Living a Lie (47 page)

“She must think I’m a brick short of a load!”

All the passengers had boarded and still Kitty couldn’t see any sign of Georgie. Disillusioned, she turned to leave when a familiar voice chirped out, “Some bleedin’ friend you are. Kitty Marsh! Invite a gal to your wedding then ain’t got the decency to see her safely off the train!”

Kitty swung round and there she was.

“GEORGIE!”

With open arms she ran to her, hugging her as if she never wanted to let go.

“I didn’t see you get off,” she laughed.

“Oh, Georgie. I’m so glad you’re here.” She gulped back the joyful tears. For one awful minute she’d feared she would have to walk down that long, lonely aisle on her own. Now Georgie was here and the world was a brighter place.

“Bleedin’ hell, gal!” Dropping her suitcase, Georgie let herself be swung round.

“Are you after strangling me or what?” But she was thrilled to be here. She had so much to tell Kitty, and there was so much she wanted to know in her turn.

They took the bus as far as the top of the market, then walked the rest of the way.

“We’ll go by way of the embankment,” Kitty said. As they walked along arm in arm, with Kitty insisting on carrying the suitcase, she couldn’t keep her eyes off her old friend. Georgie looked so much better than when Kitty had last seen her. There was a spring to her step, and a twinkle in her eye.

Georgie gave her a sideways look.

“What the ‘ell are you gawping at?”

Kitty squeezed her arm with affection.

“I’m ” gawping” at you,” she answered.

“You look … different somehow.” She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but there was some428

thing very new about Georgie, like a light shining from inside her.

Georgie made a wry little face.

“Course I’m different,” she pointed out with exaggerated patience.

“I’m fat and heavy, and I’m carrying a bleedin’ monster.”

“No, you’re not,” Kitty corrected.

“You’re very smart and light of foot, and being pregnant suits you.” It must be that, she decided. She couldn’t help but wonder whether being pregnant might suit her too, but suddenly there it was again, that little nagging worry at the back of her mind.

“You never told me you lived in such a posh place,” Georgie remarked as they strolled along the riverside.

“It’s beautiful.”

They sat on the bench and watched the river life Graceful white swans glided by with multi-coloured ducks following in their wake. Children played on the bank beneath the watchful eyes of their parents, and all along the riverside graceful willows bent to the gentle breeze.

“It’s like paradise,” Georgie said, mesmerised.

Kitty knew exactly what she meant.

“It is beautiful,” she murmured.

“But it isn’t paradise to me.”

Something in the tone of her voice made Georgie turn to look at her.

Quietly she said, “For someone who’s getting wed in four days’ time, you seem a bit down in the mouth, gal.”

“Let’s go home,” Kitty said, picking up the suitcase.

“You must be tired.”

As they completed the journey to Kitty’s flat, Georgie kept sneaking a look at her quiet companion. She had been bubbly and bright, but now she seemed preoccupied.

There was a deep frown on her lovely face, and a heaviness to her step.

Though she was concerned that it was she who had dampened Kitty’s spirits by her thoughtless remark, Georgie decided to say nothing about the swift change of mood. But she began to wonder. And when she wondered, certain things began to make sense. And when she began to put two and two together, she didn’t like what it all added up to.

In better mood by the time they reached home, Kitty flung open the door to her flat.

“Welcome to my little abode,” she said proudly. She had put a great deal of love and effort into this place, and now she wanted to show it off to her one and only true friend.

“What do you think?” Dumping the suitcase by the door, she waited for Georgie’s reaction.

Georgie’s blue eyes stood out like hatpins.

“Bloody Nora, gal!” she cried.

“Let me get me foot in the door first!”

As she took off to carry out a closer inspection, Kitty picked up the suitcase and padded behind her.

They went into the kitchen first, then on to the bathroom.

“Getting above yerself, ain’t you?” Georgie said on seeing the freshly filled vase.

“Flowers in the loo? La de da!” When she winked. Kitty knew she approved.

They went into Kitty’s bedroom. It was a bright cheerful room, with lots of scatter cushions and pretty floral curtains.

“You always did have good taste, gal,” Georgie assured her.

“That’s the first time I’ve ever seen a wicker chair in a bedroom, let alone covered in brightly coloured cushions.” She chuckled.

“Mind you. I wouldn’t want wicker chair in my bedroom, thank you very much.”

Kitty was intrigued.

“Why not?”

“Because I have a tendency to run about in the nuddy. You know how forgetful I can be? If I should plonk myself down on a wicker chair like that, me arse would be scratched to buggery!”

Kitty had forgotten what a tonic Georgie was. Laughing out loud, she dragged her away.

“Come and see the room I’ve got ready for you.”

“You ain’t got no wicker chair in there, have you?”

“See for yourself.” Kitty remained at the door while Georgie went inside.

“By! You’ve really gone to some trouble, ain’t you, gal?” Georgie’s surprised gaze travelled the room. Kitty had painted it the softest shade of blue because she knew that was Georgie’s favourite colour.

There was a soft blue shade hanging over the light, a blue cheque red eiderdown, and a blue vase filled with pink and yellow flowers.

Georgie shook her head.

“It’s really lovely,” she murmured.

“It’s like a real home, that’s what it is.” Turning to look at Kitty she said softly, “Why do you do it, gal? Why do you go out of your way to please me, when I don’t do nothing but bring you a heap o’ trouble?”

“Because I love you.” Georgie would never know how much, Kitty thought fondly. She couldn’t possibly realise what she had come to mean to her over the years.

Lost for words, Georgie looked round the room once more.

“It’s lovely,” she said again.

“Really lovely.” She came to Kitty then, her blue eyes glittering with tears as she told her in a hoarse whisper, “I love you too, gal, and it ain’t easy for a hard-boiled egg like me to say that.”

Kitty didn’t want the past to swamp them, as it swamped her every time she let her mind wander back over the years. Going to the bed, she flung the suitcase down.

“First of all, we’ll hang your clothes up, or they’ll be creased like concertinas, then you’ll go into the sitting room and rest your feet, while I make us something to eat.”

“Don’t want nothing to eat, gal.” Georgie began unfastening the suitcase.

“I had a cheese sandwich on the train and I couldn’t eat another crumb. Besides, if you intend stuffing me full of food, I’ll look like a bleedin’ turkey instead of a maid of honour.”

Later, Kitty managed to persuade her into enjoying a small salad and a portion of salmon.

“This is what I call style,” Georgie joked, and Kitty was content to see how at home she was making herself.

“How’s Mildred getting on with her old man?” Georgie asked, in between sipping at her tea.

“She seems really happy.” With her legs stretched out and her feet resting on the fender, Kitty looked very relaxed. It seemed so right with her and Georgie together again.

“Do you reckon they do it?”

“Do what?”

Georgie winked.

“You know! Roll about in bed, him on top of her… her on top of him?”

“I expect they do. I hadn’t really thought about it.”

“I do. All the time.”

“Do what?” This conversation was taking a very funny turn. Kitty thought with a little amusement.

“Think about it. On the train on the way here, I kept looking at people, older people mostly.”

“What for?” She was just beginning to follow Georgia’s train of thought.

“You know… just wondering if they did it or not. There was a couple sitting opposite me, and they kept looking at each other, like a pair of sweethearts might do.”

“What’s wrong with that? I expect they were sweethearts.”

“I can’t see how they could still do it, though.”

“Why not?”

Georgie giggled.

“Because he was ninety if he was a day. She was short and he was tall, and they were both fat as barrels. I mean… how would they ever get it together?”

Kitty crumpled with laughter.

“Serves me right for asking,” she said.

“Mildred and her bloke are coming to see you wed, aren’t they?”

“Try and keep them away,” Kitty replied warmly.

“Mildred’s already helped me organise the woman’s side of things, and as I haven’t got a father or anyone else to give me away, Eddie’s volunteered his services. They’re coming over on Friday morning, and staying with Jack for the night.”

“I’m glad she’s made up to you for the wrong she did.”

“She’s more than made up for it, Georgie. She’s been a real godsend.”

“What about Miss Davis? Is she coming?” Georgie rolled her eyes.

“God!

Seeing that old biddy again will bring back memories. “

“I haven’t had a reply, yet, so I don’t know whether she’ll turn up or not. I expect she’s off on one of her globetrotting adventures.”

Georgie gave her a sly little look.

“What about himT Kitty knew straightaway who she meant.

“Harry won’t be coming. He and his wife have other commitments on that day.” She tried to sound casual, but the deepening flush on her face gave her away.

“Shall I tell you what I think?”

“You will anyway.”

“I think he won’t come to the wedding because he couldn’t bear the sight of you walking down the aisle to another man.”

How Kitty wished that was so.

“You couldn’t be more wrong, Georgie.

Harry has carved out his own life. He has a thriving haulier’s business in Blackburn, and he’s very happily married. He’ll soon be a father, and I know how thrilled he must be at the prospect. “

But there were doubts in her mind. Since her party there had been doubts, only they were confused. She was confused. How could she know what Harry was feeling? The last time she had seen him, he had said certain things, looked at her in a certain way. But how could she know? How could she be certain? They were friends before they were lovers, and friends were allowed to say affectionate things to each other, weren’t they?

“Why are you marrying Jack?”

Georgie’s question took Kitty unawares, and she didn’t really know how to answer it. Instead she posed her own question.

“Why shouldn’t I marry him?”

“Because you don’t love him. You’ve said so yourself.”

“I’m fond of him,” she answered truthfully.

“I know it can work, or I wouldn’t even contemplate it.” She didn’t want Georgie to know it was her debt to the moneylender

that had finally tied the knot between herself and Jack.

Georgie’s sigh echoed round the room.

“Look here, gal, I know I shouldn’t poke my nose in, but you’ve had such a lousy life, and you’ve no real family to speak of. I only want you to be happy, you know that, don’t you?”

Kitty’s smile should have wiped away all her fears, but it didn’t fool Georgie.

“Stop worrying. Jack’s a good man, and I’m lucky to have found him.” In a way she was, because without him it really would be a lonely future.

“When I make those vows on Saturday, I will mean every word.” And so she would. But it still wouldn’t stop her from wishing it was Harry standing beside her.

All right, gal. Have it your own way. But I want you to know something. ” As she looked into Kitty’s dark brown eyes, Georgie’s expression was intense.

“I can’t help feeling you’re marrying him as a kind of reward for paying off that debt. If I thought that was the case, I swear to God, I’d find the money somehow… by one means or another.”

Kitty grasped her hand.

“You can put that out of your mind right away,” she said sternly.

“Uke I said, I’m very fond of Jack. I’m marrying him because he loves me, and because I think I might come to love him in time. Jack’s been good to me. He’s kind and thoughtful, and he would never knowingly hurt me.” She smiled reassuringly.

“I

promise you, Georgie, once Jack and I are married, I’ll do everything in my power to make it a good marriage. I’ve always wanted children, you know that. At the minute Jack doesn’t feel the same way about that, but he will, I know he will. “

She prayed he would. Up to now he had shown little inclination towards starting a family. Then there was that niggling worry again. The anxiety at the back of her mind that they had made love without protection and she had not fallen pregnant. Not that she had wanted to fall pregnant out of marriage, because not taking precautions was a very foolish thing, but the question remained why hadn’t she fallen pregnant? Was it the wrong time of the month?

Was it her? Was it Jack? Did it mean that a family was out of the question? She daren’t even think about that.

“I don’t want to hear any more about me and Jack,” she told Georgie.

“It’s you I want to talk about. Are you carrying that baby well? Isn’t the job too much for you right now? You said in your letter they’ve offered you a permanent position after the birth. If you take it on, who’ll mind the baby?”

“Bloody Nora! Talk about nosey!” Georgie laughed.

“Everything’s fine with the baby. The doctor says there’s no problems. I’m enjoying my work, and yes, I will take the job on afterwards, ‘cause I have to eat and pay the rent. And no… I will not take any more little ” gifts” from you. I’m a grown woman, and now that you and Jack have freed me from the moneylenders, I have to look after myself. If I do take the job on permanently, the shopkeeper’s wife has promised to look after the baby. You’d be surprised how friendly she is. After she said I had a mouth like a sewer, I thought she was a right old cow, but she’s not a bad old stick once you get to know her.” Her gaze dropped to the floor.