A Sister's Duty Read online

  He returned to the kitchen. ‘I’ve only one thing to say to you, Bernie, and that’s – keep away from my family. I’m not having you hurting Lee more than she’s already been hurt. That’s it.’ He turned and walked out of the kitchen.

  He did not get far before Bernard lumbered to his feet and came after him. Peter spun round, arm raised, fists clenched.

  Bernard parried the blow. ‘Will you stop it?’ he growled. ‘I’m not looking for a fight. I’ve something to say myself.’

  ‘I don’t want to hear your excuses,’ said Peter, tight-lipped.

  ‘You’re not going to. We both made mistakes years ago. Come back in.’

  Peter hesitated but his old adversary looked so drawn that he reconsidered. Eddie was standing with his back against a wall, like a fox preparing to hold a hound at bay.

  ‘Go in the garden, Eddie,’ said Bernard roughly.

  His son did not need to be told twice.

  Peter felt a momentary pain at the lad’s likeness to Chris but it passed. ‘Say what you’ve got to say,’ he said tersely.

  ‘You already knew about the boy?’ said Bernard. ‘I never thought she’d tell you.’

  ‘She named no names but dropped enough hints. Maybe actually writing “Bernard Rossiter” was too much even for her at the end.’

  ‘Maybe. But it was my fault. I seduced her to punish you for interfering between me and Amy.’ Bernard drew cigarette smoke into his lungs. ‘You’re bloody lucky getting a second chance. I married my wife on the rebound and spent most of our married life treating her like rubbish. It wasn’t until she died that I realised my mistake. She was a good woman and now it’s too late to make amends. I really miss her.’

  There was a long silence as the two men stared at each other.

  ‘Is that supposed to make me feel sorry for you?’ said Peter harshly.

  Bernard shrugged. ‘Think what you want. You might like to know I’m moving to Wales. Making a fresh start.’

  ‘That’ll go some way to making amends,’ said Peter. He gave a sharp nod and left.

  He found Amelia waiting for him on the corner of the road. ‘Where’s Babs?’ he said.

  ‘Stormed off. I feel sorry for her.’

  Peter put his arm round his wife. ‘Well?’ she said.

  ‘He’s leaving the area.’

  Amelia sighed with relief. ‘Then everything’s OK.’

  ‘As long as you stop putting other people first all the time and take care of yourself. I was pretty sure Chris was Bernard’s son when Dotty mistook him for someone she kept seeing outside chemist shops. Besides, Tess threw out enough hints; I just didn’t want to believe it. I reckon she didn’t tell you because she thought even you would have found that too much; your best friend having gone with him.’

  ‘You’re probably right. I didn’t tell you of my suspicions when I saw him because I didn’t want you hurt.’

  Peter hugged her to him, pressing his lips against her temple. ‘The damage she caused Chris I find hard to forgive. But fortunately the twins don’t seem to have come out of it too badly.’

  Amelia frowned. ‘You don’t think she told Chris?’

  He shrugged. ‘Who knows? It would explain a lot, wouldn’t it?’

  Amelia nodded. If that were true, she would find it hard to forgive Tess too. Surely they would all have been better off never knowing?

  ‘I tell you something, love,’ murmured Peter against her ear. ‘If Rosie wants to marry Davey as soon as he comes home, then we’re not stopping them. I’ve had enough of trying to protect your nieces from themselves.’

  Amelia wondered how he would feel if he had a daughter of his own, deciding it was time for her to tell him about the baby, which still seemed a miracle to her. Although she felt certain from what he had said earlier that he had already guessed.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  As soon as Rosie saw Davey, she knew where her future lay. They went into each other’s arms without hesitation, gazing greedily into each other’s face. ‘God, I’ve missed you,’ he said unsteadily.

  ‘Me too.’ Her voice was husky and there were tears in her eyes as, with trembling fingers, she touched his mouth and brought his head down to hers so their lips met. They kissed long and deep and when at last they drew apart, he said, ‘We have to get married soon.’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘You don’t think you’ll have any trouble getting permission from your Aunt Amelia?’ His blue eyes were intent on her face.

  ‘No.’ She laughed. ‘Although I did say a while ago I wouldn’t be rushing into marriage, so she might dig in her heels and say wait.’

  ‘I don’t want to wait,’ he said, nibbling her ear. ‘I want you now. I’d marry you today if I could. I want to spend as much time as I can with you before I have to leave again.’

  ‘Me too. Although I don’t want you to leave.’ She pressed against him. ‘Are you sure about staying on in the Army?’

  He lifted his head and stared at her. ‘I enjoy the life, Rosie. I feel like I’m a round peg in a round hole. But if you don’t want me to—’

  ‘No. Whatever you decide, I’m with you. I want you to be happy.’

  ‘I want you to be happy too.’

  ‘I will be so long as you are.’ He hugged her tightly.

  ‘Aren’t we soppy?’ she said happily. ‘Almost as soppy as Dotty’s letter.’

  ‘What letter?’ Davey held her away from him. ‘You never mentioned any letter last time you wrote?’

  ‘That’s because I only got it yesterday. They’re in America. Dotty’s staying with Sam’s mother, who’s written to Aunt Amelia.’

  Davey let out a whistle. ‘So what’s going to happen? Where’s Chris?’

  ‘Working on a farm, saving up so they can get married. According to Dotty, he never touched her. She says that she’s still a virgin,’ murmured Rosie, staring up at him. ‘I want to believe it.’

  ‘Believe it then,’ he said promptly. ‘Thousands wouldn’t but – I mean, it’s not going to make any difference to our lives. What does your Aunt Amelia say?’

  ‘That Uncle Pete had a big say in Chris’s upbringing and left it at that. She’s going to let them marry when Dotty’s sixteen. Otherwise, she says, the strain might prove too much.’

  Davey grinned. ‘I always knew your Aunt Amelia was a sensible woman. How’s Babs? Has she got over Eddie yet?’

  ‘I think so. She said yesterday he’d proved a bit of a disappointment. I believe she might still feel something for Sam’s cousin but he’s in the American Air Force now so there’s no point her saving money to go over there.’

  ‘So there’s just you and me to think about?’ said Davey, planting kisses all over her face, much to her delight.

  ‘Let’s go and see Aunt Amelia,’ she said, after returning every one of his kisses. So they went.

  ‘I’d say wait until you’re older,’ said Amelia. ‘But I don’t want you two running off as well,’ she added with a twinkle. ‘Where will you live?’

  Rosie hesitated. ‘I’d like to stay here until we can get married quarters.’

  ‘But that might not be for a while,’ said Davey. ‘Is that OK?’

  Amelia glanced at Peter for confirmation. ‘It’s fine. Plenty of room with only the twins at the moment.’

  ‘The wedding?’ said Amelia.

  ‘We haven’t much money,’ said Rosie.

  ‘I don’t think you need worry about money,’ said her aunt. ‘You’ve got some coming to you, Rosie.’ And she explained about the compensation.

  Rosie stared at her, hardly able to believe what her aunt was saying. ‘You’re not kidding me?’ she stammered.

  ‘Would I?’ said Amelia, twitching an eyebrow and looking stern. ‘It should pay for the wedding, a honeymoon, a few sticks of furniture and a decent frock. Unless you want to borrow your grandmother’s wedding gown?’

  In her mind’s eye, Rosie saw Amelia sweeping down the aisle like a queen and gracefully accepted. />
  So Rosie and Davey were married in style on the last Saturday in February. Her granddad gave her away and she wore Maggie’s pearls and her maternal grandmother’s wedding gown.

  ‘If he feels the way I felt after I saw you in that dress,’ said Peter, after they had seen the newlyweds off in a taxi, ‘it’s going to be some steamy honeymoon.’

  Amelia squeezed his arm. ‘You really felt like that about me then?’

  ‘I fancied you like crazy but I was fighting it.’

  ‘Me too,’ she said, thinking that maybe it was time to forgive Tess and Violet for all the pain they had caused. If it had not been for their children, she would still be full of resentment and regret. She was happy now in a way she had never thought possible. ‘Let’s go home,’ she said softly.

  Peter called the twins, who were swinging from a lamp post, and together they went to catch the tram.

  ‘Did you notice,’ said Amelia, ‘that Babs caught the bouquet?’

  Peter said thankfully, ‘Not our worry, love.’ And slipping his hand into hers, carried on walking.

  Epilogue

  Amelia picked up the envelope from the doormat and gazed at the London postmark. She held it up to the light, wishing she had X-ray eyes, and even thought of steaming it open. Filled with hope and excitement, she hurried into the morning room where her daughter sat banging a spoon on an upturned empty eggshell. ‘This,’ she said, waving the letter under Daisy’s dainty nose, ‘is just what Daddy has been waiting for.’

  ‘Dad-da! Dad-da!’ Daisy gave her mother a toothless grin.

  Amelia’s heart felt fit to burst with love as she scooped her up out of the high chair, kissed her eggy cheek and went upstairs. She would take it to him, she thought, as she washed her daughter’s face. Surely if the publishers had turned the book down they would have returned the manuscript? It had to be good news and she could not wait to see Peter’s expression when he opened the letter. It would make up for the ones he had never received from Chris.

  She was halfway downstairs when the doorbell rang. Oh, no! she thought. Don’t let it be a vacuum cleaner salesman right now, please, please! She opened the door with Daisy balanced on one hip but the words died on her lips at the sight of the man in uniform standing on the doorstep.

  ‘Mrs Hudson?’

  ‘Yes?’

  He removed his cap. ‘Excuse me, ma’am, but I wonder if you could help me?’ he drawled. ‘My name’s Willy Dixon an’—’

  ‘So the Yanks are back at Burtonwood?’ Amelia smiled in delight and, seizing his sleeve, drew him inside. ‘You want to see Babs, of course,’ she added, not giving him a chance to speak. ‘Well, you’re in luck, Mr Dixon, because I’m just on my way to the shop.’

  ‘Shop, ma’am?’ he said, looking bewildered.

  ‘The family chemist’s where she works. I have to see my husband. Hopefully I’ve good news for him. If you’ll wait a moment while I put Daisy’s coat on, you can come with me.’

  ‘Yes, ma’am!’ he said, expression changing to one of relief. He almost came to attention. ‘And I’ve a letter for Mr Hudson, ma’am, from Chris.’

  Her mouth fell open. ‘I can’t believe it! This must be our lovely day, as the song goes. But there’s no need for “ma’am”.’ Her eyes twinkled into his and she thought what a nice face he had, not exactly good-looking but with kind eyes. She fancied he was a trustworthy boy. ‘You can call me Aunt Amelia,’ she said firmly. ‘With you being related to Sam, I feel you’re part of the family.’

  She thrust Daisy at him and crammed a spare nappy, a feeding bottle, her purse and the precious letter inside a shopping bag. ‘We’ll catch a tram just up the road,’ she said. ‘Follow me.’

  As if in a daze, Willy fell in behind her.

  ‘Rosie, could you try and keep your mind on the job?’ said Peter, putting the top on his fountain pen and closing the prescription book. He had been in charge at the shop for the last six months and was in the throes of extending the business. ‘I know it isn’t easy for you with the Russians blockading Berlin, but Davey will be OK, believe me! The Yanks have said they’re going to lift the blockade.’

  ‘I know,’ she said moodily, taking a swipe at a fly with a toilet roll. ‘But I’ve always been lousy at waiting.’

  ‘Hey!’ Irene, who had been out getting pies for their lunch, burst through the doorway, grinning from ear to ear. ‘Guess what? The Yanks are back at Burtonwood! They’ve come to airlift aid into Berlin.’

  ‘What?’ cried Babs, thrusting a paper bag with bandages and Germoline at a customer. ‘Where did you hear that?’

  ‘In the bread shop. Let the good times roll!’ said Irene, doing a jig.

  Rosie and Babs stared at each other and delighted smiles lit their faces. They flung their arms round each other. ‘Yippee!’ they cried in unison.

  Peter and the two old ladies in the shop smiled indulgently. ‘I remember a Yank from the Great War,’ said one. ‘Black as the hobs of hell but he gave my Sadie a toffee.’

  ‘Oh, I can’t wait,’ sighed Irene, a dreamy expression on her face. ‘Chocolate, nylons, dancing and smooching.’ She swayed as if in time to music.

  The others watched her, barely aware of the shop door opening.

  ‘So this is what you get up to when I’m not around,’ said Amelia, smiling at them all as she entered.

  ‘Willy!’ cried Babs and flung herself at him.

  ‘That’s quick work,’ said Peter, flashing his wife a quizzical smile.

  ‘Isn’t it just?’ she said, handing Daisy over to Rosie and drawing him aside. ‘I’ve got something nice for you too,’ she whispered, ticking his nose with the envelope. ‘London postmark.’

  He took a deep breath and took the envelope from her, hesitating before slitting it open. Amelia watched him read it. ‘Well?’ she demanded, unable to contain her impatience any longer. He lifted shining eyes to her face and there was no need for him to say a word. ‘My husband’s going to be a famous author,’ she breathed. ‘We’ll have to share the running of the shop.’

  Peter cleared his throat. ‘A published author. I don’t know about famous. They want me to go down to London and have lunch with them, discuss the book and any other ideas I might have for another.’

  ‘Great!’ said Rosie, who had been listening. ‘You’ll have to go with him, Aunt Amelia. You can stay with Aunt Iris. We’ll hold the fort.’

  ‘Too right,’ said Amelia, linking an arm through her husband’s. ‘I’ll do just that and on the way we’ll decide the plot of your next story.’

  ‘I could tell them I’ve a great idea for a family saga.’

  ‘It’s got to have a happy ending,’ said Amelia positively.

  ‘Of course,’ he said, brushing her lips with his. ‘They’re the best kind.’

  ‘How about this then?’ she said, eyes sparkling, handing him the letter from Chris.

  He stared at her, then opened it and began to read. She read along with him. Dear Dad, it began.

  Acknowledgements

  Many thanks to Mr Radcliff of the Boots’ Retirement Association for help with pharmaceutical details and also to some of the staff and children of St Vincent’s School for the Visually Impaired, West Derby.

  This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

  Epub ISBN: 9781473529441

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  Ebury Press, an imprint of Ebury Publishing

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  Ebury Press is part of the Penguin Random House gro
up of companies whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com

  Copyright © June Francis 1998

  Cover photographs: Woman by Head Design

  Cover Background © Getty Images

  Cover: www.headdesign.co.uk

  June Francis have asserted her right to be identified as the author of this Work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

  This novel is a work of fiction. Names and characters are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental

  First published in 1998 as For the Sake of the Children by Judy Piatkus (Publishers) Ltd

  This edition published in 2016 by Ebury Press

  www.eburypublishing.co.uk

  A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

  ISBN 9780091956363