The Mersey Girls

by Sheila Riley

‘Aye,’ Danny said, ‘me mam bought it for the parade, I told her not to, but you know what she’s like’

  ‘She’ll be paying for that suit until the cows come home,’ Connie said. ‘It’s a nice bit of cloth.’

  ‘Winter-weight-wool,’ Danny said, shaking his head. ‘In the height of summer, she buys winter-weight-wool. I’ll end up a puddle on the floor and I don’t think the tie will last the day either. I’m melting already and it’s not yet nine o’ clock.’ He had got up at the crack of dawn to check on the horses, only to find Henry already in the stables. A gentle admonishment was like water off Henry’s back. Nothing was going to stop him enjoying his big day. He then went home, lugged the tin bath from the six-inch nail in the back- yard wall and had a cool soak before anybody else was out of bed.

  ‘Oh you do look handsome,’ Evie said in her usual friendly manner, and he beamed a smile that could have lit up the room. She passed him the cold lemonade and he put it on his forehead and went to stand by the window, but it was no good.

  ‘There’s no air.’

  ‘That’s just what you said before, wasn’t it, Evie?’ Connie had a mischievous gleam in her dark eyes and Evie gave her a silent caution.

  ‘This’ll have to go,’ Danny said, putting his drink on the table and removing his jacket. Taking off his tie, he opened the top two buttons of his shirt and Evie felt a bit light-headed and giddy all at the same time to see him in a crisp white shirt under his waistcoat.

  ‘You don’t look a bit comfy,’ Connie said, and Danny pulled a face.

  ‘Nor you,’ he said, an incredulous gleam in his eyes and his usual cheeky smile that made Evie feel as if they were the only two in the room. ‘I didn’t even know you could get winter-weight wool; it’ll see me through the ice age and I’ll still have to take off me vest.’

  Evie could not contain the laughter bubbling up inside her, so much so tears ran down her face. He was so funny; she could listen to him for hours. She was going to have the most perfect day.

  ‘Oh, before I forget, I brought these for Lucy,’ Danny said and handed her a white triangular paper bag of humbugs. Her sweet tooth was legendary, and she longed for the day when sweets came off ration. ‘I got some for our Bobby as well, so that should keep you both quiet on the journey.’

  ‘We’re not five, you know,’ Lucy said good-naturedly, and offered the bag around. But Evie noticed her younger sister seemed visibly relieved when nobody took a sweet. ‘I’ll just have one now,’ she said, popping a humbug into her mouth, ‘and I’ll save the rest for the coach.’

  ‘I bet there won’t be many left when the coach gets here,’ Evie said.

  Moments later, Jack came into the kitchen from the yard, he was going down to the stables to check on the horses and put down straw bedding. Maybe give them another brush before they went to the fete. He had checked, and double-checked, that everything was ready before he and Danny and the other stable lads set off.

  ‘I’ll come down and give you a hand, Jack,’ Danny said, and Evie felt a momentary dip in her happy heart.

  ‘Don’t get your new suit dirty,’ Evie said, and Danny smiled.

  ‘It’s going back in the wardrobe until Christmas,’ he responded.

  25

  ‘Good morning, Postie,’ Meggie said as the postman trundled up the path next to the yard.

  ‘Nice day for it, Megs,’ the postman said, taking off his dark Royal Mail cap with its red piping round the peak and wiped his damp brow.

  ‘It is, indeed, Postie, as long as the rain keeps off we’ll have a grand time.’

  She took the bundle of letters he held towards her and, hopping back on his Royal Mail-issue bicycle, he whistled his way along the street as Meggie saw the large green charabanc manoeuvring round the tight corner at the top of Summer Settle and edge its way down the street. She waved and went back inside the house as the coach came to a halt opposite the yard, knowing that very soon the place would be swarming with excited adults and children.

  Leaving the front door open, Meggie was more than ready for their yearly excursion. She and Henry had looked forward to this outing, as they did every year, and they intended to enjoy the day even more knowing they could have a lie-in tomorrow.

  The annual Netherford Fete had been their chance to relax with people of the dockside, and it never ceased to amuse either of them that the butties would come out as soon as the bus pulled out of the street.

  She picked up the top envelope and immediately recognised the writing, and her hands trembled. The wording looked like a spider had crawled over it with a fine tipped pen.

  ‘Oh, not again,’ she whispered. She had seen Henry look more casual and happy in the last few weeks than he had been for months, and she knew why. He didn’t have to worry about being blackmailed any more. Danny, God bless him, had let it be known that he got the yard at a knock-down price, although he didn’t say exactly how much. So it did not matter one iota what the blackmailer threatened. There was no money in the pot as far as they were concerned.

  She knew, before she even opened the dreaded letter what the contents would say.

  ‘Hello Meggie, all set?’ Evie asked when she saw Meggie in her garden. Leaning on the gate, Evie could tell immediately there was something wrong by the worried look in Meggie’s eyes.

  ‘I won’t be long,’ Meggie answered cheerfully, trying her hardest not to spoil Evie’s day with worry and long faces. ‘Henry has gone on ahead with Danny and Jack.’

  ‘I didn’t think he would go on the coach,’ Evie said, ‘but never mind, we can all be together, it will be a fabulous day if this weather holds out.’ Evie noticed that Meggie didn’t answer, seemingly preoccupied with something else. ‘Meg, is something wrong?’ Evie recognised the glisten of an unshed tear immediately, ‘And don’t fob me off, I can see you’re upset.’

  ‘It’s another one of these,’ Meggie said, ‘and, because they didn’t get last month’s money when you and Danny went out to Netherford, the letters are coming in my name.’

  ‘If I were you, I’d burn it,’ Evie said, ‘or report them to the police. But, trust me, Meg, forget about them. This person cannot hurt you. We’ll stand by you. Don’t let the buggers get you down. I’ll have a word with Danny.’ Evie knew that Meggie would not go to the police to tell them what had been going on. It wasn’t the done thing round the dockside to involve the police. They would much rather sort it out themselves, unless you were an international diamond smuggler that is. That was different.

  But hounding people for hard-earned money was wicked and when people found out who was behind it, Bert Harris would get what was coming to him. So Evie was content in the knowledge that Bert would not be crawling out of his hiding speck any time soon. He might be a despicable excuse for a human being, but he would not chance the wrath of the inhabitants of Reckoner’s Row if they got wind of his shenanigans. Evie took the letter, ripped it into tiny pieces and handed them to Meggie who threw them in the bin and dusted her hands.

  ‘You’re right, Evie.’ Meggie’s shoulders dropped and she sighed. ‘I’m going to enjoy this day, for Henry’s sake.’

  ‘That’s the spirit,’ Evie replied, ‘I’ll see you on the coach.’ As she headed back home, Evie felt a new determination begin to grow inside her like a warm light, and spread throughout her body.

  Lucy stretched across Evie’s knee as they both looked out of the wide window of the charabanc to get a better look at the surrounding countryside. The glorious summer day was bright, and everybody was in good spirits as the charabanc crawled down the narrow country lane, with ditches on one side and free-growing blackberry bushes, heavily laden with an abundance of fat juicy berries on the other.

  ‘D’you thing the farmer will let us pick some blackberries, Evie?’ Lucy asked, her eyes gleaming. ‘It’s been ages since I’ve tasted the tang of a delicious apple and blackberry tart.’ Lucy closed her eyes and joined her hands, savouring the memory. ‘Or even home-made jam.’ She licked her lips at t
he thought.

  ‘I don’t see why not, they’re growing wild at the roadside,’ Evie answered, feeling relaxed already. The country air lifted her spirits bringing back thoughts of the day she and Danny came out here. And although Danny was disgusted when he discovered his father had been extorting hush-money from Mr Skinner, he confided in her that he wasn’t surprised, saying his old man would do anything for money. The proof was in full view when Bert lay in bed all morning while Ada went out cleaning to put bread on the table. No, Danny had said, not going into detail, Bert Harris would not be hurrying back to Reckoner’s Row if he knew what was good for him.

  This was Evie’s first visit to the Fete, even though she had been to Netherford with Danny. Having worked the years before, she could never afford to take a day off without pay, but this year was different. Danny had closed the yard, giving the staff a day’s holiday – with pay, making him extremely popular with the workers, although not with Susie who was sitting at the back of the charabanc with Ada.

  ‘We’re nearly there!’ Lucy’s voice raised with excitement as she gazed out of the window. ‘I can see the tents on that field over there, Evie. Look!’

  Evie’s spirits rose even higher when she saw the red and yellow bunting fluttering in the breeze between the large tents as the coach finally turned into the huge field, after what seemed an age crawling down the narrow lane.

  Evie inhaled deeply as they got off the coach and her senses were dominated by the scent of fresh-cut grass that reminded her of sharp green apples. This was the smell of the countryside, she thought. Not a whiff of chimney smoke. And could that vast, pale blue, cloudless sky be the same one that drifted over Reckoner’s Row? She doubted it, because this sky was wide, and high, and there was acre upon acre of it. The dockside was a squashed gathering of roofs and chimneys and machinery from the docks. This… she took another deep breath… this place was something quite different. This is what she imagined heaven to look like. And the colours! Verdant green, pale blue, golds and pinks – so many shades. Nobody should be sad on a day like this.

  Evie was in awe of majestic oaks in the distance, standing stately beside towering beech trees that seemed to stretch to the sky and went on forever. Also mesmerised by the billowing elms and sycamores that the dockside lads made a beeline for in the summer sunshine: probably in the hope of finding early ‘whirlybirds’ that were only produced in the autumn months by the sycamores and which spread over the countryside like indefatigable wardens offering shade and shelter. She had read about them in one of Lucy’s school books borrowed from the library and read up on all the native trees.

  ‘Hey! Evie. Have you got your deaf ones on?’ Jack called, walking across the field with Danny. ‘I’ve been calling you for ages!’

  Evie’s heart lurched unexpectedly when she saw Danny’s long strides eating up the ground, his handsome features, bronzed and glowing in the heat, sending a jolt of electricity through her, and, by the look of it, attracting admiring attention from many girls who were milling around, chatting or sitting on benches at the wooden tables round the large tents. He reminded her of the mighty oak, tall and strong.

  He gave Susie, who was standing nearby, a nod of greeting but she did not return his friendly smile; her eyes were cold, and her crimson lips were twisted like she had just eaten something rancid. She said something unintelligible before turning, arms folded and strode off.

  Considering she had stalked Danny like a big game hunter, Evie knew the reason for Susie’s icy glare. Hell hath no fury like Susie Blackthorn scorned and she probably thought Danny would fight her corner, plead to get Susie’s job back. But he would not do that, knowing she contributed nothing to the business, and everybody needed to pull together to make it as successful as it had once been.

  When the parade of horses was about to begin, Meggie corralled the people of the dockside together, even going to the beer tent to remind the hard-working men who were enjoying some respite from the afternoon sun – or at least that’s what they told their equally hard-working wives who had made the sandwiches, flasks of tea, saved the sweet coupons for little treats and made sure their children enjoyed themselves in the countryside.

  Meggie wanted as much support as she could get when Henry’s favourite horse, a huge black Clydesdale called Thunder, took part in the Working Horse Parade.

  ‘He looks magnificent,’ Meggie said proudly as the women grouped together and the men stood in the shade of the beer tent.

  ‘Those silk ribbons and flowers that we spent hours making will win the competition,’ Lucy said proudly, while Henry, Jack and Danny gave one last examination to the polished horse brasses, giving them a final buff until they gleamed.

  They could almost see their faces in Thunder’s glossy, ebony coat and the women beamed when Jack, looking proud, walked the Clydesdale out into the huge arena.

  Thunder, loving the attention held his head high, his mane and tail as smooth as silk and Evie smiled to Meg, her heart bursting with pride knowing the best hairdresser in the North West would not have made Thunder’s mane and tail shine any better than their Jack had.

  Henry, Danny and Jack collected the silver cup to deafening applause, whistles and whoops of delight when Thunder won Best in Show. They held the huge coveted silver cup aloft, striding proudly across the arena – cordoned off with long ropes – and placing the winner’s rosette amid the abundance of colourful silk flowers on the horse’s bridle.

  Evie knew the cup would stand proudly in the window of Skinner and Son every day for the next year.

  ‘Go an’ fill the cup in the beer tent,’ Danny said, passing the huge cup to Jack, ‘and pass it round, so everybody can join in the celebration!’ Then he gave Henry a manly hug, both of them laughing and crying, not giving two hoots who saw them.

  ‘I’m that proud of you, lad!’ Henry said, while they slapped each other on the back and shook hands. Evie was thrilled to see both men so happy. But the moment was fleeting when she noticed Ada in the crowd.

  Standing square, her shoulders rigid, Ada’s arms were folded, and her fists clenched like a call to war, she glared at the happy group, her veins oozing vinegar.

  Look at them all, she thought, enjoying themselves. Not a thought for me. Danny went straight to Henry and Meggie and Ada’s quick sharp eyes swept the happy group of revellers. When did she get to be second best? After all she had done, she should have been the first person who shared in Danny’s glory. Well, if he wanted to hug Meggie and Henry Skinner before her he could stay with them, Ada thought turning and heading towards the tea tent, wanting nothing more to do with the celebrations.

  ‘Well done, the pair of you!’ Meggie said proudly to Danny and Jack, her eyes glassy with delight as a small quiver betrayed the utter joy she was feeling. ‘This is a perfect day.’ When her beloved Henry had put his arms round her, hugging her close, Meggie had felt today was the most wonderful of perfect days.

  ‘We are so proud of the way you are handling the business,’ Meggie said lightly touching Danny’s cheek, ‘you have grown into such a thoughtful, loving young man.’

  In spite of, not because of Ada, she thought. Ada could not wait for Danny to go into the army and be off her hands. But to stop herself from getting maudlin she said in a brisk, no-nonsense tone, ‘where’s that husband of mine got to?’

  ‘If I know anything about Mr Skinner,’ Jack whispered to Danny, unable to wipe the beaming smile from his lips, ‘he’ll be in that beer tent having a few celebratory scoops.’

  ‘And I’ll be right behind him,’ Meggie laughed, hearing every word, and marching to the beer tent. If Henry was going to celebrate then so was she.

  ‘Congratulations to the both of you!’ Evie clapped her hands like an excited five-year-old at a birthday party.

  ‘Evie, we won! Did you see it?’ Danny lifted her in the air like she weighed nothing and circled around the field.

  ‘Put me down, I’m dizzy.’ Evie laughed, delighted that he headed straight
for her to share his elation. And when Danny gently lowered her to the ground, she staggered. He caught her in a strong embrace and took Evie’s breath away when he kissed her, full on the lips, in front of everybody.

  Evie melted into the unyielding strength of his formidable physique. His kiss left a lingering imprint she would revisit for the rest of her days. The air stilled and the sound of children’s laughter, stallholders hollering and cattle lowing in the next field hushed into nothingness, and Evie felt herself falling into the deep gaze of Danny’s denim blue eyes.

  They seemed to be searching, assessing, questioning, and for a hair’s breadth of a second, she flinched. She hadn’t meant to. Danny’s hungry contemplation had taken her by surprise and she was wide open to the thousands of megawatts buzzing through her like an electric shock. Her armour slipped away and her carefully protected heart was defenceless. All notions of being a self-supporting, one-woman-island suddenly disappeared like ice in a heatwave.

  Danny leant down and, cupping her chin with his finger, his smooth sweet kiss lingered, leaving her trembling. He let her go too soon, and pushing his hands into his pockets, he strode off across the field without a word.

  Transfixed by the power in his long stride, Danny’s departure left Evie with a feeling akin to the shock of a hit-and-run. His pace was relentless, as if he had to get away, ignoring the congratulatory backslapping. Then it dawned on her. He did not want a relationship with a girl like her. He was obviously looking for someone with a bit of class. Someone who didn’t have her history. Someone he could be proud of…

  What was she thinking? Danny had not meant to kiss her. He was so happy he would have kissed anybody. That was obvious by the way he moved off quicker than a man with a rocket up his arse.

  And, watching him disappear across the field she felt her face grow hot when she noticed what a tight peachy arse it was, too. Nevertheless, she thought with a hint of regret, she wasn’t going to chain herself to a man just because she loved him.