Across a Summer Sea (29 page)
‘She’s ’ere! She’s ’ere, Queenie!’ Bella shouted from the parlour where she’d been keeping watch. ‘Welcome ’ome, Mary, luv!’ she beamed, hugging a bemused Mary.
‘Is this a reception committee?’ Mary asked as she walked into the tiny kitchen and saw Queenie, Eileen Quinn and Hetty Price all waiting for her.
‘It is indeed. Welcome ’ome, luv!’ Queenie beamed.
‘We’ve all missed yer,’ Eileen added.
‘It’s just such a pity that it’s under such terrible circumstances, ’ Hetty added sympathetically.
‘Trust her to put the mockers on it!’ Nellie muttered, glaring at Hetty who had a knack of putting her foot in everything, in Nellie’s opinion.
‘Would yer look at the size of ’em all!’ Bella cried, giving each of the children a hug.
Mary looked around the crowded kitchen and suddenly felt ashamed. How good they were. Even though they had so little there was ham and bread and even slices of currant cake on the table.
‘Oh, look at all this! You’re so
good
! We couldn’t have had a better welcome.’
good
! We couldn’t have had a better welcome.’
‘You deserve it, Mary. It can’t be easy coming back here after what you’ve been used to,’ Hetty said.
‘For God’s sake, Hetty, are yer determined ter turn this inter a flamin’ wake?’ Bella cried.
‘It’s all right. I know what she means and it
isn’t
going to be easy, Hetty, but I’ve made my decision and I’ll stick by it, come what may. Now, let’s all have a cup of tea. I know the kids must be starving.’ Mary smiled bravely and sat down at the table.
isn’t
going to be easy, Hetty, but I’ve made my decision and I’ll stick by it, come what may. Now, let’s all have a cup of tea. I know the kids must be starving.’ Mary smiled bravely and sat down at the table.
An hour later when they’d all gone and she’d helped Nellie and Maggie to clear up Mary knew she could no longer put off going back to the house she’d once called home. The children had reluctantly gone back with Hetty who had promised them a little surprise each, a sort of coming home gift.
‘Oh, it’s nothing much really, Mary. Just a few sweets and some coloured chalks for Katie and Lizzie and a bit of a catapult for Tommy. Our Georgie’s got one and I’d hate the lad to feel left out,’ she’d whispered.
‘It’s very good of you, Hetty. It’s going to be hard for them, settling in again,’ Mary had replied but thinking that a catapult was the most disastrous thing Hetty could ever have bought for both Tommy and Georgie. She dreaded to think of the damage they could do.
‘Well, luv, you’re going to have to face it,’ Maggie said.
‘I know. Come on, let’s get it over with.’
‘If you need any help, luv, you know where to come,’ Nellie reminded her.
Mary nodded her thanks and followed Maggie back to their house.
It was worse than she had expected, she thought, her heart sinking as she looked around the kitchen. It was so small and dingy and everything looked dull and dirty. In some ways it reminded her of the way Ballycowan had been on the day she’d first seen it.
‘Oh, Maggie, I wish . . .’
‘I know, luv, and I wish you had never had to come back to this. It all sounded so great over there. Nellie used to read your letters to us all. No one else is much good at reading, you know that. And you sounded so happy. Really
happy
.’
happy
.’
‘You’ll never know just how much, Maggie. Well, standing here crying over spilt milk isn’t going to help. I’ve a lot of work to do.’
‘Will you go and see
him
?’ Maggie asked tentatively.
him
?’ Maggie asked tentatively.
‘I suppose I’ll have to. Do you know when visiting is?’
‘Half past seven to eight and they’re terrible strict about it too. Only one visitor at a time, not that there’s been many who want to go and see him. He hardly spoke to a soul around here. He’d fallen out with just about everyone, the bad-tempered get!’
Mary sighed. ‘How did it happen, Maggie? Nellie just said he fell.’ It was the first time she had even been able to bring herself to think about it in any depth.
‘Some fool left a hatch cover half open and he tripped. Fell the whole way down into an empty hold. He’s lucky to be alive.’
‘He won’t think so, knowing Frank.’
‘Well, the doctors won’t take kindly to an attitude like that! Not after all their hard work. Now, I’d better get on with the laundry, I’m a bit behind this morning and, as usual, I need the money.’
‘When I’m organised I’ll give you a hand again, Maggie. I’m going to need money too. I’ve a bit saved but it won’t last for ever and then I’ll have to find some kind of work to keep us.’
‘There’s nothing much, Mary, you know that.’
She nodded. ‘I’ll have to take what I can. I’ve worked in a flour mill so I suppose I can say I’ve a bit of experience of factory work, and I can go out scrubbing floors.’
‘We’ve all had plenty of experience of that!’ Maggie said flatly.
Mary took off her jacket. She had better make a start and then tonight she would have to go and see Frank, no matter how much she hated the thought. After all, he was the reason she’d come back.
Chapter Twenty
M
ARY HAD LEFT THE children with Nellie and had caught a tram to the grim red-brick hospital in Pembroke Place. She had tried to prepare herself for seeing Frank again after so long. She wouldn’t be bitter or hostile, she would try to be pleasant and sympathetic and practical; she would also try to see someone who could tell her exactly what his injuries were and the type of care he would need when he came out of hospital.
ARY HAD LEFT THE children with Nellie and had caught a tram to the grim red-brick hospital in Pembroke Place. She had tried to prepare herself for seeing Frank again after so long. She wouldn’t be bitter or hostile, she would try to be pleasant and sympathetic and practical; she would also try to see someone who could tell her exactly what his injuries were and the type of care he would need when he came out of hospital.
The ward was long and narrow and tiled from floor to ceiling. Tall, barred windows were set high up in the wall which lent the place a depressing air and reminded her forcefully that it had once been a Workhouse. The beds, covered with white cotton counterpanes, were set in two long rows down each side and a nursing sister sat at a table in the middle of the room. She was a thin-faced, officious-looking woman whose heavily starched cap and apron made her appear even more stiff and unbending.
‘I’ve come to see Mr Frank McGann, please.’
‘And you are?’ the woman demanded.
‘Mrs Mary McGann. I . . . I’ve just returned from Ireland. I haven’t seen my husband since he had the accident.’
‘So you’ve turned up at last then!’ The sister’s voice was heavy with disapproval.
‘I came as soon as I could,’ Mary replied sharply. How dare she speak to her like that? She knew nothing of how Frank had treated her.
‘He will need constant care when he goes home. His injuries are very serious. He is paralysed from the waist down. I presume you
do
understand exactly what that means?’
do
understand exactly what that means?’
With a sense of horror Mary suddenly realised
exactly
what that meant. He had no movement at all and therefore no control over his bladder or his bowels. She managed to nod.
exactly
what that meant. He had no movement at all and therefore no control over his bladder or his bowels. She managed to nod.
‘He’s in the next-to-end bed on the right-hand side. Please don’t over-excite him,’ the sister instructed, turning back to her notes.
His eyes were closed. Mary walked on towards him, her footsteps faltering as she made out his appearance. He looked older, much, much older, and thinner. His hair seemed to have receded and his skin looked taut and waxy.
‘Frank. Frank, it’s me. Mary,’ she said quietly, sitting on the hard upright wooden chair beside the bed.
He opened his eyes and turned his head towards her. ‘What do you want? I never sent for you.’ His voice was cold and a little rasping.
It wasn’t what she had expected. ‘I’ve come to see how you are.’
‘You can see that! I’m a cripple! A bloody cripple! I suppose you’ve come to gloat!’
She stared at him, shocked. ‘No! I came back because I thought you needed me, to look after you when you come out.’
‘I wish to God I didn’t! The last thing I need is your pity! In fact I wish to God I were dead!’
‘Frank, don’t say that. Not after the doctors have worked so hard. You’re alive, you should be thankful.’
He turned his head away.
She tried again. ‘Are you in any pain?’
‘I’ve just told you I’m bloody paralysed!’ he snapped. ‘Don’t you understand?’
‘I do. I just thought . . .’ She had to try to move the subject away from himself. ‘Don’t you want to know how the children are?’
‘How are they?’ he asked, expressionlessly.
‘They’ve grown. Tommy isn’t half the hooligan he used to be. He’s become very useful around the place and he can drive both a trap and a cart. Katie’s quite the little housewife and Lizzie, well, Lizzie’s come on in leaps and bounds.’ Oh, how it hurt her to think of how miserable they all were but she tried to keep her voice cheerful.
‘Then they won’t be very pleased about having to come back, will they?’ He sounded very bitter.
‘They’ll settle down when you’re . . . back.’ She couldn’t bring herself to call the house in Newsham Street ‘home’.
‘You’d better get back to them, Mary.’ He closed his eyes.
She could find nothing else to say. She got up. ‘I’ll be in again tomorrow night. Is there anything you want?’
‘I
want
to be a whole man again but seeing as you can’t do anything about that, you don’t have to bother coming.’
want
to be a whole man again but seeing as you can’t do anything about that, you don’t have to bother coming.’
She bit down the retort that sprang to her lips. Whatever she had expected of him it wasn’t to be treated like this. ‘I’ll be back tomorrow. Perhaps by then I’ll know when they are going to let you out.’
His eyes snapped open. They were full of venom. ‘ “Let me out” just about sums it up. I’m like a bloody prisoner and always will be now and with you as my jailor!’
She walked away, tears stinging her eyes. Why had she come back? Why had she left everyone and everything she loved to come back to him? But she knew the answer. With a heavy heart she made her way along Scotland Road towards Nellie’s. She was just turning a corner when she almost collided with a man.
‘My God! Mary McGann!’
‘Richie Seddon!’
He grinned at her and she immediately thought that he hadn’t changed.
‘You’ve come back. I heard you might. So, how was life in the Emerald Isle?’
‘Much better than it is here. How are you? Married yet?’
He laughed. ‘Mary, you should know better than that!’
‘Don’t you dare say you’re waiting for me!’
He looked startled. She was smiling but there had been a hard edge to her voice. ‘Mary, you know how sorry I am about all
that
,’ he said quietly. He dearly meant it.
that
,’ he said quietly. He dearly meant it.
‘I know, Richie, and in a strange way it wasn’t
all
bad, me leaving Liverpool.’
all
bad, me leaving Liverpool.’
He looked at her closely. She still looked beautiful. She was well dressed but there was something else. ‘You found someone else, didn’t you?’
She was too heart-sore to deny it. She nodded.
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