Page 74 of Mrs. Endicott's Splendid Adventure
Spring melted into summer with plenty of work to occupy their days. Ellie enjoyed the garden, planting vegetables, reviving fruit trees and coaxing flowers to spill out of pots and beds. Jojo began sleeping through the night, which made things easier. Tommy came over with goat’s milk that he said was better for a baby’s stomach than the evaporated stuff from a can. Roland, the viscount, returned from his latest visit to Paris and invited Ellie to coffee. She brought Jojo with her. She had become a smiley, adorable baby, and he was entranced with her. Ellie watched him as he dangled his pocket watch over her basket.
“Are you not supposed to marry and produce the heir?” she asked, amazed at her own boldness.
“Fortunately, I have an older brother who is doing his duty in that department,” Roland said. “I’m afraid my interests lie elsewhere, much to the disgust of my pious mother. But she need no longer worry. I have had my heart broken, and I doubt that I shall fall in love again.”
He bent to tickle Jojo, who gave a delightful laugh.
French summer visitors started to arrive, some staying in the pension, others in rooms the villagers let, or camping in the meadow behind the police station. Nico and his speedboat were much in demand. Henri was constantly busy at the bistro, and Tommy helped out, waitering or washing dishes with his usual good humour. Mavis had become quite pally with Mrs Adams and helped her when the pension was full, thus making a bit of money for herself.
“I don’t like accepting charity,” she said to Ellie as she tried to press the money on her. “You’ve been too good to me for too long.”
“Mavis.” Ellie gave an exasperated smile. “You’ve done more than your share of work. You cook for us. You’ve made us curtains and pillows and lovely clothes. Please keep the money for a rainy day. You never know when you might need it.”
“Some new clothes might be a good idea,” Mavis said. “It’s about time I tarted myself up a bit. I don’t like looking frumpy all the time.” And she went red.She wants to impress Louis,Ellie thought. It had been obvious that Louis came up to do small jobs around the house more often than he needed to. He seemed like a kind man, and Ellie was glad for them.
Dora no longer left the property unless it was in the motor car. The steps had become too much for her. She was growing weaker, Ellie noted, but she still insisted on doing her share of chores, taking painting lessons from Clive and writing in her journal. One day she announced that the weather was finally warm enough and she wanted to go swimming. Would Ellie please drive her down to the water.
“Oh Dora, dear, I don’t think that’s wise,” Ellie said. “The water will still be cold. And with your heart condition ...”
“I’ve set that heart on a swim in the Mediterranean, and I intend to do it,” Dora said firmly. She went to change into her bathing suit and bathrobe. Reluctantly Ellie put on her own swimsuit in case she had to go into the water to rescue Dora. Mavis stayed with Jojo.
“You ain’t getting me going in that water,” she said. “You’ll both catch your death of cold.”
“Nonsense,” Dora said. “It will be bracing.”
They drove down and parked at the harbour, then took the little path around the headland to the beach. It was quite deserted, for which Ellie was grateful when she took off her robe. Dora put on a rubber swimming cap, then waded in fearlessly, gasped a little as the first wave hit her thighs, but then stepped in deeper and began swimming, striking out with confident strokes. Ellie stood at the edge, reluctant togo any deeper. The water was indeed cold, but the sun, warm on her shoulders, made it bearable.
“Coward,” she whispered to herself and forced herself to wade in deeper. Before she had to make the decision to actually start swimming, Dora came towards her and stood up.
“There,” she said. “I did it. Wonderful. But that’s enough for one day. It actually isn’t quite warm enough yet.” She had a big smile on her face as they drove home.She really is a remarkable woman,Ellie thought.
Soon after this, she received a letter from England and drew Ellie aside.
“I’ve just heard from my solicitor,” she said. “I’ve drawn up a new will, making you my heir. There’s not a lot: the cottage, a small bank account, my jewellery, but I want you to be provided for when I go.”
“That’s very generous,” Ellie said. “Are you sure? You wouldn’t rather leave it to a favourite charity?”
“Nonsense,” Dora replied. “Charity begins at home, don’t they say, and you have given me a home and a reason to want to go on living.”
“Dear Dora.” Ellie put a gentle hand on her arm. “I hope you won’t go for a long time yet.”
“I have certainly proved that idiot doctor wrong so far,” she said with a satisfied nod. “It’s amazing what sunshine and good food can do. Oh, and good friends.”
Ellie gazed at her, realizing how fond she had become of the old woman.
On the first Sunday of May, Ellie had taken the ferry across to the island for the abbey’s first open house of the season. It was filled with picnickers, the curious and family members of the brothers. They were shown around the gardens, the process of liqueur making was demonstrated, with samples, and there was an organ concert in the abbey. Ellie had not hoped to spend any time alone with Abbot Gerard,but he sought her out and walked in the gardens with her, apparently interested in her latest news. After that he made time for her each month, sharing a dish of fruit with her or sitting on a bench overlooking the sea.If only I’d married a man like this,Ellie thought.A man I can really talk to, who listens, doesn’t judge, is wise and yet can laugh at the absurdity of our human frailty.She found herself counting off the days to the next ferry.I mustn’t be selfish and take up more than my share of his attention,she told herself, but she sensed that he also enjoyed talking and walking with her.
“You’re becoming rather holy,” Nico commented when she met him on the quayside. “Are you thinking of joining an order?”
“No, of course not,” she retorted. “There is just something about that place—you can feel the tranquillity and the holiness. And with a baby screaming at six in the morning, it’s good to get away once in a while.”
“That girl won’t ever come back, will she?” he said. “Ungrateful little ...” He corrected what he was about to say. “Mademoiselle.”
“We did the right thing, whether she was grateful or not,” Ellie said. “If we hadn’t rescued her, she would have come to no good.”
“Saint Ellie the righteous,” he said, giving her a wicked grin. “I’m waiting for you to come and save my soul.”
“Does your soul need saving?”
