A Family Christmas (12 page)

Young Lily began to giggle and whether it was due to the thought of Mrs Cooper finding a man, or because they were all wound up like clock springs at the thought of the meal to be served, all three of them were soon bordering on hysterics. When Lily’s sister opened the kitchen door she called ‘Is summat burning in ’ere?’

‘Oh, my gawd, the tarts.’ Nellie ran to open the oven door. The tarts were done to a turn. ‘Oh, it’s a good job you came when you did or they’d have been ruined.’

‘And then where would we all have been?’ Lily asked.

‘Where indeed?’ Mrs Cooper took off her shoes to rest her feet and wondered where she would be in a couple of years and what would become of her in her old age. She wouldn’t be laughing then, would she?

The last of the dirty dishes had been removed and the men had withdrawn to the drawing room to enjoy a cigar with their coffee. Nellie kicked off
her
shoes and rubbed her feet. ‘I feel as if I’ve walked a hundred miles and back again.’

‘And no wonder. All I’ve done is supervise and I’m fair jiggered. ’Ere you two, leave them mucky pots and come and ’ave a sit down for ten minutes. There’s all this ’ere stuff to eat. Lily, go and fetch that lad in and let’s send in.’

‘He might ’ave gone to bed, Mrs Cooper. It’s past eleven.’

‘What? It never is! Why, the greedy gluttons must ’ave been eating for three solid hours.’

Larry should have gone home hours ago but chose to hang about the yard and had decided to sleep in the stables. It had been so exciting with motors drawing into the grounds and one or two arriving on horseback. He knew if they were all looked after he could expect a few tips before they left. He had spent the evening grooming the horses and polishing the saddles. Anyway, it was cosy here in the lamp light and more peaceful than at home, where his dad usually came home the worse for drink and started an argument. He was keeping a lookout for Lily, hoping she would come looking for him. He had almost given up hope when the door opened. She didn’t need to call his name before he was there beside her.

‘Come on, we’re going to ’ave us supper.’ Lily was whispering in case there was anybody about; she didn’t want to get Larry in trouble.

What a supper it was! Some of the tureens had
hardly
been touched and there was one whole hare pie left.

‘We’ll keep that for tomorrow’s dinner and have a fuddle,’ Mrs Cooper said. ‘We shan’t sleep by the time we’ve done with this lot. Now then, who’s for soup?’

It was almost midnight before they had finished eating and one o’clock before they had cleared away.

‘You’d better stop ’ere tonight; you can sleep with your Lily,’ the housekeeper told Molly. ‘It’s too late for yer to go ’ome now. Besides, there’ll be all those breakfasts to cook and serve. Yer can give us a hand wi’ them if yer like.’

Molly nodded. It would mean a bit more money and there was no school tomorrow to worry about.

Young Larry had taken a fancy to Lily’s sister. ‘I could walk ’er ’ome Mrs Cooper, if she likes.’

‘Well, I don’t know. What do yer think, lass?’

Molly was torn between staying and having a good breakfast or being escorted home by Larry. He had been smiling at her ever since she arrived and she quite liked him; it would be exciting being out in the dark with a boy. On the other hand, if she stayed she would be able to see him in the morning, so she chose a warm bed and a good breakfast.

‘Go on then, get to yer bed you two. We shall no sooner ’ave got our heads on the pillow than we ’ave to get up again. Go on, Larry, be in ’ere at six if yer want some breakfast. We shall be too busy after that.’

‘Thanks, Mrs Cooper. Thanks, Nellie. I don’t think I shall be able to eat owt else for a week, never mind breakfast.’

When he’d gone Nellie raked down the ashes and banked up the fire. Mrs Cooper undid the bun in her hair and let it loose. ‘You did well today, Nellie. The meal was fit for the king and no doubt about it.’

‘I couldn’t have done it without your guidance.’

‘Rubbish. I’m getting past all the rushing around at do’s like this. Me old legs are me downfall.’

‘You’re not that old, Mrs Cooper.’

‘No? Ow old would yer say I was then?’

Nellie wished the woman hadn’t asked a question like that. ‘Fifty-three or -four.’

‘I’m sixty-five.’

‘Never.’ Nellie couldn’t believe a woman of that age could be as energetic as Mrs Cooper.

‘Aye, I don’t know what’ll become of me when they kick me out.’

‘Oh, they won’t do that.’

‘Yes they will, Nellie. Don’t make the same mistake I did. Find yerself a good man and ’ave some children.’ The woman sighed. ‘Oh they call me Mrs Cooper, always did with me being housekeeper, like, but I was never married. Loved a man once, would ’ave given me life for ’im but it wasn’t meant to be.’ Nellie saw the tears brimming for a few moments, but then Mrs Cooper cheered up again. ‘Then there was another one who proposed
to
me, but ee upped and married somebody else, somebody with plenty of money, a bit of a horsey-looking woman, but she had money. Thought he could ’ave the penny and the bun; married her and then came back to me ’oping I would be his bit on the side.’

‘Never! You didn’t fall for that, did you?’

‘Did I heck – hit him over the head with a copper posher, knocked ’im out, I did. Right on this ’ere doorstep, cut his head open. The master who was ’ere at the time dumped ’im in the carriage and took ’im into Millington to the doctors. Told ’im if he caught ’im round ’ere again ee would fetch constable. Lovely the master was at that time, came back and told me to find someone worthy of me in future. But it wasn’t to be.’ Mrs Cooper began to laugh. ‘I often wonder what ee told that wife of ’is had happened to ’is ’ead.’ She went towards the door. ‘You’re missing yer way ’ere, Nellie. You could be cooking in your own establishment instead of being stuck in this kitchen cooking for somebody else.’

It was usual on Saturdays for Mrs Cooper to collect the wages for her staff and discuss anything of importance with Mr Smith, the manager. The day after the dinner party being Saturday, the housekeeper knocked on the office door as usual at eleven o’clock. ‘Come.’ As usual Mr Smith was busy at his desk, but this morning another gentleman was
seated
in the chair by the window. Both men stood as Mrs Cooper entered the room.

‘Good morning.’ Mr Smith indicated for her to be seated.

‘Good morning, sir. I didn’t know you were occupied. Shall I come back later?’

‘No, no. Mr Johnson was one of our guests last night; he is waiting to pay his respects to you and your staff.’

Mr Johnson held out his hand to Mrs Cooper. ‘Yes indeed. It was the most excellent meal I have enjoyed for some time.’

‘All due to Miss Gabbitas; she’s an excellent cook.’

‘Under your expert guidance, though.’

‘Thank you. Miss Gabbitas worked extremely hard and was ably assisted by my other staff.’

‘Yes, if you tell me how many hours they worked above the norm, I’ll see they are paid accordingly.’ He picked up one of the pay packets. ‘How about Miss Gabbitas?’

‘Well, she was at it from half past five in the morning right through till gone one this morning.’ Mrs Cooper added a few hours on. ‘Then there was Lily, who worked the same hours, and her sister Molly, who never stopped all day and stayed over to help with the breakfasts. And young Larry gave up his night off to see to the horses and keep his eye on the motors. Polished ’em up this morning as soon as the cock crowed. Ee’s a right
good
lad, young Larry is.’ She watched him open the black metal cash box and add a bit extra into each packet.

‘Anyone else?’ Mr Smith enquired.

‘No sir, that’s all.’

‘Do you mean to tell me that the only outside help you had was Lily’s sister?’

‘Oh aye, sir. They’re all quite capable.’

‘Under your supervision, of course.’

Mrs Cooper kept quiet and was satisfied knowing they were all receiving overtime for their efforts. Mr Smith closed and locked the money box and handed the envelopes to the housekeeper.

‘Will that be all, sir?’

‘Unless you’ve any other matters to discuss, I think so.’

‘No, sir.’

‘Right then, if you’ll send Nellie up I shall thank her personally. And please give the young ones my compliments on a job well done.’

‘I will, sir.’ Mrs Cooper sighed with relief. Even after all the years she had worked here, she still dreaded these weekly meetings.

When Mrs Cooper came back to the kitchen she said to Nellie, ‘You’re to go to Mr Smith’s office.’

‘Oh crikey, what ’ave I done?’ Nellie was very rarely called in to see the manager.

‘Don’t worry, there’s nowt wrong. Ee just wants to thank you for last night.’

‘Oh, do I have to?’

‘Of course yer do.’ Mrs Cooper didn’t tell Nellie about Mr Johnson; it was enough of an ordeal being received by one man, let alone two.

‘Come.’ Nellie opened the door and the two men rose to greet her.

‘This is one of our guests, Nellie: Mr Johnson.’ Nellie was mesmerised by the bluest eyes she had ever seen. Mr Johnson held her hand and her gaze for far longer than necessary and Nellie felt herself blushing. ‘Pleased to meet you, sir,’ she said.

‘And you, Nellie. I would like to compliment you on a most excellent meal. Where did you learn to cook?’

Nellie smiled. ‘In my mother’s kitchen; that was the plain cooking. The fancy dishes I taught myself, with a bit of guidance from the cook who was here before and a lot of help from my mother’s
Best Way
cookery book.’

‘Really? I would have guessed that you had had a more formal training.’

‘No, sir.’ Nellie was embarrassed. ‘Will that be all, sir?’ She turned reluctantly to Mr Smith.

The manager smiled. ‘Well, I would like to add my thanks to those of Mr Johnson. I’m sure the meal last night will be discussed for weeks to come and as there were some very influential people amongst the party I’m convinced that when the word is spread our business will benefit greatly, all due to you.’

‘And the waitresses, sir.’

‘Of course. I have shown my appreciation to you all with a small bonus. That will be all, Nellie.’

‘Thankyou, sir.’ She nodded at Mr Johnson, who nodded and smiled. Once again she found it difficult to tear her eyes away from his. Flustered, she made for the door.

‘Come on, lass. Let’s ’ave a cup of tea and celebrate our windfall.’ Mrs Cooper had cut them all a wedge of the leftover cranberry tart, which she topped with a dollop of cream. ‘Well! what did ee say?’

‘Well, he wants to thank you all for your hard work, and he wanted to know who taught me to cook; he seemed to think I’d been to cookery school or something.’

‘And no wonder. In all the years I’ve worked ’ere I’ve never seen a spread like that was last night. Here lass, ’ere’s yer wage packet.’

‘We’ve got some extra.’ Lily took the packet from her apron pocket and checked the money excitedly.

‘Yer’ll wear that money away before yer’ve done,’ Mrs Cooper told Lily. ‘Anybody’d think you’d never ’ad a wage packet before.’

‘Well I ’aven’t, not with so much in it.’

‘You worked ’ard. Just remember, ’ard work always reaps its rewards. Go and fetch that lad in for ’is money. Ee’s been working ’ard an’ all.’

‘Oh lor, he’ll want me to go to’t pictures with ’im now ee’s got some money,’ young Molly said.

‘Well, you’ve been giving ’im the come on, so what do you expect?’ Lily reminded her.

‘I ’ave not.’ Molly turned the same colour as the cranberries.

‘So why are yer titivating yer ’air before you fetch ’im in then?’

Molly escaped and went to find Larry. She hoped he did ask her to go to the pictures; she really liked him and she might not see him for ages after today. She only got called in to help at the hall on special occasions such as last night. Molly wished she could work here all the time like their Lily, but her mam said she was needed at home. She frowned. Her mam wouldn’t let her go out with Larry anyway. Molly was considered too young to go out with boys. It wouldn’t prevent her from liking him though.

Molly wasn’t the only one harbouring romantic thoughts. Nellie Gabbitas had never felt like this before. Her heart fluttered every time she thought about Mr Johnson. She didn’t even know his first name. Even if she saw him again – which she wasn’t likely to – he wouldn’t look twice at someone like her. She wished she had done her hair in a different style before going to the office. Oh well, it wouldn’t have made any difference.

When Larry came in Nellie questioned him about the remaining motor. She knew most of the dinner guests had already left and wondered if it belonged to Mr Johnson. ‘Whose is that motor, Larry?’ she said. ‘I thought everyone had left.’

‘It belongs to somebody called Mr Johnson.
Mr
Smith asked me to take special care of it because ee’s a friend of ’is and ever so posh.’

‘I wonder where he comes from to own a motor like that. I’ve never seen one in Sheffield.’

‘Blackpool,’ Larry said.

‘Blackpool?’ Mrs Cooper almost choked on her tea. The mention of the seaside resort brought back memories so poignant she had all on to conceal her emotion. Fortunately young Larry chatted on and gave her time to recover.

‘Aye, ee came out first thing when I was cleaning it. Ee said when ee comes again ee’ll bring me a stick of Blackpool rock. Whatever that might be.’

‘It’s to eat, yer daft haporth. I ’ope yer were polite.’

‘Aye, course I was. I wish I could ’ave a ride in it.’

Mrs Cooper laughed. ‘Wishing’ll not bring rewards, so hurry up and finish yer tea and get on wi’ yer work.’

Larry sighed. He had a hedge to cut and the stables to muck out. No matter how hard he worked he knew he would never own a motor like that. The most he could hope for was that Mr Smith would buy one and let him learn to drive it. In the meantime he would work hard and earn some money. He finished his tea and blushed as he wondered how he could get to know Molly better. ‘Right then, I’ll go get on,’ he said as he pulled on his boots on the doorstep.

‘I’ll ’ang that washing out for yer before I go,’ Molly told her sister. The cloths from the night
before
had been boiled in the fireside boiler and Lily was lifting them out, filling the kitchen with the smell of Rinso and steam. Once they were rinsed they would be put through the great mangle out in the yard.