Daughters of the Mersey

by Anne Baker

  ‘Better that he learns the skills now while he’s young,’ she said. ‘Getting Dido in the river is still some time off.’

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  WHEN AMY WAS FOUR years old, Leonie put her into nursery school. June was able to take her there in the mornings but in the afternoons Amy was released an hour before June so Leonie usually went to fetch her.

  Amy soon made a little friend in the same class. Her name was Pat Greenway and they usually came out together. Pat was a few months older than Amy but she appeared younger because she was a small and skinny child. She had rather sharp features and skimpy pale-brown pigtails of little more than shoulder length.

  Leonie knew her mother by sight but they’d rarely spoken. Amy pulled at her skirt and told her that the Greenways lived at Beechwood only four houses further along the Esplanade. Colleen Greenway drove her own Austin Seven and offered them a lift home. The same thing happened the following afternoon and as they got to know each other, Colleen realised that Leonie’s shop made it difficult for her to collect Amy from school. She offered to pick her up with Pat and take her home to Steve. More often than not Amy walked back along the Esplanade to play with Pat for an hour or so before June and Milo came home, but as time went on Leonie often failed to find her when she got home and had to send June or Milo out to look for her at mealtimes. Though Steve knew when Amy came home from school, he took little notice of what she did or where she went. Leonie began to worry that the child had too much freedom.

  Amy didn’t always see having a brother and sister so much older than her as an advantage. It was like having two mothers and two fathers, there was always somebody on hand bossing her around.

  Amy knew Pa had taken a dislike to Pat, he said she was cheeky. ‘You mustn’t go off with her,’ he said, ‘unless you first ask permission. Your mother is worried about what you get up to.’

  ‘That isn’t fair.’ Amy was indignant. ‘Me and Pat are both six years old and she is told to go out and play by herself.’

  ‘Well, I’m telling you to stay at home now and play with June.’

  ‘June doesn’t want to play with me,’ she fumed. ‘Pat has three older sisters and not one of them wants to play with her. Can I ask her in to play here? We want to be together.’

  ‘No, you’ll make too much noise.’

  ‘Pa, I want to—’

  ‘I won’t say it again. Do as you’re told, go and play with June.’

  With bad grace Amy gave up. June was doing her homework and took no notice of her. She went to Milo’s room. He was sucking a humbug. ‘Can I have one?’ she asked.

  ‘Sorry, I haven’t any more,’ Milo said. ‘Duggie gave me this one in school.’

  It took Amy some time to accept he was telling the truth. ‘I’d like some sweets.’

  ‘Go and ask Pa for a penny then.’

  ‘He’s cross with me – in a bad mood.’

  ‘He won’t eat you, go and try.’

  ‘Why don’t you ask him?’

  ‘He won’t give me anything. You’re the youngest and his favourite, he’ll give you money.’

  Amy doubted she was his favourite. June was in the next room and heard them. She came in.

  ‘He likes you best, June,’ Amy said. ‘You’re his favourite.’

  June shook her head. ‘He gave me twopence yesterday, it’s your turn. Come on.’

  June’s hand pressed into her back, propelling her to the door of Pa’s study, ‘Go on,’ she whispered and pushed the door open for her. Pa was deep in his newspaper again.

  ‘Please, Pa,’ she asked, ‘will you give me a penny for sweets?’ With his attention still on his paper, Amy was pleased to see his hand go absent-mindedly to his trouser pocket, but there was only a halfpenny on his palm when it came out.

  ‘Please, a penny,’ she wheedled.

  He seemed to have forgotten their earlier exchange. ‘Sweets will rot your teeth.’

  ‘Please, Pa. June wants sweets too.’

  Another halfpenny came out. ‘Thank you Pa,’ Amy grabbed it and ran for the door where her half-siblings were waiting.

  June smiled as she took the coins from her. ‘I’ll look after them for you.’

  Milo and June each took one of Amy’s hands and swung her between them as they ran to the nearest sweet shop. All three paused to glory at the mouth-watering display in the window.

  ‘What d’you want to buy, Amy?’ June asked.

  She chose carefully. ‘A stick of liquorice and a halfpenny bottle of red pop.’

  They shook their heads. Amy knew Mum would do that too, she didn’t allow soft drinks other than orange squash and thought all sweets except caramels and boiled sweets were rubbish.

  ‘It would be better to choose something else.’ Milo was always diplomatic. ‘I fancy sherbet bombs.’

  ‘I’d like aniseed balls,’ June said and they all went inside to buy them. Once out on the pavement again they counted out the sweets, dividing them carefully into three.

  ‘That’s fair, isn’t it, Amy?’ Milo asked and slid her share straight into her pocket, so they could each keep a paper bag.

  ‘I wanted a bottle of pop.’

  ‘Mum says the gas isn’t good for you,’ June reminded her. ‘You can find your own way home, can’t you?’

  ‘I want to go with you.’

  ‘Another time, Amy.’

  ‘Milo, please?’

  He shook his head. ‘I’ll have a game of Ludo with you after supper.’

  Amy watched them go their separate ways and then went to see if her friend Pat would play with her.

  In the spring of 1937 Leonie told June she could come straight from school to the shop to be measured for a couple of new summer dresses. June was delighted and quickened her step. She looked forward to examining Mum’s catalogues and swathes of material and choosing what she wanted.

  But the shop seemed unusually full and the staff hectically busy. Elaine, her mother’s friend, was conferring with a customer over a pile of pattern books, while her twins were causing havoc. Now they were at school, Nanny Bridge had moved on to another full-time job and Elaine was relying on a part-time mother’s help. Amy was at home, she’d been off school that day because she had a cold.

  Mum was flushed. ‘Sorry, love,’ she whispered to June. ‘We’ll have to leave it. Would you mind coming again tomorrow?’

  ‘Mum!’

  ‘We’re getting a big order to make clothes for a wedding, and not only the bride and bridesmaids. Elaine has been asked to design something special for the bride’s mother.’

  June could see she’d get no attention today. ‘I suppose so,’ she said grudgingly.

  ‘There’s something else,’ Leonie said. ‘Elaine picked up Dulcie and Lucas from school and we can’t cope with them here just now. Would you mind taking them home?’

  June eyed them with distaste. She’d heard even their mother say she wished they were better behaved.

  ‘I’d be very grateful,’ Elaine said, holding one twin’s sticky hand away from her sketches. ‘I know Tom is home now, I’ve just spoken to him on the phone.’

  June nodded. ‘All right.’ She was not only disappointed but fed up. She’d been looking forward all day to this and she really needed some new dresses. All her old things were so childish. Now she was sixteen she needed a whole wardrobe of new clothes. Mum said she was shooting up but the hems of her dresses could be let down. June felt the problem was much greater than that.

  ‘I’ll bring the pattern books home with me,’ her mother promised, to placate her. ‘You can look through them tonight.’

  ‘You know where we live, don’t you?’ Elaine asked.

  ‘Yes, didn’t I bring Amy to the twins’ birthday party?’

  ‘Of course you did, and you came back to take her home.’

  Elaine slid some coins into her hand. ‘For the bus,’ she said.

  ‘Thanks, I do appreciate this.’

  Mum raised her brows. ‘They could walk
quite easily. It’s not that far.’

  ‘The bus, the bus,’ the twins clamoured. June thought they were pests, noisy and never still, far worse than Amy, though she was less than a year older.

  ‘Don’t take your eyes off them,’ her mother cautioned as she saw them out.

  June hitched her school satchel on her back and took a firm grasp on one hand of each twin. She’d have to take care, these two could be little imps, but the bus came almost immediately and the twins had calmed down. When she had them settled in a seat and was able to examine the coins Elaine had given her, she found she’d been given an extra shilling. A tip like that made her see this trip in a very different light.

  As they walked down the road towards Elaine’s house, June saw a smart red two-sweater car parked in their drive. Her gaze lingered on it as she edged the children past, it was gorgeous. When she released one hand to ring their front doorbell, Dulcie shot off round the back.

  ‘We always go the back way,’ Lucas told her. So June followed, dragging him with her to the back garden. She was in time to see Dulcie shoot into the house leaving the back door open, and when she reached the step she could see a man with her in the hall. June hesitated, nervous about entering the house of near strangers.

  ‘Uncle Ralph,’ Lucas yelled, hurling himself at him.

  ‘Hello,’ June said. ‘I’ve brought them home.’

  ‘So I see.’ He was staring at her.

  June found herself examining him. He was tall and had an athletic build, dark wavy hair and lustrous brown eyes that wouldn’t leave her face.

  ‘It’s Uncle Ralph,’ Dulcie screamed again, swinging on his arm.

  By now they’d reached the conservatory and Mr Clifford, Elaine’s husband and the twins’ father, was lolling back on a sofa, with a cup of tea at his elbow. He rustled his newspaper down when he saw her and stood up. ‘Hello, June. Do you know Ralph? Ralph Harvey, Elaine’s brother.’ He had Dulcie in his arms.

  ‘It’s Daddy’s birthday,’ Lucas told her. ‘We’ve got presents for him and Mummy’s made a cake.’

  June explained about the sudden influx of customers in her mother’s shop, and why Elaine wanted peace to concentrate on the customers’ needs.

  ‘I might have guessed,’ he said. ‘Just the day she wanted to be back early. Thank you for bringing the babies home.’ He collapsed back on the sofa. ‘Would you like a cup of tea?’

  ‘No thanks.’ It was only then June noticed the chocolate biscuits on the tea tray, she’d have loved a couple of those. ‘No, I need to get home.’

  Dulcie was trying to climb on her father’s knee from one side and Lucas from the other. He pushed them off, causing Dulcie to let out an angry cry and upset his teacup.

  June backed away. Her pa would have walloped her backside for doing that.

  ‘I’ll see you out,’ Ralph said, leading the way to the front door. There he paused. There was something about the way he looked at her that made June feel grown up, almost as though she was as old as he was. She knew he liked her. His eyes were playing with hers and making that obvious. He was a lookalike for Gary Cooper and not really old at all. He was exuding charm. She felt her heart begin to race.

  ‘Can I offer you a lift home?’ he asked. ‘After all, you must have come out of your way to bring the kids here.’ He was moving towards the red two-seater. ‘It’s starting to rain too.’

  ‘Is that your car?’ June couldn’t believe her luck. She’d been disappointed not to be measured up for new dresses today, but this was far better, she wouldn’t have missed this for the world. ‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘I’d love a lift home in that.’

  She was thrilled to see him fish his car keys from the pocket of his Harris Tweed sports jacket and hold the door open for her. She got in, putting her feet on her satchel to hide it and fingering the hem of her gymslip. Why did she have to be wearing her school uniform? She glanced at him and he turned to smile at her. It was fantastic to sit beside him in this gorgeous car and direct him to her home.

  ‘Are you really in a hurry?’ he asked.

  ‘No.’ She wanted this to go on forever but she couldn’t say that. He didn’t take her straight home but drove instead to the disused ferry terminal in New Ferry where there was a wide parking area overlooking the river, which as usual was deserted. He stretched back in his seat and turned to look at her. ‘Tell me about yourself,’ he said.

  She smiled. ‘I’d rather hear about you.’

  He laughed. ‘I work in a bank. I’m a lonely bachelor, uncle to those twins and I don’t know why I let them crawl over me. I’m an old man of thirty-one and prefer more grown-up company. How old are you?’

  June’s heart was thudding. ‘Eighteen,’ she dared, stretching it a little.

  ‘Good, a lovely age to be, on the threshold, so to speak, with all your life before you.’ He leaned across and kissed her on her lips. ‘I think you’re very beautiful.’

  June glowed. She’d never been kissed before, not by a grown man. The girls at school chased callow youths, but Ralph was altogether different. And he thought she was grown up!

  His arms went round her and he pulled her close. Thank goodness, there was nobody about to witness her first adult kiss, or see how much it thrilled her. The rain drummed on the canvas roof of the car and drew a curtain of mist round them. June gave herself up to his kisses. There was nothing she wanted more.

  Ralph Harvey felt a tinge of guilt as he drove back to his sister’s house. He’d been invited to celebrate Tom’s birthday and he’d absented himself to chase after June. He’d never seen a more beautiful girl in his life, slim as a wand with wide-set eyes full of innocence. Everything about her was fresh and virginal. He didn’t believe she was eighteen; she’d blushed when she’d told him that. What if she was only fourteen?

  Whatever age she was, he knew she was too young for him and he should not have kissed her in that way. He had this penchant for very young girls. He’d married Maureen when she was barely seventeen, but that didn’t really count because he’d been very young himself. Unfortunately it hadn’t worked out; she’d grown up and told him she’d had enough of him seven years later. There had been other young girls, Sylvia for one and Janet for another. Elaine had wagged a warning finger at him and called him the black sheep of their family, though she only knew the half of it.

  He just had to see June move her long bare legs to be totally immersed in emotion. He wanted her, he felt drawn to her. He’d told her she was a beautiful dryad. He smiled at the recollection. June bewitched him.

  He’d asked her if she’d come out with him on Saturday night, and suggested a visit to the Argyle Theatre where George Formby was heading the list in a variety show. She’d jumped at the chance – a girl after his own heart. He thought she was a risk-taker, a girl who wanted everything life had to offer and she wanted it now.

  He would need to keep his interest in June well away from Elaine’s ears. For the last couple of years, he’d lived alone in a couple of rented rooms in one of those mansions overlooking Birkenhead Park, so that shouldn’t be too difficult. He’d never do anything to hurt June.

  When he got back he found Tom boiling eggs for the twins’ tea and the birthday cake already set out on the playroom table for afters. Ralph knew Elaine would put the children to bed and then serve a slap-up dinner for the adults. Tonight, there’d be other guests.

  Elaine came in and took charge. She lit the candles on the cake and they all sang Happy Birthday for Tom. He opened his presents and whooped with delight to find Dulcie had given him a box of liquorice allsorts and Lucas a key ring. He thanked them with numerous hugs and kisses.

  Ralph envied Tom, he had a wife and family, it was what he wanted for himself but so far he’d not achieved it. He thought again of June.

  Elaine started to tell them why she was late coming home. He’d heard her talk about her friend Leonie Dransfield many times, her shop and their joint ambitions. Suddenly Ralph froze. He hadn’t until that moment
registered that June was Leonie’s daughter.

  Elaine would accuse him of leading the girl astray and be absolutely furious if any harm came to her and he’d have her mother after his guts too. He’d given no thought as to who she might be. To keep on seeing her would be more dangerous than he’d first supposed.

  When the dinner guests started to arrive, Nicholas Bailey amongst them, Ralph realised June was doubly connected to people he already knew. He’d known Nicholas Bailey for many years and knew the sad story of his first marriage. Elaine had been inviting them both for supper on a regular basis. No doubt it was her way of providing support and friendship for Nick and working off her sisterly duty towards a younger sibling. He remembered something else now, over the years he’d heard something of Nick’s attraction to Leonie Dransfield.

  Ralph decided June could prove something of a hot potato, but he couldn’t stand her up. She was the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen and something drew him to her.

  CHAPTER NINE

  JUNE WAS WALKING ON air, she couldn’t wait for Saturday night, she couldn’t she get Ralph out of her mind. She’d told nobody about him, not even Peggy Bryce, her friend at school. She didn’t need to be told that Pa would have a fit if she said a man like Ralph was taking her to the Argyle Theatre.

  When some boys she knew invited her to a party, Pa had demanded she brought them in and introduced them to him and Mum before she went out. They’d wanted to know what sort of a party and the address where it was being held. Pa would take one look at Ralph and he’d say no, he’s too old for you.

  She’d have to say she was going out with Peggy and it would be safer not to mention the Argyle. Even then, he wanted to know which cinema they were going to, and insisted she be home by ten o’clock.

  June gave a lot of thought about what she should wear. Everything she had was so childish. In the end she borrowed a red dress from her mother’s wardrobe without her knowing, and covered it with her best camel coat which was a recent purchase and quite nice.