‘The Buchanans? I’ve not heard of them. But that’s because I don’t move in the right circles. Are they landed gentry?’
‘I suppose so,’ said Augusta. ‘My father has a title.’
‘A title? I’m guessing it’s not Mister.’
‘No. He’s the Earl of Uppingham.’
Philip’s mouth dropped open. ‘An Earl?’
‘I’ve had nothing to do with him for nearly twenty years.’
‘He’s an Earl?’ Fred’s eyes were as wide as saucers. ‘So what does that make you, Augusta? A lady?’
‘If I were to use the name I was born with, then I would be called Lady Rebecca Buchanan.’
Chapter 64
The shop door swung open and Lady Hereford entered, pushed in her bath chair by her nurse. Fred dashed over to hold the door open for them.
‘Good morning!’ said Lady Hereford. ‘Goodness, what have I missed? You could cut the atmosphere in here with a knife.’
Augusta nervously cleared her throat. ‘I’ve just told Philip and Fred my real name.’
‘They didn’t already know it?’
‘No.’
‘Oh. I thought you would have told them by now.’ She grinned at them. ‘Surprising, isn’t it?’
‘You were clearly very supportive of Augusta when she had no one else,’ said Philip.
‘One just does what any normal person would do.’ She addressed her nurse. ‘Wheel me over to Sparky, please.’
Augusta knew Philip’s compliment had embarrassed Lady Hereford. She didn’t know how best to respond to praise.
‘I’ve become so accustomed to calling her Augusta that it’s strange to think she’s really Rebecca,’ said Lady Hereford as she fed Sparky some birdseed. ‘I knew the Earl of Uppingham and his wife for many years, and they had three delightful daughters. Two were happy to marry into good families and have done well for themselves. The other one, however, had a mind of her own.’ She gave Augusta a broad smile. ‘And she was always my favourite of the three.’
Now it was Augusta’s turn to feel embarrassed.
‘The earl and his wife made a mistake when they tried to arrange a marriage for Rebecca,’ the old lady continued. ‘I warned them she wouldn’t stand for it, but they didn’t listen. And so they lost her. It’s a terrible shame because they’re missing out on a great deal.’
Augusta felt the lump in her throat again. ‘You’ve been like an aunt to me, Lady Hereford.’
‘Well, that’s nice to hear, Augusta. And I think that makes Sparky your cousin.’
Augusta laughed.
‘Having heard your story, I think you’re very brave Augusta,’ said Philip. ‘Other young women in your position would have gone along with their parents’ wishes.’
‘They would have done,’ said Lady Hereford. ‘They wouldn’t have wanted to lose their money and privilege.’
‘My freedom was always the most important thing to me,’ said Augusta. ‘Being a lady meant little to me. I don’t mean any disrespect, Lady Hereford, because I know it means a lot to some people. It’s a shame my parents had such rigid expectations of me.’
‘It’s their loss, Augusta,’ said Lady Hereford. ‘They’ve missed out on seeing what their wonderful daughter is capable of doing.’
Augusta rarely gave her parents much thought these days. It pained her to think about relationships which were over. The estrangement from her parents had left a gap in her life which would never be filled. Occasionally, she wondered if they ever thought of her. She knew they couldn’t possibly be proud of her, because she hadn’t done what they had wanted her to do.
‘I sometimes wonder if they ever regret it,’ said Lady Hereford.
‘I hope they regret it,’ said Philip. ‘I don’t understand it! We live in an age now where most people are receiving a good education and women can work as well as men. To restrict people’s dreams and ambitions seems very old-fashioned to me.’
‘It is old-fashioned,’ said Augusta. ‘And it was twenty years ago. It was a different time then. Everything before the war feels like a different time.’
Everyone nodded. ‘It does,’ said Lady Hereford.
‘Once the war was over, I felt determined to make a new life for myself,’ said Augusta. ‘I didn’t want to dwell on what had happened in the past.’
‘That’s understandable Augusta,’ said Lady Hereford. ‘But that doesn’t mean forgetting about the people who are no longer with us.’
She was talking about Matthew Peel. Lady Hereford had adored him.
Augusta nodded and felt tears at the back of her eyes. ‘No. We can do more to remember them.’
She only had a few photographs of Matthew and they were hidden away in a drawer. She had last looked at them after Philip had picked them up from the floor of her flat after the break-in. She made a promise to herself to talk more about Matthew from now on.
He needed to be properly remembered.
The End
