The Songbird (41 page)

She straightened up, her eyes bright. ‘If you'll have me, Mr Mazzini. I'd like to.'

Joshua hesitated. ‘I can't pay as much as you'll get at 'mill,' he said. ‘But you could have extras like bread, and your dinner here.'

She beamed at him. ‘I've been stood off at 'mill,' she told him. ‘There's no guarantee that they'll take me back after Christmas.'

‘So how've you been managing?' Joshua turned to Nan. ‘What have you done for money?'

She gave a little shrug. ‘I've allus been a good manager,' she said. ‘Ever since I was widowed. I had to be. I'd a child to bring up and no man to support me.'

‘Will you come back?' he asked humbly. ‘It's not been 'same since you left.'

Poppy felt a sudden joy. She could go away without any worry if Nan and Mattie were here. They wouldn't cheat or steal; they'd only work for the good of Mazzini's. Then she felt a little prickle of merriment. She'd noticed covert glances between Mattie and Tommy, each looking at the other when they thought they weren't aware of it. Oh, what if, she thought. Just suppose! Yes, of course. Mattie is sweet on Tommy. She wouldn't admit it, of course. She's always had that jocular manner to show that she was carefree and indifferent. What was she hiding? Poppy smiled to herself. A warm and loving heart, that was for sure.

Tommy walked Nan and Mattie home. His father had said that he would but Tommy insisted. When they had gone, Poppy and her father locked up the shop. Tommy had his own key again, but Joshua was going to have the locks changed, just in case Lena ever came back. ‘Shelves do look bare,' he said. ‘I kept going over my books time and again, wondering why we weren't making a profit. I never guessed that them two were robbing me hand over fist.'

‘Pa!' Poppy said thoughtfully. ‘It's nearly Christmas.'

‘Aye,' he sighed, ‘I know, and there's nowt ready. No pudding made, no goose ordered.'

‘Well, I was wondering,' she said. ‘What about us having an Italian Christmas instead? We don't have to have Christmas pudding. We're part Italian, after all!' She told him of eating at the Marinos' restaurant. ‘And we can invite Nan and Mattie, can't we?'

‘Well, yes, of course. It's to be expected. They've allus had their Christmas dinner with us.' He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ‘I wonder what Lena had in mind? Do you think she'd have stayed over Christmas if she hadn't been rumbled?'

Poppy shook her head. She couldn't imagine what Lena had in mind. Something devious, no doubt. ‘And another thing, Pa. Could we invite Miss Maiden? She plays Aladdin. And Abanazer, as well. They neither of them can get home in time for Christmas and then back for Boxing Day.'

‘Why not?' Joshua said. ‘We'll eat in here.' He looked round the shop. ‘Plenty of room – put 'tables together. And,' he added, ‘I'll invite Mr and Mrs Chandler. They'll be on their own with Charlie away.'

‘Yes,' Poppy said softly. How wonderful it would be if Charlie came home for Christmas. It would make everything just perfect.

Tommy agreed, and was all for having a different Christmas dinner. ‘Let's have wild boar instead of goose,' he said, when Poppy put it to him the following morning. ‘That's if Brown's can get it for us in time. Wild boar with apple,' he said. ‘Mmm. Wild boar with apples and rosemary, and onion soup flavoured with cinnamon to start. Yes, I'll enjoy doing that. I'll have to think about a pudding, though.'

‘Can you do that, Tommy? Really?' Poppy was amazed at her brother. He had been so reluctant to cook before he'd gone to sea, yet now he was brimming with ideas.

‘Well, you see, I enjoyed doing the cooking. I was given the ingredients and had to make what I could of them. What I didn't like was being seasick and not being able to eat any of the food I'd cooked. But the men all seemed to like what I gave them.' He pondered thoughtfully. ‘There were days when I felt so ill that I mixed up all kinds of things that I wouldn't normally have done. But no-one complained.' He laughed.

Tommy made a batch of bread on Monday morning, and whilst Poppy was appearing in the matinee on Monday afternoon he trawled round the town buying ingredients for the Christmas dinner. Mattie and Nan came to help in the shop.

‘I'm giving in my notice at 'King's Head,' Mattie announced to Joshua. ‘I'd rather work here at Mazzini's of an evening. But Ma will stay on for 'time being, and give up her mornings at 'wash-house.'

Joshua was troubled over Nan working at the King's Head and walking home alone, especially at this time of year when drunks might be roaming around. ‘I've allus done it,' she said, when he mentioned it. ‘It's what I did before Mattie started working with me.' She smiled at him, gratified by his concern. ‘Besides, Mattie has to walk home from here. She can't expect to be escorted by Tommy like we were the other night. Don't worry,' she said. ‘It's what we're used to.'

‘I wish I could come and see you in 'pantomime,' Tommy said to Poppy when she slipped home for an hour after the matinee.

‘Oh, so do I,' Mattie said. ‘Ma said how lovely you looked and what a grand show it was.'

‘Well, why don't you both go?' Joshua said. ‘It's quiet in here on a Monday night. I can manage.'

Tommy and Mattie looked at each other. ‘I don't know,' Tommy said doubtfully. ‘You might get busy.'

‘Folks will wait. What would I have done if you hadn't come home?' Joshua argued. ‘And anyway, I'm going to shut up 'shop for a week in 'New Year while we get decorated.'

‘A week!' Tommy exclaimed. ‘We won't need as long as that. I can paint; I can do 'walls and windows.'

‘And I'll help,' Mattie said, suddenly anxious that she might not get any wages if the shop was closed.

‘No!' Joshua was adamant. ‘We'll have it done right and you two can order new stock and think on what we're going to do in 'coffee shop. So,' he continued, ‘you can take tonight off because once we get busy there's no knowing when you'll be able to take time off again.'

‘Good.' Poppy smiled. ‘So I'll see you both later. Will you wait for me after the show?'

‘I can't go, Tommy,' Mattie whispered to him later when they were alone. ‘I only said that I'd
like
to go. But I've no money, and besides, I'm too shabby. I don't have a coat fit to be seen in. Not for going to watch Poppy at 'Grand.' Not for going out with you, she thought.

‘You're fine as you are, Mattie,' he told her. He hadn't noticed her clothes before, but now he saw that her skirt was faded and worn. ‘Tell you what, then,' he said. ‘We'll go up in 'gods. Nobody up there has much money so they'll not notice us.'

‘I wouldn't want you to be ashamed of being with me, Tommy,' she raised her chin defiantly. ‘Your sister's a star. You should be at 'front where everybody can see you!'

A slow flush suffused his face. He was eighteen and his feelings for Mattie were changing. She'd always been a pal, someone to have a joke with, but she was so spirited, so bold and confident, she could have any man she wanted. And did, according to Charlie, but Tommy wasn't sure he believed him. Charlie tended to exaggerate at times.

‘I'd never be ashamed of being with you, Mattie,' he said. ‘It's more likely to be 'other way round. Why would anybody want to see me? I'm nobody! Who'd notice me?'

‘Plenty of lasses, I'll tell you that for nowt,' she said softly. ‘A good catch, that's what you are. Mazzini's son!' Her lips curled into a mild taunt. ‘Still, if you're with me it might make some of 'em jealous,' she quipped. ‘Then you'd have your pick!'

He sighed. There was no getting the better of her. ‘Do you want to come or not?' he asked.

‘All right.' She shrugged. ‘If you like. But I'll pay for myself.'

Poppy was booked to play for only a week after Christmas, but the pantomime would continue without her. When she arrived at the Grand she saw that her name had been put up on a board as a special attraction.
Local girl stars as Lambent Flame. One week only. Miss Poppy Mazzini!
She felt a frisson of excitement when she saw it. Was this what stardom was about? Seeing your name at the front of the theatre!

The audience wasn't as large as it had been on Saturday as most people were preparing for Christmas. Boxing Day would be busy as children were taken to the pantomime as a treat. But it was a good evening for trying out extra humour, some of it immodest, especially on the part of Widow Twankey who had difficulties holding up her under-drawers. There were numerous allusions to the town of Hull and its citizens, particularly the councillors and notables of the town, which the crowd loved, jeering and cheering by turns.

‘That's it, then! Happy Christmas.' Some of the performers dashed away to catch a train home and would return on Boxing Day; others, including Aladdin and Abanazer, would stay in the town for Christmas Day and make what merriment they could.

‘See you tomorrow,' Poppy called to Miss Maiden, and Mr Vaughan who played Abanazer. ‘Come early.'

They thanked her and said that they would, and she made her way to the front of the theatre where Tommy had said he and Mattie would wait. The lights had been dimmed but she could see two figures waiting by the door. ‘I'm coming,' she called, and saw Tommy swing open the door into the foyer.

‘Poppy!' Mattie said softly. ‘There's—'

‘Did you enjoy it?' Poppy smiled. She hadn't yet come down from the euphoria. Everyone had been elated and good-humoured, probably because it was almost Christmas.

‘Look who's here!' Tommy grinned. ‘What a surprise. Who would have guessed?'

Poppy stood still, her lips parted. Hadn't she wanted this above anything else? Christmas would be perfect after all.

‘Hello, Poppy,' Charlie said, his eyes searching her face to discover her response. ‘You were magnificent!'

Christmas Day had been wonderful. Poppy lay dreaming in her bed at the end of the evening. Charlie was so attentive, so obviously pleased to see her. His mother kept casting suspicious glances in their direction as if she was assessing whether there was anything between them.

Tommy had cooked a superb meal as he had promised. He'd prepared
crostini di fegatini
, chopped chicken liver and anchovy, flavoured with a touch of brandy, which he served on crisp toast as an appetizer whilst he was putting the finishing touches to the meal to follow: onion soup flavoured with cinnamon and crushed almonds to begin, and then, as they were wiping out their bowls with fresh bread, he brought in the wild boar, which had been sliced and cooked with apples, onions and rosemary.

‘Of course,' Tommy had sighed, ‘it should have been left longer in the marinade, but there wasn't time.' He lifted his shoulders. ‘I hope it's all right.'

‘It's delicious,' Mattie said. She licked her lips, her eyes wide. ‘Where ever did you learn to cook like this, Tommy?'

‘Ma and me used to discuss food,' he said, ‘but there was never time to do anything out of 'ordinary. We were always too busy baking bread and cakes. But I did like cooking.' He glanced cheekily at his father. ‘Even though I sometimes made a fuss about doing it.'

Mrs Chandler commented that it was a very tasty piece of pork and that Tommy had done well.

‘You can't beat English cooking, though, can you?' Charlie had said. ‘You know, roast beef and Yorkshire pudding! Tripe and onions!'

Poppy remembered that Charlie hadn't liked the food they had been served at Mario's and she hoped that Tommy hadn't taken offence, but she reckoned he knew Charlie well enough not to. Charlie had eaten most of the meal anyway, though he'd refused the pastry tart filled with custard made from eggs, cream, almonds and pine nuts.

Mr Vaughan, Abanazer, had risen from the table to give his thanks on behalf of the guests, and Miss Maiden, who had had too many glasses of wine, had turned rather pink and said, ‘Tommy! Will you marry me?'

Everyone laughed uproariously, though Poppy had noticed that Mattie had merely turned up her mouth, and had then got up from the table to clear away.

And Charlie says he wants to see more of me when I go back to London, she mused contentedly. She turned over in bed, knowing that sleep was a long way away. He's got his workshop ready, and some commissions. I think Miss Maiden is going to order some shoes from him. She had her foot in his lap at any rate, for him to measure it.

The following week flew past. She hardly noticed her birthday; her role as the Lambent Flame was considered a great success and given reviews in the local paper. Then it was time for her to pack again and return to London. She had written to the Marinos to ask if she might stay with them and had received a reply saying they would be glad to accommodate her for as long as she wished.

‘That's such a relief, Pa,' she said. ‘You'd like them. They're such nice people.'

‘They're Italian,' he replied. He had paint in his hair even though he wasn't doing any painting. ‘That's why. Fellow countrymen.'

‘You're as Yorkshire as they come,' she teased. ‘Hardly a drop of Italian in you.'

The shop was closed for decoration with a notice on the door stating, ‘The new Mazzini and Son, grocer and coffee shop, will be opening shortly at your service.'

Her father saw her off at the railway station. The weather was freezing cold though the expected snow hadn't materialized, just sleet and rain. Poppy had wrapped up warmly for the journey. She'd raided her mother's wardrobe again and discovered a dolman coat, with a quilted lining, wide enough to cover a bustle, and this she had given to Mattie to wear in the cold weather. Mattie was broader in the shoulder than she was and fuller in the bosom. Poppy had sighed, for though she had an hourglass waist and didn't have to wear a corset, she was slender, unlike Mattie who had a very fashionable figure and needed no extra padding. Poppy travelled in a warm cloak over her costume, and elastic-sided pointed-toed boots.