Chapter 27

Eventually, Roger had to take Rowan back to the Dixon's in time for her to help with evening milking and for him to read the Winnie-the-Pooh story promised to Julia, Jane and Robert.

"Only I'm sure I'll turn out not to do the voices as well as John. It would help a little if the kids could explain exactly how John does the voices of course. Jane has offered to read Piglet's bits though."

"I should think the little one – Julie is it? -could do Roo. Roo doesn't actually say very much, I think. Can't your sister-in-law explain anyway?"

"Rabbit is Welsh – South Welsh she says although how I'm meant to tell the difference I've got no idea."

"Why?"

"Nancy has no idea. She thinks John doesn't either really. I'll just have to do my best. If they like it, well and good, and if they don't I won't have to do it again. I do think I should make the effort though. I've sort of abandoned them today and they're back to school tomorrow, except Robert of course. May I see you – or will you be at work for the whole of the day? What about the evening? I'd ride round on the bike – we could go into the village if you liked."

Rowan paused. "I think I'd like that."

When they got back to the farm, though, they discover that they didn't have to wait that long to see each other again. Mrs Dixon was very pressing in her invitation to Roger to come for dinner the next day.

"The little girls will be at school and I daresay that Miss Nancy will be busy with the washing and little Robert. You'll have a lot to talk about with Rowan I'll be bound."

Mrs Dixon was certainly going out of her way to signal her approval of Roger as Rowan's boyfriend. It wasn't that Roger cared in the least what Mrs Dixon thought, but it was certainly going to make things easier.

And why was Nancy flying the old plague flag from the flag pole on the promontory?

He soon found out. Pyjama-ed, dressing-gowned and in gumboots, Jane met him half way up the lawn, somewhat conscious of the importance of her errand and making heavy weather of lugging a large basket with her.

"Robert's gone and got chicken-pox and we're still not allowed to stay off school and you haven't had it, Mummy says , so you'd better not come into the house and here's the key to Auntie Titty's cottage and your stuff and some things for breakfast and your supper and Mummy says it was only aired out yesterday so everything should be alright and can you come round tomorrow morning so you can talk about things by standing on the lawn and shouting a bit, only you can't now because she's only just got Robert off to sleep and he cries when Mummy isn't there and Granny says he can't help it because he's ill and only little and they're both terribly sorry."

"Thank you. There really isn't anything for them to be sorry about. I'll come after breakfast tomorrow then shall I?"

"Could you come in time to sail us to school in Swallow please?" Jane asked, adding conscientiously, "It's quite nice sailing with Mummy, but you haven't ever taken us to school before and we'd like that."

Roger promised to sail Jane and Julia to school the next day.

Nancy Walker to John Walker

Dear John,

Poor Robert has gone and got chickenpox just when I thought he had probably escaped it. Mother says he was very grumpy indeed when Roger and I sailing yesterday with the girls, but she thought at first that was just because he was feeling left out. By teatime he definitely had a few spots though, and a few more came out today. He's still feeling rather sorry for himself, poor kid and doesn't want to do anything but sit on my lap or Mother's. I rang the doctor first thing this morning, although I was in two minds about whether I needed too. Anyway, she said that she may as well call in, as we're on her way back from other patients and to expect her sometime after 1 o'clock. I think myself that Robert is going to have it the most lightly of them all, as he still doesn't have as many spots as either Jane or Julia did.

Poor Roger has been summarily evicted from the spare room on Susan's advice and has gone to stay in Titty's cottage. He won't be staying there long though, as he suddenly decided that the houseboat really needed more airing than Titty's cottage, probably because of its proximity to Dixon's farm. The reason for this sudden enthusiasm is called Rowan Marlow – the lass who has been working for the Dixon's and wouldn't confide in me at Easter. If her trouble was parental disapproval of Roger as a boyfriend , I could quite see why she felt she couldn't – although I'd quite enjoy giving them a piece of my mind in that case. It would serve them right if I did drive down to wherever it is – the west country somewhere I think - and tell them what I thought and if Robert gave them chickenpox so much the better. It would be rather hard lines on Robert, who is currently sitting on my lap and isn't going to budge for anyone. Roger is bringing the girls home from school today, so he won't have to.

I'll write tomorrow.

With lots of love from us all,

Nancy.

PS. Doctor has just been – yes, it's chickenpox, but nothing to worry about, she says and Robert will more than likely be feeling better tomorrow, though he'll still be spotty and infectious.

He would fetch the Norton from Beckfoot tomorrow, or perhaps the next day. Working out the logistics would wait. All his stuff had been packed, but he hadn't been able to carry much on the Norton. When his parents had moved abroad, Roger had left the few bits and pieces that he hadn't taken to Benson with him at Susan's.

When he unpacked his clothes properly and laid them out on one of the settees in the house boat he discovered that a couple of John's shirts and one of John's woolen sweaters and four pairs of John's socks had been added, as well as the dressing gown and pyjamas that were probably Dick's. Right at the bottom of the basket were a pair of shorts that were undoubted his – they had a name tape in them – but Roger couldn't remember them. When he tried them on they wouldn't quite button around the waist. He thought – and then remembered when he had last worn them. August 1939. They would probably fit if he moved the button. There was his knapsack too. Unlike the shorts, it looked as if it had been roughly used in the intervening years. Someone had carried an ink pen in it, which had leaked blue-black ink though the canvas. Perhaps Bridget has used it as a satchel. Roger changed out of his shirt into one of John's, decide that John's sweater, too, was more presentable and remembered to take the basket with him in Swallow. He would need to buy some more bread and potatoes, at the very least, in Rio when he collected Julia and Jane from school.