Fallen Women

by Lindsey Hutchinson

  ‘And what about you, Maisie?’ Ella asked.

  ‘If it’s all right with Ann, I wondered if Richard might oblige.’

  ‘I’m sure he would,’ Ann beamed her pleasure.

  ‘There’s always Constable Phillips,’ Patsy said with a grin.

  ‘No, for he’ll be wanting a new frock, so he will.’ Mary’s words sent them all into fits of giggles as each recalled the young policeman dressed as a woman.

  ‘Will Richard be going home now before the winter sets in proper?’ Maisie asked.

  ‘I expect so,’ Ann nodded, feeling sad. ‘He has to ensure his tenant farmers have all they need for winter feeding of the animals.’

  ‘Well, there’s no kids washed and no pigeons ’ome,’ Patsy said as she began to side the table.

  Knowing the phrase meant time was a’wasting and nothing was getting done, Ann smiled. This was just another thing she loved about living in the ‘Black Country’.

  While the Hall sisters opened the shop, Ann wrapped up against the cold and set out for the Bell Inn. Going by way of the High Bullen, Ann passed the Theatre Royal and smiled at the memory of seeing Richard there for the first time. Stepping gingerly onto the frost covered cobbles, she turned into Union Street. Her thoughts took her to the other person she had met that night – Victoria Beckett. Ann wondered what the girl was doing now she had no work. She also considered whether what was being said about Victoria killing her mother was true. Ann certainly felt the young woman was capable of it, especially after that night Victoria had threatened her with a knife.

  Feeling the cold wind bite her nose, Ann hurried on into Camp Street. As far as she was aware, no one now stood that street corner any longer. The girls down from Wolverhampton had moved to another area, saying Camp Street was a ghostly place. They were sure the spirits of the departed haunted the spot now.

  Coming to the Bell, Ann walked down the entry that led to the back of the inn. Reaching the door, she knocked loudly. A moment later it was opened by Gladys.

  ‘Get in so’s I can shut the bloody door!’ Gladys shivered at the blast of cold air.

  ‘Good morning to you too, Gladys,’ Ann mocked.

  ‘What do you want this early of a mornin’?’ Gladys asked as she nodded to the steaming teapot.

  Accepting the offer of tea, Ann smiled. ‘I’ve accepted Richard’s proposal and we are to be married in the spring.’

  A rare smile graced the older woman’s face, then in an instant it was gone again. ‘I’m right pleased for yer, gel.’

  ‘Thank you, Gladys.

  ‘Oh, by the way, Maisie and Inspector Towers are also to be wed. It came as a surprise to us all – including Maisie!’

  ‘Well, I’ll goo to the foot of our stairs!’ Gladys said, which clearly intoned her surprise too.

  ‘He proposed after their first evening out together,’ Ann went on, ‘I don’t think he had any intention of letting her get away.’

  ‘Smacks of desperation to me – but I’m pleased for Maisie,’ Gladys added quickly as she caught a sour look from Len.

  Ann ignored the remark as they continued to discuss the weddings.

  ‘I’ll need a new bonnet,’ Gladys said with a grin. ‘Hey, Ann, will yer make me a new frock for this ’ere weddin’?’

  Len retired to his bar, leaving the two women discussing designs and materials.

  An hour later, Ann left the inn in such high spirits she hardly noticed the cold wind whipping around her. With another order to fill, she knew they would all be busy during the winter months.

  So engrossed in her thoughts in fact was she that she didn’t see the young woman watching her. But Victoria Beckett had seen Ann as she wandered along Union Street.

  *

  Richard arrived and over afternoon tea later at the Albert Hotel he explained it was time to return home.

  ‘I must go, Ann; I cannot afford to be snowed in if the weather turns really bad.’

  ‘I understand, but I will miss you dreadfully,’ Ann replied sadly.

  ‘Come with me. We could spend a few months in Shropshire and come back here for the wedding, if you so wish.’

  Ann shook her head. ‘No, I have too much work on and my own gown to make. I must complete my orders, surely you can understand that.’ Seeing the look of disappointment cross his face, she went on, ‘Besides, you will be busy with your own preparations, as well as your farmers. I would feel quite neglected.’ Ann pouted, then grinned as he made to argue the point.

  ‘Oh, Ann, whatever will I do without you?’ Richard placed his hand on hers which lay on the table.

  ‘Absence makes the heart grow fonder, so you will do as I shall. We will engross ourselves in our work and pray for a short winter. Then we will be together again in the spring.’ Ann turned her hand over and squeezed his fingers.

  Releasing her, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny box. Passing it to her, he waited.

  Ann lifted the lid and nestled inside was a gold ring with two small diamonds set one atop the other in a cross-over design known as the ‘toi et moi’ – ‘you and me’ – ring. Gasping, her eyes lifted to Richard’s. ‘It’s beautiful!’ she whispered on a breath.

  Lifting the ring from its nesting place, she saw the stones glint in the light from the gas lamps.

  Richard held out his hand and Ann placed the ring on his palm.

  ‘May I?’ he asked as he picked up the ring.

  Ann smiled and held out her left hand.

  Richard slipped the gold band onto her finger then said, ‘There, now it’s formal.’

  Ann’s smile turned to a grin as she looked at the twinkling diamonds adorning her hand.

  ‘Thank you, Richard, I feel blessed.’

  Then, picking up their teacups, Richard made a toast. ‘To us.’

  ‘To us,’ Ann whispered as she clinked her cup to his.

  *

  Victoria scowled while heading for Spring Head. She was on her way to The Beeches to deal with Iris when she had come upon the Felton girl.

  She will have to wait, I need to see to that blasted blabbermouthed maid first!

  Her father would have left for the bank by the time she arrived, and so the way would be clear to reprimand Iris for speaking to the police. Victoria had expressly forbidden the girl to mention her visit to anyone, and yet Iris had ignored the threat. Well, now it was time to let the blasted girl see the consequence of her actions.

  Striding purposefully up to the front door, Victoria rapped the knocker soundly. Tapping her foot impatiently, she waited before repeating the process.

  ‘Who’s there?’ a timid voice called out.

  Victoria frowned but kept her silence. Iris obviously had been told to open the door to no one. An evil smile crept over Victoria’s face as she hammered the knocker again relentlessly.

  ‘Who is it? What do you want?’

  Her temper was rising now, but still Victoria held her tongue. Eventually curiosity would get the better of the maid and she would open the door.

  Proving her correct, the front door opened an inch. It was all that was needed. Victoria rammed her shoulder against the wood and stepped inside. She saw the horror etched on the maid’s face as she backed away. Victoria kicked the door closed behind her.

  Iris’s hand flew to her mouth as she stepped further from the irate woman now confronting her.

  ‘I warned you, Iris, didn’t I? I said not to speak to anyone of my visit to my mother, but you didn’t listen.’ Victoria moved forward menacingly, forcing the maid to step backwards into the hallway.

  ‘I – I didn’t!’ Iris’s voice echoed around the large foyer.

  ‘Oh, but you did! You told that inspector I’d been here!’ Victoria rasped. Then, quick as lightning, she was on the girl, raining down blows, causing Iris to yell out.

  Turning her body to avoid the onslaught, Iris tried to scramble to the front door. ‘Miss – please Miss…’ The young girl’s voice rang out as she begged for mercy.


  Victoria was so incensed now that she heard nothing but her own blood rushing through her veins. On and on she beat the maid, her anger mounting with each slap.

  Iris screamed as she crumpled to the floor, her arms covering her head. She felt the boot connect with her hip and she screamed again. Then suddenly the hurt stopped.

  Victoria stood staring down at the maid when she felt the sharp blow to the back of her head. She saw tiny twinkling lights as a loud clang reverberated around the hallway. Her hearing became muffled and her knees began to give way. Blackness enfolded her and she felt nothing more as she collapsed to the floor.

  Iris looked up to see the cook standing with a frying pan raised in readiness to deliver a second blow. However, one had been sufficient to bring Victoria Beckett down.

  ‘Right, let’s get this bugger to the kitchen,’ Mrs Newton said. ‘Iris, come on, girl, help me!’

  Between them, they quickly dragged Victoria to the kitchen and hauled her onto a wooden chair.

  ‘Find summat to tie her up with!’ the cook said, glancing around her. ‘Oh, for God’s sake! Scullery – rope!’ the cook shouted as she held the unconscious girl in place on the chair.

  In a trice, Iris was back with a short coil of rope kept for any eventuality which might call for it. The women worked fast, binding Victoria to the chair securely.

  Satisfied, the cook pressed a silver sixpence into the maid’s hand. ‘Tek this tanner. Get a cab to the police station and fetch that copper back ’ere with yer! Quick as yer can!’

  Iris nodded and fled the kitchen, the money clutched tightly in her hand.

  Thirty-Nine

  Inspector Jack Towers and Constable Phillips followed Iris to the servants’ entrance at the back of The Beeches. They could hear raised voices as they approached, but when they entered the shouting ceased.

  ‘Oh, Inspector, thank goodness you are here! These women attacked me and bound me to this chair – you have to arrest them!’ Victoria whined. She had awoken to her plight and determined she would be the first to speak when the police arrived. She had been informed by the cook that Iris had been despatched to fetch them and Victoria had quickly formulated her reasons for being there in the first place.

  ‘That’s a bloody lie!’ Mrs Newton remonstrated.

  ‘Now then, let’s all just calm down, shall we?’ Towers rubbed his belly as his ulcer burned. ‘Constable, release Miss Beckett if you would, please. Until we have investigated further, we can’t leave her restrained like this.’

  ‘You do and yer’ll feel this!’ The cook raised the frying pan in a threatening gesture.

  ‘Put the pan down please, madam,’ Jack said.

  ‘Freda, Freda Newman,’ the cook said as she placed the pan on the large scrubbed table.

  ‘I d’aint know you was called Freda,’ Iris said in all innocence.

  ‘Ar well, yer do now. So, Inspector, what’s going to ’appen with this one?’ Freda tilted her head to the still bound Victoria.

  ‘Firstly, we need to know what’s happened here, so we’ll take a statement from each of you,’ Jack responded as he nodded to the constable.

  Victoria’s bonds were finally released and she sat demurely as accounts of the incident were given by cook and maid. Then it was her turn.

  ‘I merely came back to collect some more of my clothes, Inspector; those I couldn’t carry when I – left home.’ The cook snorted at the lie and Victoria shot her a withering glance. ‘No sooner I was through the door than that woman hit me, knocking me out. I want her arrested for assault!’

  ‘Miss Beckett, you’ve heard what Iris said about you assaulting her first, and judging by that bruising beginning to show, I’m inclined to believe her,’ Jack said.

  ‘Inspector, you can’t be serious surely! Why would I do such a thing? I simply cannot believe my ears!’ Victoria went on the attack. ‘Now, if you don’t mind, I will go about my business whilst you deal with those two!’ Victoria got to her feet, but it was Freda who pushed her back onto the chair.

  ‘Now, you just shut yer clack and listen to me, madam! I saw you beating Iris; I witnessed you kick her! I ain’t sure if you did for yer mother, but I wouldn’t put it past yer. I’m guessing you pinched her baubles an’ all – where did you sell ’em eh? You’re a bloody disgrace to yer father and should, in my humble opinion, be locked up!’

  Victoria’s mouth dropped open at the servant’s acrimonious outburst. Then, ‘How dare you speak to me in that manner? A servant should not speak to her mistress that way!’

  ‘You ain’t my mistress!’ Freda shot back. ‘’Er was done away with!’

  Jack exchanged a glance with the constable, who rolled his eyes and sighed. ‘Ladies!’ Jack yelled in an attempt to restore order to the kitchen. As the women stopped short, Jack went on, ‘Constable, arrest that woman!’

  *

  Whilst Jack Towers was endeavouring to deal with Victoria’s truculent behaviour, his very new fiancée Maisie was working at the drapery with Ann.

  ‘I’m still in shock that the inspector proposed after your one evening out; it must have been a very special time,’ Ann said.

  ‘It took me by surprise an’ all,’ Maisie answered.

  ‘Sure did you have no idea?’ Mary asked.

  ‘Not really, well you wouldn’t would you – after one outing. Oh, we chatted about marriage, you know, and he said he was lonely, but he never thought he would wed because of his job. He didn’t think any woman would put up with his being a bobby.’ Maisie smiled as she recalled the evening.

  ‘It don’t matter what his job is if you’m in love,’ Patsy added.

  ‘Are you? In love, I mean,’ Ann asked.

  Maisie sighed heavily. ‘I could come to love him. I do like him – a lot, and let’s face it who else would marry me knowing what my work used to be?’

  A silence descended as all knew Maisie was right in what she said. They had all harboured this same thought, but it had never been voiced until now. Then Maisie spoke again. ‘Men don’t mind visiting the street corner, but nobody wants a prosy for a wife. Jack is kind, he’ll be loving ’cos he’ll be grateful not to live alone any more. I really think we will make it work. We’re like two lost souls on the sea of life – we’ll be a safety raft for each other.’

  Ann’s throat constricted at the beautiful analogy.

  ‘Well, if Len and Gladys can, then you’ll have no trouble, to be sure,’ Mary laughed.

  ‘I think he genuinely cares for you, Maisie,’ Ann added. ‘He never takes his eyes off you.’

  ‘Sure, I noticed that too. It will be woe betide anyone who so much as looks at you in the wrong way,’ Mary said as she tidied the large table of its pins and needles.

  As they continued to chat, Ann explained she was having an afternoon outing with Richard, although where they would go she had no idea. Maybe they would go boating on Brunswick Park lake. She left them to their work in order to make herself presentable.

  *

  Whilst Ann had been preparing for her afternoon out, Constable Phillips had arrested and handcuffed Victoria as directed by his superior.

  Inspector Towers hailed a cab and he, the constable and the woman in question boarded, bound for the police station. At last, Victoria Beckett was in custody and Jack now had to work quickly.

  As the cab rumbled along the street, Victoria wailed her innocence, but Towers ignored her. He was intent on finding a way to show, either by evidence or argument, that Victoria was a thief and a murderer.

  Once at the station, the still railing girl was released from the handcuffs and locked in a cell.

  Making his way to his office, Jack called out, ‘Any news on that jewellery, lads?’

  ‘No, sir,’ a chorus of voices came back.

  ‘Right then, spread the search. Check with jewellers and pawnbrokers in Darlaston, Bilston and Birmingham to begin with. And, boys, make it snappy. I need that jewellery as evidence as soon as possible, otherwise we could have no
case.’

  A flurry of activity ensued and Towers nodded his approval.

  ‘Phillips,’ Jack yelled as he entered his office.

  The constable rushed to answer the call. ‘Sir?’

  ‘I have an errand to run, but I want you to go over the paperwork for Beckett. See if there’s anything we might have missed.’

  ‘Yes, sir,’ Phillips said as he sped away.

  Towers left the office. He was on a mission of his own – he was in search of just the right engagement ring for Maisie.

  That evening over dinner at a small café, Maisie Bancroft glanced again at the garnet ring on her finger.

  ‘Do you like it – I had to guess the size,’ Jack said.

  ‘I love it!’ his fiancée gushed.

  Jack sighed loudly with pure relief that he had chosen well.

  ‘At some point you’ll have to see my house as that’s where you’ll be living once we’re married,’ Jack went on. ‘I daresay there will be things you’ll want to change.’

  ‘How would you feel about that, Jack?’

  ‘I don’t mind. It needs a woman’s touch, there ain’t no doubt about that. I have a bit of money put by, so you can spend what you want – within reason of course.’

  ‘We’ll see when the time comes,’ Maisie grinned at the man she was choosing to spend the rest of her life with.

  ‘You know I’m gonna to continue to work,’ Maisie said. She saw the surprised look on Jack’s face and smiled. ‘At the drapery, lovey.’

  Jack sighed with relief and grinned. ‘That’s fine with me sweet’eart.’

  Yes, she thought, I could definitely come to love you, Jack Towers.

  Forty

  Victoria Beckett now sat on the small bed in the cell. She had spent hours fuming and her hostility showed clearly when she was brought a meal. The tray had been laid on the end of the bed, then she had been left alone again. A plate of stew, a chunk of bread and a cup of tea was what she’d been served. No sooner had the door closed behind the retreating officer than the tray was flung against it. ‘I refuse to eat that muck!’ she had yelled.