by Millie Gray
Rye chuckled. “Face reality, Anna. We’re far too auld in the tooth and gnarled in our bones for the flu to get its grip on us. It’s just …” Rye sighed and it seemed to come from very the soles of her boots. “Well, you ken yourself. Never a day goes by – och. This armistice is just opening up auld raw wounds again.”
Refreshing their teacups, Anna nodded.
“And I ken tae that you think every day,” Rye continued wistfully, “about your Jimmy and Rab – just like me with my James. Funny … how the three of them aw died in accidents … if you could call the sinking of the Titanic an accident.”
Puffing out her lips before inhaling deeply was all the response Anna was capable of.
“Here,” said Rye, through a spasm of coughing and spluttering. “Is it Wednesday coming that you’re meeting up with Rachel again for a posh afternoon tea?” Anna still made no answer so Rye nudged her before lifting her own cup and sticking out her pinkie finger while taking a dainty wee sip of tea.
The trick worked. Soon Anna’s laughter was echoing round the room.
There was no denying that she was so pleased that after having months of no contact with Rachel three weeks ago she’d received a letter. Turned out Rachel was writing to ask if they could meet the following Wednesday at two o’clock in Mackie’s Tea Rooms on Princes Street.
It had been a long overdue reunion. Anna had wanted to force Rachel into meeting with her but Eugenie had said to let some time go by and all would be well.
On the designated day for the meeting Rachel was already at the teashop when Anna arrived. Rachel was so changed that Anna just couldn’t conceal her surprise. The gawky, truculent young lassie she’s left on the doorstep of Moray Place had been transformed into the confident, well-groomed young lady who seemed pleased to greet her.
“My! If scrubbing floors and pans makes you look like you do, I must try it,” remarked Anna, sitting down opposite Rachel.
Before Rachel could reply, the waitress arrived with her notepad. Anna was about to say that they hadn’t yet made up their minds when Rachel smiled sweetly before confidently giving the order.
The waitress had just left when Rachel giggled before saying, “But you see, Auntie, I look good because I’m not a skivvy.”
“You’re not?”
“No. The cook asked for me to be dismissed.”
“Sacked?” shrieked Anna, consumed by rage.
This unladylike outburst was clearly overheard by all the genteel customers nearby and all eyes were now focused disapprovingly on Anna and Rachel. To defuse the situation Rachel smiled and signalled discreetly for Anna to calm down.
“You see,” she whispered, leaning forward so that only Anna could hear, “when I started at Moray Place I was in charge of sorting and preparing the vegetables for dinner and I also had to wash up all the pots. But after a few months I was so, so tired. Honestly, Auntie, that cook was never off my back.” Rachel paused, hoping that some sympathy would come from Anna but since none was forthcoming she continued, “Well, one night about a month ago, I had to prepare cabbage and after the meal I had to clean the pot I’d been using to cook it in. It looked clean to me so I just put it back on the shelf. Next morning, Cook used it to make Miss Fraser’s porridge.” Rachel giggled again. “Miss Fraser had just taken one spoonful when she spluttered, ‘This porridge tastes frightful!’ I was then summoned and forced to sample it and yes, it certainly was disgusting.”
Rachel was now laughing so hard that she stopped to wipe the tears from her eyes. “And,” she went on while chuckling and wiggling her shoulders, “that was when our cook, dear Jessie, demanded that I should be sent packing.”
“But why wasn’t I told? And I can’t help thinking …” Anna stammered.
“Then don’t think and let me finish,” suggested Rachel. “When Miss Fraser looked me over she agreed that, unlike Jessie, I didn’t have the necessary attributes to be a kitchen maid. Jessie just couldn’t conceal her delight.” Rachel again had to signal with her hand to silence Anna before mischievously adding, “But the smirk died on her face when Miss Fraser said, ‘I think Rachel would be more suited to being my personal maid’!”
“You’re Eugenie’s personal maid!” Anna expounded loudly, drawing all eyes towards her again.
“Yes,” replied a delighted and proud Rachel. “And when we’re alone she teaches me how to speak, dress and conduct myself.”
“Thank you God,” said Anna, clasping her hands together and looking heavenwards.
“Mind you, she can be – well—. Just listen, Auntie, to what she said to me yesterday,” whispered Rachel, leaning closer to Anna. “Combing her hair, I was.” To Rachel’s annoyance Anna feigned nonchalance by resting her elbows on the table and cupping her face in her hands. Anna’s action perturbed Rachel who realised her aunt was indicating that she didn’t wish any criticism of her friend Eugenie. Nonetheless, Rachel, now mimicking Eugenie, pressed on with her story.
“When she said, ‘Rachel, my dear child,’” she began, taking care to roll the ‘r’ of Rachel as Eugenie always did. “‘How on earth did an intelligent girl like you choose such inadequate parents?’”
A further fit of coughing from Rye suddenly brought Anna’s thoughts back to the present. “Look,” she observed, picking up her glasses and polishing them on her apron before putting them on to get a better look at Rye, “you do look peaky. So I think, to be on the safe side, you should go home and have a lie down.”
Rye was about to speak when Eck Stoddard, the local rat-catcher known to all as Ratty, burst into the room. “Anna,” he shouted, but as she had her back to the door she had to twist around to face him. “You’ve got to come! Mona’s caught this blasted flu and, in no time at all, she’s got it real bad. She’s raving and you could fry an egg on her face – like hell’s fire it is.”
Before Ratty could plead further, Anna had lifted her ever-ready nurses’ bag from the table. Even more speedily she followed Ratty from the house. “Rye,” she called back over her shoulder, “will you please ask Rosie to keep wee Nat with her? Just tell her it looks as if Bella and me will be busy, very busy, well into the night.”
That week it became evident that the flu in its wake would take more lives in Leith than had the front line of the war coupled with the Gretna disaster. The situation was so critical that doctors had ordered Boots the Chemist shops to stay open so they could be kept supplied with drugs – not that any of the potions were really effective against the virulent influenza virus. The result was that Sandy and the other undertakers struggled to cope, while gravediggers worked around the clock.
For two days Anna fruitlessly battled to save Mona. After doing all she could to comfort Ratty she climbed the stairs to Rye’s house. There she found not only Rye seriously ill but also six of her children. Shivering from the extreme cold that had engulfed the house, and even although exhaustion was overtaking her, Anna firstly set about cleaning out and rekindling the fire. Then it was on to sponging down her patients, dosing them with cough syrup and keeping them hydrated.
Three days later, having done all she could for the Pratts, Anna wearily crossed over to her own house. On entering she saw Robert seated at the table with an envelope in his hand. “A message boy brought this for you,” he said, handing over the letter. “Hope it’s not more bad news.”
“Hope not,” agreed Anna tearing open the envelope and removing its contents. Seeking for a chair she sat down to read. After a while she wearily murmured, “Suppose it’s all for the best.”
Taking the letter from her Robert began to read it aloud. “Dear Anna, by the hour the situation being caused by the influenza outbreak is getting worse in the towns and cities. Therefore I have decided that I, along with my personal staff, should travel to my father’s estate in the Borders and stay there until things improve. I know you will have been looking forward to meeting up with Rachel again but I also realise how busy you will be doing what you can for those about you who have been afflic
ted. Finally I do hope you do not succumb and please be aware I will take as good care of Rachel as you would yourself. Kind regards, Eugenie.”
Placing the letter back on the table Robert said, “Never mind, Auntie. At least you know Rachel’s safe. How about a cup of tea? That usually perks you up.”
By the New Year the epidemic still raged. Rye had lost two of her children but thankfully she herself had survived and Bella had been on hand to make the necessary funeral arrangements for Rye’s children.
Reluctantly Anna conceded it was a highly unusual type of flu virus since it mostly attacked healthy teenagers. That being so, Anna was surprised that no one in Rosie’s family had fallen victim. Rosie, of course, explained this miraculous happening by pointing out that she’d gone to chapel every night and prayed. So like the Passover, her God had taken care of His own! In addition to that wonder it was not until January that Freddie, Robert and Anna succumbed.
Anna had been delirious for three days. Her memory of that time could not be relied upon. She did, however, vividly recall that her thirst had been raging and that she was begging for somebody to help her – if only to give her a drink. Fortunately someone did answer her call. Her saviour held a cup of ice cold, quenching water to her parched mouth before going on to mop her hands, face, neck and brow. Valiantly they struggled to remove her sweat-sodden nightdress before laying her head back gently on the pillows. After that an overcoat was carefully laid on top of the threadbare blankets that covered her. Anna, shivering uncontrollably, realised she felt both hot and cold by turn and as the coat landed on top of her she felt a comforting surge of love and warmth radiate about her.
Realising that the person saving her life was putting themselves in mortal danger, Anna forced open her weary eyes and bravely tried to mouth a “thank you.” But as the face of her Good Samaritan loomed above her she begged God to sink her back into merciful oblivion again. Before losing complete consciousness she heard the man’s wavering voice implore, “You’ve got to hold on, Anna. It’s true, at times that you’re a pain in the arse – but folks need you. So forget about drawing your last breath and just pull through.” His voice was hardly audible now but before it drifted completely away she was sure he mumbled something like, “Besides look how upset Ra-a-a-achel …”
Regaining her senses, Anna warily opened her leaden eyes. Praying earnestly she begged that the demon she thought had saved her life was just a figment of her delirium and would no longer be within her house. Focusing her eyes on the room she was grateful to find that she was all alone. Running her tongue over her lips she tried to convince herself that it had all had to have been some sort of nightmare. Surely it had never, ever happened! The very thought of Gabby Forbes touching her, bathing her, covering her with his filthy coat, had her squirming with disgust.
Reaching down to pull the blankets about her a scream died in her throat as her hands curled around an unfamiliar object! Struggling to a sitting position, she discovered it was a coat – but try as she might, she did not recognise it. It was a working man’s coat but whose? Ratty’s? Now that would make more sense, she thought, as every day since Mona passed over he’d called in just to talk with Anna. Always he was on his best behaviour – very rarely swearing and never leaving without pleading with her to be less rigid in her views.
Relief was seeping into her when she concluded, I’m right. I know that I am. It was dear, considerate Ratty who tended me – so there’s no need to worry about anything – especially the coat – after all it would be clean dirt that surrounded Ratty’s things.
Summoning up the little strength she had left, Anna threw the coat away and pushed back the blankets. “Legs like jelly,” she told herself, swinging them onto the floor. She was still swaying backwards and forwards when Rye and Rosie came in.
Chuckling and offering Anna a supportive arm, Rosie said, “Good to see you back in the land of the living. See, when I was sent for two days ago I thought you were a goner.”
“You thought?” echoed Rye. “I was just about to send for Bella and a shroud.”
Sitting on the fender stool with her back to the fire had always been one of life’s little luxuries for Anna – precious times when she could relax and reflect. Today, as the cracking flames warmed her back, she thought, Weak I may be but how lucky I am to be still alive. Waving her hand to attract her two friends’ attention, Anna heaved a contented sigh before saying, “Oh, ladies, the nightmares I had. You just wouldn’t believe them.” She stopped to have a little laugh. “Do you know? I actually thought that useless, degenerate Gabby …”
“Oh here, afore you go on,” Rosie interrupted, “I met him in the Kirkgate the day. Still cold and shivering, he is. Like he was that day he came over to ask you to nurse him! But he says to tell you, without your help, he’s recovering just fine. And he also said, to say to you, ‘There’s nae hurry but as soon as you’re able to be without his auld coat could he hae it back …’”
Shaking with laughter, Rosie grabbed the back of a chair before spluttering, “With or without the half-bottle o’ Johnny Walker whisky he left in the pocket!”
15
AWAY HOME
By April the brightness of the mornings and the warmth of the returning sun had the people of Leith begin to hope again. True, there were still some cases of flu being reported every day but gradually they became less and less. The worry now was the lack of food and resources.
Rachel, who’d settled well in the Borders, had no such worries. She was fed from the fat of the land and had a bedroom to herself, yet recently she yearned to be back with her ain folk.
Each morning after breakfast she would attend to Eugenie’s wishes. Sometimes it was just seeing to the laundering of her clothes, welcoming ladies who had come to call, or they were driven by the young and handsome chauffeur from the country estate into the town of Melrose. No matter why they journeyed into the town, they would always end up in a first-class teashop.
Lazily stirring her tea that had just been served up by a waitress, Rachel appeared calm and collected and yet she was in turmoil. How, she wondered, could she summon the courage to ask Miss Fraser when they might be returning to Edinburgh?
She should not have worried because Eugenie, who was sensitive to her moods, realised something was amiss and looking directly at Rachel she kindly asked, “Is something troubling you, Rachel? You seem so far away today.”
Screwing her eyes shut, Rachel replied. “It’s nothing really. I’m very happy here but it’s such a long time since I’ve seen Auntie and …”
“You’re longing, as they would say in Leith, to see your ain folk.”
Rachel nodded. “I know most people regard Couper Street as a slum – but I grew up there – was accepted there. Yes it’s true, I do like the much better life I have here but I still have a need to see Auntie, my brothers and all the others.”
Eugenie smiled. “You’ve seen my father. He’s old now and the time has come for me to reside with him for the short time he has left. But I think it’s also important that …”
“No. I don’t want to leave here.”
Eugenie leant over and patted Rachel’s hand. “I understand that completely. But I do think, every month, you should have a weekend back home with Anna.”
Bella and Anna had, for months now, taken turns working shifts at Sandy’s undertaking business. Today Anna had been on early duty and after doing some sewing jobs she’d stopped to make a meal for herself and Bella, who should have been home some half an hour ago.
Lifting the soup pot off the fire and resting it at the side Anna was pleased to hear Bella come in. “What kept you?” she enquired.
“At the last minute another two needing boxed. And do you ken? I’m so bleeding tired I wouldnae mind being boxed myself and as if …” Bella firstly rubbed her swollen cheek and then her even further extended belly, “… this blooming throbbing toothache isnae enough I’ve – you know, well, I could be starting my labour.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re not in labour.”
Taken aback, Bella parked herself down before pointedly saying. “And how would you, a woman who’s never given birth, know better than me?” Gripped by another spasm of acute pain she then sought for her aunt’s hand before gasping, “Oh. Oh. What am I going to do?”
“Make up your mind, that’s what. Now, which has it to be – a visit to sadistic Miss Cowie to get your tooth out or a lie-up on the bed whilst I help you evict the bairn?”
“Oh, Auntie, I’ve no choice.” To emphasise her point Bella let out a further agonising screech before crying, “It’s up on the bed – and double quick at that.”
Without replying, Anna opened the door and proceeded over to Rye’s house. Young Jamie looked up expectantly when she entered. “If you’re looking for my maw, she’s doon at Ratty’s.”
“Oh blast,” Anna spluttered. “Look, son, this is important: go and tell her that I need her and she’s to come right away to my house.”
By the time Rye arrived Bella was in bed and everybody at home in 18 Couper Street knew by the never-ending shrieks that she was in labour. Immediately assessing the situation Rye turned to Anna and shrugged her shoulders before saying, “But I thought she was refusing to give birth until Gus puts in an appearance?”
“Aye well, she might look like an elephant but she’s no one, so nine months is all she carries a bairn for,” was Anna’s sarcastic reply. “And, here,” she continued, “what’s going on? I mean, every time I see you in the lobby you’re taking food down to Ratty.”
“Och, it was just that when you were laid up I felt sorry for him. Went down and had a wee blether with him and then – you know how it is. Oh aye, afore I kent it every night I was taking a hot dinner down for him and then redding up.”
“Hope he’s paying you?”
“Well, just a couple of bob in hard siller but I get everything else I need in kind.”
“Oh, I see,” responded Anna with a smile. “Like that four pound of purloined shoulder steak last week?”