Across a Summer Sea

by Lyn Andrews

  ‘I keep you - or I did. Now you can keep yourself. I mean it. Out in an hour.’

  She stared at him in shock. What was he saying? ‘Frank, you can’t mean it? I’ve done nothing wrong, I swear to God I haven’t!’

  ‘You can swear as much as you like. I’m not putting up with you and your carrying on for another day!’

  ‘Frank, for God’s sake, it’s Christmas Day! You can’t do this to us! You’ll break the kids’ hearts!’ Mary was beside herself. ‘I won’t go! I won’t go, Frank! I’m not moving an inch and neither are the kids!’

  He turned on her. ‘Then I’ll bloody well throw you out! I’ll pick you up and physically throw you out of the bloody door onto the street!’ he yelled.

  ‘You wouldn’t!’

  ‘Just try me, Mary!’

  She was horrified, she could see he meant it. ‘And the kids?’

  ‘You should have thought of them before you started whoring around! Get their things together now and get out!’

  He turned away and she clutched his arm. ‘Frank, please? I swear I’ve done nothing. I swear, nothing!’

  Angrily he shook off her grip and returned to the kitchen.

  Mary followed him, almost in tears. She couldn’t believe he was doing this. ‘Frank, you’ve got to listen to me! Please?’

  Maggie was awake. ‘What’s the matter now?’ she asked irritably.

  Frank turned on her. ‘You stay out of it!’

  Mary threw out her hands in a gesture of appeal. ‘Oh, God! Maggie, he . . . he’s throwing us out! He won’t listen to me. He believes I’ve been . . . more than friendly with Richie, but it’s not true, Maggie!’

  Anger flooded through Maggie. ‘Of course it’s not flaming well true! You’re a fool, Frank McGann! You don’t know when you’ve got a good wife. Look at some of them in this street. Lazy slatterns. The place like a pigsty and no meal on the table and no washing done and them sitting in the side passage of the Newsham House drinking every penny they get. You just be thankful she’s not like that.’

  ‘I told you to stay out of it. It’s got nothing to do with you!’ Frank shouted.

  Maggie wasn’t intimidated. ‘It’s got everything to do with me, it’s my house, in case you’d forgotten!’

  ‘And I pay half the rent you can’t afford. If you insist and she stays then I go and there’ll be no way either of you can afford the rent. You’ll both finish up in the Workhouse. But it’s not me who’s going, it’s her! You think about that, old woman. Do you want to end your days no better than a bag of bones in the Workhouse? Because if you take her side I’ll make bloody sure that’s what will happen! I’m going to the pub and when I get back I don’t want to see her or the kids here!’

  As the door slammed behind him Mary sank down in the armchair and began to cry. ‘Oh, Maggie, what will I do? Where will I go? Why is he being so unreasonable? Why won’t he believe me?’

  Maggie hastened to comfort her. ‘Oh, Mary! God knows what’s got into him.’ She was thoroughly shocked herself.

  Mary was beside herself with worry. ‘He means it, Maggie, he does! I’ve never seen him like this. He’s . . . terrifying!’

  In her heart Maggie had to agree. It was a terrible, calculating hatred she’d seen in Frank’s eyes. ‘Try to take no notice,’ she soothed.

  ‘Maggie, I have to. And I can’t put you in danger of losing your home and with it your chance to earn a bit of money.’

  ‘That doesn’t matter, Mary. I can’t see you all thrown out on the street.’

  ‘I know you mean well but we have to go. You can’t afford to keep us and even if he went and I worked, if I could get a proper job, we still couldn’t manage. You’d lose everything. You heard him, he’d make sure you ended up destitute. I have to go. I can’t let that happen.’

  Maggie knew she was right and she raged inwardly at Frank’s callousness and vindictiveness but she lived in mortal terror of the Workhouse, as did all the poor, and she had no kith or kin to turn to in her old age. ‘Where will you go, luv? What will you do?’

  ‘I don’t know, Maggie! I’ve no money, I spent it all on Christmas.’ She broke down, unable to stifle her sobs. It was too much to take in.

  Maggie was trying to plan, but all she could think was that it was so unfair. Everyone knew that Mary was a decent, hard-working girl who loved her family. She was sure that the women in the street wouldn’t stand by and let her sink into destitution until she was forced to throw herself and her kids on the dubious mercy of the Workhouse. No, they’d all rally round.

  She drew herself up determinedly. ‘I’m going to talk to Nellie and Queenie and some of the others. You make yourself a cup of tea, luv, I won’t be long.’

  As soon as she’d gone Katie crept forward and clutched her mother’s arm. ‘Mam! Mam, what’s the matter? Why is Da so mad? Why do we have to go? Why was he shouting at Maggie?’

  ‘I don’t know, luv, that’s the honest truth.’ Mary wiped away the tears on the child’s cheeks, knowing that some sort of explanation would have to be given. ‘Your da’s mad at me. He thinks I’ve done something wrong, but I haven’t! I haven’t, Katie! And he’s angry with Maggie for taking my side.’

  Katie was very frightened. ‘Where will we go, Mam?’ she said, her voice shaking.

  Mary bit her lip. ‘I don’t know just yet, luv. I’ll have to think but don’t worry, we’ll be all right. I . . . I’ll put the kettle on, you’d better go and find Tommy and bring him home.’ She beckoned Lizzie towards her and the child came slowly, clutching her new toys, afraid her da would come back and take them away from her. She could tell how angry he was.

  ‘Lizzie, Da is very cross with me. Just me,’ Mary explained slowly and deliberately. Oh, how hard it was to explain anything to Lizzie, but she had to try. She could only hope that Lizzie would understand. ‘We have to leave - go away. Katie will help you. Go with Katie, good girl.’ She stroked the child’s cheek but Lizzie made no attempt to return the gesture. Mary bit her lip. Oh, dear God, she wished she had a better way of communicating with Lizzie. ‘Katie, luv, you try, please? Help her to get her things together, even if she can’t understand why right now. I’ll try again . . . later,’ she added, distractedly.

  Lizzie didn’t understand, but she had sensed the atmosphere and had looked closely at the faces of her parents and sister before her da had gone out and her mam had begun to cry. She knew something was very wrong.

  Mary hugged her and then gave her a gentle push in the direction of the door. Then she wiped her own eyes on her apron and stood up. She felt dazed and disorientated, outraged and appalled but she had to keep her spirits up in front of the children.

  Maggie had hurried from house to house, explaining what had happened, and four other women joined her as she returned to Nellie’s kitchen.

  ‘I’ve told them,’ she announced triumphantly.

  ‘It’s a bloody disgrace, that’s what it is!’ Nellie fulminated. ‘And Fred agrees with me. I’ve sent him down to Bert Price’s pub to try to talk some sense into Frank.’

  Maggie was doubtful. ‘I don’t think that will do much good, Nellie. You should have seen the look on his face.’

  ‘An’ Alfie says it doesn’t do ter go interferin’ between a man an’ his wife. It ain’t right,’ Queenie added.

  ‘Oh, a lorra ’elp yer’re goin’ ter be!’ Bella Spriggs interrupted scathingly.

  ‘I were only repeatin’ what ’e said. Keep yer ’air on, Bella, it don’t mean I agree with ’im,’ Queenie shot back.

  ‘What are we going to do to help her? She’s helped us out many a time, one way or another,’ Eileen Quinn from number sixteen reminded them.

  ‘If Fred can’t talk sense into him then I suggest we all pitch in and help. If we take her and the kids for, say, a week each, until she gets herself sorted, that won’t be too much bother.’ Nellie looked around for approval.

  ‘And you know Mary, she’ll be only too willing to work her fingers to the bone f
or you all to repay you,’ Maggie added.

  ‘God knows where I’ll put ’em. There’s twelve of us in our ’ouse already,’ Bella commented.

  ‘And there’s eight of us,’ Nellie reminded her.

  ‘We’ll manage. We’ll just ’ave ter,’ Queenie said firmly.

  Maggie rose. ‘Right, I’ll get back and tell her.’

  Nellie also got to her feet. ‘I’ll come with you. She can come to me first. I’ll leave word with the kids to tell Fred where I am in case there’s any . . . news.’

  When they returned Mary was sitting at the table, a cup of tea in front of her, untouched. Katie, Lizzie and Tommy were sitting close together on the old sofa looking frightened and bewildered, each clutching a small bundle containing their meagre possessions.

  ‘Right, it’s all settled. Myself, Queenie, Bella, Mabel and Eileen Quinn are all going to take you and the kids in for a week about, until you get yourself settled, like,’ Nellie announced. ‘And you’re coming with me first.’

  ‘Oh, Nellie! You’re all so good!’ Mary cried.

  ‘You’ve done enough to help us all out over the years, Mary. Now, luv, let’s get your things together.’ She lowered her voice. ‘He’s a bloody fool, believing you’d do something like that! Fred’s gone to see if he can talk some sense into him.’

  ‘Oh, Nellie, I hope he can. I just can’t understand him. He’s so . . . unreasonable these days. Has he changed or is it me?’

  ‘It’s him, luv. You’ll never change. You’re a good wife and mother and always will be.’

  ‘All I can hope is that he’ll come to see that,’ Mary said brokenly.

  ‘I’m going to have a few words with that Richie Seddon, too! He’s not without blame in all this,’ Nellie said darkly.

  ‘No, leave it, Nellie, please? I don’t want to give Frank any more reason for suspicion and if he sees or hears that Richie has been to see me, wherever I am, then he’ll never change his mind and have us back.’

  ‘If you insist, luv, but I wish that lad would settle down and stop causing trouble.’ She shot a warning glance at Queenie. Their Nora had played her part in all this, too.

  Fred called in fifteen minutes later, shaking his head to his wife’s queries. There was no talking to Frank McGann these days. He was adamant that Mary was being unfaithful and that he’d had enough of being made a laughing stock. ‘The stupid, blind sod!’ had been Fred’s final words before he’d left.

  They had packed up what belonged to Mary and some food and were preparing to leave when Frank returned.

  Nellie drew herself up. ‘Don’t you start, we’re just leaving,’ she said grimly. ‘And in my opinion you’re the biggest bloody fool in the entire city! She’s a good girl and you must be mad to think she’d have anything to do with the likes of Richie Seddon.’

  ‘I’m not interested in your opinions and I won’t have his name mentioned in this house!’ Frank snapped.

  ‘Suit yourself, but you’re the loser in all this. Do you think people around here are going to think well of you?’ she asked, raising her eyebrows, but Frank said nothing. ‘If you do, you’ve another think coming!’ she finished, shepherding the three frightened children towards the door.

  Mary tried a last, desperate appeal. ‘Frank, she’s right! Please, for the last time, won’t you believe me?’

  He turned away and walked from the room.

  ‘Leave him, Mary. Let’s hope he comes to his senses in a couple of weeks,’ Maggie said sadly. She was going to miss Mary terribly. Nor did she relish the thought of living here with him on her own. Well, she’d keep herself to herself and she certainly wasn’t going to be waiting on him. Let him find out what it was like to come home to a cold kitchen, no meal and no clean clothes. It would serve him right.

  Chapter Six

  MARY LOOKED DESPAIRINGLY AT the pool of milk that was spreading across the newly scrubbed floor. Oh, this was just the last straw! Things were going from bad to worse. It was impossible for sixteen people to live comfortably in one tiny house. Bella had made them more than welcome but her ways were not Mary’s and these last few days the atmosphere had become more than a little strained. Bella seemed to exercise little or no discipline over her brood of children, which made it hard for Mary to control her own three, although Lizzie was not much of a problem. All three were confused by the constant moving and the change in routines, which worried Mary - though not as much as the uncertainty over their future.

  She got to her feet and picked up the floorcloth. Now she’d have to do it all again.

  ‘Is that the milk fer the tea?’ Bella enquired, dumping her shopping down on the table.

  ‘It is - or it was. And I’ve just scrubbed the floor,’ Mary replied sharply.

  ‘Whose fault was it?’ Bella demanded.

  ‘Jinny’s. She left the top off the can and then she caught it with the corner of the coal bucket she was carting out into the yard.’

  ‘God, she’s a great clumsy lump!’

  Mary sighed wearily. ‘Don’t go on at her, Bella. It was an accident, she didn’t mean to do it.’

  Bella went into the scullery, opened the back door and bawled for Jinny to come back inside.

  Reluctantly the child sidled into the kitchen.

  ‘Get yerself back down to the dairy an’ get another pint. Me tongue’s hangin’ out fer a cuppa.’

  ‘Ah, Mam! I’ve just been!’ Jinny protested.

  ‘And yer’ve just spilt the flamin’ lot all over the floor. Now get and don’t dawdle.’

  ‘I’ll put the kettle on,’ Mary said, gathering up the cleaning stuff.

  ‘Sit down, luv, yer’re wore out. Yer never stop.’

  Mary sat down on a stool beside the range. She couldn’t go on like this. ‘Oh, Bella, you’ve all been so kind but this isn’t working, I’m going to have to do something.’

  ‘I know we’re a bit squashed, like, but . . .’ Bella shrugged.

  Mary nodded. What could she say? The neighbours had kept their promise. She’d spent a week with Nellie, then Queenie, Eileen, Mabel and now Bella, and been willingly accepted into their homes, but she’d never felt so adrift, so lost. It was terrible not having a single thing she could call her own and the constant noise and overcrowding was now unbearable.

  ‘I’m going to go and ask Frank if he will . . . reconsider.’

  ‘An’ iffen ’e won’t?’ Bella asked.

  ‘Then I’ll have to make some plans. We can’t all go on like this.’

  The older woman nodded. Four extra bodies put a huge strain on a house like this, to say nothing of the extra mouths to feed. ‘Maggie says ’is temper is shockin’ since yer left an’ yer know she won’t do nothin’ fer ’im. He ’as ter get ’is own meals an’ ’e ’as ter get that woman from round the corner ter do ’is washin’ and ironin’.’

  Mary knew all this; she saw Maggie regularly. Maggie had refused point blank when Frank had asked her to do his laundry even though he had said he would pay her.

  ‘Your money I can do without. Find some other fool to do it!’ had been her reply.

  ‘I’ll go tonight, after tea.’ She stood up. ‘Let’s get all this stuff put away, then we’ll have a cup of tea and I’ll think about what I’m going to say to him.’

  ‘Right, luv, I’ll get the mugs,’ Bella said firmly.

  She’d thought about it all day and had rehearsed it all in her mind. Now as she walked towards her old home she prayed with all her heart that he’d listen to her and relent.

  She went round the back way: she wasn’t going to risk knocking on the front door and have him refuse her entry. The scullery was a mess, she thought, glancing around. It didn’t look as if it had been cleaned since she’d left. Quietly she opened the kitchen door and breathed a sigh of relief. Maggie wasn’t there. Frank was sitting at the table reading the newspaper. The room looked untidy and not very clean. She thought of the hours she used to spend scrubbing and polishing, keeping it as neat and tidy as she po
ssibly could. The range looked dull and ashes were scattered all over the hearth. Above it the mantelshelf was cluttered and dusty.

  ‘Frank, I . . . I’ve come to see . . .’ Her words died as he turned around and she saw the expression on his face. His eyes were cold and hard.

  ‘Get out! I told you I want nothing more to do with you!’

  ‘Won’t you just listen to me?’ she begged.

  ‘Listen to more lies, you mean!’

  ‘NO! Frank, I’ve never lied to you, surely you must realise that? Frank, please? Everyone has been so good but it’s no use. I can’t live like this with no home of my own, constantly on the move, pushed from pillar to post. I want my things around me, to work to my own routine, to keep my own place clean and tidy and cook decent meals.’

  ‘You should have thought of that before.’

  ‘Frank, it’s been five weeks and I’ve not said one word to Richie Seddon. I’ve not even seen him. The children miss you. It’s so hard for them, they don’t understand why they can’t come home. Why I have to keep dragging them around to stay with the neighbours. Please, please let us come back? Look at the state of the place. And it can’t be doing you any good to come home from a hard day’s work to no fire and no hot meal, and to have to send your washing out.’

  ‘I’m managing fine without you,’ he answered sullenly.

  ‘You’re not! Frank, it doesn’t have to be this way,’ she pleaded.

  ‘Yes, it does. I’m not having people pointing at me or laughing at me behind my back about my wife carrying on.’

  ‘Frank, I’m not “carrying on”!’

  He lost his temper. It infuriated him to live the way he did but he had his pride. ‘Maybe not at the minute but how long will it be before some other feller comes along?’

  Mary was outraged. ‘Oh, how can you say such a thing? How can you even think like that? I have never looked at another man in all the years since I married you! That nonsense with Richie was just that - nonsense. No one believes there was anything in it except a bit of flattery. No one is talking about you or laughing at you. Frank, you have to believe that!’