Page 177 of The Secrets of the Tea Garden

CHAPTER 37

Newcastle, September

On the day following Bonnie’s party, Adela felt so wretched and sick that Sam and his mother confined her to bed. MrsJackman was delighted to discover the reason for her daughter-in-law’s bouts of nausea.

‘My first grandchild! I wish you could stay till after the baby’s born,’ she said with a pleading look at Sam.

Adela was grateful to hear Sam reply, ‘I know you do but our passage is booked and Adela wants to be with her own mother when the time comes. We promise to come back and visit.’

But all Adela could think about was whether anyone had returned to Herbert’s Café to claim the necklace. She felt guilty about such thoughts and was hesitant to voice her feelings to Sam and risk provoking old arguments. Sam though was being concerned and attentive towards her, one moment anxious that she rested, the next grinning with happiness at her pregnant state.

After four days in bed, Adela couldn’t bear to be confined to the Cullercoats flat a moment longer.

‘I’m not ill,’ she insisted, ‘and I’m feeling much better.’

They returned to the café to help, though it was becoming apparent to Adela that the efficient Jane and extrovert Charlie didn’t reallyneed them. Jane had persuaded a former waitress, Nance, to come back and work for her. Nance greeted Adela with cries of delight and they swapped news. Adela remembered her as friendly, competent and mildly flirtatious with the shipyard workers.

‘I got engaged twice during the War but they both got away!’ said Nance with her infectious giggle. She nodded towards Sam. ‘I might have known you’d end up with a bonny-looking lad.’

After a week, when no one had come in for the necklace, Adela had to admit that Charlie was probably right. Whoever had lost it didn’t think it worth returning to reclaim it. The stone had only ever been precious to Adela and her mother.

Adela was at the allotment picking green beans, while Sam pulled up onions, when Joan appeared.

‘Jane said I’d find you here,’ she said, pushing back a strand of blonde hair.

‘Hello,’ Adela said, putting down her basket of beans and glancing around for Bonnie. ‘Have you brought Bonnie for a visit?’

‘No, I’m in town on my own doing some shopping,’ said Joan. ‘Just wanted to come and thank you both for the party.’

Sam leant on his spade, pushing his hat back to wipe his forehead. ‘No need for thanks,’ he said. ‘We enjoyed it too.’

‘Bonnie’s not stopped talking about it,’ said Joan. ‘Don’t know what we’re going to do on her actual birthday. It’ll be so dull for her. I don’t know many folk up at Willowburn yet.’

‘I’m sure MrsGibson will make a fuss of Bonnie,’ said Adela.

Joan’s look darted from Sam to Adela. ‘Yes.’ She stood there, hesitating. ‘You see, that’s the other thing.’

‘What is?’ Adela asked, wondering if Joan was here to extend an invitation to meet her new friend.

‘I – er – well,’ Joan floundered. ‘I sort of borrowed something from MrsGibson so Bonnie could wear it at the party. It went with her dress,you see. And Jane said Charlie found it but you have it so I wanted to have it back.’

‘The necklace?’ Adela gasped. ‘Bonnie was wearing it?’

Joan went puce. ‘Yes, I know it’s just an old trinket but it looked so sweet on her—’

‘Whose is it?’ Adela demanded, her pulse racing. ‘Where did you get it from?’

Joan looked startled by her abrupt questions. ‘There’s an old box in MrsGibson’s bedroom,’ Joan said. ‘I looked in it one time I was doing her hair.’

Adela’s heart drummed. ‘Tell me about the box: did it have old photos in?’

‘Yes,’ said Joan, bemused. ‘How did you know?’

Adela scrabbled in her pocket and pulled out the swami’s necklace. ‘Is this what you took from MrsGibson’s box?’

‘That’s it,’ said Joan in relief, reaching out for it. ‘I’ll have it back, ta very much.’

Adela held on to it. She was aware of Sam coming to her side. She began to shake. She clamped her teeth together, unable to speak. Sam put a reassuring hand on her back. Alarm flitted across Joan’s face.