by Maeve Binchy
Chapter Seven
‘I didn’t mention to you that my daughter is married to a man who works as an accountant for Ronnie the Rat,’ Nan said.
‘Jerry, is it?’ Derek asked.
‘You know him?’ Nan asked.
She realised that her days of keeping Derek a secret were nearly over anyway. The house next door would be finished in a couple of weeks. He would soon be gone from her life.
‘I don’t really know him,’ Derek said. ‘But I’ve met him a few times. Sharp lad he seems.’
Nan nodded. ‘That’s just what he is, a sharp lad. Going places, as they say.’
‘He’d want to watch out that one of the places he’s going isn’t jail,’ said Derek.
She felt as if she had swallowed a lump of ice.
‘As bad as that?’
‘I hate telling you this since it’s family, but they’re sailing very close to the wind, he and Ronnie. Money coming from all kinds of odd bank accounts, none of them from around here. Different names on company notepaper. In fact …’ Derek trailed off.
‘In fact what, Derek?’ Her voice was calm.
‘In fact, several times I said to the lads, Mike and Shay, that I was sorry we ever took this job from Ronnie. But you see we all needed the money. Mike has a handicapped son. Shay’s saving to get married. And I, well I wanted to keep the show on the road.’
‘So you’re sorry you took it on?’ Nan hoped her voice didn’t sound to disappointed.
‘No, I’ve never worked in a place I liked more, and then there were these nice evenings to look forward to. If I’d said no to Ronnie the Rat I’d never have known all this …’ He waved his hand around her warm cosy room.
That was a lot better. Nan began to feel able to talk to him.
She was about to ask him just how deeply her son-in-law was involved when he said, ‘My Rosie said that I often fall on my feet when I take on a job, but never as much as this one.’
Suddenly Nan had the cold ice feeling again.
‘Rosie?’ Her voice was small and thin.
‘My wife,’ he said.
She could hear the ticking of the clock, she could hear the traffic outside on Chestnut Road.
He had a wife.
After all these evenings, meals, outings to the cinema, it turned out that he had a wife.
She fixed a polite smile on to her face.
‘Oh yes.’ She knew her voice sounded shaky. Please may I not look too pathetic, she prayed. Please let him not see how bitterly disappointed I am.
‘Well I fell on my feet too, nice company, jigsaws, films and … and everything. I enjoyed it all very much too, I must say. You could tell Rosie that from me.’
He looked at her confused. ‘I won’t be telling Rosie anything about all this.’
‘Suit yourself.’ She was clipped now. Cold.
‘You don’t tell your family about my visits here,’ he said.
‘No, well, that’s a bit different,’ Nan said.
‘I don’t see why,’ he began.
‘Derek, could you please tell me what you think that I should know about Jerry and his being involved in something that’s against the law.’
‘No, why should I gossip? That’s what’s so great about you and me … we don’t rejoice in gossip like the rest of the world … telling little bits of information, telling tales.’
She looked at him with new eyes.
Yes, she had liked that about Derek Doyle. He kept his business to himself.
But she hadn’t realised that he had kept to himself the fact that he was married. Some marriage it must be, with Derek going back to the bosom of the family after eleven every night. Not to mention being away at the cinema on weekends. Did he tell this to the patient, understanding Rosie, whoever she was?
Nan felt that Rosie deserved all she got. Imagine telling a husband that he fell on his feet when he found another conquest. She spoke calmly.
‘I agree, and I don’t usually gossip. I never interfere, but this is a time when I may need to do both. I heard today that Jerry was having an affair with another woman.’
‘Yes I know,’ said Derek. ‘And she’s pregnant.’
‘I don’t believe you!’
‘I’m sorry to break it to you like this, but Ronnie had said that he thought next door would be ideal for Jerry’s girlfriend to live in. He said that Jerry had refused even to consider it.’
‘Yes, he’d hardly want her living next door to his mother-in-law.’ Nan’s face was hard.
‘Does your daughter know all about it?’ His voice was gentle and very kind.
‘I don’t really know,’ Nan said.
‘It’s not fair, lovely girl like that. He shouldn’t be playing around on her.’
‘You know her?’ Nan was surprised.
‘I see the three of them coming in and out to visit you during the day. Jo is the blonde one with the smart car.’
Imagine he had been interested enough to notice them all. But that didn’t matter now.
‘She’ll get over it. People do.’
Derek shook his head. ‘Men like that are just selfish. Jerry will be caught out in the end. I know money isn’t everything, but for her sake I hope your girl gets out while he still has some assets.’
‘As you say, money isn’t everything,’ Nan said. Her tone was very cold.
Derek leaned across the table.
‘Have I said something to upset you Nan? Perhaps I should have kept my mouth closed about Ronnie’s accountant.’
‘No, not at all.’ Nan was still very distant. ‘No, indeed I would have had to know sometime.’
That evening she offered no dessert even though he could see there was half an apple tart in the kitchen with a jug of cream.
Derek Doyle left Nan Ryan’s house at nine o’clock.
Earlier than he had for a long time.
Chapter Eight
‘Bobby?’
‘Yes Mam, is anything wrong?’ Nan didn’t usually call her son. And never at nine-thirty in the evening.
‘No, nothing at all. Just, can you call in to me on your way home from work tomorrow. I’d like that.’
‘Something is wrong.’
‘No, I told you. And Bobby, don’t bring your laundry. Never bring it again. Learn to use your own washing machine and ask Kay if she’ll teach you how to iron.’
‘I don’t think …’
‘Well I do. And offer to iron her blouses and shirts too … she can’t say you’re anti-feminist then, can she?’
She hung up and called Pat.
‘I’m not sure Mam, I have a lot to do.’
‘You have nothing to do, Pat. That’s what’s wrong with you. You spend hours fearing imaginary burglars …’
‘They are not imaginary Mam!’
‘Most of yours are. You live in a flat that hasn’t been cleaned or tidied. You couldn’t invite anyone back there — a burglar wouldn’t even stay! You haven’t combed your hair in weeks. Get your hair cut at lunch-time and try to look presentable tomorrow evening.’
‘I have to suppose that you’re drunk Mam,’ said Pat in amazement. ‘I’ve never heard you talk like this.’
Then she called Jo. Jo answered the phone on the first ring.
‘Oh Mother,’ she said, disappointed. ‘I thought it was Jerry.’
‘No it’s only your mother.’ Nan spoke briskly. ‘I’d like you to come to have lunch with me here tomorrow …’
‘Mother, I’m not sure that’s possible …You see I don’t really eat big lunches in people’s houses …’
‘I’ll be having a tuna and tomato salad, you can eat whatever you like. I need to talk to you, Jo. I’d be glad if you could be here about one o’clock.’
Well, they’re all coming, she thought to herself as she prepared for bed. Was it really as easy as this to be firm and refuse to take no for an answer?
Should she perhaps have done it long ago?
It didn’t matter. She was doing it now.
Next morning Nan looked across from the kitchen window at Number Twelve. There was no singing and whistling from Derek Doyle today. Nan wondered whether Rosie had packed him sandwiches. Whether he had kissed her goodbye.
She wondered too about the woman she called Mrs White, who had hidden in that house for so long, trembling until her Johnny came home and she felt safe again.
Had she been a fool to live like that with him, and to die with him?
Should she not have gone to the courts and got legal protection from the bully she married?
Should Nan herself have been much more tough twenty years ago, when her husband had walked out? Should she have demanded that he give her proper support to bring up the children, instead of working herself to the bone to earn the money?
Or should she have played it differently … talked it all over with him, reasoned, asked him to explain why he preferred the other woman to her?
After all he hadn’t stayed with her long. It couldn’t have been a real romance? It was too late to change any of these things now.
She hoped she would have the strength to get through today and all she had planned to achieve. She opened her front door when she knew the men would be there.
‘See you this evening around seven then Derek?’ she called out to the builder.
He looked surprised. They had never acknowledged in front of Mike and Shay that he had been calling. He was startled.
‘Sure, yes, that would be … em … grand Mrs … em … Ryan.’
Then she got everything ready, both on the table and in her mind, for lunch with her daughter.
‘I hope this is important Mother,’ Jo said when she arrived. ‘After all, we could talk any old time couldn’t we?’
‘I hope I don’t make a mess of this Jo,’ Nan said. And Jo saw tears in her mother’s eyes.
‘Come on Mother, out with it,’ she said.
It turned out that Jo had known about everything except the pregnancy. And that annoyed her more than she could say.
Jerry had always said he wasn’t ready for children. Well now, imagine that! It turned out that he had been only too ready. She even laughed at the thought that Ronnie was offering Jerry the house in Chestnut Road to solve his problems.
‘You’ve made up my mind for me, Mother … you have. Just by telling me this. I’ve been dithering for ages but now I know what I am going to do. I’m leaving him.’
‘But don’t you love him?’ Nan asked.
‘No, not for a long time.’
‘So why didn’t you leave before?’
‘I thought if I ignored it, it would go away. After all, I have much more to offer than she has … the other one.’ Jo looked sad for a moment.
‘I know Jo, but you know how men are always looking for something new. I went through the same with your father.’
‘No, he admires me. I used to think that was important. You see he’s impressed that I have my own business, and that I made him invest any clean money he had in that. When he and Ronnie and the pregnant girlfriend all go under, I won’t be any part of the fall.’
She looked hard but in control.
‘Thank you, Mam, you’ve done me a real favour. Thank you for having the courage.’
Nan was speechless.
‘Is there anything I can do for you, Mam? Please.’
‘Yes, there is,’ Nan said slowly. ‘Could you come to supper this evening around seven o’clock? The others are coming and I want you to meet a friend of mine.’
‘What friend, Mother?’
‘Around seven tonight,’ Nan said.
Chapter Nine
Nan was ready in plenty of time. She dressed carefully. After all, she had practically ordered her daughter Pat to smarten herself up.
Jo always looked like a fashion model. Nan didn’t want to look old and shabby compared to them. She had a bottle of sherry and five glasses on a tray. And a chicken casserole in the oven.
Number Fourteen Chestnut Road wasn’t used to this kind of entertaining. Since Nan’s husband had disappeared all that time ago any spare money went towards buying shoes and schoolbooks.
She wondered which of them would arrive first. In fact she was quite excited.
Bobby came first.
‘What did you want me for, Mam?’
‘Dear dear dear … that’s not very nice Bobby. I ask my only son to supper and this is the response. I wanted to see you and give you a nice meal. What else?’
‘But you never want me here Mam, except to do my washing,’ he said, confused.
‘Don’t be idiotic, Bobby! Seriously, you sound like a half-wit. Do you think I liked doing your laundry?’
‘All right Mam, I did my washing last night and actually Kay seemed pleased. She said it made the place seem more like a real home.’
‘Good.’
‘But why exactly …?’
Just then Derek knocked on the door. He was carrying a potted violet. He was startled to find Bobby there, and made a move as if to leave again.
‘Come in Derek, nice to see you. This is my son Bobby. Bobby, Derek Doyle is in charge of the building work next door.’
Both men looked baffled but before they could do more than shake hands Pat had arrived. Bobby looked at her amazed.
‘What have you done to yourself? You look completely different,’ he said.
‘Pat just dressed up for supper with her mother as any grateful person would do.’
Nan looked with approval at Pat’s shining well-cut hair. And she wore a brand new red jacket over a navy skirt. Normally she wouldn’t be seen in anything except jeans and a big sweater.
‘My daughter Pat,’ Nan said proudly.
‘And very nice you look too,’ Derek said politely. ‘I’ve seen you coming in and out to visit your mother. You look charming tonight.’
Pat shuffled and smiled with pleasure.
‘Delighted to meet you, Mr Doyle,’ she said.
They were busy talking about security on building sites when Jo arrived. Her face was pale but she was calm.
‘The deed is done Mother,’ she said quickly on the doorstep.
‘You weren’t too hasty, I hope,’ Nan said.
‘There are times when you know you are doing the right thing. Then it’s better to do it swiftly.’
‘I know exactly what you mean,’ said Nan.
And she did. She knew that tonight’s little gathering was saving her dignity. She was not going to be made a fool of. Not by anyone and certainly not someone she had liked and admired as much as Derek.
‘The others are here?’ Jo was surprised when she heard the voices of her brother and sister.
‘Yes, indeed. I’ve made us all supper and now you’ll have a glass of sherry.’ Nan led her daughter into the room and over to the tray of little glasses as if this was a normal happening in Number Fourteen Chestnut Road.
Jo’s mouth dropped when she saw Pat.
‘Did you have a makeover or what?’ she gasped.
‘I bought a new jacket, yes,’ Pat said crossly.
‘This is Derek Doyle who runs the building next door,’ Nan began.
‘Mr Doyle, how nice to meet you.’ Jo had an easy, practised way of talking to people that always made them smile.
‘My mother says you are making a wonderful job of Number Twelve. Fit for anyone, a princess even!’
Jo’s eyes were too bright. She was very over-excited.
Derek seemed to realise this. He was good at calming people.
Nan thought with a pang about how well Derek had managed old bores like fussy Mr O’Brien from Number Twenty-eight. She remembered how he had soothed the neighbours who complained about the builders’ skip outside the door, and offered to take their household rubbish for them.
Here he was making sure that Jo didn’t build up to some kind of a tantrum.
‘It’s easy to make a good job of a house in this street. They were very well built originally, good thick walls. The rooms have nice pro
portions …’ He looked admiringly around the sitting room they were in.
‘And what kind of people might buy it, do you think? I’m only interested since I’d like to know what kind of neighbours my mother will have.’
Derek seemed to hear the touch of hysteria in her voice. He was calmer than ever.
‘Well it depends on who Mr Flynn will sell it to. He bought the house at a very low price, but of course he’s a businessman and so he is hoping to make a good profit on it.’
Jo gave a snort. ‘You bet he is!’
‘But perhaps your husband as his accountant —’
‘My ex-husband.’ Jo interrupted.
Nan was relieved that nobody dropped a sherry glass.
‘You’re not serious?’ Pat gasped.
‘Since when?’ asked Bobby.
‘Would you all like to sit down at the table?’ Nan’s tone was bright. ‘We don’t want the chicken to get cold.’
Now they all looked with astonishment at Nan.
They moved to obey her, wordless, amazed that she was taking such huge news so very calmly.
‘This is all very nice.’ Derek began to break the silence. ‘Smells just great.’
‘You’re great, Mother,’ Jo agreed.
‘Well I wanted you all to meet each other. Derek has been coming in a lot after work so I wanted him to meet my family …’
They all looked from one to the other as if it were a tennis match. They realised that there was some great tension here, but they didn’t know what it was.
‘Yes indeed, and a delightful family it is,’ Derek said, struggling desperately.
‘And of course I wanted you to meet him.’ Nan smiled round at them all from the top of the table.
‘Unfortunately, Derek’s wife Rosie hasn’t been able to come with him tonight. She would have been very welcome. You must bring Rosie over here sometime Derek, before you finish Number Twelve. You will, won’t you?’
As she started to ladle out the chicken casserole onto the plates, Nan did not see how Derek’s face had crumpled up, as if somebody had hit him a very heavy blow.
Chapter Ten
Afterwards they wondered what would have happened that night if all the other people had not arrived.
First to knock on the door was Kay, Bobby’s girlfriend.