A Woman’s Fortune. Josephine Cox

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       CHAPTER THREE

      ‘It’s here,’ said Peter, who had been looking out of the front window for Fergus Sullivan’s van.

      It was four o’clock on Sunday morning, the summer daylight pale. To the Carters, the air felt unusually clear. All the previous day they had packed their belongings, choosing carefully what was essential and what could be left behind. Even some of the furniture was to remain here because, as Sue reminded her family, the van would need to be loaded as fast and as quietly as they could do it so they could make their escape.

      ‘Escape’ – as if from a prison, Jeanie thought. As if staying here would be a punishment instead of the life she had made for herself and her family. She was finding it difficult to be civil to Michael even now, though she’d tried to encourage her children to pack up their belongings and clothes with light hearts and a sense of adventure. Evie and Peter were old enough to pretend they were excited for Robert’s sake, but as Robert was not a naturally light-hearted child anyway they soon abandoned this pretence.

      Evie was in charge of extracting suitcases from under beds and she helped Robert to fold his clothes into one of them. There was so much to do in so little time, and keeping busy helped prevent her from becoming more upset. She knew Mum and Grandma Sue were furious about the move but it was no good stoking the flames of their anger with her own.

      Peter had been very quiet since the decision to go had been made. He’d packed a duffel bag with his few treasured possessions, and silently helped bring items downstairs until the front room was full of boxes, cases and bagged-up bits and pieces, mainly chosen by his mother.

      Sue, with Evie’s help, had been busy finishing the washing. Luckily, it was the end of the week, so they weren’t due to take in any new bundles. All that remained was collected by the owners, who came to the back door, so there was no need to hide the evidence of the approaching early morning flit piled high in the front room. It was an uncomfortable lie to call a cheerful ‘See you next week’ to loyal customers, but there was no alternative.

      Now, as a large dirty white van pulled up in front of the house, it was time to move. Evie had imagined a huge removal lorry but this was half the size and had no name painted on the side.

      Fergus was let in through the front door and greeted Michael, Jeanie and Sue with a friendly handshake and a smile.

      ‘Right, let’s be having you,’ he said, speaking softly so as not to disturb the quiet of the sleeping street. ‘Beds first and we’ll see what else we’ve got room for after that.’

      ‘What! I’m hoping to take the settee and the chairs and table, at least,’ said Jeanie. ‘And the mangle has to go.’ She was realising it was the size of the van that would dictate what went with them and what was left, not the speed of loading it.

      ‘I’ll do what I can, Mrs Carter, don’t you worry,’ beamed Fergus.

      During the next hour it became clear to Evie that this was his answer to everything, and his smile never faded.

      Brendan came over to help and the men began to load the heavy items while Sue supervised them and ticked items off her list. Evie packed up some smaller things that they’d needed the previous day, and Jeanie got weepy and wrung her hands.

      As Evie was wrapping the last of the crockery in newspaper, being extra careful with Grandma Sue’s precious cup and saucer, there was a tap at the back door and Billy let himself into the kitchen.

      ‘Hello, Evie. Let me take that box through to the front,’ he said quietly, coming over and giving her a hug. ‘You all right?’

      ‘Oh, Billy, thank you for coming to help. I’m that glad to see you.’

      ‘Now don’t get upset. You know why this has to be done.’

      ‘We’re going away from everything and everybody that we know and care for.’ Her heart felt as if it was going to burst.

      ‘You’ve still got all your family around you. That’s what your grandma always says, isn’t it: it’s family that’s important. As long you have each other, nothing else matters.’