Stay as Sweet as You Are (58 page)

‘Will I be getting a new shirt?’ Greg asked, looking pleadingly at his mother.

Irene tutted. ‘Yer’d get anyone hanged, you would! Yer haven’t been invited to the wedding and it’s manners to wait until ye’re asked.’

‘Ye’re all invited, every one of yer,’ Titch said. ‘As though I’d get married without all of me friends around me.’

Jack was beginning to feel a stir of excitement. He’d never been to a wedding. ‘Does that include me, Mr Titch?’

‘Most definitely!’ Then Titch remembered what Steve had told him about the Andrew Bentley incident, and how Rhoda had rushed to her friend’s defence. ‘And Lucy can ask her mate if she’d like to come.’

‘Oh, I’ve no need to ask her, Mr Titch, she’s always going on about how lucky I am. I’ll go over after and ask her.’

‘I’m very happy for yer, Titch,’ Bob said. ‘Yer couldn’t have chosen a better woman for yer wife than Olive. She’s a lovely lady.’

‘I know how lucky I am, Bob.’ Bearing in mind Bob’s unhappy circumstances, Titch left it at that. ‘Anyway, I’m off now. Me and Olive have got a lot of planning to do. We’ve got a busy day ahead of us tomorrow, then it’s back to the ship for me the morning after. I’ll let yer know the date and time before I go back, though, because of yer jobs.’

‘We’ll all fit in with your arrangements, mate,’ George said. ‘If necessary we’ll take the day off. What do you say, Bob?’

‘I’d have no problem with that. I can’t remember the last time I took a day off, so the boss could hardly complain.’

‘What about me and our Greg, Mam?’ Jack asked. ‘Would we be able to stay off?’

‘We’ve got seven weeks, yet.’ Irene kept her face straight. ‘That’s plenty of time to think of what illness yer can have that’ll keep yer off work for a day. Perhaps you can have the measles and Greg the chickenpox.’

‘Ah, ay, Mam!’ Greg looked disgusted. ‘Only little kids have the chickenpox!’

‘So they do.’ Irene was laughing inside at the expression on his face. ‘It’ll have to be something a grown up gets, then. I know, you can have a sore throat and Jack can have an upset tummy.’

‘Neither of those are as bad as a broken neck,’ Titch said. ‘And that’s what I’ll be getting off Olive if I don’t put in an appearance pronto.’

‘I’ll see yer out, mate.’ George pushed himself out of the chair. ‘Then me and Bob are going for a pint.’

Titch winked at Irene before asking, ‘Ay, George, when we’re married, d’yer think Olive will let me off the leash now and again to go for a pint with yer?’

‘If yer train her properly from the very start.’ George nudged his friend towards the door. ‘Like I did, with my missus.’

The cushion Irene threw fell well short of the mark. ‘Never mind, I’ll get him later,’ she told Bob. ‘He’s not getting away with that.’

‘Me mam said she’d buy me a new dress.’ Rhoda didn’t have her mind on the game and she’d already thrown the four of diamonds away before she realised she’d played right into Greg’s hands. She watched him snaffle up the card with the look of a victor on his face and shrugged her shoulders. ‘If you win this game, Greg Pollard, it won’t be because ye’re clever, but because I let yer.’

‘Because yer talk too much, yer mean?’ Greg laid three fours down with great aplomb. ‘You and yer flippin’ new
dress, it’s all yer can think about.’

‘Oh, aye?’ Irene raised her brows. ‘So ye’re not really interested in the new shirt and tie ye’re after? Yer were full of it before.’

‘Of course I want a new shirt and tie, but I’m not talking about it all the time.’ Greg wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction of knowing that in his mind he could see himself dressed to the nines in his navy-blue trousers, a new white shirt and a pale blue tie. ‘It’s nearly ten o’clock and we’re still on the second game. All because the girls won’t give their mouths a rest.’

‘I’d rather talk about the clothes we’re wearing for the wedding,’ Lucy said. ‘I mean, I’ve got to look nice, being a bridesmaid.’

‘And I’m an invited guest,’ Rhoda said, with more than a little pride in her voice. ‘So I’ve got to look nice, as well.’

‘I’m sure yer’ll both look lovely.’ Irene too had been wondering what colour dress to buy for herself. Something in blue, perhaps, or a deep lilac? ‘And I’ll make sure my two don’t let the side down. They’ll look like film stars.’

Greg grinned. ‘Yeah! I’ll be George Raft. He’s always dressed to kill.’

‘He’s a gangster, yer daft nit,’ Jack said. ‘He doesn’t only dress to kill, he carries a flippin’ gun around with him.’

‘What about you, Steve?’ Lucy asked. ‘Ye’re very quiet, and you’ve got to look nicer than anyone ’cos yer’ll be walking down the aisle with yer mam.’ She giggled. ‘I don’t mean yer’ve got to look nicer than the bride, though. I bet yer mam will look lovely.’

‘I won’t let me mam down, don’t worry.’ Steve’s grin hid the excitement he felt inside. Titch had brought a suit home for him and he was thrilled to bits. It was in a dark navy and fitted him to perfection. He was as tall as Titch, but not as stocky, so it was easy for his future step-dad to get the fit right. He said the words over again in his mind, relishing them. ‘My step-dad.’ Never had he known such happiness.
‘Yer’ll see me in all me finery on the day.’

‘I bet yer’ll look dead handsome,’ Rhoda said, glaring knowingly at Greg. ‘More like Randolph Scott than George Raft.’

‘Who shall I be?’ Jack scratched his head. ‘Who’s more handsome than those two?’

Lucy didn’t hesitate. ‘Robert Young. He’s me favourite.’

Irene heard the key in the lock. ‘Here’s the men. Get the cards back in the packs and take the cups and saucers out. It’s time yer were going home, Rhoda, or yer mam will start to worry.’

‘Okay, Mrs Pollard, and thanks for having me.’

Bob came in rubbing his hands. ‘Have yer won a fortune, pet?’

George chuckled. ‘She’s in the wrong house for that.’

‘We’ve hardly played cards, Dad, we’ve been talking about clothes for the wedding. At least me and Rhoda have, the boys couldn’t care less.’

‘Well, let’s get yer home now. Nellie waits up for me and I don’t want to be too late.’ Bob noticed Rhoda making her way to the door. ‘Hang on, love, I’ll see yer home once Lucy is safe in the house.’

‘That’s all right, Mr Mellor,’ Steve said. ‘I’ve got to pass her house on me way home. I’ll hang on until she’s inside.’

Lucy tossed and turned in bed, her mind too active for sleep. She was telling herself to put everything out of her head and count sheep, when she heard the front door open. Her mother was home. Then she heard a man speaking in hushed tones and she shot up in bed. It was Wally Brown, she could recognise the smooth, silky voice even though he was whispering. What was he doing here this time of night? It was nearly eleven o’clock. Then the voice faded and Lucy fell back against the headboard. They must be in the living room, but why would her mother bring him here so late at night? She had no right to, and her dad would go mad if he knew.

It was impossible to sleep now, with that man in the house. So Lucy drew her knees up to her chin and pulled the bedclothes around her. She’d stay awake until he’d gone. And she’d have something to say to her mother in the morning. The alarm clock on the chest of drawers ticked away, the only sound in the house. Until Lucy heard whispering at the bottom of the stairs. Alert now, she could make out her mother’s voice. ‘Don’t go up, she’ll scream the house down if she sees yer.’

‘I’m only going up to see if she’s asleep.’ Wally’s low voice carried up the stairs to the now terrified girl. ‘She won’t even know I’m there.’

Lucy knocked on the bedroom wall. And when she heard the footsteps reach the landing, she knocked again, harder.

Greg shook his brother’s shoulder. ‘Jack, Lucy’s just knocked.’

Jack was wiping the sleep from his eyes when the knocking was repeated. The two boys scrambled out of bed and rushed down the stairs. ‘Mam, Lucy’s been knocking. There must be something up for her to do that.’

Irene and George were enjoying a cup of tea before going to bed, and they both looked startled at the sight of the boys. ‘What did yer say, sunshine?’ Irene asked.

‘Lucy’s been knocking.’ Jack was impatient at their slowness to understand. ‘There must be something wrong. Twice she’s knocked.’

By the time he’d finished speaking, Irene had taken the key for next door from the glass dish on the sideboard and George was on his way out of the front door. The boys followed quickly on their heels.

Ruby was standing at the foot of the stairs when her front door was opened, and she looked bewildered when she was pushed aside by George, who took the stairs three at a time.

‘What the hell d’yer think ye’re doing?’ Ruby was very worried now. ‘Get out of my house.’

Irene passed her without a word. And she reached the bedroom just as her husband grabbed the man who was standing at the side of Lucy’s bed. ‘You dirty swine,’ George roared. ‘I’ll flay yer alive for this.’

‘Who the hell are you?’ Wally blustered, knowing he didn’t stand an earthly with the size of this bloke. He could only try and talk himself out of it. ‘I only came up to see if Lucy was all right.’ He saw Ruby hovering near the doorway. ‘Tell this maniac to take his hands off me, will yer?’

Ruby came into the room, but made sure she kept out of Irene’s reach. ‘He’s a friend of mine and you have no right to be in here.’

George, still holding Wally by the throat, asked, ‘Oh, so yer allow men to come into yer daughter’s room, do yer?’

Ruby lowered her head, lost for words. So it was up to Wally to bluff his way out of it. ‘It’s all a misunderstanding. Let’s go downstairs and I’ll explain.’

Irene looked at Lucy, who was backed against the headboard, her eyes wide with fright. ‘Lucy, did you want this man to come into your bedroom?’

‘No! I don’t like him, he’s horrid!’

‘Then this is a police matter,’ Irene said. ‘You,’ she gave Ruby a push which sent her flying against the wall, ‘are not fit to be a mother. You allow a dirty old man to come into your daughter’s bedroom, and the police wouldn’t take kindly to either of yer. Yer’d both be locked up. I’ll make sure neither of yer are allowed near Lucy again.’

‘Oh, come on!’ The thought of involving the police scared the life out of Wally. ‘I didn’t mean no harm. Yer’ve taken it the wrong way. Leave go of me and let me go home.’

‘Ye’re not moving from this spot until the police come.’ George tightened his grip. ‘But before I send me son to the police station, just tell me why yer came into this room?’

‘I told yer! Just to make sure she was in bed and asleep!’

‘Rubbish!’ Irene said. A plan had formed in her mind and she prayed to God she could pull it off. ‘There’s only one
way yer can crawl out of this, without us calling the police. And that’s if yer walk away from here now, and take Ruby with yer. Not just for tonight, but for good. If either of yer show yer face around here again, I’ll make sure yer go to jail. That’s if the neighbours don’t lynch yer first. It’s up to you, so make up yer mind.’

‘Yer can’t do that to me,’ Ruby cried. ‘This is my home.’

‘Wrong,’ said George. ‘It’s Bob’s house, he only lets yer live in it. We already know this evil bastard has his own house, and when yer visit him yer behave like a married couple, so I suggest yer go and live with him.’

Wally couldn’t think any further than getting away from the huge hands around his throat. ‘Go on, Ruby, put yer coat on and let’s get out of here.’

‘Not so fast!’ Irene said. ‘Ruby won’t be allowed back for any of her belongings, so she’ll be a while packing. George will sit with you downstairs and I’ll stay here until she’s got everything together. This is the last time either of yer set foot in this house. That’s if yer’ve got any sense.’

The boys moved into the front bedroom out of the way of their father, who was literally carrying a struggling Wally down the stairs. No way was he going to be allowed to scarper without taking Ruby with him.

‘Come in here and sit with Lucy, boys,’ Irene called. ‘So I can keep me eye on what’s going on.’

‘Mrs Pollard.’ Lucy grabbed her arm to stop her from moving away. ‘Does this mean me mam won’t ever be coming back?’

Irene sat on the side of the bed and held her close. ‘That all depends, sunshine. I’ve taken a lot on meself by telling her to leave because, after all, I’m only a neighbour and shouldn’t really be interfering. If this situation hadn’t come up, Ruby would have been within her rights to tell me to mind me own business. But that man was wicked to come into yer bedroom, and yer mam was as bad for not stopping him. I wouldn’t trust her after that, and there was no way I was
going to let her stay in this house tonight with you. Your dad will be very upset and angry when he knows, and I know he’ll agree with me and George about throwing them out. But it depends upon how you feel, sunshine. She is your mother, after all. So think about it carefully, and be sure in yer mind. Would yer be very unhappy if yer thought yer were never going to set eyes on her again?’

Lucy plucked nervously at the bedclothes. ‘I’ll probably spend the rest of me life being unhappy because me mother never ever loved me, Mrs Pollard. And I’ll always wonder why. But she’s hurt me so much, and me dad, and I know she’ll never change. Yer can’t make someone love yer if they don’t want to. So I’d rather she left so me dad can come back home again.’

‘Are yer sure, sunshine?’

Lucy nodded as she wiped the tears away with the back of her hand. ‘I’m sure, honest I am. I want me dad back ’cos I love him and he loves me. We’ll be happy together, just the two of us. Me mam spoiled things for us, always skitting, telling lies and cheating. And there was never any comfort or laughter in the house.’

Irene put a finger under the girl’s chin and lifted her face. ‘In that case, I think yer dad’s in for a very pleasant surprise tomorrow. We’ll talk about it later, when yer mam and her friend have left. And there’s nothing for yer to worry about because I’m certain neither of them will have the nerve to show their faces in this street again, not after me and George have given them a good talking to. And I’ll be sleeping with yer tonight in case ye’re a bit nervous. We’ll cuddle up and keep each other company.’ She beckoned to her sons who were hovering near the door. ‘Yer can come and sit with Lucy for a while, now. I know ye’re missing yer beauty sleep, but it’ll soon be all over.’