Classic Bestsellers from Josephine Cox: Bumper Collection

Watching him being taken away, Maureen despaired. ‘Dear God! What’ll become of us?’

With a heavy heart she followed the wives outside.

‘They all claim to be innocent, that they’ve been fitted up, or that somebody had it in for them, or they couldn’t help themselves.’ Walking back to the tram-stop, the same woman who had walked alongside her on the way in fell into step with her now. ‘They’re all guilty as buggery, yet they’ll deny the responsibility time and again, right up to when the rope tightens round their lying necks!’

‘No, that’s not true!’ Realising everyone must have heard Arnold’s outburst, Maureen protested vehemently, ‘My Arnie really was “fitted up”,’ she said.

‘Oh, really? So why is he inside then?’

Ashamed, Maureen hesitated. ‘He was guilty of having an affair with her, but he swears it wasn’t serious. He says he was about to finish it any day, and that she was growing agitated … didn’t want it to end, y’see? Later, when she was attacked, she pointed him out as the culprit. He said he wasn’t even with her that particular night. He was out playing cards in a mate’s house, but his mate didn’t want to get mixed up in it, so he denied that Arnie was ever there.’

The woman was not convinced. ‘All I can say is, if your fella really did beat that woman senseless, he deserves to be where he is. They say she can be mad as a crazed dog – has these frightening fits and doesn’t know what she’s doing.’

‘I’ve heard the same, but who knows what truth there is in it?’ Maureen had retorted. ‘Happen she’s not ill at all. Happen she’s seeking attention, like kids do when they can’t have their own way.’

‘Oh, it’s true all right!’ The woman drew Maureen to a halt. ‘She’s the wife of Luke Hammond, ain’t she?’

‘That’s right.’

‘Well, my brother works for Luke Hammond and he says it’s the talk of the factory – how she drives her poor husband to distraction at times … half crazed and doesn’t know what she’s doing, that’s how they describe her. She’s followed the poor bugger into work before now, went from one man to another, asking questions about where he is, and who he’s with. And even though it’s a known fact that she cheated on him, he won’t hear a word said against her. She has the best of everything, and he’s always there for her day and night … That’s what they say.’

A short time later the tram stopped outside Corporation Park. ‘All off that’s getting off,’ the conductor called, and two men disembarked.

Through the window, Maureen glanced along the entrance to the park, and there, just disappearing from sight towards the lake, she spied Amy and Johnny.

‘WAIT!’ Rushing down the gangway she told the conductor, ‘I’ll get off here!’

With his finger already poised on the bell to send them forward, he gave her awry little glance. ‘I thought you were headed for Henry Street?’

‘I was,’ she admitted, ‘but now I’ve changed my mind.’

‘We don’t give refunds,’ he chided.

‘I don’t want a refund,’ she replied. ‘I just want to get off if that’s all right with you?’

‘Off you go then, missus.’ Stepping obligingly aside to let her disembark, he said cheekily, ‘Don’t get lost, will you?’

Maureen wagged a finger. ‘You behave yourself. I know exactly where I’m going.’

Once she was off the tram, she went away at a fast pace up the main walkway to the park, and with quickening steps, hurried towards the lake at the top of the hill, where she had seen Amy and little Johnny.

It was a long walk and with the sun belting down, she was soon made to slow her pace.

Amy held Johnny in a firm grip. ‘Remember what your mammy said,’ she told him. ‘You’re to keep away from the water.’ The lake was notoriously deep in places.

The boy tugged hard on her hand. ‘Ducks!’ Pointing with his other hand he gestured to Amy’s bag. ‘They want their dinner.’

‘Be patient,’ she laughed. ‘They won’t go far when they know there’s food about.’

Seating the boy on the bench, Amy took out the bread and, breaking it into small bites, gave him a fistful. ‘Come on then,’ she said. ‘Mind you stay back when you throw it, and keep a hold of my hand.’

Amy helped the boy to throw out the breadcrumbs.

The ducks came forward at full speed, making long, spreading patterns in the water as they swam in formation.

‘Look, Amy, look!’ As the last of the bread was taken, little Johnny laughed, which Amy took great delight hearing.

‘Sounds like somebody’s having fun.’ As Maureen came through the shrubbery, the boy ran towards her. Maureen opened her arms to him and, yet again, was amazed by the change in him that had occurred over these past weeks. Now confident, he was quick to laugh, and his eyes shone with the joy of life. It was a wonderful thing to see.

Taking him into her embrace, she smiled at Amy, who had collected their belongings and was now coming towards her. ‘He must have been enjoying himself,’ Maureen said gratefully. ‘I heard him laughing as I came round the corner.’

‘He’s been having a great time,’ Amy told her. ‘We’ve climbed the banks to the top of the world – we could see the whole of Blackburn town and all the church spires – and afterwards we played hide and seek in the gardens.’

‘I don’t know how to thank you,’ Maureen told her as they headed back down along the main walkway.

‘There’s nothing to thank me for,’ Amy said. ‘I’ve had a wonderful time. Johnny is a delight to be with.’

Maureen watched her son bouncing and skipping down the path, and her heart filled with gratitude. ‘You don’t know what you’ve done for us,’ she told Amy. ‘There was a time when I thought he might never smile again. He was timid and unsure, and treated everybody with suspicion. At one time he even gave up talking, and it was a trial to get him to eat.’ Her voice shook with emotion. ‘They were dark days.’ She looked to where the boy was happily playing. ‘And just look at him now!’ Grabbing Amy by the hand she drew her to a halt, her eyes suddenly brimming with tears. “‘Thank you” isn’t enough,’ she murmured. ‘You can’t know how you’ve changed our lives.’

Closing her hand over the other woman’s, Amy told her how she was glad to have been of some help. It was a curious thing, she thought, how this woman and her son had not only moved into the street, but had also moved into her own heart.

Amy realised that there must have been something very bad in their lives to have brought them down to where they were now. And what was it that had affected the boy in such a way that he had become so afraid of people?

As they meandered their way down the lane, Amy mustered the courage to ask, ‘Did something happen that caused Johnny to shy away from people?’

Taken aback by Amy’s direct question, Maureen took a moment to answer. ‘I don’t really know.’ She had learned to lie convincingly. ‘He was all right, and then he wasn’t.’

Amy realised she was not telling the whole truth. As she’d spoken, Maureen had glanced about as though she were afraid somebody might be listening. ‘Are you all right, Maureen?’

Maureen nodded, but rather than lie to Amy again, she remained silent.

‘Look, Maureen, if you ever need a friend, I’m here for you,’ Amy told her. ‘Always remember that.’

It was only slight, almost inaudible, but Amy was certain she heard a smothered sob. ‘I wish I had the courage to confide in you,’ Maureen answered sadly, ‘and I do need a friend.’

‘Whenever you’re ready,’ Amy assured her. ‘I want to help … if I can.’

They continued on their way, to the sound of birdsong, and the boy’s hearty laughter as he went roly-poly down the grass bank.

It was such a glorious day, Amy thought. The hot sun beat down on them and the mingling scents of flowers created a pleasant aura around them. They went on quietly a little further, and still there was that air of mystery and secrets.

After a while, Amy was compelled to speak. ‘You needn’t be afraid to confide in me,’ she told Maureen. ‘I want you to know that whatever you tell me will always stay a secret.’

For one mad, unthinking minute, Maureen almost confided in Amy. But then Arnold’s words echoed in her mind: ‘You mustn’t tell anyone!’ and her courage disappeared.

She looked away. ‘Thank you,’ she said brightly, ‘but there’s nothing to tell.’

In that desperate moment she felt more lonely than she had felt at any time in her life. She desperately needed to speak with Amy, about the things that played on her mind. She needed to open her heart and tell of the things that haunted her; and the other things that had made little Johnny the frightened shadow he had been, before Amy had won his trust and his love.