fault he is.’
And even, ‘He’ll go far will Frank Cussins. I’m sure one day I’ll be grateful for Ma’s foresight,’ till Archie would shout piffle , or something worse, and stamp off in high dudgeon.
Now, when his voice whispered against her ear, ‘It’s still not too late. You can stop this right here. Let your mother solve her own problems,’ she stared at the engagement ring as it lay winking at her from the window sill where she’d set it while she washed the dishes, and shuddered.
‘You have some other solution do you?’ Kitty tartly enquired, determined not to go over the why’s and wherefore’s since she’d done so countless times before, then perversely found herself doing so anyway. ‘Ma needs me. My father, whoever he was, let her down so badly by leaving her alone with two babies, she can’t even bear to talk about it. How can I risk doing the same? I’m all she’s got. I can’t see her thrown out on the streets. I must help.’
‘Not by playing the sacrificial lamb. There must be another solution.’
Kitty could feel the familiar swell of panic tighten in her breast. ‘What can I do? I’ve already promised.’
‘Frank Cussins won’t make you happy. Don’t trust the blighter, Kitty-Cat. He’s as slippery as an eel.’
‘You marry me then and pay off Ma’s debts.’
‘Told you, old thing. Marriage and me is like a sour cocktail. We don’t mix. And I don’t have the dosh. But I’d consider any other suggestions you might have. We could always run off together, as we once dreamed of doing.’
She felt angry suddenly for his flippancy. Why couldn’t he see that she’d no alternative? ‘This isn’t the moment for jokes, Archie. This is real life, not fantasy land.’ She slapped a soapy cup down on the draining board with such force it was a wonder it didn’t crack.
Archie picked up a tea towel and began to dry it with painstaking care. ‘Don’t do this to yourself, Kitty. Tell Clara to live her own life and let you live yours.’
Kitty couldn’t even see the window now. Too much steam or moisture blotting her vision for some reason. Taking her hands from the water she turned and ran from the kitchen and left Archie to finish the washing up by himself.
In only one respect did she win a small victory: Kitty refused, absolutely, to marry in church. She insisted her mother abandon plans for hiring a twenty-strong choir complete with organist that she couldn’t, in any case, afford; adamant in her belief that it would be a sacrilege to say her vows in such a setting to a man she could never truly love.
But if Kitty had hoped to put Frank off by this obstinacy, she was mistaken. ‘Just as well,’ he said, firmly supporting her decision, ‘or we might end up in Westminster Abbey being married by the Bishop of London.’
It was agreed that the marriage would take place, very quietly, at the nearest registry office. Frank’s brother would be best man and they wouldn’t bother with a bridesmaid.
‘But you’ll be taken in a motor, Duchess. Only the best for my girl,’ Frank grandly informed her.
‘Please don’t call be by that name. Clara calls me that, and I don’t care for it. It implies that I’m above everyone, toffee-nosed, or something.’
‘Right you are, darlin’.’ She didn’t care for that any better.
As if anxious to prove himself aware of his good fortune, Frank went out of his way to be agreeable in the days following; helping her to buy clothes for a trousseau, taking her to see the new house and carefully explaining that there was no requirement for her to work, that all she would need do was to spend her days keeping it spick and span for the two of them. ‘Like a pair of love birds we’ll be. You can leave everything safely to me. I’ll look after you.’
Kitty would thank him, while doing her best to suppress a shudder whenever he came near. Although his lingering glances revealed his increasing anticipation for the coming
And even, ‘He’ll go far will Frank Cussins. I’m sure one day I’ll be grateful for Ma’s foresight,’ till Archie would shout piffle , or something worse, and stamp off in high dudgeon.
Now, when his voice whispered against her ear, ‘It’s still not too late. You can stop this right here. Let your mother solve her own problems,’ she stared at the engagement ring as it lay winking at her from the window sill where she’d set it while she washed the dishes, and shuddered.
‘You have some other solution do you?’ Kitty tartly enquired, determined not to go over the why’s and wherefore’s since she’d done so countless times before, then perversely found herself doing so anyway. ‘Ma needs me. My father, whoever he was, let her down so badly by leaving her alone with two babies, she can’t even bear to talk about it. How can I risk doing the same? I’m all she’s got. I can’t see her thrown out on the streets. I must help.’
‘Not by playing the sacrificial lamb. There must be another solution.’
Kitty could feel the familiar swell of panic tighten in her breast. ‘What can I do? I’ve already promised.’
‘Frank Cussins won’t make you happy. Don’t trust the blighter, Kitty-Cat. He’s as slippery as an eel.’
‘You marry me then and pay off Ma’s debts.’
‘Told you, old thing. Marriage and me is like a sour cocktail. We don’t mix. And I don’t have the dosh. But I’d consider any other suggestions you might have. We could always run off together, as we once dreamed of doing.’
She felt angry suddenly for his flippancy. Why couldn’t he see that she’d no alternative? ‘This isn’t the moment for jokes, Archie. This is real life, not fantasy land.’ She slapped a soapy cup down on the draining board with such force it was a wonder it didn’t crack.
Archie picked up a tea towel and began to dry it with painstaking care. ‘Don’t do this to yourself, Kitty. Tell Clara to live her own life and let you live yours.’
Kitty couldn’t even see the window now. Too much steam or moisture blotting her vision for some reason. Taking her hands from the water she turned and ran from the kitchen and left Archie to finish the washing up by himself.
In only one respect did she win a small victory: Kitty refused, absolutely, to marry in church. She insisted her mother abandon plans for hiring a twenty-strong choir complete with organist that she couldn’t, in any case, afford; adamant in her belief that it would be a sacrilege to say her vows in such a setting to a man she could never truly love.
But if Kitty had hoped to put Frank off by this obstinacy, she was mistaken. ‘Just as well,’ he said, firmly supporting her decision, ‘or we might end up in Westminster Abbey being married by the Bishop of London.’
It was agreed that the marriage would take place, very quietly, at the nearest registry office. Frank’s brother would be best man and they wouldn’t bother with a bridesmaid.
‘But you’ll be taken in a motor, Duchess. Only the best for my girl,’ Frank grandly informed her.
‘Please don’t call be by that name. Clara calls me that, and I don’t care for it. It implies that I’m above everyone, toffee-nosed, or something.’
‘Right you are, darlin’.’ She didn’t care for that any better.
As if anxious to prove himself aware of his good fortune, Frank went out of his way to be agreeable in the days following; helping her to buy clothes for a trousseau, taking her to see the new house and carefully explaining that there was no requirement for her to work, that all she would need do was to spend her days keeping it spick and span for the two of them. ‘Like a pair of love birds we’ll be. You can leave everything safely to me. I’ll look after you.’
Kitty would thank him, while doing her best to suppress a shudder whenever he came near. Although his lingering glances revealed his increasing anticipation for the coming
Similar Books
