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Authors: Margaret Dickinson
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sniffed. ‘Think I was found under a Christmas tree, lad? That’s in the opposite direction.’
‘Who’s Susan?’ Mary Ann asked at once.
‘She’s his young lady,’ Duggie volunteered. ‘They’re walking out together.’
‘Are you going to marry her?’ The question was a natural one, yet to Bessie’s knowing ears, there was a sharp edge to the girl’s tone. Poor bairn, the older woman thought, her view of marriage can’t be a happy one. Maybe, she thought, while she stays in this house, we can show her a different kind of family life.
‘He’ll be daft if he doesn’t,’ Duggie said, tapping the side of his nose and winking. ‘Her father owns the ship he works on.’
‘Now, Duggie, you young scallywag, don’t go putting ideas into the bairn’s mind that aren’t true,’ Bessie scolded. ‘Susan’s a lovely girl and our Dan wouldn’t go marrying someone he wasn’t in love with. ’Sides, there’s some might think it was a disadvantage marrying your boss’s daughter.’
Dan grinned good-naturedly at his brother and punched him lightly on the shoulder.
Bert rose from the table. ‘Well, Bessie, light of my life, much as I’d like to stay home with you all day, I’d better get myself off to work.’
Heaving herself up from her chair, she fetched her husband’s jacket and scarf and held it for him to slip his arms into the sleeves. Tenderly, she wrapped the muffler around his neck. Then she planted a loud kiss full on his mouth. At once Bert responded: his hands resting on her well-rounded hips, he kissed her in return. ‘Bye bye, my angel. Be a good girl . . .’ he chuckled. ‘At least till I get home.’
‘Oho,’ Bessie patted him playfully on the cheek. ‘Chance’d be a fine thing, with all the work I’ve got to do looking after you lot.’
The young men were used to this kind of affection between their parents, but Mary Ann was staring open-mouthed at the older couple, and her astonishment grew as all three sons also kissed their mother before leaving the house themselves to go to their various occupations. Even at her tender age and despite her unfortunate home circumstances, Mary Ann could see that it was not an action made out of duty, but given with true affection. Close on Dan’s heels as he made to leave the house, she too stopped in front of Bessie, threw her arms around her and pressed her face into Bessie’s bosom.
Bessie stroked the girl’s hair, but instead of silkiness, Bessie felt it thick with dirt and grease. She cupped Mary Ann’s face in her hands and kissed her forehead. ‘We’ll wash your hair tonight, love. I’ve some lovely shampoo you can have a bit of. It’ll make it ever so pretty. Off you go now with Dan. You’ll be all right walking home on your own tonight, won’t you?’
For a moment, Mary Ann’s eyes clouded but then she nodded. As Bessie watched them go and heard their footsteps echoing down the alley, she heard Mary Ann’s high-pitched voice chattering to Dan.
Suddenly and with pleasant surprise, Bessie realized that not once that morning had she noticed the child with her thumb in her mouth.
‘You didn’t get lost then?’ Bessie greeted Mary Ann when she appeared in the yard late in the afternoon. ‘Here, you can make yasen useful. Put these pegs in the peg bag for me while I get this washing in. We’re going to give you a nice bath and wash your hair before the menfolk come home. And then,’ she added hastily as she saw the doubt in the girl’s eyes, ‘I’ve got a present for you.’
‘A present for me? What is it?’
‘Ah, now you’ll have to wait and see.’
Bessie bundled more of Amy Hamilton’s sheets and pillowcases into her basket and picked it up. Earlier in the day Bessie had had to coax Amy out of her bed once more. Helping her to wash and dress, Bessie had discovered a bundle of dirty bed linen stuffed into the bottom of a wardrobe.
‘I don’t know,’ she grumbled to Mary Ann now, but without any real
‘Who’s Susan?’ Mary Ann asked at once.
‘She’s his young lady,’ Duggie volunteered. ‘They’re walking out together.’
‘Are you going to marry her?’ The question was a natural one, yet to Bessie’s knowing ears, there was a sharp edge to the girl’s tone. Poor bairn, the older woman thought, her view of marriage can’t be a happy one. Maybe, she thought, while she stays in this house, we can show her a different kind of family life.
‘He’ll be daft if he doesn’t,’ Duggie said, tapping the side of his nose and winking. ‘Her father owns the ship he works on.’
‘Now, Duggie, you young scallywag, don’t go putting ideas into the bairn’s mind that aren’t true,’ Bessie scolded. ‘Susan’s a lovely girl and our Dan wouldn’t go marrying someone he wasn’t in love with. ’Sides, there’s some might think it was a disadvantage marrying your boss’s daughter.’
Dan grinned good-naturedly at his brother and punched him lightly on the shoulder.
Bert rose from the table. ‘Well, Bessie, light of my life, much as I’d like to stay home with you all day, I’d better get myself off to work.’
Heaving herself up from her chair, she fetched her husband’s jacket and scarf and held it for him to slip his arms into the sleeves. Tenderly, she wrapped the muffler around his neck. Then she planted a loud kiss full on his mouth. At once Bert responded: his hands resting on her well-rounded hips, he kissed her in return. ‘Bye bye, my angel. Be a good girl . . .’ he chuckled. ‘At least till I get home.’
‘Oho,’ Bessie patted him playfully on the cheek. ‘Chance’d be a fine thing, with all the work I’ve got to do looking after you lot.’
The young men were used to this kind of affection between their parents, but Mary Ann was staring open-mouthed at the older couple, and her astonishment grew as all three sons also kissed their mother before leaving the house themselves to go to their various occupations. Even at her tender age and despite her unfortunate home circumstances, Mary Ann could see that it was not an action made out of duty, but given with true affection. Close on Dan’s heels as he made to leave the house, she too stopped in front of Bessie, threw her arms around her and pressed her face into Bessie’s bosom.
Bessie stroked the girl’s hair, but instead of silkiness, Bessie felt it thick with dirt and grease. She cupped Mary Ann’s face in her hands and kissed her forehead. ‘We’ll wash your hair tonight, love. I’ve some lovely shampoo you can have a bit of. It’ll make it ever so pretty. Off you go now with Dan. You’ll be all right walking home on your own tonight, won’t you?’
For a moment, Mary Ann’s eyes clouded but then she nodded. As Bessie watched them go and heard their footsteps echoing down the alley, she heard Mary Ann’s high-pitched voice chattering to Dan.
Suddenly and with pleasant surprise, Bessie realized that not once that morning had she noticed the child with her thumb in her mouth.
‘You didn’t get lost then?’ Bessie greeted Mary Ann when she appeared in the yard late in the afternoon. ‘Here, you can make yasen useful. Put these pegs in the peg bag for me while I get this washing in. We’re going to give you a nice bath and wash your hair before the menfolk come home. And then,’ she added hastily as she saw the doubt in the girl’s eyes, ‘I’ve got a present for you.’
‘A present for me? What is it?’
‘Ah, now you’ll have to wait and see.’
Bessie bundled more of Amy Hamilton’s sheets and pillowcases into her basket and picked it up. Earlier in the day Bessie had had to coax Amy out of her bed once more. Helping her to wash and dress, Bessie had discovered a bundle of dirty bed linen stuffed into the bottom of a wardrobe.
‘I don’t know,’ she grumbled to Mary Ann now, but without any real
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