Lily’s War (6 page)

The woman turned with a hot pie-plate held in her white apron and gingerly rose to set it on the table. ‘Well, he’s unlucky because I haven’t made scones today,’ she said tartly. ‘It’s apple pies but if I say so myself, they’re just as good as my scones.’ She stared at them and Lily hurriedly freed her fingers from Matt’s grasp. ‘Who’s he?’ demanded her aunt.

‘Matt Gibson.’ He smiled and held out a hand. ‘I’m please to meet you, Mrs Thorpe.’

She wiped her hands on her apron. ‘Miss Thorpe. And you’re not from hereabouts.’

‘My father was.’

‘But you?’ Her eyes were hard and inquisitive as they shook hands.

‘Australia.’

She sniffed. ‘What about your mother?’

‘She was British.’

Dora sniffed again. ‘At least you’re not one of them that’s run off with the King. Married twice! You’d think she’d learnt sense. Take him into the kitchen, Lily. I’ll put the kettle on and bring tea in.’

Lily exchanged glances with Matt, who raised his eyebrows. She smiled, glad that he was not the type to be intimidated by her aunt. She led him along a stone-flagged passage and into the large living room which her aunt still insisted on calling a kitchen. In front of a black and silver old-fashioned fireplace lay a marmalade cat on a beautiful clip-rug. A clock ticked sweetly on the wall next to a large window.

‘She’ll have you, cat,’ said Lily, scooping up the indolent creature.

‘What’s its name?’ Matt stroked the cat’s head and it purred.

‘Aunt Dora doesn’t believe in giving animals names,’ she said in a mock-severe voice. ‘Uncle William, on the other hand, says you’ve got to have names if there’s more than one of anything. All the cows have names, even if it’s Buttercup or Daisy.’

‘No Lilies?’ His eyes twinkled down at her. ‘Do you know that passage: “Consider the lily how it grows? It toils not neither does it spin. Yet Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.”’

‘Nice,’ she murmured, trying not to show how much the words affected her. ‘But this lily has to toil.’

‘You’re as refreshing as a flower of the field, though, Lily,’ he said softly.

Before she had time to digest the compliment, a voice said, ‘You’ll be turning her head, young man.’ They had not heard Dora enter and turned to look at her. ‘You know your Bible then?’ She placed a tray on a drop-leaf table. Her apron had been removed, showing the fancy tucking on a long black-velvet dress. ‘What are you, young man? Not a papist, I hope. I won’t have any of them here. Ungodly lot them Irish.’

‘I’m an Anglican,’ he said calmly.

Dora sniffed. ‘They’re almost as bad. Give me religion plain and simple. I don’t know what made our Lily stay with your lot. I’m just glad Mother and Father know nowt of it. Otherwise they’d be spinning in their graves.’ She left the room.

‘She means it,’ whispered Lily, sitting on the leather sofa by the window. ‘You’ll be glad to get out after half an hour. She’ll be winkling every bit of information out of you she can.’

‘Where does your father fit into all this?’ said Matt, seating himself next to her and staring round the enormous room.

‘He doesn’t. He insulted Aunt Dora when he was drunk. It was a fool thing to do because she can be very generous when she wants.’

‘And when she doesn’t her brother begs on the street?’

Lily reddened. ‘Ben wasn’t sure you’d noticed. I don’t know what to do about him,’ she said in a rush. ‘I give him very little money because we can’t afford to waste it. He was left hardly anything when Grandfather died because of his drinking.’

‘No wonder you dream of faraway places,’ said Matt, his eyes gazing straight into hers.

She felt a warmth inside her. ‘Is it so obvious?’

‘To me it is.’ He leaned forward and although his lips barely brushed hers, she had time to notice how firm they were and would have liked to prolong the experience.

A loud sniff startled them apart. ‘I won’t have any canoodling here, young man. And, Lily, you should know better at your age.’ Dora began to pour tea.

With a glint in his eyes, Matt said to Lily, ‘How old are you?’

‘Twenty-five.’

‘I’d say that’s old enough to canoodle.’

Dora frowned. ‘What are you, young man? How do you earn your brass?’

‘I’m a preacher and missionary, Miss Thorpe.’

Dora sat down abruptly on a straight-backed chair. ‘Eh, now, young man! I hope you’re not serious about our Lily? She can’t be waltzing off here and there. It’s her duty to look after our Albert and that’s all there is to it. You being a clergyman you’ll understand about duty and leave her alone now, won’t you?’

‘My intentions aren’t important,’ said Matt, looking amused. ‘But if it’s God’s will Lily’s future lies with me, then that’s another matter.’

For once Dora Thorpe was flabbergasted and so was Lily. What could he mean? Did he mean what it sounded like? Whatever he meant, his words had brought alive the memory of that never quite forgotten dream of travel and adventure and her thoughts and emotions were in utter turmoil.

It was not until they were walking up the lane to the tram stop that Lily felt able to say to Matt, ‘Did you mean what you said to my aunt?’

He gazed down at her with an expression she could not quite read. ‘Which what? You mean about God’s will?’

‘Yes!’ That would do for starters. She felt excitement surging inside her. ‘Believe it or not, Matt, I wanted to be a missionary once but Mam died and I thought it only right to take her place.’

‘And now?’

‘I’d like to go before it’s too late. There’s Ronnie and May and Dad, of course, and I’m not qualified for anything but milking cows.’

‘I think you’re qualified in a lot more than that, Lily, You’re a carer, and caring about people is the important thing in my kind of work. It’s not an easy life. You have to be certain that it’s really God’s will and that keeps you going. Are you sure about this, Lily?’

She did not even pause to think again. ‘Oh, I’m sure about it!’ Her eyes looked up into his and she heard his quick intake of breath. The next moment he had lowered his head and their lips met. He removed the basket containing the eggs from her gloved fingers and placed it on the ground, bringing her against him. This time he made a thorough job of kissing her and she responded wholeheartedly.

Eventually he lifted his mouth and said against her ear, ‘I’ve never felt like this about a woman before. Never thought I could demand the sacrifice living my kind of life involves. But it’s different with you. I feel you could cope with anything. You’re wonderful, Lily.’

She was trembling after his kiss but tried to calm herself, though desire to have him repeat the performance was like a plant inside her putting out leaves. ‘There’s nothing so marvellous about me,’ she murmured. ‘God made me the way I am.’

‘He knew what he was doing.’ He brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. ‘Don’t let life ever sour you.’

‘I’ll try not to.’ A small laugh escape her. ‘I can’t believe the way you make me feel!’

‘Perhaps it’s love? Marry me, Lily.’ He lifted her chin and kissed her again.

She felt as if she’d stopped breathing. Marry him! Leave Liverpool and go to Australia! She remembered her dream of those faraway places and without a second thought, as soon as she had breath, said yes.

‘I don’t know if I’m going to enjoy today,’ said Ben, shrugging on an old tweed overcoat.

‘Why? What’s different about today?’ asked Daisy, lifting her gaze from the
Red Star
propped against the teapot.

He ignored the question and nudged Lily, who was staring into space. ‘What time did he say he’d get here?’

‘What?’ Lily’s eyes slowly focused on her brother’s face. She was wondering what had come over her yesterday. Was she in love with Matt? Did he love her? Neither of them had actually said the words: I love you.

‘Matt! You saw him last. What time’s he coming?’

‘Half-eight. Is that all right?’

‘It’s fine by me. I don’t know how Dad’ll feel. Despite the cold he wants to come with me again.’ He pulled on his cap. ‘By the way, was anything said about the replacement cow? Bluebell’s running dry now.’

‘Sorry, I forgot to ask.’

‘You forgot! That’s not like you.’ He groaned. ‘I’ll mention it to Uncle William again.’

‘She forgot to wash my best blouse, too,’ said Daisy, shaking her head. ‘I don’t know what’s got into her.’

Lily came completely down to earth and said crossly, ‘I do have a lot on my plate! I can’t be remembering everything!’

‘All right, all right! Keep you hair on,’ said Daisy, folding her women’s magazine and shoving it in her bag. ‘It’s not like you to lose your rag. You’re not sickening for something, are you? Because I can’t afford to stay off work.’

‘You might have to if I wasn’t here,’ said Lily, placing the porridge pan on the stove as she heard Ronnie’s feet thudding down the stairs.

Brother and sister stared at her. ‘Where were you planning on going?’ they said in unison.

Immediately Lily wished the words back. ‘Nowhere! I was just thinking you should never take people for granted.’

‘Ahhh! You poor thing.’ Daisy placed an arm around her. ‘You mustn’t let Dad or the weather get you down. If only wishes had wings we could fly off to the sun.’

‘Don’t talk so daft,’ said Ben, raising his eyes ceilingwards. ‘She fancies herself in love! That’s what’s wrong with her.’

Lily’s nerves jumped. If it was so obvious to Ben, it must be love but she was not ready to admit it. ‘I do not!’

‘Yes, you do! You’ve got your best dress on under your pinnie because Matt’s coming.’

Before she could give a different reason for wearing her best frock, Ben had opened the door and closed it again.

Daisy stared at Lily, her expression lively and curious. ‘Who’s Matt?’

‘He’s someone connected with the church,’ she said coolly, turning her back on her sister so she could not see her expression. She poured cream into the porridge as Ronnie came into the kitchen.

‘Poor Frank,’ said Daisy, reaching for her coat. ‘How is this Matt connected, and what’s he to do with Ben?’

‘Mind your own business,’ said Lily, wondering why she could not just come out with it and say, he’s that missionary I mentioned but you were out when he called and now he’s asked me to marry him and I’ve said yes. But she could not say it because Daisy would think she’d run mad, and perhaps she had, and she was thinking that she and Matt hardly knew each other and Australia was a long way from Liverpool and her family.

Daisy shrugged on her coat and said sniffily, ‘When you condescend to tell me who he is, I’d like to meet him. I am your sister after all.’

‘You’ll meet him sooner or later.’ Lily stirred the porridge with unusual vigor. ‘Now are you going to work or not?’

‘Of course I am. Although I still can’t make out what he’s got to do with Ben who hardly ever sets foot inside the church.’

Lily decided a little bit of information would not hurt and might sweeten her sister. ‘He’s showing him Liverpool. Now go to work. I’ve got to get Dad up.’

‘Meanie, not telling me any more.’ Daisy blew a kiss and went out.

Lily breathed easier and placed a bowl in front of Ronnie. ‘Where’s our May?’

‘She said she’s dying.’

‘Oh, aye!’ she said drily and left the room.

Not even a curl showed above the bedcovers. ‘What have you got this time?’

May coughed. ‘Double pewmonia.’

‘Trust you. I might have believed it if you’d said ordinary pneumonia.’ Lily was amused but she did not allow it to show as she dragged off the covers. ‘Now up! Tomorrow’s Saturday and you can have an extra half-hour then.’ May groaned but rolled out of bed.

Lily was halfway along the landing to Albert’s room when it struck her if she left him sleeping he might not wake up in time to go with Ben. It could save the family more embarrassment because there was no doubt he’d have a face on him when he set eyes on Matt. She crept downstairs but halfway recalled Matthew glancing round Aunt Dora’s posh kitchen and saying, ‘Where does your father fit into all this?’ She remembered all the nice things he had said about her, and suffused by guilt she went and shook Albert awake.

By the time her father came sliding on his bottom downstairs it was twenty-five to nine and Lily had been to the shop door six times to glance up and down the street. Still Matt had not come.

‘Porridge, Dad?’ She tried to sound cheerful.

‘No thanks, girl. Just a mug of tea, good and strong, and maybe an egg with a piece of fried bread.’

Lily put the frying pan on, broke an egg into it and hurried Ronnie and May out of the house. She stood a moment, keyed up for that first glimpse of Matt, but there was still no sign of him. Perhaps he was regretting what he had said and wasn’t coming? She realised how much she did want to see him.

It was as the clock stood at quarter past nine and Albert was draining his mug for the second time that Ben entered the house. He glanced at his father, then Lily. ‘Where is he?’

‘I don’t know.’ She tried to sound casual as if Matt’s non-arrival was of no importance.

He rasped his chin with a fingernail. ‘I can’t hang around, Lil.’

‘Where’s who?’ said Albert.

‘Nobody,’ said Lily, giving her brother a look that dared him to say anything about Matt. Ben got the message and was silent.

‘The invisible man, is it?’ said Albert sarcastically, lifting himself onto his crutches. He sniffed and stumped out.

Where was Matt? pondered Lily as she watched them go up the street. A sigh escaped her but there was no use moping about so she removed her best dress, put on a working one and wellies and went to muck out the shippon.

She was washing her hands when there was a banging on the door and a voice shouted through the letter box, ‘Are yer there, lass?’

‘Hello, Uncle William.’ She smiled up at the large red-faced man in well-worn, thick worsted check trousers and a jacket that almost matched. ‘I wondered if you’d come.’

‘Well, wonder no more, I’m here, lass.’ He grinned, revealing a mouthful of teeth as large as his smile, and placed a heavy brown paper parcel in her arms. ‘Dora said you might be feeling the strain of looking after our Albert and the youngsters. There’s a couple of her lamb hotpot pies in there as well as apple and plum tarts. You’re to bring the family for Easter dinner, as well.’