by Cathy Sharp
‘The law says the segregation must end according to the paper, but some people want to stop them …’ Jinny read on. ‘Oh, it says here that Stirling Moss has a good chance of winning the Italian Grand Prix at Monza this weekend …’
‘Who’s ’e when ’e’s at ’ome then?’ Elsa asked and poured boiling water into the pot. ‘Can I ’ave one of them coconut kisses, Nellie?’
‘Yes, of course you can,’ Nellie said and smiled. ‘Stirling Moss is a racing driver – a real good one so my Bert says … Leave go of that paper, Jinny. I need it ter wrap these peelings …’
Micky looked at St Saviour’s as he passed it on the bus. He’d just got back to London after hopping on a merchant ship and working his passage to France for a few days. His boss had wanted him to deliver some goods, but he didn’t want them to go through the usual customs routine.
‘I’ve got an arrangement with the ship’s captain, see,’ Big Sam told him. ‘They take stuff out that the bloody government charges too much tax on – and bring stuff back fer me in exchange. No money changes ’and so it ain’t exactly doin’ ’em out of anythin’ – but it ain’t legal neivver …’
‘Why do yer need me?’ Micky asked, because it was the first time he’d been asked to do anything that was strictly illegal. He ran a few bets, helped out some nights in a gambling and strip club as a bouncer, and traded goods in his own right through various market stalls, but he’d stayed just the right side of the law so far. The strip club wasn’t strictly according to the rules, of course, but Micky only guarded the door and warned them if there was a raid coming as well as getting rid of the rough element. You always got some men who made a grab at the naked girls when they’d had too much to drink, which happened most of the time, because the hostesses encouraged them to buy drinks all night.
Micky had enjoyed the brief break from the heat and dust of London’s crowded streets. He’d investigated the goods he’d been required to accompany to their destination, and those he brought back. They’d taken good Scotch whisky that had never paid duty out and brought back a special French cognac without all the import taxes normally imposed. Had the transaction involved drugs Micky would have pulled back and refused to have anything to do with it, because he couldn’t abide the misery heroin inflicted on the addicts you sometimes saw at the club or on the streets, but he didn’t see anything wrong in exchanging one consignment of drinks for another – the only ones to lose out were the blooming tax collectors and no one cared about them either side of the Channel.
Some crimes were despicable and Micky knew where he drew the line, but cheating the taxmen – well, that was just good fun. Everyone in business did it, he reckoned, as much as they could, from the market lads with cash in their back pockets to the filthy rich businessmen who owned huge companies and paid fancy lawyers to get round the financial laws and avoid paying what they owed, and what was good for the rich was good enough for Micky. After all, he intended being one of them in the not too distant future.
He wondered if Jinny had missed him. He’d missed her, though he’d enjoyed his little adventure, which had all gone off without a hitch. His boss had been pleased, because the previous consignment had been a case short and he’d suspected he was being cheated.
‘You’re a good kid,’ Big Sam had told him, squeezing his shoulder with his hammer fists. ‘Stick wiv me, Micky, and you’ll get on …’
Micky smiled and agreed, because for the moment he still needed Big Sam’s wages. He wasn’t making enough out of his own deals for what he planned, because his idea was to go into legitimate business for himself once he had enough money saved and the right opening presented itself. A decent living and a home of his own wasn’t enough for Micky; he wanted real money, but there were limits to what he was prepared to do. He wanted nothing to do with drugs and if he’d been asked to smuggle them he’d have refused. He’d seen how many lives could be destroyed by such things and the ruthless men behind them … No, Micky wanted his own business, but he thought he might try importing stuff from France and India, even China perhaps, countries that had vibrant, interesting goods to sell. People were beginning to like more exotic tastes, spices and foods they hadn’t seen before, and there had to be some money in that, but Micky needed money to set up his business …
An idea of what he wanted for the future was gradually forming in his brain. All he needed was a bit of cash behind him and then he could visualise the business empire that would make him rich – but it was getting enough together for a start that was the problem. Micky was prepared to work hard to get on and his little holiday had given him a few ideas.
Micky thought he would visit Jinny the next morning and see if she’d got over her mood. She’d pricked his pride when she’d blamed him for something that wasn’t his fault, but he still liked the plucky girl who’d stood up to her step-father and made a life for herself. In fact, he was pretty sure he was in love with her, even though they were both too young to get serious yet. She was part of his plans for the future but he had a lot he wanted to do before he settled down – and Jinny was too young. They both had to do some growing up and he had to get his foot on the ladder …
CHAPTER 26
‘We’re having the party here in two weeks,’ Nancy said, holding out her left hand, ‘but Rob got me this now, because he couldn’t wait to give it to me …’
‘That is gorgeous,’ Jinny said as Nancy shyly showed off the small diamond cluster ring on the third finger of her left hand, which was slender and shapely, her nails very neat and clean. ‘It suits your hand, Nancy, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look so happy.’
‘Thank you,’ Nancy said and her cheeks were a pretty pink as she blushed, green eyes shining. She’d had her hair cut to a shoulder-length bob and it suited her so much better that way. Jinny thought how pretty she was now that she’d lost that thin, haunted look about her face, and decided she might have her own dark locks shorn. ‘I haven’t ever been this happy.’
‘Congratulations on your engagement,’ Rose said. ‘I’m so very pleased for you, Nancy. Rob is a nice man and hard-working. He deserves you and you deserve him.’
They were all in the big comfortable kitchen, Jinny working while Nancy and Elsa helped themselves to just-cooked biscuits and tea from the large brown teapot.
‘I feel so lucky,’ Nancy said and her eyes met Rose’s. ‘I never thought I would ever get married and I can hardly believe it now. Rob was willing to wait if I wanted, but I said I’d like to have a party here now for our engagement so that all the kids can join in – and then we’ll have a quiet wedding in the spring …’
‘Wonderful!’ Jinny said and looked up. ‘I hope we’re all invited?’
‘Of course you are,’ Nancy said. ‘Rob is paying for the wedding but I wondered if you and Nellie would make the cake for us?’
‘We’d love to,’ Nellie said, speaking for the first time as she looked up from her pastry making. ‘It can be our wedding present to yer, Nancy, and it will be a pleasure to make it fer yer … If we make it soon it will mature lovely by the spring when we ice it.’
‘Yes, I’ll do whatever I can to make it special,’ Jinny said. ‘I like Rob. He always says hello and asks how you are and that shows he’s got a good heart – just about good enough for you, Nancy.’
‘Oh …’ Nancy blushed. ‘I’m not that special …’
‘Yes, you are,’ Rose chipped in and everyone made murmurs of agreement. ‘I hope you won’t leave us immediately you get married?’
‘We’ve agreed that I should stay on until I have a baby …’ Nancy was really blushing now and Jinny giggled.
‘You will make a wonderful mum,’ she told Nancy. ‘The kids all love you – and Sister Beatrice thinks the world of you.’
‘Sister Beatrice has been wonderful to me,’ Nancy said. ‘If we hadn’t been brought here I don’t know what would have happened to us …’ A little shiver went through her and for a moment her smile dimmed.
&n
bsp; ‘Yes, you’re a Halfpenny Street girl,’ Jinny said. ‘You belong here … and I think that makes you lucky. I sometimes feel that I don’t belong anywhere. The council told me I’ve got to get the house cleared because my mother hasn’t paid the rent for months and they’re taking it back. They say she doesn’t qualify for a house now that I don’t live there – and they’re going to pull them all down soon.’
‘We got our letter this mornin’,’ Nellie said and grimaced. ‘Bert says they’ll put him out afore ’e moves, but I’ve started to ask round. We shall have to go in the end whatever we say or do …’
‘Oh, Nellie, I’m so sorry,’ Jinny said. ‘I thought they were just sayin’ it to make me have the house cleared. I’m not sure what to do with Mum’s stuff … Most of it is worthless, but she might need her clothes and personal things …’
‘You still haven’t heard from her?’ Rose asked. She hesitated, then, ‘Sister might let you have a spare room in the nurses’ home to store your mother’s things – just until you know …’
The words hung in the air, casting a shadow over Nancy’s happy news. Jinny swallowed hard and then smiled at Rose and thanked her. ‘I’ll ask Sister when she comes back from Essex and then I can get someone to do the clearing. I’m sure Dave from the market will know someone who can clear the house and bring what I need over. I’ll go there myself now the police have finished and start throwing all the rubbish out …’
‘I’ll help you to do that,’ Nancy said, smiling at her. ‘And I know Rob will put as much as he can in his van and bring it round. I’m sure Sister will say yes to your borrowing another room, which means we could go there this evening and make a start on the packing.’
‘That’s so kind of you to offer,’ Jinny said, surprised but pleased that Nancy should offer her help like that.
‘We Halfpenny Street girls should stick together,’ Nancy said and her happy smile was back in place. ‘You’re not alone, Jinny. Once you become one of us we look after you …’
‘Yes, that’s right,’ Rose said. ‘I’ll come and give you a hand too. I’ve got a couple of days off so I don’t have to go straight home and get to bed for a change …’
Jinny blinked, feeling happy to have friends. She felt as if she belonged here now – and that was a good feeling. Nellie had always been her friend but Nellie would soon be homeless herself. She and Bert were being turned out of the house that they’d lived in all their married lives and that was bad news. Nellie would normally have offered to help, but she was going to be busy, searching for a place to live and packing up her home …
‘I don’t suppose there’s much to sort out really,’ Jinny said, feeling ashamed to have brought her friends to the shambles the police had left. It had looked bad enough before they turned everything upside down, but now it was a real mess. ‘I don’t know what the police were looking for, but they’ve had everything out of the cupboards and drawers …’
‘I don’t think that was the police,’ Rob said and looked grim. ‘I’m sorry, Jinny, but it looks as if you’ve had burglars in. I think you’ll find any valuables have gone.’
‘I’m not sure there was anything worth having left,’ Jinny admitted ruefully. ‘We used to have a few things – a nice clock, a writing box and fountain pen that belonged to my dad – and Mum’s engagement ring – but she sold all those. Her silver teapot she had as a wedding gift from the house where she used to clean … it all went on drink years ago. It’s just her clothes and shoes, perhaps some sheets and towels if there are any decent …’
They’d come armed with cardboard boxes but when Jinny started to search her mother’s room she found only a few shabby dresses, all her better things that she’d used for work had gone. They weren’t expensive but they were what her mother liked, and they were missing. She found a few books that had been her own, which she packed, one decent set of sheets and a blanket; all the others were either covered in blood or torn. The furniture itself was old and Jinny didn’t think any of it worth saving. She found one leather handbag and two pairs of shoes and packed them, but everything else was being shoved into sacks to take to the rubbish tip.
‘Do you want to try selling any of this at the second-hand clothes market?’ Nancy asked, picking up an armful of assorted and rather dingy clothing and dumping it into a box.
‘I don’t think they would buy them. No, I’ll take them to the rag-and-bone yard …’
‘I’ll take all this stuff there for you,’ Rob said. ‘You’d be surprised. Some of this old furniture will fetch a few bob. You couldn’t store it for long, Jinny, and your mother will only be able to find one room, and that may be furnished. Just take what you want yourself and I’ll clear all this stuff out for you, get the place cleaned and give the key back to the council.’
‘All I want is in those two boxes. I can store those easily in my room.’
‘That’s it then,’ Rob said. ‘If you’re sure there is nothing else, I can finish off here for you tomorrow.’
Jinny felt tears sting her eyes as she saw the look that passed between Nancy and Rob. They were being so kind and so tactful, because there was only rubbish here and none of it was fit for anything but the tip.
‘Well, if you’re sure. Why don’t we all go and have a coffee? I’ll pay …’
‘Lovely,’ Nancy and Rose said together. ‘You lock up and give Rob the key, Jinny, and he’ll see to it all for you,’ Nancy smiled and nodded encouragingly.
Jinny followed them to the van and they all squeezed in, she and Rose in the back amongst the few boxes they’d already loaded. It caused some giggles and Jinny’s mood lightened. If her mother came home, Nellie would tell her where to find her daughter. She’d got a few of her mother’s clothes, enough to tide her over until she was able to start work again and buy some more – and if she didn’t come back … Jinny shook her head and blocked the ready tears.
She’d been told by the council that she must clear the house and she was doing the best she could. If Jinny’s mother blamed her it wouldn’t be the first time, and she would give her a little money she’d saved and help her find a comfortable room until she was settled.
Rob had arrived at a lively café where they could hear loud jazz music from a jukebox belting into the night air as they piled out and trooped inside. If Jinny had tried clearing the house alone she would still be struggling with it, and crying over what her home had become …
She lifted her head, determined to put it all behind her and enjoy the rest of the evening with her friends before she went home to Halfpenny Street …
Jinny was busy at the scullery sink the next afternoon when someone entered behind her and encircled her waist with his arms. She jumped and turned round in surprise, half-knowing who it must be but still unsure.
‘Micky!’ she cried as she looked into his handsome face and felt a curl of pleasure mixed with annoyance. ‘Where have you been all this time?’
‘I had some business to see to,’ he said lifting his brows. ‘’Sides, I wasn’t sure you wanted to see me?’
‘’Course I do,’ Jinny said crossly. ‘I was upset over my mother. I’m sorry I said those things to you. I didn’t mean them …’
‘I know you didn’t,’ he said and grinned at her. ‘I was hurt fer a start but then I knew you was just upset. I would’ve come afore this but I’ve been askin’ around, tryin’ ter find out if anyone knows where yer ma is …’
Jinny felt tense as she looked into his eyes. ‘Have you discovered anythin’?’
‘Well, yes and no,’ he hedged. ‘If I ’ave it ain’t good news, Jinny love. I’ve been to the morgue but she ain’t there – so I think it might be ’er in the Infirmary. They told me there’s been a woman brought in in a bad way. At first they thought she was drunk but now they’re sayin’ she’s lost ’er mind and she’s on her way out, Jinny.’ He put out his hands to steady her as she gave a little gasp and collapsed against him. ‘I’m sorry. It may not be yer ma, Jinny, but it sounds like
’er …’
Jinny nodded and her face was pale. ‘I knew something bad had happened to her, Micky. After all this time and the police had heard nothing even though they’ve searched …’
Micky made a snort of disgust. ‘They couldn’t find a dog with two legs unless it jumped out and bit them! Do you want to go and see ’er? Only the Infirmary say she might not last the night …’
‘I’m not sure if I can be spared …’
‘It’s all right,’ Nancy said, coming into the scullery. ‘Your friend told me you would need some time off. I’ll take over here, Jinny – and I’m so very sorry …’
‘Thank you,’ Jinny said in a muffled voice. She was hurting so much that it was like a physical pain in her chest. Everything seemed to be shrouded in mist and her mind had gone numb. Even though she’d been prepared for the worst this was a shock and she couldn’t stop the tears dripping down her cheeks.
‘She ain’t worth it,’ Micky said, putting a protective arm about her shoulders. ‘Remember how she treated you, Jinny. It ain’t your fault, love. I know it feels rotten now, but you’ve still got me …’
‘Have I?’ Jinny asked, but even though he gave her a hug she wasn’t reassured. He’d gone off for weeks without contacting her, and even though it was Micky who had brought her the news she needed, she wasn’t sure that she was really important to him.…