by Pam Howes
‘Mam, I can’t believe this has happened. I mean, who would do such a thing? And why did that horrible man mention my mental state? It’s all behind me, I’m better now. And if someone has reported me for being a bad mother, why have they said Joe should just take Carol? Surely they’d want him to take Jackie as well? I don’t understand it.’
‘It’ll be somebody with a right cruel streak in them,’ Mam said and pursed her lips. ‘Though God knows why anybody would want to break a family up like this. Could it be one of your neighbours? Does anybody have a grudge against you?’
‘I don’t think so. Why would they? I hardly ever have anything to do with my neighbours, apart from Dolly, and she just wouldn’t. She has her faults but she’s on my side. She loves Carol like she’s one of her own.’ Dora burst into loud sobs again. ‘I can’t bear this, Mam.’
‘I know, love, I know.’ Mam sat down beside her and rocked her in her arms. ‘I don’t know what to suggest. I think we just have to sit it out until Joe gets in touch later.’
Not for the first time since her marriage had broken down, Dora was grateful for her mam. Despite living over in the cottage near Knowsley Hall that Dora’s late dad had through his job, she was always there to help when Dora needed her. And since she’d lost Joanie and then Joe, Dora needed her more than ever. She didn’t know how she’d have coped with Carol being taken away without her mam being there.
Dora’s brother Frank came to pick up their mam on his way home from work and they told him the tale of the afternoon’s events. Dora’s heart was breaking, she felt weary and just wanted to sleep for ever.
‘So where has Joe taken Carol?’ he asked as he rocked Jackie to sleep on his knee. Mam had told Dora to have a lie-down but she’d refused. She’d wanted to call the doctor out but Dora said not to. She was terrified that he’d prescribe sedatives again to help her cope. Then they might say she couldn’t look after Jackie and take her away as well.
‘He rang to say he’s back at his pal Don’s, where he’s been staying since I told him to go. Don’s wife said Carol can stay there too until Joe sorts this mess out,’ Dora said. ‘Carol was asleep when he called. She’d been crying, poor little thing, but they have a dog so Joe’s managed to distract her with it. He’s taking tomorrow off work, leaving Carol with Don’s wife and going to the Children’s Welfare place. He had no luck earlier. That bloody Mr Oliver sent him away; he told him there was no more to be said.’
‘He’ll get it sorted. It’s got to be a mistake,’ Frank said. ‘Everybody knows what a great mam you are, Sis.’ He looked down at his little niece and smiled. ‘I mean, you’ve only got to look at the pair of them to see how well cared for they both are. Whoever made that report wants stringing up. If I get my hands on them, I’ll bloody kill them.’
Devastated though Dora felt, she had a feeling things weren’t going to be that easy to resolve. ‘Someone must have it in for me,’ she muttered. ‘And I’ve a damn good idea who.’
‘Well, you can’t go making accusations until you’ve got some proof,’ Mam said, and Frank nodded his agreement. ‘You don’t want to make matters worse.’
Dora sighed. There was no way of proving anything at the moment, or even why Ivy Bennett would do such a thing. Like Mam said, she couldn’t go throwing accusations around until she had proof, and that would take time. The thought of not seeing Carol was agonising though. She’d miss her chubby little arms around her neck when she cuddled her at night, her cheeky smile and her backchat.
‘What if the people at the welfare place say it’s not a mistake and Carol has to stay with Joe?’ she continued. ‘They’ve probably got hold of all my medical notes from the doctor. They’ll know I couldn’t cope after Joanna’s death, and after Jackie’s birth.’ Her lips trembled. Mental illness was a black mark against her and it was pointless getting hysterical. It would only make matters worse. She needed to remain calm, and even though she was breaking up inside, she would fight tooth and nail to prove they’d got it all wrong.
Mam stroked Dora’s arm gently. ‘By rights this place is Joe’s, with it being a tied house. Why don’t you and Jackie come back to live with us for a while? Then Joe can come here with Carol, and maybe Dolly can look after her again while he works. She’ll be okay with Dolly and things that are familiar. It’ll be less unsettling for her.’
Dora chewed her lip. What her mam said made sense. ‘Well, if you’re sure it’s okay. Maybe you and Frank can visit at the weekend and bring Jackie with you. It’s important that Carol still sees you two as often as possible.’
‘I think that’s a good plan, Sis,’ Frank said. ‘And with a bit of luck the authorities will let you have contact with Carol again when they see that you’re doing well in looking after Jackie, and letting Joe get on with looking after Carol and causing him no problems.’
Mam smiled her approval as Frank continued. ‘I’ll go and stay with a mate in the city and you and Jackie can have my room. It’ll give you some breathing space and maybe you and Joe can work something out between you in time, if the powers that be say it’s okay.’
Dora nodded slowly; it seemed the best plan and she didn’t really have a choice. She looked around and shrugged. ‘This house holds no charms for me anyway. I don’t think I’ll ever feel happy here again. There’s too much sadness and bad luck. At least at your place, Mam, Jackie and me will have a roof over our heads. But it will only be temporary; something will turn up for me. I have to believe that I can stand on my own two feet.’
3
Dora braced herself as Dolly pursed her lips together. They were kneeling on the bedroom floor, folding clothes and placing them into a suitcase. Dolly was like a dog with a bone at the moment over who was to blame for Carol being removed from Dora’s care. Although she appreciated her friend’s help, she could have done without the running commentary. She jumped to her feet. ‘I’ll make us a quick cuppa,’ she said, dashing out of the room. If she heard Ivy Bennett’s flipping name mentioned one more time she’d scream.
No doubt by now it would be all round the ROF that Joe had been given custody of his eldest daughter and there would be wild guesses as to why. Joe had taken both girls out for the day while Dora got on with her packing. He’d left Carol with Don’s wife while he came to pick Jackie up. Dora had been hoping Carol would be in the car with him, but Joe appeared to be playing things by the book as he’d been instructed to. He didn’t tell her where he was taking them and she wondered if they’d meet up with Ivy at Sefton Park or somewhere. Joe would be coming back to live at the ROF prefab tomorrow, Sunday.
Dora filled the kettle, her mind working overtime, wondering if there really was anything going on with Joe and Ivy. He’d told her they were just friends now and that was all, but she’d no doubts that Ivy would take advantage of the situation when Joe moved back. She’d worm her way back into his life by using Carol, Dora thought as she spooned tea leaves into the tea pot; no doubt she’d offer to babysit while he played with his band at the weekend. It was a convenient situation for Ivy and half of Dora believed that she was the culprit who’d reported her, but the other half couldn’t imagine that the woman would do something like that, knowing it would hurt Joe as well as Dora to have his daughters split up. After all, if Ivy wanted to spend time with Joe he was a free man now. There was nothing standing in their way. It really didn’t make sense. The kettle boiled and she brewed the tea, her mind still turning things over.
When she’d gone into labour with the twins she’d rung the factory and given Ivy the message to pass to Joe. But Ivy hadn’t told Joe and he hadn’t arrived home until much later. Not that it would have made any difference – baby Joanna would still have died that night. It wasn’t anyone’s fault, the doctor at the hospital had told her and Joe. But Dora couldn’t help but resent Ivy for it, knowing she’d had designs on Joe from the beginning. And to think that now Ivy’s maliciousness could be behind her losing Carol too was beyond belief. At the moment Dora felt nothing but hatre
d towards the woman for taking her husband away, ripping her heart out and destroying her family.
Back in the bedroom she handed Dolly a mug and perched herself on the edge of the bed.
‘So, will you look for a place of your own eventually?’ Dolly asked, wrapping her hands around the mug as though she were cold. ‘I mean, there’s not much doing in Knowsley, they’re mainly private houses or tied to the hall with jobs.’
Dora shrugged. ‘I really don’t know. It’s not fair on our Frank to take his room for too long. It might make more sense to move a bit closer to the city centre to try and get more sewing work in. I need to be where there are more people who want tailor-made clothes. I’ll have to see how it goes and what I can afford, but I can’t think that far ahead at the moment.’
‘Well, they’re building them new council estates to replace the slums. You might be in with a chance if you got something in a clearance area and then put your name on the list for a new flat or summat.’ Dolly took a slurp of tea and wiped her mouth on the back of her hand.
Dora shuddered inwardly at the thought of living in a slum clearance area. That wasn’t really in her plans. ‘It’s not done my friends Sadie and Stan much good living down near the docks,’ she said. ‘They’ve four kids now and they still haven’t been rehoused.’ Sadie, who had grown up in the same village as Dora, had been waiting patiently for ages, and her eldest child was two years older than Carol. Still, last time Dora had spoken to her there’d been hope that they’d be offered a house on the new estate at Allerton once the properties were finished.
Dora put her mug down and finished packing the case. ‘I think that’s it, Dolly. Just Jackie’s toys to put in a bag and we’re done. Joe will be back soon so I’d better start getting tea ready. Thanks for helping.’
Dolly got to her feet. ‘I’ll need a couple of new summer frocks for my holidays soon. Eric’s booked us a week at Butlin’s in Pwllheli. I’ll buy some material and get him to bring me up to your mam’s in a week or two for a measuring session, if that’s okay.’ She gave Dora a hug and made her way to the front door. ‘Let me know if you need anything, gel. I’ll miss you.’
‘I’ll miss you too,’ Dora said, her eyes filling as she returned the hug. ‘Thanks for all you’ve done in helping me with the girls. I know Joe will be glad you’re nearby. I think he’ll struggle on his own with Carol. She’s not the easiest child to pacify when she’s having one of her tantrums.’
‘Carol will be fine with me, don’t you worry about her. I’ll keep you informed of how she’s doing and I’m sure in time you’ll get her back; once that bloody Ivy tells the truth. She’s a nasty piece of work and she needs locking up.’
‘We don’t know for sure that it was Ivy,’ Dora said, resisting the urge to agree with Dolly. ‘According to Joe, she was very shocked when he told her about it and asked her if she knew anything, and seemed upset that he thought she could do something like that…’
‘Huh, she’s a good actress, that one. Look how she was over the message she never passed on when you was in labour. We all know it was her, no matter how much she denies it. Anyway, I’ve got her measure. She’ll get away with nothing while I’m keeping an eye on her.’
‘As soon as I’ve got Jackie settled in at Mam’s I’m determined to pay the welfare department and Mr Oliver a visit,’ Dora said. ‘I need to know why my daughter was taken away. And I won’t stop mithering them until I get some answers.’
‘Shall we have an ice-cream?’ Joe suggested as his daughters jumped around with excitement near their favourite Peter Pan statue in Sefton Park.
‘Yes, please, Daddy,’ Carol yelled. ‘And can Roly share mine?’ She giggled as Ivy’s landlord’s chubby little corgi dog circled around her legs, tripping her up so that she landed on top of him.
Roly yelped and Joe yanked Carol to her feet. ‘Stop being so giddy. You’ll end up hurting poor old Roly if you’re not careful.’
Ivy smiled and picked the little dog up, giving him a cuddle. ‘I’ve enjoyed myself this afternoon, Joe. Thank you for asking me to join you. And Roly’s definitely had a good time.’
‘It’s our pleasure, isn’t it, girls? To have Ivy and Roly with us, I mean.’ He was grateful for their company; Roly diverted Carol’s attention away from asking him why she couldn’t live with Mammy and Jackie now. He’d tried to explain, but it hadn’t been easy for a five-year-old to understand. Carol thought it was because she’d been a naughty girl and Mammy didn’t want her any more, but he’d done his best to reassure her that it wasn’t anything she’d done.
When he’d gone to work and told Ivy what had happened and asked if she knew anything about it, she’d been genuinely shocked and upset, which had immediately put any suspicions he had to bed. She tried to help him, making suggestions as to what he should do and who he should speak to, but wherever he turned, the response was always the same. Dora was to have no further contact with Carol until the authorities said she could. Otherwise, Carol would be taken into care. He felt as though he was banging his head against a brick wall. All they could do was obey the rules, sit it out and see how things progressed.
Tomorrow he was moving back into the prefab with Carol. He’d manage, no doubt. It wasn’t ideal, but he’d have to make the best of a bad job. He’d give his right arm to be back with his wife, making their marriage work again. He still loved her. But Dora was adamant that it was too late and there was no going back. He still hadn’t set things in motion for a divorce in the hopes that Dora would change her mind given time.
If Ivy hadn’t been there to prop him up, he’d have been lost. There was no one else he could talk to. His work mates wouldn’t understand. He was lonely and he missed Dora, but he couldn’t see a way of winning her back. Dolly was good in that she’d help him out with Carol while he worked, but he knew she blamed him for the breakdown of his marriage. He valued Ivy’s friendship and her offer to help in taking care of Carol while he played in his band at the weekend, but she seemed to need him more than he needed her. He regretted the one night they’d spent together when Dora was ill, and was careful to keep the relationship light-hearted rather than loving. But he had needs and so did Ivy. How much longer they could go on like they were before she’d expect more, he didn’t know.
As they queued for ice-creams Joe watched Ivy interacting with Carol and Jackie. The girls seemed to like her a lot and she was good with them. She made few demands but was always eager to let him know, after she’d looked after Carol or accompanied him to a dance at the weekend, that she more than cared for him. Ivy saw him looking and moved over to take his arm. He stepped back and bent to talk to his daughters. The last thing he wanted was to look like a couple, and to give Ivy false hope of a future. All they could do was see what the next few months, or even the next few years, brought.
4
KNOWSLEY
JUNE 1953
Dora popped her head around the sitting room door. Frank was on his knees in the corner near the window, fiddling with the television set he’d brought home yesterday. The picture was jumping up and down as he twiddled the knobs and scratched his head.
‘Still not got it working?’ she asked, handing him a mug of tea and staring at the test card on the screen as it slipped downwards. The BBC had reported on last night’s news that the test card would be shown from nine thirty today to give viewers a chance to adjust their sets in readiness for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. No one else in the row of Sugar Lane cottages had a television, so their home would be packed to the rafters with neighbours later. Mam was busy in the kitchen making sandwiches and sausage rolls for her visitors. Both she and Dora had been up for hours preparing their contributions towards this afternoon’s street party. Iced fairy cakes, red jelly and dishes of pink blancmange were on the table waiting to be taken across to the village hall where the party was being held in the grounds, rather than on the lane itself. The sense of excitement in the village at having something nice to celebrate after the
death of King George VI in February last year was overwhelming.
The villagers were also still recovering from a murder at nearby Knowsley Hall last October; a young employee had shot Lady Derby and four members of her staff. Two of the injured staff members had died and were buried in adjoining graves close to Joanie. The killer had been arrested and declared insane. He was now locked away for life in Broadmoor prison. It had taken a while for everyone to feel safe in their own homes again, but life was moving on and it was time to put the past behind them and look forward to a better future.
Dora’s own future remained a bit up in the air. She and Jackie were still under Mam’s roof and she was no closer to getting Carol back than she had been a year ago, despite all her efforts. She knew it was about time she made a serious start on trying to find them a place of their own. Space was limited in the tiny Sugar Lane cottage and she’d never be able to expand her dressmaking business until she made a move. A house with two bedrooms was a must if she were ever to regain custody of Carol. She was looking forward to spending time with both her girls at the party later; the first six months after Carol had been taken away, when she hadn’t been able to see her at all, had been agony.
‘It’s fine for a few minutes,’ Frank said, breaking her thoughts. He stood back from the television set, scratching his head. ‘Then the picture starts slipping, like it’s doing now.’ He thumped the top of the wooden cabinet with his fist, to no avail. ‘I’ve got to get it right for later or Mam’ll go mad. She’s invited half the village round to watch. Perhaps when the valves have warmed up a bit more it might settle. It would be better with the aerial on the roof but she won’t have it in case it brings the chimney down.’ He shook his head in despair.