'…When we arrived, Mrs Chancellor was distraught, pacing the Chinese carpet, back and forth, crying out, "My darling boy is coming home. He's coming home to face them." Then she stopped walking and began to cry… "There'll be an inquest. Ray will be blamed."’
'Mama tried to calm her, saying, "Nobody will blame Ray. Please, Sarah! Don't get into such a state over a little hussy who dies through her own cheap, brazen behaviour." It had no effect. Mama tried to be stern and said, "Pull yourself together!" but Mrs Chancellor paced up and down again, saying, "Leadbetter has written to Ray's headmaster. He's been to the police, accusing us of forcing his daughter to have an abortion... " She threw herself on to a chair and dashed a handkerchief to her eyes, then said to me, "I'm sorry, Sylvia. Sorry you are hearing such things at your age. "
'Mama said, "The sooner Sylvia learns about such things, the better." Mama is so very practical, you know, Lily.'
Lily could well imagine Mrs Hammond saying that Mollie had brought it on herself with her brazen behaviour. Thank God Mrs Hammond did not know the truth about Lily's own illegitimacy. Her stomach churned. 'Then what?'
'Mrs Chancellor was tearing her handkerchief to shreds, but she stopped the awful crying and said, "Come to the station with me to meet Ray. My husband"' -she never refers to him by name -"my husband phoned the school yesterday, demanding that they send Ray home early. For the mayoral inauguration, we said, but they'd have received Leadbetter's wicked letter..." Then she was in tears again, and Mama nodded to me. Mrs Chancellor threw her arms about my neck. "Come to the station. Ray will be frantic in case anyone thinks... "
"We are going to the station to meet Magnus." Mama said. "They will both be on the same train. "
'We went in Mr Chancellor's car. Mrs Chancellor wrung her hands and every now and again took half a dozen quick breaths. Father was waiting but Mrs Chancellor wouldn't speak a word. She stared at us all with a strange expression on her face that I had seen before. She kept looking at Father with the look of love in her eyes that I recognised..’
‘…It was freezing. The wind tore down the platform where the mothers were holding on to their coats and hats. I was silent, my coat collar about my ears, hat elastic clamped tight under my chin, asking myself if they could go on to be Mayor and Mayoress after this…’
‘…The train was late. Magnus was on it. There was no sign of Ray. Magnus said they had travelled together as far as Manchester but Ray wanted to walk across to London Road station for the Macclesfield train. The Edinburgh train comes in at Exchange and Magnus has to go by taxi because of his ankles. Father was so kind and gentle to Mrs Chancellor. But whatever he said seemed to make her worse. She didn't speak. We all waited for the next train. And Ray wasn't on it. People were staring at us all - we are all so well known…’
‘…Mr Chancellor was furious by this time. He kept going to the station master's office, enquiring and all the time getting increasingly angry, and ignoring his poor wife, who was shaking with cold and looking ill. "He can't have missed the blasted train!" he kept saying, louder every time he repeated it. "Ray knows why he's been sent for. What's he playing at?"
‘…It was an hour before the next train came. This one was crowded but Ray wasn't on it, and again we had to wait. Mrs Chancellor's whole body was shaking by this time and Mama and I were standing close to her in case she fainted. She still would not speak and Father was making it worse, I thought. He kept holding Mrs Chancellor's shoulder to comfort her, saying, "Oh, Sarah dear. Oh my poor, dear Sarah!" But we waited, and waited, and all the while it grew darker and the far end of the platform could hardly be seen. At last we heard it coming….and, Lily...!'
Sylvia put her handkerchief to her eyes. Lily put a hand on Sylvia's arm. 'Don't tell me if it makes you cry.'
'I must.' Sylvia took a great gulping breath and after only a few seconds told the rest, very fast. '…Ray was not on that train. We were freezing, sick with cold. And we daren't leave. You don't know how awful it was. We could not leave Mrs Chancellor. We couldn't say, "Sorry, we have to go!" so we waited until the last person had gone. Then Mrs Chancellor went wild. She ran the length of the train, crying, "He's not here! I can't find my boy!" Mama grabbed her arm and held her back. "Wait for the next one, Sarah." But she pulled free and set off again towards the front of the train. Mr Chancellor stamped about saying, "It's going to cost more than money. We'll be ruined. Wait till I get my hands on Ray. I'll..."
'…Mama gave her attention to him in case he thought Ray was afraid of facing the music. While all this was going on the station master blew his whistle, the guard waved his green flag, the engine pulled away and the guard's van disappeared into the tunnel…’
'…My eyes searched frantically for Mrs Chancellor but I realised she'd gone. She had not come back up the platform once she had reached the engine. The engine stops a few yards from the tunnel entrance. I broke out in a cold sweat, grabbed Mr Chancellor's arm and shouted, "Find your wife! Hurry! Please! I think she's in the tunnel."
"What? Where is she?"
‘…”She went down the platform. Into the tunnel!" I could hear myself screaming. He didn't hear what I was saying until Mama came and shook me by the arm. I pushed her away, took Mr Chancellor's and yelled, "Your wife! Your wife's in the tunnel!"
'…He looked startled. Angry. Then fear came flickering into his eyes and he said her name, "Sarah?" Then louder, "Sarah!" He drew away and ran to the station master, shouting. "My wife's in the tunnel."
'The station master blew his whistle hard and porters came rushing from everywhere, grabbing lanterns, leaping down on to the line to cross over. They pushed Mama and me into the ladies' waiting room, and everywhere people were shouting and running. As soon as Mama was seated and had put her head back and closed her eyes I went out and followed the men. And then I heard, from it long way down the tunnel, a man's voice: "Don't let her husband see this, for God's sake!" But Mr Chancellor was there. I heard him saying, "She must have fallen on to the line. It was an accident. "
'…Two porters came out of the tunnel on to the platform. One leaned over the line, clutching his stomach before he was violently sick, whilst the other man held him back from toppling over. The second porter said, "That were nay accident, mate. Nay accident... "
Magnus, sitting in the Daimler, noticed Father's hands tight on the wheel. His face was grey. Magnus had never seen his father look like this, even when Grandfather died. He loved being with Father, whom he admired above all men. He said, 'There is not a lot we can do. Do you think we should offer to stay at Park Lane overnight?'
'I expect he'd rather be left on his own,’ Father said. 'If anything like that ever happened to me...' There were tears in his eyes. 'I don't think 1 could go on without your mother.' He caught his breath. They drove in silence for another couple of miles. Then, 'You OK? Had some food?'
'I'm all right. Cook gave me soup and cold stuff.'
Father was quiet for a few minutes, then, 'Did Ray say anything on the journey? Did he know why he'd been sent for? Did he give any indication?' He glanced at Magnus here. 'We can't be sure the poor boy knew what he was being accused of.'
Magnus, remembering the trouble Ray was in at school and one never kicked a chap who was down said, 'It was as much a shock to him, Father, as it was to...' He saw the relief on his Father's face.
Father put a hand up. 'I don't want to hear any more. I'm sorry if, by asking, I have given you the idea I had any doubt.'
Magnus stared into the darkness ahead and said nothing. He had lied to his father, but he was tired after the long, terrible day
At seven o'clock that morning Magnus, carrying an overnight bag, had arrived at Edinburgh's Waverley station to catch the train to Manchester, It was cold, there. were few people about and he did not see Ray until he came out of the booking hall.
'Over here, Magnus!'
Looking along the platform Magnus spotted Ray sitting surrounded by luggage. On the telephone to Mother and Father last nigh
t Magnus had been told about this dreadful business with the Leadbetter lass.
Ray called to him, 'Find a porter. Give him half a crown, will you? See if he can find first-class seats for us.'
'I'm travelling second,' Magnus said.
'Second? Don't be a fool. Give the porter half a crown.'
'Not strictly fair...' Magnus protested:
Ray butted in with, 'Come on! If you never take a chance...'
'Four bob? How's that?' Magnus said, and chided himself for being a two~faced coward even as he hailed a porter. He had not wanted to travel with Ray because he couldn't think how to act.
Ten minutes later, in a plush first-class compartment, Magnus leaned against the upholstery in relief. Since he had done all the dirty work, he felt he had the right to question Ray, though it was best to pretend he knew nothing. 'What have you been up to? You're in trouble at school.'
'Fuck the school!' Ray said.
Magnus was not shocked by Ray's language. In a way he admired his nerve. He kept a composed expression but, seeing scorn on Ray's face, said, 'Swearing's no help. You are in trouble at school.'
'Nothing to what's waiting for me at home.'
Magnus said, 'What's that?'
Ray had a defiant expression. 'The parents of some girl - a girl I've never seen, are claiming that I gave her one.'
Magnus had not heard the expression. 'One? One of what?'
'Gave her a baby. She died. The girl.'
The little hairs on Magnus's arms were rising. He was shocked by Ray's heartless talk and now could not hide it. Ray was being accused of a callous crime. If it had been he, Magnus, who had to face them, he would have been a wreck. 'But she's dead! And the baby.'
'It could be anyone's baby. Bloody girl asks for it. Every man in Macclesfield's had his shilling's worth of Mollie Leadbetter. She was a whore. The Leadbetters were on to a good thing, naming me.'
'Hell's bells!' said Magnus.
Ray continued, 'I've denied all knowledge, of course.'
Ray was in trouble in both Edinburgh and Macclesfield. He deserved to be in trouble at school, no question about that. But he had not done anything despicable. Could not have. Magnus and Sylvia had known him all their lives. Ray must be going through absolute hell. It took guts to stand up for yourself when you were being done a gross injustice. Magnus said, 'Is that why you're going home? To tell them to their faces?'
'I wouldn't give them the satisfaction! If anyone wants to think…’ Ray said no more but turned his face to the window.
Magnus watched him. Ray was worn out, despite the bravado. He was unshaven and dishevelled, as if he had not slept for a week with worry. Magnus was sorry for him. He would not be able to face his own dear father if he were in Ray's shoes.
Ray glanced back, shrugged and held out his bands, palms upward. 'I hope to God my folks don't think I am responsible,' he said. 'Father's going to be Mayor. I'd never let Mother down.'
'They're on your side,' Magnus said. 'My family says you've been maligned.'
'How do you know?'
'I spoke to Mother and Father on the telephone,' Magnus said. 'They told me. Last night.'
'What did they say?'
'Father said, "It's scandalous. The good name of Chancellor is being besmirched. This vilifying gossip must stop. Ray will come back and put an end to it." Mother said, "It's preposterous, blaming Ray for this girl's death."
Ray was clearly relieved, and Magnus went on, 'Mother said, "Tell Ray to come home. We are all behind him. Nobody in Macclesfield blames Ray. We'll defend him to the end... "
Magnus was getting carried away. What his mother had actually said was, 'No one thinks he's to blame. Tell him not to be afraid to face his accusers.'
Ray sad, 'How about Sylvia?'
'Sylvia thinks the same as Mother.' Magnus had not spoken to Sylvia but Sylvia always thought the same as Mother.
Ray smiled, and Magnus now came straight to the point. 'When you didn't go to rugby practice, where were you?' he said. 'We should have the same story when we get home.'
Ray said, 'I have a friend in Edinburgh. My friend was taken ill. So I went to see… Good Samaritan!' Then he threw back his head and roared with laughter.
'Why didn't you tell the school?' Magnus said.
'Fuck the school!' were Ray's last words.
Chapter Eleven
Shandy met Lily at the Central Station when she arrived back on Sunday afternoon. Since they became friends they had hardly ever been apart.
'Have you heard?' Shandy came running and shouting along the platform, one hand on the door to open it.
Lily was the only passenger. She jumped down and slammed the carriage door. 'Mrs Chancellor?' She had a sinking feeling in her stomach.
Shandy said, 'Everyone's talking about it. Mrs Chancellor wandering. down the platform in the dark, falling on to the line.'
At the thought of all the talk, a wave of disgust washed over Lily. What sort of town was it where rumour circulated faster than the wind? It must be nigh on impossible to keep a secret here. But Mam had kept hers and she herself had told Nanna that gossiping was disgraceful, but she always repeated to Shandy everything Doreen said. They were in the cobbled area of Waters Green. 'Which way? Hundred and Eight steps? Brunswick Hill? 0r the long way, up Churchwallgate?'
'The long way.' Shandy tugged at Lily's arm, pulling her thought the deserted bottom market to the hill that wound steeply to the Market Place.
Lily gazed up at the sheer high wall and the tower of St Michael's, and made up her mind to go to church tonight. It was Palm Sunday and they would sing 'When I survey the Wondrous Cross' one of her favourite hymns. She would sit at the side under the Burne Jones window of the steely, kneeling knight in armour, and pray for Mrs Chancellor who would not get to heaven if she had meant to kill herself. God could read everyone’s thoughts. The church clock said five past five. Evensong was at half past six. The square was quiet and they made their way round the back of the church to Sparrow Park. Tragedy had no place here, for spring had returned and the daffodils were tumbled, muddy and higgledy-piggledy, but still in bloom about the patch of grass and the steep grassy hill under the wall they leaned upon. There was a soft, heather-scented breeze blowing from the hills, warming the earth again, drying cobbles and flagstones in the Waters below.
Lily said, 'What do you think? Do you think Mrs Chancellor killed herself because Ray didn't come?' She waited a moment, then, 'Doreen said Ray Chancellor was under the bridge with Mollie. She said she saw them.'
Shandy said, 'I don't believe a word Doreen Grimshaw says. Ray was on the next train. He came in an hour after his mother had fallen. He was heartbroken. The station lads told our Cyril that Ray was in a terrible state.' She said. 'Doreen's got a wicked tongue. Mollie had to name somebody to her mother and dad, didn't she?'
Impulsively Lily hugged Shandy and kissed her cheek. Of course! Mollie couldn't say it was any old lad. She wouldn't want her parents to think she was a trollop, doing it all over the place. She said, 'I am glad you're my friend, Shandy. You always think the best of everyone.’
'I don't. Not of Doreen Grimshaw.'
'What are you doing later?' Lily asked. 'I'm going to church.’
'You're very religious, Lily. That's what everyone says.'
Lily said, 'It's not only God and praying that I go for. It's the beautiful words and music. I love the boy choristers' singing and chanting and the organ playing.' It was only part of the reason she was going tonight. There was a bit in the Bible that kept coming to mind: 'Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh ,findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.'
When she reached home Lily saw that Mam was·excited, wrought up, standing by the range in the kitchen, one hand on the mantel shelf above the fire. Mam never had a good word to say about Mrs Chancellor and Lily had been worried that she might be stricken with remorse.
She said, 'Oh, Mam! What a terrible thing!'
Mam stamped her cigarette out into the glass ashtray, said nothing but reached for another Craven 'A and held a paper spill out to the flames.
'Sylvia told me. She thought that Mrs Chancellor had lost her mind because Ray didn't come.'
'Did she?' Mam sent a stream of smoke upwards towards the clothes rack. 'I expect everyone has their own ideas.' Mam took a quick, nervous draw on the cigarette. 'It's the finish for Frank. He'll never be Mayor now.'
'Because people think Mrs Chancellor took her own life?' Lily was shocked by Man's hardness. 'She didn't know what she was doing.'
'Sarah Chancellor always knew what she was doing. And why. It's going to make a big difference. Not just to the Leadbetters. John Hammond was here an hour ago,' she said. 'He's an executor of her will. Sarah Chancellor has left a lot of money.'
'I suppose she has...' Lily said.
'She's left money to over a hundred people, John said.' Mam threw this second cigarette into the fire. 'She'll have spread money about so Frank: gets as little as possible. She was a clever woman.'
'Mam! Don't speak ill of the dead.'
Mam wasn't listening. 'We are mentioned. She's left something.'
'Who to?'
'To you and me.' Mam ran her fingers through her hair, making it go straggly. 'It's the will-reading after the funeral on Wednesday afternoon. John says that all the beneficiaries have to be there. Frank will have to close the mill for the day so the workers can go.'
.'I'm too young, aren't I?' she said.
'John says everyone mentioned must go, even infants and minors.'
Wise Child Page 18
