Try a Little Tenderness (42 page)

‘No, I told her I was with Cynthia. But what’s that got to do with anything? I’m not leaving early, and that’s that. I’m staying right to the end.’

Celia leaned against the tiled wall and lit a cigarette. She watched the smoke ring spiral upwards until it broke apart. ‘What d’yer think yer mother would do if she knew yer were with me? She wouldn’t like it, would she?’

Laura was stung into saying, ‘No, she wouldn’t like it at
all. But seeing as she won’t find out, I don’t see what it’s got to do with anything.’

‘She might find out. I might have a row with yer grandad one day and it might all come out in the open. I wouldn’t do it on purpose, like, but yer know how it is when yer get in a paddy, yer’ll say anything in the heat of the moment.’ Celia pushed Laura out of the way so she could stand in front of the mirror. Spitting on a finger and thumb, she took a strand of hair and twisted it into a kiss-curl. ‘And I’d have to explain how the Thursday meetings came about, wouldn’t I? That means yer mam finding out I gave yer the underskirt for yer birthday.’

Laura sucked in her breath. ‘Yer wouldn’t be that mean, would yer?’

‘Not while we’re friends I wouldn’t, of course not. And we are friends, aren’t we?’

She’s blackmailing me, Laura thought, as she stared into eyes that were as cold as steel. And there’s nothing I can do about it because she’s spiteful enough to carry out her threat. ‘I never said we weren’t friends, did I? But I still don’t see why I have to leave the dance early. What difference does it make to you?’

‘Well, yer see, kid, I’m going on to a party with Charlie at eleven, and we’re taking young Gary with us. So yer’d be all on yer lonesome and I’d worry about yer getting home.’

Would you heckerslike worry about me, Laura said silently. The only person you worry about is yerself. But she knew better than to voice her thoughts. She’d got herself involved with a really bad woman who wouldn’t think twice about getting her into serious trouble. ‘Why is Gary going to the party with yer? Why can’t he stay here with me?’

‘I promised me friend I’d bring him ’cos they’re a few fellers short. And when I asked Gary, he jumped at the chance.’

Laura’s heart slumped as she gazed down at the floor. She’d been looking forward all week to this night, and now
it had all gone wrong. But what she couldn’t understand was, while Gary’s eyes and smile, and his obvious delight at seeing her, told her one thing, his actions told her another. If he had any feelings for her, he wouldn’t leave her, not tonight of all nights, to go to a party.

When Laura raised her head, it was to see a gloating expression on Celia’s face. And this angered her. ‘I’m going to ask Gary to stay with me. I bet he will if I ask him.’

‘I wouldn’t do that if I were you, kid. He’s already said he’d come with us and you’d only put him on the spot if yer asked him to let us down.’

Laura flounced towards the door. ‘I’m going into the dance, that’s what I came for.’

Gary was waiting and put his hand out to her. ‘What the heck have yer been doing? I was beginning to think yer’d flushed yerself down the lavatory.’

She pulled him through the double doors of the dance hall. ‘Let’s dance.’

‘Don’t yer want to put yer handbag down?’

‘No, I’ll do it later.’ Laura’s tummy was churning over as she followed Gary’s steps in a slow foxtrot. ‘I’ve been looking forward to tonight.’

‘Yeah, me too, babe. I missed yer last week.’

‘Then why have yer promised to go to a party with Celia, leaving me on me own?’

Gary slowed down, a surprised expression on his face. ‘What did yer say I’ve promised to do?’

‘Don’t come that with me, Gary, yer know what I’m talking about. Celia said she invited yer to a mate’s party and yer jumped at the chance.’

Gary kept on dancing, his eyes looking over Laura’s shoulder. ‘Oh, that? I wasn’t fussy, but she talked me into it. She said you’d be leaving early, anyway.’

‘She had no right to say that, she’s not running me life for me. I asked me mam if I could stay till the end, and she said I could. I wouldn’t have bothered if I’d known you
weren’t going to be here.’ Laura was near to tears. ‘Why d’yer always have to do what Celia tells yer, anyway? She doesn’t own yer.’

‘I owe Celia a favour and I’m obligated to her.’

‘Yer don’t have to jump every time she pulls the strings! Can’t yer, just for once, tell her to get lost?’

‘Can you tell her to get lost?’

‘No, I can’t,’ Laura admitted, ‘because she can make trouble for me.’

‘Celia can make trouble for a lot of people, babe, believe me. We’ll leave it at that for now, but one day I’ll tell yer the whole story.’

Laura was thoughtful for a while. And troubled. What had she let herself in for with Celia? Oh, how she wished she’d never seen her outside the factory gates that night. Then none of this would have happened. ‘Can I ask yer something, Gary?’

‘Go ahead, babe.’

‘Do you like me? Yer know, really like me?’

‘Of course I like yer.’ He pulled her closer. ‘I would have thought that was obvious to anyone.’

‘And if it wasn’t for Celia having some sort of hold over yer, would yer like me more?’

‘Listen, babe, this conversation is just between you and me. Don’t ever repeat it to anyone. Celia is not a woman to be crossed, she’s dangerous. I go along with her because she could bring trouble to me door. One day I’ll tell yer the whole sorry story, but just for tonight, for the few hours we’ve got, let’s enjoy ourselves, eh?’

‘And you’re still going to the party with her and Charlie?’

‘If I don’t, I won’t be the only one in trouble. She’ll crucify you and yer family. And don’t think I’m exaggerating because I’ve seen it happen to people who crossed her path.’

Laura pulled a face. ‘So I won’t get me New Year’s kiss after all? That’s all I’ve thought about all week.’

Gary smiled down at her. ‘I think we can manage that, babe. When Charlie and Celia go out for their usual half hour, we’ll find a dark corner somewhere.’

‘Where do they disappear to, Gary?’

‘I think I’ve said enough for tonight, babe, so let’s dance.’ He lowered his head and spoke into her hair. ‘I like you very, very much, babe. And I mean it.’

After the interval, a spot waltz was announced. And with the whole room in darkness except for the light moving over the dancing couples, Gary led Laura to a quiet corner and put his arms around her waist. ‘Happy New Year, babe.’

Laura smiled up at him, wishing this moment could last for ever. ‘Let’s make a wish before we kiss, eh? Let’s wish that something happens to Celia and we don’t have to see her ever again.’

‘I’ve been wishing that for the last eight months, babe, but me wish hasn’t been granted. I keep telling meself she’ll come unstuck one day, and she will. She can’t go around bossing people and threatening to ruin their lives.’ He pulled her close. ‘Can I have me kiss now, before the lights go up?’

When his lips came down on hers, Laura felt as though all the breath had gone from her body and her head was spinning. If his arms hadn’t been holding her tight, she would have fainted. She had never in all her dreams imagined such a sensation. And when he finally lifted his head, she could hardly speak. ‘I think I’m going to pass out.’

‘I feel the same, babe, but don’t pass out before I have another kiss.’

They broke apart when the lights went up. ‘Yer’d better wipe yer lips,’ Laura said shakily. ‘Ye’re covered in lipstick.’

‘All these wasted weeks, when I didn’t know what I was missing,’ Gary grinned as he took a hankie from his pocket. ‘I can’t wait for the spot waltz next week.’

‘Why do we have to wait until next week? Why don’t we just tell her to go to hell?’

The smile vanished from Gary’s face. ‘She wouldn’t go to hell, she’d go straight to your mam. From what I’ve heard, she’s got it in for yer mother. She said she’s a stuck-up bitch and one day she’ll pull her down a peg or two. And you’re the one she’s going to use to do it. What I can’t understand is how she gets away with it with her husband. He must be as soft as a brush to let her gad around the way she does. And it’s an uncle of yours she’s married to, isn’t it?’

‘What? No! She’s married to me grandad!’

Gary shook his head as he looked at her with disbelief. ‘Yer
grandad
? But yer grandad must be an old man!’

‘He’s not an old man, he’s lovely. And she treats him terrible, gives him a dog’s life. I hate her, she’s wicked.’

‘She’s a bigger liar than I thought,’ Gary said. ‘She tells everybody she’s married to this handsome bloke who’s got a good job and gives her everything. They both like a good time and have agreed to give each other a lot of freedom. She goes her way, he goes his.’

‘Me grandad’s a nice-looking man, even though he’s nearly sixty. But he doesn’t have a lot of money and never goes anywhere except to work or to our house. He doesn’t give her everything, she takes it and leaves him skint.’

Gary saw Celia and Charlie come through the door, and he touched Laura’s arm. ‘That’s the end of the conversation for now, babe, the enemy approaches. We’ll talk more next week, and there’s always the spot waltz.’

‘I liked the way yer kissed me, Gary.’

‘And I liked the way yer kissed me back, babe. Roll on next week.’

Mary and Stan crossed the slippery cobbles with great care. Mary was carrying a plate of fairy cakes to help out with the food, and Stan was gripping three pint glasses in one hand and three sherry glasses in the other. ‘I’ve got a couple more if they’re short, but Seamus said three of each would do.’

‘There’s not a sound,’ Mary said as she knocked at the door. ‘We must be the first.’

Stan chuckled, ‘If it’s quiet, that means Amy hasn’t arrived yet.’

‘Come on in out of the cold.’ Molly opened the door wide. ‘Sure, it wouldn’t surprise me if we had another fall of snow, the sky’s been heavy all day, so it has.’

‘I hope not, Molly. This week’s been murder trying to get around.’ Mary handed the plate over. ‘They’re not much, sunshine, but they’ll help out.’

Seamus greeted them warmly. ‘Let me have yer coats, then take a seat near the fire.’

‘I’ll see if Molly wants any help before I sit down,’ Mary told him. ‘An extra pair of hands are always welcome.’

‘Sure, there’s no need, me darlin’. Hasn’t my dear wife got everything under control, as usual? And hasn’t she had me and Mick running around like blue-arsed flies?’

They heard footsteps clattering down the stairs and then Mick appeared. He was wearing a smile until he saw there were just the two of them. ‘Where’s Jenny?’

‘Her and Janet were upstairs titivating themselves
up when we left, but they should be here any minute.’ Mary grinned. ‘Anyone would think they were going to Buckingham Palace, the time they’re spending on themselves.’

‘Jenny doesn’t need to titivate herself up,’ Mick said. ‘She always looks pretty.’

Seamus let out a hearty guffaw. ‘Keep an eye on yer daughter, Mary, or me son will be stealing her from yer.’

‘Not while she’s only fourteen he won’t, Seamus. I’ll be tanning his backside for him if he tries.’

Although Mick smiled at her, his deep blue eyes were serious. ‘She’ll be fifteen in three and a half months, Mrs Nightingale, and me and John were going to ask yer if she can come to the dance with us? Mrs Porter has already said Janet can come with us.’

‘Oh well, if Mrs Porter has already agreed, what can I say?’ Mary was shaking inside with laughter. ‘If I refused, I’d be the worst mother in the world, wouldn’t I? Or like the wicked step-mother in
Cinderella
who wouldn’t let her go to the ball, and made her stay home to sweep the floor and wash the pans.’

Mick’s dimples appeared. ‘I’d go along with that, Mrs Nightingale, as long as I can find out how to get hold of Cinderella’s fairy godmother.’

They heard Amy’s loud voice outside. ‘Take yer bleedin’ hands off it, Ben Hanley. I’ve carried it this far without your help.’

Then came Ben’s voice. ‘What’s in it, anyway?’

‘Mind yer own bleedin’ business. And take yer hands off before I brain yer.’

They then heard John. ‘Mam, do yer have to shout so loud? The whole flippin’ street can hear yer.’

‘Sod the whole street, if they’ve nothing better to do. Now knock on that bleedin’ door before I freeze to death.’

Mick, who had been standing behind the door, had it open in a flash. ‘I don’t know what
it
is, Mrs Hanley, but I
promise I won’t put me bleedin’ hands on it.’

Amy chuckled as she brushed past him. ‘You can sod off, too, Mick Moynihan. Ye’re as bad as yer old man.’ She entered the room with a beaming smile on her face and carrying a battered suitcase in her chubby hand. ‘Good evening to yer, Molly, and you, Seamus.’ She narrowed her eyes at Mary. ‘I might have known yer’d be here first, so yer could have a few sly drinks before anyone else arrived. It’s no wonder everyone in the neighbourhood calls yer “those bleedin’ scroungers, the Nightingales”. They’ve all got yer taped, girl.’

‘I’ve often wondered what people were saying behind their hands when I pass. Well, I need wonder no more ’cos me mate has solved the mystery.’ Mary nodded to the suitcase. ‘What have yer got in there, sunshine?’

‘Seeing as yer all dying of curiosity, even my feller, I’ll tell yer. I am a professional artiste, as yer all have reason to know, and inside here,’ she lifted the case that had seen better days, ‘is the costume I’ll be wearing to entertain my adoring public.’

Ben, as funny as his wife in his own way, put on the downtrodden, henpecked husband face. His hand to his forehead, and looking down at the floor, he said, ‘She’s wicked is my wife. She lifts yer up one minute, then knocks yer down the next. When she came down with that suitcase, me heart filled with joy. I could even hear birds singing. And that should tell yer how happy I was, when there isn’t a tree within miles of us. I really thought she was leaving home.’

When there was a roar of laughter, Ben shook his head sadly. ‘No, folks, it’s no laughing matter. There I was, floating on air, and she tells me it’s her ruddy costume in the case. I came down to earth with a bump, I can tell yer.’