girlyswot

‘That was the social worker. They’ve got two sisters. They’re coming tomorrow.’

‘I wasn’t expecting anyone so quickly.’

‘No. Well, I s’pose they can’t predict these things.’

‘How old are they?’

‘Eleven and thirteen. Gemma and Lucy. They’re from Streweminster so they can carry on going to the Girls’ High. Their mother’s had to go into hospital.’

‘Father?’

‘Didn’t say. They’ve got an aunt but she lives in Scotland and they wanted to stay nearby so they can see their mum.’

‘Do they get brought here or d’you have to go and collect them?’

‘No, they’re coming here. About two o’clock, she said.’

‘Well, I’ll go and sort out their room, okay?’

‘Thanks, Pat. I’ll go and warn the others.’

The children were excited. Bel decided she would make a welcome card for the new sisters.

‘How long are they staying, Ma?’ asked Nick.

‘Don’t know. Depends how ill their mother is, I s’pose. They’ll stay as long as they need.’

‘Will they do chores?’ wondered Ant.

‘Yes, I should think so. We’ll work out a new rota next week, but let’s give them a few days to settle in. Plus, they’ll be spending lots of time at the hospital, I expect. We’ll need to be kind in lots of ways.’

‘They could have some books out of our room, Mummy. And some toys,’ suggested Richard.

‘Good idea. Why don’t you go and choose some now? Anything else?’

‘I’ll sort out the bathroom rota,’ offered Katie.

‘Thank you, darling.’

The social worker arrived promptly at two. Nicola was surprised to find that she felt nervous. She lifted the baby onto her hip and took a deep breath.

‘Hello. I’m Nicola and this little one is Peter.’

The taller girl glowered at Nicola and pushed past the social worker into the house. Her younger sister followed glancing shyly up at the baby and smiling hesitantly. The social worker raised an eyebrow and handed Nicola an envelope.

‘You’ve got all the details there. Mum’s in Colebridge District. Ward 9. Visiting hours are on one of the bits of paper there. If they need anything else from home, Gemma’s got a key. G’d luck. Phone me if you need.’

‘Okay. Thanks.’

She turned back to see the two girls sitting on the bottom step of the big staircase. Gemma had an arm round Lucy who was trying not to cry.

‘Oh, you poor thing. Has it been absolutely awful?’

Gemma looked accusing.

‘She’s not crying about Mum.’

‘Oh.’ Nicola felt stamped on. ‘What is the matter, Lucy? Is there anything I can do to help?’

Lucy carried on brushing away tears.

‘No-one can help,’ stated Gemma.

‘Well look,’ tried Nicola again, ‘I’ve got a large chocolate cake in the kitchen. Why don’t we go and try some of that and then I’ll show you around the place. Do you like animals, Lucy?’

Lucy looked up at that and nodded reluctantly.

‘Well, that’s good. Come and meet Spade. He’s absolutely ancient but very sweet.’ She held out her hand and was relieved when the young girl took it.

‘This is Mackintosh. Have you got your sugar? Put it flat on your palm. That’s right. Now hold still while he licks it. You can pat him, there. He likes it if you scratch under his ear. Good. Now you’re friends.’ Lucy smiled, reaching up to the large horse. Gemma waited sullenly over by the paddock.

‘Now this is the hawk garden. Have you ever seen a hawk before? No. Well, they can be a bit frightening but you just need to be careful. They don’t much care for strangers and they don’t like it if you stare. We’ll just go in quietly and walk through. You must always be careful to leave all these doors and gates properly shut, alright? Gemma, are you coming?’ She shook her head. ‘Okay, we won’t be long, if you just wait there.’

Lucy was fascinated by the hawks, much as a much-younger Nicola had once been.

‘They are rather fabulous, aren’t they? Perhaps Patrick, that’s my husband, will let you help out a bit, if you like? The boys prefer the horses and I think Katie’s a bit afraid of them.’

Lucy looked awestruck. ‘How many people live here?’

Nicola laughed. ‘Sometimes it feels like hundreds! There’s me and Pat. And then our children - five boys and two girls. And my nephew stays here in term-time. So that makes ten. And you and your sister make it a round dozen. And you’ll meet Nellie who helps me cook and clean but she goes home to the village at night. I expect it’ll take some getting used to but we’re a friendly lot, I promise.’ She added the last, noting the nervous look on the little girl’s face. ‘We’ve put you and Gemma in a room together. Are you used to sharing?’

‘Oh, yes. We always have.’

‘Good, so that’ll be just like home, then. I’m afraid there’s always a queue for the bathroom. There’s a rota which Katie’ll show you. She was working out when you’d fit in, last night. Katie’s almost your age - she’ll be eleven in July. Then there’s Jon who’s thirteen and Nick who’s fourteen. Ant’s nine, the twins are seven and this one is nearly two.’ Lucy looked utterly bemused. ‘I’ll show you a photo when we get back to the house. Let’s go and find Gemma.’

Gemma had evidently got bored of waiting by the paddock so they went to look for her. She’d slipped back to the stable-yard and gone to talk to the horses.

‘Gemma! We’re going back in. You can come down with the boys later and help feed the nags, if you want.’

Gemma threw her a disdainful glance and stalked ahead of them back to the house.

Tea was unusually hard work. The Merricks made a variety of conversational sallies, all of which were neatly rebuffed by Gemma before Lucy could answer. She smiled shyly but made no attempt to stop her sister.

‘Right, well.’ Nicola decided enough was enough. ‘Some of you must have homework. And you two will want to unpack. Nick, could you and Jon take up their cases? Take as long as you want.’ She smiled at the girls encouragingly but received no response. ‘Supper’s not till seven but you can come down whenever. All right?’

‘Here’s yours. Ma and Pa are next door, there.’ Nick pointed. ‘Then the girls, then the bathroom, then the boys are opposite. Jon and I have the attic. Come and see?’

Gemma looked as though she was about to refuse but Lucy said decidedly, ‘Yes, please. Come on, Gem.’

‘This is great!’ For the first time, Gemma smiled. ‘You’ve got proper mixing desks and everything.’

‘Yup,’ Jon showed off his systems proudly. ‘And up here we don’t really disturb anyone, so long’s it’s not too loud.’

‘I didn’t think grammar school boys were into this kind of stuff?’ It could have been meant as a joke, but there was enough bite in Gemma’s tone to startle Jon into silence.

‘So, what’s wrong with your mum?’ asked Nick, deciding that they’d better get it over with sooner rather than later.

Lucy turned away, hoping they hadn’t noticed the tears which sprang instantly to her eyes. Gemma looked crosser than ever.

‘They don’t know. That’s why she’s in hospital. For tests.’

‘Oh. So it might not be anything too awful?’

‘She can’t walk. I should think it’s pretty bad, don’t you?’ She slammed the door behind her and ran quickly down the stairs.

‘I’d better… I’m sorry… She doesn’t mean…’ Lucy stammered, turned red and disappeared after her sister.

‘That went well, then,’ remarked Jon and was somewhat relieved when his big brother cuffed him round the head.

‘I’ll pick you up after school,’ announced Patrick. ‘Then we can go straight to the hospital and be home in time for supper. Alright?’

The girls nodded.

‘Right.’ Nicola tried not to show the relief she was feeling at having a few hours respite from Gemma’s unfriendliness. ‘Well, have a good day. Goodbye, darlings.’

‘Bye, Ma,’ they chorussed, kissing and waving as usual before heading off in a large, noisy group to deposit the infants at the village school on the way to the station. Gemma and Lucy walked a few paces behind, not wanting to presume. Nicola looked on with satisfaction as Nick stopped and waited for them, smiling and making some comment.

Patrick gave them an hour before he went up to the ward to collect his charges and introduce himself to their mother.

‘Hullo girls. Hullo. I’m Patrick Merrick.’ He held out his hand and smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring manner.

The woman in the bed was painfully thin. Her skin stretched across her fine bones giving her an almost translucent gleam. Her blonde hair was unnaturally thin but her blue eyes were bright. She looked nervous, thought Patrick.

‘Yes. Look, Gem,’ she pointed to her purse. ‘Go and buy me a magazine would you? I need to have a word with Mr Merrick.’

She waited until the girls were out of earshot.

‘Look, I don’t know if you’ll have any idea who I am.’ He looked blank. ‘Before I was married my name was Lois Sanger. I think I was at school with your wife. Nicola, isn’t it? Nicola Marlow?’

Patrick nodded. ‘That’s amazing. How did you guess?’

‘The girls were talking about Nicola, and someone called Aunt Lawrie. It wasn’t hard to work out.’

‘No. Well, look, Nick’ll bring the girls in tomorrow. You can catch up then.’

Lois looked uneasy.

‘Yes. Listen, it’s complicated. Would you just tell her… tell her I’m grateful for what she’s doing for the girls. They seem as happy as can be expected… under the circumstances. And… and tell her I’d like to see her but… but I’ll understand… if she doesn’t.’

‘Yes. I’ll tell her, but…’ Patrick left a question in his voice. Lois shook her head. ‘She’ll know what I mean.’

‘Right. Okay. We’d better get going then.’ He stood up as the girls came back. ‘Everyone ready?’

‘Lois Sanger? It can’t be. How extraordinary. D’you know I thought Lucy reminded me of someone but I couldn’t work out who.’ Nicola looked as though her flabber couldn’t be more ghasted.

‘Yes, she’s very like her mother. But Nick, what’s with all the mystery?’

‘Ah. Well. There were some… misunderstandings at school.’

He waited. ‘She never liked Rowan. And then she was very good at rewriting history so she always came out right.’

‘I remember,’ said Patrick slowly. ‘She was the girl we met in Wade that day. D’you remember? When we rode over to see the falcon in the Minster? She smiled at you and you wouldn’t look at her.’

‘Yes, well. Anyway, it doesn’t matter now. What exactly did she say?’

‘She said to say thanks for looking after the girls and that she’d like to see you but she’d understand if you didn’t.’

‘Right. Well, I’ll take them tomorrow. It’ll be interesting to see what she’s been up to anyway.’

‘Hello, Gem. Lucy.’ The girls leaned down to kiss their mother. ‘Good day?’ They told her about school in a desultory way, encouraged on by Lois. Eventually, she looked up and acknowledged the woman who was now looking after her children.

‘Hullo, Nicola.’

‘Lois.’ She nodded.

‘Thank you for having the girls.’

‘It’s our pleasure. The children are enjoying having a full house again.’

‘Yes. The girls said you had quite a brood. Family tradition, I suppose.’ Lois laughed in a way which might have been friendly or not.

‘Seven,’ replied Nicola, evenly. ‘And Lawrie’s son stays with us during termtime.’

‘Ah yes, the family star. She’s done well for herself, hasn’t she?’

‘Not bad,’ agreed Nicola.

‘Look, Nicola.’ She waited. ‘I, um, I…’

Nicola glanced across at Gemma and Lucy. ‘It doesn’t matter anymore. Honestly.’

‘I’m sorry.’ Suddenly Lois seemed utterly frail and helpless and Nicola felt nothing but pity for her.

‘I’ll go and wait downstairs.’ She turned to the girls. ‘We need to leave by five, okay?’