Fallen Women

by Lindsey Hutchinson

  Inspector Towers was not at liberty to discuss the ongoing Beckett case, despite being a frequent visitor to the shop to see Maisie. However, the newspapers kept everyone abreast of the details as much as was possible. Miss Beckett had attended quarter sessions and in two days’ time would be up before the assizes. Her father, Mr William Beckett, eminent Bank Manager, would, once again, be in attendance.

  Ann was sorely tempted to sit in the public gallery to hear the case and its outcome. If Victoria Beckett were to be released due to lack of evidence or some other technicality, then Ann needed to know. Coming to a decision, Ann determined she would attend the hearing.

  That evening, Jack arrived at the shop as usual, but this time in the capacity of inspector. Explaining about the court case, he ended with, ‘I must ask you to attend as a witness.’

  ‘Inspector, I’m not sure…’ Ann began.

  ‘I’m afraid you have no choice in the matter, Ann. Victoria Beckett made an attempt on your life and as such the judge must be made aware of that fact.’

  Ann could see the sense of it, but being summoned to court did not sit well with her. It would be a frightening experience having to stand up in front of a judge and give her statement; it was a daunting prospect. ‘In that case, of course I will attend,’ she said eventually.

  ‘I will collect you myself in a cab at nine o’clock sharp and bring you home afterwards,’ Jack assured her.

  The following day, Ann did her work like an automaton, her mind on attending the assizes. However, she had faith the legal system would get to the heart of the matter

  Ann slept badly that night, her dreams being full of Victoria Beckett being hauled away to jail still screaming she was innocent. Rising early, Ann lit the fire in the kitchen and made tea.

  ‘Bad night?’ Maisie asked as she entered the kitchen, going straight to the fire to warm herself.

  Ann nodded and poured her friend a cup of steaming hot tea.

  Accepting the cup, Maisie went on, ‘Don’t worry, Jack will look after you.’

  ‘I know that, Maisie, it’s just – I can’t imagine what it will be like for Victoria.’

  ‘Then don’t try.’ Maisie sat at the table with her friend. ‘Look at it this way, if Victoria Beckett is found guilty, then she should pay the price, don’t you think?’

  ‘Yes, I suppose so, but I don’t want to be the one who sends her to jail for the rest of her life!’ Ann was becoming agitated.

  ‘Between you, me and the bedpost, Jack said as you ain’t the only witness. They’ve called Mr Beckett’s maid and cook and some bloke from Birmingham.’

  ‘Oh, I didn’t know that,’ Ann said, feeling a tad better.

  ‘And you still don’t! Jack told me in the strictest confidence, so you be sure not to drop me in the sh— doo-doo!’

  Ann grinned. ‘Thanks, Maisie, although I’ll be glad when today is over.’

  As promised, Ann was collected precisely on time. The carriage rumbled over the cobbles and Jack patted Ann’s hand. ‘You’ll be all right, just answer the questions truthfully. Besides, there will be other witnesses, so you won’t be on yer own.’

  ‘Thank you, Jack. I am nervous, I have to admit. I’ve never been to court before,’ Ann said timidly.

  ‘It’s nothing to worry about, you’ll see.’ Jack gave another pat to Ann’s hand.

  Arriving at the courthouse, Ann was shown into a room where a man and two other women waited – the other witnesses evidently. Ann took a seat and smiled at the women. The younger she thought to be the maid; the older the cook. She couldn’t fathom who the man was or how he was connected to the case.

  As the morning wore on, each person was called in turn until at last it was Ann’s turn. She was shown into the courtroom, where the judge, decked out in black gown and a wig, sat at the bench. After an hour or so of answering questions with constant interruptions from Victoria shouting and protesting, the judge banged his gavel down yet again.

  ‘Miss Beckett! If I have to warn you one more time, you will be escorted from this room and held in a cell until the proceedings reach a close. Now be quiet!’

  Ann watched the girl harrumph before the questioning began again. At last, Ann was given leave to sit at the back of the court with the other witnesses.

  William Beckett stood and requested to be allowed to speak on his daughter’s behalf. It was as the judge nodded and William moved to take the stand that all hell broke loose.

  Victoria jumped to her feet with a screech. ‘I don’t need you to speak for me – Father! You wouldn’t help me after you threw me out of the house and neither would Mother!’

  ‘Miss Beckett!’ the judge yelled, banging down his gavel several times.

  ‘Oh, shut up!’ Victoria directed her words at the astonished judge. ‘This man,’ she pointed to her father, ‘gave me nothing, so I took what was rightfully mine! That jewellery was due to me and so was his money! As for my mother – she deserved everything she got!’ Victoria was in a seething, white hot temper now.

  ‘Are you telling me that you did, in fact, murder your mother?’ the judge shouted over the noise of the people’s loud murmurings.

  ‘Yes, and I’d do it again! The woman was a mewling subservient!’

  The gavel sounded again and again, calling the court to order. Slowly quiet descended.

  Victoria, finally realising what she’d said, dropped into her chair.

  ‘From her own lips, members of the court, ladies and gentlemen. Victoria Beckett, by your own admission of committing murder, it is the judgement of this court that you be taken to a place of incarceration where you will stay for the remainder of your life!’ The gavel came down as a full stop to his words and the judge rose and walked swiftly from the room, his black gown flowing behind him like a raven’s wings.

  Ann watched as Victoria was dragged from the room, screaming and yelling. Feeling a shudder rack her body, Ann went cold. Her dream had come true.

  Jack ushered Ann into the waiting cab and closed the door against the newspaper reporters who were scrambling for a statement. She saw William Beckett exit; he was wiping away his tears, and wondered if he would ever escape the opprobrium of Victoria’s actions. Ann very much doubted it.

  The cab jostled its way through the crowds and, at length, Ann asked, ‘Who was the male witness?’

  ‘He was the manager of the Abyssinian Gold Company in Birmingham, where Victoria sold her mother’s jewellery. It was Constable Phillips who discovered it. The women were the maid and cook from The Beeches – Mr Beckett’s home. Victoria was beating Iris, the maid, when the cook stepped in and knocked her unconscious. That’s how we got Victoria in the end – for assault, but that bad tempered outburst just now sealed her fate.’

  ‘I can’t help feeling sorry for her though,’ Ann’s words were hardly more than a whisper.

  ‘I understand, but she won’t be at large to hurt anyone else. It will be hard, but you have to try and put it from your mind now. Thank you, Ann, for your testimony.’

  Ann nodded and they lapsed into silence for the rest of the journey.

  Maisie and the others were waiting when the cab pulled up outside the shop.

  Helping Ann from the carriage, Jack spoke to his betrothed quietly, ‘Look after her, love, she’s had a hard time of it. I daresay she’ll tell you all about it, but I have to get back to the station. I’ll see you tonight.’ Giving Maisie a kiss on the cheek, Jack climbed back into the cab and it rolled away.

  The girls ushered Ann into the shop and on into the kitchen, where Patsy set the kettle to boil. Mary cut slices of cake and Ella and Eve elected to shut up shop for an hour; they wanted to hear the tale too.

  Ann related everything that had taken place to her friends, who sat in awestruck silence throughout.

  ‘Bloody hell!’ Patsy exclaimed.

  ‘To be sure, the girl got what she deserved,’ Mary added.

  ‘I keep wondering what it must be like living the rest of your life in ja
il,’ Ann murmured.

  ‘Well, you ain’t never gonna find out, so best if you put it behind you,’ Ella said.

  ‘Right, I’ve got some liver and onions for our meal, so, Mary, get them taters peeled,’ Patsy said, changing the subject in the hope of snapping Ann from her morose mood. ‘You two had best get the shop open again an’ all.’ She waved a hand in the direction of the Hall sisters.

  Maisie continued to sit with Ann and held her hand, saying softly, ‘It’s all over, gel. What we have to concentrate on now is our weddings. I want to get Jack down the aisle afore he changes his bloody mind!’

  Suddenly Ann burst out laughing and threw her arms around her friend. ‘Thank you, Maisie, you always could cheer me up. Do you realise how far we’ve all come together? I’m so lucky to have you girls as my friends.’

  Everyone then shared a smile before going about their business, each feeling the gratitude of their lives changing the day they met Ann Felton.

  Forty-Three

  Whilst Ann was regaling her companions with the events of the court, across town at the police station Jack Towers was doing the same. Applause and whistles sounded when he had finished speaking.

  ‘It’s another job well done, lads, and my thanks go to every one of you. We’ve put another murderer behind bars. Let’s just hope we get no more for a very long time. Right, what’s next?’

  ‘House broken into up at Spring Head, sir,’ Constable Phillips said as he followed Jack into his office.

  ‘Shut the door please,’ the inspector instructed.

  Phillips did as he was bid.

  Jack nodded and opened the drawer to his desk. Taking out a paper, he handed it to the younger man. ‘Well deserved, my boy!’

  Opening the letter, the constable gasped. It was a letter informing him of his promotion to the rank of sergeant.

  ‘Thank you, sir,’ he said with a tear in his eye.

  ‘Go and tell the others and, Phillips, enjoy it,’ Jack said, nodding towards the door.

  He watched his new sergeant waving the letter in the air and heard the good natured comments and applause yet again.

  Jack was pleased Phillips had been made up to sergeant. How could he not have been after Jack’s glowing report and recommendation? The lad had gone above and beyond his duty, particularly with the prostitute murderer. He smiled as he heard someone shout, ‘New frock to celebrate, Philomena?’ His smile turned to quiet laughter as he watched Phillips mince across the room and playfully tap his letter on the man’s arm. The whole room erupted as Phillips sauntered back to his desk, kissing his beloved letter.

  The following morning, Jack rose from his warm bed and shivered as he quickly dressed. Downstairs in the kitchen, he looked at the cold range and shook his head. ‘Bugger it, I’ll get a cuppa at the station,’ he muttered aloud.

  Donning his outdoor coat, he walked briskly towards his place of work. He would be there just long enough to down a hot cup of tea and inform his new sergeant he would be out for a few hours.

  The tea had warmed him and Jack now stood outside the station. He gazed up at the blue lamp affixed to the wall. Introduced in 1861, these now adorned every police station in the country and he felt pride swell in him. Hailing a cab, he called out the address to the driver before alighting. Jack Towers was going to Stafford Gaol.

  As the cab made the perilous journey over ice covered cobblestone roads, Jack looked out of the window at the snowdrifts. The people and traffic had cleared the roadways, pushing the now dirty piles onto the footpaths. He watched as women, skirt hems held up, endeavoured to traverse the street and avoid the slush.

  The cab skewed to the side as the wheels could find no purchase on a patch of ice and Jack held on tightly as the driver gained control once more. He was beginning to think he should have waited for the weather to improve before making this journey, but it was too late now.

  Arriving at the jail, he asked the cabbie to wait. Once inside the building, the inspector showed his identity card and gave his request to see the Governor.

  Shown to an office, Jack introduced himself to the man sat behind a huge desk. He sat when invited to do so.

  ‘So how can I help you, Inspector?’ the Governor asked.

  ‘It was my force who apprehended and charged Victoria Beckett, and I was wondering how she was fitting into your fine establishment,’ Jack said as his eyes roamed the plush office. ‘I said I would try to keep her father updated…’

  ‘Ah, the delightful Miss Beckett,’ the Governor said. ‘I’m afraid you’ve come a little too late, Inspector. You see she’s no longer with us.’

  Jack’s mouth dropped open in shock.

  ‘Oh, she’s not dead! I’m so sorry – allow me to explain.’ The Governor leaned his elbows on the highly polished surface of the desk and steepled his fingers. ‘The morning Miss Beckett joined us she attacked one of my female staff and bit the poor woman’s earlobe clean off! Later in the day she stole another inmate’s food and, when the person retaliated, Miss Beckett assailed her in a most violent manner. Therefore we had no alternative but to have her committed to the insane asylum. I have written a letter to her father informing him of these dreadful incidents and our subsequent action on the matter.’

  Jack blew through his teeth. ‘I see. Well, I thank you for your time, sir.’

  Shaking the other man’s hand, Jack then left the office and was escorted back to his waiting cab.

  On his journey back to Wednesbury, he contemplated what the Governor had told him and he was glad they had caught Victoria when they had. God knows what could have happened had she remained at large. He determined that other than making the necessary notes on Victoria’s police file, he would keep this knowledge to himself. After all, Victoria Beckett was out of harm’s way now and would be for the rest of her life.

  Forty-Four

  It was early the next morning when Ann was banking up the fire in the living room that she heard Maisie muttering to herself.

  ‘Maisie, what are you doing?’ she asked as she moved to her friend.

  ‘Mekin’ tea, why?’

  ‘No, I mean – you were talking to yourself.’

  ‘Oh no, I was trying to remember a ditty Jack and I heard at the music ’all the other night.’

  ‘Ah, and have you – remembered?’ Ann asked.

  Maisie nodded and took a deep breath.

  ‘I went to the theatre tomorrow,

  I took a front seat at the back,

  I bought a plain cake with currants in,

  I ate it and gave it ’em back.

  I fell from the pit to the gallery,

  I broke a front bone in my back,

  I ordered a cab and walked it,

  And that’s how I didn’t get back!’

  The two girls chuckled at the rhyme and as Ann went about her business, she found herself trying to remember it too.

  It was early afternoon when Ann was very surprised by the arrival of her betrothed.

  ‘Richard! I didn’t think to see you until the spring. How wonderful! Come and warm yourself,’ Ann gushed.

  ‘I know, my love, but – I couldn’t stay away,’ Richard answered guardedly.

  However, Ann instantly picked up the reserved demeanour. Something was amiss, else why would Richard come all the way to Wednesbury in such bad weather?

  Settling himself in the warm kitchen with hot tea provided by Maisie, Richard gave Mary and Patsy a wan smile. The two women exchanged a worried glance.

  ‘Richard, what’s wrong?’ Ann asked. ‘Something has happened, won’t you tell me what it is?’

  ‘I – I just needed to see you,’ he said unconvincingly.

  ‘Time we got busy, girls,’ Maisie said as she ushered Patsy and Mary out of the room. However, not wanting to miss anything, they stood quietly behind the door which had been left ajar.

  ‘Richard, talk to me. Tell me what’s happened. I can see in your face that something must have for you to risk travelling with snow being
forecast.’

  ‘I’ve had a visit from my father…’ Richard began tentatively.

  ‘Your father!’ Ann was shocked to her core. ‘I thought, as you never spoke of your parents, that they had passed away and the memory was too painful!’

  ‘I realise I should have told you, Ann, but I knew what their reaction would be to us becoming engaged. You see, they think it’s time I was married and Mother has found some silly girl she thinks would be a good match for me. She wants a high-society wedding,’ Richard said all in a rush before hanging his head, feeling wretched.

  ‘I see.’ Ann stood and began to pace the room. ‘Well, this has come completely out of the blue, I must say. I can’t believe you kept your parents a secret from me! I can understand your mother wanting you to marry well though.’ Ann’s feelings of hurt, anger, confusion and frustration gelled together until her head ached with the effort of trying to separate them.

  ‘I’ve told Father that I’m already engaged to you and I wouldn’t entertain the idea of marrying anyone else,’ Richard said as he watched Ann drop onto a kitchen chair. ‘They can do whatever they want, Ann, I won’t give you up! I love you with all my heart.’

  ‘What can they do, Richard?’ Ann asked, fighting back the tears threatening to cascade down her cheeks.

  ‘They could cut me off without a penny, but that will make no difference. I have my tenant farmers, so we won’t starve.’

  Whilst the conversation was taking place, Maisie, Patsy and Mary listened from behind the door. Maisie’s finger was pressed firmly to her lips, warning the others to remain silent.

  ‘I take it your father is aware of me and my lowly status then?!’ Ann asked sharply.

  ‘It’s not like that, Ann. I told him who you are, yes, and that I will marry you regardless of what he and Mother say.’ Richard suddenly felt he was fighting a losing battle and panic seized him. ‘Ann, I adore you and I want us to be wed. Let’s not wait for the spring, let’s get married now – as soon as possible!’

  ‘You would go against your parents’ wishes?’ Ann asked quietly.

  ‘Yes! Ann, this is my life and I will not live it tied to a woman who was chosen for me – someone I do not love. I want to spend the rest of my days with you. Please, my love, say yes,’ he begged.