When Wishes Come True (61 page)

‘But I have a job, and me own little house. And me two best mates are my neighbours, I couldn’t leave all that to be a nanny. I don’t know the first thing about being one, I’m not qualified.’

It was Philip who said, ‘I don’t want to interfere, but I think love is the best quality anyone can have. And you only have to listen to Milly, and Evelyn, to know love is something you have in abundance. I think it is a marvellous idea. I’m sure you want to be with Milly as much as she wants to be with you. If you were suddenly to be taken out of her life, she would fret dreadfully and be very miserable.’

‘And I’d be broken-hearted,’ Bessie said with feeling. ‘I knew it would happen one day, it had to, for she wasn’t mine to love and to hold. But I haven’t the faintest idea what a nanny does! I’m not well educated or clever, so I wouldn’t be up to the job!’

‘Let me explain what it would entail, Bessie,’ Cyril said, ‘then you can take the idea home with you and give it some thought. All you would be required to do is be a companion to Milly. Accompany her to school and back, help with her clothes, take her for walks to the shops or to the park, do the things you already do together now. This is a huge house, far too big for Matilda and myself, but we will never leave it because our son was born here and it holds memories of him. There are many rooms which are not used, so you would have your own separate accommodation. Your own entrance, sitting room, bedroom and bathroom. And my wife and I would appreciate it if you had your meals with us, as a family. You would have days off, and could have your friends visit you whenever you wished.’ Cyril smiled. ‘One who would be very welcome is a young boy named Jack. Next to you, he is Amelia’s bestest friend, even though he does try and cheat at cards.’

When he paused to consider his next words, he caught Philip’s eye and was rewarded with a slight nod and a smile of encouragement. ‘Of course you would receive a salary, to be mutually agreed, and would be treated by the staff as a member of the family. But what is most important, you wouldn’t be parted from Milly, and she would have her bestest friend here all the time.’

For a few seconds Bessie bowed her head in thought. Then asked, ‘But what if I give me house up, pack my job in, and then find the arrangement you talk of isn’t suitable? I’d have lost everything, and at my age I can’t afford to take a chance. Apart from me two mates in the street, I don’t have a soul in the world to turn to.’ Her voice thick with emotion, she went on, ‘I love the bones of Milly, but what would happen to me if I didn’t get on with yer wife and the atmosphere wasn’t a happy one?’

Philip left his chair to sit on the top of the desk, where he could look her in the face. ‘I hope Cyril will forgive me for butting in, but I have an idea which may put all your fears to rest, my dear. You see, your future is of great interest to me also, for Evelyn admires you very much and has told me she will never forget how you helped her and will always remain friends with you. So listen to my idea and tell me what you think.’ He gave her a smile of encouragement. ‘Why not take a week off work, move in here and take on the role of nanny, as Cyril sees it? We all know you get on like a house on fire with Milly, but you are worried you may not fit in with Matilda and the staff. A week of living with the family would help you make a decision on whether you feel you would fit in. How does that appeal to you?’

‘Take a week off work? I’ve never taken time off in all the twenty-odd years I’ve worked there. What would I tell the boss?’

Cyril felt like slapping Philip on the back for coming up with such a good idea. ‘You would not have to worry about that, my dear. I will ring your employer if you would give me the name of the firm. I think we should have a trial run, as Philip suggests. If you turn it down out of hand, you may come to regret it. Please give it a try.’

All that was going through Bessie’s mind was the thought of never seeing Milly again. And that didn’t bear thinking about. And it wasn’t as though she would be going to people who would look down on her, for she had been treated with great respect and friendliness by everyone she’d met. And like Cyril said, if she turned the offer down she may live to regret it. She nodded her head. ‘I’ll give it a week’s trial, as yer said. And I want to thank yer both for the nice welcome yer gave me, and being so kind.’

Cyril was beside himself with happiness. ‘You will not regret it, Bessie, I promise you that. And Milly won’t be the only one to be delighted when she’s told, I believe you will be a valuable addition to this household. Now, if you will write the name of your employer down, Bessie, and your full name and address, we can join our other guests. There are only two you haven’t met already, that is Oscar and Gwen, but they know all about you.’

As Bessie wrote out her full name and address, and that of her employer, they heard her muttering through the side of her mouth, ‘You two would charm the birds off a ruddy tree. I’m going to have to keep a close watch on yer.’

Rita showed her surprise when she opened the door the next morning and saw Bessie standing on her front step. ‘My God, Bessie, the streets are not aired off yet! Why are yer up and about so early, and where’s Milly?’

Bessie grinned. ‘And a Happy New Year to you as well, Rita Wells. That’s a marvellous greeting, I must say.’

‘Well, I didn’t expect yer so early, sunshine, I thought yer’d be having a lie in after being out late last night.’

‘I’ve got something important to tell you and Aggie, and as Milly is still fast asleep, and me fire’s lit and the kettle on, I wondered if yer were both decent enough to come across for half an hour?’

‘I’m dressed, as yer can see, but I don’t know about Aggie, I haven’t heard her this morning, she might still be in bed.’

The next door opened and Aggie’s head appeared, her hair tousled and a smudge of soot on her face. ‘Yer might not have heard me, queen, but I heard you raking the ashes out.’ She eyed Bessie. ‘Did I hear yer say yer had something to tell us, queen? I’ll just slip me coat on and come across, seeing as yer’ve got the kettle on for a cuppa.’ Her head popped out a bit further so she could see Rita. ‘Get yer coat on, queen, and let’s hear what she’s got to tell us about how the other half live. I hope yer haven’t gone all stuck-up on us, Bessie, and expect us to wipe our feet?’

Bessie started to cross the street. ‘The tea will be on the table in five minutes, and don’t make a sound. What I’ve got to tell yer is not for Milly’s ears.’

Ten minutes later the three women were sitting around Bessie’s table and she was telling them that Evelyn was getting married in four weeks’ time. The man she was marrying was called Philip, and he was the one who had given them all that money at Christmas. They were getting married in a church in Mossley Hill, and Evelyn was saying she would be buying a wedding dress in ivory, with her being a widow. Milly was going to be bridesmaid, and a friend of Evelyn’s called Gwen had been asked to be maid-of-honour. It sounded like a big posh affair, and she wouldn’t mind going to see it. Then she told her mates a little about the Lister-Sinclairs’ house. How they had carpets in every room, pictures and chandeliers. ‘Yer might get to see it for yerselves one of these days, yer never know.’

Aggie huffed. ‘A snowball stands more chance in hell than we ever do of getting inside a posh house like that! They’d think we were beggars and chase us.’

‘Well, it all depends.’ Bessie sounded mysterious. ‘I’ve got something to tell yer, and I want yer to give me yer honest opinion on what yer think I should do for the best.’ She raised her thumb to the ceiling. ‘Keep yer voices down, for heaven’s sake, or I won’t be able to tell yer if Milly comes down.’

Bessie went over everything that had been said in Cyril’s office, and as the story was unfolding the expressions on the faces of her two best mates changed every few seconds. Aggie nudged Rita so many times her side would be black and blue. But although there were gasps of surprise, they didn’t once interrupt.

‘So there yer have it, and I don’t know what to do for the best. It’s kept me awake half the night. First I think I should go, then the next minute I think I couldn’t leave this little house after living here all me life. So what do yer think I should do for the best?’

‘I’d give it a try,’ Rita said without hesitation. ‘Yer’d be a fool to turn down an offer like that, especially as yer say everyone was friendly and they treated yer like one of their own. I don’t know why yer didn’t agree right away, knowing yer’d be with Milly. Yer’d break yer heart if yer didn’t see her every day, yer know that.’

‘She’s right,’ Aggie said. ‘Yer’d be living in the lap of luxury, with yer own rooms and a bathroom as well.’ She hoisted her bosom and leaned her elbows on the table. ‘Did they really say yer could invite me and Rita?’

‘As often as yer want to come. Mr Cyril knew about yer, ’cos Milly had told him. Oh, and Jack as well.’ Bessie sighed. ‘I think it might be too good to be true. Perhaps I wouldn’t fit in. I can’t speak posh, I don’t know which knife to use first at the dinner table … oh, there’s all sorts of things to think about.’

‘Yer had yer dinner with them last night, didn’t yer?’ Rita asked. ‘Then yer didn’t eat with yer fingers, surely, so yer must have learnt something.’

‘I just followed what everyone else did. Nobody sat watching me, they’re far too nice for that, and not a bit stuck up.’

‘It’s up to you, sunshine, but I think yer’d be mad to turn down an offer like that. Don’t yer agree with me, Aggie?’

‘Yeah, I do! And she’d be selfish, as well. I mean, like, how else are you and me ever going to get into a toff’s house? And to be able to go to the lavvy without having to go down the bleeding yard! I bet they’ve got that posh toilet paper we see in rolls in the shops.’ Aggie’s chins swept from side to side as she told Bessie, ‘I think it would be selfish of yer to turn it down. Ye’re not thinking about us two, are yer? Don’t yer think we’d like to swan up the driveway what yer told us about, in our best secondhand clothes? Don’t be so bleeding miserable and grab the offer with both hands.’

‘That’s something ye’re going to have to learn not to do,’ Bessie said. ‘Yer don’t use any bad language when yer come to visit me.’

Rita smiled. ‘So yer are taking the job?’ When Bessie nodded, she said, ‘I’m glad for yer, sunshine, I know ye’re doing the right thing. Me and Aggie will give yer a week to settle in, then we’ll pay our first visit. And I’ll bring a gag with me to stick in her mouth if she forgets to watch her language.’

Bessie had been living with the Lister-Sinclairs for three days. Although Matilda had told Cyril things were going very well, he decided on the fourth day to come home at lunchtime and see for himself. He knew his wife could be difficult sometimes, having been spoilt by him since the day they wed. He didn’t tell her he would be back, wanting to surprise her and to see for himself how Bessie was fitting in. Milly had gone back to school, but would be leaving it the following week to go to a private school which was nearer her new home. She spent a lot of time in Bessie’s room, and Cyril was hoping that would change when the trial week was over and she’d agreed to stay on. She seemed to be happy enough whenever he saw her and he was keeping his fingers crossed. He would be very upset if she told him she wanted to go back to her own house.

Cyril let himself in the front door and put a finger to his mouth when the maid came to take his coat. ‘I will have some lunch, Maisie,’ he said softly, ‘a sandwich will do. This is a surprise visit to see how Miss Bessie is settling in.’

The maid grinned. ‘She’s settling in very well, Mr Cyril. Everyone likes her. She’s very funny, always laughing.’

Cyril nodded and turned away, hoping Matilda appreciated Bessie’s humour too. ‘They’re in the drawing room, are they?’

‘Yes, they finished their lunch some time ago.’

He stood outside the door, listening, and heard Bessie’s voice saying, ‘My mother’s name was Matilda.’

‘Oh, what a coincidence!’ his wife said. ‘I’m surprised they didn’t call you Matilda then, instead of Bessie.’

‘I wasn’t christened Bessie, my real name is Elizabeth. But my mam said it was too much of a mouthful, so from then on I got Bessie.’

Cyril was about to knock when Bessie spoke again. ‘My mam didn’t get Matilda either, she was always called Tilly. It suited her, too, like a pet name.’

‘Tilly!’ Matilda laughed. ‘That’s a funny name!’

‘I didn’t think so, I liked it. It was more friendly, ’cos all our neighbours had pet names for people they liked. Margaret was shortened to Maggie, Clementine to Clemmie, and so on.’

‘Would I suit Tilly, do you think?’

‘Ooh, don’t ask me, sweetheart, I don’t want yer husband giving me down the banks.’

Cyril smiled and turned away from the door. He wouldn’t intrude, not when they seemed to be on such friendly terms. He’d have his sandwich in the kitchen and then go back to the office.

On Friday morning, Oscar called to see him. ‘My wife is curious to know if Bessie has made up her mind yet?’ He sat down in a chair facing Cyril. ‘We are both of the opinion that you have a gem in her, and agree you should do your best to hang on to her. She is down-to-earth, honest, practical, and with a very sunny disposition. The very qualities that will help Milly grow into a sensible girl with her feet firmly on the ground.’

Cyril nodded. ‘She seems to have found favour with everyone, and I’m hoping we have found favour with her. Milly would be devastated if Bessie went back to her own house. In fact, I think she would pine and make herself ill if they were parted. But there’s little we can do, it is up to Bessie. Tomorrow sees her week’s trial over, and I am really keeping my fingers crossed. It’s not only Milly, either. Matilda gets on really well with Bessie, and you know how hard to please my wife is! However, there is little I can do but hope.’

‘Why don’t we bring the matter forward and then you’ll have your mind put at rest?’ Oscar asked. ‘I could come with you, on some pretext, so Bessie won’t feel she’s being ambushed. And if push came to shove, I could always add my plea to yours. I’m quite good at pleading. What do you say, old boy?’