Nellie smiled as she patted her hair at the sides beneath the wide brim of the hat. ‘Ta, sweetheart. You all look smashing, Nancy will be really pleased.’
Jack stared, never having seen his mother dressed in such finery before. ‘You look bostin’, Mum,’ he said, taking his feet off the chair.
‘And so do you, son,’ Nellie grinned.
Checking the clock, she shouted up the stairs, ‘Nance, get a bloody move on!’
‘Keep yer bleedin’ knickers on, Nell! I’m nearly ready,’ Nancy yelled back.
Nellie tutted as she paced the kitchen. ‘Whatever are you doing up there?’
‘I’m putting my bloomers on if you must bloody know!’
Jack and Dolly burst out laughing and Poppy hushed them as they awaited the bride’s appearance.
Eventually a stomping on the stairs heralded Nancy’s arrival.
‘Oh, Christ! This bloody skirt is getting on my nerves,’ she blustered.
Once in the kitchen she smoothed the offending article, shoved her hat further back on her head and said, ‘Right, I’m ready. I just hope this bloody net veil don’t get in the way cos I’m fed up with it already.’
‘Oh, Nance! You look bloody gorgeous! That cream silk suit really suits you,’ Nellie said, willing her tears not to show.
‘Ta muchly,’ Nancy answered, ‘you’ve all brushed up a treat an’ all.’
‘Right, Poppy and me in one carriage and you and Jack in t’other. Come on, let’s get gone before Fred thinks you’ve done a runner!’ Nellie said, ushering everyone outside so she could lock up.
The trip to St Bartholomew’s church was short, Nellie and Poppy scrambled out of the cab and, picking up their skirts, they rushed inside. The driver moved forward and Nancy’s carriage took its place.
Jack jumped down and helped Nancy alight. ‘All set?’ he asked.
‘As I’ll ever be, lad,’ she replied, then blew on the short veil in an effort to move it out of her eyes. Prayer book in one hand she threaded her other through Jack’s crooked arm.
With deep breaths, the pair walked forward into the church. Music sounded and Jack and Nancy walked steadily to where Fred was standing with his best man, John Jenkins.
Dolly moved from her place in the pew and followed along behind, a little posy in one hand, her stick in the other; she glowed in her role of bridesmaid.
The ceremony began in the quiet church as everyone hung on to every word.
The vicar turned to a beaming Fred. ‘Do you, Frederick Dell…’
‘Yeah.’
‘Take Nancy Ann Sampson…’
‘Yeah.’
‘To be your lawful wedded wife…’
‘YES!’
The vicar took a step back as titters sounded from the congregation. Then the rest of the words came out in a rush before he faced Nancy.
‘Do you, Nancy Ann Sampson, take Frederick Dell to be your…’
‘I do. Now bloody get on with it cos we’m wastin’ valuable drinking time!’
Laughter and applause echoed around the church.
‘I now pronounce you husband and wife!’ The vicar heaved a sigh of relief as the ceremony came to an end. He watched with a smile as Fred lifted Nancy’s veil and gave her a kiss.
After the couple had signed the register, Nancy called over her shoulder as they walked back down the aisle. ‘Pick up yer cassock, vicar, and follow us.’
The newlyweds were pelted with rice as they climbed into the waiting cab, which led the way back to The Crown. Then the party began.
It was two days later when the grand opening of Daydream Palace took place. A red ribbon was stretched across the double doors which was cut by Dolly and Nellie simultaneously. The press were in attendance and crowds of people gathered along Gin Barrel Lane clapping and cheering.
Dolly took a breath and called out, ‘The first drink is on the house!’
The new doormen, Bobby and Billy, threw open the doors, then stood back as the eager throng swarmed in. The bar staff were standing ready and in position before immediately beginning to pass out the first free drink. Before long the till was working to capacity as folk happily handed over their money.
Nellie and Dolly watched from the side-lines as the noise increased. There were people shouting for more gin; some bursting into song while others began to dance little jigs.
‘Well, sweetheart, we did it!’ Nellie said as she placed an arm around Dolly’s shoulder.
‘Yes, we did.’ Then both threw back their heads and laughed loudly.
Their fears of not being able to attract enough customers melted away as more and more people pushed in through the open doors. Nodding to each other they knew they were set to become very wealthy women.
Epilogue
The end of the week saw a number of things happen.
Elizabeth Murray at last found what she had looked for for so long in the newspaper. She read out loud, ‘The body of a man named Arthur Micklewhite was found by the railway track near New Street Station early this morning. It is believed he was hit by the steam engine whilst in a state of severe inebriation. Mr Micklewhite died of the injuries sustained. The train driver was not held responsible for the unfortunate accident.’
Folding the newspaper, Elizabeth threw back her head and laughed until her sides ached. Composing herself once more, she realised her mother would not be upset by this news as Sylvia had only known the man as Gabriel Short, so Elizabeth opted not to enlighten her mother of the facts she had discovered, knowing now she could relax and get on with her life.
Number twenty seven, Rea Terrace passed into the hands of Ezra Morton unchallenged. It could never be proved whether he had had a hand in the death of the previous owner or not. Of course, speculation was rife that it was he who had disposed of Arthur Micklewhite, but without irrefutable evidence that he was to blame, Ezra was untouchable.
Fred and Nancy settled down quietly to married life, Fred having moved into Nancy’s room as it was the largest of the two.
The post-wedding festivities had lasted long into the night and revellers had to be thrown out bodily to allow the wedding party to finally get some sleep. The celebrations would be remembered for years by the locals who had been invited to join in the revelry. Sore heads the following day did not deter hardened drinkers from frequenting The Crown for their much needed tot of throat-searing gin.
After being advertised in all the local papers, Daydream Palace had opened its doors for the first time and had been packed to the gunnels. The Temperance Movement members had stood outside desperately trying to convince people not to enter. Their efforts were wasted; folk crowded in, eager to spend their hard-earned cash on the liquid that could eventually see them driven to suicide, insanity or turn them blind.
‘I really can’t believe how well the Palace has taken off,’ Dolly said on a quick visit to her friends in The Crown a few days later.
‘Nor me,’ Nellie said.
‘I always knew it would be a good idea,’ Nancy chipped in, ignoring the incredulous looks passed between those sat around the table.
‘You’re doing a grand job over there, Dolly,’ Nellie said.
‘Thank you, Nellie, I couldn’t have managed it without all of you. Just think if Jack hadn’t found me in your yard that night.’ Dolly said with a smile.
‘I dread to think what might have become of you,’ Nancy said, ‘you could have been took off and sold to the bloody gypsies!’
Dolly laughed, then said, ‘Right, no rest for the wicked. I’ll see you all later.’ She left them to their discussions about how lucky they all were.
Poppy and Noah were indeed planning their own wedding for the following year; their courtship having taken no-one by surprise, and Matt Dempster took a serious fancy to Janice Jenkins who now worked for Dolly. Within days of the Palace opening, they had been seen stepping out together, and bets were being taken on which of the brothers would be married first.
Jack spent his days between The
Crown Saloon and Daydream Palace, helping out where he could. His arm was now out of its sling but still heavily bandaged and would remain so for some weeks to come to enable the bones to knit together properly.
One frosty morning just before Christmas, Jack and Dolly, who had become very close friends, took a short break from their work to take a stroll to the cemetery to visit Dolly’s mother’s grave. Placing a seasonal wreath on the plot, Dolly laid a hand on the iron-hard ground.
‘Thank you, Mum, for all you’ve done for me. I think you would agree with the steps I have taken to get me to where I am now.’ A lone tear slipped from her eye and a sob caught in her throat. ‘I miss you so much, Mum. Goodnight and God bless.’
Jack held her hand and whispered, ‘You would be as proud of your girl as we all are.’
Suddenly the dark clouds parted and a weak ray of sunlight shone down to rest on the headstone. Then in an instant it was gone again.
‘Come on, Dolly Daydream, that was your mum giving her approval – now it’s time for work.’
As the two walked from the churchyard, Dolly enjoyed what she thought were the last moments of her childhood. A new chapter in her life was just beginning and she looked forward to it with every ounce of her being. The tale of these two youngsters had spread all over Birmingham and beyond and people came from far and wide to see the children from Gin Barrel Lane.
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Lindsey Hutchinson is a bestselling saga author whose novels include The Workhouse Children. She was born and raised in Wednesbury, and was always destined to follow in the footsteps of her mother, the multi-million selling Meg Hutchinson.
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First published in Great Britain in 2020 by Boldwood Books Ltd.
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Copyright © Lindsey Hutchinson, 2020
Cover Design by Head Design Ltd
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The moral right of Lindsey Hutchinson to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
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Paperback ISBN 978-1-83889-387-3
Ebook ISBN 978-1-83889-385-9
Kindle ISBN 978-1-83889-386-6
Audio CD ISBN 978-1-83889-388-0
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The Children from Gin Barrel Lane Page 25