Flora's War by Audrey Reimann

Author:Audrey Reimann
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ebury Publishing

Chapter Eight

In the attic room she had not left since she came to Ingersley, Flora was in bed when she heard, from outside, the slam of the door of the Armstrong Siddeley. It was early evening and Lady Campbell had told Nanny by telephone yesterday that she would leave Invergordon early so as to arrive back at Ingersley before dark. She had made it.

Flora’s mouth went dry while she waited for news of Andrew. Lady Campbell was not a woman to beat about the bush, as Flora had learned on her second day here, when Lady Campbell reported back to her Mrs Stewart’s horror at being told about Andrew’s wrongdoing. It made no difference that Flora cried and protested that she was as much to blame as Andrew. Lady Campbell replied, ‘You were an under-age child. Andrew Stewart was committing a criminal offence. No court in the country would believe that he was not aware of it.’

When Flora tearfully repeated that Andrew had told her to go to his ma if she needed anything, Lady Campbell said, ‘Mrs Stewart has been transferred to a convalescent home. But she says she will not return here where she and her son are under a cloud of shame.’

Now, Flora thought, Lady Campbell would want to rest and eat before she came to her, and she jumped when, barely five minutes later, Lady Campbell came in, still wearing her driving coat and scarf.

Flora heaved herself up the bed and blurted out, ‘Did you see Andrew? Did you give him my letter?’

Lady Campbell dropped on to the side of the bed and gripped Flora’s hand. ‘Did Andrew come to see you?’ she asked eagerly, as if her life depended upon it. Her eyes were bright.

‘No,’ Flora replied, hesitantly.

‘You have had no word – no contact?’

‘No.’ Flora held her breath.

‘My dear.’ Lady Campbell’s face grew calm. She bit her lip, looked away for a second, then, ‘I don’t know how to tell you this.’

Flora knew her own face was pale because her mouth was stiff and numb and she could barely speak. ‘You gave him my letter?’

‘I left it at the office. He would have got it before he left the ship.’ Lady Campbell stood up and took off her sheepskin coat. ‘What did you write?’

For ever afterwards Flora would associate the thick, sweet smell of sheepskin with the helplessness and vulnerability she felt as she waited a few moments before finding the strength to say, in a voice that was little more than a whisper, ‘I told him about the baby – begged him to come.’

Lady Campbell said, ‘He knew where to find you. And I left your new address with Mr Davidson.’ She pursed her lips and frowned. ‘I’m sorry, Flora. Andrew Stewart has left you to your fate.’

Flora let herself fall back against the pillows as the awful truth swept over her and Lady Campbell continued to spell out to her how dire was the trouble she was in.

After a few moments spent observing her, Lady Campbell said, ‘I had to tell my husband, the Commander.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.