A Valentine for Daisy. Betty Neels

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       The twins woke up presently and they played ball until their mother came back. The twins fell upon her with shrieks of delight, both talking at once. ‘Val—how lovely to see you—I wanted to talk to you…’ Seeing Daisy, she turned to her. ‘Do go home, dear, you must be exhausted—I know I am after several hours of these two.’ She unwound her children’s arms from around her neck. ‘Take Daisy to the gate, darlings, and then go to the kitchen and ask Mrs Betts if she would make a pot of tea for me.’

       Daisy got to her feet, reflecting that Lady Thorley’s airy dismissal had been both friendly and expected; she was the daily mother’s help and was treated with more consideration than she had ever had with Mrs Gower-Jones. All the same, she wished that Dr Seymour hadn’t been there.

       Her goodnight was quietly said. ‘I’ll be here at half-past eight, Lady Thorley,’ and she left them without further ado, taking the twins with her.

       The doctor watched her go. ‘What do you want to tell me, Meg?’ he asked.

       ‘Hugh phoned—such news—the man at the Hague is ill—jaundice or something—and he’s to replace him until he’s fit again. Hugh says there’s a lovely flat we can have and he wants us to go there with him—he’ll be home this evening but I wanted to ask your advice about the twins. I’ll go with Hugh, of course, but what about them? I did wonder if they had better stay here with Daisy—that is if she would agree to come…’

       ‘Why not take the children with you and Daisy as well?’

       ‘Well, that would be marvellous—she’s so good with them and they like her, but she might not want to come…’

       ‘Why not ask her and find out? What does Hugh say?’

       ‘He told me I could do whatever I thought was best as long as it won’t upset the twins—going to live somewhere else—foreign too…’

       ‘My dear girl, Holland is hardly darkest Africa, and it’s only an hour away by plane.’ He stood up. ‘I must go back to town. You’re quite satisfied with Daisy?’

       ‘Oh, yes. How clever of you to tell me about her, Val. She’s so sensible and kind—it’s hard to find girls like her. Plain, of course—such a pity for she’d make a splendid wife.’ She walked round the house to where his car was parked before the door. ‘I suppose you wouldn’t find the time to visit us while we’re at the Hague?’

       ‘Very likely—I’m lecturing at Leiden Medical School and there’s a seminar for paediatricians in Utrecht—I’m not sure of the dates.’ Lady Thorley tiptoed to kiss his cheek.

       ‘Lovely. I’ll talk to Daisy—better still I’ll get Hugh to do that.’

       ‘Why not? When does he go?’

       ‘Two weeks—at least, he’s to go as soon as possible; he thought it would take me two weeks to pack up and so on.’ She stopped suddenly. ‘Oh, what shall I do about Boots? We can’t leave him here just with Mrs Betts…’

       ‘I’ll have him.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘I must go, my dear—give me a ring when you have things settled.’

       Daisy, unaware of the future being mapped out for her, cycled home and thought about Dr Seymour. She wasn’t sure if she liked him but she was fair enough to admit that that was because he was a difficult man to get to know. He was splendid with the children, probably he was an excellent paediatrician, but he was arrogant and, she suspected, used to having his own way. Moreover, he had this nasty habit of mocking her…

       She was surprised to find Sir Hugh at home when she reached Steeple Langford the next morning. He was still young but he had a serious manner which made him seem older.

       ‘If we might talk?’ he suggested, coming to the nursery where the twins were running riot with the Plasticine under Daisy’s tolerant eye.

       Daisy’s heart sank. He had come to tell her she was no longer needed, a governess had been found, and she was mentally putting her name down at several agencies in Salisbury when he went on. ‘I’m about to be posted to Den Haag for a time; we wondered if you would consider coming with us to look after the children? I’m not sure for how long; I’m to fill in for a colleague who’s on sick leave.’

       ‘Me?’ said Daisy.

       ‘If you would. We’re to take over an apartment in the residential part of the city, with a garden, I believe, and there are parks close by, so I’m told, and of course it is close to the sea.’

       ‘I don’t speak Dutch,’ said Daisy.

       He smiled faintly. ‘Nor do I. I believe that almost everyone speaks English—there are certainly a good many English people living there—there would be other children for the twins to play with, and I’m sure there are young Englishwomen living there—you wouldn’t be lonely.’ When she hesitated he added, ‘I’m told it will be for a month or six weeks.’

       ‘If I might have time to talk to my mother? I could let you know in the morning if that would do?’

       ‘Certainly, I shall be here for a good part of tomorrow.’ He got up. ‘My wife and I do so hope that you’ll see your way to coming with us! You’ll let me know in the morning?’

       ‘Yes, Sir Hugh. For my part I should like to come, but I must tell my mother first.’

       She thought about it a good deal during the day with mounting excitement; it would mean that she was sure of the job for at least another month besides the added pleasure of seeing something of another country. She would have to talk to Pam and make sure that she could cope with the various household demands. She wouldn’t be able to add to the housekeeping money each week while she was away, but there was enough in the bank to cover them and she could pay that back when she eventually returned. All in all she was sure that everything could be arranged with the minimum of trouble for her mother and sister.

       Her news was received with pleased surprise; there was no doubt at all, declared her mother, that they could manage very well while she was away. ‘It’s a marvellous opportunity,’ said Mrs Pelham happily. ‘Who knows who you will meet while you are there?’ she added enthusiastically. ‘Sir Hugh is something to do with the Foreign Office, isn’t he? There must be clerks and people…’

       Daisy said, ‘Yes, Mother, I’m sure there are.’ There was no harm in letting her mother daydream. Daisy, well aware of her commonplace features and retiring disposition, thought it unlikely that even the most lowly clerk would give her as much as a second glance.

       Not a girl to give way to self-pity, she spent the evening combing through her wardrobe in search of suitable clothes. The result was meagre; it was Pamela who remembered the raspberry-red brocade curtains some aunt or other had bequeathed to their mother. They were almost new; they spread them out on the sitting-room floor and studied them. ‘A skirt,’ said Pamela. ‘We’ll get a good pattern, and Mother—there’s that white crêpe de Chine blouse with the wide collar you never wear.’

       ‘But will I need them?’ asked Daisy doubtfully.

       ‘Perhaps not, but you must have something, just in case you get asked out. There’s your good suit and we can get your raincoat cleaned…’

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