A Mother's Duty (19 page)

She sat, gazing about her. ‘Is it all as nice as this?’

‘What? The kitchen?’ said Mick, going over to the back door and opening it to check the puppy was all right. It was sniffing the drainpipe.

She grinned. ‘No, the hotel. I’ve never been in one before.’

‘You’re not missing much. I’d rather have a proper home.’

‘Oh I don’t know. Gran always said it’s people that make a house a home.’ Her eyes filled with tears and Mick said hastily, ‘Don’t cry,’ handing her the nearest thing to hand which happened to be a tea towel.

Celia looked at the size of it and laughed. ‘I don’t know why I’m crying. She had as happy a life as anyone could, she always said.’

‘She was nice.’ Mick smiled and Celia returned his smile.

Teddy stared at the pair of them. ‘Perhaps Celia would like to see over the place?’

She turned her smile on him. ‘I’d love it.’

‘Not the guests’ bedrooms, though,’ said Mick swiftly. ‘Ma wouldn’t allow that.’

Teddy nodded and held out a hand to Celia but Mick brushed it away. ‘After she’s finished her tea I’ll show her around.’

Teddy grinned. ‘OK, big brother. I think I’ll slip round to the engineering works if I’m not needed here. Ma’ll be back soon, don’t forget. See you later.’

There was silence after Teddy had gone. Mick made the tea before picking up a knife and removing a cloth from one of the square baking tins on the table. He knew his mother had been up at four that morning to get a headstart on the day and saw that she had made bakewell tart. His mouth watered and then, with a spurt of irritation, he remembered that guests came first and replaced the cloth. ‘Jam buttie?’ he asked, going over to one of the bread crocks.

‘Thanks,’ said Celia. ‘Who does the cooking?’

‘Ma. She does most things with Annie and our help. At the moment we have her two younger sisters helping as well, but they’re hopeless.’

‘And Little John. What does he do?’

Mick considered as he sliced bread. ‘You could say a bit of everything. I’ll give him that he’s prepared to help Ma where and when she asks him,’ he said grudgingly.

‘You don’t like him.’ Celia stared at him and, after a moment’s hesitation, added, ‘I suppose it’s natural.’

He frowned. ‘What do you mean it’s natural?’

‘An older man in the house. You’re jealous.’

‘I’m not jealous!’ He slapped plum jam on the bread. ‘I did have a father once, you know, and an uncle living here.’

Celia continued to stare at him and he felt discomforted. He handed her the buttie on a plate. ‘I’m not jealous,’ he repeated, and bit into the bread.

‘If you say so.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ he said with his mouth full and a glint in his eye.

‘What I said. If you say so it must be true.’

Mick swallowed. ‘It is true. I just don’t think Ma needs a husband. A man around the place – yes, I can accept that. Me and Teddy aren’t strong enough to do some of the things he can but why does she have to marry him?’

‘Has she said she’s marrying him?’

He shook his head.

‘Then why—?’

‘Because,’ he said vehemently, ‘it’s as I said before, it’s the way they look at each other when they think none of us are watching. It makes me feel …’ He searched for words and then wondered why he was telling Celia all this when he didn’t have to. ‘Let’s forget them,’ he muttered. ‘Drink your tea and I’ll show you round the place. That’s if you still want to see it, and you think it’s all right to leave Nelson alone in the yard?’

‘I do want to see it,’ she said hastily. ‘As for Nelson, the way you talk about your ma, it might be a good idea if you tell her Nelson’ll make a good guard dog when he’s bigger. He could chase off any other Charleys that might come round.’

Mick grinned. ‘I suppose it’s worth a try.’

‘Nothing ventured, nothing gained,’ said Celia.

He showed her the main rooms downstairs and the bathroom on the first floor. ‘Ma’d like one on every floor and washbasins in all the rooms with hot and cold running water. It’s her dream.’

‘It’s lovely!’

‘What?’ Mick blinked at Celia.

She smiled and folded her arms across her budding chest. ‘You are lucky. It must be really interesting having different people coming and going. Where do they come from?’

Mick had never considered himself lucky in that way. Lucky in having food and clothes and shoes on his feet, yeah! But not—

He saw she was waiting for an answer. ‘America, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Holland, Sweden, Norway. My grandfather was a Norwegian whaler and we have relatives there that we’ve never met. Although Ma sends a card at Christmas and her Norwegian aunt sends her one back.’ He waved a hand. ‘People from all over the place! England included!’ He grinned, feeling unexpectedly better about living in the hotel.

‘Lovely,’ she repeated quietly. ‘I like people. I’m going to miss the shop. We used to have sailors coming in selling us parrots and monkeys before the Depression and there was a good trade for them then. Ma used to chase me out. I reckon now it was so she could flirt with the men. I don’t think I’ll tell her Little John’s here.’

Mick stared at her. She seemed quite different all of a sudden. Before he lost his nerve he leaned forward and kissed her. It was a clumsy kiss and almost missed its mark but she did not seem to mind. Only when she stepped back from him did he see that her cheeks were rose-petal pink.

‘I’d better go,’ she said with an unexpectedly mature air.

‘Why?’

Celia hesitated. ‘I’d just better.’ She leaned forward, kissed his cheek and fled.

Kitty hurried upstairs, with John dogging her footsteps, and into her bedroom. He followed her in, closing the door behind him. She whirled and they stared at each other. Her bones felt as if they were melting. ‘There isn’t time,’ she said, withdrawing a couple of hat pins and removing her hat. ‘Some of the guests are already home and they’ll be wanting their dinner.’

‘Not even time for one kiss,’ he murmured, reaching for her.

She dropped her hat on the bed and went into his arms. ‘Only one,’ she said firmly.

They kissed as if they had not met for a month instead of having spent most of the day in each other’s company. She had enjoyed herself immensely. The crowds had been huge and although the Prince of Wales had disappointed by not being at the races, the Princess Royal had looked lovely in a fur-trimmed coat and a chic little hat. Mr Churchill had worn a snappy grey trilby and carried what must have been the largest binoculars on the course. An Irish horse tipped by the uncles had won the race, so it looked like Ben would not have to worry about her not giving him sweetie money for weeks, because the uncles had bet a whole shilling each way on Kellesboro Lad for each of the boys. Daniel and Rebekah had been good company and John had amused. Although some of his remarks had been slightly barbed and aimed at the nobs, that was probably down to the poverty he had experienced in his wanderings.

Poverty! Kitty might have discovered there was a life for her besides work, but she only had to wander some of the back slums in the ’pool to come face to face with the degradation which lack of work and money could cause. She was not about to forget she had a hotel to run just because she wanted the big fella to make mad passionate love to her. It was something they had not done – yet. ‘John, let me go,’ she muttered against his mouth.

‘I don’t want to let you go.’ He lifted and flung her on the bed and dropped beside her. ‘We’re lying on my working frock,’ she whispered, hoping none of the boys were in their bedroom and that Annie would not choose this moment to come in.

‘Sod your frock,’ he said, dragging her against him. ‘Marry me now, Kit. I want you and it’s no use your saying you don’t feel the same way.’

‘I do, I do,’ she said softly. ‘But you haven’t been back a week – and what about the boys?’

He groaned and was silent a moment before saying, ‘Teddy resents me being here as things are. So what’s going to be different?’

‘We’ll be married. You’ll be here for ever.’

‘That’s what I want to be.’ He gazed into her eyes and his hand caressed her breast. ‘Say yes. Everything’ll be all right, sweetheart.’

She was silent, considering the life he had led. ‘Are you sure you really want to stay for the rest of your life? If you upped and left because, maybe, you’re not used to being in one place,’ she said in a rush, ‘I wouldn’t like it very much.’

‘Trust me. This is where I want to be.’ His face loomed close and he kissed her again.

There was a knock on the door and instantly she pushed him away and rose swiftly from the bed. ‘Who is it?’ she called.

‘It’s me, Annie. I’ve taken the meat out and put the vegetables on. Will you be doing the gravy?’

‘Yes. I’m just changing. I’ll be down in a minute.’

‘OK.’

There was the sound of retreating footsteps and Kitty glanced at John. ‘I’ll have to get ready.’

He sat back against the pillows and smiled. ‘When we get married we’ll have to buy a longer bed.’

She shook her head at him. ‘Never mind that now. If we don’t get cracking there won’t be any money for a bed. Out please.’

‘Seeing as how you said please I’ll go.’ He stood, hugged her in passing, and left the room.

‘Everything OK, Annie?’ asked Kitty, reaching for her pinafore when she entered the kitchen.

‘Don’t ask,’ muttered her cousin, not looking up from stirring soup. ‘Our Mo has walked out and taken our Barb with her. She dropped a plate and when I told her off she had the nerve to say she couldn’t work with me. Jobs as hard to find as gold dust and she’s flung in the towel! I ask you, Kit, where’s her brains? Mam’ll have a fit. I mean our Barb would have gone anyway. She’s too young to be working all hours but our Mo is just a lazy madam.’

‘Damn!’ said Kitty, rubbing her nose with the back of her hand. ‘Where are Mick and Teddy?’

‘Mick’s seeing to the fires and Teddy’s carrying the hot water up. They’re good lads. Although I had to speak to Mick a bit sharp-like. He seemed in a bit of a dream.’

Kitty was silent, wondering if it was John’s presence which was having that effect on her eldest son. She took out the cornflour.

Annie glanced at her. ‘He’ll be OK. I believe boys go through it as well as girls at that age.’ Kitty stared at her uncomprehendingly. ‘The growing up-like, Kit! He’ll come round to the big fella and you getting married. You are getting married?’

Kitty hesitated. ‘We haven’t known each other long. It’s a big decision, Annie.’

‘How long d’yer need at your age?’ said her cousin scornfully. ‘I was ready to marry Mr Jones just to have a father for the baby and to get away from everything, but thank God I don’t need to now.’ Annie’s period had come the evening she had gone to the Pivvy with the old man. ‘I know the big fella’s got no money but he’s strong and, give him his due, he’ll work.’

‘I wish you weren’t going, Annie. I could up your wages a little. Even more so if we stay busy.’

Annie shook her head. ‘Ta, but I’ve made up me mind. You give me a good reference and I reckon I’ll have no trouble finding work in London.’

Kitty hoped Annie was right, for her cousin’s sake, but comforted herself with the thought that if Annie was wrong she would be back in her old job before too long.

John entered and Kitty asked him to cut bread to go with the soup and serve the first course with Annie. He nodded and they all got on with what they were doing. The boys came in and for the next hour or so they were all rushed off their feet.

It was only later, when the kitchen was silent for a few minutes, that Kitty became aware of a dog yelping, but she ignored the sound. It was only when she went into the yard to put something in the dustbin that she realised the noise was coming from the outhouse. She hesitated a moment before making her way down the darkened yard.

She did not open the door straightaway but stood listening, thinking that it did not sound like a very big dog. She inched the door open and immediately a damp nose thrust its way into the opening and against her leg, its owner emitting short sharp yelps. It did not look very fierce but she had never had a dog and closed the door quickly before running up the yard.

She burst into the kitchen to find John and the boys there. Annie had gone to her mother’s to see what she had to say about Mo quitting, and the Irish great-uncles who might have spent this time with them had gone to the Irish centre up the road to celebrate with their winnings. ‘Whose is it?’ she demanded.

‘Mine,’ said Mick, before anyone else could ask what
it
was. On the defensive he stood next to the ovens. ‘I know what you’re going to say, Ma, but I couldn’t say no.’ He spoke rapidly. ‘Celia brought him, you see, and he’d have been drowned if she hadn’t.’

‘Celia’s been here?’ said John.

Mick nodded. ‘Her gran died and her ma’s getting rid of the animals because there’s no money. She said something about her ma getting into debt again.’

John groaned. ‘She’d manage without the drink.’

‘Celia said they’d both have to find jobs,’ said Teddy, his eyes gleaming. ‘We said they could work here.’

Seeing the expression on Kitty’s face, Mick said swiftly, ‘And Celia said she wasn’t going to mention it to her ma.’ He glanced at his brother. ‘You haven’t met her. She’d turn milk sour. She’s not like Celia.’

Kitty glanced at John. ‘You didn’t know anything about this?’

‘I know as much as you do. I haven’t had time to go round there yet.’

‘So what do we do?’

‘About what exactly?’ he said cautiously.

‘About the dog down the yard! That has to come first because it’s here now! I’ve told Mick in the past – no dogs!’

‘But, Ma, he’d make a good guard dog,’ said Mick. ‘Think, if Charley ever came back Nelson could rip the pants off him.’

‘Nelson!’ Kitty shook her head as if in disbelief. ‘He was one of England’s greatest heros. That little thing out there couldn’t scare anyone! And you know how I feel about dogs indoors. I’ve heard they leave hairs everywhere and I can’t be doing with that, Mick. And don’t say it can stay in the outhouse. It can’t. It’ll yowl the place down.’

‘I’ll make sure he doesn’t leave hairs. As for him being little. He’s only a pup. He’ll grow! And I’ll look after him. Feed him and take him walks and that,’ said Mick earnestly. ‘An-and I’ll make him a kennel.’