Tilly's Story

by June Francis

  ‘Such as what?’ asked Joy.

  Tilly did not answer but hurried downstairs and outside to the lavatory.

  Joy went and informed the plainclothes policeman about what had happened and within half an hour the detective inspector and Sergeant Jones arrived. They questioned Tilly about what had happened. She told them what had taken place, omitting that Leonard had kissed her and had wanted her to go away with him. They were obviously annoyed that they had not set a watch on the back door in the wall and that Leonard had eluded them. She guessed that a watch would be kept at the railway stations and the Pierhead, and at his shipyard.

  As for Tilly, she bought some typing paper and typewriter ribbons, as well as a new pair of silk stockings.

  ‘So what are you going to do next, Tilly?’ asked Joy, following her out to the outhouse.

  Tilly placed a sheet of paper in her typewriter. ‘I’m going to retype the pages he destroyed,’ she replied.

  ‘Here?’ asked Joy, glancing about the room. ‘What if he comes back?’

  ‘He won’t,’ said Tilly positively.

  Joy sighed. ‘I think he has enough nerve for anything. Why don’t you go to Chester for a break? You’ll be safe there.’

  ‘No,’ said Tilly, her eyes glinting with a determined light. ‘I’m not going anywhere until I’ve finished my novel.’

  Joy left her alone and Tilly placed the photograph of Don leaning against the car in Flanders against the pen holder. Lest we forget, she thought, remembering the encouragement, advice and affection that had filled his letters. She began to type.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Christmas was to come and go before Tilly eventually finished her novel and sent it off to a publisher. In all that time there had been no word of Leonard or Don. By then it was almost the end of February and she could take notice of the real world again. There was to be a royal wedding; the Princess Mary was marrying Lord Lascelles, son of the Earl and Countess of Harewood. There were photographs galore of the princess of when she was a baby and throughout her childhood. There were eight bridesmaids and the bride’s bouquet was laid at the foot of the cenotaph. Among the pages of the Liverpool Weekly Post, Tilly discovered Ethel M Dell’s latest arresting and remarkable romance, The Obstacle Race, in serial form. She decided to read it on her way to visit her family.

  As it was a bright sunny day, she decided to travel by ferry to Birkenhead and to catch the train to Chester from there. She felt the sea breezes would help blow the cobwebs away and was quite excited at the thought of seeing her family again. Alice had mentioned finding a tiny shop that might be suitable for what she wanted in a recent letter but she had made no mention of Don having been in touch with Seb. Perhaps I will never see him again, thought Tilly sadly.

  It was busy down at the landing stage because the Isle of Man boat was in and an ocean-going liner was discharging its passengers. At least there aren’t many people queuing for the ferry, thought Tilly, watching the boat making its way across the Mersey. She did not have long to wait before it was tied up alongside the landing stage and the gangway was let down. Once aboard, Tilly climbed to the upper deck and leant on the rail, gazing down on the activity below. She mused that perhaps the next book she wrote should have a seafaring hero.

  Suddenly Tilly froze, staring at a man leaning against the wall of the customs building. He was tall and lanky and carried a walking stick. There was a suitcase at his feet and a youth appeared to be talking earnestly to him. Tilly guessed the lad was one of those who hung around the Pierhead, hoping to earn a sixpence for carrying a passenger’s luggage or obtaining a cab for them and directing them to lodgings. The man removed his hat to reveal a thatch of flaxen hair and took a handkerchief from the pocket of his long leather coat and mopped his brow. Was it Don or was it just someone who looked like him? Her heart began to thud.

  She was tempted to try and attract his attention by calling his name. If he looked up, then she would know if it was him for certain. But would he be pleased to see her? As she watched, another man appeared, carrying a tripod and what looked like photographic equipment. A youth followed him, struggling with a suitcase. He stopped and spoke to the man she had been studying. Now she was certain it was Don. She did not believe that he could have a double who was also a photographer. Her heart was now beating so fast that she thought she might faint but she had to get off the boat.

  Tilly made for the companionway and was halfway down the steps when she heard the gangway being hoisted up. She put on a spurt but was too late. Disappointed, she hurried to the side of the boat and leant over it. She called Don’s name, only to have her voice drowned out by the noise of the engines. The expanse of water between boat and landing stage widened as the vessel manoeuvred into a position facing towards Birkenhead. She sprinted to the top deck and stood at the rail, gazing towards Liverpool, searching for the place where she had last seen Don. But he had vanished into the crowd.

  Tilly seriously considered staying on the ferry and returning to Liverpool but decided that would be pointless. She had no idea where Don was staying and there was always the possibility that he would come to Chester to visit Seb. Perhaps he had even written to him. She looked up at the clock on the Liver Building and decided to call in at the motor repair yard on Canal Side before visiting Alice. It was possible that Seb would be there and might have news for her.

  The journey seemed to take an age and it was a frustrated Tilly who burst into the office, without knocking. Kenny was there but not her brother-in-law. ‘Where’s Seb?’ she demanded.

  ‘And good morning to you, too,’ said Kenny dryly.

  Tilly flushed. ‘Sorry. It’s just that I need to speak to him urgently.’ She went over and kissed her half-brother.

  ‘So, what’s so urgent?’ asked Kenny, putting his arm about her waist and giving her a hug.

  ‘I saw Don Pierce! At least, I’m pretty sure it was him.

  ‘There was a liner in and I was on the Birkenhead ferry when I caught sight of this man. He was leaning against the customs building and carried a walking stick. He took off his hat and he was fair-haired.’ She paused for breath and added in an undertone, ‘He’s just as attractive as in his photograph.’

  ‘And what happened next?’ asked Kenny, his eyes fixed on her face.

  ‘This bloke came up, carrying photographic equipment and spoke to him.’ She met her half-brother’s gaze. ‘I can’t see it being anyone else, can you?’

  ‘It certainly sounds like it could be him,’ said Kenny cautiously.

  Tilly nodded. ‘You know Seb wrote to him ages ago about a button Dad found in the garden?’

  Kenny nodded. ‘Surely Don wouldn’t have come all this way just because of a button? Perhaps he’s here in a professional capacity.’

  Tilly stared at him and then moved away. ‘Where’s Seb? Somewhere I can telephone him?’

  Kenny turned to the girl sitting at the other desk. ‘Put the kettle on, Jacqueline. Then telephone the showroom to see if Mr Bennett is there.’

  ‘You don’t think it’s possible that Don came to see me?’

  Kenny shrugged. ‘I don’t know, love. But by the way you’re behaving, I guess you’d like to see him.’

  A sharp laugh escaped Tilly. ‘Of course I’d like to see him. I hope we can meet and talk and get a few things sorted out.’

  Kenny smiled. ‘I hope you can. I liked Don.’

  Tilly and Kenny were drinking tea when Seb telephoned. Kenny took the call and Tilly tried to grab the telephone from him but he held on to it. She had to make do with listening to a one-sided conversation. Then Kenny brought it to an end before she could ask to speak to Seb.

  ‘He said he would see you at the house at lunchtime. You can talk then.’

  Tilly frowned. ‘Didn’t he tell you anything about Don?’

  ‘I told him what you said and he said that he would see you at lunchtime,’ said Kenny firmly.

  Tilly realised that she would have to be patient and,
after drinking tea with him and telling him about having sent off her manuscript, she left to see her sister. There was an appetising smell of lentil soup when she entered the house. Alice was in the kitchen.

  ‘I’ve missed your cooking,’ Tilly told her sister.

  ‘Then you should have come sooner,’ said Alice.

  ‘I couldn’t,’ said Tilly. ‘I haven’t stopped.’

  ‘Sit down now then and I’ll give you some soup.’

  Tilly sat at the kitchen table and smiled at her sister as she placed bowls on the table and ladled out the soup. ‘I thought Seb would have been in by now.’

  ‘He’ll walk through the door any minute,’ said Alice. ‘You can set the clock by him. We still have lunch together.’

  ‘Has he given you the go-ahead for the shop?’

  Alice nodded. ‘Yes, since you bought my shares. I’m to have help in the house again. It’s ages since those days when I had a cook and a maid. Not many girls want to go into service anymore and live-in, so it was a job finding one. She’s an orphan.’

  Alice’s mention of an orphan reminded Tilly of the Doyles and she was filled with guilt. It was not that she had not thought of the children in all this time, rather that she had done so and then forgotten about them again.

  ‘Seb and I will carry on having lunch together even when I have the shop because I’ll shut up for lunch.’ Alice smiled. ‘Anyway, that’s enough about me. Have you finished your novel?’

  Tilly nodded. ‘Finished and sent it off.’

  ‘I must admit I never thought you’d manage it.’

  Tilly raised her reddish eyebrows in a similar fashion to Kenny. ‘Oh ye of little faith,’ she said softly, only to add, ‘To be honest, there were times when I had doubts myself. Especially after Leonard Parker tore up my work.’

  ‘That was a bad business but at least he didn’t harm you,’ said Alice. ‘So what next? Will you wait until you hear from the publisher?’

  ‘No. I’ve already a germ of an idea for the next book – but that’s all it is at the moment, a tiny germ. It’s going to take time for me to work it all out.’ Tilly dipped her spoon into the soup.

  ‘You could come and live back here while you’re thinking,’ said Alice. ‘Just having you here would be a help.’

  ‘I’ll think about it,’ said Tilly.

  There was the sound of footsteps outside and the door opened. ‘You there, Alice? Has Tilly arrived?’ asked Seb.

  ‘Yes, we’re both here,’ said Alice. ‘As you would see if you closed the door.’

  Seb did as he was told and smiled at them both before first kissing Alice and then Tilly. ‘It was Don you saw,’ he said.

  ‘What’s this about Don?’ asked the sharp-eared Alice.

  ‘You knew he was coming, Seb?’ asked Tilly.

  ‘No. But I remembered the name of the hotel in Liverpool where he thought of staying last time he was here,’ he replied. ‘So I phoned the Adelphi.’

  ‘And he was there,’ said Tilly, her face alight with relief.

  Seb smiled. ‘He’d just booked in. I spoke to him.’

  ‘Did you tell him I’d seen him but couldn’t get off the boat?’

  ‘What is this?’ asked Alice.

  ‘If you listen, love, you’ll find out.’ Seb reached out and patted her hand.

  ‘So what’s happening next?’ asked Tilly.

  ‘Don will pick you up from Robbie’s house this evening. He’s going to take you out for dinner,’ said Seb.

  Tilly felt a thrill of excitement and then her spirits plummeted and she was filled with fear. What if he wanted to tell her that he was married to the blonde?

  Alice frowned. ‘I was hoping Tilly would stay here for a few days.’

  ‘Don wants to see the place where the body was found and hear Tilly’s story from her own lips,’ said Seb.

  Tilly decided to put all thought of the blonde out of her mind. Even though she knew who the button had belonged to and who had killed the soldier she looked forward to telling Don her story. ‘Was he able to tell you about the button, Seb?’

  Seb looked chagrined. ‘No. He said this was your mystery and he wanted to talk to you first.’

  Alice looked put out.

  Tilly smiled. ‘I will be back but I’ll have to go home early.’

  Alice sighed. ‘You said home. I thought you still thought of here as home.’

  ‘I do in a way, but—’

  ‘Hush, the pair of you,’ said Seb. ‘Don’s bound to visit us and no doubt Tilly will come with him.’ He glanced at Tilly and smiled. ‘He said to put your glad rags on.’

  Tilly grinned and decided to draw some money out of the bank and buy something ready made from Dejong’s in Bold Street before returning to Newsham Drive. She was going to ask Robbie if she could have the use of the bathroom and a bedroom for this special occasion.

  * * *

  ‘Tilly! There’s a man downstairs who wants to see you,’ called Joy, rapping her knuckles on the panel of the bedroom door.

  Remembering that Joy had never met Don, Tilly said, ‘Is he an American?’

  ‘Definitely. Name of Don Pierce, so he’s your man.’

  ‘Tell him I’ll be down in a few minutes,’ said Tilly.

  With hands that shook slightly she fixed a small hat that was a froth of net and ribbons on her red-gold hair. Then she stared at her reflection and wondered whether to apply lipstick or not. She smoothed the bronze velvet gown over her hips and decided not to keep him waiting. She picked up the matching jacket and her handbag before running downstairs. She was nervous, unsure whether Don would approve of the Tilly she was now, and could only hope for the best.

  Her pulses were aflutter and they did not calm down as she entered the drawing room, where Don was talking to Robbie. She recalled that Mr Bennett had worked and lived in America for years and so the two men would be able to find common ground. Don stopped in mid-sentence and stared at Tilly and there was a look on his face that caused her to want to fling herself at him.

  Their eyes held and he came to his feet with the aid of his stick. She went over to him with a hand outstretched, her gaze never shifting from his attractive features. She realised just how much she had needed to be in his presence once more. She wanted real kisses from him, not paper ones. He gripped her hand and held it tightly. Close up, his face was more lined than she remembered from three and a half years ago and she presumed that was due to his constant struggle with his war injury. Warmth and concern flooded her and she said, ‘Where have you been? I was worried about you.’

  ‘There was no need.’ Don rested his stick against the chair and took hold of her other hand and brought both her hands against his chest. ‘You look all grown up, Tilly. I think I’m going to have to give you a grown-up name and call you Matilda.’

  She found herself unable to speak for a moment because it was so long since she had heard that American drawl of his and she just loved the sound of it. Pleasant tingles raced along her nerves. ‘No one ever calls me Matilda,’ she said in a breathy voice. ‘I’m sorry I missed you last time you were in Liverpool, Don.’

  ‘I guess it wasn’t meant to be that we met then,’ he murmured. ‘We both had stuff that needed our attention. I’ve been in Russia and China, otherwise I would have been here sooner. If you’d seen some of the kids there it would have broken your heart. I had to bring their situation to the notice of the western world. But there wasn’t a day that went by when I didn’t think of you and wish you were by my side. It would have been too dangerous for you, though.’

  ‘Liverpool has its dangers and there are children here, Don, who go barefooted and beg on the streets,’ she said seriously.

  His eyes narrowed. ‘Are you saying I didn’t have to go so far away to find signs of terrible depravation?’

  ‘No. I wouldn’t presume to tell you your job,’ she hastened to add. ‘Those countries are enormous so the suffering is on a larger scale, but I could have helped you if you’d sta
yed in Liverpool a while and we wouldn’t have been parted for so long.’

  Don’s features softened. ‘You can have no idea how I felt when I eventually received Seb’s letter, I fixed it to leave straight away and here I am. We have a lot to talk about, Tilly.’

  ‘I agree that we won’t be lost for words over dinner,’ she said, her eyes gleaming.

  He smiled. ‘We have transport and a table is booked for two at the Silver Grill. Do you know it at all?’

  ‘It’s in Dale Street but I’ve never been there,’ replied Tilly.

  ‘I’ve heard good things about it. Excellent food and good music.’

  Tilly gave him a sparkling glance. ‘You’ve tempted me. I can’t wait to get there. You mentioned transport – it wouldn’t be a golden coach as in Cinderella?’

  He grinned. ‘I forgot my magic wand but Joe will see us all right.’

  ‘Joe?’

  ‘He’s my right-hand man.’ Don had been holding her hands all this time and now released one of them to pick up his stick. He turned to Robbie. ‘I’ll take good care of her, Mr Bennett, and have her back before the witching hour.’

  ‘You take all the time you need,’ said Robbie, smiling at them both. ‘It’s good to see Tilly looking happy. She’s had a tough time.’

  Don nodded and, with Tilly’s arm linked through his, the pair made their way outside. When Tilly set eyes on the car waiting at the kerb, she knew the kind of money Don would have had to pay out to hire the American roadster. But there was so much more to him than money. Still, she decided better to be rich than poor. He must be doing OK despite his gammy foot. Often she had felt concern about how he would manage to continue in his chosen profession with such an injury, but obviously there had been no need for her to worry about him. He had courage and determination and that counted for much in her opinion.

  He introduced her to Joe, saying, ‘I couldn’t do all I do without his help.’

  The stocky young man with dark eyes and wavy brown hair smiled at Tilly. ‘You take no notice of him, Miss Moran. Mr Pierce can do lots of stuff without my help.’ He opened the rear car door for her and she seated herself on the soft leather seat. After all that had happened, it seemed unbelievable that at last she and Don were together.