All the Fun of the Fair

by Lynda Paige

  His shoulders then sagged in relief. ‘Yes, yes it does, doesn’t it?’ He then sank down on the arm of Sonny’s armchair and said, ‘I can’t imagine how Sonny must be feeling.’

  ‘Oh, to hell with that, Solly. He doesn’t deserve your sympathy considering what his plans were.’

  He nodded. ‘Yes, you’re right. But he’s still my brother and I love him. When he does come back, I will make sure he’s well looked after.’

  She smiled adoringly at him. ‘He doesn’t deserve a brother like you. You’re far too kind for your own good sometimes. But that’s just one of the things I love about you.’ She folded up the will and pushed it into her skirt pocket. They could read the rest of it later. She took his arm. ‘Come on, I’m parched and you must be too. I need a cuppa. With something in it a bit stronger after the day we’ve had. I think you should arrange for others to cover for both of us tonight, the boys too if they’d like, as I’d doubt anyone would expect us to work tonight.’

  As if they hadn’t had enough shocks that day, yet another awaited them when they got back to their van. It was Gem that was to go into the bedroom to change out of her good clothes she had dressed in for her visit to the undertaker’s for more casual ones, and discover the mess Sonny had left behind after his fruitless search for the elusive package he had been desperate to find.

  ‘Solly, we’ve had burglars!’

  He immediately shot through to join her, both staring in dismay at the piled-up bedding and mattress blocking access to Solly’s wardrobe and at the strewn-about items that had been stored neatly in the storage space.

  ‘What do you think has been stolen?’

  She shrugged. ‘I have no idea if anything has. I can’t remember half the stuff that was in here as it’s been there that long. There was nothing of any real value, that I do know.’

  Then a thought struck Solly. ‘Oh, I think I know who’s done this. It was Sonny. I told you this morning that I caught him about to clear the bed so he could look in the hidey-hole; I assumed for Dad’s will. I told him we hadn’t got it. If it was anywhere, it was more than likely amongst Dad’s papers, but he couldn’t have believed me and while we’ve been out looked anyway.’

  She heaved a sigh and snapped, ‘Well, the least he could have done was put everything back as he’d found it. Give me a hand straightening it up, love, then I’ll mash us both a cuppa.’

  Both Jimmy and Robbie turned down the offer of a night off. They would sooner work to keep their minds busy. The news that their grandfather had made their father his heir and he was now the new ringmaster they were to keep to themselves, out of respect, until after their grandfather’s funeral.

  When she knew Velda would be in her van preparing her evening meal before she went back to work for the night, Gem paid her a visit.

  She sat Gem down in the one and only comfortable chair she had, pulling out a kitchen chair to settle her large body on before enquiring of the younger woman, ‘How are you bearing up, love?’

  She gave a wan smile. ‘Solly’s beside himself. It’s breaking my heart watching him breaking his heart, but all I can do is be there for him and support him the best I can. The boys have taken it hard. Fran, Nita and Rosa too. My relationship with Sam wasn’t what you could call a close father- and daughter-in-law relationship. He never forgave me for being an outsider, never missed a chance to remind me of that with his barbed comments which used to irritate me to hell, so I shan’t miss those. I do know though that, deep down, he was fond of me. I will miss him. It surprises me to realise how much I will.’ She then looked at Velda. ‘But it’s you I should be asking that, Velda. How are you bearing up? Sam was the love of your life. I can’t imagine how hard it is for you not to show how much you’re grieving for him, only being able to properly when you’re on your own.’

  She leaned over and affectionately patted her hand. ‘Well, that’s how it is and I have to get on with it. I remember saying to you once that life can be very cruel sometimes and this is one of those times.’ Then her face screwed up. ‘Try as I might, I just can’t understand what he was doing on top of the skelter in the first place.’

  ‘No one can, Velda, including the police. It’s something only Sam knows himself. Anyway, I didn’t want to disturb you having your meal but just came to tell you that Solly and I have a lot to talk about so I won’t be along later after the fair closes to have a cuppa with you after all.’

  ‘Don’t worry. Ren, I have no doubt, will be over as soon as I get back from finishing work tonight, like she does every night. I expect she’ll be itching to see to anything I need her to do for me then get off to be with Donny. It’s such a joy seeing her so happy, not before time either. She never believed this state of affairs would ever happen and she doesn’t want to miss a moment longer than she has to without Donny by her side. Anyway, I totally understand you and Solly will have such a lot to discuss. It must have come as some shock to Solly to learn that Sam had made him his heir instead of his brother.’ She then knew by Gem’s face that this was news to her and blurted, ‘Oh, I’m sorry you didn’t know… haven’t you read Sam’s will yet?’

  ‘Er… yes, yes we did, this afternoon.’ Although she was close friends with Velda she didn’t think Solly would appreciate it becoming common knowledge what Sonny had planned for them all once he’d got his hands on the business. Not that Velda would have told anyone should Gem have taken her into her confidence anyway. ‘I’m shocked that you knew though. We haven’t told anyone yet, except for the boys of course. Felt it’s not right to until after Sam is buried.’ Then a thought struck. ‘Yes, but of course, you two had become very close and he talked to you, didn’t he, about which son would make the better one to leave in charge of the fair?’

  She nodded. ‘It was something that bothered him very much. He loved Sonny but felt that Solly would make a far better ringmaster than Sonny would. He struggled with his conscience and you know what a stickler he was for abiding by showmen’s traditions. I did suggest he left it to them in equal shares so they ran it between them but, in the end, he felt he had no choice but to make Solly his sole heir. To Sam’s mind he was the one that had all the qualities to keep the business prospering and the community happy, whereas Sonny didn’t. Solly shared the same vision for the fair’s future, whereas he had no idea what Sonny’s was as he never talked to his father, except in passing. Sam had worked for the type of bosses he worried Sonny would turn out to be and it was not a pleasant experience. And he knows Solly will look after his brother. He did write a letter explaining to Sonny why he had done what he had. Has he read it yet? Hopefully it will make him understand what difficulties his father had in making his decision and why he finally decided what to do. I hope he can forgive him for it.’

  ‘Sonny’s left, Velda. We’ve no idea where he’s gone or when he’s coming back. We think it’s because he’s so angry over what his father did and also it will be humiliating for him when it finally comes out who the new ringmaster is. The community will know then that he was pushed aside in his younger brother’s favour. Since Joshua died he’s always believed that, one day, it will be him that is the new owner.’

  ‘Mmm. Well, maybe it’s best for Solly that he has gone off. Solly can get on with running the fair as he wishes without his brother’s shadow hanging over him.’

  Gem frowned, bothered. ‘It’s a huge responsibility that Solly wasn’t prepared to have.’

  ‘Oh, Gem, dear, Solly was virtually running the fair alongside his father anyway. Sam started taking more of a back seat a couple of years ago when his arthritis really started slowing him down. And it wasn’t Sonny that worked alongside your father, them two sitting together, discussing matters and making decisions that would affect us all; it was Solly. Sonny was only doing as little as he felt he could get away with. I always got the feeling from Sonny that he didn’t really care about the fair, only worked here because that was the only life he knew and could earn his living from. I wouldn’t have put it past
him to be making plans to sell the fair as soon as he got it and to live on the proceeds, not a thought to any of the rest of us.’

  Gem thought, Velda has no idea how accurate she is.

  Velda then went on to ask Gem if she had had any contact from Jenny, which she knew Gem was so very desperate for. She knew she wanted to start getting to know the daughter she had had no idea she had. She was desperate for her to take her rightful place amongst her real family. Velda knew Sam had been very much looking forward to meeting and getting to know her, and she felt it was just so very sad and such a shame that Jenny would never now have the privilege of discovering just what a character and wonderful human being her grandfather had been.

  Gem got up. ‘I’ll come and see you tomorrow and tell you about the funeral arrangements. You’ll be with us, Velda. Sitting up front. I told Solly I thought you should be with us as you and Sam were such close friends, but me and you know the real reason I feel you should be. It’s only because of your situation you weren’t able to be together as a proper couple.’

  There were tears of deep gratitude in her eyes when she uttered, ‘Thank you, Gem.’

  * * *

  Solly and Gem were to learn the real reason behind Sonny’s hurried getaway later that evening. Gem had returned from her visit to Velda to find Solly quietly crying to himself in the armchair. Without a word she went over to him, put her arm around him and pulled him close by way of showing him her love and support for his loss.

  After making him eat some food and pouring them both a medicinal whiskey each, at just after nine o’clock they were sitting together, side by side on the sofa, holding hands as they finished reading Sam’s will. Apart from small bequests to long-standing, loyal Grundy fairworkers and a memento each for a couple of cronies Sam had known since a young man, Sonny was to pick a ride of his choice. Sam had also left him his old watch and chain his own father had bought him on his twenty-first birthday and half of any cash he had at the time of his death. Gem was very touched that Sam had bequeathed her Nell’s old jewellery box which, amongst many pieces of costume jewellery, included her wedding and engagement rings. Knowing how precious these things had been to him, that told her that her father-in-law had been far more fond of her than he had ever let on to her he was. Fran, the widow of his eldest son Joshua, would receive Nell’s precious collection of fairground glass, some pieces dating back to before the turn of the century. His four grandchildren, Jimmy, Robbie, Nita and Rosa, would each receive the sum of twenty pounds. Of course he had left nothing to Jenny as, when he had written his will, he hadn’t known of her existence and had not had time to rectify that before he met his untimely death.

  The will now properly read, they then went over the funeral arrangements together, mentally noting the things they still had to arrange for it. Flowers still needed to be ordered, hall to book, food decided for the wake. Solly would need to try on his one and only suit to check if it still fitted him as he had filled out a little since the last time he had worn it at his mother’s funeral five years ago. They were suddenly interrupted by the van door thrusting open and two strange men walked in like they owned the place.

  Whilst Gem sat staring at the two intruders, Solly jumped up to angrily exclaim, ‘Who the hell are you two?’

  It was the older of the two men that responded, ‘I’m looking for your brother. I was informed you’ll know where he is.’

  Solly didn’t like the look of his visitors at all. They looked unsavoury to him and he wondered what sort of business Sonny could possibly have with them? ‘Well, I don’t. He’s gone. Went this afternoon while me and my wife were out. Took all his stuff with him. I’ve no idea when he’ll be back. Why do you want to see him?’

  The man did not look pleased by this information and demanded, ‘Did he give you a package before he left, telling you to keep it safe until someone collected it?’

  Bemused, Solly shook his head. ‘No. I told you, he was already gone when we arrived back. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like you to leave.’

  He fixed his cold, hard eyes at him. ‘I’ll be the one who decides when I leave.’ To Solly’s indignation he walked over to the armchair and sat casually down in it, his brute of a companion standing behind it. Resting his elbows on the arms and tenting his fingers, he then warned them both, ‘If you’re thinking of trying to attract attention, I’d think twice if I was you as my friend here will shoot. Show them I’m not bluffing, Jonathon?’ The big man pulled open the left side of his top coat to afford Gem and Solly a view of the gun sticking out of an inside pocket before he let it drop back in place. ‘Now sit down,’ he ordered Solly.

  Gem urged him, ‘Do as he says, Solly.’

  Solly had already decided that it was wise he did and dropped back down beside her.

  The man then said to his companion, ‘Drink, Jonathon. Whatever they’re drinking will do me fine.’ He then told Solly and Gem, ‘I don’t talk business without a drink in my hand. Helps keep my brain sharp.’

  ‘Business? We have no business with you!’ Solly said.

  ‘Your brother did though.’ He took the glass of whiskey from Jonathon and took a sip of it. ‘Not bad. Not as good as the stuff your brother had, but it’ll do.’ He settled himself more comfortably in the chair and crossed his legs before he spoke again. ‘Your brother and I had an arrangement. He would keep items safe for me. Things, let’s say, I didn’t want the police knowing I had. He got paid well for his services. Trouble is, it seems that he didn’t want to hand over the last package he was looking after. Tried to fob my associate off that he’d temporarily mislaid it and needed more time to find it. Out of the goodness of his heart, he gave your brother the benefit of the doubt. Me, now well, I’m not so easily took for a fool. It was obvious to me that something wasn’t right, so that’s why I’m here myself. Seems I was right. Your brother was obviously planning to do a runner with the package after taking it upon himself to open it and see what was inside. More than likely thought all his Christmases and birthdays had arrived at once. Only, before he could disappear off, my associate called to collect it.’ He paused to take another sip of his drink before continuing, ‘What was in that package is worth a lot of money. Not the sort of money I’m willing to write off.’

  Starting to worry where this all was leading, Solly said, ‘I don’t see what this has got to do with me and my wife?’

  ‘We know nothing about any of this, so why are you bothering us with it? Your arrangement was with my brother-in-law,’ Gem spoke up.

  He eyed Solly icily. ‘Lippy, your wife. I’d warn her to shut her mouth unless she’s got something to say worth me listening to.’

  Solly shot Gem a warning to do as the man said. Then addressed him himself. ‘My wife is right though. Your business was with my brother, not with us.’

  ‘Your brother isn’t here, so now my business is with you. I like to keep things in the family.’

  Solly gawped incredulously at him. ‘You’re looking to me to pay you the money the goods inside that package are worth?’

  ‘You’re not as daft as you look.’

  ‘But… but… what sort of money are we talking about?’

  ‘Fifty grand.’

  ‘HOW MUCH?’ he cried, astounded.

  Gem felt she did have something worthwhile saying then. ‘We can’t get our hands on money like that, haven’t got a hope in hell of ever doing so.’

  ‘Then I suggest you find your brother and get him to hand me my belongings back.’

  ‘But I told you, we have no idea where he is,’ Solly reiterated.

  ‘Well you’d better hope that he realises the error of his ways and comes back with the package with nothing missing out of it. But anyway, wherever he is, I have eyes and ears all over the place and once he starts trying to get rid of what’s inside that package then he’s on borrowed time. Saturday night. If that package is not back in my hands by then, I’ll just have to come up with some other way for you to pay me back.’


  ‘What do you mean by that?’ Solly asked, warily.

  ‘I’m a fair man, so as it wasn’t you personally that double-crossed me then I won’t be making you pay in the same way I normally would to someone who had. You can work off your brother’s debt.’

  He said, stunned, ‘We’d never pay all that off if we worked for you for the rest of our lives! And I suppose you mean in the same way that my brother worked for you? Hiding your stolen goods from the police until you find a buyer.’

  ‘A fair’s a good place to hide people in too that… er… let’s say, need to lie low for a while. And there are times I have a use for someone to do little jobs for me that the police wouldn’t suspect. Women have a way of getting things done that men don’t seem to have the same charm for.’

  ‘What if we refuse to work for you?’ Solly asked.

  The man said evenly, ‘You’ve surprised me. I didn’t take you for a stupid man. When I want something I make it my business to get it. Now, I can be a very patient man, Mr Grundy, but my patience is wearing very thin. I’ve a buyer for those goods in that package who’s not going to hang around for ever. You’ve got until Saturday. Expect me sometime during the evening. You’d better be here. And, er… not that I don’t trust you, but don’t think of having any company as I will have this place checked out before we talk any business.’

  He stood up and, without another word, walked out. As he passed by Solly and Gem, following his boss out, his companion again opened the left side of his coat, flashing them another look at the weapon he had concealed inside by way of reminding them his boss meant business.

  As the door shut, Solly exclaimed, ‘Oh, hell, Gem, what on earth was Sonny thinking of when he got himself involved with the likes that man? I can’t believe that he’s been using the fair to earn money hiding illegal goods. Did he not think of just what trouble we would be in if the police had got wind of what he was up to?’ A thought struck him. ‘When Sonny found out that he wasn’t getting his hands on the fair after all, that’s when he must have decided he’d help himself to what was in that package and use that to open the club he told us he was planning to. But did he think that man would just let him off with it and not take it out on the family he’d left behind?’ He sighed in despair. ‘If Dad had found out what Sonny was doing behind his back, he’d have been that mad he’d have throttled him with his own bare hands. What he’s doing isn’t petty crime, it’s major and could have lost Dad his business. When I see him again, I’ll kill Sonny myself for putting us in this position.’