Towards a Dark Horizon

by Maureen Reynolds

  Maddie made a face at us. ‘Thank goodness for that.’

  The assistant wafted over to the racks of bridal dresses.

  Maddie and her mother inspected the selection the woman produced.

  ‘We’ll start with these,’ she said.

  While Maddie and her mother were in the changing room, we sat on comfortable chairs. Joy still seemed a bit sulky but, after a short time, Lily’s enthusiasm won her over and she was looking forward to trying on a dress when it was her turn.

  Then Maddie appeared in one of the most beautiful dresses I had ever seen. It wasn’t a fancy-looking dress with lots of lace or tulle but its simplicity was breathtaking.

  We all gasped in admiration. She looked so lovely that I couldn’t help but wonder what this lovely girl, with all her advantages in life, was doing marrying into our poor family. Then I thought of Danny and I knew why.

  He wouldn’t be an assistant with Lipton’s shop all his life – I was sure of that. Still, I expect it was his handsome face that appealed more to Maddie than any ambitions in life he might harbour.

  She twirled slowly and the heavy crêpe-like material moved in fluid lines around her slim figure.

  ‘What do you think of this dress, Ann?’

  ‘Oh, Maddie, it’s beautiful.’ I could think of no other description.

  ‘I like it as well,’ she said as she moved back into the inner sanctum.

  A moment later the assistant emerged with the dress over her arm.

  ‘I must say, Madeleine, that you have been one of the easiest brides to dress. Some girls take days to make up their minds but I have to say that you’ve chosen one of this year’s best creations.’

  It was our turn next. Maddie had said blue which was fine with Lily and me but Joy wanted a different colour.

  I tried on a deep blue dress which was as simple as Maddie’s and in the same material.

  ‘Do you like it, Ann?’ she said with a worried frown on her face. ‘I don’t want you to wear something you don’t like or that you think doesn’t suit you.’

  I loved it. It was the kind of dress I could never hope to own even if I lived to be a hundred.

  The assistant was beginning to see this wonderful sale wrapped up by teatime but then Joy threw a tantrum. She didn’t want to wear the pale blue frock that the assistant produced.

  Lily stood quietly on the sidelines in her frock. Like me, she would have been pleased to wear any of this shop’s frocks.

  Mrs Pringle was beginning to get annoyed at Joy’s stubbornness. ‘Look at Lily – she’s wearing it and she looks lovely in it.’

  Joy’s face set in a rebellious frown.

  Mrs Pringle said, ‘Now try it on, Joy. Maddie wants you and Lily to be dressed the same.’

  Joy shook her head. ‘I want to wear yellow.’

  The assistant whose name was Miss Carr, went over to the rack and brought back a pale lemon dress patterned with tiny white dots. She held it up beside my blue frock and although it looked very fancy against the severe simplicity of our dresses the contrast was lovely. Miss Carr knew her job.

  ‘What do you think about the lemon dress, Joy?’

  ‘I want to wear yellow,’ she replied sulkily.

  Mrs Pringle had had enough. ‘This dress is yellow, Joy, and you’re going to wear it if it suits Lily as well. After all, it’s your sister’s wedding and it’s her big day – not yours.’

  Miss Carr swept both girls off to the changing room and they emerged a minute later like two little dolls. Miss Carr then suggested blue and yellow flowers to bring the outfits together and the sale was completed.

  Maddie said she would choose her veil and headdress at a later date and then Mrs Pringle suggested we should have our tea in the restaurant. Lily was beside herself with excitement as we made our way up in the lift. Joy was a bit quiet for a time but, once again, Lily’s pleasure soon rubbed off on her and they were soon both chattering about the wedding.

  We sat down gratefully at a table and Mrs Pringle picked up the high tea menu. ‘Do you fancy a high tea or an afternoon tea?’ she asked.

  Before I could stop her, Lily said, ‘Oh, a high tea, please, Mrs Pringle.’

  With a red face, I said, ‘Just order what you want, Mrs Pringle, and don’t listen to my sister – she’s aye hungry.’

  Lily looked downcast but Mrs Pringle laughed. ‘If the little flower girl wants a high tea then that’s what we’ll have. It will save me making a meal when I get home.’ She looked at Maddie. ‘Your father has a meeting tonight and he won’t be home till after nine o’clock.’

  The waitress appeared and took our order. I saw Lily glance in my direction before ordering fish and chips but I didn’t really feel annoyed at her. She was enjoying herself so much.

  Maddie asked her mother about her own outfit and her mother sighed. ‘I’m not sure what I want but Hattie and I will come together one afternoon and we’ll both choose our outfits and hats – maybe one day when Joy is at school,’ she said darkly.

  Hattie – I could well imagine her delight in being part of a grand wedding. This social occasion of a lifetime for me and Lily would be taken in her stride by my aunt.

  I gave a fleeting thought to the total cost from the bridal department and it would have kept a family for a year or maybe more if they budgeted. Still, Maddie’s face was glowing with happiness and I was overjoyed that they were now firmly back together – her and Danny.

  After our lovely high tea, Mrs Pringle picked up her bag. I felt I should offer to pay for it as it had been Lily’s idea to have the high tea. ‘Please let me pay for the meal, Mrs Pringle.’

  She shook her head. ‘Not at all, Ann – it’s my treat. And, to be honest, it is such a delight to see a child eat so heartily.’ She turned to Joy. ‘I wish you would eat your food like Lily instead of picking at it and pushing it around your plate.’

  Joy didn’t answer.

  Later that night when we were in Granny’s house, Lily regaled her grandparents with the entire saga. ‘Oh, Granny, you should have seen the shop. It was full of brides’ frocks and also bridesmaids’ frocks as well. They were in a lot of bonny colours but Joy didn’t want to wear the blue one so we’re wearing lemon ones with white dots. The woman said to wear blue and yellow flowers and then we had our tea in the restaurant and I had fish and chips. Ann glared at me because I said, “The high tea, please.” But we think Mrs Pringle just wanted a cup of tea. Ann did offer to pay because she said I was a gutsy besom but I’m not really. I just like to eat.’

  Granny chuckled while Grandad pulled her on to his knee. ‘What are we going to do with you, young lady? Have you been eating D. M. Brown’s out of house and home?’

  She was outraged. ‘I only had fish and chips, three slices of toast, two scones and two cakes and a cup of tea, Grandad.’ She turned to me and, in a loud whisper, said, ‘I would really have liked to wear the blue frock, Ann, but I don’t really mind because it’s been a magical day.’

  Her eyes were shining and I was so grateful to the Pringle family for giving this special day to her.

  I asked Granny, ‘Have you bought something nice to wear to the wedding?’

  She shook her head. ‘I thought I could maybe wear something from my wardrobe.’

  ‘No, Granny, I’m going to treat you both to new outfits. A frock and hat or a suit for you, Granny, and a new suit for Grandad.’

  It was his turn to look outraged. ‘Och, I’ve still got that suit I’ve had for years and it still fits me like a glove. No sense in wasting money on a new one if the old one is still good.’

  But the old suit didn’t fit him as he had shrunk with age. The jacket hung from his shoulders and he looked comical in it.

  He couldn’t understand it. ‘It used to fit like a glove away back in 1921.’

  Lily was amazed. ‘Have you had that suit since 1921, Grandad?’

  He looked smug. ‘Aye, I have, wee lass, and it’s been a good suit. Of course, it’s a good make and you
can’t disguise quality. It cost me thirty bob and that was a lot of money away back then.’ He gazed morosely at the jacket. ‘I can’t understand why the suit’s got too big for me.’

  Granny laughed. ‘It’s not the suit that’s got too big, Gandad – it’s you that’s got smaller.’

  I had a hard struggle to get then to agree to new outfits. They never wanted to take anything from me as a small thank you for all their hard work and devotion to us both but, in the end, I made them see sense and I left them some money from my envelope.

  I had taken my money with me as I wasn’t sure if I should contribute to our dresses for the wedding but Mrs Pringle had insisted on meeting all the expense. Tomorrow my envelope would be back in Connie’s safe.

  It had been a relief that Mrs Pringle had picked up the bill because I had seen the price tickets on our dresses. Also it left me a bit of money to make sure my grandparents were nicely turned out for the wedding.

  Maddie had said the invitations would be sent out at the end of that week but I had no idea how many of the family would be invited.

  I wondered if Dad would be invited and, if he was, he would have Margot with him. I wasn’t looking forward to seeing her again as I was still seething over Lily’s ill treatment.

  The wedding was to be in St Andrews Parish Church – a lovely church right across the road from the King’s picture house. The wedding meal was to be in a swanky hotel in Perth Road. It had originally been a mansion house, Maddie said, but it was now a hotel. It faced the river Tay and the garden was seemingly beautiful – just the very thing for the wedding photos.

  Although the next few weeks were hectic, I still had time to make an appointment with Mr Pringle. I had changed my mind over Miss Hood’s money. It wasn’t now going to Margot but to Dad. That way, he would have some control over his life because I strongly suspected he had no say in his present set-up. Margot ruled the roost.

  Mr Pringle was dubious about this arrangement. ‘What if your father doesn’t get the benefit of this money, Ann? What if Mrs Neill gets her hands on it?’

  ‘Then that’s a chance I’ll have to take. I want Dad to have some money he can call his own as I’m really worried about him. He looks so thin and I know his wife never cooks a proper meal.’

  Mr Pringle listened carefully and then said, ‘Well, if that is what you want, Ann, I’ll go ahead and place the money which should be around two hundred pounds in an account in your father’s name.’

  We then chatted about the forthcoming wedding and he smiled. ‘I’m in the middle of all these women, Ann. Why is it that women go daft at a wedding?’

  I said I didn’t know. One thing I did know however was the fact that my own wedding, should it ever take place, would be a more modest event.

  Danny appeared one evening. He looked harassed. ‘I’ve escaped from Maddie and her mother. Mr Pringle is the same but he hides in the garden.’

  I made a face at him. ‘Och, you don’t mean it, Danny Ryan. I bet you’re fair lapping up all this attention.’

  He grinned. ‘It’s worth it to be with Maddie. I would gladly go to the moon to be with her and thankfully our separation is behind us now.’

  ‘Who’s going to be your best man, Danny?’

  ‘I was going to ask Kit’s son, Patty, but Kit thinks he’s a bit young and she thought he wouldn’t be able to cope with such a grand affair. I thought of asking Greg. Do you think he would agree?’

  I was sure he would be delighted but I obviously couldn’t speak for him.

  ‘Just write a letter to him, Danny, and I’m sure he’ll do it. He’s coming home that weekend for the wedding.’

  ‘Right then, I will.’ He sounded relieved and I hoped Greg would accept the offer.

  ‘How are the invitations coming along?’

  He made a face. ‘I’m sure Maddie has invited the entire city according to her father. All the Ryan clan from Lochee, and I hear Ma is really pleased about me getting married. Then there’s your Dad and Margot, Granny and Grandad, Rosie and Alice, Bella and Connie.’ He ticked the names off on his fingers. ‘Kathleen is hoping that Maggie will look after Kitty to let her and Sammy come. Mind you, Kit is not looking forward to him being there. She says he’ll get blind drunk and show them all up but Maddie says not to worry as she has folk like that on her side also. She says that’s what weddings are all about – having a few black sheep at the party.’

  I wondered if Rosie and Alice would go. I thought not. Rosie wouldn’t want to meet Dad and maybe it was better if Dad didn’t meet Alice.

  Danny burst out laughing.

  I looked at him. ‘Share the joke, Danny.’

  ‘I’m thinking of Mum. What a pickle she’s in about her outfit. On the one hand, she doesn’t want to outshine Mrs Pringle but, on the other hand, she wants to be the star of the show – in the spotlight. She’s going around looking worried and smug at the same time if you can believe it.’

  I could well believe it. I changed the subject to the house that Danny and Maddie had been looking at over the past week.

  ‘What about the house?’

  ‘We both like it. It’s a flat in Roseangle – the one that Maddie pointed out to you last week. When we got the key to view it, we really liked it. There’s a small living room and one bedroom and a tiny kitchen and bathroom. Maddie’s Dad can arrange the loan for us and I think Maddie has set her heart on it.’

  ‘What about you, Danny? Do you like it?’

  He nodded. ‘Aye, it’s grand.’ He blushed. ‘If Maddie likes it, then so do I. She calls it the love nest.’

  His blush deepened and I decided not to tease him. Maddie had taken me to see the flat from the outside as Danny had said. She couldn’t take me inside because the owner was still in residence and in the throes of moving. But we had admired it from the outside. The building was at the lower end of Roseangle and it had a view of the river. The stonework had been repointed recently, giving the building a fresh and almost new look.

  Another thing I was amused by at the time was the entrance to the stairs. You went in through a spick-and-span tiled close. For years, the family joke was that Hattie had always longed to live in such a building with a tiled close. To her, it was the epitome of gracious living. Although she had never achieved that dream, it now looked as if it was coming to her in a second-hand way so to speak. From now on, Granny and I would have to listen to her singing the praises of the tiled close and it would drive us both barmy.

  Danny was still speaking about the flat. ‘You know it’s on the second landing and the folk moved out a couple of days ago. We’ve been in to see it but I know Maddie wants to show it to you, Ann. She was wondering if tomorrow night would suit you and Lily.’

  I knew Lily would be delighted to get a conducted tour around the new house and, to be truthful, so would I.

  ‘That would be great, Danny. Will we meet Maddie at seven thirty?’

  ‘I’ll tell her and she’ll meet you outside.’ He turned to go but said, ‘I’ve got another bit of good news. George has got a job in a foundry and seemingly they’re looking for other workers so he’s hoping tae get Belle and Lizzie’s men jobs too. Kit was also saying that Cox’s mill is taking on extra workers so she’s hoping to get a job back there.’

  I was pleased for them. After being jobless for so many years, it was marvellous that they might now all get on their feet financially. ‘That is good news, Danny. What a difference it’ll make to get a wage packet again.’

  I had been thinking about the Ryan women and wondering if they could all afford outfits for the wedding but this good news would certainly help their morale. I had toyed with the idea of offering them some money to help them over the expense but, when I mentioned it to Danny, he shook his head.

  ‘They’ll not take it, Ann. I’ve also offered to help out but they say they’ll manage and they’ll not show me up. Kit says they’ll be togged up like the other guests.’ He smiled. ‘As if I’m worried about that – it’ll just be g
ood to see them there.’

  He went away back to the wedding fever and I waited to tell Lily the news of the house visit the next day. When I told her, she began to jump up and down with excitement. I warned her, ‘It’ll not be furnished yet, Lily. It’ll just be the bare rooms.’ This failed to quell her pleasure and that was the thing I loved about her – the ability to get excited about everything. Big and small things in her life were viewed with this magical mixture of wonder and pleasure and I hoped it would be something that would stay with her all her life.

  People became jaded so easily in life but things seen through Lily’s eyes had a freshness and a breathless quality that was so wonderful. I recalled Joy’s sulky behaviour and I was thankful that Lily hadn’t all her good fortune. Too much too early wasn’t a good upbringing for a child, I thought. But then I remembered that it hadn’t harmed Maddie. Perhaps it was just an off day for Joy.

  I was hurrying to the Overgate the next day with Lily when we met Kit and her two sisters. I had met Lily at the school gate. She was now back at Rosebank school and the headmistress at Victoria Road School had been most helpful over the transfer – especially as she hadn’t been in her school very long. I still had the niggly feeling that Margot would turn up one afternoon but Lily was well warned not to go off with her. Not that she would willingly go but she might be frightened of the woman. Thankfully, however, it hadn’t happened.

  It was Lily who spotted the three women. ‘Hullo, Kit!’ she shouted across the street.

  They came over. ‘Hullo, Lily,’ said Kit. ‘Now tell us what you’re wearing for the wedding because we’re looking for our outfits.’

  Lily looked important. ‘Well, I’m in a lemon frock and so is Joy …’

  I butted in. Lily would hog the entire conversation if I let her. ‘Are you shopping for your outfits now?’ I asked.

  Kit said, ‘Aye, we are. The men can wear their suits that they’ve had for years but we want to look smart for Danny and Maddie.’

  They were standing outside Style and Mantle, a shop at the foot of the Wellgate, and they had been scrutinising the windows which held an assortment of ladies’ wear.