Sing as We Go (14 page)

‘What happened to Muriel – Miss Curtis?’

Jemima shook her head, as if she was still unable to believe herself what she was about to confide in Kathy. ‘Poor Muriel. I think she was very fond of Tony and we all thought he was fond of her too. We were pleased for them. Oh, we’d heard rumours about other girlfriends he’d had, but we thought this time it was the real thing – for both of them.’ She sighed. ‘But then he took her home to meet his parents. Beatrice was very unpleasant towards Muriel. But worse than that, she made it her business to find out about the girl’s family. Years ago, there was a scandal about Muriel’s father embezzling money from the firm he worked for. Not Muriel’s fault, of course. She was only a child at the time. It was nothing to do with her. But Beatrice latched on to it. She tried to persuade Tony that Muriel was not right for him. That his involvement with her would damage his career and his reputation.’

‘And he believed her and ended the – the friendship?’

‘No – no, credit due to him, he didn’t. It was Muriel who ended it.’

‘
Muriel
? Why?’

Jemima held her gaze for a moment. ‘You do realize that I am trusting you not to say a word about all this to anyone. Not
anyone
, Kathy. I only know about it because poor Muriel was so distressed at work – well, let’s just say she confided in me. I shouldn’t really be telling you. I never betray confidences.’ Despite the gravity of their conversation she allowed herself a small smile. ‘Just like you never lie. We both seem to be breaking our own rules, don’t we?’

Kathy smiled guiltily.

‘Anyway,’ Jemima went on. ‘It seems that Beatrice sent for Muriel to go to their house –
without
Tony being present. She told her that Tony was too loyal to end the relationship himself, but that if she, Muriel, had any true feelings for him, she would end it to save his career and his good name.’ Jemima sighed. ‘I suppose Muriel felt she had no choice. There would never have been any kind of friendliness with her in-laws, Beatrice would’ve made sure of that. And Tony would have been in the middle of what would probably have become a battleground.’ She was silent for a few moments, allowing Kathy time to digest it all.

‘So Muriel loved him enough to sacrifice her own happiness.’

‘That’s how Beatrice made her see it, yes.’ Jemima sniffed. ‘But in my opinion she would have been better to have fought for her man.’ Then she sighed. ‘Muriel is an excellent head of department, but I’m afraid she lacked the courage to stand up to the woman.’

‘And you think I do too?’

For a moment Jemima regarded her solemnly, then slowly, she smiled. ‘No,’ she said quietly. ‘No, I think you’re made of sterner stuff. But I can still see you losing in the end. Beatrice is a formidable woman and her methods are clever. No one dares to call her bluff. Certainly, poor George and Tony dare not. She might, indeed, be genuinely ill.’ She sighed. ‘I expect nothing I say can dissuade you, but at least I wanted you to know exactly what you are getting yourself into.’

Kathy nodded.

‘And as for moving into this flat, well, there’s no need for that. If you want to stay here, you can.’

‘Even if I go on seeing him?’

Jemima nodded and now her smile was pensive. ‘Oh Kathy, you might not think it to look at me now, but once upon a time I was young and in love and – I have to admit – very, very foolish.’

‘And – you think I am?’

Again Jemima regarded her solemnly, searching the pretty face before her, seeing the determined set of Kathy’s chin, the spark of defiance in her eyes. ‘I think,’ she said slowly, ‘that you could be letting yourself in for a lot of heartache. Falling in love should be a happy time, the most joyous time . . .’ For a moment Jemima’s eyes were alight with joy at her own memories but then they were suddenly clouded with sorrow. Kathy, who had been on the point of asking what had happened to Jemima in her youth, now dared not ask the question. If even thinking about it in her own mind brought back such a sad and haunted look, then asking Jemima to talk about it would be cruel. Though Kathy longed to know. Perhaps she could ask Amy, though she doubted her friend knew any more than she did. It seemed to be a closely guarded family secret.

Instead, she said, ‘Thank you for telling me and, yes, I would like to stay here. I can’t really afford the flat and I don’t want to be – well – I don’t want Tony to be paying for it. That wouldn’t be right. But – ’ she paused and her tone took on a determined edge – ‘I do intend to go on seeing him.’

Jemima sighed but said, ‘Very well. As long as you understand you will be the subject of some unpleasant gossip and possibly even ridicule for a while. Until they find someone else to tear to shreds,’ she added tartly. ‘You’ll have all sorts of people telling you tales about all the girlfriends he’s had and how he’s left a trail of broken hearts behind him.’

‘I’ve already had a couple. The first time he took me out, he left halfway through the meal – just like you said – because a message came that his mother had been taken ill. After he’d gone, a woman from another table came and spoke to me. Evidently, she was one of his former girlfriends. At the time, I thought she was just being spiteful. Now I see that perhaps she was genuinely trying to warn me.’

‘It’d be a lot easier if he was really a cad,’ Jemima sighed. ‘But he isn’t. He’s a nice young man, just weak where his mother is concerned. And whether that can be classed as a fault, even I’m not sure. And usually,’ she smiled mischievously, ‘I have no problem in making my mind up about folks and saying so too, if I think fit.’

‘I’ve noticed,’ Kathy teased and the two women exchanged a glance. In it there was a new understanding, even a fondness for each other that had grown over the weeks that Kathy had been there and had been even more strengthened by tonight’s conversation.

‘So,’ Kathy went on. ‘You and Taffy don’t want your house to yourselves again then?’

Jemima laughed out loud. ‘I like having you around, but I have to admit it’s mainly because of Taffy that I’m asking you to stay. If he has taken to you – and he certainly has – then you must be all right.’

The two women laughed together and, getting up, Kathy said, ‘I’ll make the cocoa and call him in to give him an extra saucer of milk to say thank you.’

Fourteen

The first few days back at work were difficult. The gossip had spread, and Kathy tried to ignore the glances, the whispered conversations that halted as soon as she came near. Hardest to bear was Stella’s attitude. One moment she was friendly enough, the next cold and distant.

But it was Miss Curtis who caused Kathy the most discomfort. It must have been her who had told work colleagues. She didn’t think Stella would have broken her word and yet now she couldn’t be sure. Once or twice she saw her whispering to the young assistant from lingerie, their conversation ceasing as soon as Kathy drew near. She knew that Jemima would say nothing to anyone. So – that left Muriel. Kathy longed to talk to her superior about it, but she couldn’t. That would be betraying Jemima’s confidence and, now that they had arrived at a mutual understanding and respect, she had no intention of doing so.

As if he too realized that ‘the word was out’, Tony started coming to the millinery department and speaking to her, making no attempt now to hide the fact that they were walking out together.

‘Actually,’ he whispered. ‘I’m glad it’s out. I don’t like all this cloak-and-dagger stuff. It’s exciting at first, but then it gets a bit wearing.’

Kathy smiled weakly, biting back the retort: Well, you should know about that!

‘Have you made up your mind about the flat?’

‘Yes, I have. I’m staying where I am for the moment. Now there’s no need for secrecy, I’m happy with Miss Robinson. She’s been very kind to me.’

Tony looked disappointed. ‘Well, if you’re sure. It won’t be so easy to be together, though, will it? She’ll still be keeping her beady eye on you.’

‘We can go out to the pictures, to restaurants, for drives in the country.’

‘Yes, but I want to be alone with you. I want to – well, you know . . .’

Though a faint blush rose in her cheeks, Kathy faced him squarely. ‘I’m not that sort of girl, Tony. Maybe your past girlfriends – and oh yes, I do know there have been a few – have let you have your way with them, but not this one.’ With that she had flounced away, leaving him staring after her in confusion.

That night when he took her out to dinner, Tony said, ‘You misunderstood me earlier today. I can guess what the gossip is about me, but I want you to believe me that it’s not true. Yes, I’ve had a few girlfriends – ’ he sighed – ‘but there was only ever one other before you that I was serious about. And she – she was the one who finished our friendship. Not me.’

Before Kathy thought to stop herself, she blurted out, ‘Muriel Curtis?’

Tony’s eyes widened. ‘How d’you know?’

Kathy could have bitten her tongue off. ‘I – I guessed,’ she lied. ‘I saw she was very upset when you’d been into the department one day and I – I overheard a conversation I shouldn’t have done.’

‘I see.’ He was quiet for a moment, though he seemed to accept her explanation and Kathy inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

After a few moments, when she had gathered her wits, she asked carefully, ‘You had the flat then?’

‘Yes, but not for the reasons that I’m sure you and everyone else is thinking.’ There was a bitter edge to his tone. Then he sighed. ‘I – I have problems at home. Because of my mother’s ill-health. I’m sorry, Kathy.’ He spread his hands helplessly and looked at her with such a ‘little boy lost’ look that quite melted her heart. ‘I took the flat in the first place because I intended to live there myself. Move out from home, but – well – it became impossible. I was still spending more time at home than I was in the flat. Anyway, I kept it on just so there was somewhere for us to go, just – just to talk and be together.’

Kathy couldn’t quite believe what he was implying – that there had never been anything more than a kiss and a cuddle with his previous girlfriends. And what about Muriel Curtis? Surely that had led to ‘something more’? But it was none of her business. It was what happened from now on that mattered to Kathy. Whatever had happened in the past was just that. In the past.

‘You see,’ he went on, as if it explained everything – and in a way, it did. ‘You see, I can’t take anyone home. Mother doesn’t like it.’

On the Saturday evening Kathy was hurrying to leave work on time. Tony was calling for her at eight o’clock. Now there was no need for secrecy, he came openly to the little terraced house and was welcomed by Jemima. Though Taffy made it very clear that he did not welcome yet another stranger. Whenever Tony appeared, the cat stalked out of the room, his ears flattened and his tail thrashing angrily.

‘Miss Matthews, you may go,’ Muriel said as the last customer left the department and the sheets were placed over the displays. ‘But, Miss Burton, could you spare me a moment? I’d like a word.’

Kathy’s heart began to beat rapidly and she cast a glance at Stella. But the younger girl studiously avoided meeting her gaze.

‘Of course, Miss Curtis,’ Kathy replied evenly, though she was dreading what the woman had to say to her. Had Miss Curtis engineered her dismissal to try to separate her from Tony? As other staff called their ‘good nights’, Muriel drew Kathy to one side.

‘I don’t want you to think I’m interfering and I want you to know that this is said out of a genuine concern for you . . .’

Kathy was not sure she believed her, but she said nothing.

‘You – you must know that Mr Kendall and I were once—’ Muriel’s lip trembled and Kathy felt sorry for her. But, not trusting herself to speak and afraid that she would say things she shouldn’t, Kathy just nodded. ‘He – he asked me to marry him.’ Kathy stared at her. She hadn’t known that. Maybe no one else knew that much. ‘But – but his mother intervened. She – she didn’t like me. I don’t think she would like any girl – that her son got close to.’ Muriel ran her tongue round her dry lips. ‘He – he took me home to meet her, but she hated me. And no, that’s not too strong a word for it. It was hatred – pure and simple. Of course, we could have gone away and got married. But I couldn’t do that to him. I couldn’t let him be estranged from his family. I couldn’t let him carry the guilt of making his mother ill, maybe even of causing her death. How could anyone live with that? I couldn’t and I wouldn’t want him to either.’

Still, Kathy said nothing.

‘You haven’t met her yet?’ Muriel asked.

Kathy shook her head.

‘If and when you do, just be aware that she will hate you on sight and do everything she can to break your relationship up.’

‘Well, I can’t speak for Tony, but I know one thing. There’s nothing she can do to make me end it. Nothing.’

Tears trembled in Muriel’s eyes as she smiled sadly and said softly, ‘Are you sure about that, Kathy?’

Kathy nodded. ‘Oh yes, I’m very sure.’

‘Then, I wish you well, my dear. Truly I do. The only thing I have ever wanted was to see him happy. And if you can do it, then I wish you all the luck in the world. Make him happy, Kathy. That’s all I ask.’

It was a strange conversation to have taken place between a former girlfriend and the current one. Now she had very mixed feelings about Muriel. On the one hand, Kathy admired her for her selfless love for Tony, on the other she rather despised her for not being strong enough to fight for her man. She told no one about their talk. She didn’t even confide in Jemima and certainly not in Stella. She was unsure now just how much she could trust Stella. She had the uncomfortable feeling that the gossip that had spread like wildfire through the store had come not from Muriel but from the younger girl. With her new understanding, she couldn’t believe that Muriel would be the instigator of tales that would include her own broken romance.

No, in future, Kathy would be careful just how much she confided in Stella Matthews.

The gossip ran on for another few days, but then something happened that drove all thoughts of Tony Kendall and his latest girlfriend from everybody’s mind.