by Kitty Neale
‘You’d better come in,’ she said, but then her eyes softened when she looked at William sitting happily in the pushchair.
Seeing Dora he lifted his arms to her and Constance felt a twinge of guilt. William loved his grandmother but she’d taken him away from her. Yet even as this thought formed, she dismissed it. Dora hadn’t exactly made her life easy with her changeable moods – sometimes nasty, sometimes sulky, sometimes nice. William would still see her, but not as often.
‘Can I take him out of the pushchair?’
‘Yes, of course. Where’s Albie?’
‘He ain’t here. He said he’ll see Billy next time.’
‘That shows how much he cares about his son.’
‘He does in his own way and you had no right to run off with Billy like that.’
‘Our marriage has been a farce and you know that, Dora. You’ve seen and heard the way Albie treats me, so is it any wonder that I’ve left him?’
‘For Billy’s sake you should have tried harder to make the marriage work,’ Dora said, holding William in her arms.
‘That would take two, and there was no effort on Albie’s part.’
‘He works hard to provide for you both, working a shitty night-shift job.’
‘Most of his wage stays in his own pocket.’
‘He gives me housekeeping money and he treats you.’
‘If he had his own home to run it would cost him a great deal more, but I’m wasting my breath as I don’t want to argue with you. Would you like me to leave William with you and I’ll pick him up in a couple of hours?’
‘Yeah, that’d be nice.’
‘Very well,’ Constance said, giving William a kiss on his cheek before leaving. It was a warm autumn day and she’d planned to go to the park. She hoped to find Melvin on his favourite bench, and if she did, there was something she wanted to discuss with him.
Albie was in Clapham. He had watched Connie leave and approached her father’s house. He had his spiel well rehearsed. He would tell the old man that when he died he’d be taking over the house and sitting pretty spending his money. He’d then go in for the kill, saying that for ten thousand pounds he’d agree to an annulment.
Still running the words through in his head Albie knocked on the door, and then rang the bell, but nobody came to let him in. Puzzled he went down to the basement, but the same thing happened, the door remaining firmly closed. Surely it wasn’t the cook’s day off too? Frustrated, he had to give up. Only for now, though, he thought on his drive home. He didn’t want to discuss an annulment with Connie; with no money of her own there wasn’t any point. But he’d try to see her father again next time she brought Billy to see them.
Constance walked quickly to the park, avoiding looking at anyone on her way out of Kibble Street. She didn’t want to be waylaid with questions from nosy neighbours, and thankfully none of those were in sight.
‘Melvin, I was hoping to find you here,’ Constance said as she sat down beside him on the bench.
‘Hello, Connie. I see you haven’t got your baby with you. Is he all right?’
‘Yes, but it’s a longish story. I’ve left Albie and moved back to my father’s house. I told Albie they could still see William, so he’s with Dora for a couple of hours.’
‘So your father returned from his travels and agreed to take you in. I’m pleased for you.’
‘Melvin, if I tell you something, will you promise to keep it to yourself? Albie mustn’t find out or it could ruin all my plans.’
‘I won’t say a word.’
‘The truth is, my father died abroad.’
‘Connie, I’m so sorry.’
‘Thank you. As you can imagine, it was quite a shock but I’ve not had time to dwell on it. There’s been a lot of work to do to get the house back up and running. Has Penny had her baby?’
‘Yes, but she hasn’t given it up. My mother won’t let her bring it home, so Penny is hoping the council will house her. In the meantime she’s living in a grotty bedsit and I’m doing my best to help her out. She gets a bit of financial help from the Social, but once she’s paid the rent, it doesn’t leave much.’
‘It must be hard for her. Is she good with the baby?’
‘Yeah, she’s a great mum. It may not be much of a place, but she keeps the bedsit immaculate – and the baby too.’
‘Melvin, I’ve been thinking. As I’m so busy with the house, do you think Penny would like to come and live with me? There’s a nice little flat in the basement that she can have rent-free in exchange for babysitting and cooking.’
‘It’s a lovely offer, but are you sure about this? You hardly know my sister.’
‘She once came to assure me that Albie wasn’t her baby’s father. She didn’t have to do that, and it was nice of her. I think we could get on, and it would be lovely to have someone I know living in the house with me.’
‘I must admit Penny used to be a bit wild, but she’s different now. I think having a baby has made her grow up.’
‘I’m glad she stood her ground and kept her child, but there must be other single mums being forced to give their babies up.’
‘I don’t see why. They could do the same as Penny, claim welfare and rent a room.’
‘What if they’re too young, ruled by their parents, or too afraid to go it alone? I for one would have welcomed somewhere to go when I was pregnant, but with no money and nowhere else to live, I had no choice but to marry Albie. I had no idea I could claim welfare or council housing. Instead my father told me that if I didn’t marry Albie I would be thrown onto the streets.’
‘I didn’t know it was as bad as that for you. I assumed you wanted to marry Albie.’
‘No, I’m afraid I didn’t. Anyway, because of what I went through I want to turn my house into a sort of refuge. I’d like it to be a place to stay for young women who don’t want to give up their babies, and where they can get advice on applying for welfare and housing. Somewhere safe until they are able to stand on their own two feet.’
‘Connie, it’s a nice idea, but have you considered the cost?’
‘Once they obtain welfare, they can contribute to the household expenses.’
‘I doubt that would be enough to cover it.’
‘Maybe not, but I’m comfortably off now and the interest from some of my father’s investments should be sufficient to cover the costs.’
‘If you say so, but are you sure you want to live in a house full of mums and babies?’
‘I’ll have my own separate sanctuary.’
‘It sounds like you’ve thought of everything.’
‘I hope so, but with so much to do to get the house ready, I really do need some help. Do you think Penny would be interested?’
‘I don’t know, Connie, but probably. I’ll go and talk to her.’
‘Right then, here’s my address. If Penny wants to accept my offer she can move in as soon as she likes. She’ll have to bring her baby’s crib because at the moment I haven’t any spare cots. I’ve also decided to ask everyone to revert to my given name of Constance. I never really liked being called Connie.’
‘Constance it is, and it suits you,’ Melvin said as he rose to his feet. ‘If Penny wants to move in with you I’ll probably have to give her a hand with her stuff, so you might see me later too.’
Constance smiled warmly at Melvin, and when he left she sat looking at the lake, the fronds of the willow tree reflecting in the calm water. Turning the house into a refuge had been a big decision and she hoped she hadn’t rushed into it. It wouldn’t be easy, sharing her home with women she didn’t know, but she’d already decided to make a small, separate apartment for herself on the top floor. The rooms under the eaves had sloping ceilings, and in the morning she’d ask a builder for a quote to carry out the conversion. She wanted two of the smaller rooms converted into a kitchenette and a bathroom. The other two would be her bedroom and sitting room.
A glance at her watch showed Constance it was time to collect William. In
case Penny did turn up later she would have to make up the bed in the basement flat. More things to add to her growing list, she thought, while walking back to Kibble Street. She would need extra baby equipment, sheets, pillowcases and blankets, along with towels. But her bank account was healthy and her father’s investments were performing well. It had been a pleasant shock to discover her father’s wealth, after he had been so parsimonious with her mother and the staff.
Her planning made the walk pass quickly. Albie responded to her knock and stood aside to let her enter. Constance found herself tense, worried about his reaction, but he said calmly, ‘I suppose you thought leaving me like that was clever.’
‘No, not clever, just necessary. I was worried about how you’d react.’
‘Well, you needn’t have been. I couldn’t give a toss.’
‘Yes, you made it clear from the start how you felt about me.’
‘And you made it obvious that you looked down on me.’
‘That’s enough,’ Dora said. ‘If this turns into a row it’ll upset Billy.’
‘You’re right. It’s time I left,’ Constance said, wanting out of this house and all the bad memories it evoked.
‘You’ll bring him again Sunday week?’ Dora appealed.
‘I said I would.’
‘Bye, my darling,’ Dora said, hugging William and kissing him on his red cheeks before reluctantly putting him in his pushchair.
Constance could see how much William meant to Dora and once again felt a surge of guilt, yet it wasn’t enough to make her stay in a loveless and unfulfilled marriage. She said a swift goodbye, noting Albie’s lack of response. Dora might love her grandson, but it seemed Albie still had no time for him, and with that the last of her guilt died.
‘I’ve given it a lot of thought, Ethel, but I don’t want to move back to Clapham, rent-free or not. I like it here.’
‘Yes, I thought you’d say that. I must admit I feel the same.’
‘I also don’t think Percy would be keen on the idea. I think he likes me living close to the café.’
‘More like close to him,’ Ethel said with a warm smile.
‘Probably. It was good of Constance to make the offer though.’
‘I think she wants people she knows around her.’
‘If it was my house I’d turn it into a B&B.’
‘Mary, that’s a really good idea. You’re not as daft as you look,’ Ethel said and chuckled.
‘Well, thanks for that,’ Mary replied, feigning a hurt expression.
‘I’m only kidding, and next time I see Constance I’ll tell her what you’ve come up with. It sounds a better idea than opening a refuge.’
‘It’ll be a lot of work though, too much for one person.’
‘She could employ someone, maybe offer them the basement flat as inducement.’
‘I don’t know what inducement means.’
‘Persuasion, a reason to accept something.’
‘Oh, I get it. A sort of bonus.’
‘Yeah, I suppose you could put it like that.’
‘Is that why you took the job as cook?’
Ethel thought for a moment. It had been a long time ago but she remembered the day they’d moved into the big house like it was only yesterday. She’d been much younger then, filled with excitement at the prospect of a new home and job. ‘We’d been bombed out during the war and lost everything so that flat was like a godsend. I know Mr Burton Blake was mean, and his wife could be demanding, but I was happy enough there. More so when my old man was alive.’
‘Do you still miss him?’ Mary asked.
‘Yes, every day. He was the love of my life.’
‘I wonder if I’ll ever feel the same about Percy.’
‘Time will tell, Mary. Now come on, get the kettle on, I’m parched.’
‘You always are. It’d make life easier if we bought an urn.’
Ethel chuckled. Mary could be a comic at times, and very lovable. She wasn’t surprised that Percy had fallen for her, and despite the gap in their ages, she thought them well suited.
‘So you’re saying Connie is offering me a flat in return for babysitting and a bit of cooking,’ Penny mused. ‘I don’t know, Melvin, it sounds too good to be true.’
‘I’m sure it’s a genuine offer. Connie, or Constance as she’s calling herself now, wants to open a refuge,’ Melvin told his sister, going on to relate what Constance had told him.
‘Huh, you’re making her sound like some sort of saint.’
‘No, not a saint. Just someone who has been through a lot and wants to help others so they don’t have to suffer the same. She was more or less forced to marry Albie and he treated her badly, so much so that she plucked up the courage to leave him.’
‘I used to fancy him and I was jealous of Constance when she married him.’
‘You had a lucky escape. He’d have treated you just as badly.’
‘You don’t know that.’
‘Believe me, I do, but don’t ask me why. Now, do you want to take the job or not?’
‘It’d be nice to get out of this bedsit. The walls are damp and there’s black mould growing.’
‘Surely that’s a good enough reason?’
‘Yeah, but what if the council come up with a flat for me?’
‘That could take ages, and if they do eventually offer you one, then you can still take it. I’m sure Constance would soon find someone else to replace you.’
‘Yeah, I suppose, and I don’t think it’d hurt to give the job a try. Right then, cop hold of Kimberly while I pack.’
Melvin held the baby in his arms and smiled down at his beautiful coffee-coloured niece. His mother was missing out on her granddaughter, who could have brought her so much joy. And why? Because of her prejudice and fear of what the neighbours would say. He had tried to talk to her, told her how beautiful Kimberly was, but she stubbornly refused to listen.
Penny didn’t have a great deal and was soon ready, but there was the pram that doubled as a crib, with a frame that folded. ‘We can’t get on a bus with this lot. I’ll go and find a taxi. My treat,’ he told Penny.
It took fifteen minutes standing on the main road before he could hail a black cab, but at last, after directing the driver to Penny’s place, they loaded her things and were on their way.
Chapter 37
Constance was looking out of the window when Penny and Melvin turned up at seven that evening. She had begun to think that Penny wasn’t interested in her offer, but looking at the suitcase and folding pram that Melvin was taking out of the taxi, it seemed she was. She watched as they looked up at the house, both agog, and she could understand why. It did look impressive, but she hoped they wouldn’t feel intimidated. Instead of the quiet, cold home she had grown up in, Constance wanted to turn it into a welcoming haven.
She went to the front door, opened it and ran lightly down the steps to give Melvin a hand. With a warm smile she said, ‘Hello, Penny.’
‘Hello, Connie. Thank you so much for this. I can’t get over the size of your house.’
‘I told you, she’s Constance again now,’ Melvin told her.
‘Oh, yeah. Sorry. I’ll try to remember.’
Constance grabbed the pram and said, ‘Right, in you come.’
They followed her inside, their eyes still wide as they took in the opulent entrance, and Constance decided they might be more relaxed in the basement flat. ‘I’ll show you the rest of the house later, but for now I expect you’d like to see where you’ll be living.’
‘Yes, please,’ said Penny in little more than a whisper.
Once downstairs Constance said, ‘Sit down and I’ll make us a drink. What do you fancy, a cup of tea, coffee or a cola?’
‘Cola, please,’ they both said and Constance’s eyes were drawn to the baby in Penny’s arms.
‘Oh, she’s gorgeous,’ she enthused, enchanted by the dark-eyed baby. ‘What have you called her?’
‘Kimberly.’
&n
bsp; ‘How lovely,’ Constance said, then went to get the bottles of cola and sat down too. ‘This flat has its own entrance, and a back door to the garden. It only has one bedroom, but there’s a bathroom and living room too. Has Melvin told you that I want to turn the house into a refuge?’
‘Yes, but are you sure you know what you’re letting yourself in for?’
‘I’ve given it a lot of thought, so yes. However, this is the only kitchen so that could be a problem as it means sharing it.’
Penny pursed her lips in consideration. ‘As long as I can lock the doors to my flat, I don’t mind that.’
‘Yes, you can, but it won’t be necessary just yet,’ Constance said, and went on to discuss her plans. It was nice to be able to share her ideas and perhaps get some helpful feedback. ‘I’ve got builders coming to convert the top floor into an apartment for me, and that needs to be completed before I take anyone in. There are another eight bedrooms, and if the need arises I can also convert the library and study into two more. I’ll leave the breakfast room as it is for a communal eating place. That just leaves the drawing room, and once again I’ll leave it as a communal area.’
‘Crikey! All those rooms. It must have been a proper comedown when you moved to Kibble Street,’ Penny said, a hint of sarcasm in her tone.
Constance leaned forward, her eyes meeting Penny’s as she said, ‘If this is going to work, we need to get a few things straight. None of us can help the life we were born into, and this is all I knew. Yes, it was a shock when I saw where I would be living in Kibble Street, but I did my best to fit in. It wasn’t made easy for me and my marriage wasn’t a happy one, but I’ve never looked down on you, or anyone else. But I suffered from it being the other way round – inverted snobbery, people condemning me for the way I talk, which is a product of my upbringing, just as yours is.’
‘Yeah, sorry, I shouldn’t be mean. I think that seeing this house has made me a bit jealous of you.’
‘Thank you for your honesty, but I didn’t find any happiness in this house either. My mother was cold, she drank heavily, and my father was hardly at home. I was an only, and lonely, child, so maybe that’s another reason why I want to offer this place as a refuge. It will be lovely to have the house full and put to good use. Now, with that out of the way, can we be friends, Penny?’