Golden Sisters

by Alrene Hughes

  Goldstein was late. Sandy was late. Martha, Peggy, Sheila and Theresa sat in silence while Irene stood at the window watching the street. The plan was simple: Irene and Sandy would go to the American Services Club on his motorbike; Goldstein would drive the others to the club, dropping Theresa at the Liverpool boat on the way; and Pat would meet them all at the club.

  Theresa had not left the house in over a month. She had been terrified that someone would find out where Irene lived and might, even now, be watching the house. It was Peggy who came up with the idea of disguising her as Pat.

  ‘When you leave just keep your head down and walk between Sheila and me to the car,’ Peggy told her, ‘and if anyone is watching, well, you’ll look just like a Goulding sister.’

  ‘He’s here!’ shouted Irene and the others stood up. ‘No, not Goldstein, it’s Sandy,’ and she ran to the door. Once inside, Irene introduced him to Theresa. ‘Mr Goldstein’s giving her a lift to the boat; she’s going to England tonight.’

  ‘It’s good that you were able to get leave to come for the club opening, Sandy,’ said Martha.

  ‘To be honest, I never expected to be here. When I got the invitation, I applied for a pass and didn’t get it. Then a few days later I was ordered to the squadron leader’s office – thought I’d done something wrong – and he just hands me the pass and says “Seems you’ve got friends in high places”.’

  ‘I think Tony Farrelly, Pat’s American friend, might have pulled a few strings,’ said Irene.

  ‘I don’t care how I got it, I’m just so glad to be–’

  There was a sharp knock at the front door. ‘That’ll be Mr Goldstein,’ and Peggy went to let him in.

  ‘Wait!’ shouted Irene. ‘There’s no car outside.’ There were two more sharp knocks. ‘I don’t like the look of this. All of you go upstairs and don’t come down until I tell you to. Sandy, you stay here with me.’

  In the hallway, Irene took a deep breath and opened the door just as Ted Grimes was reaching out to knock for a third time.

  ‘I knew you were in there. I think it’s time you stopped telling me lies and answered my questions.’

  ‘Who’s this, Irene?’ Sandy appeared next to her.

  ‘Ted Grimes,’ she told him.

  ‘Constable Grimes, Royal Ulster Constabulary,’ he corrected her. ‘And who might you be?’

  ‘I’m Irene’s husband.’

  ‘Oh, are you now? Well maybe you’d like to know the kind of shenanigans she’s been getting up to.’

  ‘Hold on there, I don’t like the way you’re speaking about my wife.’ Sandy took a step towards Grimes, who stepped back and at that moment Irene saw Goldstein’s car pull up at the kerb. Quickly she stepped forward.

  ‘All right, Mr Grimes, I’ll answer your questions. Just come inside before the neighbours see you.’

  ‘Irene, I don’t think–’

  ‘Don’t worry, Sandy, it’ll be fine.’ And she stood back to allow Ted Grimes into the sitting room then turned and winked at Sandy.

  She had just enough time to say, ‘All right, I’ll tell you what I know about Theresa,’ before Goldstein knocked at the door.

  ‘Just wait, I’ll be back in a moment. Why don’t you sit down Mr Grimes?’ She indicated the chair with its back to the window and left the room to shout upstairs, ‘Mammy, I’m just talking to Mr Grimes in the front room and Mr Goldstein’s here to collect you, so hurry up!’

  Martha came down the stairs and put her head round the door. ‘Sorry, Ted, we can’t stop – we’re already late. Irene, you and Sandy need to get a move on too,’ and she was gone.

  ‘It’s the opening of the American Services Club tonight and we’re all invited,’ Irene explained, but Grimes was turning round in his chair and Irene followed his sightline.

  There was Martha and three daughters with their backs to him. He would no doubt recognise Pat in her best coat and headscarf that she wore to church every Sunday, but he wouldn’t notice that she was an inch or two shorter than the last time he saw her. Besides, he had more important business to attend to.

  ‘Now you’d better start telling the truth. I know you went looking for Theresa O’Hara and when you didn’t find her you tried to get a message to her. Isn’t that so?’

  Irene nodded.

  ‘And you met her, didn’t you?’

  So he didn’t know Theresa had been staying with them. Irene lowered her eyes and tried to look upset. ‘Yes, I met her a fortnight ago down town. She was desperate to get away, people were threatening her. She told me she wanted to go to Mayo – said she had a relative there who would take her in – but she had no money, so I lent her some.’

  ‘Whereabouts in Mayo?’

  ‘She wouldn’t tell me, said it was better if I didn’t know.’

  ‘How much did you lend her?’

  ‘Twenty pounds.’

  ‘Where’d you get that kind of money?’

  Irene glanced at Sandy. ‘We’ve been saving up.’

  Grimes eyed Sandy. ‘You knew about your wife giving money to this woman wanted for questioning by the police?’

  Sandy looked confused. ‘I certainly did not! Irene what’s going on here? I thought this Theresa woman–’

  ‘You thought she got the money from her family to go to Mayo – I told you that because I knew you’d be angry if you found out that I gave her our money,’ and she began to weep uncontrollably.

  Sandy turned on Ted Grimes. ‘I don’t know what’s going on here, but I’ll not have you upset my wife a moment longer. I think you’d better leave!’

  Faced with Irene’s hysterics and Sandy’s anger, Ted Grimes decided to retreat. ‘I’ll make further enquiries about these Mayo relatives and by God if I find out you’re lying …’

  When Grimes had gone Sandy took Irene’s hands from her face and, as he expected, found her smiling.

  ‘She was going on a boat to England, not Mayo, wasn’t she?’ he asked her. ‘She’s wanted by the police and you gave her the fare?’

  ‘It’s a long story, Sandy, but I promise you she hasn’t done anything wrong and I didn’t give her any money.’

  Sandy shook his head in despair. ‘Irene, I can’t keep up with you, for as soon as my back is turned … You’d better tell me right now if there’s anything else I should know!

  Irene looked up at him from under her lashes as she tried and failed to conceal a smile. ‘Well, actually …’

  The opening party was in full swing and the dance floor was packed. Even Martha and Goldstein took a turn around the floor. The bar was well stocked with beer and soft drinks and the running buffet boasted the finest food the US Army could provide. Irene and Sandy arrived and joined the rest of the family, including Tony and Goldstein, at a table near the stage.

  ‘Well, did she get away?’ asked Irene.

  ‘Yes,’ said Peggy. ‘I went with her onto the boat and saw her settled in her cabin. She’ll be safe there. She gave me this to give to you.’ Peggy placed a silver and blue enamel holy medal in Irene’s hand. ‘She said you’re to keep it with you until the baby is born and you’ll both be safe, and then you’re to pin it to the pram. So I’m guessing you have something to tell us.’

  Irene laughed and turned to whisper in Sandy’s ear. He cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention.

  ‘I’ve got an announcement to make. Irene and I …’ He hesitated and reached for Irene’s hand and she smiled reassuringly. ‘We’d like you to know that we’re expecting a baby,’ and he sat down wreathed in smiles, while everyone round the table clapped and congratulated them both.

  At nine o’clock the band left the stage and Tony introduced the Northern Ireland Base Section Commander.

  Brigadier General Collins, tall and distinguished-looking, made his way to the microphone. ‘It’s a real pleasure to be here tonight at the opening of this wonderful club that symbolises the cooperation between the United States army and the government of Northern Ireland. But it seems to me that th
is club is about much more than that. It’s about the Northern Ireland people and the way they’ve welcomed us to their country. It took a bit of time for us to get used to each other and I’m not sayin’ that we haven’t put a few backs up along the way – we have a tendency to do that, I know.’ He paused as the audience laughed in agreement then went on, ‘But I was heartened the other day to hear a politician say “Americans are difficult people to hate!” In reply I’d say, “You are easy people to love!” In fact, the first marriage of a GI and a Belfast girl took place within three weeks of us getting here.

  ‘The exchange of cultures was a bit of a wake-up call. We brought you chocolate, chewing gum and nylons and you kindly gave us champ, stewed tea and gravy rings, though I’m sure we had them already!’

  The commander’s voice grew serious. ‘Your city bears the scars of a terrible conflict and your brave citizens have endured so much. The United States is proud to join its allies to bring a speedy conclusion to this war and we thank you for being our hosts in your beautiful country.

  ‘Now before I declare the club open, I would like to thank all those involved in the project. In particular, Captain Tony Farrelly of the US 34th division and Miss Patricia Goulding from the Ministry of Public Security who together are responsible for creating this home away from home for our troops. In a moment Captain Farrelly will also say a few words and I believe he has a very special surprise for us. So, please raise your glasses as I formally declare the American Red Cross Services Club open!’

  When the clapping died down Tony stepped up to the microphone. ‘I’d like to say a big thank you to Patti Goulding for her vision in seeing what the club could be and for her organisation and common sense. I’d especially like to thank her for seeing it through and putting up with me. Come up here, Patti, I have a gift for you!’

  Pat blushed to the roots of her hair, but it was her smile that caught everyone’s eye as she walked on to the stage. Tony kissed her cheek and produced a long thin box which he opened to reveal a string of pearls. He fastened them around her neck and whispered in her ear. She laughed and nodded.

  ‘Ladies and gentlemen, earlier this evening I asked Patti to be my wife. She said yes, but I just had to check she hadn’t changed her mind before I announced it! We’ll marry next week, so I guess some of you will be back here with us then for the wedding celebration.

  ‘Now the special surprise. They stopped over here today on their way to bases in Europe, and tonight they bring us another “String of Pearls”. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Glenn Miller and his orchestra!’

  The orchestra came onstage to loud applause and, when Glenn Miller appeared and the opening bars of ‘String of Pearls’ began, the cheering was deafening.

  Tony and Pat stood at the side of the stage.

  ‘I can’t believe he’s here,’ laughed Pat. ‘How did you keep this a secret?’

  ‘Never you mind,’ said Tony. ‘Do you like your string of pearls?’

  Pat’s hand went to her throat. ‘I love them. They’re perfect.’

  ‘And so are you,’ he said.

  When the music ended, Glenn Miller came to the microphone. ‘It’s wonderful to be here, thank you. Now, I’ve been told that there are some sisters in Belfast who like to perform my tunes and, tell you the truth, I could do with a bit of help tonight, so are the Golden Sisters ready to sing with the band?’

  To loud cheering and clapping Irene, Pat, Peggy and Sheila got up onstage and formed a semi-circle round the microphone.

  ‘You’ll know this one, girls, it’s “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree”. Then Glenn Miller counted them in. ‘One … two … three …’

  Goldstein leaned back on his chair. ‘Well, Martha, who would have thought in those dark days that we’d be sitting here surrounded by Americans and that your girls would be singing with the Glenn Miller Orchestra?’

  ‘Aye, it’s a miracle, right enough.’

  ‘It certainly is, Martha, it certainly is.’

  Acknowledgements

  Many thanks to everyone at Blackstaff Press for enabling me to continue the story of the Goulding family, and especially to Patsy Horton for her insightful editing. Thanks to Heather Hart for all her encouragement and advice on the American characters; to Rose Morris for her friendship and support over many years and her knowledge of Dungannon and farming; and to Carolyn Baines for her musical expertise, and especially helping me understand what it feels like to sing well. Finally, I am grateful once again to Brian Barton for his definitive book The Blitz – my ‘go to’ source for understanding life in Belfast in the war years.

  Also by Alrene Hughes

  Find out where it all began for the Golden Sisters in the bestselling Martha’s Girls

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