Lilly pleaded to be allowed to bring the body to her parents’ home. Seeing Alice she immediately tried to get her on her side. ‘You understand, don’t you, Alice? I want the funeral to leave from here. That awful house with us cramped into two rooms, that wasn’t his home,’ she sobbed. ‘I want my Sam to have a proper send-off. He’ll have left enough money for me to buy a decent house, he was so good to us, me and Phyllis. I don’t want his funeral to leave from that place. Please, Mam. Please, our Dad.’
‘But Lilly, your brother lives next door with Olive and their little Rhiannon. She’s only four, and I don’t think it would be right. In and out of this house all the time she is. I don’t think they’d like knowing Sam’s—’ she corrected hastily, ‘Sam, was here. You’ll have to leave him at the funeral home.’
‘I can’t do that! What would people think? The Castles not caring about their daughter’s husband, leaving him up there all alone. Mam, you can’t want that?’
‘Then it’s going to be your rooms,’ Marged decided. ‘Phyllis can stay with us. That was his home, remember. Whether you like it or not, it was where he chose to live.’
Lilly drooped her head and gave a deep shuddering sigh. ‘I don’t even know how I’ll pay for it. I can’t get any money until the will’s been read and there isn’t much cash in the house.’
‘We’ll lend it to you, Lilly, but it is a loan. Right?’ Huw said firmly. ‘Tell us how much you need and we’ll see you have it, for a loan,’ he repeated, ignoring a frown of disapproval from Marged.
‘Of course a loan. Sam had the money from the sale of the house, remember. I’ll be all right.’
* * *
The funeral was not a large one but, to Alice’s dismay, Netta and her children were there, standing beside Lilly, Marged and Huw as though they were a part of the family. Alice walked with Beth and Peter, Hannah and her two girls, but looked across at Eynon’s parents and wondered if they no longer cared. Back at the house Huw nursed Netta’s little girl, Dolly’s fat arms hugging him, and her brother kneeling near Huw’s knees, possessively.
‘What’s she doing here, Mam?’ Alice asked as she and Marged took used dishes into the kitchen and began to wash them.
‘Our Lilly asked her. It seems they’re good friends and Lilly doesn’t have too many of them,’ Marged whispered. ‘You don’t like her, do you?’
‘There’s something sly about her. I have the feeling she’s watching us and half smiling, as though waiting for something awful to happen.’
‘She can’t help the way she looks, Alice, love. And we were glad of her last summer.’
Yes, Alice thought, you gave her preference over me. But the words remained unsaid.
‘She’s nice enough,’ Marged went on. ‘And those two children are darlings.’
‘I know you don’t believe me, but she was following me, before she started meeting Lilly. I believe she was spying on us, learning about us, but I’ve no idea why.’
‘Come on, Alice, why would she do that?’ Marged’s tone made it clear she wasn’t convinced. ‘It must have been coincidence, she just happened to be going to the same places as you.’
‘Once or twice maybe, but not the number of times I saw her.’
‘Forget it, you’re making a mystery out of nothing.’
‘I wasn’t making it up, she was following me, watching my every move.’
Ending the futile conversation, Marged handed her a plate of sandwiches. ‘Take those in, Alice, love. I hope they start leaving soon, I’m running out of food!’
Alice went in and said, loudly, ‘Just another bite before you go.’ She was pleased to see several people stand up and reach for their coats. She was even better pleased to see one of them was Netta.
When only the family were left, the will was read. Lilly tried in vain to hide her excitement. She would be a rich woman. Sam had money invested and the money for the house had been added to this. She would buy a house, and after a decent interval, she and Sam Junior would be together and she’d never have to work.
At first she didn’t take in the words as they were read out. She asked for them to be repeated but the result was the same. There was practically nothing for her. Just a hundred pounds and whatever furniture she required. The bulk of Sam’s money had already been given to a children’s charity, the remaining money was in trust for Phyllis when she reached the age of twenty-five.
‘Mam,’ Lilly pleaded dully, ‘can I come home?’
* * *
On the day after the funeral and the shock of the will, both Alice and Hannah received letters telling them their husbands were being demobbed. Alice ran to tell her boss she would be late, then hurried to tell Marged and Huw. At the door she met Hannah on a similar errand.
‘Mam, they’re coming home,’ Alice shouted through the letter box, too excited to wait as Marged came to open the door. ‘Johnny and Eynon,’ both young women chorused. ‘They’re both coming home.’
‘I’m on my way to tell Johnny’s parents.’ Hannah said but Marged stopped her. ‘No need, Hannah, love. They’re both here.’ They went inside waving their letters and Alice saw to her dismay that, sitting beside the fire was Netta.
‘Damn me, that’s wonderful news,’ Huw said, hiding the letters they had received, also telling them the wonderful news.
‘Tell me what they said,’ Bleddyn asked, joining in Huw’s deception. ‘When are they coming? What you want us to do?’
‘Two weeks and they’ll be home,’ Alice told them.
‘What a Christmas we’ll have this year!’ Hannah said.
Marged, then Hetty hugged them both and they chattered happily about the Welcome Home banners and the party the Castle family had been planning for so long.
‘I got a tin of salmon, Johnny’s favourite,’ Marged told them.
‘And I’ve been hoarding fruit to make a proper cake,’ Hetty added. ‘Currants, sultanas, the lot!’
When the excitement had eased, and Bleddyn and Huw left to go to the wholesalers for potatoes, and Marged and Hetty were in the kitchen, looking for a bottle of sherry, Netta said, ‘You’re excited, of course you are, but I bet you’re worried too, aren’t you? Specially you, Hannah.’
‘Worried?’ Hannah stared at the girl. ‘I’m dizzy with excitement at seeing Johnny again. And so are the girls.’
‘Best not to bank on happy endings, though, eh? All this time away, he must have had doubts, you being old.’
She said ‘old’ not ‘older’, Hannah realized with a shock. Old had been said harshly, with the intention to hurt. Netta was half smiling as though to take the sting out of her words but the intention to offend was clearly visible in her eyes.
‘He’ll have changed after all this time,’ Netta went on. ‘He’s seen other men’s pin-ups, young, slim, lovely girls – he must be wondering if he made a mistake marrying a woman older than himself and with two children. It’s only human nature.’
Hannah stared at her, feeling older than her years, and fat and foolish. Is this how people saw her?
‘Get out!’ Marged burst into the room, having heard Netta’s gently spoken insults. ‘Get out and I don’t want to see you, ever again. D’you hear me? Wicked you are. Get out.’ She grabbed Netta’s coat and pushing it against her, shepherded her, none too gently, to the door, which she slammed hard behind her.
But the seeds of doubt were sown. Hannah was white-faced, trembling, being hugged by Alice.
‘What a lot of old nonsense,’ Marged said angrily.
‘Here,’ Hetty said. ‘Read this if you need any convincing after than idiotic tirade, read Johnny’s letter.’
‘I don’t need to,’ Hannah said, trying to smile. ‘I know he’s coming home to me.’
‘That’s all he ever writes about. You, Josie and Marie and the home you’ll have.’
‘And getting back to working on the sands,’ Hannah added, forcing a smile. ‘He can’t wait to be home again. I know that.’
‘That girl ha
d better keep out of my way. I never want to look at her again,’ Marged said.
‘Somehow I don’t think we’ve seen the last of her,’ Alice said.
There was a loud knock on the door and when Marged opened it, Netta stood there.
‘I wondered when to tell you, but you might as well know now,’ she almost shouted.
‘If this is more of your wicked remarks I don’t want to hear.’
‘Alice won’t either but I’m not keeping it to myself any longer.’ Netta pointed a finger at Alice. ‘Your Eynon, he’s not the devoted husband you think. He’s Dolly’s father. He’s the man who ran away from me knowing I was carrying his child!’
‘Rubbish! More of your rubbish!’ Marged shouted as Netta walked away. She turned to Alice. ‘Forget it, the girl is full of spite, although I can’t imagine why. What have we ever done to her?’
‘Only encouraged her, helped her by inviting her into the family and telling her all she needed to know,’ Alice said bitterly. ‘I knew that was what she wanted. Now I know why.’
‘I don’t,’ Hetty said, hugging the distressed girl. ‘What has she got to gain by telling lies?’
‘What if they aren’t lies?’
‘Of course they’re lies,’ Hannah said. ‘There’s truth in what she said about me, mind. I am older than Johnny and I do have two children. But there’s never been anyone else but you for Eynon.’
Marged held her by the shoulders and stared into her eyes forcing her to believe as she said, ‘It’s rubbish, Alice. You only have to ask him. He’ll tell you it’s rubbish.’
‘I hope so,’ Alice said. Refusing to stay and talk about it any longer, she headed back to the office.
Although it had been her intention when she left Sidney Street, she didn’t go straight to the office. She went home to the two rooms in which she had waited for Eynon. Taking out the new cushion covers and the fresh bedding, she dampened them ready for ironing. She wanted everything perfect. The fire would be ready to light; there would be flowers in every vase. She had been saving her meat ration and the few ounces of bacon she was allowed. Mr Gregory would surely find her a few off-ration eggs. Everything would be perfect for Eynon’s homecoming.
She passed Cassie’s shop when she left for the office and called to tell her friend the news of Eynon’s imminent arrival and Lilly’s disappointment. A fresh delivery of bedding and towels had arrived overnight, filling the storeroom beyond the shop as well as every space behind the counter. She was easily persuaded to stay and help; she was glad of something to keep her busy, to drive away the black cloud that had settled over her. Eynon and Netta. His child, and born to another woman. The words kept repeated themselves, hammering their message into her brain. It must be true, it explained so much. Netta had ingratiated herself into the Castle family, encouraged them to take an interest in Dolly in preparation for her announcement. It all made cruel sense.
When she went to get out the book to check that the new stock had been entered, she found a couple of large envelopes tucked almost out of sight below the invoices and delivery notes. Curiously she opened them and found dozens of books of clothing coupons.
So this was how Cassie managed to find so-called damaged, off-ration stock. She and Joseph had access to stolen clothing coupons to make up the deficiency when checks were made. She replaced the incriminating envelopes and looked around her at the bales of curtain material, with the price and coupon value clearly marked, and in the back room the sheets, pillowcases and household items, the boxes squashed and torn, some showing signs of fire and smoke damage, some labelled ‘damaged by fire’, others marked ‘damaged by flood’, and she wondered. Stolen goods as well as stolen coupons? Was that what Cassie had become involved in?
Was what she long suspected really true? If so, she was implicated. Besides conspiring to sell illegally obtained rationed goods, a supporter of the black market, she herself had several boxes of the goods she had bought from Cassie for her own use.
Coming on top of Netta’s accusations about Eynon, this was too much to cope with. Her world was collapsing around her. She apologized to a customer who had walked in looking hopeful and locked the shop.
She found Cassie in the main shop serving a small queue of customers with creased and dusty sheets for which she refused to take coupons. From Cassie’s expression she had not had a very good day either. But her concerns were not for Cassie; today they were for herself.
‘Here are the keys, I won’t be helping you again,’ she said, putting the keys on the counter as the last customer left the shop.
Cassie stared at the keys and nodded. ‘Stay and have a cup of tea, will you, Alice? If I don’t talk to someone soon, I’ll burst.’
‘Eynon is coming home in fourteen days,’ Alice said as she watched Cassie set out cups and saucers.
‘But that isn’t why you’re abandoning me, is it?’
‘No, I’m keeping away because what you’re doing is illegal and I could be fined or even imprisoned if someone reported you.’
‘I wouldn’t let that happen, I’d never let you take the blame for what Joseph is doing.’
‘Joseph and you,’ Alice reminded her. ‘You must have known there was something odd about getting all this stock without coupons. You’d have to be stupid not to realize and you’re not stupid.’
‘Oh but I am, Alice. I’ve been very stupid. But not any more.’
‘What d’you mean?’
‘Joseph wrote to me. He wrote, mind, he couldn’t tell me to my face. He wrote and said he’s leaving me. He’s found someone else.’
‘At your age?’ Alice put a hand over her mouth, regretting the words as soon as they were uttered. They were so similar to Netta’s remarks to Hannah. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean that to come out as it sounded.’
‘At our age, yes. Sixty we are, old enough to be settled, feel safe and secure. This new woman isn’t our age though. She’s young and pretty, and Joseph wants me to leave.’ She laughed harshly. ‘Won’t the gossips have a great time?’
‘What will you do?’
‘I don’t know. I’m sixty, and besides the humiliation, the prospect of being alone is frightening. I won’t have much of a pension, and everything is in Joseph’s name.’ She looked at Alice and asked. ‘I don’t suppose I can persuade you to leave your job and help me for a little while, can I?’
‘But what you’re doing could lead to serious trouble.’
‘I know I’m asking a lot. But it’ll give me a chance to decide what I’m going to do.’
‘Eynon’s coming home in two weeks.’
‘Two weeks, that might be long enough.’
* * *
Eirlys watched as Ralph became proficient at the job she had made her own. Without spite but filled with painful disappointment she gave him all the assistance he needed, making lists of the various people he might need to contact, advising on various ways of dealing with problems. It was October: the visitors no longer came and she knew her time there was almost done.
When a typist came to ask her to go and see Mr Johnston, she knew he would tell her that Ralph no longer needed her. She walked through the corridor and knocked on the familiar door, and stepped into the office in which she and Mr Johnston and Mr Gifford had discussed many ideas for the town’s summers.
‘Mrs Ward, Eirlys, please sit down,’ Mr Johnston said. ‘Firstly, Mr Gifford and I want to thank you for your wonderful support during the years of the conflict.’
Eirlys tried to hide a smile. This sounded like a well rehearsed speech. ‘I loved every minute,’ she told him.
‘But now, with Ralph Proudfoot back and coping well, it’s time for us to find you something else.’
‘He’s a quick learner,’ she said, pointing out obliquely that she had been teaching him all she knew.
‘There’s a vacancy for a secretary which you’d easily fill; would you like me to recommend you?’
‘Which of you will I work for?’ she asked, presuming it woul
d be either Mr Johnston or Mr Gifford. She liked both men, stuffy and formal though they might be, and her heart lightened a little.
‘Not here, I’m afraid. There’s a secretary needed in Pillar Place, the wholesale grocery there. Your friend Alice Castle has let them down and left unexpectedly.’
‘Leave the council offices? But I thought you were pleased with my work?’
‘We are, and I hate to let you go, but with the men coming home and expecting work we can’t keep you, I’m afraid.’ He handed her a typed page. ‘I’ve given you an excellent reference and, as I say, Mr Gifford and I want you to know how much we appreciate your wonderful assistance –’
‘– during the years of the conflict,’ she finished for him.
‘Yes. Well, if there’s nothing more?’
‘I won’t be needing the job in the wholesale grocery.’ She stood up, accepted the reference, and walked out. At the door, she looked back and with clear sarcasm, added, ‘Thank you…’ the extra words – ‘for nothing’ – were unspoken but they seemed to echoed around the office. Opening a connecting door, Mr Johnston said, ‘That, Mr Gifford, is the worst thing I’ve ever had to do. What a waste of talent.’
‘I agree, Mr Johnston, I agree.’
Eirlys went home and sat fuming, wondering what to do. So far as she could see there were few choices. London with Ken was not a consideration. There was the gift shop but that wouldn’t be enough for her. After so much to fill her life, her work leaving little time for anything else, hours and days stretched before her, ominously empty.
She automatically picked up the sewing basket and began to repair the boys’ clothes. No one sat with idle hands, whatever problems they faced. Thank goodness she had Anthony. And there were the three boys too. Anthony, Stanley, Harold and Percival. How would she have coped without them?
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