A Betty Neels Christmas: A Christmas ProposalWinter Wedding Read online

She flounced away, her head very high, and he watched her go, a quite different kind of smile tugging at his mouth now.

  She had it out with Louisa later; once the twins were back there would be no chance. And for once she took no notice of Louisa’s tears and cries that no one understood her. ‘You just listen to me,’ said Emily briskly. ‘I’ve never stopped you going out with anyone yet, you’ve gone to London when you’ve wanted to, you’ve had plenty of freedom, so there was no need for you to lie about going out with Professor Jurres-Romeijn. I can’t think why you did.’

  Louisa had stopped crying; it was a waste of time. ‘I thought you might be jealous,’ she said softly.

  Emily stared at her across the kitchen. ‘Me? Jealous? Whatever for?’

  ‘You always say you don’t like him, but I think you’re stuck on him.’

  ‘Louisa, you must be out of your mind—I don’t even like him! He’s been wonderful with the twins and he’s pleasant to work for, but he’s not my sort, now is he?’

  ‘Not really. I mean, he’s so handsome and elegant, and he must be rich, too. He likes pretty girls, he told me so.’

  ‘All men like pretty girls,’ said Emily dampeningly.

  ‘Would you be surprised if I hooked him?’

  ‘Yes, I would,’ said Emily thoughtfully. ‘Oh, Louisa, don’t try—he’s not for you.’ The Professor was the last man on earth to allow himself to be entangled with a girl like Louisa because he was quite aware of what she was up to, to start with. Probably he was amusing himself immensely, but he’d never be caught. He would want to do his own catching.

  Louisa laughed. ‘You’re so hopelessly behind the times, darling.’ She danced off upstairs and left Emily to get the supper.

  And the next morning, when the Professor drove her and the twins back home, she could find no clue as to his feelings towards Louisa. Indeed, it seemed to her that he treated her rather as a good-natured uncle might treat a favourite niece, but that might be deliberate. The twins were put in their playpen, admired and played with, given a rusk to bite into and allowed to crow and shout to their hearts’ content while the three grown-ups had coffee. Emily was almost silent, although she did her best to join in the lighthearted conversation the other two were having. It was a relief when the Professor got up to go, reminding her that he had another pharyngectomy in two days’ time. ‘And I shall want you to special him, Emily, just for the first two days—Mrs Crewe will do the night duty.’

  On this business-like note, he took himself off and Louisa said snappily: ‘He might at least have suggested another evening out—perhaps he didn’t like to in front of you.’

  ‘Very likely,’ said Emily.

  The days fell into step once more. The pharyngectomy was a success, the twins throve and Louisa counted the days until she should be gone. It was getting towards Christmas, too, but she had shown no sign of wanting to come back to spend it with Emily and the twins. Emily prudently asked for a week’s holiday, as no one would want to babysit over Christmas; Sister didn’t like her not being on duty then, but when Emily explained she agreed at once, merely commenting that surely Louisa would want to be with her family at such a time. ‘Well, if she changes her plans, I’ll let you know, Sister,’ Emily promised.

  She stopped on the way home that evening and bought some paper chains and ornaments for the tree she intended to have; the twins would notice them and so, for that matter, would she. One made Christmas, even for two babies.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  LOUISA HARDLY MENTIONED the Professor during the next few days. She was sorting her clothes, preparatory to moving up to London, and Emily found her more than usually helpful around the house. ‘She’s only a child still,’ thought Emily lovingly, watching Louisa’s golden head bent over William and his tea. So it was a bit of a shock when the doorbell rang later that evening and the Professor loomed in the porch. ‘Is Louisa ready?’ he wanted to know.

  Emily stood back so that he might pass her. ‘Well, she’s up in her room—I don’t know…’

  ‘Well, she doesn’t have to dress up, does she?’

  ‘I wouldn’t know.’ She tried to make her voice sound casual, but it came out quite wooden.

  He sat down in one of the shabby armchairs by the fire. ‘You didn’t know.’ It was a statement, not a question. ‘Louisa asked me—she left a note at the hospital—if I would mind dropping her off at her flat as I went home as she had to meet someone there. She said that the someone would bring her back.’

  Emily perched on the chair opposite his. ‘Oh—no, I didn’t know. I expect Louisa forgot to tell me.’

  A statement which Louisa, her limpid gaze on the Professor, bore out when she came downstairs. ‘I’ll be back quite early,’ she told Emily. ‘One of the girls’ boyfriends is bringing me back. I borrowed your scarf—you don’t mind, do you, darling?’

  Emily saw them to the door and shut it quickly behind them, which was a pity, for she missed Louisa’s: ‘Such a pity we haven’t had supper yet, and I’m starving.’

  ‘I have a dinner engagement,’ said the Professor as he opened the car door.

  And Emily, left alone, washed up the supper dishes which Louisa seemed to have forgotten, then got out the paper chains and began to paste them together. She wasn’t very good at it and after a little while she gave up and just sat, doing nothing at all.

  Louisa was going in three days’ time. Emily had arranged to have her two free days then so that she could get the twins organised. She still had to make final arrangements with Tracey’s mother, who had said that for the time being at least she would look after the twins during the day while Emily was at the hospital. It was by no means an ideal arrangement and she wasn’t quite sure how she was going to afford it, but it would have to do for a little while. There was a chance that one of her friends at the hospital would move in with her, sharing the expenses of the house and looking after the twins when she wasn’t there, but that had to be worked out. It would mean getting their off-duty arranged so that they were never off at the same time, but at least it meant that for four days of the week when they each had their two days free the babies would be looked after.

  Emily closed her eyes. Life, just lately, had become difficult and there seemed no point in it, somehow. The front door bell sounded softly and she got up to answer it. It was too soon for Louisa, but it must be someone who knew her and that the twins would be asleep.

  Mary and George were standing side by side in the porch. Emily blinked, gave a little choking laugh and flung herself at Mary. ‘Oh, my dears,’ she gasped, ‘if only you knew how wonderful it is to see you! Come in, do.’

  They all went into the sitting room and stood looking at each other until Emily burst out: ‘How did you get here? Oh, it’s such a lovely surprise—couldn’t you let me know? Are you back for good? Would you…’

  George flung a brotherly arm round her shoulders. ‘Hey, hang on—one question at a time! But first, how are the twins?’

  ‘Upstairs and asleep and fighting fit.’ She looked at Mary. ‘Would you like to see them first, before we talk?’

  Mary nodded, and they all crept upstairs to stand round each cot, staring down at first William and then Claire. When they were downstairs again Mary said: ‘It must have been pretty grim for you, darling. Where’s Louisa?’

  Emily was draping coats and scarves over chairs. ‘She’s up in London for the evening—she’s moving to a flat with three other girls, in three days’ time.’

  ‘And how were you going to manage?’ George wanted to know.

  ‘Well, I’ve almost fixed up with one of the nurses at the hospital to move in here with me and help me look after the twins, only it takes time to get the off-duty right, so a lady across the road had promised to have them while I worked, just for a few days—I’ve got a holiday over Christmas.’

  Mary was looking round her. ‘Darling, you’ve had a dreadful time! Of course there hasn’t been enough money, has there? And this crummy little house�
��’ She crossed the room and put her arms round Emily. ‘You’re a dear girl and we shan’t forget it. We thought, when you wrote and said you’d moved here, that everything was all right—you never said…but then you never do. Well, that’s over now. George is to work at the Birmingham Head Office and they’ve offered us a house in the country close by—a kind of reward for poor George getting caught up in all that mess. We’ll tell you about that later. So you’ll be free to go back to London, my dear.’

  Emily smiled. A bit of her daydream was going to come true, anyway, and she could start making plans now in good earnest. ‘We’ve not liked it much here, but it was healthier for the twins—there are some quite nice walks…’

  ‘Have we had supper?’ asked George.

  ‘Oh, I’ll put the kettle on at once,’ cried Emily. ‘I’m so sorry. Will tea do and—and toasted cheese?’

  George got up. He was a nice-looking man and very calm and leisurely in his manner. ‘Fish and chips,’ he declared. ‘Just tell me where to get them, and a bottle of something from the pub.’ He was already at the door. ‘Get out the knives and forks and a corkscrew, I’ll be with you in no time.’

  When he’d gone Emily asked: ‘Was it awful, Mary? Not getting letters from you—only that funny one saying you were delayed…’

  ‘Well, it wasn’t very pleasant, but you know George, my dear, he never loses his head and he knew that if he just sat tight someone would give way somewhere. His Head Office smoothed things over finally and we got back this afternoon. We had to leave a good deal behind and there won’t be anyone going in his place, but we’re home again. I worried about the twins, of course, but I knew they’d be safe with you.’

  Emily built up the fire and wondered if now was the time to tell Mary about the overdose, then decided that it wasn’t. For one thing Louisa wasn’t there and it savoured of sneaking behind her back, and for another, Mary and Louisa didn’t get on very well. ‘You’ll spend the night, of course. There’s no spare room, but I’ll make up my bed and sleep with Louisa. I’ve a day off tomorrow, isn’t it lucky?’

  ‘Lovely—we’ve a lot to talk about and to do. I hope the twins remember us. And we won’t stay here, darling, you’ve enough on your plate as it is. There’s an hotel here, close by, isn’t there? We’ll sleep there and come round directly after breakfast, then I can bath and dress the babies and take them off your hands.’

  George came back with the food then and a bottle of wine tucked under one arm, and no one talked seriously after that. They were still sitting round the table when Louisa came back. She must have seen that the lights were still on for they could hear her, while she was still in the hall, complaining that there was no need for Emily to wait up. ‘I’m not a child,’ she declared as she flung open the door, to stand with her pretty mouth open.

  ‘Mary—George, what’s happened? How did you get here? Oh, how lovely, now you can have the twins. It’s been such hard work…’

  Mary went over to give her a rather perfunctory kiss on the cheek. ‘Who for?’ she asked. ‘I can guess who did the lion’s share of the work. I hear you’re taking yourself off to London.’

  Louisa went to embrace George without answering at once. ‘Well,’ she declared after a minute, ‘I have my future to think of, and when I’m a famous model you won’t talk like that to me!’

  Mary didn’t answer her, and Emily began to talk about something else. Her two sisters had never got on very well and to quarrel on their first evening together for months would be too awful. She plunged into plans for the next few days and Louisa presently drifted away to her bed; no one was particularly interested in her flat, not just at that time, and she was really only happy when the attention was centred upon herself. The hazards Mary and George had passed through left her cold.

  But not Emily. She listened, enthralled, while George, in his calm voice, recounted the happenings of the last few months. ‘And glad we are to be home again,’ he finished.

  It was after midnight when they left, with the promise that they would be back early in the morning. Emily went to bed happier than she had been for months. The mantle of care she had been wearing had slipped from her shoulders and much though she loved the twins, she would be free to lead her own life once again. She slept like a log and was up early to see to the twins and eat her breakfast. Of Louisa there was no sign and when she went into her sister’s room with a cup of tea, Louisa only grunted and turned over.

  Mary was getting ready to bath the twins and Emily was washing up when the door bell was pealed with vigour. ‘That’ll be George,’ said Mary, and went to the door.

  She came back after a few moments, looking puzzled and amused. ‘There’s a man at the door,’ she observed. ‘He’s enormous and very good-looking, and he says he’s come to see the twins.’

  Emily blushed and hated herself for it. ‘He’s a surgeon at the hospital—at least, he’s a professor. He—he knows the twins…’ She wiped a cup with care and went on: ‘There’s something I haven’t told you, Mary, but I suppose Louisa should do it, but then you’ll be angry…’

  ‘If someone doesn’t tell me something soon I shall be very angry! What’s the mystery, love?’ Mary gave Emily a quick glance and went back into the hall, to reappear a moment later with the Professor at her heels.

  Emily introduced them, acknowledged the Professor’s bland good morning with a brisk nod and waited for someone to say something.

  ‘I feel in my bones that the twins have been ill,’ said Mary, eyeing the Professor. ‘Perhaps you’ll tell me about it.’

  ‘Certainly, Mrs Brooks, but I think, as Emily suggests, Louisa should be here too.’

  Emily went to the bottom of the stairs and called her sister. It was a very small house, with thin walls, so Louisa must know by now who was downstairs. Apparently she did, for presently she joined them in the kitchen, wearing the new dressing gown and with her hair arranged just so. She had got her make-up on too, Emily noticed.

  She smiled at them all, a wistful smile which her two sisters had seen on many occasions, and ignored now, and strangely enough, so did the Professor.

  ‘Your sister must be told about the twins,’ he observed in what Emily described to herself as a family doctor voice. ‘Emily and I both think that you should do the telling.’

  Louisa tossed her head. ‘Of all the stupid fusses about nothing!’ She pouted prettily at him. ‘I thought we’d all forgotten about it—after all, they’re none the worse.’

  ‘They could have died,’ stated the Professor flatly.

  ‘And if someone doesn’t tell me at once what all this is about, I shall scream,’ said Mary. ‘What did you do, Louisa?’

  ‘There, you see?’ cried Louisa, and went to stand by the Professor, as though he would protect her from heaven knew what. ‘I’m accused of something no one knows anything about!’

  She waited, but since no one spoke she went on sulkily. ‘Oh, all right, I gave the twins something to make them sleep while I went to a dress show and it was too big a dose.’ Her voice rose. ‘Well, how was I to know? They’d been crying all the morning, and I was fed up.’

  Mary had gone quite white. ‘And what happened? No, not you, Louisa, I suppose you were safely out of the house.’ She looked at Emily.

  ‘I found them when I got home; I was just going to telephone the hospital when Professor Jurres-Romeijn came to see Louisa. He took them—us—to hospital in his car and they were perfectly all right after they’d been treated. They stayed in for three days and the Professor looked after them.’ She added: ‘He’s very clever.’

  The Professor’s mouth twitched although he remained silent, leaning against the kitchen table with his hands in his pockets. It was left for Emily to say: ‘You don’t have to worry, Mary, they’re absolutely fit again.’

  Mary said slowly: ‘Thanks to you and Professor… I’ve forgotten your name—but no thanks to Louisa. I won’t forgive you, Louisa.’

  Louisa took refuge in another burst o
f tears and this time it was the Professor who said: ‘If you want to go into town, I’ll wait and give you a lift, Louisa, but be quick.’

  She stopped crying at once, flashed a triumphant look at her sisters, and disappeared upstairs.

  When her bedroom door closed Mary asked: ‘You think I’m being hard on her, Professor?’

  He shook his head. ‘No, I think you have shown remarkable restraint. May I take a look at William and Claire now I’m here? And perhaps when your husband is free, we might all three have a chat.’

  She gave him a thoughtful look. ‘Yes, of course, I’d like that—so would George.’ She smiled suddenly. ‘I’ll just pop upstairs and get them ready—will you come up or shall I bring them down?’

  ‘I’ll come up.’

  When she had gone Emily said: ‘Thank you, Professor,’ and he nodded understanding. She was thanking him for offering Louisa a lift; her young sister’s ego had been sadly mauled and he had given it a boost again. Perhaps he was annoyed at the way Mary had spoken to Louisa; if he had fallen in love with her, he wouldn’t like her to be upset, even if Mary had been justified. Emily pondered that as she hung the tea towels to dry.

  He didn’t answer her, only nodded again carelessly and went upstairs to where Mary was waiting for him. He came down presently, remarking that the twins were as fit as they could possibly be and that doubtless he would be seeing her before long, and refusing the cup of coffee she offered to make, collected an impatient Louisa and went.

  ‘He’s nice,’ observed Mary, coming downstairs again. ‘Knows how to handle children, too. Do you work for him all the time?’

  ‘No—he has some cases on the ward, though, and I specialled one of them for him.’

  ‘So how did Louisa get to know him?’

  Emily was standing by the stove, watching the kettle boil. ‘She fell down in front of his car.’

  ‘Don’t tell me—she hurt her ankle, so he brought her home…’

  ‘How did you know?’

  ‘Emily darling, it’s one of the oldest tricks in the world, though I don’t fancy that he fell for it—probably it amused him at the time.’