A Mother's Trust (31 page)

She gazed up at the unbroken blue of the summer sky. ‘Ma, if you’re up there,’ she whispered, ‘please help me to do the right thing.’ She broke into a run and did not stop until she reached home. Bracing her shoulders she went inside to prepare Ivy for an unexpected journey, and to tell her grandparents that she had received a telegram from Judy saying that she
was
unwell and needed someone to run the boarding house for a week or two. Phoebe knew she ought to feel guilty for lying to them yet again, but she was desperate.

IT WAS ALMOST
midnight, and Phoebe had trodden this path before. With a sleeping child in her arms she climbed the front steps of Judy’s house, followed by Ivy at a slower rate, burdened as she was with a portmanteau in each hand. A hunter’s moon illuminated the scene around them, sending a silvery satin pathway across an inky velvet sea, but Phoebe was too exhausted to fully appreciate the ethereal beauty of the scene. She raised the doorknocker and let it fall.

‘They’re probably all asleep,’ Ivy said pessimistically. ‘I daresay Miss Judy won’t be too pleased to see us at this time of night.’

Phoebe knocked again. This time she was rewarded by the sound of footsteps pitter-pattering along the tiled hallway. The door opened halfway to reveal Judy clutching her dressing robe with one hand and holding an oil lamp in the other. She was quite obviously ready for bed as her hair was tied up in rags. She did not look overjoyed to see them. ‘We’ve been here before,’ she said, opening the door wide. ‘Come in, for goodness’ sake. I don’t want the neighbours to think I take in fallen women.’

‘That was uncalled for,’ Phoebe protested as she carried Teddy into the house. ‘I’m sorry if we disturbed
you
, and I know it’s an imposition, but could you put us up for a couple of days?’

Ivy staggered in after her, dropping the bags on the floor with a sigh of relief. ‘I couldn’t have carried them another step further.’

‘Well you’ll have to move them from there,’ Judy said with a disdainful sniff. ‘I can’t have my hallway littered with luggage. My paying guests get up early in the morning. It’s the summer season, you know. We’re full. Even the attic rooms are taken, so you’ll have to sleep on the sofa in the parlour. One of you will have to use a chair.’

Phoebe had not expected to be welcomed with open arms; that was not Judy’s way, but she had hoped for a comfortable bed. ‘Well, it’s more important to find somewhere for Teddy to sleep. I’m sure Ivy and I can manage.’

‘You’ll have to, I’m afraid.’ Judy led the way into the parlour. ‘I can spare some blankets and a couple of pillows. You can empty a drawer for the baby.’ She held the lantern above his head and peered at him. ‘He’s grown.’

‘Babies have a habit of doing that,’ Phoebe said wryly. ‘But thank you for taking us in. We’ll try not to get in the way.’

‘Here, give the little ’un to me. I’ll see to him.’ Ivy took Teddy in her arms. ‘I don’t suppose there’s any chance of a cup of tea, is there?’

Phoebe glanced anxiously at Judy. ‘I could make some for all of us, and then I can explain why we’ve had to bother you like this.’

‘I doubt if the water in the kettle is hot enough, but it’ll do for cocoa. Help yourselves. As to the details, you can tell me those in the morning. I have to be up at six.’ Judy left the room, returning moments later with an armful of blankets and two pillows. She picked up the lamp. ‘I’ll take this. You may light a candle but just one. I’m not made of money.’

‘We can pay our way,’ Phoebe said hastily. ‘I don’t expect charity.’

‘Help yourself to some bread and cheese if you’re hungry, but don’t make a noise.’ Judy closed the door behind her, leaving them to their own devices.

Phoebe lit a candle. ‘I’ll get us something to eat and drink.’

Teddy opened his eyes with a cry of protest as Ivy laid him down on the sofa. ‘I’ll give him a feed,’ she said, slipping off her shawl and unbuttoning her blouse. ‘But I won’t be able to carry on much longer, Phoebe. My milk’s drying up. You won’t have need of me then.’ She sat down on the sofa and put Teddy to her breast. Phoebe saw a tear run down Ivy’s cheek and she felt suddenly guilty. She had not given any consideration to what Ivy might want for herself, despite the fact that she had known of the deepening relationship between her and Nenzo. She had commanded and Ivy had obeyed like a well-drilled foot soldier.

‘You don’t have to stay with us, Ivy,’ Phoebe said slowly. ‘I’ll understand if you want to return to London. Uncle Nenzo will be very upset when he discovers that you’ve gone.’

‘Do you really think so?’ Ivy looked up at Phoebe, her eyes magnified by tears. ‘I mean, I’m not the sort of woman your grandmother would want her son to marry.’

‘Nonsense. Nenzo is a lucky man to have someone like you, and Nonna will want him to be happy. All I ask is that you stay for a few days until Teddy is fully weaned and can take cow’s milk. Then you must return to London, or we’ll have Nenzo on the doorstep looking for you.’

‘Ta, Phoebe.’ Ivy’s sad expression melted into a smile. ‘If I marry Nenzo, I’ll be your auntie. How about that?’

‘Shut up and feed the baby,’ Phoebe said, chuckling. ‘I’ll go and make the cocoa.’

Next morning Phoebe was awakened by the door bursting open to admit Rose followed by Gussie and Dolly.

‘Darling Phoebe. What a wonderful surprise.’ Rose rushed over to her and gave her a hug. ‘What are you doing back in Brighton?’ She glanced over her shoulder at Ivy’s sleeping form on the sofa with Teddy clutched in her arms. ‘And look at Teddy. How he’s grown.’

Ivy opened her eyes and sat up, still cradling Teddy as if he were the most precious thing in the whole world. ‘What’s all the fuss about?’

‘We’re just pleased to see you, Ivy,’ Rose said, smiling. ‘It’s such a surprise to wake up and find you all here again.’

Dolly nudged her aside to cuddle up to Phoebe,
laying
her head on her shoulder. ‘I’ve missed you. It ain’t the same here when you’re gone from us.’

Phoebe suppressed a shudder as she recalled Ethel’s vicious expression when she had demanded the return of her daughter. The thought of Dolly falling into her mother’s clutches was enough to make her blood run cold. She gave her a hug. ‘I’ve missed you too, but I thought you were happy here with Judy.’

Dolly raised her face and smiled. ‘Yes, I am, and I love Miss Judy. She’s been ever so kind to me. But that don’t stop me wishing you was here too.’

‘Well, I am now. So that’s all right, isn’t it?’ Phoebe looked up to see Gussie, standing arms akimbo, staring at her with a puzzled frown.

‘What’s it all about, girl? Are you in trouble again?’

‘It’s a long story,’ Phoebe said wearily. ‘But it’s good to be here again.’

‘Tell us everything.’ Rose’s eyes shone with excitement. ‘This is so wonderful. I thought we’d lost you forever.’

Gussie moved closer to the sofa, staring down at Teddy with a tender smile on her face. ‘Look at the little lamb. Isn’t he a picture? Those golden curls make him look like an angel.’

Ivy curled her lip. ‘You won’t think him such a cherub when he starts bawling his head off. This little gent has lungs like a town crier.’

Dolly left Phoebe’s side. ‘Can I hold him, Ivy? I’ll be ever so careful.’

Phoebe stretched and rose stiffly to her feet. ‘I’m sure you will, but let Ivy see to him first.’

Dolly knelt down, stroking Teddy’s tiny hand. ‘I think he’s a poppet. I’d like one just like that.’

‘You wait until you see him in one of his crabby moods,’ Ivy said, shaking her head. ‘You’ll change your tune then, young lady.’

‘I can’t wait to tell the others that you’re here.’ Rose slipped her arm around Phoebe’s waist. ‘Poppa and I have to go out early to set up the booth on the beach, but we’ll have plenty of time to talk later. How long are you here for, Phoebe?’

‘Just a few days. I’ll tell you all about it when we have time.’

‘You weren’t going to leave me out, I hope.’ Madame Galina’s huge bulk almost filled the doorway. She sailed across the floor to push Rose aside in order to clutch Phoebe to her bosom. ‘Fred and Herbert are in the kitchen and they’re dying to see you again. The wretched Chinese tumblers are moving out today so the attic room will be vacant. Good riddance to them I say, with their foreign food and chopsticks. Who but a heathen would eat with knitting needles?’ She kissed Phoebe on both cheeks before plumping down on the sofa beside Ivy.

Disturbed, Teddy opened his eyes and stared up in wonder at Gussie who was still hovering close by. She snatched him up in her arms, cuddling him and laughing when he tugged at her gold earring. ‘Come with Auntie Gussie, my little love. I’ll get you some milk for your breakfast, and some bupper.’

‘For God’s sake use the proper terminology,’ Madame Galina said crossly. ‘Do you want the child to grow up talking rubbish?’

‘He’s just a baby.’ Gussie rocked Teddy in her arms. ‘Who’s a beautiful little boy, then?’

‘If you talk to him like that he’ll turn into an idiot or a molly-boy.’ Madame Galina struggled to her feet and attempted to wrest him from Gussie’s arms, but was instantly repulsed.

‘Go away. Let me hold him for a while. You think you know it all, but you don’t. The little chap likes me. See how he smiles at me. You’d scare him, you old war horse.’

Ivy jumped up and for a moment it looked as though all three of them were going to have a tug-of-war over the unfortunate Teddy. Phoebe was amused but also a little alarmed. She did not want to see her brother pulled apart by three broody women, and she moved in swiftly when he started to cry. ‘I think Ivy had better give him his first feed,’ she said calmly. ‘We’re going to wean him but it should be done slowly, don’t you think?’

There was a murmur of assent and reluctantly Madame and Gussie retreated to the kitchen, still arguing over who was the best qualified to look after a baby.

Rose burst out laughing. ‘The house hasn’t been the same without you, Phoebe. I’ve missed you so, and I can’t wait to hear what’s been going on in London. Have you seen the dreaded Caspar? He came here and unfortunately got hold of Dolly, who gave him your address. There was nothing we could do about it.’

Phoebe passed Teddy back to Ivy. ‘Yes, I know. It’s part of the reason why we’re here.’

‘Rose.’ Hector’s voice echoed round the hallway. ‘Rose, come and get your breakfast or you’ll go without. It’s a fine day and I want an early start.’

‘I have to go,’ Rose said apologetically. ‘Come to the beach by the south pier at midday. We have a short break then and you can tell me all. In the meantime, let’s get something to eat. I’m ravenous. Come along, Dolly. I’m sure you must be hungry too.’

With a reluctant backwards glance at Teddy, who was now firmly latched on to Ivy’s breast, Dolly followed Rose from the room. Phoebe smoothed her hair in place and shook out her crumpled skirts. She had been too tired to unpack her nightgown when they arrived and had fallen asleep in the armchair fully clothed. ‘I’ll bring you a cup of tea, Ivy,’ she said, pausing in the doorway. ‘Then I’ll take care of Teddy while you get something to eat.’

Ivy pulled a face. ‘He’s got two teeth already. I’ll not be sorry to see him weaned, although I love the little man like he was my own, dear dead child.’

‘You’ll have more babies,’ Phoebe said gently. ‘If you decide to marry Nenzo you’ll probably have one a year.’

‘I don’t think your grandparents would like it if they found out that I was deserted by my common-law husband. I think Signora Giamatti would think ill of me if she found out that I’d had a child out of wedlock.’

‘Nonsense. You’re as good as any of us, and Nonna has been longing for more grandchildren. She’d be even more heartbroken if she discovered that Teddy is not a Giamatti.’

Ivy’s lips trembled. ‘Anyway, I told Lorenzo about
my
past and he said he didn’t care, but he hasn’t asked me to marry him, and maybe he never will.’

‘Then more fool him,’ Phoebe said stoutly. ‘But you must return to London as soon as possible. It was thoughtless of me to bring you here like this. I’m sorry, Ivy.’

‘If he wants me, he can come and get me. I never had to chase after a man, and I ain’t going to start now. I’ll not leave you and Teddy in the lurch.’

‘You’re a brick,’ Phoebe said with a grateful smile as she left the room. She hurried to the kitchen but came to a sudden halt when she saw Marcus White seated at the head of the long table. He rose to his feet as she entered the room. ‘My dear, Phoebe. Judy told me that you’d arrived late last night.’

Judy bustled over to the table carrying the large black saucepan filled with porridge. She ladled some onto his plate. ‘Hush, Marcus. There’s no need to tell the whole world that you slept in my bed.’

He threw back his head and laughed. ‘Why not? I intend to make an honest woman of you the moment you say yes. What d’you think of that, Phoebe?’

‘I think it’s marvellous. I couldn’t be happier for you both.’ Phoebe went to hug Judy but the steaming saucepan was in the way and she patted her on the shoulder instead. ‘Why didn’t you tell me before?’

‘Are you hungry or not?’ Judy slapped a ladleful of porridge onto a clean bowl. ‘I’m all behind like the cow’s tail this morning, thanks to those confounded Chinese tumblers. They insisted on cooking for themselves.’ She wafted her hand in front of her face. ‘I
can’t
get rid of the smell of foreign food, no matter what I do.’

Marcus took the saucepan from her, pressing her down on the seat next to his place at table. ‘Never mind them, my dear. You must eat something yourself. You spend far too much of your time looking after others. Now it’s my turn to take care of you. Name the day, Judy, and we’ll be married.’

Rose clapped her hands and Dolly almost choked on a mouthful of hot tea. Madame Galina and Gussie stared open-mouthed. Hector paused with a slice of toast halfway to his mouth, and Fred covered his face with his handkerchief, his shoulders shaking. Phoebe was not sure if he was laughing or crying. She had not realised that he too had feelings for Judy, who had always seemed to be a dedicated spinster. ‘It’s wonderful,’ Phoebe said, patting Marcus on the shoulder. ‘You were made for each other.’