Chapter 9-Comfort Food:

Akkers had marshaled her army.  A phone call from Peter had set things in motion here in the kitchen. Several of her daughters were summoned and they were busy rolling out pastry and slicing tomatoes. Betsy had a fair hand at pastry...a light touch was necessary.  Donnie had been set to work on the old scrubbed worktable slicing a ham. Akkers kept a watch on him. He tended to make slabs. She was mixing egg salad for sandwiches.  Every once in a while she stopped and dabbed at her eyes with the corner of her pinny. She thought she might set table in the dinning room. The family would want to stay close together tonight. Upstairs Lottie was making beds, seeing everything was nice. Davey would be sleeping here tonight.

The little caravan had made its way to the turn off and began the winding road to Home Farm. Tom was following the tail lights of Peter’s Land Rover and Davey and his mother were ahead

in his old Triumph. Tom was not surprised his mother preferred to ride in the discomfort of Davey’s car.  He always had a special place in her heart. He reminded her of John. As they rounded the last bend and pulled into the yard, he noticed all the lights were on in the house. 

They passed through the kitchen after speaking to Akkers and Donnie and into a narrow passageway leading to the main part of the house. Penny hadn’t ventured beyond the kitchen before and was trying to take it all in. The passageway had been buffed tile but here the floors were wide, dark polished wood. Oriental rugs covered the main room.  At one end was a large deep-set stone fireplace. There were two sofas on either side of the fire, covered in faded tapestry. Three long deep-set windows along the outside wall were hung with light green velvet draperies. Matching fabric covered the window seats. There were several seating areas with chairs and tables. Soft lighting from the old porcelain lamps made the room glow. In one corner was a small grand piano covered in photographs. Penny walked over to examine them.

It was easy to see why Tom’s mother looked to Davey tonight.  Penny picked up an old photo of John and Anna. The resemblance was extraordinary. It was only the mouth that differed.  Davey had his mother’s smile.

“Me dad was a handsome man, Penny.” It was Janey by her side, her blue eyes red and puffy. Janey didn’t quite reach the five feet four inches that was Penny. Her brown hair was cut short and curled around her face.

“I am so sorry, Janey. I would have liked to have known him.” She instinctively put her arm around Janey’s waist.

Janey leaned her head on Penny’s shoulder. “You would have got on well with him.” Janey gave her a little smile. “Come and meet Peter.” She took Penny’s hand and walked to the fireplace where Peter and Tom were talking quietly.

Penny was introduced to Peter Solmes, as Tom’s intended. Peter was as tall as Tom and slighter in build.  He extended a muscular arm and a rough hand to take Penny’s.  Peter had soft brown eyes that crinkled in the corners when he smiled. His hair worn tucked behind his ears was light brown and sun streaked blond. When he spoke to Penny, her eyes widened. He was Australian. Many years ago Peter had come with a band of shearers to work over the sheep and had met Janey. He never crossed the ocean again. He became John’s right-hand man on the farm.

Akkers had set table in the dining room but Anna said they could just take plates and sit where ever they pleased. The food was set up as a buffet along one side of the long mahogany table. They began filing around the table.

Johnny Akkers had finally made his appearance. His blue spikes wilted a little now, looking like a flower after a rain shower.  One of his mates had given him a ride from Leeds on his motorbike.  He was loudly telling of his adventures in London and Leeds.  He had exchanged the money and was happy to find a tidy sum in his pocket.  So he'd gone to London and larked about, caught a bit of kip in Victoria Station and had taken the morning train to Leeds.  He found a couple of his mates and they spent the afternoon in pub until the money ran out. Akkers was trying to shush him.

Tom and Davey were bringing their plates back to the main room when they heard loud laughing coming from the kitchen.  They looked at each other and moved immediately down the passageway. Tom came through the door followed by Davey and moving in unison they each picked up Johnny by an arm and hauled him out the door.  Akkers stuffed her pinny in her mouth, groaning, "Oh, dearie me!"

"It's no mor’n he deserves," Donnie said grimly.

Johnny’s feet never touched the ground as they hauled him across the yard toward the old stables. “You’re the eldest, you want a go at him first?” asked Davey.

“Yeah, but remember leave no marks his mother will see and go on about.”

“I remember. Been awhile, hasn’t it, Tom?”

“We don’t want to kill him, do we, Davey?”

They threw Johnny against the back of the horse stall. He thought he might have a chance and pulled out a slim stiletto from his chunky black boot.

“You little fucker!” growled Tom before Johnny’s lights went out.

Anna looked around for Davey and Tommy, thinking perhaps they'd gone out for a smoke.  She sat down on one of the sofas and motioned for Penny to join her.  Peter started for the kitchen but Janey checked him.  She shook her head and put her finger over her mouth. She'd heard the laughter, too, and so had Peter. It was all quiet now so she thought her brothers had probably removed the noise.

Penny was going back for seconds when she noticed the two plates on the sideboard full of food.  Where were Tom and Davey?  She was selecting a custard tart when the brothers walked in. They were both a little flushed.  Tom’s hair was flipped around his cheekbones and he was examining his right hand.  Davey came in picking something off his sleeve.  His ponytail had come undone and his hair was over his shoulders and half his face. He reached back and tried to gather it back in the band. Tom said he was hungry and picked up his plate, handed Davey his, and they went in to sit with their mother. Penny wondered what they had been up.

It was strangely quiet in the kitchen Akkers’ girls were doing the washing up and she was having a cup of tea at the old work table. Donnie walked out to the stables to see if he still had a son.  He was grinning when he came back into the kitchen. He looked at Akkers, who was worrying her pinny into knots.” He’s walking, looks a might different. Heh…Heh.”

Peter said he would go and collect the children who had been dropped off with friends up the road from Pateley Bridge so they could have their tea.  Janey followed him out through the kitchen and asked Akkers if she would do tea for the children. Just some bread and sausages would be fine.

Tom checked out the drinks tray and was taking orders; a bourbon and water for his Mum and Penny. Janey asked for a gin and tonic and Tom and Davey settled on a whiskey, no rocks. Tomorrow it would be the Vicar and arrangements to be made for the service; the solicitor would have to be called. Tonight it was memories and tears. Peter joined them later and there were more stories to be told and more drinks to be poured. The children had finished their tea with Akkers and came in to say goodnight to everyone, with special hugs for their grandmother.  Janey led them upstairs.

Anna and Penny were on one sofa, Tom and Davey on the facing one.  Anna bent over and appeared to be examining something around her son’s feet.  “You’ve tracked muck in here.”

She sat back and looked at both of them. “Go and clean your shoes, and you might look and see where you’ve walked.” They’ve been in the stables, she thought.

Penny was biting her lip and covering her mouth; she was shaking with laughter.  She couldn’t laugh, not at a time like this, but the sight of Tom and Davey caught out in something was priceless. They looked like two schoolboys, both with those winning smiles on their faces all sweetness and light. Tom pulled his black boots off and had a look at the bottoms. Davey untied the laces of his black trainers and carefully eased them off.  Straw and something matted with blue fell out. He quickly scooped it up and went toward the kitchen, Tom on his heels. Anna narrowed her eyes watching them leave the room. They had been up to something. She always knew. Peter put his drink down and casually followed them out.

Anna turned to Penny, who had managed to get her face under control. “They’re priceless, aren’t they, Anna?”

“Aye, they are, lass. They think they've pulled one on me. Ah, Penny, I am so glad you are here. You’re good for Tommy. He seems lighter with you around. I'm just sorry it was under these circumstances that we met. We must have some long talks and get to know each other.” Anna stood and said she thought she might just go up to bed.

Penny gave her a hug and said she appreciated her taking the time with her today. The photographs drew her back to the piano.  She picked them up one by one, pictures of the boys

in school uniforms, rugby and soccer fields, and one of a young Tom in a military uniform. He looked very young and not very happy.  He hadn’t really told her anything about himself. She only knew what she had researched. There was so much to learn. There were several photos of Janey with her father.  She suspected Janey was his pet.

Janey came down the stairs and asked what happened to everybody? Penny told her Anna had gone to bed and the boys were sent outside to clean their shoes. Janey suggested they go find them. The kitchen was lit by a single lamp on the counter. Akkers and her family had gone home for the night. They walked out the kitchen door to find the boys in a fit of laughter on a bench outside Tom’s bungalow, as Janey called it.

“What’s all this, then?” she asked. They immediately began wiping the smiles off their faces along with a few tears. “I want to know what’s going on here. I smell it.” 

Tom told her all would be revealed in time and wasn’t time they all went to bed?

Janey took Peter’s hand. "You know I'll find out," she challenged. 

Tom and Davey both gave Peter a look that said he better not. Then Davey walked with Peter and Janey back to the main house. Tom took Penny in his arms and gave her a long slow kiss.

He reached behind him, opened the door, and waltzed her into the room. It had been a long and emotional day.

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