Rough Clay

by Chrissie Loveday

  Once the move was over, the coming party filled the minds of all the family. Dora wanted to invite everyone who hadn’t been able to go to the wedding, including her sister who now had two children under two years old.

  ‘Have you thought when you’re going to start a family?’ Mary asked Dora nearly every week.

  ‘We haven’t talked about it much. What with the move and everything, we haven’t considered much past that. Maybe now we’re settled, we might think about it.’ She realised that neither of them had really talked it through. She’d always assumed they’d have a family, when it was right. There was no real reason why they shouldn’t start one any time now. If she did decide to go back to work, she knew her Mum would be delighted to look after the baby.

  The party was the highlight of the season for all of them. Their friends oohed and aahed over the house, exclaiming over the ultra modern fixtures and fittings. Everything that could be built-in, was. Wardrobes in the bedrooms and cupboards in the kitchen were all purpose built, with shiny chrome handles and geometric lines.

  Ernie turned up with one of his many lady friends in tow. He still looked for the perfect woman and seemed to be enjoying the prolonged search. Mabel Pearce had long since been cast aside, much to Dora’s disappointment. She would have liked both of their best friends to make a go of things.

  ‘Well, lad,’ he said, clapping Archie on the back, ‘you’re really settled now aren’t you? You’ll be having the patter of little feet any time now, I expect. No more nights out for you.’

  ‘A family? No way. I don’t think so. It’s just too much for any woman to cope with.’

  ‘Don’t talk rubbish. If it was too much, there’d be a real shortage of people in this world. I bet your little wife is just dying for a baby. Mark my words. I’ve seen that look in a woman’s eyes before.’

  Archie was silent. The memory of his mother’s huge size during pregnancy and the pain she suffered at the birth of his brother had put him right off the idea. He’d always assumed things might be easier by the time he was grown-up but nothing seemed to have changed much. He often saw the girls at work trying to pretend everything was normal when they were well past six months gone. He gave a shudder.

  ‘You’re a fine one to talk, Ernie. You haven’t even managed to persuade a girl to stick with you for more than five minutes, let alone walk up the aisle with you.’

  ‘I’m biding my time. What do you think of this one?’

  ‘She’s all right. Probably far too good for the likes of you,’ he laughed.

  ‘You may be right. But she’s lasted a few months and we’re still speaking. She’s getting on all right with your good lady.’ Dora and the girl, Barbara, seemed to be giggling happily together in a corner.

  ‘How are you finding work these days?’

  ‘All right,’ Archie replied cautiously. ‘Why do you ask?’

  ‘I sensed a spot of dissatisfaction among the workers. There doesn’t seem to be quite the usual atmosphere around the place.’

  ‘I think maybe some of them are sick of always doing the deco stuff. They want to go back to more traditional stuff. I must say, I can sympathise. I’d like to see a bit more fancy ware. More style and elegance about what we’re producing.’

  ‘We have to go with what’s selling. Come on, Archie. Think about it. You were keen enough to try out the new stuff once.’

  ‘Maybe. But it’s no longer new is it? We should be looking forward to the next fashion. I reckon that we’re going to need to go back and look at what was there before and build on that.’

  ‘Have you heard that Leslie Barker’s thinking of starting up on his own?’

  ‘The odd rumour. But I thought nothing much of it. He’s head manager of the decorating shop. Why would he want to leave?’

  ‘Happen he’s been thinking on the same lines as you. Let me know if you hear anything definite. I think we’d better go and see our ladies, before they fall out with us completely.’ Ernie went across the room and began talking and joking with the women. Archie watched him thoughtfully. He’d heard about the coming changes. Leslie was a go ahead chap. Talented and with plenty of drive. If he left, there would be a vacancy up at the top. He knew he was still too young to get the top job but maybe some sort of promotion was in the offing. He moved towards his wife and friends but was stopped in his tracks by the sound of raised voices in the kitchen. He went to investigate.

  ‘She always was your favourite,’ Dora’s sister Margaret, was yelling.

  ‘Don’t be daft, love. It was just more convenient for us to move here together.’

  ‘You haven’t even seen our house. Couldn’t be bothered to come over, I suppose.’ Margaret had drunk a sherry or two over her limit and was letting her jealousy rise to the surface.

  ‘It isn’t easy to get away. We’ve been so busy with the wedding and everything and then the move.’ Mary was trying hard to appease her eldest daughter. She did have a point but she’d always been so difficult. So headstrong. Her husband, Derek, seemed a steady enough bloke, but Mary suspected things were not ideal between them. For now, she needed to quieten her daughter before she ruined the whole evening. ‘Look, love. I think it’d be a good idea if you had a breath of fresh air. I’ll come outside with you and we’ll talk about things. Maybe I could come over and stay for a few days. Now Dora’s settled, she can look after your Dad and Archie.’

  With very bad grace, Margaret allowed herself to be led outside into the chill night air. As the cold struck her, she gave a gulp and began to cry. They sat down on the back step.

  ‘Oh, Mum. Life’s so awful. Me and Derek seem to be rowing all the time. He doesn’t earn enough to keep us all. The kids get upset by the atmosphere and I just don’t know how to cope. Our Dora seems to have it made. Posh house and everything going exactly her own way. And whatever you say, her parents always did favour her,’ she added slyly.

  ‘I don’t know why you say that. We’ve always tried to treat you both the same. We helped you get started just the same as Dora. You’ve got two lovely kids. Derek’s a good man really. I’m not sure we can help you out with more money though. Everything we had’s gone into this place. Archie’s paying the bank loan out of his wages and we manage most of the other expenses. It’s team work, Margaret. We all pull together. That’s what you two have got to learn to do.’

  Archie listened to the exchanges. He felt uncomfortable about the situation at times and felt that Margaret maybe had a point. It seemed that it was not only his own family that had problems. If he was completely honest, he didn’t like Margaret much, especially after Ernie’s comments on their first meeting. He had often wondered how two such lovely people as Henry and Mary could have produced two such different daughters.

  ‘Didn’t have quite the same start, now did we?’

  ‘Well now, Margaret. We all know whose fault that is. You made your own bed and all that. You jumped the gun and have to pay for the consequences.’

  ‘Oh you’d have to bring that up, wouldn’t you?’

  ‘This is going nowhere,’ Mary told her. ‘Come on in again. It’s perishing out here.’

  ‘I think I might be carrying again,’ Margaret moaned.

  ‘Oh, love. Not already. Don’t you take any precautions? You know what I mean.’

  ‘We try but sometimes, Derek just can’t or won’t stop himself. I wish you lived nearer. You could help me such a lot. Won’t you think about coming our way? I don’t see why Dora should have everything.’

  Archie could bear it no longer. He marched into the kitchen, asking in a loud voice as he went, ‘Who’s for a top up?’ He went over to the barrel of ale on the side bench and filled another jug. ‘Some for you, Margaret? Or do you fancy summat else?’ His sister-in-law gave him a withering look and stomped out of the room. ‘I’m sorry, Mary. I couldn’t help overhearing. I hope we haven’t made everything too difficult for you.’

  ‘She’s a silly girl. Don’t let it bother you. She’s just flum
moxed about something and nothing. She’ll get over it. Now, do you think I should warm up this lot of sausage rolls yet?’

  Apart from this upset, the evening was deemed a success by all. Barry and his boys had played their hearts out from a position on the landing, halfway up the stairs. Several couples danced in the hall and those wanting a quieter chat had been in the lounge.

  ‘Great place for a party,’ Ernie had told Archie, as he was leaving. The host beamed with pleasure. ‘Let me know if you hear anything at work, won’t you?’

  ‘Sure. I can always use a leg up myself. Got a lot to pay for these days,’ he said with a grin.

  ‘We’ll bear you in mind if there’s a vacancy. Now, we’d best be off before we get locked out. Thanks all of you. Great party. Great house. Sets me thinking it’s about time I got myself sorted. I’m much too old still to be living with me parents.’

  ‘Give them my best,’ Archie shouted behind the retreating pair.

  Soon, everyone started to leave and it was just the family left. They began to clear up and wash glasses. Margaret had disappeared to bed and Archie felt a sense of relief. At least they had a space before the next inevitable confrontation in the morning.

  ‘I think everyone enjoyed themselves, don’t you?’ Dora said happily.

  ‘I reckon so,’ Harry replied. ‘Though I did hear summat going off in the kitchen. What was that all about, Molly?’ He used this affectionate name for his wife.

  ‘Oh nothing much. Just our Margaret doing her usual thing. Poor little sister who nobody loves. She’ll get over it.’

  ‘I see,’ Harry said grimly. ‘Well, she’s only got herself to blame. I did help a bit when they got wed but she was the one who threw it back in my face.’

  ‘Let’s not talk about it now. Don’t spoil the evening. I think it’s been lovely. Well done, you two. Best party I’ve ever been to,’ Mary said. ‘Now I’m going to bed before I drop with tiredness. Are you coming up, Harry?’

  He nodded and the two of them disappeared. Archie put his arms round his wife and kissed the back of her neck as she stood at the sink.

  ‘Come on, love. We’ll finish off in the morning.’

  ‘What were you and Ernie talking about? I saw you having a serious looking conversation.’

  ‘Oh just a bit about work. Nothing much. He wants me to listen out for any bits of gossip about Leslie. You know, the head manager. Thinks he may have plans to go out on his own.’

  ‘That’d leave a gap wouldn’t it? Maybe there’ll be summat in it for you.’

  ‘Could be but don’t hold your breath. I’m still a bit young for that job. Besides, I might consider going with him.’

  ‘Oh, Archie, no. You couldn’t. That would really be a big risk. You don’t even know if he could make a go of it.’

  ‘True, but it would be interesting finding out. I’m getting a bit sick of the same old thing day after day. I’d like to widen my field a bit. Try some experiments. I’d like to have a go at some fancy goods.’

  ‘But is the time right? You’re only just getting going on the new decorated ware. I must say, I really love the tea-set you gave me for Christmas. Really pretty that.’

  ‘One of my own designs, like I said. I think we have to look at combining the transfer patterns with more hand painting.’

  ‘I liked the way you signed your own initials on the back. Really makes it special.’

  ‘I’ve been practising that for years,’ he said shyly. ‘I always wanted to sign my name with a fancy look to it.’

  ‘Time we went to bed. I bet Margaret’s two will be up at the crack of dawn. They were very good at the party, weren’t they?’

  ‘I s’pose so. I don’t now much about kids. I remember William crying himself silly every night when he was a baby.’

  ‘Maybe we can think about having one of our own. Me Mum was asking me the other day.’

  ‘If you must know, Ernie was talking about it as well. Do you really want to go through all that?’ Archie asked, afraid of her answer.

  ‘Course I do. I can’t imagine not having kids, can you? I want two. A boy and a girl.’

  ‘Well, if you’re really set on it, we’ll have to get the order booked. I’m frightened though, Dora. You’re much too precious to take any risks. I love you.’

  ‘I know. Come on, love. It’s natural to be worried about the responsibility of being a parent.’

  He said nothing. It wasn’t parenthood that concerned him. It was the whole process of pregnancy and birth that bothered him. He shivered at the memory of his mother crying out and all the blood. Nobody had found a better way of having babies, not as far as he knew. But he loved his Dora much too much to deny her anything.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  It wasn’t until the August of 1936 that Dora knew for certain that she was pregnant. She was overjoyed and on their wedding anniversary, the two of them went out for a special dinner. She broke the news to Archie, tears of joy filling her eyes. A flicker of alarm crossed his face but he managed to smile.

  ‘You are pleased aren’t you?’ Dora asked anxiously.

  ‘Course I am. If it makes you happy, then I’m delighted. My, my. A Dad. Fancy me being a Dad.’

  ‘I’d like to go and see your parents. Tell them the news. They’ll want to know they’re going to be grandparents, don’t you think? It’s their right to know.’

  ‘I s’pose so.’ Over the years Archie had grown so accustomed to his parents’, or rather his mother’s, lack of interest in anything that he’d almost given up including them in any news. ‘We’ll go over at the weekend.’

  ‘You’d better send a card to say we’re coming or they might be out.’

  ‘I suppose so.’ He had never admitted his mother’s difficulty with reading but went along with her suggestion. Always better to give a warning than to drop in unannounced. At least his Dad and William would be pleased to see them. Archie’s brother was now eighteen and had got himself a job at the pithead. It was a bit of a dead end but it earned him some money and he knew he could always look for something else when the time was right.

  Mary and Harry were delighted with the news, though Mary claimed she had known for some weeks.

  ‘I could tell. Something about a woman when she’s pregnant. Besides, I thought she was looking a bit on the plump side.’

  ‘I never am,’ Dora protested. ‘Am I?’

  ‘You look wonderful to me,’ Archie told her. ‘But hadn’t you better think about giving up work? You don’t want to be on your feet all day, do you? You’ll have to take care of yourself.’

  ‘Don’t fuss. I’m not ill. Just expecting.’ Her smile of delight was enough to settle his fears, at least for the time being.

  The visit to see Archie’s parents was planned for the following Sunday. They drove over after lunch, thinking that their reception might be slightly better if a meal wasn’t involved. The street looked as dingy as ever. Archie gazed round at the cobbles and the grey gutters, dirty houses, so stained that the bricks could scarcely be seen. He couldn’t help comparing it with their own tree-lined road. They were high up and far enough away from the grime of the factory chimneys and the pit head fires to feel as if the air was clean. Here in his parents’ own locality the black was so ingrained into the fabric of the buildings that nothing could ever make them clean. He knocked at the door and waited. It seemed strange to be knocking on the front door of his old home. Somehow, it didn’t feel right to walk round the back and push their way in through the gate. After a wait, William came to open the door.

  ‘Hallo there. How’re you? You’d better come in.’

  ‘Hallo, William,’ Dora said. ‘How’s life treating you?’

  ‘Not so bad. Not now you’ve come to see us. Had enough of my brother yet? I can offer you a decent home, if you fancy a change.’

  ‘Go on with you. You never alter do you?’

  ‘Not where you’re concerned.’

  ‘I’m very flattered but you’ll soon be
finding yourself a young lady and you won’t even have the time of day for me.’

  ‘I shan’t, Dora. I’ll never find anyone else that’d do for me. There’s no-one else like you but until you realise your mistake, I s’pose I’ll just have to bide my time. Anyhow, me Mum and Dad are waiting in the living room.’

  ‘Hallo Mrs Barnett. Mr Barnett.’ She leaned forwards to kiss them both. Frances held herself rigid and almost allowed Dora to contact her cheek. Ralph held her arms and gave her the merest suggestion of a hug.

  ‘Hallo, Dora, love. Son. So, how’s that new house of yours?’

  ‘It’s lovely. You’ll have to come over and see for yourself. How about it?’

  ‘I’m not sure I can be bothered,’ snapped Frances. ‘Long way to go and I’ll only make myself discontented with what I’ve got.’

  ‘What’s it like, Archie?’ asked William.

  ‘Come and see for yourself,’ Archie said wearily. He was already wondering how soon they could make their escape. He felt overwhelmed by this house. Oppressed by this family. Nothing had really changed here for as long as he could remember. The room looked as dingy as ever, the table cover looked the same as it always had. Probably never even been washed, he thought. After his own bright, cheerful home, always spotlessly clean and with good furniture, this seemed like a bad dream. He watched Dora chatting to his parents as if she really liked them. She was such a wonderful woman. He knew just how lucky he was. His Dad was beginning to look quite old. How old could he be? Nearly fifty he supposed. He looked like an old man. He broke out of his dream to find Dora nudging him.

  ‘Go on. Tell them our news,’ she was urging.

  ‘What?’ he said stupidly.

  ‘Go on, Archie. I was saying we’ve got some news for them.’

  ‘Oh, yes. Right. Well, it’s like this . . . we, Dora that is . . .’

  ‘When’s it due?’ asked William bluntly.

  ‘What?’

  ‘The baby. When’s it due? I s’pose that is what you’re blatherin’ about?’

  ‘Er yes. We’re having a baby.’