‘I haven’t known quite what to do about it’ Jessie says plaintively, setting her cup on its saucer with shaking hands and holding it on her lap. ‘It’s not something you’d bring up in general conversation, is it?’ She gives Anthony and Ernie a thin, embarrassed smile. ‘George says I’m worrying about nothing but you can’t be too careful, can you?’
‘You’re right, gal’ Ernie nods soberly and looks to Anthony. ‘We been worried an’ all ain’t we, boy?’
Anthony shakes his head slowly, looking troubled. ‘But we were more concerned about the way her mind’s been going rather than what she’s been talking about’ he reminds his father. ‘Some of her meanderings have been a bit…colourful, shall we say’ he says to Jessie ‘but it never once occurred to me that there might be some truth in it. Did it you, Dad?’
‘Can’t say as it did’ Ernie clears his throat uncomfortably. ‘Not the way it struck you, gal. Thought she were just being….fanciful’ He hesitates, looking down into his empty cup rather than meet their gaze. ‘Cos she ain’t never been what you’d call…. keen’ he mumbles, discomfited.
Jessie pats his hand and squeezes it comfortingly. ‘That’s by the by, now’ she says quietly and lifts her head. ‘So..’ she gathers her thoughts. ‘What are we going to do about it?’ she challenges, looking from one to the other of them.
Ernie looks at Anthony helplessly. ‘What’s t’do, lad?’
Anthony tips back his head, blowing the smoke upwards from his cigar in an anxious plume. ‘Not sure how we can find out without asking some bloody awkward questions’ he says at last, rocking forward again. ‘She’s in no fit state to say one way or another. She’s convinced she’s having… some sort of affair’ he struggles to find the right words. ‘Throws it in my face every time I go…what with me being ‘Dear Ernest’’ He sighs and swallows hard. ‘God knows, and that’s the truth’ he says despairingly. ‘We can’t march in there and accuse people of all sorts without more evidence than what we’ve got: the word of a very confused woman’
‘Allus struck me as an alright sort a bloke’ Ernie puts in. ‘But then I s’pose ‘e could a just be bein’ clever’ he shrugs.
‘True’ Anthony nods sagely.
‘I’ve been giving it some thought’ Jessie returns her cup and saucer to the tray in front of her. ‘Quite a lot of thought, actually…been worrying me sick, I’ll admit that…but we’ve got to be sensible, like George says’ she preens slightly. ‘He said much as you have. We can’t go charging in there like a bull in a china shop. We need some way of finding out that doesn’t involve asking questions straight off’
‘Right’ Anthony looks perplexed.
‘And I know how’ Jessie confides, her cheeks reddening. ‘But maybe best if I talk to your wife’ she continues in an embarrassed whisper ‘She’d know about…. that sort of thing’
‘I can fetch her in. She’s only having a word with the housekeeper’ Anthony jumps at the offer.
‘And…you two clear off?’ she eyes them both.
‘If that’s what you want’ Anthony stands up and thumbs Ernie from the sofa. ‘We need answers, Jessie, and sooner the better. If you’ve got some idea of how to go about it, be my guest’
‘Oh, I wish’ Jessie looks around at the luxurious room with an envious sigh and a small smile of deliberate misunderstanding. She looks back at him and gives a brief nod. ‘When Melanie’s got a minute, we’ll have a little chat and see what we can sort out, okay?’ she says, her blush subsiding.
‘Ah! Think I get you, now’ Anthony nods carefully ‘we’re talking women’s problems…. right? ….Bits’ he amends after a short pause.
‘I might be but you’re certainly not!’ Jessie’s colour deepens again ‘Shoo!’
‘Think we got our marchin’ orders, boy!’ Ernie gives a cough of relief. ‘Let’s leave ‘em to it, shall us?’
‘Thanks, Jessie’ Anthony says with quiet appreciation ‘I’ll get it from Mel later, whatever you two decide needs to be done’ He lays a hand on her shoulder and smiles his gratitude. ‘Send more tea up, shall I?’
‘That would be very nice’ Jessie agrees.
The Manor House Hotel
Chapter Twenty-five
Rose Cottage, Albans Lane
‘Ow’d it go?’ George hovers in the hallway ready to take Jessie’s coat. ‘I been watchin out for yer. Did yer get a taxi back an’ all, like I said?’
‘If you’ve been watching out for me, you’d know that Anthony ran me home’ Jessie says crisply, removing her scarf and draping it over the hook where George has hung her coat.
‘I got kettle on the go’ George decides to forgo any explanation of being in the lavatory. ‘Go get yerself warm while I make a pot o’tea’
‘I’m awash with tea’
‘Look, gal’ he says solicitously, following her firm tread into the living room ‘I knows what it were a trial for yer, goin up there fer summat like that. I were on’y wantin t’know ‘ow yer got on. I’d a come wi’yer, yer know’
‘I know you would, George’ Jessie softens a little. ‘But it was best I went on my own’
‘Were it that bad?’ He sits in the chair opposite. ‘I knows what yer weren’t relishin goin’. What they say?’
‘A bit taken aback. It hadn’t occurred to either of them that there might be something…..amiss’
‘Cor blimey, there’ll be ructions now’ George’s shoulders droop with wary sympathy. ‘Poor begger wunt know what’s hit ‘im…lit’ral. I hopes you’s right’
‘I don’t hope I’m right’ Jessie snaps immediately ‘I hope I am very wrong’
‘I weren’t sayin what….’
‘You needn’t worry’ Her mouth sets in a tight line ‘There won’t be any fisticuffs. If there IS anything wrong, everything will be dealt with properly. They will get the police involved’
‘But ow’s they gonna KNOW what there’s summat?’
‘Ask no questions and you’ll be told no lies’ Jessie says evasively.
‘But I is askin’’ George grumbles ‘Got me all conflummoxed wi’yer goin on. I can’t see nothing for it but t’gi ‘im a good pastin til ‘e tells ‘em the truth’
‘Is that you answer to everything?’
‘Woulda been in my day if some fella were foolin wi’yer missus’
‘Then it’s a jolly good job you were never caught then, wasn’t it?’
‘Cor, you ain’t arf in a mood ain’t yer?’ his eyebrows rise and he blows out his cheeks. ‘They upset yer some?’
‘No they haven’t!’ Jessie bites back ‘I wanted to come in, sit down and try to put it out of my mind for a while and all I’ve had is questions, questions, questions’
‘Ain’t that what folk do when they’s in the same ‘ouse?’ George asks reasonably ‘I were on’y thinking a you. I knows what yer like t’talk ‘bout stuff what’s botherin yer’
‘Well, this is different. I made a suggestion and they thought it was a good idea. That enough for you?’ Her stare broaches no further enquiry as colour rises up her neck.
‘What suggestion?’ George carries on regardless.
Jessie sucks air through her teeth in an exasperated sigh. ‘All right, have it your way’ her neck arches and she fixes him with a glare. ‘They’re going to speak to their doctor about examining Evelyn and tell her she’s having a smear test. Okay?’
George looks puzzled for a moment then reddens too ‘Ain’t that where they….’
‘Yes, George’ Jessie confirms simply. ‘Melanie is going to do the ‘all girls together’ thing and persuade her to go. Satisfied now?’
‘Oh’ he clears his throat. ‘Um…right you are’ he clears his throat for a second time. ‘Shall I make us some tea, then?’
