Blood Brothers (8 page)

She gave a wry little smile. ‘When we were growing up, we heard it all, time and again. She lightly mimicked her mother. ‘“We did it all on our own, and you girls will have to do the same when the time comes!” They’ll expect you and me to do the same, Frank. To make our own way in life, the way they did.’

Frank still did not accept her explanation. ‘You’ve got it all wrong,’ he insisted. ‘They must approve of me or they wouldn’t have sanctioned our marriage; or be spending an absolute fortune on our wedding. Besides that, you’re their flesh and blood…their baby daughter. It goes without saying, they’ll want to see you living in the style to which you’re accustomed.’

Alice agreed. ‘I won’t deny they’re spending a fortune on our wedding, but that’s only because it will be a showcase for their friends, and you’re right, Frank…they
will
want to see us living in a fine big house with land. But they’ll expect
us
to work hard and provide it.’

Frank was open-mouthed with disbelief. ‘I’ll believe that when I hear it from
them
!’

Throughout this exchange, Tom and Nancy had remained quiet, listening but not wanting to interfere. But now Tom spoke his thoughts. ‘If you don’t mind me saying, Frank, I can understand what Alice is trying to tell you. And I have to say, I fully agree with her parents’ viewpoint. A man has to make his own way in this world. That way he remains his own man, not indebted to anyone. It’s the only way he can be proud of what he’s achieved.’

Frank strongly disagreed. ‘You don’t understand,’ he argued, ‘If I’m given a kick-start, then I’d be on my way and never ask again.’

Alice intervened. ‘Trust me, Frank. I know my parents. They’re just not those kind of people.’ She went on with quiet sincerity, ‘There’s just you and me, Frank. It’s up to us, and no one else.’

‘Well said!’ Nancy exclaimed. With every passing minute she was learning more about this quiet girl who Frank had chosen to spend his life with.

‘You’re wrong, all of you!’ Frank rounded on Alice. ‘When I mentioned my plans to your father, he seemed really interested. You’ll see! When we’re wed and I’m a part of the family, they’ll be falling over themselves to set us up with a business of our own.’

Seeing how agitated he was, Alice reluctantly conceded, ‘Perhaps it’s
me
that’s got it all wrong.’ Though she knew it was not.

Having remained silent throughout, Joe now added his contribution. ‘There’s something you appear to have forgotten,’ he reminded Frank. ‘If you’re so intent on building your empire, and so sure you’ll get the help you need, then you won’t be here for Dad. Have you thought of that?’

Frank assured him, ‘’Course I’ve thought of that. Unlike you, I would
never
let Dad down.

‘What I plan to do won’t happen overnight, Dad, not even
with Alice’s parents helping me out. I’ll still be here with you for a good while yet. Meantime, Joe can learn the ropes inside out, and of course we’ll need to let go of Jimmy, because he’s a bloody liability! There are plenty of sensible, hard-working blokes who would jump at his job.’

He congratulated himself, ‘So like I said, it will all work out in the end.’

Tom thought differently, but he wanted this particular conversation ended. ‘Course it will, son,’ he said jovially, ‘course it will.’ There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Later, when the time was right, he would have a heart to heart with Frank. Somewhere along the line, his eldest son had become too full of his own importance, and that would never do!

Nancy felt the same but kept her own counsel. She was disappointed to hear Frank talk that way in front of everyone. Such delicate issues should remain between a man and his partner, and no one else. At least not until it might be finalised and others needed to know.

Determined that the evening should be a success, she kept the conversation going on a lighter note, and soon everyone was in much better humour.

The apple pie was served and enjoyed, and the meal finished with a glass of homemade cider, and then it was time for Frank and Joe to check the animals and make sure the lambing-pens were secure. In the meantime, Alice and Nancy cleared the table, while Tom went to snooze on the sofa.

‘God help us, will you look at that?’ Nancy brought Alice’s attention to the round, pink belly bursting out of Tom’s shirt. In fond tones, she told Alice, ‘Fat belly or no fat belly, I wouldn’t change him for the world!’

They were taken by surprise when suddenly the middle button of Tom’s shirt flicked off and went skidding across the room and out of sight. ‘It was the apple pie that did it,’ Nancy
screeched, and the two of them laughed until they ached. ‘It’ll take me a month o’ Sundays to find that button,’ Nancy tittered, dabbing her tears with the end of her pinnie.

When a short time later Frank and Joe returned and the wine was brought out, Tom awoke, complaining, ‘There’s a draught in ‘ere.’

‘That’s cause you’ve lost a button and there’s a bare patch on your belly,’ Nancy pointed out dryly; though she was aching to laugh out loud, and so was Alice. ‘It came at us a hundred miles an hour,’ she declared with a straight face, ‘you’re lucky it didn’t knock somebody’s eye out!’

Tom was having none of it. ‘If you’d sewed the damned thing on properly in the first place, it would never have worked itself loose!’

Nancy refused to take the blame. ‘It’s that big belly of yours!’ she retaliated. ‘You look like you’re eight months pregnant! Too much booze and apple pie, that’s what’s done it.’

Ignoring her, Tom filled everyone’s wine glass. ‘Here’s to us!’

Without further ado, they all toasted the forthcoming wedding. After that they sat and chatted, with another glass or three to warm the cockles. Tom was unusually merry, and Nancy was well on her way to being three sheets to the wind.

Apart from Frank’s embarrassing declaration, the evening had been a great success; though things had been learned and the true nature of certain people revealed.

Frank believed he was right and that Alice was wrong. Tom had seen a side to his eldest son that he did not particularly like, and Nancy had deliberately put it all out of her mind, because like Alice, she was already thinking ahead to the two most exciting events on her personal calendar. The wedding, and to a lesser degree, the barn-dance.

After washing up the dishes and feeling all the merrier with the wine, Nancy even did a little Irish jig to show Alice her favourite dance. ‘The nuns taught us at school.’ She put her arms stiff by her side. ‘You should never jiggle your arms about, because then all your energy goes into your arm movements, instead of down to your feet.’ And to prove her point she went skipping across the room, feet a tapping, and arms stretched down at her sides, stiff as two pokers.

Everyone clapped to Nancy’s fancy footwork, each with a happy smile on their face.

‘Give over, woman!’ Tom laughed, ‘You’re too old in the tooth to be prancing about like that. Keep it up and you’ll likely not be able to walk in the morning.’

‘You’re just jealous because
you
can’t do it!’ she teased.

‘I could if I tried,’ he argued with a grin, ‘only thing is, if the rest of my shirt buttons fly off, who knows
what
might happen!’

Nancy laughed. ‘We’d all have to dive for cover!’

Reverting to his original concern, Tom told her, ‘Whether you like it or not, Nancy Arnold, we’re not youngsters anymore. We’re a bit slower than we were, and far too old to be happy.’

‘Away with you, Tom Arnold!’ she chided. ‘You’re never too old to be happy. You’re only too old when you’re on your way to the knacker’s yard.’

To prove it, she hoisted her skirt and while staying in the same spot, she let her two feet loose on a fast and furious tapping of the Irish jig. ‘My old Irish grandfather taught me this one.’

Seeing Alice tapping her feet and clapping along, Nancy grabbed hold of Alice who soon got into the fast and furious rhythm; though both she and Nancy almost collapsed with exhaustion in no time at all. ‘That’s enough for now,’ Nancy clasped her chest. ‘I reckon you’re right, Tom,’ she told her husband, ‘I might be a bit too old for the tapping after all.’

In the meantime, having helped himself to a lion’s share of cider, Frank was feeling the worse for wear. ‘I’m off to bed.’ He gave Alice a sloppy kiss, before stumbling drunkenly up the stairs.

A few minutes later Tom followed, then Alice, and then Nancy. ‘Are you sure you’ll be all right on the sofa, son?’ Giving Joe the folded blanket and a pillow, she offered her cheek for a goodnight kiss. ‘It was good of you to give up your room for Alice.’

‘Don’t you worry about me, Mum,’ he smiled cheekily. ‘You’ve tired me out with watching all that dancing and tapping. Give it a few minutes and I’ll be out like a light. Go on…you get off to bed. You must be worn out with all that jigging about.’

Growing serious, Nancy lingered a moment before asking quietly, ‘Frank didn’t spoil your homecoming with the arguing, did he?’

Joe was quick to put her mind at rest. ‘Course not. Frank is Frank.’ He forced a smile. ‘Nothing changes in that respect.’

Nancy lingered nervously. ‘Sometimes I wonder about Frank,’ she confided in a whisper, ‘…he should never have spoken out like that, embarrassing Alice in front of everyone.’

Joe promised her, ‘I’m sure he didn’t mean to upset anyone, and I don’t think Alice was embarrassed; in fact I think she quietly gave him food for thought. So, don’t you worry. It’ll all be forgotten in the morning.’

Nancy gave a sigh of relief. ‘It’s so good to have you home, son.’ She then ambled her way across the room and on up the stairs to a well deserved good night’s rest.

Joe smiled when he heard her cussing herself as she went, ‘Whoops there, Nancy keep your balance! Hey! I reckon you’ve had a drop too much wine.’ She gave a hearty chuckle. ‘I reckon we
all
have. Dearie me! I expect we’ll suffer for it in the morning.’

‘You’re right, Mum!’ Muttering to himself, Joe pulled the blanket over his head. ‘I expect we will.’

After Nancy had gone, he lay awake, thinking about Alice.

He felt it his duty to be best man at his brother’s wedding. Once he’d made up his mind, he vowed that whatever else happened, he would keep his distance from Alice.

He promised himself to think only of her as his future sister-in-law, rather than the girl he had fallen head over heels in love with.

This evening though, when he saw how she had dealt with Frank’s boasting, in a firm but tactful manner, and afterwards her childish joy as she danced with his mother, he knew then, that he would always think of Alice as the girl who stole his heart.

He could see his life stretching before him, when Alice would always be there; his brother’s wife, and in time the mother of Frank’s children.

He made himself a heartfelt vow. ‘However hard it might be, I’ll stand beside him as best man. I’ll stay to see them married. Then I’ll be swiftly away to make something of my life.’

If he was to keep his sanity, what other choice did he have?

L
YING THERE ON
the sofa, knowing Alice was just a few steps away, Joe found it difficult to sleep.

He had promised himself he would leave straight after the wedding, but then what? Wherever he went, Alice would be on his mind, and try as he might, he could not envisage a life without her.

Of course there had been flings with other women. He was a red-blooded man after all. He was lonely and they were there, but he’d never wanted to get serious with any of them.

It was always Alice. It always would be, and the strange thing was, although they had only met twice he felt as though he had known her forever.

He did not know that even now, while he was thinking of Alice, she was thinking of him.

Upstairs, seated on the edge of her bed, Alice wondered about Joe, and his brother Frank; tonight she had realised how very different they were.

She had witnessed a side to Frank that she had never seen before.

She had been shocked and ashamed to hear how he
expected a share of her parents’ money like it was his Godgiven right. Moreover, he had stubbornly refused to listen to reason. Instead, he came across as being self-important and unable, or unwilling, to recognise his own faults.

For the first time, she began to wonder if he had ever really seen her as being his partner for life, someone to build a future with. Could they trust and support each other like married couples do?

What
real
part would she play in Frank’s empire-building, she wondered. Did he expect her to be seen and not heard, while she raised his children like the timid little wife, watching from a distance while he shut her out in the same way her mother had done; as though her opinions didn’t matter?

Feeling ashamed and guilty for thinking that way, she decided she must give him the benefit of the doubt.

His attitude tonight had been unfortunate, but it could well have been the drink talking, she thought hopefully. No doubt in the light of day, he would be mortified to know what he had said.

After deliberating, Alice came to the conclusion that, for better or worse, Frank was her man, and soon she would be his wife. When and if they were ever able to own their own farm, it went without saying that she would surely be involved in any decision making.

So, with that in mind, she decided that the sensible thing to do was to put Frank’s unfortunate outburst well and truly behind them.

After all, it had been a wonderful evening; Joe was home, and with all the excitement and the wine, things were said which otherwise, may never have seen the light of day.

Moreover, because she had put him straight with regard to her parents’ dubious generosity, the subject would probably never arise again. As far as she was concerned, that was an end to it.

Her thoughts turned to Frank’s brother, Joe.

Alice saw how Joe had remained silent, carefully listening to Frank, and studying the situation before speaking his mind.

Alice had been grateful for Joe’s intervention. She appreciated Joe’s quiet, confident approach, which in her opinion had helped to calm a difficult situation this evening.

She liked Joe. Yes! She liked him a lot.

Consumed with all manner of thoughts and unable to sleep, she got up from the bed quietly so as not to wake Frank. She was agitated, and for some inexplicable reason, she suddenly felt deeply sad.

Carefully now, she tiptoed across the landing and into the bathroom; pausing only when she heard what sounded like rhythmic rolls of thunder coming from Nancy and Tom’s room. ‘That’ll be Tom sending home the sheep,’ she thought with a little grin.

Once inside the bathroom, she cleaned her teeth and had an all-over wash, before going back to the bedroom where she put on her nightgown and brushed her hair.

Afterwards, she lay on top of the bed; half-dreaming half-thinking, but with not an ounce of tiredness in her body. Instead, she felt unusually restless.

She had to get out. She needed to breathe the cool night air. ‘Maybe I’ll go to the barn and check to see if the falcon is all right,’ she said softly to herself. Yes! She decided that would be a good thing to do.

Barefoot and in a hurry, she threw her pink robe around herself, tied the belt tight, turned up the collar and went like a whisper down the stairs and silently out the door.

Relieved to have got away from the house without waking anyone, she set about negotiating the darkened path to the barn; while underfoot the way was uncomfortable without shoes, yet she seemed not to notice.

It seemed to take forever, but at last she found herself
standing at the barn door. Once there, she carefully lifted the bar, and pushed open the heavy door.

It was dark inside. ‘Now where did I see Frank put the lamp?’ she muttered to herself. One evening when they came back late from the field together, she had watched as he put the tilly lamp safely away, and she remembered it was up high.

It was too dark to see. Going up on tiptoe, she ran her hand along the upper wall, and there nearest the window, she found a shelf. Very carefully, for fear she might dislodge something heavy, she gingerly walked her fingers along the shelf, until her hand alighted on a metal object.

She thought she could feel the iron handle and the glass dome. ‘That’s it!’ Clutching it in her two hands, she brought the object down, giving a sigh of relief when she realised it actually was an old tilly lamp.

Reaching up again, she found the box of matches, and with the door open she was glad to see how the moon had risen and was shining a low, ghostly light, to help her see what she was doing.

Carefully now, she raised the glass dome from the top of the lamp and placed it tenderly down. Striking a match along the rough side of the matchbox, she put the flame to the wick.

Almost at once, the wick spluttered into life and lit the barn with a soft, yellow glow.

Giving a sigh of relief, Alice now carried the lamp high as she made her way to the far end of the stables.

Once there, she climbed on to the bales of hay, so she could see the falcon more clearly. ‘Hello, you!’ Thrilled when the bird turned to peer at her through bright, beady eyes, she saw how the mellow light from the lamp appeared to give its feathers a bronze, velvety sheen. ‘Oh, but you really are a magnificent creature!’ In awe, she climbed higher, until she was almost on a level with the cage.

Leaning on the wooden rail, she stared up at him, amazed
by the rich, vibrant colours in his wings, and the strong, clean shape of his head, so perfectly angled, and dark as night.

She studied him for what seemed an age, her mind and memory drinking in that raw, wild beauty.

Alice had never been that close to a falcon before.

It was an experience she would never forget.

In the farmhouse, Joe lay on the sofa, half awake, contemplating the future. He did his best to shut Alice from his mind, but she clung to him, as though she was touching every nerve and sense in his body. She was like an addiction; the more you had of her, the more you wanted. ‘You’re a damned fool, Joe!’ he hissed. ‘That kind of thinking can only bring unhappiness!’

For a moment he was alert, sitting up and listening. A short time ago, he thought he heard a noise, but then he put it down to the old creaking floorboards. ‘Best try and get some sleep,’ he assured himself. ‘What with Jimmy being an outcast, I dare say Frank will need all the help he can get tomorrow.’

Lying down, he drew the blanket up. Then he sat up, got out of bed, and begun pacing the floor again. Twice more he prepared to sleep, and each time, sleep eluded him.

He made his way to the kitchen, softly so as not to wake anyone. Once there he filled the kettle and put it on to boil. ‘A hot drink,’ he decided, ‘that should help me settle.’

He made the tea and sat at the table, but still he was unable to settle. All manner of disturbing thoughts raced through his mind, of prison, and the way of life that had driven him almost to the brink of insanity. Prison was a place of destitution, a place where there was no joy, and everyone was out for themselves.

Some men, like him, may have been innocent of the crime laid against them, but there were others…evil beasts who
fed on violence and intimidation. Men who had committed murder and probably worse.

Things went on behind those walls; bad things that Joe would never again want to witness.

His thoughts shifted to Frank and how he would have set himself against these men. Joe knew Frank would have given as good as he got in there. Because deep down, he was made out of the same mould.

In fact, Joe truly believed that if he had not come along when he did, Frank may well have beaten Jimmy to death.

Sickened by the idea, he made himself think of those two good people who had raised them. Frank did not take after either of their parents, he thought. Nor did he take after their grandparents, because they too, were good folks of old farming stock: honest and sincere, and totally dedicated to their way of life.

His mind turned again to Frank, and the lovely Alice, who was soon to share Frank’s life, in as intimate a way as a man and woman could be. ‘How did Frank manage to snag a girl like Alice?’ he wondered aloud. Then he remembered Frank could be very persuasive when he set his mind to a purpose.

He had grown up in Frank’s shadow, and he knew the score. He knew things he had never told anyone; like the time on his third birthday, Frank tied him to a post in the bull’s field, and then pretended to run off and leave him, until the bull began to show an interest and Joe became frightened and started crying.

Frank released him, but not without threatening him, ‘If you say anything to Mum or Dad, I’ll take the horse whip to you!’

Shutting out the bad memories, Joe took a sip of tea. After the hard work in the field today, he felt bone-tired, yet his mind was still too active for sleep.

Slouched over the table, he soon decided he must get some
rest, or he would be fit for nothing in the morning. Rinsing his cup, he placed it on the drainer.

As he turned from the sink, he imagined he saw a light somewhere out there in the dark.

His first thought was a poacher, or one of the gypsies parked in the long grass two miles down the lane. ‘Dammit! They’ll be after the lambs!’ He wondered if he should call the family, but then decided against it. ‘I can handle this,’ he muttered, ‘No point in waking the others.’

Hurrying to the sitting room, he quickly pulled on his trousers and boots. Grabbing his coat he threw it on over his crumpled shirt. ‘The buggers!’ he kept saying. ‘Thieving buggers!’

Before rushing out the front door, he reached under the sideboard and drew out his father’s shotgun. Checking it through, he then tucked it under his arm.

Careful not to alarm the others who were still fast asleep, he softly switched on the porch-light then closed the door before walking along the path. Wary and alert, he was now ready for unwelcome intruders.

A few minutes later, having located the source of light, he was amazed to see that it was Alice in the barn. He was even more amazed when he saw how she had her hand halfway in the cage, her fingers tenderly stroking the falcon’s wings. The bird made no move to back off. Instead, he had his head turned towards her, as though studying her.

In all the years he had been growing up on this wonderful farm, Joe had seen many amazing things, but he had never seen a wild bird so close and easy with a human.

Mesmerised, he remained out of sight, watching and listening; reluctant to let Alice know he was there.

‘I’m glad Joe saved you,’ Alice spoke to the bird softly. ‘It would have been so cruel to let you die out there.’

Having stood the lamp on a safe, upturned metal crate, she
sat on the hay bale, her fingers delicately stroking the falcon’s head, while unperturbed, the bird preened his feathers and occasionally trained his glowing eyes on her.

Oblivious to Joe’s presence, Alice addressed the falcon as though he understood. ‘We’re all looking forward to the village dance,’ she explained. ‘Nancy’s right, when Joe turns out all dressed up in a suit and tie, smiling that deep, quiet smile, the girls won’t be able to take their eyes off him.’

She mulled over the evening in her mind. She could see herself and Nancy, leaping and dancing, and laughing so much they could not go on.

She laughed now. ‘You should have seen us.’ Excitedly sharing her joy, she described the evening. ‘Me and Nancy were doing Irish dancing, oh but it was such fun!’ As an after-thought she added sadly, ‘in fact, it was the best fun I’ve ever had.’

Unaware that Joe was watching her every move, she stretched out her legs and set her feet a tapping. Happy of heart, she giggled at the thought of her mother’s disapproving face. ‘I can’t even
imagine
what Mother would have said if she’d seen us?’

In a way, she wished her mother
had
seen them. That way she would know how the other half lived, and how you could enjoy life and be happy with what you had, rather than be miserable wanting the world.

She recalled Tom’s remarks about her mother choosing her bouquet. Nancy was so different from her own mother. Alice often felt like she’d been a sorry mistake. Her mother always gave Pauline a free rein on everything, they discussed business, clothes and were generally as thick as thieves.

Alice had never felt close to her parents.

Her father was a stern man, who rarely resorted to cuddles or small talk. Unlike his wife, he did not treat Pauline any different from his youngest daughter. He treated them the
same; always encouraging obedience as they grew up, and advising them when they were adults. Whenever he had close discussions with his wife, it was always about business and money.

Alice was fond of her father.

Her mother though, had caused her much heartache, in that she treated Pauline as her equal, while her youngest daughter was of little consequence.

Alice opened her heart to the falcon. ‘It was Mother who said I should ask Nancy if I could stay here for a couple of nights.’ She had thought that was a strange thing to do, especially with the wedding so near. Yet she was glad Nancy had said yes. ‘I expect Mother wants me out of the way, while she and Pauline arrange my wedding day.’ That thought gave her little consolation, but if she had complained and been difficult about it, the consequences would no doubt have been uncomfortable.