by Carol Rivers
‘I’m actually still on a roll from last night.’
‘No wonder you were talking drivel.’
Charlie watched Robbie’s face darken. He stared morosely out of the window as they drove back to the bakery. It wasn’t an easy drive as his knee was throbbing and each time he changed gear and depressed the pedal, a knife went into his muscle.
But he still felt a certain responsibility for his friend. He would take him to the bakery and feed him some decent food. After which he could sleep his hangover off on the couch.
As Charlie drove he couldn’t help thinking that it was Johnny Puxley who had a hand in all this changed behaviour. He had generated a cynicism in Robbie that hadn’t been there a few years back. And it had finally led to a rift between himself and Robbie. It was only the football that still held them together. And unlike Robbie, Charlie continued to believe in the British justice system, no matter if there were a few rotten apples in the barrel, as Robbie had been so keen to enlighten him.
But what concerned Charlie most was his discovery today of the death of the landlord. It struck him that a fire could be a way of silencing someone who knew too much.
Just as someone had tried to silence Eve.
When business for the day was over, Eve was in time to meet the boys from school. She was surprised when Sister Mary came to the gate and singled her out from the waiting parents. ‘Sister Superior would like to speak to you,’ she said sternly.
Aware of the looks cast at her as she followed the nun, Eve became apprehensive. The feeling deepened as she entered the refectory, a long, austere room used by the Sisters as a common room for staff and parent meetings. Eve found herself standing in front of Sister Superior and Father Flynn.
‘Your sons, Mrs Kumar, have today disgraced themselves,’ said Sister Superior coldly. ‘Father Flynn has sent them to chapel to pray for their sins.’
‘But what did they do?’ Eve demanded, unable to believe such a thing.
‘They attacked another boy—’ broke in Sister Mary, only to be silenced by the raised hand of Sister Superior.
‘We cannot tolerate violence at St Saviour’s,’ she said eyeing the priest. ‘Repetition of prayer will concentrate their minds. Don’t you agree, Father?’
‘Oh, yes, indeed. Indeed.’ Father Flynn knitted his fingers over his portly stomach, his port wine nose flaring.
‘Violence?’ repeated Eve, staring from one to the other of them. ‘My boys aren’t bullies.’
‘I’m afraid you’re wrong,’ replied the nun. ‘They set upon a child, bruising his face. They are fortunate only to have incurred a spiritual punishment rather than a physical one.’
‘They don’t deserve to be punished at all.’
‘Mrs Kumar, surely you can see that they do? Don’t you want something better for your sons than growing up to be street brawlers?’
Eve couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Did the nun mean that she would cane them? But it was never Albert or Samuel who attacked anyone. It had always been the other way round. And since the time of the truancy they had been to confession regularly and observed all the school’s strict rules.
Eve braced her shoulders. ‘I want to hear what Samuel and Albert have to say.’
Sister Superior straightened her back in silent refusal. ‘They are saying their penance.’
Eve refused to be browbeaten, she knew the nun didn’t like her and she spoke up immediately. ‘They can say their penance later – if it’s deserved. Now, shall I make my own way down to the chapel?’ She stepped towards the door. But the tall, thin woman was there before her, peering angrily from the folds of her white wimple.
Eve’s heart was pounding as she followed the swish of the black hem down the highly polished corridor. What could the twins possibly have done to deserve this? They were not violent children. If they had been in a fight it was because they were defending themselves.
At the chapel, Sister Superior took out a large key and turned it in the big black lock. With alarm, Eve realized that this was why she hadn’t wanted her to come on her own.
‘Do you always lock it when children are in there?’ Eve asked.
Sister Superior ignored her and walked in. ‘Samuel and Albert, your mother is here.’
Eve shivered in the freezing cold chapel. Two little figures knelt in front of the altar. They stood up, lost under the high vaulted ceilings. She could see Albert was holding back the tears. Samuel’s black hair had fallen over his eyes.
‘Please hurry and come here,’ shouted Sister Superior, ‘as Father Flynn is very busy today. He has to say Mass at half past six.’
‘I’d like to be on my own with them,’ Eve said.
‘Mrs Kumar—’ the nun began but Eve wouldn’t be moved.
‘The sooner I hear their side of the story the sooner Father will be free to say Mass.’
Sister Superior glared at her, but left eventually, closing the heavy door after her. Immediately the boys ran into Eve’s arms. Albert burst into tears. Samuel’s chin wobbled.
‘Now, don’t cry, or you won’t be able to tell me what happened,’ she said, sitting them down in a pew. ‘Sister Superior said you attacked another boy.’
They looked down.
Eve was shocked. ‘So you hit him?’
Samuel nodded as he fingered the graze on his cheek. ‘Him and his mates was saying bad things. And Charlie said we had to stand up to them or else they’d do it again.’
‘What did they say?’
‘It was things about Dad. We know they ain’t true.’
‘Like what?’ Eve pressed.
Samuel sniffed. ‘They said he was a black devil and went to hell.’
Eve looked into their little faces. What right had these ignorant boys to say such things? It was disgraceful. How was she to protect them from such a painful experience?
‘You know that’s a very bad thing to say?’
They nodded.
‘Those boys are ignorant. They don’t know any better. But you do and I’m proud of you both.’
Samuel wiped his nose with his cuff. A tear slipped down Albert’s cheek. Eve hugged them to her. They had been brave and stood up for their dad. She took their hands. ‘Now, I want you to wait here whilst I talk to Sister Superior.’
‘Do we have to pray?’
‘No, it’s those boys that need to pray, not you.’
Eve strode out to the refectory. Her cheeks were red with anger.
‘Did they own up?’ Sister Superior demanded as she walked in.
‘Do you know why Samuel and Albert hit that boy?’ Eve asked.
‘There is no excuse for what they did.’
Eve’s eyes flashed. ‘It was because they had things said to them about their father. Things that I don’t want to repeat as they are so bad and should never be said to anyone whatever religion or colour they are. It was only natural for Samuel and Albert to retaliate.’
‘Please keep your voice down.’ Sister Superior didn’t want anyone outside to hear.
But Eve ignored her. ‘Why should my sons be punished when it was those other boys? It’s you, Sister Superior, who is responsible for what happened today. You’ve failed to teach the children to love each other. It’s you who should be praying for forgiveness, not my boys.’
Eve knew her temper had got the better of her but there was no answer from the nun. Eve turned and walked out.
Taking a deep breath as she walked along the cold, shiny corridor she wondered what more those boys had said. No matter what the Sister Superior said, Samuel and Albert had done what Charlie had told them to do and she was proud of them.
‘Mum! Mum!’ They flung themselves at her.
‘Come on, let’s go home.’
‘We didn’t do nothin’ wrong.’
‘I know that.’
‘Do we have to confess it tomorrow?’
‘No, you can have a lie-in instead.’
They jumped up and down. ‘Can we go down to the par
k and play?’
Eve nodded. Why had the nuns blamed her boys for what had happened? Was it because Samuel and Albert’s father was a lascar? Or was it because their mother was a flower-seller? Perhaps it was both.
Chapter Twenty-One
During the weeks that followed an icy tension almost as bitter as the weather settled between Eve and Sister Superior. The nuns were at their busiest time of the year with the preparation of school nativity plays, end of term reports and a stream of services in the chapel which the children and parents were required to attend. Since the confrontation with Sister Superior, Sister Mary and Father Flynn, there had been no further communication but each time Eve stood at the gate to wait for the boys or went into St Saviour’s and sat in a pew, Sister Superior’s glances were not ones of warmth. Eve knew she had challenged the establishment. The one good thing to come out of it was that the twins had not suffered any more bad treatment from the bullies of the school. Eve asked Samuel and Albert frequently if they were set upon or called names, or treated with disrespect, but as much to her delight as Samuel and Albert’s surprise, it seemed the teachers had been more vigilant than they had been before.
Despite this vigilance, neither Samuel nor Albert was chosen for shepherds, wise men or Joseph for the nativity play, although in Eve’s opinion their appearance was much more suited to those characters than the blond angelic-looking boys that were cast. On a cold Wednesday afternoon, the last before Christmas, Eve left her pitch early to attend the class version of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. She had enjoyed the hour-long production, but had only caught a brief glance of her sons as they filed to the back of the stage to sing the selection of carols. When the festivities were over and it was time to go, she passed Sister Superior in the aisle. Eve stopped.
‘Happy Christmas, Sister Superior.’
A brief nod was followed by a tight-lipped, ‘And a holy one to you, Mrs Kumar.’
Eve didn’t lower her gaze as the thin faced woman looked into her eyes. It wasn’t the time, Eve knew, for resentment, so she smiled. This was received with an embarrassed twitch, which Eve took to be a favourable response.
Several women then surrounded the nun. Eve made her way to the backstage changing room where the children were noisily preparing to leave. Albert and Samuel appeared, pushing paper hats, books and shoe bags into her arms. They were full of excitement as they walked out into the easterly wind that had persisted since November. Heads down against the chill and aware of the darkening skies, Eve hurried them through the crowded playground and set off for home. Paper chains scurried in the gutter and a touch of ice nipped at their noses and fingers making their cheeks rosy. Suddenly a bicycle came flying round the corner.
‘Charlie!’ the twins cried, jumping in his path as he brought the bicycle to a halt.
Breathlessly, he ruffled the twins’ hair. ‘So what have you two been up to lately?’
‘We sung carols in the nativity play.’
He chuckled. ‘Hope you sung the one about shepherds washing their socks at night. That’s my favourite.’
The boys giggled.
Eve looked into Charlie’s blue eyes twinkling under the rim of his helmet. She was aware of the other women casting glances in their direction. The children too were stopping to stare at Charlie. A policeman talking at length in a friendly fashion to members of the public was a rare sight.
‘I didn’t reckon the whole school would be turning out,’ he grinned. ‘I chose my moment, didn’t I?’
Eve smiled. ‘What are you doing round this way?’
‘I went past your pitch and guessed you’d come to meet the lads.’
‘How is your knee?’ Eve asked, for when Charlie had come at the weekend to take the boys to the park he had been limping.
‘I can kick twice as good now.’
‘Can we go to the park today?’ Albert said hopefully.
‘Albert, you know Charlie’s dad’s not been well,’ Eve interrupted. ‘And Charlie’s got to help in the bakery.’
But Charlie just shrugged. ‘Dad’s feeling better now, but have you ever seen a policeman in his helmet playing football?’
Everyone laughed and Charlie looked at Eve. ‘But I’ll walk you all back and there might be a cuppa at the end of it, if I ask your mother nicely.’
‘You can see our Christmas tree,’ said Albert eagerly. ‘We ain’t never had one before. Archie brought it on his cart and we’re gonna make decorations for it ternight.’ Without waiting for Charlie to reply they ran ahead, pushing and shoving each other playfully.
‘Did everything turn out all right at school?’ Charlie asked as he accompanied Eve along the street. ‘The lads told me they’d been in a spot of bother with another boy but didn’t say what it was. It’s been on me mind ever since as I encouraged them to stand up for themselves.’
Eve pulled her coat round her against the cold. ‘It was the name calling again, only Samuel and Albert got the blame. These boys said that Raj was a black devil and had gone to hell.’
‘What!’ Charlie stopped the bike, his exclamation loud.
Eve looked round. She was glad there weren’t many people about now. ‘The boys were very upset.’
‘Of course! What did this head nun have to say about it?’
‘Sister Superior gave Samuel and Albert a punishment because they hit the culprit. When I got to school they were in the chapel saying penance.’
‘What’s a penance?’ Charlie asked in alarm.
‘It’s prayers said repeatedly for having committed a sin.’
‘What rubbish!’ he exclaimed, astounded. ‘It’s quite obvious that those other boys were at fault. Did you tell the nun so?’
‘Yes,’ Eve said patiently, ‘but this ain’t the first time, Charlie. The kids hear the grown-ups say something, then repeat it. Because of the colour of the boys’ skin, they are easy targets.’
Eve heard Charlie comment under his breath. ‘I’d like a word with that nun,’ he growled. ‘Doesn’t she understand that it’s her job to stop the playground rot? More important than the supposed religion they teach.’
They walked on in silence and Eve knew that Charlie was angry. When they came to the top of the hill and looked down on Isle Street, he paused for a moment. ‘Eve, Mum and Dad would like you and the boys to join us for Christmas dinner on Sunday, the twenty-third. Would you be able to come? If so, I’ll pick you up in the van at about three.’
‘Is it a family celebration?’
‘Yes, as Christmas Day I’m on duty and Joe who works for the electricity company is working too. George hasn’t got to work but this year they are going to Eileen’s parents in Bromley as they spent the day with Mum and Dad last year. So Sunday is the Merritts’ designated Christmas Day.’
Eve knew that Charlie meant well, but what would his family think of her and the boys accompanying him on such a special day?
The twins began to run noisily up the hill and quickly Eve nodded. ‘All right,’ she agreed, her cheeks flushed. ‘But I won’t tell the boys until the day before in case you change your mind.’
He laughed. ‘I won’t be doing that.’
Eve felt happy as they all walked down the hill to the cottage, although she was a little apprehensive about joining the family gathering, but Charlie had been very persuasive. And perhaps it would be a good opportunity to get to know the rest of the family better.
Three-month-old Dulcie, Pamela’s baby, was as blonde and blue eyed as her mother, and as different from her four brown-haired brothers in looks as it was possible to be. Eve was sitting in the arm chair holding Dulcie in the crook of her arm, whilst Pam was pinning gingerbread men on the Christmas tree. She could hear a lot of laughter coming from the children who sat round the fire playing charades. But Dulcie’s four brothers had tired of the game and were staring at Eve cradling their sister. Eve had memorized their names and ages. Daniel was the oldest at twelve, James and William were seven and eight and Oliver was five.
&nbs
p; Daniel was a mirror image of his father Joe, moon-faced and with serious brown eyebrows. He was the tallest of the boys, but not as tall as his two girl cousins, Emily at thirteen and Lucy, twelve. These were George and Eileen’s two oldest daughters and, as their grandmother said, they looked like thin streaks of lightning.
Though all the boys, including Samuel and Albert, had gone into the yard earlier to play football, it was now close to dinner time. Eve glanced down at the subject of the boys’ scrutiny. Their baby sister was dressed entirely in pink, with a wisp of blonde hair turned into a kiss-curl on the top of her head. She gurgled contentedly in Eve’s arms.
‘Did you have a good game of football?’ Eve asked and all the boys nodded at once.
‘I got a grazed knee, but Granny washed it,’ said William, holding up his leg for her to see. ‘It hurt a lot.’
‘You’re a very brave boy,’ said Eve, giving him a big grin.
‘Uncle Charlie’s got a badder knee than you,’ pointed out James, looking down his nose at his brother.
‘Yes, but I can’t walk on mine. See?’ William limped back and forth.
Eve smiled. ‘It will soon get better I’m sure.’
William beamed at her but Oliver was staring at her curiously. ‘Is Uncle Charlie going to be Samuel and Albert’s new dad?’
The three older boys immediately turned on their young brother. ‘You mustn’t ask that, Olly.’
‘Why not?’
‘’Cos it’s rude.’
‘But Mummy asked Daddy it.’
Eve felt her face go scarlet. ‘Samuel and Albert had a daddy once,’ she said gently to Oliver. ‘But he died.’
‘Does that mean they can’t have another one?’ Oliver persisted.
As Eve was thinking how to reply, Lucy came sprinting over. Pushing her plaits back over her shoulders, she smiled at Eve. ‘Samuel and Albert are very clever. Samuel was the horse and Albert was Tom Mix. We all guessed it when Albert threw his lasso. Come on now, boys, it’s your turn before dinner.’
Eve was grateful for Lucy’s arrival as she hadn’t known what to say to Oliver. Had Pam and Joe been talking about her? Eve’s thoughts were brought back to the present when Dulcie began to cry. Her big eyes were like glistening blue pearls set in her heart-shaped face. Her grip on Eve’s little finger tightened as her lips quivered into a small cry. Rising carefully to her feet, Eve walked over to the Christmas tree. Pam was still tying on the gingerbread men, one for each child this evening.
