Alice and Granny were going to visit him the following day.
But the next day brought shattering news. I was in the shop when the news broke. The papers were full of it and Joe was almost apoplectic. Pearl Harbour in Hawaii had been brutally bombed by a devious Japanese Air Force and most of the ships of the American Navy now lay wrecked and useless. Sailors and civilians had also been killed in this unprovoked attack. America had finally entered the war, hot on the heels of John Alexander Young Neill entering the world.
5
Granny and Grandad were almost speechless with amazement, as I found out on my visit to the Overgate one cold day in January. Hattie had found herself a man friend – something unheard of in her life.
Granny’s eyes were full of mischief as she told me about this new beau. ‘She met him at the Pringles’ house, Ann. He’s a solicitor like Mr Pringle but his office was bombed in the Clydebank Blitz so he’s come here to Dundee to carry on his practice and he has a wee office in the Westport.’
I couldn’t believe it and neither could Grandad. He said, ‘She doesn’t know the first thing about him but she’s fallen hook, line and sinker for him.’ He sounded worried.
Granny chided him. ‘Och, come on, Grandad. Let Hattie have her bit of pleasure. She’s never looked at another man since Pat died and that was years and years ago.’ Granny winked at me. ‘I wonder if there will be a wedding?’
It all seemed so sudden to me. One minute he was in Clydebank and the next minute the Neill family was trying to marry him off to their widowed daughter.
Then Bella appeared and it seemed she was also in the picture as far as opinions went.
‘She’ll rue the day she gets married again, Nan – especially after all these years.’
Grandad scowled at her but said nothing.
Bella, unheeding of the dark looks, went on, ‘I mean she’s getting on a bit now. What age is she, Nan? Fifty-five?’
Granny nodded.
Bella smacked her lips at the anticipated gossip. ‘Your family are all developing late in life, Nan. There’s Johnny with a brand-new bairn at his age and Hattie cavorting with a man and acting like a young thing.’ She then turned to me. ‘Then there’s you, Ann. When are you and your young man going to get hitched? You’ll be another old bride – mark my words.’
Granny gave her an angry look and, although I was hurt by her remark, I was determined not to show it. After all, Bella was well known for her outrageous remarks. ‘Well, it would be hard to get married just now, Bella,’ I said with as much dignity as I could muster. ‘After all, most of the men are fighting in the war and they’re hardly hanging around waiting to be led up the aisle.’
Bella sniffed. ‘Your young man was here a few weeks ago and what did you do about it? Nothing.’
Granny stepped in when she saw my face. ‘Ann had to be at the infirmary with Rosie that weekend and fine you know it, Bella.’
Grandad, who’d had enough of his sister-in-law, said, ‘I’m away for my tobacco.’
Granny called after him, ‘Put on your warm scarf. It’s a freezing cold day outside.’
But Grandad was away through the door and didn’t hear her. Still, this interruption had stopped Bella’s gossiping – at least for the moment.
‘How’s Rosie and wee Johnny?’ asked Granny. ‘I haven’t seen them this week because Rosie says it’s too cold to bring him out.’
I had left Lily at the Hilltown as the baby was a big attraction for her. She loved holding him.
‘They’re both fine, Granny, but Rosie is still a bit tired. Still, she says she’s getting better every day and the baby is such a good bairn. He just eats and sleeps and Dad tells Lily he’s just like she was – a sleepy wee glutton.’
Although Granny didn’t voice it, we were all relieved when Rosie came safely through the birth. Although it had been a long labour, everything had gone well and the baby was thriving.
Bella suddenly thought of something. ‘I hope if Hattie gets married she doesn’t have a late bairn as well, Nan.’ She sounded sarcastic.
Granny, who was fed up with Bella’s remarks, said placidly, ‘Well, that would be her business and nothing to do with anybody else.’ Granny and I knew well that this wouldn’t happen as did Bella.
There was a lull as Bella digested this snub.
Before she could think of another subject, I said, ‘Rosie and Dad have sent me here to ask you all to the christening at the end of February. It’s to be in the Salvation Army Citadel.’
Bella opened her mouth to say something but Granny got in first. ‘Och, that’s great. We’ll all be there.’
‘Am I invited?’ said Bella churlishly.
‘Of course you are,’ I said, not repeating Dad’s words of ‘Don’t invite that old battle-axe, Bella.’
‘Also, if Hattie wants to bring her friend, that’ll be fine,’ I said, thinking about Dad’s reaction to Hattie’s presence, never mind the inclusion of this new man in her life.
‘What about the Lochee crowd?’ said Granny. ‘Will they be coming?’
I nodded. ‘I’ve sent Kit a letter because I didn’t have time to go and see them before the christening and I also invited Maddie and her parents, Connie and Nellie and Rita, our old neighbours. It’ll be a bit crushed in the house but we’ll manage somehow. It’ll not be a great christening meal because of the food shortages but Rosie thinks we can rustle up something.’
‘Well, as long as she’s got a bottle of sherry to wet the bairn’s head, it should all go with a swing.’ Bella obviously wasn’t caring about sandwiches or a christening cake – as long as there was the booze.
Lily and I were still enjoying our stay at Roseangle. The flat was so peaceful and quiet. Lily did her homework after tea and I liked to listen to the wireless – especially the cheery variety programmes and the dance music.
Afterwards, when Lily was in bed on the bed settee, I would write my letter to Greg, trying to sound cheerful while giving him all our news. I thought I detected a touch of annoyance in his letter since the night of Rosie’s labour but I hoped and prayed I was wrong.
And there was now the forthcoming christening to help Rosie with. Alice had kept Rosie’s christening robe. It lay in sheets of tissue paper in a drawer and Lily thought it was the most beautiful garment in the world. It was, except for one important thing – it was too small. There was simply no way it would fit the new baby so it was panic stations.
Dad couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about. ‘Can he not get christened in something else? Like his wee romper suit?’
Rosie had almost burst into tears at this suggestion and turned to me for help. ‘What are we going to do, Ann? I wanted him to be a wee picture in his bonny white robe but it’s not going to happen, is it?’
‘Don’t worry, Rosie – leave it with me. I’ll ask folk in the shop. Maybe somebody has a bigger robe and they’ll let you have a loan of it.’
She looked so grateful and I kicked myself for giving her hope. This was wartime and christening robes didn’t grow on trees. Where on earth was I going to get one from? And more importantly, why couldn’t I keep my big mouth shut?
Rosie was also fretting about the food and the size of the house. She ticked her list, muttering to herself, ‘I make it about twenty people coming. How will we get them all into this wee room?’
She had a point. Once again she seemed to be on the verge of tears so I said to leave it with me. Afterwards, I thought I was well named – organising Annie.
I mentioned the problems to Connie the next morning but, although she was full of sympathy, she said she couldn’t help. ‘I’ve never been married and I’ve certainly never had any bairns so I can’t help you out with a christening robe, Ann – I wish I could.’
Then Joe appeared with news from the war front. ‘The Japs have surrounded Singapore, Connie. You know what that means?’
We both looked blank.
‘It means that the devious Japs will overrun the whole
of the Far East. They took over Hong Kong on Christmas Day and they’ll now turn their attention to Australia and New Zealand. It’ll all be under the thumb of the Emperor Hirohito instead of the British Empire.’
‘That’s terrible news Joe. Here’s Ann and me worrying about a christening robe for a new bairn but what kind of world will he grow up in, I wonder?’
On that depressing note, the subject of the robe was dropped. It wasn’t mentioned again all that week and I honestly thought Connie had forgotten about it but she hadn’t.
By now, Rosie was almost having a fit of the vapours and threatening to cancel the christening all together. Something I’m sure Dad would have been grateful for but he wisely held his tongue – such was his love for his wife and new son.
Then, a week before the event, Connie said, ‘I’ve been having a wee word with Mrs Chambers. You mind her son Davie used to be our paper laddie?’
I remembered. He was a lovely big lad and I had managed to get him some of Danny’s cast-off clothes when his mother was in dire straits.
‘What’s Davie doing these days, Connie?’
Her eyes clouded over. ‘Well, he had a good job in the shipyard but he’s been called up and he’s in the navy now. Mrs Chambers has got another house in Tulloch Crescent but I met her the other day and we got chatting. She’s got on her feet since Davie started working and she doesn’t have to wash stairs now. She’s now got a good job as a dinner lady in Rosebank School and she loves it.’
Much as I loved to hear all the local gossip, I wondered where this conversation was leading. I hoped it wasn’t bad news about Davie as he was a lovely laddie.
Connie was still chatting. ‘Well, I ended up telling her all the Hilltown news – especially about your Dad and Rosie – and she was so pleased for them. Then I mentioned the christening and all the problems you were having – and what do you think?’
I looked puzzled because that was what I was. Truly stymied.
‘Seemingly, when Davie was born, he was a big bairn as well. In those days, Mr Chambers was alive and working in a good job and they were quite well off. Well, to cut a long story short, Mrs Chambers had bought Davie this lovely christening robe and she’s still got it. And, hey presto!’ said Connie, whipping a brown paper parcel from under the counter and slapping it on the counter. ‘Here we are! One christening robe guaranteed to fit King Kong or Baby Neill.’
I could have kissed her. Instead, I ran up to the house with the parcel. Dad was at work but Rosie was sitting at the fireside with the baby on her lap. She looked downhearted but tried to smile when I burst through the door.
I held the parcel aloft. ‘One christening robe, Rosie.’
Her eyes were bright as she laid the baby in his cot. With trembling fingers she opened the parcel. Lying wrapped in tissue paper was the most lovely robe we had ever seen. Although I was no expert on such garments, even I could see how beautiful it was.
Rosie quickly undressed the baby and placed the robe over his downy head. It fitted perfectly. He squinted comically at his mother and we both burst out laughing.
Rosie said, ‘Here I am thinking what a bonny bairn he is in his lovely robe and he’s putting on a funny face.’
Still, there was no denying that he looked a picture.
When I left the house, Rosie was beaming with pleasure. And as I made my way back to the shop, her words were still ringing in my ears: ‘You’re a great lassie for working miracles, Ann – I’ve always said that.’
I had pointed out it was all Connie’s doing but Rosie said, ‘But you’re the mover, Ann. You make things happen.’
For some obscure reason, these words filled me with a warm glow until I remembered how far away I was moving from Greg.
The days to the christening seemed to fly by and Rosie, Alice and Granny plus Lily and I managed to put all our ration books together and get the necessary food for the event.
Mrs Pringle kindly offered to bake a small cake and this offer was accepted with an almost indecent speed.
Hattie, however, was unhappy about the Hilltown flat as a venue for the party and the Salvation Army as the place for the christening. ‘Why don’t you hold the party in my house, Rosie? I’ve got lovely china and a super white damask tablecloth. And, as for the christening, what about that lovely church Maddie and Danny were married in?’
Rosie was delighted by the tea party suggestion but not the change of service and she told her so. But when she mentioned the conversation to Dad he almost burst a blood vessel. ‘Bloody cheek! Does she think we live like some lower form of life? Does she think we’ll give our guests their tea in jeely jars? And, if we want wee Johnny christened in the Citadel, then that’s our business. She’s aye trying to change folk’s arrangements to suit herself.’
Rosie shook her head. ‘No, Johnny, she’s just trying to be helpful and it would be a big help to have the christening tea at her place. I really don’t think I’ve got enough cups and saucers for about twenty folk.’
Dad merely shook his head in amazement. ‘Women – I’ll never understand them. You know what Hattie’s motives are, don’t you? She doesn’t want the Pringle family or that new man in her life to see how the other half live. She’s aye had these delusions of grandeur. She wants everyone to think we have the same gracious lifestyle as she has.’
But it was all settled. The tea party would now be held at Hattie’s house in the Westport. Not that it was much bigger than Rosie and Dad’s house but the contents were definitely much grander. The flower-sprigged china and white damask cloth had won the battle.
It was planned that Dad, Rosie and the baby plus Lily and I would all leave the Hilltown together for the Citadel where we would meet up with members of the family and the guests.
Maddie had brought the small cake over the previous night and Rosie had made up the christening piece – a small bag which held some little cakes and a silver threepenny piece. Rosie was delighted with the cake. Not that it was anything grand and the icing looked a bit watery but this was wartime and we were grateful for it. Mrs Pringle had even managed to find a small blue cradle which looked so impressive on the anaemic-looking creation. Rosie was delighted with it.
The cake was taken to the Westport and it now took pride of place on the snowy-white damask tablecloth.
John Alexander Young Neill was now ready to be carried forth to his christening. Meanwhile, Lily was beside herself with excitement because she was going to be carrying the christening piece.
It wasn’t a bright day but thankfully it was dry and we all set off down the stairs and on to the street which was reasonably busy. Lily had been instructed to give the christening piece to the first female we met. When she asked why, Rosie explained. ‘It’s aye a woman or lassie who gets the piece if the baby is a boy and a man or laddie if it’s a girl.’
‘But why do that, Rosie?’ asked Lily.
Rosie looked perplexed for a moment before answering, ‘It’s just a tradition Lily but don’t ask me why.’
Now that the big moment had arrived, Lily was obviously going to do her duty properly. There was a group of three women standing outside Connie’s shop and Lily became agitated.
‘If there’s three women, Rosie, who do I give it to?’
Rosie was unsure and I could well imagine her worry. This was her first baby and she wanted the day to be perfect.
I inwardly prayed for the group to break up before we reached them but I had no sooner said these mental words when a scruffy little girl suddenly darted in front of us. She looked about seven years old and, to my mind, this was manna from heaven. I called out to her and she stopped in mid stride. ‘I cannae stop missus because I’ve to get the paper for my dad.’
Rosie explained about the christening piece and the girl’s eyes grew wide with wonder. Lily duly and solemnly handed it over and we went on our way with a new spring in our steps.
The Citadel was full of people and music, and the service was lovely. I was a godparent and I found
the service uplifting and I was filled with a sense of timelessness. Countless babies were maybe being christened on this day and they were all entering a dark and uncertain time, a future filled with worry and war, but, in some unknown way, I felt no worry for them and, although I wasn’t a religious person, it seemed, on that day, as if some unknown hand was at work. I felt inwardly that the world would go on in spite of the doom and gloom on the war front.
The baby behaved perfectly until the last hymn when the tambourines suddenly filled the air with their jangle of musical noise. John, who was half asleep at this point, awoke with a start and began to howl. Rosie was distressed but the congregation seemed to enjoy the twin noises. As someone said afterwards, it’s a lucky baby who cries during his christening.
Then it was back to Hattie’s house. A small pile of brown-paper-wrapped christening presents lay on the sideboard and Rosie could hardly wait to open them. Lily and I had given John a silver rattle and a silver teething ring while I also added a silver bangle which I sent in Danny’s name. When the war was over, Danny would be the baby’s other godparent but, until that far off and unknown day, I would do his duties by proxy.
Maddie and her parents arrived soon after us and they were full of praise for the lovely service. ‘It’s such a cheery service and the singing and the Salvation Army band is wonderful,’ said Mrs Pringle. ‘I couldn’t stop tapping my toes to the music,’ she confessed.
Then the families from Lochee arrived. Ma Ryan couldn’t come said Kit and, although Hattie expressed her regret at this, I could see she was relieved. To give Hattie her due she had put on a lovely buffet and her silver cutlery and china looked so well on the table. The only thing missing was Hattie’s new man.
Kit sat beside me as we tried to juggle a cup, saucer and plate on our laps. Kit laughed quietly. ‘I’m not used to such grandeur, Ann. We never use saucers, only the cups.’
I felt I had to defend Hattie. ‘Still it’s good of Hattie to put herself to all this work for Rosie, Dad and the baby.’
Kit’s eyes were full of mischief. ‘Och, I’m not running her down, Ann. In fact, look at my man and Lizzie and Bella over there. You would think they hadn’t seen food for months the way they’re stuffing themselves. No, what I want to know is, where is the new man friend?’
The Sun Will Shine Tomorrow Page 7