‘So am I. We all are.’
‘I never said goodbye,’ she choked, casting her eyes into the quiet street. Suddenly she saw Toby and Julian strolling happily up the pavement. Toby was eating a chocolate bar. She paused in astonishment, blinking furiously in case she was mistaken.
‘I know, sweetie, neither did I,’ Helena said with a sniff. Then after a moment, when Federica failed to respond she added, ‘Fede, are you all right?’
‘Mama, they’re here!’ she exclaimed in amazement.
Torquil turned around and looked out of the window.
‘Who is?’
‘Uncle Toby and Julian!’
‘What?’
‘They’re walking towards me up the road.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Yes!’ she replied, getting up and running out through the door. ‘Toby!
Julian!’ she shouted.
Toby smiled jovially as his niece ran towards him. She threw herself into his arms. ‘You’re alive,’ she laughed. They’re alive!’ she shouted into the telephone where Helena was anxiously hanging on at the other end.
‘Pass me over now!’ she ordered crossly. ‘They’re alive!’ she added, looking at her parents, Arthur and Hal in confusion.
‘Helena,’ said Toby, grinning into the speaker.
‘What the hell happened to you?’ she demanded.
‘What do you mean?’
‘The train crash.’
Toby frowned. ‘What train crash?’ he asked, perplexed.
‘For God’s sake!’ she gasped. ‘Don’t tell me you weren’t even on it?’
‘We took an early train, because Julian had a morning appointment in Soho.’
‘I don’t believe it!’ she exclaimed. ‘We thought you were dead. You worried us sick.’
‘Christ, I’m sorry.’
‘You bloody well better be!’ she said in fury. ‘God, Toby, we thought you were both dead. We’ve been out of our minds with worry. I’d even planned the
speech I was going to give at the funeral. Goddamn it! I love you!’ she whimpered before disintegrating into tears.
Jake took the telephone from her. ‘Toby.’
‘Dad.’ There was a brief pause while Jake searched for the words that only a moment ago had balanced impatiently on the end of his tongue.
Toby glanced at Julian in bafflement.
Finally, Jake settled for something less meaningful. ‘Come home soon, son, both of you,’ he said stiffly. He wanted to say more, but he couldn’t do it over the telephone.
Toby’s forehead creased in bewilderment. ‘Are you all right, Dad?’ he asked.
‘You’re alive. You’re both alive. I’ve never felt better in all my life,’ he announced triumphantly and Toby recognized his father’s old familiar voice, the voice that had resounded with affection before prejudice had throttled it.
Toby was passed to his mother, then Arthur and finally Hal. When he hung up he shook his head in astonishment.
‘You’d better come and join us for lunch,’ said Torquil, extending his hand. ‘I’m Torquil Jensen. You don’t know how much of a pleasure it is to meet you both.’
When Toby and Julian returned to Polperro they received a welcome neither felt they deserved. Most of the town joined Toby’s family and the Applebys on the platform and all clapped heartily when they stepped down from the train. Even Inigo had come out in his shabby cashmere coat and felt hat to show his delight that they had arrived home safely. Polly watched with pride as Jake embraced them both, patting them heartily on the back because his throat was too choked with emotion to speak. Toby’s vision misted as he hugged his father, a hug that destroyed the invisible wall that had grown up between them. Their eyes silently communicated all that they felt and their tears demonstrated the love that both considered inappropriate to express verbally. Helena watched happily as her family were finally reunited again, but she couldn’t help but wonder how their meeting went with Federica and whether they had managed to stall her marriage plans.
As Toby made his way through the crowd of well-wishers to the exit he was surprised to see Joanna Black, the girl he had once kissed at school, standing awkwardly by the door. She smiled at him. He smiled back, puzzled. ‘Hello, Joanna,’ he said.
‘Hello, Toby,’ she replied. ‘I didn’t think you’d remember me.’
‘Oh, I do.' he said and chuckled amicably.
‘I just wanted to apologize for cutting you dead that time in the grocery shop.’
‘Oh, don’t worry, that’s fine. It was a long time ago.’ He shrugged, watching her shuffle uneasily.