‘Yes, I’m Mike.’
Mike had taken off his cap and was trying to take in the effect of the surroundings. The hall was beautifully lit. There was a roaring fire at one end of it and holly was draped round the top of the pictures.
A man was coming towards them, saying, ‘I’m Bert Ormesby.’ Then a girl was shaking his hand saying, ‘I’m Katie. Remember? Throw your cap down there,’ and she pointed to a chair; and turning to Daisy she said, ‘Take your coat off, Daisy. You’ll feel the benefit of it when you go out.’
‘We’re not staying,’ Daisy said, ‘we just came…’
‘You’ve just come, girl. Mam!’ Katie was yelling up the stairs now.
‘What’s all the fuss?’ added a big booming voice from the drawing room; and Willie called back, ‘It’s Daisy and her brother, Dad!’
‘Oh, well, I’m not getting off these steps again until I get this damn thing fixed.’ Bill was perched halfway up some standing steps. And then at the top of his voice, he yelled, ‘Fiona!’
But Fiona, followed by Nell, was already hurrying down the stairs, and on seeing Daisy, she called ‘Why, hello there! This is a nice surprise.’ And it certainly was when, as Daisy said, ‘This is my brother, Mike,’ he said, ‘How d’you do, ma’am.’
‘Very well, Mike. It’s nice to meet you.’
Daisy was smiling from one to the other now: she was proud of Mike. He hadn’t said, ‘Pleased to meet yer,’ but, ‘How d’you do, ma’am.’ That was nice.
When they entered the drawing room Bill was stepping onto the floor, and he looked down the room and cried, ‘Oh, hello there, Minnehaha!’ And she, moving towards him and her face bright now, retorted, ‘Hello, Big Loud Buffalo Horn!’ The whole room became alive with laughter, and Bill stood with head lowered and bobbing as if talking to himself, while at the same time drawing tightly on his lower lip to suppress his own laughter.
When he cried at her, ‘What d’you want here at this time of night?’ She answered, ‘I’m after a loan,’ which caused more laughter.
Bill now turned to Mike, who was standing with a look of amazement on his face. He was seeing his sister in a different guise and he couldn’t believe it, not her coming back at this man. Bill was now confronting him, saying, ‘And which one of the tribe are you?’
‘I’m Mike, sir; and we’ve only dropped in to…well, to try to express our thanks, my mam and dad’s, for all your kindness.’ He cast his glance towards Fiona. ‘You don’t know…well…’ As he swallowed deeply, Bill said harshly, ‘Look, as I said, that debt can never be paid. That was nothing.’ Then he was surprised to hear this young fella come back at him, saying, ‘It might be to you, sir, but to our family it was indeed a gift from the gods, as also’—again he swallowed—‘was my letter.’
‘Oh! Oh, that. Well, we’ll talk about that on the third of January. That’s another thing.’ He now nodded around his family; then his eyes coming to rest on Bert Ormesby, he said, ‘It’s a bloody scandal…’
‘Bill!’
‘All right, woman, all right. Anyway, I repeat to you, Ormesby, it is a scandal: weather dry as a bone; they could have been working this week. No, they have to have a holiday…to the third, mind. No good expecting your lot back on Boxing Day, is it? Or even the day after? But, let me tell you, if they’re not there on the third…well, they’ll know what to expect.’
‘Bill, this is Christmas. Will you forget about work! Look sit down. Please, sit down.’ Fiona pointed to the couch.
Daisy’s voice was different now as she addressed Fiona, saying, ‘We just dropped in, Mrs Bailey, just to convey my mam and dad’s thanks. He would have come himself, me dad, but he’s not well.’
‘And…and we’ve got a taxi waiting.’
‘Oh, begod! You’ve got a taxi waiting. Well…’ Bill now pointed to Willie, saying, ‘Get outside and tell them…have you paid him?’ He was now looking at Daisy who answered, ‘No, but I’m going to when we get back.’
‘You’re not going back yet, miss. Look, get outside, Willie, and see to it.’
‘Please!’ Mike’s voice was low but firm. ‘I’ll…I’ll see to him. I happen to know him.’
‘Well, go on then, do it!’ Bill jerked his head, and Mike went out.
Then, looking at Katie, Bill said, ‘Is Nell still in the kitchen?’
It was Fiona who answered, ‘No, she’s up in the nursery arranging a cot for Andrew.’
At this Bill turned a steely gaze on Bert, saying, ‘Why don’t you two and your offspring move in altogether? Your own house must be going mouldy.’
‘Yes. Yes, Bill, it is. Now you’ve said it, exactly what I said to Nell: our house is going mouldy because we’re at the beck and call of that fella and his needs. Oh, for the day when I come back from work and find my wife in her rightful place.’
‘What’s that?’ Nell was coming into the drawing room now and she put in, ‘I’m always there when you come back from work. What are you talking about? What I do with my mornings and evenings is my affair; but I’m always there.’
When Mike came back it was into a babble of voices exchanging what appeared to be insults. Slowly he made his way to where Daisy was sitting on the couch and sat down beside her; and almost instantly Katie, too, flopped down by him, exclaiming, ‘It’s no use me apologising. The only word for this family is not bad-mannered, but uncouth. That’s the word, uncouth. Anyway, it’s very nice of you to come.’ But Mike didn’t answer her; he just stared at her. Then Fiona, who was sitting in a chair to the side of the fireplace looked at them, saying, ‘We’ll have Sammy home tomorrow; at least, I hope so. He hates the idea of a wheelchair, but as I said, better a wheelchair here than a wheelchair there, to which his retort was, that was the place for wheelchairs, not here.’ Then she added, ‘Would you like a drink? Sherry?’ She looked at Daisy, then turned her gaze on Mike and suggested, ‘Something stiffer? Or a coffee or tea?’
‘Oh, for the Lord’s sake don’t bring in coffee or tea again,’ Bill said. ‘I want something to drink. Look, let the females have what they want.’ He was now bending down towards Mike, saying, ‘What’s your poison? Mine’s whisky.’
‘Suits me fine, sir, whisky. Yes.’
‘Well, that’s settled. Your weak-kneed sister here will likely want tea.’
‘His weak-kneed sister would like a gin.’
‘No!’ Mike’s voice had become loud and he looked around apologetically. Then, nodding up at Bill, he said, ‘She’s only trying to be clever.’
‘I’m not, our Mike. I’ve had a gin, haven’t I, Willie?’ She looked across at Willie who was smiling widely at her. And he nodded and said, ‘Yes.’
Looking at her son, Fiona asked in a stiff tone, ‘When did you have gin?’
‘We all had a gin one night. Well, Jimmy, that’s one of the instructors, and Sammy, and Katie, and…well, Daisy and me; after the practice we all went into Jimmy’s club and had gins.’
‘Well! Well!’
They looked at Bill, and Willie nodded at him and said, ‘Yes, gin and lime.’
‘So, what are you going to do about it, our Mike?’ Daisy asked. ‘Going to tell me da?’
Mike did not answer his sister but looked across at Fiona and said, ‘Our…dad can drink like a whale. Yet he can’t bear to see me mam having a drink. A glass of beer, yes, but never spirits. Our elder sister was banned from the house because she took to it…’
‘Oh! It wasn’t through that, our Mike,’ Daisy cut in. Then she looked across at Fiona and explained, ‘It was because she was fool enough to come back the second time in a certain condition.’
At this Katie, turning to Daisy, almost spluttered, ‘And it wasn’t St Michael the Archangel this time, was it?’ At which Daisy pushed her as she said on a high laugh, ‘No, it wasn’t. You remember that…from our first meeting? I was in a hell of a…’ Quickly she closed her eyes, gulped again, then cast a glance around the company. And her gaze coming to rest on Bill, she said, ‘Well, I was, I
was in a devil of a stew that night. There had been divil’s fagarties in the house.’
The room seemed to rock with laughter, and Bill, wiping his cheeks quickly with his hand, said, ‘I want that drink. We all want a drink,’ before muttering again, ‘Divil’s fagarties! It’s years since I heard that one, divil’s fagarties.’
The laughter subsided; Mike looked at Fiona and said, ‘There’s always one in the family that lets you down. You know what I mean, Mrs Bailey?’
The laughter still rumbling in her throat, Fiona didn’t answer him for a moment, then she said, ‘Well, it all depends, Mike, on what you mean by letting down.’
Daisy did not take this up directly but, looking at Nell, she said, ‘There’s so many hypocrites kicking about, don’t you think?’
Nell, rather surprised by the question being directed to her, answered, ‘Yes. Yes, you’re right. Hypocrites, yes.’
‘Well, no-one could take you for one, could they, Daisy?’ said Willie, and she came back at him quickly, saying, ‘You’re getting at my gear again, aren’t you?’
‘No. No.’
Daisy turned to Fiona and said, ‘He’s half ashamed to be seen with me in the street. It’s all right when the others are there.’
His face straight now, Willie said sharply, ‘Don’t talk nonsense! I’m not! I’m not!’ and Mike added, ‘It wouldn’t be surprising if he was ashamed to be seen with you. Who could blame him? And you know what Da’s threatened to do with your gear?’ His gaze was soft on her as he added, ‘And he will one of these days, mind.’ He now turned to Fiona, saying, ‘He’s threatened to burn the lot.’
‘Yes’—Daisy was nodding back at him—‘and you know what I told him I’d do. And I would. I’d walk out starkers, or wearing anything he had left me.’
They were all roaring as Bill entered the room, carrying a large tray of drinks. ‘What’s that about starkers?’ he bawled.
Bubbling, Katie answered him, ‘Daisy and I are going to run starkers across the cricket field one of these days, just to give the old fogies a treat.’
‘Oh, that will be nice. Let me know when you’re prepared to do it, and I’ll join them.’
Endeavouring to change the subject, Fiona asked of Mike, ‘You keep Christmas Day just for the family?’
‘Yes,’ said Mike; ‘but this one will be different. Oh, so different.’ He moved his head from side to side, and they all knew he was again expressing his thanks.
As Bill handed Daisy her glass, he asked her, ‘How old are you?’ And she, repeating his question, ‘How old am I?’ said, ‘Well, Mr Bailey, in twenty years’ time I shall be thirty-seven. That answer would be called facetious, wouldn’t it, Katie?’ And Katie, her eyes wet with laughter, answered, ‘Yes. Yes, I suppose, Daisy, you could say that. But it was right on the spot.’
Making an uneasy movement on the couch and, drawing himself to the edge, Mike drank the last of the whisky from his glass before addressing Bill, and saying, ‘We’d better be on our way, sir; we’re holding things up. You were all very busy. Come on, up with you!’ And he put a hand out to Daisy. ‘You’ve done enough backchatting.’
Daisy drew herself to her feet, and looking towards Fiona, she said, ‘I always do what I’m told.’
When Fiona smiled and Willie laughed outright, Bill said, ‘Why didn’t you bring your minder with you?’
‘Minder?’ Willie was no longer laughing. ‘What d’you mean, her minder?’
‘Well, she told me she had a minder, like that Cockney bloke on the television.’
Mike was looking at Daisy now and he gave a short laugh as he said, ‘Minder? Who is your minder?’
‘Jimmy.’
‘Jimmy Redding?’
Before Daisy could speak again, Willie put in, ‘He…he’s an instructor. Well, part of the time he’s just an instructor; he’s also a friend.’
‘He’s my guru.’ Daisy’s face had lost its smile now and she glanced round the company, but she looked at Willie again as she added, ‘He took me in hand when I was twelve, and since then, what he says goes.’ They were all staring at her now. ‘Well, I mean, up to a point.’
This caused Mike to shake his head and say, ‘It’s the first I’ve heard of it.’ Then he added, ‘The point, I suppose, is stopped at your rig-out.’
A short silence ensued, until Willie broke it, saying, ‘Jimmy’s a pal to everybody. He helps in the boys’ club; he’s likely minder to all of them.’
Daisy now nodded towards him, saying, ‘I shouldn’t be surprised. He’s like that.’
A further embarrassing silence was prevented when Bert said, ‘Well, it’s my turn for washing up, I’m told by Mrs Ormesby; so, if you don’t object, I’ll have your glasses.’
Looking at Fiona, Nell said, ‘He does go on, doesn’t he? But I’d better go and do my own clearing up if I want it done properly.’ Then, turning to where Mike and Daisy were now standing, she said, ‘I’ll say goodnight. You see how things are; you’ve got to work for your grub in this house, let me tell you. Anyway, we’ll be seeing you.’ She smiled from the one to the other. And Bert, stepping towards them, said quietly, ‘Never get married if you can help it. Jimmy’ll make a good minder, Daisy, nobody better. He has a family of his own to see to, and he does a good job there.’ He held out his hand to Mike, saying, ‘Be seeing you. Oh, by the way, d’you have any spare time?’
‘I’ve had a great deal of it up till now.’
‘Well, if you’ve ever got any you don’t want, I’d be glad of it.’
‘Get yourself into the kitchen, you!’ It was a bawl now from Bill. ‘He’s starting work after the holidays.’
A few minutes later they were all in the hall and Bill, pulling on an overcoat, said, ‘I won’t be a minute; I’ll get the car out.’
He had just left the hall when the attention of the others was drawn to the stairs and to Mark slowly descending them.
When he paused on the second step Fiona called to him, ‘Finished, dear?’
‘Yes, Mam, for the present.’ He stepped down into the hall and looked towards Mike and Daisy, and Fiona, taking him by the arm, led him towards them. ‘You have met Daisy,’ she said, ‘but this is her brother Mike.’
Mike held out his hand and it seemed that Mark hesitated for a second before taking it and saying, ‘How d’you do?’ And this time Mike responded with, ‘Pleased to meet you.’
‘Dad’s just gone to get the car,’ Fiona explained.
‘You swotting?’ Daisy asked.
There was another pause before Mark answered her, ‘Yes. Yes, you could say that; swotting.’
‘I used to swot when I was working for my GCSEs, didn’t I, Mike?’
‘Well, you went through a great many books, as I remember, and your temper was worse than usual.’
‘Yes, it was,’ she acknowledged, and straight away nodded towards Fiona and said, ‘Goodbye, Mrs Bailey, and a happy Christmas. And thank you once again for…for everything you have done for the family.’
‘Yes. Yes, I second that, and I speak for everybody in our house,’ added Mike.
‘Oh, say no more about it,’ said Fiona. ‘It made us happy to do it. As my husband said, we’ll always be in your debt, and Sammy, too. Oh, yes, Sammy, too.’
‘Could I come across next week and see him?’
‘Of course! Of course! Any time.’
Immediately Katie commented, ‘If you didn’t he’d be sending for you…and you, too.’ She nodded at Mike.
The loud blast from the car made Fiona bustle them all to the door, saying, ‘Oh, whatever you do, don’t keep him waiting,’ and Daisy and Mike went out on a chorus of goodnights and Happy Christmases all round …
‘She’s a character, isn’t she?’ Nell was walking by Fiona’s side now. And when Fiona said, ‘I’ll say. I’ve never met anyone like her,’ it was Mark who took it.
‘I shouldn’t imagine you would, Mam,’ he said.
‘What d’you mean by that?’ Willie turned on hi
s brother as he was entering the drawing room, and Mark answered, ‘Just what I said. Shockers like her are ten a penny…Who you pushing? What’s the matter with you?’
‘Nothing’s the matter with me, big fella, but something’s the matter with you. You can’t see further than your nose. And let me tell you that some of the shockers, as you call them, could beat you for brains any day. If they’d had half the chances you had they wouldn’t have fluffed like you did last year.’
‘I didn’t fluff last year.’
‘Willie! Mark! Stop it! Stop it this minute.’
It seemed that neither of them heard their mother, for they took no notice and stood just within the door, facing each other. And Willie, his voice now loud, cried, ‘If Daisy had been in your place, she blooming well would have got more than Cs. As she said, you’re swotting, yes, and you have to keep at it if you’re ever to be fit to join your uppish friend in the London hospital. You’re an upstart stinker, that’s what you are…’ Nell had gripped Willie by the shoulder and was pulling him back into the hall, saying now, ‘Give over! Else I’ll swipe you one meself.’
And as Fiona banged the drawing-room door closed, saying ‘What’s come over Willie?’ Katie put in, ‘It isn’t what’s come over Willie, Mam, it’s what’s come over him.’ She thumbed towards Mark, and he rounded on her, saying, ‘Now you start and I’ll soon put you in your place.’
‘Mark! Stop it, this very minute!’
‘Oh, leave him alone, Mam. Leave him alone. As for putting me in my place, he would need some spunk, and that’s what you’re lacking, isn’t it, Master Mark? And I’ll say as Willie said and add a bit more, if you’d had half the brains of that shocker, as you called her, you would have come through on top.’
The Bondage of Love Page 18
