The Midwife's Sister by Christine Lee

Author:Christine Lee
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pan Macmillan UK

Ronnie

Early one evening in the late spring of 1962, as I was sitting with Joanna playing on the floor, there was a knock on the door. My father answered, returning to the room with an unexpected guest. To my absolute amazement, the guest was a man I had seen only once before. His name was Ronnie Seddon.

Months earlier at a party, while living in East Molesey, I had looked across a crowded room and seen Ronnie. I did not even know his name then, and yet felt a stab of instant recognition. What I noticed was his wide, open smile, the warmth in his brown eyes. I judged he was older than my father but it didn’t matter in the least. My heart lurched.

We were not introduced, which was just as well, as simply being in the same room as him rendered me quite incapable of speech. He seemed similarly afflicted. We stared at one another. If it was possible to fall in love at first sight then this had to be how it felt. I was overwhelmed by the strength of my feelings, utterly knocked sideways, but I was a married woman with a baby and had responsibilities. I turned away, swallowed hard, and left the party, cursing my fate.

I had not seen him since. How had he found his way to Sonamarg, and why? Breathless, we exchanged a few awkward words. I could not compose myself and, shaking, left the room to put Joanna to bed, while he chatted amiably to my father. This man, whom I had instantly loved but then obliterated from my mind, had found me. He left, to return the next day.

‘We must find you a flat,’ Ronnie said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, and we went looking for one in Bourne End, leaving Joanna happily playing with my father.

We went to see a place in The Riversdale and it was lovely, just right – part of a very large old house that had been converted, with views facing onto a lawn that swept down to the river. I moved in with Joanna almost immediately. Ronnie had left his wife, Lucia, some months before, and was living in London. Thus began a time of extreme happiness. Ronnie and I were so utterly attuned to each other. Sex was really wonderful and I delighted in not being frigid any more. Amazingly, my back improved.

Ronnie was perfect; sensitive, good-looking, and caring. He was also creative and the owner of a successful business, making toys. We went to all the smart places around, driving in his rather lovely Bentley, and I became a kept woman and loved it. I was back on good terms with my mother, since I was never able to stay angry with her for long, and she or my father would babysit so that Ronnie and I could spend time together. We had idyllic weekends at the sumptuous Lygon Arms in the Cotswolds; he took me shopping and delighted in buying me beautiful clothes, and was utterly sweet with my little daughter.

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