Going to her bedroom she brought down a bag filled with pine cones she’d collected during the autumn. ‘I need these sprinkled with whitewash to look like snow, then laid out to dry. When they are, we can tie them on the hoops. We need to put this holly and mistletoe I bought at the market on them as well. Once it’s decorated, it’s hung over the doorway to welcome our guests.’
Lucy, being the more artistic of the two, took over while Rosie went to the kitchen to bake.
The aroma of freshly baked pies filled the house and Rosie prepared the vegetables for their meal. She would be cooking for nine people, which was as easy as cooking for two; the difficulty would be how to fit everyone into the living room.
The back door banged back on its hinges as Fanny and Molly struggled through with extra kitchen chairs.
‘Thought these might be useful,’ Fanny panted, ‘we got another table an’ all.’
Rosie followed them into the living room and frowned as she looked around. ‘Oh dear, I don’t think we’ll all fit in!’
‘Course we will if we put the tables in the kitchen with the food on, folk can ‘elp themselves. The chairs in the living room – but it will mean ’aving to eat yer dinner on yer knee.’ Molly had solved the problem.
‘What a good idea!’ Rosie said with a beaming smile and before long the women had the rooms set out.
Rosie had procured a goose which, too large for her tiny range, she’d taken to the baker to be cooked for a small fee. She had made a bread sauce and there was mashed potatoes. Mince pies made with mincemeat and spices filled the kitchen with a delicious aroma.
Lucy and Rosie had taken turns stirring the Christmas pudding which contained beef, raisins and prunes and it steamed gently in a pot hung on the fire crane.
Fanny and Molly had brought some negus, the spicy mulled wine which would be heated and enjoyed with their meal.
Lucy had produced some home-made crackers which she had filled with sweets bought from Teddy Gray’s market stall.
Bill had managed to make a Christmas tree from an old broom-stale. Drilling holes up and down the pole the twins had then wrapped it in white paper. Into the holes were inserted small branches which were also wrapped. Everyone had a wonderful time decorating the odd little tree with sweets, home-made biscuits, small fruits and tiny gifts.
*
On Christmas day after lunch they sang carols by the fire crackling in the hearth, the room lit only by candles.
It was then that another surprise took everyone’s breath away.
John cleared his throat and all eyes turned to him as he stood up. Thinking he was about to toast his hostess, mouths dropped open when he spoke. ‘Lucy, will you marry me?’
A stunned silence prevailed as Bill closed his eyes. Whatever was his son doing? He was, in Bill’s estimation, far too young to be considering marriage. If Lucy agreed, the boy would be taking on another man’s child!
Opening his eyes, Bill waited with bated breath.
Lucy looked at the young man before answering. ‘John it’s kind of you to ask, but I ain’t sure it’s such a good idea. I’ll be ’aving a babby that ain’t yours and—’
Summoning every ounce of courage, John cut across her words. ‘That’s not important, Lucy. I love you and at least the child will know a father – me.’
Frank looked at his twin, admiration showing clearly in his eyes.
Rosie watched the emotions flit across Bill’s face and her heart ached for him. She knew he thought this would be a mistake, one John might come to regret.
‘What about yer work on the “cut”?’ Lucy asked.
‘I’ll find a job on the land; we’ll rent somewhere to live – it’ll be all right, I promise.’
Bill’s heart sank. History was repeating itself before his very eyes and he was helpless to prevent it.
‘Let me think about it, John – please,’ Lucy answered.
Everyone sighed with relief; they were all of the same opinion; it would indeed be a very big mistake for these two to marry. John may have feelings for the girl but she loved another.
Bill wasted no time in getting to his feet. ‘Rosie, thank you but it’s time we were off.’
Once Bill and the boys had left, the conversation turned to John’s proposal.
‘Lucy, don’t take this the wrong way, lovey, but how I kept my mouth shut I’ll never know!’ Margy said feeling exasperated.
‘I understand and I did wonder about that. John is a darlin’ for asking but to wed ’im wouldn’t be fair. He shouldn’t be thinking of giving ’is life up for me. He loves working the “cuts” and ’e should carry on doing it. I’ll manage fine when the babby comes.’ Lucy gave a grim smile.
‘I’m glad you’m thinkin’ that way. I know ’e thinks a lot of yer, sweetheart, but is that enough for yer to be tied together for the rest of yer lives?’
‘Margy, we shouldn’t be interfering. This is up to the young ’uns to decide on.’ Abner’s gentle voice floated on the silence that ensued.
‘No, Abner it ain’t! Look, we all know young Lucy ’ere only ’as feelings for gypsy Jake. Is that the truth?’ Margy turned to the girl in question who nodded. ‘Right then, if yer don’t love our John, how am you gonna make ’im ’appy? You won’t be able to cos yer’ll always ’ave that other fella on yer mind. I ain’t trying to be unkind, Lucy, I’m just stating facts.’
‘I know, Margy, and I see that you’m right, but I also know Jake Harding won’t ever tek me for ’is wife. He loves somebody else…’ Lucy’s eyes swivelled to Rosie, ‘doesn’t he?’
Rosie flushed scarlet.
‘I think I’ve always known, Rosie, but then we can’t ’elp falling in love with someone.’ Tears lined Lucy’s lashes again.
‘Blimey! This is a right mess!’ Molly piped up. ‘Let me see if I’ve got this right – John loves Lucy; Lucy loves Jake; Jake loves Rosie and Rosie…’ Molly drew in a breath when Margy finished the sentence for her.
‘…loves our Bill.’
Silence descended once more as everyone exchanged glances.
It was Fanny who broke the spell. ‘For once, Molly, I agree with yer. This is a right mess an’ no mistake!’
‘As I said, the kids will ’ave to work it out for themselves,’ Abner said shaking his head and getting to his feet. ‘Think on it Lucy, cos it’s a life changing decision for yer both.’
Rosie saw the Mitchells out and Fanny and Molly returned to their own dwelling taking a couple of their chairs with them.
Alone now with Lucy, Rosie sat quietly allowing the girl time to digest all that had been said in the previous few hours.
*
On reaching the ‘Two Hearts’, Frank made tea as his father and brother sat looking at each other.
‘You know your mother will go mad if you do this, don’t you? She’ll blame me for it. She blames me for every mortal thing in the world. If the sun don’t rise in the morning, it’s my fault!’
‘Dad, I couldn’t see Lucy trying to fend for herself and a new baby!’ John’s voice cracked as he spoke.
‘I understand that, lad, and I also know how you feel about her – but marriage?’
‘I know and to be honest the words were out before I realised. Having said that, I won’t change my mind, Dad.’
Bill sighed as Frank placed cups of tea before them both. ‘John there are other ways to help Lucy without marrying her.’
‘Maybe so, but it’s done now and I won’t go back on my word. Besides, she hasn’t given her answer as yet.’
‘If you give up the boat, what work would you do? That’s supposing you could find a job at all. And, what happens if, once you’re wed, you can’t get work or somewhere to live?’ Bill kept his voice low despite wanting to rant and rave at his son’s stupidity.
‘I’ve no idea, Dad. I hadn’t thought that far ahead I have to admit.’
Bill covered his eyes with a hand before dragging it down his face.
‘Dad, I’m sorry. I know I should have waited
and discussed it with you but I just couldn’t bear to see Lucy unhappy!’
‘All right, lad, don’t upset yourself. Let’s just wait and see what happens.’ Bill said his goodnight and shuffled off to bed leaving the twins staring at each other.
‘You gonna tell Mum?’ Frank asked.
‘I don’t know. Dad’s right though, she’ll chew my ears off for this.’
Frank patted his brother’s back as he went to his bunk. Lying in the dark he realised he would never be in the same position as his twin. He would not be marrying at all, let alone to a girl pregnant by another bloke. The picture of Tad Jenkins rose in his mind and Frank’s pulse quickened. Tad held Frank’s heart whether he knew it or not.
*
Margy and Abner settled in their bed on the ‘Pride of Wednesbury’.
‘Abner, summat needs to be done about our John,’ Margy whispered.
‘I don’t see what. If he’d talked to us or ’is dad first we might ’ave been able to dissuade ’im, but as it is, it’s too late now,’ Abner said in a low voice.
‘What ’is mother will make of it, God alone knows,’ Margy muttered. As she drifted into sleep a thought wormed its way into her subconscious.
A few days later Margy found herself in Bilston, and the idea formed again. She was going to visit Sarah, the twins’ mother. Bill had told her where the woman was living and that she was a maid at the big house.
Telling Abner she was going to the market, Margy hurried along the streets wrapped warmly against the bitter cold. As she walked she considered what kind of reception she’d receive. Not a good one she was sure, but Margy determined she would not be deterred. Somehow, between them they had to prevent John from making the biggest mistake of his life.
Coming at last to Daventry House, Margy set her lips in a firm line. Hammering on the back door it opened a crack and a large pair of eyes peeped out.
‘I’m ’ere to see Sarah Mitchell.’
The door swung further open to allow her admittance and Margy stepped into the warm kitchen. She saw Sarah sitting at the large table with another woman and heard the door close behind her.
‘What the hell do you want?’ Sarah rasped as she saw the visitor.
‘I’ve summat to say and you will listen! It concerns John,’ Margy said not making a move.
‘What about him? What’s happened?’ Sarah was on her feet, fear sweeping through her.
‘Mebbe we should discuss this in private, beggin’ yer pardon, ladies.’ Margy nodded at the others sat at the table now.
‘These are my friends, whatever it is can be said here – and then you can get out!’ Sarah’s words snapped like a gun shot.
‘As yer like. John ’as proposed marriage to a young girl called Lucy who is pregnant by another man,’ Margy said and watched the shock on the faces of the three women in front of her.
‘Oh blimey!’ Dora gasped moving to the kettle.
‘You’d better ’ave a seat and a cuppa,’ Mrs Poole said motioning Margy to a seat at the table. Sarah’s frown was deep and her eyes were full of suspicion.
Margy nodded her thanks as she sat down. Her eyes met those of Sarah as she began to relate the events of Christmas day at Rosie’s house.
Sarah and the others listened carefully as tea was made by Dora.
‘Ooh Sarah, it’s like one of the penny dreadful stories,’ the scullion said.
‘Shut up!’ Mrs Poole reprimanded the girl.
‘John talked to me about this Lucy, but he mentioned nothing about her being pregnant,’ Sarah said at last.
‘None of us knew about it until a few days ago. Sarah summat needs doing otherwise the lad will be miserable ’is whole life like our Bill was.’
Margy’s words stung and Sarah rasped back, ‘Bill was all right until you interfered!’
‘Sarah, Bill was un’appy for years and you know why. You took ’im off the “cut”. You forced ’im into work on the railway and you stopped me an’ his dad from visiting the twins! Anyway, unless you want your boy to go the same way…’ Margy let her words hang in the air.
‘Why have you told me this? I thought with your interfering ways you’d have done something about it yourself!’ Sarah’s temper flushed her cheeks to a bright red hue.
‘It ain’t my place. You’m ‘is mother, it’s up to you now cos he ain’t listening to us or ’is dad.’ Margy watched Sarah’s temper cool and guessed what she was thinking. Bill and her sons couldn’t do without her after all.
‘Well as much as it pains me, I thank you for letting me know,’ Sarah said looking as if she’d eaten something nasty.
‘As much as it pains me an’ all – we’m on the same side concerning this.’ Margy turned to the cook and scullion adding, ‘Thanks for the tea, ladies.’ Without another word Margy walked out.
Trudging to the market she wondered if she’d done the right thing. Certainly, what Sarah would do about her son’s predicament remained to be seen.
Margy had no intentions of telling anyone of her visit to Sarah and felt she could leave the matter to rest – for now.
Forty
Both sitting in front of a roaring fire, Fanny and Molly were lost in thought of the events of the last few days. As their knitting needles clacked into the quiet of the room, each considered how their lives had changed since meeting again.
Molly had found no work and so had decided to tout her knitted garments from a blanket on the ground near the market. Unable to afford a stall, she kept herself to a small patch where the market inspector couldn’t touch her for payment. It was hard work during the cold days of winter, but at least she was contributing to the household coffers now.
She asked herself for the thousandth time why Fanny had taken her in, especially as she’d run off with Fanny’s husband so many years before.
Checking her stitches on the needle she sighed. Fanny could have sent her packing, giving no care if the woman ended up in the workhouse, but she hadn’t. Instead she had brought Molly into her house and her life.
Molly cast a quick glance at her benefactor as her needles began work once more. Then taking a breath she spoke quietly.
‘Fanny, why didn’t you send me away that day?’
Fanny’s eyes moved from the fire to the woman who was now her lodger. ‘I couldn’t see yer out on the streets, could I?’
‘Well after everything – you know – with Charlie…’
‘Look, Molly, Charlie was a law unto hisself, you know that as much as I do. He charmed us both the old bugger. I ain’t excusin’ what you done when you and ’im did a ‘moonlight flit’, but life’s too short to ’old a grudge forever. Besides, he’s gone now so I can’t exactly kick ’is arse, can I?’
Molly shook her head in agreement, a small smile etching her mouth. ‘I am grateful though, Fanny.’
‘What surprises me is that we manage to get along fairly well,’ Fanny replied.
‘We’m very similar in character, Fanny, maybe that’s what Charlie liked about me – that I was so like ’is wife.’
‘Yer could be right at that,’ Fanny said after considering the thought.
‘It’s a shame about young Lucy.’ Molly moved the topic of conversation quickly for fear it would spark another argument.
‘Silly girl if yer ask me, but then ’er thinks ’er’s in love.’ Fanny nodded.
‘Young John came up the ’ero though, with ’is proposal,’ Molly said on a sigh as she laid her knitting aside.
‘Hero my backside!’ Fanny snapped watching Molly setting the kettle to boil. ‘The boy is a fool. He should ’ave kept his gob shut!’
‘I’m surprised ’is grandma d’aint ‘ave more to say though, after all Margy Mitchell seems a force to reckon with.’
‘I think, cos her’s only ’ad dealings with the twins very recently, her d’aint want to spoil that relationship by poking ’er nose.’ Fanny swivelled her head to follow Margy to the kitchen.
‘I can see the sense of that I suppose,
but I do wonder what will ’appen – whether Lucy will accept,’ Molly said returning to the living room with left-over mince pies.
‘I ’ave no idea, but I gather John’s mother will hit the roof when her ’ears of it.’ Fanny gave a nod of thanks for the pies and tea handed to her.
‘All we can do is wait and see I suppose,’ Molly said as she settled herself by the fire once more.
‘I ’ave a feeling there’s gonna be ructions next door before too long – you mark my words.’ Fanny then tucked into a mince pie and gazed into the bright dancing flames enjoying the heat they threw out.
*
Early the following morning there was a loud banging on the front door of number two, Upper Marshall Street.
Rosie answered and was extremely surprised to see Sarah Mitchell standing there full of thunder. It took only a moment for Rosie to ascertain the woman’s lifestyle had improved. Gone was the haunted gaunt look and she had gained weight. Her clothes were old but clean.
‘Mrs Mitchell, please come in out of the cold,’ Rosie said standing aside to allow her visitor entry.
In those few moments, Molly and Fanny had raced in through the back door and were in the living room with Lucy. They had heard the hammering and had no intentions of missing whatever it was that was about to take place.
Rosie sighed inwardly, unsure whether she would ever get used to neighbours just popping in unasked.
‘Please take a seat by the fire and warm yourself,’ Rosie urged as she wondered why Sarah had graced her with a visit.
Introductions were made as Sarah settled herself. Fanny and Molly found cake in the kitchen and began the time old custom of making tea for the unexpected guest.
‘So, Lucy Richards, I’m told you’re pregnant,’ Sarah said with a scowl.
Lucy nodded feeling very self-conscious as all eyes turned to her.
‘I believe my son John has offered to take you and your child on, is that right?’ Sarah went on completely ignoring the others in the room.
‘He ’as asked me to marry ’im, yes.’ Lucy drew in a breath. Judging by the look on Sarah’s face she was not at all happy with the prospect.
The Girl on the Doorstep: from the bestselling author of The Workhouse Children (A Black Country Novel) Page 27
