Page 28 of The Girl from the Tea Garden
She scrubbed herself down quickly in the bathroom, removing the make-up, and pulled on the new dress. She squirted on perfume that her parents had sent. Fluffy came in to help her pin up her hair. On a whim Adela plucked a cream-coloured rose from the bowl of flowers by the window and stuck it in her dark hair.
‘What do you think, Auntie?’
Fluffy appeared lost for words. When she spoke, her voice was shaky.
‘You’re a beautiful young woman, and I’m very proud to be showing you off to the world tonight. I wish your parents could be here—’
Adela rushed and hugged her. ‘Stop it, you’ll make me cry. I’ll be seeing them soon enough– just two more weeks of school and then it’s all over, unless I can find a job here.’
Fluffy cleared her throat and pulled away. ‘Let’s just enjoy tonight and not think about that,’ she said firmly.
Prue and Deborah were the first to arrive as the mali was lighting the lamps that hung in the trees. Adela could hear their excited chatter and giggling even before they appeared in the flickering light around the box hedges of the narrow garden. Just as they did, the telephone rang in the sitting room.
‘Go and greet them,’ said Fluffy. ‘I’ll just be a minute.’
Prue, now eighteen, was wearing a sophisticated long dress of midnight blue, her brown hair permed into stylish waves. Deborah’s straight blonde hair was swept off her high forehead with a hairband that matched her silk lilac dress. Her father was high up in Burmah Oil and the Hallidays had plenty of money, but Deborah had no airs and graces; StMary’s discouraged boastfulness.
‘Adela, you look wonderful!’ Prue cried, clattering on to the veranda in her new high heels and hugging her friend.
‘Vivien Leigh will die of envy.’ Deborah winked, handing over a present. ‘Open it later.’
‘Have the others arrived yet?’ asked Prue.
‘She means, is Guy Fellows here?’ Deborah gave a roll of her large blue eyes.
‘No, you’re the first.’ Adela smiled. ‘Come inside. Auntie says we can drink sherry.’
Prue pulled a face. ‘I’ve been drinking gimlets in Jubbulpore.’
Deborah gave her a playful shove. ‘I hope you’re not going to be a bore about Jubbulpore all evening.’
‘That’s the first time I’ve mentioned it.’
‘Third. Bet you can’t have a conversation with Guy Fellows without saying theJword.’
‘Bet I can.’
The two girls spat on their palms and shook hands. Adela pulled them indoors.
‘Come on you two: no arguing on my birthday.’
Fluffy appeared and asked Noor, her bearer, to pour four sherries.
‘Who was that, Auntie?’ Adela asked.
Fluffy raised her glass and made a toast before answering. When they had all taken a sip, she said, ‘That was William Boswell.’
‘Boz?’ Adela queried. ‘He is still coming, isn’t he?’
‘Yes, but I’m afraid that MrFellows is not.’
There was a chorus of dismay from the three friends.
‘Why not?’
‘How disappointing!’
‘That’s very late in the day to cancel.’
