A Christmas to Remember

by Katie Flynn

  As Janine pushed open the spare room door as cautiously as though she expected it to be booby-trapped, he was reminded suddenly of the little girl whose room it had been long ago. When she had left, it had remained a young girl’s room for quite a long time, since Albert was reluctant to believe that she would never return. But after a couple of years he had stripped the posters from the walls and the faded curtains from the window and had parcelled up the toys, books and games, putting them into the attic and telling himself that he would bring them down again when he had grandchildren who would appreciate them. But as though she had read his thoughts and to some extent shared them, Janine turned in the doorway and gave him a lopsided little smile.

  ‘You’ve changed my room, but you’ve made it awful pretty; thanks, Dad,’ she said. ‘Sorry if I’ve been a bit tetchy, but I’m dead tired and longing for my bed.’ As Albert passed her to reach his own room she caught hold of his arm and stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. ‘See you in the mornin’ then, Dad. Night night, sleep tight, make sure the bugs don’t bite.’

  The repetition of the little rhyme touched him as nothing else could, and all his doubts and fears disappeared. They would work something out. Janine didn’t understand how dependent he had become on his friendship with Edie, but once she grew accustomed to the idea all would be well. Telling himself that Janine would be a pleasant addition to their little family, Albert made his way to bed and slept soundly until morning.

  The train drew in to Norwich Thorpe and Tess, who had put on her haversack and hefted her suitcase, descended on to the platform. She had not been able to tell Jonty exactly what time her train would get in and in fact, she thought to herself, it was as well that she had not done so since she had missed a connection and was a good hour and a half later than she should have been. Not expecting to be met, therefore, she was startled when someone took the suitcase from her hand and slung an arm round her shoulders, giving her a quick squeeze. ‘Hello-ello-ello,’ Jonty’s voice said in her ear. ‘Not expecting me? You daft ha’p’orth, how did you mean to get to Bell Farm? Walking?’

  Tess gasped, then reached up impulsively to kiss Jonty’s cheek and promptly rubbed her mouth vigorously. ‘When did you last shave, Jonty Bell?’ she asked accusingly. ‘Don’t say you’re trying to grow a beard!’

  Jonty gave her another squeeze, then put his arm round her and guided her towards the concourse. ‘I haven’t had much time to attend to my personal beauty lately,’ he said, grinning down at her. ‘We’ve all been busy with the preparations for the party, as well as our everyday work. But now you’re here I shall shave every morning and have a bath on Friday nights. I don’t think I smell because Pamela, being a nurse, is awful fussy and she’s not said I pong.’

  ‘I think you smell nice,’ Tess said dreamily, then pulled herself together. This was no way to behave with someone else’s boyfriend. She had been within a cat’s whisker of resting her head against his ancient tweed jacket, for the moment she had set eyes on him she had felt a rush of warmth and affection so strong that she thought he too must be aware of it. Now she pushed him away, half playful, half serious. ‘Oh, Jonty, you smell of stables and cowsheds and hay and straw . . . even a little bit of the horses. Oh, you’ve got a new car; very sporty.’

  Jonty, unlocking the passenger door of a low-slung bright red vehicle, gave the seat a proprietorial pat. ‘That’s it. We call her Ginger, after Ginger Rogers,’ he said, and Tess, who knew him well, could hear the pride he was trying to conceal. As she climbed into the passenger seat a rather disturbing thought occurred to her, but she waited until Jonty was driving out into the road before voicing it.

  ‘Is Pamela on duty? She works at the Norfolk and Norwich, doesn’t she?’ she asked anxiously. ‘Will I meet her? Only no one puts their best bib and tucker on when travelling by train and I got pretty smutty and dirty one way and another . . .’

  ‘No, you won’t meet her this evening,’ Jonty said reassuringly. He drew up at the lights and cast a quick, comprehensive glance at her from top to toe; then grinned. ‘What odd creatures women are! That’s exactly what Pamela said: that she didn’t want to meet you for the first time wearing her nurse’s uniform.’

  Tess leaned back in her seat with a relieved sigh. She told herself that of course she wanted to meet Pamela, but she knew she lied. From the moment that Jonty had put his arm round her she had known, without a shadow of a doubt, that he mattered more to her than anyone else on earth, even more than Gran, and definitely very much more than poor Snowy, though it was scarcely fair to think that since they had not seen one another for the past two years. For all she knew, as her feelings for Jonty had changed, so might her feelings for Snowy.

  The lights changed and Ginger Rogers moved smoothly forward, and the rest of the short journey was punctuated by Tess’s questions and Jonty’s answers. It seemed that things had not changed very much on Bell Farm. Jonty told her that the dairy herd had doubled in size and that there were more store cattle out on the marshes. But when she started to ask questions about the land they had bought from the Larkins next door Jonty said that she would see for herself in due time, and refused to answer any more questions.

  Chapter Thirteen

  AS SOON AS Albert finished his breakfast next morning he tidied round the kitchen and wrote a note for Janine saying that he had left for the pet shop, but that she would find oats, milk and bread in the pantry and must get herself some breakfast. Then, as soon as he had settled Mr Clarke behind the counter, with the float in the till and a list of current prices, he set off for the pet shop, sheltering beneath his large black umbrella, for it was raining steadily. He expected to see Mitch and Elsie, soaked to the skin, waiting outside the door, but as soon as he entered he saw that Edie had come down early to open up. Smiling, he went into the stockroom to hang up his coat and hat and returned to find that Edie had made a pot of tea. She handed him a cup. ‘The children will start the cleaning now you’ve arrived, so as soon as the cages have fresh sawdust we’ll fill the water pots and food dishes,’ she said, peering out through the windowpane. ‘It’s still raining like billyo, so I don’t suppose we’ll have many customers. I take it Mr Clarke has arrived?’

  Albert nodded. ‘He has indeed,’ he admitted. ‘And Mr Clarke isn’t the only one. I had an unexpected visitor last night, and she stayed over. In fact at this very moment she’s probably asleep in my spare room.’

  Edie stared, a puzzled frown on her brow. ‘A woman?’ she said, and Albert heard without comprehension a little quiver in her voice. He also saw a pink flush blotch her neck and invade her cheeks. ‘A woman?’ she repeated. ‘Oh, Albert, what do you mean?’

  Whenever Albert had suggested that he and Edie might enjoy a closer relationship than one of mere friendship Edie had never shown any obvious enthusiasm for the idea, but now, for the first time, Albert could see she was dismayed at the thought of this unknown woman entering their lives. However, he did not mean to prevaricate. ‘Yes, a woman. My daughter Janine,’ he said bluntly. ‘There have been ugly goings-on in America, from what I could gather. Her husband has met an old girlfriend and means to divorce Janine, and his father has thrown her out of the business which she thought was her own. It’s a long and involved story and I’ve not got to the bottom of it yet. All I really know is she’s come running back to her old dad and will expect me to support her until she finds herself a job.’

  There was a stunned silence. Edie was staring at him, her mouth dropping open. Mitch, with the tray that went beneath the guinea pigs’ cage clasped to his chest, was statue still, and Elsie, filling a water pot with the big enamel jug, continued to pour until the water overflowed on to her own small feet.

  Mitch, seeing this, dropped the tray and dived across the shop to grab the jug. Elsie began to weep and Edie to laugh, whilst Albert picked up the tray, handed it to Mitch with a command to take it out the back, and lifted the tearful Elsie on to the counter so that he could remove her wet shoes and socks whilst exp
laining that his daughter’s arrival had been as much of a surprise to him as it was to them.

  ‘She turned up quite late yesterday evening, and to tell you the truth she was in a bit of a state,’ he said. ‘But she calmed down before she went to bed.’

  Edie leaned back, blew out her cheeks in a long whistle and pretended to fan herself. ‘Albert Payne, what a dreadful shock you gave me!’ she declared. ‘I thought either you had gone mad or I had, but I’m sure she’s done the right thing to come home. Is she like you, good with animals? Only if so—’

  ‘No, she’s never had a pet in her life; in fact she’s frightened of animals, or was, at any rate. Louisa once bought her a white kitten; it was a most attractive little creature but Janine couldn’t bear it, so Louisa gave it to Mr Shaw’s daughter – the greengrocer, you know – and I believe it’s still around somewhere.’

  ‘Oh,’ Edie said rather doubtfully, beginning to fill little dishes with bird seed for the canaries and budgerigars. ‘Well, it doesn’t really matter, because no doubt you’ll find her useful in your shop.’ She twinkled across at Albert. ‘She could take care of the fancy goods, particularly the brasses. I know you loathe cleaning them, but you must have noticed that you sell twice as many when they’re gleaming like gold.’

  Albert grinned back. Edie had noticed that other tobacconists sold ornaments, particularly brass ones, and at her suggestion Albert had purchased several such items. He had not really expected them to sell, but they had done so and now brought in a tidy sum.

  ‘That’s a brilliant idea,’ he said. ‘Mr Clarke did offer to come in after Christmas and clean them, but he isn’t terribly good at it. I’ll suggest it to Janine when I see her next – I told her I’d pop back home at around eleven o’clock, so we’ll talk about it then.’

  At eleven o’clock precisely the door to the pet shop opened and Janine came in. Last night, Albert realised, his daughter had not looked her best, but now she had obviously put a good deal of effort into her appearance. She was wearing a dark blue sling-back overcoat which Albert took from her and carried through to the stockroom, noting as he did so that the coat had hidden a smart suit in heather tweed with a pale pink blouse beneath it, worn with a jaunty little matching hat. She carried an umbrella which Albert recognised as the one Mr Clarke had sheltered beneath earlier that morning, and her shoes were very high-heeled and made of black patent leather. Last night, Albert remembered with a wrench, her face had been pale and devoid of make-up, but now her lashes were mascaraed and her nose was powdered, her cheeks were touched with rouge and she wore a great deal of lipstick. In fact, Albert thought, she looked nothing like the young woman he had left outside the door of the spare room the previous night.

  But Janine was looking from face to face, the beginning of a puzzled frown creasing her brow, and Albert remembered that he hadn’t mentioned Mitch or Elsie when discussing the pet shop. Hastily, he took the dripping umbrella, shook it out and furled it, then took Janine’s hand. I was just telling Mrs Williams here that you had come home,’ he said. ‘This is Mrs Edith Williams, Janine, an old friend of mine.’ Edie, who had been sitting on the chair behind the counter, got to her feet, gave the newcomer the benefit of her friendliest smile and held out her hand.

  ‘How do you do, Mrs Da Silva,’ she began, but Janine interrupted at once.

  ‘Please call me Janine. I don’t want to hear the name Da Silva ever again,’ she said. ‘In fact I want to put the past few years behind me and return to my old life. I expect my father has told you that I worked in one of the big stores, modelling gowns. It was a well-paid position, so if I can find something similar . . .’ she turned to smile at Albert, ‘but for the time being I mean to housekeep for my dear old dad, and help out in the shop.’

  Edie murmured something appropriate but Albert felt distinctly uncomfortable. He was aware that Edie must know as well as he did that his daughter had never modelled clothes for anyone, not whilst she was in England at any rate, and now she was expecting him to accept and indeed verify the story she had chosen to tell. Immediately, it occurred to him that if she was prepared to fib so blatantly over one thing she was probably equally prepared to fib over another. He thought back over the story she had told him about her life in America and realised that even at the time it had not altogether rung true. But Janine was being charming, accepting Elsie’s offer to show her around the shop and tell her all about the animals and birds whilst Mitch and Mr Payne got on with the real work.

  Albert watched as, hand in hand, the two bent over a cage in which three tabby kittens rolled and played. ‘Oh, the darlings!’ his daughter was saying. She poked a finger through the wire and withdrew it hastily as one of the kittens pounced. Then she straightened and took Elsie’s hand once more, moving along to the next cage. ‘Tortoises; and very nice ones too,’ she said. ‘Don’t they go to sleep in the winter, though? I think it’s called hibernation.’

  ‘They only do that if you let them get cold,’ Elsie said instructively. ‘Would you like to give them a lettuce leaf?’

  Janine took the proffered greenery, poked it through the wire and moved on to the next cage. ‘Them’s guinea pigs; we’ve already sold ’em to a very nice lady what wants them as presents for her grandchildren,’ Elsie said. ‘But we’re keeping ’em until Christmas Eve, else the kids would find out what they’d got before the day itself.’

  Janine chuckled, and it occurred to Albert that the chuckle had been the first genuine reaction his daughter had displayed since entering the shop. Possibly, he thought wryly, the first genuine reaction she had shown since returning to her own home. But Janine, turning away from the guinea pigs, was speaking directly to him. ‘Isn’t this all nice, though?’ she said approvingly. ‘Tell you what, Dad, if it would help I wouldn’t mind giving a hand here. I’ve noticed when I’m in a confined space with folks smoking all around me I get to feel sickish. I even felt kinda squeamish when I were helpin’ Mr Clarke with a batch of Gold Flake just now.’

  Albert frowned. Where had he heard those words before? But Edie was suggesting that Janine might enjoy taking over the fancy goods side of her father’s business, and Janine seemed to think this was a good idea. ‘I saw Dad had gone in for brasses, but there’s other things that would bring in customers,’ she was saying enthusiastically. ‘Would you let me do the orderin’, Dad? It’s a bit late for the Christmas market, I suppose, but how about a notice in the window saying you are now selling gifts? I’d make the notice – I’m real good at lettering – and if necessary I’d ring your suppliers and bully them into giving us a special pre-Christmas order.’ Albert thought she must have read the doubt in his face, for she added hastily: ‘But I’d only do that if we were running out of stock and were sure we could sell more.’

  Albert agreed to all these plans, secure in the knowledge that they might come to nothing and would, for a time at least, keep his daughter happily occupied. He could see that she now no longer saw herself modelling gowns, but turning the fancy goods side of his business into a far more profitable concern. Edie, much taken by the idea, said that when Tess returned she would be all in favour, for she had long thought Albert did not make the most of the possibilities of his shop.

  Realising that Janine was still uncomfortable with the animals and birds, Edie sat her down at the back of the shop and set her to measuring out small quantities of pet food, labelling and pricing the bags, and putting them on the shelf. Customers came and went, sales were made and the till rang merrily, but at one o’clock Albert decided that he and Janine should have a proper lunch break, for he noticed with a little concern that his daughter was looking pale beneath the rouge.

  Edie reminded Albert that she had made sandwiches and brewed a pot of tea for everyone to share, but Albert, though he thanked her politely, said that he rather thought his daughter had done quite enough for one day, and helped her into her smart coat. ‘I’ll see you later,’ he said to Edie, donning his own overcoat, for the rain had turned to sleet a
nd the crowds which had thronged the pavements earlier in the morning had become a trickle. He picked up Mr Clarke’s umbrella and smiled at his daughter. ‘Come along, my dear. Do you fancy going to Dorothy’s Tearooms for a light luncheon? Or we can pop into the bakery and buy a pasty.’

  Janine opted for the pasty, admitting that she was worn out and would do as her father suggested and have a nap when they’d eaten. Back in their kitchen Albert warmed the pie, buttered some bread and made a pot of tea, the words that his daughter had used repeating themselves in the back of his mind as he did so. I even felt kinda squeamish when I were helpin’ Mr Clarke with a batch of Gold Flake.

  They had finished their meal and Albert was rising to his feet, about to start the washing up and telling Janine that she must go and lie down on her bed, when he remembered where he had heard the words before. His dearest Louisa, the best helpmate a man could hope for, had used those very words, or something very like them, not long after the doctor at the clinic had confirmed her pregnancy. Without a moment’s hesitation he sat down again opposite his daughter. ‘You’re in the family way,’ he said. ‘My dear child, why didn’t you tell me? I do trust you aren’t going to try to deny it, because I remember, when your mother was expecting you, she had to stop helping me in the shop because the smell of tobacco made her feel sick. Oh, not at once, but later on, when her time was near.’