Something about her jokey singsong voice made Catherine’s heart twist.
‘Lily Hearn?’ she gasped. ‘It’s never you!’
The woman grinned and nodded. ‘I’m on a coach tour. Knew you lived round here. Wasn’t ganin’ to come, but one of the lasses said to get mesel’ along and give you a fright.’
Catherine laughed and rushed forward, hugging her long-lost friend in delight.
‘Eeh, Lily, I’m so glad you did. Come in, come in and meet Tom. We’re having tea in the garden.’
‘Listen to you,’ Lily teased, ‘tea in the garden. You always did have fancy ideas, Kitty. And, by heck, you’ve made them come true. Just look at this place.’
She gazed around in awe as Catherine showed her through the house to the sheltered garden. Proudly Catherine introduced Tom to Lily.
‘Lily was my best friend from Jarrow.’
‘Till we fell out,’ Lily said bluntly.
Catherine blushed to remember their painful parting. ‘I was daft to let that happen. Always too quick to take offence in those days. I thought you’d told that terrible old Atter about me having no da.’
Lily was indignant. ‘No, I never! Is that why you never kept in touch? I thought you’d just got too grand for the likes of me. I would never have dropped you in it, Kitty.’
‘I know you wouldn’t,’ Catherine assured her quickly. ‘Atter must’ve worked it out herself- she was that nosy. By the time I stopped being angry, it seemed too late to make amends. I’m sorry.’ She slipped her arm through Lily’s as if they were girls again. ‘It’s so good to see you.’
They spent the afternoon catching up on what each had done. Lily had married a local man, had two children and still lived in Shields. They talked non-stop, regaling Tom with stories from their past. Tom watched in astonishment; he had not seen Catherine look so young or light-hearted in years. The two friends giggled and teased each other mercilessly. Why had she never mentioned this Lily Hearn before?
Catherine urged her to stay for dinner, but Lily refused.
‘My Matt’ll think I’ve run off.’
‘Your husband’s here too?’ Catherine exclaimed. ‘Why didn’t you bring him?’
Lily’s look was sardonic. ‘Said he wouldn’t know what to say to a lady that writes books. I told him you were just a lass from Jarrow, but he wouldn’t have it.’
Catherine flushed. Once she would have given anything to hear people from Jarrow call her a lady, but now it just made her feel empty.
‘I’m pleased for you,’ Lily said generously. ‘You deserve it, Kitty.’
Catherine felt overcome. ‘Come and visit again,’ she pleaded. ‘Next time come for a holiday and bring Matt and the family.’
Lily shrugged. ‘Maybes we’ll see you up our way some time?’ When Catherine did not answer, she added, ‘You better come quick or you won’t recognise the place. They’re pulling down the New Buildings.’
Catherine was unexpectedly upset by the news. After Lily had gone, she could not settle. Tom spoke her thoughts out loud.
‘You should go, Kitty, before it’s too late. You should return to Jarrow.’
***
On a blustery spring day, Catherine stood with Tom and Lily on the half-demolished site in East Jarrow. William Black Street was already a pile of rubble, only the end gable still standing where Catherine had once played shops. She could almost hear the chants of the children at play, the beat of a skipping rope, a mother’s voice calling for a child to come home.
The Jarrow she knew was almost unrecognisable, the shipyards gone and new blocks of flats pushing towards the sky instead of cranes and gantries. Yet the past was still there all around her - the blackened outline of St Paul’s and its ruined monastery, the oily Slake, the pit wheels of South Shields and the restless River Tyne.
Catherine held Tom’s hand.
‘Do you still want to live in a place like this?’ she challenged.
Tom smiled at her fondly. ‘Only if you’re there with me.’
Catherine’s eyes smarted as she gazed at the bulldozed bricks of her former home. She heard Kate’s promise ringing in her ears: You ‘ll see your day with them - get your own back. By God, you will!
Suddenly Catherine realised it no longer mattered. She did not need to prove herself to her old community, did not want to get her own back at them for the slights and cruelties of her childhood. More than anything else, she yearned to be accepted back. The restless, impetuous Kitty McMullen who had run away all those years ago wanted to come home.
Perhaps one day soon, she and Tom would come back for good. Catherine was surprised by the warm feeling the idea gave her.
She turned to Lily and smiled. ‘Any chance of a cup of tea?’
‘Aye,’ Lily grinned, ‘and some of Mam’s scones - the ones you like. She’s been waiting for you to call for over thirty years.’
Catherine laughed, linking her arms through Lily’s and Tom’s. How she loved them both. Together they set off down the bank from the New Buildings into Shields one last time.
***
RETURN TO JARROW completes the Jarrow Trilogy. The first novel, THE JARROW LASS, begins in the 19th century with the story of Rose, Catherine’s grandmother. The second A CHILD OF JARROW follows the fortunes of Catherine’s mother, Kate, into the 20th century.
Praise for THE JARROW LASS:
‘A powerful novel of passion and heartache. Janet MacLeod Trotter’s poignant, compelling family drama is based on the life of Catherine Cookson’s grandmother. Totally engrossing and vividly bringing to life the time and place, it is sure to appeal to all Catherine’s fans’
World Books
‘This is a powerful and compelling saga’
Bolton Evening News
‘An excellent period work’
Bournemouth Daily Echo
‘A passionate and dramatic story that definitely warrants a box of tissues by the bedside’
Worcester Evening News
Praise for A CHILD OF JARROW:
‘This is the sequel to The Jarrow Lass; and A Child of Jarrow is just as compelling.’
Sunderland Echo.
‘The Jarrow Lass was inspired by Catherine Cookson’s grandmother. This follows into the next generation, with Cookson’s mother and the childhood of the great novelist herself. It is a winner.’
The Bookseller.
‘Brings early 20th century Jarrow vividly to life. A smashing read.’
Lancashire Evening Post
***
Janet welcomes comments and feedback on her stories. If you would like to do so, you can contact her through her website: www.janetmacleodtrotter.com
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