“Let him know? How are you going to do that?”
“I’ll have to go over there, or maybe you could do it for me.”
“But why? He’ll be here in half an hour—you can’t cancel now.”
“I just don’t think it’s a good idea.”
Aino took hold of both of Tuula’s hands and looked her in the eye. “Is this because of Juhani? Don’t you think he’d want you to be happy? Say it’s time to move on?”
“It’s not that, it’s ... I don’t belong here. What will people think of me and Nils? Nobody wants me here—can I really expose Nils to that?”
“Oh, Tuula—Nils is a grown man, he can make up his own mind. He likes you. Don’t pay any attention to what other people in the village think of you. They’re nothing but country bumpkins if you ask me.” Aino smiled. “If they haven’t got anything else to talk about apart from you and Nils, then let them carry on.”
She pushed Tuula into a chair, fetched a brush, and attacked Tuula’s hair. “That’s better! Now go and get changed. Then I’ll put your hair up while you do your face.”
There was no point in arguing. Tuula went into her room and slipped on her cotton dress and a cardigan. Then she sat down in front of the mirror in her bedroom and did her makeup while Aino swept up her hair. At the last second Tuula removed the curlers, put on Aino’s coat, and said good night to the children. At seven fifteen she was outside, waiting for Nils.
And there he was, wearing a gray suit with a dark-blue tie and hat, looking as stylish as ever. He smiled warmly at her. As they walked down the main street, she could feel people watching, but Nils acted as if everything was fine, cheerfully greeting everyone they met. They made their way down to the river, then across the bridge toward the square. The familiar tang of the sea was in the air, and Tuula thought she could smell the blossoms from the gardens they passed.
When they reached the restaurant, Nils opened the heavy door for her. The heels of Tuula’s pumps sank into the thick red carpet in the foyer. Tuula tensed as they approached the maître d’, but he welcomed them effusively and then showed them to their table in the dining room. Tall windows ran the length of the walls, lined with heavy green velvet drapes. A huge crystal chandelier hung in the middle of the room, and Tuula could hear the sound of silver cutlery on bone china, and the clink of crystal glasses. It was the most elegant place she had ever been.
Nils pulled out her chair, and she sat down on the soft leather seat. He sat down opposite her and ordered a glass of sherry for each of them. Tuula took the menu from the maître d’ and studied it. They both chose a traditional dish of sprats with eggs on crispbread as an appetizer; then Nils ordered sirloin steak and persuaded Tuula to do the same.
As they sipped their sherry from small crystal glasses, Nils asked Tuula about Finland and her hometown, and she regaled him with memories. The sherry was very warming.
“Thank you for inviting us to the game on Monday. Matias has been talking about it all week.”
“You’re welcome.” He smiled. “Do you have any hobbies?”
Hobbies. That is something for people with spare time,she thought. Back home she had had her hands full looking after the children, working in the hotel, and running her household. There must have been things she enjoyed doing before Juhani left, but she could hardly remember those days now. She had enjoyed her garden, when it hadn’t just been about survival. She loved growing flowers—fragrant climbing sweet peas, clematis, delphiniums, marguerite daisies, foxgloves, and columbine, among so many others. And she had read novels, especially in the fall and winter, when it was dark outside and the garden was dormant.
She looked at Nils. “I haven’t really had much time for hobbies since the war started.”
“No, of course not. I’m sorry, it was a thoughtless question.”
“Not at all. Things were different before the war. I always enjoyed my garden. And I love reading.”
“Have you visited the library here in the village?”
“Not yet.”
“You should go—it’s not very big, but they have a good selection. And then of course there’s the bookstore on the main street.”
The appetizer that was set before her was delicious. Tuula could barely speak while she was eating, and tried not to gobble it up in seconds. She carefully put down her knife and fork while she was chewing, and made an effort to chat.
The waiter wheeled the main course over on a cart. He lifted the cloche, sliced the steak, transferred it to a warm plate, and placed it in front of Tuula. He did the same for Nils, then served up boiled potatoes and a generous helping of sauce.
The meat was tender and the potatoes perfectly cooked. Nils had ordered red wine, and Tuula was beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol. She restricted herself to a few small sips.
They enjoyed pears poached with cinnamon and served with whipped cream for dessert, followed by coffee. By the time they had finished eating, Tuula was so full she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to get up from her chair.
Nils paid the bill, then looked at her. “I know you have to get home to the children, but shall we go for a little walk first?”
“I’d love to—I should walk off some of our dinner!”
Twilight was falling, but the sky was still light. As they crossed the square, Nils took her hand. As they walked side by side, her shoulder touched his upper arm, making her feel safe and secure.
He showed her the apartment where he and his brother had been born, where they had played hide-and-seek while his mother did the shopping, where he had learned to ride a bike, and where they bought ice cream in the summer. Where you could clamber down into the river for a quick dip. She loved seeing the village from his perspective; it made the place feel a little more like hers.
