Looking Back Read online

  ‘Let’s have a look, shall we?’ Still panting from the short run up the street, the old dear dropped to her knees. ‘What ’ave yer done to yerself, eh?’ she said kindly. ‘Been lifting them childer, I expect. You’ll not be told, will yer?’ Carefully she laid Amy back and began to raise her skirt, at the same time advising Molly, ‘This is no place for young ’uns.’

  ‘Lottie, you’d best go back to your bedroom,’ Molly instructed. ‘You’re to stay there till I fetch you, all right?’

  As usual, her sister felt cheated. ‘It’s not fair.’

  ‘Do as you’re told!’ Molly meant business and the girl knew it.

  With a contemptuous glance at her father, who had come to and dragged himself to a chair where he sat quiet as a mouse, she scurried away, going no further than the top of the stairs, where all the children were huddled, frightened by events and not knowing where to turn. ‘Get back in your beds,’ Lottie ordered. ‘And don’t give me no lip or you’ll feel the back of my hand.’

  Her siblings didn’t need telling twice. When Lottie was in this mood, it was wise to get out of harm’s way.

  It didn’t take Maggie long to find out what was wrong, but she kept her opinions to herself and, speaking in calm, unhurried tones she told Amy, ‘I can’t help yer on this one, lass.’ Squeezing Amy’s hand, she shook her head. ‘It’s beyond me capabilities.’

  Quieter now, Amy looked up at Maggie and read her thoughts. ‘Do whatever you have to do,’ she gasped. ‘I just want it to be over.’

  The old woman was adamant. ‘I’m sorry, Amy, lass. It’s the infirmary for you this time. I’m not teking no chances with yer.’

  Amy was equally adamant. ‘Well, I’m not going to no infirmary neither.’

  Ignoring her, Maggie addressed Molly in urgent tones. ‘Send Lottie to fetch my Charlie. Tell him he’s to get the wagon and mek sure there’s no rubbish or owt in the back. And he’s to be quick about it. Yer mam needs the infirmary, whether she likes it or not.’

  Laying Amy gently into Maggie’s arms, Molly scrambled up. ‘Oh, Maggie! She’ll be all right, won’t she?’

  The old woman didn’t answer. Instead she asked, ‘Where’s your da? We’ll need some help lifting yer mam into the wagon.’

  Molly pointed across the room to her father, who was slouched in the chair, his wide, stark eyes on Amy, and his mouth opening and shutting, as though wanting to say something, but not knowing how. ‘Best leave him be,’ Molly suggested quietly. ‘He’s drunk.’

  Maggie snorted. ‘Like all bloody men! No use at all when yer need ’em.’

  Molly was meanwhile having doubts. ‘Charlie’s old wagon will shake her about too much. Wouldn’t it be better to get an ambulance?’

  ‘There’s no time for all that. By the time an ambulance gets here, we can have your mam tucked up safe and sound in yon infirmary.’ Gesturing to Lottie, who was eavesdropping round the corner, she ordered sharply, ‘Off with yer, lass. Get my Charlie to fetch the wagon. Quick as yer can!’

  With Lottie gone, she set about making Amy more comfortable. ‘Leave yer mam to me,’ she told Molly. ‘Away upstairs an’ mek sure the young ’uns are safe in their beds.’ She lowered her voice to a whisper. ‘I’ll need summat to clean her up… a bucket, warm water and a good helping of disinfectant, and don’t forget the towels and such.’

  Molly was already on her way, more instructions following her as she went. ‘After that, you’re to fetch Rosie Craig,’ Maggie told her. ‘She’s a good woman with a sensible head on ’er shoulders.’ Addressing Amy now, she explained, ‘I’m hoping she’ll stay with the young ’uns, while me and Molly come with you to the infirmary.’

  It took Molly only minutes to reassure the children. ‘Mammy’s going to the infirmary, but there’s nothing for you to worry about,’ she promised them. ‘Rosie will come and look after you till I get back.’ She then collected as many blankets and towels as she could find and ran down the stairs two at a time, the sight of her mother’s deathly pallor turning her stomach over. ‘That’s all I could find,’ she said, handing Maggie the pile of rags.

  ‘Warm water, lass,’ Maggie reminded her. ‘And a bucket.’

  ‘There’s boiled water in the pan. I’ll get it.’ With that Molly fled to the scullery and prepared the bucket for Maggie.

  ‘That’s fine, lass.’ Without disturbing Amy too much, Maggie washed and dried her. ‘The bleeding’s stopped for the while,’ she confided, ‘but yer mustn’t move in a rush,’ she warned. ‘There’s enough of us to carry yer to the wagon and lay yer flat in the back. Me and Molly will be with yer, so there’s nowt for you to worry about.’ Yet she knew from experience that both Amy and her bairn were in real danger.

  With the raging pain having subsided for the time being, and the bleeding stemmed to a trickle, Amy felt more comfortable. ‘I’m losing the bairn, aren’t I?’ she asked. She had given birth too often not to know the signs.

  Wisely, Maggie would not be drawn. ‘We shall have to wait and see.’ Wiping Amy’s sweating face, she gave a kind, crinkled smile. ‘You’ll soon be in safe hands now,’ she promised. ‘Till then, you do what old Maggie says and, God willing, you’ll come to no harm.’

  * * *

  In no time at all, Molly and Rosie were at the door and it wasn’t much longer before Charlie and Lottie arrived with the wagon. ‘I’ve laid a couple of blankets in the back,’ Charlie said. He was a big, rough-looking fella, with a drooping moustache and trousers to match. ‘She ought to be going in an ambulance,’ he argued. ‘That old wagon ain’t smooth over the cobbles, you know that.’ Like Frank, he was shocked to see Amy all curled into a ball and looking like death warmed over. ‘I’ll not be responsible if owt happens,’ he warned in a trembling voice.

  ‘Don’t be so bloody daft, man!’ Maggie tutted. ‘Just drive like you’ve a crate o’ booze in the back, an’ we’ll all be safe!’ Creaking and groaning as she struggled to her feet, she quickly got things underway.

  ‘It’s no use asking him to help.’ Giving Frank a cursory sideways glance, she marshalled the rest of them. ‘Lottie… fetch a pillow, an’ them towels and blankets. Put ’em in the back of the wagon, roll ’em up and make a kind o’ bed for yer mam to lie on. Hurry now, there’s a good lass.’ Time was passing and she was beginning to wonder if she’d done the right thing in not calling an ambulance.

  It was a difficult job to get Amy up safely without starting the bleeding again, but they managed it. With Molly at her shoulders and Charlie beside Maggie at her feet, Amy was wrapped in a blanket and taken slowly along the passage and down the front steps. Outside, a few early risers had learned of the emergency. ‘God bless yer, lass,’ they told Amy as she was placed into the wagon. ‘Mind how you go now.’

  They watched Molly and Maggie climb in the back, and waved as Charlie drove away at a steady pace. ‘Poor lass – she looked bad, didn’t she, eh?’ As they made their way to the mills, the women muttered of scoundrels like Frank Tattersall. More than that, they thanked their lucky stars their childbearing days were well and truly over.

  Behind them, Lottie threatened the children with sudden death if they so much as whispered. ‘I’ll be listening,’ she warned, ‘and if I hear them floorboards creak, I’ll be up here and tan yer arses, so help me!’ Her warning was enough to keep them quiet, for the time being at least.

  Downstairs, Frank was coming to his senses. It was six-thirty in the morning, the time he usually got up for work. He recalled what Lottie had begun to tell him about Amy’s visitor, and he remembered how, when pressed, she had fought with him at the top of the stairs, sending him all the way to the bottom.

  Muttering and mumbling, he paced the floor, punching one fist into the other, occasionally going to the bottom of the stairs and listening for her approach. ‘I can wait,’ he whispered wickedly. ‘You see to the brats, then I’ll see to you!’

  The minute Lottie approached the room he was waiting for her. With a swift, unexpected move he had he
r by the ears. ‘You were telling me about this man who came to see your mam.’ Snatching her into the room, he slammed shut the door and pinned her against it. ‘You didn’t tell me everything though, did you, eh?’

  Like all bullies in the face of danger, Lottie was terrified.

  ‘Leave me alone!’ Wishing she’d had more sense than to open her mouth in the first place, she began to panic. ‘He came to see Mam, and that’s all I know.’

  ‘Don’t you lie to me, girl!’ He tugged her to him, his voice low and sinister. ‘You told me how he’d come to take her away. He kissed her, that’s what you said. What else did you hear, eh? I know you’d have hid away where they couldn’t see you… spying like you always do.’ Cajoling now, he chucked her under the chin. ‘What did they talk about, Lottie? Tell your dad now, there’s a good girl.’

  ‘I never heard anything else.’ Even now, trembling with fear, Lottie’s quick mind could see a way to make herself some money. ‘He went away,’ she said. ‘Our Eddie messed himself and Mam had to send the man away.’

  Unsure, Frank shook his head. ‘You’d better not be lying to me.’

  ‘Honest to God, Dad, I wouldn’t.’

  ‘This man… what did he look like?’

  ‘He were kind of old – same as you. He had dark hair, but it were a bit grey in places.’

  ‘What were his name?’

  ‘I’m not sure.’

  ‘His name!’ Bringing his fist up he clouted his daughter hard across the head. ‘Tell me, or I’ll knock the living daylights out of you.’

  Reeling from the blow, Lottie looked at him with hatred. ‘I think Mam called him Jack,’ she answered sullenly.

  ‘Jack!’ Stepping back a pace he relaxed his grip. ‘Jack who?’

  ‘Just Jack, that’s all I heard.’

  ‘About my age, you say?’

  Still seething, Lottie nodded.

  ‘My God!’ Shocked to his roots, he stared into her face. ‘There’s only one Jack that I know of, and that’s Jack Mason… one of your mam’s fancy men from way back.’

  Taking hold of her again, he shook the girl hard. ‘Did he say where he was going – where he was staying? If he reckons to take her away from me, he can think again. He can’t do anything – not with her in the infirmary, he can’t. He’ll be holed up somewhere, waiting. Think, lass. Where can I find him?’ Find him and break his bloody neck, Frank thought grimly. Amy was his woman, and any man who thought to steal her away would have to come through him first.

  ‘Leave me alone!’ Twisting from his grip, she sent him stumbling. ‘I don’t know anything.’

  As she ran down the passage and out the front door, his voice sailed after her. ‘Come back ’ere, you little bitch!’ But Lottie was already halfway down the street.

  She had things to do. Money to make, and no time to lose.

  * * *

  Like the other guests staying at the modest Darwen Hotel, Jack Mason was up and about, seated in the bar and partaking of a bacon buttie and a huge mug of tea. ‘I’m sorry, lass, you can’t come in here.’ Having spied her from across the room, the landlord barred Lottie’s way. ‘What is it you want?’

  Pointing to Jack, who was too deep in thought to know what was going on, she answered, ‘I’ve come to see him.’

  ‘Wait there.’ Closing the door, he shut her out.

  A minute later the door opened and Jack was looking down on her. ‘You’re one of Amy’s young ’uns… Lottie, isn’t it?’ He recalled how she had been the defiant one. A quick glance at the clock told him it was only half past seven. ‘What the devil are you doing out so early of a morning? And why are you here?’ Hope shone in his eyes. ‘Did your mam send you?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Then what do you want with me?’ Hope faded and despair set in.

  ‘I’ve summat to tell you.’

  ‘I’m listening.’ Intrigued, he waited. Either Amy was coming or she wasn’t. And if she wasn’t, then why was the girl here? All Amy had needed to do was not turn up. That was the loose arrangement, and one which would have told him all he needed to know.

  What Lottie said next only increased his curiosity.

  ‘I’m not talking here, where everyone can see.’ All eyes were on them, and Lottie was clever enough to know that anything overheard now could land her in trouble later.

  ‘In that case,’ he closed the door behind him, ‘we’d best take a wander.’

  Lottie had an idea. ‘You can take me for a toasted teacake and a brew in the Railway Cafe,’ she suggested. ‘It’s allus open.’

  He smiled. ‘You’ve got it all figured out, eh?’ As far as he was concerned, it was tantamount to blackmail, but if it was to do with Amy he wasn’t about to argue. She was the only reason he was here, and if there was the slightest chance he could take her back with him, he would move heaven and earth. But the choice had to be Amy’s. That was the only way.

  ‘Why are you here?’ he asked. ‘Is your mam all right? If she’s come to any harm, I need to know.’

  ‘I’m not talking on the street.’ Casting her eyes to right and left, Lottie satisfied herself that they weren’t being watched. If she was to tell him where her mam was, and make him pay into the bargain, it wouldn’t do for all and sundry to see them together – especially now, when her dad was out for blood.

  The walk to the station wasn’t far, down towards the boulevard and up along Ainsworth Street, and there it was, a grand building with iron structures and huge arches at the entrance.

  The small, homely cafe was situated inside. With its pretty net curtains, young, friendly waitresses and inviting smells of newly baked bread and hot soups, it was very popular, though for the moment, and much to Lottie’s relief, there were few customers about. ‘Yes, sir, can I take your order?’ With her rosy cheeks and ready smile, the young woman was a breath of fresh air.

  Jack gave the order. ‘One toasted teacake and a pot of tea for two, please.’

  The order was soon delivered, but not quickly enough for Lottie, who wanted the whole thing over and done with. In a soft, intimate voice, she began, ‘You want our mam to come away with you, ain’t that right?’

  He snorted. ‘Huh! There’s not much you don’t know, is there?’

  ‘How much would it be worth if I were to tell you summat?’

  He studied her for a moment, wondering how someone so young could be so mercenary. ‘Depends on what you have to tell me.’

  ‘Summat that might get our mam to come away with you.’

  Slapping his wallet on the table, Jack kept his hand over it. ‘There’s more than a guinea in there,’ he confided quietly. ‘If I could persuade your mam to come away with me, there’d be another guinea on top of that.’

  Bending forward, she smiled up at him. ‘How do I know I can trust you?’

  Sitting back in his seat, he took a long, deep breath. ‘My God! You’re a right little rogue, aren’t you, eh?’ Moving in closer, he looked her in the eye. ‘I don’t know what game you’re playing, young lady, but I’ll warn you now: if you’re trying to get one over on Jack Mason, you’d best think again!’

  Lottie was adamant. ‘I’m telling you… summat happened last night, after you’d gone. I’m sure our mam would never have gone with you before. But if you were to ask her now, she’d be of a different mind, I reckon.’

  ‘Don’t talk to me in riddles.’ Grabbing the girl by the wrist, he held her in a vice-like grip. ‘If you’ve something to say, then say it.’

  Having faced her manic father, Lottie was unafraid. ‘The money first.’

  Opening his wallet, Jack took out two ten-shilling notes and a shilling coin. ‘Well?’

  Reaching out, Lottie took the money. ‘There was real trouble after you’d gone. Early this morning, it was. Me dad never came home till one o’clock.’

  ‘What kind of trouble?’ Jack felt very uneasy.

  Sparkling with excitement and malice, Lottie whispered, ‘Our dad found out you’d been to the
house. He knows you want to take Mam away.’

  ‘Jesus!’ Jerking away, Jack seemed at a loss for words.

  ‘There was a big row and, like I say… summat happened.’

  Now he was leaning forward again. ‘For Chrissake, Lottie!’

  ‘If you go to her now, she’ll welcome you with open arms.’ Enticing him further, she revealed, ‘It’s no use going to the house though, ’cos she ain’t there no more.’

  Jack really believed at this point that he might find pleasure in strangling her. ‘What d’you mean, she isn’t there? Where the bloody hell is she then?’

  ‘Somewhere you won’t be allowed in – not without me, you won’t.’

  ‘Take me there. Now!’

  ‘Not until I’ve had the rest of my money.’

  Realising he might scare her away, he softened his tone. ‘You’ll have your money, I promise you. Just as soon as I see your mam.’

  ‘All right. But I still want the money, even if she won’t come with you after all.’ Lottie had long ago learned how to cover her back.

  He nodded. ‘As soon as I’ve made sure she’s all right, you’ll have your money, whether she comes away with me or not. I promise.’

  There was a moment when he feared she might not go along with him, but then she grinned and he knew he was safe. ‘All right,’ she agreed, ‘but if I don’t get the rest of my money, I’ll tell our dad where you are, and he’ll pull your bleedin’ head orf!’

  Chuckling, Jack had to admire her. ‘You remind me of myself when I was your age.’ In a more serious tone he warned, ‘There are them as you can trust and them as you can’t. And there’s them as would cut your throat for a shilling. Watch yourself, young ’un. It’s a big, bad world out there. Stay alert, and mind you don’t get sucked in too deep.’

  He knew she would not be taught by others. People like Lottie had to learn from their own experiences. Some survived, some didn’t. All he could do for Amy’s child was to offer advice. Whether she took it or not was up to her.