it.’
Babs smiled and briefly shook the young man’s hand, but it wasn’t quite the friendly smile Ruby was used to. Her mouth smiled politely but her eyes were narrowed with querying disapproval. As she took her hand away and looked back at Ruby her natural smile returned.
‘Let’s go, Ruby dear. Yardley’s waiting for us outside. He’s looking forward to seeing you again, and so is Uncle George, of course. He’s in surgery but he’ll be with us for lunch, emergencies permitting, and Marian and Keith are going to drop by after lunch …’
Johnnie stepped back as they walked to the car and stood politely to one side when Ruby briefly greeted Derek Yardley with a curt nod before she and Babs climbed into the rear of the car. Only when they were settled did he then get into the front passenger seat. His manners were impeccable and Ruby was both impressed and relieved, especially after the way Ray had embarrassed her when he’d visited, but she felt that Babs Wheaton, the woman she viewed as a second mother, wasn’t equally impressed.
During the drive back to the village Babs gave Ruby a brief outline of everything that had gone on in the months she’d been away, while Johnnie asked Derek Yardley all about the car. Both conversations were stilted and superficial, and there was a distinct atmosphere that Ruby didn’t understand but which made her feel uncomfortable. She sighed with relief when the car finally turned off the road.
‘Beautiful house, Mrs Wheaton. I’ve heard so much about it,’ Johnnie said as they pulled up outside the house Ruby knew she would always think of as home.
‘Thank you. It’s my husband’s family home. He was brought up here; his father was the village doctor before him.’
‘The war didn’t affect you out here in the sticks then? No offence, of course. I say that ’cos Red was evacuated here so it must have been safer than London.’
Ruby stiffened at his words; she knew what Johnnie meant by ‘out here in the sticks’, but the way he said it made it sound like a criticism of this place she loved.
‘We weren’t directly affected by the Blitz, no, and we fared better than London and many other cities and towns, but like everywhere else we lost family and friends. It’s a blessing it’s all over, though, and we can start to get back to some normality.’ Babs’ tone was polite as she turned back to Ruby. ‘Come along, dear; let’s go in.’
As Ruby walked along the path beside Babs she glanced back and noticed Johnnie had stayed back by the car and he and Derek Yardley were standing almost head to head in deep conversation. A wave of panic swept over her. The last thing she wanted was for Yardley to have an opportunity to talk to Johnnie Riordan.
‘Johnnie, come on, catch up …’
The two men shook hands and Johnnie walked quickly, catching them up as they turned the corner leading to the back door.
‘What were you talking about?’ Ruby asked.
‘Sorry about that. I’m interested in cars and motorbikes, and we were comparing notes. He knows his stuff, that man; we’ve got a lot in common.’
‘No, you haven’t, you’ve got nothing in common with him,’ she snapped, but then countered her comment with a smile.
She tried not to be irritated at the way Johnnie was seeing the visit. She wanted him to stay in the background and let her have a brief sample of her old life; instead he was involving himself in it and she felt unreasonably territorial. She turned away sharply.
‘Can I go and say hello to Uncle George?’
‘He’ll be coming through for lunch providing there are no emergencies, so best wait until then,’ Babs replied.
Although she knew that what Babs was saying made sense, Ruby still found it hard to hide her disappointment.
‘I’ll wait until lunch then. Do you need any help?’
‘You could lay the table. You know where everything is.’
The general awkwardness continued as they made superficial conversation and Ruby quickly
Babs smiled and briefly shook the young man’s hand, but it wasn’t quite the friendly smile Ruby was used to. Her mouth smiled politely but her eyes were narrowed with querying disapproval. As she took her hand away and looked back at Ruby her natural smile returned.
‘Let’s go, Ruby dear. Yardley’s waiting for us outside. He’s looking forward to seeing you again, and so is Uncle George, of course. He’s in surgery but he’ll be with us for lunch, emergencies permitting, and Marian and Keith are going to drop by after lunch …’
Johnnie stepped back as they walked to the car and stood politely to one side when Ruby briefly greeted Derek Yardley with a curt nod before she and Babs climbed into the rear of the car. Only when they were settled did he then get into the front passenger seat. His manners were impeccable and Ruby was both impressed and relieved, especially after the way Ray had embarrassed her when he’d visited, but she felt that Babs Wheaton, the woman she viewed as a second mother, wasn’t equally impressed.
During the drive back to the village Babs gave Ruby a brief outline of everything that had gone on in the months she’d been away, while Johnnie asked Derek Yardley all about the car. Both conversations were stilted and superficial, and there was a distinct atmosphere that Ruby didn’t understand but which made her feel uncomfortable. She sighed with relief when the car finally turned off the road.
‘Beautiful house, Mrs Wheaton. I’ve heard so much about it,’ Johnnie said as they pulled up outside the house Ruby knew she would always think of as home.
‘Thank you. It’s my husband’s family home. He was brought up here; his father was the village doctor before him.’
‘The war didn’t affect you out here in the sticks then? No offence, of course. I say that ’cos Red was evacuated here so it must have been safer than London.’
Ruby stiffened at his words; she knew what Johnnie meant by ‘out here in the sticks’, but the way he said it made it sound like a criticism of this place she loved.
‘We weren’t directly affected by the Blitz, no, and we fared better than London and many other cities and towns, but like everywhere else we lost family and friends. It’s a blessing it’s all over, though, and we can start to get back to some normality.’ Babs’ tone was polite as she turned back to Ruby. ‘Come along, dear; let’s go in.’
As Ruby walked along the path beside Babs she glanced back and noticed Johnnie had stayed back by the car and he and Derek Yardley were standing almost head to head in deep conversation. A wave of panic swept over her. The last thing she wanted was for Yardley to have an opportunity to talk to Johnnie Riordan.
‘Johnnie, come on, catch up …’
The two men shook hands and Johnnie walked quickly, catching them up as they turned the corner leading to the back door.
‘What were you talking about?’ Ruby asked.
‘Sorry about that. I’m interested in cars and motorbikes, and we were comparing notes. He knows his stuff, that man; we’ve got a lot in common.’
‘No, you haven’t, you’ve got nothing in common with him,’ she snapped, but then countered her comment with a smile.
She tried not to be irritated at the way Johnnie was seeing the visit. She wanted him to stay in the background and let her have a brief sample of her old life; instead he was involving himself in it and she felt unreasonably territorial. She turned away sharply.
‘Can I go and say hello to Uncle George?’
‘He’ll be coming through for lunch providing there are no emergencies, so best wait until then,’ Babs replied.
Although she knew that what Babs was saying made sense, Ruby still found it hard to hide her disappointment.
‘I’ll wait until lunch then. Do you need any help?’
‘You could lay the table. You know where everything is.’
The general awkwardness continued as they made superficial conversation and Ruby quickly
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