Time Passes Time

by Mary Wood

  ‘You said that you wonder if you might be like him . . . I do that too. I get scared that one of us might be affected. That we might develop that same disorder. I fear the way I have mood changes—’

  ‘That’s just your hormones, you daft ha’p’orth. You’re like a dog with a sore arse around the time of your monthly!’

  ‘Harri! If your mam could hear you . . .’

  ‘She’d say what she’s said many a time: “Harriet, you might look like your Granny Megan, but, by, you take after your Great Granna Issy. She were a one for crude remarks.”’

  ‘Is that before she clips your ear, or after?’

  They doubled up with the giggles. Patsy felt better for it, though it didn’t dispel the fear she held about herself. It did sometimes feel like she was two different people, and one of those would gladly murder her so-called mother . . .

  ‘You’re serious all of a sudden. Eeh, it takes sommat to keep your chin up, Patsy. Just think on: we come from good stock. There’s not just our dad in the equation; there’s some brilliant and very strong women in our background an’ all. And that includes your mother. ’Cos despite everything she did before, she was amongst them as received a medal for her services during the war, and the King himself presented it to her!’

  King’s College Hospital, London

  ‘Officer, you can see Miss Crompton now.’

  ‘Oh? You sound very positive. Have things improved with her?’

  ‘Yes, very much so. You won’t recognize her. Oh, of course her face is still a mess, poor thing, but one of my young nurses has succeeded in getting through to her. She has managed to get her eating a little, which is helping. She was starving. Hasn’t been eating right for a long time, by the looks of things. Anyway, we are supplementing the little she is taking in. My nurse has managed to clean her up and get her hair sorted. They have a real affinity. Nurse Wilson is a kind and caring girl. Miss Crompton is still having moments when she thinks it is another time in her life, and from the snippets we hear it seems that that life could have been the cause of some of her mental illness. Have you any news on her family?’

  ‘Yes, a doctor from the north contacted us. He works in the area Miss Crompton came from. It appears she has an elderly mother still alive. From what he knows from his wife, who has lived in the area all her life, it appears that Miss Crompton did have another life. War hero, no less! He thinks from his wife’s calculations that Miss Crompton is about fifty. Her mother lives in York and is in her early eighties. A lady, no less. Lady Daphne Crompton.’

  ‘Good gracious! Have you been in contact with her?’

  ‘Yes. She knew. She’d seen the papers. She told us she and her daughter have been estranged for a long time. She sounded very sad about it and insisted it was to do with her daughter’s mental state, as they had been very close when Miss Crompton was young. She said she had been afraid to come forward, as her appearance in her daughter’s life always upsets her and sends her into a worse mental state.’

  ‘Oh . . . well, that’s a difficult one. There must be some history there. A daughter doesn’t just fall out with her mother. Any other family?’

  ‘Yes, but none that she has had contact with for many years. She had a brother. There is still his family – his widow and her children. They live down this end of the country: part of the Rothergill family from Surrey. Lord Rothergill is her uncle.’

  ‘None of that means anything to me. I’m not up on who’s who. But I wonder why none of them came forward? I don’t know. There’s some mystery surrounding our Miss Crompton, that’s for sure. A war heroine, mentally ill and left to rot on her own. It beggars belief.’

  ‘It does. And there’s more. There’s still that woman the neighbour reported – the one who has visited Miss Crompton for years. Why hasn’t she come forward? Who is she, and why hasn’t she done anything about the state the poor woman was in? There is a line of inquiry opened up concerning that. I can’t say a lot, but Miss Crompton’s bank manager has also been in touch. He has some worries concerning her finances. I’d very much like to find out who this woman is. That’s why I’m here.’

  ‘Well, I know I said you can see her, but that doesn’t mean you can pester her with a lot of questions. That decision isn’t mine. We have a psychiatrist working with her. You will have to contact her.’

  ‘Right, give me her number. I need to move on this and get it sorted. What’s going to happen with the old girl? Is she staying here?’

  ‘She’s not an old girl; she’s not much older than you or me. Anyway, yes is the answer, for the time being. Social services are involved now, and they are trying to find a nursing home to take her once her health is stable. Whether we will get her mental health stable or not is another matter, and that will determine the kind of home she goes to, as she will not be allowed to go to her own home. Before you go, give me all the contact numbers of her family and their details. If they do get in touch, at least I will know they are genuine.’

  ‘Right. I think her mother may ring and enquire after her. As I say, her name is Lady Daphne.’

  Seeing the uniformed man enter the ward and look towards her, Theresa felt old fears surfacing, but she quelled them. She would tell him nothing. Just like before. Oh, yes, he was British . . . but was he really? You couldn’t tell these days. Nothing was as it was. Keeping yourself to yourself was the only way . . .

  Breckton 1963

  ‘Rita! Rita has been in contact? Eeh, dear God, will it never end?’

  ‘Sarah, don’t take on like that. It’s not helpful. We need to sort this out.’

  ‘You’re right, darling. Sorry.’

  Richard’s words were stern, but Patsy noted that he immediately counteracted that by going to Sarah’s side and holding her to him. This had the effect of calming Sarah, and she turned to her now and said, ‘Patsy, love. You came to us for help, and all I do is think on what happened in the past. You have the now to deal with and you need us all supporting you. I’m sorry. We are all here for you, dear.’

  ‘It’s okay. I know there’s a lot of pain in you, Mam.’ It came so natural to call Sarah mam, even though Patsy had to admit to feeling there was something in Sarah that hadn’t fully accepted her. And it wasn’t her being paranoid as Harri would say, as she’d often felt that Sarah was watching her. It was as if she was looking for something in her or was on guard against there being something.

  Richard stopped this train of thought as he said, ‘Patsy, I think Harri may be right. This Rita has seen the story in the paper. This has led her to know of your mother’s whereabouts again, and she is after the revenge she sought before. And she wants to involve you. It would have been easy for her to find you. I know she disappeared after Terence Crompton’s death, but she must have known that we had taken you in. Finding a doctor’s address and telephone number isn’t a difficult task. What we have to decide is what to do next. I think we should call the police—’

  ‘No! I – I mean . . . well, that would complicate things.’ Richard looked shocked at this, but somehow she had to keep a small possibility of further contact with Rita open. ‘I – I . . . well, I think we should make sure. If she rings again, we should give her a chance to tell of her intentions. They may not be what we think. Perhaps . . . well, she did hint at her relationship with me mother. Maybe that has carried on. Maybe she found her a long time ago and has been a companion of hers. We just don’t know. I’d prefer us to go along the route of finding out what she wants. Perhaps me mother is asking for me . . .’

  This last sealed the outcome she wanted.

  ‘Of course, darling.’ Richard crossed over to her. His arm around her gave her comfort and confidence. ‘I hadn’t thought about that. Only, don’t get your hopes up too high. The article in the paper did say your mother appeared to be suffering with dementia, and it didn’t say anything about a companion. Her neighbour said Miss Crompton is a kind of recluse.’

  ‘Yes, but that same neighbour also said she had seen a
woman visit on more than a few occasions, and we know the police are appealing for her to come forward. That may be Rita, and she may be afraid to come forward. She will know that I have seen the article. She may have changed over the last couple of years and doesn’t want me making trouble for her, or upsetting me mother by turning up. She knows how desperate I was to find me mother.’

  ‘Okay, so what do you want us to do?’

  ‘Speak to her if she rings again. Tell her you’re speaking on behalf of me as I want to know what she wants, but don’t want to talk to her just yet. If she is above board she will talk to you, and if she isn’t she will put the phone down. It’s as simple as that.’

  Patsy breathed a sigh of relief when Richard and Sarah agreed to this. At least the path of communication was still open with Rita. And even if she did put the phone down, it wouldn’t mean that Patsy couldn’t find her. She’d find her alright. She needed to. That was something she was certain of.

  Patsy hadn’t thought her chance would come so soon, but later that day, with just her and Harri in the house once more, Rita rang again. Without having to think about it, a plan formed as she answered, and she had to act out part of it as it occurred.

  ‘Rita! I know why you’re ringing. Well, just leave me alone and leave me mother alone as well. I don’t want anything to do with you or her. Me life’s sorted.’

  Banging the phone down, she sank onto the chair next to it and sobbed. Harri was by her side in seconds.

  ‘Oh, Patsy, love. Eeh, come on now. Oh, Patsy . . .’

  ‘Fetch Mam. I need her. Please, Harri.’

  Aye, okay, but it’ll take me a while as she’s gone to help with the antenatal and baby clinic in the village hall and there’s no phone in there, besides which, she’s taken the car. Look, let me—’

  ‘No . . . no . . . I want Mam . . . Help me. Please get Mam.’

  ‘Oh, God! Patsy stop this. I’m not going while you’re in this state. I can’t . . . Besides, you know how it upsets Mam that Rita’s been in touch.’

  ‘I – I know, but she helps me. I’ll be alright while you go. I just need her . . . sh-she understands.’

  ‘Okay, but calm down. I’ll get you a glass of water.’

  Patsy’s fingers shook as she dialled 100. The operator answered immediately, ‘Number, please.’

  Hoping she wasn’t too late to be reconnected she said, ‘My last caller was cut off. Can you reconnect us, please?’

  ‘The caller rang from a telephone box, Madame.’

  ‘Well, just give it a try. Please. It is very important.’ As soon as she said this, she regretted it. The nosy bitch would probably listen in now!

  A tense moment passed as the dull sound of the phone rang out, then Rita’s voice came down the line.

  ‘Rita, it’s me. I couldn’t talk before . . .’

  ‘Well, aren’t you the bleedin’ lucky cow? I’d only stopped a mo to light a fag and was just about to leave or yer wouldn’t have caught me. Fell on yer feet, didn’t yer? That Fellam lot were always a soft-hearted lot. Took you in, didn’t they?’

  ‘Yes, I’m with Sarah, only she’s a Chesterton now. She’s married to Richard—’

  ‘I know all that. I told yer, you wouldn’t credit what they get up to. All related, that lot, and half of them murderers. It ain’t bleedin’ safe in the countryside. Gentlefolk, ha! They ain’t bleedin’ gentle; they’re inbred, and half of them are off their bleedin’ nut.’

  ‘Look, I haven’t got a lot of time. What do you want? Why do you keep ringing me?’

  ‘I wondered if you still want to take revenge on that cow as gave birth to yer? ’Cos I can help you and you can help me.’

  ‘I’ll meet you. But that’s all. I don’t know . . . I . . . Anyway, what do you mean, I can help you?’

  ‘I look after me niece. She needs help. I have to get her out of here and I thought your lot’d take her in. She’s ill.’

  ‘What’s wrong?’

  After hearing what Rita said, she felt as though she’d entered a different world. It wasn’t that she knew nothing of the culture of drugs – it was seeping into university life, and she’d come across it herself with the types she’d had to mix with when she lived in the hostel, and had even tried some marijuana once. But for the most part she felt far removed from what she was hearing now. It shocked her to the core. ‘Look, it’s complicated and not a good idea to talk on the telephone. I’ll come down to London tomorrow. Meet me at Euston Station. There’s only one train from here that connects with one in Leeds, and it arrives in London at around two o’clock. If I’m not on it, it’ll be ’cos I couldn’t get around them here to let me come on me own, so telephone me again. I do want to meet you, Rita.’

  ‘I’ll be there. I need help and I don’t know who to turn to. I’ve got to get my Lizzie away.’

  ‘Christ, they’re back! I can’t talk any more . . . Thank you for calling. Goodbye.’

  ‘Patsy, love, are you alright? Eeh, lass, you had us reet worried for you. Who was that?’

  ‘I – I’m a lot better. Sorry, Mam, I didn’t mean to worry you. And I don’t know who that was. I was upset and forgot to ask. They asked for you, Mam. I just told them you were out and to call back later.’

  ‘Never mind, happen as they will if it’s of any importance, but eeh, lass, Harri says as that Rita’s been ringing you again?’

  ‘She has. I told her to leave me alone. I panicked and didn’t ask her what she wanted.’

  ‘Knowing her, it won’t be owt good. She’s a bad ’un. Allus has been. Pity she rang when I was out. I reckon as what we thought must be reet and she’s seen the article about your mam and thinks she can get sommat out of it for herself.’

  Patsy sank down on the sofa and buried her face in her hands. The action would be expected, and would give her time to cover her guilt.

  ‘Look, lass, I know this is a difficult time for you, though I can only imagine your real feelings. But we are here for you, love.’ Sarah’s arms enveloped Patsy as she said this. The action compounded Patsy’s guilt, but did not lessen her resolve.

  ‘Eeh, I’m so sorry, Patsy.’ This from Harri, who’d knelt at her knee, had her reaching for her hand.

  ‘Look, sit a minute with Harri while I go and make a pot of tea, then we can all talk it through and see what the best plan is, eh?’

  ‘Thanks, Mam. I just wanted you here.’

  Sarah smiled at her with a smile that didn’t touch her eyes, and for a moment it was as if Sarah could see through her to the deceitful bit she’d tried to hide. The look was gone in a second, and an extra squeeze given before she rose and Harri took her place next to her.

  ‘By, Patsy, you’re trembling.’

  ‘Really, love, I’m okay. I am. I just had the wind knocked out of me sails, but I’m going to see me mam tomorrow. I’ve made me mind up.’

  ‘Oh? That was sudden, but I think it best. I’ll come with you . . .’

  ‘No. I need to do this on me own. If I change me mind when I get there then it’ll be down to me and no one can persuade me one way or the other. I just want it to be my choice. Help me with this, Harri, please.’

  ‘If you’re sure . . .’

  ‘I am. I should go and see her. It will lay it all to rest and decide things.’ As she said this, her emotions fought a battle inside her between guilt at her deceit and elation that at last she was going to get to the bottom of everything that held her back. She allowed the elation to win.

  Sarah, coming through the door with three steaming mugs on a tray and saying, ‘Reet, here we are, a nice pot of tea for us all,’ broke the turmoil and put her in a more normal place. Though she’d never got used to how these northerners called a mug of tea a pot. It still conjured up her horror when she’d first heard it said and had thought they would make her drink a whole teapot full!

  Whilst sipping on this household’s cure for all, she told Sarah of her plans. Her reaction was the same as Harri’s: she thought it was a good
idea, but she wanted Harri to go with her.

  ‘No, Mam. I have to go on me own. Harri understands.’ She explained to Sarah why.

  ‘I think she’s right, Mam. it’ll be a big day for you, Patsy love, but aye, I think it is sommat as you have to do on your own.’

  ‘Well, let’s see what Dad says.’

  ‘Oh, please, Mam, please help me sway him. Now I’ve made me mind up I have to do it.’

  The sound of a car door slamming stopped Sarah answering. She got up and went towards the kitchen.

  ‘That’ll be Dad now.’ Harri clutched her hand again as she said this. ‘Give them a mo. I’ll help if there’s any argument.’

  There wasn’t. Richard thought it a good idea and not before time. His only concern was her doing it alone. ‘Mam says as the phone call put you in a state, love, so what will meeting up with your mother do?’

  ‘I know, but that was unexpected, not something I wanted. I want this and will prepare for it. It won’t be anything to do with Rita. She won’t know, so can’t do any mischief. And as I know London like the back of me hand – well, I should, I trudged most of it in me childhood – I don’t see what can go wrong. I’ll ring you, Mam, throughout the day, I promise. And if I’m too late to catch a train back, I’ll let you know where I am staying. Really, you have nothing to worry over. I looked after meself for a long time in the big city when I was only a girl.’

  ‘Okay, love. It won’t stop us worrying about you, but yes, I can see your point. I hate to think of you doing this massive thing on your own, but if that’s the way you want it, then I’m not going to stand in your way, love.’