Page 41 of The House of Hopes and Dreams
I looked up in time to catch the strangest expression on Miss Revell’sface: I could not interpret it. But then, it vanished so quickly, I was inclined to think I had imagined it.
When we retired for the night, Miss Revell accompanied me to my chamber to ensure I had everything that I needed, though I assured her I was most comfortable.
Then she lingered, as if she had something to say, before finally remarking that her brother was looking forward to showing me around the house upon the following morning. Then she paused before adding that it was a pity I should not meet Rosslyn Browne on this occasion.
‘He and my brother are very great friends, you know, quite united in their enthusiasm for building and furnishing Mossby. Mr Browne has tenure of the Lodge, which was completed before the new house. Indeed, they lived there together while it was being built.’
‘I suppose that was the most convenient arrangement. Did you also live there?’ I ventured curiously.
‘No.’ Her lips seemed to tighten and the paleness of her skin gave her an insubstantial, ghostlike air. ‘I stayed in the old wing for some of the time and occasionally with relatives in London and Tunbridge Wells.’
Then she bade me goodnight and left me to my comfortable fire and inviting bed. I decided that there was definitely something about Mr Browne she did not care for. In fact, she seems to favour him even less than she does myself, for I can see that her civility is but a veneer over her true feelings.
Perhaps, as I surmised on our arrival, she is annoyed that she must entertain a tradesman and his daughter. But I did not fail to catch her doting expression when she looked at her brother, so it may be that she’s simply jealous of anyone else who might enter into his interests.
16
Moving
It had been a long and emotionally eventful day and, unsurprisingly, I was so totally exhausted I fell into a deep sleep the moment my head hit the pillow.
When I awoke it was without the awful feeling of disconnection and emptiness that I’d felt every day since I knew I’d lost Julian. Instead I was filled with a new sense of purpose.
When I went down the narrow twisty stairs, Grant had already gone off to work and Molly was baking a large batch of lattice apple tarts and marmalade cakes.
I made us both a cup of coffee and popped some bread into the toaster, before sitting and watching her crimp tart edges while I ate my breakfast.
‘I’ll have to come and empty those ready meals out of Carey’s freezer so I can restock it,’ she said. ‘And I’ve had an idea: I know several local elderly people who’d love all those easy-to-digest dinners and the cans of rice pudding and so on. I do a small portion size and special deals for my senior citizen customers, but it’s often difficult for them to eat well on a pension.’
‘What a great idea!’ I enthused.
‘I’ve made a menu of all Carey’s favourite meals and desserts – and yours – so you can choose from it when you want to order.’
‘Carey’s not a fussy eater and he likes to cook when he has time, too – though I don’t want him to do too much standing about while his leg is still healing,’ I said. ‘I can cook rice or pasta, though, so if youmake lots of portions of curry, pasta sauce and chilli, I can whip up a meal in no time.’
She wiped her hands on her apron and made a couple of notes on the list.
‘I’m looking forward to seeing the house when you’ve settled in,’ she said. ‘Carey said you’re taking a few days’ holiday before you start on the workshop?’
‘By that, he means I’m spending a few days following him round the house, outbuildings and grounds, taking notes and being the sounding board for his ideas.’
She laughed. ‘He must know he can’t keep you away from that workshop for long! You probably won’t be able to keep Grant away, either. I’m sure he’ll want to give you a hand at weekends, setting everything up.’
‘I think he’ll have enough on at the moment, doing three people’s work – not to mention his garden and the hens.’
‘I bet Ivan will want to help you out, too, and he won’t care if he’s paid or not,’ Molly said, and then added thoughtfully, ‘I like Carey! You’ve mentioned him so often that it was good to meet him at last, though of course I’ve seen him on the telly and Grant knows him from when he’s been up.’
‘That new series of his programme, with that actor fronting it instead, will be starting soon, but I don’t know if it will be as popular. Carey has an awful lot of fans.’
‘Yes … Carey’s so big, splendid and charismatic, even though I can see he’s not a hundred per cent well yet,’ she said. ‘Now I know what people mean when they say someone is “larger than life”!’
‘I always think he’s so glowing with enthusiasm that he sort of lights up inside! He’s been like that since he was little and sometimes it used to drive me mad, though it seems to come over well on the TV.’
‘The poor man’s obviously had an awful time with that leg, so inheriting Mossby couldn’t have come at a better moment for him – for both of you. A fresh new start.’
‘True, though I hate the thought of leaving everything Julian built up over the years in Nat’s hands, including his reputation … It wouldn’tsurprise me if he kept on turning out windows in a pale imitation of Julian’s style for ever! And Willow’s designs are a bit of an unknown quantity.’
I poured us both some more coffee from the fat, speckled blue Denby pot. ‘I mean, even if she turns out to have a knack for it and her designs are brilliant, she’ll have to get her name known before she gets the big commissions. I don’t know what will happen to the studio …’
