to his word, Sir Robert did occasionally call to the school. He would visit on a Sunday afternoon, taking Jade and sometimes Rani as well, for tea and cakes in Wilton, where he would tell them about Italy. Both girls would continually ask questions about the ancient Romans, and the ruins that could still be seen.
‘I’ll have to take you both for a trip out there some day. We can climb all over the ruins together,’ he joked.
However, as the months passed, the girls became aware that Sir Robert missed his wife very much. His mind wandered sometimes, as they sat drinking their teas in the local village, and he occasionally spoke to Jade as though she were Lady Green.
Over time, his physical presence also deteriorated, as his once-straight back became bowed, his shoulders stooping noticeably. It looked to Jade as though his body was collapsing in upon itself.
Jade was called to Mrs McLean’s office for the second time nine months later. Jade felt the butterflies in her stomach, and a feeling of dread made her legs feel leaden, as she made her way to the office. When Jade was seated, Mrs McLean delivered the news that Jade had feared; Sir Robert had died.
Once again, Miss Wright accompanied Jade to the funeral.
This time, Jade knew the person encased within the coffin, and she felt the full force of grief. Tears flooding her eyes, she whispered her personal farewell to her grandfather. ‘I promise I’ll go to Italy one day,’ she whispered.
Jade’s life soon returned to normal, and the grief eased with time.
On her next visit home, she found her father looking older and greyer. To Jade, he seemed to be changing from the young man she remembered, to an older person who resembled Sir Robert. She wondered where the young man had gone; the gentle man whom she had watched sharing tender moments with Yee-Ling. Drinking appeared to be taking its toll on his features. Angry red veins spread across his cheeks, and his eyes seemed to water constantly.
Her mother, on the other hand, seemed little changed. Beautiful as ever, she maintained her calm, polite exterior, and remained incapable of any sign of affection toward her daughter. Jade wondered why they stayed together. She would have liked to ask her father, but it was just not something that a child could ask a parent. So she bit her tongue, watching the misery around her.
In public, her parents maintained an image of polite coexistence. Attending the required public and private festivities together, there was never a cross word between them, even when it was noted that John Green had consumed far too much whisky.
‘It’s just his rugged personality,’ Mother had politely maintained when Jade had made mention of his state.
Jade hated it all, and couldn’t wait to get back to the normality of school.
Jade received a third dreaded summons.
Mrs McLean watched Jade walking toward her desk. The college had certainly done its job, in spectacular fashion, upon this young lady. Jade sat, erect and elegant, composing herself for the inevitable bad news. Frantic to know ‘who’, but politely containing her curiosity.
‘I’m sorry, Janice, it’s your grandmother; June Taylor. She passed away in her sleep last night.’
Jade bowed her head, tears welling in her eyes. She had grown to love her mother’s parents in a way that she had never been able to do so with her own mother, and the loss of June Taylor was heartrending.
Mrs McLean’s words brought Jade with a jolt out of her reverie. ‘You’re old enough now to be of assistance to your grandfather, so I’ve arranged for you to spend the next week with him. I’m sure you will be able to catch up on your studies when you return.’
‘Thank you, Mrs McLean. Will Miss Wright be going with me?’
‘I’m sure that you will be able to negotiate the short journey by yourself. You are no longer the precocious little girl that arrived on our doorstep,’ smiled Mrs McLean.
‘It seems such a long time ago ...’
‘For a young lady like you, it would seem like forever, but, when you reach my age, it seems like yesterday.’ Mrs McLean had allowed a little bit of her emotions to show; emotions that softened her brusque manner somewhat. Jade looked at her curiously.
Retiring from the navy a year before, with the rank of Commodore, Jade’s grandfather was glad to have her with him.
Friends in the service had helped to streamline the arrangements, so there was little for Jade to do, other than to comfort her grandfather, and answer the numerous phone calls.
Following the funeral, Jade’s training at the college came to the fore. Looking after the social necessities that good breeding required, Jade responded to the notes of condolence on behalf of the Commodore, thanking each and every one in handwritten notes, which she had the Commodore sign. Despite the grim task, Jade found the exercise absorbing. It was the first truly adult task that she had ever been requested to perform, and she found satisfaction in organising the job into a logical sequence, and completing it to her grandfather’s satisfaction.
All too soon though, it was time for Jade to return to school. The Commodore would have liked to have kept Jade around for longer, but realised that it would not have been fair on his granddaughter. He reluctantly drove her back to the college.
‘I’ll be looking forward to seeing you again soon. How long until your next holiday?’
‘The next one is my long break, when I’m supposed to return to China, but, if you like, I’ll write to Mother and tell her that you need me to look after you. I’m sure she’ll let me stay.’
‘Don’t you want to go home to see your parents?’
She placed a hand on his arm. ‘You need me more. I’ll stay with you. There’s always next year to go home.’
* * *
It was Jade’s final year at the college.
Rani had been true to her word from their first meeting, and was looking forward to enrolling in university. High grades had ensured that when she applied for medical school, the appropriate doors would be opened for her.
Jade, for her part, was still no closer to reaching a decision on her future. Courses in art appreciation had stimulated her, but she failed to see how this could be turned into a worthwhile profession, while the time she had spent helping her grandfather organise his business affairs, had shown that she also had abilities in that area. After considerable thought, Jade was no closer to a decision, and abandoned all effort, deciding to wait a while longer before reaching one.
When the next call had come, requesting that Jade report, alone, to Mrs McLean’s office, it was delivered personally by Miss Wright, and came as a complete shock to Jade. Rani, knowing that it could only be bad news, hugged her friend, and wished her well, as Jade left their room.
Tears were in her eyes, as she made her way to the office. She dreaded to hear the words that the Commodore was dead. She had received a letter from him just the day before, and he had sounded fine. I wonder what’s happened?
Knocking on the door, Mrs McLean bid her enter.
Jade was surprised to see an elderly man seated before the principal’s desk, and was astounded when he turned. It was
