Marie was immediately transported back to the long-ago holidays here with Derek and Anne, such happy holidays when Tony and Eileen had been dear friends. Then there had been the war, of course, when seaside holidays were not possible, and then afterwards … after Derek had died … everything had changed. There had been other trips, but more often to Southport rather than Blackpool. Marie had not wanted to risk bumping into Tony and Eileen. Little Cathy had loved those holidays. Three generations playing on the beach together – that’s what anyone watching the little family would have seen.
Could she live the lie any longer? It wasn’t hurting anyone, was it, it just weighed heavier on her shoulders every year. Wise women say secrets would out, and Marie knew she must try hard to gather her courage, to do what in her heart she knew was right, before it was too late.
A lyrical voice she vaguely knew came at her from a few yards down the Promenade.
‘And a beautiful day it is, too, for a picnic on the Blue Bench.’
Marie looked to her left and there … Good heavens, after all this time! The man with the Irish lilt was none other than Danny Magee.
‘Danny! It really is you! What a marvellous surprise.’ And indeed his appearance, as she once again deliberated, was very welcome. She stood and found herself hugging him with delight.
‘Marie, ye’re a sight for sore eyes on this fine morning. I’d quite given up on ever seeing my best girl again. It’s been some good years since ye last graced these parts with yer beauty. And ye don’t look a day older than when we last met.’
Still the same old Danny, a charmer with a touch of the blarney.
Marie laughed and stood back to survey him properly. He was so recognisably the same and yet, of course, older – thinner, greyer … balder, with deeper laughter lines around those blue, blue eyes. Yes, he looked worn, like a man who had lived.
‘You’re looking good yourself,’ she said, and realised that there was at least some element of truth in that. ‘It’s so lovely to see you.’
‘Derek and Anne not with ye?’ he asked.
Marie gathered herself, as she had done for the last twenty years whenever anyone had asked about Derek.
‘Let’s sit down – if you’ve got a minute? – and I’ll tell you all my news,’ she said, summoning a smile and patting the bench beside her as she resumed her seat.
Well, it was hardly ‘all her news’, Marie reflected as she watched Danny walk away. She’d given him a much-edited version of the last twenty years, an account that actually held one very important lie.
She waved and smiled as he turned back and blew her a kiss. Off to his work, he’d said, and his maintenance of the Blue Bench could wait awhile as she was sitting on it. Such a kind man, though she knew he no doubt flirted with all the female visitors. It was a wonder he got any work done at all.
Danny, too, was thinking about the meeting. He’d felt what was almost a surge of joy when he’d clapped eyes on Marie, sitting there all alone, and though his heart had gone out to her as she related the sad event of her widowhood, he couldn’t help reflecting – and may the Good Lord forgive him – that now she was a free woman. Of course, she lived in Cheshire, but he’d really like to see her again if it were possible.
You’re a silly old fool, so ye are, he chastised himself. If she only knew what ye were thinking no doubt she would run a mile in the opposite direction. And how is anything to come of ye wishing to know the darlin’ woman better anyway?
Still, he was ever the optimist, as evidenced by his love of a bet on the horses, and stranger things had happened than two lonely people getting together in their later years.
Danny had not been long gone about his business when Eileen and Tony appeared arm in arm. Marie recognised them at once – she had occasionally seen them around town at home – but she particularly noticed now how plump Tony had grown, his once-handsome face jowly and sagging, and how formidable Eileen looked despite the fashionable brightly coloured dress and curly hairdo.
‘Hello, Marie,’ said Eileen frostily.
‘Eileen … Tony.’ Marie stood and half went to hug them like in the old days, then thought better of it and retreated.
‘Shall we sit?’ said Tony with an apologetic smile at Marie, and Eileen immediately seated herself in the middle of the bench so that she would be between Tony and Marie.
There was an uncomfortable silence and Marie knew – just knew with all her heart – that this meeting had been a bad idea. How could she have thought to say what she had so foolishly planned? And out here, in the open air, when anyone passing would see them, might even hear? The air around them seemed crowded with happy memories of long-ago meetings at the Blue Bench, when fish and chips wrapped in newspaper were passed between them, or a bag of humbugs shared as jokes were told and plans for the following day made.
Don’t do it! whispered the demon on her shoulder, and this time her common sense was in agreement: better to test the water first. She took a deep breath and began.
‘I’m in Blackpool for a night or two and found myself staying in the same hotel as you. It seemed silly not to say hello.’
Tony smiled. ‘It’s good to see you again, Marie.’
Eileen said nothing.
Marie swallowed nervously. Oh Lord, this was not going well.
‘So I just thought …’
‘That you’d say hello. Yes, you said,’ said Eileen quietly.
‘… that whatever happened between us, we could maybe put it behind us. That we might … we might …’
‘Forget about it?’ asked Eileen, with a raised eyebrow.
‘Yes … no! Oh, please, I just hoped—’
‘Believe me, Marie, I shall never, ever forget.’ Eileen rose to her feet, turning her stiff back on Marie. ‘Come on, Tony, let’s go and find somewhere nice for lunch.’ And without another word she took his arm and propelled him away, Tony shooting Marie an apologetic glance over his shoulder.
Marie watched them go, feeling very small and very alone. Tears ran down her face. Either she’d gone about that all wrong or – just possibly – it was the worst idea she’d ever had. She owed it to her family to see this through but, with such a reception at the outset, what on earth was she going to do now?
Danny had caught up with John, who wasn’t very far along the railings.
‘I’m slowing down, old boy!’
Danny had to agree, ‘Okay, so we’re just a bit slower and we make the occasional mistake, but who doesn’t?’
John though, remained adamant. ‘I know what you’re saying, and you’re right. But I still worry that no one else would be keen to take us on, because of our age. And even if they did take us on, I very much doubt that we would be offered the same money that we get now.’
Danny had to admit that yes, it was possible they might lose a sizeable part of their income. ‘I understand what you’re saying. But, there’s always a chance they would match what we’ve been earning, especially if we were to show them how good and reliable we are. Like I said, look on the bright side.’
Another unsettling thought crept into John’s worrying thoughts. ‘If our current boss decided not to give us the recommendation we deserve, we might never find anyone to employ us. Or, if we did find work, what if the new boss was a nasty piece of work? I don’t know if I could put up with that, I’m a bit stuck on my ways now. All right, our boss can be a bit mouthy and overbearing at times, but he’s a decent enough sort so long as we get the work done.’
‘Oh, he’s all right.’ Danny was willing to forgive. ‘The thing is, we’re used to his ways. I wouldn’t want to work under a tyrant, whatever the wages might be.’ He bristled, ‘Like as not, I’d probably lose my temper and give him a hiding he wouldn’t forget.’
John couldn’t help but laugh out loud. ‘So! You might give him a hiding, eh? You little runt!’
‘Hmph!’ Moving closer, Danny bunched his fists, pretending to prepare for a fight. ‘Don’t mess with me!’ He had an imp
ish gleam in his eyes. ‘Don’t make the mistake of thinking that small is weak, and old is over, because I’ll have you know – I’m like a raging tiger when I get going—’
‘Is that so? Well, you can get going now, because I just heard someone call out, and it sounded much like the bossman!’ He gave Danny a playful shove that sent him nearer to the tool-shed. ‘If he asks where we’ve been, tell him we had to check the bench, because some old woman told us it was a bit wobbly and we don’t want the old dear getting hurt, do we now?’
‘Hey! You two! What the hell are you playing at?’
Emerging from behind the big tool-shed, the man frantically waved his arms. Tall, balding and thin as a lamppost, George Mason possessed a surprisingly thick and gravelly voice. ‘What’s wrong with you two? You never can seem to get here on time. Where’ve you been?’
Coming to a halt, he leaned on the shed wall, while continuing to shake his fist, and threaten the two men at the top of his voice, ‘Where the devil have you been? There’s a long list o’work to get through, and as far as I can see you haven’t even started it yet?’
Hurrying into the shed, the two of them were met with yet another torrent of abuse as the boss turned on them as though they were teenagers. ‘YOU SHOULD HAVE CLOCKED IN, OVER HALF AN HOUR BACK. I’VE A DAMNED GOOD MIND TO DOCK YOU AN HOUR’S PAY FROM YOUR WAGES AT THE END OF THE WEEK.’
Stepping forward, John made an effort to smooth matters. ‘We’re sorry, boss, but it took us a few extra minutes to check the railings, and we reckon there are six dodgy uprights that need replacing, two more than were down on the list. Oh and we also took a few minutes to check the Blue Bench … we had a complaint you see. A woman approached us in a bit of a state. She complained that when she sat down, she felt the bench kind of shudder … She actually said one of the legs felt a bit wobbly. So of course, we realised that you would want us to check it out … which we did.’
‘I should think so, being as you get paid good money for keeping everything ship-shape and suitable!’ Clearing his throat the boss asserted his authority. ‘Right then! Time’s a wasting, so you’d best get cracking. I know I can trust you to make a good job of it. Go on with you.’
As the boss hurried away, Danny commented with a chuckle, ‘Well, well! I told you, didn’t I? We’re too damned good at what we do, and he knows it! He also knows that if he was ever to let us go, he would never find anyone else as hard-working or downright thorough.’
Smiling smugly he finished with a cheeky grin, ‘Men like us are few and far between.’ By the time Danny had finished praising their skills and unique dedication to duty, each man was lifted by his own worth.
Danny’s thoughts went back to the meeting on the Blue Bench earlier. He held the image of Marie in his mind’s eye, and it wasn’t long before he was softly murmuring to himself, ‘I had a real feeling that there was something going on there, she always seemed such a happy woman all those years ago, but now the warmth in her eyes has faded a little. But then haven’t we all faded a little over the years.’ Reliving the time he’d spent in her company, the niggling suspicion lingered, as he tried to make sense of it all. Danny realised the curious sense of longing for the past.
It was a sorry truth but over these past years he had been lacking a pretty woman in his arms, and his lonely heart felt incredibly empty. The thought of Marie in his life made his heart skip just a beat. ‘You’re a silly old fool, so ye are. Stranger things have happened than two lonely people getting together in their later years … If she knew what you were thinking she’d laugh at you,’ he chastised himself. Being a practical man he truly believed nothing could come of his little dream to get to know Marie better again, nevertheless he enjoyed thinking of her.
‘Now John, you’ll never guess who I met …’
CHAPTER FOUR
THE HOLIDAY WAS over, and it was time to say goodbye before the taxi arrived to take Marie to the railway station.
Eileen was sorry to be leaving, yet also relieved to be going home after Marie had turned up.
Sitting in the hotel foyer, her bags around her feet while Tony went to fetch the heavy cases, Eileen wondered again about Marie’s motive in following them here. Marie was also in the tiny reception, her handbag and small suitcase also at her feet, waiting for her taxi.
In this most uncomfortable moment before they all went their separate ways, Eileen wondered whether to confront Marie now … before she climbed into the cab and was gone.
With regards to the hotel, it was clear Marie had guessed where they might be staying and had booked herself in too. Years ago, the friends had sometimes stayed in this same hotel together, but that was when the three of them were the best of friends, before Marie and Tony had broken Eileen’s trust, and destroyed the close and cherished friendship between the two women who had been as close as sisters some twenty years ago.
What had happened was a very hard blow for Eileen to bear. She had found it in her heart to forgive Tony for the liaison and maybe she would have forgiven her friend, if only Marie had not confessed to something that Eileen could never accept. After that, forgiveness of Marie was something that Eileen could never undertake. It was quite simply out of the question.
So, why was Marie here now – after all this time? What devious game was she playing?
Since the meeting at the Blue Bench the previous morning, Eileen had forced herself to respond as normally as possible in the hotel to Marie, both for Tony’s sake and because she didn’t want to spoil her own holiday. But since Marie had confessed her shocking secret, some weeks after her affair with Tony, Eileen had found it difficult even to think of Marie.
Eileen could remember that day as vividly as if it was yesterday. Marie had gone to visit her – she had been out of her mind with guilt and worry. She confessed she’d become pregnant by Tony and, for all their sakes, she had taken the drastic and criminal decision to bring an end to the entire, unfortunate matter.
Eileen had been utterly distraught and to this day had avoided ever seeing Marie again. Now Marie was back in their lives, bringing the past back like a ghost. What exactly did she want? The unanswered questions haunted Eileen. The worry she’d kept the secret from her own husband all these years troubled her.
It was true that there was a time when Eileen would have welcomed Marie with open arms; but not now. Not after what she had done.
Over the past two days, Eileen had actually come to wonder whether Marie was here for one purpose only: to entice Tony into her arms for a second time! But, no, she’d hardly have written asking to meet them both if that were the case. Nor would she try to seduce Tony while he was on holiday with his wife. The only way to get at the truth, Eileen decided, was to ask Marie directly. But, before she could put her question, Marie turned to her. ‘Eileen, I want to ask you something.’ She paused to take a nervous breath before going on. ‘Promise you won’t get upset, because I honestly don’t want to cause any trouble.’
‘Oh, really?’ Eileen looked her in the eye. ‘Don’t you think that’s a bit late after what you did?’
‘I just want to say how sorry I am, about what happened between me and, well, you know what I’m saying, don’t you?’ Under Eileen’s hard and disapproving stare, Marie was losing her nerve again.
‘Well, come on then!’ Eileen knew exactly what Marie was trying to say. ‘Let’s get it over with. You mean you’re sorry for having a fling with my husband. But you already told me that long ago, and I don’t want to hear it again. Tony was a fool, a man flattered by your attentions. He had no love for you. Yes, he did a foolish, and disgraceful thing, but it was you who threw yourself at him, didn’t you? You saw how much he loved me, and you wanted him all for yourself.’
Leaning closer to Marie, she lowered her voice to a whisper. ‘It took me a long time, but I forgave him because he was a man swayed by a woman who knew what she wanted and used her womanly wiles to get it … whatever the damage it might cause to my marriage!’
Sha
king her head, she moved forward and continued in a whisper, ‘Tony was snared by you. You saw him, and you took him, and you didn’t give a damn whether my marriage or our friendship was torn apart or not!’
When Marie tried to speak, Eileen firmly shook her head. ‘I don’t want to hear your excuses. It took a while but I finally believed him when he insisted that he was sorry. That he was ashamed and needed my forgiveness.’
When Marie lowered her gaze, Eileen hissed in her ear, ‘Tony will be back any minute with the rest of our luggage, and I don’t want him to hear what we’re talking about. He is a good man. All right, he did a bad thing, he made one mistake, but you went for him, you set your cap at him, and you meant to take him away from me. Be honest … wasn’t that the case?’
‘No! Believe me, Eileen, I never intended to take him away from you. It was an emotional moment, a mad moment of loneliness. My Derek had died just two months before and I was a mess. I needed to talk to you. It was you I came to see, Eileen – my one and only friend – and I so needed you. But you weren’t there, and Tony was, and I was distraught.’
Recalling the occasion with embarrassment and guilt, she fought back the tears. ‘I’m so sorry … I truly am. Please, Eileen … please believe me, it was a moment of grief and emotion … I was in a bad place. Oh, Eileen! If I could turn the clock back, I would, I swear!
‘But I needed help, and Tony comforted me, and yes, I held onto him. It was a fleeting, crazy thing we did, but at the end of the day it meant nothing. It was wrong, it was never meant to happen.’ When she reached out to take Eileen’s hand, Eileen moved it away.
Looking Marie in the eye, she told her firmly, ‘Tony is my world. I know how a woman can seduce a man if she wants him badly enough. I forgave Tony, eventually, but we were miles apart for a long time. We nearly broke up. For months I agonised about you and Tony, but because I love him I was desperate to put it all behind us which we have now.’ In a low, trembling voice, she admitted, ‘I honestly did try to forgive you too, but in the end I couldn’t do it because of what you confessed to me about the baby and how you dealt with it … I never imagined you could ever do that!’
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