‘Well, I don’t,’ Hester said roundly. ‘If you and I had wanted to kick over the traces – and I’m sure we have both wanted to from time to time, if we’re honest – then we could easily have been in the same position. But we’ve got a bit of control over our – our
urges, which is what Ted and Ruby should have had. I think it’s very wrong to go making a baby when you can’t afford to support it and have no home for it.’ Abruptly, she remembered Eileen. ‘I’ve got a friend who’s in the family way,’ she said slowly. ‘But she hasn’t tried to blackmail the father into marriage, and she’s taken it upon herself to have the baby adopted when it’s born. I think her attitude is both responsible and sensible and I could shake that nasty little Ruby until her head fell off, because you can see she doesn’t think of the baby at all, just of herself.’
‘And her bleedin’ white dress,’ Dick said gloomily. ‘And her perishin’ bridesmaids and her white veil! Oh, Hester, I am sorry, but you know I’ll have to support Ted, don’t you?’
This time it was Hester who drew him to a halt. ‘You aren’t trying to tell me that you’ll give him money out of your savings so that he can marry that horrible little creature, are you?’ she asked incredulously. ‘If the Hudsons are so keen on the marriage, let them bear the cost.’
‘We’ll have to contribute towards the wedding breakfast …’ Dick was beginning, but Hester had had enough.
They were on the Scotland Road now, fast approaching Stansfield Court, and she pulled herself free from his arm and set off along the pavement as fast as she could go. When he caught her up she ignored him, too angry to consider whether she was being fair or not. ‘I’m tired out and don’t want to talk about it any more,’ she told him, climbing the three steps to Number 10.
‘But, darling, be sensible. None of this is my fault, so why should you blame me for it?’ Dick said pleadingly. ‘Look, I know you’re tired now but if
we think hard we might be able to find a way out. Shall I call for you as usual after work on Saturday? What shift are you on?’
‘I’m on earlies,’ Hester said briefly, opening the front door. ‘All right. I’ll come down to the Pier Head and meet the ferry but I’m warning you, Dick, you’d better think of something, because if we have to wait until Ben’s earning a decent wage, then we’ll both be drawing our pensions before we walk up the aisle.’
Dick laughed and assured her that it would not come to that, but when he tried to follow her into the house she gave him quite a sharp shove in the chest. ‘I told you I was tired,’ she said crossly. ‘See you on Saturday.’ And with that, she slammed the front door and trailed miserably up to bed.
When Dick and Hester met the following Saturday, nothing had been resolved save that Ted’s reluctance to become a bridegroom and breadwinner had grown a trifle stronger. Dick told Hester that the two of them had had a very frank discussion as they walked home from the Pier Head the previous evening, and from what his brother had said Dick was pretty sure that Ruby had had her mind set on marriage from the very first moment Ted had asked her out to the pictures. It had been at her suggestion that Ted had returned to her parents’ house and had been lured upstairs to her bedroom. When Dick had questioned him, he had admitted that Ruby was three years older than himself and had quite a reputation for being ‘keen on the fellers’. He had known he was not her first boyfriend whatever she might like to pretend.
‘Then why is he going through with it?’ Hester had asked. She was still angry with Dick because he would not put up a fight to protect their own
relationship but she did see that he was awkwardly placed. ‘As your mother said, Ted’s still a minor, which must mean that he could refuse to marry. Your mother is his guardian, I suppose, and goodness knows she isn’t keen on the match, so why not make a real effort to nip it in the bud?’
‘If Ted asked me to do so, then I suppose I might try to make things difficult for them,’ Dick said reluctantly. ‘But when my dad died, he asked me to look after Mam and the kids. He’d think it was pretty shabby if I let Ted down.’
‘But you wouldn’t be letting him down, not if he really doesn’t want to marry the girl,’ Hester reminded him. ‘You’d be doing him a good turn, truly you would.’
‘Ye-es, but the truth is, Ted’s terrified of Mr Hudson,’ Dick disclosed. ‘Not just Mr Hudson either. Ruby’s old feller is one of a family of five brothers. They all live around the same area and Ruby told Ted that if he meant to cry off and let her down her dad and her uncles would beat him to a pulp. It’s probably true, too,’ he added thoughtfully. ‘They’ve got a bad reputation, have the Hudson fellers. They wouldn’t think twice about doing our Ted over, even if we informed on them afterwards. It’s a difficult thing to prove an’ Ted would be too scared to stand up in court and accuse them. He says if he did, they might start in on Mam, or Ben, and he couldn’t bear that.’
Hester shuddered. ‘I couldn’t bear it either,’ she said resignedly, giving Dick’s arm a squeeze. ‘Oh well, we’d best wait and see what happens.’
They did not have long to wait. On the following Tuesday, when she and Dick met for tea at Elmore Street, Mrs Bailey scarcely let them get into the kitchen before bursting into speech. ‘Ted’s gone,’ she
said, without preamble. ‘I thought he might; that’s why I reminded him how he’d always wanted to see America. I can’t pretend I’m sorry he took the hint because that little hussy had caught him good and proper. If you ask me the whole thing were planned and her mam and dad … well, least said soonest mended, I dare say. Anyway, our Ted went round to her place last evening, mumbled something about talking things over quiet-like. I don’t know what was said but he came home late and in a mood to kick the cat, if you understand me. Then this mornin’, when I come down to make meself a drink o’ tea, for sleep after four o’clock I could not, I found a note on the kitchen table. I opened it wi’ me heart in me mouth, in case … but never mind that. It were from Ted, o’ course, not sayin’ much save that he’d took a berth in a liner and would be gone awhile. I think he hopes that young madam will marry someone else as soon as he’s out of reach, an’ I can’t say I’m sorry. I never said nothin’, but since Ted broke the news to us I’ve asked around and he ain’t the only young feller as she’s played cat’s cradle with, not by a long chalk.’
‘I reckon our Ted’s had a lucky escape,’ Dick said, looking vastly relieved. ‘Though to go givin’ up an apprenticeship when it only had another year to run … and where he’ll get a job when he comes home I don’t know. Still, the important thing is he’ll not be tied to Ruby and to a babby who may not even be of his get for all we know.’
‘That’s a bit unfair,’ Hester said, speaking for the first time. ‘Ted didn’t try to deny he’d … he’d carried on with Ruby, did he? And they’ve been going out together for several months. I expect he’ll have to pay something towards the baby’s keep, and Ruby, won’t he?’
‘Aye, if he ever comes back to Liverpool to live,’ Dick said rather grimly. ‘There’s nowt wrong wi’ young Ted that time and a bit more commonsense won’t put right and I reckon he’ll send money home for Ruby until she marries someone else, if she does. But if she’s gorra grain of sense she’ll do what Mam suggested and have the kid adopted as soon as it’s born.’
‘Oh, the Hudsons will work something out,’ Mrs Bailey said airily, fetching the cutlery out of the dresser and beginning to lay the table. ‘I’m that relieved our Ted had the sense to scarper, though.’ She turned to Hester. ‘You must think we’re a bad lot, queen,’ she said apologetically. ‘But quite apart from not wanting our Ted to get involved wi’ a girl like Ruby, there’s you and Dick to consider. You’ve not said much, but it’s plain as the nose on my face that the pair of you will make a match of it as soon as finances permit. Young Ted gettin’ wed could have purra stop to that for a good while, so that’s another reason I ain’t sorry Ted’s gone. Yes, I reckon it’s all for the best.’
Dick had gone over to the sink and was beginning to wash, soaping his face, neck and arms with great thoroughness whilst his mother and Hester bustled about, getting the tea. ‘Hester and meself had hoped to get engaged at Christmas. I’m saving up for a ring and Hester’s started putting money away and buying bits and pieces for her bottom drawer,’ Dick said. He turned to grin at Hester, then switched his attention back to his mother once more. ‘It were goin’ to be a surprise but I reckon we’ll go ahead anyway. Ted’ll send money home as soon as he can afford it and even if some has to go to Ruby and the child I’m sure he’ll put something aside for the family.’
Mabel Bailey gave a little squeak of pleasure and seizing Hester in her arms kissed her cheek soundly, then rushed over to the sink and kissed Dick as well. ‘I’m so glad, because the pair of you is just like Bob and me. We had a bit of a struggle at first ’cos Bob’s mam had eleven children – Bob were the eldest – so she needed all the help her sons could give. But we hung on and saved our money and as soon as we could we rented a couple o’ rooms, got ourselves wed and moved in.’ Her eyes misted with reminiscent pleasure. ‘Eh, they were happy days! An’ you’ll be just the same, you too. Bein’ in love makes the whole world rosy, somehow, and even the hardships of life aren’t so bad when there’s a couple o’ you to tackle ’em. So you go ahead and get wed just as soon as you can afford it an’ don’t worry about me and the kids, ’cos we’ll manage just fine. As for that Ruby, she’s an only child with a mam and dad to watch out for her, so don’t let her condition affect what you do.’
‘Oh, Mrs Bailey, how very kind you are,’ Hester said fervently. ‘Dick and I know we must wait and not try to rush things, but when it seemed as though we would have to wait years and years, I felt terribly miserable. If we could just set a definite date, that would be wonderful.’
Dick finished drying himself on the roller towel which hung by the sink and Hester, used to the routine by now, went to the back door and shouted Phyllis and Ben. Phyllis came tumbling in almost at once, barefoot, the ribbon which had once tied her hair neatly back from her face dangling on the extreme end of one fair curl. ‘Ben’s at Madison’s,’ she said breathlessly. ‘What’s for tea, Hester?’
That evening, Dick and Hester had a long and serious
talk as they walked along the waterfront, gazing at the shipping moving up and down the Mersey. Hester would have liked a spring wedding but told Dick that, in the circumstances, she would understand if he preferred to put it off for a year. ‘Your mother is a lovely person, brave and self-reliant,’ she told him. ‘But with Phyllis only just in school, it wouldn’t be fair for you to leave home next spring. After all, Mrs Bailey is still getting used to being a widow and having all the responsibility for the family on her shoulders. I know Ted’s situation isn’t as bad as we’d expected it to be, but she’s going to worry about him, Dick. He didn’t tell her the name of his ship or its destination. He didn’t even say whether Liverpool was her home port. Why, for all we know, he may stay in the States, which might mean your mother wouldn’t see him for years.’
‘I know what you’re sayin’, queen,’ Dick said thoughtfully. ‘He’s a good worker is Ted and if he writes to his manager at Laird’s and explains the situation it’s possible that he might get a good reference, which would enable him to find a job in the States. It’s not as though he was given the DCM, or the OBE for that matter,’ Dick added with a chuckle.
‘The OBE? Isn’t that the Order of the British Empire?’ Hester said with a frown. ‘Why should Laird’s give him a medal?’
Dick laughed again and squeezed her hand. ‘It’s just Laird’s talk for being give the sack,’ he explained. ‘The OBE stands for the “old brown envelope” and the DCM for “don’t come Monday”. Sorry, love, I’d forgotten you weren’t a born and bred scouser.’
Hester chuckled in her turn. ‘Scousers make a joke of everything, even dismissal,’ she said. ‘It’s far better than weeping and wailing, anyhow. And for
Ted’s sake, it might be as well to stay away for a little while, all things considered.’
‘Aye. If I were Ted I’d steer clear of Liverpool until I knew what was happening with Ruby,’ Dick agreed.
‘Surely he’ll send your mother an address as soon as he can, won’t he?’ Hester asked. ‘Once she can correspond with him, it won’t be nearly so bad. And what do you think about our wedding, darling? I know next spring would be too soon, but how about this time next year? Do you think we might manage that?’
Dick shrugged rather helplessly. ‘What we’d better do is save every penny we can spare and see how we’re situated,’ he said. ‘If I take an evening job and work weekends we’ll get the money together sooner, but we won’t see so much of each other. It’s up to you, queen. We can either go all out for an autumn wedding next year and not see a lot of each other until we actually wed, or we can take it a bit slower, go on seeing each other two or three times a week and plan a wedding in ‘37.’
Hester stared at him incredulously; she could not believe what he was saying! Was he truly suggesting that they should wait even longer than they had planned? It was now almost September, 1935, so waiting until March 1937 was one and a half long years. Hester thought about her work in the bakery, which was hard and messy, with unsocial hours. When she came off a night shift, she found it difficult to sleep during the day and ended up feeling stale and dispirited. The wages were better than those paid by Miss Deakin in the dress shop, but the work was not nearly so congenial. It might be easier in winter when the warmth of the bakery would be welcome,
but Hester had sweltered and sweated through the summer, checking the loaves in the enormous ovens, carting trays of confectionery out to the delivery vans and, when she was in the shop, serving customers who were always in a hurry.
When she returned home, it was to the cramped and crowded lodging house in Stansfield Court. The girls were not quarrelsome by nature, but the conditions made them so. The kitchen was always crowded with lodgers trying to cook a meal or queuing to fill their jugs at the tap. It was all very well to tell herself that when Eileen’s confinement was over they would move to more spacious surroundings, but if she were to continue scrimping and saving so that she and Dick might marry, there was little chance of that.