The Girl with the Creel (19 page)

‘Aye, m'quine,' she said, gently, ‘it's hard on the wives.'

In North Pringle Street, Elsie Slater went to bed in a temper. Her visit to Buckpool had been a disaster. She had thought Peter's mother would make her welcome, but the fat lump hadn't liked her and hadn't tried to hide it. Peter had been on heckle pins all the time, and if she'd had any sense she'd have walked out. But she wanted Peter. Not that she had to marry him, for she wasn't expecting at all, but he was the best catch she'd ever get. She quite fancied being a draughtsman's wife and she didn't want him to get away.

When he was seeing her home he'd said his mother would be the same to any girl he took into the house, and she could well believe that. She'd seen that the woman thought the sun shone out of his backside, so she wouldn't think anybody was good enough for him. His father hadn't been so bad; a wee pasty-faced man with a boozer's red-nose, he'd eyed her like she was a side of beef he wanted to buy, but she was accustomed to men looking at her like that. He'd hardly got the chance to say a word and he'd likely have been a lot happier sitting in a pub. Well, maybe he didn't mind being henpecked, but his wife wouldn't have it all her own way when Elsie Slater moved in as Mrs Tait Junior. And when Peter found out she'd tricked him into marrying her, she would easily get round him.

Bella Jeannie rounded on Peter when he arrived home. ‘You've surely lost your senses to think o' marrying a trollop like that! Painted up to the eyeballs, and sitting wi' her skirts up so you could see her bare hips! And your father was as bad as you, gawking at them, and likely getting himself all worked up. He's away to his bed, but if he tries it on wi' me when I go up, I'll knock him into the middle o' next week.'

The thought of his father trying anything on with her made Peter grin, and she glared at him suspiciously. ‘Maybe you've been at it wi' her already? Is she in the family way?'

Peter's smile vanished and he felt as if his tongue was fixed to the roof of his mouth. His mother had always been able to put her finger on the truth, no matter what lies he told when he was younger, and she had done it again.

‘Is her father forcing you to wed her?' Bella Jeannie persisted.

He was on safer ground here. ‘No, it's nothing to do with her father.'

‘Maybe I'm wrong then, but I'd rather you married Lizann Jappy than that one.'

And so would he, Peter longed to shout, but it would have been as good as admitting that he had been forced into marriage by Elsie herself, not her father. In any case it would all come out when she began to show, and his mother would half kill him for not telling her before. He was between the devil and the deep blue sea, and it was hard to tell which of the two women was more of a devil. His life would be one long hell after Elsie came here to live, with the two of them going on at him day in, day out.

‘Speaking about Lizann Jappy,' Bella Jeannie said, suddenly, ‘Rosie Mac was in when you was seeing your fancy piece hame, and she tell't me Willie Alec's boat's went down.'

‘Who told her that?'

‘She was listening to the trawlers. It'll be an awful shock to Hannah, her man and her son both lost, and it wouldna surprise me if she went out o' her mind, for Willie Alec's been her whole life since the day she met him. It's a good thing she'll have Lizann there to help her get ower it. Well, your father should be sleeping by this time, and it's time all good folk was in their beds.'

Waiting until she closed the door, Peter sprawled down in his chair, his legs stretched out and his toes pointed at the fire. Poor Lizann, he thought, losing her father and her brother at the same time; she must be devastated. Should he call on her tomorrow to express his sympathy? It would be natural with him being a close friend of Mick's, but it would be awkward if George Buchan was there. He had seen them together several times since their wedding, and the happiness shining from her eyes had made a knife twist in his heart. He'd better keep away; her man would be the only one she'd want at a time like this.

He sat up abruptly. George Buchan had been skipper of the
Hannah
! He'd nearly forgotten that, and it meant Lizann was a widow! She would be heartbroken right now, but once she got over it … Dear God! When she got over it he could have made her love him again, but he'd be married to Elsie Slater by that time! With an infant on the way to weld them even more firmly together.

If only he'd waited. If only he hadn't rushed into taking Elsie as a substitute – taken in every sense of the word, not once, but three or four times a week for about seven months, with no precautions. He should have known better. He'd been asking for trouble, and he'd bloody well got it! Well, he mused wryly, it was no use crying over spilt milk, so he'd be as well going to bed. He would never get Lizann now, and he'd have to make the best of things. At least Elsie could satisfy him, could more than satisfy him, so he'd have no complaints on that score, and he might enjoy being a family man with a toddler or two running around his feet.

Hannah had dozed off, but Lizann was still sitting hunched up, her eyes bone dry. She couldn't believe that the
Hannah
had gone down, that she would never see George again. It couldn't be true! They'd had so little time together, they had not even made a child – though it could have been time if she had let herself go like George asked her to. What would it have mattered if her mother had heard them? They were man and wife. But … if the
Hannah
had gone down, she wouldn't be his wife any more. She and her mother would both be widows!

Chapter Ten

Daylight was shining through the curtains when Lizann heard quick footsteps outside and leapt up, but before she reached the door her aunt burst in and barged past her, her grey hair untidy, her coat fastened askew.

‘I've just heard,' Lou gasped, striding over to the fireside, ‘and I come as fast as I could. I see you ken already, though. Who tell't you?'

Startled out of a doze, Hannah gave her head a slight shake as if to clear her brain. ‘It was on the wireless last night.' Her voice broke and, grabbing her sister's hand, she burst into tears.

Determined not to believe the worst until they were told officially, Lizann said, ‘Who told you, Auntie Lou?'

‘I saw a boorach o' women in the street, and I went out to see what they were speaking about, and that's what it was. So I went back inside for my coat and I've run near the whole road here.' She laid her hand on her heaving chest.

But Lizann wanted to hear more. ‘Who told them?'

‘Isie Stewart had been listening to the trawlers last night, and all, and she said she near fainted when she heard about the
Hannah
, for she ken't it was Willie Alec's boat.'

‘Did she tell you what she heard … the exact words?'

‘She said she'd an awful job making onything out, and she just heard somebody saying the
Hannah
had went down.' Lou turned again to her sister, whose sobbing had increased in volume. ‘Dinna let it get to you, m'dear. I'm sure they hadna ken't what happened.'

‘What do you know about it?' Lizann's nerves, coiled spring-tight, were ready to snap. ‘A boat would take a long time to sink …'

‘Oh, well, they'd have ken't they were going to drown,' Lou protested, looking slightly abashed, ‘but driftermen must aye have that at the back o' their minds.'

Hannah's sobs had reached a crescendo of hysterics, and Lizann wished that she hadn't argued with her aunt. She had only made things worse for her mother. She herself was still convinced that Hannah had jumped to the wrong conclusion after hearing the fateful four words. ‘I'll make a fresh pot of tea,' she muttered, pushing Lou aside to reach the teapot.

It was just after nine, Lou still being more of a Job's comforter to her sister than a solace although Hannah seemed to benefit from it, when someone knocked on the door. Lizann went to answer it and stepped back in surprise. Peter was the last person she had expected to see.

‘I had to come,' he murmured, ‘to say how sorry I am about … George.'

She hadn't wanted to believe it, but a second person calling to tender condolences was too much for her, and without knowing how, she was in his arms, weeping on his chest while he stroked her hair. ‘That's right, my dear,' he nodded, ‘let it out. It's the best way.'

‘Oh, Peter,' she sobbed, ‘I did love him.'

‘I know that, my dearest girl.' After a short pause, he said, softly, ‘This isn't the right time to tell you, but I'm getting wed myself, so you'll not need to feel guilty about me any longer.'

Her tears tailing off, she gasped, ‘You're getting married? Who to?'

‘Her name's Elsie Slater and I met her at a dance a while back, and … well, I couldn't have you, and I started going steady with her, though I wish now …'

‘No, Peter,' she said, breaking away from him. ‘There could never be anything between us again, and I'm happy for you, really I am.'

‘Who's there?' came Hannah's quavering voice.

‘It's Peter,' Lizann called, adding in an undertone to him, ‘You'd better come in.'

‘No, I'm not coming in. Tell her I'm sorry about Willie Alec and Mick, and remember, Lizann, if I can help at all, just let me know.'

She closed the door and returned to the kitchen. ‘He came to say how sorry he was, Mother.'

‘Peter's aye been a nice laddie. You should have stuck to him instead o' that Cullen …'

‘Mother! That's a horrible thing to say, when George …' Lizann broke off, too distressed to go on. She knew her mother didn't like him, but she wouldn't have believed she could be so callous at a time like this.

Lou butted in now. ‘You shouldna speak to your ma like that, Lizann. Think what she's suffering already.'

‘Do you not think I'm suffering? I've lost my man, as well as her.'

‘Aye, but you havena been wed near as long as her, and she's lost her son, and all.'

‘Mick's my brother,' Lizann shouted, ‘so I've lost three men I love and she's only lost two. She couldn't stand the sight of George.' She was so overwrought that she didn't care what she said, though Hannah had gone into another paroxysm of tears. ‘I just had George for a few months and she's had Father nearly thirty years.'

Recognizing that she had two distraught women on her hands, Lou tried to repair the damage she had done. ‘I'm sorry, lass, it must be just as bad for you. I shouldna have said that.'

Taking in a long deep breath to calm herself, Lizann murmured, ‘I'm sorry and all, Auntie Lou. I shouldn't have lost my temper.'

‘Well, we'll say no more about it. If you tell me what you was to be having for your dinner, I'll cook it for you.'

Totally confused, Peter took a walk before he went home. He had thought he could cope with saying a few words to Lizann, but he hadn't counted on her throwing herself into his arms – he hadn't expected to hold her like that ever again. She had turned to him for comfort, as he had known she would … and he'd had to tell her he was marrying another girl. There was no way out of that, for he couldn't let Elsie bring up his child on her own. He would have to make the best of his marriage and put Lizann out of his mind.

When he returned to Main Street, more than an hour after he left, his mother said, ‘You've been an awful long time at the Yardie. How's Hannah … and Lizann?'

‘Bearing up.' What else could he say?

‘I hope you're nae thinking on trying to take up wi' Lizann again? She didna want you before, and she'll not want you now.'

‘I'm not thinking of taking up with her. I'm going to marry Elsie.'

Bella Jeannie eyed him speculatively. ‘I havena once heard you saying you love her.'

‘I do love her,' he said, hastily. Maybe he would come to love her when the baby was born. He would have to live with her for the rest of his life, whatever, whether he loved her or not.

‘Your father doesna like her any more than me.'

He knew this wasn't true. Bowfer had said more to Elsie in the three hours she had been in the house than he usually said in a month. If he didn't know his father had no time for women, he would think the old devil was attracted to her. ‘Look, Mam, I don't give a damn what anybody thinks. I'm old enough to make up my own mind.'

Offended, Bella Jeannie drew in her mouth.

The three women sat round the fire in the afternoon, Lizann and Hannah staring vacantly at the leaping flames, and Lou, guessing that they were recalling happier times, saying nothing to interrupt their thoughts but giving an occasional deep sigh, because her heart was aching for them. She was about to suggest another cup of tea when she heard footsteps outside. ‘Somebody's coming.'

There was no reaction from the other two, but when the door opened, they whirled round and gaped in amazement. First in, George went to his wife, whose haggard face had turned a greenish white. ‘It's all right, Lizann,' he assured her. ‘I'm not a ghost.'

Mick made for his mother and put his arm round her. ‘Father's still sorting things out with the rest of the crew, but he said we should come and let you know we were all safe.'

Lou, the only one still thinking rationally, waited for a few minutes before asking, ‘What happened?'

George was fully occupied in trying to stem Lizann's tears of anticlimax as much as relief, so it was Mick who answered, holding Hannah's hand as he told how the gales had tossed the
Hannah
about like a toy boat for hours on end before dashing her against the rocks with a force that splintered her hull, and everyone aboard was flung into the raging sea. ‘I managed to grab hold of a spar that was floating by,' he went on, ‘though I thought I'd be sucked under with her when she keeled over. But she went down real canny.'