Sandra Mossop is upset that Jessie Shepherd seems to be having second thoughts about her role as Mildred Mould but in confiding her concerns to Kathleen Wishart she learns the truth behind Jessie’s reluctance.
Harriet James tries to ease the friction between her grandson Kester and Helen Marchant ahead of her pre-Christmas dinner. The party goes well and the couple seem at last to have settled their differences.
Evelyn Knowles is annoyed rather than upset that her husband Ernie seems to have disappeared. When told by George Harris that Ernie has left her, she insists that George must know where he has gone although George denies it.
Ernie, meanwhile has returned to Leytonmore to visit the grave of his lost love and determined to tell their son the truth of his double life. He is devastated when his son is hurt and angry at the revelation and disowns him.
Christmas Day in the village and Jessie is both astonished and thrilled when many of her loved ones turn up unexpectedly to share the day. Kester James is on call and offers Helen Marchant a lift, which she is happy to accept. When he calls at the house later, she invites him to lunch. Evelyn looks for Ernie at The White Horse and meets her match In Vivienne the barmaid.
Previously in Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Hawthorn House,
Upper Milliwick Road
‘Oh, it’s you is it?’ Evelyn Knowles sneers from the door to the sitting room as Ernie lets himself in the front door. ‘Come home with your tail between your legs have you? Well, you needn’t think you are just going to walk in here without an apology!’
‘This is still my house yet awhile, Evelyn’ Ernie calmly sifts the pile of mail laying on the small side table ‘And I shall do exactly what I pleases in it’ he says, tucking the letters into the attaché case he is carrying.
‘Where have you been?’ she demands
‘That’s for me t’know’ Ernie walks past her and crosses the room to the bureau, sitting on the buttoned leather captain’s chair as he opens drawers one by one, leafing through and transferring some of the contents to his case.
‘And I am supposed to welcome you back with open arms and no questions at all?’ Evelyn stands with her arms folded.
‘You needn’t worry yourself. I ain’t stopping’ Ernie replies, closing the last of the drawers and dropping the writing flap to check the pigeon holes behind.
‘You’re not?’
‘Nope’ he says swivelling the chair to face her ‘Sit down’
‘I beg your pardon?’
‘I said siddown!’ he barks
‘Just who do you think you are speaking to?’
‘Ok, have it your own way, you generally does’ Ernie glowers as he stands up. ‘The house is yours. I don’t need it. Me solicitor will be in touch with the papers’ He turns and takes the few steps to the bookcase. ’Sell it, rent it out, do what you like wi’it’ he says offhandedly, smiling briefly at the photograph of his two children as babies before adding that to his case too. ‘You’ve got yer pensions and them investments what I made for yer. That should be plenty enough t’live on. I only come t’collect a few bits then I’ll be off’
‘You’re divorcing me?’ Evelyn’s face flames.
‘Nope, I’m leaving yer, tha’s all. Something I should a done years ago. I’m going to spend what time I got left putting me life right’
‘And I’m not what’s right with that life?’ Evelyn shakes with suppressed rage.
Ernie stares at her coldly ‘Once upon a time a very long time ago’
‘What exactly do you mean by that?’
‘You were me whole life once but you’ve never loved me..’
‘Oh, for goodness sake!’ Evelyn snaps ‘what is this, some second childhood? You talk about love when my whole life is collapsing around me?’
‘Me, me, me, all the ruddy time! That’s all you ever cared about and you’re still at it’
‘Well, honestly! Love? How pathetic you do sound’ she sneers.
‘I loved you. When we were first wed, I loved you’
‘And then I suppose everything that went wrong with your life was my fault’ Evelyn retorts scornfully.
Ernie laughs softly but without amusement ‘No…that’s just where you’s wrong, everything what went right with my life was your fault’
‘Oh…talking in riddles now. Have you been drinking?’
‘Evelyn, if you won’t sit down then you’ll have t’hear this standing up’ he says wearily ‘this might come as a bit of a blow to yer but you weren’t the only woman in me life’
‘Oh, I’m absolutely certain I wasn’t’ She gives him a contemptuous smile ‘I expect someone like you needed the services of prostitutes, slavering like some dog after a bitch, it was disgusting’ Her nostrils flare.
‘And that sort a attitude is why I found meself another woman’ Ernie continues, unfazed.
‘So I was right’
‘No…another woman, on’y the one, I found meself somebody what loved me just the way I was’
‘You had an affair?’ she laughs unkindly ‘If it kept you from bothering me, I would probably have been grateful to the woman if I’d known’
‘We lived together for almost forty years’ Ernie’s voice is calm and even.
‘It’s almost fifty, you stupid man’
‘Not with you…with her…and for that…I thank you’ He nods and takes a final look around the room. ‘Right, tha’s all I need. You can get rid a me clothes, I got plenty’ he walks to the door ‘I sh’ll be keeping in touch wi’me friends so daresay our paths’ll cross, otherwise solicitor’ll know where t’find me iffin you’s got summat t’say. Goodbye Evelyn’
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