Blood Brothers (12 page)

‘You sound like my mother!’ he laughed. ‘She bosses me about an’ all.’

‘Hmm!’ The little woman wagged a finger. ‘Quite right too. It’s a mother’s job to keep her offspring in their place! I know, because I’ve got a couple of my own.’ Having imparted that snippet of information, she disappeared into the pantry.

While Frank tucked into the biscuits, she began muttering and moving about, before eventually reappearing with a brown paper bag. ‘There y’are,’ she said merrily. ‘Now go on…be off with you and get yourself ready for the big day. Oh, and I’ll be there…somewhere in the background, waiting to throw my little bag of confetti.’

As he went towards the door, she came up behind him. ‘Mr Arnold?’

When he turned, she spoke to him in a whisper, ‘I do wish you all the best, I really do.’

Puzzled by her attitude, Frank thanked her, but when she spoke again, it was to issue a covert warning. ‘Me and your mother are one of a kind,’ she said, ‘we’re straightforward women and if we have anything to say, we’ll say it to the person intended and not behind their back. What I mean is, what you see is what you get with some people. But not everybody’s like that. Other people might put on a front, when behind your back they can be very spiteful.’

‘I’m sure they can.’ Frank thought it might be time she retired and put her feet up.

Lucy went on in a hoarse whisper, ‘All I’m saying is, with Alice you have a beautiful little soul; a girl with a heart of gold. She’ll be a loyal wife to the end; even if some others turn out to be a disappointment…if you know what I mean? Never expect more than you will ever receive.’

‘Right! Well, thanks for the advice. I’ll certainly keep it in mind.’

He didn’t know what else to say, except, ‘I do know what a gem I have in Alice, and there is nothing I wouldn’t do for her. I assure you, she will be safe enough with me if that’s what you’re worried about?’

The little woman smiled. ‘Go on then, young man…get yourself off home. I’ll see you at the church on Saturday. Oh, and tell your mother I’ll be looking to catch up with her. It’s a long time since we had a good natter.’

She quickly closed the door on him, talking to herself as she went across the kitchen, ‘They may be my employers and he may be marrying their daughter, but they have no liking whatsoever for that young man.’

She shook her head and sighed. ‘I’ve heard them talk about him, and I know what they’re saying. They don’t care tuppence for Frank Arnold, and while Mr Jacobs may have some regard for his youngest daughter, his wife sees Alice as a burden she can’t get rid of quick enough!’

She stomped about, reaching into cupboards and getting out her pots and pans. ‘It’s Pauline this and Pauline that, and just because she’s turned out to be a good businesswoman like her parents, it does not make her a better person than her younger sister. In fact, Alice is twice the lovely person she will ever be!’

Making herself a fresh cup of tea she crossed to the table and sat down. ‘Disgraceful.’ She nibbled on her ginger-snap. ‘That’s what it is, downright disgraceful!’

Standing outside the kitchen door, Frank paused a moment, turning Lucy’s advice over in his mind. ‘She’s losing her marbles, silly old bugger!’ One thing did intrigue him though. ‘What did she mean “behind your back they can be very spiteful”? That was an odd thing to say.’

Dismissing her babbling, he followed the sounds of Alice speaking and her mother’s loud voice. Before he had gone even a half-dozen steps, he heard Maureen Jacobs screeching madly at some poor person: ‘I distinctly ordered WHITE roses! If you’re not able to provide them, then I’ll find someone who will!’

Alice intervened. ‘It’s all right, Mother,’ she insisted, ‘I prefer red roses anyway. They’re my favourite, you know that.’

‘Please, Alice, do not interfere. I will have what was ordered, and that is that!’

Frank retraced his steps. ‘Lucy’s right,’ he muttered, ‘This is no place for me just now.’

Heading for his own car, Frank recognised the black saloon now approaching the house. He also recognised the man who climbed out of it.

Ronald Jacobs appeared every inch the businessman; strongly built and grey at the temples, he held himself with
the kind of well-bred authority that made you look up to him.

Excited, Frank decided to linger a moment or two, hoping to somehow creep into the older man’s good books. ‘Hello sir, and how are you today?’ Flashing his best smile, he changed direction and made his way towards the other car.

‘Ah, Frank!’ The older man swung his briefcase out of the car. ‘So, you’ve delivered my daughter safely, have you?’

‘I have, yes, and now I’m on my way back. There’s lots of work to do before the big day, as I’m sure you understand.’

The big man gave a reserved kind of smile. ‘It’s always good for a man to work.’

Frank saw his chance and he took it, ‘Of course we don’t own all the land,’ he explained. ‘My father rents all but a small parcel of it from the landowner who bought it some years ago from my late grandfather. My father has worked the land for many years.’

Ronald Jacobs applauded such initiative. ‘Good man! What with the War now well and truly behind us, the country is in dire need of building up. We could do with a few more of your father’s sort, yes indeed! Sort this country out in no time at all, it would.’

‘Yes, sir, you’re right!’ Impatient, Frank still had an eye to his big chance, never mind the country’s needs. He had more pressing needs of his own. ‘One day I mean to have my own acreage,’ he confided proudly. ‘Rich, prime land that stretches away as far as the eye can see, and for your lovely daughter, I’ll build her a house fit for a Queen!’

He lowered his voice, ‘Mind you, it might take years, being that I’m just an ordinary working farmer.’

‘Well done all the same!’ The older man appeared delighted. ‘Very commendable attitude, Frank!’ Shaking Frank by the hand he wished him well. ‘I’m pleased we’ve gone into certain matters that had concerned me. I see your vision and I like
the way you plan forward. Yes indeed. It certainly seems as though my daughter Alice has managed to get herself a man with purpose. A man after my own heart.’

He felt the need to add, ‘I’m very gratified that you have ambitions to build my daughter a house that would be fit for a Queen, but that kind of achievement does not happen overnight, so in the meantime, I’m sure you will both be more than happy with the cottage we’ve had renovated for you to occupy for the time being.’

‘Oh, and we are grateful, sir. It’s a lovely little place, right there beside the spinney and overlooking the whole of Bedfordshire.’ Frank reiterated his own ambition. ‘But I still have vision, sir. I also have a plan, which one day maybe you and I can discuss?’

‘Mmm.’ The big man looked towards the house, ‘I really must go now. Like you said, there’s work to do. Give my regards to your parents.’

‘I will, thank you.’

Pleased with himself, Frank had a grin on his face as wide as the Mersey tunnel. ‘He’s taking the bait!’

Once inside the car, he whooped for joy. ‘It’s only a matter of time before I’ve got the old bugger eating out of my hand!’ Nothing would stop him now, he thought. ‘The world is my oyster. With Alice as my wife, anything is possible!’

Behind him, Ronald Jacobs remained in the porch, his wary gaze watching Frank’s car as it cleared the drive and headed on to the road. ‘Hmm!’ He shook his head. ‘He must think I was born yesterday. Cunning and brazen as you like, asking me to finance his venture into buying land. Not in a million years will I!’

Thrusting his key into the door lock, he entered the house.
Damned young upstart! he thought. If you want something badly enough, you’ll work all that much harder to achieve it. There are no handouts, not in this life.

He was still muttering to himself as Maureen came bursting out of the living room.

He gave her a peck on the cheek, and peered behind her to the closed living room door. ‘Is Alice in there?’

‘Yes. Don’t go in. She’s in her wedding dress, and oh, Ronald, she really does look lovely.’

‘I’m sure she does, and I look forward to seeing her on the day, but I’m not so sure about that young upstart she’s about to marry.’

‘Oh, and why’s that?’

Leaning forward he asked her, ‘Are you sure we’re doing the right thing in allowing her to marry this man?’

‘What are you getting at? I thought we’d already discussed it in length. We both agreed that she was old enough to be married, and that she could do with the discipline. We’ve tried to train her into socialising and our way of life, but she is not the slightest bit interested. She won’t even be drawn into helping Pauline run her salon.’

‘Ah, well, if you don’t mind me saying, I blame Pauline for that. The one time Alice turned up at the salon, eager to learn the ropes, Pauline threw her in at the deep end and then complained vehemently, when everything was less than perfect.’

Addressing her more cautiously, he took his life in his hands. ‘Pauline is much like you, my dear…strong-minded and sometimes a bit of a Sergeant-Major, while Alice is rather sensitive. You and Pauline might get better co-operation if you didn’t always treat her like a child straight out of school. She is an intelligent, hard-working young woman, and in my opinion for, what it’s worth, she deserves to be treated as such.’

‘My! my!’ Maureen was genuinely surprised. ‘Defending Alice all of a sudden is it? Some time back, you were sulking
because she left your offices to work at the vets, taking care of the animals there.’

‘Well, I’ve had time to reflect, and I’ve come to the conclusion that she already knows more about animals than she cares to learn about filing cabinets. At least the veterinary profession is well-respected, if poorly paid.’

She continued to taunt him. ‘She’s out of control, that’s the trouble.’

‘All right! All right! we should be thankful. She appears to have found some sort of purpose, and who knows, her unpredictable behaviour may soon be a thing of the past.’

‘I hope so.’ Maureen Jacobs was out of patience with her wayward daughter. ‘I’ll be the first one to celebrate if she ever attains a responsible attitude to our family values. Look how she behaved last Thursday when we had important guests for dinner; instead of wearing the sensible dress I chose for her, she came down in a bright pink top and swirly skirt. I was ashamed, to say the least.’

‘Really?’ He smiled at that. ‘I thought she looked quite lovely. Brightened up the place she did.’

Ronald felt the heat of Maureen’s disapproval, and quickly added, ‘I do agree with you, though. Being a wife and consequently a mother, must certainly give her some semblance of discipline. I’m just sorry we weren’t able to find someone more suited to the family than this Frank Arnold fellow.’

‘You know very well, Ronald, we have endlessly tried to match her up with the more eligible young men, but she preferred the company of this Arnold person. In the end we had little choice but to accept him, or have a spinster on our hands.’

‘But will she be happy with him, my dear? That’s what worries me.’

‘Yes, because like I said, he was her choice. I think she’ll be happy. I also believe we’re doing the right thing. Before too long, people will start to think she’s gone wild, and uncontrollable. I
mean, all this running off on her own; paddling in the brook in bare feet and preferring to be with the creatures rather than civilized people. It simply will not do, Ronald! You know as well as I do, we have a reputation to uphold.’

He nodded. ‘You’re right. The responsibility of marriage and children should definitely quieten her down though. And as I say, she does appear to have a deep affection for this young man…’ he paused, ‘…although I can’t say I agree with her choice.’

Maureen Jacobs was intrigued. ‘I had an idea you were not taking to him very well,’ she said, ‘…why is that?

The big man leaned forward in confidence. ‘Unless I’m very much mistaken, he just tried to coax me into backing him on a grand idea he’s got in mind. Oh not in so many words, but he’s a clever young devil all the same. He claimed it was for Alice.’

He gave a rueful look. ‘Now then, my dear, what d’you think to that?’

‘I think he’s got a damned good cheek, that’s what I think!’

‘I quite agree. Like I say, he did not so much as come out with it altogether, but he went about it in such a way, I knew straight off what he was getting at. I must admit though, I do have a sneaking admiration for him; he used clever tactics, which might well have worked on someone less alert than myself.’

His manner grew serious. ‘He’s got the wrong idea, if he imagines for one minute that marrying Alice gives him access to the family fortune. It will never happen. In fact, I’ve already set things in motion to that effect.’

‘In what way?’ Maureen was intrigued.

‘All in good time, my dear.’ He tapped the side of his nose to imply secrecy. ‘No one gets the better of Ronald Jacobs,’ he concluded, ‘especially not a cocky young farmer with ideas above his station!’ As he spoke his voice rose in anger.

‘Ronald, ssh!’ She glanced towards the living room. ‘We
have visitors. The florist is in there, and the dressmaker is in the throes of changing the hem on Alice’s gown.’

‘I see. Well, in that case I don’t suppose dinner will be on time. That’s a pity, because I have to say I’m ready for a good meal.’

‘Oh, dear!’ She gave a long sigh. ‘I really could have done without all this business. There are so many people in and out, and I haven’t had a minute to myself. All the same, it will all be over before we know it, and I for one will not be sorry.’

He smiled at that. ‘I thought all mothers were supposed to enjoy their daughter’s wedding day?’

‘I don’t know about that. All I know is, after Saturday, Alice will be someone else’s responsibility, and I for one will not be sorry.’

‘You know I adore you, my dear,’ Ronald said, giving her a bird-peck on the cheek. ‘Sometimes though, I do believe you think of our children as a real liability.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ He had touched a raw nerve, especially with regards to their youngest daughter. ‘Look, I’ll tell Lucy to get on with the meal as usual, and I’ll get rid of these people as soon as I can.’