When Wishes Come True (2 page)

‘Hardly a day, Gwen, it’s two o’clock now and I’ve to be home by six.’

‘You’ll not set any hearts on fire in that dress, Eve, it’s positively old maiden auntish! Have you nothing more glamorous in your wardrobe?’

Evelyn shook her head. ‘You don’t know my father, he’s so old-fashioned. I’m lucky to be here at all, never mind worrying about my dress.’

‘Then I’m going to put powder, rouge and lipstick on your face, and I’ll do something with your hair. Otherwise you’ll never be noticed.’

So the Evelyn who walked out of the ladies’ powder room of the Adelphi Hotel was very different from the one who’d walked in. Not that she wouldn’t have attracted many a roving eye without the make-up because she was tall and slim with dark brown hair, enormous brown eyes and a flawless complexion. But whether it was the make-up or not, the friends barely had time to sit at one of the small round tables before a man appeared in front of them, his hand outstretched, and addressed Evelyn.

‘May I have this dance?’

She looked scared. She was about to stutter that she had never been to a dance before when Gwen said, ‘Of course you may, my friend would be delighted. Go along, Evelyn, I will be all right, I can see some of my friends waving to me.’

So Evelyn, for the first time in her life, found herself in the arms of a man. And what a handsome man he was! Tall, slim, well dressed, with jet black hair and laughing eyes that were constantly changing colour from hazel to dark green. When he spoke his voice was that of a well-educated person and very pleasing to the ear. ‘Are you always so shy? You don’t have to be afraid of me, I won’t eat you.’

‘I’m not afraid of you, I’m afraid of standing on your toes! You see, I’ve never been to a dance before and I’m nervous in case I make a fool of myself.’

‘No one as beautiful as you could possibly make a fool of themself.’

And that was how their romance began. After the dance was over and Evelyn could see Gwen was with company, she agreed when her partner asked her to sit with him at another table. She may as well make the most of this opportunity, she thought, there may never be another. When he asked she told him her name, where she lived, and about the father who was very strict but who provided a nice comfortable home for her and her mother. Then the man, oozing confidence and looking at her with more than interest in his eyes, told her his name was Charles Lister-Sinclair. With a smile, he said, ‘I work for my father who is far from strict and keeps me in the lap of luxury. He is also very generous in allowing me as much free time as I wish. So I hope to see much more of you in the very near future.’

Because she was smitten, Evelyn took a chance and arranged to meet him in her lunch hour the following Monday. She had never dared defy her father before, but she did so want to see Charles again, and if she had to tell lies to do so, then so be it. When she met up with Gwen in the cloakroom later, she was so excited the words poured from her mouth. ‘I’m meeting him on Monday, Gwen, and he’s taking me to lunch. I find it unbelievable I’ve met such a handsome and charming man on my first day of freedom!’

Gwen raised her eyebrows. ‘You do know who his father is, don’t you?’

‘No, except that Charles said his father spoiled him.’

‘You are so innocent, Eve! Don’t you know anything about the social life of this city? Charles is one of the most sought-after, eligible young men in Liverpool. There are literally dozens of mothers chasing him for their daughters. He would be quite a catch for any girl, with his good looks and charming manner, quite apart from the fact that his father is one of the richest men in the city.’

Evelyn gaped. ‘He never said! Except that his father was good to him.’

‘No, he wouldn’t brag about his wealth, that’s what is so refreshing about him. Not like some of the young bloods I’ve met at parties who think because their families are well heeled they should be welcome in any virgin’s bed.’ Gwen grinned when she saw the look of horror on her friend’s face. ‘Don’t worry, Charles isn’t like that, he’s a perfect gentleman. And if you can hook him, Eve, then you’ll be the envy of every young female of marriageable age, and that includes myself.’

‘I didn’t know you knew him? You never said when he came over to ask me to dance.’

‘I’ve seen him around many times, even been to parties where he’s been a guest, but I wouldn’t profess to know him well enough to introduce him. Anyway, it’s time for you and me to go our separate ways, so I’ll say “Sweet dreams”, and I shall look forward to hearing what happens on Monday. I presume you will not be telling your father?’

‘You presume right, Gwen, I’m not going to say a word. If I did, I wouldn’t be allowed out of the house.’

Sitting at the dining table later with her mother and father, Evelyn was praying that her father would question her about the dance. But it was her mother who, unknowingly, came to her aid. ‘Were there many at the Adeplhi, my dear? Do tell us what type of person freqents these places?’

Evelyn nodded. ‘Yes, quite a few people, Mother, and some of the dresses on the young ladies were absolutely delightful.’ She saw the familiar frown crease her father’s forehead and hoped her little plan would work. ‘I only knew Gwen, of course, but she did introduce me to one of her male friends.’ She turned her head. ‘I wonder if you know the Lister-Sinclairs, Father? Gwen said they are a very well-known family.’

The frown disappeared like magic, and his eyes widened in surprise as he lowered his knife and fork. ‘I don’t know them personally, but everyone locally has heard the name. They are a very well-known family, wealthy and much respected in the business world. Cyril Lister-Sinclair has many interests, and is probably the richest man in the city of Liverpool.’ He coughed behind one curled fist before asking, ‘And the son was at the dance, you say?’

‘Yes, Father, and seemed very personable.’ Evelyn could tell her father had taken the bait. ‘Quite friendly with many of the people there.’

Herbert Wilkinson looked across at his wife. ‘Perhaps I have been doing our daughter an injustice, Gertrude, by not allowing her to attend these dances. Don’t you agree?’

‘Oh, yes, Herbert, now we know the cream of local society attends them, we can rest assured she is in good company. Would you like to go next Saturday? If your father gives his permission, of course.’

Evelyn’s plan was working beautifully. She had bargained on this being the reaction from her parents, who were both tight with money and would be delighted if their daughter married a rich man. ‘Oh, I don’t think I want to go again, Mother, I would feel like a poor relation. You see, I couldn’t compete with the fashionable dresses and high-heeled silver shoes all the ladies were wearing. I really felt like a wallflower in this drab dress, and wouldn’t want to go through that again.’

‘Oh, I’m sure that, under the circumstances, and because we want you to mix in the right circles, your father would give you an allowance to buy suitable clothes. We can’t have our daughter looking less attractive than the other ladies. Aren’t I right, Herbert, when I say you will give Evelyn an allowance for some new clothing?’

‘Of course, my dear.’ Herbert Wilkinson was what you would call a sombre man who seldom smiled, and had never been known to laugh aloud. But right now he was positively beaming. He had a good job and was well paid, but he was a greedy man; not content with being well off, he wanted to be wealthy. And now, perhaps, through his daughter and her newfound connections, he could well find himself on the way to riches and social acceptance. ‘When we’ve finished our meal we can discuss what is needed so that Evelyn can mingle with the best in society as an equal.’

True to his word, if against his better judgement, Herbert handed over four white five-pound notes. That it pained him to do so was obvious from the length of time he held on to them before Evelyn finally whipped them out of his hand. ‘I need at least two dresses, Father, I’d be ashamed to wear the same one week after week. Then there are silk stockings, shoes, a band to wear around my forehead and some jewellery …’

‘Your mother has plenty of jewellery you could make use of. It’s only lying in a box on her dressing table, it would be an absolute waste of money to buy more.’

‘I’ll see, Father, when I go to the dance on Saturday. I will take more notice of what is in fashion then, but meanwhile I can get advice from Gwen. She is very up-to-date on fashions as she attends many dances and parties.’

And so Evelyn’s social life began. She had never known such freedom and, dressed to kill, was thoroughly enjoying herself. Wherever she went, Charles Lister-Sinclair went too. They saw each other every day and visited each other’s houses. Herbert Wilkinson and his wife made a great fuss of Charles, but on visiting the Lister-Sinclairs, Evelyn found that while Charles’ father was friendly with her, his mother was distant and didn’t even try to hide the fact that she wasn’t pleased with her son’s choice. When Evelyn mentioned this to Charles, he laughed and said any girl he took home would not be made welcome by his mother who doted on him. Her only child, she wanted to keep Charles under her wing until he was older, and only then would she find a suitable wife for him. Evelyn continued to be pleasant to Mrs Lister-Sinclair. It didn’t bother her that her friendliness wasn’t reciprocated because she knew Charles was besotted with her, as she was with him.

A rattling against a pane of glass in the window brought Evelyn down to earth. It took her a few seconds to get her thoughts together, then she jumped from her chair. This was her daughter home from school and she hadn’t even thought about what they were going to have for a meal. It wouldn’t be much because there was nothing in the house.

‘I’ve been knocking for ages, Mother.’ The seven-year-old girl hadn’t inherited many of her mother’s features, but she had learned to copy her expressions and mannerisms. ‘I was beginning to think you had gone shopping or were working late.’

‘I was tired after a busy day, Amelia, and must have dropped off to sleep. I’ve nothing in for our tea because all I have in my purse is a sixpenny piece, and that has to last until I get my wages on Friday.’

Amelia knew they were poor, her mother was always telling her so, and it made the young girl too old for her years. She didn’t worry, though, because all the girls in her class at school were poor, and some of the boys in the street had no shoes on their feet. ‘I could go for a pennyworth of chips, Mother, and we could make sandwiches with them. We could do the same tomorrow, that way your sixpence would last until Friday.’

‘You need bread to make sandwiches, dear.’ Somewhere at the back of Evelyn’s mind a little voice was telling her she shouldn’t burden her young daughter with their money worries. But another little voice, a trouble-maker, was saying that if Amelia had never been born then Evelyn would still be living a life of luxury, being waited on hand and foot by servants. And it was this voice that made her so bitter inside because her life had been reduced to living in this two-up-two-down house, with no money for the fine clothes she was used to. Not even enough to buy food or provide ha’pennies for the gas meter. So she found it hard to feel any sympathy for the little girl who wouldn’t remember the good times, and who, if she was allowed, would be happy to associate with the common-as-muck people in their street.

‘You could try the baker’s, they usually sell it off cheap when it gets near to closing time. It’s probably bread from the day before, and stale, but it would be filling and better than nothing. Perhaps you could get a small loaf for a penny, and with a pennyworth of chips we could make sandwiches and keep the hunger at bay.’

‘Ooh, that’s a good idea, Mother, I’ll go there first.’

Evelyn passed the small silver coin over. ‘Keep tight hold of that, in case you lose it. And if any of the women in this street are in the baker’s, don’t let them hear you asking if they have any stale bread. Come out of the shop and wait outside until they’ve gone. I don’t want the whole street to know our business.’

‘Yes, Mother.’ Amelia placed the silver coin in the centre of her palm and closed her fingers over it. ‘I’ll keep tight hold of it. And if there’s no one in the shop that I know, I’ll give the woman behind the counter a big smile when I ask if they’ve any stale bread. You never know, Mother, I might get a large loaf for a penny if I’m nice to her.’

‘Make sure you speak correctly, and don’t run down the street, it isn’t ladylike.’

‘Yes, Mother.’ The girl turned towards the door. She was mixed up inside because the other children at school made fun of her for talking so ‘posh’. She didn’t know about the children in this street because she wasn’t allowed to play with them.

As soon as the door closed on her daughter, Evelyn held her head between her two hands and she went back to her memories of days gone by.

It was 1914 when war with Germany broke out, and Charles wanted to join the Army right away. He said it was the duty of every able-bodied man to fight in defence of his country. He wouldn’t be persuaded by Evelyn not to be hasty, but much to her relief Mr Lister-Sinclair pulled a few strings and Charles was classed as being involved in important war work. He wasn’t happy about it, thinking he would be thought a coward, but gave in to his father’s wishes and his mother’s tears. So he and Evelyn continued to enjoy dances, theatres and eating out in the best hotels. Charles still had feelings of guilt, though, and every time he saw a man in uniform felt like a coward. He couldn’t live with that. So when the war had been raging for eighteen months, without telling his parents first, he enlisted in the Army. With his education and background, he entered as a Captain and was sent for training in a camp just north of London so was able to get home regularly. Then, after a few months, he came home on a three-day pass to tell his parents and Evelyn that talk in the camp was rife that they were being sent overseas very soon, and he didn’t know when he would see them again.

Cyril Lister-Sinclair showed no emotion, but there was fear in his heart for his son. Every day there was news of thousands upon thousands of young men being killed. As for Charles’ mother, she wailed uncontrollably, and as there was nothing Charles could tell her that would calm her, he took Evelyn’s hand and they stole away to find somewhere quiet and peaceful where they could have some privacy. This was impossible in either of their homes, so Charles suggested they take his car and drive out to one of the nearby country lanes. There was little petrol in the car because it was very hard to come by, but he felt sure that what he had would take them a few miles.