Meadow Lane

by Maureen Reynolds

  Do you live here?’

  Tommy said they did. ‘I’m Thomasina but get called Tommy and this is my pal Evelyn who gets called Evie. We live at the other end of the lane. My mum and dad are called Anna and Thomas Cassidy and Evie’s mum and dad are called Grace and Bill Gow.’

  Evie waited with bated breath in case she also mentioned her birthday but thankfully she didn’t, mainly because, at that moment, Eliza appeared as if she was going out to the shops. Tommy opened her mouth to do the introductions but Eliza was too quick for her.

  ‘Hello, are you our new neighbours? Albert next door to us told us you were moving in soon. I’m Eliza and I live with my mother Martha who will be pleased to meet you soon. She’s housebound so she can’t come out to say hello.’ All the time Eliza was chattering she was watching all the furniture being carried into the empty house. Although she had pretended to be out to do her shopping, the truth was she had been sweeping her front doorstep when she spotted the van and had overheard Tommy. Hurrying inside she had told her

  mother about the new arrivals.

  ‘Go outside, Eliza, and tell me all about their furniture and belongings. Mind and ask them to call on me when they’ve got settled.’

  Morag and Rory excused themselves as they said they had to help the removal men. ‘I want to make sure they put everything where I want it to be,’ said Morag with a smile. ‘It’s lovely meeting you all and we hope to see more of you soon.’

  They disappeared into the house and Eliza retreated back to her front door, forgetting in her hurry to mention that she was supposed to be going out. As she passed the window, she glanced inside and the young couple waved. Eliza made some hand motions to convey she had forgotten something but the couple began to talk to the young removal lad and Eliza had the grace to blush.

  While all this was going on, Evie and Tommy stood watching Eliza’s charade and they started to laugh as they made their way along the lane.

  Meanwhile Martha was eagerly awaiting her daughter to come and tell her all the news. ‘Your face is all red, Eliza, what’s the matter?’

  ‘I pretended to be going to the shops but they saw me heading back here. They’ll be thinking I’m some nosey parker.’

  Martha wasn’t interested in what they thought. ‘Well, what kind of furniture do they have, is it all new or old fashioned like ours?’

  ‘No, it all looks brand new and it’s that new contemporary style like we saw in that advert in the paper. It’s all light wood and not heavy looking like ours.’

  Martha lay back on her chair. ‘Our furniture isn’t heavy looking, it’s just well made to last a lifetime.’

  Quite so, thought Eliza, although I quite fancy that new style instead of the dark wooden chairs, table and sideboard which took an age to polish, especially the fancy scrolls on the chair legs and sideboard doors.

  Martha said, ‘I like it when there’s a bit of excitement in the lane because nothing ever happens here.’

  12

  On Sunday morning, Tommy rushed in to see Evie wearing a new dress and shoes.

  ‘A happy birthday, Tommy,’ said Grace as she cleared the breakfast table.

  Tommy did a twirl in her new frock. ‘This is my present from Mum and Dad, isn’t it lovely?’ Evie said the dress was indeed lovely. It was a cotton floral frock with a full skirt and a white net underskirt, more appropriate for summer than March but it suited Tommy with her dark hair. Evie handed over her card and crepe paper wrapped present and Tommy’s eyes widened in surprise at the package with its silver ribbon. ‘Oh, Evie, what a super present.’

  Evie said she hoped she liked it but Tommy seemed engrossed in the wrapping. ‘Do you mind if I don’t open it as I want Mum and Dad to see it.’ She rushed out again.

  ‘That girl is like a whirlwind,’ said Bill, laughing.

  Grace wanted to know, ‘Is she having a party, Evie?’

  ‘No, Mum, but Anna said we were to go in later in the afternoon.’

  ‘I’m going to see Maryanne this afternoon but I’ll pop in afterwards and give her my present and card. I got her a box of chocolates so I hope she likes them,’ said Grace, stacking the dishes by the kitchen sink. ‘I thought with the appetite she always has she would like sweets.’ Evie said she would.

  The door opened and Tommy reappeared, wearing her everyday clothes of a skirt and jumper. ‘Mum said I’ve got to keep my dress for this afternoon.’

  Grace said she wanted to see Anna so she left the girls playing a game while Bill settled down by the fire. He loved Sundays as it was good to have a day off work, especially in the winter and spring with all the frozen pipes.

  Anna and Thomas were finishing their breakfast and Grace sat down with a cup of tea. ‘I’m going to see Maryanne this afternoon, Anna, as I got a couple of presents from Bella and Albert. Also a letter came from Sadie yesterday so I’ll take it up as well.’

  ‘I can’t manage, Grace, as I’ve said I would put on a wee party for Tommy. It’s just you, Bill and Evie plus your mother as she came in the shop yesterday and said she had promised to make a cake for Tommy and she’ll bring it with her.’

  After Grace left, Anna tidied up the kitchen, made some cheese and Branston pickle bridge rolls and placed beside them a selection of cakes she had bought from the bakery. Thomas watched all this. ‘Can we afford all this, Anna?’

  Anna gave him an exasperated look. ‘I got the rolls and cakes at a cut price because they weren’t sold as we were closing for the day and I bought the dress and shoes from McGills store and the agent will call every Friday night to collect a weekly payment.’

  Thomas nodded. ‘It’s just that you are always saying we’re hard up.’

  ‘I’ve been working extra hours, Thomas, but I don’t expect you’ve noticed. I’m thinking of asking for a full-time job as Tommy always goes in with Evie after school and I don’t think Grace will mind.’

  ‘Well, maybe you should ask her first,’ he said.

  Later, Grace made her way to the infirmary for the afternoon visiting hour. Maryanne’s ward lay up a couple of flights of stairs and along a corridor. She was slightly out of breath when she reached the bed and once again her heart sank when she saw the patient who didn’t look much better than the last time she had seen her. However, she put on a bright smile.

  ‘Hullo, Maryanne, how are feeling today?’

  Maryanne turned her weary looking face and said she didn’t feel any better.

  ‘Are you managing to eat?’

  Maryanne shook her head. ‘No, not much. It’s just that I still feel so sore and I’m even frightened to cough in case I burst my stitches.’

  Grace was sympathetic. ‘Just give it time, Maryanne.’ She held out the box of chocolates and the two presents from Bella. ‘Here’s something to cheer you up.’ She thought Maryanne was about to cry as she opened the gifts.

  ‘Everyone is so kind. I’m really lucky to have such good friends.’

  Grace took the bottle of cologne and opened it. ‘I’ll dab some on your forehead and that’ll make you feel better.’ Maryanne lay back on her pillows and let Grace sprinkle some on her handkerchief. The aroma did seem to perk her up until Grace handed over the letter from Sadie. ‘This came yesterday and I posted your letter to her but I don’t expect she got it before this arrived.’

  Maryanne took the letter and put it on her locker. ‘I’ll read it later, Grace.’

  Grace stood up. ‘I better get off as it’s Tommy’s tenth birthday today and we’ve been invited to her party this afternoon.’

  Maryanne struggled to sit up. ‘Thanks for coming and give Tommy my good wishes.’

  By the time Grace arrived home, Bill, Evie and her granny were all in the Cassidys’ house. The table had a white cloth on it and in the centre was an iced sponge cake with ten candles which Evelyn had baked. Tommy was wearing her new dress and shoes and everyone clapped when she blew out all the candles with one blow. She was as high as a kite as she opened all her cards and gifts. W
hen it came to Evie’s present she carefully removed the paper and ribbon, saying she was going to keep them in her drawer. When she took out the sparkly hair slide she gave a whoop of delight. ‘I’ve been looking at this in the window every week, oh thank you so much, Evie.’ She clipped it onto her hair and it did look lovely. She went to the mirror above the fireplace and twisted her head back and forth to catch the gleam from the slide. She went back to Evie and hugged her. ‘Thank you so much, I just love it and I’m going to wear it for ever. It must have been dear and I hope you didn’t spend all your money on it.’

  Evie was pleased by her reaction to the present but she merely shrugged. ‘No, it was worth it as I knew you would like it.’

  ‘Oh I do, I do.’

  Everyone laughed. Then the bridge rolls were handed round and Anna cut the birthday cake and they all said how tasty it was, much to Evelyn’s delight. ‘I did say away back in January that I would make a cake for you, do you remember, Tommy?’

  ‘Yes I do but I thought you would forget.’

  Evelyn said nothing but her expression said it all: as if I would go back on a promise.

  Anna put two slices of cake on a plate. ‘Take this along to Granny Duff and Albert, Tommy. Mind and thank them for the lovely scarf and the card that Albert sent.’

  Tommy had put on her scarf. It was a soft shade of blue and made of chiffon that floated behind her.

  Evie stood up as well and they went along the lane carrying the cake like it was the crown jewels.

  After they left, the conversation turned to the new neighbours. Anna asked if Grace had met them but she shook her head. ‘Evie and Tommy were speaking to them at the removal van yesterday and Tommy was saying Eliza appeared just to nosey around.’

  Thomas said he believed they came from the Western Isles to work in Dundee. Anna, who had been chatting to Albert who seemed to know more about them than anyone in the lane, said, ‘They come from Skye and the husband Rory is joining his brother who has a joiner’s business. Morag, his wife, is expecting a baby in a few weeks so it’ll be nice to have a young family in old Mrs Prior’s house.’ She turned to Grace. ‘How is Maryanne, is she getting better?’

  Grace shook her head. ‘I wish I could say she is but I don’t think so. She isn’t eating and she says her stitches are still sore. Still, I delivered a letter from Sadie so that should cheer her up.’

  After Tommy and Evie took the cake to Granny Duff and Albert, they met Rory and Morag standing at their doorstep. They were speaking in a foreign language and the girls couldn’t wait to get back home to impart this new knowledge. Tommy was first to blurt out, ‘Mum, the new couple are foreign and Evie says they are Germans.’

  Bill, who hadn’t said much during the tea party, laughed. ‘They’re not from Germany,’ he said. ‘They will be speaking Gaelic.’

  The two girls looked puzzled. ‘Gaelic?’ said Evie. ‘I thought it sounded German.’

  Anna said, ‘No it isn’t, they come from Skye where they talk like that. It’s an old Scottish language.’

  On that note, the party broke up and the Gows and Evelyn Williams went back home. It had been a great afternoon but now it was time to finish the chores that Grace did in preparation for school the next day while Bill settled back as usual with his Sunday paper until his wife reminded him to walk her mother home as it was getting dark. He stood up but didn’t look happy while Evelyn put on her coat and fussed around with her handbag, scarf and hat.

  Grace said to him, ‘I hope Sadie’s letter cheers her mother up.’ Bill muttered something which she didn’t catch but Evie smiled. She had heard him mutter that her mother didn’t cheer him up. Poor Granny, she thought.

  It was coming up to bedtime in the ward and Maryanne finally opened the letter. As usual it was full of woe as Sadie wrote of how unhappy she was. Far from cheering her mother up, it made her even more depressed as she lay back on her pillow and tried to sleep. At least when she was sleeping she didn’t worry so much as she did when she was awake.

  13

  Albert left the house with his waterproof raincoat. The sun was shining but the weather forecast on the wireless had said blustery showers were on the horizon and he didn’t want to get soaked.

  He made his way to the shops then on to the Windmill Bar for his daily pint of beer. Thomas was cleaning the counter and there were only a couple of customers sitting at a table: two elderly men like himself who had time on their hands and were probably lonely sitting in their houses. He nodded in their direction before heading to the stool by the bar. Thomas had his pint all poured and Albert fished about in his leather purse for the money.

  ‘How did Tommy’s party go, Hopalong?’ he said, taking a large swallow of beer.

  Thomas shrugged. ‘It was fine, Albert. Mind you it’s more of a woman’s thing with all the planning and food, but Tommy loved it.’

  Albert was taken aback by this lacklustre view of the party as he was usually more chatty about his family. ‘Is everything all right?’

  Thomas glanced at the other two customers. They were engrossed in playing dominoes but he lowered his voice. ‘As a matter of fact I’m not, Albert. I’m getting tired of working here every morning and night and I would like a better paid job. The problem is getting one, as some days my leg is so sore it’s hard to stand on it. Mind now and don’t mention this to Anna.’

  Albert was a bit annoyed by this as he wasn’t one for gossiping and there was no way he would mention anything to Anna in the bakery. Still, maybe Hopalong didn’t realise this so he said, ‘Certainly not, I wouldn’t dream of it. But I do hope you manage to get something else as I remember you told me you used to earn good money when you were on the roads and the hydro schemes.’

  Thomas said, ‘Yes, those were the days and I wish I still worked there. There was always great banter on the schemes as there were loads of Irish workmen there.’

  ‘Do you miss Ireland?’ asked Albert.

  Thomas laughed. ‘Lord, no I don’t. I left when I was fifteen and came here to work. It was when I went back for my mother’s funeral that I met Anna and the rest is history.’

  By now, Albert’s glass was empty so he stood up to go. ‘Well I wish you all the best then.’ Albert walked slowly home under a sunny sky that didn’t have a hint of blustery showers but he thought it was better to be safe than sorry. He decided to give the bakery a miss as he felt sorry for the Cassidys and he didn’t want to face Anna, not that he would have said anything about her husband’s confession but his face sometimes gave his thoughts away.

  Anyway, it was his day for going in to see Bella and he didn’t want to be late. She was waiting for him and he was glad to take off his coat. Bella gave him a quizzical glance as he hung it on the hook. He noticed this and explained about the weather forecast but she laughed and said, ‘You don’t want to take notice of weather forecasts as they’re never right.’

  She brought over the tray with the two glasses and the bottle of sherry, handing one to Albert who felt that another drink, especially sherry, was a drink too many. If it had been another beer then he would have enjoyed it but Bella wouldn’t think of keeping beer in her cupboard. However he dutifully sipped it as he didn’t want to hurt her.

  Bella and her late fiancé were old friends of Albert’s and he remembered when she moved to this house. It had been intended that she would live here with Davie when they got married but afterwards, after the tragic news of his death, her mother had moved in with her. Like him, she now lived alone.

  Albert didn’t like to think about the war but he knew Bella liked to reminisce and she sometimes brought out the old photo album which showed a world far removed from the present day.

  ‘I’ve always liked this one of Davie and me, it was taken at the beach at Carnoustie.’ She handed over a faded snap of a young couple sitting on a bench and holding hands. ‘We asked an old man to take it.’

  Albert hadn’t seen this particular photo which showed Bella looking carefree and happy in
a summer frock and Davie, tall and good looking in a short sleeved shirt and cotton trousers. Little did they know then that their world was going to collapse the following year at the Battle of Loos.

  ‘If it hadn’t been for that dreadful war then Davie and I would have been together,’ she said softly.

  Albert agreed with her. ‘I never like to think too much about that time, Bella. Jean used to chastise me for not talking about it but I couldn’t. When I think of the futile deaths of young men like us I could cry. I was one of the lucky ones who came home but thousands didn’t.’

  Bella closed the album and put it back in the sideboard. Albert said, ‘Try to put it all behind you, Bella, as it’s almost forty years ago. I often wish you had some sort of social life instead of being cooped up in here with your memories. I’ve had an idea: why don’t we go out on a day trip on a coach when the weather gets better? It’ll do us both the world of good.’

  Bella smiled. ‘I’ll look forward to that, Albert, and thank you for asking.’ She lifted the decanter of sherry. ‘Let’s celebrate our forthcoming day out with another glass.’

  ‘Actually, Bella, I’d rather have a cup of tea.’

  She rose from her chair and filled the kettle at the sink. ‘Right then, tea it is.’

  Before he left she asked him, ‘How are your new neighbours settling in?’

  ‘They’re a lovely couple, Morag and Rory, then of course a new baby will be living next door in a few weeks. I don’t know what they are doing to the house but his brother was there yesterday and there was lots of hammering and banging going on. The brother has his own joiner’s business and Rory will be going to work for him.’

  ‘Well I must say it’s nice to have young people in the lane again,’ Bella admitted.

  Albert chuckled and she asked him what was so funny.