The Bobbin Girls (22 page)

‘I know you think a lot of yourself.’

‘You wouldn’t like me so much if I were a fool, now would you?’

‘I suppose not,’ she admitted.

‘Most of all, I’m glad I met
you
.’ He softened his voice, disarming her with its suddenly serious tone. ‘Nothing’s too good for you.’

Not quite knowing how to reply to this, Alena smiled absently, keeping her eyes on a chaffinch as it pecked at fallen grass seed. Mickey might be a bit flashy but, as he so often told her himself, he had devilish charm and his heart was in the right place. It was certainly true that, for all his boasting and pushy ways, she did quite like him.

‘We make a good pair, don’t you think?’ he persisted, stretching out flat on the grass, hands clasped behind his head, feet crossed, as he relaxed in the warmth of the sun. He didn’t trouble to survey the beauties of nature all about them, the pale grandeur of the mountains or the shine of the lake. Mickey had eyes only for Alena. She was the centre of his universe and nothing and no one else existed so far as he was concerned.

Again she smiled. A second chaffinch had arrived, challenging the first. ‘We’re good friends, certainly,’ she agreed.

‘Robert Hollinthwaite did us both a favour, eh?’

Now she did look at him, and frowned. ‘What do you mean? In what way did Rob do us a favour?’

‘If you hadn’t run off with him into Grizedale, I might never have met you.’

Alena flinched, having no wish to be reminded of that time, nor hear Rob spoken of in that casual way. Mickey, seeing that he’d overstepped some invisible mark, instantly apologised. ‘Sorry, I only meant...

‘I know what you meant.’ She turned her attention back to the chaffinches, now fighting over a worm, both tugging so hard the only certain loser was the worm itself.

‘I remember you had a fancy for him once, and that you missed him when he left. You were nobbut a lass, and him little more than a boy, still wet behind the ears. A childhood friendship, that’s all it was.’

She wondered if that were true, if that were all it had been. It was so long since she’d seen Rob, how could she know? Perhaps, like her father, he had never loved her either.

‘Now you’re a woman and you’ve got me, so you don’t need him any more. He allus was weak, not able to stand up to that bully of a father of his.’

James Hollinthwaite is a difficult man to stand up to.’

‘He’d not have kept me from you, if I’d been in the lad’s place. Anyway,’ Mickey continued, skilfully redirecting her attention to the present as he saw her lovely face begin to cloud over, ‘you like me now. Bowled over by my masterful charm, you are.’ He leaned upon one elbow and ran his fingers through the slicked down curls of his black hair. ‘It’s my good looks you’ve fallen for. You can’t get enough of me. But then, you and me are good for each other. We have fun don’t we? So there you are, he did us a favour.’ There was such audacity in both words and gesture, such a glimmer of wicked good humour in the foxy brown eyes, that she found herself laughing, even agreeing with him that, yes, for all his big talk, they were indeed having fun.

She’d never told Mickey of her correspondence with Rob. His letters had grown ever more rare over the years but were all the more precious for that. She continued to write to him without fail, though only once a month now, and in none of them had she mentioned that she was seeing Mickey Roscoe. Alena liked both young men, and since they lived in different places, where was the harm in befriending the two of them?

‘You’re not sorry you chose me, are you, Alena?’ Mickey leaned closer, taking her chin in his hand. ‘You can’t be, or you wouldn’t come out with me so often. You and me belong together, we’re like that.’ He crossed two fingers, indicating their closeness, before suddenly and without any warning sliding one of his strong hands about her neck and pulling her face down to his. As his mouth closed over hers Alena felt the familiar surge of panic she experienced whenever Mickey kissed her, mingled with a strange excitement, as if she knew she courted danger and didn’t care.

She put her hands flat against his chest, anxious to stay in control. But ignoring her feeble efforts, he expertly twisted round so that he was pushing her down on to the grass, his arms tightening about her as his mouth moved over hers. Sensuous and gentle, almost calculated, the kiss went on and on while Alena concentrated on showing him how very grown-up and daring she was. She could feel his body trembling against hers, testifying to the heady sensation of her power over him.

When he drew back to grin down at her, she found herself smiling back. But as she moved to sit up, he caught and kissed her again, sliding open the buttons of her dress so swiftly and sneakily that before she realised what was happening his cool fingers had grasped her soft breast. Alena stopped him with a sharp slap.

‘No!’

At once he was contrite. ‘Sorry, I got carried away. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, Alena. I’d never hurt you, believe me. You’re my girl.’

A little shocked by his daring, she pushed him away and sat up in a fluster, patting her skirt down over her knees. ‘I never said I was your girl.’

‘You don’t need to tell me, I know.’

‘Do you indeed?’

‘I do.’ Then he laughed, a deep throaty chuckle that sounded so richly seductive it almost made her forget she was cross with him. ‘Anyway, why else would you get all dolled up, if not to please me?’

‘Dolled up?’ She stared at him, genuinely perplexed.

He lay back down, pulling her half on top of him so he could closely study her face. ‘Lipstick, hair-do, new frock. A chap can read the signs.’

‘That was for
my
pleasure, not yours.’ The wounded outrage of her tone seemed to cause him even more amusement.

‘Never will admit what you feel, will you? I like that in a woman, an air of mystery.’ He raised one eyebrow. ‘Adds a spice of danger, don’t you reckon? Only there’s a time and place for mystery, eh? Come on, lass, how about another kiss, or happen a bit more? Don’t be coy. We’ve known each other long enough, and a chap needs a spark of affection to light up his life. I’ve been patient, wouldn’t you say?’

He had indeed been patient, Alena couldn’t deny it. He’d been kind and consoling, given her a strong shoulder to cry on and sympathy in her troubles. And of course he deserved a spark of affection in his life. Didn’t everyone? But was she the right one to give it to him? More important, what did she, Alena Townsen, want from life? And could Mickey Roscoe provide it?

‘All right,’ she told him finally. ‘Just one more kiss. But I’m watching your hands this time, make no mistake about that.’

Dolly was sitting in the kitchen peeling potatoes for Lizzie when Alena got home. It was less of a surprise to see her sister-in-law thus occupied than it might once have been, so Alena took very little notice beyond wishing them both good evening. She sank into a fireside chair and propped up her feet on the brass fender. But then something in the resolute pursing of her mother’s lips and glimmer of suppressed impatience in Dolly’s eyes, told her all was not quite as it should be, that the pair were holding something back.

‘What?’ She looked from one to the other of them. ‘You look like the cat that’s swallowed the cream, Dolly. What is it? What’s happened?’ Alena was hoping that her sister-in-law might be pregnant again. She knew that Dolly desperately wanted another baby, yet, perhaps because of the troubles in her marriage, none seemed to be forthcoming. ‘Come on, why are you looking so pleased with yourself?’

‘It’s not about me,’ Dolly said hastily, as if reading her thoughts. ‘It’s you who should be preening yourself. She folded her plump arms and set her head to one side to deliver the message with a knowing smile. ‘Tomorrow at two, in the usual place which, apparently, you will know. Or so he says.’

Her mind still on Mickey and whether she had permitted him to be a little too bold, Alena looked blank. ‘Who said? What are you talking about?’

‘He were right disappointed that you weren’t in when I saw him this afternoon, and most particular that I give you his message.’

‘Who?’ Alena was frowning, not understanding the enigmatic remarks, and then as the pair started to giggle, instinct brought her to her feet as if she’d been scalded. ‘Rob?’ Her voice was barely above a whisper. ‘You’ve seen Rob!’

Then she was reaching for both her coat and the door handle almost in the same instant. It took their combined efforts to hold her back. ‘Not now, love. Tomorrow, he said,’ Lizzie gently reminded her, staring at her daughter’s mouth now bare of lipstick, then lifting a lock of wildly curling hair that had broken free from its pins. Just as well, it’ll give you time to smarten yourself up. Where have you been today? Through a hedge backwards? And you’ve got grass stains on your new frock. They’ll never come off.’

Alena wasn’t interested in grass stains, though she did rush to the kitchen sink to splash cold water over her face. ‘What does it matter what I wear? He’s here. At last.’

Lizzie offered her a towel to dry herself. ‘You look a bit rumpled, that’s all.’

‘Oh, for goodness’ sake, Ma, I’m not a child any more. Neither is Rob. He wants to see me, not my frock.’ She turned to the mirror that hung over the fireplace, whipped out all the hairpins and began vigorously to brush the stiff curls.

‘Happen because you’re a young woman now, and not a child, you wouldn’t want him to ask too many questions about why you’re looking so rumpled, would you?’

Alena paused only momentarily before slamming down the brush that seemed to have made scant difference, perhaps even added to the wildness of her hair since she hadn’t the patience to put back all the pins. ‘Oh Ma, don’t.’ And she gave her mother a quick hug. ‘I must go to him. Now.’

‘Nay, lass. Think.’

‘He said tomorrow,’ Dolly quietly put in, pausing as she reached for another potato to consider Alena with a thoughtful frown. Ma’s right. Happen it’ll be difficult if you go barging in before then. He might not be too pleased.’

Alena actually laughed at that. ‘Don’t be ridiculous. Of course he will be pleased. He’ll be delighted.’ She was halfway out the door when her parting words clinched the argument. ‘We haven’t seen each other for four years, for God’s sake!’ Then the whirlwind preparations were over and the house reverberated with an echoing silence.

‘Dear God,’ Lizzie said, staring at the closed door. ‘What have you done now, Dolly?’

Alena’s heart was beating twenty to the dozen, and not simply from the exertion of running all the way to Ellersgarth Hall. There was a pain in her side, her mouth had gone dry and she felt sick.

What if he wasn’t there, after all? Or if Dolly was right, and he wasn’t pleased to see her? Or if his feelings about her had changed? Mickey said that Rob was weak, not simply quiet and thoughtful.

Could that be true? Perhaps he did give in too easily to James’s strictures. Was that why he’d stopped writing?

Maybe he only wanted to meet her tomorrow in order to tell her they must part for good? Alena’s heart sank at this dreadful prospect and she slithered to a halt, becoming aware of a prickle of sweat between her breasts. Oh lord, why did she never listen to anyone’ She should at least have changed her grubby frock.

By the time she reached the last corner of the long drive which led up to the farmhouse, Alena had quite convinced herself that either he would not be there, or that he wouldn’t want to see her. Then suddenly there he was, leaning casually against the trunk of a beech tree. The shock of seeing him was so great that at first she couldn’t believe her eyes. How different he looked, how splendid.

This tall, sophisticated, good-looking young man in open-necked shirt and slacks simply couldn’t be Rob, could he? Where was the harum-scarum boy with tumbling curls and grubby knees. She had once been familiar with every single freckle on his fine skin, even with the way the silken hairs grew on his strong young arms. But she knew nothing of this man. He seemed a stranger to her.

And he was not alone.

On this warm summer evening, Olivia had arranged a small supper party out on the lawn. A long table had been set up, covered in a lace cloth, upon which lay an assortment of cold meats, salads and desserts. Dressed in beige silk and looking even more stunning than usual, she seemed relaxed and happier than Alena could ever remember seeing her. She was laughing as she handed round plates of food to the few assembled guests, clearly delighted to have her son home at last. James was deep in conversation with a portly gentleman and neither they, nor Rob himself, noticed Alena for some moments, which gave her ample time to collect her breath.

Then he pushed himself away from the tree, swung round to face her, and she knew he’d become aware of her presence as if by instinct. She saw then, with a breathless lift of her heart, that he was smiling at her, as he always had.

Rob saw a beautiful young woman in a blue summer dress marked with grass stains and mud on the hem. Her hair was as wild as he’d remembered it, her eyes even more blue, and he saw that she was breathing heavily, as if she had been running. Alena. Who else could look such a scarecrow and tear his heart in two?

Yet almost in the same instant that he pulled his hands from his pockets and took a step towards her, his father was beside him, firmly grasping his arm and preventing him from taking another.