‘So he doesn’t know you’ve been repaying Tony Scott for the favour in dates then.’
‘No, and he doesn’t need to either. He’d thump the lad if he knew.’
‘I’m tempted to thump him myself. At least, I’ve a good mind to march into theCourieroffices tomorrow and give him an earache. I knew Tony had the morals of a tomcat but this is low, even for him.’
‘Please don’t do anything like that. Like I said, he didn’t put any pressure on me. He just hinted he’d enjoy my company while I was at home, that’s all, and I said I’d be glad to give it. I do like the man so it’s not exactly a chore, even if he wouldn’t have been my first choice for a male escort this week.’ She patted her sister’s arm. ‘Anyhow, it’s all sorted out now, Bobby. If I give Tony my company in Tide week so he can show me off to his friends, the whole thing will be gone and forgotten about again and Dad never needs to be any the wiser. Nothing for you to worry about.’
But despite her sister’s assurances, Bobby couldn’t help feeling this wasn’t going to be the end of the matter.
Bobby tried to enjoy the rest of her week’s holiday, but Lilian’s confession cast rather a pall over their remaining time together. She didn’t see nearly as much of her sister as she could have wished while she was out on dates every night with Tony, her dad remained quiet after his confrontation with Lilian, and Jake seemed far more upset about the broken Triumph than was warranted even for someone as motorcycle-mad as her brother. Bobby suspected he was more hurt by Nessie and Eddie’s betrayal than he was choosing to let on. As nice as it was to see everyone, to hear their news and take her little nieces to the fair, Bobby found she was approaching the end of the holiday in even lower spirits than when she’d left Silverdale.
Worst of all, there was still no reply from Charlie. She had hoped for a telegram or letter from him within days of sending her own, even if it was only to tell her she was too late after all, but when she left town a week later, there had been nothing. His silence was even more painful to her than an outright rejection. To think that this man, who she’d believed had been deeply and passionately in love with her, now cared so little for her that he couldn’t even muster the energy to write and tell her to leave him alone… it hurt beyond anything she could imagine.
She had a single hope: that Charlie had failed to notice the reply address on the communication she’d sent him and there would be a letter waiting for her at Cow House Cottage when she and her father returned home. But when they opened the door of the old barn on arriving back, there was nothing waiting for her on the doormat. She felt her heart sink as her final lingering hope was dashed.
‘Owt wrong, love?’ her dad asked.
He’d been quiet all the week: not unhappy exactly, but thoughtful. He hadn’t mentioned the talk Lilian had had with him, and Bobby hadn’t brought it up either. She had been keeping a close eye on him, however, worried his depression over the loss of what he thought of as his job might send him to the bottom of a bottle again, but there had been no noticeable increase in his drinking. He’d been unusually fond towards his family though: gentler and less gruff than he tended to be with them.
‘I thought there might be a letter for me, that’s all,’ she said. ‘I’ll get the fire lit, shall I? There’s a backendish chill in the air today.’
‘Aye, well. Every summer must end,’ he said, sinking wearily into a chair.
Something in his tone made her follow him. ‘Is everything all right, Dad?’
‘Everything’s all right.’
‘Are you going to walk over to the Hart tonight? I’m sure Pete must be missing his dominoes partner.’
‘I’d best keep out of his way for a bit, I reckon. Life’s easier when we keep oursen to oursen.’
Bobby sighed and sat down in the other chair. ‘Dad… why didn’t you tell me how you’d been making your money? I mean, with selling illegal meat.’
He sagged back in his chair, looking diminished and defeated. ‘Lil told you, did she?’
‘Of course she did. Why didn’t you tell me what had been going on?’
‘Because you’d try to talk me out of it, wouldn’t you?’
‘We didn’t need it. We might not be rich but we’ve got enough, with the rent from the old house, my wages and what the others send home. You didn’t need to risk a prison sentence.’
‘A country fit for heroes to live in,’ he muttered. ‘That’s what that old fool Lloyd George told us he was going to build. And what are we now, those of us who managed to survive the trenches? I’m a wreck at fifty-one: unemployable, broken. The war chewed us up and spat us back out like so much rubbish.’ He punched the arm of his chair. ‘I was entitled to this, Bobby! This country owes me a debt, and if it won’t pay it willingly then I don’t see why I shouldn’t take it from the fat of the land.’
‘I know how betrayed you feel, Dad. You went through hell on earth and I don’t blame you. But you have to stop now, before this goes any further.’ She bowed her head. ‘I won’t lose you too.’
‘Anyone might think you wanted to keep me around. Lord knows why, useless lump that I am.’
‘You’re not a useless lump.’ She stood up and went to kiss the top of his head. ‘You’re my dad. The only one I’ve got.’
‘At least when I were bringing money and food in, I could feel I was doing summat for the family,’ he said quietly. ‘Without that, what am I? An old man, crying by t’ fireside for the loss of his prime. An irrelevance with nowt left to do but wait to die.’
‘You can get another job. You’re not really old. There must be plenty of legal ways for you to make money.’
‘Huh. Such as what?’
‘Well… I can’t think of any just at the moment, but there must be. We’ll find you something, I promise.’
‘I wouldn’t get your hopes up, Bobby. I’m too old for a farmhand, and I know nowt about animals other than how to trap ’em the way Pete taught me. I can kid myself we’re country folk now, but I’ve never been nowt but a wool man, good enough to work the mills and that’s it.’ He patted the hand that she’d rested on his shoulder. ‘But you’re a good lass for trying to help. What was the letter you were hoping to find?’
