by Joan Jonker
The woman approaching them lived three doors down from Kate, and was in her early sixties. She had snow white hair that was always untidy, was small in stature, as thin as a rake, and always on the go. Every one of her movements was quick and jerky, making her look like a puppet worked by strings. She had never had any children so when her husband had died two years ago she was left alone in the world. This was enough for Kate to have time and sympathy for the woman. ‘Go ’way, she’s not that bad! She’s no worse for jangling than we are. I know she talks a lot, but you and me can beat her on that score.’
‘Hello Kate, Monica, are yer off to the shops, then?’ Winnie didn’t have a tooth in her mouth. What she did have were two rows of false teeth which at that moment were in a glass of water at the side of her bed. She hated the things and only wore them on high days and holidays. ‘I got out early and have done enough shopping to last a few days.’
‘We’re late, ’cos we got held back,’ Monica said before hinting, ‘so it’s going to be a rush now getting to the shops before they close.’
There were daggers in the look Kate gave her friend. There was no need to be so curt with the woman. ‘A couple of minutes aren’t going to hurt, so stop fussing. Anyhow, how are yer keeping, Winnie?’
‘I’m fine, queen, can’t complain. Everyone has their own bleedin’ problems, no one wants to hear mine. And as long as I wake up each morning to find I haven’t died in me sleep, then that suits me.’
Although Monica’s smile was reluctant, she couldn’t stop it putting in an appearance. ‘I think yer’d have a job, girl, to wake up and find yer had died in the night.’
Winnie’s two sets of gums were exposed. ‘Ye’re right there, queen, it would be a bleedin’ miracle! I might even end up on the front page of the News of the World! I’ve always wanted to be famous.’
‘A fat lot of good it would do yer if yer were dead,’ Kate said. ‘Anyway, can’t we find something more pleasant to talk about than death?’
‘Yes, queen, we can talk about how nice it’ll be when the summer comes. It won’t be long now, and I’ll be able to go out and show off me figure.’
‘What figure’s that, girl?’ Monica asked. ‘There’s not a pick on yer.’ She dropped her head back and roared with laughter at what she was thinking. ‘Me and Kate are going for a sheet of ribs which will have more meat on than you’ve got.’
‘There’s good stuff in little parcels, queen, like my husband used to tell me. And while your sheet of ribs will be history by eight o’clock tonight, I’ll still be here.’
Kate decided they’d better move on. ‘We’re going to have to make tracks now, Winnie, but I hope yer wake up every morning to find yer haven’t died in yer sleep.’
‘Yeah,’ Monica said. ‘Especially with the summer nearly here, we wouldn’t want yer to miss that.’ She put a hand on Kate’s arm and jerked her head. ‘Betty Blackmore has just come out of the side entry, shall we wait for her?’
‘We can do, keep her company.’ Kate had been thinking a lot about Betty, knowing how hurt and upset she must be about her daughter expecting a baby. ‘We can walk to the shops with her.’
Winnie glanced at the woman who was walking down the opposite side of the street. ‘Someone should tell her to keep an eye on that daughter of hers before she gets herself into trouble.’
‘What makes yer say that, sunshine?’ Kate asked with surprise. ‘Why would Betty’s daughter get herself into trouble?’
‘I’m not saying any more, queen, perhaps I shouldn’t have said what I did. I should mind me own business and let others get on with theirs. I’ll see yer again, ta-ra.’ With that, Winnie left the two friends standing staring at each other in amazement.
‘I wonder what made her say that?’ Kate said. ‘I thought no one knew about Margaret yet?’
‘They don’t, and neither does Winnie. She said the girl would be getting into trouble, not that she was in trouble. Anyway let’s talk about it later, here’s Betty.’
Chapter Three
The two friends walked either side of Betty and each laid a hand on her arm to slow her down. ‘Take it easy, girl, we can’t keep up with yer!’ Monica said. ‘What’s the hurry, anyway?’
‘It’s me nerves, Monica, I’ve been like this for nearly two weeks now – darting down entries ’cos I’m afraid of bumping into anyone I know. I feel so ashamed I can’t look anyone in the face.’
‘I thought yer hadn’t told anyone yet?’
‘I haven’t, only a couple of me best friends. So God knows what I’ll be like when our Margaret starts showing, I’ll be frightened to cross me front door step then.’
‘Don’t be silly, Betty, there’s no need for yer to sneak around like a thief in the night, yer’ve done nothing wrong.’ Kate was very sympathetic when she saw how upset the woman was. After all, the poor soul was being made to suffer for something over which she had no control. ‘Hold yer head high, sunshine, and let people see ye’re not going to let it affect yer. I know ye’re going to stand by yer daughter, and that’s something yer can be proud of.’
‘I wouldn’t mind so much if we knew who the father of the baby is. I mean, it would still be bad, but not as bad as the child being born illegitimate. Our Margaret insists it can only be Greg Corbett, ’cos he’s the only boy she’s been out with. And I’ve never known her to tell lies, so I believe her. Not that it does much good when the lad flatly denies all knowledge of it. We’ve tried to get her to see him, face to face, thinking he might admit it if she’s standing in front of him. But she’s too afraid. I don’t think she’s had a wink of sleep for weeks, worrying about when she starts to show and the girls she works with find out.’
They came to a halt outside the butcher’s shop. ‘This is where we part company, Betty, but any time yer feel like talking to someone, yer can always come to my house,’ Monica told her. ‘And for heaven’s sake, stop worrying because it won’t do yer any good. It certainly won’t get yer anywhere.’
‘It’ll get me and Jack to an early grave, girl, ’cos we’re both out of our minds. We never thought we’d come to this.’
‘Listen, sunshine, your Margaret isn’t the only one this has happened to and she won’t be the last.’ Kate wished she had a magic wand to waft away this woman’s heartache. ‘I bet any money that all this will be forgotten once the baby arrives. Yer’ll love it, and yer’ll make the best grandparents in the neighbourhood.’
There was a catch in Betty’s voice when she said, ‘Thanks, girl, I’ll keep that in me mind. It might make life a bit easier.’
‘Yer can keep this in mind, too,’ Monica told her. ‘Me and Kate will start knitting matinee coats and other little things, and we’ll be proud to be aunties to the new arrival.’
Betty waved them away, but there was a faint smile on her face. ‘Go on, the pair of yer, yer’ll have me bawling me eyes out.’
‘Ta-ra then, Betty, but you look after yerself.’ And as the woman walked away, Monica called after her, ‘Don’t forget, me front door is always open.’
Bob the butcher was wearing a cheeky grin. ‘Is that invitation open to everyone, Monica?’
There was a blank look on her face. ‘What invitation?’
‘That yer front door is always open! But could yer tell me if I’d need to buy a ticket?’
‘Sod off, Bob Grisedale!’ Monica placed her basket on the counter. ‘For your information the invitation is for ladies only.’
‘What about you, Kate?’ The butcher was thinking that if her front door was always open, with those good looks there’d be a queue outside all day and every day. ‘Is your door always open?’
‘The only door in my house which is always on the latch is the door of the lavvy at the bottom of the yard. But ye’re quite welcome to use it.’ Kate didn’t like being looked up and down, it made her feel uncomfortable. ‘And I only charge a penny if yer bring yer own paper.’
Monica chortled. ‘That’s put you in yer place, me laddo. The tro
uble with you, Bob, is ye’re too fond of the ladies and think ye’re God’s gift to women. And now, if yer can tear yer eyes away from me mate’s legs and put them back in their sockets, we’d like two sheets of ribs. And they have to be exactly the same weight otherwise there’ll be holy murder.’ She took her purse out of the basket. ‘Come on, girl, let’s see how much we’ve got between us. Don’t forget we have to buy bread as well as cabbage.’
Bob held his hands up, a sheet of ribs in each. ‘There yer are, ladies, there’s no difference in the weight of these, and they’re both lean. In fact, they could be twins.’
‘How much for the two?’ Monica asked bluntly. ‘We’re counting our coppers.’
The butcher put both sheets on the scale. ‘They should be three and ninepence, but seeing they’re for you, yer can have them for three and a tanner.’
‘We’ll take them,’ Kate said. ‘And will yer chop both sheets in two, like yer always do?’ She glanced at her friend. ‘We might just about make it, but if not I’ll come back later for whatever we’re short of. I’ll have the money from Vi by then. Is that okay with you?’
‘All right, girl, yer’ve no need to bawl me blinking head off! I don’t know why ye’re looking at me like that, I haven’t said anything to get yer knickers in a twist.’
The cheeky smile was back on the butcher’s face. ‘Ah, are yer knickers in a twist, Kate? Can I be of any assistance?’
She looked at his eager face and burst out laughing. ‘Ye’re all talk, Bob Grisedale! If I said I’d be grateful for your assistance, yer’d faint.’
‘Not until I’ve got the money for the ribs I wouldn’t, Kate. I might fancy yer like mad but I’ve got a wife and three children to think of. They like to eat, yer see, and I need the lolly to feed them.’
Monica handed over the right money. ‘Me heart bleeds for yer, Bob. The thought of your wife and kids starving will come between me and me sleep.’
Bob made sure his assistant was coping with the other customers passing in and out before saying, ‘Blimey, yer mustn’t half live a very dull life! If you’re laying in bed next to your feller, and all yer can think of is my wife and kids, then yer can tell Tom from me that there’s something he’s not doing right.’
Monica wasn’t going to have that. ‘Ay, my feller doesn’t need lessons from you, mate! In fact, I bet he could teach yer a thing or two.’
‘Excuse me for interrupting,’ Kate said, ‘but can we go now, sunshine, before the conversation gets any more personal?’
‘Ooh, ay, look, she’s blushing!’ Bob threw his head back and roared. ‘It’s not often yer see a woman blush.’
The assistant and the customer he was serving turned their eyes on Kate. They were both used to Bob’s bawdy humour, as were most people who came in the shop, and thought nothing of it. But this customer came out on Kate’s side. ‘That’s because this woman is also a lady.’
‘Oh, thank you!’ Kate did a curtsy. ‘That’s very kind of you.’
‘Yer should be used to me by now, Kate,’ Bob said, looking a little bit sheepish. ‘I didn’t mean no harm.’
‘I know yer didn’t, sunshine. If I thought yer did, I’d have clocked yer one.’ Kate picked up her basket and linked arms with her mate. ‘Come on, sunshine, we’re running late. See yer again, Bob, ta-ra.’
The two friends were still laughing as they made their way home. ‘Just fancy, all we’ve got between us is three-ha’pence,’ Kate said. ‘Talk about being poverty-stricken isn’t in it.’
‘I think we did very well.’ Monica nodded for emphasis. ‘We got everything we wanted and we’ll have a couple of coppers in our purse when Vi pays us for the ribs. Not a bad day’s work, eh, girl?’
Kate was in full agreement. ‘Excellent is the word, I think.’
‘Well now, perhaps not excellent. That would mean it had been perfect, and the morning was anything but perfect, thanks to you. In fact, yer made a right pig’s ear of it and I was stuck in the middle. So I think yer owe me, missus. And a good way of paying me back is to invite me into yours for a well-deserved cuppa.’
‘Yeah, okay, that’s fine by me. So if you’ll call into the corner shop and see Vi, I’ll go home and put the kettle on. And I’ll put the ribs in steep while I’m at it. Then I’ll have to see to me washing before it gets too late to put it out.’
‘Don’t worry about that, girl, it won’t take us long. Once I’ve had a cuppa and a biscuit to dunk, I’ll be full of the joys of spring. I’ll be fighting fit and as fresh as a daisy.’
‘Yer’ll be all those things after one gingersnap? Ay, if I give yer two, will yer do cartwheels down the street?’
The two women came to a halt, bent over with laughter. ‘Only if yer promise to get Bob the butcher to come and see me.’ Monica rocked to and fro. ‘And charge him, ’cos I’ll have me best fleecy drawers on.’
‘Ha-ha,’ Kate chortled. ‘In that case I think yer’d have to pay him to look, never mind you charging him. I don’t think fleecy drawers are his cup of tea, even if they are yer best ones.’
Monica straightened up and wiped the back of a hand across her eyes. ‘Ooh, I enjoyed that laugh. As good as a dose of Carter’s Little Liver Pills any day. But time is marching on and we’ve work to do. So I’ll nip into the corner shop while you go home and put the kettle on.’
There was a smile on Kate’s face as she walked down the street. It was still there when Monica came in fifteen minutes later. ‘I didn’t expect yer to be so long, the tea’s been made for a while now. But I’ve had the cosy over it, so it should still be hot.’
‘Vi kept me talking. But it was worth it ’cos she gave me a packet of custard creams to share between the two of us. She said she usually gives a kid a ha’penny for going on a message for her, but she thought we were a bit old for that.’ Monica pulled out a chair and sat down with a sigh of relief. ‘Ooh, isn’t it good to take the weight off yer feet?’
Kate held out her hand. ‘Pass the biscuits over and we can have a couple now with our tea. Any left we’ll divide between us.’
A minute later the friends faced each other across the table, cups of tea to hand. Kate was looking very thoughtful, as though her mind was miles away.
‘What are yer thinking about, girl? Whatever it is, let’s in on it, yer know we don’t have secrets from each other.’
‘Well, if yer must know, I was thinking about Winnie and what she said about Betty’s daughter. I mean, yer must admit it wasn’t something anyone would say if they didn’t have a reason. I wonder if she knows anything?’
‘She can’t do, if she doesn’t even know Margaret’s in the family way. Perhaps she doesn’t like Betty, and just said the first thing that came into her head,’ Monica replied. ‘I know yer don’t agree with me, but I think Winnie Cartwright likes to cause trouble.’
‘I don’t know why yer think that about her, there’s nothing wrong with the woman! She’d rather do yer a good turn than a bad one any day. And yer’ve no reason to say she’s a troublemaker ’cos I bet there’s not one instance yer can tell me where she caused trouble.’
‘She spends her life jangling!’ Monica wasn’t going to be convinced otherwise. ‘And it can only be gossip, ’cos she never goes anywhere and I don’t think she’s got many friends.’
‘That’s where ye’re wrong, sunshine, ’cos she’s got me and our Nancy. And most of the neighbours speak well of her.’
‘Your Nancy!’ Monica’s voice rose in disbelief. ‘Your Nancy’s only a child, she’s too young to be able to suss people out. And why would she like an old lady anyway?’
‘Because, unlike you, she can see the goodness in Winnie. You’ve made up yer mind yer don’t like her, for some reason known only to yerself, and yer won’t even look for her good points.’ Kate tutted. ‘Anyway, that’s up to you, I’m not going to fall out with yer over it. But I’m still curious about what she said about Betty’s daughter. In fact, I’m so intrigued I think I’ll nip down there after I’ve
got our dinner over, and ask her.’
‘Huh! She’ll tell yer to mind yer own business.’ Monica wasn’t going to give way on her view of Winnie Cartwright. ‘Ten to one yer’ll get nothing out of her because she doesn’t know anything. She was just being nasty perhaps because she doesn’t like Betty.’
But Kate had other ideas which she wasn’t inclined to share with her friend right now. ‘Ye’re on, Monica, I’ll take yer up on that bet. Ten to one I’ll get something out of her. If I don’t, I’ll give yer tenpence. But if I do, yer’ll have to stand by the deal and fork out tenpence to me.’
‘I’ll agree in words, girl, but as we’re both strapped for cash there’s no point in agreeing to part with tenpence. So we’d better settle for a tuppenny slab of Cadbury’s.’
Kate pushed herself to her feet and reached for the cups and saucers. ‘If I don’t get cracking, that washing will still be in the tub when John gets home from work. And yer can’t move out there with the ruddy tub taking up all the room. So are yer going to help me put the clothes through the mangle then I can get them on the line?’
‘Ye’re a slave driver, Kate Spencer, but a promise is a promise and I’ll not go back on it or yer’ll call me all the names under the sun. So it’s all hands to the pump for the next half-hour. Then I’ll get back to me own house, ’cos I’ve got work to do as well, yer know, missus!’
Kate waited until the dinner was over and all the dishes washed. Then she said, ‘I’m just slipping down to see Winnie Cartwright, I shouldn’t be long.’
‘I’ll come with yer, Mam,’ Nancy said, her face brightening. ‘I like Mrs Cartwright, she always makes me laugh.’
‘No, not this time, sunshine, ’cos she’s not expecting me and I don’t think she’d appreciate two of us landing on her. Another time, perhaps.’
Billy didn’t care who went where ’cos in his pocket, wrapped in a piece of cloth, was the prized marble. Pete said his father wouldn’t let him play with it for real again in case someone won it off him. His dad said he’d never get another one like it and should hang on to it. So Pete, being Billy’s best mate, had told him he would lend it to him for a few days. Since he’d got home from school he’d washed it under the tap three times and polished it with a cloth so there wasn’t a mark on it. ‘I’ll be going out to play, Mam, but I’ll only be in the street if yer want me.’
