Hers to Have and to Hold, page 4
‘I’m glad you feel like that but sorry you’ve had further trouble,’ he responded. ‘The sooner we get back and you and Alfie are reunited, the better you’ll feel.’
She agreed but followed him out of the station silently, arm in arm with him and Olive, after introducing them. He helped them into the back seat after they had thanked and said ta-ra to the other policeman. Jack started the engine and drove off. It seemed no time at all before they had left Colwyn Bay behind and although Eliza was bursting to question Jack, she decided it was more sensible not to pester him while he was driving. She just wanted to get back to Alfie as quickly as possible.
CHAPTER FIVE
Once they were through the bottleneck that Queensferry could be during a weekend in the warmer months – it was June next week – Jack spoke, reassuring Eliza that Alfie had come to no harm, and was being cared for by his mother and sister.
She was taken aback. ‘I can understand you not leaving him at the hospital, but I thought he’d be at the police station. What about the person who took him?’ asked Eliza.
‘You’re going to find this hard to believe,’ he said, ‘but we found him in Little Wales in a doll’s pram.’
‘You’re joking,’ cried Olive.
‘I believe him,’ said Eliza, remembering that the woman suspected of having kidnapped Alfie had a daughter. ‘What about the woman?’ she asked.
‘I can tell you that one of our men was told that she’d been going on about moving out ever since her house walls were weakened when one of the neighbouring terraces had been blown to bits in May,’ Jack reminded Eliza. ‘Apparently, she noticed this morning through the back window that the little girl had left a doll’s pram in the backyard, her granny had given her last Christmas, and her aunt had given her a doll that cried.’
‘I wonder why she didn’t take him with her,’ said Olive.
‘I can only be glad that she didn’t,’ Eliza said loudly.
‘Me too,’ said Jack. ‘Otherwise, God only knows how long it would have taken us to find him.’
‘She could have left Liverpool,’ said Olive.
Jack agreed. ‘But she could still be there, and there isn’t a woman at the police station to care for him. Anyway, I’m going back to the house tomorrow to look for any clues that could have been missed. The place is a mess.’
‘It’s Sunday tomorrow,’ said Eliza. ‘I was thinking of going to church. I’d also like to go with you to see where Alfie was found.’
‘Where are you staying tonight?’ asked Olive. ‘I’m going to have to go home. Mam will be getting worried. Are you coming with me and bringing the baby? Mam would love to see him.’
‘I’ll run you home,’ said Jack. ‘But we need to go to my house first. As I’ve already said, I decided Alfie would be safer with my mother and sister at our home. He needed a nappy change and a change of clothes, and they were purchased by my mother in the shop on the corner of Breckfield Road North.’
‘What about coupons?’ asked Olive.
‘My mother is known, and they trusted her to return later with the coupons, knowing mothers get extra coupons for new babies. She also purchased a couple of feeding bottles and a tin of baby milk from another shop.’
Eliza could only thank him, despite never having met his mother or sister. ‘In the meantime, what about Bryn?’ asked Eliza uncertainly. ‘The inspector in Colwyn Bay told me he had been killed by a sniper. I’d like to know when it happened and how his mother got to know about it before I did.’
‘Hopefully, she’ll be able to tell us when she’s up to talking,’ said Jack. ‘But…’ He paused. ‘But we do know that it was before he supposedly visited you in hospital.’
Eliza was filled with confusion. How could that be? Was that not Bryn she had seen after she’d given birth? And if it wasn’t him, how did he know which hospital she was in? She remembered how she had not recognised him – the tan, the weight gain, the colour of his hair… and it had been so long since she had seen him.
‘I don’t understand,’ she said.
‘Maybe we should wait until we reach our destination before continuing with this conversation,’ he said. ‘It’s Saturday and the traffic is going to be worse when we reach Birkenhead and the tunnel, and it will worsen in Liverpool,’ he added.
‘So, we’re going through the tunnel?’ said Olive. ‘How exciting.’
‘We’ll need some change,’ he said. ‘I’ve some but could do with a couple of shillings.’
Eliza checked her pocket, withdrew a florin and held it in her hand, ready to give to him when he asked for it. She did not want to distract him while he was driving. She told him that she had it and would hand it over when they neared the tunnel. He thanked her and fell silent. Now she knew that she would be seeing Alfie soon, she closed her eyes and told herself to relax and not worry. She contained her impatience as best she could, not wanting them to have an accident that would leave Alfie an orphan if she started asking Jack questions again.
It was seven o’clock by the time they reached Rydal Street, where Jack lived with his mother and sister. It was not far from Breck Road. A woman was standing in the doorway with a baby in her arms. The car had barely stopped when Eliza opened the car door and almost fell out on the pavement. She straightened up and rushed up the step, and without hesitation the woman handed Alfie over to her, saying, ‘You have to be Eliza.’
Eliza murmured indistinctly but all her attention was on her son: she hugged him to her, murmured words of love and kissed his petal-soft cheek. Tears of joy wet her face and as he held up a hand and touched her lips, she drew his fingers into her mouth and sucked them, marvelling at their size. He gurgled and she wanted to laugh out loud.
‘Oh, he’s lovely,’ said Olive. ‘Can I hold him?’
‘Not yet,’ murmured Eliza, having removed Alfie’s hand from her mouth. ‘I’ve only just got him back. I feel like never letting him go. I’d also like to breastfeed him and I think he needs another nappy change.’
‘Come inside,’ said Jack’s mother. ‘Our Jean will have the kettle on in no time and I bet you’re ready for a cup of tea.’
‘But I need to get home,’ said Olive wearily.
‘Come in and have a cup of tea,’ coaxed Eliza. ‘I’m parched and you must be, too.’
‘For five minutes,’ said Olive.
‘It’ll take me more than five minutes to feed Alfie,’ said Eliza.
‘You could finish feeding him in the car,’ said Olive.
Eliza was exhausted and did not fancy getting back in the car and feeding Alfie there. She preferred sitting down with him and spending some time alone with him, but didn’t know how to say that to Olive, who could feel hurt. As it was, Jack took the decision out of her hands.
‘It’s probably best if Eliza and Alfie stay here, if she wants to go to church and later to the house in Little Wales. I could take you home now and then tomorrow evening, if that’s all right with you and your mother, I could give her and Alfie a lift to yours.’
‘That sounds sensible,’ said his mother.
Eliza knew it made sense, but she didn’t like having the decision made for her. ‘Thank you, Jack, we’ll do that,’ she said, not looking at him. ‘We do need to talk, and my original plan was to take up Olive’s invitation to stay at hers until I find somewhere for Alfie and me to live.’
Olive smiled. ‘I won’t bother with a cup of tea then. Mam will have the kettle on.’
Eliza went to the front door to wave her off and thank her for her company, adding that she would see her tomorrow. She waved until the car was out of sight and then went back indoors, looking forward to that cup of tea.
CHAPTER SIX
‘Perhaps you’d like to be alone to breastfeed your baby,’ suggested Jack’s mother as soon as Eliza entered the kitchen living room. ‘You could have your cuppa in the parlour, with some toast.’
‘That would be lovely,’ said Eliza, ‘and if I can have the bag of stuff you purchased for him?’
‘Of course,’ said the older woman, going over to the sideboard and removing an oilcloth shopping bag.
‘I need to give you some coupons – and how much money do I owe you?’ said Eliza.
‘You don’t owe me anything,’ she replied. ‘Jack gave me the money.’
‘I see. I’ll need to go to the post office on Monday.’ Eliza sipped her tea. ‘I suppose he told you all that has happened.’ She gazed down into Alfie’s face, not able to get enough of the sight and feel of him. He was lying on her lap with his kicking feet towards her. He was still wearing the nightgown that Jack’s mother had purchased for him, which was slightly damp. She really would have to change him.
‘I’ll show you into the parlour,’ said Jean, taking hold of the shopping bag and Eliza’s cup of tea, so she had both hands free to carry Alfie.
Eliza sat in a brown leatherette armchair, which had broad, flat arms perfect for feeding Alfie in comfort. She rested him on her lap while she unfastened her blouse and her bra, which fastened at the front, and put her son to the breast. It was delightful and she took her time, enjoying reinforcing the bond between them. Afterwards, when he had finished suckling and fallen asleep, she realised that she should have changed him first, but now she would be best leaving him sleeping for a while before doing so. She leaned back, resting her head against the back of the chair, and held her son close and closed her eyes. She heard a car draw up at the kerb and then footsteps, and the front door opening and the murmur of voices. It must be Jack back, she thought and hastily shifted Alfie to one side so she could fasten her bra and blouse in case he came in the parlour to speak to her. She closed her eyes and hummed, ‘Rock-a-bye baby on the treetops, when the wind blows the cradle will rock.’
A few minutes passed and then there was a soft knock on the door. ‘Can I come in, Eliza, or are you too tired to talk?’ asked Jack.
‘I would have thought you’d be tired after all the driving you’ve done,’ she said sleepily. ‘Let’s talk tomorrow when I’m more alert.’
‘Good idea, because we’re going to have to be up early, as we have an appointment at the police station at ten o’clock.’
‘Why? If I’m at the police station for any length of time, I could miss the church service,’ she said, opening her eyes wide.
‘I’m sure God will understand, and you can speak to the vicar later.’
‘Didn’t the inspector give you a clue as to why he wants to see me?’ She moved to get Alfie in a more comfortable position and he whimpered.
‘I’ll leave you alone,’ he said. ‘I didn’t intend to disturb Alfie.’
‘You didn’t answer my question,’ she said.
‘Don’t want to keep you awake all night thinking about it,’ he whispered.
‘Saying that is stupid,’ she retorted. ‘I’m bound to wonder what it is now.’
‘It was a message from Colwyn Bay. Your mother-in-law’s awake and had several interesting things to say. And before you ask me again, he wouldn’t tell me but thinks you should be the first to hear what she said, so you’d best get some sleep and we’ll be up early tomorrow.’
She stamped her foot with annoyance and waited just a few minutes before picking up the shopping bag and leaving the parlour with Alfie. It was Jean who took her upstairs to the spare room, which had obviously been a box room, because there were still cardboard boxes piled up in a corner, as well as a broken chair beside a made-up single bed and a baby’s cot. Happily, there was also a washstand and someone had thoughtfully placed water in the bowl, which steamed gently.
‘The cot was mine,’ said Jean. ‘It’s not that old. There’s quite a gap between me and Jack. His father was a policeman, too, and he was killed when the boat he was in was sunk in the Irish Sea during the First World War. Mam remarried and I was born. I’m fifteen.’
‘Are you still at school?’ asked Eliza.
‘In my last year. I leave at the end of summer term and will need to find a job.’
‘Me too,’ said Eliza. ‘I’ve some savings but they won’t last for ever. Anyway, I’d best get Alfie and myself to bed. I’ve had my orders from Jack that I’ve got to be up early. We’ve a busy day tomorrow.’
Eliza had expected to be awakened in the night by Alfie wanting a night feed but he did not rouse her with a wail until six in the morning and, as it was June, it was already light outside, so she changed him and then took him into bed with her and fed him. He dozed off afterwards and she stayed awake, rejoicing in those precious moments, so that when there came a knock on the bedroom door, she was able to climb out of bed with Alfie in her arms, go over to the door and say in a low voice that she was awake.
Jack replied that it was seven o’clock and he was preparing breakfast for them. He would expect her downstairs within half an hour. She made no reply but washed sketchily and dressed swiftly, before washing and changing Alfie again. She dressed him in items that had been in the shopping bag: a romper suit, matinee jacket, bootees and hat, all in blue.
‘Now, don’t you look a treat,’ she said, kissing his cheek. He made what sounded to her like a chuckling noise, and she kissed him again and carried him downstairs, breathing in the smell of frying bacon.
When she entered the kitchen, she saw that the table was covered with a tablecloth and there were two place settings, and in the middle was a hand-knitted tea cosy, which must be keeping the teapot warm, and a plate of sliced unbuttered crusty bread.
Jack smiled and said, ‘It’s the only morning we have such a treat. I was going to suggest you pour the tea while I dish out the bacon and eggs but, seeing as you’ve got your hands full, I’ll pour it out later.’
‘Whose ration am I eating?’ she asked.
‘Part of mine, but I’m prepared to share with you. Mam said you need to have a good breakfast inside you, with you feeding Alfie and having a busy day ahead.’
‘That’s generous of you but just an egg would have done me,’ she said.
He frowned at her across the table. ‘Don’t throw my sacrifice back in my face.’
He left the table and went into the back kitchen. He brought in two plates of bacon and egg, and placed one in front of her and one in his place. ‘Now eat up.’
‘You are bossy, aren’t you?’ she said, shifting Alfie into the crook of her left arm and then reaching for a slice of bread, which she dipped into the yolk of her perfectly fried egg that she guessed had been cooked in the fat from the bacon. The first taste had her closing her eyes in ecstasy.
‘That good, hey?’ he said.
She nodded. ‘Thank you for your generosity.’
He flushed. ‘Would you like me to cut your bacon for you?’
‘Just in half… and if you could cut off the rind?’
‘Why? The rind is tasty.’
‘Then you can have it in exchange for you pouring me out a cup of tea.’
He smiled. ‘Agreed. Can you manage to drink and eat with Alfie on your knee? I can take him while you do.’
‘But how will you manage? I must get used to it because when I get my own place, I won’t have help.’
He cut her bacon and poured her tea. ‘Milk and sugar?’ he asked.
‘Milk and just half a teaspoon of sugar,’ she replied.
‘I presume you don’t want to stay long at Olive’s parents’ house?’
‘No, it’s not fair on them. They have a son in the navy who can get home regularly, and I think I’ll be having his room and he’ll be sleeping on the sofa.’
‘I see what you mean.’ He looked thoughtful as he placed half a slice of bacon in a slice of bread and handed it to her. Then, he made himself a bacon and egg sarnie and bit into it with relish.
When they had finished eating and drinking, he stood and reached for his police helmet on the sideboard. ‘What are you going to do with Alfie now? I’ll take him up to Mam to look after if you want?’
She shook her head. ‘I’m taking him with me. I’m not ready to be parted from him yet.’
‘You can trust Mam,’ he replied, frowning.
‘I haven’t said I can’t, but right now I need to have him close,’ she said.
‘How are you going to manage to go to the lavatory, which is down the yard, by the way?’
‘I admit to that being a problem, but hopefully in the future, if I can find myself a flat that has an indoor lavatory in the building, I’ll manage somehow.’
‘Can you trust me to hold him while you go to the lavatory now?’
‘Only if you promise not to take him up to your mother as soon as I’m out of sight.’
He looked disbelieving. ‘I’m only trying to help you.’
‘I’m sure you are but you’re not me, and I tell you I won’t go with you to the police station unless you promise.’ She paused. ‘In fact I’ll go a step further: you can come down the yard with Alfie and make a noise so I know you’re still there with him.’
‘You’re crazy,’ he said.
‘You could go a little crazy if someone you loved and who was precious to you went missing,’ she said earnestly.
He pulled a face. ‘All right, you’ve made your point. I promise.’
‘Thank you,’ she said, handing Alfie over to him, opening the door and rushing down to the lavatory. She stopped outside and gazed up the yard, and she saw him approaching with Alfie held against his shoulder. She waved and went inside ‘the little house’, as her grandmother used to call it. As she sat there, she could hear him singing Brahms’ ‘Lullaby’ and her heart lifted. She waited until he had finished, before pulling up her drawers and yanking the chain.
‘That was lovely,’ she said, closing the door behind her. She washed her hands at the sink in the back kitchen, put on her jacket and hat that hung on a hook in the lobby, took Alfie from him and then they left.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Eliza was aware of mixed emotions of curiosity, nervousness, and anger as she entered the police station in Tuebrook with Alfie in her arms and Jack leading the way. She told herself nothing could be worse than the last few days, other than losing Alfie again.
