Meanwhile, Evelyn was getting into a fight on the other side of the field. Alex sighed. ‘God, he’s a handful. You know he tied Barbara’s bathroom door closed and she was trapped for hours? It was the servants’ day off, all hell broke loose, as I’m sure you can imagine. Anyway, I gave him a good talking to, but it just drips off him like water.’
‘My father always used his old military belt. He made us run up the stairs like soldiers, with our socks down, and he whopped us with it. We got big red welts on our legs. You know something funny, I’ve never thought of it before — but you don’t think that’s why Allard’s such a big poofter, do you? Have you ever met him? He worked for you on and off, with Dickie Van der Burge in South Africa. You hear anything of Skye Duval at all? I often wonder about him... Ah well, years go by.’
Alex had been listening with only half an ear until South Africa was mentioned.
‘Who is Skye Duval?’
‘He works for Edward. Right, that’s it, tea time.’
Alex remained sitting on the bench, deep in thought, while Harriet marched across the field to collect Jinks. He had come to the conclusion that Skye Duval was some sort of alias Edward used from time to time, but now it was quite clear he actually did exist.
Harriet waved to Evelyn, and he turned and grinned back. She was already busy collecting her daughter’s plimsolls and gymslip.
‘Well, darling, you did very well, at least you weren’t last.’
Jinks was gazing across the field at her handsome cousin. He had hardly ever said two words to her, and unlike her he was extremely popular. She had once tried to make friends, but he had stuck out his tongue then crossed his eyes, mimicking her, so she had never tried again. She trailed after Harriet, who appeared to know everybody, and kept stopping to chat. She was laughing with Jinks’ teacher, as outgoing as ever. She patted her daughter’s odd pigtails.
‘Well, she can’t be top in everything. It’s her glasses, you see, I’m sure without them she would run like the wind, wouldn’t you, darling?’
‘Honestly, Mother, it’s got nothing to do with my glasses, I just can’t run very fast.’
‘Well I know that, darling, but you might at least have won the egg and spoon race. When I was at school we used to stick ours to the spoon, but everyone’s so honest these days.’
Alex tried to discuss Evelyn’s prowess in the sports events with Barbara. Uninterested, she continued writing her diary, reminding him that they were dining out that evening.
‘I said he won...’
‘Yes, I heard you, but perhaps you should encourage him to do his homework. It’s all very well winning prizes for running, but that won’t get him into Eton or Harrow, which is your fault, you should have put his name down. There’s a waiting list, I couldn’t believe my ears... waiting list for a school, sometimes this country is ridiculous, it really is. Now I’d better start dressing, I’ll tell Scargill to run your bath, was there something else?’
Alex shook his head, but she had already walked out without waiting for his reply.
When Alex went upstairs to change, he passed his son’s open door. He was lying across his bed, still wearing his sports kit, and his face was filthy.
‘You eaten? Evelyn? Have you eaten?’
‘No, I’ll get Scargill to fix me something when you two have gone out.’
‘You have any homework?’
‘No, Father — in case you hadn’t noticed, we broke up, it’s the Christmas hols... Ma said she’d give me a tenner.’
Alex put his hand in his pocket and handed over ten pounds. His son grinned and pocketed it fast. Alex gave him another, saying it was to go towards Christmas presents.
‘Can I go out on my bike?’
‘No, Lyn, it’s dark, and you’ve no lights. Ride it in the morning.’
‘Okay.’
When his father had gone, Evelyn got out his A — Z of London, and began to plot his route. He had no intention of staying at home and not riding his bike.
Alex had changed for dinner, and he found Barbara in her room painting her nails.
‘I suppose we should get a tree, for Lyn, but I just hate the needles dropping everywhere... He’s going to spend the actual holiday with the Hope-Swindowns, so perhaps I won’t bother this year. I think it’s rather a good idea as Charlie Hope-Swindown is that bit older and very clever. His mother’s on the board for the Mentally Handicapped, she’s related to...’
Alex interrupted, ‘Christ, it’s Christmas, you know I like him around then. And what’s a few pine needles? You don’t have to clean the place.’
‘Well, I won’t be here! Oh, Alex, we’ve discussed this how many times? You know I have an arrangement, I’ve told you all about it. It’s just a small operation, and well, Christmas seemed an ideal time to have it done. Then I’ll go to a health farm for a few days, are you listening?’
‘Fine, fine, I’ll go to New York.’
Barbara’s eyes narrowed, but she said nothing. She screwed the top of the nail varnish on carefully, gave herself the once-over in the mirror and admired her firm jawline, courtesy of the best plastic surgeons in the country. She was going to have her breasts lifted, and to avoid anyone finding out, she had said she was going abroad for Christmas. She licked her perfectly glossed lips and stood up. She caught Alex looking at her.
‘You look beautiful.’
‘Thank you, darling... It’s so rare nowadays you even notice me.’
Alex sighed as she swanned past him. He followed her downstairs, passing Evelyn’s room. The lights were still on, the comics littered the floor, but there was no sign of him.
Evelyn pedalled over Westminster Bridge in pouring rain, his A — Z stuck in the handlebars of his bike and getting soggier by the minute. He had the twenty pounds he had conned out of his father in his pocket, and he was off on a well-planned adventure. He was going to spend Christmas with his Uncle Edward, the man Mother always referred to as the ‘Big Bad Wolf’.
Standing at the top of the ladder, Dewint was having such a good time, lavishly decorating the tree with coloured balls and glitter. Harriet stood beside the tree, bellowing instructions and waiting to hand him the bedraggled fairy she had brought from her old home. The tree reached almost to the ceiling, and around its base were piles of gifts wrapped in brilliantly coloured paper. Harriet had spent hours making paper chains, linking them all together until the whole house was festooned. The fire blazed in the lounge grate, candles glowed, and twinkling fairy lights had been added for effect.
Edward had been out shopping, with the aid of Dewint, and had hidden himself away to wrap his gifts. They had chosen an enormous doll for Jinks, and gardening equipment for Harriet as she was now eagerly nurturing a vegetable patch behind the manor.
Dewint, rather bent with age now, almost toppled off the ladder when the doorbell rang. Harriet shrieked that she would answer it, it was probably carol singers.
Standing on the doorstep, tears streaming down his cheeks, was Evelyn. A policeman stood beside him, his helmet under his arm, holding Evelyn’s bicycle. The boy was sopping wet, his teeth chattering with cold.
‘Well, well, it’s Evelyn, and with an escort! Do come in... Edward! There’s nothing wrong, is there?’
‘We found him up by Greenwich Docks, riding down a dual carriageway with no lights.’
Edward came down the stairs, overhearing the policeman’s last few words. He opened the door wide, put his hand on Evelyn’s shoulder, and took the wind out of the pompous policeman. ‘How very kind and thoughtful of you to bring him safely home, officer. Now I think we’d better get you a hot toddy... Dewint! A large drink for Constable...? I presume you are off duty?’