‘That’s because he has respect for old folks.’
‘I’m not old!’
‘No. Just cantankerous.’ Winking at Danny she bent her back and carried on regardless.
‘If I’m such a nuisance, tek me back to me bed then.’
‘I’ll do no such thing. We’ll get you down these stairs and outside if it kills us.’
Danny had an idea. ‘Stand aside,’ he told Aggie. ‘He’s right. We’re getting nowhere fast like this.’
In a minute, much to the old man’s horror, Danny had him in his arms and was carrying him bodily down the stairs. ‘Put me down, you great ox!’ The old man objected to being carried like a baby. ‘You’ll do me a damage!’
Ignoring the shouts and abuse, Danny took him all the way down the stairs, and out to the bench, where he gently sat him down. ‘Now, behave yourself,’ he said with a grin.
‘Or he’ll have to carry you all the way back again,’ Aggie chipped in. ‘Now then, Dad, do you want lemon-barley or sarsaparilla?’
‘I’ll ’ave a drop o’ the good stuff.’
‘If you mean elderberry wine, you’ve had your ration already.’
‘Well! It’s a picnic, in’t it? What good’s a picnic if yer can’t ’ave a drop o’ the good stuff, that’s what I’d like to know?’
Emily agreed. ‘It won’t hurt just this once, will it, Mam?’
Aggie gave a long, noisy sigh. ‘Aw, go on then. But only this once,’ she warned her father-in-law. ‘And don’t think you can try it on again, ’cause you can’t.’
Aside to Danny, she explained, ‘If he has too much, he’ll be singing and shouting and thinking he can dance the night away. Then he’ll get dizzy and fall over. A small measure is good for him, but I have to be careful, y’see? Like the doctor says, he’s just not well enough to take a full glass.’ She saw how, even now, the old fella looked pale and drawn, and her voice grew soft with affection. ‘He might swear and groan and make me want to pull my hair out, but deep down he’s a darling, and I love him.’
Danny understood that. ‘Well, who couldn’t help but love him, eh?’
While Emily went to fetch the elderberry wine, Aggie gave out the pork pie and sandwiches. ‘Eat up. There’s plenty more where that lot came from,’ she said, tucking into her own helping.
When Emily returned with the wine, the old man was given a reasonable enough measure. ‘That’s only a quarter of a glass!’ He thrust it back at Aggie.
‘Sip it slowly and it’ll last all the longer,’ Aggie answered. ‘And it’s no good you moaning and complaining. Just remember what the doctor said.’
‘I don’t reckon he knows what he’s talking about.’ Mimicking the whining voice of his ageing doctor, he went on, ‘“Don’t let him have too much; a small measure once or twice a week, that’s quite enough in his condition”.’
‘Aye, and so it is.’ Aggie was taking no nonsense.
‘Anyway, I don’t know what condition he’s talking about,’ Thomas Isaac grumbled. ‘Me poor old bones are weary, that’s all what’s wrong wi’ me.’
‘Don’t try it on, Dad.’ Aggie wagged a finger. ‘You’ve got all the wine you’re getting.’
He gave her a beckoning wink. ‘Aw, come on, lass.’ He held out his glass yet again. ‘Fill it up t’top. It’ll help me sleep well tonight.’
‘The answer is still no,’ she replied firmly. ‘You shouldn’t even be having that much, and besides, the fresh air will help you sleep far better.’
‘You’re a mean woman.’
‘That’s right, and I’ve got my eye on you.’
‘I love you all the same.’ Reaching out, he patted her on the shoulder. ‘Even if you are a bossy bugger.’
‘I love you too, Dad. So now eat up and enjoy the evening, eh?’
While all this good-natured bantering was going on, Danny thought how wonderful it was, to be in the midst of this family and feeling such contentment. Now, as he glanced at Emily, his heart was brimful of love for her.
As for Emily, she gave him a quiet smile that said, ‘Don’t expect too much.’ And knowing how she felt, he merely nodded and looked away.
Just then, Cathleen tugged at his hand. ‘Here’s a cake for you, Danny.’ She held up the fairy cake with its melting chocolate on top, and he took it graciously. Already he felt he belonged. All it needed now was for Emily to say she was willing to wed him, and he would be the happiest man on God’s earth.
Inside the converted outhouse some distance away, Clem Jackson was blissfully unaware of the family gathering. Busy entertaining, he had his arms full of a woman, and his belly full of ale. Lying naked on the bed alongside her, he had been pleased and satisfied and now he was ready for more.
Turning his head he saw that she was sleeping. She wasn’t bad for somebody who sold her body to any Tom, Dick and Harry, he thought, his eyes roving the ample curves. As his gaze fell to where the mass of dark hair curled in between her thighs, a thrill ran through him and he became aroused.
In a minute he was on her, the force of his weight startling her awake. ‘For God’s sake, we’ve been at it all night,’ the woman complained. ‘Don’t tell me you’re still not satisfied.’
He laughed – a rough, raw laugh that betrayed the animal in him. ‘It’ll tek more than you to satisfy the likes o’ me.’
Trying her best to throw him off, she pleaded with him, ‘I never thought I’d say this to any man, but you’ve worn me out. I’m bone-tired.’
Struggling to get from underneath him, she found herself trapped by the sheer mass of his body. ‘Get off!’ Punching at him with her fists, she continued to struggle, until he slapped her hard on the mouth.
‘Keep still, damn it! You should be used to men taking what they want, and why should you complain, eh? You get well paid at the end, don’t you?’
The hard slap on the mouth sent her into a sulk. Knowing how he was strong and nasty enough to hurt her if he wanted to, she lay there while he satisfied himself. The fact that she didn’t respond to his amorous advances was of no concern to him at all. In fact, it excited him all the more.
He was right in what he said, she told herself bitterly. She did sell her body to the highest bidder and in the past he had paid her well. But there was something about him that frightened her, and this time, she had come to loathe him more with every passing minute.
Now as he finished and rolled away, she snatched the opportunity to scramble out from beneath him. ‘I’d best get dressed,’ she said, grabbing her clothes. ‘Me and my sister are travelling to Manchester tonight.’ It was a lie, but all she could think of. ‘Dad’s not been well, and we need to be there.’
‘Liar!’ She was halfway dressed with her blouse on and her skirt round her ankles, when he was on her again. ‘Wherever you’re off to, it can wait,’ he grunted. ‘I ain’t had my money’s worth yet.’ With that he pushed her against the wall and pinning her arms out wide, he took her again, this time more brutally, and with deliberate cruelty.
Even now, in the middle of pleasuring himself, he couldn’t resist adding insult to injury.
Wiping his wet lips over hers, he whispered spitefully, ‘You’re a bit jaded for my taste, so I won’t be after you again, you can be sure o’ that.’ He took her quick and afterwards threw her aside.
Lying on the floor where he’d thrown her, she cried openly, while he continued to insult and degrade her. ‘Get dressed and get gone. I don’t want to see you again.’
‘I need my money.’ She had never been used like he’d used her, and she felt ashamed and angry. ‘I’m not leaving without my money.’
‘Oh, you’ll get your money all right. I won’t have it said that Clem Jackson doesn’t pay his doxies.’ Quickly dressing, he then flung open the door and stepped outside.
‘Where are you going?’ Frantic, she fell over herself trying to get dressed before he disappeared.
‘To check on my animals. They’re better company than you are.’ He spat on the gro
und. ‘Whore!’
Now he was out of the door, she couldn’t get dressed fast enough. ‘Wait!’ She ran after him. ‘WAIT!’
‘Look, Grandad.’ Seeing the woman running towards the field, one shoe on and the other in her hand, the child was curious. ‘There’s a lady, and she’s only got one shoe on.’
The old man turned his head to see. He had already noticed Clem striding away and suspected the woman wouldn’t be far behind. ‘Don’t worry about it,’ he told young Cathleen. ‘I dare say she’ll be gone soon.’
As with all children her attention soon wavered. Looking to where Danny and Emily were working on the swing, she asked hopefully, ‘Do you think Danny’s finished my swing yet?’
‘Go and see, why don’t yer?’
‘I can’t – Danny told me not to go near until he called.’
Welcoming the idea, he answered with a hug. ‘Quite right too, lass. You could likely get caught with one o’ them timbers and we wouldn’t want that now, would we, eh?’
He glanced across to where Danny was putting the final touches to the swing. ‘I reckon it might be all right now, though,’ he observed. ‘Why don’t yer go and see? I’m sure it would be safe.’
She slid her tiny hand in his and, tugging hard, entreated him to go with her.
‘No, lass. You go. I’ll just sit here and wait for your grandma to come back.’
‘Are you merry?’
He laughed at that. ‘Why d’you ask?’
‘’Cause Grandma said when you drink that Ederber wine, you get too merry and then you fall over.’
‘It’s true enough,’ he admitted. ‘I might well fall over if only she’d give me a big enough measure to mek me merry, but there’s no fear o’ that. So no, I’m not all that merry at the minute.’ He winked. ‘It’s grand to be out in the fresh air though, and I’m very grateful for that.’
‘Did Danny carry you all the way down?’
‘Almost.’
‘Did it hurt?’
‘Only my dignity.’
‘He’s nice, isn’t he?’
‘Yer right, lass, he is.’
‘I’d like him for a daddy.’
‘Would you now?’
‘Will you ask him, Grandad? Will you ask him if he’ll be my daddy?’
‘No, lass. It’s not for me or you to interfere, sweetheart. It’s for your mammy and Danny to decide.’ Thomas gave her a knowing wink. ‘I’ve a feeling they’ll work it out, lass.’
Leaping up, she threw her arms round his neck. ‘I love you, Grandad.’
Tears filled his old eyes. ‘Oh, an’ I love you, child. You’re a joy to be with.’ With great difficulty he lifted her down. ‘Go on then. See if your swing’s ready.’
‘If it is, you can have a go on it, Grandad. It won’t break. Danny says it’ll be strong enough to take an elephant.’
‘Are you saying I’m heavy as an elephant?’
‘No, but you can have a swing if you like.’
The old man chuckled aloud. ‘I’d best not, but thank you all the same. Now go on. Be off with yer.’
Just then Danny called her name. ‘Cathleen! Your swing’s ready if you want it.’
Thomas Isaac smiled as she chased over to try out her new swing. ‘By! You’re a lovely, bonny lass.’ Like everyone else, he had come to cherish the child. ‘I can’t even begin to remember what life was like afore you came.’
Wearied by the sun and his long conversation with Cathleen, he closed his eyes and let his mind drift.
When a moment later Aggie arrived from the kitchen with a brew of tea for him, he was dropping off to sleep. ‘Dad, here’s your tea.’ Her kindly voice gentled into his dreams.
‘Thank you, lass.’ Wide awake now, he sat up and took his tea.
‘Nodding off, were you?’ She sat beside him and leaned back, sighing. ‘I feel a bit like that myself.’
‘Aye well, it’s been a busy day for you and Emily, putting on the picnic besides all your other chores. You did us proud, lass. Everybody seemed to enjoy theirselves.’
Aggie thanked him. ‘It were worth it, just to see Emily and Danny in each other’s company. I’m hoping things might happen there, aren’t you?’
‘Aye, and so is young Cathleen from what she said.’
‘What did she say?’ Aggie sat upright.
‘She said as how she wanted him for a daddy, and would I ask him, please.’
‘Aw, bless her heart. She thinks the world of him. Danny and Emily getting wed would be by far the best thing for that little mite.’
‘I agree, but what about John Hanley? Emily still cares deeply for him, as you well know.’
Aggie did know, only too well. ‘It’s been too long,’ she replied thoughtfully. ‘If he were coming back, he’d have done so afore now.’ She turned to look at him. ‘Don’t you think so, Dad?’
He nodded. ‘You’re right, it has been too long. I reckon our Emily would do well to forget him. There’s the child to consider now.’ He smiled. ‘By! She’s a knowing little thing. Never misses a trick.’
He pointed to the field-gate. ‘Just now she saw one o’ Clem’s ladyfriends running across the field. She had one shoe on an’ one shoe off. I didn’t see her at all, until Cathleen told me.’
Aggie’s expression darkened. ‘I wish to God he’d go away and leave us alone. He’s a bad influence. Cathleen’s of an age now where she watches everything. It worries me, Dad. I want shut of him.’ Her voice dipped. ‘I hate him. I’ve allus hated him!’
Sensing her darkening mood, he said pacifyingly, ‘He’ll be gone soon enough, I expect. A man like that doesn’t put down roots and he knows he’s not wanted here. Nobody wants to stay for ever, where they’re not wanted.’
Aggie didn’t believe that, although it would be wonderful if one morning she woke up and he was gone. ‘He won’t leave without his blood-money, and we’ll never have enough to pay him off, so I shouldn’t count on him going if I were you.’
For a moment they lapsed into silence, quietly watching the girl as she swung high underneath the apple tree. After a while their moods lightened. ‘She’s a bonny lass, don’t you think, Dad?’
Grandad was already smiling at her antics. ‘Bonny and loving. And I’ll tell you another thing, lass. John Hanley caused an upset when he went away like that, but we can be grateful for what he left behind. God only knows we’ve had our troubles, and still have.’
His voice broke with emotion. ‘That little lass is like sunshine after rain. She’s the best thing that’s happened to this family in many a day.’
Aggie saw how emotional he was, and placing her hand over his, she told him softly, ‘You’re thinking of your own son, aren’t you?’
The old fella wiped away a tear. ‘Aye, lass. More to my shame. After what Michael did, I should wipe him outta my mind for ever.’
‘He’ll be back,’ she promised. ‘He’ll be back, and we’ll all be glad to see him.’
‘Not me! You’ll never see the day when I forgive him for what he did. He left you when you had nobody else to carry the burden. He’s a coward through and through, and I want no truck with him. Not ever!’
The sound of Cathleen’s laughter caused them to turn and look. ‘She’s happy enough,’ he said. ‘None of the troubles have touched her, thank God.’
‘No, and if I have my way they never will.’
‘Then you must pray that Emily puts aside her fondness for John, and takes Danny as a husband. That way they’ll both be safer.’
Some small distance away, Clem and his woman were also alerted by Cathleen’s laughter. In the middle of an argument about the money, he paused to look across to where Cathleen was sending herself higher and higher on the new swing. ‘She’s a pretty little thing, don’t yer think?’ he said proudly.
Lately he had enjoyed taking more notice of his bastard child. He took notice of her now; of the way her baby legs were now longer and finer, and how her skirt rose provocatively above her knees every ti
me she swung downwards. He saw the sweet, laughing face and the long hair, and was moved to say out loud, ‘She’s a damned good-looking kid.’
The woman thought the same, and said so. ‘One of these days there’ll be men crawling all over this place, wanting to be with her, and showering her with presents.’
Watching Cathleen now, he was riddled with jealousy. ‘Over my dead body!’
‘It’s not up to you,’ she jibed. ‘It’s up to her father.’
‘Shut your mouth, bitch.’ He raised his fist. ‘Or d’yer want me to shut it for yer?’
Curious at his reaction, and realising she had touched a nerve, she laughed. ‘Got you on the raw, have I?’ she taunted. ‘Sorry you never had a child yourself, is that it?’
Enraged, he took her by the shoulders, his eyes boring into hers. ‘If you know what’s good for you, you’ll get on your way right now – afore I help you along with the toe of me boot.’
‘I’ll gladly be on my way!’ She held out her hand. ‘Just give me my money.’
Throwing her aside, he paused, his eyes drawn to the necklace round her throat. ‘Looks to me like you don’t need any money.’
‘What do you mean?’ His mood unnerved her. ‘I’ve earned every penny of what you owe me, and I want it. Now, if you please!’
‘If you’re so desperate for money, why don’t you sell that!’ His wicked gaze focused on the necklace; a sparkling thing with a single hanging jewel. ‘Looks to me like it’s worth a bob or two.’
Beginning to think he was entirely mad, she put her hand over her necklace. ‘It was a gift. I’m not selling it. I want the money you owe me. Just hand it over and let me go.’
Eager to be gone, she was half-tempted to leave without her money, but her pride kept her there a moment too long, because suddenly he snatched at the necklace and ripped it from her neck.
‘If you value this trinket so much, you’ll have to go fishing for it.’ And to her horror, he threw it as far into the field as he could, laughing when it landed face-up in a boggy dip. ‘You’ll need to get your feet wet, though.’
‘You bastard!’ Pummelling him with her fists she was taken by surprise when he merely smiled and walked off.
Lovers and Liars Page 22
