by Rosie Harris
‘You’re right, I suppose,’ Jenny agreed, ‘but I am worried about what this means; I’ve never heard her mention Bill Walsh before.’
‘Well, she wouldn’t have done if she met him out in Australia,’ Tom reasoned. ‘You haven’t heard from her since she went there.’
‘No, I suppose you are right, but I can’t help feeling concerned; Karen seems to make such bad choices in men.’
‘True,’ Tom agreed. ‘Look, why don’t you let me take you out to lunch somewhere; it will help pass the time and might even stop you worrying about Karen,’ he added with a light laugh.
Karen arrived just before five o’clock. The man with her was in his early thirties, tall, broad-shouldered, clean-shaven and with well-spaced dark brown eyes and thick dark brown hair. His handshake was firm and his voice decisive but well modulated. He was wearing dark brown trousers, a brown tweed jacket and an open-necked brown and cream checked shirt.
Jenny’s initial fears were dispersed. She liked him on sight. What was equally important was that she thought Karen had lost weight and seemed happier than Jenny had seen her in years.
Jenny introduced Bill Walsh to Tom and, as the two men shook hands she saw that as they weighed each other up Tom appeared to be perfectly happy with what he saw.
‘Have you two eaten?’ Tom asked, looking from Bill to Karen and back again.
‘Not since we landed, but we want to find somewhere to stay first,’ Karen stated.
‘That’s no problem,’ Tom told her. ‘You can stay here tonight, I have a spare bedroom.’
‘Thank you,’ Karen said gratefully, ‘but won’t that set all the old tabbies squawking?’
‘Karen!’ Jenny said in a reproving tone, but nevertheless she laughed with the others.
‘I’m sure we can avoid you meeting any of them if you are worried about what they will say,’ she said quickly.
‘No, not in the least worried,’ Karen told her airily. ‘I’ve told Bill all about my murky past. Oh, and I’ve turned over a new leaf, Gran, in case you were wondering,’ she added, smiling at Bill.
Jenny noticed the warm smile he gave Karen in return and her heart lifted. These two really were made for each other, she thought happily. In that one glance she had seen so much honesty, trust and love between them that she was reassured.
‘Right then,’ Tom said briskly, ‘that’s settled. Come on Bill, let’s take your cases along to my flat and get you settled in and then we’ll go out for a meal.’
‘You two carry on while I stay here and have a quiet word with Gran,’ Karen told them. ‘I know where your flat is Tom and I’ll join you in a minute or two.’
‘I’m sorry not to have been in touch, Gran,’ Karen said contritely when the door had closed behind the two men. She crossed over to sit beside Jenny and took one of her hands and held it between both of her own. ‘I have missed you and I knew you would be worried but I needed time to come to terms with myself. If you remember I always wanted to travel and see something of the world, but when I left school you were so anxious for me to start work right away at Premium Printing that I couldn’t do so. I promised myself I would do it one day and when Edwin gave me that ten thousand pounds I thought it was an ideal opportunity.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me that was what you were planning to do?’ Jenny sighed.
‘Because I knew you would try and stop me and tell me I ought to invest the money as a nest egg for the future or something sensible like that.’
When Jenny said nothing Karen went on, ‘I was in Australia and met Bill quite by chance and was astounded to know that he came from Heswall and was a geography teacher at a private school in Wiltshire. He was visiting Australia during the school summer holidays because that was one of the things he had always wanted to do. Odd wasn’t it that we should both turn up there at the same moment and bump into each other.’
‘Some people might say it was fate,’ Jenny said, smiling.
Karen grinned. ‘Or sheer luck. Tell me that you really like him, Gran.’
‘I’ve only just this moment met him but I certainly do like what I’ve seen of him so far,’ Jenny agreed cautiously. ‘Tom certainly seemed to approve of him; he must do or he wouldn’t have offered to let you stay in his flat.’
‘True, but then Tom is a very understanding person and he’s also very nice and I do approve, Gran, so go on and enjoy a little happiness the same as I am doing. I think you two were made for each other,’ she added with a broad smile.
‘Karen! What a thing to say.’ Jenny felt the colour rushing to her cheeks.
‘Gran, it’s so obvious; you work in tandem. You didn’t show the least surprise when Tom said we could stay in his apartment. In fact, I wondered if you two had talked about it and reached a decision before we arrived.’
‘Certainly not! Neither of us had ever met Bill Walsh or knew anything at all about him. He might have been a most unsuitable character.’
‘You mean like some of the other men I’ve got entangled with in the past?’
Jenny bit her lip. She didn’t want to start criticizing Karen. She felt far too happy to see her home again safe and sound and she had to admit that there was something very likeable about Bill Walsh.
‘Does this mean that you two are planning a future together?’ she asked quietly.
‘It certainly does. We did think of tying the knot in Australia but then I thought I would like you to be there when we did.’
‘What about Bill’s family?’
‘No problem there at all. Sadly, both his parents are dead; killed in a car crash three years ago – and he is an only child.’
‘Heart whole and fancy free,’ Jenny murmured.
Karen’s eyebrows went up at the dubious note in Jenny’s voice. ‘Don’t you believe me, Gran?’
‘Of course I do, it’s simply …’ She stopped speaking. There were countless questions in her mind. Bill looked to be in his early thirties so why wasn’t he married? Did he have a home of any kind. Where were they going to live?
As if in answer to her unspoken questions, Karen went on, ‘Bill teaches at a boarding school and he has accommodation at the school. We are hoping that when we are married they will let him move into a larger flat or one of the houses in the school grounds. The new term doesn’t start for a couple of weeks and Bill wants to go and check out what arrangements he can make.’
‘In the meantime where are you staying?’ Jenny asked.
‘We are planning to spend the next couple of weeks down in Wiltshire in a hotel somewhere near the school,’ Karen told her. ‘If the school are unable to offer us the sort of accommodation we want then we will look for a flat or house in the area. For the next couple of nights we thought we’d stay in Wallasey because I was desperate to spend some time with you. I’ve told Bill so much about you that he wanted to meet you and get to know you as well.’
‘We’d better smarten ourselves up, those two men will be back here any minute all eager to go and eat,’ Jenny said, standing up.
‘Yes, you’re right,’ Karen agreed, ‘and I must freshen up first. I need to change. I’ve been wearing these jeans and this T-shirt ever since we left Australia. If I go and unpack some clean clothes can I bring them back here and have a quick shower?’
‘Of course you can.’
‘You are such a dear and so understanding I really don’t deserve you, Gran,’ Karen told her and gave Jenny a big hug and a kiss on both cheeks. ‘I’ll be back in two seconds.’
Thirty
The next day the marriage between Karen and Bill Walsh was fixed for Wallasey in early September.
‘We could make it a double wedding if you like,’ Karen murmured, turning to smile at Jenny and Tom as they all left the Wallasey Town Hall.
‘That might be quite a good idea,’ Tom agreed, squeezing Jenny’s hand.
‘That will do, Karen,’ Jenny said sternly, but at the same time she returned Tom’s squeeze.
‘Gran, we both want you
and Tom to be witnesses at our wedding,’ Karen went on, looking anxiously from Jenny to Tom and back again. ‘You will, won’t you?’
‘Of course we will,’ Tom asserted before Jenny could respond. ‘If you are here in Wallasey at all before the big day, remember you can stay in my flat if you wish. If you prefer to go somewhere else then I will quite understand.’
‘No, no, we would love to stay with you,’ Karen told him. ‘It will give me a chance to spend some time with Gran and I will need all the help I can get from her to organize things – and being on the spot like that will be terrific.’
Although the next few days were chaotic, Jenny did manage to have some quiet moments with Karen. It was so very much like the old days when they had lived together in Warren Point that Jenny enjoyed every minute as they confided in each other and discussed the future optimistically.
Karen tried to explain the reason for her bad behaviour over the previous couple of years and to apologize for worrying Jenny so much.
‘The past is behind us so let’s forget what happened,’ Jenny told her. ‘Your future is all that matters and I am sure that with Bill it will be a happy one. He seems to be an extremely nice man, very capable and caring.’
‘He is all those things and more besides,’ Karen agreed fervently. ‘I was fortunate to meet someone like him; I am also lucky that he was so understanding. I’ve told him everything; not only about Lionel but about Jimmy Martin and Hadyn Trimm as well.’
‘That’s very comforting to know,’ Jenny told her. ‘As long as you have done that then I think we should forget all about the past and never mention it again.’
Next day they went to Liverpool to look for wedding outfits. Jenny and Karen left Tom and Bill to organize details for the flowers; posies for Jenny and Karen and buttonholes for Tom and Bill. They also told Tom to order two separate cars to take them to the town hall and one to collect them after the ceremony.
‘After that,’ Jenny suggested, ‘you had better go shopping for new suits for the wedding.’
Karen had no idea what sort of outfit she wanted but in the end she chose a very modest dress in pale blue silky fabric with tiny cap sleeves and a V-neckline. The waist was defined with a self-material belt that draped to one side. Although minidresses were all the rage Jenny was pleased that Karen insisted on her dress reaching her knees.
To wear over it she chose a classic-style coat in darker blue and, although it had the latest padded shoulders, it looked very attractive. To complete her outfit Karen selected a pale blue pillbox hat that was trimmed with a darker blue veiling.
Karen tried to persuade Jenny to buy a new outfit but Jenny refused. She did, however, buy a new cream hat and matching gloves that she said would liven up her plain green tweed dress and jacket, which was what she planned to wear.
Bill insisted on buying something sensible that would be suitable afterwards for work and chose a smartly tailored light grey three-piece suit and a self-striped white cotton shirt.
Karen decided to go shopping again to find some initialled cuff links for Bill so the two of them went to the jeweller’s together and at the same time chose their wedding rings.
The night before the wedding Karen spent the evening with Jenny and slept on the sofa, determined that she and Bill wouldn’t meet until they arrived at the register office.
It was a very quiet midday wedding on a perfect early autumn day with Tom and Jenny acting as witnesses. Afterwards the four of them were driven along the promenade for a very special meal at the Grand Hotel in New Brighton.
As they sat in the sumptuous lounge afterwards, looking out at the activity on the Mersey, of liners being towed out to the Bar by chugging little tug boats, Karen sighed deeply and exclaimed, ‘I shall remember this day for the rest of my life.’
‘I should hope you will,’ Bill said, reaching for her hand and raising it to his lips and gently kissing her knuckles. ‘It’s not over yet, though. The best is yet to come.’
‘Bill!’ The colour rose in Karen’s cheeks but her green eyes sparkled as they met his.
‘Come on you two, finish your coffee, it’s time we were heading for home if you want an early start in the morning.’
‘What’s the rush; we’re only minutes away from Merseyside Mansions.’
‘I know that but you’ve got to walk it,’ Tom reminded them. ‘I didn’t think it was worth asking the car to come back for us for such a short journey. We can call a taxi if you wish,’ he added hastily as he saw the look of surprise on their faces.
‘No, it’s a lovely evening, of course we can walk,’ Karen and Jenny told him.
As the four of them strolled along the promenade they could see the moon in the far distance; a pale gold ball over the silhouetted tops of the Welsh mountains.
‘It really is beautiful,’ Karen breathed.
‘Yes, a day to remember,’ Jenny agreed.
As they entered Merseyside Mansions they found that the reception area had been decorated with dozens of silvery balloons and a banner with ‘Congratulations Karen and Bill’ emblazoned on it. A cheer went up and it seemed as if every resident in the place was assembled there to greet them.
There were tears in Karen’s eyes as she listened to the babble of congratulations from all sides. People she’d never met before hugged her and patted Bill on the shoulder and wished them both happiness.
Inside the community lounge a trestle table had been set up in the centre of the room. It was laid out with a sumptuous array of sandwiches and cakes; in the very centre was a beautifully iced two-tier wedding cake.
Two waitresses were in attendance handing glasses of champagne to people as they came into the room and toasts were drunk wishing the newly married couple every happiness.
Throughout the evening the waitresses handed round the food and topped up glasses with wine. Cameras clicked, everyone eager to have a record of the event. When Dan and Mavis Grey exchanged anecdotes about their own wedding day they were quickly capped by stories from Ricky and Lorna Hill and then, to everyone’s surprise, by a very amusing tale from Clare and Peter Green.
As Karen and Bill circulated, Jenny felt uneasy when she noticed that Jane Phillips had cornered Bill and engaged him in what appeared to be a very serious discussion. Whenever Bill tried to speak Jane held up a hand and shook her grey head and continued speaking in such an emphatic way that Jenny suspected she was relating gossip about Karen and Lionel.
Determined not to let her monopolize Bill or blacken Karen’s name she walked over to where the two of them were.
‘You have met Karen’s new husband I see, Jane,’ she said mildly. ‘He’s so charming that I know it is difficult to get away from him,’ she added, lifting her eyebrows at Bill who looked rather puzzled by her flippant comment.
‘Mrs Phillips has been telling me how well she knows Karen and how much everybody at Merseyside Mansions will miss her being here,’ Bill explained.
‘Really!’ Jenny tried to keep the amusement out of her voice as she saw a pink stain appear on Jane’s pallid cheeks. ‘I hope she has been giving you a glowing report,’ she added drily. ‘Will you excuse us Jane.’ She smiled, taking Bill’s arm firmly. ‘There’s someone over here I particularly want him to meet.’
The rest of the evening went extremely well. The residents all wanted to know about Bill’s job as a teacher and about where they would be living in Wiltshire.
It was almost midnight before Tom Fieldman brought the celebrations to a close. He thanked them all for making it such a special occasion and asked everyone to drink one final toast to the newly married couple.
‘Perhaps we will all be buying new hats for another wedding soon,’ Jane Phillips commented shrewdly as she left.
Jenny smiled but made no comment. She wondered exactly what Jane had told Bill and hoped she had managed to drag him away in time before she could say anything too derogatory about Karen.
She was so relieved and delighted that Karen seemed to have revert
ed to the granddaughter she had watched grow up and she wanted nothing to stand in the way of her future happiness.
Thirty-One
It was the school half term at the end of October before Jenny saw Karen and Bill again. In the meantime they spoke on the telephone and Jenny was pleased to hear that they had settled in to the two-bedroom house they’d been allocated in the school grounds.
‘It’s small but quite cosy,’ Karen told her. ‘It has two living rooms and a small kitchen downstairs and two bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs. There’s no garden but we are surrounded by the school grounds so the outlook is quite pleasant.’
‘It sounds ideal and should be easy to look after,’ Jenny agreed.
‘We hope you and Tom will come and visit us at half term,’ Karen said, ‘and then you can see it for yourselves.’
Jenny accepted the invitation but insisted that they would arrange to stay at a nearby hotel.
‘Why don’t you want to stay with us?’ Karen asked.
‘You said that you have only two bedrooms,’ Jenny reminded her.
‘I know, but there is a bed in the spare room; surely you wouldn’t mind sharing with Tom?’ Karen responded quickly. ‘Or we could made up a bed for Tom on the settee.’
‘No!’ Jenny said very firmly. ‘Leave it that we will come and visit you but we will be staying at a nearby hotel and in separate single rooms.’
She suspected that Karen was trying her hand at matchmaking, but although she was very fond of Tom she still wasn’t sure that she wanted to encourage him by making such a commitment as sharing a bedroom with him.
It was a glorious late October day, mild and sunny, when they set off to visit Karen and Bill. The changing colours on the trees as they travelled south and the small, soft scudding clouds overhead made the journey very pleasant. They were both very relaxed and the occasional conversation between them was inconsequential and almost trivial.
