Page 17 of The Secrets of the Tea Garden

‘I would never lie. I just used to like you more then than now,’ Libby said, giving Josey a playful nudge. ‘You were kind to me. I remember wanting to go and live in your digs with all those eccentric women. I loved the way you did what you wanted and said what you thought. I never understood why you came to live with us instead. We were all so dull.’

Josey lit up a cigarette. ‘I lost my digs when I joined ENSA. Your mother was kind enough to take me in whenever I was in the area. After a while it just became home.’

Libby took Josey’s cigarette, drew on it, blew out smoke and handed it back. ‘You’re very fond of Mother, aren’t you?’

‘Of course.’ Josey eyed her through smoke. ‘Why do you ask?’

‘You could persuade her to come back out to India.’

‘You haven’t been able to.’

‘No, but she’d listen to you, Josey. She has to face Dad sooner or later.’

Josey picked a fleck of tobacco from her tongue. ‘I’ve told her much the same thing. I’m not standing in her way, if that’s what you mean.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes, really,’ Josey insisted. ‘Tilly’s frightened to go back. She once described the Oxford plantation as a green prison. She’s terrified that if she returns she’ll never get away again.’

Libby felt her stomach clench. ‘That’s ridiculous. You make it sound like Dad is a gaoler. They just need to spend some time together. It’s the years of separation that’s bad for their marriage – not India.’

Josey ground out her cigarette. ‘Well, maybe that’s a conversation you better have with your father.’

Libby took that to be a criticism of James for not returning to see Tilly at the end of the War. But he still had a job to do, whereas Tilly had no such excuse. As far as Libby was concerned, it was her mother who was in the wrong.

Josey touched her arm lightly. ‘Come on, sweetie. Let’s get you pinned into this gown. It’s going to show off your lovely curves. Calcutta ballrooms won’t know what’s hit them.’

A few days before her departure, Libby and Adela went round to the flat above Herbert’s Café to spend the evening with Lexy. Doreen had gone out to the pictures with a friend. She had been mollified by Libby’s abrupt plans to leave by Adela promising to pay for Doreen to continue typing lessons.

‘Oh, Lexy, how it takes me back, to sit here with you,’ said Adela with a wistful smile. ‘Everything’s the same – even the brown sofa and the green-and-gold curtains.’

‘Do you remember when we all bedded down on the floor one Christmas?’ Libby joined in the reminiscing. ‘When you and Lexy said it was too dangerous for Mother to walk us back home in the blackout. I loved that night. It was so cosy camping beside the fire.’

‘Aye,’ chuckled Lexy, ‘and you looked so bonny and happy singing along with George. I could see then you were ganin’ to grow into a beauty.’

Libby put hands to her burning cheeks. ‘Don’t be daft.’

‘It’s true,’ Adela agreed. ‘Will you get in touch with George once you’re in Calcutta?’

Libby felt a kick of excitement and said, ‘I’d like to.’

‘Make sure he’s not courting some other lass,’ Lexy warned. ‘I love that lad but I know he’s got a wandering eye.’

‘Not as wandering as his wife’s,’ Libby retorted. ‘George said Bonnie wasn’t his baby – that Joan had an affair even before they were married.’ Libby saw a look pass between the older women. ‘Did you know?’ she asked in surprise. ‘You did, didn’t you?’

‘Yes,’ admitted Adela. ‘I admired George for taking on the baby as his own – despite what Joan had done. She couldn’t have stood the shame of not being married.’

‘She trapped him,’ Libby said.

‘At least she got to keep her baby,’ said Adela.

‘Why didn’t she marry the real father?’ asked Libby. ‘Instead of taking advantage of George’s good nature.’

‘Maybe’s the lad couldn’t or wouldn’t,’ suggested Lexy. ‘Or maybe’s he died in action. There was a war on, remember – and she needed a ring on her finger.’

‘Why?’ Libby demanded. ‘If I was her, I’d have gone ahead and had the baby alone and not bothered what the wagging tongues said. Rather than forcing a man that didn’t love me to marry.’

Adela and Lexy fell silent. Libby saw that look of understanding pass between them again. She wondered what it meant and hoped she hadn’t been too outspoken.