A Wartime Christmas (26 page)

There was a tap at the back door and Babs poked her head round. ‘Any news at the police station?’ she asked.

‘No. What about at school?’

‘I talked to everyone at the gate after I’d said goodbye to Gill and Tim. But nobody saw anything.’

‘Did you see Mr Barnet?’

‘He told me he was asking the children at assembly.’

‘Someone must have clocked Sean leaving, surely?’ said Vi, pouring hot water into the teapot.

Babs sat by Kay at the table. ‘Where’s Alfie?’

‘He’s playing with his train set.’ Kay swallowed the lump in her throat. ‘Didn’t even want his breakfast. Keeps asking where Sean is. And I don’t know what to
tell him.’

‘Last night Gill and Tim were very upset when they went to bed.’

Kay bit down on her lip. ‘It must be Dolly. I know she’s at the bottom of this.’ It had to be Dolly. Sean wouldn’t run away from school. He loved his lessons. He had done
well at reading and writing, even arithmetic.

‘You’ve got to tell Miss Pearson, Kay.’ Babs patted her arm. ‘She might be able to help.’

Kay nodded, forcing back the tears.

‘Drink this,’ said Vi, placing a mug in front of Kay. ‘You’ve got to eat something, gel.’

‘I’m not hungry.’

‘Let’s go out and search for him again,’ suggested Babs. ‘It’s better than doing nothing.’

‘I’ll give an eye to Alfie,’ said Vi.

‘No, we’ll take Alfie with us.’ Kay didn’t want to burden Vi. She was only just recovering and needed her rest.

‘You won’t get very far if you do,’ pointed out Vi, folding her arms across her chest. ‘Alfie’s no trouble. We’ll just sit in the front room with his train
set. I won’t be on me pins. It’ll do me nose good as well and will stop me from staring out the bedroom window.’

Kay smiled. ‘I don’t know, Vi.’

‘Well, I do. Now be off with you.’

Kay left the house to call for Babs. Now, added to her worries about Sean, she was anxious for Vi’s health and strength. Vi was always willing to do more than her share. But Kay could see
that the time had come when these efforts came at a cost to her recovery.

‘Vi’s got a big heart,’ Babs said as they stood in the street. ‘But she looks frail.’

‘I was thinking the same,’ agreed Kay. ‘So I’ve decided to pack in me job at the factory.’

‘Can you afford to?’

‘I might be able to find work for just a few hours each week. It’s a step I’ve been considering since Vi got ill.’

‘I’ll keep my ears open for something, if you like,’ Babs offered.

‘Thanks.’ Kay smiled gratefully. ‘Now, where shall we look for Sean?’

‘Perhaps the park and then Island Gardens?’

‘Sean loved the river as much as Alfie,’ reasoned Kay. ‘But Dolly wouldn’t take him there. She might not even be living in the East End. Has Gill or Tim ever said that
Sean has been bullied at school?’

Instantly Babs shook her head. ‘They would have had Gill and Tim to deal with if that happened.’

Which brought Kay’s thoughts back to Dolly again and her motives for snatching Sean.

Kay and Babs spent the day searching. Round and round they went, through the park and under the arches of the railway line. They sat on the bench in Island Gardens and watched
the smaller children at play and, giving a description of Sean and a blonde woman who might be with him, made enquiries to anyone they came across. Many knew him at the market by now, especially
Lenny at the tea stall who always kept fudge in his pocket to give to the boys. The traders promised to let Kay know if there was a sighting. Finally Kay and Babs searched the streets closer to
home including Crane Street. However, since there were very few houses left standing here, their search took only a few minutes. Lastly they visited the demolished houses of Slater Street, amongst
them the Suttons’ and Vi’s and Amy Greenaway’s, the teacher who had perished in the Blitz. But Kay was certain that Sean wouldn’t go near these. He knew, like Alfie, that
bombed sites were well out of bounds.

‘The kids never go out of sight when they play in the street,’ insisted Babs as they walked wearily to school to collect Gill and Tim. ‘And if the boys ever tried to, Gill
would keep them in line.’

‘I’ll ask again at the school gates,’ said Kay, although after Babs’s enquiries this morning, she knew it would be fruitless.

But it was news from Mr Barnet that finally put an end to speculation. He sent Gill out to ask Kay to join him in his room, whilst Babs waited outside with the children.

‘This may not be of much comfort, Mrs Lewis, but when I called assembly this morning, I made mention of Sean and his “absenteeism”.’ The head teacher coughed. ‘I
had to choose my words carefully, not wanting to alarm the children.’ He pleated his fingers as he sat behind his desk and paused, frowning over his spectacles. ‘A child in Sean’s
class has offered information.’

‘Who?’ Kay asked anxiously.

‘A girl called Ellen Kirby. She sits next to Sean in class. It was after the lunch break yesterday when the children were leaving the playground. A woman came to the fence. Ellen saw her
call to Sean and he went to her.’

‘What did she look like? Did Ellen say?’

Again Mr Barnet hesitated. ‘A child of six or seven can’t be specific, you understand.’

‘No, course not but—’

‘What was noted was the “yellow hair and red lipstick”, Ellen’s words exactly.’

‘It’s Dolly!’ Kay expelled a sharp gasp. ‘It has to be.’

‘His mother? Mrs Dolores Lewis?’ Mr Barnet nodded. ‘Miss Pearson did explain the situation of course.’

‘Did Sean go off with her?’

‘Ellen didn’t see any more. She was called inside.’

‘And Sean was still at the fence?’

‘We must conclude he was.’

Kay sat silently, her thoughts in turmoil. She had known in her heart it was Dolly who had taken him. Sean would have had no choice but to go with her. She was his mother after all. Dolly was
afraid to come to the house because of Miss Pearson’s letter. She had decided to take Sean from school instead.

‘Are you all right, Mrs Lewis?’ Mr Barnet was looking at Kay in concern. ‘Is there anything I can do? Have you spoken to the police?’

Kay nodded. ‘Yes, this morning.’

‘And Miss Pearson?’

‘Not yet.’

‘Then perhaps . . .’ He opened his arms in a gesture of defeat.

Kay stood up. ‘Thank you.’

Mr Barnet stood too. ‘Sean was a very good pupil. He showed promise and wanted to learn. In the short while he was with us, he made a remarkable journey.’

Kay didn’t like Mr Barnet talking in the past tense, as if Sean was gone for ever. She said goodbye after the head teacher promised to let her know of any new developments. But Kay knew
there wouldn’t be. Dolly must have other plans for Sean.

Babs, Gill, Tim and Alfie were waiting at the gate. ‘Well?’ Babs asked, hope in her eyes.

‘It was Dolly,’ said Kay. ‘A child called Ellen Kirby saw her at the fence and she called to Sean. But that was all she saw.’

‘So we really don’t know for certain what happened?’

‘I’m certain it was Dolly. Ellen said she saw a woman with yellow hair and red lipstick.’

‘But why did she take Sean,’ puzzled Babs, ‘after all this time?’

Kay couldn’t answer that. She felt bereft. Against everyone’s advice, she had grown to care so much for this little boy.

‘That settles it,’ Kay decided as they walked home. ‘I’m giving in my notice to Mr Marsh tomorrow after I’ve spoken with Jean Pearson and told her about
Sean.’

‘Are you sure about leaving the factory?’ Babs asked. ‘Perhaps I could help out with Alfie a bit more?’

‘Thanks, but you’re a working woman with a family to look after. And I can’t hope to see an improvement in Vi if she doesn’t look after herself and get her
rest.’

She and Babs fell silent as they made their way home. Kay was thinking about what she would say to Mr Marsh tomorrow. She knew he wouldn’t want to let her go; the war effort needed all
hands on deck. But her responsibilities at home were more important to her, by far.

‘Try not to worry,’ Jean Pearson advised the next day as they sat in her small office with the desk piled high with correspondence and shelves overflowing with
papers. ‘At least we know Sean isn’t roaming the streets.’

‘He wouldn’t have left the school grounds,’ insisted Kay. ‘That was why I was sure he was with Dolly.’

‘And this girl, Ellen Kirby, didn’t say more?’

‘No, but it was Dolly by the description.’

Jean Pearson sighed, shaking her head slowly. ‘Then we’re still no closer to finding out where she lives.’

‘What if she’s with that big bruiser she was with before?’ Kay felt in despair every time she thought of it. ‘Or someone else just as violent?’

‘We mustn’t let our imaginations run away with us,’ warned Jean carefully.

Kay smiled. ‘You sound just like my Alan. He was always telling me that.’

‘Good advice.’ Jean nodded. ‘Now, what can we do?’

‘I don’t know,’ Kay said with a shrug. ‘But there must something.’

‘The facts are that Dolly has rights as his mother. It’s very costly to pursue a legal challenge against parental care, even if we had more information. So how can we locate Dolly?
She evades us every time.’

‘That’s why she went to the school. She was afraid to come to the house.’

‘Yes,’ agreed Jean, ‘it seems that way.’

Kay and the young woman sat for a while discussing the situation, but soon there was a knock on the door and a clerk interrupted. Kay knew that Jean was a busy woman. There were others needing
her attention and after a few parting words, Kay left.

When Kay arrived at the factory, she hurriedly changed into her overalls and turban. She was relieved to see Mr Marsh before he entered the entrance to the assembly line, and pulled him aside.
As she expected, he received her news with clear disapproval.

‘I’m sorry to hear you can’t find your way to continuing with Drovers,’ he said with a frown. ‘Our troops abroad count on well-made armaments. What with Mrs Fellows
having left us recently and Mrs Rigler being in the family way, we’ll be three down on our most conscientious workers.’

‘I’m sorry about that, Mr Marsh,’ said Kay staunchly. ‘But I’ve done all I can for the country. It’s my family who need me now.’

‘Is this to be a permanent state of affairs?’

‘It is until I get meself sorted.’

‘Well, it’s a sad loss to the firm.’ He managed a smile. ‘When do you want to leave us?’

‘Will a week’s notice be all right?’

‘So soon?’ Once again Kay saw the disappointment written in his eyes, but there was nothing she could do about that.

Later that day as Kay was walking home, she knew she had come to the right decision. She wouldn’t really miss the factory work now. Iris had left and her thoughts at work lately were
always about what was going on in her absence from home. It would mean that she would have to be very thrifty, make the pennies stretch a lot further than she already made them stretch. But the
peace of mind she would have was of greater value. Then her thoughts drifted to Dolly and all that had happened since Dolly’s first appearance. She remembered how Dolly had kept demanding
what this Alan of hers had stolen. How Dolly hadn’t cared when Sean fell ill. Dolly had heartlessly ordered the man to attack Kay. She hadn’t wanted Sean then or she would have taken
him. Why had she taken Sean now? None of this made sense. Jean Pearson had proved by the letter that Dolly was afraid of the authorities. But the letter had also caused Dolly to snatch Sean from
school rather than confront Kay. Again Kay wondered why it was that Dolly had taken a son she didn’t want. A question to which there seemed to be no answer.

Kay couldn’t go upstairs to the boys’ bedroom without seeing Sean and Alfie playing there. Outside in the yard, where the Anderson stood with winter weeds clinging
to its rusting sides, she remembered how they had made it into their den.

‘No news from that Jean Pearson?’ asked Babs as they made their way to school one chilly morning. Kay regularly walked with Babs and the children to Quarry Street, hoping that
somewhere along the route, which Sean knew well, she might see him.

‘No, nothing.’

‘Thought about going to the police again?’ Babs asked cautiously.

‘Mr Barnet told me he notified them.’

‘And they’ve done sod all. Don’t seem right, does it?’

Kay gazed at the three children walking ahead. She pictured Sean with them, wearing his school uniform and jumping the cracks in the pavement. What clothes did Dolly have for him? Did she give
him enough food? These worries kept going round in her head. She missed Alan so much. If only he was here now. He would know what to do.

‘Can you stop for a cuppa?’ Babs asked as, after seeing Gill and Tim into school, they made their way home.

‘I’ll tell Vi first, or she’ll wonder where we’ve got to,’ Kay said without much enthusiasm. After school she often walked down to the park or the river with Alfie
in the hope that she might catch a glimpse of Dolly and Sean. But in her heart she knew this was a waste of time.

‘I left Alfie to keep Vi company for a few minutes,’ Kay said as she walked into Babs’s kitchen. ‘They’re both down in the dumps. Vi got out the
train set in the hope that Alfie would play with it. But since Sean’s gone, he’s lost interest in his favourite toy.’

‘How is Vi’s health now?’

‘She still gets tired and I have to make her rest. At least being at home, I can put me foot down.’

Babs poured an almost colourless liquid from the teapot. ‘Sorry, it’s dishwater again, but I’m low on tea.’

‘You should have said. I’d have brought some with me.’

‘As a matter of fact, Paul said he might be able to get tea from the canteen.’

Kay blinked and stared at her friend. ‘Paul?’

Babs blushed as she joined her at the kitchen table.

‘Are you seeing him again?’ Kay asked.

Babs looked out of the window and heaved a sigh. ‘We met by accident the other day. He was driving his car and pulled in to the kerb. I was carrying my bags from the market. He jumped out
and took them from me. Said he’d drive me home. The next thing I knew I was sitting in the car beside him.’ She turned slowly and looked at Kay. ‘But you don’t want to hear
all this. We’re supposed to be talking about Sean.’