‘I don’t even know how we’re going to eat tomorrow, let alone pay for a doctor’s visit!’ she snapped and was instantly repentant. ‘Sorry, Charlie, I’m just tired,’ she explained guiltily.
‘It’s all right.’ He awkwardly patted her arm and fell silent, as she poured the now boiling water into the old brown teapot and set it on the hearth to mash. She found the mismatched cups and poured them their tea and, minutes later, Susie was snoring softly.
Opal almost envied her. She was only a child and had no idea what a terrible position they were in. It was hard to believe now that only a few short months before they had been a close-knit happy family. True, her mother had suffered from ill health for some time, which was why Opal had given up her job in the little village shop – she was needed to help at home. But even then they had been comfortable with the wages that her father and Charlie earned on the farm. But then their hearts had all broken when their mother had died giving birth to their new baby sister, who was stillborn. And just nine weeks later their world collapsed when their father was suddenly struck down with the fever, and soon followed their ma. Now here they were, with no home, no parents, no money and no prospects.
‘What are we goin’ to do, Opal?’ Charlie’s face was fearful. Although he was only a year younger than his sister, he usually depended on her to make the decisions.
‘Whatever we have to do to survive,’ she answered. She dreaded what might be ahead.
‘I think we may well have to put the little two into the workhouse,’ he said tentatively. ‘At least there Jack will get the medical attention he needs and they’ll both be fed.’
Opal was so horrified that she almost dropped her cup, and slopped hot tea over her leg. ‘Ouch! … Over my dead body!’
‘Well, have you got a better idea?’ Tears stung at the back of Charlie’s eyes as he pictured the cold grim façade of the Union Workhouse up on the Bullring – but he pushed back his mop of thick, curly brown hair and blinked them away. Just the mention of the place could strike terror into the hardest of hearts, but what choice did they have? At least if he knew the little ones were being looked after, he and Opal could find work and somewhere to live, and hopefully they could get them back out of the place before too long.
‘It would only be until we could find somewhere decent to live and have enough money coming in to feed them,’ he said gently.
‘I know – but I can’t bear to think of them in that place, or of us separated. We’re the only family they’ve got now – we need to stick together.’ Opal hung her head as she stared at her two younger siblings. With their thick black hair and their tawny brown eyes, they looked like two little peas in a pod. They all did, if it came to that; they all took after their late mother in looks. She could hear her father even now, laughing and teasing that it wasn’t fair that not one of his children had taken after him.
As the painful memories of happier times rushed back, Opal rose and went to stuff an old sack beneath the door to try and stop the wicked draught that was whistling beneath it.
‘Let’s try an’ get some sleep, eh?’ Charlie suggested, seeing that Opal was almost at the end of her tether. ‘Jack might be a lot better in the morning and things will look brighter. An’ at least we have somewhere dry to sleep.’
She managed to raise a weak smile, but as she curled up beneath the thin blanket she wasn’t so sure, and when she finally fell into an exhausted sleep, there were tears on her cheeks.
Chapter One
Early the next morning, Opal woke to an eerie grey silence, and as she stared towards the window, all she could see was the snow piled high on the ledge. The fire was almost out and it was bitterly cold again, so she hastily broke up what was left of an old chair and threw it onto the fire.
Charlie stretched and yawned and, pulling himself onto his elbow, asked, ‘What time is it?’
Opal shrugged. ‘I don’t know. We took the mantel clock to the pawnbrokers last week, if you remember?’ She could have added, ‘along with everything else decent we owned’ but thought better of it.
‘Ah, yes.’ He sighed. Then, pushing his blanket aside, he rose and lifted the kettle. ‘I’ll go and get some more snow. At least we can have a hot drink.’ They had no sugar or milk, but they’d grown used to drinking their tea without over the last weeks. After slipping his boots on, he attempted to open the door and was almost knocked over by the drift that had piled up against it during the night, as it spilled into the room.
‘Cor blimey,’ he breathed. ‘Would yer just look at that!’
As far as his eye could see was nothing but a vast white wilderness and it was eerily silent. He suddenly felt as if they might be the only people left in the world. Even the birds were not singing and the snow was still coming down like a thick white blanket. Hastily he stooped and filled the kettle, then, kicking what he could of the snow back out of the door, he quickly closed it again.
Susie also stirred at that moment and, when she looked towards the window, she clapped her hands with delight. ‘Ooh, look at the snow,’ she chirped. ‘Will I be able to go out on me sledge, Opal?’
Opal smiled indulgently as she smoothed the fall of black curls from the little girl’s face. Suddenly she felt old, for not so long ago she would have been excited to see the snow, too. Now she could only see the problems it would bring.
‘Your sledge is back at Mrs Kitely’s, love,’ she explained and Susie pouted.
But then she began to cough. Opal quickly felt her forehead. It was hot and her heart sank. It looked as if Susie was about to come down with the fever, too.
Charlie also looked concerned as he saw the unnatural flush in his little sister’s cheeks, but he said nothing as he wedged the kettle into the heart of the fire.
‘Right now, let’s see what we’ve got for breakfast,’ Opal said in a falsely bright voice, as she rummaged in the small food bag in the cart. ‘Ah, we have some oats here – look, that should fill us up.’ They had no milk so she would have to boil them in water and they would be fairly tasteless – but she supposed it was better than nothing.
‘I’m not hungry.’ As Susie burrowed down beneath her blanket again, Charlie and Opal exchanged a worried glance.
Opal boiled the remainder of the oats and somehow, she and Charlie washed them down with tea, but Susie refused it and Opal decided it was best to let Jack sleep.
‘We’re going to have to get some food in,’ Opal muttered, glancing worriedly at the blizzard beyond the window. ‘Though goodness knows how we’re going to get through this lot. The nearest store is in Stockingford from here.’
‘I know where it is,’ Charlie assured her. ‘And don’t worry, I’ll get through. But do we have any money left for food? And where are we going to stay tonight?’
‘It looks like we’ll have to stay here,’ Opal replied. ‘I can give the room a clean and at least it’s dry. And yes, I do have a little money left from the money we got at the pawnbrokers, but not much.’
As she rummaged in the pocket of her dress and withdrew a few pennies, Charlie sighed. ‘We’re not going to get much with that.’
‘We’ll just get basics, some flour, a twist of tea and a pat of butter. I can bake some bread then. There’s a small oven in the side of the inglenook look, though I dread to think what state it will be in. But never mind, I can soon scrub it out while you’re gone. I’ll have a look round the other rooms as well and see if there’s anything we can use to make ourselves a little more comfortable. It looks like we’re going to be stuck here at least until the snow goes now.’
Charlie pulled his boots on and wrapped up as warmly as he could. Then, with a nod at his sister, he set off. The two smaller children were snoring softly, so now that it was light Opal decided to see what state the rest of the rooms were in.
A door was set into the wall at the side of the fireplace and, on opening it, she found herself in what had clearly once been a bedroom. It was so cold in there that it almost took her breath away,
so she quickly stepped inside, shutting the door behind her to keep what warmth she could in the kitchen. She clutched her shawl more tightly about her. There was a yawning hole in the roof and a pile of snow was heaped in the centre of the room. Against one wall was an old iron framed bed with what remained of a straw mattress on it and against another wall was a chest of drawers with one drawer missing.
Well there’s no way we can use this room until the roof had been repaired, she thought despondently, kicking at what appeared to be the remains of a wooden chair. At least the wood could be used to keep the fire burning though. She quickly stooped to gather it up and carried it back to the kitchen, before cautiously starting up a staircase that was little more than a ladder and led to the upper storey.
She found herself in a small room which was surprisingly dry, with yet another old bed against one wall. The roof sloped in here, and she could only stand up in the centre of the room, but even so she could see that without too much work it could become usable.
She went back down the stairs as quietly as she could so as not to wake the children and headed for the last door to the other side of the fireplace. Once inside she found herself in what had clearly once been used as a small sitting room. An old sideboard that was thick with dirt and grime stood beneath the window but a quick glance around showed that all the rest of the furniture was broken and probably beyond repair, apart from a solid looking oak table that took pride of place in the centre of the room.
With a sigh, she made her way back into the kitchen and began to remove some of the cleaning things she had loaded into the cart, deciding that she could clean the kitchen up at least. Next, she refilled the kettle with snow again and, after heating it on the fire, she filled a bucket and attacked the floor with a broom, making dust fly everywhere. She was pleased to find that although filthy there were old quarry tiles on the floor. Many of the cottages thereabouts only had earth floors and after scrubbing them they began to look quite nice. She attacked the windows once that was done and now that all the rubbish was piled at the side of the inglenook ready to be burned the room began to look much better and her spirits began to lift a little.
Charlie looked about in amazement when he returned almost two hours later, and a smile formed at the corners of his mouth. ‘Blimey, sis, someone’s been busy,’ he said approvingly, stamping the snow from his boots.
‘There’s a room upstairs under the eaves and another one through that door there that are quite dry,’ she said, as she took the basket of shopping from him. ‘But that room through there can’t be used ‘til the roof is repaired. But for now, come and sit by the fire and get those wet clothes off. You look frozen through and you’ll be ill next if you don’t do as you’re told.’
Charlie’s teeth were chattering and his hands and feet were blue as Opal searched through the cart for a change of clothes for him. Once she’d found them, he turned his back and quickly scrambled into them, then made for the fire as he glanced anxiously towards the two little ones. ‘So how are they this morning?’
Opal shrugged helplessly. ‘Jack hasn’t even woken up and Susie doesn’t seem well either, but there’s not much we can do apart from try to keep them warm for now.’
‘Hm!’ He sighed and took a good look around the room. ‘Aw well, it looks like we could be here for a while in that case,’ he commented. ‘But it won’t be so bad when I fetch our things from Mrs Kitely’s.’
Opal snorted as she glanced at the storm that was raging outside. ‘And how are you going to do that in this weather? You’d never be able to drag the cart through this.’
She began to knead the flour and yeast to make some bread on the wooden draining board that was attached to the sink, which she had thoroughly scrubbed. Once it was ready, she wet a cloth to throw over the dough and put the dishes onto the hearth to prove. She’d discovered a pump over the sink that she assumed must lead to a well outside. At first the water it yielded had been brown and rusty looking, but now it was crystal clear, which meant she no longer had to rely on melting snow for their water supply – one blessing at least. She had also found the precious jar of homemade strawberry jam that she had made earlier in the summer, so they were assured of eating – for today at least.
Susie stirred at that moment and raising herself up onto one elbow she croaked, ‘Me throat is sore, Opal.’
It was so unlike the placid child to complain that Opal was instantly concerned. ‘I’ll make you a nice warm cup of tea, that’ll help it,’ she soothed, pushing the kettle into the heart of the fire again. Jack was stirring too, but one glance into his sunken eyes made Opal’s heart sink. His cheeks were rosy red and his clothes were plastered to his thin frame with sweat.
Charlie had also noticed and he chewed on his lip worriedly. ‘He’s burning up. What can we do for him?’
‘Get me a bowl of cool water, I’ll try sponging him down,’ Opal answered, and he shot away to do as he was asked.
For the next few hours they took turns dripping water into the children’s mouths and sponging their feverish brows, but as the afternoon began to darken it was soon clear that their efforts had been in vain. Opal herself was feeling unwell by then and, although she didn’t mention it, Charlie had noticed the tell-tale flush in her cheeks.
‘Why don’t you lie down and have a rest?’ he suggested kindly. ‘I can see to the children.’
He grew even more concerned when Opal agreed. Usually she would have just kept going, so he knew that she must be feeling ill. Curling up on the blankets next to the children, she drew herself into a ball, and seconds later she had slipped into an exhausted sleep.
Charlie divided his attention between the two children, trying hard to swallow the knot of fear in his throat. What would he do if anything should happen to Opal? How would he cope? She had kept the family together ever since his father had died and somehow they had all come to rely on her. But he tried not to look too far ahead – the future looked bleak at present and it was just too frightening. He knew that he should be out looking for work, any work that would bring a little money in, but how could he leave his family when they were all so ill?
Eventually, as Opal tossed and turned restlessly, he lit the candles and tried to tempt the children with some of the fresh bread Opal had baked – but they both turned their heads away and now he was so worried that even he had no appetite anymore. The snow continued to fall and all he could hear was the spitting of the wood on the fire and the whimpers of the children. He had no way of knowing what time it was, but after what seemed like a lifetime Opal stirred and painfully dragged herself up onto one elbow.
‘How are you feeling now?’ Even as the words left his lips, he realised how inadequate they were. Any fool could see that his sister was very poorly indeed. Beads of sweat were dripping into her eyes and she was shivering uncontrollably.
Rising hastily, he fetched her a cup of water, but after gulping at it greedily, she leaned over and vomited it back onto the floor.
‘I … I’m sorry,’ she croaked. ‘But I … I’m not feeling so good. Can you manage if I go back to sleep?’
‘Of course I can,’ he assured her, but inside he was quaking. Suddenly he had to accept that he could well be about to lose the rest of his family, and it was a terrifying thought.
The night that followed was one of the longest Charlie had ever known, as he ran amongst the invalids, offering cool drinks and whatever comfort he could.
Yet another eerie grey morning finally dawned, and by then Charlie knew what he had to do. It was not going to be easy, and he doubted that Opal would ever forgive him.
If she recovered, that was.
Order now
Traditional Welsh Cawl
This hearty, warming stew is one of Mrs Llewelyn’s staples, and nothing like the watery version the postulants were fed!
You will need:
600-800g Bone-in lamb neck
1 Onion
2 large Maris Piper potatoes
1 Sw
ede
2 Parsnips
2 Leeks
2 Carrots
2 Small turnips
1 Hard Conference pear
A small bunch of thyme
Salt and pepper
Welsh butter
The meat should make up about one third of the total weight of ingredients – you can use different quantities of any of the vegetables, as you prefer.
Method:
Using a large, heavy-bottom pan melt a small amount of butter. Season the lamb with salt and pepper then seal in the pan until brown on all sides.
Then add 2 litres of water, 2 teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil. Add the onion, whole. Leave to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Some fat from the meat will rise to the top of the pan; use a slotted spoon to skim this off.
After about 15 minutes the meat should be cooked through, remove it from the pan and allow to cool. Shred the meat, careful to remove all of the bones – discard these – and return the meat to the pan.
Add all of the vegetables, except for the leeks and pear, and bring back to the boil. Leave to simmer for at least an hour, or until the vegetables are soft.
Add the sliced leeks and pear, and simmer for another 10 minutes, with the lid on.
Taste and season, if needed, add some of the thyme.
Remove from the heat and chill in the fridge overnight, or for up to three days.
When you’re ready to eat it, gently reheat in the pan until simmering. Serve in bowls, sprinkled with the remaining thyme, with crusty bread and a generous serving of Welsh butter or Caerphilly.
Enjoy!
Welsh Cakes or Pice ar y maen
These traditional Welsh treats are a perfect afternoon snack to enjoy with a cup of tea
You will need:
225g Self-raising flour
110g Welsh salted butter, plus extra for greasing
A Mother's Grace Page 41