Bow Belles

by Bow Belles (retail) (epub)

  ‘Stop it, Alex!’ Kate ground out harshly, numbed by the horrendous discovery of what Alex was capable of. ‘No more lies, please. And don’t insult my intelligence by trying to talk your way out of this one, because it won’t work, not this time! I’ve tried to make excuses for you, tried to understand why you’re the way you are, but when it comes down to it, the truth is that you’re just plain evil… evil and vicious. But I never imagined you’d go this far. At least, I hoped you wouldn’t. I mean… I knew you had no time for dad, but to do this… to deliberately…’ She shook her head in anguished bewilderment. ‘My God, Alex, why? What goes on inside that head of yours? Your own father, you tried to kill your own father! Why?’ Her shoulders sagged, her eyes filling with tears of despair.

  ‘Kate! Kate, listen to me…’

  ‘NO! Get away from me! D—Don’t you come near me, Alex, or I swear I’ll scream the place down. Just get out! Get out, and don’t come back, ever again. Oh, don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone what happened and I’ll get Alice to keep quiet. Not for your sake, oh, no. Don’t think I’m doing this for you, I’m doing it for the children. Though I can’t promise dad will feel so charitable towards you when he recovers. But if you ever come back, so help me I’ll set the police on to you! I’ll tell them everything. I mean it, Alex! Now get out before I change my mind.’

  As Kate sank slowly to her knees by the unconscious man, a wave of panic coursed through Alex. He had lost her; lost her for ever. He had no doubt she meant what she said, but she was also willing to cover for him, no matter what her reasons. Even though she knew he’d tried to kill her father, she was still going to protect him! He felt a sudden wave of elation. Dropping to his knees, he took hold of her shoulders, tightening his grip as she began to struggle. ‘I did it for you, Kate, for both of us, so we could be together. The rest of them don’t matter, only you and me. You do see, don’t you, Kate, you do understand? Because you love me just as I love you. If you didn’t feel the same way, you wouldn’t be trying to protect me. Oh, Kate, come with me now, now this minute. I’ll look after you, you’ll never want for anything. Oh, my darling, darling Kate, there’s no one to stop us from being together! I’ve seen to that, I’ve seen to everything.’

  Thoroughly alarmed and disgusted, Kate tried to rationalise what Alex was saying, unable to believe what she was hearing. Slowly, that part of her mind that had shielded her for so long suddenly burst open, gushing forth the hideous, unmistakable truth of her brother’s feelings towards her, yet still she couldn’t bring herself to believe it. He’s your brother, he’s your brother! her mind screamed at her over and over again as Alex continued to talk.

  ‘I did it all for you, Kate! I had to. I couldn’t let anyone come between us, could I? But it’s all right now, everything’s going to be all right now.’

  When his lips began to move down her neck, Kate could deny the truth no longer. Shuddering with revulsion, she twisted out from his hold, his words still echoing in her ears. Stumbling blindly, she inched away from him, unable to deal with the sickening revelations that had been forced upon her. Yet even as her tortured mind grappled with the dreadful truth, there sprang another even more horrendous thought. Her breath coming in short, painful gasps, she stared into the face she had loved since childhood and spat out viciously, ‘What did you do to my mum, Alex? Did you kill her, too? Is that what happened? Is she lying in an unmarked grave somewhere? Tell me! Tell me what you did to my mum, you twisted, evil bastard!’

  And Alex, seeing the hatred marring her beautiful face, knew it was all over for him. He would have to leave before Alice arrived back with help. He couldn’t trust her not to blurt out her accusations in front of witnesses, not now that Kate had turned against him. But he couldn’t just go without trying one more time to make Kate understand. Ignoring her silent struggles, he picked her up and carried her into the living-room, depositing her lovingly in the armchair.

  As he talked, Kate stared over his head, telling herself not to panic, to keep calm; just to keep calm. Because, if she didn’t, she would start screaming, and that would bring Sally and Billy running, and she didn’t want their innocence drawn into this unspeakable maelstrom of evil. What made matters worse was the absolute normality of Alex’s tone. It was as though he could see no wrong in what he had done to his father and, in all probability, his stepmother, too. He could even see no harm in lusting after his own sister! It was as if he truly believed his actions to be justified, that he had a God-given right to do whatever was needed to achieve his aims, and that was more frightening than anything else he had done.

  Wetting her lips nervously, she tried to reason with him; even though every nerve in her body screamed at her to lash out, to kick and scratch him, she had to keep him calm. She already knew what he was capable of. If she enraged him now, he could easily turn on her, and then the children, and the helpless man lying so silently in the hall.

  ‘Alex, please go! I won’t say anything, I promise, but you have to leave now before the ambulance cart arrives. Maybe, when all this blows over, you can come back, but you have to go now. Alice could have already told them at the hospital what happened here. The police could be on their way this minute!’

  A look of happiness spread over Alex’s features at Kate’s concern for his well-being. Gently pulling her to her feet, he drew her close, murmuring. ‘It’s all right, darling, don’t worry. Nothing’s going to happen to me, you’ll see. Everything’s going to be all right now. I’ll do what you say: I’ll go away for a while until all the fuss dies down. I know I can depend on you to talk some sense into dad and Alice. After all, I don’t really mean either of them any harm. I did what I did only so that you and I could be together. And now that I know you feel the same way, there’s no reason for me to hurt them. You talk to them, Kate. Explain why you can’t stay with them any longer. I’ll be waiting for you. We can go away, right away, where no one knows us. We could go abroad. Why, we could even be married!’ He threw back his head and laughed in sheer delight. ‘That’s what we’ll do, Kate! We’ll go abroad, maybe to France. Oh, you don’t know how long I’ve waited for this moment! I love you darling. My darling, darling Kate.’

  Steeling herself against the intimacy of his lean body, Kate strove desperately to keep a tight rein on her emotions, not knowing how much longer she could tolerate his presence, praying she would be able to keep still. But when his hand gently cupped her breast, she involuntarily jerked away from his touch with a spasm of disgust.

  Alex’s hands abruptly stilled as he realised she had been fooling him, stringing him along so that he would leave the house quietly and full of hope for their future. But there wasn’t going to be any future for them. All that he had done had been for nothing. A red mist descended over his eyes, eyes that had turned black with rage.

  Weak with fear, Kate tentatively raised her gaze to his, then quailed at the murderous look mirrored there. ‘Alex, please… Plea…’

  ‘Shut up! Shut your lying, deceitful mouth before I shut it for you!’ he spat out through spittle-covered lips. ‘It’s him, isn’t it, that piece of Irish scum that’s turned you against me? We were all right before he came along, but I’ll tell you this much – he’s not having you! Do you hear me? He’s not having you… You’re mine! You’ll always be mine. I didn’t risk my neck so some other man could have you. I didn’t go to all the trouble of getting rid of that slut of a mother of yours so you could…’

  He jerked back as Kate came at him, her long nails raking his face. With ease he caught her wrists, fighting down a powerful urge to lash out with his fists. Even when her knee came up sharply, catching him in his groin and sending a wave of agony through his body, he didn’t retaliate.

  Sobbing wildly, Kate continued to fight him, knowing that he could easily knock her flying if he wanted to, but the expected blow never came. Instead, she found herself bundled back into the armchair, and was about to launch herself at Alex again when his voice, cold and flat, held her fast.<
br />
  ‘I’m going, but I’ll be watching you. You won’t see me, but I’ll be there, and I’ll know every move you make, so listen carefully. If I see Kelly coming anywhere near this house, I’ll kill him, and don’t think I’m bluffing, Kate. I’d rather take my chance with the rope than let him get his filthy hands on you. Or maybe it might be easier if I went after the old couple. A lighted rag through their letterbox one night when they’re asleep or, better still, a few sticks of dynamite hidden in that decrepit soup-kitchen of theirs. That way, I’d rid the streets of a few more vermin into the bargain. And don’t think of going to the police, because even if they did believe you and locked me up, there are still men on the outside who’d be only too willing to do the job for me. So if you want your precious friends to remain healthy, you’ll tell Kelly to keep away from you!’ Turning abruptly, he left the room, returning within minutes with a suitcase. ‘I’ll leave it to you to explain my absence, should anyone ask. I’m sure you can come up with a plausible story to account for my sudden departure. In fact, it might be best if you were to say I’d already left before the unfortunate accident occurred. I’ll be going to work tomorrow as usual, and I’ll make sure you’re not left short of money…’

  ‘I don’t want anything from you… You putrid, filthy, unnatural beast…!’

  As though she hadn’t spoken, Alex continued, ‘After all, you’ll probably have to give up work to look after dad… if he recovers, that is.’ Turning his head slightly towards the open door and the inert figure, he shrugged. ‘Just remember what I said, Kate. You finish with that Irish trash, or I’ll finish him for you!’

  Almost beside herself with grief-ridden fury, Kate sobbed. ‘Where’s my mum? What did you do to her? Tell me, tell me where she is!’

  Alex stopped by the table, searching among the scattered contents of Kate’s open bag. His face hardening, he picked up the photo of his stepmother that Kate carried everywhere.

  Sensing his intention, Kate opened her mouth to cry out, but she was too late. His lips curved into a malicious line of triumph, Alex tore the hated likeness into strips, then slowly walking back to Kate, he opened his hand, letting the pieces fall like confetti over her golden hair.

  ‘You won’t be needing that any more,’ he spat out. ‘Not unless you intend showing it to the worms and other various creatures who’ve had a good feast from the old bitch!’ Taking one last searching look at her stunned face, he gave a mocking salute, picked up his suitcase and strode from the house, pulling the door quietly behind him.

  Blinded with tears, Kate stumbled from the chair, her whole body shaking with emotion as she tried to gather up the fragments of the cherished photograph, but her fingers refused to obey her. On legs that threatened to give way at any moment, she returned to the hall, dropping to her knees beside the body of her father. With her face against his chest, she continued to sob quietly until there were no tears left to shed.

  Then she lifted her head, her eyes bleak. ‘What did he do to you, Mum?’ she whispered, her throat closed with tears, still refusing to believe her mother was dead. ‘What did he do to you?’

  Behind her on the stairs, two small figures sat silently huddled together.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Kate was waiting for John, hoping that when he arrived she would remain strong enough to send him away. Glancing at the mantel clock she saw it was nearly nine, and numbly wondered why he was so late. Devoid of all emotion, she stared down at her hands, amazed at their steadiness, amazed she should be so calm. For surely, after what she had been through this past twenty hours she should be pacing wildly, gibbering like an idiot, unable to keep her voice and body still. The sound of creaking bedsprings made her tense, then the noise stopped and she relaxed once more.

  Turning the table lamp a shade lower, she thought of her father lying still as death in the hospital bed, of Alice and the two smaller children who had hardly said a word since last night, and who were now doubtless lying awake wondering what was going to happen to them. It was the thought of them that was helping to keep her sane. Even though her mind screamed out for any temporary release from the horror, she couldn’t allow herself the luxury of a breakdown, not while there were others depending on her, counting on her strength to help rebuild the fabric of their shattered lives. A flicker of anger surged through her. It wasn’t fair! None of it was fair. She had been through this once before. When her mum had disappeared she had been forced to disregard her own grief to spare the others needless suffering. She had lived in an almost permanent state of limbo until she had met the Kellys, and their warmth, kindness and concern had brought her back to the land of the living, opened her heart and taught her how to laugh and love again. But this time she would truly be on her own. There would be no more Kellys to help ease the burden, no one to share her troubles with, not ever. Not while Alex lived. When the clock struck the half-hour, she wondered if she too should go to bed. None of them had had much sleep since last night, spending most of it at William’s bedside. Her eyes clouded as she remembered how frail he had looked. Yet maybe he was the lucky one… He at least was in safe hands.

  William had come round briefly in the hospital cart, with a look of bewilderment for a few moments before it was replaced with one of unspeakable anguish. Then he had slipped back into unconsciousness. The doctor at the hospital had been very kind, assuring them that he would do his utmost to ensure their father received the best possible care, yet he had carefully avoided making any promises as to whether William would recover.

  He had also asked Kate where her mother was, obviously thinking it strange for the injured man’s wife to be absent from his bedside. At the mention of her mother, Kate had frozen, remembering Alex’s taunting words, then as simply as possible she had explained the family history, ignoring the doctor’s sympathetic look. When he had left the ward, the Sister had taken Kate to one side to tell her how lucky her father was to have been brought in when Dr Peakes-Brown was on duty. She explained that the distinguished man attended the hospital only two days a week, otherwise working at his private clinic in Harley Street. At Kate’s apparent lack of interest, the Sister had assumed an air of grievance before bustling around William’s bedside, her starched blue uniform crackling with every move.

  It had been nearly dawn before William had finally come round. When he did, he had merely looked at Kate, his face crumpling, then turned his head into the pillow and cried. Knowing there was nothing she could do, and with the Sister’s assurances that he would be well looked after, she had collected the children from the waiting-room and taken them home.

  Of all of them, Alice was the one Kate feared for the most. She was terrified that Alex would come back, and nothing Kate could do or say would allay the girl’s fear.

  After a meagre breakfast which nobody had any appetite for, Kate had written a hasty note to Bridie, and ignoring the heartfelt pleas of the children not to leave them, she had made the journey to Wapping to deliver it, hoping Bridie would be at the shop. Luck had been with her, and after slipping the envelope through the letterbox, she had taken a final look at the house where she had found happiness for a short while before returning home. They had all gone to the hospital that afternoon, to be told there was no change in William’s condition, but they would know more after further tests.

  When the clock struck ten, Kate shook her head sorrowfully. He wasn’t coming, after all. Obviously she had been deluding herself into thinking that he cared for her. And even though she knew it was for the,best, considering there could be no future for them, she felt a perverse anger that he had taken the letter at face value and dismissed her from his mind. Just as she rose tiredly to her feet, she heard the clopping of horses’ hooves, then loud footsteps approaching the door.

  ‘Kate… Kate, I know you’re in there! Open the door.’ His familiar voice was followed rapidly by a series of loud knocks. ‘I’m not leaving till I see you, so you’d better open the door now, unless you want to trip over me in the mo
rning.’

  Her heart knocking violently, Kate went quietly to the door, her lips trembling with emotion. ‘Go away, John. I meant what I said in the letter. I don’t want to see you again… I can’t see you again. Please, John, don’t make a fuss, but just do as I ask. I can’t explain, but you must go away. Please, John… Please!’

  On the other side of the door, John stood perplexed. He had worked late at the shop, trying to finish the tallboy he was currently working on so that he could get started on the new order. On arriving home he had been met by his grandparents, almost out of their minds with worry. He had hurriedly scanned the brief letter, then raced to the totter’s yard. After slipping the man a few shillings for the use of the horse and cart, he made his way to Bow in record speed.

  ‘It’s him, isn’t it? It’s that blasted brother of yours! Is he in there? Are you there, Browning? ’Cos if you are, then come out and face me instead of hiding behind a woman’s skirts.’ Yet even as he spoke, he felt foolish, because for all Alex Browning’s faults, cowardice wasn’t one of them. ‘Look, Kate, I don’t know what’s going on, but at least open the door! You owe me that much. If you really don’t want to see me any more, then I’ll go, but I’m not going to stand here having a conversation with a plank of wood.’

  Kate leant against the door frame, imagining him on the other side, knowing that this was as close as she dared get. If only she could open the door and throw herself into those strong, capable arms! If only she could let someone take care of her for a change. Knowing John wouldn’t be got rid of so easily, she took a deep breath, hating herself for what she was about to do, while knowing she had no other choice. As long as John continued to believe there was a chance for them, he would never give up, especially if he thought Alex was the sole reason that was preventing them from being together. She had tried to put him off gently, but now she would have to be brutal; it was the only way.