Read Online Tiger Bay Blues by Catrin Collier - Free Book Online

sermon he preaches in a town. Too long and he’s considered pompous and boring; too short and he’s slapdash; and pick the wrong subject – well, I won’t go into that one until I know you better. Suffice to say that when I preached about Jesus overturning the usurers’ tables in the temple, one tally man in Llanelli moved his entire family to a neighbouring parish. But we spoke about the youth club earlier?’
    ‘We did.’ Although he had removed his hand from her arm, her heart was pounding erratically.
    ‘Our next meeting is at half past six on Monday evening in the church hall. We have a dozen or so girls among our members. Unfortunately they have a tendency to indulge in horseplay and wear too much cheap scent and make-up. They might respond to the advice of someone like yourself. That is, if you can spare the time to give them a few tips. I noticed that you wear no make-up at all and your complexion is perfect.’
    Edyth didn’t have the heart to tell him that she was wearing the discreet make-up her mother had taught her and all her sisters to apply. ‘I would be delighted to help in any way that you think I can, Peter.’
    ‘See you on Monday evening, Edyth.’
    ‘Until then.’ Edyth spotted Maggie bearing down on them. She handed her Bella’s bouquet. ‘Be an angel and put these in water for me, please, Maggie, while I walk Reverend Slater to the gate.’
    Maggie snatched the flowers ungraciously and thumbed her nose at Edyth, just as Peter Slater turned to offer her his hand to say goodbye.
    Night had fallen when Harry and Mary returned from taking Toby and Bella to Cardiff station. The air in the garden was warm, thick, and velvety; heavily scented with flowers and wax from the candles that Sali and the girls had lit and dotted among the plants in the flowerbeds. The maids were serving coffee, cake and sweet biscuits, but mindful of the noise of the music carrying down to the town, Lloyd had asked the band to stop playing at ten o’clock and most of the guests had left. Harry and Mary found the musicians sitting at a table that had been carried out from the marquee, drinking beer and talking to the family.
    ‘Did the honeymooners make their train?’ Lloyd lifted the chair next to his out from under the table and offered it to Mary.
    ‘They did.’ Mary sat down. ‘But not before Toby and Harry quarrelled about Harry’s driving.’
    ‘I gave Toby a choice,’ Harry said airily. ‘I told him that I could either get him and Bella to Cardiff station on time or drive safely. Toby said he preferred me to drive safely. But Bella asked me to get to the station on time, and everyone knows it’s the woman who makes the decisions in every marriage.’
    ‘Well said, Harry. Here’s to the legions of hen-pecked men. Poor Toby has no idea what’s in store for him.’ Joey drained his beer mug and held it out to Harry. ‘As you’re getting yourself and Mary drinks, you may as well refill all our glasses.’
    ‘Thank you, Uncle Joey. You know I love to play barman.’ Harry took the glass and turned the tap on the beer barrel set up on a side table alongside an array of bottles of sherry, wine, raspberry cordial and lemonade.
    ‘I like to make everyone happy.’ Joey beamed at the table in general.
    ‘Especially yourself,’ Victor quipped. ‘How many shorts did you feed our little brother, Lloyd?’
    ‘As many as he fed you and himself, judging by the width of the smiles on all your faces,’ Sali answered for Lloyd.
    ‘Whatever you do, Ruth, don’t grow up into a nagging wife like your grandmother and great-aunts.’ Joey gravely addressed the sleeping child on his lap.
    ‘Let me take Ruth from you, Uncle Joey,’ Mary offered shyly. Harry’s extended family had welcomed her and her orphaned brothers and sister as if they were long-lost relatives, but her upbringing on an isolated farm in Breconshire hadn’t brought her into contact with many people and she still felt a little shy of them,