Songbird

by Josephine Cox

  She smiled tenderly at him. “So we’ll wait here, you and me,” she breathed. “We’ll do exactly as your mammy would want. We’ll stay safe. And we’ll wait.”

  But there was another worry niggling at her now. What on earth could she tell Grandad? He was nobody’s fool, so whatever story she cooked up, it would have to be convincing. She didn’t want him suspecting anything untoward, and getting involved. She gave a nervous glance toward the door. What if he should ever be involved? Dear me, no! That would never do.

  So, while the young and the old slumbered on, Ellen laid back on Maddy’s bed where, drawing the covers over herself against the early morning chill, she thought of a plan.

  It was eight-thirty when Grandad finally came down. “Good Lord!” Ruffling his red hair, he came into the kitchen and flopped down at the table. “Have you seen the time?” He was incredulous. “Half past eight! I can’t ever recall sleeping till this time of the morning. Why didn’t you wake me?”

  “Because I’d already disturbed you once,” Ellen replied, placing a mug of freshly brewed tea before him and putting some toast under the grill. “And I expect that phone call disturbed you early on as well.”

  He looked up, his brow furrowed with puzzlement. “What phone call?”

  Ellen reached into the cupboard for the marmalade; she dared not look into his face, or he might see how she was lying. “It woke me an’ all,” she said innocently. “Half past six it was – frightened the life out of me. I’m surprised you didn’t hear it.”

  “Who in God’s name was that, ringing here at that time of the morning? I hope you gave them an earful.”

  “It was for Maddy.”

  He took a long slow sip of his tea. “Oh, aye?”

  “It was her old aunt from Bournemouth.”

  He frowned. “An old aunt, eh? I don’t rightly know why I should think it, but I were under the impression that Maddy didn’t have no relatives?”

  “Well, she hasn’t – except for this old aunt in Bournemouth. They were very close when Maddy was young but I don’t think they’ve seen each other in a long time, not since both her parents died.” She felt ashamed at lying to this darling old man. “Maddy always kept an eye on her from a distance, if you know what I mean.”

  He nodded. “What, like birthdays and Christmas and that sort o’ thing?”

  Ellen was relieved that he seemed to understand. “Yes, that’s it,” she said, giving him a plate with two buttered slices of toast. “Sometimes they talked on the phone, but that’s all. The old aunt respected that Maddy had a life of her own, and Maddy respected her wish for independence.”

  “Aye, well, I can understand that.” He spread some marmalade on his toast and bit into it. “Sounds a bit like you and me, eh?” he mumbled. “We’ve allus been here for each other in times of need, but we’ve never lived in each other’s pocket, have we, lass?”

  “That’s exactly right, Grandad,” Ellen answered brightly. “I hope you don’t mind, but when Maddy asked if it was all right to give her aunt this number in case she needed to get in touch, I said yes. I’m sorry if I did wrong.”

  “Well, o’ course I don’t mind.” He glanced about. “Where’s Maddy now?”

  “She’s gone.”

  “Oh?” He grew anxious. “Is everything all right, lass?”

  “Not really, Grandad, no.”

  “Then you’d best tell me all about it.” He put down his mug and sat up, his face wreathed with concern. He had a feeling that Ellen was nervous about something or another, and it wasn’t altogether because she had given out his phone number. “Come on, lass,” he urged. “Out with it!”

  Ellen gave her explanation. “It’s the old aunt I was just telling you about,” she said. “Her neighbor heard a noise, ran round and let himself in, to find her unconscious at the foot of the stairs. He sent for an ambulance, and then he looked in her notebook for Maddy’s number. He knew about Maddy, because the aunt often talked about her.” She had to be careful here, “Anyway, he tracked her down.”

  “And is she all right? Do they know what happened? Did she take a tumble down the stairs or what?” Though he was sorry for the old dear, his first thoughts were for Maddy.

  “Apparently, she can’t remember what happened, but she’s really shaken up. She’s covered in bruises and her arm’s broken at the elbow. And now she’s threatening to leave hospital and go home.” Ellen was amazed at how easily she could lie when necessary; though the bad feeling she had right now was not pleasant. This was the second time she had told an outright lie to someone she loved, and she hoped it would be the last, although one lie always led to another.

  “She’s being very silly!” Grandad declared angrily, though to be honest, he would probably feel the very same if he was in her place. “She needs to stay where she is and get proper treatment. Besides, she won’t be able to manage at home, not with a broken arm she won’t. And who knows what other damage she’s done?”

  He was admiring of Maddy. “It’s no wonder our Maddy took off at the drop of a hat. She’s a grand lass.” He smiled. “The pair of you make me right proud.” He set about making his toast.

  Turning away, Ellen flushed pink with shame. If only he knew what lies I’ve told him, she thought, he wouldn’t be feeling so proud of me then.

  “The old aunt’s not married then?” Grandad muttered through his toast and marmite.

  “No.”

  “Brothers, sisters?”

  “Apparently not.”

  “So, there are no children and no other folks to care for her?”

  “No, Grandad. She lives completely on her own. Maddy is the only one she keeps in touch with.”

  “I see. And Maddy’s gone to take care of her for a while, is that it?”

  “That’s right, yes.”

  “And what about the babby?”

  “I told Maddy that I would take care of him – you and me together. If that’s all right with you, Grandad?”

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he declared soundly. “In times like these we all have to do our bit.”

  “Me and Maddy both thought it would not be right for her to take little Michael with her straight away. If she can persuade her aunt to stay in hospital, she’ll come back for him, she said. She’ll stay at her aunt’s house with Michael, and visit the hospital every day if needs be.”

  “Aye, lass, I understand all that. But even then it won’t be easy. What if her aunt takes a wrong turn and they send for Maddy in the middle of the night? She’ll have to wake the child and take him with her. On the other hand, if the old dear insists on coming home, Maddy will have her hands full taking care of them both.”

  He tried to see it from Maddy’s point of view. “Yes, the pair of you did right in keeping the lad here with us. What’s more, I don’t think Maddy should come back for him, until her aunt is mending and settled. So, in my opinion, the sensible thing is for her to concentrate on the situation in hand, and let us get on with our bit at this end.”

  “That’s exactly what we thought,” Ellen said, relieved. “And we mustn’t forget that little Michael has only recently stopped his regular checkups. He’s still a bit wobbly after that bad start he had.”

  “That settles it then.” His face beaming with a smile, Bob informed Ellen, “When the lass calls, make sure you tell her that everything’s all right and she’s not to worry. The three of us will still be here, fine and dandy, when she gets back.”

  “I will – and thank you, Grandad.”

  Crossing the room, Ellen threw her arms round him. “I knew we could count on you.” She had a nagging thought. “What if the neighbors start asking where Maddy is? Especially Nosy Nora from next door. Lately, she’s taken to drooling over little Michael every time Maddy takes him out.”

  “We’ve got nowt to hide!” he retorted. “So you just tell that interfering old biddy how it is! Knowing her, she’ll have it round the street in no time, and if everybody knows the truth, there�
�ll be no need for anybody to make up stories, will there?” He gave her a wink, then tapped the side of his nose in a conspiratorial fashion. “Keep the enemy close. That’s the way to win a war.”

  “Shame on you, Grandad,” she chided. “You’re a canny old devil, that’s what you are.”

  “It’s old age,” he grinned. “You haven’t got the strength to run, so you learn how to duck and dive.”

  The sound of Michael crying for his breakfast, sent Ellen running up to fetch him.

  “Give him to me while you get his bottle ready.” Grandad tickled the baby under the chin. “See here now, little fella, yer mammy’s gone away to look after your great-aunt.” He lowered his voice. “Poor old thing, all alone like that. It wouldn’t surprise me if she didn’t throw herself down the stairs to get a bit of attention…”

  “Grandad!” Ellen wagged a finger. “That’s not a very nice thing to say, is it?”

  “Aye well, it were only a passing comment.” He paused, his voice falling to a whisper. “Mind you, there’s many a poor neglected soul who must think of it from time to time, especially when there’s no one to care if they live or die.”

  Sensing a sadness about him, Ellen went to hug him. “Grandad?”

  “Yes, lass?” The smile was back, and suddenly he was his chirpy old self again.

  “What you just said…” The girl had to ask. “Did you ever feel like that? Lonely enough to throw yourself downstairs?”

  “Wherever did you get an idea like that!” He looked shocked, then burst out laughing. “I wouldn’t dare throw myself down the stairs. The weight of me bumping from step to step would bring the house down!”

  In spite of herself, Ellen had to laugh.

  As she walked back to the cooker, she turned to see him gently blowing bubbles into Michael’s neck, the two of them chuckling, and felt a surge of sadness. She could not help but think about the way he had looked, when he talked about lonely old folks, and it struck her how hard it must have been for him, when she had stayed away all that time.

  Loving him more than ever, she watched them a moment longer. “Your mammy will miss you like thunder,” he was telling the child, “but you’re not to worry, ’cause she’ll be back afore you can whistle dixie. Meanwhile, you’ve got me and our Ellen to contend with, yer poor little devil.” He sang a lullaby and afterward brought the child to Ellen, who had his bottle warm and ready. “He’s all yours,” he said, and went away whistling, leaving Ellen both relieved and guilty that he had taken her made-up story at face value.

  “Come on, little one.” She cuddled the child onto her lap and put the teat near his mouth. He immediately lunged for it hungrily. By the look of Michael’s rosy cheeks and fat little legs, he was thriving on the new feeding regime.

  An hour later, with his belly full and his nappy changed, Ellen laid him in his pram downstairs, so she could keep an eye on him as she did some chores. “Sleep tight,” she murmured tenderly. “Your mammy’s not here to tuck you in, but you’ll never go short of love, I can promise you that.”

  When the rain started pitter-pattering against the window, she looked up at the darkening skies with a sinking heart. “Stay warm and safe, Maddy,” she whispered. “And let me know where you are – as soon as you can.”

  One thing was certain.

  She would not rest easy until Maddy’s voice was on the other end of that phone.

  PART FOUR

  Bedfordshire, 1979

  Hideaway

  Seventeen

  Maddy felt incredibly lonely.

  For six hours and nigh on two hundred miles, she had observed the changing winter landscape as she traveled further away from the home and the people she loved. Whenever the coach stopped to let passengers off, she was tempted to leave it and make her way back, as fast as she could, to Ellen and Michael, and that dear man who looked on her as another granddaughter.

  The only thing that stopped her was the reason she had left, and it remained as pressing today as it was yesterday, and would be tomorrow. Steve Drayton’s henchmen were still out there, looking for blood.

  She glanced at her watch. Realizing it was Michael’s naptime, she closed her eyes and imagined him tucked up in his cot. She visualized Ellen leaning over him, whispering soft assurances into his ear and keeping an eye on him as he slumbered. Like dear Alice, Ellen had enriched Maddy’s life. And she was immensely grateful for that.

  Now as the driver pulled over and the last of the passengers had alighted, Maddy moved up to be nearer to him. “How far to the terminus now?” she inquired.

  “It’s half an hour nearer than the last time you asked.”

  “Sorry.”

  “It’s all right.” He glanced back at her. “You seem a bit on edge, love.” Since she ran out of the coach in a panic, he had noticed how she fidgeted and looked about, as though waiting for someone to pounce on her.

  Unsettled by his curiosity, Maddy chose not to answer. Instead, she asked, “What’s it like, Bedford?”

  “It’s an old market town, set on a river, with bridges and cafés and a grand old market at its heart. There was a time when everyone knew everyone else, but like any other town, the population grows and times change; sometimes for the better, sometimes not.”

  “So when did Bedford begin to change?”

  “Ah, well now.” He thought back to when he was younger. “I can tell you they had an influx of Italians in the fifties – looking for work in the brickyards, they were. They found work aplenty, so they stayed on and raised their families.” He made a quick calculation. “There must be three if not four generations of Italians now, and as far as I know, they’ve been model citizens. And though they are proud of their Italian heritage, they’ve integrated naturally into the local community.”

  “How do you know so much about Bedford?”

  “Because that’s where I grew up. My parents had a greengrocer shop, and my brother drives a cab there.” He thought about his rampant youth and the nostalgia was never far away. “I met my first sweetheart there,” he confided, while keeping his eyes on the road. “I spent my last couple of pounds hiring a rowboat to take her up the river, where I proposed.”

  “Sounds lovely.” Maddy had visions of sunshine and romance.

  “It was the most beautiful day,” he went on. “We rowed right up the Great Ouse, then we pulled in, put up the oars and had a picnic on the grass bank.”

  “Did you marry her?” Maddy was enthralled.

  “I did,” he said dreamily. “She said yes, and before she could change her mind, I had her down the aisle and wed.”

  “So, no regrets then?” Maddy recalled her own dreams of walking down the aisle, dressed in white and giving her vows to the man who loved her. The reality had been so very different and now she feared her dreams might never come true.

  “No regrets,” he answered. “She was the best thing that ever happened to me. Over the next fourteen years, we had two sons and three daughters.” The smile slipped away. “Sadly, my wife gave her last breath to my youngest daughter. It was a terrible blow. I’ve never wanted any woman since then. No one could ever come close to her. But I’ve got my family, and that’s all I need.”

  Realizing that she had awakened painful memories, Maddy changed the subject. “Do you think I’ll be happy in Bedford?”

  “Don’t see why not,” he answered crisply. “It’s got everything you’d ever want in a town – shops to lose yourself in, colleges and libraries for sharpening your brain, oh, and that amazing river with its walks and parks.” And because she had intrigued him, he wanted to know, “Are you moving to Bedford for good, or just visiting?”

  “I’m not sure yet,” she answered cagily. “It all depends on whether I can find work and lodgings.”

  “If you want work, there are plenty of people who would take on a presentable girl like you. As for lodgings…”

  Just then, the traffic lights changed and he drew the coach to a halt. “Good Lord!” Glancing down
at his diesel tank, he gasped with horror, “I’m on reserve. I’ll need to take a detour and collect some fuel, or we’ll end up pushing the damned thing.” Glancing at Maddy in the mirror, he informed her worriedly, “I’m sorry, but it’ll make us fifteen or twenty minutes late, I’m afraid.”

  “That’s all right,” she assured him. “I’m in no hurry.”

  It being too difficult to turn the coach around at the junction, the driver signaled left and followed the country lane. “Nearest garage is a matter of ten minutes or so through the back lanes, but it’s a bit bumpy, so it might be best if you return to your seat.”

  Obeying him, Maddy sat back and enjoyed the beauty of the countryside. They passed two olde worlde pubs, and any number of quaint thatched cottages, and she remarked on how pretty it all was.

  “We’ll be going through the woods any minute now,” the driver said. “You’ll see a smattering of villages when we get out the other side. There’s Woburn, owned by the Duke of Bedford, then there’s Little Brickhill and Great Brickhill, and after that it’s only a mile or so to the garage. Once we’re back on the main road, it’s a spit and a throw, and we’ll be in Bedford town.”

  True to his word, he arrived at the garage in no time. “Do they sell newspapers?” Maddy had become paranoid about reading the papers, in search of news that might involve Steve Drayton. She was terrified that he might escape from Brixton Prison and come after her.

  “They might,” he offered. “Would you like me to fetch you one? It’s the least I can do for nearly getting you stranded.”

  Maddy graciously declined and followed him inside, and there on the counter was a small pile of Daily Telegraphs.

  There was just one customer at the counter – a tall, good-looking man with wayward dark hair, wearing a long, somewhat grubby oilskin. Maddy calculated him to be in his mid-thirties.

  “That’ll be eight pounds, please, Brad,” said the bespectacled man behind the counter.