Overgate once again.
‘You can have your tea with Grandad and me, Ann.’
I was exhausted and I realised I hadn’t eaten since my sandwich at dinnertime. When we arrived back at the house I was glad to see that Bella had departed.
‘Away you go upstairs and play with your pal – she’s expecting you,’ Granny said to Lily.
After she left the room, I turned to her. ‘There’s something far wrong with Lily. She never used to be so clingy as this, Granny.’
She agreed. ‘I think she’s had a fright of some kind. Leave it with me, Ann, and I’ll try and sort it out.’
Granny, Grandad and I sat down to our meal. I was starving and tired and, to my dismay, I noticed the rain battering against the window. I would get another soaking on my way home.
Granny wanted me to stay. ‘You can make up the ‘shaky doon’ on the floor, Ann. It’s not that comfy but it’ll do for one night.’
Much as I hated the thought of going out in the cold rain, I declined the invitation. As I headed homewards, I made a mental promise never to be late at the school gate again. Whatever was bothering Lily seemed to hinge on her security but I couldn’t think what had brought about this deep worry of being abandoned. Dad wasn’t at home when I arrived so I finished off my chores and went straight to bed.
The next morning Connie was agog at the abdication speech. ‘Did you listen to it, Ann?’
I felt stricken. What with all the trouble with Lily, it had gone clean out of my mind. ‘No, Connie, I forgot about it.’
She looked at me as if I had taken leave of my senses. ‘Forgot about it? How could you forget about it?’
‘It’s a long story, Connie, and I don’t have time to tell you about it but tell me what he said.’
Connie looked dewy-eyed. ‘Och, Ann, he told the world that he couldn’t be king without the support of the woman he loves. It was so romantic that I was nearly in tears.’
‘It must have made Wallis Simpson feel loved and wanted to hear a man tell millions of folk that he’s given up a kingdom and an empire for love,’ I said.
Then the three girls from Hillside mills arrived. Sylvia was also dewy-eyed. ‘Did you hear the King last night, Ann?’
Before I could answer, Connie butted in. ‘No, she didn’t. She was busy.’
Edith was astonished. ‘Busy? You mean too busy to listen to the speech?’
I was getting a bit fed up by this now but I was also angry with myself for missing it. I had followed the story so avidly when it had finally burst on to the newspapers’ front pages.
Amy said, ‘Just give us our usual, Ann.’ She turned to her companions. ‘Well, that lets us off the hook. He’ll not need a wife now that he’s in love with Wallis Simpson. Just imagine – this will be her third marriage. Some women have all the luck!’
Connie said cheerfully, ‘That’s what I said to Ann.’
‘Aye,’ said Sylvia, ‘here’s us lot – five women and not a bloke between us.’
They all laughed as Connie shouted after them, ‘How do you know that I’ve not got a bloke tucked away someplace? I’ve had my moments I can tell you young things.’
‘Was that at the beginning of the century, Connie?’ said a voice floating in through the open door.
The entire morning was filled with gossip about the King’s speech. Everyone who came into the shop had heard it and it appeared that I was the only person in the country to have missed it.
During a rare quiet moment that morning, I thought what a strange year it had been. It began with one king’s death and ended with another king’s abdication. And the year wasn’t quite over yet. I wondered what other dramas might lie in store.
Imagine a king giving up his throne, his country and his empire for the sake of the woman he loved. Who, without her support, couldn’t carry on with the heavy responsibility of duty. Would Greg give up his job in Glasgow for me? And another thought; would Dad give up everything for a woman he
‘You can have your tea with Grandad and me, Ann.’
I was exhausted and I realised I hadn’t eaten since my sandwich at dinnertime. When we arrived back at the house I was glad to see that Bella had departed.
‘Away you go upstairs and play with your pal – she’s expecting you,’ Granny said to Lily.
After she left the room, I turned to her. ‘There’s something far wrong with Lily. She never used to be so clingy as this, Granny.’
She agreed. ‘I think she’s had a fright of some kind. Leave it with me, Ann, and I’ll try and sort it out.’
Granny, Grandad and I sat down to our meal. I was starving and tired and, to my dismay, I noticed the rain battering against the window. I would get another soaking on my way home.
Granny wanted me to stay. ‘You can make up the ‘shaky doon’ on the floor, Ann. It’s not that comfy but it’ll do for one night.’
Much as I hated the thought of going out in the cold rain, I declined the invitation. As I headed homewards, I made a mental promise never to be late at the school gate again. Whatever was bothering Lily seemed to hinge on her security but I couldn’t think what had brought about this deep worry of being abandoned. Dad wasn’t at home when I arrived so I finished off my chores and went straight to bed.
The next morning Connie was agog at the abdication speech. ‘Did you listen to it, Ann?’
I felt stricken. What with all the trouble with Lily, it had gone clean out of my mind. ‘No, Connie, I forgot about it.’
She looked at me as if I had taken leave of my senses. ‘Forgot about it? How could you forget about it?’
‘It’s a long story, Connie, and I don’t have time to tell you about it but tell me what he said.’
Connie looked dewy-eyed. ‘Och, Ann, he told the world that he couldn’t be king without the support of the woman he loves. It was so romantic that I was nearly in tears.’
‘It must have made Wallis Simpson feel loved and wanted to hear a man tell millions of folk that he’s given up a kingdom and an empire for love,’ I said.
Then the three girls from Hillside mills arrived. Sylvia was also dewy-eyed. ‘Did you hear the King last night, Ann?’
Before I could answer, Connie butted in. ‘No, she didn’t. She was busy.’
Edith was astonished. ‘Busy? You mean too busy to listen to the speech?’
I was getting a bit fed up by this now but I was also angry with myself for missing it. I had followed the story so avidly when it had finally burst on to the newspapers’ front pages.
Amy said, ‘Just give us our usual, Ann.’ She turned to her companions. ‘Well, that lets us off the hook. He’ll not need a wife now that he’s in love with Wallis Simpson. Just imagine – this will be her third marriage. Some women have all the luck!’
Connie said cheerfully, ‘That’s what I said to Ann.’
‘Aye,’ said Sylvia, ‘here’s us lot – five women and not a bloke between us.’
They all laughed as Connie shouted after them, ‘How do you know that I’ve not got a bloke tucked away someplace? I’ve had my moments I can tell you young things.’
‘Was that at the beginning of the century, Connie?’ said a voice floating in through the open door.
The entire morning was filled with gossip about the King’s speech. Everyone who came into the shop had heard it and it appeared that I was the only person in the country to have missed it.
During a rare quiet moment that morning, I thought what a strange year it had been. It began with one king’s death and ended with another king’s abdication. And the year wasn’t quite over yet. I wondered what other dramas might lie in store.
Imagine a king giving up his throne, his country and his empire for the sake of the woman he loved. Who, without her support, couldn’t carry on with the heavy responsibility of duty. Would Greg give up his job in Glasgow for me? And another thought; would Dad give up everything for a woman he
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