Swansea Summer by Catrin Collier Read Free Book Online Page A

the teapot.
    Brian returned a few moments later with the milk. ‘Helen’s mother is sitting in her father’s front room.’
    ‘Don’t you think we’ve had enough leg-pulling for one wedding?’
    ‘I’m serious, Marty.’ He looked at Jack. ‘Judy told me what Mrs Griffiths called you and Helen when you told her you were getting married. You’re more forgiving than me, mate. If my future mother-in-law had said half the things about me that Mrs Griffiths said about you, there’d be no way I’d allow her to come to my wedding.’
    ‘We didn’t invite her.’
    ‘Perhaps she wants to make amends,’ Martin suggested.
    ‘More likely she’s turned up to say a whole lot more.’ Jack’s mouth settled in a grim line.
    ‘You want me to go next door?’
    ‘To do what?’ Jack asked his brother.
    ‘You’re right. It’s Helen’s family’s problem.’
    ‘Only until twelve o’clock,’ Jack muttered darkly.
    ‘It’s my day and I don’t want her at the Register Office or wedding breakfast and that’s an end to it.’
    John had taken Helen into the kitchen to tell her that Esme was in the living room, so she deliberately raised her voice in the hope her mother would hear.
    ‘She is your mother, Helen,’ John reminded her mildly, feeling he ought to say something in his estranged wife’s defence, lest Esme accuse him, yet again, of driving a wedge between her and the children, although she’d expressed no desire to have either of them move out to her mother’s house with her when she left.
    ‘All she’s ever done is belittle me and try to make me look stupid.’
    ‘If I have, I am sorry for it, Helen.’ Esme pushed open the kitchen door but was careful to remain in the hall. ‘I heard you arguing with your father,’ she explained. ‘The last thing I intended to do was to upset you on your wedding day.’
    ‘Then why did you come here?’ Helen demanded.
    ‘To bring you these.’ Esme removed two envelopes from her handbag. Inching round the door, she laid them on the Formica kitchen table. ‘They are cards from your grandmother and me. We want to wish you well in your new life.’
    ‘I don’t believe you.’
    ‘I am sorry, Helen, the last time I saw you I said some things I shouldn’t have. The only explanation I can offer is that I was shocked and worried for you. You are my daughter. I don’t expect you to forgive me but when you are a mother you may understand why I said what I did.’
    ‘And where did you get that speech? Your last production in the Little Theatre?’ Helen turned her back on her mother and stared resolutely out of the window.
    ‘Helen, darling …’
    ‘You upset Jack.’ Helen would have died rather than admit her mother had upset her more.
    ‘For which I am trying to apologise.’ Making an effort to ignore Helen’s antagonism, Esme changed the subject. ‘You really do look very lovely. That is a beautiful costume, it is so well-cut and the blue matches your eyes. Your hair looks perfect …’
    ‘You won’t get round me by flattery.’
    ‘I wasn’t flattering you, simply speaking the truth. Please open the cards.’
    Imagining how miserable he’d feel if the situation were reversed and Helen’s anger was directed at him, John picked them up and handed them over.
    ‘We thought cheques would be best. You can pay them into your bank account and buy whatever you want.’
    Helen tossed them back on the table. ‘I’ll talk to Jack. He may not want to accept yours.’
    ‘Helen, I really am very sorry if I hurt or upset you or Jack in any way. If it will help I’ll apologise to him as well …’
    ‘It’s a quarter past eleven. Judy’s waiting to pin on my hat.’ Turning, Helen pushed past her mother and ran up the stairs.
    ‘Please, Helen,’ Esme called after her. ‘May I come to your wedding?’
    ‘There’s no room for you in the cars,’ Helen shouted from the landing.
    ‘I could call a taxi.’
    When Helen didn’t answer, John went to the foot