D for Daisy (The Blind Sleuth Mysteries 1)

D for Daisy Part 3: 1939 - How Daisy met Ralph

Going places can be a bit daunting. There's a reason why some people always spend their summer holidays at the same family pension in Brighton, booking early to make sure they'll have the very same rooms as they had the year before.

For the blind, of course, the unknown is even more daunting than for normal people. Each time they go to a new place, they enter a netherworld and have to navigate the mists of a new territory on trust alone. But at sixteen, going on seventeen, Daisy was only too eager to take on such challenges.

As she and her mother stood waiting at the front door of Bottomleigh House, the monumental portico with its classical columns filled the older woman with awe and foreboding. For the young girl, who was not even aware of the splendour of the place, it was the twinkle of the old-fashioned bell that made her heart leap with anticipation.

"I don't understand why you can't come with us to Brighton this year, as usual. What was Daddy thinking!"

"Maybe: that you two are going to have a wonderful time without me. I'm sure he was just thinking of having a second honeymoon!"

"Oh hush, Daisy... such rot! You don't even know what you're talking about!"

"Hush, Mummy, I'm a big girl now... I wouldn't mind a little bit of romance of my own, provided I can find Mister Right."

This was said very airily, but Daisy felt far less self-assured than she wanted her mother to believe. Boys were a great mystery to her, the object of much speculation, fantasising and soul-searching. At school she and the other blind girls discussed the topic endlessly, and the consensus was that one was better off without Boys. If only you could stay at school forever, spend your whole life living exclusively with other blind girls... But still.

Presently the door opened, and Daisy and her mother were ushered into the entrance hall by a footman of some sort. Daisy could hear their footfalls and the tapping of her cane echoing through what must have been a wide and high hall. Breathing in deeply, she could smell the musty odour of antiques typical of such a place. Then their hosts stepped forward and introduced themselves as "Mr and Mrs Prendergast". This charmingly mild-mannered couple led their two guests to what they referred to as the "family living room" and immediately proceeded to "call the children." Shortly a noisy gang of young people invaded the room. They were about Daisy's age by the sound of it, and were first introduced collectively as "the gang". Too many names and too many handshakes followed at too fast a clip: William, Cedric, Margaret, Joan. They were not siblings but more or less cousins. Daisy didn't say a word, but felt to her great despair that she was blushing to the roots of her hair.

Then there was one Beatrice, who stepped forward and kissed her on the cheek, which pleased Daisy immensely. At her school she and her best friends were hugging all the time: you knew one another by touch, and particularly by smell. It's like when you visit other people's homes: you'll notice without even trying that each house has its own distinctive smell. Beatrice smelled very nice indeed. And then Ralph was called forward by his father, who introduced him especially as her host, as he was the eldest son of the house, "If you need anything, you must ask Ralph."

"Welcome to the madhouse," Ralph said pleasantly, shaking her hand.

Daisy didn't reply, as she didn't know what to say. She only smiled, unwittingly unleashing the full power of seduction of her pearly teeth and lovely dimples.

Tea was served, accompanied by lively conversation from all quarters; Daisy did not participate much, speaking only briefly when spoken to, just like her mother. The young people were talking without a pause, mainly among themselves, with a mixture of absurd humour and aggressive teasing that relied on a lot of innuendo to deliver its punches. It was going to take some doing to get this lively "gang" figured out, but Daisy, sitting silently in the middle of the hubbub, was already working on it.