(no subject)
Chapter Six
First Evening Together
The supper bell was ringing as they hurried up the path towards Kirrin Cottage and the six children lost no time in taking off their outdoor clothes and washing their hands in readiness for the meal.
"Something smells nice," said Peter appreciatively watching Joanna carry in an enormous pie.
"Steak and kidney," Joanna said, pleased. "And plenty of mashed potatoes and carrots and peas and parsnips and gravy. And for your pudding I've made a jam roly poly and lots of custard. Young Master George's favourite and I haven't made it yet this holiday."
"Gosh," said Peter faintly.
"You're a good sort, Joanna," said George and Nicola thought what a different person she looked when she allowed herself to smile.
Aunt Fanny asked Julian to remind Uncle Quentin that supper was on the table and then began to serve large portions of pie all round. A roar from the direction of the study made Lawrie, Nicola and Peter jump although the others ignored it. Julian appeared again looking embarrassed.
"Sorry, Aunt Fanny, he said he hasn't time to stop."
The Marlows exchanged glances with each other. It had been obvious to them that Uncle Quentin had said considerably more than that but no-one else seemed especially concerned. They were all concentrating on attacking their supper plates with wholehearted energy.
Lawrie looked down at the outsize piece of pie on her own plate and cast agonised eyes at Nicola. Aunt Fanny said cheerfully:
"I gave you an extra big piece, Lawrie, dear, because you ate nothing at tea time."
Lawrie nodded dolefully and shook her head at the various vegetable dishes that were passed to her. Fortunately for her, Aunt Fanny noticed the wet and sandy trail Timmy was leaving as he settled himself under the table, and began to chastise George for letting him into the house in such a state. Under cover of this, which involved George sulkily taking Timmy outside to his kennel to dry off, she was able to give Peter most of her pie and to help herself to peas which were the least alarming of the mounds of vegetables. With a manageable portion on her plate she began to enjoy her supper. The pie was the best she had ever tasted and she almost regretted giving Peter such a large part of it.
"What shall we do after supper?" Dick said. "Do you play games? We've got loads of board games and cards."
"We play chess," Nicola said. "Or at least, Peter and I do."
"Chess?" said Julian with an indulgent laugh. "That's not really a girl's game, is it?"
"Why not?" asked Nicola. "We all play chess at home. Even Lawrie can play even if she doesn't very often. And Rowan's brilliant although she hardly ever has time to play properly because of the farm."
Julian quirked an eyebrow and gave a little smile to himself and Anne said:
"Which one's Rowan? We haven't asked you anything about your family yet although Aunt Fanny did tell us you've got lots of brothers and sisters."
"Eight of us altogether," Nicola said. "Giles is the eldest, then Karen and then Rowan. Ann's next, then Ginty, then Peter and lastly Lawrie and me. Rowan's the one who's the farmer."
"Rowan's a farmer?" asked Julian disbelievingly.
"Yes."
"You mean she helps out on the farm with your father?"
"No, I don't mean that," said Nicola, irritated. "Daddy's in the Navy. So's Giles. Someone had to run the farm so Rowan left school early and does it."
"But are girls allowed to be farmers?"
"Gosh," said Peter. "We never thought of that, did we, Nick? Perhaps someone ought to check before Rowan gets too good at it."
He gave Julian a wide smile.
"You are a clot sometimes, you know, Ju," said Dick cheerfully. "These days girls can do an awful lot of things they couldn't have once, can't they, Aunt Fanny?"
"I expect so, dear," said Aunt Fanny placidly. "Although I've never thought it a good idea for girls to get too clever or they might not find a husband."
"Well, Karen has," said Lawrie. "And she's awfully clever. She used to read ancient Greek and Latin for fun but she's married with three children and no-one ever expected her to be."
"Heavens!" said Aunt Fanny in surprise. "How old is Karen? I thought - "
"Step children," said Nicola quickly.
"That's all I really want to do," said Anne simply. "Get married and have some babies."
"And you'll be wonderful," said Julian smiling at his little sister. Anne blushed. She loved being praised by Julian.
"I'm never going to get married," George remarked, announcing her return by crashing the door behind her, thumping down in her chair and scraping its legs painfully towards the table. "Or have children. Timmy and I are going to run a kennels. What are you going to do, Nick?"
Nicola was very surprised, and rather pleased, to find that the gruff George had actually put a fairly friendly question to her.
"Well, I expect Julian will think I won't be able to do it but I'd like to go round the world single handed."
"Single handed?" asked Anne. "What do you mean? On your own? Do you mean you'd hitchhike? That's awfully dangerous, you know. Mummy says - "
"I meant in a boat."
"In a boat?" repeated Julian incredulously.
"Why shouldn't she?" Lawrie said, for once coming to her twin's defence. "Nick knows all about boats and sailing."
"Doesshe?"
"So does George when you think about it," Dick said fairly. "She's the only one who can row us out to the Island and not get us scuppered on the rocks."
"I don't know much about sailing though - " George began to say just as Peter said:
"Island? What island?"
"Kirrin Island," said Anne. "It belongs to George. It's lovely there. We go over a lot, don't we, everyone? But it's surrounded by big dangerous rocks and only George knows the way."
"It sounds super," Peter said enviously. "Would you take us, George?"
"Not in the winter," said Aunt Fanny firmly.
"It would be all right on a mild day," George said. "No different from the summer if there's no wind."
"Oh, please, Aunt Fanny," pleaded Anne. "It would be so lovely to show Nick and Lawrie and Peter the island and the rabbits and the dungeons and - "
"Dungeons?" chorused all three Marlows, very suitably impressed.
"And a castle," George put in, pleased by their response. "Oh, please, Mother! If we get a fine day. Please!"
"Well," said Aunt Fanny to the seven pairs of expectant eyes upon her. "We'll see. If we get a really fine day then perhaps. But will your boat take all of you, George?"
"Oh, I can borrow a bigger one," said George carelessly. "Thanks, Mother. Is there any more pie?"
Nicola and Peter, excited by the idea of the castle on the island plied George with questions all through the rest of the meal while Lawrie trailed her spoon through jam roly poly and custard and listened and put in an occasional comment of her own.
"If you don't want that," Peter said to her as he scoured his bowl of its second helping, "I can easily help you finish it, you know."
"I do want it," said Lawrie. "It's lovely. I'm making it last."
"Do you always eat so slowly?" George asked her, helping herself to the last jammy dregs of the pudding dish with a practised hand.
"Don't be rude, George," said Aunt Fanny firmly. "Lawrie eats at a sensible speed which is the polite thing to do. It wouldn't hurt any of you to slow down a little. I'm sure you'll all have ulcers by the time you're thirty." She twinkled at each of them in turn and Lawrie watched, fascinated. How did Aunt Fanny do that thing with her eyes?
Joanna came in to clear the dishes and Anne got up to help her.
"That was a wonderful meal, Joanna," said Julian graciously.
"Get along with you, Master Julian," said Joanna going red with pleasure. "You know how I loves cooking for such fine eaters."
"It must make a lot of washing up though," said Julian. "With three extra."
"That it does, Master Julian."
"I'm sure the girls will all help," said Aunt Fanny.
"I like that!" said George crossly. "Why can't the boys as well?"
"Keep your Yfronts on, old thing," said Dick cheerfully, giving George a good natured kick under the table. "You know we'll all help."
"Does Joanna actually want seven of us all in the kitchen?" said Julian. "I vote we draw up a rota. Anyone got a pencil and a bit of paper?"
"What a good idea," said Aunt Fanny, looking at him gratefully. "But I think we must let Nicola and Lawrie and Peter off for their first night. Especially poor little Lawrie. She looks almost asleep already!"
Lawrie, who had rather hoped to hear something like this, washing up being a task she would spend more energy on escaping from than engaging with, looked at Aunt Fanny from under her lashes before admitting that yes she was tired, although not tired enough to go to bed. Peter and Nicola felt the family honour rested upon their being valiant about being included in the night's rota, although after their beach walk followed by a heavy meal neither felt that they could even move very comfortably let alone do anything useful, but Julian waved them away.
"George and Dick tonight," he said, busily writing. "With Anne putting things away. And then we'll have time for a game of cards in front of the fire. I'll go and find them and you three can come with me and tell me what games you like."
Aunt Fanny took a pile of mending with her and watched the seven children indulgently as they played several games of Rummy and Newmarket and only left them when the telephone rang.
"Might be Mum," said Lawrie hopefully.
"She phoned earlier, remember, while you were out doing your exploring."
"Still might be Mum - or perhaps it's Rodney Stone again - "
"Who's he?" asked Julian.
Lawrie explained and added that she'd quite like to see him again on her own behalf.
"We'll have to look out for him," Dick said. "Kirrin is such a small place strangers stand out a mile. What did he look like?"
Lawrie, who could be very observant when she wanted to be, described him in some detail and the others looked interested.
"I say," said Dick. "He sounds just like the chap on the beach, doesn't he? I remember thinking how could anyone go out without a hat in this weather."
"You're right," said Peter. "And he was tall and thin just like Lawrie said. I wonder what they were up to"
"Probably nothing at all," said Julian firmly. "And now, don't you think it's time we all went to bed? You girls all look tired out."
First Evening Together
The supper bell was ringing as they hurried up the path towards Kirrin Cottage and the six children lost no time in taking off their outdoor clothes and washing their hands in readiness for the meal.
"Something smells nice," said Peter appreciatively watching Joanna carry in an enormous pie.
"Steak and kidney," Joanna said, pleased. "And plenty of mashed potatoes and carrots and peas and parsnips and gravy. And for your pudding I've made a jam roly poly and lots of custard. Young Master George's favourite and I haven't made it yet this holiday."
"Gosh," said Peter faintly.
"You're a good sort, Joanna," said George and Nicola thought what a different person she looked when she allowed herself to smile.
Aunt Fanny asked Julian to remind Uncle Quentin that supper was on the table and then began to serve large portions of pie all round. A roar from the direction of the study made Lawrie, Nicola and Peter jump although the others ignored it. Julian appeared again looking embarrassed.
"Sorry, Aunt Fanny, he said he hasn't time to stop."
The Marlows exchanged glances with each other. It had been obvious to them that Uncle Quentin had said considerably more than that but no-one else seemed especially concerned. They were all concentrating on attacking their supper plates with wholehearted energy.
Lawrie looked down at the outsize piece of pie on her own plate and cast agonised eyes at Nicola. Aunt Fanny said cheerfully:
"I gave you an extra big piece, Lawrie, dear, because you ate nothing at tea time."
Lawrie nodded dolefully and shook her head at the various vegetable dishes that were passed to her. Fortunately for her, Aunt Fanny noticed the wet and sandy trail Timmy was leaving as he settled himself under the table, and began to chastise George for letting him into the house in such a state. Under cover of this, which involved George sulkily taking Timmy outside to his kennel to dry off, she was able to give Peter most of her pie and to help herself to peas which were the least alarming of the mounds of vegetables. With a manageable portion on her plate she began to enjoy her supper. The pie was the best she had ever tasted and she almost regretted giving Peter such a large part of it.
"What shall we do after supper?" Dick said. "Do you play games? We've got loads of board games and cards."
"We play chess," Nicola said. "Or at least, Peter and I do."
"Chess?" said Julian with an indulgent laugh. "That's not really a girl's game, is it?"
"Why not?" asked Nicola. "We all play chess at home. Even Lawrie can play even if she doesn't very often. And Rowan's brilliant although she hardly ever has time to play properly because of the farm."
Julian quirked an eyebrow and gave a little smile to himself and Anne said:
"Which one's Rowan? We haven't asked you anything about your family yet although Aunt Fanny did tell us you've got lots of brothers and sisters."
"Eight of us altogether," Nicola said. "Giles is the eldest, then Karen and then Rowan. Ann's next, then Ginty, then Peter and lastly Lawrie and me. Rowan's the one who's the farmer."
"Rowan's a farmer?" asked Julian disbelievingly.
"Yes."
"You mean she helps out on the farm with your father?"
"No, I don't mean that," said Nicola, irritated. "Daddy's in the Navy. So's Giles. Someone had to run the farm so Rowan left school early and does it."
"But are girls allowed to be farmers?"
"Gosh," said Peter. "We never thought of that, did we, Nick? Perhaps someone ought to check before Rowan gets too good at it."
He gave Julian a wide smile.
"You are a clot sometimes, you know, Ju," said Dick cheerfully. "These days girls can do an awful lot of things they couldn't have once, can't they, Aunt Fanny?"
"I expect so, dear," said Aunt Fanny placidly. "Although I've never thought it a good idea for girls to get too clever or they might not find a husband."
"Well, Karen has," said Lawrie. "And she's awfully clever. She used to read ancient Greek and Latin for fun but she's married with three children and no-one ever expected her to be."
"Heavens!" said Aunt Fanny in surprise. "How old is Karen? I thought - "
"Step children," said Nicola quickly.
"That's all I really want to do," said Anne simply. "Get married and have some babies."
"And you'll be wonderful," said Julian smiling at his little sister. Anne blushed. She loved being praised by Julian.
"I'm never going to get married," George remarked, announcing her return by crashing the door behind her, thumping down in her chair and scraping its legs painfully towards the table. "Or have children. Timmy and I are going to run a kennels. What are you going to do, Nick?"
Nicola was very surprised, and rather pleased, to find that the gruff George had actually put a fairly friendly question to her.
"Well, I expect Julian will think I won't be able to do it but I'd like to go round the world single handed."
"Single handed?" asked Anne. "What do you mean? On your own? Do you mean you'd hitchhike? That's awfully dangerous, you know. Mummy says - "
"I meant in a boat."
"In a boat?" repeated Julian incredulously.
"Why shouldn't she?" Lawrie said, for once coming to her twin's defence. "Nick knows all about boats and sailing."
"Doesshe?"
"So does George when you think about it," Dick said fairly. "She's the only one who can row us out to the Island and not get us scuppered on the rocks."
"I don't know much about sailing though - " George began to say just as Peter said:
"Island? What island?"
"Kirrin Island," said Anne. "It belongs to George. It's lovely there. We go over a lot, don't we, everyone? But it's surrounded by big dangerous rocks and only George knows the way."
"It sounds super," Peter said enviously. "Would you take us, George?"
"Not in the winter," said Aunt Fanny firmly.
"It would be all right on a mild day," George said. "No different from the summer if there's no wind."
"Oh, please, Aunt Fanny," pleaded Anne. "It would be so lovely to show Nick and Lawrie and Peter the island and the rabbits and the dungeons and - "
"Dungeons?" chorused all three Marlows, very suitably impressed.
"And a castle," George put in, pleased by their response. "Oh, please, Mother! If we get a fine day. Please!"
"Well," said Aunt Fanny to the seven pairs of expectant eyes upon her. "We'll see. If we get a really fine day then perhaps. But will your boat take all of you, George?"
"Oh, I can borrow a bigger one," said George carelessly. "Thanks, Mother. Is there any more pie?"
Nicola and Peter, excited by the idea of the castle on the island plied George with questions all through the rest of the meal while Lawrie trailed her spoon through jam roly poly and custard and listened and put in an occasional comment of her own.
"If you don't want that," Peter said to her as he scoured his bowl of its second helping, "I can easily help you finish it, you know."
"I do want it," said Lawrie. "It's lovely. I'm making it last."
"Do you always eat so slowly?" George asked her, helping herself to the last jammy dregs of the pudding dish with a practised hand.
"Don't be rude, George," said Aunt Fanny firmly. "Lawrie eats at a sensible speed which is the polite thing to do. It wouldn't hurt any of you to slow down a little. I'm sure you'll all have ulcers by the time you're thirty." She twinkled at each of them in turn and Lawrie watched, fascinated. How did Aunt Fanny do that thing with her eyes?
Joanna came in to clear the dishes and Anne got up to help her.
"That was a wonderful meal, Joanna," said Julian graciously.
"Get along with you, Master Julian," said Joanna going red with pleasure. "You know how I loves cooking for such fine eaters."
"It must make a lot of washing up though," said Julian. "With three extra."
"That it does, Master Julian."
"I'm sure the girls will all help," said Aunt Fanny.
"I like that!" said George crossly. "Why can't the boys as well?"
"Keep your Yfronts on, old thing," said Dick cheerfully, giving George a good natured kick under the table. "You know we'll all help."
"Does Joanna actually want seven of us all in the kitchen?" said Julian. "I vote we draw up a rota. Anyone got a pencil and a bit of paper?"
"What a good idea," said Aunt Fanny, looking at him gratefully. "But I think we must let Nicola and Lawrie and Peter off for their first night. Especially poor little Lawrie. She looks almost asleep already!"
Lawrie, who had rather hoped to hear something like this, washing up being a task she would spend more energy on escaping from than engaging with, looked at Aunt Fanny from under her lashes before admitting that yes she was tired, although not tired enough to go to bed. Peter and Nicola felt the family honour rested upon their being valiant about being included in the night's rota, although after their beach walk followed by a heavy meal neither felt that they could even move very comfortably let alone do anything useful, but Julian waved them away.
"George and Dick tonight," he said, busily writing. "With Anne putting things away. And then we'll have time for a game of cards in front of the fire. I'll go and find them and you three can come with me and tell me what games you like."
Aunt Fanny took a pile of mending with her and watched the seven children indulgently as they played several games of Rummy and Newmarket and only left them when the telephone rang.
"Might be Mum," said Lawrie hopefully.
"She phoned earlier, remember, while you were out doing your exploring."
"Still might be Mum - or perhaps it's Rodney Stone again - "
"Who's he?" asked Julian.
Lawrie explained and added that she'd quite like to see him again on her own behalf.
"We'll have to look out for him," Dick said. "Kirrin is such a small place strangers stand out a mile. What did he look like?"
Lawrie, who could be very observant when she wanted to be, described him in some detail and the others looked interested.
"I say," said Dick. "He sounds just like the chap on the beach, doesn't he? I remember thinking how could anyone go out without a hat in this weather."
"You're right," said Peter. "And he was tall and thin just like Lawrie said. I wonder what they were up to"
"Probably nothing at all," said Julian firmly. "And now, don't you think it's time we all went to bed? You girls all look tired out."