Chapter 6

Straight after breakfast on Saturday morning Allie went round to see Toby. She found him up and about, fully dressed and back to his normal smiling self.

“Great!” she exclaimed. “You’re better”

“Yes and thank you, sweety, for coming round every day while I had the grumps.”

“You didn’t. You were a bit mis but that was because you were feeling rotten.”

“OK but you might have picked it up.”

Allie made a rude noise. “And then you’d have come to visit me and cheer me up.”

“Yes but I would have been immune to the bug.”

“Anyway, you’re better and I didn’t so everything’s OK.” She grinned at him. “So it’s hug time. You haven’t given me one for a week.”

“Forward, little girl!”

He took her in his arms and hers went tightly round his waist. He did not prolong it, pushing her gently away and kissing the tip of her nose.

“Spoilsport!” She grinned cheekily and then looked solemn. “Um, Toby, I’ve got something not very nice to tell you.”

“Go on.” He looked concerned. He sat down in an armchair. Alison sat astride his knees facing him.

“I told you that Danny Perkins had been seeing me home from school.”

“Yes.”

She told him the story and watched his face change from anger to compassion and pride. Even so she looked at him anxiously.

“Well done, my little one!” he said softly, kissed her forehead and put his arms gently round her.

She buried her face in his chest and shook. He felt tears wetting his chest through his shirt. He tightened his arms slightly and kissed the top of her head. He continued to hold her for a couple of minutes and then gently prised her off him.

“I’m proud of you, Allie. Really, really proud of you,” he said gently. “It must have frightened you.”

Allie nodded but her eyes shone through her tears. He was proud of her!

“Oh, Toby, thank you. I thought you might be cross with me and think I’d led him on.”

“No, little one. You’d never do that.”

Her eyes filled with tears again, she brushed his arms aside, flung her arms round his neck and pressed her cheek to his. Despite her emotions and elation that he was proud of her she knew that he would baulk at her kissing him.

Once again he held her, gently stroking her back and whispering words of encouragement and pride.

Nessa looked in enquiringly and Toby smiled but put a finger to his lips. She smiled and moved silently on.

Eventually Toby gently prised Allie away.

“You’ve told your mum?”

She nodded.

“What did she say?”

“That I’d done the right thing but she was furious with Danny and wanted to report him to the Head. I think I persuaded her not to because I didn’t want it blown up into a big thing and everybody talking about it. And then she said ‘Come on. Half an hour’s Grieg will buck you up.”

“Did it?”

She nodded. “But she didn’t say she was proud of me like you did.” Her eyes filled again. “Thank you, Toby.”

“Right! How about half an hour’s Chopin?”

“OK but I’d prefer half an hour of you and Rachmaninov first.”

He smiled at her. “Off you get. Let’s go and do that.”

An hour later Allie was fully recovered and her normal buoyant self. Nevertheless she brought the subject up again on Monday as they walked to school.

“Toby? Why did Danny behave like he did when I’d told him that I didn’t want to be his girlfriend?”

“Because he really meant what he said about you being so pretty and such fun and because as a fifteen year-old he hasn’t learnt how to control his hormonal surges which at his age can too easily bubble over.”

She thought about that before saying, “So if he tries to talk to me today I shouldn’t chew his ear.”

“You wouldn’t be able reach, little one.”

“Oh, Toby! You know what I mean!”

“Yes, Allie, of course I do and you’re quite right. Just accept his apology but add that it would be better for him to keep away from you in case it happens again.”

“Mm. Um, Toby, are you going to say anything to him?”

“No, not unless he comes up to me or he starts behaving badly towards you.”

“OK.”

“Chin up, sweety. Be proud of yourself and I’ll never be far away.”

“Thanks, Toby.”

She repressed the urge to take his hand and squeeze it. He would be embarrassed at any public show of affection even a little one like that.

Danny did come to talk to her as she waited in the queue at break.

“Keep my place,” she ordered her friends and moved away with Danny. He was looking very contrite.

“I’m sorry about how I behaved on Friday,” he said quietly. “It was totally out of order. Will you forgive me? Please?”

“Yes, Danny but I think it would be better if we didn’t make a point of seeing each other or chatting.”

Danny bit his lip. “OK,” he almost whispered. “Thank you for not going for me.”

He moved away sadly and Allie rejoined the queue.

“What was all that about?” asked her friend.

“Nothing really,” replied Allie carelessly.

Danny did not approach Toby. He reckoned that might be asking for trouble. He was deeply sad though at losing Allie through his own stupidity and lack of restraint.

Life returned to normal. At Christmas both families had one pair of grandparents staying but Nessa invited the five Pettigrews to lunch on Christmas Day. They were invited for half past twelve to join the present giving round the tree. Nessa with Eleanor’s help had prepared plenty of small eats to keep the wolf from the door until lunch after the Queen’s Speech at three. Ned served sparkling white wine. He could not afford champagne as such over a two and a half hour period.

Toby gave Allie a pair of pink sneaker socks and a framed photograph of the two of them sitting with Alf between them. She was thrilled particularly as it gave her an opportunity to kiss him.

She gave him a sky blue polo-neck heavy wool jersey that she had knitted herself.

“I didn’t know you could knit!” Toby exclaimed.

“Hidden talents,” she grinned.

“How did you know the size?”

“Spies in your midst!”

“Brilliant, Allie poppet.”