Home Is Where the Heart Is (14 page)

‘Oh, yes, I do so agree.’

For once Davina made no excuses to linger as he walked her back to her lodgings, the excitement of his proposal making her skitter along excitedly beside him.

‘Where will we live, darling?’ she asked. ‘Will your parents allow me to move in with you?’

The prospect of making such a request to them brought a shudder rippling down his spine. ‘I think not. We’ll find somewhere of our own to rent, I’m sure.’

‘You could always stay here with me. Once we are wed, that is,’ she giggled. ‘Otherwise, Mrs Phillipson would never allow it.’

That didn’t appeal to him either, his mind still buzzing about whether he really wanted to call off the wedding with Cathie. He did still feel a certain affection for her, even if she had been guilty of an affair with this Steve character. Although he should bear in mind that the pot of money the infant brought with her might prove she was indeed Cathie’s niece. It was certainly a useful compensation for the unexpected addition of a child, and a good reason for marrying her. Why would he risk losing the possibility to gain such a benefit? Yet how on earth could he resolve this dilemma?

At the door of her digs, Alex gave Davina a lingering
goodbye kiss. She was hugging him tight, giggling with joy as he held her close to his chest. It was then that the door opened and the landlady appeared.

‘I’ll have none of that palaver on my doorstep. What would the neighbours think?’

‘We’ve just got engaged,’ Davina burst out. ‘So surely that deserves a kiss or two.’ After planting a quick goodbye kiss upon his cheek, she flounced past her landlady, chin held high, and marched briskly along the passage and up the stairs.

Turning back to Alex, the woman said, ‘By heck, so a young man like you, whose bow-legged with brass, is willing to wed this little tart? Why would thee do such a thing?’

Alex could feel his face growing warm with embarrassment as she glared at him. The woman must know who he was, even if she was wrong about him personally being rich, since his father had always kept him short of cash. But she could easily be one of Victor’s patients, which would do him no good at all. It was then that a possible solution popped into his head, almost out of nowhere. Having dealt with the problem of Cathie’s ex-lover, he now needed to deal with his own.

He gave the landlady a sad little smile. ‘I’m afraid I have no choice in the matter, Mrs Phillipson, since she’s pregnant. We all make foolish mistakes under pressure of war, so thought I should do the right thing by her.’ He watched with satisfaction as the woman’s jaw dropped open with shock, even as her eyes melted with sympathy.

‘I thowt there were summat wrong with her. Nay, lad, don’t land yourself in even deeper water. Why should you pay the price for her stupidity? She got herself into this pickle. There are places for silly madams like her, and that’s where she should go.’

‘If it were possible for me to find her such a place, I would do so. Although I doubt it would be quite appropriate in the circumstances.’ He gazed at her with a sad appeal in his eyes.

‘Leave it to me.’

Then, lifting his hat in a polite goodbye, he turned on his heel and walked away. If he judged her right, the landlady would evict Davina without delay. And her remark about a home for unmarried mothers, which is presumably what she was referring to, was most interesting, although not something he should involve himself with. Fortunately, she seemed to have got that message, so it might be wise to make himself scarce for a little while, if that was at all possible. He’d have a word with Eddie, who would be sure to know of some place he could kip down for a while.

Cathie sat waiting at home with increasing anxiety. As the hours passed it became clear that Alex was not going to come this evening, as promised. Perhaps he’d been held up somewhere. When a knock came to the door, she ran to open it only to find a young boy standing fidgeting on the doorstep. He shoved a note into her hand, then
scuttled off. Cathie quickly opened it and read the letter, torn between disappointment and relief.

‘Sorry to let you down, sweetie, but I’ve heard of a few possible job vacancies that might be worth investigating, so may be away for a week or two. This might mean we will have to postpone the wedding for a little while, as you suggested. I’ll be in touch later.

All my love,

Alex.

Goodness, the possibility of a job. How wonderful! Cathie felt a little disappointed that Alex hadn’t come to tell her this news personally, and even that the wedding was indeed going to be postponed, after all. Yet a good job was exactly what he needed, as did she, and she intended to spend the extra time continuing with her search for one.

T
he next day, being a Saturday, Cathie went as usual to Campfield Market. A man walked by carrying a tray of fish on his head, which brought a pang of hunger to her belly, reminding her how tight money was right now. She couldn’t afford to do much shopping, but it was a good idea to search out a few bargains. How she used to love coming here as a young girl with Aunty Evie when good food was easy to come by. They’d explore all the stalls then Cathie would help her aunt carry home shopping baskets loaded with onions, potatoes, carrots and cabbage, a string of shiny red polony sausage, pork chops and meat and potato pies, not to mention all manner of feathers and ribbons to trim one of her favourite hats.

If only she had the funds to do the same today. Oh, and what she wouldn’t give for an orange or a banana, which were still rarely seen anywhere. She needed to buy wool to knit little Heather a cardigan, and soon she’d be needing new shoes, but Cathie knew she couldn’t afford to do either of those things. She’d been tossed aside like a used dishrag just because the war was over. But why was employment
so hard to find, even for Alex? Cathie could only hope that this interview he’d gone to would pay off, then the future would look rosy again.

Today she mustn’t spend too long browsing as little Heather was a bit fretful, perhaps starting with a cold or yet more teething. If only Rona would do her bit to help it would make life so much easier. She could then have left the little one at home. Cathie also hoped to meet up with Brenda before she went off yet again to visit her late husband’s relatives. Sadly, she seemed to have left already, as there was no sign of her.

Davina, however, arrived at the market café looking even more gorgeous than usual, and much more cheerful. As they ordered their usual Welsh rarebit and found themselves a table, her face was alight with a bright smile, quite unlike her normal gloomy expression. ‘I’m really rather surprised to see you here, Cathie?’

‘Oh, why is that? Don’t we meet most Saturdays for a snack and a chat?’

‘Yes, we do, but didn’t you speak with Alex last night?’ she asked, looking slightly puzzled.

Davina was wearing a beautiful beige woollen dress with beads and braiding across one shoulder. It looked brand new, not at all the usual shabby style of second-hand clothes she generally chose for her working day at the market. The smartness of the outfit appeared to give her a new air of confidence.

‘Actually, he sent me a note to say that he’d unexpectedly
heard of some job vacancies, so he’s gone off to apply, which is good news.’

Her friend’s beautifully arched brows rose even higher. ‘I think you must have been misinformed, or else your cunning fiancé is making an excuse in order not to upset you.’

Something froze inside of Cathie as she heard these words, but as little Heather began to wail she lifted the toddler from her pram to hold her close and pat her gently against her shoulder. ‘Why, is there some sort of problem he’s been keeping from me? Isn’t he well?’

‘He was perfectly well when I saw him last.’

‘
You
saw him? When was that exactly? I don’t quite understand what you’re trying to say.’ The wails were increasing in volume and, after quickly finding Heather’s dummy, she popped it in the baby’s mouth, which thankfully soothed her. Feeling slightly flustered, Cathie said, ‘There’s no problem so far as I am aware. Alex has been searching for a job for several weeks now, and I’m hoping he strikes lucky this time, then we won’t have to postpone the wedding for too long.’

Davina burst out laughing, as if she’d made some sort of joke. ‘He clearly is reluctant to confess the truth. Your wedding isn’t going to be postponed, Cathie, it is to be cancelled.’

‘
Cancelled?
’

‘Yes, Alex is going to marry me instead.’

The silence following this statement seemed to go on for ever. Even the baby appeared to be struck dumb.

‘Did you hear what I said?’ Davina asked. She took a cigarette out of her bag and lit it with a silver lighter that looked identical to the one Rona had claimed Alex had given her as a present. What was happening here?

Cathie stared in disbelief, struggling to take in what she was seeing, let alone hearing. Did this mean that Steve was right? It would seem that his suspicions were entirely correct and Alex had indeed been involved in an affair. Although maybe it wasn’t Rona Alex fancied at all, but Davina. Drawing in a sharp breath, she struggled to find her voice. ‘Perhaps you would care to explain.’

‘With pleasure! Alex and I have been lovers for some time. Not simply months, but well over a year, ever since he returned to England and was at first stationed down south. That was, in all honesty, the reason I came to Castlefield some months ago, to be near to him. I didn’t like to mention that fact, in the circumstances of your long-standing engagement. He has admittedly been torn between the two of us for some time, but has now come to the sensible decision that I am the one he truly loves. He has no wish to lose me. His engagement with you, Cathie, is most definitely at an end. He and I will be married by special licence quite soon, as I’m already carrying his child.’

Davina was still chuckling to herself as she strolled home to her lodgings late that afternoon after the market closed. The shock on Cathie’s face had been a delight to see.
Her supposed friend hadn’t even hung around to eat her cheese on toast that the waitress had brought moments later. She’d bundled the screaming child back into her pram and almost ran in her eagerness to get away. It must have occurred to her what a naïve idiot she’d been, and how she would now need to bring up this allegedly orphaned child by herself. Alex would be raising his own son or daughter, not somebody else’s, a fact that made Davina’s heart sing with joy.

She could hardly wait to see him this evening, when they would start making plans. No doubt it would be Monday before he’d actually get his hands on a licence, but they could be married within days. Excitement pulsated through her. Things couldn’t have worked out better.

Mrs Phillipson was waiting for her in the kitchen when Davina arrived, and quickly placed a dish of Scotch broth before her, as she did every Saturday evening. Her menu never changed. Sunday was generally shoulder of lamb, leftovers on a Monday, pie, rissoles and chicken mid-week, with fish on a Friday. But she was a good cook and Davina had no complaints.

She ate the broth quickly as she was in a hurry to get ready for her evening out with Alex, reminding her landlady as she dashed upstairs to let her know the moment he arrived. Hours later, he still hadn’t appeared and Davina spent a lonely evening pacing her room in complete bewilderment. Nor did he call to see her the next day, despite it being a Sunday. She spent the entire day searching for
him in all their favourite places: down by the canal, Peel Park, the Pack Horse, and the Midlands Hotel. Davina even hovered outside his house in St John Street for a while, although couldn’t quite pluck up the courage to knock on the door.

Where had he gone? Could what Cathie told her about him going off to apply for a job really be true? If that were the case then she would just have to be patient. He would no doubt be back in a day or so, and then they’d start to make their plans.

That evening, as she ate the expected roast lamb with very little appetite, Mrs Phillipson informed Davina there was someone coming to see her later.

Her heart leaped. ‘Alex?’

‘No, it’s a lady. She’ll be here shortly.’

Stifling a groan, Davina assumed it must be Cathie coming to create a fuss, which would get her nowhere, silly girl.

She was wrong. The woman, when she arrived half an hour later, was tight-lipped, grey-haired and with the kind of sour expression on her grumpy old face that did not bode well. ‘Are you Miss Davina Gibson?’ she asked.

‘I am.’

Her landlady having made a swift exit, Davina found herself left alone to deal with this woman, whoever she might be. Placing herself on the chair beside her, she clasped her hands across her plump stomach.

‘I work for a charity run by the church,’ the woman announced. ‘And, as I understand it, you are in need of
new accommodation in view of …’ here she paused for a moment, her stern gaze sliding over the hint of a bump that Davina was doing her best to hide ‘… your condition.’

The teacup she’d been about to sip almost dropped from her hand as Davina jerked with shock. ‘Who told you …’ she began, but got no further.

It was at this point that Mrs Phillipson reappeared, carrying Davina’s small brown suitcase, which she placed on the floor beside her, together with her coat and hat. She then handed her an envelope. ‘Since you’ve paid up to the end of the month, here’s a rebate for the final two weeks.’

‘What are you saying? Are you throwing me out?’

‘I made it very clear when you first moved in that I have strict standards of behaviour in my house, which you have broken in a most shameful way. You must leave now, this minute, girl. Thankfully, Mrs Mitchell here, who I spoke to this morning in church, is willing to find you a hostel for unmarried mothers. They will offer accommodation and take full responsibility for you and your child.’

Looking from one to the other of them in stunned dismay, Davina let out a spurt of laughter, although she felt more hysterical than amused. ‘You’ve got it all wrong. I’m about to be married.’

‘There’s no proof that will happen, although you can send your new address to your man-friend in the hope that it does,’ the stern-faced charity worker briskly informed her. Then getting to her feet, she added, ‘We’d best be
going, as I’ve managed to get us a lift and we mustn’t keep the driver waiting.’

‘I’m going nowhere,’ Davina snapped, firmly folding her arms, scarcely able to believe what was happening to her.

‘I’m afraid you have little choice. Either you come with me to this hostel, or sleep out on the streets. Unless, of course, you can move in with your alleged would-be husband right now?’

Seconds ticked by as thoughts whirled in Davina’s head, going over her endless search that day for Alex, which had resulted in complete failure. And if the damn landlady was throwing her out, she had to stay somewhere tonight. She certainly had no wish to sleep in the streets, or a damp air raid shelter, even were she able to find one still open and available. Taking a breath, as reality began to sink in, she convinced herself that Alex would be bound to return within a few days, and everything would then be resolved. Turning to Mrs Phillipson, she conceded this fact to her.

‘I’m sorry if I’ve let you down. It was not my intention.’ This was not strictly true as getting pregnant had seemed like the best way to catch him, but Davina felt the need to defend herself. ‘However, my boyfriend, Alex, is currently away applying for a job, so when he returns and comes looking for me, please do inform him where I am. I will, of course, write to him at his home, but I would appreciate your help in this matter.’

‘Should he ever turn up, I’ll refer him to Mrs Mitchell
here,’ her landlady agreed with a brisk nod before ushering her to the door.

Moments later, Davina was driven off into a cold, dark March evening, wondering where the hell she was going, and how she’d come to find herself in this mess.

Cathie was utterly heartbroken, quite unable to take in what she’d been told. How could Davina have made herself out to be such a good friend, when all the time she was sleeping with Alex? This was a nightmare! Her first instinct was to seek out Steve, to tell him that his suspicions had been entirely correct, although why that would help she’d no idea. In any case, he’d be at work right now so she’d have to wait till he took a break.

Cathie delivered little Heather to the nursery before setting out on her usual trek around shops, businesses and factories. The fees were small, but with no job, and her savings rapidly running out, she could only afford mornings to allow herself time to enquire about the possibility of work. She called at various motor companies, factories, hotels, cafés and bakers, various shops including Kendal Milne, even one or two breweries, being perfectly willing to spend her days washing bottles, only to be turned away by them all.

Come lunch-time she hurried back to the Co-op, hanging about outside in the hope that Steve would come out as usual for a breath of fresh air and to eat the sandwiches he
generally brought with him. When he still hadn’t appeared after half an hour of waiting, she slipped into the shop in the hope of finding him. Spotting Mr Leeson, the manager, she hurried over. ‘Is Steve out doing deliveries? I was hoping to just ask him a quick question.’

‘Sorry, Cathie, but Steve no longer works here,’ the manager coolly informed her.

She stared at him in astonishment. ‘Really, why is that?’

Mr Leeson cleared his throat. ‘I’m afraid we came up against a problem and I had to let him go.’

‘I’m sorry to hear that. What went wrong? It wasn’t because of that stupid fight, was it? That definitely wasn’t Steve’s fault.’

‘No, it had nothing to do with that incident at all. But I’m afraid there’s a limit to what I can say on the subject. He made a mistake and let me down badly. I believe he’s gone to work in Birmingham, or maybe Northampton. I can’t quite remember. You’d need to ask his parents. Sorry I can’t be of more help.’

After thanking him, Cathie walked out in a state of dazed disbelief. Goodness, what sort of bad mistake could it have been to cause Mr Leeson to sack him, and after keeping his job open for years during the war? Why hadn’t Steve told her about this? The answer to this rang in her head like a tolling bell of doom. Because he believed that she was about to be married, and they’d fallen out, this time more firmly than ever before.

It was now that she realised how important his friendship
had been to her. She needed him and would miss him so much.

Cathie considered contacting his parents, but there seemed little point if he was in Birmingham, Northampton, or wherever. If he was so far away it wasn’t as if they could sit down and chat over a cup of tea, or while they organised some charity event, as they’d so liked to do. He was gone from her life, perhaps fore ver. Tears filled her eyes at the thought. She’d lost him and must somehow work out how to face this bleak situation on her own.