Sing as We Go (7 page)

‘Whatever gave you that idea? Oh, I see . . .’ Jemima added, answering her own question before giving Kathy time to say a word. ‘Stella.’

‘No,’ Kathy burst out, anxious that she should not get the young girl into trouble. ‘No, it wasn’t Stella. It was – well, I saw Miss Foster and Miss Curtis talking and – and she seemed, well – upset.’

Jemima eyed her. ‘Kathy, my dear, let me give you a word of advice and you’d do well to heed it. You young girls should learn to keep your eyes and ears open, but your mouths very firmly closed. Whatever you hear in the course of your work either about other members of staff or about customers, you should keep to yourself. It doesn’t do to gossip, it really doesn’t.’

With that Jemima stood up and began to clear the table, crashing the plates together with swift angry movements.

Kathy bowed her head, dismayed that she had angered the woman who was being so kind to her. She said no more, silently vowing never to raise such a topic of conversation with Jemima again. But in truth the older woman’s very reticence had awoken a curiosity in Kathy.

There was some mystery about the handsome Mr Kendall and Miss Curtis, and Kathy was determined to find out what it was.

Seven

Almost three weeks after Kathy’s arrival in Lincoln, Amy came to stay for the weekend, arriving on Friday evening when Kathy and Jemima got home from work. Taffy, ears flattened, fled the kitchen with a loud rattle of his cat-flap and retired to the washhouse at the bottom of the yard in a huff. All of a sudden there were too many people invading his domain!

‘What fun we’ll have!’ Amy trilled, hugging her friend.

‘That’s as may be,’ Jemima put in tartly. ‘You may be on holiday, but Kathy has a job of work to do. And I don’t want her appearing in the department bleary-eyed and looking like something the cat’s dragged in.’ She paused and looked about her. ‘And talking of cats, where’s Taffy?’

The two girls glanced at each other and stifled their laughter.

‘I – I think he went out,’ Kathy said, keeping her face straight with a supreme effort and vowing at the same time to make a big fuss of the animal the moment Amy left.

‘Too many people about for his liking,’ Jemima murmured, and the two girls were left in no doubt that she shared her pet’s opinion.

‘We’ll go to the pictures tomorrow night,’ Amy said. ‘I’ll have a look what’s on when I go into town in the morning while you’re at work.’

‘It’ll be in the
Echo
,’ Jemima remarked. She reached down at the side of her chair and held out the local evening paper.

‘What time do you finish work, Kathy?’ Amy asked, scanning the pages for the advertisement or a review of the city’s weekend entertainment.

‘Seven on a Friday and Saturday.’

Amy pulled a face but forbore to make any comment in front of her aunt.

‘Ah, here we are.’ There was a slight pause, then she smiled. ‘We’re all right. The performance at the Regal is continuous from two o’clock until eleven, so we can just go in when you’re ready and see the programme round.’

‘What’s on?’

‘
The Texans
with Randolph Scott and
Trouble in Panama
.’

‘That first one sounds like a cowboy picture,’ Jemima murmured.

‘Oh, I say!’ Amy squeaked with delight. ‘Tyrone Power’s at the Central. He’s dishy! Oh, do let’s go and see him, Kathy. Please?’

Kathy smiled at her friend’s girlish excitement. ‘Whatever you want. I’ve only ever been to the pictures once before, so I really don’t mind what I see. What film is it?’

‘
Marie Antoinette
with Norma Shearer. It says it’s a “spectacular drama of a scandal that rocked the world”.’

‘She gets her head chopped off in the end, doesn’t she? Very cheerful, I must say.’

‘But Kathy – Tyrone Power!’

‘All right, all right,’ Kathy laughed and held out her hands in submission. ‘We’ll go. Is it a continuous performance like the other one?’

‘Er – not sure, but I expect they’ll all be the same, won’t they?’

‘Well, we’ll give it a try.’

‘And if we go tomorrow night, we can have a lie in on Sunday morning . . .’

‘Oh no, you can’t,’ her aunt said. ‘You’ll be up to come to morning service in the cathedral with me.’

Amy’s jaw dropped. ‘The cathedral? You go to church at the
cathedral
?’

‘Of course. Why ever not?’ Jemima said.

Amy turned wide eyes on Kathy. ‘Have you been?’

She nodded. ‘Yes. Last week.’

‘I go every week,’ Jemima put in primly. ‘If not to the cathedral, then to St Mary’s. Anyone who stays with me is expected to accompany me. And tomorrow it’s the cathedral.’

‘And did they hear you sing?’ Amy asked.

‘Well . . .’ Kathy hesitated, the colour rising in her face. ‘I just sang along with the rest of the congregation.’

‘You mean they didn’t ask you to be in the choir?’ Now Amy was teasing, but Jemima took her words seriously.

‘Oh, you can’t get into the cathedral choir as easily as that . . .’

Amy laughed. ‘I know, Aunt Jemima. I was teasing Kathy. But she’s got an amazing voice. Haven’t you heard her?’

‘Well, she was standing next to me and I heard her singing – of course I did – but it was nothing special.’

They were talking about Kathy as if she was not sitting there getting more embarrassed by the minute.

‘Then she was obviously singing softly deliberately. You should hear her when she really lets rip.’

The corner of Jemima’s mouth twitched with barely suppressed amusement. ‘Then, my dear, this week,’ she said, her eyes twinkling mischievously at Kathy, ‘you’d better let it rip.’

As soon as they were alone in the bedroom, Kathy asked, ‘Have you heard anything about my mother? Do you know if – if she’s all right?’

‘Dad went to Thorpe Farm the day you left and saw them both.’

Kathy pulled in a deep breath and held it, fearing what Amy might say next. But her friend was smiling. ‘Your mam’s fine. Dad said that your dad was furious when he realized what you’d done. He ranted and raved and carried on alarming, but all your mam did was smile and nod. As far as she’s concerned, Kathy, you’ve done the right thing. There was no mistake about that. My dad said.’

Little by little, Kathy let out her breath, but her anxiety was not yet gone completely. ‘And since? Has your dad been over since then?’

Amy nodded. ‘Oh yes. He goes every other day or so. I heard him telling Mam that he’s going to keep an eye on your mam. And your dad too, if it comes to that. He knows what he’s like all right and he can’t forgive him for the way he’s treated your mam and you but, like he says, they’ve been neighbours all their lives and he’ll not see him stuck. He’ll let Morry go and help out if he sees your dad struggling with the work.’

Now Kathy let out the last of her breath in relief. She hugged Amy. ‘Tell him “thanks”, won’t you? And ask him to give my love to my mam and tell her I’m fine.’

‘Course I will.’

‘I’ve never seen you clock-watching before,’ Stella said at ten minutes to seven when she had seen Kathy glancing at the clock on the wall for the umpteenth time. ‘Got a date, have you?’

Kathy laughed. ‘Not really. My friend’s come to stay for the weekend and we’re going to the pictures tonight. She’s meeting me outside when the store closes.’

Stella sighed. ‘Lucky you! My dad’s very strict. He won’t let me go to the pictures on my own. Says it isn’t “seemly”.’

‘Don’t you have any friends to go with?’

The girl shrugged. ‘How can I make friends with anyone if I don’t go out? The only people I ever meet are at work.’

‘Well, come with us tonight.’

Stella stared at her for a moment. ‘Do you mean it?’

‘Of course I mean it.’

‘But – but you’re going with your friend . . .’

‘Amy won’t mind.’

For a brief second the young girl’s eyes lit up with pleasure at the anticipation of the unexpected treat. Then the joy in her face died. ‘I can’t. I’d have to ask my dad first.’

‘Yes, I see,’ Kathy said sympathetically. She knew, if anyone did, about a strict home life.

‘Perhaps we could go another time. Just you and me – when you’ve had a chance to ask your dad first, eh?’

Stella nodded and smiled again. ‘Ooh yes, that’d be lovely. Thanks, Kathy, I’d really like that.’

As all the staff trooped out of the store, Mr Kendall was waiting by the main exit.

‘Good night, ladies. Miss Robinson, good night. Ah, Miss Burton . . .’ He put out his hand to draw her to one side. ‘Could you spare me a moment?’

Kathy bit her lip. Amy would be waiting outside in the cold for her, but she smiled and stepped to one side. She saw Jemima glance back and raise her eyebrows but then she turned and walked on and out through the door.

‘Good
night
, Mr Kendall,’ Miss Curtis said pointedly a moment later as she passed by.

‘Miss Curtis,’ Mr Kendall murmured without looking at her, but he waited until Kathy’s superior had got through the door and out into the street. Kathy watched her go and saw her glance back as the door closed behind her. The look on the other woman’s face shocked the girl. It was hatred.

She was so shocked that it took her a few moments to gather her wits and to concentrate on what Mr Kendall was saying to her.

‘I just wanted to tell you, Miss Burton, how very pleased I am with your progress. Better than I could possibly have hoped, and rather than keep you wondering for a further two weeks, I’d like you to know that I’m happy to confirm you appointment as permanent.’

‘Oh!’ Kathy blushed. ‘Thank you very much, Mr Kendall.’

‘Good night, Mr Kendall.’ Another member of staff passed by and the store manager smiled briefly and nodded ‘good night’.

‘And now that you’re a permanent member of the staff here,’ he went on. ‘I was wondering if you would have dinner with me one evening.’

Kathy’s eyes widened. ‘Dinner? With – with you?’

He smiled and tiny lines around his dark brown eyes crinkled and then he adopted a hangdog look. ‘You don’t want to?’

‘Oh yes, I mean, I don’t know if I should. I mean – is it – well – allowed?’ she stammered, completely at a loss to know what to say.

Of course she’d love to go out with this handsome, debonair man, but for some reason she could not explain, she had the uncomfortable feeling that Jemima Robinson would not approve.

Now he threw back his head and laughed aloud, and the last few stragglers leaving the store glanced at him in surprise. To her discomfort, Kathy saw two of the women from the ground floor, their heads close together, whispering to each other as they went out.

‘That’s one advantage of being the boss,’ Tony Kendall said. ‘There are only the store owners who might object and I don’t think either of them will.’ When she still said nothing, he added, ‘So – would you like to go out with me?’

Suddenly there was something endearing about the little-boy hesitancy in his tone, as if he really feared she might refuse. Now Kathy felt shy too. It was the first time, the very first time that any man – apart from Morry, and he didn’t count – had asked her out.

‘I’d love to,’ she said softly. ‘If you’re sure it would be all right.’

‘Of course I’m sure, but perhaps – ’ he touched her arm – ‘it would be better to keep this our secret, eh?’

‘Yes – er – yes, all right.’

‘Then how about next Saturday night?’

‘Yes, thank you,’ she stammered. ‘That – that would be lovely.’

‘I’ll book a table and let you know where to meet me. I’d offer to pick you up in my car, but you’re still lodging with Miss Robinson, aren’t you?’

Kathy nodded.

‘Then I think it best we meet in town. All right?’

Again, she nodded and then found herself being ushered from the store, her head in a whirl.

As she stepped out on to the wet pavement, Amy hurried forward out of the shadows. ‘There you are! I thought you’d got lost. Or had to stay behind in detention. Been a naughty girl, have you?’ She linked her arm through Kathy’s, not noticing how quiet her friend seemed. ‘Come on, we’ll have to hurry if we don’t want to miss some of the programme. And I want to see every second of the gorgeous Tyrone . . .’

Kathy walked along the dark street. Her thoughts in a dream world, she scarcely heard Amy’s ceaseless chatter.

Mr Kendall – Tony – had asked her to go out with him.

Eight

‘So, did you enjoy the cinema last night?’ Jemima enquired as they trudged up Steep Hill towards the cathedral the following morning.

‘It was great,’ Amy enthused, ‘but Kathy seemed lost in a little world of her own.’ She laughed. ‘I think she must have fallen in love with Tyrone. Mind you,’ she sighed ecstatically, ‘can’t say I blame her.’

Kathy smiled but said nothing. The truth was that the handsome and dashing Tyrone Power had reminded her very much of Tony Kendall. He had the same dark hair and eyes, the same handsome face and that smile! Oh, his heartbreaking smile was just the same . . .

‘Dear me, I’ll have to stop for a moment.’ Jemima interrupted Kathy’s daydreams and brought her back down to earth. ‘I’m sure this hill gets steeper every week.’

All three of them paused for Jemima to catch her breath and Kathy looked about her. On either side of the steep, uneven road, quaint old buildings huddled together: dusty second-hand bookshops, crowded antique shops and artists’ galleries. There were little tea-rooms too, enticing the weary walker struggling up the hill to step inside the old-world interior and seek refreshment. There was even a grocer and a greengrocer to serve the people living nearby. What a blessing, Kathy mused, not to have to go up and down the hill every time you ran out of sugar! Even though the establishments were all closed, Kathy peeked into every window until Jemima said, ‘Do come along, Kathy. We shall be late.’

At the top of the hill they came to a square with the cathedral to the right and the castle to the left. Kathy cast a longing glance towards the round tower of the castle.

‘Another time, Kathy,’ Jemima said, reading her thoughts.