Free Stay as Sweet as You Are by Joan Jonker Page B

out.’
    Titch smiled as he imagined what the scene would be in the galley if he told the cook his mother had advised him to put less suet in his dumplings. The air would be blue with words his mam wouldn’t even know the meaning of. ‘I’ll do that, Ma.’ He leaned back against the chair and reached into his pocket for his pipe. ‘Any news for me? How are the Pollards and the Mellors?’
    ‘The Pollards are fine. They’re a lovely family, the salt of the earth. Young Jack leaves school in two weeks and he’s a scream. He was leaning against the wall last night, watching his mates playing marbles, and I asked him why he wasn’t playing. “I’m practising, Mrs Aggie,” he said. I asked him what he was practising, because all he was doing was leaning against the wall. “I’m practising not playing marbles. Yer see, Mrs Aggie, I’ll be going into long kecks when I leave school, and me mam said if she sees me even looking at the gutter while I’ve got them on, she’ll box me ears for me. And as I’m fond of me ears, and don’t want them boxed, I’mpractising hard at not playing marbles.”’
    Her son’s hearty guffaw filled the room. ‘Oh, that’s a good one, that is. I can see he takes after his mam. Irene’s always had a quick sense of humour. George has too, but he’s not as quick off the mark as his wife.’
    Aggie sighed. She didn’t like gossiping about the neighbours, but if Titch was going to be home for nearly three weeks, he’d notice things for himself. Better he was forewarned so he didn’t say anything out of place. ‘As for the Mellors, well, what’s happening in their house is anyone’s guess.’ She told him briefly what she knew, and watched him shake his head. ‘I feel sorry for Bob, and for Lucy. Their home is not a very happy one, I’m afraid.’
    ‘Trouble’s been brewing in that house for a few years now, Ma. Anyone with half an eye could see that. I’m surprised Bob’s put up with it for so long. Whenever we go for a pint, which isn’t often with me being away, but when we do he never mentions Ruby’s name. And as they say, silence speaks louder than words. George is full of Irene and the boys, but Bob only ever talks about Lucy. And that set the alarm bells ringing for me ages ago.’ Titch drew on his pipe and there was a look of contentment on his face. He knew he’d be craving for the sea by the time his leave was over, but right now it was bliss to sit with the mother he adored, in the house he was born in. ‘I don’t know what the solution is there, Ma, only Bob and Ruby can sort that out. And they have to have the will to do it.’
    ‘It’s Lucy I feel sorry for,’ Aggie said. ‘Poor little mite, always has a smile on her face even though her mother gives her a dog’s life. Mind you, Irene has brought about a few changes for her. She heard Ruby having a go at the girl one night and knocked to ask was something wrong because of all the shouting and banging. It seems to have done the trick because Irene said it’s gone much quieter. And, thanks to George, Lucy goes in their house now to play cards with the boys.’
    ‘Is Lucy still as pretty as ever?’
    ‘As pretty as a picture, son. She’ll break a few hearts when she’s older.’
    ‘Then I think I’ll wait for her to grow up and marry her.’
    ‘I’ll knit yer a wife, if yer like. That way, if yer ever got fed up with her nagging, yer could stick her in a sideboard drawer.’ Aggie began to clear the dishes. ‘I’ll get these out of the way, then yer can have the sink to spruce yerself up. I told Irene yer’d be knocking for George, so he’ll be expecting yer.’ She put the plates on the draining board, then popped her head back in the room. ‘Bob’s on early shift, so yer’ll have yer two mates to jangle to. Yer can tell them all about these girls yer’ve got in every port, and the goings-on that yer wouldn’t dare tell yer old mother about in case she clocked yer one.’
    Titch