by Millie Gray
“Auntie, don’t you realise that I know he’s not coming back and as I’ve now turned nineteen I’m too old to get another man?”
“What? Look at Rye next door. She’s knocking forty-two and still gets offers.”
“That’s because she’s got eight bairns to take with her.”
“Look, Bella, eight bairns are a fair drawback. Rye gets offers because she’s always smiling. You should try it.”
“I do smile when I’m at work. But as they’re all dead, they don’t appreciate it.”
Anna impatiently drummed her fingers on the table before emphasising, “And I don’t think you appreciate how lucky you are having Rachel helping you to rear Nat. Second mother to him, she is.”
Bella huffed but she knew there was no use in arguing with Anna. Her only retaliation was, “And where is Rachel? She knows I’m working tonight and she’s not home from school yet.”
Squinting up at the clock, Anna said, “Aye, where is she? She’s never this late. I’ll go and look for her.”
Emerging from the dingy bottom passageway of 18 Couper Street, Anna was surprised to be confronted by her sister-in-law Rosie. Anna looked down and was not surprised that Rosie, as usual, was accompanied by four-year-old Davy, who smiled warmly at his aunt.
“Oh, Anna,” exclaimed Rosie, letting go of Davy’s hand. “See. When Johnny telt me that you’d lost Rachel, I just couldnae believe it. Just couldnae.”
“Och, Rosie. She’s just late getting back from school. Sure she’ll be away skiving with that Rosa Liston or Jenny Steele.”
“Anna, don’t you know Gabby was waiting for Rachel at the school gates and she went off with him!”
“But why? Is there something amiss with Freddie or Robert?”
Rosie shook her head. “Anna, he’s been to the court and got Rachel away from school so she can keep house for him now the two laddies have been released from the Industrial School.”
“The boys have been released?”
“But you must have kent that now they’ve turned fifteen and sixteen, they couldn’t stay there any longer.”
“I did know that. But I visited them last week and nobody said a word about them leaving. But just a minute … what’s them coming home to do with Rachel?”
“Gabby told the court he’s her father and he wants her to keep hoose for him and the boys and the silly beggars – said okay to that.”
“But they can’t!” You could almost see Anna’s mind ticking over before she eventually said, “Look, Bella’s got to get to work, so Rosie, could you look after Nat until I get back?”
“From where?”
“Coatfield Lane. The court might think they can decide but Rachel’s mine. Who is it that has provided for her these last seven years?”
“There’s no disputing you did that. But as you know, Anna, as far as the courts are concerned, women are second-class. Remember what they did to Freddie and Robert. They believed lying Gabby, they did. So what chance have you got of getting justice?” Rosie pointed out as Anna began to race away.
Anna was out of breath when she reached Coatfield Lane. Quickly she made her way to Gabby’s door. Then without knocking she flung the door open. “Rachel,” she called out, “Are you in there?”
“Of course I am, Auntie,” Rachel replied lightly.
“Then get your coat. You’re coming home with me where you belong.”
“But Auntie, I belong here. Don’t I, Robert?”
Robert, who was seated on a rickety kitchen chair, nodded.
“No Rachel, you belong with me,” Anna shouted. “And where is your ne’re-do-weel father?”
“He’s at the Steamboat Tavern. But Auntie, do try and understand. My brothers want me to be with them. They really do want me. I’ve left school now and we’re going to become a family.”
“You’ll be just a skivvy,” scorned Anna. Rachel just hunched her shoulders while Anna continued, “And you’re actually going to keep home for the man who was responsible for bringing your mother down to his gutter level? And what will you do when he sends you to get some whore to come and iron his shirt?”
“He’s changed,” Rachel protested. “He even went to the court and got an order that says I’m to bide with him and my brothers now.” She paused. “Auntie, can you not be happy for me? I’m part of my real family now. A family that really wants me.”
Anna felt her legs tremble as she realised she’d lost Rachel. Before turning to go, she said quietly, “Remember, I’ll always be here for you. Promise you’ll run to me if anything goes wrong?”
Rachel nodded. “Auntie, every day I’ll come and see you, Bella and Nat.”
May soon gave way to June. At first Rachel did come often to see Anna, though not on a daily basis. Four weeks later, three days had passed and she hadn’t visited. However, on the afternoon of the June solstice the door opened and Anna called out, “Come away in, Rachel.”
“I’ll gladly come in,” a male voice answered. “But I’m no Rachel.”
Anna squinted at the tall stranger who advanced into the house, wondering who he was. It was a shock to realise that he was the overdue Gus. “Are you real or a ghost?”
Slipping his kit bag off his shoulder he replied, “I’m real. And where’s my son?”
“Over the road at Rosie’s. Ella’s always home sharp now that she has a job in Leith Hospital – which means she looks after Nat to let me get on.”
“Where’s his mother?”
“I suppose you mean Bella, your pining wife. Well, as you’ve been missing, presumed dead …”
“Which you hoped and prayed I was.”
“She’s had to work for Sandy at the funeral parlour to keep Nat.”
“Going up in the world, so we have. A funeral parlour and no longer just slinging the happy dead on the back of the coal cart.”
Ignoring Gus’s sarcasm, Anna continued, “If you’re desperate to see Nat we could go over to Rosie’s.”
“I’d like that, provided your obnoxious brother’s not at home.”
Choking back her anger Anna hissed, “But a better man by far than you’ll ever be.”
When Anna and Gus, who was now carrying Nat on his shoulders, returned to 18 Couper Street, Bella was already home.
“Honestly,” Bella called out as the door opened, “here am I out working aw day and I came in and the house was like the Mary Celeste.”
“Well if you were expecting your tea on the table then I have to tell you we’ve all had a bad day,” retorted Anna.
Bella now looked beyond Anna and let out a scream that hadn’t died before she raced over and flung herself at Gus. “Careful,” he said, taking Nat down off his shoulders.
“Oh, Gus, they aw said you’d left me in the lurch but I knew some day you’d come back. Where have you been?”
“All over the world. You see I re-joined the tramp steamer and we just took whatever jobs we could get but none of them ever touched a British port. And see three days ago when we docked in Belfast, I said, ‘No more. I’m away to see my boy.’”
“And me,” Bella reminded.
“Aye, aye of course,” replied Gus, sitting down and lifting Nat onto his knee.
Bella’s attention now turned to Anna and she asked in a defiant tone, “Isn’t it just as well Rachel’s now with her dad because Gus will be sleeping with Nat and me.”
Anna did not respond.
Rachel was really enjoying keeping house at Coatfield Lane but then having been taught by Anna, she was good at it.
Payday was the day that was really great. After they’d had their tea Robert and Rachel would go over to the Gaiety Theatre in the Kirkgate. It didn’t matter what the show was – Rachel just enjoyed being entertained.
On the fateful Saturday that no one in the family would ever forget, Rachel, Freddie and Robert were seated around the table enjoying their treat of fish and chips. Robert had been regaling Rachel on what a great show they were going to see at the Gaiety.
“Honestly,” he said. “Drew at work says that the Great Armundo actually swallows fire and his assistant stands upright with a big board behind her whilst Armundo, blindfolded, throws knives at her.”
Rachel’s mouth gaped. “You mean he actually throws real knives and he never hits her?”
Before Robert could answer, the door flew open and in staggered an inebriated Gabby.
“What’s going on in here?” Gabby roared, tossing himself heavily down to where his armchair should have been. Regretfully Rachel had scoured the house and trying to make it more homely she’d reallocated his chair two feet to the left. Trying to get himself up from the floor, Gabby grabbed the tablecloth, which resulted in the contents of the table crashing down on him.
Freddie, Robert and Rachel could do nothing else but laugh when they took in the spectacle made by their father, who now was wearing a half-eaten fish supper on his head.
Gabby however did not find the situation at all funny and began to curse and swear while rolling over the floor towards a chair, which he used to assist himself to get upright. Once he was on his feet he undid the broad leather belt that held his trousers in place and began a frenzied attack on his helpless children.
Freddie managed to duck and dive out of his reach but Robert, trying to protect Rachel, took the full force of the flaying belt across his face. Looking at the blood gushing from her brother’s face Rachel screamed, “Why did you do that, you sadistic swine? It’s you who’s the hopeless drunkard – not Robert.”
Gabby’s attention now turned to Rachel. “Talk back to me, you guttersnipe that you are?” He now lunged at her but she easily evaded him. “And another thing,” he shrieked, “what do you mean by telling Jenny Greenhill that she won’t be needed to iron any more shirts for me?”
“Because she won’t,” Rachel retaliated defiantly as she dodged around him again. “I do all the work in here and that includes ironing the rags you call shirts and I don’t get a farthing from you, never mind two bob a time.”
“That right,” lisped Gabby. “Well, now you’ve got folk thinking I get you to iron my shirts, maybe I should just do that.”
Still swinging the belt in Rachel’s direction, Gabby made a grab at her but both Freddie and Robert managed to pull her free. Nonetheless, Freddie could see that Robert was hampered by the blood streaming from his forehead and running into his eyes.
“Robert,” he hissed, “you’re nae use in this fight now. We need reinforcements. So run and get Auntie Anna. She’ll settle his hash.” As Robert fled, Gabby lifted a chair and sent it hurling after him.
Having despatched his brother, Freddie took the opportunity to jump on Gabby’s back and curl his hands around his father’s throat. Letting go the belt Gabby reached up and tore at Freddie’s grip. Recognising the chance that this gave her, Rachel dived for the belt and hastily flung it into the fire. By now Gabby had managed to free himself from Freddie’s grasp and realising the belt was no longer available, his eyes darted about the room until he saw the sweeping brush. Once he had the brush in his control he began to beat Freddie mercilessly with it. Being athletic and agile, however, Freddie was able to grab one end of the brush handle. Gabby and Freddie then began to dance around the room until they reached the open door where Gabby seized the chance to lunge at Freddie who then toppled over the doorstep and into the passageway.
Unfortunately before Freddie could regain his balance and resume his attack on Gabby, the door had banged shut and Freddie panicked when he heard the lock being securely turned. Thumping furiously on the door and screaming to be let back in, Freddie conceded he could only blame himself for letting Gabby get the better of him.
Gabby now turned his attention to Rachel who, realising that she no longer had her brothers to protect her, was cowering behind the easy chair. Leaning over Gabby seized Rachel’s hair and dragged her screaming from her refuge.
When Robert arrived at 18 Couper Street, he bounded up the stairs two at a time. On entering Anna’s house he was breathless but managed to splutter, “Auntie, you’ve got to get over to Coatfield Lane. Gabby’s gone mad – he’s gonnae kill Rachel and Freddie. Murder them.”
Unshod as usual, Anna immediately raced from the house. “Dear God,” she prayed as her thick stocking-clad feet sped over the cobbles. “Be with my Rachel. Please, please, God, save my Rachel!”
A crowd of voyeurs had gathered at the foot of the stair in Coatfield Lane. Without uttering a word, Anna pushed past them and ignored the old crone who shouted, “Been some racket.” The hag cackled merrily before adding, “But she’s no screaming noo so I think ye’ll no save her this time. Lay her out is about aw ye’ll able to do.”
Arriving at Gabby’s door Anna caught hold of Freddie who was still banging furiously on it and shouting, “Let me in. Let me in. Leave my sister alone! Rotten sodding pig that you are.” Overcome by exhaustion Freddie then sank to the floor and wept bitterly.
Anna would have comforted Freddie but she had to get inside the house. Looking around, she was relieved to see the kitchen chair, which Gabby had hurled at the departing Robert. Picking it up she used it as a battering ram against the aged door which reluctantly broke open.
On gaining entry to the house Anna gasped. There lying in a huddle on the floor was the barely conscious Rachel. Her outer clothes had been ripped from her and bright red blood was streaming from her nose, lips, arms and legs. “Auntie,” she whimpered, “please, please come – I need you.”
Taking Rachel into her arms Anna rocked her to and fro. “I’m here, bairn. And I’m no only taking you home but I’m also taking your brothers as well. Oh aye, back we’ll all go to the safety of Couper Street.”
“Auntie, you’re here? You’re really here,” wept Rachel. “I didnae let him – Auntie, I did fight him off as best I could. Tried to do what you said I must – and I did.” Rachel was now so distraught that Anna was hardly able to make out what she was saying.
She did, however, hear Gabby’s drunken roars and at the sound of his voice, Anna lost all control. All her eyes could see was red-hot anger and her need for vengeance rose so strongly in her chest that it began to choke her.
Gently laying Rachel down, she picked up the bread knife that was lying under the table and raced into the bedroom. Pulling back the blanket that was covering the semi-conscious Gabby she raised the knife. No longer was she able to distinguish right from wrong and she was overwhelmed by all the years of hatred and frustration. She became engulfed in a thrilling sensation of realising that she was now in a position to put an end to him – an end to him being able to torture and humiliate all those she loved and valued.
Making a downward plunge of the knife she cackled insanely but the laugh died in her throat when two strong arms encircled her and a hoarse, strong voice breathed in her ear, “Don’t be a bloody fool. Do you think he’s worth dangling at the end of a rope for?”
With great effort Anna managed to turn her head. She gulped when she found herself looking up into the face of Gus Cochrane, who had snatched the knife from her hand and had tossed it across the bed. “Yes, I do,” she sobbed.
“Believe me,” replied Gus, dragging her back into the living room. “The last thing you should ever do is tie an albatross around your neck. Tired you would be of never being …” Gus abruptly stopped and Anna could see he was now reflecting.
“Look at her,” screeched Anna. “And also poor Freddie there in the lobby weeping and cuddling his knees as he rocks himself backwards and forwards. Surely that fiend can’t get away with all he has done to these defenceless bairns?”
“Look. He will pay. I promise you that. But right now we need a barrow. So where will we get one?”
“A barrow!” she hollered. “What on earth for?”
“Well, it’s true I’m strong – very strong. But I can only carry one of them. And as we need to get both Rachel and Freddie out of here I need something to carry them on.”
“You’re right,” Anna conceded.
“Now you go back over to the Broad Pavement and asked Mary Croan, who will be sitting there selling fish, if she’ll lend us her fish cart.”
“No,” replied Gus, shaking his head. “I’m not sure what you’ll do if I leave you here – so you go and get the barrow and I’ll fix things here.”
Gus was surprised when Anna returned within fifteen minutes with the stinking fish barrow. Even so, there had been time enough for him to do what he had to.
After Anna had wrapped Rachel in a sheet, Gus lifted her up and as he was leaving the house Anna asked, “What about Gabby? He’ll come after us and take them back and the law will give them to him.”
Shaking his head, Gus said, “No he won’t. He’ll never bother you again.”
“He won’t?”
“No. Just as long as he remembers what I’m capable of.”
“What have you done to him?” Anna stuttered as fear overwhelmed her.
“Not that much,” smirked Gus, thinking, Oh, Anna, there’s more than your brother who can make a man so terrified that he’ll do what he’s told.
Once everyone was safely in the house at Couper Street, Anna said, “Right, Bella, get the kettle on. I need hot water to wash Rachel. She’s had a right good doing but …” she couldn’t continue for the extent of Rachel’s injuries were now more evident and were more than she could bear.
“I’m going to put her on the bed in the back room,” said Gus, who was still holding Rachel and had taken control of the situation. “There she’ll have some peace and privacy.”
Rolling up her sleeves and putting on an apron, Anna nodded. “Aye, I’ll sleep with her there tonight. You, Bella and Nat can have the big bed in the kitchen.”
“And what about Robert and Freddie? They need a place for the night or have they to go back to Gabby?” asked Bella tentatively, worried in case she would not be able to be alone with Gus.
Anna mused. “Tell you what, Bella. You go and ask …”
“Rye Pratt if they can bunk with her,” Bella interrupted hastily.