Lizzie of Langley Street (12 page)

‘Sit down,’ Lizzie said quickly to her brother. ‘I’ll make you some tea.’

‘I don’t want no tea.’ Vinnie swayed against the wall.

‘Sit down, Vinnie, before you fall down,’ Danny muttered.

Vinnie’s face darkened. ‘Don’t think I ain’t got you sussed out, Flowers. A bloody coster, that’s all you are – and ever will be. Well, let me tell you this.
There ain’t no way you’ll be gettin’ your feet under this family’s table and that’s a promise.’

‘Vinnie!’ Lizzie stepped forward.

Danny stretched out an arm to stop her. ‘You’ve had a skinful, Vin. Go and sleep it off before you do yerself some damage.’

‘You got a bloody big gob on you, that’s your trouble,’ Vinnie hissed. ‘How do you fancy comin’ outside?’

Danny smiled. ‘I wouldn’t take advantage of you, mate. Not in the condition you’re in.’

The punch that was aimed at Danny was easily avoided. Danny stepped to one side and Vinnie collapsed on the floor.

‘Vinnie!’ Lizzie ran to her brother.

‘Leave him, gel. He’s out cold now. I’ll get him upstairs to bed.’

‘He don’t know what he’s doing when he’s drunk, Danny. He don’t mean it.’

‘Anything I can do to help?’ The voice came from the passage and they looked round. Frank Flowers smiled at them, his eyebrows raised. ‘’Ello, Lizzie. Sorry to hear about
yer mother.’

‘Thanks, Frank.’ Lizzie looked away from his gaze. It always made her feel uncomfortable. The Flowers boys looked a lot like one another, but Frank was shorter than Danny. They both
had blond hair and bright blue eyes, but in character the two brothers were chalk to cheese. Danny was always joking. He never took himself seriously. Frank was quieter, a dark horse, most people
said.

‘Silly bugger took a swipe at me.’ Danny rolled Vinnie over and lifted his arms. ‘Grab his feet, Frank.’

Lizzie watched them carry Vinnie upstairs. She never knew what to say to Frank. That intense blue gaze of his always made her shiver.

She placed the dirty dishes on the draining board. She couldn’t go to Australia, could she? What would happen to the family if she left them? She knew the answer to that. Pa couldn’t
look after Flo and Babs wouldn’t want to. Vinnie was on his way to a future in crime. Bert was like a big kid still. He needed her. They all did. Yet she would follow Danny to the ends of the
earth if the choice was hers.

The thought that Danny wanted her with him filled her with joy. He had even offered to pay her passage. In her wildest dreams she had never imagined that her prayer would come true.

Dear God, make Danny Flowers love me.

‘Y
ou poor cow!’ Violet Catcher’s exclamation echoed across Langley Street. On the day before Christmas Eve, the neighbourhood
gossip stood outside her front door and folded her fat arms across her shuddering bosoms. ‘How the ’eck are you going to manage this Christmas with your lot to feed and no money coming
into the house now yer Dad’s not flogging stuff at the market?’

Lizzie had been wondering the same herself. She had tried to dodge her neighbour opposite as she returned from the corner shop. How did Violet manage to spot her every time she passed? It was
too much of a coincidence to have happened three times on the trot this week. ‘We’ll manage,’ she told Vi.

‘You know you can apply for parish relief, don’t you? I mean you’d get some groceries at least fer the ’oliday. Just pay a visit to the council and tell them you’re
at the end of your tether. After all, who could blame you, gel, after all you’ve been through.’

Parish relief was just what the authorities needed to confirm their suspicions that she couldn’t look after the family.

‘Truth is, we’re doing nicely, thank you, Vi. Parish relief wasn’t Ma’s cup of tea and it ain’t mine.’

‘Oh, you stick to yer principles, love.’ Violet Catcher nodded. ‘It was just that I saw Flo playing out in the street in nothing but a flimsy little pinafore. Thought to meself
then, that child’ll be catching her death if she’s not careful. Your mother was always so particular about you kids, always kept you nice despite having to buy secondhand from Cox
Street.’

‘Matter of fact I ain’t shopping up Cox Street this winter.’ Lizzie was determined to maintain the family pride. No matter what the cost, she would keep the family together as
her mother had done. ‘Ethel’s given me a nice bit of cloth from Blackheath and I’ll run up the girls some clothes on the machine, so don’t you go worrying yourself
needlessly over us, Vi.’ Any cloth from Ethel’s place of work was bound to be quality and Vi would know it. ‘Anyway, must go. Got to get the tea on.’

‘Call in any time over Christmas, love,’ shouted Vi as she walked away.

Lizzie kept her basket closed, hiding the parcel of scrag-end that was buried at the bottom. As it was Christmas, Reg Barnes had given her a lean piece. But if Vi knew scrag end was what she was
cooking for Christmas dinner, she’d have a field day.

‘That you?’ She barely had the key out of the lock before she heard her father’s voice. He sounded upset and she took a deep breath for the next hurdle.

‘Only me, Pa.’

‘Where the ’ell have you been?’ he yelled from the kitchen.

She hurried down the passage. ‘Up the market. I called out I was going, but you were asleep.’

‘Trying
to sleep you mean. That bloody bloke from the council’s been again,’ complained Tom as he strained to push the wheels of the Bath chair.

‘What did he want?’ Lizzie asked anxiously.

‘Asked me all these questions, wanted to know where you were, where Flo and Babs were. Said he was going to have to write a report.’

‘On what?’

‘How should I know? I told him to clear off’

Her heart sank. ‘Oh, you didn’t, Pa.’

‘Little squirt. What does ’e keep comin’ round here for?’

‘He has to make sure that . . .that everything’s all right after Ma’s gone.’ She put the kettle on the stove, her mind in turmoil. Had the authorities heard Vinnie had
been in trouble? Or was it one of the neighbours reporting that the Allen girls were neglected – someone like Vi Catcher?

‘Did you bring me any baccy?’ her father asked. ‘It comes to something when there ain’t even a roll-up in the house.’

‘Bert’ll have some when he comes in. Bill Flowers has given him a bonus for Christmas.’

‘Christmas?’ Tom repeated slowly. ‘What a bloody waste of time Christmas is. The sooner it’s over the better. Don’t speak to me of it again. I’ll not sit at a
table without yer mother and that’s a fact. Make what you like of it for all I care. Now get me coat and push me in the yard.’

‘Pa, it’s cold out there. You’ll catch yer death.’

He looked up at her and nodded slowly. ‘Aye, if only I could. Now do as I tell you, gel. I ain’t got the energy to argue.’

Resigning herself, she went to the bedroom and took the coat and cap from the hook on the door. Outside, the sun shone down on the rows of washing and smoke covered roofs.

Tom gazed sightlessly over the dilapidated fences, head buried in the collar of his greatcoat. Beryl Sweet’s fence was propped up by an old pram. Only Doug’s fence had seen a repair
or two. His vegetable garden was the only fertile patch, filled in summer by runner beans.

In the kitchen, Lizzie unwrapped the seven portions of scrag-end. They would cook up nicely with pearl barley and a few onions, and Danny had brought carrots and potatoes. A stew would last
until Sunday. In the larder she found a fragment of suet. Placing this under the gauze cover that was used for meat, she satisfied herself that the wolf was kept from the door.

Just then Flo and Babs came in the back door.

‘I’m hungry,’ said Flo looking at the empty table.

Lizzie shut the larder door. ‘Where have you been? It’s late.’

‘Up the baths,’ said Flo airily.

‘You know Ma didn’t like you going up there. You’re too young to muck about with the boys.’

‘Oh, leave her alone.’ Babs took off her coat. ‘Everyone else goes up the baths.’

‘Not at her age they don’t,’ Lizzie replied shortly.

‘Me friends do,’ Flo said truculently. ‘I dunno what all the fuss is about.’

‘The fuss was because you should have been at school. You told Miss Evans that because Ma was dead you had to help at home.’ Lizzie put her hands on her hips. ‘I got the shock
of me life when Miss Evans stopped me at the school gates. She even asked what sort of work I made you do. I had to tell a lie, say you ’elped me out, or she would have told the
authorities.’

‘I don’t reckon they’d do anything,’ Babs shrugged. ‘You’re just havin’ a go at everyone. I’d like to see you do some real work, like me. Working
up at the House with the ladies is a proper job and Ma was really proud of me for doin’ it.’

‘Yeah, she was an’ all.’ Flo threw a glance at Lizzie. ‘She always said our Babs would do all right for ’erself and she ’as.’

Lizzie fought back the urge to do as Lil had advised – give Flo a clip round the ear when she was cheeky. Well, she’d tried it. The result had been outright rebellion. Flo was a
bright girl, Miss Evans had said so, but she wasn’t making the most of her talents.

Lizzie looked at Babs. ‘If you’re so certain that the authorities won’t do anything, then the next time they come round, I’ll tell them to speak to you. I’m sure
they’d like to have a little chat – seein’ as how yer only fourteen yerself Matter of fact, I’ll offer to walk right up there with them to Hailing House. Then we can both
have a look at all this marvellous work you’re doing for the ladies.’

Babs glared at Lizzie.

‘And as for you, young lady,’ Lizzie said, turning to Flo, ‘I ain’t lying any more on your account. The next time you decide not to go to school, you know what’s in
store for you.’

Flo’s eyes filled with tears. ‘I hate you!’ She ran up the stairs.

Babs tossed back her head and flounced after Flo. The bang of the bedroom door said it all. Lizzie knew that Flo was falling under Babs’ bad influence. She went to the sink and gazed out
over the cold grey yard. At least this afternoon she had won a battle if not the war.

Christmas Eve and Lizzie and Flo had smiles on their faces. ‘Look what Lil give us. A cake with a snowman on it.’ Flo ceremoniously carried the white cake into the
kitchen and lowered it to the table. ‘She stuck currants on for eyes and a slice of carrot for ’is mouth. She said we ain’t to eat it before tomorrow but it wouldn’t matter
if we ’adjust a little of the icing now. She made a bit extra on the side, see?’

‘Well I’m off to work,’ announced Babs, who had walked into the kitchen at that moment. Lizzie noted that her sister was dressed in the new grey coat that she had been given at
Hailing House. It had a grey velvet collar and little velvet flaps over the small pockets. On her head she wore a beret of the same colour.

‘Look at Lil’s cake, Babs,’ Flo said. ‘Ain’t it smashing?’

‘It’s all right, I s’pose. But you want to see the cake Miss Hailing had made. It’s for the Christmas party this afternoon. It ain’t made with carrot and currants
neither. It’s real marzipan inside, not just a bit of white icin’ on top.’

‘How d’you know that?’ Flo asked, frowning.

‘Miss Hailing told me so herself.’

Flo’s dark brown gaze went to Lizzie. ‘Why ain’t we going to this party, then?’

‘Because you’re not invited,’ Babs put in with a toss of her head.

‘But Miss ’Ailin’ knows us, don’t she? She came ’ere to our house.’

‘Flo’s right, Babs,’ Lizzie agreed. ‘Why didn’t we get an invitation too?’

‘Dunno, search me.’

‘I don’t ’ave no parties to go to,’ Flo sniffed. ‘It ain’t fair.’

‘Have some icing from the cake.’ Lizzie tried to distract Flo.

‘Don’t want any now. Gone right off it.’

‘Well, go back in to Lil and tell her thank you for the cake. I’ll be in later to see her meself.’

Flo went reluctantly out of the back door, shoulders drooping. Lizzie looked at Babs. ‘Couldn’t you have taken her to the party? After all, it’s Christmas and she’s only
a kid.’

‘I told you, she ain’t got an invitation.’

‘If she was with you they wouldn’t turn her away.’

‘You must be joking.’ Babs’ deep red hair seemed to glow around her face. ‘Flo? At Miss Hailing’s party? She’d pee her drawers and pick her nose and I
ain’t having Miss Hailing see that, I can tell you!’

‘She’s your sister. If Ma was here she’d tell you to take her, peed drawers or not.’

Babs looked murderous. ‘Well, Ma ain’t here. You are. And you ain’t doing a very good job of taking her place if you ask me. We ain’t got no Christmas decorations or
presents or anything that we used to have when Ma was here. Just ’cos you’re the oldest you think you’ve got the right to tell us what to do. Well, I’ll tell you this for
nothin’, I’m not havin’ it. Don’t you ever try to tell me what to do again!’

‘Come back here, you little madam!’ Lizzie yelled as Babs swept out of the kitchen.

Lizzie knew Babs was right. She hadn’t managed to buy decorations or presents. She had wrapped up one small gift each for the dinner table on Christmas Day, but that was all. Bert’s
wage from the shop bought the food. Vinnie’s contribution paid the rent. But since the funeral, Vinnie was staying away a lot. Lizzie knew she couldn’t count on his money anymore. If it
hadn’t been for Lil making them a Christmas cake, they would have had to make do with jam roly poly.

Carefully she lifted the cake from the table. She put it in the larder, moving Danny’s vegetables to one side. By the time she returned to the kitchen, she had made up her mind. She would
ask Vinnie for a regular contribution. He always had new clothes when he came home.

Australia . . . she thought wistfully. Some hope!

That evening, Vinnie was done up to the nines. Lizzie watched him in the passage, gazing at himself in the cracked mirror. If he was in trouble with the law, she thought as she
stared at his new clothes, at least it hadn’t come knocking on the door – yet. The hat and the double breasted jacket with the wide lapels and striped collar attached to his shirt by
gold studs made him look every inch the villain.