A Mother's Duty

by June Francis

  She smiled up at him. ‘I’ve been warned against going on your motorbike.’

  He sighed heavily. ‘By the big fella, I suppose. So you won’t come?’

  She stood and gazed down at him. ‘I don’t always heed warnings.’

  He could scarcely believe what he had heard and it took him a second to digest that she really meant it. ‘It’s a lovely night. All starry.’

  She smiled and looked at him in a way that sent tiny tremors of shock through him. ‘Show me.’

  He did not waste any more time. ‘You’ll need a coat.’

  ‘I’ll get one.’

  ‘Come out by the front door and I’ll meet you up the road. And hurry!’ He released her hand and headed for the kitchen, trusting her to do as he asked.

  Jeannie raced upstairs feeling marvellously excited as she fastened her coat and pulled on a hat and gloves. Her week had been a bit dull. Too much like life with Granny and Aunt Emily and working at the hotel in Brighton, fetch and carry, be nice to people. Not that she wanted to be horrible to people but she wanted something different.

  She nearly walked into her father as she reached the bottom flight of stairs but stepped back noiselessly onto the first landing and waited until he went back inside the dining room. Then she skipped downstairs and outside. When she saw the motorbike she almost changed her mind. It had no pillion seat, only a cushion strapped to the back mudguard.

  ‘Is it safe?’ she asked.

  Teddy grinned. ‘If you want safe, kid, walk. This bike’s for thrills and going places. Are you getting on?’

  Jeannie felt her spirits soar. He seemed different, more confident somehow, and that made her feel that she had done the right thing in agreeing to go with him. He looked the part in a long fawn gabardine coat and a woollen scarf and gloves as well as a close-fitting leather helmet. She glanced down at her stockings and shoes and remembered she had on her new frock. Don’t let me come a cropper, God, she thought, hitching up her skirts and sitting on the cushion.

  ‘Get a grip,’ said Teddy.

  She gripped the cushion as he kick-started life into the engine. But the next moment the bike seemed to slide from beneath her and she was on the ground. He slowed down, glancing over his shoulder. ‘Sorry. But you should have held on.’

  ‘I did hold on,’ she said indignantly, getting to her feet and rubbing her posterior.

  ‘Do you want to try again?’

  ‘Yes! But how do I stay on?’

  ‘Grip with your knees and move with the bike.’

  That did not sound too hard, she thought, and climbed back on. This time they got as far as Hope Street before she fell off. He parked the bike and ran back to her. ‘I think I’d better give up,’ she groaned.

  ‘No, don’t do that,’ he pleaded, helping her up. ‘Once you get the hang of it you’ll be OK.’ He smiled at her as he brushed the back of her coat. ‘What you have to do is become part of the bike and when we turn a corner go with it. I’ll take you the rest of the way along Hope Street, past the old cemetery and then come back. It’s nice and straight. Another time I’ll take you down to the river but that might be a bit too much this evening. Are you game?’ His eyes challenged her.

  She nodded, thinking the river bit sounded exciting. This time they had no mishaps and she felt a definite regret when they arrived back at the hotel and it was over.

  By unspoken agreement she went in the front way and he went round the back. She put away her coat and brushed her hair and went downstairs. Immediately Mick claimed her for a dance and when Teddy arrived in the room she knew he was not pleased. He stood, leaning against a wall glowering at them for a few minutes before going out again.

  Sunday morning and Teddy was in the yard tinkering with his motorbike when he heard the tap tap of heels and glancing up saw Jeannie dressed for outdoors.

  ‘Something wrong with your motorbike?’ she said.

  ‘Er – yeah. Nothing much but …’ He stared at her shapely ankles. ‘Where are you off to?’

  ‘To chapel. Your mother said none of you go regularly but I wondered if—’

  ‘Sorry.’ He smiled and held up oily hands.

  ‘I suppose you haven’t got time to get cleaned up?’ she said regretfully.

  ‘Nope.’ He had no intention of changing the habits of a lifetime however much he fancied her.

  ‘I’ll see you later then.’

  He stared up at her and the chestnut curls beneath the shabby hat undulated in waves. He had an urge to catch a handful of that shining curtain and pull her head down and kiss her. Instead he fumbled for a spanner and did not even say ta-ra.

  A couple of hours later, singing heralded Jeannie’s return as she came down the yard. ‘You still busy? Your mother said to wash your hands. Dinner’s ready.’

  ‘Fine. How was church?’ He did not look up. He had told himself he had no chance against his tall, dark and handsome brother.

  ‘I like a good sing – and the preaching was powerful,’ she said dreamily. ‘Gran heard the great Sankey in London once and set great store by preachers who give the gospel all they’ve got. I was told they get some good ones at the Central Hall.’

  He glanced up involuntarily. ‘You went there? You’re a Methodist?’

  She smiled. ‘You make it sound like a deadly disease. Don’t you know anything about John Wesley our founder? He converted thousands and had a real exciting life riding about on horseback all round the country telling people about the Lord and upsetting the Church of England.’

  Oh Lord! thought Teddy, his ears going red with embarrassment. He had never thought about her being holy. In fact he had started to believe the opposite. ‘I suppose they did that kind of thing in those days,’ he muttered, wiping his hands on a piece of rag.

  ‘Obviously,’ she said, still smiling as she prodded one of the bike’s tyres with the toe of her shoe. ‘Have you fixed it? It would be nice to go for a spin.’

  ‘Not quite.’ He still had not forgiven her for dancing with Mick as soon as she got back from being out with him.

  ‘So you won’t be going for a spin later?’

  ‘Probably not.’ Determinedly he cut his nose off to spite his face.

  ‘Right.’ Her smile had vanished and she turned away. ‘I’ll tell your mother, shall I, that you’ll be in in a minute?’

  ‘Fine.’ He watched her go up the yard, her skirts swaying with the swing of her hips, and threw down the rag and swore.

  When Teddy went inside he found Jeannie sitting next to Mick at the dining table deep in conversation and he felt real sick about it. ‘How’s Celia?’ he asked as he sat opposite them.

  Mick looked up in surprise. ‘OK, last time I saw her. Why, did you want her for something?’

  ‘You used to walk her home that’s all.’ Teddy fiddled with his knife and fork. ‘I wondered whether you did last night.’

  ‘It was years ago when I walked her home,’ said Mick, scowling at him. ‘When we were kids.’

  ‘She’d still like you to walk her home, though.’

  ‘Well, that’s hard luck on her,’ said Mick. ‘Now shut up, I’m talking to Jean.’

  ‘I don’t want to shut up,’ said Teddy, resting on his elbows. ‘Beside Jeannie mightn’t want to listen to the way you go on and on about every subject under the sun.’

  ‘Don’t be rude,’ said Kitty as she placed plates in front of them. ‘And get your elbows off the table, Teddy. I don’t know what Jeannie must be thinking of your manners, but I’m forgetting she’s part of the family now. And you can keep your eye on Jack.’

  ‘Why me?’ protested Teddy.

  ‘Because you’re the nearest.’

  Mick grinned and Teddy wanted to clock him one. ‘But I wanted to have a serious conversation with Jeannie,’ protested Teddy, smiling across at her.

  ‘About what?’ asked Kitty.

  ‘About the Lord,’ he said with all the reverence he generally kept for the worship of the combustion engine.


  He succeeded in silencing them all for a moment. Then Mick said, ‘You’re taking the micky!’

  ‘No, I’m not,’ said Teddy seriously. ‘Jeannie made religion sound – different. I thought that maybe we could have a talk after dinner.’

  ‘Sorry,’ said Jeannie, her gaze sliding slowly over his face. ‘But I’ve promised Mick I’ll go for a walk with him and I can’t break a promise.’

  ‘Perhaps,’ said John, looking at Teddy across the table, ‘if you’re so keen on religion you can go to church with the pair of us next week and see how interesting it is at first hand.’

  Teddy did not know what to say. He gazed at Jeannie with his heart in his eyes and she gazed back at him. He almost promised he would go until he remembered she was going walking with Mick, so he kept his mouth shut. Why turn religious when it was obvious she was a two-timer.

  Teddy left the table as soon as it was polite and tinkered some more with his motorbike. He felt restless and all mixed up. He waited until Jeannie had gone out with Mick before trundling out his motorbike and heading for the Mersey tunnel.

  He went to Eastham where he stopped to enjoy a cigarette and gaze over the Mersey towards Liverpool. To his right were the Eastham Locks and the entrance to the Manchester Ship Canal. The tide was out and several feet below him was thick mud. He watched the ships, thinking about Jeannie and how, if he’d had less pride and more sense, he could have been walking in the woods with her right now. He determined that as soon as he could he would ask her out. If she refused at least he would know where he stood.

  Teddy managed to catch Jeannie alone on her way to bed. ‘I’ve fixed the bike,’ he said. ‘D’you want to come for a ride tomorrow evening?’

  Eyes the same colour as the big fella’s smiled into his. ‘Can you guarantee I won’t come off this time?’

  ‘No. But I can guarantee you something more exciting than a walk,’ he said boldly. ‘But you’d best make sure you wrap up. We’ll go further this time.’

  ‘OK.’ Her mouth turned up in that smile which sort of twisted his heart. ‘It’ll have to be after the evening meal, though,’ she said. ‘Your mother’s told me I’ve got to help her if I’m stopping on a bit.’

  He grinned. ‘Right. We’ll meet at the same place.’

  They gazed at each other, both lost in a magic moment, and then she went into her bedroom and closed the door.

  Teddy grinned when he saw Jeannie the following evening. She was muffled up as if she was going to the Antarctic. Her eyes reflected his amusement. ‘I’m making sure that if I come off it won’t hurt so much.’

  ‘Don’t think of coming off,’ he said, wheeling the motorbike through the back gateway. ‘Just think of yourself as part of the bike.’ She mounted and he kicked the starter and they were off.

  Jeannie managed to stay on until Teddy had to swerve to avoid a dog and hit the kerb. He almost lost control, only managing to prevent the motorbike from toppling over by skidding along with one knee on the ground. The next moment Jeannie was there helping him get the motorbike upright. ‘Are you all right?’ she asked anxiously.

  ‘Are you?’

  She nodded. They smiled at each other and he knew he was hopelessly hooked for better or for worse.

  He took her along Hope Street, past the cathedral, and shouted at her to hang on tight. He heard her quick intake of breath as they plunged down Parliament Street and his own excitement rose as he felt her body press against his back. Her chin rested on his shoulder as they roared towards the Mersey which glistened shiny black as newly-hewn coal below them. It was exhilarating and when she whispered against his ear, ‘It’s beautiful,’ his cup of pleasure was full to overflowing.

  He slowed down and turned into Wapping and they sped along beside the river. ‘What I aim to do this summer is get out of the city as much as I can,’ he shouted. ‘Get into Wales or over the Pennines into Yorkshire.’

  ‘You like the country?’

  ‘I love it!’ he yelled. ‘You can come with me if you like. That’s if you’re really aiming on stopping?’

  ‘I’m stopping,’ she said positively. ‘Although I’m not sure your mother’s pleased about that.’

  ‘Ma’s OK,’ said Teddy. ‘You being the big fella’s daughter was a bit more than she reckoned on.’

  ‘I’m not sure if she likes me.’

  ‘Me and your dad didn’t when we first met. Remember Mick mentioning me hanging from a railing? Your dad made me feel a fool by plucking me off it.’

  ‘How d’you feel about him now?’

  ‘I can stand him most times,’ said Teddy frankly. ‘He bought me my first fishing rod and I’ve never forgotten that.’ He turned his head. ‘There’s the Custom House where Mick works. I’ll take you right along the dock road as far as Seaforth before we head for home. If you’re missing too long the big fella might ask questions.’

  ‘And that’s the last thing we want,’ said Jeannie,

  ‘Definitely,’ he said.

  It was not until they arrived home that Jeannie realised her stockings were torn and there were grazes and dried blood on one of her legs. Her coat had also picked up dirt from the gutter. She tried to creep upstairs but was caught by John as he was taking in the supper drinks. ‘What’s happened to you?’ he asked solicitously.

  ‘It’s nothing,’ she said swiftly.

  ‘You’ve cut your leg.’ He frowned. ‘You’ll have to wash that.’

  ‘I’ll do it!’ She smiled reassuringly, although she felt irritated over his fussing. ‘Don’t worry. I know something about first aid. I wanted to be a nurse once.’ She carried on upstairs.

  ‘Jeannie, you didn’t say how you did it,’ called John.

  ‘I slipped – uneven pavement!’ She did not look back.

  John stared after her. For some reason he could not explain, he felt she was not being quite open with him and that disturbed him. He went into the Smoking Room before returning to the kitchen and Kitty.

  ‘Jeannie’s had a fall,’ he said abruptly, standing in the middle of the room.

  ‘Is she OK?’ Kitty came over to him drying her hands on a tea towel.

  ‘She says she is.’

  ‘Then what are you worried about?’

  ‘She’s cut her leg. Perhaps you could have a look at it, Kit? You know what young ones are like.’

  ‘You’re probably making a fuss over nothing,’ said Kitty.

  The back door opened and Teddy entered.

  ‘Just look at it, Kit, and don’t argue,’ he said irritably. ‘Don’t you understand I feel uncomfortable asking my own daughter can I look at her leg.’

  Kitty sighed. She was tired and wanted nothing more than to get to bed. ‘OK. I’ll do it. But I don’t think she’ll thank me for it.’

  ‘I don’t care about that. Neglect can kill. Just get on with it.’

  ‘What’s neglect going to kill?’ asked Teddy, taking off his gloves and coat.

  ‘Jeannie’s cut her leg,’ informed his mother, taking the first-aid box from a drawer. ‘You make yourself a hot drink, son. You look cold. I bet it was freezing on that motorbike.’

  ‘Not too bad.’ He avoided looking at John as he put the kettle on.

  Kitty left the kitchen with the box and Teddy sat down.

  John stared at him and said, ‘What have you done to your knee?’

  For a moment Teddy could not think what to reply when he saw the tear in his trouser leg. He had become aware of his knee throbbing five minutes ago. Cold had a habit of freezing out pain and he had almost forgotten how he had done it. ‘I skidded and had to put my knee down.’ He could feel the blood rushing to his face and ears and hated himself for being unable to deal with any embarrassment or trouble in a cool calm manner.

  There was a silence and then John said in a hard voice, ‘She was with you, wasn’t she? Where did you take her?’

  Teddy realised there was no use in lying. ‘Not far.’

  ‘Where?’

  Teddy eased
his throat. ‘Along by the cathedral and down to the river and along the dock road.’

  John’s breath hissed between his teeth. ‘You’re mad! I bet you went too fast down Parliament Street and that’s when she came off. You could have killed her!’ He towered over Teddy.

  ‘No!’ cried Teddy, getting up but having to lean on the table because of the pain in his knee. ‘Do you think I’d take chances with her? It was a dog! I had to swerve to miss it in Hope Street. I wasn’t going fast.’

  ‘So you say,’ said John in a voice he could barely keep under control because it came as such a shock that Jeannie had lied to him. ‘You don’t take her for a ride on that motorbike again. It’s bloody dangerous.’

  ‘She was game,’ protested Teddy. ‘She enjoyed it!’

  That made it even worse in John’s eyes because hadn’t he warned her not to go on Teddy’s motorbike? But maybe she wasn’t to blame. Teddy had probably talked her into it and she was her father’s daughter and would have enjoyed the excitement, even so the thought of her coming off the bike and being injured made his blood run cold. ‘You don’t take her on that motorbike again! Do you hear me, Teddy?’

  Teddy stared at him tight-lipped. There was a long silence.

  ‘I asked you a question,’ roared John. ‘And you won’t leave this room until you give me your promise, or I’ll get rid of that motorbike.’

  ‘You’ve got no right,’ said Teddy furiously.

  ‘Don’t talk to me about rights,’ said John in a low voice. ‘I’m the boss here, laddie, and don’t you forget it or you’ll rue the day.’

  There was a loaded silence and then Teddy yelled, ‘OK! I bloody promise.’

  ‘Now you’re showing sense,’ said John, and flicked him across the cheek. He left the room as Mick entered it.

  Feeling as if he was going to explode Teddy dug into his pockets and took out his cigarettes and matches.

  ‘What’s wrong with your face?’ said Mick. ‘What’s going on? I could hear the big fella in the lobby.’

  Teddy lighted up and scowled at him through a haze of smoke. ‘Mind your own bloody business. I have enough people poking their nose into my life.’ And he limped out of the room.