A House Divided: An Easterleigh Hall Novel

A House Divided: An Easterleigh Hall Novel Read Online Free PDF

Book: A House Divided: An Easterleigh Hall Novel Read Online Free PDF
Author: Margaret Graham
on, dearest boy.’ His mam moved off, doubling back toMatron and linking arms with her, guiding the elderly woman to a chair in the ‘let’s take a break’ area.
    He worked his way through the melee of laughing, talking guests, until only one glass of champagne remained. Ahead of him was Sir Anthony with Lady Margaret – who liked to think she was Aunt Ver’s friend, though the feeling was not mutual – and Herr Bauer. Sir Anthony insisted that Lady Margaret should have the champagne. Tim grinned. ‘I’ll return in a moment, if you can hang on, or I can call Bridie or James, they have a few on their trays.’
    Sir Anthony shook his head, ‘No, Tim. I’m happy to wait.’ Tim smelt the brandy on his breath, presumably from a flask he carried on his person for such events. Not surprising when the photos took so damned long.
    Tim looked at Herr Bauer, who nodded. ‘Indeed, I too am more than happy to wait.’ His English was immaculate.
    Tim checked the German’s lapel, but there was no badge that denoted he was a member of the Nazi Party, and he was disappointed.
    He dodged his way back to Mr Harvey, who poured the champagne slowly, which was the only way to do it. Tim noticed the liver spots on his hands. God, he was old, his feet must kill him, but he only served on special occasions now.
    Six glasses had been filled, six to go. It wasmesmerising. They’d had champagne in his mother and Heine’s apartment near Hamburg to celebrate Tim’s return to the fold, as his mother put it. He remembered how the champagne had fizzed and overflowed the glasses. He had laughed, taken the bottle from Heine, and shown him how to tip the glass. ‘Slowly, slowly,’ he had said.
    His mother had told him later that it was rude to take over like that, and he must respect Heine. He had apologised in the morning, and Heine had just stared with those pale blue eyes and then laughed. ‘It is nothing,’ he had said. ‘We must just get used to one another’s ways, now we are a family.’
    Tim watched Mr Harvey, who was the person who had shown him how to pour champagne, how to remove a cork from a wine bottle, how to taste and recognise the different wines: three more glasses to go. Ron Simmonds put his hand on Tim’s shoulder. ‘Mr Harvey, should we bring out another dozen bottles from the cellar, some more ice, and put them in the water bucket?’
    The only thing that didn’t move in Ron’s mobile face was his nose, which was a replacement for the one that had been blown off in the war. It was the new plastic surgery procedure that had saved so many faces, Tim’s mam had said – his mam, Gracie, not his mother, Millie. God, he told himself, it’s so damn complicated.
    Soon the time would come when he would have to make a firm decision about where he belonged.
    He picked up the tray. Mr Harvey said, ‘Yes, I think perhaps we should have those bottles, Ron.’
    But Ron was pointing to the geese that were flying over, in perfect formation. The three of them watched it. Ron said, ‘It’s such an amazing sight.’
    The Luftwaffe had flown like that, when Heine had taken him to a military exercise soon after Germany took back the Rhineland. The Versailles Treaty forbade re-armament, but Hitler knew what he wanted, and took it. Tim grinned. What strength the man had, and who had objected? No-one.
    Mr Harvey continued to pour the champagne, engrossed, uncommunicative, which was what he said one should be: totally absorbed, or one made mistakes. When he’d finished filling the glasses he said, ‘Perhaps you’d be kind enough, once everyone has a glass, Tim, to return for a bottle, and top them up.’
    Tim entered the marquee again, snatching a look around. Bridie had gone, and it was just James handling the other side of the marquee. Aunt Evie and Ver were no longer here either, which meant they were beavering in the kitchen, and soon the guests would be called to the buffet set up along the right-hand wall.
    He made his way
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