Cadi was sitting up, rubbing her leg. Anwen was hunkering down beside her. ‘Mamgu, are you all right?’
‘Slipped up I did, on the mat, as I hit him. I’m just a bit bruised, that’s all, cariad. Don’t worry about me.’
Idris went to Enid, who’d somehow moved along the ground and was leaning over her brother, calling, ‘Hywel, oh Hywel. Wake up… His leg, it’s been shot.’
It was then they spotted the blood seeping from under his thigh.
Anwen clutched her throat, ‘Uncle Hywel!’
Idris hunkered down next to Enid. ‘Did Madog do this?’ He rooted around, finding the gun just under the bed. ‘What happened exactly?’
‘The gun must have gone off as I hit him,’ said Cadi. ‘I didn’t mean that to happen. I hope Hywel’s all right. Oh sweet Lord.’
‘Don’t worry, Mamgu, you did the right thing,’ said Anwen. ‘It might have been far worse if you hadn’t intervened.’
Hywel groaned, his eyes fluttering open. ‘Damn it, my leg hurts.’
He tried to sit up but Enid pulled him back. ‘Just keep still, bach. You’ll be fine. You just need to lie still.’
Idris realised nobody had bothered to see how Madog was, not even his own mother. Could he blame them? They needed to know what state he was in, though, either way. He bent down to him. He was still breathing, his eyes shut, unmoving. A lump had formed on his head, where Cadi had hit him, presumably with the now broken chamber pot, and a black eye was already evident from Idris’s own assault.
‘What kind of condition is he in?’ asked Anwen.
‘Unconscious, that’s all I can tell you.’
‘Let’s hope he stays that way until the police get here.’
* * *
The doctor arrived first, confirming what Anwen suspected: Hywel needed immediate medical attention and the best place for that was the hospital. She didn’t want him to get any kind of infection. She’d heard of men on the Front being shot and dying of gangrene, something that might not have happened if they’d had proper treatment.
Sergeant Harries appeared just after with PC Probert, neither of whom were in uniform. He brought up the two men who’d fetched him, commandeering them to carry Madog downstairs.
Dr Roberts examined him briefly before they left. ‘As far as I can tell, he’s simply unconscious. But I suggest they get a doctor to examine him in Rhymney. I’ve got my hands full here.’
‘Aye,’ said Harries. ‘We’ll get him downstairs and wait for the carriage there. I rang Rhymney police at the fire station before I got here. Come on men, let’s get this lump out of here.’
Probert and the other two men lifted him, none too carefully, and removed him from the room. Harries picked up the gun with a handkerchief, placing it in a sack bag before following them.
Dr Roberts turned his attention back to Hywel. He removed a bandage from his bag, winding it around his leg to stay the blood flow. Hywel whined with the pain. Enid wept as she stroked her brother’s forehead.
Anwen experienced an unnatural calmness after the initial activity, detached from the experience, like a bystander. Idris, who’d left the room some minutes before, returned with a brush and dustpan. He proceeded to rid the floor of the broken china. He was talking to the doctor, to Hywel, asking what had happened, doing things she should have been doing, if she could have freed herself of the feeling that she was watching them all from a distance.
The two neighbours who’d helped get Madog into the carriage came back, bringing two more neighbours with them. They lifted Hywel onto a makeshift stretcher, made from a blanket, removing him from the room. Idris opened the front door for them. Anwen followed on behind. Outside, a mist lay across the mountains, obscuring the sunrise that should have been visible beyond the far mountain.
‘I’ll come and see you later, Uncle,’ she told him, clutching his hand momentarily before he was carried away. When he was halfway down the street she reluctantly closed the door. Idris was standing at the bottom of the stairs.
‘I can’t go to work today,’ she told him.
‘I’ll head over in a bit, tell them what’s happened.’
‘But Idris, you’re not well.’
He treated her to a smile that made her knees weak. ‘Cariad, I’m well enough to walk. I need to keep as fit as I can.’
‘Don’t overdo it.’
‘I won’t.’
A thought only now occurred to her. ‘Why were you even here earlier?’
‘I couldn’t sleep. I was standing in the back yard, watching the moon setting. I heard a noise and saw a figure pass by the back gate. I knew it was your father. I was afraid he’d do something bad, so I followed him. When I got to your garden, I saw your back door was open, and crept in. I was in the kitchen when the shot was fired.’
‘Thank you, Idris. You put yourself in danger to keep us safe.’
‘I wasn’t going to risk him hurting you.’
They gazed at each other steadily, intently. She could have spent all morning fixed on his deep brown eyes, but she was the one to break eye contact first. ‘I’d better see how Mam and Mamgu are.’
He nodded, following her up. He waited outside the open door.
Upstairs, Dr Roberts was examining Cadi. ‘Nothing a trip back to bed won’t cure,’ he concluded, helping her up from the floor as Anwen stood in the doorway.
‘If it’s all the same to you, Doctor, I’d rather have a sit down and a nice cup of tea.’
‘I’m sure that will do it too,’ said Dr Roberts. ‘Then later you could pop along to Rhymney police station to see your son.’
She pursed her lips. ‘See that good-for-nothing would-be murderer? He’s no son of mine. I’ve got a family here to look after. Come on, cariad.’ She went to Enid, putting out her hands to help her up.
‘I can’t,’ she said, her face wracked with misery.
‘Well you got here all by yourself. Come on now, Enid. I think there’s something you haven’t been telling us, don’t you?’
Enid placed her face into the palms of her hands. A second later she was convulsing with tears.
‘Mam? What is it?’ Anwen went to her, kneeling down.
‘Oh, It’s stupid I am. This is all my fault. I’ve been able to walk for quite a while. Suddenly came back to me, it did, one day, when I got out of bed to use the pot, without even thinking. Before then I couldn’t walk, I swear. I just couldn’t.’
Anwen recalled the day she’d found her mother sitting on the edge of the bed.
‘Hysteria can cause the belief you can’t walk,’ said the doctor. ‘You’d certainly been through a trauma. You should have told us sooner.’
‘I don’t understand. Why did you keep up the pretence?’ Part of Anwen was angry that their mother had left all the work to them, while they were trying to earn a living outside of the home too.
‘I – I thought we’d all be safer. I could handle him at one time, but then his moods became fiercer. He’d tried once to kill me. I thought I’d be better staying put, pretending to be helpless. He’d come in and insult me every day, tell me how useless I was. I thought if he got it out of his system, he’d leave you and Sara alone. I – I thought… I thought we’d be – safer.’ She broke down into sobs once more.
‘Oh, Mam. But when Sara died, didn’t you think you’d pretended long enough?’
Enid leant her head on the wall, her cheeks and chin wet with tears. ‘I’d got so weak by then. I wanted to get my strength back. I carried on with those exercises Miss Elizabeth gave me, even when he tore the magazine up. I’d memorised them, see. I considered pretending I’d had a sudden recovery, then realised it was a bad idea. Your father might have guessed I’d been pretending and got angrier, or he might – he might have just killed me.’ Her breaths were coming in rapid spurts.
‘Mrs Rhys,’ said Dr Roberts, kneeling on the other side of Enid. ‘Mr Rhys will be locked up for many years to come. You need to get back on your feet and look after your family. Yo
ur daughter’s been keeping the home going, earning the money to keep you all fed. You’ve got your mother-in-law here to think about, and your brother will need attention while he’s recovering. You can’t leave this all to Anwen.’
Enid’s eyes were narrowed in contemplation. She sighed and it was like she’d drawn a line across her life. ‘Right. Now, what are we all sitting around here for?’
Dr Roberts took hold of her arm but she shook him off. ‘No, it’s about time I started doing things for myself.’
She pushed herself up onto her knees. From there, she grabbed hold of the bed and eased herself up. Soon she was standing. Anwen went to take her arm, but Enid waved her away. The first two steps were halting, like those of a toddler. By the time she reached the door, they were more confident, if slow. She glanced at each of them in turn. ‘I’m going to get dressed, have a cup of tea and then I’m going to the hospital to see my brother.’
‘But Mam, isn’t it too soon to walk that far? And they might not let you in outside of visiting hours.’
‘I’ve gone that far pacing my room. I’ve had long enough in that one space.’
‘I’ll examine you, none the less,’ said Dr Roberts.
‘Very well.’
With that, she hobbled through the door and into her bedroom. The doctor went in after, shutting the door behind him.
‘Now, where’s that cup of tea?’ said Cadi.
* * *
Anwen accompanied her mother to the hospital that afternoon. Enid insisted on wearing her winter coat, saying she felt bone cold. She allowed Anwen to take her arm lightly as they made their way down the road, stumbling only a couple of times. The high early morning mist had now descended into the valley floor as fog, obscuring the pit. Above, there were leaden clouds. Everyone they met who they knew did a double-take, some so surprised to see Enid they failed to say anything. They kept on going according to the agreement they’d made before they left the house, taking no time out for explanations.
Dr Roberts was in the reception area when they reached the hospital.
‘Mrs Rhys! Are you sure you’re all right, walking so far?’
‘I told you I’d come. Now, how is my brother?’
It was her old Mam speaking, not the weaker, shrinking female she’d become, even before the fall.
‘We’ve removed the bullet. He was lucky it missed the bone. He’s patched up now and should be waking up soon. I should think he’ll have a limp at the least for quite a while. He’s in the ward, but don’t expect too much of him.’
Anwen, still holding Enid’s arm, felt the tension leave her mother’s body. They were directed to the ward Idris had been in. Hywel, far from being asleep, was sitting up in bed, reading a newspaper.
’Hywel, cariad, said Enid, attempting to run to her brother, but losing her footing. Anwen managed to grab her before she went down.
Hywel called out, ‘Enid, what are you doing?’
The ward became hushed as everyone stared at Enid. She straightened herself, adjusted her coat, then pushed her arms out to remove the unwanted helping hands. ‘I am fine.’ She strode on till she reached Hywel’s bed. Anwen was close behind.
‘Enid, you’re walking?’ Hywel’s eyes boggled in surprise.
‘And I should have done so a long time ago. I’ve let my family down, Hywel. I was so concerned with doing nothing in order to keep people safe, that it didn’t occur to me to do something to make sure of it. Please forgive me. If I hadn’t languished in my bedroom for so long, you might not be in hospital now.’
Hywel took his sister’s hands. ‘Enid, you can’t blame yourself for Madog’s wrongdoing. Always had a streak of malice, that one.’
‘Uncle Hywel, how’s your leg?’
‘I’ve been better, Anwen. Quite painful, it is. But the doctor reckons I’m lucky, so I suppose I shall have to take his word for it. They’ll probably discharge me tomorrow and he’ll call by to see how I am. I feel like limping out now. The nurses are a bit bossy, like.’
‘For your own good,’ said Anwen. ‘Right, I have an errand to run. Mam, I’ll come back at four to collect you.’
‘What errand have you to do?’ asked Enid.
‘I’ll tell you when I get back.’ She leant over and kissed Hywel’s cheek. ‘I’ll see you later. No disobeying the nurses, now. They know what’s best for you.’
She left the hospital, still struck by the unnatural quiet of the unmoving pit wheels.
Time to confront Idris.
* * *
‘Anwen! How are you? How’s your family?’ Idris got up from the chair by the fireplace, laying the book he’d been reading on the table. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t come back over this morning.’
‘Doctor’s orders?’ said Anwen.
‘Mother’s orders.’ He glanced at Meg as she pinned her hat to her hair.
‘You need to rest, bach, after what you went through. You’ve done your fair share of coming to the rescue the last week, and no mistake. Now, I’m going to leave you to it. There are things need doing at the allotments, despite the weather.’ Meg had stepped in to do her bit when bereavement had deprived the group of a couple of helpers. ‘Make yourself a cup of tea when the kettle’s boiled, cariad.’ She pointed to the stove and promptly left via the scullery.
Anwen and Idris sat at the table opposite each other.
‘Now she’s gone, would you like to take a turn on Twyn Gobaith?’ said Idris. ‘I’ve been dying to get out since dinner time.’
‘Yes, I’d like that.’
They went out the back way to get to the hill behind, strolling upwards and diagonally, past the fire station and Institute. It reminded her of walks they’d had here as young sweethearts. There was an abundance of fleabane, willowherb and buttercups. They were halfway up when Anwen came to a halt.
Idris stood next to her. ‘Your trip to the hospital – your mother managed to walk there by herself?’
‘She had the odd wobble, but yes.’
‘Remarkable. I don’t think I’d be able to keep still all those months if I could walk.’
‘She thought she was protecting us. And I do appreciate that…’
‘But?’
‘I don’t know, Idris. Who can guess what might have been? It’s not worth trying. We just need to get on with it, don’t we? I daresay my father would have been up to his tricks either way.’
‘How’s your arm?’
Her injury, small in comparison to those of others, had mostly been forgotten by everyone else. Only Cadi had checked it twice a day, bathing it in a calendula infusion and applying a baking soda paste to it.
‘Much better, thank you. The pain is a lot less than it was.’ She didn’t add that she feared she would be scarred for evermore. Time would tell.
They started walking again, him slightly further down the hill, so they were almost equal height. Her hand went out to the side, taking his as she said, ‘And how are you now? And none of your “I’m fine” flannel, either.’
He enclosed his hand round hers, laughing briefly. ‘I’m better for knowing what’s wrong with me.’
‘And that something could be done.’
‘Now Anwen, I’ve explained—’
‘Listen Idris, just listen.’
He squeezed his lips together, as if tolerating her need to voice an opinion, then nodded.
‘That money you were saving for years, in the bank in Rhymney, for our married life together. Have you spent any of it?’
He jolted to a halt, horrified, removing his hand from hers. ‘On what? Do I look like I’ve been frittering away money since I got back?’
He never had wasted his wages on drink or betting, or fancy clothes. Each week, after giving his mother housekeeping, the same amount had been deposited in the bank. It had increased as his wages had gone up. She’d been grateful for his frugality, given that her father had taken most of her meagre wage.
‘No, of course you don’t. But there must be a pretty penny in there now
. More than enough to pay your way while you’re off work, without having to inconvenience your parents.’
‘But that was for… I thought it was for… I suppose that doesn’t matter now.’ He groaned, leaning his head back for a moment. ‘I did think of giving it to you a while back, as a kind of compensation, to escape from your father. Now I think you’ll need some of it, with your father’s wage gone and Hywel laid up for a while. As for the rest, I could give some to my parents to make up for me not working right now. Who knows if I’ll ever get back to it? Even as an examiner. I daresay I could do something clerical. It’s what Mam always wanted.’
‘Idris, listen to yourself!’ As much as she loved him, he was starting to frustrate her. ’As kind as it is for you to offer me the money, I’m working, Cadi’s getting money from her sewing and Uncle Hywel has a bit put by to pay rent. And can’t you see that your argument about your parents doesn’t make sense? You don’t want to leave them out of pocket by having the operation. But if you had it, you’d be well enough to work and earn money. You could go round and round with that argument.
‘Look, I want you to get better, see, that’s what matters. And you saving that money for both of us is still appropriate to me, even if it isn’t to you.’ She put her hand out to tip his chin up. His eyes were still studying the ground. ‘Do you understand me?’
‘Aye, I understand. I gave you the chance to walk away, Anwen, to find someone healthy who can take care of you.’ He did now catch her eye, if briefly. ‘The doctor said the operation is mostly successful, but what if it isn’t?’
‘That doesn’t make any sense either… Hang on. Are you afraid of having the operation?’
It was a few seconds before he replied, ‘Maybe.’
‘Oh Idris. I know it’s daunting to contemplate, but if you don’t have it, your condition will probably get worse.’ There was no probably about it. She’d looked it up in a medical dictionary at the library. Heart problems were among several life-sapping conditions he could end up with. She felt a mounting sense of hopelessness that terrified her. She had to persuade him the operation was the best course of action.
Heartbreak in the Valleys Page 34
