couldn’t help but think how much Doc Clock would have liked that watch.
‘Ahh, this sounds like David … yes, he’s here,’ the Doctor beamed with pride, standing at the bay window. ‘He’s got some high-society friends now, Doris, he’s at the university. Oh, I wrote, yes, I remember I told you, well-connected people, be good for his profession, going to be a lawyer, did I tell you? Ah, yes, I suppose I did … yes, his mother would have been proud of him, God rest her soul.’
Doris crossed herself, and Evelyne looked from one to the other. She had not thought the doctor could ever have been married or have a son.
There was a bellow from the hall.
‘Minnie … Minnie! Minnie! Anyone call for me while I was out?’
They heard laughter, then the double doors of the drawing-room were flung open. David Collins made his entrance like an actor. His blond hair shone like silk, his perfectly tailored grey suit hugged his tall slender frame. He was very self-assured, his ice-blue eyes twinkled. ‘Aunt Doris, well I never, Pa mentioned you would be arriving, do forgive me for not being here to welcome you.’
Unaware that her mouth had dropped open, Evelyne stared. He could have been a prince, she had never in her life seen a man so handsome. He bowed over Doris’ outstretched hand and kissed it, then turned his attention to Evelyne. He had no trace of a Welsh accent.
‘And you must be Elaine, how do you do?’
As Evelyne half stood, her plate in one hand and cup and saucer in the other her cake rolled off the plate and landed by his highly polished grey kid boots.
‘Absolutely the place for Mrs Darwin’s cakes, my dear. Minnie! Come along, gel, and bring a dustpan and brush … now, Pa, can I get you more tea? Aunt?’
David dominated the room - lifted the mood as if the sun had suddenly shone in through the windows. He wore a delicate perfume, like lilies, that filled the air.
Doris rose from her chair. ‘Well, if you’ll excuse us I think we’ll have a little sightseeing tour, and a wash and change before dinner. Evelyne, dear, have you finished?’
Flushing, Evelyne put her china down on the tray, and stood with head bowed, so tongue-tied it made her desperate to visit the bathroom. Doris took her arm and pulled her towards the door. David watched them leave, waiting until the door closed behind them, then looked at his father with raised eyebrows.
‘Are they staying long?’
Dr Collins dabbed at his mouth with his napkin, ‘Just the weekend, just the weekend.’ David flipped his silk handkerchief out of his pocket and flicked a cake crumb from his boot.
‘Is the skinny child an orphan? Smells quite dreadful, and one couldn’t really say she was frightfully clean.’
After ringing again for Minnie to clear away, Dr Collins went towards the door.
‘Couldn’t spare a fiver, Pa? Bit short, only I have to take a couple of chaps to dinner this evening.’
‘I would like it if you dined at home. Doris hasn’t been here for many years. It would show a bit of respect.’
David whistled, irritated, then sprang to his feet. ‘Okie dokie, but between you and me, it’s no wonder Mother kept her at arm’s length, what?’
At times Dr Collins loathed his son’s supercilious attitude, but then he could be so charming the doctor gave him whatever he wanted, as did everyone else.
David turned abrupdy, moving like a dancer, swept out of the room and bounded up the stairs two or three at a time. Evelyne was standing at the top, on her way to the bathroom, carrying a fresh white towel. They almost collided.
‘Sorry, Elaine, bathroom’s second door on your right.’
She didn’t have the nerve to correct him, just blushed and scuttled past. At the bottom of the stairs Mrs Darwin stood smiling, her big red face glowing.
‘Now then, Master David, will you be having dinner at home?’
‘I will, Mrs Darwin, light of my life … oh, Mrs D, will you make sure my shirts are not folded, just put on
‘Ahh, this sounds like David … yes, he’s here,’ the Doctor beamed with pride, standing at the bay window. ‘He’s got some high-society friends now, Doris, he’s at the university. Oh, I wrote, yes, I remember I told you, well-connected people, be good for his profession, going to be a lawyer, did I tell you? Ah, yes, I suppose I did … yes, his mother would have been proud of him, God rest her soul.’
Doris crossed herself, and Evelyne looked from one to the other. She had not thought the doctor could ever have been married or have a son.
There was a bellow from the hall.
‘Minnie … Minnie! Minnie! Anyone call for me while I was out?’
They heard laughter, then the double doors of the drawing-room were flung open. David Collins made his entrance like an actor. His blond hair shone like silk, his perfectly tailored grey suit hugged his tall slender frame. He was very self-assured, his ice-blue eyes twinkled. ‘Aunt Doris, well I never, Pa mentioned you would be arriving, do forgive me for not being here to welcome you.’
Unaware that her mouth had dropped open, Evelyne stared. He could have been a prince, she had never in her life seen a man so handsome. He bowed over Doris’ outstretched hand and kissed it, then turned his attention to Evelyne. He had no trace of a Welsh accent.
‘And you must be Elaine, how do you do?’
As Evelyne half stood, her plate in one hand and cup and saucer in the other her cake rolled off the plate and landed by his highly polished grey kid boots.
‘Absolutely the place for Mrs Darwin’s cakes, my dear. Minnie! Come along, gel, and bring a dustpan and brush … now, Pa, can I get you more tea? Aunt?’
David dominated the room - lifted the mood as if the sun had suddenly shone in through the windows. He wore a delicate perfume, like lilies, that filled the air.
Doris rose from her chair. ‘Well, if you’ll excuse us I think we’ll have a little sightseeing tour, and a wash and change before dinner. Evelyne, dear, have you finished?’
Flushing, Evelyne put her china down on the tray, and stood with head bowed, so tongue-tied it made her desperate to visit the bathroom. Doris took her arm and pulled her towards the door. David watched them leave, waiting until the door closed behind them, then looked at his father with raised eyebrows.
‘Are they staying long?’
Dr Collins dabbed at his mouth with his napkin, ‘Just the weekend, just the weekend.’ David flipped his silk handkerchief out of his pocket and flicked a cake crumb from his boot.
‘Is the skinny child an orphan? Smells quite dreadful, and one couldn’t really say she was frightfully clean.’
After ringing again for Minnie to clear away, Dr Collins went towards the door.
‘Couldn’t spare a fiver, Pa? Bit short, only I have to take a couple of chaps to dinner this evening.’
‘I would like it if you dined at home. Doris hasn’t been here for many years. It would show a bit of respect.’
David whistled, irritated, then sprang to his feet. ‘Okie dokie, but between you and me, it’s no wonder Mother kept her at arm’s length, what?’
At times Dr Collins loathed his son’s supercilious attitude, but then he could be so charming the doctor gave him whatever he wanted, as did everyone else.
David turned abrupdy, moving like a dancer, swept out of the room and bounded up the stairs two or three at a time. Evelyne was standing at the top, on her way to the bathroom, carrying a fresh white towel. They almost collided.
‘Sorry, Elaine, bathroom’s second door on your right.’
She didn’t have the nerve to correct him, just blushed and scuttled past. At the bottom of the stairs Mrs Darwin stood smiling, her big red face glowing.
‘Now then, Master David, will you be having dinner at home?’
‘I will, Mrs Darwin, light of my life … oh, Mrs D, will you make sure my shirts are not folded, just put on
Similar Books
