by Mary Wood
‘Don’t worry yourself about that. It won’t involve you. Now, what do you think?’
‘I don’t think I have much choice. Me need to know where I come from, and any family I have, is too strong to turn this down. As long as you promise I won’t be hurting anyone, just making them face up to the truth about their past, and you also promise to tell me who me dad’s family are and where they live.’
‘I’ll say one thing for you, girl: you’re a mixture of the natures in your background. Both your dad’s mam and your mam’s parents, though classes apart, were a nice lot. I don’t know where your dad came from, though I did hear as his dad were a rough one. Your dad were more than rough: he were a psycho. But I can’t see them traits in you. In fact I can’t see much of him at all, except you saying you have a temper.’
‘I don’t know if I can trust you, Rita. You skirt around everything. I’ll not do anything unless you promise me you’ll tell me what I need to know. Don’t forget, I’ll know how to contact me uncle after this, so if you welsh on your part of the deal, I’ll let him know you’re planning more, and where he can find you.’
Blimey, this girl’s got more of her dad in her than I thought. A tremble went through Rita. She had to tread very carefully with this one. The only hold she had on Patsy was knowing who her family were, but once she met Terence Crompton, she’d be able to find out the rest. Christ, what if she tells him more? I’ve been a bloody fool to let her suspect what I have in mind. ‘You say I have to promise, what about you, eh? Well, I’m telling yer now, I’ve done fifteen bloody years for something that wasn’t all my fault, and your bleedin’ uncle got away with. If you turn on me, then yer’ll know of it. There’s nowhere you can go that I won’t find you. I have men in my employ that would kill you on my say so, and that’s what will happen. You’re in this now, and you play everything the way I’ve told yer to, or you’ll take the consequences.’
For a moment the girl looked terrified, but then she rallied. ‘All I want is your assurance that you don’t intend to physically hurt anyone. If you keep your half of the bargain, then I’ll keep mine, and you’ll have no need to worry.’
Patsy had spirit and cunning, aye, and courage too, Rita could see that. Damn and blast the girl; she had the upper hand. The ultimate plan would have to be abandoned. But none of that seemed important now. If I go through with this, I’ll have Terence and Theresa Crompton in me clutches again and I can do what I like with them – play them like puppets on a string. Destroy their peace of mind – that will be enough. It will have to be.
46
Sarah
Going Home
Sarah gathered up the medical records and stacked them neatly back into the box. Another surgery done. She walked through to the treatment rooms to tidy up anything the doctors had left about and to sterilize the equipment they had used. She loved working with Richard and the other doctors as their receptionist and assistant. She’d even helped a couple of times when they’d needed her to calm some of the youngsters, and more than once she had considered training to be a nurse.
Richard had argued at first, saying it wasn’t right for her to work. But now that the boys were away at school, and with Harriet having gained her A-levels and waiting to hear whether she would get a place at medical school and spending a lot of time up north with her granddad and Dorothy, there was little else for Sarah to do. When Mrs Pickles, the previous receptionist for umpteen years, retired, she’d begged Richard and his partners to allow her to stand in. Now she hoped they would keep her on.
Apart from anything else, the job at last provided Sarah with a way to get to know the real community of Market Harborough and the surrounding area and feel part of it. Until now, she’d only really met folk way above her standing, Richard’s peers. She’d coped well, even trying to moderate her northern accent, but she’d never felt comfortable or accepted. At times she could almost see the noses twitching with disdain as they looked down on her. Richard couldn’t see it, and it had been the only thing with a bit of an edge between them. He thought she was being silly, and told her his friends adored her. Adored to make fun of her, more like. Still, as Granna Issy would have said, You have to get on with it, lass.
It’d helped when Bridget had confided in Sarah that at times she’d had exactly the same feelings. ‘And, lass,’ she’d said, using her northern inflection, something she’d done more and more since Edward passed away a few years ago, ‘I’ve been on the outside inside for a lot longer than thou has.’
They’d laughed together at this. Sarah sometimes wondered if it was her influence that had brought out the Yorkshire lass in Bridget, but doing so seemed to be a great relief to Bridget, as if her other self – the posh lady – had all been an act. Sarah couldn’t remember when she’d stopped calling her ‘Granny Bridget’, the polite title she’d given her as a child, but not doing so made Bridget feel more like a friend to her and gave her the proper status of her mam-in-law.
As Sarah went to go through the last door leading to Richard’s consulting room, the telephone rang, sending her doubling back to her own desk.
‘Sarah?’
‘Aunt Hattie!’
‘Hello, love, is everyone all right down there? It seems ages since we spoke.’
‘Aye, we’re fine. Ticking along, you know.’
‘Oh, just ticking, eh?’
‘Well . . .’
‘I’m only taking you on. I’ve good news. I’ve had a call from Sally. She and Mark and the young ’uns are coming home in two weeks. She wondered if we could all get together?’
‘Oh yes, we heard, too, from Mark. It seems he sold those songs he’d written. It’s funny really, he always said as rock ’n’ roll were an abomination of music, but now he’s writing songs for them as sing it!’
‘I know, but it’s grand. He sounds alive for the first time. I mean, really alive. He were getting nowhere with that classical stuff he likes, and there was no money in it. Sally’s always had to take in sewing work to help them make ends meet, and I think that made Mark feel less of a man than he already did, bless him.’
‘I know what you mean. He copes well and doesn’t dwell on it all, and he has a good go at whatever task he takes on. I s’pose he had to take his knock-backs, though. It’s like that for all of them as try to make it in the music industry, or any of the arts really. Anyroad, they seemed to like America. Lucky them, I’d love to travel to foreign parts like they do.’
‘Aye, well, Sally says as now Thomas and Marion are getting towards their teenage years they want to live back here. They want to make sure the young ’uns get a settled period in school and hope they’ll go on in their education. I tell you what, though, love: I’m glad Mark’s open to all the new stuff, as it means we can put some of me seventy-eights on the record player when we get together. I’ve just bought a new Bill Haley record. He’s put all his old singles onto an EP. It’s grand!’
‘Oh, Aunt Hattie, you’re a one. I thought you’d be playing Vera Lynn and Frank Sinatra?’
‘Naw, that’s for squares. My grandchildren think I’m hop, or hip, or sommat like that.’
Sarah laughed out loud. Hattie was a tonic. ‘Talking of your grandchildren, has my Harriet been to see you?’
‘Aye, she were here yesterday. Her and Arthur lose me, with their intellectual conversations. She tells us she’s becoming a doctor.’
‘I know, Richard’s that proud, as I am. Imagine, eh, one of us becoming a doctor.’
‘Talking of doctors. I have another reason for ringing. Well, you know how you’re all on about how much you’d like to come and live back here? Even Bridget has said it since Edward passed on, bless him.’
‘Yes. But, well, you know we can’t. Eeh, don’t get me started. Me heart longs to be back. I’ve never settled, you know. Not really. Even though there’s a lot of bad memories up there, there’s a lot of good ’uns an’ all.’
‘Aye, and memories are memories – good or bad – lass, and they’
re yours. They’re where your heart is. Look, tell Richard there’s a vacancy. A practice for sale, and I’ve had Arthur put a few words out in the right places.’
‘What? But I thought Dr Cragshaw’s son—’
‘Aye, he did take over from his dad right enough, but he’s getting on a bit himself and is talking of semi-retirement. Arthur was at one of them Round Table dos and got into a conversation with him. What d’yer reckon – would Richard be interested?’
‘Oh, I think so. He’s not comfortable working here. He just seemed to fall into it. His father influenced him. But he says there’s not a day goes by that he doesn’t have to ask one of his old school friends to take off their clothes!’
They both laughed at this.
‘And yer know, even though it’s been nigh on ten years since he bought into the practice, it never gets easier for him.’
‘Eeh, he can strip this lot to his heart’s content! None of them will know of him as owt different to being “the doctor”. And, thou knows, we could do with another kindly soul.’
After controlling her laughter at the thought of Richard stripping folk to his heart’s content, Sarah said, ‘I don’t think he’d like to be called that!’
‘You know what I mean. Northerners need a special kind of handling. And your Richard has that gift. He won’t look down on them, and he’ll help the poor, I’m sure on that, cos National Health Service or not, they still get a raw deal at times, like as if they are second-class citizens and can wait if they need treatment. Anyroad, love, have a word and tell him to ring Arthur and he’ll give him all the details. In the meantime, I’ll keep me fingers crossed.’
‘So will I, Aunt Hattie, so will I.’
‘Oh, Richard, darling, I can’t believe it! And Hartington House is up for sale an’ all?’
Three weeks had passed since Sarah’s conversation with Hattie. Richard had jumped at the idea of moving back up to the north and had arranged a meeting as soon as he could with Dr Cragshaw Junior.
‘Yes, and I think we might get it.’
‘Eeh, Hartington House is lovely. Me Granna Issy worked there as a young girl. She used to tell me tales of her days working as a cook for the family that lived there. It’s a bit out of Breckton – about ten miles, I think – and about five or so from me dad, but it’ll be perfect. Near enough to everyone we love, and just far enough away from your patients not to have them knocking on the door all the time. But can we afford to buy it?’
‘With what I get for this house, you will.’
‘Bridget – you’ll come with us, then?’ Looking from Richard to his mother, Sarah gave an exasperated sigh. ‘You two have been at planning things behind me back.’
‘Eeh, lass, we didn’t mean . . . I – we – only wanted to—’
‘Ha, I know. You didn’t want to get me hopes up till you had a plan. I’m only at pulling your leg, Bridget, love. Come here.’ Hugging Bridget brought a tear to Sarah’s eye, as it did to Bridget’s. They clung together longer than fitted the occasion and she realized they hadn’t done this before.
‘Me heart’s back up in the north, Sarah, as are all the family, when you go. Mark and Sally are going to convert the outbuilding that’s attached to Hattie and Arthur’s house into a home for them. Eeh, it’ll be grand.’
‘Mother, you don’t sound like you.’ Richard laughed as he said this. ‘It sounds so strange to hear you talk like that.’
‘Sorry, love – the lass in me has outed. I suppressed her for a long time, for the love of your father and not to let the side down for him, but it’s lovely having me own self back inside me.’
‘Don’t apologize. The more northern lassies surrounding me, the better, as far as I’m concerned.’
‘I don’t know how to take that, Richard. By, I’ll have to be watching out for you.’
They all laughed at this. It was like a seal on the rest of their lives, as if they knew they were going home and all the bad that could happen had already happened and they were safe.
‘So, how will it all work then?’
‘I spoke to Mother on the telephone from Hattie’s while I was up there negotiating the buying of the practice. I asked her not to say anything, as I wanted to tell you everything today when I got back. But, well, Hartington House is huge and there is plenty of room to make part of the downstairs into a flat for Mother. She will sell this house and, from the proceeds, help Mark out with his project and give us a good amount that we can use as a deposit, then—’
‘A flat? Why would you want a flat? We’ve lived together all of these years.’
‘Oh, I was on with thinking you wanted to move, and that move might mean moving from me as well.’
‘Moving from you? No, eeh, Bridget, you’re me family. Well, a big part of it. Leaving you behind was the only thing spoiling the thought of going back. I only kept quiet because I didn’t want to make you feel that you had to come with us.’
They were in each other’s arms again. ‘Thank you, Sarah, I love you like you were me own daughter, as I do Sally. I must tell her that, next time I see her. I’m one for letting me actions speak, rather than words, but they don’t always convey what I mean to.’
‘In your case they do, Bridget. I’ve always felt your love. And I love you an’ all, like as if you were me own mam, and like I loved Megan. I’ve been lucky in the women that stepped in for me own mam, thou knows. Silly that it’s taken all these years for us to tell each other how we feel.’
‘Well, when you two have finished – as touching as it all is – what does a man have to do to get something to eat? It’s a long journey from up north, thou knows.’
This mimicking of them by Richard had them in fits of laughter again, as they went together towards the kitchen.
‘Eeh, Richard, I’m that excited. When will it all happen, do you think?’
They were getting ready for bed after enjoying a quiet drink together once Bridget had retired for the night. Their conversation had been all about the part Richard would play in the practice in Breckton. It seemed that Dr Cragshaw Junior, as he was known, had secured the contract for looking after the pit workers, a partly privately paid service that would be very lucrative, and he wanted Richard to take complete charge of that. Richard was really pleased about this, as it would give him a chance to enter a field of medicine that he was interested in – lung diseases and their causes – and to have a direct bearing on the prevention of them. Besides, as he’d said, it would ease him in with the rest of the folk an’ all. Any doctor looking after their menfolk was good enough for the rest of the community, so he’d have fewer problems settling in.
‘It has to happen fairly quickly. At least, me going there does. Cragshaw can’t cope and isn’t keeping to the schedule in the contract. I’ve been avoiding this, but it may mean I go at the end of the month, which is the shortest time I can wrap things up here. But whether we will have the house by then, I don’t know. It may mean you won’t be able to come with me at first.’
‘I ain’t stopping here without you. Course I can come. We can stop at me dad’s, as he’s plenty of room, or with Aunt Hattie.’
‘But what about Mother? I don’t like leaving her.’
‘She can come an’ all. She’ll love it. She’s stayed at me dad’s many a time when Megan was alive.’
‘Yes, but maybe Hattie’s would be best. Sally and Mark will be there too, and she’s never stayed at your father’s since he’s been married to Dorothy.’
‘That’s settled then. Eeh, Richard, it’s like all me dreams are coming true.’
‘Have you been that unhappy here, darling?’
‘I could never be unhappy where you are, me love, but I’ve been like a wheel missing a couple of spokes. I still ran all right, but I rattled a bit as I did so. I didn’t run quite as I should.’
‘Mmm, I think I know what you mean. Come here. I’ll put those couple of spokes back in place for you.’
Snuggling into his arms, Sarah felt at p
eace. It was as if her world, which Richard had long ago put back together, had been made complete. Nothing could spoil her happiness. All the badness had gone, and she could think of nothing and no one that could harm them ever again. She wouldn’t even put her mind to it. Instead, she gave herself to the exquisite pleasuring of Richard, filling her body with his as he brought her to sheer fulfilled joy.
47
Terence, Patsy & Rita
The Sins of the Past Return
Terence picked up the phone, expecting to hear Simon giving him the final arrangements for when he would be home. It seemed an age coming this time, as at the end of term Simon had asked if they would mind if he joined a group of boys on a trip to France. It would have seemed churlish not to let him. At seventeen and having done a wonderful job in his exams, achieving marks that would gain him entry to Oxford, the boy deserved to let his hair down. A niggling worry accompanied the decision, though, as some of Simon’s friends looked more than weird with their shoulder-length hair and long sideburns. Not to mention their taste in music and dress! All those velvet collars and tight trousers – ‘drainpipes’, he thought they were called. And then the long jackets, and a shoelace for a tie! Good God, what was the world coming to?
The girl’s voice coming down the line took him aback. ‘Hello. You don’t know me, but I want to meet up with you.’
The London accent made him quiver. ‘What? Who is this?’
‘Me name’s Patsy, but like I said, Mister, you don’t know me.’
‘Then why should I agree to meet you?’ The feeling deepened, as if someone had brushed the hairs on the back of his neck with a feather.
‘Because I have some information you should know. It was given to me by Rita.’
With the mention of that name, shock surged through Terence’s body. Good God! The hairs that had stood up on his arms now felt as though they were being pulled out, one by one. He had to think quickly. Louise was coming towards him. ‘Where and when?’
‘As soon as possible, and I don’t care where.’