A Band of Steel

by Rosie Goodwin

  She gazed at him for a moment, but then sensing that she could trust him she spilled out the whole sorry tale as he listened without interrupting. When she was done, he took a deep breath and placed his arm around her trembling shoulders.

  ‘You poor love,’ he muttered. ‘I can’t even begin to imagine what you have been through. You must have been to hell and back. I don’t know how I’d cope if anyone took Freda away from me. And that damn lowlife that got you pregnant should be horse-whipped.’

  ‘None of this is his fault,’ Adina hiccuped through her tears. ‘Karl didn’t know that I was pregnant when he left, and he would have come back for me if he could have. I know it, he loved me.’

  Brian had his own thoughts on that score, but tactfully kept them to himself. The way he saw it, Adina had gone through enough without him rubbing salt into the wounds.

  ‘Ssh,’ he soothed as he cradled her against his shoulder. ‘Don’t worry. I’ll never breathe a word of what you’ve told me to Ariel. I don’t believe in married couples having secrets from each other, but in this case I reckon me keeping just this one won’t hurt.’

  As Adina sagged against him and cried out all her pain, it occurred to her how lucky her sister was to have such a thoughtful husband, and it was comforting to know that she need never worry about Ariel again at least. Brian was a good man.

  Chapter Forty-Two

  The following day was one of the happiest that Adina had experienced for a long, long time. They all went on a sightseeing trip and enjoyed every single minute of it, arriving home that evening tired but happy.

  ‘I just loved Trafalgar Square,’ Ariel trilled as she and Beryl got the little ones ready for bed while Adina stayed downstairs preparing a meal for everyone. ‘Feeding the pigeons there was such fun!’

  Beryl smiled indulgently. The city had had much the same effect on her when she had first come to live here with Adina, but now she tended to take everything for granted and was sometimes even a little homesick for Nuneaton where life was much slower and quieter. She had recently written to Tyrone asking him for a divorce. She had given him the address of a solicitor who would handle it for her as she had no wish to see him again, let alone give him her address. She was content for the first time in ages, and looking back now she wondered what she had ever seen in the GI, apart from his looks. Even now she could not deny that Tyrone was a handsome man.

  ‘Do you miss your husband?’ Ariel asked suddenly, as if she had somehow miraculously been able to read Beryl’s thoughts.

  ‘Not any more,’ Beryl admitted, lifting Catherine out of the bath she was sharing with Freda. ‘I’m sad that things didn’t turn out as I’d hoped they would, but then things rarely do in life, do they? I suppose I fell in love with a dream. But then I did get Cathy out of it all, so I should be grateful for that.’

  ‘Hm.’ Ariel seemed to ponder on what she’d said for a while before asking, ‘And what about Dina? Do you think she still misses Karl?’

  Beryl thought carefully while pulling a clean vest over her daughter’s head. ‘I suppose she does, but I think she’s come to terms with the fact that he’s not coming back for her now. And let’s face it – she’s still only very young. I can’t see someone as attractive as her havin’ to be on her own for long if she didn’t want to be, can you?’

  ‘No – but what about Rebekah and Esther?’ Ariel couldn’t help but voice her concerns as she pulled out the plug and lifted Freda onto what was left of her lap. ‘What would happen to them if Dina were to meet someone? She seems very fond of them and they obviously love her.’

  Beryl chuckled as she slipped a nightdress over Cathy’s sleepy head and gave her the rubber dummy to suck. ‘I reckon whoever took to her would have to take to them an’ all,’ she replied. ‘Dina is a very loyal person an’ very committed to the girls, God bless ’em. They’re lovely kids an’ they’ve blossomed since they’ve been here. They wouldn’t say boo to a goose when they first arrived, but we’ve brought ’em out of their shells. I can’t see Dina turnin’ her back on them for no bloke. But now if you’ll excuse me I’m goin’ to go an’ tuck this one in before she falls asleep sittin’ up.’

  As she left the room, Ariel finished drying Freda and putting on her nappy and cosy nightie. She admired the two women for what they were doing for the orphans, but she couldn’t help worrying about her sister. As far as she was concerned, Dina should be concentrating on getting married and having a family of her own, not taking in other people’s children. But then saying that, her sister did seem happy, so she should be too. She determined that in the future she would try not to worry about her sister so much.

  There were many tears the next morning as Brian and Ariel prepared to leave.

  ‘I can’t believe how quickly the time has passed,’ Ariel wailed as she clung to her older sister. Dina was only twenty-two years old and yet she suddenly appeared to be much older, as if she had somehow grown up overnight. ‘You will come and see us soon, won’t you?’

  Adina smiled at her sister. ‘Of course I will, once the baby is born.’ She ushered her towards the door. A taxi that Adina had ordered for them was standing outside and now she hugged her niece and planted a gentle kiss on her brother-in-law’s cheek.

  ‘Just remember, if ever you need us we’re only at the end of the phone,’ he murmured as they exchanged a meaningful glance.

  ‘I know. Thanks, Brian. For everything. Look after them for me, won’t you?’

  ‘Always,’ he told her with conviction and then everyone clustered around to wave goodbye as the little family trooped down the steps and clambered into the taxi.

  The house felt strangely empty after they had left. Rebekah and Esther led Cathy away to play with them in the drawing room as Adina stared mournfully from the hall window into the road beyond.

  ‘Come on, cheer up,’ Beryl urged as she bent to retrieve a teddy bear Cathy had dropped on the hall floor. ‘You’ll be seeing them again before you know it.’

  ‘I do know that, it’s just that suddenly I feel so . . .’ Adina looked so dejected that Beryl’s heart ached for her. She had no need to ask what her friend was thinking about. She often found her up in the nursery staring around the empty room and knew that Adina missed her baby every single minute of every day. Even Rebekah, Esther and Cathy had not managed to completely fill the hole Dottie had left in Adina’s heart, although they certainly kept her busy enough. In fact, what with her work at the school, looking after the girls and the sewing jobs she had taken on again, Beryl sometimes wondered how Adina managed to fit everything in.

  ‘You know, you’ll have to come to terms with what’s happened soon,’ she said quietly.

  ‘I have come to terms with it,’ Adina said indignantly.

  Beryl shook her head. ‘Oh no, you ain’t – not from where I’m standin’. You’ll eat yourself away at this rate. You know that wherever Dottie is she’s being loved and cared for, so you should move on now too. I’m not sayin’ you should forget all about her, but we’ve got a little family here that need you, Dina, an’ the way I see it you can either let what’s happened destroy you, or you can get on with your life and put it all behind you. I reckon you could if you tried hard enough. The Dina I’ve always known is a fighter – so what do you say?’

  ‘I suppose you’re right,’ Adina mumbled. ‘But it’s so hard not knowing where she is or what she’s doing.’

  ‘I know.’ Beryl patted her arm. ‘Now how about we go an’ have ourselves a nice strong cuppa before we set about puttin’ this place to rights, eh? It looks as if the Jerries have dropped one o’ them Doodlebugs in here.’

  It was early on Christmas Eve morning 1946 when Adina was preparing the breakfast in the kitchen that she heard someone banging on the front door. Tightening the belt of her dressing-gown, she hurried into the hallway wondering who it could be, so early in the morning. Everyone else was still in bed having a lie-in and she wasn’t expecting anyone.

  When she opened the do
or she was confronted by a very harassed-looking Miss Higgins who was clutching the hand of a small boy with a tear-stained face.

  ‘Oh, hello, dear,’ Miss Higgins greeted her. ‘I’m sorry to disturb you so early in the morning, but we have a bit of an emergency on and I was wondering if you could possibly help us out?’

  ‘You’d better come in out of the cold.’ Adina held the door wide and Miss Higgins swept in, dragging the little boy behind her.

  ‘You sit down there and be a good boy whilst I just have a quick chat with Mrs Schwartz,’ Miss Higgins told him as she deposited a rather battered-looking suitcase on the hall floor and gestured towards a chair.

  The child did as he was told as Beryl appeared on the stairs knuckling the sleep from her eyes.

  ‘Did I hear someone at the door?’ she yawned – then as she spotted Miss Higgins she hurried down the steps towards them.

  ‘Let’s go into the drawing room,’ Adina suggested as she flashed the child an encouraging smile.

  Once they were all in the room she closed the door quietly behind them and instantly Miss Higgins burst out, ‘The poor child. He’s only four years old and his mother passed away last night. It seems his father was killed in the war and so he has no one now. The lady from the lodging house called us to ask us what she should do with him first thing this morning, and what with it being Christmas Eve . . . Well, I know this is terribly short notice and a great deal to ask, but do you think you could possibly take him? Just until we can sort him out a more permanent place.’

  Before Adina could reply, Beryl piped up, ‘Of course we’ll take him, won’t we, Dina? Poor little mite. I’m sure we can squeeze in another little ’un.’

  Adina nodded. ‘Yes, we can take him,’ she agreed. ‘What’s his name?’

  ‘It’s Christopher. Christopher Bourne.’ Miss Higgins looked so relieved that for a moment Adina feared she was going to kiss her. ‘He’s a good little chap according to the landlady at the house in College Street where he and his mum were staying, and it’s tragic that he should lose his last remaining parent so close to Christmas. Not that there’s ever a good time for that,’ she added hastily. ‘I’m sure he won’t give you any trouble and I’ll be in touch as soon as the holidays are over to decide what we’re going to do with him. I shall have to enquire if any of the local orphanages have a place, unless some relative we don’t know of comes forward. I don’t think there’s much chance of that happening though. The landlady couldn’t recall anyone ever even visiting Christopher’s mother. She went out quite a lot at night leaving Christopher in their room and tended to keep herself very much to herself, from what I could gather. Anyway, now that you’ve so kindly agreed to help me out, I must be on my way. I have a list of things to do as long as your arm before the office closes tonight. You can guarantee it’s the same every Christmas.’ Slinging her handbag over her arm she beamed at the two young women before marching purposefully towards the door. Once out in the hall again she looked down into Christopher’s pinched, fearful little face.

  ‘Now you’re going to stay here over Christmas,’ she told him with an encouraging smile. ‘I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time and I’ll be back to see you as soon as I can. Goodbye, dear.’ And then she was gone, leaving Adina and Beryl staring at each other in amazement. Everything had happened so fast they had barely had time to take it all in.

  By now the two older girls had crept downstairs and were peeping curiously at the new house-guest through the banisters.

  ‘Come an’ meet Christopher, girls,’ Beryl encouraged when she spotted them. ‘He’s going to be staying with us over the holidays. That’ll be nice, won’t it?’

  Rebekah and Esther smiled shyly as they came forward to meet him.

  ‘You can play with my snakes and ladders game with me after breakfast, if you like,’ Rebekah offered, and Adina felt a glow of pride sweep through her. The little girl had grown in confidence since coming to live with them, and now with her long fair hair brushed and her blue eyes, shining she was becoming quite pretty.

  Christopher managed a weak smile but remained stubbornly silent as Beryl caught hold of his hand and led him unresisting towards the kitchen.

  ‘Come on, little ’un. Let’s get you a bowl of nice creamy porridge, eh?’

  ‘I’ll go and fetch Cathy,’ Adina told her and hurried away upstairs as the little party went off downstairs to the kitchen.

  Half an hour later the two women exchanged glances as Christopher polished off his third bowl of porridge.

  ‘Blimey O’Riley,’ Beryl whispered. ‘Anybody would think the child hadn’t been fed for a month. I’ve never seen such a small nipper eat so much all in one go.’

  Adina nodded in agreement as she filled his glass yet again with milk and placed two large pieces of hot buttered toast in front of him. There was something about the child that had struck a chord in her, and somehow she knew that she was going to like him even though as yet he had not uttered so much as a single word. He was very poorly dressed in a blazer that was at least two sizes two small for him, and his trousers were somewhere up above his skinny ankles. Christopher was quite tall for his age but skinny as a beanpole and he had a shock of curly dark hair that looked as if it hadn’t been cut or washed for months. There was a spattering of freckles across his nose and dimples in his thin cheeks. But it was his eyes that were clearly his best feature, as far as Adina was concerned. They were a deep dark brown and heavily fringed. Now as she studied him she saw that they were full of unshed tears and she ached for the poor little chap.

  ‘Why don’t you take the children upstairs and help them all get dressed?’ she suggested tactfully, and understanding exactly what she meant, Beryl lifted Cathy from her highchair and ushered them all quickly away.

  Now that they were alone, Adina reached out to stroke Christopher’s thin hand. ‘It’s going to be all right, I promise,’ she said gently, and suddenly the tears he had so valiantly held back spurted out of him and in seconds she had him in her arms.

  ‘That’s it, sweetheart,’ she soothed. ‘Cry it all out. You’ll feel better then.’ And that is exactly what he did.

  It was the first day after the New Year 1947 when Miss Higgins turned up on the doorstep again.

  ‘I have good news,’ she boomed, the second she skipped through the door. ‘They have a place at Saint Paul’s Orphanage and I can take our young man there straight away.’

  ‘Oh no you can’t,’ Adina told her with steely determination. ‘Christopher is staying right here with us, if you have no objections.’

  ‘Wh . . . what? You mean you’re willing to keep him?’

  When Adina nodded she had the satisfaction of seeing Miss Higgins become still for the first time in their acquaintance.

  ‘Well,’ she finally managed to say, ‘I must say I’m delighted to hear it, if you’re really sure.’ She glanced towards the drawing room, where she could hear the children playing, and lowering her voice, she said, ‘It seems that the poor little chap has had a rough time of it, from things that have come to light. His mother was a . . . shall we say “a lady of the night”?’

  ‘Perhaps that’s the only way she had of keeping a roof over their heads after Christopher’s father was killed in the war,’ Adina said. Life had taught her not to judge.

  ‘Yes, I dare say it was,’ Miss Higgins sighed, then quickly became excited again as she asked, ‘Are you really quite, quite sure that you’ll manage another child here?’

  ‘I could manage another two or three.’ Adina told her without hesitation, and so it was that Christopher Bourne became a part of their little family.

  Chapter Forty-Three

  January 1947

  Soon after Christmas the first snow began to fall and in no time at all England was experiencing the coldest winter it had known since 1880. Coal was piling up at the pits but many households and businesses were left without fuel because roads and trainlines were blocked by snowdrifts – some as high as twen
ty feet. Lack of coal had also curbed supplies of electricity and gas, and soon over four million workers had been laid off through power cuts. Blizzards stopped shipping in the Channel and kept the fishing fleets in port, further worsening the food shortages.

  ‘Brr, it makes you wonder when it’s goin’ to end, don’t it?’ Beryl said one evening as they all sat around the wireless listening to the news. Alvar Lidell, the famous broadcaster, was saying that it looked as if the terrible storms they were experiencing were going to continue on into February.

  ‘We should just think ourselves lucky I thought to get us a good supply of candles in before it got too bad,’ Adina said. ‘And at least we’re better off than some. While you were out at the shops this morning I listened to the news and it said that the RAF are having to drop food supplies to stranded villages and livestock in Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Yorkshire.’

  ‘Poor sods.’ Beryl shivered. They were all wearing at least four layers of clothing, although the lack of electricity didn’t seem to be worrying the children. They viewed it all as a big adventure and loved the flickering candlelight.

  Thankfully they still had at least a month’s supply of food in the larder and it was quite nice not to have to go to school. Adina had taken Theo’s sturdy wooden sledge out of the shed, and sometimes the two women took turns to drag it over to Primrose Hill, where the children built snowmen, skidded across the frozen lake or whizzed down the slopes on the sledge, whooping with joy.

  All in all, both women were feeling more settled than they had been in a long time. There was never a dull moment with the children to keep them on their toes, and although Adina still missed Dottie and Karl, she found that she could move on now. It was as if she had found her vocation in life and she was growing to love the children in her care almost as if they were her own. The affection was returned tenfold and each of the children was blossoming, especially Christopher, much to Miss Higgins’s delight.

  Shortly after the New Year, Beryl had enrolled Cathy and Christopher in a Sunday school at the local church. In no time at all Rebekah and Esther begged to go too. When Beryl explained the predicament to the vicar, he assured her that children of all religions were welcome, and so the girls started to attend too. All the children looked forward to going each week, mainly because of the friendly young vicar who had recently been appointed there. Father Mick was about as far from a traditional vicar as anyone could have imagined. He rode about the potholed streets on a bicycle that looked as if it would have been more in place in a museum, and he was very attractive in an odd sort of way. He had long wavy dark hair that curled across his collar and blue eyes that always seemed to be smiling.