Dream a Little Dream

by Joan Jonker

  ‘Thank you, Agnes. Now can I discuss a few things I have in mind? First the party next Wednesday. I don’t have to ask if you can make a nice buffet for about twenty people, because I know you could do it standing on your head. If you need extra help, all you have to do is sing out. Order whatever you require from Coopers, as usual.’

  ‘I won’t need no extra help, not when I’ve got Kitty and Jessie. So you can forget about the party, I’ll make sure everything is just right.’

  ‘Thank you, I knew I could rely on you. Now the next thing I have in mind is the attic room opposite yours. I haven’t been up there since we moved in, so can you tell me what sort of state it’s in?’

  ‘Bloody awful! Paper’s hanging off the walls and it’s thick with cobwebs and dust. Why?’

  ‘I want it cleaned, decorated and furnished for Christmas. Before if possible, because Maureen has agreed to pack in her job and move to Liverpool. She’s putting her house on the market today. Now I haven’t mentioned anything about the attic or the spare room; she thinks I’m going to look out for a little house for her to rent until we can marry. But I’m sure I can talk her round eventually.’ He grinned. ‘With your help, of course, Agnes. Anyway, I want her to stay here over Christmas, and I also want Ada and Joe to spend the whole of Christmas week with us. They’ve spent all their Christmases on their own for nigh on seventeen years. Never see a soul, only myself – and that’s only for a visit. I want this year to be special for them.’

  ‘That’s thoughtful of yer, Mr Robert, they’ll enjoy being in company. I was only with them for an hour yesterday, but I fell in love with them. So yer want the attic room made ready for them?’

  ‘Cards on the table, eh, Agnes? Just between you and me. Well, I have two spare rooms and two lots of visitors. I would offer Maureen Victoria’s old room but I know she’d refuse because it is next to my bedroom and she is very careful of her reputation and afraid of what people might say. So I think it will be Ada and Joe in the bedroom next to mine, and I can’t think of any reason Maureen can give for refusing to sleep at the top of the house, with you to act as her guardian in case I took it upon myself to pay her a visit.’

  ‘We all know yer wouldn’t do that. Ye gods and little fishes, Mr Robert, no one would even think such a thing.’

  ‘Maureen wouldn’t take any chances. So, although I’ll offer her a choice between Victoria’s old room and the attic, I know she’ll choose the attic. I want to give her the best, Agnes, because she’s been my friend and my anchor for three years. But I have to take her feelings into consideration. I’ll just be happy she’s in the same house.’

  ‘You want me to get someone in to clean and decorate the attic room, then?’

  ‘Please. And soon. It needs to be furnished once it’s been decorated.’

  They heard the ring of the telephone and Agnes jumped to her feet. ‘I’ll answer it.’ She was soon back to say, ‘It’s Miss Edwina for you.’

  There was no greeting from the other end of the telephone, just a curt, cold voice saying, ‘You neglected to stock the cellar with wines and spirits. Will you attend to the omission immediately?’

  Robert closed his eyes, his blood starting to boil. What cheek she had, this woman who had made his life hell for years. ‘When will you get it into your head I am no longer responsible to, or for you? And never dare address me in that manner again.’ With that he slammed the receiver back into its cradle and went in search of the housekeeper to tell her if Miss Edwina rang again, she was to be told the staff weren’t allowed to take messages from her. They must not let her engage them in conversation and must not answer any questions she might ask. She was no longer in a position to tell them what to do.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  The dining-room table had been extended to its full length, and the fine polished wood protected by a thick felt cloth under a beautiful white linen tablecloth which had lace insets in each corner. But the cloth was almost hidden from view by the array of trays, stands and plates, all laden with the most delicious sandwiches, pies, sausages, and slices of cooked meats. And with the housekeeper’s eye for colour and detail, she had garnished each tray and stand with lettuce, onions, cucumber and tomatoes. And on the long dresser, also protected by two cloths, there were plates and stands bearing a large variety of trifles, jellies, sandwich sponges and cakes covered in different coloured icing, or chocolate.

  Agnes really had surpassed herself. She and Kitty had worked hard, but both were amply rewarded by the many compliments coming their way as the visitors viewed and tasted. And they had been told by Mr Robert that they too were to partake of the goodies, and mingle with his friends. After all, he’d said, this was a gathering of all his oldest and closest friends, and they were certainly included in that category.

  Robert was standing by the door with Jeff, Bill Jamieson, and Kitty’s husband, Alf. And to say he was happy would be a great understatement. He couldn’t stop a thought flashing through his head that this wouldn’t be happening if Edwina was still here. These people definitely wouldn’t be on her list of socially acceptable guests. For the first time he’d been free to invite those he liked, and the difference between this and one of his wife’s social gatherings, was easy to see and hear. No stiffness, no insincere remarks, no feather boas, no one weighed down with jewellery, no ebony cigarette-holders being held by hands with long, painted nails. No one trying to outdo the other. All around him he could hear genuine laughter and easygoing conversation. Maureen was with Ada and Joe, and they were chatting to Beryl and Rose Neary. And he could see her face was lit up with pleasure. Jeff’s wife, Annie was deep in conversation with Agnes and Kitty, and as she pointed to the table several times, it appeared she was asking for hints on baking.

  ‘It looks as though our Kenny’s taken a shine to that young girl,’ Bill Jamieson said, nodding to where his sixteen-year-old son was talking to Jessie. ‘He’s starting young, but I can’t blame him, she’s a right bonny lass.’

  ‘She comes from a decent family,’ Robert said, ‘Very well-mannered, pleasant and a good little worker. She’s only fourteen, though, so Kenny would have a few years to wait.’

  ‘How is Abbie getting on with young Bobby?’ Jeff asked. ‘Mr Seddon gave a glowing report on him, said he was the brightest of all the applicants.’

  Robert chuckled. ‘Young Bobby doesn’t know it yet, but our Abbie has her marker on him and she’s determined he won’t get away.’

  Jeff glanced over to where the four youngsters were chatting away happily. ‘And are Milly and Nigel just friends, or is there something between them?’

  ‘Oh, I’m keeping out of that,’ Robert said. ‘Nigel isn’t as forward as his sister.’

  ‘I think our Milly’s got a soft spot for Nigel,’ Bill Jamieson said, ‘but I don’t think he’s ever asked her out.’

  The men would have been surprised if they heard the conversation between the youngsters. ‘Are you going to take me to the pictures one night, Bobby Neary?’ Abbie asked. ‘Or are you too mean?’

  ‘Ooh, I don’t know about that, Abbie.’ His cheeky grin caused her heart to turn over. ‘I’ll have to ask me mam.’

  ‘We’ll see about that.’ Several heads turned when Abbie walked with determination down the room, to stop in front of Bobby’s mother. And in a voice that was heard by everyone present, she asked, ‘Mrs Neary, would you mind if I take Bobby to the pictures with me one night?’

  ‘Of course yer can, queen.’ Rose kept her face straight. ‘As long as yer have him home by eleven o’clock.’

  By this time, amazement had turned to laughter. Except for Bobby, whose face was the colour of beetroot. ‘Fancy your Abbie having the nerve to do that!’

  Nigel sighed. If only he had his sister’s nerve. Then, as though she could read his mind, Milly said softly, ‘We can make a foursome up if yer want, Nigel. I’d like that.’

  ‘You would?’ Nigel looked flabbergasted. ‘D’you mean that?’

  The girl n
odded. ‘I’ve waited long enough for yer to ask me. If leave it to you I’ll be waiting for ever. But yer’ll have to ask me mam.’

  Once again all heads turned as Nigel practically ran down the room to stand next to his sister. ‘Auntie Beryl, will it be all right if I take Milly to the pictures one night?’

  ‘Of course it will, soft lad. I thought yer were never going to get around to it.’

  Abbie dropped her head to hide a smile. She was glad she’d had that little talk with Milly. It seemed to have cleared the air.

  Maureen excused herself and walked across to join Robert. ‘It’s been a lovely evening, dear, and quite an eventful one.’

  It was Jeff who answered. He’d known of this woman’s existence for three years, but hadn’t expected her to be so friendly and gentle. Motherly, even. ‘It’s been a good evening for the Dennisons. Father and two children finding their soulmates.’ He turned his head slightly and lowered his voice. ‘No one is happier than I am, Maureen, that Bob has finally got the woman he deserves. I know you’ll be good for him.’

  She smiled her thanks before putting her hand on Robert’s arm. ‘I think perhaps you should spend some time with Ada and Joe. They’ve never stopped singing your praises, they simply adore you.’

  ‘I have a nice surprise for them, my dear. I’ve been waiting for people to finish eating.’ Robert lifted his brows at Alf. ‘Do you think I could persuade your wife to sing for them, Alf? Ada and Joe have a special song, and I know Kitty would sing it beautifully.’

  ‘I’m sure she would, I’ll go and ask her.’ His wife was with him when he came back, and she was delighted to be asked to do something she loved doing but got little opportunity for. She listened intently as Robert whispered in her ear, then nodded and made her way to stand in the middle of the room.

  ‘I’ve been requested to sing a special song for Mr and Mrs Brady. So if they’ll join me here, they can help me out.’

  The song was ‘Just a Song at Twilight’, and as Kitty’s clear sweet voice rang out, you could have heard a pin drop. Ada and Joe held hands as they remembered years gone by, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. But after receiving tumultuous applause, and kisses from Ada and Joe, the cleaner went straight into a faster tempo, with ‘Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie’, and other voices joined in.

  Bobby scratched his head then looked at Abbie. ‘Does that mean yer want to be my girl?’

  ‘What do you think, soft lad?’

  ‘I think we should dance, so when I’m holding yer close, I can see whether yer’ve got any pimples or spots. I don’t want no girlfriend what’s got pimples.’

  ‘If you want to dance, then dance.’ Abbie wagged a finger in his face. ‘But first I want a kiss to say you’re sorry for saying I’ve got pimples.’

  ‘I’m not kissing yer in front of all these people!’

  ‘You said I had pimples in front of all these people! So you can kiss me better in front of all these people.’

  Bobby looked to his friend. ‘Ay, Nige, I’m going to have me hands full with this one.’

  ‘No, you’re not.’ Nigel was feeling very brave. ‘Just give her a peck, like this.’ He bent and kissed Milly on the cheek. ‘See, it didn’t hurt.’

  ‘I’ll sneak it while we’re dancing. Come on, wench.’ As he pulled her into his arms, Bobby gave her a quick kiss after making sure the other people dancing didn’t see him. ‘I’m glad yer want to be my girl, Abbie, ’cos I don’t half like yer.’

  Abbie saw Nigel dancing with Milly and holding her very close. Things were definitely looking up in that quarter. ‘Ay, Bobby, you can’t half like me. You either like all of me or none at all.’

  ‘I like all of yer, even that big pimple on the end of yer nose.’

  It was half-past eleven when the party broke up. And then it was only because men had to go to work the next day. Nigel took Ada and Joe home in his car, with Bobby and his mother. Jeff offered to drop Jessie, Kitty and Alf off, and Robert ordered a taxi for the Jamiesons. And when all the guests had left, Maureen and Abbie gave Agnes a hand to clear away and wash the mound of dishes. When that was finished, Abbie crawled up to bed, leaving Agnes with just the kitchen table to set for breakfast.

  Alone in the drawing room at last, Robert held Maureen in his arms. ‘I wish you were staying here, instead of going back to Chester.’

  She drew back to face him. ‘Robert, today has given me much to think about. Being made so welcome by all your family and friends has given me the courage to say I want to be near enough to see you every day. As Mr Geddes has already found a replacement for me, I will finish work on Saturday. Then I’ll move over here as soon as you find me a place to live. It needn’t be a house, I’ll be happy to rent rooms in respectable accommodation.’

  ‘Then why not ask Agnes if you can live with her?’

  She looked puzzled. ‘I don’t understand, I thought Agnes lived in?’

  ‘Yes, she’s a live-in housekeeper. But she has the whole top of the house to herself. It is her domain, nobody is allowed up those stairs, not even Kitty. She does her own cleaning, has her privacy, and is apparently as happy as a sand boy. There are only two rooms up there, but as you can imagine from the size of the house, they are very big rooms. Agnes only uses one of them. I’m sure she’d have no objection to you having the other room until such time as we can marry. As long as there wasn’t a procession of visitors traipsing up and down the stairs every day.’

  ‘Oh, Robert, that would be ideal! I’ll run and see if Agnes is still in the kitchen.’ She’d gone before he had time to take in the implication of what she’d said. Then he hastened after her.

  ‘I was hoping you’d still be here, Agnes,’ Maureen said. ‘I have a very big favour to ask of you.’

  ‘As long as it doesn’t entail me being on me feet much longer, Miss Maureen, they’re killing me.’

  ‘I’m not surprised, you’ve worked really hard today, for which Robert and myself are very grateful. What I have to ask has nothing to do with work, it’s personal. I was wondering if you would have any objection to my using the other attic room, as a bedroom-cum-sitting room? I promise I wouldn’t intrude on your privacy and I wouldn’t be doing any entertaining up there. It would only be until Robert is free to marry me.’

  ‘Miss Maureen, you’re welcome to the room, and to the house. Me and Kitty were only saying tonight how much we were looking forward to working with yer.’

  Maureen clapped her hands together. ‘Robert, did you hear that?’

  ‘I did, my love, and I am delighted. Now go and put your coat on while I have a quick word with Agnes. I’ll be through in a few seconds.’ He looked at the housekeeper and they grinned at each other. ‘I’m beginning to think I’m having too much good luck all in one go, Agnes, and the bubble will suddenly burst.’

  ‘Nonsense, it’s about time something good happened for yer.’

  ‘Now can I ask you another favour? Will you ring your decorator friend tomorrow and offer him double time if he can start right away? I’ll call and see Jessie’s mother tomorrow and ask her to come and give it a thorough cleaning.’

  ‘You’ll do no such thing. There’s three of us here, and we’ve got no one to look after these days, not until the evening meal. We can do the cleaning between us, never you mind paying more money out.’

  Robert put an arm across her shoulders and kissed her cheek. ‘Agnes, I don’t know what I would have done without you for the last ten years. I think I’d be in a lunatic asylum by now. But I’m keeping you from your bed, and you must be weary in mind and body. So we’ll talk in the morning when we are both refreshed.’

  ‘You’ve got a long drive ahead of yer, to Chester and back. Try not to fall asleep at the bleedin’ wheel.’

  ‘I won’t have to make many more journeys, thank goodness. Except once a month for the auction. And now, I’d better not keep Maureen waiting because she has to work tomorrow. Goodnight and God bless, Agnes.’

  It was Ch
ristmas week and Robert was as happy as a child in a fairy grotto. Maureen was settled into the attic room now and the only time they weren’t together was through the sleeping hours, and when he went into the office. They’d sat together in the drawing room in the evenings and made a list of people whom he would be buying presents for, and Maureen couldn’t believe how long the list was. He didn’t leave anyone out, even Jessie’s younger brother and sisters whom he didn’t even know. And what fun he’d had, with his arm through hers, pushing his way to the shop counters to buy a gents shirt or cardigan, or a woman’s dressing-gown, slippers, scarves and lingerie. He had never known such a feeling of well-being and contentment. And looking years younger, he walked with the air of a man who had been successful in life. As indeed, he was. He had everything he’d ever dreamed of. A woman he loved, two children he adored, and friends that were dear to him.

  All this was running through Robert’s mind as he watched Maureen wrapping a teddy bear in bright red Christmas paper. She was kneeling on the floor and when the parcel was wrapped to her satisfaction, she would place it with great care among the other gifts under the massive Christmas tree. Then she would reach for the last gift, which was a dressing-gown they’d chosen for Abbie.

  ‘You really are enjoying this, aren’t you, my love?’

  She turned to smile at him. ‘I have enjoyed every moment since I came to live here. I was expecting to spend my Christmas alone, as I have done since my parents died. Instead I have been made to feel part of your family.’ She looked up at the tree which had tinsel and baubles dangling from its branches, and a huge fairy with a wand in her hand perched on top, looking down on them. Then her eyes swept around the room which had been decorated with coloured lanterns, balloons, mistletoe and holly wreaths. ‘Everywhere looks so festive, you can’t help but feel happy.’

  ‘The whole house looks festive,’ Robert said. ‘You and Agnes have worked very hard, but the result must give you a lot of satisfaction.’