Lily of Love Lane

by Carol Rivers

  Ben strolled casually across the road. Not a soul in sight. Taking the white steps in a couple of hops, he used the brass knocker. When no one appeared he knocked again, a little harder this time. Was she out? He was just about to leave when he heard a noise. ‘Lil, is that you?’

  The door opened. His stomach almost came up as she swayed, reached out and by a fraction, he caught her. Sliding his arm beneath her, he lifted her gently in. Booting the door closed behind him, he stood with her in his arms, his mind in a panic as a cold, clammy sweat crept down the back of his neck.

  Ben sat looking into space. He couldn’t believe he was here again. Thank God it wasn’t where they’d taken Mr Kelly, not to that same small room where it had already been too late to help. But to a ward, somewhere at the end of a maze of passages that looked all alike to him. They’d brought her up here, then told him to go away and return later. Of course, he hadn’t done that. He’d just walked around, his heart beating like a drum as he’d thought back to what he’d found in that place. Who had been there? and what had they done to her? Ben didn’t know where to put his anger. It was building up in him like a volcano. He wanted to get hold of someone and . . .

  He closed his eyes, trying to block out the mental image of the bruise on her face and the bright red blood that had congealed there. He’d tried to think of what to do first, but instinct had governed his actions and he’d carried her out to the cab and driven like a bloody lunatic to the hospital. Then they’d asked him all sorts of daft questions. How could he tell them anything? He didn’t know.

  He got up and walked to the window. It was raining outside, the kind of cold heartless rain that went with a day like this.

  A voice came from behind him. A small woman dressed in a dark blue uniform and white cap. She addressed him. ‘Mr James? The doctor would like to see you.’

  ‘Is she all right?’

  ‘She’s comfortable, yes.’

  ‘Can I see her?’

  ‘All in good time. Come this way, please.’

  Ben followed, his mind going round in circles. Comfortable. What did that mean? Why couldn’t he speak to her?

  The doctor was walking towards them and smiled as he looked Ben up and down. ‘You’re Mr James?’

  Ben nodded. ‘Can I see Lil?’

  ‘Yes, in a moment. I understand you brought Miss Bright here today?’

  ‘Yes, in me cab.’

  ‘But you know her personally?’

  ‘Yes, she’s a close friend.’

  ‘Well, Mr James, we have treated her wrist and head injuries. But she is still suffering the after effects of being unconscious. She doesn’t remember anything after her fall, unfortunately. So we have no information between this time and when she said you found her.’

  ‘Lil said she had a fall?’

  ‘Yes, that’s correct. Why? Did you think otherwise?’

  Ben quickly shook his head. He didn’t want to dispute Lil’s story and perhaps that was what happened. But had she said anything about the house being wrecked?

  ‘So you know nothing about what happened?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Was Miss Bright in any trouble?’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘In any suspicious cases, it’s our duty to inform the police.’

  Ben didn’t like the way the doctor was sounding. ‘I don’t see there’s any reason for that,’ he answered. ‘If Lil says she’s had a fall, that’s all there is to it.’

  Ben stared into the doctor’s unflinching gaze. He didn’t know what had happened to Lily. He needed to talk to her before he said anything more.

  ‘She also tells us that she has no family to inform.’

  Ben felt a jolt of shock. Why had she said that? Now he knew that it was no accident. Lily was lying. And he had an unpleasant feeling he knew why.

  ‘No . . . no family as I know of,’ he colluded. Lily didn’t want anyone to know what had happened. Had Charles Grey assaulted her? A surge of anger threatened to overwhelm him, before he managed to compose himself as he decided that whatever was causing Lily to lie, he would have to go along with it for now.

  What did Hattie know, that she hadn’t told him? Had Lil been in trouble when she visited Hattie yesterday? Now he thought about it, Hattie wasn’t likely to have turned up at his house without good reason. There must be something more to all this. Did it have anything to do with what Noah Kelly had told him about Charles Grey?

  As Ben tried to think, the doctor spoke again. ‘Miss Bright has asked to see you, but I suggest you keep this visit short. She will need time to recover both physically . . . and indeed, in other respects. Meanwhile we’ve given her something to help her rest.’

  Ben felt the insides of his stomach curl as the doctor gestured for him to follow. What did he mean, ‘other respects’?

  Lily blinked through the pain. She kept slipping in and out of consciousness. What had happened to her since those men had come to the house? One of her arms seemed to be in a splint. Had that man broken it?

  Suddenly she felt her good hand grasped. ‘Lil, it’s me, Ben. How are you feeling?’

  She couldn’t say how bad her head, back and arm felt. Or that she felt bruised inside. She tried to smile instead.

  ‘It’s all right, Lil. I’m here.’

  But she wished it was Charles. Where was he? Why hadn’t he come for her?

  ‘Lil, what happened?’

  The doctor had kept asking her that. She didn’t want him to know what happened. She didn’t want anyone to know what happened. She had to protect Charles.

  ‘The doctor said you told him you’d fallen down the stairs?’

  She nodded.

  ‘That ain’t true, is it?’

  ‘I want to go home, Ben.’

  ‘You can’t, Lil. All the furniture is broken.’

  She sobbed, trying to turn her head so he wouldn’t see. ‘Don’t tell them about that – please!’

  ‘I haven’t.’

  ‘And don’t tell Mum and Dad.’

  ‘Why, Lil? What’s going on?’

  ‘I don’t want them upset.’ She knew that if Ben told her parents they would come here. She didn’t want anyone to know what had happened at the house. She wanted to see Charles, only Charles, who would make everything all right.

  Another tear slipped out, followed by another.

  He squeezed her hand gently. ‘Look, I ain’t gonna upset you now. Whatever’s happened, you’ve got me and that’s a promise. I’ll let you rest now and be back tomorrow. All right?’

  ‘You won’t tell no one?’

  ‘Course not.’

  She nodded, wishing she could leave and go home. Where was home? Where was Charles? What about her baby? Then closing her eyes, she felt her fingers slip away from Ben’s as she fell into another deep sleep.

  That evening, Ben stood in the gloomy hallway of number four Dewar Street. He’d only had a few minutes to glance round this morning as his priority had been getting Lil to hospital. Now she was in safe hands, he could at least try to discover what had happened. He’d had the presence of mind to slip the front door key into his pocket and the house appeared to be as they left it. The desk was broken and battered and still lying on its side. The aspidistra was crushed. In the dining room they’d smashed the ornaments, pulled down the drapes and scattered the ashes of the fire over the rug. He went to the kitchen where the dresser was pulled on its side over the broken china.

  Upstairs in one of the bedrooms he found mens’ clothing, which must be Charles Grey’s by the look of it. Dozens of expensive suits, trousers, coats and shirts were ripped to shreds and scattered over the bed and floor. Now, that was vindictiveness of another sort, Ben thought as he frowned at the damage! If it was a burglary, they had omitted to take the imposing paintings on the wall. The mantel clock and figures were broken, not stolen. What burglar would miss out on taking the swag with him?

  Ben went out onto the landing. Slowly he made his way up the last f
light of stairs. Lily had told him her rooms were on the top floor.

  Here, little seemed to have been touched. It was as though someone had thrown a few things about; the books and cushions and an expensive-looking coffee table was on its side. But the light coloured couch was all in one piece as was a modern, black-framed mirror still intact on the wall. Beneath it stood a pink glass statue, depicting a reclining woman. Ben picked it up, drawing his fingers over its delicate curves. His anger subsided somewhat. Whoever had come in here had taken no real interest in gaining revenge on a woman.

  Lily’s bedroom had also escaped the intruders’ attention. It was clearly a feminine room. The frills and fancies were definitely Lil, he could smell her everywhere. On top of the dressing table were her bits and pieces and a pair of pink slippers poked out from beneath the wardrobe.

  Ben breathed in Lily’s essence. For a moment he forgot his mission as he gazed around him, picturing Lily here, seeing her sitting at the window and gazing out over the rooftops of London. Had she been happy here? What was her true relationship with Charles Grey? Had they ever shared this bed?

  Ben shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. Then, seeing Lily’s bag on a chair, the bag he had carried many times to the car, he took it to the wardrobe. Pulling out her clothes he folded them into the bag. On top of these, he added the contents of the chest, her purse and personal effects. When he had everything, he hurried back downstairs again. By the upturned desk, he saw something he had missed before; pages torn from a book.

  He examined them, frowning as he read the text. Then pushing these too into the bag, he cast his eyes round for the last time. Taking a final look at number four Dewar Street, he let himself out. With Lily’s bag safely beside him, he drove the cab quickly towards Stepney and home.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  The following day, Lily was moved to another ward. There were six beds on either side and a young girl was in the bed next to her.

  ‘What’s wrong with you?’ she asked as Lily was fussed over by the nurses.

  ‘I fell down the stairs.’

  ‘Did you break anything?’

  ‘Yes, me wrist.’

  ‘Come on now, you two,’ a nurse interrupted as she drew the curtains round Lily’s bed. ‘You can get to know each other later. But now it’s a bed wash for you, Miss Bright.’

  It was the first of many, Lily was to discover, as with her arm in a sling, she couldn’t do much herself.

  The day seemed very long and no doctor came round.

  ‘It’s Sunday,’ said the girl whose name was Violet. ‘Unless one of us is very bad, they don’t bother. Are you having any visitors this afternoon?’

  Lily shrugged. She just wanted to close her eyes and make it all go away. She didn’t have any personal effects. They were all at the house. The nurse had put her in a hospital nightgown and given her a toothbrush and flannel. She felt bruised and battered and was desperate to ask about her baby. Was there still life inside her?

  Lily nibbled at the meal they brought round. She wasn’t hungry. Her wrist ached a lot, although the nurse had given her a pill to relieve the pain. The stitches in her head had crusted over and she had no comb to use on her hair. They had given her one to use, but it was her left hand that wasn’t affected and she couldn’t find the energy to do a parting.

  She was fast asleep when she felt a touch. ‘Lil?’

  She opened her eyes slowly. ‘Oh, Ben, it’s you. I was wondering if you’d come.’ She looked round the ward. It was full of visitors.

  ‘Course I was coming. Here.’ He held up a bunch of flowers.

  ‘Oh, thanks.’

  ‘And here’s some other things.’ He put her bag on the chair.

  Lily pushed herself up. ‘Me bag! How did you get that?’

  ‘I went back last night.’

  Lily sat forward abruptly and felt dizzy. Ben gently pushed her against the pillow. She looked up at him. ‘Was Charles there?’

  ‘No. No one was.’ He sat down on the chair, glancing round the busy ward. ‘Lil, how are you feeling?’

  ‘I’m all right.’

  ‘You’ve had a big bang on your head and that wrist looks painful.’ He frowned. ‘Do you remember how you did it?’

  ‘No.’ She didn’t want to say anything in case it implicated Charles.

  ‘You told the doctor you fell down the stairs. But you also told him you didn’t have no family. Now, Lil, I don’t know what’s going on, but look at it from my point of view. I call on the hop and find you looking like death warmed up. I can’t help but think if I wasn’t there, what would have happened?’

  ‘Charles would have found me.’

  ‘He ain’t found you yet, has he?’

  Tears sprang into Lily’s eyes. She didn’t want to cry, but a little of the truth hurt.

  He squeezed her good hand. ‘Maybe I shouldn’t have said that. But I’m worried for you. It don’t look to me like you fell down the stairs.’

  ‘I don’t want to talk about it for now.’

  He nodded. ‘If that’s what you want.’

  ‘So there was no one at the house?’

  ‘Not a soul.’

  ‘Did they . . .’ she caught herself in time. ‘Were me rooms all smashed up?’

  ‘No, most of it was in order. I brought all your things in the bag as I didn’t know what you would want.’

  ‘All I want is to go home. Charles said he would come back soon.’

  He nodded patiently. ‘Well, until that happy day, you’ll have to make do with me as your visitor.’

  Lily knew she was being unkind to the one person who had helped her in all this. But she couldn’t help herself. She was confused and hurt and she was taking it out on Ben.

  ‘You look tired, Lil. I’ll love and leave you for now.’ He stood up and put the flowers on the cupboard. ‘I’ll call by again tomorrow.’

  ‘You don’t have to.’

  ‘No, I don’t, that’s true. But I will.’ He stood awkwardly in his best suit, shirt and tie with his hair smoothed back like he always liked to do it for best.

  Lily felt her bottom lip tremble. Why was she being so unpleasant? She felt so alone and unhappy. All she could think about now, though, was whether her baby was still alive. Even more than Charles. What if she had lost it?

  ‘Keep your chin up, gel.’

  She managed a smile. But after he had gone, she turned her face to the pillow. She was glad the girl next to her had lots of visitors. She didn’t want to talk to anyone. She just wanted to be at home with Charles.

  The next day Ben called at the hospital after work. He took some chocolates and an illustrated magazine.

  ‘That’s nice, thank you.’ Lily was sitting up, her bruised face was healing and there was only a slight shadow there. But Ben cringed as he looked at it. To think of her being hurt upset him so much. All the more, if he let his imagination wander.

  ‘How is the arm?’ he asked as he sat down.

  ‘I saw the doctor this morning. He said it will be in plaster for a few weeks.’

  ‘Can you come out before then?’

  ‘Yes. They want to take the stitches out first. And get me back on me feet. I walked around a bit today.’

  ‘Is there anything you want?’

  ‘No, you brought it all. Have you gone round the house again?’

  ‘No. There was no reason.’

  ‘Have you still got a key?’

  ‘Yes, I kept it in case.’

  ‘Would you go tomorrow and see if Charles is there?’

  Ben felt his stomach churn. He didn’t want to meet up with Charles Grey just yet. As he didn’t know the ins and outs of what had gone on, it wasn’t for him to judge. But Lil had been hurt and it was under Grey’s roof that it had happened. Lil was keeping stumm but couldn’t she see that the bloke was not exactly rushing to her bedside in concern?

  ‘I know I shouldn’t ask you,’ she said in a whisper. ‘You’ve done more than enough for me al
ready.’

  ‘If you want me to, I will.’

  He looked at her in the hospital bed, the sling on her arm, her bruised face and cut head. Her tiny body under all them hospital covers, she was like a little girl. Her lovely hair needed a bit of a comb. He would ask her if he could do it, but he didn’t have the nerve. He tried to think of a joke to crack, but he was too choked up. The more he looked at her the more he was certain there hadn’t been a fall down the stairs. The more he thought and thought, the more he wanted to get hold of the bugger who had made all this happen. He wasn’t certain whether it was Charles Grey or someone else, but one day he’d find out. And then woe betide the person responsible, as his anger would know no bounds.

  Lily looked at the chocolates that Ben had brought her. Together with the flowers that the nurse had put in vase, they made her little space feel more homely. All day she had been thinking about what the doctor had told her this morning. Her baby was still alive. He had survived. When the doctor told her, she had felt a great, overwhelming relief. It had been a shock to think that she had felt so deeply about her child. The little life had come by accident, but with great love. She and Charles had made a person between them. Now she knew he was still inside her, she was happy. Charles would put the house in order and they could return to a peaceful life.

  Whoever those men were, Charles would not let them come again. Soon they would be a family. They would make him as happy as Delia had.

  Lily closed her eyes as she lay there. She saw Charles, his dark eyes and beautiful smile. Oh, Charles, come to me soon. I miss you.

  It was Friday again when Hattie knocked on Ben’s door. She hadn’t heard from him or from Lil, either. She had waited all week, thinking Reube might have seen his brother. But he hadn’t. Hattie didn’t like the silence.

  Ben opened the door. ‘Oh, it’s you, Hat.’

  ‘Yes, it’s me.’

  ‘You’d better come in.’

  ‘I see you’ve cleared up,’ she tried to joke as she entered. The hall was still full of things as she stepped over them. But as she neared the kitchen Hattie stopped. Her eyes widened at the sight of the dark brown bag. ‘That’s Lil’s!’ she exclaimed, her gaze travelling to Ben.