Luck Be a Lady

by Anna King

  Rebecca’s heart melted at the wistful note of hope that had sprung into Amy’s voice. ‘It all depends, love. I don’t think age matters when you love someone, as long as you’re sure it’s the real thing and not just infatuation.’

  ‘Oh, no, Becky. It’s not infatuation,’ Amy replied earnestly. ‘I love Charlie. I thought I did before, but I wasn’t sure. After all, he’s the first man I’ve ever been out with. But after all the past months being with him every day, I know for sure… I love him, Becky, and… and he loves me.’ Looking Rebecca straight in the eyes, she asked, ‘Would you mind, Becky? I mean, would you mind me marrying Charlie one day? You do like him, don’t you, Becky?’

  Rebecca felt the back of her eyes begin to sting. It looked like she and Amy wouldn’t be together for very long after all. If Amy had been possessed of a frivolous character then Rebecca would have firmly vetoed the idea of her marrying so young. But she had always known that her sister was the type of woman who wanted nothing more out of life than a loving husband, and a home and family of her own.

  Anyway! She sat up straighten Wasn’t she planning to get married herself in the near future? So what was she fretting about? Yet Amy was still so young, but there was no mistaking the love shining from her eyes when she spoke Charlie’s name.

  ‘Has he actually asked you to marry him, love?’

  Amy shook her head, a smile on her lips. ‘Not in so many words. I mean, he hasn’t gone down on one knee and asked for my hand in marriage…’ she giggled infectiously. ‘You know, like they do in the books and magazines I like to read. But he keeps making comments about what it’ll be like once we’re married, or making jokes about making an honest woman of me one day.’

  Remembering Jimmy’s words to her on Christmas Eve, Rebecca thought wryly that it appeared they had both fallen in love with men who hadn’t an ounce of romance in their souls. But what did that matter? A sudden thought struck Rebecca.

  ‘Where is Charlie, by the way?’

  At Rebecca’s question, Amy jumped in the air, her hand flying to her mouth. ‘Oh, my goodness. I told him to wait downstairs. I wanted to see you first on my own. I completely forgot all about him.’

  Rebecca roared. ‘So much for you being madly in love with the man. You’ve been here for nearly two hours, the poor lad must be wondering if I’ve tied you to a chair to prevent you escaping from me again.’

  Dashing across the room, Amy asked breathlessly, ‘Is it all right if he comes up, Becky?’

  Still laughing, Rebecca nodded. ‘If he’s still there, he can. I wouldn’t have waited around all this time. I suppose Jimmy’s already back at the house. Oh, I nearly forgot to ask. How’s the child? Did Jimmy taking him away work out all right?’

  Amy halted her rapid dash in mid-flight. ‘Oh, Jimmy didn’t come back with us…’ Seeing the shocked hurt that suddenly covered Rebecca’s face, Amy ran to her side, adding quickly, ‘I’m sorry, Becky. Oh, trust me to open my mouth without thinking. What I meant to say was that Jimmy, Bessie and James will be back home in a few days. He did try to get us all on the same boat, but he left it too late and there were only two spare tickets, so he let me and Charlie have them. We were going to write and let you know we were coming home, but Jimmy said it would be a surprise for you if we just all showed up. Only it didn’t turn out that way.’ Suddenly Amy let out a loud laugh. ‘I still can’t believe we managed to get Bessie on the boat to France in the first place. I know I’ve already told you about it in my letters, but, oh, you should have heard her when Jimmy said he wanted to take us all to France. She went stark, raving mad, saying there was no way she was getting on any boat, not after what happened to the Titanic. I must admit, I was a bit frightened too. I mean, all those poor people drowning, and on a big ship that was supposed to be unsinkable, but Jimmy kept saying that lightning doesn’t strike twice, and that kind of thing. In the end he wore her down… Well! I knew he would eventually. But she didn’t stop complaining all the way there, and she was beginning to frighten some of the other passengers with her talk of the Titanic, she wouldn’t stop going on about it – and that was before we even got on the boat. Jimmy got so fed up with it, he gave her a bottle of brandy, and half an hour later she was dead to the world. Luckily Charlie managed to distract James, so that was all right. Mind you…’ She leant forward and winked at Rebecca. ‘I think Charlie was as scared as Bessie and me, but he’d never admit it. Still, we’re home safe and sound, and so will Jimmy be in a few days. Though I wouldn’t like to be in his shoes when he tries to get Bessie back on the boat. She’ll make his life hell – bless her! Right then, I’ll go and fetch Charlie. Won’t be long; get the kettle on, will you, Becky? Charlie hasn’t had a proper cup of tea since Christmas.’

  The moment Amy left the room, Rebecca’s body slumped with relief. For one awful moment back then she had imagined…! As Amy’s footsteps sounded on the stairs, Rebecca dropped her head into her hands. She felt sick with relief; her hands were clammy and her heart was pounding rapidly, and she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. If she’d harboured any lingering doubts about the love she felt for the man whose company she’d been in fewer than a half-dozen times, that heart-stopping moment when she thought he wasn’t coming back for her had dispelled all further doubts.

  She remembered Tom Barker’s recollection of how he had fallen in love with his wife at first sight, and her lips trembled into a smile. There was someone else who would be glad to see his old friend back in the country again. He hadn’t said much on his visits, but it had been plain that Tom had missed his old sparring partner very much.

  Now the waiting was nearly over, and by the time an unusually bashful-looking Charlie entered the room with Amy prodding him from behind, Rebecca had fully composed herself. In an uncharacteristic gesture, for she wasn’t one to display her feelings – that was Amy’s province – Rebecca threw her arms around the startled Charlie’s neck and gave her future brother-in-law a fierce hug.

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Later that same night, Phil Bradford was weaving his way drunkenly down Walthamstow High Street. He was in a very good mood, in fact he’d had a good night all round. First he had managed to get himself into a lucrative game of cards held at the back of the Flying Horse, and had come out ten pounds better off. Then the barmaid he’d had his eye on for weeks had invited him back to her place, where he had spent a very pleasurable few hours. Now he was on his way home to his room in a local boarding house with a good few brandies warming his system and ten pounds richer than he had been on leaving his lodgings.

  He was passing an alleyway when, from out of nowhere, three men appeared blocking his path. Peering up through bleary eyes, Phil became suddenly stone cold sober. For the man in the middle was none other than Big George himself.

  ‘Well! Well! If it isn’t me old mate, Phil. How’ve yer been? We ain’t seen yer for a while. Found yerself a new bookie, ’ave yer?’ Big George hadn’t come about his name by chance. He was a giant of a man, both in height and breadth, and even with an amiable smile on his face he oozed menace.

  Stumbling back a pace, Phil pasted a sickly smile to his face. ‘Hello, George. I’ve been meaning to come by and see you…’

  The towering man stepped closer. ‘Well, now I’ve saved yer the trouble, ain’t I.’ Putting a heavy arm around Phil’s shaking shoulders, he added, ‘You was looking very pleased with yerself just then, though yer ain’t looking so good now. I wonder what could’ve caused that. Maybe a guilty conscience, like the matter of the twenty pounds yer still owe me, eh?’

  Phil gulped, a feeling of dread sweeping through him. ‘Now look, George. I paid back that sixty pounds, and another fifteen on top of that. I don’t owe you anything…’

  The friendly hug suddenly turned into a fierce grip. ‘Now that’s where yer wrong, mate. Yer see, that new bookie yer’ve been dealing with ’as suddenly gorn outta business. The competition was too strong. You know how it works, Phil. One bookie sells his business t
o another, and the debts go with the deal. And, you, me old mate, ’ave been up ter yer old tricks again, ain’t yer. Some people never learn, do they?’ The man’s huge head shook from side to side in mock admonishment. ‘’Cos according ter Smilie’s books yer owe ’im twenty pounds. Only now he’s sold his stake, guess who’s bought him out? Though he wasn’t that keen ter sell, I ’ad ter use a bit of persuasion. Yer know what I mean, mate? Mind you, he was never cut out for the game. The stupid bastard let ’is punters walk all over ’im. Letting them run up debts, then not ’aving the bottle ter collect what was owing ’im. There’s nearly a thousand pounds unpaid debts on old Smilie’s books. The difference is, I ain’t the sorta bloke who lets people take the piss, know what I mean, Phil? Things ’ave been looking up fer me lately. Now that Jimmy Jackson’s gorn off somewhere and closed down his business, there’s only me left, apart from the losers like old Smilie, an’ I expect they’ll be happy enough to sell ter me, given the right incentive. And I can be very persuasive when I want ter be… Can’t I, boys?’ He looked over to where the other two men were waiting in the shadows.

  Then, without warning, in a sudden, terrifying turn of mood, Big George slammed Phil up against the wall. Placing an iron arm across Phil’s throat, he growled menacingly, ‘I want me money, Bradford, an’ I want it soon. But I’m a reasonable man, an’ I’m prepared ter do a deal with yer. The thing is, Phil, I’ve never liked that Jackson bastard. Always came across as the sorta bloke who thought he was better than the rest of us bookies, an’ he nicked a lot of me punters over the years, an’ I don’t like people treading on me toes. It’s been nice an’ quiet while he’s been away, but word on the street is he’s on ’is way back ’ome. Now I can’t stop ’im coming back, but I can make ’im think twice about setting up in business again – wiv a bit a help, of course.’

  The sweat was pouring down Phil’s forehead into his eyes. Blinking furiously he spluttered, ‘Why are you telling me? I can’t do anything, I…’ His words were silenced by the heavy arm leaning harder across his windpipe.

  ‘Let me finish, Bradford, I don’t like being interrupted. Now, where was I? Oh, yeah. Jimmy Jackson, an’ the surprise I’ve got lined up fer ’im when he gets ’ome.’ The soft glow from the lamppost further down the road was bright enough for Phil to see the vicious expression on the face of the man holding him in a vice-like grip and he felt his knees buckle. The unpleasant smell of stale beer and cigars wafted in Phil’s face as Big George continued in a softer, but no less menacing tone. ‘I know fer a fact that Jackson’s got something going on wiv yer sister, she’s been seen going in and outta ’is ’ouse while he’s been away, an’ Jackson ain’t the type of bloke ter give ’is ’ouse keys to any old tart, so she must be something special ter him – yer sister I mean. And that’s where you come in, Bradford. I did send me boys round a few times, ter Jackson’s place, but it’s locked up tighter than the Bank of England. Well, it’s only ter be expected, ain’t it. I mean, a man like Jimmy Jackson ain’t gonna go away an’ leave his gaffe open ter every thief in the East End, is he? Nah! He’s too clever fer that. Then there’s ’is neighbours. Very popular man, is our Mr Jackson, so I’m told. And yer know what it’s like round these parts, everyone knows everyone else’s business, an’ a couple of strangers ’anging around Jackson’s ’ouse would be spotted straight away. Now, here’s the deal. You get those keys from yer sister, an’ hand ’em over ter me. I won’t need ’em fer long. Just long enough ter make an impression of ’em. Why! Yer’ll be able ter put ’em back before she even knows they’re missing. My boys will get in without no trouble, turn the place over and be back out without anyone being any the wiser. I’ll settle past scores with Jackson, an’ yer slate’ll be wiped clean.’

  A ferocious grin spread over the thick lips. ‘I even know where he keeps ’is safe. One of me boys used ter go out with some tart that worked there fer a while, before that old hag, Bessie Wilks, gave the girl ’er marching orders. Yer know what women are like, Phil; love ter ’ave a nose round, an’ this tart ’ad a very good look around the ’ouse before she was sacked, an’ like most women, she couldn’t keep ’er gob shut. Like I said, Jackson’s very popular round these parts, an’ the silly cow thought she was someone important, just ’cos she was working fer him. My boy’s ears pricked up when he ’eard ’er mouthing off about the lovely, big ’ouse. A couple more drinks down her neck, an’ she was telling him all about the safe, hidden behind a wall in the upstairs dining room. I tell yer, Phil, I thought me luck was in. ’Course, once my boy had the information outta ’er, he dropped her like a stone; didn’t want no connection coming back ter me. So, yer see me problem, Phil? I practically know the layout of the place, even where the safe’s hidden, only up till now, I ain’t had no way of getting into the place. It was a bit a luck fer me finding out Jackson’s piece of stuff was yer sister, an’ then finding yer name on old Smilie’s books – well!… It sort of looks like it was meant ter ’appen, don’t it? Sort of like having it handed ter me on a plate, an’ I’d be a fool ter let the chance of doing Jackson’s place over pass by.’

  Vainly, Phil tried one last time to reason with the man holding him. ‘Look, George. I’ll get the money, I swear. I can’t go to Becks… I mean, my sister. I haven’t seen her since Christmas. We’re not even on speaking terms any more. I—’

  A heavy fist collided with the side of his head, and for a few seconds Phil blacked out. Then he heard the low voice, thick with rage, whispering in his ear. ‘I ain’t fucking interested in yer family quarrels, Bradford. You just get those keys ter me before Jackson gets back, or else yer won’t ’ave a leg ter stand on… And that ain’t just a figure of speech. Yer get me meaning… MATE!’

  Unable to move, Phil stared into the hard, cold eyes, his insides turning to water. Then the three men vanished as quickly as they had appeared. Phil remained leaning against the rough wall, his whole body petrified with terror. Then the drink he had consumed earlier, combined with his fear, brought his body double as he was violently sick onto the pavement.

  *

  ‘I’ll get it, Becky,’ Amy called out when the knock sounded on the door. Expecting to see Charlie, Amy’s eyes stretched wide in surprise at the unexpected visitor. ‘Phil! Blooming hell, I didn’t expect to see you. Come in, come in,’ she pulled her brother into the room, calling out, ‘Becky, Becky, come and see who’s here.’

  Coming out from the bedroom, the only other room in the small flat, Rebecca stopped dead in her tracks. The last time she had seen Phil she had wished never to set eyes on him again, but the pull of the family bond that had kept them together for so many years was too strong to sever that easily. She was now beginning to think that maybe her suspicions about Richard were wrong, and that Phil had looked so shame-faced because his little sister had had to get him out of trouble. Even though Amy had only been with her since Sunday, just two days, she had shown no sign that anything was troubling her, so maybe Becky had been mistaken after all. Knowing her temper as she did, she now felt ashamed that she could have thought such a dreadful thing of her only brother. He might be a lot of things, but even Phil, as desperate as he had been for the money to pay off his debts, wouldn’t have stood by and done nothing if he’d had the slightest inkling that Richard had laid his grubby hands on the sister he loved.

  Besides, all their lives had changed during the past six months. She and Amy had never been happier. Amy had her Charlie, and Jimmy was due back tomorrow, providing his travel arrangements hadn’t altered. And once he was home, she would make sure she never lost sight of him again. Without speaking, Rebecca stepped closer to Phil, her eyes raking over his anxious face. And when he gave that wry grin, and lifted his shoulders in the manner she knew so well, her heart went out to him. It was time to heal the rift between them and become a family once more. Besides, with both her and Amy planning to marry, they would need someone to give them away.

  ‘Don’t just stand there like a stranger. Come in, you silly d
evil.’

  Phil’s body sagged with relief. He hadn’t known what to expect when he’d decided to track Rebecca down. It had been simple enough. All he’d had to do was go and see old Mrs Gates; she had told him where to find his sister.

  He hadn’t expected to find Amy as well.

  Half an hour later he was sitting in a shabby armchair drinking a cup of tea and talking and laughing with his sisters as if they had never been apart. And that fact alone tore at his very soul. For his only purpose for being here was to get himself out of trouble, and he was going to do it in the only way he knew how – by using his sisters. He had hardly slept since his run-in with Big George on Sunday night. Up until then, life had been very good to him. He’d had enough money left over after settling his debt to live on while he looked for work. It was true he hadn’t tried very hard, but he had managed to get a few days’ labouring work now and then when his money was running low. He still gambled of course, it was in his blood, and for the first time in years, his luck had held good – for a few months. Then, as with all gamblers, his luck had started to run out, and before he knew it, he was running up yet another debt. But he hadn’t worried about owing money to old Smilie. Everyone owed Smilie money, the old bookie knew he would get paid back eventually, and he usually did. Though Smilie wasn’t a fool. He never let his punters run up debts over thirty pounds, that was his limit; and Phil had been within that limit, until two nights ago!

  ‘What’s the matter, Phil? You’ve gone very quiet all of a sudden.’

  Rebecca’s voice cut into Phil’s troubled thoughts. Glancing up, he stared into the blue eyes he knew so well and felt his stomach turn in self-loathing at what he was planning. He knew from the conversation he had overheard on Christmas Eve that Rebecca had the keys to Jimmy’s house, and also knew the whereabouts of the safe. What he had never imagined was that Big George would find out about Rebecca’s involvement with Jimmy Jackson. It seemed the only thing Big George didn’t know was the combination to the safe – but Becky did!