Chapter 21 #2
She was as keen as Mary to make this a short stay.
She wouldn’t be able to relax until she and Charlie had broken their news to the family.
As long as they were all here, there was a risk that someone would let the secret slip.
Bobby knew she could trust Jolka and Ernie, but a couple of the gossipy neighbours who had spotted her being driven around in the doctor’s car were also here.
There were a few people she wanted to speak to before leaving though. One of them, Ginny Jessop, was standing alone gazing out of the window. Bobby approached her.
‘How are you feeling, Mrs Jessop?’ she asked gently, resting a hand on the old lady’s shoulder.
‘Oh. Miss Bancroft.’ Ginny pulled her eyes from the window. ‘I’m sorry, I must’ve been away wi’ t’ fairies.’ She shook her head impatiently. ‘Miss Bancroft, now what am I on about? It’s Mrs Atherton, isn’t it? How long is it you’ll be married now?’
‘Coming up to nine months.’
‘As long as that already!’ Ginny’s gaze drifted to the window again, which looked out on the fells rising up into a steely Dales sky. ‘Time does seem to run faster the older you get,’ she said dreamily.
‘How are you feeling?’ Bobby repeated. ‘It must be an emotional day for you.’
‘It is.’ Ginny smiled in Mabs’s direction.
The young bride was holding her husband’s hand and beaming as she received the hearty congratulations of their many friends.
‘But a proud one. Andy would be proud enough to burst if he were here. He had a soft spot for that little lass out of all on ’em, wayward as she could be. ’
‘I’m sure he is here.’
‘Aye, happen so.’ Ginny laughed, a little brokenly.
‘He used to despair of seeing the child settled. Always she’d be running after lads wi’ more brass buttons than brains, caring for nowt but a handsome face.
It took losing someone she loved to make her understand the value of the heart underneath.
He’d be glad o’ that, any road. Glad it were him as brought them together. ’
‘You must miss him a lot.’
‘That I do. Don’t seem fair we got so little time.
Then again, we were lucky to get that much.
Andy had a long life, and he fit a whole lot into it.
’ Her gaze drifted once again to the towering fells, turning in the direction of Newby Top, Andy’s old farmhouse.
‘He were allus fond of thee,’ she said quietly.
‘I was fond of him.’
‘Forever boasting of knowing thee, he was,’ Ginny said with a little smile.
‘That clever lass from t’ paper, who knew all the words anyone could think of.
He’d laugh hissen silly at your bits in our paper when I read them to him.
“She’ll do great things, our Miss Bancroft, Gin.
Just tha watch and see.” That were what he said to me near the end.
Gave you all the credit for the wooing of me.
I think he was as attached to you as one of his own. ’
Bobby felt a lump rise, thinking about the friend she had lost.
She hadn’t been sad to say goodbye to Andy for his own sake.
He had been content, even happy, as the end of his life approached, feeling he had been blessed in both years and loved ones.
But for her own sake Bobby had been sad, because even the knowledge that someone you care for has had a long and blessed life doesn’t prevent you from missing them when they’re gone.
He had been so proud to know her. So sure she would do something of real note one day. Would she? Could she? Was it too late, now she was to be a mother?
‘I miss him too,’ Bobby said, swallowing a tear. ‘I really do.’
Ginny smiled, and turned to give her a hug.
‘You know, I reckon you’re right,’ she whispered as they embraced. ‘I reckon in his own way, he is here today.’
When Ginny had left her, Bobby went to pluck Charlie’s elbow.
He was smoking among a gaggle of men from the local farms, friends from veterinary days, and seemed to be enjoying himself.
She felt guilty about interrupting, but she didn’t want to speak to Ernie without telling Charlie where she was going.
If the village gossips spotted her slipping away with Ernie King while her husband was distracted, they’d have a field day.
‘What’s up, Bob?’ he asked. ‘Did you want to go home?’
‘Soon, but not yet. I wanted to tell you I was going to speak to Ernie about what we discussed, so if you find I’ve disappeared, I’ll be outside with him.’
‘All right.’ He gave her a kiss. ‘When you want to leave, just let me know.’
‘I will. You enjoy yourself with your friends.’
She left Charlie to the ribbing of his pals, who seemed to be unleashing a store of wife-related wisecracks. She made a mental note to write a few jokes about husbands for the wireless to get her own back.
Ernie was congratulating the bride and groom. Bobby waited for him to finish before waving to claim his attention.
‘Bobby,’ he said when he approached. She noted the concern in his tone, as well as the absence of nickname. ‘Everything all right, kid?’
‘It is, but… can you come outside? I want to talk to you in private.’
He frowned. ‘Your other half going to be OK with that? I prefer weddings that don’t include a sock in the puss.’
‘Charlie’s given his blessing for me to sneak off with you, don’t worry,’ she said with a smile.
Ernie let out the deep laugh that always reminded Bobby of when she had first got to know him, in the winter of 1941 when they had appeared in Topsy’s pantomime together. She couldn’t remember anything that had brought her as much joy as that little production.
‘That’s mighty liberal-minded of him,’ Ernie said. ‘Come on then.’
‘Is Barbara not with you?’ Bobby asked as they ventured out into a chilly winter afternoon.
Ernie shrugged. ‘I could hardly drag the girl here without an invite.’
‘The invitations to single folk said they could bring someone, didn’t they? I know Captain Parry’s did.’
‘Can’t say I noticed. I’m sure the happy couple will be glad not to have another mouth to feed.’ He looked keenly into her eyes. ‘I guess from the way you were smirking at me in church that I’m safe to offer those congratulations I was saving?’
‘Yes, it was all OK. Just babies being babies, the doctor said, and I’d got into such a panic that I’d made myself ill. Once I could feel the baby moving again, I was soon my old self.’
‘In that case, my heartiest congratulations to both of you.’ He shook her hand, making her smile.
‘We’re going to tell the family later today,’ she told him. ‘Don’t give us away, will you?’
‘Sure. I know how to keep my mouth shut.’
‘Ernie, I wanted to ask you something,’ Bobby said. ‘I hope you won’t think it’s strange.’
‘What is it?’
‘Well, we thought… that is, Charlie and I decided we’d like you to be the baby’s godfather. If you wanted to be.’
‘Gee,’ Ernie said, blinking. ‘Godfather? Me?’
‘We’d be honoured if you would. We’re going to ask Topsy and Teddy to be the others when we’ve made the news public, but I wanted to ask you first.’
‘Why me?’
‘Well, you’re important to me,’ Bobby said, flushing. ‘That is to say, I’m fond of you. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you yesterday, honestly. I’d like you to be something to my baby, and him to you.’
Ernie seemed to swell, the chest of his dress uniform expanding with pride.
‘I’ve never been a godfather before,’ he said. ‘What if I mess it up?’
Bobby smiled. ‘You won’t. You’ll be wonderful.’
‘And I guess I’d be Uncle Ernie, would I?’
‘If you like.’
‘Heh. That sure sounds strange. I’ll do my best to live up to it though.’
‘So you will?’
‘Yeah, if you really want me. It’d be an honour, Slacks.’
Bobby beamed at him. ‘Oh, thank you. I am glad. Charlie will be too.’
‘What happens now? Do I need to sign anything, or do we just spit in our palms and shake?’
‘I think that comes at the christening,’ Bobby said with a laugh. ‘But I’m willing to risk village gossip and give you a hug. You saved my life yesterday, and I was so shaken that I barely said thank you.’
‘I don’t think you were quite at death’s door, but I’ll take a hug if it eases your conscience,’ Ernie said, smiling. ‘You’d better start it though, then I can claim to be the innocent party if your Mr Atherton files for divorce.’
Bobby wrapped her arms around him. He didn’t embrace her in return, but smiled down at her with a protective tenderness.
‘You know, Slacks, you’re going to make one hell of a mom,’ he whispered.
‘Thanks, Ernie. I’m glad things worked out for us. I’m glad we both got to be happy.’
He brushed his lips against her cheek. ‘All the happiness in the world, kid. You deserve it.’
Bobby was anxious to leave after her conversation with Ernie, but Charlie was having such a merry time with the other men that she didn’t like to drag him away.
It was good for him to socialise. Instead she sought out Topsy, who she hadn’t seen since Jolka had passed on the news that Mrs Hobbes would be leaving her.
The blow had softened a little with time, although Topsy still seemed stunned at losing her much-loved nanny.
Mrs Hobbes was to leave her at the end of the month, when she had arranged to move into a cottage in the village – by the beck for the benefit of her pet goose Norman and his family, just as Bobby had predicted.
Topsy soon began talking animatedly about her and Teddy’s plan to adopt a child, however.
‘I’ve written to one of Father’s friends on the board of the Waifs and Strays Society for advice,’ Topsy said.
‘Oh, but it is frustrating having Maimie leave just when I need her. Of course I’ll have to give up nursing.
Teddy will need me at home, and I’ll have the house to keep.
I’ve never tried being a housewife before.
Maimie’s always been there to divide the chores with. ’
Bobby had private suspicions that Maimie Hobbes had taken on more than her fair share of chores at Topsy’s cottage. The former nanny did seem to act as unofficial housekeeper there. However, she kept quiet on this point.
‘Shan’t you miss nursing?’ she asked Topsy.
‘I’ll miss doing my part to help those poor boys, but when I’ve got my own wounded hero at home, it’s hard to feel too guilty.
’ Topsy popped a shortcrust finger in her mouth, as usual eating like someone with no time to waste.
‘I think it will be rather an adventure, don’t you?
I wish Maimie didn’t have to go but I’m looking forward to getting started on motherhood. ’
Bobby would never cease to be amazed at the breeziness with which her friend considered such matters. Bobby was perpetually worrying herself into knots about how the changes in her life would affect her, but to Topsy, every change was just the next big adventure. Why couldn’t she be that way?
It felt strange, too, how little changed Topsy was.
Bobby often felt like a whole other person than that girl who had first come to Silverdale, and Charlie had changed even more.
Everyone she knew had changed to some extent, because two years of war did change people.
Mary had become more independent, Reg softer, her father happier, Lilian more serious and Tony more responsible. Only Topsy seemed never to alter.
And yet Topsy had altered – a great deal, under the surface. Loving Teddy had taught her softness, and selflessness. Bobby could never have pictured the Topsy Sumner-Walsh she had met on New Year’s Eve 1940 as a mother, a nurse or the wife of a disabled man.
Topsy had matured, but she had managed to retain her colour, her buoyancy of spirit and youthfulness of heart – all the things people loved her for.
No amount of war and hardship seemed able to rob her of them.
Bobby felt sure her friend would have the same happy disposition all her life, and it gladdened her to think of it.