just finished my round for the day. Been up since cockcrow.’
‘So have we,’ Evie smiled. ‘Best bit of the day, first thing.’
‘I’ll take the trolley home and you can join us in a minute, Evie,’ suggested Sue, fully aware that her granddaughter and Billy had a special fondness for each other.
Evie had never been so glad to have a few moments alone with Billy. All the way home the worry about her father’s debt had festered and she couldn’t keep it to herself any longer. Billy was so wise and, not being family, he might be able to see straight what needed to be done.
Evie perched on the low wall at the side of the end house and Billy sat next to her, putting his empty bag down at his feet.
‘What’s up, Evie? You look like something’s fretting you.’
‘Oh, Billy,’ her brown eyes filled with tears, ‘it’s a family thing really but I don’t want to worry Mum and Grandma unless I have to. Trouble is, it’s too big. I don’t think I can deal with it on my own.’
‘Is it your dad?’ Billy knew Michael Carter had a reputation for being feckless but then a lot of men round here put their beer and their bets before their families. ‘What’s he done that’s so bad you can’t even tell your mum and grandma?’ He’d heard Michael had been placing some heavier bets lately, more than just the odd shilling. He hoped it hadn’t got out of hand.
Evie told Billy about the creepy man sent by Mr Hopkins and what she’d heard in the night.
‘Oh, Evie, Hopkins is bad news,’ said Billy, lowering his voice. ‘He runs a card game. I’ve heard all sorts about it: that it’s held upstairs at the King’s Head. It sounds as if your dad’s been playing cards there and has run up this debt.’
‘Cards? Are you sure? Not horses or dogs? What do you think’s going to happen, Billy?’
Billy thought better of telling Evie everything he’d heard about Mr Hopkins. ‘Let me think … Hopkins will want to get the money off your dad if he can. Maybe your dad can agree to pay it back a bit at a time.’
‘But it’s pounds already. That might mean it’s never paid off!’ Evie was indignant.
‘I don’t see that he’s any choice if he can’t pay it all. He has to take responsibility, love.’
‘But I’m afraid if I tell Dad all this he’ll take no notice of me. He never likes to face up to problems and I’m sure he’d rather carry on as usual at the pub and betting on the races than pay what he owes Mr Hopkins. And I don’t want Mum and Grandma to be scrimping and doing without because of what Dad owes, Billy. They’ve been working so hard and Mum’s getting all worn out, and Grandma’s feet are so swollen in the heat and she’s bone-tired. She should be sitting down in a comfy chair and drinking tea like that nice Mrs Russell, not working to keep Dad in beer and card games.’ Evie felt hot, angry tears springing to her eyes.
Billy put his arm around her shoulders and drew her to him, wrapping her in his comforting embrace.
‘Do you want me to talk to your dad?’ he asked after a minute in which Evie’s tears subsided as he hugged her against his jacket.
Dad might take some notice of Billy, who was older than she, and a man, of course, but she felt the responsibility for her family should be hers.
‘Shall we both talk to him?’ she suggested. ‘I think he’ll listen to you but it was me that found all this out, and he is my dad, after all.’
Billy stood up and took her hand. ‘I’ll come round this evening after he’s had his tea and we’ll say our piece then, all right?’
‘Thank you,’ said Evie, giving Billy a hug. ‘I’ll see you later.’
Billy kissed the top of her head, then let her go. As he took up his bag to go back to the depot, he watched Evie walking back to her house halfway along Shenty Street. Before she disappeared down the passage she turned to wave with a little smile and Billy felt his heart lift.
He retrieved his bicycle from where he’d chained it to a lamp post, worried about Evie’s future.
Mr Hopkins had a reputation as a bully and there were some nasty stories about him. Billy didn’t want anything violent to happen to Michael Carter. He was Evie’s dad, and Evie’s happiness was very close to Billy’s heart. She was a hard worker and everything she did was to help her family, even giving up school, for all she loved it, to help her grandmother with the washing business.
As he cycled back to the mail depot, Billy resolved to help Evie in whatever way he could. She was an angel and he would never let her down.
Evie met Harold Pyke from down the road at the back of her house as he was leaving.
‘What did Mr Pyke want?’ she said, going into the scullery.
‘He brought us some peas from his allotment. Says they’re the first of the season,’ Jeanie said.
Sue was wringing out some garments from the dolly tub and putting them in a large bucket, her hands red-raw from the morning’s work. She winked at Evie and looked sideways at Jeanie, who was poking stray curls back under her turban with a damp hand.
‘Just an excuse to come round and admire you in your pinny, if you ask me,’ laughed Sue.
‘Go on with you. He was only being kind,’ said Jeanie, though she looked pleased.
‘It wouldn’t be the first time Harold Pyke’s come round offering veg,’ said Sue. ‘You want to be careful, our Jeanie. He’ll be asking for something in return before long.’
‘Well, what a thing to say!’
‘Don’t encourage him, then, lass.’
‘I can’t help it if the fella’s taken a shine to me,’ Jeanie gave a comical but telling little grin.
‘Not just that fella, either,’ said Sue. ‘I’m not surprised he’s bringing round peas, the way you’ve been tossing your hair around. It’s nice to have the peas and that, but be careful not to fascinate him with your smiles and tossing your curls around.’
‘How can I toss my hair when I’m wearing a scarf?’
‘It’s what you were doing, turban or no turban. And, as I say, there are others, too. That Derek Knowles, for instance. And Patrick Finlay from round the corner. We’re not doing their washing for nowt but a cabbage and a bit of flirting.’
‘I’m a happily married woman and I’m certainly not labouring over a hot copper for a cabbage or a bag of peas, so don’t you worry.’
‘So long as you’ve got that straight,’ said Sue. ‘Now, our Evie, what’s Billy’s news?’
‘He’s coming round later, after tea.’
‘He’s always
