Despatching Mrs Palmer to the street in search of a hansom cab, Robert and Florrie faced each other once more, suddenly awkward and ill at ease in each other’s company. Robert asked diffidently, ‘Would you like me to accompany you, or would you prefer to go by yourself?’
Smiling gratefully, Florrie replied, ‘Oh, please, Robert… And—And if when we get there you could see Kate, to prepare her. Both for my return, and my appearance. It… well… it might soften the shock for her… and the rest of them.’
‘Very well.’ Robert nodded, acutely aware of the spreading ache in his heart as the moment of her departure became more imminent.
At last there were no more reasons to delay her leaving. Standing at the door she faced Nellie, striving to keep her composure as she said her goodbyes. ‘Goodbye, Mrs Palmer. Thank you once again for all you’ve done for me. I’ll never be able to repay you for your kindness.’
‘You’re welcome, ma’am. It’s been a pleasure having you here… and I’m going to miss you. We all are.’
Florrie could feel tears forming, while an enormous lump seemed to be blocking her throat. Sniffing in a very unladylike way, she said, ‘Won’t you call me by my name? It would mean a great deal to me. And as you’ve never called me Anne, it shouldn’t be too difficult to call me by my real name.’ Then her iron resolve broke. ‘Oh, N—Nellie, how will I manage without you?’
Her face crumbling, the distraught woman began to sob loudly, ‘Oh, ma’am … I mean Florrie, I can’t bear it. I can’t bear to see you go!’ Then she did something she would never have imagined possible. Throwing aside all constraint she flung her arms around Florrie, sobbing quietly against her warm shoulder, and when she felt the embrace being returned, her sobs increased.
‘Goodbye, Nellie, my dear, dear Nellie! Goodbye.’
‘Goodbye, F—Florrie! Be happy, Florrie, be happy.’
Almost in tears himself, Robert gently disengaged the two women and led the weeping Florrie to the waiting carriage. Glancing down at her tear-stained face, he turned away to stare out of the window. This was only the start. There would be many more tears before this day was over. In a rare moment of levity, he silently voiced the hope that the powder and rouge would withstand the deluge. Tapping the top of the carriage with his cane, he leant back in his seat as the horse began its journey, knowing he would be making the trip back alone.
Chapter Eighteen
At the same time as Florrie and Robert were setting out on their journey, a determined Bridie was marching down Fairview Road, her keen eyes searching for number seventeen. Stopping outside the house she was looking for, she gave a satisfied nod, threw back her shoulders and strode up the front path.
When the loud knock sounded in the house, Billy ran to open the door, only to be caught roughly by the arm by a frightened Alice. ‘How many times do I have to tell you not to open the door without asking who it is?’ she demanded fiercely, shaking the bewildered boy.
‘Leave him alone, Alice!’ Kate came marching from the scullery, her face filled with anger. Keeping her voice low, she hissed, ‘He doesn’t know what’s happened, and it’s going to stay that way. Understand?’
Sulkily Alice released Billy, her eyes darting to the door in fear as another loud knock resounded.
Shooting a warning glance at her sister, Kate walked to the door, saying over her shoulder, ‘He has a key, remember. He wouldn’t bother knocking.’
Billy stood rooted to the spot, tears glistening on his eyelashes as he tried to work out what was going on. When the door was opened to reveal the grey-haired woman standing on the doorstep, his face brightened, and with a loud yelp of delight he bounded over, throwing himself into the comforting embrace of the familiar body.
‘Well now, I’m glad someone’s pleased to see me!’ Bridie retorted, the softness in her eyes belying her curt tone. Holding the boy close, she looked over his head at Kate. ‘Are you going to ask me in, or d’ye plan to leave me standing on the doorstep?’
Kate swallowed loudly, uncertain what to do. Meeting Bridie’s faded blue eyes, she made up her mind. After all, Alex had said nothing about Bridie coming to the house, and she desperately needed her friend’s company. ‘Bugger him!’ she swore silently. ‘And bugger his blasted spy!’ Opening the door wider, she stood aside to let her friend enter, then while Bridie looked on in surprise, Kate walked down the narrow path to the gate and waved to a shabbily dressed man standing on the opposite side of the street, returning to the house and banging the door noisily. ‘Sit down, Bridie. I’ll get Alice to make some tea.’
‘I’m not making tea, you…’ Alice began to protest.
Kate rounded on the girl, her eyes flashing dangerously. ‘You’ll do as I say, Alice. And when you’ve done that, you can take Billy down to the shops to meet Sally and help her carry the shopping back while I have a chat with Bridie.’
Alice’s slight frame shook with resentment, but she was wise enough not to argue further. Contenting herself with a loud ‘humph’ to show her displeasure, she flounced into the scullery and proceeded to make as much noise as she possibly could.
Over the sounds of china rattling and the kettle being banged on top of the stove, Bridie, still holding the clinging young boy, remained silent, biding her time until she could be alone with Kate. Busying herself with the attentions of Billy, she listened to the boy’s excited chatter, nodding and smiling encouragingly while at the same time letting her mind run free.
When John had arrived home on Monday evening, full of abject misery and anger as he related Kate’s message, she had known at once that something was very seriously wrong. When she had said as much to John, he had thrown a paddy and stormed from the house with the intention of getting as drunk as possible. The following day he had refused to talk about Kate, brushing aside Bridie’s concerns, saying brusquely that it was obvious Kate wanted nothing more to do with him. That, as far as he was concerned, was the end of the matter. A whimsical smile touched her lips. Men! They were all the same, no matter what their age. Acting like the big fellow one minute and sulking like a child the next. Hurt pride, that was all it was. John had been working himself up to the possibility of being rejected by Kate, but the actuality hadn’t softened the blow. Now he was going around like a bear with a thorn in its paw, and Bridie had judged it best to leave him alone with his hurt pride while she attempted to find out what was really going on. She would have come sooner, but had thought it best to give Kate a few days’ respite before confronting her.
Now she was here, and it seemed her fears were right. There was definitely something wrong, and it had nothing to do with that load of malarkey about her having to look after her father when he came out of hospital; it was something much more serious. Neither did she believe that Kate didn’t care for John in the same way as he did for her.
Once the tea had been made, and a petulant Alice and protesting Billy had gone to meet Sally, Bridie sipped her tea, grimacing at the weakness of it, and waited for Kate to speak, but it seemed as if the lass had been struck dumb. Shooting a quick glance at the figure sitting opposite she noted how her agitated fingers plucked at her green cotton skirt. Realising it was going to be up to her to start the conversation, Bridie laid down her cup and was about to speak when Kate gave a shaky laugh.
‘They don’t know what to do with themselves during the school holidays,’ she explained. ‘Billy and Sally mope around bored, and Alice moans because they’re underfoot. I’ll be glad when they go back so that I can get some peace!’
Not at all fooled by the flippant tone, Bridie asked casually, ‘I was afraid you’d be at work. Or are you having a holiday as well as the children?’
Kate jerked nervously under the penetrating gaze. Yes, she was on holiday, so to speak, though not of her choosing. When she had gone to the shop to explain why she hadn’t come in she had been informed by a highly agitated Mr Robertson that he was sorry, but in view of a fall in trade, she would have to go. All the while he’d been talk
ing, he hadn’t once been able to meet her gaze. And then she’d known. Alex had got to him! He was making sure she remained a virtual prisoner in the house. Controlling her anger, she had asked outright if her brother had had anything to do with her sudden dismissal. Her fury turned to pity at the sudden look of fear on the elderly face of her employer at the mention of Alex’s name.
That same night a small canvas bag containing ten-shilling notes had been pushed through the letterbox. She had ran out just in time to see the same shabbily dressed man who was currently stationed across the road running off down the street. Her first instinct had been to run after him and throw the money at his retreating back, but common sense had prevailed. She had to feed the family, and her dad would need plenty of nourishing food when he came home. There was nothing else for it but to swallow her pride and resentment and accept Alex’s blood money for now. It was either that or starve, and face the prospect of being thrown out on the street if she failed to pay the rent. But, oh, how it went against the grain to take his money, even touching the notes made her feel sick.
Conscious of Bridie’s watchful gaze, she kept up the pretence of normality. ‘Actually, I’ve given up my job. It was the only sensible thing to do, what with dad needing to be looked after once he gets back home. The doctor said he’ll need a lot of care and rest, and I can’t trust Alice to see to him. She’s not exactly Florence Nightingale material, is she?’ Again the forced smile came into play. ‘Besides, I never intended to stay working in a corner shop. It was only ever meant to be temporary until I could find something better. But what with mum going off like that, I just never got round to finding…’ Her throat seemed to close up in outrage at the lies that were pouring from her tongue. Her eyelids fluttered rapidly, her head drooping as she fought to control the wild urge to drop all the pretence and blurt out the truth.
Her silent torture wasn’t lost on Bridie. ‘What happened, Kate? An’ don’t be giving me any of your blarney! You might have fooled me grandson, but you’ll not fob me off so easily. I’ve lived on this earth a lot longer than the pair of youse, an’ I can recognise a body in trouble when I see it. So c’mon, lass, let’s be having the truth, ’cos if ever a soul needed help it’s yourself, so it is.’
Her kindly words and the nearness of the beloved woman were too much for Kate, but she must be strong, she couldn’t give way to despair, for then Alex would have won, and she was determined he would never bring her low. Sniffing loudly, she angrily brushed away the threatened tears. It was bad enough that Alice had been reduced to a state of near hysteria, jumping at every noise and transmitting her fear to Sally and Billy, even though Kate had done her best to assure them that everything would be all right. God! How many times during these past two years had she uttered those words? Yet she had kept her promise, kept them safe from harm; from him, and would continue to do so as long as she had breath in her body. Yet she couldn’t keep all the horror and grief to herself any longer. She had to give voice to her feelings or burst, and who better was there to share her troubles with than the comforting, motherly figure sitting opposite? Kate had never been overly religious, but at this moment she saw Bridie as the next best thing to a priest in the confessional.
Taking a deep breath, she told Bridie all that had transpired since Sunday evening, noting with some surprise that the formidable woman showed no signs of shock or horror at the terrible turn of events. The only part of that evening she omitted was the revelation of Alex’s feelings towards her. That, above all else, was too horrible, too sick, to be put into words. Even though she knew she was in no way to blame for his unwanted advances, she still felt immeasurable shame at the memory of his hands on her body.
When she had finished, Bridie nodded sagely. ‘I thought as much! You see, lass, like I said, I know folk, an’ I knew you were far too good a person to cast off friends without good reason.’
Looking down at her hands, Kate said bitterly, ‘It’s a shame your grandson doesn’t have your good sense.’
‘Ah, now, be fair, Kate. You must have been very convincing to get him to believe your tale, ’cos me laddo isn’t a fellow that’s easily got rid of. An’ you must remember he’s a man, an’ like all men he’s bull-headed! But he loves you, lass, an’ I know now’s not a good time to ask, but he’s me own flesh an’ blood an’ I don’t want to see him waste his youth waiting around for someone he’s no chance with.’
Kate’s eyes widened. ‘But, Bridie, didn’t you understand what I told you? I can’t see John ever again. Alex would kill him if he ever caught him near me. That man, the one I waved to, he’s a spy for Alex, keeping a check on my every movement. He’s probably gone running to him now to tell him you are here.’ At this thought, she rose quickly to her feet. ‘I’m sorry, Bridie, I shouldn’t have let you in. I don’t think Alex would mind me seeing you, but who knows what his twisted mind might think up next! Please, Bridie, you’d better go, just in case. I…’
Bridie pursed her lips in indignation. ‘Pshaw, that one doesn’t frighten me a’tall!’ she said, waving her hand contemptuously as if warding off the absent man in question. ‘An’ don’t you be worrying about John, he can take care of himself. If he knew…’
‘Oh, no, Bridie. No! You mustn’t tell him. You mustn’t! Please, promise you’ll keep what I’ve told you to yourself? You don’t know Alex. He’s mad, evil. He’d be ruthless to anyone who stood in his way. I only wish I’d seen what he was really like sooner. I think, maybe, deep down I suspected, but you don’t want to believe the worst of someone, do you? Not when it’s someone you love… Did love. I hate him now, hate him more than I could have ever thought possible!’ Looking into Bridie’s sympathetic eyes, she said sorrowfully, ‘He killed my mum, Bridie, or he got someone to do his dirty work for him. But that wasn’t enough for him. Oh, no! He tried to get rid of Alice by frightening her half to death. She’s still terrified he’ll come back to get her. And my dad, my poor dad who would never hurt a soul was deliberately kicked down the stairs for no other reason except that he was in his way. He was never very strong, my dad, but this has nearly finished him. He was lucky the heart attack was only a mild one, but if he receives any more shocks it’ll likely kill him. So you see, Bridie, you must stay away from us, from this house. Because if anything happened to you, to any of you, I’d never be able to forgive myself.’
‘But why did he do all these terrible things, lass? There must be a reason. Even a raving madman has some motive for his actions.’ Kate bent her head under Bridie’s probing gaze, but she couldn’t prevent the dull red flush that spread from her neck to her face. ‘Aw, lass. Me poor, poor little lass!’
So John had been right, after all. Looking with pity at the bowed head, Bridie wondered at the amount of trouble and sorrow that had been heaped on such a young woman. Anger surged through her as she imagined the suffering Kate had endured, and was still enduring. It wasn’t to be borne. But Kate was right about one thing. She would have to keep the whole sordid business from John, because if he got so much as a sniff of what had happened he’d be down the docks after the fellow. Once he’d found him, he’d likely have a date with the hangman, an’ no grandson of hers was going to swing for the likes of that one! But, oh, how she would love to see him get what was coming to him. For the moment, though, she had to persuade Kate there was no danger in her coming here. The lass needed someone to turn to, especially once her father was home and taking up all her time, and what better person than herself? And thinking of the father…
‘When will your da be coming home?’
Grateful to change the subject, Kate answered, ‘I’ll find out tonight when I go to visit. The doctor has been very good in keeping him in this long. They don’t normally, not unless you’re really ill, but Dr Peakes-Brown told me he’d keep dad in for a couple more days just to be on the safe side. He’s been really kind, not like some of them. You’d like him, Bridie. Dr Peakes-Brown, I mean.’
Bridie gave a loud laugh. ‘Begod! An’ what
sort of a name is that? Peakes-Brown, indeed. I’ll bet he’s not from around these parts!’ She shook with mirth. Kate, glad of the chance to laugh again after the last few days, joined in Bridie’s merriment. So engrossed were they that neither of them heard the knock at the door. It was only when the letterbox was rattled urgently that they lifted their heads.
Wiping her eyes, Kate looked at Bridie. ‘I’ll bet they’ve forgotten their key again! I’m forever telling them.’ Opening the door, she was about to administer a telling-off when she saw who her visitor was. Her jaw dropping in disbelief, she remained frozen, barring entrance to the house. Only when a cultured voice asked, ‘May I come in, Miss Browning?’ did she move to one side to allow the distinguished man to enter.
The initial shock over, Kate’s thoughts turned to her father. ‘Has something happened to my dad, Doctor?’ she asked fearfully, while another part of her wondered why a man such as this would take the trouble to call personally.
Robert glanced around the comfortable, neat room, taking in the matronly body installed by the open hearth. Noticing his gaze, Bridie gave him a nod of acknowledgement, not at all put out by the presence of the obviously well-to-do gentleman.
‘This is Bridie. Bridie Kelly. She’s a friend of mine,’ Kate said, wondering why she felt obliged to explain Bridie’s presence. The introduction made, her concern turned once again to her father. ‘Has he taken a turn for the worse? He seemed all right last night. What…?’
For the first time in many a long day, Robert found himself at an extreme disadvantage. There had been many times when he had been called upon to inform relatives that a loved one had died. But, for the life of him, he hadn’t a clue how to set about the business of informing this lovely young woman that her mother, who had been given up for dead, was alive and well – and waiting nervously in the carriage outside the house. He was thankful now he and Anne had stuck to the plan for him to come to the house alone to prepare Kate and the children for the amazing news that he was about to tell them. Though, to be honest, it wasn’t a task he was looking forward to. Stalling for time, he removed his high hat and gestured towards the chairs grouped round the dining table.
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