A Mother's Love Page 8

  He smiled. ‘Good. I wouldn’t like to think you found it easy. Don’t forget, you still have time to change your mind.’

  She laughed. ‘Stop it! Tell you what, how about I have a go with the reins? What do you think? We’re not far from home, and I think I’ll be fine if Hercules doesn’t mind plodding.’

  She heard a resigned sigh behind her, and he held his hands up for her to take the reins. ‘I’ll still have to hold on to summat, though,’ he said. He slid his strong arms round her waist and clasped both hands tightly in front of her.

  There was a brief pause before Ellie spoke. ‘Fine,’ she gulped, her voice just above a whisper. Her waist was tingling under his touch and as her heart began to beat faster she found herself wishing he would slide gently to the ground, taking her with him, and kiss her.

  Instead, he released his grip and tousled the top of her hair. ‘Look at you, kiddo! Is there nothing you can’t turn your hand to? You remind me a lot of our Cassie. She’s a natural with the animals too.’ He chuckled. ‘We used to ride two up like this to take the hay to the other horses in the field. We had a few more then, mind you. You’d get on well, the two of you. She loves horses as much as you do.’

  Ellie cursed inwardly. What a fool you are, Ellie Lancton, daydreaming about kissing him when all he sees in you is a replacement for his sister, just as you see Connor as an older brother. Don’t start falling for someone who’s not interested, or you’ll end up like your mam, broken-hearted and alone. She breathed out heavily. Perhaps it was all for the best. After all, what would Arla say if she turned up with Aidan in tow? Her friend had her sights on the two of them marrying officers, not some farmer with bushy black hair and clothes fit for a scarecrow.

  ‘She’s coming home! I know she said she would, but I didn’t think she really meant it.’ Arla flourished the paper at her father. ‘My days are numbered in these courts. She’s kept her word and will be coming for my birthday so’s we can join up together!’ She looked across the table to where her father sat draining a cup of tea. ‘Where’s Mam?’

  He shrugged. ‘In the lavvy?’

  Running out of the kitchen, Arla made her way to the privies at the top of the court and banged enthusiastically on the door. ‘Mam! Are you in there? Only I’ve had a letter from our Ellie.’

  There was a cough of acknowledgement from behind the closed door. Beaming, Arla began to read the letter aloud.

  ‘Dear Arla, Guess who’s coming to see you on your sixteenth birthday? That’s right … me! I can’t wait to see you, it’s been such a long time, and I’ve so much to tell you. I bet you won’t recognise me – Connor’s mam didn’t. I’ve put on a few pounds but all for the better according to the Murrays. Gosh, I’ve missed you so much and we’re going to have such fun in the WAAF, just as we planned. Have you seen Archie? Only Connor reckons he’s joining the army or something similar …’ Arla snorted. ‘I wish he’d join up and bugger off quick. Least then I could get some peace round here.’ She giggled. ‘That was me sayin’ that, not our Ellie.’

  There was the sound of a chain being pulled, followed by the rushing of water. Seeing the latch lift, Arla stood back from the doorway, grinning with excitement. She moved forward to hug her mother, only to recoil with horror. ‘Archie bloody Byrnes! Why didn’t you tell me it were you in there and not me mam?’

  Archie smirked. ‘I hadn’t got a paper and to be fair it’s a bit hard to see in the dark, so it was nice to have someone readin’ to me.’

  Arla pursed her lips. ‘But that information weren’t for your ears.’ She sniffed uncertainly. ‘What’s this about you joinin’ the army? Not that I believe it for a second, of course.’

  Archie pretended to look hurt. ‘That’s not very nice, I must say. And for your information I have signed up. I’m just waitin’ for me papers.’

  Arla looked at the boy, a range of emotions swirling inside her as she struggled to find her tongue. Archie Byrnes might have been one of the most annoying people living in Harebell Court – he certainly seemed to go out of his way to get on Arla’s nerves – but he was also one of the kindest. He’d always help out if you needed a hand, and he wouldn’t stand for any nonsense off the kids who lived in the posher houses. He’d given one of them a good thump once when they’d made fun of Arla for living in a court. She tried to imagine him in army uniform. He was older than her, but he had what her mother referred to as ‘boyish good looks’, meaning that he looked a lot younger than his years. He was not much taller than Arla herself and rather skinny; certainly not like the men she’d seen marching down the streets towards the recruiting office.

  ‘Cat got your tongue?’ he said, folding his arms across his chest.

  ‘You’re just a boy.’ The words left her lips in a whisper.

  Archie frowned his annoyance. ‘No I’m not. I’m older’n you.’ But then, looking into Arla’s tear-brimmed eyes, he held out a hand. ‘What’s up? I was only havin’ a laugh before.’

  ‘I didn’t mean it,’ she said, before turning and running back to her house.

  Archie stared after her retreating figure as he tried to work out what on earth had just happened. She had called him a boy, and he had pointed out that he was older than her. What was wrong with that? It was only the truth, after all. Shaking his head, he stuffed his hands into his pockets and strolled back to his own house. Closing the front door, he looked across to Arla’s. As far as he was concerned, Arla spent most of her life pouting and scolding him for one prank or another. He’d have thought she’d be pleased to see the back of him; heck, she’d even said so when she’d thought she was speaking to her mother. Shrugging, he closed the door behind him. He’d never understand girls like Arla if he lived to be a hundred.

  Back in her own home, Arla found her mother sitting at the table, darning one of her stockings. ‘There you are,’ said Arla, sniffing back the tears. ‘Why couldn’t you have been here ten minutes ago?’

  ‘Why, what happened ten minutes ago?’ Mrs Winthorpe looked up from her work. ‘Arla! What’s happened? why are you cryin’?’

  Arla shook her head dismissively. ‘Don’t worry, there’s nowt wrong. I were just bein’ silly.’ She put the letter down in front of her mother. ‘I’ve had a letter from Ellie. She says she’s comin’ home for my birthday so that we can join up together, and you know what that means. We’ll be able to learn a trade, marry an officer, and get out of these courts, that’s what that means!’

  Mrs Winthorpe looked up from her darning again. ‘I know you’re keen to get out of the courts, but there’s worse things in life than livin’ round here. Life in the services won’t be easy, you know. It’ll be hard work with little thanks and less pay, so don’t you go thinkin’ it’s gonna be one long picnic.’

  Arla leaned over the small kitchen table and hugged her mother. ‘Don’t worry, Mam, I know it won’t be easy, but it’ll be worth it in the end. Besides, I’ll have me partner in crime wi’ me. We’ll have such a hoot.’

  Mrs Winthorpe placed her darning down on the table and looked curiously at her daughter. ‘Considering that your bezzie who you ain’t seen in an age is coming home, why were you cryin’? They didn’t look like happy tears to me.’

  Arla lowered her eyes. ‘I’ve been talkin’ to Archie Byrnes …’

  ‘Ah! That explains the tears,’ Mrs Winthorpe said wisely. ‘Honestly, you two seem to take great joy in teasing each other to desperation. What’s he said this time?’

  Arla’s bottom lip trembled. ‘He’s joined the army, Mam. I know we fight like cat ’n’ dog, and I know that I’m always complainin’ about him, and he can be a right pain in the neck, but …’

  Getting up from the table, Betty Winthorpe stroked her daughter’s hair back from her face. ‘I know, I know,’ she soothed. ‘He may get on your wick and drive you potty half the time, but that doesn’t mean you don’t like him.’

  Arla nodded. ‘He’s gorra big gob with a heart to match, but there’s norra bad bone in his body.
He’s always jokin’ around and messin’ about, but he’s not tough like some of them others what have joined up. They’ll make ground beef out of him.’

  Her mother fished around in her apron pocket for a hanky, and handed it to her. ‘’Ere, ’ave a good blow,’ she instructed. ‘And as for Archie Byrnes, you just ’ave to ’ope he’s one of the lucky ones. From what I hear they’re tekkin’ young lads on for them ack-ack batteries at the minute. If he winds up on one of them it’s got to be a damned sight safer than it is on the front line.’

  Arla brightened. ‘Do you think? He wouldn’t have to go overseas then, would he? Oh, I do hope you’re right, Mam.’

  Betty smiled reassuringly. ‘You know Archie. Wherever he goes he’ll land on his feet. He’s got the gift of the gab, that one.’

  Arla giggled. ‘I know, and you’re right. If anyone can look after themselves it’s him. I’m glad Ellie mentioned it in her letter, else I might not’ve found out until after he’d left.’

  Her mother looked at her quizzically. ‘If Ellie’s coming for your birthday, that means she’s going to be here the day after tomorrow.’

  Arla squealed with delight. ‘Can she stay, Mam? Until we get called up, I mean?’

  Mr Winthorpe, who had been keeping quiet whilst his wife and daughter sorted out Archie’s future, placed his newspaper on the table. ‘Don’t see why not. It’d be good to have another body about the place; it’s been quiet as the grave round here since your sisters all left.’ He half raised his paper. ‘Just before we completely leave the subject of boys joining the services, don’t forget, Arla luv, that I was Archie’s age in the first lot, and I’m still alive, aren’t I? So try not to worry too much. Your mam’s right: boys like Archie often come out of these things unscathed.’

  ‘Didn’t stop me worryin’ half to death, mind,’ Mrs Winthorpe said. ‘That’s what happens when you care for someone. You just have to try and put it to the back of your mind, chuck.’ She picked up a small jar from the mantel. ‘In the meantime we’ve a guest arrivin’ the day after tomorrer, so we’d best get some extras in. Come on, Arla luv, we’ve shoppin’ to do.’

  Spud drew to a halt beside the bus stop, and Aidan rested the reins on the seat between himself and Ellie. ‘Are you sure this is what you want to do? It’s been fun having you on the farm, and you know you’d be more than welcome to stay on for as long as you wanted.’

  Ellie had been dreading the moment when she had to say goodbye to the Murrays. She loved her life on the farm, and in truth she would be happy to stay there for the rest of her life, but that idea was inconceivable. Unless she were to marry Aidan, she had no real future at Springdale, so to try to make a life there would prove fruitless. No, Ellie knew she had to put her best foot forward and start the next part of her journey. I can’t stay here just to keep Aidan from getting lonely. I need to earn my own money so I can stand on my own two feet and look after myself. That’s what my mam would’ve done.

  She had already discussed her decision with Aidan earlier that week when the two of them had been fetching animal feed from the village.

  ‘I know how much you love the farm, and I think it’s a shame that you feel you have to leave when there’s really no need. I’d like to think you saw us as family,’ Aidan had said as she helped him to load the heavy sacks of feed on to the hay wain.

  ‘I do, and being with you all has been wonderful, but the longer I stay the more I’ll become reliant on you and your parents, and that was never the deal. Besides, you know I promised Arla that we’d join up together.’ She’d looked into his face and saw the disappointment there. ‘I promise to come back whenever I have leave – as long as that’s all right, of course …’

  He had smiled reluctantly. ‘You know full well it’s all right with us, and if you ever want to reconsider …’

  ‘You’ll be the first to know,’ Ellie had said.

  Now, she looked into the depths of Aidan’s green eyes. Feeling tears begin to form, she jumped down from the cart and swung her satchel over her shoulder. ‘I promise to write and let you know where I am, and what I’m up to.’

  Aidan nodded, began to speak, cleared his throat and tried again. ‘Make sure you do, and who knows, if I get lucky I’ll soon be in the RAF myself.’ He looked into her upturned face, his eyes connecting with hers for a moment, then with a click of his tongue he focused on Spud’s ears. ‘I never say goodbye, so I’ll just say t.t.f.n.’ Spud obediently walked forward and Connor turned him round in the direction of home. He called out over his shoulder, and through the sound of Spud’s hooves hitting the ground she heard: ‘Take care, alanna.’

  Ellie waved but said nothing, afraid that her voice would give her innermost feelings away. She watched as Spud trotted down the road, and smiled through her tears. She would miss them both – miss them all – terribly.

  ‘Look at that queue! I dunno about you but I thought there’d only be a handful of us,’ Arla said, her voice filled with disappointment as she and Ellie joined the end of the line that wound round the town hall. ‘My tummy’s doin’ somersaults at the thought o’ signin’ up. I can’t wait to see which of the services we’ll be goin’ into. I hope it’s the WAAF, then we might see Connor and all them handsome, brave pilots … I’m gonna marry me one o’ them if we get in the WAAF.’

  The girl in front of them snorted. ‘Not only are you delusional if you think a pilot would want to marry the likes of you, but also you’ve picked the wrong day. They’re takin’ on for the ATS today, so there won’t be no pilots up for grabs.’

  The girl she was with giggled. ‘Not unless you shoot one of ’em down by accident.’

  Ellie frowned. ‘Women aren’t allowed to fire guns, everyone knows that, so I don’t know what you’re flappin’ your gums about.’

  Neither girl responded, but the one behind them in the queue leaned forward. ‘It’s for the ack-ack batteries. You’re right about the gun thing, but they want women to operate the instruments. You’ll have to work with men as well as women; I think they call them “mixed batteries”. Mr Churchill’s daughter’s already in one, I believe.’

  Arla looked thoroughly deflated. ‘You must be joking. Have you seen the ATS uniform? An’ I don’t fancy workin’ with a bunch of soldiers. I wanted a proper job, you know, like drivin’ or talkin’ to the pilots over the radio, or …’

  ‘I believe the batteries will have officers as well as sergeants and corporals in them, and as there’ll only be twelve in a section—’ the other woman began, clearly realising Arla’s priorities when it came to choosing a career in the services.

  ‘Only twelve, you say?’ Arla cut in. She looked hopefully at Ellie. ‘What d’you reckon?’

  ‘I think you should go for it,’ the girl in front of them chimed in nastily. ‘The odds would be far better for someone like you.’

  Ellie held up a hand as Arla’s face flushed angrily. ‘Now, now, girls, for all we know we may end up on the same battery, so let’s play nicely, shall we?’

  As they talked, the line in front of them had been getting smaller, and the girl who had made the comment about shooting a pilot down was next to be seen.

  The fat sergeant who sat behind the table spoke gruffly. ‘Name and papers.’

  ‘Tilly Jarvis, and here’s my papers.’

  Heaving a sigh, the sergeant took one look before passing them back to her. ‘Not old enough. Come back in two years.’

  Tilly stood for a moment, her mouth gaping, but the sergeant was gesturing her to move away so that he might see the next in line. Arla gave Tilly a sarcastic smile as she walked past and hissed out of the corner of her mouth, ‘The ATS ain’t for little girls, you know.’

  Tilly glowered but stood to one side, waiting for her friend, who had taken her place in front of the table. ‘Evelyn Maddox.’ She stared at a point just to the left of the sergeant’s ear.

  He looked up. ‘Fair enough, you’re in. Go home and wait for your papers to arrive.’

  As
Evelyn turned to leave the line she smirked at Ellie and Arla. ‘You’re wastin’ your time. They aren’t lookin’ for girls like you.’

  Ellie, who was next in line, turned crimson as she handed over her papers. Behind her she could hear Tilly protesting at the unfairness of it all as she and Evelyn walked towards the door of the hall. The sergeant looked at the papers, heaved a sigh and handed them back. ‘Too young. I may as well be a gramophone record, ’cos that’s all I seem to be sayin’ today.’

  Ellie, looking at the papers in her hand, frowned. ‘But I’m sixteen. It says so here, see?’

  The sergeant, who was not having a good day, gave her a withering look. ‘I know how old you are – I can read, you know – and sixteen’s too young for gun sites. If you wanna come back another day and try your luck wi’ one of the other services that’s up to you.’ He held his hand up for Arla’s papers, and was not surprised when she shook her head and, grabbing Ellie’s elbow, guided her out of the hall and on to the pavement.

  ‘Now what?’ She demanded.’ I’m not goin’ to wait another two years, nor am I goin’ through the humiliation of bein’ turned down again.’

  Ellie wrinkled her brow. ‘You never went through any humiliation. You never even showed him your papers,’ she pointed out.

  ‘Precisely! I knew what were comin’. So what are we to do?’

  Pulling a face, Ellie shrugged. ‘I’m not hangin’ around waitin’ for them to start takin’ Waafs on again. It could be months, for all we know, so the way I see it there’s only one thing we can do, and that’s to change the date of birth on our papers, wait for that sergeant to go on his break, and then try our luck with whoever comes to replace him. Just keep your fingers crossed that he doesn’t look too carefully.’

  Arla gave a mirthless laugh, but then, staring hard at her friend, her eyes rounded. ‘You mean you really intend to do it? What if we get found out?’

  ‘That’s a risk we’re goin’ to have to take. Besides, I don’t see why not. From what I hear a lot of people change their date of birth on their papers, so why shouldn’t we? Besides, I can’t go back to Springdale Farm. It wouldn’t be fair.’