On Mother Brown's Doorstep (36 page)

‘Well, good for you,’ said Boots, ‘now do some more. I’ll see to Tim. Come on, young ’un, let’s go out to the yard and see if we can have five minutes football before the band arrives.’

‘Crikey, could we, Dad?’ asked Tim, plainly preferring that to the Boston Two-Step.

‘Did I hear someone mention football?’ asked Emily.

‘Yes, Dad did,’ said Tim.

‘Not likely you’re not,’ said Emily, ‘not in your suit, me lad, nor your dad in his. I don’t know, goin’ out to a yard to kick a ball about when there’s a weddin’ on. Your grandma will have a fit. So will I. That dad of yours wants talkin’ to sometimes.’

‘No football, then,’ said Boots; ‘just a look at the fresh air. It’s getting a little warm in here.’

‘Well, lovey, if it’s fresh, bring some back ’ere,’ said Emily.

‘I’ll find a paper bag,’ said Boots, and took Tim around the stage and through the kitchen to the back door, which opened on to an alley used as a yard for dustbins. He wanted to check the door, to find out if the caterers were keeping it locked. They weren’t. They were using the dustbins. But just beyond the entrance to the alley, he glimpsed a constable. So there he was, the colleague of the man on duty outside the Institute. Inspector Grant was taking seriously his feeling that before Ponsonby attempted to slip off to wider pastures he meant to revenge himself for being handed over to the police in that factory wasteland. With other police officers swarming elsewhere, Ponsonby must be feeling squeezed, wherever he was.

‘Look, there’s a bobby, Dad,’ said Tim, ‘I’ll go and ask him the time.’

‘What for, young feller-me-lad?’

‘Dad, you always ask a bobby the time,’ said four-year-old Tim.

‘No, you don’t,’ said Boots, catching hold of his energetic young son before he had a chance to slip the parental leash. ‘Up you come.’ He picked the boy up and slung him over his shoulder. Tim yelled with delight as Boots carried him back into the hall. Chinese Lady intercepted father and son, a cup of tea in her hand, her hat a wedding triumph.

‘So there you are,’ she said.

‘Hello, old lady,’ said Boots, eyes picking out Rosie.

‘What’s that boy doin’ over your shoulder, might I ask?’

‘What boy?’ asked Boots.

‘Me!’ yelled Tim.

‘What’s he doin’ up in the air?’ demanded Chinese Lady.

‘Search me,’ said Boots, and his mother put on her severe look.

‘I don’t know what I’m goin’ to tell people about that speech of yours,’ she said. ‘It’s a mystery to me where you got that tongue of yours from.’

‘It’s a mystery to me too,’ said Boots, ‘so we’re both in the same boat. Well, you do the rowing, old lady, while I keep a lookout for the old man of the sea.’

‘What old man of the sea?’ asked Chinese Lady suspiciously.

‘The one with all the answers,’ said Boots.

Chinese Lady’s firm mouth twitched.

‘Put that boy down,’ she said.

‘Down you come, Tim,’ said Boots, and set the lad on his feet. ‘Go and get yourself a cup of tea and a slice of cake. Then I’ll show you how to turn cartwheels for your grandma.’

‘Crikey, yes,’ said Tim, going at a run.

‘Lovely wedding, old girl,’ said Boots.

‘It was,’ said Chinese Lady, ‘till you started talkin’ about Susie’s bottom drawer. I was never more embarrassed for any of my sons. Sammy’s bad enough, but at least he ’asn’t got any of those Frenchified ways you picked up in France.’

‘Well, that’s something to be thankful for,’ said Boots. The three-piece band had arrived, a little surprised to have been closely inspected by a policeman. They were now up
on
the stage and getting ready for their part in the proceedings. As soon as everyone had had a cup of tea and a piece of wedding cake, the caterers would finish clearing the hall.

‘I can’t for the life of me think why Edwin don’t disapprove of that tongue of yours,’ said Chinese Lady, who wouldn’t have allowed him to, in any case.

‘Never mind, live in hope,’ said Boots. He glimpsed a movement in the gallery. ‘Just a moment.’ He walked to the far end, climbed the stairs and came upon Freddy and Cassie. ‘Hello, what’s happening up here?’ he asked.

Cassie regarded him in dreamy adoration, having been told he was the man who had helped Freddy bring her home.

‘’Ello,’ she said shyly. ‘Me an’ Freddy’s lookin’ for Queen Mary’s best ’at.’

‘Well, she’s lookin’,’ said Freddy, ‘I’m just bein’ wore out.’

‘Yes, Queen Mary come up ’ere once,’ said Cassie, ‘and lost ’er best ’at. I read it somewhere. It’s got green feathers. Mister, ’ave you met Queen Mary and ’ad Sunday tea with ’er?’

‘Not lately,’ smiled Boots.

‘There, I told yer, Freddy,’ said Cassie. ‘I told yer ’e was bound to ’ave met Queen Mary.’

‘Yer’ll ’ave to excuse ’er, Mister Adams,’ said Freddy, ‘she can’t ’elp bein’ scatty.’

‘I ain’t scatty, am I, mister?’ said Cassie.

‘I like scatty girls,’ said Boots. ‘We’re all a bit that way. In fact, the whole world’s barmy, Cassie.’ He ruffled the girl’s hair. ‘Enjoy yourselves. Hope you find Queenie’s hat.’

The band struck up then. The tables were all out of the way, the hall clear. The dancing began.

And Annie arrived.

ANNIE ENTERED THE
Institute at five minutes to five. Crikey, she thought, it must be an important wedding to have a policeman on duty outside. Actually, there’d been quite a few about. Had she bought an evening paper on her way home from work she’d have known why. They were headlining the escape of the man held in custody. His name was revealed and his description, together with the warning that he was dangerous.

The atmosphere of revelry reached Annie at once. The guests were dancing to the music of a three-piece band, and the hall was a picture of colour and movement. Girls were all dolled up, and all the women looked wedding-worthy. Annie noticed some very smart ladies and some posh-looking men. She supposed Sammy Adams had friends all over because of his business. Young men looked frisky, and the middle-aged women looked kind of mellow, as if beer and port had been flowing. The band were playing ‘Miss Annabelle Lee’, and the dancers were doing a quick-step. It all looked lively and exciting, and there wasn’t a gloomy face anywhere. The bride herself was dancing, her white gown swirling and floating, and she was laughing up into the face of a very interesting-looking man. Combing the vague recollections she had of seeing Sammy Adams at his market stall, Annie felt sure she was seeing him now. There were chairs along the side walls, but not many people were using them at the moment. Most were dancing. Annie looked around for a sight of Will. Not seeing him, she slipped into the
cloakroom
to take off her hat and her light raincoat, and to unnecessarily tidy up her face.

She emerged in her highly fashionable loose-waisted white dress, her stockinged legs gleaming. The first person she saw was Cassie, who was in argument with Freddy. Freddy was in a new grey suit with long trousers, but still looked very much a boy.

‘Hello, you two,’ she said, ‘what’s up?’

‘I just don’t believe it, but it ’appened,’ said Freddy. ‘Cassie’s barmy cat ’as invited itself.’

‘D’you mean it came in ’ere?’ asked Annie.

‘Well, Tabby likes weddings,’ said Cassie. ‘I keep tellin’ Freddy, but ’e keeps not listenin’.’

‘Crikey, Annie, don’t yer look posh?’ said Freddy.

‘Do I, Freddy?’

‘I bet Will’s goin’ to fall over when ’e spots yer,’ said Freddy.

‘Annie, Tabby’s gone in the men’s cloakroom,’ complained Cassie, ‘an’ Freddy won’t go an’ get ’im.’

‘Beats me ’ow it got here,’ said Freddy, ‘but I ain’t fetchin’ it, D’you know what she wants to do? Take it round in a dance.’

‘Well, Tabby likes dancing,’ said Cassie. ‘’E used to dance as Dick Whittington’s cat in a pantomime.’

‘Bloomin’ Muvver O’Grady,’ breathed Freddy, ‘she ain’t real.’

The dance came to an end. Annie watched couples leaving the floor. There was no sign of Will with a partner.

‘Hello.’

Annie turned, and there he was, smiling and looking a fine young man in his new grey suit, bought for the wedding.

‘Hello, Will.’

‘You’re lookin’ highly fashionable again, Annie,’ he
said
, thinking her just about the nicest girl a bloke could hope to walk out with.

‘I don’t like the way you say highly,’ said Annie, ‘you’re as bad as me dad.’

‘Well, it’s not our fault you look good enough to eat,’ said Will. ‘Come on, come and meet the bride and groom and lots of other people.’ He took her to that part of the hall where the Brown and Adams families were sociably grouped. He introduced her first to Susie and Sammy. Susie, recognizing her and wanting her to be a bright light in Will’s life, greeted her like an old friend. Sammy, who had been told about her and what had happened yesterday to her sister Cassie, shook hands warmly with her. She was immediately conscious of electric energy.

‘What a pleasure,’ he said. ‘Are you the girl my new brother-in-law Will found in a pushcart?’

‘Sammy!’ Susie shook a finger at him.

‘Oh, I can’t believe it,’ said Annie, looking at Will. ‘You’ve done it on me again.’

‘Not me,’ said Will. Susie was the guilty party, actually. She thought the incident the funniest thing ever, although she was aware Annie didn’t.

‘I’d give five bob to see Susie in a pushcart,’ said Sammy. ‘Unfortunately, I can’t afford it at the moment.’

‘Sammy, go and stand in a corner,’ said Susie.

‘Who said that?’ asked Sammy, and Will, grinning, introduced Annie to his mum. She’d already met his dad. Mrs Brown was that taken with the girl she almost gave her a motherly cuddle. Mr Brown said hello again, Annie, glad you could come, but watch some of the fellers here, they’ll be after you. Annie met Chinese Lady, introduced to her as Mrs Finch, and her husband Mr Finch, ever such a distinguished-looking man. She also met Boots and Emily, Lizzy and Ned, Tommy and Vi. Then there was a
quite
beautiful woman whom Boots introduced as Rachel, a friend of the family, and a dark-bearded fatherly-looking man with whom all Walworth was acquainted, Mr Greenberg. Annie, knowing Boots was the man who had been such a great help to Freddy in finding Cassie, discovered him to be distinguished-looking himself, but with a very easy-going air. His wife Emily had marvellous auburn hair and magnificent green eyes, but was awfully thin. Then there were two people called Aunt Victoria and Uncle Tom, and several children. Lord, thought Annie, why am I meeting all these people if I’m just someone who’s only going to get a picture postcard from India, and perhaps not even that?

Guests were dancing again, and most of the people she had just met melted away to take the floor. Annie waited for Will to ask her. Instead, he began chatting to Sammy’s mother. Annie ground her teeth. Tommy came up.

‘Now we’ve met and me wife Vi’s havin’ a sit-down,’ he said, ‘might I have the pleasure? I’m Tommy, in case you’ve already forgotten.’

‘I’m Annie, if you’ve forgotten,’ she said.

‘Which I haven’t,’ said Tommy, and so she danced with him, but she was wild with Will.

Boots was taking Aunt Victoria round. Emily had said he ought to, for the sake of family relations. Aunt Victoria was saying that she was very complimented. Boots said well, you can still shake a fine leg for a woman of forty. Aunt Victoria, well past forty, felt so pleasured by this further compliment that she overlooked his mention of her limb. It was a lovely wedding party, she said, and she didn’t want to complain, but she thought the caterers’ port was a little vinegary, that it was very inconvenient that in the ladies’ cloakroom one of the cubicles was out of order, that she was sure Mr Higgins was getting drunk on all the
beer
he was ordering free from the waitresses, and that some of the children seemed a little rowdy. Well, I’m like you, Aunt Victoria, said Boots, I don’t want to complain, either, and I’m glad you agree we shouldn’t. Well, I was just mentioning one or two things, that’s all, she said. Boots smiled, and Aunt Victoria went girlishly giddy in his arms.

The dance over, Annie looked for Will, a fierce light in her eyes. He’d gone missing, the coward. She intercepted Susie.

‘Susie, could I ask you, doesn’t Will dance?’

Susie looked at her and saw vexation. She realized Will had said nothing about his condition to this very attractive girl. Susie felt she knew why. All the same, Annie should be told, it was only fair. They stood together in the middle of the hall. Waitresses appeared with trays of beer, port and soft drinks. Spirits in the church hall weren’t allowed.

‘Annie, Will’s got asthma. That’s why he’s home from India, and why he’s havin’ to leave the Army. He received a letter today, telling him they were goin’ to discharge him. He hasn’t told you, obviously. He gets attacks, sometimes not for a day or so, sometimes three a day. He probably thinks he’ll have an attack if he dances, and he’s a bit fed-up with himself.’

‘He’s got asthma?’ said Annie. She felt very upset. ‘Oh, that’s not like consumption, is it?’

‘No, of course not,’ said Susie, still softly brilliant in her wedding gown. She and Sammy weren’t going on their honeymoon to Devon until tomorrow. They were spending their wedding night in their new home. Susie was having nervously excited moments about it, and Sammy was wondering if Susie was going to wear a black silk nightdress. ‘It’s just that it makes Will feel he’s only half a man some days.’

‘Oh, where is ’e?’ said Annie. ‘Fancy not tellin’ me. If I
can
put up with bein’ dumped in a pushcart and havin’ him tell everyone about it, he can put up with tellin’ me about his asthma.’

‘Well, good for you, Annie,’ said Susie. ‘Look, there he is, up in the gallery, watchin’ us.’

The band struck up again as Annie made for the gallery stairs. It didn’t take her long to corner Will and to speak her mind. She didn’t make the mistake of being sad and pitying, although she did feel sad.

‘Will, you silly, you ought to be ashamed,’ she said, ‘takin’ me out, kissin’ me till I didn’t know where me legs were, and not tellin’ me you’ve got a bit of a chest complaint. Lots of men ’ave got chest complaints, but they don’t go round deceivin’ girls.’