Back home and in her own bed, Milly pondered her own future, as her conversation with Lena had given her much food for thought. Quite simply, Milly empathised with her half-sister’s feelings. She enjoyed doing the windows of the big stores, but it was a job with no real purpose. She longed to get her teeth into something which really mattered.
‘Do you think there will be a war?’ she’d asked as they parted.
Lena had shrugged. ‘Your guess is as good as mine,’ she’d said, adding darkly, ‘but it doesn’t look good, does it?’
* * *
Milly and Eustace ended up meeting the following week. He’d cancelled on her twice, as his other commitments seemed to get in the way.
He picked her up from Hanningtons in Brighton where she had been giving a ‘class’ to some new window-dressers who were just about to start in the shop. Once again, she had excelled herself, this time with an autumnal scene. A mannequin dressed as a farmer was raking up leaves, while a display of autumn fruits and produce from Hanningtons’ grocery shop was arranged on a barrow behind him. As soon as the window had been revealed, crowds had gathered outside the shop to admire it, and the footfall inside the store had rocketed.
Eustace was parked outside when she emerged. He hailed her and leapt out of the driver’s seat to hold the passenger door open for her. As they greeted each other, he raised his hat.
Once in the car, she was able to look at him more closely. At Lady Verity’s party, Milly remembered being struck by his gingery complexion and the downy fuzz on his face, so had been under the impression that he was not much older than she was. Sitting next to him in broad daylight, she now she realised how wrong she had been. He looked about twenty-three or maybe a little older and, far from having teenage fluff on his face, he sported a close beard.
‘It really is lovely to see you again,’ he said as he threw the hat on the back seat and started the engine. His light brown eyes twinkled as he gave her a winning smile.
Milly blushed. ‘And you too.’
They both laughed and exchanged the usual pleasantries as he motored out of town. He took her for a walk along the River Adur near Shoreham. The weather was getting cooler and Milly was glad of her coat and gloves. She was also glad that she had treated herself to a new pair of pixie boots with fur around the ankle.
Eustace looked really handsome in a naval-style duffel coat with a tartan lining. He walked with his hands stuffed in his pockets.
They began by asking each other about their lives. She discovered that his father was ‘something in the Foreign Office’, and it seemed that his mother centred her life around the home and the local golf club. ‘Right now they’re skiing in the Austrian Tyrol at a place called St Anton to celebrate their silver wedding anniversary,’ he said.
Milly was slightly puzzled. She thought he had told her his mother was dead, but perhaps she’d got it wrong.
‘It was my mother’s lifelong dream to go, after she saw the German film The White Ecstasy,’ he continued. ‘They’re having the time of their lives, but I don’t mind telling you, I shall be glad when they’re safely back home.’
Milly could understand the sentiment. Things on the world’s stage were gathering pace. Although the ‘peace for our time’ Munich Agreement was supposed to bring an increasing sense of calm, it seemed that every government in Europe was saying one thing but preparing for quite another.
Eustace was interested in what she had been doing and Milly felt slightly awkward telling him that most of her time of late had been taken up by the events in the courtroom.
As they came towards the river itself, Milly brought up the subject which had been puzzling her for some time. ‘Are there a lot of bird-watchers around here?’
‘The odd one or two, I suppose,’ he said, adding with a chuckle, ‘although I haven’t come across very many. Why?’
‘It’s just that when Seebold, Lena and I were collecting his friend’s dog up there on the hill, I saw a man hiding in the undergrowth.’
Eustace gave her a puzzled frown.
‘You remember I told you that Seebold was chased by a swan,’ she continued, ‘well when he managed to get back into the lorry, the swan turned back and then it suddenly spotted the man coming out of the long grass and chased after him instead. I’ve often wondered what he was doing up there.’
‘Probably watching the swans,’ Eustace suggested with a shrug. ‘Or maybe butterflies. You get a lot of Clouded Yellow butterflies and the Dusky Sallow up there on the grassland. Did the man have a net or a camera?’
‘I don’t think so.’ Milly shook her head. ‘Anyway, he was facing that way.’
Eustace followed her pointing finger then pulled a face. ‘The only thing over there is Lancing College and Shoreham Airport.’
Milly said no more but it struck her that Pearl’s husband didn’t seem to be the type to be interested in butterflies. And come to think of it, yes, he had had something in his hand that day. She had seen him throw it into the bag on the back of his bicycle. Could it have been a camera or perhaps some binoculars?
So what was the true reason for him being up there? Was he bird-watching, or was it something more sinister? She shivered. Could he have been looking at Lancing College or the flight path to Shoreham Airport?
As they walked on, they bumped shoulders and Eustace reached for her hand. After spending such a lovely afternoon together, it seemed the most natural thing in the world and it gave Milly the most delicious feeling.
Chapter 30
Freddie dropped his bombshell at the breakfast table a week later, leaving Agatha and Pearl completely stunned.
‘We’ve done nothing at all this year. It’s about time we started some proper socialising in the run-up to Christmas,’ he told them. ‘I want you to organise a dinner party for the local gentry.’
Agatha opened her mouth to say something, but Freddie put up his hand. ‘I know what you’re going to say, the expense will be too high. Well, it may be considered vulgar, but I want to help.’ He rolled a wad of notes along the table towards her.
‘I can’t possibly . . .’ Agatha spluttered.
‘Please consider it as a gift, Mother-in-Law,’ he said, helping himself to another egg. ‘I have not made much of a contribution since I’ve been here and, after all, I am family.’
There was a moment of bemused silence, then Pearl said, ‘How exciting. Who shall we invite, Mummy?’
It had been so long since Agatha had entertained, she could hardly think. ‘Major Chipping might be a good option,’ she began, adding by way of explanation for Freddie, ‘He’s the chairman of the local hunt.’
‘Excellent,’ said Freddie.
‘What about Lady Verity?’ said Pearl. ‘After all, we did go to her party all that time ago.’
‘If we invite her, we should have Sir Maurice as well,’ Agatha said. ‘And if they come, maybe His Grace the Duke?’
‘Oh Mummy, he’s a bit of a bore.’
