‘How am I supposed to be?’
‘I think you’re forgetting something,’ said Alice, smarting at his grumpiness. ‘You and Mummy used to meet in secret for the best part of a year before you dared to tell her parents. They didn’t like you at all at first.’
‘It’s true,’ said Ellen. ‘My father thought he was unworthy of me.’
‘There you are, Harv,’ said Keedy, brightly. ‘You must have felt the way that I’m feeling now. We shared the same uncomfortable experience.’
‘I never worked alongside Ellen’s father,’ said Marmion, pointedly. ‘I didn’t have to lie to him over a long period.’
‘I didn’t lie to you. I’m like Father Howells when you first met him. I just didn’t tell you the truth. And, yes, there
Ellen was exasperated. ‘This is supposed to be a happy occasion,’ she complained. ‘We’ve just heard that Joe is going to become one of the family. Isn’t that wonderful news, Harvey? He’s not threatening to run away with Alice. He wants to marry her.’ She nudged him harder. ‘Cheer up, will you? What sort of a father-in-law are you going to be?’
‘You’re right, love,’ said Marmion, contriving a half-smile. ‘In some ways, it is good news and I wish you both well. I warn you now, Joe, that I’ll be a terrible father-in-law.’ They all laughed. ‘As for what happens between us at work,’ he added, ‘well, that’s a different matter altogether.’
He leant across to kiss his daughter then shook Keedy’s hand warmly.
‘And there was me,’ said Ellen, ‘praying that Alice would never make the mistake of marrying a policeman.’
‘I’m going to do more than just marry one,’ declared Alice, who’d been saving up another surprise for her parents. ‘I’ve decided to leave the WEC in the near future. I’m going to join the Women’s Police Service.’ She saw the distress on her father’s face. ‘You’d better get used to the idea, Daddy. We’re going to be working together.’
