Mothers and Daughters by Leah Fleming Page B

theory is she once fancied Uncle Freddie herself.’
    ‘Never! Has she spilled the beans to anyone?’
    ‘What do you think? My mother has a mouth as big as the Mersey Tunnel but she’s too frightened what others will think to let slip a family secret. We might not get the Winstanley millions,’ he hooted.
    ‘You knew about Joy too?’
    ‘Of course,’ Nev winked.
    ‘So who was Uncle Cedric?’
    Neville pursed his lips. ‘That was Auntie Su’s nice touch, don’t you think, to explain away her presence: just another war widow in the district.’
    ‘But for us to be sisters like this?’ Connie shook her head. ‘I just can’t take it in.’
    ‘Don’t worry my lips are sealed. I won’t breathe a word. I’m in enough trouble as it is. Mother thinksI’ll fail my exams and she’s threatening coaching again. She has such big ideas for my small brain.’
    ‘You’ll get the shop when Uncle Levi retires. You’re made up.’
    ‘But I don’t want to spend my life dishing out powders and corn plasters, growing fat like him. They sleep in separate rooms, Mum and Dad, you know. Have done for years. I think my dad has a girlfriend on the sly … “The flighty piece from the stocking bar,” Mum calls her.’
    ‘I’m sorry,’ Connie offered.
    ‘Don’t be. She’s no angel either, if truth be told. There’s rumours that the Betterware salesman lingers ere long over her dusters of a morning. I just let them get on with it. Anyhow, enough of all that. I’ve got another idea for the Silkies. I saw the Kaye sisters on TV, the ones who had a hit with “Paper Roses”. Let’s get a proper act together like them again. I’ve got some good contacts in Manchester who’ll help us.’
    ‘How did you manage that?’ Connie was all ears despite her misery.
    ‘Never you mind. Let’s just say, your cousin is getting himself well connected, if you catch my drift.’ Neville winked again.
    She didn’t, but was too polite to say. She was glad he was distracting her from all the doom and gloom ahead. Poor Joy was living in joyful ignorance but it would be cruel to blurt the truth out now.
    Connie smiled at her cousin. There was more tohim than a mop of curls and flash clothes. It was something to do with taking himself off to Manchester on Saturdays with another dressy lad from the Lawns called Basil Philpot, poor sod. Where they went to he’d never say, just that he’d made some mates at a jazz club who were very theatrical. She’d asked if she might come along but he’d given her a funny look. ‘I don’t think so, Connie, not your scene at all.’

8
Connie
    There was nothing for it but to head upstairs to the staff-room door to break the news to Miss Kent. Connie spun a sad tale about her mother being ill and off work that was partly true, because she had been having a lot of doctor’s appointments lately about her bad back. ‘We can’t make the final payments and I must stay close to home,’ she lied, holding her breath.
    ‘I’m sure we could raise some special funding to tip the balance,’ answered Miss Kent. ‘It’s a pity for you to lose your place, Constance. We know how keen you are.’
    For one second she was tempted to defy everyone but then she remembered the family secret. ‘Thank you, but no. Mama is very independent. I wouldn’t shame her by taking charity.’ She almost convinced herself with all these fibs. ‘It’s just not meant to be this time.’
    ‘Well, I am so sorry and I hope your mother gets well soon. We will refund what we can, of course. There is a waiting list.’
    ‘Thank you, Miss Kent,’ Connie bowed her head, shamed. How easy it was to deceive when you were trusted. Now she’d have to make do with reviving the Silkies over the summer hols. They might make some dosh if they learned a few more numbers from the hit parade, or she put some of her own songs to music. Maybe they could get a record made … Girl groups were still popular: the Beverley Sisters, the Kayes and