by June Francis
She tossed her plait back over her shoulder, surprised at his perception. ‘I know. And it would be difficult meeting.’
‘It could be dangerous too.’
‘Even here?’ she whispered.
He added hastily, ‘If your father saw us together again, it wouldn’t be much fun for either of us.’
‘Could he have you arrested?’ She moved away from him and he followed.
‘Probably.’
They were both silent, and she felt if he did not speak and say something positive then she would burst. He did not and she rushed into saying, ‘Where are you going now?’
‘To my aunt’s. I only came to see if—’ He stopped and stared over the river.
‘To see what?’
‘The ships.’ He glanced at her. ‘What are you doing tomorrow?’
‘I don’t know,’ she said quickly. ‘If you wanted to—’
‘Aye! I’m prepared to take a chance.’
‘Where do we meet?’
‘You don’t know anywhere.’ He smiled.
‘Here?’ Her eyes were bright.
He nodded. ‘One o’clock?’
‘Fine.’
He leant towards her and their lips met briefly. ‘Till tomorrow then,’ he said, and vanished into the crowd.
Rebekah wondered if she was quite mad, but she was smiling as she turned and ran towards the customs shed. She went through and headed for the railway station. As she neared it she saw her mother and Hannah waiting. ‘Where have you been? We’ve been worrying, thinking you might have been carried off and shipped to China!’ Her mother’s voice was lively.
‘China?’
‘Tea clippers used to race there and back in the old days.’ Her mother put a hand through her arm. ‘Oh, it’s so good to be home! Do you know, Becky, the Liver building wasn’t built when I was last here. Isn’t it grand? And the docks – they seemed to have spread out.’
Hannah interrupted her with a sniff. ‘I was robbed lying on the ground. Sum things don’t change.’
‘Poor Hannah!’ Rebekah could spare her a smile. She was thinking no further than tomorrow and nothing could cast a cloud on her spirits. ‘Did you have much stolen? I got my bag back.’
The maid sniffed again. ‘Me purse. Yer father and mother came before I could suffer any more insults from those black-hearted scoundrels. Not fit for mackerel bait, they ain’t.’
‘Where is Papa?’ asked Rebekah, quickly changing the subject.
‘Arranging transport for the bulk of our baggage,’ replied her mother. ‘He said that we were not to wait but to get a taxi to your aunt’s. But I was just thinking, love, if your legs are like mine then a walk will do them good. Hannah can get the tram if she wants.’
‘I will,’ said the maid, and accepted her fare and left them.
Rebekah thought about warning her mother against walking too far, she had been resting a lot since her illness. But then Rebekah considered how useful walking about the town might be in getting to know her way about.
They went under the overhead railway and passed the sailor’s church. Her mother told her that just over a hundred years ago there had been a terrible accident during Sunday service when part of the steeple had collapsed, killing more than twenty people. Further on she pointed out the town hall. ‘When my father tried to stop me going out with your papa, he told me how there’d been a Fenian plot to blow up the town hall in 1881. You know that the Fenians were sort of forerunners of the Irish Republican Brotherhood?’ Rebekah nodded. ‘They caught the men, and thank God the town hall is still here. But Father thought the telling might prevent me wanting to marry your papa. He had a habit of tarring all the Irish with the same brush.’
Rebekah said nothing, but she was thinking of what her father had said about Daniel. By the time they came in sight of the Graeco-Roman style St George’s Hall, built during Victoria’s reign, her mother was tiring so they caught a tram in Lime Street. Rebekah asked about places and roads, some of which her mother did not know, although she pointed out the Royal Hippodrome in West Derby Road. ‘When I was about twelve, my father’s sister came down from Bolton. She took me to a variety show. It was a revelation. I enjoyed the acts and went again with a friend when I was older, but I never told Papa or Esther. Aunt Maggie wasn’t a bit like other Quakers I knew. She had a yen for the stage, and soon after left the Society of Friends and went to London. The only time Papa mentioned her again was years later when he said I was as flighty as her. I remember I replied that I looked upon that as a compliment. That she was the best in the family.’ Her eyes gleamed. ‘He nearly hit me. Sad. I would have liked to have seen her again.’
Rebekah smiled. Liverpool seemed to be bringing out a different side to her mother and she was glad to see it.
They descended from the tram a couple of stops later and walked up a road of red-brick houses with long front gardens. Rebekah had visualised something grander because her father had told her that Aunt Esther had come into the family fortune and it had been quite substantial. They stopped at a house with a green front door with a black wrought iron knocker on it.
Footsteps hurried in response to their knock and the door opened to reveal Aunt Esther. She was small and round, with fluffy yellow-white hair. The three of them stared at each other then the two sisters flung their arms around each other.
‘Oh, Sarah,’ cried Esther, tears in her eyes as she crushed her against her black serge bosom. ‘It’s so good to see thee. If I’d know that thou were definitely arriving today, I would have come to meet thee.’
‘It doesn’t matter. We’re here now.’ Sarah’s voice was unsteady as she disentangled herself from her sister’s arms and seized Rebekah’s hand. ‘This is Becky. I think she’s got a look of our side of the family, don’t you?’
‘Oh, yes! She’s got Mother’s eyes. Thou art very welcome, Rebekah.’
‘Thank you.’ She suffered her aunt’s embrace, then was pulled inside the house.
‘It’s been so long, Sarah,’ said her aunt. ‘I hope thee can stay for weeks and weeks. Hannah was saying something about America?’
‘Yes,’ Sarah sighed.
Rebekah squeezed her hand. ‘It’s Papa’s idea, Aunt Esther.’
Her mother nodded. ‘We’ve tried our best to dissuade him, but there’s no moving him. He’s adamant.’
‘Adam always was,’ said Esther, her lips compressing in an uncompromising line. ‘Hannah said that he left thee to fend for thyselves at the Pierhead. No doubt it’s his selfishness as well as the fighting that’s worn thy nerves down. Did Hannah give thee the Dr Cassell’s tablets I sent? I know plenty of people who swear by them, and I’ve taken them myself since Papa died.’
Sarah said warmly, ‘I’ve taken the tablets, and I believe they have done me some good. It was kind of you – and to send Hannah too. She’s such a good worker. But please don’t speak of Adam in such a way.’
‘Thou still won’t have a word said against him,’ said Esther in resigned tones. ‘Such loyalty does thee credit, sister.’
‘A wife has to stand alongside her husband.’ Sarah smiled. ‘Try and get on with him, Esther. I know the pair of you could never see eye to eye in the past, but do try now. Papa tried to browbeat Adam into doing what he wanted and it was the biggest mistake he ever made.’ She paused long enough for her sister to nod, then added, ‘Now how about a cup of tea? I’m parched.’
‘Hannah will make us a cup,’ said Esther, leading the way. ‘It was quite a sacrifice sending her to thee. The girl I’ve had to put up with in her place doesn’t do half the work, and walked out this morning just because I rightfully complained about the way she hung the clean curtains – she said she’d be happier working at that new Woolworths! Young girls these days! It’s the war and this suffragette movement. It’s unsettled them.’
‘The movement was going in our day,’ murmured Sarah, entering a back room and looking about her, before sinking into an armchair.
‘Yes, but w
e didn’t get involved. There was too much work to do.’
‘That’s true. But it’s no different for women today. They still work hard.’ She smiled at her daughter. ‘Some have to work harder.’
‘But there’s many who are just out for a good time,’ protested Esther.
‘It’s the war,’ said Rebekah, who had knelt on a tiger rug at her mother’s feet.
Her mother nodded. ‘Thousands of women have lost the chance of marriage, and there’s thousands more who have to be father and mother to their children. Even if more women get the vote, there’s no easy cure for what ails most girls today.’
‘Let’s not talk about it,’ said Esther, sitting in the other armchair. ‘Instead tell me what hast thou been doing all those years in Ireland, and why that husband of thine wants to go to America.’
Sarah shook her head, ‘I’m not ready to talk about Ireland. You’ve no idea how the fighting—’ Her voice trailed off.
‘Thou should never have left Liverpool.’ Esther’s voice held a fierce note. ‘Adam could have accepted our ways.’
‘Don’t let’s go over that again.’ Sarah’s face stiffened. ‘Why not tell me who bought the shop? And what happened to …’
Rebekah leant back against the leg of her mother’s chair and listened to the two sisters talk. They gossiped about old times and old acquaintances, and not for the first time she wished that she had a sister to confide in. To talk to about Daniel. She let her mind drift, wondering how she could escape tomorrow.
Hannah brought tea and toasted buns. The door knocker sounded and it was Esther who went to answer it because the maid was occupied. Rebekah and her mother exchanged glances and her mother put a finger to her lips.
Rebekah could hardly prevent a smile when she heard her aunt’s disgruntled tones, ‘It’s thee! I suppose thou had best come in.’
‘You always did have a warm welcome for me, Esther,’ said Adam in a surprisingly pleasant voice. ‘You’ll be pleased to know that I won’t be staying above a day or two.’
‘Why is that?’ Esther’s dismay was obvious, ‘I haven’t said anything so terrible yet.’
‘No, but you will,’ he said grimly. ‘I’ve booked berths for us on a ship going to America.’
‘Not already,’ cried Esther. ‘Thou could have given Sarah and me some time. We’ve hardly had chance to—’
‘There’s been plenty of chances for you during the last twenty years,’ he rasped.
‘No, there wasn’t. Thou never did try to understand our way. And now—’
Rebekah got to her feet at the same time as her mother, who called, ‘Will you two please stop! My nerves can’t stand it!’
Her father came into the sitting room. There was a sullen expression on his face.
Rebekah said quickly, ‘When are we going, Papa?’
His expression lightened, ‘I can see you’re as impatient as I am to be on our way, Becky. I’m glad you’re coming round to my way of thinking.’
‘I didn’t say that, Papa,’ she murmured, ‘I only asked when we were leaving Liverpool. And how did you manage to arrange it so quickly?’
He looked towards her mother, ‘I put it down to the hand of God myself,’ he said with heavy humour. ‘No doubt, Sal, you and Esther will disagree.’
‘Maybe,’ said her mother, unsmiling. ‘Just answer Becky’s questions.’
Slowly he took his pipe from a pocket and placed it between his teeth. ‘When I was seeing to our luggage I literally bumped into the son of the man who bought our old farm.’ He paused to search for matches. ‘The father’s dead and the brother who inherited was killed in the war. The second son now owns the father’s shipping line as well as the estate in Ireland. Joshua remembered me.’ He lit up. The three women waited in silence for him to continue, and once he had his pipe going to his satisfaction he did so. ‘We now have a cabin to ourselves on one of his ships. With a bit of luck we’ll be leaving on Monday.’ There was the slightest hint of defiance in his tones. ‘The ship is still short of crew but they should be signed on over the weekend.’
Rebekah glanced at her mother and on seeing her expression, anger bubbled up inside her. ‘Couldn’t you have allowed Mama a few more days?’ she hissed. ‘Why the rush to get to America?’
Her father turned on her. ‘You wouldn’t understand! It was bad enough when we left for Ireland twenty years ago. Your mother was homesick for ages. It’s better my way, you’ll see. Now how about a cup of tea?’ His gaze passed over the three of them just as Hannah came into the room.
‘Tea! I know what I’d like to do with you and a cup of tea,’ said Sarah in a seething voice. ‘How could you arrange everything without consulting me? You could have given me more time.’ She swept out of the room. Esther glared at Adam and followed her sister.
There was a silence. ‘Well,’ he snapped, ‘are you going to walk out too, miss, or are you going to show me some respect and gratitude by pouring me a cup of tea?’
Before Rebekah could say or do anything, Hannah chipped in ‘I’ll do thee a cup of tea, sir.’ She picked up a fine bone china cup decorated with red-purple roses and filled it to the brim. There was a wide smile on her bony face. ‘I’m sure thee’s right and are only doing what yer think best for thy family. As yer know, two of me brothers are in America. It’s a fine place. They never want to come home.’
‘Who’d want to come home to you?’ Rebekah could not resist saying, and walked out of the room. Her aunt’s voice could be heard from the direction of the parlour, and although the door was shut Rebekah could clearly hear what was being said.
‘There’s no reason why thou hast to go to America, Sarah. I’ve got enough money to keep the three of us.’
‘You’re suggesting I leave Adam!’ Her mother gave a sharp laugh. ‘It’s easy to see that you’ve never married, Esther.’
‘I looked after Papa and that was no piece of cake,’ retorted her aunt, ‘I know what men are like. They like their own way. Only thinking of themselves. Papa treated me like a skivvy, and from the look of thee Adam hasn’t behaved any better in that Godforsaken country.’
‘You know nothing about my life there, only what I’ve told you of in the last year and that’s not Adam’s fault! You don’t know him.’ Her mother’s voice had altered, and sounded weary.
‘A handsome face and a beguiling way with him.’ Her aunt sniffed.
‘There’s more to Adam than that but you never wanted to see it.’
‘I’d brought thee up. I didn’t want to lose thee.’
‘I can understand that.’ There was a pause. ‘Don’t let’s quarrel. We have to make the most of the time we have.’
‘Then thou art going to America?’ The words were uttered in a disgruntled voice.
‘I can’t leave my husband just because you want me to stay here!’ There was silence and her aunt murmured something Rebekah could not catch. Then her mother said, ‘I’ll try and make him change his mind but I think it’ll be a waste of time.’
There was movement towards the door and Rebekah backed away and sat on the stairs as the two women came out. ‘Hannah’s making up to Papa,’ she murmured.
Esther stared at her. ‘Hannah! Not her! She doesn’t like men.’
‘I thought that myself but perhaps it’s Papa’s handsome face,’ she said lightly.
Her aunt’s mouth tightened. ‘Handsome is as handsome does. He won’t get much change out of Hannah, whatever he says and does. I’m not going back in there right now. If thou likes I could show thee thy rooms?’
‘I think we could all do with time to calm down,’ said Rebekah’s mother. ‘Come on, Becky. Grab your case.’
She nodded, considering it wiser to do as suggested, and followed the two sisters upstairs.
As Rebekah unpacked her nightdress, toothbrush and toothpowder, her aunt came back into the room. She sat on the bed, her expression determined. ‘Thou doesn’t want to go to America, does thee, Rebekah?’
‘It does
n’t matter what I want,’ she said honestly.
Esther nodded and sighed. ‘It’s always been that way. Girls have to do what they’re told. Duty – it’s a burden. But thou cares what thy mother wants? Thou wants her to be happy?’
‘She wouldn’t be happy without Papa,’ said Rebekah positively. She glanced at her aunt. ‘I heard you and Mama talking. It’s no use, Aunt Esther. If Papa has made up his mind, I don’t think he’s going to change it. Especially when he’s already got the tickets.’
Esther played with the bobbles round the shade of the bedside lamp. ‘Thou doesn’t think thee can change his mind?’
‘Me?’ Rebekah was startled. ‘I doubt it.’
‘Some fathers and daughters are very close.’ A frown creased her plump face and she added with apparent difficulty, ‘Papa was very fond of thy mother. As I was. The light went out of our lives when she left. If thou could persuade—’
Rebekah shook her head. ‘I’m sorry, Aunt Esther, but Mama’s your best bet. Papa and I aren’t the best of friends at the moment. Now, is there any chance of my having a bath?’
Her aunt nodded and with a gloomy expression took her outside, indicating the bathroom before going downstairs.
Rebekah lay in bed, listening. Eavesdropping had always been the only way she could obtain the information that her parents thought they should keep from her. Even here in her aunt’s house it did not seem to have occurred to them that they could be overhead. Her bedroom window was slightly ajar and theirs next door must also be open. Her father was speaking, stressing each word. ‘Why did we leave Dublin, Sal? To get away from the fighting, that’s why. And Liverpool isn’t far enough away for me. Joshua Green told me that there’s cells of the IRA over here, causing as much trouble as they can by arson and cutting telegraph wires. You know the way they work to create chaos.’
‘Esther hasn’t mentioned anything about that,’ responded her mother in that controlled way of speaking she had when her nerves were fraught and she was on the brink of tears.
