22
‘I DO LIKE your parents,’ said Clive, ‘and your uncle Giles is something else. Even I could vote for him, not that my parents would approve.’
‘Why not?’
‘Both of them are dyed-in-the-wool Tories. Mother wouldn’t allow a socialist in the house.’
‘I’m sorry they didn’t come to the exhibition. They would have been so proud of you.’
‘I don’t think so. Mum didn’t really approve of me going to art school in the first place. Wanted me to go to Oxford or Cambridge, and just wouldn’t accept that I wasn’t good enough.’
‘Then they probably won’t approve of me.’
‘How could they not approve of you?’ said Clive, turning over to face her. ‘You’re the Slade’s most award-winning pupil ever and, unlike me, you’ve been offered a place at the RA. Your father’s a bestselling author, your mother is chairman of a public company, and your uncle’s in the shadow cabinet. Whereas my father’s the chairman of a fish paste company, who’s hoping to be appointed the next High Sheriff of Lincolnshire, and that’s only possible because my grandfather made his fortune selling fish paste.’
‘But at least you know who your grandfather is,’ said Jessica, resting her head on his shoulder. ‘Harry and Emma aren’t my real parents, although they’ve always treated me as their daughter, and perhaps because Emma and I even look alike, people assume she’s my mother. And Seb’s the best brother a girl could ever have. But the truth is, I’m an orphan, and have no idea who my real parents are.’
‘Have you ever tried to find out?’
‘Yes, and I was told that it’s Dr Barnardo’s strict policy not to release any information about your biological parents without their permission.’
‘Why don’t you ask your uncle Giles? If anyone knows, he will.’
‘Because even if he does, isn’t it possible that my family have their reasons for not telling me?’
‘Perhaps your father was killed in the war and decorated on the battlefield after carrying out a heroic action, and your mother died of heartache.’
‘And you, Clive Bingham, are an unreconstructed romantic, who should stop reading Biggles and try All Quiet On The Western Front.’
‘When you become a famous artist, will you call yourself Jessica Clifton, or Jessica Bingham?’
‘Are you by any chance proposing again, Clive? Because that’s the third time this week.’
‘You noticed. Yes, I am, and I was hoping you’d come up to Lincolnshire with me at the weekend and meet my parents, so we can make it official.’
‘I’d love to,’ said Jessica, throwing her arms around him.
‘Mind you, there’s someone I’ll have to visit before you can come to Lincolnshire,’ said Clive. ‘So don’t pack yet.’
‘It was good of you to see me at such short notice, sir.’
Harry was impressed. He could see that the young man had gone to a lot of trouble. He’d turned up on time, was wearing a jacket and tie, and his shoes shone as if he was on parade. He was clearly very nervous, so Harry tried to put him at ease.
‘Your letter said that you wanted to see me about an important matter, so it has to be one of two things.’
‘It’s quite simple really, sir,’ said Clive. ‘I’d like permission to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage.’
‘How sublimely old-fashioned.’
‘It’s no more than Jessica would expect of me.’
‘Don’t you feel you’re both a little young to be thinking about getting married? Perhaps you should wait, at least until Jessica graduates from the RA.’
‘With respect, sir, Sebastian tells me that I’m older than you were when you proposed to Mrs Clifton.’
‘True, but that was at a time of war.’
‘I hope I don’t have to go to war, sir, just to prove how much I love your daughter.’
Harry laughed. ‘Well, I suppose as a prospective father-in-law I ought to ask about your prospects. Jessica tells me you weren’t offered a place at the RA schools.’
‘I’m pretty sure that didn’t come as a surprise to you, sir.’
Harry smiled. ‘So what have you been up to since you left the Slade?’
‘I’ve been working at an advertising agency, Curtis Bell and Getty, in their design department.’
‘Is that well paid?’
‘No, sir. My salary is four hundred pounds a year, but my father tops it up with an allowance of another thousand, and my parents gave me the lease on a flat in Chelsea as a twenty-first birthday present. So we’ll have more than enough.’
‘You do realize that painting is, and always will be, Jessica’s first love, and she’ll never allow anything to get in the way of her career, as this family became aware on the day she stepped into our lives.’
‘I too am well aware of that, sir, and I’ll do everything in my power to make sure she fulfils her ambition. It would be crazy not to, with her talent.’
‘I’m glad you feel that way,’ said Harry. ‘But despite her great talent, there’s an insecurity there that you will, at times, have to handle with compassion and understanding.’
‘I’m also well aware of that, sir, and it’s something I enjoy doing for her. It makes me feel very special.’
‘Can I ask how your parents feel about you wanting to marry my daughter?’
‘My mother’s a great fan of yours, as well as an admirer of your wife.’
‘But do they realize we’re not Jessica’s parents?’
‘Oh yes, but, as Dad says, that’s hardly her fault.’
‘And have you told them you want to marry Jessica?’
‘No, sir, but we’re going up to Louth this weekend, when I intend to, although I can’t imagine it will come as much of a surprise.’
‘Then all that’s left for me to do is to wish you every happiness together. If there is a kinder, more loving girl in the world, I’ve yet to meet her. But perhaps every father feels that way.’
‘I’m well aware that I’ll never be good enough for her, but I swear I won’t let her down.’
‘I’m sure you won’t,’ said Harry, ‘but I have to warn you there’s another side to that coin. She’s a sensitive young woman, and if you were ever to lose her trust, you’d lose her.’
‘I’d never do anything to let that happen, believe me.’
‘I’m sure you mean that. So why don’t you ring me if she says yes.’
‘I most certainly will, sir,’ said Clive as Harry rose from his chair. ‘If you don’t hear from me by Sunday night, it means she will have turned me down. Again.’
‘Again?’ said Harry.
‘Yes. I’ve proposed to Jess several times already,’ admitted Clive, ‘and she’s always turned me down. I get the feeling that there’s something she’s worried about and doesn’t want to discuss. Assuming it’s not me, I was rather hoping you might be able to throw some light on it.’
Harry hesitated for some time before he said, ‘I’m having lunch with Jessica tomorrow, so may I suggest you have a word with her before you travel up to Lincolnshire, and certainly before you break the news to your parents.’
‘If you feel that’s necessary, sir, of course I will.’
‘I think it might be wise in the circumstances,’ said Harry as his wife walked into the room.
‘Am I to understand that congratulations are in order?’
Emma asked, which made Harry wonder if his wife had been listening to their conversation. ‘If so, I couldn’t be more pleased.’
‘Not quite yet, Mrs Clifton. But let’s hope it will be official by the weekend. If it is, I’ll try to prove worthy of your and Mr Clifton’s confidence.’ Turning back to Harry, he added, ‘It was kind of you to see me, sir.’
The two men shook hands.
‘Drive carefully,’ said Harry, as if he was talking to his own son.
He and Emma stood by the window and watched as Clive got into his car.
‘So you’ve finally decided to tell Jessica who her father is?’
‘Clive left me with no choice,’ said Harry as the car disappeared down the drive and out through the gates of the Manor House. ‘And heaven knows how the young man will react when he discovers the truth.’
‘I’m much more worried about how Jessica will react,’ said Emma.