All the Fun of the Fair

by Lynda Paige

  Gem smiled at her and returned the affectionate pat on the hand. ‘And we’re so glad you did. After all the trouble in the past we’ve had with teachers making the children’s lives a misery and not really ever teaching them anything, to actually have a teacher that wants to travel with us and teach the children… Well, I couldn’t quite believe you giving up a job in a proper school, living in a house and leaving all your friends and family beh—’ Gem’s voice trailed off as, to her shock, she saw that Emily’s face had paled and she was staring back at Gem. Gem demanded, ‘What is it, Miss Dunn? What have I just said?’

  ‘Well, er… just that you think I’m a qualified teacher.’

  She frowned at her, bewildered. ‘Well, you are, aren’t you?’

  She shook her head. ‘No. No, I’m not. It was always my ambition to be, dreamed of since I can remember, but circumstances put a stop to it. My father was a very clever man, always wanted to be a doctor. While he did his training, my mother supported him by working all sorts of jobs, all the hours God sends. He came top of his class when he graduated, could have got himself a well-paid job in a hospital or with a private surgery, but he wanted to help the people who needed him most. So he set up in a poor area of Barnsley that had never had a doctor living there before. My mother fully supported his decision; she was a very caring woman.

  ‘They wanted a large family but, unfortunately, I was to be the only one for them. They were wonderful parents. Trouble was, he was too kindly and found it difficult to charge for his services to people he knew couldn’t afford it and so our standard of living suffered until we were nearly as poor as the people he administered to. We might not have had much in the material sense but love was in abundance. My father hoped that I would follow him into the medical profession but fully supported my desire to be a teacher, both my parents did. My mother used to tell me stories of when I was young and used to line up my teddies and dolls and pretend they were my pupils. I worked really hard at school and won a scholarship to a college in Newcastle to study to be a teacher of English and History. But, two weeks before I was set to start the course, my father unexpectedly died from a heart attack.’ There was a glint of tears in her eyes as she re-lived memories that were clearly painful to her. ‘It was such a shock, one minute he was in his surgery administering to a patient whilst my mother was in the kitchen making him tea to drink before he went out on his rounds and the next, the patient was screaming out that my father had collapsed. We were told later that he died before he hit the floor. It was a terrible time for us both, but for my mother losing the love of her life, without any warning, sent her spiralling into a deep decline, like she had died too.

  ‘I hoped she might start to come out of her depression after the funeral but, in fact, she got worse. Life didn’t seem to have any meaning for her any longer. I had no choice but to give up my dreams of going to college to become a teacher as I couldn’t leave her on her own to fend for herself, she wasn’t capable. Also, the house we lived in with the surgery attached was only rented so we had to leave that to make way for the new doctor coming in to take Father’s place. Thankfully I managed to find us a small flat that I could afford the rent on from a job I got myself in an office. The flat I’ve just left, in fact.

  ‘My mother never did really improve. I only managed to get her out for a walk a handful of times; she acquired a fear of open spaces and only felt safe when she was inside the flat. She would do simple tasks, like cook a meal for when I got home after work and do some light housework when she felt up to it, but most of the time she would just sit in a chair by the window staring out. I always suspected she wasn’t looking at the view but re-living memories in her mind of times with my father.

  ‘I did have the opportunity to marry once. Horace Stevens. He worked for the same company I did at the time. Handsome, he was. I was very much in love with him. He was nice and kind like my father had been but, unfortunately, his kindness never stretched to having my mother live with us when we married. I couldn’t bring myself to put her in a home so Horace went on to marry another woman and they had six children together. Mother lived to be eighty-nine and died six years ago. I miss her terribly, of course I do, but finally she’s back where she belongs; by my father’s side.

  ‘It was not long after she died that I saw the job advertised for a clerk for a school. It was the nearest I was going to get to actually being a teacher working in a school. I applied and, to my delight, I got it. I thoroughly enjoyed working there. As well as taking care of all the office work I also helped supervise the children having their lunch and at playtimes in the playground. Miss Gilcrest was a firm teacher but she was kind to the children. That was why I was shocked at the way she treated the fairground children when the fair arrived in town. She ranted that it was so unfair of the authorities, expecting her to accommodate such illiterates who lived such unsanitary lives, and she worried that the local children would catch some dreadful disease from them. She obviously saw them as no better than vermin to be fumigated out of her school and she certainly did that, didn’t she, by the way she treated them. All children, to me, no matter where they come from, what colour they are or what religion, have the right to an education. There was little I could do about it though. If I voiced my opinions to Miss Gilcrest, she was in the position to sack me. I am not ashamed to admit I saw the fairground children making their bid for freedom and I did nothing it about it. They were better out of that school as far as I was concerned. I just happened to be heading back inside after supervising the children during their dinnertime play when you arrived, Mrs Grundy. I overheard the conversation between you and Miss Gilcrest. I wanted to cheer and congratulate you for berating her for how despicably she had treated the children. But then it got me to thinking that, although I wasn’t qualified myself, I had been well educated and had learned enough from working at the school to see how lessons were constructed, that maybe I could offer to teach the children. And, selfish of me it may seem, it might also fulfil my dream to be a teacher after all. I only had another year or so until I retired and the thought of having nothing to fill my time with filled me with dread. Basically I’m alone in the world; I never really had a chance to have a social life and make friends as all my spare time was taken up looking after Mother so the prospect of becoming part of a close community and making friends was very appealing to me. That is why I approached you with my offer.’ She paused then and looked at Gem remorsefully. ‘I am just so very sorry that I never made it clear to you that I wasn’t actually a qualified teacher. I would still very much like to continue doing what I am, but I completely understand if you want me to leave and find someone who is qualified.’

  Gem had been deeply touched by Emily Dunn’s story. She had seen it as a way of fulfilling a lifelong dream of becoming a teacher but, far more importantly, to her it had also been her desire to impart her knowledge to those that lacked it. She might not be a qualified teacher but, in the short time she had been with them, she had taught more to those under her charge than they had ever learned at any outsiders’ school they had attended. And they had enjoyed themselves too, through the methods Emily Dunn used to teach. Also, she had fitted very well into the community, Gem hearing nothing but praise for her from other members. Besides, if Sam should get to hear of this slip-up she had made, he would remind her of it for the rest of his life, at any opportunity; that a true-blooded show woman would never have made such a blunder, even though it was the sort of mistake anyone from any walk of life could have in the circumstances. Sam would conveniently forget that, over his time as fair owner, he had himself taken on many workers that turned out not to have the skills they proclaimed they had. And there was the fact that if Emily Dunn left, the task of teaching the children would fall to her again! Gem would shackle Emily to the tent if she had to to keep her here as the community’s teacher.

  ‘You’ll leave over my dead body,’ she emphatically informed Emily Dunn with meaning. ‘I should not have assumed that you
were a qualified teacher when you first approached me with your offer, so the blame is mine. You might not have a piece of paper stating that you’ve passed your teaching exams, but you’ve proved to be a far better teacher to our children than any other teacher has.’

  Emily smiled broadly in relief. ‘Thank you. I know I’ve only been with you all such a short space of time but I already feel I belong here. I’m very fond of the children already and very much want to see them flourish, so the thought of going back to my old life and the future that awaited me…’

  Gem leaned over and gave the woman a warm hug. ‘Well throw those thoughts away because that’s not going to happen.’ She released her hold on Emily and took a look around her van. ‘You’ve made it very homely in here.’

  She smiled. ‘It’s surprising how quickly you get used to not having so much space. I was rather claustrophobic for the first couple of nights and it took me time to remember that if I needed light I didn’t flick on a switch but lit the oil lamps. I’ve learned to cook on a wood stove not a gas oven but I don’t have all the housework I used to in the flat and this van is far cosier in the evening when I sit reading my books or listening to my crystal wireless set.’ She chuckled. ‘Mind you, I don’t get that much time to read with all the callers. Parents are often sending their children to ask if I need any help fetching my water or collecting wood for the stove or the mothers come themselves with samples of their baking. I shall be fat soon. People are very kind.’

  Yes they were, especially keeping an eye out for the older members of the community, thought Gem. ‘You know you can call on us for anything,’ she reminded her.

  ‘You made that very clear when I first arrived and I won’t hesitate to, should I need to.’ She paused for a moment. It was apparent that she had something she wanted to say to Gem but was unsure whether to.

  ‘Is anything the matter?’ Gem asked her.

  ‘No, no, not at all. It’s just that I would dearly like to repay the kindness everyone has shown to me. I can bake but my efforts aren’t anywhere near as good as the other women here so I wouldn’t insult them with it and, besides, I’ve hardly mastered how to cook a meal on the wood stove yet so haven’t attempted to bake anything. But I was wondering if I could offer to teach any of them that wanted to to read and write. Run adult classes or individually teach them when they can fit it in with their work. My quandary is that I don’t wish to insult these dear people by reminding them of their inabilities and them thinking that I feel myself superior to them by offering to teach them, if you understand me, Mrs Grundy.’

  She did. People could very, very sensitive when it came down to their failings. ‘I think it’s a great idea of yours. I have an idea how we can tackle this. When you decide to start the adult classes up, I’ll get Solly to come to you for lessons. Once word gets around that the son of the owner is learning to read and write then others will feel that if he can so can they.’ Though just how Solly would react to the fact that his wife had promised that he would go back to school without asking him first! Once she got it through to him that it was to encourage others to better their lives then he would see the wisdom of her offering his services. Wouldn’t he?

  Emily replied, ‘Yes, I can see that would work. I’ll get some lessons prepared in readiness and let you know when I'm ready to begin them.’ Then a thought suddenly struck her and she exclaimed, ‘Oh dear, where are my manners? Would you like a cup of tea, Mrs Grundy? And I do have a couple of Mrs Sparrow’s scones that she had her daughter bring over for me last night but, as I’d already had a piece of apple pie from Mrs Jackson for my pudding, I didn’t manage to eat them.’

  She really ought to relieve whoever it was Solly had assigned to help Nita on the helter-skelter whilst they waited for the police to arrive after informing them that a person of interest to them was working at the fair and deal with the aftermath, but Mrs Sparrow’s scones were legendary. So light and tasty. She had a secret ingredient that she wouldn’t tell anyone, no matter how much they tried to bribe her. She didn’t often give them away, so she must look on Emily Dunn very favourably to have given her two. No way Gem could resist the chance of one. She enthusiastically accepted Emily’s offer.

  Chapter Sixteen

  ‘I’m really bothered about her. She might come across all bright and chirpy but I know she’s deeply worried about Donny. I thought he’d be back with us by now but he’s been gone for four days and not a word has been heard from him. His poor mother is beside herself too.’

  Gem was sitting with Velda outside her van, having elevenses with her. Several other women had been with them too; each had individually departed back to their own vans to resume their housework, including Ren. Both women were now watching the back of her as she walked back into the fairground to finish readying her stall for the afternoon session.

  Gem sighed. ‘She’d make a good actress as she’s good at playing a part, is our Ren. It’s not like we can offer her any support ourselves is it, as she has no idea we’d realised… Well, you did and told me… her real feelings for Donny.’

  Velda then sighed heavily too. ‘If she’d only open up to us we could offer her that comfort but, as I said when I took you into my confidence over this, I feel she’s got it into her head that we’d all feel sorry for her for being in love with a man that sees her as nothing more than a friend, so she suffers in silence. Anyway, now the others have gone, can I ask what it is that is playing on your mind?’

  Gem gawped at her, wondering how she knew. But then, of course, with her sixth sense she would. ‘Can’t hide our feelings from you, can we, Velda.’

  She smiled. ‘Afraid not. Anyway, had the other women not been so involved with how the romance is going between Jonny and your sister-in-law… which I’m pleased to see is going very well… then they, like me, would have noticed you’re not your usual chatty self today.’

  Gem grimaced. ‘If I tell you why, you’ll only think I’m paranoid.’

  ‘I’d never think that of you, Gem. If something is bothering you, there’ll be good reason for it.’

  ‘Well I’m not so sure there is. Is thinking someone’s watching you good reason to be worried?’

  Velda frowned at her quizzically. ‘What makes you think someone is?’

  ‘Just that I’m sure I’ve seen the same girl on three separate occasions now, seeming to be taking more than an interest in me, that’s all. The first time was in Barnsley and the other two times were here in Skipton. The most recent time, in fact, was last night after I left Miss Dunn and went back to take over charge of the helter-skelter. She was lurking by the Tunnel of Love.’

  Velda laughed, her deep, throaty chuckle. ‘I can’t believe you thought Miss Dunn could be a murderer hiding out in the fair from the police.’

  She laughed. ‘Robbie first put the idea into our heads. He’s always had a vivid imagination. A man came to work for us for one season, really nice chap he was who wouldn’t have hurt a fly. I can’t remember his name now, but he only had one eye as he’d lost his other in the war. Robbie was convinced he wanted to pinch one of his to replace his lost one with so he wouldn’t go near him. Screamed in terror, in fact, and clung to my skirts whenever he caught sight of the man. Thankfully the man was the understanding sort, knew that he must look frightening to kids and didn’t take offence, but still it was embarrassing. Anyway, the police don’t want to speak to people for no reason so you can’t blame us for thinking it was because Miss Dunn had done something she shouldn’t have.’

  ‘She’s a nice woman. She seems to be settling in very well with us all.’

  Gem leaned over and patted her hand. ‘So are you a nice woman.’

  A warm glow rushed through Velda. She knew this was Gem’s way of reaffirming to her that a woman was how she saw her despite knowing different and that her secret was never in danger of being divulged. ‘Thank you, dear,’ she said with meaning. ‘So, back to your worry about the young woman you feel is watching you. Do you know her?�
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  She shook her head. ‘Never seen her before in my life… Well, until the first time I caught her watching me that is. Last night I made to tackle her over it but when she saw I was preparing to approach her, she scarpered. I did have a quick search for her, not for long as I’d left Nita on her own and had to get back, but I couldn’t see her anywhere.’

  ‘Mmm. Well, the fact that she didn’t want to talk to you is strange, I have to say, if she’d nothing to hide. That’s if she really is interested in you for some reason, that is.’

  ‘You think I am making a mountain out of a molehill?’

  ‘No, not at all. It might be a coincidence that every time you’ve spotted this woman she just happened to be looking your way.’

  ‘Oh, yes, I see what you mean.’

  ‘I don’t think it’s that odd that you’ve seen this woman three times now at the fair as some people, youngsters especially, come every night whilst it’s playing in their town and some will travel miles to visit too.’

  ‘Yes, that’s true. I went every night after I met Solly. Of course, my parents being the type they were, had no idea I’d gone once, let alone six nights on a trot, them believing I was doing my homework at my friend’s house at the time. Of course a friend they had vetted first for her suitability and approved of me having. Oh, yes, of course, it’s probably one of the men that work for us she’s got her eye on.’ She smiled at Velda. ‘I am making too much of this, I can see that now.’