The Sun Will Shine Tomorrow (8 page)

What would Greg say? Every time in the past when we made our plans, something cropped up to change them. It seemed as if nothing had changed. There may have been a war on but I was still being pulled in different directions by my family.

Visiting time came and went and once again I was the sole occupant of the waiting room.

The lodge porter appeared. ‘You can go home, Miss, and come back when the bairn’s born.’

I shook my head. ‘No, I promised I would wait.’

The sky outside was now dark and I stood in the infirmary grounds and gazed at the black expanse of Dudhope Park. The stars glittered in the black night sky and a bitterly cold wind was blowing from the east.

I wondered where Greg was. Surely Dad had managed to pass on my message. But, if he had, then surely Greg would be here by now and both of us would be sitting waiting for a new life to emerge.

At ten o’clock, I was still waiting when the lodge porter appeared. ‘I’ll have to close the doors soon. I don’t think you can wait much longer, Miss.’

Then I’ll just wait outside, I thought. Then Greg appeared and I ran towards him.

‘Greg, I’m waiting for Rosie to have her baby.’

He looked quite grim but maybe he was just cold and miserable like me. ‘So I’ve been told, Ann – just half an hour ago at my lodgings in Victoria Road.’

I was stunned by this blow. ‘Half an hour ago?’ I repeated, like a backward parrot. ‘I sent Dad to meet you at the station to tell you.’

Greg’s face looked grey. ‘Your father went to the station but he forgot what time you told him the train was due in so he arrived late and I was long gone by the time I assume he appeared.’

Poor Greg. ‘I don’t know what to say. What a stupid thing to do!’

Greg seemed to cheer up. Perhaps it was my contrite apology. ‘Oh, well, I’m here now.’

I tucked his arm in mine and we sat on the low wall at the edge of the park. ‘I’m really sorry about this Greg but Dad was in such a panic about Rosie. You do remember I told you that my mum died in this infirmary – just a few hours after Lily’s birth?’ I felt choked up and was surprised that, even after all these years, I could still be reduced to tears by the memory of that terrible night.

Greg leaned towards me and wiped my face with his handkerchief. ‘I remember it, Ann, and it is good of you to come with Rosie.’

‘But I’m not with Rosie, am I? She’s inside the infirmary and we’re standing in the dark like a couple of idiots. Still, I did make a promise.’

Greg laughed. ‘You’re a stickler for keeping promises, aren’t you, Ann?’

I tried to read his expression when he said this but it was too dark. I said, ‘Is that a complaint, Greg?’

He squeezed my hand. ‘Of course not! It’s a compliment and it’s one of the things I like about you.’

A warm glow swept over me and I felt so lucky to have such an understanding fiancé. I was on the point of saying so when suddenly two figures appeared out of the darkness, startling me with their presence. To my surprise, it was Dad and Lily.

‘I couldn’t wait in the house any longer and Lily was driving me crazy with all her questions so I thought we were just as well coming here. Has there been any news?’

‘No, Dad, although the porter did say he would come out and tell me when the baby arrived.’

We made a strange little party, all standing in the darkness of a winter’s night.

‘I’m really sorry, Greg, for getting your train time mixed up,’ said Dad. ‘It was just all this worry with Rosie and the bad memories this place holds for me …’

‘That’s all right – I do understand so don’t give it another thought.’

I mentally thanked Greg for being so kind to Dad.

We all gazed over at the infirmary but it was also in darkness, every window covered with the blackout blinds.

Dad said, ‘I think you should all go home and I’ll wait here.’

It was midnight and I was thinking of Lily being out in the cold night air so I agreed. We had just stood up, our legs stiff with cold, when suddenly a figure appeared from the courtyard. It was the kindly little porter.

‘I can only stay a moment,’ he said, ‘but the maternity ward has just phoned down to say Mrs Neill has had a boy. She was anxious to let you know because she knew your daughter was waiting.’

Quite honestly, I could have kissed him and Dad shook his hand. ‘Thanks for letting us know – it was really good of you to come over.’ He turned to us. ‘A boy! Did you hear that Ann and Lily? You’ve got a baby brother.’

Lily was excited. ‘What are you going to call him, Dad?’

‘He’s to be called after me – John Neill.’ His voice was full of pride and, although I couldn’t see his face, I could just imagine his expression.

‘Congratulations, Mr Neill!’ said Greg.

‘Thanks, son! It’s visiting time tomorrow afternoon so will we see you both here?’

Before I could answer, Greg said, ‘My train is at four o’clock so of course we’ll manage a quick visit to Rosie and John.’ He turned to me and smiled.

Dad said, ‘I’ll have to spend the entire morning going round everybody with the news. Starting with Alice and Granny and Grandad. They’ll be pleased it’s all over.’

They weren’t the only ones, I thought, and I said a silent prayer, hoping Rosie and the baby were both well.

Greg came to Roseangle in the morning and we went for a walk along the Esplanade. The river was choppy with white-tipped waves and a strong easterly wind blowing from the North Sea.

‘I’d forgotten how cold it is up here, Ann,’ said Greg. ‘It’s been a lovely warm summer down in England.’

‘Do you like it down there, Greg?’ My heart was thumping.

He nodded. ‘Yes, I do. It’s a bit like Trinafour with the hills – all lovely green countryside in spite of not being far from London. I also enjoy my work.’

‘I see.’

He pulled me close. ‘I don’t want to stay down there, Ann. If you’re not with me, that is. I want to be where you are.’

I was suddenly happy again as that cold finger of fear slowly dissolved in my mind. It was just my imagination that I was losing him – at least I hoped so.

The afternoon found us heading once more up the infirmary brae to join the long queue of visitors.

Because the visiting rules stated that only two visitors were allowed per bed, Dad and Lily set off for the maternity ward first. Lily was carrying a huge bunch of flowers that Connie had managed to get in her usual way. Greg and I sat in the now familiar waiting room.

‘What kind of work do you do, Greg?’

He gave it some thought. ‘It’s all a bit hush-hush. It’s just like working in an office but it’s with the government. I sometimes curse this gammy leg of mine – I could have been in the army or air force by now.’

Greg’s bad leg was due to a fall from a horse when he was a child. In fact, I’d first met him in this infirmary. Maddie had been doing her nursing training and she asked me to visit this lonely patient who lived far from home and didn’t get many visitors.

‘But you’re still doing a good job, Greg. It’s just as important as being on the battlefield.’

‘Yes, well … maybe …’ He sounded doubtful. ‘Has there been any more word about Danny?’

I shook my head sadly. ‘Nothing except for the letter from the Red Cross but at least Maddie knows he’s alive and that’s a blessing.’

Then Dad and Lily arrived back from the ward and handed us the two visiting tickets.

Rosie was sitting up in bed and she looked tired and pleased at the same time. She smiled when she saw us.

‘How’s the baby, Rosie? How’s John?’

Her face lit up. ‘He’s a braw wee lad, Ann! He was nine pounds and one ounce and he’s gorgeous.’

Even this simple statement seemed to take its toll and she lay back on the pillows. Still, her colouring was all right and it was only to be expected that she would be tired.

She managed to say a few words to Greg, apologising for taking me away his visit. ‘And I hear that silly man of mine got the wrong train time.’

Greg laughed. ‘Well, he did have a lot on his mind, Rosie.’

I gave her hand a squeeze. ‘Well done, Rosie. Now we’ll get away to let Dad have the rest of the visiting hour with you and I’ll see you later in the week.’

We took Lily with us to let Dad stay with his wife and new son. We set off for the station, picking up Greg’s small suitcase from Victoria Road on the way.

As usual, the station was full of people and we didn’t have much time to speak. Lily went and sat in the buffet with a glass of lemonade while we said our goodbyes.

As the train drew into the station, Greg whispered, ‘The next leave I get will be with a special licence to get married.’ He laughed. ‘Now mind and keep it free!’

The train pulled out of the station and I shouted after him, ‘I promise, Greg – cross my heart!’

He called back, ‘I’ll hold you to that promise!’

Once again, I watched as he departed from my life. A few hours together, a lot of goodbyes then a parting – what a life!

Lily was still in the buffet and I sat down beside her with a cup of tea.

‘Are you excited about Rosie’s baby?’ I asked her.

Her face lit up. ‘Oh, I am, Ann, and his full name is John Alexander Young Neill. The Alexander Young is from Rosie’s side of the family,’ she informed me.

Welcome to the world, little John Alexander Young Neill, I thought. With a name that long, he had to be a success.

Alice and Granny were going to visit him the following day.

But the next day brought shattering news. I was in the shop when the news broke. The papers were full of it and Joe was almost apoplectic. Pearl Harbour in Hawaii had been brutally bombed by a devious Japanese Air Force and most of the ships of the American Navy now lay wrecked and useless. Sailors and civilians had also been killed in this unprovoked attack. America had finally entered the war, hot on the heels of John Alexander Young Neill entering the world.

Granny and Grandad were almost speechless with amazement, as I found out on my visit to the Overgate one cold day in January. Hattie had found herself a man friend – something unheard of in her life.

Granny’s eyes were full of mischief as she told me about this new beau. ‘She met him at the Pringles’ house, Ann. He’s a solicitor like Mr Pringle but his office was bombed in the Clydebank Blitz so he’s come here to Dundee to carry on his practice and he has a wee office in the Westport.’

I couldn’t believe it and neither could Grandad. He said, ‘She doesn’t know the first thing about him but she’s fallen hook, line and sinker for him.’ He sounded worried.

Granny chided him. ‘Och, come on, Grandad. Let Hattie have her bit of pleasure. She’s never looked at another man since Pat died and that was years and years ago.’ Granny winked at me. ‘I wonder if there will be a wedding?’

It all seemed so sudden to me. One minute he was in Clydebank and the next minute the Neill family was trying to marry him off to their widowed daughter.

Then Bella appeared and it seemed she was also in the picture as far as opinions went.

‘She’ll rue the day she gets married again, Nan – especially after all these years.’

Grandad scowled at her but said nothing.

Bella, unheeding of the dark looks, went on, ‘I mean she’s getting on a bit now. What age is she, Nan? Fifty-five?’

Granny nodded.

Bella smacked her lips at the anticipated gossip. ‘Your family are all developing late in life, Nan. There’s Johnny with a brand-new bairn at his age and Hattie cavorting with a man and acting like a young thing.’ She then turned to me. ‘Then there’s you, Ann. When are you and your young man going to get hitched? You’ll be another old bride – mark my words.’

Granny gave her an angry look and, although I was hurt by her remark, I was determined not to show it. After all, Bella was well known for her outrageous remarks. ‘Well, it would be hard to get married just now, Bella,’ I said with as much dignity as I could muster. ‘After all, most of the men are fighting in the war and they’re hardly hanging around waiting to be led up the aisle.’

Bella sniffed. ‘Your young man was here a few weeks ago and what did you do about it? Nothing.’

Granny stepped in when she saw my face. ‘Ann had to be at the infirmary with Rosie that weekend and fine you know it, Bella.’

Grandad, who’d had enough of his sister-in-law, said, ‘I’m away for my tobacco.’

Granny called after him, ‘Put on your warm scarf. It’s a freezing cold day outside.’

But Grandad was away through the door and didn’t hear her. Still, this interruption had stopped Bella’s gossiping – at least for the moment.

‘How’s Rosie and wee Johnny?’ asked Granny. ‘I haven’t seen them this week because Rosie says it’s too cold to bring him out.’

I had left Lily at the Hilltown as the baby was a big attraction for her. She loved holding him.

‘They’re both fine, Granny, but Rosie is still a bit tired. Still, she says she’s getting better every day and the baby is such a good bairn. He just eats and sleeps and Dad tells Lily he’s just like she was – a sleepy wee glutton.’

Although Granny didn’t voice it, we were all relieved when Rosie came safely through the birth. Although it had been a long labour, everything had gone well and the baby was thriving.

Bella suddenly thought of something. ‘I hope if Hattie gets married she doesn’t have a late bairn as well, Nan.’ She sounded sarcastic.

Granny, who was fed up with Bella’s remarks, said placidly, ‘Well, that would be her business and nothing to do with anybody else.’ Granny and I knew well that this wouldn’t happen as did Bella.

There was a lull as Bella digested this snub.

Before she could think of another subject, I said, ‘Rosie and Dad have sent me here to ask you all to the christening at the end of February. It’s to be in the Salvation Army Citadel.’

Bella opened her mouth to say something but Granny got in first. ‘Och, that’s great. We’ll all be there.’

‘Am I invited?’ said Bella churlishly.

‘Of course you are,’ I said, not repeating Dad’s words of ‘Don’t invite that old battle-axe, Bella.’

‘Also, if Hattie wants to bring her friend, that’ll be fine,’ I said, thinking about Dad’s reaction to Hattie’s presence, never mind the inclusion of this new man in her life.