‘I’ll feed her. I was able to buy enough to make a good tea. Then I can ask Charlie to walk her round to yours.’
Lilian grimaced. ‘One of us needs to tell Dad about this.’
‘Yes,’ Bobby said, sighing. ‘I wonder how he’ll take it. I remember what a row we had when I told him you were expecting Tony’s baby.’
‘That was as much about Tony as the baby though.’
‘True. He ought to warm to Kathleen. She’s a gentle little thing.’
‘Fathers are never as protective over sons’ virtues as daughters’,’ Lil observed. ‘Besides, Dad’s mellowed since he took up with the new Mrs Bancroft.’
‘Things have always been awkward between him and Jake though.’
‘I’ll break it to him gently. I can walk over with Annie in a bit. If he takes it well, Maimie might invite the pair of them to dinner tomorrow.’
Now that the combined ranks of the Atherton-Scott-Parry clan had grown beyond what could be accommodated by Mary’s kitchen, Sunday dinner worked on a rota, with Bobby and Charlie alternating between their respective families. Tomorrow they were to join Rob and his new wife, along with Lilian, Annie and Tony.
‘Thanks, Lil. I don’t know what I’d do without you.’ Bobby gave her sister a hug. ‘And I’m sorry for telling you off before. I was worried, that’s all.’
‘You were right. I ought to have known better,’ Lilian said with a sigh. ‘I can try to justify it to myself this way and that way, but I know Tony would never see it like that. I just… couldn’t help it.’
‘I’d hate to see you hurt,’ Bobby said softly. ‘If I sounded stern, that’s the reason. There’s no happy way it could end for you, Lil.’
‘I know. I was foolish to give in to it.’
They were interrupted by the arrival of Charlie and the young couple.
‘Well?’ Bobby demanded, getting to her feet with difficulty. ‘Are they married?’
‘No,’ Charlie said. ‘But they will be soon. I sorted out the special licence and the registrar has got an opening first thing in the morning. He took one look at Kathleen and took pity on them.’
‘Oh, thank goodness.’
Jake threw himself down on the settee next to Lilian. ‘Heyup, Lil. What’re you doing here?’
Lil turned to glare at him. ‘Don’t give me “Heyup, Lil”, you little sod. Give me a hug, then after that I’ve a good mind to box your ears, big lad though you are.’
‘That’s if I don’t box them first.’ Bobby turned to Charlie. ‘We saw off four Redcaps not less than an hour ago.’
Charlie blinked. ‘What, here?’
‘Redcaps?’ Kathleen said, looking worried. ‘You mean, policemen?’
‘That’s right,’ Bobby told her. ‘Your young man there is absent without leave. And if he doesn’t get back to his barracks by Thursday, he could be looking at two years inside for desertion.’
‘Two years?’ Kathleen turned to glare at Jake. ‘You told me you had four days’ leave!’
‘I did it for you, Kath,’ Jake said, looking at her with pleading in his eyes. ‘I won’t have my baby being born without a dad. I mean I am his dad, but I want it to be legal and everything.’
‘A dad’s no good to our baby in jail, Jake. You ought to have told me. I’d never have let you break the law.’
‘I know you wouldn’t,’ he said with a weak smile. ‘Why d’you think I didn’t tell you?’
Kathleen continued to glare. Jake looked like a cornered rabbit as he faced stern looks from two sisters and one fiancée. He turned to Charlie, who unlike the women only looked rather bewildered.
‘It weren’t my fault,’ Jake said. ‘The buggers wouldn’t let me have the leave. I had to do summat, didn’t I? What if the baby came before they let me out long enough to get married?’
‘OK, let’s all calm down,’ Charlie said, taking control of the situation. ‘It’s not ideal, admittedly, but it isn’t the end of the world. I’m with Jake. This is for the best.’
