Then Eirlys spoilt Lilly’s happy mood by saying, ‘Oh, by the way, Lilly, there’s a job going in the offices where I used to work. Nothing frantic, just someone to man the phone and make tea, you know the sort of thing.’
‘Nice for you, Eirlys,’ Lilly said off-handedly as she brushed imaginary crumbs from her dress.
‘No, not me, I recommended you. If you’ll go and see Mr Clifford or Mr Johnston after the holiday, I think the job will be yours.’
Thirteen
Chapel’s flower shop was a regular rendezvous for Marged Castle, who bought flowers each week to place on the tables of the beach café during the summer, and for Bleddyn and Hetty to add to their tables in the fish and chip shop-cum-restaurant. So when she went there and saw Mrs Chapel making tiny rose buds from crépe paper, painting them and even touching them with scent, she asked for details.
‘Who are they for? A wedding bouquet, I’ll bet. Anyone we know?’
‘You know Constable Charlie Groves? Getting married he is and his Madge wants roses. Roses being unavailable in February it’s the best I can do.’
Marged picked up one of the exquisitely made flowers. ‘And this is the best there is, Mrs Chapel. They’ll do any bride proud. Such clever fingers you’ve got.’
‘It was Maldwyn who showed me how. Honestly, since he’s come here to work, the business has grown and so has my enjoyment of it. Full of ideas, he is.’
‘Enthusiasm, that’s what makes the difference in what you choose to do, don’t you agree?’
‘Oh, Maldwyn’s enthusiastic all right. He goes out in the fields and brings back branches and ferns, dead wood and even stones, and he transforms them into something beautiful. Glad I am that he’ll be here to follow me when I give up. The business is in good hands.’ Leaving her work, she stood to serve Marged with some small posies that were mostly ivy with a few grasses and painted berries. She looked up and smiled as the door opened and Charlie Groves walked in. ‘Here’s the man himself. Don’t look at the work table, mind – secrets we’ve got this morning.’
Charlie turned away and shaded his eyes with a smile. ‘I wonder if you know of a place where Madge’s family can stay, Mrs Chapel? About eight of them will be staying for two nights. Not pleased that we’re being married in St David’s Well instead of Madge’s home, mind. But Madge and I decided it’s where we’re going to live and it’s here we want to start our married life.’
‘Good on you for making your own decisions,’ Marged said, then added. ‘Mind, if one of mine had wanted to be married anywhere else but here I’d have created hell!’
Mrs Chapel laughed. ‘Rules are important, but for other people only, is it?’
‘Madge’s parents don’t really mind, but I have promised to find them somewhere comfortable to stay.’
‘What about Eynon and Alice’s place? Just starting they are, so they’re bound to do their best.’ She wrote down the address in Rosebay Place and he promised to go there straight away and make arrangements for Madge’s family to stay.
It was as he stood at the door talking to Alice, notebook at the ready to write down details of the rooms available, that Netta saw him. She immediately thought he was there about her threats and she panicked. She watched in dread as Alice stood back to allow him to enter. Her name was on that notebook, she was certain of that, and Alice knew her address. Any moment she could have the police knocking at her door and what would happen then, she dreaded to think. Would she be locked up while they made investigations? What would happen to Dolly and Walter? And even Danny needed her there when he came home from school. She couldn’t rely on her mam.
With Dolly in her pushchair and Walter standing on the front and holding on to the sides, she hurried away, but with no destination in mind. With two small children, where could she go except back home?
* * *
Alice proudly showed Charlie around the house with its simply furnished but attractive rooms. They decided on which rooms would be needed and Alice wrote the bookings in her big diary. This would be something to tell Eynon when he came home from work! Two nights for eight people.
‘I like the top rooms with their sloping ceilings,’ Charlie said as he was leaving. ‘I bet there’s a view of the beach from the window up in the eaves. Pity it’s too high to look out.’
When he had gone, Alice went back up to the smallest room and climbed on to a chair. Charlie was right. There, between the chimneys opposite, was the sparkling sea. A room with a view! Just wait till Eynon heard about that! Her happiness lasted until she came downstairs and saw, through a landing window, the scurrying figure of Netta with her children, and felt again the threat of imminent disaster.
* * *
As Netta reached the park in the centre of the town, she almost bumped into Lilly, who was walking through on her way to the council offices.
‘Hey, Netta! Where are you off to in such a rush? Nearly knocked me off my feet you did. And where have you been? Ashamed are you of what you’ve been saying about my brother?’
‘Come to a café where I can tell you what’s happened?’ Netta asked and, seeing some interesting gossip on offer, Lilly readily agreed.
‘Can’t stop long, mind. You’ll never believe where I’m going. Only after a job! Yes,’ she said, laughing at Netta’s surprised expression. ‘I won’t get it, but Eirlys recommended me, see, and I’ll at least have an interview. What a laugh, eh?’
They went into the café from which they had once been asked to leave, but the woman serving didn’t recognize them and they found a corner table, ordered tea and some drinks for the children and Netta told Lilly all that had happened.
‘Go and own up,’ Lilly advised, when Netta admitted her deceit. ‘Go and face our Eynon and Alice and tell them you’re sorry, that you were a bit off your head or something. You’ll have to put up with a good telling off, mind, but if you take it and show how ashamed you are, I don’t think they’ll go to the police.’
‘They already have. I saw Constable Groves talking to Alice.’
‘Look, I’ll come with you now this minute.’ Lilly loved a drama and she would come out of it looking good, having tried to help a friend. ‘If you leave it you’ll find it even harder to do, and you’ll have to face it sometime. I’ll come with you and talk to Alice. Then you can come with me to my interview and help me celebrate when I’m told I’m not suitable, right?’ They were laughing as they left the café but Netta’s laughter was forced. What if Alice had reported her threats? What would she do? It was easy for Lilly to be light-hearted about it, she had family to support her.
Seeing her serious expression, Lilly said, ‘Mam and Dad will forgive you once they know the truth. They might give you a job again in the summer, if you want one. Better be re-e-eal sorry, mind. Then explain that it was for the children, and you were desperate. They’ll understand. Love children they do.’
Feeling noble and generous-hearted, she went to Rosebay Place and knocked on Alice and Eynon’s door. She tried the latch and, finding it unlocked, she walked in, helping Netta with Dolly’s pushchair. Netta was shaking with nervousness when Alice appeared, pushing back her long hair in an attempt to tidy it.
‘Lilly, this is a surprise. And, what do you want, to tell me more lies?’ she said as she glared at Netta.
‘She’s come to say it was all a dreadful mistake and she’s sorry,’ Lilly said, smiling as though the matter was so simply settled. ‘Aren’t you, Netta?’ she coaxed as Netta stood silently staring at Alice. ‘Go on, tell her what you told me.’
‘No. It’s almost half past twelve,’ Alice said. ‘Eynon will be home for his dinner, you’ll have to wait and tell both of us.’
‘Half past twelve?’ Lilly gasped, and took out a comb and lipstick. ‘I’ve got to see a Mr Johnston at quarter to one! Terrible it’ll be if I’m late, I might not get the job!’ She winked at Netta, who was too nervous to respond. She quickly explained to Alice about the interview for a dogsbody in the council offices then
turned to Netta. ‘Look, I’ll come back here and meet you, right? Now, don’t be afraid to tell Alice everything. It’s the only way.’ In her new role as comforter and adviser to those in trouble, Lilly went to the council offices, head held high, and demanded rather haughtily to see Mr Johnston.
* * *
When Eynon came home, he started with shock at seeing Netta there. ‘I thought we’d seen the last of you.’
‘Netta has come to apologize,’ Alice said calmly. ‘I told her she must wait until she can talk to both of us.’
‘Well?’ Eynon demanded.
‘I’m sorry,’ Netta sobbed, jumping up to grab Dolly, who was beginning to wander.
‘No tears, they won’t help!’ Eynon said.
‘All right, I lied about you being Dolly’s father. I was tempted simply because of the coincidence of the dates, nothing more. I fell for her around the time of your wedding and I began to see a way out of my struggles.’
‘So you followed me, and then made friends with Lilly so you could glean enough information to convince us?’ Alice asked.
‘I’d thought of it before that. It was talking to your parents over the beach one day that gave me the idea, the dates and …’ She stood then and glared at Alice. ‘It’s all right for people like you! Everything comes easy.’
‘You don’t think you’ve created your own troubles, having three children and no husband?’ Eynon asked, tight-lipped.
‘Three children? Me?’ She looked surprised. ‘Oh, you mean Danny? No, neither Danny nor Walter is mine. I only have Dolly.’
‘If they aren’t yours, then whose are they?’
‘I look after Walter because Mam works and he’s too young to go to school.’
‘Then what about Danny? What happened that you’re responsible for three children?’
‘I’d been thrown out of the room in my auntie’s house. Mam’s house was packed full with soldiers billeted on her, and I didn’t know how I was going to manage. I went home the night of Eynon’s stag do, and there was this soldier, and he comforted me, promised that everything would be all right. I’d had too many free drinks and I had a great need for sympathy and well, I took the only comfort I could find.’
‘What about Walter and Danny?’ Alice persisted.
‘Danny and Walter’s mother died and their father couldn’t cope. I took them in, Mam didn’t mind, she’s casual about such things, having three children of her own and widowed at twenty-one. It’s been difficult to work since but I was determined to look after the boys. Pitiful to see them it was; frightened and having no one who cared for them in the whole world. The alternative to us taking them in was for them to go into a home, probably be separated. They knew us, see, spent most of their days in our house they did. Best all round, I thought, for them to stay permanent with us.’
‘Couldn’t your mother look after them?’
‘Mam couldn’t help, working herself, see. But she packed us in, and once the soldiers were gone, she set to, filling every inch of the place, mostly with junk, making sure the house is an over-crowded mess, in the hope that I’ll be given one of these new prefabs when they come.’
Eynon and Alice were silent listening to the girl’s story and imagining how much she’d had to struggle to look after three children, two of whom weren’t even hers.
Eynon glanced at the clock. ‘Look, I’ve got to go back to work. Pack my food, will you, Alice love? I’ve no time to eat now, but,’ he went on, looking at the still tearful Netta, ‘well, thanks for being so honest with us, eh, Alice?’ He looked at Alice for approval and she nodded.
‘Yes, thanks,’ she said but she spoke grudgingly, without sincerity. ‘Netta, can you imagine what you did to me? I’ve been very distressed and I can’t say I forgive you. What you did was cruel. But, all right, we’ll say no more about it.’
‘And you’ll tell the police to forget it?’
‘Police? We haven’t told the police.’ Alice frowned. ‘Oh, you saw the constable here did you? He was looking for rooms for wedding guests. His bride’s family are staying with us for two nights, that’s all.’
‘I don’t suppose I can ask a favour?’
Alice frowned and waited for her to explain.
‘Will you tell Mr and Mrs Castle what I’ve told you? They were so kind to us, and I’m so ashamed.’
‘We’ll explain to Mam and Dad, so they know what drove you to do such a terrible thing.’
‘I’m sorry.’ Netta stood to go. ‘I’ll wait outside for Lilly. It was she who persuaded me to face you.’
‘Our Lilly?’ Eynon said in surprise. ‘That doesn’t sound like her!’
‘She’s gone for an interview for a job,’ Alice said.
‘Blimey! That doesn’t sound like our Lilly either. Is the world going mad?’
* * *
Lilly was shown around the dark, rather dreary offices where the typists worked and shown what her tasks would be. There was a notepad on which she would write down telephone messages, which she would then pass to the person concerned. Lilly at once decided that the person would have to come to her, she wasn’t going to run around after typists. Who did they think she was?
She would make tea during the morning and afternoon breaks, and run any messages required, including going to the baker’s for cakes each morning. It didn’t sound too strenuous. She wasn’t excited at the prospect but decided that she wouldn’t mind giving it a try. Better than the boring beach or waitressing! So she smiled and promised to do her very best, and the job was offered to her. With a feeling of triumph, she accepted.
When she returned to Rosebay Place, the two children were playing with utensils from Alice’s kitchen cupboard and Netta and Alice were sitting at the table, talking like friends.
‘Everything all right?’ Lilly asked, peering around the kitchen door. ‘No bloodshed?’
‘No blood,’ Alice said. ‘How did you get on?’
‘I got the job! And d’you know, I think I’m going to like it.’
She was still smiling happily as she set off to tell her parents, leaving Netta with Alice. She was hurrying, something she didn’t often do and, turning a corner, she bumped straight into Sam Junior. They stood and stared at each other.
Lilly had often wondered how she would feel on seeing him again and for a moment her heart leapt uncomfortably, but then, as she looked at him, staring into his eyes, shifty eyes, wondering anxiously how she would react, she felt shock leaving her and knew he no longer had any attraction for her. She was seeing only the man who had ended her comfortable marriage. ‘Excuse me, you’re in my way,’ she said and, pushing past him, walked on with no feeling of loss. She was over him and no matter how many times they met in the future, she would feel nothing.
She went into the house with a light-headed euphoria like she’d never known before. ‘Mam! Dad! I’ve got a job. What d’you think of that then, eh?’
* * *
Myrtle and Stanley found it easier to find places where they could be alone once they had made love in the haystack. There were plenty of places like old barns and once in a while they were alone in the flat above Audrey’s café and lay in utter comfort on Myrtle’s bed. When the date she had been waiting for had passed and she knew she was likely to be carrying a child, she clung to Stanley and cried. ‘I’m scared,’ she wailed.
‘What is it? You aren’t afraid I’ll leave you, are you, Myrtle? Never. I want us to grow old together surrounded by our family. Our family, Myrtle, just what we dreamed about, eh?’
‘I’m not scared you’ll let me down, Stanley, I know you’d never do that. I’m scared because I’ve got to face the family and tell them. Can you imagine what Auntie Audrey will say? And as for Auntie Marged and Uncle Huw. Oh, Stanley, I want to run away!’
He held her tightly and murmured soothingly. ‘I’ll be with you when you tell them and I think we should start right now, with Auntie Audrey.’
They stood sheepishly while the words were stuttered out
painfully. They held hands and avoided looking at Audrey or Keith.
‘You what? You think you might be carrying a baby? You can stand there and tell me such a thing so casually, and without shame?’
‘We wanted to get married, Auntie Audrey, and you kept telling us that we were too young.’
‘I was clearly correct. This is a childish way to get your own way! Misbehaving, letting yourselves down. Children you are, for all you’re eighteen years old, Myrtle!’
‘Can we? Get married?’ Stanley asked, his voice trembling. ‘I will look after her and we’ll be happy together, no doubt about that.’
‘Where will you live? How will you afford a baby? And what—’
‘What does Morgan say?’ Keith intervened.
‘Nobody else knows, you’re the first ones we’ve told,’ Myrtle said, hoping the hint of flattery would soften Audrey’s anger.
‘Then we’ll go straight away and tell the others. Right?’
There were mixed reactions although everyone expressed their disappointment in the young couple. In public, and when each member of the family was told, Myrtle was contrite and tearful, but in private, when she and Stanley were alone, she was ecstatically happy.
In haste, arrangements were made for them to marry on the 15th of February, which made Maude cry floods of tears. ‘That’s before Reggie and me,’ she wailed. ‘I’m the oldest! I’ve been engaged all proper and you’re spoiling it by getting married first! Auntie Audrey, tell her she can’t. It isn’t fair!’
‘What about a double wedding?’ Keith suggested, but this brought more wails.
‘No! I don’t want Myrtle muscling in on my wedding day!’
‘Myrtle’s wedding will be a small affair, yours will be different, properly planned,’ Marged comforted.
‘But she’ll be married first!’
There seemed no amicable solution and Myrtle just smiled and allowed the arguments to roll around her. She had her own way and the rest was not her problem. When her period began, almost two weeks late, she hid her discomfort as griping pains tormented her, and said nothing.
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