The serial: The Pepper Girls Day 5

Lexie shook her head, her chin already quivering with hurt at her mother as she asked her quietly: “Not hungry?”

“I’m sorry about what I said,” Annie continued, “about Robbie Robertson, I mean, but maybe you can understand that I’m only worried about you and your future.”

Lexie’s voice quivered. “Well,” she said quietly, “you won’t have to worry about me much longer. Charlie and me are getting engaged and married and the quicker the better as far as I’m concerned, then I’ll be gone out of here... FOREVER,” she added defiantly.

Annie’s worst fear was realised and the dam of tears that she’d been holding inside suddenly broke and poured unchecked down her face.

The shock of seeing her mother in this state frightened Lexie into action and pushing her chair back she rushed to her mother’s side.

She loved her mother very much and hated that her announcement had caused such distress, but she did love Charlie Mathieson too and in her young mind, that was all that mattered.

Happiness

Mother and daughter held on to one another till all tears ceased, both realising that none of them wanted to lose the other, but knowing that something had to change.

Tea was made and drank quietly. Was now the time to tell Lexie about her half-brother in Belfast, Annie pondered, but almost instantly rejected the idea.

The one who needed to know was Billy Dawson. This was his doing and Annie hated that the past continued to haunt her.

“You know I love you very much,” she said to Lexie, who nodded silently, “and you know that I wish only happiness for you...”

“I know,” Lexie interrupted, “and I love you too Mammy, but...” It was Annie’s turn to quieten the other. “I know you love Charlie and that it’s important to you that you get engaged and be married.” Lexie brightened. Her mother was seeing reason at last. “But,” continued Annie, “all I ask is that you wait for a year, one year only till you’re eighteen before you get engaged.” Lexie hadn’t expected this. “But, why?” she wailed, her selfish side re-emerging. “What difference will that make?”

Annie took her daughter’s hands in hers. She needed to use all her powers of persuasion to buy the six months of time she needed for her son’s visit to Dundee to come and go, with the dangers of exposure that involved.

Once he’d gone, things would go back to letter writing and no one would need to know anything about her past, especially not her daughter.

“World’s changing”

“The world’s changing Lexie,” she began, “and unless I’m mistaken there’s not going to be much work around for anyone in Dundee soon and that includes Charlie and yourself.

“If you’d become a Dundee weaver like you’d wanted, you’d have been paid off by now.

“The mills are on short-time all over town, and how would you manage then. You’d have a home to run and maybe a family on the way and no money coming in...”

Annie tried to paint as black a picture as she could and it seemed to be working.

Lexie sighed audibly. “So, you think things will be better next year?” she asked naively.

“I do,” Annie lied, squeezing her daughter’s hand tighter.

“I’ll speak to Charlie when I see him later,” she conceded, secretly hoping that he would want to throw caution to the wind and they’d run away together and get married before anyone could stop them.

But while Annie was reasoning with Lexie, Euan was paying an early morning visit to Charlie Mathieson.

“Mr MacPherson!” Charlie exclaimed, “I wasn’t expecting to see you. Come on in and I’ll get mum to make you some tea.”

“No thanks,” said Euan, “I just need a few words with yourself.”

Charlie looked Euan squarely in the face. “She’s told you, hasn’t she,” he stated.

Euan nodded. “She has, Charlie,” he said, “and her mother’s not very happy about it, what with Lexie being so young and all and the mills laying workers off...”

Bad business

Euan let the thought hang in the air between them. At 20 years of age, Charlie was much more worldly-wise than Lexie and had already heard rumours that the Verdant Mill was considering short-time for its spinners and weavers and secretly doubting his decision to get engaged right now.

But Lexie was so beautiful and he just wanted her for his own before anyone else could come along and impress her more.

Charlie ran his fingers through his hair. “Aye, it’s a bad business all round,” he agreed, “but I’ve already asked Lexie to marry me and she’s said yes, so...”

Euan smiled, he was warming to Charlie Mathieson more and more.

“I can see you’re a sensible young man Charlie,” he told him, “and we don’t have a problem with you and Lexie getting married – just not quite yet, that’s all.”

Charlie looked at his watch. “We’re meeting at one o’clock outside Hendersons Jewellers. Maybe then I’ll have thought of a way to tell her the engagement is off, for the moment at least.”

He looked at Euan, worry creasing his young face. “She’ll not be pleased,” he said anxiously.

“No, she won’t,” Euan agreed, “but it would be worse if you got married then lost your job, surely.”

The two men shook hands. “Leave it with me,” Charlie told him unsteadily, “and wish me luck.”

Neither Charlie nor Lexie were now looking forward to their meeting but when he saw her coming towards him as he waited outside the jewellers, all thoughts of putting things off were pushed aside by his desire for her.

(More tomorrow.)

Annie’s worst fear was realised and the dam of tears that she’d been holding inside suddenly broke and poured unchecked down her face

Sandra Savage