It's Now or Never (7 page)

‘Which would mean me working longer hours and having to take on more staff,' said Lenny. ‘Anyway, why should you be bothered? You'll be off to Italy in a few months.'

‘Hopefully,' said Betty, crossing her fingers. ‘I still need a definite yes from Jeanette about taking over the flat for those weeks while I'm away.' And on those words she left the kitchen.

As she made the boys' drinks, the door opened and a man entered. He stood there in the doorway, his eyes scanning the room. For a moment his gaze rested on Betty's face and then moved on. She had been about to take the drinks over to Nick and Chris but now she waited to see whether the man would stay or leave. She was suddenly aware that Nick was staring at him with such a look of dismay that she wondered if he knew him. Then the man removed his trilby and went over to a table and sat down.

Betty picked up the tray and went over to the boys' table and placed their drinks in front of them. ‘Bacon butties will be ready soon.'

‘Thanks,' they chorused.

She was about to walk away when Nick said, ‘Do you know that man, Miss Booth?'

‘No, never seen him before in my life. I thought you might by the way you looked at him.'

‘Before he removed his hat I thought he was my uncle.' Nick scowled. ‘I'd go mad if he discovered I've started coming here.'

Betty was tempted to ask why, but at that moment, Chris said, ‘He's signalling you.'

She excused herself and went over to him. ‘Can I help you?'

He stared at her from grey-blue eyes. ‘A black, sweet coffee and have you any doughnuts?'

His voice was pleasant but his accent took her by surprise. ‘You're an American!' she blurted out.

‘Is that a sin here?' he drawled.

She coloured. ‘Of course not. It's just that we don't get many Americans in here. And I'm sorry but we don't have any doughnuts. I can get you either a nice Eccles cake, an iced bun, a toasted teacake or even a chocolate cake.'

A smile lit up his craggy features. ‘An Eccles cake and I like them warm. I remember them from last time I was over here.'

‘You've been to England before?' She clicked her tongue. ‘Now that's a stupid question. Of course you have, otherwise you wouldn't remember Eccles cakes. Tea or coffee? Damn, you said coffee!' Without another word, she walked away, wondering what had come over her. Maybe it was because he reminded her of a detective in film noirs such as
The Maltese Falcon.

She delivered Nick and Chris's bacon butties to them and left to serve her American customer a steaming black coffee and a warmed Eccles cake.

‘Is there anything else I can help you with?' she asked.

‘Information?'

Good God, perhaps he was a detective!
‘What kind of information?' Betty dropped her voice.

‘I'm looking for someone with the surname Graham. A mother and daughter. I wondered if the girl came in here.' He took a mouthful of coffee before adding, ‘The daughter of the proprietor of the hotel where I'm staying suggested I try here.'

‘I can't say I know anyone called Graham,' replied Betty. He looked disappointed. ‘I could ask around,' she added. ‘Do you have a first name for the girl?'

He shook his head. ‘I know only that the mother's name is Lynne.'

‘I'll see what I can do.' She hesitated. ‘Is there any rush for this information? I mean – how long are you over here for?'

‘I'll be going up to Scotland for a week or so in a few days and then I'll be back here.'

‘Well, that gives me some time,' she said. ‘May I have your name and the address where you're staying in case I need to get in touch?'

‘Stuart Anderson and I'm staying at the McDonalds' place on Mount Pleasant,' he replied. ‘And your name?'

‘Betty Booth and you'll find me here except when I'm at college or at home.'

‘You're a student?' he asked, sounding truly interested.

She nodded. ‘Art student.'

At that moment someone called her name and she excused herself. When next she had a chance to talk to him he had gone but the money and the bill were there on the table with a generous tip. She picked them up, wondering when next she would see him.

It was Monday morning and Dorothy had still not told Sam about Poppy's telephone call. Neither had she phoned her agent. She and Sam had a date for that evening and she knew that she must speak to Poppy before then. She could not risk him talking her into changing her mind. She did care for Sam so she did not want to relinquish her relationship with him but she also wanted the part in the film. As Poppy had pointed out only too clearly, getting this role was the chance of a lifetime. She sighed, thinking good men were hard to find, but she had to make that call now or she might never get such an opportunity again.

She imagined that when he found out, Sam would either blow his top or go all quiet and that meant he was so deeply angry and hurt that he could not risk showing his feelings. There was even the possibility that he might decide to call it a day between them. She felt depressed at the thought because, although she was certain life would not be a bowl of cherries being married to Sam, she could not imagine being married to anyone else. Still, she had to make a move and so she reached for the telephone.

At that moment it rang and Kathy popped her head out of the dining-room doorway and said, ‘Would you mind getting that, Dorothy?'

She lifted the receiver and recognized her agent's voice on the other end of the line. ‘So have you made up your mind yet?' asked Poppy. ‘I've been waiting for your phone call. You do realize this is too good an opportunity to miss?' she repeated for what must be the tenth time.

Dorothy took a deep breath. ‘I know. I'll do it.'

‘Good! Then you'd best be on the next train to London. I'll meet you at Euston,' said Poppy.

They spoke a little longer and then Dorothy replaced the receiver and turned away, colliding into Kathy. ‘So was it for you?' asked the proprietor.

‘Yes, it was my agent! I have to go to London but hopefully I'll be back late this evening. If not I'll give you a ring,' said Dorothy. ‘I just need to change and pack a few things.'

‘Is it about a part?' asked Kathy.

‘Yes, an audition for a film,' replied Dorothy, feeling a surge of excitement.

She ran upstairs, singing, and came face to face with Stuart Anderson who tipped his trilby to her. ‘Good morning. You sound happy.'

‘I'm off to London to audition for a film part, can't talk now,' she cried, hurrying past him. ‘I have a train to catch.'

‘Good luck! See you again sometime.'

‘Hope so. I'd enjoy a chat about California,' she called over her shoulder.

She reached her room and wasted no time changing and packing a few things, thinking she would ring the Walker household later that day. Someone was bound to be in and they could give Sam her excuses for breaking their date this evening.

The telephone was ringing as Jeanette entered the house, treading on the folded
Echo
as she did so. She snatched up the newspaper and rushed to pick up the phone. It had only been installed recently and even if she heard it, Ethel seemed not to know how to handle calls. ‘Hello, Jeanette Walker here! Can I help you?' Her father had told her to give the number first but she had not committed it to memory yet.

‘It's Dorothy! Can you give Sam a message for me?' said the voice on the other end.

‘OK! Fire away,' said Jeanette, reaching for the pencil and pad on the small table that held the telephone.

She was just replacing the receiver when the front door opened and Hester came in. ‘Who was that on the phone?' she asked.

‘Dorothy! Do you know where Sam is? She had a date with him but isn't going to be able to make it.'

‘He's not going to be able to make it either. He said he was going to ring the hotel and let her know.' Hester hung up her navy-blue great coat and hat and ran a hand through her flattened brown hair.

‘She's not at the Lynton,' said Jeanette. ‘She's in London.'

‘London!' Hester pulled a face. ‘He isn't going to be pleased.'

Jeanette nodded. ‘You can say that again! He's going to be furious when he knows she's auditioned for a film part.'

Hester gave a low whistle. ‘I thought she wasn't going to go after any more film roles but concentrate on producing the Liverpool film she has her heart set on.'

‘Apparently the casting director asked for her specifically.' Jeanette changed the subject and smiled at her half-sister. ‘I'm glad you're home. I've missed seeing you the last couple of days and Jimmy needs to know if you definitely want the group to play the evening of your wedding?'

‘Yes, I do! I thought I'd made that clear,' said Hester, opening the living-room door. ‘Where's the old witch?'

‘I don't know. I've just got in myself.' Jeanette hung up her coat. ‘I can't see her being in the kitchen getting a hot meal ready for us.'

‘Since Christmas she seems to have forgotten how to cook,' said Hester. ‘I bought some sausages on the way home and there should be potatoes and onions in the vegetable rack.' She handed a shopping bag over to Jeanette. ‘Put that in the kitchen for me. I need to go up and change.'

‘OK! I'll see to the vegetables.'

There was no one in the kitchen, so Jeanette decided that Ethel was either in her bedroom or had gone out. Although goodness knows where she would go to at this time of day, and with snow still on the ground, too! She put on the kettle and set about peeling potatoes.

The potatoes were boiling by the time Hester came downstairs and Jeanette was frying the sausages and onions. ‘D'you know what time Dad will be in?' asked Jeanette.

Hester shook her head. ‘Best put his dinner in the oven.'

‘What about Sam?'

‘Same. He might have had something in the canteen but he always has an appetite.' She took out a tin opener and opened a tin of garden peas. ‘So what kind of day have you had?'

‘OK. There's something else I want to talk to you about.'

‘What is it? You look serious.'

‘I was wondering when you're going to do something about your wedding dress?' said Jeanette, moving the sausages round in the frying pan and stepping back as fat spat out.

‘Soon,' murmured Hester, opening the
Echo
that Jeanette had left on the table and beginning to read an article on an inside page. ‘I'm considering having it made.'

‘By whom?' asked Jeanette, sounding surprised. ‘I thought in the short time you have, you'd buy one off the peg.'

‘I had thought of it but changed my mind. I helped this girl the other day and her mother happens not only to be a dressmaker but lives in Lombard Street.' She glanced at Jeanette. ‘What d'you think of that?'

‘Sounds promising. What's their name?'

‘Donegan! Lynne is the mother and Roberta is the daughter. The girl knows Betty Booth and had stopped at the café because she thought she was being followed,' said Hester. ‘Do you ever notice anyone suspicious hanging about outside the milk bar?'

‘You mean a man?'

Hester nodded. ‘Unfortunately the description she gave wasn't of anyone out of the ordinary. Now if he'd been dressed in a clown's outfit that would have been something.'

Jeanette smiled and reached for the potato masher, as Hester put on the pan containing the peas. ‘So when are you going to visit this Mrs Donegan? And will she be making my bridesmaid's dress as well if you decide for definite to employ her?'

‘Maybe! I thought I'd drop by in the morning.'

‘That sounds sensible,' said Jeanette, draining the potatoes. ‘I suppose you'll be buying your headdress and veil from a shop?'

Hester nodded. ‘I'll be going shopping with Emma soon and will have a look then.' She stirred the peas in the pan with a tablespoon. ‘There's going to be a programme on television to do with the Easter bride. It's not only about clothes and the wedding day but setting up home. I'd enjoy watching that if only we had a telly.'

‘Perhaps we should have a word with Dad, although it could be all change in this house this year what with you getting married and me moving into Betty's flat during the summer.'

Hester's eyes almost popped out of her head. ‘You're not telling me that Dad's agreed to that!'

‘Not yet but he will because Mam is going to get to work on him. She's also going to talk to him about getting an extension built on to the cottage and his staying there.'

‘What's our Sam had to say about it?'

‘He's talking about taking over the rent book for this house and marrying Dorothy earlier,' said Jeanette, wielding the potato masher.

‘Can you see that coming off?' said Hester, removing the pan from the heat and getting out plates.

‘Not right this moment,' said Jeanette. ‘But then Dad's not going to move in with my Mam immediately, is he?'

‘So we could rent a telly and all chip in for the rental for the next couple of months,' said Hester, her face brightening. ‘I'll talk to our Sam. He might continue with the rental because surely he's bound to want to watch Dorothy's documentary when it's eventually made.'

Jeanette frowned. ‘You know what his attitude's been ever since she first voiced that idea. Anyway, I wonder how long it's all going to take before it's ready to be shown, now she's auditioned for this film role.'

‘Let's forget it for now,' said Hester. ‘I'm starving!'

Ethel came in while they were eating their dinner and switched on the wireless without saying a word. Jeanette took the old woman's plate of food out of the oven and placed it on a tray and gave it to her.

Several hours later Sam arrived, just as Hester and Jeanette were on their way to bed. ‘Any food?' he asked, scrubbing his face with his fists and yawning.