STOLEN BAIRNS: Scottish Fiction

by Anne Bone

  ‘Now, what do you think of that? You look the sort of bloke who would not do alright in the jail. Pretty young boy, you would no doubt be very popular with the queers.’ He laughed now, enjoying and knowing he was putting the fear of God into the young man. ‘What’s your income?’

  Marty went on to explain that he was only working at Hillside Farm for another few days and then he was going back to Aberdeen where he was going to college. He did not have an income. He was going to be living on a grant, and he had only been working on the farm to give him a bit of savings.

  ‘How much have you got saved?’ Beth could already sense where this conversation was going as she noticed the glint in her father’s eyes.

  When Marty told him, Fred grunted that it would do for a start. He would expect him to return the following evening and hand the money over. If he did not, then it would be the police. Fred then went on to tell him that he would expect to receive a certain amount of money every month. After all, how else was he expected to look after his grandchild. It was that or the police.

  Marty did not have any choice, he had to agree. In some ways, supporting his child financially was no more than he could expect. He did balk at the next instruction though, which was that he could not ever see Beth again.

  This sent Beth into floods of tears. She was told to shut it by both parents and bit her lip in an attempt to do so. But it did not work as the tears flowed silently down her cheeks.

  Marty was told to leave then. He did as he was bid, agreeing to return the following evening to hand over all his savings.

  Chapter 5

  Beth had been sent to her room when Marty had arrived at the door the following evening as instructed. She had pressed her nose up against the small glass window pane, to watch him walk crestfallen back down the small track, having handed over all of his savings.

  He had turned to stare back towards the croft, and saw Beth’s face in the window. He raised his hand and waved, blowing her a kiss before turning to walk back to Hillside Farm. He would leave in the morning to return to his aunt’s home in Aberdeen and begin his studies. He was a broken man.

  Beth also felt that her heart was broken in two. She allowed the tears to flow silently down her cheeks. Her face was pressed against the window trying to catch every last glimpse of her lover. She watched, trying to capture every last movement of his lithe body as he walked slowly away, further and further away from her, and with every step he took she felt an overwhelming sense of doom descend on her.

  She did not have to wait long before she experienced just exactly what her life was going to be like for the foreseeable future. She was informed, no, informed was a far too gentle word to use, she was ordered, instructed, to remain at the house and not even consider leaving the confines of the croft, without being accompanied by a member of her family.

  A prisoner. A prisoner was most definitely was what she was. She may as well be locked in a cell. She thought she would probably be better off if she had been. She did not think she would or could ever feel so alone.

  A few days later, Doris took Beth to the doctor, who confirmed that she was indeed four months pregnant. Dr Merridan was an elderly, kind and gentle man. He asked Doris to leave Beth and him alone. Doris did as she was asked to do, although it was obvious by her body language she was not happy about complying with this request.

  Dr Merridan had asked her gently about the baby’s father. Beth could not stop her tears from spilling down her face as she told the doctor about Marty. He seemed a little relieved, she thought later, something about Marty being just a couple of years older than her seemed to present the doctor with a sense of relief. Dr Merridan listened to her when she told him how angry her parents had been, and how Marty had been banished from the croft and instructed that he should never see her again.

  Although Dr Merriden was sympathetic he also explained to Beth that it seemed her parents were standing by her, and this was something very positive. He added that they could have easily reported the matter to the police, which would mean that Marty could be prosecuted and end up in jail. They did not seem to be planning to send her away to an unmarried mother’s home, as many parents would have done in their situation. She must realise that they would be quite ashamed that their daughter was going to have a baby when she was only fourteen. Nevertheless, he would look after her and support both her and her parents through the pregnancy.

  Beth would not be the first young pregnant girl who had sat before Dr Merriden, and she would no doubt not be the last. He gave Beth information about registering with the midwife and booking into the hospital. He could not help thinking that this young girl probably could not help what happened to her. She had not had the best parenting guidance in the world. He had patted Beth on the shoulder as she had left the surgery to meet the angry stare of Doris, who was sitting in the waiting room where the other patients were trying to defend their noses unsuccessfully against the foul smelling fragrance which she was emitting from her unwashed body.

  The residents of the glen were not surprised that the Menzie girl had got herself pregnant. Come on, what did you expect from that family? There was a bit of speculation about who the father was, but it seems Beth’s brothers were more than ready to dish the dirt on Marty. Unfortunately, they had embellished the facts a little, saying that he had run off when he had heard she was pregnant. Scared to face them, was another statement. Above all, Beth had been abandoned by her lover, and her loving family was going to stand by her and support her all of the way.

  What the residents of the glen did not know was that, Beth would have given her right arm to have been sent to an unmarried mother’s home. At least she would not have had to listen over and over again to how terrible she had been, letting them down and being nothing but a cheap slut.

  School was not going to be an option now. The Education Department insisted that they send a teacher to Cairn View Croft twice a week to give Beth some lessons. These were the highlight of her week, and possibly her lifeline. Mrs James was a lovely lady who was astute enough to pick up, five minutes after entering the dismal grimy kitchen, that all was not as happy as the parents of this young girl were making out.

  She managed to persuade Doris that it was not possible to concentrate on lessons within the kitchen while she sat slumped glaring at them from her armchair beside the range. Doris agreed, rather reluctantly, that Mrs James could undertake the teaching in Beth’s small upstairs bedroom. It might be unusual, but at least they could get away from the atmosphere which circulated around them in the kitchen.

  Beth was more than willing to learn and it soon became apparent that this young girl was very bright. Mrs James thought it was a crying shame that she had not reached her potential. She had missed so much schooling that she was just very behind in her learning, and seemed to have fallen completely through the net. The one-to-one attention she was getting was most definitely paying off and she was thriving and making huge steps.

  It made Mrs James even angrier when she mentioned to her colleagues that Beth Menzie was a bright girl who seemed to have been failed by the education system. They had been quite dismissive of her, shrugging their shoulders saying, nobody could blame them, it was those parents who were to blame. They had added their advice not to get too involved, ‘The Menzie’s will rip you off,’ they told her in unison.

  As the pregnancy continued, Beth‘s physical health blossomed, her cheeks were rosy red, her skin glowed and her hair shone. Inside her, though, was a different matter. She grieved the loss of Marty in her every waking moment. It was only feeling the tiny body moving around inside her womb which gave her any comfort and any reason to live.

  She kept reminding herself that this was Marty’s baby. She still had some part of him sleeping and growing within her. This baby was also hers. She imagined holding it in her arms and she almost gushed with anticipation.

  Chapter 6

  Dr Merriden was absolutely insistent that there was no way Beth was going t
o give birth at home, which was Doris’s suggestion. No way would he allow this. Doris did not argue with the doctor. As Fred had said to her, he might kick up a fuss and then bring the authorities down on them. They did not want any busybodies poking their noses into Cairn View. There was no alternative and Doris gave in, although not gracefully. She reminded Beth again how much trouble she had caused them all.

  Fred did get involved in the preparations for the baby’s arrival. He managed to pick up an old carry cot which had a set of wheels. This would easily double up as a cot and pram for the child. The fact that it was rather dilapidated and had seen better days were of no consequence.

  Dr Merriden had had a word with his staff, and the health visitor had managed to gather clothes and nappies for the baby. She made it clear to Doris and Fred when she handed over the articles that she expected to see them on Beth’s baby, and not some other baby. They took the warning, mumbling under their breaths about ‘do-goody busybodies’.

  Beth was delighted; she carefully washed and ironed all the tiny items, and stored them in one of the drawers of the rickety chest in her bedroom.

  It was the morning of 15th March when Beth’s waters broke. She was just about to carry a bucket of water out to fill the hens’ bowl when she felt something running down her legs. At first she wondered what on earth was going on, she had not realised she needed the loo. She was just about to go into the bathroom to sort herself out, when she felt the first twinge of pain, right in the pit of her abdomen.

  ‘I think it’s started,’ she announced to Doris who, as usual, was in her armchair.

  ‘You had better go and tell your da, he’s out in the park at the back of the house.’ It was clear that Doris was not going to be of much help to her daughter who was already beginning to feel a sense of dread for the ordeal she was going to face.

  Fred took it in his stride. He told Beth to go and get her bag which was already packed and ready. He would run her into the Cottage Hospital at Inverurie where she had been booked into.

  ‘I think we are supposed to phone them first,’ she told her father.

  ‘We dinna need to bother with that. Just you get yourself into the van and we’ll get going,’ came his answer, his tone full of irritation and annoyance.

  Beth knew she would be wasting her breath and her much needed energy in arguing with her father. She settled herself in the passenger seat of the battered old van and tried not to complain too much as he hit pot holes in the track.

  When she arrived at the hospital, she was told that she should have phoned. However, Fred was not in the least perturbed by this, and announced that he would try and phone later to find out whether the child had arrived. That was it, that was all he had to say on the matter and he was back in the battered old van and revving up the engine before anyone could remonstrate with him.

  Immediately the staff felt sorry for the young teenage girl. She seemed so small, young and vulnerable. The sister was already thinking of what she might say to the uncouth Fred Menzie when she set eyes on him again.

  Eight hours later, a six and a half pound dark-haired boy was born to an exhausted but delighted young woman. When he was placed into her arms, she saw a miniature version of Marty. Beth held the baby close to her and whispered to him how much she loved him and how she would always protect and care for him.

  Beth had something in her life at last that she could call her own. She had someone she could be free to pour into the pent up love which was bursting within her. It felt to her as though there was a dam inside her and now it was beginning to overflow with love and emotion.

  The staff were irritated and angry by the young girl’s lack of visitors or interest in her circumstances. There was no sign of this young girl’s mother, and when Fred eventually turned up two days later it was to demand that Beth should be discharged, she was needed at home, he told the young staff nurse.

  He had only given the baby boy, his first grandchild, a cursory glance, more interested in hurrying his mother to get a move on. Fred had not bargained for Sister Campbell, a fierce stoutly-built red-haired woman. There were not many people who would take on Sister Campbell when she had her dander up, and Fred was not going to be one of them.

  Sister Campbell invited Fred to accompany her into her office. He did as he was requested, willingly. He may not have gone so willingly if he had realised he had entered the lion’s den where he received such a tongue lashing he felt his ears vibrating. He had no option but to listen to how his daughter was not ready for discharge and would not be for at least another five days. She had to be cared for at this moment. Sister Campbell laid it on thick that if she left the hospital now, anything could happen to her. She then outlined every possible negative and life-threatening thing she could think of. Fred, by this time, was appearing a little green and nodded in agreement that, of course, Beth had to stay and he would return again in five days’ time to take her home.

  Beth was really thankful to Sister Campbell when she was told she could stay. It gave her longer to get used to feeding the baby boy who she had decided was to be called Stevie. She knew she would not be given time to cuddle and relax with him once she entered Cairn View, in fact, she was pretty sure her time would be taken up trying to get the house in some sort of order again. She was also sure Doris would not be breaking sweat in her absence.

  Beth did have a couple of more positive visitors. One was Mrs James who appeared carrying a large brightly-wrapped parcel. Beth was in tears as she opened the parcel and saw that it contained a basket of goodies, including a beautifully crocheted shawl and a set of clothes which she would be able to dress Stevie in when she left the hospital. She only hoped she would be able to keep the clothes as she was sure Doris would be pricing them up the minute she set eyes on them.

  Her other visitor was Miss Hall the health visitor. Although she did not usually visit her patients in hospital she was already concerned about the future of this young woman and her baby. Miss Hall also brought a gift. Her gift was also very welcome as it was a brand new sterilising unit. Miss Hall told her that this would help Beth maintain the much needed hygiene standards, Beth listened carefully to the advice from her visitor and agreed she would put it into practice. Miss Hall however, was not convinced that the level of hygiene required for the health of such a young child could be successfully maintained in the Menzie household.

  Fred duly arrived to collect his daughter and grandson when the five days had passed. He grunted a sort of greeting to his daughter, and glanced at the baby. Beth thanked the staff for all their help and care. She was not the only one to feel sorry that she had to leave, as Beth had gained the affection and respect of the staff, especially Sister Campbell.

  Doris was actually out of her armchair when they arrived home. She was puffing about the kitchen, her dirty apron strung around her neck, barely covering any of her bulging stomach. She appeared to have been chopping some vegetables, however as soon as Beth entered the kitchen she removed her apron and shuffled over to her armchair.

  ‘It’s about time you made an appearance,’she snarled at her daughter. ‘An’ don’t you think you’re going to be sitting on your arse around here as if you were in that hospital. No m’lady, you can start now by finishing off the supper.’

  With that, Doris reached over to roll another cigarette. She didn’t enquire or show any interest in the tiny bundle held in her daughter’s arms. Fred did show a smidgen of compassion when he carried her bag up to her bedroom and returned with the carry cot, where Beth placed her precious child.

  Her parents’ lack of interest in the baby was met with mixed blessings. Although it was further evidence of their inability to show any care for her, it also meant that at least Beth did not have to share her son with anyone.

  Stevie flourished, much to both Miss Hall’s and Dr Merriden’s relief. Beth was turning out to be an excellent mother; she just had a natural ability. Dr Merriden commented that this must have jumped a generation as there were no si
gns that Doris ever developed any of these skills.

  In those first three months after Stevie’s birth Beth was happier than she had ever thought possible. She would go about her household tasks with a lighter step and responded to Stevie’s every whimper and need. Even her mother left her alone, and her brothers seemed thankful that she was back in charge of the house. At least Beth seemed to know that clothes needed washing and her cooking skills outweighed their mothers in every possible way.

  Beth was not sure exactly when she realised that something was going on. Guests to Cairn View were not common, in fact, guests being invited to supper was unheard of. When Fred announced that there would be another mouth to feed for supper tonight, and that she had to make a bit of a special effort, Beth was intrigued, as were her brothers who questioned their father, asking him who the extra mouth to feed was, but they were given no explanation.

  Beth did her best and prepared one of her special mutton stews which was tasty as well as filling. Her father seemed to be a bit like a cat sitting on a hot tin roof, as he fidgeted and watched out of the kitchen window for the guest to arrive. He also seemed to have made a special effort in tidying himself up and had sworn at Doris that she should do the same. Beth and her brothers were beginning to wonder whether royalty was about to descend on them.