again. That’s if Ben invites me, I mean.’
‘
I’m
inviting you,’ Lucy smiled.
Ben grinned at his sister, relieved that Emma had received such a warm welcome. ‘Right then, shall we adjourn to the parlour?’ Ben put on a posh voice, to everyone’s amusement. Young Will had lit a fire in the front room and they had placed a vase of flowers on the polished round table.
‘I’ll help to wash up first,’ Emma volunteered.
‘No, we’ll see to that later.’
‘Can I go back out now?’ Will was itching to be outside with the other kids.
‘Oh, go on then.’ Jane was relieved in a way – the front room would be crowded enough without their William.
‘Right, then, who’s for a sing song?’ Ben went up to the attic and came down with his father’s melodion. Lucy’s face paled. It was the first time she had seen the instrument since her dad had played it in the happy time before his illness. She suppressed the feeling of sadness and vowed to put the past behind her.
‘Right, what shall we sing?’ Ben blew the dust off, revealing the bright colours of the melodion.
‘Let Emma decide; she’s our guest.’ Mary said.
‘Well! Seeing as it’s Sunday, how about a hymn?’
‘Aye, that’s a good idea.’ Jacob had a lovely voice and enjoyed belting out a few hymns now and again. ‘What about “Onward Christian Soldiers”?’
Ben had a practice and found the key, and before long the hymn could be heard all along the row. After a few minutes half a dozen ragged-looking children wandered in to see what was happening, then Enid Slater arrived, partly because she could never resist a good sing song and partly to sneak a look at Ben’s girl. She had promised to look out for Annie’s family and didn’t consider Ben too old to need a bit of looking out for.
‘Come in, Mrs Slater,’ Ben invited. ‘Come and meet Emma, the girl I’m going to marry.’ Emma blushed as she shook the hand offered her.
‘You’ll be getting yerself a good lad. There’s none better as I know of.’
‘I’m sure you’re right, Mrs Slater.’ Emma remained standing and gave the lady her place on the sofa. After another couple of hymns Ben changed the tempo and struck up with ‘I’ve Got Sixpence’. Then he did a medley of popular songs.
Before they had finished Mr Slater had wandered in and joined in the revelry. ‘Eeh, lad, it’s like old times; it’s some time since there was music like this on the row. What’s it all about?’
‘It’s to welcome my fiancée, Mr Slater.’
‘Is it now? Well then, let’s ’ave a look at you, lass.’
‘Stop embarrassing the girl,’ his wife admonished. ‘If Ben’s chosen her it doesn’t matter what anybody else thinks.’
‘Course it does, ee’s as good as a son to me and I can see that this young lass’ll be a wife to be proud of. I’m not a bad judge of character and I can see that Bill would ’ave been proud to have her in the family, so can we ’ave a bit more music?’
‘One more, then we shall ’ave to go.’ Ben had suddenly realised what time it was. ‘Hey, shouldn’t you lot be at church by now?’
‘We’re not going,’ Will informed his brother. ‘Our Jane says we needn’t as it’s a special occasion.’
‘Right, well just this once then.’ Ben began to play again, the hymn that had been his father’s favourite. ‘This one’s for me mam and dad, even though they aren’t here to hear it.’
‘Oh but they are,’ Lucy said. ‘I mean, I’m sure they’re here in spirit.’
‘He Who Would Valiant Be’ rang out across the row and the Gabbitas family were uplifted and finally felt they could look forward to the future and better times. All except William, who could foresee a wedding day drawing rapidly nearer and an escape from the mine becoming ever more remote.
On the following day, tea at the vicarage consisted of salad and roast chicken. The poultry had been sent with the compliments of Boadacea Greenwood – in appreciation
‘
I’m
inviting you,’ Lucy smiled.
Ben grinned at his sister, relieved that Emma had received such a warm welcome. ‘Right then, shall we adjourn to the parlour?’ Ben put on a posh voice, to everyone’s amusement. Young Will had lit a fire in the front room and they had placed a vase of flowers on the polished round table.
‘I’ll help to wash up first,’ Emma volunteered.
‘No, we’ll see to that later.’
‘Can I go back out now?’ Will was itching to be outside with the other kids.
‘Oh, go on then.’ Jane was relieved in a way – the front room would be crowded enough without their William.
‘Right, then, who’s for a sing song?’ Ben went up to the attic and came down with his father’s melodion. Lucy’s face paled. It was the first time she had seen the instrument since her dad had played it in the happy time before his illness. She suppressed the feeling of sadness and vowed to put the past behind her.
‘Right, what shall we sing?’ Ben blew the dust off, revealing the bright colours of the melodion.
‘Let Emma decide; she’s our guest.’ Mary said.
‘Well! Seeing as it’s Sunday, how about a hymn?’
‘Aye, that’s a good idea.’ Jacob had a lovely voice and enjoyed belting out a few hymns now and again. ‘What about “Onward Christian Soldiers”?’
Ben had a practice and found the key, and before long the hymn could be heard all along the row. After a few minutes half a dozen ragged-looking children wandered in to see what was happening, then Enid Slater arrived, partly because she could never resist a good sing song and partly to sneak a look at Ben’s girl. She had promised to look out for Annie’s family and didn’t consider Ben too old to need a bit of looking out for.
‘Come in, Mrs Slater,’ Ben invited. ‘Come and meet Emma, the girl I’m going to marry.’ Emma blushed as she shook the hand offered her.
‘You’ll be getting yerself a good lad. There’s none better as I know of.’
‘I’m sure you’re right, Mrs Slater.’ Emma remained standing and gave the lady her place on the sofa. After another couple of hymns Ben changed the tempo and struck up with ‘I’ve Got Sixpence’. Then he did a medley of popular songs.
Before they had finished Mr Slater had wandered in and joined in the revelry. ‘Eeh, lad, it’s like old times; it’s some time since there was music like this on the row. What’s it all about?’
‘It’s to welcome my fiancée, Mr Slater.’
‘Is it now? Well then, let’s ’ave a look at you, lass.’
‘Stop embarrassing the girl,’ his wife admonished. ‘If Ben’s chosen her it doesn’t matter what anybody else thinks.’
‘Course it does, ee’s as good as a son to me and I can see that this young lass’ll be a wife to be proud of. I’m not a bad judge of character and I can see that Bill would ’ave been proud to have her in the family, so can we ’ave a bit more music?’
‘One more, then we shall ’ave to go.’ Ben had suddenly realised what time it was. ‘Hey, shouldn’t you lot be at church by now?’
‘We’re not going,’ Will informed his brother. ‘Our Jane says we needn’t as it’s a special occasion.’
‘Right, well just this once then.’ Ben began to play again, the hymn that had been his father’s favourite. ‘This one’s for me mam and dad, even though they aren’t here to hear it.’
‘Oh but they are,’ Lucy said. ‘I mean, I’m sure they’re here in spirit.’
‘He Who Would Valiant Be’ rang out across the row and the Gabbitas family were uplifted and finally felt they could look forward to the future and better times. All except William, who could foresee a wedding day drawing rapidly nearer and an escape from the mine becoming ever more remote.
On the following day, tea at the vicarage consisted of salad and roast chicken. The poultry had been sent with the compliments of Boadacea Greenwood – in appreciation
Similar Books
