made it out the door. Ysuelt pulled away from her and dashed back into the shop.
"Please head home with Aisling," Rose said to Aednat. "I'll fetch Yseult."
"Yes, Mrs. Branson," Aednat replied. "Come along Aisling we'll sing a song on the way back." They headed down the street singing a song in Irish, with Aisling skipping along. Rose turned and went back into the shop. Today Ysuelt wasn't howling and throwing a tantrum, she was giggling and hiding behind a display in the shop. Rose went to take her hand and she dashed away again. After two times Rose had enough. She walked out the door of the shop and went a few steps down the street. She walked to the next doorway down and stepped in so she would be out of site from the door of the shop. It wasn't long and Ysuelt stepped out of the door and looked down the street for her. When she didn't see Rose she burst into tears. Rose let her cry a moment then stepped out and took the little girl's hand. She didn't say anything as they walked back to the house.
"I'm sorry, Mummy," I won't do it again," Ysuelt said when they neared the house.
Rose stopped and hugged her for a moment. She wiped the little girl's tears with her hanky.
"No more running away from Mummy. You're my little girl now," Rose said to her.
A pair of arms went around Rose's neck. Rose picked her up and held her close.
"I love you, Mummy," Ysuelt said tearfully with her head on Rose's shoulder. "Don't ever leave me."
"Mummy won't ever leave you of her own will," Rose replied. "I love you too." She set her down once they were in the door. "Go and wash your hands and get ready for dinner." Rose dabbed her eyes with her hanky.
"One down five to go," Rose said before she went to get ready for dinner as well.
-0-
Sybil couldn't help but feel sorry for her Aunt Mary when she saw her aunt and grandmother off on the train in mid-March. George would be in hospital for a very long time. Elizabeth had only come to visit for a weekend. Aunt Mary and Grandmamma had come for two weeks. Family visits had worn George out and they had decided to head home and return for periodic visits as he regained his strength.
Attitudes towards the gentry in the general population were changing. It was noticeable on the underground, trains and in shops and restaurants as people talked of the end of the war coming. "The gentry's day is done." Was a statement Sybil heard often when she was out in public. People had been fed up after the Great War and things had started to change but this time the younger gentry were done as well. The huge manor houses that took mountains of money to maintain had fallen out of favor and the day of men like Astrid's father who got by on wit and charm and didn't do a day of work in their lives were gone.
As the allies advanced and took out missile site after missile site the rocket attacks were getting further and further apart. So many friends and acquaintances had died during the war they were too numerous to count. Sybil's best friend from her course had died in a bombing raid and she had heard through the grapevine of old school chums, friends and distant relatives either killed in the bombing or in combat. The war had taken too much from everyone and people were exhausted from it.
Aunt Mary and Grandmamma were still grand ladies. They always seemed put together with perfect complexions no matter what, but much of how they thought of their world was no more. The destruction of the Abbey had been especially hard on Aunt Mary. Grandmamma always had a go with the flow whatever will come will come attitude that Aunt Mary lacked. Aunt Mary was hurt that George and Elizabeth weren't more upset about the fire at the house. They looked to the future and thought about the here and now, but Aunt Mary looked to the past for comfort. The younger people didn't.
Sybil had gone along on one hospital visit and heard George snap at his mother when she had mentioned something about the future. He was ill enough he didn't care about heirs and entails and all the rest at the moment. Aunt Mary had questioned her about why she hadn't sent Bobby to a proper boy's school. He was Sybil's ward and to her Aunt he should be educated in a way that befits a gentleman.
Sybil hadn't wanted to point out, that her own husband had a university education after attending a public school and had made out just fine. Sybil had talked over education with Abigail and Bobby. Bobby wanted to be a gardener and Sybil had agreed as long as he understood that he was to go to university or college after school and study horticulture and landscape design. With more education he would have more options and he was happy with that. Sybil didn't see the point of turning him into a polished gentleman. He was an average boy who loved everything about gardens. He wouldn't be happy away from home. He was polite and cheerful and everything in Sybil's opinion a little boy should be. Sybil would have put Astrid in day school if it wasn't for her learning problems. Astrid had two years left in school after this one. The school, teachers and her tutor had found ways around the difficulties and she was best left where she was.
Sybil stopped at the post office to send a few letters on her way back from the train. The building suddenly shook from a loud explosion. Everyone ducked down and listened for the sound for the sirens but nothing was sounding. They slowly got up and went outside to see what was happening. A large cloud of smoke was coming from the direction of the cottage. Sybil looked towards home and started to run. The fire brigade lorry passed her on the way. As Sybil neared her home the groom ran down the lane and caught a hold of her.
"Milady don't go any closer," he said.
"Let go of me," Sybil cried. "Hope is home so is my mother-in-law and where are the boys?"
"Miss Hope is fine," the groom said. "She's with the junior groom. She was down to the stable to visit the horses and collect the eggs. She was there when it happened."
Bobby came running across the grounds from the main house with the two older gardeners following him. Military personnel were flooding towards what was left of the cottage.
"Sybil," Bobby called finally reaching her. He threw his arms around her.
"Bobby, where's Jimmy?" Sybil asked him.
"He was going to play with some of the other boys. I went to see the greenhouse. They didn't want to come," Bobby said in a panicky voice.
"Stay here," the head groom said to the pair of them. He ran over to tell the fire brigade Mrs. Barrow and the boy Jimmy were unaccounted for. Sybil could only hold Bobby and watch helplessly while their home burned to the ground.
Mr. Stokes the butler from the main house came over accompanied by one of the officers.
"Mrs. Beldon, come to the main house and let the men get things sorted out," Mr. Stokes said. "Mr. Booth can wait here for word."
Sybil nodded. "Miss Hope is at the stable. Could you send for her?"
"Of course, Mrs. Beldon," Mr. Stokes replied. He nodded to Mr. Booth who headed over to see to Hope. Mr. Stokes was an older man of the old guard of butlers. He had stood guard over the inside of the Hadley Hall as he had done in Russell's grandfather's time. He wasn't about to let the military being at the house prevent the lady of the manor from coming home in her moment of need.
"Mummy," Hope called as she came across the lawn towards Sybil with the junior groom. Sybil held her close with Bobby for a few moments before they allowed themselves to be guided into the library of the main house.
"What happened to our cottage?" Bobby asked as they all sat together. Mr. Stokes had gone to get tea and hot milk for the children.
"I don't know," Sybil replied. "Where did Jimmy go?"
"He said he didn't want to come to see the greenhouse. He was going to go and play with some of the other boys," Bobby said. He started to cry again. Sybil held him close while Hope patted his hand.
It seemed like forever while they waited. One of the officers came into the library. They all looked to him quickly.
"Mrs. Beldon the head of the fire brigade is here," he said. "Perhaps the children could remain here while you meet with him."
"I will see to the children, Milady," Mr. Stokes said. He was too upset to use anything but the old titles.
"Thank you, Mr. Stokes," Sybil said. She walked out into the hall. There were people moving about this way and that going to and from their classes.
"Mrs. Beldon, the news isn't good," Mr. Taylor the postmaster and head of the fire brigade said. "We found Mrs. Barrow's body. We think she was killed by the blast."
"Was it a rocket?" Sybil asked in shock. "There were no sirens, no sounds."
"We think," Mr. Taylor's hands were shaking and he had to pause. "We think some local boys found an unexploded bomb and were monkeying with it in the garden shed at your cottage. We're not sure how many boys were there. There isn't enough left to even know how many of them were there."
"Oh God no," Sybil said. "Why would they do something like that? I had no idea. Jimmy is a normal happy little boy. Are you sure he was there?"
"Right now we can't be sure of anything. There have been reports of this sort of thing happening in other towns. We do patrols and get the military onto what we find, but there are old bombs from the first Blitz turning up all over the country in farm fields. We won't know anything for sure until we figure out who is unaccounted for. The boys could have gotten scared and run off, but it's unlikely. I'm sorry to be the barer of bad news."
Sybil squeezed his hand before she turned to go back to the library. She wanted to turn around and scream, "Get out of my house," to the entire houseful of military personnel, but she couldn't. Her first order of business was to tell her two children their grandmother had just been killed.
Chapter 55 – Silent Skies
"Just like that, the last of the launch sites have been captured and there are no more rockets raining on Belgium or England," Sybil said in a slight daze. She had taken Hope and Bobby to stay with Redmond for the last two weeks while things got sorted out. Abigail Barrow had been laid to rest beside her husband. Astrid had come from school for the service, as did Bradley. It had been a solemn group at her graveside. She had been a big part of their childhood and now Sybil and Redmond's children's as well.
Jimmy and two other boys from the village had been killed. As near as anyone could figure one of the other boys had found a piece of unexploded ordinance and boys being boys and bundles of curiosity the three of them had decided to take it apart. They'd all been told over and over again at school and at home not to touch anything they found, but in the end boyhood antics had weighed out and cost them their lives. The loss of Abigail had been hard but Jimmy was doubly so. All Sybil could think of was the dances he would never attend, the girls he would never kiss and the events of his life that would never happen. His mother had come for the service and together they had shed their tears over the grave. Sybil had done her best by him during his time with them and paid for a marker in the graveyard at the church for the boys. The remains had been buried collectively in one coffin. The children were starting to come out of their grief slowly and Sybil had decided not to worry about school for Bobby for a few weeks at least.
Redmond returned home from work one afternoon to find Sybil sitting in the sitting room absently tapping her fingers on an envelope. Sarah's horses had been delivered to a stable not far from his home and the children accompanied by Nanny Grace had walked down to welcome them.
"A penny," Redmond said. He came in to sit in an armchair and relax for a few moments. He rubbed a hand over his face tiredly.
"The lawyers say the military has completed all training at Hadley Hall and will be returning the building to us at the end of their lease in September pending outcomes in Europe," Sybil replied. She set the envelope down. "I was just trying to think what I should do."
"I think you should take some time to let your head clear," Redmond said.
"I've done that. Having our children together has helped mine tremendously," Sybil said. "I'm on a leave of absence from my post. I'm thinking of leaving it permanently and doing what I really want."
"Which is?"
"Taking everyone to Ireland this summer to see Mummy and Daddy and the new children. I mean everyone, you, your family, Bradley, Astrid. We'll all be together in one place again for a few weeks. This blasted war should be over by then. People are saying any day."
"That's an expensive venture," Redmond replied.
"I've had indirect control of the entire fortune for over a year," Sybil said. "Bradley doesn't need to work this summer. I can advance him the money he needs for living expenses."
"He works out of pride you know," Redmond replied. "He does better than I did on scholarships. There isn't as much competition for the funds these days."
"You've only talked about this summer. What about long term?"
"I love the hall but we can't live there right now. I'm thinking about moving to Evan's House and perhaps starting a small exclusive line catering to wealthy customers. It's really what I'm good at. Not these mass produced lines, even though the house I was working at only sold from their own boutiques. The doctors living at Evan's House at the moment will be ready to rotate in the summer. I just won't let the rooms again."
"What do you think Russell will say when he gets back?"
"I think he'll be ready for a rest," Sybil replied. "They've had missile strikes where he is too from the radio reports although he isn't allowed to say anything. All he can say is somewhere in Belgium. I'm ready to hire a nanny and private tutor for the children and just go where ever the mood takes us."
"Sounds idyllic and boring," Redmond teased her.
"You have to admit you could use a little boring," Sybil replied with a sigh.
"What I could use is a spot of tea. I got some chocolate from a Yank team of doctors that were by the hospital the other day. Want a piece?"
"You've been holding out on me," Sybil said. Her eyes lit up. She hadn't had a piece of chocolate in at least four years. She got up with a smile on her face to follow her brother into the other room.
-0-
Mary stood in the once great hall of the Abbey watching the workers move around the upper floors packing anything that could be salvaged. Her mind harked back to the days when she was young and men were her playthings to pick up or discard at will. Her father and grandmother's expectations for the family seemed to ring from the walls and remind her she had believed in their values whole-heartedly. Those days were the dust of memories now along with the ash that made up a third of the building.
The workers that were moving around putting things into boxes were all at least fifty years old and there wasn't a footman or maid in sight. Her children were almost indifferent to the history and what the building represented to her. Someday that may change when they got older but for now they seemed to only care about today. She sighed as she turned to a pile of older dresses that had been brought down for sorting. It was understandable after everything they had gone through over the last few years. The majority of the young men who had come to visit over the years they were growing up were prisoners of war or dead. Many of the young women had been killed in bombing raids as well. Those who weren't were all pursuing higher education or working. The old values and way of life seemed to be rubble along with a good chunk of London and most of the cities in the country.
Mary lifted the first of the dresses from the pile, then sat on an undamaged chair and held the dress for a few moments. It was one her youngest sister had worn to a garden party back before the first war. Mary couldn't help but think about how her sister Sybil had balked at the restraints of their life. She had thumbed her nose at the house, the way of life and every tradition the family held dear. If she had lived she would have fit right in. She folded and placed the majority of the dresses in a box to send to the younger Sybil in London. They smelled of smoke but otherwise they weren't singed.
Mary walked out the doors once she was done and got behind the wheel of her car. She wasn't in the mood to head home and decided to use the precious petrol ration to drive to her favorite lookout over the estate. She pulled the car to a stop and got out to gaze across the vista of farmland stretching out before her. The end of the war was expected any day. She could see the workers tilling the soil preparing for the spring planting. The sheep dotted the hills against the bright green of spring grass. Everywhere she looked there were signs of life. She suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of pride. The country had been through hell and the estate had risen to the challenge. They had farmed, given the house to the wounded, worked to improve their small hospital and done what it took to survive. She smiled as she thought of her children. Their tie to their heritage was here as was hers. It wasn't in the house. It was the land that had been in the family for generations. They were English, they would endure and the heir would come home once he was well.
She thought of Elizabeth telling her brother the circumstances of the house's demise.
"A toaster indeed," Mary said aloud with a chuckle. "Through war and peace Downton will endure even if it does not stand, Grandmamma."
She returned to the car and headed home with a smile on her face. She wanted to review the architect's drawings and have them ready to discuss with her son when she saw him next.
-0-
Hans Meyer sat quietly with his countrymen as they listened to the report coming over the wireless. Ever since the bombing of Dresden in February almost three months ago they had sat in numb silence, as the news got progressively worse. There were fifty-five Germans in the camp. Many had been there since early in the war as he had. The English had progressively escaped, walked or taken a bus the thirty miles into Dublin and taken the train north to Belfast. It wasn't any great secret as to how they made it out of camp. The majority of German officers knew exactly where the tunnel was. Today there were reports the allied troops were capturing children and women sent out as soldiers. The descriptions of the death camps were even worse. Some of the men were in denial. Others like himself were grieving. The country they had known was no more.
There had been imprisonments before the war and people fleeing Germany, but nothing had prepared them for the reports of the brutality. Military service had been pitiless with a demand for complete obedience or else, but it was the military. The worst of it was his sister, a card carrying Nazi worked at headquarters in Berlin. She had to have known all this was going on. Hans got up and dashed to the washroom to loose the contents of his stomach. What had they fought for? Was it worth thirty-thousand dying in two days, millions dying at the hands of butchers, thousands of soldiers were surrendering every day and Germany was in ruins.
He made his way back to his room and lay down on the bed. His head was swimming. What did the future hold? Where would he go when they released him from here? He couldn't go back to Germany. He'd toyed with the idea of staying in Ireland off and on. Would the authorities even allow it?
The next morning a cheer went up on the English side of the camp. Hans' roommate returned to the room and sat down resignedly.
"Germany has surrendered," he said. "It's over."
"Over," Hans repeated. It took a minute for it to sink in then the relief poured over them. Hans stood up and embraced the other man.
"At last, I will be able to get married," his roommate said started to get excited.
They left their room and headed for the bar. They could hear the celebration from the other side of the camp. When they got to the bar, some of the men were crying others were happy as they were. Hans stopped by one man who seemed to be in distress.
"We will all go home soon," he said to him putting a hand on his shoulder.
"My family is gone," the other man replied.
"As is mine, but there is a future now," Hans replied. The man stood and embraced him, then nodded pulling himself together.
It wasn't long and their commanding officer came to speak to them.
"The English are being released this afternoon," Oberleutant Mollenhauer said. "They will tell us when they know what is to be done with us. For those who have jobs, today is a holiday, tomorrow you may work."
The men cheered and headed to the bar for another drink. Hans slipped out and went to get dressed before lunch. This was Ireland, for some there would be a holiday, but he had school to teach and a career to finally start thinking about.
-0-
"The children are coming home," Tom said to Rose when he received Sybil's letter.
"What did she say," Rose asked excitedly.
"She's heard from Russell. He's put in for release, but he doesn't think he'll be home until autumn. Meanwhile, Redmond, Sybil and Bradley are coming home for a week as soon as Bradley is finished his exams and Astrid is done school."
"Where will we put them all?" Rose said in alarm.
"We'll line them up like cordwood in the drawing room," Tom said with a large smile. He caught her around the waist and pulled her onto his knee.
"Tom this is serious. They'll all be here in less than a month. I'll have to let Garret and Dylan know when they're coming so they can arrange to be home at the same time. Davin and Camilla can come over for a few nights with the twins. What about Hans? We'll have to invite him too. There's so much to do."
Tom laughed in delight at her planning.
"Stop worrying and enjoy the moment before we have a dog pile on my lap," he said with a grin.
"Three are having a riding lesson with Sean and three are down for a nap," Rose replied. "It's exciting but there is a lot to think of. We'll need to get an extra girl in through the days. When everyone's here we'll have twenty-three people. Twenty-three!" Rose exclaimed getting up quickly in excitement. "I've got to make plans right away."
Tom laughed as Rose snatched Sybil's letter and headed off to her writing desk. It would be a week of chaos and children running this way and that, but it would be good to have the family home and together.
Tom couldn't help thinking the younger children were so different from the older ones it was like night and day. Rose had decided to teach them some dances. All of the older children had danced for years and were quite good at the reels, jigs, Scottish and ballroom dance. Of all of the younger ones only Lorcan, Rory and Aisling had any sense of rhythm. Declan had distinctly two left feet and Ysuelt hadn't figured out how to skip yet after five months. Niall who wasn't three yet could skip better than Ysuelt, but it was too early to tell.
Over the winter their individual personalities had started to emerge as they got used to their new home. Declan was kind to a fault but seemed to take twice as long to catch on to the manners as the rest. He was the big brother always looking out for the little ones. Lorcan was more adventurous. He constantly had to be reminded to do his chores. He always wanted to see what was in every box or over the next hill. Rory was a tad on the bossy side and was forever trying to organize everyone. Ysuelt was a character. She was starting to get over being spoiled but they still had to watch her. She was forever getting herself into one predicament or another. She'd managed to get her head stuck between the bannister rails just recently. They'd had to cut the wood to get her out. Aisling was shy and thoughtful of the others and Niall was a chatterbox already. Physically the four natural brothers and sister weren't fast growers while the other two grew like weeds.
Tom was just about to get his boots on to head over to the Donnelly's to inquire if they had any lawn tents. If he could rustle a few up it might be a solution to where they were going to put everyone to sleep during the family visit. Ysuelt came down the stairs.
"Are you going out, Daddy?" she asked.
"I am. Are the others up yet?"
"No, they're still asleep," she said. "May I come along?"
"It will be a bit dull for you, but you can come if you like," Tom replied. "Go find Aednat to get changed."
It wasn't long and Tom was headed out with Ysuelt on the horse behind him with her arms around Daddy's waist. Tom set her down first when they arrived then dismounted. Ysuelt managed to remember to curtsey when she saw Mr. Donnelly but managed to get her legs tangled and almost fell over if her father hadn't put out a hand to steady her.
"I'm quite sure we have lawn tents," Mr. Donnelly replied to Tom's inquiry. "We'll walk down after we have tea and a bite and check with the gardener."
Tom was relieved the little girl did quite well with sitting still and sipping from her cup politely. She ate the cake she was given slowly and didn't make a mess. The men finished their drinks and headed across the grounds with Ysuelt trailing happily along. She was busy chasing a butterfly when she tripped over a box hedge and landed in the dirt. Tom picked her up and dusted her off. She didn't bother to cry and was immediately occupied with hunting for a cricket she could hear chirping. By the time Tom had concluded his business and they got back to his horse, Ysuelt had grass stains and dirt on both knees, twigs tangled in her hair and dirt smudged all over her face. He was going to put her on a bench and pull her up behind him then thought better of it.
"Would you mind, helping Miss Ysuelt up," Tom asked the groom who had been holding his horse.
The man went around and boosted Ysuelt up. He gave her a bit too much of a toss as she went up and she almost fell off the other side of the horse if Tom hadn't caught her just before she tipped off the other side.
"Lord have mercy," Mrs. O'Rinn said the moment they got into the house and she caught sight of the little girl. "You look like you've been to the war and back."
"We went to see Mr. Donnelly and I had tea and a cake," Ysuelt replied nonchalantly. "It was fun."
"Tom, what did you let her do?" Rose asked in alarm the moment she saw her daughter.
"She's got the manners and tea drinking down pat. The grace and decorum are a ways off yet, I'd wager," Tom said with a grin. "Donnelly has three tents we can borrow for the lawn. That should take care of the sleeping accommodations during the children's visit."
"As long as Ysuelt doesn't manage to knock them down on top of everyone," Rose replied dryly with a shake of her head once the little girl was out of earshot.
Chapter 56 – House Shopping
"I cannot live with you and Dylan," Hans said. "I am ten years older than you." He and Garret were sitting at the pub in Carragh. The men who had wanted to be repatriated to Germany had already left. Four of the German's from camp had married local women. That left ten of them who had applied for permanent residence who were waiting for their cases to be reviewed. Hans had moved into town to a pub room as soon as he'd gotten a permit. He was just finishing out the last few weeks of the school term.
"What has that got to do with anything?" Garret replied. "Dylan's job in Limerick is finished up and he's back in Dublin the end of June. You'll be finished teaching school here soon. We want to get a bigger place, maybe a brownstone with three bedrooms and a separate room for teaching in a nice neighborhood. Three of us would be able to get something better. I don't want to get a single bedroom flat with him. He'd drive me crazy and he hogs the bed."
"What do the Mama and the Papa have to say about this?" Hans asked seriously.
"We haven't mentioned it to them. Dylan pays his own way and so do I. You've got a job and you'll get more students and a better spot if you moved to Dublin. I don't see why you're hesitating," Garret coaxed. It all made sense to him. He thought it was a grand idea and here Hans was balking.
"I am older. My friends are older. You are young men with young friends. The two don't go together," Hans replied.
"We're friends with you aren't we? You make it sound like everything has to be separate. It's not like our friends won't be moving in the same circles. Are you afraid we'll audition for the same chair and I'll beat you?"
"As locals say, sod off. The student should surpass the master, but you are not there yet. People say I am big head. You are the big head."
"The saying is to have a swelled head," Garret corrected him.
"Big, swollen, it is all the same with you," Hans said with a grin.
"Look who's talking," Garret replied with a grin before he took a drink of his pint. "Well?"
"Ya, find us a place, something where we can have students on the same days. I will be done here in another week. I did not tell you but I have auditions lined up in Dublin. Three already."
"You can always go back to teaching elementary school if they don't like you," Garret ribbed him. He hid his smile behind a glass of ale.
"Schweinchen," Hans said then started to laugh. "Maybe it is you who should teach elementary school. You like teaching children."
"It's because I'm not an old man like you," Garret replied. He choked on his pint when he started to laugh at the look on Han's face.
"Here I brought you some sheet music for the Mummy and Da's family get together. We used to take turns playing, but Redmond is most likely completely out of practice. He works something like twelve or fourteen hours a day. I have no idea with Sybil. It will probably be you, me, Bradley and Dylan playing most of the music. Davin's busy dangling one baby or the other off his arm most of the time these days. I'm going to see if Lollan, Connal and Bryan are around and can come over a couple evenings."
"This is quite a bit for a family party," Hans commented shuffling through the pile. "Nothing we can't handle."
"You don't know what Mummy is like when she gets going. We'll have a Scottish dance, an Irish dance, a family dinner, a formal dinner with all their friends thrown in, most likely with couples dancing and God only knows what else. Davin's wedding went on for three days. She's got five to fill up this time. Just for fun I'll probably pipe the dinners in and everyone awake in the mornings."
"What did I agree to?" Hans said looking a bit taken aback.
"Family bedlam. Is there any other kind?" Garret said. "Come on. I brought my fishing rod. Let's go see what we can catch. For once you don't have to go running back to that bleeding camp for a curfew."
"One thing," Hans said.
"What's that?"
"If we get a place. No potatoes. I have had mashed potato every day for the last four and a half years. I still don't like it."
"You do the cooking and you can make whatever you like," Garret said with a grin.
"Kasekuchen, it translates to cake of cheese."
"Sounds horrible," Garret replied.
"It is good. I will make."
"Be my guest," Garret said with a smile as he tossed back the last of his drink.
-0-
Bradley was waiting for Astrid to get in on the train at the station in London. He had just finished his third year of medical school and decided to move in with Sybil at Evans House. His Uncle James had a new girl friend and Bradley didn't want to be in the way. Everywhere people were upbeat since the end of the war. The city was starting to be rebuilt and men were coming home in droves. The Americans were still going both ways. Some were headed back to the States and others were heading to Europe for the occupation. All in all it added up to a feeling of excitement in the air.
He watched the windows for any sign of Astrid as the train pulled in. He'd told himself more than once he was being stupid mooning over her. He was four years older than her. He was now twenty and she was just sixteen, but every time he saw her his heart did a flip inside his chest and he fell just a little bit more. He had known his brother liked her when they were younger, but they were grown up now. At least he and Garret were and Astrid hadn't been over to Ireland in six years. They'd been just kids the last time they were all together.
"Bradley," Astrid called and waved and she stepped off the train. He hugged her close and brushed a kiss on her cheek. He still hadn't worked up the courage to kiss her. He was kicking himself yet again. "Twenty years old and you still haven't managed to put one her lips," he told himself.
"Are you looking forward to the trip to Ireland?" she asked him. She still hadn't stepped back and was looking into his face.
"I am. We'll meet all the…" he was staring at her mouth. He lowered his head and touched his lips to hers. She didn't push him away, so he kissed her again with a little more pressure.
"Bradley," Astrid said with a smile and slight exhale of breath.
"U-huh," he replied.
"We're in the middle of the platform."
"What? Oh, I'll get your bags," he said sheepishly.
"Sybil isn't giving me much time to repack," Astrid commented once they were on the underground and headed for the house.
"She's on this remodeling kick. She's fixing up the house in London so she can run her design business out of part of the downstairs. After all the years of lodgers the upstairs rooms are a bit beat up. Everything is getting a fresh coat of paint while we're away and the remains of the cottage are being pulled down and replanted into a memorial garden."
"That's a nice gesture," Astrid said. "I wouldn't want the cottage rebuilt."
"Something's missing," Bradley said with a grin.
"What's that?" Astrid asked him.
"You haven't shown me your report card or told me about it once."
Astrid smiled and laughed.
"I've a surprise for you. I made the honor roll."
"You never! Congratulations," Bradley said.
"Something finally just clicked and I'm not upset or nervous when I study anymore. I use all the little work a rounds we've come up with over the years. I've always been able to remember everything but it wouldn't go on the paper. Mind you I'm using bright pink ink in all my pens," she said with a smile.
"If it works," Bradley replied smiling at her while the tram jiggled and rattled along.
The butler took Astrid's cases from Bradley the moment they got in the door.
"Welcome home, milady," he said.
"Thank you, Mr. Travis," Astrid replied.
Astrid followed him up to her room with Bradley following along.
"Where did my sister get off to?" Bradley asked.
"The shops Sir, for some last minute items for the trip. The children and their nanny went along."
"Sybil said she's got a few new dresses for you since everything got destroyed," Bradley said. "I'll let you get packed."
The butler bowed and left them alone.
"Bradley, we're not on the train platform now," Astrid said gazing at him with a dazzling smile.
"No, we sure as hell aren't," Bradley replied pushing the door shut with one hand. Astrid had tossed her hat and gloves on the bed. She took a few steps across the room and put her arms around Bradley's neck. He kissed her slowly. His eyes opened and then closed when he felt her lips relax against his inviting him in. He could feel her breasts pressed against him through the fabric of her dress making his pulse race. He let his lips roll across hers building the anticipation. She wasn't the first girl he'd ever kissed but she was the one he'd waited for and thought about for years.
He broke the kiss then kissed her again. He'd had every intention of letting her get on with her packing but his mind was fuzzy with desire and all he could think of was kissing her again. This time he slid his tongue into her mouth and touched hers. Her intake of breath spurred him on. He hadn't realized her hands had moved until he felt her hand on his arm.
"Bradley," she whispered against his lips. He didn't let her complete the thought before he kissed her again. He slowly released her with his breathing ragged.
"The other's will be home soon," he said. "You've got to pack. We're leaving in three hours."
Astrid fiddled with the buttons on his shirt. Then slowly nodded. She placed a quick kiss on his mouth before she stepped back.
"It won't take me long to pack. Do you think we'll have time to go swimming while we're there?"
"Probably with a host of kids," he replied. Astrid turned and undid the clasps on one of her cases. She was looking in the case when Bradley came up behind her. He touched the back of her neck then placed a kiss on it. "You'll be my girl now?" he asked.
Astrid nodded and bit her lip. His touch was making her knees weak. She'd thought about kissing him so many times and it hadn't happened before now. The desire was making her slightly dizzy. She turned and his fingers touched her cheek. He kissed her again. She placed a hand on his chest and could feel his heart beating through his shirt. He released her finally and left her room. Once she was alone she touched the side of her neck then turned back to her packing. The boy she was crazy about had just kissed her and asked her to be his girlfriend. The day couldn't get any better.
-0-
Finding a place to rent was turning out harder than Garret thought it would be. He'd been to see three houses to let in his first week of hunting. The first landlady had taken one look at his baby face and announced she didn't let her property to children. She'd slammed the door in his face before he'd had a chance to open his mouth. The second one he'd telephoned and hadn't been told exactly they didn't rent to English but from the amount of hedging he'd quickly read between the lines, the third one he'd disguised his voice and imitated his father's accent. He'd told her he and his two older brothers would be living together and were all gainfully employed. It was only a slight lie, he thought. Dylan had a good job and Hans would soon enough. Garret was teaching a summer music symposium at the Conservatory in Dublin plus he had seven piping jobs lined up over the summer. He did have a job if a bit of an on and off one. He already had his tuition covered for the following year. It should all work out.
"I'm older than I look," Garret said with his father's brogue the second the lady opened the door.
"Now you said, you'd be in with your brothers. How old might they be?" the landlady asked.
"Twenty-nine and twenty-two," Garret replied. "One's a concert violinist and speaks fluent German. He teaches elementary school when there isn't a concert. The other one is an architect and I teach at the Conservatory."
"So you can pay your rent, then," the landlady said. "Very well I'll show you the place but I want to meet the other two as well."
Garret breathed a sigh of relief, so far so good. They walked a few blocks away. The row house had a step in front with white cladding and window boxes that made it look like a piece of a gingerbread house. Everything looking freshly painted and maintained. They went inside and Garret stopped dead. There wasn't a stick of furniture in the place. He walked through the house with the woman. The dining room closed off from the sitting room with sliding doors and there were three bedrooms with a full bath. There was a decent garden in the back as well but it was over grown. Garret couldn't help but think it was too bad they didn't have a goat.
The landlady reiterated the price that had been advertised.
"I like the place but I thought it was furnished," Garret said.
"You won't get anything in this neighborhood that's furnished for another half as much," she informed him.
"We'll take it, if you like my brothers," Garret replied quickly. He knew how hard it was to find anything in the neighborhood. He'd been searching the papers for the last two months. Both other places he'd been turned away from were more money and further from the university and the tram.
"No pulling things apart and no wild shananigans," she gave him the evil eye.
"My oldest brother keeps us in line," Garret said sweating slightly. When Hans got going he could be rather rowdy. The last time he'd had one too many at the pub when Garret had been around a bunch of other Germans had pushed him up to stand on a table. He'd sang some song in German that was obviously off color complete with gestures and made the other men laugh. He then managed to kick over half a dozen drinks before he started fencing with another man using some old man's cane. He was a bit of wild man behind his usual formal demeanor when his inhibitions were down.
"I could have my one brother come over and possibly look at the house tomorrow. The other is working in Limerick. He won't be back for another week. He's gone straight from Limerick to our parents for a family obligation."
The landlady looked Garret up and down. He was wearing a suit that wasn't common and the accent didn't fool her one bit. There was an upper crust accent hiding in there, if she didn't miss her guess. If they were brothers from a wealthy family they could afford to pay for any damages. The last tenants she'd had looked like a nice couple on the surface until they'd left the stopper in the sink and flooded the kitchen. They'd informed her it was her fault and skipped out with one month late and one month due.
"Bring him by tomorrow. I'll hold the place for you until the end of the day," she said.
The next day Garret met Hans at the train.
"No, no, no," Garret said before he'd even said hello.
"What?" Hans inquired.
"You need a suit that doesn't look like it came out of my Da's cast offs or a general mercantile. You can't audition in that either."
"I will audition for music not appearance," Hans said getting haughty.
"You got away with it once because you were in a prisoner of war camp. You won't the second time. There are more people around competing for spots already now the war is done. We'll go get you a suit then go look at the house."
"You are bossy like your mother," Hans stated. He had to admit his money was burning a hole in his pocket and he would like to get back to wearing a nice suit instead of cheap ready to wear or cast offs.
"I will take it," Hans said forty-five minutes while he was looking at himself in the mirror in the men's department of an upscale shop in Dublin. He had rejected everything the man had shown him in pinstripe and tweeds and gone for black with a blue and black silk tie that made his eyes stand out.
"The shoes as well, Sir?" the clerk ask.
"That too," Hans replied.
"You need a hat and coat as well," Garret reminded him.
"You are too spoiled."
"One good outfit and we'll talk my sister into designing you an entire wardrobe for every occasion," Garret said with a grin.
It wasn't long and they were knocking on the landlady's door.
"Remember adopted older brother when you were ten from Germany which accounts for the accent and different name," Garret warned him.
"Yes, I am not a child. I remember your fabrication," Hans said stiffly.
Hans greeted the landlady with a flourish and kissed her hand.
"You said your older brother spoke fluent German, not that he is German," the woman said.
"Adopted after ten years in Germany by my cousins. Our parents are diplomats," Hans replied smoothly. He immediately turned on the charm. "A lovely neighborhood in this fair city. My brother tells me the accommodation is befitting of a better family."
"Why yes," the woman fluttered. "I'll just get the key."
Hans offered her his arm as they walked to the house. He held the door for her and smiled at the woman constantly.
"The fireplaces are working? It would not do for my younger brothers to be cold this winter. Our mother would be unhappy," Hans said. He'd turned a bedroom look on the woman that had her almost swooning.
"I could include two months worth of coal," she said mesmerized by his gaze.
He inclined an eyebrow when he looked at the garden.
"My younger brother and I are both musicians. We must protect our hands. Our other brother as well is an architect. It is all fine work with the hands," Hans commented. "It will make the gardening difficult you understand, not that we are unwilling."
"I'll have my man come around once a week to do the grass in the summers," she said.
"Perhaps also the windows?" Hans asked innocently. "Good light is essential for the true artist."
"Yes," she agreed while staring into his eyes.
"Excellent," Hans replied. "I will let my younger brother deal with the papers and final arrangements. I must get back to my current lodgings, to collect my things and make the trip to our parents' this evening. I will see you there, Garret?"
"I'll be over in the morning," Garret replied.
"You don't have to rush. It won't take a minute. I've got the papers right here in my handbag," the landlady said. She was still staring at Hans.
She took another chunk off the rent to make up for the fact the house wasn't furnished and added the extras then had the two of them sign the papers. Garret made out a rent check and damage deposit. He had the originals he had already written out in his wallet along with the money Hans had given him to cover his portion.
They stepped out the door with the landlady. Hans bowed slightly and took the woman's hand after she handed him a set of keys.
"A decision I'm sure our parents will approve of," he said giving her another direct glance.
The woman flushed before she headed down the street back to her own lodgings.
"You sly devil," Garret said.
"I am still the master, little brother and you are only the student," he replied with a wide smile.