by Helen Spring
VICTORIA
Clancy was exhausted. After a hectic morning, and meetings with Lee Sung and Joe Kowalski in the afternoon, he had felt obliged to carry out his normal visits to two Sullivans establishments before going home. He had intended to dine at the restaurant, but suddenly he had felt unable to face food and made his excuses, to the consternation of the manager.
He leaned back into the luxury of the car interior and closed his eyes. He seemed unable to cope with the terrible depression which had assailed him since Anna left. It was a feeling of lethargy, as if nothing mattered, as if all his efforts could make no difference. He recognised he had a problem because he had never felt this way before, and had even consulted his doctor, who had talked about working too hard and prescribed a holiday.
'Some hope,' Clancy thought to himself. Perhaps later, when Anna came home, they would both go away for the holiday of a lifetime. When she came home. If she came home. If she was not so anxious to escape, both from himself and their recent troubles, that she had decided to stay in England.
No. She would never leave James, he realised. Hold on to that thought. Anna might want to leave him, but it was unthinkable that she would desert her son.
'Mr. Sullivan, we're here sir...' The chauffeur's concerned voice broke into his reverie. They were home.
'Oh, sorry Jackson, I must have dropped off.'
'You're tired sir.'
'Yes, I am. You can put the car away, I won't need you tonight.'
Clancy got out of the car stiffly and walked up the front steps, fishing for his key. Before he found it the door opened, and Lottie looked out.
'Oh, Mr. Sullivan, thank goodness you're here.' She seemed agitated.
'What is it Lottie? Is something wrong?'
'Not exactly. You have a visitor, he insisted on waiting. I've put him in the drawing room.'
'Well that's all right Lottie.'
'You don't understand Mr. Sullivan. It's that man... that Vittorio Vetti.'
Clancy's face darkened. 'It's all right Lottie, leave it to me.'
When he opened the door to the drawing room Vetti was standing with his back to him, examining Sylvie's picture of Anna. He turned. 'Ah, Sullivan. Good of you to see me.'
'It seems I didn't have much choice,' Clancy said shortly. He crossed to the side table and poured himself a whisky.
'Are things so bad between us you aren't going to offer me a drink?' Vetti asked.
'They are, and I'm not,' Clancy retorted.
Vittorio sighed. 'How sanctimonious the winners can be,' he said acidly.
'Winners? How can you talk of winners in this sorry business?' Clancy said angrily.
'You misunderstand me Mr. Sullivan, perhaps it is the wrong word, it is my English...'
'Your English is perfectly good.'
'What I meant was, you are not a loser. You still have your son. I have lost my nephew and his lovely wife,' Vittorio said quietly.
Clancy hesitated. He walked back to the drinks table. 'Whisky?'
'Thank you,' Vittorio said.
As he handed him his glass, Clancy met the mobsters eyes, and realised the man had indeed suffered. The heavy eyes revealed a look which was lifeless and vacant, and his face had an unhealthy pallor. He had lost weight, Clancy noticed, his expensive suit hung on him loosely, and his necktie was awry.
Clancy sipped his drink. 'Say what you have to and go.'
Vittorio sighed. 'I do not intend to apologise for my life Mr. Sullivan, it has been what it has been. Do you mind if I sit down?' Not waiting for an answer Vittorio lowered himself into an armchair. He looked across at Clancy. 'If you had been born me...'
'If I had been born you I'd shoot myself,' Clancy said.
The heavy eyelids flickered. 'I have considered that option, but there is still unfinished business, and anyway, others are pressing for that privilege.'
Vittorio took a gulp from his glass, and Clancy said, 'Do you expect me to feel sorry for you?'
'No. Just don't be pious.' Vittorio took another gulp of whisky, finishing it. He handed the glass to Clancy, who, after a moment's hesitation, refilled it.
'Don't misunderstand me,' Vittorio said. 'I believe in good. There are saintly people in the world. They are largely confined to monasteries and nunneries, or working for the poor in some God forsaken hole. Most people, Mr. Sullivan, obey the law because they are afraid to do otherwise. I have only done what others do not dare to do.'
'Are you saying it takes courage to live a life like yours?' Clancy burst out. 'To take a percentage from decent folk by intimidation? To exploit women? To cater to the most depraved in our society?' He gave a dismissive snort. 'That does not need courage. In my book it is cowardly and evil.'
'Then it is good we do not all have to live by your book, Mr Sullivan,' Vittorio responded, without rancour. 'In any case you don't have to put up with me for long. I intend to return to Italy, that is if I live long enough to get on the boat...'
'I see.' Clancy finished his drink. 'Then before you go I will put you straight, so I will. You were wrong to assume Anna and I were not losers. Jennie was almost like a daughter to us, and we were fond of Paolo too, in spite of...'
'I know. In spite of his relationship to me,' Vittorio interrupted. 'That is why I am here. There is one important matter which must be settled before I leave New York.'
'You've got five minutes,' Clancy said.
~
Anna leaned on the ship's rail as the 'Ocean Star' approached New York Harbour. It had been a good crossing and the ship would dock almost two hours early. She felt sick with apprehension at the thought of seeing Clancy again, and hoped that her telegraphed message had arrived safely. If so, he would be here to meet her, she was sure. Although she was nervous about her reception, she was determined that given the slightest hint of encouragement, she would show Clancy how much she cared.
When the ship docked Anna secured the services of a porter and disembarked, confident that by the time she had cleared the Customs building Clancy would have arrived. The formalities were few, but when she was ready to leave there was still no sign of Clancy. Disappointed, she summoned a cab, and as the driver loaded her luggage, Anna took in the scene around her, unable to help comparing her arrival in New York today with her first reception twenty years before. Then, sick and exhausted from the crossing, she had joined the long queue with Clancy, under the canopy which stretched from the ferry landing right out to the Reception Centre at Ellis Island. It had taken two hours to reach the Centre, she recalled, and then the queue went on up the central stairs to the Great Hall. That was the most terrifying time, for she had been separated from Clancy for the medical examinations. Everything had been thorough and impersonal, and she recalled feeling like a piece of meat as she was quickly processed from one desk to the next. Anna shuddered as she recalled the moment when someone turned her eyelids inside out with a buttonhook, and suddenly realised that since that day she and Clancy had never been separated until she took her trip home to England.
Home. Anna sat in the back of the cab and pondered on the word. She looked out at the now familiar sights of New York as the cab made its way homewards, and felt that perhaps after all, home was here in New York. But with Will and Mary in England she had felt completely at home too. What was it the song said? "Home is where the heart is..." In that case, home was here in New York, with Clancy. She smiled at the familiar sight of the Sullivans restaurant near Union Square, and settled back, hoping Clancy would be at home when she arrived.
He was not. A maid answered the doorbell, a pert young girl Anna had not seen before.
'I'm Mrs. Sullivan. Who are you?' Anna said, as she entered the hallway.
'Millie Robinson, madam.' The girl smiled nervously. 'I recognise you from your photograph Mrs Sullivan.'
'Good. How long have you been here?'
'Two weeks madam. Lottie... I mean Mrs. Wilson, took me on.'
'I see. What happened to Jane?'
'Got ma
rried madam.' Millie held open the door as the driver unloaded Anna's luggage.
'Oh, yes, I remember,' Anna said. 'Is Mrs Wilson in?'
'Went out madam.'
'Oh I see. And Mr Sullivan?'
'He went out a while ago madam'
Anna paid the driver and Millie closed the front door. 'Would you like some tea madam?'
Anna smiled. 'Yes, I would please, Millie, in the drawing room.'
As the girl bustled away Anna took off her coat and hat. She went into the drawing room and the first thing to catch her eye was Sylvie's picture above the fireplace. She examined it with fresh eyes. It was indeed a splendid painting, she decided, even if the memories it revived were now less intense.
What a homecoming, she thought dismally. No-one here, not even Lottie. Perhaps Clancy had gone to meet her after all and they had missed each other. She hoped so, suddenly it seemed vitally important that he should have made the effort. It was like playing hopscotch when you were a child and not landing on the cracks. If he hadn't gone to meet her it meant he didn't want her home, was not interested.
The door opened and as Millie entered with a tray the front doorbell rang. She put down the tray and went to answer it and Anna heard voices in the hall. A moment later the door opened and Clancy came in, a look of delight on his face. He opened his arms wide.
'I missed ye, so I did! The boat was early...'
He flung his arms around Anna and kissed her soundly. 'How are ye darlin'? My you're prettier than ever, the English air agrees with ye, so it does.'
Anna felt a wave of relief flood through her. 'Oh Clancy,I've missed you so much.'
He seemed surprised, and said softly, 'And I've missed you too.'
'Clancy, we have to talk. There is so much...'
'I know darlin',' Clancy interrupted. 'And I want to hear every word, all about your trip, but first things first. You have to say hello to someone.'
He went into the hall, and a moment later James came in.
'Hello Mama.' He came across and kissed Anna.
'James! What a lovely surprise, I thought you were at College...'
Anna saw a look of conspiracy flash between James and Clancy.
'Er... Father came to fetch me, so I could be here this weekend, to welcome you home,' James explained.
'But that's wonderful, and was that Lottie's voice I heard in the hall?'
'Yes,' Clancy said. 'James, go and ask Lottie to come in.'
'What? Now?' James asked.
'Yes.' Clancy seemed nervous. 'You can... you can take care of things for a while.'
'I'm not sure...' James said.
'Of course you can. Stay outside.' Clancy ushered James out of the room.
Anna was mystified. 'What is going on? Why does James have to stay outside?'
The door opened again and Lottie came in. 'Oh Anna, how good to have you home.'
The two women embraced, and Clancy said, 'Anna, we have a surprise for you.'
James came in carrying a bundle in his arms. Clancy took the tiny baby from him and carried it to Anna. 'Look at this little one Anna, isn't she a beauty?'
Anna regarded the small child with surprise. The baby blinked her long lashes and wrinkled her nose.
'She's beautiful,' Anna said, entranced. She took the child from Clancy and looked up at him. 'Who does she belong to?'
'Anna, it's Jennie's baby. Jennie and Paolo's baby.'
Anna stared at him. Clancy bent over and stroked the baby's hand. 'It's true darlin'. When Jennie died on the way to hospital they managed to save the baby. They didn't think she would survive, but she did. God bless her, she did.'
It was a few moments before Anna could speak. 'But... we weren't told...'
'No. Vittorio asked the hospital to keep it secret. He was afraid the baby might become a target.'
'Oh goodness, no...' Anna cuddled the child to her and suddenly was engulfed in a wave of happiness. 'Oh... it's wonderful Clancy, wonderful. Jennie and Paolo's baby... How long have you known?'
'Just over a week. It was too late to let you know before you left England.'
James bent down and allowed the baby to clutch at his finger. 'She did that in the car, look Mama, how her fingers hold on...' He laughed delightedly. 'That's where we were, why we missed you at the ship, we were collecting her from the hospital. Lottie came too, to buy her some things. Father and I didn't know what to get.'
'But why did you have to collect her?'
'Anna,' Clancy said, 'Vittorio wants us to take her, adopt her as our own. He came to see me. He said that is what Paolo and Jennie would have wanted. They were going to move away and make a new start, Paolo had finished with the mob.'
'But doesn't Vittorio want her?'
'Yes, very much. But he knows Paolo was right. He is going back to Italy and wants the child to have a good family in America. He begged me Anna, to take her.'
'And what did you tell him?'
'That we must wait until you came home, that it was a family decision.'
Anna looked at James. 'What do you think?'
James smiled. 'I could be her elder brother, like Paolo was for me.'
Anna smiled. 'Yes, it's good for a girl to have a brother.'
Clancy stroked the baby's tiny hand. 'Will ye look at the little fingernails? Vittorio says Jennie had decided to name her Victoria, after the old Queen, if she had a girl. Paolo was going to choose the second name, but he hadn't decided...'
'Rose,' Anna said, thinking of Paolo's red roses and Vittorio in his rose garden. 'Her name is Victoria Rose.'
Victoria Rose yawned and then blew a small bubble.
Anna looked up at James. He laughed, and flicked back his fair hair in a characteristic gesture. She gazed into the violet eyes of the baby and then into the Irish eyes which regarded her with passionate concern, and she knew they were a family at last.
'I love you Clancy,' she said.
Other books by Helen Spring
‘Strands of Gold’ - An adventure novel set in Colonial Singapore
and Australia.
‘Memories of the Curlew’ – a medieval novel based on the life of the
Welsh warrior princess Gwenllian.
Both can be obtained in paperback from www.helenspring.co.uk, where you can find more details and read excerpts, or from Amazon or any good bookshop.
Table of Contents
PART ONE - SANDLEY HEATH
PART TWO - FRANCE
PART THREE - AMERICA
PART FOUR - SANDLEY HEATH
PART ONE
PART FOUR