money.
He, too, studied his sister-in-law’s appearance. ‘Fine clothes! You must have been spending all your wages on them.’
Renie blinked in shock at this ungracious greeting. ‘A lot finer than the rags my sister is wearing, yes. Everyone will think you’re short of money, sending your wife out dressed like that. But in case you’re worried that I can’t look after my money, I got these second hand.’
He breathed deeply, ignoring what she’d said and turning to his wife. ‘Don’t I get a cup of tea when I come home?’
‘I never know whether you’ll be going straight out to the pub or not. There’s some in the pot.’
‘I want fresh tea, not stewed.’
She knew then what it would be like this week, with him emphasising that he was the master of the house and making their evenings miserable. She could feel herself flushing with embarrassment again. To her relief, Renie said nothing, just gazed at Cliff, as if he was an exhibit in a travelling circus.
Nell had made an extra effort with the tea, making a cake, but she wished she hadn’t when he commented on that as if they never had cakes at other times.
When he’d gone out to the pub, she looked at Renie. ‘If you can ignore him, he’ll grumble less. It’s how I find it best to deal with him. Luckily he goes out to the pub most evenings.’
‘He was never comfortable to live with, but he’s downright spiteful now.’ Renie reached for her handbag and pulled out a Fry’s Chocolate Cream bar, waving it triumphantly. ‘We’ll not share this with him. We’ll eat it all ourselves.’
Nell’s mouth watered at the sight of the bar. She hadn’t tasted chocolate since before she left home. ‘You shouldn’t have,’ she protested half-heartedly.
‘Yes, I should. And while we’re at it, I’ll give you some money for my food. Don’t tell me you don’t need it.’
‘It’d be safest to give it me daily.’
By the time Cliff staggered home, more unsteady on his feet than usual, Nell had heard all about the hotel, the staff and Renie’s friends. Such an interesting life her sister led – hard work, but then whose life wasn’t hard work?
When Renie left the following Friday, Nell sat and wept in despair.
Cliff came home from work, looked at her red eyes and sighed. But for once he didn’t make a spiteful comment. ‘She paid her way?’
‘Yes. Every day she gave me what I spent on her.’
‘She should have given you extra, for the trouble.’
‘I’d not have taken it. It’s no trouble to me to look after my sister. It was as good as having a holiday myself. And Sarah loved her aunt. Renie bought her a lovely little dress.’
‘Hmm. That’s good, anyway – saves us money.’
She couldn’t wait for him to go out. As soon as he had done, she took out her shorthand book and began to practise. She was going to learn accounts next. One day …
Renie couldn’t get time off at Christmas, one of the busiest times of year for The Rathleigh. She sent presents for Nell and little Sarah, clothes which she said she’d picked up cheaply at the second-hand shop. They didn’t look cheap to Nell, and she took the tailored suit meant for her out of the parcel, holding it up in delight.
Cliff looked on sourly. ‘She didn’t think to send anything for me.’
‘The way you spoke to her when she was here, why should she?’
‘Well, it’ll save me buying you new clothes, I suppose.’
‘It will if you want me to wear this suit to scrub the floor. It’d make more sense to save it for going to chapel. My other clothes are worn out, though, and I do need some new clothes.’
After another of those heavy silences, throbbing with unspoken anger, he slapped a pound down on the table. ‘You might as well have this now as at Christmas. You can use it to buy some clothes for yourself.’
She put it away quickly, before he changed his mind. With so little money, it’d have to be second-hand clothes again, things she altered to fit
He, too, studied his sister-in-law’s appearance. ‘Fine clothes! You must have been spending all your wages on them.’
Renie blinked in shock at this ungracious greeting. ‘A lot finer than the rags my sister is wearing, yes. Everyone will think you’re short of money, sending your wife out dressed like that. But in case you’re worried that I can’t look after my money, I got these second hand.’
He breathed deeply, ignoring what she’d said and turning to his wife. ‘Don’t I get a cup of tea when I come home?’
‘I never know whether you’ll be going straight out to the pub or not. There’s some in the pot.’
‘I want fresh tea, not stewed.’
She knew then what it would be like this week, with him emphasising that he was the master of the house and making their evenings miserable. She could feel herself flushing with embarrassment again. To her relief, Renie said nothing, just gazed at Cliff, as if he was an exhibit in a travelling circus.
Nell had made an extra effort with the tea, making a cake, but she wished she hadn’t when he commented on that as if they never had cakes at other times.
When he’d gone out to the pub, she looked at Renie. ‘If you can ignore him, he’ll grumble less. It’s how I find it best to deal with him. Luckily he goes out to the pub most evenings.’
‘He was never comfortable to live with, but he’s downright spiteful now.’ Renie reached for her handbag and pulled out a Fry’s Chocolate Cream bar, waving it triumphantly. ‘We’ll not share this with him. We’ll eat it all ourselves.’
Nell’s mouth watered at the sight of the bar. She hadn’t tasted chocolate since before she left home. ‘You shouldn’t have,’ she protested half-heartedly.
‘Yes, I should. And while we’re at it, I’ll give you some money for my food. Don’t tell me you don’t need it.’
‘It’d be safest to give it me daily.’
By the time Cliff staggered home, more unsteady on his feet than usual, Nell had heard all about the hotel, the staff and Renie’s friends. Such an interesting life her sister led – hard work, but then whose life wasn’t hard work?
When Renie left the following Friday, Nell sat and wept in despair.
Cliff came home from work, looked at her red eyes and sighed. But for once he didn’t make a spiteful comment. ‘She paid her way?’
‘Yes. Every day she gave me what I spent on her.’
‘She should have given you extra, for the trouble.’
‘I’d not have taken it. It’s no trouble to me to look after my sister. It was as good as having a holiday myself. And Sarah loved her aunt. Renie bought her a lovely little dress.’
‘Hmm. That’s good, anyway – saves us money.’
She couldn’t wait for him to go out. As soon as he had done, she took out her shorthand book and began to practise. She was going to learn accounts next. One day …
Renie couldn’t get time off at Christmas, one of the busiest times of year for The Rathleigh. She sent presents for Nell and little Sarah, clothes which she said she’d picked up cheaply at the second-hand shop. They didn’t look cheap to Nell, and she took the tailored suit meant for her out of the parcel, holding it up in delight.
Cliff looked on sourly. ‘She didn’t think to send anything for me.’
‘The way you spoke to her when she was here, why should she?’
‘Well, it’ll save me buying you new clothes, I suppose.’
‘It will if you want me to wear this suit to scrub the floor. It’d make more sense to save it for going to chapel. My other clothes are worn out, though, and I do need some new clothes.’
After another of those heavy silences, throbbing with unspoken anger, he slapped a pound down on the table. ‘You might as well have this now as at Christmas. You can use it to buy some clothes for yourself.’
She put it away quickly, before he changed his mind. With so little money, it’d have to be second-hand clothes again, things she altered to fit
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