‘What have you done then?’
‘Take a look. It’s on your desk.’
Bobby glanced at his copy: an article on the fairy legends of the Dales.
‘Oh,’ she said. ‘Well, thanks. I’ll sub it now.’
‘Not sure what you were trying to say, getting me to write that one,’ he said, grinning. He nodded to her coat. ‘Not going to take that off? You won’t feel the benefit when you go outside.’
‘In a bit. I’m freezing.’
‘Not that cold, is it? Stove’s on.’
‘Yes, but it was a chilly walk from the Bull. If you’re that concerned about me, you can get a brew on.’
‘It’s your turn.’
‘No it isn’t.’
‘Yes it is. I’ve been making my own brews all morning. About time someone else made me one.’
Bobby sighed. Every day the same argument. Just by virtue of her sex, it seemed, the rota of tea rounds was expected to tip five to one against her. But she had no energy to do battle with Tony over the tea.
‘All right, I’ll get one on in a minute.’ She glanced up from his fairy article. ‘I suppose the captain’s out, is he?’
‘Aye, he went shopping. Left the back door key in case he’s not here when we leave, so we can put the machines inside. He says to pop it through the letterbox.’
‘Right. Good.’ Bobby paused. ‘I bumped into our Lil in Settle, taking the baby out.’
‘She was going in to change her library book, I think,’ Tony said vaguely. ‘All right, was she?’
‘Yes, she looked better than I’ve seen her for ages.’
‘You think so too?’ Tony seemed pleased to have her confirm this. ‘I thought the same. Happen she’s getting back to normal at last.’
Bobby felt relieved that Tony’s version of events tallied with Lil’s and Captain Parry’s. It meant she was being foolish, and there had been no clandestine liaison arranged.
‘Hope she don’t have such a rough time of it with the next one,’ Tony observed as he finished off his cigarette. ‘Our mam says it’s never as bad with the second.’
Bobby frowned. ‘The next one? You don’t mean—’
‘Nay, she’s not in the family way yet,’ Tony said complacently. ‘Want to get her strong and healthy again first. We’ve not got space at the moment anyhow.’
Bobby thought about what her dad had told her before Christmas. She hadn’t heard any more about his plans to move in with a friend. Was he still considering it? The unsettled feeling about her sister’s friendship with George Parry had only made Bobby feel more keenly that it was imperative the Scotts had a space to call their own if their marriage was to thrive.
When work was over, Bobby walked to Cow House Cottage with Tony. He and her father had a Home Guard parade that evening, so she could have Lil and Annie to herself.
She found her sister and the baby out, however. Tony disappeared to get changed into his uniform, leaving Bobby with her dad. Rob was fastening his denim tunic by the fire, his trembling hands fumbling with the buttons.
The tremor in her dad’s hands made Bobby think of Charlie. He would have said goodbye to his dying friend by now, she supposed. She wondered how he was feeling, now it was over.
‘Lil’s not still in town, is she?’ Bobby asked her father.
‘Nay, she stepped out to take them little lasses back to their dad.’
‘Oh yes, of course. I wonder Tony and I didn’t run into her on the way.’
‘Happen she’s dropped in at Moorside for summat,’ Rob said. ‘So, that lad of thine found hissen a job yet?’
