Rose Rivers Read online

‘I would! I know just as much as you, apart from Latin and Greek!’

  ‘This is filthy stuff,’ said Rupert.

  I was baffled. ‘You mean the sort of silly nonsense Algie comes out with?’

  ‘No! Well, a bit like that. But it’s about … bodies.’

  ‘Bodies?’

  ‘Do stow it, Rose!’ said Rupert hastily, looking at the fence behind us as if half of Kensington were crouched there, listening. ‘It’s what people do with their bodies,’ he whispered.

  My heart started thumping.

  ‘They talk about it all the time at school. Even Mackinley and his friends. It’s the main topic of conversation in our dorm, especially after lights out,’ said Rupert. ‘And anyone who knows just a little bit more than anyone else is Top Man.’

  ‘But you don’t know anything, do you?’ I asked.

  ‘I read a racy booklet. I actually bought it off a chap down a back street.’

  ‘You didn’t!’

  ‘He said I was too young, but I gave him twice what he was asking. I wanted to find out all about it.’

  ‘You are too young!’ I said.

  ‘Anyway, I know more than the other boys now. I made out I’d actually got a sweetheart and done some of the things in the booklet.’

  ‘Rupert!’

  ‘Hardy and Martin and all the boys in my dorm believed me. But Mackinley got wind of it and found it funny, though he punished me for telling lies. So then I thought I might try to manufacture some proof to show him. I wrote this letter to Pamela.’

  ‘You wrote a filthy letter to Pamela?’

  ‘Not a filthy one, idiot. She’d have thrown it away – or shown it to her mama!’ said Rupert.

  We both went into peals of laughter at the thought of Mrs Feynsham-Jones reading such a letter.

  ‘It was all lovey-dovey, gush-gush stuff about how I’d grown fond of her and was missing her. Nothing too dreadful.’

  ‘But it is dreadful to string her along when you don’t mean a word of it,’ I said priggishly, though inside I was rejoicing. So he didn’t really care about her at all!

  ‘It’s not dreadful, not when she seems so happy. She wrote back and said ridiculously soppy things, declaring she kissed my letter every night and longed to be close to me again. I showed it all round the dorm and they were very impressed. Mackinley was still suspicious and thought it was a letter from my sister.’

  ‘How dare he! As if I’d ever write such a letter!’ I said furiously.

  ‘Yes, but he doesn’t know you, does he? So then I asked Pamela to send me her photograph and she did, and then he could see that we’re not a bit alike, and anyway his people vaguely know the Feynsham-Joneses. He recognized Pamela. He laughed his head off and clapped me on the shoulder. Now Mackinley and half the upper sixth call me Casanova. He was a famous Italian chap who had lots of affairs,’ said Rupert, swaggering.

  ‘He was a man though, not a boy,’ I said. ‘Rupert, you’re only thirteen!’

  ‘People say I look more like sixteen. Pamela says,’ he told me, laughing. Then he pulled a silly girly face and said in a high-pitched voice, ‘Oh, Roooopert, you’re so grown up now!’

  I couldn’t help laughing too as we went indoors. Algie and Clarrie came running up, demanding to know what we were laughing at. Rupert made a fuss of them, giving them piggybacks and galloping so fast that they squealed in delight.

  I saw that Sebastian was watching. Rupert offered him a piggyback too, but he shook his head shyly.

  ‘I don’t think Montmorency would like it,’ he explained.

  ‘Well, we mustn’t upset Montmorency, because he’s such a good-natured, handsome fellow, the lord of all little rodents,’ said Rupert.

  He was teasing, but Sebastian glowed.

  The children complained bitterly when Nurse came to chivvy them upstairs for supper and bed. Rupert and I joined Mama and Papa for grown-up dinner. Mama monopolized the conversation, making plans for the weekend.

  ‘I’d really like to keep you all to myself, my darling, but I also want to show you off to our friends. You’ve grown so in just half a term! I dare say when you come home at Christmas you’ll be as tall as your papa,’ she said. ‘Though of course you’re not so very tall yourself, are you, Edward? Rupert clearly takes after my side of the family. My papa is well over six foot, and still very spry and slender. He looks very manly in the kilt. We’ll have to get you measured for a new kilt for Hogmanay, dear boy.’

  ‘So which friends are you going to invite, Mama? How about the Feynsham-Joneses? I believe Rose has chummed up with the girls while I’ve been away at school.’

  Mama thought this an excellent idea.

  MAMA INVITED THE Feynsham-Joneses for afternoon tea the next day. I felt ill at the thought of seeing them again, especially Pamela. It’s a great relief to discover that Rupert doesn’t care for her in the slightest. Still, I do wish he wouldn’t talk about her in such a sordid way at school.

  Pamela’s been so carefully brought up. She surely wouldn’t even let Rupert hold her hand. They’re only children, though they both look much older than me. Why is Rupert like this? He’s the one who always jokes around. This morning he actually slid down the banisters and landed smack on the floor. It must have hurt him, but he just laughed.

  Mama cried out in consternation, and Papa came running down from his studio.

  ‘Really, Rupert, must you always act the fool?’ he said, shaking his head. ‘You’re worrying your mama and your sister.’

  Papa put his arm round my shoulders. ‘Glad to have your brother back, poppet? Are you happy now?’

  I nodded.

  ‘How’s the sketching going, eh? Is Paris helping you at all?’

  ‘I really don’t think I have much talent, Papa,’ I said.

  ‘I’m not sure I have sometimes,’ he said. ‘Not any more.’ He said it lightly, and smiled, but he looked very tense.

  ‘Papa, are you happy now?’ I whispered.

  He looked startled. ‘Of course I am, my pet. And your mama is clearly in seventh heaven now that Rupert is back. She’s plotting a splendid tea party this afternoon.’

  Mama wanted to include the younger children, but planned to have them play prettily in the garden as soon as they’d had a bite to eat. She thought Beth too great a risk and told Nurse Budd to take her out for a walk shortly before the Feynsham-Joneses were due to arrive.

  However, the sky suddenly darkened and there was a serious downpour. Nurse Budd had only just bundled Beth into her coat and hat and boots, and now she had to take them off again. Beth protested noisily.

  ‘Oh my Lord,’ said Mama, almost in tears. ‘I was banking on Nurse Budd keeping Beth out of the way. And now she’s started one of her turns. We shall have to cancel the party!’

  ‘Rose,’ Papa murmured. ‘Go and comfort your mother.’

  I refused. She wouldn’t appreciate my comfort. Anyway, I wanted the party to be cancelled.

  Papa looked at me, and then gave my shoulder a squeeze. ‘All right. You run upstairs and see if you can calm Beth. I’ll look after your mama.

  ‘There now, Jeannie.’ He put his arms round her and held her close, there in the dining room in front of everyone.

  I thought Mama would push him away, but she gave a little sob and rested her head on his chest. We all stared, Algie and Clarrie nudging each other and giggling.

  I hurried upstairs. Beth’s screams were deafening now. She was lying on the floor, half in and half out of her coat, drumming her boots on the carpet.

  ‘Beth, for heaven’s sake! You must stop making such a row! Mama is going frantic and we’re expecting visitors,’ I said, seizing hold of her.

  Beth only cried harder.

  ‘There now, Miss Rose, leave her to me. I’ll soon quieten her,’ said Nurse Budd. ‘It’s pointless trying to reason with her when she’s in such a paddy.’

  ‘Perhaps we might give her some cake,’ I suggested.

  ‘Cake! She was sick three times in