by Dilly Court
Rosetta shook her head. ‘She’s sleeping. She was up most of the night with Mum.’
‘How is Mrs Capretti?’
Granny Mole got up from her chair by the fireplace and came over to poke her finger into the hamper. ‘What have we got?’
‘Just a few things to help get the invalid better,’ Jonas said, winking at Rosetta.
‘Grapes!’ Granny seized a bunch and held it up to the light. ‘I ain’t tasted a grape for years.’
‘Help yourself,’ Jonas said, grinning. ‘It will keep your strength up.’
‘Are you laughing at me, young man?’
‘I wouldn’t dare, Mrs Mole.’
‘Huh!’ Granny went back to her chair clutching the grapes.
Jonas turned back to Rosetta. ‘How is Ruby? I wanted to see her and put things straight.’
‘She was worried about Mum. She didn’t really know what she was saying.’
‘She did, and I deserved it. I’d do anything for her, you know that, don’t you, Rosetta?’
‘Give her time,’ Rosetta said, touched by the sincerity in his eyes. ‘You got to give us all time to get to know the new Jonas Crowe. It’s been a bit of a shock to find out we got a cousin.’
‘You’re all right, you are, Rosetta. I’ve got a lot of time for you and if there’s anything I can do to help you and Billy, just tell me.’
‘D’you mean that?’
‘These grapes are bloody marvellous,’ Granny said, smacking her lips. ‘For God’s sake, Rose, spit it out.’
‘What?’ Rosetta stared at Granny. ‘I dunno what you mean, Gran.’
Spitting pips into the empty grate, Granny cast her a pitying glance. ‘Bees and honey: money, you daft mare. You need money to set you and Billy up in a proper business so you can have a fresh start. With you gallivanting off and Sarah sick, how d’you think Billy’s keeping the business going? Not very well, I should think. Gawd’s strewth, am I the only one in this family with any brains?’
‘Granny!’ Rosetta’s hand flew to her mouth and she looked anxiously at Jonas to see if he was annoyed.
‘Granny Mole, you’re right,’ Jonas said, chuckling. ‘Rosetta, I’ve done plenty of bad things in my life and I’m not proud of it, but if I can help you and Billy, just say the word.’
‘You will?’ Rosetta held her breath.
Jonas nodded. ‘We’re family and I admire Billy for what he’s trying to do. He’s a better man than I am, Rosetta; don’t make the same mistakes as I have. I may have lost the only woman I’ve ever loved, but you’ve got another chance so don’t make a hash of it.’
Flinging her arms around his neck, Rosetta hugged him until she was breathless. ‘Thank you, Jonas. Thank you.’
‘Save the soft stuff for your Billy,’ Granny said darkly. ‘You got a lot to make up for, young Rose.’
Retrieving his hat and gloves, Jonas made for the front door. ‘I’d better go. Tell Ruby I’ll call again tomorrow.’
As soon as the door closed on Jonas, Rosetta grabbed her hat and went to the mirror to make sure she pinned it on at an appealing angle.
‘And where would you be off to?’ Granny demanded. ‘As if I didn’t know.’
‘I got to see Billy and tell him the good news.’
‘Are you off your head, girl?’ Scowling, Granny pointed her stick at Rosetta.
‘What d’you mean?’
‘If you goes round there and throw Jonas’s money in Billy’s face, how d’you think that’ll make him feel? He’s worked his guts out to make a home for you and your kid, but that weren’t good enough for you. Take my advice and keep quiet about the money until you got things sorted out with Billy.’
‘But …’
‘No buts. Go round and see him but take it slow, Rose. Get to know him again and start acting like a mum to your nipper; that’s the way to get round Billy. Find out if you got any feelings for him. If you haven’t, then it’ll never work, not in a month of Sundays.’
‘I have got feelings for him, Granny. I think, deep down, I’ve loved Billy all along only I was too stupid and selfish to see it.’
Spitting a grape pip out of the corner of her mouth, Granny eyed Rosetta, unsmiling. ‘You was crazy in love with Jonas five minutes ago.’
‘I thought I was but it was just his money and power that I fell for. When he turned me down I could have killed him, but it wasn’t my heart that was hurt, it was my pride. I’ve come to me senses, Granny. I want Billy back, and my baby. I want them both.’
Popping the last grape in her mouth, Granny wagged her finger at Rosetta. ‘Then stop gassing and get on round there.’
Suddenly nervous, Rosetta frowned at her reflection in the mirror. What would she do if Billy rejected her? ‘Maybe I shouldn’t go until Ruby wakes up. Mum might need me for something.’
Granny Mole heaved herself out of the chair. ‘I can look after Sal until Ruby wakes up. You get round to Spivey Street and pray that Billy don’t slam the door in your face.’
Billy was in the shop serving a customer when Rosetta arrived, slightly out of breath, from nerves rather than from exertion. The woman paid him for the loaf and brushed past Rosetta without looking at her.
‘Hello, Rose. Come to buy a loaf?’ Billy’s expression was not encouraging.
Rosetta hesitated, momentarily lost for something to say. ‘I – er …’
A look of anxiety crossed Billy’s face. ‘It’s not Ma Capretti, is it? She’s …’
‘A bit better,’ Rosetta said hastily. ‘I come to see you, Billy, and Martha. If that’s all right.’
Lifting the counter flap, Billy stood aside, holding it open. ‘I told you that you can see Martha whenever you like.’
‘The shelves are empty,’ Rosetta said, looking round the tiny shop.
‘I’ve just about been managing to bake bread; cakes is things of the past. I can’t do so much without Ma. Actually, I was going to bring Martha round to see her.’
They were so close together in the narrow space behind the counter that Rosetta could feel his breath warm against her cheek, smell the scent of the bakehouse on his clothes. Standing there with his shirt open at the neck and his sleeves rolled up, Rosetta was suddenly aware of the strength in his muscular forearms and the pulse beating at the base of his throat. Once, not so long ago, he would have wrapped his arms around her, held her close, taken her lips in a long and hungry kiss, but now he stood there, unmoving, unsmiling, watching her as if she were a firework that might suddenly explode.
‘Perhaps we could go together,’ Rosetta suggested, licking her dry lips. ‘Mum would like that.’
‘We’ll do that.’
‘Billy, I’m sorry for what I said. I didn’t mean it.’
‘You never do, Rose. It doesn’t matter.’
‘But it does matter. I want us to be friends again.’
Billy made a move towards the inner door. ‘Come up and see Martha.’ Rosetta caught him by the sleeve. ‘Do you hate me, Billy?’
‘What do you want, Rose?’
‘I want you. I’ve been a blooming idiot and I didn’t realise what I’d got. I took you for granted and I was wrong, I admit it. I want us to be together again and I swear I’ll be a good wife and mother if you’ll just give me a chance.’
‘How do I know you mean it, Rose? You’ve lied to me before. How do I know you won’t get fed up again and run away?’
‘Because I love you, Billy. Deep down I’ve always loved you but I was chasing rainbows and when I got to the end of them there was nothing there. I love you, I really do.’
‘I want to believe you.’
Running her hands up his shirt front, feeling the warmth of his body and the thudding of his heart that matched the beat of her own, Rosetta pulled his head down so that their lips were touching. ‘Kiss me, Billy.’
Chapter Twenty-two
Juggling work and study at the hospital with caring for her mother made life difficult for Ruby, and Rosetta’s urgent desire to ret
urn home was not helping. The doctor was pleased with Sarah’s progress but he was adamant that she must rest and that working again was out of the question. Without Sarah’s help, Ruby knew that Billy was struggling to make the bakery pay and, as soon as she came home from the hospital, Rosetta would hurry off to Spivey Street to be with Billy and Martha.
If it had not been for Jonas’s daily visits, Ruby felt that she would not have been able to cope with the extra demands heaped upon her. Without Sarah’s wages they would have been hard put to buy the extras needed by a recuperating invalid, but Jonas never came empty-handed, bringing food that he said was left over from the dining room and would only go to waste if they could not eat up the pies, roast meat and cakes baked in the Raven Street kitchen.
As soon as Sarah was well enough, Jonas had insisted on telling both her and Granny Mole that Lottie was his mother. Sarah had been stunned at first, and then delighted to have a male head of the family; no one, she had said, could take Aldo’s place, but she knew he would have been proud to have Jonas for a nephew. Ruby had smiled inwardly, not daring to catch Jonas’s eye, but content to let Mum think the best of him. After all, what good would it do for her to know about Jonas’s murky past? Granny Mole had proved to be a bit more sceptical but Jonas had made himself popular with her by bringing daily supplies of Fry’s chocolate, bottles of stout and making certain that the ‘purely medicinal’ brandy bottle was always refilled. He spent time at Sarah’s bedside and from downstairs, Ruby could hear them chatting amicably; she often wondered what they found to talk about, but whatever it was Sarah had begun to look forward to his visits, saying that Jonas reminded her of Aldo when he was a young man. Ruby couldn’t see it herself, but it was good to hear Mum laughing at something Jonas had said and gradually, a tiny fragment at a time, she found her resentment and disapproval of him being chipped away.
Sometimes she wished that he would sit and talk with her as he did with Mum, but he never stayed long, and, although he treated her like a friend, there was nothing remotely lover-like in his attitude. He seemed to have forgotten their ill-fated picnic in Epping Forest and, as time went by, Ruby began to think she might have imagined his passionate declaration of love and his proposal of marriage. Perhaps she’d been a fool to turn him down so resolutely? Maybe he was taking his new-found role as head of the family too seriously, and was content to think of her just as a cousin.
Alone at night in the bed she had always shared with Rosetta, Ruby tossed and turned, and finally, unable to get back to sleep, she would get up, go downstairs to the living room and study for her final examinations early in the New Year until her eyes were sore and her head spun with facts and figures.
The doctor only came once a week now to visit Sarah, who was allowed to get up and dress as long as she did not exert herself. Christmas was almost upon them and Ruby had neither the money nor the time to make preparations. But at least Rosetta seemed happy now that she was back with Billy and when she visited, usually bringing Martha with her, she was full of plans for the future. Ruby had fallen in love with Martha on sight, and she was delighted that Rosetta had at last come to terms with motherhood and was happy with Billy. She prayed that the New Year would bring happiness and prosperity to the bakery on Spivey Street, but she dared not think about her own future; it seemed dull and cheerless without Jonas, but Ruby knew that she had only herself to thank for that.
Two weeks before Christmas, Rosetta came to visit, dressed in a new velvet-trimmed bonnet and mantle and with Martha wearing a miniature version of her cherry-red outfit. Ruby was touched to see her sister looking radiant, just like the Rosetta of the old days, but now she had a baby on her knee: a little dark-eyed, dark-haired edition of herself.
‘Jonas has loaned us the money to expand,’ Rosetta said, taking off Martha’s bonnet and setting her down on the rag rug. ‘We’re going to buy the shop next door and enlarge the bakehouse so that Billy can take on more staff. I’ve had a look over the premises and the flat above the shop is much nicer than ours. Billy says I can have it done up just as I like and you can all come and visit me when it’s finished.’
‘That’ll be nice, ducks,’ Sarah said, smiling.
‘Pity we got to wait till then,’ Granny Mole said, dunking a biscuit in her tea, ‘what with Christmas coming up and not a thing in the house, not even a pig’s cheek or a pound of beef sausages.’
‘Well then, I got something to tell you,’ Rosetta said, obviously enjoying being the bearer of good news. ‘Jonas has invited all of us to Raven Street for Christmas dinner. I’m surprised he hasn’t told you himself.’
Ruby’s heart gave an uncomfortable thud, just as if she’d missed a step coming downstairs. Jonas had been here only yesterday and he hadn’t mentioned anything about Christmas, but somehow she managed a smile. ‘I expect he forgot. He’s been very busy recently.’
‘Not that you’d notice anything with your head stuck in a book all the time.’ Granny Mole held out her teacup for a refill. ‘A body could die of thirst in this house.’
‘Ma, don’t nag the girls,’ Sarah said mildly.
‘Someone’s got to keep them on their toes, what with Rose being full of big plans what won’t help us a bit and Ruby with her head stuck in her books, not knowing what time of day it is.’ Granny Mole glared at them over the rim of her teacup, as if daring someone to argue the point.
Billy arrived later to collect Rosetta and Martha. He came in on a burst of cold air, his clothes sparkling with hailstones. ‘Cold enough for snow,’ he said, grinning. ‘Maybe we’ll have a white Christmas.’
‘Wouldn’t that be lovely?’ Rosetta said, lifting Martha onto her lap. ‘And your first birthday just before Christmas too, darling. Won’t that be exciting?’
‘You look a real picture,’ Sarah said, as Billy leaned down to kiss Martha on the top of her dark curls. ‘You’re a lovely little family and I’m so happy for you both.’
‘Martha is just the first,’ Billy said proudly. ‘I hope we’ll have half a dozen babies.’
Setting Martha on the floor, Rosetta got to her feet, pulling a face at Billy. ‘Hold on there, Mr Noakes. Give us a chance.’
Granny Mole made a clicking sound with her tongue against what teeth she had left. ‘Pity our Ruby’s on the shelf. Men don’t want a blue-stocking. She’ll end up an old maid at this rate. ’
‘Don’t take no notice of her,’ Rosetta said, hugging Ruby.
Billy flung his arms around both of them. ‘Any man would be lucky to get one of the Capretti girls. I ought to know, didn’t I?’
Rosetta flashed him a smile beneath fluttering lashes. ‘I’m glad you appreciate your good luck. But just you wait until I’ve put all my ideas for the new shop into action. We’ll be the Fortnum and Mason of Whitechapel when I’ve finished.’
Billy gave her a smacking kiss on the lips. ‘We will that, sweetheart.’ Scooping Martha up in his arms, Billy kissed Ruby on the cheek. ‘You’ll be round for Martha’s birthday tea then, Ruby?’
‘I wouldn’t miss it for the world.’
Despite all Ruby’s entreaties, Sarah insisted that she was well enough to walk to Spivey Street and that she was not going to miss Martha’s first birthday tea even if she was to die in the attempt. Ruby worried that this might well happen but Jonas turned up just in time to prevent a full-scale war in the small house.
‘I’ve come to take you all in my motor car.’
‘That was very thoughtful of you, Jonas,’ Ruby said, with an indifferent nod of her head. She was still smarting from the fact that Jonas had seen fit to invite Rosetta and Billy to his house for Christmas and had either forgotten to mention it to her, or had thought it unimportant, and that they would be grateful to receive his charity. ‘I’m sure Mum and Granny will be pleased to accept.’
Raising his eyebrows, Jonas gave her a quizzical smile. ‘It’s sleeting outside, but perhaps you’d rather walk?’
‘Perhaps I would.’
‘Don’t talk s
oft,’ Sarah said, wrapping a shawl around her head and shoulders. ‘It’s kind of Jonas to think about us.’
‘Have we got to share the motor with that Carlottie creature?’ demanded Granny Mole, rising stiffly to her feet.
Jonas shook his head. ‘No, Lottie’s got other things to do today but she sent a present for Martha. She said she’ll look forward to seeing you all on Christmas Day.’
‘We haven’t been invited.’ The words were out before Ruby could stop them; she bit her lip, unable to look Jonas in the eye.
‘I’m sorry if I didn’t think to mention it, Ruby, but I thought it was understood that we would have a family Christmas.’
‘I might be on duty at the hospital.’
‘Then we’ll work around your shift, or I’ll go and sweet-talk Matron Luckes into letting you off.’
‘You’re a good man,’ Sarah said, smiling. ‘I don’t care what anyone says, Jonas, you’re a good man.’
The living room above the shop had been transformed with paper chains and brightly coloured balloons. A fire blazed up the chimney and with everyone crowded into the small room the atmosphere was warm and cheerful. Martha ripped the brown paper off her presents and hugged the rag doll that Granny Mole and Sarah had made as a joint effort. Ruby had bought her a red India-rubber ball and Elsie had spent her pocket money on two sugar mice and a bar of Fry’s chocolate, which Martha stuffed in her mouth, eyeing Granny Mole as if she were afraid she might snatch it off her, and dribbling chocolate cream down the front of her new dress, a present from Billy and Rosetta.
‘And what did you get her, Jonas? A rocking horse, a real pony, something that would make all our gifts seem shabby?’ Still smarting, Ruby couldn’t resist the temptation to goad him.
‘Why are you so angry?’
‘I’m not angry. I couldn’t care less what you do.’
‘Is that so?’
Shrugging her shoulders, Ruby turned away from him, but Jonas took her by the hand. ‘My present is in the kitchen. Come with me, Ruby, and we’ll fetch it together.’ He dragged her out of the room, across the narrow landing and into the kitchen, closing the door behind them and leaning against it.
