The Girl From Number 22

by Joan Jonker

  ‘The more anyone tells me not to do something, the more I dig me heels in. Besides, if ye’re worried about yer mam, that’s more reason for me to be with yer.’

  ‘I’m going home on me own, Danny, will yer be told!’

  ‘I’ll be told, yes. But if I happen to get on the same tram as you, don’t be surprised. I can be very stubborn when I want.’

  And Danny did get on the same tram as Jenny. Not because he was stubborn, but because he knew of his mother’s plans, and wanted to be there in case of trouble.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Tom Phillips was one of the first out of the pub when the landlord called time, and put towels over the pumps. He wasn’t drunk, even though he’d had two pints and was still under the influence of the three he’d had a few hours previously. He was able to walk a straight line, and was full of bravado, congratulating himself on his cunning. He’d cut down on his drinking for one reason, which he thought was really clever. The tanner he’d saved might come in useful if the prostitute was outside the dockside pub again. He’d decided that it would be worth sixpence to see what she had to offer. Particularly when he intended to get more money from his wife. If she knew what was good for her, she’d hand it over without any trouble. And he’d have enough to pay back what he’d borrowed, pay the tart, and still have some over for a pint or two.

  ‘Not a bad day’s work,’ Tom muttered as he walked home. ‘And I’ve got the wife coming in me bed tonight. She might kick up a stink, but she’ll give in eventually because she won’t want to upset her two brats. So I’ll get a bellyful tonight, then see what the tart has to offer tomorrow. I might learn a few tricks I can teach that stupid cow I’m married to.’

  As he put the key in the door, Tom was telling himself that if the kids were there, he’d send them up to bed. But there wasn’t a sound, so they were either still out, or in bed already. Not that it made any difference, because if his wife protested about sleeping with him, he’d only have her to fight, and one blow would do the trick. But while he had everything sorted out in his head to his satisfaction, he wasn’t prepared for the sight that met his eyes when he threw open the living-room door. For sitting round the table, all with playing cards in their hands, were his wife, the nosy cow from across the street, and two women he’d never set eyes on in his life before.

  ‘What the bleeding hell is going on here?’ Tom was about to let rip with a mouthful of obscenities when Ada beat him to it.

  ‘You remember me, Mr Phillips, I’ve met yer before. And these two ladies are yer neighbours from either side. Jean Bowers, and Edith Watson.’ Ada felt like roaring with laughter at the look on his face. But she kept to the plan they’d worked out. ‘With Annie being on her own, we thought we’d keep her company. And it’s been really nice, we’ve enjoyed ourselves. Even though we haven’t been playing for money.’

  Jean and Edith both smiled, and said in unison, ‘Pleased to meet yer, Mr Phillips.’

  Tom’s earlier good humour quickly evaporated and his temper was rising fast. These stupid bitches had upset all his plans. Not for long, though, because he was the master here, and he wanted them out. ‘Well, yer’ve had yer fun and games now, so pack up and bugger off. This is my house and I don’t want bleeding strangers in it.’

  ‘We might be strangers to you, Mr Phillips,’ Ada said calmly, ‘but not to yer wife. We’re all friends of Annie’s. But I can understand yer wanting a bit of peace after a day’s work, so when we’ve finished this hand we’ll vamoose and leave yer in peace.’

  ‘Oh, yer’ll just finish yer game of cards, will yer, yer cheeky cow?’ Tom’s voice was shrill with anger. He wasn’t going to have a bleeding woman talking to him like that in his own house. ‘Some hopes yer’ve got, ’cos if yer don’t leave of yer own accord, I’ll throw yer out on yer backsides. So move yerselves, and be quick about it.’

  Jean had been told how rude their neighbour was, but she had never dreamed any man would talk like that to women. ‘If my husband heard yer calling me a cow, he wouldn’t take very kindly to it.’

  ‘Nor mine, either.’ Edith glared at him. ‘What a rude man you are.’

  Tom’s lip curled in a sneer, as he imitated Edith’s voice. ‘Oh, what a rude man yer are.’ He thumbed his wife. ‘Get them out, or I’ll throw them out. I was going to say I’d throw you out with them, but I’ve got a job for yer to do here. You stay, they go.’

  Tom had his back to the front door, and didn’t see two figures hovering behind him. ‘Don’t sit there like stuffed bleeding dummies, get those fat arses off my chairs and scram, before I take me belt to yer.’

  A quiet voice behind him asked, ‘Are you threatening my wife?’

  Tom spun round, and found himself looking into a man’s chest. He let his eyes travel upwards, angry words ready to spill from his mouth. But when he’d reached the top of Gordon Bowers’s six foot five frame, he swallowed hard. The man was a bloody giant! But he couldn’t lose face in front of the women. ‘Who the bleeding hell are you, and how did yer get in my house?’

  ‘You didn’t close the front door properly.’ Gordon was fibbing, for he had been given a key by Annie. He now moved aside to allow Joe Benson to step forward. ‘This is Mr Benson. He lives next door in number twenty, and I live the other side in twenty-four. The lovely lady with dark curly hair is Mrs Benson, and the pretty, fair-haired lady is my wife. Lucky for you Mr Fenwick is not here, for like myself and Mr Benson, he would be very angry to hear his wife spoken to in such a manner. And like ourselves, he would expect you to apologise for your rudeness.’

  This was too much for Tom. In his mind, women were slaves, put on this earth solely for the purpose of keeping men happy. ‘I didn’t invite them into my house, so why should I bleeding well apologise? It’s them what should apologise for putting ideas into my wife’s head. So, now, I’d like yer all to leave. And I don’t want to see any of yer here again, filling me wife’s head with a load of nonsense.’

  Gordon had to bend down to look Tom Phillips in the face. ‘We are going nowhere until you say you’re sorry to the ladies. My wife, and the other ladies, are not used to being spoken to in that way. Except for your wife, of course, who deserves a medal for putting up with your behaviour.’

  Joe Benson took over then. Like Gordon, he’d been told how this coward treated his family, and was disgusted. ‘Can I have my say now? I’ve heard the way yer talk to yer wife and children, ’cos these walls are very thin. Many’s the night I’ve wanted to come in and give yer a piece of me mind. Ye’re not a man, ye’re a disgrace. A foul-mouthed bully who would run a mile from a real man. And I’ll warn yer now that if I ever again hear yer even raise yer voice to Annie, or the kids, I’ll come and boot yer door in. Then I’ll give yer the chance to fight someone yer own size. It would be my pleasure to knock the stuffing out of yer.’

  ‘If Joe doesn’t, then I will,’ Gordon said in a deceptively quiet voice. He couldn’t abide a man who beat his wife and was cruel to his kids. ‘In front of you, I am going to tell Annie that if you so much as threaten her, or raise your hand to her or the children, then all she has to do is shout out, or knock on the wall either side.’

  ‘Yer can’t come booting yer way in here,’ Tom blustered. ‘What goes on between man and wife, in their own home, has nothing to do with no one. And if yer try and interfere, I’ll have the police on to yer.’

  ‘Oh, I don’t think you will, Mr Phillips. At least you won’t have the police on to us,’ Gordon said. ‘More likely they’d be on to you. Yer see, the sergeant at the police station is a friend of mine, and I was talking to him only yesterday. I mentioned you to him, as it happens. How you get drunk, cause a disturbance in the street which upsets the neighbours. I mentioned that you get so drunk, you’ve had to be carried home on a couple of occasions. I also told him you beat your wife and children, and he was very concerned about that. In fact, the sergeant was so interested, he said the next time you caused a disturbance, we should send for the polic
e. He reckoned a night in the cells would teach you a lesson.’

  Tom Phillips ran his tongue over lips that were dry with fright. He looked towards his wife, hoping she would stick up for him. But Annie’s eyes showed no sympathy whatsoever. Nor did they show any fear. There was a deadly silence for about twenty seconds, broken when Ada thought they’d achieved what they’d set out to do. ‘Come on, let’s all go home. There’s no point in waiting for an apology which has to be forced.’ She reached over and touched Annie’s arm. ‘Yer can come home with me if yer like, sunshine?’

  Annie shook her head. ‘No, thank you, sweetheart, I’ll be all right. The children will be in any minute now, and I want to be here for them.’

  Chairs were pushed back as the ladies got to their feet. They donned their coats and headed for the door without saying a word. There was nothing left to say. But Gordon and Joe hung back. ‘Will you be all right, Annie?’ Gordon asked. ‘We can wait with you until the children come in.’

  ‘I’ll be fine, Gordon,’ Annie told him. ‘I’ll put the kettle on so there’s a hot drink ready for them when they come.’ She walked to the door with the two men. ‘I can’t thank you enough. I’m a stranger to yer, yet yer came to help me. That is something I’ll never forget.’

  ‘All you have to do, day or night, is shout or knock,’ Gordon said. ‘I really mean that, and I know the same goes for Joe. Any time at all. And now we’ll wish you good night.’

  Annie closed the door and made her way back to the living room, where she faced a man seething with anger. Tom Phillips was sat in the fireside chair, and it was only fear that stopped him from leaping from his seat. ‘You bitch.’ He ground the words out. ‘Yer sat on yer fat backside and let them make a fool of me in me own house.’

  ‘No, Tom, I didn’t let them make a fool of yer.’ Annie was surprised she felt so calm. ‘Yer did that yerself. And yer made a good job of it. Yer see, when it comes to hitting a woman and children, that makes yer think ye’re a real big he-man. But when it comes to facing another man, well, that’s a different kettle of fish. It cuts yer down to size. Shows yer up for what yer really are. And that’s a coward. An ignorant one at that. Yer really showed yerself in yer true colours tonight to our neighbours, and I’m glad they know yer for what yer are now. I won’t need to feel ashamed any more, or make excuses, and that’s a relief.’

  But Tom wasn’t going to let her get away with that. ‘This is my house, and don’t yer forget it. I pay the rent, and I can chuck you and the kids out in the street whenever I want. And I will do if yer ever let those bleeding la-di-da bleeding neighbours in again. They don’t come over the doorstep, d’yer hear me?’

  ‘Oh, I can hear yer, I’m not deaf. But it doesn’t mean I’m going to do as you say. If I want to invite me friends in, then I will. Throw me and the kids out if yer think yer can get away with it. We’ll find somewhere to go, don’t worry. You’re the one what would suffer, with no one to have yer dinner ready every night, or keep the house clean. I’ve put up with yer shenanigans, but yer’ll not find another sucker like me. And while I’m getting things off me chest, yer may as well get the lot. The pittance I get off you for housekeeping wouldn’t be enough to put a good dinner on the table every night. It’s the coppers I get from Jenny and Ben that help out.’ Annie threw her hands in the air. ‘I don’t know why I’m wasting me breath talking to yer. For as long as yer can go to the pub twice a day, and drink yerself paralytic, you don’t give a toss for anyone else. As long as yer belly’s full of food or drink, that’s all yer live for.’

  ‘It’s those bloody neighbours filling yer head,’ Tom said. ‘Well, keep away from them if yer know what’s good for yer. And if they’re here again when I come home, then I’ll be showing them the door.’ He snorted. ‘Don’t you be getting big ideas, or I’ll knock them out of yer. And I hope yer haven’t forgot I need a shilling to go to work tomorrow. Pass it over now, before I forget.’

  There came a pounding on the front door, and Annie threw her husband a look of contempt before she went to let Jenny and Ben in. And such was their relief to see she was all right, she found herself being pressed against the wall as they both flung their arms round her. ‘How are yer, Mam?’ Jenny asked. ‘What’s been going on?’

  ‘Yeah,’ Ben told her, ‘Danny was watching for me coming up the street, and he called me in there. But neither him nor Mr Fenwick would tell us why we couldn’t come home.’

  ‘As yer can see, sweethearts, I’m fine.’ Annie removed their arms from her neck. ‘I had some of the neighbours in for a game of cards.’ She winked, nodded to the living room and whispered, ‘Yer dad’s in there, but not very happy.’

  Jenny pulled a face. ‘That’s nothing new, he’s never happy.’

  Annie put a finger to her lips. ‘Less said the better, sweetheart. I’ll tell you and Ben all about it in the morning.’

  ‘Don’t be bleeding whispering out there.’ Tom’s voice came through to them, but it wasn’t as loud as usual. ‘Get in here and make me a cup of tea.’ When the trio entered the room, he curled his lip in a sneer. ‘You two can get up the bleeding stairs, it’s time yer were in bed. I want to have words with yer lazy good-for-nothing mother.’

  ‘Oh, no.’ Annie shook her head, and waved her hand to the chairs round the table. ‘Hang yer coats up, then sit yerselves down. I’ll make us all a cup of tea.’ Her eyes dared her husband to argue. ‘And I’ll be going up to bed when they go. I’m sleeping in Jenny’s bed.’

  Tom had to salvage some pride, and there was only one way he could think of. ‘Then before yer bugger off, give me the shilling I need for tomorrow. Don’t tell me yer’ll give it to me in the morning, I want it now.’

  ‘I haven’t got a shilling to spare,’ Annie told him, ‘and yer know that ’cos I’ve already told yer. If I give yer a shilling, I won’t be able to buy any food for the dinner.’

  Tom sat forward and pointed a finger at Jenny. ‘I’ll have it off you then, buggerlugs.’

  ‘I haven’t got a shilling!’ Jenny’s voice was shrill. ‘Where d’yer think I’d get that from? By the time I’ve given me mam her housekeeping, I don’t have much over. Don’t forget I’ve got tram fare to pay.’

  ‘I don’t give a bugger whether yer have to walk to work or not.’ Tom was in his element now, having someone to boss around who was still afraid of him. ‘Pass yer handbag over and I can see for meself.’

  ‘Some hope you’ve got!’ Jenny was determined. ‘Yer’ll not get yer filthy hands in my bag. Why can’t yer go without one of yer pints of beer if ye’re short of money?’

  Tom made a growling sound as he put a hand on each of the chair arms and pushed himself up. ‘That does it! I’ll not have a bleeding chit of a girl talk to me like that.’ He grabbed a handful of Jenny’s hair and pulled it tight. ‘Get the money out of yer bag before I pull this patch of hair out.’

  Annie looked on in horror. What was it going to take to teach her husband a lesson? She remembered Gordon’s words about knocking for him or Joe any time she was in trouble. But she couldn’t do it five minutes after they’d left. ‘Take yer hand off her or yer’ll get the teapot on yer head.’

  ‘I can give yer sixpence,’ Ben said, hoping to stop what looked like trouble brewing. ‘Will that do yer?’

  ‘You keep yer nose out of it, yer little sod.’ Tom began to pull on Jenny’s hair. ‘If I say I need a shilling, then that’s what I want.’

  ‘Let go of her hair, and we’ll see what we can scrounge together,’ Annie said, as her daughter screwed up her eyes in pain. ‘Do it right now, or I’ll make sure you suffer for it.’ She lifted a heavy glass vase from the sideboard and raised it above her head. ‘Let go now, or so help me I’ll smash this on yer head.’

  Tom relaxed his grip on Jenny’s hair, but didn’t let go. He knew he’d get what he wanted in the end. Annie would do anything to stop her children being hurt. ‘Get the money on the table, where I can see it.’

  ‘Here’s my sixpenc
e.’ Ben placed the silver coin on the table. ‘I can’t give any more, Mam, ’cos I need to pay me fare to work.’

  Annie opened a drawer in the sideboard and brought out her purse. ‘I’ll put the other sixpence down, but ye’re cutting off yer nose to spite yer face. Don’t come moaning to me when tomorrow’s dinner isn’t to yer liking. I can’t produce money out of the air.’

  ‘I’ll let yer have threepence, Mam,’ Jenny said. ‘It’s not much, but it might help.’

  With the coins in his hand, Tom Phillips felt he’d won a victory. Those two fellers from next door, they thought themselves better than him. The silly buggers. Wait until tomorrow, when he was enjoying himself, he’d be the one having the last laugh.

  Across the street, in the Fenwick house, Ada, Jimmy and Danny were sitting round the table, a cup of tea in front of them. The two children were in bed, so there was no need for Ada to think before she spoke. ‘I honestly think the man’s got a screw loose. He’s definitely not right in the head.’ She chuckled, then pulled a face. ‘I know it’s nothing to laugh about, but I can’t help meself. Yer should have seen the looks on Jean’s and Edith’s faces when Tom Phillips told them to “bugger off”. He followed this up by calling me a “cheeky cow”, then threatened to take his belt to us.’ Again she chuckled. ‘Mind you, their faces were nothing compared to Tom Phillips’s face when Gordon Bowers asked, “Are you threatening my wife?” Yer see, he hadn’t seen Gordon and Joe come up behind him.’

  ‘I’d love to have been there,’ Danny said. ‘I just hope that Gordon and Joe put the fear of God into him. Perhaps he’ll calm down now, and the family see an improvement in their lives. Jenny is a lovely girl. She shouldn’t have to put up with a father like that.’

  ‘If yer want me honest opinion, I’d say I don’t think anything that happened tonight will make a scrap of difference to Tom Phillips. The man is completely bonkers. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if, right this minute, he’s back to making life hell for Annie and the kids. The only way to cure a man like him is with a dose of arsenic.’