A Mother's Duty Read Free Page B

Not at Annie’s?’
    His chin came up again. ‘Last thing I’d do. Her family’s another one that would interfere in a man’s life. Families have no right to interfere. Now is there anything you want me to do?’
    Kitty was starting to feel puzzled as well as annoyed. Who could have said that about family not interfering? But perhaps now was not the right time to ask. ‘The Potters’ trunk. Mick’ll give you a hand.’
    She watched them go out, wondering if there was a girl involved. Someone as good-looking as Jimmy was bound to have had women interested in him. Suddenly Ben opened his eyes and looked up at her. ‘Where’s Jimmy gone?’
    ‘He’s gone to do a job. Where did you go with him?’
    ‘Out,’ he said, and wriggled down from her knee.
    Kitty placed herself swiftly in his path and carried his struggling, chubby, little body back to her chair. ‘Where’s out?’
    He gave her a measured look. ‘Jimmy said it was a secret and not to tell.’
    Did he indeed?
thought Kitty and brought her head closer to Ben’s. ‘You could tell me. I’ll keep it a secret,’ she whispered.
    He shook his head and a blond curl fell on his forehead. ‘Secret means don’t tell
anyone.
’ He smiled angelically. ‘I want my cocoa. Miss Drury’s cook doesn’t have cocoa.’
    ‘Doesn’t she now?’ Kitty’s heart gave a peculiar jump and she added grimly. ‘You mean Miss Drury who lives in Princes Road?’
    Ben clapped a hand over his mouth and his expression was anguished. ‘Don’t tell Jimmy I split,’ he said in a muffled voice.
    ‘Split!’ exclaimed Kitty wrathfully. ‘I’ll have him split! What’s he thinking of taking you to Myrtle Drury’s house?’
    Myrtle and Kitty had been in the same class at school but Myrtle’s father had owned several properties in far from salubrious areas of Liverpool and Myrtle had looked down on Kitty who had in turn disliked her intensely. An arrogant little bitch and no better than she should be was what Kitty’s mother’s employer had called Myrtle. Her father had been a widower and there had been a time when he had shown an interest in Kitty’s mother, after her employer had died and left her the house in Crown Street and a little nest egg. For a short while in her adolescent years it had looked like Kitty and Myrtle might have become stepsisters but it had not happened. He had died a few years back and Myrtle had inherited his pile. Immediately she had put up her rents, despite the houses being broken down and often rat-infested. A year ago she had employed a bully boy to frighten those who complained or would not pay up.
    ‘What did Jimmy go and see Miss Drury about?’ asked Kitty.
    Ben shook his head.
    ‘You tell Ma,’ intervened Teddy who had been listening. ‘Or do you want Jimmy to leave? I bet that Miss Drury’s behind this idea of his to go, Ma.’
    Kitty thought he was probably right and was about to attempt to prise more information out of Ben when the door opened and Jimmy and Mick entered.
    ‘The Potters would like tea,’ they both chorused and pulled faces.
    ‘He’s a queer one,’ said Jimmy and shook his head.
    Questions hovered on Kitty’s lips but she decided they would have to wait and hurried upstairs.
    In the kitchen a bell was buzzing. It belonged to one of her regulars, a travelling salesman in patent medicines who, like Ben, enjoyed his bedtime cocoa. She put on a couple of kettles and lifted stone water bottles from a shelf near the floor, wondering if Ben could be mistaken about Myrtle Drury.
    There was a sound at the door and she turned to see Jimmy standing there looking defiant. ‘Ben said you know.’
    ‘Miss Myrtle Drury,’ she said with distaste. ‘How could you? You must know the kind of a bloodsucking vampire she is!’
    ‘Gossip!’
    ‘Gossip or not, it’s true!’
    His mouth tightened. ‘True or not, I don’t care! She’s taking over a hotel in Rhyl and wants me to help her. Plenty of good clean air and the