by Joan Jonker
‘Him and Doreen are back together.’ Molly rubbed her arms briskly, sorry now she hadn’t thrown a coat over her shoulders. ‘Talk about love’s young dream, they can’t take their eyes off each other.’
They stopped outside the shop. ‘He’s a good lad, Molly,’ Corker said, ‘Doreen could do a lot worse.’
‘I know.’ Molly wagged a finger into his face. ‘Now go home, Corker, an’ face the music. We’ll see yer tonight.’
As she returned his wave, Molly’s mind was on her pan of stew. Please God, don’t let it have boiled dry.
The family sat around the table, silent as Molly told of Rosemary’s arrival. ‘Me heart went out to the kid, she looked so lonely and miserable. She’s got a pretty face with rosy red cheeks and the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen. But the clothes she had on made her look like an old woman, and I was feeling really sorry for her. That is until we got back to me ma’s and she pulled two ruddy long pins out of the shabby old hat and took it off. Then I was green with envy when a mass of black curls came cascading down around her shoulders. I swear I’ve never seen a head of hair like it in me life.’
‘It’s a big step for a kid of that age,’ Jack said, munching slowly on a piece of liver that was a bit on the tough side. ‘D’yer think she’ll settle down?’
‘Oh, I think so, given time. She looked a bit sad and was very quiet, but I think the busy streets with all the traffic frightened her at first. As me ma said, where she comes from is right in the middle of the country and they’re lucky if they see another living soul for days on end. No shops handy if yer run out of anythin’, an’ no trams or cars. If yer want to get anywhere yer have to use shanks’s pony, or go in the trap.’
‘What’s a trap?’ Tommy asked, his mouth half full. ‘I thought a trap was somethin’ yer caught mice in.’
‘Oh, very funny,’ Molly said. ‘What is it the dairy man uses to deliver his milk? The thing his horse pulls?’
‘Oh, that kind of trap! With seats around the side?’
‘Correct,’ said Molly. ‘See, if yer keep yer ears open, son, yer can learn somethin’ every day.’
Doreen gave her brother a dig. ‘Learn somethin’ every day until ye’re about ninety, our kid, an’ yer could end up a doctor or a solicitor.’
Ruthie’s interest had been roused. ‘Mam, has she brought her pony an’ trap with her?’
Molly laughed as she leaned over and chucked her youngest daughter under the chin. ‘No, sunshine, ye’re not allowed to bring a pony over on the boat.’
‘Is she nice, Mam?’ Jill asked. ‘I mean, is she a happy person? Will she get along with Nanna and Granda?’
‘Get along with them! They’re goin’ to spoil her soft!’ Molly smiled. ‘Yer can’t help but like her, she a lovable lass. An’ dead funny too, some of the things she comes out with are hilarious. Her accent is very thick, but it’s attractive, like me ma’s. She shouldn’t have any trouble gettin’ a job, especially with all the women goin’ in the munitions factories, but she’ll need some decent clothes. I’m hoping you girls will help her out in that department. Doreen, you could run her a couple of dresses up, that would make a difference.’
‘Don’t ask me to do anythin’ this week, Mam,’ Doreen warned. ‘Not while Phil’s home.’
‘I’ll lend her a dress to be going on with,’ Jill offered. ‘There’s that blue one, I haven’t worn it for ages.’
Molly chuckled. ‘She’d make two of you, sunshine! I’ve told yer, she’s a bonny lass!’ Holding up a hand for silence, she cocked her head and listened. ‘I asked Ma to walk her round so yez can all meet her, and this is probably them at the door now.’
Jack dropped his knife and fork and jumped to his feet when Bridie came in, followed by Bob and a very nervous-looking Rosemary. ‘Hello, love,’ he held out his hand, ‘I’m very pleased to meet yer.’
‘Thank you.’ The hand Rosemary held out was shaking but her eyes held his. ‘An’ it’s pleased I am to meet you.’ She saw Molly standing behind Jack and a smile lit up her face. ‘Hello, Auntie Molly, it’s meself, so it is.’
Tommy raised his head and sniggered. ‘An’ here’s me thinkin’ it was the woman next door.’
‘I’m surprised at yer, Tommy Bennett!’ Bridie said. ‘Sure there was no call at all to say such a thing.’
‘It was only a joke, Auntie Bridget,’ Rosemary said, smiling at Tommy’s bowed head. ‘An’ I thought it was funny, so I did.’
Bob had taken his overcoat off and he handed it to Jack to hang on the hall-stand. ‘Well you know who Tommy is now, so let me introduce you to the rest of the family. Jill is the eldest, then there’s Doreen, and this little lady is the baby of the family, Ruthie.’
‘Sit down an’ make yerselves at home,’ Molly said. ‘I’ll just clear the dishes away and make the place look a bit tidy.’
Tommy pushed his chair back and picked up his plate. ‘I’ll take this out an’ then I’m goin’ up to Ginger’s.’
‘Oh, no you’re not!’ Molly shot him daggers before stacking the plates. ‘Yer’ll sit down with our visitors for a while.’
‘I’ll take the dishes out, Mam.’ Jill took them from her mother. ‘You sit yourself down.’
‘And I’ll shake the cloth in the yard.’ Doreen leaned over to take the cloth by the four corners. ‘Phil’s pickin’ me up in about half an hour, we’re going to Barlow’s Lane.’
‘He’ll not mind waiting,’ Molly said, flopping into her chair. ‘You can spare a few minutes.’
Rosemary had been watching with wonder. She’d only ever been to the pictures a few times in her life because the nearest picture house was forty miles away from where she lived, but she thought Jill and Doreen looked like film stars with their slim figures, long blonde hair and pretty faces. And the dresses they had on, sure she’d never seen anything like them. ‘’Tis a foine-looking family yer have, Auntie Molly, an’ no mistake. An’ I’d not be tellin’ lies, so I wouldn’t, if I said I’ve never seen a finer.’
Tommy folded his arms and rolled his eyes to the ceiling. How long was his mother going to make him sit and listen to this rubbish? He didn’t like girls at the best of times, but this one was more of a pain in the neck than the rest of them put together.
‘Looks are not everythin’, Rosemary,’ Bridie said. ‘It’s what is inside that counts.’
‘Wasn’t me mammy an’ me dadda always tellin’ me the same thing?’ With her mass of thick curly hair swirling about her shoulders and her deep blue eyes alive with interest, Rosemary smiled. ‘But isn’t it nice when the eyes have somethin’ beautiful to look at? Sure the good Lord put a lot of beautiful things on this earth an’ He wouldn’t like it altogether if we didn’t appreciate them.’
Jill and Doreen had come back to sit by the table and found themselves drawn to the lovely, lilting Irish brogue, and the warmth of the smile on Rosemary’s face. ‘Yer have three lovely daughters, Auntie Molly, so yer have. And Tommy’s as foine a figure of a man as yer’ll meet in many a long day.’
While the rest of the family spluttered with laughter, Tommy appealed to his mother. ‘Mam, will yer shut her up?’
‘Sure being handsome isn’t somethin’ to be ashamed of, Tommy, not at all.’ Rosemary wasn’t about to be shut up. ‘There’s nothing but truth in me words … you’re a foine figure of a man.’ She leaned back in her chair, smiling. ‘As me mammy would say, you’re “beef to the heel, like a Mullingar heifer”.’
Molly had her head in her hands, weak with laughter, so she missed the dark look on Tommy’s face. But when she heard his chair scraping back, she looked up just in time to see the withering look of disgust he threw Rosemary’s way before fleeing the room.
But even though she could hear him running up the stairs, Rosemary wasn’t finished with the poor lad. ‘D’yer have a girlfriend, Tommy?’ The room erupted. Jack had his head thrown back, banging his fists on the arm of his chair, while Bob leaned his elbows on his knees and covered his face with
his hands. Bridie was wiping her eyes with a wisp of a handkerchief and Jill and Doreen had their faces down on the table, their bodies shaking with laughter. Ruthie came to sit on Molly’s knee, and although she couldn’t make head nor tail of it, the laughter was infectious and she rocked with her mother.
Rosemary had a wide grin on her bonny face. She didn’t think she’d said anything funny, but was glad that whatever it was had caused so much happiness. She’d ask Auntie Bridget when they got home. After all, she only asked if Tommy had a girlfriend, because if he hadn’t she’d like to fill the post. She was fifteen, and in Ireland you could go courting at fifteen.
Molly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She looked across at Rosemary and told herself this girl was going to bring laughter with her wherever she went. She’ll do for me, she thought, but I can’t speak for our Tommy.
Upstairs Tommy stood by the window in the bedroom that had a partition running down the middle. His father had put it up when he got too big to sleep in the same room as his sisters.
Girls! He hated girls! And that one downstairs, she was the worst of the lot! He’d make sure he was out when she came round, in future. But the trouble was, he loved his nanna and granda, and now she was living with them! It meant he couldn’t go there any more, and that was a further black mark against her. Why couldn’t she have stayed in Ireland where she belonged? Anyway, she wasn’t going to spoil his night. He’d creep down the stairs and make his way up to his mate Ginger’s. You knew where you were with a bloke.
Steve and Phil came out of their houses at the same time and met up outside the Bennetts’ house. ‘Aren’t we lucky having girlfriends who live on our doorstep?’ Steve laughed. ‘Saves a lot of money on tram fares.’
‘On shoe leather too,’ Phil nodded. ‘You can walk yerself home at the same time yer walk them home.’
‘Don’t let on, though,’ Steve said with a wink as they waited for the door to be opened. ‘They might think that’s all we chose them for.’
The sight of the two tall handsome young men, one dark and one blond, took away Rosemary’s power of speech. Her head was whirling as she thought of all the things she had to write home about. How all the people in Liverpool lived in grand houses with electric lights, and when you went to the privy you just had to pull on the handle of a chain. And how all the people were beautiful to look at, wore nice clothes and laughed a lot.
She was shy when she shook hands with the two men, and when they said they were pleased to meet her and hoped she’d settle down in Liverpool, she thanked them before lapsing into silence. No, she wouldn’t tell her mammy about the nice clothes, it wouldn’t be fair. Hadn’t all the family had to go without to scrape the fare together to send her to England? But when Jill and Doreen were leaving with their boyfriends, she couldn’t help comparing their clothes to the ones she was wearing. The long black skirt and knitted shawl looked fine back home, but here she felt out of place in them. Still, never mind, she’d try and get herself a job as soon as she could and save up hard, so she could send money home to help the family, and buy herself a nice dress.
‘Rosemary.’ Bob had wriggled to the end of the couch. The lass looked worn out, it was time they went home. ‘Rosemary!’
But the girl was miles away, lost in thought.
Bridie touched her arm. ‘Uncle Bob’s been calling you, sweetheart, didn’t you hear him?’
‘No, I didn’t, Auntie Bridget, I’m very sorry.’ She put a hand over her mouth to stifle a yawn. ‘I’m not used to getting me full title, yer see. Back home everyone calls me Rosie.’
‘Oh sweetheart, why didn’t you say? We were told in the letter your name was Rosemary, so we just took it for granted!’ Bridie patted her hand. ‘From now on, you’ll be Rosie to all of us an’ that’ll make yer feel more at home.’
‘You must be tired out, lass,’ Bob said, ‘let’s get you home to bed.’
‘Ye’re not goin’ out of my house without havin’ a cup of tea! What would the neighbours say!’ Molly sprang to her feet and pushed Ruthie towards Jack. ‘It’s way past her bedtime, love, will yer take her up for us while I put the kettle on?’
Molly was carrying a tray through when the knocker went. ‘Oh God, who can it be now?’
‘I’ll get it,’ Jack called, jumping down the last three stairs. ‘It’s probably yer mate, Nellie.’
But it was Corker, and he had a merry glint in his eye. ‘I’ve called in to see the pretty Irish colleen.’
Rosie was telling herself she’d seen some grand sights today, but when she saw Corker bending his head to get through the doorway she had to rub her eyes to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. Grand houses, beautiful people … but giants?
‘Hello, me darlin’.’ Corker lifted her bodily out of the chair and held her just above the ground. ‘Are yer goin’ to give yer uncle Corker a kiss?’
Looking down into the weather-beaten, hairy face and seeing the merry twinkle in his eyes, she gave a hearty laugh, the sound clear as a bell. ‘Sure now, me mammy said I hadn’t to speak to any strange men, so she did, but I didn’t hear her mention anythin’ about giants. Mind you, perhaps she doesn’t know that yer have giants in Liverpool.’ She pulled a face when her lips came into contact with his moustache. ‘Ooh, it tickles.’
Corker set her down. ‘Pretty as a picture you are, me darlin’. With that hair an’ those eyes, yer’ll have all the fellers in Liverpool after yer.’
Molly was pulling on Corker’s arm. ‘Have yer been to Ellen’s?’ The big man shook his head as he rubbed the side of his nose. ‘I met Tommy goin’ up to Ginger’s an’ he told me about Rosemary. He was so full of it, I thought I’d call an’ see her for meself.’
‘There’s a little story behind that, but I’ll tell yer next time I see yer.’ Molly turned to Rosie and winked before looking back at Corker. ‘When ye’re belting out “Sweet Rosie O’Grady” in the pub on Saturday night, don’t be surprised if our Rosie comes a running ’cos she’ll think ye’re callin’ her.’
Chapter Seven
Molly pulled the door shut behind her, feeling well pleased with herself. It was only ten o’clock and she’d done all her work. Beds made, washing on the line, everywhere dusted and polished until you could see your face in it, spuds peeled and a bacon shank in steep to get some of the salt out. ‘Up in the mornin’s the game,’ she said cheerfully as she walked to Nellie’s door and hammered on the knocker. ‘Get nowt done sittin’ on yer backside with yer feet up.’
She grinned when Nellie opened the door in all her glory. Her turban was skew-whiff, covering only one side of her head; streaks of coal dust covered her face and arms; a length of string was tied around her waist to keep her wraparound pinny in place; and one of her scruffy carpet slippers had a hole in the toe and was missing its red bobble. ‘My God Nellie, yer wouldn’t win any fashion contests looking like that.’ Molly eyed her from head to toe. ‘Yer look like Cinderella waitin’ for her fairy godmother to appear with her magic wand. And it would have to be a bloody good magic wand to turn you into a princess.’
Nellie folded her arms and leaned against the door jamb. ‘Is that all yer’ve come for, girl, to insult me? If someone’s rubbed yer up the wrong way an’ yer’ve got a cob on, why didn’t yer just kick the cat? Would ’ave saved yer gettin’ yerself all dolled up to walk the few yards to my house.’
‘I thought about kickin’ the cat, then remembered we didn’t have one,’ Molly grinned. ‘No, I haven’t got a cob on, sunshine, in fact I’m feeling on top of the world! An’ when I’m in a happy mood, who do I want to share it with but me best mate.’
‘If it was a slab of Cadbury’s yer wanted to share, girl, I’d invite yer in. But unless yer feel like gettin’ down on yer hands and knees and scrubbin’ me kitchen floor, then sharing yer happy mood will have to wait until later, when I’ve got all me work done.’ Nellie drew herself up to her full height. ‘Come back in an hour an’ yer won’t know me. I’ll look like one of them mannequi
n dummies yer see in the windows of those posh shops down Bold Street.’
‘You don’t need fancy clothes, sunshine, ye’re beautiful enough without them.’ Molly shivered suddenly. ‘The winter hasn’t half settled in, it’s quite nippy out.’
‘Then why the ’ell didn’t yer stay in by the fire?’
‘I want to go round to me ma’s to see how they’re gettin’ on. I just hope the extra work isn’t too much for her and me da.’
‘My impression of Rosemary was that she’ll be more help than hindrance. I really took to the kid.’ A slow smile crossed Nellie’s face. ‘Mind you, I’m not much good at judging characters, am I? Look who I picked for me mate!’
‘Cheeky article!’ Molly grinned. ‘Anyway, she doesn’t like her full name, so it’s Rosie from now on. Rosie O’Grady.’
‘Go ’way! That’s not her name, is it?’
‘It is, sunshine, an’ if yer make any cracks in her presence, I’ll flatten yer.’
‘I won’t make any cracks, girl, ’cos I think she suits it. I mean, it wouldn’t suit you or me, but she looks the part.’
‘Anyway, the real reason I called is to talk about the blackout curtains. I lay in bed last night working it out. Mr Henry is due to collect the rent today, so how about asking if we can miss him this week and you an’ me go for the material?’
‘Yer mean none of us pay?’ Nellie pulled a face. ‘He wouldn’t be very happy about that!’
‘Me ma will be paying, an’ I imagine Miss Clegg and Mary will. It’s only you, me and Ellen that are the poor relations.’
‘I’ll do whatever you say, girl.’ Nellie thought about it, then nodded. ‘It probably would be a good idea to get it now ’cos if we leave it till the last minute they might be sold out.’
‘Right, that settles it, we’ll go for it tomorrow.’ Molly turned to walk away. ‘I’ll see yer later, but if Mr Henry calls before I get back, tell him we’re not paying.’
