Aunty Doll,’ Kitty said, thrilled that they liked her creation and equally sure they would enjoy eating it. ‘You’ll have nothing to worry about, just you wait and see.’ She smiled as Dolly rippled with unashamed pride.
‘I’ll not have Madam Kennedy looking down her nose and finding us wanting.’
‘Hell will freeze over before she’ll lay on a spread!’ Rita laughed, knowing everybody was aware of her mother-in-law’s miserly reputation. ‘Anyway, I’ll be off now before Charlie gets in from work.’
‘You’d better make tracks, he’ll be coming down the street pretty soon.’ From her window Dolly could watch her son-in-law’s daily arrival home with amusement. The insurance salesman, his bicycle clips wrapped firmly around his trouser legs, always sat far back on the saddle, riding his cycle down the street like a powerful Norton motorbike. ‘Madam Kennedy didn’t have cause to complain at your wedding, Rita.’
‘And she won’t have any reason to carp at Nancy’s either.’ Rita knew her mother had been saving for months for this day, and she was proud of her family’s generous nature.
‘I’d sooner starve than ask her to help me out, moneylender or not.’ Dolly’s nostrils flared with disdain.
Kitty sighed. Some of us have no option, she thought, knowing she would shortly have to go cap in hand to Mrs Kennedy and grovel for a loan.
For, as much as she had rescued the money that Danny and her dad almost gambled away, she still did not have enough to rig out Tommy, who was one of Nancy’s ushers. He was going to need a new pair of trousers and shoes, not to mention a new shirt and tie.
‘Right then,’ said Rita, ‘I’ll have to be going now, Mam. As it’s my and Charlie’s anniversary I’ve made a special tea with sherry trifle for afters.’
‘Oh, that sounds lovely,’ said Pop. ‘Can I come?’
‘You might as well, Pop,’ Rita laughed. ‘Mrs Kennedy will be there.’
‘In that case I don’t think I’ll bother, but give her my regards.’ Pop rolled his eyes to the ceiling. Rita had never heard him say a bad word about anybody, not even the old dragon Winnie Kennedy, her own mother-in-law.
‘You’d think she’d leave you alone on your anniversary!’ Eddy said. ‘Or even better, Charlie should have taken you out instead.’
‘We’re saving for a deposit, Eddy.’ Rita pulled her son’s socks up as she was talking. ‘We’ll never get a house if we waste our money on nights out.’
‘Maybe he’ll win the money for a deposit,’ Nancy said. Rita’s look of confusion told her she had said too much so she added suddenly, ‘Let’s go into the parlour,’ linking her arm through Kitty’s, ‘and we’ll see what’s what.’ Amidst the bustle of Rita and the two kids leaving, Nancy, Dolly and Kitty went into the parlour. Kitty eyed up the room, which Pop had decorated in preparation for the wedding, and decided the top table would look better under the window. They wanted everything just right.
‘The wedding cake could go there,’ Kitty pointed to the imaginary table, ‘with Nancy’s bouquet in front … and then we could have the groom’s family over here …’
‘You can say what you like about Kitty Callaghan …’ A deep, melodious voice coming from the direction of the parlour door made Kitty’s insides turn to jelly, ‘… but she knows how to put on a splash.’ Kitty’s head whipped round and that familiar feeling of pleasure tingled through her at the sound of Frank Feeny’s velvety voice. She only just managed to hold on to a gasp of delight at the sight of him, and heaved a sigh of relief when Dolly rushed past her to throw her arms around her elder son. It gave Kitty the chance to drink in his compelling presence.
Frank had grown from a gangly six-footer to a strong, handsome man. Confidently self-assured without being cocky, he was a petty officer in the Royal Navy and the only man whose tanned good looks had ever made her pulse race. Kitty stepped back and, as the lid was up, leaned on the piano keys, causing a plinkety-plonk, which almost turned into a tune as she tried to retain a little dignity.
‘Give us a song then, Kit!’ Frank laughed, dropped his kitbag on the floor and almost hugged the living daylights out of his mother. Kitty reluctantly lowered her gaze; she had been staring, intentionally, of course. However, she did not want him to think she had lost her marbles …
‘You said you wouldn’t be home until Friday. You’re a day early,’ Dolly cried when she got her breath back.
Frank looked comically sad before turning his gaze to Kitty. ‘Hello, Kit, maybe you’ll be glad to see me?’ His dark blue eyes lingered just a little longer than necessary before he gave Kitty’s arm a playful squeeze. ‘Those muscles are still a bit puny.’
‘You look well, Frank,’ Kitty said shyly, hoping her cheeks were not glowing, and felt the surprising sting of happy tears threaten. Annoyed with herself for the way a hot colour always rose to her throat and neck when Frank was around, she said in a mock hurt voice, ‘They are not puny!’ Her eyes widened and she blinked back the unshed tears. He would be a good catch for some lucky girl one day. If that girl could drag him onto dry land long enough, that was.
‘How long are you home for?’ she asked, feeling her colour rise even more.
‘Listen to her, Mam!’ Frank pretended to be hurt. ‘I’ve only just stepped through the door; you tell me you don’t want me home for another day and Kitty’s trying to get shut of me.’
‘No, I didn’t mean …’ Kitty was tongue-tied now. ‘I just meant … I didn’t mean …’ Then she saw his handsome, mischievous eyes dance and she laughed, relieved. ‘Oh, you, Frank …’
‘I get you every time, Kit.’ He squeezed her arm again and Kitty, reluctantly, shrugged him away. She had to get back to Tommy; if he was feeling better he would be out in the street and she would never get him in.
‘I’ll be going then, Aunty Doll … Glad to see you home again, Frank,’ Kitty said, blushing to the roots of her hair and pushing a damp curl back under her turbaned headscarf. She headed for the parlour door.
‘Was it something I said?’ Frank gently caught her arm and his eyes, the deep colour of a tropical ocean, sparkled when he smiled. Kitty could see her reflection in them, he was so close. For a moment, she felt as if they were the only two in the room. A small cough from Dolly brought her out of her reverie and Kitty began distractedly to tidy together the things she had brought over to show her: the small bride and groom to go on the top tier of the cake, the sprig of white silk flowers to adorn the bottom layer.
‘You’ll have a lot to catch up on,’ she said shyly. ‘I don’t want to intrude.’
‘You could never do that, Kit.’ Frank’s voice, lower, gentler, even a little solemn now, caused her to smile self-consciously. Feeling flustered, she dropped the small bride on the floor and bent down to pick it up, as Frank did the same. They knocked their heads together gently, and Kitty put her hand to her own. She felt her cheeks must be crimson now. Frank laughed softly and touched her forehead where they had bumped into each other.
‘You all right, Kit? I haven’t given you a concussion, have I?’ He handed her the little model of the bride. ‘Here you go, pretty as a picture. Just like you.’
Kitty thought that Frank looked
