While I Was Waiting by Georgia Hill

Author:Georgia Hill [Hill, Georgia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780008123253
Google: pwe5BAAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 24762168
Publisher: HarperImpulse
Published: 2015-07-01T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

June 1963, Clematis Cottage

Hetty sat at the desk in the window and tapped her pen with nervous fingers. When she’d read her diary entry describing the hunt ball she’d laughed a little. She wanted to do more justice to it. To tell the truth. How innocent those days seemed. Full of pretty dresses and show tunes. None of them had any idea of the apocalypse that was to come.

She smoothed out the papers of her old diary. She knew the contents by heart, but the dull text did not mention the breathless thrill of that kiss…that first kiss. She began to write.

The year 1909 had been horribly blighted by news of Father’s death in Africa. Having succumbed to one malarial fit too many, he had been buried where he fell sick, in French Guinea. I did know how to feel for a father I hardly knew and yet who had been my last remaining close relative. I had no idea how to grieve without the evidence of a grave. I had no body to weep over. And yet, I was expected to mourn.

That Christmas had been a subdued affair with a small chicken instead of a goose and the only celebration a toast to the King. However, the aunts had finally allowed the putting off of black crepe and announced that I was to be allowed to attend the hunt ball.

My first proper dance!

And not only was I to be allowed to dance, but I was to have a new dress, a party frock. I hadn’t had new clothes since I stopped growing at fifteen. I was now, as Leonora was forever pointing out, rather tall. My family legacy, I supposed. I did not remember dear Papa being overly tall, although that may have been in contrast with my two cousins who, sharing the Trenchard blood, as did I, were uncommonly tall also.

Richard was now sixteen and a strapping youth with a bony frame that promised still further height and strength. He ate us out of house and home when back from school, which this year had been rare. At his pleading, Cook fed him in the kitchen in between meals as he was permanently hungry. Hester made soft, fond comments about Edward being just the same at that age. I hadn’t seen much of Edward either as, since leaving university, he had been staying with various friends. He and Richard had spent some time with the Parker family at their London house. I had been madly jealous at being left out. I never seemed to go anywhere remotely exciting.

The aunts tried to hide it, but their relief at not having the expense of feeding two ragingly hungry males was palpable.

Edward and Richard had travelled back, with the Parkers, to attend the dance. Flora was now out and rumour had it she had ignited much excitement in society. Aunt Leonora commented that the excitement would soon die down, once she was exposed as the daughter of new money. For once, I agreed with my caustic relative.

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