Page 38 of Lessons in Life

‘I never liked this house. And I don’t know why on earth I’m back here now. With all theseoldpeople in every room and not one of them Granny. Mind you, I’m glad Mummy’s not here. Nowshereally was a bitch. The biggest bitch of all. And Granny…’ Eloise stood, rubbing her back, but giggling slightly ‘…Granny used to say she was…’ she lowered her voice ‘…common. That Daddy, who’d gone after her because she looked like some Hollywood actress called Lana Turner, had had to reap what he sowed.’

‘So, you actually lived here at Hudson House?’ Lisa did now turn to stare.

‘I still do.’ Eloise seemed confused. ‘Well, I think I do. I’m Eloise Hudson, you know.’

‘Yes, of course.’ Lisa knew enough about people presenting with dementia not to argue with them. Certainly not to be confrontational. ‘And were you happy here…?’ She broke off as Jess appeared at their side with an old Barbour jacket over one arm and a mug in each hand.

‘Eloise’s just telling me she used to live here, Jess.’

‘I think you’ll find I still do.’ Eloise’s tone was imperious once more. ‘Ah, coffee. Lovely.’

‘You’re Eloise Hudson.’ Jess smiled. ‘Of course you lived here at Hudson House. I think your great-grandfather built the house?’

Eloise nodded.

‘So, who built the white house, Eloise?’ Lisa indicated with a movement of her head to where the top of the summer house could just be seen poking through the bare branches of a row of oak and beech trees.

‘The white house?’ Eloise frowned. ‘What white house?’

‘The summer house? Where I was talking to you earlier.’

‘When? I’ve never spoken to you before!’

‘But…’

‘Don’t confuse her, Mum,’ Jess interrupted. ‘Have you had enough out here now, Eloise?’

‘Hand me that coat and I’ll be fine.’ Eloise took the coffee but sniffed at the mug with some disdain before placing it, untouched, at her feet. ‘There’s always been a summer house up across from the top lawn, but Mummy insisted on making it so much bigger.That’swhen Granny said she was common and that she must be trying to compete with someone… The prime minister, was it?’ Eloise frowned, obviously trying to remember.

‘The president of America?’ Lisa ventured.

‘That’s the one, yes.’ She looked surprised. ‘Oh, did you know Granny?’

Lisa smiled at that, but to change the subject said, ‘Eloise has four children, Jess.’ She glanced encouragingly towards the older woman.

‘Oh, I thought it was only three.’ Jess looked surprised.

‘I think I should know how many children I’ve given birth to,’ Eloise said irritably.

‘Of course.’ Jess nodded in agreement. ‘We women don’t go through all that and forget anyone, do we?’

‘So, you must have been part of the swinging sixties, then, Eloise?’ Lisa asked as she secured a trailing rose more securely to its trellis before standing back to see the effect.

Eloise stopped deadheading the floribunda and said, almost dreamily, ‘1968.’

Lisa and Jess leaned forward slightly to catch what the older woman was saying.

‘It was 1968, you know, girls.’

‘What was?’ Jess asked. ‘Was it a good year for you, Eloise?’

‘Oh, thebest.’ She gave a little laugh. ‘The absolute best year of my life…’

13

SUMMER 1968

Eloise

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