Chapter Thirteen
Isobel hurried home from the hospital. How could she have lost track of time today of all days - at this rate she'd be late for her own luncheon party! As she let herself into the house Stokes appeared from the kitchen.
"The Dowager is in the drawing room m'lady" he said quietly.
"Has she been here long?" Isobel whispered back as she took off her coat.
Stokes shook his head "Only about 5 minutes. I offered tea and sherry, but she declined both."
"Thank you" whispered Isobel as she squared her shoulders to face Violet in the drawing room. As she entered she said "I'm so sorry I wasn't here to greet you Cousin Violet, I was dealing with an important admission at the hospital."
"What can be more important than being at home to greet one's own luncheon guests, pray?" Violet asked imperiously. "Really. If we're too much bother, we could always have eaten at the Abbey!"
"You're the only person who knows I was a little late, as the others haven't arrived yet. I'm sure you won't let on, will you?" Isobel carried on without giving Violet chance to reply "Have you seen Edith since they arrived yesterday?"
"I did dine at the Abbey last evening, but the discussion was mostly about planning Christmas and what the children had been up to. Surely that kind of discussion is for tea time, not dinner." Violet complained. "Anyway, I was hoping to catch you alone for a few minutes before the others get here. After our chat last week about Larry and Amelia, I wrote a few discreet letters…"
"Oh Violet, I do hope you haven't started any rumours with your questions!" Isobel interjected "I told you the police didn't want it discussed in case it affects their investigation."
"I am the soul of discretion" Violet placed her hand on her heart and played the part of the concerned friend "I only asked a few very discerning old friends some rather oblique questions that I hoped would yield some information. That's all!" Isobel raised an eyebrow "I don't know why I bother sometimes."
"You bother because you like to be in amongst the latest gossip!" Isobel said with exasperation. "If the story breaks, you want to have all the information. I know how you hate being the last to know anything."
"I wouldn't know how that feels" sniffed Violet "To my knowledge it hasn't happened yet." Despite herself, Isobel chuckled "Anyway, I didn't get too much as it happens, but it's the piecing it all together that's interesting. The Greys had gained quite a reputation for their parties. There would always be something noteworthy about them - either a centrepiece, or the entertainment, or the theme - something that made their parties stand out. And by all accounts the food and drink was plentiful and excellent."
"Mrs Rawlins did comment that they had some grand parties." Isobel conceded.
"Apparently there's a rumour that the midsummer party last year lasted over 36 hours! Things had quietened down since John arrived earlier this year, and most people seem to think that family life was catching up to them. No whisper of anything else, from what I can tell." Violet paused "No whisper of where they might be either. Usually if someone absconds, there are rumours about 'oh, he was always talking about Africa' or 'she always wanted to visit the Orient', but there's nothing."
Just then the front door bell rang and Isobel was relieved to be able to say "That must be the others. I really don't want to talk about Larry today." Violet merely nodded as Cora, Mary and Edith entered the room.
"Well this is lovely, Isobel" said Cora "A ladies lunch without the men being able to interrupt. It's so long since we've done this."
"Well, seeing as Edith was visiting, I thought it was the perfect time to arrange a luncheon here" Isobel smiled at Edith "How are you? How are things at Brancaster?"
What followed was a friendly lunch with many stories exchanged, advice sought about trifling things and plans made with Christmas just 6 weeks away. As the ladies were getting ready to leave, Edith asked "What were the men up to for luncheon today? Bertie didn't seem to know what was going on."
"I think Dickie and Robert had planned some kind of outdoors picnic for the children that involved cooking on an open fire" said Cora sounding unsure. "I told Nanny to make sure they took extra staff so that their weren't any accidents. Robert was so excited about the idea, but I could just see disaster at every turn."
"I'm gad you didn't tell me that before lunch. I doubt I would have been able to eat a bite!" Mary commented. "We'd better get back and see what the damage is."
"I'll be up for tea time" Isobel smiled. She was sure there would be plenty of excited stories the children wanted to share.
-TW- -TW- -TW-
"Donk, are the sausages ready yet? I'm hungry" complained George.
"Not long now!" said Robert with enthusiasm, then quietly to Dickie "I don't remember them ever taking this long to cook"
"Maybe we should have brought something with us that didn't need cooking to keep them going. It took longer to build the fire than I thought it would" Dickie replied.
"Yes, must remember that for next time" Robert settled back with his sausage on a stick, content that the problem was solved.
"Here ya are, wee'uns" said Nanny as she unpacked some egg sandwiches from the basket she'd brought. "Have ye one of these t' keep your tummies comp'ny while we wait for the bang'rs to be ready" She smiled at the children as they helped themselves hungrily.
"Nanny you think of everything" said Robert gratefully. Nanny just smiled indulgently.
"Donk, why is it so smoky?" Marigold asked.
"Well, it's a fire! It's meant to be smoky!" Robert replied.
"Yes, but why?" Marigold was insistent "I like fires because they're warm and I like the flames, but the smoke makes my clothes smell and my eyes hurt. Why can't I have a fire without smoke?" She looked to her grandfather as the keeper of answers.
"Umm, well…" Robert floundered.
"Yes, and the smoke from the fires at home is different from the smoke at this fire" piped up George "Why is that?"
"Well, the fires at home are mostly coal" said Dickie triumphantly, glad he could answer something "and coal burns differently from wood"
George nodded sagely, then "But why?"
Robert and Dickie looked at each other. Why?
"Did I ever tell you about when I was in the Army and we had to live out in the bush for a week? We had to build our own fires for food and heating water, live in tents and sleep on the ground!" Robert tried distraction, rather than answering the question.
"Had you been very naughty?" Sybbie asked
"No! We did it for the adventure! To see if we could. It was great fun. Maybe we should try it sometime, hey?" Robert enthused. The children looked doubtful.
"Will there be creepy crawlies?" Marigold's bottom lip started to tremble "I don't like creepy crawlies."
"Don't worry Marigold, I'll protect you!" declared George.
"We'd better take lots of blankets" Stated Sybbie "It gets very cold at night time and I don't like being cold" George nodded in agreement.
"Well, we could try it in the summer, when it's warmer." Robert conceded "It is perhaps a little cold for outdoor sleeping at the moment."
"And we'd need lamps" added George "I don't mind creepy crawlies, but I'm not fond of the dark."
"Yes, and we'd better bring Mrs Pa'more" nodded Marigold "Because she definitely cooks sausages better than us."
-TW- -TW- -TW-
At tea time, 3 very excited children told their stories to everyone who would listen. About how they looked for firewood, built a fire, cooked their own lunch, planned a camping trip and all about the things they had planned with Donk and Grandpa.
Meanwhile a very smoky and subdued Robert and Dickie sat quietly on the sofa.
Isobel was amused "You pair look like you've had an exhausting day"
"The questions!" Robert said "They never stop. And they go from one, very sensible subject to another with a completely random connection. Without warning or explanation. Did I mention the questions?"
"It was you that had to bring up camping" grumbled Dickie "It's alright for you, but I do not relish the idea of sleeping on the ground at my age!" He took a sip of his tea while Isobel laughed "Even if it is in the summer."
"Oh, they'll have forgotten about it by then" Robert said dismissively. Dickie started to nod.
"Oh no they won't!" Isobel chuckled. The men looked askance "This has caught their imagination - just look" she gestured to where the children were still chattering about their planned expedition "Things like this stick a surprisingly long time. Trust me, you need to think of a way to go camping with creature comforts!" She laughed as the men both groaned.
-TW- -TW- -TW-
"Do I still smell of smoke?" Dickie asked as he climbed in to bed. "I'm sure I've scrubbed every inch of me, but I could swear I can still smell smoke."
"You smell very clean" Isobel assured him, and kissed his cheek.
"I don't know how Nanny does that all day, every day." Dickie sighed "I'm exhausted."
"I had an idea about your camping trip. You could build indoor tents in the nursery, or maybe the ball room at the Abbey. That way it can be warm, there will be minimal creepy crawlies, there can be a night light for George and you can still make toast on an open fire. If your tents are big enough, you may even get a mattress!" Isobel grinned at Dickie.