A Daughter's Choice (33 page)

‘Yes. But I didn't tell him where you'd gone.'

‘Why not? He knows the truth.'

Celia groaned. ‘It's a wonder you haven't told the whole neighbourhood.'

‘I didn't see the need,' said Katherine, a sparkle in her eyes as she gave her mother a hard look before going up to her bedroom.

She did not feel a bit sentimental about leaving that bedroom but felt weepy when she had a few words with Mrs Evans, promising she would see her again soon. After that it was just a matter of heaving the suitcase Celia had packed for her down the stairs. She left it at the bottom for a moment and ran over to the photographer's but Patrick was not there and was not expected until tomorrow. She left a message, fetched her suitcase and caught a bus into town.

It was strange going into her old bedroom but still like coming home. Katherine switched on the light and wrinkled her nose. If Jack had not told her, she would have known Sarah had been there. The place reeked of her perfume and as well as that she had left a pair of stockings hanging on a chair and a lipstick on the chest of drawers where there was a framed photograph of two children. They were unmistakably Sarah and Ben and she touched his face with a gentle finger and wondered when they would return from their honeymoon and where they had gone and whether they knew about Ma's heart attack.

Tears started in her eyes. Not wanting to think of Kitty in pain, she said a prayer. She took the top off the lipstick. It was that bright red Sarah favoured and almost used up. Katherine pocketed it, intending to put it in the bin. She opened the top drawer to find it empty. She opened all the drawers and only in the bottom one did she find some underwear of Sarah's, the unglamorous kind. She had probably bought new for her trousseau. Patrick was suddenly in Katherine's mind and a smile softened her mouth.

She went over to the wardrobe and discovered several skirts and blouses of her own. She took out a skirt and held it against her. She had lost weight and Ma wouldn't be pleased about that. Katherine gnawed on her bottom lip, thinking of Kitty. Jack had telephoned Ireland before going out to meet his girlfriend and had told her on her arrival that Ma was comfortable. She hoped he was telling her the truth. She began to unpack her suitcase, filling wardrobes and drawers. She checked there were clean sheets on the bed and was grateful to see there were. She felt certain she had Eileen to thank for that but there had been no sign of the girl when she had arrived back. Perhaps she had gone to see her gran after all.

Katherine was feeling more at home every minute. She ran water and poured in bubble bath before lowering herself into the hot steamy water. This was something she had missed while she had been away so she soaked luxuriously whilst reading a Georgette Heyer novel. Going to the local baths or having a wash down was no substitute for your own tub, she had long decided.

Afterwards, when she was pink and wrinkly, she went and filled two hot water bottles, made a cup of cocoa and took it upstairs with her. She could feel the space like a tangible thing around her. She felt King of the Castle – Queen of the May – in charge! This was her domain. She put a hottie in Jack's bed, glad, so glad, they were friends at last. When she went into her own bedroom she knelt on the bed looking out of the window at the YMCA building across the road and knew she had come home. Even so, she knew now things could never be the same again. There was Patrick. How would he fit in here? She needed to see him soon but first there was tomorrow to get through and that first meeting with Mick.

Katherine stood at the bottom of the steps, leaning against the area railings, having left Eileen in the kitchen with the part-timer and Jack in Reception. She would have to go in soon but as Jack had said this was the time of evening when Mick generally arrived she wanted to see him first on their own. She was muffled up against the cold in a green coat and the long scarf in drop stitch which Mrs Evans had knitted her for Christmas. She remembered that evening when she had sat on the step waiting for Mick to come home from sea for good. She had not been so nervous then as she was now.

Suddenly there were footsteps coming up the Mount and she lifted her head and saw him with a small dog trotting at his heels. Affection swelled inside her and she remembered Celia telling her about the dog she had given Mick when he was just fifteen and how the gift had changed things between them and they had become sweethearts. Katherine waited no longer but ran to meet him, only to stop a foot or so away as he looked at her as if seeing an apparition.

‘It's me, Katherine,' she said, her smile uncertain. ‘I've come back.'

He raised an eyebrow. ‘I'm not blind! I know it's you. The last eight or nine months might have aged me but I haven't forgotten what you look like.'

Her spirits plunged. ‘You're not pleased to see me?' The words were just a whisper.

His expression changed. ‘Of course I am,' he said roughly. ‘But I'm bloody angry with you as well!' His eyes glinted. ‘What could Celia possibly mean to you compared to Ma? Going off without leaving an address where we could get in touch with you … What if something had happened to her?'

She felt as if he had slapped her in the face. ‘I wasn't thinking straight! I'd had a shock. As it is –'

‘Don't you think I don't know how you felt?' he interrupted. ‘Suddenly my half-sister's my daughter! It wasn't funny! Especially with you missing and Ma looking like she might have a heart attack.'

‘Don't say that!' she said in a choking voice. ‘She
has
had a heart attack!'

‘What!' His face whitened in the lamplight and he sprang forward. The dog yelped. ‘My God! Where is she? Is that why you're here?' He groaned. ‘But that's stupid! How would you have known?'

‘Exactly! She's in a hospital in Ireland but she's getting better now but has to have rest and not get too excited,' babbled Katherine. ‘I'm here because Celia told me two days ago she'd lied and I
am
your daughter after all, and Jack said he wanted me to stay and help at the Arcadia because there was no one else. So here I am and I thought you'd be pleased and –'

‘OK, OK! Slow down.' His eyes were dark and unfathomable as he looked into her face. ‘So you are my daughter?'

‘Yes. I wouldn't blame you, though, if you didn't believe me.'

‘Why did Celia lie?'

‘To hurt Ma! To hurt you! I think she went a bit crazy when she discovered you weren't dead, but she's OK now. You two should meet, Mick. You really should.'

His expression was suddenly wary. ‘She's not in the Arcadia now, is she?'

‘No, she has a job …' Katherine clapped a hand to her cheek. ‘Hell! She has double the work to do now I've come here … Damn!'

‘What d'you mean?'

‘We live over a pet shop. I've been working there. She'll have to do my job now as well as her own. Damn, damn!' she said through gritted teeth. ‘I've made a mess of things again.'

‘Stop crucifying yourself.' He seized her arm and hustled her towards the Arcadia. ‘At least you haven't wasted any time coming here and it seems you came at the right time. Pity Celia didn't tell you sooner, though. Ma's putting the Arcadia up for sale.'

Katherine felt she had received another smack in the face and could only stare at him.

‘Sorry to fling it at you like that.' He put his arm round her.

‘It's OK.' Her voice quivered. ‘Why should I expect her still to want me to have it? And yet –'

They stood at the bottom of the steps. ‘She hasn't done anything final,' he said in a low voice. ‘I think she's been hoping you'd come home. She said she didn't want you to turn up and find us all gone.' His hand tightened on her shoulder and he looked worried again. ‘You are sure she's going to be all right?'

‘Jack said so and he should know.' She blinked back tears. ‘I really have failed Ma. Me taking over the Arcadia was her dream. It's what she trained me for.'

Mick sighed and said, ‘I think she started to believe that her dream could be a nightmare for some. I don't know what you'd have to do to change her mind, kid, but maybe you should be thinking of doing something else with your life.'

‘Don't you care at all about the Arcadia?' she said fiercely. ‘After all, it was your home. Wouldn't you like it to stay in the family?'

‘It doesn't bother me. I've seen Ma slog her guts out to keep this place going. Why should I want a life like that for you?'

‘Things are different now,' she said, putting a hand on his chest and looking up into his face. ‘There's hoovers and washing machines, fridges and central heating. This place is all I've ever wanted. It won't be as hard for me.'

‘I thought you might come and live with me?' There was a mixture of exasperation and tenderness in his expression. ‘But if Ma's going to have to rest, she'll want you to live with her and Pops. It's not going to be an easy situation for you to cope with when they come back.'

‘I know.' She thought of Patrick and a tear trickled down her cheek. Life had become extremely complicated. She could not go upsetting Ma now by mentioning she wanted to get engaged to the young man Kitty had taken against.

Mick hugged her against him and they were silent a moment, each thinking their own thoughts. Then Katherine said abruptly, ‘I've become quite fond of Celia. She's a funny mixture. She can stand up for herself but there's times when she's as daft as a brush.'

‘But this isn't just a flying visit, is it?' he said against her hair. ‘You aren't going back to live with her?'

‘I'll want to keep in touch.'

‘Despite what she did by leaving you when you were a baby?'

Katherine lifted her head and stared at him. ‘She's still my mother. It wasn't easy for her.'

‘I wouldn't argue with that, but still – to leave you?'

‘We all make mistakes.'

He said wryly, ‘There's more of Ma in you than I realised. That's what she would say. I'm glad I've given her a granddaughter.'

‘You and Celia both,' she said firmly.

‘OK! Keep your hair on. Me and her both. But I still think she's a lot to answer for, and when we meet I'll tell her so.'

‘You do that if you must but now I'm going to have to do some work. You can talk to Jack. He'll tell you more about Ma than I can. His girlfriend's expected soon, by the way.'

‘She's OK, is Vicky,' said Mick conversationally, and lifting Nelson up in his arms, followed her inside.

It was hours later, after he had spoken to his stepfather on the telephone, been reassured about his mother and departed for his own home, that Katherine had a chance to speak to Vicky about Celia. ‘Jack tells me the man my mother's seeing has a shop next to your sweet shop?' she said, passing her a cup of cocoa.

‘That's right! So if you want her off your hands, you could be in luck. She's there quite a lot.' Vicky smiled.

‘It depends on what he's like,' said Katherine thoughtfully. ‘I wouldn't like to come between them if he's a nice man, but the fact that she hasn't mentioned him makes me suspicious.'

‘In that case – I think he's a big blow,' said Vicky bluntly. ‘Mum says he's always had a high opinion of himself but now he's worse. He's going on about what a marvellous place the shop's going to be now he's in charge. I don't know where he's getting the money from but he's planning all kinds of changes and getting the flat done up. I wouldn't have thought old Ethel would have left that much. She was generous to a fault and often gave to good causes.' Her eyes twinkled suddenly. ‘Listen, Katie, if you want to have a butcher's at him, come to tea with Jack on Sunday. My mum'll be pleased to meet you.'

‘Thanks! I'd like that,' she said eagerly.

First she had to see Patrick. She only hoped that when he did come to call Eileen would not start any of her old tricks again because she had noticed the girl giving her strange looks a couple of times when she mentioned his name. But before Katie could call on Patrick or take a decko at Celia's fancy man, something happened to rid her of that worry.

Eileen's room was still in darkness when Katherine went to wake the girl the following morning but she could hear her thrashing about. Katherine's hand froze on the switch but when all went silent she pressed it down and light flooded the room to reveal Eileen lying on the floor.

Katherine hurried over and knelt beside her with a pounding heart. The Irish girl looked so still that she fumbled for her pulse. A sigh of relief escaped her but the next moment Eileen started to twitch and her eyes flew wide open and her limbs began to flail about again. Katherine fled the room and ran for Jack, who was keeping his eye on the porridge.

‘Eileen!' she gasped, clutching his arm.

‘She's had a fit?' he said, eyes brightening with a medical man's interest.

‘More than one,' she whispered. ‘Jack, you're going to have to go up to her! It really scared me. I thought she was dead for a moment but – but people really can't die of a fit, can they?'

‘Of course they can. Here!' He flung a wooden spoon at her. ‘I'd better go up.'

‘The guests are stirring. Try not to alarm them.'

‘I'm not daft,' he said, and hurried out.

Katherine got on with the breakfasts but her mind was elsewhere and she splashed her wrist with hot fat, which hurt like hell. She had no time to do anything about it and determined to ignore the pain. Rushed off her feet, due not only to Eileen's non-appearance but to Brenda the part-timer's late arrival, an hour passed and still Jack had not come down.

What was happening? wondered Katherine, fearing the worst. If Eileen was dead, what would she do?

She was starting to feel quite dreadful, picturing the scene as the girl was carried off. Running through her mind were memories of all the times she had not really got on with the girl or been sympathetic to her. She remembered Eileen saying she wouldn't be a loss to anyone. Poor, poor Eileen, she thought. So young, but perhaps it was a blessing … She had even got as far as mentally writing out a notice for a new kitchen-cum-chamber maid when Jack and Eileen entered the kitchen.