Lily of Love Lane (33 page)

‘Mum! What’s happened to her?’ Lily ran over and fell to her knees.

‘I heard all this screaming and came down,’ said her father who stood looking bewildered.

‘She had a bit of a turn,’ said her uncle shakily, looking at Lily from behind his pince-nez. ‘And just fainted away.’

Taking her mother’s hand, Lily patted it. ‘Mum, mum, wake up.’

‘She’s out for the count.’

‘Where are the smelling salts?’

‘I’ll get ’em.’ Noah Kelly rose unsteadily to his feet.

‘Josie, Josie,’ mumbled her father.

‘Are you all right, Dad?’

‘Is it my fault?’

‘No, of course not.’

Her uncle returned with the smelling salts. Lily put them under her mother’s nose. At once Josie coughed and spluttered. Lily helped her to sit up.

‘What happened?’ she asked in a daze.

‘You fainted.’

‘I told her about the RO coming next week,’ said her uncle in a small voice.

Lily looked up at him. ‘The RO?’

He nodded. ‘I got it all arranged.’

‘He was getting rid of me piano,’ cried Josie suddenly.

‘I was only going to hide the piano and me Talking Machine,’ said her uncle. ‘Charlie’s taking them up the coal yard. Away from prying eyes till it’s all
over.’

At this Josie began to cry. Lily put her hand under her mother’s arm and helped her to a chair. Lily sat beside her. ‘Did you bang your head when you fell?’

‘No,’ Josie sobbed. ‘It’s not me head that’s broken. It’s me heart. How could you do such a thing, Noah? Me own brother, calling in the RO of all
people.’

‘That’s what you do when you’re skint.’

‘You weren’t even going to tell me.’

‘I would have.’

‘When it was too late I expect.’

Lily held her mother’s hand. ‘You can stop crying now, Mum. Here take this hanky.’

‘Think of the shame it will bring!’

‘I was thinking of our bellies,’ replied Lily’s uncle, beginning to lose his patience. ‘And putting something in them.’

‘How could you even—’

‘Stop it you two.’ Lily held up her hands. ‘Uncle Noah, sit down please.’

‘I can never do anything right.’

‘You were trying to help, I know.’

‘What else can we do?’ he demanded as he sat on the chair.

‘There is something else as it happens.’

Her mother stopped crying. ‘What?’

‘If you’ll both give me a chance, I’ll tell you. Now, where’s Dad gone?’

They looked around. ‘Did you lock the door behind you?’ asked her uncle.

‘Yes.’

‘Then he must have gone back upstairs.’

‘I want him to hear what I’ve got to say.’

‘He don’t know what’s going on half the time,’ said her mother in a rush. ‘You’d best leave him out of it.’

A sudden rattle came from the hall and the door swung open. Bob Bright stood with a mug of tea. His hands were shaking so much it was spilling over the sides.

‘Dad!’ Lily went to him.

‘It’s for your mum.’

‘Bob, what are you doing with that?’ Josie cried as she blinked her wet eyes.

‘He’s made the tea, that’s what!’ Lily exclaimed happily as she took the mug and gave it to her mother. ‘Dad, this is wonderful. We thought you’d gone back
upstairs.’

‘I made a bit of pig’s ear of the brew, I’m afraid.’

Lily put her arms round him. ‘It’s early days. You’re only just back on your feet. It’s so nice to see you up and about.’

‘It was the shouting that brought me down.’

‘Well, everything’s going to be all right now. Go and sit beside Mum. I’ve some good news to tell you all.’

Lily took a deep breath. She hadn’t intended to reveal her plans just yet. But the prospect of a visit from the Welfare had given her the perfect opportunity.

‘You can put your Talking Machine back upstairs, Uncle Noah. You won’t need to hide it,’ she began. ‘And the piano is safe where it is.’

She gazed at the three confused people staring up at her. It was time to put a smile back on their faces.

‘You mean my little girl is leaving home?’ Bob Bright was the first to speak.

‘I’ll be home at weekends.’

‘I don’t want you to go.’

‘I won’t until you’re better.’

‘But this Charles Grey,’ said her mother, as though she had just understood, ‘what does he want with you after all this time?’

‘He offered me a job once before, now I’ve accepted, as it’s a job I can do and is still available.’

‘But we don’t know who he is. Can he be trusted?’

‘We’ve been through all this before. He’s perfectly respectable and has a house and business to run. He’s away a lot, so I shall be left to me own devices. The pay is six
guineas a week.’

‘But that’s a fortune!’ cried Josie.

‘Yes, it is.’

‘Are you sure?’ asked her uncle, his big eye in the pince-nez more magnified than ever.

‘Yes, quite sure, Uncle Noah. I’ll be able to give Mum half of it and clear up our outstanding debts.’

‘Then if you are happy, Lil, this is a small miracle.’ He looked at his sister. ‘It will mean I can tell those buggers at the town hall to get stuffed.’

‘You mean we don’t have to go on the Welfare?’ Josie gasped.

‘No, as Charles has given me an advance to keep us until Dad is recovered.’

‘It’s all too much to take in, Lily,’ said her mother, looking confused. ‘All I can say is, although this will solve our problems, the house won’t be the same
without you.’

‘Of course it will. On Saturdays and Sundays I’ll be back to make a nuisance of meself again.’ Lily laughed softly. ‘Just think, you can go up the market and to the
corner shop and spend what you want without having to put it on the slate.’

Josie smiled. ‘That will be a new experience.’

‘And Dad and Uncle Noah can buy a few cigarettes instead of tobacco.’

Josie nodded, her face brightening. ‘Are you sure you want to do this for us, Lily?’

‘I’m sure, Mum.’

There was silence until Bob Bright coughed and hit his chest with his fist. As he patted his cardigan pockets, he mumbled, ‘I could do with a fag now.’

They all laughed. ‘Oh, Dad, it’s nice to have you back with us again.’

‘I didn’t like to see your mother on the floor.’

‘Well, it got you down here, didn’t it?’

‘I suppose so.’

Josie looked at her husband sitting beside her. ‘You do look much better, love. Thank you for the tea, it was a very nice thought even though half of it went on the floor.’

Everyone laughed again. Suddenly Lily felt the floodgates of relief open inside her. The nightmare they had been living in was receding and there were better times ahead.

On a fine Sunday morning in September, when the first autumn mist crawled over the island, Lily said goodbye to friends and family. She joined Charles in the large blue car
that waited outside her house and waving to her family and the Parks and Jameses who had congregated outside her house, she could hardly believe she was leaving home. But, as Charles gave a toot on
the horn, her heart leapt at the wonderful smile he gave her.

As she sat beside him, watching Love Lane disappear in the mist, she gave a little tremble. She was both excited and apprehensive. She had no real idea what her duties would include, nor whether
she’d be able to perform them well enough, and that, in addition to sleeping in a strange bed for the first time in her life, was enough to make her stomach churn with anxiety.

How quickly the last five weeks had passed! All the time her father had improved and, best of all, had shown no signs of wanting to escape or resume his old habit. Occasionally he would go
upstairs and detach himself from life, but most of the time he was content to sit by the fire with Uncle Noah or have a short walk around the block. Her mother was still cautious and kept an eagle
eye on him. But he was not the strong man he once was. Even walking to the end of the road was a challenge, although Lily knew that with time he would grow a bit stronger.

Josie was happy again. She had already grown accustomed to a renewed income, provided by Charles. She enjoyed the luxury provided by three pounds, three shillings every week.

As Charles drove steadily towards Dewar Street, half of Lily was enthralled at his presence and the prospect of being in his life, living in the beautiful home that she knew awaited her was a
dream come true. But her other half was naturally missing the people left behind. Hattie had promised to write and Ben had told her that if ever Charles couldn’t drive her back to Love Lane
on Saturday mornings, he would come for her in his new car.

‘I was most pleased to see your father up and about,’ Charles said, suddenly breaking into her thoughts.

Lily nodded, smiling as she thought of her father’s brave smile as he hugged her goodbye.

‘Do yer best love, and don’t worry about us,’ he had comforted her, just as the old dad would have said.

‘He’s much better now,’ Lily replied. She wanted Charles to know that he need not be concerned her father would relapse into his old habits. That part of his life was finished
now. He’d had a big shock seeing her mother on the floor and thought he was responsible. Lily had noticed that since that day he was deliberately making small steps into taking his place in
the home again.

‘And your friend Hattie?’ asked Charles, his perfectly formed hands grasping the steering wheel. ‘How is married life suiting her?’

Lily glanced down at the rabbit’s foot on her collar. She had bought herself a new coat for today and as she fingered the fur, she smiled. ‘Hattie’s very happy. And business is
picking up at market.’

‘I’m glad to hear it.’

‘And what of your friend Ben? Do you have his blessing on your new life?’

Lily glanced quickly at her companion. ‘He’s very happy for me.’

‘I’m glad to hear that.’

‘He’s just bought a new car.’ Lily was proud of Ben as he was determined to make a success of the expansion of his business.

‘How very interesting. What is he going to use the car for?’

‘City work, I think.’

‘A very enterprising young man.’ Lily nodded, reflecting on how last night Ben, Hattie and Reube had come in to wish her good luck. They had made it a happy occasion and she had been
grateful for that. It was only Hattie who, as she left, shed a tear.

As they passed the Queens Theatre, Lily reflected on all that had happened since she first met Charles four years ago. Would she have ever guessed then that she would be sitting beside him in a
beautiful car, on her way to live at Dewar Street? She smiled. No, not in a million years.

But as she stole a glance at his handsome profile, in her heart she felt that her destiny was to be with him. That is what she believed. And Lily felt certain that one day, her life would change
yet again. In her most private moments, she saw herself wearing not the pink bridesmaid’s dress, but a long, flowing white one with a veil. And beside her, looking down on her with love
filling his deep, dark eyes, was the man who had never left her thoughts in all the time they had spent apart.

October 1936

L
ily stood in the well-lit hall of number four Dewar Street. As always, at the end of the week, she cast her eye over the polished wood floors and
long flight of stairs. Everything was spick and span. For two years now, Mrs Brewer had been a blessing. Not only could she rely on the older woman to turn up each day, but her work was faultless.
Small and rotund, Mrs Brewer cared for the house as if it was her own. The fires were always lit before nine, the washing attended to on Mondays. The other four mornings were divided equally
between upstairs and downstairs. Her trustworthiness made it quite unnecessary for Lily to check her work.

Now it was Friday evening and Lily was eagerly awaiting Hattie. Charles was away on one of his trips and Lily had suggested that Hattie come straight from work and spend the night at Dewar
Street. The offer was eagerly accepted and Mrs Brewer had prepared the guest bedroom in readiness.

‘Is there anything else you want, Miss?’

‘No, thank you, Mrs Brewer. My friend will be here soon.’

‘I hope she finds the room to her liking.’

‘I’m sure she will.’

‘Are you sure you won’t want me to come back after I’ve fed me old man, and save you the bother of cooking?’

‘No, that’s all right. I’ve prepared the trolley. We’ll just eat lightly tonight.’

‘Well, if you’re sure? I’ve set the table in the back parlour and there’s a nice fire going in the drawing room. The bed is all made up for your friend and clean towels
left in her room.’

‘Thank you. Are you doing anything nice this weekend?’

Mrs Brewer gave a frown of concern. Her plump face under her black felt hat gave her a homely appearance, but now she looked anxious. ‘We was going up to Tower Hill to see our daughter and
her hubbie. They’ve got two rooms above a shop, nice and comfy it is. But the rumours are rife there’s going to be a meeting.’

‘What sort of meeting?’ Lily asked politely. She was only half listening as her mind was elsewhere. Charles had seemed distracted when he’d left at the beginning of the week.
His absences had grown more frequent in the past few months and his mood had not always been easy on his return. Over the past two years she had learned to recognize the signs. Sometimes he would
say very little and yet at others he would ask for her company at supper. The stories he told her were all very amusing of the upper class circles in which he moved.

‘Ain’t you read the
Daily Herald
? It’s those bloody Blackshirts again.’

Lily came quickly back to the present. ‘What about them?’

‘My Tom says Mosley plans to march on the East End. I tell you Miss, if he tries there will be a riot. The commies and fascists will be at it like mad dogs, with the dockers in
between.’

‘I thought all that was over,’ said Lily, ‘when Mosley left government.’

‘Don’t you believe it. Since thirty-four they’ve been digging in down this way, trying to recruit as many as they can. Tom works for a Jewish concern. Don’t usually
employ the gentiles, but without him they’d be lost. As you know he keeps all them weavers’ machines running like clockwork. A real magician he is and they know it. Anyway, he tells me
some of the Jewish blokes and their families have had a bad time of it with the Blackshirts. Beaten up, some of them are, by these thugs. Now, I’m no symapthizer to any religion and I
ain’t no Socialist either, but me and Tom believe in British justice and fair play. The Jews, the Poles, the Frenchies, whoever they might be – seeing women beaten up of any creed or
colour don’t sit well with us.’