Josephine Cox Sunday Times Bestsellers Collection. Josephine Cox

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СКАЧАТЬ one else, other than little Tillie, and she didn’t really want the child to go back to Bridget’s house.

      ‘No, of course it isn’t that!’ Reaching across the table, Vicky patted the back of Lucy’s hand. ‘It isn’t that at all. You know how much we love having the child. Good grief! I’d be lost without him now.’

      Barney laughed as he remarked to Lucy, ‘Now that he’s walking so well, he can help Vicky peg the washing out. Give him another few months and I dare say he’ll be out in that barn, chopping wood to his heart’s content.’

      ‘Shut up, you daftie!’ Covering him with her smile, Vicky shook her head. ‘We’re talking serious here.’

      Lucy was worried. ‘What is it, Vicky? What’s wrong?’

      So, as kindly and quietly as possible, Vicky told her, ‘I know it’s not really my concern, and you can tell me to mind my own business if you like, only …’ She gave a nervous little cough.

      Barney intervened to save her. ‘Spit it out, love. You’ve got Lucy thinking all sorts of terrible things.’

      Taking a deep breath, Vicky said, ‘It’s just that … well, I’ve been wondering when you mean to have the boy baptised?’ There! Now that it was said, she quickly picked up her cup of tea, took a great swig and nearly choked on it.

      For a while, Lucy fell silent, and during the silence Barney and Vicky wondered anxiously whether she was angry or upset, or simply didn’t want to speak about it because she considered it was none of their business.

      Presently, obviously feeling emotional, Lucy told them, ‘I’ve always meant to have Jamie baptised, only …’ she paused to look at Barney, ‘I kept waiting for his daddy to come home, hoping we might arrange for our son’s christening together.’ Her quick, bright smile belied the upheaval inside. ‘Only when he came back and found out he had a son, he didn’t want either of us.’

      The humiliation was still heavy in her, and when it now showed in the threatening tears, Barney told her softly, ‘You and Jamie are better off without him. It’s all water under the bridge now, Lucy girl. Let it go, or it’ll haunt you for life … you and the boy.’

      Wise to the event, Vicky lifted Lucy’s spirits. ‘I’ve got an idea!’ She went and stood beside Barney, from where she addressed them both. ‘Why don’t we have a double celebration?’

      Barney laughed at her enthusiasm. ‘I’m sorry, love. You can’t baptise me. I’m already baptised.’

      ‘No!’ Tutting, Vicky returned to the table where she excitedly told Lucy, ‘We could have Jamie baptised on his birthday. That way we’d have twice the reason to celebrate, and twice the party. What d’you say, Lucy?’

      Lucy thought it was an inspired idea. ‘It’s long overdue and that shames me, but like you say, it’s not too late, and it would be a wonderful time to have him baptised … on his second birthday.’

      And so it was settled and the date in November put in the diary. The two women agreed to go together to the church, to make the arrangements, then take the rest of the day off to go into Liverpool and do some shopping.

      With a crafty glance at Barney, Vicky gave Lucy a wink. ‘I’ll need a new frock for the party,’ she announced, running her hands down her thighs. ‘I might go into that new shop on the corner of Victoria Street. I’m told they have some lovely stuff there.’ Patting her hair, she glanced in the mantelpiece mirror. ‘Oh, and I’ll need a new hat for the christening – an extra stylish one, with a little brim and a big flower on the side.’

      ‘You’d best get me one an’ all,’ Barney groaned. ‘One with the biggest brim you can find, so I can pull it over my ears when you tell me the price of all this paraphernalia.’ With that he stretched out his legs, settled himself deep in the chair and fell asleep.

      With the preparations and the shopping, and all the work in between, the next few weeks flew by; autumn soon arrived, and with it came a revelation concerning Leonard Maitland that surprised even Lucy.

      On the Sunday afternoon, Lucy was pushing Jamie in the box-swing which Barney had slung from the big oak tree in the cottage garden.

      ‘We’ll have to find a suitable christening gown for you,’ she was telling the child as he laughed and clapped and kicked his fat little legs as he sailed through the air. ‘I don’t suppose I’ll find a baby gown to fit you now,’ she gave him another gentle push. ‘You’re a big boy into the bargain, so we might have to think of something else, though I want you dressed in white all the same, because when the man takes the pictures I want you to look beautiful.’

      Pausing, she thought of Edward Trent and how he had abandoned his own son. ‘When you’re older I’ll be able to tell you why I waited so long before I got you baptised.’ She would tell him everything, but not with malice. After all, Edward was Jamie’s father and much as she would like to, she could not change that.

      Her thoughts deepened. Things could have been so different. They could have been a real family. Somehow she had known that would never be, but she had hoped, for their son’s sake, that it might come about.

      ‘Now that I know what he’s really like, I never again want any part of him,’ she murmured to herself. But Jamie must make up his own mind. If it’s what he wanted when he was older, she would never stop him from seeing his daddy. Though she did not believe for one minute that Edward Trent would ever have the gall to show his face round these parts again.

      When the swing slowed, the child began kicking his legs and shouting, ‘More!’ Lucy started pushing him again. ‘All right. Just a few more minutes, then we’d best get you ready for bed,’ she told him. ‘You’ve had a busy day and by rights you should be worn out.’ She wagged a finger. ‘Barney was right. I do need eyes in the back of my head!’

      ‘Talking to yourself, is it?’ The husky voice was pleasantly familiar. ‘Sure they lock ye away for less than that.’

      ‘BRIDGET!’ Turning to see her old friend coming across the garden, Lucy ran to meet her. Flinging her arms round the woman’s waist, she gave her a bear hug. ‘It’s so good to see you.’

      ‘Ye little lunatic, get offa me!’ Laughingly shoving Lucy away, Bridget straightened her hat – a big black flowery thing with a long white feather. ‘Haven’t I told ye before, you’re not to hug me so hard; I’m delicate as well ye know.’

      She pointed to the child who was patiently sitting in his little box-swing. ‘Enough o’ this nonsense. I’ll get meladdo out and we’ll go inside for a drop o’ the good stuff.’ She gave a naughty wink. ‘I expect you’ll be wanting all the latest news.’

      Without more ado, she went to the swing, drew the wooden bar back and lifted the child out. ‘And as for you, young Jamie, I’ll thank ye not to pee on me!’ she warned. ‘You ruined my skirt the last time, ye dirty little article!’

      As she carried him away, he became fascinated with the feather in her hat, and when he began tugging at it, she promptly gave him to Lucy. ‘Will ye look at that? Not content with having ruined one o’ me best skirts, the little divil’s after ruining me hat.’

      Chuckling to herself, and delighted to suffer Bridget’s complaining, Lucy took the child and followed her into the cottage. The Irishwoman was striding ahead, in charge as usual, looking grand and important СКАЧАТЬ