A Mother's Duty (40 page)

‘What do you make of her?’ he asked Mick as they went upstairs. Girls seemed to like his brother and he had taken out at least a dozen in the past two years.

‘Gorgeous! But you won’t be allowed near her.’ Mick took the top two stairs in one stride and stood aside to let one of the guests past. His brothers squashed themselves against the wall and all said, ‘Good evening.’ After the guest had passed Teddy caught up with Mick.

‘What d’you mean?’ he demanded.

‘The big fella,’ said Mick. ‘You don’t think he’s going to let you touch her. Probably try and keep her away from me, too, for that matter. You know what some fathers are like with their daughters.’

‘Davy O’Neill says it’s terrible having sisters,’ said Ben, flicking back a hank of flaxen hair which had fallen into his eyes. ‘Especially one like Sarah who won’t do as he tells her and thinks she’s as good as a boy.’

‘You can’t compare Jeannie with Sarah O’Neill,’ said Mick, starting up the flight of stairs to the attics. ‘She’s not like an ordinary girl.’

‘She’s like that girl in the nursery rhyme. “When she’s good, she’s very, very good, and when she’s bad, she’s horrid.” Siobhan’s like the other one,’ said Ben. ‘“Sugar and spice and all things nice.”’

‘Who bloody well cares about the O’Neills!’ said Teddy, exasperated. ‘How
are
we supposed to behave towards Jeannie?’

‘Ma was funny before,’ said Ben.

Teddy closed his eyes tightly and groaned. ‘You’re getting off the subject.’

‘She’s upset,’ said Mick. ‘Here’s this beautiful girl come on the scene, who turns out to be the big fella’s daughter. She’s bound to be funny about it.’

‘She wasn’t laughing,’ panted Jack, struggling to keep up with his big brothers.

‘Funny peculiar, not ha-ha,’ said Ben, hoisting him up the last step.

‘She wasn’t expecting a daughter,’ said Teddy moodily.

‘She’s not her daughter,’ said Ben.

‘Exactly,’ said Mick, turning the handle of their bedroom door. ‘And that’s what’s upsetting her.’

There was a silence in the kitchen after the boys had gone and, needing to match her actions to her words, Kitty put on the saucepans of potatoes and carrots and turnips before going into the dining room where she found Hannah.

‘She’s upset thee.’ The old woman peered at Kitty from beneath overgrown greying eyebrows. ‘Give her the boot.’

‘You’ve been listening at keyholes,’ said Kitty, straightening a knife. ‘And she didn’t upset me. I upset myself. Where’s Monica? There’s no napkins on this table.’

‘She’s seeing to the fire in the Smoking Room. Plenty of them in there. All waiting for their dinnas.’

‘They’ll be fed. But be nice to them; I can’t right now. I’ve got a terrible headache.’ Kitty rubbed the area above her right eye.

‘Miss Esther used to get terrible headaches at thy age.’

‘My age!’ Kitty frowned at her and winced. ‘There’s nothing wrong with my age. I’m active. I’ve got me health.’

‘Thou’s getting wrinkles.’

‘I am not!’ Kitty went over to the mirror above the sideboard and gazed at her reflection. Lord! She did have wrinkles! Only faint and not many but they were starting. She felt depressed and a nerve throbbed behind her eye. She tried to smile but it was too much of an effort.
Damn that girl
, she thought.
He’s not going to be able to stop himself comparing her with me. Margaret has never grown old in his memory and now he has her daughter.
She closed her eyes a moment wishing she could get that thought out of her mind but it was impossible.

There were footsteps and her eyelids flicked open. Reflected in the mirror was Jeannie, looking nervously defiant. ‘Father explained. I didn’t know you had a daughter who died. I’m not trying to take her place,’ she said.

‘You haven’t.’ Kitty forced back her shoulders and ran a finger over her eyebrows. ‘Just don’t stand too close to me. You make me feel old.’

The eyes so like John’s widened. ‘You’re not old! Jack’s only four.’

There was a logic there somewhere and it made Kitty smile. ‘That’s twice you’ve said the right thing.’

Jeannie heaved a sigh of relief. ‘I like your sons.’

‘Three ticks in your favour now,’ Kitty’s voice was grave. ‘Anything else you want to say?’

‘I just want to get to know my father,’ pleaded Jeannie.

‘Natural in the circumstances but that does mean getting to know us, too,’ said Kitty, turning to face her.

‘I know that,’ said Jeannie hastily. ‘I want to know you and Teddy – and Mick – and Ben and Jack.’

Kitty nodded. ‘Let’s see how we go then. Where’s John?’ The word father still stuck in her throat.

‘He’s in the kitchen. He’s put on the soup. Is there anything I can do to help?’

‘Not this evening.’ Kitty did not want to spend time thinking what job to give the girl. Unless? She stared at her. The dress was a bit shabby but who was going to notice with that face. ‘You could go into the Smoking Room and mix with people. See if they want anything. Explain you’re your father’s daughter without going into details.’

Jeannie hesitated before agreeing and leaving the room.

‘Thou was soft with her,’ said Hannah, giving one of her sniffs.

Kitty ignored her and went to face her husband.

John was stirring the soup as if it was made of mortar and she could not read his expression. ‘I’ve been as nice to her as I can,’ she said bluntly. ‘I’ve told her to go and mix with people. She could be an asset.’

‘I suppose you were right not taking her word for it,’ he said, not appearing to have heard her.

‘I thought she’d bewitched you. She’s so pretty. It makes me wonder why she’s not married.’

‘She’s only young. But it worries me.’ He placed the ladle on the table.

‘Worries you? Why?’ Kitty lowered the light under the vegetables.

‘How long before there’s a line of blokes queuing up at the door?’ he said, frowning. ‘She’ll be gone in a flash before I’ve got to know her.’

Kitty had not thought of that. ‘You really think so?’

‘Well, you’ve just said it, haven’t you? You thought she should be married. She probably isn’t because she’s under age and Emily kept a strict watch over her. I’ll have to do the same.’ He ran a hand over his hair. ‘I should have gone and checked that grave.’

‘The past is the past and you can’t change it,’ said Kitty impatiently. ‘I don’t think she’s going to rush off anywhere. She wants to get to know you and I’m sure as her father she’ll respect what you have to say.’

‘I hope so.’

‘I’m sure so,’ said Kitty, glancing at him and wishing he would not get himself worked up about a girl who was a stranger, whether she was his daughter or not. ‘Why else is she here?’ she added. ‘She’s missed having a father all her life and now she wants to make up for it. I don’t blame her. At her age I would have jumped at having a father like you.’

He reddened and looked gratified. ‘You’re different about her now,’ he said, sounding surprised.

‘I’ve had a few minutes to think. I, at least, knew my father for a short while. I wish I’d known him longer.’

The muscles of his face relaxed and he reached out and pulled her into his arms. ‘So you don’t mind her staying?’ His voice was muffled against her hair.

‘It depends how long. She hasn’t said it’s for keeps.’ Kitty relaxed against him. ‘Let’s wait and see, love. She seems a pleasant enough girl. Maybe she takes after her father.’

‘Or her paternal grandmother,’ he said, hugging her tightly. ‘I feel like celebrating. Let’s have a party.’

She pulled away from him. ‘When?’

‘We’ll talk about it over supper. Now we’d better get down to work or the boys’ll be here and we won’t have anything ready.’

Teddy opened the gate-legged table in the basement and Mick, who had been standing ready with a linen tablecloth, spread it over the table top. Ben took a handful of cutlery from a drawer and proceeded to set places, whilst Jack in his pyjamas played with a couple of cars on the rug. Then Teddy and Mick left the room to appear again ten minutes later with trays of food.

Jeannie had watched their activities in silent wonder but now she spoke, ‘Do you always do this, Teddy?’

‘Normally,’ he said, flushing to the tips of his ears. ‘Ma’s always been busy with the hotel so we’ve had to muck in. It’s not that we’re cissies.’

She nodded and a fall of her shiny chestnut hair brushed a cheek. ‘I understand. It’s a family business so you all have to help.’

‘That’s right,’ said Mick, pulling out a chair and indicating she sit down. ‘Ma would have liked us in it full time but Teddy and I had other ideas. That’s why she went a bit potty at the mention of our dead sister. She thinks a girl would have stuck with the business, unlike us.’

‘She’s never said that,’ said Teddy, dragging Jack up from the floor and seating him on a chair, whilst all the time keeping his eyes on Jeannie’s face.

‘No, but it makes sense. Running a hotel is like running an ordinary household except on a larger scale,’ said Mick, seating himself next to Jeannie.

Teddy wished he had got there first but took a seat opposite his stepsister. ‘You can start eating,’ he said. ‘When we’re busy Ma and the big fella tell us to get on with it whilst it’s hot.’

‘There’s no soup,’ said Ben, picking up his knife and fork.

‘That’s because it all went.’ Mick flashed Jeannie a smiling sidelong glance. ‘That’s something you’ll have to get used to if you decide to stay. Guests come first and we have what’s left over.’

She nodded. ‘I can cope with that. This smells good.’ She gazed across the table at Teddy. ‘Is that what you call my father – the big fella?’

‘Yeah! Dad kinda stuck in our throats.’ His eyes met hers across the table. ‘Me and Mick remember our dad, you see.’

‘That would make a difference. I didn’t know either of my parents.’

Ben said, ‘I remember Dad. He wasn’t a bit like Pops. What’ll you call Ma?’ His clear blue eyes fixed on Jeannie’s face.

‘I haven’t thought about it. I’m only just getting used to the thought of having a father.’

‘It’s incredible,’ said Mick.

‘What d’you think of him?’ said Ben, addressing Jeannie.

‘You shouldn’t ask that.’ mumbled Teddy. ‘She’s only just met him. Eat your dinner.’

There was almost complete silence whilst they ate. When they had finished Mick said, ‘I remember the first time I set eyes on the big fella. It was when you were hanging from that spike, Ted.’

‘Shut up,’ said Teddy, without looking up.

‘What spike?’ asked Jeannie, her eyes going from one to the other.

‘A railing spike in Roscoe Gardens. He had it stuck up his trouser leg and couldn’t get down.’ Mick grinned.

Teddy scowled. ‘I was only a kid.’

‘You were thirteen and nearly lost—’

‘Shut up!’ Teddy leaned across the table and rapped Mick across the knuckles with his fork.

‘I wasn’t going to tell her,’ hissed Mick, pushing back his chair and getting to his feet. ‘You want to learn—’

‘What’s going on?’ asked John, entering the basement.

Immediately Mick sat down. ‘Nothing,’ he said.

‘We were just going to get the pudding,’ informed Teddy, reaching across the table and taking Jeannie’s plate.

‘That was good. Tell your mother it was good,’ she said, smiling up at him.

Teddy flushed to his ears.

John frowned at him. ‘Get upstairs with those dishes and help your mother with the puddings. There’s something we want to talk to you about in a minute.’

‘Something nice,’ said Jack, sleepily.

‘I’ll tell you when your mother gets here.’

‘A party!’ exclaimed Teddy, and groaned. He didn’t shine at parties.

‘Aye! A party,’ repeated John, smiling. ‘But you don’t have to be there if you don’t want to. It’s to celebrate Jeannie being here with us.’

‘I didn’t say I didn’t want to be there,’ said Teddy.

‘No, he didn’t,’ said Kitty, cuddling Jack who was falling asleep. ‘Stop jumping on him, John. The trouble is we’re all too tired to think about a party. It’s been a hectic day. Decide when we’re going to have this party and then let’s get to bed.’

‘We’ll have it next Saturday. Most of the guests will have gone by then and those that haven’t can join in. We’ll ask the O’Neills and Nancy and Malcolm, your Aunt Jane and her girls and some of the neighbours.’

‘You don’t have to do this for me,’ said Jeannie abruptly, resting back in her chair and staring at her father.

‘Why not?’ he said. ‘I want to show you off.’

‘It’ll be fun,’ said Mick, his eyes gleaming. ‘We haven’t had a party since – I can’t remember last.’

‘Since before Jack was born,’ said Teddy. ‘But perhaps Jeannie doesn’t like the idea. She mightn’t be a party person.’

Jeannie shrugged her slender shoulders. ‘I don’t mind parties but I don’t want to be on show.’

‘It doesn’t matter what you want,’ said Kitty kindly. ‘You’re bound to be even if you were ugly as sin, because you’re a new face. But we’ll give it for the Galloways as well, because they’re leaving for Canada.’

‘Why?’ asked Ben.

‘It doesn’t matter why,’ said Kitty, not wanting to talk about the possibility of there being a war. ‘And at least one good thing will come from it. Celia’s coming back to work for me.’

‘Who’s Celia?’ asked Jeannie.

‘An old flame of Mick’s,’ said Teddy, grinning at his elder brother.

‘Never mind Celia,’ said John crossly. ‘I’d been hoping to persuade Malcolm to go fishing in Scotland this summer and to take Jack and Jeannie with me.’

‘Well, that’s off,’ said Kitty promptly. ‘But as for the party – it’s definitely on?’

‘Definitely,’ said John firmly.

So it was settled. There was going to be a party.

The hotel was quiet after a hectic week and Kitty was in the Smoking Room with Ben and Jack attempting to make the place look festive on John’s orders. He had gone off with Jeannie, determined to reward her for helping out during the past few days. She had willingly acted as general dogsbody by answering the telephone and taking a turn in reception, as well as carrying trays up to bedrooms and being a listening ear to some of the elderly guests. Mick had said he admired her patience with them. To which she had replied she’d had plenty of practice, having being brought up by her grandmother before living with an elderly aunt for four years.