In the end, it had been Vernon who had forced her to come to Devon. He had borrowed the car himself, from a friend in Kensington. Jos was a better driver, but Vernon had accompanied her. She wondered if he’d joined her to ensure she made it to her destination and did not get cold feet along the way. She would not have done, but she did appreciate her brother’s support. Several times along the journey she thought of Evelyn’s loss, of how Edward Hopkins had galvanised Evelyn’s life by starting her on her journey to London, and of how much grief Evelyn must now feel. Losing their parents had been bad enough but she could not imagine the pain of losing Vernon.
And so Vernon had occupied the passenger seat all through the long journey from London to south Devon. They’d begun with first light and only arrived now, after dark. The motor road swung down past one of the bays before entering the town. Jos’s intention was to drive into the town and hope that Main Street would be as obvious as it sounded. However, as they passed the bay, she had seen the bedraggled figure in the headlights and recognised Evelyn at once. Relief and love fought for the uppermost place in her heart as she had called out to Evelyn and caught her in an embrace.
Now Evelyn pulled back a little to look into her eyes. “You’ve come. I didn’t think you would.”
“I’m so sorry, Evie,” Jos said softly. “So very sorry. I was an idiot. I’m such a coward, you know. But I’ve learned my lesson. These past days and weeks without you, they’ve been the worst of my life. I want you in my life, Evie.”
Evelyn’s hand came up to stroke Jos’s face with cold fingers. Jos leaned in to her caress. “I’ve missed you, Jos. I didn’t write because I thought perhaps you’d be glad to be rid of me and move on.” Her voice shook slightly, thought Jos was not sure if it was with the cold or with emotion.
“Please don’t ever think that again,” Jos replied. To hear such assumptions from Evelyn made her desperately ashamed of herself. “I will never want to be rid of you, I’m sure of it. I’m sorry it took me so long to come to my senses.”
Evelyn smiled. “I love you, Jos. It’s the one thing I’ve been certain of, through everything.”
Jos’s heart leapt with joy. “And I love you, Evie. With all of my heart.” Jos closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against Evelyn’s.
They stood that way for a long moment, heedless of the rain. Then the passenger door of the car opened.
“Might I remind you both that it’s raining and we have a perfectly decent car with a perfectly waterproof roof?”
Evelyn looked to the car, surprised to see Vernon. Jos smiled. “Vernon persuaded me to come and find you,” Jos told her. “It wasn’t just Vernon, of course. Dorothy was furious with me. In the end she said she wouldn’t speak to me until I saw you.”
Evelyn smiled and turned to Vernon. “Thank you,” she said.
Vernon nodded. “Good to see you, Evie. And you’re welcome. Once again, I remind you of the rain.”
Jos took Evelyn’s hand and led her to the car, helping her climb into the rear seat, sliding in at her side. Vernon sat in the driver’s seat. “So what do we do now?” he asked.
Evelyn looked thoughtful. She grasped Jos’s hand tightly. “I think we have to go and see my family,” she said.
“Very well,” Vernon replied, starting the engine. “But you might need to direct me. And I hope to goodness you’ve thought of what you’re going to say to them.”
*
The journey from the North Bay to her family’s home took only a few minutes by car. Evelyn found it unusual to direct a vehicle through the dark streets of the town. Jos and Vernon were looking about them with curiosity. They seemed entirely out of place here, much as she had done in London. If she had not been nervous about taking them to see her family, she might almost have laughed at them. She sat close to Jos, wrapped in her arms, drawing heat from her body. Every part of her began to melt into Jos. It was almost surreal that Jos should be here, in the midst of her misery. She hoped desperately that she was not dreaming. If she was, it was the happiest dream of her life and she did not want to wake up.
By the time they made it to the house, a vague plan had formed for what they would say to Evelyn’s parents. Evelyn, inspired to confidence by Jos’s presence at her side, led them into the kitchen, where they found her mother and father, and Annie. Peter was out of the house somewhere. It was a shame, Evelyn thought, that she would not see her younger brother before she left. She already knew she would be leaving tonight. As she glanced around the familiar kitchen, her resolution did not falter.
Her family’s faces showed various degrees of annoyance and surprise as their daughter and two well-dressed strangers entered the room.
“Mother, Father, Annie. May I introduce Mr. Vernon Singleton and his sister, Miss Joselyn Singleton. Friends from London.”
Her family made no attempt to move to welcome the visitors. Evelyn pressed on, undaunted. “They’ve driven down to visit. Vernon, Jos, these are my mother and father and my sister, Annie.”
“Delighted to meet you all,” Vernon said. Even he seemed slightly off his stride in the face of such stalwart disapproval.
“Yes, it’s lovely to meet Evelyn’s family,” Jos added. “She said so many nice things about you.”
“Funny, we were under the
