DOVETAIL DIARIES ✔

Chapter Twenty Four

I could remember how Leo and I used to come in here with Mum and play around on the floor whilst she and Mabel chatted away. Everything looked just the same as it did then, except maybe now, it looked slightly more unkempt, like an unseen layer of dust was spread over everything.

‘You sit down there. Oh hell, you’ve got so tall haven’t you my dear? You were such a whipper snapper only a few years ago.’

I laughed politely.

‘I’ll get us some tea,’ she said, trundling out of the room.

I heard plenty of shuffling about from the kitchen, the kettle boiling and water being poured. A little while later she appeared with a tray with all the tea paraphernalia set out on it. Tiny teapot, two cups, sugar, milk jug, little spoons. The whole lot.

‘Now, let it brew a minute then we’ll tuck in won’t we?’ she said, perching herself down onto the sofa opposite me, then leaning forward as if inspecting me.

‘You need to put on a bit of weight my dear, you’re so skinny,’ she said.

I just smiled.

‘So, Mabel, the reason I’m here is I want to find out a bit about Mum, a bit more than I know already. I want to get a picture of what her life was like before she died.’

‘Well!’ said Mabel, her eyes widening, looking like they might fly out on stalks.

‘Yeah…’ I said. ‘You were close to Mum. What can you tell me?’

I decided to go with the direct approach. Just ask what I wanted to know and don’t give up until I find some answers.

‘Well, she was always doing that singing, you know, like you are these days. She just loved to sing.’

‘Yeah, she did,’ I said, leaving a silence for her to fill.

‘Uh, well, what can I say? Your Mum would come round here for someone to talk to, a shoulder to cry on sometimes. After your Dad died she didn’t have anyone, not really. I understood. After my Conrad died all those years ago I didn’t have anyone either. Not much family, no children.’

I nodded. She reached for the teapot.

‘Let’s get this tea. God almighty Amber, you’re delving deep today aren’t you?’ she said.

‘I guess so. I want to understand my Mum more,’ I said.

‘Yes, well, I see that. You’re just like her. She would do the same in your position. She was always so beautiful your Mother. That was half her problem,’ she said.

My ears pricked up as I heard a sort of mournful note in her voice.

‘What do you mean, her problem?’ I said.

She looked like she was concentrating hard on pouring the tea, too hard.

‘Why would her being beautiful be a problem?’ I said.

‘Just take your tea, dear,' she said, pushing the cup in front of me.

I ignored it.

‘She was beautiful, I remember. But why would that be a problem?’

‘Good God Amber. Just remember your Mum as you remember her. Don’t dig into her past too much. You might not get it right,’ she said.

‘What do you mean, Mabel. Why would her being beautiful be a problem?’

She stared back at me, no longer even vaguely resembling a dear old lady.

‘Men!’ she said.

‘What do you mean, “Men”?’ I said.

‘Well, they loved her didn’t they?’ I said.

‘I don’t know,’ I replied. ‘Did they?’

‘Yes, dear. Men loved your Mother. They always did. Even when she was married to your Dad, they would follow her around like puppy dogs. It didn’t win her many friends around the village though.’

‘What do you mean?’ I said, my heart starting to pound in my chest.

‘What I mean is, she always had admirers and yet she didn’t seem to want to know about it. But she always did all that singing in the pubs. It was risky if you ask me and I always used to tell her that,’ she said.

‘Ok,’ I said, my head spinning between being a detective and being a daughter.

‘Was there anyone in particular who she was involved with?’ I said.

‘You mean, romantically?’ she said.

‘Yes,’ I said.

‘Not that I know of,’ she said.

‘I just know that there were a number of men that would’ve liked to have been involved with her,’ she said.

‘Who?’ I said.

‘Aw, now you’re asking Amber! I can’t remember,’ she said.

‘Try!’ I said.

‘You shouldn’t be digging too hard around in all this, you’re her daughter, this isn’t necessarily your business,’ she said.

‘Mabel, just tell me,’ I said.

‘Well, there were a few men over the years that tried to court her. There was that manager of hers, Terry. He was a real strange one. Always acting possessive. Then there was Kenny, the mechanic at the garage, you know him. Then there was George Finkton and Jerry Sandlehurst. Those ones were the most recent ones I think. When I say recent, this was all years ago, dear.’

At this point I took a pen and notepad out of my bag and started to write down all the names. This would give me more to go on. I got her to rattle off a few more names and I scribbled them down.

I felt I had enough to go on at this point and Mabel is always next door so I could pop back round to ask more questions if I needed to. After we had chatted a little longer I got up to leave. As I walked towards the door she said:

‘And I heard about what happened after your gig recently at that wretched pub 'Eagle Arms'. You be careful, you hear me. You and Leo. Just look after yourselves.’

With that, I said goodbye and left her house and here I am, back in my room with another truckload of stuff to think about.