When Wishes Come True (54 page)

Rita’s husband, Reg, was chortling. ‘Yer mam was right, yer know. He wouldn’t have been no good to yer if he couldn’t stop a pig in an entry. Not with all the pigs we see down these entries.’

And so for the next hour, the five friends enjoyed jokes and banter which put them in a good mood. It was nice to have neighbours you got on well with. Then, after the glasses had been topped up a few more times, Sam started the singing off. He had quite a good voice, and sang Paul Robeson’s ‘Old Man River’ as well as the great man himself. Well, after so many drinks, anyone could have sounded like Paul Robeson. The women opted for Marie Lloyd songs, and they sang with gusto. The two men tried to out-sing the women, but at three to two they didn’t stand a chance. They did try, God love them, but they’d drunk so much beer, they spent most of the time running down the yard.

‘Men can’t hold their drink.’ Aggie thought she would impart this information to her mates in case they didn’t know it. Her words slurred, she said, ‘Not like us women.’ She hiccupped several times, then passed her glass to Sam to hold while she pushed herself up. Slightly unsteady on her feet, she felt her way around the table. ‘Yer’ll have to heexcuse me, folks, I need to spend a penny.’ She lurched from the table to grab hold of the door. ‘I’ll sing yer another song when I get back.’

‘I’ll go with her, just to make sure.’ Rita took her mate’s elbow. ‘Come on, sunshine, and I’ll sing “Look For A Silver Lining” with yer.’ A few seconds later, ‘No, that’s not the lavatory door, sunshine, that’s the entry door. Oh, okay, if you say so, then it’s the lavatory door. I’ll just stand here and wait for yer. But don’t sit down, will yer, ’cos there’s no seats in the entry.’

Bessie fell back in her chair and, with Sam and Reg, burst out laughing. Her tired feet and all the worry forgotten, she said, ‘Oh, what a wonderful day this has been.’

‘Two whole days, my lovely Evelyn, with no interruptions at all.’ Philip sighed with pleasure as he pulled her closer. ‘I could ask for no finer Christmas gift than that.’

‘But you must go and see your parents tomorrow, darling. I would not like to them to think I was keeping you away on the one day of the year when families should be together.’

‘I will be going to see them. I have their presents, and certainly would not let such an important day pass without visiting them. You were invited, remember, they’re longing to meet you. Will you not change your mind and accompany me on a short visit tomorrow? They would be so happy to meet you, and then I would not feel guilty about leaving you here alone.’

‘But I wouldn’t be alone, would I? Isn’t Annie coming in to prepare and serve our meal? I’m not very good in the kitchen, I’m afraid, but giving her a hand would make the time pass quickly, and I can always potter around and help if I can.’

‘It won’t be for long, my lovely, perhaps an hour and a half. There’ll be no traffic on the roads as the buses and trams are not running, it will only be fifteen minutes’ drive each way and an hour spent with my parents. Can you survive for so long without me?’

‘I will try, my darling.’ There was tenderness in Evelyn’s smile. She had never imagined a love such as she felt for this man, who was never far away from her thoughts. ‘It will be hard, but I shall steel myself.’

‘Let us forget tomorrow. We have the whole evening to ourselves and I can lose myself in your beauty and my love for you. I shall open a bottle of wine, and when you are slightly inebriated, I shall lead you to the bedroom and make passionate love to you.’

Evelyn stayed him with her hand. ‘Don’t get up yet, my love. I want to tell you about something which touched my heart, and which I think will please you.’ With the scene still in her mind, she told him of the women she had seen coming and going with boxes of food. ‘All those poor families helped, thanks to you, and of course there were the shoes for the boys. And if you had seen the looks on the faces of those women as they carried their precious boxes, you would certainly have been moved to tears, as I was. Those women, so thin and gaunt through lack of nourishment, will be blessing you. With your help they will be able to feed their families this Christmas.’

There was astonishment on Philip’s face. ‘How could so many families be fed for just twenty pounds? Surely that would give them very little in the way of Christmas fare?’

She stroked his cheek. ‘You live in a different world from them, my darling, as I did until my husband died. I had everything I wanted, never knew what hunger and hardship were. These people are so poor they barely exist, yet they have much more spirit than I. They love their children, and feed them while starving themselves. What I saw yesterday I found so uplifting, I thought I should tell you about the happiness you have put into their lives, your Christmas gift to them.’

Staring at the flames roaring up the chimney, Philip shook his head. ‘You are making me see how very selfish I have been. I often drive past streets in the slums, but never think what life is like for people there. Oh, being a solicitor I find out many things, but never give a thought to the people who live in slums owned by clients of mine. I know many of them have no sanitation and must share an outside toilet with four or five other families, no running water in houses lived in by two or three families with children, and if they don’t pay the rent on these hovels, they are turfed out on to the street.’ He turned his eyes from the fire to look at her. ‘I have acted for these landlords, but never once thought of the people I was evicting. And there are many other people, friends of mine, who don’t give a thought to those who are less well off. We probably spend more in one day than these people earn in a year.’

‘I only wished to tell you of the happiness you have given these families, my love, I didn’t intend to make you sad. I certainly meant no criticism of your life-style or that of your friends. I am the last person to talk of selfishness, I have been selfish all my life.’ Once again she stroked his face. ‘It has taken two people to make me see myself for what I am. One is your dear self for showing me what true love is, and the other is a neighbour who has taught me humility.’

He squeezed her hand. ‘This is the person who wrote out the list you showed me, isn’t it?’ When Evelyn nodded, Philip said, ‘I want to meet her. In fact, insist on meeting her, she must be a very good person. And, she’s a friend of yours.’

‘Perhaps in the New Year, my darling.’ Evelyn’s happiness was blighted by the knowledge that there was much for her to do before the New Year came in. Her future, and that of Amelia, very much depended on the outcome of her visit to her father-in-law. ‘Anyway, let’s not talk of sadness. We have two whole days before us, let us make the most of them. Open that bottle of wine, my darling, and let us forget the outside world.’

This brought a smile to Philip’s face and he was quickly on his feet. ‘Your wish is my command.’ He grinned down at her, his eyes twinkling. ‘I can’t quite remember now, my lovely Evelyn, how many glasses you need to make you so endearingly loving? Is it one glass or two?’

‘I do believe that at this moment I would not need a single glass of wine to make me endearingly loving, my darling. You only have to touch me and my whole body comes alive.’

‘Then go through to the bedroom, my sweet, and prepare yourself while I open a bottle. I want to make love to you slowly and sensually, until you purr with pleasure. When our appetites are appeased, we will indulge in a glass of wine and playful behaviour until our need is once again aroused. Remember, my lovely Evelyn, you do not have to leave tonight, so let our love for each other have its way.’

When Philip entered the bedroom, Evelyn was in bed, her head raised on two soft feather pillows. He placed two slender glasses and a bottle of wine on the bedside table, then with his face wearing the boyish grin that Evelyn found irresistible, whipped the bedclothes back to reveal her nakedness. His eyes never leaving her body, he untied the belt of his robe and let it fall from his shoulders. Then he slipped in beside her and took her in his arms. ‘Every time I see how beautiful you are, I can’t believe I had to wait so long to find someone so perfect. For ten years I’ve floated from one woman to another, looking for the perfect one, while at the same time you were a widow, with no man in your life.’

‘I was eight years without a man in my life, my darling, but we won’t gain anything by thinking what might have been. Let’s be grateful we have found each other. If your uncle hadn’t retired, and you hadn’t taken over from him, we would never have met. So let’s say that Lady Luck was on our side then and brought us together.’

‘You make me very happy, my lovely,’ Philip said, stroking her breasts. ‘But I would be much happier if we were married and I was sure you were mine and no one could come along and take you from me. When are you going to make an honest man of me?’

‘Very soon, darling. I am as anxious as you for us to be united in wedlock. I have made you a promise that very early in the New Year I will have my affairs sorted and then you can set the date for our wedding.’

‘But what affairs do you have, my love, that are important enough to keep you from me?’

Evelyn put a finger to his lips. ‘Trust me, all will be revealed in a week or so. Until then, we must both be patient.’

‘I will try to be patient,’ Philip said, moving his body to cover hers. ‘But right now I have no patience, I can’t wait to make love to you.’ And as their two naked bodies met, both sighed with contentment and satisfaction.

The time passed quickly, far too quickly, and all too soon it was time for Philip to return to the office, while Evelyn had asked if she could have the remainder of the week off. ‘I will ask someone to ring in and say I have a very bad cold and will be confined to my bed for the rest of the week.’

‘I will not allow my future wife to tell lies.’ Philip was adamant. ‘I intend to tell them very soon that we are betrothed, and really have no interest in what they think. So do not bother making excuses, my love, you do what you have to do. The sooner your affairs are sorted out, the happier I shall be. But surely I don’t have to wait for a week to hold you in my arms again? It is far too long, I shall pine away.’

‘Give me two full days after today, my love. The day after that I’ll meet you here in your lunch break. Perhaps you could take an extra half-hour to give us a little more time together?’

Philip pouted like a child. ‘I feel as though someone has taken my favourite toy away and won’t give it back to me.’

Evelyn kissed his cheek. ‘You will soon have your favourite toy back, I promise. Anyway, when we are married you mustn’t think you can always have your own way. I too can be very stubborn at times.’

He hugged her and grinned. ‘You can be stubborn whenever you like, my love, but never in the bedroom. I am the master in that department.’ After another hug, he said, ‘I think you had better go before I change my mind and lock you in.’

‘Yes, I must be on my way, darling, but the last two days have been heaven, and I thank you and love you. I’ll see you very soon.’

Evelyn walked off in the opposite direction from the office, so she wouldn’t be seen. It was quite busy in the city. For most people it was their first day back at work after the holiday. But she caught a tram without having to wait long, and the journey gave her time to empty her head of thoughts of Philip and her love for him, and concentrate on meeting her father-in-law after eight years. What would his reaction be? There was no point in trying to guess, she would have to meet him in person. She hoped he would be in the office today, so she could get it over with and not have to spend the day worrying. Amelia’s school was closed so it would be an ideal time to try. If the office were closed, then she would have to wait until after the New Year holiday, but from what she remembered of Cyril Lister-Sinclair, he never missed a day at work. It was worth a try to put her mind at rest.

Rita opened the door and looked surprised when she saw Evelyn standing there. ‘Hello, Mrs Sinclair, I wasn’t expecting you until this afternoon. Bessie is at work so I’m minding Milly.’ Too late she realised she’d slipped up on the name, then thought, Oh, blow it, why worry? ‘Would yer like to come in? She’s playing a game with my son.’

‘Would you mind if I didn’t?’ Evelyn didn’t want to offend, but her tummy was turning over with nerves and she knew if she didn’t act quickly, then she never would. ‘I have an important call to make this morning, and want to take Amelia with me.’

Milly had heard her mother’s voice and come to the door. ‘Do you want me, Mother?’

‘Yes, dear. I have an errand to go on, and would like you to come with me.’

She tried not to let her disappointment show. ‘My best clothes are over at Auntie Bessie’s, do you want me to get them?’

‘I’ll fetch them,’ Rita said. ‘You go home with yer mother, and I’ll bring the clothes to yer.’ She pulled a face at Evelyn. ‘I’m afraid yer’ll be going into a cold house, Mrs Sinclair. I would have lit yer fire if I’d known.’

Evelyn smiled, thinking what she had missed over the years by not making friends with this woman and her neighbours. ‘We won’t be in the house long enough to feel the cold, I want to be away as quickly as possible. But if you would light my fire later, when you have time, I would really be most grateful.’

‘Consider it done.’ Rita stood aside to let Milly pass. The girl was struggling into her school coat, and her downcast expression revealed that she was not happy to be taken away from her game. ‘The house will be nice and warm for yer to come back to.’

‘Goodbye, Auntie Rita,’ Milly called as she followed her mother across the cobbles. ‘I’ll see you later.’

‘Yer’ll see me in five minutes, sunshine, with yer best clothes.’

As soon as they were in the house, Amelia asked, ‘Where are we going, Mother?’

‘Wait until Mrs Wells has been with your clothes, dear, then I will tell you.’

The girl could see her mother was a little agitated, and wondered why. Young as she was, she connected her mother’s nerves with the important call she’d heard her telling Auntie Rita about. But why did she need to take her daughter with her?