CHAPTER XXVIII

GRAND OPENING

Six months later and the new bathroom on the ground floor had been installed, making use of some of the space in the hallway, the existing bathroom upstairs had been updated and John had ensured it had all been done in keeping as Dick had warned it should be.

Once it was finished John and Peggy decided that they should invite everyone for another weekend at Beckfoot for a 'grand opening', he telephoned all of them in turn and found much to his surprise that the weekend he and Peggy had in mind was agreeable to them all.

Last on his list of those to 'phone was Dot, even though she lived in the same house as Dick and Titty he always liked to treat her as a person in her own right, not some adjunct to her brother and his wife. He dialled their number and it so happened Dot answered.

'Hello Dot, it's John.'

'Hello John, how's Peggy?'

'She's fine, will you be able to come for the weekend, did Dick tell you the date we planned?'

'Yes, that will be all right. John…' There was a pause.

'Yes Dot.' John waited, wondering if there was a problem.

'John, would you and Peggy mind if I brought someone with me?' John admitted later on when he had told Peggy that he was at first taken aback, but managed, he hoped, to answer without giving this away in his voice.

'Of course not, you'll arrive the usual time on the Friday?'

'Thank you John.'

Peggy, of course, when he told her, wanted to know more, who were they? Man or woman? John did not think to question Dot, she had asked and he had agreed. So there was much anticipation of Dot's arrival that weekend.

He had been surprised when Dot told him she would arrive on the Friday evening later than usual, and she would not be doing so with Dick and Titty as she usually did.

After Peggy's annoyance with him for not finding out more he then telephoned Titty to find out what she knew of this 'extra' guest, she was cagey and gave nothing away, being his sister he tried to find out more, but it didn't work. In the end Titty told him not to keep asking questions and that there would be no point in contacting Dick either as he knew even less.

On the appointed Friday Peggy had been even more worried, was this 'guest' someone Dot would share a room, or even a bed with? She despaired that her husband had not attempted to find out. But John, as he always did, was sure it would work out and told her not to worry.

Susan and Roger had arrived early afternoon, and he was soon installed in his familiar room, watching out the window.

This weekend Nancy and Daisy had been able to catch the same train out of London as Dick and Titty, and John met their connecting train at the station.

Peggy heard them as they arrived back and came in to Beckfoot through the kitchen door from the stable yard. Nancy was trying to find out more from John.

'But didn't she say? She must have given you some idea?'

'No Nancy, I told you, she didn't, she just asked if she could bring someone!' Peggy heard Nancy breath out noisily and went to greet her and the others. Nancy did not give up.

'But Dick, don't you know? Titty, I bet you do!' Titty said nothing, Nancy had questioned her for most of the train journey, she busied herself greeting Peggy.

'Titty!' Nancy almost shouted. Daisy looked at crossly at her and intervened.

'For goodness sake Ruth, leave the poor women alone, Dot will be here soon and you will know! Alright?' They all knew, Nancy especially, that having called her Ruth in front of them all clearly Daisy was annoyed with her. Nancy looked crestfallen.

'Sorry everyone, I'm just curious.' Susan came in to the kitchen from having checked Roger was managing in his room.

'We all are Nancy, as Daisy says you'll just have to wait. Now, are you going to say hello to Roger?'

'Yes of course.' With this she left the kitchen and made her way upstairs.

The others all set about getting organised following Peggy's arrangements. In the hallway they could all see the door to the new bathroom, it was firmly closed with a red ribbon across it ready for the 'official' opening.

When Nancy returned from upstairs she spoke to John.

'What time is Dot's train?'

'Didn't I say? They're driving here, they should be here soon.' John seemed remarkably calm to Susan and Titty.

'But Dot doesn't drive!'

'We know Nancy, but obviously her 'guest' does!'

'Well I think she should have told us!' Daisy cut across her.

'Nancy, I don't think you're in any position to comment!' This reference to Nancy's secretiveness over her relationship with Daisy years before quietened her.

Peggy looked nervous to Titty, and she was pleased to hear a car drive in to the stable yard.

'Is that them?'