The Black Mountains (15 page)

Charlotte only smiled. Ada's hands were not a pretty sight—red and scrawny as the rest of her, but with the amount of washing she had to do for the family, hers were often almost as bad. But if James hadn't noticed, she wasn't going to tell him. It pleased her that he thought her hands were still nice enough to be worth saving. And that night, as well as preparing an extra batch of dumplings to conceal the absence of meat in the supper-time stew pot, she found the energy to turn an old petticoat of her own into a pretty new pinafore for Amy.

Early in July Charlotte heard that the manager of the Palace Picture House was looking for another cleaning woman. At present it was taken care of by Bertha Yelling, Peggy's sister-in-law, but it was such a popular place for all kinds of entertainment that it was more than one person's work to keep it clean, and now there was talk of opening the room beneath the picture palace for dancing classes, too.

It was Peggy who told her—she had got to hear about it through Bertha—and without wasting any time, Charlotte put on her hat and went to see about it. The result was that she was taken on and was able to start right away. It was a day-time job whereas she had really wanted an evening one, but it would have to do.

Peggy agreed to look after Harry for the hour or so she would be gone, and Jack, who was breaking up now for the summer holiday, would be at home with Amy. By the time he went back to school in September, Amy would be well enough to return also—or so Charlotte hoped. Already she had missed a whole year's schooling!

Charlotte started the job with her usual vigour, but her enthusiasm did not last long. The picture palace was a dirty, unpleasant place, dim and dusty, and the rows of red plush seats were impregnated with stale cigarette smoke. Charlotte, who had never seen a moving picture in her life, soon knew every inch of the place, from the projection box to the upright piano that provided the stirring accompaniment.

The picture palace was situated in Glebe Bottoms, a narrow lane that dipped away from the main street on the north side of the Miners Arms, and one morning as Charlotte plodded up to cross the road and climb the hill for home she was surprised to see Dolly coming down, a basket on her arm.

“Where are you going to, then?” she asked, stopping and resting her own bag against her legs.

Dolly indicated the shop at the foot of the hill where the roads joined.

“Cook asked me to come down to the County Stores for some things she wants for a special cake.”

Charlotte nodded. Although they bought the bulk of their groceries from the Co-op, who delivered, none of the ‘nobs' would be seen on their premises, nor allow their servants to be seen there either. The ‘posh' shop was the County Stores.

“Mam, I'm ever so glad I've seen you,” Dolly said suddenly.

“Why's that then, Dolly?” Charlotte asked, noticing that her daughter's usually tranquil blue eyes were troubled.

“It's Evan, Mam. I don't know what to make of him.”

“Evan? But I thought you finished with him back in the spring.”

“I did. But I don't think he's taken it even now,” Dolly said. “ I wasn't there yesterday when he came with the groceries, but he asked Cook to give me a message. He wants to meet me tonight. He said he's going to call for me.”

“Why?” Charlotte asked.

Dolly shook her head. “That's what's worrying me. It seems so funny after I told him definite I didn't want to see him any more.”

“If you take my advice, you won't go—unless you
want
to take up with him again, that is,” Charlotte said. “I must say he seemed a nice boy to me, but if your mind's made up, it wouldn't be right to build up his hopes for nothing, would it?”

“You're probably right, Mam. Anyway,” Dolly hitched her basket up on her arm, “ I'd better be going, or Cook'll be after me for these things. Captain Fish is having visitors this afternoon, and it's all a go, I can tell you.”

She went across the road to the shop, and Charlotte stood waiting. For some reason she felt uneasy about Dolly.

As they walked back up the hill together, the talk turned to other things. Captain Fish had recently bought a gramophone, and Dolly was so entranced by the music of Harry Lauder and Marie Lloyd that could be heard almost as clearly in the servants quarters as in the drawing-room that she forgot Evan long enough to tell her mother all about it.

“It's wonderful really,” she enthused. “And since it came, Cook and me have been singing “Stop your tickling, Jock” all day long.”

“Cook has?” Charlotte asked, surprised.

Dolly giggled. “She says it takes her mind off her bunions.”

“Well there is that to it I suppose,” Charlotte conceded.

But when they reached the point where the roads branched, Evan sprang to Charlotte's mind once again.

“When he calls for you, Dolly, I should just send a message down that you don't want to see him,” she said. “P'raps I will, Mam,” Dolly replied. “I'll have to think.”

ALTHOUGH it was officially Dolly's evening off, Captain Fish's visitors had stayed later than he expected, and she was still in the throes of clearing up when Evan came knocking on the door.

“I'm sorry, Evan, but I'm nowhere near finished,” she told him. “And I can't stand here dripping soap-suds all over the mat, either.”

His eyes narrowed, giving his handsome face a hostile expression. “I'll wait.”

“Well, you can't come in here, and I'll be ages yet,” Dolly said, hoping he would give up. But he didn't.

“That's all right. It's a nice evening. I'll stop outside,” he said.

It was another hour before Dolly had finished clearing up and changed out of her print working frock. But Evan was still sitting outside the backdoor on the low wall that bordered the vegetable garden.

“What is it you want to see me about?” she asked, shaking off the hand he tried to put on her arm. “ I haven't changed my mind, you know.”

“I just want to talk to you,” he wheedled. “ Can't we go for a walk? I don't want everybody listening,” he said insistently.

“Oh, all right. Just up the road and no further.”

They walked up Ridge Road beyond the houses and stopped in the gateway leading down to the woods. Dusk was falling already, and a chilly breeze was springing up.

“This is far enough,” she said. “ What is it you want, Evan?”

He turned towards her suddenly, so that she was forced back against the gate. “I want you, Dolly. You know how I feel about you.”

Her mouth tightened. “Evan, how many times do I have to tell you? I don't want you. Not in that way.”

“But it used to be so good I'd do anything for you, Dolly, anything!” he begged.

“No, Evan, I'm sorry,” she said. “ Now, let's go back, shall we?”

“No!” His voice was so strange it frightened her, and she tried to move away. But his hand was on her arm, the fingers biting into her flesh.

“Let me go!” she cried. Then she felt something sharp pricking into her stomach. Quite suddenly she was overcome with fear. “Evan, what …?”

“You're mine, Dolly, and if I can't have you, no one else will!”

“Evan, stop it! You're hurting me!”

His fingers bit harder into her arm; the pressure on her stomach increasing. “I'm going to kill you, Dolly,” he said.

“Evan!” she sobbed, looking around wildly. But the lane was deserted.

“You shouldn't have left me, Dolly,” he said. “I love you. I want to marry you.”

“Oh, God, Evan!” she cried.

Slowly his fingers relaxed their hold on her arm, sliding up across her shoulder and around her throat Dolly was mesmerized by fear, her breath coming in shallow sobs.

“He's going to strangle me,” she thought, but she could not move.

His fingers were rough against her throat, moving upwards with a steady pressure. Then they fanned out beneath her chin, holding it in the same iron grip he had held her arm. Slowly he brought his face towards hers. Holding her head steady he kissed her so hard she cried out, but the sound was lost.

The world seemed to stand still, frozen by fear. Then, suddenly, across the quiet hillside the first owl hooted. Dolly jumped violently; so did Evan. His hold on her slackened, and with presence of mind born of terror, she pushed hard at him with both hands. Caught off balance, he stumbled. She twisted away and ran, sobbing with fear, her heart beating wildly, her legs unsteady. Along Ridge Road she fled, and it was only when she reached the entrance to the house that she realized there was no one following. She stopped and looked round. There was no sign of Evan.

Sobbing and frightened, she stood there in the drive. But she didn't go in. She didn't want Cook to see her like this. She couldn't face her questions. She wanted Mam!

With another look back up the road to make sure Evan was not following, she started to run again, on down the hill. Several times her ankle twisted on the steep ground, almost throwing her down. But she kept going, and turned into the rank. Past the first ten houses she ran, past a startled Moses Brimble, still cleaning the fork and spade he had been using on his garden that evening.

The door of number eleven was ajar. She pushed it open and half fell in, the tears spilling again from her eyes, coursing down her face.

“Dolly, whatever are you doing here?” Charlotte asked, startled.

But for a moment Dolly could say nothing but “Oh, Mam! Oh, Mam!”

EVERYONE was present in the kitchen when Dolly came bursting in. Only Amy and Harry were in bed. For a moment there was complete silence, but for Dolly's sobbing. Then suddenly they all began talking at once.

“What's happened?”

“Dolly, whatever is the matter?”

“What's going on?”

“Leave her alone for a minute!” Charlotte ordered, leaping up from her sewing and running across to Dolly. “ Go and fetch the brandy, one of you. You know where it is—in the chiffonier in the front room.”

Jack went, and when he returned with it, Charlotte forced a drop or two between Dolly's trembling lips while James supported her.

“Now tell us what's up, Dolly,” he said when she seemed a little better.

Dolly did not answer.

“It's that Evan Comer, isn't it?” Charlotte said savagely. “ What did he do to you, Dolly?”

Dolly covered her face with her hands. “ Oh, Mam, he said he was going to kill me,” she sobbed.

“What?”
they all chorused, again shocked into silence.

“Kill you?” Charlotte repeated. “Whatever do you mean—kill you?”

She was interrupted by the stair door opening. It was Amy, wakened by the commotion and wanting to know what was going on. Sharply, Charlotte told her to go back to bed, but she only retreated a fraction, standing round-eyed behind the half-open door while Dolly poured out her story, none of them noticing she was still there.

“Oh, it was awful—awful! He had a knife! He said he was going to kill me!”

James stood up, reaching for his jacket that hung behind the door.

“This is a job for the police. I'm going down to get Sergeant Eyles.”

“No, Dad, no!” Dolly began weeping wildly again. “ Not the police—no, don't!”

“If he thinks he's going to get away with this …”

“No, Dad, please! I couldn't bear it …”

“Threatening you with a knife …”

“No, Dad!”

Charlotte put a restraining hand on his arm, speaking over Dolly's bowed and shaking head. “Don't upset her any more.”

“But if he had a knife, Lotty …”

“I didn't see it!” Dolly said wildly. “I didn't actually see a knife, Dad!”

“But you said …”

“I know. I felt it But it mightn't have been, might it? I could have been wrong. I was so frightened. I didn't know what to think.”

“And he's going to have the police on him for it!” James thundered, his voice filling every corner of the kitchen. He moved towards the door, and Dolly became almost hysterical.

“I don't want to get him in trouble with the police! Oh, Mam, stop him you? Oh, please!”

“Dad!” Jim said. “Wait. We'll sort the bugger out.”

James stopped, and Fred and Ted both stood up, closing ranks with Jim.

“Leave him to us, Dad.”

“Well make him sorrier for what he's done than any policeman.”

For a moment James looked at them, then his lips curled upwards in a satisfied, mirthless smile. “All right, boys, I'll leave it to you. But if I was a bit younger, I'd come myself, and that's straight up.”

Without another word they put on their jackets. Jack went to get his too, and Charlotte put a hand on his arm.

“Not you, Jack. Leave it to your brothers.”

He hesitated. He hated violence, but he too wanted to extract his revenge for what Evan had done to Dolly. Sensing his dilemma, and seeing the stair door moving slightly, Charlotte said to him, “Go and put your sister to bed. She shouldn't be hearing this, but I don't want to leave Dolly.”

Jack nodded, relieved, and went to escort a highly excited Amy upstairs. When the door had closed after the three older boys, Charlotte turned back to Dolly.

“I told you not to go,” she admonished gently. “I knew something would happen if you did.”

Dolly snuffled softly into one of the large handkerchiefs Charlotte had given her. “I know, but I didn't like to upset him, Mam.”

James and Charlotte exchanged looks. Her soft heart would be her undoing if she was not careful. But neither of them wanted to upset her any more now.

“Your father will go up to the house and tell them you're taken poorly,” Charlotte said. “And your brothers are going to take care of Evan Comer, so you haven't a thing to worry about, have you?”

Dolly shook her head. Her trembling was subsiding, and her eyelids drooped as if she might fall asleep any moment. Charlotte stroked her hair protectively—the boys would sort Evan Comer out, of that she was sure.