When Wishes Come True (42 page)

The notebook open on her lap, Bessie stared into the fire. She’d promised Evelyn not to tell anyone where the money came from, but couldn’t get away with buying things for everyone without them wondering what she’d been up to. What was she supposed to say to her best mates? Rita and Aggie weren’t soft, they wouldn’t fall for any cock and bull story she came up with. Anyway, how could she carry boxes of food to the women at the top of the street without being seen? No, she couldn’t do it on her own, she’d have to tell too many lies, and Him up there wouldn’t take kindly to her telling fibs on His birthday. He’d know it was in a good cause because He knew everything, but still she wouldn’t feel right about it. ‘No, I’m going to have to let me mates in on it,’ she told the poker in the companion set. ‘I’ll tell Evelyn tomorrow night, then have Rita and Aggie over on Saturday afternoon and explain everything to them.’ She nodded to the hearth. ‘They’ll get the shock of their flaming lives. I can’t wait to see the look on their faces. I bet Aggie will say they’re fake notes, but seeing as she’s never seen a five-pound note in her life, like meself, she wouldn’t know the difference.’

Bessie put a hand in the pocket of her pinny and brought out the envelope. She fingered the notes. To look at, you wouldn’t think just one of them was more than five men earned for a week of hard work. And the rent would have to come out of that, plus food and clothing, coal and gas. There wouldn’t be any luxuries, not even enough to go to the pictures one night or a bag of sweets for the kids. But that was the way of the world. The rich got richer and the poor got poorer. But even though Evelyn’s man friend was one of the rich ones, Bessie still thought he was a good man to want to help others. She wouldn’t let him down. She’d use the money wisely, and make it stretch to help as many poor folk as she could. With Evelyn’s blessing, she’d have her two mates to help her.

She was getting a headache now with the excitement and the calculations, so Bessie left her chair to put the money away. ‘I’ll have to find a safe place to hide it,’ she told the sideboard, ‘where can I put it?’ As though she’d been given an answer, she nodded. ‘Yeah, I’ll do that, it’s a good idea.’ So she pulled a drawer out of the sideboard, pushed the envelope to the very back, then fitted the drawer back in. Then she rubbed her hands together as though dusting them, and went back to her chair with a smile of satisfaction on her face. All in all it had been, as Evelyn would say, a remarkably good day.

On the Friday evening, Milly walked over with Rita when she went to light the fire. This was their routine now, as she had the front-door key. She would sit on the couch and watch as the fire was lit, then wait with her Auntie Rita until the fire was burning brightly. But Milly was fidgety that Friday night, and her eyes kept going to the stairs. She’d always known about the trunk in her mother’s bedroom, but had never been close to it for she was afraid her mother would catch her and give her a telling off. But she had always been curious about what would be inside, and had made up her mind that tonight she would try and sneak a peep in it.

‘I’m just going upstairs to my bedroom for a few minutes, Auntie Rita, is that all right?’

‘Of course it is, sunshine!’ Rita was kneeling in front of the hearth placing the sticks of wood carefully in a criss-cross pattern on top of the screwed-up pieces of newspaper. ‘It’s your home, yer can do as yer like.’

‘I won’t be long, call me if you need anything.’ Milly took the stairs two at a time, but hesitated outside her mother’s room. It had always been out of bounds to her although she could never understand why. There was nothing in there she could break; besides she was always very careful and never broke anything. And she was only going to look anyway!

She tip-toed across the room and stood in front of the trunk. It looks very old, she thought, I bet it’s a hundred years old. It looked as though it was locked, for there was a big rusty bar coming down from the lid, and it had a slit in it which fitted over a rusty ring in the front of the trunk. Milly wasn’t expecting to be able to open it, but when she played with the bar, it came out of the ring and dangled between her fingers. Afraid she’d done something wrong, and her mother would know she’d been in her bedroom, she let the bar fall. But it didn’t fall back into the ring, it rested on top. And this was too much of a temptation for the young girl. She gently lifted the lid.

There wasn’t much light in the bedroom for it started to get dark early these nights, and Milly couldn’t hold the heavy lid up and at the same time have a proper look at what was inside. With her free hand, she touched something, and after feeling it carefully, knew it was a big hat. Then her hand fumbled around and she could feel feathers. Not just one or two feathers, but a long string of them. They felt lovely. She wanted to pull it out and see what it was, but was afraid her mother would know if anything had moved. And then the matter was decided for her.

‘Are yer coming down now, Milly?’ Rita shouted from the bottom of the staircase. ‘The fire is lit and the guard in front. Let’s go to mine and have a hot cup of tea.’

Milly closed the lid very softly, put the bar back in the ring, then tip-toed on to the landing. ‘Coming, Auntie Rita! I’ll bring Daisy over with me.’

‘On yer own head be it, sunshine, ’cos yer know what our Billy’s like for pulling yer leg.’

‘I’m not coming to play with him, I’m coming to play with Jack. So your Billy can take a running jump. Anyway, I haven’t got dirty knees like him, and I’ll tell him so.’

Rita grinned. She was becoming very fond of this girl, and was surprised at her spirit. She always appeared to be shy, and quiet, but she could certainly hold her own if anyone rubbed her up the wrong way. And that someone was usually Billy, who thought girls were nothing but a ruddy nuisance. There was a young girl lived a few doors away, Polly, who dogged his footsteps everywhere he went. No matter how much he shouted at her, and told her to vamoose, she was never far behind him. When Rita pulled his leg about it, he swore he’d never have a girl friend, and he’d never get married. He was going to stay at home with his mam, ’cos she was the only one who didn’t talk the ear off you. Poor Polly. According to Billy she was as thick as two short planks. When she told him, truthfully, that she’d come second in class, he’d snorted and told her not to tell so many lies.

Rita let Milly pull the front door behind her, for she knew it made the girl feel important. Also because she guessed Evelyn had given strict instructions that she must never let anyone be alone in the house, but must stay with them.

Sure enough, there was Billy kneeling in the gutter with his mate Tommo. The concentration on both faces was enough to bring a smile to Rita’s face. Anyone would think there was a lot of money riding on who won this game of marbles for neither boy lifted his head, afraid the other would cheat.

‘I’m making a pot of tea, son,’ Rita said, ‘are yer coming in for one?’

His eyes fixed on a blue and white glass marble, Billy said, ‘I’ll come in when this games’s over, Mam, I’m winning right now.’

‘You flippin’ fibber!’ Tommo actually took his eyes off the prized marble, he was so angry. His mate was showing off because he didn’t like Milly, but Tommo had a mind of his own and thought she was nice. ‘I’m a game ahead of him, Mrs Wells, he’s only saying that to show off. If I win this shot, that marble will be going in my pocket and coming home with me.’

‘Take no notice of him, Mam, it’s him what’s showing off ’cos yer’ve got a girl with yer. The daft beggar always does the same thing.’

‘I’ll thump yer if yer say that again,’ said a very vexed Tommo. ‘The trouble with you is ye’re not a good sport. Yer can’t stand losing, and ye’re like a big soft baby.’

Milly thought that was a very good description, she couldn’t have done better herself. Her infectious laughter filled the air. It also fuelled Billy’s embarrassment. ‘Take her in the house, Mam,’ he growled, ‘she’s spoiling our game. And I won’t bother with a cup of tea, I’ll wait until the nuisance has gone over to Auntie Bessie’s. If I lose this game, it’ll be her fault for putting me off.’

Milly tugged on Rita’s arm. ‘Come on, Auntie Rita, let’s leave the baby alone before he starts crying. He’ll blame us if he loses. Not like your Jack, he’s a good sport. I bet we won’t hear him moaning when I win the game of Snakes and Ladders we’re going to have.’

Rita chuckled as she followed Milly up the steps. This was one little lady who wouldn’t be pushed around. Perhaps her mother’s strictness with her would pay dividends in the end. Or was the change due to someone else? The girl had certainly come out of her shell since she’d been coming to Bessie’s. That’s what a little warmth and love did for you, it gave you confidence.

Bessie came home from work on the Saturday at one o’clock, and spent the next hour and a half drumming it in to herself that she had to put her foot down and be firm. Never mind what reasons Evelyn came up with, they had to be brushed aside. But being firm in your head, and full of good intentions was a different kettle of fish to being as firm when the time came to face your problem. When a knock heralded the arrival of her neighbour and her daughter, Bessie’s heart did a double somersault as she went to open the door.

However, part of her problem was solved by young Jack Wells, who was standing outside his house, opposite, learning against the wall. He waved to Milly, and called, ‘Can yer come over for a game of Snakes and Ladders, Mill—er, Amelia?’

Evelyn shook her head and was about to push Milly up the step when Bessie barred her path. ‘Let her go over to Mrs Wells’ for half an hour. I want to have a few words with you and I’m sure Amelia would be bored stiff.’ The look in her eyes told her neighbour it was a matter of importance.

‘You may go over, Amelia,’ Evelyn told her daughter. ‘But you must come back here when Miss Maudsley tells you to. And mind you don’t lose the key or I shall be very annoyed.’

Milly was off like a shot. Last night, for the first time, Jack had beaten her at the game, and she intended to get her own back. ‘Yes, Mother,’ she called over her shoulder, ‘I won’t forget to do as I’m told.’

Bessie waved to the couch. ‘I won’t keep you long, I know yer’ll be eager to be off to yer friend’s, but I’ve been thinking things over very carefully, and although I’m more than delighted with the money given so generously by your man friend, I don’t feel easy in my mind that you and me are the only ones who know about it. No matter which way I look at it, I can’t give food and clothes out like Lady Bountiful without it looking suspicious. Mrs Wells and Mrs Gordon aren’t stupid, they’ll know I’m not paying for everything out of me own pocket. And being me mates, they’re bound to ask where the money is coming from. If it was only a few bob then it would be fine, but it’s twenty pounds and that’s a fortune to anyone living in this street.’

‘But I was under the impression you were really pleased, and knew who you could best help with the money,’ Evelyn said. ‘Why have you changed your mind?’

‘Oh, I haven’t changed me mind, Evelyn, or me gratitude, but to do it alone would be impossible. I’ve made a list of all those I would love to help, and I can show it to yer if yer like. The kids going round barefoot would get shoes, and the poor families would get boxes of food to see them over Christmas. I know you and your generous friend would be more than satisfied that the money was being used to help those most in need. But I can’t go round giving boxes of food out without someone asking where the hell I got the money from. Besides all that, it would be physically impossible for me to do it all on me own. So I’m going to ask yer to let Mrs Wells and Mrs Gordon in on the secret. I promise that they will not be told any more than they need to know, and I swear on my life that yer can trust them. Like meself, they may be rough and ready, but they’re as honest as the day is long. With their help, it would be so much easier. Any shoes and clothes we get from the market, we can say their children have grown out of or we got them off a relative. And boxes of food I can explain away by saying I’d heard a Good Samaritan was helping the poor, and I’d been to see him. People will be so happy to have food for the table over Christmas, they’re not going to ask too many questions. Not when there’ll be three of us giving the hampers out.’

Evelyn heard her out, then nodded. ‘Of course it would be too much for you to do on your own, I should have realised that. Please ask your friends for help, but I beg you to protect my privacy.’

Bessie nodded her head vigorously. ‘I would never discuss your affairs, you need have no fear of that.’ She put her hand under the cushion of her chair and brought out the notebook. ‘I know you are eager to be on yer way, but just cast yer eyes over the list and yer’ll see how many I have down as being in desperate straits. Every family on that list is worthy of help, but a few more so than others. There are women in this street walking round with hardly any flesh on their bones, ’cos whatever money they get they spend on food for their kids. I promise you they will be blessing you and your friend when they sit down to a proper meal on Christmas Day.’

Evelyn studied the list. She’d been shaken by Bessie’s words, and would repeat them to Philip. There were no addresses in the notebook, so she wouldn’t be giving herself away by showing him the list. ‘Would you let me take this to show to my friend? I’m sure he would be very touched by what you intend doing with the money.’

‘Ah, not today, Evelyn, it took me ages to go through this street from top to bottom, both sides, and write the names down. I could write it out again tonight, and give it to yer tomorrow, would that do?’

‘Yes, it would.’ Evelyn got to her feet. ‘Thank you for showing it to me, Bessie, I’m sure you and your friends will do a good job. I would give you a donation myself if I was able, but unfortunately I am not in a position to do so.’

Bessie went to the door with her. ‘Yer’ve done enough, Evelyn! If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t have this money. It’s me what should be thanking you, not the other way round.’