me, her, and Ellen. That’s all.”
When Alice made no response, he glanced down at her. Alarmed to see her crying, he drew the car over to the curb. “I did wrong, didn’t I? Oh look, I’m sorry. Please…”
But as she answered him, he was amazed to see her smiling through the tears. “Oh Raymond, aren’t you the lovely man? As for what you wrote, as long as you didn’t give Maddy any idea that I’m still alive, it was not wrong to tell her that we might meet up one day. In time, she will have to know the truth, but only when I’m satisfied that she’s safe from harm. Meanwhile, you’ve given her a glimmer of security, letting her know that she hasn’t been altogether abandoned. And I truly thank you for that.”
With her two hands she drew his face down to hers, and kissed him with all the affection she felt.
“I do love you, Alice,” he murmured. “You know that, don’t you?”
“I love you too,” she said. And meant it.
As they drove on, she wagged a finger at him. “Next time I ask you to copy something I’ve written, don’t take it upon yourself to add a whole new letter of your own.”
“I won’t.”
“Ah sure, I can’t abide folks who think they know better than anybody else.”
“I know you can’t,” Raymond agreed stolidly. “As for me, I can’t abide folks who are argumentative, frustrating, and difficult to please.”
“Oh! Would that be
“Well, if the cap fits…?” He gave her a sideways glance.
Alice had to laugh. “Will ye listen to the two of us,” she croaked. “Going at each other like an old married couple, so we are.”
“That’s exactly what I want,” he answered softly.
“What… the two of us fighting and feuding?” As if she didn’t know what he was getting at.
“Me and you – ‘an old married couple.’” Another sideways glance. “So, what do you think?”
“Glory be! Are you asking me to marry you?”
“I might be.”
“Then I might think about it,” she replied teasingly. She pointed to the cyclist wobbling alongside them. “Watch out for the old fella. And for goodness sake, keep your mind on the road!”
He smiled to himself. Alice had said she might think about them getting wed. That meant there was a chance.
His smile grew broader.
“And what the divil are you grinning at, like some Cheshire Cat, might I ask?”
“Just thinking.”
“Well, stop thinking and do like I said – keep your eyes on the road!”
Though, as he came onto the straight, her heart couldn’t help but smile too.
Thirteen
By the end of November, winter had really begun to settle in. Blue skies had fallen to gray, the wind was bitter and for three days now, the driving rain had been relentless. But as always, inside Bob Maitland’s house, at number 8, Ackerman Street, it was cozy and warm.
“Look at me! I’m so big and heavy, my legs are going bandy.” Having negotiated the narrow stairway, Maddy ambled into the kitchen for breakfast. Patting her swollen belly, she eased herself into a chair. “I’ll be glad when the baby’s born,” she groaned.
“I’m not surprised.” Grandad wagged a finger. “You’re never still – making beds, sweeping the yard like somebody possessed, and insisting on your turn to do the washing and cooking. In your condition, you need to take things easy, lass, not drive yourself into the ground.”
Like any woeful man with misguided intentions he hoped to make her see sense by pointing out how, “It’s obvious you’re dog-tired, and I can’t help but notice how lately, you seem to be covered in spots.”
Oblivious to the fact that his kindly meant comments were not helping to restore Maddy’s confidence, he went blithely on, “All the upheaval of moving here, and the burden of carrying a child – well, it’s plainly telling on you, lass. It stands to reason, you can’t push yourself to the limits and still look bright and lively. So will you listen to me, pet, and be kind to yourself. Ease up a bit, eh?”
Feeling more self-conscious than ever, Maddy gingerly stroked her puffy face. “Where are they, these spots that I’m supposed to have?” She felt miserable now. “I haven’t seen any.”
At that moment Ellen arrived from the front room, where she had been hanging her smalls on the clothes horse. “Ellen? Have I got spots all over my face?” Maddy asked.
“I can’t see any,” Ellen said, peering at her. “What makes you think you’ve got spots anyway?”
“Grandad Bob said I had some.” Getting out of the chair, Maddy went to the fireplace, where she stretched up to look in the overhead mirror. “Where are they?”
“I’m surprised at you, Grandad,” Ellen gently chided. “I would have thought you knew better than to tell a woman she’s looking at her worst, especially when she’s eight months’ pregnant and already feeling self-conscious.”
“I’m very sorry, lass.” It came as no surprise to the old gent that he had put his foot in it, because women had always been a mystery to him.
“I know you are.” And to prove it, his granddaughter gave him a huge cuddle. “You’re just a bit dippy at times.”
At which both he and Maddy smiled at each other, and when he gave her a reassuring wink, she gave one right back.
Later that day, Grandad popped down the road to the bookies. “I’ll not be long,” he announced. “If you two want to go into town, I’ll run you there one day this week.”
“We might take you up on that,” Ellen replied.
When he was out the door, she checked in the cupboards and fridge. “We’re short on bread and sugar,” she told Maddy, “and there’s only half a pint of milk left. If you really want to make that rice pudding tonight, we’ll need another couple of pints.”
“And I desperately need some bigger knickers,” Maddy groaned. “My belly’s hanging over these ones – look!” Dropping the waist of her elasticated skirt she displayed the pink mound of flesh that was her baby. The knickers were all bunched up underneath. “Every time I stand up, I’m frightened in case my pants end up round my ankles!”
Laughing, she rolled her eyes. “Honestly, Ellen, I feel like a walrus out of water. I long for the day when I’m normal again, and I can throw out all this baggy underwear.”
“Oh no, you mustn’t throw them out.” Ellen acted horrified. “Best to burn them in the grate.”
Maddy was puzzled. “Why?”
“Because it makes sense,” Ellen replied with a twinkle in her eye, “Why spend good money on expensive coal, when your big knickers will keep us warm for a week?”
When Grandad opened the front door, he could hear the two of them helpless with laughter. “Tell me the joke then,” he asked, and they did. “I had thought about having radiators put in,” he confessed, “but I can hang on a bit, if you like.”
When the laughter subsided, he thought how wonderful it was having them here. “You’re a pair of terrors,” he chuckled. “One thing’s for sure, this house is more alive since you’ve been here, and so am I. God only knows what I’d do if you ever upped sticks and left.”
With that he collected his pipe and baccy and retired to the front room, to check on his cherished sculptures.
Grandad’s innocent remarks had set Maddy and Ellen to thinking, and when he was out of hearing distance, Ellen reminded Maddy, “I would hate to hurt him, but you and I both know, we can’t stay here forever. When the baby’s born, we said we’d find a place of our own. But if we move out, he’ll be heartbroken.”
“Maybe not.” Maddy had seen for herself how strong-minded and independent Grandad Bob could be, and after all, he had been content enough before they arrived on the scene.
“We owe him a lot,” she told Ellen now, “but if we don’t find a place of our own soon, he might begin to think we’re taking advantage, and that wouldn’t be fair on him, or us. So, maybe the sooner we do get a place the better; as long as it’s not too far for us to visit each other, I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
“You could be right,” Ellen conceded. “We can’t put on him forever, and with a baby, it’s bound to be a bit squashed here.”
“So we’re agreed then,” Maddy asked. “We’ll get a place of our own, yes?”
“Hopefully, yes. We’ll stick to our original plan, and like you said, Grandad will still be a big part of our lives. He can visit any time he likes, and when he’s had enough of us, he can always come home for some peace and quiet.”
Maddy said she thought that would be kinder to him than having his sleep and his life disturbed by a new member of the household. “Babies are small and wonderful, but we all know, they can make their presence felt.”
Maddy was ready to go along with whatever Ellen and her grandfather decided, but, “The baby isn’t due for nearly a month, so we don’t need to fret about it just now, do we? I mean, there’s still plenty of time for us to talk it all through if needed.”
One thing she was sure of. “It would only be fair to let your grandad know what’s on our mind. He might even have some good advice for us, especially if we let him have a say in where we choose to live.”
“Of course!” Ellen clapped her hands. “We’ll let him feel as though he’s in charge – well, to a certain extent,” she added with a wry little grin. “I know from old that Grandad Bob likes nothing better than to be at the helm.”
