Her father was deeply distressed because the Jewish custom of the dead being buried within twenty-four hours had not been adhered to. But the police and the doctor had insisted on a hurried post mortem being carried out because of the suddenness of the death, and as they were not in their own country they could not argue their religious beliefs.
That morning before leaving for the service, Ezra had written Freyde’s name in the Book of the Dead.
There had been no flowers or wreaths. The Jewish faith did not recognise flowers at funerals and now it was over and Adina could barely take it in. Life would never be the same again.
Part Three
Mothers and Daughters
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The day after his wife’s funeral, Ezra opened the shop again, and for the first time since Dovi had been sent to Hatton, people began to pour in again, wishing to offer their condolences at Freyde’s passing. The customers were all eager to tell Ezra what a wonderfully kind woman she had been, and while he was coping with this, Adina took the first opportunity to go round to her sister’s home.
‘Where is Ariel?’ she demanded, when Brian opened the door. ‘I cannot believe that she chose not to attend her own mother’s funeral!’
‘She didn’t choose not to come, Dina. She couldn’t come – that’s why I went to represent her,’ Brian retorted. ‘As it so happens, she’s in hospital. She had the baby early yesterday morning. It’s a little girl.’
‘Oh!’ Adina was so stunned that for a moment she couldn’t think of a word to say. It seemed bizarre that her niece should have been born on such a sad day, the day of her maternal grandmother’s burial.
‘Are they both all right?’ she managed to ask eventually.
Unable to keep the smile from his face, Brian nodded. ‘Fine an’ dandy,’ he assured her. ‘An’ the baby is a little cracker, even though I do say so meself.’
‘Congratulations,’ Adina said, as joy at the news of the baby’s birth and grief at her mother’s passing vied for first place in her heart. ‘Will I be able to go to the hospital to see them?’
‘I’m afraid not,’ Brian told her regretfully. ‘Only fathers are allowed to visit on the maternity ward, but I’ll let you know as soon as they’re home an’ then you can come round an’ see them both. You’ll love the little ’un. She was eight pounds one ounce. That’s a good weight for a first baby, me mam says.’
‘I should imagine it is,’ Adina agreed, although she really didn’t know much about such things. ‘I shall have to go now, but do give Ariel my love – and the baby, of course. What are you going to call her?’
‘We ain’t decided definitely yet, but when we do I’ll let you know, eh? Oh, and Adina . . . I’m so sorry about your mam.’
She inclined her head before turning to make the short journey back to the shop. This was another day she would never forget.
A week later, Adina set off to visit her sister and her new niece. Brian had managed to get word to her via Mrs Haynes that they had come home from hospital the day before. Adina had spent hours over the previous days sewing tiny little nightgowns from a flannelette sheet and had then smocked and embroidered them. She had been quite pleased with the end result as they were very pretty and she hoped that Ariel would like them.
Mrs Rowley welcomed her warmly when she tapped on the door and ushered her into a small parlour where Ariel was sitting with her feet propped up on a brown leatherette pouffe. Adina saw at a glance that the house was immaculately clean and tidy. Bright flowered curtains had replaced the dreary blackout ones, and a large bowl of sweet williams filled the air with their scent.
‘My Henry fetched ’em for Ariel from the allotment,’ the woman told her proudly as she saw Adina looking towards them. ‘But I wish you’d have a word wi’ this sister o’ yours. Thinks she can run afore she can walk, so she does. I keep tellin’ her she’s got to keep her feet up for at least another week. Anyway, that’s enough from me. I dare say you’re dyin’ to see your new niece, ain’t yer? She’s a lovely little thing, but then I’m bound to be biased. She is me first grandchild, after all. I’ll leave yer to it now.’ With that she disappeared through a door that led into the kitchen as Adina slowly approached a small wooden crib placed at Ariel’s side.
‘Oh Ariel, she’s just perfect,’ she gasped as she stared down at the tiny infant who was swaddled in a snow-white hand-knitted shawl.
‘She is rather gorgeous, isn’t she?’ Ariel opened her arms and the two sisters hugged each other. Ariel was delighted with her new baby daughter but the joy of the birth had been marred by the death of their mother.
‘How is Papa bearing up, Dina?’ she asked as she stared into her sister’s strained face.
‘Oh, he seems to be coping.’ Adina sighed. ‘It seems so strange, though . . . just the two of us. The house feels so empty and Papa is keeping the shop open from dawn until dusk now. I don’t think he likes to be in the house too much at present but I suppose that’s understandable.’
‘Who would ever have thought all this would befall our family when we set out on the boat from Cologne that day, eh?’ Ariel blinked back tears.
‘Things could have been worse,’ Adina answered quietly. ‘If we had not left when we did, no doubt we would have faced the same fate as our Zayda and Bubba did in some awful camp. At least we are still alive, and now you have brought a new little life into the world. We should be grateful for that at least.’
They both stared down at the beautiful little girl. With her long eyelashes resting on her smooth pink cheeks and her tuft of golden brown hair she looked like a little angel.
‘Have you decided what you’re going to call her yet?’
‘We have actually. We are going to call her Freda. It is the English version of Mama’s name. Brian and I thought it would be a nice gesture. What do you think?’
‘I think it’s a lovely idea.’
At that moment the baby stirred and stretched her arms, and her mother immediately lifted her from the crib and placed her into her aunt’s arms. ‘Meet your Auntie Dina,’ she smiled.
Adina’s heart melted as she nuzzled the silky skin of the baby’s neck and for the rest of the visit she refused to put her down.
‘Please come again as soon as you can, Dina,’ Ariel urged when Adina finally reluctantly rose to leave. ‘Brian’s mother is lovely, but I feel as if I’m being suffocated. She won’t let me do a single thing except feed the baby.’
‘And that is just how it should be,’ Adina told her mock-sternly. ‘You need to get your strength back before you do too much.’
Ariel kissed her as she bent down and told her, ‘And thanks for the lovely nightgowns. I shall put one on her tonight.’
‘You’re very welcome.’ Adina took her leave and slowly began to make her way home to Edmund Street, although she didn’t relish the thought of going back there at all. It wasn’t a happy house any more and she feared that it never would be again.
When Adina entered the shop, the bell above the door tinkled and her father looked up from the sweets he was carefully weighing into little brown triangular paper bags which he then secured with a twist.
‘Ah, you are back,’ he commented. ‘I was beginning to wonder where you had got to. Have you been somewhere nice?’
Deciding that there would never be a better opportunity than now, Adina told him brazenly, ‘Yes, I have actually. I have just been to meet your new granddaughter. She is quite beautiful and Ariel is going to call her Freda in memory of Mama.’
She watched a million emotions flit across his face as his hands became still, but then suddenly he filled yet another bag and told her brusquely, ‘Mrs Benson called in earlier. She wondered how you were getting on with her alterations.’
Sighing, Adina walked past him into the little empty kitchen at the back of the house to start preparing their dinner.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Although the war was over for the people of Europe it still raged on in
Japan, and the newspapers reported daily on what was happening there. In August 1945 Churchill lost his seat in a Labour landslide and Clement Attlee was appointed as the new Prime Minister. It seemed that the people’s regard for Winston Churchill as a war leader was now outweighed by their desire for social changes in peace time. Britain was facing austerity measures that were even fiercer than those of wartime, with food, petrol and tobacco imports severely reduced. There was no end in sight to the rationing, and Britain’s reserves were all but exhausted.
Those who had fought for their country were slowly trickling back home, returning to their joyous families – but it soon became obvious that very few of them were unscarred by their experiences.
And then at last, at midnight on 15 August, the new Prime Minister announced the surrender of Japan – and another two-day holiday began, to celebrate what was to become known as VJ Day. King George and Queen Elizabeth travelled to Parliament in an open carriage, waving at the ecstatic crowds on the way as they were soaked by rain. Later the same day they made repeated appearances on the balcony of Buckingham Palace whilst the people rejoiced that at last they had no more enemies to fight. Once again, street parties, bonfires and flags appeared everywhere, but this time Ezra and Adina stayed indoors, too saddened at Freyde’s death and the dreadful memories of VE Day to join in.
Now Britain could begin to count the human and economic cost of what Winston Churchill had referred to as ‘its finest hour’, and it soon became apparent that Britain was economically crippled. Thousands of homes had been flattened, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers had lost their lives whilst others, like Dovid, had lost their sanity. Now Britain would be forced to fight a battle of a different kind as her citizens tried to survive in the aftermath of the war.
It was now over three months since Karl had returned to Germany, but still Adina looked for his letter each day. It was more important than ever now that she heard from him, for the suspicion that had plagued her for weeks had now been confirmed. She was almost four months’ pregnant.
She longed to confide in someone, but there was no one whom she wished to burden with her secret, even her own sister, and now as each day passed her terror increased. ‘What am I going to do?’ she asked herself over and over again, but she never came up with an answer. Her father must surely find out soon. Thankfully, Adina had always been slight of build so although her waistbands were becoming uncomfortably tight, only she was aware of her condition up to now.
She had considered running away – but where would she run to? And if she did and a letter from Karl arrived, she would not be here to read it.
And then one morning a solution was handed to her on a plate.
‘Ah, Adina – I’m glad I’ve caught you. Could I have a quick word with you in my office before you start work?’ Mrs Downes, the Headmistress, asked her cheerfully.
Adina followed the woman along the corridor with her heart in her mouth. Could she have somehow discovered that she was going to have a baby? And if she had, would she inform her father?
She slid into the office and closed the door quietly as the woman beamed at her.
‘Adina,’ she began, ‘I know this might come as a surprise to you, but I have a proposition to put to you. The thing is, I have a dear friend who lives in London with her husband. She is a teacher too, and during the war they have had dozens of Jewish evacuee children at their school. Far, far more than we have had here. Anyway, I was talking to her on the phone the other day, and I happened to mention what a wonderful job you have done in trying to trace the children’s families, which is where my proposition comes in.’ She cleared her throat. ‘My friend wondered if you would consider going to work at her school to do the same job there. It might mean you being away from home for approximately nine to twelve months, but I feel it would be a wonderful opportunity for you.’
When Adina blinked in surprise she hurried on, ‘Of course, you would stay with my friends in their home and they would take very good care of you, so you can assure your father that there would be nothing for him to worry about. They would be able to pay you far more than I could too, so what do you think? Would you like some time to mull it over and decide?’
‘Yes, I . . . I think I would,’ Adina managed to stammer and she left the room in a daze. This could be the answer to all her prayers. Once in London she could wait for Karl to contact her without anyone here being aware that she was pregnant. She could ask Mrs Downes to forward to her any letters that arrived, and then once she had heard from Karl and told him of her plight he would hurry back and they could be married before the baby was born. At least that way she would not bring shame on her father. The thought of deceiving him now was terrifying, but anything was better than piling yet more heartache onto him. It would be bad enough facing his rage when he discovered that she had fallen in love with a German, but at least now a chance had been offered that might prevent him from finding out about the baby. With her mind racing she headed for the classroom but she thought it was going to be very hard to concentrate on anything today. She had a lot to think about now.
Two days later, after discussing the opportunity with her father, Adina made her decision. She felt very guilty at going and leaving him all alone, but to her surprise he seemed all for the idea.
‘You will only remember the poverty-stricken part of London where we lived when we first came to England,’ he told her. ‘But this will be entirely different and you should grasp the opportunity to better yourself with both hands. Do not worry about me. I shall be fine and you can write to me often. It isn’t as if you are going away for ever, is it?’
Adina’s heart ached as she avoided his eyes. The truth of it was that once she set foot out of the door she would be leaving him for ever – but he could have no way of knowing that. This was her only way out.
Mrs Downes was delighted when she heard Adina’s decision and promised to get in touch with her friends in London straight away.
‘It will be such a weight off their minds,’ she assured her. ‘At present they are really struggling. Many of the Jewish children there are placed in orphanages, but it is imperative now that those who can return to their families do so. Of course, there are probably many who won’t have families to return to, but at least a future can be planned for them once we know. I’m sure you won’t regret this, my dear. Now off you go. I shall ring them and tell them of your decision immediately.’
Adina slowly rose from her seat and left the office as the Headmistress began to thumb through her address book. It was done; there was no going back now. She suddenly had the urge to visit Ariel. Once she left Nuneaton she might never see either her sister or her beautiful niece again. But then she would have Karl – and she knew that that would make up for everything.
One week later, Adina stood in the shop facing her father with tears in her eyes.
‘Why don’t you let me come to the station with you?’ he asked for at least the tenth time in an hour.
‘Because it is more important for you to stay here and keep the shop open.’ Her eyes scanned his face, locking every little detail of his features away into her memory. Once she and Karl were married, she knew that her father would disown her, just as he had Ariel. He looked so old now, nothing like the vibrant man he had been when they had all first come to Nuneaton a mere six years ago, but then she supposed that it could not be otherwise. They had all gone through so much since then and the family had been torn apart. Now he would be all alone, and guilt was weighing heavily on her. The suitcase that stood on the floor beside the door of the shop was full of everything she owned, including the beautiful wedding gown that she hoped to be wearing soon, but it still contained pitifully little apart from the clothes that Adina had made for herself and a photo of the family taken during happier times.
That photo was all that she would have of them now, and she knew that it was her most valuable possession.
At that moment the taxi her father had ordered to take her to the
station pulled up outside and he silently lifted her case and carried it out for her. Then whilst the driver stowed it safely away in the boot he placed his hands on his daughter’s cheeks and gently kissed her.
‘You take care now,’ he told her. ‘And be sure to write to me often.’
She nodded numbly. ‘I will, Papa,’ she promised chokily, and then he was ushering her into the car and she waved from the back window until the car turned a corner and he was lost from sight.
Adina had been to see Ariel the day before to say goodbye, and had confided in her about her relationship with Karl, although she had refrained from telling her about the baby. Ariel had been terrified for her, but after falling in love herself with Brian she did not condemn her. She of all people understood that love had the habit of striking you down when you least expected it.
‘Please promise that you’ll stay in touch,’ she implored Adina when it was time for her sister to leave.
‘Of course I will.’ Adina had bent to kiss her baby niece with tears in her eyes and then she had hugged her sister for one last time and hurried blindly away. After all, who could know how long it might be before they saw each other again – or indeed if they ever would?
She was standing on the platform deep in thought when the train chugged into the station, and after yanking her suitcase aboard she sat down opposite an elderly couple who smiled at her kindly. Now she was regretting not letting her father accompany her to the station. At least that would have prolonged their parting by a few minutes. Although grief had changed him almost beyond recognition over the last months, she still loved him and was missing him already. But the family had been divided and now Ezra Schwartz would have to get used to living alone.
A Band of Steel Page 22