Andrew Taylor - Bleeding Heart Square

‘Which one?’ came an answering bellow, and another roar of laughter.

‘The one by Nartons’, you daft fool.’

‘There weren’t this morning. That’s the way I came.’

‘Nartons’?’ Rory said abruptly. ‘What’s that?’

‘Mr and Mrs Narton’s place,’ the landlord said. ‘The path’s on the left, just beyond it. Follow that, and you come out by Mavering church, same way you came but much sooner. That’ll make life a bit easier for you, eh?’

‘You’re looking fearfully pale, dear,’ Lady Cassington said. ‘Are you sure you’re eating properly?’

‘Yes, thank you, Mother,’ Lydia said. ‘I haven’t got long — I want to find something to eat and I need to post these letters.’

Lady Cassington glanced down at the pile of neatly stamped envelopes that lay between them on the rear seat of the taxi. ‘You’ve actually got a job?’ She made it sound like an unsightly skin condition.

‘Yes.’

‘How odd. Marcus hasn’t stopped your allowance, I know that for a fact — he told me himself. Think yourself lucky, my dear. Some men would have had no hesitation whatsoever.’

‘I don’t want his money.’

‘Nonsense. Anyway, you should be at home. I simply don’t know where you’ve found all these silly ideas. A woman’s place is by her husband’s side.’

‘You didn’t stay by yours,’ Lydia pointed out.

Lady Cassington stared at her.

‘My father’s, I mean,’ Lydia said.

‘That was quite different. Circumstances alter cases. You’ve seen what sort of man your father is.’

Lydia stared out of the window at students carrying piles of library books and wearing brightly coloured scarves. The taxi was driving north through the quiet squares of Blooms-bury. Lady Cassington screwed another cigarette into her tortoiseshell holder. When she next spoke, her voice was gentler.

‘Marcus says he told you he’s joining the Fascists.’

Lydia nodded.

‘They’re obviously rather impressed with him — he’s just the sort of recruit they’re looking for. I saw Tom Mosley the other night, you know, and he told me that if they had more young men like Marcus they could be forming a government in eighteen months. Fin thinks Mosley’s quite the coming man and it’ll do us no harm as a family to have someone on the inside. Marcus will be working with Rex Fisher at first, I understand, so he’s in safe hands.’

‘How is Fin?’ Lydia asked, trying to deflect the conversation from Marcus to her stepfather.

‘Very well, thank you. He sends his love, by the way. He’s frightfully pleased about Marcus, of course.’

Lydia listened to her mother’s voice running on and watched the students. She wondered what it would have been like if she had been able to go to university. She could have had a proper job afterwards. She could have earned?500 a year and had a room of her own. Her life would be full of people who led interesting and uncluttered lives, unencumbered with the routines, obligations and possessions that filled the existence of families like the Langs-tones and the Cassingtons.

‘Talking of Rex Fisher, by the way,’ her mother went on, ‘I think he’s rather interested in Pammy.’

Lydia blinked. ‘But he’s old enough to be her father.’

‘Nothing wrong in that. Fin’s older than me, after all. I think it can make a marriage more stable if the man’s older.’

Lydia thought that stability was the last thing that her sister wanted from life. She said, ‘Do you think Pammy likes him?’

‘I know what’s in your mind. The Fishers are nobodies despite the title. One used to see old Fisher about occasionally but no one ever met the mother. But Rex himself is all right. Did you know he was at school with Wilfred Lang-stone? Apparently they were quite friendly. Anyway, Fin thinks he and Pammy would do very well together, and so do I. I mean, he’s fearfully rich, you know. One can’t argue with that.’

Lydia stared at the back of the driver’s head on the other side of the partition. The taxi chugged round another pigeon-streaked square of grimy London brick. She took a deep breath.

‘The thing is, I don’t want to go back to Marcus. I made a mistake in marrying him.’

‘Nonsense, dear. Many people feel that, especially if they’ve had a bad quarrel. It’s enough to give anyone the hump. But you have to put all that behind you. You know, if Marcus goes in for politics, he’s going to need a hostess. If he gets into the House eventually, and there’s no reason why he shouldn’t, he’ll need you even more.’

‘Marcus in Parliament? I can’t quite imagine it.’

‘Fin says that now it’s only a matter of time before the Fascists acquire some seats. And if Marcus were to stand for Lydmouth, say, Fin could give him quite a lot of help.’

Lydia looked at her wristwatch. ‘I’d better go back to the office. You could drop me off at Holborn Circus.’

‘You’ll think about all this? You promise?’

‘I promise.’

‘Marcus is being very patient. But he’s a man, you know, and men have needs.’

‘So do women.’

‘Very true, dear. Though in my experience it’s rather different for us. Which is rather my point. To be perfectly frank I doubt many women are able to satisfy their needs in Bleeding Heart Square.’

Wednesday, 19 February 1930

A red-letter day! I am so excited I can hardly hold my pen. We went to Hampstead Heath this afternoon for a stroll up Parliament Hill and afterwards a cup of tea at the cafe at the bottom of Pond Street. Heaven knows, I was expecting nothing but a pleasant afternoon. But I have never been so surprised in my life — not just once, but twice!!

We walked up the hill, chatting of this and that. It was overcast with quite a chilly wind. I thought Major Serridge seemed rather distrait. At the top of the hill we paused to look down over the great smoky city below. Suddenly, as if by magic, the sun came out. He pointed out the Monument, the dome of St Paul’s, the river and even what he said were the North Downs far beyond, though I cannot be absolutely sure I saw them myself. Then he said, rather abruptly and apropos of nothing in particular, that he thought I was the sort of person who had a particular affinity with animals. I said I’d thought just the same about him. He went on in a very gruff voice that he hoped I wouldn’t mind but he had a little present for me .

He looked away from me, towards a man standing further down the hill so only his shoulders and his head were visible. The Major waved to him and the man gave a sort of salute and began to walk towards us. As he came nearer I saw that he was holding a lead, and at the end of the lead was the sweetest little dog in the world .

As soon as he saw me, the dog began to tug at the lead and bark. A moment later, it was sniffing my boots. Major Serridge took the lead from the man, who walked away from us at once. The dog was wagging its tail like anything. Its eyes sparkled with intelligence and mischief. Major Serridge asked me if I liked it. I said, of course I did. Who wouldn’t? I asked what its name was. He said that was up to me. I said I didn’t understand. And he said it was MY dog!

I said he mustn’t make fun of me, that he knew they don’t allow animals at the Rushmere Hotel, even a little darling like this one. He told me not to worry about that. He said he’d make sure the dog was looked after ‘until you’ve got a place of your own’ .

He pressed the lead into my hands. I could not help bending down and stroking the dear little dog, who turned out to be a little boy. He wanted to lick me, the darling .