The Forgotten Village

by Lorna Cook

  ‘That’s strange,’ Melissa said as they arrived at the ward doors. Guy stood and started pacing. ‘You don’t usually see the time listed on a birth certificate, if I remember mine correctly,’ Melissa finished.

  Guy glanced down at the phone and read the old-fashioned writing but looked none the wiser. He felt in his pocket and pulled out the cigarette lighter and looked at the name on it again. ‘Alfred. Poor old Freddie. What on earth did he have the misfortune of doing in order to end up dead in the cellar of Tyneham House?’

  Melissa closed the attachment with Albert’s birth certificate and opened the second one. She glanced up at Guy as he paced. He was still holding Freddie’s cigarette lighter, flicking it open and shut repeatedly, while looking towards the ward entrance.

  ‘Do you think we could look at that later?’ Guy gestured towards his phone. He stopped pacing and looked back at her anxiously.

  ‘Just a sec. It’s almost loaded.’ Melissa stared at the phone as the certificate came up line by painful line. She started tapping her foot, impatient for the information to appear.

  A near-perfect copy of Albert’s birth certificate loaded on the screen. She zoomed in to look.

  ‘Oh, it’s the same one twice,’ she said. ‘I think your assistant might have made a mistake …’ Melissa’s voice trailed off as she read the information in one of the columns again and then checked the name of the baby that had been registered. But it wasn’t the wrong one.

  Alfred Standish was also listed as having been born at the family’s London house on 20 August in the year 1911. Freddie’s time of birth was 2.45 a.m.

  Melissa frowned, uncomprehending. But then her head snapped up and she stared at Guy.

  Guy had resumed pacing but stopped when he saw her face. ‘What?’ he asked.

  Melissa couldn’t believe it. She couldn’t speak. She turned the phone around and showed Guy.

  ‘What the …?’ Guy frowned, then he looked at Melissa. Their eyes locked and Guy’s expression turned to astonishment as he too realised what he was looking at.

  Freddie and Albert were twins.

  CHAPTER 41

  ‘Twins?’ Guy mouthed. He was having trouble comprehending. ‘Twins.’ He held his hand out for his phone and Melissa passed it back. Guy flicked between both birth certificates and then looked up at Melissa, his eyes wide. ‘Jesus Christ.’

  He clicked off the screen and looked at the text of Philippa’s email, scanning it for further information.

  ‘It makes sense when she said that by finding Albert’s certificate first it made it easier to find Freddie’s. The time is only listed on a birth certificate for multiple births. When she saw that there was a time on Albert’s certificate, she must have known straight off that Freddie was a twin.’

  ‘Your gran never said they were twins.’

  Guy’s voice took on a harder edge. ‘Gran has said hardly anything. Has she had the key this whole time? Has she always known about Freddie being in the cellar? I need to talk to her.’

  ‘Gently,’ Melissa called after him. ‘Please, Guy.’

  He pushed through the ward doors and walked past the nurses’ station without even registering the women behind the counter, who looked delighted to see him as usual. Melissa gave a polite smile out of habit as she hurried past.

  Anna looked slightly brighter when Melissa and Guy arrived with her tea.

  ‘Thank you, my darlings,’ she said, taking a sip. ‘Ooh that’s lovely. Not like the dishwater I’m being served here.’

  ‘Sorry it’s in a paper cup,’ Melissa said. ‘When do you think they’ll let you out?’ She didn’t want to storm in and shock Anna with their discovery, but she could see Guy fidgeting. For once, he was the impatient one.

  ‘Not for some time. They don’t think I’m strong enough for anything at the moment, but fingers crossed,’ Anna said with a small smile.

  Guy started to speak, but Melissa cut him off and he closed his mouth. ‘What did the nurse say? Was she happy with how you were doing?’

  ‘She’s not very happy with my breathing. She’s not very happy with much, actually.’ Anna attempted a laugh and coughed repeatedly. Melissa helped her with the oxygen mask and Anna held it over her face for a minute, letting the strings hang loose. Guy and Melissa sat in silence while Anna breathed deeply.

  Eventually, once Anna had placed the mask in her lap, Guy spoke. Melissa felt a flicker of fear and suddenly wanted to be anywhere other than here. Whatever had happened in that cellar, whatever Albert had done to his brother, there must be a reason why Anna had the key.

  ‘Gran,’ Guy started. ‘I need to talk to you.’

  Anna nodded. ‘This sounds serious.’

  ‘It is.’ Guy ran his hand through his hair.

  ‘Gran?’ He sat up straight and looked directly at her. ‘What happened just before the requisition?’

  Anna didn’t reply immediately, but when she did she said, ‘Why are you asking me about this again?’

  Melissa could see it was no use. They weren’t going to get there gently.

  ‘We found the key,’ Melissa started. ‘I’m sorry.’

  Guy reached into his pocket and pulled the key out, holding it towards his gran.

  Anna looked at it. She reached out to touch it and then withdrew her hand. Melissa couldn’t read her expression. The elderly lady had looked at the key so blankly that Melissa couldn’t tell if she recognised it or its significance.

  Anna held her tea out for Melissa to take. Melissa’s glance flicked to Guy as she placed the paper cup on the roll-out table. His brow was furrowed and he looked about ten years older.

  ‘It’s the key to the cellar of Tyneham House,’ Melissa prompted.

  Anna exhaled loudly and then closed her eyes. ‘I know,’ she whispered.

  Guy shuffled forward on to the edge of the plastic visitor’s chair and said quietly, ‘We went down there. We found him.’

  Anna drew a sharp intake of breath and put her hand to her mouth. Her eyes were still closed.

  ‘What happened, Gran? I don’t want to upset you. But we need to know.’

  ‘You found him?’ Anna whispered.

  Melissa nodded and then crouched down to the side of Anna’s bed and touched her hand gently. Cannula tubes were sticking out of her hand and Melissa dodged them and slipped her hand underneath Anna’s to hold the elderly lady’s. ‘We just knew something wasn’t right. We wanted to know if you knew what happened.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Gran,’ Guy said, his tone tender. ‘We found a dead body. Isn’t that reason enough?’

  Anna closed her eyes and was silent for so long that Melissa wondered if she’d drifted off to sleep. Just as Melissa started to rise from her crouching position Anna asked, ‘What did he look like, after all these years?’

  Guy flicked a glance at Melissa. ‘A skeleton,’ he said. ‘But fully dressed. In a suit.’

  ‘Sort of real,’ Melissa said quietly. ‘But not real at the same time.’

  Anna nodded, raised her watery eyes and eventually said, ‘God forgive me. It was an accident.’

  Guy started to speak, but when Anna continued he stopped.

  ‘You have no idea what it was like, living in that house. That last week was the very worst.’

  Guy and Melissa exchanged looks.

  ‘I wished I wasn’t living there. But I’d promised to stay for her.’ Anna looked blankly at the far wall of the hospital ward.

  ‘For Veronica?’ Melissa asked.

  Anna nodded. ‘Sir Albert was a drinker, you see. Couldn’t stop. But couldn’t hold it either. It became a … problem.’ Anna coughed and reached for the oxygen mask.

  After a few moments, she continued. ‘He was a menace. If he didn’t get his way, you know, then he’d take it out on her verbally, or he’d give her little shoves if she got in his way, or reach out and take her hand sharply. And that was just in public or in front of the house staff. What he did to her behind closed doors … we
ll … it’s different now isn’t it? There’s more help.’

  Melissa thought again of the domestic abuse leaflet that the nurse had passed her. She thanked God that times had changed. Just about.

  ‘Women are stronger now, perhaps, and there’s more help available, for some at least. Most people seem better equipped to see what’s happening to them these days,’ Melissa offered.

  ‘You’d be surprised, dear. Has Guy mentioned his soon-to-be ex-wife?’

  Melissa nodded and Guy’s head shot up.

  ‘Abuse comes in all shapes and sizes. It’s not always physical. But Sir Albert’s abuse of Veronica was mental and physical. It had been going on for years. Veronica was leaving him.’

  ‘Really?’ Melissa’s eyebrows lifted.

  ‘It took her a long time to realise that’s what she needed to do. And she tried, several times. But timing was never her strong point and she always lost her chance – especially the last time she tried. In the last few days before the requisition. Someone arrived and she missed her opportunity to leave.’

  ‘Freddie?’ Melissa offered.

  Anna nodded. ‘Freddie.’

  ‘What happened?’ Guy asked.

  ‘Freddie arrived and it changed everything,’ Anna said. ‘They used to be lovers, before the war. Veronica told me that Sir Albert talked her out of a relationship with Freddie.’

  ‘And into one with him?’ Melissa asked. ‘Was she so easily swayed?’

  ‘She could be, I suppose. She was strong in many ways. Kind to others, too. But she had no confidence and when Sir Albert told her Freddie had no intention of marrying her and that she meant next to nothing to him, she was embarrassed and ashamed. Sir Albert coaxed her away and then soon after he proposed.’

  ‘But it wasn’t true – about Freddie, I mean?’ Melissa asked.

  ‘No, dear. Freddie loved her. Might I have my tea back?’ Anna asked.

  Melissa handed the tea to her and she gulped it down thirstily.

  ‘She drove Freddie away on purpose this time.’ Anna was quiet. ‘Sir Albert threatened Freddie’s life and so Veronica sacrificed her happiness with Freddie for a lifetime of hell with her husband.’

  ‘This is terrible,’ Melissa cried and then looked around to check no one was listening. ‘But he didn’t go? Freddie didn’t go?’

  ‘No,’ Anna said, remembering. Tears sprang into her eyes. ‘He came back. Oh, may God forgive me.’

  Melissa thought of Freddie in the cellar and tried to hold back tears. ‘What happened?’ she asked.

  ‘Why do you have the key?’ Guy cut in. His head was in his hands.

  ‘I was supposed to go back,’ Anna answered. ‘When the requisition order was lifted. When the war ended, I was supposed to bury his body properly. I could confide in my brother, William. I was going to ask him to help. The cellar door was sturdy and the lock was secure. The army weren’t moving into the village, they mainly wanted to use the house for training and to shoot around it, so hopefully they weren’t going to pay too much attention to a locked cellar door. And if they did, then the body was hidden quite well. But he wasn’t supposed to be there this long. We all thought we’d be moving back within a matter of years.’

  ‘Who killed him?’ Guy was blunt.

  Anna narrowed her eyes. ‘Oh, Guy,’ she said. ‘My darling grandson. Albert was killing them both. It was all happening so fast. By the time I arrived … her head, the desk … there was so much blood I couldn’t see how she was still alive.’ Anna looked haunted as she relived the event. ‘She was moving so slowly, I thought she was going to die. But they, the two of them, the brothers, they were fighting, each of them trying to get a stronger grip on the other, each of them hitting one another over and over and over. I picked up Sir Albert’s gun.’ Anna paused, closing her eyes briefly. ‘I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. I might have tried firing a shot to startle him, to shock him. But I was frightened, so frightened. I wasn’t capable of handling a rifle, and I don’t know how, but somehow I fired it. I only wanted to save Veronica. And I wanted to save Freddie. I wanted to make them stop fighting. I never meant for it to end like that.’

  Melissa was breathless hearing the tale that had led to a man’s death all those years ago.

  ‘And poor Freddie died,’ Melissa declared, feeling flat and exhausted.

  ‘No.’ Anna shook her head, vehement, and a tear ran down her face. ‘No. I didn’t kill him.’

  Guy sat up straight, realising the significance of Anna’s confession.

  Melissa’s mouth dropped open before she whispered, ‘You killed Albert.’

  CHAPTER 42

  Tyneham, December 1943

  Veronica felt a weight on top of her. She was being crushed. She was aware of a bang, but it sounded so far away. It was only when the sound was accompanied by something heavy landing on her that she vaguely understood what had happened.

  Then there was silence. Pain seared through her head where Bertie had slammed it into the desk. Her dizziness was still present as her eyes struggled to focus. Veronica moved her head and a mop of someone else’s hair brushed against her face. Bertie was on top of her, lying on his back and at an awkward angle. Veronica opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out. Or if it came out she was unable to hear it. There was ringing in her ears – such loud ringing.

  She started to push Bertie off, but his body was limp. She called his name and shook him, but there was no response and so Veronica pushed him as hard as her remaining strength would allow. His legs were draped over the side of his desk and his lifeless form finally slumped onto the floor with a thud. Veronica summoned all her energy and turned slightly on to her side in order to get into a less painful position to sit up. As she did so, she looked down and saw that she was covered in blood. Her clothes were smeared in it from her chest down to her knees. She sat up and turned towards the door. Anna’s eyes were staring straight through Veronica and her hands, still holding the gun, were shaking.

  Freddie was on all fours, facing her, his breath rasping. He lifted an arm to his chest. Between thick, exhausted rasps, his eyes were on Bertie’s lifeless form.

  ‘Freddie,’ Veronica cried. He stared as if he was in a trance and at her call he looked up at her and blinked but, winded, seemed unable to speak. Then, coming to his senses, he climbed slowly to his feet and walked uncertainly towards a shaking Anna. He gently pushed the barrel of the gun towards the floor. Anna’s grip was tight and Freddie had to prise her hand from the gun, finger by finger, while she stared wide-eyed and shocked at Bertie’s body.

  Veronica moved round on the desk and slid off. Her stomach hurt where Bertie’s knee had made repeated contact. She put her hand to her head, which was in agony, and found her hair sticky with blood, smears of which were on the desk where her head had been slammed repeatedly.

  As Freddie took the gun from Anna, he held it low and then turned to face Veronica as he put it on the floor. His eyes were pained and he still hadn’t spoken. He looked at her bloodstained dress and then down to the floor where Bertie’s lifeless form lay. He and Veronica stared at each other and then at Anna, who burst into tears, breaking the silence of the room. Veronica staggered forward to take Anna in her arms.

  Veronica had often found it hard to believe Anna was only seventeen. But now the girl looked so young and so small.

  ‘Thank you,’ Veronica cried into Anna’s hair. ‘Thank you.’

  Anna, shocked, was still unable to reply and sobbed into Veronica’s shoulder. Eventually, as Anna pulled back to wipe her eyes, Veronica saw blood had transferred from her dress onto Anna’s clothes.

  Freddie put both his hands onto his head and stared down at Bertie’s body. Slowly he moved towards his dead brother, bending over him to check for signs of life.

  Bertie’s shirt was soaked with blood. Freddie slumped down onto his knees next to his brother.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Anna cried. ‘I’m so sorry.’

  ‘Anna, you saved me.’ Vero
nica stood, glancing between the twins. One dead. One alive.

  ‘I’ve killed him.’ Anna burst into tears again. ‘I didn’t mean to. I only wanted him to stop. He was going to kill you.’

  ‘I can’t believe he’s dead,’ Freddie said quietly.

  Veronica looked down at her bloody dress. ‘You saved me, Anna,’ she repeated.

  ‘But I didn’t mean to kill him,’ Anna cried. ‘I didn’t.’

  Veronica touched Anna’s shoulder and held her gently. ‘It’s all right. It will be all right.’ Veronica had no idea if anything would be all right ever again. She had wanted to be free of Bertie, but not like this.

  ‘I don’t know what to do,’ Anna said. ‘Who do we tell?’

  ‘No one,’ Freddie said as he looked up at the women. He looked at Veronica with meaning and shook his head slightly. Veronica could see panic in his face.

  Catching Freddie’s glance, Anna’s mouth dropped open. ‘But we have to tell,’ she said. ‘I’ve killed someone.’

  ‘You saved us.’ Freddie climbed slowly to his feet.

  ‘But …’ Anna trailed off.

  Veronica held Anna’s hand while she tried to piece together what they should do. The pain in her head was addling her mind, but one thing she did realise. ‘Anna, if we tell anyone what’s happened, you’ll hang.’

  ‘No,’ Anna said. ‘Not if I confess. Not if I tell them it was an accident.’

  Veronica was definite. ‘No,’ she said. She looked down at Bertie’s body and wondered what in heaven’s name they were going to do now.

  ‘But …’ Anna started again. ‘We have to. We have to do something.’

  ‘We do have to do something.’ Veronica touched her head again and felt thick blood still oozing in amongst her matted hair. She reached out to the empty bookshelves to steady herself, her hands leaving a trail of blood on the wood. Anna grabbed Veronica round the waist as Veronica slumped against the shelves, weakened by her ordeal.

  ‘We can’t let Anna hang for this. Not for him,’ Freddie said in a quiet voice as he looked down at his brother.