A Dream to Share

by A Dream to Share (retail) (epub)

  ‘Hello, Em!’

  She almost jumped out of her skin, could feel warm breath on the back of her neck as a hand touched her shoulder. She turned and her face lit up. ‘Bloody hell, it’s you!’ she exclaimed, collapsing against her brother’s chest. ‘You didn’t half give me a fright.’

  ‘You thought me a ghost… be honest!’ said Chris, his eyes teasing her.

  ‘A living soul, Chris,’ she responded in a mocking voice. ‘It’s lovely to see you.’

  ‘You, too.’ He hugged her. ‘Mam said she didn’t know when you next had time off, so I thought I’d come and look yer up… take yer out for a drink and a bite to eat.’

  Emma gnawed on her lip. ‘I’d love that. But I’m not sure Mrs Black’ll let me have time off right now. I’ve the furniture to move and then her supper to prepare.’

  He frowned. ‘You shouldn’t be moving furniture about, Em. There’s not much of you and you could put your back out.’

  She smiled. ‘Now you mention it…‘ She put a hand to the small of the back and hobbled up the path like an old woman.

  ‘Exactly,’ said Chris. ‘I’m sure she won’t mind if I give you a hand. I’d like to meet her anyway.’

  ‘She’ll probably be interested to meet you, too. I’ve told her all about you.’ Emma led him inside and up the carpeted stairs. He touched the embossed wallpaper lightly, ‘Nice place she’s got here.’

  ‘Wait until you see the drawing room, she’s got some really nice stuff in there,’ whispered Emma.

  ‘Is that where she does her getting in touch with the other side?’

  ‘No. She has a special room for that and another for her healing ses­sions. That’s really peaceful that one.’

  ‘She must do well out of it.’

  Emma gave him a severe stare. ‘She doesn’t do it for the money. Didn’t I tell you in one of my letters that her husband left her plenty of money and property in Liverpool.’

  His eyes danced. ‘I do remember you saying she had no kids. Are there any relatives?’

  ‘Not that I’ve ever seen,’ she said in a low voice and hushed him as they reached the landing, for both the door to the drawing room and the ‘sittings’ room were ajar.

  ‘Have you someone with you, Emma?’ called Eudora.

  ‘Yes, Mrs Black. It’s me brother, Chris. I thought you might like to meet him and he said he’d help me move the furniture… if that’s OK?’

  ‘Bring him in here.’

  Emma winked at Chris and led the way into the drawing room. Mrs Black was standing over by the door that led out on to the balcony with a glass of sherry in her hand. She stared at Chris without speaking and he returned her stare boldly. Slowly she smiled and beck­oned him over. ‘I suppose Emma’s told you, I’d given up on your being of help to us.’

  ‘No, missus. What help would that be then?’ asked Chris, exchang­ing a swift questioning glance with his sister as he crossed the room.

  ‘Ridding this earth of the man responsible for your sister’s death before he can hurt anyone else.’ Emma drew in her breath and Chris raised his eyebrows but remained silent. ‘I hope I haven’t shocked you, Mr Griffiths?’ added Eudora. ‘You’re a soldier, so I’m sure it wouldn’t be too difficult for you to capture this despicable man?’

  Chris stared at her woodenly. ‘Capture him? It wasn’t in your mind then that I creep up on him in a dark alley and slit his throat?’

  Mrs Black’s smile deepened. ‘You have a sense of humour, I like that.’

  ‘I could say the same about you, missus. A soldier of the British Army doesn’t take the law into his own hands even if the man involved is a vio­lent no good bloody murdering rapist… if you’ll excuse my language.’

  ‘Well said! But you’ve served your time according to Emma. So offi­cially you’re no longer in the army. Am I right? Unless you’ve made the decision already to sign on again?’

  Chris shook his head and resisted glancing at his sister again. ‘We are talking about Bert; who last I heard had gone to Australia.’

  ‘Mrs Black doesn’t believe he has,’ said Emma.

  Chris could not conceal his surprise. ‘You have proof of that, mis­sus?’

  ‘Only my experience of dealing with people. It would be enough for him to write to his poor deluded mother and convince her to fool those out for his blood.’ She pursed her lips. ‘I’ve given much thought to his character and I think he’d certainly deceive his own mother if it suited his purposes. I believe his intention is to lull those he’s tormented into a false sense of security and then strike when they’re least expecting it.’

  Chris stared at her from narrowed eyes. ‘None of this is proof that he’s still here.’

  ‘That, young man, is where you come in. Now, having seen you, I’ve decided to entrust you with that task. You have the time and I’ll see that you’re not out of pocket.’

  He smiled.’That’s generous of you, missus, although, I did have a few things in mind that I wanted to do now I’m back home.’

  ‘Naturally! But surely a bit more money in your pocket would help you enjoy yourself even more.’ He did not deny that and Mrs Black turned to Emma. ‘Pour your brother a glass of whisky, dear! Sit down, Mr Griffiths, and I’ll explain.’ She waved him to a chair. ‘I thought you might start in Liverpool. It shouldn’t be too difficult to check the records of passengers travelling to Australia around the time Bert sent that letter telling his mother he was emigrating.’

  ‘If it’s that simple, it makes me wonder why you didn’t pay some­ one to do it before now,’ said Chris.

  ‘I had thought of it but then I decided I’d rather keep this between as few people as possible. Those who really want to see Bert punished. I’m sure I can number you amongst them.’

  He nodded and, without looking up, murmured his thanks to Emma as she handed him a cut glass tumbler. He took a mouthful of the whisky and let it lie on his tongue a moment before swallowing. ‘Good stuff,’ he said, then, leaning towards Mrs Black, ‘When I do get my hands on him, what are your plans for him?’

  She smiled. ‘I’m sure we can come up with something that will make him see the error of his ways.’

  He stared at her fixedly. ‘Sure. Why not? Give me a couple of days to get me bearings and find somewhere to stay.’

  ‘Certainly. Shall we agree to your returning here next Monday when I’ll give you some money for expenses, and then see how you go on from there.’

  ‘That’s fine with me.’ He raised his glass. ‘To your good health, Mrs Black, and a successful conclusion to our venture.’ He swallowed the whisky straight down, stood up and handed the glass to Emma. ‘Now perhaps you’d like to show me where this furniture is you want moving and, if you could spare my sister for a couple of hours, Mrs Black, I’d appreciate that.’

  She agreed. ‘I’m sure you’ve plenty to say to each other. Make sure you have her back here no later than seven o’clock.’

  He nodded and left the room with Emma.

  Half an hour later Emma, with her arm linked through that of her brother, was crossing the footbridge. ‘So what do you think of her?’ she asked.

  ‘She seems very sure of herself… but maybe having plenty of money does that for you,’ said Chris, pausing in the middle of the bridge to gaze down at the water.

  ‘I think it’s also having the power to change people’s lives as well,’ said Emma. ‘What d’you make of her plan to find Bert?’

  ‘It’s OK as far as it goes, although, I have a simpler plan of my own.’

  ‘What’s that?’

  He smiled. ‘I’ll explain over a bite to eat. You recommend a place and I’ll treat you to a slap up meal. In the meantime, maybe you can give some thought to where I can stay.’

  Emma suggested a caf on Eastgate Street to eat and, on the way there, they talked about his travels and the family. It was not until they were settled at a table that Emma remembered what Hannah had said when last she spoke to her. ‘There is somewhere
you could try for a room and it’s not that far from Mam’s.’

  He lowered the menu. ‘Where’s that?’

  Her eyes gleamed with mischief. ‘Bert’s mother’s. Last time I saw Hanny she told me one of her mother’s lodgers had just left.’

  A slow smile lighted Chris’s face. ‘Funny you should say that. It struck me while I was crossing the bridge that there was something missing in what Mrs Black had to say.’

  ‘And what was that?’

  ‘The absence of letters. Bert wrote to his mother saying he was going to Australia. Has he written to her since then?’

  ‘Supposedly. Hanny told me that her mother says she’s had letters from him but Hanny’s never seen them. There could be letters without them coming all the way from Australia.’

  ‘And in that case, it’d be easier to find out where they do come from without searching through the shipping booking records in Liverpool.’

  Emma frowned. ‘If Mrs Black’s right, Joy can’t have seen the envelopes. Otherwise she’d have her suspicions because of the stamp and postmark. Anyway, I’ll take you to Hanny’s after we’ve eaten. We can speak to her and Kenny about this… see what they have to say.’

  Chris agreed and turned back to the menu. Over a plate of lamb chops, potatoes and mashed carrot and turnip, they talked about their father’s absence from the family home and whether it was due to the unrest in the railway industry and his involvement with the union, just like David, or whether their mother was wrong and he had another woman.

  ‘Who’d have him?’ said Emma with an expressive shrug.

  ‘People are different with different people,’ said Chris. ‘Anyway, tell me how you’re getting on with David.’

  Emma sighed. ‘We see little of each other, but perhaps that’s for the best. I really am fond of him but what with Mam needing my wages and my being under age and us both working long hours…‘ Her voice trailed off.

  Chris said bluntly, ‘Has he asked you to marry him? You’d see more of each other if you were wed. You’re an attractive girl and you could easily be snapped up by someone else if he’s not careful.’

  She smiled faintly. ‘Actually he said he was going to ask me to marry him when I’m twenty-one.’

  Chris’s eyes glinted. ‘You say yes. Stop worrying about Mam and the kids. I’m here to keep my eye on them now.’

  ‘How long will you be staying, though?’ she murmured.

  Chris shrugged. ‘At least as long as it takes to catch the swine that did for Aggie.’

  She was pleased to hear that and part of her hoped it would take some time, whilst at the same time wanting Bert caught as soon as pos­sible. In the meantime, her brother had made her mind up for her about David. Perhaps she could slip a note through his father’s letterbox. But, before then, she had to take Chris to meet Hanny and Kenny.

  * * *

  ‘So you’re Emma’s big brother.’ Hannah smiled and held out a hand to Chris. ‘We’ve been dying to meet you.’

  ‘Now you have, I hope I pass muster.’ He grinned as he shook her hand.

  ‘You certainly do,’ she answered instantly. ‘Come in and have a cup of tea. You must meet Kenny. We’re both fond of Emma.’

  ‘How did the Rally go?’ whispered Emma as they followed her into the kitchen where Tilly sat at the table, practising writing. She glanced up at them, smiled and then lowered her head again.

  ‘There was trouble! Isn’t there always when it’s an outdoor one?’ said Hanny, rolling her eyes. ‘Eggs were thrown! Waste of good food, I thought.’

  ‘I presume Mrs Stone was there. Was anyone arrested?’

  ‘The police were there in force. There was quite a crowd so I couldn’t see everything that was going on. I didn’t even get to speak to Mrs Stone.’ A pot of tea was made. Kenny was called in from the office and introduced to Chris. They made small talk for a few minutes while they drank tea but then Chris said bluntly, ‘I don’t want to waste time, so I’ll get to the point of why I’m here.’ He placed his empty cup and saucer down on the hearth. ‘It’s about your brother, Bert.’

  Tilly lifted her head and glanced in their direction.

  ‘What about him?’ asked Kenny, looking disturbed.

  ‘I want to find him,’ said Chris.

  Hannah stared at him. ‘Surely Emma’s told you that he’s in Australia?’

  Chris nodded. ‘But is he? I know this is distressing for you both but Mrs Black believes he’s not there.’

  ‘Why?’ asked Hannah in a startled voice, ‘Has she seen him?’

  ‘She wouldn’t know him if she saw him,’ said Emma.

  ‘Neither would I,’ said Chris, turning to Kenny. ‘So it would be handy, pal, if you could do a drawing of him for me. Mrs Black thinks he’s fooling you all… that Bert’s just biding his time over here some­where, waiting to get his revenge.’

  Hannah shook her head. ‘I don’t believe it. I don’t want to believe it!’ Her face had lost its colour.

  Kenny put his arm round her. ‘It’s OK, love.’

  ‘I’m sorry to upset you both,’ said Chris, planting both hands on his knees. ‘But pussy-footing around the subject won’t help us. We need to know if the letters Bert sent to your mother really did come from Australia.’

  Hannah sighed. ‘Joy might be able to find out. I should imagine Mother would have kept all his letters.’

  Chris leaned forward. ‘Em was saying that your mother takes in lodgers. D’you think you could put a word in for me with your mother?’

  Hannah was taken aback. ‘Why?’

  Chris smiled. ‘I need somewhere to stay. Don’t worry, I won’t go as myself. Bert knows the name Griffiths. I’ll think up a new identity.’

  ‘Joy would need to know the truth,’ said Hannah.

  ‘Sure! As long as she can keep her mouth shut and doesn’t blow my cover,’ said Chris.

  ‘I’d best not repeat that to my sister,’ said Hannah.

  ‘Good,’ said Chris absently, his brow puckered. ‘There’s always the possibility that Bert arranged for your mother to pick up the letters at the post office. In that case your sister wouldn’t have seen them.’

  Hannah frowned. ‘You could be right. Thinking about it, I can’t say I see any need for you to stay there.’

  ‘Trust Chris. He didn’t work his way up to sergeant without having a reason for everything he does,’ said Emma, pride in her voice. ‘He has something in mind, I’m sure.’

  ‘Sure I have,’ said Chris, who only had the vaguest idea what he was going to do but he was not about to disillusion his sister.

  Hannah glanced at Kenny, who nodded. ‘Alright!’ she said. ‘Do you want to go now?’

  ‘Sure. And on the way I’ll think up something to explain why you’re recommending me.’

  ‘Probably best you stick with your Christian name,’ said Emma. ‘You might find yourself not answering straightaway to another and that would rouse suspicion.’

  They all stood up and Emma said, ‘I’m going to have to go back to Mrs Black’s. I suppose you don’t want me saying anything to her yet about what you’re doing, Chris?’

  He nodded. ‘I’ll be seeing her on Monday, I’ll make the decision then what to tell her.’

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  April, 1910

  The young woman lifted her skirts and booted the ball down the street in the lad‘s direction. Chris caught a glimpse of shapely calves before she dropped her skirts.

  Hannah called, ‘Joy!‘

  She turned and came hurrying towards them. Several wisps of dark hair had come loose from their pins and she tucked a curl behind an ear as she approached them. Her figure was small but nicely rounded and, immediately, Chris wanted her. He gazed into her flushed, oval shaped face with its small nose, dimpled chin and full lips, and found himself being studied just as intently. Her lively, curious eyes were the purplish­ brown of ripe figs he recalled eating in Palestine.

  Wiping perspiration from her brow, Joy said
, ‘Who’s this, Hanny?’

  ‘Hopefully Mother’s new lodger,’ said Hannah easily. ‘Is the room still vacant?’

  Joy nodded. ‘What’s his name? Where’s he from? He looks like he’s been in the sun.’

  ‘That’s because I have been in the sun,’ said Chris, smiling and hold­ing out his hand. ‘I’m Emma’s brother, but keep that under your hat.’

  ‘What’s he doing here?’ asked Joy, ignoring the proffered hand and glancing at her sister. ‘And what’s he mean, Keep it under your hat?’

  Hannah said, ‘You’ve to forget what he’s just said. We tell Mother his name is Chris Williams and he’s been a clerk for the British govern­ment in India. Now he’s home on leave and needs somewhere to stay for a couple of months as he’s writing a book of his travels. He met Kenny in the library and they got talking and Kenny suggested I spoke to Mother about him.’

  Joy raised thick dark eyebrows. ‘Why the story? I thought he was in the army.’

  ‘Bert might remember Aggie had a brother in the army,’ said Chris.

  Joy fixed him with a stare. ‘What’s Bert got to do with this?‘

  ‘Just listen,’ said Chris. ‘Mrs Black has this feeling that Bert never went to Australia. That he lied to fool you all into thinking he was out of the way.’

  Joy’s face registered disbelief and she glanced at her sister. ‘You go along with this?’

  Hannah said wryly, ‘I’m here with him, aren’t I?’

  Smiling grimly, Chris said, ‘From what I’ve heard about your broth­er, he’s a conniving, murdering, filthy swine, whom I’d like to wipe from the face of the earth. He’d enjoy deceiving the lot of you just to get his own back.’

  Joy stared at him in fascination. ‘You don’t pull your punches, do you? But I think you’re mad. Mother’s had letters from him.’

  ‘You’ve seen them, have you?’

  She frowned. ‘No, but she’s mentioned them to me and was gen­uinely upset when she got the first one saying he was emigrating.’

  ‘He knew he would have to convince her that he was going that first time so you’d believe her. But afterwards he’d tell her the truth,’ said Chris. ‘From what I’ve heard she seems to be the only person he gen­ uinely cares about.’