grass, is it not greener than at home? Oh, look, look at the motor vehicles!’
Some of the passengers sniggered as she shouted in excitement.
‘Evelyne, dear, you don’t need to shout, I am right next to you, not in an open field … speak softly, child, it’s not ladylike to shout.’
As they got off the tram Evelyne clung tightly to Doris’ hand and almost got them run over, she was so unused to the traffic.
‘Taxi … Taxi …’
Evelyne clapped her hand over her mouth to stop herself shouting out. She had never seen a taxi like it. It had red leather seats, and the driver wore a peaked cap. They got into the back seat and Doris rapped on the glass partition with her umbrella.
‘Clifton Villas, number thirty.’
The taxi drew up outside one of a row of bow-fronted, Victorian houses, with white steps leading up to the front door and more steps leading down to the servants’ entrance behind the basement railings. Evelyne followed Doris like a lamb, waiting quietly as she lifted the ornate brass knocker. A maid in a black dress with a frilly white apron and cap ushered them through a dark hallway leading to what looked to Evelyne like a palace. There were paintings and china everywhere, chiming clocks, and the drawing-room furniture was covered in velvet, everything in rusty, autumn colours.
‘Doris dear, how good to see you, come in, come in.’
Doris kissed the pale lips, identical to her own, and the dapper little Dr Collins gave Evelyne a formal bow and adjusted his pince-nez as he ushered them in. He spoke so quiedy that Evelyne could not catch everything he said, but he was so clean and fresh in his starched white collar. It was obvious he and Doris were brother and sister, Dr Collins was so like her, but Evelyne watched Doris change in front of her eyes. She became stiff and formal, and after their initial greetings they appeared to have nothing to say to each other.
‘Would the gel like tea, Doris?’
Evelyne stood rooted to the spot, staring down at the rose-patterned carpet. The house was carpeted everywhere, she couldn’t believe it. Her feet sank into the pile, into two dusty pink roses.
‘Sit down, Evelyne, and say hello to Dr Collins.’
Evelyne perched gingerly on the edge of a velvet sofa, feeling its softness beneath her hands. She swallowed, about to say, ‘How do you do’, but he went over to the fireplace and rang a bell beside it. Evelyne noticed the pretty rose-patterned tiles around the fireplace.
‘You keeping well then, Doris? Tea, Minnie, straightaway.’
Minnie bobbed a small curtsey and scuttled out, leaving the door ajar.
‘Your practice well, is it, dear?’
‘Well, it keeps me on my toes, ya know … glad you could come, makes a nice change, and young David will be pleased to make your acquaintance. He’s a fine chap, fine boy … ah, good, tea.’
The tea was wheeled in on a trolley. There were small cucumber sandwiches, little cup cakes, and a big currant cake with a frilled collar. The maid poured the tea and handed plates and napkins. Evelyne found it very difficult to balance her plate, napkin, teacup and saucer, and looked to Doris for help.
‘Get the gel a side table, Minnie.’
Minnie brought a small table to Evelyne’s side then picked up the sugar bowl.
‘You take sugar, Miss?’
Evelyne nodded and waited, then realized that the maid was waiting for her to help herself. She was all thumbs and picked up what she thought was a spoon, but it seemed to be two spoons in one.
‘Use the tongs, child, don’t use your fingers.’
Just as she had her mouth full the Doctor spoke.
‘So this is your young protegee. And how do you find Cardiff, Evelyne?’
Evelyne swallowed and gulped and spluttered as the sandwich went down the wrong way. Doris moved quickly to her and patted her on the back, concerned.
‘You must never speak with your mouth full, dear.’
Dr Collins consulted his fob watch and stood up, saying he had to make his rounds. Evelyne
Some of the passengers sniggered as she shouted in excitement.
‘Evelyne, dear, you don’t need to shout, I am right next to you, not in an open field … speak softly, child, it’s not ladylike to shout.’
As they got off the tram Evelyne clung tightly to Doris’ hand and almost got them run over, she was so unused to the traffic.
‘Taxi … Taxi …’
Evelyne clapped her hand over her mouth to stop herself shouting out. She had never seen a taxi like it. It had red leather seats, and the driver wore a peaked cap. They got into the back seat and Doris rapped on the glass partition with her umbrella.
‘Clifton Villas, number thirty.’
The taxi drew up outside one of a row of bow-fronted, Victorian houses, with white steps leading up to the front door and more steps leading down to the servants’ entrance behind the basement railings. Evelyne followed Doris like a lamb, waiting quietly as she lifted the ornate brass knocker. A maid in a black dress with a frilly white apron and cap ushered them through a dark hallway leading to what looked to Evelyne like a palace. There were paintings and china everywhere, chiming clocks, and the drawing-room furniture was covered in velvet, everything in rusty, autumn colours.
‘Doris dear, how good to see you, come in, come in.’
Doris kissed the pale lips, identical to her own, and the dapper little Dr Collins gave Evelyne a formal bow and adjusted his pince-nez as he ushered them in. He spoke so quiedy that Evelyne could not catch everything he said, but he was so clean and fresh in his starched white collar. It was obvious he and Doris were brother and sister, Dr Collins was so like her, but Evelyne watched Doris change in front of her eyes. She became stiff and formal, and after their initial greetings they appeared to have nothing to say to each other.
‘Would the gel like tea, Doris?’
Evelyne stood rooted to the spot, staring down at the rose-patterned carpet. The house was carpeted everywhere, she couldn’t believe it. Her feet sank into the pile, into two dusty pink roses.
‘Sit down, Evelyne, and say hello to Dr Collins.’
Evelyne perched gingerly on the edge of a velvet sofa, feeling its softness beneath her hands. She swallowed, about to say, ‘How do you do’, but he went over to the fireplace and rang a bell beside it. Evelyne noticed the pretty rose-patterned tiles around the fireplace.
‘You keeping well then, Doris? Tea, Minnie, straightaway.’
Minnie bobbed a small curtsey and scuttled out, leaving the door ajar.
‘Your practice well, is it, dear?’
‘Well, it keeps me on my toes, ya know … glad you could come, makes a nice change, and young David will be pleased to make your acquaintance. He’s a fine chap, fine boy … ah, good, tea.’
The tea was wheeled in on a trolley. There were small cucumber sandwiches, little cup cakes, and a big currant cake with a frilled collar. The maid poured the tea and handed plates and napkins. Evelyne found it very difficult to balance her plate, napkin, teacup and saucer, and looked to Doris for help.
‘Get the gel a side table, Minnie.’
Minnie brought a small table to Evelyne’s side then picked up the sugar bowl.
‘You take sugar, Miss?’
Evelyne nodded and waited, then realized that the maid was waiting for her to help herself. She was all thumbs and picked up what she thought was a spoon, but it seemed to be two spoons in one.
‘Use the tongs, child, don’t use your fingers.’
Just as she had her mouth full the Doctor spoke.
‘So this is your young protegee. And how do you find Cardiff, Evelyne?’
Evelyne swallowed and gulped and spluttered as the sandwich went down the wrong way. Doris moved quickly to her and patted her on the back, concerned.
‘You must never speak with your mouth full, dear.’
Dr Collins consulted his fob watch and stood up, saying he had to make his rounds. Evelyne
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