Читать книгу A Silent Love - Susan Wright - Страница 5

Nelson, New Zealand

They were so engrossed in their shared misery that they did not hear the footsteps approaching the back door. There was a sharp knock at the door. ‘Hello, can I come in?’ Jessie hurriedly wiped her face and stood up to face whoever was entering. Her mind was reeling trying to work out who could be at the door, they knew no one. The door grated back against the dirt and a very large woman squeezed her way inside. Jessie glanced at Allison and thought she looked like a frightened rabbit. Quickly she placed a protective arm around her shoulders. The woman seemed to dominate the room, such was her disposition. She wore a spotless white smock, over which she wore an apron covered in biscuit crumbs and spotted with raspberry jam. Jessie guessed correctly that she came from the bakery across the street. Her long red hair she wore in a bun that resembled an untidy beehive. Instinctively Jessie liked the woman although she had still not spoken a word. ‘Hello can I help?’ Jessie asked with more confidence than she felt. The woman did not immediately reply, but continued to stare with unabashed amazement around the room.

‘Can I help?’ The woman chuckled. ‘Well now that’s one for the books isn’t it? It strikes me that it is you my dear that is in need of help.’

Jessie felt about to retort but the large woman motioned to her to keep quiet. ‘My name is Gertrude Matilda Georgina Bunnington but you can call me Mrs Bun, every one else does. In my fifty-seven years of life I can still not fathom out why any parent would land their child with such a handle.’

Jessie stared open mouth, meanwhile Allison giggled.

‘Good, that’s what I like, a child with a smile, not a face as long as a garden rake. Now tell me, what you are doing here, in old Miss Kelly’s house?’

Jessie introduced herself and Allison. Then she briefly explained that they had been given consent to live here. ‘I have a letter here from Fred Kelly, who now owns the cottage.’ She reached to get her bag and produce the letter.

‘Look here, I don’t care if you have a letter from the Queen herself, there is no way you can stay here. Just look at the place. Miss Kelly has been dead for some years now and no one has bothered with keeping it in repair. We all knew there was a brother somewhere. It has been an eyesore in the community, but no one knew how to contact this brother. Mind you the old dear was a funny old trout, she never bothered with any of the neighbours. At one time the garden was a real show-piece which is more than I can say for her, plain as a pike staff she was. However enough about her, the problem today is that you two cannot stay here and that is obvious. I have a spare room with a big feather bed so you can both stay with me until you get yourselves sorted. So quick sharp, now gather up your things.’

Jessie felt like a child who had just been given a lecture. Mrs Bun was right of course, there was no way that they could stay with the place in this condition. The memory of Allison’s disgust at having to use the outside toilet was her foremost thought. She felt she should make some token gesture of objecting. However the look of relief that had flooded over her daughter’s face made her swallow her pride. ‘Thank you Mrs Bun. We would be very grateful to accept your offer and more than willing to pay you for your kindness.’

‘If I had wanted a boarder I would have gone out and advertised for one, so there will be no more talk of money.’

Jessie and Allison gathered up their belongings and followed Mrs Bun across the road. Although she was a large woman she moved with amazing speed and agility. Jessie found herself puffing by the time she reached Mrs Bun’s back door. A dog of indefinable breed lay sprawled out across the step. ‘Come on, Murphy, move yourself, you great big lazy heap of bones.’ Mrs Bun gently kicked the tired looking dog, which moved with infinite slowness. He then sat down again on the path, with a look of annoyance on his shaggy face. Allison put down her bags and began fondling the dog’s ears.

‘Do you like dogs then, Allison?’

‘She cannot hear you Mrs Bun, Allison is deaf.’

‘Oh dear, the poor little lamb. But I thought that she was listening to me back at the cottage?’

‘She lip reads and we use sign language.’

‘Well, I use sign language when talking to my Bill, but I am sure it is not the type you are talking about. Mind you, Allison will probably get on well with my Bill he claims he is deaf and all, but he can always hear what he’s not supposed to. Come in and meet him.’

‘I hope he will not mind us staying for a few days?’

‘Mind! He will be glad of the company. He is crippled with arthritis you see and he cannot get around as he used to do, so having someone other than me to talk to will suit him just fine. He says he cannot get in a word edgeways with me, but I am sure I don’t know what he means.’

Jessie smiled to herself and followed Mrs Bun inside. Everything had a well-worn and polished look about it. Jessie’s immediate thought was that this was a happy house. Mrs Bun led the way into a large sunlit room, full of old but comfortable looking furniture. Knick-knacks and pot plants were on every shelf and windowsill. Sitting under the widow was a small thin man with a pleasant face but Jessie suspected that he suffered a great deal of pain.

‘Well, I can see you have worked as hard as Murphy out there.’ Mrs Bun flapped her hands at him. Despite her flippant manner Jessie perceived that Mrs Bun obviously adored her husband. ‘Come in the pair of you, don’t stand blocking the doorway.’ She motioned with her arms for them to come into the room. ‘This is Bill, my husband.’ Turning to him her manner became softer. ‘Bill dear, this is Jessie and her daughter Allison, they have come to live in old Miss Kelly’s cottage. Of course they cannot stay there in the condition it is in. So I have invited them to stay with us until they get it ready to live in.’

Bill smiled and his smile transformed his face. The lines of pain disappeared and replaced with warmth and kindness. He extended his hand. ‘Nice to meet you both. I hope you will enjoy your stay.’

Jessie shook his hand and although the grip was firm she suspected it cost him some pain to do so. In contrast to his wife he spoke in a quiet almost inaudible voice.

‘Please, call me Bill, Mr Bunnington is such a mouthful.’ Jessie smiled gratefully at him.

‘Well I see Murphy has found a new friend.’ Murphy the dog had followed them inside and was unashamedly enjoying the attention given to him by Allison.

‘He has more fleas than brains that dog, but he still knows which side his bread is buttered on. Like most males he enjoys having a female fuss over him.’ Mrs Bun’s voice filled the room. Again though her tone lowered and became softer when speaking directly to her husband. ‘Bill dear, Allison is deaf but she can lip read.’

‘The poor wee thing, well at least she won’t have to listen to your constant chatter,’ he said with a twinkle in his eye.

‘William Bunnington I am sure I do not know what you mean,’ she replied as she playfully ruffled his thinning grey hair. ‘Come with me Jessie, I will show you where to put your things.’

Jessie was taken into a large airy room. The windows faced out towards the sea across the road. The lace curtains were blowing gently in the warm breeze. A four-poster bed dominated the room and Jessie could tell at a glance that it would be deliciously comfortable. A faded rose patterned carpet covered the floor, giving the room a soft warm appearance.

‘Make yourselves at home, the bathroom is the next door on the left. We eat at six but we don’t stand on ceremony here, so there is no need to press your ball gown, we are just plain simple folks.’

All the kindness extended to them had the effect of making her feel weepy. She was emotionally drained. Her eyes were moist and she felt choked up as she spoke, ‘Thank you Mrs Bun, what can I do to help?’

Mrs Bun’s demeanour changed as she spoke directly to Jessie, positioning herself so that Allison could not lip read. ‘Jessie I am old woman, who talks far too much, but I am not stupid. I know you are here because you are running from someone, or something, and at a guess I would say it something to do with that large bruise on your face.’

Jessie’s hand involuntarily went to her face. After all she had been through in the last few days she knew that the tears were not far away. Mrs Bun looked kindly at her.

‘Jessie it is none of my business and if you do not wish to tell then that is fine by me. As I said I know I talk too much but the truth is I talk to people, not about people. So if at any time you want to share your problem it will go no further and that is a sincere promise.’ Moving her large frame so that now Allison could be part of the conversation she continued. ‘If you two don’t get your skates on and get unpacked, I will send you both to bed without any supper.’

‘You’re funny, Mrs Bun,’ Allison laughingly said.

‘Oh funny is it now, well let me tell you it will not be so funny when you see the stack of dirty dishes out there. And another thing Murphy will need some exercise after tea, the only exercise he normally gets is chasing fleas off his own backside.’

Mrs Bun left the room and closed the door behind her. Jessie and Allison both fell on the bed holding their hands over their mouths to stifle their laughter. It was the first time in a while that Jessie had felt like laughing.

‘Mrs Bun is nice, isn’t she Mum?’

‘Yes dear, she is very nice.’

‘I thought at first she was cross.’

‘I know, I felt like that too.’

‘Do you think she meant it, when she said I could take Murphy for a walk?’

‘I am sure she did, but maybe it would be better to wait until tomorrow, after you have had a good sleep.’

‘Do you think I could take him down on the beach?’

‘We will talk about it tomorrow, now we should get unpacked.’

The next hour they spent unpacking and then they washed and changed into fresh clothes. While they were changing Jessie heard a scratching noise at the door. Feeling almost certain she knew who it was she opened the door and in shambled Murphy. ‘Come on Murphy, come and get a pat,’ said Allison extending her arms. Jessie felt pleased to see her daughter relaxed and happy. The past few days had been traumatic for both.

They ate tea amid a great deal of playful bantering between Mr and Mrs Bun. The tea was delicious. They had steak and kidney pie consisting of the most mouth-watering pastry Jessie had ever eaten. Following this they had lemon and meringue pie with lashings of cream and ice cream. After railway pies and stale sandwiches it was a feast fit for a King. During the meal Mr Bun told Jessie he felt that the cottage she was planning to live in was basically sound. ‘I’m sure that most of the repairs you will find are superficial. Old Miss Kelly spent a lot of money keeping the place in good repair. It is only since she died that it has been let go.’ He then went on to recommend her on some reputable tradesmen to use. ‘If I was younger, and healthier, I would come and help you myself.’

‘You have both done more than enough for us. Allison and I will never be able to repay you.’ Jessie genuinely meant what she said and again felt close to tears.

Seeing her distress Mr Bun spoke to Allison, ‘Do you like playing Ludo Allison?’

‘I love it.’

‘Good, then let’s go and have a game.’

‘You watch him Allison he cheats.’

‘I do not.’

‘Oh, yes you do. Honestly, the other night, he threw a six, but counted eight squares to knock off my man.’

Allison giggled as Mr Bun winked at her. Jessie was so grateful for these kind homely people. A photo on the mantelpiece took her eye. It was of a man in a Sea Captain’s uniform. He was sporting a large red coloured beard. The resemblance to Mrs Bun was obvious.

‘Is this your son?’

‘Don’t start her on that subject, she will talk for the rest of the evening about him.’

‘Get away with you man, and play Ludo.’ She flapped her large hands at him and then turned back to Jessie. ‘Yes that’s our son, Hamish James Bunnington Sea Captain of the Nelson Princess a cargo freighter. He sails around the south pacific. He comes home every six weeks or so in fact he is due home in the next few days. He is my absolute pride and joy.’

‘You just have one child then?’

‘Yes the good Lord only blessed us with one child. Not that I am complaining mind you. The only thing is, I wish he would get married and settle down and give us some grandchildren to spoil rotten. I am sure he would make someone a wonderful husband.’

‘If he is as kind as you and Mr Bun I am sure he would.’

‘Oh get away with you, it is a pleasure. Just look at Bill he is thoroughly enjoying playing Ludo.’

‘No, really Mrs Bun you have been very kind to us and we are both very grateful. I haven’t been shown much kindness in my life, actually neither of us has.’

Mrs Bun said nothing as she took of her shoes and put her stocking feet upon a low stool to rest her weary legs. After doing so she faced Jessie and quietly said, ‘Do you want to talk about it?’

Jessie did not immediately answer but sat staring into space not really looking at anything in particular. Then without warning the tears started flowing, not convulsions of crying just gentle tears rolling down her cheeks. Mrs Bun handed her a large clean hankie. Silence followed for a few minutes and then Jessie quietly told her all that had happened to her and why she had fled here.

‘So you thought you were coming to a lovely little cottage, with a picket fence and lace curtains at the window?’

‘Yes, something like that.’

‘Well, I know it’s none of my business, but have you money to repair the place?’

‘Yes I have a little, plus Fred, who kindly let me have the cottage, put five hundred pounds in an envelope for me. I didn’t know he had even done it until I opened the letter in the train. The thing is though, I vowed I would not use it unless in the case of an emergency.’

‘And this is not an emergency? Good grief girl, you can’t live in the place as it is. If this Fred gave you the money then he meant you to use it.’

‘I suppose so.’

‘There is no supposing about it.’

‘I could always pay him back later.’

‘Of course you can. How do you plan to support yourself and Allison? Or have you not got that far yet in your plans?’

‘Actually I have thought of nothing else since I left. I have always loved sewing, so I thought I would use some of my money and buy a sewing machine and take in dress making. Does that sound a daft idea?’

‘Far from it, there is always a demand for dress makers. You can start by making something for me if you can find a pattern big enough, to fit my shape.’

‘She said she was going to make dresses, not tents.’

‘See what I told you, he pretends he can’t hear, but he hears what he is not supposed to hear. Get back to your Ludo.’

‘Did someone say they were making a cup of tea?’

‘No they did not. Subtlety was never his strongest point.’ This she said as she struggled to get up and put on her shoes.

Jessie motioned to her to sit down. ‘Please, Mrs Bun, let me make the tea it is the least I can do.’

‘I will not argue about that.’

‘That must be a first.’

‘Oh, hush you.’

Jessie went out to the adjoining kitchen and made the tea as Mrs Bun shouted out to her where to find everything. ‘There is a plate of cakes on the bench bring them in as well.’

After the huge meal they had eaten, Jessie thought she would not want to eat again that day, but the delicious cakes were too strong of a temptation.

Later that night as she lay cuddled up next to Allison, in the feather, bed she gave silent thanks for the two kind people who had come into their lives. Her mind was reeling with everything that had taken place over the past couple of days. In her entire life she had never been able to talk to anyone the way she had talked to Mrs Bun. This kindly woman knew more about her and her problems than her own mother. She recalled trying to discuss things with her mother only being told not to bother her. She made a mental note never to turn her daughter away if, she came to her for advice and help. Allison was snoring quietly as Jessie kissed her lightly and vowed to protect her. ‘I promise I will make you happy sweetheart,’ she whispered.