A Dream to Share Read online

  ‘If you knew that then you should have kept a better eye on her,’ said Hannah severely, dragging him to his feet and dusting him down. She smoothed his tousled black curls and gazed into his eyes. ‘Now, straight home or you’re in trouble.’ She was thinking that perhaps Tilly had gone to Granny Popo’s, the old woman who had helped take care of the little girl from the day she was born.

  Hannah parted from her younger brother on the corner of the street and hurried in the direction of the Shropshire Union canal, intent on reaching the house as quickly as possible. Granny Popo had helped bring Tilly into the world and her granddaughter, Dolly, had been the girl’s wet nurse after her mother had died in childbirth.

  Halfway across the bridge at the bottom of Egerton Street, Hannah caught sight of Tilly outside Granny’s house on the other side of the canal and she was talking to a man. For a moment Hannah’s heart seemed to stop beating and then he turned his head and she realised he was Dolly’s soldier husband, newly returned from abroad.

  Hannah hastened towards them and coming up behind Tilly, grabbed her by the shoulders. ‘Gotcha! What did I tell you about wandering off?’ she chided.

  ‘She’s only just got here… said she came to show Granny her frock,’ said the fair haired man, his teeth flashing white in his sunburnt face.

  The girl tilted her head and beamed up at Hannah. ‘I wasn’t going to be long.’

  ‘You should have told Freddie where you were going. Now we’ve got to get back home double-quick.’

  ‘But Granny hasn’t seen my frock yet,’ said Tilly.

  Hannah was just about to say that Granny could see it later when she heard her name being called. She whirled round and saw Alice com­ing towards her. ‘Thank God! Where’ve you been? I was getting wor­ried,’ she cried.

  ‘Don’t ask me to begin to explain now,’ gasped Alice, whose face was flushed and damp with perspiration. She placed a hand to her side. ‘I’ve got a stitch with running.’

  ‘Well, just slow down. The wedding can’t happen without me being there,’ said Hannah, gazing anxiously at Alice as they began to make their way towards the canal. ‘Was it you know who?’ she added in a whisper.

  Alice glanced down at Tilly, who was a picture in the pink cheesecloth frock trimmed with rosebuds that Alice had made, and placed a trembling hand on her younger sister’s shoulder. ‘I wasn’t exactly sure it was him but decided to make a run for it just in case. I was late as it was because Miss Victoria had one of her turns so we sent for the doctor.’

  ‘Is she alright now?’

  ‘Resting.’ Alice took one of her sister’s hands and Hannah took the other and they hurried her along, swinging her off her feet every now and then.

  ‘If it was Bert… where did you think you saw him?’ asked Hannah. ‘Near the river! I was on Queen’s Park footbridge and I could have sworn…’ Alice’s voice trailed off but then she took a deep breath. ‘It was stupid of me to run but I get this tight feeling in my chest where Bert’s concerned and I just have to get away. It’s as if my brain’s telling me that if I don’t escape, something terrible is going to happen.’

  Hannah understood her fear. Both of them had suffered at Bert’s hands. ‘That’s how he wants you to feel,’ she said fiercely. ‘He’s deter­mined to spoil mine and Kenny’s wedding, but I won’t let him do it.’

  ‘That’s the ticket,’ said Alice. ‘But what about Tilly?’

  At the mention of her name, four-year-old Tilly turned her pretty face up to her sister. ‘What about me?’ she asked.

  Hannah exchanged a warning glance with Alice because she did not want the little girl frightened. ‘We don’t want you wandering off again, Tilly. So you mustn’t go anywhere without our permission.’

  ‘Why?’ asked Tilly.

  Alice placed a finger against her sister’s rosebud mouth. ‘No more questions, just do as you’re told.’

  Tilly sighed and was silent.

  When they arrived back at the house, Hannah’s father, Jock, Freddie and Joy were waiting for them. ‘Good, you’ve arrived,’ said the latter, looking relieved. ‘Time was going on and we were getting concerned.’ She handed posies to Alice and Tilly and a bouquet to Hannah.

  ‘Where’s Mother?’ asked Hannah of her father.

  ‘Gone ahead with cousin Joan,’ said Jock; a tall, rangy figure of a man with a craggy face and salt and pepper hair. ‘I think we’d best make a move, lass.’

  Hannah nodded. ‘Is she OK?’

  ‘Don’t be worrying about her, lass. Joan will look after her,’ he assured his eldest daughter, squeezing her shoulder.

  Hannah placed her arm through her father’s and swept out of the kitchen with him. Alice followed, leaving Joy to bring up the rear with Freddie and Tilly. Joy took them by the hand, threatening them with no strawberries and blancmange if they didn’t do exactly what they were told.

  Susannah Kirk was managing to keep her tears in check. The hot toddy of rum, brown sugar and warm water made by her elderly cousin, Joan, had definitely helped, but she could not get Bert, her blond, blue-eyed son, out of her mind. She was still having trouble coming to terms with what he had done to Hannah and Alice. It just didn’t match up with how generous and attentive he had always behaved towards herself. Maybe Hannah had led him on? But if she was to believe that, then that meant her eldest daughter was wantonly wicked. She had to stop think­ing about her. Easier to believe that Bert had just cause to lose his tem­per where Alice was concerned. She had hurt him deeply when she had cancelled their wedding two days before it was to take place – after Bert had spent weeks doing up a house for the pair of them. Of course, he shouldn’t have hit her the way he did. She had been shocked by the sight of Alice’s bruised face… but Susannah had been even more shocked when Bert had come to her the evening of the following day with his face bruised and battered after Kenny had given him a beating. Her fingers tightened on her handbag and her mouth quivered as she remembered that day. Seeing what Kenny had done had been like discovering a rabbit had turned into a wolf. She thought of her eldest son pleading with her to forgive him. He’d said he deeply regretted los­ing control and hitting Alice, but that he’d loved her and having that love thrown back in his face had made him see red. There had been tears in his eyes when he had said those words. Susannah had been too much in shock at the time to listen to him and had told him to go away. Said she never wanted to see him again. So he had left and she still did not know where he had gone. To save face she had lied to the neighbours about his reason for leaving and his whereabouts.

  When she had repeated his words to Hannah, her daughter’s response had been harsh. ‘His so-called love almost ruined my life!’ She had held a clenched fist to her breast. ‘He raped me! A strange kind of love, Mother. Not only that but he got Agnes from Bannister’s preg­nant and she threw herself in the canal. No wonder Alice changed her mind about marrying him. You knew how violent her father was, so you should be able to imagine how Alice felt. So don’t talk to me about Bert’s love.’

  ‘lf you were a mother, you would understand how I’m suffering.’

  Susannah had flung the words at her, tears rolling down her face. She still could not help but believe that if the girls had acted differently, then Bert wouldn’t have behaved the way he had. Her despair and grief over not knowing the whereabouts of her son was driving her crazy, so that she was unable to give her daughter the sympathy and comfort she needed. Susannah would need to cut Bert out of her heart and she could not do that.

  The organ burst into Mendelssohn’s wedding march, startling her. The music was the signal for the congregation to stand, which they did with a rustling sound reminiscent of autumn leaves beneath one’s feet. The bride and groom came up the aisle towards her. Hannah gave her mother a radiant smile as she passed on the arm of her new husband. Susannah’s answering smile was of a short duration as her gaze fell on Kenny and then on Alice. If it weren’t for them, she wouldn’t have had to send Bert away.


  Jock tapped his wife on the shoulder as the best man and brides­maids swept past. ‘Come on, Sue! Our turn now.’ He took her hand and drew it through his arm and they followed the bridal procession out into the sunshine.

  Emma was on her way home when she spotted the wedding party out­side St Bartholomew’s church. Conflicting emotions warred inside her as she paused on the corner of the street to watch. She could not help but envy the love that shone on the faces of the happy couple, but still she pitied them. How long would that love survive the realities of mar­ried life?

  Her eyes glinted as she remembered her father’s blustering excuses as to why he could not give her mother more money. Even now she could hear Olive’s whining voice in her head; going on about being unable to feed and clothe her family properly. He had accused Olive of being a lousy manager. After he had left the house, Emma had got an earful from her mother about her eating them out of house and home, as well as asking when was she going to take another live-in job. This despite Emma having taken on an extra cleaning job in a solicitor’s office and handing over every penny she earned in the past fortnight. If Emma was to have any peace at all, then she was going to have to move out of the family home again. She decided to put her name on the books of the other Chester Servants’ Registry Office, determined to be out of the house by the time her twin brothers left school next month. They already had jobs to go to; Alf on the railways and Pete as a stable boy on Canal Side.

  Emma’s gaze shifted to the three bridesmaids and an involuntary sigh escaped her. How she wished she could afford to buy such dresses for her younger sisters and herself; although pink was out of the ques­tion because it showed the dirt too easily. Suddenly, she realised that the eldest bridesmaid was the young woman she had seen in the cocoa house last month – the day she had left the Stones’ household – and at the same time she became aware of someone standing behind her. They were so close that she could feel their breath in her hair and smell pep­permint. She was just about to turn round and see who it was, when the person moved away. For a moment she stayed where she was, gazing at the girl, whose name she remembered was Alice, and it was then she recalled the conversation she had overheard. Perhaps the worries voiced then had been unfounded. At least it appeared that the wedding had gone off without a hitch.

  * * *

  Alice was twitchy, longing to get back to the Waters’ house where she would feel less conspicuous, less guilty and definitely cooler. The par­lour was hot and stuffy and she could not help but be aware of Mrs Kirk’s dark eyes fastening on her every now and again.

  In the past Alice had admired Hannah’s mother for her brisk effi­ciency. She had also been grateful for the older woman’s help and sup­port to her own mother. But now all Alice could feel was guilt, know­ing she had helped destroy Mrs Kirk’s illusions about her beloved son. Alice was reminded of a malevolent bird of prey as she glanced at her. Mrs Kirk was dressed in the same black costume that she had worn for her youngest daughter, Grace’s funeral. The only concession she had made to today being Hannah’s wedding day was the pink frilled blouse worn under the costume, as well as a pink ribbon round the brim of a black hat decorated with a bird’s wing. It was as if she was still in mourning; perhaps not so much for Grace but for the missing Bert.

  At least he had not spoiled Kenny and Hannah’s wedding day. Within a few hours they would be leaving to catch a train to Scotland for a week’s honeymoon. On their return, they would be living in a ter­raced house, not far from the railway goods yard. Tilly would live with them until Alice was in a position to help care for her.

  Reminded of her sister, Alice got up and went into the kitchen and looked out of the window into the backyard. She sighed with relief. Tilly was still sitting on the back step, nursing the cat, and watching Freddie take pot shots at an empty tin can with a catapult. No need to worry after all. She was safe.

  Alice made up her mind it was time to go. Kenny was right and Bert’s threat had been just a bluff. She felt a tap on her shoulder and whirled round to find Kenny standing there, looking concerned.

  ‘You’re all on your own. Are you alright?’ he asked.

  Immediately she seized her opportunity. ‘I’ve got a terrible headache. It’s probably the heat. If you don’t mind I’ll go back to the Waters’ now. I’m a bit concerned about Miss Victoria. She had one of her turns this morning.’

  He nodded. ‘Are you sure you don’t want me to walk as far as the bridge with you? I’ve got a little time to spare and I’m sure Hanny won’t mind.’ He glanced about the room for his new wife but she was not there. ‘I’ll go and find her.’

  ‘No!’ Alice placed her hand on his arm. ‘Don’t disturb her. Just give her my love and I hope you have a lovely time in Scotland.’ She kissed her brother’s cheek. ‘I’ll look in on Tilly while you’re away. Although, I’m sure Joy will take good care of her.’ Kenny agreed and hugged her before seeing her out.

  The flounced hem of Alice’s pink skirts fluttered about her ankles as she walked swiftly down Francis Street, into Egerton Street and past the Hydraulic Engineering factory where Jock Kirk worked and Bert had served his apprenticeship. She wondered for the umpteenth time where he was working and living now. For all they knew he could have moved to Liverpool.

  She paused on the canal bridge and watched a barge go by before her gaze wandered to the circular tower on the north side of the canal. The tower was unusual in that it was one of a few in Britain where molten lead could be dropped inside and, as it fell, it hardened into lead shot. Her own father had worked there and Kenny had told her that working with lead could have affected their father’s sanity. Perhaps the doctors at the asylum would have checked for signs of it by now? Apparently lead poisoning showed up in a telltale blue line in the gums at the base of the teeth. But Kenny was also of the opinion that their father’s mad­ness was due to his paternal grandmother’s influence – her possessive, violent and bigoted nature destroying the man he might have been.

  Alice shook herself, not wanting to think of her father any more than necessary. He was out of her life and for that she was grateful. She left the bridge and headed across town towards Queen’s Park foot­ bridge. The Waters lived on the other side of the river in the Queen’s Park area of Chester, built for those of the Victorian middle-classes wanting to escape the narrow streets of the ancient city.

  Alice paused this time on the bridge over the Dee, her eyes search­ing the tree-lined riverside Groves with its cafes, landing stages and bandstand. She remembered listening to a military band playing ‘We’re Soldiers of the Queen, my Lads!’ She had been in Bert’s company and Tilly had been up on his shoulders. At the time Alice had believed him to be all things wonderful, but now, just thinking of how close she had been to marrying him, caused a familiar fear to threaten her breathing. She forced her mind away from that evening he had hit her and looked at the scene below. Young men were showing off their rowing prowess to girls in brightly coloured summer clothes and now she was reminded of Seb Bennett. In happier days, they had walked hand in hand along the river bank, dreaming of a future together. For a moment she lost herself in a daydream, only to be brought out of her reverie by someone calling her name. She turned her head and saw Freddie, his face scarlet with exertion, running towards her.

  Her heart began to thud. ‘What is it? What’s wrong?’ she cried, hur­rying to meet him.

  ‘It’s Tilly,’ he gasped, leaning against the side of the bridge to catch his breath. ‘She’s gone missing! Kenny sent me to tell you.’

  A steely hand seemed to squeeze Alice’s heart and, for a moment, she could not move. Then she pulled herself together and without wait­ing for Freddie, lifted her skirts and raced back to the Kirks’ house. She was out of breath by the time she got there. The front door was open, so she went right in, followed by Freddie.

  She found Bert’s mother sitting alone in an upright chair gazing into space. Alice stood with her hand against the doorjamb, gasping for breath. Slow
ly Susannah’s head turned and, just for a moment, Alice thought she glimpsed hate in her eyes and then it was gone. Hannah came through from the scullery wearing her going away costume.

  ‘Have you found her yet?’ gasped Alice.

  ‘The men are all out searching,’ said Hannah, her face pale and drawn. She put her arm round Alice and ushered her to a chair. ‘If they don’t find her soon we won’t be going to Scotland. I was told to stay here with Mother, just in case Tilly came home under her own steam.’

  ‘You think she’ll do that?’ whispered Alice, clinging to Hannah’s hand.

  ‘Don’t let’s think the worst,’ she said in a low voice.

  Both visibly jumped when Susannah declared, ‘She’s in the canal. That’s where she’ll be – in the canal.’

  ‘No, Mother,’ said Hannah patiently. ‘Even if Tilly had gone down to the canal there are plenty of people down there to notice if she fell in.’

  ‘Besides it would have caused a commotion and I would have noticed when I crossed the canal,’ said Alice.

  Susannah glared at her and gripped her wrinkled hands together. ‘If you’d have married my Bert, he would have been here to watch over her. But you hurt him and now he’s gone and so has she. Perhaps she won’t come back,’ she muttered.

  ‘Mother, don’t!’ cried Hannah in distress.

  Alice’s face had blanched and now she scrambled to her feet. ‘I can’t cope with this. I’m getting a bobby.’ She hurried out of the house.

  Immediately Hannah went after her. ‘What are you going to tell him?’ she demanded.

  ‘About Tilly being missing and Bert’s threat to abduct her. You go back to your mother.’ Alice hurried away up Brook Street, heading for the city centre. She asked every person she passed if they had seen a lit­tle girl dressed in a pink frock with rosebuds in her hair. Several said that they’d already been asked that question but one replied that he had seen a girl answering Tilly’s description in the cathedral with a man wearing a striped blazer. It took all of Alice’s willpower to thank him in a sensible voice.