A Christmas to Remember

by Katie Flynn

  ‘And explain to Pamela how it comes about that I’m stealing her beloved and ruining her Christmas,’ Tess pointed out. ‘She’ll be mad as fire, and probably want to stick a knife in my ribs.’

  ‘Her beloved? Whatever makes you think that?’ Jonty asked. He sounded disproportionately astonished. ‘She’s a damned good friend, my girl, but that’s all there is to it.’

  Tess goggled. ‘But – but you wrote that you’d got a new girlfriend! And she comes here so often . . . She’s going to give your mother a helping hand to clear up after the party . . .’

  Jonty grinned. ‘Oh, that. We changed our minds,’ he said.

  ‘Changed your minds? But . . .’ Tess said stubbornly, though her heart was singing. She was pretty sure Jonty did not love her, but it was like a bright light on a dark day to know that he did not love Pamela either.

  Jonty heaved a sigh. ‘To be honest, we said it to make one of the doctors at the hospital jealous,’ he said. ‘He’d been dating Pamela for some while but then he met another girl and began to go out with her. He was only here on some sort of specialist course and has now gone back to his hospital in London, but Pamela means to follow him there in the New Year and hopes that their affair – if you could call it that – will rekindle. I don’t think it will myself, but maybe I’m wrong.’

  ‘Ye-es, but that doesn’t explain your part in it,’ Tess said doubtfully. ‘Why did Pamela choose you to be her – her pretend boyfriend?’

  Jonty shrugged. ‘I dunno; it just seemed like a good idea at the time,’ he said. ‘Pam and I have always been friends, and of course when you stopped coming to the farm I suppose I was at a bit of a loose end. So when Pamela asked me to help her out the obvious thing to do was to pretend that she was planning to marry me.’

  Tess giggled. She felt quite faint with relief. ‘Just keep your fingers crossed she doesn’t expect you to go through with it,’ she observed. ‘The feller – the doctor, I mean – might get nasty.’

  ‘I don’t imagine he will, since Pamela’s been writing to him and it seems he’s written back.’

  ‘And you aren’t involved in any way, except as some sort of stalking horse?’ Tess asked incredulously.

  Jonty stood up. ‘Oh, go on with you! That’s right, and now let’s change the subject, because I’m tired of it. Will you come up to the attic and help me get the decorations down?’

  On the day following the ruby wedding celebrations Tess and Jonty got up early, meaning to decorate the kitchen and parlour as well as the sizeable tree which one of the farm hands had brought in the previous day. As they ate their breakfast they discussed the party, which had been a great success. There had been dancing in the big barn, and a wonderful supper, to which most of the guests had contributed, had been served in the farm’s enormous kitchen. It had been after midnight before the last guests left and now Jonty and Tess eyed each other blearily across their breakfast porridge. ‘Last day before you go home,’ Jonty said miserably, then brightened. ‘But since I’m coming with you – just to do some extra special Christmas shopping, you know – we don’t need to say cheerio just yet. What do you want to do today?’

  Tess began to reply that they ought to start putting the Christmas decorations up, but Mrs Bell cut across her words. She had been eating a round of toast, but now she shook a reproving head at her son. ‘Putting up them paper chains you made when you was kids won’t take more’n half an hour or so, ’cos we leave the drawing pins in the picture rails year after year,’ she said. ‘I reckon Tess deserves a day off . . .’ she beamed at Tess, ‘because I don’t know how we could have managed the party without her.’

  ‘Oh, Tess enjoys farm work . . .’ Jonty was beginning when he caught his mother’s disapproving eye and hastily changed what he had been about to say. ‘But on the other hand, there’s the big Christmas market at King’s Lynn; why don’t we go along to that? There’s every sort of stall you can imagine, including lots of folk selling hot food, and if we wait until the market’s beginning to close prices will drop and we can get real bargains.’ He grinned at Tess. ‘Would you like that, queen?’ he said in a very passable imitation of the Scouse accent.

  ‘I’d love it,’ Tess said eagerly. She could think of nothing she would like more than to spend her last day at the farm in Jonty’s company. She did not think he loved her, was not at all sure that what she felt for him was love, but now that he had admitted Pamela Davies was just a friend you never knew. He might suddenly realise that Tess was the only girl for him . . . Tess’s toes curled at the mere thought. Across the table, their eyes met, but instead of lighting with love Jonty’s merely looked questioning.

  ‘You’re sure? You really would enjoy a drive over to King’s Lynn? We could have a meal at the Duke’s Head, if you don’t fancy eating the stuff from the stalls.’

  ‘I do fancy it,’ Tess said. ‘Oh, Jonty, there’s nothing I’d like more. Do you know, in all the time I’ve spent in Norfolk no one’s ever suggested a visit to the market in King’s Lynn. I’ve been to the Norwich one countless times, and very good it is too, but they say King’s Lynn is even better.’ She finished the last of her porridge, drained her tea and jumped up. ‘Good thing we didn’t lie in, despite getting to bed so late. Let’s start hanging the paper chains at once; we’ll decorate the tree when we get home this evening.’ She turned anxiously to Mrs Bell. ‘Are you sure you can manage without us?’

  Mrs Bell tutted. ‘Think I’m made of icing sugar, my woman?’ she asked derisively. ‘You go off and enjoy yourselves, the pair of you.’ She smiled understandingly at Tess. ‘You both deserve a day off, Jonty an’ all.’

  Tess and Jonty arrived back in Heyworth Street to discover that all the plans which Gran and Albert had made for the holiday were about to come to nought. When they reached the pet shop at three in the afternoon they found it was shut, a most unusual state of affairs when only three days remained before Christmas Day. Frowning, Tess peered through the large glass window, but though the lights were on the closed sign was up, and when she tried the door it was firmly locked. She swung round and stared at Jonty. ‘I don’t understand it; we never close this early and it’s not as though we didn’t have plenty of help,’ she said. ‘Gran said that although Janine is nervous of the animals she’s quite happy to take the money and so on, provided she doesn’t have to deal with the stock. Apparently she’s a really good salesperson . . . but you know all that. Goodness, I hope Gran’s in the flat . . .’

  Jonty grinned. ‘I hope she’s not,’ he said. ‘It would be nice to have you all to myself for a change.’

  Tess felt her cheeks warm. ‘You’ve had me all to yourself for ages,’ she pointed out. ‘Both at the farm and in the train . . .’

  ‘Pooh! You know very well there’s always someone around at the farm, and the carriage was so packed that folk were standing all along the corridor. And you refused to sit on my knee, though I thought it might be rather fun.’

  Tess glared at him, but knew her lips were twitching. ‘As if I would sit on your knee in front of dozens of people,’ she said. ‘But let’s get up to the flat and see if Gran can tell us what’s happening.’

  Tess tried the door and found it locked, so she produced her own key and let them in. They climbed the stairs briskly, but when they reached the top the flat was cold; the fire had either not been lit or had gone out, and of course there was no sign of Gran. Jonty looked round rather disparagingly, then dumped both the suitcases he was hefting down and turned to his companion. ‘Should I carry my baggage through to the living room? And then I think we ought to go round to Mr Payne’s place, see if he can throw any light on the mystery.’

  ‘I wouldn’t call it a mystery, exactly—’ Tess was beginning, but was interrupted.

  ‘Not a mystery? When Mrs Williams and Mr Payne both knew which train we’d be catching? It’s a good job I had a few bob in my pocket – apart from my money for presents, I mean – because I bet you couldn’t have forked out for a taxi, and
the stuff my mum packed for us to give Mrs Williams weighs a perishin’ ton.’

  ‘Well, yes, I suppose it is a bit of a mystery,’ Tess admitted. ‘But before we go rushing off to Albert’s place I think we ought to light the fire and see if there’s a note anywhere.’

  ‘Right; I’ll do the fire whilst you look for a note,’ Jonty said, and presently, with the fire banked down, the suitcases stowed away and no note discovered, they set off for the tobacconist’s shop. They reached it only to find Albert missing and Mr Clarke sitting on the tall stool behind the counter reading a copy of the Echo. He looked up as the two burst in.

  ‘Hello, Tess. Any news?’ he asked. Tess was beginning to say that this was the very question she was about to ask him when Jonty spoke over her.

  ‘We’ve only just arrived back from Norfolk and of course we went straight to the pet shop only to find it locked and barred, so to speak,’ he said. ‘So I guess Janine’s wait is over. Is everyone at the hospital?’

  ‘The baby!’ Tess shrieked. ‘Oh, how could I have forgotten? But it’s not due until January; the end of January they thought at the clinic. Does this mean something’s gone wrong?’

  ‘I don’t think so,’ Mr Clarke said, but Tess thought he sounded rather uneasy. ‘Albert told me that the pains – I mean the contractions – started late last night.’ He looked from one face to the other. ‘It’s been a while since me and the missus had our family, but babies is always contrary things; they come when they’re ready, not when they’re expected. You go off to the maternity hospital; they’ll tell you what’s what there.’

  When they reached the hospital it was to find it decked with holly, paper chains and small Christmas trees. ‘As though the babies cared,’ Jonty whispered, but Tess gave him a reproving glance as a nurse took them along to a waiting room and said that no doubt Mrs Williams and Mr Payne, upon hearing of the arrival of their guests, would hurry along to tell them how things stood, and she was soon proved right. Tess was idly leafing through a magazine and Jonty was sitting, head tilted back, watching through a tiny window the slow descent of snowflakes, grey against the white-clouded sky, when the door of the waiting room opened and Edie rushed in. Tess ran across the room and gave her a hug. ‘The baby’s come, hasn’t it?’ she said excitedly. ‘Oh, Gran, you’re like the Cheshire cat, you’re one enormous smile from ear to ear. What did she have? Can we see it? Where’s Albert . . . the proud grandfather, I mean?’

  ‘It’s a dear little boy. He’s very tiny, because he’s premature I suppose, and Sister says we can visit him in the nursery as long as one of the nurses comes with us, but we can’t take him out for a couple of days. Albert’s there now, positively bursting with pride. He and Janine had already discussed names and if it was a boy Janine wanted to call him Philip, because she says she’s always liked that name. Only this being Liverpool he’ll get called Philly, I expect.’

  ‘And very nice too,’ Jonty said approvingly, and Gran blinked and held out her hands to him. ‘Jonty! My dear boy, I had no idea you were here; you must have thought me dreadfully rude, but I’m afraid in all the excitement I quite forgot that you were coming to stay for a couple of days. But now it’s time we all went home. Albert’s going to buy celebratory fish and chips for everyone and I’ve baked enough mince pies to supply an army, so if I make a custard we can have them as a pudding.’

  ‘Lovely,’ Tess said. ‘Jonty’s mum has sent a big bag full of goodies, so we look like having an excellent Christmas . . .’ The door shot open again at this point and Albert, beaming, came into the room. Tess was surprised when he gave her a kiss before grabbing Jonty’s hand and giving it a hearty shake.

  ‘Nice to see you again, young man,’ he said. ‘How long are you staying? I take it it won’t be over Christmas – we’d love to have you, of course, but I expect your mam would have a thing or two to say if you announced you weren’t going home.’

  ‘You’re right there; she’d be terribly hurt and upset,’ Jonty said regretfully. ‘I’d love to stay, of course, but it’s impossible.’ He shot a quick glance at Tess. ‘Besides, I know Tess has plans of her own. I gather Snowy will be home any day, and the saying two’s company, three’s a crowd is very true. Still, I reckon I’ll hang on until Christmas Eve, and go back then. I’ve some presents to buy, so if you can put up with me for a couple of days I’d be grateful.’

  ‘Of course we can,’ Edie and Albert said in chorus, then broke into laughter. ‘Sorry, sorry,’ Albert said. ‘I expect you’ve guessed that you can have Janine’s room whilst she’s in hospital, so no need for a shakedown on Edie’s floor.’

  Jonty and Tess, hand in hand, were wandering through Paddy’s Market, looking for some stocking fillers for Elsie and Mitch, when Jonty grabbed Tess’s arm. ‘Who’s the fillum star?’ he hissed. ‘Eh, she’s a looker and no mistake.’

  He pointed, and Tess stared at the young woman coming towards them. Her gleaming gold hair was cut and curled into a fashionable poodle style and she wore high-heeled shoes and a scarlet sling-back coat with enormous mother-of-pearl buttons, whilst around her neck was a blue chiffon scarf which exactly matched her eyes.

  Tess recognised her at once, but having no desire for a confrontation she said airily: ‘I dunno. Do you think Elsie would like a monkey on a stick? Or a cardigan? Only when I was small I hated getting clothes, and Gran’s already bought her the prettiest dress, so—’

  She was interrupted. ‘Well, if it isn’t little Tess Williams! Abandoned them animals to fend for themselves, have you? I’m home for Christmas, I am. And who’s this?’

  ‘Oh, hello,’ Tess said reluctantly. She thought privately that Marilyn looked like a high-class call girl with so many bright colours upon her person, but she certainly drew the eye. Whilst the other girl was busily staring Tess up and down, Tess, in her turn, was staring at Marilyn’s bright blue patent leather shoes, long pointed nails dripping with scarlet varnish, and a week’s wages’ worth of make-up. But fortunately she remembered it was rude to stare, dragged her eyes away from the glittering image before her and answered the question she had been asked. ‘Sorry, Marilyn; I forgot you didn’t know Jonty. This is Jonathan Bell, who’s staying with us for a few days.’

  ‘How do you do?’ Marilyn said, but she spoke perfunctorily. She turned back to Tess. ‘I’ve heard a rumour that Snowy’s about due home. Well, it was more than a rumour; he wrote that he’d been in hospital so might be back in time for Christmas after all.’

  Tess felt a flush of annoyance rise in her cheeks. ‘He wrote to you?’

  ‘Yes; anything wrong with that?’ Marilyn said belligerently. ‘You aren’t the only person Snowy writes to, you know!’

  ‘Then if you’ve been corresponding you’ll know as much as I do,’ Tess said. ‘Look, Jonty and I have a lot of shopping to do . . .’

  ‘It don’t matter then, don’t trouble yourself,’ Marilyn said rudely. ‘I’ll go round and see if his mam knows a date . . .’

  ‘Oh? Then why ask me what Snowy’s up to when you can ask his mam?’ Tess said rather waspishly.

  Marilyn pouted. ‘Oh, I dunno; I remember when I lived in Everton he was quite kind to you.’

  ‘Quite kind!’ Tess felt her cheeks grow hot, but did her best to keep her voice steady. ‘He was my boyfriend, you mean,’ she said. ‘Still is, for that matter.’ She turned a falsely sweet smile on the older girl. ‘Perhaps you didn’t know that Snowy and I came to an understanding before he left?’

  Marilyn gave an affected little laugh. ‘Poor old Snowy! So does that mean you’ve still got your eye on him?’

  Tess ground her teeth. It was useless to hope that Marilyn might have changed. She was just the same spiteful, selfish, single-minded girl she had been in the old days, but nevertheless Tess gave her her sweetest smile. ‘I’ve not seen Snowy for two years, but we write every week,’ she said calmly. ‘If he’s been writing to you, I’m sure when he does come home he’ll look you up . . . only by then, of course, you’ll be ba
ck in London. It was London you went to all those years ago, wasn’t it?’

  ‘That’s right . . .’ Marilyn was beginning when a hand dropped on her shoulder. It belonged to a tall, grey-haired man with a neat little Hitler moustache and what appeared to be a very heavy basket in the other hand. ‘Whatever are you doin’, Marilyn Thomas? I’ve been huntin’ for you all over,’ he said in a sharp cockney accent. He glanced at Tess and Jonty, then gave an apologetic smile. ‘Ah, old pals, I see! I might have guessed me best girl would forget all about me. But we’ve gotta train to catch . . .’

  He was taking Marilyn’s hand and tucking it into his arm as he spoke, but Marilyn pulled free and turned back to Tess. ‘I’ll be in Liverpool for a week; tell Snowy,’ she hissed. ‘I’d – I’d like to see him again.’ Suddenly the big blue eyes were pleading. ‘You’ll tell him? We’re still at the corner shop . . . you won’t forget?’

  Tess opened her mouth to reply but she had scarcely got two words out when Marilyn’s escort gave an exclamation of annoyance and towed Marilyn away from them. ‘Sorry to break up the party,’ he called over his shoulder, ‘but we’re off to visit Marilyn’s family on the Wirral. Nice to have met . . .’ The rest of the sentence was lost as the pair dived across the road, heading for Central station.

  Jonty glanced curiously at Tess. ‘Who is she?’ he demanded rather petulantly. ‘Oh, I know her name’s Marilyn Thomas, but who is she?’

  Tess smiled. ‘She was Snowy’s girlfriend when we were kids in school,’ she explained. ‘But she dropped him because she thought he was two-timing her with me.’ She giggled. ‘Imagine, Jonty! I was a scruffy kid, no more than thirteen or so, and Miss Perfect was jealous! She didn’t like me anyway, because I was a lot younger and smarter than she was, and she held it against me for years. And now let’s forget all about her and get on with our shopping.’