by June Francis
‘But it’s your brother Mick Celia went out with, and it was him who was left in the Atlantic in an open boat?’
‘We-ell,’ said Ben, ‘I can’t tell you much about that. He doesn’t like to talk about it.’
‘What about you? Where was your war?’
There was silence and Katie lowered her magazine.
Ben cleared his throat. ‘I did my bit during the blitz in Liverpool and then – then I joined the Air Force in the last year, only to be shot down by enemy aircraft.’
‘What happened then?’
Katie gave up all pretence at reading and waited for Ben’s reply. ‘I managed to get my parachute open but it was dark and I had no idea where I was,’ he said in a dreamy voice. ‘I should have stayed put until daylight but instead I began walking and ended up behind enemy lines. Stupid of me!’
‘I think it was quite brave,’ said Rita. ‘It must have been tough.’
‘It was!’ He sighed. ‘I was put in a prisoner-of-war camp. The food was terrible – what there was of it. Not a bit like home cooking.’
‘You men!’ said Rita in a teasing voice. ‘You love your stomachs.’
‘The way to a man’s heart,’ he said, and grinned.
Rita stared fixedly at him a moment then said, ‘Changing the subject … fancy you thinking I was Celia!’
Katie’s ears pricked up.
‘It was Ma, as I said. Do you know where Celia is?’
Rita frowned. ‘She should have been here by now. She’s supposed to be doing extra hours and it’s not like her to be late.’
‘Maybe she got soaked and had to go home and change?’ suggested Ben. ‘If you gave me her address …?’
‘We’re not allowed to do that. I’d like to help, really,’ said Rita, sounding like she meant it. ‘Celia could do with someone to look after her. Her nerves aren’t strong.’
There was a brief silence before Ben said, ‘She never told you anything about us and what happened in the blitz?’
‘She told me she’d lost someone but didn’t go into details. I understand that because – well, because I lost my mam and gran in the blitz and a brother at sea. That’s why what you had to say about Mick interested me.’
‘I’m sorry,’ said Ben. ‘Have you no other family?’
Rita hesitated. ‘None that counts. Listen, if you want you could wait in the lounge until Celia comes in. Second door on the right. There’s a good fire in there with its being such a miserable afternoon.’
Ben thanked her, and as he moved away from the desk Katie rose and walked towards him. She knew she had given him a shock because he blinked. ‘How long have you been there?’ he demanded.
She smiled and linked her arm through his, squeezing it. ‘Long enough to hear you’ve led a more exciting life than I thought.’
‘You shouldn’t have followed me,’ he hissed, dragging her in the direction of a door which had ‘Lounge’ written on it in gold lettering.
‘You should be writing for the Hotspur or the Wizard.’
He grinned self-consciously. ‘I got carried away. But you must have heard the tales our Mick and Teddy spin about their war experiences – do you believe them all? The one I spouted is based on something a mate of our Teddy’s told me. The only difference is that this Jerry woman in the camp tore his wedding ring from his finger.’
‘It was good as it was but I don’t know why you had to lie. You lived through the May blitz and I’ve heard people say that wasn’t much fun.’
‘It was definitely no picnic,’ he said quietly. ‘I’ll never forget me and Celia running for home with bombs falling all around us and the docks ablaze.’
‘There you are!’ Katie smiled and said gently, ‘Was that when she worked at the Arcadia?’
He hesitated. ‘Naw! She was working in a factory as a welder making guns. She was bombed out, that’s why she came to us.’
‘So she was actually living at the Arcadia during the blitz?’
‘She came and stayed for a short while. Then she left,’ he said tersely. ‘You’ll have to ask her for the rest of the story. I’ve said far more than I should.’ He opened the door of the lounge and ushered Katie inside.
She wondered what he meant by that but realised she was going to have to be patient for a little while longer if she wanted to learn more about Celia.
She looked about her with all the interest of one who worked in the business. The lounge at the Arcadia, which had housed the bar since the early-fifties, was long and narrow. She found herself envying the shape of this room which was a perfect square. Three easy chairs were occupied and pulled up so close to the fireplace she could not even see the fire, never mind feel its warmth.
‘It’s central heated but I’m sure it’s not on,’ murmured Ben, pulling up a chair near a window and waving her to it. He removed his coat and placed it on a nearby stool before seating himself so he could see the door and the rain-drenched garden. ‘Ma should be thinking of having central heating put in before winter.’
‘She said it’ll create upheaval and cost a bomb.’
‘It’ll have to be done sooner or later. Unless she sells up.’
‘Sells up?’ Katie stared at him. ‘You’re talking about my future! Has she been saying something to you that I don’t know about? She threatened me earlier that I wouldn’t follow in her footsteps because I thought she was being horrible to Celia.’
‘Did she hell!’ exclaimed Ben, looking dumbfounded.
‘I’m not surprised you’re surprised,’ said Katie, shaking her head. ‘It really shook me.’
He hesitated. ‘She didn’t mean it, kid. She’s getting on and can’t take upset the way she used to. And maybe you showing an interest in boys lately has made her think that perhaps you might change your mind about wanting to take over?’
‘How could she think that?’ said Katie in astonishment. She was silent a moment. Lowering her head to stare down at her damp shoes, she said casually, ‘If I was to meet someone, I’m sure they’d be glad not to have to go to all the trouble of looking for somewhere to live and have a readymade home.’
‘Hotel life isn’t everybody’s cup of tea. Just think of our Mick!’
Katie glanced up and caught his expression. She reached out one hand and said gently, ‘I don’t understand why he’s doing what he’s doing. I can’t believe he loves her.’
‘Love’s a damn nuisance,’ muttered Ben, taking out his cigarettes. ‘Take it from me, love, you’re best without it.’
‘Maybe you’ll meet someone else?’ said Katie.
‘And the Liver birds might fly!’ he said, lighting up.
Katie opened her magazine. ‘You never know,’ she murmured.
‘Yeah! You could be right. Who’d have thought Celia would have turned up the way she did?’
‘You think that’s strange?’
‘A bit.’
She raised her eyes and stared at him. ‘How did you know you’d find her here?’
‘How did you know how to find me?’ he parried.
‘Ah, but – what’s up?’ she asked as he got to his feet. She turned her head and saw Rita approaching.
‘You’re out of luck, I’m afraid,’ she said. ‘Celia’s just phoned. She’s not feeling well and won’t be in.’
‘Did she say what was wrong?’ asked Ben.
‘Feels she’s got a cold coming on. Not surprising, considering the weather.’
‘Could you give us her address then?’ he said, stubbing out his cigarette. ‘She might be glad to see a visitor.’
‘Visitors,’ murmured Katie, smiling at Rita.
‘I mentioned you were here and –’ She stopped.
‘And what?’ said Ben.
‘She put the phone down. Unless she phones back, I think you’d better forget about seeing her today.’
There was silence and Katie was bitterly disappointed.
Ben grimaced. ‘Thanks for trying anyway. Maybe I’ll come back another day.’ He pick
ed up his coat and walked out.
‘I’ve upset him,’ said Rita, staring at Katie. ‘Are you related to him?’
‘I’m his half-sister, Katherine Mcleod.’ She held out a hand. ‘What next, d’you think? It would be nice if Celia and Mick could get together.’
‘There’s nothing more I can do right now, love.’ Rita smiled. ‘I’m sure your brothers will be able to work something out.’
Katie nodded and hurried after Ben. ‘What are you going to do?’ she asked, putting up her umbrella and slipping her hand through his arm.
‘Mind my own business and accept I’m going to be a bachelor for the rest of my life,’ he said bitterly. ‘I thought Celia would want to see us.’
‘Ma was pretty unwelcoming, but I think that receptionist likes you. Why didn’t you ask her for a date?’
Ben made a noise in his throat. ‘It wouldn’t be fair. I’m a one gal guy. Let’s go home. And don’t mention Celia to Ma. It won’t do any good.’
Mick and Sarah were in the lounge when they arrived home. ‘Where’ve you two been?’ hissed Mick from behind the till. ‘Ma and Pops have gone out and Eileen told us that Celia’s been here, kicking up a fuss. I thought she was dead!’
‘Why should you think she was dead?’ asked Ben, going behind the bar and pulling himself a pint. He threw some money into the open drawer of the till.
Mick shrugged and waited until the guest he was serving had moved away. ‘Just the fact that I’ve never heard anything from her and her name’s hardly ever mentioned here. I thought maybe she’d been killed in the blitz. I mean, who was there to notify? The poor kid had nobody but us. I can’t understand what she’d be kicking up a fuss about, though?’
‘She didn’t kick up a fuss,’ said Katie hotly. ‘She just wanted to see you, so far as I know. She was here during the blitz, wasn’t she, Ben? So everybody here would know she hadn’t been killed.’
‘Yeah! She shared the cellar with us.’ He glanced at Sarah. ‘Funny, but Celia apparently believed Mick was dead all these years, too. Wouldn’t it be romantic if they met up again and fell in love?’ he added sardonically.
Mick frowned. ‘We’ll both have changed and probably have nothing in common. I wonder –’
‘I’m going upstairs,’ interrupted Ben. ‘I’m whacked.’
‘Do you want some supper?’ asked Katie.
He ruffled her hair. ‘If you’ll bring it up, I wouldn’t mind.’
‘No trouble.’
As he went upstairs carrying his pint she was stopped in the lobby by Sarah’s voice. ‘Where’ve the two of you been?’
She gave Sarah a look. ‘Southport. There’s a woman there our Ben went to see.’
‘A woman?’
‘You heard,’ said Katie with a smile, and went into the kitchen where she found Eileen.
‘You had a visitor while you were out,’ said the girl with a smirk, folding her arms across her chest. ‘But Aunt Kitty chased him, too.’
It couldn’t be? thought Katie. ‘You don’t mean …?’
‘The ted? Sure it was him, and the way he looked didn’t go down well here so I can’t see him coming back.’
Katie felt like wiping the smile off her face but instead said, ‘You told them about the fight, didn’t you? Why? Even Ben didn’t mention it. What is it you’ve got against me?’
Eileen shrugged her shoulders, the smile still playing round her lips. ‘Nothing, to be sure. It’s just that I don’t want you going the way of your mother.’
Katie stared at her. ‘What the hell d’you mean by that? Ma’s –’
‘Katie girl, if you’re making something for our Ben, make us a meat sarnie,’ said Mick, popping his head round the door. ‘And, Eileen, the guest in number five wants a fresh towel. She’s dropped the last one in the bath. Hurry up and get one to her, there’s a good girl.’
She hesitated and he said, ‘Well, get a move on!’
Eileen left the kitchen and Katie got on with what she was doing, wishing she had not gone after Ben because then she would have been able to talk to Patrick herself.
When Katie came out of Ben’s bedroom she found Sarah sitting on the top stair. She sighed, feeling she’d had enough of her own sex for the moment.
‘How is Ben?’ asked Sarah.
‘Why should you care?’ said Katie, nostrils flaring with annoyance. ‘You’ve got our Mick on a string. Isn’t he enough?’
‘Hardly! Mick’s no woman’s puppet.’
Her words surprised Katie and she thought before she said, ‘No, I suppose he isn’t. But neither is Ben and I think you’ve treated him rotten, writing to our Mick on the sly while going out with him.’
Sarah’s dark eyes flashed. ‘How do you know that, you loathsome brat, and how dare you speak to me like that?’
‘I don’t want to speak to you at all,’ said Katie, and instead of trying to get past her, went into her own bedroom.
To her annoyance Sarah followed and sat on the bed. The muted sound of distant traffic could be heard as well as a couple talking down in the street. Sarah glanced out of the window and stiffened. ‘So this is where you do your spying! You were listening to me and Ben when we had that argument weeks ago, weren’t you?’
‘You didn’t bother to lower your voices. Anybody could have heard you,’ said Katie, opening her magazine. ‘You were shrieking like an alley cat.’
‘You cheeky madam!’ Sarah crossed one Bear Brand sheerest nylon-clad leg over the other and glared at her. ‘You could have let us know you were there.’
‘You mean, shout down while you were arguing? Wouldn’t that have woken the guests and the neighbours?’
Sarah’s look was venomous. ‘If you were my sister, I’d put you in a barrel and float you on the Mersey.’
Katie’s voice was honeyed. ‘But you’re not my sister and I hope you never will be. Mick might make it up with Celia and Ben has found someone else. So you can stop making sheep’s eyes at my brothers!’
‘I do not make sheep’s eyes,’ said Sarah indignantly. ‘I have lovely eyes. I’ve been told they’re my best feature.’
‘By who?’
‘Whom, you mean. Well, it wouldn’t be your Ben, would it? He wouldn’t say anything so poetic.’
‘Which shows how little you know him. He reads the Psalms and Song of Solomon and they’re real poetry and can be lovey-dovey. You don’t know him at all and I think he’s well rid of you.’
‘You would think that! You don’t want someone else getting the attention,’ said Sarah in a silky voice. ‘Well, I do know Ben. I’ve known him a lot longer than you have, and if I’m treating him in a certain way it’s because I have my reasons. Ben and I go way back.’
‘Yeah! You are a bit ancient.’
Sarah stood up with a wrathful expression on her face but before she could speak the door opened and Ben stood there.
‘Why don’t you try disturbing every guest in the hotel?’ he said sarcastically. ‘Now go downstairs, the pair of you!’
‘You can’t speak to me like that!’ said Sarah. ‘I’m not a kid like her.’
‘Well, stop behaving like one. I want to get changed in peace before I go out.’
‘But you’ve just got in! Where are you going?’ demanded Sarah.
‘None of your business,’ he said, and closed the door.
‘Swine!’ Sarah ground her teeth. ‘I could kill him!’ She flounced out of the room and Katie followed her at a more leisurely pace, pleased with the last ten minutes’ work.
As Ben strolled down the Mount he felt a bit ridiculous, all dressed up with nowhere to go, but at least he had showed Sarah that he was not wilting away for love of her. Good ol’ Katie for sticking up for him. She was as good as any real sister, but what had Sarah been doing upstairs? It was unlikely Katie had asked her up.
A sports car came to a screeching halt much too close to the kerb alongside him. ‘I saw you leave. Can I give you a lift?’ gasped Sarah.
Ben was f
labbergasted but he hardened his heart and won his inner struggle. ‘No, thanks.’
‘Why not?’ she demanded crossly. ‘You never used to refuse a lift.’
‘Things have changed. You’re no longer my girl, and you’re on the wrong side of the road.’
Her eyes darted from his face to the other side of the road and back again. ‘Is that woman Katie mentioned the reason you won’t accept a lift from me?’
Ben’s expression froze and he thought frantically. ‘Who else?’ he said at last. ‘Now will you go away before you get arrested for kerb crawling and dangerous driving?’
Sarah bit her lip, glanced behind her and shot across the road, narrowly avoiding a motor cyclist. Ben’s heart leapt into his throat. ‘You bloody idiot!’ he shouted.
‘Can’t we talk, Ben?’ she called, continuing at a snail’s pace on the other side of the road. ‘I don’t really want to be out of friends with you.’
‘You have a funny way of showing it then, going out with my brother and insulting my sister. ’Bye, Sarah.’ He lengthened his stride and did not look back even when she roared past him, leaving damp scraps of paper swirling in her wake.
He did not feel satisfied for long, though. It started to pour with rain and he got soaked as he walked back home, wondering what would be the outcome of Celia’s visit and whether there was any way he could use it to win Sarah back for good.
Chapter Seven
Katie picked up the post and glanced at the envelopes. There was one addressed to her, a plain white one with a Lancashire postmark. She stuffed it into her apron pocket to read later, thinking it was from a guest she had made a friend of, and placed the others on the occasional table in the lobby except the one for Ma and Pops which was in Jack’s handwriting. Katie had sent him a birthday card but he had not reciprocated. As usual Ma had included his name on theirs.
Katie went into the kitchen and removed toast from the toaster, placing more bread in it.
‘Nothing for me?’ said Eileen, sliding bacon on to a plate.
‘There’s one from your mother. I left it in the lobby. Perhaps she’s writing to say it’s time you upped sticks?’
‘You think I’ll be going home before I’m good and ready?’ Eileen gave her a scornful look. ‘I happen to like it here so you might as well get used to the idea. I could be here to stay.’
