CHAPTER XV
A PICNIC
Susan parked the Imp on the opposite side of the lane from the cottage where some shingle had been spread for the purpose, in front of them Nancy was loading a large wicker basket in to the Land Rover. As they got out she challenged them.
"Where have you two been?!" Dick dealt with this as he walked across the lane.
"We had things to catch up on, I haven't talked to Susan in years!"
As all three of them walked around the back of the cottage Daisy and the others were just coming out. Susan greeted Daisy.
"Hello Daisy how are you? Still putting up with Nancy?"
"I'm well Susan, and yes still putting up with her!" She laughed clearly showing that she did not feel that way at all. "And you, I suppose you are still married to your job?"
"I am indeed, someone has to do these things and it took a lot for me to get there!" Titty groaned.
"Oh Susan, we all know that, you don't have to defend yourself, we all know and that you deserve it!"
"Shut up all of you, get in the Land Rover and we'll be on our way." Nancy realised it was time for someone to take charge, and she was still Captain Nancy of the Amazon so it would be her.
Driving back to the Town they went through the high street on the other side of the Albion, then they were once again on the seafront. They passed a stretch of seawall where the land on the other side of the road was below sea level, it was only the wall that protected the area from flooding, and in the distance they could see the glint of water on the backwaters as the tide fell. Once they had driven on they passed a large thatched cottage that looked out of place amongst the other houses, they continued, the road climbing slightly passed some large grand looking houses until eventually the road petered out in to no more than a gravel track.
At the end of the track there was a farm gate with warning notices about private property, just before it Nancy turned a sharp right on to another track in even worse repair that ended at the public part of the Naze; a promontory of grass and scrubland. In the middle of it a brick built tower with the appearance of an old lighthouse, but unpainted. Nancy parked the Land Rover on an area at the end of the track which had been roughly cleared of scrub for that purpose.
They all clambered out of the vehicle and walked towards the tower. Nancy wanted to impart as much information as she had been able to find out in the short time she and Daisy had lived there.
"There was a golf course here up until the war, right to the tip." She pointed to the sea ahead of them, and it was clear that the cliff edge was crumbling in places. Suddenly Dick spoke up.
"It was all requisitioned in the war, the golf club closed and radar experiments were carried out using the tower, and other things too."
"Really!" Titty exclaimed and the others seemed surprised at what he knew. Susan nodded and thought to herself that Dick's wartime experiences were greater than any of them had guessed or suspected. Dot said nothing but though much about her brother, his hidden depths that on occasions such as these when he surprised everyone but never her.
Walking around the land spit they saw on the eastern side the cliffs were crumbling and avoided the very edges, their path was occasionally crossed by the large number of wild rabbits that inhabited the land. Looking back towards the tower Susan spoke what she guessed would be on all their minds.
"Can you go up the tower?" Nancy may not of knew of its wartime role but she knew of its accessibility.
"No, it's always locked when we come up here and George tells me it's in private hands." Susan spoke up.
"Whose George?"
"Jim Brading's nephew, he runs the farm now where we got the milk from on Secret Water." Dick then took over.
"We met him and he misled us about Nancy, told us he'd no idea about any women living around here!"
"He was protecting us Dick, we needed it!" Daisy then curtailed the conversation.
"Come on, it's lunchtime!"
They walked back to the Land Rover and once they had let down the back so that some of them could sit down Daisy unpacked the basket and distributed sandwiches and apples, they munched away and thought their own thoughts.
"Daisy you are such a good cook!" Titty knew she risked a disapproving look from Susan, or imagined she would.
"Sandwiches are hardly cooking!" Daisy was quick to respond. "But thank you!" She handed out bottles of ginger beer and they all drank their fill. Once they repacked the basket they walked away from the Naze down the slope to the sea. Dick was still thoughtful.
"We must think about getting back to London, Susan can you take us to the station?" Susan responded at once.
"You can come back to London with me and Dot, you needn't take the train." Nancy glanced at Daisy.
"Look you must come and eat with us this evening, you can stay, I'm sure we can squeeze you in, not much different from tents!" Daisy nodded her agreement and as they walked back to the Land Rover she talked with Nancy about what they would eat and how they would accommodate everyone.
Titty noticed that Susan said nothing and took no interest in these domestic arrangements, it was clear to her that her sister had changed.