Mrs Gage tried to sound hopeful.
‘Could be other thin’s I s’pose. But from what you and me know it looks peculiar like. Still, never say die.’
Ginnie, muffled in a big scarf, was hurried by Mrs Gage out of the back door.
‘Now, look, dear. Whatever ’appens, keep your face covered, you don’t want to get a cold in it. Nor you don’t want to speak to nobody, in case you’re infectious like. So if anyone tries to speak to you, don’t open your mouth.’
Although many people knew Ginnie they were mostly busy and did not notice that only Mrs Gage answered when they called out ‘Good morning.’ Then suddenly there was the sound of a bicycle braking, and Miss Bloggs stood in front of them.
‘Good morning, Mrs Gage. Good morning, Ginnie, dear, is your father in?’
Mrs Gage gave Ginnie a nudge to move on.
‘The vicar’s in ’is study.’
Miss Bloggs was a chatty person.
‘Looking forward to the Zoo this afternoon, Ginnie?’ Mrs Gage gave Ginnie another push.
‘Lookin’ forward to ridin’ on an elephant she is.’
Miss Bloggs peered curiously at Ginnie and her scarf.
‘You’re very silent, dear, is anything wrong?’
Mrs Gage tried to sound pleasant.
‘’er and me are out on a bit of a secret like. So we’d take it kindly if you didn’t tell the vicar you’d met us.’
Miss Bloggs was charmed.
‘A secret! What fun, I love secrets. You can trust me, Ginnie, I never saw a sign of you this morning.’
Miss Bloggs was in the study with Alex when Cathy, Angus and Esau came back with the shopping. Cathy, knowing Mrs Gage would want the vegetables for lunch, gave her a call. Paul heard her and came down the stairs.
‘I don’t believe Mrs Gage is in, Mum. Jane’s been answering the front door.’
Cathy could not have been more surprised. In all the years they had known Mrs Gage she had never been out until her work was finished, unless it was to do the shopping or something like that.
‘Out! How very odd.’ Alex held his study door open for Miss Bloggs. Cathy turned to him. ‘Have you sent Mrs Gage out for something?’
Alex was just going to answer when Jane came flying down the stairs.
‘Oh, Mummy, I was doing the beds, I didn’t hear you come in.’
Cathy was even more puzzled. The beds should have been finished by Jane and Mrs Gage long ago.
‘Is Mrs Gage out?’
Jane hesitated.
‘Just—well, just for a moment.’
‘If anyone tries to speak to you, don’t open your mouth’
Cathy supposed Mrs Gage was out on some private business which Jane knew about, but did not want to discuss before Miss Bloggs, so she changed the subject.
‘How’s Ginnie?’ Then, thinking that perhaps this family talk sounded rude, she turned to Miss Bloggs. ‘Ginnie wasn’t well this morning, she’s in bed. We hope she’s going to be all right in time to go to the Zoo this afternoon.’
Jane tried hard to think of something truthful to say.
‘She’s asleep. I mean, she might be, mightn’t she?’
Miss Bloggs was so worried her eyes wobbled. She looked first at Jane, then at Alex, then at Cathy, then at Paul. Oh, dear, she thought, how very distressing! Jane is not telling the truth. I do dislike being a tell-tale, but this time I must be. Feeling fussed made her voice come out in a squeak.
‘Oh, Vicar! Silence is golden, but there are times when one must speak, I mean——’
She was interrupted by Angus. He had been trying to spin on one leg and had not apparently listened to what was said, but Miss Bloggs’s remark attracted his attention.
‘I wouldn’t have thought silence was gold, it looks more purple to me.’
Alex put a hand on Angus’s shoulder to keep him quiet.
‘Shut up, old man. What must you speak about, Miss Bloggs?’
Paul thought everybody was behaving very oddly.
‘What’s up?’
Jane, behind her family’s back, made a I’ll-tell-you-afterwards face at Paul. Cathy began to have the sinking feeling inside that mothers get when they suspect someone in their family is going to get into trouble.
‘What is it, Miss Bloggs?’
Miss Bloggs felt terrible. She had promised not to tell Alex she had seen Ginnie, and here she was telling the whole family.
‘I’m betraying a confidence, a thing I never do. But, you see, Ginnie’s not in bed. I met her out with Mrs Gage. It was rather odd. The child had a scarf round her head, and never spoke a word. Mrs Gage said they were out on secret business. She asked me not to tell you, Vicar, that I’d met them but …’
Cathy felt irritated. What stupid nonsense was this? There was no reason why Ginnie should not get up and go out if she felt better. But why this secrecy? Why with Mrs Gage? Why the scarf?
‘What’s all this nonsense, Jane?’
Jane saw it was no use hiding the truth any longer. Sooner or later everybody would have to know. Mrs Gage thought she was helping by keeping the mumps a secret, but it was not helping really.
‘You’d have to have known in the end. Mrs Gage didn’t want to worry you till she was sure it was.’
Cathy could have shaken Jane.
‘Was what?’
Jane thought the answer so terrible her voice trembled.
‘Mumps!’
There was a shocked silence. Then Cathy said:
‘Why should Mrs Gage think Ginnie has mumps?’
Jane shook her head.
‘I can’t explain that. Ginnie will tell you.’
‘Do you think she’s got mumps?’ Alex asked.
Jane nodded.
‘I’m awfully afraid she might have.’
Jane saying that made her family see how awful mumps would be.
‘No Zoo!’ said Cathy. ‘I must telephone my family.’
Angus kicked angrily at the stairs.
‘I won’t have quarantine. I abs’lutely won’t. I’m going to my audition.’
Paul looked at his father.
‘Sickening luck if I’m in quarantine just when I was getting a chance to bowl.’
It was Esau who heard Ginnie and Mrs Gage sneaking in at the back door. He skidded down the hall, barking excitedly. Mrs Gage gave Ginnie a friendly push.
‘That’s done it. They’ll all ’ave to know where we been.’
As Ginnie and Mrs Gage came into the hall the whole family surged towards them. Cathy looked questioningly at Mrs Gage.
‘Is it?’
The others did not need to ask, one look at Ginnie’s face was enough. A sort of wail of ‘Oh, Ginnie!’ went up. Angus added:
‘It’s mean of you, Ginnie. You always have things the wrong time.’
This was just the sort of thing Ginnie was hoping one of them would say. She raised her chin as high as her swelled face would let her.
‘What does Miss Virginia Bell have at the wrong time, Angus?’
‘Mumps,’ roared her family.
Ginnie, with a struggle, managed to look amazed.
‘Mumps! Why should I have mumps? If you want to know, I’ve been to the dentist and had a tooth out. I was very brave, Daddy, so you owe me a shilling.’
Cathy had so believed in the mumps she found it hard to accept good news.
‘Is it true, Mrs Gage? Was it only a tooth?’
Mrs Gage was not letting Ginnie down.
‘But of course, Mrs Bell, dear. What else? Why should young Ginnie ’ave the mumps? It was the bad tooth what the dentist said you knew about. Poor child, she was in such a state I couldn’t wait for you to come in, I took ’er right away.’
Alone with Ginnie Jane learned that the doctor had laughed when he saw her face, and sent her to the dentist, but no one else ever found out why she had thought Ginnie had mumps.
Alex said to Cathy:
‘I think there’s a mystery somewhere.’
Cathy laughed.
‘I’m certain there is. But you pay Ginnie her shilling, and ask no questions. This is one of those sleeping dogs that wise fathers and mothers let lie.’
7
The Zoo
IT’S SURPRISING HOW often troubles can be sorted out, if only there are the right sort of people about to sort them out with. The afternoon at the Zoo was a sorting out time for Paul and Jane, and in a way for Cathy too.
The trouble, as a rule, about a family going to the Zoo is that everybody wants a look at different creatures. With the Bells and Cathy’s family there was no trouble, for they behaved like animals going into the Ark. Uncle Jim and Paul had a passion for snakes, and never wanted to look at anything else, so the moment they arrived at the Zoo they rushed for the snake house. Ricky’s and Ginnie’s passion was riding on the elephant. They were given enough money for three rides each, and at once they disappeared in the direction of the elephant house. Liza and Angus were almost exactly the same age, and their ambition was to visit every creature in the Zoo, and give food to them all, so loaded with packets of stale buns, nuts and fruit they ran off together. Cathy’s father, Mumsdad, didn’t mind what animals he saw, but he was especially fond of Jane, and Jane’s passion was bears, so they went to the bear pit.
As soon as they were all scattered, Mumsmum, Aunt Ann, and Cathy found a place to sit down. Mumsmum said:
‘What a pity Alex couldn’t come, Cathy.’
Cathy hated doing things without Alex.
‘Saturdays are bad for him, he’s always behind with his sermon.’
Mumsmum did not want to sound interfering but she was worried.
‘Jane looks peaky, dear, doesn’t she?’
Cathy was glad to talk things over. She explained about Angus’s birthday party, and Grandfather’s offer. Her mother and Aunt Ann saw at once what a dreadful business it was for Jane. Mumsmum, who always spoke her mind, said:
‘Angus learn dancing! What nonsense! His Grandfather must be mad. It’s no career for Angus, it’ll be throwing money away.’
Aunt Ann was fond of Cathy, and as well sorry for her, for she could see how difficult things must be.
‘Do you mean to say, knowing about Jane and how good she is, the old man actually chose to pay for Angus? What a mean old beast.’
Cathy tried to explain.
‘He isn’t really, he’s quite nice. Much nicer than Alex’s brother, Sir Alfred Bell. It’s just he doesn’t approve of dancing for girls. He thinks they ought to learn to cook, and useful womanly things like that. But one good thing is coming out of this muddle. Jane is going to the audition with Angus, so that’ll mean we should know where we are. We know she has talent, but what we don’t know is whether it’s too late to train her.’
‘What good will knowing do?’ Mumsmum asked gently. ‘You couldn’t pay for her to learn.’
Aunt Ann was so sorry about Jane she sounded cross.
‘I wish we could help. It’s a shame Jane shouldn’t have a chance, but Ricky and Liza have to go to boarding schools soon.’
Mumsmum patted Cathy’s hand.
‘I wish we could help, but it’s a bit of a squeeze making ends meet as it is.’
Cathy felt warm all through with knowing she was loved.
‘Bless you, darlings, but none of you can help. You don’t suppose I’ve told you my tale of woe to ask for help, do you? I only wanted to explain why Jane seems under the weather, and to feel you sympathise. You both know I wouldn’t change Alex, bless him, but I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t wish he could earn a little more money. I hate to see the children doing without things they need.’
While watching the bears Mumsdad was watching Jane. He might not be in practice any more, but he was still a doctor. Jane was always small for her age, and rather frailly built, which did not worry him a bit for he knew that was how she was meant to be, but now she looked more than frail. He tried to think what could be wrong, and suddenly he knew she was not ill, but was unhappy.
He waited until she had thrown her last piece of bun to the bears, then he tucked her hand under his arm.
‘And how’s my favourite granddaughter been getting on?’
Jane hesitated. It was a lovely sunny afternoon, should she spoil it by talking about what had happened? She knew if she talked about it she would feel a whole lot better.
‘I’m doing all right outside, at least I hope so, but I’m doing very badly inside.’
‘How that?’
‘I’m jealous. I read somewhere jealousy is the worst of the seven deadly sins.’
Mumsdad squeezed Jane’s hand against his side.
‘So it can be. What has made you jealous? I shouldn’t have thought you were a jealous person.’
Out the story poured. The party. What everybody had said. Miss Bronson’s letter to Sadler’s Wells. The coming audition.
‘As a matter of fact I’m glad about the audition, I know I can’t go to the school, but just seeing inside will be something to remember always.’
Mumsdad was quiet for quite a bit, then he said in a thinking-it-over voice:
‘I don’t fancy it would be possible for you not to be a little jealous of Angus.’
Jane, having started confessing, decided to tell everything.
‘If it was only a little jealous I wouldn’t despise myself so much. If I tell you something awful, would you be ashamed of me for ever?’
Mumsdad chuckled.
‘I shouldn’t think so. What is it?’
‘When I’m at my most jealous-ish I hope and hope Sadler’s Wells will say they won’t train Angus.’
‘What good is that going to do you?’
Jane gave Mumsdad’s arm a little shake to make him understand.
‘If nobody goes it won’t be any different to what it was. But imagine me year after year, learning at St Winifred’s, getting older and older, and worser and worser, while Angus goes to Sadler’s Wells.’
‘Poor granddaughter! You have all my sympathy. I can’t say whether, if you had a chance, you would make a dancer, and at the moment I can’t see where the money is coming from to give you an expensive training, but one thing I have learned in a long life, and that is never give up hope.’
‘I’m doing very badly inside’
Jane gave a rather sad laugh.
‘If you were Daddy’s Miss Bloggs you would say “While there’s life there’s hope.” She’s always quoting things like that.’
‘If she quotes that she’s quite right, but what I would quote is this: “Honour lost, much lost. Money lost, little lost. Hope lost, all lost.”’
Jane repeated the words.
‘I like the last bit. I’ll write it down. Hope lost, all lost. I’ll make a vow, Mumsdad, no matter how despairing and worm-like I feel I’ll never give up hoping.’
Over the snakes Paul was talking to Uncle Jim. He had not meant even to hint at his problem, but a chance remark started him off. Uncle Jim said:
‘Let me know if there are any books I can lend you. I had read up no end of stuff while I was still at school.’
Paul did not want to sound grumpy, but the last thing he wanted just then was books about medicine.
‘Thank you, I’ll remember if I want any.’
Uncle Jim looked at Paul out of the corner of his eyes. He wondered what was the matter with him.
‘How’re things going at school?
‘Fine, thank you.’
There was no doubt about it, Paul was in a funny mood.
‘What’s wrong, old man?’
Paul, his eyes on the snakes, blurted out:
‘Nobody knows this, but I’ve more or less decided not to be a doctor.’
Uncle Jim knew it was impossible that Paul, who had never swerved from his longing to be a doctor, could suddenly have changed his mind, there must be some desperate reason.
‘What’s this about?’
Paul had agreed Grandfather’s offer should be kept private, but he wa
s sure he could trust his uncle not to talk, and of course he would not tell him all Grandfather had said.
‘You must promise not to tell Dad and Mum.’ Uncle Jim nodded. ‘Well, I’m thinking of leaving school as soon as I’ve got my general certificate, and going into Grandfather’s business.’
Uncle Jim knew Alex’s father had always wanted Paul to join him.
‘What’s changed the situation? You always said you’d rather be a doctor.’
‘I still would, but I had a talk with Grandfather at Angus’s birthday party. I told him I’d think about it and write to him.’
‘Have you written?’
‘No, but I think I’m going to.’
‘You take my advice, and do nothing in a hurry. After all, you won’t be taking that certificate for some while yet. No need to rush things.’
Paul longed to explain about the money, but he felt Grandfather had trusted him to keep it a secret.
‘There’s a special reason for making up my mind quickly.’
Uncle Jim wanted to say more, but he could feel Paul had said all he was going to say.
‘Well, it’s your business, old fellow, but I’m sorry. I always thought you were cut out to be a doctor.’
‘So did I, but other things could be more important.’
‘Could they? Will you let me know when you’ve decided?’
‘You’ll hear all right.’
By audition Wednesday the family, with the exception of Ginnie, were in a great state of excitement. Ginnie would have been interested in the audition, even though she could not imagine why anyone should want to go to one, but she thought she was being unfairly treated. The trouble was Jane and Angus were having a holiday and she was not. She complained to Cathy and Alex, and tried to get Paul to side with her and stage a strike. Nobody took in that she felt abused, they thought she was just trying to sneak a day off from school. Because there was so much talk and fuss at breakfast on the Wednesday morning, nobody noticed that she left for school wearing an expression which a lady of the time of the French Revolution might have worn as she marched to the guillotine.
In spite of delays, last messages for Mrs Gage, last kisses from Alex, last pats for Esau, and Angus forgetting his shoes and having to rush back for them, Jane, Angus and Cathy arrived at Sadler’s Wells School with a quarter of an hour to spare.