i 51ddca29df3edad1 (17 page)

"Did she say that?"

"Yes. She said she loves the staff dance. Didn't you know?" Her voice was high with surprise.

"Not really; I always thought she looked upon it " as a bit of a bore, a sort of duty. "

She seemed surprised by his answer as if it appeared odd that her father didn't actually know what her mother thought. She picked her coat up from a chair and they went out together, down the stairs and into the sitting-room, where John was waiting.

John at eighteen was an attractive boy, being above average height and startlingly blond. When he was happy he looked handsome, and he looked happy tonight.

From her position on the couch Esther surveyed her son with pride. She loved her first-born with a deep secret love that even outdid the feeling she had for her father. The affection she felt for her husband had never, even before she gave birth to her son, been, given entry into the private chamber of her being. It could be truthfully said that only she and God were aware of such a place and the secrets it held.

She looked from one to the other now and said, "Well, that's it; you're all ready then. " She didn't comment on her daughter's appearance but addressed her with, " Don't keep your father waiting when he comes to pick you up . And mind what I "Yes, Mother."

"Well then, don't stand about, get yourselves away."

This remark could have had a dampening effect, but Terry, sitting on the head of the couch, said, "I don't see why I couldn't go to the dance. I've kicked more ankles than most at the Club; I can do everything from the Charleston upwards, so why? "

"Because you're still in short trousers 1' John pushed Terry's head with his hand, and Terry, jumping off the couch and taking up a battling stance, said, " Watch it I watch it I said Mary O'Toole. "

At this moment Mary O'Toole came into the room and she exclaimed loudly, "Who's taking me name in vain?" Then she paused before adding,

"Oh now! don't you look grand, each and every one of you. My I it's a family to be proud of." She bent and kissed Gail, and Gail hugged her;

then she said, "Let me have a look at your new dress."

When Gail opened her coat Mrs. O'Toole covered her eyes and exclaimed,

"What's the world coming to? It'll be nappies you'll be getting back to next."

"Gran!" After the note of censure, Esther exclaimed, "Let them get away, they'll be late." And Mrs. O'Toole said tartly, "Well, there's nobody stopping them."

With an exchange of bye-byes Harry, John and Gail left the room somewhat self-consciously, but when they reached the front door Gran O'Toole was behind them, and she patted their backs one after the other as if they were all small children, Harry included, and said, "Have a good time. Have the time of your lives. Forget about everything and enjoy yourselves." She gave Harry an extra pat and he turned and smiled at her; then bending he put his mouth to her ear and whispered,

"I'm going to get blind drunk," and she cried in a smothered laugh,

"Now that's the best idea you've voiced in years.

Just do that. Do that, me lad. " And she pushed him out of the door.

The staff dance was always held at the old "Coach and Horses'. The word old was a misnomer, because although the hotel was half-timbered and could date its beginnings back to the eighteenth century, its interior was modern, yet complementing

was of the highest standard; and what was more, the hotel was situated on the outskirts of the town in a setting of woodland and pasture land; and lastly it provided parking facilities for over a hundred cars.

The staff at Peamarsh's numbered fifty-two. Add to these wives or sweethearts and a couple of friends per head of staff the inviting of friends was always encouraged and you had a company of two hundred or over. This number always provided for the dance floor to be well covered even while the bar and cocktail lounge were crowded.

Everyone's enjoyment was , provided for at Peamarsh's staff dance.

Harry was standing at the bar in company with Tom Vosey, Ossie Ferndale, who owned the timber yard. Jack Lucas, a dentist, and Peter Jones, an accountant. The two latter were there as guests. Their wives were at present dancing and in the respite the men were drinking hard.

The company were all well known to Harry, all his friends you might say, being members of the Round Table.

This time last year, even this time six months ago. Harry would have been laughing at their risky jokes, telling himself he must try and remember this one, and that one; he never did as he couldn't tell jokes, but that didn't stop him from enjoying them. But tonight he didn't laugh, he only drank. He had started on sherry; then, as on another memorable night, he went on to whisky, not doubles this time, just singles, but they came regularly, and as their number increased so did the anger inside him. Every now and again his thoughts would be punctuated by the term 'the dirty old swine I' Once he thought, and her playing up to him openly, brazenly. Well, she'd get all she was asking for. But this trite term, he knew, didn't really apply to the situation because Betty Ray would be very disappointed if she didn't get what she was asking for. Four times, to his knowledge, the old sot had danced with her; that would never have happened if Esther had been here, oh no. Like the good impartial employer he was his dances would have been doled out if his daughter had been present. And what was more, if Esther had been here her father would never have come near the bar. As it was he'd been in and out all evening throwing A few minutes ago he had stood in the doorway watching the dancers, trying to keep his eyes on John wriggling in front of his young partner, trying not to let his fuddled gaze rest on his father-in-law whirling the dirty little piece round the floor. He seemed to have lost all sense of propriety, and didn't care a damn what anybody thought, yet he must know that tomorrow all the staff would be talking.

Harry didn't have to be told that there was a reason behind his father-in-law's flouting, he was doing it because he imagined it would upset him. Doubtless the little bitch had put him well in the picture.

And now Mr. Dave Rippon was thinking that he had him on a hook; he was showing him that he was in a position to enjoy something denied to himself. If it had been possible to explain the truth to him he would still have remained unconvinced. In his own eyes he was a dashing fellow, swiping his son-in-law's mistress from under his nose. Godi It was all so sickening.

And Betty Ray? She too in her own way, was showing him. He could almost hear her saying, "All I wanted was to be secretary to somebody on the top floor, anybody, but you put a spoke in me wheel, and see what happened. In one jump I'm at the top. Now what do you think of that, Mr. Blenheim?"

"What's up with you tonight. Harry? You look about as happy as a whore at a rectory tea." Ossie Ferndale pushed his big red face close to Harry's.

"Come on, what is it? Worrying about your missus not being here? Look, boy, count your blessings; go and have a dance. I've never seen you on the floor the night. You used to trip a pretty measure.

Didn't he Peter? "

Peter Jones, a thin dapper man, nodded and giggled.

"A pretty measure.

That's funny. Makes you sound like a ballet boy. A pretty measure. "

He giggled again into his glass; then almost aggressively he said, "

You know something'? Those ballet boys on telly, they make me sick.

How a fellow can push himself into those tights. I tell you, they work me up. "

This brought a splutter from the group, and Tom Vosey, his arm round Harry's shoulder, his mouth wide with laughter, said, "Listen, it reminds me. Talking of ballet, there was this fellow. He was doing a film and he had to do the splits ..." At

the outcome of his story, and just as he was about to go on the band stopped and Ossie Ferndale put in, "Come on, Tom man, get on with it.

They'll be here in a minute. "

"Oh, they'll enjoy this one." Tom Vosey napped his hand.

"I'll wait for them." He took his arm from Harry's shoulder and turned towards the door where some of the dancers were now entering; then he turned back again and asked, "What you say, Pete?" And Peter Jones muttered quickly, "Not before mine, Tom; she's funny that way."

"Break her in, break her in ... And where you goin', Harry?" Tom Vosey reached out and grabbed Harry's arm; and Harry said thickly, "I've just remembered, it's time I picked up Gail."

"There's another hour to go yet, man, and they've got an extension to the end." He nodded towards the bar.

"Sorry." Harry's face muscles were working as he mumbled, "The child'll be waiting."

"Child 1 Go on with you." Tom Vosey pushed him roughly in the chest.

"Sixteen. Gail's no child. They don't thank you for butting in, not at sixteen they don't these days. She'll be glad of a little necking time." He now left the crowd and walked un steadily with Harry across the room, saying, "What's up with you these days, anyway, Harry?

You're not yourself. You want to take a pattern from your old man.

Now he's had a real randy night. Never been off the floor, and at his age.

As for knocking 'em back . whew I' Harry's teeth ground together. But he forced himself to speak calmly as he said, "I've left Esther at home; she'll be worrying. Oh, not about me." For a moment he adopted Tom Vosey's manner.

"But she doesn't like them being out late."

"You know something?" Tom Vosey leant towards him now, swaying slightly.

"There's something I've wanted to say to you for a long time as a close friend ... privileged friend, an' it's just this. You never brought her up right, Esther. You should have put your foot down from the start. She's still daddy's girl. You should assert yourself, man .

Here, Harry, just a minute, just a minute. Don't go off like that, man."

But Harry was away, hurrying erratically across the hall to the cloakroom.

" *,..^, ^ ^.. auiw." -a ia. i. a nc rcLurnea rrom the cloakroom he saw John standing talking with two girls, and he beckoned him over, and even in his fuddled state he noticed that his son looked different tonight because his expression held no trace of surliness. He tried to space his words as he said to him, "I'm going to pick Gail up; I'll be about half-an-hour; I don't want to have to wait for you when I come back mind."

John stared at his father closely before he answered briefly, "O.K."

then turned and walked back to the girls . And Harry thought, There'll be no need for you to tell your mother that your father's been drinking; it'll be self-evident tonight. But will you tell her about your grandfather? Ah 1 that was a point. John wasn't blind, nor was he stupid; he knew what his mother thought of her father; he was also aware of the handsome presents in the form of cash she received from him and which rubbed off on to himself. No! John would doubtless consider the matter carefully for he was cunning was John. Oh yes, he had to own that, among other things, his son was cunning. The party was still going strong at the Birketts when he collected Gail. But her reluctance to leave was compensated by the fact that Paul came out to the car with her.

Harry had just started the car up when she leaned towards him and said in a confidential whisper, "Dad! you've been drinking."

He gave a short laugh and said, "How per-spic-ac ious of you, Miss Blenheim." When he stammered on the word she burst out laughing.

"And I was forbidden even to take sherry 1' What! Who forbade you?"

"Mother, of course. That's what she said before I left, you remember?

No, you don't. Well, she said, "And mind what I told you." She had warned me upstairs that I hadn't to touch drink of any kind. And here's you bottled I' He put his head back and laughed a great rollicking laugh, and the car swerved as he cried, "You sound like Gran, and that's good, that's good." Then he asked, "Did you have a good time?"

"Smashing! Oh really smashing. I jived till all my bones rattled.

Mrs. Birkett had cleared one room right out. I danced with Paul nearly half the night. Roma Allsopp was mad, she's

"Is she indeed!"

"Yes, but Paul couldn't care less. He told me so."

"That was very chi... chivalrous of him I must say."

"Did you have a good time. Dad?"

"Well, you've just said I'm drunk so I'm bound to have had a good time, eh."

She leant her head against him as she said softly, "I didn't mean it nasty ... Did you dance much?"

"I didn't dance at all."

"Not once!" She straightened herself up away from him, her voice high.

"Not once; there were no beautiful girls about. Now if you had been there my shoes would have been worn out."

"Oh, Dad, you're sweet." When she dragged on his arm and snuggled up to him, he said, "Here, here; be careful. Look, I'm having my work cut out to drive this thing as it is, I'm seeing double."

She laughed and sat back in her seat and, sighing deeply, said, "Ohi am I tired. And it's school tomorrow. Oh lorl Oh IprI' " Well, get in the back and lie down. John will want to sit in front in any case.

"

"That's an idea. I'll climb over." As she made to clamber over the seat he said, "Wait, hold on, we're nearly there."

When he drew up in front of the hotel and got out of the car an attendant came up to him and said, "Would you mind going to that side, Sir?"

"But I won't be a minute, I'm just going to collect my son."

"Well, you see. Sir, if anyone wants to come out'--he pointed to the left of the building--'they're going to have a tight squeeze getting past you with the other cars parked alongside. You see, you've Stopped at the narrowest point. Sir."

"Oh, all right." He got into the car again; then putting his head out of the window, he asked, "Where do you want me to go?"

"Just along here, Sir. Look, there's a space just round the corner."

He walked by the side of the car.

"There, Sir, I'm sorry to trouble you. Sir, but we've had a job tonight. We've moved