Christmas for the Halfpenny Orphans

by Cathy Sharp

  ‘I wouldn’t say that.’ Wendy frowned. ‘André – that’s Henri Bernard’s brother – was in the Resistance and he has lost one hand and his face is scarred. He isn’t bitter though. He can do most things he needs – he drives the tractor and can dress himself, though it isn’t easy for him to cut meat on the plate.’

  ‘Does he live with Françoise and Henri?’

  ‘No, he has his own cottage on the estate, but he works on the farm and he has his meals with them.’ A faint colour had touched Wendy’s cheeks. ‘He’s really nice, Angela – and he likes the British. Some of the French don’t, but André and his family made me very welcome.’

  ‘And did you like André?’ Angela asked with a teasing look.

  ‘Yes, very much,’ Wendy said and blushed. ‘Oh, I hardly know him as yet, I realise that, but I enjoyed my stay. I’m going back in the spring to see them all again.’

  ‘That sounds wonderful – you can tell me more over a cup of tea later,’ Angela said. ‘Meanwhile, could you find Tilly and send her to me, please? I’ve got some news for her and it isn’t good so I think I need to tell her in private.’

  ‘Yes, certainly,’ Wendy said and smiled shyly. ‘I didn’t ever think I could feel love again, but I think I might …’

  Angela smiled in return as the nurse left. She was glad Wendy had enjoyed her stay, though she would be missed if one day she decided to go and live in France. But what was occupying Angela’s thoughts right now was young Tilly. What she had to tell her was not pleasant … not pleasant at all.

  ‘Arrested for attempted rape?’ Tilly blanched as Angela told her what she’d discovered. ‘Oh no, Mum is going to be so upset when I tell her – and she’ll have to know, because the police will be round and—’

  ‘Yes, your mother will have to know,’ Angela said. ‘I’m sorry, Tilly. I tried the hospitals first, and there was no news there so I rang Constable Sallis. He told me your stepfather got drunk and then followed and attacked a young woman on her way home from her shift serving behind the bar at the pub.’

  ‘Is she all right?’ Tilly was white and shaking.

  ‘The police say she is in hospital, but they wouldn’t tell me anything more. I’m afraid there are witnesses who will testify to his having harassed her at the pub earlier that night – and she has named him as her attacker.’

  ‘It could’ve been me,’ Tilly said. ‘It could have been me he attacked. I shall have to go home, Mrs Morton. I can’t keep the room at the Nurses’ Home – Ma will be in a terrible state when she finds out and she’ll need me.’

  ‘Well, don’t get yourself knocked down again,’ Angela said. ‘I’m not sure what I can do to help you, Tilly, but I’m here – along with Nan and Sister Beatrice. We shall do our best to help, whatever your problems.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Tilly said and her eyes were moist. ‘I’ll work hard when I’m here, Mrs Morton – but I might be a bit late some mornings. If Ma starts her drinking, it will be me that has to get the kids off to school. Roddy and Mags are old enough to wash and dress themselves. Roddy could help with breakfast, but he’s often lazy.’

  ‘I expect they think you’ll do it for them, Tilly. You might have to put your foot down and make them do their share. Talk to Nan about coming in later, ask her if you can change your hours,’ Angela said. ‘Nan is the head carer so the decision is hers – if she is prepared to adjust your shift, I will have no objection.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Tilly said. ‘I was about to leave when Wendy caught me. I’d better go and tell Ma – I know she’ll go to pieces, but it’s my day off tomorrow, so perhaps she will have calmed down by the following day.’

  ‘Off you go then, Tilly,’ Angela said. ‘I’m sorry it wasn’t better news.’

  ‘As far as I’m concerned it wasn’t bad news: if he’s in prison, he’ll leave me alone,’ Tilly said. ‘It’s me ma I’m worried about …’

  Angela sighed as the girl closed the door behind her. She’d hoped Tilly would be all right once she was settled in her room at the Nurses’ Home, but now she would have to return home to help her mother get over the shock. She could only pray that Tilly’s mother wouldn’t go to pieces as the girl feared and take to drinking and behaving wildly. What hope did Tilly have of having a life of her own if that happened?

  Tilly caught her bus easily and found a seat near the front. Her knee was throbbing and painful, but she’d managed to do most of her chores at work. She was dreading walking into the house and seeing her mother’s eyes. Even though Tilly had learned to fear and hate her stepfather, she knew that he brought home decent wages, and it was due to him that her mother stayed sober. It would ruin everything if Ma started drinking again; Tilly knew she would be both the breadwinner and the main carer for her family then.

  She couldn’t abandon her family, but if she somehow arranged her hours to look after the younger ones, it wouldn’t leave her any time at all for a life of her own. Getting stiffly off the bus at the stop near her house, Tilly’s steps lagged as she walked to the door and opened it.

  She could hear the kids yelling and knew that already the mayhem had begun. When she entered the kitchen her brother was fighting with her younger sister while her mother sat staring at them, a bottle of beer in her hand.

  ‘Stop that if you want any tea,’ Tilly said, and they turned to stare at her. ‘Have you washed your hands?’

  ‘Ma’s drunk,’ Roddy told her, his eyes dark with anger. ‘The bloody old man has gone off and got himself arrested!’

  ‘I know,’ Tilly said. ‘I’ve been told, but I’m here now and I don’t want any fightin’ – do you hear me?’

  ‘Mags wants her tea,’ he said as he went over to the kitchen sink. ‘She was screechin’ at me and I told her to shut up, that’s all. What we got for tea then?’

  ‘I’ve got a tin of spam and you can run down and get some chips from the corner shop if you like.’

  Roddy’s eyes lit up and he took the money she held out. ‘I’ll bring plenty. I’m starvin’!’

  Tilly nodded. She took hold of Mags’ arm and marched her to the sink, washing her hands and face with a cloth rinsed out under the tap. The water was nearly cold, which meant her mother hadn’t made up the stove all day.

  Mags looked at her and then stuck her tongue out. ‘I ’ate you, Tilly,’ she said rudely. ‘An’ I ’ates ’er an’ all.’

  ‘Well, I don’t much like you at the moment either,’ Tilly responded cheerfully, knowing of old that her half-sister’s tantrum would cease once she was over her temper and tears.

  ‘I don’t like Ma bein’ like that,’ Mags wailed, but Tilly gave her a shake.

  ‘Ma is upset,’ she said. ‘Look, love, be a good girl and I’ll take you to the concert on Sunday afternoon. There will be jelly and cakes afterwards, I shouldn’t wonder.’

  Mags stopped crying and stared at her. ‘Promise?’ she demanded and Tilly nodded, drying her face. ‘What about Roddy, will you take him too?’

  ‘If he wants to come and he’s good,’ Tilly said. ‘Now, be good for me, love. Ma is ill and we have to help her – all of us.’

  ‘Why did me da go away?’

  ‘I don’t know, Mags,’ Tilly lied; the child was too young to understand what kind of a man her father was. ‘I know you love him—’ She broke off as the child shook her head. ‘You don’t love him?’

  ‘He keeps touchin’ me rude places,’ Mags said. ‘I’m glad he’s gone, Tilly. You won’t let him come back ’ere, will yer?’

  ‘No,’ Tilly promised and her expression was harsh as she looked at her mother silently holding her empty beer bottle. How could she have let that happen? She must have been aware of what he was doing. Tilly was old enough to look out for herself, but Mags was only a kid. ‘I promise you, I won’t let him come back here.’

  She’d kill him if he dared to step over the threshold after what Mags had told her! It was bad enough that he’d been after her, but the knowledge that he’d touched her young sister
made her spitting mad. If Arthur Mallens had walked in that minute, she’d have stuck a knife in him. It was then Tilly realised she wasn’t afraid of her stepfather any more. And she wasn’t going to let her mother get away with her sluttish behaviour either. It was time Tilly told her some home truths and once the children were safely tucked up in bed, she would make sure that her mother understood she had to do her share if she wanted Tilly to support her in future …

  Michelle saw Eric waiting for her when she left work that evening. He was standing under a lamppost smoking a cigarette, but he dropped it on the ground and stamped on it as she walked up to him.

  ‘You must be frozen,’ she said as she joined him. ‘It’s really cold now – cold enough for snow.’

  ‘Well, it’s nearly Christmas,’ Eric said and put his arm round her waist. ‘Shall we go and have a coffee to warm us up – or do you want to go straight to the hospital?’

  ‘Let’s have a warm drink first,’ Michelle said. ‘I didn’t explain very well on the phone, but it’s to do with Matty …’

  ‘Yes, I gathered that,’ Eric said and looked puzzled. ‘Sister Norton had a word with you about his future. What’s the problem?’

  ‘Did you tell Matty that you were willing to adopt him?’

  Eric laughed and looked pleased. ‘Well, sort of. He said he liked you and asked me if I was going to marry you. I told him yes, if you would have me, and he asked if he could come and live with us if you said yes …’

  ‘So I suppose you agreed …’ Michelle frowned and Eric looked at her. ‘He told Sister Norton we were getting married and she wanted to know if we would adopt him.’

  Eric was silent for a moment, then, ‘Well, why don’t we? Get married and adopt the lad. I’m sure we could work it out somehow. He’ll be at school during the day, so that won’t stop you working shifts – and as soon as I’ve finished with the Army I’ll be around to give you a hand.’

  ‘Do you really want to marry me and adopt him?’

  Eric looked into her eyes. ‘I think it’s more whether you want to take us both on, Michelle. You know how I feel about you – I’ll marry you as soon as you say the word.’

  Michelle smiled. ‘Mum was asking me when you were coming round for tea again – shall we make it supper after the concert on Sunday?’

  ‘A St Saviour’s concert?’ Eric laughed. ‘That’s a rare treat to offer me, Michelle – so what do you want me to say?’

  ‘Yes to both questions,’ she said. ‘We’d better have that drink and then go and talk to Sister Norton.’

  ‘What’s the answer to my question, Michelle – are you going to marry me or not?’

  ‘Of course I am, you daft thing,’ she said and hugged his arm. ‘Come on, you can buy me sixpence worth of crackles from the chippie – I’m starving!’

  FORTY-TWO

  ‘Blimey, that were lovely,’ Billy said when he and Mary Ellen sat on the back stairs and shared the remainder of the bag of sherbet lemons they’d bought on their way to the pantomime that afternoon. ‘I never thought it would be as good as that, did you?’

  ‘Rose took me last year,’ Mary Ellen said and sucked on her sweet. ‘When Sister Beatrice wouldn’t let me go ’cos you were hiding in the attics, but Miss Angela took me to see Bambi. I liked that even better than Mother Goose, but it was your first time.’

  ‘Yeah, well I thought it was funny,’ Billy said. ‘I’m glad Timmy got to see it. It was thanks to him being in a wheelchair that we got to sit down the front. It was brilliant when we got thrown them toffees – and that funny bloke dressed up as Mother Goose winked at us and threw us balloons and things.’

  ‘Yeah, it was lovely, being at the front. The others had to sit much further back, so it was nice that Timmy said we were his special friends and they let us sit with him.’

  ‘He’s a good lad, Timmy. And he’s started getting better since he moved into St Saviour’s,’ Billy said. ‘Me and Nurse Wendy had him walking in the ward yesterday. He walked all the way down and back, but he said his leg ached afterwards.’

  ‘That’s wonderful. It can’t be nice for him, having to go everywhere in a wheelchair,’ Mary Ellen said. ‘Did I tell you that Rose is going to take us both to the pictures the day before Christmas Eve, and then she’s having dinner with us at St Saviour’s on Christmas Day. Last year she had to work, but this year we’ll all be together. She’s got nowhere else to go and, if she helps out, Jean can leave early to have tea with her family.’

  Billy nodded, but didn’t show much enthusiasm. Rose might have made a concession and included him in the outing to the pictures, but he knew she wasn’t doing it because she liked him. Knowing Mary Ellen, she’d told her sister she wouldn’t go without him.

  ‘Have you got Marion and Timmy a present for Christmas?’ Billy asked. ‘I thought we ought to get Nipper and Jim something as well … we could put together, if you like?’

  ‘I’ve got one and sixpence left,’ Mary Ellen told him. ‘Rose usually gives me something when she comes, but it will be too late to go shopping then.’

  ‘Well, I’ve got three bob,’ Billy said. ‘I won five bob for running at the club – but I’ve spent some of it. I reckon we can get a few presents between us.’

  ‘Yes, we’ll put together, and if you spend more than me, I’ll make up my half when Rose gives me some pocket money,’ Mary Ellen smiled at him. ‘We’d better go before it’s lights out or Sister will be on the warpath.’

  Billy chuckled. ‘Nah, she ain’t so bad as she used to be, Mary Ellen. This morning, she came up to me and congratulated me on being the best runner in the county.’

  ‘She didn’t see you kicking that football in the hall, though, did she?’ Mary Ellen said. ‘I’ve almost finished making my cards, have you?’

  ‘Not yet,’ Billy said. ‘Do you know what I heard this afternoon?’

  ‘How can I know, daftie?’ Mary Ellen said as she got to her feet.

  ‘I heard Staff Nurse Michelle tell Miss Angela she was getting married after Christmas – and Miss Angela sort of smiled funny. I think she’s getting married too – to Mr Adderbury.’

  ‘That will be lovely,’ Mary Ellen said and giggled. ‘Do you think they’ll have a big iced cake and bring us some?’

  ‘Michelle, I’m glad you’ve come!’ Alice greeted her with a huge smile as she opened her front door. ‘Constable Sallis is leaving now. I visited Bob this afternoon and he said not to come again this evening, but I’m not sure I can wait to tell him the news!’

  Michelle followed her inside, nodding to the police officer as he passed her on his way through the hall. Alice already had the kettle on when she reached the kitchen. She could see the excitement in her face and sat down, watching as her friend set out the tea tray.

  ‘Are you going to tell me what’s happened?’

  ‘You’ll never believe it,’ Alice said and laughed with the excitement she could not contain. ‘I can’t myself and I’ve just been told …’

  ‘Told what?’

  ‘It seems there was a reward for the return of some of those jewels that Jack Shaw stole. Some of them were worth thousands and thousands of pounds – and Constable Sallis says that I’m going to get half the reward. One of the coppers was hurt bad in the raid on Mr Lee’s club and they’ve decided that half of it will go to his wife.’

  ‘He was only doing his job. You handed that key in and you took the risk – your husband’s been injured too!’ Michelle objected. ‘I think any reward should be yours, Alice.’

  ‘I’m not greedy and I’m sure that policeman’s wife can do with some of it too,’ Alice said, looking like the cat that got the cream. ‘Besides, the reward was for five hundred pounds – five hundred, Michelle! We’ll get two hundred and fifty pounds – and that means Bob will have enough to open a business and we’ll still have a few quid left to live on until he starts to earn money!’

  ‘Does that mean he won’t need Eric as his partner?’

  ‘No, I’m
sure he’ll still ask him,’ Alice said, grinning like a Cheshire cat. ‘Bob and Eric are mates, exactly like you and me, Michelle. It will be perfect.’

  ‘Yes, especially as I’ve decided I’m going to marry Eric!’

  Alice stared, her mouth open. ‘You’re never …’ She gave a scream of delight and flung her arms around her friend. ‘That’s lovely – if you’re sure?’

  ‘I am,’ Michelle smiled, unable to contain the happiness she felt inside. ‘I took him home for supper after the pantomime and Mum really likes him. We’re going to have a quiet wedding after Christmas – Eric already has his eye on a nice house with a garden – and we shall adopt Matty soon as we can. Sister Norton will let us foster him at first and then we can apply to adopt him. I’m still going to keep on nursing until I have a baby, Alice, but Matty will be at school all day and I’ll fetch him back to St Saviour’s until it’s time to go home … Besides, once Eric is out of the Army, he’ll be his own boss and we can work out our hours, so there’ll always someone around for him.’

  ‘That’s wonderful,’ Alice said. ‘I know Eric is in love with you – but are you certain? What about Dr Kent? I thought you might care for him?’

  ‘I did like him for a while, and I know he’s a good doctor, but he isn’t very patient with children when they’re fit and well and making a noise.’ Michelle smiled. ‘Eric is lovely with kids. I wondered if it was only his sister’s children and Matty – but he was every bit as good at the concert. He had them all in fits of giggles.’

  ‘As long as you like him enough – you know …’

  ‘We kissed last night – really kissed – for the first time,’ Michelle said. ‘I wasn’t sure until then, but now I know Eric is the one. He loves me and … well, I love him too.’

  ‘It was the same with me and Bob,’ Alice said, ‘except that I almost had to lose him to know how much I love him.’

  ‘It’s such a pity he won’t be home for Christmas,’ Michelle said. ‘I hope he’s out of hospital in time for our wedding. Eric wants him to be our best man.’