T Williams - What Happens In Tuscany...

Just at that moment, the image on the screen changed to central London, with a commentator standing opposite the Houses of Parliament. Victoria was fascinated.

‘I’ve been to London, you know?’ She turned her head briefly towards Katie, before returning her gaze to the screen. ‘I was only little, but I still remember seeing Tower Bridge open. There were so many people everywhere, it was a bit scary. Looking at the traffic on the screen, and the mass of people walking to and fro, it seems things have not improved.’

‘Well, shall we add a visit to London to our to-do list?’

‘That would be awesome.’ They both smiled at that.

At that moment, Mrs Milliner appeared to inform them that lunch was served. Victoria looked disappointed to be separated from the television until Katie suggested they invest in another one and position it in the dining room. ‘I got the man to run a lead in there just in case.’ She showed Victoria how to turn the TV off using the remote control. This, too, was a novelty to her.

‘Should I carry it round with me, like you do with yours?’ Katie had to stop and think for a moment before she realised Victoria was confusing the remote with her mobile phone. The ensuing conversation about phones lasted almost all the way through lunch and concluded with Victoria’s determination to buy one. In response to Katie’s objection that there was no signal at Iddlescombe, Victoria sniffed and asked her to arrange it. Short of building a mast in the grounds, Katie couldn’t see how they would be able to do that, but she agreed to look into it.

‘You have a letter, Miss Victoria.’

Rosie held out a round silver salver upon which there was an envelope. Victoria’s eyes lit up. ‘I don’t get a lot of letters. I wonder who’s sent this one.’ She opened it and checked the contents. From the other side of the table, Katie could see that it was a card and it looked like an invitation. It was.

‘Somebody getting married?’

Victoria looked up. ‘No, I don’t think so. It’s our neighbours up the valley. They’ve invited me to a garden party.’ She sounded troubled. Katie was quick to pick up on her tone.

‘What’s wrong? Don’t you like them?’

Victoria let the invitation fall back onto the table top. Her expression was a mixture of surprise and fear. ‘I don’t know really. I haven’t seen them since I was a little girl. To be honest, I’ve hardly seen anybody since I was a little girl.’ She reached for the card again. ‘It’s signed Thomas Drake. Little Tommie Drake, I remember him from the pony club.’ She looked across at Katie. ‘I would have been nine or ten, just before my mother died.’ She dropped her eyes.

‘What’s the occasion?’

‘It doesn’t say.’

‘Do you often hear from them, from him?’

‘My father used to shoot with Colonel Drake, Tommie’s father, but I’m pretty sure he died a couple of years ago, at least as far as I can remember he did.’

‘Well, are you going to go?’ Katie realised that this was a good opportunity for Victoria to start flapping those butterfly wings of hers. ‘Why don’t you?’ She could see that Victoria was unnerved at the prospect of a social event after so many years of seclusion. It took a while before she made her mind up. She looked up at Katie.

‘All right, I’ll go. I know I’ve got to start getting out. It’s just that it’s contrary to everything I’ve got used to for so long. I’ll go as long as you come with me. It says Miss Victoria Chalker-Pyne and friend. We’ll go together.’

Katie nodded enthusiastically. ‘Good girl, of course I’ll come with you. When is it?’

‘Next weekend. Saturday at 3.00pm.’

Katie cursed inwardly as she remembered that this was the day she was supposed to be meeting Jenny. Still, she wouldn’t be seeing her until the evening and it was only an hour by car to Exeter, so she could make it work. She looked across at Victoria with a grin. ‘Right, so what are you going to wear?’

A look of horror swept across Victoria’s face. ‘Oh, lord, I hadn’t thought of that. What would you suggest?’

Katie knew exactly what to suggest. ‘Another shopping trip should be able to provide the answer. That promises to be fun.’

Chapter Six

Katie pulled up outside the old Georgian farmhouse and pressed the button to close the car roof. She watched in fascination as the metal top slid up and over them, before clicking into place. They had only had the new car for three days and she still hadn’t tired of all the gismos and gadgets with which it was equipped. Beside her, Victoria was looking nervous, but they had been through it all before, several times. All she had to do was smile, chat about the weather and, if she got into difficulty, let Katie know and they could be out of there in a flash.

The sun was still shining out from a gap in the clouds, but the forecast was not good. Wet weather was predicted later that afternoon which didn’t bode well for the success of a garden party. They climbed out of the car, something Vicky was still learning to do without revealing too much of her legs. The BMW was very low and the seats felt as if they were only just above the tarmac.

‘Tell me again, Thomas is the name of your friend from pony club, isn’t it? And what about other members of his family?’

Victoria shook her head in frustration. ‘I really can’t remember, it was all so long ago. I’m pretty sure his mother’s still alive, but I have no idea really. We’ll just have to see how it goes.’ She turned towards Katie as she straightened up. Both of them had opted for slim-fitting summer dresses showing a modest amount of leg – apart from when climbing out of the car. Both tugged the hems of their skirts down as they walked to the door. For Victoria, in particular, it was a new experience to have her knees on display. Bravely, she stuck out her hand and rang the doorbell. It was opened almost immediately by a child of six or seven.

‘Hello.’ The little girl was all dressed up and had real flowers in her hair. ‘Who are you?’

Just at that moment, an adult arrived. She was a friendly-looking woman who appeared to be a few years older than Katie, maybe in her mid or late thirties. She gave Victoria a big smile.

‘Oh, hi, hello. It’s Victoria, isn’t it? I remember you from pony club. I’m Beatrice. I’m Tom’s big sister.’ Victoria’s face cleared.

‘Hello, Beatrice, I do remember you. This is my friend Katie. I was just telling her I was afraid I wouldn’t remember any of you. It’s been so very long since I saw you.’ She paused awkwardly. ‘Since I saw anybody, really.’

Katie and Victoria shook hands with Beatrice and then, very formally, repeated the process with the little girl, who was introduced as Emma, Beatrice’s daughter. They followed her through the house and out through the French windows into the garden. There were already several dozen people out there, clutching glasses and chatting volubly. Katie noticed that a number of the women were wearing hats and she caught Victoria’s eye. Neither of them had thought of a hat.

‘It’s all right,’ Katie hissed to her out of the corner of her mouth. ‘It’s mostly just the old ones who’ve got hats.’

‘Victoria. It is you, Victoria, isn’t it? I’d know you anywhere.’ The voice came from the other side of the garden. A tall, dark-haired man was making his way through the people towards them. He was smiling broadly. Katie glanced at Victoria. She was smiling too.

‘Tommie? Little Tommie Drake?’ Victoria couldn’t believe her eyes. Her erstwhile playmate was now a grown man, wearing the uniform of an army officer. She held out her hand and he grasped it with both of his, shaking it enthusiastically up and down. ‘Not so little now, are you, Tommie?’