Page 4 of Mirrors of the Past

Then Viola slowly shook her head and pasted a fake smile on her perfect, mud-splattered face. ‘Oh, no. That’s all right, Pearl. I don’t think we need to be introduced. I have no intention of seeing this man again. He’s an absolute fool. And, besides, he doesn’t look where he’s going.’

‘I echo that sentiment,’ said Laurie. He didn’t particularly want to see Viola again either. He bowed politely and dismissively. ‘Good day, Pearl, Ernie. I hope your sister returns to America very soon and we never have to cross paths again.’

Then, without waiting for an answer, he stalked away up the high street and wished himself a million miles away — yes, perhaps even in America itself.

Because if he was there, he’d at least be in a different country to that woman right now, and be unlikely to bump into her again for quite some time!

* * *

‘This country!’ Raging, Viola fruitlessly wiped her hands down her frock again. ‘Jeepers! You sure have some odd friends, Pearl.’

‘My friends are wunnerful,’ replied Pearl with a grin. ‘You like Holly, right?’

‘Well, yes. But he is something else.’ She pointed angrily in the direction of the tall, dark-haired young man who was striding, it seemed equally angrily, away from them.

‘That’s Laurie.’ Pearl smiled affectionately after him. ‘Elsie’s brother. He’s corking. Honestly, he’s just so delightful.’

‘Oh! So he’s related to that crazy girl from your party?’ Viola had really liked Elsie. The fact she deemed her “crazy” was, in Viola’s world, a compliment.

‘Yes. Oh, I do hope Elsie and Louis are settling in with that glorious little girl. I must write soon.’

Pearl’s eyes went all misty and Viola hoped beyond hope that her sister wasn’t getting broody again. Four children was quite, quite enough. Which reminded her . . .

‘Oh my gosh! Pearl, I am so, so sorry.’ Viola indicated the mess of soggy packages and escaped marbles on the pavement. ‘These were gifts for the children. Until he wrecked the surprise.’ She hunkered down and started collecting more marbles from the roadside, and, to her surprise, Pearl hunkered down next to her — a lot more elegantly, though.

‘Don’t worry about it. Nothing’s spoiled.’

Ernie joined them, gathering up packages. ‘Ah. This one might be spoiled.’ He rattled one, the same one that Laurie had picked up and shook with that look of dawning horror on his face.

Viola looked at the package and then laughed. ‘Hey. No, that’s not a problem. Honestly. It’s a jigsaw. It’s meant to be in pieces. Otherwise, where’s the fun in that?’

‘Oh!’ Ernie stared at the parcel. ‘Gosh, don’t you think we need to tell Laurie? I’m sure he’ll feel dreadful.’

‘No.’ Viola shook her head. ‘I’m sure he won’t be giving it a second thought. Thank you, Ernie. Thank you, Pearl.’ She stood up and waited for the others to join her, then the three of them split the parcels between them to take back to the motor car. Ernie very kindly put some in his overcoat pocket, and she and Pearl filled their reticules with them.

‘I’m sure the children will adore the gifts,’ Pearl told her. She smiled affectionately in the direction Laurie had gone. ‘I suspect that’s what Laurie was doing — finding a gift for Marigold. Oh, I say. Will you be here at Halloween, Viola?’

Viola pulled a face. ‘I don’t know. I do intend to go visit Sam in London.’ Sam was Viola and Pearl’s brother. The trip to Cornwall had originally been planned as simply a stopover on their way home to New York from Paris, but Sam had decided to make the most of their time in England and travelled to London two days after the ball. ‘But, you know, it’s the end of June. That would mean me staying here for four more months.’

‘And?’ Pearl looked curious. She obviously couldn’t see a reason for Viola to not remain in England until the end of October. It was all right for her, for Pearl. She was happy and settled now. She’d found her Prince Charming and had never really been like her younger sister. Viola had always wanted to travel and see the world, see what was over that next hill, that next river . . .

‘I don’t know. We’ll have to see, I guess. We’ll just have to see.’ But Viola was at least certain of one thing — she was in no hurry to see that Laurie person again.