by Cathy Sharp
‘I’m going to get Danny home, then stop by and speak to the police.’
‘Matron will telephone them,’ Nurse Margaret said. ‘She said you weren’t to worry about anything and that she’s really glad Danny is back and if you need help to go to her.’
‘Thank you, nurse. I shall be back after lunch to finish my shift,’ Rose said and smiled. ‘But I do appreciate all your kindness – now carry on with your work.’
She had conquered the urge to cry as she led Danny through the hospital and outside into the sunshine. She had been imagining all kinds of things, convinced they would never see the young boy she loved alive again. Now, here he was and if his bully of a father was in prison then they were safe from him and their lives could get back to normal.
Beattie was standing at her parlour window, looking out. She gave a shriek of joy when she saw them coming and rushed out of the front door to greet them. Throwing her arms around Danny, she hugged him, making him wince.
‘Did I hurt you?’ she asked anxiously.
‘It’s just where me dad knocked me about,’ Danny said and grinned at her. ‘I’m not hurt bad, Beattie, just bruised, so don’t cry. I’m happy to be home but I stink and me clothes are filthy.’
‘I’ll soon have you in the bath and get you some clean clothes,’ Beattie said. ‘Are you hungry, love? I’ll just bet you are.’
‘Starving,’ Danny replied. ‘A lady eating her lunch left me a sandwich on a bench – and that’s what made me come to you.’ He knew they didn’t understand and laughed. ‘I was frightened when I ran off and I didn’t think who me dad was fighting ’till then, see, and because she was kind it made me remember the policeman that helped me before.’
‘Ah, I see.’ Rose smiled as the penny dropped. ‘The police were fighting with your father so you ran off but then you thought it might be safe to come back to us if your father was in custody?’
‘Yeah, that’s it,’ Danny agreed. Beattie still looked confused but it didn’t matter. Danny was home safe and that was all that any of them cared about just now.
Later, after Danny was bathed, dressed and had eaten a huge meal of bacon, egg, mushroom, tomatoes and fried bread and declared it the most delicious food he’d ever tasted, he told them the story again, putting in all the details he’d left out.
Beattie looked enraged as she heard what his father had done to him and declared she would kill the devil before she let him touch Danny again.
‘He mustn’t be allowed to come near Danny ever again,’ Rose agreed. ‘I’m going to ask Constable Jones to come here this evening on his way home so you can tell him all of it, Danny. The more evidence we have, the longer we can put that evil man away for.’
‘He should be shut away for ever,’ Beattie said vengefully but Rose knew that wouldn’t happen, even with the new evidence. Within a year or two at most Danny’s father would be let out of prison and then he might come after him again. However, if he could be shut away for long enough, they could think about what they needed to do next …
Rose went back to work after Danny was settled. She discovered that Constable Jones had called at the infirmary to speak to Matron and left a message that he would come over that evening and take Danny’s statement.
‘He was ever so pleased Danny was back, Sister Rose,’ Margaret told her in her slightly sing-song voice. ‘Lovely man he is, Nurse Sarah is lucky to have him.’
‘Yes, she is,’ Rose agreed. ‘But he’s lucky to have her, too. Thank you for holding the fort here, Nurse Margaret – was everything all right?’
‘Yes, Sister.’ The nurse hesitated, then, ‘Dr Clark called in and asked to see you. I told him where you were and he smiled and said to tell you he was really glad Danny was back and he would come tomorrow.’
‘Oh!’ Rose’s heart gave a foolish little skip of pleasure. ‘Thank you, Nurse. Well, I think we had better do our rounds now and then prepare the medicines for this evening …’
Rose went off to check on all the children in the ward. She’d felt guilty abandoning them, even though she knew they were in good hands, but her first thought had been for Danny.
It was such a relief to have him back and not too badly hurt. She knew that he might have been dead or lying in a back alley somewhere, beaten unconscious, but, fortunately, his father had needed him to work for him and so he’d merely knocked him about a bit. She felt so proud of Danny for resisting his father’s demands that he helped him steal from other people’s homes, even though he’d suffered for it. And whatever happened in future, Jim Bryant couldn’t be allowed to grab Danny again – because next time he might kill him.
CHAPTER 28
‘I’m sorry I’m late home, love,’ Steve said when he got in that evening. ‘I had to call in at Sister Rose’s place and take Danny’s statement after work.’
‘You found him then?’ Sarah looked at him in surprise and pleasure.
‘Yes, in a way – we arrested his father and Danny who saw it, made a bolt for it, turned up at the Rosie and was taken home to Beattie to be made a fuss of and cleaned up again. That was a pity in a way because some pictures of his condition might have helped to put his father away longer, but both Beattie and Sister Rose are willing to testify as to his condition and his bruises. He’s covered in them again.’
‘Poor little boy,’ Sarah said. ‘I know he’s nearly thirteen now, Steve, but he’s still only a child.’
‘Yes, but next year he will be able to work – had he been fourteen we shouldn’t have even as strong a case against Bryant as we have. We know he intended to use Danny to break into homes, because the lad told us, but it’s only his word, so it’s only forcing him away from his legal foster mother, forcing him to work illegally and resisting arrest. Not a great deal under the law. You’d think that his brutality towards the boy would get him put away for years, but if he gets two, I’ll be surprised.’
‘The law is so daft at times,’ Sarah said as she put a cup of tea in front of her husband. ‘There’s you chasing all over trying to find him and Danny and when you do the judge will let the father out again in months, if that.’
‘It all depends on the judge, of course,’ Steve said. ‘Some of them think prison does little good and want to encourage a community spirit and think if they are lenient the crooks of this world will be grateful and stop their wrongdoing.’
‘Surely it’s best to lock them away so they can’t hurt people?’
‘I’d throw away the key,’ Steve said and sniffed the air. ‘Something smells good love!’
‘Mum got me some chicken pieces and I’ve made a lovely casserole with mashed potatoes, baby carrots and peas – all fresh not tinned.’
‘Gwen told me she was going shopping,’ Steve said. ‘Theo was taking her in his car. She’s quite the lady of leisure now, being chauffeured about.’ He grinned at the idea and Sarah laughed.
‘So she should be,’ she said. ‘It’s about time she had someone to make a fuss of her. Dad loved her but he didn’t show it much, perhaps because he wasn’t well – or maybe there were other factors. I know there wasn’t much money around.’
‘I think it’s the same for most families,’ Steve said. ‘In these streets, anyway. Work has been scarce since the twenties and we’ve been through a wicked depression, so many businesses gone to the wall and men thrown out of work. Even the shipyards have been empty for the past few years, but there’s a bit more activity now. I daresay your father had given up trying to make more than a living – and if he wasn’t well it would have been harder.’
‘I wish I’d seen that he wasn’t well.’ Sarah sighed. ‘I should’ve done, Steve. I’m a nurse; I should have known and made him stop work.’
‘Don’t blame yourself, love. Your father didn’t tell you because he didn’t want to worry his family and that was his choice, not yours or Gwen’s.’
Sarah nodded. ‘I know, Steve, but I wish I’d told him I loved him more.’
‘That’s something we all wi
sh when someone dies too soon …’ He stood up and put his arms around her. ‘Your father would have wanted you to be happy, my darling, and he would’ve been proud of you, of your lovely son and the nursing. I’m sure, if there is a heaven, he’s watching you now and applauding.’
Sarah smiled. ‘How did I get so lucky as to have you?’
‘I’ll never know.’ He grinned at her. ‘Where is my supper, woman? I could eat a horse,’ he teased and then kissed her.
‘It was nice of Constable Jones to call rather than make us go down the station,’ Beattie said as she and Rose sat drinking their bedtime cocoa. ‘He is a lovely young man, Rose – you ought to have someone like that to look after you.’
‘Oh Beattie!’ Rose shook her head at her. ‘You know I’m devoted to my work, and besides, we have each other and Danny.’
‘Yes, I know,’ Beattie looked serious, ‘and he’ll be safe for a while, Rose, but what happens when that monster is released? He’ll come looking for Danny again, because that sort always does.’
‘Yes, I know – and we’ll have to talk about it, decide what to do for the best,’ Rose said. ‘We both like living here, Beattie, but we might have to consider moving for Danny’s sake.’
‘Yes, I thought of that.’ Beattie frowned. ‘I’d have to sell this house and use the money to buy another somewhere, but I’m not sure how to do it or whether I’d be able to afford anything as good as this elsewhere.’
‘It isn’t easy,’ Sister Rose agreed and sighed. ‘I’ve been thinking about the problem, Beattie. If there was a man about, he could protect us …’
‘There you are then,’ Beattie said and smiled. ‘You’ll have to find a nice young man and bring him home!’
‘Easier said than done,’ Rose replied shaking her head. ‘We might be able to buy a house in the suburbs together – perhaps with a little loan from the bank.’
‘The suburbs?’ Beattie frowned. ‘I’ve lived in the East End all my life and your work is here, Rose. Can we turn our lives upside down like that?’
‘We have a little time to work it out,’ Rose said, ‘but I think we may have to consider it – after all, Danny comes first, doesn’t he?’
‘Yes, he does,’ Beattie agreed. ‘If it comes to it, I’d do anything rather than lose him.’
‘Yes, I feel the—’ Rose was interrupted by a knock at the door. Startled, she looked at Beattie in alarm. ‘That couldn’t be …?’
‘Danny’s father? No,’ Beattie said and got up to answer it. ‘The police have him safe.’
Rose heard her speaking to someone at the door and Danny’s name was mentioned. She got to her feet, feeling on the defensive. A man and a boy about a year or so older than Danny walked in and looked at her. The man was good-looking, in his early forties and dressed in cord trousers and a checked shirt, which was clean but far from new.
‘Sister Rose – and Mrs Robinson. I’m sorry to disturb you at this hour but we work all day and we only just got the news. I’m Ted Phillips and this is my apprentice, Ron, who I’m in the process of applying to foster. Danny Bryant is his friend and so I’d like to take both the lads on. I can give them a home and teach them how to earn a living—’
‘No!’ Beattie blurted out in fear. ‘We’re Danny’s foster parents and we love him. He’s happy with us!’
‘Yes, so I understand,’ Ted said, sad that he was hurting this woman who clearly loved his nephew, and looked at Rose. ‘I know you gave Danny a home when he needed it and I’m sure he’s as grateful as I am – but you see, he’s my sister’s child and I’d like to take care of him. Doris made me promise I would if anything ever happened to her and I did try once before but his father swore the lad was all right and I couldn’t interfere then – but it is different now. I’ve got a good job and I’ve just discovered that money owing to me from an Army pension has mounted up to several hundred pounds, all sitting at a solicitor’s office waiting for me. With that money I can rent a decent house and the boys can live with me.’
‘And Danny’s like me brother,’ Ron said. ‘You ask him if he wants ter live wiv us.’
‘Your sister’s child?’ Beattie looked at him doubtfully and yet she could see the likeness. There was definitely a resemblance.
‘Yes, and the authorities think I stand a good chance of having him, because I am his uncle. I wanted to talk to you – and Sister Rose – about it and come to some amicable arrangement. I’d have no objection to his visiting or to you visiting him when I have my house set up – and, of course, I couldn’t take him until then.’
‘No!’ Beattie shook her head. ‘We won’t give him up – we can’t!’
‘Can you protect him if Bryant comes after him again?’ Ted asked looking at her steadily. ‘I would kill Bryant rather than let him take Danny again. Ron and I have been searching for him every spare minute and I’m serious about this. I let his father turn me away once but I shan’t let my nephew down again.’
‘No, go away!’ Beattie said, despite knowing instinctively that he was to be trusted. Under other circumstances she would have been happy to know him, but now she looked at Rose with desperate eyes. ‘Make him go, please.’
‘I think we ought to talk,’ Rose said. ‘Go up and tell Danny his friend Ron is here, Beattie, and I’ll make some more cocoa. We need to think about this seriously and calmly.’
‘Thank you,’ Ted said. ‘Miss – I’m not sure what to call you?’
‘Just Rose,’ she said and smiled at Ron. ‘I’m sure Danny will be happy to see you, Ron. He has talked about you a lot …’ Even as she said it, they heard a cry of joy from upstairs and then pounding feet as Danny came running down to the kitchen in his pyjamas.
‘Ron!’ he cried. ‘Are you all right, mate? We tried to find you – didn’t we, Sister Rose?’
‘Yes, we did,’ she agreed. ‘Constable Jones told me this evening that he knew where you lived but I was waiting until things calmed down a bit – I didn’t know you were living with Mr Phillips.’
‘Please, call me Ted,’ he said and sat down as the boys retreated to the far end of the room talking excitedly to each other. Beattie was glaring at Ted as if he were the devil and Rose knew her friend was very upset. ‘I’m sorry to put all this on you, but I thought it best to come over straight away. We have to sort this out between us for Danny’s sake.’
Beattie looked at the boys, who were clearly enjoying being together and her eyes filled with tears as she sat down, looking from Rose to Ted in hurt silence.
‘You will have to give us time to come to terms with this new idea,’ Rose told him. ‘Beattie and I love Danny as if he were our own and I think you will find he cares for us too – and he is learning to cook, which is what he wants to do. I’m not sure what you do for a living …?’
‘I’m a carpenter and Ron is learning the trade.’
‘Danny wants to be a chef,’ Rose told him and saw his quick frown. ‘Beattie is a wonderful cook – and Danny will be too one day.’
‘You could still teach him,’ Ted said to Beattie. ‘I’m not a hard man and I certainly don’t want to break hearts, but I do think Danny will be safer with Ron and I. We work with good people and I’m ex-Army, well capable of protecting my nephew.’
‘And the courts would probably give you custody,’ Rose said, because she knew it was true. ‘However, for the moment we are Danny’s guardians, and I ask you to respect that.’
‘I wouldn’t dream of snatching him away,’ Ted told them with a smile and Beattie could see that he was a pleasant, even charming man. He spoke directly to Beattie. ‘I would prefer it if we could all become friends and help each other, but I do want official custody and I think I have the better right.’
‘And what about Danny?’ Beattie asked in a tremulous voice. ‘Have you thought about that?’
‘Look at them …’ Rose said and Beattie’s face paled as she saw the boys laughing together. ‘I think we have to come to some arrangement, Beattie, much as I hate it …
’
‘Yes, well, we’ll leave you to think it over,’ Ted said and offered his hand. Beattie took it, conscious of its strength and firmness of grip. She flushed slightly. ‘Please believe me when I say I want us all to be friends – and I don’t want to take him away from you, Mrs Robinson, but I want to care for him and I think I can protect him best from his father.’
Rose saw Ted and Ron out and when she came back Beattie was sitting with her head in her hands with Danny looking at her unhappily.
‘What’s wrong, Sister Rose? Did I do something?’
‘No, love. It’s not your fault.’ She hugged him. ‘Go up to bed now and I’ll bring you some more cocoa.’
He did as she told him, calling goodnight to Beattie. She looked up as Rose laid a hand on her shoulder.
‘I can’t lose him!’ she said tearfully.
‘I know how you feel, Beattie, I really do. But we have to think of Danny,’ Rose said, her throat tight with emotion. ‘We may have to agree for his sake …’
‘I know,’ Beattie said, ‘and what hurts is that I know Mr Phillips is the right one to protect our Danny …’
CHAPTER 29
For the past three weeks Marjorie’s mother had refused to let her play with Shelly on Saturday or Sunday. Instead, she’d taken her to tea with her friends and to church and then to visit her Nanna. Marjorie normally loved visiting Nanna but she so desperately wanted to go to Danny’s house and have tea with the nice lady and him, but with her mother’s eagle eye on her all the time she just couldn’t slip away. Three Sundays had passed without her being able to get out of the house without her parents. So, it was one Thursday lunchtime when Marjorie decided to visit her friend’s house. Instead of going to eat with the other children, she slipped out with Shelly and headed for the house in Bell Lane.
When she knocked at the kitchen door it was opened by a lady she hadn’t seen before. She looked red around the eyes, as if she’d been crying, but she smiled when she saw the two little girls.