A Family Christmas Page 14

  ‘I try my best, but it’s hard making ends meet. It’ll be easier when he goes to school. I might find a job to fit in with the school hours then.’

  Lucy hadn’t the heart to tell Evelyn they would be doing their own washing from now on. She would keep Evelyn on for a while in case Mr Blackmore sent for her again. If she was expecting though, Evelyn would have to be told eventually. ‘I’ll tell you what.’ Lucy had an idea. ‘I’ll look after Bernard for you tonight and you can go out to the pictures. Or to the dance on Saturday if you prefer.’

  ‘Oh I don’t expect you to do that.’

  ‘Oh, go on. It’ll be experience for me for when I get my own.’

  ‘I’d love a night out, if you’re sure. Though I won’t go dancing or the gossips’ll have a field day.’

  ‘Let them gossip. There’s nothing they enjoy more.’

  ‘Oh well. Come on, Bernard. I’ve a tub to empty and the ironing to do.’

  ‘And your glad rags to get ready for tonight.’

  ‘Only if you’re sure.’

  ‘I am. John won’t be home until eleven. He calls at the Rising Sun when he’s on afters, only for one pint, mind.’

  ‘I know. He’s a good man, Lucy. Look after him.’

  ‘I will.’

  Robbie had just finished patching up the roof of the hayloft when Dot climbed the ladder with a jug of homemade lemonade. ‘’Ave yer finished?’ she enquired as she offered him first drink from the jug.

  ‘Just.’ He threw the hammer and nails back into his tool bag. Dot flopped down in the hay and Robbie came to sit beside her. Her shapely legs glistened brown in the dim light and Dot drew them up beneath her summer dress, embarrassed at Robbie’s eyes on them. The strong scent of hay made him sneeze. ‘I hope I haven’t got hay fever,’ he laughed. ‘It would never do for a farmer’s son-in-law to suffer from hay fever.’ Dot knew he wasn’t serious but she blushed all the same. ‘Just joking,’ he said.

  ‘You’d better be; we’re far too young to be thinking things like that.’

  ‘Yes I know.’ Robbie took a gulp of lemonade. ‘But maybe one day, in a few years’ time.’

  ‘Oh yes, maybe then.’

  ‘I really like you, Dot.’ He had been trying for ages to tell Dot Greenwood how he felt about her, but had never found the courage before. ‘I know we’re too young now, but will you consider yourself my girl?’ Robbie sighed. ‘Oh, I’m no good at this. I just want you to know that I shall never ever want another girl, so if you’ll consider yourself my girl I shall ’ave something to look forward to in the future. I know I’m rambling on but …’ Dot interrupted him by putting her finger to his lips.

  ‘I already consider myself your girl, and I can’t see meself ever wanting anyone else either. We can plan for the future together, all right?’

  Robbie relaxed. ‘All right.’ He grinned, then became serious again, drew Dot into his arms and kissed her, a long, sensuous kiss that stirred feelings in both of them, feelings Dot had never experienced before. It was fortunate that Boadacea’s voice interrupted the proceedings. ‘Dot? Robbie? Are yer up there?’

  ‘Yes, Mam. Just coming.’

  ‘Not far off,’ Robbie muttered to himself.

  ‘What?’ Dot straightened her dress and set off down the ladder.

  ‘Nothing, just muttering to meself.’ Dot wouldn’t have understood if he tried to explain. She might know about animals, but when it came to humans Dot Greenwood was an innocent girl, and would remain one until her wedding day if Robbie could manage to control his feelings; he made a vow that he would try. He loved Dot Greenwood and would prove it. Besides, the Grey brothers had been brought up to show respect for the opposite sex – he wouldn’t be the one to let his late parents down.

  ‘Tea’s ready,’ Boadacea called, in a voice fit to be heard all over Millington. The old dog started barking as the couple came into view. Boadacea glanced from one to the other. She hoped they hadn’t been up to owt. She’d keep an eye on those two. She’d seen a spark between them the first time they set eyes on one another, just like her and Little Arthur and she remembered all too well what they had got up to in that very same hayloft. She smiled to herself. He might not be very big in stature but Little Arthur was well enough endowed where it mattered.

  Chapter Thirteen

  ‘POTATOES LOCALLY GROWN and only picked yesterday.’ Will’s voice rang out across Millington market. ‘Lovely Bramleys. Come on ladies, make a pie for yer owd man’s tea.’ Lucy watched her brother proudly as he weighed out the goods and emptied the scoop into a woman’s shopping basket. ‘Who’s next then? Is it you, Mrs Sykes? How’s your Maisy? All right?’ Will picked out the largest turnip. ‘How’s this for a whopper? Only picked yesterday up at Barker’s Farm. Can’t get much fresher than that now, can yer?’

  ‘Eeh, yer’ll tell us owt, Will Gabbitas.’ The woman laughed and held her bag open for Will to drop the monster inside.

  ‘Now yer know I wouldn’t tell you owt that was untrue, Mrs Sykes. I mean, look at these oranges: picked ’em at three o’clock this morning, up’t Donkey Wood.’

  The women in the queue laughed and Mrs Sykes gave Will a playful slap and giggled, ‘Eeh, you are a one.’

  Will weighed out more potatoes for the next customer whilst Mrs Sykes fumbled in a worn leather purse to pay the boy. Two young women with a baby in a pram nudged each other and one of them called out, ‘Come on Will, give us a kiss for me birthday.’

  ‘All right, Jessie, but you’ll ’ave to wait yer turn like everybody else. How old are yer then? Sixteen?’

  The woman giggled more than ever. ‘Sixteen? I’m twenty-four, I’ll ’ave you know.’

  ‘Twenty-four? Never, you’re ’aving me on.’ Into the bags went carrots, onions, rhubarb, lemons, fresh green beans from Mrs Barker’s vegetable plot, long and straight enough to win prizes at the annual show.

  ‘Your Will’s a natural,’ Evelyn grinned as she and Lucy joined the queue at the fish stall for herrings. The two women always shopped together these days, each enjoying the other’s company. John was also becoming fond of little Bernard, often keeping him occupied whilst his mother shopped with Lucy.

  ‘I know, and have you seen how he charms the ladies? He’s got them eating out of his hand.’ Lucy couldn’t believe the change in her brother now he had been freed from the threat of the mine. Will loved his job, especially the market at Cragstone. Cragstone was an old market town, the centre point being the parish church. In front of the church was the town square with the bank on one side and the Golden Eagle opposite, the Crown Inn in competition on the east side and a number of shops and a bus stop on the other. On Thursdays the square was brimming with shoppers, housewives on their way to the market and farmers to the cattle market, some to sell and some to buy. Some were just using market day as an excuse for a few hours in the company of other farmers, to be followed by a good booze up at one of the inns. Mr Brown had secured a stall in the best position, where everyone, housewives and farmers alike, had to pass by the stall as they entered or left the market. Even after just a few weeks Will had become well-known for his joviality. Other stallholders would come for a chat with the likable young lad. They would bring him a pot of tea and share a joke, some of which Will considered too coarse to repeat; others he would memorise and relate to customers the day after in Millington. Even in pouring rain Will would don himself up in an oilskin and sou’ester and could be heard belting out ‘On Ilkley Moor Bah’t ’at.’ The truth was William Gabbitas considered himself the most fortunate person in Yorkshire, if not the whole world.

  When Jane came home from the dance one Saturday Lucy and John were already in bed. Jane knew how important it was to give the couple privacy, but she couldn’t wait to tell her sister the news. She listened outside the bedroom door but all was silent. She tapped gently on the door and waited.

  Lucy wondered if something was wrong. ‘Hello.’

  ‘Lucy, it’s only me. Can I tell you something?’


  Lucy hopped out of bed and opened the door. ‘Is something wrong?’

  ‘No, oh no. I haven’t interrupted anything, have I?’ Jane blushed.

  ‘No, no.’ The sisters came downstairs and Jane poured tea into two cups. ‘I’m getting married, Lucy. We’ve got a house.’

  ‘Oh Jane, where? That’s wonderful.’

  ‘The school house. Well, there’s a caretaking job to go with it but I don’t mind that. When I leave the mill I can do that instead, and James will help me with anything heavy. Oh Lucy, it’s a lovely little house and I shall be able to carry on with the work even if we start a family.’

  ‘Jane, that’s ideal. Besides, you like cleaning; you always preferred it to cooking.’

  Jane wrinkled her nose. ‘Oh the cooking, I shan’t like that.’

  Lucy hugged her sister and grinned, ‘It comes with marriage I’m afraid. So when will the wedding be?’

  ‘As soon as it can be arranged. Oh, isn’t it good of Reverend Goodman to let us have the house and the job? Oh Lucy, I love that school. I shall keep it spotless.’ She frowned. ‘Whoever did the cleaning before never cleaned the cloakroom properly. The sinks were always slimy and brown. Oh, I can’t wait.’

  ‘Hold on, we’ve a wedding to arrange first.’

  ‘You won’t mind if we don’t have a fancy wedding, will you? We just want the family, nothing posh.’

  Lucy couldn’t believe how Jane had changed; she’d always been the one to go on about wedding dresses and bridesmaids. ‘But you always wanted a large wedding.’

  ‘Not now. I just want James. He’s all that matters to me. We’d much rather spend the money on the house.’

  ‘Right, but you are having a white dress; you’re the prettiest of the four of us and I can’t wait to see you in your finery.’

  ‘All right. I’ll have our Nellie and Dot for bridesmaids. After all, it looks as though Robbie and Dot are serious and she may well end up as our sister-in-law one day. But that’s all, just a family tea. We’ll ask our Nellie for some advice on the catering. James says we can have it in the school room.’

  ‘You shall have a lovely tea and our Mary’ll make your dress.’

  ‘Our Nellie may well be married herself by then; she’s spending a lot of time with Tom Johnson. I bet she won’t have to worry about paying for her wedding.’ Jane smiled. ‘I wouldn’t swap James for him though.’

  ‘Jane, if you’re short of cash there’s the money in the bank.’

  ‘No, that’s our Will’s. You have your share if you like but I don’t want any of it. We shall manage. After all, unlike in the mill, I shall have a job for life as a caretaker. How many women can say that?’

  ‘And I shall soon have a job for life too,’ Lucy smiled. ‘I’m having a baby. You’re not to tell anybody else yet though.’

  Jane threw her arms round her sister, her eyes filling with tears. ‘Oh Lucy, can you remember when we were little girls and we used to wish for something nice to happen and it never did? Well now all the nice things are happening at once.’

  Lucy turned to the mirror over the fire and saw their reflections: two sisters who had been through the dark times and were now coming out into the light. ‘It’s the mirror, Jane. It’s a wishing mirror, you see.’

  The next day being Sunday, Nellie brought Tom on a visit to see her sisters. When the car turned the corner onto Top Row children seemed to come from all directions to admire the vehicle. Tom sat in the driving seat, fascinated. ‘Where’ve they all come from?’ he enquired of Nellie. ‘I feel like the pied piper.’

  ‘They all live here,’ Nellie laughed. ‘On the four rows.’

  ‘All of them?’

  ‘Oh I should imagine there’d have been a few more had it not been Sunday. Some of them’ll be out for a walk with parents or at Sunday school.’ By this time some of the men had come out to examine the car and Mrs Slater had come out to scrutinise Nellie’s young man. Mrs Slater wasn’t interested in the car, or the fact that the young man was obviously well off. It was his character she was bothered about. Nellie ran towards her mother’s friend. ‘Mrs Slater, I’d like you to meet my friend Tom Johnson.’

  ‘Ow do yer do.’ Mrs Slater shook him by the hand.

  ‘How do you do, Mrs Slater. I know you’ve been a good friend to Nellie’s family. It’s lovely to meet you.’

  Mrs Slater liked a man with a firm handshake and she wasn’t disappointed. ‘I were only repaying Nellie’s mam for the help she gave me when times were hard.’

  ‘Well it’s good to help each other.’

  ‘Gi’ us a ride mester.’ A little boy with his jumper on back to front tugged at Tom’s trousers.

  ‘Not now love, go and play,’ Nellie told him kindly. ‘They’ll be queuing up all afternoon if you encourage them,’ she laughed.

  Tom felt in his pocket and brought out a sixpence. He bent down and whispered in the boy’s ear, ‘Will you keep my car safe for sixpence?’

  ‘Sixpence?’ the lad’s eyes widened. ‘I sure will, mester.’ He sat himself down with his back resting on the bonnet. ‘Nobody’ll touch it or I’ll bash ’em.’ Tom followed Nellie, laughing, into the house.

  ‘Oh, Nellie, thank goodness you’ve come.’ Jane couldn’t wait to tell her sister the news. ‘Will you be my bridesmaid?’

  ‘Well I will if you insist, only I’d really like to buy something I can wear later. It’s just that I’m saving up for a wedding dress myself.’

  ‘Oh Nellie, that’s wonderful! I told you, Lucy: good things are happening to all of us. So shall I ask Kitty? To be my bridesmaid, I mean.’

  ‘Only if you don’t mind,’ Nellie replied.

  ‘I don’t mind. I just want to marry James. Nothing else matters. So when is your wedding to be?’

  ‘As soon as she’ll have me,’ Tom said. ‘And as soon as we find a house.’

  ‘Oh, Nellie, we shan’t see you once you move to Blackpool.’

  Nellie felt a sadness pass over her but Tom said, ‘Of course you will. We can come over any time Nellie likes. Besides, you can come and stay with us. You’ll always be welcome.’

  John looked questioningly at Lucy and Lucy nodded. ‘Actually, Lucy and me have some news too. Lucy’s having a baby.’ He placed an arm protectively round his wife.

  Nellie kissed her sister, her eyes filling with tears. ‘Oh Lucy, that’s wonderful, but just when I’m thinking of going away! Oh Tom, I’m going to be an auntie.’

  ‘It’s all right, I’ll spoil it for you,’ Jane said. ‘Oh I wish our Mary was here. We could celebrate then.’

  William came in at that moment. ‘Shall I fetch ’er? It’ll be quicker if Tom gives me a lift.’

  Tom laughed at Will’s hint for a ride. ‘Come on then. You’re right, it will be quicker but you’ll have to show me the way.’

  Will was out of the door like a shot, asking Tom questions about the car. ‘How many miles does it do to the gallon? How fast can it go on the flat?’ Tom answered as best he could and Will told him about Mr Brown’s truck. He was disappointed when they reached Mary’s and had to change the subject. ‘Our Nellie says you’ve to come cos we’re celebrating.’

  Jacob asked Tom the same questions he had already answered on Will’s behalf but he didn’t mind. Just like Jacob, he was heartened to be included in Nellie’s family. He almost wished he was moving to Millington and becoming part of the Top Row community. However his livelihood was in Blackpool and, God willing, he might have children one day who would join him in the motor business. He followed his passengers into the house and took his place at the table as Lucy poured the tea. At home they would have toasted any celebration with sherry or port wine, but there was one thing for sure; it wouldn’t have tasted anywhere near as good as this cup of tea in the company of the Gabbitas family.

  Tom parked as usual in the seclusion of the lane alongside the dam. It was unusually cold for October and the windows were opaque with steam. He drew Nellie into his arms, the need f
or her almost unbearable. ‘I can’t keep leaving you like this, Nellie.’ He kissed her hungrily then drew away. ‘We need to talk about the future, not keep putting things off.’

  ‘I know. It’s just that it’ll be such a wrench, leaving my family and the manor, and Mrs Cooper,’ she added.

  ‘Yes I know, but I want you with me. Don’t I count?’

  ‘Of course you do. You’re right. As soon as we find a house we’ll be married.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Really. I love you, Tom and I want to be married and be with you. I suppose it’s Mrs Cooper I regret leaving the most. She’s been like a mother to me. In fact she’s been kinder to me than my own mother was for years. The trouble is I don’t think she’ll be kept on at the manor for much longer.’

  ‘Well, I’m sorry for Mrs Cooper, but she really isn’t your responsibility, Nellie.’

  ‘I know, but while I’m there I can take some of her burden. But you’re absolutely right. Let’s go house hunting as soon as I get a day off.’

  ‘Actually I think I’ve found a house you might like.’

  ‘Oh Tom, where?’

  ‘Well, you wanted to be in the thick of things and you can’t get much more central than in a small square just behind the station.’

  ‘Oh, I can’t wait to see it. Though I don’t know what your parents will think. After all, we haven’t known each other for very long.’

  ‘Who cares?’

  ‘I do. I don’t want to start off on the wrong foot.’

  ‘We won’t. My parents love you, they told me so.’

  ‘Tell me about the house.’ Nellie blushed with pleasure at Tom’s words.

  ‘Another time. I’ve other things on my mind right now.’

  ‘Hmm.’ Nellie was back in his arms and conversation forgotten.

  In Blackpool, Margaret Johnson took off her scarf and removed her gardening gloves. She had been busy all day, trimming old branches from the shrubs and raspberry canes. ‘There.’ She flopped down on a kitchen chair. ‘I think that will be the last of the gardening for this year.’

  ‘I’ll make a bonfire tomorrow with the rubbish.’ Henry made two cups of cocoa and they sat companionably as darkness slowly gathered. He switched on the light and drew the pretty pink chintz curtains, adding a cosiness to the well-equipped room.