Honour Thy Father

by Honour Thy Father (retail) (epub)

  ‘Enough to know you’d be wise to hitch your waggon to my star?’ Laura shrugged and said offhandedly, ‘That’s something else I’ll have to think about.’

  ‘I’ll say goodbye and Happy Christmas now,’ Nick said, kissing her again before they went into the front room.

  Her mother was alone and Laura said calmly, ‘Nick’s going now, Mum. He has to be up at five o’clock.’

  ‘That’s an early start,’ Anne said, smiling at him. ‘Enjoy yourself anyway and Happy Christmas.’

  ‘Happy Christmas to you, Mrs Redmond. Will you pass on my good wishes to the rest of the family?’

  ‘I will,’ Anne said and Laura accompanied Nick to the front door. ‘I’m sorry about the weekend,’ he said. ‘But I’ll be back on Monday and we can start afresh then, can’t we?’

  They said goodbye and Laura went back to her mother.

  Anne was sitting with her swollen legs propped on a stool and Laura sat down near her. ‘I’m sorry Nick won’t be here for Christmas,’ Anne said gently, expecting Laura to be instantly on the defensive.

  ‘Yes,’ Laura responded mildly. ‘He’s sorry himself but he accepted this invitation on an impulse and now he’s committed. His parents have gone abroad for Christmas.’

  ‘A lot of people do that but I wouldn’t like it.’

  Laura smiled. ‘Some people think we’re in a time warp, Mum.’ The next moment they heard the front door open and John looked into the room. ‘I forgot the presents,’ he said and dashed upstairs.

  ‘It’s the old people’s party at the luncheon club,’ Anne explained as John came downstairs lugging a large sack.

  ‘You look like Father Christmas,’ Laura told him and Anne asked if the party was going well.

  ‘Like a bomb,’ John replied and looked at Laura. ‘Where’s Nick? Didn’t he turn up?’

  ‘Yes, but he had to go early,’ Anne said swiftly before Laura could speak. ‘I forgot to tell you, John. Nick’s going on a walking tour in the Lake District for Christmas. He’s being picked up very early tomorrow morning.’

  John’s face was a picture. ‘A walking tour?’ he said incredulously. ‘So you’ll be on your own for Christmas, Laura?’

  ‘He’ll be back on Monday.’

  Her father exploded. ‘Damn it, girl, have some sense. Get rid of him. He’s no use to you.’

  Laura was speechless.

  ‘Oh John,’ Anne said reproachfully and he suddenly put his arms round Laura.

  ‘I’m sorry, Lol. I didn’t mean to hurt you but it’s true. You’re worth better than him, love.’

  Laura still said nothing and Anne urged him on his way. ‘They’re waiting for those presents, John.’ He released Laura and touched her cheek and the next moment he was gone.

  Laura stood looking down at her mother and thinking furiously. Suddenly all her doubts about Nick had crystallised and when her mother took her hand and said, ‘Laura, pet, Dad didn’t mean that,’ she was able to smile wryly at her mother.

  ‘He did, Mum, and perhaps he was right.’ She sat down beside her mother and told her of the doubts which had been growing in her mind about Nick. ‘I told him I didn’t care about him going off tomorrow but it’s not true. I was only saving my pride but if he really cared about me he’d want to be here, wouldn’t he? And he’s jealous and unreasonable sometimes and he has queer views about things. Sometimes I think I love him but I don’t really like him.’

  Anne was still holding Laura’s hand and stroking it gently. She was torn between admitting her own doubts about Nick and comforting Laura. ‘Some couples quarrel more than others but your rows with Nick, love, are they just about trivial things or are they, well, fundamental?’

  ‘That’s just it, Mum. He seems to be two people. He talked more about his family and his background tonight than he has ever done and I thought it would help me to understand him.’

  ‘And did it?’

  Laura smiled ruefully. ‘Yes, but I don’t think I liked what I found. He’s bitter about things that have happened to his family and I think that’s why he’s so determined to be a success in life but I don’t like his methods. He’s absolutely ruthless and prepared to use anybody or do anything to get on and he doesn’t see anything wrong in it.’

  ‘But Laura, love, that worries me,’ Anne said in dismay. ‘You’re too straight and honest to tolerate that. You’ve got to respect the person you marry – or am I going too fast. Has it got to that yet?’

  ‘Nick assumes that it has,’ said Laura, ‘but he’s never bothered to ask me about it. That’s another thing. His arrogance. Although it suited me, Mum,’ she added honestly, ‘because I felt so undecided.’

  ‘I think you should decide now before it goes any further,’ Anne advised. ‘In fairness to both of you if Nick thinks you’ll marry him. Whatever you decide we’ll accept, love. We just want you to be happy.’

  ‘But you don’t think I’d be happy married to Nick?’

  Anne said quietly, ‘I don’t, love. Dad’s right. You’re worth better. Someone who appreciates you and truly loves you. Who puts you first all the time.’

  Laura had never felt so close to her mother and impulsively she hugged her. ‘Thanks, Mum, for helping me to make up my mind. I’m hopeless lately, dithering about. I’ll do it. I’ll finish with him on Monday.’

  ‘I’m sure you’ll be doing the right thing for both of you.’

  Laura sat back and sighed. ‘I know but I’ll be sorry in some ways. We’ve had some good times together but I can see it wouldn’t work. I’m glad I’ve finally decided.’

  ‘So am I,’ said Anne with unusual vehemence and they both laughed.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Julie and Peter had gone to Manchester. His widowed mother was staying with her married daughter for Christmas and Peter and Julie went to spend the night and the following day, Christmas Eve, with them.

  Gerry was at the Nortons’ and John would be driving groups of pensioners home for some time so Laura made tea and she and her mother settled down for an uninterrupted talk.

  She told her mother all that Nick had said of his family history. ‘I think his family – I don’t say they’re any better than us – but I think they’ve had more money and moved in different circles. His mother is a leading light in the local Conservative Party and his father’s a Mason. I don’t know what they would think about Dad.’

  ‘Because he’s a Labour councillor?’ Anne said. ‘I don’t think it would matter. Dad likes and respects some Conservative councillors more than some on his own side at times and I’m sure Nick’s parents would be the same.’

  ‘I told him Grandad says people shouldn’t argue about religion or politics. The family you are born into decides how you worship or vote and we should respect other people’s beliefs.’

  ‘I hope everyone in this house does,’ said Anne. ‘That’s how we tried to bring you up and anyway it’s all chance, as Grandad says.’

  Laura spoke again about Nick’s account of his great-grandfather and his grandfather’s factory and the trouble with the workmen. ‘Reading between the lines, I think his grandfather was an old so and so. A bad employer or the factory inspectors wouldn’t have been after him,’ she said. ‘But of course I couldn’t say that to Nick. It’s an old tale anyway. The factory closed down soon after the war. Nick admires his great-grandfather, thinks that what his ancestor did in his day, he can do now.’

  ‘Perhaps he’s got the same temperament as his great-grandfather,’ Anne said. ‘The same hunger for success.’

  ‘Perhaps,’ Laura agreed. ‘He seemed all right but I didn’t like what I heard about the grandfather. Apart from falling out with the workmen, he couldn’t get on with his own son, Nick’s father. Nick said they’d have split up but his mother kept in touch with the old man.’

  Anne privately thought that she didn’t like what she heard of any of them, including Nick, and was thankful that Laura had decided to finish with him but she only said, ‘Let’s
hope Nick finds someone who suits him.’ She sat sipping her tea and looking into the fire. ‘Strange, isn’t it?’ she said reflectively. ‘How circumstances can affect people, although I don’t think they alter a person’s basic character.’

  ‘I’ve never really thought about it,’ Laura admitted.

  ‘I’m just thinking about the last time Mrs Taylor was here. We were talking about Phil Casey and she thinks his whole life was changed by his brother’s death.’

  ‘I didn’t know he had a brother,’ Laura exclaimed. ‘He’s never mentioned him.’

  ‘He doesn’t talk about him, apparently. Jonathan died of meningitis when he was sixteen and Phil was ten so it’s quite a long time ago. He was at the college when he died. Had just taken O levels and done brilliantly.’

  ‘I remember that,’ Laura said. ‘I remember the clever boy who died. There was a lot about him in the Catholic papers but I didn’t know he was Phil’s brother.’

  ‘Mrs Taylor said the parents were devastated. He’d been a star pupil right through the school. Brilliant academically and at sports as well. He was Victor Ludorum at the last sports day before he died.’

  ‘Poor Phil,’ said Laura, ‘trying to follow that.’

  ‘That’s what Mrs Taylor was talking about,’ said Anne eagerly. ‘She said some people manage to come to terms with grief, not that they feel less but they handle it better. Mr and Mrs Casey were just swamped by grief. It filled their whole lives. Poor Phil had his own sorrow to cope with because he idolised his brother but the parents just shut him out.’

  ‘They should have controlled their grief. Thought about Phil,’ Laura said indignantly.

  ‘It’s easy for us to say that, Laura. We haven’t lived through a tragedy like that so we don’t know what we’d do if it was us. Mrs Taylor said they’re lovely people really.’

  ‘And Phil was only ten, trying to cope on his own,’ Laura said, still indignant.

  ‘I think the Taylors were very good to him,’ Anne went on. ‘He started at the college and Peter palled up with him.’

  ‘It’s a good job he had someone,’ Laura said.

  ‘Yes, he was like another son to the Taylors. The masters at St Edward’s were good too but he was always in his brother’s shadow and his parents were in their own world, Mrs Taylor said. She reckons that’s why Phil lost confidence in himself.’

  ‘Why didn’t someone speak to the parents? Tell them what they were doing?’

  ‘Mr Taylor did try but it was no use. It was all very sad, Laura.’

  ‘I know but Phil was the biggest loser, wasn’t he?’ insisted Laura.

  ‘Yes. Phil told Peter that his mother cried when he took one of his reports home. She said why was it always the brightest and the best that are taken. Phil said to Peter that she thought the wrong brother had died.’

  ‘But that was disgraceful,’ Laura exclaimed, jumping up to make fresh tea. ‘I don’t care whether she was grieving or not, it was disgraceful. No wonder Phil is so quiet.’

  ‘She probably didn’t realise Phil heard,’ Anne said. ‘But that’s what we were talking about. Circumstances affecting people. Mrs Taylor said she hoped Phil might be more confident now that he’s been promoted and left home.’

  ‘But he’s not a weak character. Quite strong really, just quiet and shy. And no wonder,’ Laura added darkly.

  ‘She says he never makes dates but there’s nothing queer about him. She thinks he might be in love with someone, a married woman perhaps,’ said Anne.

  Laura felt a stab of dismay, then she thought that Mrs Taylor was only guessing. She remembered the way Phil looked at her and the warm, loving tones of his voice. Perhaps… but her mother was talking. ‘Don’t mention this to anyone, will you, Laura? Mrs Taylor was speaking in confidence to me. She thinks the world of Phil.’

  ‘Of course not. He’d go mad if he knew we were discussing him like this. But he’s still on good terms with his parents, Mum. He chose their presents very carefully and I think he’s going home for Christmas.’

  ‘He is,’ Anne said calmly, ‘but he’s coming here on Boxing Day.’

  Laura almost dropped the teapot in surprise. ‘Coming here?’ she echoed.

  ‘Yes. With Mr and Mrs Taylor. I know you said we were in a time warp but things are changing even here,’ Anne chuckled. ‘When we first had our Boxing Day parties all the family came except the ones in Ireland and Canada and all my Anderson cousins and my Aunt Carrie. It was all family.’

  ‘I know. It was almost the only time we saw them. Dominic and Desmond and their families, and Carmel and her husband, and Theresa and Jim from Runcorn and their family and Great-Aunt Carrie. I can’t remember the others.’ Laura felt that she was gabbling still stunned by her mother’s calm announcement that she had invited Phil.

  Anne seemed to notice nothing and only said, ‘You did well to remember all those but everything’s different this year.’

  ‘In what way?’ asked Laura.

  ‘Aunt Carrie’s too frail to travel now so Theresa has a party in Runcorn for the Andersons so they can be with their mum. They haven’t all been coming every year but it means a lot less are due this year and there are other people we need to ask now. Mr and Mrs Norton and Margaret’s cousin Amy, the other bridesmaid, and Mrs Cunliffe and her daughter and son-in-law from Manchester. There’ll still be the usual family and Moira’s husband and Dilly’s boyfriend as well.’

  ‘But why Phil Casey?’ Laura asked.

  ‘Because I asked Mr and Mrs Taylor. Peter’ll be working but Phil was going to spend the day with them so I asked him. I wonder who’ll have their baby first, Rosa or Moira? They’re both due about the same time.’

  ‘It’s going to be a bit awkward for me,’ Laura said abruptly. ‘I can’t finish with Nick until I see him on Monday so I can’t say anything about it on Boxing Day.’

  ‘I wouldn’t worry, love. Julie and Peter will be announcing their engagement. The Cunliffes will already know, of course, and we’ll be celebrating it on Christmas Day but it will be the first time they see other people. Then there’ll be all the excitement about the weddings and the babies. Just be vague if anyone says anything about Nick.’

  Laura nodded. The only person she was concerned about telling was Phil but still she was glad that she would be seeing him on Boxing Day.

  She yawned and stretched and her mother advised her to go to bed. ‘Work in the morning and drinks when you finish at lunchtime,’ she said. ‘You can celebrate finishing with Nick as well as the new job, although you won’t be able to say anything.’

  Laura stumbled up to bed feeling suddenly exhausted.

  John came in a few minutes later. ‘Is Laura in bed?’ he asked. ‘Is she all right?’

  ‘Yes, fine. She’s decided to finish with that Nick.’

  ‘Thank God she’s seen sense,’ John exclaimed. ‘I’ve had my doubts about him from the start. I don’t like the way he looks down his nose at everybody. An arrogant bloody so and so.’

  ‘I’ve tried to like him for Laura’s sake,’ Anne said. ‘But I never felt he was right for her.’

  ‘She’s worth better,’ John said forcefully. ‘This latest caper put the lid on it for me. Going off on his own at Christmas! Peter Cunliffe wouldn’t do that or our Gerry, would they?’

  ‘No,’ Anne agreed then added slyly, ‘but you would.’

  John swung round, his mouth open to protest, then he saw that Anne was laughing. ‘I know,’ he admitted sheepishly. ‘But only for something serious. A demo or something that you believed in as much as me. Not for my own pleasure.’ He put his arms round Anne. ‘And we’d both know it wasn’t because I didn’t love you. You’ve never had any reason to doubt that have you, love?’

  Anne looked at him quizzically. ‘No, and I must love you to have put up with you all these years,’ she said, leaning her head on his shoulder.

  ‘I know we’ve had our dust-ups over the years, but Laura and that fellow, they seemed to be always fal
ling out. Fighting like cat and dog.’

  ‘It would never have worked,’ Anne said.

  ‘No, because Laura’s not like you. I know you keep us on an even keel, Anne. There’s only room for one awkward cuss in a marriage.’

  ‘It’s more than the quarrels,’ Anne said. ‘Laura told me a lot tonight, more than she realised. I got the impression that he’s absolutely ruthless and lacking in principle. He means to get on no matter who he treads on.’

  ‘Thank God she’s seen sense in time. I suppose you sorted her out.’

  ‘No, it was you,’ Anne said. ‘I told her you didn’t mean what you said when you rushed in but she said you might be right.’

  ‘Well, that’s a tum-up for the books for a start, her thinking I might be right about something. I hope to God she doesn’t change her mind by Monday.’

  ‘Does she ever? Once Laura makes up her mind it stays made up.’ Laura would have been surprised to hear her mother, believing that she had been plagued by indecision all year.

  John sighed with relief. ‘Were you talking for long?’

  ‘Not about Nick. I mentioned the Taylors to take her mind off him and then we just talked about Phil Casey and Boxing Day and Julie’s engagement.’

  ‘I’ll have to get plenty in to celebrate the engagement,’ John said. He stood up and pulled Anne to her feet. ‘And then two weddings next year. We’ll be paupers by next Christmas.’

  ‘And two babies due in the family. Nineteen seventy-one will be an exciting year,’ said Anne. ‘But strange. We’ll miss Julie and Gerry out of the house.’

  ‘Never mind. They’ll be in and out. Life will be different but still good, you’ll see.’

  There was very little work done in Laura’s office the following day and several people grumbled that some other offices were closed on Christmas Eve but that was all forgotten when they left at twelve o’clock to celebrate.

  Sleet was falling but everyone was in high spirits and in even higher spirits after they had celebrated Christmas and Laura’s promotion for a couple of hours.

  Mary had joined them and she and Laura left the others and went into the shopping centre for last-minute gifts. It was almost impossible to move but the crowd was good-tempered and the Christmas lights and the sound of carols made Laura feel almost light-headed with happiness.