Recognising Solly’s voice, he lifted his head and eyed him hero-like. ‘You’re the bloke that stopped him from beating me, ain’t yer. Thank you, mister, thank you so much. I really thought he was going to kill me this time.’
It seemed from that comment that the boy’s father thrashing him was a common occurrence. Solly heaved a sigh. ‘Look, I don’t know what you did to make your dad give you such a thrashing but I’m sure he’ll be worried where you are. You really need to go home.’
A terrified look flooded his gaunt face and, grabbing the sleeve of Solly’s jumper, shaking it wildly, he frenziedly cried out, ‘Don’t make me go back, please, mister, please. Please let me stay here. I won’t cause you no trouble. I’ll do whatever you want me to do. I know I don’t look it but I’m strong, honest. Just don’t make me go back.’
His desperate pleas tore at Solly’s good nature. He sadly shook his head. ‘But you’re not old enough to leave home without your parents’ permission. If your dad comes looking for you and finds I’ve been allowing you to stay here, I could get into serious trouble with the police.’
Tears filled the boy’s eyes and he hysterically cried out, ‘But I can’t do what he makes me do no more. I’m so frightened that I’m going to get caught. I nearly have been so many times and I’ll get slung in jail. I heard what jail’s like and I can’t go in there, I just can’t.’
Solly looked at him for a moment and, although he had an idea, he asked him, ‘Just what is it your father makes you do?’
He sniffed back snot before he uttered, ‘Robbing. It’s my job to get people’s attention while he picks their pockets or bags or he stands lookout while I go into houses and steal stuff he can sell.’ He looked at Solly through miserable eyes. ‘But it ain’t right, mister, is it? He should get a job to pay for his booze and bets down the bookies, not steal it. Me mam taught me that you work for what you get. She’d be so upset if she knew what he’d been making me do.’
Solly had been about to ask where his mother stood in all this and now he had his answer. ‘Oh, by that I take it from what you just said that your mam is no longer around?’
A fresh flood of tears rolled unashamedly down his face and he blubbered, ‘She’s dead.’ There was a slight pause before he added, ‘It was him who killed her.’
Solly gawped, stunned by this announcement. ‘What do you mean, he killed her? And if he did, why is your dad not in prison for her murder then?’
‘Cos he managed to fob the police off with his lies. He swore blind to them that we were out at the time me mam had her accident, that he’d taken me to the park and when we got back we found her dead at the bottom of the stairs. He got one of his friends to back him up… I think he paid him to. But I knew it was him that killed her because I saw him push her. I was hiding in my bedroom and watched what he did through the crack in the door. Mam was telling him to leave and packing up his stuff as he wouldn’t pay the money he owed her and he got angry as he’d nowhere else to go. When she wouldn’t change her mind he shoved her out of his room and she stumbled and went down the stairs. He threatened he’d kill me too if I told the truth and I was so scared of him I didn’t dare. I was only seven at the time. I had no other family to go to so I had to stay with him.’
Solly was desperate to offer to help this boy escape the clutches of his fiend of a father but was worried about the repercussions if he was caught doing so. Heaving a deep sigh he said, ‘But he’s still your father though.’
The boy vehemently cried out, ‘No, he’s not! My dad died in an accident at work when I was just a baby. Archie Cox was me mam’s lodger. There was never nothing between him and me mam. Along with the three cleaning jobs she did, his lodging money helped keep us going until he lost his job when he had a row with his foreman because he was caught stealing stuff from work. After that he couldn’t get another job and just used to laze around the house expecting e mam to keep him for nothing. When he couldn’t steal anything to buy his booze and fags, he’d rob money from Mam’s purse and hit her. He threatened her he’d batter me if she tried to stop him. This went on for months. That night he’d emptied Mam’s purse and gone to the pub and while he was gone she was going to pack his stuff, leave it outside and lock us inside; she thought that would show him she meant business and he’d go away then and leave us alone. But he came back while Mam was packing his stuff and when she heard him coming in she told me to get in my bedroom and not come out until she told me to, and…’ His voice trailed off, the rest of the story obviously far too painful for him to continue on with out loud. ‘The police were going to get the authorities to put me in a home but Archie lied, made them believe he’d been living with my mam for years and treating me as his own son and wanted to keep me so they let him. He told me he did that cos I’d be useful to him. Yeah, I was that alright. I hated what he made me do but I was so scared of the beating he’d give me if I refused. If I ran away I’d nowhere to go and no money cos he never gave me any. We got thrown out of me mam’s house not long after she died cos he never paid the rent and he sold all our stuff. Since then we’ve lived in that many different rooms. I hardly went to school so I’ve never had any friends…’ His voice trailed off again and he gave a deep, shuddering shiver before he added, ‘Tonight, though, well I don’t know what got into me but like what happened to me mam that night he pushed her, I’d just had enough and told him I wasn’t doing what he made me do any more. And, if that meant he killed me then I didn’t care. And I really didn’t, mister, cos I can’t live like this any more.’ He then buried his head in his chest and wept.
‘You can’t send him back to live with that monster, Solly, you just can’t.’
At the unexpected sound of his wife’s voice, Solly spun his head around to see her standing at the bottom of the van steps, looking deeply distressed. Under the pretty scarf wrapped around her head her hair was pinned with clips and under a long blue belted dressing gown with white piping around the edges of the collar and wide cuffs, she wore a long rosebud-patterned nightdress. Solly jumped up and placed his arm around her, pulling her close and whispering, ‘You heard what he told me?’
She nodded. ‘I heard someone cry out, thought you’d hurt yourself or something, so I came out and saw you come out from under the van with the young lad.’ Her bottom lip trembled and she said chokingly, ‘Poor little mite. I can’t imagine how it’s been for him having to do what that man made him and knowing he was responsible for his mother’s death. He looks like a bag of bones to me under that baggy old coat he’s wearing so obviously not much of the stolen money went on food for him, did it?’ She then eyed Solly knowingly. ‘I don’t think we need look any further to find our apple pie thief and I don’t begrudge that boy one crumb of it. Bring him inside, love. I’ll find him something to eat while we decide what’s best to do for him.’
She turned then made her way back up the steps and disappeared inside the van.
Solly went back over to the boy, leaned down and took his arm. ‘Come with me.’
The boy jumped up, clearly terrified. He blurted, ‘Are you taking me back to him?’
Solly shook his head. ‘My wife is going to make you a bite to eat while we decide what best to do for you.’ He clapped his hand on his shoulder. ‘I promise that whatever it is we won’t be forcing you to go back home.’ He sincerely hoped he didn’t have to break that promise.
Having rekindled the stove, two thick slices of bacon which had been intended for her own breakfast the next morning beginning to sizzle in a pan on top of it, Gem was at the table cutting slices of bread off a loaf. As soon as the boy stepped in she wrinkled her nose. While he stood just inside the doorway looking in awe around the comfortable, homely interior, she motioned Solly to come over to her. Once by her side she told him, ‘I dread to think when the last time was that boy had a wash, his clothes either. I doubt his clothes would stand a laundering. While I finish his sandwich send him in the bathroom, there’s hot water in the kettle so use that
and I’ll reboil it for tea. See if you can find a pair of Robbie’s old trousers and a pullover for him to wear. There’re piles of their old clothes in a box under our bed. I keep meaning to sort them out and give them to mothers of kids on site but just never seem to get around to it. Glad I didn’t now. Even something Robbie wore when he was the boy’s age will be far too big for him even though our Robbie was a skinny clothes prop then… and still is for that matter. But for how skinny he is at least Robbie had some meat on him at his age. That poor boy looks like those photos we saw of all those poor prisoners rescued from Belsen. Put his clothes in a bag, chuck them outside and we’ll burn them in the morning.’
A few minutes later, having done Gem’s bidding, Solly returned to her and said, ‘If I doubted his story that he was regularly beaten by Archie Cox, then I certainly don’t now from what I saw when he stripped off his clothes for his wash. Oh, Gem, his back is covered in old scars and fresh ones he got tonight before I stopped that monster beating him to a pulp. You’re right, we can’t send him back. But then I doubt he’ll go back but will end up living on the streets. He’s such a nice lad too, well-mannered, obviously his mother did a good job in raising him before she died. When I gave him Robbie’s clothes, grateful for them doesn’t go anywhere near expressing his response. You’d have thought I’d given him the most precious gift ever.’ He heaved a deep, worried sigh. ‘What do we do, Gem? If we let him stay here and Archie Cox or the police come sniffing around and find him then I don’t need to tell you what trouble we’d be in for harbouring a juvenile. This was the last place Archie Cox saw him so it’ll be his first port of call to find him, won’t it?’
The young lad appeared out of the bathroom then, Robbie’s old clothes swamping his slight, undernourished frame. Gem smiled over at him. ‘Make yourself comfy in a chair, tea’s just mashing and your bacon and egg sandwich is ready. Would you like tomato or brown sauce on it and sugar in your tea or not?’
Large sunken brown eyes looked back at Gem in utter shock; it was obvious that it had been a long time since he’d been asked such questions. He blustered, ‘I don’t mind, anything. Thank you, thank you so much.’ A guilty look then filled his face. ‘But I… well… I do need to tell you something.’ He anxiously twisted his bony hands together. ‘You see…’
Gem cut him short. ‘Did you enjoy it?’
He looked at her blankly. ‘Eh?’
She smiled. ‘The remains of apple pie you found in my larder cupboard.’
He swallowed hard, eyeing her warily, not sure where this was leading too. ‘I did, missus, it was scrumptious.’
‘Then that’s the main thing. Now, tuck into your sandwich before it gets cold.’ He didn’t need another telling and snatched it up and took a large bite. As he swallowed the first mouthful he proclaimed, ‘Oh, this is… this is…’ It was apparent he couldn’t at that moment find the words to describe how delicious he was finding the food and just enthused, ‘Oh, thank you, thank you so much.’
Sat on the sofa alongside Solly, Gem’s smile was a warm one towards the waif, but her eyes brimmed with sadness. ‘It’s all my pleasure. We haven’t been introduced properly, have we? I’m Mrs Grundy and this is my husband, Mr Grundy. What is your name?’
He went to tell her it was ‘boy’ as that was how he’d been addressed for so long by Archie Cox he’d almost forgotten what his real name was. ‘Colin.’ He gave a wistful smile. ‘Me mam always called me Col. I like to be called Col.’ He took a gulp of his tea and another bite of his sandwich.
‘Well, we’re pleased to meet you, Col.’ She then whispered to Solly, ‘Over the years I’ve lost count of the number of youngsters that have begged us for a job because they’re desperate to leave home or, most times, think a job with the fair is an easier life than the one they have but this time, if ever I’ve seen anyone who genuinely needs rescuing… Well, he’s on an even pegging with the desperate situation we found Kathy Folds in and we helped her. And it’s not like you haven’t seen first-hand what that maniac that calls himself Col’s dad is capable of, is it? Whatever we decide to do with him it won’t be to send him back to that man, Solly, like we never sent Kathy back to that butcher she was living with. I’m adamant on that.’
When Gem was adamant about anything Solly knew there’d be nothing he or anyone could do or say that would make her change her mind. He was though, on this occasion, as adamant on that as she was. ‘There must be an orphanage around these parts and if we explain to them that Archie Cox is not his real dad and how he…’
Solly was cut short by Gem’s vehement shake of her head. ‘Putting him in one of those places is hardly better than sending him back to Cox and I’ll not do it, Solly. We can’t just give him some money and send him off to fend for himself either. I’d never sleep at night for worrying what has happened to him and you, you big softy, I know the same would go for you too.’ She sat in deep thought for a moment before she announced, ‘There’s nothing else for it. We’re only here for another six days and after that we’ll be miles away so, in the meantime, we hide him.’
He nodded in agreement. ‘In the same place we hid Kathy. It worked before, didn’t it? I’m sure Col won’t mind a bit of discomfort for a few days if he knows at the end of it he’ll be free from Cox for good.’ His frown then returned. ‘But what then for him, Gem? Are you thinking we keep him? You know I would if that was what you wanted but we have to be realistic. There’s no room for him to bunk in with our boys and it wouldn’t be right for him to permanently sleep on the sofa. And you’ve already got your work cut out for you with all you do as it is, let alone taking on the extra care of a young boy.’
All Gem’s maternal instincts had come to the fore and were screaming at her to care for Col. She could never replace his mother, but wanted to do her best to give him all the love, care and nurture he deserved. Regardless of Solly’s reminder of the lack of room, she decided that they would somehow manage; larger families than theirs managed in smaller accommodation than they had. Still, now that her own sons had grown up and she was no longer just a wife and mother helping out on the fair when time allowed, she was now playing a major role in the business and thoroughly enjoying it. She didn’t really want to give that up and go back to being more of a full-time mother again. She though had a better solution to solve Colin’s dire situation. She told Solly, ‘I know just the people who’ll take him in and treat him as their own. The lad will thrive under their care.’
Solly looked at her blankly for a moment until just who she was referring to struck him. ‘Iris and Bert.’
She smiled. ‘Yes. I’ve no doubt they’ll fall in love with Col as soon as they meet him and not need any persuading from us to give him a home. Iris was only telling me the other day, and not for the first time either, that since their three have grown up and moved away to work elsewhere, they’ve both sorely missed having youngsters around. She even said that if she wasn’t too old now, at forty, she’d have more. With a few of Iris’s good home-cooked meals, her fussing over him and fatherly guidance from Bert, even Cox himself wouldn’t recognise Col in a few weeks. I'll go and visit Iris and Bert now and put this to them. If they're asleep I'll wake them as this is important.’
She came back less than ten minutes later and whispered to Solly that the pair had needed no persuading; they were more than willing to take in the boy and treat him as their own, really excited about the prospect but not at all happy that they'd have to wait a few days first whilst he was hidden from Cox but in the meantime would get everything ready for him to welcome him into his new home.
Col had now finished his food and was licking the last of the crumbs off his fingers, sporting the sort of satisfied look on his face of someone who’d just eaten the most sumptuous banquet. Gem said to Solly, ‘Let’s see what Col feels about our plan, shall we? Do you want to tell him or shall I?’
He affectionately patted her knee. ‘Being’s it’s all your idea, I’ll let you do the honours.’
&n
bsp; A few minutes later, Col was staring at them, dumbstruck as he tried to process what Gem had just told him. Finally finding his voice he stuttered, ‘But… but… are you sure these people… well, really want me?’
Sonny and Gem both realised that he’d been so demoralised by Archie Cox’s cruel treatment of him that he believed himself worthless. It was Solly that responded, in a voice loaded with reassurance, ‘And why wouldn’t they? You’d be a credit to anyone that takes you in. You do fully understand though that the next six days, while we are still in this place, will not be very pleasant for you.’
‘In that hiding place you told me about just in case him or the coppers come looking for me?’ He eyed Solly and Gem earnestly. ‘If it means I don’t have to go back and can stay with the fair and live with those people then I’d hide away for years if that’s what I have to do.’
Gem got up, saying, ‘I don’t think we need to worry about any visits tonight so I’ll go and fetch some bedding to make you comfortable on the sofa but, first thing in the morning, we’ll show you where you’ll be spending your time until we move on next Sunday morning.’
He looked at them worriedly. ‘And I won’t be found?’
Solly told him. ‘For good reason, we’ve hidden a couple of people in this place in the past and they were never found. Anyway, to my mind from what you’ve told me about Cox, I doubt he’ll want the police involving. You told him you weren’t doing what you were for him any more and didn’t care if he killed you, so if the police do find you and you tell them just how he’s been treating you, then he’s taking a huge risk. You’re far too valuable to him for him to easily give up on you so I expect we’ll get a visit but, don’t worry, by the time I’ve finished with him that’ll be the last we see of him.’
He said that with such conviction that Col visibly relaxed. ‘I… I don’t know how I’m ever going to thank you for all you’re doing for me.’
All the Fun of the Fair Page 6