A Mother's Duty

by June Francis

  Jeannie shrugged her slender shoulders. ‘I don’t mind parties but I don’t want to be on show.’

  ‘It doesn’t matter what you want,’ said Kitty kindly. ‘You’re bound to be even if you were ugly as sin, because you’re a new face. But we’ll give it for the Galloways as well, because they’re leaving for Canada.’

  ‘Why?’ asked Ben.

  ‘It doesn’t matter why,’ said Kitty, not wanting to talk about the possibility of there being a war. ‘And at least one good thing will come from it. Celia’s coming back to work for me.’

  ‘Who’s Celia?’ asked Jeannie.

  ‘An old flame of Mick’s,’ said Teddy, grinning at his elder brother.

  ‘Never mind Celia,’ said John crossly. ‘I’d been hoping to persuade Malcolm to go fishing in Scotland this summer and to take Jack and Jeannie with me.’

  ‘Well, that’s off,’ said Kitty promptly. ‘But as for the party – it’s definitely on?’

  ‘Definitely,’ said John firmly.

  So it was settled. There was going to be a party.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  The hotel was quiet after a hectic week and Kitty was in the Smoking Room with Ben and Jack attempting to make the place look festive on John’s orders. He had gone off with Jeannie, determined to reward her for helping out during the past few days. She had willingly acted as general dogsbody by answering the telephone and taking a turn in reception, as well as carrying trays up to bedrooms and being a listening ear to some of the elderly guests. Mick had said he admired her patience with them. To which she had replied she’d had plenty of practice, having being brought up by her grandmother before living with an elderly aunt for four years.

  Her actions had convinced John that here was the daughter that Kitty had been looking for and he had said so to her in bed that morning. She had retorted that it was early days and not to count his chickens.

  ‘Don’t you put her off staying,’ John had warned. ‘She’s an asset to the place.’

  ‘I’ve said that myself,’ murmured Kitty. ‘But we’ve only known her a week and it takes much longer than that to know if someone’s going to fit in.’ It was not true, of course. Kitty was used to making snap judgements in her line of business but she was not ready to be rushed into taking Jeannie into her heart.

  ‘Ma, where should I hang these?’ said Ben, holding up several inflated balloons.

  Kitty blinked at him from her perch on the stepladder. ‘I’ll find somewhere in a minute. We’ll need more than them, though.’

  ‘I’ll blow some up,’ said Jack, dropping the Christmas garland she was pinning up and reaching for a balloon.

  ‘You’re a pest!’ Kitty’s tone was exasperated as she watched the garland detach itself from the wall.

  ‘We need more help,’ said Ben.

  As if on cue there came a knock on the door. ‘Come in,’ said Kitty, hoping that Mick or Teddy had managed to get home early but it was neither of her sons. It was Celia.

  ‘Mrs McLeod, Hannah wants to know if you want the ham out the oven?’ she said, poking her head round the door.

  ‘I should think so.’ She smiled at the girl whom Nancy had lent her for the day. ‘How have you been, love? You look a bit peaky.’

  ‘I’m OK,’ said Celia. Her freckles seemed to stand out in her pale face as she leaned against the doorjamb. ‘Just don’t get enough sleep that’s all. Cough, cough! That’s Ma all the time. I’ve told her to see a doctor but she won’t. Stubborn, that’s what she is.’

  ‘It’s probably the weather.’

  Celia shrugged. ‘It doesn’t help, but she’s smoking like a chimney. I tell her she’ll smoke herself to death but she won’t listen.’ She made to go but Kitty called her back. ‘Come and help me with these decorations. Mick and Teddy could have done them better but by the time they’re home it’ll be too late.’

  ‘I thought you might have had Miss McLeod helping you,’ said Celia, picking up the end of a garland.

  There was an inflection in her voice which caused Kitty to give her a second glance. ‘Jeannie’s gone shopping with her father. They haven’t had much time on their own since her arrival.’

  ‘It was a real turn up for the book, wasn’t it?’ marvelled Celia. ‘I mean one minute you all thought she was dead. The next minute she’s here. Wouldn’t it be lovely if people really did come alive again?’

  ‘It could cause problems,’ said Kitty, mounting the stepladder. ‘Especially if you’d picked up the insurance or you’d remarried.’ Her eyes twinkled down at Celia. ‘They say in heaven there’s no marriage or giving in marriage.’ Kitty drove home a drawing pin and descended the ladder. ‘Did Mrs Galloway mention about coming to work for me permanent, Celia?’

  ‘She did. But …’ The girl hesitated before adding, ‘I wasn’t sure if you’d still want me with the big fella’s daughter working here.’

  ‘She mightn’t stay,’ said Kittly lightly. ‘And even if she did I’d have room for you. You’re a good worker.’

  Celia flushed. ‘Thanks, Mrs McLeod. I really appreciate you saying that.’

  ‘It’s true. Here grab the end of this, then I suppose you’d better go and tell Hannah to take that meat out. And, Celia, I expect you to be at the party tonight. Come and enjoy yourself. You’re only young once.’

  ‘I’d like that,’ said Celia, visibly relaxing. ‘I don’t get a chance to get out much with Ma.’

  ‘I haven’t got a thing to wear,’ said Kitty as she opened the wardrobe door clad only in her underwear.

  ‘I don’t believe that for one minute,’ said John, knotting his tie. ‘You bought a new frock for Christmas. Can’t you wear that?’

  ‘I suppose so.’ Kitty sighed, thinking not so long ago he would not have bothered with his tie but would have taken time out for a bit of loving at such a moment. Did it have anything to do with him comparing her to Jeannie? She removed the Christmas frock from the wardrobe and held it against her. It was damson-coloured taffeta and the swirling skirts had panels of lace.

  ‘I bought Jeannie a couple of frocks,’ said John, glancing her way. ‘I thought she needed them. She should look smart if she’s going to be working here.’

  ‘If,’ murmured Kitty, not looking at him.

  John’s expression darkened and he came over to her. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

  She looked at him squarely. ‘If she’s going to be working here. She hasn’t said she’s definitely staying to me.’

  ‘Have you asked her?’

  ‘I don’t see it as my place to ask her,’ said Kitty, slipping the frock over her head. ‘I thought that would be up to you.’

  ‘Wrong! And you know it,’ said John. ‘Why are you being so awkward if you agree she’s an asset to the place?’

  Kitty was silent. If he couldn’t see why then she wasn’t going to explain.

  ‘Is it that you’re jealous because of the attention I’ve been giving her?’ He rested his hands on her shoulders and stroked her neck with the balls of his thumbs.

  Her head shot up. ‘Jealous! Me! Of course not! It’s just that I don’t want you pressurising the girl into doing something she mightn’t want to.’

  ‘You tried to pressurise the boys into working here.’

  ‘And you told me I was wrong!’

  ‘That was because their hearts weren’t in it. It’s different with Jeannie. She likes it here and she’s a girl, which means you could teach her all you know. You’d be good at that, Kit.’ He kissed the nape of her neck.

  She relaxed against him. ‘You’re trying to soft-soap me.’

  ‘What if I am? It’s important to me that you accept her. After all, I’ve tried to be a father to your sons. You should make an effort to be a mother to my daughter.’

  ‘I wondered when you’d say something like that,’ murmured Kitty, and the confusion she felt when thinking about her sons and his daughter caused her to move away from him to stare at her reflection in the mirror. ‘Jeann
ie’s twenty, John. She doesn’t need a mother.’

  ‘How do you know?’ He followed her over. ‘I bet there’s times when you miss your mother and you’re over forty.’

  Her eyes met his in the mirror. ‘Jeannie’s never had a mother to miss.’

  ‘She needs an older woman’s guidance.’

  ‘I’m not so sure.’ She frowned as she tweaked one of the lace sleeves so its folds fell better. ‘From what she said to me she was fed up of older women telling her what to do. I reckon it’s more likely she wants the company of young people.’ She paused, thinking of Mick taking Jeannie to see Errol Flynn on Monday night. She’d known he was besotted despite his casual attitude towards the girl. ‘Besides it was different with you and the boys.’

  ‘In what way?’ demanded John.

  Kitty gnawed on the inside of her cheek and then burst out.

  ‘The boys were younger when you came to live here. It was different. They knew what having a father was. I don’t know what Jeannie expects of me.’

  ‘Don’t worry about what she expects. Think of what I expect! Make her feel wanted and at home. Behave as you do towards the boys.’

  A small laugh escaped her. ‘That’s the trouble – I can’t! I’ve known them all my life! They’re part of me!’

  His mouth tightened and she knew she had hurt him. ‘And Jeannie’s part of me, so you’d better try and make her feel wanted or there’ll be trouble,’ he said roughly.

  She turned and stared at him, unable to believe that he should threaten her. Despite his size, he had never bullied or belittled her. ‘I mean that,’ he said, shrugging on his jacket and taking up his violin case before leaving the room.

  Kitty sank onto the bed knowing that she had tried to do what John said, up to a point. The difficulty was that she was certain that the last thing Jeannie wanted was her bossing and loving her as she did them. Did John behave exactly the same towards the elder three as he did to Jack? No. Still she supposed she could try and behave like a mother – but not until after the party.

  ‘She really is lovely looking,’ murmured Becky, accepting a glass of sherry from Kitty.

  The room was filling up and there was a babble of noise and the tinkle of glasses and laughter – some of it coming from the centre of the room were John stood with Jeannie, Malcolm and the young doctor who was taking over his practice. Sarah and Davy O’Neill’s gathering was noisy too, and included Ben, Monica and Mick whose eyes constantly strayed to that other group.

  ‘Lovely,’ said Kitty, her eyes on her stepdaughter. ‘But she assures me that her granny told her that beauty is only skin deep.’

  Becky made a gurgling noise in her throat. ‘Are you saying she isn’t as lovely as she looks or something different?’

  ‘I’m not sure what I was trying to say.’ She sighed. ‘She’s the spitting image of her mother.’

  ‘That can’t be easy to live with,’ said Becky.

  Kitty grimaced. ‘She told me that a lot of women don’t like her and I can see why. Mick’s already besotted.’

  ‘What about Teddy?’

  Kitty glanced round for a sign of her second son but could not see him. ‘I’m not so sure. He hasn’t asked her out anywhere. Doesn’t make a fuss of her.’

  ‘That mightn’t mean anything,’ said Becky, her eyes wandering the room. ‘He mightn’t want to show his feelings but he’d have to be blind not to feel something. I mean her turning up the way she did is like something out of a novel.’

  Kitty smiled. ‘You’re right. I never looked at it like that.’

  ‘I think Davy’s feeling the attraction, too,’ said Becky thoughtfully. ‘But of course he’s far too young for her and it won’t do him any harm just to look.’

  ‘Do you think age has anything to do with it?’ said Kitty. ‘Ben’s offered to polish her shoes along with the guests’ and told her at least three times how he sang along with John when he was a busker.’

  ‘And was she impressed?’

  ‘She said she wished she’d been there to see it.’

  ‘So she’s not ashamed of that part of his life?’ said Becky.

  ‘She doesn’t appear to be. I’ll give her that.’ Kitty saw a couple of her neighbours enter the room and excused herself. She introduced them around before going into the dining room where a buffet had been laid out. She found Celia and Hannah there and scolded the girl for hiding herself away and told her to join the party.

  ‘I feel a bit out of place,’ said Celia, running her hands down over pleated skirts and looking anxious. ‘Besides I’ve got used to being on this side of things.’

  ‘If you meant that you wouldn’t be wearing that frock,’ said Kitty frankly. ‘You look really nice in it.’ The frock was blue and was buttoned from the neck to the waist, showing just what a shapely figure Celia had. She had done something with her hair too, and her freckles were not so prominent because she had given them a dusting of face powder. She looked very different to how she had appeared earlier in the day.

  Celia flushed with pleasure. ‘I bought it in the January sales with my Christmas box off the doctor, but I haven’t had much chance to wear it.’

  ‘Now you have, so don’t waste your chances,’ said Kitty, taking her arm. ‘You can come in with me in case you’re feeling shy.’

  Once in the Smoking Room Kitty took Celia around and introduced her as John’s goddaughter. She could sense her blossoming and felt pride in that. Groupings had changed. Mick was now in one which included Jeannie, and Teddy had made an appearance and was with Becky who was talking cars. The Irish great-uncles were telling Ben and Sarah how their horse had been beaten into second place by one owned by the wife of film star Randolph Scott. Kitty slid Celia into the group with Mick before going to where John and Daniel were idly talking and within watching distance of Siobhan and Jack.

  Daniel looked up as she approached. ‘You’re looking a fair treat, Kit darlin’!’ he said.

  She gave him a quizzical look. ‘Ta! I was feeling a hag among all these fresh young faces.’

  ‘Never that,’ he said. ‘I like a mature woman.’

  John eyed his wife. ‘She’s fishing for compliments.’

  ‘Of course I am,’ said Kitty, sotto voce, glancing at her husband. ‘Jeannie seems to be a hit.’

  ‘Aye,’ he said simply. ‘You’re not jealous?’ His eyes mocked her.

  ‘Is there any reason why I should be jealous?’ she murmured.

  ‘No, but women can be funny.’

  ‘Only women?’ she retorted, instantly vexed with him.

  ‘What is this?’ said Daniel, his gaze going from wife to husband. ‘Kitty has no need to be jealous. She’s as gorgeous as a Wicklow morning with the mist just off the ground.’

  Kitty gave Daniel her full attention. ‘What have you been drinking?’

  ‘Pure velvet,’ he said, saluting her with a glass of Guinness. ‘It helps me to put my worries aside for a moment.’

  ‘Worries? What worries?’ She was concerned. The O’Neills were good friends and she hated the thought of anything going wrong in their lives.

  He smiled. ‘Nothing for you to worry your head about. This is a celebration, isn’t it? So let’s be happy.’ He clinked glasses with her and they drank to each other.

  ‘Food in half an hour then some music?’ she said turning to John.

  He nodded and she left them to circulate among her guests.

  It was not until the dancing that Kitty had a chance to see Mick with Jeannie at close quarters. They were dancing to Honeysuckle Rose and she felt a swell of pride considering what a nice mover he was. He had been taking dancing lessons and it showed.

  ‘They make a nice couple but she’s not as good a dancer as he is,’ said Daniel, who always asked Kitty for at least one dance when John was playing.

  ‘Poor Celia,’ she murmured, aware that she was not the only one watching them. ‘I think she could still be carrying a torch for him.’

  ‘John said she�
�s coming to work for you again.’

  ‘Yes.’ Kitty glanced around, hoping to see Teddy so she could tell him to ask Celia to dance, but there was no sign of him.

  ‘D’you think that’s wise?’ asked Daniel. ‘If she’s still hankering after Mick she could get hurt.’

  ‘She could,’ said Kitty calmly. ‘But then it could be that Mick might get hurt and she’s ready at hand to console him.’

  Daniel shook his dark head at her. ‘I never realised you were so devious.’

  ‘Me! I’m sure I’m not. But don’t you think that nice young doctor would be ideal for Jeannie? And he’ll be living so close too.’

  ‘Devious,’ he repeated firmly, his arm tightening about her.

  ‘They could all be happy,’ she said, and smiled up at him.

  He returned her smile and pulled her close as they danced on to the strains of her husband’s violin with the familiarity of people who were comfortable with each other.

  Teddy had been watching his brother and Jeannie so he noticed when she left the room and followed her out. He found her sitting on the stairs fanning herself with her hand. ‘Would you like to dance?’ he said.

  She looked up at him. ‘I’m having a break. And besides you’re only being polite in asking me,’ she said with a sigh.

  He looked relieved. ‘You’re right. I can’t dance,’ He rested a shoulder against a wall and gazed down at her, searching for something to keep her attention. ‘Our Mick’s good isn’t he?’

  She nodded. ‘Too good for me.’

  ‘That doctor bloke’s good too.’

  ‘Not as good as Mick.’

  ‘You like our Mick.’

  ‘Who wouldn’t? He’s nice and he’s friendly.’ She hugged a knee and Teddy could not help noticing a couple of inches of shining silk-encased thigh as her skirts fell back.

  He glanced away and said morosely, ‘You’re thinking he’s nicer than me.’

  ‘No. I’m asking myself why you’ve asked me to dance if you can’t dance.’

  ‘It seemed the only thing to do to get close to you,’ he said gruffly, tapping the bottom stair with his toe. ‘I’d much rather take you for a spin on my motorbike.’