Tangled Threads

by Margaret Dickinson

  Rebecca, seeing her father at a safe distance, lay back against the cushions. The two young men glared at each other and then sat down, one on either side of her. They lay down too.

  Andrew snuggled his shoulder close to hers. Boldly Jimmy took hold of her hand. Rebecca closed her eyes and Andrew’s eyelids began to droop.

  Only Jimmy lay staring up at the bright sky above them.

  Eveleen sighed and leant back against a tree, resting her head against its gnarled trunk. She felt comfortably, blissfully drowsy in the warm sun with only the sound in the distance of the children’s laughter as they played among the trees and splashed in the brook. A light breeze rustled the leaves above her and bumble bees buzzed close by . . .

  ‘There’s a fight in the woods. Come and see.’

  At the sound of a voice close by, Eveleen awoke with a start.

  The young lad who had made the announcement was already running back towards the trees on the far side of the meadow. All the youngsters, the children and youths and girls, rose with one accord and began to run too.

  Eveleen glanced round. The rug where she had last seen Rebecca and her two admirers was unoccupied. Feeling as if her heart was rising into her mouth, Eveleen scrambled up. Instinctively she knew that the fight would be between Jimmy and Andrew.

  Eveleen began to run.

  ‘Come on. Through here.’ The lad leading the way was already crashing through the undergrowth, brushing aside branches in his excitement. ‘This way.’ He panted out an explanation to those nearest to him as he ran. ‘Burns started it. He found Hardcastle in the woods with his girl. Kissing and carrying on, they were. There’s going to be fireworks when her father finds out.’ For the sake of those who had not already guessed, he added triumphantly, ‘It’s Rebecca Singleton.’

  When they arrived at a small clearing and ranged themselves around its edges, the fight was still going on. Already, Jimmy’s nose was bleeding and Andrew had a cut above his left eye. But neither seemed to feel, or even be aware of, their injuries. They stalked around each other like fighting cocks. A sudden flurry of punches was exchanged, bringing exclamations from the watchers.

  ‘Go on, Andrew, smash his face in.’

  ‘My money’s on you, Jimmy. Go on.’

  Several of the lads watching were already inching forwards, punching the air themselves as if they were already involved.

  Jimmy stepped forward and landed a punch directly on Andrew’s nose. He fell to the ground while Jimmy stood over him, victorious. The shouts around them grew louder but Andrew was already struggling to regain his feet. Jimmy stood back and allowed his opponent to get up, but the lad, though upright, was unsteady, swaying backwards and forwards. One more punch and . . .

  Eveleen pushed her way through the crowd and ran towards them. ‘Stop it. Stop it, this minute.’

  She ran between them, turning towards Jimmy, trying to protect Andrew from any further punishment. With his blood up and intent on his adversary, Jimmy did not see her and the punch intended for Andrew’s chin landed instead on Eveleen.

  She fell, face downwards, and lay quite still.

  At once their fight was forgotten as both youths bent over her prostrate form.

  As if through a thick blanket of fog, Eveleen heard Jimmy shouting at her and felt him shaking her shoulder. ‘You stupid thing, Evie. What did you do that for?’

  Then everything seemed to go very dark.

  Eveleen could not understand why her bed felt so hard and cold and why, as she slowly opened her eyes, she could see sunlight filtering through the trees and hear the rustling of leaves. Then she became aware of voices around her and of someone stroking her head. She opened her eyes, saw faces peering down at her and heard Rebecca say, ‘Oh, Evie, please wake up. Please be all right.’

  Then she heard another voice, louder and angrier.

  ‘What’s going on? Make way.’

  Harry was standing over her, a towering giant of disapproval.

  ‘They was fighting, mister.’ A village lad, too young to be at work yet and therefore ignorant of Harry Singleton and his harsh rules, piped up. ‘It was that Jimmy Hardcastle and Andrew Burns.’ The boy’s grin widened. ‘They was fighting over your Rebecca, mister.’

  ‘What?’ Harry grabbed the informer, as if it was his fault. ‘What’s that you say? Fighting over my daughter? What do you mean? Speak up.’

  The boy squirmed in his grasp. ‘Le’ go, I’ll get my dad on to you.’

  There were sniggers around them. The boy’s father was a stockinger at the workshops and would not get involved in an argument with Harry Singleton if he valued his livelihood. Harry released the boy, pushing him away from him so that the youngster fell to the ground. The boy scrambled up and shoved his way through the crowd, realizing, too late, his mistake in opening his mouth. It would earn him a hiding from his father.

  Harry reached down and hauled Eveleen to her feet. Already the side of her jaw was swelling. ‘What’s all this about, Eveleen? I demand to know.’ He glanced at his daughter. ‘Rebecca?’

  ‘Nothing, Father. It was just Jimmy and Andrew being silly. They – they were just messing about and then it – sort of – got out of hand.’ Her voice faltered and faded away and she hung her head to hide her face, now no longer flushed with excitement but fiery with shame and embarrassment.

  Eveleen put her hand to her head. The earth still felt as if it were swimming around her. All she wanted was to lie down somewhere and go to sleep. She felt sick too.

  Harry released her and she swayed, threatening to fall again, but Rebecca put her arm about Eveleen’s waist to support her. ‘Please,’ the girl whispered, close to Eveleen’s ear. ‘Please don’t tell him, Evie.’

  Tell him what? Eveleen thought stupidly, her thoughts still reeling.

  Then, as her senses began to return, she asked, ‘Where – where are they?’

  ‘Gone. They fled when they saw Father coming.’

  Eveleen closed her eyes and shook her head a little, trying to clear it. ‘Just as well,’ she said tartly. ‘But wait till I catch up with the pair of them, never mind your dad.’

  ‘Whatever were you thinking of?’

  When they arrived home, Eveleen grabbed her brother and hauled him into a corner of the yard, anger giving her strength.

  ‘I’m sorry, Evie, I didn’t mean for you to get hurt. You shouldn’t have stepped between us like that.’

  ‘I’m not bothered about that.’ Eveleen brushed aside her own discomfort and the swelling bruise on her jaw. ‘Are you stupid? Uncle Harry knows now, doesn’t he?’

  ‘It was him. Burns. He started it,’ Jimmy muttered morosely.

  ‘I don’t care who started it. What I want to know is, what’s going on between you and Rebecca? I’ve warned you before. You’ll get us thrown out of here.’

  ‘So what?’

  ‘So what? You ask me “so what”? Are you stupid, Jimmy Hardcastle?’

  ‘Oh leave off, Evie. You’re getting as bad as him. Preaching. You’ll be standing in that pulpit alongside the minister soon.’ He pulled away from her. ‘I’m going out.’

  ‘You’ll do no such thing.’ She lunged at him, trying to catch hold of him again, but he stepped smartly away. ‘You’ll come to Chapel tonight, Jimmy. At least that might—’

  ‘Oh no, I won’t. ’Bye, Sis. I’ll be late home. I’m keeping out of his way till he’s calmed down a bit.’ Safely out of her reach now, he grinned cheekily and added, ‘Say one for me.’

  ‘It’s more than one you’ll be needing, Jimmy Hardcastle.’ Eveleen shouted after him. ‘I’d wear me knees out before I’d said enough to save you.’ But he was gone, banging the gate behind him.

  Shaking her head in exasperation, she opened the door into the cottage to be met by the full force of her uncle’s wrath.

  ‘I want him out of here.’ He shook his fist in her face as if she were to blame for all the trouble. Eveleen faced him bravely, though her heart was thudding painfully.
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her mother sitting in the chair by the fire, her head in her hands. ‘He’s not to go near Rebecca again. As for Burns, well, I’ll deal with him.’

  Eveleen licked her lips. ‘Uncle Harry,’ she said, with far more calmness than she felt. ‘I’m sure Jimmy and Rebecca are only friends. Just—’

  ‘Oh aye. And do “just friends” lie on the ground, deep in a wood, kissing and—’

  Eveleen felt the flush creep up her neck and face. ‘Who told you that?’

  ‘Rebecca, of course. I got it out of her. She’s in her room. I’ve warned her, I’ll take me belt to her if I catch her even speaking to either of them again.’

  ‘It was wrong of them. But . . .’ Before Eveleen realized what she was saying, her rash tongue was asking, ‘But are you going to keep Rebecca locked away from young fellers all her life? She’s seventeen. Surely . . . ?’

  Harry’s face was contorted with rage. ‘You dare to question me, girl,’ he thundered and began to raise his hand. For a moment Eveleen thought he was going to strike her, but then he seemed to be aware of what he had been about to do and, with a supreme effort, the big man controlled himself. Instead, he shook his fist close to her face. ‘While you live under my roof, you’ll do as I say. You hear me?’

  ‘I hear you, Uncle,’ Eveleen said, her quiet tones a deliberate contrast to his wrath.

  ‘I want him out of this house,’ Harry said again. ‘I’ll not sack him this time, but if he dares to try anything again, he’s out. In fact, you’re all out.’ He glanced around at Mary, but she made no move, gave no sign that she had even heard his threats. ‘Now.’ Eveleen could see that he was making an effort to control his temper. ‘I’m going to the chapel. I’ll expect you to be there for the special service in half an hour. All of you.’ He jerked his thumb upwards indicating his wayward daughter sent to her room in disgrace. ‘And mind she comes, Eveleen. I’m counting on you.’

  As the door slammed behind him Eveleen looked helplessly at her mother. It was gong to be a hard enough job to get Mary and, possibly, Rebecca too to the chapel in time for the service Harry evidently always insisted should be held after every Chapel outing. As for Jimmy, she had no chance.

  Andrew Burns was already seated with his mother in their usual pew when Eveleen entered, pushing a reluctant Mary in front of her. Rebecca, her head down, followed dutifully. She, more than any of them, knew what her father would be like if she dared to disobey him again. Eveleen glanced at Andrew and saw that his left eye was swollen and closed. It looked raw and painful and his mother kept darting anxious glances at him. But the young man stared sullenly ahead and did not even acknowledge the presence of the girl over whom he had been fighting. Eveleen hoped that perhaps he had learned his lesson and would leave Rebecca alone. Moments later she was on her knees praying fervently that this was so.

  As for Jimmy, well, she would think of a way to deal with him.

  Twenty-Six

  ‘You’re to go and lodge at Gran’s,’ Eveleen told Jimmy later that same night.

  She had waited up for him and now, gone midnight, he was creeping into the darkened house expecting that everyone would be safely in bed.

  ‘Heck, Evie, you made me jump. I thought it was him waiting for me with a big stick.’

  ‘You can joke, Jimmy. You’ll be laughing on the other side of your face soon if you don’t watch out. He’s given you a final warning. Any more trouble and you’re out. We all are.’

  Jimmy pulled a face at her and Eveleen felt the urge to slap him. But she kept her hands clenched and firmly by her sides. ‘So,’ she went on, trying to keep her voice low so that no one would hear. ‘You can sleep here tonight, but tomorrow you move your things to her house.’

  ‘There’s no room,’ Jimmy argued. ‘She’s got lodgers.’

  ‘One of them’s going to Mrs Burns. It’s all arranged.’

  ‘I see. Trying to put as much distance between us as he can, is he?’

  ‘He’ll put a lot more distance between you, if you don’t watch it. And keep your voice down. We don’t want him down here.’

  ‘I’m not frightened of him,’ Jimmy said boldly, but Eveleen, even in the dim lamplight, had seen the flicker of fear in his eyes.

  ‘Of course you’re not,’ she tried to appease him. ‘But you ought to respect him more, Jimmy. He is giving us a home at the moment and employment, don’t forget.’

  ‘I’m hardly likely to,’ Jimmy muttered, glowering. ‘Since you keep pushing it down me throat every five minutes. I’m off to bed.’

  As he made to pass her towards the stairs, she caught hold of his arm. ‘Jimmy, please, for my sake, and Mam’s, please do what you’re asked.’

  ‘What I’m told, you mean.’

  Their faces close together for a moment, the brother and sister looked into each other’s eyes, seeing themselves mirrored in each other’s face. At last Jimmy smiled. ‘All right, Evie. I’ll be a good boy.’ But then he added ominously, ‘For now, at any rate.’

  Eveleen had been wrong about Andrew Burns. She had thought he would be frightened off by Harry’s threats, but the following morning as she went down the path towards the workshops, he was waiting for her.

  He grabbed her arm. ‘Eveleen, I’ve got to see Rebecca. I’ve got to talk to her.’

  ‘Andrew, don’t. The poor girl’s in enough trouble as it is.’

  His eyes widened. ‘Trouble? What sort of trouble? You don’t mean she’s – that he’s . . .’ His grip tightened on her arm. ‘If she is, I’ll kill ’im.’

  ‘What are you talking about?’

  ‘She’s not in the family way, is she?’

  Eveleen gasped and said swiftly, ‘No, of course she isn’t.’

  Andrew looked into her face. ‘She might well be, from what I saw yesterday. Half undressed, the pair of them were.’

  Eveleen stared at him in dismay and she began to tremble. ‘You – you’re not serious. You’re making it up to make trouble for our Jimmy.’

  Andrew’s face twisted. ‘I’d like to make trouble for ’im all right and no mistake. But no, I wouldn’t make trouble for Rebecca. I love her, Eveleen. I have done for a long time. And until your blasted brother came on the scene, I thought I had a chance. I thought she liked me. And we were doing it all proper. Not behind her dad’s back. But now, all because of Jimmy, ’er dad’ll tar me with the same brush. I won’t stand a chance either now.’

  ‘Andrew, I’m sorry. Truly I am, if Jimmy’s come between you. Look, I’ve got to get to my work now. And you’d better too. Let’s talk later. Maybe we can help each other.’

  Andrew’s face lightened. ‘You’ll help me? I thought you’d be on Jimmy’s side.’

  ‘Not this time,’ Eveleen said grimly. If what Andrew said was true about what he had seen the previous day in the woods, then even Rebecca had not admitted the whole truth to her father. ‘This time,’ she went on, ‘he’s really gone too far.’

  Preoccupied with her family’s problems, Eveleen had a bad day at her frame, but her uncle, no doubt just as worried, did not notice. Eveleen slipped out of work early that evening to make sure that Jimmy was gone from the house before their uncle arrived home.

  ‘I’ll go altogether,’ Jimmy grumbled, hoisting a pillowcase of his few belongings on to his back. ‘At least, I would if it wasn’t for Rebecca.’ He grinned archly. ‘I’ve got a good reason to stay now.’

  ‘Oh no, you haven’t. Uncle Harry would never let her marry you.’

  ‘Who said anything about marriage?’ Jimmy said airily. ‘I’m not the marrying kind.’

  ‘And what if she gets pregnant?’ Eveleen asked baldly.

  ‘That’s her problem.’

  ‘Jimmy! How can you be so callous?’

  She remembered he had said something very similar before and, unbidden, into her mind came the image of Stephen Dunsmore. His fair hair and handsome features. And those brilliant blue eyes that could shine with love and then, so suddenly
and ruthlessly, turn cold.

  ‘Typical,’ Eveleen said bitterly. ‘Just like a man.’

  ‘Thanks for the compliment,’ Jimmy said, as he slammed the door of the cottage and walked along the path in front of the row of houses towards their grandmother’s home.

  Eveleen breathed a sigh of relief and vowed to keep the two cousins apart. She turned and went into the scullery to find Rebecca peeling potatoes. She was sobbing, her tears falling into the water in the bowl. Her hands were shaking so much that Eveleen expected the knife to slip at any moment.

  ‘Here, let me do that,’ Eveleen said gently, taking the potato and the sharp knife out of the girl’s hands.

  Rebecca made no protest.

  ‘Now, dry your tears and set the table,’ Eveleen went on, briskly but not unkindly. ‘Where’s me mam?’

  ‘Taken to her bed. She – she says all the trouble’s upset her.’

  ‘It would,’ Eveleen said shortly and then rebuked herself for her impatience. No doubt this particular bit of family trouble was bringing back some very unhappy memories for Mary.

  As the girl moved between kitchen and parlour, setting the table for supper, Eveleen pondered on the best way to help ease the situation. If only she could persuade Rebecca to focus her affections on Andrew Burns rather than Jimmy, then all might be well. She sighed. But even then, it sounded as if her uncle had no intention of letting his daughter walk out with any young man. As she dropped another potato in the saucepan of water, she wondered if the best way might be to talk to Harry himself first. Then she shook her head. No. That was not the way. She had tried already and he was so angry at the moment he would not listen to reason.

  Perhaps her grandmother might help. Bridget had admitted that she regretted not standing up for her own daughter at the time of her troubles. Maybe, now, she would stand up to her son and persuade him to let Rebecca walk out with a young man.