Over the river at 1 Park Avenue, Roker, Helen was also just getting ready to leave.
She had dithered as to whether or not to wear the new blue dress that Kate had made for the launch. John hadn’t seen her in it as they had been in the middle of their falling-out.
She was glad they were friends again.
She’d missed him; not that she’d tell him that.
Checking herself in the hallway mirror, she was glad she’d opted for her favourite black rayon crepe dress instead. She’d had to pour herself into it, but seeing how it accentuated her hourglass figure, it was worth it.
Helen looked at her watch. It was half twelve.
She went over to the window at the side of the house.
This was one day she wasn’t going to use public transport.
One of the pluses of having a grandfather who was rich and powerful was that he also had a chauffeur-driven car that he had been permitted to use in spite of fuel rationing.
She walked to the bottom of the stairs.
‘Right, Mother, I’m off now!’ she shouted up in the direction of her mother’s bedroom.
‘Oh, darling!’
Miriam came out of her room and walked to the top of the stairs.
Helen could tell instantly that she had already started on the gin and tonic.
‘I’m guessing by the lack of activity and the absence of Mrs Westley that you’re not having your usual Christmas Day soirée?’ Helen asked.
Miriam let out a light laugh. She had been in particularly good spirits since Helen’s miscarriage. Her daughter’s heartbreak had been her reprieve from what she saw as the ruination of her life.
‘Darling,’ Miriam squinted, inspecting her daughter as she always did before she left for any kind of a do, ‘as you have chosen to go to some welder’s wedding today rather than enjoy a Yuletide at home, I have not been left with much of a choice.’
She started to make her way down the stairs.
‘On top of which, I have not even got a husband by my side. I’m hardly going to entertain a load of happily-marrieds when I’m sitting at the table with just your grandfather for company.’
Helen bit her tongue as she always had to when it came to any kind of conversation regarding her father.
Miriam suddenly stopped mid-step.
‘And especially as I haven’t even got a Christmas tree to show off! How could I have a Christmas dinner party with no Christmas tree?’
She continued to walk down the last few carpeted steps.
‘It’s still a total mystery where the bloody thing went. Sounds to me as though the delivery firm took it to the wrong address. There’ll be hell to pay when I get to the bottom of this.’
Helen gave her mother a smile that for once was genuine.
Miriam reached the bottom step.
‘No, my dear, I’m doing what everyone else seems to be doing these days.’ She took a breath. ‘I’m going to do what I want to do. I’m sick of trying to please everyone else.’
Helen gasped.
‘Mother, I’ve never known you to do anything but please yourself.’
Miriam ignored her daughter’s barbed comment.
‘So, what are you doing then?’ Helen walked back over to the window. She looked out and saw her grandfather’s shiny black Jaguar pull up.
‘Sorry, Mother, must dash!’
She hurried to the front door.
Slamming it shut behind her, she made her way to the car, taking care not to slip in the snow.