Family Drama 4 E-Book Bundle (109 page)

‘If she lets him. Leonora can be very difficult.'

‘Difficult isn't the word at the moment, but she is poorly and I'm worried. You'll notice when you see her – if she comes.'

Ruby replaced the phone onto its cradle and leaned back against the wall. She didn't want to go and play happy families at Maggie Wheaton's fifth birthday, but she knew it was something she had to do: a duty.

The little girl had been brought up knowing Ruby as her distant big sister and godmother, so the occasional visit was something she had to endure to keep everyone happy, but it was hard and every year it got harder rather than easier. As Maggie had changed from a baby into a beautiful small person with a voice and a personality, Ruby was even more aware of what she was missing, but she knew it was the best thing for daughter, who was having a happy childhood with two comfortably-off parents who adored her.

But still it hurt.

As time had passed she had done her best to detach herself from her previous lives in Melton and Walthamstow simply because she didn't want to think about what had gone before, but every so often something happened and she was back on the hospital ward holding the bundle in her arms.

A remark, a look, a small child of a similar age playing on the beach could instantly spark an unexpected memory. There was always a current photograph of Maggie on the sideboard at the hotel, but it was Leonora who would take the old one out of the frame and replace it with the new. Anyone who asked was told that Maggie was Leonora's niece and Ruby's goddaughter.

The only person outside of the Wheatons who knew the details of Maggie's parentage was Gracie, but it had never been discussed since the day Ruby had told Gracie she wasn't going to move to the Palace Hotel and work with her, that she was going to stay at Thamesview, and then told her all the reasons why. Gracie had hugged her friend and promised to keep her secret. And she had. The one good thing to come out of it all was Ruby's deep and enduring friendship with Gracie.

She went through to the kitchen where Gracie was again helping out.

‘Gracie, I have to go upstairs. Mrs Burton may be leaving early but I know you can take over on reception.'

‘Oh, yes, me on reception. Aunt Leonora'll have a real touch of the vapours when she finds out about that!' Gracie laughed. Then she saw the expression on Ruby's face. ‘What's up? You look as white as a sheet, like you're going to faint.'

‘Don't exaggerate. A bit shocked, maybe, but not about to collapse! Aunty Babs just telephoned. She wants me to go up to Melton for Maggie's birthday. I really don't want to but I suppose I have to. It'd look strange if I didn't as I'm her godmother. And some fresh country air might be good for Leonora.'

‘Instead of the fresh sea air blowing up a storm right outside this front door?' Gracie laughed.

‘All right, that was a silly thing to say, but this chest thing is taking so long to shift and she won't go to the doctor. I'm hoping she'll let Uncle George have a look at her. I'm going to go up to see how she is and how she reacts to going to Melton.'

‘Good luck with that. Have you got a tin-hat ready?' Gracie laughed loudly. ‘Sorry, you know I don't mean it. Shall I go to the chemist and get her a tonic?'

‘Maybe later.' Ruby looked at her friend and smiled affectionately. ‘Thanks, Gracie. I don't know what I'd have done without you helping out.'

‘Go on with you,' Gracie said. ‘Go and see the Lady Leonora.'

‘Tut tut, you make her sound like a pleasure steamer!'

Ruby was still smiling as she walked up the stairs, thinking how much she loved Gracie McCabe.

Leonora was sitting in her favourite winged leather armchair with her feet up on a large tapestry footstool and a heavy blanket over her legs pulled right up to her hunched shoulders. She looked so pale and fragile that Ruby was worried anew.

‘How are you feeling?' she asked as casually as she could.

‘Just a little tired. Do stop fussing, I'll be fine by tomorrow.'

‘Oh, good, because Aunty Babs has just rung, they want us both to go to Melton for Maggie's birthday party on Sunday. It's the first party she's ever had. I can drive, if you trust me!'

‘Well,
you
have to go, of course, and you can take the car, but I'm not going. There's far too much work here for both of us to be away.'

‘It's not until next weekend, and it's only for the day, so you might feel better by then,' Ruby said without looking at her. ‘I'll make you a pot of tea now and then bring your supper up later on a tray.'

‘I'm not an invalid, you know. I just have a chill, and I can do my own supper, thank you. And I'm perfectly capable of sitting at the table. I've never resorted to a tray on my lap in my life.' To show her disapproval she inhaled and exhaled as loudly as she could before reaching a hand out and turning the volume on the wireless up high.

Ruby bit her tongue. Over the years, Leonora had mellowed and become almost amenable but since she had been unwell she was back to the intransigent, difficult person she had been when Ruby had first gone to stay with her. She sometimes reminded Ruby of her grandmother back in Walthamstow: she was tough as old boots because of everything she'd been through in her life but with a good heart tucked away inside. Ruby had grown increasingly fond of her and understood her absolutely, but still she occasionally lost patience with her.

‘I'll stay and have a cup of tea with you. Gracie is in charge downstairs.'

‘Gracie?' Despite her lethargy Leonora visibly bristled. ‘She'll drive all my guests away. They'll all go and leap off the pier in protest.'

‘That's just what she thought you'd say, but she's more than capable, as you know. She's helped out more than enough times, and your ladies always love her.'

‘She's common.'

‘So am I.' Ruby snapped back.

Leonora shrugged back down under the blanket and glared ferociously but Ruby knew it was because she was feeling frustrated at having to hand over the reins of her beloved hotel to someone else, even if it was Ruby, who had worked hard alongside her for five years, and Gracie, who was more than proving her worth in being a general dogsbody in her spare time.

Ruby made the tea, set it out on a tray and put it on the side table beside her aunt's chair.

‘Shall I pour for both of us? Gracie can manage, you know, and I said I'd be an hour so she's not expecting me.'

Without waiting for an answer Ruby sat on the chair next to the other side of the table and stirred the teapot.

‘I'd really like you to come to Melton with me. It's going to be so hard and it would help if you were there. You understand the situation so well.'

‘I'll see how I am. I know it's just a chill but it's wearing me out. I feel so useless.'

Leonora's tone had Ruby wondering if she was actually trying to convince herself that she just under the weather rather than really sick.

Suddenly Ruby wanted to go to Melton and she wanted to drag the recalcitrant Leonora along with her so that George could give her a check-up.

‘How is she?' Gracie asked when Ruby went back down.

‘I'm not sure. I want to talk to you about Maggie's birthday. If I can persuade Aunt Leonora to come with me, would you take over here for the whole day? A long day?'

‘I can ask for the day off, but would you really trust me here for a day? And more importantly, would Lady Leonora?'

‘She'll fret, but she frets when it's me.'

They both laughed. Gracie was nearly as fond of Leonora as Ruby was.

‘And as for fretting, when are you seeing Tony again?' Gracie asked. ‘He's been fretting a bit himself since Fanny-Ann upstairs has been out of action and you've been too busy for him.'

‘He's not happy that I'm so busy but that's just too bad.'

‘Well, you know what I think about him, but the feeling's mutual so I don't care.' Gracie's tone was matter-of-fact.

‘You do seem to rub each other up the wrong way all the time.'

‘Hmm. So how do you really feel about him? How far is it going to go? All the way down the aisle?' Gracie turned the corners of her mouth down and pretended to shudder.

‘Don't be mean,' Ruby laughed. ‘I like going out with him, but that's it at the moment. I don't want to be married. I've said before, just me and a Pekingese in my old age.'

‘You'll change your mind, I know you will, but I hope it's not that arrogant twit you decide on. A smelly snuffly Pekingese would be much nicer.'

‘Meanie. Anyway, I'm off to do things that need doing.'

They smiled at each other before going off in different directions to work, Gracie to the kitchen and Ruby to the office and reception.

Tony Alfredo was the only bone of contention between Ruby and Gracie. He was the man Ruby was going out with him, but Gracie didn't like or trust him, and she made no bones about it.

Ruby had become friends with Tony Alfredo very slowly, starting five years before with just the occasional outing during his university holidays when he was visiting his family. As an occasional companion the charming young law student had been perfect, but then he'd returned to the family home to live with his parents and started working in London, commuting by train every day, and he expected to see her far more often. He had become more demanding, and although Ruby still liked his company she was uncomfortable with his intensity.

He hated her going out and about, especially with Gracie and her friends from the Palace Hotel, yet he would never go out with them, despite Ruby asking him. They had fun when they were together and he took her to places she wouldn't normally go, but he was too demanding when Ruby couldn't spend time with him. Despite her constantly trying to find the middle road, Tony just wanted more, and he would push and push until she gave in. She knew she had to sit down and have a talk with him, but she knew it would be hard, and at that moment she wasn't in the right frame of mind.

As Ruby helped Leonora out of the car a whirlwind that was a child ran out of the house and then stopped dead beside the car door, looking expectant.

‘Hello Maggie! Many happy returns of the day to you. Are you having a lovely birthday so far?' Ruby managed a wide smile, despite feeling her stomach lurch right up into her throat. It was such a physical feeling Ruby was grateful that she could busy herself helping Leonora out of the car and not have to make any prolonged eye contact with the child immediately. She needed some time to acclimatise herself both to seeing Maggie, who had grown so much, and to being back in Melton, the village she loved.

It was the same every time she went back: she felt physically sick with expectation, unsure of how it was going to be.

Leonora had started to feel better in the days before Maggie's birthday so it had been easier to persuade her to go to the party and leave a very scared Gracie in charge of the hotel. But as they got closer to Melton so Ruby's nerves had started to take over and when she turned onto the village High Street all she wanted was to do a U-turn and head straight back to Essex.

But of course she didn't. She carried on following the familiar route to the house.

‘I'm having a birthday party. Four of my friends are coming and Mummy's made jelly and cake for everyone. You can have some as well.'

‘I can't wait! And you look so pretty in your party frock. Shall we all go inside and see Mummy and Daddy?' She looked at the little girl. Her daughter. ‘Say hello to Aunty Leonora. She wanted to see you on your birthday as well.'

‘Hello, Aunty Leonora.' As the child held out her hand and smiled, all Ruby could see was Johnnie Riordan. There was little in her features or colouring to connect her to Ruby, but there was no denying her paternity. The child's hair was blonde and straight, and tied back from her face with a bright red ribbon that perfectly matched the colour of both her T-bar shoes and the edging of her white cotton frock, which Ruby just knew was home-made by Babs. She wanted to cry as she looked at the perfect little girl standing in front of her, but before she could shed a tear Babs came out. Ruby knew she'd stood back for a few minutes to let her say hello to Maggie, and she was grateful for her thoughtfulness and perfect timing under the circumstances.

She walked forward and greeted her sister-in-law politely first, before hugging Ruby affectionately. ‘Oh, I'm so pleased to see you, both of you. I thought we'd have a slow light lunch to get our strength up before the other little girls arrive and the party starts. The children will be excluded from the sitting room so Leonora and George can spend some time together.' Babs lightly squeezed Ruby's hand to acknowledge that she'd listened to Ruby's request for George to check his sister over.

‘Ruby, do you want to come and see my new pram? I've put my dolly in it already.'

‘I'd love to, and I've got a birthday present for you as well, and,' she paused and looked down at Maggie, ‘so has Aunty Leonora. But you have to go indoors first. Go on, no peeking. Off you go.'

The little girl laughed and ran off into the house, followed by Leonora, leaving Ruby alone with Babs to get the presents out of the car boot.

‘How are you getting on?' Babs asked. ‘I've missed you so much, and I still worry about you.'

‘I know.' was all Ruby could think of to say. Melton was no longer her world and Maggie was no longer her daughter; the whole situation felt wrong. As they walked together to the house Ruby saw Derek Yardley leaning against the Wheatons' car, watching her; as she caught his eye so he smiled, or rather his mouth made the shape of a smile, but he didn't say anything, he simply stared until she looked away.

‘I don't think Yardley knows what to say to you. You've turned from a gawky little schoolgirl into a beautiful young woman. He was always very fond of you …'