Soon after the tribunal ended, Ronnie came to the house, and he and Mum remained immersed in deep conversation in the front room for a long time. None of the family knew what was being discussed, and Mum clearly had no intention of telling them.
“It’d be typical of Mum to stick with this wretched engagement in spite of him being in trouble,” said Audrey.
“Even if he gets moved out of the area?” Joan asked. “They wouldn’t be able to see much of each other then.”
“People get separated all the time these days. It doesn’t make them any less fond of each other,” Audrey said, and then added sadly, “I ought to know.”
She had recently turned down a couple of invitations to dances from local admirers who were home on leave, even though staying in every Saturday evening, writing letters to Dai and longing for replies, was making her increasingly short-tempered with the rest of the family.
Several weeks passed and they saw no more of Ronnie. It was Joan who inadvertently witnessed the final, totally unexpected blow that changed everything.
She and Mum were setting out to the shops early one Saturday morning to queue for the family rations when a woman neither of them recognized planted herself firmly in their path. Joan had spotted her before, strolling up and down on the other side of the road and glancing up at their house. She was about Mum’s age, plump, carefully made-up and very smartly dressed.
“Excuse me. You’re Mrs Armitage, I believe?”
Mum stopped and smiled. “Yes. Have we met before?”
“No. I’m not from this area. My house is in Aldershot. But I’ve been staying here for a few days at the Rockview, a private hotel near the promenade.” She paused. Mum waited encouragingly. “I believe you and your family have been very hospitable to my husband since he’s been stationed here,” the woman went on, looking them both carefully up and down.
“Your husband?”
“Yes. Ronnie. Captain Ronnie Harper Jones. I am Mrs Harper Jones.”
There was a stunned silence. Joan tried hard to melt into the background as she watched a slow flush creeping up Mum’s neck. The woman shot a beady glance at her, then turned back to Mum.
“Won’t you come into the house?” said Mum faintly. “A cup of coffee, perhaps?”
“No. No, thank you. I’m just on my way back to the hotel to pack. I’m catching the train home from Liverpool this afternoon. I just wanted to thank you for the hospitality you’ve extended to Ronnie while he’s been stationed here. He and I are separated, as you know. I’m Catholic, so there has never been any question of divorce. And now, since all the recent trouble he’s had, being summoned before the tribunal and everything, I’ve decided to give our marriage another chance. His next posting will be quite near to my home, so he will be able to join me when he can at weekends. Make a fresh start, as it were.”
She was looking hard at Mum with a fixed smile, carefully calculating the effect her words were having. Joan edged closer to Mum, wishing that the ground would open and swallow them both.
After another long pause, Mum cleared her throat and said, “Of course. I’m sure he’ll be greatly missed here. He’s done such a lot of good work locally…” Then she faltered into silence.
There was a gleam of triumph in the woman’s eyes. She was affable now, as though she had scored a very satisfactory goal.
“Well, I must be on my way…”
“Are you sure we can’t offer you—”
“No, really. I shall miss my train if I don’t hurry. I just wanted to express my appreciation to you personally. Kindness means such a lot in these difficult times.”
She cast one more glance at Joan, then offered her hand to Mum. “Goodbye. I’m so glad I was able to meet you.” A brief handshake, one last look, then she turned and walked briskly away, her high heels tapping on the pavement.
For a moment, Joan thought Mum was going to faint. The flush had drained from her face and she was very pale. She took Joan’s hand and they both stood there for a while in silence.
“Come on, Mum. Let’s go back indoors and I’ll make you a cup of tea,” Joan said. Together, arm in arm, they walked slowly back to the house.