A New Day (6 page)

Bill nodded. ‘I saw that straight away, but if the two of us work together we can see he comes to no harm.’

‘Good idea, we’ll do that. You should have seen them standing on the dock that morning. They looked like a pair of scruffy kids, until you saw the expressions in their eyes – desperation. It fair tore me apart.’ Frank sighed deeply and stood up. ‘Now, I’d better start cooking, or the crew will be complaining.’

‘And that would never do,’ Bill laughed.

It was late in the evening before Bill saw Jack again. He was in his usual spot on deck, gazing into the distance, deep in thought.

‘Time you turned in, isn’t it, lad?’

‘Hello, Bill. Just thought I’d take a quiet moment. Some of the men have been talking, and they said there’s probably going to be a war. I’ve heard about the fascists in Germany, of course, but do you think they are that dangerous?’

‘It’s impossible to say, but I do believe Hitler has ambitions. He’s re-arming and building up his forces, and I wouldn’t trust him, but at the moment we can only hope it will come to nothing.’

‘But you don’t think it will?’

Bill shook his head. ‘If the worst does happen our country is going to need the merchant navy. You might not have joined at the right time, lad.’

‘Oh, no,’ Jack said firmly. ‘I joined at the right time, and whatever happens in the future we’ll face it when it comes.’

‘Exactly, so there’s no point worrying about it now. Let’s enjoy the voyage and let the world take care of itself for a while. Our next stop will be India and that is an extraordinary country. We’ll have a bit of free time there, and there should also be some post waiting for us with the Port Agent.’

The worried expression cleared from Jack’s face and he was smiling again. ‘I hope there’s something from Hanna.’

‘I’ll take you ashore and show you the sights.’

‘Oh, thanks, Bill. It’s kind of you to take the trouble.’

‘It’s no trouble, lad. Now you had better get some sleep.’

‘Of course.’ Jack straightened up. ‘It will be another busy day tomorrow. Thanks for talking to me about things.’

‘Any time. Night, lad.’

‘See you tomorrow.’

Jack was so tired at the end of each daily shift he was glad to climb into his bunk at night. He knew Bill and the others often had to do night watches, but he hadn’t been asked to do anything like that yet. That kind of responsibility would only come with experience, and at the moment he was having enough trouble just finding his way around the ship.

The sound of the engines was soothing and he sighed as he closed his eyes. His last thought before sleep was always with his sister. It was hard not knowing how she was getting on in her new job, and he knew she must be feeling the same about him.

Watching the activity as they docked in Bombay had Jack open-mouthed in amazement. After days at sea the noise and smells assaulted his senses.

Bill dashed up to him. ‘The gangway will be going down soon, lad, but don’t leave the ship without us.’

‘I won’t,’ he readily agreed.

Grinning at Jack’s reaction to his first sight of India, Bill said, ‘A bit overwhelming, isn’t it? Frank will be here in a few minutes. I’ll be back as soon as I can.’

About ten minutes later Frank arrived and joined Jack at the rail. ‘Are you looking forward to going ashore?’

‘Er . . . I’m not sure.’ He gestured to the pandemonium going on below them. ‘Is the town anything like this?’

‘No.’ Frank shook his head.

‘That’s a relief!’

‘It’s worse.’

‘Frank! You’re kidding me. It can’t be.’

The man beside him held up his hands, laughing. ‘Honest. Would I lie to you?’

‘He’s telling the truth,’ Bill said as he came and stood beside them. ‘You stick close to us, lad, and just enjoy the experience.’

With one man either side of him when they reached the main part of the town, Jack was glad they were with him. ‘Good grief!’ he muttered. ‘I thought London was crowded, but this is unbelievable, and all the vivid colours hurt my eyes.’

‘That’s because you’ve only seen blue and grey for days.’ Bill caught his arm and guided him through the teeming crowds.

‘Oh, look at those!’ He stopped by an open shop selling silky scarves. ‘Hanna would look lovely in one of those. Do they cost much?’

‘Not if Bill does the bargaining as I told you,’ Frank said.

Jack looked at his friend, eager now to take a special present back for Hanna. ‘Would you ask for me, please? My sister deserves something pretty. She’s always put me first, and now it’s my chance to do something for her.’

‘Right, you choose one and I’ll get it as cheaply as I can for you.’

There were so many, but he eventually held up one.

Frank studied it and then nodded. ‘From what I remember of your sister that orange colour will go well with her dark hair, and the pattern is pretty as well.’

Seeing Jack was decided, Bill took it from him and began to haggle about the price. It went on for quite a while and sounded more like an argument, so Jack stood back and waited to see what would happen.

In the end he only paid a fraction of the original asking price, and they left the trader muttering nasty things about sailors. Jack grinned. ‘I don’t think he liked us.’

‘That’s just for show. He’s happy with the sale. You never pay full price, lad. As soon as traders see us they double the price of everything.’

‘Thanks, Bill, I’ll have to remember that.’ He watched, and listened as his friends both bought something on another stall.

They ambled along, allowing Jack to stop and look at anything that caught his attention, and there was a great deal to see. ‘Look at that jewellery. Is it real gold?’

‘Yes.’ Frank pointed to an elaborate ring. ‘And that’s an Indian ruby.’

‘I wish I could buy Hanna something like that.’

‘Wait till we get to Ceylon, lad, where we can pick up gems at very reasonable prices. We’ll have a look for something you can afford there. I want to get something for my wife as it’s our tenth wedding anniversary just before Christmas.’ He looked pointedly at Frank. ‘What about you buying an engagement ring for your girlfriend?’

‘Haven’t been going out with her long enough yet,’ he grinned.

Jack chuckled at Frank’s expression and turned away from the stall. They continued their tour.

When they returned to the ship there was a letter from Hanna waiting for him. It was only short, written after she had been in her job for two days, but it was enough to assure him that she was happy with Mrs Harcourt and the twins. He breathed a sigh of relief to know that things were working out all right for her. Bill had told him that his letter to her was on its way, and he hoped it wouldn’t take too long to reach her.

After the excitement of the last stop, and feeling happier now he’d heard from his sister, he settled easily into the routine of the ship again. The next stop would be Colombo in Ceylon, and he was looking forward to seeing something of the island.

Jack wasn’t disappointed. They had a couple of days and Bill and Frank took him inland away from the port, and some of the scenery was lovely. On their way back to the ship on their last day they went to a place that sold loose gems and jewellery, and although he had been sure he wouldn’t be able to afford anything, Bill had other ideas. He ended up with a small gold pendant set with multicoloured sapphires, and a fine chain to go with it. He couldn’t believe how cheap it had been. If it had been on sale in London the price would have been three or four times as much.

Back on the ship he put it carefully with the silk scarf, smiling as he thought how surprised Hanna was going to be when he gave them to her at Christmas.

Waiting for the postman to arrive had been agonizing, but Hanna was finally holding a bulky envelope in her hands. She gazed at the address written in Jack’s neat handwriting, eager to read it, but almost afraid to in case he hated being on the ship. Her biggest fear was that he would be mistreated again. Life on board ship was a strange, and probably a tough world. He would have to deal with things quite out of his experience, and she couldn’t protect him there.

Well, there was only one way to find out, so she slit the envelope open and took out the contents. There were pages and pages. Glancing up to make sure the twins were playing happily with their building blocks, she began to read.

Her smile spread as she read his vivid account of what life was like on the ship, and his description of the storm had her laughing quietly. She could picture him trying to keep his balance on a rolling ship. Suddenly she was conscious of quietness in the room and looked up to find both the boys watching her intently.

‘It’s a letter from my brother,’ she told them.

They scrambled to their feet and hurtled towards her. ‘Is he all right? Does he like the sea? Where’s he been? Where’s he going?’ Both of them were bombarding her with questions, their faces glowing with eagerness to hear all about it.

‘Hold it!’ she laughed. ‘I’ve only read the first couple of pages.’

‘Read the rest,’ David told her, leaning on her knees. ‘Then you can tell us what he’s been doing.’

‘That’s if you don’t mind telling us,’ Andrew said, always polite and mature for his age.

‘I’d love to. Just let me read a bit more.’

Andrew smiled and settled on the floor next to her chair, waiting expectantly. David sat the other side of her. They were like a couple of bookends, she thought affectionately.

After reading the letter through quickly and selecting parts she thought the boys would enjoy, she sighed quietly with relief. He was happy, and it sounded as if he had made friends with a couple of the men – one of them they had met on the dock before he sailed. She was pleased about that. Life at sea obviously suited him, and he loved the ship, going into great detail about every new thing he was learning.

Looking down at the twins’ upturned faces, she smiled, and began to read. Jack’s vivid description about his antics in the storm had the boys rolling on the floor, shrieking with laughter, and then listening intently to his descriptions about the workings of the ship.

By the time she came to the end of the letter the boys were kneeling with their arms resting on her legs.

‘Read the bit again about the men going on watch,’ David asked. ‘Daddy told us about that on his ship.’

Hanna shuffled the pages until she found it, and after reading it she turned to Andrew. ‘Would you like to hear something again?’

He nodded. ‘That bit where your brother got lost and ended up in the cargo hold and couldn’t find his way out again. That was funny.’

As Hanna read Jack’s account of the incident again she realized that he had a real way with words. A talent she hadn’t known he possessed. She would reply at once and encourage him to keep a detailed record of his voyage.

They were all laughing when Mrs Harcourt came into the room and she listened as her sons explained about Jack’s experiences at sea.

‘He’s going to make a good sailor,’ David announced, confident he knew about such things.

‘I’m sure he is.’ Jane Harcourt looked at Hanna’s happy face and nodded. ‘I’m so pleased everything is working out well for your brother, and I’m sorry to spoil your day, but we have an appointment with Rose Freeman in two hours.’

‘Nothing could spoil this moment, Mrs Harcourt.’ Hanna stood up. ‘Are the boys staying with Mary?’

‘No, they are coming with us. Rose and Bill are their godparents, and Rose hasn’t seen the boys for a while.’

‘Uncle Bill was a sailor as well,’ David told Hanna. ‘He was a captain like Daddy, and he fought in the war. When the next one starts he’ll have to go back in the navy.’

There was a deathly hush at this announcement, and then Jane Harcourt shook her head. ‘There isn’t going to be another war, David. Where did you get that idea from?’

‘Daddy said there would be. Didn’t he, Andrew?’

‘We heard him talking before he went back,’ Andrew admitted. ‘And that’s what he said.’

‘I’ve told you boys not to listen to grown-ups’ conversations, haven’t I?’ Jane scolded. ‘You only hear part of what is said. Daddy didn’t mean that war was inevitable, only that Germany has problems to sort out. Now, we must get ready. We mustn’t be late meeting Rose.’

‘Ooh, no!’ Both boys grinned at each other and then at Hanna, all talk of war forgotten.

Hanna pushed it out of her mind as well. She’d heard talk on the wireless, of course, but she couldn’t see what it would have to do with them. Her thoughts turned to the woman they were going to meet. There had been hints that she was not someone you crossed in any way. Could she be as fearsome as they said? Ah well, she would soon find out, but she was so happy after reading Jack’s letter that nothing could upset her today.

The council offices in Lambeth were busy when they walked in and a rather harassed looking man came up to them. ‘Can I help you?’

‘We have an appointment with Mrs Freeman. Harcourt is the name.’

He nodded. ‘Wait here and I’ll see if she’s free.’

Almost immediately a tall, statuesque woman came towards them, and Hanna felt a shock run through her. Mrs Freeman’s strong personality was immediately obvious, and she took a slight step back. The dark eyes seemed to be looking straight into Hanna’s mind. If she felt intimidated, the twins certainly didn’t.

‘Auntie Rose,’ they cried in unison, delighted to see her.

‘Ah, I see you’ve brought trouble with you, Jane.’

The boys giggled, and each twin grabbed hold of her hands, looking up at her with bright smiles on their faces.

‘I couldn’t leave them behind, Rose. They would never have forgiven me.’

Rose looked down at the boys. ‘If you stay quiet and behave yourselves while I talk to your mum and Hanna, then we can all have tea together.’

‘We will – we will! Can we have iced buns, Auntie Rose?’

‘Of course. Don’t we always?’

They nodded eagerly.

Then Rose turned her attention to Hanna. ‘Thank you for agreeing to come and talk with me. Let’s go into my office. This way.’

The office was small and sparsely furnished. There was a desk, a filing cabinet and four chairs, and that was all. The carpet was worn in places, but everything was spotlessly clean.