‘Hang on, hang on,’ Kathleen said. She had lived through the births of many unwanted babies, had persuaded women not to roll on their babies in their sleep, or leave them on the steps of the convent so she had recognised the voice of a mother in anguish when she heard it. ‘Peggy, Peggy, what did you say, you had a baby? Where?’
Alice was removing her coat to place over Peggy and Blinks, who had thrown some blankets over the handle of the trolley, was wrapping them around Peggy’s shoulders.
‘What baby, Peggy?’ Alice placed the coat over Peggy’s wet legs. ‘Kathleen, she’s rambling, she probably means one of the boys. We need to get Dr Cole.’
Kathleen was not convinced. ‘No, Alice, she’s distraught and she’s upset, but she’s not totally lost her mind. Also she said “she” and all Peggy’s babies were boys. Peggy, what did you mean, you had a baby? When? When did this happen, Peggy love?’
Peggy blinked and looked down at her hands. ‘I don’t know… Before, in the outhouse… We’re being thrown out onto the street, Kathleen, in front of everyone. They won’t let me keep her. The welfare will take them all off me.’
It was obvious, Peggy hadn’t taken in a word Kathleen had said. Blinks turned the trolley around.
‘Come on, Pegs, let’s get you back up the top, will we?’
Peggy was whimpering, ‘Let me go, let me go, please, that’s all I want to do.’
They all turned as Scamp barked into the dark. ‘Who is that, Alice?’ said Kathleen. ‘I can hear footsteps.’
Scamp, obviously satisfied that Peggy was in good hands, ran off into the darkness with his tail wagging just as they heard a voice shout, ‘Peggy! Peggy!’
Peggy turned, blinking. It was Maura’s voice and Kathleen had said something about Maura, but she couldn’t remember what. They heard the running footsteps, Scamp’s excited barks. All eyes were on Peggy as Maura, guided by Callum, came into view and said, ‘I’m home, Peggy!’
Maura took in the scene. Peggy shaking, the dripping feet, water puddled on the concrete, the look on Alice’s face and her hand flew to her mouth.
‘Peggy, you weren’t! Why would you do that? I’ve found your baby, Peggy, your baby. She’s with Shelagh and, oh Peggy, she’s so beautiful, just like her mam.’ Maura fell to her knees and took the hands of her friend into her own, as tears filled her eyes. ‘I’m back in the house, Peggy, back to help. Jer and Tommy will make sure your Paddy is down the docks every day and we will pay the rent arrears; we know all about it and you aren’t going anywhere. I’m home to help you, Pegs, I missed you.’
Peggy looked into Maura’s eyes and she couldn’t believe what she could see. She wrapped her hands around Maura’s face. ‘Are you an angel?’ she said through a river of tears.
Maura, almost too choked up to speak, said, ‘No… well, I am if you want me to be. I can be your angel, Peggy.’ Then, on an upbeat note, ‘Yes of course I’m your angel, and everything is going to be just fine now. I hadn’t realised, Peggy, you just needed that little bit of help, didn’t you? And here was me thinking I was an old bossy boots and you would be glad to be rid of me.’ Then Maura sprang to her feet. ‘Peggy has a beautiful baby girl,’ she announced as she took her handkerchief out of her pocket and wiped her eyes. ‘What better homecoming present could I have than that, eh? Blinks, let’s get this trolley up to the top and Kathleen, we’ll knock on at the midwife’s on the way past. Come on, Peggy, put this on you, we are taking you home.’
Chapter Twenty-nine
The light flashed from the bottom of the steps to the top, the sign Jerry had been waiting for. ‘At last,’ he said, ‘let’s go. Fetch Paddy out of the pub, Tommy – he doesn’t get a drop if he doesn’t pull his weight. And they’ve found Peggy, praise the Lord.’
The men blessed themselves and carried on with the business in hand. Little Paddy and Harry, who knew the call was out for the older boys to help move the goods from the top of the steps to the Dohertys’ backyard, tried their luck and ran up to Jerry. ‘Can we help, Jer?’ they asked.
Jerry looked down at them and he couldn’t resist the urge to scoop Harry into his arms and hug him. ‘God, you are a grand lad and we’ve missed you,’ he said, ‘but, no, Harry, you cannot help because you’ve been sick in hospital, so you can both get home to bed. I know you will have sneaked out.’
Little Paddy grinned. ‘Ma’s at your house, Jerry; she’s had a baby, we have a sister.’
Jerry looked stunned, but he could tell the boy wasn’t lying. ‘Well, it’s going to be a double celebration tonight then,’ he said. ‘I’ll send a bottle back, just for your mam, as soon as the last crate is up and we’ll be round to wet the baby’s head. Now, both of you boys, out of the way – don’t break the chain.’
As the boys, keen not to upset Jerry, started do as they were told, they saw Gladys storming up the street.
‘Oh-oh, here comes Gladys!’ Little Paddy pulled Jerry by the sleeve and to Harry he said, ‘My ma says it’s a wonder she works in the dairy, because one look from her and the milk turns sour. Can you imagine that? She must have to stay in the house all day.’
‘That’s why she’s out now,’ said Harry, ‘because it’s dark.’
Gladys stormed up to the two boys and they froze. ‘Have you seen Eric, the milkman?’ she demanded. The two boys, open-mouthed, looked at each other. ‘Well, have you? Is he helping out with this illegal affair? Because if he is, I’ll be
