Foxden Hotel (The Dudley Sisters Saga Book 5) by Madalyn Morgan (ebook reader ink txt) 📕

‘Of course. You must go straight away. Is there anything Frank and I can do? One of us will drive you to the station, or wherever you need to go, won’t we, Frank?’

‘Yes, I’ll take you,’ Frank said.

Maeve nodded her thanks, and then turned to Bess but didn’t speak. She closed her eyes as if she searching for the right words. ‘What is it, Maeve?’

‘I have no one to look after Nancy. I was hoping, praying, that she could stay here with you and Mr Donnelly for the week. Mrs Sykes is in Yorkshire and there isn’t anyone--’ Maeve caught her breath and began to cry.

‘They’re away until the weekend,’ she said, taking a handkerchief from her pocket and wiping her tears. ‘I should be back by then. If I’m not, Mrs Sykes will look after Nancy - take her to school and pick her up. They’re getting old and taking care of a child twenty-four hours a day is a bit too much for them. Well, maybe not for Mrs Sykes, but it is for the Reverend. Oh dear,’ Maeve said, ‘Mother taking ill couldn’t have come at a worse time.’

‘Frank?’ Bess looked at her husband, willing him to say yes. She would love to have Nancy stay with them for a week, but their marriage was one of equality. To have a child living with them, when they were going to be busy, had to be a joint decision.

‘Yes. As long as it won’t be too much for you, Bess?’

‘It won’t. You go and see your mother, Maeve. Nancy will be fine here with Frank and me.’

‘Thank you, Mrs Donnelly, Mr Donnelly.’ Maeve shook their hands in turn. ‘I’ll go and tell her,’ she said, running to where the children were playing.

‘You are sure about this, Frank?’

‘If it’s what you want?’

Bess thought about making light of it by saying if it will help Maeve or it’s only for a week... The truth was, looking after Nancy was what she wanted more than anything. Bess had never lied to Frank and she wasn’t about to start now. ‘Yes, it is what I want. She’s a lovely little girl.’

Frank put his arms around her, kissed the top of her head, and rocked her gently. ‘Just promise me you won’t get too attached to her, Bess. She is lovely, but she will be going back to live with Maeve when she returns from Ireland.’

‘I know,’ Bess said, looking at Nancy as her Aunt explained the following week’s arrangements. Bess watched Maeve and the two little girls as they walked towards her.

Aimee broke away from the trio and ran ahead, arriving at Bess’s side before the others. ‘Can I stay with you and Uncle Frank next week, too?’

‘You have to go home to your daddy, sweetheart.’ Aimee’s face crumbled and her big blue eyes brimmed with tears. Usually when she cried, Bess gave in to her, but not this time. That Claire went home and sorted things out with Mitch was of the utmost importance. ‘We’ll talk about it later, darling.’

Maeve looked at Bess, and then at Frank. ‘I’ll drop off Nancy’s clothes and some of her toys on the way to the station.’ Bending down so she was Nancy’s height, Maeve said, ‘Be a good girl for Mr and Mrs Donnelly.’ Nancy nodded and wrapped her arms around her aunt’s neck. Maeve eased the little girl from her and kissed her goodbye. ‘I’ll be back soon.’ She thanked Bess and Frank, and ran back to the hotel.

‘I’ll take Maeve to Kirby Marlow to pick up Nancy’s clothes, then I’ll drop her off at the station,’ Frank said, and followed Maeve to the hotel.

Bess thought it would take Nancy’s mind off her aunt leaving if, instead of going back to the hotel, they carried on with their walk. She took each child by the hand and as they strolled along by the lake, she talked about the ducks and drakes, waterlilies and bulrushes. When they came to the south side of the lake, by the small wood that backed onto Shaft Hill, Bess had progressed to talking about her childhood. Reminiscing, she told them how she and her sisters used to visit the Foxden Estate with her father when they were Aimee and Nancy’s age. She told them about the time she worked on the land with her friends in the Land Army - and she told them about Sable, the horse she’d loved, which from a young age she had exercised every day.

Eventually the girls lost interest and ran off to collect more leaves and watch the ducks on the lake.

As she walked along, Bess reflected on her decision. Looking after a child during one of the busiest times in the hotel’s calendar was not going to be easy. It was what she wanted, and dare she think it was what Frank needed. She had wondered how Frank would feel about adopting a child. A lot of children were left without parents after the war, which she and Frank had talked about and which Bess had hoped would lead to a discussion about adoption. Then a disaster in the kitchen happened, or she was called away because of a double booking. But if looking after Nancy for a week was a success - and she felt sure it would be - she would broach the subject of adoption at the end of the summer, when the hotel was less busy.

Bess watched Aimee and Nancy skip round the bend of the lake by the small wood and quickened her step. ‘Aimee, where’s Nancy?’ Aimee pointed to the edge of the lake and the large clump of reeds that had hidden David Sutherland’s body from New Year until the middle of March. ‘Come away from there Aimee.’ Bess took her niece by the hand, and led her