Lavender Lane (Larch Tree Lane #4)

Chapter Twenty-Three

Sean and Nina went up to the house and found Ilsa in the kitchen, setting the trays for the evening meal.

They walked across to join her and she looked up with one of her calm smiles.

‘All work and no play isn’t good for anyone,’ Nina said. ‘We’re going for a walk and would like you to come and join us.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Very sure. We both enjoy your company and there’s a national park with hiker paths at the top of the hill that I don’t think you’ve visited yet.’

‘I’ve been as far as the car park and the woods are down on my mental list of places to visit properly when I have time. I love going for long walks.’

‘Well, going for a walk there has just reached the head of our list so are you coming?’

To Sean’s relief Ilsa said simply, ‘Yes. I’d love to join you.’

He was surprised at how nervous he was feeling, knowing what they intended to do, and was glad when Nina gave his hand a surreptitious squeeze. ‘It’s a lovely sunny day, shame to waste it,’ he managed. He couldn’t think of anything more interesting to say.

After they’d gone a little way along the hikers’ path, Ilsa said casually ‘We’ve been watching that TV programme about finding long lost relatives. Have you seen it?’

‘Yes. It’s very touching at times, makes me wish I’d found some lost relatives,’ Ilsa said quietly. ‘Only I’ll never know, will I?’

‘Oh, you may find some one day with the improvements in checking DNA and linking it to other people round the world. Never give up hope.’

Sean suddenly found the courage to join in. ‘People really benefit from having relatives, I reckon. People who’re connected to you are more likely to watch your back if necessary, and would do it more carefully than mere acquaintances might. And I reckon’ – he paused for a deep breath before continuing – ‘I reckon the next best thing would be to adopt some relatives and make a new family for yourself deliberately.’

Ilsa gave him a rather sad smile. ‘It’s a bit of a big ask, don’t you think? Wanting someone to treat you as if you were connected to one another?’

‘Not really. And actually, that’s why we’ve brought you here, to ask you whether you’d consider starting to form a family with us. I’ve completely lost touch with any close family I ever had and Nina’s sons are in a phase where they’re gallivanting round the world, working at high-powered jobs.’

‘So for the time being I have Sean here and no one else in my family within reach,’ Nina said.

Ilsa stared at them in shock, then saw Nina wink at her, which made her feel less tense. When she looked back at Sean, his nervousness was so clear it made her feel more confident. ‘Do you mean that, sir?’

‘Oh, for goodness’ sake don’t call me sir. My name’s Sean, as you very well know.’

‘Sean, then. Did I hear you correctly? Are you and Nina wanting to – to . . .’ Her voice faded away and she gulped.

‘To start adopting one another and you too as a family. Yes.’

Nina gave him a poke in the ribs. ‘You’re expressing yourself badly, my lad.’

‘Sorry. I meant I didn’t have any close blood relatives, and now I’ve got Nina. She’s made me understand that I need a family.’

‘I think my sons are more interested in making money and will be late starters on the family front. And I – well, I need people too, not just Sean. I’m not a solitary person by nature.’

‘So yes, of course I mean it.’ He gave Ilsa a rueful look. ‘Though I’ve had to pull all my courage together to ask you about joining us.’

He waited again but she still couldn’t quite believe this, let alone find the words to accept as she wanted to.

He filled the silence by saying quietly, ‘Ilsa’s a pretty name. Where does it come from?’

‘I looked it up once. It’s a form of Elizabeth, apparently, but more often used in Germany.’

‘I might have know you’d have checked. You’re good at details.’

‘I do my best.’

He felt Nina let go of his arm and give him a poke, as if to tell him to continue, so he did.

‘I’m sorry for one thing,’ he said suddenly.

‘For what exactly?’

‘My awkward behaviour today. Nothing to do with you, but I’ve never been the best at talking about my emotions.’

‘I can understand that. Neither have I.’

They exchanged rueful glances and both seemed to have forgotten Nina, so she took another furtive step backwards and stepped out of their line of sight, hoping they wouldn’t notice if she opted out of the conversation for a while. They had to find their own way into this as well as both of them getting together with her.

‘Nina approves of this idea. And of you,’ he said in a near whisper.

Ilsa looked at him as if she found this hard to believe. ‘She does?’

‘Oh, yes. Very much.’

‘I like her. She’s very easy to get on with.’

‘She likes you, too.’

Ilsa could feel herself flushing. ‘Does she really?’

‘Yes. And I do too, have done from the start.’ After a pause and a deep breath, he muttered, ‘And why I’m so nervous about doing this, I have no idea. Only – well, I haven’t had a lot to do with relatives and I feel at a disadvantage about how to deal with people on a close personal level.’

‘I’ve no memory of any relatives, Sean. But I’m used to situations where I don’t really know someone and I just – you know, go with the flow and try to be pleasant. I don’t think you’d be able to force a friendship even if someone really was a real relative, but you and I have always got on well and – and I admire you, so I think we may be able to muddle through if we do the adopted family thing.’

His voice was husky as he said, ‘Only if you want to, of course.’

Behind them Nina crossed her fingers in the air at each side of her head, hoping this would continue to go well, but neither of them noticed.

Ilsa nodded and said in a little gasp of sound, ‘I do want to try it. Very much indeed.’

He beamed at her and some of the tension seemed to leave his body. ‘That’s great. And I think you’re showing more self-control than I am today, Ilsa. In fact, you’re handling me rather well.’

She could feel herself blushing at that. ‘I’d love to have a family,’ she said softly. ‘I’ve always wanted one. I know what it’s like not to have any relatives at all. And it’s not good. And – and I know you well enough to understand that you’d not be saying these things if you didn’t mean them. Can I ask what made you think of it?’

‘That trio of oldies. They’re very wise. The idea took me by surprise but I liked it. And Nina approved too.’

Ilsa forgot that Nina was standing nearby. ‘She’s nice, so easy to get on with.’

‘Yes. I fell in love with her very quickly. You and I could learn a lot from her. But I have to warn you that though I can run big organisations or cope with dangerous situations, I’m not all that good at making small talk on a personal level. You may find it rather boring to chat to me unless she’s around as well to oil the wheels of conversation.’

Ilsa couldn’t help smiling and her reply was out before she could prevent herself from commenting honestly, ‘I had noticed that, sir – I mean, Sean.’

They stared at one another, then she saw him give a faint smile, which widened into a genuine smile then a rich, deep chuckle.

‘Neither are you,’ he said in the end. He didn’t know why but he suddenly felt more comfortable with her.

‘I know.’

She was still smiling. He liked her smile, liked a lot about her.

‘I shall enjoy having an extra relative,’ he admitted. ‘What level of relationship do you think we should make it so that outsiders don’t misunderstand the situation? Not a granddaughter. I definitely do not feel old enough for that.’

‘Cousins?’ she suggested tentatively.

‘Cousins would be perfect. Cousin Ilsa. It sounds good.’

It was the name that got her. Cousin Ilsa. She gulped and stared at him, then tears started welling in her eyes and rolling down her cheeks and she couldn’t stop them. Her voice was little more than a croaky whisper as she echoed the word, ‘Cousin. Cousin Sean.’

He looked at her in near panic as the tears continued. ‘What have I said? If you don’t want to do this, I won’t let them force you.’

He couldn’t bear to see her pain and moved to pull her closer, in fact right into a proper hug. ‘What is it?’

‘I – have been lonely all my life, so very lonely. And that’s the first time I’ve ever called anyone cousin.’

He pulled out his handkerchief and dabbed at her face, then said, ‘Oh, hell!’ and pulled her closer, letting his own tears slip out for the first time in years, feeling for her pain and caring for her personally.

He hadn’t realised until now, hadn’t let himself admit even to himself how utterly lonely he’d been at times. Nina had breached the careful wall he’d built around himself and now Ilsa had crept closer to him as well. He had no doubt her tears were genuine. And to his surprise, his were too.

He couldn’t have borne a woman who acted upset but he could care for a young woman who was, as Nina had said, one of the loneliest and bravest people she’d ever met.

And he could let her care for him as well.

Nine judged it time to step forward and put an arm round each of them, pulling them into a triple embrace, and keeping them cuddling one another closely.

‘What a lovely thing to happen!’ she said. ‘We are going to have such a loving family. I’ll introduce you to my sons when they pop across to England again. Though I don’t think Brandon is enjoying his job in America so I wouldn’t be surprised if he makes another move, hopefully back to England.’ Then another thought suddenly struck her and she said, ‘Ned!’

Her companions looked at her in puzzlement.

‘He doesn’t have any family either.’

‘Hey, slow down,’ Sean said. ‘You can’t adopt the whole world.’

‘Why not? He’s lonely too.’ She grinned at her beloved’s panic. ‘I won’t bring a houseful of people home, but one more person won’t hurt and anyway, he and Ilsa get on really well. We can at least give them a chance to see if the feeling that’s starting between them lasts.’

She let that sink in, then said quietly, ‘Let’s do some walking now. Come on. Chop, chop!’ And she tugged them into walking at a smart pace but stayed in the middle and kept hold of their hands till the path narrowed too much.

And as they walked, she said, ‘We have to have a party, for ourselves and for those delightful oldies.’

Sean and Ilsa looked at her in surprise.

‘Just a little party,’ she said coaxingly. ‘I love throwing surprise parties.’

Sean rolled his eyes at Ilsa. ‘When she gets that look on her face, I’ve found out already that it’s best just to say yes to whatever she wants to do.’

‘Fine by me. No one has ever thrown a party for me before.’

‘Are we going to tell Ned what we’re celebrating?’ Ilsa asked.

‘Of course we are. And we’ll ask him to join us. In fact, becoming a family is well worth a happy hour together today as well as a party tomorrow, don’t you think?’

When they joined him in the library, Ned was sitting in an armchair with a book lying open but face down on the small table beside him.

He listened to what they were celebrating, beamed at them and had no hesitation in raising his glass to their future happiness.

‘We’ll have a proper party tomorrow,’ Nina told them all.