‘But you won’t always be at home with him. One day you’ll be grown-up, and leave to have families of your own,’ Lilian pointed out. ‘Wouldn’t you like to meet Miss Simpson? I bet she knows lots about make-up and things. She’s ever so pretty, like a film star.’
‘If Dad wants to get married again, he should marry you or Bobby,’ Jessie said, a black look on her face too. ‘We’d like it much better if you lived with us thanher.’
Bobby laughed. ‘I think our husbands might have some objections.’
‘Well, all right,’ Jess conceded grudgingly. ‘But it don’t have to be her though.’
‘Why not meet her before you make up your mind?’ Lilian suggested. ‘I’m sure if your dad likes her, she must be a rather special person. It would grieve him if you went into a pet after he’s brought his new friend especially to meet you. And since you’re both so grown-up now, it would be the mature thing to do.’
‘Wellllll, I suppose,’ Florrie said, her dislike of this perceived usurper of her father’s affections doing battle with her desire to prove she deserved her new grown-up status. ‘We’ll be nice to her if she’s nice to us. But I wish she hadn’t come.’
‘You’ll like her once you get to know her.’ Lilian handed the child a handkerchief. ‘Here. Wipe off your lipstick and go on in. It isn’t polite to keep her waiting.’
Reluctantly, Florrie wiped her lips clean and the two girls ran off to the house.
‘For George’s sake, I hope they make an effort,’ Lilian said to Bobby when they were alone. ‘He’s been ever so anxious about introducing them.’
‘It sounds like he and his Miss Simpson are getting serious.’
‘Yes. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was considering popping the question, between us.’
Bobby raised an eyebrow. ‘Already?’
‘It took him long enough to start courting again. I suppose now he has, he feels why waste time?’
Lilian sounded dreamy, gazing through the window towards the house. Bobby was pleased to see that her sister was lookinghealthier. Even in the week they hadn’t seen each other, some plumpness had returned to Lil’s cheeks. There was none of the feverish sparkle that Bobby had come to dread seeing in her eyes, which meant Lilian had been bolstering her flagging spirits with tonic wine.
‘Have you met this Miss Simpson?’ Bobby asked.
‘Not properly, no. I must admit, I was surprised when I saw her that night at the pub. She didn’t seem the type to attract someone like George. Still, if he likes her, there must be something to her.’
‘Where’s our Annie?’
‘With her dad, sleeping. She was tired out after going shopping. The girls have been spoiling her rotten.’
Bobby raised an eyebrow. ‘So, what’s this “Aunty Lil” all about?’
‘Sorry,’ Lilian said, flushing. ‘I hope your feelings aren’t hurt, when you’ve known them longer. I was sure Mary looked a little upset over it.’
‘What brought it on?’
‘They asked if they could while we were shopping.’ Lil smiled. ‘It was touching really. We were in Woolworth’s, Florrie picking out her lipstick with me trying to nudge her towards the less garish shades. She started talking about their Aunt Sadie – the one they were living with in London when their house was bombed.’
‘Their late uncle’s wife,’ Bobby said. ‘Yes, I remember them telling us about her. She didn’t sound like much of a foster mother. Florrie said she was always leaving them alone to go out with boyfriends.’
‘That’s what she told me today. I could tell it hurt that this Sadie hadn’t loved them the way an aunt should. For a year of their lives, she was all they had.’ Lilian smiled slightly. ‘Poor souls, they did so crave a mother. I can see why George doesn’twant to waste any time with Miss Simpson. Florrie starting her monthlies really opened his eyes to how much they miss out on without a female presence in the home.’
‘What happened then?’
‘They asked if I’d ever been an aunty. I didn’t mention Marmaduke, of course, but I told them I had two little nieces in Bradford. They asked what my nieces called me, and when I told them, Jess announced, “Well then we should get to call you that too, because you’re really as much our aunty as theirs, and anyhow, our real aunty doesn’t want us.” You know, all defiant about it.’
‘I suppose they’re jealous any other little girls should have a claim on you.’
‘Yes, that was it,’ Lilian said. ‘It could as easily have been you, or Mary. I’m surprised it wasn’t Mary to be honest, when she’s been like a mam to them. But mentioning Rosie and Sue got their jealousy fired up, so it was me. I didn’t have the heart to tell them they couldn’t.’ Lilian glanced outside, where the Athertons were walking back towards them. ‘We ought to be discreet in front of Mary though. I’d hate her to be hurt.’
‘Yes, you’re right.’
They fell silent as Reg pushed open the door.
