by Joan Jonker
John too had heard loud voices and came down to investigate. He didn’t hear it all, but enough to tell him who was at fault. ‘What’s the meaning of this?’
‘This … this person had the effrontery to object to being asked to move herself out of my way. And when I dismissed her, this –’ She waved a hand over her coat, ‘– is what she did to me.’
‘I’ll get my things, Mr John.’ Ada looked down at her sodden clothes. ‘I won’t say I’m sorry ’cos I’m not. No one treats me like a piece of dirt, especially someone who hasn’t the manners of an alley cat.’
‘Did you hear that?’ Maureen spluttered. ‘Are you going to stand there and allow me to be insulted by a mere cleaning woman?’
‘Agnes,’ John looked over Ada’s shoulder to where Aggie was standing with her arms folded and a look of sheer pleasure on her face. ‘Will you take Ada through to the kitchen and find a way to dry her clothes? And you,’ he cupped his wife’s elbow and steered her forcefully towards the front office, ‘come with me.’
‘Come on, girl, let’s get yer cleaned up an’ dried off.’ Aggie, her arm tucked under Ada’s, chuckled all the way to the kitchen. ‘D’yer know, I feel better than when I’ve ’ad six bottles of stout. Boy oh boy, did you put her in her place, or did you put her in her place! By, it was funnier than watchin’ Laurel and Hardy.’
Ada was shivering with cold and nerves. ‘I’m glad someone thought it was funny,’ she said, her teeth chattering as she held the sodden skirt away from her legs. ‘That little bit of fun, as you call it, only lost me me job. But I’d do the same thing again! I wasn’t goin’ to let her get away with calling me a slut an’ a wretch. Who the hell does she think she is?’
‘Miss High and Mighty, that’s who she thinks she is.’ Aggie opened the oven door of the small stove and struck a match. Turning the knob on to high, she said, ‘Take yer skirt off an’ we’ll hang it over a chair in front of the oven. It’ll dry in no time.’
‘It’s not only me skirt – me underskirt and me knickers are soppin’ wet too.’ Ada was shaking from the cold and the after-effects. She never thought the day would come when she’d do anything like that. To the wife of her boss, what’s more! Then a picture of the contorted face flashed through her mind and she said, ‘She asked for it.’
‘She’s been askin’ for it for years,’ Aggie said, undoing the ties on her overall. ‘Many’s the time I’ve felt like throwin’ me bucket of water over her.’ She passed the overall to Ada. ‘Take all yer things off, girl, and wrap this around yerself before yer catch yer death of cold.’
‘I can’t do that!’ Ada looked horrified. ‘What if Mr John comes in?’
‘So what! The top of yer is dry, so it’s only from the waist down an’ this overall will hide yer modesty.’ While she watched Ada trying to take her knickers off without revealing anything, Aggie began to chuckle. ‘Ay, girl, I’m not half glad yer’d done most of the hall an’ the water was dirty. It wouldn’t have had the same effect if the water ’ad been clear.’
‘The water wasn’t clear before I started, Aggie, ’cos I’d put a fair amount of Parr’s Aunt Sally in it.’
The old woman rubbed her hands in glee. ‘It gets better, girl! She’ll stink the place down, an’ she’ll never get the stains off that expensive coat. Let’s all say “aa-ah” for poor Maureen Roscoe.’
‘What about poor Ada Perkins? I’m the one who’s lost me job.’
‘Act yer age, girl, yer won’t get the sack.’ Aggie nodded knowingly. ‘You don’t know Mr John like I do. Your job’s as safe as houses.’
Standing in the front office, John passed his handkerchief to his wife. ‘Wipe your face,’ he said curtly. ‘It’s streaked with dirt.’
With a look of disdain, Maureen took the hankie. ‘Where is there a mirror?’
‘There isn’t one in here. There is a mirror of sorts in the toilet, but you are not going out there because Mrs Perkins is probably using it to try and repair the damage you caused.’
‘The damage I caused? How dare you suggest it was my fault! And just look what she’s done to my coat. She’s lucky I don’t send for the police and have her arrested.’ When there was no response from her husband, Maureen went on: ‘Anyway, she’s sacked now and she stays sacked. That should teach her to disobey her betters.’
John’s face was impassive. ‘Maureen, have you any idea how ridiculous you look? Wet the hankie on your tongue and wipe the dirt from your face. I can’t hold a serious conversation with you whilst trying to control my laughter.’
As he watched her rubbing her cheeks, he asked himself how he had ever thought he was in love with her. She possessed none of the qualities he’d seen in other wives, like warmth and femininity. But he’d been naive when he’d met her, inexperienced in the ways of women, and he’d been easily fooled by her false show of affection. And for that he’d paid dearly.
When she’d cleaned up her face as best she could without the aid of a mirror, Maureen said, ‘I’ll take this handkerchief home and have it laundered.’
‘Don’t bother, I’ll put it in my wash.’ As John reached over and took the hankie from her hand he noted that while her face was reasonably clear of dirt, the spite and anger were still there. ‘Can I ask what you came here for? I presume it wasn’t just to cause mayhem?’
‘I’d been to Cripps and saw a dress I liked, but they wouldn’t give me credit. I was absolutely mortified in front of Jennifer, so I came to ask you to restore my charge account. It really is ludicrous that I have to beg for money.’
John raised his hand and studied his nails. ‘Beg, Maureen? On the allowance I give you there should be no need to beg, or feel mortified in front of your friend. You get sufficient to enable you to live in comfort. If you can’t save out of that to buy yourself a dress, then you’ll have to learn to be a better housekeeper. Many women would give their eye teeth for the income you receive.’
‘Are you telling me you won’t give me the money to buy the dress I want?’
John nodded. ‘There are a few other things I’ve got to tell you which you won’t like. First, I have no intention of dismissing Mrs Perkins. You were extremely rude to her without justification and she had every right to retaliate. In fact, you got off lightly. Secondly, you will never again come to this house. It is my place of work and also my haven of peace and quiet, away from your whining voice, nagging tongue and your greed.’
Maureen gaped, too stunned to speak. In her mind she saw the scrubber woman as the one to blame. If that little incident hadn’t happened, John would have been more amenable and she’d have been on her way back to Cripps to pick up the dress she’d asked the assistant to put to one side for her. Oh, the shame of it! She’d never be able to show her face in the shop again. And it was the most exclusive shop in Liverpool, all the best people went there. It was the thought of never being able to rub shoulders with the élite that caused her to climb down. ‘John, darling, don’t be so difficult. I’m sorry about that little incident in the hall, but after all she is only a scrubber woman.’
John’s eyes were as cold as steel. He was livid, not just on Ada’s behalf, but for all the years Agnes had been the victim of this woman’s evil tongue. And the old woman had taken it, because she loved him and didn’t want him upset. ‘I won’t even bother to answer that, you’re beneath contempt. But I will continue from the point I’d reached when you interrupted me. I’ve been thinking for quite a while how ridiculous it is to keep the house on Queens Drive going just for you. It has five bedrooms, two bathrooms, a lounge, dining room, kitchen, study and large gardens. It costs a small fortune to run, and what on earth do you need all that space for? Since I spend most of my time down here now, I was thinking of looking for a smaller place for you.’
Two bright red spots appeared on Maureen’s cheeks. ‘It’s not my fault you spend all your time down here! That is your decision, so why should I be turfed out of my home? There’s nothing to stop you living there too.’
‘There’s nothing to stop me, but there’s nothing to attract me, either. It’s a long time since we held any sort of a conversation because we have absolutely nothing to say to each other, nothing in common. Our marriage has been a sham for ten years and I for one am not prepared to carry on pretending. I sleep alone at home, I sleep alone here. The difference is, I feel more at home here.’ John looked at his watch. ‘I think you should leave now, Maureen. I won’t do anything about the house without discussing it with you first, you have my promise on that. But I insist you never come near this place again.’
It was a very subdued wife John escorted down the hall. He watched until she turned out of the gate, then closed the door and hurried to the kitchen.
‘Oh, Mr John!’ Ada went bright red as she tried to cover her knees. ‘Yer can’t come in, I’m not decent.’
‘A bit late, I’m afraid, Ada, because I’m in. And you look perfectly respectable to me. How are you?’
‘She’s a bleedin’ hero, that’s what she is!’ Aggie said. ‘An’ she’s sittin’ here worried to death in case she’s lost her job.’
‘Nonsense! It’s an apology I’m offering you, not dismissal. I am so very sorry, Ada. I wouldn’t have put you in that position for the world.’
Relief flooded through Ada’s body. With Christmas so near she desperately needed her wages. ‘I’m partly to blame, Mr John, for takin’ it to heart. I should have just got out of the way when she told me to. But it was the way she spoke that got me, as though I was a piece of dirt. If she’d asked in a polite way none of it would have happened.’
‘Listen, girl,’ Aggie said. ‘You did what any self-respectin’ person would do. I’d have done it meself dozens of times – she certainly gave me reason to – but I didn’t because of Mr John. An’ if he wasn’t such a bleedin’ gentleman he’d have smacked her backside long before now.’
‘All right, Agnes, we’ll let the matter drop now.’ In his heart John knew the old woman was right, but no matter what his feelings were, it wouldn’t be right to discuss Maureen behind her back. ‘It will never be repeated because my wife will not be visiting the premises again.’
‘Before we let the matter drop for good, Mr John, I’d just like yer to know I’m ashamed of my part in it. I’ve never done nothin’ like that in me life before, never lifted me hand to anyone. An’ I’d like to thank yer for stickin’ up for me an’ hope I didn’t cause no trouble between you an’ yer wife.’
‘You can rest assured that you did not cause trouble between me and my wife.’ John could say that truthfully. The trouble had been there long before Ada came on the scene.
‘I don’t know what to buy yer dad for Christmas,’ Ada told Polly as she ran the iron over Joey’s trousers. ‘It’s hard because with him bein’ in hospital there’s not much we can buy him. I mean, if he was home we could get him socks or a tie, but he’d have no call for them where he is.’
‘What about some chocolates?’ Polly suggested.
‘Yer know yer dad was never one for sweet things.’ Ada put the trousers over the fireguard to air off ready for her son to wear to school the next day. ‘I know of somethin’ that would really please him, but I don’t think I’ll have enough money to buy it.’
‘What’s that, Mam?’
‘A photograph of me, you and Joey. Some of the other men in the ward have photographs of their families on top of their locker, an’ I’ve often wished yer dad had one. He’d be able to look at us all day long an’ wouldn’t feel so lonely.’
‘How much would it cost to ’ave our photo taken?’ Polly had a few shillings hidden away upstairs to buy a surprise present for her mam and Joey, but she’d willingly part with it if it went towards making her dad happy. ‘Would it be more than two bob?’
‘I couldn’t tell yer, sunshine. I’ve never been to a shop to have me photo taken in me life. There’s a place in London Road, I think it’s called Jerome’s, where they do photographs. Perhaps I’ll have time to slip down before I go to work tomorrow night and find out how much they charge.’ The thought of seeing the look of pleasure on Tommy’s face brought a smile to Ada’s. ‘Oh, wouldn’t it be lovely if we could do that! It would make yer dad so happy.’
‘I’ve got two bob yer can have towards it,’ Polly told her. ‘It means you an’ Joey wouldn’t get much, but me dad’s more important, isn’t he? Stuck in hospital over Christmas, he’ll be dead sad.’
‘I know, love, I’ve been thinkin’ about that. I won’t be able to go in an’ see him ’cos there’s no trams run on Christmas Day.’ Ada looked up from the pillowslip she was ironing, ‘I’ve just remembered I won’t be able to go to London Road tomorrow, I’ve been asked to go in to work an hour early. Mr John’s got a couple of women comin’ to be interviewed for Aggie’s job, an’ he wants me to see them ’cos I’ve got to work with them.’ She chuckled. ‘He said he’s not goin’ to interview them on his own in case he takes one on that doesn’t know one end of a broom from the other.’
‘Ah Mam, can’t yer get out earlier and go to London Road?’ Polly looked disappointed. ‘We haven’t got much time, yer know, ’cos yer have to wait for photographs, they don’t give yer them there an’ then. An’ I think it’s a great idea to give me dad one for Christmas. It would be a lovely present for him – an’ it’s a personal thing, isn’t it? He’d know we were thinkin’ of him.’
Ada nodded in agreement. ‘If you promise to run all the way home from school so our Joey’s not left on his own, I could leave here at three o’clock an’ be in plenty of time.’
Polly’s face lit up. ‘I’ll run like the wind an’ be home before our Joey. Ooh, I’m that excited. It was a real brain-wave yer had, Mam. It’ll be the best present me dad’s ever had.’
A chair had been placed next to Mr John’s behind the desk. Four women had applied for the job of cleaner and one of the junior clerks in the ground-floor office had been put in charge of bringing them up one at a time.
‘Sit down, Ada.’ John remained standing until she was seated. ‘Now, I think we should have a way of communicating with each other. If you’re not impressed scratch the side of your nose and I’ll diplomatically tell the unfortunate individual that we’ll let them know if they’re successful. How does that sound to you?’
‘All I’m worried about is that they’ll think I’m someone in authority when I’m only a cleaner, just the same as them.’
‘You’re in authority today, Ada, on my say so. I’ve never had to interview a cleaner before because Agnes has been here for as long as I can remember, so I need some moral support. Between the two of us we should be able to choose someone suitable.’
The first woman ushered through the door was a Mrs Flanaghan. She was a big woman in every way. When she walked towards the desk her whole body bounced. She had a hard look about her, and when she was answering the questions put to her by John, it was obvious she was, by nature, a hard woman. Ada got the feeling she could be a trouble-maker and she didn’t fancy working with her, so she scratched the side of her nose and the woman was sent on her way after being told they’d let her know.
The second applicant was as thin as the first had been fat. But she looked a miserable person, never a flicker of a smile. She had a pale face, hooked nose and teeth that were green through lack of cleaning. Oh dear, Ada thought as she scratched her nose again, let’s hope one of the other two are suitable. The third was a wiry little woman who seemed to skip across the floor, a beaming smile on her face. Ada’s spirits lifted as the woman answered the questions cheerfully. Her name was Frances Delaney but her friends called her Fanny. Yes, she’d been a cleaner for twenty years and had always satisfied her employers. When asked her age and she said forty-four, John had to bow his head to hide a smile. She’d taken at least ten years off her age, just like Agnes had always done. Then he asked a question he hadn’t asked the others and which surprised Ada. ‘Mrs Delaney, do you use bad language?’
‘Oh no, sir!’ Fanny looked suita
bly shocked. ‘I’ve never used bad language in me life. If I never move from this chair, not one swearword has ever passed me bleedin’ lips.’
Ada’s tummy started to shake with laughter and she knew they’d found what they were looking for. There’d never be another Aggie, but she had the feeling that this little woman would be a good substitute.
John turned his head, his eyes bright with laughter. ‘How is your nose, Mrs Perkins?’
‘Fine, Mr John, the itch has gone completely.’
‘I thought it might have.’ He faced the anxious-looking Fanny. ‘Could you start right away, Mrs Delaney? It would give you time to get used to the routine before our other cleaner leaves.’
The little woman looked so excited Ada half-expected her to leap over the desk and plant a kiss on John’s face. ‘Does that mean I’ve got the job, sir?’
‘Yes. If you turn up tomorrow at half-past five, Mrs Perkins here will give you details of what she wants you to do.’
‘Oh, thank you, that’s the gear, that is! Just in time for Christmas, too! Yer won’t regret it, mister, ’cos I’ll work me bleedin’—’ Fanny’s hand covered her mouth, her eyes wide with fright as she imagined herself losing the job because of one word. ‘I’m sorry, sir, but I’m that excited it just slipped out. It won’t never happen again, I promise yer.’
‘That’s all right, Mrs Delaney.’ John wasn’t going to tell her she’d got the job because she’d used Agnes’s favourite swearword, and because she’d knocked ten years off her age. ‘Mrs Perkins will take you downstairs and give you details of working hours and wages.’ He stood up and held out his hand. ‘It was nice meeting you and I’m sure we’ll all get on together.’
Fanny’s mouth was gaping as she shook his hand. Blimey, he was a right toff, this feller. She couldn’t remember anyone offering to shake her hand before. She was going to enjoy working for him ’cos he was a real gentleman.
‘Yer late tonight, Mam, I’ve been on pins.’ Polly took her mother’s coat and hung it up. ‘Did yer manage to get to London Road?’