A Mother's Duty (22 page)

‘Where?’ she repeated. ‘I like to know where you’re going. There’s been too many reports in the papers lately about bandits and people being held up.’

Mick grinned. ‘They’d have to be desperate to hold me up!’

‘Some people are desperate,’ said John, dropping a potato in water.

The boy glanced in his direction and muttered, ‘I don’t have to be told that. I haven’t forgotten Charley or him pinching Ma’s money.’

‘There’s no need to mention Charley,’ said Kitty firmly.

‘Sorry.’ Mick shrugged again. ‘Anyway, I don’t know why you should be worrying about me when our Teddy’s been out all day and you haven’t gone looking for him.’ It was Saturday.

‘He’ll be at that engineering yard.’ Her brows knitted and she felt dissatisfied all over again with Teddy’s fascination with engines. She would have preferred him to be doing something else with his free time but knew that there was no way of stopping him going to the yard without keeping a watch on him twenty-four hours a day.

‘You don’t know that for sure,’ said Mick.

‘Then where else could he be, smartie pants?’ murmured John. ‘Come up with a good answer or I’ll give you a clip round the ear for arguing with your mother.’

Kitty and Mick stared at him and he stared back. ‘I mean it.’

Mick swallowed. ‘All right! He probably is at the yard but he could be down at the Cassie. He goes fishing there sometimes with his mates.’

John glanced at Kitty. ‘What and where is the Cassie?’

‘It’s the Cast Iron Shore, out Dingle way,’ Mick answered for her.

‘You get the train from Central to St Michael’s station and walk down to the shore. You need to watch the tides, though. There’s sandbanks and the water comes sweeping in really fast,’ added Kitty.

‘Do you fish?’ John asked Mick.

Mick shook his head. ‘I never learnt. Can I go now?’

John nodded. ‘Be in by nine at the latest. It’s your turn for the supper drinks.’

Kitty turned to her husband as her son disappeared through the doorway. ‘You let him go without us finding out where he was going or who he’s meeting.’

‘I think you can trust Mick,’ said John, placing his knife on the table and putting an arm around her.

‘You surprise me.’ She rested her head against his chest ‘I thought you were against him.’

‘Only against him giving you cheek. Teddy bothers me much more. He always has since the day I set eyes on him. And Mick’s right. We do only have Teddy’s word for it that he’s at that yard.’

Kitty was about to say, a little indignantly, that her son’s word was good enough for her when the back door opened and Teddy entered.

‘I’m not late!’ he said before they could speak.

‘You’re filthy, though, and you stink of petrol!’ cried Kitty.

‘It’s what we use to get the oil off our hands. It can’t be helped,’ said Teddy.

She frowned. ‘That’s no excuse. You shouldn’t be round at that yard. I presume that is where you’ve been?’

‘Where else?’ he said, going over to the sink.

‘The Cassie,’ said John, picking up the potato knife.

Teddy cast him a quick look, then lowered his eyes to the sink. ‘That’s for Sundays. I prefer being at the yard whenever I get the chance.’

‘It beats working here, you mean,’ said John.

Teddy shot him another glance. ‘It’s real man’s work, not like what you’re doing.’ The words were out before he could recall them.

Kitty looked at her husband and saw that the muscles of his face had gone rigid. She felt a tinge of fear. She acted swiftly and went over to Teddy. She nudged him in the ribs and hissed, ‘Don’t let me hear you speak to the big fella like that again. I won’t let you round that yard if you’re going to come home giving cheek.’

Teddy acted like he had not heard her but his ears had gone red. He dried his hands and hurried out of the kitchen, whistling under his breath.

John threw the potato knife on the table and said grimly, ‘I wondered how long it would take.’

‘He shouldn’t have said it.’

‘No, he shouldn’t have because I won’t forget it.’

She slipped a hand in his arm. ‘He’s only a boy. I’m sure he didn’t mean it.’

‘He’s old enough to have some manners – and he did mean it’

Kitty knew that John was right. ‘I did tell him that if he speaks to you like that again it’ll be the end of his going to the yard.’

‘I hope you meant it.’

She hesitated. ‘As long as he believes I meant it that’s what really matters.’

John shook his head. ‘Oh no, it isn’t! You’ve got to mean it! I’m telling you now if he speaks to me like that again I’ll show him how much of a man I am.’ He removed her hand from his arm. ‘I’ll go and check the fires.’

Damn and blast
, thought Kitty, staring at the half-peeled potatoes on the table. He was right! But surely he must realise how difficult it was for her? If she carried out her threat, Teddy would be even more sulky and awkward than he was already. She just hoped he would have some sense and keep his mouth shut or she could see there was going to be real trouble between the two of them, much sooner than she had thought. How she wished they could be more tolerant of each other and find a common interest. Football or something!

At that moment Hetty entered the kitchen. ‘Where the hell have you been?’ demanded Kitty, speaking more strongly than she would normally. ‘I’m not paying you to skive off when you feel like it.’

‘It’s me ’ands,’ said the maid, looking at her from eyes which were so dark one couldn’t ever really tell what she was thinking. ‘They get real sore in and out of water. I went and got meself some cream. I didn’t think yer’d mind.’

‘But I do mind when it’s on my time,’ said Kitty sharply. When did she have time to worry about
her
hands? ‘Now get on with the vegetables and be quick about it.’ She considered once more how she really could do with someone who had a bit of nous about them. If only she could have managed with just the boys’ help she would have done so.

Mick climbed into bed, settled himself on his back and gazed up at the ceiling. Teddy crawled in beside him, poking him with his elbow. ‘Move up! You’re taking up all the room.’

Mick shifted a few inches. ‘That suit you?’

Teddy grunted. ‘If I had my way I’d have me own bed a thousand miles from here,’ he said loudly.

‘Shhh! You’ll wake Ben, What’s up with you?’

‘I’m fed up of this place. I’m fed up
of him
! Ma’s threatened to stop me going round the yard!’ His voice rose. ‘She’d have never done such a thing before she married him.’

‘She wanted to know where I was going and who I was going with,’ said Mick.

‘And?’

‘I didn’t tell them.’ Mick smiled into the darkness.

There was a short silence. ‘Did
he
say anything to you for not telling them?’ asked Teddy.

Mick hesitated and turned on his side and said in a muffled voice, ‘Nothing I took much notice of but I think we need to be careful what we say.’

‘I’ll say what I like!’ said Teddy fiercely. Mick was silent. ‘You’re scared of him,’ taunted his brother. ‘I’m not scared.’

‘More fool you,’ muttered Mick, sitting up abruptly and staring down at him. ‘A backhander from the big fella could knock you to Kingdom Come.’

Teddy lay back, his hands behind his head. ‘I don’t think he’s that tough. I as good as called him a cissy and he didn’t say a word.’

‘Was that when Ma threatened you?’

‘Yep.’

‘That’s why she did it then. She’s worried he might hit you.’

‘Naw! She’s always worried about us. And so she should be!’ said Teddy with some heat.

‘She’s probably worried more now. What if he did hit us?’ And what if Kitty defended them? The big fella might just land her a wallop. They all knew he could be violent if roused because he’d broken Charley’s nose. Mick felt sick at the thought of his mother being hurt. ‘We’ve got to think twice, Teddy,’ he said, pulling the covers up over a body which now felt cold.

‘You’re yella.’

‘No, I’m not,’ said Mick, firing up and aiming a punch at his brother. They wrestled on the bed causing it to creak while each sought to get the upper hand.

The door opened and John stood there. ‘What’s going on?’ His voice sounded stern.

‘We were just messing about,’ said Mick hastily. ‘Sorry.’

‘Get to sleep. You’ve got to be up early in the morning.’ He closed the door.

‘Phew! I thought we were for it then,’ said Teddy, flopping back against the pillows.

‘I thought you weren’t scared of him,’ said Mick sotto voce.

Teddy made no reply, only rolling onto his side away from his brother and thinking about what he would do to the big fella if he ever grew to his size.

Kitty glanced at John as he slid into bed next to her. She had strained her ears in an attempt to hear what was being said in the next room but had only been able to catch the murmur of their voices. She wanted to ask if he had hit them but did not want to put him on the defensive. After this afternoon she wanted more than ever for John and the boys to like each other and to share in male interests like proper fathers and sons did when they had the spare time. She wanted it as much as she wanted a daughter.

‘Where were we?’ her husband murmured, pulling her against him and beginning to make love to her. Immediately she realised he was not using a sheath and thought with a soaring hope that surely he must be aware of it and had changed his mind. Perhaps now he wanted a child of his own. She pressed her hand against his spine, urging him on to a climax, but the next moment he was out of bed and she knew her opportunity to make a daughter had gone.

Afterwards she lay flat on her back, feeling low-spirited and weepy, wishing that her husband was not so strong where some things were concerned. She might never have a daughter and she had so set her heart on one that she found it difficult to mentally go back to the state of acceptance that had been hers before she met him. She cried out to God to give her what she wanted. Then she turned over, thinking she had to get some sleep. Tomorrow would be another busy day and she had to telephone Becky about Hannah first thing. She felt a need to have an older woman around.

‘“Fight the good fight with all thy might”,’ bellowed Hannah, scrubbing the front step with vigour. She had arrived a few days ago and was obviously enjoying herself.

‘Are you all right doing that, Hannah?’ asked Kitty from the doorway. She was a bit concerned about the old woman getting down on her knees because of her complaints about rheumatism, but ever since Becky had dropped her off, the maid had not stopped working and had gone through the hotel like a dose of salts. According to Mick she had called Hetty a lazy trollop. The younger woman had been furious, saying that either the old biddy apologised or she would leave. Kitty had said bluntly that perhaps there was something in what that old biddy said. For once Hetty had showed signs of wanting to please Kitty. She had apologised, adding that she did her best but it wasn’t the kind of work she was used to. Kitty had almost said, ‘What work are you used to exactly? If you’re used to work at all.’

‘Don’t thee be worrying about me, missus,’ said Hannah, shifting on a piece of old matting and wiping her brow so that water dripped from the scrubbing brush all down her arm. ‘Thee worry about them boys of thine. Straight to hell they’ll go if thou don’ts get them up to the meeting house. I saw one of them with a girl. And as for that trollop inside, she’s meeting someone as well. A shifty-eyed fella and up to no good I’ll be bound. I know his sort.’

‘You mean you saw Mick with a girl?’ asked Kitty, ignoring the rest.

‘That’s the eldest lad?’ She nodded. ‘They were going in one of them palaces of sin, holding hands and looking for all the world like May and June.’

Celia!
thought Kitty, and went in search of John. She found him in the basement totalling figures in a ledger.

She came up on him from behind and wrapped her arms about his neck. ‘John, we’ve got to do something. Mick’s walking out with Celia. They’ve been seen going into a picture house.’

‘Is that all?’ He kissed the back of her hand before removing it.

Kitty went and sat where she could see his face. ‘Don’t you think it’s enough for me to worry about?’ she said wryly. ‘I think he’s too young to be taking girls to the pictures.’ She suddenly noticed that Nelson was lying on the floor at John’s feet and was distracted. The dog had lifted its head from its front paws and was gazing at her. It had the most comical face and she could not help smiling. ‘What’s that dog doing here?’

Her husband looked slightly discomforted. ‘Dogs like company and I offered to take him for a walk when I’ve balanced these figures.’

She sighed. ‘He’ll bring in fleas and isn’t he supposed to be guarding our rear in case Charley turns up?’

‘You can’t expect Nelson to stay out there all the time.’ John bent and patted the dog’s head. ‘As for him having fleas, Mick’s dunked him in that old hip bath in the yard and drowned all his fleas.’

‘How can he be sure of that? Has he been all over him with a fine-tooth comb?’ She stared at Nelson and the dog shifted forward on its belly and licked her shoe. She patted his head, thinking that as long as he didn’t go upstairs it was all right for him to come indoors – but she would have to be firm. ‘Do you think you should have a talk with Mick?’

‘About fleas?’

Her eyes twinkled. ‘No, silly! About how babies are made and controlling himself. What if the pair of them think themselves in love and get carried away?’

He shook his head and said firmly, ‘I’m not doing it. We’d both be embarrassed and it would put him off me completely.’

She pulled a face. ‘Surely things aren’t that bad between you?’

‘He’s scared of me and Teddy’s not scared enough. A little healthy fear is a good thing but embarrassment and lack of trust is something else. Mick’s a decent lad. He’s not going to do anything he shouldn’t. Besides Celia’s got a sensible head on her shoulders and she worked in a pet shop. She’ll know something about the birds and bees. You’re just being an overprotective mama.’

She wrinkled her nose. ‘I can’t help it.’ She brushed away Nelson’s head from her shoe and went and sat on John’s knee. She put her arms about his neck. ‘How come you know so much about mothers and sons when you lost your own so young?’