By the end of July the garden of Sam and Val’s home had undergone a transformation. Their house-warming party was to be held on the evening of the last Saturday in July. The invitations had gone out in good time while Sam and Val kept their fingers crossed that all would be ready.
It had been a mammoth undertaking but now, as Val remarked to her husband, ‘Everything in the garden’s lovely!’
They had hired a small firm of gardeners with a reputation for good work and a price that was not too extortionate. They did not object when Sam worked along with them with the more simple tasks in order to get the job finished more quickly. The basic layout was already there, but the previous owners, an elderly couple, had allowed the garden area to get overgrown and neglected.
The French windows of the living room at the back of the house opened on to a patio area of stone flags that were coated with the grime of many years. When they had been cleaned with a power hose their original colours of cream and pink were restored and they looked as good as new. Three stone steps, also in need of repair, led down from the patio to the long lawn where the grass had grown to several inches in height. A powerful mowing machine had worked wonders and grass seed had been planted in places that were worn and bare.
Ivy and clematis, and climbing hydrangea bushes had run riot on the fence that separated their garden from the one next door. They required only a little pruning, and the expanse of foliage gave a feeling of a wooded glade to the garden. The large ornamental cherry tree at the bottom end of the lawn, however, required a severe pruning, as did the lilac and the buddleia bushes.
One area that had thrived was the side bed of rose bushes – hardy plants that seemed to survive happily anywhere. After a little attention they were now a riot of colour: white, yellow and palest pink to deep crimson, scenting the air as the summer drew on. The gardeners had created a rockery at the far end of the lawn where alpine plants were already blooming. Bedding plants – geraniums, begonias, French marigolds and aubrietia – made for a quick and simple display in large tubs and urns along the path by the garage.
Val had set her heart on a small summerhouse and Sam had agreed to this. It had a wooden floor, a pointed roof and a green painted door with room for a small table and a couple of chairs – an ideal place to enjoy the garden when it was not quite warm enough to sit in the sun. They had also purchased two reclining chairs but, so far, they had had little time to relax in them. Val could imagine herself sitting in the doorway of the little house – she thought of it as a fairy tale, Snow White sort of house – on a summer’s day, reading a book and having a cup of tea or a glass of lemonade. After she had finished work, of course… She could visualise a pram on the lawn with a small baby asleep, or a toddler running around playing with a ball…
At the moment, though, life was busy both at work and at home. There was little time for relaxation as they settled in their new home, gradually putting everything to rights before entertaining a succession of visitors for Sunday tea or an evening meal. Sam’s parents had come first of all; Val had been relieved when that visit had come and gone, although Beatrice had behaved very well and actually complimented Val on her cooking. Then Val’s parents had come, followed by Jonathan and Thelma, then Cissie and Walter and both sets of grandparents.
The party on the coming Saturday would be a time for the younger folk to get together. A happy, relaxed occasion for friends of a similar age. Val was looking forward to it tremendously, although it did require a good deal of planning. She was hoping for good weather so that they could spend some time in the garden as they had planned to do.
When she looked through the bedroom window on the Saturday morning the sky was grey and overcast; there was no sign of the sun but at least it was not raining. It had been a typical British summer so far: hot one day then chilly the next. Val wondered if she was being too optimistic to believe that they might be blessed with a fine evening. She said a quick silent prayer, asking for good weather, although she was not really so naive as to believe that God might listen to and answer her request – not when there were so many other important things for Him to consider.
She went into town, quite early in the morning, to buy the requirements for the buffet supper. Sam had promised to see to the drinks, which would be delivered by a local off-licence store. She bought small bread rolls, fresh from the oven, from a bakery that was renowned for its produce, and two dozen of their small pork pies. Then she went to the busy market hall where she bought a selection of cooked meats – boiled ham, tongue and thinly carved roast beef – and a pound of small pork sausages. She got a good chunk of Wensleydale cheese from the cheese stall, the tangy aroma drifting on the air all around, a variety of salad and two large punnets of strawberries from one of the many greengrocery stalls. Then, with two heavily laden bags, she took the bus back to Queensbury.
Sam had gone into work as he sometimes needed to do on a Saturday morning, but promised he would be there in the afternoon to help prepare for the party. As she lugged the heavy bags up the garden path she thought again that she really must learn to drive. Thelma was able to drive, and even Cissie was now having lessons… from Walter! Judging by her friend’s comments, Val had decided that this was not the ideal way to learn to drive as it could lead to friction and arguments. When she had time, Val decided she would book a course of lessons with a driving school.
She unpacked her bags, putting the meats and salad into the fridge and the rolls into the bread bin. Thelma had offered to come and help her prepare the food in the afternoon.
‘Only time for a quick lunch today,’ she called to Sam as he came into the kitchen a little while later.
‘Suits me fine,’ he replied, giving her a hug and a kiss as he always did, even if he had been away only a few hours. ‘What shall we have? Beans on toast?’
Val laughed. ‘That’s the usual stand-by. I’ll start getting it ready while you sort out the table.’
Then the man from the off-licence arrived, delaying the lunch for a little while. Sam helped him to carry in the bottles from the van and Val looked in amazement at the array of drinks which took up most of the room on the kitchen worktop. There were bottles of beer, Double Diamond being the current favourite; small bottles of Babycham and Cherry B, both very popular party drinks for ladies; Coca-Cola; Britvic pineapple, orange and apple juice; a large bottle of Bulmer’s cider and a bottle of sweet sherry.
‘Gosh! There’s enough there to satisfy an army of folk,’ exclaimed Val. ‘How many are coming? Twenty-four at the last count?’
‘Don’t you believe it,’ said Sam. ‘It’ll all disappear, I can assure you. And I expect some of them will bring their own favourite tipple.’
‘Well, we’ll have to move it all into the living room. I shall need the space in the kitchen to prepare the desserts. I’ll make them first before Thelma comes, then we’ll see to the rolls and salad and everything else.’
‘It’s to be hoped the weather picks up a bit,’ said Sam. ‘No blue sky at the moment.’
‘No rain either,’ added Val. ‘Let’s look on the bright side, shall we? Whatever happens the show must go on, as they say.’
With the quick lunch eaten and cleared away, Sam went out into the garden – his pride and joy now that it was transformed – to do a bit of dead-heading and mow the lawn. Val set to work on making the desserts. She hulled the strawberries and sprinkled them with a dusting of castor sugar – served with ice cream, they would be one of the choices. She hoped that all the guests would not go for the same dish.
She also made a sherry trifle: a shop-bought Swiss roll moistened with ample sherry then topped with jelly, tinned peaches and ready-made custard from a tin. Later, she would add the cream then decorate the top with glacé cherries and strips of angelica. The third choice would be a lemon meringue pie – easily made from the ingredients in a packet – but a firm favourite, as it had been for several years.
When Thelma arrived they set to work cutting and buttering the rolls then adding the variety of meats. ‘It’s rather early,’ said Val. It was only four o’clock, three hours before the first guests were due to arrive. ‘I don’t want the rolls to go hard.’
‘They’ll come to no harm. Trust your Aunty Thelma! I’m a dab hand at sandwiches. If we lay them out on large plates then wrap each one in a tea towel they’ll stay nice and fresh.’
It had been Thelma’s idea as well to spear tiny sausages on cocktail sticks, and likewise cubes of cheese, each topped with a pineapple chunk. This was a new idea to Val, but Thelma assured her they were all the rage now at parties.
They prepared large bowls of salad: lettuce, tomato, cucumber, radishes and spring onions, with salad cream in a dish for those who liked it. There was a dish of piccalilli too, and one of pickled onions to add a touch of relish to the rolls and pork pies.
‘I won’t put the crisps out till everyone has arrived,’ said Val, ‘or they’ll go soft. I’ve bought a few packets of those new salt and vinegar ones as well as the ready salted. They seem to be very popular now.’ She looked at the array of food and smiled with satisfaction. ‘Let’s cover it all up, then I think it’s time for a cuppa, don’t you?’
‘Good idea,’ agreed Thelma. ‘Then I’ll have to get back and relieve Jonathan. He’s looking after Rosemary – he doesn’t mind, of course, he adores her. But he’s not all that keen on changing her nappy!’
Val smiled. ‘No, I suppose not…’ She could not imagine the high and mighty Jonathan engaged in such a task, although he was far more amenable than when she had first got to know him.
‘And then I’ve to get ready for tonight,’ Thelma went on. ‘My parents are babysitting for us, in fact, they’re staying the night because I don’t know what time we’ll be back.’
‘I don’t know either,’ said Val. ‘We’ll just have to play it by ear…’ She was anxious for it to go well, hoping that the guests would not get bored or not get along with each other, although most of them were acquainted.
‘Don’t look so worried,’ said Thelma, noticing her preoccupied expression. ‘It’ll be fine. There’s plenty to eat and drink – quite a banquet, I’d say. Your garden’s looking lovely… And look up there, the sun’s decided to shine!’
Val looked out of the window and smiled. ‘So it has,’ she said happily. Her prayers had been answered after all and she offered up a quick ‘thank you’ in her head to whoever might be listening. The grey sky had given way to one of azure blue with just a few fluffy white clouds, promising a fine summer evening. They had been too busy all afternoon to notice the weather.
Sam, meanwhile, had been arranging the fold-up chairs that he had borrowed from the mill. He placed some on the patio area and some in the living room. With the chairs they already had, there should be ample seating; although it was likely that most people would stand in groups and mill around, sitting down only to eat their supper. He’d also borrowed some bowls, spoons and glasses from the canteen. They would not need knives and forks, and Val had bought waxed paper plates and some jolly red-and-white striped serviettes from Woolworths.
Thelma went home and Val and Sam looked at one another and smiled, Val somewhat nervously.
‘All ready?’ he asked.
‘Yes, I think so, but I’ve got butterflies fluttering around in my tummy. I hope it’ll go well, Sam.’
‘Of course it will! Why shouldn’t it? Off you go and make yourself beautiful, although you are beautiful already, my darling.’ He kissed her lovingly, then she went upstairs to bath and dress in her glad rags.
She put on the pretty pink, full-skirted dress that had been her going away outfit. She wore a pair of white high-heeled sandals and applied pink lipstick and a pale green eyeshadow that enhanced her dark brown eyes.
They did not expect any of the guests to arrive before seven o’clock; it was not the done thing to arrive early. The exception to this would be Janice and Phil. Val had invited them to stay the night – they would be the first people who had done so – as Ilkley was a fair distance away. It did not seem far in the daytime but late at night, especially after a few drinks, the moorland roads could be more difficult to negotiate. All the other guests lived in or very near to Halifax.
When they had suggested the overnight stay, and Janice and Phil had said they would be pleased to accept the offer, Val found herself in rather a quandary.
‘Do you think… will they share a room?’ she said to Sam. ‘I don’t know whether they… well, you know what I mean, and it isn’t the sort of thing we can ask, is it? I’m not sure what their relationship is like.’
Sam laughed. ‘They’re engaged, aren’t they? And you and I… well, we had what you might call a satisfying relationship. I know it wasn’t easy, but there were times…’
‘Yes, I know,’ Val interrupted, feeling a little uncomfortable as she recalled the odd times when her parents had been out and they were left on their own. ‘But I was never all that happy about it, thinking that Mum and Dad might come back earlier. When Janice stays with Phil I’m pretty sure she has her own room, and Janice’s new home is a bungalow. There won’t be much room, but I’m sure they won’t… er… sleep together. Phil probably shares with Ian. So… what shall we do?’
‘Make up the bed in the spare room for Janice,’ replied Sam, ‘and suggest that Phil can sleep on the sofa. It’s a nice long one and we can make it comfortable. Then it’s up to them, isn’t it? We don’t want to lead them astray, do we?’ He gave a chuckle. ‘But I dare say they’re as normal as other folk.’
Janice and Phil arrived just after six thirty, both with an overnight bag. After the usual hugs and kisses and handshakes of greeting, Sam picked up Janice’s bag to take it upstairs. ‘You’re in the guest room, Janice,’ he said. ‘You’re the first guest to stay in it. And perhaps you can kip on the sofa in the lounge, Phil? Anyway, it’s up to you, if you know what I mean.’ He made the remark in a casual way, neither grinning nor hinting at anything.
Val noticed that Janice blushed and did not look at Phil. He just nodded and said, ‘OK, that sounds fine. Thanks very much for putting us up. I must admit I don’t drive around in the dark all that much, not on those moorland roads.’
Janice came into the kitchen to talk to Val when she had unpacked and made herself ready for the evening ahead. She looked pretty in a sundress with wide shoulder straps, covered with a matching green bolero.
‘Thank you for inviting us to stay,’ she began, a little hesitantly. ‘…and for being so tactful.’ She gave an embarrassed little laugh. ‘We’ve never shared a room,’ she whispered, her cheeks turning pink. ‘In fact, we’ve never… you know… made love, not properly. You don’t mind me mentioning it, do you? There’s nobody else I can talk to. My girlfriends from school are away at college and I don’t know the girls on the course all that well.’
Val was rather taken aback. She did not know Janice anywhere near as well as she knew Cissie. She had been her friend for ever, since they were tiny girls, and there was very little that they had not confided to one another, especially with regards to Cissie’s goings-on. She was very much an open book, whereas Val knew that Janice was much more reserved.
‘I know how you feel,’ Val answered. ‘At least, I’ve some idea. It’s difficult, isn’t it, when you’re both living at home? You could never suggest sharing a room. My parents would have been horrified at the idea! But then… you never know, do you? They were young themselves, once upon a time.’
‘Yes… We would never go so far, not under my father’s roof. And Ian’s usually around. We don’t get much privacy when Phil comes to stay. I’ve been wondering, though, about Dad. He’s very secretive at the moment and he goes out more than he used to. I’ve been telling Phil that I think he might have a lady friend.’
‘Oh… and how would you feel about that?’
‘I’m not sure,’ replied Janice. ‘It’s over a year since Mum died but that’s not really all that long, is it? I’m glad that he’s getting out and about and meeting different people. It’s not so much me, though, it’s Ian. I’m worried about how he might react. He’s quite moody at the moment.’
‘He’s at a difficult age, I suppose. He’s fourteen, isn’t he? Not a little boy any more.’
‘Yes. He’s quite grown up in some ways, then at other times he acts like a little boy. He was quite upset when Phil and I got engaged. Not so much at that – he really likes Phil – but at the idea of me moving away. He thought I’d be around for ever.’
‘Oh! Whatever am I thinking about?’ exclaimed Val. ‘I’m so sorry. I haven’t even looked at your ring! I’ve been so busy with all this going on.’
She admired the pretty ring and remarked that the emerald matched the dress that Janice was wearing. ‘We’ll have a good chat later,’ she said, ‘then you can tell us all your news.’
‘Yes, I’m hindering you,’ said Janice. ‘They’ll all be arriving soon, won’t they?’
‘Not all at once, in dribs and drabs, I dare say,’ said Val. ‘Everything’s just about ready.’
The food was laid out on the dining table, the covers to be taken off at the last minute, and the drinks on a separate small table. Sam and Phil came in from the garden where Sam had been showing off the results of the last few weeks’ work.
‘It’s warm enough to be outside,’ he said. ‘In fact, it’s better than it’s been all day.’ He opened the French windows and fastened them back to give easy access to the patio and garden. ‘Aren’t we lucky? But the sun shines on the righteous, so they say!’
The four of them stood around chatting idly about this and that for several minutes. ‘I hope they’ll all turn up,’ said Val, a trifle anxiously. ‘It’s quarter past seven…’ She stopped when the doorbell rang.
‘There you are, you see,’ said Sam. ‘Stop worrying!’
The first to arrive were Jonathan and Thelma, bearing a bottle of white wine. No sooner had they greeted one another than the bell rang again.
‘I’ll leave the door open – they can come straight in,’ said Sam. He returned with the girls from Val’s office and their partners. By seven thirty everyone was there. Most had come in cars. Two were parked on the driveway – fortunately there was ample room outside the house and on the avenue round the corner.
None of the guests had arrived empty-handed, although Val and Sam had stressed, ‘No presents, just the pleasure of your company.’ There were boxes of chocolates, a bottle of sherry, one of cider, gaily patterned tea towels, kitchen gadgets and a corkscrew with a painted head of a red-cheeked man.
Val tried to do a quick headcount as they all milled around. She counted twenty-four, including herself and Sam. In a little while, Sam tapped on the table with a spoon to get a moment’s silence.
‘Hush a minute, everyone,’ he said. ‘I’m glad you’re all getting friendly – that’s what we want. I would just like to say that Val and I are pleased to welcome you to our home for what we hope will be a happy time together. There’s plenty to eat and drink and room to move about in the house and garden, so just make yourselves at home. Music later and dancing if you wish. We have a wide variety of records and I see that some of you have brought some of your own along. So… grab a plate, tuck in and enjoy yourselves.’
Everyone clapped and cheered, then Jonathan raised his voice. ‘I suppose it’s up to me to say thank you to my little brother and his wife for inviting us to their home. So, come on, Sam, let’s get these bottles opened and we’ll have a toast. Grab a glass, folks, and choose your favourite tipple.’
There was a hubbub for several moments as Sam and Jonathan dispensed the drinks.
‘Right then, everyone,’ said Jonathan, raising his glass of ale. ‘Let’s drink a toast to Sam and Val. We’ve already done this at their wedding but let’s do it again. Sam and Val… We wish you health and happiness in your new home, and we hope that soon there will be another little Walker to welcome to the family!’
Val felt herself blushing as they all raised their glasses, repeating, ‘To Sam and Val…’ She was very pleased, though, that Jonathan was showing his more amenable side.
‘Thank you, Jon, and everyone,’ said Sam, smiling at his wife. ‘We’re doing our best, I can assure you! Now, start eating and drinking and enjoying yourselves. Best to form a queue, I think, but there’s plenty to go round.’
Some of the guests politely sat down, allowing the others to go first. Val went over to speak to Rita who had started work in the office a few weeks ago. She was to replace Pauline who was expecting a baby in September and would be leaving very soon. She was there with her husband, while Susan and Jill had come with their boyfriends. Rita, being unattached at the moment, had demurred at the invitation, although she was delighted to have been asked. But the other girls had insisted that she should go along with them.
‘We won’t be sticking to our fellers all night,’ said Jill. ‘We’re not joined at the hip. We’ll make sure you’re not on your own, and it’s a chance for you to meet some more people.’
Rita was a shy girl, eighteen years old and a little younger than the others. She was pleasant and friendly, in a quiet way, and good at her job.
‘I’m pleased you could come, Rita,’ said Val. ‘I know it can be a bit overwhelming, meeting so many new people. It was pretty scary, believe me, joining the Walker family,’ she whispered, ‘but Jonathan’s on his best behaviour tonight.’
‘I know I’m being nosey,’ said Pauline, ‘but what he was saying, about another little Walker… Are you…?’
‘No, I’m afraid not,’ said Val with a rueful smile. ‘Not yet, but we do want to start a family soon.’
‘There’s plenty of time,’ said Pauline. ‘You’ve only been married a couple of months, haven’t you?’
‘That’s true,’ agreed Val. ‘I suppose I’m impatient… What about you? I expect you’ll be glad to finish work, won’t you?’
‘Yes, I sure will. Only another two weeks. I shall miss the company, though.’
Pauline, at seven months, was looking attractive and smart in a loose-fitting pale blue, silky, dress, her bump not being obvious beneath the flowing skirt. She was quite tall and stately and carried herself well.
Val had noticed Cissie queuing for the food. She, too, was pregnant, as she had been telling everyone for ages. She was about four-and-a-half months into her pregnancy, a time at which, as a rule, it was barely noticeable. Cissie, however, was already dressed as though the birth was imminent, in a cherry red dress with white polka dots, which flowed out from the high waistline. Her bright red earrings and lipstick of the same shade complemented her dress. It seemed that she was glorying in her condition, saying: ‘Look at me!’
She was deep in conversation with Colin, one of Sam’s friends whom she had met before at the tower ballroom in Blackpool. Colin’s girlfriend, Carol, was looking rather bemused as the two of them laughed together. Cissie’s husband, Walter, was not with her in the food queue. He was at the other end of the room talking to Brian, one of the young trainees that Sam had invited. Since Walter’s promotion at the mill he was now regarded as almost one of the bosses.
Val was waiting politely until everyone had helped themselves to food before filling her own plate. She had felt so overwrought before they had all arrived that she had thought she would not be able to eat a morsel. But so far it was all going well and she was beginning to relax. The office girls and their partners joined the food queue and Cissie came to sit on the settee with Val.
‘What a spread,’ she said, looking down at her plate piled up with a little bit of everything. ‘You’ve done us proud, Val. But I’m eating for two, of course. The only thing I can’t eat is pickled onions. They repeat on me something dreadful.’
Val smiled. ‘You’re keeping well, though?’
‘Never felt better. The doctor’s pleased with me. He says, I can stay at home to have this one, if all goes well.’
‘And how’s Walter? Enjoying his step up the ladder?’
‘Oh aye!’ She sniffed. ‘He reckons he’s one of the bosses now. Your Sam had better watch out!’
‘Don’t be silly, Cissie. He’s worked hard and he deserves his promotion.’ Val had noticed a hint of frostiness when Cissie and Walter arrived. ‘You’ve not fallen out, have you?’ she asked, aware of Cissie’s grumpy mood.
‘Yes, I suppose we have, but he’ll come round. He’s very tetchy these days – flies off the handle at nothing. I wanted to drive here, you see, but he wouldn’t let me. Said he wanted to arrive here in one piece and not end up in hospital! Of all the damned cheek! He offered to teach me to drive…’
‘But maybe it wasn’t such a good idea. It’s no use if you’re going to fall out about it, Cissie. Why don’t you book some lessons with a driving school?’
‘I don’t think Walter would like it. He’s in charge of the money, an’ I haven’t got me own now I’m not working, only what he gives me. I might not bother now till after the baby arrives. I’ll be too fat to get behind the wheel, any road.’
‘And afterwards you’ll be too busy,’ said Val. ‘Look… Janice and Phil are over there. You haven’t seen Janice’s ring yet, have you? I think there may be a wedding quite soon.’
Before long everyone had served themselves with food and little groups were forming and reforming inside the house and on the patio and garden. A few had wandered down to the summerhouse and all their guests seemed to be happy and relaxed.
Sam had placed the record player near the French windows so that the sound could be heard inside and out. He put on a long-playing record of the songs from My Fair Lady as background music. He was in charge of this while Val stood at the table dishing out the desserts: the trifle, lemon meringue pie and the strawberries and ice cream. There was plenty to go round, although some opted for a little bit of everything rather than one choice.
The only things that would need washing-up were the pudding bowls which she stacked together to deal with later. The paper plates were a godsend, easily disposable. Sam found her busy in the kitchen.
‘Come along, darling,’ he said. ‘Don’t bother with all that now. Come and join in the fun.’
‘I’ll just put these remnants in the fridge,’ she replied. ‘There’s enough left for a pudding for us tomorrow. It’s going well, isn’t it, Sam? I’m so pleased!’