He paused, and then went on: ‘My wife tells me that Mrs Leebody will be home in a few days. We were most happy to hear that.’
‘Yes. The doctors are very pleased. She’s made a wonderful recovery.’
‘And the baby is doing well?’
‘Yes,’ said Mr Leebody, a shade unhappily. ‘She adores the baby.’
He paused at a gate which gave entrance to the garden of a large cottage set well back from the road.
‘Ah, yes,’ Zellaby nodded. ‘And how is Miss Foresham?’
‘Very busy at the moment. A new litter. She still maintains that a baby is less interesting than puppies, but I think I notice a weakening of conviction.’
‘There are signs of that even in the most indignant,’ Zellaby agreed. ‘For my part, however, that is as a male, I must admit to finding things a bit flat and after-the-battle.’
‘It has been a battle,’ agreed Mr Leebody, ‘but battles, after all, are just the highlights of a campaign. There are more to come.’
Zellaby looked at him more attentively. Mr Leebody went on:
‘Who are these children? There’s something about the way they look at one with those curious eyes. They are – strangers, you know.’ He hesitated, and added: ‘I realize it is not a way of thinking that will commend itself to you, but I find myself continually returning to the idea that this must be some kind of test.’
‘But by whom, of whom?’ said Zellaby.
Mr Leebody shook his head.
‘Possibly we shall never know. Though it has already shown itself something of a test of us here. We could have rejected the situation that was thrust upon us, but we accepted it as our own concern.’
‘One hopes,’ said Zellaby, ‘one hopes that we did right.’
Mr Leebody looked startled.
‘But what else – ?’
‘I don’t know. How is one to know with – strangers?’
Presently they parted; Mr Leebody to make his call, Zellaby to continue his stroll, with a thoughtful air. Not until he was approaching the Green did his attention turn outward, and then it was caught by Mrs Brinkman, still at some distance. One moment she was hurrying along towards him behind a new and shiny perambulator; the next, she had stopped dead, and was looking down into it in a helpless, troubled fashion. Then she picked the baby up and carried it the few yards to the War Memorial. There she sat down on the second step, unbuttoned her blouse, and held the baby to her.
Zellaby continued his stroll. As he drew near he raised his somewhat ramshackle hat. An expression of annoyance came over Mrs Brinkman’s face, and a suffusion of pink, but she did not move. Then, as if he had spoken, she said defensively:
‘Well, it’s natural enough, isn’t it?’
‘My dear lady, it’s classical. One of the great symbols.’ Zellaby assured her.
‘Then go away,’ she told him, and abruptly began to weep.
Zellaby hesitated. ‘Is there anything I can -?’
‘Yes. Go away,’ she repeated. ‘You don’t think I want to make an exhibition of myself, do you?’ she added, tearfully.
Zellaby was still irresolute.
‘She’s hungry,’ Mrs Brinkman said. ‘You’d understand if yours was one of the Dayout babies. Now, will you please go away!’
It did not seem the moment to pursue the matter further. Zellaby lifted his hat once more, and did as he was required. He went on, with a puzzled frown on his brow as he realized that somewhere he had missed a trick; something had been kept from him.
Half-way up the drive to Kyle Manor the sound of a car behind made him draw in to the side for it to pass. It did not pass, however. It drew up beside him. Turning, he saw not the tradesman’s van he had assumed it to be, but a small black car with Ferrelyn at the wheel.
‘My dear,’ he said, ‘how nice to see you. I had no idea you were coming. I wish they wouldn’t forget to tell me things.’
But Ferrelyn did not give him smile for smile. Her face, a little pale, remained tired-looking.
‘Nobody had any idea I was coming – not even me. I didn’t intend to come.’ She looked down at the baby in the carry-cot on the passenger seat beside her. ‘He made me come,’ she said.
CHAPTER 13
Midwich Centrocline
ON the following day there returned to Midwich, first, Dr Margaret Haxby from Norwich, with baby. Miss Haxby was no longer on the staff of The Grange, having resigned two months before, nevertheless it was to The Grange she went, demanding accommodation. Two hours later came Miss Diana Dawson, from the neighbourhood of Gloucester, also with baby, also demanding accommodation. She presented slightly less of a problem than Miss Haxby since she was still a member of the staff, though not due to return from leave for some weeks yet. Third, came Miss Polly Rushton from London, with baby, in a state of distress and confused emotions, asking help and shelter of her uncle, the Reverend Hubert Leebody.
The day after that, two more ex-staff from The Grange arrived, with their babies, admitting their resignations from the Service, but at the same time making it perfectly clear that it was The Grange’s duty to find them a room of some kind in Midwich. In the afternoon, young Mrs Dorry, who had been staying in Devonport to be near her husband in his latest posting, arrived unexpectedly, with her baby, and opened up her cottage.
And on the next day there showed up from Durham, with baby, the remaining member of The Grange staff involved. She, too, was technically on leave, but insisted that a place must be found for her. Finally appeared Miss Latterly, with Miss Lamb’s baby, urgently returning from Eastbourne whither she had taken Miss Lamb for recuperation.
This influx was observed with varying emotions. Mr Leebody welcomed his niece warmly, as though she were putting it within his power to make some amends. Dr Willers was perplexed and disconcerted – as was Mrs Willers, who feared it might cause him to postpone the much-needed holiday she had arranged for him. Gordon Zellaby had the air of one regarding an interesting phenomenon with judicial reserve. The person upon whom the development pressed most immediately was, without doubt, Mr Crimm. He was beginning to wear a distraught look.
A number of urgent reports went in to Bernard. Janet’s and mine was to the effect that the first, and probably the worst, hurdle had been crossed, and the babies had arrived without nationwide obstetrical interest, BUT if he still wished to avoid publicity the new situation must be dealt with promptly. Plans for the care and support of the children would have to be established on a sound, official footing.
Mr Crimm urged that the irregularities appearing in his personnel records were now on a scale that had taken them beyond his control, and that unless there was swift intervention at a higher level, there was soon going to be an almighty rumpus.
Dr Willers felt it necessary to turn in three reports. The first was in medical language, for the record. The second expressed his opinions in more colloquial terms, for the lay. Among the points he made were these:
‘The survival rate of one hundred per cent – resulting in 31 males and 30 females of this special type – means that only superficial study has been possible, but of the characteristics observed, the following are common to them all:
‘Most striking are the eyes. These appear to be quite normal in structure; the iris, however, is, to the best of my knowledge, unique in its colouring, being of a bright, almost fluorescent-looking gold, and is the same shade of gold in all.
‘The hair, noticeably soft and fine, is, as well as I can describe it, of a slightly darkened blond shade. In section, under the microscope, it is almost flat on one side, while the other is an arc; the shape being close to that of a narrow D. Specimens taken from eight of the babies are precisely similar. I can find no record of such a hair-type being observed hitherto. The finger and toe nails are a trifle narrower than is usual, but there is no suggestion of claw formation – indeed, one would judge them to be slightly flatter than the average. The shape of the occiput may be a little unusual, but it is too early to be definite about that.
‘In a former report it was surmised that the origin might be attributable to some process of xenogenesis. The very remarkable similarity of the children; the fact that they are certainly not hybrids of any known species, as well as all the circumstances attending gestation, tend, in my view to support this opinion. Additional evidence may accrue when the blood-groups can be determined – that is to say, when the blood circulating ceases to be that of the mother’s group, and becomes that of the individual.