Memories Are Made of This (33 page)

‘I'd have enjoyed a cooked breakfast,' said Jeanette, taking a packet of cornflakes from the kitchen cabinet.

‘Well cook it yourself,' said Sam. ‘We've been out most of the night.'

‘Of course, I'm sorry,' murmured Jeanette. ‘So Cedric's dead?'

Hester and Sam looked at each other. ‘Yes, he's dead,' said the latter, and carried on eating.

‘Did Dad tell you about Billy?' said Hester.

Jeanette's hand stilled. ‘He told me a youth had been injured.'

‘Billy's face and hands were badly burnt.'

Jeanette gasped.

Hester continued, ‘I spoke to your priest at Stanley hospital. I was to tell you that a nurse who thinks she saw your mother in hospital could possibly be at a concert given in the church hall tomorrow night.'

Jeanette sank onto a chair. ‘That's the last thing I expected you to say,' she croaked.

‘I was surprised, too.' Hester carried her empty plate over to the sink and then without another word left the kitchen.

Jeanette looked at Sam. ‘Is she OK?'

‘Cedric's death was a shock but she'll get over it.' Sam spread butter on his toast. ‘Interesting message from the priest for you.'

Jeanette nodded, thinking not only of her mother but of Billy burnt and in hospital. No need to keep looking over her shoulder now, worrying that he wasn't in Ireland and might discover where she lived. She put him out of her mind and thought instead of the news from Father Callaghan. Perhaps Peggy would be going to the concert and she could go with her.

Jeanette was still eating her breakfast when the post arrived. Only two birthday cards for her: she recognized Peggy's writing, and David's from the note he had sent to her. He had sent his love and said that he would be able to make the cinema that evening. She hugged the thought to her, wrote a note to Ethel and her father saying she would be out, and propped it up against the clock and left for work, slightly miffed that no one in her family had remembered she was eighteen that day.

‘Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you,' sang Peggy, entering the office with a small, neatly tied parcel. ‘This is for you.' She handed it over to Jeanette. ‘It's a—'

‘Don't tell me,' interrupted Jeanette. ‘It takes away the fun of opening it.'

‘Sorry,' said Peggy, perching on her desk. ‘I hope you like the colour.'

Jeanette rolled her eyes. ‘Thanks.' She opened the parcel and took out a Max Factor lipstick and a bar of Fry's chocolate cream. She removed the lipstick from its box and saw that it was coral. ‘Perfect. I'd have hated bright red.'

‘My pleasure,' said Peggy, beaming at her. ‘So what are you doing tonight? Meeting lover boy?'

‘Yes. We're going to see Glynis Johns in the mermaid film.' Jeanette paused. ‘I was going to ask you whether you were going to the concert at Father Callaghan's church hall tomorrow night. If so, can I come with you?'

‘Sure! Is there a reason?'

Jeanette told her. Peggy gave a whistle. ‘Let's hope you're in luck. Bad about Billy, though. Bloody fool!'

Jeanette agreed. She shared the Fry's Cream with Peggy and Elsie, then Peggy left the room and Jeanette got on with her work, looking forward to that evening and the concert tomorrow, as well.

She was pleased to find David waiting for her outside the Cunard Building later that day. ‘Happy birthday,' he said, handing her a small parcel. ‘I hope you like it.' He brushed his lips against hers.

She removed the wrappings to reveal a square-shaped box. Opening it she found inside a gold heart-shaped locket with a jewel inside on a chain set on a bed of cotton wool. ‘Oh, this is lovely,' she said, fingering it. ‘I'd ask you to put it on for me now, but perhaps it's best if we wait until we get to the cinema where there's more light.' She managed to stop herself from saying,
You shouldn't have spent so much money on me
.
But the fact that he had done so must mean he really was serious about her.

‘Good idea,' said David, kissing her again.

She clung to him and returned his kiss. Slowly they drew apart and smiled at each other. ‘Thank you so much for my present.' She placed it in her handbag.

‘My pleasure,' he said, drawing her hand through his arm.

They began to walk up Water Street, discussing whether to have something to eat before going to the cinema or afterwards. That decision made, she wondered if she should put off telling him about Billy or whether to get it over with. Then she could tell him the news that she had been thinking about for most of the day.

David did not react to the news about Billy as she thought he might. He did not crow over his enemy's downfall but said nothing for a minute or so, then said calmly, ‘Nasty. He's going to suffer much more than I did. I remember reading about pilots coming down in flames during the war. Some survived and had to go through the ordeal of having their faces partially rebuilt with plastic surgery.'

‘I wanted him punished for what he did to you, as well as for attacking me and stabbing that doorman, but . . .' Jeanette sighed.

They walked on in silence for a few minutes and then she said, ‘I do have some other news. Good this time.'

David looked at her questioningly. ‘Your brother's changed his mind about me?'

She smiled. ‘I think he was in a mood because he'd fallen out with his girlfriend. I'd like the pair of you to be the best of friends. No, my news is about my mother. Apparently the nurse who looked after her after she was rescued could be at the concert tomorrow. I still don't know, though, if she's alive or dead.'

‘And if she's alive?'

‘I have to see her. I need to know why she deserted me and Dad,' said Jeanette tremulously.

‘Can you see the person you spoke to about my mother, Father Callaghan?' shouted Jeanette above the din in the church hall the following evening.

The concert had finished and had been received extremely well by a full-capacity audience. She had been surprised to see Tonio Gianelli, Jimmy and Irene, as well as Maggie and Betty amongst the performers. So far she hadn't had a chance to talk to them, although they must be somewhere in the crowd now, enjoying tea and mince pies and bun loaf.

‘I can't say I can, Jeanette,' he replied. ‘I have been looking out for her. Maybe as it's a foul evening she and her brother changed their mind about coming.'

She could scarcely conceal her disappointment and would have gone home there and then if Peggy had not signalled to her. A few moments later she found herself sitting at a trestle table with the twins, Emma and Jared, Betty and Maggie, as well as Jimmy and Irene. They were chattering ten to the dozen, obviously pleased with their performance. Apparently they all went along to musical evenings at Tonio Gianelli's parents' house, and that was how they had got roped in to perform at the charity concert. They were now talking about their plans for Christmas.

‘I'm giving a party in my flat on Boxing Day,' said Betty.

‘I thought it was Christmas Day?' said Jeanette.

‘No, I changed it so Jimmy and Irene could come. Perhaps you and your David would like to come, Jeanette?'

‘Thanks,' said Jeanette, gratified, hoping David would be able to make it.

‘How about asking Jeanette's sister to come as well?' suggested Emma quietly. ‘I'd like to see Hester again.'

‘Why not? The more the merrier,' said Betty, smiling. ‘You'll come, too, won't you, Peggy?' She glanced her way.

Peggy hesitated.

Jeanette looked at her. ‘Say you'll come. It'll be fun.'

‘Yes, do come,' said Pete, gazing across at Peggy. ‘I might even get up and have a go at dancing.'

Peggy smiled. ‘Now that I'd like to see. Where is your flat, Betty?'

She told them and so it was settled.

When it came to leaving the church hall, Jeanette felt less miserable than she had done on discovering that the nurse was not at the concert. Still, she was disappointed and was not looking forward to telling the family she had no more news about her mother.

As Jeanette neared the house she saw a dark figure emerge from their path. The ring of her heels on the pavement drew the person's attention briefly, and for a moment she caught a glimpse of a woman's face. She seemed to hesitate and then hurried away. Jeanette would have gone after her if the front door had not opened and Ethel called out to her, ‘Is that you, Jeanette?'

‘Yes, Aunt Ethel, I'm coming.' She went up the path to the lighted doorway. ‘Did that woman knock here?' she asked.

Ethel squinted at Jeanette. ‘Nobody knocked here, but something was shoved through the letterbox. Probably a Christmas card. Someone saving on the postage.' She peered down at the envelope in her hand. ‘I can't make out who it's addressed to.'

‘You should have your glasses on,' said Jeanette. ‘Give me it here.'

Ethel passed it to her.

Jeanette saw that it was addressed to her and slit open the envelope. She took out a card, but it was a birthday card rather than a Christmas card.

‘Come inside and tell me who it's from,' said Ethel.

Jeanette stepped over the threshold and opened the card. A single sheet of paper fell out. She glanced down at the signature and saw that it was ‘Laura O'Neill'
.
Who on earth was Laura O'Neill? Puzzled, she decided to read the letter properly once in the warmth of the kitchen. She did not bother taking off her coat and hanging it up, but went straight in, sat down and began to read.

Dear Jeanette Walker,

You do not know me but I saw your notice in the
Liverpool Echo
, wrapped around a portion of fish and chips, would you believe? I have information concerning Grace Walker's whereabouts. I suggest we meet on Christmas Eve at approximately noon at Bebington station on the Wirral, when all will be revealed. If you are unable to make this appointment, your mother will be severely disappointed.

Yours sincerely,

Laura O'Neill

Jeanette was glad she was sitting down because she felt so odd that she thought she might pass out and she had never fainted in her life before. Surely the letter could not be a hoax? Who was the woman who had delivered it? Could she be Laura O'Neill who was asking her to go over to the Wirral? It would have meant her coming all this way on a winter's evening when she could have posted it. Maybe she had a friend this side of the Mersey who had performed the task for her.

‘It's a birthday card,' said Ethel, rousing Jeanette from her reverie.

‘I know. It was my birthday yesterday.'

‘Was it?' Ethel added, ‘It's not like me to forget.'

‘Huh! All my family forgot.' Jeanette snatched the card from Ethel's hand and opened it, but disappointingly there was nothing personal written inside. So why post it through their door with the letter?

‘I'll make us a cup of tea,' said Ethel, getting to her feet.

‘Cocoa,' said Jeanette absently.

Ethel glanced at her and reached for the cocoa tin. ‘So how did the concert go?'

Jeanette did not answer.

‘I think you're going deaf,' said Ethel. ‘Not that I'm really interested. They're all out. Doesn't matter if I'm here all on my own.'

‘If you were in the old people's home you wouldn't be alone, so stop complaining.' Jeanette reached for the letter again, knowing that even if she read it a dozen times, she would not learn anything more from it. Didn't this Laura O'Neill realize that she had a job and that Christmas Eve or not, she would be in work on Friday?

‘Our George wouldn't put me in an old people's home,' muttered Ethel, lighting the gas under the kettle. ‘I saw to it that he was looked after when he was little, despite everything.'

‘Stop complaining then and be nice to people,' said Jeanette, picking up the birthday card and reading the first two lines of the verse:
Although we are apart, you are always in my heart.

‘Who's the card from?'

‘I don't know, although the letter is from a Laura O'Neill,' said Jeanette.

‘Laura O'Neill,' murmured Ethel. ‘I'm no good with names.'

‘Then why ask?' Jeanette wondered whether she should show the letter to her father, but what if it was a hoax? Some joker who had read the notice in the
Echo
and thought it was funny to have her go chasing across the Mersey in search of her mother. But why the birthday card? Was it to prove that this person knew she'd just had a birthday?

Her mother would know the date of her birth. Had her mother bought the card but for some reason not written in it? Maybe she hadn't had time. She felt a curl of excitement. There was only one way to find out if the letter was on the level, and that was to ask if she could leave work at eleven and make up the hours after Christmas so she could keep the appointment.

But she would tell no one. After her cocoa she would go to bed and if any of her family knocked on her door, when they came in, she would feign sleep.

The following morning, a heavy-eyed Hester said, ‘We forgot your birthday, didn't we, Jeanette?'

Jeanette was getting ready for work and wanted to be on her way. ‘It doesn't matter. You've had a lot of upset so it's understandable.'

Hester frowned. ‘Don't pretend. Of course it matters. I'll get you something before Christmas.'

‘OK, thanks. See you.' Jeanette made for the door. ‘You look after yourself.'

Hester called her back. ‘You haven't said what happened at the concert. Did you see that nurse about your mother?'

‘No. Big disappointment. Don't want to talk about it,' said Jeanette.

‘OK. How was the Glynis Johns film?'

‘Oh!' Jeanette smiled. ‘That was fun.'

‘Did you notice Dorothy in it?' Hester was remembering Ally suggesting that they go and see
Mad About Men
together and she felt deeply depressed. Her period was due and she had not come on yet. She could have killed Cedric – if he wasn't already dead.