Chapter Twenty-Seven
"Morning my love" Isobel said sleepily "Did you sleep at all?"
"A bit" Dickie sighed "I just don't understand him. I don't understand how we went from a lovely family meal on Friday to hosting the monster that was at breakfast on Saturday."
"I don't think there's anything more you can do" said Isobel, cuddling up to him "He may come around, he may not. I think the ball is firmly in his court." She yawned. "What time is it?"
"Just before eight" Dickie checked the clock "We can stay snuggled up for a bit longer" He kissed her forehead.
"Mmmm" Isobel murmured "Just a few more minutes. As long as we're not late for Church."
"No that wouldn't do at all" Dickie chuckled.
"Well, not today especially." Isobel looked up into his face "I've organised a little surprise for you today. John will come home with us after Church and spend the day here. We can take him back to the Abbey at tea time. I thought you might like that?"
Dickie's face lit up "You wonderful woman!" he exclaimed, before kissing her soundly.
-TW- -TW- -TW-
"Ah, Sir! I'm glad you're in" Sergeant Bailey hailed.
"Bailey. What are you doing in uniform?" Inspector Money asked.
"I owed Sergeant Thompson a favour, so I covered his custody shift for him last night. His wedding anniversary of something. Anyway, you are going to be mighty glad I did!" Bailey was grinning ear to ear.
"Go on then. Amuse me!" The Inspector settled at the desk expecting to hear an amusing anecdote from the night before.
"You'll never guess who I've got in the cells!" Bailey looked smug.
"Ugh, I hate the guessing game." The Inspector grumbled "I'm not in the mood Bailey, give me a break will you."
"Grey" Bailey stated.
"What?!" Inspector Money sat up.
"Not Larry" Bailey held up his hands "The younger brother, Tim. Drunk as a skunk causing disorder at Calypso's nightclub in the wee hours. You might be interested in the effects that were in his pockets."
"Oh? Show me." Inspector Money followed Sergeant Bailey through to the cells where he opened a drawer.
"Usual stuff" Bailey commented "Wallet, keys, watch, and then there's this…"
Sergeant Bailey handed the letter, still in it's envelope, over to the Inspector. He looked up, then gingerly removed the letter to read it. And whistled.
-TW- -TW- -TW-
"Hello young man!" Dickie took John from Emma with a smile "Welcome home" He kissed his cheek, as John reached for his face. "Let me show you around shall we? Hmm?" Dickie turned to take John into the house.
Isobel smiled as Dickie started showing John where they hung the coats "Thank you Emma, we're very grateful for everything you've done for John"
"Not at all m'lady" Emma said "He's a lovely little boy. And Nanny MacGregor has been so patient with me. She's so good with all the children. I'm very happy here."
"I'm glad to hear it. Now, you can either spend the day here with us, or you can have the half day to yourself: which would you prefer?" Isobel asked.
"If you don't mind m'lady, I said I'd see if I could meet someone at the pub for lunch." Emma said quite shyly "Nanny said it was alright if you agreed."
Isobel smiled. "Of course. If you'd like a ride back to the Abbey we shall leave about quarter to four. Otherwise we shall see you there." She followed Dickie into the house. She found the two of them in the study looking at the globe. Dickie was gently turning it around as John gazed at the moving ball.
"You may find yourself doing that for a while" Isobel said quietly "He seems quite amused"
"I don't mind" Dickie never took his eyes off John's face "I could watch him all day. It's amazing to almost watch him learn." He gently kissed him on the forehead.
Dickie took his time showing John around, stopping at everything that John wanted to touch or watch. He took him to the room that would be his when he stayed and finally came back down to join Isobel in the drawing room. By then both were looking a little tired, and John was starting to chew on his fists.
"I never knew holding a child could tire one out so much" Dickie said as he sat down on the sofa, placing John on his knee. John started to fuss. "What's this about poppet? We've just had a lovely walkabout."
"I would say it's probably time for someone's lunch" Isobel guessed "And then I think we might need a nap, hmm?" John started to mewl. "Now, now. None of that." Isobel picked John up "Let's go and see what Mrs Field has cooked up for lunch, shall we?"
In the kitchen, there was a chair ready and waiting. As they came in, Mrs Field hurried over to the stove to get the kettle "Don't you worry, we'll have you some lunch in two shakes of a lamb's tail!"
"What will he be having for lunch?" Dickie asked from behind Isobel, making her jump.
"Nanny requested mashed carrot, potato and peas today." Mrs Field stated. "And maybe a bit of scrambled egg later before you go back to the Abbey." She presented the food as if it was French cuisine. John beat the table in anticipation, almost bouncing in his seat.
Dickie chuckled "He looks mightily impressed Mrs Field!"
Isobel fed him the first few spoonfuls, then turned to Dickie "Do you want to try?"
"It can't be all that difficult! He seems hungry enough" Dickie sat the other side of John, while Isobel and Mrs Field exchanged glances.
"Not too much on the spoon. That's it. Now don't put it in too far: his mouth isn't as big as he thinks it is. And then wipe the bits that have leaked out onto the spoon and straight back in. That's it!" Isobel coached.
"Who's a clever boy?!" Isobel wasn't quite sure whether Dickie was referring to himself or John, but he did seem to be doing quite well so far. Then things started to change as John had managed a good portion of his meal.
"No, John, no hands. Just open wide for Grandpa!" Dickie tried to coax, opening his own mouth. John laughed, and reached for the spoon again. This time Dickie wasn't quite so quick, and a full spoonful of mashed carrot flew across the room. John giggled delighted.
"No, that's not how we do it, is it?" Dickie tried to reason. "Now, come on, that's a good chap, eat up so you can grow big and strong like Grandpa" Isobel watched, trying to hide her grin: she could see how this was going to go.
This time John caught the spoon and squished the mashed potato in his fist. He squealed, then threw it with all his might. Isobel tried very hard not to laugh out loud as Dickie was showered with small clumps of mashed potato. Mrs Field suddenly remembered something she needed from the pantry.
Never one to give up easily, Dickie tried again "Now John, don't be naughty. One more spoonful for Grandpa" This time, as the spoon approached, John turned his head away. First one way, then the other. After a few attempts Isobel took pity and said "I think he may have had enough for today."
"Do you think?" Dickie looked worriedly at the plate "He hasn't eaten very much."
"He is a much smaller person that you and I. Also, he eats more meals in a day at this stage. Believe me, if he's hungry he will tell us." Isobel turned to John "Now, young man, let's get you cleaned up and see if you're ready for a nap, hmm?"
"Oh yes" Dickie breathed "A nap seems like a very good idea!"
Once John had been changed and put down for his nap, Dickie and Isobel had their own lunch before retiring to the drawing room for a quiet time.
"I don't feel like I've done very much, and yet I feel exhausted!" Dickie exclaimed as he sank into a wing backed chair near the fire.
"Children do take it out of you. It's one thing when you're Emma's age, a completely different thing at our age" Isobel commented "And he's not mobile yet. Wait until he starts toddling about!"
"Hmm" Dickie pondered "You said this was meant as a treat, but was it really just to try and talk me out of having John live here?"
"No! Not at all!" Isobel protested "I do want you to realise how much work it is, but it is wonderful having a child in the house. It wouldn't be like this every day because Emma will be here. We will be able to enjoy his company when we have time, and he will have Emma to keep him occupied when we don't."
After a moment when Dickie hadn't replied, Isobel looked up "Dickie?" Her only reply was a soft snore.
-TW- -TW- -TW-
"So, how did you enjoy your day with John?" Tom asked while enjoying a pre-dinner drink "I seem to remember they can be a bit of a handful at that age sometimes."
"It was wonderful. But also very tiring. I fell asleep in the chair after lunch!" Dickie chuckled "And when we went up to change I kept finding bit of mashed potato everywhere"
"Mashed potato?" Henry queried. Tom just laughed: he could guess where that had come from.
"Did John have mashed potato for lunch, by any chance?" Tom asked, amused. Dickie just nodded.
"How was the John experiment?" Violet asked Isobel. "Have you succeeded in taking the shine off that particular toy?"
"It was a lovely day actually. Dickie is so sweet with him" Isobel looked wistful "I remember those days with Matthew and George so fondly." She chuckled " It was quite funny watching John throw mashed potato at Dickie. When we were getting changed for dinner he kept finding bits. A little goes a long way!"
Violet looked horrified "You had John at the dinner table? I thought you had more sense!"
"No, we fed him in the kitchen, but Dickie wanted to help" Isobel said, amused at Violet's reaction "Did you ever feed Robert or Rosamund?"
"Why would I do that when I employed people to do that for me?!" Violet shook her head, exasperated.