Towards a Dark Horizon (22 page)

‘It’s only got the one bedroom,’ Dad said, sounding like a house factor showing a tenant around.

We looked round this one bedroom which was also sunny and then saw the small bathroom and tiny kitchen. To be quite honest, I couldn’t see Margot being happy there after her lovely house and garden in Clepington Road but, if she needed the money … well, she would just have to like it.

‘Well, Ann, what do you think about the flat?’ Dad asked.

I was amazed. Why did he want my opinion? ‘It’s a lovely wee flat, Dad, but will she not miss her great house?’ I answered truthfully.

‘No, she says she won’t. She says that house belonged to Harry and his first wife and she never felt it was hers. But this place will belong to her.’

I must have put on my cynical expression because he became flustered.

‘Another thing – she wants to get away from her sister-in-law. She stays a few streets away and she’s aye going round and poking her nose into Margot’s affairs. Margot is getting really cheesed off with her.’

I bet she is, I thought sourly.

‘What is the sister-in-law saying about Margot?’

Dad seemed flustered again. ‘Och, she’s aye harping on about Harry. She said that Harry told her that he was unhappy before his accident – as if Margot can be blamed for that …’ His voice trailed away when he recalled Harry.

While we had been chatting, Lily was happily looking out of the window. Watching the traffic go by. She had a good view of the road and she suddenly exclaimed, ‘Here’s Margot coming up the road.’

Dad marched over to the window to haul her away. ‘Don’t be daft, Lily. Come away from there.’

Lily pointed down the road.

Dad almost collapsed. ‘Oh, it is Margot. Quick you two, down the stair.’

He ushered us out and we quickly ran down the three flights of stairs like scared rabbits.

‘She’ll meet us in the close, Dad,’ I said breathlessly.

‘No, she’ll not. There’s a back door that leads on to the washing green. You can both go out that way.’

We reached the back door, Dad tugged it open and we all darted outside.

Dad said, ‘Right, you two stay here and I’ll go upstairs and make it look as if I’ve just arrived. Give me a few moments then you can both head for home.’

What a palaver I thought but Lily’s face was flushed with excitement. ‘This is like being a spy,’ she said, her eyes gleaming with pleasure.

But I couldn’t help thinking of Dad in that terrible state. He was never terrified of any other woman he knew, even my late mother.

We decided to go to the Overgate. Lily related the story to her grandparents and they both laughed heartily – in fact, Granny had to wipe her eyes on the corner of her apron. ‘Och, that’s the best laugh I’ve had in ages.’

Even Grandad chuckled. ‘It looks like our Johnny has met his match at last. She sounds just like Hattie.’

Lily was in her element. ‘We belted out the back door, Granny, and we were in this wee back green and we had to hide like spies until Margot went upstairs.’ She turned to me. ‘What would have happened if she had looked out her back window? She would have seen us lurking like spies.’

I laughed. ‘Then that would have been Dad’s problem. She was supposed to be seeing the buyer of her house about the carpets.’

Grandad said, ‘Come on, Lily, you can take your old grandad for a walk but promise you’ll not be a spy.’

She gave him a serious look. ‘Och, I can’t promise that, Grandad. After all, that’s what I’m going to be when I grow up – a spy!’

He smiled. ‘Well, I suppose I’ll just have to put up with it if I want my favourite lassie to take her old grandad for a walk.’

She took his hand. ‘Come on then, Grandad.’

After they left, Granny said, ‘That lassie reads too many books. Her head is filled with nonsense.’

‘It’s Dad’s fault,’ I explained. ‘He was telling her about a spy called Mata Hari one night and she’s been like this ever since.’

Granny became serious. ‘I feel sorry for Rosie. She never sees your dad these days.’

I didn’t know what to say.

She went on, ‘I’ve told her that she’s far too good for him. She deserves a man who thinks she’s the bee’s knees – no’ a man that only thinks about her when it suits him.’ That was the truth. He had used Rosie all these years and now he had discarded her. Granny was right to be outraged.

Then she said, ‘Goodness! I nearly forgot with all this laughing at Lily’s story. Danny was here and he wants to see you as soon as possible.’

‘Does he want me to go to the Westport?’ I was mystified.

She gave this a bit of thought. ‘No, I think he meant he would see you here. He knew you would bring Lily this afternoon.’

I decided to wait. An hour later he appeared. He looked tired and Granny was concerned.

‘You need to look after yourself Danny.’

‘I’m fine, Granny. I’m just a bit tired because the shop is busy – especially on a Saturday when we work late into the evening.’

Then he said, ‘Let’s go for a walk, Ann.’

The early evening was lovely and mild but I knew the cold weather wasn’t too far away. These unseasonable spells should be enjoyed. A large moon shone over the streets, turning the smoke from hundreds of chimneys into a grey gauzy mist.

I told him about Maddie’s visit. ‘She’s stopped seeing Colin. She told him she was still in love with you.’

I waited for his answer but he remained silent.

Annoyed, I went on, ‘Do you hear me? I’m telling you what she said.’

His voice sounded tired. ‘I know it’s my own fault and I just wish I could maybe bump into her and it would be quite the natural thing to start talking but I can’t get up the courage to go and see her – not after what I’ve done to her. Anyway what would her parents think? They must hate me.’

‘No they don’t, Danny. Maddie hasn’t told them too much. They think you’re both waiting till her final exams are over. She sits them this summer.’

He suddenly smiled. ‘Well, I promise I’ll sort myself out before then. But, in the meantime, there’s Kathleen.’

‘But she didn’t marry the awful Sammy on the second of January like he said, so that’s one blessing, isn’t it?’

He agreed. ‘I just hope we’ve sorted her out about getting married. She’s agreed to stay with her parents until the bairn is born.’ He sounded relieved.

‘When will that be?’

‘Sometime in May according to Kit.’ He stopped and I saw the gleam of anger in his eyes. ‘I get so angry with Sammy Malloy. He messed up my life after Dad Ryan’s death and now he’s messed up Kathleen’s.’

If it was any consolation to him, I felt the same. I told him so. To cheer him up I told him the tale of our flight from the flat. ‘I should get Lily to tell it. She makes a better job of it than me.’

He laughed and I was glad to hear it. Then I remembered Granny’s reaction to Lily. ‘It was such a laugh, Danny. Lily was prattling on and on about being a spy and I told Granny about Dad’s story of Mata Hari then, in the next breath, she mentions Rosie.’

We both laughed at this. Then, like Granny, I had to wipe my eyes. ‘Do you think Rosie looks like this Mata Hari?’

‘I doubt it. But, as I don’t know what Mata Hari looked like, maybe Rosie does look like her, this seductive spy.’

On that cheery note we returned to the house.

Three weeks later Danny was far from being cheery however. Once again we were on our way to Lochee after Danny got the bad news. Kathleen was getting married after all.

The house was full of people when we arrived – a contrast to my earlier visit. Apart from Kit, George, Kathleen and Ma, the Malloy family were also in residence. When I say the family, it was Mick and his wife plus the obnoxious one – Sammy. For some reason, the men seemed subdued which surprised me. Then I realised it was because of Mrs Malloy.

Maggie Malloy was a very tiny woman – four feet eight inches and very thin. Her grey hair was extremely frizzy and it looked as if she had just removed a hundred dinkie curlers. Her sharp-featured face was softened slightly by dark-brown eyes. They looked shrewd.

Kit and George looked exhausted while Kathleen was as beautiful as ever.

Her father looked at her and asked, ‘Is this what you really want, Kathleen? This marriage?’

She looked over at Sammy.

Her father said, ‘Don’t look at him. I’m asking you, do you want to marry him?’

She nodded but she didn’t look happy.

As usual Ma sat in silence and I wished she would speak out. Then I remembered she had forecast this wedding.

Maggie came over from her chair and stood beside Kit and George. ‘It’s got to be your decision, Kathleen. Your parents and I can’t make up your mind for you.’

Sammy butted in, ‘Nobody’s asking me if I want to get married. After all, she turned me down when I had it arranged for January and I’m seeing another lass now.’

Maggie turned on him with venom in her eyes. ‘Shut up, Sammy. In that case, you’re not to see this other girl again – Kathleen is your priority now.’

He sat back in his chair with a sullen look but he kept quiet. I was at a loss to understand Kathleen’s change of heart. Especially now that Sammy had changed his mind.

Kathleen said, ‘It was Father James that said I had to be wed.’

Kit was annoyed. ‘That priest should keep his big nose out of this.’

Maggie was shocked. ‘But that’s his job, Kit. He is, after all, a man of the chapel.’

Mick Malloy then butted in, ‘Well, is there to be a wedding or is there not?’ It was obvious that this meeting was taking up some of Mick’s drinking time.

Sammy sat and glared while Kathleen stared at her hands. Then she looked firmly at him and said, ‘Aye there is.’

Her parents didn’t look pleased at this statement but they remained silent.

Meanwhile Maggie started the bandwagon rolling by announcing, ‘Well, you’ll have to get the banns read and that will take three weeks so you’d better get your skates on, Sammy.’

Sammy muttered something under his breath while his parents put on their coats.

At the door Maggie turned to Kit. ‘We’ll be in touch about the wedding plans later.’

After they had gone, Danny asked Kathleen why she had changed her mind.

‘I don’t want my bairn being born illegitimate, Danny – without a father.’

Her Dad exploded, ‘Heavens above, Kathleen! It’s Sammy Malloy we’re talking about here.’

Ma suddenly spoke up from her corner by the fire. ‘It’s just like I’ve told you, Kit – what’s meant to be will happen.’

On that cryptic note we stood up to leave. Danny was far from happy about the outcome of the evening but Kathleen had made her decision and she had finally settled for marriage – to give her baby a name.

‘Where will she stay when the bairn comes, Danny? Will it be with Sammy’s folk or Kit and George?’

He shook his head in bewilderment. ‘I’ve no idea and I don’t think Kathleen knows either.’

I was perplexed but for a different reason. ‘Why do you think she changed her mind when she knows Sammy is no longer interested in her? Do you think that’s the reason?’

‘Kathleen is a lovely lassie,’ said Danny, ‘but she’s aye been a bit perverse – even as a bairn. I think, if Sammy had been begging her to marry him, she would have turned him down but, now that he’s no longer interested in her, she suddenly thinks he’s marvellous. Then there’s Father James. She’s aye looked up to him and listened to every word he says.’

I thought the same thing but I sincerely hoped she wasn’t making one gigantic mistake.

The wedding took place at the end of February in St Mary’s Roman Catholic chapel in Lochee. It was a terrible day of snow showers and high winds and the weather seemed to imitate the feelings of most of the congregation.

Kit and Maggie had been busy with the arrangements and a small wedding breakfast was to be held in Kit’s house after the service.

Dad, Lily and I went with Hattie who to my relief had deliberately dressed down for the occasion. She wore a suit in flecked tweed, a brown hat and plain shoes. The suit had a well-worn look and she resembled a middle-aged matron – so unlike her usual elegant self.

Danny went with the Ryan families and we all trudged through the snow which was now covering the pavements to congregate in the lovely but cold chapel.

I saw Ma. She looked like a black Buddha while Kit wore a winter coat in brown and Maggie was decked out in fawn. The majority of guests were dressed in various styles but they all had one thing in common – their outfits showed how hard-up they were but they were determined to look their best for the wedding.

Then the bride appeared in a simple white wedding dress that had been designed to hide her bump. The material looked cheap and shiny and she had a tiny veil on her lovely red hair. She was one of the loveliest brides I had seen in a very long time. Her bridesmaid was an old school-friend. She was dressed in the same shiny material but in a shade of blue that didn’t do anything for her plain, podgy face.

One of Sammy’s brothers was the best man and they both wore dark suits. I had to admit that they were both very handsome men and I suppose any young girl’s head would be turned by them.

Although I wasn’t a religious person, I made a mental prayer that day. Hoping they would be very happy with one another and the coming baby.

I found the chapel lovely and soothing and the solemnity of the wedding service was another delight. I hadn’t expected to enjoy this part of it but an inner peace flooded over me as the priest’s voice intoned and echoed against the walls. I glanced at Lily and she was taking it all in. It was as if her eyes were photographing the entire scene so she could relive it in her head.

Later on, we all went back to Kit’s house – apart from Dad and Lily who went back to the Overgate. Just as she had done on previous occasions, Kit had done the best she could. As there wasn’t enough room for all the Malloy children, they were taken to Lizzie’s house and fed there.

Kit was so glad to see Hattie. She gave her a hug and, if Hattie was surprised, then she didn’t show it. ‘It’s lovely to see you Hattie. Thank for coming and giving us your support.’

Hattie seemed overcome by this warm statement and she hugged her sister-in-law in return. ‘I hope Kathleen and Sammy are happy for years and years, Kit – just like yourself and George.’