Darkest Before Dawn Episode 15
Tilly had taken to motherhood so much better than Maud had. When Maud had Edward, she’d been all fingers and thumbs. He seemed to cry no matter what she did. By the time Maud went in with a cup of tea for Tilly, she’d finished feeding Peter and was cradling him in her arms, talking softly.
Maud set down the cup on the table next to her.
“I’m just showing Peter a photo of Edward,” Tilly explained. “I don’t know when we’ll see him again, but I’m determined that Peter will know his daddy.”
Maud sat down. “Isn’t he a bit young?”
“I don’t know.” Tilly smiled. “But I’m going to show him every day and tell him about his daddy.”
“He’s hanging on your every word,” Maud observed. It was true: the baby was gazing up at Tilly as if he understood everything she said. Perhaps he did. It was a beautiful moment wrecked by the door being flung open.
“You’re meant to knock!” Maud snapped before seeing it was Isobel.
“Sorry,” Isobel apologised. “I just want to ask you something.”
“Go on,” Maud prompted her daughter. “Jem asked if I’d go to the pictures with him. Is it all right if I say yes?”
Maud jumped to her feet with a sigh and pushed Isobel out into the hall. “What about John? And aren’t you corresponding with a soldier? I haven’t said anything before, Isobel, but I’ve seen his letters. Who is he?”
Isobel lowered her head and Maud saw tears clinging to her eyelashes.
“You don’t have to worry about him any more, Mum,” she whispered.
“Why not? Who is he? Do I have to remind you that you’re spoken for?”
“He was just a fellow I met on the bus.” Isobel kept her face lowered. “His name was Bob and we had a cup of tea together once, that’s all.”
Maud’s throat tightened. “Was?”
“I had a letter from one of his friends the day that Peter was born. Bob was killed in action.”
Isobel lifted her head and rubbed away her tears, her gaze meeting Maud’s. So that was what she’d seen in her daughter’s eyes. Grief. And Isobel had kept it all bottled up.
“Oh, love.” Maud went to hug her, but Isobel moved away.
“No, I’m all right,” Isobel lied. “Don’t make a fuss. He was just a friend.”
“He was a person you knew,” Maud pointed out. “You should have told me.”
“Well, you know now. Please don’t say anything to anyone else.”
“And now you want to go to the cinema with Jem?” Maud sighed.
“We’re just going to see a film, Mum. It’s not a date or anything. He thought it might cheer me up.”
How could Maud say no? Isobel was a young woman with her life ahead of her. She couldn’t sit at home mourning a man she’d once had a cup of tea with, even if he did mean more to her than she was letting on.
“You know what I mean,” Maud went on. “When there’s a war on, feelings can get out of control.”
“Mother!” For a moment sadness left Isobel’s eyes, replaced with her usual mischief. “What are you suggesting?”
“It happens,” Maud retorted. “I know it does. It happened to me. Not that I’d change anything, but you’re still so young.”
Isobel hugged her.
“After seeing what Tilly went through, I don’t ever want to have children. It’s put me off for life.”
“Don’t you think Peter was worth it?”
Isobel stepped back and smiled.
“He’s adorable. I love him so much, but I’m in no hurry. Please don’t worry about me, Mum.”
“OK, then, you can go,” Maud allowed. “But straight home afterwards, do you hear?”
“Yes, Mum. Oh, they were asking for more sandwiches,” Isobel told her.
When Maud returned to the kitchen, Rose and Dr Kirby were already slicing more bread. They were oblivious to her presence as they laughed about something. Then, as Dr Kirby passed Rose the bread he’d buttered, their hands touched and for a moment they seemed to freeze.
“I’m sorry,” Rose said. “I got jam on your hand.”
“And very tasty it is, too,” he replied. “You made it?”
“Of course.” She looked round and saw Maud. “There you are! We’re making jam sandwiches as the fish paste has all gone.
“Good job Doctor Kirby brought us some more butter, isn’t it?”