Swansea Girls (19 page)

‘She shouldn’t have worn that dress,’ John concurred, ‘but Murton Davies shouldn’t have ripped it off her either. Tell me, what would you have done if it had been your Lily?’

‘Killed the bastard.’

Roy spoke so flatly that John couldn’t be sure whether he was serious. ‘I wish Helen would calm down. She’s putting years on me.’

‘And every boy who saw her in that dress on Saturday night.’

‘Esme won’t allow her out of the house and the girls haven’t been round. I suppose they’ve been warned not to talk to her.’

‘Norah and Joy Hunt will change their minds in time. A couple of weeks and the whole thing will be forgotten.’

‘Not by me – or Helen. She’s going to pay for that dress if it takes her ten years. As for Norah and Joy, I can’t say I blame them. If one of Helen’s friends had behaved the way Helen did last Saturday I would have forbidden Helen to see her again.’ John sipped the froth off his pint. ‘I trust this job of hers will make her think a bit more about others and less about clothes, make-up and having a good time.’

‘Helen’s got a job?’

‘In Thomas and Butler’s as an office junior. Heaven only knows why Richard Thomas didn’t cancel the interview after last Saturday. He must have heard what happened. According to my secretary, half of Swansea is talking about young Murton Davies and what he did to Helen. And on top of Saturday there’s the question of Helen’s qualifications. They leave a lot to be desired. She failed more than half her examinations first time round.’

‘So why do you think he gave her the job?’

‘I know you won’t let this get any further, Roy, but I asked around the Chamber of Commerce. Richard Thomas offered. I assume because he was a close friend of Esme’s father and Esme’s godfather. He looks after my affairs and a trust fund Esme’s aunt set up for Joe. But for all that, the offer surprised me. Richard never struck me as the sort of man to do anyone a favour unless there was something in it for him.’

‘I see.’ Tight-lipped, Roy picked up his pint.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘Nothing.’

‘Come on, Roy, we’ve known one another for years, something’s wrong. What is it?’

‘Office junior, you say, Thomas and Butler.’

‘Nothing wrong with that, is there? Or do you know something about Thomas and Butler I don’t?’ he asked warily, recalling Esme’s reaction to the news.

‘Annie’s girl Katie had an interview for that job this afternoon. It didn’t go well. The senior partner as good as told her there and then that she wouldn’t get it because she lacked experience.’

‘I didn’t know little Katie had been to tech.’

‘She hasn’t. Annie went out scrubbing pubs by day and sewing for Norah at night to scrape up the money to send her to night school. The kid did well, came top of her class in every subject, distinctions all the way. Annie even bought some good-quality cloth, so Norah could make the girl a new costume for the interview. That’s why I’m sitting here. All Norah and Lily did through tea was commiserate with Katie. I don’t think they ate more than a mouthful between the three of them. It was enough to put me off my food. So deciding I was better off out of the house for an hour or two, I came down here. It’s impossible to listen to the radio through a chorus of female voices.’

‘You say Katie got top marks in her year?’

‘In all her subjects, or so I understand from Norah.’

‘Shorthand and typing?’

‘The lot, Norah said, whatever “the lot” is.’

‘Don’t suppose she’d consider taking a job in the warehouse? My secretary’s getting married at the end of the month. I was going to advertise next week, but if Katie can start on Monday my girl can train her up. If she likes the work and can cope with it, I’ll keep her on.’

‘You know the situation there ...’

‘I know Ernie’s put Annie in hospital again, the boys have moved into your basement and Katie’s staying with Norah and Lily. You’re a braver man than me. I’ve often thought about helping Annie and the kids, but I’ve never taken it further than thought. I remember Ernie from school. I was three years below him and, fortunately, never attracted his attention but I do remember him flattening anyone who got in his way.’

‘Yet you’re prepared to offer Katie a job.’

‘That’s different, that’s just work.’

‘Ernie could just as easily make a scene in your warehouse as on my doorstep.’

‘Not with the number of men I’ve got working for me.’

‘You do know that with Ernie the way he is and Martin and Jack only earning apprentice’s and labouring wages, Annie relies on Katie’s money.’

‘I’ll see Katie all right. You and Norah know Annie better than me, Roy. Can’t you persuade her that she and the girl would be better off without Ernie? He must drink double his wages every week and the extra has to come from them.’

‘If Annie’s thinking of leaving Ernie, she’s keeping it close to her chest. I saw her yesterday and nothing will shift her from the story that she tripped and hit her face on the sink. She’ll go back to Ernie, she always does, and knowing Katie, she’ll not let her mother go back alone. But if the girl gives up the café to work for you, there’s no way they’ll take her on again if you decide not to offer her a job at the end of her training. Her present wages may be grim but they’re better than no wages at all.’

‘If Katie’s not up to the work I won’t keep her on in the office, but I can always use an extra pair of hands in the warehouse. I’ll find her a place there. What do you think?’

‘I think you should ask her. Another?’ Roy picked up their glasses.

‘I shouldn’t, but our house is as miserable as yours by the sound of it. Helen has hardly said a word the last couple of days. Joe’s working in Alexandra Road and Esme’s in the theatre, auditioning for a new production.’

‘She’s keen.’

John realised Roy’s casual remark was a criticism of the amount of time Esme spent away from home but he couldn’t think of a word to say in her defence.

‘Drink up.’ Roy emptied his own glass. ‘And while I think of it, has Joe told you he’s taking Lily out tomorrow? Full marks to the boy. He came round to ask Norah’s permission. She agreed, but warned him that if he upsets our girl he’ll have to answer to me.’

John gave a wry smile. ‘I think he already knows that, Roy, and speaking for myself I couldn’t be more pleased. Nice, sensible girl, Lily.’ He could have added ‘unlike Esme’ but then he had never been publicly disloyal to his wife and had no intention of starting yet.

‘That wasn’t too horrendous, was it?’ Robin asked Joe after the producer had signalled ‘off air’.

‘No,’ Joe agreed tersely, folding his script as he turned away. Since Robin had tried to absolve himself of all responsibility for Larry on Saturday night, he could barely bring himself to look at, let alone talk to, his friend. He also wanted to sound nonchalant and casual for the benefit of the producer and the rest of the cast, as though his five doorman’s lines hadn’t cost him several anxious hours and a sleepless night.

‘Good work, people.’ The producer opened the door to the studio.

‘Right, I’m for home.’ The leading actor reached for his jacket.

‘No drinks?’ Robin looked to the rest of the cast.

‘You’re welcome to come back to my place. We could have an impromptu pool party,’ he added by way of incentive. ‘How about it, Geraldine?’

‘I have to go through tomorrow’s script.’ Geraldine was blonde, attractive and six years older than Joe and Robin. An experienced professional who had delivered her thirty lines with considerable confidence and aplomb.

‘Then how about a lift home?’ Robin pushed.

‘You don’t know where I live.’

‘I’ll take you anywhere.’

‘London?’ She picked up her handbag from a table at the back of the studio.

‘You want to go to the station?’

‘You don’t give up, do you, boy?’ To Robin’s chagrin she tickled him under the chin.

‘Don’t say I didn’t offer.’ He turned to the door.

‘How about as far as Sketty?’

He beamed triumphantly. ‘As it’s an MG you’ll have to sit on Joe’s lap. Or better still, he can drive and you can sit on mine.’

‘I have to go home,’ Joe demurred, furious with Robin for behaving as though Saturday night had never happened.

‘Oh, come on, I want to talk to you about Larry. You do know no one’s talking to him?’

‘No.’

Geraldine looked coolly from Robin to Joe. ‘Do I get my lap?’ she interrupted.

‘Of course.’ Robin took her arm as they left the studio. ‘My house has a pool. It’s a beautiful evening, we could swim, have a few drinks. What do you say?’

‘I’ll be too busy going through tomorrow’s script to babysit.’

‘Babysit?’

‘Little boy your age, that is what you wanted, isn’t it?’

‘You’re beginning to sound boring.’

‘I can always take the bus.’

‘I wouldn’t dream of it. Here.’ Robin tossed Joe his car keys as they reached the front door.

‘I’m not coming with you.’

‘I need to talk to you, Joe. Please?’

It was almost impossible to fight Robin when he was in one of his conciliatory moods and Joe was curious what – if any – punishment was being meted out to Larry, but there were practicalities to consider. ‘I won’t be able to get home afterwards.’

‘I’ll drive you. Come on, Joe. Be a sport.’

Unable to come up with another reason why he shouldn’t go with Robin, Joe pushed the keys into his pocket and followed him out on to Alexandra Road.

Helen checked her watch as she brushed a layer of dust from the sofa in the front room of the basement. The place was a mess and there wasn’t time to give it more than a cursory dusting before the magic hour of ten. She’d hidden in her room until her mother had ordered her to lay the table for the evening meal. Not daring to broach the subject of her job again, she’d cleared the dishes after her mother had left for the theatre, cleaned the kitchen and hovered around upstairs until her father went to the pub, unfortunately not early enough for her to have a really good go at the basement.

Walking to the back door, she shook out her duster while listening hard for the roar of Jack’s motorbike’s engine. ‘Please don’t let him stop in a pub,’ she whispered. ‘Please ... please ... please ...’

Someone must have answered her prayers for a few seconds later the unmistakable noise of a motorbike resounded from the lane that ran at the back of the terrace. She checked her watch again. Half past nine. He must be eager to see her to leave a full half-hour before practice normally ended. Racing down the path, she reached the bottom of the garden as a dark shape emerged from the back of the garage next door.

‘Hello, it’s a nice evening,’ she called over the garden wall.

‘It is, but cold for young ladies to be out without a coat.’

She peered into the gathering twilight. ‘Jack?’ she murmured hesitantly.

‘Brian Powell. We’ve met, Miss Griffiths, but I don’t think we’ve been formally introduced.’ He stepped closer and extended his hand over the wall. ‘How do you do?’

Roy opened the door quietly and trod as lightly as he could down the passage, but he needn’t have bothered. Norah was sitting in an easy chair in their kitchen-cum-living room, hemming a skirt for a customer. ‘I thought you’d be listening to the wireless in the parlour with the girls.’

‘This needs finishing. Your supper’s on the table.’ He lifted the cloth on a plate to see beautifully cut and presented ham sandwiches.

‘The mustard’s in front of you.’

‘I don’t deserve a sister like you.’

‘You don’t.’ Norah bit the end off a thread, and reached for the cotton reel on the small table next to her. ‘But I can’t say I blame you for taking refuge down the pub with all that wailing earlier. Not that Katie knows anything for certain one way or the other, and there’ll be no peace in the house until she does.’

‘Katie’s right, she hasn’t got the job.’ Roy sat at the table picked up a knife and reached for the mustard pot.

‘You can’t possibly know that.’

‘I met John Griffiths in the Rose. He didn’t know Katie had an interview at Thomas and Butler’s, but he told me Helen had and she’d been given the junior’s post.’

‘That girl!’ Norah laid down her needle in indignation. ‘She wouldn’t get a place in a bus queue on her own merit. This is Esme Griffiths pulling strings again ...’

‘Before you say another word it might be for the best.’

‘How can you even think that? Helen only has to click her fingers to get whatever she wants. Money, clothes, and look what that led to on Saturday night. John is far too lenient on her. That girl’s never been disciplined in her life. Mark my words, there’ll be more trouble there. Besides, poor Katie needs the money far more than Helen Griffiths with her overflowing wardrobe and pocket money that would keep a family of four in food for a week.’

‘When I told John that Katie had applied for the junior’s post and was upset because she didn’t think she’d got it, he offered her a job in the office of his warehouse. His secretary is leaving but she’ll have time to train Katie before she goes. Two pounds five shillings a week for a month’s trial. If Katie’s not up to the work he’ll find her a place in his warehouse; if she is, he’ll keep her on in the office and up her wages.’

‘John offered Katie a job?’ Norah stared at Roy in disbelief.

‘She can start when she likes. As far as John is concerned, the sooner the better. He suggested she go round there for a chat, but it is only a formality. The job’s hers if she wants it.’

‘Good for John. I always did like that man. Well?’ Norah peered at Roy over her glasses. ‘What are you waiting for? Call the girls and tell Katie to go round there.’

‘Now?’

‘It’s not yet ten o’clock, or has John Griffiths had even more to drink than you?’

‘We had two pints,’ Roy remonstrated mildly.

‘Some might believe you, I don’t. Go on, Roy. Find the girl and make her day, if not her week. She’s had nothing but bad news since she came home to find Annie in a mess on Saturday night.’

‘Could I do with a swim!’ Robin sighed, watching Geraldine disappear down Sketty Road.

‘Cold shower more like,’ Joe observed caustically as he pulled away from the kerb.