The Shadow of the Sycamores (28 page)

But he had better get on and not waste time. There was going to be a Diamond Jubilee party on Saturday to mark the Queen’s sixty years on the throne and he had to have at least the main streets free of any kind of refuse for several important personages had been invited to attend.

Despite knowing that Kitty had come back, he was still surprised to see her when he went home in the middle of the day. She had filled out a bit from how he remembered her – which was all to the good for she had been as skinny as a string bean when she went away – but the biggest change was in her clothing. Instead of the hand-me-downs she’d had to wear ever since she was born, she now looked very elegant in a light navy gabardine costume, with just the suggestion of a bustle, and the pale pink frills of her blouse showing at the neck. Her hair, not quite as dark as it once had been, was pinned up into a sausage shape at the back of her head, in the style of the ladies of the nobility whose photographs sometimes graced the newspapers. She would make a good picture herself, he thought, as he went across to shake her hand.

The pleasantries over, Fay said, brightly, ‘Kitty is home for good, Henry.’

He could hear a note of appeal in her voice. She was making a great effort to appear normal but she really needed somebody to help her get over Andrew. Nessie and Janet had been doing their best but they could not possibly understand how much she was suffering – the feeling of utter helplessness, the anger, the craving to see her son again, the terrible heartache that ate away at her … and at him … during the nights.

Neither of them had ever borne a child and they were too old now to give her the amount of compassion she deserved. His heart skipped a beat. Here was Fay desperate for someone nearer her own age to whom she could talk, open her innermost soul to, and there was Kitty, having clearly survived a dreadful trauma herself. They were made for each other.

He cleared his throat, giving his wife notice that he was
about to say something of vital importance. ‘We’ll be glad to have you live with us, Kitty. We have an empty bed if you don’t mind being in Andrew’s old room.’

She shot a glance at Fay first, then said, ‘If you’re sure, I would be very grateful.’

Fay’s lips were trembling but she held her head up. ‘Yes, you are very welcome.’

Clearly relieved that the problem was solved, Abby left first and the two older women just a few minutes later.

Giving Henry a chance to speak to his sister in private, Fay said she would make the bed ready.

‘Henry,’ Kitty murmured, ‘I was at my wit’s end, contemplating ending it all, and now you’re giving me a new chance to pull myself together. I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to thank you.’

‘All I ask is for you to make friends with my Fairy Fay; to help her through this awful time.’

‘Yes, Abby told me about your little boy. I’m truly sorry, Henry, and I swear I’ll do my very best not to let her go into a decline.’ She paused and then smiled. ‘We’ll be good for each other and I can help with the housework …’

He looked rather shamefaced now. ‘That was something I meant to speak to you about. I’m sure Fay would be glad of your help but we can’t afford to pay you anything. Maybe it would be best if you could find a wee job …’

‘But that’s what I meant to do! I don’t expect you to keep me for nothing.’

And so it was settled, amicably and with no fuss.

*    *    *

On Saturday, T H, as he was known officially, had duties to perform as Town Officer. He had to meet the visiting dignitaries and escort them to their places for the banquet. He had to see that no members of the ordinary public entered this holy-of-holies. He had to organise the presentation of bouquets to the wives of the important guests. He had to make sure that each
carriage was ready and waiting for its specific passengers when they wanted to leave.

The meal over, he had to make sure that the tables were cleared quickly, that the dishwashers had everything they needed and that the band was in place on the platform for the dancing. Fortunately, for he was in no mood to take on the job, the band had provided a master of ceremonies. For the rest of the evening, all he had to do was to prevent any of the men from causing a disturbance by drinking too much and he was relieved that only two had to be shown the door.

On their own, Kitty told Fay much more about her life in Glasgow and the other two men who had let her down, which was why she was still unmarried. Fay then gave her an account of how she had met Henry but neither touched on her most recent misfortune. At last, after a couple of hours, Fay, feeling an affinity with this sister-in-law she had known for such a short time, said, ‘You know, Kitty, I still haven’t got over … Andrew.’

‘I’m not surprised. I haven’t got over what George Laird did to me and that was a few months ago. I can only say it takes time but the pain does get less as time goes by.’ She regarded the other woman cautiously. ‘It maybe sounds callous but you will have other children come time – another son to …’ She broke off in confusion.

Fay bit her bottom lip reflectively, then murmured, ‘If you mean another boy would replace Andrew, you don’t really know how I feel. Nobody could ever replace Andrew in my heart.’

‘No, I’m sorry. That was insensitive of me but having another child would help, I’m sure it would.’

‘Well, it’s out of the question, anyway. I did want more but Henry always said we couldn’t afford it.’

‘He might change his mind now.’

‘He won’t – he’ll be feeling the same as I do.’

‘It would be worth a try. Ask him again.’

Fay did not ask her husband again. She wasn’t sure herself
that she wanted another child. There would always be a risk that a new baby, especially a boy, would worm his way into Andrew’s special place in the cold chambers of her heart.

As it turned out, she had no choice in the matter. Henry’s actions on the night of their son’s tragic death – when the passion of his grief changed unbidden to the desperate passion of love and need as he tried to comfort himself as much as his wife – resulted in a pregnancy that neither of them particularly wanted.

Fay and Kitty Rae were sitting one Saturday afternoon, as they often did, talking of this and that – how things were much better during Victoria’s reign; how her son’s spell as Edward VII had turned people’s morals topsy-turvy; and how they hoped that the new king, George V, would be a better influence on his subjects.

‘He’s more serious-minded than his father, anyway,’ Kitty observed, tucking two of her four knitting needles into her mass of light brown hair until she turned the heel of the sock.

‘I sincerely hope so,’ muttered Fay. ‘I’ve been dreading Jerry taking an interest in girls, in case he carries on like Edward when he was Prince of Wales. It was scandalous. He even had several lady-loves while he was king.’

‘Jerry’s got more sense than that.’ Kitty was sure of this but even sensible boys could be led astray. Girls would be after him in a year or so – he was so handsome. Apart from his dark wavy hair and strong jawline, he was blessed with gorgeously green eyes that made even a hardened old bird like herself feel special when he looked at her.

Fay bit off her thread with a weary sigh. ‘He hadn’t much sense while he was at school but, now he’s left, maybe he won’t knock so many holes in his breeches and I’ll have less mending to do.’

Nevertheless, as Kitty knew, Fay doted on this son just as much as she had on the one she had lost. Possibly he hadn’t totally replaced Andrew in his mother’s affections but it seemed as if her heart had grown to make room for both her sons. Kitty’s thoughts halted until she checked the number of rows she had done – both heels had to be the same length – before
letting her thoughts run on. She would have loved a son, a whole battery of sons, but, at her age, there was no chance of that. The only option open to her now would be to marry a widower who already had a young family.

She was touching on a dream that had been intensifying of late. It wasn’t the old dream of finding
a
man, it was a new, delicious dream of
the
man for her – the man she had been attracted to since she returned to Ardbirtle. She had, naturally, stifled her feelings for Pogie Laing, had told herself that it was far too dangerous to even think of him as anything other than her brother-in-law. It was hard, though, really hard, when she saw him so often, but she had no intention of letting him know how she felt.

Rather than hurt Abby, she had tried to banish all un-maidenly thoughts from her head and treat Pogie as if she could barely stand the sight of him. The trouble was that he couldn’t hide the pain he felt at her snubs and she had relented as far as to treat him as a distant friend. It hadn’t helped, of course, and the only way open to her now was to go back to Glasgow or to somewhere even farther away.

‘You’re very quiet, Kitty.’ Fay’s gentle voice broke into her reverie.

‘I’m sorry – I was miles away.’

‘I think not – only a few hundred yards? Am I right?’

‘Oh, Fay, is it that obvious? I thought I’d hidden it pretty well.’

‘Don’t worry, my dear. I don’t think anyone else has noticed.’

‘Thank goodness. I don’t want … him to suspect anything.’

‘I’m sure he doesn’t.’

Gathering up her knitting, Kitty shoved it carelessly into her bag and stood up. ‘Anyway, Fay, I’ve made up my mind to leave. Serving behind a counter in a poky little haberdashery isn’t enough of a challenge.’

Her sister-in-law had the sense not to argue. ‘Were you thinking of anywhere in particular?’

‘Not really. I just know it’s the most sensible thing to do. I’d better give myself a quick swill now for Nessie said she’d have tea ready about five.’

‘Ah, yes, I forgot you’d been invited to Oak Cottage.’

Jerry came in just minutes after Kitty had left. His face was almost cut in two by a wide grin. ‘Mother, Bill Kemp’s just asked me if I’d like a job as message boy and I jumped at it. I’ve to start tomorrow ’cos his last boy’s broke his leg and he’ll be off for months.’

‘But it will still be a temporary job … until the other boy comes back?’

‘I suppose so.’

‘You know, your father always hoped you would stick at your lessons and make something of yourself.’

‘Mother, I don’t have the brains to make anything of myself.’

‘If you’d worked a bit harder at school, Jerry, you could have developed your brain. You’re not stupid, I know that.’

‘Maybe I’m not but I want to work with my hands.’

‘Ask your grandfather if he’ll take you on as his apprentice, then.’

‘I don’t want to be a blacksmith but Pogie’s Clarence does. He says he’d rather do that than be an undertaker like his father.’

Fay let him go upstairs now. She didn’t want to force him into something he didn’t want to do and, in any case, motor cars were fast taking over from horses. It wouldn’t be long before blacksmiths and their forges were things of the past.

Her thoughts turned to Kitty. She had been a godsend in helping them to get over Andrew’s death and then coaxing them to accept the fact that another baby was on the way. Strangely enough, it had been Henry, dear Tchouki, who had been first to recognise that as a blessing. She, herself, had been unable to banish her feeling of guilt that they had created a new life so soon after their firstborn had been taken from them. It was Kitty who had painstakingly talked her out of that quagmire – not Nessie or Janet or even Abby, though they had all tried.

Poor Kitty, she deserved some happiness but she wouldn’t get it unless she put Pogie Laing out of her mind. He still loved Abby as much as ever and he’d be absolutely horrified if he
knew how Kitty felt. Thank goodness she had the sense to see that she should remove herself from temptation. They would all miss her when she left, of course, Fay mused, herself most of all.

Some months later, when Henry was helping the committee to plan how the town would celebrate King George V’s coronation, he and his family had just returned from their usual Sunday afternoon walk when a motor car pulled up on the street outside. Jerry rushed to the window agog with excitement. ‘It’s a man coming here,’ he squealed, making for the door.

‘No, my lad,’ his father said firmly. ‘I’ll let him in, whoever he is.’

Fay tried to hear what was being said but no one came in. ‘He’s gone back to the car,’ Jerry told her, ‘and a woman’s coming out now … and a girl.’

Not having the slightest inkling of the identity of their visitors, Fay had to wait until the kitchen door was pushed open. ‘Max,’ she cried, in delight, when the tall man walked in. ‘And Nora and …?’

‘Robina,’ supplied Nora. ‘We called her after Beenie for she was with me the afternoon she was born and I don’t know what I’d have done without her.’

‘You’d have managed,’ laughed Max. ‘Ruby was determined to come out and she wasn’t going to wait another minute.’

‘Ruby? Is that what they call you?’ Fay considered it a vast improvement on Beenie. ‘Oh, Nora, I’m so glad to see you again. It’s been so long.’

‘It’s four years since Max’s mother’s funeral,’ Nora said, smiling as her husband ushered Henry and Jerry outside to inspect the automobile. ‘Max is like a bairn with a new toy since Mr Miller spoke about it and, now he’s been made chauffeur, he thinks there’s nobody like him.’

‘It’s still Mr Miller that’s Superintendent, then? Do you get on all right with him and his wife?’

‘Oh, yes, they’re different altogether from Ledingham – it’s
her that keeps the accounts and attends to things like that and I was promoted to cook a couple of years ago and she doesn’t interfere at all. Even better than that, Mr Miller got a house made for us over the garage – kitchen, parlour, three bedrooms and an inside WC. They fairly believe in keeping up with the times.’

‘I’m glad to hear it. And how old are you, Ruby?’

‘I’ll be thirteen in April,’ the girl said shyly.

Fay turned to her daughter who had been standing silently. ‘Mara, take Ruby upstairs and let her see some of your books and things.’