Read Online Tangled Threads by Margaret Dickinson - Free Book Online Page B

by his wife’s berating. ‘And you get yourself out of those wet clothes, Eveleen, or
you’ll catch your death.’
    She turned away as if not realizing what she had said. Brother and sister exchanged a horrified glance.
    ‘I don’t reckon she’s taken it in,’ Jimmy murmured, his glance following their mother as she bent to draw hot water into the bowl from the tap at the side of the range.
‘She – she’s acting like she did when I fell in the dyke that time when I was a kid and came out in black mud from head to foot. I got a right telling off, but she peeled off all
me clothes and washed me all the time she was doing it.’
    Mary placed the bowl carefully on the table at the side of the still and silent figure. ‘Fancy getting yourself in such a mess, Walter,’ she said gently as she began to wash his face
tenderly. ‘There, there, we’ll soon have you cleaned up and then you can sit by the fire and have a nice bowl of hot soup. How’d that be, eh?’
    Although she clapped her hand to her mouth, Eveleen could not quite stifle the startled cry that escaped her lips.
    ‘She doesn’t realize, Evie. She doesn’t know.’
    Eveleen pulled in a deep shuddering breath, trying to calm her shaking limbs. They both continued to watch their mother as she washed the inert form, murmuring endearments and gentle
chastisement in turn.
    ‘I’m off,’ Jimmy muttered. ‘I can’t stand this.’ As he made to turn and leave, Eveleen gripped his shoulder.
    ‘Wait,’ she hissed. ‘We can’t leave her like this, we—’
    ‘You can do what you like, our Eveleen. I’m off.’
    Mary was crooning, like a mother bathing her baby, smiling and singing to it.
    Eveleen took a deep breath and gave Jimmy’s shoulder a tiny shake. With a voice that was not quite steady, she said, ‘Go and fetch Bill back and ask Dorothy to come too.’
    ‘Right,’ Jimmy agreed at once. He turned and fled the house, relieved to have an excuse to get out. But there was no such escape for Eveleen. She moved forward to stand on the other
side of the table to her mother.
    ‘Mam,’ she began hesitantly.
    ‘Oh, Eveleen, there you are. Help me get these wet clothes off your dad. He’ll catch his death, else.’
    It was a favourite saying of Mary’s and one she had now used twice in the space of a few minutes. Tears sprang to Eveleen’s eyes, but she blinked them back furiously. She must be
strong. She had to be strong for all their sakes.
    ‘Mam,’ she said gently, her voice hoarse with emotion. ‘It’s – it’s no use. Don’t you see? He’s – he’s . . .’ She couldn’t
bring herself to say the words, not even now. ‘He’s not going to be all right. He’s—’
    ‘Don’t be so foolish, Eveleen,’ Mary answered spiritedly. ‘Of course he’ll be all right. He’s just cold and tired.’ She looked down once more at the
white face. ‘Come along, Walter. Stir yourself. You’ll have to help us. Me and Eveleen can’t lift you.’
    Eveleen moved round the table and put her arm about her mother’s shoulders, trying to lead her away now. ‘Mam, come away. It’s no use. It’s – it’s too late.
He’s – he’s gone.’
    ‘What on earth are you talking about?’ Mary snapped. ‘Will you do as I say and help me instead of standing there talking a lot of nonsense?’
    Eveleen’s voice was a husky croak as she said, ‘Mam. He’s dead. Dad’s dead.’
    Beneath her touch, she felt her mother’s body go rigid. Mary stared at her daughter and then slowly turned her head to look down at her husband once more. There was a second’s
silence and then Eveleen jumped physically as her mother let out a heart-rending scream and threw herself across the lifeless body.
    She was still trying to prise Mary away when the back door opened and Bill’s huge frame stood there. At once he took in the scene, moved forward and lifted Mary bodily. He held her in his
strong embrace, stroked her hair and made soothing