Winners and Losers (10 page)

Daniel was a little surprised that his sister had put the agreement into writing, but he signed it immediately. Frances would keep her word and he could pay it back a bit at a time.

‘You're so generous,' he said. ‘Thanks a lot, Fran – this is really important to me.'

‘Don't worry about paying it back until you're ready,' Frances said and slipped the agreement into her desk. ‘I would have given it to you if you'd asked, but I know you're more comfortable this way. All I ask is that you visit me sometimes.'

‘Of course we will. I know Alice has enjoyed herself and the sea air was good for her.'

‘She does look better than when she came,' Frances said. ‘I took her to have her hair cut and it suits her. She should keep it like that – and you should give her money for clothes, Dan. She hasn't got much that's really nice in her wardrobe. I offered to buy her a new dress from a good shop, but she wouldn't let me.'

‘No, I don't suppose she would.'

Daniel felt a bit guilty. It would have offended Alice's pride to take such a gift from Frances. She had insisted that he bought his sister a nice present for having them to stay. He could just imagine what Alice would say if she knew that he had borrowed two thousand pounds from his sister. She hated taking charity and only the knowledge that she really needed a break from the children had persuaded her to come this time.

‘Well, you spoil her a bit once you've got the business up and running,' Frances said. ‘You wouldn't want to lose Alice . . .'

‘She would never leave me,' Daniel said too quickly, and frowned as Frances raised her brows. ‘I try, Frances. Maybe I have let things slip a little where Alice is concerned – but she knows I love her and the kids. We're all right together.'

‘I thought Marcus loved me when we got married, but he changed so much during the war. You had a rough time too, but don't forget that Alice loves you.'

‘I know, but in a way I was lucky. I didn't see much real fighting – just some guerrilla stuff and then the inside of a prisoner of war camp.'

‘You make light of it but I know it must be there inside you,' Frances said. ‘You are stronger than Marcus. I just want you and Alice to be happy.'

Daniel caught an odd look in her eyes. ‘Is something wrong, Fran? I know you had a bad time after Marcus died. I wish I'd known what that devil was up to sooner. I would have made him leave you alone.'

‘Most days I can forget it,' Frances said, but for a moment an odd, haunted look was in her eyes. ‘I'm all right, Dan – when I'm not I'll tell you.'

‘You know you can count on me if you need me.'

‘Yes, I know. You and Emily have been good to me. Connor was too young to know what was going on – and Clay didn't care.'

‘Clay only thinks of himself.'

‘Do you ever see him?'

‘No – and I don't wish to.' Daniel was angry. ‘He has caused too much trouble for our family.'

‘He is selfish,' Frances agreed. ‘He wrote and asked me if he could bring his family for a holiday here. I haven't answered him yet.'

‘If I were you, I should say no,' Daniel warned. ‘If he comes, he will want something from you . . .' He broke off, his cheeks hot, because he had also asked her for money. ‘I know I asked for a loan, but Clay . . .' He shook his head. ‘You must do as you think best, Fran. I don't have the right to interfere.'

‘I'm not sure how I feel. I don't have much time for Clay after what he did to Margaret – but I feel sorry for Dorothy.'

‘We all feel sorry for her. I don't know why she stays with him.'

‘Maybe because she doesn't have anything else to look forward to,' Frances said, such a bleak look in her eyes that Daniel was shocked. ‘Someone there when you put the light out is better than nothing at all – even if he is a cheat and a liar.'

‘Oh, Fran.' Daniel put his arms about her, giving her a hug. ‘We shall come sooner next time. I'm sorry you lost Marcus.'

‘It's Charlie I miss the most.' Frances blinked away the tears that hovered. ‘I didn't understand how lucky I was, Dan. You have everything that matters – Alice, a home and your children. Promise me you won't lose them by being careless?'

‘No, of course I shan't. Are you sure there is nothing wrong, Fran? I would help if I could.'

‘I know,' she said and turned away to look out at the sea. ‘It's nothing – just that you are leaving and I shall miss you.'

‘I'll get Alice to write and we'll visit soon.'

‘Yes, please. You'd better go or Alice will come looking.'

Daniel nodded. ‘Thanks for the money. I shan't forget.'

‘Have a good journey.'

Daniel hesitated. He had a feeling deep down that something was wrong, but he didn't know what to say. If Frances wanted to tell him, she would – and Alice would be waiting.

Frances waited at the window until she saw them all get into the car. She lifted her hand to wave as Daniel drove away. Then she went to the desk and took out the paper Daniel had signed, tearing it into little pieces and tossing it into the wastepaper basket. Her will was divided between Emily and Daniel, with a few thousand to Connor, but it was best to be on the safe side. She wouldn't want Daniel to have to repay the loan if she died. As far as she was concerned it was a gift.

Frances sat down in the chair beside the empty fireplace. Already she could feel one of her black moods coming on. The doctors had told her that her cancer was one of the slow ones. They were going to give her some treatment but they couldn't operate because the tumour was too close to her brain – which meant that towards the end she might not know what she was doing.

It had all been explained to her carefully. Her symptoms were not too bad as yet, but the headaches would get worse and so would the feeling of tiredness and the dark moods that made her feel so desperate at times. At least she understood them now. She wasn't mad, but in time she might lose bits of her memory and people might think she had gone strange if they didn't know about the tumour.

Frances knew that Emily would insist she went to live at Vanbrough if she told her, so she had kept it from all her family. Perhaps towards the end she would go to Emily, but not yet. She wanted to hang on to her independence for as long as she could.

Four

S
arah hesitated outside the kitchen door as she heard raised voices. Were her parents having an argument? They seldom quarrelled as far as she knew. She would have thought they got on better than most. She knew that Janice's mother sometimes nagged her father and that he went off down the pub afterwards, but she had always thought her parents had the perfect marriage.

‘I'm telling you, I shan't stand for much more of this!'

‘You agreed to it, Millie. We keep going for Sarah's sake . . .'

‘My name is Millicent! And I didn't agree to—'

Sarah opened the door and went in. She saw the look that passed between her parents as they became aware of her and sensed something. What were they keeping from her?'

‘Is something wrong, Mum?'

‘No, of course not,' her mother said. ‘I was just complaining because your father is going away again this weekend.'

‘It is a business trip,' Mr Jenkins said. ‘I know I'm away a lot, but I want to keep expanding the business – at least until you get married, Sarah. I shall be giving you a good present, maybe a house of your own, and I'm putting money by for that.'

Sarah looked from one to the other. Their expressions gave nothing away, but she was sure they were hiding something from her.

‘You are all right, aren't you?' she asked. ‘Janice told me that her parents may split up – that isn't going to happen to you?'

‘Certainly not!' Mrs Jenkins said. ‘I do not believe in divorce. My mother would have had a fit if she thought I was getting a divorce. No, Sarah! You can put that right out of your mind. Everything is just as it ought to be.'

Sarah caught the look in her father's eyes and wondered. She had a feeling that he wanted to say something different but instead he just picked up his suitcase and left.

‘Are you sure you're all right, Mum?' Sarah asked as the door closed behind him.

‘Quite sure, my love,' her mother replied. ‘Go to work, Sarah. You mustn't be late or you might get the sack.'

Sarah kissed her and left the house. She was thoughtful as she walked to work, stopping to look in the window of another new draper's shop that had opened at the top of the High Street. They were displaying a beautiful blouse in a colour called London Tan and she thought how well it would suit her, but she wouldn't get a discount here and it was too expensive. She thought that perhaps she ought to save some of her wages, instead of spending it all on clothes. She might want to get married one day and so far she had nothing in her bottom drawer.

A little further down the street, she stopped outside the ironmongers; they had a sale on and were selling a nice set of custard dishes at half price. Perhaps she should buy something like that this week. Or maybe she would just save the money instead, because if she did get married one day she would want a lovely white dress . . .

Connor was waiting when Terry pulled up on his shiny motorbike. It was a Harley-Davidson and something that Connor had lusted after from afar. He had never been as close to one before and his excitement showed as soon as he saw it.

‘This is great! I wanted a motorbike but Dan said I would be better off with the Austin.'

‘Have you got a car of your own? I'm asking because it would make things easier for getting to gigs. We all pile into one van but it would be better if we had more transport.'

‘I thought it was only the once? Yeah, I have a car but I lent it to my brother to take his wife on holiday. I'm using his van at the moment.'

‘I've been talking to the other guys. We might have a space for you, Connor. Some of them are a bit fed up with Phil, because he is letting us down and this isn't the first time.'

‘I wouldn't want to take someone else's place,' Connor said, feeling uneasy. ‘How would he feel about it?'

‘We might go with an extra singer – do you play an instrument?'

‘No, I've never tried.'

‘It doesn't matter. I could teach you to strum a few chords on the guitar, just so that you can look the part. Hop on and we'll go somewhere off the beaten track to practise.'

‘Really?' Connor grinned as he climbed on the pillion. ‘This is great.'

‘I don't wear a helmet,' Terry said. ‘Hold on to me when we corner until you get the hang of it.'

Connor knew that Daniel and Alice were back when he drove into the yard that evening. Daniel had parked his car and the kitchen door was open. He parked the van and saw his brother on his way out to fetch more suitcases.

‘I'll give you a hand,' he said, picking up the last three and striding towards Dan as he stood at the kitchen door. ‘Did you have a good time?'

‘Yes, we enjoyed it,' Daniel smiled. ‘You were right, Connor. It did Alice the world of good to have a break – and it helped me to think things through. I'm going to keep Joe on and in time I might get another man in to help out. I'm going to be doing more repair work, for other people as well as my own restoration stuff.'

‘That's great, Dan,' Connor said. ‘But you'll need more equipment and that costs money.'

‘I've got a bit spare,' Daniel replied, not quite meeting his eyes. ‘Enough to make a start if I work from the yard. I can't start a garage with petrol pumps just yet, but maybe in a couple of years or so.'

‘Well, that's great, Dan,' Connor said. ‘I've got some news of my own. I've been asked to join a band. It will only be a few gigs here and there, in the evenings so I can do a day's work before I go. The extra money will come in handy. They are paying me ten pounds a time.'

‘Ten pounds! That is a lot of money,' Dan said. He frowned. ‘I know you don't get much from me but I haven't been able to afford it.'

‘I get my board and lodging. But I shan't always want to live with you and Alice, Dan. I've got to think about the future and start putting some money by.'

‘That sounds as if there might be a young lady somewhere?'

‘There might,' Connor agreed. ‘I've only just met her, Dan, but it has made me think.'

‘Yes . . . well, it had to happen,' Daniel said. ‘As soon as I'm earning more I'll put your wage up. And you might get an acre from the allotment board if you put your name down. You could have your own crop then, and that would bring in a lump sum at the end of the year.'

‘They turned me down last time I asked. I'm not sure I want the bother of it, Dan. I may be able to earn more from singing . . .'

‘I suppose you might.' Dan looked doubtful. ‘Don't get your hopes too high; it may not work out as you hope.'

‘I'm keeping an open mind,' Connor said as he went into the kitchen. Alice was busy laying the table with plates and a pile of fresh bread she had buttered. ‘It's good to have you home, Alice. You look very well.'

‘Thank you. I've enjoyed myself, but it is good to be home. Mary is keeping the children until tomorrow so I thought we would have ham and tomatoes this evening. We bought some fresh ham from the butcher on our way home and the tomatoes are out of Mr Fletcher's greenhouse. They smell lovely – much better than you can buy in town.'

‘I've been living on toast, eggs and bacon – and fish and chips,' Connor told her with a grin. He picked up a thick slice of bread and bit into it with enjoyment. ‘Best thing I've eaten all week.'

‘I knew what you would do,' Alice scolded laughingly. ‘I told Dan it would be all grease and stodge. You can start eating your greens now, young man!'