by Joan Jonker
They were passing Sayer’s cake shop when Ann had a thought. She’d given Lizzie her rent money to pay in to the office with her own, and she’d seen the coal man this morning and paid for a bag of nuts and a bag of slack. She had no other debts to worry about, and for the first time in heaven knows how long, she was starting Monday with fourteen shillings and sixpence in her purse. ‘Would you like to come for a cup of tea this afternoon, Dolly? I’ll buy a few cakes and invite Mrs Hanrahan over.’
‘That would be nice, girl, I’d like that. And you can come to mine another day and I’ll mug yer to a cake. And Bridie Hanrahan, as well. Give us something to look forward to and break the monotony.’
‘Come in the shop with me then and choose which cake you’d like. Me, I’m having one of those cream slices with the cream oozing out of the sides.’
‘Make that three, girl, ’cos they’re me favourites. And I know Bridie’s got a sweet tooth.’
When they’d finished their shopping they walked home at a leisurely pace. It was a cold, crisp day, and the wind whipped their cheeks a rosy red. It was an hour before the girls would be home from school for their lunch, plenty of time for Ann to make some sandwiches with the brawn she’d bought. And for dinner she’d bought a sheet of ribs which would go down well with the family. ‘I’ve finally got the house straight, with everything where it should be. It’s taken me a week but now I know exactly where to put my hand on anything.’
‘D’yer like the house, girl? D’yer think yer’ll settle?’
‘I love the house, Dolly, so do George and the girls. The only bugbear is next door, I’m on edge all the time waiting for her to start something.’
‘Don’t let her get yer down, ’cos that’s what she’s after. She gave Peggy Caldwell a dog’s life ’cos she knew Peggy wouldn’t fight back. Her husband, Jack, would have done, he’d have marmalised Nellie Bingham, but Peggy wouldn’t have it. She’d rather up sticks than have any bother. I flaming well wouldn’t move house for some little jumped-up big-mouth, but then we’re all made different, aren’t we, girl?’
When they reached Dolly’s house, Ann said, ‘About two o’clock, then, is that all right?’
‘Fine by me.’
‘I’ll nip over to Mrs Hanrahan’s now, while I’ve got my coat on.’ Ann waved goodbye and picked her way over the cobbles to a house opposite. And while she waited for an answer to her knock, she admired the white step, the shining red-raddled windowsill and the gleaming windows. All the women in the street kept their houses very neat and tidy, except for a couple of exceptions. But Ann had been told these houses belonged to families where the father was out of work and they were having a struggle to put food on the table. ‘Hello, Mrs Hanrahan, I hope I’m not interrupting you?’
‘Not at all, me darlin’, come in out of the cold.’
‘I won’t if you don’t mind, the girls will be home soon and I want to build the fire up. It’s really cold out and they’ll be wanting a warm. What I came for is to ask if you’d like to come for a cup of tea this afternoon? Dolly’s coming, and it would be a good chance to get to know each other.’
‘Sure, I’d like that, right enough! With not another soul in the house, isn’t it meself that’s talking to the four walls all day? And it isn’t often I get an invitation to tea, so I’m beholden to yer, Mrs Richardson. What time would yer like me, and could yer tell me if it’s evening dress I should be wearing, or can I come as I am?’
Ann grinned. ‘Unless you’ve got a diamond tiara tucked away somewhere, you can come as you are. Is two o’clock all right?’ When Bridie nodded, Ann turned to cross the street, only to find herself facing the bold Nellie, who was standing on her step with her arms folded and a sneer on her face. ‘Oh dear, I hope this doesn’t mean trouble.’
‘Pretend yer haven’t seen her, me darlin’, and take yerself off home.’
Her head down, Ann would have done that. But Nellie wasn’t having any. Bored with no one to talk to, she’d been thinking of how she could liven herself up when she happened to glance through the window and saw Ann talking to Bridie. And this, she thought, was the chance she’d been waiting for to get her own back for the mess they’d made on her step. The fact that she herself was to blame didn’t enter her head. They’d made a fool of her and she wasn’t going to let this opportunity pass to show them they would do well not to trifle with her. Stepping down to the bottom step, she shouted, ‘Oh ay, Mrs Hoity-Toity, getting well in with yer neighbours, are yer? I would have thought they weren’t bleedin’ posh enough for yer. Or are yer slumming, so you and that bastard of a husband of yours can have a good laugh at them tonight, eh?’
‘That’s enough, Nellie,’ Bridie said. ‘Get back inside yer house and leave Mrs Richardson to go about her business.’
‘I’ll go back in when I’m good and ready, you Irish cow, and not before. Just keep yer soddin’ nose out of it.’ Nellie walked to the edge of the pavement and stepped down to make her way across the street, her arms still folded and her sneer intact. And it was her whole cocky manner that caused Ann’s fear to turn to anger.
‘How dare you talk like that to Mrs Hanrahan and myself.’ Ann walked forward and met her neighbour in the middle of the road. This caused Bridie to come to the edge of her step, ready to intervene. ‘What gives you the right to think you can do what you like with the people in this street?’
Nellie was shorter than Ann, so she had to stand on tiptoe to bring their faces together. ‘Oh, aren’t we all lah-de-bleedin’-dah! Proper swank come to live next to us. Well let me tell yer, missus, I do what I like and I say what I like. Yer don’t impress me with yer fancy talk, and if yer don’t shut yer gob I’ll knock yer bleedin’ block off.’
‘I dare you!’
Bridie was off the step like greased lightning, expecting Ann to be sent flying and wanting to be there to catch her before she was really hurt. But while Nellie pulled her arm back ready to lash out, believing her new neighbour would be a walk-over, Ann was quicker. She thrust her arms forward, and with her open hands on the woman’s chest, she pushed her backwards with such force Nellie was in danger of losing her balance. ‘Get back in your house before I really lose my temper,’ Ann said, all the while pushing, safe in the knowledge that her arms were longer than Nellie’s and kept her out of reach of the hands that were itching to do her an injury. ‘And if you’ve nothing better to do than interfere in the lives of your neighbours, can I suggest you spend some time washing your mouth out with carbolic soap?’
Bridie didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. The expression of total surprise on Nellie’s face was really comical, but the Irish woman had known her too long to believe Ann would come out of this unscathed. So she pulled one of Ann’s arms away and slipped between her and Nellie. ‘That’s enough now, ladies. Sure, there’s not a worse sight than to see two women fighting like dockers, and that’s the truth of it. Away home with yer now, Ann, before the girls are in from school.’ She stood her ground until Ann walked towards her house and inserted the key in the lock, then she turned to face a raging Nellie. ‘And I suggest you go in, me darlin’, before yer have all the neighbours out. Sure, yer cause more trouble in this street than everyone else put together, so yer do.’
Nellie’s face was deep red with rage and the veins on her neck were bulging. ‘Did yer hear what the bitch said? That I should wash me mouth out with carbolic soap? Well she’ll not get away with that, I can tell yer. Next time she sets foot in the street I’ll have her. A good doing-over is what she wants, the stuck-up bleedin’ snob.’ Then, because the woman she was raging against wasn’t there, she turned her wrath on Bridie. ‘Anyway, why don’t yer mind yer own business, yer nosy cow? It’s got nothing to do with you, so bugger off before I belt yer.’
‘Ah, I think yer’ve more sense than to do that, Nellie, ’cos my family wouldn’t take kindly to yer laying a finger on me, and that’s the truth of it. And I’ll give yer another warning to think on about. Mrs Richardson has quite a
few friends in this street, so she has, and I’m one of them. So you keep up this stupid one-sided fight with Ann, and five women will be watching out for yer. And even you, with yer vile temper, wouldn’t like to chance yer luck with five of us.’ With a nod of her head, and her heart beating fifteen to the dozen, Bridie returned to her own house and closed the door.
Ann was shaking as she dropped into a fireside chair and gripped the arms. She couldn’t let the girls see her in this state so she’d better buck herself up. She wasn’t going to mention the incident that had just taken place, nothing would be gained by it. As the minutes ticked by she became calmer, asking herself how she’d had the nerve to actually meet Nellie Bingham head on. She was glad she had because there comes a time when you have to stick up for yourself rather than slink away like a coward. But it was the first time in her life she’d ever put a hand on another human being in anger, and she wasn’t proud of herself. Anyway, she wasn’t going to tell the girls, or George. He’d have a fit if he knew.
The clock chiming twelve o’clock brought Ann out of her chair. Her daughters would be home in fifteen minutes and she had to make sandwiches. And the fire needed raking out a bit and a few cobs of coal added. She wasn’t shaking now, but her insides were turning over. She hoped she never had to go through anything like that again.
Bridie and Dolly arrived at the same time, and seeing their smiling faces cheered Ann up. Her daughters hadn’t noticed she wasn’t as talkative as usual, they were too busy telling her about a new girl who was starting on Monday and whose father had brought her in a car for her interview with Miss Bond. It had never been heard of before, none of their friends had cars, and they were so full of it they wouldn’t have noticed if their mother had grown two heads.
‘Come in, ladies, and welcome to my home.’
‘D’yer know, I feel proper posh,’ Dolly said. ‘It’s the first time I’ve ever been invited to afternoon tea. I’ve had plenty of cups of tea off the neighbours, like, but never by invitation.’
‘Well now, Dolly me darlin’, this is yer lucky day. For it’s meself that’s inviting you and Ann to afternoon tea next Monday. And the following week it’s yerself that can do the honours.’
‘Ay, isn’t it a shame that Lizzie goes out to work?’ Dolly hung her coat on a hook behind the door before making herself comfortable in George’s favourite chair. ‘She wouldn’t half liven up the proceedings.’ She cocked a brow at Ann. ‘Mind you, it’s a good job she wasn’t here before, otherwise there’d have been skin and hair flying. I saw it all from my window, Ann, and for a minute I thought of joining in. But as Bridie just told me, yer didn’t need any help.’
‘The tea’s made, so I’ll bring it through and then we can talk.’ The tray was set with Ann’s best china, and there was a fancy paper doily on the plate under the cream slices. ‘Come and sit at the table so yer don’t have to balance things on your knees.’
Bridie took one look at the cream slices and licked her lips. ‘How did yer guess they were me favourites, me darlin’? Sure, me mouth’s watering at the sight of them.’
‘Yer can thank me for that,’ Dolly said. ‘I knew yer had a sweet tooth.’
Ann poured out the tea and handed the cups over. ‘Help yourself to sugar, ladies, and a cake. And before we go any further, can we forget Nellie Bingham for the next hour or so? I didn’t tell the girls about her, and I’m not going to tell George, so I’d be grateful if you would keep what happened under your hats. And don’t let her spoil our afternoon.’
Bridie reached for the cake with the most cream in and was about to take a bite when she said, ‘I know I’m a greedy glutton, me darlin’s, but where cakes are concerned I can’t help meself.’ With a look of pure bliss on her face, she sank her teeth in and sighed with pleasure. ‘Sure, wouldn’t I rather have one of these than a pan of scouse any day?’
‘Ye’re right, yer are a greedy bugger,’ Dolly said, a blob of cream on her nose. ‘So yer’ve invited two greedy buggers into yer house, Ann.’
‘I’ll get my own back when I come to yours,’ Ann said. ‘Just make sure the girl in Sayer’s gives you the three biggest cream slices in the shop.’
The conversation was friendly and the three women talked as though they’d been friends for years. ‘It’s only a few weeks off Christmas,’ Dolly said. ‘Have yer started getting things together yet, Ann?’
‘Not yet, I haven’t had the money with moving house. But I was thinking of going into town one day this week and having a look around. The girls need new dresses, they’re the biggest item, so I thought I’d get them first. One this week, another next week. Once they’re off my mind I can start on presents. I want this to be a good Christmas for us, with plenty of food on the table, a tree in the corner and lots of decorations.’
‘Would yer not be trying Paddy’s market first? Sure, yer get twice as much for yer money there,’ Bridie said with conviction. ‘Have yer never been, me darlin’?’
Ann shook her head. ‘No, I haven’t.’
‘Yer don’t know what ye’re missing, girl!’ Dolly contributed. ‘They sell everything under the sun and are very cheap. If yer like, I’ll take yer on Thursday and yer can judge for yerself.’
‘I’ll come with yer,’ Bridie said. ‘Sure, don’t I love the hustle and bustle of the market and looking for bargains. I might just see something that takes me fancy.’
‘I’d love to.’ Anne was delighted to have made two friends. ‘I’ll look forward to it.’
Chapter Nineteen
‘This is the spare key, Madelaine. In case I’m not home in time for you coming from school, you can let yourselves in.’ Ann put the key on the table by her elder daughter’s plate. ‘I’ll try to be home in time, but I can’t guarantee, so better to be sure than sorry. I’d hate you to be hanging around in the cold.’
‘It’s nice you’ve got friends to go out with, Mam,’ Maddy said. ‘You didn’t have any real friends in Hanford Avenue, did you?’
‘Of course I had friends! There was Auntie Maisie and the Critchleys, I was very friendly with them. But most of the people there were more reserved than they are here. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it is nice to stand and have a chat when I go to the shops.’
‘And have afternoon tea, Mam,’ Tess said. ‘You never had that before.’ She chewed on the inside of her cheek, a far-away look in her eyes. ‘I wish I could go to the market sometime, would you take me?’
‘I’m going with Lizzie on Saturday afternoon, ’cos it’s the only time she has off. But I believe it gets very crowded then, with it being pay day. I don’t think you’d like to be pushed and shoved, would you?’ Ann saw the look of disappointment and felt guilty. Theresa seemed to be getting stronger, with no sign of the coughs and sneezes which usually plagued her all winter long. But was she strong enough to stand up to the hundreds of people who Lizzie said visited the market on a Saturday? ‘I’ll tell you what, Theresa, I promise to take you and Madelaine one Saturday before Christmas to buy your presents. How would that suit you?’
‘Oh, that would be lovely, Mam! I won’t spend my pocket money on sweets, I’ll put it away so I can buy presents.’
‘I’ve still got your five shillings, Theresa, I managed without touching it. So you’ll have plenty to buy what you want.’
‘No, I said you could have that money, Mam, so you keep it.’ Tess looked sideways at her sister and gave the matter some thought. ‘What you could do is give me and Maddy a shilling each and you keep the rest. With our pocket money, we’d have plenty to buy presents for each other and you and our dad.’
Maddy swivelled in her chair and hugged her. ‘That’s a lovely thought, Tess, and I love you for it. But you earned that money, you should keep it.’
‘No, Theresa is right,’ Ann said. ‘A shilling each it shall be. And so no one is left out, I’ll buy five Woodbines for you to give to your father. He’ll be highly delighted.’
‘What would you like for Christmas, Mam
?’ Maddy asked.
Ann grinned. ‘How about a new couch? Would your shilling run to that?’
Maddy didn’t answer the question right away. What she was thinking was how much her mother had changed in the last few months. The change was more noticeable in the two weeks they’d lived in this house. She looked much younger with her hair short, much prettier. And she laughed a lot, was far more easy-going. ‘Mam, I know we’ve got a terrible neighbour who must get on your nerves, but apart from her, you seem to be much happier living here.’
‘I am, Madelaine. I’ve got a feeling this house is going to be very lucky for us. I thought that the first time I walked in, when Mrs Caldwell was here. The house seemed to welcome me, and I took to it right away.’
This caught Tess’s imagination. ‘How did the house welcome you, Mam?’
‘It’s hard to put into words, love, it was just a feeling of wellbeing. Like a warm glow in my heart, as though the house was opening its arms to me.’
Maddy pushed her chair back and picked up her plate. ‘We’ll have to make a move, Tess, or we’ll miss the bell.’
‘Yes, okay.’ Tess got as far as the kitchen door, then turned. ‘Can I write to Wales, Mam, and tell them about our new house?’
‘I wrote to them the day before we moved, Theresa, so they know about the house. Still, you can write and tell them how we’ve settled in. But not a word about the terror next door.’
‘I thought you said it was quiet on a Thursday,’ Ann said, elbowing her way through the crowds. ‘If this is quiet I’d hate to see it when it’s busy.’
‘Wait until you see it on Saturday,’ Dolly laughed. ‘Yer’ll be going home with bruises in places yer didn’t know yer had.’
‘It’s mostly second-hand stuff the crowd are after today, me darlin’, ’cos most people are skint and happy.’ Bridie held on tight to Ann’s arm so they wouldn’t become separated. ‘The stalls selling new stuff don’t do a lot of business. Come Saturday, it’ll be the other way round.’
