voices mocked her, the faces smiling and mouthing compliments ran like a newsreel before her closed eyes. Such a success. Such a miracle of planning. How did you ever find the time to get it all arranged? The celebrities, thick as daisies on the ground. The money, my dear ⦠Sheâd heard that whispered as she passed. It must have cost an absolute fortune ⦠But theyâre stinking rich anyway.
She sat up, knowing that Lily would soon be coming with her tea tray.
âIâll have to offer him a divorce,â she said aloud. âWe canât go on like this. It isnât fair to him.â And she managed a smile when the knock sounded, took her tea from Lily and said what a marvellous evening it had been.
She dressed and went down to find Hugo and tell him. He must have his freedom. He could have Fern too, if he liked. All she would ask for was Ashton and enough money to maintain it. But he wasnât in the house. The butler said he had left early for London. When she telephoned the bank he was engaged and didnât return her call. Or the second call she made. In the early evening his secretary called. Mr Vandekar had flown to Paris on urgent business. He would contact her from the Crillon.
Alice didnât wait. She asked for the number and was put through. He always used the same suite. They had stayed there during their honeymoon. She heard the internal phone ring twice and then a womanâs voice said, âHello.â Again, âHello â¦â His business in Paris was Celia Forbes. Alice hung up.
When he came back three days later she didnât ask him for an explanation. He didnât offer one. There was no mention of a divorce, and he moved permanently into his own suite of bedroom and dressing room. Alice didnât comment. She showed him the letters from their more illustrious guests, thanking them for the great ball at Ashton. It was, as one writer expressed it, the end of an era for them all. Its bright memory would give them courage in the trial to come.
On 3 September war was declared. The sirens sounded over London within the next few minutes. It was a false alert, a presage of the phoney war, so soon to become all too real when the German armies overran Belgium and France fell in 1940.
A number of the Vandekarsâ friends were killed at Dunkirk. Hugo joined the Grenadier Guards and was posted to the War Office. When Alice asked what he was doing, he said it was an administrative posting and he would do his best to get out of it. Phoebe wrote worried letters from the States asking Alice to come over before Britain was invaded and to bring Fern with her. Such terrible things were happening in Europe, and if the Germans came people like the Vandekars would be specially singled out. Alice wrote back and said simply that neither she nor Fern would be in any danger. Didnât her mother know that the rich were always able to buy themselves out of trouble? The cynicism troubled Phoebe and she approached Hugo next. His reply was kindly but direct.
His wife and child were safe at Ashton, untouched by the Blitz devastating London and the ports. She had no need to worry about them and there was no question of any member of his family fleeing to America.
He came home at weekends. Celia Forbesâs husband had been killed fighting a doomed rearguard action in France. It was common knowledge that Hugo was supporting her. She had joined the Ambulance Service and spent her time in London, driving through the fiery hell of night-time air-raids.
Alice stayed at Ashton and watched indifferently as Fern grew up with Nanny hovering protectively over her. The war seemed far away from the peaceful beauty of Ashton. Hugo in his uniform seemed like someone dressing up for a play. He didnât discuss his work because her questions showed that Alice wasnât really interested. People came down for odd weekends but there was little carefree gaiety. Alice joined the local
She sat up, knowing that Lily would soon be coming with her tea tray.
âIâll have to offer him a divorce,â she said aloud. âWe canât go on like this. It isnât fair to him.â And she managed a smile when the knock sounded, took her tea from Lily and said what a marvellous evening it had been.
She dressed and went down to find Hugo and tell him. He must have his freedom. He could have Fern too, if he liked. All she would ask for was Ashton and enough money to maintain it. But he wasnât in the house. The butler said he had left early for London. When she telephoned the bank he was engaged and didnât return her call. Or the second call she made. In the early evening his secretary called. Mr Vandekar had flown to Paris on urgent business. He would contact her from the Crillon.
Alice didnât wait. She asked for the number and was put through. He always used the same suite. They had stayed there during their honeymoon. She heard the internal phone ring twice and then a womanâs voice said, âHello.â Again, âHello â¦â His business in Paris was Celia Forbes. Alice hung up.
When he came back three days later she didnât ask him for an explanation. He didnât offer one. There was no mention of a divorce, and he moved permanently into his own suite of bedroom and dressing room. Alice didnât comment. She showed him the letters from their more illustrious guests, thanking them for the great ball at Ashton. It was, as one writer expressed it, the end of an era for them all. Its bright memory would give them courage in the trial to come.
On 3 September war was declared. The sirens sounded over London within the next few minutes. It was a false alert, a presage of the phoney war, so soon to become all too real when the German armies overran Belgium and France fell in 1940.
A number of the Vandekarsâ friends were killed at Dunkirk. Hugo joined the Grenadier Guards and was posted to the War Office. When Alice asked what he was doing, he said it was an administrative posting and he would do his best to get out of it. Phoebe wrote worried letters from the States asking Alice to come over before Britain was invaded and to bring Fern with her. Such terrible things were happening in Europe, and if the Germans came people like the Vandekars would be specially singled out. Alice wrote back and said simply that neither she nor Fern would be in any danger. Didnât her mother know that the rich were always able to buy themselves out of trouble? The cynicism troubled Phoebe and she approached Hugo next. His reply was kindly but direct.
His wife and child were safe at Ashton, untouched by the Blitz devastating London and the ports. She had no need to worry about them and there was no question of any member of his family fleeing to America.
He came home at weekends. Celia Forbesâs husband had been killed fighting a doomed rearguard action in France. It was common knowledge that Hugo was supporting her. She had joined the Ambulance Service and spent her time in London, driving through the fiery hell of night-time air-raids.
Alice stayed at Ashton and watched indifferently as Fern grew up with Nanny hovering protectively over her. The war seemed far away from the peaceful beauty of Ashton. Hugo in his uniform seemed like someone dressing up for a play. He didnât discuss his work because her questions showed that Alice wasnât really interested. People came down for odd weekends but there was little carefree gaiety. Alice joined the local
Similar Books
