‘But they couldn’t do that, Dad,’ Julie exclaimed.
‘They can and they will,’ John declared. ‘They just don’t care about people at this end of the scale . And they don’t have to face people living in two rat-infested rooms and tell them that there’s no hope of anything better for them ever, like I’ll have to do.’
Laura had been signalling to her mother and Anne said cheerfully, ‘Well, I think that’s for the housing committee,’ giving John a warning glance. ‘I believe you met David on your way out, Nick. He only got home last night so he came round to see us.’
John had subsided and Nick asked, ‘Is he your sister’s son?’
‘No, he’s John’s sister’s son and my brother’s son.’ Nick looked mystified and she explained, ‘Sarah and I were friends when we were young and I married her brother and she married my brother Joe.’
‘So it’s an exceptionally close relationship,’ Nick commented. ‘Such cousins couldn’t marry each other.’
‘No, but fortunately they wouldn’t want to,’ Anne laughed, ‘although they’re all good friends. Our families have always been so close that they’ve grown up together. More like brothers and sisters.’
‘David’s very clever,’ Julie said. ‘He got first-class honours and now he’s doing research but you’d never know it. He’s so quiet and unassuming.’
Anne had been pressing food on Nick but finally he told her that it was impossible for him to eat any more. ‘I don’t think I’ll need any more food for several days,’ he said smiling and Laura glowed with pride when she saw how much the family seemed to like him. Even her father talked to him about the teacher-training course.
The only jarring note came when Anne asked whether he lived in the college or in lodgings. Nick glanced at Laura and said awkwardly, ‘Er, I shared a flat with two other men but I’ve moved into a bedsit.’
‘When did this happen? I thought you were settled there,’ Laura exclaimed.
Nick said briefly, ‘On Monday. I moved into the bedsit last night.’
‘But why?’ Laura demanded.
Her mother said swiftly, ‘You haven’t much longer at the college, Laura tells us. This is your final year, isn’t it?’
He agreed and Anne began to tell him of Gerry’s hopes of starting soon at Christ’s College. They finished the meal and moved into the sitting room and a short time later Gerry and Margaret arrived.
Laura introduced Nick and Gerry said he thought they had met. ‘Don’t you drink at the Elephant in Woolton?’ he asked. ‘I might have seen you there. We often go to meet up with Pete Taylor and Phil Casey on Sunday lunchtimes.’
Laura saw Nick’s face when Phil Casey’s name was mentioned and suddenly wondered if he was the reason why Nick had wanted to meet her in Crosby on Sunday but she pushed the thought away with other disagreeable memories of that day.
Before long Nick made his goodbyes as he was catching the last train and was warmly invited to come again by Anne. Gerry shook hands with him. ‘Perhaps we’ll see you at the Elephant,’ he said. ‘We’ll be going on Sunday.’
Nick smiled non-committally and Laura went to the door with him to see him off. She longed to ask him about his move to the bedsit and why he had not told her but there was no time and she returned to the sitting room with mixed feelings about the evening.
As soon as she returned, Gerry took Margaret’s hand. ‘We’ve got something to tell you,’ he said excitedly. ‘We’ve fixed the date for the wedding. First Saturday in March.’
There were exclamations and congratulations and Anne said, ‘I’m made up, Margaret, but it’s short notice for your mother. You know that we’ll do everything we can to help.’
‘Thanks. Mum will appreciate that,’ Margaret said but a shadow came over her face. ‘I just hope Dad will be all right. That’s all that really matters.’
‘He will,’ Gerry said. ‘He told me that he’s determined to give you away.’ He turned to his mother. ‘We’ve fixed up the Nuptial Mass. The parish priest called to see Mr Norton this evening and we settled it there and then.’
‘We thought we’d do the same as Moira for the reception,’ Margaret said. ‘Book the hall and hire caterers. It’ll be much easier at such short notice.’
‘Yes, the BS is booked up two years ahead,’ said Julie and Laura remembered the conversation the previous Sunday. It seemed as though everything was conspiring to remind her of the revealing conversation with Tricia and Nigel in the Brooke but she determinedly thrust the thoughts away.
John said suddenly, ‘I hope you’re not thinking of inviting that shower from Canada for the wedding. We can do without them, Gerry.’
‘Terry should be invited,’ Laura protested.
Anne said quietly, ‘We won’t talk about invitations for anyone until Margaret’s mum and I have had a talk. She might want it very quiet because of Mr Norton’s health.’
Margaret smiled. ‘Don’t worry about that, Mrs Redmond. We have only a very small family but we’d like all your family there. Dad says he wants it to be a proper do.’
Everyone smiled and Anne said only, ‘We’ll see.’
Laura watched them enviously. Why were things so complicated for her and Nick and so straightforward for other people? she wondered. Gerry and Margaret never seemed to quarrel and it was the same with Julie and Peter Cunliffe, although Laura suspected that that was because Julie allowed Peter to make all the decisions.
She said as much to Julie when they were washing up together in the scullery and Julie gazed at her wide-eyed. ‘But we discuss things,’ she said. ‘Perhaps it does seem as though Peter makes all the plans for us but he’s very sensible, you know, Laura, and I know he only wants what’s best for me.’
‘But there must be things you don’t agree with,’ Laura said forcefully. ‘Don’t you ever tell him what you want and see that you get it?’
‘But I get what I want,’ Julie insisted. ‘It just happens to be the same as what Peter wants. Do you mean about the job he’s applied for?’ She looked puzzled and Laura found it hard to explain.
‘That’s an example,’ she said finally. ‘He seems to just assume that you want to be a housemaster’s wife and you’re expected to go along with it.’
‘But we discussed it. We discuss everything,’ Julie repeated. ‘If that’s Peter’s job, I have to be prepared to do the wife’s part. Like a vicar’s wife or a doctor’s wife. I don’t mind, honestly, Lol. I’ll enjoy it.’
‘I can’t make you see what I mean,’ Laura said. ‘Nick and I – we keep falling out and there’s always a good reason, yet that doesn’t happen with you and with Gerry.’
‘Gerry and Margaret have had a few rows but they didn’t last,’ Julie said cheerfully. ‘And with me and Peter, up to now we’ve been apart most of the time so we couldn’t waste time not speaking when we were together. We’ll probably have rows now.’
Laura laughed. ‘Just to oblige me, you mean. Do you never have any doubts, Ju? You’ve never been out with any other fellow. How can you be so sure?’
‘I just am,’ Julie said simply. ‘And so is Peter. We think we were just lucky to meet each other when we did.’
‘I didn’t know that Nick had changed digs,’ Laura said. ‘We’ll probably fall out when I tackle him about that.’
‘But do you need to?’ asked Julie. ‘What does it matter? It isn’t as if he’s moved in with another girl.’
‘But it does matter,’ Laura cried angrily. ‘He decided on Monday and moved last night and never said a word to me. I’m his girlfriend, not some casual acquaintance.’
‘But don’t start bawling him out until he’s had a chance to explain,’ Julie advised and Laura laughed.
‘How well you know me,’ she said. She hung up the tea towel and they went back into the living room.
She had arranged to meet Nick in town on Saturday night and she determined to take Julie’s advice and wait for him to explain why he had said nothing about his move. He met her at
the station and as they left to walk to the cinema they met Margaret and Gerry.
‘Hi,’ Gerry called. ‘We were just talking about you two. Are you going to the Elephant tomorrow lunchtime?’
‘I don’t know. Why?’ Laura said and Margaret explained that they planned to go and could give Laura a lift if she wished. Nick said nothing.
Laura was sure that Nick was reluctant to go because of Phil Casey so she deliberately forced the issue by saying, ‘Thanks. That’ll be handy, won’t it Nick?’ and he could only agree.
He said nothing about his change of address as they walked to the cinema and neither did Laura, but her manner towards him was cool. It was only when they were in the bar of the cinema at the interval that Nick said awkwardly, ‘That move. It was only on the spur of the moment. Those fellows. I couldn’t stand them any longer. Had a blazing row and moved out.’
‘But where did you sleep?’ asked Laura.
‘On Dave’s floor Monday and Tuesday but I’d fixed up the bedsit,’ he said.
‘It seems a shame when you’ve only got another few months,’ Laura said. ‘After being with them all this time.’
‘I’ve only been there for five months,’ said Nick. ‘Everybody moves around.’
Laura was surprised but decided to say no more about the move, feeling that she was making a mountain out of a molehill if it was all so casual.
On Sunday Nick was waiting outside the Elephant as she drove up with Margaret and Gerry and Gerry dropped them while he parked the car. ‘My turn for the fruit juice today,’ Margaret said cheerfully. ‘I’ll be driving home.’
‘Load of bloody nonsense,’ Nick growled. ‘Bloody Barbara Castle. She’s spoiled everyone’s enjoyment.’
It was clear that he was in a bad mood but Margaret said with spirit, ‘I think she was right. I believe in the Breathalyser. I’ve seen too much of the results of drunken driving not to think it should be curbed.’
‘Nonsense,’ Nick said. ‘I drive better after a few drinks.’
‘Don’t be daft,’ Laura exclaimed. ‘You know Margaret’s right and so was Barbara Castle. It’s only men who think they drive better after drinking.’
‘That’s why it took a woman to push through the Road and Safety Act,’ Margaret said, winking at Laura.
Gerry returned, complaining about the difficulty in parking, and there was no opportunity for Nick to reply to the girls. They went into the bar and greeted friends there. Laura saw Phil Casey immediately, standing with Peter Taylor and Gail and another man, and smiled across at him. Gerry began to push through the crowd towards them, greeting friends boisterously, followed by Margaret and Laura.
Nick walked behind Laura scowling and nodding curtly to various acquaintances and his scowl deepened when he reached the group and saw that Phil was smiling at Laura. Gerry immediately began to talk about his wedding plans but the man who stood beside Phil said quietly to Nick, ‘I hear you’ve had another bust-up. I met Kevin Cosgrove in Lark Lane.’
‘I suppose he gave you his version,’ Nick replied venomously. ‘I walked out. Couldn’t stand them any longer.’
‘And where are you now?’
‘A bedsit in Smithdown Road. Very handy.’
‘On your own? Well, I suppose it’s better,’ the man said.
Nick, realising that Laura was close to Phil, put his arm round her. ‘You haven’t met my girlfriend, have you?’ he said to the man. ‘Alec Gibson, Laura Redmond.’
Gail had been eagerly questioning Margaret and now she said to Laura, ‘And you’re going to be a bridesmaid, Laura. What are you wearing?’
‘It hasn’t been decided.’
Margaret said quickly, ‘But you liked the idea of blue velvet, didn’t you, Laura?’
‘Then it’s decided,’ Gerry laughed.
‘But what about Julie and Margaret’s friend? They’re bridesmaids too,’ said Laura.
‘Yes, but you know our Julie’ll go along with anything and Amy’s easygoing too, isn’t she, Margaret? No, as long as Laura agrees, you’re home and dry.’ Gerry laughed again.
‘Are you making out that Laura’s awkward?’ Nick said belligerently.
Gerry chose to treat the remark as a joke. ‘Now would I say a thing like that about me darling sister?’ he chuckled, leaning forward to pat Laura’s cheek. ‘She knows me better than that.’ Everyone laughed but there was a moment of strain and Phil Casey looked at Nick with dislike.
Laura longed to say something but could think of nothing. Phil seemed to realise this and said gently, ‘This will help your mum and the rest of the family to get through Christmas without your aunt. Planning for the wedding, I mean.’
‘Yes, it will,’ Laura agreed eagerly. ‘Everyone is so pleased about it too. Not just us because we like Margaret so much but her family because they like Gerry.’
Nick’s arm tightened round her waist. ‘Her father’s a very sick man though, isn’t he?’ he said, determined to be included in the conversation.
Laura turned to him and said irritably, ‘Yes, but keep your voice down. You don’t want Margaret to hear you.’
She was annoyed, feeling that Nick seemed to be showing himself in a bad light, and he was aware of this. ‘Let’s break away from this crowd. I’d rather be on our own,’ he whispered.
She shook her head. ‘We can’t do that, not yet.’
More people joined the group then some began to break away and Nick urged Laura to sit at one of the tables. ‘Come on. Let’s sit by ourselves.’ He urged her towards a table in the window but Laura resisted. She touched Margaret and suggested a visit to the Ladies.
Margaret agreed and Laura pulled away from Nick’s encircling arm.
When they returned, Nick was with a group from Christ’s College and the girls joined Gerry, Peter and Gail, Phil and Alec Gibson.
‘I see Nick’s had another row and upped sticks from his flat,’ Peter said to Laura, laughing. ‘He’s a dab hand at making enemies, isn’t he? But he’s a good skin,’ he added hastily as he saw the expression on Laura’s face.
She was silent and Alec Gibson said, ‘The trouble is he’s so right wing and most of the fellows lean to the left. He won’t compromise or keep quiet about it either.’
This time Laura reacted. ‘Why should he keep quiet if that’s what he believes in?’ she said aggressively.
Alec Gibson hastily agreed and Gerry changed the subject by asking if anyone knew where to buy drink cheaply.
Although Laura was annoyed with Nick she resented any criticism of him by others and when Phil tried to talk quietly to her she gave him no encouragement.
Nick joined her and this time she smiled up at him and readily agreed to go to a small table with him.
‘My feet are killing me,’ she joked to Margaret but as they walked away she heard Alec Gibson say in a parody of Greta Garbo, ‘I vunt to be alone.’ She felt that she had made an enemy and later in the crush near their table she saw a young man glance at them and say something to Alec Gibson.
‘They deserve each other,’ she heard Gibson say, loudly enough to be heard by them and a few others. Nick started from his seat but Laura gripped his arm.
‘Sit down,’ she hissed. ‘Don’t give him the satisfaction.’
Gerry and Peter had also heard and as Nick subsided in his seat they drifted over and stood by the table. ‘I’ll be starting at Christ’s just as you finish, Nick,’ Gerry said. ‘I’ll have to pick your brains.’
‘Feel free,’ Nick said. ‘And you’re welcome to any books. I’ll be glad to be finished with them.’
‘Any idea where you’re going to teach?’ Peter asked.
Nick shrugged. ‘I’ve sent off a few applications. I’ll have to wait and see.’
Phil had not joined them but Laura was conscious of his eyes fixed on her and felt a sensation of warm happiness. I wish I could talk to him, she thought, but she knew any attempt to do so would provoke an outburst from Nick.
Before long Margaret glanced at
her watch and decided that it was time to go. Nick leaned close to Laura. ‘I’ve got a lot of studying to do but I’ll drive you home,’ he murmured. Laura insisted that there was no point.
‘I can travel back with Meg and Gerry,’ she said, ‘and you can make good use of the time.’ Margaret and Gerry backed her up and Nick decided that he would leave with her and return to his bedsit.
‘I must say goodbye to Gail.’ Laura went to where Gail stood with another girl, with Phil standing leaning against the wall nearby.
‘We’re off now, Gail,’ Laura said and as someone spoke to the other girl she added in a low voice, ‘I’m sorry about all that hassle with my crazy cousin. Do you know she’s had the baby and the father’s turned up? She’s been having psychiatric treatment.’
‘Good job she was in Canada or I’d have scrambled her brains a bit more,’ Gail answered. ‘But I knew it wasn’t true.’
‘So did everyone except her doting father,’ Laura said. ‘I’m really sorry though.’
‘Not your fault. Peter was worried about your family but it’s all over now. Goodbye, Laura.’
Phil had been looking at Laura and now he leaned forward. ‘Goodbye for now, Laura,’ he said quietly but in such a warm and loving tone that Laura’s eyes widened in surprise and she blushed deeply.
She felt a sensation of weakness but she swallowed and said, ‘Goodbye for now, Phil.’
Nick dashed up and took her arm. ‘Come on, darling,’ he said. ‘Gerry and Margaret are waiting.’ She allowed herself to be bustled away, still feeling bemused, yet reflecting cynically that Nick had never called her darling before.
The car was outside with Margaret at the wheel and Nick kissed her passionately before opening the car door. ‘I’ll ring, make arrangements,’ he said, leaning into the car, but she could only nod and smile at him.
‘Are you OK?’ Gerry asked.
She croaked, ‘Yes, thanks,’ but they were travelling along the dock road before she could rouse herself from her dream to talk to them.
‘Sorry I kept you waiting,’ she said. ‘I went to say goodbye to Gail. Apologised and told her about Rilla’s baby and the father turning up.’
Honour Thy Father Page 37