“Oh.”
“Sorry David, I don’t mean to sound so despondent but the reality is, I can’t afford to be a nurse, we need the income,” she said, “my Mother’s working three jobs at the moment as it is.”
“No, I’m the one who is sorry Iris,” he said, “please carry on telling me about your Father, it sounds like he was a great man.”
Iris felt a pang of grief deep inside of her.
People always mentioned how great her Father was, how her heart wished they said instead, how great her Father is.
Feeling a lump forming in her throat, she fought back a tear, feeling she wept enough since her Father was taken from them.
She needed to be strong, for her Mother and for the boys.
“As I said, we had a lovely day out in New Brighton,” she continued, despite the threat of a tear escaping onto her cheek, “the next day, we all went to Southport and had a great time, walking along the front and down the pier.”
“It sounds like another wonderful place, I’d like to go and see,” David said.
“It’s not a bad place,” Iris replied, “We were evacuated there for a while, during the war.”
“I’ve been near there with Bob who I work for,” he said, “but I’ve never been to the town itself. I’ll have to put it onto my list of things to see, as well.”
She smiled at him, before relating the rest of her story.
“My Mother kept the letter the ministry man gave her, explaining what had happened,” she said, “he told her personally, but they have to do it official don’t they?”
David nodded his head, staring at her.
In that moment, he felt she was the most beautiful person he ever met in his entire life.
“Mother hid the letter from us, but I found it one day,” she continued, “hidden away at the back of one of her drawers, whilst I was rummaging around to find, well to find something.”
“On the twenty fifth of March, the Laforey was with a few other allied ships, when they engaged a number of German E-boats after picking them up on their radar,” she said, “the Laforey was not hit, so afterwards she sailed to Naples to continue her patrols.”
“She was deployed for another patrol, off the west coast of Italy on the twenty eighth of March and the next day she carried out a hunt for another submarine called U-223 north of Palermo.”
She closed her eyes.
“I think, I’ll always remember the name of that submarine and will take it with me, to the grave.”
“The Laforey was in company with five destroyers, when they received word from another ship, that U-223 had been detected during, what the man from the Ministry called, a routine sweep.”
“The search lasted until the next day, when after hours of depth charge attacks by the Laforey and the other ships, U-223 surfaced. It was attacked by all the ships but,” she paused, “but was still able to fire three torpedoes.
“They struck my Father’s ship.”
“She sank quickly, losing most of her company, including her captain and my Father. Out of the two hundred and forty-seven men on-board, only sixty-five survived.”
David held her hand tighter and she turned to stare at him.
They stared into each other’s eyes, for what was only the briefest of moments, but to the pair of them, felt an eternity.
“So, how did you end up working as a blacksmith? Is it something you always wanted to do?” She asked, changing the subject from her late Father.
“I’ve always been around animals,” David replied, gazing wistfully across the waters of the river, understanding instinctively Iris’s wish to change the subject, “ever since I was born, there’s been animals in my life.”
She found herself captivated, by the light brogue of his accent.
She knew a couple of Welsh people who worked at the factory, but found it difficult to understand their accents at times.
David’s accent however, sounded lighter, more melodic.
“Livestock mainly,” he continued, “but I’ve always found myself never happier, than when I’m around horses.”
“Horses?”
“Yes Iris, horses. You know, the big things Bob and I make shoes for? In addition to the other things we do.”
Looking at him, she saw the slight upwards turn at the side of his mouth, threatening to break into a smile.
“Oh you,” she said, giving him, a light dig with her elbow.
“Sorry Iris,” he responded, smiling, “it was too good to resist.”
“Did you have horses back home?” She asked.
“Unfortunately, no,” he replied, returning his gaze to the river.
He wished to acquit himself well in her eyes, by not staring too long at her, but found it nearly impossible to stop looking deeply into them.
“Apart from the ponies you’ll find scattered around the mountains,” he continued, “you’ll find horses are viewed functionally and if they don’t earn their keep, well, you just wouldn’t keep one.”
“And money, isn’t exactly running through the streets these days,” Iris said wistfully.
“And neither through the valleys back home,” he replied, “times are harder back there. More so than normal these days.”
“At least you didn’t have the Germans dropping bombs on you,” she said smiling, staring at his profile.
He turned to meet her eyes again, the allure and draw of them magnetic to him.
“I wish it were the case,” he said, returning her smile.
“They bombed Wales?”
“Aye, we’re not all rolling hills and sheep you know,” he said smiling, giving Iris butterflies in her stomach.
“They bombed Cardiff in a terrible way,” David said, “my parents live on the outskirts of a village not far from Newport and we caught sight of the German bombers a few times. To me it was scary and exciting at the same time, to be honest Iris.”
“It wasn’t until we had a family of kids staying with us, who’d been evacuated, it really hit home with me.”
“A few of the families near us, had their children evacuated to Wales,” she said.
“Aye, lots of countryside and away from the big cities and towns,” he said, “it was the safest place for the poor things.”
“Were you in the army?” She asked.
“No Iris,” he replied, turning away again to stare into the deep, dark waters of the Mersey.
“I was too young, by the time I was old enough to enlist, the war was over.”
Iris followed his gaze and they watched the movement of the tides and the lights of the houses across the other side of the river momentarily, before David stood up, turning to her.
“Well, it’s getting late Iris,” he said, “and we’ve a long walk ahead of us, if we miss the bus to get you home.”
“Oh, you don’t have to travel all the way back with me,” she said, “just see me onto the bus and I’ll be fine. One stops off around the corner from our street.”
“Nonsense,” he replied, “I’ll not feel happy, unless I see you close your front door safely behind you.”
“Is chivalry,your middle name?” Iris said, smiling.
“No Iris, my middle name is Ignatius,” he replied, offering his arm for her to take.
“Oh, Ignatius,” she said, placing her arm through the gap of his, “is it really?”
“No, it’s Dylan,” he replied, keeping his gaze forward whilst they walked, “only joking with you.”
Giving him a gentle dig in his ribs, they laughed as they headed to the bus stop.
The journey on the bus was full of talk and laughter, Iris laughing along at his silly jokes, David saying he was only making them, because he felt nervous.
She did not ask why he was feeling nervous, feeling the same sensation herself.
It felt to her, she was experiencing a multitude of sensations at once.
But she found herself, becoming increasingly at ease in his company and was now sad they had reached the front do
or to number Twelve Harrowby Street.
“Well,” he said, “I will not be coming in for a cup of tea and a big slice of cake or anything, as I’ll have to rush back to get the bus back to town, before I miss the last one.”
Looking at him, she felt sad he would be departing, hoping in her heart, he would want to see her again.
As the words formed in her thoughts, so they too formed in her words.
“Will I see you again?” She asked.
David gazed into her eyes.
“Wild horses wouldn’t stop me,” he replied, “you never know, I may surprise you and meet you after you finish work sometime.”
Iris smiled, standing on the doorstep.
“That’d be lovely.”
David returned her smile.
“But,” he said, “in the meantime. Would you accept a small token from me, to remember this evening by?”
“Oh David, I couldn’t accept anything else tonight,” she said, “you’ve did enough and spent enough already.”
“I’ve already spent the money anyway Iris,” David replied, “and I’d really just like you to keep it as a memento you know? A reminder of a beautiful evening.”
He held out his hand and she did the same.
Their hands met for the briefest, wonderful moment and she felt him place a piece of card into her hand.
“Goodnight Iris,” he said smiling, releasing her hand and turning to jog the length of Harrowby Street.
He turned momentarily to give her a wave.
She returned it and opened her hand, to find in her palm the ticket stub of the film they had watched.
****
“What the bloody hell happened?” O’Leary shouted into the face of the other man.
He stood in the yard in front of his building, surveying the damage caused to the windows, as spittle spewed forth from his mouth.
“I’ve no idea boss! I think it was kids or somethink!” the old watchman replied nervously.
He knew full well, O’Leary, though extremely short in stature, possessed an equally shorter fuse.
He was liable to erupt more with each passing second, staring up at the broken windows.
“Somebody has smashed half my windows, whilst you were here supposed to be keeping an eye on the place,” he said, turning to look at the building, “and you don’t know what has happened, expect you ‘think it was kids or somethink’?”
Standing with his arms hanging loosely at his sides, he quickly placed both hands atop of his balding head, spinning around to face the old man.
“What the bloody hell, do I pay you for?!” He screamed, the other man cowering at the verbal onslaught of his fury.
Red faced and scowling, his hands still atop of his balding head, O’Leary watched the other man cower from him, before returning his gaze to the broken first floor windows.
He estimated at least several of them were smashed, in addition to calculating the cost he would incur, for replacing them all.
“On the bright side boss,” Brendan said in trill tones, approaching to stand alongside him, “at least it’s not raining.”
Tony, stood on the other side of O’Leary, shook his head quickly in an exaggerated, comical fashion, beckoning Brendan to quieten his tongue.
“What?” O’Leary asked lowly, slowly turning to face the obese man.
“On the bright side what? At least it is not raining? Are you trying to take the piss or what?!”
“No boss, I didn’t mean that Boss,” Brendan stuttered, taking a step away from O’Leary, appearing ready to explode again.
“I meant there’s no rain getting into the windows.”
“What? What?” O’Leary stuttered, bewildered.
“Well Boss, if it was raining, then the rain could get into the windows and then…”
“I know what happens if rain gets through a bloody broken window!” O’Leary screamed, the veins on his neck pulsing, accompanying the two thick, protruding ones upon his forehead.
They appeared they would burst at any second, as his face reddened in fury.
“And why didn’t you ring the police or something?!” He yelled at the elderly watchman, who gulped hard, his prominent Adam’s apple bouncing rhythmically.
Oh shit, I’ll have to tell him.
“There, there is a reason for that Mr O’Leary,” he muttered, his Adams apple continuing its rhythmic movement.
“I should hope it is a really bloody good reason,” O’Leary said, snarling and staring at the cowering man intensely.
Staring at him for a few moments, hesitancy threatening to forbid him from speaking out, the watchman took a large intake of breath before blurting loudly.
“Yer ‘orse has been nicked!”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Moments after Barbara, Samuel and Maisie knocked enthusiastically on the door of the Bennett house, Iris opened it.
“Oh hello, how are you three doing this morning?” She asked.
“Err, we’re fine Iris,” Barbara said, “we wondered if your Danny wanted to come out for a bit.”
Iris looked at them, a quizzical expression upon her face.
“I’ll go and fetch him,” she replied, “I thought you’d have asked for our Rob, or the other boys?”
“Rob told us they were staying out last night at Wally’s, so we thought we’d knock first for Danny,” Barbara replied quickly, not liking lying to Iris, finding her lovely, but knowing she would do whatever it was, Robert asked of her.
“I thought they had stayed over at Jimmy’s last night?” Iris asked.
“Oh, that’s right, Jimmy’s,” Barbara replied, smiling, “I always get those two mixed up. Strange that.”
“Yes, very strange,” Iris replied, turning her head slowly, without taking her gaze from the younger girl.
About to call for her youngest brother, she realised she had no need to, as Daniel walked along the hallway to them.
He looked at his friends, before staring up into the face of his sister, gazing at him with a suspicious look upon her face.
“Yeah, err yeah Iris,” he said, “we’re going to go to Jimmy’s house, to play with Rob and the others.”
“Well,” Iris replied, taking his coat from one of the hangars nearby on the wall, before kneeling to place it upon him, “you be careful and make sure, you do exactly what our Robert tells you to do okay love?”
Smiling, Daniel gave his sister a hug.
Iris did not notice one of his hands giving a ‘thumbs up’ sign to the children behind her.
“I will Iris,” he replied, walking into the street, taking hold of Barbara’s offered hand.
“See you later Iris!” Barbara said waving, as they walked along the pavement, away from the house.
“Yes, see you later, have fun,” Iris called in reply, watching them walk away.
Funny, Jimmy’s house is in the opposite direction to where they’re walking.
Shrugging her shoulders, she entered the house, thinking she would be speaking to Robert, when the children returned later.
The children made their way through Seaforth in the direction of Litherland, where the allotments stood for many years. They were tended to by local men, who used them to grow all manners of things, in addition to being an excuse to get away from their families for a while.
Passing the Claremont pub, they noticed the figure of Micky Lamb walking towards them.
He glanced at them, before shaking his head and continuing his walk.
Shortly afterwards, they found themselves on the long lane leading alongside the allotments, to the gates barring the way to the large field beyond.
Robert and the other boys, were sat on the makeshift fence surrounding his Fathers old allotment.
Greeting each other, Robert bent to pick Daniel up gently, before placing him carefully onto the wooden fence alongside them.
They sat in silence for a while, Daniel and the girls staring in awe at the huge horse, stood in the middle of the allotment
and busying himself with the pile of apples Robert poured on the ground.
They watched, as he leant his large head forward, picking up apple after apple, devouring each one in turn.
In the direction of the river, they clearly saw the mammoth cranes of the docks in the distance.
“What if somebody sees him our Robert?” Frank said, breaking the silence.
“Who’s going to see him?”
“Ernie Jackson has the allotment next door, he’s here all of the time, so he’s bound to see him.”
“Old Ernie is alright, he won’t tell anybody, if we ask him not too.”
“We managed to get him here last night without being seen, didn’t we?”
“You mean, apart from Micky Lamb?”
“Micky sees pink elephants everywhere, so nobody will believe him if he says anything.”
The others laughed whilst Robert conveyed the events from the previous evening, only Frank remaining silent, until eventually he interrupted to ask other questions.
“But what do we know about horses? How are we going to look after him? What do we do, when we have to go back to school? Who will look after him then?”
“We’ll think of something our Frank alright?” Robert said, louder than intended.
He looked at his younger brother, whose head held low at his brother’s admonishment.
“I’m sorry, our Frank,” Robert said, placing his hand on his shoulder, “we’re all tired out after last night, so sorry if I sounded grumpy, I didn’t mean to.”
Frank looked up at him smiling, before a thought occurred to him.
“What about the library?” he asked.
“Do they have books about horses?” Robert asked, continuing to stare at Comet, relishing the sumptuous feast lain on the ground in front of him.
“They must do, they have books about everything else, don’t they?” Jimmy said, chewing on a piece of long grass.
“What about Rosalind?” He asked.
“What?” Robert asked, slowly turning to face him.
“I’m not trying to be funny or anything Rob,” Jimmy replied, “I mean, doesn’t she have a horse or a pony or something?”
Maisie giggled, whilst Barbara turned to look at Robert to gauge his reaction, Rosalind being her cousin, who lived on the outskirts of Formby.
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