Under the July Sun (38 page)

Cat sighed as she put the last of the crockery and cooking pans into a tea chest. Billy was away in London at the hospital training school so would not be there to help. How glad she was that at least one of them would be ‘making it' in the world. He was advancing quickly to fulfil his dream of becoming a doctor and Cat was so proud of this she could burst. She had a job not to keep slipping it into her conversation at the slightest opportunity, because Eileen had made it clear to her that she was sounding very boastful, and this was frowned upon by the church.

Eileen worked in a shoe shop in the High Street near Reggie's butcher's shop, and Anna had a job in an office above an electrical engineering works. She helped to make up the men's wages and was learning how to enter the accounts as well as general filing. On Tuesday evenings she went to night school to learn typing and was picking it up well, though it was not her first choice. But as Cat often told her, she was lucky to have a job at all so she had better be satisfied with not liking it.

Mr. Pierce next door had offered to help Cat with the move and she had accepted because she would not let the girls stay off work and lose money. Mr. Pierce was retired and glad to have something useful to do.

Cat would miss Mr. and Mrs. Pierce; they had been good neighbours and had helped her through her loss of Louis years ago. She would of course no longer hear Mr. Pierce riding around on Louis' motorbike, but maybe that was a good thing because it never ceased to stir memories that evoked sadness.

‘When ye leave work tonight,' she had told Eileen and Anna, ‘make yer way to Alwold Crescent. Number fifty one. I'll be there. Now off ye go so's ye're not late into work and get yer money stopped.'

The girls had said goodbye and waved as they trotted down the road. Both of them turned and looked back at their home, sighed, and continued on their way.

‘Well, that's that then,' Anna said resignedly, ‘we won't be going home to that house ever again.'

‘No,' Eileen said.

‘Are you sorry or glad?'

‘A bit of both I suppose. It won't make much difference; we'll still have a jolly long walk to work every day.'

‘Yes, but I'm excited about having a new place to live, aren't you?'

‘Suppose so.' Eileen sounded uninterested. ‘So which of us is Elizabeth sharing with?'

‘I don't mind. If she wants to share with you it's fine by me but if she wants to share with me, then that's fine too.' Anna was not going to get into an argument about this. ‘When Billy comes home, we'll all have to share I suppose.'

Eileen shrugged. ‘He won't be back for a while, so we can count him out.'

‘Maybe,' she said, and then added, ‘I miss him. Do you?'

‘No, not really. I don't miss his bossiness and lazy attitude, just because he's a boy and doesn't do the housework. I'm telling you that if ever I have a boy he'll do the whole lot.'

Anna laughed. She could not imagine Eileen having a baby, or herself for that matter. She decided to change the subject as they continued walking. ‘I'm going to Laura Kennedy's on Friday night.'

‘What, more black shirt meetings?' Eileen sounded annoyed.

‘You could come too if you wanted,' Anna offered.

‘No thank you, I have better things to do.'

‘Oh. What's that?'

‘Never you mind.'

‘Come on tell me.'

‘No.'

‘Please yourself.'

‘Anyway Mummy doesn't like you getting involved with Laura's crowd, she thinks it has sinister overtones, and I agree with her.'

‘What sinister overtones?' Anna sounded surprised.

‘Ask her yourself.'

‘I will.'

They walked in silence the rest of the way to the High Street where they normally parted company. Anna paused before continuing in the direction of her work.

‘Eileen, you
can
come Friday night if you want.'

‘I'll see if I'm busy or not.'

Anna knew then that she did not have anything better to do and was merely covering up the fact that nobody ever asked her to join them. She wondered why.

Anna accepted that Eileen could be rather sharp-tongued, but she knew of other girls with equally scathing ways who didn't seem to go short of invites. Perhaps, she thought, it was because Eileen was inclined to be quarrelsome and wasn't much fun to be with. She is rather dull and boring Anna decided, crossing the High Street.

She then made her way jauntily down the other side of the road as Eileen entered the shoe shop where she worked. Maybe handling feet all day is what made her so sour, thought Anna.

As soon as she arrived in the office, Anna asked her boss Mr. Catherall if he would like a cup of tea. They had fallen into this ritual right from the beginning of her employment and it seemed to cement their relationship. Anna thought he was a nice old gentleman and often daydreamed that he was her father and she was doing things for him because of that.

Mr. Catherall never stood too close, or breathed on her neck or touched her when he should not, and slowly she came to trust his company.

Before that, she cringed when a man came within her arm's length of her and froze if one as much as brushed against her accidentally.

Mr. Catherall was safe Anna had decided. Other men were not.

Cat tidied the kitchen in the convent and was about to put a newspaper into the corner to be used for lighting the boiler when a headline caught her eye. She picked up the newspaper but it was in French and she had no idea what it said, other than the fact the Pope's name was mentioned.

She scrutinised the article trying to make sense of the words:

L'Oest-Éclair                  22 Mars 1937

Le Nouveau Kulturkampf

Energique prostestation du Pape contre la persecution des catholiques en Allemagne…

It was hopeless! She couldn't read it; but it alarmed her. Were Catholics being persecuted somewhere in the world and the Pope had heard about it? Or was the Pope in danger of persecution?

And what in the name of God's was Allemagne? She folded the paper and thought for a moment. Mother Superior may be able to read it she decided, so took off her apron, smoothed down her skirt and headed for her office.

Cat tapped gently on the door and when she heard Mother Superior call for her to enter she opened the door and went inside.

‘Good mornin' Mother, I'm sorry to disturb ye, but I happened to see this newspaper in the kitchen and wonder if ye can make sense of it for me?'

‘Ah, I see you've picked up Sister Cecile's paper from France. Bring it here and we'll see.'

Mother Superior took the paper from Cat and stared at the headline, then folded the paper and laid it on the desk.

‘I can't tell you word for word what it says Cat, but I do know what it's about as I was discussing this today with Sister Cecile. As you know she's French and her relations send the paper over here regularly.'

‘Well, is the Pope in trouble, Mother?'

Mother Superior smiled, ‘No. No, Cat. It's about an important message he sent out in his summer encyclical to all churches of the Reich encouraging the faithful to resist violating the 1933 concordat in the Catholic churches of Germany.'

‘So what does it mean exactly?'

‘It's a reminder to have faith in God, in Jesus Christ and the Church, and to remember Christian morals. He implores divine forgiveness for all those that are persecuting and said that it went against the preachings of Christ.'

‘Is this about what's happenin' to Jews and the like over there?'

‘Yes, it is Cat.'

‘So that's all 'tis about then?'

‘More or less, but he did end by saying, if I can remember Sister Cecile's translation, that St. Peter prays for them and all who suffer for their faith, in prisons and concentration camps, and asks Catholics everywhere to resist physical force.'

Mother Superior looked at Cat. ‘Does that help to explain the article, Cat?'

‘Sure, in a way it does, Mother.'

‘You sound doubtful, Cat. What's going through that mind of yours?'

Cat laughed, ‘Ye know me too well.'

‘So, Cat. Come on tell me what's worrying you.'

‘Well, Mother. I'm hearin' certain talk that's makin' me uneasy. I hear folk sayin' the likes of people in Germany, and over there generally, are bein' tipped out of their houses and businesses and that in some towns, Jews are bein' made to scrub the streets. Now why in God's name would anyone want to make them do that?'

‘I think you are right to be concerned, Cat. I don't like what I'm hearing either and I deplore people who get so swept up in, well whatever you like to call it, politics, power, greed, or wanting something someone else has, that they have to torment the life out of others. I fear for us all, there are movements going on even in this country that I just don't agree with. It causes disharmony, brain-washes people into thinking they are part of some super-race that sets them apart from the ordinary folk.'

‘Mother, I think I know what ye mean and that's somethin' else I've been meanin' to discuss with ye.'

Mother Superior took off her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose where they had left indentations and little red marks.

‘You can talk to me about anything you wish, Cat. You know whatever you say to me will be treated in complete confidence.'

‘Anna has been goin' to meetin's with Laura Kennedy, and I'm worried about it.'

‘Oh. What kind of meetings are these, Cat?'

‘Well, they all wear black shirts and 'tis some kind of political party, one I'm not acquainted with, but I don't like the sound of it.'

‘You don't have to say any more, Cat. I know exactly the party you are talking about, Mosley's fascists - and you are right to be worried.'

‘I'm glad ye agree, Mother.'

‘What I suggest you do Cat, is persuade Anna to stay away from such company and if she needs any guidance about it, she can either come and speak to me or Father Fitzgerald after work one evening.' She replaced her glasses. ‘I must say though I'm surprised at Laura Kennedy, I would have thought she would have more sense than to get mixed up with that sort of thing.'

‘Right then Mother, I'll do that. I'm mighty relieved ye understand the problem. I had experience myself of so-called political parties back home when I was a girl, and I don't want anythin' like that creepin' into our lives now. We're away from it here and I fear for my girls gettin' mixed up with any trouble.'

‘You're a good mother, Cat. You're on the right side of things, and if I can help you in any way, just ask. I'll be glad to help.'

Cat looked at the clock. ‘I must let ye get on now Mother. I'm away home as I've finished work.'

‘Good night then, Cat. And we'll see you tomorrow.'

‘Good night Mother, and thanks for the advice.'

All the way home, the talk she had with Mother Superior went round and round in her mind. She would have to tell Anna not to go about any more with Laura Kennedy and just hope she had the sense to see that getting mixed up with that lot would only lead to trouble.

Anna laid the table for the evening meal and asked Elizabeth to fill the kettle and put it on the range to boil. She began slicing a loaf of bread as Eileen was plucking her eyebrows in front of the mirror above the fireplace.

‘Mummy's home late,' Anna said to Eileen

‘She's probably gossiping to someone about the King and his coronation. I expect she'll be back soon but I think we should start on the meal, I'm going out and don't want to be late.'

‘Where are you going?' Elizabeth asked her.

‘None of your business,' Eileen snapped.

Anna looked across at Eileen. ‘You don't have to speak to her like that.'

‘Who are you telling Miss High and Mighty?'

‘I'm telling something that the label has fallen off, so I don't exactly know.'

Elizabeth sniggered, and pretended to read her book.

Eileen stepped away from the mirror and moved her head first one way and then the other to see if she had removed all unnecessary hairs, and satisfied she had, turned and looked in her make-up bag for an eyebrow pencil.

As Eileen carefully drew lines on her brows, Elizabeth watched her.

‘Where are you going tonight, Eileen?

‘Dancing.'

‘Oh. Who with?'

‘None of your business.'

‘That's all you ever say,' Elizabeth said, and feeling thwarted fell silent, deciding to drop the conversation and get on with her story. When Eileen was in one of her moods, Elizabeth knew better than to try holding a conversation with her.

The front door opened and Elizabeth looked up.

‘That's Mummy now,' she said slamming her book shut. ‘Now we can get on with the cooking.'

Cat came into the room, her face chalk white. Anna looked up and stopped slicing the loaf of bread.

'What's the matter Mummy, you look dreadful!' She went to her and helped her to a chair. ‘Elizabeth, get Mummy a drink of water will you?

Cat held up a telegram and put it on the table.

‘I just got this from the telegram boy. 'Tis from my sister, Ellie in America. Her little girl's been killed.'

Eileen and Anna both said, ‘No!'

‘How? What happened?' Anna asked.

‘I don't know for sure, it just says ‘Catherine was killed yesterday by a truck, letter follows.'

Anna put her arms around Cat's shoulders.

‘Mummy, how terrible. Poor Auntie and Uncle.' She looked at Eileen who stood still, clearly shocked by the news.

‘I'll make you a cup of tea Mummy,' Eileen said. ‘I won't go out tonight.'