Coming Home to the Four Streets by Nadine Dorries (books that read to you .txt) 📗

‘I have no idea,’ said Eric, ‘but what or whoever it is, the entire pub is moving towards the door.’ Eric looked knowingly in the opposite direction, towards the back door. ‘I’m guessing that this would be a good time for anyone who wanted to, to leave and not be seen?’

His question hung on the air and Maggie made her decision in a heartbeat. She stood, and feeling like a woman she had never met before, said, ‘Can you pass my coat, please? It’s behind you.’

Eric, feeling like the man he had always wished he had been, picked up a bright green coat and said, ‘This one?’

Maggie nodded, and without another word he slipped the coat up her arms as she scanned the bar. No one had noticed them, all eyes were on the front; and with a glance between them which conveyed a lifetime of everything both needed to know, she walked towards the back door, holding her breath and hoping and praying that he had no last-minute fears or hesitation.

*

It was Harry who noticed the woman acting suspiciously in the entry ahead of them and both boys pressed themselves into the wall so that they could see what was happening.

‘Who is it?’ whispered Harry.

‘I don’t know,’ said Paddy and they watched as a man turned into the entry and crept around the corner after her, but not until he had looked up and down the street and all around. ‘It’s Mrs Trott,’ said little Paddy then, ‘but she never goes out anywhere. No, it can’t be. There’s a mister with her and Mrs Trott doesn’t have a Mr Trott, that’s why I get all the biscuits she makes.’ And then, to his total surprise, the couple stopped at Mrs Trott’s back gate. Paddy gasped and couldn’t help himself as he said out loud, ‘Harry! It is Mrs Trott, and she’s with Eric, the milky!’

*

‘Come here,’ said Eric as they reached the back gate and, reaching out, took hold of Maggie’s hand, relieved to find it was shaking as much as his own. ‘Maggie, are you sure about this?’ he asked.

Maggie made to answer then frowned and said, ‘Did you hear something then?’

Eric looked down the entry. ‘No. There’s no one there, it’s just the river rats come up the steps to the street because it’s getting cold down there.’

For a fleeting moment the diversion had dragged his thoughts to the dairy, to Gladys, to his marriage. Was there something? Was it Gladys? A cat howled and Maggie, looking up at Eric, smiled.

‘Yes, I’m sure,’ she said. ‘It’ll be that cat – and I’m as nervous as a kitten myself.’

His hand left hers and stroked her arm. ‘Are you sure you are sure?’

Maggie didn’t hesitate; hadn’t she been dreaming about this possibility for longer than she cared to remember? Wasn’t it this thought that kept driving her to confession? Her wicked thoughts were all here as one, standing before her in the form of this married man she had known for more than half of her life.

‘I’m sure, Eric. By tomorrow I’ll be another day older. I do think I need another drink though, do you? I’ve got a bottle of sherry in, no stout though, I’m afraid.’

Eric smiled and, bending, kissed her gently on the lips. He had never known a kiss like it. Her lips were soft and yielding and tasted warm and sweet. He just stopped himself from emitting a moan of appreciation. His hands slipped inside her new coat and wrapped around her and Maggie swayed in his arms as their lips met again. Eric pulled away.

‘We had better step indoors,’ he said as he glanced down the entry and, as he lifted the latch, guided her into her own yard.

At the sound of the gate closing, little Paddy opened his eyes which, revolted by what he had seen, had tightly closed the moment Eric bent to kiss Maggie.

‘Oh my giddy aunt,’ said Harry, in shock, ‘was that the milky kissing Mrs Trott?’

‘It was,’ said little Paddy. ‘Do you think we had better tell someone?’

‘I think we better had,’ said Harry. ‘It’s really changed around here and we haven’t even been gone that long.’

*

‘Tommy Doherty, is it really you?’ the assembled crowd shouted almost at once. ‘Are ye back for good? Will you be coming down the steps?’

One question after another hit Tommy like a volley of shots as, laughing, Jerry grabbed him and steered him through the crowd. ‘You couldn’t have picked a better night to come home for a visit,’ said Jerry, as he slapped Tommy on the back.

‘It’s no visit, Jer,’ said Tommy as he grinned up to the man who had been his closest friend since they were both new arrivals in Liverpool. ‘We’re home for good.’ Whilst Tommy bantered with the men and answered the questions, Jerry, being one of the tallest men on the four streets, scanned the pub in search of Captain Conor and located him standing close to the fire. He winked, indicating towards the back room and grabbed Tommy by the arm.

‘Come on, mate, Captain Conor is here, work to do, ’tis a proper welcome home we have for you.’

*

Maura walked in through Peggy’s back door and little Paddy’s face lit up. The worry of his mother missing and the excitement of his friend returning was all too much for him but he knew instinctively that whatever it was that was ailing his mother and making her cry so often, and wherever she was, could be cured by the joy of having her best friend back next door and that she would make it all better.

‘Mam, Mam, guess what we saw!’ said Harry.

‘The nasty woman won’t be moving into your house now will she, Auntie Maura?’ little Paddy asked her as she pulled the back door behind her.

‘No, they will not, Paddy.’ But she knew Tommy would need to get down to the docks the following morning and get