“I intend, if it is convenient, to remainfor this week, spend much of next in London and then come back for the lastweekend and few days of my leave. Will it be possible to arrange the dinner inthat time, ma’am?”
Mrs Parrett was sure that it would be. Shewould make very certain of it.
“Will your Uncle, Viscount Perceval, beable to stay here overnight, do you think, Simon?”
It was likely, Simon assured her.
The most distinguished guest to stay atthe Hall in her time as chatelaine. Mrs Parrett would ensure he was immersed inluxury. She would also be careful that the whole County would be aware of hispresence.
Days of idleness and pleasure in Alice’scompany and intentionally not looking at the newspapers – a complete break fromthe strain of taking a ship to war. He had not known just how much pressure hehad been under until it came to a temporary end. He slept for twelve hours,three nights in a row, lazed in a chair or outside on a bench for those days.
Towards the end of the week he foundhimself awake and alert again, apologised for being such bad company.
“You were exhausted, Simon. You needed therest. My mother is going into Ipswich today Shall we accompany her?”
The town was dull, too many of the smallerstores displaying knots of black ribbon for sons and counter jumpers who hadgone off to war and would not return. The selection of goods inside the expensiveplaces – the only ones they patronised – was almost unchanged. There was even asupply of caviar again, more costly for having crossed to Vladivostok by railthen to San Francisco or Vancouver and across the continent before taking shipa second time. Where there was the need, and the money, life’s little luxurieswere available.
There was some talk of rationing. MrsParrett was dismissive.
“Not for the likes of us, Simon. The governmentknows better!”
He made no answer, seeing poverty that sheevidently did not notice. There were poorly clothed women and children, some ofwhom were barefoot, with oilcloth shopping bags showing almost empty. A loaf ofbread, a bottle of milk and little else for most.
“Prices do seem to be higher, Mrs Parrett.”
“Oh! Are they? I just put our purchases tothe account. I do not look at the cost. That is cleared every month, or is itquarter? By the housekeeper, in any case.”
Alice seemed to regard this as an entirelyreasonable way of life. Simon feared he might have to hold a discussion with herregarding money. He was well off; he could hardly cope with Mrs Parrett’s levelof expense.
They took a light lunch at the CountyHotel before making their way to a jewellers for the important business of theday, the selection of a ring.
There were any number of stones on displayand the prices seemed less than Simon might have expected. A quiet word to theproprietor disclosed that the war had led to widows with children to keep andsuddenly inadequate incomes.
“Several of the leading professionalgentlemen of the town, sir, went off to war last August. It was quite the thingamong them to join the Territorial Army before the war, almost a local club, onemight say. Away they went and only too many will not come back again. Some. naturally,sir, have distinguished themselves and others are respectably commissioned now,having risen quickly from the ranks, as is only to be expected. At least adozen of the town’s solicitors and accountants and surveyors and architects andsuch have fallen, sir. As a Naval officer, of some distinction, you may not beaware of the casualties the infantry have experienced. Three of my sons marchedin August, sir. Two survive, one of them at home again, possibly for life, wounded.”
Simon had noticed the black band on thejeweller’s sleeve. He murmured appropriate words.
“Several of the ladies have found itnecessary to sell their rings and necklaces and brooches. I have made it apolicy to break them up so that the pieces might not be recognised and commentedon. I would not normally hold a stock of the larger stones in the provinces,would send them up to London to be disposed of. So many have been put on the marketthat their price has fallen substantially in Town and it is as well to holdthem here. I can place a most respectable brilliant on Miss Parrett’s finger,sir, at less than pre-war price.”
An hour and the stone was chosen and thering commissioned to be ready in the following week. Simon made a note to speakto his uncle about precious stones. When the war ended, it was likely theywould rise again.
His uncle agreed, thought it a clever notion.
“A young man to travel the county towns ofEast Anglia and then across the western parts. From Shropshire down intoHereford and Gloucester and into the West Country proper. Cash in hand will bewelcome to jewellers who are finding more clients wishing to sell to them thanbuy. The Home Counties, closer to London, might not be so fruitful… It might bepossible to sweep through the west and north of Wales and then into the rural partsof the North. We might put twenty or thirty thousand pounds out, Simon, havingthe advantage that the Inland Revenue will know nothing of the business. We couldwell sell quietly to the trade in as much as ten years from now. I can see arespectable profit there, Simon! Well thought, young man!”
Simon wondered just how large ‘respectable’was, did not ask further.
“I do not have it in mind to remain in theNavy after the war, sir. I must bend my mind to consideration of business, Ithink.”
“Not necessarily, Simon. A number of yearsas a Member of Parliament followed inevitably by your translation to the Houseof Lords on my death would be the basis of a sound political career. You cannotever be Prime Minister as it is accepted now that he must sit in the Commons.Foreign Secretary, second in importance, would be well within your reach. As
