East End Jubilee (17 page)

I’ve tried my best, she thought wearily as she walked away. She decided as she crossed the road that before she met the girls from school she would have forty winks in the chair. Try to
forget all about Olga and the olive branch that had been well and truly shunned.

Rose poked her hand through the letterbox and drew up the string, slotting the key in the lock. She pushed the door open with the wheel of the bike, then froze. Scattered on
the lino in front of her were fragments of china, the remnants of two little boxes that Eddie had given her when they were married.

She dropped the bike against the wall and went down on her knees. What had happened in her absence? Who had done this? Then she jumped up quickly, her next thought for the front room. Her heart
sank as she walked in and surveyed the full extent of the damage. The radiogram was tipped on its side, the two floorboards beneath, removed. She walked slowly towards the gaping hole. Rose stared
into the empty gap. The enormity of what had happened was so overwhelming that she felt she could very easily cry. Bending down she pushed her hand into the darkness. There was nothing there.

No one knew about the floorboards, only Anita and she wouldn’t tell a soul, not even Benny. Rose closed her eyes and opened them. Then slowly it came to her. When she had left this morning
there had been a car at the end of the road, unusual in itself since motor traffic was scarce on the island with only the milkman and baker to clatter along the road with their laden carts. If only
she hadn’t cycled off and returned home instead, trusting to instinct about the car. Could the driver really have been the thief?

Rose replaced the two floorboards and looked around the room, her eyes stinging as she saw her lovely couch with its stuffing pulled out and the moquette all frayed. Whoever it was had searched
very thoroughly, much more so than the police. Fighting the tears she picked up the biscuit barrel and replaced it on the mantel. What was she going to do? All Eddie’s money was gone!

Suddenly there was a bang on the front door. Her heart was beating fast as she walked into the hall and stared at the bedraggled figures of her sister Emily and nephew, Will.

Her sister saw the broken china and dropped the bulging bag she was carrying. ‘Oh, Rosy love, what’s happened?’

‘We’ve been burgled!’ Rose gulped.

‘Burgled?’ Em repeated slowly as if Rose was speaking a foreign language.

‘I’ve been out on me bike and when I came in I found all this.’ She pulled her sister into the front room.

‘Oh, no, your lovely couch!’ Em gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. ‘And Dad’s gram. Is it broken?’

‘I don’t know. I haven’t had a chance to find out. Can you help me lift it?’

‘Will, give us a hand.’ The three of them pushed and pulled until the cabinet was righted and put back on its feet. Rose turned it on gingerly. A strange little whistle was followed
by the reassuring sound of a cut glass voice announcing the forthcoming premiere of the film musical,
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
with Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell.

‘No damage done, I don’t think,’ Rose said, as she twiddled the knobs and all seemed well.

‘Dad used to say it was indestructible,’ Em murmured faintly. ‘How did they get in?’

‘With the key on the string, I suppose.’ Rose turned round and stared at the gaping hole in the floor. How was she going to explain all this to Eddie?

‘What’s this?’ her sister asked as she stepped closer to the hole.

‘Eddie kept a bit of cash down there,’ Rose economized as she replaced the two floorboards quickly. ‘And now it’s all gone.’

‘But who would know it was under there?’ Em was shocked.

‘Only Anita next door. And she wouldn’t breathe a word.’

Tears welled up in her sister’s eyes. ‘And here am I with all me troubles and I didn’t even let you know we were coming.’ She dragged a hanky from her sleeve.
‘It’s ridiculous. I can’t stop crying.’

‘No wonder. You’re a widow now,’ Rose offered gently.

‘It isn’t that, it’s – oh, I can’t tell you.’ She looked around, sniffing loudly and Rose waited patiently whilst her sister shook her head as if fighting
every syllable known to man and mumbling something inaudible instead.

‘Here, dry your eyes, love.’ Rose offered a clean hanky from her pocket. ‘Poor Will, I haven’t said hello,’ she sighed as she turned to her nephew. Like his mother
he looked dishevelled, a lock of blond hair hanging over his big blue eyes, an expression of complete bewilderment written in them. ‘Come here and let me give you a hug.’

Eager arms went around her as she wrapped him in the biggest of bear hugs, inhaling the familiar Lifebuoy soap that Em had always favoured. Rose gave him a big kiss on his cheek.
‘You’re almost as tall as your mum.’

‘Did they go upstairs, Rosy?’ Her sister walked into the hall and looked up the staircase. ‘They aren’t in the house still, are they?’

‘The front door’s been open,’ Rose shrugged. ‘But I didn’t hear anything.’

‘I don’t know how you can keep so calm.’

‘I’m not,’ Rose admitted. ‘Inside I’m all of a shake.’

‘Do you think they were watching, waiting for you to go out?’

Rose shrugged. ‘I saw a car at the top of the road. It was just parked there as if the driver was . . . well, on the lookout for something or someone.’ She stopped, not wanting to
accuse the person or persons without proof, yet she was almost certain now that the occupants of that car had been responsible for this deed.

‘Shouldn’t you tell the police?’

‘What could they do?’ Rose asked as she walked into the hall and stepped carefully over the broken china. ‘I’ve had enough of their big feet traipsing all over this
house. As I told you in my letters, I never want to see a policeman under my roof again.’ She could well do without an inquisition by the police. Five hundred pounds was a fortune in her book
and no doubt in theirs. She couldn’t explain where it had come from nor where it might have gone to.

‘Yes, yes of course,’ her sister agreed in a small voice as Rose closed the front door. ‘Do you think the burglar went upstairs?’

‘There’s only one way to find out.’ Rose pulled back her shoulders and they ascended the stairs in silence.

‘Oh no!’ Em’s voice shrank to a whisper as they walked in the small bedroom. It took all Rose’s strength not to weep at the sight of the girls’ mattresses. Just
like the couch, someone had ripped away with a sharp implement exposing the horsehair inside.

‘These were our mattresses as kids,’ Rose murmured, wondering if she possessed a needle and thread strong enough to repair the damage.

Em nodded, trailing her fingers over the rough edges. ‘They survived the Blitz even. Mum and Dad carried them downstairs to put over the table before we had the shelter.’

‘How could they do such things to children’s beds?’ Rose questioned fiercely. ‘They couldn’t have had hearts.’

‘It’s downright malicious,’ Em agreed hoarsely.

‘I’m beginning to get angry now.’ Rose turned to lead the way to her bedroom. It was as if these people had not only stolen Eddie’s savings, but intentionally violated
their home, too.

‘They’ve done the same in here,’ Em said faintly as they stood on the landing staring in. ‘Oh Rose, they’re monsters.’

At the sight of her big double mattress all ripped and torn Rose wished she could humiliate these sick people as she felt humiliated, degrade them in a way that removed all power from their
thieving, brutal hands.

Rose walked slowly in. All the drawers of her dressing table were open.

‘Your underwear, Rosy! To think they’ve touched your knickers.’

Rose replaced her belongings, trying to hide her anger. She went down on her knees. All Eddie’s socks in the bottom drawer were pushed to one side. The navy blue pair were still rolled in
a ball. She pulled them apart with fingers that shook so much she could hardly control them. Lo and behold the little string of pearls slithered down on her palm.

‘Mum’s matching necklace to my earrings,’ Em whispered as the necklace glowed softly in the daylight.

Rose nodded. ‘They’re safe, Em, and that’s all that counts.’ Rose knew in her heart that if she’d had to choose between the money and the necklace, there would have
been no contest. The pearls meant more to her than any amount of money, even though they were probably worth very little.

‘It’s a good hiding place.’ Em stroked the silky smooth surfaces that had once hung so attractively around their mother’s neck. ‘Aren’t they
beautiful?’

Rose nodded, holding back the tears. ‘Just like she was.’

‘Eddie would have done better to hide his money in his socks,’ Em said as she sank down beside Rose.

‘And I should have thought to take the key off the string,’ Rose said wearily. ‘But it didn’t cross me mind.’

‘Keys on strings are part of everyday life round here,’ Em said with a shrug.

‘We always did it and it’s a hard habit to break,’ Rose nodded as she replaced the pearls and sat back on her heels. ‘I’ll have to tidy up before the girls come
home.’

‘Why don’t we put covers on the mattresses and couch for now? We can mend them later,’ Em suggested.

Rose nodded slowly. ‘Yes, I’ve got some old blankets in the cupboard which would do.’

‘And Will can make use of himself and sweep up the china, can’t you, love?’

The ten-year-old had been silent up till now and Rose looked up at him. ‘Will, I don’t want the girls to know about this,’ she said gently. ‘It might frighten
them.’

‘I won’t tell them.’

‘That’s very grown up of you. Can it be our secret?’

The boy nodded solemnly.

His mother lifted her hand to his shoulder and sighed. ‘He’s good at secrets is our Will.’

Rose didn’t know what her sister meant but she could guess that a great deal had gone on in their lives before leaving Eastbourne.

‘Mum, I want to go,’ he said looking at Em under his fair lashes. ‘I’m bursting.’

‘Do you remember where the toilet is?’

Will shook his head.

‘No, well, you were very young when we last paid Auntie Rose a visit.’ Em gestured to the door. ‘Downstairs, in the backyard you’ll find the washhouse. It’s a
little shed and the toilet’s in it.’ After he’d gone, she sighed. ‘That takes me back, Rosy. We didn’t think anything of going outside for a wee, summer and winter
alike. Sometimes our bums froze to the seat.’

Rose was thinking the same. ‘I still cut up squares of newspaper to tie on the back of the door.’

Em was shaking her head as if in a daze. ‘I’ve been living the life of Lady Muck, enjoying all that Arthur provided and forgetting my roots. This is who I am, Emily Read of forty-six
Ruby Street, a two up and two downer, and I should have been proud of the fact.’

Rose was shocked to hear her sister speak in such a way. ‘Em, whatever do you mean?’

‘Just what I say. All these years you’ve been struggling, making ends meet and don’t deny it, I know you have. And there’s me, pretending to own a posh house and going
out shopping and wearing nice new clothes as if money was no object at all. But in my heart I knew it was wrong. I knew it was a sin.’

Rose stared at her sister. ‘That’s ridiculous, Em. You deserved a good life, you’re a good woman.’

Em turned to her as a little tear trickled down her cheek. ‘You don’t know the half of it.’

‘Then why don’t you tell me?’ Rose said gently as her sister drew out a hanky again.

‘I would if I could stop crying.’

Rose reached out and pulled the stiff little body against her. ‘You’ll stop crying all right. And when you do I’ll be here for you, and just as always we’ll find a way
out of all our troubles, both yours and mine. Now, how about a quick tidy before I meet the girls?’

Her sister nodded and pushed herself away. ‘Just like old times,’ she said with a hitch in her voice.

Rose nodded. ‘Just like old times.’

Rose was deep in thought as she walked to school. Every penny of Eddie’s savings was gone. What was she going to do? The answer to her problems was to find a job for
without any money they were certainly on the breadline. What would Eddie say when she told him? Well, she wasn’t going to. At least, not yet. First things first. There was only one way to pay
the rent and fill the larder. She’d have to get a job – and quickly.

The ice cream man sitting on his gaily-coloured pedaltrike whizzed by. She hoped they didn’t bump into him on the way home as the girls would ask for their favourite ice cream cornets.
What would she do on Sunday when Barney came round with his handcart? She always bought a bag of winkles for Sunday tea. It was more a ritual than a meal. A whole hour was taken up with the fun of
piercing the little black eyes and curling the winkles on a pin. It would be those little treats that would be denied to them and she grieved their loss.

But there was no use fretting, she told herself robustly. And ten minutes later she was standing at the school gate with a smile plastered across her face. ‘Auntie Em and your cousin Will
have come to stay with us,’ she told the girls as they rushed out, all eager beavers today.

‘Are they sad about Uncle Arthur?’ Donnie asked at once.

‘A little. But we’ll cheer them up, won’t we?’

‘What’s Will like?’ Marlene was curious as usual.

‘He’s a very nice boy,’ Rose assured her as she gathered the pieces of paper on which they had drawn and coloured during their lessons.

‘As long as he ain’t bossy,’ Marlene decided and skipped the rest of the way home.

There were lots of hugs and kisses in the front room on their return. ‘Are you me real cousin?’ Marlene sat on the newly covered couch staring intently at her bemused relative.

He nodded, adjusting to the glare of Marlene’s wild brown eyes assessing him under a cloud of vivid red hair.

‘You don’t talk much, do you?’

‘He can’t get a word in edgeways, that’s why,’ Donnie said jumping to the rescue.

Marlene scowled. ‘Well you ask him something, then.’

‘All right.’ Donnie was all light and sweetness. ‘Do you like arithmetic?’