The Abandoned Daughter by Mary Wood

Author:Mary Wood
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pan Macmillan UK

Chapter Twenty-Three

To Ella’s surprise, all of her near-neighbours agreed to come to her impromptu party. She and Rowena had spent time, before Rowena left, preparing jerk chicken with rice and peas. And now Ella was putting the finishing touches to the table, adding serviettes and drinking glasses. This was to be a proper Jamaican party.

Paulo was still resting. He had been jubilant when he’d come home, telling her how well he’d managed, and how he loved what he was learning to do. His explanation of the listing of every item used that he was tasked to do had Ella saying, ‘Oh, very Miss Embury!’ They had both laughed at this. And Ella added, ‘She even channels people where she thinks they should be. Look how she worked tirelessly to reunite us.’

At this, Paulo had taken her in his arms and kissed her. ‘How very glad I am that she did, mon amour.’

He’d wanted Ella to lie with him then, and she had done. No matter that she had a million things to do, this was the new her. From now on, she would take every chance to savour all that was good.

Despite how tired he was feeling, Paulo had made love to her. Not in the earth-shattering way he had done, the afternoon they had returned from visiting Christophe’s grave – the time she was convinced their new child was planted in her; but in a gentle, slow way that had taken her to a calm place, filled with love and happiness.

The September evening was balmy. And although dusk had fallen, the gas mantles inside the house threw enough light through the window for it still to be possible for everyone to mill around the garden.

Ella chatted away to a neighbour that she’d only passed the time of day with previously; and other neighbours were all enjoying each other’s company when a silence descended. Turning, Ella saw that Rowena and her family had arrived.

Shocked at the tension this caused, and at how her neighbours turned themselves away and now talked in hushed tones to one another, Ella felt a moment of embarrassment and discomfort descend. Bounding towards Rowena, she greeted her in a loud, cheerful voice, before giving her a hug.

‘Listen, everyone, this is my wonderful friend Rowena, and her family. They are from a British colony – Jamaica, no less – and her cousins here fought in the war, as did many of their fellow countrymen.’ Turning back to Rowena, Ella held her at arm’s length. ‘You look beautiful, Rowena, absolutely beautiful.’

Dressed in a long, wraparound silk frock in vivid orange with a print of small bunches of colourful flowers all over it, and a matching turban on her head, Rowena looked the picture of joy and loveliness. A picture enhanced by her lovely smile.

‘This here is me husband, Tobias, and his brother . . .’ The introductions went on and on, accompanied by a hug for Ella and a jolly handshake for Paulo. The atmosphere gradually relaxed and became positively jolly, as Rowena distributed copious amounts of her home-made rum.

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