Page 168 of The Secrets of the Tea Garden

‘Mam won’t come. You know how she hates crowds. I’ll get Joan to stop off with Bonnie and see her before they go back to Willowburn.’

Soon the café was filling with children and their mothers: friends and relations of Joan’s. Adela had to admit that George’s ex-wife was popular and she felt guilty for resenting her. It wasn’t just because of loyalty to her cousin George whom Adela felt had been wronged by Joan’s infidelity. Adela had to admit that she still harboured a residual jealousy towards Joan for another reason. While Adela had been hiding in disgrace for being pregnant and had had to give up her baby, Joan had got away with her affair. George had gallantly married her and taken on another man’s child. Adela swallowed down resentment as she watched an excited Bonnie arrive, dressed in flounces of pink right down to her ankles and clutching Joan’s hand. Bonnie slipped Joan’s hold and skipped across to her Auntie Jane, who immediately began making a fuss of her niece.

Abruptly, Adela was seized by a yearning for John Wesley so acute that she thought she would pass out. She gripped her stomach andtried to hide her distress. It would pass; it always did. She just had to endure it for a moment or two. She never knew when the sense of loss would take hold of her. Little things triggered it: the sight of a baby being pushed in a pram or a boy kicking a football in a back lane. But the bouts of grief had lessened since her decision to give up the search.

It was probably being pregnant that was making her feel suddenly teary. The thought that she was carrying her and Sam’s baby gave her immediate comfort. Adela stood up and went to join her husband, slipping a hand into his. He gave her a quizzical smile, squeezed her hand and turned to deal with a couple of small boys who were already fighting over a balloon.

As Charlie started to play ‘Three Blind Mice’, Adela put on a smile and greeted Joan and her new husband Tommy. She liked Major Gibson’s head groom, though they had only met briefly on a couple of occasions. Joan was enjoying showing him off and playing the country lady. She was dressed in a smart tweed jacket over a linen dress, her blonde hair neatly coiffured and with only the slightest hint of make-up.

‘Joany tells me you’re going back to India,’ said Tommy.

‘Yes,’ Adela replied. ‘We’ll be joining my family and helping on the tea garden.’

‘That’s grand,’ he said, ‘isn’t it Joany?’

Joan was beaming at Adela with that look that Adela had always found so disconcerting: half assessing, half vacant, as if she was only partially listening.

‘Grand, yes,’ she agreed.

‘You must come up to the stables before you go,’ Tommy said. ‘MrRobson says how you and MrJackman like to ride. You’d both be welcome. Wouldn’t they, Joany?’

‘Thank you,’ said Adela. ‘We’ve been meaning to but haven’t found the time.’

‘I’m learning to ride,’ said Joan, putting a possessive hand on her husband’s arm. ‘Tommy’s teaching me so I can accompany Martha Gibson.’

Adela looked at her in surprise. She thought Joan’s boasting about being friends with the major’s wife had been exaggerated.

‘You can ride with me and Martha if you like,’ Joan said, smiling.

Adela smiled back. ‘I’d like that. James has told me about her. She sounds a nice woman.’

‘She is,’ said Joan. ‘She’s not snobbish like the other gentry. Must be ’cause she’s American. And generous too. She gave me this dress; it’s from New York. Says so on the label.’

‘It suits you,’ said Adela.

‘And I help do her hair,’ said Joan. ‘She used to have it very old-fashioned.’

‘They’re best of friends already,’ Tommy said proudly. ‘And the Gibsons’ son thinks the world of Joany too – he follows her around like her shadow.’

‘Like my shadow,’ Joan repeated.

‘Joany’s a natural with kiddies,’ Tommy said proudly.

Adela felt her nausea returning. ‘Help yourself to tea and sandwiches, won’t you? I must help Sam with the games.’

‘And MrsGibson bought the dress Bonnie’s wearing,’ Joan continued. ‘Lovely, isn’t it?’

Adela thought it was rather fussy, and the small girl was already tripping on its hem trying to run about.

‘Bonnie looks very pretty,’ Adela answered as she turned to go and help with the children.

Amid the shrieking and laughter, Sam was pairing up the children to play ‘Oranges and Lemons’. Bonnie rushed up to Adela and seized her hand. ‘You play with me, Auntie Delly!’

‘Love to,’ said Adela, kissing her on her matching pink hairband.

They marched round in a chaotic circle, Sam leading the raucous singing. Bonnie squealed with delight when she and Adela were caught in Sam’s arms as the music stopped.

‘Again! Again!’ Bonnie cried.