STOLEN BAIRNS: Scottish Fiction

by Anne Bone

  Doris did not care a damn about anything in particular. She had her TV and her fags and had no energy to bother about anything else. She was in her own little world and was happy enough to watch her daughter run the household. She thought it was a bit rich being blamed for her girl’s pregnancies. After all, it was that big lout who brought the bloke home. In her view it was most definitely the excuse for a husband who had created the problem and now there was yet another brat screaming its head off. She had not seen any of the so-called extra money that this was supposed to have been brought into the house. No, that had been spent by that daft idiot of a husband.

  The more Doris thought about it, the more she raged inside. Not only did she not accept any of the blame for what had taken place, she was fed up with the whole lot of them. Nobody seemed to give her any thanks for training the girl to run the house. All the years of telling her what to do had paid off, and even she thought Beth did alright at looking after the place… although she would never share this thought with her daughter.

  As for her sons, they just ignored her and she could not be bothered any longer to try to communicate with them. They were very clearly Fred’s sons and the more she looked at and heard them, the more she realised they had little to do with her. She had been the breeding cow, given him the boys whom he had groomed to become miniatures of himself.

  Doris watched from the comfort of her chair: her sons ignored her, her daughter avoided her and her husband treated her with distain. Even the little boy, her grandson, kept away from her. Or perhaps it was more to the point that whenever he came near her his mother whipped him away. What did she think she was going to do to him, belt him? As if she would do such a thing.

  The household trundled on. The three boys had developed their own routines and attended school occasionally, whenever the fancy took them. At other times they seemed to tear around the glen on their bikes, always up to some sort of caper. Out of the three boys, twelve year old Jason, the middle boy, was the most helpful to Beth. He probably was the closest out of the brothers and from somewhere he had found a semblance of concern for another person in the family.

  Fourteen year old Ted had discovered girls. This became a good reason for him to attend school, as most of the girls he fancied his chances with went to the academy. Attending school did not mean that he would spend any energy settling down to any academic work: he did not see that there was any need or purpose in doing so. He did enjoy sports, as long as he came first in everything he took part in. Ted was turning into a bit of a bully, as was his youngest brother, David, who was now ten.

  David was forced to attend the village primary school. Fred had found it was much more difficult to avoid the Head Teacher of the small school, and there had been a change in the staffing since the rather dishy Miss McCulloch had taken over. Fred found that his thoughts were often focused on the young teacher, and his dreams, or perhaps it was more accurate to say that his fantasies, led him to believe that he may have a chance with the pretty teacher.

  It was for this reason that he tried his best to ensure that David attended the school, but he did not insist that he behaved once he got there. It did not unduly worry him. In fact, he was quite excited about it when he was summoned to the school to hear that David’s behaviour was unacceptable. When he was told that the boy had been a bit cheeky and had been disrupting the class, he had puffed his chest up and turned and clipped the young boy around the ear showing the teacher that he was a good and responsible parent. Fred could not help himself and caught himself smiling as he was convinced that Miss McCulloch was actually finding reasons to summon him. It must be that because, as far as he could see, what David was doing was not really that bad.

  Jason did try and help his sister with some of the household tasks. He had not followed his father and older brother into becoming a bully. He had so often been the victim of his older brother’s behaviour that he had become quite withdrawn, especially now he had started at the academy. Out of the three, he was the one who was good at some of the school activities, and he secretly enjoyed some of the lessons, although he would never in a million years admit this to any of his family. It would have brought the wrong type of attention and no doubt he would have been ridiculed and held up as a swat and goody-goody.

  Jason had no choice but to go along with his two brothers as they charged around the countryside. However, when they were in the forefront of any risky antics, like letting the estate’s large Highland bull into the field with the Highland cows just to watch what would happen, Jason held back. He would much rather have been at home in his secret place sitting on the straw in the back of the steading, his head in a book.

  It was a month after Stevie’s first birthday that Beth felt her first contraction. This time she knew exactly what to do and, this time, she was not planning on staying in the hospital for any longer than absolutely necessary. She had Stevie to consider and she was not sure who exactly would look after him.

  The only one in the household she could trust to ensure the little boy had his dinner and his nappy changed was Jason. So she suggested to her mother that maybe when she was in the hospital Jason could stay off school to care for his nephew. Doris had welcomed this idea of course. There was no way she was able to run around after a lively toddler. She was already moaning that she did not know how she was going to manage getting meals ready, her legs were very swollen that she could not stand for more than a few minutes.

  Although Jason would rather have been at school, he accepted that he was the only one capable of looking after Stevie. He was the only member of the household who had ever changed his nappy or fed him. He was wise enough to know that he would not just be looking after Stevie in his sister’s absence, he would no doubt be expected to look after the house too.

  Knowing that she could not leave Stevie until Jason came home from school, meant that Beth tried to keep her contractions under some sort of control. She was so pleased when she saw her brother’s head appear in the doorway, as she realised that she needed to get to the hospital quickly.

  Fred cursed all the way to Inverurie. He cursed at her for waiting so long that she was writhing in pain, he cursed at the old van for not going as fast as he wanted. And under his breath he cursed at Roger.

  When the battered van screeched to a halt outside the hospital Beth was rushed quickly into the delivery room where forty-five minutes later she gave birth to a blonde-haired perfectly-formed, six pound four ounce girl. Beth immediately fell in love with her daughter. Gone were the images of the child’s flabby, slobbery, ugly father, instead they were replaced with this beautiful innocent child.

  Sister Campbell could hardly believe that this young woman had just had her second child. She was only just sixteen. For goodness sake, surely the girl’s parents could have insisted she had some form of birth control. She could not make it out. The girl did not seem to be one who would be fast and loose. No, she seemed sensible and quiet. There must indeed be a more flighty side to this young woman. Even in the promiscuous seventies it was unusual for unmarried mothers to have two children, especially before they had reached adulthood.

  Beth’s saving grace with Sister Campbell was her ability to bond with her babies. She took to breastfeeding like she had been doing it all her life and, according to her friend Alice Hall the girl’s health visitor, she seemed to be able to care for her older child very well in difficult circumstances. When Beth requested that she be discharged from the hospital as soon as possible, as she was worried about Stevie, Sister Campbell readily agreed.

  Forty-eight hours after Lucy arrived in the world her mother returned home to take up her many household duties again. Beth was, in fact, only too pleased to get on with her duties as it meant that she was going to be able to hold her sweet baby and her darling Stevie. She had no aspirations other than to be a good mother and to make sure her two babes were loved and cared for. She was blooming, her skin was clear and her eyes bright. If there was ever a young woman who was
a picture of health and motherhood, then it was Beth Menzie.

  Chapter 9

  If only Beth had been witness to the discussions her father was having with a certain couple then she may have been able to have taken some action that would have averted a terrible and life-changing experience that would have repercussions for many people. Beth continued to care lovingly for her children. Lucy, at two months old, was every bit as beautiful as her fifteen-month-older brother. Stevie was toddling about exploring everything he could get his tiny hands on. He would reward the adults with a cheeky grin when they removed whatever item he had got his hands on.

  Unbeknown to Beth, her father was involved in deep discussions with a man and woman who would change her life forever. Every Wednesday evening Fred would go to the auction mart where he would sell whatever bits and pieces he had managed to scavenge during the week. In the café at the mart, Fred had started chatting to a couple who introduced themselves as Helen and Mike Walker. The first week they had chatted about nothing of consequence, just the sort of items which were coming up for auction. Fred had been moaning about the cost of keeping a family together. He had especially been irritated about the cost of keeping two extra mouths and, in his usual way, hoping he might attract some sympathy for his plight.

  Helen had been very interested to hear all about Fred’s daughter and the baby girl she had just given birth to. She had been very sympathetic towards Fred. ‘Oh, how awful for you, your daughter must be such a worry.’ She had taken his hand into hers. ‘What a great father you are, many fathers would have shown her the door, and not welcomed both her and her bairns into his house,’ she had told him. She shook her head, tears welling up in her rather sad looking eyes.

  Fred had nodded, thinking to himself that the woman had confirmed to him that he indeed was a very good father, no matter what his so-called damn wife thought.

  After that first encounter, the couple would be in the café every week and they sought Fred out, insisting on buying him his double helping of stovies, which he washed down with two mugs of thick strong tea. Fred was always willing to accept a gift from anyone and thought they were a really smashing couple, very understanding and generous to him.

  Mike told Fred that they lived in the small town of Huntly which he knew was just a few miles from the Inverurie Mart. They had gone on to tell him that they did not hail from these parts, but had moved up north a year or so ago. On one of their encounters, Helen excused herself to go to the toilet and Mike reached across the table in the café to confide in Fred how unhappy his wife was today. He had gone on to tell Fred that they had been trying for a baby for several years now, then they had found out that Helen was unable to have children. This had been a big enough blow, then recently they had been told by the council that they were too old to adopt. Helen had been brokenhearted about this, as it was the only way she was ever going to be a mother.

  Fred had been amazed at Helen being too old, and voiced his amazement. ‘Helen’s thirty-seven, and I am forty-one, the cut off point for adoption is thirty-five,’ Mike told him. ‘We would give anything to be able to give a child a loving home,’ was his final remark just before Helen rejoined them.

  This had sown a seed. A seed that grew over the next three weeks and formed tiny roots, that began to grow thick and weave their way into Fred’s consciousness. Every week Fred continued to hear about how much this couple would give to become parents, and how much they would be able to give to any children that they cared for. Such a wonderful life these children would have, he was told, if only there was some way they could be blessed with children.

  Mike alluded to being comfortably off and having a wonderful well-paid job in an engineering firm, while Helen was the manager of a small antiques shop. That was the reason they came to the auction every Wednesday, to look out for bits for the shop. The picture painted by the couple of their life almost brought a tear to Fred’s eye… Well, almost.

  Helen kept asking after Beth’s children and reminding Fred what a wonderful caring father he was. She then peppered the conversations with bits of how difficult it must be for such a young girl, giving up her youth to be a mother. ‘She has much to miss out on, such a shame for a young girl and even more of a shame that the two wee children had no father to look after them.’

  Fred could say nothing other than to agree to this. He became caught up with the woman’s genuine sympathy and concern for his and Beth’s situation. His poor girl, only sixteen and the mother of two, and while she was a good mother, she would maybe one day live to regret giving up her youth to become a mother. Two bairns, what would happen to them in the future?

  ‘Such a responsibility Fred, having two grandchildren to support in addition to your poor wife and sons.’

  He nodded. Bloody Hell, he did have a huge responsibility and, as only Fred could do, he felt as though he had the whole world on his shoulders.

  When Mike mentioned a couple of times that they would be willing to give anything to become parents and would ‘even be willing to compensate the family and make sure a mother had something to set her up for her future’ Fred’s ears pricked up.

  ‘What exactly do you mean, when you say, compensate?’ he had asked them.

  If Fred had been brighter, then he might have realised where all of this was leading. When Mike mentioned a sum of money, he was almost bowled over by the amount of compensation the couple was offering. He had never had his hands on such a large sum of money as that. Fuck, he could do all sorts of things with money like that.

  Helen and Mike soon recognised that their fishing had indeed been productive in landing their catch. The discussions then took on a much more serious emphasis: Fred had asked how they could go about it. Mike had cleared his throat before replying, ‘We would have to be extremely careful.’ He had looked closely at Fred.

  ‘Fred, you would have to be careful as it would be you who would be in trouble if anyone ever found out that money had been accepted.’ Mike imparted these words with a grave voice just above a whisper which required Fred to concentrate on watching the man’s lips.

  Fred had nodded in agreement. He assured them that he was used to keeping things quiet, this would not be anything new.

  Helen had gone on to say, ‘We would have to keep their whereabouts secret, as it would not be fair to the children if their mother popped up at any time.’

  Fred nodded in agreement again. ‘Dinna worry yourselves about that, my lass won’t be told where you are or where the bairns are.’

  The three of them had come to an agreement, and they then had a lengthy discussion on what the story would be. They agreed that he would tell Beth that the children needed two parents, that they would be adopted and she could get on with her life. That’s what she would be told. Her caring father thought she must do the best for her children in making sure they had everything they would want. He would tell her that as their mother it was her responsibility to ensure she provided the best for them and no matter what she did she would never be able to provide them with what they needed. Mike reminded Fred to emphasise that there was always the chance that if she didn’t do what was best for them, then she could end up losing them anyway, and suggested that if there was any carry on with her the final threat could be that Fred wasn’t able to support her to care for them anymore.

  The plot was hatched. The plan was made. What a plan. Fred could hardly contain himself, thinking not only was he going to have some real cash to play with, but he would also relieve himself of supporting two children. This was very much a win, win situation.

  It was settled. The plan would be executed with military precision.

  Chapter 10

  The following week, the implementation of the plan commenced. Firstly, Fred had to get Beth out of the house without the children. This was to prove the most difficult and Fred spent days pondering just how he was going to achieve this. Beth was almost inseparable from her children. Her whole day and night were focused on their every need. He r
ealised that this was not going to be easy. The big bungling man had to think up a way in which she would leave the children in the house. He wasn’t sure how on earth he was going to achieve this.

  It was the third week in June. Fred finally came up with a way. He concocted a story which he thought might be the one thing which would focus his daughter’s attention on something other than the children. At breakfast, he mumbled something about wondering if he had caught sight of that bloke.

  Beth had not paid much attention at first, she continued to scrub the porridge pot. ‘What bloke?’ she had asked distractedly.