always believed it was the General’s doing.’
‘What General?’
‘General Peachum, a friend of your great-uncle’s, a neighbour, loathed Jews, an admirer of Hitler and Ribbentrop, rather a silly man, Master of Hounds, urged the local police and coastguards to watch for spies, a typical “country gentleman”, a good man. They do a lot of harm.’
Nine
C ALYPSO’S MARRIAGE TO HECTOR Grant, during the early days of the war, when for months nothing happened except a tremendous freeze, came as welcome entertainment. One day she was working in the glamorous secret job she had found for herself and the next inviting everybody to her wedding at Caxton Hall.
Hector Grant, a tall, elegant Member of Parliament for a Scottish constituency, had been married before with no issue and was extremely rich, with a house in Westminster and a castle in the Highlands. The trouble in the eyes of Calypso’s parents was that he was the same age as Calypso’s father; indeed it was he who had introduced them.
‘How could John have been so stupid?’ cried Sarah, on hearing the news.
‘I don’t suppose it occurred to him,’ replied George. ‘The man is supposed to be uncatchable. How was John to know the advent of war made Hector determined to beget a son and heir?’
‘But he’s had a wife.’
‘Who wouldn’t or couldn’t oblige.’
‘Perhaps Hector can’t.’
‘We shall see, won’t we?’ And George had gone gloomily off to his office, leaving Sarah to telephone what she called the Cornish Contingent, Helena and Richard.
Richard refused Calypso’s invitation, excusing himself on the grounds of pressure of work. ‘I’ve written to Hector of course about the Erstweilers, knew him in the war, splendid chap, got a very good D.S.O.’ Richard had received no decoration for losing his leg. Sarah suspected that Richard resented this. She asked to speak to Helena, putting this point to her.
‘Don’t be absurd, Sarah,’ Helena had said briskly. ‘His leg blew off when he had his back to the enemy and was drinking a mug of tea. He remembers it perfectly. He never expected a medal. He really is busy.’
‘Will you come, then? Stay with us.’
‘I’d love to. I’ve never been to a registry office wedding.’
‘The reception is at the Ritz.’
‘I daresay he can afford it. I gather he’s paying for all of us to have lunch.’
‘Yes. He won’t allow Calypso’s parents to spend a penny.’
‘They have no pennies, that’s their trouble. Calypso wants money.’
‘Helena, you will bring Sophy, won’t you?’
‘She’s at school.’
‘They might let her come. Try.’
‘I’ll have to see.’
See that she doesn’t, Sarah thought, but did not say, and Sophy did not come. In the event George, too, was too busy. Sarah and Helena sat with Calypso’s mother, watching a stony-faced John give his only child to Hector, magnificent in a morning suit with hardly a grey hair in his thick thatch, his black eyebrows like moths’ wings meeting above his nose.
Calypso shone triumphant in a white coat and skirt, satin shirt, a wreath of gardenias on her sleek head.
‘I’ve never seen anyone look so smug,’ one twin in Air Force uniform whispered to the other. Polly, overhearing, grinned. Walter arrived in time for the luncheon, a scrubbed and healthy Able Seaman. Oliver came late but in time to kiss the bride, hugging her against his rough khaki uniform.
‘How prickly you are.’
‘Am I still to get my comforts?’
‘Oh, that!’
‘I may claim them soon. I am hoping to get to Finland.’
‘Hector says that’s all collapsing.’
‘There will be other campaigns.’
‘I wish you joy of them—’ She looked at him with fear.
‘Well, you’ve got what you wanted.’ Oliver made no effort to lower his voice. He turned away, caught Walter by the arm, ‘Come on, old sod, let’s go and get drunk.’
Hector raised eyebrows, murmuring, ‘He seems half-way to his goal,’ and, holding Calypso’s
‘What General?’
‘General Peachum, a friend of your great-uncle’s, a neighbour, loathed Jews, an admirer of Hitler and Ribbentrop, rather a silly man, Master of Hounds, urged the local police and coastguards to watch for spies, a typical “country gentleman”, a good man. They do a lot of harm.’
Nine
C ALYPSO’S MARRIAGE TO HECTOR Grant, during the early days of the war, when for months nothing happened except a tremendous freeze, came as welcome entertainment. One day she was working in the glamorous secret job she had found for herself and the next inviting everybody to her wedding at Caxton Hall.
Hector Grant, a tall, elegant Member of Parliament for a Scottish constituency, had been married before with no issue and was extremely rich, with a house in Westminster and a castle in the Highlands. The trouble in the eyes of Calypso’s parents was that he was the same age as Calypso’s father; indeed it was he who had introduced them.
‘How could John have been so stupid?’ cried Sarah, on hearing the news.
‘I don’t suppose it occurred to him,’ replied George. ‘The man is supposed to be uncatchable. How was John to know the advent of war made Hector determined to beget a son and heir?’
‘But he’s had a wife.’
‘Who wouldn’t or couldn’t oblige.’
‘Perhaps Hector can’t.’
‘We shall see, won’t we?’ And George had gone gloomily off to his office, leaving Sarah to telephone what she called the Cornish Contingent, Helena and Richard.
Richard refused Calypso’s invitation, excusing himself on the grounds of pressure of work. ‘I’ve written to Hector of course about the Erstweilers, knew him in the war, splendid chap, got a very good D.S.O.’ Richard had received no decoration for losing his leg. Sarah suspected that Richard resented this. She asked to speak to Helena, putting this point to her.
‘Don’t be absurd, Sarah,’ Helena had said briskly. ‘His leg blew off when he had his back to the enemy and was drinking a mug of tea. He remembers it perfectly. He never expected a medal. He really is busy.’
‘Will you come, then? Stay with us.’
‘I’d love to. I’ve never been to a registry office wedding.’
‘The reception is at the Ritz.’
‘I daresay he can afford it. I gather he’s paying for all of us to have lunch.’
‘Yes. He won’t allow Calypso’s parents to spend a penny.’
‘They have no pennies, that’s their trouble. Calypso wants money.’
‘Helena, you will bring Sophy, won’t you?’
‘She’s at school.’
‘They might let her come. Try.’
‘I’ll have to see.’
See that she doesn’t, Sarah thought, but did not say, and Sophy did not come. In the event George, too, was too busy. Sarah and Helena sat with Calypso’s mother, watching a stony-faced John give his only child to Hector, magnificent in a morning suit with hardly a grey hair in his thick thatch, his black eyebrows like moths’ wings meeting above his nose.
Calypso shone triumphant in a white coat and skirt, satin shirt, a wreath of gardenias on her sleek head.
‘I’ve never seen anyone look so smug,’ one twin in Air Force uniform whispered to the other. Polly, overhearing, grinned. Walter arrived in time for the luncheon, a scrubbed and healthy Able Seaman. Oliver came late but in time to kiss the bride, hugging her against his rough khaki uniform.
‘How prickly you are.’
‘Am I still to get my comforts?’
‘Oh, that!’
‘I may claim them soon. I am hoping to get to Finland.’
‘Hector says that’s all collapsing.’
‘There will be other campaigns.’
‘I wish you joy of them—’ She looked at him with fear.
‘Well, you’ve got what you wanted.’ Oliver made no effort to lower his voice. He turned away, caught Walter by the arm, ‘Come on, old sod, let’s go and get drunk.’
Hector raised eyebrows, murmuring, ‘He seems half-way to his goal,’ and, holding Calypso’s
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