A Woman's Fortune

by Josephine Cox

  ‘But I won’t be together with all my friends, and if it has to be a secret I won’t be able to tell them where we’ve gone either,’ Evie sniffed. ‘I won’t be together with you,’ she added.

  ‘I know, love, but I won’t lose sight of you, I promise. I’ll know where you are and I can keep a secret. Your gran’s right: it would be better to tell as few folk as possible and to go as quickly as you can before Hopkins gets to hear.’

  ‘Then it had better be straight away,’ Michael said, getting up and prowling around the kitchen worriedly. ‘By Monday all the folk at the brewery will know I’ve been sacked.’

  ‘Right, well, I’ve been thinking,’ Sue declared, ‘and I think we should decide where we’re going this evening. We can’t just set off empty-handed and with no idea where we’re heading.’ She took a lined writing pad and a chewed pencil of Robert’s from a drawer behind her. ‘Let’s make a list of what we know.’

  Evie looked blank. ‘I don’t know anything, Grandma.’ Michael was shaking his head, too.

  ‘Nonsense,’ said Sue. ‘Buck up, the pair of you. And you, Billy. Let’s put our heads together and see what we can manage.’

  ‘Right,’ said Billy, determined to rise to Evie’s grandma’s expectations. ‘As I say, it’ll have to be somewhere far enough away that Hopkins doesn’t know it. You’ll have to sort of … disappear. North is what Hopkins knows. So that means going south.’

  ‘Good thinking,’ Sue muttered, writing it down. ‘And we’ll need to find somewhere to live and then some work.’ She looked up and gave Michael a meaningful stare.

  ‘We don’t know about those things, but I’ve an idea who might be able to help,’ said Evie. ‘Mr Sullivan.’

  ‘Aye, Brendan can be trusted to keep quiet and he has family all over the place,’ Michael said. ‘I’ll go over and get him, shall I?’

  ‘You do that,’ said Sue, ‘but remember not to say anything while you’re there. The Sullivans are good folk but you don’t want to let slip our business to the entire houseful in case it accidentally gets passed on.’

  Michael collected his boots from where he’d thrown them out of the back door, put them on and went to fetch Brendan.

  It was late that night that Evie let Billy out through the back door and the Carters went wearily to bed. To Evie it felt as if years had passed since she’d gone to Mrs Russell’s that morning with Grandma Sue.

  There wouldn’t be another wash for Mrs Russell, though. When Annie came with the bundle on Wednesday she’d find the house empty and the family gone. Evie felt sorry to be letting down the kindly widow and the other loyal customers.

  Brendan had shown himself to be a true friend that evening. He’d listened to Michael’s account of how he’d been kicked out so unfairly from his job and commiserated wholeheartedly. He’d been less sympathetic about the card game and the debt to Mr Hopkins – ‘I told you not to go near the King’s Head, Michael. You may as well be playing cards with the devil himself as that Hopkins fella’ – and then he got down to practicalities in a way that made Evie think how lucky Mary was to have such a clear-thinking and sensible father.

  Not only had Brendan got a cousin with a big van, who could transport them and as many of their belongings as could fit in it, but he also had a friend who lived well over a hundred miles south. Brendan’s friend Jack knew of an empty property that he thought the Carters would be able to rent, at least until they found something better. Jack had his ear to the ground and he said he’d look out for any jobs going for Michael, too.

  Brendan fixed all this up from the public telephone box outside Mr Amsell’s shop, waiting for incoming calls to learn the facts and confirm the details, and writing them all down. The arrangements for renting the empty place were hazy, to say the least, but the Carters had the address and Brendan’s word on the reliability of his friend. In the circumstances, even such vague progress felt like something to be positive about.

  Not long after Brendan came over, Jeanie had been persuaded to come downstairs and she’d brought the boys down with her to join in the discussion.

  ‘They’re in this with us. It affects all of us, and Peter and Robert need to know what’s going to happen … and why,’ she said, looking at Michael with her eyes narrowed.

  ‘You’re right, lass,’ said Michael. ‘It’s all going to be an exciting adventure, eh, fellas?’

  Robert nodded dumbly, not really understanding. Peter, his mouth a tight line, looked away, ignoring his father.

  Brendan had brought a couple of bottles of Guinness across with him ‘to help things along’, which pleased Michael, who emptied and refilled his own glass with remarkable speed.

  By the end of the evening Sue’s bold handwriting covered several pages of the writing pad and the plan for the Carters to move had a timetable. Fergus Sullivan, Brendan’s cousin, was bringing the van at dawn on Sunday morning and the family were to have everything they wanted to take packed ready and piled by the front door, to be loaded quickly and discreetly.

  ‘I’ll come over and give you a hand,’ Billy said. ‘It’s my day off and I’m used to getting up early.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Jeanie said. ‘What will we do without you?’

  ‘Oh, Mum …’ Evie’s heart was heavy with her grief. ‘We’re going to have to find out, that’s for sure.’

  Now, as she climbed into bed in the stuffy attic room and wished Grandma Sue a goodnight, she felt hot tears running down her face. One more day in this house, the only home she had ever known. Even now she could hardly believe it. And in about … she totted it up quickly … thirty hours she would be parted from Billy.

  Please, let it not be for ever, she whispered.

  CHAPTER THREE

  ‘It’s here,’ said Peter, who had been looking out of the front window for Fergus Sullivan’s van.

  It was four o’clock on Sunday morning, the summer daylight pale. To the Carters, the air felt unusually clear. All the previous day they had packed their belongings, choosing carefully what was essential and what could be left behind. Even some of the furniture was to remain here because, as Sue reminded her family, the van would need to be loaded as fast and as quietly as they could do it so they could make their escape.

  ‘Escape’ – as if from a prison, Jeanie thought. As if staying here would be a punishment instead of the life she had made for herself and her family. She was finding it difficult to be civil to Michael even now, though she’d tried to encourage her children to pack up their belongings and clothes with light hearts and a sense of adventure. Evie and Peter were old enough to pretend they were excited for Robert’s sake, but as Robert was not a naturally light-hearted child anyway they soon abandoned this pretence.

  Evie was in charge of extracting suitcases from under beds and she helped Robert to fold his clothes into one of them. There was so much to do in so little time, and keeping busy helped prevent her from becoming more upset. She knew Mum and Grandma Sue were furious about the move but it was no good stoking the flames of their anger with her own.

  Peter had been very quiet since the decision to go had been made. He’d packed a duffel bag with his few treasured possessions, and silently helped bring items downstairs until the front room was full of boxes, cases and bagged-up bits and pieces, mainly chosen by his mother.

  Sue, with Evie’s help, had been busy finishing the washing. Luckily, it was the end of the week, so they weren’t due to take in any new bundles. All that remained was collected by the owners, who came to the back door, so there was no need to hide the evidence of the approaching early morning flit piled high in the front room. It was an uncomfortable lie to call a cheerful ‘See you next week’ to loyal customers, but there was no alternative.

  Now, as a large dirty white van pulled up in front of the house, it was time to move. Evie had imagined a huge removal lorry but this was half the size and had no name painted on the side.

  Fergus was let in through the front door and greeted Michael, Jeanie and Su
e with a friendly handshake and a smile.

  ‘Right, let’s be having you,’ he said, speaking softly so as not to disturb the quiet of the sleeping street. ‘Beds first and we’ll see what else we’ve got room for after that.’

  ‘What! I’m hoping to take the settee and the chairs and table, at least,’ said Jeanie. ‘And the mangle has to go.’ She was realising it was the size of the van that would dictate what went with them and what was left, not the speed of loading it.

  ‘I’ll do what I can, Mrs Carter, don’t you worry,’ beamed Fergus.

  During the next hour it became clear to Evie that this was his answer to everything, and his smile never faded.

  Brendan came over to help and the men began to load the heavy items while Sue supervised them and ticked items off her list. Evie packed up some smaller things that they’d needed the previous day, and Jeanie got weepy and wrung her hands.

  As Evie was wrapping the last of the crockery in newspaper, being extra careful with Grandma Sue’s precious cup and saucer, there was a tap at the back door and Billy let himself into the kitchen.

  ‘Hello, Evie. Let me take that box through to the front,’ he said quietly, coming over and giving her a hug. ‘You all right?’

  ‘Oh, Billy, thank you for coming to help. I’m that glad to see you.’

  ‘Now don’t get upset. You know why this has to be done.’

  ‘We’re going away from everything and everybody that we know and care for.’ Her heart felt as if it was going to burst.

  ‘You’ve still got all your family around you. That’s what your grandma always says, isn’t it: it’s family that’s important. As long you have each other, nothing else matters.’

  ‘And you, Billy. You matter to me. I won’t have you where we’re going.’

  ‘I’ll be waiting for your return, never fear, Evie.’

  ‘You mean that, Billy? You’ll wait for me to come back? But what if I never do?’

  ‘You will. Here is where you belong, Evie. You’ll know where to find me when you come home to Lancashire. But even supposing you don’t return here, you can be sure that I’ll come and find you where you are. We won’t be apart for ever.’ He wrapped her in his strong arms and kissed her tenderly. ‘In the meantime, we can write to each other. We’ll write often. I’ve never been south and I should like to know what it’s like,’ he smiled.

  ‘Yes … of course. I’ll send a letter with the address when I know we’re going to be staying there and not moving on at once.’

  ‘Then do it as soon as you can, my darling, ’cos I’ll be looking for that letter every day.’

  He gave her another hug and wiped a treacherous tear away from her face with his thumb.

  ‘Now, to work. As I came past I saw all the beds are stowed, and your gran and mum are organising the men moving furniture from the front room. I’ll take this box while you make sure you’ve got a couple of pans packed up, and the knives and forks.’

  ‘Gone already,’ said Evie with a brave smile. ‘Come on, you can help Dad, Brendan and Fergus with putting the big stuff in the van and I’ll help Grandma tick off what’s done on her list. Remember, keep your voice down. We don’t want half the road in on the act.’

  As the van got ever fuller, final decisions were made about what had to be left, and the time to depart grew closer, Evie dreaded having to say goodbye to Billy. She was taking a last look round upstairs when she heard the voice of Brendan’s wife, Marie.

  ‘Just wanted to wish you luck, me darlin’,’ said Marie. ‘You’re in safe hands with Fergus. Don’t forget to let us all know how you’re doing. It won’t be the same round here without you.’

  ‘Thank you. We’ll miss you too, Marie,’ sniffed Jeanie, who was looking sadly at all the furniture left behind with no room in the van.

  ‘Thanks for everything,’ said Sue, hugging each of her neighbours, including Brendan. ‘You’ve been right good friends to us and I won’t forget that.’

  ‘Yes,’ said Michael. ‘Thank you. I’m sorry to have put you to all this trouble.’

  ‘Go on with you,’ said Marie, just as Sue said, ‘I should think so, too.’

  ‘Goodbye, Mary,’ Evie whispered to her friend, hugging her close. ‘You’re the best friend a girl could ever have – and the cleverest. I’ll write, I promise.’

  ‘Dear Evie, there’ll be a hole in my life when you’ve gone. I shall miss you dreadfully.’

  ‘And I’ll miss you, Mary.’ Evie tried to smile. ‘Who’s going to teach me long words now?’

  ‘Come on, we’d better get going.’ Sue gathered up her handbag, which was bursting at the seams. ‘We’d better get off now before we attract unwelcome visitors,’ she added meaningfully.

  As Michael pulled the door to and posted the key back through the letterbox, the family moved towards the van and their neighbours went back over the road. Billy and Evie turned to one another for the last time.

  ‘Goodbye, Billy,’ said Evie, hugging him tight. ‘I’ll be in touch very soon, I promise.’

  ‘Bye, my Evie,’ Billy said, his voice raw with emotion. Then he bent down and kissed her mouth and their tears mingled.

  ‘Don’t forget me, will you?’ she pleaded.

  ‘I said I’ll be waiting,’ he reminded her as they drew apart.

  ‘I love you,’ Evie whispered, but he’d already turned away to hide his tears and she wasn’t sure he’d heard.

  It was a terrible squash to fit everyone in the van, although there were big extra seats that folded down behind, sideways on to the front ones. Sitting there meant finding room for your legs around the luggage, however, so it was hard to get comfortable. Peter and Evie were sharing a seat and Robert had to sit on Jeanie’s knee. Fergus started the engine and all the Carters waved to their friends congregated outside the Sullivans’ house to give them a silent send-off.

  Evie fixed her eyes on Billy’s face, but within a few seconds it was lost from her sight. The van turned the corner at the end of the road and Shenty Street was gone.

  As Fergus happily negotiated the streets heading to the road that would take them south, the Carters sat nursing their regrets. Jeanie was openly sobbing and even Sue was tearful, which set off Evie, and Robert was crying, too. Michael was subdued but, wisely for once, decided to say nothing. Evie, squashed up beside Peter, took his hand in hers to comfort him, but when she looked into his face she saw not sadness but such fury that she felt a strange and terrible foreboding and withdrew her own hand in shock.

  The van reached the southern outskirts of the town and the blackened industrial buildings gave way to houses with gardens and, soon, green fields. The Carters dried their eyes, made themselves as comfortable as they could and accepted the inevitable. The old life was gone and a new one, whatever it held, lay ahead of them at the end of this journey.

  ‘I still wish I’d been able to say goodbye to Mrs Russell,’ said Grandma Sue over her shoulder to Evie, who sat behind her. ‘And Dora Marsh. I’ve known Dora … must be forty years. We were young brides together.’

  ‘There are a lot of folk I’d like to have said goodbye to. Seems rude just to go, like they meant nothing to us,’ Jeanie agreed. She paused for a few moments and then added: ‘I wish I’d been able to say cheerio to Harold Pyke.’ Then she started laughing rather shakily and soon everyone joined in, even Robert, who didn’t know what was funny.

  The mood lifted as they drove on and the sun rose higher on the promise of a beautiful day.

  After a while Robert piped up: ‘I spy with my little eye something beginning with …’

  Sue and Evie caught each other’s eye in the wing mirror and pulled faces. It was going to be a long journey.

  ‘Where are we?’ said Peter, waking from a deep sleep. Sue and Evie had also nodded off, and Robert was still asleep on his mother. ‘It must be the sight of those mattresses that sent me to sleep. They look so comfy compared to this seat.’

  Everyone gazed out of the windows at the coun
tryside they were passing through. In the strong summer sunshine the scene was glorious.

  Evie wished she hadn’t slept and missed seeing some of this: on either side of the road hedges grew tall and green, dog roses twining through them. At breaks in the hedges, through field gates, she could see cows and sometimes horses grazing. It was all so huge and so green that she couldn’t quite believe her eyes.

  ‘Countryside – there’s just so much of it,’ said Peter. ‘I’d no idea it was so big.’

  ‘And the air smells different – sort of nice,’ said Sue, winding down the window.

  They continued travelling south, amazed at how green everything was and how clean. Sometimes they passed through a town or village and Jeanie would point out a pretty house and wonder aloud if they were heading for one like that.

  Eventually Sue looked at her watch and declared it was ‘dinnertime’ and if Fergus would like to find a suitable place to stop they could have something to eat. Fergus turned off the road in the next market town and pulled up in a car park where there was, everyone was pleased to see, a sign for public lavatories. The little town was quiet on a Sunday lunchtime and the shops were closed when Jeanie took her children for a short walk to stretch their legs after enduring the cramped seats.

  When everyone was back at the van and standing around in the sun, Sue got out a cake tin, which was filled with rather warm sandwiches, and when they’d eaten those, another in which there was cake, and Jeanie poured lemonade from a flask. Michael produced a bottle of beer with a flourish, which Fergus declined to share because he was driving. Evie noticed that her father drank it all himself then.

  The sandwiches and most of the cake eaten, the Carters and Fergus climbed back into the van and set off again. There was a stop at a petrol station, where Sue paid for the van to be refuelled and bought some boiled sweets, but by mid-afternoon the novelty of the journey had worn off and everyone was bored, fidgeting and eager to arrive. They had long since passed signs for the city of Birmingham and still they headed south.