‘I’m not blaming the clinic,’ she protested.
The local churches, however, were only too ready to cast blame. Bella was classed as an ‘impertinent, middle-class busybody’, and charged with turning Christian marriage into ‘legalised prostitution’. Hostile articles were again featured on the pages of the Roman Catholic press, using emotive words such as ... ‘powers of evil’ ... ‘filthy things’ ... ‘unsavoury subjects’ and ‘defiling the minds of the people.’ The result was to bring ever more clients flocking to the clinic and they were forced to extend their opening hours.
Late into the night, when she should have been catching up on her rest, Bella spent hours writing letters in response to this criticism, and in seeking out new supporters. Her days were filled with her work at Kendal Milne and her evenings and days off with house calls and clinic work, plus the planning and holding of regular meetings as she strove to raise money to keep the clinic afloat. Far from resenting this, Bella welcomed the work, drove herself ever harder, anything to banish the images that disturbed her sleep and haunted her thoughts in any idle moment of her day.
Would she succumb to Quinn’s charms or should she, as Jinnie had long ago advised her to do, rid him from her life completely?
‘You can’t go on in this road for much longer,’ Violet protested, anxiously watching the exhaustion grow worse as Bella attempted to squeeze in more and more work. Dr Syd agreed.
‘It’s damaging your health and where would we be if you were taken ill?’
In the end she was. Bella caught a chill which confined her to bed for the better part of two weeks. It was Jinnie who called each day to nurse her, bringing steaming basins of Mrs Dyson’s broth and little pots of calf’s foot jelly, turning Bella into a reluctant patient. On the tenth day when Jinnie came, it was to find her dressed and preparing to go out on her rounds. The two girls had one of their fiery quarrels which finally resulted in an uneasy truce when Bella agreed to put off her return for a day or two longer but refused, absolutely, to return to her bed.
‘Sit by this fire then, and don’t set a foot outside that door. By heck,’ Jinnie said. ‘You’re even more stubborn than Emily.’
Early one evening, just before Bella was due to leave for the clinic, she realised that the footsteps marching in through her front door were not those of Jinnie, Violet, or the persistently cheerful Aunt Edie. These were heavier, with a slow and measured tread. Even as her heart jumped with recognition at the familiar sound he was there before her, standing in her kitchen doorway. For an instant she felt almost flattered that he’d come. Not having seen her for so long because of her illness, he must have missed her and deliberately sought her out. But then the sight of that laconic smile on his handsome face brought with it a wash of confused emotion. Disturbed about where this unexpected visit might lead, shame of where she might want it to lead all mixed with that delicious cocktail of danger and excitement. But it was anger at his intrusion which Bella chose to use as her salvation.
‘How dare you walk in unannounced,’ as if no one else would ever do such a thing without a written invitation. She stood, hands clenched, cheeks blazing with anger while Quinn simply laughed, tossed his cap on the table and told her to put the kettle on.
‘I’ll do no such thing.’ She was gathering her composure now, was almost certain that the fire in her cheeks was subsiding. He strolled into the sanctuary of her small kitchen as if he owned the place, thumbs hooked into his leather belt, pacing about like a panther on the prowl. ‘Tis a fine place that ye have here, so why so coy at showing it off?’
Bella stood paralysed with foreboding, uncertain what to do next. ‘You’ve no right to come here. I told you never to come my house unless I asked you to, which I haven’t, so far as I am aware. Get out!’
‘That’s not a very friendly welcome, to be sure.’
‘It isn’t meant to be. I mean it, Quinn. I want you to leave. This minute.’ A tiny thrill of excitement was pulsing somewhere deep inside but Bella ignored it, holding open the door to indicate she meant what she said. Quinn made a parody of puckering his brow, as if giving the matter due consideration, then softly chuckled.
‘Why don’t ye stop pretending that ye can’t wait for me to skin the clothes off yer back. Haven’t ye been panting fer it ever since ye clapped eyes on me. Admit it now my lovely. Can’t I see it even now in those bright hazel eyes of yours. Sure and aren’t they the loveliest in all of Salford.’
Bella could feel herself drawn by the desire she read so plainly in the deeply hooded gaze riveted upon her. She could feel her limbs start to tremble and weaken, her will power fading. Summoning all her strength she tilted her chin with characteristic obstinacy. ‘You won’t get round me that way, not with all your smarmy flattery and soft Irish words. I want you out f this house, Quinn. Now!’
Snaking out one hand he grasped her by the collar and pulled her to him. ‘I’ll do as I damned well please. Have ye not learned that yet?’ His mouth claimed hers and for a moment, despite her better judgement, Bella became lost to everything but the sensations exploding and ricocheting inside her. It wasn’t pleasure that she experienced, merely a desperate urgency, a desire for him to appease whatever this need was that burned within her. Dear heaven, how she wanted him.
While one hand moved to encircle her throat, the other slid up her blouse to fondle her warm breast. He wasn’t gentle with her. The rough skin of his hand grazed the softness of her skin; his mouth against hers was hard and brutal, the unshaved stubble on his chin rubbing her face raw and yet when the kiss ended, she whimpered with regret.
Quinn lifted his brows in mocking surprise and chuckled with quiet satisfaction as he ran the blunt tip of one coarse finger over her moist lips. ‘So, tis more yer wanting, is it? And isn’t it about time that ye admitted ye can resist me no longer?’
‘N-no. I’m sorry, I never meant - n-never intended to encourage you.’ Damnation, why was she stammering, like some stupid schoolgirl. Bella half turned away, thrusting him aside. ‘I think you’d better leave now, Quinn, before this goes any further.’
The gesture infuriated him, inflaming his temper and he grasped hold of a fistful of her hair, slamming her against the table, jarring the edge of it against her back and making her squeal with surprised pain. ‘I’ll go when I want to and not a moment before. Is that clear, my lovely? I’ll not have some woman telling me what I can and cannot do.’
‘For God’s sake, what’s got into you? Let go of me this minute. I’ll make my own decisions in my own house, thank you very much.’
He began to laugh then and this was no soft Irish chuckle; this was a deep throated, harsh sound that bubbled up from the depths of his dark soul, curling his lip into a cruel sardonic twist. ‘Now wherever did ye get that daft notion from? Ye’ll do what I say, if’n ye know what’s good for ye. I’m the one in control and don’t ye ever forget it. Now get up them stairs afore I drag ye up by the hair.’ He tightened his grip in order to emphasise his point, making her wince with pain. I’ve had enough of this coyness of yours. Tis time to stop playing games and behave like the pair of adults we surely are.’
Bella was shaking now, though whether with rage or fear she couldn’t have rightly said. She felt trapped, intensely vulnerable and entirely defenceless. He’d released the hair now, only to circle her neck, caressing it with a false tenderness, the tone of his voice taunting, the cruel light in his bright blue eyes holding not a shred of pity. Why had she imagined that the notorious Billy Quinn would ever respect her privacy? What sort of naive fool was she? Don’t children who play with matches always get burned?
‘Come to think of it though, we can manage well enough here, can we not?’ he was saying, his probing hand lifting her skirt even as he spoke, pushing his hand between her legs.
Bella was instantly reminded of the odious doctor and felt defiled. In spite of the intimacy she’d allowed Quinn in the past, now his touch became an insult to her good name and reputation. He became
just another slimy toad trying to take advantage of her ready access to birth control methods.
Yet pure terror held her in his thrall.
Unable to either move or speak, Bella gazed into the steel blue eyes, stupefied, rigid with self loathing, wishing herself anywhere but in this impossible situation. Why hadn’t she listened to Jinnie? Why hadn’t she taken note of her warning and shown more sense? She longed for Quinn to go, to leave her in peace, all passion in her quite dead. Bella could almost wonder, in that moment, what on earth she had ever seen in his facile charms. He was a different man now, like some despicable monster and herself a naive fool to be taken in by soft words and flattering love making. She must have been out of her mind.
Furious with herself as much as him, Bella came to her senses and began to fight. She slapped his hand away, kicked him in the shins, hearing his cry of pain with a sense of satisfaction. But he only found her puny attempt at retaliation amusing. She was rewarded with another slavering kiss, with the stench of his tobacco-tainted breath as he roared with laughter. ‘Go home, Quinn, damn you! You’re being ridiculous.’
His rage now seemed to fly completely out of control and he struck her across the face with the knuckles of one hand, making her cry out as she fell back across the table. ‘So, tis ridiculous I am now, is it? And did ye get something from that clinic of yours, like I told ye to?’
Bella could taste blood on her swollen tongue but was desperately trying to remain calm and not panic. That way she hoped to persuade him to come to his senses and leave. ‘No, of course I didn’t. I’ve already explained, birth control is available for married women only. It wouldn’t be right or proper for me to use it, for any single woman to make use of the clinic’s facilities. Stop wishing for the moon.’ She gave a half laugh and again attempted to push him away. It was a mistake.
‘More fool ye, then,’ and with a vicious shove Quinn thrust her down onto the rag rug, ripping open her blouse as he straddled her. He pinned her down, using the pressure of one arm held across her throat, while clumsy fingers fumbled with the ribbons on her camisole. Finally losing patience, he tore them apart with his bare hands and reached greedily for her breasts. Seeing the naked lust in his blue eyes Bella lost all control and screamed as loud as she could. He silenced her with a blow.
‘Ye realise at last that I mean business, don’t ye, my lovely? Are ye going to beg for mercy? Aw, now wouldn’t I jest love to see that. Miss High-and bleedin’-Mighty begging for her virginity. For ye are still a virgin, are ye not? Isn’t that what this maidenly reluctance is all about? Not like our Jinnie. Oh dear me no.’
He was unhooking and dragging off the leather belt at his waist, unbuttoning his trousers and Bella no longer even had the power to utter a sound, so great was her fear. But she was crying, her hands flying everywhere, desperately seeking some purchase, turning her into a termagant of fury and terror as she begged and pleaded for him to leave her alone. But he wasn’t listening. He was too far gone in his excitement.
It was then that the door flew open.
It all happened so quickly that Bella didn’t have time to think. One minute she was fighting a hopeless battle against what felt like a dozen pairs of hands and a huge pressing weight on top of her, the next a sound like a roar filled her head and somehow Quinn had been ripped from her and was flying across the room. He landed with a crash against the back door, his head meeting solid oak with a terrible crack.
‘Are you all right?’ The voice came out of nowhere. Then Dan’s face swam into focus, his arms came about her and she went into them on a gasp of heartfelt relief.
They sat at the kitchen table and sipped their mugs of sweet tea as if it were the most normal thing in the world for Bella to be in a dressing gown at this hour of the day. As if it were of no account that she’d almost been raped by Quinn and Dan had stepped in at just the right moment to rescue her.
Neither of them spoke for some long time, each reluctant to face the inevitable conclusions. Eventually she thought to ask how it was that he happened to be there, just when he was most needed.
It was a moment or two before he answered, and then with a sheepish half smile. ‘Aren’t I always?’
They smiled shyly into each other’s eyes. ‘You certainly used to be.’
The truth is that I’m never very far from your door. I come over regular and hang around for a bit, just to check that you’re all right. At other times I follow Quinn. I like to know what the bastard’s up to, pardon my French, because I’d an idea he might try something like this, and I was proved right, wasn’t I? I saw him come, but wouldn’t have done owt only I heard your scream.’
Bella couldn’t find anything to say. She merely gave a small nod of agreement. At length, knowing she should show some gratitude for his opportune arrival and the way Dan had manhandled Quinn out of her front door, she said, ‘I’ve behaved like an idiot, haven’t I? Perhaps I felt the need for some excitement in my life, after Seedley Park Road where everything was always so predictable, so dull. Father always petting and humouring me, wanting me to be the perfect little lady. Mother constantly complaining and having hysterics whenever I set foot out the door. I felt weighted down by their expectations and demands, needing some release, some small rebellion to prove I could manage my own life. Except that it got a bit out of hand. I’ve been an utter fool, haven’t I?’ She smiled ruefully up at him and Dan’s mouth twisted with amusement.
‘I’m glad you said that and not me. You’d ‘ave clocked me one if I’d risked saying it.’
‘Maybe, but I’m right, aren’t I? Go on, admit it.’
‘Nay, I daren’t. Let’s just say that I’m glad to be of service. Glad you’re safe and sound. I wouldn’t have liked owt to happen to you.
His gaze was so intense that Bella was finding it difficult to meet it, so filled with shame was she for her behaviour. She really didn’t deserve a friend like Dan.
She longed to tell him how often she had thought of him, how much she’d missed him; how much she’d once enjoyed his company and the fun they’d had together, while Quinn had only troubled and disturbed her. She wanted to ask if she might see him again, if perhaps one day he might even want to kiss her again. But she couldn’t quite find the words. ‘More tea?’ she suggested and he shook his head, got slowly to his feet.
‘Nay. I’m swimming in the stuff. I’d best be off.’ He put the words immediately into action and Bella was forced to do the same and follow him to the door.
‘You’ll come again though? Now that you know where I live. Properly this time, not hiding in the shadows.’ She was almost holding her breath waiting for his answer.
‘Happen.’
‘I’ll take that for a yes, shall I?’
Another slight pause as he considered the matter. ‘Aye, I reckon you can take that for a certainty.’ Then he flicked on his cap, politely doffed it to her, and quietly took his leave.
1930
Chapter Nineteen
As the decade drew to a close and a new one dawned, the feeling of optimism in the two cities of Manchester and Salford became superseded by one of increasing unease. Within a few months it became apparent that the careless Twenties were over, and the Hungry Thirties had begun.
This was brought forcibly to the notice of the occupants of Seedley Park Road one Friday afternoon in early summer. Jinnie, having given up her job when she married now discovered that her comfortable life as a loving wife without a care in the world, was over. It ended with the arrival of Edward home from the mill one evening when he starkly announced that he’d lost his job. The mill owner, Mr Josiah Collins, realising it was the only way that his mill might survive, had put the operatives on short time. Edward’s services, along with other clerks and office boys, were dispensed with, as the redoubtable Miss Tadcaster could now run the entire office single handed. She was, however, expected to do so on reduced pay, as was the manager. Overnight Simeon found that his weekly wage had been halved.
Emil
y, unable to take in the full import of this catastrophe sat buttering her second scone and complained bitterly about her husband’s employer who had always, in her humble opinion, been a vindictive piece of goods.
‘How will you manage?’ The more streetwise Jinnie wanted to know. ‘How will we manage, Edward, if you don’t have a job at all?’
He reached over to stroke her silken hair. ‘I shall find another, my sweet, fear not. I have qualifications.’
‘Of course, I was forgetting. But we’ll have to make savings, won’t we, since Mr Ashton is also earning less. Will Mrs Dyson or Tilly lose their jobs too? I should hate that to happen but if it were necessary I’d do the work Tilly usually does, Mrs Ashton, if you take on the cooking.’
Emily looked askance, eyebrows raised in surprise that Jinnie should even entertain such a notion. ‘Heavens, what a very gloomy outlook you have of life, child. I suppose that comes of living in the slums.’
Jinnie looked around at each member of this new family that she’d joined, seeking some sign that they understood the terrible calamity which had unexpectedly befallen them. Simeon was frowning, though more with annoyance than from any sense of foreboding. Edward was already reaching for the Manchester Evening News and taking out a pencil, preparatory to marking likely jobs. Emily rang the bell and ordered more tea.
Following the trauma of that day, Bella took to keeping her front door not only closed but firmly locked. Her neighbours took great offence, even her ‘ladies’ objected to having to knock and ‘hang about on t’doorstep’ whenever they called, until she explained that she’d been having a few problems with a certain unwelcome intruder. They knew at once whom she referred to, so Bella described the whole sorry episode. She tried not to go too deeply into why Quinn should choose to attack her, since she’d no wish to disclose all her shameful secrets. Yet something in the knowing quality of their studiously bland expressions made her suspect that they guessed much of it.
The Favourite Child Page 23