Louis was home earlier than expected one Friday afternoon and caught Cat unawares. She hurried to clear away material and the sewing machine he had bought her recently.
Cat was delighted with the machine and had begun making good use of it. It gave her a renewed sense of purpose as she had already taken in some orders for making curtains, and a couple of little girls’ dresses.
She straightened up the new tablecloth she had made and asked Louis what he thought of it. But without answering her, he dropped into a chair looking depressed.
‘What’s up, ye look as though ye’ve lost a pound and found a penny.’
‘I lost my job.’
‘What? Why?’
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, his head in his hands. ‘They asked us to take a drop in money.’
‘How much of a drop?’
‘A penny an hour. But when we wouldn’t agree, the boss said he had a line of men waiting outside the factory that would. So that was that. We were all out. Sacked!’
Cat went to him and put an arm around his shoulders. ‘The bastards! God forgive me, but that’s what they are, nothin’ but bastards. They have ye exactly where they want ye. I hope to God they rot in hell. Ye’re best out of it. The ride was too much for ye anyway.’
‘Cat, what are we going to do?’
‘Well one thing we’re not goin’ to do is sit here worryin’. It won’t solve anythin’. Here now, get yer jacket off and bring in the bath, I’ve hot water ready for ye.’
He went to the outhouse and unhooked the tin bath then took it inside to the scullery. Cat filled it with hot water and added cold until it was ready for him.
‘C’mon now off with those cacks and into the bath with ye.’
Louis took his trousers and shirt off, then slid into the water. ‘I’m sorry, Cat. I really am.’
‘Ah get away with ye. We’ll survive. We have before and we will again. Ye’ll see. I’ve some orders in to make a few things, so I’ll be earning a bit too.’
‘You shouldn’t need to work, you’ve got enough to do.’
‘Why don’t ye ask yer mother if ye can work in her shop?’
He didn’t answer immediately, but began soaping himself all over and then rinsed it off.
Cat sat on a chair watching the water glisten on his body. Something stirred inside her, a mixture of desire, pity and love. He didn’t deserve this humiliation.
‘I would ask her. But not unless I’m desperate, Cat. She has a way of making me feel I should work for her but not expect to be paid. I don’t really want to be put in that position. In any case, I shouldn’t think the shop could support paying Lize and me. No, I’ll go back on the treadmill on Monday, looking for work. We’ll see what turns up.’
He looked up at her and smiled and she dropped to her knees and kissed him as he sat in the tub, looking forlorn.
On Monday morning Louis left the house and had pedalled off on his bicycle before Cat could wave him off. She got Billy ready for a trip to the market in Woolwich where she planned to buy material for dresses she had agreed to make. Her neighbour had agreed to look after Eileen.
On the tram to Woolwich, Billy busied himself chanting nursery rhymes and Cat was free to concentrate on him alone for once. Today was going to be like a little outing, she told him, and if he was a really good boy she would buy him an ice cream from the nice Italian man in the market square.
When the tram turned into the square in Woolwich, Cat then stood up and held onto the overhead straps, craning her neck above the other passengers to see if it was raining. Satisfied that it wasn’t she stepped down onto the running board. When it stopped, she caught hold of both Billy’s hands and swung him off the tram, laughing as she did this.
‘Again, Mummy.’
‘No darlin’, we can’t keep at it all day, we’ve shoppin’ to buy.’
They went along Powis Street and into a haberdashery shop where Cat bought material. Then they retraced their steps towards the market and she bought some meat in the butchers.
They were making their way towards the fruit and vegetables when Cat saw a small crowd had gathered and heard the sound of someone playing a violin. The music was wonderful and it reminded her of the time in Fethard when Louis had played Breda’s violin outside Monroe one evening. In fact, she decided it sounded like the same Intermezzo he had played and her heart stirred with nostalgia.
She listened for a while, and then aware Billy was beginning to fidget, reluctantly decided to move on. Edging her way around the outside of the crowd, Cat glanced back to see who was playing so beautifully. What she saw through a gap between the people was none other than Louis!
She stood absolutely still. Her face flushed with anger. How could he? Begging! And right on our own doorstep too! What if people knew them?
Fury propelled Cat through the crowd, dragging Billy behind her. She positioned herself in the front row and as Louis came to the end of his piece and passed his cap round, gathering up the pennies, he saw Cat turn and disappear through the crowd.
She jumped straight on a tram to Eltham, dragging Billy behind her.
Billy’s feet hardly touched the ground as she marched from the tram stop to home. All the way he had cried, as he hadn’t had his ice cream.
Louis sheepishly opened the front door later and was met with chaos. Clothes were everywhere and Cat was furiously throwing items into a trunk.
‘What’s going on?’
‘Huh! Ye may well ask. Should be me I’da thought, askin’ that question. Beggin’ indeed! There right in the middle of Woolwich with the entire world to see!’
Louis sat down and asked her again, ‘What’s going on, what are all those clothes?’
‘I’m goin’ home and this lot is goin’ on ahead of me.’
‘What do you mean, you’re going home?’
‘Exactly what I say!. I’m goin’ home. Ye needn’t think I’m goin’ to sit around here and watch me husband goin’ out beggin’ each day. The disgrace of it! I’d rather go out and scrub steps meself than see ye doin’ that.’
‘Cat. Cat,’ he moaned, ‘come on now it’s not begging, it’s called busking.’
‘Whichever way ye look at it Louis, ye were beggin’, and it’s the biggest disgrace ever. I don’t know how ye could do it. Anyone could have seen ye. Anyone!’
‘I couldn’t get any work and I’ve made this.’ He emptied his pocket onto the table and counted it. ‘Ten and eleven pence,’ he said, ‘I couldn’t have earned that in that bike factory, could I?’
Cat looked at the piles of pennies then at Louis and said nothing.
‘It’s not what I would choose to do but I’m not skilled in any particular trade. Playing the violin is the only talent I have.’
‘Huh! So, how often have ye done this before then?’
‘Well, once. I would probably have had a regular job at The Strand Palace Hotel if I hadn’t missed the audition?’
‘Audition? What audition?’
‘I had an audition, but I missed it.’
‘When was that?’
‘A while back when you were in Ireland, after Eileen was born.’
‘So how did this audition come about then?’
Louis licked his lips. He realised that in telling her about the audition she may now find out about him busking in London too.
Before he had a chance to answer though, Cat’s puzzled frown disappeared and she began shouting.
‘Oh I see now. Ye went buskin’ or beggin’ while I was away too!’
Then as if she suddenly realised something else she became quiet.
‘Cat, come on now it’s not worth causing a row over, is it?’
Silently, Cat folded and packed more clothes until the room was clear. She pulled out the sewing machine and finished off the dresses she was making; put them in a bag and left the house to deliver them.
Louis hoped that when she returned later she would be in a better frame of mind, but though she seemed calmer when she came back, he realised she was determined to carry out her threat.
Cat continued packing and when all the clothes were inside the trunk and she had locked it, she turned to Louis and asked if he would have her trunk picked up and sent ahead.
‘So you’re going after all?’
She didn’t look up. ‘That evenin’ suit belonged to ye all along didn’t it?’