MB09 - You Stole My Heart Away

by Joan Jonker

  ‘And we’ve got money over, haven’t we, girl? Have we got enough for tea and buttered teacakes?’

  ‘More than enough, sunshine. So let’s turn about and make for Reece’s, and a little celebration.’

  As the two mates walked away from the hat shop, a short distance away two other women came out of a shop selling bridal wear. And they too were linking arms and laughing.

  ‘I can’t believe we’ve done so well, Lily.’ Phoebe’s pretty face was aglow with happiness. ‘My dress will be ready for a fitting next Saturday, and I’ve got the design me mam liked and in ivory satin.’

  ‘Yer’ve done well, Phoebe. I have to say, I love the pattern yer’ve chosen. Our Paul will fall for yer all over again when he sees yer walking down the aisle. And I liked your idea for the headdress as well.’ Lily grinned at Phoebe’s excitement, and could remember feeling the same herself when she married Archie. ‘It seems the deep red colour for bridesmaids has been used quite often, otherwise she wouldn’t have had a sample to show you. The material is lovely and soft, and will fall into folds.’

  ‘I feel like pinching meself to make sure I’m not dreaming.’ Phoebe squeezed Lily’s arm as they walked towards Church Street. ‘You’ve been measured, so yer’ll be going for a fitting soon. I’ll have to ask Jill and Doreen to go in on Wednesday, now I’ve told the assistant. They should be able to manage it, ’cos your mam and Mrs B. will mind the babies for a couple of hours. That leaves our Dorothy, Rosie, and Ruthie. What time did I say they’d go in next Saturday to be measured?’

  ‘Yer told the assistant three o’clock, so you’ll have been in for your fitting before they arrive. They won’t see yer, yer’ll be on the bus on yer way home.’

  ‘I better had be, Lily, because Paul is complaining that he’s beginning to forget what I look like, as he sees so little of me.’ Phoebe began to giggle. ‘Yer know what your Paul’s like, he’s as bad as yer mam for acting daft. Well, he told me last night that he put his arm round a girl’s waist when he was coming home from work, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. It was only when she slapped his face he realized it wasn’t me. And if he does it again, and lands in jail, then I’ll be to blame and will have to go to the police station and tell them. Oh, and I’d have to postpone the wedding because he might be old and grey by the time he gets out.’

  Lily’s laugh was hearty. ‘He’s dead funny is our Paul, but it runs in the family. And I hope yer realize, Phoebe Corkhill, that when yer marry Paul it will really be a lucky day for yer. Because that’s the day Helen Theresa McDonough becomes yer mother-in-law.’

  ‘Ooh, I can’t wait.’ Phoebe laughed. ‘What d’yer think I should look forward to most? New husband, or new mother-in-law?’ She lifted a hand. ‘Yer needn’t answer that, Lily. I’ll work it out for meself.’

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Paul McDonough was waiting at the corner of the street for Phoebe. She’d told him she’d definitely be home by half past five, but so far there was no sign of her. Each bus and tram that stopped, he expected her to jump down the steps with his sister Lily, but there was neither sight nor light of either of them, and it was ten past six. And he asked himself why it was that women were always late for a date? Then he told himself it was because men were daft enough to wait for them.

  ‘What are yer standing here for, Paul McDonough? Are yer hoping to get a click?’

  He spun round to find himself looking into Phoebe’s laughing eyes. ‘Where the heck have you come from? I’ve been standing here like a lemon since half past five! I thought a bobby was going to lock me up for loitering!’

  ‘I’m sorry, love, but I didn’t expect yer to wait for me getting off the bus. Me and Lily got off at the stop before, because she wanted to do a bit of shopping. And we cut through the entries for quickness, which is why yer’ve missed us.’

  ‘Never mind making excuses, Phoebe Corkhill, I’ve been stood here for nearly an hour. I don’t want an apology, I want a kiss to heal me wounded pride. So pucker yer lips up, woman, and give me a kiss that will make me see stars, turn me legs to jelly, and make me heart beat so fast it’ll sound like a steam engine.’

  ‘I’m not kissing yer in the middle of the road, Paul McDonough, so get that out of yer head.’

  ‘We’re not in the middle of the road, we’re standing on the corner. And I’m sure no one would be upset to see a man and his wife to be indulging in an innocent kiss. In fact it could catch on, love, and everyone will be kissing each other.’

  ‘Everybody can do what they like, my love, but I’m not in favour of kissing in public.’

  Paul cupped her elbow. ‘The nearest entry is about six yards away, and I’ll try and last out until we get there.’ He propelled her forward so fast her feet barely touched the ground. And once in the entry, he put his arms round her waist and lifted her in the air. ‘Now, wench, I want a long, bobby-dazzler of a kiss. And when I come up for air, I want another!’

  A woman’s voice asked. ‘And what’s going on here, may I ask?’ Phoebe’s face was the colour of beetroot when she turned to see one of their neighbours whose back door faced hers.

  ‘It’s only Paul acting daft, Mrs Pendleton. Yer should know what he’s like by now, yer’ve known him long enough.’

  ‘It’s you I’m surprised at, not him.’ The woman’s head was jerking with disapproval. ‘What would yer dad say if he knew yer were picking lads up in an entry and kissing them?’

  ‘I think yer’ve got it the wrong way round, Mrs Pendleton,’ Paul said, laughter in his voice. ‘It’s me down here, and Phoebe up there, so it was me doing the picking up. And I’m entitled to kiss the girl who is soon to be me wife. They can’t lock me up for that.’

  The neighbour thought she better get her facts right, or she’d have Nellie Mac after her. And that didn’t bear thinking about. So, her voice softer now, she asked, ‘Are yer really getting married, Phoebe?’

  ‘Yes, I am, Mrs Pendleton. I’ve just come back from town where I’ve been getting fitted for my wedding dress. That is why I let Paul kiss me, because I’m so happy.’

  ‘Oh, fancy that now! I didn’t know you two were courting serious.’ Mrs Pendleton wasn’t as much of a nosy parker as Nellie Mac’s arch-enemy Elsie Flanaghan, but she ran a close second. And as no one had mentioned a wedding to her, well, she’d be the first to spread the news. So she was happy to say, ‘I’m very pleased for yer, and when I know the date of the wedding I’ll be along to the church for the happy event. Just to wish yer luck, like, with us being neighbours. And now I must be on me way before the corner shop closes. I’ve run out of sugar, and my husband has a sweet tooth. He can’t stand tea without two spoonfuls of sugar. So I’ll say ta-ra for now.’ With those words she made haste to the corner shop, to be first with the news. She was to be disappointed, though, because Maisie and Alec had known for weeks about the wedding, being good friends of the Bennetts, McDonoughs and Corkhills. They even had their invites.

  Paul waited until the woman was out of the entry before lowering Phoebe to the ground. ‘Some people lead a very sad life, don’t they, love? I hope you and me don’t end up like that. I don’t think that one ever smiles.’

  ‘We’ve got about thirty years before we get to her age, and besides, she hasn’t got the family we’ve got. So let’s forget her and give me the kiss you asked me to give you. One that yer called a bobby-dazzler. I’ve never had one of those before.’ The love shone in Phoebe’s eyes, and Paul pulled her to him.

  ‘Then pucker yer lips, sweetheart, and fly with me to the moon. And we’ll stay there until the stars come out, then we’ll come back to earth on a star. Now yer can’t have anything more wonderful than that, so pucker up.’

  ‘But me mam and dad . . .’That was as far as Phoebe got before she was transported to a wonderful place where her heart sang and her whole being tingled as she was wrapped in Paul’s arms, and their lips met in kisses that really were bobby-dazzlers.

  ‘Where have yer been, sweetheart?�
� Ellen asked when she opened the door. ‘Me and yer dad were worried about yer.’

  Paul was standing behind Phoebe, and he answered his future mother-in-law. ‘I met her at the bottom of the street, Auntie Ellen, and I’m the one to blame for her being later than expected.’ His dimples appeared when he grinned. ‘To be quite frank with yer, I’m getting a bit fed up with all this preparation for the wedding, ’cos it’s knocking my nose out of joint. I hardly get to spend any time with Phoebe, so I lay in wait for her tonight, dragged her down the entry so I could give her a kiss, and lo and behold, doesn’t Mrs Pendleton come out of her yard door and catch us at it. The whole neighbourhood will know by now that your daughter is a loose woman.’

  Ellen chuckled. ‘Come in, the pair of yer, and yer can pour yer heart out to Corker. Not that yer’ll get a lot of sympathy, though, because his life has been disrupted as well. Still, yer can both be miserable together.’

  Ellen was leading the way into the living room when Paul said, ‘Oh, I won’t say I’m miserable right this minute, but I was half an hour ago. Yer see, since then me and Phoebe have been on a lovely trip, haven’t we, pet?’

  Corker was puffing away on his Capstan Full Strength when he saw the blush creeping across his daughter’s face. ‘What’s me laddo been up to now, me darlin’?’

  ‘Take no notice of him, Dad, he’s in one of his funny moods.’ Phoebe tried to catch Paul’s eye, to stop him saying anything that would embarrass her, but she was too late.

  ‘Women are never satisfied, are they, Uncle Corker? Now just tell me how many men yer know that have taken their girlfriends up to the moon? Not many, I bet! And I offered to stay up there with her until the stars came out, but she was worried that you and Auntie Ellen would worry! There was no need for it, ’cos I’d have brought her down safely on one of the brightest stars.’

  Corker’s weather-beaten face smiled at his daughter. ‘Yer didn’t turn an offer like that down, did yer, me darlin’? Now that would have been the trip of a lifetime. I sailed the seven seas for thirty years, but never had the opportunity to make that trip. Now if Paul had invited me, I’d have jumped at the chance.’

  ‘Oh, I don’t think that would have worked, Uncle Corker, ’cos even a galaxy of stars couldn’t carry your weight. And I couldn’t close me eyes and imagine I was kissing Phoebe, not with your beard and moustache.’

  Corker chortled. The more he saw of this handsome young man, the more he liked him. He was a chip off the old block all right, except his language wasn’t as colourful as Nellie’s. Which was just as well, for otherwise Phoebe would spend her life with a face the colour of beetroot. ‘It took me a long time to grow this beard and moustache, son, and I’m very fond of it. The wife wasn’t that keen at first, ’cos she said it scratched her skin and made her face sore. But she’s got used to it over the years and it doesn’t hurt now. Mind you, her skin is like emery paper, but we’re used to each other.’

  Ellen was standing by the table, shaking her head. ‘Don’t mind me, Jimmy Corkhill, just pretend I’m not here. In fact yer may as well carry on talking to yer future son-in-law, while I ask me daughter how she got on today regarding the wedding arrangements. The moon and stars, and beards and moustaches, are all very well and could interest a certain class of people, but Phoebe and meself are not in that class.’

  ‘Before I tell yer what a wonderful day I’ve had, Mam, I’ve got to stick up for my soon to be better half, and say there is a certain magic in a trip to the moon. Definitely recommended.’

  Ellen smiled and nodded. ‘I know, sweetheart. I’m not so old I’ve forgotten the number of times yer dad and I went there. Lovers haven’t changed much over the ages, it’s been the same since time began. Although there are some people who have never known what it’s like to love and be loved.’

  ‘Yeah, we know that, Auntie Ellen,’ Paul said, ‘’cos we’ve just met one in the entry, name of Mrs Pendleton.’

  His head thrown back, Corker’s guffaw ricocheted around the room, bringing smiles to three faces, ‘Oh, dear, ye’re way off course there, son, for Aggie Pendleton has seen and received more in the love stakes than anyone else round here.’ Another loud guffaw, then he told the wide-eyed Paul, ‘She should have, she had seven children. She’s only got two at home, for the others are all married with families of their own. But she’s had her moments has Aggie. Yer shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, son, so let that be a lesson to yer.’

  Paul gazed at Phoebe, and in a soft voice he begged, ‘I want yer to promise me something, Phoebe, before we get married. Will yer do that?’

  ‘I can’t promise anything until yer tell me what it is, can I, soft lad?’

  ‘I want yer to make a solemn promise that yer won’t look like Mrs Pendleton after we’ve had our seven children. How d’yer think I’d feel walking into Blair Hall with you looking like her? The doorman would think I’d lost me marbles.’

  ‘I think the man on the door at Blair Hall now will have lost more than his marbles by that time, soft lad, because he’s over fifty now!’ Phoebe was giving him daggers. Fancy talking about them having children when they weren’t even married yet! And in front of her mam and dad! Wait until she got him on his own, she wouldn’t half tell him off.

  ‘Aren’t yer going to sit down?’ Ellen asked. ‘We don’t charge, yer know. And I’m eager to know how yer got on at the dress shop. So sit down, and we’ll all keep quiet while yer tell us.’

  Paul chuckled as he sat next to Phoebe. ‘I think there was a message to me there, Auntie Ellen, so I promise to sit very quiet and listen.’ He took Phoebe’s hand. ‘The floor is all yours, pet, so go ahead.’

  ‘Oh, I’m afraid ye’re going to get yer eye wiped, Paul, because I’ve got nothing to say that will interest you.’ Phoebe looked across at her mother. ‘Me and Lily are sorted, Mam. We’ve both been measured and I’m going for a fitting next Saturday. I’m going to see Jill and Doreen tomorrow, and ask them to go in one day to be measured. I’m sure Auntie Molly and Mrs Mac will mind the babies for a few hours. Then there’s our Dorothy, Rosie and Ruthie. If they can manage to get into town after me on Saturday, then it will be a load off me mind. All the bridesmaids sorted, and the assistant said the dresses would be ready two weeks before the wedding. I’ve got everything I wanted, Mam, and I can’t keep the smile off me face. I’m so happy and very lucky.’

  ‘And very beautiful, pet,’ Paul said. ‘Yer don’t think I’d marry a girl who wasn’t beautiful, as well as happy and lucky?’

  ‘The material? Did yer get what yer wanted?’ Ellen’s eyes were asking questions. She didn’t want to let the cat out of the bag, because Phoebe was determined that no one should know what to expect on the wedding day, it must be a surprise. But Ellen wanted to know if her daughter had been able to get the colour she wanted for the bridesmaids. ‘Was Lily pleased?’

  Phoebe nodded. ‘Yeah, she’s over the moon, Mam. I was glad she was with me, she was a good help. Everything has been sorted now, as regards dresses and accessories for the bride and the bridesmaids. I feel really chuffed with meself. That’s really all my jobs done. Me dad’s seeing to the reception and drinks, Paul’s paying for the flowers and presents for the bridesmaids. That’s it!’

  Paul winked at Corker. ‘Yer know, I’m glad I wasn’t born a girl. All I’ve got to worry about for me wedding is a new suit, shoes, shirt and tie. Oh, and have a haircut and shave.’

  ‘Yer’ve forgotten something, Paul,’ Phoebe told him. ‘Father Kelly won’t marry us if yer haven’t got a wedding ring to put on me finger. And yer can’t fool him with a brass curtain ring, ’cos he’s got eyes like a hawk and would spot it in a second.’

  Paul slapped an open palm on his forehead. ‘D’yer know, I kept telling meself there was something missing, but I’m blowed if I could remember what it was! It’s a good job yer mentioned it, love, or on the eighteenth of September I’d have been taking me mam’s curtains down and pinching one of the rings. But don’t put all th
e blame on me, ’cos ye’re keeping everything about the wedding secret, so yer don’t talk to me about it. And we hardly have any time on our own.’

  ‘I’ll make up for it,’ Phoebe told him. ‘On Saturday, after I’ve been for my fitting, we’ll go and choose a ring. Will that suit yer?’

  Paul shook his head. ‘No, ye’re too late now,’ he told her, his hand going to his pocket. ‘I can’t wait for you to have half an hour to spend with me, yer beloved husband to be, so I went ahead and did the job on me own.’ Then he put a square, padded black box on the table in front of her. ‘If it doesn’t fit, the man said yer could exchange it.’

  Phoebe gazed down at the box, then into Paul’s face, and her heart swelled with emotion. ‘I hadn’t forgotten the ring, Paul, I was going to mention it tonight. I know that these days it’s usual for bride and groom to exchange rings at the ceremony, so I was intending to ask yer to meet me on Saturday so we could try the rings together. But yer’ve beat me to it.’

  Corker was getting impatient. ‘Well, aren’t yer going to open the box, sweetheart?’

  ‘Yer better had,’ Ellen said, ‘because it may not be the right size for yer.’

  Paul reached across and picked up the box. ‘Don’t open it now, love. Let’s do as yer wanted to do, and go together on Saturday to choose both rings. I think that sounds more romantic. The man in the jeweller’s shop said I could take it back and exchange it, so we’ll do that, eh? Then yer can choose one that you like for yerself, and yer can choose one for me. And when we come out of the shop, I want to spend the rest of the day together. I’ve never been in the Adelphi hotel, and I don’t think you have. So we’ll go there for afternoon tea, then go on to the Odeon. Let’s live it up for the day, eh?’

  Corker and Ellen exchanged glances, both surprised, but delighted that dance-mad Paul McDonough had changed into a serious, likeable, and loving young man. Phoebe had certainly captured his heart. ‘That sounds like an offer yer can’t refuse, me darlin’,’ Corker said. ‘Hobnobbing with the elite, no less.’