Soft laughter echoed as Daisy chased Bobby to the kitchen.
‘I’m taking my cake upstairs to eat in my room,’ Bobby threatened as he opened the pantry door.
‘Mother won’t like it if we don’t eat properly on the table.’
’She won’t know if you don’t tell.’
Daisy watched her brother shovel another into his pocket.
‘Why don’t you ever stop to talk to me?’ she pestered.
’Talking’s for girls.’
‘Bobby I need to tell you something,’ Daisy called as Bobby left the kitchen. ‘There’s something I saw at the factory - ‘
But her brother had already gone. So Daisy sat alone at the kitchen table. Unusually, her appetite had disappeared. Instead there was an uncomfortable weight on her chest. If she couldn’t share this dilemma, she was going to burst.
Daisy had finally eaten her cake and was about to follow Bobby upstairs when she heard Aunt Minnie’s voice drift out from the living room.
‘I know something’s wrong, yet I can’t put my finger on the trouble.’
‘What sort of trouble?’ replied Mother.
‘Betty said she wanted to go to the pictures to see - what is that film called with Ronald Colman? The Prisoner of Zenda?’
‘Wasn’t it playing up West last year?’
‘Apparently, it’s showing again. And Betty seemed eager - ’
‘Why did she ask you?’ Mother interrupted. ‘Why not Ed?’
‘He was working late - apparently,’ Aunt Minnie suggested. ‘Betty seems to think I’m somewhat of a picture-goer. Not that she really wanted my company. In fact I got the distinct impression she didn’t.’
‘How so?’ Mother questioned.
‘I was about to explain that we were expecting a visit from one of Leo’s stuffy old clients when Betty told me the cab she’d ordered was was arriving as we spoke. As if she hadn’t bargained on me going with her in the first place.’
‘How curious,’ replied Mother.
‘Yes, I thought so too.’
Daisy was puzzling this conversation when the next sentence dropped like a bombshell.
‘Anyway, the thing is - and this took the wind right out of my sails - Betty then asked me to tell Ed, if he should ever enquire, that I had gone to the cinema with her. She said something about Ed not liking her to go out on her own what with the threat of war on our doorstep but she was eager not to miss the film and didn’t want to upset Ed.’
Another strained silence, but the information about Aunt Betty wanting to go out on her own gave Daisy the shivers.
’So I agreed,’ Aunt Minnie continued helplessly. ‘I actually agreed to fib on Betty’s behalf!’
Mother gasped. ’Heavens, Minnie, you didn’t!’
‘What was I supposed to do?’
‘I … I’m not certain.’ Daisy heard her mother hesitate - which was unusual in itself. ‘But lying on behalf of anyone is wrong, whoever it might be.’
‘I know,’ agreed Aunt Minnie sheepishly. ‘I just didn’t have time to think. Please keep this to yourself, Flo.’
‘Of course. Did Betty actually go to see this film?’
’I suppose she must have or else I’d have heard from her.’
‘Did you tell Leo?’ asked Mother.
’No, only you.’
Mother gave a sniff of disapproval, a sound that Daisy knew well. ‘I should try to put it from your mind, Minnie. It’s probably all quite innocent.’
‘I hope so, but - ‘
‘Minnie, don’t say it. Don’t even think it,’ warned Mother, but Aunt Minnie refused to give up.
‘I always thought Ed and Betty were well suited. But now I’m having doubts. Ed seems besotted with his wretched valves and Betty might feel ignored.’
‘Why should she?’ Mother countered icily. ‘Like Ed, Nicky is quite passionate about his discoveries. Our men are only trying to make a decent living.’
‘Yes,’ agreed Aunt Minnie hurriedly. ‘But you and Nicky have a family to balance your lives. Leo and I have Will. Ed and Betty are childless. It doesn’t seem fair somehow.’
The voices then dipped to an inaudible whisper, forcing Daisy to return to her bedroom where she sat fretfully at her desk. Her times-table exercise book remained unopened. Her pencil lay idly in its groove. What could Aunt Betty be thinking of when asking Aunt Minnie to lie? What if Uncle Ed should learn the truth?
A few minutes later, Aunt Minnie put her head round the door. ‘Darling, I’m off now.’
Daisy jumped to her feet. ‘Aren’t you staying for supper, Aunt Minnie?’
‘Heavens, I’d love to. Another time perhaps. Give your father a hug from me.’
Daisy was bathed again in Gardenia as she hugged her aunt. A short while after Aunt Minnie had left, she was still sitting, trying to gather her thoughts, when Mother appeared.
‘What are you doing, Daisy?’
‘I’ve been learning my times tables.’
‘How very industrious.’
‘When will Pops and Matt be home?’
’Not long now.’
Daisy left her desk and wound her arms around her mother’s slender waist.
‘What’s all this for?’ Mother asked, kissing the top of her daughter’s head as they hugged.
’Nothing. I just … well, it’s nice being all together, isn’t it?’
‘You are a funny girl.’
Daisy melted in the warm embrace of motherhood. She felt reassured after the uncomfortable thoughts stirred inside her. She wasn’t able to say why - exactly - she had felt so peculiar. After all, tiny white fibs didn’t matter much, did they? White fibs weren’t like huge black, unpardonable lies.
All the same, Aunt Minnie regretted her fib and Mother had offered no answer in their place. The fact that Aunt Betty had done something to cause Aunt Minnie to confide her secret to Mother was bad enough. But worse by far - much, much worse, was that Aunt Betty it seemed, had done exactly what Mr Calder had told her to.
CHAPTER 6
DAISY STOOD in the headmistress’s office with three other pupils of Poplar Park School.
‘Girls, I have chosen you to decorate the assembly room where the school play will take place. We haven’t any holly, but we’ll make do with a few twigs from the playground. There is a box of decorations in the caretaker’s cupboard. Since we’ve no real tree this year, we
