‘Locked away?’
‘Like animals, Miss Shadwell. Animals.’
Tommy fell silent, and Ruby put her arms around him.
‘Oh, Tommy. You’re safe now. We’ll look after you, and Auntie B will spoil you rotten. You try stopping her. I take it they are the papers for them to sign.’ Ruby pointed at the small pile in front of Evelyn Pearce.
‘Yes, he has a new ration book allocated, and it will come to my office. I’ll need your address for my records. When is your guardian due back?’
Ruby scribbled it down. ‘Early evening. I’ve two guardians, and neither one will hesitate to sign. You can leave the papers with me, and we will put them in the post tomorrow. We can manage without his ration book for a few days, but any longer we might have to fetch it from you. Tommy can stay for as long as he needs.’
Evelyn Pearce looked at Tommy, showing she’d like a private word with Ruby.
‘Tommy, go and run with your plane inside the shop. No going out of the door, though.’
Once the noise of whatever aeroplane Tommy was pretending to be reached a loud enough level, Evelyn Pearce rose to her feet. ‘Tommy’s abuser is not able to get to the child, and I think the company of someone such as yourself will be good for him. He’s possibly still light-fingered, as it’s become a daily habit, so please be aware.’
‘Oh, I know Tommy well enough, Mrs Pearce. He’ll be fine with us. Fred, although he’s not my grandfather, he’s taken on that role, will do the same for Tommy while he stays. He takes no nonsense. He’s put me straight on a few things. And Beatty, she’s a natural mother hen. They’ve both got hearts big enough for all the children in need,’ Ruby said, and as she spoke her words resonated with her. Fred and Beatty only ever looked out for her, and she reminded herself to show a little more respect towards the fears they showed whenever she shared her impulsive ideas. A trip to Yorkshire could wait.
‘I’ll leave him in your care. Unfortunately, I have nothing to hand over other than the child. We’ve had a frantic twenty-four hours, and I forgot his wash bag.’
With a shake of her head, Ruby walked the woman to the door. ‘As you can see from the shop, I can find him clothing. And we can buy what he needs on the way home. He’ll not go without.’
Closing the door behind Evelyn Pearce, Ruby looked at Tommy, running around the room. ‘Well, this a surprise.’
Tommy stopped running and looked over at her. ‘I’m sorry we stole from you.’ His voice quivered.
Ruby waved a dismissive hand. ‘I’m more than sorry we didn’t know the truth. I need you to promise you will always tell the truth from now on. And if you are scared or worried, you tell me, Fred or Beatty. You hear?’
‘I hear.’
‘Signed and done,’ Fred said, and handed the papers to Ruby.
‘The lad’s asleep. Tomorrow we’ll have a move around and he can share Fred’s room. Are you sure you’ll be all right down here?’ Beatty addressed Ruby. ‘I’ve set him out fresh clothes for the morning,’ she said as she walked through with Tommy’s laundry.
Looking at her friends, Ruby smiled. From the moment she’d told them about Tommy’s background, and his situation, they’d both agreed he was in the best place. She glanced at the wooden plane sitting on the table and a pang of sadness crept its way into her thoughts. She missed John.
After settling onto her bed, she composed a letter.
Dear John,
I hope this letter finds you well – and safe. I wear your necklace every day, and often wonder where your travels have taken you. I scour the news for hints, but will probably never know if I am right or not. I miss you so much.
You’ll never guess who turned up today – no other than young Tommy. The most dreadful thing has happened to him. Tommy was a runaway from an orphanage, but was too scared to tell us. He was held captive along with other children and by none other than Earl, who is not his uncle but a criminal preying on young children. Luckily, Earl was caught, and is now in prison. What a wicked man! Thankfully, Tommy is now safely in our care.
My life has its dips and highs; at the moment it is in a dip. Although, as you know, I am not eligible for call-up papers, I did volunteer for basic duties for the Red Cross VAD, but circumstances changed and I left. I’ve found my leg aches more, and I’m better sitting for hours rather than standing. I’m now back at the shop and I’m working on a new project, which I have kept secret, but wanted to share it with you first as you’ll appreciate the sentiment behind it. As a photographer, you taught me the importance of keeping a record of events through images. I’ve a selection of notebooks and have written out memories of Coventry and family life as I remember it before the bombs fell. My aim is to speak to more people and create a memorial book for their own families. I love writing and feel it is a worthwhile task. Some might call it foolish, but it gives me a purpose.
Come back to me soon, Jean-Paul Clayton.
My love
Ruby xx
CHAPTER 30
July 1942
‘Tommy, it’s time for your reading lesson,’ Ruby called out to Tommy, working alongside Fred on the vegetable plot at the top of the garden. He’d filled out and no longer looked pale and scrawny. Freckles scattered across his nose and cheeks and no matter how many times she and Beatty tried to trim his hair into a tidy style it fought back in unruly waves. He’d been called cherubic and angelic-looking, but the household knew he was far from either of those things. The local policeman had caught him up to no good on three occasions within the first two weeks of him staying with them. The fourth time had been the last straw for Fred, and they’d agreed to contact Evelyn Pearce about looking for another home for him. It had broken Ruby’s heart, but she knew, unless Tommy settled down, they could do nothing for him. Earl had burrowed too deep inside the child’s mind.
Tommy, not averse to eavesdropping, had overheard their concerns and broke down in a frenzy of sobs. He’d fallen asleep on Beatty’s lap after gulping out promises that he’d behave if he could stay with them a while longer.
A letter from Evelyn Pearce informing them there was still no place for Tommy was relayed to him, and a new routine was established. Tommy’s freedom was curtailed, and he spent all his waking hours in the company of another during the day. Fred taught him the merits of keeping a tidy garden, how to use woodworking tools and cleaning small mechanical items to sell in the shop. Beatty showed him how to polish shoes, peel potatoes and lay a table for mealtime. Small tasks for idle hands. Ruby took him to the shop every day and taught him his letters, and allowed him to play with other children visiting with their mothers. At home, for one hour after the evening meal, she made him read to her. The book he’d selected from her growing collection was The Tale of Peter Rabbit. She’d argued it would be hard for him to learn and read out aloud but, determined as ever, Tommy proved her wrong. His accent held him back from proper pronunciation, but Ruby felt his struggles were hard enough and didn’t want to put him off by continuous correction, so kept quiet.
Weeks went by with no news from Evelyn Pearce, so Beatty and Fred took it upon themselves to visit her in the last week of July, and request his ration book and identification papers. Upon their return, they called both Ruby and Tommy to join them around the table – a place where major decisions were often made between them.
Serious-faced, and with many papers in front of him, Fred spoke first. ‘Brace yourselves.’ He grinned. ‘Beatty and I have decided to marry. It’s to save Beatty from gossip, which appears to be spreading about us living in sin.’
Fred’s face went scarlet, and Beatty looked at her hands in her lap. Ruby had heard rumours but had ignored them, giving them little thought. For Fred to be so blunt and open about the subject rendered it serious, and she made a concerted effort to listen. Tommy stared into the middle distance, bored by the summons and subject. The fact he was sitting there suggested to Ruby he was involved in some way.
‘Evelyn Pearce has a sharp tongue and didn�
��t hold back on her thoughts of our household. Living in sin, indeed! She’s quite happy for Tommy to remain under our roof as it means less work for her, though,’ Beatty snapped and Fred gave her a soft smile.
‘I can’t deny Beatty means a lot to me, and I’d often thought about our situation and how others see it, but now it’s been flagged up, and Tommy could lose a stable home because of it, well, we’ve made up our minds.’
He and Beatty shared a smile, and Ruby’s heart went out to them. She looked over at Tommy; at the sound of his name he’d perked up and appeared to be more interested in what they all had to say.
‘When you say Tommy could lose a stable home, did they intend him to remain here?’
With one of her famous huffs, Beatty launched into a tirade of personal thoughts about the woman who’d become so overwhelmed with orphan children she felt it better Tommy remained in Coventry under the care of those who knew him best.
‘I told her,’ Beatty continued before anyone had the opportunity to draw breath, ‘I said it’s folks like us these kids need, but younger. Fred and I can’t adopt the pair of you at our age.’
Ruby jumped to her feet, and she saw Tommy look at them with surprise. ‘Adopt? Why would she mention adopting me? It’s Tommy under her care,’ Ruby said.
‘She had to ask all sorts of questions. I accused her of being nosey, and I think she added ten more on for bad behaviour.’
Beatty drew breath and Fred took the opportunity to have his say.
‘We explained our situation, and she advised we adopted you both. You are vulnerable. She feels there will be changes to the law after the war; with so many children desperate for homes and families gone, it has to be done. They’ll have to be processed, according to Mrs Pearce.’
‘I ain’t got no bovver wiv it.’ Tommy spoke for the first time. ‘Rubes’ll be me big sista.’ He laughed and pointed at Ruby.
Ruby remained silent, but she gave a simple smile back to Tommy. One with no great meaning, but which obviously spoke volumes to Beatty.
‘Ruby might not want us as her parents. Looking at that face, I think that’s the case. Ruby?’
All heads turned her way, and Ruby felt her cheeks burn. She disliked hurting her friends. ‘I love you both, but I don’t see you as my parents. I’m sorry … I can’t agree to being adopted by anyone. I’m not a child any more. Haven’t I proved I’m adult enough by running a business, and providing a roof over the heads of others? Is it law yet?’ she whispered.
‘Ruby, stop. Look at you, pale as a sheet. We end the discussion here —’ Fred cut into the conversation ‘– we’ll adopt Tommy, and remain your guardians. It suits us all, and protects you both, and that is all we want to do.’
Ruby looked at Tommy, expecting to see him offering up a toothless grin, but instead a large tear rolled down his cheek and dropped onto the table.
‘Tommy?’
‘Goodness, lad, whatever is the matter?’ Beatty rushed to Tommy’s side, and only just beat Ruby.
Beatty put her arms across his shoulder, and Ruby knelt to his level.
‘Tell us. What’s made you cry?’
Gulps and sniffles followed by a loud blow of his nose on Fred’s handkerchief settled into a final sob.
‘You don’t like me,’ Tommy stuttered out to Ruby.
‘What makes you say that? Of course I like you. In fact, I love you – for some reason or another.’ Ruby made her voice light-hearted, adding a jovial tease and ruffling his hair.
Tommy pushed her hand away. Turning his head to look her in the face, Ruby was taken aback by his words. ‘Na, you won’t be me big sista. If you loved me, you’d be me big sista.’
She looked to Beatty and Fred, then back at Tommy. ‘I do want to be, and will be a big sister to you. I’ll be a sister, auntie and mummy rolled into one, I love you that much, Tommy. What I won’t have is the same name as you. I have a very special reason to keep my name.’
His small arms snaked their way around her neck. ‘Promise?’
With a kiss on his forehead, Ruby scooped him up and a surge of affection engulfed her. She buried her face into his hair and she whispered her promise.
‘Come and sit on my knee, Tommy. We need to chat about so many things.’ Beatty held out her arms.
Clambering down from Ruby, Tommy went to her and snuggled into her lap. Ruby was surprised to see him pop his thumb into his mouth, but said nothing.
‘So, you’ll be Beatrice Lester soon.’ Ruby gave Beatty a grin.
‘I suppose I will.’ Beatty gave a laugh. ‘Who’d have thought that, eh, Fred?’
Tommy wriggled upright on her lap. ‘And I’ll be Thomas Lester. Thomas Lester the orphan thief. I ’eard you call me that yesterday. Orphan thief …’ He grinned and looked at Fred.
Fred gave a shake of his head. ‘We’ll hear no more talk like that, my lad. It was idle talk on my part, and I’m sorry you heard me. Besides, that’s all behind you now. My dad’s name was Thomas. If you take my name it will carry on, but we’re happy if you want to keep your own, Tommy.’
‘Na, you’re all right. Me mum never wanted me, and no one knows ’oo me dad is – a wrongun like me mum is all they said at the ’ome. I want to be more like you, not a thief.’
Ruby felt Tommy needed steering away from the subject of stealing. ‘I know, you will be Tommy Lester, our family jester,’ she said, and then spent the next five minutes explaining what a jester was, much to the amusement of Beatty and Fred.
Beatty held onto Fred’s arm as they walked away from the register office as Mr and Mrs Lester. Tommy trotted alongside them in his Sunday best, and Ruby walked with Helen, whose surprise visit had delighted them all.
Back at Garden Cottage, they gathered around the table to watch Fred and Beatty cut their cake.
‘It was extremely generous of you, Helen. It’s beautiful,’ Beatty said, and handed Fred a knife.
Helen waved a dismissive hand. ‘It’s a small token, but remember, only the top half is to be eaten. I don’t think even the chickens would enjoy the pretty cardboard bottom layer.’
‘I beg first slice,’ Tommy said, and held out his plate. Ruby took it from him and laid it on the table.
‘Manners, Tommy. Fred and Beatty have another part of the wedding ceremony to perform. They have to cut it, and take the first slice.’ She watched his lip drop in disapproval of the news she gave him, and laughed. ‘But you will get second slice, right, Beatty, Fred?’
‘We’d better get the job done then, before the boy starves,’ Fred said and placed Beatty’s hand over his as he guided the knife through the layer of white icing.
Their guests politely applauded the newlyweds and raised a glass of extremely watered-down sherry as a toast, and the handful who’d been invited into their home offered congratulations, clutched at a thin slice of cake and left.
For Ruby, Beatty, Fred and Tommy, life moved on as usual. They excused themselves from Helen in order to change out of their Sunday best and, by the time a light lunch had been enjoyed, everyone had forgotten it was a wedding celebration. Exactly how Fred and Beatty wished it to be remembered. They were far more excited about signing the guardianship papers for Tommy in pre-adoption preparations the following day.
Ruby and Helen took a walk to the local park and sat on a bench watching people working amongst the plants and trees. It made a change for Ruby not to be sporting her gardening clothes and hoeing row after row of soil.
‘What are your plans now, Ruby? I’ve never known a girl with so many brilliant ideas floating around her head,’ Helen asked, and took a bite of a slice of cake they’d taken with them.
Ruby relayed her idea of the memory books and keeping a record for the Coventry residents.
‘Will you write something for me?’ Ruby asked. ‘Your feelings of that night, and after. You can write about meeting me; I don’t mind. I’d like to include you in mine.’
‘I think you’ve thought of something wonderful, and what you’v
e created in the shop is lovely. A happy corner where people are fundraising. Fred and Beatty are good for you. They look happy enough, and Tommy’s a little dear. But how about you, Ruby? How’s life treating you? Not publicly, I mean. But inside. How are you coping nowadays?’
Standing and stretching out her back, Ruby looked at Helen. ‘I fell in love. Fallen – I’ve fallen in love. If that’s what the feeling is, outside of a family. Yes, I think I’m in love,’ she confessed shyly.
Rising to her feet, Helen went to Ruby with her hands on her hips and her head tilted to one side. Ruby noticed a twinkle in her eye. ‘And? I assume it’s the Canadian.’
‘John. Jean-Paul Clayton, to be precise. Yes, he’s a photographer for the Canadian army, and away somewhere – in the thick of things were his words.’
‘Ah, that will explain the long face. I thought there was something playing on your mind. You smiled a lot at the wedding, but I could see something worrying you.’ Helen reached out and took Ruby’s hands in hers. ‘You understand he might never return – for several reasons, and one being he might have toyed with you whilst in town. Understand? Use it as a hard lesson learned, Ruby. He moved on, and you must do the same. You are young. Too young, some might say.’
Slowly, Ruby shook her head from side to side. ‘He’s coming back to me. He promised.’
Helen gave a slow nod. ‘He said that, and I am sure he meant it at the time, but Ruby, promises often get broken. Don’t pin your hopes on him, that’s all I’m saying. Don’t wait for ever.’ She gave Ruby a hug. ‘I must get to the station. You take care of yourself, and keep writing. I love reading your news. And don’t forget, you are still young.’
‘I’ll never be allowed to forget,’ Ruby muttered as they walked back to Garden Cottage.
After Helen said her goodbyes, Tommy played marbles with Fred and Ruby remembered playing with her siblings and crouched down to join them. Beatty pulled out a chair and they spent time in the evening warmth. A family cobbled together, but a tight family nonetheless.
The Orphan Thief Page 22