Lily’s War (8 page)

‘Shut up,’ she hissed, aware of several heads turning.

‘Not bad-looking either,’ whispered Daisy, taking out a packet of chewing gum.

Lily groaned but after that her sister did not say another word.

When the service was over, Lily sat for several seconds, wondering what her family would do and say when she upped and left. She did not dwell on the thought for long, preferring instead to think of a sunlit future in foreign lands. She had not told the family but she had asked Matt to Sunday dinner. Albert had gone out so there should be no trouble.

She caught up with Daisy, and her sister glanced sidelong at her and said with a grin, ‘Not bad. But can he dance?’

‘You can ask him. He’s coming round in an hour,’ she said nonchalantly.

‘To see you, I suppose?’

‘It could be that he just wants a pint of milk.’

‘Like hell you believe that!’ said Daisy, her smile vanishing. ‘What’s going on in your mind, Lil?’

‘Thoughts. What goes on in yours?’

‘I don’t fancy no vicar.’

‘He’s not a vicar. He’s a travelling preacher,’ said Lily, her eyes dreamy as she imagined the future.

‘So he’s travelled and you find that dead romantic?’

‘He’s also got that lovely voice and gorgeous eyes.’

‘You’re besotted.’

Lily realised her sister was worried and slipped a hand through her arm. ‘Yes.’

‘Frank’s a safer bet and he only lives down the road,’ she said unhappily.

‘I don’t respect Frank. I respect and admire Matt,’ Lily replied.

Her sister stared at her. ‘But that’s all it is, isn’t it?’

Lily barely hesitated. ‘We’re going to get married.’

Daisy stopped in her tracks. ‘Oh, come on, Lil! He’s not going to marry you! You’re different people from different backgrounds.’

Any doubt Lily might have had herself about their varying backgrounds vanished and she gave her sister a dagger-like look. ‘He thinks I’m wonderful!’

‘He doesn’t know you!’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Lily was hurt and her temper rose even further. ‘When I think of the way I cook and clean for you lot, it makes me mad your saying that!’ She stormed away from her sister, past the wireless shop on the corner and up the street.

Daisy raced after her. ‘Be sensible, Lil,’ she panted. ‘Let’s pretend we’re out when he comes.’

‘Not on your nelly! Me and him are for each other, so you might as well get used to the idea now!’ She burst into the house and went immediately to the kitchen and set about getting the dinner ready. Her father had not returned, thank goodness, and Ben was out with a mate from the Territorials.

She glanced about the kitchen with its well-worn furniture, deciding the best that could be said of it was that it was solidly made and comfortable. Her surroundings had never bothered her before but now she tried to see the room with Matt’s eyes. It badly needed decorating. She glanced round at her family, at May playing with a doll, Ronnie sorting out cigarette cards and Daisy pretending to ignore her by twiddling with the knobs on the wireless set. Then she remembered Matt had seen the room before and had not been put off. Squaring her shoulders, she set the table with the best damask linen cloth and the heavy silver cutlery her mother had brought from Wrexham, and awaited Matt’s coming.

‘Yes, I can dance. You had to in Simla,’ replied Matt in response to Daisy’s question, his eyes glinting as he gazed across at her. ‘Would you like a demonstration? Charleston? Foxtrot? Tango?’ He glanced over at Lily who was clearing the table.

She smiled. ‘Can you really dance the tango?’

‘I’ll prove it to you one day.’

‘Never mind dancing,’ said Ronnie from his perch on the stool at Matthew’s knee. ‘Is Simla in India?’

‘Yes. It’s in the Himalayan foothills.’

‘Was your father stationed there?’ asked Lily, drawing closer as she folded the tablecloth.

‘He mentioned it as having the reputation of the liveliest place in India.’

‘Did it have elephants walking in the streets?’ demanded May, looking up from playing with a doll.

‘Most of the streets are steep. You walk or go by rickshaw. And talking about walking …’ He looked up at Lily. ‘If you’ve finished, perhaps we could go for a walk?’

‘We could all go,’ said May swiftly. ‘You weren’t asked,’ said Lily firmly. ‘You can help Daisy with the dishes.’

‘Thanks a lot,’ murmured Daisy, following her into the lobby. ‘I was going out.’

Lily raised her eyebrows. ‘You didn’t mention it before. Anyway you can go out later. If I’m not back, you and Ronnie will have to do the milking.’

‘I hate that! What’ll I tell Dad when he comes in?’

‘Tell him the truth.’ Lily gazed at her pink cheeks in the mirror, tucked a curl behind an ear and fixed her hat at a jaunty angle.

Daisy scowled. ‘I don’t like the way you’re behaving. It’s not you.’

Lily whirled round. ‘Perhaps this is the real me? The me that’s been squashed down for years.’

‘You’re probably reading more into what he’s said than there is.’

‘He asked me to marry him! How can I read more into that?’ She felt angry again as she drew on her gloves. ‘Now if you don’t mind, I want to enjoy his company.’

‘Oh, Lil,’ cried Daisy. ‘Can’t you see he’s in a different class?’

Lily was still a moment, then she said in a seething voice, ‘His father was a soldier in the British Army, so was ours.’

‘His was probably an officer. What was Dad?’

‘Unlucky!’ snapped Lily. ‘We come from good stock. Our ancestors worked for everything they had.’

‘Shall we go, Lily?’ It was Matt’s voice.

They both turned. A tide of scarlet crept over Daisy’s face and without a word she walked past him.

Lily realised she was trembling and took a deep breath but could not think what to say so remained silent and went out ahead of him.

‘I thought we’d go to Bootle,’ said Matt, taking her hand. ‘It would be proper, don’t you think, to meet my only living relative and invite her to the wedding?’

‘I’m sorry about mine,’ she said roughly. ‘Daisy’s only saying what Ben’s said and probably what everybody else will think.’

Matt’s expression was rueful. ‘Your uncle warned me off. If my intentions weren’t so honourable I’d find it funny. I never thought I was such a disreputable character.’

A smile vanquished Lily’s cloudy expression. ‘He warned me, too … said I had to be sensible.’

‘He told me he was leaving you money and that you wouldn’t get a penny if you didn’t do your duty by your father.’

Her eyes widened with shock. ‘He what?’

‘It’s true.’

She stopped in her tracks. ‘I’m surprised at him saying such a thing to you. How dare he threaten you?’

‘I don’t think it was so much a threat as a plea. He’s got a high opinion of you. I wondered if he’d once been in love with your mother.’

Lily stared at him. ‘My mother?’

‘He said you’re alike and seemed to have had a great admiration for her. He had quite a talk with me before I called you.’

They started walking again with Lily deep in thought. ‘Maybe he did love her,’ she said softly. ‘She told me that when Dad was away at the Front, Uncle William was a great help to her. She spoke of how difficult it was being parted for months and months on end.’ She glanced up at him. ‘He intended you telling me, of course.’

‘I think so.’

‘He should know me better than to believe money would make any difference but …’ She hesitated. Perhaps it would make a difference to Matt? Put them more on a level.

‘He doesn’t want you leaving Liverpool. You mightn’t have to, of course. We’ll just have to wait and see.’ He caught hold of her hand. ‘Now let’s get to Byrom Street. We can catch a tram there to Bootle.’

So he really was thinking that he might be staying put, thought Lily, not sure whether she was pleased or not. It didn’t somehow match up to her dream but it might make her family happier. Hand in hand they strolled up the street, oblivious of the movement of net curtains in front windows as they passed.

They left the 23 tram at Boots corner in Stanley Road and walked up little Strand Road. Lily wondered how Matt was feeling, seeing the only living member of his family. She tried to imagine what it must be like not to have any kith or kin, and could not.

The gasworks were in the near distance to the left and as they went over the road bridge that crossed the Leeds-Liverpool canal, they could see a tall blackened chimney with the words williams emblazoned on it. They paused to watch a barge being towed by a horse on the tow path and Lily was reminded that this canal went all the way to the county of her ancestors. ‘I wonder how your aunt will feel?’ she murmured.

‘Pleased, I hope.’ He squeezed her hand and his grey eyes were shadowed. ‘Dad sent for her to come out to Australia but she must never have got the letters. It could have made a difference.’

She wondered in what way but did not like to ask. They began to walk again and talked about the canal and how long the life of the bargee would last. They turned into a street of small terraced houses and Lily wondered if his aunt had lost money in the Wall Street crash. Some lads were doing something with a set of pram wheels, a rope and a plank of wood, and they had to detour round them. They stopped in front of a green-painted door, but before Matt could knock, the door was opened by a woman.

She was tall and angular with a bony face which wore a welcoming expression. Her hair must once have been a rich auburn because there were still traces of colour in the thick greying single plait that hung over one shoulder. She wore a spotless flowered pinafore and there were slippers on her feet.

‘I didn’t believe her!’ she cried, stretching out a hand and clutching the front of Matt’s coat. ‘I mean, the tales she tells you wouldn’t believe half of them. But you’re the dead spit of our Davy so it wasn’t one of her stories! And besides, her next door told me as well,’ she said with an air that was almost confidential. ‘Come in, lad! Come in and tell me all there is to know about our Davy and Australia.’

Matt’s expression was one of relief and warmth as he hugged her to him and it was several seconds before he held her off and said, ‘I’m sorry, Aunt Jane, but Dad died a few years back. I’ve written several times but my letters were never passed on.’

Her smile faded. ‘Oh dear, that is sad. I always hoped he might come back one day. He was good to me … so much older but he treated me like a little pet, God rest his soul.’ There was a pause while she dabbed at her eyes. Then she smiled brightly and looked at Lily. ‘Is this your young lady?’

‘Yes. This is Lily,’ he said with a hint of pride in his voice.

‘How do you do, Lily?’ Jane’s head bobbed in her direction. ‘You’ll come in and have a cup of tea?’

They followed her inside.

‘I won’t take you into Amelia,’ she said, bypassing a door. ‘She’s crippled with rheumatism but can talk the hind leg off a donkey and I want you all to myself.’ She ushered them into the kitchen and ordered Matt into the easy chair in front of a glowing fire before placing an upright chair alongside it and telling Lily to sit herself down. They could see she was excited as she placed a kettle on the fire and turned back to Matt. ‘I’m glad to see you, lad, but what made you come all this way from the other side of the world?’

He was silent a moment, watching her carefully as he murmured, ‘Dad’s fortune.’

A bark of laughter escaped her. ‘You’re having me on! Our Davy never had two ha’pennies to rub together.’

Matt glanced briefly at Lily and instantly she wondered what he was about. Could it be true his father had had no money when he left Liverpool? It would explain a few things.

‘You’ve heard of the Boxer Rising?’ said Matt. Both women nodded, all ears. ‘After it was over the ordinary British tommies were allowed to loot the Summer Palace in Peking. Dad told me the empress wasn’t a nice lady, being suspected of having poisoned a few people to get where she was. Anyway, he took some blue-coloured beads …’ He paused.

Both women, who were hanging on to his words, chorused, ‘Go on!’

‘They turned out to be sapphires.’

There was a hush. Then Jane laughed and laughed, rocking herself back and forth, slapping her knee. ‘Well, who’d have believed it! Just like Aladdin finding the magic lamp in a cave.’

‘It was stealing really,’ murmured Matt, his eyes bright.

‘Spoils of war! And I’m not grieving for that empress!’ Jane clapped her hands in delight. ‘I bet the money did more good in our Davy’s pocket than it would have in hers.’

‘It could get you out of here if you wanted, Aunt Jane,’ said Matt seriously, leaning towards her.

She looked at him in astonishment. ‘I wouldn’t move from here! I’ve made a niche for meself.’ She made a movement with her head. ‘And her in there needs me. But if you could spare a bob or two, it would be nice to have a bit put by for me old age.’

Matt’s face creased into a smile. ‘A bob or two it is then, with interest … and you can buy yourself a new frock for the wedding. Lily and I are going to be married.’

Jane’s face lit up. ‘I love a wedding. When’s it to be?’

Matt exchanged a rueful glance with Lily, who had not got as far as thinking of a when or a where. She did not know what to reply. She thought of brides and honeymoons, of moons in June. ‘June?’ she croaked.

Jane laced her hands together and pressed them against her thin chest, her expression radiant. ‘I’ll have something to look forward to after the Coronation. Who’d have believed when I woke up this morning it would turn out to be such a lovely day?’

Matt and Lily were silent as they left the house and it was not until they were nearing the bridge that Lily, who had been busy thinking, said, ‘Was all that true about your father finding the sapphires?’

Matt scrutinised her face, his expression amused. ‘You can’t believe I’d lie about such things?’

‘You might,’ she said, adding hastily as his eyebrows shot up, ‘from the best of motives! Your aunt might not have been prepared to take money from you otherwise, and you probably want to help her.’

‘And where do you think I’d find the money to help her if it wasn’t true?’