A Family Christmas (10 page)

‘I’m not in very much. I work over most nights. It’s Sundays that are awkward. If it’s raining I’m expected to play daft games like Beatle or Ludo.’

‘You can always come up to our house; yer can do what yer like up there. Me dad’d be glad of a bit of help in the fields and all. You could stay for tea and go to church from there.’

‘Right, I will. What time?’

‘Any time yer like.’ Dot grinned and the gang began to jeer. ‘Oh aye, getting yer feet under the table are yer Robbie?’ Will grinned.

‘Here comes the bride,’ Kitty sang, feeling rather jealous of the younger girl.

Robbie blushed but laughed with them. ‘Yer only jealous.’ He couldn’t wait to go back to the farm. He had taken an instant liking to Mrs Greenwood and he would like to meet Little Arthur, but most of all he would get to spend more time with Dot.

‘I’ve to go away for a few days,’ Ben said as they were sitting down to their evening meal.

‘Where to?’ Young William might have put on a brave face after losing his mother but he was far more insecure than anyone would guess. It gave him confidence just knowing his brother was there.

‘To a colliery in Derbyshire. I’m going to learn about a piece of machinery. They might be installing one here in the future.’

‘Why is it you who has to go?’

‘I ’aven’t got to go; I volunteered.’

‘Why?’

‘Because it shows a bit of initiative, and if they know I’m willing I might be in line for promotion. I hope you’ll be interested in bettering yerself when you start work.’

‘Not if I ’ave to go in’t pit. I shall ’ate it, I know I will.’

‘Well I can’t stay ’ere in this ’ouse for ever.’ Ben thought this might be a good time to mention Emma. ‘Oh and that’s another thing. I think it’s time I
brought
me girlfriend to meet you all. Her name’s Emma. I think you’ll like her.’

‘I bet that’s why you’re going away. I bet it’s an excuse to go stay with her.’ Will was upset to think Ben might be considering going for good. He was still hoping he could escape a future in the mine.

‘Will!’ Jane warned. ‘If our Ben wants to go stay with a girlfriend he doesn’t need to make excuses; he’s every right to go where he likes. Besides, when has our Ben ever lied to us?’

Will suddenly felt ashamed of himself. Their Jane was right and besides, most men of Ben’s age would have left home long before now. The trouble was it made him feel scared knowing he would be held responsible for keeping the house on when Ben decided to leave.

‘So when are you bringing Emma home to meet us then?’ Lucy asked.

‘On Sunday, if that’s convenient.’

‘Course it is. Shall I ask our Nellie and Mary to come to tea?’

‘Aye, that might be best.’

‘Only I’m not sure I could cook dinner for all that lot.’

‘No. Tea’ll be fine. So that’s settled then. And I shall be off to Derbyshire first thing on Monday.’ Ben looked pointedly at Will. ‘I shall be back. I promise.’

‘Aye, but ’ow long for?’

‘For as long as I’m needed, all right?’

William nodded, but he didn’t feel any better. It wasn’t that he was scared of hard work; it was being closed in that he couldn’t cope with. He had been all right until his dad died. It had been the sight of his dad’s coffin being covered with earth that had done it, and it had become worse still since his mam was buried. Now it was as though he couldn’t breathe, his heart would begin to pound and he had to fight for air. That was why he had refused to move with their Ben from the attic to his mam’s bedroom.

The others thought he was daft, but in the attic he didn’t need curtains at the rooftop window. He could lie in bed and see the sky. The moon and stars and the rolling clouds were all visible and in the mornings he could wake to the sunshine and the blue skies. Even grey skies were better than a curtained window. If he couldn’t cope with a dark room how would he cope with the pit? William could see no way out, not if they were to be allowed to keep the house. Without a name on the rent book they would be out on the street, just like the Greys had been.

Lucy bought a ham shank and boiled it slowly over the fire. She persuaded Will to try and bruise a few tomatoes and any other salad stuff he could manage. On Saturday afternoon she made an apple pie, adding a bit of cinnamon for flavour. Lucy remembered the delicacies her mother had once served them before she had changed. Lucy was thankful now that Annie had taught all four girls to
cook
, not that Jane had been an eager pupil, but even she would get by if necessary. Both Nellie and Lucy had Annie’s light hand when it came to pastry-making and the pie turned out to be perfect. She sent Will up to Barker’s farm with a jug for a pint of cream. They would probably have to economise on something else before pay day came round again but she intended putting on as good a spread as possible for Ben’s future wife. She frowned as she thought of young William being forced into a job he didn’t want, but he wouldn’t be the only one. The eldest Murphy boy was already making his way to Sheepdip pit every day and he was only a few months older than Will. She couldn’t forget her mother’s words though, that she would have liked something better for her youngest. Lucy added a drop more water to the ham shank; it didn’t half smell good. If there was any left after Sunday tea she would slice a bit off for Evelyn Smithson. The girl was a godsend, despite her reputation. In fact if their Ben’s Emma was half as nice as Evelyn their Ben would do all right.

Prudence watched Robbie combing his hair. He had already changed into a clean shirt. ‘Where are you going?’ she enquired as she threaded a needle with green silk thread.

‘Out to tea.’

‘Oh! And who do you know who would invite you out to tea?’

‘A friend. Actually I’m going to do some work first.’

‘What, dressed in Sunday best?’ To be honest he didn’t look much more dressed up than he did when he went to the joiner’s shop but she noticed he had taken more care when polishing his shoes.

‘You might not have noticed but it’s the only suit I’ve got.’

‘Oh yes, I’ve noticed.’

‘Right then, if you’ll excuse me I’ll be on my way.’

Prudence went to the window and watched him go out of the gate and turn off to go up the hill. There was only one place he could be going in that direction. She went to the mirror in the hall and studied her face closely. She wouldn’t be bad-looking if she did something different with her hair. She might start wearing it loose. She ran her hands over her breasts. She liked the feeling it gave her when she did that. She felt her nipples harden beneath her dress and wondered if Robbie did that to Dot Greenwood. She felt an ache somewhere deep within her, also a feeling of intense jealousy. She wanted him to touch her, to stroke his rough workman’s hands over her body. Prudence Grey was used to getting anything she desired. She vowed she would have Robert Grey. By fair means or foul, she would have him.

Robert was greeted at the farm by a gaggle of geese, well, two geese to be precise, but it felt like two dozen. One tugged at a trouser leg and the
other
pecked at his other leg until he cried out with the pain. He would probably be black and blue by the time they had finished.

‘Come away, Gertie, yer gormless goose.’ Dot drove them away, almost doubled up with laughter. ‘They’re worth their weight in diamonds, better than any guard dog.’

‘Aye, I’ve noticed.’

‘They didn’t peck yer, did they?’ Boadacea came scurrying over and proceeded to hitch up Robbie’s trouser leg to survey the damage. ‘Eeh, she’s a proper bugger is that Gertie.’

Robbie would have liked to point out that they were both as bad, but didn’t. ‘What’s the name of the other one?’ he asked to be polite.

‘Gussie. We call ’em Gormless Gertie and Fussy Gussie.’

‘Nice names.’

‘Come wi’ me, I’ll pop a bit of ointment on that broken skin just to be on the safe side.’

‘I’ll do that, Mam.’

‘You’ll do no such thing.’ Boadacea sounded shocked. ‘A young lass like you feeling up a lad’s trousers? It’s not decent.’

‘Only at his leg. Yer do make a fuss sometimes, Mam.’

‘Aye, well, yer only a young lass and I remember ’ow my little Arthur’d ’ave reacted to a pretty young lass massaging ’is legs. And she is a pretty lass, isn’t she?’

Robbie blushed. ‘Yes she is, Mrs Greenwood, very pretty.’

Boadacea sighed contentedly. Although she constantly berated her daughter over one thing or another she was intensely proud of her only child, and with good reason. Dot’s dark glossy hair, her clear, healthy complexion and slim, lithe figure would have made any parent proud.

She looked Robbie Grey up and down. Eeh, they’d make a lovely couple, and not only in looks. Young Robbie was a well-mannered, presentable young man, and a hard-working one according to Dot. She’d make him welcome and see if owt developed. ‘Come on, let’s get some cream on that there leg.’

‘No, it’s all right, Mrs Greenwood, honestly.’

‘Well, if yer sure. No, I’ve decided I’m going to see to it and be on the safe side. Come on.’

Robbie had no alternative but to go inside with the woman, who opened a cupboard containing hundreds of packets, bottles and pots. ‘Me herb cupboard,’ she explained. ‘Passed down her knowledge to me, me mother did, been passed down through four generations at least. Cures for nearly everything in this cupboard.’ She brought out a tiny pot and unscrewed the lid.

‘What’s in it?’ Robbie was curious.

‘Bergamot, eucalyptus and lavender. I grow that meself. Our Dot can show yer me garden after tea.’ She rolled his trouser leg back down. ‘There, does that feel better?’

‘Aye, it does.’ Robbie was surprised how soothing the cream was.

‘Good.’ Then she called, so loudly that he felt she might burst his eardrum, ‘DOT! Come and take Robbie down to’t four-acre field for yer dad to look at ’im.’

Dot came with the old dog fussing round her heels. ‘Come on then.’

Robbie felt a bit like an exhibit at a show, the way he was going to be looked at, but he needn’t have worried. Little Arthur was too enthralled in his task of repairing the five-barred gate. He looked to be all fingers and thumbs and swore as he hit his thumb with the hammer.

‘Come ’ere, I can do that for yer.’ Robbie picked up a two-inch nail and took the hammer from Arthur. Within seconds he had the gate secure.

‘Eeh by gum, tha knows thi way round a piece o’ wood, lad and no mistake.’

Robbie grinned. ‘I hope so. I’m going to be a joiner one day.’

‘I think tha one already by the looks o’ that.’ Arthur watched Robbie finish the job. ‘Now then, let’s go and ’ave some liquid refreshment, what does tha like?’

‘A cup of tea’d be nice.’

Arthur nodded approvingly.

‘And after we’ve had a drink I’ll give yer a hand with anything else that needs doing,’ Robbie offered.

‘Nay, lad, I’ve done for today, apart from cows
to
bring in and milk. But when tha comes again I wouldn’t mind a hand wi’ mending me owd shed.’ He closed the repaired gate behind them and Robbie noticed his upper arms. Arthur might be a little man but Robbie would have given anything to possess muscles like Little Arthur.

The tea table looked as though it was set for a party. Robbie had only once seen a spread like it and that had been at a party at the hall where Robbie’s father had worked in Lincolnshire. The housekeeper had been ordered to arrange a celebration tea for the children of the village; it had been one Christmas and he would never forget the sight of the furnished table. Boadacea’s table might not be quite so elaborate but the pork pie, boiled ham and roast chicken would have compared favourably with the food at the hall. He wondered if there were any other expected guests but there were just the four of them when they sat down at the table.

‘’Elp yerself. It’s all our own produce. Even’t pickled onions are ’ome grown.’

‘It all looks wonderful,’ Robbie commented as he helped himself to a slice of juicy, tender ham.

‘It might look grand, lad,’ Little Arthur laughed, ‘but it’ll taste bloody better, so let’s all send in.’ And Robbie didn’t need telling twice.

Chapter Nine

LUCY AND JANE
surveyed the tea table critically. ‘Perhaps we should put the meat on the individual plates before we start,’ Jane wondered.

‘No, we should let them help themselves. Oh I wish our Nellie would hurry up and come; she’ll know what to do.’

‘For goodness sake, anybody’d think the queen was coming.’ Will was fed up already, what with having to suffer a haircut and cut his fingernails, even though he’d done them only last week.

‘Our Will’s right. Emma must take us as she finds us, and if she won’t, then she’s not the right girl for our Ben,’ Lucy said. ‘Go and borrow two chairs off Mrs Slater, Will.’

Will went off willingly, glad to escape and hoping Ernest would be at home. Ernest was nowhere to be seen but his sister Joyce and a friend were outside playing skipping with a crowd of others from Second Row.

‘I’ll turn for yer.’ Will took hold of one end of the rope and chanted with the rest, ‘Salt, mustard, vinegar, pepper,’ whilst the skippers jumped the
rope
and tried to avoid tripping over as the rope accelerated at the call of ‘pepper’.

‘Will!’ Jane called. ‘Don’t you dare to get dirty, and where are those chairs?’ Will handed over the rope and grudgingly fetched two kitchen chairs from the Slaters’ house. By now Mary and Jacob had arrived and Nellie was walking on the row. Lewis Marshall whistled and Nellie laughed and exaggerated the swinging of her hips. ‘Have you nothing better to do, Lew Marshall, than sit on yer mother’s doorstep ogling older women?’

‘What could be better than watching you, Nellie?’

Nellie disappeared laughing into the house. It was good to be back on Top Row. It had upset her to be banned from the house in which she had been born. She vowed to put that awful day behind her and enjoy her visit, and anyway she and her mother had made up before she died; that was all that mattered.

‘Oh Nellie, thank goodness you’re here,’ Lucy laughed. ‘Our Jane’s nattering about the table looking right.’