by June Francis
There was a gasp and a ripple ran through the tiny congregation. She saw bride and groom turn their heads, straining to see who had spoken. The priest held up his hand. The noise subsided. ‘This is a serious matter, young lady. Come here. Why do you object?’
Katherine moved out into the aisle and said loudly, ‘I don’t want this man to marry my mother. My father’s still alive!’
A noise like a swarm of angry bees buzzed through the congregation despite the priest’s attempt to hush the people. Katherine could see Andy staring at her even as Celia threw down her bouquet and, taking to her heels, fled up a side aisle. Immediately Katherine turned and ran after her but Celia had a good start and was out of the churchyard and halfway across the road by the time Katherine reached the gate.
‘Mother, wait!’ she cried. But Celia ignored her and headed in the direction of Prescot Road.
Katherine raced after her but the breath was burning in her throat by the time she reached the toy shop, the door of which stood open. Celia must have already gone inside. There was no sign of her mother so she waited, having decided not to venture up the stairs she could see through the door at the other side of the shop. By the time she had her breath back, Celia was descending the stairs, carrying a suitcase. She was stony-faced and there were signs of tears on her cheeks where her mascara had run.
‘I’m sorry, Mum, but I had to do it,’ said Katherine after the barest of hesitations.
‘Don’t speak to me,’ said Celia in an icy voice. ‘You shamed me! How could you do that to me? Dear God, I’ll never be able to look those people in the face again – nor him. And I wanted this shop!’
‘He’s no good for you. I’ve heard he drinks. And I think he’s after your money.’
‘Do you think I don’t know that?’ cried Celia. ‘I’m not bloody daft! I’ve fancied him for years though he turned out not to be quite what I thought. But still, I’d have got this shop if I’d married him!’ She clenched her fist and hit the nearest wall. ‘Ouch! Now see what you’ve made me do!’ Her face screwed up with pain as she dropped the suitcase and nursed her hand.
‘Sorry,’ said Katherine meekly, struggling against giving way to hysterical laughter.
‘Stop saying sorry!’ yelled her mother. ‘What good is that?’ She sucked her knuckles, closed her eyes and opened them again. ‘Well, I’ve been paid back good and proper. I sinned and this is what happens. I should have drowned myself in the Mersey when I found out about you and then I wouldn’t have suffered the way I have.’
‘Thanks very much! I’d have been dead too,’ said Katherine indignantly.
‘Exactly. You’ve been nothing but trouble! Better we’d both drowned.’
‘I’ll go then!’
‘You do! I don’t ever again want to see you!’
‘That suits me,’ said Katherine. ‘I only did what I did to save you from yourself! And I thought you might have liked a share in the Arcadia!’ She marched out of the shop, glanced up at Dolly’s window and saw the net curtain move but did not delay in case Andy Pritchard turned up at any moment. She walked along Prescot Road until she reached the Cattle Market pub and was just wondering what the awful smell was when Celia caught up with her.
‘What was that about the Arcadia?’ she panted, struggling with her suitcase.
Katherine stopped and stared at her. ‘I thought you never wanted to see me again?’ she said in a hoity-toity voice.
‘Oh, shut up! Tell me about the Arcadia.’
‘I have it on good authority that my grandmother is putting it up for sale,’ she said, very politely. ‘I thought you might have liked to put some money into it?’
Celia stared at her and laughed. She plonked her suitcase down on the pub step and sat on it and laughed and laughed.
‘What’s so funny?’ said Katherine, herself unable to resist a smile.
Celia did not answer but a man came out of the pub and told her to shift herself. She did not move, still laughing. So he grabbed hold of her by the back of her jacket and even as Katherine protested, pushed her mother in her direction. ‘Gerra out of here. She’ll be giving us a bad name.’
Katherine steadied Celia and, picking up her suitcase, pulled her away from the pub. Celia continued to laugh until Katherine thought she would choke. She shook her. ‘Stop it!’ she ordered. ‘Stop it!’
‘You want my money?’ cried Celia. ‘You’ll be lucky! I only won a few hundred pounds, not the bloody seventy-five thousand jackpot! But he thought the same as you and I let him think it!’
‘You’re joking?’
‘Sorry, luv.’ Celia took a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her eyes. ‘What a lousy day this is turning out to be for both of us. Can’t Mick give you the money?’
‘I told you, he’s bought a house.’ She hesitated before saying persuasively, ‘Why don’t you come back with me to the Arcadia now? He might just drop in.’
‘No, thanks! I still feel bloody cross with you. I left a note with Mrs Evans saying I was getting married and wouldn’t be back. Hopefully she hasn’t read it yet.’
Katherine shook her head. ‘You are mean, Mum. You should have told her. The poor ol’ thing …’
‘I couldn’t risk you finding out,’ said Celia fiercely. ‘How did you, by the way?’
‘Jack’s girlfriend lives next door to the toy shop. Her mother told me the banns had been read. I didn’t even know you were a Catholic!’
‘I’m not. I lied about that too. Said the church where I was baptised was bombed in the war.’ She sighed. ‘Trust Dolly to tell you. I was rude to her. It’s true what they say: do a bad turn and you’ll get it back.’ Her brow creased. ‘How did Jack meet her daughter?’
‘Mick sent him to watch Mr Pritchard’s place.’
Celia frowned. ‘But how did he know to do that?’
‘Rita! Mr Pritchard told her he’d met you at the dance in Southport.’
‘You don’t have to say any more.’ Celia sighed again.
‘Mick wanted us found,’ explained Katherine. ‘He wants to meet you. Why don’t you come with me and do that now?’
‘No, thanks,’ she said again, stretching out a hand for her suitcase. ‘I’m all wound up inside … and I’m hungry. I’d prepared a buffet in the flat. I should have taken something from it to eat. I was daft to leave all that food there.’
‘You’re not going back, are you?’ said Katherine in alarm. ‘I mean, you wouldn’t do it because you still fancy him?’
Celia frowned. ‘I do a bit. But you’re right, he did drink and he got a bit rough at times and he’d have found out sooner or later I didn’t have seventy-five thousand pounds. Anyway he’s not going to want me now he knows you exist so I might as well go home. Bang goes me honeymoon in Blackpool.’
‘Sorry, Mum.’ There was a sympathetic expression on Katherine’s face. She opened her handbag and took out a ten-shilling note. ‘Buy yourself some fish and chips and a nice cake from Sayers. I’ll see you soon.’
‘It’s the least you owe me,’ said Celia, snatching the money from her hand. Without even a goodbye, she crossed the road and was soon out of sight.
Katherine turned away and hurried in the direction of Dolly’s shop. It was half-day closing so she rang the bell and a few minutes later the door opened and Dolly stood in the doorway. ‘What’s going on?’ she said, giving a little giggle. ‘My, my, girl, you are a one! What have you done? I saw you and your mother, and you’d just left when he came in. He’s in there now, rampaging around. Most likely he’ll get drunk.’
‘Most likely.’ Katherine sighed. Now it was all over she was suffering from a sense of anticlimax.
‘Like to come in and have a cup of tea and tell me all about it?’
‘I would but I’d better not. I’ve a three-course meal to prepare.’
‘Well, just step inside and tell me what happened then.’
Katherine decided she could spare a minute and soon had Dolly shaking her head and saying she marvelled at her courag
e and couldn’t wait to tell Vicky all about it. Katherine guessed that it would soon be all over the neighbourhood.
With no sense of misgiving she stepped out on to the pavement, only to bump into the erstwhile bridegroom himself as he came out of his shop, still with a carnation in his buttonhole. Seeing him close up as he blocked her path, she wondered afresh what on earth her mother had seen in him. He glared at her from bloodshot eyes and although she was pretty certain he did not have the faintest idea who she was, she thought she had better vamoose. He did not look like he was going to move so she stepped round him and hurried towards the bus stop. She glanced back once and saw he was staring after her but did not let that bother her. Instead she began to devise a way of bringing her parents together.
Chapter Nineteen
‘Who’s been sleeping in my bed?’
‘Mmmph?’ Katherine came up from sleep that appeared to be fathoms deep and struggled to open her eyes, recognising the voice and experiencing a once familiar irritation. ‘Oh, go away, Sarah! It’s too early for a telling off!’
‘You’ve got a cheek, coming back and taking over,’ said Ben’s wife.
‘I’ve got a cheek!’ croaked Katherine, managing to force her eyelids open. ‘What about you, moving into my bedroom as soon as my back was turned? What time is it?’ She yawned. ‘Should I be up?’
‘Yes! Ben’s downstairs. He’s talking to Jack but should be here any minute. Then you’ve got the job of explaining why you walked out without a word to him – and it had better be good!’
Katherine was about to say: ‘It’s none of your business!’ but of course Sarah would think it was her business now she was Ben’s wife. Besides, Katherine remembered they had come straight from seeing Kitty and would have news. She sat up. ‘How’s Ma?’
Sarah’s face softened. ‘Getting better, thank God, but she won’t be home just yet.’ She moved off the bed. ‘I believe you’ve been short-handed here with Eileen going off home?’
‘Yeah! It’s been hard work,’ said Katherine, sliding from beneath the covers and dragging on a dressing gown. She yawned.
‘It was a good job Jack was here,’ said Sarah.
‘I couldn’t have done without him.’
‘So you two have made up your differences?’
Katherine nodded and was about to go to the bathroom when the door opened from the other side and Ben popped his head in. ‘You decent?’
She flung her arms round him and hugged him tightly.
‘It would have been little use if she wasn’t,’ said Sarah, with only the slightest edge to her voice. ‘You’re going to have to get into the habit of knocking, husband of mine.’
‘Yes, luv,’ said Ben, grinning happily at her over Katherine’s shoulder. ‘But I’m not going to be living here, am I? So isn’t it time you two kissed and made up?’
Katherine pulled away from him. Looking at Sarah with a gleam in her eyes, she said, ‘We could shake hands?’ and suited the action to the words.
‘Right!’ said Sarah afterwards, rubbing her hands together. ‘Now that’s done, I’ll leave you two to talk and go and help Jack start the breakfasts.’
‘I’ll be down in a minute,’ said Katherine swiftly.
‘Don’t rush yourself. I can cook, you know!’
‘Two eggs for me, luv,’ said Ben.
Sarah blew him a kiss before closing the door.
‘You’ve tamed her,’ marvelled Katherine.
‘Don’t you believe it! If you knew how she beats me when we’re alone … She’s a terrible woman. Now tell me, what’s this I’ve been hearing from Jack about someone called Patrick?’ he teased.
‘He told you about Patrick!’
‘Only because he thought I should pave the way for the two of you with Ma.’
‘That’s not going to be easy,’ she said gloomily. ‘He’s been here and Ma didn’t exactly approve of him – and you’ve met him as well.’
‘Have I?’ Ben looked surprised. ‘Can’t remember.’
Well, if he didn’t remember she was not going to remind him of the circumstances.
‘With a name like Patrick he must be a Catholic,’ said Ben, ‘and it’s taken Ma and Pops all their energy to keep their mouths shut with Vicky being one as well. But Jack is over twenty-one so there’s nothing they can do there.’
Katherine’s brow furrowed. ‘Patrick and I’ve never spoken about religion.’
‘Perhaps you should. Pops is Presbyterian and Ma’s always been C. of E. And you know what it’s like in Liverpool on the Twelfth of July with the Orange and Green. His family might have strong feelings about you.’ He put an arm round her and pulled her against him. ‘Still, you’re not eighteen yet. You’re only young so I wouldn’t worry too much and maybe keep quiet about Patrick for now. At least until Ma’s feeling a lot better.’
‘OK.’
‘That’s my girl! It’s great to have you back. We’ll have a proper gab later. Now I’d best get a call put through to our Teddy before he leaves for work and tell him the latest news on Ma.’
Katherine stared after Ben, glad that things did not appear to have changed much between them, but she had not liked the insinuation that she was still only a kid. In her eyes almost eighteen was grown up and she was not going to revert to being treated like a child. She had to see Patrick as soon as possible.
Katherine was to see him sooner than she’d planned because he called the next day. Unfortunately she was doing reception work and was up to her eyes dealing with an influx of guests and could only excuse herself for a moment. ‘Hello, you,’ she said softly, wishing Kitty was there to see him now. He was wearing a suit and looked quite different. Even his Tony Curtis quiff had been subdued with what smelt like Brylcreem. ‘Where are you going, dressed up to the nines?’
‘Look who’s talking,’ said Patrick laconically, resting his elbows on the reception desk. ‘Off to visit the Queen, are yer?’
She was wearing a navy blue suit and her hair was twisted in a neat knot. ‘It’s window dressing. Goes with the job when I’m standing behind here. What can I do for you? Sorry, I can only spare a minute.’
‘Nothing.’ He straightened up. ‘Just came to tell you the Daily Post have accepted our idea for a series of pictures and articles on street names. Remember the Echo turned my Nelson idea down?’
‘Great!’ Her face lit up. ‘See! You’ll be a success before you know it.’
‘They’re giving me the odd assignment too.’
‘I’m real made up for you!’
‘I’m off on one now. Some do or other at the Town Hall. It would have been great if you could have come with me.’
‘I’m sorry,’ she said regretfully. ‘But there’s no one to take over from me.’
‘Pity!’ He pulled a face. ‘Anyway, how’s your grandma? Mrs Evans told me about her heart attack.’
‘She’s coming on, but if she sells the Arcadia and goes to live in Scotland I might have to go with her.’
‘What! You go and live in Scotland? That’s a bit much to …’
‘Excuse me, dear,’ interrupted a woman’s voice, ‘but how long are we going to be kept waiting?’
Katherine rolled her eyes and said clearly, ‘Sorry, madam. I’ll be with you right away.’ In a whisper she added to Patrick: ‘Hang on, I’ll be back in a minute.’ But when she returned from seeing the guests to their rooms he had gone.
She expected to hear from him the next day and the next but a week went by and there was still no sign of him. She could not think what had happened to him and thought of nipping to the pet shop to see if he had called at the photographer’s, but there was a telephone call from Ireland saying John and Kitty were coming home and she decided she really had to make sure everything was just right for them.
Katherine was shocked when first she set eyes on Kitty. She looked frail and as if she had shrunk somehow. Katherine felt wracked with guilt. Was this all her fault? She did not know what to say to her and the words t
hat did eventually come to mind seemed to stick in her throat.
‘So you’re back, and about time too!’ said Kitty in brisker tones than they would have expected. ‘There’s no need to be looking like I’m going to bite your head off! I’m just glad I’m here to see you. Now, go and put the kettle on and let’s forget you ever went.’
‘Ri-right, Ma!’ Katherine glanced at John for his reaction and saw he was smiling. She hurried out, considering herself fortunate. She passed Jack on the way and, glancing back, saw him hug his mother. At least everything was OK there, she thought, but was not sure how she would cope if Kitty started on about Celia because she did feel a certain loyalty towards her mother and did not want her to become a bone of contention between them.
She had already set a table in the basement with cakes and scones but first served some warming lentil soup with crusty bread. Conversation was on a mundane level until Jack began talking to his father about his plans to do medical research. It was then Kitty turned to Katherine and filled her with dread by asking, ‘How’s Celia?’
‘Fine! We – we seemed to rub along OK.’ She managed to get the words out with a bright smile.
Kitty returned the smile. ‘Glad to hear it. She’ll have to come to tea so we can have a chat. I owe her an apology.’
Katherine could not believe her ears but she took Kitty up on her words immediately. ‘Next Sunday would be a nice day for her to come. It’s Mothering Sunday and the pet shop’ll be closed.’ She was thinking Mick would be coming too so it would be a perfect opportunity for them to start getting to know each other again.
‘Jack said something over the phone about a pet shop. Did you like it there?’
‘Loved the shop.’ Katherine’s face broke into a smile. ‘Some of the people were really funny.’ She told Ma about Pretty Boy the budgie and his owner, and it was not until she came to the end of her tale that she became aware Pops and Jack were listening too.
‘It sounds fun,’ said John.
‘It was but – it wasn’t home.’
John and Kitty glanced at each other but said nothing and it was not until father and son left the room to check something in a medical book that Kitty murmured, ‘Did the boys tell you I’m selling the Arcadia?’
