Echoes of Yesterday

by Mary Jane Staples

  ‘Well, you said that very nice, Boots,’ said Chinese Lady.

  ‘Yes, you did, love, and just in time,’ said Emily, who wasn’t so simple as to have ever believed nothing happened to the soldiers of the Great War outside of either sitting in the trenches or going over the top of them. Boots had always been attractive to women, even as a very young man. There’d been times when Emily thought Elsie Chivers wouldn’t have minded having him to herself in her parlour, even if she was years older than him. Poor Elsie. She was now in one of those places where understanding men and women in white coats looked after people who weren’t quite right in the head. She and Boots sometimes went to see her. It all flashed through Emily’s mind as she accepted what had happened in France eighteen years ago, that Boots had had a very brief love affair with a young French war widow. ‘But wait a minute,’ she said, ‘you’re not tryin’ to tell us this Cecile or whatever is goin’ to come and join us, are you? I’m not ’avin’ that.’

  ‘Nor over my dead body, either,’ said Chinese Lady.

  ‘It’s not that, Nana, it’s something else, something much more dramatic,’ said Rosie.

  ‘Rosie, how d’you know that?’ asked Emily.

  ‘You can tell from the look of Daddy,’ said Rosie.

  ‘That son of mine has always got a look I don’t trust,’ said Chinese Lady. ‘I might of guessed he’d do things he knew I wouldn’t approve of while he was in France and out of my sight. I hope there’s not worse to come.’

  Mr Finch smiled. He thought he knew what might be coming, and it wouldn’t, in his opinion, be of a worse nature. And it did come, the revelation that Boots had fathered a daughter called Eloise. This was followed by the information that the mother had died last year. With Chinese Lady sitting straight up, her bosom stiff, Emily emotional, and Rosie wide-eyed but already forgiving, Mr Finch put a question in.

  ‘How did you get to know this, Boots?’

  ‘I’ll come to that later,’ said Boots.

  ‘I don’t know I want to listen,’ said Chinese Lady, ‘I don’t know I haven’t already heard as much as I want to.’

  ‘Go on, Boots,’ said Emily quietly.

  Boots informed them that Eloise was presently living with an uncle and aunt who ran a wine bar in Albert, and that, because of misinformation about Somme casualties, she thought her father was dead. Accordingly, Boots was going to France to see her and to talk to her.

  ‘Well,’ breathed Chinese Lady, ‘it’s come to something, a son of mine responsible for a child born out of wedlock. Boots, I never should of let you go off to France behind my back. Now look what’s happened, it’s a disgrace to the whole fam’ly, a girl without a mother and never havin’ had a father.’

  Emily looked at her husband. He smiled, asking for her understanding, asking for her help, asking for her to accept Eloise.

  Lord above, she thought, I’m mother to Tim, adoptive mother to Rosie, and stepmother to a French girl. I never heard of any other woman being put into that kind of position in all my life. I don’t know it wouldn’t be in order to have a fainting fit or hysterics. Blow that, I hate fainting as much as hysterics.

  She caught Rosie’s glance. Rosie mutely appealed for family togetherness. Rosie, of course, would always want everyone to stand with Boots.

  ‘Emily?’ he said.

  She shook her head at him, the late afternoon sun putting dark fire into her auburn hair.

  ‘Boots, you shockin’ man,’ she said, ‘doin’ that with a Frenchwoman behind all our backs and gettin’ her in the fam’ly way as well. I don’t know I’d ’ave married you if I’d found out.’

  ‘Mum love, of course you would,’ said Rosie. ‘We’ve all got to forgive what our soldiers did when they were out of the trenches, we’ve all got to stay loving them, even the ones who lose their jobs because they still get drunk and pick fights. Daddy, we all understand. You might be a bit of a shocker, but you’re ours and we’d never swap you for anyone else.’

  ‘I suggest there’s really very little to forgive,’ said Mr Finch, whose liking and admiration for Boots never wavered.

  ‘I don’t know,’ said Chinese Lady, shaking her head, ‘it’s not what I ever brought him up to be, I’ve always been against any of my sons goin’ round shockin’ people and their own fam’ly too.’

  ‘I’m not actu’lly shocked, Mum,’ said Emily, ‘I’m just flabbergasted that my husband had got the devil in him while he was still a young man. No wonder when we got married he—’ Emily stopped before she made the blushing mistake of informing the family that, even though he was blind, Boots knew exactly what to do when their wedding night began. ‘Rosie, are you laughin’?’

  ‘Goodness, I should say not,’ said Rosie, ‘I’m flabbergasted too. Heavens, what a real shocker. But what a silver lining, Mum. Well, I mean, who’s going to complain about Daddy providing Tim and me with a sister? I’d much rather have a sister than the revolution my bookshop friend is so keen on.’

  ‘I’m prepared for slings and arrows,’ said Boots.

  ‘Daddy, don’t be like that, you silly,’ said Rosie, ‘we all still love you.’ She had felt from the beginning that Boots was going to deliver extraordinary news.

  ‘This is Eloise,’ he said, and handed the snapshot to Emily to look at and to pass round. Heads craned.

  ‘Oh, my shakin’ knees,’ said Emily, torn between forgiveness and a painful feeling that the girl should have come from her, not from some other woman. ‘I can’t hardly believe this. Oh, she’s pretty, isn’t she? Boots, she’s yours all right.’

  ‘She’s ours, Emily, if she’ll let us have her. She’s the family’s.’

  Chinese Lady and Rosie studied the snapshot together, Rosie’s hair brushing her grandmother’s cheek.

  ‘Daddy, she’s lovely,’ said Rosie.

  ‘Well, much as I’m shocked out of my being,’ said Chinese Lady, ‘you’ll have to bring her home, Boots.’

  ‘You’re sure, old lady?’ said Boots.

  ‘She’s an Adams,’ said Chinese Lady with a firmness that discouraged any attempt to follow revelation with argument, never mind if Boots had been disgraceful.

  ‘Yes, you’re the father, Boots old chap,’ said Mr Finch, taking his turn to examine the print. ‘When do you go to France to see her?’

  ‘Tuesday,’ said Boots.

  ‘Wait a bit,’ said Emily, ‘you haven’t come yet to tellin’ us how you got to know about the girl.’

  Chinese Lady glanced at her son. She was sure she knew then why Polly Simms had called to see him. But she kept her peace. It was up to Boots.

  ‘Polly dropped in earlier this afternoon,’ said Boots. ‘She’s just got back from France.’ He explained in detail. Oh, blow that, thought Emily, that woman’s never going to get out of Boots’s life, especially now she’s found his natural daughter.

  ‘Well,’ said Chinese Lady, ‘I must say Miss Simms did the right thing in accidentally finding out for us that Boots has got a daughter in France. Mind, I’m not saying I like her bein’ born out of wedlock, but it can’t be helped, not now.’

  ‘It happened too many years ago for us not to accept it, Maisie,’ said Mr Finch, ‘and it happened in the kind of circumstances we can only guess at. Further, in this family, as Boots himself would say, there’s always room for one more. And Polly, I think, deserves a commendation.’

  ‘Yes, eureka for Aunt Polly,’ said Rosie.

  ‘Blow your Aunt Polly,’ said Emily, but under her breath and only to herself.

  ‘She’s going back to France tomorrow or Monday,’ said Boots, ‘to talk to Eloise before I get there myself. I think that’s right, I think Eloise should be told before I arrive.’

  ‘Yes, and I think Miss Simms did right, not tellin’ the girl about Boots until she’d spoken to him first,’ said Chinese Lady.

  ‘Bear in mind that we can’t be certain Eloise will leave France,’ said Boots.

  ‘I’m going to come with you,’ said Emily. If tha
t Polly was going to be there, waiting for Boots, and in a French town of all places, something had got to be done to see Boots didn’t do more disgracing of the family. He had acquired a joint passport a few years ago, having in mind an overseas holiday for the family sometime, and so Tim and Rosie also had theirs. ‘Oh, no, I can’t, I’ve got to be with my mum when she goes into hospital on Tuesday.’ Her aged and very stout mother was to have an operation, and she wasn’t taking too kindly to the idea. She wouldn’t move one step out of her home unless Emily was with her.

  ‘Rosie,’ said Boots, ‘would you like to come instead of your mother?’

  ‘Daddy, oh, would I!’ said Rosie. Despite being a very promising undergraduate of Somerville, with a host of new friends who had very little in common with the cockney elements of Chinese Lady’s extensive family, Rosie showed delight. Heavens, a Channel ferry and a journey through France to meet the girl Eloise? ‘Daddy, utter bliss.’

  ‘Yes, you go, Rosie,’ said Emily, ‘you can keep an eye on your dad. We don’t want him disgracin’ us again in France.’

  ‘Boots, might I suggest no attempt at persuasion, no pressure?’ said Mr Finch.

  ‘There’ll be none,’ said Boots, ‘I’ll talk to her and see how she reacts. She may not like me, and she may not like the fact that I didn’t go back to her mother.’

  ‘Boots, of course she’ll like you,’ said Emily.

  ‘And I think by the time you get there, Polly will have fully explained why you didn’t go back,’ said Mr Finch.

  ‘Daddy, we’ll all understand if she doesn’t want to leave her uncle and aunt, if she doesn’t want to come to England,’ said Rosie. ‘It won’t be anything to do with not liking you or being angry with you, only to do with feeling her aunt and uncle are her family. You’ll understand too, won’t you?’

  ‘Yes, of course, poppet,’ said Boots, ‘but I must go and I must talk to her. Does everyone understand that?’

  ‘Yes, of course we do, lovey,’ said Emily, putting aside all feelings except those relating to what was expected of her as his wife. ‘Tell her she’s got a second mother waitin’ for her.’

  ‘And aunts and uncles and cousins,’ said Chinese Lady. ‘Lord, my goodness, what’s your sister Lizzy goin’ to say, Boots?’

  Boots smiled. It had been delivered, the astonishing news, it was off his chest. And his family had not stoned him.

  ‘I’ll come to that later,’ he said.

  ‘I think I need a drink,’ said Mr Finch.

  ‘I’ll be startin’ supper in a few minutes,’ said Chinese Lady. The discussion was over, everyone had had their say, and it had all boiled down to one fact as far as she was concerned. Despite Boots having disgraced himself, and the family, the motherless girl was an Adams. Her place was here. That accepted, Chinese Lady did not think the usual preparations for supper need be affected.

  ‘I’d still like a drink,’ said Mr Finch.

  ‘I need a pot of strong tea,’ said Emily.

  ‘I think I’ll have a whisky,’ said Boots.

  ‘Well, you get the drinks, Edwin,’ said Chinese Lady, rising, ‘and I’ll make the pot of tea before I start the supper.’

  ‘That’s fair,’ said Mr Finch, getting up. Rosie followed him into the house.

  ‘Grandpa?’ she said, as he opened the door of the drinks cabinet.

  ‘Yes, Rosie?’

  ‘What d’you think?’

  ‘About this girl?’

  ‘Yes.’

  Mr Finch smiled.

  ‘We’ve an addition to the family, Rosie,’ he said.

  ‘You wouldn’t say Daddy’s chickens have come home to roost?’ said Rosie.

  ‘I’d be the last one to say so.’

  ‘It’s really quite exciting,’ said Rosie.

  ‘It’s your mother’s feelings that count the most, Rosie.’

  ‘Yes, I know,’ said Rosie, ‘but she’s come up trumps, Grandpa, and you’re for Daddy, aren’t you?’

  ‘Rosie, my dear girl, I’ll always stand with your father.’

  ‘Well, that makes two of us,’ said Rosie.

  Chapter Eight

  Chinese Lady and Emily both said all the family had got to be told, so Boots began by phoning Lizzy and giving her an outline of the situation.

  ‘What?’ gasped Lizzy over the line. ‘What did you say?’

  ‘I thought I’d let you know,’ said Boots, ‘and I’ll have to talk to Sammy and Tommy as well.’

  ‘Wait a minute, I’ve not taken it in yet,’ fumed Lizzy. ‘Have I actu’lly been listening to you tellin’ me you fathered a daughter before you got blinded on the Somme?’

  ‘Afraid so, Lizzy love, although I didn’t know it at the time.’

  ‘Don’t call me love, you – you – oh, my own brother doin’ this to his fam’ly, a fam’ly that gave him a good education and all. It wasn’t so that you could go off and take advantage of some poor French lady and leave her expectin’. You ought to be downright ashamed.’

  ‘Well, I am, of course, Lizzy, and I’m going to try to redeem myself in my penitence.’

  ‘Stop usin’ educated words,’ said Lizzy, who felt she was suffering undeserved upsets, what with this news and the fact that Annabelle had obviously fallen in love with Nick Harrison, a young man whose father had spent time in prison. Lizzy had had to come to terms with that, and could only hope Nick hadn’t inherited any of his father’s taking ways. ‘Tell me what Chinese Lady said. I bet she went for you, didn’t she?’

  ‘Not really, apart from calling me a disgrace to the family and telling me she hadn’t brought me up to be a shocker.’

  ‘You’re a shocker all right. Oh, that poor girl, her mother dead and thinking her father dead. What’re you goin’ to do about it?’

  ‘Try to redeem myself, as I said. I’m going to see if I can bring her home with me.’

  ‘Well, thank goodness for that,’ said Lizzy. ‘You’ve got to bring her, if she’s really yours. You’re sure she is?’

  ‘Yes, I’m sure, Lizzy. Everything she said to Polly fits, and so does the snapshot of me.’

  ‘Well, then, you’ve got to make it up to the girl by bein’ a good and lovin’ dad to her. D’you hear me, Boots?’

  ‘Yes, Lizzy, I hear you.’

  ‘And don’t you ever do anything like that again.’

  ‘No, Lizzy.’

  ‘Well, you’re old enough now to know how to behave yourself, I hope.’

  ‘I hope so too, Lizzy.’

  ‘I don’t know how I’m goin’ to tell Ned and the children.’

  ‘Shall I come over and talk to them?’

  ‘Not likely,’ said Lizzy, ‘I don’t want them dyin’ of shame in front of my eyes at hearin’ you tell them what you’ve just told me. Somehow I’ll have to make it sound not so bad. What did Em’ly say?’

  ‘That she couldn’t hardly believe it.’

  ‘Oh, I’d better come and see her as soon as I can. Poor Em’ly, has she taken to her bed?’

  ‘Not yet. She’ll wait till bedtime.’

  ‘I mean, is she ill with shock?’

  ‘No, she’s bearing up, Lizzy.’

  ‘Well, I’ll still come round and help her to bear up. What about Rosie?’

  ‘She’s tickled.’

  ‘She’s what?’

  ‘Well, she’s singing “Any Old Iron” at the moment. I can hear her.’

  ‘Boots, if you’re tryin’ to make out there’s something comical about all this, I don’t think much of it. Rosie singing “Any Old Iron”? I don’t believe you.’

  ‘Sorry, Lizzy old girl, but Rosie’s tickled about suddenly finding she has a sister, and a French one at that. Well, half-French. She’s coming with me to France, and we’re leaving on Tuesday.’

  ‘Well, the sooner the better, I suppose,’ said Lizzy, ‘we don’t want that poor girl to be without a mother and father for the rest of her life.’

  ‘She might not come, of course.’

  ‘Mi
ght not come home with you?’

  ‘She might not, Lizzy, she might prefer to stay living with her aunt and uncle.’

  ‘Well, me and Ned are her aunt and uncle, and so are Vi and Tommy, and Susie and Sammy. She belongs with us. You’ve got to bring her home, specially as you’re her father.’

  ‘No, I shan’t pressurize her, Lizzy. It’s got to be what she wants.’

  Lizzy was quiet for a moment. Then she said, ‘Yes, I suppose so. Well, as she’s yours, let’s hope she comes. But what about all your friends and neighbours and everyone, are you goin’ to tell them you’ve adopted her, like you did with Rosie?’

  ‘No, I don’t think so, Lizzy, I don’t think she’d like that.’

  ‘No, perhaps not,’ said Lizzy. ‘I suppose we’ll all get over the shock by Christmas. What was she like, by the way?’

  ‘The girl’s mother?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Very French,’ said Boots.

  ‘H’m, no wonder,’ said Lizzy. ‘Oh, well, never mind, lovey, I understand. I know what it was like over there from what I’ve been able to drag out of Ned. You’re forgiven. I couldn’t go to church without forgivin’ you.’

  ‘Well, bless you, Lizzy.’

  ‘Which reminds me, what’s the girl’s religion?’

  ‘Same as her mother’s was, I imagine,’ said Boots.

  ‘Don’t be airy-fairy,’ said Lizzy, ‘religion’s important, you ought to know that. Have you thought she’s probably Roman Catholic and we’re all Church of England?’

  ‘With luck, she may be a Huguenot,’ said Boots.

  ‘A what?’

  ‘You did history at school, Lizzy.’

  ‘I don’t remember doin’ you-go-knows.’

  ‘They belong to a French reformed religion, and they’re closer to Protestants than Catholics.’

  ‘Well, aren’t you the clever one?’ said Lizzy. ‘What a sauce you’ve got, showin’ off your education at a time like this. Didn’t you ask that poor French widow what her religion was before you went and made love to her?’