Molly, too, was deeply shaken. ‘It’s a lot to take in, Rosie,’ she admitted. ‘One way or another, it’s been a surprising sort of day.’
Rosie came to sit beside her. ‘What will ye do, lass?’ she asked. ‘Will ye go with him?’ There was a kind of desperation in her eyes.
Admittedly, Molly didn’t fancy the idea of going that far away one bit but, ‘I’d follow him to the ends of the earth if I had to,’ she told Rosie. Reaching out, she took hold of the woman’s hand, squeezing it so hard, Rosie felt a twinge of pain. ‘I can’t say I’m over the moon, but it’s all he’s ever wanted. If he turns it down because of me, how can I ever look him in the face again? Whether I want to go to America or not, it seems I don’t have much of a choice… not if I love him, which I do, with all my heart.’
Aware of the girl’s dilemma, Rosie observed, ‘I know how much you love him, and I know what you’d sacrifice to be with him, but America!’ She shook her head. ‘It’s not what you really want, is it, lass?’
Molly had to tell the truth. ‘America, London, Lancashire – it makes no difference,’ she said hopelessly. ‘The truth is, I hate what he does. It’s a dangerous business, Rosie. What I’d really like is for him to give it up altogether.’
‘I’ve always felt the very same,’ Rosie agreed. ‘I blame me da for driving the lad on; living out his own past through Alfie. Street-fighting is no way to make a living, and the better you are, the more the vultures come after you. I for one wouldn’t be sorry if the law were to sweep it from the streets once and for all!’
Molly was astonished. ‘I didn’t realise you felt so strongly about it,’ she murmured. ‘You never said.’
Rosie sat for a moment or two, reflecting on things. ‘I didn’t want to worry you any more than you already were. But you need to know the truth of it now, afore you give Alfie your answer.’
‘What truth, Rosie?’
In a quiet, clear voice trembling with emotion, Rosie spoke from the heart. ‘We both know street-fighting is a barbaric sport, but you don’t know the half! Over the years I’ve seen the spilling of young blood and witnessed things I never want to see again. Brave, stupid men made insane by the incessant, merciless blows that rained down on their heads. I’ve heard tales of able lads crippled for life by the greedy money-men who lay bets and lose out.’
She paused, before going on in a rush of words: ‘If he stays here, like as not Alfie could end up hurt or maimed. Even if he goes to America and takes the boxing up professionally, he’ll still be risking life and limb. But he’ll be off the streets, and that’s a blessing, however small.’
Molly knew what she was trying to say. ‘You’re telling me I should go with him, aren’t you?’ she asked. ‘You think we should go to America… let him try for the big-time, and if it doesn’t work out, you reckon he’ll be done with it?’
‘Sure, you must do what yer heart tells ye.’ Rosie felt ashamed. ‘Aw, I’m sorry, lass. I’m putting the fear o’ God in ye, so I am. When all’s said and done, it should be your decision, without me poking me nose in.’
Taking hold of the woman’s two hands, Molly held them tight. ‘No, Rosie, you do right,’ she said. ‘I’m glad you told me, because if he goes to America, I mean to be with him.’
Relieved, the Irishwoman laughed aloud. ‘When he’s hit the big-time, and earned his fortune, and you’ve a dozen childer round yer arse, he’ll not want the fighting any more, you’ll see. By then, he’ll have got it out of his system.’
‘Happen.’ Just like Rosie, Molly could only hope.
Peering up, her future mother-in-law asked tentatively, ‘Did you mean it, love? You really will go with him? Are ye sure?’
‘There’s only one thing I’m sure about, Rosie, and it’s this: I can’t let him go without me!’
Throwing her arms round the girl’s neck, Rosie screeched for joy. ‘I knew it!’ she cried. ‘One side o’ the world or the other, there’ll be no keeping youse two apart.’
Just then, Molly caught sight of the clock. ‘Oh my God, I’d best get off or me mam will think I’m not coming.’
Wrenching herself away, she grabbed her jacket from behind the door. ‘I’ve switched Dad’s dinner off,’ she said angrily. ‘If he can’t get home at a decent time, he doesn’t deserve a decent meal. Things have got to change round here and they might as well start now.’
‘Don’t you worry about him,’ Rosie chided. ‘Just you leave Frank Tattersall to me. Get away now, and give Amy my love.’
Before rushing out the door, Molly called out, ‘If Lottie gets back before I do, tell her she’s to stay up. Me and her need to have a talk!’ Molly believed there was still time to save her sister from going bad altogether.
* * *
It was the third time Lottie had been on the Waltzer. ‘So you’ve money to burn, have you?’ The tall, gangly young man collected her payment, at the same time leaning over her shoulder and looking her in the eye. ‘Is it the sight of me that thrills you, or is it the thrill of the ride?’
‘Huh!’ Lottie had achieved what she wanted. At last she had caught his eye. ‘Got a high opinion of yerself, ain’t yer?’ Though the insult was meant, her laughing eyes told another story.
‘Cheeky devil!’ Brash and confident, he smiled into her face, his hand touching her hair, making her shiver with delight. When Lottie smiled back, his sharp eyes caught sight of the notes protruding from her jacket pocket. ‘Where did you get all that money, eh?’ Now he was even more interested.
Stuffing the notes out of sight, Lottie gave him a wary glance. ‘I earned it, what d’yer think?’
He quickly changed tactics. ‘None o’ my business,’ he slyly apologised, stroking his hand over her shoulder. ‘Only you shouldn’t be walking about with all that cash on you, especially like that…’ he flicked her pocket ‘… where any Tom, Dick or Harry can see it. There’s some artful buggers round this fairground, and I should know.’ ’Cos I’m one of them, he thought, though he wasn’t about to tell her that – at least, not until he’d got what he wanted out of the silly bitch.
‘I can take care of myself!’
He grinned. ‘I’m sure you can.’ A thought occurred to him. ‘’Ere! I’m no cradle-snatcher! How old are you?’ It was no matter. He had her in his sights and was not about to let her loose.
‘I’m eighteen.’
‘Liar.’ Snaking out his tongue, he licked her on the neck, making her giggle. ‘You’re never eighteen!’
‘All right, I’m sixteen. Why d’you want to know?’ Lies became easier the more you told them.
Tantalisingly, he licked the inside of her ear and said huskily, ‘If I’m about to take you to bed, I need to know if you’re old enough.’
‘What makes you think I want to go to bed with you?’
For a brief minute her coy manner had him foxed, then she smiled up at him and he knew he had her. ‘Oh, you want me all right,’ he whispered. ‘I can always tell.’
‘I’m not one of your easy girls!’ Anger coloured her face.
‘Aye aye – looks like I’ve got a fiery one here. But that’s all right – it’s more fun.’ He laughed, a low, sarcastic sound that should have warned her. Instead, she was excited.
‘Nobody’s managed to tame me yet,’ she boasted.
‘I’ll bring you to heel my girl, given time.’
‘Hey, Romeo and Juliet! Do your courting somewhere else. I’m waiting to start up! Get your arses off my bloody machine!’ As the man yelled out, the Waltzer started up and began to move, with them still on it.
Returning the banter, the young man shouted, ‘Come on, Will, switch it off.’
Grinning, the other man threw a switch, and the machine began to gather speed.
‘We’d best get off. That’s my mate, and he’s mad as a hatter.’ Taking her by the arm, he propelled Lottie down the steps and on to firm ground. ‘Right then, let’s get a proper look at you.’ Legs astride and arms folded, he regarded her from top to t
oe.
Lottie was thrilled. ‘Like what you see, do you?’
‘Depends.’
‘On what?’
‘On how well we get on.’
Lottie grinned. ‘We’ll have to see, won’t we?’
‘I expect we will.’ But he did like what he saw, and what he saw was a good-looking girl with money in her pocket and a gleam in her eye that promised endless hours of pleasure… until he tired of her, as he had all the others. ‘What’s your name?’
‘Lottie. What’s yours?’
‘Dave.’
Just then the ride came to an end, and his colleague was calling him. ‘Wait by the wagon over there, see?’ He pointed to a dilapidated vehicle parked some way from the fairground. ‘I’ll ask Will to take over the shift. He owes me a favour anyway.’ Tilting her face to his, he kissed her on the mouth. ‘You’re not planning to run away, are you?’
Completely besotted, Lottie shook her head. ‘I’ll wait there, like you said.’
‘Good girl.’ His smile enveloped her. ‘I’ll be back in no time. Then you and I can get to know each other.’
On his way to join his mate, Dave glanced back and, much to his delight, she had followed his instruction without question. ‘Like a lamb to the slaughter,’ he muttered, and went away to claim his ‘favour’.
‘Catching ’em young these days, ain’t yer?’ Discreetly giving Lottie the once-over, Will nudged his wayward friend. ‘Not bad, though.’
Dave licked his lips. ‘She’ll do for now.’
‘Easy, is she?’
‘Dunno, but I’ll soon find out.’ He winked. ‘Best get off, while she’s still warm.’
Will watched his mate swagger off. ‘What’s he up to now?’ Having come up quietly behind him, the older man looked angry. ‘He’s a bad lot, is that one.’ His disapproval was evident as he watched Dave lead Lottie into the wagon, his arm round her and his soft laughter drifting over the night air. ‘I wish I’d never took that bloke on,’ the man said. ‘I’ve a mind to give him his marching orders.’
‘He’s a good worker though,’ Will argued. ‘You’ll not find better.’
The other man considered this. ‘You might be right, but you’d best tell him… if he brings trouble down on my head, he’ll be up the road on the end of my boot, and no mistake!’ And with that he marched off, muttering and cursing, and wondering if he should sell up and retire to a toffee shop in Liverpool.
Left alone, Will increased the speed of the Waltzer, much to the delight of its passengers, whose shrieks of laughter echoed through the night. His envious gaze travelled to the wagon. ‘You’d best watch yourself, matey,’ he murmured. ‘Beating up women is bad enough, but this one’s just a kid.’
From the gathering darkness, the woman hidden in the shadows also looked across to the wagon, her fingers stroking the deep scar that ran from her cheek to her mouth. ‘Silly young mare,’ she snarled. ‘If only you knew what he’d done to me.’ Hatred shaped her features, then she was smiling, and then she was laughing. ‘You’ve set your cap at the wrong fella. Let’s hope you won’t live to rue the day.’
Still cackling, she made her way from the fairground to the pub on the corner where, as on every other night, she drank until her senses were numbed, and the memories dimmed.
Chapter Six
As always, Amy was glad to see Molly. She had been moved to a general ward by now, which was a relief as it got her away from all the other mums and babies.
After a brief nap, she was feeling brighter in herself, but not at peace… never at peace. ‘I thought you might not come back,’ she said, holding on to her daughter a minute longer. ‘Just now when I opened my eyes I thought it were your dad come to see me.’ She gave a small, bitter laugh. ‘God knows what made me imagine that. I expect he’s down the pub, swilling back the booze like always. He won’t give me a second thought, nor the bairn neither.’
Watching while Molly seated herself on the hard chair beside her, she asked curiously, ‘He does know, doesn’t he – about the bairn?’
A moment ago, Molly had caught her mother sleeping, and seen the fleeting fear when she opened her eyes. It only served to fuel the anger she felt towards her dad. ‘Yes, Mam,’ she answered. ‘He knows well enough.’
Amy sighed. ‘It doesn’t matter anyway. He’ll not care one way or the other. Not so long as he’s got his drinking cronies, and the floozies behind the bar to wink and giggle with.’
‘They’re not all floozies, Mam,’ Molly said gently. ‘If you recall, Madge Bonnie’s daughter works behind the bar at the local. She’s a sweet little thing, wouldn’t say boo to a goose, and if Dad so much as winked at her, she’d run a mile.’
The idea of it made both women laugh out loud. ‘Come to think of it,’ Amy added with a chuckle, ‘I reckon anybody would ran a mile if your dad winked at ’em.’ And they set off laughing again, much to the annoyance of a bad-tempered patient.
‘Some of us are trying to sleep!’ she called out, and Amy made a gesture that sent colour into the woman’s cheeks.
Thinking her mam had changed her mind after all and wanted Frank to visit, Molly asked cautiously, ‘Do you want me to tell Dad you’d like to see him?’
Amy’s smile slipped. ‘No, I ruddy well don’t!’
‘Sorry.’ The girl felt uncomfortable. ‘Only, the way you were talking just now, I thought you might have changed your mind.’
Filled with guilt, Amy gazed at her daughter, love and regret shining in her pained eyes. ‘I didn’t mean to snap at you,’ she apologised. ‘But I don’t want him near me again, not now – not ever.’
For the next half hour they talked of Rosie and the children. When Amy asked where Lottie was, Molly replied, ‘She should be home by now, waiting for me to get back.’
But her mother was not fooled. ‘She’s a right little madam, is that one,’ she said. ‘You watch her like a hawk, lass, or she’ll walk all over you.’
They chatted about Alfie, but Molly kept the news about America to herself. She also made no mention of losing her job. ‘You’re a good girl,’ Amy said, taking hold of her hand. ‘You must be worn out, rushing home from work and seeing to the children, then coming here to visit me. You’d best get off now. I’ll be fine.’
Before she left, Molly asked impulsively, ‘What’s troubling you, Mam? And I’m not talking about the bairn, or Lottie, or being in here.’ In an unguarded moment she had seen that same faraway look on her mother’s face, and couldn’t let it pass. ‘There’s something else, isn’t there?’
Amy forced a smile. ‘You’re imagining things, love.’ It came as a shock to think Molly had noticed. ‘There’s nothing but what we’ve already talked about.’
‘Are you sure, Mam? Because if there is something, and it’s playing on your mind, we can talk about it, just you and me.’
‘There’s nothing to talk about!’ Irritation crept into her voice. ‘So stop moithering and get off home.’ She paused, her brown eyes softening as she looked into the girl’s upturned face. ‘Go on! Before I have you thrown out of here.’
Realising she had overstayed her welcome, Molly bade her mam goodnight.
On the way out, she had a brief word with the duty sister. ‘It’s natural for your mother to go through a stage of depression,’ she assured the girl. ‘Give her time. The main thing is, she’s doing very well. In fact, we’re expecting to send her home quite soon.’
With that in mind, Molly went off to meet Alfie with a lighter heart. At last she had something positive to tell the children.
Waiting until Molly was out of sight, Frank made his way to the reception desk.
‘Can I help you, sir?’ Polite as ever, the nurse regarded him with some suspicion. Slightly unsteady on his feet and now leaning over her counter, Frank Tattersall presented an unsavoury picture. His bold eyes roved her young face before lowering to the top button of her blouse and the swelling of her breasts beneath.
‘I said, can I help you?’ She co
uld smell the booze, and something else, too – the rank smell of clothes worn too long before being washed.
When he leaned further forward, she instinctively drew back. ‘I’ve come for the wife,’ he grunted. ‘Amy Tattersall’s the name. She came in here with a bairn and now she’ll be going home without it, not that I give a hang about that. All I want is to get her back where she belongs, quick smart!’
When the nurse opened her mouth to speak, he raised his voice. ‘We’ve too many kids. Our Molly’s worse than bloody useless at looking after ’em! They need their mam, that’s who they need.’
Reluctantly, the nurse pointed him in the direction of the general ward. ‘Visiting time is over,’ she warned, ‘but I shall let you have five minutes.’
‘So when’s she coming home, eh?’
‘I’ve an idea she’ll be allowed home any time now, but the best person to ask is the doctor.’
Without replying, Frank ambled down to the ward, muttering, ‘Ain’t got no time for doctors and ’orspitals. I don’t like these places and never have!’
At the top of the ward he was stopped by the duty nurse, who took an instant dislike to him.
‘I’ve come to see my wife,’ Frank said belligerently. ‘Mrs Tattersall’s the name… Mrs Frank Tattersall.’
As he made his way over to Amy’s bed, the nurse thanked her lucky stars he didn’t belong to her. ‘I’d drown him soon as look at him,’ she murmured under her breath, and her pity for Amy was tenfold.
When Amy saw him approaching, her heart sank. ‘What do you want?’ she said. Her whole body stiffened. ‘Visiting time is long over.’
‘A man has his rights.’ Leaning over, he slobbered a kiss on her cheek. He would have kissed her full on the mouth but she turned away. ‘I can see you’re not pleased to see me.’
‘I’m tired, Frank.’ She didn’t want trouble, not in here. ‘Can’t you leave it till tomorrow?’
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