by Kitty Neale
‘I’ll come with you,’ Constance said.
‘If it’s Denis, it’s me he wants. I don’t want him going for either of you.’
‘Huh,’ Penny said, ‘I’d like to see him try.’
‘You’re like one of those ancient warrior women. I wish I was brave like you,’ Jill said, wringing her hands.
‘Less of the ancient,’ she said, the smile taking the sting out of her words. ‘You don’t have to be a warrior to see a man off. If a bloke tries to hit you, all you’ve got to do is knee him in the balls. That’ll stop him in his tracks.’
The thump came again, louder this time, and followed by a voice. ‘Jill … Jill, get out here. I know you’re in there.’
‘Right, that’s it,’ Penny said, her face set as she marched out of the room.
Constance followed her to the door, and when Penny flung it open, Denis blinked at the sudden flare of light before staggering forward. ‘Oh, no, you don’t,’ Penny spat. ‘You ain’t coming in and if you try, I’ll flatten you.’
‘I want to see my wife.’
‘Well, she doesn’t want to see you, so bugger off.’
Denis did the wrong thing, and as he stepped inside, Constance saw Penny fly into action. Her knee came up and Denis wailed in anguish, doubling over, but Penny hadn’t finished. With an almighty shove she pushed him outside again, her voice a menacing growl. ‘You might have used your wife as a punchbag, you cowardly bastard, but you ain’t laying a finger on her again. Now as I said, bugger off, or there’ll be more where that came from.’
With that, Penny slammed the door and stood for a moment, waiting. When all remained silent, she turned and said, ‘I think he’s gone, and he’d better not come back.’
‘My God,’ Constance said. ‘You were amazing – and to think I said we needed a man around.’
‘They come in handy for some things,’ she said with a saucy wink.
Constance laughed, the tension leaving her body. She had seen what Penny could do and doubted Denis would have the nerve to come back again that night.
‘What are you laughing at?’ Jill asked, hovering nervously in the drawing room doorway.
‘Something Penny said, but you can relax. Denis has gone, Penny saw him off.’
‘She did? That’s amazing.’
‘She was right about kicking them in a certain place. I just saw a demonstration.’
‘If you can pluck up your nerve, Jill, and we all stick together,’ Penny said, ‘nobody can mess with us.’
‘You’re right, Penny. I shouldn’t let Denis rule me, or punch me. And if he turns up again, I’ll face up to him.’
‘I’m pleased to hear it. Now, I don’t know about you two, but I’m knackered and I’m gonna turn in. I’ll see you in the morning.’
Impulsively Constance hugged her and was hugged in return. She did the same to Jill, and then they all went to bed, Constance happy that she had the ammunition to face Albie when he turned up, no doubt waving her father’s death certificate in her face. However, with what she now knew, she would wipe the smug smile straight off his face.
Chapter 42
‘Do you mind if I pop out for an hour or two?’ Constance asked on Saturday morning. ‘I don’t think we have to worry about Albie turning up yet – he won’t be able to get a copy of my father’s death certificate until Monday. My only concern is Denis.’
‘Don’t worry,’ Jill said. ‘I know what he’s like and he was so drunk last night that he’ll be sleeping it off this morning.’
‘If you’re sure. I just want to go to see Ethel, but I won’t stay long.’
‘We’ll be fine, Constance,’ Penny said. ‘You’ve seen what I can do and I’ll do it again if Denis turns up.’
Constance smiled. Yes, she had seen Penny in action and now, as she got ready to go out, she felt reassured. She dressed William and then rang for a cab, appreciating the convenience of having a telephone again.
The journey by taxi didn’t take long, and Ethel greeted her with a beaming smile. ‘Constance, come on in. My goodness, every time I see my great-grandson he seems to have grown inches.’
‘Yes, he’s growing fast.’
‘How are your plans progressing?’ Ethel asked as they walked along to the kitchen.
‘Not as well as I hoped. Albie has found out that my father’s dead.’
‘How?’
‘I’ve no idea, Ethel. But Jill and Penny are living with me now so I guess Albie seeing them at the house must have raised his suspicions. He knew what my father was like and that he would never have allowed them to stay. I suppose it was the only logical explanation and I don’t think that I was quick enough to deny it.’
Ethel placed the kettle on the gas to boil and then sat down at the kitchen table. ‘Oh, dear, I had a sneaking feeling that Albie would find out the truth. But I didn’t think you were ready to take any unmarried mums in yet …’
Constance sat too, holding William on her lap. ‘I’m not, but it turns out these women are my friends,’ she said, going on to tell Ethel about how Penny and Jill had come to live with her in Clapham.
‘Gawd blimey, it seems a lot has happened in such a short time, but at least you’re not rattling around in that big house on your own.’
‘I love having them there, Ethel. It’s sort of like having a family around me.’
‘Yeah, well, you never had much of a life with your parents, or with Dora and Albie, so I’m pleased for you. But what are you going to do about my grandson?’
She would never tell Ethel what she knew about Albie – it would be too much of a shock – so she just said, ‘I’m going to try to pay him off. If I give him enough money, I think he’ll agree to an annulment.’
‘Yeah, that could work.’
Wanting to forget about her worries for a while, Constance said, ‘I hope so, but enough about me. How are you?’
‘I’m fine, love,’ Ethel said as she prepared a pot of tea.
‘And Mary?’
‘Well, I’ve got a bit of news. She’s getting married next May.’
‘Oh, that’s lovely!’
With two cups poured, Ethel sat down again and said, ‘There’s more. They’ll be moving into Percy’s house and he’s going to convert part of it into a flat for me.’
‘Oh, Ethel, that’s lovely too.’
‘Yes, and just as you are welcome here at any time, you’ll be welcome there. I want to see lots of William,’ Ethel said, smiling fondly at her great-grandson.
‘Thanks, and don’t worry, I’ll make regular visits.’
‘Mary had a good idea a while ago. She said you should turn your house into a B&B. It would make more sense than a refuge and generate an income.’
‘It’s a nice suggestion, but I want to do something to help young mothers.’
‘You’re a good girl, Constance, and I can see there’s no changing your mind. Now tell me, what are you doing for Christmas? If you haven’t got anything planned, you could join us.’
‘It’s kind of you to invite me, but as I have Penny and Jill living with me now, we’ll be spending Christmas together.’
Constance finished her tea and they chatted for a while, but then she said, ‘I’m sorry I can’t stay longer, but I’d best get back. There’s always the chance that Albie or Jill’s husband will turn up again.’
‘From what I’ve heard, you’ll cope well enough if they do. You’ve grown more assured, and I think you’re able to deal with Albie. Just make sure you let me know how you get on.’
‘Don’t worry, I will. You’ll see me soon, I promise,’ Constance told her. It was true she did feel more assured, but Ethel could never know why.
She said her goodbyes, kissing Ethel’s papery cheek, and returned home to find that everything was fine.
The weekend passed with no further disturbances, no sign of Denis or Albie, but Constance felt it was the calm before the storm.
Albie wasn’t happy. He was at the Registrar of Births, Deat
hs and Marriages, but with only Burton Blake’s name and address, he was told it would take time to search the records.
‘Have you got his date of birth, or death?’ the officious-mannered man asked.
‘No, sorry.’
‘In that case, I would suggest that you come back tomorrow when we might have found the death certificate for you.’
‘Can’t you search for it today?’
‘I’m afraid not. With so little information, these things take time.’
Defeated, Albie left, still in a bad mood when he climbed out of his car on Kibble Street.
‘Hello, Albie,’ Ivy Nelson said, passing with a bag of shopping. ‘Was what I told you about Jill Black moving in with Connie useful?’
‘Yeah,’ Albie said shortly.
‘I thought it might be. Did you go to see Connie?’
Albie was in no mood for this. Ivy was fishing for gossip, but he’d give her something else to chew on. He was still peeved at the way Penny had spoken to him, the cheeky mare, and said, ‘Yeah, I went round there, but guess what. Jill Black ain’t the only one who’s moved in with Connie. Your slut of a daughter has too.’
Ivy bristled. ‘My daughter isn’t a slut.’
‘She is. She’s a dirty cow with her dirty baby.’
‘You shut your mouth Albie Jones. I ain’t having you talking about my girl like that.’
‘Huh, don’t make me laugh. You must feel the same or you wouldn’t have chucked her out.’
Ivy’s mouth opened and closed like a fish floundering out of water. ‘You … you …’ she stuttered. ‘Wait till I tell your mother about this.’
‘You do that, Ivy,’ Albie jeered, and opening his front door he stomped inside, leaving Ivy standing gobsmacked on the pavement.
Later that day, Ivy stood behind her net curtains waiting to see Dora coming home and hopefully Albie going out. It had shaken her when he’d called Penny a slut and her baby dirty, and it had woken her up in a way, opening her eyes to her prejudice. She had cared more about what the neighbours would think than about her own daughter. All right, so the baby wasn’t white, but she was still her granddaughter. Melvin had said she was beautiful and that Penny had called her Kimberly.
There was Dora going in now, and hopefully, once he’d eaten, Albie would go out to work as he did every evening. With dinner to cook, Ivy kept one eye on the simple left-over fry-up and one on the street, but it wasn’t until her husband and son came home and they’d all eaten that she saw Albie leave.
‘I’m popping next door to see Dora,’ she said, not waiting for any comments as she hurried out the back door.
‘Hello,’ Dora greeted her when she went in. ‘It’s bloomin’ freezing and Albie almost let the fire go out.’
Ivy sat down on a fireside chair and asked, ‘Dora, do you think I was too hard on Penny?’
‘What’s brought this on?’
‘Albie called her a slut and it sort of upset me.’
‘He shouldn’t have said that. I’ll have a word with him.’
‘No, it’s fine, it done me a favour really. It made me open my eyes and I want to see Penny now, and her baby. I need to apologise and ask her to come home.’
‘I’m glad you’ve come to your senses.’
‘Have you got Connie’s address? Albie said that Penny is staying with her.’
‘Yes, I think so. I went there on their wedding day. I didn’t get out of the taxi but I’ll never forget the sight of her father’s house. It’s huge and I couldn’t see Connie ever settling in Kibble Street. It turns out I was right.’
Ivy refrained from saying that Albie had ruined any chance of that for the girl and that at times Dora had made it hard for her too. She didn’t want to ruin their re-burgeoning friendship so just said, ‘Can you give me the address then?’
‘Yeah, sorry,’ Dora said, and she stood up and went over to a small sideboard. ‘I’ll write it down for you.’
‘I hope I don’t get the door shut in my face.’
‘You won’t if Connie answers it. I don’t like it that she left Albie, but one thing I do know is that the girl’s polite.’
Ivy had seen a side to Albie that she didn’t like, a nasty side, and now felt a twinge of sympathy for Connie, but once again kept her opinion to herself. ‘Thanks, love,’ she told Dora when she was handed the piece of paper. ‘I’ll go to see Penny tomorrow.’
‘I hope you can mend bridges.’
Ivy left, hoping she could do just that, but after the way she’d treated her daughter, she might not be forgiven.
Chapter 43
Constance called down to the basement on Tuesday morning, ‘Penny, can you come up here?’
Kimberly was a bit fretful so Penny picked her up and called back, ‘I’m coming.’
Constance was standing at the top of the stairs and seemed nervous. ‘There’s someone here to see you,’ she whispered. ‘I wasn’t sure if I should have invited her in, but I didn’t like to leave her outside in the cold.’
‘Who is it?’
‘Your mother.’
‘I don’t want to see—’
‘Penny, please, I just want to talk to you,’ Ivy said as she appeared in the hall.
‘Why don’t you take her down to the basement where you can talk in private,’ Constance suggested.
Penny huffed, but Kimberly’s arms were waving in distress and she wanted to stay calm. ‘Yes, all right,’ she said shortly.
‘Can I hold the baby?’ her mother asked, pulling out a chair and sitting down before holding her arms outstretched.
Penny threw her mother a dirty look.
Ivy appeared awkward and glanced around the kitchen. ‘Is this where you sleep?’ she asked.
‘Yeah.’
‘It can’t be much fun living in a basement.’
‘It’s fine. We’re fine.’
‘Penny, I treated you badly and I’m sorry. Please, love, come home.’
‘I suppose that’s on condition that I give up my baby.’
‘No, love, you’re both welcome.’
‘What about the neighbours?’
‘Sod the neighbours.’
‘Huh, you’ve changed your tune, but it’s too late. I’m not bringing my baby to Kibble Street to be looked down on or spat on by anyone. I’d have their eyes out first.’
‘So would I, love. She’s beautiful,’ Ivy said. ‘Can I hold her?’
‘No, Mum, just go.’
‘Please, Penny, she’s my grandchild.’
‘A grandchild that you rejected. I had to take her to live in a dank, grotty bedsit ’cos you were ashamed of her, and of me. If it wasn’t for Constance I’d still be there now.’
‘I know, and I hate myself for what I put you through. Please, love, come home.’
‘No, I’m staying here.’
‘Can I at least come to see you now and then?’
‘I dunno, maybe.’
‘How about one day next week?’
‘I’ll think about it.’
‘I’ll have to be satisfied with that, but can I at least hold her, if only for a minute?’
‘I suppose so, but you don’t deserve to.’
Penny saw the tenderness on her mother’s face as she held her granddaughter for the first time, but she still couldn’t forgive her. As a mother herself, she shouldn’t have expected her to give up her baby, black or not. However, was it fair on Kimberly to cut her grandmother out of her life? There was her grandfather too, but no matter what, she wasn’t going back to Kibble Street. Not ever. ‘You can come to see her, and bring Dad too if he wants to come, but don’t make it more than once a fortnight.’
‘Oh, love, thank you,’ Ivy croaked.
‘I’m only allowing it for Kimberly’s sake,’ Penny told her, but deep down she knew it was for her own sake too. Despite everything her mother had put her through, she still loved her – she just didn’t want to live with her again. She had grown to like her independence, and wasn’t goin
g to give it up.
Albie arrived at two that afternoon, and when Constance opened the door, he waved a document as he marched inside. ‘You’re going to pay for trying to do me out of what is rightfully mine.’
‘When you married me you had nothing, just the money my father bribed you with, and as we’ve been married for less than a year, what makes you think you’re entitled to anything?’
‘’Cos I’m your husband.’
‘Do you want me to chuck him out?’ Penny asked as she came up from the basement.
‘I’d like to see you try,’ Albie sneered. ‘It’s you who’s going to be thrown out.’
‘No, l don’t think so,’ Constance said, ‘and if you don’t want your secret to be heard, I suggest you come with me to my father’s study.’
‘What secret?’ Albie blustered, but there was something confident in Connie’s manner that made his stomach churn.
‘I think you know, but do you want me to spell it out here, in front of Penny?’
‘No,’ Albie said quickly and he followed Constance to the study, his bluster now replaced with fear. As she turned to face him, he braced himself.
‘I know about you, Albie.’
‘Know what?’ he said, yet knew he was wasting his breath.
‘That you used me, Albie, not only to get money from my father, but to cover your true nature.’
‘You was pregnant and I married you. You should be thankful for that.’
‘Thankful? You made my life a misery, and now I want the annulment you agreed to.’
‘What about the money?’
‘You don’t deserve a penny, but I’ll give you two thousand pounds – the same amount my father paid you to marry me. However, for that amount I will want sole custody of William, though of course I will still allow you and your mother to see him.’
‘I could fight for more.’
‘Very well, I’ll withdraw the offer and let it be known what you are.’
‘No, you can’t do that. It’s illegal and I could end up in prison.’
‘Then accept my offer.’
Albie knew he was beaten. He could guess how Connie found out – Melvin must have told her – yet it was impossible to pay him back for opening his mouth. After all, as far as Albie knew, Connie could be the only person Melvin had told. Melvin had too much to lose too, so Albie doubted he’d opened his mouth to anyone else. ‘All right, you win,’ he reluctantly said.