by Rosie Clarke
Rachel read the latest report when she got home that evening. The sealed envelope had been delivered by hand to her at Harpers, but she’d been too busy to read it until after Lizzie was in bed and they’d done the supper dishes. She exclaimed aloud and Hazel looked at her expectantly.
‘Something wrong, dear – it isn’t from that horrid woman?’
‘No – it is good news,’ Rachel said and glanced at the clock. ‘It’s too late to go round to Sally Harper’s home now – but I could pop down to the box on the corner and ring her.’
‘Just as you like, my dear,’ Hazel said and smiled. ‘Lizzie is fast asleep and I’m here.’
‘It won’t take five minutes,’ Rachel said and got up to put her coat on.
She reached the phone box on the corner and entered, dialling Sally’s home number and then heard the engaged tone. Sally must be talking to someone. Rachel waited for a few minutes and then tried again, but Sally’s phone was still engaged, so she left the box. She would get a message to Sally in the morning.
It was dark when she left the box and started to walk back to Hazel’s house. She had an odd sensation, as if she was being followed, and glanced over her shoulder, but she couldn’t see anyone. The street was full of shadows and places where the lighting was inadequate. If anyone was there in the dark corners, she couldn’t see them and she thought perhaps it was just her imagination. However, instead of returning to Hazel’s immediately, she went to the nearest bus stop. A bus came a moment or two later and she got on, sitting at the back and turning her head to look out of the window. Seeing a man move forward out of the shadows, she felt a shiver at the back of her neck.
Rachel paid her fare and got off at the next stop. She walked back home by a different route.
Hazel looked at her anxiously as she entered the sitting room. ‘I was just beginning to think something had happened.’
‘I think I was followed, so I got on a bus,’ Rachel said. ‘I got off at the next stop and walked home as quickly as I could, but I came through the back alley…’
Hazel’s face paled. ‘Was it that woman?’
‘No, but it might have been someone to do with her – someone she asked to find me…’
‘Why would she?’ Hazel asked, puzzled. ‘She doesn’t want Lizzie.’
‘No, but she wants money,’ Rachel said. ‘Perhaps I should make her a one-off offer to buy Lizzie.’
‘She will just ask for more, you know she will,’ Hazel told her. ‘Be careful, Rachel – I think she is an unpleasant woman. We don’t want her stealing Lizzie from us…’
‘I’m the one that did the stealing,’ Rachel admitted. ‘I couldn’t bear to let her go back there.’ She sighed. ‘I’ve been dithering, but I think I shall have to have this out with her. Otherwise, they might try to snatch Lizzie.’
‘Leave her with me while you go.’
‘Yes, I shall. Don’t worry, Hazel. I’ll make sure we keep her somehow.’
At work the next day, Rachel passed her message on to Sally’s secretary and left her to phone Sally. She came into the department within the hour and Rachel smiled as she came straight up to her counter. ‘Ruth got you then? I tried to ring last night, but you were engaged.’
‘That was Ben,’ Sally said. ‘We were talking for ages, must have cost him a fortune but he wanted to talk.’ She looked at Rachel eagerly. ‘You said you have definite news?’
‘Yes, the report came yesterday – he has found your mother, Sally. She is living in Cambridgeshire and it seems that she has recently married…’
‘Married?’ Sally didn’t know what she had expected, but it wasn’t this! ‘I’ve been imagining her ill or dead but never married…’ She gave a gasping laugh. ‘That’s wonderful – does Mr Stevens know her address?’
‘He has gone down there to speak to her and ask her to get in touch with you.’
‘I can’t believe it!’ Sally’s face lit with wonder. ‘I really do have a mother – she’s alive and she just got married…’ A tear escaped from the corner of her eye, but she swiped it away impatiently. ‘I can’t thank you enough, Rachel – if you hadn’t found that investigator I would probably have given up and never seen her again.’
‘You deserve some good luck,’ Rachel said. ‘I know how much you’ve helped the wounded soldiers and other good causes. You’ve worked hard for Harpers and you’re kind and thoughtful to your friends and staff. I was glad to help and I’m delighted that she has been found.’
Sally looked excited. ‘Will you come to supper this evening and help me celebrate?’
‘I’d love to another time,’ Rachel said, ‘but tonight I have something important to do…’
‘Then make it tomorrow. I want to do something nice for you, Rachel.’ Sally’s eyes sparkled. ‘Besides, only a few more weeks to Christmas and I want to make it a good one for the store. We may not have as much special stock as we used to, but there’s nothing to stop us making some treats for the children to visit Father Christmas and something for the staff too. I might just have some jars of mincemeat put by for Christmas Eve.’
‘Oh, yes, we could all do with that! I’d love to come tomorrow evening,’ Rachel agreed. ‘Not that you need to do anything for me, Sally. It was a pleasure to help you.’
Rachel’s nerves tingled as she got off the bus and walked towards Vi Robinson’s cottage at the end of the terrace. She was determined to be strong and not to give in to the woman’s blackmail, but, somehow, she had to persuade her into letting them keep Lizzie.
There was a light on in the back of the cottage when Rachel walked up the garden path. She took a deep breath and knocked and heard a woman yelling. Then the door was flung open and a young woman holding a crying baby stood looking at her. She glared at Rachel from stormy grey eyes.
‘What do yer want? I’m busy.’
‘I thought this was Mrs Robinson’s house?’ Rachel was stunned by the woman’s rudeness.
‘Well, yer thought wrong,’ the woman snapped. ‘Vi’s gorn and we’re the new tenants see…’ She looked round at a young man who had come to stand beside her. ‘Tell her to clear orf, Bob. She wants bloody Vi’
‘She ain’t here,’ the man said gruffly.
‘Do you know where I can find her?’
‘Up the bleedin’ churchyard,’ he muttered sourly. ‘She’s dead, ain’t she? Her son came home, what they thought ’ad died at the Front, turned up alive, didn’t he? When he found out what she’d done to his wife and kid he bloody belted her – she died in the hospital… he’ll be for the chop when the cops get him, poor bugger. In his shoes I’d have done the bleedin’ same.’
Rachel stared as the door was slammed in her face. She felt numb as she walked away, too stunned to work out what this might mean for her. Lizzie’s grandmother was dead – killed by the son she’d believed lost to the war. He’d returned unexpectedly, looked for his wife and child and, when he’d discovered his wife dead and his child missing, he’d taken his anger out on the woman he’d expected to care for them.
Rachel felt a slight niggle of guilt. Had she caused this terrible incident, at least in part? No, she’d done what was right for a frightened child who was being mistreated by her grandmother. If Lizzie’s father came looking for her, she would tell him that his daughter was safe with her – at least until he could care for her himself.
Did this make Rachel’s situation better or worse? She’d believed Vi Robinson would try for as much money as she could wheedle out of her – but what would Lizzie’s father want? What would he do if he discovered where his daughter was? He was clearly a violent man – would he try to take his revenge on the woman who had stolen his only child?
27
Marion heard the shouting as she approached the kitchen door of her home when she returned from work that bitterly cold November evening. Frowning, she pushed open the door and to her astonishment saw that her father was in the kitchen. How dare he come here again, knowing he was wanted for questioning o
ver his wife’s death? He’d been shown the door before and knew he wasn’t welcome. Marion could hardly believe he would have the cheek to do it.
He had clearly been yelling at Sarah and Kathy, both of whom were armed, Sarah with an iron poker, and Kathy the rolling pin she’d been using, which was still covered in flour.
‘What is happening here?’ Marion demanded, confronting her father. ‘You’ve been told you’re not welcome here, Pa. If anyone sees you, you will be in trouble because my neighbours will go to the law.’
‘Here she is the filthy little bitch…’ his voice was slurred with drink, his eyes wild as he stared at Marion. ‘A man can’t turn his back before his wife is at it with some other bastard…’
‘I’m not your wife, I’m your daughter,’ Marion retorted angrily. ‘And you don’t belong in this house any longer…’ She looked at her sister. ‘Kathy run next door and tell Mrs Jackson.’
Their father glared at her and lurched to bar Kathy’s way.
She lifted her rolling pin. ‘If you touch me, I’ll hit you,’ she threatened. ‘You killed my mother and I hate you. You’re a nasty, bitter old drunk and you should do as Marion says and leave now.’
He lunged at her as if he would hit Kathy, but before he could reach her, Sarah struck his arm hard with her poker. The blow stopped him in his tracks and he cried out in pain. For a moment the fury was in his eyes and he might have attacked Sarah, except that the kitchen door opened and a man walked in.
‘Dan!’ Sarah screamed her relief and delight. ‘Thank God…’
Her husband needed no telling what was going on. He grabbed his father by the arm Sarah had struck with her poker, making him scream again; it had broken and was hanging limply and the shock of seeing his eldest son, combined with the pain, seemed to take his senses and he collapsed to his knees in a daze, too drunk to know what he was doing.
The three women stared at the dirty drunken wretch and all fear fled. He was a pitiful sight – brought there by his own temper and addiction to strong drink, but a sad figure all the same.
‘You’re coming with me,’ Dan muttered and half-lifted him, dragging him by the uninjured arm out of the house. ‘I’ll be back,’ he called over his shoulder. The shouts, screams and pleading from Sam Kaye could be heard clearly through the open door until Sarah slammed it shut after him.
Marion looked at her. ‘How long had my father been threatening you?’ she asked. ‘And, did you know Dan was back?’
‘Your father turned up about an hour ago,’ Sarah said. ‘At first, he just asked for you and I offered him a cup of tea. I thought it might placate him, but he demanded whisky and then, when Kathy came, he started threatening us because we had no whisky to give him. He kept asking for his wife and when you came, he clearly mistook you for her again…it must all be muddled in his mind. He doesn’t remember that she died or why—’ She drew a deep breath, shaking her head as if to clear it of the unpleasant scene. ‘—and no, I didn’t know Dan was home. I had a letter to say he was on his way, but I didn’t expect him until next week…’
‘Where do you think he has taken Father?’ Kathy asked, sitting down. She was pale and shaking. ‘I wish he was dead – I wish you’d killed him, Sarah!’
‘I think I may have broken his arm,’ Sarah said, looking upset. ‘I had to stop him attacking you, Kathy. I’m not sorry I hurt him, but I didn’t intend to break anything. I hope Dan doesn’t do anything stupid…’ She looked worried.
‘Kathy is right. We should all be better off if he was dead,’ Marion said. ‘Dan hates him, but he won’t murder him. He might have done it in anger if he’d caught him attacking one of us, but he won’t do it in cold blood. He will take him to the police station and they will arrest him for what he did to Ma…’
‘I hope they hang him!’ Kathy said bitterly. ‘I hate him. I wish I’d had the poker and hit him on the head.’
‘Then you would be arrested for attempted murder,’ Marion told her with a little shake of her head. ‘Pa will go to prison for some years – he’s in a lot of trouble. He may not hang for Ma’s murder, but he will certainly be locked up for a long time.’
‘I hope he rots there and never comes out,’ Kathy said. ‘We’re none of us safe while he’s free, Marion.’
‘She’s right. He will go on causing trouble for as long as he’s free,’ Sarah said with a frown. ‘Men like that are relentless, Marion. He’ll want revenge…it’s the reason he keeps coming back. He thinks his wife is still alive and betraying him with another man!’
‘I thought he looked ill,’ Marion said, meeting her worried gaze. ‘He must have been living rough since they threw him off the ships. I was told he was too much trouble even for the Merchant Navy and they didn’t want him – I don’t know how he has been living since the last time we saw him, but he smelled bad and he looked as if he hadn’t eaten a proper meal for a while.’
‘He took a Victoria sponge I’d baked and ate it all,’ Sarah said. ‘I said nothing because I hoped he would take it and go – but he just kept asking for your mother.’
‘And then thought I was her,’ Marion agreed. ‘That isn’t the behaviour of a man in his right senses. Perhaps in prison they can stop him killing himself with drink. Even the food he’ll get there must be better than what he’s been living on – and if he dies…’ She shook her head. ‘Whatever happens, he brought it on himself.’
‘Yes, he did,’ Sarah said and looked anxiously towards the kitchen door, as if willing Dan to return.
It was, however, more than an hour before he walked in. His gaze went straight to Sarah and she jumped up, running to his arms. Dan held her and kissed her and then looked at Marion.
‘He’s safely locked up,’ he said. ‘Are you all unhurt? I worried that he might have attacked you? Sarah’s last letter said she thought you might be expecting, Marion?’
‘I am…’ Marion blushed. ‘Pa didn’t touch me or Kathy. He was about to go for her, but Sarah hit his arm with the poker.’
‘It’s broken,’ Dan said. ‘It serves him right. If I’d come sooner, I might have broken his neck.’
‘It would be better if he were dead,’ Kathy said, eyes glaring.
‘He’ll pay for what he did now,’ Dan said. ‘He will be charged with murder – not Ma’s. They don’t have enough proof to charge him with her murder, just bodily harm, but I’ve been told he killed another sailor in a drunken brawl and it was witnessed by a dozen men. He will hang…’
His words fell into sudden silence and Marion saw Kathy’s face. She gave a strangled cry and ran out of the room. They heard her feet pounding up the stairs.
‘Should I go after her?’ Sarah asked.
Marion shook her head. ‘Leave her to cry it out. I’ll talk to her later. She’s too muddled up at the moment to know how she feels.’
Marion was feeling drained herself. Their father was a brute and undoubtedly a murderer, but he was still their father and the thought of him being hung was horrible. Kathy said she wanted him dead, but, surely, she didn’t really want her father to hang.
Marion sat on the bed an hour later and listened to her sister pour out her sorrow and her pain. She’d finally stopped crying and she clung to Marion when she put her arms around her and hugged her.
‘I know you can’t forgive him or what he did to Ma, nor can I,’ she told Kathy. ‘He is a bully and a brute and needs to be locked away for a long time. It may well be that he’ll hang – not for Ma’s murder, which would be more difficult to prove, but for another he was seen to commit by witnesses. If they don’t hang him, he will be in prison for the rest of his life.’
‘I hope he is,’ Kathy said. ‘Hanging is terrible. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone – but I don’t want him to come here ever again.’
‘He won’t,’ Marion reassured her. ‘It must have been awful with him here all that time before I got home – and then Dan arrived, thank goodness. I would have sent you to get help somehow, Kathy, and faced him alone i
f I could. I understand your fear and your grief, dearest, but you have to try to put it behind you and learn to live again…’
Kathy nodded, raising her eyes to Marion’s. ‘I know,’ she said. ‘I’m leaving school next term and I’ve been offered a job helping out with the cooking at school. I think I should like to do that – and I might be involved with the cookery lessons in time, when I’ve learned enough myself.’
‘That’s wonderful,’ Marion said, genuinely pleased for her sister. ‘I had enquired about a job in the canteen at Harpers, but there wasn’t anything going so I didn’t tell you. I might have found you something in the sales department, but I didn’t think you wanted that, love?’
‘No, I don’t,’ Kathy agreed and smiled. She sat up and wiped her eyes. ‘I’m sorry I’ve been so awful for ages…’
‘You haven’t, of course you haven’t,’ Marion said and gave her another hug. ‘You are still grieving for Ma – we all are, but Dan has Sarah and I have Reggie and it was harder for you.’
Kathy shook her head. ‘It was you Pa turned his temper on since Ma died. He took little notice of me. I don’t look like her; you do…’
‘Perhaps, a bit,’ Marion agreed. ‘I just want you to be happy, Kathy. If I can do anything for you, let me know.’
‘I’ll need some money for uniforms when I start work,’ Kathy said. ‘They’re only a few shillings – but I don’t have any saved, even though you and the boys have given me some now and then.’
‘Of course, I’ll pay for them and new shoes,’ Marion said and smiled. ‘You missed supper, do you want me to make you some toast?’
‘I’ll cook an egg and chips,’ Kathy replied. ‘Thank you for always being so patient and listening to me.’