CHAPTER 24
England
During the afternoon Jake said casually, ‘I’ll run you to your meditation class after tea, Peggy love.’
She looked at him pleadingly. ‘Don’t make me go tonight, Jake.’
‘Is that how you think of it, making you go?’
She nodded.
‘But it’s your only chance to get out of the house and do something on your own.’
‘I think I’ve lost the habit of doing things on my own.’
He fell silent, not wanting to sound like a bully but feeling quite sure she ought to go.
Peggy watched him shake his head and knew he was disappointed with her, but he didn’t say anything so she got on with preparing the tea. The class hadn’t been bad last time, actually, and the woman she’d met – Jane – had been very friendly. She ought to go, really.
She waited for Jake to urge her to do so, but he didn’t, and perversely she was disappointed. In the end she said, ‘I’ve changed my mind. I will go to the class. If that’s still all right with you about the lift?’
He beamed at her. ‘That’s my lass.’
As she went into the centre, Peggy felt as if someone was watching her, so stopped behind a huge potted tree to peer outside. There was a car parked in the street with no lights on and someone sitting inside. It was a white Toyota like Hartley’s, but she couldn’t read the number plate at this distance. It couldn’t be theirs, though, because it had a badly dented wing.
She was just being silly, seeing dragons where there were none.
She signed in for the class and went along to the big room at the rear of the building. To her huge relief, she saw Jane there already. She hesitated, but the other woman smiled so she went across to join her. ‘You came again.’
Jane nodded. ‘I certainly did. If I don’t get away from the crises at home I’ll go mad.’
‘Things still bad?’
‘Yeah. And you?’
Peggy found herself telling Jane about the chopped up embroideries.
‘Anyone who does that sort of thing is sick in the head. My goodness, what have you been putting up with over the years?’
Peggy stared at her and it was as if the pieces of a jigsaw puzzled fell into place. ‘A lot. Hartley’s never hit me, but he’s often hurt me with his cutting remarks. I can see that now, because my brother is so very different.’
Jane patted her hand. ‘Well, you’ve come to the right place here to sort yourself out.’
‘Are you getting counselling help too?’
‘No, just doing these classes as a respite. My husband is usually pleasant enough, but he’s lost his job and he’s been in a foul mood, not to mention drinking too much. I’m giving him until the end of the school year and if he doesn’t improve by then, I’ll have to do something about him – though I haven’t worked out what yet.’
Do something about him. Peggy wondered why she hadn’t tried to do something about Hartley. Because she was a coward, that’s why.
The instructor came in just then. There were only six women present for the class, so they got plenty of individual attention and by the end of it, Peggy was feeling more relaxed than she had for ages. As she turned towards the door, chatting to Jane, it banged open and a man burst in, glaring round the room until his eyes settled on her.
Hartley.
‘Ah!’ he said and moved forward.
Peggy screamed in terror, clutching Jane’s arm. ‘Don’t let him get me!’
* * *
Rosie was angry with her dad on her own behalf but was also beginning to worry about the way he was drinking. He didn’t seem like himself any more.
He didn’t join them for tea and her mother looked tight-lipped as she served the food, not joking with Casey about eating his salad as she usually did, but ordering him curtly to get on with it, for heaven’s sake.
When the meal was over Rosie and Casey cleared up, then went back upstairs, passing the door of the den, which was shut tight. They exchanged glances and then went into their bedrooms. Casey would muck around with his computer before he settled into his homework, she knew, but she preferred to get her assignments out of the way, then do what she wanted for the rest of the evening.
Only tonight she couldn’t settle and though there was a TV programme she usually watched, she didn’t go down because she heard her dad crashing about in the kitchen and swearing.
Casey came in to see her later on. ‘You didn’t go down to watch your programme.’
‘No. You didn’t, either.’
He shrugged. ‘Not worth the hassles.’
‘Tell me about it.’ She started fiddling with her pen. ‘Dad cares too much about that job of his. He always has.’
‘Yeah. Fancy something to eat?’
‘You can’t be hungry already!’
He grinned and patted his belly. ‘What can I say? I’m a growing boy. I’m taller than you now.’
That still made her feel strange. She’d always been the big sister, but he’d shot up like a weed this year. There were a lot of things making her feel strange lately. She suddenly realized why Casey had come to see her and was hovering near the door. ‘I’ll go down with you, shall I? I fancy a cup of hot chocolate.’
The kitchen was in a mess again where their father had made himself a sandwich. He’d left out the cheese without bothering to wrap it up and the butter container was open nearby, with a half-eaten sandwich left at one end of the breadboard.
And there was another wine cork on the draining board.
‘That’s the second bottle tonight. He’ll be paralytic,’ Casey whispered.
‘Let’s get some food for you and go back to our rooms quickly. Never mind about the hot chocolate.’
They crept up the stairs like two thieves, stopping when they heard a sound… Their father was sobbing.
They looked at one another in horror and separated at the top of the stairs without a word.
Everything was upside down lately, Rosie thought, as she put on some music and took out a novel her friend had lent her. But she couldn’t settle to it. Her father’s crying had been such an unhappy sound.
She looked at her watch. Her mother was normally back by this time. What was keeping her so long?
* * *
The instructor went to stand in front of Peggy and when Jane moved to position herself beside her friend, the other women followed, forming a protective half-circle instinctively.
Hartley took a quick stride forward but stopped and swung round as the door opened behind him. The receptionist came in, giving a quick nod in response to the instructor’s questioning look. The newcomer stayed by the door, arms folded.
‘If you touch anyone or interfere with these women’s freedom in any way, you can be charged with assault,’ the instructor told Hartley. ‘Please leave the premises at once.’
‘It’s not assault to want to see my wife. I only want to have a talk with you, Peggy. A talk, that’s all. If we go home, we can sort this nonsense out without interfering busybodies poking their oars in.’
Jane put an arm round her companion, who was shaking like a leaf. ‘You don’t even have to speak to him if you don’t want to,’ she said in a low voice.
At her words Hartley’s face went a dark red, his anger almost a visible cloud around him. But his voice remained chill and controlled. ‘You’re coming home with me, Peggy. Home. It’s where you belong, you know it is.’
She shook her head. ‘No! No, I’m not coming. I’m never coming back.’
As he took another step forward, the group of women moved closer, protecting her.
Hartley lost it then, trying to push the nearest woman out of the way. When she wouldn’t move, he shoved her hard with both hands.
She let out a yelp of shock as she staggered backwards and fell over from the force of his push.
He stopped to scowl down at her. ‘I didn’t push you that hard. Stop pretending.’ He looked back at the group, took a deep breath an
d said slowly and emphatically, ‘You should be ashamed of yourselves, coming between a man and wife.’
The woman on the floor scooted away from him before she stood up.
‘I don’t want to speak to him.’ It came out as a whisper and Peggy was ashamed of that, so gathered her courage together and shouted, ‘Go away, Hartley! I don’t want to talk to you.’ This time her words echoed round the room.
‘Go away!’ he mocked. ‘I’m going nowhere without you, Mrs Wilkes.’
‘I’ll ask you again to leave, sir,’ the instructor said. ‘These are private premises and you’re trespassing.’
He gave her a sneering smile. ‘There’s not one of you here able to make me.’
‘No,’ Jane cried, incensed, ‘but together we can. Don’t underestimate that, you bully.’
He turned to glare at her. ‘I’ll remember your face, you interfering bitch. You’d be wise to stay out of this. What’s between me and Peggy is private.’
The outer door banged and he turned around in time to see two police officers come in.
‘We got a call to say that there was trouble,’ one of them said, her eyes scanning the room quickly and settling on Hartley.
‘These women are keeping me from my wife,’ he said at once.
‘I’ve left him. I don’t want to talk to him,’ Peggy said.
‘He’s been asked several times to leave the premises,’ the instructor said in her calm, quiet voice. ‘And he’s assaulted one woman already.’
Hartley spun round. ‘I’ve assaulted no one.’
‘You knocked that woman to the floor.’
‘Your name, please, sir,’ the male officer said coming to stand close to him.
‘None of your damned business.’
‘He’s called Hartley Wilkes,’ Peggy said.
‘And he did assault me,’ the woman he’d shoved out of the way said. ‘He knocked me over and I bumped my elbow. Look. There’s a bruise.’
‘In that case, I’m arresting you…’
Hartley’s expression of shock at this would have been amusing if this had been happening to someone else, Peggy thought. He always had considered himself above the law, speeding when he thought he’d not get caught, drinking and driving. And until now, he’d got away with it. Serve him right if they arrested him.
‘Mrs Wilkes?’
She waited until Hartley had gone out of the room, then turned to the female police officer, who was standing patiently beside her.
‘If your husband is frightening or hurting you, you may wish to consider taking out an injunction against him, Mrs Wilkes,’ she said in a very gentle voice. ‘Now, could you give me your name and present address, please, and tell me your version of tonight’s events…’
There was a shout in the reception area, ‘Peggy!’
‘I’m here, Jake.’
He came running along to join her. ‘I saw the police car – and Hartley getting into it.’
The police officer moved to stand slightly in front of Peggy.
‘It’s all right, officer. This is my brother. I’m staying with him.’ She turned to Jane and the other women. ‘Thank you for protecting me. I’m really grateful.’
‘Some of us have been in your position,’ the woman who’d been knocked over told her gruffly. ‘Don’t let him talk you out of pressing charges.’
‘I won’t.’
‘What’s happened?’ Jake repeated.
Jane explained while the officer was taking down details from Peggy.
He looked at her in shock. ‘I’d never have believed Hartley capable of this.’
‘Your brother-in-law was so angry, I think he was beyond reason.’
Peggy finished talking to the officer and came to join them, feeling washed out. ‘We can go home now, Jake.’
‘I’m sorry I persuaded you to come here tonight,’ he said. ‘I won’t make that mistake again.’
‘You didn’t persuade me, I chose to come. And I’m going to keep coming, because I really enjoy doing meditation.’ She could see the surprise on his face. ‘You were right, Jake, love. I do need to make friends and talk to other women. I’ve been like – like a prisoner for the past few years. And what’s more, the minute we get home I’m ringing Cheryl up and telling her I’ve left her father for good.’
As soon as they got to Jake’s house, she picked up the phone. ‘Cheryl? I have something to tell you. Well, I’m afraid your friends will have to wait. No, listen to me. This is important. I’ve left your father and I’m not going back to him.’
Jake could hear Cheryl’s screech of shock from across the room. He watched Peggy trying to speak her niece and not succeeding.
In the end, she said quietly, ‘If you won’t listen to me, I’m not wasting any more time on you.’
She put the phone down and leaned back in her chair, tears leaking from her eyes and smearing her glasses. ‘She doesn’t believe me, Jake. She’s taking her father’s side, won’t even listen to mine, says it’s no wonder he gets impatient with me.’
‘Unkind, I call that.’
‘She’s always been Daddy’s girl and he treats her very differently from me.’ Peggy pulled off her spectacles and started to clean them on a tissue, staring blindly at the television, seeing nothing but a blur of colours. She was relieved that Jake didn’t try to talk to her. It really hurt when a daughter wouldn’t even try to listen.
But she wasn’t going back to Hartley. His behaviour tonight had made her absolutely certain of that. It was such a relief to have made the decision! The peaceful little flat of her dreams seemed possible now.
She didn’t want him to try to hurt Jake, though, because of her staying here. Or Jane. No, he wouldn’t know where Jane lived, so her friend was safe. But maybe she should ask about that women’s refuge when she went to see Gillah tomorrow. She still hated the idea of going to one, but she didn’t want to put her brother in danger.
* * *
When Jane arrived home there were lights on upstairs and in the den, but the other rooms of the house were dark. She was still feeling shaken by the encounter with Peggy’s husband. Fancy being married to a man like that!
She went into the den and found her husband sprawled with his head on his arms, an empty bottle on its side next to him and a half-full bottle standing so close that if he moved he’d knock it over.
Fancy being married to a man like this!
No, no! she told herself hastily, feeling guilty for even thinking that. Stu wasn’t normally like this. It was just a phase he was going through.
She went and picked up the bottle with wine in it, then closed the door behind her. She could have used some comfort herself tonight, but not the sort that came in a bottle.
There were footsteps on the landing and she looked up to see Rosie staring down at her.
‘Are you all right, Mum? You usually call out when you come in.’
‘No, I’m not all right.’ Feeling suddenly shaky Jane went and sat down on a chair in the kitchen, glad to hear Rosie running down the stairs because she needed to be with someone. ‘There was trouble at the meditation class and I—’ She broke off, unable to continue, shuddering violently and holding herself.
Rosie was across the room in a flash, putting her arms round her mother, murmuring reassuringly as if their roles had been reversed. ‘It’s all right. I’m here. It’s all right.’
The shuddering passed and Jane blinked at her daughter, her eyes full of tears. ‘Sorry. But it was such an ugly scene and he – the other woman’s husband – threatened me as well because I stood by her and comforted her. She was terrified, Rosie, shaking and white. How could I not put my arm round her?’
‘Mum, that’s terrible! We have to tell Dad. Or should we call the police?’
‘The police were there. They said to be careful for the next few days, but he was probably just mouthing off because he was angry. And anyway, he doesn’t know where I live. Only… you should have seen his face when we stood between him a
nd Peggy. It was like one of those horror masks, grotesque, full of hatred.’ She was still clinging to Rosie.
‘Shall I fetch Dad?’
‘He’s out of it.’
‘Not again!’
More footsteps on the stairs and Casey appeared, stopping in the doorway to stare at them. ‘What’s the matter? You OK, Mum?’
So Jane had to explain all over again.
‘You need a brandy or something,’ Casey said.
She looked at the half-empty wine bottle she’d brought in from the den. ‘I think we have enough drinking going on in this house. How about a cup of hot chocolate all round instead?’
‘I’ll make it,’ Rosie said.
Jane grabbed her hand. ‘Thank you.’
‘What for?’
‘Being there, comforting me.’
‘It’s what you and Dad have always said. Families look after one another.’
Only Stu wasn’t looking after them, was he? He was sunk deep in his own misery, thinking only of himself. Jane was disgusted with him.
Casey sprawled on a chair while Rosie got the hot chocolate ready. Awkwardly he patted his mother on her shoulder, giving her a little nod and a half-smile but saying nothing.
‘What if that man comes after you?’ Rosie asked when they were all sitting down with mugs of steaming chocolate.
Jane shook her head. ‘I don’t know. I’ve never been in this sort of situation before. What does one do?’
‘We’ll all have to keep watch,’ Casey said enthusiastically. ‘You wouldn’t know what sort of car he had, would you, Mum?’
She shook her head.
‘You could ask your friend Peggy. She’ll know.’
‘I suppose so. But I doubt it’ll come to that. Being arrested will give him a shock, I’m sure. He wasn’t a layabout and he wasn’t drunk, he was wearing a smart business suit. And Peggy’s going to take out an injunction against him. He won’t even remember me in a few days’ time.’
‘But what if he does?’ Casey worried.
‘Well, you can keep your eyes open,’ she said lightly, sure now that she’d overreacted. They were a great pair of kids. She was so lucky.
Family Connections Page 19