The Blacksmith's Girl

by Rosemary Aitken

  ‘That must have given your Mr Grey a scare!’ Talking to Verity, he felt more himself – taking an interest in the world again.

  ‘He tried to stop it, but the fellow wouldn’t go away. And in the end the law caught up with him.’ She shrugged. ‘I think it was a relief to him, if anything. He’ll go to jail, of course, but he’s turned King’s evidence against the other man, who had a huge black-market system going, apparently – all over the country, not just locally. Hundreds of parcels passing through his hands – and not simply milk and butter, either – boots and kerosene, anything that he could find a market for. A proper criminal.’ She grinned. ‘Your ma tell you they gave me a reward? Five whole guineas, what d’you think of that!’

  It was enough to start your married life on, that was what she meant. But he refused to dream of such impossibilities. In any case a man could not allow himself to be supported by his wife. He said, ‘Generous of the factory! But you’ve not gone back?’

  She shook her head. ‘I’ve gone to work for Mrs Dawes instead. That’s what I’m doing here. She’s come to sign some documents, some money from a trust that comes to her now that her husband’s dead. She’s going to invest in a shop in town – she’s been to see the woman and it’s all agreed – and I’m to have a position in the shop, just helping to begin with, but she says we’ll see.’

  ‘How are you going to travel to and fro like that? Take all your wages just to pay the bus!’ Why was he disappointed, suddenly? He knew they couldn’t marry, he’d just been saying so. But all the same …

  Vee was smiling at him. ‘There’s a flat upstairs there, and I’ll be sharing that with the lady manager. Pa wasn’t keen at first, but Mrs Dawes persuaded him that Miss Pearl was very strict – and she ought to know, because she lived there once herself. I’ll get alternate Saturdays, so I can go home weekends, and still get to chapel with the family.’

  ‘Well, things have worked out very nicely for you, I can see,’ Ned muttered bitterly. ‘Just as well we don’t have any other plans.’

  She twinkled at him. ‘Ned Chegwidden, don’t be difficult. Of course we still have plans. Why do you think she sent me here today? Wants to know if you would be prepared to work for her as well – not in the shop, of course, but where she’s living now. Got a garden that’s a wilderness, and – with this money – she can afford a bit of help. Needs a man though – it’s too much for her – and there aren’t so many males available. So will you think it over?’

  A great cloud of despair had lifted suddenly. It wasn’t mine work, but it was something real. Arranged by the womenfolk, but he could live with that – better than being under Mother’s feet all day, or taking some menial surface job down at the mine. He looked at her.

  ‘You mean it?’

  ‘So the answer’s yes? I’ll have to go soon, and she’ll want to know.’

  Suddenly he wished he’d spent this hour another way – telling her he loved her, that they’d struggle through and marry and never part again. And now she was leaving. He caught her hand and held her fingers tight.

  ‘You think we can fight your father?’

  He knew by her face that she had understood his thoughts. Her words confirmed it. ‘I know we can, my hero. Or defy him if we must. Ma will take our part as well, and that will help.’

  ‘Well, that’s arranged then!’ He pressed the fingers to his lips. He was absurdly happy, suddenly. ‘Vee! Shall I write to Mother? She’ll be thrilled, I know.’

  She shook her head. ‘Let’s wait till you come home. We’ll tell them together.’

  ‘I can hardly wait,’ he said, and it was true. When she was gone, a moment later, he went and found Fred Wills and trounced him thoroughly in a game of draughts.

  Epilogue

  October 1919

  Verity was hurrying down the pavement in Penzance, worrying about the meat that she was taking home for tea – things were coming back but there were still shortages and she’d only managed to get mince. But a pinch of curry powder might cheer it up a bit – exotic foreign stuff, but Ned had tried it in the army and had got a taste for it.

  ‘Verity! My dear life! If it isn’t you! I haven’t seen you since you wed. However are you?’

  For a moment Vee did not recognize the voice, or the woman calling from the pavement opposite. But as the person crossed the road, she realized who it was.

  ‘Gloria Tresize!’ she cried, in genuine delight. ‘How nice to see you. What are you doing now?’

  ‘Oh, still down that wretched factory. Never been the same though, since that awful Mr Grey. Did you know he was forcing young Mr Radjel to sign for things he never saw, because he knew that Mr Radjel had been having an affair with one of the girls? Never found out which – though there are lots of rumours. You know what it’s like. Nothing changes. But you – you’re looking well. Marriage clearly suits you! Is this your little boy?’ She nodded at the pram.

  Verity smiled proudly. ‘Little Toby. Three months old. And isn’t he the spitting image of my Ned, as well?’

  ‘How is your husband? Not down the mine, I know. Is he still working for that Mrs Dawes?’

  ‘Doing very nicely,’ Verity replied. ‘Taken over from me in the shop, these days – people seem to like to have a man to serve them, now and then – though obviously there’s departments that he doesn’t touch. And Mrs Dawes is doing more and more herself.’

  Gloria glanced towards the shop and read the lettering. ‘“Dawes and Weston: Haberdashery.” It’s got a ring to it. And it’s clearly prospering.’

  Verity smiled. ‘That’s all Effie’s doing. If she hadn’t put that money in when she did, I don’t think the business would have survived the war. And she does all the window dressing and the shelf displays. Miss Pearl never really had an eye for it. Ned does the orders and that sort of thing, and Effie comes in once or twice a week … oh, and there she is. Still in half-mourning, but she’s looking well on it.’

  ‘Never really got to know her,’ Gloria remarked. ‘Nice sort of woman, Crowdie always said. Used to wonder if that Sergeant Jeffries would make a play for her – with her being a policeman’s widow anyway.’

  Verity laughed outright. She couldn’t help herself. ‘Shouldn’t think so for a minute. Though I’d like to see her happy, she deserves to be. Happy as me and Ned are – if that is possible.’

  There was a bit more gossip and then Gloria hurried off, but Vee stood for a moment watching Effie Dawes. Vee knew where she was heading – towards the horse-bus stop. And yes, there he was! A certain young mine captain with a mop of towsled hair, dressed up like Sunday for his meeting in town – twirling his best cap between his hands and waiting with a patient smile for Effie Dawes.

  As he had been doing since they were six years old.

  Verity smiled and hurried home to curried meat and Ned.