by June Francis
As it happened, Freddie was home and, as soon as she told Hanny her problem, he suggested that she get in touch with Clara.
Alice and Hanny stared at him. ‘Clara!’ they chorused. ‘But she…’
‘She’s not working at the moment and if it’s only a couple of days, I’m sure she could cope,’ said Freddie, ‘and she can keep Tilly company in the evenings.’
Hanny looked amused. ‘And I presume you’ll pop in to see how the two of them are getting on,’ she said. ‘There’s only one thing wrong with the idea, and that’s that she doesn’t know anything about children.’
‘Surely most mothers don’t until they have them,’ said Freddie.
‘I helped look after you,’ said Hanny promptly, ‘so I had some experience.’
‘I had none,’ said Alice, keeping her eye on Georgie as he wandered round the room. ‘I learnt by trial and error. Georgie is such an easygoing little boy that I can’t see her having any real problems with him – and if she did, she could nip here and ask you for advice, couldn’t she, Hanny?’
Hanny barely hesitated because she knew how desperate Alice was to make amends for failing to visit Seb the last time he was in hospital. ‘Of course Clara can come to me for help. But what about the grandmother? Who’ll look after her?’
Freddie had an answer to that question too. ‘They have neighbours. I’m sure they’ll pop in and see Mrs O’Toole has what she needs. Besides, they might have a lodger by now. It was something they were thinking of doing to make ends meet.’
‘Well, if you can persuade her to come then I suggest, Alice, that you have her over here before you go and visit Seb. Give her a day of your time to show her how to look after Georgie.’
‘You’re right,’ agreed Alice, nodding her auburn head. ‘So who’s going to get in touch with Clara? You or me?’ she asked Freddie.
He brushed back a lock of hair. ‘I tell you what – you write a note and I’ll deliver it by motorbike. If it’s convenient, I could bring her back over with me.’
‘Tell her she doesn’t have to bring clothes with her – we’ve enough for her to borrow some, and I’m sure you’ll never manage her and luggage on that contraption of yours,’ said Alice, thinking of practicalities despite having so many thoughts running through her head. Uppermost was that there was a copy of the train times and connections to the hospital in Oxfordshire in a sideboard drawer in the dining room. If Clara returned with Freddie that evening, she could make her travel arrangements tomorrow by going across to Newtown where Chester’s general station was situated. There was a pawnshop close to Brook Street nearby and the owner had brought stuff from her before.
* * *
Clara was feeling fed up. She had still not found herself a suitable temporary job, and it was a waste of time looking now because Mr Walsh reckoned that the Palladium would be open for business again on Easter Monday. Those who had been ill were almost fit for work and there had been several interviews to fill the posts of those who had died. She glanced through the newspaper, where she had placed her advertisement for a lodger, and noticed an article about a Yorkshire girl who had won a film competition. Her name was Lavender Lee and she was nineteen, the same age as Clara, although she would be celebrating her twentieth birthday soon. But the main difference between them was that, according to the reporter, Miss Lee had a remarkable resemblance to Miss Mary Pickford.
Clara sighed and flung down the newspaper. There was no way she could claim a likeness to any star of the silver screen. She gave a rueful smile and decided there was no point worrying about it. After all, she had other things to think about. If only the days would hurry by so that she could see Freddie again and return to work. He had written to tell them what Mrs Black had advised and it had paid off; they now had a lodger, Mary. She was a nurse, who had served in Flanders, having lost her fiancé on the Somme. She had recently found herself a job at the Royal Infirmary on Pembroke Place, not far from TJ Hughes. She worked shifts and should be home soon.
Whilst Clara was home all day they had arranged that she would cook meals for Mary when she came in at a small extra charge. The spare ribs were roasting in the oven and soon would be ready. Clara glanced across to where Bernie was dozing in the chair on the other side of the fireplace. ‘You’ll have to be waking up soon, Gran. Mary will be in.’
The old woman started awake and blinked at her granddaughter. ‘So what happened to that Mrs Black, then?’ she asked.
Coming out of the blue, the question took Clara by surprise. ‘I don’t know, Gran. What were you expecting to happen to her?’
‘I asked for a visit off that young man you have a fancy for and she hasn’t been.’ She paused. ‘Now, what’s his name? I thought we’d have had another visit from him by now.’
As if on cue, there was a knock on the door, and Clara sprang to her feet and hurried to answer it. She could scarcely believe it when she saw Freddie standing outside. He was wearing his long waterproof coat, a leather helmet and gauntlets. ‘Gran was just asking about you.’
‘She’s not still expecting me to get her onto a cruise ship, is she?’ asked Freddie, grinning.
Clara shook her head. ‘Mrs Black. She wants to know what happened to her. She thought you were arranging a visit.’
Freddie said easily, ‘I thought she was joking, but I’ll have a word in Joy’s ear and see what she can do when she comes back from Scotland. She’s forever saying that Mrs Black is a very busy woman.’
‘That’s fine,’ said Clara, smiling. ‘Come on in. Tell me, to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?’
‘A temporary job for you, if you’re willing, during the rest of Holy Week.’ He wiped his feet on the doormat. ‘Seb’s in hospital in Oxfordshire and Alice wants to visit him for a couple of days. She needs someone to look after Georgie.’
Clara was quick on the uptake and, placing a hand on her chest, said in astonishment, ‘She wants me to look after him?’
He nodded. ‘I’ve a note from her. She needs a quick response. If you say I do, then I’ll take you back with me.’
She thought about how nice it would be staying in Alice and Seb’s house, only a few doors away from Freddie, for a couple of days. If it had not been for Mary lodging with them, she could not even have considered it. ‘I don’t have much experience when it comes to handling kids, but he seemed a pleasant little boy.’
‘Alice won’t be going until the day after tomorrow and, if you have any problems, Hanny can help you.’
‘Then I’ll definitely come,’ she said, her smile growing. ‘That’s if it’s OK with Gran and Mary, our new lodger.’
‘So you’ve found a lodger?’
Clara nodded. ‘She should be in any moment.’
And so she was, almost on their heels as they entered the kitchen.
Bernie’s eyes widened in amazement. ‘It’s him!’ she wheezed. ‘Now that’s what I call magic. That woman! It was her, wasn’t it? Mrs Black.’
‘This is Mary, Gran,’ said Clara patiently. ‘Remember, she’s come to lodge with us?’
Bernie nodded in Mary’s direction and said truculently, ‘I hadn’t forgotten. But she doesn’t have Mrs Black’s magic potion.’
‘Sorry about that,’ said Mary, removing her coat and smiling at Freddie. ‘Who’s this?’
Clara introduced them and wondered what he thought of the woman in front of him. Mary was perhaps thirty, with light brown hair secured tidily in a net in the nape of her neck. She was slender but not skinny, and of medium height.
Freddie took off a gauntlet and shook her hand. ‘Nice to meet you.’
‘Same here.’
‘I’m going to ask a favour of you, Mary,’ said Clara.
Bernie screwed up her face, causing hundreds of wrinkles to drag at her thin lips. ‘What favour’s that then?’
Clara told the two women Freddie’s reason for coming, ‘You’ll be OK, won’t you, Gran? It’s not as if you’ll be alone in the house all the time,’ she s
aid persuasively. ‘And the neighbours will pop in if you can’t get out and Mary’s at work.’
‘I’m sure we’ll manage fine together,’ said Mary firmly. ‘If your cousin’s wife needs help, then you must go.’
Bernie opened her mouth and grumbled, ‘I haven’t said she can go yet. Yer a stranger to me.’
Freddie smiled at her. ‘But you will say yes, won’t you, Mrs O’Toole. It is your grandson who’s in hospital and needs to see his wife.’
‘He hasn’t been to visit me, though, has he?’
‘But he might when he comes home,’ said Clara, crossing her fingers.
Bernie stared at them both and then nodded. ‘But don’t you be away for ages, girl,’ she said roughly.
Clara almost hugged her but instead dished out the ribs, potatoes and cabbage. She did ask Freddie whether he wanted some but he refused, saying his sister would be doing supper for him. ‘And Alice said you’re not to worry about bringing anything to change into as you can borrow from her.’
Clara was unsure about that but, remembering there was nowhere to put baggage on the motorbike, she agreed. Even so, she would have to take a handbag. Within half an hour, she was hoisting up her skirts in order to sit on the cushion tied to a carrier above the back mudguard of Freddie’s motorbike. ‘Sorry, I haven’t a proper pillion seat,’ he said.
‘It doesn’t matter,’ she said cheerfully, only to regret her words a few minutes later after landing on her bottom on the road when the motorbike accelerated.
Freddie apologised. ‘I should have warned you,’ he said, helping her up and onto the cushion again. ‘You’ll have to put your arms round my waist, link your hands together and hold on tight.’
She thanked him for the instructions and, with a sparkle in her eyes and a heavily beating heart, she climbed onto the cushion again. Off they roared to West Derby Road, then along past the Palladium and the Olympia Theatre. Soon they were travelling along Dale Street amidst the towering buildings of the commercial part of the city, then on the floating bridge that led to the Prince’s landing stage and the ferry that would take them across the Mersey. To say that the ride had been exhilarating was a glorious truth. It was a long time since Clara had enjoyed herself so much.
Freddie had bought ferry tickets earlier in the hope that Clara would be able to accompany him, so they didn’t have to queue up. He trundled his motorbike straight up the gangplank onto the boat. It seemed ages to Clara since she had crossed the river by ferry and she was looking forward to the trip.
The sun was going down but it was not cold, and when Freddie took her hand and walked with her over to the side of the boat where they could watch the crew casting off, she felt a moment of pure happiness. Their shoulders brushed as they stood watching the huge ropes being wound round the capstan and the boat being pushed away from the landing stage. The dark waters churned up white foam as the screw began to turn and the vessel drew away from the landing stage.
As the line of docks retreated into the distance she caught sight of the Liver Building, which had been opened almost eight years ago by Lord Sheffield. It had been the day of the king’s coronation. She remembered coming to the Pierhead with her parents and her father telling her that, from the ground to the top of the Liver birds, the building stood three hundred and twenty-two feet high.
‘It’s hard to imagine Liverpool now without the Liver Building looming over the waterfront,’ said Freddie.
‘I was just thinking about the Liver Building, too,’ she said. ‘Doesn’t it look different from out here on the river?’
‘It’s a sight that many a sailor is happy to see when he sails up the Mersey from the Irish Sea,’ said Freddie. ‘Seb’s mother sailed from here. She’ll have reached New York by now.’
Clara’s happiness evaporated. ‘What are you talking about?’ Her voice rose almost to a squeak.
‘Damn. I forgot you didn’t know,’ said Freddie ruefully. ‘She wrote to Seb and he didn’t get the letter until she’d gone.’
Clara was furious with her aunt. ‘How could she do that to her own son, never mind her mother? I can’t understand people who bear a member of their own family a grudge for ever and ever.’
Freddie was silent and she wondered if her words had annoyed him. Then he kissed her cheek and said, ‘You’ve a nice nature, Clara O’Toole, but I think you’ll find there are plenty of families who find it hard to forgive and forget past sins of their relatives. Our Bert, in the case of me and my sisters, despite his being dead. Now, do you want to stay here or shall we move somewhere else so we can watch the sunset?’
She settled on watching the sunset and, as they gazed across the silver and gold silk shot waters, she decided that it was too lovely an evening to argue about the matter. After all, wasn’t she extremely cross with her Aunt Gertie right now? She changed the subject and asked him about some of the places he had visited whilst at sea.
‘Nowhere I thought exciting, especially as we were on turnaround more often than not and saw little of the ports except for the docks.’ He talked instead of his plans for the business and finished by saying, ‘It would all bring in extra money, and I need to save if I’m to have the future I have in mind.’
‘Most things boil down to having money, don’t they?’ said Clara, wondering if she had any part to play in his plans.
He agreed but then changed the subject to the cinema, and for a while they discussed films and music. ‘You must come to the Palladium when we open again,’ she said. ‘They have a wonderful orchestra.’
‘I will,’ promised Freddie.
They were silent for several minutes after that but it was a companionable silence. It did not occur to Clara to ask what Tilly thought of the idea of her coming to stay, and perhaps that was just as well. For if she had known, she might not have gone.
* * *
Tilly stared in dismay at her sister, who had just informed her that, all being well, Clara was coming to take care of Georgie whilst she went to visit Seb.
‘I don’t believe it. Whose idea was that?’
‘Does it matter?’ asked Alice, gazing at the mess her youngest son was making as he fed himself. She comforted herself with the thought that at least most of the food was getting into his mouth.
Tilly’s green eyes sparkled with annoyance. ‘Of course it matters. I bet it was Freddie, who knows nothing at all about looking after children. I hope he doesn’t think he’s going to carry on his flirtation with her in this house while you’re away.’
Alice said, ‘Surely you’re not jealous? What about you corresponding with Donald Pierce? I think Seb should put a stop to that. He’s too old for you.’
Tilly swelled up with indignation. ‘We’re only writing to each other. It’s not as if I’d run off with him to America. He writes an interesting letter and I don’t see why I shouldn’t say what I think about Freddie and Clara coming here just because of a couple of letters and photographs. I think it’s a mistake having her here. She doesn’t know anything about taking care of kids. I mean, she’s an only child, isn’t she? What does she know about little boys?’
Alice was not going to put up with her sister speaking out against the plan. ‘At this stage of his development, it doesn’t matter whether Georgie is a boy or a girl. She’s probably seen enough of children playing in the streets of Liverpool to know something about them. Besides, Clara and I will be spending tomorrow together, if she comes, so she’ll have some idea of Georgie’s routine and I can explain things to her.’
‘Such as changing a nappy?’
‘Yes,’ said Alice firmly, ‘and if she has any problems she can go and see Hanny.’
Tilly said no more and Alice breathed a sigh of relief. She noticed that all the food on her son’s plate had gone and so wiped his hands and mouth with a cloth. Suddenly, she was aware that her older two children were watching her. ‘You two will have to be good for Clara,’ she said.
James’s dark brow furrowed. ‘Who is she again?’
/>
‘Yes, who is she?’ asked Flora, who often echoed what he said.
‘Clara is Daddy’s cousin,’ replied Alice.
‘What’s a cousin?’ asked Flora.
Alice said patiently, ‘The twins are your cousins because your Uncle Kenny is my brother. Cousin Clara’s daddy was your daddy’s mother’s brother.’
Flora looked puzzled but James said, ‘So what does that make her to me, Mummy?’
Alice had no idea so said shortly, ‘Family. And families look after each other. No playing her up. You’ll need to behave yourselves or your daddy and I will want to know why when we get back.’
James assumed an angelic expression. ‘Of course we’ll behave ourselves. We’re always as good as gold, not that Daddy notices what we do half the time.’ He placed his knife and fork neatly alongside each other on his empty plate and asked to be excused.
Alice frowned. ‘What do you mean by that?’
James shrugged and asked to be excused again.
‘You just hang on there,’ said Alice firmly. ‘You spoke as if you thought Daddy didn’t care about you. He does, lots, but for months he’s been worried that he might lose his bad arm.’
James hesitated before mumbling, ‘He gives lots of attention to Georgie.’
Alice stared at her eldest son. ‘You’re not jealous of your little brother, are you?’
He did not answer but Flora piped up, ‘Daddy’s always giving Georgie’s hugs and kisses – we get none.’
Alice sprang to their father’s defence. ‘That’s because you’re so much bigger.’
Her two older children looked at her disbelievingly. ‘He kisses you, Mummy,’ said Flora. ‘And I’ve heard you say “One’s never too old for a kiss.”’ Her bottom lip quivered. ‘Daddy loves Georgie more than he loves us.’
For a moment Alice did not know what to say, then she beckoned them over to her. They got up and came round the table and she placed an arm around each of them. ‘You’ve been so well behaved most of the time that Daddy hasn’t realised how you feel,’ she said softly. ‘Have either of you thought that he might think that you don’t want him kissing you? That you mightn’t want that ugly mug, as he calls his face, close to yours? He doesn’t want to upset you any more than you have been already by all that’s happened.’ She gazed first at James’s intent listening expression and then into Flora’s screwed up pretty face. ‘Perhaps Daddy’s waiting for you to hug and kiss him. D’you understand what I’m saying?’ James hesitated, then he nodded, and so did Flora. ‘He really does love you,’ added Alice, kissing both of them. ‘Now you can play in the drawing room for half an hour and then it’s bath and bed.’
