All the Fun of the Fair

by Lynda Paige

  Gem grimaced thoughtfully as she sidestepped a pot hole in the rutted surface of the country lane. ‘What those three louts did to her week ago was nothing short of nasty. She seemed to take it on the chin and was joking about it in a typical Ren way so I happily went away thinking she was alright. But do you think that it upset her more than she let on?’

  Velda shook her head. ‘She’s had worse done and said to her. Still, when all’s said and done, she’s only human so in private I’ve no doubt she would have shed a tear or two, but affect her in the way whatever it is that I feel is now? No, it’s something else that has completely knocked the stuffing out of her is my opinion.’ She lapsed into silence for a moment as they continued their journey before she offered, ‘You know how close friends her and Donny are… not that I’m nosy but with us all living so closely together you can’t help noticing things, can you? And, given how special Ren is to me, I do tend to take an interest in her. Well, I have noticed these last few days that Donny seems to be avoiding her.’

  ‘Avoiding her?’ Gem said, bewildered. ‘But those two are the best of friends and I can’t ever remember a time when they haven’t been, which I’ve always thought unusual for a boy and girl to be so close and not romantically involved. What makes you think he’s been avoiding her?’

  ‘When I’m not busy in my tent sometimes I take a break outside and if there’s not too many crowds I can see Ren’s stall and, a couple of times this week, I’ve seen Donny purposely taking a longer route to his parents’ ride instead of a quicker way past Ren’s stall. And, at night, when I’ve been sitting outside my van on a fine evening which we have been lucky to have this past week, I’ve seen Donny… well I can’t describe it in any other way but sneak past Ren’s van on his way to his own. Before, Donny always dropped by for a quick chat and to check if she needed his help with anything on his way home, same as Ren does to me.’

  Gem looked thoughtful for a moment before she ventured, ‘Maybe they’ve had a falling out over something trivial that’s been blown out of proportion and that’s what’s upsetting Ren so much. I’m sure they’ll soon make it up. I have to say that, considering how well those two got on, I did think they would end up getting married until Suzie came along.’

  Velda pulled a grim face. ‘Ah, Suzie.’

  Gem frowned at her. ‘What about her? She’s always come across as being a very nice girl to me.’

  ‘Yes, I agree she does, but… Well, I’m not sure if she’s as nice as she makes out she is. Just a feeling, that’s all.’

  Gem eyed her knowingly. ‘This your extrasensory perception kicking in.’

  Velda looked at her, confused. ‘My what?’

  Gem laughed. ‘That gift you have for sensing things.’

  ‘Oh, my sixth sense. I’ve never heard it called that. All us women have it, Gem. Some listen to it and some don’t. I’ve seen you use yours many times over the years, especially where your family is concerned.’

  And sensing that my father-in-law has romantic feelings for you, thought Gem.

  Velda was continuing, ‘Yes, it is what I sense from Suzie as a matter of fact. I just feel that she’s not all what meets the eye, so to speak, that lurking under that smile is a wicked sneer. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that whatever had caused the rift with Ren and Donny, Suzie has got something to do with it. It was bad enough for Ren witnessing Donny marry Suzie so to lose his friendship will devastate her.’

  ‘What do you mean by that, Velda? Why was it bad enough for Ren watching Donny get married?’

  She heavily sighed. ‘He’s the love of her life, that’s why, and no other man will ever measure up to him in her eyes. I can see you’re wondering why you’ve never noticed but she kept this well hidden, even Donny himself has no idea how she feels about him. She’s not clever enough to hide it from me though.’

  Gem said, aghast, ‘I really hadn’t a clue and I thought I knew everything that went on in the community. I feel it’s part of my job as a member of the ringmaster’s family to keep an eye out for anyone I suspect is struggling in any way and offer help. I’ve fallen down badly on this one, haven’t I?’

  Velda affectionately patted her arm. ‘Don’t be so hard on yourself. As I said, Ren has kept her feelings well hidden. It was just the way her eyes lit up whenever his name came up in conversation and the occasions I’ve caught her looking at him when she didn’t realise anyone was watching her that gave her away to me. He might be head over heels in love with his wife but there’s no getting away from the fact that Donny is extremely fond of Ren in return and more than I think Donny realises himself. I’ve never raised a word of this to her as it’s obvious this is not a matter to be discussed and I’ve respected that. I would never have talked to anyone else about this but you, Gem. As the honourable woman you are, I know you will keep this information to yourself. Ren suffers enough from her affliction without the humiliation of gossip over being in love with another woman’s husband.’

  Gem looked at her companion reassuringly. ‘Of course, that goes without saying. I think far too much of Ren to say or do anything to cause her trouble in any way.’ She turned her head and looked through a gap in the hedgerows across a vast expanse of fields, at a herd of Friesian cows grazing contentedly and said softly, ‘I can’t imagine how it must be to love someone and know that person will never be yours.’

  Her words reminded Velda of her own situation with Sam; that regardless of how much she loved him, he could never be hers in the way she would dearly like him to be. She lied, ‘No, neither can I.’

  Gem heaved a deep sigh and said sadly, ‘There’s no cure for a broken heart, is there, Velda? Just time passing that helps you learn to live with it. I admire her for managing to see Donny on a daily basis and accepting that he’ll never be anything more than a friend to her.’

  ‘Only now it doesn’t appear he is her friend any longer from what I can see,’ said Velda worriedly. ‘All we can hope is that whatever has gone off between them is just a temporary rift that will sort itself out. And at least she gets him back as her friend which, to her, it’s better to have him in her life as her friend than not in it at all.’

  Just then a postman rode up and stopped his bike outside a row of three workers’ cottages they were passing on the other side of the lane. Over his shoulder hung a large bag full of post he was delivering. As the young man climbed off his bike, he looked over to the two women, settled his eyes on Velda and, making his judgement on the way she was dressed, said, ‘You two with the fair?’

  Just then a middle-aged woman, wearing a faded floral-print wrap-around apron over a shabby day dress, curler-ed salt and pepper hair covered by a scarf tied turban-style, came bustling down the path to meet the postman at the gate. Spotting the two women across the narrow road she looked expectantly at them and mirrored what the postman had asked. ‘Oh, you two with the fair?’

  Not knowing just what their reaction would be towards them when they received their answer it was a guarded Gem that said, ‘Yes, we are.’

  The postman’s whole face lit with a happy smile. ‘Seems like an eternity I’ve been waiting for you to come since I made my plan. I’m bringing my girlfriend on Friday night and I’m going to propose to her in the Tunnel of Love.’

  The woman told them, ‘It’s a whole family outing for my lot on Saturday night. My husband and me, my two daughters and their husbands, three sons and their wives and twelve children between them. The kids can’t sleep with excitement. I’ve been saving in my jar since Christmas for this.’

  Relief rushed through Gem and Velda that for these two outsiders, at least, the coming of the fair and the folk running it were welcome. They hoped that the rest of their community felt likewise, which would make for a trouble-free stay here. Gem fished in her handbag and took out a strip of free ride tickets she always carried for such times as this and ripped off two. Stepping over to the postman she handed them to him, telling him, ‘Have your ride in the Tunnel of Love o
n us. I hope your girlfriend accepts your proposal.’

  ‘So do I,’ he said worriedly at the thought that she might not. Then his face brightened. ‘She’s made enough hints so I’m sure she will. Thanks for the free tickets.’

  Gem then ripped off another twelve which she handed to the woman. ‘For your grandchildren to have a turn on one of the kiddies’ rides.’

  The woman accepted with great delight. ‘Oh, ta so much. This means my savings will go further. The kids will be beside themselves.’

  Leaving two happy people behind, Gem and Velda continued on their way.

  As they walked along together Gem’s thoughts returned to her finding a way to raise the relationship between Velda and her father-in-law. Then an idea came and she broke the silence by saying, ‘Ren is such a pretty and good-natured young woman so I’m sure another man will come along and sweep her off her feet. Er, never met a man you felt enough for to marry yourself, Velda?’

  Velda froze. Yes she had, Sam Grundy, but to come clean to Gem would mean questions being asked that she didn’t want asking. Her reply was short. ‘Not anyone I felt enough for to commit myself to.’

  ‘So you never wanted children, then?’

  There was silence for a moment before she replied, ‘Can’t lie and tell you I never yearned to be a mother when I was younger, Gem, but I knew it wasn’t meant to be for me.’

  ‘You knew? Oh, you mean your intuition told you you’d never have children?’

  Velda wistfully smiled. ‘Something like that.’

  Frustration swept through Gem. Getting information out of Velda was like blood from a stone. If she wanted to find out what she did then she’d have to be bolder. She took a breath and said bluntly, ‘You and my father-in-law get along very well together.’

  Velda spun her head and eyed her sharply. The way Gem had said that implied that she knew, or suspected at least, that Sam felt more for her than just friendship and maybe she sensed that she herself had more feelings for Sam than she had said she had. To her relief Sam had not, as yet, broached the subject of furthering their relationship. He was currently far too consumed with making his decision on how to leave his affairs when he died and that was, at the moment, his main topic of conversation. He would repeatedly go over the whys, wherefores and repercussions when he came to visit for his nightcap on fine evenings. Still, she feared it was only a matter of time before he resolved his will problem and the subject of their relationship was raised. She was ready for it now though. She had pre-prepared just what to say to refuse his proposal whilst not in anyway causing damage to their friendship. To lose the friendship, the same as Ren over Donny, would absolutely devastate her. She said, ‘As you know, it broke Sam’s heart when Nell died and having someone who knew her well to talk to about her has helped him come to terms with it. I was only too glad to be his listening ear.’

  ‘Nell’s been gone now for over five years and I’ve no doubt he will always miss her but er… have er… you ever thought that you and Sam might become more than just friends, Velda?’

  Velda responded vehemently, ‘Absolutely not. The thought never crossed my mind. I’m happy with our friendship as it is and wouldn’t want it any other way. I’m sure the same goes for Sam too.’

  Then it seemed that Sam could be heading for a huge disappointment if her suspicions on his feelings for Velda were correct, Gem thought. And it was obvious that that particular subject was closed as far as Velda was concerned, as she completely changed the subject to ask her how Colin was settling in.

  ‘I can only liken him to a pig in muck, Velda. Considering it’s only been a couple of weeks since he joined us, anyone who didn’t know he was an outsider would automatically think he’d been born a showman, he’s settled in so well. I shudder to think what kind of life he had with that awful Archie Cox, but he certainly couldn’t be with better people than Iris and Bert now. They treat him like he was their own son. He looks a different boy with the weight he’s put on and is already calling them Mam and Dad. He’s made himself friends with other community kids. The only thing he’s not happy about is that Iris has insisted he goes to lessons with the other children when he’d sooner be helping Bert on his stall. He’s not alone there though as most of the other kids would sooner be doing anything else than going to school.’

  Velda chuckled. ‘I certainly did anything I could to get out of going. My mother used to despair of me at times.’

  Gem grimaced. ‘I daren’t not go. My parents are not the type to defy.’

  Velda turned her head and eyed her knowingly. ‘But you did when you married Solly.’

  ‘Mmm.’ She said ruefully, ‘And they certainly made me pay dearly for going against them.’

  ‘But Solly was worth it.’ This wasn’t a question but a statement.

  ‘Absolutely. I couldn’t have wished for a better husband.’

  Velda didn’t need to ask if she had regrets over the loss of her family as the price she’d been made to pay for her choice of husband, as that oozed off her. Over the years she had been friends with Gem, Velda had learned that her relationship with her parents, both the stiff, unyielding kind of people whose main focus in life was what others perceived of them, had not been easy for their warm, easy-going, fun-loving daughter. She’d had to temper her persona to suit theirs; when she wanted to run around singing and dancing, she’d been made to sit quietly and read a book. She was told who she could be friends with and who she couldn’t. But then they were her parents and she loved them regardless. Their loss to her, along with her siblings, was a pain she would have to endure for the rest of her life. She understood this so well as she herself had suffered the same fate when, many years ago, she had gone against her family’s wishes and followed her own path in life.

  It was obvious that Gem didn’t want to talk on this subject any longer as she completely changed it by saying, ‘I poked my head inside the…’ She laughed. ‘I went to say “school” then, but tent is what it is. I poked my head through the flap to see how things were going on the first morning before I came to join you for our shopping trip.’

  ‘And it’s going well?’

  She nodded, looking pleased. ‘So far it seems. Miss Dunn…’ She laughed again. ‘Isn’t it funny that I’m calling her that instead of by her Christian name? Still, she’s a teacher and out of respect I will always address her as such, the same as I did my teachers when I was at school. Anyway, Miss Dunn had written the alphabet on the blackboard and all the children were singing and clapping as they sang a song…’ Gem sang out in the tune she’d heard the children singing: ‘A is for Apple, B is for Bread, C is for Cat and D is for Dog… and so on. It was more of a game than a lesson.’

  Velda looked impressed. ‘A much more fun way to learn it than how I did when I was at school writing out the letters in order over and over again on a small chalkboard our parents had to buy us… we never had pencils or paper in those days. Woe betide us if we got a letter in the wrong place because out came the stick.’

  ‘I suppose I was lucky as I did have paper, pens and pencils to write with but that’s how I learned too. Not one of the children that I could see wasn’t joining in this morning, even the older ones, and they all looked like they were enjoying themselves. I dread to think that what happened to them last week they could be suffering again right now had Miss Dunn not come along and offered her services to us.’

  Velda chuckled. ‘What’s more of a shock to me is that Sam agreed to pay her to teach the kids and for setting the school up. Not one of Sam’s qualities is putting his hand in his pocket to pay out for what he sees as unnecessary. The times I used to listen to Nell’s gripes that she needed something new and he would tell her that there was nothing wrong with the old one and buying new would just be throwing good money away. She used to call him a stingy old bugger, to his face as well, but then Nell did realise that they would still be stallholders working for another ringmaster had Sam not been careful with his money.’

&n
bsp; ‘Sam has no idea yet how much it has cost him for the officer’s tent as I do the banking and the accounts, remember, so it’s not until I update him on financial matters that he’ll find out. I do need to choose my moment to ask him to fund some tables and chairs for the kids to sit on as, at the moment, they’re on the floor. And, as winter comes, we’ll need a stove for heating. Miss Dunn brought the blackboard and other bits she needed with her which she told me were just old items stored in the basement of the school she’d been working in that just hadn’t been thrown out, so that saved a good bit. The blackboard was broken so I got Solly to fix it. Anyway, Sam’s basking in the thought that he’s going to get the equivalent of a knighthood in showmen’s terms when it gets around that he’s started a school for his workers’ children so I’ll remind him of that to soften the blow when I do tell him how much it has all cost him. No money is too much to pay to stop our children having to face what they have each time they went to school to my mind and, more importantly, they’ve all got a proper chance to learn to read and write and that alone will make their lives so much better for them, along with all the other stuff Miss Dunn will teach them.’

  Velda said, ‘I haven’t met Miss Dunn yet. When she arrived yesterday to join us before we all set off to come here I did make a point of calling on her van to welcome her to our community but there were several mothers of the kids she’ll be teaching already crowded around her door with their homemade cakes and bottles of homebrewed concoctions. By the time I’d sorted my living van out and erected my tent ready for the fair opening this afternoon, it was late, after ten, and I didn’t want to disturb her in case she was in bed. I intend to call on her this evening. What is she like?’