It Had To Be You (25 page)

‘I didn’t expect you to have,’ said Jared, sounding amused. ‘This is a two-up, two-down, isn’t it, luv? No room for a bathroom, unless you built on.’

She glanced over her shoulder at him. ‘I would love to build on. You’ve seen the size of the garden. There’s plenty of space but I don’t have the money. They weren’t too fussy about hygiene and cleanliness when this was built. Growing food was more important, hence the large garden. I’d love a bathroom and a bigger kitchen with all mod cons. I could do with a fridge. I’m fussy about
cleanliness. I have to be if I’m handling food and serving customers. Did Dorothy tell you that I also sell souvenirs for the tourist trade?’ She realised that she was babbling.

‘What kind of goods?’ he asked, looking only mildly interested.

‘Go in the front room and have a look. I’ll be finished here in a few minutes and then I’ll show you upstairs.’

He left her at the sink and went into the front room. A few minutes later she found him tinkering with the piano. ‘Do you play?’ she asked.

Jared rose from the stool. ‘Self-taught. You?’

‘Granddad was all in favour of my learning to play, but I’m not brilliant.’ Emma put down the lid and stared at him. ‘So what do you think of Mr Ashcroft’s models and my wise women?’

He smiled. ‘Different. But this room is north-facing, and with winter coming on, they could get damp. It’s obvious to me that you live mainly in the kitchen, so you’d be better moving them into there.’

Emma agreed. ‘They’ll make the kitchen look even more crowded, though.’ She sighed. ‘I really do need an extension, but expense is the problem. I’ve been able to put aside enough money to repair the roof before winter but that’s all.’ She sighed.

Jared raised an eyebrow. ‘Your roof leaks?’

‘When it rains the water plinks into the bucket
and almost plays a tune,’ she said with a wry smile.

‘Let’s have a look,’ he said.

‘The room where you’ll sleep is the worst,’ said Emma, leading the way upstairs, conscious of his closeness on the narrow stairs.

She opened the door of the back room and indicated that he should go in first. His eyes were instantly drawn to the damp patch in the corner of the ceiling. ‘I’ll get the materials and come back later in the week and fix the roof for you,’ he said.

‘You mean it?’ she asked, taken aback.

‘I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it,’ said Jared.

‘But you’re not a roofer.’

‘No, but I helped out on various jobs during my apprenticeship. If you’ve a ladder, I’ll take a look at the roof in the morning.’

Her face lit up. ‘It’s behind the shed.’

He crossed to the window and gazed out. ‘I see you keep hens.’

‘Aye, I’ll probably have one for Christmas.’

He grinned. ‘I remember Ma plucking a chicken for Christmas. I was tormenting my sister with one of its claws. You know there’s a sinew you can pull on that makes the claw move?’

‘Aye!’ She laughed. ‘You must have been a terrible brother.’

His eyes twinkled. ‘I chased Dorothy all around
the house with it. You ask her about it. I bet she hasn’t forgotten.’

There was a sudden silence and they stood there, looking at each other. Then he said, ‘Are you going to show me the front bedroom?’

‘Sorry, I was thinking of something else.’ She led him across the tiny landing and opened the door of the main bedroom.

‘Now, this is a good size,’ he said, going inside.

‘There’s a tiny room just off it, no bigger than a decent-sized cupboard,’ she said, crossing the wooden floor and opening a door. ‘It’s just big enough to take a baby’s cot.’

He gazed at the space, nodded and then said, ‘You probably slept here when you were a toddler.’

‘Most probably so did my mother, and my uncles who were killed in the Great War,’ said Emma, feeling very conscious of those who had lived in this house.

‘Let’s not get miserable,’ said Jared, as if reading her mind. ‘What do you do with yourself in winter?’

‘I work, I knit and I sew and I go to the cinema and to church and to concerts and dances put on at the assembly rooms. I have neighbours and a close friend, Lila.’

He smiled. ‘So you keep yourself busy, but even so, you must get lonely now you’re living on your own.’

She agreed. ‘I miss Granddad, but I do have a cat.’

‘I presume you don’t have a broomstick, as well.’

Emma chuckled. ‘Only to sweep up the leaves. I have a book of spells, though. I found it in a
second-hand
shop in Clitheroe, so just you be careful I don’t put a spell on you.’

‘I think you already have,’ said Jared under his breath as he left the room.

Emma was not sure she had heard him aright but her heart felt light as she followed him downstairs. He suggested that she might want to go back to burning her garden rubbish and offered to help her.

She said with mock seriousness, ‘I never turn down a willing volunteer.’

So it was that Dorothy and Betty found the two of them in the garden, working in companionable silence. ‘Did you get what you wanted?’ asked Jared.

‘Yes,’ said Dorothy, smiling as she held out a box to him. ‘Your birthday present. I hope you like it.’

‘I’ll need to wash my hands before I look at it,’ he said, obviously pleased.

The three girls watched him take the model sailing ship from the box. Instantly, Emma knew from his expression that he liked it. He didn’t say so right away, just as he hadn’t done about her scones, but inspected the model and then nodded. ‘Clever.
This will have pride of place in my own home one day. I must thank the man who did it.’

‘Mr Ashcroft would really appreciate that,’ said Dorothy. ‘By the way,’ she added, glancing at Emma, ‘Dougie visited them, you know?’

‘No, I didn’t know,’ said Emma, surprised.

‘A few weeks ago. He had a couple of orders for models from some of the bobbies at the station.’ Dorothy added lightly, ‘He never said anything about it to me when we bumped into each other and he asked me to go dancing.’

‘Perhaps he’d forgotten,’ said Emma, suspecting Dorothy was hurt that Dougie had not done so.

Dorothy shrugged. ‘It doesn’t matter,’ she said.

Emma changed the subject. ‘You must be hungry. I’ll make us something to eat before you have to catch your train.’

Soon there was a tantalising smell of something frying.

‘What is it you’re cooking?’ asked Jared, peering over her shoulder.

‘Nothing exciting,’ said Emma, her face flushed with the heat from the range. Her chestnut hair hung in wisps about her ears. ‘It’s just bread dipped in a mixture of egg, milk, onion and cheese.’

‘The way to a man’s stomach,’ murmured Dorothy. ‘I really should get you to teach me to cook, Emma.’

‘Never mind about that,’ said Betty, setting the
table. ‘What did Jared have to say about our dad?’

Emma gave her a smiling glance. ‘He told me that one of Dad’s paintings won a prize and used to hang in the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool.’

‘What! Our dad’s famous!’ Betty put down the knives and forks and did a dance around the kitchen.

‘Stop acting daft,’ said Dorothy, laughing as she grabbed her arm and pushed her onto a seat. ‘You’re frightening the cat.’

Betty gazed at her cousins and Emma from dazed eyes. ‘I’m the daughter of a real artist and nobody can take that away from me. Wait until I tell them at college. I feel that everything is just going to get better from now on.’

Over their meal, Betty bombarded Jared with questions about William Booth. Emma listened with close attention to everything else that he had to say, learning much about her father that was of interest. She had never known, for instance, that he had worked in a theatre, painting scenery, and it was there that he had met her mother.

Soon after they had finished eating, Dorothy said that it was time for her to make a move. The others decided to accompany her to the railway station. She hugged the three of them.

‘I’ll tell Mum to expect you tomorrow night, Jared,’ she said.

‘OK!’

He, Emma and Betty waited until the train pulled out, before leaving the station and returning to the cottage.

When Dorothy arrived home, she was relieved to find Elsie and Maggie sitting on the sofa together, watching television. Dorothy went to speak but her mother put her finger to her lips, so Dorothy went and put the kettle on before sitting in an armchair and staring at the screen. It was at least ten minutes before the programme finished and by then Dorothy had made the tea.

‘So how did things go?’ asked Elsie, lighting a cigarette.

‘Jared and Emma really took to each other. He’s staying there tonight and coming back to Liverpool with Betty tomorrow.’

Elsie said, ‘You mean he’s staying at the cottage?’

‘Yes. Betty will sleep with Emma and he’ll have the back room,’ said Dorothy, amused by her mother’s expression. ‘There’ll be no hanky-panky, Mum. Emma’s not that sort of person.’

‘Will you keep your voice down, remember who’s here!’ Elsie jerked her head in her other daughter’s direction, who was toasting a round of bread on the fire.

‘Oh, Mother!’ sighed Dorothy. ‘She’s not a child. Anyway, has there been any sign of Uncle Teddy?’

‘No.’ Elsie frowned, and lowering her voice,
asked, ‘Did Betty say anything about you-know-what?’

Dorothy whispered, ‘I mentioned it to her when we were on our own. She said that if I had half a brain I’d know who it was and she was thinking of knitting a little doll of Uncle Teddy and sticking pins in it.’

‘What!’ exclaimed Elsie. ‘That’s voodoo, isn’t it?’

Dorothy arched her eyebrows. ‘Never mind that! She’s as good as admitted he was responsible.’

‘But that’s witch country up there, and you don’t mean to tell me that it doesn’t brush off on people,’ said her mother.

‘Don’t be daft, Mum,’ said Dorothy, exasperated. ‘You should meet Emma and you’d realise what a nice person she is.’

‘I’ve written to her. Let that be enough,’ said Elsie, flicking ash into the fire. ‘I’d feel embarrassed meeting her after keeping quiet about her all these years and ignoring her letters.’

‘But you wrote to her during the summer,’ put in Maggie, who had been listening. ‘It would be a really nice gesture if you invited her to stay at Christmas.’

‘Christmas!’ exclaimed Elsie, aghast. ‘You must be joking.’

‘What’s wrong with Christmas?’ asked Dorothy, kicking off her shoes. ‘If Uncle Teddy continues to
stay away, we could have a really good time. See what our Jared has to say when he comes home. I’m sure he’ll be in favour of it.’

‘She still mightn’t want to come,’ muttered her mother.

‘I’m certain Emma has a forgiving nature.’

‘Then she must take after her father,’ said Elsie. ‘I’ll tell you what. I’ll think about it.’

Emma stood, holding the ladder, gazing up at Jared as he descended. Her expression relaxed and she moved aside as he reached the bottom.

‘Well?’ she asked.

He dusted his hands on the back of his trousers and nodded slowly. ‘I should be able to manage it.’

‘That’s a relief. Do you have any idea of how much the materials will cost, so I can give you the money before you leave today?’

‘I’m not short,’ he said, lifting the ladder and balancing it on his shoulder. ‘You can pay me when the job’s done.’

‘Are you sure?’ Emma hurried round to the other end of the ladder and got a hold on it. ‘How
are you going to get the materials here? Will you be coming on the train with them? I suppose we could have ordered them locally,’ she said, trying to keep up with him as he made for the shed.

‘You’d pay more. My boss will give me a discount and he’ll probably lend me one of the work vans,’ said Jared.

‘You can drive?’

‘Yep. I learnt when I was eighteen so I could ferry material from the yard to different sites. I’m thinking of buying my own car soon.’

Betty, who had been feeding the hens, chimed in, ‘That would be useful. Don’t you find it peaceful here, Jared? And it’s lovely in summer.’

Jared put down the end of his ladder and eased the rest of it over his shoulder, dragging it rung by rung as Emma released her hold on the other end. ‘Do you walk the fells, Emma?’ he asked.

She eased her back and met his gaze. ‘I used to when Granddad was alive, but I haven’t done so since he died. My weekends have been taken up trying to get the tea room off the ground during the best of the weather.’

‘But at this time of year, surely you’ll have the time?’ he asked, holding her gaze.

‘If the weather is fine, but it can get pretty nasty during the winter up on Pendle,’ she said, wanting to be honest with him. This, despite thinking it would be great to have him visiting her and going for walks
together. She imagined them coming back from a day out in the fresh air on a crisp, cold, sunny winter’s day and having a hot meal together in front of the fire.

Betty interrupted, ‘But you don’t have to go to Pendle for a bit of peace and quiet, you can get that here. It’s just what us townies need every now and again.’

Jared agreed. It really was peaceful at the moment, despite the hens squabbling over the last of the chicken feed. There was the distant sound of the River Calder running over the rocks, and sheep bleating, the smell of woodsmoke and damp vegetation. He found it difficult to imagine Emma in a different setting. He had only known her for twenty-four hours and yet he wanted to marry her, but that would mean taking her away from here to the city, where his work was.

Emma sighed and then said abruptly, ‘How about us going for a walk before you two have to catch the train?’

Betty glanced up at the sky. ‘It looks like it might rain.’

‘A bit of rain won’t harm us,’ said Emma.

‘I’m game,’ said Jared, smiling down at her.

They headed towards the house and Emma put on an old waterproof of her grandmother’s and tied a scarf around her head.

Jared grinned at her. ‘I don’t suppose you’ve a waterproof that would fit me?’

Emma’s heart lifted at the sight of that smile of his; she must look a sight, dressed as she was. Oh, she really did like him! ‘You can borrow Granddad’s. I never did get round to getting rid of it when I sold the rest of his clothing.’

He reached for the waterproof and put it on and found it too short in the arms. ‘I bet I look like a scarecrow,’ he said with a wry smile. ‘All I need is a battered hat and some straw sticking out of my neck and sleeves.’

Emma giggled. ‘We’ll find a field to put you in and see if you frighten the birds.’

‘Stop messing about, you two,’ said Betty with mock severity, ‘and let’s be on our way. I want to be back in Liverpool before dark.’

Emma had a sudden idea as they set off along the road. ‘Let’s go and see Mr Ashcroft, Jared. You said that you wanted to meet him.’

‘That’s fine with me,’ said Betty. ‘I like Mr Ashcroft.’

As they left the village behind she showed Jared where she went blackberrying in the autumn. ‘I must give you a pot of jam to take home for your mother,’ she said. ‘Food for free, that’s what my grandmother used to say every time we went blackberrying,’ she added, filled with a sense of well-being as she strode along beside Jared. ‘Granddad used to say it wasn’t true. We put time and effort into picking the blackberries and
we ended up with purple-stained fingers and tiny, irritating prickles in our skin.’

‘I’ve been blackberrying in my time. Ma insisted on us all going after Dad died. We went along the canal, loads of berries there.’

She looked at him and caught an expression in his eyes that caused her heartbeat to quicken. ‘I’ll have to enlist your help next year when it’s
jam-making
time,’ she said boldly.

‘I’ll be glad to be of service,’ he said, with the slightest of bows.

‘Will you two stop talking and do more walking or we’ll never get there,’ said Betty over her shoulder. ‘I reckon it could rain any minute now.’

She was right.

The heavens opened and the rain sheeted down. ‘We’d better make a run for it,’ cried Emma, putting on a spurt.

It did not take them long to reach the Ashcrofts’ house. Emma spotted Jack’s face at the window and he signalled that they went round the back. The three of them hurried round the side of the house and in through the kitchen door and hung their waterproofs on the hooks there.

‘Are you all right?’ called Mr Ashcroft.

‘Aye, we’re coming through,’ said Emma.

She led the way and was glad to see that there was a fire burning in the grate. She thought Lila’s father looked worried. ‘Are you OK, Mr Ashcroft?’
she asked with concern. ‘Would you like me to make you a cup of tea?’

‘Aye, thanks, lass. I’m just a bit worried about our Lila and Dougie.’

‘Dougie Marshall’s up here?’ she asked, remembering what Dorothy had said yesterday about his having visited and not mentioned it.

‘Aye. He’d arranged to come last time he was here and so our Lila took the day off. He’s bought a blinking motorbike and has taken her over to Pendle. In this weather the mist could come down and the pair of them could get lost.’

‘How long ago is it since they left the house?’ asked Jared.

‘Several hours,’ replied Jack. ‘You must be Dorothy’s brother.’

Jared said that he had that pleasure and Emma vanished into the kitchen to make tea. She wondered what Dougie was playing at, supposedly going dancing with Dorothy and letting her down and then coming up here and taking Lila out on a motorbike up to Pendle. Of course, as far as she knew, he’d made no promises to either one. It was a good job that she, herself, had got over the crush she’d had on him.

Betty suddenly appeared at Emma’s elbow. ‘Mr Ashcroft asked could you make him a sandwich. He also offered us something to eat, as well. What do you think? We don’t want to eat him out of house
and home because he’s not well off, is he?’

‘No, luv, he isn’t. The trouble is that he might feel insulted if we refuse his offer,’ said Emma. ‘We don’t have to eat much.’

They made some sandwiches and took them in. Jared was frowning as he listened to Jack Ashcroft. Shortly after, Jared drew Emma aside. ‘It seems to me as if your friend, Dougie, is two-timing my sister. I’ll have something to say when I see him.’

Emma said, ‘I know how you feel but don’t create a scene, Jared! It’s obvious both have something that he likes and he can’t make up his mind between them.’

Jared glowered. ‘Maybe not, but I wouldn’t behave the way he does towards you and I only met you yesterday. I can tell you now, Emma, I feel like I’ve known you for ages.’

She felt a warm glow inside. ‘I feel the same,’ she said, touching his hand. ‘But be that as it may, people are different, Jared. Because of his mother and brothers, Dougie might be in no rush to make up his mind when it comes to choosing the girl he’d like to spend the rest of his life with.’

She had no sooner finished speaking than there came the roar of an engine outside, growing ever closer. The next moment Jared had left her and was out of the house. ‘No, wait,’ she called, and followed after him.

She heard the engine cut out and then a skidding
sound and a crash. She ran and came out onto the road to find Jared flat on his back and Dougie a couple of feet away, gazing down at the motorbike on the ground, its wheels still spinning. She wondered where Lila was and then saw her picking herself up off the road. She seemed OK, so Emma gave all her attention to Jared.

She knelt on the ground, ‘Are you all right?’ she asked anxiously, kneeling on the damp ground beside him. He opened his eyes and winced. ‘Thank God, you’re not dead,’ she said.

He reached up and brought her head down and kissed her. ‘What was that for?’ she asked, lifting her head.

‘It seemed the right thing to do to reassure you that I was very much alive,’ he said, smiling.

‘Dafty,’ she said, returning his smile. ‘Can you get up?’

‘Of course I can, but no thanks to him,’ said Jared, scowling in Dougie’s direction. Jared got to his feet and said, ‘You’re a bloody fool!’

‘Sorry. I didn’t see you there,’ said Dougie, having removed his goggles.

‘Have you forgotten about me?’ asked Lila, coming up behind him.

Dougie turned and smiled at her. ‘You’re a game girl. You’ve enjoyed today, haven’t you?’

‘Aye, but I’m not sure about the motorbike. It’s a dangerous contraption and you should get
rid of it,’ she said, a tremor in her voice.

‘But, Lila! I bought it so I could come and see you more often,’ he said, looking dismayed.

‘That’s very flattering,’ she said, rubbing her bottom. ‘But you were plain daft coming down the hill at that speed with the road wet. We could have both been killed.’

‘But we weren’t,’ said Dougie unnecessarily.

‘No, but we could have been, and who would have looked after me dad then?’ said Lila, who was looking a mess. Her clothes and boots were sodden and there was a smear of mud across her pretty face.

‘I’m sorry,’ said Dougie.

‘So you should be,’ she retorted. ‘I’m going in and you can go home.’

‘Go home!’ exclaimed Dougie. ‘You’re not serious?’

‘Of course I’m serious,’ said Lila, shivering. ‘See you another time, maybe.’ She limped past him and paused in front of Emma and Jared. ‘I suppose you’re Jared,’ she said.

‘That’s right.’ His tone was brusque.

Lila said, ‘I’m sorry you were knocked down. Dorothy told me you were here. Have you been inside?’ She jerked her head in the direction of the house.

‘Your dad was a bit worried about you, Lila,’ said Emma. ‘We’ll be leaving now you’re here.’

Lila sighed. ‘He would, wouldn’t he? I don’t
know what I’m going to do about him and Dougie.’

‘We’ll leave you to it,’ said Emma hastily. ‘We’ll just get our waterproofs and be on our way. Jared and Betty have to go back to Liverpool today.’

Lila nodded and limped up the path.

‘Lila, wait!’ shouted Dougie, going after her. ‘I’ll get rid of the motorbike. I’ll do anything to please you. I love you. I want to marry you.’

Lila stopped, turned round and stared at him from wide eyes. ‘Y-you want to marry me?’ she stammered.

‘Yes!’

‘B-but what about my dad?’

‘I’ll marry him, too,’ said Dougie, running his hand across his face. ‘I mean he can come, too.’

‘Y-you mean to Liverpool?’ asked Lila in disbelief.

‘There’ll be more life for him there.’

‘B-but where would we live? Isn’t it hellish difficult to get a house in Liverpool?’

‘If I get married, I can probably get a police house. Don’t have to live right in the centre of the city. There are newer housing estates a bit further out,’ said Dougie.

Lila’s face lit up. ‘I think you really mean it. OK, then … I mean, yes! You’d better come and talk to me dad about it.’ She linked her arm through Dougie’s and glanced over her shoulder at Emma and winked. ‘You will be my bridesmaid, won’t you?’

Emma nodded, completely flabbergasted.

Betty suddenly appeared with their waterproofs. She said something to Lila, who nodded, and then the younger girl came towards Jared and Emma. ‘You coming?’ she asked them.

Jared blinked and shook his head as he stared after Lila and Dougie. ‘I feel like giving him a punch,’ he said, ‘but I suppose that’s hardly civilised.’

‘No,’ said Emma, smiling. ‘I know it’s tough luck on Dorothy, but I am glad for Lila. I’m sure your Dorothy will have no trouble finding someone else.’

Jared said, ‘I’m glad you don’t still fancy him.’

‘How can you even think that, after …?’ She blushed.

Jared reached for her hand. ‘It really is lovely countryside around here. I can’t imagine you ever wanting to leave it.’

‘I’d have to have a very good reason for doing so,’ said Emma, gazing up at him, knowing that it was unlikely that he’d leave Liverpool to come and live up here. He needed to be where his work was, and what would she do about her cottage? But she was thinking too far ahead to a future with a man she had only met yesterday. The way the pair of them felt about each other could just be a passing phase.