Epilogue
December 1957
The final private adoption papers for Portia (Poppy) Margaret Gregor were signed, sealed and delivered to Duff and Cara last summer. The Gregor’s were thrilled beyond description with their dark haired, dark eyed daughter, as was her brother, Donal, and her grandparents and “Aunt” Margaret.
Elspeth was currently in the midst of her A-levels and planned to eventually attend college. She’d half-heartedly entered into the private adoption process with the Gregor’s, having been convinced by all and sundry that it was the very best solution for her baby and herself. She’d gone back home to her mother and stepfather in Inverness after her babe was born, but was invited to spend her summer and Christmas holidays at Hill Manse. Elspeth was truly grateful for the chance to be a part of Poppy’s life.
After attaching her design studio to Hunter’s office as an extension of his construction company, Judith began creating cube-like spaces similar to those in the Humphrey Show Room. The individually decorated rooms were a big hit with the womenfolk in Sto’ven and the surrounding towns. But a good percentage of the husbands held fast to a different opinion. All they saw was a whole lot of their hard-earned money was going to be spent dolling-up rooms they seldom saw when fully awake. Their time was better spent putting in a full days work. Although, playing a bit of football with their mates, lining up for nine or maybe eighteen holes if the day was fine, and knocking back a few in the pub before heading home held a high priority, as well.
Judith knew that Scottish women, being the clever creatures they were, would have their way.
Back in London business wasn’t exactly booming, but Margaret was as busy as she really wanted to be. Having a bit of freedom allowed her a good deal of playtime with Poppy and to accept lunch and dinner invitations from Charles Humphrey.
Margaret had made plans to join a tour group heading to Rome in late spring and Charlie had surprised her one moonlit night by saying that, coincidently, he was also going to Rome in late spring. Upon hearing that his plans paralleled her own, a very flustered and self-conscious Margaret prudently held her tongue and embraced the five-word motto used throughout the war... “Be calm and carry on”.
Charlotte sold Hamblin House. Jordy struck the deal as a surprise for his wife on their first wedding anniversary. Fi and Jordy had been renting the house since their wedding a year ago Christmas day. In April, Fi would give birth to their first child ... Jordy was thrilled.
Jordy’s mother, Mildred Travis, had liked Fi the first moment she’d laid eyes on her in the summer of ’56. Her eyes gleamed when she told Fiona that she was delighted that the Lord God had gifted her with a chest of the same magnitude as the one that had been gifted to her. “My dear late hoosban considered himself the most blessed of men.”
Hamilton had completely recovered. His wife, Sinnie, was making sure he stayed that way so only allowed him to work four hours a day. Mr. Dexter was in charge of the mill after one in the afternoon.
Charlotte assembled all her girls, which included Elspeth when she was in town, and Jordy’s sister, Joyce, for a fancy luncheon at the Manse once a month. Rosemary came very seldom, as the monthly gathering somehow would conflict with her bridge club meetings. Margaret set up the luncheon dates and Charlotte suspected some mischief afoot, but hadn’t called her on it. Those afternoons were such a joy, why spoil the fun.
The last letter she and Alistair had received from Richard detailed his activities career wise as well as socially. The magazine was slowly but surely gaining readership from a wider, more diverse fan base. That was due to the editors’ willingness to put aside snob appeal for general sports stories and analysis.
As for his personal life, it seemed that the young lady he was so fond of in September, a runway model at Saks Fifth Avenue named Merrily, decided that the tall, tanned ski instructor she’d met in Vermont last month was her “soul mate”. The couple planned to “shack-up” together throughout the heavy snow season and emerge, much as hibernating bears do, in the spring ... hopefully sans cubs. Fortunately, Richard was able to turn to his “second string” backup for comfort and pleasure during the holiday season. Her name was Vanessa. She modeled swimwear for the Montgomery and Ward catalog.
As regarded Fi’s marriage to Jordy last Christmas, Richard was quite put out at first. Even though he’d been in New York nearly a year, he still thought of Fi as his London girl. Now, however, he said he was pleased that she had married a good man and was “in the family way”. He didn’t mind at all that his mother had sold the house to Jordy and Fi. After all, it was “just a house”.
A newsy letter and recipe was tucked into Charlotte’s Christmas card from Daisy. They were having a ‘white Christmas’ in Fort Collins. “Just like a painting by Currier and Ives”, wrote Daisy. “Jackson, Jr., also known as J.J. or the ‘little cowboy’, is eighteen months old and into everything. I hope to have him on the way to being potty trained by June because, guess what? Ah ha, I knew you’d get it right off the bat ... a stork sighting is expected on June 10th or there abouts. Jackson is tickled to death. He’d love a half dozen of the little critters. I told him I’d give birth to them if he’d stay home and tend to their every need. I haven’t done any teaching since three months before J.J. was born. I really miss it, but I’d miss not being with my baby a whole lot more.
We received a holiday greeting from Pat Chaynes. Remember Pat, the fiancé that disappeared in 1945? He is doing very well and is still living on his boat near Pearl Harbor taking tourists deep sea fishing. He has a girlfriend (her name is Hokulani) and they plan to be married next summer. First he has to find them an apartment they can afford. Apparently, living in Hawaii is pretty expensive.
Hope you like the recipe I enclosed. It’s a Christmas toddy from my grandmother’s cookbook called ... Tom and Jerry Toddy.
Merry, Merry Christmas
All our love,
Jackson, Daisy, J.J. and (?)
Tom and Jerry Toddy
Serves 6
3 eggs
1/4 cup and 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons brandy or rum or whiskey
6 cups milk
1/4 pinch ground nutmeg
Separate the eggs. In a large bowl beat the egg whites until frothy. Whisk in 3/4 cup of the powdered sugar and beat until stiff peaks are formed.
Beat the egg yolks with the remaining 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and about 4 to 5 tablespoons of the alcoholic beverage of choice until light and lemon colored. Fold the egg whites into the egg yolks and refrigerate.
In a large pot heat the milk until hot, do not boil. Reduce heat and keep milk hot.
To each mug add two tablespoons of the alcoholic beverage of choice and one large heaping tablespoon of egg mixture. Stir and fill mug with hot milk. Place another tablespoon of egg mixture on top and sprinkle with nutmeg.
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