a handkerchief at her daughter. ‘There, there. Don’t get upset in front of Andrew.’
Lydia took one hand off the wheel and dabbed at her eyes. ‘I’m sorry, it’s just I get emotional every time I think about Daddy.’ She glanced at Andrew. ‘Your Templeton grandfather was the most wonderful man in the world – the epitome of a true gentleman – and I miss him every day, even though he passed away over five years ago. You would have got on so well with him.’
‘I’m sorry not to have met him,’ Andrew said.
Lydia sniffed and balled the handkerchief in her fist. ‘Yes, well, you’ve your father to blame for that. He wouldn’t bring you for a visit when you were younger, even though I begged him to—’
‘Lydia!’ Minnie chided. She put a hand on Andrew’s shoulder. ‘Do you like tennis, dear? We still keep the court in good shape even though your mother doesn’t play much these days.’
‘Yes, I do,’ Andrew said with enthusiasm. ‘There are courts at Gulmarg and I play with Dad—’ Abruptly he stopped, giving his mother an anxious glance.
‘Your father was quite good at tennis,’ Lydia conceded. ‘That’s how we met. My dear friend Harold brought him over to make up a game of doubles with me and Esmie. Did you know that?’
‘No,’ said Andrew. ‘Does Harold still come and play tennis here?’
Lydia gasped and brought the car skidding to a halt just short of the portico. She heaved on the brake and turned to Andrew in astonishment. ‘Harold’s dead! Surely Esmie’s told you about him? He was her husband before she went off with mine.’
Andrew turned red and stammered, ‘I – I knew she was married to a Dr Guthrie and worked with him as a nurse in the North West Frontier.’
‘Well, that’s Harold,’ said Lydia. ‘He was your father’s best friend. Does he not speak about him?’
‘Not really,’ Andrew mumbled.
‘I find that astonishing,’ Lydia cried.
Minnie intervened. ‘Best not to open up that can of worms, dear.’
Lydia gave her mother a sharp look and seemed to bite back a retort. She tapped Andrew on the knee. ‘Come on, let me show you around your new home.’
Stella had to make an effort not to gawp in wonder at the interior of Templeton Hall. The light streamed in from stained-glass windows and threw vivid colours across the tiled hall floor and up the curving wrought-iron staircase. At the base of the bannisters, life-size statues of half-naked nymphs held aloft electric lights. She caught Andrew looking transfixed at the bare metal breasts and hid a smile.
‘Lily!’ Lydia called out, and a stout woman in a black uniform and starched white cap came bustling through a swing door.
‘Ma’am.’ She bobbed.
‘This is my son, Andrew.’
Lily gave another bob and smiled, showing crooked teeth. ‘Welcome tae Templeton Hall, Master Andrew.’
‘And this is Stella, Andrew’s nanny – or sort-of nanny. She knows all about running a large establishment, so will be a great help.’
Stella looked in confusion at Andrew and saw him raise his eyebrows.
‘Fetch the luggage in, please, Lily,’ Lydia ordered. She turned to Stella. ‘Perhaps you could help her with the trunk? We used to have a butler for these sorts of things but staff are much harder to find these days. I hope you don’t mind?’
Stella hid her astonishment. At home it would have been the job of male servants to fetch and carry – she would certainly never have been expected to haul a trunk around – a fact Lydia must have known. But she didn’t want to embarrass Lily by mentioning this. ‘No, of course not.’
‘Then Lily can show you to your room.’
‘I’ll go and talk to Cook about lunch,’ said Minnie. ‘It’s nice enough to sit out on the terrace.’
Stella put down her handbag and followed the maid back outside.
‘Old Mr Baxter used to do all the carrying,’ muttered Lily. ‘It’s me does everything the now.’
‘You can’t be the only servant?’ Stella was astonished. In India, a house that size would have had a dozen servants at the very least.
‘Aye, since old Baxter went tae his maker. There’s Hector comes in tae dee the garden twice a week – and there’s Miss MacAlpine, the cook. But it’s me does everything else. Aye, I’ve been here twenty year – since I was fourteen.’
Stella thought she looked much older than thirty-four, but nodded. ‘The Templetons must be grateful for your loyalty.’
Lily let out a burst of laughter. ‘I dinnae have much choice. Ma family’s all gone and I’m