‘Fer gawd’s sake, woman, it won’t come no faster for you sit there waitin for it!’ George stands at the front door, looking down the path to the gate.

‘I’m not waiting for anything’ Jessie says airily, waving the secateurs in a gloved hand ‘I am deadheading the rose’

‘Sittin on a chair in yer dressin gown’ his chin drops and he shakes his head ‘You’ll get carted off like Ernie’s missus, way you carryin on. Wha’s postie gonna think?’

‘He’s going to say ‘Good morning Jessie, lovely morning for it’ and I’ll say ‘If you’re offering, any morning will do’ the same as I’ve done for the last goodness knows how long.  He knows I’m waiting for something important, I left him a note’

‘I thought what you said you weren’t waitin?’ his smile suggests he has caught her out.

‘I’m not...’ she arches her neck ‘I’m gardening. If I happen to be out here when he comes, that only means I haven’t missed him’

‘You’d know just as well iffin ‘e shoved summat through the box’

‘I’ll shove something through yours if you don’t buzz off and leave me in peace’ the secateurs point threateningly ‘I always have come out early on summer mornings, even if it’s just for a look round while I drink my tea’ Jessie lifts her face to the sun, her eyes closed ‘Everything’s so still and quiet.....’ her eyes snap open again and she frowns at him ‘usually’

‘You want I should fetch yer a cuppa out ‘ere?’

‘I need a widdle first before I drink anything. You sit here while I nip upstairs’ she gets up from the chair, pulling off her gloves.

‘I ain’t blasted well sittin down there on no chair like some loony or other, I’m gonna get me a bit o’breakfast’

‘Two minutes!’ she pulls him back by his arm and rushes past ‘Stand there and don’t move’

‘I int standin ‘ere neither!’ George grumbles as he watches her progress up the stairs ‘I got things t’be at’

‘Just do as you are told!’ she disappears from view as she turns onto the landing.

Rose Cottage, Albans Lane

Chapter Forty

Tawny House, Manor Road

‘How are you finding things? All very strange, I should imagine’ Harriet folds her newspaper and lets her reading glasses hang by the chain around her neck. ‘If it’s too much for you, you must say. Neither of us has been in this situation before so we must be prepared to fine tune the arrangements if necessary’

‘Och, no, hen’ Jeannie removes Harriet’s coffee cup from the table beside her and stands with it in her hand. ‘It’s early days but so far it suits me fine. I had a bit of a clean through while ye were away tae the tennis wi’ the wee man an’ I’m fair set up fae the week noo’

‘Excellent!’ Harriet beams ‘And you are all settled over the way?’

‘Aye’ Jeannie flushes with pleasure ‘I quite fancy mesel wi’ the new things aboot me. Tis the best hoose we’ve ever haed an’ that’s the truth. I’ve Master Kester and the lassie tae thank fer that’

‘I am sure they were delighted to do it and I am so pleased you were not offended by their offer’

‘Och, wi’ the few sticks we possessed?’ she laughs ‘They were lucky tae get oot a there wi’anything at all!’

‘I do know Helen was concerned that she might be overstepping the mark, I’m so very glad that was not the case’

‘Noo, bless the lassie, she haed nae cause tae worry. I’m nae sae proud.  Soo...’ Jeannie says, perching on the edge of the sofa ‘Did ye enjoy the tennis?’

‘It was splendid!’ Harriet enthuses ‘Such a long time since I have been...and to see him through to the semi-final was unbelievably exhilarating’

‘Aye...and I haed a mess tae clear wi’ ma Duncan sae excited the man paid nae mind tae the plate on the arm a his chair’ a click of her tongue accompanies the roll of her eyes.

Harriet gives a sigh of regretful resignation ‘A great pity the final was beyond his grasp’

‘Still, the laddie flew the flag fae Scotland an’ he’ll nae doubt dae it again’

‘Most certainly! Now then’ Harriet gets to her feet ‘I am right in thinking that Mister Brown and I are riding later?’

‘Aye. He’s gieing the car another wee polish sae it’s nice fae thee....’

‘I’m sure there is no need for him to go to that sort of trouble’

‘It’s nae bother’ Jeannie stands up as well and gives her a broad smile ‘The man cannae believe his luck tae be riding round in such a thing!’

‘It made sense’ Harriet brushes off the idea with the wave of a hand. ‘If he is to act as some sort of chauffeur, then it seemed only fair that he should have a decent car to drive....not that there is anything wrong with the one you have, of course’ she makes a hasty addendum. ‘It will seem very odd not to have Edward beside me but it is no good being sentimental about these things. They need to be used’

Jeannie opens her mouth to question why the car had not been made use of before but decides to keep quiet and closes it again.

‘His skills as a mechanic were most useful’ Harriet continues ‘I did not imagine for one moment that it could be made roadworthy after all this time but he has worked his magic and I have a certificate from the Ministry of Transport which bears that out. We shall arrive in style!’  She dips her head and practices a regal wave. ‘I daresay’ she adds, clutching Jeannie’s arm and leaning closer to confide with a low chuckle ‘That Duncan is as keen to arrive in style as I am?’

‘Aye’ Jeannie catches the mood and all but giggles ‘tae thumb his nose an’ show he can dae wi’oot them. He’s a better job noo’

‘We will have none of this job nonsense, Mrs. Brown, we will appear as the equals we are. I shall not let him down, you may rely on that’ she gives a sharp nod and her nostrils flare ‘and quite frankly, I can think of a more appropriate gesture he might make’ She demonstrates a two finger salute which leaves Jeannie goggle-eyed and laughing with disbelief.  ‘Now then’ she chuckles at the effect she has had and takes a few steps to the door ‘I will take a short nap before lunch and be ready to sally forth shortly afterwards; about two o’clock?’