Flowers on the Mersey

by June Francis

  ‘Thank you.’ Daniel held out his hand.

  She hesitated and took it. ‘Thou will find the boy and bring them both here?’

  ‘I’ll find him.’

  ‘She nodded and called Hannah. ‘See Mr O’Neill and the young woman out.’

  The maid nodded, eyeing Daniel up and down with obvious satisfaction as she went before them up the lobby. ‘I knew Miss Becky had someone in Dublin. Sinful, I calls it! And scandalous! But I suppose thee knows what thee’s letting thyself in for if thee’s known her that long. And I never did like that toffee-nosed husband of hers. Just get that baby back. We miss him.’ She opened the door and showed them out.

  Daniel’s eyebrows went up and Brigid giggled. ‘Now yer’ve met her, yer’ll never forget her! Come on. I think Miss McIntyre’s house is only a few doors up.’

  Edwina answered their knock and Daniel introduced himself.

  ‘You’re from Ireland,’ she said, gazing at him with obvious interest. ‘You’d best come in. Although I can tell you now, if you’re looking for Rebekah, I don’t know exactly where she is.’

  ‘We know where she is, Miss McIntyre,’ said Daniel, turning his hat between his hands. ‘It’s a doctor we want. A Dr Michaels – do you know where we can find him?’

  ‘Is it a doctor you want for Rebekah because of what’s happened to Joshua? I was just reading about his death in the Daily Post. I can tell you it gave me quite a shock.’

  ‘I’m sure it did.’ The news came as no surprise to Daniel. ‘But your paper must have more information than the one I saw in Dublin.’

  Edwina opened the door wider. ‘Do come in and explain yourself. Even if it’s only for a few minutes. You can read the report while I make a cup of tea.’

  ‘No tea for me,’ said Daniel, smiling slightly. ‘But Bridie would probably like one.’

  Edwina shot Brigid a glance. ‘Rebekah’s spoken of you. It’s nice to meet you,’ she said politely. ‘Do come in.’

  They went in and Edwina handed Daniel the newspaper, placing a finger on a front page headline which blazoned: ‘Local shipowner’s body found in undergrowth on estate in Ireland’.

  Brigid read the words over his shoulder in a muted voice. ‘It says they think the body’s been there a week.’

  ‘He was shot several times,’ said Edwina. ‘It’ll come as a shock to Rebekah. You say you know where she is, Mr O’Neill?’

  ‘Yes.’ He folded the paper and handed it back to her. ‘She’s in an asylum. He placed her there after stealing my son and putting him in an Orphanage.’

  Edwina stared at him and then sat down abruptly ‘I don’t understand! Why your son? And Becky – she wasn’t mad.’

  ‘No!’ exclaimed Brigid fiercely. ‘But he was determined to drive her mad!’

  Edwina made a helpless gesture. ‘You’ll have to explain properly. I know she didn’t love Joshua but—’ She paused and stared at Daniel, who stared back. ‘She loved someone else who died—’ Her voice trailed off.

  ‘The rumours of my death were greatly exaggerated by Mr Green,’ said Daniel, smiling unexpectedly. ‘Brigid will explain. You’re Becky’s friend so I don’t think she’ll mind you knowing the truth. If you can just tell me where I can find Dr Michaels?’

  Edwina drew a long breath. ‘Rodney Street. I can’t remember the number but his name will be on the brass plate outside.’ She stayed him with her hand. ‘You said Joshua put your son in an orphanage? You do mean – David?’

  He nodded.

  ‘Oh, golly! Which one?’

  ‘We don’t know.’ His mouth tightened. ‘I had thought it might be the Seamen’s Orphanage.’

  ‘No,’ she said, shaking her head. ‘Becky told me that the children have to be at least seven years old.’ Daniel swore softly and she gave him a look. ‘That won’t help. Your best bet is a church organised home. Quite a few run places for unmarried mothers. They take the babies and get them adopted. I—’ She stopped and stared at him, and he nodded. ‘Golly! Was she with you in Ireland last year? You don’t have to answer that! I’ll give you the address of the place which, in my opinion, is your best bet. I remember the first time I heard Joshua’s name, it was in connection with the orphanage where I placed my baby. I think he was on the board of guardians.’ She reached for her handbag and took out a pencil and paper. She wrote down a name and address and handed it to him.

  ‘Thanks,’ said Daniel, and left Brigid to do the rest of the talking.

  * * *

  Rebekah was sitting in the asylum chapel, staring down at her hands. That morning she had done basket weaving and the sides of her fingers were sore from twisting cane. She was in a hopeful mood since Ada had posted her letter but had thought that a prayer or two would not go amiss. She laced her fingers, closed her eyes, and asserted all her will to get God on her side. She promised him all sorts of things if only he would get her out of this place.

  There were footsteps and Rebekah turned to see one of the attendants, who looked extremely serious. ‘You’ve got visitors, Mrs Green. The doctor said you were to come to his office at once.’

  Rebekah was filled with apprehension but she scrambled to her feet and hurried after the nurse, hoping that Joshua had not returned. The corridors had always seemed long but now they seemed endless. The attendant pushed the door open and Rebekah entered a sunlit room.

  Her gaze immediately fell on Daniel. She could scarcely believe that she was really seeing him. The beard was gone and he looked a little older. There really were grey hairs in his mop of curls this time – but it was Daniel! Her legs went weak and she had to put a hand on the back of a chair. He rushed forward and lowered her on to a seat, and his face came close to hers. ‘I’ve come to get you out of here, love,’ he murmured. ‘I’ve told them I’m your Irish cousin. Understand?’

  ‘Yes.’ she whispered, although she did not, and clung to his hand, only taking her eyes off him when Dr Michaels spoke.

  The doctor was looking sombre and came straight to the point. ‘I had a talk with Dr Gail this afternoon and his description of the baby that died, that he said was yours, did not match the one I remembered. He was far too young for a start. Also I’ve been in touch with the nurse who tended you. We had a talk about your husband and his attitude towards your child. She mentioned things that convinced me that your husband was extremely jealous of the attention you gave to the baby, and she believes that this could have led him to act in a way that could cause suffering to you and your baby. I can see no reason for you to be kept here any longer.’

  ‘Thank you,’ said Rebekah in a quiet voice. ‘But what about my husband? Where is he?’

  The resident doctor leant forward. ‘Mrs Green, I would hesitate to tell you this news in other circumstances, but as it is, I have to inform you that your husband is dead.’

  ‘Dead!’ Rebekah moistened her lips and her gaze switched to Daniel’s face for verification, also seeking something else though she did not find it.

  His face was expressionless when he said gravely, ‘It’s true, Becky. He was shot on his estate in Ireland.’ I take it that he believed because the civil war was officially over that it was safe for him to visit Ireland, but it wasn’t because the fighting hasn’t ceased. Some of the Irregulars have sworn to continue the struggle for an united Ireland free from all ties with England. You know that there were such men in that area and that he wasn’t liked in the village.’

  ‘Yes, I know,’ she whispered, still shocked.

  ‘The police informed us this morning,’ said the asylum doctor, toying with an inkstand on his desk. ‘We weren’t going to tell you yet, but in the light of what has been revealed we think it best you know the truth. You can leave whenever you wish. We’ll see that your things are packed.’

  She nodded. ‘Immediately, please. I have to find my son, you see.’

  The doctor flushed and averted his gaze as she thanked Dr Michaels for coming. He offered her and Daniel a lift back to Liverpool and asked if there w
as anything else he could do. ‘I have given Mr O’Neill a letter of explanation and introduction, but if you wish me to go to the orphanage with you, I will.’

  ‘Orphanage! Then you know which one David is in?’ Rebekah turned to Daniel. Joy and excitement were suddenly emotions that she could allow herself to indulge in.

  He grinned. ‘I’m living in hope. Edwina thinks it’s a possibility.’ He said in a low voice, ‘I think we can manage without the good doctor, don’t you? We could get the train. There’s things we have to say to each other.’

  ‘Yes,’ she breathed, wanting nothing more than to be alone with him and to find David.

  It was not until they were outside the imposing wrought iron gates that she said in an even voice, ‘You didn’t kill Joshua, did you?’

  He looked amused. ‘No. Would you have liked me to?’

  She shook her head and said. ‘No. He caused us a great deal of suffering, but he was an unhappy man and I’d rather not have his murder hanging over our heads. Tell me how you got here? What happened when you left me? And where’ve you been all this time?’

  He told her as they walked hand in hand to the station. ‘I came out of prison a couple of days ago and one of the first people I saw was our Shaun, begging on O’Connell Bridge. He’d lost a leg.’ He paused and a muscle moved in his cheek.

  She waited a few minutes before saying in a soft voice, ‘So you were captured? How did Shaun –?’

  ‘I was getting him as far away from you as possible that last day I saw you. I intended coming back but I crashed the car.’

  ‘You crashed it!’ If only she had known. If only. It would have saved her so much heartache. And he had intended coming back.

  ‘I didn’t know the roads or the car,’ continued Daniel. ‘He said there were troopers but there weren’t. But after the crash we did meet some. Shaun had broken both legs. I was knocked out and came to in someone’s house. They’d called in the troopers because of Shaun’s being armed. We were separated and I didn’t see him again until yesterday.’ He paused and gazed across the road, his expression tight. ‘They’d had to amputate one of his legs. Gangrene. But they let him go free. Apparently they didn’t consider him a danger any longer.’

  ‘I’m sorry.’ She squeezed his hand.

  ‘It’s tough on him and at the moment he’s blaming me for everything. I brought him to Liverpool to my aunt’s because I just couldn’t leave him in Ireland.’

  ‘He’s why you came to Liverpool?’ she said lightly.

  He looked at her and smiled. ‘You know he isn’t. After I saw Shaun I read the newspaper headlines about Joshua. I came for you. I went to Brigid thinking she’d know where you were, and she did.’

  ‘You read my letter?’

  ‘Yes. And if Green hadn’t already been dead—’ He grimaced. ‘He must have believed that David was my son.’

  ‘He did.’

  ‘Is he really like me?’

  ‘I think so.’

  Daniel took a deep breath. ‘Let’s go and find him.’

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  ‘We’re looking for a baby.’ Daniel and Rebekah stood in the open doorway of a large oak-panelled entrance hall, confronting a woman who reminded Rebekah a little of Hannah.

  ‘Go away and come back in the morning,’ said Hannah’s lookalike.

  ‘No!’ Daniel put his foot in the door. ‘This is important, Miss.’

  She sniffed. ‘If you want to adopt you must apply in writing and your situation will be looked into.’

  ‘We’re searching for a baby. There was a mix up and we’ve been directed to you.’ Rebekah’s tones were haughty. ‘Daniel, the note from Dr Michaels.’

  He took it from his pocket and handed it to the woman. She opened it, read it, and eyed them with ghoulish interest. ‘It says that Mr Green is dead? When? We haven’t heard a thing.’

  ‘It’s in today’s paper,’ said Daniel, pushing the door wide and pulling Rebekah inside. ‘He was shot in Ireland. So sad about his death. A worthy gentleman.’

  ‘A good man indeed,’ said the woman effusively. ‘My condolences. He was well thought of, and that must be a consolation to you.’

  ‘Of course,’ said Rebekah smoothly. ‘He liked children so much. Wanted to help poor mothers.’

  ‘A caring man.’ The woman sighed. ‘Only a month or so ago he brought the little boy to us. He said it was the child of an unmarried girl – the daughter of one of his sailors washed overboard. We were glad to help and promised to do our best to find the boy a good home.’

  Rebekah almost stopped breathing. ‘And have you found him one?’

  ‘Not yet.’ She sniffed. ‘Due to it’s being Mr Green’s express wishes that we find the boy a home, we’ve been more particular than usual. Which it seems is just as well in the circumstances. A mix up, Dr Michaels says.’ She was obviously curious but they had no intention of enlightening her and causing a scandal.

  Daniel squeezed Rebekah’s hand. ‘Perhaps we can have a look at him?’

  The woman hesitated then nodded. ‘If you’re very quiet you can have a peek. It is late, you understand?’

  They said they did and followed her. She led them to a large room with rows of cots and spoke to a nurse who was bottle feeding a baby.

  The nurse walked soft-footedly towards them. ‘Come with me,’ she whispered. ‘Jonathan’s a lovely baby. He has the most gorgeous curly hair and big brown eyes.’

  Rebekah’s heartbeat threatened to suffocate her. Brown eyes!

  ‘We had some problems with him at first,’ went on the nurse in a low voice. ‘Especially feeding him, but he’s a good boy now.’

  Rebekah remembered her sore breasts and the wasted milk and wanted to cry.

  The nurse stopped by a cot which contained a gurgling baby with one of his feet in his mouth. She smiled. ‘This is Jonathan.’

  Rebekah stared at David and was about to pick him up when something made her look at Daniel. His hand went out and removed the foot from his son’s mouth. Immediately the child moved his mouth against the back of his hand and sucked at his knuckle. An indescribable expression crossed Daniel’s face and he lifted the baby out of the cot to cradle him awkwardly in his arms.

  ‘You’re not supposed to take the babies out of their cots,’ said the nurse.

  Daniel took no notice, taking a small hand into his own.

  ‘Well?’ asked Rebekah, smiling.

  ‘He has a look of our Shaun when he was a baby.’

  ‘Your Shaun!’ She groaned. ‘You can’t mean it! He looks like you. He’s a good-looking baby.’

  ‘Please, will you put Jon back?’ interrupted the nurse. ‘You might think he’s yours, sir, but it has to be done legally.’

  They both ignored her. ‘Our Shaun was OK when he was small,’ said Daniel. ‘It was only later he got spoilt.’

  ‘I suppose he’d best come and live with us.’

  Daniel gave her a look. ‘You could both drive each other crazy.’

  ‘Excuse me!’ said the nurse in a fierce voice. ‘If you don’t put that baby back right now I’ll have to fetch Matron.’

  Daniel took no notice but put his free arm round Rebekah as they walked away from the cot.

  ‘Hey!’ Hastily the nurse placed the baby she had been feeding in David’s cot. It took only two seconds for it to start screaming.

  Rebekah and Daniel passed through an open french window that led on to a terrace. The nurse followed as several more babies started crying.

  Rebekah, hearing the noise, turned. ‘The other lady will explain. I’m Mrs Green.’

  ‘I don’t care if you’re Mrs Red, White and Blue,’ said the nurse, bristling. ‘She didn’t say anything about your taking Jon. Only about showing you him. I’ll get told off or dismissed!’

  ‘Neither will happen if you do what I say,’ insisted Rebekah in a soothing voice.

  The nurse stared at her. ‘You can’t just take a baby like that,’ she said weakly. ‘Even though
him and him have a look of each other. There’s rules!’

  ‘They do have a look of each other, don’t they?’ Rebekah’s face lit up. ‘Oh, go back, love. Stop those other babies crying! I’ll see that you get a great big box of chocolates for being such a help.’ She turned and ran to catch up with Daniel and they went out of the gates together.

  EPILOGUE

  Rebekah came down the steps of the building where Joshua’s solicitor’s office was situated near Dale Street. She was wearing an eau-de-Nil chiffon frock and a black straw hat with an artificial green gardenia decorating its narrow brim. There was a bounce in her step as she walked. The street sloped downwards towards the river and soon she passed beneath the Overhead Railway, nicknamed the Dockers’ Umbrella by Liverpudlians. She narrowly avoided a heavily loaded horse drawn cart.

  ‘Watch it, luv!’ The words were accompanied by a wolf whistle. ‘Got a date, have yer? I wouldn’t mind taking yer on meself.’

  Rebekah smiled and felt good.

  David was safe with Aunt Esther, who was still in shock after Rebekah had told her that Daniel was David’s father and that they were going to get married. Hannah had said with relish: ‘Told thee, Miss Esther, she always was one for the men.’

  ‘Men!’ Rebekah had retorted. ‘There’s only ever been one man in my life.’

  Now she looked at the man in her life as he gazed over the river at the ships. In the navy pin striped suit, and with his dark brown hair in disarray by the sea breeze, she considered him still the most attractive man she had ever set eyes on. She came up behind him and slipped her hand through his arm. ‘Are you wishing yourself on one of them boats?’

  ‘Ships, Becky.’ Daniel turned, smiling. ‘How did you get on? Did you shock the man in your best green frock?’

  ‘I’m sure I did. He was even more shocked when I told him I was going to a wedding.’

  ‘You’re wishing it was your own, perhaps?’

  She smiled. ‘I thought you might have suggested a double one.’

  ‘I was excommunicated last year.’