‘I have, to collect some clothes I loaned for her pantomime.’ Jolka indicated a bag she was carrying. ‘Piotrek has taken Tommy to feed the ducks, so I am at liberty. Where are you heading?’
‘Into Settle.’ Bobby raised her shopping basket filled with magazine proofs. ‘I have to take these to the printer.’
‘I will walk with you to your stop.’ Jolka fell into step beside her.
‘How was Topsy?’ Bobby asked.
‘She is all at sixes and sevens, as I think is the English expression. Teddy laughs at her, but you would think the world was ending from the way she behaves. I was very sorry I did not wait a few hours to pick up my costumes.’
‘Oh my goodness! Why, what can have happened?’
‘Do not upset yourself. It is no great disaster, except to Topsy, and she will soon recover. It is the old lady, Mrs Hobbes.’
‘She’s all right, isn’t she?’
‘Yes, but she has given Topsy the unwelcome news that she is to leave her. Grown-up married ladies do not need nannies, she says, and she does not want to take up room when she knows Topsy and Teddy desire a child. I believe she is right, but Topsy is distraught to lose her company.’
‘Oh, poor Topsy. Will Mrs Hobbes go back to Scotland?’
‘My understanding was that she would remain in the village, with that menace of a pet goose and his family.’
‘I wonder where she’ll live.’ Bobby smiled. ‘It’ll have to be close to the beck or Norman will kick up a stink.’
‘Well, we shall see. It is no great loss to Topsy, who will see her friend often, but I suppose she has grown accustomed to having her Maimie at hand.’ Jolka smiled dryly. ‘It is rare that Topsy is thwarted in getting what she wants, I suspect. I should say it is no bad thing for her now and again.’
‘I hate to think of her upset, though. Mrs Hobbes is like a mother to her.’
‘I doubt it will be long until she sees it is for the best. With an additional room, she and Tadeusz can pursue their desire to adopt a child.’ Jolka raised an eyebrow. ‘Your Charlie’s nickname for our “mothers’ meetings” may prove prophetic, do you not think? It could be that before the year is over, all those in our little group of wives will be mothers also.’
Bobby flushed. ‘Um, well, it’s rather soon to be thinking of that.’
‘I think it is not so soon,’ Jolka said, glancing at her billowing coat. ‘But I will not say more if it discomforts you. I am sure you have reasons to wish concealment.’
Oh Lord, so Jolka had guessed the secret? Perhaps Bobby wasn’t so adept in hiding her bump as she had believed. She was sure she had noticed Mary glancing at her waist recently too, and her comment about wanting to be known as Nana ‘when the time comes’ had seemed loaded with meaning. Had her cover been blown? If so, that meant her days atThe Tykewere truly numbered.
Bobby wouldn’t want the news to get out through whispers. It would hurt her father if he were to find out he was expecting another grandchild from village gossip instead of from her. As much as Bobby wanted to keep working as long as she could, she did want to break the news to her nearest and dearest herself.
Anyhow, it was no use trying to fib her way out of it now. Bobby was a terrible liar, for one thing, and Jolka far too clever to be fobbed off.
‘Is it so obvious?’ Bobby asked quietly.
‘Not to everyone, perhaps. You conceal it cleverly. But why do you do so? I am sure the news would be received joyously.’
‘I wanted to keep it hidden while I was still able to work. Reg would dismiss me if he knew I was expecting. You won’t say anything, will you?’
‘Your secret will be safe with me.’ Jolka glanced at her. ‘Still, it is a shame you must give up the work you love.’
‘Yes,’ Bobby said with a sigh. ‘Charlie’s desperate for me to leave my job. He’s convinced it isn’t good for me or the baby, yet I’m certain it would be worse to let my brain and skills stagnate at home. It’s only the fact we need money that’s persuaded him not to tell tales on me to his brother.’
‘You are sure Reg would want you to give up work? Surely you can do some of your writing at home. There could be no harm to your health in that.’
‘I could, but I feel sure he wouldn’t approve. He has set ideas about mothers working. It was only the difficulty of finding anyone else with my skills that persuaded him to keep me on after marriage.’
‘The roles of women and men are so carefully controlled within this world,’ Jolka said with a sigh. ‘Even our language is loaded with ideas of the functions we must perform. When we talk of a woman mothering a child, we mean that she will nurture and care for him. When we talk of a man fathering a child, it speaks only of his role in the creation of life. People like your editor are unable to think beyond ideas that have been driven into them over generations. It is most frustrating.’
‘It is, but what can we do about it? What canIdo about it?’
‘You ought to be like me, Bobby. Do not pin your fortunes on the Regs of the world. Who is it that runs his little magazine now?’
