Cissie knew her way around the mill and no one would question her being there. She had sometimes popped into the office to see Val, but not so much recently since Holly was born. The office was just a few yards from the front entrance and there was nobody around as she flung open the door and went in.
The girls sitting at their desks looked up from their typing. Val stood up, smiling.
‘Cissie, what a surprise! How nice to see you…’ Her voice petered out as she became aware of the angry expression on her friend’s face. ‘Er… do you want something?’
‘Do I want something? You’re damned right I want something… or somebody. I’m looking for the little minx who’s pinched my husband.’ Her eyes darted round the room past Val and the other two girls, focusing finally on the little blonde girl who was staring wide-eyed at the intruder.
‘There she is!’ cried Cissie. She strode across the room and grabbed hold of Rita by her shoulders, pulling her to her feet.
‘It’s you, isn’t it?’ she yelled, shaking the girl till her head wobbled back and forth. ‘It’s you what’s got your grubby little paws on my husband. Well, you can just leave him alone. Do you hear? We were happy till you came along, so just lay off him.’
The other young women stood up and moved towards them, aghast at what was happening.
‘I’m not! It’s not me, honest it’s not!’ cried Rita.
Cissie gave her a vicious shove, sending her crashing into the filing cabinet. ‘Not you? Of course it’s you. Who else could it be?’ yelled Cissie, reaching out to grab a handful of the girl’s hair.
Val and Susan pulled her away. ‘Stop it, Cissie!’ shouted Val. ‘You’ve no right to barge in here, making accusations. What’s come over you?’
‘Her! She’s what’s come over me!’ yelled Cissie, pointing at Rita who was cowering in a corner, tears streaming down her face.
She was still crying, ‘It’s not me!’
Susan put her arm round the sobbing girl. ‘Come along, Rita, it’s all right. We know it isn’t you. You’ve got it all wrong,’ she said, looking sternly at Cissie. ‘You’d better clear off, right now, before I ring the police and have you arrested for assault. Rita isn’t interested in your husband. She has a boyfriend. I’ve seen her with him several times, haven’t I, Rita?’
The girl nodded. ‘Yes, he’s called Jimmy,’ she whispered. ‘I don’t go with married men. I wouldn’t, not ever.’ She started sniffling again.
‘Just go, right now,’ said Susan. ‘Before I get somebody to see you off the premises.’
Cissie looked a trifle abashed. ‘There’s somebody, though,’ she muttered. ‘If it isn’t her then it’s somebody else and she knows jolly well who it is… Who is it?’ she shouted at Rita. ‘Who is it that’s messing around with my husband?’
‘I don’t know! I can’t tell you! I won’t tell you!’ said Rita. ‘Please… just leave me alone.’
‘I think Rita deserves an apology,’ said Susan. ‘You coming in here and making ridiculous accusations.’
‘They’re not ridiculous and I know it’s true,’ Cissie insisted. ‘He’s been seen with a blonde girl and she looks like her.’ She pointed at Rita.
‘Well, we know that it wasn’t Rita,’ said Val. ‘You’d better go, Cissie,’ she said more gently, concerned that her friend was so agitated. ‘Go and sort it out with Walter. That’s the best thing to do. It will probably turn out to be something and nothing. By the way, where are your children?’
‘I’ve left ’em with me mam,’ said Cissie. ‘I’ll go and pick ’em up now.’ She glanced sheepishly at Rita. ‘Sorry, then…’ she mumbled. But she couldn’t resist a final retort. ‘But you’d better tell whoever it is that I’m on to her.’ She marched out of the room, still angry and clearly ready to do battle when she found out who was to blame.
‘I’ll make a cup of tea,’ said Carol, the fourth member of the staff. ‘I think we could all do with one. Your friend is quite a firebrand, eh, Val?’
‘I’m afraid so,’ Val replied. ‘She’s always been hot-headed but I’ve never seen her in such a rage as that. I’m sorry, Rita,’ she said to the disturbed girl. ‘Do you know anything… about Walter?’ Her voice was gentle. ‘I must admit I’ve heard a little rumour myself.’
The girl nodded. ‘Yes…’ she said in a tiny voice. ‘There is somebody but I don’t like to say.’
‘Well, you don’t need to,’ said Val, ‘not if you feel you shouldn’t. It’s up to Cissie to sort it out with Walter.’
Rita was silent for a moment then she blurted out: ‘I’ll tell you. I’ve got to tell somebody. I’ll go mad if I don’t. It’s… it’s my sister, our Linda. She looks just like me, actually – same blonde hair and everything. People sometimes think we’re twins but she’s two years older than me.’
‘And… she’s friendly with Walter?’ asked Val.
Rita nodded again. ‘Yes… I’ve told her it’s wrong, that he’s married, but she won’t listen. There’s nothing much going on, not… like that, at least I don’t think so. But she likes him a lot and he seems to like her. She joined the cycling club just after I did and they got friendly. Happen she’ll realise now what I keep telling her – she shouldn’t be egging him on.’
‘You haven’t mentioned her very much,’ said Val. ‘I knew you had a sister but that’s about all I knew. Where does she work?’
‘At a jeweller’s shop in town. She likes all sorts of fancy things and nice clothes. She likes the men an’ all, does our Linda. She’s not quiet and shy like me. Mum says we’re like chalk and cheese. I suppose she’s like our dad and I’m more like Mum.’
Carol brought her a cup of tea. ‘I’ve put plenty of sugar in,’ she said. ‘It’ll do you good. Are you feeling a bit better now?’
‘Yes, I’ll be OK,’ said Rita. Peace reigned for a little while as they all drank their tea.
‘I hope Cissie has calmed down,’ remarked Val. ‘Heaven help Walter when he gets home tonight!’
Cissie sat in the car trying to stop her limbs from trembling and to put an end to the jumbled thoughts buzzing around in her brain. She had been so sure that she was right. Who else could it be but that scraggy little blonde girl in the office? She fitted Marlene’s description exactly and Cissie knew she was a member of the cycling club. If she was wrong, though, she had made a fool of herself and no doubt Walter would find out what she had done. But that didn’t matter. It was Walter who was in the wrong – he was going to pay for it. And she was still determined to have it out with the girl when she found out who she was.
She put the key into the ignition and started the car. She’d go and collect the kids, then she’d call at the corner shop on the way home and treat herself to one of their nice meat and potato pies for dinner. She’d have to cook a meal for Walter and herself when he got home from work, though she didn’t have much food in. She could call at the butcher’s as well and get half a pound of sausages. She’d make chips and open a tin of beans. She was trying to think of other things to take her mind off her all-consuming worry.
She set off down the road towards the mill’s entrance. She had parked a small distance away from the entrance gate as there had been a few other cars there. Her mind was churning round with thoughts of sausages and pies and the children and Walter. She put her foot down hard on the accelerator.
A large delivery van was pulling out of the gate of Walker’s mill, edging out into the middle of the road in order to make a right turn. Bill, the driver, was aware of the car approaching in the near distance. Cars always gave way to let the vans out on to the busy road, or you might be waiting there for ages. But the car did not seem to be stopping. It was coming at a fair speed and Bill put up his hand to signal to the driver to stop. But it was too late. There was a tremendous bang as the car crashed into the side of the van just behind where Bill was sitting. The car that was following was a fair distance behind, or there might have been a pile-up. It drew up with a screech of brakes as Bill leapt from the van and dashed to the damaged car.
The front of the car was completely wrecked and the driver, a blonde woman, was slumped over the steering wheel. There was shattered glass all around her and he could see that her head was bleeding. He looked down at her in shock and horror. Her face was turned to one side and, to his dismay, he recognised her as someone he knew, although it would have been just as bad if she had been a stranger. It was Cissie, the lass who had worked in the mending room, then she’d married Walter, one of the overseers.
The man in the car that was following had dashed to the scene. ‘My God, that’s a bad do!’ he said. ‘We’d best get an ambulance quick sharp. She looks as though… well, let’s hope she pulls through.’
‘Aye, right away,’ said Bill. ‘I’ll go back to t’office and ring nine-nine-nine. She drove right in t’side of me, never stopped. There was nowt I could do.’
‘No, I know that, mate. I saw it happen.’
The few moments of peace in the office were brought to an end when the door was flung open again.
‘I’ve got to ring for an ambulance right away,’ shouted Bill, whom they all knew as one of the van drivers. ‘There’s been an accident, a bad ’un. It’s that lass that used to work here. Cissie, young Walter’s missus. She drove right into me. She didn’t stand a chance.’
‘Cissie!’ cried Val. ‘Oh no! She’s not… Please say she’s not…’
‘I hope not,’ said Bill. ‘But she’s in a bad way, that’s for sure.’
‘Let me phone,’ said Susan, taking charge. ‘You’re all a-tremble, Bill.’
‘We’d better let Walter know, hadn’t we?’ said Val.
‘Yes, we must,’ agreed Carol as Susan got busy on the phone.
Val dashed off to the weaving shed where she hoped she would find Walter, and she did find him straight away. He was shocked and bewildered to hear the news.
‘Cissie? But what on earth was she doing here? And in the car? What about the children?’
‘She left them with her mother. It’s a long story, Walter, but never mind that now. You need to go to the hospital with her. We’ve sent for an ambulance…’
They found Sam and told him what was happening, and by the time they had all arrived back at the scene the ambulance was arriving with a police car following behind.
Walter stared in horror at his wife. ‘Oh, my God! Cissie…’ He moved towards her but the ambulance driver stopped him.
‘Hold on a minute, sir. Let’s get her out… She’s still breathing, there’s a pulse there, but we can’t waste any time. You’ll come with her to the hospital?’
‘Yes, of course. She’s my wife!’
Cissie was lifted on to a stretcher and an oxygen mask fitted to her face. She did not stir and it was impossible to see what injuries she had sustained.
‘Could you let Cissie’s mother know, please?’ said Walter. ‘And what about Paul and Holly? Her mother doesn’t mind having them for a short while but we’ve never left them with her for very long. But as it’s an emergency…’
‘Don’t worry about anything, Walter,’ said Sam, ‘except about Cissie. We’ll see to the children. Just let us know how she is as soon as you can.’
‘Yes, we’ll be thinking about you and Cissie, and saying a little prayer.’ Val could scarcely speak for the lump in her throat and she knew that Walter was feeling the same. Whatever had gone on, she could see that he really cared about Cissie.
Sam put an arm round Walter’s shoulders. ‘Yes, we’ll hope and pray that all goes well.’
Walter nodded. ‘Oh, God, so do I!’
The ambulance drove away. The policeman was taking particulars about what had happened from the very worried van driver, and the man from the other vehicle was explaining what he had seen. It did seem as though the accident had been entirely Cissie’s fault.
‘I don’t know what the hell she was doing,’ Bill kept repeating. ‘She ploughed right into me, well, in t’van.’ Fortunately he had escaped with a few scratches but was suffering from shock. The van was badly dented and could not be driven, nor was Bill in a fit state to drive it.
‘Go and have a cup of tea,’ Sam told him. ‘The girls in the office will make you one, then you take the rest of the day off. Could you explain to my father what has happened, please? I shall have to go with Valerie to see Cissie’s mother. Someone else will do the delivery, but that’s not your concern. Don’t you worry about anything.’
‘Thank you, Mr Samuel,’ said Bill. ‘Aye, it’s been a shock all right. I hope the lass’ll be OK. She was a real livewire when she worked here, that Cissie.’
Sam and Val went to the small car park where the bosses and a few others who owned cars left their vehicles. It was almost midday now and they assumed that Cissie’s mother would be at home. And she was, anxiously waiting for Cissie to arrive.
‘What’s up?’ she said when she opened the door. ‘Cissie said she’d be back by dinnertime to see to the kiddies. Where the heck is she?’
‘I’m sorry, Mrs Foster,’ said Val. ‘I’m afraid Cissie has been involved in an accident, a collision with a van. It happened close to the mill and Walter has gone to the hospital with her.’
‘We came as soon as we could,’ said Sam. ‘Walter was concerned about the children, but he knew they’d be quite happy with you.’
‘Aye, they’re OK,’ said the woman. ‘You’d best come in and tell me. What’s happened to our Cissie? Is she badly hurt? I don’t like her in that bloomin’ car. I never wanted her to drive – she’s such a scatterbrain. Not fit to be on t’road.’
Paul looked up from the hearthrug where he was playing with his fire engine. ‘Aunty Val, Uncle Sam,’ he said, grinning at them.
‘Hello, big boy,’ said Sam. He looked understandingly at Mrs Foster. ‘I’m afraid she’s suffered a few injuries. It’s hard to tell at the moment but the ambulance was there very quickly and she’ll be in good hands now. She’s a strong girl…’
‘Aye, an’ a silly girl an’ all,’ said her mother. Val knew that Cissie and her mother had never been close but Mrs Foster looked very worried now. ‘Walter’ll let us know, won’t he? He’s a good lad is Walter. Or should I go t’hospital? No, I can’t,’ she answered herself. ‘I’ve got to see to these two. Cissie left a bottle for Holly, though she said she’d be back. I’ve nowt much else, though, for babies. She’s gone on to baby foods now, in them little jars, so I could open a tin of chicken soup and give her a bit of that, and Paul can have some an’ all with a bit of bread.’
It was clear that she was ready to pull her weight with the children. Paul, although he was a bright little two-year-old, did not seem to have picked up on what they were saying.
‘You’re going to stay and have some dinner with Gran,’ she said to the little boy. ‘That’ll be nice, won’t it? Then Daddy will come for you later. Mummy’s… not very well just now.’
Paul looked at her and nodded, then went on playing with his cars.
‘What the heck was Cissie doing, any road?’ she asked. ‘She said summat about going in t’mill.’
‘Oh, she just wanted to have a chat with me,’ said Val. ‘I suppose she misses the company of the girls she worked with and she can’t really go and disturb them while they’re working. Their boss might not like it. But she knows I can spare time for a chat.’
‘You being the boss’s wife, eh?’ said Mrs Foster with a wry smile.
‘Maybe…’ Val smiled at her husband. ‘It does have its advantages.’
‘We’re always pleased to see Cissie,’ said Sam. ‘She was a good worker when she was at the mill and she’s a good mother now. She thinks the world of those two.’
‘Aye, so she does. She’s surprised me, I can tell you, the way she’s settled down to being a mother. I only hope she’s going to be all right, the silly lass. I bet she was driving like a mad woman. All the same… please, God, let her get better.’ She closed her eyes and clasped her hands together as she whispered the words.
‘We all hope and pray that things are not too bad,’ said Sam. ‘Val and I will go to the hospital now and see what’s happening. Try not to worry, Mrs Foster, although I know that can’t be easy. And Walter will be in contact very soon. Goodbye for now.’ He held her hand for a moment and Val kissed the woman’s cheek, something she had never done before.
‘Goodbye for now, Mrs Foster. Bye, bye, Paul and Holly…’
Paul glanced up and smiled at Val. ‘Bye,’ he said, waving his hand. Holly was sitting in a high chair, playing with a row of coloured beads fastened to the tray. She was ten months old now, a bonny little girl, the image of her mother and with the same blonde hair. She smiled, showing two tiny teeth, and waved a podgy hand at Val, who felt her heart give a jolt. How she longed for Cissie to recover and for her marriage to recover as well. It was clear from their actions and responses that Cissie and Walter still loved each other.
They found Walter in a waiting room near to the ward where Cissie had been taken on arrival. He looked pale and worried.
‘Cissie’s in the theatre now,’ he told them. ‘They decided to operate right away. She was still unconscious, of course, and badly cut and bruised. A few broken ribs and possible internal bleeding, they said, but they won’t know the extent of her injuries until they operate. All we can do is wait… and hope and pray.’
‘We’ve been to see Mrs Foster and the children are fine,’ said Val, ‘so you don’t need to worry about them. But she’s anxious to know about Cissie – naturally she’s very upset.’
‘She’ll know as soon as I do,’ said Walter. ‘I must stay here, though. I can’t go anywhere till I know.’
‘Have you had anything to eat?’ asked Val. It was now almost half past one.
‘No… I haven’t felt like eating.’
‘You must have something,’ said Sam. ‘We’ve not had anything to eat since breakfast. I’ll go to the snack bar and get us some sandwiches and tea. OK?’
Walter nodded. ‘I suppose so… Er, yes… Thanks, Sam.’
‘What on earth was Cissie doing at the mill?’ asked Walter as Sam walked away. ‘She didn’t say anything to me about going out this morning. I’d have been worried sick if I’d known she was out in the car. I don’t like her driving on her own, even though she’s passed her test. She’s so erratic. I suppose she seized her opportunity when I said I was cycling to work… and look what’s happened. The silly girl! What was so important anyway?’
Val was unsure how much to tell Walter, but she decided it would be best to tell him the truth.
‘She came into the office,’ said Val, not admitting that Cissie had come in like a hell cat. ‘I thought she’d come to see me but she’d come to see Rita. She’s got it into her head that you were… well, that you’d got rather too friendly with Rita.’
‘Oh… no!’ Walter sighed. ‘I can just imagine her. Oh, no, what have I done? It’s not Rita, but I suppose somebody’s told her something and she’s jumped to the wrong conclusion. It didn’t mean anything, it wasn’t really anything much at all… Oh, God, I’ll never forgive myself if anything happens to Cissie.’
Val could see that he was distraught. ‘Rita told us afterwards that it was her sister, Linda, who you’d got friendly with. But Cissie doesn’t know that, she just knows that it’s not Rita.’ She was trying not to speak accusingly because she could see how distressed he was.
‘Yes, we have become friendly. Linda’s a real lively girl. I got to know her better when we went on that cycling holiday in the summer. I’ve been a bloody fool, haven’t I?’
Val didn’t answer for a moment. She just looked at him sadly, but with a certain understanding. ‘These things happen, I suppose.’
‘It’s not gone very far, honestly, it hasn’t. Cissie’s not the same as she used to be, although I know that’s really no excuse. She’s so wrapped up in the children and it seems that she’s no time for me. She never wants to go anywhere or do anything, and she used to be such a fun-loving girl. I’d wanted to marry her for ages, you know, but she kept putting me off. I was amazed when she changed her mind and said that it was what she wanted. It was like a miracle.’ He smiled musingly. ‘I know that we had to get married, as they say. And that was another great surprise, when she gave into me, after all she’d said in the past – all the times she’d told me we shouldn’t. I was so happy, Val. I’d really convinced her at last that I loved her. And now… I’m so sorry about everything. I just pray she’ll be all right.’
Sam returned with the tea and ham sandwiches. He had heard the end of the conversation.
‘I was just telling Val,’ said Walter, ‘that there’s nothing much going on between me and Linda. I was going to put an end to it anyway but she clings like a limpet.’
‘Try not to beat yourself up about it,’ said Sam. ‘What’s done is done and Cissie overreacted somewhat. Is there anything else Val and I can do to help? What about your parents? They won’t know yet, will they?’
‘No, I haven’t had a chance to tell them. Mum will be only too pleased to help with Paul and Holly, to relieve Cissie’s mother. Dad will still be at work, of course, and Cissie’s dad.’ The two men, who were friends through their work and also because of their membership of the same church, were employed at a different mill at the other side of the town. ‘Fortunately Dad’s got his car so he’ll be able to help with visits to the hospital… when Cissie recovers.’ The same thought was in all their minds – the hope that the outcome would be favourable.
‘Val and I will go back now and relieve Mrs Foster of the children,’ said Sam. ‘Then we’ll go to see your mother and put her in the picture. She’ll be at home, will she?’
‘I should think so,’ said Walter. ‘Unless it’s her day for the Mothers’ Union. No, I think that’s on a Tuesday – that was yesterday.’
‘We’ll get off then,’ said Sam. ‘Phone us, won’t you, as soon as there’s any news?’ He remembered something. ‘You’ve no car now, have you?’
Walter shook his head. ‘No, and it looks as though it might be a write-off. But that’s the least of my worries. I’ve got my bike, the use of Dad’s car and Shanks’s pony! All that matters is that Cissie gets well again.’
Sam gave him a comradely hug and Val kissed his cheek. Walter Clarkson had not been one of her favourite people but he had changed – for the better, she had thought – when he married Cissie, until this recent revelation. She believed him, though, that it was of little importance. But it was serious enough to have sent Cissie off the rails.
Now all Walter could do was wait. Several hours passed as he tried to read the magazines that were on offer, but Reader’s Digest and Geographical magazines failed to hold his attention. Although he was not hungry he ate some more sandwiches at about five o’clock.
It was then that the surgeon came to talk to him. It was hard to tell from the man’s expression whether the news was good or bad. Then he gave a fleeting smile.
‘We’ve done all we can, Mr Clarkson, but we are keeping your wife sedated so we can see how she goes on. Her injuries are extensive but nothing too serious – a few cracked ribs and a broken arm, as well as internal bleeding and more superficial cuts and bruises. It could have been a lot worse with a head-on collision like that. However, we see no immediate cause for alarm. You should go home now – there is nothing you can do here and you need your rest. We’ll ring you if there is anything you need to know. Come back in the morning. You don’t need to wait for visiting hours. Rest assured that we’re keeping a close eye on her.’
‘Thank you, Mr Jeffreys,’ said Walter, feeling rather more hopeful now. He was gratified to know that one of the top surgeons had been in charge of the operation. ‘She’s a strong girl and that helps, doesn’t it? I’ve hardly ever known her to be ill, and when she is she soon pulls round.’
‘Yes, a strong constitution is always a help,’ replied the surgeon, seeming unwilling to commit himself too far. ‘As I’ve said, we’ve done all we can for the moment.’
Walter phoned for a taxi which took him to his parents’ house. Holly was already bathed and asleep in the cot that was always ready at his former home. Paul was in his pyjamas and looking at a nursery rhyme book with his granddad. He was delighted to see Walter.
‘Daddy!’ he cried, holding out his arms.
‘Hello, big boy,’ said Walter. ‘Mummy’s not very well just now but you’ll be able to see her soon.’
The child nodded, looking a little confused, but quite content that his daddy was there along with his doting grandparents.
Walter filled them in with the news.
Mrs Clarkson shook her head. ‘She’s an impulsive lass, that wife of yours. I know you’re not happy about her driving. What was she doing, any road, going to the mill?’
‘She went to have a chat with Val,’ said Walter. If it was up to him they would not know the full story. ‘She misses the girls at work, you know.’
‘Aye, I suppose she does,’ said his mother. ‘But I can’t fault her for the way she looks after the kiddies. She’s made you a good wife, Walter, lad. Let’s just hope there’s some good news tomorrow. You must stay here tonight. Your old room’s just the same as it always was. I’ve got plenty of nappies and some of that Cow and Gate milk for the little ’un. They’ll come to no harm here, bless ’em, but let’s hope their mummy’ll be back before long.’