Belle of the Back Streets by Glenda Young

Author:Glenda Young
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Historical Saga
Publisher: Headline
Published: 2018-08-15T10:07:42+00:00

Chapter Ten

Light

On the morning of Sally’s funeral, Meg and Tommy sat together in the kitchen at Tunstall Street.

‘Is it our fault, Meg?’ Tommy asked quietly as he gazed into the fire.

Meg turned at his words. ‘What on earth do you mean?’

‘Is it our fault . . . my fault that Mam died? I keep feeling that it is. That it’s my punishment for what happened with Hawk that night.’

Meg went to her brother and crouched down on the floor in front of him. She took both of his hands in her own.

‘Listen to me, Tommy. Mam died because of Hawk, because of the complications with the baby after he beat it from her body. You mustn’t blame yourself, Tommy. Never.’

Tommy lifted his gaze to meet Meg’s. ‘Will it ever go away, this pain inside at losing Mam?’

‘I don’t know,’ Meg said. ‘But I don’t think I want it to, not fully. I always want to remember her, to feel her in my heart, don’t you? Maybe one day when we’re older, it won’t hurt as much, but we’ll still feel her around us. One day we’ll stop crying, and we’ll carry our grief around like a shiny stone in our pockets. It’ll always be there to remind us of her.’

Tommy sniffed back his tears. ‘Do you think she’s with Dad now?’

Meg forced a smile to her face. ‘Dad’ll be in a pub, wherever he is.’

Tommy sniffed again.

‘But you mustn’t blame yourself, Tommy. Promise me you won’t.’

‘I’ll try,’ he replied.

Meg smiled. ‘Promise me you’ll try, then?’

‘I promise.’

The fire roared in the hearth and the kettle was already filled with water ready for anyone who came back to the house for a cup of tea after. Not that many were expected at the funeral. There’d be Hetty, of course, along with Adam and Evelyn and their parents Henry and Jean Wilson. Lil Mahone from next door would be there, because a funeral was as good a place as any to find out what was going on and she might meet up with folk she hadn’t seen in weeks. Bob had expressed his disapproval, but as soon as Lil offered to bring him a jug of ale from the Colliery Inn before she left, he reluctantly came around to the idea.

A sound at the kitchen door caused Meg to glance up, and she smiled when she saw Hetty walking in.

‘Are you ready?’ Hetty asked, looking from Meg to Tommy.

They both stood, as did Spot, who’d been lying at Meg’s feet.

‘Spot, stay,’ Meg ordered, and the dog obediently lay back down.

Hetty turned to Meg. ‘Oh love, is that really what you’re going to wear today of all days?’

Meg simply nodded in reply and Hetty didn’t question her further. In her grief over her mam’s death, Meg wanted nothing more than to wear Ernie’s army coat. She needed to feel the warmth and protection of her dad around her as her mam was being laid to rest.

‘Listen, both of you,’ Hetty said. ‘Jack and I have been talking and we’d like you to come and live with us at the Albion.

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