Chapter 16
When Bobby got back to her office-shed, she found Tony leaning back in his chair, smoking.
‘You took your time, didn’t you?’ he observed.
‘I took my dinner hour early to run some errands in town.’ Bobby’s eyes stung in the fug of smoke. ‘I hope you’ve done more this morning than make yourself cough, Tony.’
She sat down at her desk, unfastening her pixie hood but not removing her coat. After the encounter with Jolka, Bobby felt self-conscious about her bump. Tony was less astute than a woman was likely to be, but still, she ought to be cautious.
‘I’ve been working, don’t worry.’ Tony took out his cigarette. ‘Been hard at it, in fact.’
‘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?’
‘Not yet. He had an interview for a clerk’s position at the bank in Skipton but he isn’t optimistic about it.’
‘Why, what were wrong with it?’
‘Oh, I’m sure he’s worrying over nothing,’ Bobby said vaguely. ‘Still, he’s right not to pin too much hope on it. He’s got no experience in that kind of role, and he’ll be a fair bit older than the other applicants.’
Bobby felt it best not to mention what had happened in the interview. She knew Charlie wouldn’t like her discussing it, and bringing it up would no doubt force her dad to dwell on his own similar problems.
‘Well, tell him I’m always ready to slip him a bob or two to come trapping wi’ me,’ Rob said cheerily.
‘I will. Thanks, Dad.’ Bobby paused. ‘Does Lil tend to hang around when she takes the girls home? I was planning to wait, but if she’s going to be ages…’
‘Sometimes she stays for a brew while Ginger has a hold of the baby, but on parade nights she always comes straight back to make sure us fellers have got us sandwiches and whatnot. Doubt she’ll be long.’
Her dad didn’t seem to think there was anything amiss in Lil’s relationship with the captain, at any rate.
Bobby felt a certain relief at this. Rob had always been fierce about protecting his daughters from male attention, both wanted and unwanted.
He had passed that baton on to their husbands now, of course, but she was sure he would be alert to anything not quite right.
She smiled at her dad’s tunic. He had done the buttons up unevenly, so the bottom buttonhole hung empty.
‘Come here,’ she said, stepping closer to rebutton it. ‘Honestly, Dad, however do you think you’ll get on living with Stan? The pair of you will be going about in odd socks and with holes in your vests with no woman to look after you.’
He frowned. ‘Stan? Stan who?’
‘Well, Stan Henderson,’ Bobby said, blinking. ‘Or has the plan changed? I was meaning to ask.’
‘What plan’s that?’ Rob asked, looking rather puzzled.
She lowered her voice in case Tony was listening. ‘Your own place. Did you change your mind?’
‘I’ve not changed owt. I don’t see what Stan Henderson’s got to do with it though.’
Now she thought about it, Bobby wasn’t sure what Stan Henderson had to do with it either. She thought her dad had said Stan was the friend he would be setting up a bachelor establishment with, but now she considered it, hadn’t it been Charlie who had made that suggestion?
‘Sorry, I think I’m muddling two conversations,’ she said. ‘Who is it then, if not Stan?’
Rob rubbed the back of his neck.
‘Well, I can’t say just yet,’ he said. ‘There’s a question I need an answer to first. But if it goes the way I’m hoping, I’ll let you know on Sunday.’
‘It’s the wedding on Sunday. Gil Capstick and Mabs Jessop. We’ll be having our family dinner later than usual.’
‘Oh aye. Well, there’ll be time after for news.’
‘All right.’ Bobby adjusted his forage cap so it stood at the smartest angle. ‘I don’t know why there needs to be all this mystery though, Dad.’
‘I just want everyone together for it. Saves me repeating missen.’
Bobby might have pressed further, but Lilian arrived at that moment with Annie in her pram. The baby gurgled happily.
‘Oh. Bobby,’ Lil said, looking flustered. ‘I wasn’t expecting you. Let me sort the men out, then I’ll pump some water for the kettle.’
‘I can do that,’ Bobby said. ‘Least I can do when I’m dropping in on you unannounced.’
‘Well, I’m not saying it isn’t nice to see you,’ Lil said with a smile.
‘Leave the water to me though.’ She flashed her sister a significant glance, which Bobby could interpret as meaning she oughtn’t to be pumping water in her delicate condition.
‘You mind the baby while I send these two off to their parade. I’d better go and check Tony’s found his way to some clean socks. ’
Lilian disappeared into the bedroom to minister to her husband’s sock needs and Bobby picked Annie up. The baby grinned, showing off her single milk tooth as if very proud of her achievement in growing it. Bobby held her close as she inhaled her soft, powdery baby scent.
‘Corker, i’n’t she?’ her dad said, smiling proudly at the wriggling infant. ‘She’s another little tooth coming through, looks like. Won’t be long till she’s got a full set of gnashers.’
‘She’s certainly growing up fast. She’ll be walking before we know it.’
‘She don’t half look like our Jake at that age, for all that she’s a lass. Funny really, when he’s grown up to be more like the Bancroft side than you and Lil. Don’t reckon you two got owt off your old man but your noses and a store of bloody-mindedness.’
‘And we’re very grateful for both,’ Bobby said with a laugh.
Rob dusted down his uniform. ‘What do you think then, will I pass muster tonight?’
‘Yes, you look very smart. We ought to get a photo of you at the studio in Skipton, Dad. I’m sure your grandchildren will want a keepsake of their grandad in uniform. I mean, in uniform for this war.’
‘Oh, us old lads are only laiking at soldiers. No cause for photographs.’ Still, he looked rather pleased at the suggestion.
Once Tony and Rob had been furnished with sandwiches and a tea-filled Thermos, they left to catch the bus into Settle and Lilian went outside to pump some water.
Bobby pressed a kiss to the dozing baby’s soft, dark hair and put her back in her pram.
Then she looked around the barn-cottage that had once been her home.
Not much had changed since she had lived here with her father. Lil had purchased new curtains, but everything else remained just as it had been.