Nothing is Forever (13 page)

‘Where did you get to last night?’ she asked, when she went into the shop. She kept her voice light as though amused rather than angry. ‘Thanks for looking after Tabs. Isn’t that father of hers awful? He treats her like his servant, and even now, with a wife to look after him, he wants her back as unpaid housekeeper.’

‘You didn’t bang his head against the wall then? Thank goodness for that.’ He put down the brass poker he was polishing and took off his gloves. ‘Give me a minute and I’ll make us a cup of tea.’

‘You finish what you’re doing and I’ll make the tea.’

‘What, and have you accuse me of behaving like George Bishop?’

‘Just try it, that’s all,’ she warned, running up the stairs to his flat.

She looked around after putting the kettle to boil. The flat was large and comfortable. The living-room was spacious, with large armchairs arranged facing the fireplace, and a table and chairs at one end where you could sit and look out at the park across the road. It was fully carpeted and the furniture was polished Welsh oak of the finest quality. Mostly eighteenth century she had been told. Another room which Henry used as an office overlooked the garden at the back. A wooden beautifully carved staircase led up to three bedrooms and a bathroom above. This was Henry’s home and he wanted her to share it. She loved the way it was arranged and didn’t think she would want to change a thing. It was a dream of a home and she knew that with Henry she wouldn’t want for anything. She’d be loved, and cared for and life would be perfect, so why was she refusing him?

‘Any sign of that tea?’ Henry called, and she quickly lit the gas and set out a tray. A stray niggle of jealousy entered her mind and when she went down with the tea she asked, ‘Was Tabs all right last night? She must have been very upset. How did you manage to calm her down?’

‘I put an arm around her and talked to her. She’s been treated so unkindly. The trouble is she accepts her father’s low opinion of her.’

‘Careful that she doesn’t fall for you; she doesn’t want to be hurt even more, even if it is intended kindly.’

Henry laughed. ‘No chance of that. She has a secret boyfriend and I think he’s making her happy. It’s only her father and his new wife who make her miserable.’

‘It’s true, then? Tabs really has a boyfriend?’

‘I saw them meeting after the shop closed and she’d added a touch of lipstick and combed her hair and fixed it with a new Alice band.’

‘I’m so pleased. Good for her!’

‘Not a word, mind.’

‘That will be difficult. I hope she tells me soon or I’ll burst with the effort of keeping quiet. Tabs with a young man! What was he like?’

‘I can’t tell you. He grabbed her arm and whisked her away.’ He thought of the missing silver but said nothing of his suspicions. Tabs was naïve and probably gullible to the man’s flattery, but until he was sure, he couldn’t say anything.

‘Taking her home might not have been a good idea, though.’ Ruth said, bringing his thoughts back to the present. ‘Better if you’d found her a taxi.’

He looked at her then, an eyebrow quizzically raised. ‘Not jealous, are you?’

‘No, of course not … Yet!’

‘Marry me.’

She slipped into his arms, but the reply never came. She couldn’t imagine herself as his wife, yet the thought of him being attracted to someone else was unimaginable. So what did she want? She wished she knew.

When Tabs entered the shop after lunch, she coloured up, aware of how Henry had comforted her the night before. She wondered if he was embarrassed too. After all, he was sort of engaged to Ruth Thomas who had been left at the party. She didn’t know what to say, so she said nothing.

‘Were the others late getting home?’ he asked, as he picked up the tray to take it to his flat.

‘No, most of them walked. Bryn did two journeys bringing Toni first then going back to bring Aunty Blodwen. She wasn’t too keen to leave apparently,’ she said with a smile. ‘I gather she was hoping to stay the night, but Bryn whispered about the big breakfast Ruth had planned and she was convinced she’d be better off at Ty Gwyn!’ Their laughter eased away any embarrassment and the day progressed happily.

At lunchtime the next day she went to the park and was joined by Jack. After asking about the party and commiserating with her about the presumption that she would be chief caterer and not chief guest, he led the conversation to the search for his own family.

‘I don’t think your Ruth and her brothers are anything to do with me,’ he said sadly.

‘Then you’ll be going away?’

‘I’ll have to move on, try another town.’

‘But you aren’t certain? I mean they might be the family you’re searching for, mightn’t they?’

‘I bet the clues to the family history are in that loft. If I could get up there and look through the abandoned rubbish that families keep, I could be sure. Oh, Tabs, wouldn’t it be marvellous if they were my family, and I could stay here for ever? But without telling them why I’m here and probably putting them off helping, I don’t see how I can find out. Thanks to you, I’ve done all I can.’

‘But if you could get up in the loft? Is there a chance you might find what you’re looking for?’

‘A chance, but how can I, without anyone knowing and sending me on my way?’

‘I could help, Jack. I’ll choose a day when Ruth is at work on one of her country routes. Aunty Blod is going home in a couple of days. The house will be empty during the day and you’ll have time for a proper search.’

‘You’d do that for me?’

‘I’ll even buy you a torch!’

He hugged her and, when she went back to the shop, Henry again noticed the rosy cheeks and the glowing eyes. So she had been meeting this secret boyfriend, that much was obvious. Without any reason except a cautious need to protect her, he decided that the following day, when she was again working at the shop, he would try to get a look at the man and maybe find out something about him. Someone must know him and a good look at him was the first step.

Ruth went to Henry’s shop the next morning and asked if he would like to meet her between calls on her insurance round, and maybe have lunch together. He declined and although she asked, he seemed unwilling to tell her why.

‘An appointment?’ she asked. ‘Buying? Selling?’

‘Not really, just something I’m doing for Tabs.’

She waited, but he didn’t explain further. ‘It doesn’t matter,’ she said airily. ‘I don’t really have the time anyway. Tommy and Toni are coming at four to pick up a nursing chair that Aunty Blod is giving them.’

‘Good,’ he said vaguely and she suspected he hadn’t really listened to what was said. Surely Tabs wasn’t a rival? That idea was ludicrous.

She left feeling slightly uneasy without understanding why. She and Henry had been loving friends for so long and there were never any secrets. It was rare for either of them not to know the whereabouts of the other. Whatever he had planned, she was clearly excluded. She decided to go home and eat before setting out to finish collecting. Aunty Blod was pleased to see her and she made a snack, prepared vegetables ready for the evening and then stayed a while to help Blod with her packing.

‘I’ll go to see her tomorrow evening,’ she told Tabs. ‘I’ve booked a taxi for her for mid morning, but I’ll go later to make sure she’s comfortable. She can manage, I don’t want her to think that she can’t, and Mrs Harrison is a kind neighbour, but I’ll feel better if I make sure she’s all right.’

‘Tomorrow is your long day, isn’t it?’

‘Yes, and I invited Henry to join me on my round so we can have lunch together, but he’s busy.’

‘Will you be out all day?’

‘Yes. It’s a long day. No chance to get back between calls as the farms are a long way off. I’ll go to Aunty Blod’s flat straight from work. I’ll take a couple of sandwiches with me, although I get offered food every where I go so I won’t starve,’ she added. ‘I really enjoy the country round; the people are so kind and it’s very interesting.’

‘It’s my half day, so I’ll get a meal ready. I’ll make some cakes too, shall I?’ Tabs offered. ‘I’ll be glad of something to do, being on my own in the house all day.’

When Tabs went out to post a letter, Jack was waiting as arranged and she assured him that, from eleven o’clock, when the taxi came for Aunty Blod, the house would be empty. ‘I’ll be back at one o’clock,’ she added.

He was there soon after one and they hugged each other, laughing like the conspirators they were. Tabs told him where to find the ladder and he pulled himself up into the loft space with ease. She handed him two torches and went back down to begin the cooking she had promised Ruth she would do.

On her third call, Ruth had filled in the books and was talking to the farmer, Ted Wills and was on the point of leaving, when the house phone rang. As she waved goodbye his wife called her back. ‘Ruth, it’s for you!’

‘For me? How can it be?’ She took the receiver and listened for a while then, stared in disbelief. ‘It’s my Aunty Blodwen. She’s had a fall and the ambulance men spoke to my boss and asked where I’d be. I have to hurry home!’

Ted Wills put on his boots, and reached for some keys. ‘Come on, I’ll take you, the bike will fit in the back of the truck.’ Ignoring Ruth’s protests he lifted the bike into the truck and they set off.

Jack was still in the loft and Tabs had handed him a cup of tea when they both heard the sound of the truck at the side of the house.

‘Quick, get downstairs,’ Jack hissed.

‘I can’t leave you here!’

‘You have to. Get moving, you can let me out later!’

Tabs scrambled down the ladder after closing the trap door, and she was struggling down the stairs with the ladder when Ruth came in.

‘It’s Aunty Blod, she fell and hurt her leg,’ Ruth explained, then she saw the ladder. ‘Tabs? What on earth are you doing?’

‘A spider, up in the corner of your bedroom,’ Tabs said. ‘I put it out of the window on a duster.’

‘I have to go to the hospital. I’ll be back as soon as I can.’

‘Don’t rush,’ Tabs said.

‘Why don’t you phone the hospital first?’ Ted suggested. ‘She might already have been sent home.’

Nervously, Tabs disagreed. ‘Best you go straight there. She’ll want to see you.’

The sound of another car broke the brief silence and there was a knock at the door.

‘Miss Thomas? I have your aunt in the taxi, all right to bring her in?’

Tabs glanced up the stairs towards the trap door and wondered when she would be able to release Jack from his prison.

Blodwen wasn’t seriously hurt and although the hospital would have preferred to keep her in overnight, she had insisted she would be better off with her niece. Ted left after profuse thanks, and there followed a frantic hour sorting out a bed on the ground floor for Blodwen, and making sure she had everything she might need, close at hand.

Ruth flopped onto the couch in the kitchen. ‘I feel like I’ve been chased by a maniac with an axe! I’m so tired. It must be the shock. Thank goodness you’re making the meal, or I think I’d forget eating altogether!’

‘Oh dear,’ Tabs said, shamefaced. ‘I forgot all about it. Beans on toast all right?’

Ruth sent a neighbour’s son to Tommy and Bryn’s flat with a message to tell them what had happened and the four of them came at about 7.30 with flowers and some sweets. Toni was made comfortable in the carver chair at the table, as getting out of low armchairs was difficult now her pregnancy was in its seventh month.

Henry, who had spent the lunch hour watching the park in the hope of seeing Tabs and her secret boyfriend, called at nine. While Tabs and Ruth were in the kitchen, he spoke to Tommy and Bryn and their wives about the house.

‘It’s all too convenient for people to use Ruth like this. She doesn’t mind, but I do. She uses their emergencies as an excuse to delay marrying me. Why don’t you sell the place? I spoke unofficially to an estate agent and it would be a couple of hundred pounds for each of you. When you’re ready to buy, you’ll be able to use it as a deposit. Isn’t that what you want, houses of your own?’

‘We’ve suggested it,’ Tommy said.

‘And she turned the idea down,’ added Bryn.

‘I agree with Henry,’ Toni said. ‘Ruth would be much happier once she gets over the shock of knowing we don’t need her any more.’

Ruth came in with some cakes and tea followed by an anxious looking Tabs. ‘You’re all looking serious,’ she said with a smile.’ Don’t worry, Aunty Blod will be fine after a bit of spoiling.’

‘Trouble is,’ Blod replied, ‘I don’t want to go back to the flat. I need a few days to get strong again. If you sell up, where will I go if I’m poorly?’

‘What are you talking about? Sell this house? It’s the family home. Why would we sell it? There’s nonsense you talk sometimes. Sure it was your leg and not your head you hit?’

‘But the boys are talking about you selling and sharing the money so as they can buy places of their own. Henry says, it’s for the best.’

‘Oh. Henry does, does he?’

‘I agree,’ Toni said quickly.

‘Out of the question,’ Ruth said sharply. ‘Now, pour the tea before it gets cold, will you, Tabs?’ She turned to look at Henry who was staring at her in a curious manner.

Tabs went to the door with Henry and, as he was leaving, she put a hand on his arm. He was surprised and pleased. Contact was something Tabs found difficult and this was a sign that she was becoming less inhibited. A fleeting thought that the mysterious boyfriend might be the reason, quickly faded and he smiled. ‘Now I’m the one needing comfort,’ he said, patting her hand then walking away.

‘I think you should go after him, Ruth,’ Tabs whispered, when she went back inside. ‘That was very hurtful. He wants what’s best for you. There isn’t any other motive.’

‘And what’s it to do with you?’ Ruth was so angry she couldn’t hold back the words.

‘Nothing, except I like you both, and hate seeing you unhappy.’

The others stood to leave, Blodwen nodded off to sleep in her bed near the dying fire. Tabs excused herself and went to her room, hoping that the house would soon become quiet and she could rescue Jack from the loft.

Ruth stayed up for a while then dampened down the fire and went to her bedroom and thought about what had been said. How could she leave this place? Why couldn’t Henry understand? It was the place everyone called home. The flats where Bryn and Brenda, Tommy and Toni lived were convenient places where they could display their different ideas of what a home should be, but when anything important happened, it was to Ty Gwyn they came to find sympathy or to celebrate.