Singapore:
Lucien took the telegram and sighed with relief as he read it.
"ALL ARRIVED SAFELY STOP MRS BEAZLEY STOP"
So, the housekeeper had decided to put his mind at rest, perhaps his father was at the hospital, the woman was going up in his estimation. She hadn't said how they were, but they were safe, that was all that mattered, he'd let Major Stanton know.
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Jean knew that Li was going to cling and it would take time for her to settle. She found the five minutes to ring the telegram through, with Li on her hip ticking that off her list of things to do. Thomas could write a longer letter later.
She sat in the living room encouraging Li to drink some warm milk and nibble a biscuit. She would have to get used to doing things with one hand, again, until Li was happy to crawl around in the kitchen, like Mary had done. She had no idea how far the nanny had got with toilet training, or whether she was trying to walk, she was nearly a year, she sighed and dropped a little kiss on top of the shining black hair, as straight as a ruler. It hadn't been cut at all and it was all lengths, the front needed tidying up, perhaps ribbons or clips for now. She was a fragile looking thing, smaller than Jean remembered Mary being at the same age. The milk and biscuit seemed to do the trick, certainly it all went down quite quickly.
"You enjoyed that, didn't you?" Jean wiped her fingers, "now, will you play on the floor while I see to dinner, I wonder?"
Jean looked in Mary's toy basket, in the corner and found a set of coloured rings and the post for them and decided that those on the floor would do for now, no need to overwhelm her. She sat her on the floor by the table while she prepared the vegetables, glad that a pork roast was on the menu for tonight. She could put everything in the large roasting tin and it could cook itself - as long a she remember to take the potatoes out before they mashed themselves. Li whimpered at first then, realising Jean wasn't going to leave her, started to chew the rings and turn them round in her hands. The shrieks from the garden didn't seem to bother her, though she did look round a couple of times, for the most part she seemed content.
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Ben stopped running and bent down, panting, his hands on his knees, "Mary," he called over, "d'ye think your mum would let us have a drink?"
"Ok," she grabbed his hands, "c'mon, let's go in."
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Jean turned as the kitchen door opened and the three children spilled in, she smiled and put down the knife and carrot she was peeling.
"Thirsty?"
"Yes, mama," Mary nodded, "please can we have a drink?"
"Wash your hands and you can have a biscuit as well, if you like," Jean stood up, "but mind you don't tread on Li," she nodded down to the floor.
Mary dragged a chair over to the sink so she could reach the taps and they took turns to wash and dry their hands, then Mary took them over to the table.
"You have to sit down, to have drinks and biscuits," she commanded, pointing to the other chairs.
Jean had her back to them, she smirked at her bossy daughter, but she wasn't used to having boys invade her home, and she was right, she was expected to sit down in case she spilled her drink, even in the living room. She set a plate of biscuits on the table and a jug of squash and three glasses. Arthur, who was the eldest, was allowed to pour the drinks while Jean lifted Li from the floor and offered her another biscuit.
"At least she isn't crying," Arthur grumbled.
"Don't be mean, Arthur," his mother's voice came from behind him, "she's too young to understand, and she misses the Captain."
"Sorry," he mumbled through a mouthful of shortbread.
"Yes, so you should be," Mrs Stanton huffed, "I must apologise ..."
"Don't worry, if Arthur has lost sleep because of Li's crying I'm not surprised if he's a bit grumpy." Jean stood and went to put the kettle on, "tea?"
"That would be lovely, but," she held out her arms for Li, "here, let me ..."
"I better get used to it, again," Jean smiled, "but thank you." She had felt Li tense when Mrs Stanton went towards her, "though, perhaps you could reach the cups and saucers, from that cupboard," she pointed to where she kept the crockery, "and the milk from the fridge."
The children finished their drinks and headed back out into the garden, Jean thought she could ask a few questions about Li's progress, what the nanny had been doing with her.
"So, Mrs Stanton," she put Li back with the rings on the floor, "do you know how far on nanny was with toilet training? and Li feeding herself?"
"Captain Blake has sent you this," she passed an envelope over, "I'm assuming it is all you need to know about her, and," she passed over a second packet, "this is from her grandfather, her legacy, he says, but she gets it early."
Jean could see from the size and shape of the second packet that it was money, and quite a lot of it too, she would ask the doctor to deal with that. She opened the letter from the child's father and raised her eyebrows at the familiar 'doctor's' hand. Still, she had learned to read Thomas'.
"Dear father and Mrs Beazley," it began,
"Firstly, thank you, a million times over, for taking Li in, I can rest easy, knowing she is safe. I expect you need to know where she is progress-wise; well I suppose she is on the right track, nanny spoils her, and I'm afraid I'm a bit guilty of that too.
Nanny has started toilet training her, but she is somewhat resistant, she is rather strong willed for such a little one, a bit too much like Mei Lin, I fear." This surprised Jean, that he should express some negative thoughts about his wife. It continued, "She eats well, with her fingers, prefers milk to drink or water, and loves any kind of fruit chopped up in a bowl. She is not a good sleeper, though I don't know why. We have tried ignoring her, giving her a drink of warm milk and I have paced the floor with her on numerous occasions. My sincere apologies for the disturbed nights you are letting yourselves in for, both of you. She is pulling herself up on the furniture and will toddle along the couch until her little legs give out and she sits down, usually quite cross with herself." Jean was warming to Captain Lucien Blake, he seemed to care deeply for his daughter, she could almost hear the laugh at this, and how many men would pace the floor in the middle of the night with a fractious baby? "I fear communication is going to become harder until whatever is happening is sorted out, China is in deep trouble with the advancement of Japanese troops. Please continue to write, and I will reply as often as I can.
My deepest gratitude to you, father, and to Mrs Beazley who I hope to meet one day, and thank, in person, for caring for my daughter.
Lucien."
Jean placed the letter back into the envelope and put it to one side, to show to Thomas when he had finished surgery. She sighed and stared into space. Mrs Stanton watched her, a curious woman, she thought, no mention of a husband but she wore a wedding ring so, a widow, perhaps? Young, for a housekeeper, but obviously very capable.
"Food for thought?" she remarked.
"Mm ..." Jean sipped her tea, "she's going to take time to settle, and I may not be quite so ... so soft as her father and nanny."
"Sometimes they need a little more firmness," Mrs Stanton muttered, "the Captain is so besotted with his daughter, and of course she is his first child."
"Quite, well," Jean put her cup down, "I need to finish sorting the dinner out, or it won't be ready until midnight," she laughed softly.
"Let me help," Mrs Stanton took the cups to the sink, "after all I'm holding you up."
"Thank you," Jean was grateful, at the moment she was running behind.
Between them they got the dinner prepared, Mrs Stanton told her more of the Captain, how he had been quite the catch. Women were drawn to him like moths to a flame, but he was always most polite, gentlemanly.
"So good looking and charming, Mrs Beazley," she smiled, "the young ladies were always flattered by his attentions, and I think because he spoke French and could flirt with them in that language, they were more inclined to flock to him."
Jean looked at her, wondering what she actually meant.
"Oh, I am sure beyond a doubt, he was no angel but I never saw him hurt any woman. Any dalliance he had was concluded with charm," Mrs Stanton assured her, "then he met Mei Lin Chen and that put a stop to his flirting."
"I see," Jean murmured. "Maybe, after dinner, you would like to speak to the doctor about Singapore. Of course all we know is what we read in the paper, but he will want to know about her. You only seem to refer to Li in connection to her father."
"Ah, yes, well ..."
"The doctor, not me," Jean stopped her, "I have never met Captain Blake."
"Of course."
For some reason Li decided that Jean was not going to leave her, or hurt her and, as long as she could see her, she seemed to be content. She started to crawl over to her and held her arms up, then, having assured herself that Jean was aware of her, would wriggle to be set down again. All good, as far as Jean was concerned. Mrs Stanton wondered what this power was Mrs Beazley had over the child who had done nothing but cry, and push away from her for nearly three days.
"Now, Miss," Jean lifted her up, "let's get you changed, before grandpapa comes through for dinner, eh?" She turned to Mrs Stanton, who was setting the table for her, "we shall all eat together, I think, six places and the high chair for Li."
"I apologise for the boys manners in advance, they usually eat separately from my husband and I."
"Oh, well, we all eat together, unless the doctor is busy, then it is just Mary and me," Jean stopped at the door, "I'm sure they'll be fine."
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As Jean changed Li, she wondered about Mrs Stanton. She seemed a pleasant enough woman, the boys were happy, well dressed and fed, and she had brought Li safely to her grandfather. She supposed she was just used to a completely different way of life.
"Come on, poppet," she picked the child up, "let's go and find grandpapa and have some dinner."
It occurred to Jean that she needed Li to call her something. 'Mrs Beazley' was out, she was far too young to even try that, 'Jean', was a bit familiar but easy for her to get her tongue round, perhaps if the doctor referred to her as 'Auntie Jean'?
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Dr Blake smiled at the sight of children at his table, the baby in the high chair set between himself and Jean, all that was missing was his son. and daughter in law. He stood to carve the pork, driving the knife through the crisp crackling that was Mary's particular favourite part of the dish, then sliced the meat and placed pieces on the plates as Jean passed them to him. They tucked in, particularly the children. Jean put pieces of vegetables, slivers of meat and a chopped up potato on a plate for Li. Mindful of what the Captain had said in his letter, about her eating well with her fingers, she thought this was the best way to encourage her to have some nourishment.
Mrs Stanton raised an eyebrow as Li picked up a piece of carrot and turned it round in her fingers before putting it to her lips and licking it. Jean watched out of the corner of her eye, not wanting her to see her watching. Li nibbled the vegetable and started on a green bean.
"It would seem," Thomas smiled, "Mrs Beazley, that your cooking is to her liking."
"Nice to know," she laughed back.
"It's delicious, Mrs Beazley," Ben Stanton shovelled a forkful into his mouth, "better than our cook's any day."
"Ben!" his mother was shocked, "she's a very good cook!"
Ben swallowed and blushed, but was still going to have his say, "not as good as Mrs Beazley, our cook uses a lot of funny things."
"Spices and herbs, dear," Mrs Stanton sniffed, "it's just the way they cook there, and it's lovely."
Jean smiled her thanks at the boy, she used spices and herbs, too, but not so it overtook the flavour of the ingredients.
Thomas offered his granddaughter a bean off his plate. She looked at him, directly, and took the vegetable, nibbling it delicately.
"You like that, don't you, darling," he said softly, "your father liked green beans, too."
"Oh, doctor, I'm sorry," Jean reached over to the table behind him where the kitchen phone sat, "the Captain sent these letters, I've read the one about Li but you should too, and this," she lifted the bigger packet, "is a legacy from her grandfather, her legacy, apparently."
"Ah, right, well," he put that to one side, "I shall put it safe for her, now, tell me, Mrs Beazley, what does my son tell us about my granddaughter?"
"That she likes milk or water to drink, eats well, but with her fingers, as we can see, fruit and vegetables, doesn't sleep well and the rest I shall discuss with you later."
"Well, that doesn't sound too bad, does it?" he smiled and reached over to put another spoonful of vegetables on her plate, "see how she does with that."
Li, now more confident about the food she was being offered quickly picked up pieces of carrot and green bean and put them in her mouth.
"Nice, sweetie?" Thomas smiled at her, and got a little smile back, "good girl."
The dessert of baked apples with custard went down very well. Jean spoon fed Li with teaspoons of the cooled pudding, and she seemed to like it very much.
"A sweet tooth, doctor," Jean smiled, "it would appear."
"Or just good taste," Dr Blake laughed, "are these apples off the tree in the garden?"
"Of course, they're just ready to eat."
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Thomas decided he would try and entertain the children while Jean and Mrs Stanton saw to the dishes. He had divested himself of his customary suit jacket and replaced it with a soft cardigan and took Li in his arms. She wriggled at first, but his hold was firm yet loving and she settled against him as he wandered into the living room.
"Now, Mary," he sat down in his usual chair, "where's that book of yours?"
She ran to the shelf where her books stood, and pulled out her favourite book of fairy tales.
"This one, doc-doc," she tried to find the place, "Princess Rosette, please," she passed him the book.
He smiled, it was her favourite and being as her home and peace and quiet have been invaded he was minded to indulge her, though the boys may not be that keen. He started to read, his voice soft and expressive and by the time the ladies had finished the dishes Mary was snuggled next to him and the boys were sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of him. Li was watching his face and listening to the soft tones, struggling to keep her eyes open when Jean came through. She lifted the sleepy child off him and cradled her in her arms.
"Time to go to bed, sweetheart," she whispered, "let's get you changed and tucked up."
Thomas stopped reading and stood up to kiss his granddaughter goodnight. She whimpered a little and Jean jiggled her gently as she walked her out of the living room and up the stairs. She sang to her, soft lullabies, as she changed her and put her into a little nightdress then lay her in the cot and passed her the soft toy Mary had said she could have. She had noticed, when she put her down for a nap that afternoon, that she seemed taken with it so tucking her up with it seemed like a good thing to do. Her clothes were still in her suitcase so Jean decided she could put them away and stay until she was fast asleep, hoping she would settle for the night, though from the Captain's letter, she doubted it. In the bottom of the case, under pretty dresses and cardigans, leggings and bonnets she found a soft toy, a monkey with a rather large and, to Jean, quite scary grimace. If that was what they gave Li at night, no wonder she didn't sleep well. She would leave that in the case for now and discuss it with the doctor. It was a connection to her parents and that should not be broken but ... she sighed, when she settled in perhaps leaving the wedding photograph in sight would be a better idea. She looked over at Li, now sleeping soundly and tiptoed out of the room, leaving the door slightly ajar to let a little light in, and headed downstairs where Thomas had started another story. Jean would be putting Mary to bed at the end, she knew it wasn't particularly long, and hoped that Mrs Stanton would chivvy her boys too, they had had a long day and were obviously tired; Ben was leaning on his brother and blinking in that way one does when overtired.
Mrs Stanton was sitting on the chair usually occupied by Dr Blake so Jean took the other one though there was room on the couch. She took up some sewing, mending one of Mary's dresses, where a button had come off. It was her habit to either do running repairs on clothes or knit in the evening and share a drink with the doctor, her a sherry and he a whisky, after Mary had been put to bed, and discuss the events of the day, the reports in the paper, until she excused herself and retired for the night. Just as she put the dress down Ben started to slip down his brother's side to the floor, asleep. Jean leant over and caught his head while his mother tutted and stood up, stepping towards him. She opened her mouth to call his name but Jean put her fingers to her lips. It would be a shame to waken him and he was small enough to carry. Jean lifted him up as it seemed his mother was not inclined to do so and carried him to the bedroom.
"I'll leave you to put him to bed," Jean whispered, and left the room, leaving a clearly uncomfortable mother to see to her child. Perhaps they had a nanny too, in Singapore, well, she was not in the business in taking over the care of other people's children when they were accompanied by a parent, but it might explain Li's reluctance to be held by her, earlier in the day.
Arthur appeared behind her, and smiled sleepily.
"Thank you, Mrs Beazley," he whispered so as not to wake his brother, "for dinner and for letting us stay."
"You are most welcome, Arthur," Jean patted his cheek, "sleep well."
"You too."
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Jean came down from putting Mary to bed to find the doctor had poured her sherry and was now sitting in his customary spot with his whisky. Mrs Stanton was on the couch with a sherry and appeared to be waiting for Jean so she could tell what she knew.
"Well," she started as Jean accepted her drink and sat down, "I don't know if I should say as much as I am going to but you should know about your son, doctor, and his wife."
Thomas nodded.
"Mei Lin has been spoiled, in her upbringing and Lucien is indulgent - anything she asks for, she gets. Neither she nor Li want for anything. I don't think Li would have been sent to you if it had been up to Mei Lin, she looked as if she didn't believe it when I took the stroller off him and started to push it up the gangplank. Personally I worry about her commitment to Lucien, I know her father was very pleased when Lucien started courting her and made sure the wedding was the event of the season. If her husband is unavailable she is usually seen in the company of Captain Alderton, the best man and a close friend of Lucien's. Lucien trusts Alderton to see she is safe but, sometimes I wonder ..."
Jean gasped, this was not something she should be hearing so she stood up to leave.
"Stay, Jean, please," Thomas commanded, "this may impact on Li's behaviour, and you will be more involved in her upbringing."
She sat down again nervously turning her glass in her fingers.
"I have no more to say, doctor," Mrs Stanton put her glass down, "save I think it is a marriage Mr Chen wanted, hoping to keep his daughter safe, but even he couldn't persuade her to come to you."
"I see," Thomas pursed his lips, "and how does Li fit into their lives?"
"Lucien worships her," Mrs Stanton smiled.
"He says in his letter that he has paced the floor with her, at night," Jean remembered the letter, "I don't know many fathers that would do that and, as she has a nanny, I would expect her to be doing that."
"Wonder why she doesn't sleep." Thomas mused.
"I found a toy monkey in her case," Jean sipped her drink, "it is rather odd looking, quite frightening, for a small child, I would have thought. Mary gave her one of hers, which she seemed to like this afternoon ..."
"Oh that thing," Mrs Stanton shook her head, "it is rather dreadful, isn't it. I put it out of the way on the first night but didn't have anything to replace it. I believe her mother bought it for her."
"I did wonder if it was the reason she didn't sleep," Jean suggested, "if she woke in the night and saw that facing her."
"It might be," Mrs Stanton agreed.
"We shall soon find out," the doctor sighed. "Where are you headed to, tomorrow?" he decided he didn't want to discuss his son and daughter in law anymore, not with a woman who quite obviously didn't like Mei Lin.
"Bendigo," she smiled, "my husband's family have kindly offered to let us stay. They own and run a hotel and have made over a suite for us."
Jean raised an eyebrow, "well," she stood up, "if you will excuse me, I shall head to bed, doctor, Mrs Stanton ..."
Thomas stood up, "goodnight, Jean, thank you for all you have done today."
"Goodnight, doctor," she nodded, noticing Mrs Stanton watch the interaction, which was nothing out of the ordinary.
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Jean lay in bed thinking on the conversation and all that Mrs Stanton had said about life in Singapore, or more precisely the Captain and his wife. If he had made a mistake in marrying Mei Lin that was his problem and she wasn't going to make it Li's or the doctor's. If she ever came to them they would be able to make up their own minds, though for now, Jean was rather glad she hadn't come this time. Thomas had been worried she would regard Jean as a servant and, if Mrs Stanton was to be believed, that may well be the case. She also worried about how Mrs Stanton saw her and the doctor's relationship which was based on courtesy and professionalism. He always stood when she left the room to go to bed, and when she entered it, it was old fashioned courtesy, he was polite and friendly and had never made any suggestion that they should take their relationship to another level. The town accepted it for what it was, she was his housekeeper, receptionist and secretary, and that was all there was to it, but it only took one suggestion and gossip spread like a bush fire. She chided herself for her unchristian thoughts, that she would be quite glad when Mrs Stanton left the next day, though she would miss the boys.
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Thomas had much the same thoughts as Jean, about his son and daughter in law, but they were overseas and there was nothing he could do about it, except write to say how sweet Li was, that they would do their best to keep her happy and healthy. Tell them that Mrs Beazley and she seemed to have taken to each other and introduce Mary into the story, because he hadn't mentioned her in his letters, not wanting to give Lucien ideas. Now was the time to give his a short version of Jean's story.
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Mrs Stanton lay in bed wondering if there was more to Dr Blake and Mrs Beazley's relationship than she had been told. She was young enough to be his daughter, but the girl, Mary, called him doc-doc, even though he seemed fatherly to her. If she were to stay in Ballarat she would surely find out the truth. She was a little put out that the housekeeper had stopped her waking Ben to take him to bed, and instead, had lifted him and carried him to bed. It was bad enough that nanny hadn't wanted to come with her, leave her family, but now she had been shown how to be a mother by a housekeeper she didn't know, and she would have to look after them herself, in Bendigo. Her parents in law were busy with the hotel, keeping it running after the downturn in economics hadn't been easy so she supposed she would have to keep the boys occupied and out of the way, ah well, there was always school. They had recommended one and had reserved places for the boys, where her husband had been educated as a young lad, apparently.
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It was just as well Jean was a light sleeper for she woke as Li started to whimper. She stumbled out of bed and quickly tiptoed to the girls' bedroom. Li's eyes were still closed but the soft toy had slipped from her hold. Jean tucked it back into the covers and stroked the child's head.
"Sh, little on," she whispered, "it's alright, sleep now."
Li wriggled a little and sighed then settled back to sleep. Jean waited a minute or two, then satisfied she was asleep, checked her own child, who it was widely regarded would sleep through thunderclaps; and indeed had done; and slipped back to her own bed. She was asleep in seconds.
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Jean was up, washed and dressed and sipping tea when Mary trotted down the stairs to tell her Li was awake.
"She's playing with the teddy, mama," Mary sat on her own chair and accepted a glass of orange juice.
"Oh, she likes it I think," Jean kissed her good morning, "now, I shall have to go and see to her and then I shall come down and do breakfast, if that's alright with you?"
"Can I help you?" she drank half the glass of juice, "then it won't take as long."
Jean laughed and stroked her curls, "alright, and you can get washed and dressed at the same time, can't you."
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The only thing that took time was getting Li to sit on the potty, that Mary had brought out from under the sink and placed just where it used to sit. Li was not happy and Jean found out she could say at least one word in English -"No!"
"But you're a big girl," Mary insisted, sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of her, "and when you are a bit bigger you can use the loo, like me."
Li pouted but when she tried to get up, Mary pushed her, gently, down again, as Jean had done to her. In the end she did what she had to do and Mary clapped and cheered her. Jean had barely been able to hide her smile and almost laughed.
"Good girl, Li," she picked her up and washed her down, "now, Mary, get washed and clean your teeth, your toothbrush is ready, while I go and dress Li."
"Ok, mama," she stood on the little stool at the sink and started to wash her face. She had become slightly obstinate about doing things herself over the past few months but Jean was grateful, now, and thought she would be a help with Li, showing her how to be a 'big girl'.
In the bedroom, Jean put out Mary's clothes before starting to dress Li. Li watched her then watched her take out a vest and nappy for her, and a dress which Jean determined was the least expensive one for every day wear. All the clothes looked expensive, very pretty, but of the type that, if she had the money, she would only dress her daughter in for a special occasion. Some were silk, all seemed to have a frill somewhere and had matching knickers. She decided she would look and see if she had anything of Mary's that would fit, something in cotton, easy to wash and repair after a day in the garden. She had no idea why she would keep such things, it was unlikely she would have another child, being single; she was not going to make that mistake again; but she had and now it would seem they may come in useful. She brushed Li's hair and put a ribbon in it, to tidy it up.
Li watched Mary dress herself and Jean help her with the fastenings of her little cotton dress with pockets at the front. It was one she had made for her, she made most of Mary's dresses, could run one up in a couple of hours in the evening.
Both girls suitably washed and dressed, Jean carried Li down the stairs and they headed into the kitchen. Dr Blake was just making a fresh pot of tea and the Stanton boys were drinking orange juice.
"Good morning, doctor," Jean smiled, pulling the high chair over to the table, "did you sleep well?"
"Good morning, Mrs Beazley, and girls," he turned and nodded, "tolerably well, and you?"
"Li disturbed once, she had lost the teddy," Jean smiled, "other than that, yes, thank you."
"Well, what do you have that her father doesn't?" he mused.
"Better taste in soft toys, I think," Jean went to the fridge and took out the bacon, eggs and tomatoes, her voice could barely be heard.
"I shan't say a thing, when I write," he smiled.
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Breakfast over, Mrs Stanton apologised for oversleeping after wandering through just as Jean was putting her plate on the stove to keep warm, the boys were sent to wash and dress while their mother packed their things ready for the last part of the journey to Bendigo.
Jean, knowing how long the train journey would be wrapped up some sandwiches and biscuits for them, they could get a drink at the buffet car, and ordered the taxi. She was going to walk down into town with the girls and do some shopping, Li could sit in the stroller, Mary was used to the walk now. But first, washing. The things Li had worn on the journey, the nappies that had been soaked, all needed doing, and she determined that she didn't need to purchase anymore, after all.
Thomas thanked Mrs Stanton for bringing his granddaughter safely to him, shook the boys hands and told them they were a credit to their father.
Ben flung his arms round Jean and tearfully asked if he could stay. Jean hugged him and told him she had been delighted to meet him and his brother, and they would be welcome anytime, but he must go with his mother now and be a good boy.
"Ok," he sniffed, "but I wish I could stay."
They waved them off and Thomas closed the door, sighing deeply.
"Doctor?"
"The boys are lovely," he smiled, "but, when you took Ben to bed last night, Arthur told me they had a nanny and were, in his words, wheeled out at bedtime and when there were visitors. It sounded positively Victorian," he hummed, "I don't think Mrs Stanton is a mother in the full sense of the word."
"I didn't want to say anything," Jean started to go back to the kitchen where the nappies were boiling in the washing machine, "but I got that feeling too. I think she's in for a shock in Bendigo."
"Quite," he turned towards the study, "I'm going to write to Lucien, what shall I say about Li?"
"That she is eating well, and slept last night with a little wakeful moment. She is a little clingy, but that is to be expected and I have witnessed her forthright nature, in the form of not wanting to use the potty. You can tell him that Mary is telling her she must because she is a big girl." Jean laughed.
"Ah, yes, I will have to give a potted version of your history, Jean, all he knows is you are my housekeeper, I didn't want him to get the wrong idea." Thomas had to good grace to look a little sheepish.
"I did wonder, well, I'm sure you will tell him the things he should know," she shrugged her shoulders and headed back to her work.
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Singapore:
Lucien raised his eyebrows as he read the much longer than usual letter from his father. So the housekeeper was a divorcee, with a small child. But Thomas did say she was the innocent party in the whole sorry story, that she had been left when six months pregnant, and her husband - whoops! - ex-husband, was a good looking boy who had played on her youth and inexperience and had suggested that she would be intimate with him if she loved him. He mused on that then looked at the picture again. There was something in the eyes, a depth he didn't usually see in the women he had dated, and he had never used that line. Well, at least she knew about children and he understood why his father had not mentioned her marital state. He said she was strong, capable and well respected round the town, so, for now he would reserve any further judgement.
It had been a month since he sent Li away, he and Mei Lin were drifting apart too, much to his sorrow, he still loved her but her constant whining about not having things she apparently needed, and his being too busy to take her to all soirees that had her sulking and pushing him away irked him. That evening, before he left to see to some assignments at the hospital his friend, Captain Alderton had arrived and, as he was off duty had offered to escort Mei Lin to a party at a mutual acquaintance's home. She had visibly brightened at Derek's suggestion and tossed her head as they left. Alderton had far too much off duty time, in his opinion, and he knew brass had noticed. Lucien was up for promotion, to Major, how would Derek like that, come to think of it, would Mei Lin still want to be escorted by a lowly Captain when her husband was a Major?
While Lucien was peeved at Alderton's lack of time seeing to his men, he had the military hospital to attend to. He enjoyed his work, it wasn't just battle wounds and accidents on the training fields he dealt with, it was the day to day care of the civilians on base and the local residents of Singapore. They came to him because of his knowledge of their language and local ancient medicine, and because he was gentle and kind and took an interest in them.
He wondered how Li was doing now, a month on, this letter was written two days after she met her grandpapa. He wondered if Mrs Beazley had won the 'battle of the potty', and was amused to read that Mary was helping with that.
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"Mama! Look!" Mary called down the hall, "Look at Li!"
It had been just over a month since the little girl had come to stay with them. She was more inclined to accept potty training if Mary was there and the promise of under-things like her friend if she was out of nappies seemed to give her the impetus to be a 'big girl'. She gabbled in her mother's native tongue, Jean supposed it was, and in English. Thomas declared she was progressing as well as she should given the upheaval in her life and now Mary seemed to have something special to show.
Jean poked her head round the door and smiled. She crouched down and held her arms out to the little girl, toddling unsteadily over the wooden flooring. It was a long walk for her and she dropped to her knees twice, before finally arriving at Jean's open arms. Jean stood up and swung her round as she giggled.
"You clever girl," Jean hugged and kissed her, "Isn't she Mary? And aren't you clever helping her, I'm so proud of you." She bent and kissed Mary's head, "now, juice and a biscuit I think."
"Will doc-doc be happy, mama?" Mary asked as she sat on her chair and Li was placed beside her, "that Li can walk now, like a big girl?"
"He will, darling, very pleased, like he was when you walked for the first time."
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And so life went on in Ballarat. Mary had turned four and Jean had decided she had better enrol her in school. She thought about the bigger schools, then not. Perhaps a small primary, Mary was not used to crowds of children, and not Catholic, being the daughter of a divorcee, it was probably best if she went to a non faith school, for now. She arranged to look round one or two, and took both girls with her. Dr Blake had asked her to see if they would be open to taking Li, when she was ready, assuming her father had not collected her by then.
"Though given the situation in Europe I doubt that will be soon," he sighed, one evening.
"But he's in Singapore," Jean didn't quite understand why Europe should prevent Lucien from coming to collect his daughter.
"And the Japanese are all over the place, in the East," he grunted, "it's not good, Jean. It's like a domino effect, once one starts a fight the rest join in."
She thought about that and huffed in annoyance, "just like naughty children," she shrugged.
"Exactly, Jean," he smiled, "perhaps you mothers should run the world."
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Li had turned into quite the chatterbox, from 'no', she had gone to identifying foods, able to call for 'gan'pa', but to Jean's embarrassment she insisted on calling her 'mama', just like Mary did.
"Don't worry, Jean," Dr Blake smiled one evening when she expressed her feelings, "it was bound to happen, and 'Auntie Jean' is quite a mouthful."
"But what about when her mother claims her?" she worried, "surely she will be angry, feel I have taken Li from her."
"We shall deal with that when the time comes," Thomas soothed, "she only ever asks for 'papa', and seems content with 'soon' as an answer. She's too young to have a concept of time, and, my dear housekeeper," he teased, "you have been very much a mother to her."
"She's easy to love, doctor," she smiled, "all she needed was some ground rules."
"Jean," Thomas had been thinking a great deal since Li had come to stay, his worries about the world and his son had led him to a decision, "I am going to have my will written ... oh no, don't worry," on hearing a gasp, "I'm not ill, it's just I need to make sure she is taken care of, so, in the event of my death and the none appearance of my son I am going to ask that you become Li's guardian and leave the house to you."
"Doctor!"
"Hear me out," he held up his hand, "if Lucien comes back and claims her, and decides not to stay, you have the house. If he comes back and stays I will leave you enough to buy a small house of your own, if he doesn't need a housekeeper. When you came to me I made certain promises, in my mind, and one of those was that you and your child would never end up on the streets."
"Oh," was all she could think of to say.
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I'm sorry that this is a rather domestic chapter, where nothing much happens but the story has far to go yet. Thank you for reading so far and reviewing.