THE BONDAGE OF LOVE (23 page)

The laughter still rumbling in her throat, Fiona didn't answer him for a moment, then she said, "Well, it all depends, Mike, on what you mean by letting down."

Daisy did not take this up directly but, looking at Nell, she said, "There's so many hypocrites kicking about, don't you think?"

Nell, rather surprised by the question being directed to her, answered, "Yes.

Yes, you're right. Hypocrites, yes."

"Well, no-one could take you for one, could they, Daisy?" said Willie, and she came back at him quickly, saying, "You're getting at my gear again, aren't you?"

"No. No."

Daisy turned to Fiona and said, "He's half ashamed to be seen with me in the street. It's all right when the others are there."

His face straight now, Willie said sharply, "Don't talk nonsense! I'm not!

I'm not!" and Mike added, "It wouldn't be surprising if he was ashamed to be seen with you. Who could blame him? And you know what Da's threatened to do with your gear?" His gaze was soft on her as he added, "And he will one of these days, mind." He now turned to Fiona, saying, "He's threatened to burn the lot."

"Yes' - Daisy was nodding back at him 'and you know what I told him I'd do.

And I would. I'd walk out starkers, or wearing anything he had left me."

They were all roaring as Bill entered the room, carrying a large tray of drinks.

"What's that about starkers?" he bawled.

Bubbling, Katie answered him, "Daisy and I are going to run starkers across the cricket field one of these days, just to give the old fogies a treat."

"Oh, that will be nice. Let me know when you're prepared to do it, and I'll join them."

Endeavouring to change the subject, Fiona asked of Mike, "You keep Christmas Day just for the family?"

"Yes," said Mike; 'but this one will be different. Oh, so different. "

He moved his head from side to side, and they all knew he was again

expressing his thanks.

As Bill handed Daisy her glass, he asked her, "How old are you?" And she, repeating his question, "How old am I?" said, "Well, Mr. Bailey, in twenty years' time I shall be thirty-seven. That answer would be called facetious, wouldn't it, Katie?" And Katie, her eyes wet with laughter, answered, "Yes.

Yes, I suppose. Daisy, you could say that.

But it was right on the spot. "

Making an uneasy movement on the couch and, drawing himself to the edge, Mike drank the last of the whisky from his glass before addressing Bill, and saying, "We'd better be on our way, sir; we're holding things up. You were all very busy. Come on, up with you!" And he put a hand out to Daisy.

"You've done enough back-chatting."

Daisy drew herself to her feet, and looking towards Fiona, she said, "I always do what I'm told."

When Fiona smiled and Willie laughed outright, Bill said, "Why didn't you bring your minder with you?"

"Minder?" Willie was no longer laughing.

"What d'you mean, her minder?"

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"Well, she told me she had a minder, like that Cockney bloke on the television."

Mike was looking at Daisy now and he gave a short laugh as he said, "Minder?

Who is your minder?"

"Jimmy."

"Jimmy Redding?"

Before Daisy could speak again, Willie put in, "He ... he's an instructor.

Well, part of the time he's just an instructor; he's also a friend."

"He's my guru." Daisy's face had lost its smile now and she glanced round the company, but she looked at Willie again as she added, "He took me in hand when I was twelve, and since then, what he says goes."

They were all staring at her now.

"Well, I mean, up to a point."

This caused Mike to shake his head and say, "It's the first I've heard of it." Then he added, "The point, I suppose, is stopped at your rig-out."

A short silence ensued, until Willie broke it, saying, "Jimmy's a pal to everybody. He helps in the boys' club; he's likely minder to all of them."

Daisy now nodded towards him, saying, "I shouldn't be surprised. He's like that."

A further embarrassing silence was prevented when Bert said, "Well, it's my turn for washing up, I'm told by Mrs. Ormesby; so, if you don't object, I'll have your glasses."

Looking at Fiona, Nell said, "He does go on, doesn't he? But I'd better go and do my own clearing up if I want it done properly."

Then, turning to where Mike and Daisy were now standing, she said, "I'll say good night. You see how things are; you've got to work for your grub in this house, let me tell you. Anyway, we'll be seeing you." She smiled from the one to the other. And Bert, stepping towards them, said quietly, "Never get married if you can help it. Jimmy'll make a good minder, Daisy, nobody

better. He has a family of his own to see to, and he does a good job there."

He held out his hand to Mike, saying, "Be seeing you. Oh, by the way, d'you have any spare time?"

"I've had a great deal of it up till now."

"Well, if you've ever got any you don't want, I'd be glad of it."

' Get yourself into the kitchen, you! " It was a bawl now from Bill.

"He's starting work after the holidays."

A few minutes later they were all in the hall and Bill, pulling on an

overcoat, said, "I won't be a minute; I'll get the car out."

He had just left the hall when the attention of the others was drawn to the stairs and to Mark slowly descending them.

When he paused on the second step Fiona called to him, "Finished, dear?"

"Yes, Mam, for the present." He stepped down into the hall and looked towards Mike and Daisy, and Fiona, taking him by the arm, led him towards them.

"You have met Daisy," she said, 'but this is her brother Mike. "

Mike held out his hand and it seemed that Mark hesitated for a second before taking it and saying, "How d'you do?" And this time Mike

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responded with, "Pleased to meet you."

"Dad's just gone to get the car," Fiona explained.

"You swotting?" Daisy asked.

There was another pause before Mark answered her, "Yes. Yes, you could say that; swotting."

"I used to swot when I was working for my GCSEs, didn't I, Mike?"

"Well, you went through a great many books, as I remember, and your temper was worse than usual."

"Yes, it was," she acknowledged, and straight away nodded towards Fiona and said, "Goodbye, Mrs. Bailey, and a happy Christmas. And thank you once again for ... for everything you have done for the family."

"Yes. Yes, I second that, and I speak for every body in our house," added Mike.

"Oh, say no more about it," said Fiona.

"It made us happy to do it. As my husband said, we'll always be in your debt, and Sammy, too. Oh, yes, Sammy, too."

"Could I come across next week and see him?"

"Of course! Of course! Any time."

Immediately Katie commented, "If you didn't he'd be sending for you . and you, too." She nodded at Mike.

The loud blast from the car made Fiona bustle them all to the door, saying,

"Oh, whatever you do, don't keep him waiting," and Daisy and Mike went out on a chorus of good nights and Happy Christmases all round . "She's a character, isn't she?" Nell was walking by Fiona's side now. And when Fiona said, "I'll say. I've never met anyone like her," it was Mark who took it.

"I shouldn't imagine you would, Mam," he said.

"What d'you mean by that?" Willie turned on his brother as he was entering the drawing-room, and Mark answered, "Just what I said.

Shockers like her are ten a penny . Who you pushing? What's the matter with you? "

"Nothing's the matter with me, big fella, but something's the matter with you. You can't see further than your nose. And let me tell you that some of the shockers, as you call them, could beat you for brains any day. If they'd had half the chances you had they wouldn't have fluffed like you did last year."

"I didn't fluff last year."

"Willie! Mark! Stop it! Stop it this minute."

It seemed that neither of them heard their mother, for they took no notice and stood just within the door, facing each other. And Willie, his voice now loud, cried, "If Daisy had been in your place, she blooming well would have got more than Cs. As she said, you're swotting, yes, and you have to keep at it if you're ever to be fit to join your uppish friend in the London

hospital. You're an upstart stinker, that's what you are ..." Nell had gripped Willie by the shoulder and was pulling him back into the hall, saying now, "Give over! Else I'll swipe you one me self

And as Fiona banged the drawing-room door closed, saying "What's come over Willie?" Katie put

in, "It isn't what's come over Willie, Mam, it's what's come over him." She thumbed towards Mark, and he rounded on her, saying, "Now you start and I'll soon put you in your place."

"Mark! Stop it, this very minute!"

"Oh, leave him alone, Mam. Leave him alone. As for putting me in my place, he would need some spunk, and that's what you're lacking, isn't it, Master Mark? And I'll say as Willie said and add a bit more, if you'd had half the brains of that shocker, as you called her, you would have come through on top."

"Katie! Now you stop it! Please! You stop it! It's Christmas. Oh, my goodness!" She put her hand to her head, and at this Katie said quietly, "It might be Christmas, Mam, but this has been blowing up for a long time because he's been absolutely insufferable. And you've made excuses for him all

along. That's nothing new though; you have done that over the years."

"Nonsense, Katie! Nonsense! What's come over you?"

"Well," put in Mark quickly now, 'one thing Mam can say about me is, I haven't caused her any heartache, as Willie did years ago with his choice of friends. And you did with your love affair. "

Katie's response was to go and sit down on the couch, from where she glared at him, while he, bending towards her, said, "How would you like the shocker for a sister-in-law?"

Katie neither moved nor answered, but Fiona shouted, as if in alarm, "What?

What d'you mean? What are you talking about?"

"I'm just talking about my younger brother and that specimen, because that's what she is, a specimen, she who has just left the house.

Haven't you listened to him over the past weeks, going on about her?

But that's nothing to what I've been given: he's collecting all the

one-liners she comes out with. He's absolutely besotted with her. Why d'you think he's unglued himself from Sammy? "

As Fiona stared at her son, Katie got up from the couch, saying, "Don't worry, Mam, it may never happen. Anyway, put her in some ordinary clothes and she'd pass muster anywhere. There's more to be seen in her than her thighs."

When the door closed on Katie, Mark said, "She wants slapping down, if anyone does."

"Mark! You're talking about your sister. Now, listen to me." Her hand was on his shoulder and pulling him round to face her.

"I'm saying this to you not to her or to anyone else you have been rather a trial over the past months. You used to be so understanding. Another time you would have understood and been helpful with Mamie, because you know the trouble I've had with her over the years. But you've been so absorbed in your own affairs."

"Mam!" His voice showed he was deeply hurt.

"I've been swotting. Yes, that's the word she used, but I've been swotting for months past."

"Only since you got the results in the summer

term. Mark. Before that you were your usual thoughtful self. "

He swung away from her now, saying, "Yes, too thoughtful for the others; I didn't pay enough attention to what I really wanted, and that was to work."

"Don't be silly. Mark; nobody stopped you from working. You spent too much time playing tennis and squash and such with Roland Featherstone."

"Well, he spent the same time on sport and he got through and he's no better than me."

She just stopped herself from saying sharply, oh, yes, he is: learning comes easy to him, and he's got a retentive memory. Moreover, you couldn't bear the thought of him getting into the London hospital before you.

Fiona walked away from her son and sat down in a deeply upholstered chair to the side of the fire. She was tired. She was always tired these days; not so much physically but mentally. Yet at times her mind seemed empty and groping for something, that elusive something. She had thought that when she got over the business of Mamie, they would all return to being a laughing, happy family. But it hadn't come about. Sparks had always flown between the two brothers. They were such opposites. One could say that Willie was all heart, and Mark was all head. Yet, Willie had got nine 0 levels last year, whereas all the trouble was because Mark had only three Cs at A level, and he needed at least three Bs to gain a place at the London Hospital Medical School.

She could never understand him wanting to be a doctor; but then, he didn't just want to be a doctor, he wanted to be a surgeon. And Bill had said that there was a coolness in Mark that would fit him for the surgeon's role, whereas he could never see him as a general practitioner adopting a bedside manner.

But careers apart, all she wanted for her family was for them to be happy.

Yet not one of them was happy. But was ever a teenager happy, going through this period of mixed emotions? And these erupting unexpectedly, some with terrifying force. She could recall her own youth and the sick fear that swept over her on realising that she hated her mother. And thinking of her mother she thought, if ever amiracle was wrought on anyone, it had been on her; and she could honestly say now she loved her. Nothing would have

pleased her more if she had settled in the annexe. But no, she had her

bungalow. Yet, as Bill said, it was a waste of a house, because she spent most of her time here looking after Angela.

Oh, she hoped they would have a happy Christmas, if only for Bill's sake. He worked so hard, he never seemed to let up. But now there was a full week ahead. How could it be a happy time, though, with the two boys at each

other's throats? She put out her hand towards Mark, where he was standing looking down into the fire, one hand resting on the mantelpiece. He looked a man, although he was not yet nineteen.