When the midwife had left the nursery both Angela and Belle fell about laughing.
*
Stella turned around and saw Jack Rose standing before her.
'Jack, is that you', she whispered.
'Yes me in the flesh Stella, I didn't know you were back, I'm all of a shake', quaked Jack.
Stella took a deep breath, she had come face to face with her first love, it hadn't crossed her mind when she returned to Lembury that Jack Rose would still be living in the town that she had left behind when she was sixteen years old.
'It is so good to see you Jack, look I've just popped outside for a quick smoke, I haven't got long, but come and sit with me if you like.'
Jack and Stella made their way to the area that Angela had described, sat down side by side, both took a cigarette out of their pockets. Stella lit hers first and took a drag, immediately she started to cough,
'Oh dear, this is the first smoke I've had in nearly seven months, wow I've gone light-headed already'
'You okay Stella', asked Jack.
'Yeah fine thanks, just need to get used to the evil weed once more', she laughed.
'I thought it was you in the bed next to my wife, but I was too scared to look, that's why I was hanging about outside, I was going to sneak back in, if anyone asked I was going to make out I had left something behind', said Jack.
'Oh Jack, seeing you again has bought everything back, if it hadn't been for my bloody mother I would never have left', sighed Stella.
'But you are back now', smiled Jack.
'Yes but with a husband and a baby, bit late I suppose.'
'Same here, well with a wife and baby, if you know what I mean', laughed Jack.
'You're Marie's husband then, she seems rather nice, lovely baby too, George isn't it.'
'Yeah, I know you have had a girl, so what have you named her', enquired Jack.
Stella took a deep breath, dragged on her cigarette and looked away from Jack's gaze,
'Joni, yes Jack I named her Joni.'
Jack buried his face in his hands,
'Oh my goodness Stella, you've called her Joni, so you didn't forget did you.'
'No Jack, I have never forgotten, never could, never would', replied Stella, 'but I have to go, I told that little nurse Angela that I wouldn't be long.'
'I must see you again Stella, please don't just walk away from me again, I couldn't bear it'
'Wait for me after visiting times tonight, give me five minutes to make sure Pete has gone home, then I'll come out for another smoke, wait here though not by the doors.'
'Yes I'll be here waiting', Jack leaned over and gently kissed Stella on her lips, 'I think I might be falling in love with you all over again.'
Stella looked into Jack's eyes, 'I never really stopped loving you Jack, but God knows what we are going to do about it.'
Jack and Stella walked slowly back to the hospital doors, Stella stepped inside and Jack made his way to the car park, got in his car and drove home, whatever happens, happens, he thought, but one thing for sure he would see Stella again tonight. A light hung over Jack's head as he drove, some of it's brightness had dimmed, a tear fell from Bertie's tiny eye. As for Stella the light that followed her back to the nursery had slowed, before it bounced around her hair, now it just hovered, Rupert was losing even more faith in the woman of whom he was Guardian.
*
Twenty years earlier two ten year old children were playing in the girl's grandfather's shed. They pretended it was their house and that they were husband and wife. The girl had a baby doll on her lap and was feeding it with a toy bottle.
'Come on Joni, drink up', she said.
The boy gazed at the girl and said,
'When we grow up shall we get married.'
The girl replied 'But of course, who else would I want to marry, you are my best friend ever.'
*
That night it rained hard, the first rain for weeks, thunder rolled and the sky cracked with lightening. This however did not stop Jack and Stella meeting again, they sat under the shelter and held hands.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Truth and Lies
Months passed by, Christmas came and went, Spring had arrived and lives settled down into a daily routine of feeding, nappy changing, weighing, burping and constant laundering. Stella had cancelled her previous year's plan for a holiday, Pete was relieved as he didn't want to leave Joni with his mother-in-law, he wrongly guessed that Stella had felt the same way too.
Jack and Stella had kept in touch by secret online email accounts, they would send messages to each other at lunchtimes, Jack from his office at work when nobody was around, and Stella from home when Pete was out. Although Pete some days worked from home, he would usually be locked away upstairs writing new software programmes from which 'he must not be disturbed unless it was an emergency.' After several weeks of such correspondence the two reunited lovers finally decided to take things a step further by meeting up on Wednesday evenings, 'what harm could it do', they both said.
Jack approached Marie later that same evening, 'I know you're stuck in the house most of the time, but I bumped into an old mate today and he sort of badgered me into playing pool on a Wednesday night, one of his team has moved away and they are desperate for another player, would you mind, it's only once a week.'
'Who's that then, do I know him', asked Marie.
'Er, no I don't think so, we went to school together, Dave Fisher, he was a year above me'
'Oh, another posh school kid then', laughed Marie, 'No never heard of him, it's fine by me, just lay off the booze, cos I'm not clearing up after you.'
'Thanks Marie, I'll let him know, anyway our school wasn't that posh, don't know why you always say that.'
Marie sighed, 'Whatever.'
'You're not going into a sulk are you, cos I asked if you minded me playing pool', remarked Jack.
'No Jack I'm not going into a sulk, but it just rubs me up the wrong way when you go on about how your school was not posh, when you know it was, how many thousands of pounds did your family pay to send you there, and what for, what a complete waste of money that was.'
'If you say so, let's leave it there then, so you are okay about me playing pool.'
'Yes, I'm fine, just don't ask me to find some baby sitter and come and watch will you.'
'I won't inflict that on you, promise', sighed Jack.
'And don't forget we are going to see Granddad on Saturday, he hasn't even seen George yet' demanded Marie.
'I won't forget, but do I need to come in, you know how that home freaks me out' asked Jack.
'For God's sake Jack, sometimes you are so unthoughtful and ungrateful, if it wasn't for my grandparents I just don't know what would have happened to me, but oh I forgot, silly me you never had to go without did you, it is a wonder you can bear to slum it here, but there again where are your parents, they of course cannot leave their home in the warm Spanish sunshine can they, not even to see their only grandchild.'
Jack sighed, 'They saw him on Skype didn't they, and they sent him a nice fat cheque, what more do you want.'
'A grandmother cuddling her grandson would be nice, they can stick their money for me' Marie replied.
'So you don't want to go out there then, you know, a free holiday in the summer', snarled Jack.
'That just shows how stupid you are at times doesn't it, like I am going to take a small child on a hot stuffy airplane just so he can then be stuck indoors for a week as it's too hot outside, you go if you want, but me and George are staying right here.'
'Well I might just do that', replied Jack.
'Good' said Marie, 'now I have more important things to do than stay here arguing, like a baby to feed and bath.'
*
Stella simply told Pete that she had enrolled in a book club Wednesday nights; 'well it will stop my brain from seizing up, I need some conversations with grown-ups.' There was no discussion just a statement, Stella was not one for negoti
ations.
*
George was a happy baby, he was always gurgling and smiling, Marie swore that sometimes he would just look at a blank wall and grin, she couldn't fathom out what was keeping him so amused. Sometimes she would simply stand outside his bedroom just so she could hear him sniggering away. Of course George was communicating with Henderson, who would be pulling funny faces or singing a silly nursery rhyme to stop him from being afraid of the dark. But best of all George loved it when Sydney and Bertie were present too, he loved their shiny clothes, sparkling jewels and golden faces, although it did seem that recently Bertie was not quite as shiny as he was when he first saw him. The only time George would cry was when his father held him in his arms, the baby could see his father's insincerity and could feel his betrayal, Jack held his son less and less, there was no bond between father and son.
*
Joni could see Belle, sometimes Joni would reach up and try and catch Belle's hair in her tiny hands, then she would laugh when Belle shook her head sending her blue mane flying around her face, but Joni was yet to see Denis and Rupert. Pete adored his tiny daughter, every opportunity he had he would dress her in her prettiest outfits, brush her curly blonde hair and take her for a stroll in her smart buggy across the park. He told her the names of all the birds, 'Look Joni that is a blue tit, over there are two magpies, look up and see the swallows, that means that summer has returned.' Stella took a more practical approach, Joni was well cared for but there was no joy between mother and daughter, no deep bond that could not be separated.
*
Rupert and Bertie though were not happy and it is true to say that they did not know what to do, they had received no instructions on affairs, there was no one in the homes that they inhabited, to confide in. One Wednesday night, as the babies first birthdays were fast approaching, they sat close to Jack and Stella, in a hotel room some twenty miles away from Lembury, it was then that they decided that help was needed and so called upon Julian Speaksafe to visit them.
A Guardian's duty is to protect the person in their care, even if that person is not acting in the way it would normally be expected of them. Consequently Bertie cannot tell Sydney or Henderson what is going on, nor can Rupert tell Denis or Belle. But is there an exception to a rule, are these two children more important than that, for sure the secret they are carrying is too heavy a load to bear on their own.
*
The Lady Veronica and Lord Ralph sat in the garden under an apple tree in full blossom and breathed in the warm spring air. Gardeners were busy removing weeds, replanting flowers trees and shrubs. Insects dashed in and out of minute holes in the rich soil, honey gathering indigo bees gathered nectar from the blossoms and deposited pollen on unfertilised plants and above birds were singing their mating tunes.
'He should be here soon, I hope he does not bring us bad news', sighed Ralph as he looked towards the walled garden's wooden gate.
The Lady Veronica grasped hold of Ralph's strong weather beaten hand, 'Whatever it is he needs to tell us, I am sure we will find the right answer.'
Ralph held onto the Lady's hand pulled it to his lips and kissed it gently.
'Come then let us walk over to the gate and see if Julian is heading our way.'
They walked slowly to the gate, stopping every now and then to speak to one of the gardeners or to look at a new flower that had opened it's petals to the sun, gazing and admiring all the work that had been carried out since that bitterly cold winter. The tall tower where the manuscript had been found cast a long shadow over part of the garden, in the shadow it was cold and dark, but where the shadow did not fall it was bathed in bright sunlight.
Ralph opened the gate just as Julian appeared on the horizon, a long white path snaked it's way to a small copse of tall trees from which their Grafflin visitor had just emerged. Too excited to wait, Ralph and the Lady ran to meet him, a few villagers who were planting crops in the fields either side of the lane, looked on in bewilderment.
'My Lord Ralph, My Lady Veronica it is so good to see you both, thank you for meeting with me so quickly' called Julian who was still a good few feet away, 'Wait there, catch your breath, it is too warm to run.'
Julian soon came face to face with his Shenkan friends, he felt a heavy load fall away from his shoulders, he knew that Lord Ralph would put his wise mind to work and alleviate all his fears. Greetings were made and the party walked slowly back to the garden, making small talk on the way, so that anyone who looked on would think that Julian was just a dinner guest, just making a courtesy call or just had a few spare hours on his hands. They returned to the shade of the apple tree and sat down, Ralph and Julian chatted about the garden, Ralph pointing out all the new planting and flowers in bloom, they watched a few birds that were fluttering around a blossomed berry bush, picking up tiny insects in their beaks and flying away to their nests that were filled with tiny squawking chicks. The Lady Veronica emptied the contents of a large wicker picnic basket onto a small table which she had covered with a pretty blue table cloth decorated with bright stars.
'Help yourself Julian, I trust there is something here that takes your fancy', smiled the Lady.
Julian eyed the spread in front of him, his Shenkan blood ran through his warm veins and hunger pangs reached into his strong stomach. Plates of meat and fish, small breads and cheeses, little tarts of last years fruits that had been preserved in honey, bowls of early salads and pickles, made his mouth water.
'After you my Lady', bowed Julian.
The Lady laughed, 'I will take just a little of everything I think, come let's eat, and you can tell us what is so troubling you.'
And so it was, the three friends sat under the apple tree eating a divine meal, the early evening sun still shone, but a coldness blew through the garden as Julian shared his sorrow of those humans on earth who were now betraying their families. Ralph shook his head at the end of Julian's tale, 'We didn't see this coming, did we, oh why can't things be a bit easier, why are such trials put in our way.'
The Lady leaned her head on Ralph's shoulder, 'We will see our way through this, who knows, maybe this was supposed to happen, maybe this is the only way these children will be bought together, but such sadness lies in wait.'
'What do you think Julian', asked Ralph.
Julian did not hear Ralph's words, he was gazing at the tall tower, his mind was elsewhere, he was lost in his own thoughts.
Ralph gently nudged Julian, 'Share you thoughts my dear friend, you seem puzzled somehow.'
Julian shook himself, 'Sorry please forgive me, but I am puzzled, do you have any idea when the great tower was built.'
'No, but right now Claude is working day and night with a small team of trusted librarians to try and search out more answers; but unfortunately our archives are in rather an untidy condition, it could take many years to return them to some kind of order, but why are you asking this question', replied Ralph.
'Well look up to the window', said Julian as he held his arm in the air and pointed to the narrow window opening in the tall tower, 'Tell me what do you observe'.
Ralph and the Lady Veronica led their gaze to a small opening high up in the tower, but neither of them saw anything strange or out of the ordinary.
'I am lost', spoke the Lady, 'what are we missing.'
'The position of the window, look it is only three quarters of a way up the tower' stated Julian.
'Yes I can see that', replied Ralph, 'but does that have any significance.'
'How high is the ceiling in that small room?' questioned Julian.
'mmm I would estimate it to be about eight feet, yes that would be right, about two feet taller than me, but what are you thinking old friend', questioned Ralph.
'There is a good deal of tower then above the window, maybe there is a room still to be explored, a room without a window, maybe there is a lot more to be discovered, I was thinking that we should examine the tower more carefully', murmured Julian.
'Oh my goodn
ess, why have we not seen that, you could be so right Julian', gasped Ralph.
'Do not be hard on yourselves, sometimes when we see things everyday we fail to really see them, it often takes a strangers eyes or that of a child to see' smiled Julian, 'shall we look now or are you both too tired, it could wait until morning.'
Ralph eyed the pink clouds that hung in the evening sky, the light had slowly faded, he saw a hawk hovering high above before diving into a faraway field, he would not go hungry tonight, but a hundred or so small birds screeched as they fled from the predator that hunted them, then all fell silent. Then in the distance a rumbling was heard, a rumbling of angry voices, childrens cries and mothers wails, the noises were followed by a the sound of glass cracking, a cool breeze blew across the garden.
'It is not going to get any easier just yet, is it', Ralph remarked, 'but I think we should wait until morning, we need to be refreshed and alert and have the benefit of the morning light.'
'I agree', replied Julian, 'how do you feel my Lady', he asked.
'It would be best, and anyway I would need to wear something a little more comfortable if I am going to climb all those steps', smiled the Lady, as she stroked her long gown that floated around her slender body then pointed to her little golden sandals that barely covered her pale delicate feet.
'Come then, let us retire, it is now going a little chilly and I am anxious to hear news about the health of dear Lord Albion, who is forever in our thoughts', stated Ralph.
'Yes and the gardeners need to finish work as well' said Veronica, 'Ralph it is time they went home to their families, they have been working so hard all day.'
'You are right again my Lady, sometimes I just forget how late it is' sighed Ralph.
Ralph strode over to Victor the head gardener, who was watering an orange tree he had just planted, he did not see Ralph by his side, his mind was lost in his work, he sang as he gently sprayed tepid water around the earth that held the tree
'Oh grow now my lovely orange tree,
give your fruit for next year's tea,
let us rejoice in your fragrant scent,
for Lords and Ladies you are surely meant'.
Ralph coughed quietly to get Victor's attention, the gardener turned around and gave an embarrassed smile, 'Oh sorry my Lord, I did not see you there.'