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Hester had anticipated a quiet day in which she could catch up on some paperwork, when the telephone rang unexpectedly.
"Aunt Hester?"
"Goodness! Peggy? What is it dear?"
"Dad always says you're the best person to ring if he's at work and there's a problem".
"And is there a problem?"
"Not really, only the house is locked so I can't get in".
"Where are you calling me from?"
"The sweet shop. I thought I'd use some time spending my sweet ration and Mrs Goggins has a phone in the back she said I could use. I don't know why you don't like her, she seems awfully nice". Give me strength, Hester thought. Were the bonds between sworn enemies no longer sacred.
"And who are you supposed to be with until your father and Monty return?"
"Lucy, for tea".
"And why aren't you?"
"She asked her mum after school and her mum wouldn't let me".
"Why ever not?"
"Lucy wasn't quite sure. She said something about being illegible, and I said that was to do with words, not people, but in any case, I wasn't allowed, so I'm calling you". Hester broke a little, as realisation dawned on her. She looked in her diary.
"Stay where you are and I will come and fetch you as soon as I've told your father what's happened".
"Thank you Aunt Hester!" came Peggy's cheery voice as she rang off, and Hester put down the phone, wondering if she realised yet that she had just had her first taste of the prejudices of this world at the tender age of 7. She made her way to where she knew both Monty and Charles were engaged in a meeting. She didn't like to disturb them, but needs must. She knocked tentatively, and smiled when she heard John's voice call her in.
"Hester! What a surprise. How may I help?"
"Apologies for the interruption sirs, but I have a message for Mr Cholmondeley and Mr Montagu". She saw Charles and Monty perk up and exchange looks.
"With your permission sirs and that of the Colonel of course, I am going to collect Peggy and supervise her in my office until you are able to take her home. It appears that plans for her to spend time with a friend have fallen through".
"Thank you Hester, of course that's quite alright", Charlie said, looking anxious, as Bevan nodded his agreement. "May I ask what has happened?"
"I'm afraid it's a delicate matter sir", Hester began warily, aware of other eyes in the room.
"No matter", Monty insisted, his voice calm but his eyes fiery with protective instinct.
"I'm afraid it sounds as though the mother of her friend has taken exception to Peggy's parentage".
"In what way?" Monty fumed. Could it really have been only 5 years since the end of the war and all its horrors for discrimination to already be creeping back.
"I believe it was her legitimacy, where issue was taken, I'm afraid, sir". Monty raised his eyebrows in surprise and Charles flushed as several eyes turned to him.
"Right", said Monty icily. "Thank you Hester. Yes, if you'd be so good as to fetch Peggy I'll deal with this".
"Very good sir".
It felt surprisingly natural to Hester to have Peggy sitting with her on a chair in the corner of her office with a book that she was supposed to be reading, swinging her legs gaily, as Hester typed away at her typewriter. Occasionally Hester would catch her eye and smile, and Peggy would smile back. She was a sweet natured girl, and like Charles would sit in silence if asked, but like Monty, was eager to speak at any given moment. Eventually, as Hester finished typing up her final document for the day, she decided to put her out of her misery.
"What is it Peggy?"
"Are Dad and Monty in a meeting with Uncle John?"
"They are".
"Do they know I'm here?"
"They do".
"Do they know why?"
"Yes".
"Aunt Hester?"
"Hmm?"
"Have I done something I wasn't supposed to?"
"Peggy..." Hester began. It was at that moment that a knock on the door came and Charles and Monty entered.
"Dad!" she cried out, and ran to them both, capturing Monty first in a tight hug, which took him by surprise.
"Sweetheart", he said soothingly, as Charles stroked her hair, "I'm sorry". Peggy glanced up at them, still uncertain and what had all these grown ups upset, and then to Hester, her calmness reassuring as ever.
"I just have one phone call to make before we go home". Monty said to her, before Peggy could ask anything of him. He looked at Hester, who sighed and handed him a telephone number. She had started digging as soon as she heard Montagu's tone in the meeting earlier. With a couple of details from Peggy it had been easy enough to go through the phone book.
"Good work old girl". He began dialling the number, as Charles looked at him anxiously, and they all listened eagerly to the half of the conversation that they were privy to.
"Good afternoon, this is Mr Montagu calling for Mrs Prentice. Ah, hello, I'm calling as I heard an invitation to tea for my charge, Peggy Cholmondeley had been rescinded and I wanted to get some clarity at the problem at hand...I'm her Uncle, and I'm quite sure the two haven't had a falling out or whatever you're going to suggest to save face. Well I don't appreciate the child bearing the brunt of your misguided attitude towards my family's values. She is not responsible for her mother's perceived transgressions. Well then should I hold it against Lucy that her mother is a narrow-minded bigot?" Charles looked ready to wrestle the phone out of Monty's grip, but he darted around Hester's desk to avoid him, causing Peggy to giggle even as she tried to quieten it by pressing her hands to her mouth. Unperturbed Monty continued: "Nonetheless, she will always welcome to tea with us should you change your mind". He grinned falsely, even though Mrs Prentice couldn't see it, and slammed down the receiver.
"I really don't think that was necessary Monty", Charles said, giving Monty a look, which Monty knew meant that Charles didn't think it was strictly unnecessary, only that it shouldn't have been done in front of Peggy.
"Nonsense", he said, in a tone which Charles recognised as meaning that he was sorry for the way he had made his point, but not that it had to be made. Monty turned to their daughter. "You mustn't be afraid to stand up for yourself Peggy, not when you've done nothing wrong". Peggy shrugged.
"I don't know what I haven't done". Charles knelt down next to her, looking to her as grown-ups usually do when they are about to say something important and serious.
"Peg, do you know why Lucy's mother didn't want you to come over for tea?"
"Lucy said it was something about being illegible, but I told her that was to do with words".
"It is", Charles said proudly. "Strictly speaking it's when someone writes something in a manner which makes it difficult to read afterwards, the word appears illegible..." he heard Monty clear his throat pointedly next to him, and resolved to get back on track. "What Lucy meant, what she heard her mother say, was that you are illegitimate, which means that you were born without me marrying your mother".
"Oh. Are most mother's married?"
"I don't know", Charles said honestly, brow furrowed in thought. "Probably. Or at least, if they're not they often marry after they have their first baby. It's more that people prefer them to be married".
"And that's why Lucy' mum was cross?"
"It was". Peggy moved to whisper into her father's ear.
"Is being illegitimate a secret like you loving Monty?" Charles laughed.
"No sweetheart, not that big a secret. People might not like it, but they can't do anything about it".
"So I haven't done anything wrong?".
"Of course not".
"Did Lucy's mother suggest that you had?" Hester asked, remembering Peggy's earlier comments.
"Maybe", the little girl mumbled non-commitally. Hester raised an eyebrow at her, which Peggy knew meant she wouldn't take any nonsense.
"She said I was a bad influence". Hester sighed.
"Let me tell you a secret Peggy", she said firmly. Peggy's eyes lit up.
"I was also illegitimate. That is to say, my father and mother were not married when I was born". Peggy gaped at her. Monty and Charles weren't far behind. Just when they thought they'd uncovered all of Hester's secrets.
"You Aunt Hester?"
"Me. Not many people know and I am trusting you to keep it that way". Peggy nodded humbly. "Now I won't pretend that things weren't made easier for me by the fact that they married shortly after I was born, but my point is that it needn't mean what Lucy's mother seems to think it means. You are a bright girl with good morals and you will be able to accomplish a great many things should you put your mind to them. Anyone would be lucky to call you their friend, and I'm sure Lucy knows that even if her mother doesn't agree".
"Thank you Aunt Hester!" Peggy said beaming. Charles mouthed his own thank you to her over the top of Peggy's head, whilst Monty clasped her on the shoulder warmly.
"Could we tempt you to dinner Hester as a thank you for looking after Peggy? Johnny's welcome too of course".
"Thank you Monty but no, I've got bridge tonight. I'll leave you to your family. Goodbye Peggy dear". And she drew Peggy into a quick hug, kissing the top of her head, before taking up her coat and bag and herding them all out of her office.
"Dad?" Peggy asked her father later that evening.
"Mmmm Peg?" Charles queried without looking up from his paper.
"Is Monty why you didn't marry my mother?" Charlie put down his paper and glanced at Monty, who nodded imperceptibly.
"There's something we need to tell you Peggy", Charlie began. "Nothing bad", he added quickly when he saw her face drop.
"Go and sit with Monty, he's always best at stories". He smiled encouragingly at Monty, knowing this was his story to tell, as Peggy moved from her drawing on the floor to the sofa next to him. He pulled her into his lap, and began.
"Darling, I can't promise this will all make sense to you but I'll do my best. Now, most of your classmates have mothers and fathers don't they? Or mothers at least?" Peggy nodded sagely.
"Joan's father died in the war. And Susan's".
"I see. Well, the reason that they all have mothers is that, generally speaking, it is only women that have babies. The father helps of course to make it but, it is the mother that gives birth. And you know that only men and women can marry". Peggy nodded again.
"Now, you know we have always said to tell people that I am your uncle? That we tell people you are my sister's child, even though you know that to me you are my daughter".
"Because you loving Dad is a secret?"
"Exactly. But also another reason. This is also a secret I'm afraid, an even bigger one, but hopefully easier to pretend about. Is that okay?" Peggy nodded.
"We also tell people that you are my sister's child because they believe there must be a women in the story somewhere - you know I said usually only women have babies? And we want people to know that you are part Montagu. But you see, in another life Peggy, I might have been a mother. I was a little girl like you. Except that, I felt like a boy instead. So I grew up and became a man".
"Will that happen to me?" Peggy asked with such sincerity that Monty couldn't help but laugh, though it was mingled with a sort of grief.
"I doubt that very much my darling". Please God, he thought to himself, let her not have to live through this. "Your father chose me, loves me, as a man, even though it means we cannot marry. But because I still had the...equipment, shall we say, to be a mother, I could still give birth, and I had you. So you see, you really are half Montagu, that's no lie. And I suppose you could have had a mother, and could have been legitimate, but instead you have me, so you don't, and you aren't. Is that alright?"
"I'd rather have you than a mother like Lucy's". That time Monty's laugh was loud, and rich.
"I'm glad", he mumbled, squeezing Peggy tight and kissing her forehead. "And do you think you understand?"
"I think so. Does your sister not mind you telling people she's my mother?" Peggy asked.
"I don't actually have a sister sweetheart". This seemed to be the sum of Peggy's curiosity.
"Oh. Okay. Is that the end the story?"
"It is my darling".
"May I finish my colouring then?"
"Five more minutes and then off to bed with you I think", Monty decided, and smiled, as Charles moved to take Peggy's place next to Monty on the sofa, and kissed him soundly.
It was later on, in their own bed, that Charles, unable to sleep, whispered to Monty; "I hate her having to keep secrets for us".
"We're the best spies in Britain remember Charlie, she's inherited discretion by the tonne, our secrets are perfectly safe with her".
"It's not that Monty. I just don't like the thought of her having to lie, it weighing down on her". Monty thought for a moment.
"Well, better that she have to keep secrets from the rest of the world, than the people who lover her most in the world keeping secrets from her. That would be the heavier weight".
"I suppose".
"I know Charlie. The safer she feels with us the less the world can touch her".
As if summoned by his words they heard the door creep open, and tired footsteps approach the bed.
"I had a nightmare", came a small voice.
"Come on in then", said Charles, pulling back the covers and letting their daughter settle between them in the bed.
"Don't tell anyone will you?" Peggy whispered, embarrassed.
"Never", promised Charles, before kissing her hand and sweeping her hair back across her forehead, smiling at Monty over her sleeping form. "Your secrets are always safe with us".