Eighteen Couper Street

by Millie Gray

  Racing from the back of the room Anna grabbed Bella by the arm and shaking it she commanded, “Don’t you dare give birth right now.”

  “But, Auntie,” wailed Bella, “what else can I do?”

  “Cross you legs and say a quick, ‘I do’, and I’ll attend to the rest.”

  Gus, who couldn’t believe his luck in finding a way out of his predicament, smiled triumphantly. “Look,” he said, “let her give birth right now and we can marry some other time.”

  “Not on your life, boy,” was Anna’s sharp retort. “The only thing that’s going to wait for another time is the egg sandwiches.”

  Turning to the minister, who she knew, she abruptly said, “Right, Reverend King, get a move on and cut out the bits you don’t really need to make it legal.”

  Surprisingly, three hours went by – too quickly for Anna’s liking, but on the other hand too slowly for Bella, who was eager to get it all over and done with. Notwithstanding the rush, Anna’s house witnessed a newly married woman giving birth to a legitimate son – a sturdy, black-haired boy that Bella called Nathaniel, knowing full well it would be shortened to Nat.

  Gus should have been nearby but having been trapped (as he saw it) into a spurious marriage, he had adjourned to the Black Swan pub for a few consoling pints.

  When he did eventually decide to show his face with the intention of saying that he had signed up on a merchant ship that was leaving immediately. Bella, who was tucked in bed with her precious bundle, protested, “Look, Gus. You cannae deny him. He’s your spitting image. See how his front hair curls round on his brow, same as yours.”

  Looking down at the child Gus could see he actually did resemble himself and Anna was surprised to find that the harsh scowl that had been present since he arrived in the house seemed to thaw. It was now replaced by a gentle expression that Anna thought him incapable of – and she also had to admit reluctantly that it further enhanced his handsome features.

  “What did you say about getting a start?” Bella tentatively asked, as she cradled the baby close to her breast.

  Gus sucked in his cheeks. “Just … och, Bella, I have a start on a ship that leaves tomorrow on the morning tide.”

  An uneasy silence only relieved by the ticking of the clock filled the room until Gus continued, “And now that I’ve seen my son I know I have to get back to work right away to get money to rent and furnish a house of our own.” Gus lifted his head to look directly at Anna, although he was still speaking to Bella. “A place of our own where we won’t be obliged to any interfering, holier-than-thou, old biddy!”

  Anna was at a loss to know whether Gus, on looking at his defenceless son, had changed his mind and he would come back or if he was just using words to console Bella whose face now was awash with tears.

  Silence fell again in the room until Bella pleaded, “But, Auntie, now we’re married surely Gus can share my bed tonight. Please!”

  11

  A YEAR LATER

  Lifting the teapot Anna was pleased to inform Rye, who had just come in, that not only was there enough in the pot for her but it was also still warm.

  “Oh, Anna, after last night, how can you think that a cup of lukewarm sugarless tea will calm my blasted nerves?”

  “Aye, so many guid folk killed. But then it was a bright moonlit night so they two Zeppelins had the poor sods in the docks and round about all lit up for them.”

  “And here, Anna,” a breathless Rye went on, “did you ken they dropped twenty-seven big bombs by hand frae they airships and it’s been said they were aw the size o’ a sack o’ flour?”

  “Wish to hang they had been bags of flour. There being hardly any food to be got is driving me mad.”

  Rye went on as if Anna hadn’t replied. “They say they were aiming for Rosyth and the ships at anchor in the Forth and it was when our ships started to fight back that they turned in on us – seems we were easy targets.”

  “Aye, it was just a pity that one of their first hits was the bonded warehouse.” Anna shook her head. “It going up lit up no only our poor Leith but Edinburgh as well. Oh aye, the louping flames showed them airships their way right up to the castle.” She paused. “And the bond is still alight. Hope to hang they get it put out before dark descends the day.”

  Bella, who was also seated at the table nursing one-year-old Nat, wistfully said, “And d’you know? One o’ the bombs hit old St Thomas’s manse where a year ago,” and she paused, “Gus and me were … married.”

  Anna and Rye both looked at each other and shrugged. “Well all I can say,” began Anna, ignoring Bella’s remarks, “is that if last night’s attack was our first taste of getting bombed I’m going to pray that it’s also our last.”

  “Or that we’re ready for them next time,” countered Rye.

  “Right enough, we all had our lights on. And seeing we’d no blackouts they seemed to think we were inviting them to blow us to smithereens.”

  Bella, whose thoughts were obviously still harkening back to her wedding day, sighed before saying, “Wonder if that was what happened to my Gus?”

  “So you think the reason you havnae heard from him for a year is because he’s a casualty?” asked Rye.

  “What other reason could there be?”

  Anna sat tight-lipped. She did so want to tell Bella to forget Gus, who was in her opinion a casualty in more ways than one, and get on with her life but the last time she’d said that Bella had sulked for a whole week. So how could she really say to naïve Bella that he’d done a runner? That he had never any intention of coming back to her and wee Nat.

  “Here, talking of people coming back, has there been any sign of your brother Andy? I mean he’s been gone a lot longer than Gus.”

  “He certainly has. But the good news is that there’s been no news. No telegram boy rapping on Rosie’s door,” was Anna’s philosophical reply.

  Six months later Anna was vigorously working the treadle of her sewing machine while she pushed through the linen sheet that she was repairing. As the hum of the machine heartened her she thought how lucky she was that Rachel had become so involved with Nat. Every day now she would take the toddler down the stairs and let him explore around the street. So when the door was pushed open, Anna thought it was Rachel returning with Nat, but she was surprised when Jamie Pratt slunk in. “Miss Campbell,” he cheerily said looking about the room. “I met your guid sister, Mrs Campbell, and she said that you were to go over to her hoose this afternoon and have yer tea.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Aye, because didn’t her man came hame last night.”

  Anna jumped up and clapped her hands. “My brother Andy’s come home?”

  “Seems like it. Oh, and one other thing – ye’ve to go to Mrs Stoddard on the ground floor and she’ll give ye some ham.”

  “Some ham? But there’s a war on. So where on earth will she find some ham?”

  “Her man, the rat catcher, was working in the Danish Bacon Company this week so – need I say mair?”

  Jamie had just turned for the door when Anna called after him, “Would you like a piece, son? I’ve got some bread and treacle.”

  “Treacle? Oh aye, I would really like that,” replied Jamie, licking his lips before seating himself on the fender stool.

  As Anna busied herself spreading the two-day-old bread lavishly with the treacle, she took time to study young Jamie. He was a lanky lad and today he looked cold and she wished she’d lit the fire to thaw out his bones but coal was scarce and pricey so fires didn’t get lit until nightfall.

  “Jamie,” she said eventually, “haven’t you got a jumper with long sleeves? Sure that slipover will never keep your arms warm.”

  Jamie just wriggled on his bottom. “Sure, Miss Campbell, it would be nice to have a jumper but Mammy says we’ll have to wait till it’s really cauld.” Anna shook her head in disbelief. “Miss Campbell,” Jamie went on. “Do you think, like your Rachel says, that the dead come back every night to see you?�
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  Anna was caught unawares and had to think before replying, “Well, they might. Were you thinking your dad comes back to see you?”

  “Aye,” replied Jamie, thoughtfully. “You see, Miss Campbell, I miss him – terribly.”

  “I’m sure you do, laddie. And know something? I bet he does look in on you all at night just to make sure you’re all right. And, believe me, he knows all that’s going on with you.”

  Licking the treacle that had run onto his fingers, Jamie seemed a bit hesitant before asking, “All that’s going on?”

  Something in his tone made Anna wary of saying, “yes” so all she answered was, “Most certainly the important things.”

  This was not what Jamie wanted to hear and he immediately blurted out, “Like Nicol’s coal man saying he could give Mammy something of the price of a bag o’ best coal if she was willing to give him a wee heat?”

  Not bothering to hide her contempt, Anna screamed, “That brazened brute said what?”

  “Just what I said. And Mammy giggled. I was worried in case it meant Mammy would get married again.”

  “She may well do some day but not to Iain Crosby – he has a wife.”

  “I wouldn’t like that,” Jamie absently replied. “Look at you, my mammy says that yon policeman, Jack McIntyre, is crackers about you and brings you all sorts of things – like that deer meat last week and half a dozen huddies he got from the Newhaven trawler-men the week afore.”

  Anna shook her head. She didn’t want simple Jamie to see that she was annoyed – actually angry – that people speculated about her and Jack so she decided to tell him the truth. “Jamie,” she began “can you keep a secret?”

  “Aye.”

  “Well you see, it’s really difficult to explain about Jack and me,” her voice drifted off a bit before she picked up from where she’d left off, “but you see the real reason Jack and I never get near to being married is – he has a mother!”

  “So has everybody,” Jamie replied, with incredulity ringing in his voice.

  “Yes, they do. But on their fortieth birthday they hardly send for them to come to live with them, do they?” retorted Anna through clenched teeth.

  Jamie knew he’d upset Anna, so hanging his head, he got up and made for the door. “Sorry, Miss Campbell. And see, if I was Jack McIntyre, I would rather stay with you than with my mammy! Honest, I would. And oh, dinnae forget the ham.”

  Two hours passed before Anna could get everything done and over to Admiralty Street. She had sent Rachel and Nat on ahead, leaving a note for Bella to say that when she got in from work to come over to Rosie’s house.

  She was now at the bottom of her stair and about to go into Mona Stoddard’s house when the door was flung open and Mona dashed into the passageway screaming, “Bloody thieving pigs. Thieving pigs!”

  “Calm yourself, Mona,” advised Anna. “What’s the matter?”

  “I’ll tell you what’s the matter,” she screeched. “My poor honest Eck risked getting nicked for stealing a whole leg of ham when he was working yesterday.” Anna looked perplexed. “Do you ken how hard it was for him to hide a ham that size in his breeks?” Anna shook her head. “No. Then I’ll explain. Him being a rat-catcher, he has to wear wide trousers but they have to be tied securely – very tight at the bottom in case a rat runs up his leg.” Mona could see Anna was still finding it difficult to follow her story so she digressed. “You see if a rat did run up his leg it would bite – well he wouldn’t have a man’s voice any more, would he?”

  Anna nodded and was about to speak when Mona went on, “But that’s bye the bye. Yesterday he got the chance to snaffle a whole ham and he then, guid soul that he is, had to limp all the way hame with it hidden in his right trouser leg.” Mona’s eyes widened before she went on. “See! When I saw the size of it I decided to cook it and divide it up amongst us aw – like we always dae when manna from heaven drops doon on us.”

  “So what’s the problem?”

  “Well, didn’t I cook it beautifully and when it was ready I opened the window and put it on the sill to cool so I could cut it up.” Mona started to cry before adding, “And some bugger passing by stole it! Didnae even leave enough for a sandwich for Eck!”

  Scratching her head Anna said, “Look, how about I ask Jack McIntyre to investigate the theft for you?”

  Suddenly Mona stopped crying and in a voice ringing with incredulity she hissed, “Are you bloody mad, Anna? You just cannae report the loss of a leg of ham, that my Eck stole in the first place, to that Jack McIntyre. Don’t you realise he’s a Leith Docks’ polisman?”

  “So?”

  “That means it’s mair than likely it was him who nicked it! And the thieving blighter didn’t even say thank you for cooking it.”

  While wearily trudging over to Rosie’s house Anna wondered what Rosie would give them to eat now that the ham had been purloined. Mounting the stairs she was pleased to smell the aroma of frying onions, which grew stronger the nearer she came to Rosie’s house.

  She had just opened the door when Andy rose to greet her. “My, but you’re a sight for sore eyes. Been gone too long, so I have.” He then squinted at Anna. “The bairns have all thrived. I just couldn’t believe how my wee Davy has grown and Nat walking – but you and Rosie are just skin and bone.”

  Rosie chortled, “That’s because there’s never enough food for us all, so Anna and I go without most nights.” Exposing her remaining three front teeth she grinned broadly before announcing, “But tonight, thanks to wee Eck Stoddard, nobody’s dead and yet we’re going to have a boiled ham tea!”

  “Rosie.” Anna grimaced. “The ham was stolen.”

  “I know that but this war has made thieves of us all, so I’ll enjoy the ham and confess everything on Friday.” Rosie laughed and patted Andy on the back. “And I’ll have you know Father Kelly is a very forgiving man.”

  “You don’t understand. The ham was stolen from Mona. The poor soul put it on the window sill to cool and …”

  Without asking anything further, Rosie looked down at the frying pan where three slices of liver shared the space with some onions. “I wonder how the guid Lord managed to feed the multitude with five loaves and three fishes? Because I dinnae think I can feed anyone but my Andy with this,” she said, giving the pan a hearty shoogle.

  Two hours later Andy had devoured the liver and onions while the rest of the family, thanks to Andy having come home with a good pay-off, had been fed with a carryout from Angelo’s chip shop.

  Wanting to speak with Andy on his own, Anna had dispatched Bella, Rachel and Nat off home. She could hardly hide her impatience when Rosie decided to wash up the tea things before bedding Davy down.

  Once the bairn was in bed and Johnny and Ella had left because Andy had given them some pocket money to spend, Rosie lifted her shawl from the hook behind the door.

  “Don’t tell me,” exclaimed Andy, “that I’ve been gone for nearly two years and you’re going to chapel?”

  “Oh, Andy, you know how I like to go to church every night and speak to Jesus. And tonight I have a lot to thank Him for.”

  “Like some scallywag stealing Eck Stoddart’s ham?”

  “No. Like bringing you home safe. Do you know how many laddies we both ken that will never come home? Besides, Anna and you have things to discuss.”

  The door had just closed on Rosie when Anna pointed to a seat at the table for Andy to take. Sitting opposite him, she felt the rising panic that thinking of Gus always gave her. She thought she knew the truth but she really needed it confirmed. “Andy,” she began in a faltering voice. “On your travels did you come across that Gus Cochrane?”

  Andy shook his head before replying, “Never clapped eyes on him – well not since India.”

  “It’s about that we need to talk. I’m grateful you sent him back to marry Bella, but – oh, Andy – how do you think she’ll cope if it ever comes out that her wee Nat is a – well he will be labelled ‘bastard’ when folk f
ind out that that dirty swine Gus bigamously married our Bella?”

  Andy huffed and snorted. “And who says he’s a bigamist? What proof have they?”

  “But I thought that was what you blackmailed him with?”

  Taking out his pipe, Andy filled it with Irish Roll tobacco and as he struck a match, he looked hard at Anna before saying, “Bigamy? Huh, if only that was it all. Naw, naw, Anna, you’ve got it all wrong – he’s no bigamist.”

  Anna was silent as Andy lit his pipe and began to puff it leisurely. Her mind was in turmoil as she argued with herself. If he’s not a bigamist, then what hold is it that Andy has over him? When she could bear the agony no more she leaned forward and took Andy’s hand in hers, “Brother, what did he do that was so heinous that you were able to frighten him into marrying Bella?” she pleaded.

  Puffing away at his pipe and blowing a wreath of smoke into the air, Andy withdrew his hand from hers and spat into the fire. “All I can tell you is that what he did will never reflect on Bella.”

  “But why can’t you tell me?”

  “Because part of the bargain was that would I tell no one – especially you.”

  “And do you think he’ll come back and honour his responsibilities?”

  Andy shrugged, spat in the fire again so that it sizzled before he replied, “Only God knows.”

  12

  TURNING POINT

  All over Europe the people were weary with the war and in Scotland almost every family had known the heartbreak of losing a loved one or having him injured.

  Even the warmth of the strong May sunshine was unable to thaw Bella’s mood. “You look as if you’ve lost a sixpence and found a penny,” mocked Anna.

  “Wish it was just that,” Bella sulkily replied. “But, Auntie, my Nat will be three next week and he’s never yet seen his dad.”

  “Aye. But on the bright side, you’ve never been told he’s been killed.”