A Sister's Duty

by June Francis

  It was another beautiful day with clear blue skies and real heat in the sun. Rosie felt a moment of pure happiness as they caught the tram, visualising the arrival of Harry and Babs. She made herself comfortable and told Dotty to stop nattering on as she opened Davey’s letter. Hungrily, she read his declarations of undying love and best wishes for her birthday. Then two items of news seemed to fly off the page and hit her between the eyes. One was that her granddad had been to visit Davey’s mother. The other, more importantly, was that Davey had been promoted, was now a lance-corporal and seriously considering staying on in the Army when he finished his National Service!

  Rosie could scarcely take it in. She read the words again and again, then folded the letter and placed it in her handbag.

  ‘What does Davey have to say?’ asked Dotty. ‘When’s he coming home?’

  ‘Doesn’t say. But it won’t be earlier than New Year,’ murmured Rosie, gazing out of the window, the short crisp sentences drumming in her head. They did not seem real somehow. Never had she given a thought to Davey’s being a real soldier. What was he thinking of? How did this news fit in with their plans to get married? She gnawed on her lip, trying to think sensibly, but all she could see was that he had changed as Peter had warned he might, and she did not know how she was going to cope with it.

  ‘What’s wrong with your face?’ said Amelia in a teasing voice as Rosie entered the house that evening. ‘What’s happened to our smiling birthday girl?’

  ‘She’s been like this all day,’ said Dotty. ‘In another world since she read Davey’s letter.’

  Rosie paused in the act of taking off her jacket. ‘He’s been promoted.’

  Amelia stared at her intently. ‘Isn’t that good news?’

  Rosie shook her head, dark hair flying about her flushed cheeks, strands sticking to her damp skin. ‘It’s gone to his head!’ she said in a strangled voice. ‘He’s talking about staying on in the Army. Says that they think he shows initiative and is proficient in his job.’ Her voice rose several octaves. ‘And you know what else?’

  ‘What else?’ said Amelia, understanding the turmoil her niece was in.

  ‘Granddad’s been to see Davey’s mother! Apparently he thought I might have been to visit her and wanted to know how I was.’

  ‘No mention of marriage to Vera, I take it?’ said Amelia.

  ‘Davey didn’t say.’ Rosie sank on to the stairs, resting her head on her knees. ‘What am I going to do?’

  ‘I’d go and see Davey’s mother,’ said Amelia. ‘Walter and she used to enjoy a good gossip when your grandmother couldn’t hold a conversation. As well as that, Davey’s bound to have written and told her about his promotion. You could see what she thinks.’

  Rosie nodded slowly. ‘Perhaps together we can persuade him to change his mind.’ She attempted a smile. ‘Now I just want to put me feet up and have a sit in the garden.’

  ‘That’s a relief, because I’ve made you a cake and there’s a few candles to blow out.’

  Rosie was overcome. ‘You’ve made me a cake?’ she stammered. ‘I’ve never had a birthday cake in my life.’

  Amelia smiled. ‘So I’ve done something right for once? It took some scrounging to get the ingredients but I managed it. We’ll get Peter to take a picture of you with his box Brownie and you can send a photo to Davey. The lad will see just what he’s missing then. Although it mightn’t be a bad idea if the pair of you waited a while before rushing into marriage . . .’

  Rosie remembered shouting that she was going to marry him the night Chris had left. She flushed but said nothing, hurrying upstairs to change out of her working clothes.

  Dotty followed her, feeling a bit put out, wondering if she would get a cake when it was her birthday. But she bet they’d forget about hers in all the excitement of Harry and Babs coming home. She thought of Chris and how he used to make a fuss of her. Why hadn’t he been in touch? Was it really as Rosie had said and he was scared of his dad? But who’d have told him they’d spoken? Not her. If he really cared for her, he’d do something to get in touch with her. But maybe, like Davey, leaving home had proved more exciting to him and she would never see him again.

  Having made up her mind to visit Davey’s mother, Rosie went there the following evening. She found Gwen on the front step gossiping with her next-door neighbour, keeping her eye on the kids playing rounders, her kerb being the base.

  ‘Hello, lovey!’ she said, beaming at Rosie. ‘I was just talking about you. Telling Mavis about old times. She was asking about your granddad. Did you know he came to visit me?’

  ‘Davey mentioned it in his letter.’ She pulled a face. ‘He also mentioned something else.’

  Gwen’s smile faded. ‘Aye! I thought he’d want to be out of the Army in a flash but I was obviously wrong. Come in, lovey, and we’ll talk about it. Have you come straight from work? Perhaps you’d like something to eat? Looks to me like you’ve lost weight.’

  ‘It’s this heat,’ said Rosie, following her up the lobby.

  ‘And worrying about our Davey, no doubt. Did you read in the papers about those Arabs not agreeing to the settlement with the Jews? When’s all the sniping at our lads going to end? It’s not that I blame the Jews for wanting their own country but our lads are only trying to keep the peace.’ She pressed Rosie into the best armchair and asked would she like a drink of homemade lemonade?

  ‘That’d be lovely. It’s been too hot in work today.’

  ‘A real scorcher. I haven’t even lit the fire. I’ve settled for cold food for once.’ Gwen bustled out into the back kitchen but returned in minutes with two glasses and a chipped white jug. ‘You’ll have a butty,’ she said. ‘Got a nice bit of brawn. You don’t want to lose any more weight, lovey.’

  Rosie smiled her thanks, enjoying being cosseted and feeling at ease. Mrs Baxendale mothered her in a way Amelia never could, which was nice now and again. ‘Granddad,’ said Rosie, wanting that subject out of the way so she could spend more time talking about Davey.

  ‘He’s having trouble with that Vera,’ said Gwen, handing her a doorstep-sized butty.

  ‘You know about her?’ exclaimed Rosie.

  Gwen snorted. ‘Course I do. Our Davey told me all about her and your granddad. Silly man! She’s taking him to the cleaners, she is. It’s just like the story in the Bible. The one about the Prodigal Son who went off with loads of money and ended up with nowt because his mates were only after one thing. She’ll have everything off him if she can.’

  ‘I knew it!’ said Rosie, biting savagely into the sandwich. ‘He hasn’t gone and married her, has he?’ she added with her mouth full.

  ‘No. But I reckon it’s only because of you that he’s dithering. It’s just a matter of time, though. Unless we do something.’

  ‘We?’ said Rosie.

  ‘Of course. I have an eye to him myself. Now my lodger’s leaving to get married and our Davey’s wanting to stay in the Army, I’m looking for someone and Walter would do me nicely. As well as that, he needs saving.’

  ‘From Vera?’ said Rosie, amazed, thinking she obviously wasn’t going to get any help from Davey’s mam in persuading him not to stay in the Army. She’d made plans which didn’t include him.

  ‘No! From the devil, lovey.’ Gwen shook her head and tutted. ‘He’s living in sin and he’s a thief to boot. He told me those jewels really belonged to you.’

  Rosie could not believe it and wanted to laugh at the seeming craziness of it all. ‘He’s told you all this?’

  ‘Confession’s good for the soul, lovey. Besides, your gran told me she was leaving them to you. I just happened to mention that to Walter and he spilt the beans. I know he hadn’t given you any of them because our Davey wrote me saying how hurt you were about it.’

  ‘You amaze me,’ said Rosie, shaking her head from side to side, a smile on her face. ‘I thought you’d be down on Granddad for what he’s done.’

  ‘I don’t approve.’ Gwen pursed her lips as she fi
lled their glasses again. ‘I aim to get him to church and then the Lord’ll do the rest. He’s already got saving graces. He’s good with kids and he’s clean. We could do with someone like him helping with the Boys’ Brigade.’

  ‘Right!’ said Rosie, picking up her glass. ‘Here’s to you, Mrs Baxendale. That you’ll be able to save Granddad from Vera’s clutches.’

  Gwen winked at her. ‘I’ll do it, lovey. But I’ll need your help. Can I tell him you’ll see him? You can meet here.’

  ‘Yes. And you can tell him something else that might tip the balance our way: Harry and Babs are coming home. His grandson’s going to need him.’

  ‘Right!’ said Gwen, clinking glasses with her. ‘Now our other problem – our Davey. I don’t suppose he’ll always be out in Palestine, even if he stays in the Army.’

  ‘No. But he could be sent abroad. Germany. Aden. India even. I can’t understand it. Davey was never ambitious.’

  ‘Ah, that was because he didn’t get the chance. He never told anybody but he won a scholarship to the Collegiate but wouldn’t take it up because he knew I had no money. He said he didn’t want me slaving me guts out scrubbing floors and the like. He knew that to make it worthwhile he’d have to stay on at school until he was sixteen, like you. Not that he ever said any of this to me. Just that he wanted to stay with his friends.’

  Rosie put her chin in her hand and said pensively, ‘Now he’s got the chance to make something of himself and I bet he expects us to be against it.’

  ‘You always did have a good head on your shoulders,’ said Gwen. ‘So what do we say to him?’

  ‘I should think you’d say, “Well done, son!”’

  Gwen nodded, tears in her eyes. ‘And you?’

  Rosie swallowed the lump in her throat. ‘“I’m proud of you. Keep up the good work.”’

  ‘Aye,’ said Gwen clearing her throat. ‘That’ll do. But what about getting married, lovey, and this certificate you’re doing?’

  ‘I think we’re just going to have to wait and see. In the meantime, we’ll concentrate on Granddad. As soon as Harry and Babs are home, I’ll have them here to meet him. You must tell him not to do anything until he’s seen them. He owes us that, for Dad’s sake. And if he marries that woman, I’ll never have anything to do with him again.’

  Chapter Twenty

  ‘What do you think? Where are they going to sleep?’ asked Dotty, helping Rosie dress the window.

  ‘Aunt Amelia will sort it out,’ she murmured. ‘Anyway, they won’t be here for another three weeks.’

  ‘Babs’ll have to find a job.’

  ‘Hmmm. She can always work here while I’m at college. Save Aunt Amelia coming in.’ Rosie gazed out of the window and froze. ‘Now what the heck is he doing back here?’ she murmured.

  ‘Who?’ asked Dotty, trying to spot who her sister was talking about amongst the shoppers out on the pavements but unable to distinguish faces from that distance.

  ‘Nobody you know,’ said Rosie firmly, seizing her shoulder and dragging her out of the window. ‘Go into the stockroom and put the kettle on. And stay out there.’

  ‘Why?’ said a struggling Dotty, glancing over her shoulder.

  ‘Because I told you!’ said Rosie in a voice that brooked no argument. She pushed her sister into the room and closed the door before hurrying behind the counter. Irene was on a week’s holiday at the new holiday camp which a resourceful Mr Butlin had developed from a naval training site in Pwllheli. So there was nothing for it but for her to deal with Eddie and his father.

  ‘Good afternoon,’ she said, to all outward appearance in complete control of the situation. ‘It’s been some time since we’ve seen you, Mr Rossiter. Your wife well?’

  ‘Dead. She died last week,’ said Bernard, tersely.

  It was the kind of news Rosie heard quite often but even so it came as a shock. He looked quite grey, which surprised her somehow. ‘I am sorry,’ she said sincerely.

  ‘Why should you be? You didn’t know her.’ His voice had an edge to it. ‘Anyway, I’m not here to make small talk. Is Mr Brown in? I believe there was some mistake in an order my son took.’

  ‘That’s right.’ She looked at Eddie, whose expression was strained. ‘Nothing that can’t be put right, though,’ she said reassuringly.

  ‘Come on, Eddie. Don’t let’s waste time,’ said his father.

  Rosie watched them go into the dispensing room then hurried to the stockroom and had to force the door open. ‘What were you doing right behind there?’ she said to Dotty.

  ‘Nothing!’ said her sister in a muffled voice, clutching her nose. ‘Who’s that with Mr Brown?’

  ‘Only salesmen. Nobody you know. How’s the tea coming along?’

  Before Dotty could answer, the shop door opened and Rosie went back out again. Dotty appeared a few minutes later carrying a steaming cup. ‘Will I take Mr Brown’s in to him?’ she asked.

  ‘No! Why don’t you nip up the road and get us a bun each? I’m starving.’ Rosie reached into her overall pocket where she knew she had a shilling.

  Dotty regarded her suspiciously. ‘You’re not trying to get rid of me, are you?’

  Rosie smiled. ‘Of course I am. I’m madly in love with a salesman and don’t want Davey to know. Here, buns!’ She threw Dotty the shilling. ‘Take your time.’

  Five minutes later, the Rossiters left the shop, much to Rosie’s relief. But not a minute later Dotty entered in a rush. ‘I’ve just seen Chris!’ she cried.

  ‘Oh?’ Rosie tried to act normal. ‘Where?’

  ‘Just outside.’ Dotty was trembling as she pulled on Rosie’s arm. ‘Come on! You’ll be able to catch up with him.’

  ‘You didn’t speak to him?’ said Rosie, taking her time.

  ‘I didn’t get a chance. He looked right through me as if he didn’t know me. Just like that last time on the corner of Honey’s Green Lane.’

  ‘Are you sure it was him? You know your eyesight.’

  ‘I could see him!’ said Dotty indignantly. ‘I was that close.’

  ‘But he didn’t seem to know you?’

  ‘No.’ Her bottom lip trembled.

  ‘It must have been his double then,’ said Rosie cheerfully. ‘They say everyone has one.’

  ‘I was really pleased to see him too,’ said Dotty forlornly, taking off her spectacles and polishing them on her overall. ‘It shows I must still like him a lot.’

  Rosie was silent, thinking she had said enough.

  *

  ‘Do you believe everybody has a double, Uncle Pete?’ said Dotty across the dining table that evening.

  He paused, potato on a fork halfway to his mouth. ‘What makes you ask?’

  ‘Because I said it,’ said Rosie swiftly, wishing her sister had kept her mouth shut. She glanced at her aunt. ‘Dotty thought she saw Chris outside the shop, but you know her eyes.’

  ‘It really looked like him,’ said her sister fiercely. ‘Only Rosie said it couldn’t be because he ignored me.’

  ‘How did he look?’ said Peter.

  ‘Just like himself only smarter. He was wearing a tie,’ said Dotty.

  ‘You didn’t see him, Rosie?’ said Peter.

  ‘I didn’t see Chris, no.’ She avoided meeting his eyes.

  ‘Pity,’ he murmured. ‘You should have been quicker off the mark and then we’d have known for sure if he was still alive and kicking.’

  Dotty paled. ‘You make it sound as if you think he could be dead!’

  ‘I don’t think that!’ he said harshly. ‘I’m just as worried about him as you are, that’s all. I’ll kill him when I get my hands on him.’ He dropped his fork, which clanged against his plate. The noise sounded loud in the room because everything had suddenly gone quiet. He pushed back his chair and walked out.

  Amelia waited a few moments then went after him. She found him lying on their bed, gazing up at the ceiling. ‘What was that all about?’

  ‘You tell me,’ he said angrily. ‘Do
ubles! Why should Rosie think it wasn’t Chris but a double?’

  ‘You heard Dotty. He gave no sign of recognising her.’

  ‘That could have been an act and Dotty might not have recognised it as such.’ He sat up abruptly. ‘I can’t understand why Rosie didn’t act more swiftly.’

  ‘The shop might have been busy.’

  ‘No excuse! We’re talking about a member of the family who’s gone missing. She should have cared more. She’s a caring girl. It doesn’t make sense.’ His brows drew together, hooding his eyes. ‘Why would she think it wasn’t Chris?’

  There was silence. Amelia had run out of excuses.

  ‘Bernard Rossiter,’ said Peter.

  It was so unexpected that she almost jumped out of her skin. ‘I don’t know why I did that,’ she said crossly.

  ‘Guilty conscience?’

  She flushed. ‘I’ve nothing to be guilty about.’

  ‘I’m glad to hear it.’ He continued to stare at her. ‘Did you know he was back?’

  ‘Back from the war, you mean?’

  ‘You could say that.’ He smiled grimly, sliding his legs over the edge of the bed and getting to his feet. ‘Although I doubt he ever set eyes on a German. Richie’s seen him in the chemist’s here on the corner.’

  Amelia felt faint. ‘I’ve never seen him around here,’ she whispered.

  ‘But you have seen him?’

  She knew it was time for honesty. ‘Yes, over a year ago. He came into the shop.’

  ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’

  She reached out for the bed post to steady herself. ‘I was scared what you might do. I didn’t want the two of you meeting again.’

  His laughter seared her. ‘What are you frightened of?’ He seized her wrist. ‘You can’t still care for him?’

  ‘Of course not. You’re hurting me!’

  He stared at her for what felt like hours but was only seconds then released her. ‘I’ll tell you something, Lee. If I meet him round here, I’ll knock his block off. As God is my witness, that’s a promise. He’s not going to destroy this marriage like he did my last. I’d see him dead first!’