A Mother's Duty (18 page)

John entered shortly after her, carrying a plate. ‘There’s a man complaining he doesn’t like onion. I was tempted to tell him he’s lucky to be able to afford to have a meal put in front of him but—’

‘You resisted.’

He smiled. ‘I was diplomatic. I offered to remove the onion but he said he wanted something completely different. Insisted the onion contaminates the gravy.’

‘Ask him would he like an omelette. Got to keep the punters happy. Also is there anything else he doesn’t like? You can guarantee the complainers always have more than one thing they’ll complain about.’

‘I can believe it. He had that kind of face.’

As John left the kitchen he almost collided with Annie on her way in. ‘Sorry,’ she said.

‘Think nothing of it,’ he murmured and walked on.

Kitty glanced up. ‘Where’ve you been? I was worried. Your Mo and Barb have gone off and we’re all rushing round like maniacs!’ She stared at Annie. ‘You look awful! Putting up your hair like that makes your face look drawn. I mean the frock’s nice but – why are you wearing that frock? It’s one of your good ones, isn’t it?’

‘Yes! I’m going out with Mr Jones,’ she said with a hint of defiance.

Kitty could not believe it. ‘Why?’ she demanded. ‘He’s old enough to be your grandfather. Why?’ she repeated with a sense of helplessness.

‘If he’s old enough to be my grandfather then he’ll pop off the quicker if I marry him,’ said Annie defiantly.

‘Marry him! You’re never!’

‘I might.’

Kitty shook her head and stirred the custard vigorously. ‘You’ve run daft. I know the feeling, sweetie. I’ve felt like that. Like your whole world is falling apart. But just stick with it and things’ll work out. Not like you wanted them to but something else’ll turn up.’

‘It’s easy for you to say,’ said Annie sniffily. ‘You’ve got the man you want here. I wanted Jimmy and I’ll never get him now. As well as that I’m feeling sick and me stomach and head aches.’

‘Then you shouldn’t be going out,’ retorted Kitty. ‘Get an apron on and do some work. I need seventeen bowls.’

‘But I’ve told Mr Jones I’ll go out with him,’ wailed Annie, now looking unsure of herself.

‘Just do some work here first, then go out with him – but keep him in his place. And by the way, you’re sleeping with me tonight. The big fella’s having your room.’

‘Is he now? Perhaps I should go home? Then perhaps I shouldn’t. Mam’ll want to know why.’ Annie looked torn by indecision.

‘Put your apron on,’ ordered Kitty. ‘You can sleep with me I said.’

‘Perhaps, it’s just as well I should,’ said Annie, her face brightening unexpectedly. ‘You never know.’ She flushed as she looked at Kitty, then put on an apron and got out the bowls without another word.

‘Thank God that’s over,’ said Kitty, pulling a chair up to the fire and resting her stockinged feet on the brass fender.

‘Am I having help cleaning the shoes in the morning? More guests mean extra work,’ said Teddy, looking at her. ‘It makes no difference to our Mick doing the fires.’

John glanced up from a book of
Grimm’s Fairy Tales
which belonged to Sarah. She was sitting on his knee dressed for bed in a flower-sprigged nightdress and pink dressing gown, cuddling both a rag doll and a golliwog. ‘I’ll help you.’

For a moment Teddy was lost for words, then he muttered, ‘I’d rather our Mick. You could do the fires.’

‘I’m no good with grates. Ask me to get a fire going in the open and I can manage it but I’m hopeless indoors. I’m good with boots.’ He wriggled his stockinged feet, seemingly unaware of a hole in both toes, and smiled blandly at Teddy before continuing with the story of Hansel and Gretel.

Teddy glowered and half-opened his mouth, but before he could speak Kitty said, ‘That reminds me. I’ll have to get the sweep. I noticed some soot on the hearth in the Smoking Room. If more comes down it’ll make a heck of a mess.’

‘I’ll go and see him after school on Monday if you like?’ said Mick.

‘Can I go with you?’ asked Sarah sleepily.

‘No,’ said Mick shortly. ‘You’ll be back home by then.’

‘Can’t you go tomorrow?’

‘Sunday’s a day of rest.’

‘For some,’ murmured Kitty, yawning. She would have to take Sarah and Ben to bed soon. It must be well past the girl’s normal bedtime. She felt a moment’s guilt at having spent so little time with her. Then she thought of Annie. How was she getting on with Mr Jones? She glanced at the clock on the mantlepiece and wondered at Annie’s cryptic statement about the sleeping arrangements. Did her cousin really think John would come creeping into her bedroom with Sarah there? She smiled wryly and pictured it before letting her mind drift for a while. A cinder dropping in the grate roused her and she forced herself to her feet. ‘Sarah, Ben, time for bed. Mick, Teddy, could you put the kettles on and make the guests’ supper drinks?’

The boys groaned, but they did as they were told. John closed the book and rose with Sarah in his arms. Kitty removed her feet from the fender and held out a hand to Ben. He protested for a moment but then went with her. She thought how nice this was and wished they could be one big happy family.

‘A nightcap?’ asked Kitty, and without waiting for John’s reply, she turned a bucket upside down and stood on it.

‘You shouldn’t be standing on that.’ He put away the last cup and came over to her.

She turned with the bottle of whiskey in her hand. ‘I thought you might like a drink?’

He lifted her down from the bucket but kept his hands on her waist. ‘OK. But just the one. I might sleep too heavy otherwise, and I have to be up early if I’m to keep up with Teddy.’

‘You’ll probably have to wake him. Why did you do it?’ She gave him a quizzical stare.

‘Do what?’

‘Volunteer yourself! You won’t get round him that way.’

He smiled, removed the bottle from her hand and placed it on the table before putting his arms round her from behind. She closed her eyes and leaned against him. At last it had happened. ‘I like cleaning boots, and shoes for that matter,’ he murmured against her hair. ‘Especially nice new ones. I’ve had boots fall apart on me and had to go barefoot. You get to appreciate a decent boot at a time like that.’

‘I’m sure you do.’ She was shocked to hear he had gone barefooted. ‘How far do you think you’ve walked in your life?’

‘Too far to reckon. I’d like to marry you, Kitty.’

Her heart seemed to jump into her throat. ‘A bit sudden isn’t it?’ she said gruffly.

‘You need a man about the place.’

‘I know. But you and marriage. It means—’

‘I know what it means.’

She could not think what to say. Her womanly instincts said marry him and be held like this more often. She imagined his being passionate with her in bed – thought of a baby daughter, of freezing winter nights and warming her cold feet on him. But did he love her? He hadn’t said so. He could be a wife beater for all she knew! He’d want to be the boss. She felt a moment’s panic. Her first marriage had not been like most normal arrangements because for most of the time she had ruled the roost. ‘I don’t know if it would be sensible,’ she said slowly.

‘Sensible!’ He laughed. ‘I thought I was being sensible.’ She turned in his arms and faced him. ‘I don’t know.’

‘What don’t you know?’ He looked puzzled.

‘I don’t know if it’ll work!’ Her voice rose on the last word because now she remembered her sons. ‘What about the boys?’

His lips twisted. ‘I haven’t forgotten them.’

‘But I had for a moment! Mick and Teddy aren’t going to like it.’

They stared at each other and she felt suddenly desperate. She wanted to marry him.

‘Forget I mentioned it,’ he said, and lifted her off her feet and kissed her long and deep.

When her feet eventually touched the ground again she went over to the table and unscrewed the top of the whiskey bottle. She put a couple of tots into two glasses and handed him one. To her own she added a dash of water, before downing it in one go and walking unsteadily out of the kitchen.

‘We’ve got to do something,’ said Teddy, lifting his eyes from his scrutiny of the Grand National runners on the page of the
Sporting Life
which one of the guests had left behind. He rolled over on the floor and gazed up at the nicotine-stained ceiling whilst puffing on a cigarette.

‘Such as what?’ said Mick, gazing through the Smoking Room window and thinking their mother would have a fit if she could see Teddy.

‘I don’t know. It’s you that’s supposed to be the brains of the family. Think of something!’

‘I thought the Irish great-uncles would be of some use but they seem to like him,’ murmured Mick, noticing the girl who had stopped outside their hotel. ‘“Big strong fella just what your mammy needs!”’ He mimicked his great-uncle Kevin. ‘And you can’t deny that, Teddy. The big fella is just what Ma needs. Neither of us want to work here after we’ve finished school. I hate it! Especially when it’s bursting at the seams like it is now.’

‘I know! But we’d still have to live here and I don’t want him bossing me around. So what do we do?’ said Teddy.

‘Don’t ask me,’ muttered Mick. Opening the door, he went outside, glad that Annie, who had been a lot more cheerful this week, had gone out for a few hours, taking her goofy sisters with her. For once he and his brothers had the place to themselves. Ben was upstairs in the attic but most of the guests had gone to the races and were not back yet. Kitty and the big fella had also gone to Aintree with the O’Neills. He thought about how excited Kitty had looked and he realised how seldom she had a day out. Even so, he felt certain it was not only going out that had made her look like she had picked out the winner for the National.

He stood on the step, his hands in his trouser pockets, and stared at the girl coming towards him. He had been right. It was Celia. The black hat had put him off the scent because he had never seen her wear one before and it made her appear older. She was carrying a puppy. His puppy! The one that favoured a black eye patch.

‘Hi!’ he said and walked towards her.

‘Hello, Mick.’ Her smile revealed how unsure of herself she was in this different setting. She wore a brown coat which made her look thinner and which somehow did not go with the hat. He realised close up she had been crying.

‘What’s up?’ he said gently.

Immediately her eyes filled with tears. ‘Me gran’s dead and she’s left only enough money to bury herself. Me mam’s furious.’ Her voice trembled. ‘I had to get out. She was screeching right, left and centre and she had a man there taking away the animals. I only just about managed to save Nelson. I’ve brought him for you.’ She held the puppy out to him.

Mick stared at her in astonishment and took the dog from her and automatically began to stroke it. Nelson turned his head and licked his hand. Mick’s mind began to race frantically in search of a way he could keep the dog and pacify his mother at the same time.

‘He likes you,’ said Celia, managing a watery smile.

‘I like him,’ he said simply. ‘Are you coming in?’

‘Will your ma mind?’ she said anxiously.

‘Of course not! Besides she’s not back from the races yet.’ He led the way indoors. ‘Want a cup of tea?’

‘Love one.’

He led her into the warm kitchen, which was redolent with the smell of roasting mutton and baking. Nelson’s head went this way and that and he struggled to get down. ‘I’ll have to put him in the yard,’ said Mick. ‘Ma’ll go mad if I let him loose in here.’

‘Perhaps I shouldn’t have brought him after all,’ said Celia doubtfully. ‘But I knew how much you wanted him and they’d probably have drowned him.’

‘No! It’s OK! It’s just that Ma has a thing about dogs and mess. My gran was the same.’ He opened the back door and placed the puppy in the yard. Nelson started to sniff around.

‘He’ll be all right,’ said Celia confidently. ‘Feed him on bread and milk and little scraps and he’ll cope.’

Mick felt sure Nelson would, but his main worry was where to put him until he had a chance to explain to Kitty how useful a dog could be. Perhaps he could hide him in the outhouse? It was far enough away from the hotel for any noises not to penetrate the kitchen. He put some milk on a saucer and put it outside.

He had just made tea when Teddy sauntered into the room. He nodded in Celia’s direction and said to his brother, ‘Everything OK?’

‘Celia’s lost her gran.’

He grinned. ‘Where did she lose her?’

Mick frowned. ‘She’s upset, dope. They’ve got no money and her ma’s had to close the pet shop.’

‘That’s tough luck,’ said Teddy sympathically.

Celia swallowed. ‘We’re both going to have to find jobs. I didn’t realise it but Mam’s got herself into debt again. I don’t know what to do! I wondered if you’d heard anything from Little John. He can calm her down like no one else can.’

Teddy’s eyes gleamed. ‘Funny you should say that. He’s working here. As soon as he comes in we’ll tell him about your trouble.’

Celia stared at him. ‘Working here! But why?’

‘He’s after me ma that’s why,’ he said impatiently.

‘You mean—?’

‘It looks like wedding bells,’ said Mick gloomily. ‘You can see it in the way they look at each other.’

Teddy pulled a face. ‘You think they’d be too old for all that soppy stuff but they’re goo-goo eyed about each other.’

‘You mean they’re in love!’ exclaimed Celia, her eyes unexpectedly bright. Mick and Teddy said nothing but she did not seem to notice. Then her expression altered. ‘Oh lor’! This changes things. I can’t ask him to speak to me mam now. Yours wouldn’t like it.’

Teddy exchanged glances with Mick before smiling at Celia. ‘Ma wouldn’t mind. A good Christian woman is our ma. Although she doesn’t have time to get to church she’d help anyone in trouble. Why don’t you send yours round here? She could have a job. We could be getting rushed off our feet more often now the O’Neills are going to advertise our hotel on their ships.’

Celia looked at Mick. ‘You really think your ma would give her a job?’

‘I’m not saying anything,’ he said, scowling at Teddy.

‘Sure she will,’ said his brother, pulling out a chair. ‘Sit down, Celia.’