A Family Christmas (32 page)

‘Will? What did Will say?’

Bernard didn’t like the sound of Auntie Mary when she was angry. ‘He said I could have a baby dog when it came out of Queenie’s tummy.’ Bernard looked as if he was about to cry too. Mary cuddled him closer. ‘Dan took me to choose one.’ The words came out muffled in sobs.

‘It’s all right, Bernard.’ Mary turned her attention to Dan. ‘You should never have taken him, Daniel; it was a bad thing to do.’

Daniel had been so excited to be taking Bernard to choose one of the pups it hadn’t occurred to him to ask permission, nor had he considered the trouble it might cause when Bernard was missing. Now it was all spoiled and Mary was shouting at him. Dan slumped towards the door, sobbing like a two-year-old instead of a grown man.

‘Oh, come back and sit yerself down, Daniel. I’ll make us some tea. I don’t suppose you realised what you were doing. Besides, he doesn’t look as if he’s come to any harm. Bernard, go and show your mam your new pet.’

Bernard’s face cleared and he made to lift the pup up in his arms. Dan knelt on the floor and
gently
showed him how to do so without hurting it. Mary waited until she heard Lucy’s whoop of joy, then she hurried outside and shouted, ‘It’s all right. Bernard’s back.’

Everybody not out searching ran into the street and cries of ‘Is he all reight? Wheer’s ee been?’ and ‘Thank the Lord for that,’ could be heard all along the row. Somebody hurried away to call off the search and Dan settled down to enjoy his hot sweet tea. Mary noticed his red chilblained hands and resolved to knit him a pair of warm gloves. Then Dan noticed the pictures on the wishing mirror and jumped up to point out one of the birds hovering in the garden scene.

‘A swallow,’ he told Mary excitedly.

‘Is it really?’ Mary didn’t know a swallow from a barn owl. She offered Dan a biscuit, which he shoved in his mouth all in one go. Still, there was obviously more to the lad than anyone thought. She hoped John wouldn’t be too harsh on him. Perhaps she should send him home before the searchers returned. ‘Go on then Daniel; get off home before it gets any darker. And never, ever take any children away again without asking their mam first.’

Daniel shook his head vigorously and set off for home. Halfway down Side Row he met a relieved John, who had just been given the news of Bernard’s safe return. Daniel, pleased to see Lucy’s husband, gave him a broad grin and John cringed at the usual lewd gesture which Dan greeted him with, but for
once
it didn’t bother John. So long as his son was safe John couldn’t care less about anything else. His main worry now was Lucy.

It wasn’t until later that he heard about the part Dan the birdman had played in his son’s disappearance, but everyone was so relieved to have Bernard back – and Bernard was so pleased with the funny-looking little mongrel dog – that nothing more was said about Daniel. Besides, John couldn’t face being humiliated again in front of everybody. The damned lad must have a memory like an elephant to remember the incident up in Sheepdip Wood. He smiled as he thought what a lovely memory it had turned out to be, and like Dan, John would remember that day for the rest of his life.

His thoughts returned to Bernard; it was time to arrange the adoption. He would look into it as soon as possible. He couldn’t risk losing the boy again – the shock had been almost too much for Lucy. She was so relieved at seeing Bernard that she had attempted to come downstairs, but Mary was having none of it.

‘She’s been ordered to stay in bed,’ she told John. ‘And stay in bed she shall, at least until Dr Sellars has seen her again.’

It was one in the morning when the pains began. Mary had returned home to her husband hours ago and John had been relieved to be rid of his sister-in-law after such a harrowing day, but now he
wished
she was here to comfort and reassure Lucy. One good thing that had resulted from today was that the sisters were reunited again. Now, however, he went to fetch Mrs Slater, instinctively knowing that she would be the one Lucy wanted at a time like this. When the woman had finally dressed herself, inserted her false teeth and removed the metal curlers from her hair – which all seemed to take for ever – and taken her place at Lucy’s bedside, John hurried for the doctor. He knew the baby wasn’t due for another two months, but the pains were coming at regular intervals, which Lucy said meant the birth was imminent.

Having missed out at the birth of Rosie, John had no idea what to expect and was shocked at the sight of Lucy writhing in agony and slick with sweat when he returned with Dr Sellars, whose confident manner reassured him slightly that this was all perfectly normal. Mrs Slater ordered him to go make up the fire for some hot water, and despite having to leave Lucy he went without much persuasion, sure that the women would be better off with him out of the way. John paced the kitchen, unable to sit still whilst Lucy was in such pain. A couple of times he went upstairs to check on the children, who were sleeping soundly. It was five o’clock when he heard the sound of a new baby’s cry and rushed upstairs to Lucy’s side.

‘You’ve got a son, Mr Grey.’

‘Is he all right?’ John was shocked to see that
Lucy
still seemed to be in pain; surely that wasn’t normal. ‘How’s Lucy?’

‘She’ll be fine.’ Dr Sellars didn’t sound very convincing and Lucy looked anything but fine.

‘Go mek a pot of tea, lad.’ Mrs Slater almost pushed him out onto the landing. John didn’t like the look of things, but did as he was told and made some tea. He didn’t know if Lucy would want any, but he made her one anyway and carried the tray with trembling hands up the stairs. Just as he handed over the tea the room was plunged into darkness as the gas went out. John found a couple of pennies in his pocket, felt his way downstairs and then to the cellar. He then hurried to find the matches and relight the gas in the bedroom.

It was then that Lucy cried out and Dr Sellars let out a moderate swearword that surprised them all. ‘I can’t bloody believe it,’ she said in her normal posh way of speaking. ‘There’s another baby on the way.’

John thought he might faint and Mrs Slater shifted Lucy’s clothes off a chair and plonked him down on it. ‘Eeh, John, lad, yer don’t do things by halves in this house do yer? Yer’ve gone and caught two birds with one shot; now not many men can brag about that, can they?’

‘Come along Lucy, one more push, that’s the way. Here it is, a baby girl. Oh Lucy, I’ve just delivered my first set of twins. Now can we celebrate with that cup of tea, Mr Grey?’

‘Aye John, go and mek some fresh, will yer? That lot’ll be cold I expect.’ Mrs Slater didn’t want him passing out when the afterbirth came away. The poor lad was already suffering from shock.

‘Are you all right, Lucy?’ John came towards the bed. ‘We’ve got twins, love.’ He sounded as though it was all his doing.

‘Yes, John. I have noticed.’ Lucy smiled and took his hand in hers. ‘Let me see them.’ Mrs Slater brought the girl and Dr Sellars the boy and handed them into Lucy and John’s care.

‘Will they be all right? Being early I mean.’ John searched the small faces worriedly.

‘They’ll be fine,’ Dr Sellars smiled. ‘Twins often arrive early but they always catch up. Now I’d love that cup of tea.’

John hurried out of the room, leaving the women to finish the job they’d started, Mrs Slater to the babies and the doctor to the mother, and all Lucy could think about was what their Mary would feel like when her sister could produce two babies and she was deprived of one.

‘I’d best get ready for work,’ John said when he delivered the tea.

‘No point, lad. They’ll ’ave gone down by now.’

‘Oh aye, I didn’t realise it was that time.’ He wouldn’t be allowed down the pit after six o’clock. Latecomers knew that and were always turned away. Still, it wasn’t every day a man had twins, so he would stay with Lucy and take care of Bernard and
Rosie
. One day off wouldn’t hurt. Still, he could have done with the money with two extra babies to keep. Lucy was going to have her work cut out with three under a year and Bernard besides.

Dr Sellars had gone home and Mrs Slater had followed her with the promise to be back in time to give the little ones their breakfasts. It was then that John and Lucy cradled the babies in their arms. ‘They’re beautiful,’ John said. ‘What shall we call them?’

‘Peter; I love bible names.’

‘Yes, I like that. Peter, a rock. And what about you?’ John took the tiny hand in his. ‘What shall we call you, little daughter?’

‘Well, we have a Primrose so what about a Violet?’

‘Violet? Aye, she has your eyes which always remind me of violets.’ John frowned. ‘They’re going to be hard work, Lucy.’

‘But worth it. It’s a good thing we kept the baby clothes we found at Evelyn’s, and we’ve the ones our Rosie’s grown out of. We’ll need more nappies, though.’

‘We’ve a bit put by and with the lads paying their board we’re not badly off. We shall have to be careful though in future. Three in twelve months – that’s going a bit.’

Lucy giggled. ‘I shall be like the old woman in the shoe if we carry on like this.’ Then she frowned. ‘I’m dreading telling our Mary. I can just imagine what she and Jacob must feel like.’

‘Aye, it doesn’t bear thinking about. I shall have to spread the news all the same.’

‘Yes, but break it gently won’t you, John.’

Surprisingly, Mary took it very well. ‘I’ll get my coat,’ she said. ‘There’ll be some washing to do, I expect, and the kids to see to.’ She strode out ahead of him. ‘You go and break the news to our Jane. It’s not many folk who have a new niece and nephew both in one day.’

The letter from Paul Tomlinson arrived on the same day as the twins. The lawyer pointed out that divorces were extremely complicated affairs and he would need to see Robert Grey in person if he was to advise him. Could Robert possibly visit his office at his convenience? He said Nellie and Tom Johnson would be delighted if Robert would stay with them for a couple of days. Nellie wondered if he would do her a great favour and arrange to accompany Lily on the journey. Tom would send tickets for the train as soon as Robert gave him a date. The lawyer also enquired if John had applied to the court yet, regarding the boy’s adoption. He offered them any advice they might need in that direction. He ended the letter with regards to John’s wife.

The envelope was propped up on the mantelpiece waiting for Robbie to return from work, everybody being far too occupied with the new babies to even wonder about its contents. However, it wasn’t only Robbie’s spirits which were given a lift as the
prospect
of being free seemed a little closer. When John was given the letter to read he felt Bernard’s adoption also seemed to move closer to reality. The mention that John needed to apply to the court gave him the incentive to do so and he resolved to go ahead as soon as Lucy was up and about again. For the time being though he needed to be on hand for his wife and his four beautiful children. Enid Slater and Mary seemed delighted to cover the hours John was at work, arranging a rota so that Lucy was never left alone. At first Lucy was worried that Mary would become possessive of the children, but she seemed to have accepted the fact that they belonged to her sister and not to her. Jane came and gave the house a good bottoming and then spent a long time gazing in wonder at the twins.

‘Don’t yer wish they were yours, love?’ Enid asked, noticing the adoring expression on Jane’s face.

Jane’s expression changed to alarm at the very idea. ‘Goodness me no; they’re so precious I’d be scared to death. Besides, one lot of dirty nappies turn my stomach over – imagine having three lots! No thanks, I’ll borrow one of them on the off chance of me ever feeling maternal; that’s so long as I can bring them back.’

‘Aye, they’ll cause a lot of hard work.’ Enid spooned mashed up vegetables into little Rosie’s open mouth. ‘Stands to reason wi’ five of ’em.’

‘Five? Don’t you mean four?’ Jane laughed.

Mrs Slater scooped up the small black and white pup into her arms and stroked it gently. ‘Five wi’ this one. Your Will wants ’is brains washing promising Bernard a dog at a time like this. It’s going to cause as much work as a bairn until it’s housetrained. And it’ll be your Lucy who falls for the extra work, you’ll see.’

Mary took away Bernard’s dinner plate and gave him a dish of bread and butter pudding. ‘I’d work twenty-four hours of the day just to have our Lucy’s lot.’

The look on Mary’s face made Jane so sad. ‘It will happen one day, just you see if it doesn’t.’

‘Aye love,’ Enid said. ‘You’re no age yet. Try and stop thinking about it for a bit; they say that sometimes works.’

‘That’s easier said than done with my mother-in-law going on and on about it all the time.’

‘Well!’ Enid was shocked. ‘I would tell ’er where to get off and no mistake. Interfering owd bitch.’ Jane looked at Mary and they began to laugh. Enid Slater almost had them in hysterics when she added, ‘I don’t know ’ow she ever got their Jacob wi’ those great big elastic-legged bloomers she used to wear. Even on ’er honeymoon she ’ad ’em hung on the line. I bet they reached from under ’er arms to ’er ankles.’

‘Oh, Mrs Slater, you always make me feel better. When I was a little girl I used to come to you instead of my mother if I were ever feeling down,’ Jane said.

‘Aye well, I expect I ’ad an easier time than yer mam did with the six of yer.’

‘Yes, I suppose,’ Jane said. ‘Which brings us back to where we started and our Lucy’s lot.’

‘Aye. But you’ve got to admit they’re all lovely.’ Mary smiled and tickled the pup behind her ears. ‘Even you, Baby.’

Jane giggled. ‘What a name to give a dog. Still, it was Bernard’s choice and it’s supposed to be his dog. If he likes it I suppose it will have to do. You’re a lovely dog aren’t you, Baby?’ She changed her mind when a stream of urine ran down the front of Mrs Slater’s legs.

Chapter Twenty

‘NOW THEN, LILY
, are yer all packed up?’

‘I think so.’ Lily was fighting to hold back the tears. Mrs Cooper had warned her that she would have to learn to stop crying all the time. It was all right for Mrs Cooper; she wasn’t going to live all those miles away leaving her mam, dad and all the rest of her family and Mrs Cooper besides. Molly was standing there not knowing what to do with herself. It wouldn’t be the same when Lily had gone. Not only would she miss her sister, but she would have nobody to tell her if she wasn’t doing things properly. Neither was she very keen on having to sleep in a room all to herself for the first time.