The sight of Alice in tears and clutching her face spurred her on. ‘You should know by now, Alice, you might be Daddy’s little favourite, but I’m a better liar than you will ever be. So for your own sake, don’t set yourself up against me, because you will lose out every time!’
Pauline emphasised her mother’s warning. ‘The best thing you can do is get as far away from here as you can. No one would miss you…except maybe Father, who is fast becoming a deluded old man where you’re concerned! Oh, but then he never could see the faults in you, could he? Last born first loved! Always Daddy’s darling. Alice this…Alice that! Never Pauline. And then you wonder why I detest you!’
As Alice scrambled to get out of the chair, her mother held her there. ‘You’re nothing, Alice! I was overjoyed that one of the Arnolds had taken a fancy to you…enough to want to marry you. I couldn’t get you out of my house fast enough. But now here you are again, trying to creep your way back in. You’ve no idea how much happier we are without you.’
Shocked and dazed at the bitter onslaught from both women, and with her face stinging from the spiteful slap, Alice saw red. ‘I don’t want to be here!’ she told them angrily. ‘I never meant to come back, but Father insisted.’
Her mother placed her two hands one on each arm of Alice’s chair. ‘I want you out of here, and when you’re gone, the door to my home will never again be open to you.’
Alice looked into her mother’s eyes. She glanced up at her sister, and their hatred of her was like a palpable presence.
‘I want you to go,’ Maureen hissed. ‘Before your father comes back. You have caused him a great deal of worry. He won’t tell you…old fool that he is! But, because of you his most valuable customers have deserted him. Long-standing, lucrative contracts have been cancelled. He’s lost money and status; his pride and reputation is in tatters.’
‘Yes! And even then, after all the harm you’ve done…he still tries to protect you!’ Pauline shouted. Grabbing Alice by the shoulders she began shaking her backwards and forwards, like a rag doll, until Alice felt her senses going. ‘Leave me be!’ she pleaded. ‘Stop it!’
Finding it hard to catch her breath, Alice began to panic. ‘Mother! Make her stop it!’ she yelled. But her mother made no move to help. Instead she looked on, her face impassive.
Buckling under the ferocity of Pauline’s jealous rage, Alice was desperate. ‘Leave me alone…get off me!’ But Pauline was like someone demented. ‘Pauline! Get off me!’ When Maureen made no attempt to intervene, Alice blurted out the only thing that might make Pauline stop. ‘I’m pregnant!’ That was the last thing she wanted them to know, and now it was out, and they were shocked to the core.
The silence was deafening. Pauline fell backwards, a look of disbelief on her face, and Maureen stared at Alice, as though she was seeing a stranger.
When Ronald’s voice softly shattered the silence, Alice realised the dreadful enormity of what she had done.
‘Alice…did I hear right?’ The two men had entered the room, just as Alice called out.
Alice did not look up. Instead, she sat hunched and desolate in the chair.
‘Alice! Answer me!’ He came closer. ‘Did I hear you say you were…pregnant?’
Quietly sobbing, Alice appealed to him, ‘I’m sorry, Father. I only found out this morning. I wanted to tell you, but not like this. Never like this, no!’
For what seemed an age, Ronald stood silent, his sorry gaze resting on Alice. ‘Whose is it?’
Pauline laughed aloud. ‘How would she know?’
‘BE QUIET!’ Ronald was devastated. ‘Or leave the room!’
Sulking, Pauline crossed the room to be with her husband, while Ronald returned his attention to Alice. ‘I want the truth, Alice. Who’s the father of this child?’
Ashamed, Alice dropped her gaze.
‘So, does that mean you really don’t know?’
Alice gave no answer; but to her father, the silence was answer enough.
‘I see.’
Suddenly Maureen was screeching, ‘I want her out of here! She’s no better than a tramp who jumps into bed with any man who’ll have her, and now she’s carrying a brat and she doesn’t even know who the father is!’
While Maureen was yelling, Tony quietly took Pauline out of the room. ‘This is not our business.’
Like everyone else, he knew the sordid story of Alice and the brothers, and in truth he had a certain compassion for her sorry situation. But he was only new to this family, and did not want to be seen as interfering.
Into all of this commotion, Joshua and Tricia arrived.
As they climbed out of the car, they were pounced on by Pauline, who gleefully greeted them. ‘Hello again! Your darling little grandaughter is inside, but I wouldn’t go in there if I were you!’
‘Whatever do you mean? What’s going on?’ Tricia was anxious.
‘All hell just broke loose in there…’ Pauline started.
‘Pauline!’ Tony ushered her away. ‘I’m sorry,’ he apologised to the grandparents, ‘but, well, there’s been a bit of an upset.’
While Tricia hurried towards the house, with Pauline excited to accompany her, Joshua asked him, ‘What kind of an “upset”?’
‘It’s Alice’s fault!’ Pauline angrily informed Tricia. ‘It’s always Alice! She’s caused so much trouble, and she doesn’t even seem to care!’
‘I can’t believe that for one minute!’ Tricia was aware of the animosity Pauline had for her sister.
Behind them Joshua was quizzing Tony, who explained there had been a row, while deliberately omitting the news of Alice’s pregnancy.
Tricia however, was already finding out the truth.
As she approached the open front door, she could hear Maureen’s raised voice. ‘You just can’t see it, can you? Your precious daughter knew exactly what she was doing! She got herself into this predicament, and I’m telling you now, if she stays under this roof, I’m leaving. It’s her or me, Ronald!’
‘Good heavens!’ Tricia was shocked and angry. ‘My granddaughter is just out of hospital, and her mother’s screaming like a fish wife! Whatever are they thinking of?’
Quickly now, she hurried across the hallway, while Pauline gleefully slunk back to the men.
As Tricia approached the sitting room, she was almost knocked over when Alice came bursting out in floods of tears. She collided full on with her grandmother. ‘Good lord, Alice!’ Reaching out, Tricia took hold of her granddaughter and crushed her in a hug. ‘What in God’s name is going on here, child?’
Distraught, Alice confided, ‘I can’t stay here, Grandma. Mother doesn’t want me, and I don’t blame her. I’m a disgrace to everyone.’
When Ronald came rushing out, he was astonished to see his mother there. ‘I’m sorry,’ he muttered. ‘There’s been a bit of a row, but it’s all right now.’ He held out his arms to Alice. ‘Come back in, Alice, please. It won’t happen again, I promise.’
He felt suddenly old, and immensely tired. He was too long in the tooth for all this upheaval. Even though he loved her dearly the news that she was pregnant had shocked and saddened him.
Holding on to Alice, his mother took control. ‘I have no idea what happened here,’ she stated, ‘…and I don’t need to know.’ She gave him a look that only a mother could when chastising her child. ‘Alice is coming to stay with her old grandma for a while, and I’m looking forward to having her. So, Ronald! Is that all right with you, son?’
Secretly relieved, Ronald nodded. ‘If that’s what Alice wants.’
‘And will Maureen be in agreement with that?’ Tricia made no mention of the fact that she had heard Maureen say he must choose between her and Alice. After her outburst, she had chosen to disappear and sulk in her room,
‘Maureen will agree, yes. Absolutely!’ Whether she agreed or not was of little consequence to him. He had witnessed the true feelings his wife felt for her youngest daughter, and it had cut him deeply.
Wh
en he now reached out for Alice, she went to him, her head buried in his chest as they held each other. ‘I’m sorry, child.’ His voice was heavy with emotion. ‘I haven’t protected you very well, have I?’
Alice looked up. ‘It’s not your fault,’ she whispered. ‘None of this was ever your fault.’
‘Do you really want to go with your grandmother?’
Alice nodded.
‘All right then. Maybe in the circumstances, it might be for the best.’ He addressed his mother, ‘What about Father? Will he be all right with this?’
Having ambled across the drive, Joshua had heard enough of the conversation to understand at least some of the situation. ‘From what I understand, it seems Maureen lost her temper over some silly nonsense…whatever that may be.’
‘All I can say is, judging by what I’ve seen and heard, your daughter coming home with me and your mother would probably be the best thing for everyone.’ He looked Ronald in the eye. ‘Would you agree with that, son?’
‘I think so, yes. For the moment it will be best for Alice, and I know she’ll be safe enough with you and mother.’
Placing his two hands on Alice’s shoulders, he moved her back a step, so he could look into her face. ‘You know I don’t want you to go, don’t you, Alice?’
Alice looked up, her heart breaking, not for herself, but for him. ‘Yes, Father, I know that.’
‘But can you see that it’s for the best…at least for now?’
‘Yes. Thank you, Father.’
Concerned that Alice appeared frail and ill, Josh intervened. ‘We’d best not come in, son. Give our excuses to Maureen,’ he said. ‘It’s more important for us to get Alice settled. After all, the poor girl has only just come out of hospital. We don’t want her heading back that way again, do we now, eh?’
‘No, of course not!’
Asking for a moment alone with Alice, Ronald watched his parents walk to the car. ‘I truly am sorry, Alice.
Reaching down, he kissed her on the forehead. ‘You’ve been through so much,’ he whispered. ‘And now even your homecoming is ruined. I failed you, child.’ He had got over the initial shock of hearing her news. ‘You’re barely a woman, and here you are, after everything you’ve gone through…and now, you’re left carrying a child.’
He had witnessed such strength and determination in this young woman, his daughter. He felt both proud and ashamed. ‘You don’t deserve all this pain.’
‘I’ll be all right, Father,’ Alice assured him. ‘Really I will.’
Collecting her canvas bag and keeping a tight hold of her, he walked Alice to the waiting car. ‘Will you tell your grandparents about the pregnancy?’ he asked.
Alice answered with conviction, ‘No. At least not yet.’ A worrying thought occurred to her. ‘You won’t let Pauline or Mother tell anyone, will you?’
Ronald’s face was set like stone as he answered quietly. ‘You’ve no need to concern yourself with that. They know which side their bread is buttered! They won’t say anything.’
Only now did it occur to him to ask, ‘What will you do about your situation?’
‘I’m not sure, Father. I need to think.’ Alice knew exactly what he meant.
Ronald took a deep breath before offering her a way out. ‘Don’t be angry with me for saying this, Alice, but it isn’t just the child you have to think about. It’s yourself too. You must do what’s right, for both your sakes.’
It was comforting to know that if she took the route she was loathe to take, then she would at least have her father’s support. ‘You mean, if I decided not to have…’
‘Ssh!’ He placed a finger on her lips. ‘Don’t explain to me,’ he said gently. ‘Whatever you decide, I’ll be there for you, I promise. But only you can make that decision.
She thanked him. ‘I understand.’ She wondered what he would say if he knew she was carrying twins. That they were not talking about taking the life of one child, but two.
‘Don’t fret over it just yet,’ his voice broke into her thoughts. ‘There’s time enough, and when the decision has to be made, it will be the right one, I’m sure, for the both of you.’
A few moments later he helped her into the car. Then he waved her off, deeply regretting the manner in which her homecoming had ended.
From behind the curtains, Maureen watched the car turn out of the drive.
‘Good riddance!’ she muttered.
PART FOUR
A week later
Harsh Decisions
CHAPTER NINE
IN THE WEEK that Alice had been with her grandparents, July had tripped into August without anyone barely noticing.
Alice had gained strength both in mind and body, and she was sitting on the swing in the garden, quietly contemplating her future, when a familiar face peered round the corner. ‘So, here you are, Alice! I knocked on the door, rang the bell and shouted out, but nobody came, so I thought I’d best come and find you.’
‘Mandy!’ Alice was always delighted to see her friend. ‘My grandparents are out, and I was so deep in thought, I didn’t hear you.’
To Alice, the sight of that stocky little figure, with the round cheery face and mop of dark curly hair, was always a welcome sight.
‘So, how are you feeling today?’ Throwing herself beside Alice she set the swing in motion. ‘You look good!’ she declared with a grin. ‘In fact, I reckon you’ve actually blossomed since I last saw you.’
Alice laughed. ‘You only saw me three days ago.’
‘Well, three days, three weeks, makes no difference. You’re looking better every time I see you; stronger in yourself, if you know what I mean?’
Alice knew exactly what she meant. ‘At long last I’m beginning to come to terms with everything,’ she admitted. ‘My wounds are healed and I feel more at peace inside.’ She tapped her chest, ‘Thankfully, the nightmares have gone away, and I’m sleeping much better.’
As was her way, Mandy gave her an embracing hug. ‘After all this time, you’re beginning to seem more like the Alice I know.’ She held Alice at arm’s length. ‘Look at you! Your hair is growing again; no sign of any scars that I can see. And your pretty eyes are shining more brightly than ever.’ She was so pleased to see how Alice was recovering that she felt the need to wipe away a tear. ‘Look what you’ve done now!’ she accused Alice jokingly. ‘You’ve got me blubbering!’
Alice laughed. ‘That’s not my fault,’ she said. ‘You blubber at anything! You always have.’
They now laughed at the truth of it until Mandy brought the conversation to a more serious level. ‘You will never know how worried I’ve been,’ she told Alice. ‘Worried that you might be scarred forever. Worried that you might not make it.’
Alice intervened. ‘I do know how worried you all were,’ she assured her, ‘and I love you all the more for it.’
For a while they sat in the bright August sunshine, chatting and laughing, and putting the world to rights. ‘I’ve shut up the shop!’ Mandy confessed. ‘Old Patsy has gone off to her sister’s for a few days and left me in charge, so now I can choose which hour I close for lunch.’
Alice knew all about Mandy’s old tricks. ‘Don’t you mean which two hours you can shut for lunch?’
‘Ah, yes, but if I take a longer lunch, I always stay on later in the afternoon,’ she reasoned. ‘Besides, that’s when I sell the most flowers.’
Alice was intrigued. ‘How come?’
‘Because all the blokes have finished work, then they start to think of the girl they’re taking out that night, and they spend money like there’s no tomorrow: red roses; pretty wrapping paper, and even a big bow to finish.’ She winked cheekily. ‘Suits me, because then Patsy thinks I’m the best flower seller ever. One of these days she’ll be duty bound to give me a raise.’
‘You’re a devil!’ Alice loved her like a sister; at least more than she had ever loved her true flesh and blood sister.
‘You know what, Alice?’
�
��What?’
‘I reckon you’ve even put weight on.’
‘You’re imagining things.’ Alice felt a surge of panic. But then, she was still only nine weeks’ gone, and hardly showing.
Mandy persisted. ‘I’m telling you! Honestly, I can see it in your face. You’ve got little rosy cheeks, where before you were all thin and pale. Oh, and look here…’ taking hold of Alice’s arm, she gently pinched the flesh. ‘I couldn’t have done that a few weeks back. You were like a stick insect!’
Alice gave an inward sigh of relief. ‘It’s Grandma’s good food, and this lovely sunshine.’ Her thoughts turned to Joe. ‘Mandy?’
‘What?’
‘Do you really not know where Joe is?’
‘I’ve already told you. No, I don’t!’
She had heard the gossip though. ‘I think his whereabouts are being kept secret, because of Frank. If he knew where Joe was, who’s to say he wouldn’t risk being captured, just as long as he was able to finish his brother off.’
Alice had thought of that too. ‘I’m worried, but I can’t even imagine how Tom and Nancy must feel.’
Mandy nodded in agreement. ‘Wherever Joe is, Frank won’t rest until he finds him.’
Alice detected something in Mandy’s voice that made her suspicious. ‘You know where Joe is, don’t you?’
‘No, Alice, I do not! And I haven’t come across anyone else who knows either.’
‘Someone must know.’ Alice had grown increasingly desperate. ‘He can’t have just vanished from the face of the earth. It’s like there’s a conspiracy to keep me from seeing him.’ Alice told Mandy how she had thought about going to see Tom and Nancy, and asking them as to Joe’s whereabouts.
Mandy had her own thoughts about that. ‘I’m sorry, Alice, and you might hate me for saying it, but they might not welcome you and besides, don’t you think it would be best if you never saw Joe again?’
‘Best for who?’ Alice had heard it all before; from her father, and her grandparents, and even people who had no business telling her what to do.
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