A Hopscotch Summer (31 page)
Read A Hopscotch Summer Online
Authors: Annie Murray
A few days later, Molly was absent from school and Em decided to go and see if she was all right. She had to dare herself even to go anywhere near the Foxes’ yard, but Molly was her pal now, after all they had been through together.
Her heart thudding, she crept along the entry, but even before she reached the house she could hear the sound of someone weeping unrestrainedly. The loud, aggrieved bawling was coming out of the door of Molly’s house, which as usual was not closed. Em peeped in and was met by the sight of Iris Fox’s immense form crouched on the chair by the fire, which was where the old man usually sat. Her hands were over her face and she was rocking back and forth and wailing fit to burst.
Em was fascinated by the sight, but didn’t know what to do. She could just see Molly’s dad’s feet sticking out opposite Iris, and not wanting to interrupt this scene she dithered outside the door. But as she stood there Molly came charging out and knocked right into her.
‘Ow!’ Em rubbed her forehead.
Molly looked taken aback. ‘What’re you doing ’ere?’
‘I came to see why you weren’t at school.’ She was taken aback to see that Molly looked tear-stained as well. ‘What’s up?’
‘It’s my grandad,’ Molly said, closing the door on her distraught mother. ‘They’ve taken him off up the hospital. They said he won’t last long – he’s got poison in his blood.’
‘Oh,’ Em said. ‘Is that . . . ?’ She’d been about to ask if that was why he stank so bad. The last time she’d been to the house the smell had been appalling.
‘He lost his toes on one foot and then it was all through him,’ Molly said miserably. ‘Septi – septi something.’
‘Oh,’ Em said, not sure about this. ‘I’ve got a penny our dad gave me. Want to get some sweets?’
‘All right,’ Molly said, cheering up visibly.
The girls hurried along to the Miss Prices’ shop and chose as many sweets as they could get for a penny. Molly chose a gobstopper and Em had some sherbert. Then they popped in to see Mr and Mrs Button, Molly’s home from home, and Mrs Button was kind about Molly’s sick grandfather.
‘Come and see me tomorrow, won’t you?’ she said, as they ran out into the sun.
The pavements were busy with children and a group were swinging a long rope right across the street in a big skipping game. Two of the eldest were turning the rope, and everyone was chanting together.
‘I like coffee, I like tea . . .’
‘Hey, Em, Molly – come and play!’ a voice shouted.
Molly’s eyes lit up. ‘Come on, Em,’ she said.
And they launched themselves into the game as the rope rose high over the road, ready to jump as it swung round.
George Washington never told a lie
He went into the larder and stole a cherry pie . . .
The girls chanted with the rhythm of the rope. Molly’s cheek was bulging with the gobstopper and Em had her little bag of sherbet in her hand as she skipped. She looked at Molly, beaming with happiness. Mom was at home, and so was Dad now, and things were beginning to get back to normal, blessed ordinary-normal. Flossie Dawson had disappeared from her house – she and Molly had been to see – and the place was deserted. Flossie had vanished from the area. She was gone gone
gone
. Without trace! Em beamed, celebrating with every jump at the thought, and she felt so happy and tireless and in tune with the rhythm, as if she could never make a mistake.
Though the family had its ups and downs as usual, things started to settle, and as the summer arrived the Brown children got back to their routine and began to try and forget all the sad things that had happened. Sid’s bed gradually became dry at night, Joycie didn’t have so many tantrums and Em started to fill out a little. Dot and Cynthia went back to their friendly routine of helping each other out.
One evening after dark, though, there came an unexpected caller at the door. Bob went to open up.
‘Ah, Mr Brown! I’ve something for you!’
The children, recognizing the voice, looked at each other in amazement and crowded into the front room to look. It was one of the Miss Prices, Madeleine, they realized, because of the mole. They were full of curiosity. They had scarcely ever seen one of the Miss Prices outside the shop, let alone calling at their house!
‘It’s a very strange thing,’ Miss Price began in her dithery way. ‘And I’m sorry to disturb you, only a lady has just called into the shop. Of course we were closed, but she was very determined. In fact she kept hammering on the door. She asked me to give you this – it’s to be delivered to you.’
In her hand was an envelope which she held out to Bob Brown.
‘Well, who was she? Why didn’t she just come here?’ Bob said, taking the envelope from her.
‘Ah, well, this was it, you see, she didn’t know where you were. She said she knew you lived in this street but she didn’t know the number of the house. And she asked me to be discreet, you see. So I’ve brought it
straight
across to you. She wouldn’t tell me who she was, I’m afraid, though I’ve an idea she might have been someone’s maid, by the way she was dressed.’
Bob looked up and down the street, bemused. ‘Where’s she gone now, then?’
‘Oh, she disappeared straight away. Seemed most eager to get back.’
He thanked Madeleine Price and, frowning, brought the letter through to the back. Cynthia was still sitting at the table with Violet asleep on her shoulder.
‘What was all that about?’ she asked. It was remarkable for the family to receive any letters.
‘I dunno.’ Bob sank down at the table and slid his knife along the flap. They all watched him as he slowly read. Em felt her chest tighten with dread, until she saw his expression alter from puzzled to astonished as he did so. He raised his head, looking round at them all, speechless.
‘What is it, Bob, for goodness sake!’ Cynthia demanded. ‘It’s not bad news, is it?’
He shook his head. ‘Hardly – read that out. I can hardly take it in.’
Cynthia took the letter impatiently. ‘Should I – is it all right for the kids to hear?’
‘Yeah, go on.’
She read:
Dear Mr and Mrs Brown,
I have had it on my conscience to write to you for many months, but have not been able to find the courage until now.
It was I, foolish, foolish woman, who took your lovely little girl, Joyce, with me to visit my house last summer, and she stayed the night with me, as I’m sure she told you. It was a great pleasure to me and I cared for her so very well, but it has grown on me how much distress I must have caused you, and I realize that I did a terrible thing. But I was not myself in those days. I have not been well.
You see, I had a daughter once. Her name was Alice, but my little darling went to rest in the arms of her Saviour when she was only just twelve months old and I have had no children since. Alice would have had her fourth birthday just before I met your beautiful daughter Joyce and I’m afraid the great longing to be in the company of a little one such as her overtook me completely and I was led into temptation. She is such a darling child! And I reasoned that a child from such a poor area would be glad of a better home. Of course, when my husband came home I was discovered. I had my maid bring her back to you, hoping and praying that no damage was done and that I could be forgiven.
I hope you will accept the enclosed as a token of my repentance and good will towards your family. And I do hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me, a broken-hearted mother. I meant no harm by it, please believe me. I would have loved her as my own.
Yours sincerely.
Cynthia’s voice grew increasingly full of wonder as she read and she looked up at last, deeply shocked.
‘She was going to keep our Joyce, if she hadn’t been found out, the evil cow . . .’ She reached out and pulled Joyce to her, cuddling her. ‘God, the poor woman losing her babby – but if she ever came anywhere near here again I don’t know what I might do to her . . .’ She looked across, seeing Bob opening the other little fold of paper which had been inside the envelope. ‘What’s in there?’
Bob pulled out several notes and, looking even more amazed, counted them up.
‘Christ – twenty-five pound!’ He jumped up excitedly. ‘She’s sent us bloody
twenty-five pound
!’
‘No!’ Cynthia cried. ‘Are you sure?’
Em caught the enormous excitement and felt a grin start to spread across her face, which grew even more as Bob went to Cynthia, waving the notes at her, then pulled her up, still holding Violet, and started dancing with her round the back room as if they were carefree children, both of them giggling in amazement. All the children laughed, loving seeing their mom and dad so excited. Joyce’s little face puckered up in a grin of sheer delight and Sid bounced, roaring, on his chair. They hadn’t seen a scene as jolly as this in a very long time.
‘Eh, Joycie – we’ll have to get you taken away more often!’ Bob joked, picking her up and swinging her in the air, while she let out gurgles of laughter.
‘Oh, don’t say that!’ Cynthia protested, but she was chuckling too.
‘Well, kids, we’re in the money. You can all have a treat. What’s it going to be?’
Sid and Joyce immediately thought of little toys they wanted, only small things: a model aeroplane for Sid and a little doll for Joyce that you could dress in her own clothes.
‘Em, what about you?’ Bob squatted down, his beaming face close to hers.
Em squirmed with pleasure but she knew she must not ask for too much.
‘Can I have a packet of chalk?’ she said daringly. ‘So we’ve got our own chalk to play hopscotch?’
Her father laughed, and stood to pick her up by the waist, twirling her round until she giggled.
‘Oh, I think we can run to that. A packet of chalk it is! That’ll keep you going for the whole of the summer, won’t it?’
‘Yes,’ she gasped as the room spun round her. ‘All summer and next summer as well!’