by Kitty Neale
‘Well, you should be used to it,’ said Jean without sympathy. ‘Get on with it, Penny, or we’ll be here until Saturday, and I’m sure you’ve got other ways to spend your weekend than finishing off this lot.’
‘I know I have,’ said Rhona and gave them a wink as the thought of what was in store brightened her mood. ‘I’ve found myself another hot date. He’s gorgeous, he plays the guitar and guess what he’s got backstage passes to?’
Jean shook her head as she really didn’t care, but Penny was beside herself with curiosity, her curls bobbing up and down. ‘Where? Go on, don’t be mean, what are you up to? Has he got a friend, can I come? Aren’t you going to tell us?’
Rhona pretended to turn away but she couldn’t resist her moment of triumph. ‘I’m going all the way up to North London to see the Rolling Stones. How about that?’
Jean shrugged, as she couldn’t see what all the fuss was about. Penny screamed and quickly covered her mouth with her hands. Rhona glowed. ‘Yep, he’s called Kenneth and he knows everybody, I mean everybody, and he’s going to introduce me to the band and everyone behind the scenes. So why do I care about this stupid factory?’ She tossed her hair, which she tried to style like Brigitte Bardot’s, though that wasn’t easy working in such a place. She liked it when people said she looked like the film star though – and there was a reasonable resemblance, as Rhona’s eyes were dark and wide, and her hair a similar blonde. ‘You heard it here first, folks. He might be my ticket away from all of this.’
Chapter Two
Tommy Wilson checked the sign at the end of the street to make sure he’d come to the right place. It wasn’t as if this was his first time in Peckham, but he wasn’t as familiar with the area as he was with his old stamping ground, Battersea, or with where he lived now, over in Wandsworth. Still, he thought as he thrust his hands in his jacket pockets against the cold, with luck he’d be seeing a whole lot more of this road. If this was where Mavis lived then this was where he wanted to be.
He still counted himself lucky that she’d agreed to go out with him, even though they’d been dating for a year and a half. He knew Mavis was the one for him. But he’d treated her so badly when they were kids growing up on the same mean and dingy street that he wouldn’t have blamed her if she’d said she wanted nothing to do with him.
When they’d met again as adults, it was soon clear the attraction ran deep on both sides. But the timing wasn’t right. He had just got divorced from his wife, Belinda. He hadn’t wanted to admit it but inside he’d been a mess. As for Mavis, she’d been married to that cold fish, Alec Pugh. What a useless excuse for a man he had been – or still was, wherever he was. A coward as well as a bully. Tommy clenched his fists at the memory. He couldn’t abide men who abused their physical superiority and beat women and children. He seethed at the thought of anyone laying a hand on Mavis in anger.
He checked the numbers on the front of the houses. He was nearly there. The buildings were of three storeys, with tall windows, and it didn’t look too bad a place at all. After Alec’s disappearance, Mavis had rented a small house on Harwood Street for a couple of years, not too far from here, next to her mother and Pete. Although it was a step up from Battersea it had been too cramped for her and two growing children. But these places, even though they were still terraced, looked much bigger. Mavis had said the road had a dog-leg bend and they were in the corner of that. Here it was – just as she’d described it. The front of the house was, if anything, narrower than those around it but Mavis had said around the back, because of the bend, there was a bigger garden than those of the neighbouring properties. So it would be ideal for the kids, and she and Lily would still have lots of space for a washing line and maybe even some vegetable beds.
Tommy smiled to himself. He couldn’t quite see Lily getting her hands dirty planting up tomatoes.
For a moment he wondered what it would be like to work in the garden with Mavis. He’d build them a couple of raised beds, and he’d show James how to hammer them together at the corners, or maybe they could get a shed … He shook himself. First things first. He was always getting carried away with dreams of the future but before any of that could happen they had to sort out the present. He was sure Mavis felt the same way about him as he did about her, but he couldn’t blame her for being cagey. She’d been badly hurt and he had to let time take its course and heal her deep wounds.
Again Tommy felt a surge of anger at Alec Pugh and his brutal behaviour. Calm down, he told himself. This is a day to celebrate. New house, new start. He fingered the little box he carried in his pocket and pictured Mavis’s beautiful face when she saw it.
‘Sure you don’t want anything stronger, sweetheart?’ asked Pete, picking up his empty pint glass and standing, stretching to ease his aching back. ‘I’ll have one more of these then we can get home. This isn’t a bad local, is it?’ He gazed around the lounge bar, all polished brass and dark wood. ‘I passed it by loads of times when we were doing the house up but never came in. See what we were missing out on.’
‘I’ll stick to bitter lemon,’ said Lily. She’d never been one for drinking – she’d had enough of that from her first husband who, if he wasn’t gambling away their rent money, was blowing it down the pub. ‘I like it in here. At least I’ll know where to find you from now on.’
‘I can’t keep away from you for long, you know that.’ Pete eyed his wife appreciatively. He was a lucky man and he knew it. He was under no illusions about his looks and yet he was married to a stunner. All those years of waiting had been worth it. He felt on top of the world. His own business, the most gorgeous woman in London and, just when he’d given up hope, a son of his very own who was the spitting image of him. A pity Bobby hadn’t inherited his mother’s head-turning looks in some ways; but Pete knew plenty of blokes who were far more handsome than him yet it hadn’t brought them happiness.
No, when times were tough, Pete thought, it was all about character, that’s what got you through. That’s what had got him to where he was today. If anyone deserved a second pint it was him: he owned that whole house, and he’d fitted it out to keep his family safe. He pushed to the back of his mind the uncomfortable thought that it wasn’t exactly bought and paid for. He’d be able to meet the mortgage without a problem just as soon as the big construction project was confirmed, and it was well-nigh one hundred per cent certain that it would be. He was proud that his company was the front runner for it – who’d have thought a bricklayer like him could end up doing so well? No need to worry, and certainly no need to share that bit of information with Lily.
Lily watched him, nursing her small glass in her hand. She didn’t want to admit how tired she was. Everyone said moving house was one of the most stressful things you could do, and God knew she’d had to do it often enough. This was different though: no more renting, getting by in substandard places with dodgy landlords and dodgier agents. They now had their very own place – and with Mavis safe above them, she could keep an eye on her beloved grandchildren too. Guiltily, Lily recalled how she hadn’t lavished love on Mavis when she’d been a child. She hadn’t been able to understand why her daughter had been so difficult and awkward, but nobody had heard of word blindness then. Now Lily intended to make up for it by devoting herself to James and Grace, and ensuring Bobby wanted for nothing. Blimey, fancy being a mother at her age. No wonder she was tired. She just didn’t have the energy to cope with a very active toddler and move house.
‘Here you go, girl.’ Pete put a glass of bitter lemon in front of her. The bright lights of the pub reflected in the cloudy liquid. ‘We might want to take our time over this. I’ve been thinking about what you said earlier. Maybe Mavis will be giving Tommy a tour of her new bedroom.’
Lily eyed him above the rim of her raised glass. ‘No, Pete. I don’t think so.’ She sighed. ‘Mavis ain’t like me, not in that respect. Once bitten twice shy, that’s her problem, and as it was so hard fought, she doesn’t want to give up her independence.’
; ‘Yeah, I know, but Tommy won’t wait forever.’
‘Well nothing is going to happen at the moment, that’s for sure. Mavis is looking after the kids. Bobby will have gone to bed by now but James won’t and I bet Grace is playing up with her first night in her new room by herself.’
‘Ah, well.’ Pete settled on the red banquette beside her. He took a swig and got foam all over his top lip. ‘We’ll maybe make the most of our new privacy when we get home. I did those dividing walls extra careful. We won’t have neighbours with a glass to the wall this time spying on us as we did in Battersea.’ He raised his eyebrows hopefully.
‘You devil, Pete Culling.’ Lily felt a rosy glow spread through her. ‘And at least we don’t have to worry about making Bobby a new brother or sister. There’s advantages to this getting old malarkey after all.’
‘I don’t want to go to bed!’ Grace yelled, struggling as her mother tried to hug her. ‘I hate my room! There’s monsters behind that cupboard!’
‘There, there.’ Mavis knew the tantrum would subside if she gave it enough time. Typically Grace, who’d done nothing but complain about having to share a room with her brother, was now kicking up a storm faced with being left to sleep on her own. She’d get over it soon enough. She’d chosen the colours for the room herself – purple walls and pale green woodwork. It might not have been the choice of most other little girls but Mavis had to admit the colours went well together. Maybe her daughter had an eye for such things even at such a young age.
‘Stay with me, Mummy.’
Grace gazed up and Mavis felt her heart constrict with love. Still, she knew she couldn’t curl up beside the girl on the new bed with its smart white headboard, as James was still up, minding Bobby in his room below. Instead she drew out a battered teddy from behind the pillow. ‘Look who has come all this way to stay with you. Recognise him?’
‘It’s Little Ted!’ Grace exclaimed, and the tears stopped. She’d taken a fancy to the children’s TV programme Play School, which she’d been able to watch when visiting their old neighbours, the Bonners, and Little Ted was her favourite toy on it. So she’d named her own teddy after him. Mavis was hoping to get a television for the flat but thought it best not to mention it until it happened, or Grace would be inconsolable.
The doorbell rang and Mavis had to take a moment to realise what the unfamiliar sound was. Back in Harwood Street everyone just banged on the door, but Pete had insisted they had a bell, so that Mavis would be able to hear it from the top floor. ‘Right, time to say night-night. See if you can race Little Ted to be first asleep.’ She kissed the top of her daughter’s head as Grace snuggled down, pulling the new purple eiderdown up to her chin. ‘Sleep tight.’
‘Mmmmmm.’ Grace was already seriously challenging Little Ted to the prize.
Mavis paused at the mirror in the hallway, checking her hair, even though she knew she’d hardly be expected to look glamorous after a day moving house. Her dark curls were flattened where they usually bounced attractively but her blue eyes had that sparkle which always appeared when she knew she’d soon see Tommy. Brushing the dust from her cardigan, which she’d thrown over her shift dress, she ran down the stairs. Although it had only been a couple of days she didn’t want to be parted from Tommy for a minute longer.
She could see his silhouette through the glass panels in the upper part of the front door that both flats shared. He was tall, and also had dark curly hair, which he kept quite short or it would have got in the way. Tommy had trained as a signwriter, but now he managed his own firm and didn’t do so much of the painting himself. He ran the business from a yard not far from where they’d grown up, much to the disgust of his meddlesome mother who couldn’t get over the fact her son had gone through the disgrace of a divorce.
Tommy grinned broadly as she opened the door and immediately stepped in and took her in his arms. ‘Hello, gorgeous.’
‘Stop it, Tommy, the neighbours will see!’ Mavis reached around him and pushed the door shut again.
‘Thought you didn’t care?’
‘Not normally, no, but why give them something to gossip about if we don’t have to.’ Mavis led him into Lily and Pete’s flat. ‘Come and look around. James is through there, minding Bobby, so we’ll leave that room till last. But here’s the living room. Have a seat while I make you a cup of tea.’
Tommy looked around at the three-piece suite clustered around the electric fire in the tiled grate. ‘Very nice, but I’d rather be with you. Show me the kitchen.’ He followed her through to the back of the house. ‘How did the move go? Everything unpacked yet?’
‘You must be joking.’ She pointed at a pile of boxes, still bulging with their contents. ‘We’ve only got as far as the essentials. I haven’t even found my own teapot, I’ve just used Mum’s.’ She handed him a cup and reached for one herself. ‘Haven’t found a matching set yet, but I don’t suppose you’ll mind?’
‘Hardly. I’d drink out of tin cans as long as it was with you.’ He pulled her close again. ‘I love to see you so happy. Give me a kiss, a proper one.’ He bent his face to hers. ‘Listen, I’ve got something for you.’ He reached into his jacket pocket.
Mavis rested her head against his shoulder. ‘Silly, I don’t need a present.’
‘I know you don’t but I wanted to mark the occasion.’ He drew out the little box.
Mavis gasped. For a moment she hesitated and an uncertain look came into her eyes. ‘What … what’s this, Tommy?’
‘Go on, open it.’
With trembling fingers she took off the lid, to reveal a sparkling gold chain attached to a small locket. ‘Oh, Tommy.’
‘Do you like it?’ He could hardly keep the eagerness from his voice. ‘I know it’s not your birthday until April but I saw it in a jeweller’s window and I knew it would look just right on you. Do you want me to fasten it for you?’
‘Please.’ Mavis took a deep breath and tried to calm down. For a second she’d been struck with fear and yet it was mixed with desperate hope. Now she felt stupid for having overreacted. It was a beautiful present, and from the name on the box it must have been expensive, but it was a necklace. ‘There’s a mirror over the fireplace so let’s go back to the front room where I can see it. Thank you so much, Tommy, that’s really thoughtful.’
She led him into the sitting room and switched on the table lamp in the corner near the mantelpiece. Now she could see how lovely the present was, and that it sat perfectly just above her collarbone. How well Tommy knew her. He stood just behind her and gazed at her reflection in the big mirror. He bent his head so he could whisper in her ear.
‘You look gorgeous. Is it all right?’ His eyes were bright with pleasure.
Mavis turned around so he could kiss her again. As he dropped his head and his lips met hers, she told herself not to be ridiculous, but couldn’t help a shudder of relief tinged with disappointment. She’d thought just fleetingly that it was a ring in the little box and he was going to ask her to marry him. Mavis knew she couldn’t say yes – she didn’t know when she would be free. She was overwhelmed with a need to give herself to this man who loved her and understood her, who she believed would do anything for her. But after what she had been through with Alec, she couldn’t.
Not yet. Maybe never. She just couldn’t.
Chapter Three
‘And then he left me there, stranded!’ Rhona was outraged. ‘Can you believe it?’
‘I hope you told him where to get off,’ said Penny loyally. ‘I hope you rang him this morning and gave him a right earbashing. What a thing to do. Anything could have happened to you.’
‘And I was freezing!’ Rhona continued. ‘I had my new miniskirt on and how was I to know we were going there on his motorbike? Then I had to get night buses home. All the way from bleeding Enfield. Can I have one of your fags?’ She reached across the scratched wood coffee table to her friend’s handbag. ‘I left my last packet in his jacket and I’ve not had a change to buy any more. I made
him give me it to wear once we got there, and now the bastard has got them, and I hope he bloody chokes.’
‘Serve him right,’ said Penny. She’d come round as soon as breakfast was finished to see how the night had gone and to share in the excitement, only to find her colleague furious and swearing vengeance. Kenneth had made good his promise to take Rhona to see the Rolling Stones and then to get her backstage after the concert. His claims to know the band’s crew weren’t idle boasts. The trouble was, he’d been asked along to the after-show party but it had been made clear extra friends weren’t welcome, even those as young and glamorous as Rhona. It turned out the band had more than enough of those kinds of followers already. So Kenneth had dropped Rhona without a backward glance, leaving her to make her own way back to the other side of London late on a Friday night, without so much as a cigarette for comfort. Of course he hadn’t answered his phone that morning. Someone in his shared digs had taken the call, not best pleased to have been woken before midday, but Kenneth was nowhere to be found. He’d be sleeping off his hangover somewhere safe from Rhona’s rage.
‘Was it worth it though?’ Penny wondered. She pulled at her own miniskirt, which she’d got from the market. It looked all right but the material was cheap and scratchy, and too flimsy for the chilly spring weather. Still, she wouldn’t give in and change it, as it was important to have the right look even round her friend’s house on a Saturday morning. ‘You did see the Stones, after all. I’d kill to see them.’
‘Mmmmm.’ Rhona prolonged the moment. It had been a fantastic gig, she had to admit. The energy of the band had been electric and she’d been totally mesmerised by Brian Jones. She definitely wouldn’t have minded being at the party with him. Damn that Kenneth for denying her the chance. ‘They did loads of their singles, like “Time is on My Side” and “Not Fade Away”. I danced till my feet were sore. Everyone was singing along, you’ve never seen anything like it.’