‘Just try this on, and that will be the last, I promise – apart from a pair of shoes, of course. You must have those.’
From the look of pleasure on Flo’s face, Vicki knew it would be hopeless to argue, and she couldn’t do that in the shop. There were other customers as well, and they all seemed to know Flo.
The frock fitted perfectly, and when she stepped out of the fitting room there was complete silence in the shop. Everyone was staring at her, and she fidgeted nervously. ‘It’s all wrong for me, isn’t it?’
‘It’s lovely.’ Flo made Vicki turn round and round. ‘Oh, my dear, you are such a beautiful girl. You must have that frock. It brings out the colour of your eyes.’
‘You’ll have to watch her, Mrs Howard,’ one customer said, laughing. ‘You’ll have all the young men in the district after her.’
Vicki glared at the woman who had spoken, making her fall silent, and then looked away. ‘Oh, no, they won’t,’ she said under her breath. ‘I don’t want this frock! You’ve spent too much on me already,’ she added hastily, realizing that she had spoken too sharply.
‘All right, my dear. I think we’ve bought enough, anyway. I just wanted you to have something special, but if you don’t like it, then we’ll leave it.’
Vicki quickly changed, and she was relieved to be away when they left the shop. Flo quickly ushered her into a shoe shop, and finally the shopping was finished.
As they walked back, loaded with bags, Flo asked, ‘Why did that woman’s remarks upset you so, Vicki?’
‘I don’t want men after me! I’m never going to marry and end up like my mum.’
‘Not all men are cruel, my dear. Look at Bob. He’s the kindest man you could ever wish to meet. We’ve been married for twenty-three years, and I’ve never regretted one of them. We’re very happy together.’
‘I know you are. From what I’ve seen, though, there are more unhappy marriages than happy ones. I’m not going to risk it.
‘You’ll change your mind when you fall in love.’
Vicki shook her head vigorously. ‘Never!’
Eight
The day they were given the keys to the shop next door was very exciting, and they couldn’t wait to start turning it into the elegant salon they had planned so carefully. They had talked of little else over Christmas, and it had been the happiest one Vicki had ever experienced and she had savoured every moment. There had been so much laughter and joy at the giving of presents, and she had helped Flo prepare and cook a large chicken with roast potatoes and all sorts of vegetables. Then they’d had a Christmas pudding, and at tea time a trifle and Christmas cake. There had been so much food that Vicki had wondered how they were going to get through it, but there were so many people dropping in and nothing went to waste.
There was an almost permanent smile on her face now as she gazed around the shop. It was in a terrible mess, but they couldn’t wait to get started on the transformation. A local handyman was going to help clear the place of rubbish and put up shelves, and then a plumber would fit two sinks. They had spent a long time deciding on the kind of chairs they wanted and other necessary pieces of furniture. They had chosen peach and white for the towels, and the same shade of peach for smart salon aprons.
It was hard work, but after only a week they were ready to open.
Flo sat in one of the chairs and looked around with obvious satisfaction. ‘All we need now are customers. How are we doing with bookings?’
‘Quite good.’ Vicki opened the large appointment book. She had been given complete charge of this side of the business, and she was proud and determined to be the most efficient assistant any hairdresser could have. ‘We have twelve for next week, so far, starting from Tuesday, and I’ve asked each of your regulars to spread the word.’
‘That was a good idea, and twelve isn’t bad for a start.’ Flo stood up. ‘We’ll give ourselves Monday to finish off the final details, and then open for business on Tuesday. I don’t know what I would have done without you, my dear. You’re a good organizer. Do you know that?’
‘I enjoy arranging things.’ Vicki smiled, pleased with the compliment. Christmas and the work to get the salon ready had been a joy, and adding to her joy was the relief of not having to pretend any more. She was also delighted to be wearing feminine clothes again. The Howards had taken her deception with understanding, and for the first time in her life she felt secure and cared for. It was a heady feeling, and, looking back, it seemed worth all the suffering she had gone through, abandoned and hiding in that terrible warehouse.
When Bob, Sid and Harry walked in to inspect the work they had done, Vicki’s thoughts turned to the two strangers who had reached out to her with kindness. She was happy – but were they? What had happened to Bill? She had often wondered if he would turn up again, but he never had. And when she tried to remember every detail about the man at the station, she had the impression that he had been tense and harassed, and yet he had taken the time to stop and help a young girl in desperate need. She worried about them.
‘My word,’ Sid turned slowly to study everything, ‘you girls have worked hard.’
‘They certainly have.’ Bob nodded his approval. ‘It’s all very tasteful, and the colour scheme has a calming effect.’
‘The colours were Vicki’s idea,’ Flo said, ‘and I’m pleased the way it has turned out. We have the look I was aiming for. The bookings are already coming in, so we are going to open on Tuesday.’
While the opening was being discussed, Vicki went over to Harry. ‘Have you been able to find out anything yet?’
‘I haven’t had much time, but the coat of arms on the book belongs to the Ashington family. George Ashington was born in 1796 and made his fortune in trade. As far as I can discover, he had three ships carrying cargoes of all kinds. His descendants inherited great wealth, and I’ll start looking into this further as soon as Bob finds a lad for the barber’s.’ Harry spoke loud enough for everyone to hear, making them laugh.
‘I’m trying,’ Bob told him, ‘but why don’t you just admit you’re enjoying yourself in the shop?’
‘Can’t look gloomy, can I? I’d never get any tips if I scowled at the customers.’ He gave Vicki a sly wink. ‘As I was saying, the Ashingtons’ home was sold some years ago. Perhaps the contents were sold as well and that was how your stranger got hold of the book, but I’ll try to find someone in the family. It won’t be easy …’ He glanced across at Bob. ‘And it will take time!’
Bob just smiled and said nothing.
The first two days of business were slow, but, as the week went by, they became busier and busier, and when they had locked up at the end of Saturday, Flo and Vicki collapsed into chairs, smiles on their faces.
‘What a week!’
Vicki agreed, her smile broadening. ‘And the appointment book for next week is filling nicely. Your shop is going to be a success.’
‘Our shop, my dear. This is our shop.’ She laughed softly. ‘Two customers have said they want their hair cut like yours. You’re setting a new trend, Vicki.’
‘What? A short back and sides!’
‘It has grown a little. Another month and I’ll really be able to do something with it.’
‘Are you girls going to sit there all night?’ Bob asked, looking through the door. ‘We’re starving so Sid has gone to the chippie. It’s going to be fish and chips all round this evening.’
‘Oh, good.’ Flo sighed with relief. ‘We’re too tired to cook.’
‘You both deserve a night off. Come on, up you get.’ Bob pulled his wife out of the chair. ‘Harry’s laying the table and making the tea.’
Over the next few weeks, the business of both shops steadily increased, and Flo had decided that Vicki was proficient enough to cut and set hair. She was even beginning to get a few of her own clients. That promotion meant that they had to employ a young girl to help in the shop. Her name was Annie, the daughter of someone the Howards knew, and she was eager and working out wel
l. Bob hadn’t had any luck finding a suitable boy for the barber’s, and Harry was still working there. He groused about being kept so busy at his age, but no one took any notice because he was obviously enjoying himself. He had led quite a solitary life in his retirement, lost in his books, but now he was talking and laughing with customers, and appeared to be happy. However, working in the shop left him little time to help Vicki track down the two strangers. But she, also, had been too busy to give it much thought. In the quiet moments, though, they were never far from her mind, and her desire to trace them never wavered. The happier she became, the more determined she was to find them one day.
Another busy week was coming to an end, and as Vicki was showing a customer the back of her hair after cutting it, she heard a voice she had never expected to hear again.
‘So, this is where you’ve bloody well been hiding yourself!’
Vicki spun round, horrified, and nearly dropped the hand mirror. He was in his usual state after work – drunk!
‘Quite the young lady,’ he sneered, ‘and doing all right for yourself. Well, you can forget all that. And you can hand over the money you’re earning. We need it more than you.’
There was only one thought in Vicki’s mind, and that was to get the belligerent man out of the shop. They were finishing up, but there were still three customers, and they were looking at him in disgust.
Although shocked at seeing him again, Vicki was determined to face him as she always had, with courage and without flinching. She took a moment to put the mirror down and apologize to her customer, and then she strode over and pushed him out of the shop.
‘Don’t you push me around, girl!’ he shouted. ‘Get your things. You’re coming home with me.’
‘This is my home, and I’m not going anywhere with you. And stop shouting. You’re making people stare.’
‘Let them!’ He glared at the small crowd and then turned his attention back to Vicki. ‘You heard what I said.’
‘And you heard my reply. Go away, and don’t come back here again. If you do, I’ll call the police and have you removed.’
‘Don’t you talk to me like that, girl!’
He moved so quickly that Vicki didn’t have time to duck, and the blow made her stagger back, her head ringing so much she nearly lost consciousness.
Someone caught her and held her firmly so she didn’t collapse on to the pavement. When her vision cleared, she could see Bob, Sid and Harry surrounding her attacker; Flo was the one holding her from behind.
‘You will not touch our girl again!’ Sid was a tall, well-built young man, and his tone was threatening.
‘I’ll do what I like with her! She’s my kid, so mind your own bloody business.’
‘It is our business,’ Bob said. ‘She is my daughter.’
‘Don’t be daft!’ he snorted. ‘She might be dressed posh and speak proper now, but she belongs to me, and she’s coming with me.’
Vicki watched the scene with horror, not taking in what was being said. All she could think about was how Bob and Flo must be feeling. They had taken her in, lavished her with kindness and understanding, and now she had brought this disgraceful scene to their doorstep. ‘Oh, I’m so sorry … so sorry,’ she gasped.
‘You’ve no need to apologize, my dear,’ Flo said gently. ‘We’ll see that this obnoxious man doesn’t come near you again.’
‘But the shame … and outside your lovely shops … Oh, no, now a policeman has arrived.’
‘It’s all right. We sent Harry to find him.’
Vicki turned her head to look at Flo. ‘But why? It will only make things worse. Look at the crowd gathering to watch. It will harm your business.’
‘I doubt that. Most of the onlookers know and like you, Vicki. That man needs to be dealt with for hitting you like that. We won’t have you treated so badly, my dear, and certainly not by that monster. He threw you out and disowned you. He has no rights to you now.’
‘What’s the trouble here? Stop shouting, sir; you are causing a disturbance.’
‘That’s my kid, and they’re stopping me from taking her home. She ran away and I’ve been looking for her.’
‘Liar!’ Pulling herself away from Flo’s supporting arm, Vicki faced her father, furious now. ‘He’s lying, officer. He threw me out when I was fourteen and told me never to come back. I’m sixteen now and he can’t tell me what to do any more!’
‘That’s the truth,’ Bob told the policeman. ‘Victoria is our daughter now, and we want him arrested for assaulting her.’
‘She’s my kid, and I can hit her if I want to.’ He swayed as he tried to focus on the policeman before turning his attention back to Vicki.
When he lifted his hand to hit her again, she stood her ground, as she always had done in the past, never allowing him to intimidate or frighten her.
Sid’s hand shot out and blocked the blow, and there was menace in his tone when he said, ‘Don’t you dare hit her again! This man is drunk and out of control, officer. Do you need any more proof that he is violent?’
‘You can come with me to the station and sober up.’ The officer took hold of his arm. ‘We’ll sort this out when you’re more coherent.’
‘I ain’t coming with you. I ain’t done nothing!’
‘Come along now. We’ll lock you up until you’ve calmed down.’
‘I’ll come with you,’ Sid offered.
‘Thank you, sir.’ The policeman looked at the Howards. ‘I’ll expect you all to come to the station tomorrow and give us the full story. The young lady, as well.’
‘We’ll be there,’ Flo assured him.
They watched them until they turned the corner of the street, then Flo took hold of Vicki’s arm. ‘We must see to your poor face. That was a savage blow he gave you, and your lip is badly cut.’
Vicki looked down and saw the blood dripping down her pristine salon apron. ‘Oh, this will be ruined. I didn’t realize it was bleeding.’
‘Don’t worry about that. A good soak and it will come out all right.’
She was led back to the house and sat patiently while her injuries were dealt with.
‘Good, the bleeding has stopped,’ Flo said gently. ‘Put the kettle on, Harry. We all need a strong cup of tea to calm our nerves.’
Still terribly worried about the Howards being drawn into that disgraceful scene, Vicki said, ‘I can go the station on my own tomorrow; I can deal with him. I don’t want you involved in this.’
‘We’re already involved.’ Bob gave a wry smile. ‘Did you see Sid’s face? He really wanted to knock the daylights out of him.’
Harry nodded, and there was an amused smile on his face. ‘I don’t know how he stopped himself, but it was a good job he did or he would have been arrested as well. That copper was in no mood for more trouble.’
When they all laughed, Vicki gazed in wonder from one to the other. They didn’t seem to be at all troubled that an unpleasant scene had taken place right outside their shops. ‘But … but … it wasn’t good for your business.’
‘On the contrary, people will be flocking in to find out more details. Don’t you worry about a thing.’ Flo smiled and squeezed her hand. ‘You are not facing this alone.’
It was a long night as the events outside the shop filled Vicki’s mind, denying her any sleep at all. She couldn’t understand why her father should have demanded that she return home to them after all this time. And she couldn’t believe he hadn’t known what was happening to her. She would have been seen and recognized by someone in the area, and word would have got back to him. It just didn’t make sense. He hated her; she had never had any doubt about that, so what on earth had he been shouting about? He was drunk – that was obvious – so perhaps he didn’t know what he was saying.
As the first glimmer of morning light filtered through her window, she had come to a decision. Washing her bruised face carefully, she dressed and went upstairs. Bob and Flo were already up, and the smell of cooking bacon and eggs fill
ed the kitchen.
‘Oh, my dear, you’ve got a nasty bruise there. Did you manage to get any sleep?’
‘Not much,’ Vicki admitted.
‘Let me have a look at your lip.’ Flo gently examined the swollen injury, a concerned frown on her face. Finally, she nodded. ‘At least the cut hasn’t opened again, but it must be painful. I want you to try to eat some breakfast, but chewing might be painful. Do you think you would be able to manage some scrambled eggs?’
‘Yes, please.’ To be truthful, she wasn’t feeling much like eating, but they were concerned and she didn’t want to upset them more than necessary.
‘Has that man hit you before, Vicki?’ Bob asked, sitting next to her.
‘He’s always been handy with his fists when he’s had a few beers, and he’d obviously been drinking. If he hadn’t, I don’t think he would have stopped, but I can only think he must have been furious to see me looking so well.’
‘A man like that doesn’t deserve to have children!’
‘It isn’t children he dislikes; it’s only me. If he’d had a couple of boys as well, he could have ignored me. He wants a son.’
‘What does it matter?’ Flo shook her head. ‘He’d been blessed with a lovely, intelligent daughter. He should have been grateful to have you.’
‘Gratitude and love don’t belong in his vocabulary,’ Vicki told them. ‘I don’t think he even knows the meaning of the words.’
‘Well, he never wanted you, but we do, Vicki.’ Bob smiled. ‘From now on, you are our daughter. That’s if it’s all right with you, of course?’
‘I would be honoured to be called your daughter,’ Vicki told them, her voice full of emotion.
‘Good. Now try to eat something, and then we’ll go to the police station. Sid and Harry are going to meet us there at ten o’clock. We’ll give our report, like they asked, and then we’re all going to have a nice lunch out.’
Vicki took a small amount of scrambled egg and let it slip down without causing too much pain. Then she put the knife and fork down and turned to Bob. ‘I have decided, for my mother’s sake, that I won’t have him charged with assault. All I want is for him to be warned to stay away from me, and if he doesn’t he will be charged next time.’
Two Strangers Page 7