‘And she chose the child?’
‘No. Mother chose Goldie. But Goldie rallied before the operation. She was conscious for an hour or more before they took her down to theatre. During that time she was talking and smiling. The day before she had looked exhausted, her skin had a grey pallor to it and her eyes were dull and watery - but suddenly all that was gone. Her eyes were bright and she no longer looked tired. She looked like Goldie again.
‘She was fully aware of what was happening. She said she was contented and she told the surgeon if it came to it, and he had to make a choice between saving her or her baby, he was to save her child.’ Maeve took a shuddering breath. ‘It did come to it, and the surgeon saved the baby.’
Maeve lowered her eyes and silently cried. When she lifted her head, she said, ‘Goldie told me on the day I arrived at the hospital, if the baby was a boy, she was going to call him Charles, after her father. But if it was a girl - and Goldie was sure it would be - she was going to call her, Nancy Margaret, after her two friends in the theatre where she worked who had saved her life by getting her away from David Sutherland and out of London.’
The two women sat in silence. Maeve, Bess thought, was reliving the pain she had felt eight years before, and Bess, wishing she hadn’t brought the subject of Goldie up, was riddled with guilt because she was powerless to help her. ‘Bess?’ Maeve looked at Bess, her eyes filling with tears again.
‘What is it?’
‘I have to go back to Ireland. My mother is ill, as you know, and she needs me. My young brother, Callum, has been looking after her, but Mum is so embarrassed that her boy has to do private, personal things for her. It isn’t fair on her, she feels she’s losing her dignity. It isn’t fair on Callum either. He says he doesn’t mind, because she’s his Ma, but it isn’t right. A young man shouldn’t have to do those things for his sick mother.’
Maeve smiled. ‘He’s engaged to the sweetest girl and had put a deposit down on a lovely little cottage before Mother had her stroke. He says as soon as Mother is better, or I go back to Ireland to live with her, they’ll be married. My brother has done a lot for our mother. Now it is my turn.’
‘I shall be sorry to lose you, Maeve, as a friend and as a work colleague, but I understand.’
‘I’m not sure you do understand, Bess,’ Maeve said. ‘You see, I’d like Nancy to stay here and live with you and Mr Donnelly.’
Shocked by what Maeve had asked of her and Frank, Bess was unable to speak.
‘Seeing Nancy every day would break my mother’s heart. You see, she blames herself for not being able to keep Goldie safe. And the school?’ Maeve shook her head. ‘It’s fine, don’t get me wrong, but it’s a village school with children of all ages clumped together in two classrooms. Nancy is brighter than average for her age. She needs to go to a school where she’ll grow, reach her full potential, and I believe she’ll do that at the school in Kirby Marlow. There are few children of Nancy’s age or her intelligence at home.
‘Then there are the gossips. Some of them even said, when Goldie came home from London so badly beaten up, that she had got no more than she deserved. And when she was pregnant? Well, you can imagine. I don’t think anyone from the village had ever visited London, let alone lived there and worked in a theatre as a dancer. Small village with small-minded people. When Nancy was little, she didn’t understand what some of the children said about her mother - and to be fair it wasn’t their fault, they were only repeating what they’d heard their parents say.’
‘But she’s older now and you don’t want her hearing malicious gossip about her mother,’ Bess said.
‘That’s right. So, will you at least consider taking Nancy?’
‘I would love to look after her. She’s an adorable child. Frank would too, I know he would.’ Bess lowered her eyes. ‘Because I can’t have children, I’ve tried talking to Frank about adopting a child, but he has never warmed to the idea.’ An involuntary smile brightened Bess’s face. ‘But, after spending time with Nancy, I think he might come round.’
‘Then will you ask him?’
‘I will, but--’ Bess saw the relief in Maeve’s eyes, but she had to ask, ‘What about Nancy? It’s all very well you and I talking about what’s best for her, but what does she want? Have you asked her? She missed you so much when you were in Ireland, she literally counted off the days.’
Maeve looked across the room to where the wall calendar hung above Bess’s desk, her eyes sparkling with tears. ‘She told me.’
Bess reached out and took hold of Maeve’s hands. ‘I’ll talk to Frank. I’m sure he’ll agree to Nancy staying with us again, while you’re in Ireland looking after your mother.’
Maeve looked questioningly into Bess eyes, as if she was searching for something. ‘What is it?’ Bess asked.
‘There are reasons why I might not be able to come back to England.’ Maeve took a deep breath, as if she was plucking up the courage to
