Lizzie didn’t see much of her friend over the next few days, for Hilda was keen to get home from work as soon as her early morning cleaning session was over.

  ‘Sorry I can’t stop for a chat,’ she said on the first morning after Stan arrived, ‘but I’ve got to get to the shops before they sell out of everything. I need to see if I can pick up summat tasty at the butchers. He’s not had a decent meal in years, poor love, so I’ve promised to cook him something special tonight.’ She grinned and lowered her eyes. ‘It’ll just be the two of us, like.’ She blushed then and giggled.

  ‘Nothing wrong with that!’ Lizzie said. ‘After all, it’s been a long time.’ She suddenly felt her throat tighten as she said that, thinking the same was true for her as well. Now that all the soldiers were being demobbed and were drifting back, she wondered how many more times she would be confronted by the stark reality that her young man was never going to return.

  One thing that made it more difficult for her to bear was that since the unsettling incident at the Pride, Steve had kept his promise and had come to pick her up every night after work to see her safely home. But as she walked beside him she dared not get too close, for she was conscious of the secret that was hers to bear and which would always come between them; and when his eyes smiled flirtatiously at her and he tried to grasp her hand, she was careful not to touch or encourage him in any way, even when she longed to respond. She knew she must never lead him on to think there could ever be anything more than a polite friendship between them and she could only dream about what might have been.

  After the dreadful fracas at the Pride, the terrifying gang had not appeared again inside the pub, at least not during opening hours when Lizzie was there, and Bob had not made any reference to them either. But the threat of meeting them again was constantly on her mind, so that when she caught sight of some of them in the yard, passing what looked like money in exchange for large boxes and well-filled bags, she almost fell in her haste to keep out of sight and couldn’t wait to tell Steve when he came for her that night. She had to admit it was comforting to find him waiting for her at the end of the day. It was only a short walk home and she began to enjoy his company. He was funny and seemed to be able to put a smile on her face even though they talked mostly about work and the vagaries of the day. Sometimes he would suggest taking what he called ‘the long route home’ and they would walk away from the Pride in the opposite direction and amble through the narrow Weatherfield streets, making a large loop through the terraces before finishing at number nine. Lizzie found he was a good listener, a trait she had always valued, and she even found herself telling him about Joe. She told him how courteous and considerate Joe had been, always insisting that Canadians were more like British people in their manners, not ‘brassy and loud’ which was how he described the Yanks. Joe had been proud of his British heritage and the fact that not too many years previously his ancestors had set forth from Scottish shores seeking pastures new and trying to improve their lot. They had spent several disastrous weeks at sea, until they had finally sailed up the St Lawrence Seaway and disembarked at Montreal. There they had been horrified by the freezing winter temperatures that greeted them and the extraordinary amount of snow that was banked up by every roadside in the city. They were also disappointed to find people speaking French rather than English and feeling intimidated they had soon moved on, trekking across the country for many long months, not stopping until they had finally arrived in Vancouver. From there they realized they could go no further west. ‘It sounded like such a beautiful city the way Joe described it with its backdrop of mountains,’ Lizzie told Steve one night. ‘Apparently it’s locked in between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Ocean and the weather is more like England. He promised to take me there one day to meet his family and show me the amazing sights,’ she said, stopping for a moment as her voice became unsteady. ‘But it turned out that was only a pipedream.’

  When the weather was fine they would continue their conversation outside Lizzie’s house, often without any awareness of the time. Almost without realizing, Lizzie caught herself thinking about him during the day, anticipating what they might talk about that night on their stroll home. Steve was usually at the front door of the Pride before her, and on the odd occasion when he was late he was full of apologies. Then, one night he arrived red-faced and out of breath, the limp that he usually worked so hard to disguise now impossible to hide.

  ‘The old war wound stopping you running like you used to?’ Lizzie said without thinking. She had said it light-heartedly and had meant it as a joke but the look that flashed across his face indicated he didn’t see it that way. He’d never talked about his war experiences and she regretted having drawn attention to the very thing he’d taken such pains to ignore.

  ‘Something like that,’ he said, his voice gruff, and unconsciously he massaged the top of his leg as he stared down at the pavement. Lizzie turned towards Coronation Street to take the shortest route to her house and they didn’t speak until they reached number nine, when he offered a curt, ‘See you tomorrow!’ and left.

  ‘Did he say he wanted nothing more to do with you?’ Cora asked as she and Lizzie prepared for bed and her daughter told her what had happened. Lizzie shook her head.

  ‘Well, there you are then. He was obviously feeling out of sorts before he came.’ Cora chuckled. ‘To be sure, you’ve not done any lasting damage to your friendship.’

  ‘I should have been more sensitive. I hurt his feelings,’ Lizzie said.

  ‘If you ask me, you hurt his feelings all the time by keeping him at arm’s length. Why you won’t give him a chance to get any closer beats me. He’s obviously sweet on you,’ Cora said.

  ‘Oh Ma, you know perfectly well why not. I can’t let him be “sweet on me” as you so delicately put it. It wouldn’t be fair.’

  ‘Not letting him get to know you is what’s not fair. I’ve told you that before, particularly when you seem to have so much to say to each other. You can’t stop another person’s feelings. I think you worry far too much. You should be going out together and enjoying yourself, not worrying that he might be getting to know you,’ Cora said. ‘It doesn’t mean he’s going to ask you to marry him.’

  Lizzie took a deep breath; she had heard it all before, but Cora hadn’t finished.

  ‘And why do you have to keep him standing out on the doorstep every night if you’ve got so much to talk about? Why don’t you invite him in? I tell you what,’ she added before Lizzie could say anything, ‘why not ask him to come for his tea one day, on his day off?’

  ‘What makes you think he’d want to come here for a meal?’ Lizzie said.

  ‘You mean apart from fancying you?’ Cora ducked as Lizzie threw a pillow at her. ‘He’s a long way from home, for one, so he might well appreciate a spot of home cooking. There’s nothing wrong with us being neighbourly and saying thank you for being so good to you.’

  ‘But I’d hate him to get the wrong idea.’ Lizzie frowned.

  ‘It’s far too late for that,’ Cora scoffed. ‘I’m sure his head’s already stuffed full of his own ideas.’

  Lizzie looked alarmed. ‘But that would be encouraging him?’

  ‘So, what’s wrong with that?’

  ‘I’ve told you before, it’s not fair because I know it can’t go anywhere.’ Lizzie started to cry. Cora put her arms round her and pulled her close.

  ‘You can’t be sure of anything of the sort. You need to give him a chance. So, why don’t you just relax and have a bit of fun, see what happens, eh?’

  To Lizzie’s surprise, Steve seemed delighted when she issued Cora’s invitation and on the agreed evening everything went better than she could have hoped. She didn’t know what her mother had said to the twins, but Seamus and Tommy for once were well-behaved not asking awkward questions or constantly interrupting, and Sammy had gone to bed early without a murmur. At the end of the meal Lizzie had got up from the table to make the tea when there was a sudden noise overhead, a bump followed by the sounds of scratching and scurrying feet. It woke Sammy, who started screaming as if the house had been invaded and Cora flew upstairs before anyone else moved.

  ‘What on earth?’ For a moment Steve looked as if he might follow. ‘I presume those are the noises you’ve been telling me about?’

  Lizzie nodded.

  ‘No wonder you wanted to get the house exorcised,’ he said, ‘though it actually sounds more like wildlife than ghosts.’ He laughed. ‘Not that I’ve ever heard ghosts.’

  Lizzie smiled at that. ‘Well, at least you know what I’m talking about now, though I’m sure it’s nothing to be too bothered about.’ She spoke with some bravado now that the noises had stopped.

  ‘You need to find someone who can go up into the roof space to take a look,’ Steve said. ‘I’d offer to go myself if it wasn’t for …’ His voice trailed off as he patted his injured leg. ‘But I think you’re aware of how this little blighter can catch me out.’ A wistful look crossed his face briefly, then his gaze switched to Lizzie and their eyes met in a sudden moment of understanding. Lizzie caught her breath and wanted to cry out, for this was exactly what she had feared. Yes, of course she knew what Cora had meant when she’d said that Steve was sweet on her – and she knew, too, that she didn’t have to scratch the surface of her own feelings very hard to find out how much she liked him. But she couldn’t afford to let this happen. From now on she would have to be on her guard. She stood paralysed for a moment, then carefully replaced the pot of boiling water on the hook over the fire as she tried to control her trembling hands.

  At that moment Cora came downstairs with a defeated look, cradling the baby in her arms.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she said as she brought Sammy over to the table, ‘but there was nothing I could do to pacify him.’

  ‘Shall I change him?’ Lizzie offered.

  ‘I changed him while I was up there,’ Cora said, ‘but then he wanted to see you and wouldn’t go back into his cot.’

  Sammy reached out his arms to Lizzie and pumped his plump little legs like pistons until Cora handed him over. ‘When he gets into a paddy like this,’ Cora explained to Steve, ‘I’m afraid Lizzie’s the only one who can calm him down.’

  ‘Oh, don’t worry, I’ve seen it many times. My sister has a baby,’ Steve said, ‘although, maybe it would be easier if I …’ He half rose in his chair.

  ‘No, please don’t go yet.’ Lizzie spoke up quickly but then she could feel the colour in her cheeks deepening and she buried her face, making soothing noises into Sammy’s blanket. Almost instantly Sammy hiccupped and gave several sobs as he caught his breath, before his cries began to fade.

  ‘It’s uncanny,’ Cora said, gesturing for Steve to sit down. ‘She’s really got the knack.’

  It took only a few moments more for Sammy to quieten completely, his dark blue eyes gazing out at Steve over Lizzie’s shoulder as his chubby arms clung to her neck. Seamus and Tommy took the opportunity to slip away from the table, Seamus racing up the stairs well ahead of his brother, shouting, ‘First one in gets to run the engine!’

  ‘I think that should really be my cue for leaving,’ Steve said again. ‘You ladies have your hands full.’

  ‘Oh, no,’ Cora said, smiling as she watched the boys disappear, ‘please don’t feel you have to rush off. Lizzie will be putting the little one to bed in a minute and then we can have a drink in peace.’

  When Lizzie came back downstairs, half hoping Steve had gone, she found he hadn’t and Cora had made the tea. ‘There’s some milk in the jug,’ Lizzie said, ‘please help yourself. Though I’m afraid we don’t stretch to sugar.’

  ‘I don’t know anyone who does.’ Steve smiled directly at her and she wasn’t sure if it was an accident that their fingers touched momentarily as she handed him his cup. She didn’t dare to look at him, particularly when she knew he was trying to catch her eye as he spoke.

  ‘You know,’ he said, ‘you promised to come to the Rovers when you had a night off, Lizzie,’ Steve said. ‘I think it’s high time I bought you that drink that I promised. In fact, it’s long overdue. Rainchecks are meant to be cashed in, you know.’ He glanced at Cora and added politely, ‘And, of course, you’re welcome too, Mrs Doyle.’

  Cora nodded her head and smiled in acknowledgement. ‘I think you’ll have to count me out for the moment, what with the kids, but thanks anyway.’

  ‘Yes, I can see how that would be a bit tricky.’ Steve laughed.

  ‘But I’d be happy to prod Lizzie in that direction,’ Cora said with a mischievous grin.

  ‘Thank you, that would be great,’ Steve said, ‘because I think now would be the perfect time to prove to Annie Walker that not everyone connected with the Pride is bad news.’

  ‘Bad news? How do you mean?’ Lizzie was curious.

  ‘Well, not surprisingly our takings have been down since the Pride opened, and Mrs Walker has this notion that everyone connected to it is out to get her and should be avoided at all costs. I’m sure you can understand why, and ever since the street party disaster she refuses to go within a mile of Bob Bennett, leaving me to keep an eye on him. Someone’s got to make sure he’s not in a position to overstep the line again and do anything that could directly harm the Rovers’ reputation or affect our customers.’

  Lizzie nodded. ‘I can understand that. The party business was awful, even though no one could ever pin anything on Bob. But you can’t avoid the fact that the two pubs are in close proximity to each other and that …’

  ‘And that Bob does have a bit of a reputation,’ Steve said.

  ‘Most likely well-founded, if any of the dealings I’ve seen with my own eyes are anything to go by,’ Lizzie said.

  ‘Anything specific? Steve said.

  ‘Oh, you know the kind of things I’ve told you about. Deliveries arriving at all hours with mysterious-looking packages changing hands between the potmen or Bob and the drivers. Young kids hanging around the yard like they’re looking for trouble. Though I’d never be able to swear to anything in court, so I can see how hard it is to pin him down and actually prove anything,’ Lizzie said. ‘The only good thing I can say is that whatever else he might be up to, at least his behaviour to the staff has improved. He’s not been bothering me and Pat half as much since I had that problem with the gang.’

  ‘Well, I’m pleased to hear it,’ Steve said.

  ‘But come to think of it, he has been a bit distracted,’ Lizzie said. ‘And we’ve seen rather a lot of Elsie Tanner recently. If anything, I’d say she’s down at the Pride more often than she’s at the Rovers at the moment.’

  ‘I was thinking I hadn’t seen her for a while,’ Steve said.

  ‘Then you’re obviously out of favour. She’s been too busy cosying up to Bob instead.’

  ‘Is that right?’ Steve sounded surprised. ‘Not like Elsie to drift far from the Rovers. Sounds like she might have more than a drink in mind. I know she and Annie Walker haven’t always seen eye to eye.’

  ‘So I’d heard,’ Lizzie said. ‘At least Elsie doesn’t have that kind of problem with Bob. He’s always worth a few G & Ts these days, as far as she’s concerned. In fact, you should see the beautiful brooch he gave her not so long ago. She’s been boasting about it to anyone who’ll listen.’

  ‘You mean Bob gave it to her soon after the business with the pies? Do you think they’re in cahoots?’

  Lizzie hesitated. She hadn’t intended to make it sound like an accusation when she had no proof of anything untoward, but she certainly couldn’t deny that had been the implication behind the gossip that had been doing the rounds at the Pride.

  ‘I’m not saying there’s necessarily a connection,’ Lizzie faltered. ‘It might all have been an unfortunate coincidence.’

  ‘Then what are you saying?’ Steve said.

  ‘I just wondered if she’d asked Bob one too many awkward questions afterwards when it was time to settle the bill, that’s all. It’s possible Bob thought that a nice present would be the best way to keep her quiet.’

  ‘Well, it’s Mrs Walker I need to convince, and she’s been nagging me lately to check things out and make sure Bob’s not trying to take any unfair advantage. But as I told you, he always was a difficult man to pin anything on to.’

  ‘I gather you knew him before he came to Weatherfield.’ Cora spoke up.

  Steve nodded. ‘I won’t say I knew him, but I did come across him many years ago in Blackpool and now here’s my new boss wondering just what kind of establishment he’s running in Weatherfield. So I think a visit from you, Lizzie, would be timely. It would be good to be able to show her that the bar staff at least are pretty reasonable – and reasonably pretty,’ he added with a laugh and for a moment his eyes were openly flirtatious as he met Lizzie’s gaze.

  Lizzie could feel the blood rising from her neck to the roots of her hair and she caught her mother’s eye. Cora grinned at her, a satisfied ‘I told you so’ look on her face.

  ‘OK, then, I promise I will,’ Lizzie said, not looking directly at Steve now. ‘Though from what I’ve heard it sounds like a tall order to think I could change Mrs Walker’s mind on anything once it’s made up.’

  ‘That’s true enough,’ Steve said with a laugh.

  ‘What’s she like to work for?’ Lizzie asked.

  ‘She’s fine. At least, you always know where you are with her. She leaves you in no doubts about what she expects. And let’s put it this way, she makes it quite clear that she’s the boss. I don’t know how it’s going to be when her husband gets demobbed.’

  Lizzie gave a wry smile. ‘I can understand that. I wonder if that’s why Bob enjoys trying to take her down a peg or two?’

  ‘The trouble is that on VE day it wasn’t just a peg or two,’ Steve said, his voice serious again. ‘Apart from all the physical stuff, a lot of damage was done to the Rovers’ reputation at that party, even though I accept that no one can prove Bob was actually involved in any of the goings-on. Thankfully I think we’ve managed to claw back most of our customers since then, so no long-term harm’s been done.’

 

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