‘What on earth are mixed couples?’
‘Mixed religion, but where we marry isn’t important. How soon is. Down the pit or in a register office, anywhere, it makes no difference to me, so long as we can live and’, his dark eyes glowed mischievously, ‘start loving together.’
Rhian thought of Bronwen’s oldest sister Pearl and all the girls she knew who’d left service to rush down the register office because they already had a baby on the way. She couldn’t bear the thought of Mrs Williams, or anyone else who knew her, believing that was why she and Joey were marrying. ‘I would like to wait a few months before we set the date.’
‘There’s no reason for us to wait,’ he said impatiently. ‘I’m earning a good salary. We can move in with my father. And if you don’t want to live with him, we’ll take one of the other houses he owns as soon as one becomes vacant. Tenants are always coming and going.’
‘I’d love to live with your father.’
‘Good, because I’d rather not leave him on his own. Although Betty Morgan might prove a problem,’ he mused. ‘She’s used to keeping house for us and needs the money we pay her. But I understand that you won’t want another woman interfering in your kitchen –’
‘Joey, if you allow me to get a word in edgewise, can I say that before you make too many plans, I would like to enjoy our engagement.’
‘Enjoy it by all means but don’t make a meal of it.’ They had reached a part of the drive that couldn’t be seen from Bridge Street or the house, and he took advantage of the seclusion to draw her under the oaks that lined the carriageway.
He brushed his lips lightly, gently, over hers. Slowly, tentatively, she began to relax and finally respond to his touch. He slipped the buttons on her coat. Pushing aside her muffler, he slid his hand inside her cardigan and cupped her breast. His fingers burned, searing her skin through the thin silk of her blouse and bust-shaper. She tried and failed to quell the uneasy thought that his skill at lovemaking had been honed during his relationships with so many other women.
‘No!’ She pushed him aside.
‘Rhian, we’re engaged.’
‘Engaged to be married.’ She buttoned her cardigan and coat. ‘And there’ll be no more of that until after the wedding.’
He took a deep breath to steady himself. ‘That’s fine by me provided you set the date right now.’
‘Not before September.’
‘But that’s five months away.’
‘Exactly.’
‘I …’ He fell silent as she stared at him.
‘Can’t wait that long?’ she finished for him.
‘Not without a damned good reason.’
‘There’s no need to swear.’
‘Sorry,’ he apologized. ‘Not that I’m complaining, but you have a lot to learn about men.’
‘We have a lot to learn about one another.’ She held up her hand to silence him when he tried to interrupt. ‘And before you say anything, I realize that we’ve been acquainted for five years and spent some time together the last three months –’
‘Not some time, your every free moment,’ he corrected.
‘All right, all my free time, but I’m terrified of making a mistake that I’ll spend a lifetime regretting.’
‘You’re that unsure about marrying me?’
‘I just need –’
‘Time to convince yourself that you’re making the right decision?’ he mocked.
‘I’m wearing your mother’s ring.’
‘And you’ve said that you love me.’
‘I wouldn’t have taken the ring if I didn’t.’
‘And you know how much I love you, so how can we possibly be making a mistake?’ he said seriously.
‘I need time to get to know you properly.’
‘Fat chance of that when you only get one day off a week. If we marry right away we’ll have all the time in the world to get to know one another, starting with the honeymoon.’ He gave her his most winsome smile.
‘I’d still prefer to wait. And, if you don’t mind, I’d rather not tell anyone we’re engaged for a while.’
‘That I won’t agree to. I’m so happy I could shout the news from the rooftops. Besides,’ he entwined his gloved fingers in hers, and pulled her towards him, ‘I can see the ring even through your glove.’
‘Then perhaps I shouldn’t wear it just yet.’ She removed her glove, slipped the ring from her finger and tried to hand it back to him.
He released her hand and thrust his arms behind his back. ‘Now you’ve taken it, you can’t give it back. Rules of engagement.’
‘I thought rules of engagement only applied to battles, not this kind of engagement.’
‘And how many times have you been engaged before?’
‘None.’ She looked up at him. ‘You?’
He realized she was in earnest. ‘This is the first and it will be the only time.’ He took the ring from her, slipped it back on to her finger and buttoned on her glove.
‘You do know that I won’t forgive you if you walk out with another girl?’
‘Yes,’ he answered solemnly.
‘And you’re sure that you’re ready to forsake all others.’
‘I made you a promise, Rhian, I won’t break it.’ He grabbed her hand. ‘Come on, let’s tell Sali, and Lloyd if he’s home, that they’re about to acquire another sister-in-law.’
Lloyd’s car was parked at the front of Ynysangharad House, the door was open and Lloyd, Sali, Harry and Bella were in the hall putting on their hats and coats. Baby Edyth lay wrapped in a shawl in her pram.
‘We saw you walking up the drive, Uncle Joey.’ Harry was hopping from one foot to the other, clearly anxious to be gone.
‘If you’re going out just to avoid giving us tea, we promise not to eat much.’ Joey smiled at Rhian when she picked up the baby, who was awake and making grizzling noises.
‘Dad telephoned from the White Hart an hour ago.’ Lloyd tied Bella’s muffler around her neck. ‘He and Betty Morgan are moving in with Victor and Megan for a couple of weeks.’
‘Megan’s had the baby?’ Rhian broke in eagerly.
‘At two o’clock this afternoon. Harry, calm down, or go and run around the car for two minutes until we’re all ready to leave.’ Sali took a bunch of freshly cut daffodils and tulips from the hallstand.
‘Boy or girl?’ Joey beamed.
‘We waited so you could visit them with us and see for yourselves.’ Lloyd checked his pockets for his keys.
‘I can’t wait that long to find out if we poor boys have even more females in the family to contend with.’ Joey intercepted Harry who was racing back inside and swung him up on to his shoulders.
‘It’s boys, Uncle Joey.’
‘You are going to have to learn how to keep secrets if you want a quiet life, Harry,’ Lloyd teased his stepson.
‘Boys?’ Joey looked from Lloyd to Sali.
‘Twins,’ Sali confirmed, ‘and from what the midwife told Dad, Megan was surprised but Victor’s in shock.’
Betty Morgan carried a teacup down the farmhouse’s narrow staircase and nodded to Sali and Rhian who were hovering in the passage.
‘Go on up. She’s looking forward to seeing you both.’
‘Is she all right?’ Sali asked in concern.
‘Tired, but better than Victor, who’s been in a daze since Billy and I got here. But then I saw to it that Megan had a good rest after the birth. Perhaps I should have put Victor to bed as well.’
Rhian crept up the old wooden staircase behind Sali. The door to Victor and Megan’s bedroom was open. Megan was sitting up in the massive oak bed that had been left behind by the previous owner of the farm, a baby cradled in each arm.
‘You clever girl.’ Sali set the flowers she had arranged in a vase on the dressing table before kissing her.
‘They are absolutely gorgeous, Megan.’ Rhian gazed down at the two tiny, pink-faced babies.
‘Aren’t they just?’ Megan turned from
one to the other. She untied the strings on the babies’ bonnets and pulled them off. ‘Victor’s pleased. But I can’t say I am; look, they both have my red hair.’
‘May I?’ Sali held out her hands.
‘Take one each,’ Megan offered.
‘Did you have any idea that you were having twins?’ Rhian sat in a rocking chair at the side of the bed before taking one of the babies from Megan.
‘Not until after the first one arrived. This is the eldest.’ She retied the ribbons on the cap of the baby Rhian was cuddling. ‘Victor wants to call him Jack.’
‘And this one?’ Sali looked down at the baby in her arms.
‘Victor wants to name him Tom. Not Thomas, but Tom.’ Megan stretched out her arms. ‘It’s nice to hand them over to someone else for five minutes.’
‘Good plain names.’ Sali pushed her finger into the baby’s minute palm.
‘I would have liked to have called them William and Victor but Victor said they would be given nicknames if we used his and his father’s names and he couldn’t bear the thought of Little Billy, or Young Vic. And he wanted something ordinary because he’s never forgiven his father for allowing his mother to call him Sebastian.’
‘I didn’t know Victor’s name was Sebastian.’ Rhian glanced up from the baby, who appeared to be squinting up at her through half-closed eyes.
‘His middle name,’ Megan divulged, ‘and he hates it. I’m trying to persuade him to call the boys Jack William Evans and Tom Victor Evans, but I’m not having much success. He says one name is more than enough for any man.’
‘He’s probably right,’ Sali agreed philosophically. ‘After all, how often do any of us use our middle names?’
‘Well, Jack, what do you think of the name your father wants to give you?’ Rhian watched the baby yawn.
‘All three of you must be exhausted,’ Sali said.
‘I am tired,’ Megan conceded. ‘But according to the midwife, I had an easy time. The pains didn’t start until ten o’clock this morning. Victor sent the boy to get the midwife, she arrived at eleven o’clock, Jack was born at two and Tom half an hour later.’
‘You may have had a quick time, but I doubt it was easy, whatever the midwife said. Take a tip from an experienced mother,’ Sali advised. ‘Don’t get up for a full ten days. It’s bad enough trying to look after a baby, a toddler and Harry when he’s home. I can’t imagine what it will he like to care for two babies who’ll want feeding, changing and nursing at the same time.’
‘Victor and I have already decided that they are going to be perfectly behaved.’ Megan slid down in the bed.
‘Deciding and being are two different things. Is there anything I can do to help?’ Sali asked.
‘I don’t think so. Mrs Morgan seems to have everything in hand in the house. It’s good of her and Victor’s dad to move in with us. They said they don’t mind staying as long as they are needed. Spring is a busy time. But Dad is a real help around the farm. Come in?’ Megan called at a knock on the door.
Carrying the baby, Sali opened it. Lloyd, Victor and Joey stood in the doorway with Harry and Bella.
‘Hello, Megan.’ Joey smiled at her, then looked at the baby Sali was holding. ‘One of my nephews, I presume?’
‘The youngest, Tom,’ Victor said proudly after pulling back the shawl to check.
Joey glanced from the baby to the one Rhian was holding. ‘All babies look the same to me but these two are mirror images. How can you tell them apart?’
‘That’s easy; Jack has a smaller nose and a fatter face.’ Victor walked past Sali and sat beside Megan on the bed. ‘Want to come and look at your cousins, Harry, Bella?’ He held out his hand to the children who were hanging back.
‘You’ll have to teach them to play soldiers with us as soon as they’re old enough, Harry.’ Joey turned to Rhian. ‘If you want to be back at Llan House by ten, it’s time we left.’
‘I’ll get my coat.’ She kissed the baby and, after a final cuddle, reluctantly handed him over to Lloyd.
‘When are you having the next two, Megan?’ Joey asked.
‘We’ve done our bit to carry the Evans name into the next generation. It’s your turn,’ Megan answered. ‘And in case you thought no one had noticed, I spotted your new ring, Rhian. Congratulations, although if you don’t mind me saying so, I think Joey’s getting a better wife than he’ll be a husband.’
‘Thank you, Megan. It’s good to know that my sister-in-law thinks so well of me.’ Joey made a face at her.
‘You two could have said something,’ Lloyd remonstrated.
‘You could have noticed.’ Joey shook the hand Lloyd offered him. ‘I finally convinced Rhian that we should get engaged this afternoon and I don’t mind telling you, it’s the hardest day’s work that I’ve ever done.’
Sali shook her head at Bella who was trying to climb on to Megan’s high bed. ‘I think we’re wearing Auntie Megan out.’ She tucked the baby she was holding into the crib beside the bed. ‘You’ll have to make another one of these, Victor.’
‘I intend to, but the babies are so small they fit in nicely together.’
‘They won’t be small for long,’ Lloyd warned.
‘Take care of your family, Victor. I’ll be up again before we go to say goodnight.’ Sali blew a kiss to Megan and ushered the children from the room.
‘I can drive you and Rhian to Llan House, Joey.’ Lloyd handed the other baby to Victor.
‘Thank you, but we’d prefer to walk.’ Joey peered at the baby Sali had set down in the crib then at the one Victor was holding.
Megan laughed at the puzzled expression on his face. ‘If you keep looking, the difference between them will become obvious.’
Joey continued to glance from one to the other. ‘Not to me, it won’t.’
‘When’s the happy day?’ Megan asked Rhian.
‘When these two can walk up the aisle as pageboys,’ Rhian replied.
‘As I have no intention of waiting that long, they’ll have to be carried. Can we call in on Rhian’s day off next week?’ Joey asked.
‘There’ll be trouble if you don’t.’ Megan gripped Rhian’s hand when she bent to kiss her goodbye. ‘I am so glad that you are going to be my second sister-in-law.’
‘So am I. You sure about next week? We don’t want to make work for you.’
‘You won’t, Rhian.’ Betty Morgan pushed past the men, carrying a tray of soup and bread. ‘I’ve made some cawl for you, Megan. You need to get your strength back and when you get it, keep it. The rest of you,’ she glowered at Joey and Lloyd, ‘out of here so mother and babies can get some peace and quiet. And that goes for you too, Victor. Give the poor girl a moment to herself.’
‘We’re going. Night, Megan.’ Joey kissed Megan’s cheek but although he, Rhian, and Lloyd went to the door, Victor didn’t attempt to move from the bed.
‘Your poor father is watching his supper get cold downstairs while he waits for you to join him,’ Betty scolded.
‘I’m staying,’ Victor said flatly.
‘You want him to?’ Betty asked Megan.
‘Most definitely,’ Megan answered.
‘In that case you can, but no tiring your wife or your sons.’ Betty set down the tray and bustled out of the room.
‘You’ll call in again?’ Megan held out her hand to Lloyd.
‘Tomorrow, but just for ten minutes.’ He glanced in Betty Morgan’s direction. ‘Rest.’
‘As if I could do anything else with Betty and Victor bullying me.’
‘It really is no trouble to give you and Rhian a lift, Joey,’ Lloyd offered again as they went down the stairs. ‘That way you can stay for supper.’
‘No thanks. We’ll enjoy the walk and Rhian has supper waiting for her in Llan House.’
‘You’re going back to an empty house,’ Lloyd reminded his brother.
‘With a well-stocked pantry, and I’m not one of those men who don’t know how to boil an egg or butter a slice of bread.
’
‘Mrs Hopkins across the road said she’d keep the fire in for you and do whatever needs to be done around the house, including your washing.’ Billy Evans joined them in the passageway.
‘There won’t be much, I know how to look after myself,’ Joey assured him.
Sali hugged Rhian. ‘Let me know as soon as you set the date. I’ll help in any way I can and, if you can bear to be parted from Joey for an hour next Tuesday, I’ll arrange for you to see some wedding dresses in the store.’ She glanced slyly at Joey. ‘Pontypridd might be better. The manager in Tonypandy’s quite nosy and it’s bad luck for the groom to see the dress before the ceremony.’
‘Sali told me that congratulations are in order.’ Billy Evans smiled at Rhian before kissing her. ‘I must say my sons were all born under lucky stars. I couldn’t have wished for three nicer or prettier daughters-in-law. We’ll organize an engagement party for you as soon as Betty and I leave here.’
‘It will be a wedding celebration by then.’ Joey held out Rhian’s coat and helped her on with it.
‘No, it won’t,’ Rhian contradicted.
‘Joey’s a fortunate man. I only hope you know what you’re taking on with him, Rhian.’
‘I do, Mr Evans.’ Rhian gave Joey a sideways glance. ‘It’s not going to be easy to keep him in line but I’ll try.’
‘Did anyone else detect a cautious note when Rhian accepted our congratulations?’ Lloyd gave a last wave before closing the kitchen door.
His father sat at the table. ‘Given our Joey’s past exploits, any girl would be an idiot to be anything but cautious with him.’
‘If anyone can keep him on the straight and narrow, it’s Rhian.’ Sali picked up the ladle and moved behind the tureen. ‘Pass me the bowls, Harry, and I’ll dish out supper.’
Chapter Six
The wind had dropped and thousands of tiny stars shone down from a cold and startlingly clear night sky.
‘So, when will you marry me?’ Joey asked seriously after he and Rhian left the lights of the farmhouse behind them and headed down the mountain track towards the ribbons of street lamps that criss-crossed Tonypandy.
Sinners and Shadows Page 10
