Molly’s head shot up. ‘So do I,’ she said fiercely. ‘But what do I tell Frank when he comes home? “Oh, your son’s gone to live in Blundellsands? I thought it better for his health”?’
‘You can tell Frank he’s died.’
Her eyes widened in shock. ‘You’re mad!’
‘Mad for my son like I was once mad for you, Molly. You think about it. I’d best join Charlotte. Come down when you’ve pulled yourself together.’ He opened the door and slammed it after him.
Her legs felt like India rubber and she sank on to the bed. Never had she thought her own son would be the one to replace her daughter in Nathan’s affections. But he was not going to have the boy. She slowly turned the handle of the door and listened to Nathan’s receding footsteps. Then, when she knew he was downstairs, she tiptoed to the nursery. To her relief Doris was alone, sewing in front of the fire. ‘So yer’ve come to show yer face, have yer?’ she said grumpily.
Molly made no answer but went over to the cot and carefully lifted out her sleeping son. He murmured and his limbs twitched. She hushed him, suddenly furious with Nathan for frightening her into believing he could take George from her. ‘I’m going out the back way. Will you lock the door behind me?’
‘Fell out with him, have yer?’
‘Ask no questions and I’ll tell you no lies.’
‘Suit yerself,’ said Doris with a sniff.
‘I’ll tell you another time but not right now. Please, open the door for me?’
With ill grace, Doris did as she was asked. Once outside the house Molly realised it was going to take her hours to walk home with feet that were already sore. And what guarantee was there that when she arrived home Nathan wouldn’t come chasing after her in Miss Braithwaite’s motor? She must hide somewhere else until he calmed down. It was then she remembered Ma and the invitation to move in with her.
Chapter Thirteen
A weary Molly stumbled painfully up the step to Ma’s house and hammered on the front door. She kept on hammering until a window opened overhead and Ma’s voice shouted down, ‘Who the hell is it?’
‘It’s me, Molly, with George. Open up and let us in.’
‘Wharra yer doing here at this time of night?’
‘I’m not telling the whole street. Let me in!’ Despite her anguish Molly had desperately tried to think up a reason for arriving at such a time but her brain felt fuddled after the scene with Nathan and she could only hope inspiration would strike when she needed it.
The door opened and Ma stood there in a flannelette nightgown, her greying hair in plaits. ‘What’s happened?’
‘Don’t ask,’ said Molly, wincing as she stepped over the threshold. ‘My arms are breaking.’
Ma took George from her and went on ahead with him into the kitchen.
Molly fell on to the sofa. The pain in her shoulder was worse than ever and her feet throbbed rhythmically, almost in time with the agony in her shoulder.
‘Here! Yer’ll have to have him back while I light the mantle,’ said Ma.
Molly cuddled her son, who seemed to be taking the night’s adventure in his stride. He was awake and as she heard the faint hiss of the gas and the pop as it ignited she caught the gleam of his eyes. Poor little mite, she thought, he must be wondering what’s going on.
‘What is it? What are you doing here, girl?’ said Ma, sitting opposite her. ‘Looking for our Cath, were yer? Been and gone she has.’
‘There was a man!’ Molly was easily able to conjure up a sob.
‘Hey, hey! We’ll have no tears here.’ Ma scowled at her. ‘What have yer been up to while my lad’s locked away?’
‘I haven’t been up to anything. Would I have George with me if I was up to something, like you say?’ Molly’s voice shook. ‘Would I be coming to you?’
‘Yeah, well,’ said the old woman grudgingly. ‘I can see yer upset.’
‘Can I have a drink of water?’
Ma sniffed. ‘You been drinking?’
‘Communion wine.’
‘Well, yer’ve got legs. Give me George here. Yer know where the tap is. I’m not going to be fetching and carrying for yer, girl.’
Molly handed her son over and hobbled towards the scullery. ‘What’s wrong with yer? Yer walking all funny. This man didn’t get to yer, did he?’
Molly gulped down the water. ‘No, thank God! But he frightened me so much I just grabbed George and ran,’ she said, reentering the kitchen.
‘Was this in the house?’
‘No. On the lockfields by the canal. I’ve had to pawn the pram so I was taking a short cut. I was half-carrying, half-walking George when he came up to me and started talking.’ She had no idea where this idea came from.
‘Yer shouldn’t be going down there. It’s looking for trouble. Yer haven’t been seeing that bargee, have yer?’ Ma’s tone was filled with suspicion.
Molly realised she’d talked herself into trouble and needed to think fast. ‘God give me strength, Ma!’ she said angrily. ‘My feet are killing me and I come to you for help and all you do is accuse me of betraying Frank. Would I come to you if that were true? I can do without all these questions.’
‘All right. Keep yer hair on,’ she muttered. ‘Have you any old sheeting? George needs changing and I’ll have to bandage my feet.’ Ma grunted. ‘Yer nothin’ but trouble. But I’ll see what I can do.’
Molly removed her boots and then had to pull the feet of her stockings gently away from the skin where blood had caused the cotton to stick. Ma handed over some bits of rag, watching Molly as she bound the ruptured blisters.
‘I thought yer’d come because you were seeing sense at last.’
‘I had thought of staying.’ Molly glanced across at her mother-in-law, who sat cuddling George.
‘Yer’ll have to sleep with our Josie then. Yer haven’t give me notice, girl. I’ve still got me lodgers and I need their money.’
The last thing Molly wanted was to sleep with her sister-in-law.
Ma frowned down at her feet. ‘They’re a mess! You must have really got the wind up. Although I’m surprised you didn’t scarper off to that Mrs McNally’s.’
‘I ran into church then decided not go home in case he was hanging around outside. I didn’t want him knowing where I lived!’ said Molly, lifting her head. ‘So I headed for Stanley Road and just kept on walking.’
There was silence. Molly had a feeling Ma wasn’t convinced.
‘Have yer got any money?’
‘How much d’you want?’ parried Molly.
‘I need yer keep. I’m not made of money.’ Ma held out her hand, palm upwards. ‘Yer’ve pawned the pram. Yer must have something.’ There was a crafty expression on her face.
Molly hadn’t expected this so soon. ‘I’ve had to pay the rent and buy coal and food! I’ve nothing on me.’
‘Well, that was stupid, coming here with nowt!’
‘I am your son’s wife and expected to be welcomed!’ She tossed her hair back, eyes flashing. ‘I can easily take George back home now I know Cath’ll be there.’
‘Hold on, hold on! Wasn’t it my idea yer’d come to live here? I can wait. Yer can pawn that machine of yours to pay me.’
‘I’ve a living to earn,’ Molly said shortly, thinking of Mrs Arkwright and the job she had been offered. She could have wept for the future that might have been hers.
‘Our Frank’s not going to like yer working.’
‘I don’t like it that he’s in gaol,’ said Molly wearily, thinking the hour was too late for this kind of discussion. ‘Why don’t you go to bed and we’ll talk in the morning? Me and George’ll stay down here.’
Ma thrust out her chin. ‘No, yer won’t, girl. I’m not having you making the lodgers’ eyes pop out when they comes down in the morning.’
Molly gave in, too exhausted to argue. It had been quite a day.
* * *
‘What’s she doing here?’ demanded Josie, slumping in the chair opposite Molly and fold
ing her arms across her high stomach.
Molly yawned, still tired, having spent an uncomfortable night in the double bed which the two sisters had once shared, with George sprawled asleep on top of her. Josie had spread her not inconsiderable bulk across most of the bed too so, although Molly had slept heavily for a few hours, she had woken early and in some discomfort.
‘Did yer hear what I said?’ said Josie when she received no answer.
‘I explained to you when I accidentally woke you up,’ said Molly.
‘Don’t remember. So why are yer here?’
‘She’s come to stay ’cos she’s seen sense, so shurrup!’ said Ma.
Josie fell silent, breathing noisily through her nose as she crunched into a slice of toast, eyes fixed on George. ‘That babby doesn’t look like our Frank.’
Molly felt the colour rise in her cheeks. ‘Don’t be daft! Of course he looks like him,’ said Ma. ‘It’s just that he’s only little and our Frank’s a grown man. He’s his own little self.’ She beamed across at George. ‘Aren’t yer, boy? And him and his pa and us are gonna be one big happy family.’
‘Our Frank’s not going to be living here, too, is he?’There was dismay in Josie’s voice.
‘Of course he is!’ Ma flicked her with the tea towel across the head. ‘He’s a good boy is our Frank.’
‘He used to sit on me. I couldn’t breathe.’
‘That’s because yer never shurrup. Another word and I’ll give yer a good clout.’ There was silence for which Molly was grateful. She wished she could go to sleep for a week. The quiet was short-lived. Josie was soon saying gleefully, ‘Frank’s in prison. He can’t live here.’
‘What did I say to yer, girl?’ demanded Ma, clouting her across the head.
‘Not on the head,’ protested Molly, stirring herself to care. ‘No wonder she’s the way she is, poor thing.’
Josie began to blubber. Ma gave her another clout. ‘Stop that noise.’ She turned on Molly and said wrathfully, ‘See what yer’ve done? Give her a bit of sympathy and she feels sorry for herself.’
‘Nobody loves me,’ moaned Josie, rocking to and fro.
‘And nobody ever will if yer carry on making that racket.’
‘You shouldn’t hit her on the head,’ Molly insisted, wiping George’s face with a piece of rag.
‘Keep yer nose out of it, girl. I know best how to handle me own daughter.’ Her mother-in-law glowered at her.
‘No wonder Cath left,’ she murmured.
‘Yer another one who can’t shurrup!’ yelled Ma across the table. ‘Yer might as well sling yer hook then! I can’t be doing with busybodies in me own house.’
Molly could scarcely believe her ears, thinking of the way Ma had interfered in so many people’s lives. ‘If anybody’s a busybody, it’s you.’
Josie gasped. ‘The cheek of her, Ma! She should keep her nose to herself, shouldn’t she?’
Molly laughed. ‘I was sticking up for you, you soft thing.’
‘Ma, she called me soft!’ Josie clutched her mother’s sleeve. ‘Shall I hit her?’
‘I heard her. And there’s only one person allowed to do that and that’s me. So get out!’ ordered Ma, shooting out one skinny arm and digging Molly in the chest.
‘I knew it wouldn’t work,’ she said, relieved.
‘And I knew yer wouldn’t last here long. D’yer think I believed all that rubbish yer spouted last night? Yer’ve been up to something. Got yerself a man.’
‘You can believe what you like.’ Molly stood up with George in her arms. ‘See you again sometime. Thanks for the breakfast.’ She got up and limped out of the house, thinking that in the light of day her fear of Nathan’s taking George from her was nonsense.
Church bells were ringing as Molly passed the butcher’s on the corner of Aintree Street. St Matthew’s or St Anthony’s must be having bell ringing practice, she thought. Either that or someone was getting married. It was a while since she’d been to church, having felt too much of a sinner. She wondered whether Cath would be in but it didn’t really matter. The key was on the string behind the door and as soon as she was in she would put her feet up. Oh, blissful thought!
Molly was just removing her boots when Cath burst into the kitchen. ‘So you’ve come home! I wasn’t sure if you’d done a vanishing act like you did when you left Ma’s that time.’ She plonked herself on a chair and scowled at Molly. ‘Where the hell have you been?’
‘You didn’t ask Mrs McNally?’
‘Yeah, but she was cagey, just like you’re being now. So where were you? Golly, why are your feet all bandaged?’
Molly gritted her teeth as she unwound the rags. ‘Too much walking. I spent the night at Ma’s. But she’s hopping mad with me now because I’ve come home again. Her idea yesterday was that the pair of us should live with her.’
‘I know, she’s mentioned it. Barmy! But you weren’t there when I called, so where were you?’
‘At a friend’s.’
Cath fixed her with a stare. ‘I didn’t know you had any women friends. And what about George? You didn’t take him with you to see our Frank. You must have been chasing your tail going backwards and forwards. Why don’t you try telling me the truth?’
Molly thought she might be needing Cath’s help so said, ‘OK, I went to Mr Collins’s house in Blundellsands but I ran away. A little habit of mine. I did stay at Ma’s. I’m not going to tell you what happened at Mr Collins’s but we won’t be seeing each other again. Although he just might turn up here asking for George. You mustn’t let him in.’
Cath gave her a funny look. ‘He’s gone away. Didn’t he tell you? Gone off to play soldiers, Jimmy said.’
Molly dropped the bandage. She had been frightened for nothing! She had forgotten it was that time of year. Why hadn’t Nathan said? Had he forgotten in the heat of the moment? Or was it because he knew that by the time he returned from training camp Frank would be out of prison and it would be so much more difficult for her to do as he’d asked? He must have decided in an instant. Now he was gone, away for a month believing she had never loved him but still loved Frank. Molly put her head in her hands and wept.
‘Come on, drink this up. It’s not the end of the world.’ Cath touched her shoulder and said with a trace of embarrassment, ‘It might feel like it but people really don’t die of broken hearts. So he doesn’t love you anymore! Perhaps that’s a good thing. You can get your marriage back together again when our Frank comes out.’
Molly pushed back her hair and wiped a hand over her wet face. What was the use of telling Cath she had it all wrong? Still, perhaps Nathan didn’t love her anymore now. She sipped the scalding tea, wondering whether once the strike was over she would still get sewing work from the factory. Who was going to be in charge while he was away and Charlotte in London? She would ask Jimmy. In the meantime she needed to visit Frank before Ma got to him and told him her tale. Perhaps Cath was right and her heart wouldn’t break? Her feet were another matter. She gazed down at them, knowing she would have to rest them for a few days at least.
Fortunately for Molly the trams were running within days as were the trains. The dockers went back but there was no work for Molly. When she asked Jimmy he told her Mrs Awkwright was staying on until they found someone else to take over her job but she’d said there wasn’t enough work to be sent out. Molly wondered if that was true or whether Nathan had given orders to provide her with no more. Perhaps she was going to have to do what Ma had suggested and pawn her sewing machine.
In the meantime she awaited with trepidation her visit to Frank, having reached the conclusion that only the truth would serve her. Well, some of it.
Her husband looked more his old self, although he had lost some of his ruddy colour. ‘Not long now, Frank,’ she said brightly.
‘No, thank God!’ His fingers caressed hers. ‘How’ve you been? How’s Georgie?’
‘Fine. Ma been in?’ Molly was almost certain she hadn’t because then his smil
e wouldn’t have been so welcoming.
He shook his head. ‘Told her I didn’t want her coming here, getting upset. Have you seen her?’
‘I stayed the night at hers the other week.’ Molly took a deep breath. ‘And I’m sorry, Frank, but I told her a whopper because I just didn’t want her knowing all my business.’
He stared at her, frowning. ‘Go on? What business is this?’
She lowered her voice to a whisper. ‘I went to Mr Collins’s house in Blundellsands. Now stay calm, Frank,’ she said, as he half rose in his chair. ‘I had George with me and I wasn’t on my own. Miss Braithwaite, who owns half the business, was there and so was his mother.’
He sat down again, both of them aware that the warden had taken a step towards them. ‘So?’
‘Remember me telling you Mr Barnes, his uncle, left me some money? Well, that wasn’t exactly the truth.’ Molly fiddled with a button on her coat, wishing she didn’t have to say the next bit. ‘He left me shares in the company.’
A muscle at the side of Frank’s jaw tightened and the expression in his eyes suddenly reminded her of Ma. ‘You’ve kept that a secret all this time? It’s not bloody well on, Moll! I’m starting to think I can’t trust you.’
‘I did it for George. I knew you’d want me to cash them and then they’d be gone. As it is, I have a regular amount of money coming in that I can depend on. Unless, of course, the company collapses, but that hasn’t happened yet.’
‘So you’re telling me you’ve had money from these shares coming in and kept quiet about it?’ His voice was dangerously low.
Colour flamed in her cheeks. ‘I know what you must be thinking, Frank. But I’m glad I did it because I’d been saving the money for George’s future and it’s only that and my job that’s kept us going for the last few months.’
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