The Orphan Thief

by Glynis Peters

  ‘In Canada, I saw beauty. Rugged land, trees higher than buildings, buildings which deserved the name skyscraper. Over here, I see pain, destruction, strength and endurance. Both humble me. Here, you look. Tell me what you see.’

  John held out his camera to her, and Ruby stood up and took it from his hands. The black box was lighter than she’d expected.

  ‘It’s a Rolleiflex. I had my father’s but this one is smaller and easier to use when I’m moving around.’

  ‘How do you use it?’ Ruby asked.

  ‘Put your hands here.’ John moved her hands into position and his touch came as a surprise. Ruby gripped the camera tight for fear of dropping it as her hands warmed in his. ‘Don’t grip so hard; that’s right, now look down. I’ve adjusted for the light. If you take a photograph, it’s with this button, here.’

  John explained a few more details then walked a few feet away; he opened his arms wide and stood with his legs apart. ‘Tell me what you see.’

  Ruby peered down into a window at the top of the camera and shook her head.

  ‘Nothing,’ she said, and peered into the camera again, screwing up her eyes with determination.

  With a laugh, John moved behind her and peered over her shoulder into the viewfinder. ‘Look there,’ he said and directed her finger with his hand to the viewpoint.

  He walked away and stood in front of her again. ‘Now what do you see?’

  Ruby wanted to tell him she could see a man who made her stomach flutter every time she looked at him. A man with a smile which lit up his face and made his eyes twinkle. She saw lips she wanted to touch, arms she imagined holding her tight when her troubles haunted her, and she wanted to tell him she looked at the first man she’d imagined warming her on a cold winter’s night. She saw love through a lens and clicked to capture it for ever.

  ‘I did it!’ she said.

  With a clap of his hands, John applauded her and reclaimed his camera. ‘I’ll develop it for you to keep. A reminder of today. After all, it’s only fair as I have photographs of you.’

  ‘You have photographs of the old me, and the distressed me.’

  Sitting on a wooden beam, John patted the space beside him. Ruby chose to sit on a concrete slab opposite. Sitting beside him felt over-friendly, too close to be able to regulate her feelings for him. She sat straight-backed, and envied his ability to relax. He fired triggers of pleasure she’d never experienced before, just by crossing his legs or adjusting his jacket front. Any movement sent shivers through her body and the urge to sidle up beside him was swiftly suppressed. She doubted he felt the same. To a man like John, she would be just a child of war to add to his collection of images.

  ‘Ruby, please don’t think I’m intruding into your life, but your unhappiness—’

  Lifting her hands to stop him talking, Ruby gave a soft smile. ‘My unhappiness is easing. It’s days like today which hurt. The flowers are for my brother. Ten today … I mean he would have been if this hadn’t happened,’ Ruby said and swept one arm around the desolated area.

  John said nothing in return and she watched him fiddle with his camera. He was better-looking than most of the boys she’d admired at school. She noted his clean-shaven face, his lean jowls and the small pulse beating in his slim neck. Ruby longed to reach out and stroke his strong jaw line, to link her fingers with his. She jumped when he lifted his head, catching her staring.

  ‘Do you mind I’ve photographed you with the flowers?’ he said, his voice soft and concerned, his accent adding to his desirability.

  ‘Not really. It means today won’t ever fade.’ Ruby turned away and looked at the flowers, their colours bright against the charcoal and brown of the ground. Her brother would have preferred a comic, but flowers were the gift you gave the dead. A comfort for the living.

  ‘It’s a shame you can’t capture their colours. They’ll live on in your photograph, but they’ll be black and white for ever,’ she said, and turned back to John.

  ‘The way photography is advancing, one day everything will be as it really is – no more black and white rainbows,’ he said.

  Ruby gasped and put her hands to her mouth, instantly regretting the childlike movement. For some inexplicable reason, she wanted John to see her as a grown woman. She inclined her head as if in thought, then looked skyward as if searching for something.

  ‘I can’t imagine a black and white rainbow. How strange. Sad too, as a rainbow lights up the sky with its colours. I’d like to see one in black and white though, just to see what it looks like.’

  ‘I’ve got a few. I’ll bring one next time I see you. Talking of colours … The red mark on your wrist … I couldn’t help seeing –’ John said, and pointed to her arm.

  Ruby gave her body a slight shake, as if shrugging off something undesirable. Then she seized the opportunity to tell the truth.

  ‘John, I’m not Tommy’s mother. Earl is not my husband, despite threatening me to make you think I am, after you left. He’s also got it in his head that you might be a threat to Britain. He’s a bully too.’ Her words were rushed with embarrassment.

  John stared at her, his mouth open with surprise. ‘Ruby, he hurt you, and Tommy?’

  Ruby nodded. ‘He told me he’d hurt Fred if I didn’t pretend to be his wife. He tried to kiss me.’

  John swore, then looked at her with a guilty apology in his eyes.

  Ruby screwed up her nose and clenched her hands together ‘I need help, John. I can’t ask Helen, Beatty or Fred this time, and I have no one else. It’s luck we met here. Meant to be, I think. I’d be silly not to ask you what I should do about it.’

  Ruby noticed his jaw twitch as he listened. Then, striking a match against a brick, John lit a cigarette and puffed on it before he spoke again.

  ‘Obviously, I’ll help you, Ruby. You cannot live with this sort of bullying. He sounds a dangerous man. He’s Tommy’s uncle, you say?’

  ‘Tommy said so, but now I’m wondering if it’s a lie. The poor child is so scared whenever I speak about his mother. I thought I saw her today, but even that might be another woman scared of Earl.’

  ‘Do nothing. I’ll visit the shop tomorrow, after I’ve had a think about what we can do about this situation. Men like him are dangerous, and we must tread carefully. I’ll help, Ruby. Go home, and don’t worry any more. You have a friend in me, and Earl will never try to kiss you again.’

  Without worrying who saw them, Ruby reached up and kissed John’s cheek.

  He gave a grin. ‘Ah, if I get one of those for every time I speak about rescuing you from an evil bully, I wonder what will happen when I put my words into action.’

  ‘I wonder,’ Ruby said with a hint of daring in her voice, and returned the grin.

  ‘Get yourself home before we get ourselves into something we can’t control, Ruby Shadwell, and thank you for trusting me.’

  ‘When I saw you, I knew I could. Thank you, John.’

  John turned her by her shoulders in the direction of Spon Street, and Ruby waggled her fingers goodbye.

  CHAPTER 22

  After collecting bread and her ration allowance of butter, Ruby headed for Shadwell’s, her mind calmer after talking with John the previous day. Arriving at the shop, she saw Earl talking with Beatty on the doorstep. It looked to her as if Beatty was guarding the door with her broom, and side-stepping to prevent Earl from entering before opening time. Taking a deep breath for courage, furious with herself that she’d allowed this man to have a hold over her shop, Ruby strode towards them.

  ‘Well, hello, Ruby,’ Earl called out, his voice loaded with false friendship. Ruby ignored him. Pretending she hadn’t heard him address her, she focused on Beatty.

  ‘Everything all right here, Beatty?’ she asked.

  ‘All fine and dandy. Ready to start the day – in half an hour,’ Beatty replied, adding extra emphasis on the last four words. She stepped aside to let Ruby pass by and enter the shop and then turned back to face Earl. Ruby had to smi
le at the standoff between them, but she wouldn’t allow Beatty to antagonise him too much longer. She didn’t trust the man not to push his way inside and hurt Beatty in the process.

  ‘I said hello, young lady.’ Earl growled out his words to Ruby’s back.

  Swivelling around to face him, Ruby forced her lips into a false smile. ‘I’m sorry, Earl. I didn’t hear you, too busy chatting with Beatty. Where’s Tommy – at school? Not that there’s much schooling going on around here. Do you know, I heard there were six children having to do their English lessons in Mrs Dennison’s back room.’ The more Ruby chatted the more she saw Earl’s face twist with anger. She knew she’d annoyed him by ignoring his greeting but, with Beatty present, Ruby hoped he’d keep his temper.

  ‘He’s with his mother,’ Earl said and stepped inside the shop. It annoyed Ruby when he pushed her aside and moved into the centre of the shop, but she remained calm, thinking of John all the time she spoke.

  ‘I’m surprised you’re still around, though. What with all that is happening abroad. I thought you had –’ Ruby tapped the side of her nose ‘– important secret work to do. I don’t know how you do it; I find it hard to keep a secret. Do you bite the side of your mouth to stop blurting it out?’

  Ruby allowed her dialogue to rattle along, ignoring the red stains rising on Earl’s face. She busied herself preparing for the opening of the shop, and at one point gave a sly wink to Beatty, who in response scuttled away into the kitchen to prevent the onset of giggles. Earl stood in silence. From the corner of her eye she saw his eyes darkening and his jaw twitching. A menacing atmosphere fell and Ruby ended her semi-sarcastic chatter and moved in with a friendlier approach. She wanted the man gone, but had no reason to ask him to leave. She recalled the way her mother had spoken to awkward customers, and opted for the same pacifying tone.

  ‘Feel free to browse, Earl. As soon as the kettle’s boiled, Beatty will make you a coffee, if you’re staying. I know you enjoy a morning coffee. Goodness knows, you must be pushed to the limit with war work.’

  ‘Don’t play games, girl.’ Earl took large strides towards her and stared into her face. Ruby clenched her clammy hands together under the counter; she didn’t trust herself not to slap his face away.

  ‘I don’t know what you mean, Earl. Have I upset you? As you said, I’m a girl; I have a lot of learning to do. Go and sit. Beatty will bring you a drink, and I’m sure we have a biscuit left in the barrel. Beatty will sit and keep you company; have adult chat with her – discuss the goings-on of Hitler and the war. It goes over my head sometimes.’ Ruby swept her hands above her head to emphasise the statement. ‘I’ll keep out of your way and get on here.’

  ‘Shut your chattering. You don’t fool me. Young, yes, but sly and cunning too. I’ve seen you around. Watched you at a dance pretending you’re better than everyone else.’ His eyes bored into her and she felt his rage. ‘Crying on a soldier’s shoulder – oh, yes, you might look shocked, Beatty, but your little slut here carries on with men on the bombsites. Nothing gets past me.’

  Ruby’s hands trembled and when Beatty took a step forward, with her mouth open in readiness to say her piece, she gave a slight shake of her head and Beatty stopped walking, her knuckles gripping the broom handle so hard they turned white. The bravado Ruby had felt earlier left when Earl stared at her. He was a dangerous man to meddle with, and she understood why Tommy was scared of him. His tobacco breath blew across her face as he puffed smoke in her direction. His pompous manner irritated Ruby but she held back, understanding the fine line between trying to be an adult and acting in a foolish manner.

  Earl stabbed out the butt of his cigarette into the ashtray nearby and slammed his hand on the counter. The contents of the ashtray scattered across the countertop and Ruby made a point of playful tutting and wiping it away. ‘Beatty’s only just cleaned this, Earl. You’ll be in bother.’ Again she attempted a light-hearted approach, but the moment Earl’s arm lifted sideways with his palm open she knew she’d gone too far.

  ‘Any more of your lip and I’ll –’

  ‘You’ll what, sir?’

  Ruby heard John’s familiar voice before she saw him; it was loud and commanding. Neither she nor Earl had noticed him enter the shop, and Beatty had obviously kept her counsel, knowing Earl would be seen and heard threatening Ruby. Unsure whether to move from behind the counter, Ruby remained where she was. Earl turned to face John and Ruby watched as John straightened up and stood full height. Ruby noticed he was a fraction taller than Earl but, seeing the malicious look on Earl’s face, she guessed he’d stood level with men far sturdier and taller than John.

  ‘I asked you a question. You’ll what, sir? Threatening a young woman is not good conduct for one of Britain’s finest, is it?’ John said and squared his shoulders as Earl attempted to stare him down

  ‘Stay out of my business,’ Earl hissed into John’s face.

  ‘Ruby is your business? I don’t think so. Ruby is her own woman, so I am led to believe,’ John retaliated, and gave Ruby a swift glance and a reassuring wink. Unfortunately, the wink fired up Earl’s anger another notch.

  ‘She might have sniffed around you, but she enjoys a hound, not a pup.’ Earl bared his teeth and stabbed a finger John’s way.

  Lifting his camera from around his neck and laying down other personal items, John took a step towards Earl.

  ‘Threatening young women is taboo in Canada. We don’t bully women; we respect them, as do, I think, the majority of men in Britain. Sadly, there is always one who thinks he holds all the power, especially over women and children.’ John’s voice was firm, calm and in control. Ruby’s breath hitched in her throat and she put her hand to her neck to regain a regular breathing pattern. Had John gone too far, or did he deal with men like Earl without experiencing consequences? It looked to Ruby that he had handled this kind of situation before, and she wondered if he’d faced the enemy at any time. His bravery suggested that he might have done, and she looked to Beatty, who remained quiet on the far side of the room.

  ‘Beatty … Beatty, can you cover the counter for me, please?’ Ruby called across her shoulder, then turned her head forward to keep a watchful eye on both men. Their growing animosity towards each other concerned her, and she knew she had to act fast before it became a physical event. As much as she’d like to consider John to be her hero of the day, she didn’t want him to become an injured one. Earl’s twisted nose and protruding jaw line made her suspect he was used to street brawling and sustaining injuries to the face. John’s face was too good-looking to encounter such damage on her behalf. She inhaled and found her loudest pitch.

  ‘Stop!’

  Both men stopped their posturing and looked at her. Earl still wore a threatening stare, but John’s face softened and he gave an apologetic downturn of his mouth.

  ‘My apologies, Ruby, Beatty. I was concerned for your safety,’ he said.

  Beatty moved to his side. ‘And grateful we are, young man. Thank you.’ She turned to Earl before she bustled her way past him and stepped outside. ‘Manners cost us nothing, and some need to think about using some.’

  Ruby grimaced at the volume of dust Beatty created with her fierce use of the broom. John took advantage of Earl looking at Beatty, and handed her an envelope. ‘I came to give you this.’

  Ruby pulled out the contents. Two photographs. One of her with the flowers, and she noticed he’d done what he’d set out to achieve, and had captured the pain and anguish in her face. Her cheeks warmed with embarrassment. The other was the one she’d taken of John. She looked at what she’d captured in that split second of hitting the button. A six-foot, broad-shouldered male with happy eyes and a gentle smile. Handsome. Ruby knew her cheeks would be scarlet and, in an attempt to hide them, she put her hands over them, pretending excitement.

  ‘It came out! I took a photograph. Look, Beatty. I took this. Isn’t it magical?’

  Earl stepped forward and snatched up the picture before Beatty ha
d a chance to look.

  ‘If you like a photograph of a vain man, then I suppose this one isn’t too bad. I prefer this one; I think I’ll keep it.’ Earl took the photograph of Ruby laying the flowers. Anger welled inside her. Earl had assumed control once again, and she had to claw it back. She reached out her hand and took it back from him.

  ‘It’s mine. A gift from a friend. Nothing to do with you, Earl.’

  Although her words came out clear and controlled, Ruby’s insides churned with worry about the possible reprisals. Earl’s glare back at her told her she’d done the wrong thing – belittled him in front of John.

  Earl snatched it back. ‘Manners. I was looking at it.’

  He stared into her face and Ruby knew by the cold stare he gave her, he wasn’t going to let her get away with it. Just as his hand reached out for hers, a loud shout went up outside the shop and Tommy ran inside. He called out for Earl and ran to him, grabbing at his sleeve. ‘Earl, Earl. Come quick. I … um … it’s um … Quick!’

  Flustered, Ruby pushed past Earl, who’d chosen to ignore the boy, and bent down to Tommy. Distress was etched across his dirty, pale face, smothered in bruises – old and new.

  ‘Tommy, what’s the matter? What’s going on?’

  ‘It’s urgent, Earl. Real urgent!’ Tommy’s face twisted into that of a terrified child, and Ruby pulled him close.

  ‘Don’t be scared, Tommy. You’re safe. We’ll help you. Tell me what we need to do,’ she said.

  Earl pushed her and she staggered sideways. Ruby watched the photograph flutter to the floor, and picked it up before Earl had the opportunity to take it from her again.

  ‘Leave him to me,’ he muttered and pulled Tommy from the shop.

  ‘Do you need help?’ John called after him, but Earl didn’t respond.

  Beatty went to a chair behind the counter and sighed as she sank into the cushion. She turned her attention to John. ‘It’s all go around here some days. Best to walk away.’ Her words were loaded with a warning tone and Ruby glanced up at her. ‘That Earl has a temper. We don’t need to encourage it,’ Beatty continued as she folded white napkins. Her eyes were focused on the job, but Ruby understood her meaning. John might have put himself in danger. Earl was not a man to be messed with, and John had called him out on threatening Ruby.