Page 121 of The Forever Home
‘Oh, Ems, I don’t know what to say.’
Emily laughed. ‘Well, that’ll be a first then! Now go and enjoy yourselves. Text me when you’ve arrived. And stop worrying about where you’re going, you’re going to love it, I promise you.’
Cassie hugged Emily tightly and then after hugging and kissing the rest of her family, and then Nina and Venetia, and probably before she began hugging everyone else, Ben insisted it was time to go.
Once again hair and headwear were firmly held in place asthe blades began spinning with a rhythmicthwap, thwapand the helicopter slowly lifted off the ground. Within seconds, it was high above them, and they were all madly waving, even when it was just a distant speck in the cloudless late afternoon sky.
Awake and unable to sleep, Nina slid silently out of bed, not wanting to disturb Jakob. He always slept so well, like a man who didn’t have a care in the world. There was something wonderfully uncomplicated about him, which she envied. She was, she supposed, one of those people who saw obstacles, whereas Jakob saw only opportunities. It had taken her a while to get used to the idea of him being in her bed, but now it felt right and when he wasn’t there, she felt his absence keenly.
He now had space in the wardrobes in the guest room where he kept a selection of his clothes and in the bathroom, there was a shelf set aside for him and a hook on the back of the door where he hung the bathrobe she had given him for Christmas. His Christmas present to her had been a striking necklace made by a jeweller friend in Oslo. She had worn it today for Cassie and Ben’s wedding and had received several compliments about it.
In the kitchen, and with only the under lights switched on, she made herself a cup of mint tea and took it over to the window seat. It was just after three o’clock and parting the curtains, she looked outside. In the soft moonlight the white marquee, which would be taken down tomorrow, was clearly visible. It had been a wonderful wedding and the helicopter whisking Ben and Cassie off to the Burgh Island Hotel for their honeymoon, the place where Ben had proposed to Cassie, was an inspired touch on his part. Emily had been right when she’d said she knew Cassie would love where Ben was taking her.
Still staring out of the window, Nina watched a fox trotting with singular intent across the grass. She soon lost sight of it in the shadows, and she thought of Hilary’s adorable puppy, Teddy,and the way he trotted along at her feet when he was on his lead. He was the sweetest of little dogs and had given Hilary the most wonderful of gifts: something to look forward to each day, and something to love and cherish.
Keith had returned to The Maples and for now he and Hilary were trying to put the past behind them as well as forgive each other for all the mistakes they’d made, and the way they’d treated one another. Nina was glad. She wanted them to be happy, it would have been what Hugh wanted. He would have hated the thought of his death tearing them apart. She had said this very thing when she’d gone to see them a short while ago, for their traditional Monday evening get-together. They’d totally surprised her by suggesting the next time she visited she might like to bring Jakob with her. As astounded as she was by the suggestion, she was grateful that Hilary had at last truly accepted that Nina was entitled to enjoy life again, and in her own way.
Thinking of this, she thought of what had been in her mind and keeping her awake, long after Jakob had fallen asleep. For some weeks now the nebulous idea of a future with Jakob had been hovering on the periphery of her thoughts. Some days it felt almost within her grasp and other days it slipped from her. Today though, spending it with Jakob and having such fun together as a couple, it had seemed a very real and tangible possibility. Even so, the cautious side of her that always flagged up a potential obstacle was convinced it was too soon to discuss what she had in mind with Jakob. She needed more time to be sure it was the right thing to propose, that it would be something he would want, and something she wouldn’t regret.
Her parents had hinted at it when they flew over to spend Christmas with her and Jakob – they had both taken to him straight away – and ever since, she had been pondering what they’d said. Having Jakob as a partner at Lavelle’s would be great for the business but more importantly, she didn’t want himworkingforher; she wanted him to workwithher, that way their relationship would have a more balanced feel to it. But would he want to commit himself that much? The only way she would ever know the answer was if she was brave enough to risk asking him the question.
‘Can’t you sleep?’
She turned round from the window to see Jakob. With his hair all tousled from sleep, and wearing just a pair of boxers and a T-shirt, he came towards her.
‘I was thinking,’ she said, putting her empty mug down and rising from the window seat.
‘Of anything in particular?’
‘The future.’
He took hold of her hands and held them firmly. ‘That sounds important.’
‘Yes,’ she said softly. ‘It is.’
‘In a good way?’
She smiled. ‘I hope so.’
‘In that case,’ he said, leaning into her and grazing his lips against her cheek, ‘come back to bed and tell me all about it.’
The morning after the wedding, Venetia returned to Farleigh Fen village church. There hadn’t been time yesterday to do what she’d wanted to do, but today she had plenty of time and had brought some flowers. Cassie had said guests were to help themselves to the table decorations, and one of those jam jars of pretty spring flowers now adorned Lady Constance’s grave.
The grave had one of the largest tombstones in the churchyard, as befitted Lady Constance’s life, and Venetia had located it without too much difficulty. She had only been here once before, on the day of Lady Constance’s funeral, yet her memory had served her well. She felt guilty that she had never bothered to visit before now, and it didn’t look like anybody else had caredfor the grave in many a long year. It was possible there was no one left of the woman’s family who would care enough to tend it. There was no sign of Lady Constance’s husband having been buried nearby, but then Venetia had no idea what had happened to him once the children’s home had closed.
She thought of all the lives connected to Hope Hall, before, during and after its time as a children’s home, and she felt privileged to have been a part of its history. Glad too that she had decided on a whim to make it her home again.
Following Bon-Bon’s death she had seriously considered moving away, believing it to be a mistake to have come back. But during Christmas and New Year, which she had spent mostly with Ronnie, she had shaken off any regrets about living here.
As for Lucien, and his offensive comments about Lady Constance and what she had achieved at Hope Hall, Venetia had disregarded them. He had his own reasons for saying what he had, but she knew in her heart that he was wrong: Lady Constance had been a force for good.
There had been no further word from Lucien and Venetia had stuck to his wish that he didn’t want any further contact between them. It was enough for her to know that he still existed in the world and, of course, there was the beautiful gift he’d given her. The portrait of her meant more than any word from him ever could. Every time she looked at it, it brought back so many happy memories and filled her with pleasure.
Hope Hall had given her so very much as a child, a home and a family, and now as she approached her eightieth birthday, it had given her a home and a wonderful new family all over again. A family that loved and cared for her, just as she loved and cared for them. She was indeed lucky.
Before turning to go, and while listening to the cheerful song of a blackbird, she looked one more time at the Henry Wadswoth Longfellow inscription on Lady Constance’s headstone.
Look not mournfully into the past.
It comes not back again.
Wisely improve the present.
It is thine.
Go forth to meet the shadowy future, without fear …
And that, she thought, as she drove home to Hope Hall to have lunch with Ronnie and Nina and Jakob, was the best advice anyone could be given in life.
