One Rainy Day (25 page)

A hush came over the congregation when the vicar appeared, followed closely by Michael and Jessica, carrying the baby. The vicar indicated that George and Harriet should stand by the baby’s parents at the font, as they were to be godparents, and the rest of the guests should form a circle.

The baby was wearing a christening robe of heavy satin covered by layers of lace, which had been worn by every baby born into the Parker-Brown family for the last seventy-five years. Christened Charles Leo Parker-Brown, the baby behaved himself throughout the ceremony. He didn’t cry as most babies do when they are splashed with cold water, and his parents were enormously proud of him. Harriet, now Leo’s godmother, was allowed to hold him, and she was so emotional her eyes filled with tears. ‘Steady on, old girl,’ George whispered in his wife’s ear. ‘This is supposed to be a happy occasion. You and I have a godchild now, and that will enrich our lives. And we have a responsibility towards him.’

Charlotte appeared and leaned over to look into the baby’s face. ‘Oh, isn’t he sweet. He’s like a little doll.’

George chuckled softly so Leo’s parents couldn’t hear what he was saying. ‘You were just as sweet when you were christened, my darling. I think it lasted for a month or so, then you learned how to cry when you wanted to be picked up and nursed.’

Charlotte pouted. ‘Oh, Papa, I was never a crybaby. The nanny I had said I was as good as gold.’

‘She meant you were as good as gold when you were asleep, my dear, and of course you were.’

Harriet was swaying, as people do when holding babies. ‘George, don’t tease Charlotte. Both she and Andrew were good babies.’

‘Well, she will find out for herself one day, when she is married and has children of her own. And I am sure you are as eager as I am to have grandchildren.’

‘I think you should talk to Andrew about that, Papa, for he is older than me.’ Charlotte looked across to where her three friends were keeping Andrew talking. Several times he’d made to move off, only to have a hand laid on his arm to detain him. And he wasn’t the type of person to be rude and walk away. ‘He will meet the right girl one day, Papa. And when he does, she’ll be someone really special.’

The baby had gone to sleep in Harriet’s arms, so she kept her voice low. ‘And what about you, young lady? You appear to have lost interest in the boys you went around with. And several of them would have made an excellent husband. You would have wanted for nothing.’

‘When I do get married, Mother, it will be for love, not for money.’ Charlotte gave her father a saucy wink. ‘I’m sure you wouldn’t see your daughter living in a garret, with no coal for the fire and the larder bare, would you, Papa?’

George forgot where he was for a moment, and the chortle had left his lips before he could stop it. He raised his bushy eyebrows in apology to those who had turned their heads, then tutted at his daughter. ‘You would make a good actress, you little minx. An empty grate and larder, in a garret no less. You don’t know what a garret is.’

‘Well, not in real life, Father, I have to admit. But when I was little, only about six or seven, I think, Nanny Barbara took me to a picture house one afternoon. I’d never seen a film before. Mother was having friends in, and she told Nanny to take me out for a few hours. I’ll never forget that afternoon because it stayed in my memory for ages. In fact I can still see the film in my mind. It was very old, and the woman in it was called Mary Pickford. She was very poor, and she lived in a garret with no coal and no food.’

Harriet gasped. ‘You were never allowed to go to picture houses when you were so young! I would never have permitted it. They were dirty places, filled with common people. I don’t believe you, Charlotte. I think you’ve made it all up, and I must say it is in very bad taste.’

Charlotte was feeling full of devilment. ‘That must have been why Nanny Barbara made me promise not to tell you where we’d been.’

Jessica arrived at that moment and relieved Harriet of baby Leo. ‘We’ll see you back at the house. Most people are going to their cars now. It all went off beautifully, don’t you think, Harriet? Leo was a little angel.’

‘It was perfect, my dear,’ Harriet said. ‘And I’m so glad Michael brought a camera. It will be lovely to have photographs to look back on.’

‘You will be given copies,’ Jessica assured her. ‘You must have photographs of your godchild. But don’t dally.
The tables will be set out for a light meal and a drink.’

‘We’ll be there directly, my dear.’ Harriet waited until the church was almost empty, then glared at Charlotte. ‘Now, young lady, I want the truth.’

George rolled his eyes at his daughter, a sign for her to behave. ‘I believe our daughter made up a very likely story, which I found rather amusing. But perhaps this wasn’t the place, or the time, for frivolity.’

Harriet’s face broke into a smile. ‘I am not completely without humour, my dear. Charlotte’s make-believe story was funny, and I remember the Mary Pickford film very well. You see, not long after you had the television installed, several very old films were shown in the afternoons. In fact, because we were the first of our set to have a television, several of my friends would come to see what they called “the afternoon matinee”. We watched all the old movies, with Laurel and Hardy, Charlie Chase and Ben Turpin. Oh, we did have some fun.’

Charlotte was more surprised than her father, and absolutely delighted. ‘Mother, you have stolen the spotlight from me! Nanny Barbara would be horrified if she knew I was using her as one of the characters in my web of lies. Of course she didn’t take me to a picture house when she knew how displeased you would be. Everything I said was make-believe, except one thing, which I am sure you will remember if you cast your mind back. It was not long after father had the television installed, and you began entertaining a few of your friends in the afternoons. I’d been in bed with mumps, and because you felt sorry for me, you allowed me to watch the television while lying on the couch. Do you remember?’

Harriet nodded. ‘And that was where you saw the Mary Pickford film. The memory is vague, but there none the less.’

George was becoming impatient. ‘I do think we should make a move. We are the only ones left in the church, apart from Andrew who is being kept prisoner by your friends, Charlotte. Please rescue the poor man immediately, before he is torn limb from limb. I’m sure he will thank you for freeing him. He’s far too polite for his own good.’

‘I’ll tell them he is coming in our car and there’ll be no room for them. They will have their own cars anyway, and there’ll be a fight over who can coax Andrew into hers. But I’ll say you need to speak to him urgently, and I’ll drag him away if necessary.’

Andrew’s fixed smile relaxed when his sister linked his arm, saying, ‘I’m taking my brother, for he and Father have something to discuss.’ She ignored the protests and pulled hard. ‘Come on, Andrew, it’s quite important.’

When they were far enough away not to be heard, he let out a deep sigh. ‘I’m sorry, Charlotte, I know they’re your friends, but I’ve been bored rigid. They don’t appear to have a brain between them. I missed the baby being christened, for they weren’t in the least interested. All they came for, as far as I heard, was to weigh up what the guests were wearing, then find fault and pull them to pieces. If I see them bearing down on me when we’re at Jessica’s I’ll plead a headache and leave.’

‘I’ll see to it that they don’t,’ Charlotte said as they quickened their pace to follow their parents out of the church. ‘I’m not going to allow them to spoil the day for you, so as soon as we get to Jessica’s I’ll tell them a whopping big lie.’

‘Don’t lie on my behalf, Charlotte, for that would make me feel a coward. I’ll stay close to Mother and Father, stick to them like glue. Father wouldn’t entertain the type of conversation I’ve put up with. He’d soon send them packing.
I was congratulating myself that Annabel was being kept away by her parents, but at least she isn’t rude about people.’

‘They are my friends, or used to be, so I’ll put a stop to them bothering you. And I know the best way to do it, so they won’t ever trouble you again. I’ll tell them you have a girlfriend and are serious about her. She’s gorgeous to look at, with an hourglass figure, and you are crazy about her.’ Charlotte climbed through the car door her father was holding open for her, while Andrew slid into the far seat. ‘That should do the trick.’

George closed the car door, and then climbed into the driver’s seat. ‘Just to satisfy my curiosity, Charlotte, what will do the trick, and who won’t bother whom again?’

Harriet turned her head and smiled at her impetuous daughter. ‘Could you tell your father the true facts, without any embellishment? I would like to arrive at the Parker-Browns’ before nightfall.’

Charlotte narrowed her eyes in thought. Then she sat upright and grinned. ‘Right, Mother, you shall have the situation in as few words as possible. My three friends made a nuisance of themselves and cornered my dear brother, Andrew. Bored him stiff with stupid conversation. So now they’re going to be told he has a gorgeous girlfriend, with an hourglass figure, and he’s crazy about her. Then, exit three brainless women, and enter freedom for Andrew.’

George guffawed. ‘Well done, my daughter! And when are we to meet this gorgeous girlfriend with the hourglass figure?’

Charlotte leaned across the seat and kissed her brother soundly on the cheek. ‘As soon as he’s found her, Papa. He’s still looking.’

Eva stood at the bottom of the stairs on the Monday morning and called up to tell her children it was time they were out of bed. She had barely finished calling when Poppy came bounding down the stairs. ‘Good morning, Mam.’

‘My goodness, that was quick.’ Eva was wide-eyed with surprise. ‘Did yer not sleep well, or are yer feeling out of sorts?’

‘I slept like a log, Mam, but I woke early. I think it was because I had that homework on my mind. I spent so much time pawing over it, I was cross-eyed when I went to bed. But I feel quite chuffed with myself, and I bet Jean will be surprised at how well I’ve done. I hope so, anyway, ’cos if Mr Jones doesn’t say I’ve improved, I’ll go mad.’

‘You’re rushing things, sweetheart, wanting things to happen too quickly. Try to be patient; learn to walk before yer run.’

‘I know, Mam, I should jump before I leap. I went over all that last night. I am going to try very hard to be patient, and not dwell on something I can only achieve given time. So to cheer myself up, and take my mind off shorthand, I’m going to give myself a treat today, and wear my new coat to go to work in. Apart from wanting to show off, it will give the office staff something to talk about. They’ve only ever seen me in the old raincoat.’

Eva was bustling in and out of the kitchen during the conversation, setting the table and making tea and toast. ‘Give David a shout for me, sweetheart. Yer know he takes ages to get ready. He takes twice as long as us.’

Poppy defended her brother. ‘We don’t have to get shaved every morning, Mam, thank goodness. I think if I was a man I would grow a beard, rather than have to go through that palaver every day.’

She jumped when a voice behind her said. ‘Oh, I don’t think you would suit a beard, Poppy.’

‘Oh, you daft nit! Yer gave me the fright of me life then. I nearly jumped out of my skin! Why didn’t you say something so I’d know you were there?’

‘I didn’t want to interrupt the intelligent conversation you were having on the merits of beards.’ David yawned. ‘I also heard you saying you were wearing your new coat to work today. Is it a celebration?’

‘You don’t miss much, even though you still look half asleep.’ There was fondness in Poppy’s eyes. ‘If I had anything to celebrate, my dear brother, you would be the first to know. After my mam, of course, but that goes without saying.’

‘The toast is ready, and the water boiling for tea,’ Eva told them, ‘so sit yerselves down. If yer keep on yapping you’ll be late for work.’

Poppy made a dive for the kitchen, to get there before her mother. ‘I’ll see to the tea, Mam; you sit down and eat your toast. You shouldn’t be waiting on us – me and David are old enough and ugly enough to look after ourselves. So go on, sit down. You go to work same as we do.’

Eva did as she was told and sat down, but it didn’t feel right. She was used to seeing to the children, making sure they had a decent breakfast before going out, and old habits
die hard. ‘I don’t have as far to travel to work as you and David. I can walk to the factory in fifteen minutes.’

‘Poppy is right though, Mam, you shouldn’t be running around after us. You’ve spoilt us, that’s the trouble. We’re so used to you waking us up every morning, and having our breakfast ready, we take it for granted. And that is not right. It should be the other way round. You have an extra half-hour in bed, and we’ll make the breakfast.’

‘But I don’t want an extra half-hour in bed. I’d only be lying there counting the cracks in the ceiling, bored stiff. I’ve got to be active, it’s what I’m used to. So don’t you and Poppy make me old before me time, ’cos I wouldn’t thank yer for it. And I’m not being miserable or ungrateful when I say that, because I know you only want what is best for me. But I’ll know when it’s time for me to start taking things easy: my body will tell me. And I’m hoping it won’t be for a long time yet.’

Poppy put a cup down in front of her mother. ‘I’ve put sugar in, Mam, and stirred it.’ She pulled a chair out and sat next to her brother. ‘Mam, there’s nothing old about you. You certainly don’t look it, and you’re not old in the head. But you should be getting a bit more out of life than you are. The only social life you have is a game of cards next door. That’s hardly exciting, is it?’

Eva chuckled as she spread butter on a piece of toast. ‘Funny you should say that, sweetheart, because when I told Marg about me new coat, she said it wouldn’t do the coat any good being stuck in a wardrobe. It needs fresh air, she said, or the moths will get at it. So next Saturday me and her are going into town to look round the shops. If she can talk Ally into mugging her to a new coat, I told her I’d take her to the shop we got ours from. We were very lucky. We got real bargains.’