The Harbour Girl (21 page)

‘Susan is going to have a day off every week. You can choose which day, Susan, and it doesn’t have to be always the same one. Both of you’ – he pointed to Ida and Nancy – ‘will help with the ironing and cleaning the brasses and you’ll strip the beds ready for washday. And Stephen will clean all the boots and shoes, shake the rugs and sweep the yard every morning before he goes to school.’

Susan began to cry and after a moment Ida put her hand on her shoulder. ‘I’m sorry, Susan,’ she said. ‘It’s only now that Da has spelt it out that I realize what a lot you do for us.’ She bent and kissed her sister’s cheek. ‘I’ve been a selfish pig, but I’ll help from now on and mebbe you and me can take a walk together sometimes like we used to when we were little.’

‘I will as well,’ Nancy piped up. ‘I quite like cleaning the brass and making it shine. I can just remember Ma doing it and letting me help her.’ Her eyes filled with tears. ‘I can’t remember much about her, but I can remember that.’

Josh turned away, full of emotion. He still felt the loss of his wife and stepson keenly, but thought how lucky he was to still have such a loving family. They had made another life for themselves, but he was determined, now that his eyes had been opened, that each of his daughters should also have a life of her own. As for his sons, Stephen was just a schoolboy, full of mischief as he had once been himself, whereas Ethan … He gave a small sigh. He couldn’t help Ethan, who was steeped in misery, who hardly spoke of anything except fishing or his boat. Ethan had had plans of his own but he hadn’t shared them, not even with Jeannie, who had been included in them. Well, she was lost to him now with a husband and a child on the way. Ethan too would have to make another life.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHARLIE, A YOUNG man of about Harry’s age who knew Mike Gardiner, brought a trawl net for Jeannie to mend. It was badly rent and full of holes and he said he needed it back urgently.

‘I was told it wasn’t worth mending,’ he said. ‘But I can’t afford to buy another.’

He told her he had inherited his father’s half share in a smack. His father had had to give up fishing as he was infirm and unable to leave the house. Charlie was now the only wage earner.

She asked him to hoist it on to the frame for her to examine. It was an old net and heavy to handle. Some of the outer mesh was badly damaged, as was the cod end, the narrow tapering cone of the net, as if it had been snagged among rocks. It had been roughly mended, probably by fishermen in a hurry to use it again; repairs which would need undoing and starting again. ‘I’ll do what I can,’ she said. ‘But it’ll take some time; maybe four or five days working on this alone.’

He nodded. ‘Can you finish it for when I get back from ’next trip? I’m off in ’morning to ’Dogger. I expect to be away just over a week. If you can mend this for when I get back I’ll bring you another, then I’ll have three good ’uns.’

Jeannie agreed, though she told him she would have to charge him extra for this one. ‘I might have to get some help with it.’ She thought she would ask Nan to give her a hand.

‘It’ll still be cheaper than buying another,’ he said. ‘And I’ve been told that you’re good.’

It seemed that word was spreading and it was a relief to her that she was earning money, though she knew it might not be regular work. Most fishermen or their wives mended their own nets; it was single men like Mike Gardiner or Charlie who needed the work doing.

She asked Nan to help her and the older woman seemed pleased and flattered by the request. ‘Aye,’ she said. ‘I’ve mended many a net for my husband, and my father too. We’ll get started in ’morning.’

Jeannie shook her head. This was her work. She would decide when they started. ‘Today, after dinner,’ she said. ‘Otherwise I’ll have all on to get it finished in time. But tomorrow’s fine for you, Nan. Whenever you can, when you’ve finished whatever else you have to do.’ She gave a little laugh and added, ‘And you’re in charge of the house and the cooking so you have less time than I have,’ and was pleased to see that Nan, who had started to bridle, relaxed at that, mollified.

Nan joined her with the mending the following day; she had in the meantime been to the butcher’s for some beef which was stewing in the oven with onions and potatoes, ready to make a pie for when Harry came back.

‘It won’t be long afore he’s home,’ she said. ‘And I allus liked to have some food ready for him when he’d been on a trip. Nowt like ’smell of home cooking to tempt a man to stop at home.’

Jeannie looked up with a half-smile. Well of course Harry would be glad to stay at home after being at sea. Where else would he want to be but at his own fireside with his family?

It began to rain heavily whilst they were in the yard and Jeannie went indoors to put on her rubber boots, another woolly jumper and the sou’wester which had once been Tom’s. She didn’t want to catch a chill and risk losing the baby. When she came out again, Nan said she would make them a hot drink.

Jeannie’s fingers were cold and she thought that she must buy some wool to knit fingerless gloves now that the weather was turning colder. Another few weeks and winter fogs would be here. She turned her head as she heard the sneck lift on the back gate. If it was Mike Gardiner with another net, she would have to tell him that she was busy for the whole of the week.

It wasn’t Mike, but Harry, standing there with a puzzled expression. Jeannie opened her arms wide, and then quickly hooked her needle into the net.

‘Harry! Oh, you’re back!’

‘Jeannie! Is it you? I didn’t recognize you with that gear on. Let me look at you.’

Jeannie took off her waterproof hat and her hair fell about her face. ‘It’s me! I’m net mending. I’ve got work!’

She put her arms round him, but he took a step back, and then leaned forward and kissed her cold cheek. ‘You’re wetter than I’ve been at sea,’ he said. ‘Come on inside and let me tek a look at you.’

Jeannie gazed at him. Was she mistaken or had she smelled ale on him as he’d bent to kiss her? Surely he would have come straight home from the ship?

Nan was making cocoa when they went inside. She looked up, and although Jeannie saw a gleam of relief in her eyes she merely said, ‘Oh, you’re back then. Had a good trip?’

‘Yes, thanks, Nan.’ Harry dropped his bag and bent to kiss her cheek, and as usual she dashed it away with the back of her hand.

‘Daft beggar,’ she muttered. ‘How was it?’

Jeannie had taken off her wet coat and he put his arm round her and squeezed her. ‘It were all right. By heck, Jeannie. You’ve put some more weight on.’

She smiled as she looked up at him. He was joking, wasn’t he? ‘Well, that’s good, isn’t it?’ she said. ‘Maybe it’s going to be a big strong lad like his da.’

Harry put his head back as he considered. ‘Oh, yeh, mebbe it is. Give us a cuppa tea, Nan, and then I’ll be off to see ’lads. I won’t be long.’ He glanced at Jeannie. ‘Just going to see if owt’s happened down on ’road while I’ve been away.’

‘Nowt much has happened,’ Nan told him. ‘You’ve not been gone five minutes.’ But she made a pot of tea anyway and poured it into a large mug and put a spoonful of sugar into it.

He didn’t sit down but drank standing up, casting a glance first at one and then the other. ‘By, that were good,’ he said, draining the last dregs. ‘I’ll fetch a parcel o’ fish back wi’ me.’

‘Nan’s making a meat pie,’ Jeannie said. ‘The meat’s cooked. Don’t be too late or it’ll spoil.’

His eyes flashed and she thought she saw anger, but then he said, ‘No. I just said: I’m off to see ’lads an’ I won’t be long. There’s some wet gear in me bag. It’ll be stinking if it’s not hung out.’ He headed towards the door. ‘Shan’t be long.’

Jeannie picked up her cocoa and sat down by the fire. She didn’t say anything. What was there to say?

Nan sat opposite her. ‘It’s ’way it is,’ she said. ‘I’ve nivver known owt different. Just be thankful that he’s safe home.’

‘I am,’ Jeannie murmured. ‘But I didn’t think he’d be going out again as soon as his feet were inside the door.’

Nan shrugged. ‘Like I said …’

They sat drinking their cocoa and saying nothing until there was a knock on the back door; they heard it open and someone come into the scullery.

‘Are you there, Nan?’ It was a man’s voice and Nan called back for him to come in. Billy Norman put his head round the door.

‘Has Harry got home?’ he asked. ‘I heard his ship had come in.’

Nan nodded. ‘You’ve just missed him. Not five minutes since.’

Billy nodded at Jeannie. ‘You all right, Jeannie?’

‘Yes, thank you, Billy,’ she said and thought that at least he had asked about her well-being, unlike Harry, who hadn’t. ‘If you see Harry, will you remind him there’s a meat pie waiting for his dinner?’

‘Oh, aye. I certainly will. My ma’s cooking fish. Brought a nice parcel of haddock and turbot home. Not enough turbot to sell so I said I’d have it.’

Jeannie smiled at him. ‘By the way, Billy, thank you for making the frame. It’s been really useful. I’m mending nets already.’

He flushed slightly. ‘Oh, you’re all right, Jeannie. It didn’t tek any time at all. I’ll be off then.’ He seemed to hesitate.

‘Did you have a good trip?’ Nan asked. ‘Who were you with?’

‘Usual crew.’ He half stepped into the kitchen.

‘Like some cocoa?’ Jeannie asked. ‘The kettle’s still hot.’

He glanced at her and then Nan. ‘If it’s no bother,’ he said. ‘It’ll warm me up, then I’ll be off, catch up with ’lads.’

‘I’ll mek it,’ Nan said. ‘Sit down and warm thysen,’ she told him. ‘So who did you say you were with?’

She seemed persistent, Jeannie thought, and Billy’s comment about catching up with the lads echoed Harry’s remarks. It must be tradition, she thought. Perhaps they check up on each other, making sure they’re all safe home after a trip.

‘Jock Hall, Bill Clark, Tony Swift, all ’usual lads,’ he said in answer to Nan’s question. ‘Mark Fowler … Des Turnby.’

He paused before uttering the last name and Nan grunted at it. Billy gave a slight shrug in Jeannie’s direction and lifted his eyebrows, but she didn’t understand what it was supposed to mean.

‘He still gets work then?’ Nan muttered.

‘Aye, he’s a strong chap. Good pair of hands.’

‘Troublemaker.’ Nan handed him the steaming drink. ‘You’d be as well to keep away from him, and his family.’

‘He’s no trouble to me, Nan.’ Billy blew on the cocoa and took a sip. ‘Never has been.’

Jeannie pondered the conversation after Billy had hurriedly finished his drink and left. There were many things she couldn’t possibly know about, but she idly wondered why Nan was so set against the Turnby family. Nan seemed to have quite fierce likes and dislikes, and she thought about meeting Connie on the road that day, when Nan had all but ignored her.

The meat pie was cooked and the crust turning brown and crisp when Harry arrived home. He was quite drunk but amiable and sat down immediately at the table and picked up his knife and fork, holding them in his fists.

‘Right then, where is it? Fetch it to ’table. Billy said it were ready. I’m starving; been looking forward to some good grub.’

Jeannie held her tongue. Meal times had been important in her old home. Her mother had always said that if she took the effort to cook it then Jeannie and Tom should be there to eat it when it was ready. Harry, it seemed, didn’t abide by those rules and she wondered if he would have been here at all if Billy hadn’t reminded him.

They were halfway through the meal when Jeannie broke the silence. ‘So did you get a good catch? Was it a strong sea?’

Harry licked his lips. ‘Aye. We got plenty o’ cod and haddock. Hard, though. I was at ’beck and call of everybody cos I was third hand. Fourth was just a lad, fourteen or fifteen. I was packing boxes as well as trawling ’nets and helping him cook. He’d not been at sea afore. ’Skipper – Aaron, Mike’s lad – said they’d be fleeting next time rather than single boating. He said there was more money in it and they could stay out longer.’ He took another mouthful of pie. ‘Not sure if I’ll do that even if I’m asked.’

Jeannie took in a breath, but Nan said, ‘That’s ’way that things are going from what I hear. Single boating’ll soon be finished. Fleeting is going to be ’onny thing to do unless you go on ’trawlers.’

Harry gave a belch. ‘Beg pardon. Well, I’ll see.’

‘Did – did you get a bonus this time?’ Jeannie ventured. ‘If you got a good catch?’

Harry turned to look at her. He blinked and it was as if he wondered who was asking.

‘I was hoping that you would – for the bairn, you know?’ she added quietly.

He opened his mouth and then closed it again.

‘She’s asking if you brought some money home,’ Nan said sharply. ‘We need to pay ’rent.’

‘I’m not home five minutes and you’re asking me to turn me pockets out!’

Jeannie said nothing but held his gaze.

He stood up, crashing back his chair. ‘Well, as a matter of fact …’ He put both hands in his pockets and drew out a cache of coins which he threw on the table. He grinned. ‘There you are! Plenty o’ money there.’ But he gathered up several coins again and put them back in his pocket before patting the side of his nose. ‘Need them to pay off ’slate at ’Wassand.’