Stay as Sweet as You Are (50 page)

‘Lucy, love, there’s no way I’ll ever come back to that house once I leave. It’ll have to be a clean break.’

In her mind, Lucy didn’t agree. She had this feeling that one day her mother would leave, and she and her dad would be back together in their own home. If there was any justice in the world, that’s what should happen. But she thought it was wise to keep her thoughts to herself. ‘Okay, Dad, we’ll do as yer say. If you’ve got the offer of lodgings, then take it while yer’ve got the chance. If yer let it go, yer might be ages finding somewhere else. But I’ll stay at home until yer’ve found a place for us to be together.’

‘Yer can come here, sweetheart,’ Aggie said. ‘I’d love to
have yer, yer’d be company for me.’

‘Thanks, Mrs Aggie, but I’d rather stay put. Yer see, that’s my home, and I’m not letting me mam drive me away from it.’

The three adults exchanged surprised glances. Lucy was showing a strength and determination she’d never shown before. And each of them knew that if they talked to her until they were blue in the face, they wouldn’t change her mind. Aggie was silently applauding the girl for standing firm. For the old woman still stood by the prediction she’d made – that Bob would one day find true happiness. And she’d never thought his happiness would be anywhere else but in his own little house. ‘I’d give it a try, Bob, if that’s what the girl wants. After all, me and Irene would always be close at hand.’

Lucy slipped her arm through Bob’s and squeezed. ‘Yer see, Dad, I wouldn’t come to no harm with all me friends around. In fact, Mrs Aggie and Mrs Pollard will be sick of the sight of me before long.’

‘That’s something that will never happen, sunshine,’ Irene said. ‘I could take a lot of you without ever getting fed up.’ She cast her eyes on Bob, who looked as though he didn’t know what to do for the best. ‘Give it a go, Bob, and see how it works out. After all, it’s not as though yer’ll never see each other again.’

‘I’ll tell yer what. It’s Saturday tomorrow, me last morning shift. And you haven’t got to go to school, pet, so we could go together to see what this room’s like. And to find out what sort of a landlady I’d have. I believe some of them can be real strict. Mind you, if she’s anything like her daughter she’ll suit me fine.’

‘Ooh, yeah, I’d like that, Dad.’

‘I’ll come home and get changed, ’cos I’ve got to make a good impression, haven’t I? Then we’ll pay the lady a visit.’

‘Can we come?’ Aggie asked. ‘Me and Irene would like to meet this Kate.’

‘I don’t think so, Aggie. Some other time perhaps. If I turned up with you two, the woman would think I couldn’t look after meself.’

‘Is the lady who’s going to be yer landlady called Kate, Dad?’

‘No, pet, I don’t know the lady’s name. Kate is her daughter.’

‘I’m not half nervous, Dad, me tummy’s turning over.’ Lucy was walking along Stanley Road with her father, their joined hands swinging between them. ‘And me teeth are chattering like mad.’

‘Yer’ll be all right, pet. The woman I work with, Kate, said she’d try and be there with her daughter. She’s the same age as you, so yer’ll have someone to talk to.’ Bob stopped at the end of a side street and checked the name sign on the wall. ‘Primrose Street, this is it. Now we need to look for number twenty-three.’

Lucy pulled on his hand. ‘Dad, I think that woman’s waving to us.’

A smile crossed Bob’s face when he saw Kate standing on the pavement outside a house about eight doors away. ‘That’s the woman I work with, pet, the one I was telling yer about.’

‘Ooh, er, me nerves have gone mad.’

‘After the first two minutes yer’ll be wondering what yer were worried about.’ Bob put his arm across her shoulders and coaxed her along. ‘Kate, this is me daughter, Lucy.’

‘Oh, I’ve heard a lot about you. Yer dad’s always talking about yer.’ Kate held out her hand. ‘It’s nice to meet yer at last.’

Lucy liked her on sight. The smile was so warm and friendly it calmed her nerves, and the chattering of her teeth slowed down. She gripped the outstretched hand. ‘I’m very
pleased to meet yer, Mrs Kate.’

‘Come inside and meet me daughter, Iris. And me mam, who’s been polishing the furniture so hard she’s nearly worn it away. It didn’t need cleaning ’cos she keeps it like a new pin, but she’s a real fussy boots. As soon as I told her yer were coming, out came her mobcap and her polish and dusters. Plus loads of elbow grease.’

Bob held his daughter’s hand tightly as they stepped into the tiny hall, then into the living room. He was feeling a bit nervous himself, but not for the world would he let Lucy see. In the two seconds it took for the older woman to leave her chair, his eyes had taken stock of the room. It reminded him of Aggie’s. Spotlessly clean and tidy, yet homely. A room where a speck of dust would love to settle and make itself comfortable, but wasn’t allowed to.

‘Bob, this is me mam, Nellie Carson.’

‘It’s nice to meet yer, Mrs Carson.’ Bob smiled at the small, stocky woman whose hair was steel grey and had a natural wave. He could see where Kate got her looks from, they were very alike. ‘I hope yer didn’t go to any trouble on my behalf.’

‘Not at all, lad! I’ve only been up since the crack of dawn slaving away with me mop and bucket and me dusters.’ There was a twinkle in the hazel eyes. ‘I hope yer didn’t stand on me step on yer way in, ’cos that got the scrubbing of its life at seven this morning.’

Bob rolled his eyes. ‘Oh dear, I might have done.’

‘Don’t take any notice of her, Bob, she’s pulling yer leg,’ Kate said, giving her mother a fond look. ‘Anyway, Mam, this is his daughter, Lucy.’

‘Hello, queen. My, ye’re a pretty little thing, aren’t yer? And there’s another pretty girl been waiting to meet yer, but the cat got her tongue all of a sudden and she’s hiding in the kitchen.’

‘Come on in, Iris,’ Kate called. ‘Don’t be silly.’

‘Shall I go out there to her?’ Lucy asked. ‘She might be
shy.’ And without waiting for an answer, she walked on through to the kitchen while the three grown-ups, as though by silent agreement, stood and listened.

‘Hiya! I’m Lucy. Me dad said you and me are the same age.’

‘Yeah, me mam told me. My name’s Iris.’

‘That’s a lovely name, that is. It must be nice to be called after a flower, and live in a street what’s got a flower’s name, too.’

‘Oh, this is me nan’s house, I don’t live in this street. Me and me mam don’t live far away, though, only two minutes’ walk.’

‘What school do yer go to, Iris?’

Three faces grinned. ‘They’ll be all right now,’ Nellie said. ‘We’ll leave them for a while to get to know each other, then I’ll put the kettle on. In the meantime, Bob, would yer like to see the bedroom?’

‘If it’s not too much trouble, Mrs Carson.’

‘Call me Nellie, lad, everyone else does.’

Lucy appeared at the kitchen door. ‘Can I call yer Mrs Nellie, please?’

‘Of course yer can, queen. I’d like that.’

‘Yer see, yer remind me of one of the neighbours in our street. I call her Mrs Aggie, and she’s one of me very best friends.’

‘Well, seeing as yer’ve privileged me by calling me Mrs Nellie, perhaps you and me can become very best friends.’

‘Yeah, I’d like that.’ Lucy grinned. ‘I’ll go and talk to Iris while me dad looks at the bedroom.’ My father would be well looked after here, she thought. They’re nice, kind people and they’d take good care of him until he can come home again. ‘I’m sure he’ll like it.’ With that she disappeared into the kitchen and the two girls could be heard chattering away in good style.

‘I’ll stay down here,’ Kate said, knowing she would feel embarrassed if Bob decided to take the room and asked what
the weekly charge was. ‘It’s not a big room and three in there would be a crowd.’

‘Come on, lad.’ Nellie jerked her head. ‘Yer’ll have to be patient ’cos me legs are not as young as yours, and the stairs are narrow and steep.’

She gripped the side bannister with both hands and pulled herself up each stair. When she reached the landing she stood for a moment to get her breath back. ‘This is the room, lad.’ She threw open one of the two doors and waved Bob inside. ‘It’s nothing to write home about, but it’s any port in a storm, eh?’

There was a small, iron single bed with wooden headboards facing the door. To the side of it was a tallboy, and behind the door a single wardrobe. The furniture was old but so highly polished you could see your face in it. It was easy to see it had been tended over the years with loving care. ‘It’s just the job, Nellie,’ Bob said. ‘Just what I wanted.’

‘I haven’t got enough bedding, I’m afraid, but Kate said she’ll help me out.’

‘There’s no need,’ Bob told her. ‘I can bring a pair of sheets, a blanket and a pillow with me. And a couple of pillowslips. So we’ll manage all right.’

Nellie looked at him through narrowed eyes. ‘Kate’s told me a bit about yer. She said yer’ve been having a bad time.’

‘That’s putting it mildly. My life’s been hell for years now, but recently my wife has stepped over the boundary of decency and I can’t accept that.’

‘I should bleedin’ well think not!’ Nellie put a hand over her mouth. ‘I’m sorry, lad, I don’t usually swear. Not in front of visitors, anyway. Our Kate would have been mortified if she’d been here and heard that.’

‘Then we won’t tell her, eh? Anyway, that’s nothing to what I’m used to. My wife can’t open her mouth without cursing and blaspheming.’ Bob gazed around the room once more. ‘Can I ask how much a week it’ll be?’

‘D’yer want full board? Breakfast, carry-out and dinner?’

‘I don’t want yer to be put to too much trouble, Nellie, not on my account. If I can have the room, I’ll fend for meself for food. I know yer help Kate a lot, so yer’ve got yer work cut out as it is, without me adding to it.’

‘Don’t be daft, lad! What’s a couple of rounds of toast in the morning? And if I’m making a pan of stew, one extra won’t make no matter.’ Nellie cupped her chin in a hand and looked thoughtful. ‘How about eight shillings a week, all found? That’s yer bed, food and washing.’

Bob shook his head. ‘That’s not enough. Yer’d be out of pocket.’

‘Not on yer life I wouldn’t. I’m not daft, lad, I know what I’m doing. I get me dolly tub out every Monday, but it’s hardly worth the effort with the few things I’ve got to wash. So it’ll cost me nothing to throw yours in as well. And Kate will tell yer I’m very good in the kitchen. I can make a dinner out of practically nothing. So I’ll be making a few bob on yer, lad, and I’ll be able to get blind drunk every night.’

Bob chuckled. Kate was always talking about her mother, so he knew more about her than she thought. ‘So, yer like a drink, do yer?’

‘Aye, I do that, lad, and yer can’t beat it. A nice cup of strong tea with two sugars in. Best drink in the world.’ Nellie studied him for a brief moment. He was handsome all right, just as Kate said he was. And she knew enough about people to know the man who was standing in her bedroom, who she hoped was going to be her lodger, was decent through and through. ‘Well, are my terms acceptable to yer, Mr Mellor?’

‘More than acceptable, Mrs Carson. When can I move in?’

‘Whenever yer like. Apart from a bit of bedding which yer said yer could bring, the room’s ready for yer.’

‘Would tomorrow be too soon? I’m off work now until I start afternoon shifts on Monday, so I’d have all day tomorrow to bring me bits and pieces and settle in. That’s if it’s all right with you?’

‘It’s fine by me.’ Nellie wondered whether to mention what
she was thinking or leave well alone. But Bob didn’t look the sort to get offended, so she said, ‘Yer could kill two birds with one stone, if yer did that. Kate said yer’d like some advice off Howard – well, him and Audrey will be here tomorrow afternoon so yer could have a word with him yerself. They come for tea every Sunday.’

‘Wouldn’t that look a bit cheeky? First I ask Kate for help, then you, and now this Howard is being dragged into me problems.’

‘If he can help yer, he will. He’s a lovely bloke, is Howard. Speaks frightfully far back, like, but yer can’t blame him for that. It was the way he was brought up.’ Nellie made her way to the top of the stairs. ‘Let’s go down and tell Kate the news. I know she’ll be on pins.’

Kate was sitting on the couch with her hands folded on her knees. When her mother told her it was all fixed up for the next day, her mouth turned up at the corners in the gentle smile that Bob looked forward to seeing every day as he faced her across the canteen table. ‘I’m very glad for yer, Bob.’

‘And I’m very grateful to you, Kate, and to yer mother. I think I’ve really hopped in lucky.’ Bob glanced towards the kitchen where he could hear the two young girls still nattering away. ‘Lucy, will yer come in, please?’

There was some hurried whispering, then Lucy came in leading Kate’s daughter. ‘This is Iris, Dad, and she’s dead shy.’

Bob looked at the girl who was the same height and build as his daughter. He was expecting to see some resemblance to Kate, but there was none. Iris had long blonde hair and deep blue eyes. Then Bob remembered the day they’d been talking about Kate’s dead husband, and she’d told him her daughter was the spitting image of her father. ‘Hello, Iris, I’m very pleased to meet yer. You and me will be seeing a lot of each other, because I’m coming to live with yer nan.’

Lucy flung her arms around his waist. ‘Yer’ve taken the
room, Dad? Ooh, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. I’m glad yer’ve got somewhere as nice as this to live, but I’m not half going to miss yer. Promise me yer’ll come and see me as often as yer can.’

‘I will, pet.’ Bob stroked her hair. ‘Except when I’m on afternoon shift, I’ll see yer every day, I promise.’

‘Yer can come here as often as yer like to see yer dad, queen,’ Nellie said. ‘The door will always be open for yer.’

Kate beckoned to her daughter to come and sit beside her on the couch. She put her arm across the girl’s shoulders. ‘I’m sure Iris would like yer to come, wouldn’t yer, sweetheart?’

Iris smiled for the first time. ‘I’ve already given Lucy me address and she’s going to come and see me. We leave school on the same day, yer know, Mam. And when we start work we’re going to the pictures together.’