A Broken Family (26 page)

‘Oh you,’ she said, yet smiling as she went back to the kitchen.

With a wry grin Jeremy said, ‘
Mum
’s already making me feel like a ten-year-old again. Is she always like
this?’

Tommy nodded, relieved that his mother was too focused on Jeremy to worry about him. ‘It’s worse if you’re ill. You’ve only got to sniff and she wants to confine you to bed, though with a business to run I can’t take time off unless I’m really rough.’

‘Yes, we’ll have to talk about
your
business,’ Jeremy said, ‘but it can wait for now.’

Tommy frowned, but then Jeremy said he was going upstairs to freshen up before dinner, leaving him to wonder about his brother’s enigmatic remark.

Though he hadn’t said as much, Jeremy had grown tired of travelling. He’d already been thinking about returning home when his mother’s letter arrived, and reading her impassioned words had set the seal on his decision. What he hadn’t thought about at that time was his father’s piddling little business, but that had changed when his mother had shown him the accounts. He was interested now – very interested, and somehow he was going to make sure that as the elder brother, he rightfully got his share.

A little later, over dinner, his mother looked at Thomas and said, ‘You look a bit flushed. Are you all right?’

‘Yes, I’m fine. It’s just a bit warm in here, that’s all.’

Jeremy wasn’t so sure. Out of their mother’s sight he’d seen Tom use his inhaler a few times and had heard him coughing. However, soon after they had finished eating, Tom said, ‘Right, Jeremy, are you ready?’

‘Yes, let’s go,’ he replied.

‘Don’t be long. You look exhausted, Jeremy.’

‘I must admit it’s catching up on me, but it’s still far too early to go to bed. See you later,
Mum
.’

She called goodbye and shortly after he and Tom walked out into the cold night air. Jeremy shivered, stuffed his hands into his pockets and picked up his pace. They were halfway down the Rise when Tom started coughing again, bending over and holding a hand against his racking chest.

‘Tom, are you all right?’ Jeremy asked, worried that his brother seemed to be struggling for air.

‘Yes … yes … just give me a minute.’

Jeremy wondered if they should turn back, but then Tom rallied and they began to walk again until they came to some houses with the fronts partially obscured by scaffolding. Tom knocked on one of the doors and because the light was behind her, Jeremy could barely see the young woman who opened it, though he did notice that she was tiny.

‘Tommy, I wasn’t expecting you, but come in,’ she invited, stepping back.

As they went inside, Tom said, ‘Amy, my brother has just returned home from his travels and I’ve brought him to meet you.’

As Amy closed the door and then smiled up at him, Jeremy found himself riveted. She was indeed tiny, but beautiful, with curly blonde hair, a cute little nose and wide, cornflower blue eyes.

‘Amy, this is Jeremy,’ said Tom, jolting him out of his daze.

‘Hello,’ she said, a little shyly, ‘it’s nice to meet you.’

‘It’s even nicer to meet you,’ Jeremy said, putting on the charm. ‘Tom didn’t tell me that you’re absolutely gorgeous.’

Amy flushed prettily and Jeremy was smitten, unable to believe that his mother had described this fantastic girl as a common slut. In all his travels he’d never met anyone who’d had this shattering effect on him, and he was sickened that she belonged to his brother.

Jeremy’s gaze was pulled away from Amy as Tom introduced him to her parents, and they were invited to take their coats off. He was again polite and charming, while noting furniture that looked absurdly large and grandiose in such a pokey room. He was asked to sit down by Amy’s mother, while noting that Tom was still standing with an arm around Amy. She was looking up at him with obvious affection and Tom was smiling down at her.

‘As you can see, they’re a right pair of lovebirds,’ Amy’s mother said. ‘Come on, you two. Can’t you take your eyes off each other for a minute and sit down?’

‘Sorry,’ Tom said, reluctantly taking a seat, but then a heaving cough hit him again.

‘Tommy, are you all right?’ Amy asked worriedly as she perched on the arm of his chair.

‘Yes,’ he said, recovering. ‘Don’t worry. It’s just a touch of asthma.’

Jeremy wasn’t so sure, but then Amy’s father spoke to him, asking, ‘Have you been to many interesting places?’

Once again Jeremy talked about his travels, embellishing some of his adventures, but he failed to catch Amy’s attention for long. She was too wrapped up in Tom, and Jeremy wasn’t used to being ignored in favour of a runt. He knew he was good looking, and was used to girls throwing themselves at him in their willingness to share his bed.

Amy was different and he found her a challenge
–
his
first one. It was a contest he was looking forward to
winning.

Tommy awoke in the night, his body drenched in perspiration as coughs violently shook his body. He sat up, gasping for breath as his bedroom door was flung open. The light went on and he saw his mother in her thick blue dressing gown, wearing a ridiculous pink hairnet, but to Thomas at that moment, she appeared a ministering angel.

As the coughing fit passed, she plumped up the pillows behind him, put his inhaler in his hand and then scurried off to return with a bottle of medicine. ‘This should help a little until I can get the doctor to you in the morning,’ she said softly.

He dutifully swallowed the foul-tasting liquid, then croaked, ‘Thanks,
Mum
, but there’s no need to call the doctor.’

‘Don’t be silly,’ she said, laying a soft palm on his brow, ‘you’re burning up.’

Tommy didn’t get a chance to argue because his mother hurried off again, this time returning with a bowl of water and a cloth. She bathed his brow, the cool relief feeling wonderful, and at last, exhausted, he drifted off. For the rest of the night Tommy slept fitfully, a painful cough frequently awaking him, but every time he opened his eyes he found his mother by his side.

Morning light filled the room when Tommy became fully awake again and he blinked, shocked to see that his bedside clock showed that it was after seven thirty. He sat up, flung back the blankets, and swung his legs round to get out of bed, only to be struck by a wave of dizziness. He felt awful, shivery, yet hot, but he had to get to work.

‘Hold on,
Mum
said you’re not to get up,’ Jeremy said as he walked into the room.

‘I don’t think I can,’ he had to admit weakly, lying back down.

‘Mum’s going to ring the doctor as soon as the surgery opens.’

Tommy struggled to sit up again. ‘I’ll have to make a call too. My foreman needs to know that I won’t be able to make it today, and though he can manage without me, I want to speak to him about a couple of urgent jobs.’

‘I can do that for you. Just tell me what you want this foreman of yours to do.’

With his head swimming, Tommy doubted he could make it downstairs, so he gratefully sank back again. ‘My foreman’s name is Len Upwood,’ he said, going on to explain what work needed to be given priority.

‘Right, leave it to me,’ Jeremy said confidently. ‘I’ll sort everything out.’

‘You just need to pass on what I’ve told you to Len. He’s a good bloke and he knows what he’s doing.’

‘So do I, Tom. I know just what I’m doing,’ Jeremy said as he left the room.

As far as Tommy knew, his brother knew nothing about the glass trade and he doubted he’d ever fitted a window. Still, Jeremy only had to pass on the message, so feeling that he had nothing to worry about now, Tommy relaxed, only to be hit by another fit of coughing that left him gasping for breath.

This wasn’t a mild bout of bronchitis, Tommy worried. It was a bad one and maybe it was just as well that his mother was calling the doctor. At least a course of antibiotics would get him back on his feet, and sooner rather than later.

Jeremy rang Len Upwood, but he wasn’t going to leave it at that. He was going to take a look at the business and after breakfast he said, ‘Mum, with Tom laid up I think I’ll drive to the unit. There’s a saying that while the cat’s away the mice will play, so I want to make sure there’s no slacking.’

‘All right, dear,’ she said. ‘I’m sure Thomas will appreciate that.’

‘Where does he keep the van keys?’

‘On the hall table,’ she said, ‘but have you got a licence to drive?’

‘Of course and I’ll see you later,’ Jeremy said, glad to get out of the house and onto the road. Of course he didn’t have a driving licence. He’d never stayed in one country long enough to get one. Thankfully his mother was too distracted by Tom and his bronchitis to realise that, and anyway, he
had
learned to drive. He just hadn’t passed any sort of test.

It didn’t take Jeremy long to get a feel for the van, and soon he was pulling up outside the unit, finding only two men in sight when he went inside and asked, ‘Which one of you is Len Upwood?’

‘That’d be me,’ said a round-faced man of around thirty, who was in the process of cutting a sheet of glass. ‘What can I do for you?’

‘I’m Jeremy Frost. We spoke on the telephone earlier.’

‘Oh, right, you’re Tommy’s brother.’

‘Yes, and I’m here to make sure that things are running to schedule in his absence.’

‘Well you can tell him they are, including the jobs he wanted prioritised,’ Len said as he bent over his work again.

‘It doesn’t look like it to me. There are only two of you working. Where are the rest of the men?’

Len’s head snapped up again. ‘Where do you think? They’re where they should be, out in their vans working on repairs and installations.’

Jeremy felt a fool and didn’t like it. Nor did he like Len Upwood’s derogatory tone. He’d spent too many years working as a menial; being shown little respect, and he’d had enough of that. For now though he had to make a dignified exit and said, ‘Right, that’s good. I’ll report back to Tommy and if you come across any problems, give me a ring.’

Len just looked at him, saying nothing, and Jeremy left the unit, jaws grinding as he got into the van. If he’d been the boss, Len would have shown him some respect, deference, and now it infuriated him that the business belonged to his brother. Tom was a weakling, always had been, but he had the life that Jeremy wanted, along with the girl.

Jeremy drove off, his grip tight on the steering wheel, determined to find a way to usurp his brother.

Mabel was in Edna’s house, and as she looked around the untidy living room she was trying to hide her distaste. Edna was dishevelled as ever; her hair greasy and unwashed, her body odour foul.

‘Well, I must say I was surprised when you knocked on my door,’ Edna said, as she puffed on a cigarette, two fingers stained a yellowish brown from the nicotine.

‘Yeah, well, I thought you might be interested to hear about Rose and Samuel Jacobs.’

‘What’s to know? It’s common knowledge that Rose married him, no doubt for his money.’

‘Yeah, and she persuaded him to buy a big house close to Battersea Park.’

‘I’ve heard about that too,
and
that Phyllis is working for her. From what I’ve seen, what with that posh furniture being delivered, Phyllis has done all right for herself too.’

‘It was only stuff Rose didn’t want any more.’

‘What about you getting your roof repaired?’ Edna said sarcastically. ‘I’ve been on about mine for years, but I’m not one of the favoured few like you.’

‘I had nothing to do with it,’ Mabel protested. ‘From what Phyllis tells me, ours aren’t the only ones that are getting repaired. Yours might be next.’

‘It’d be about time.’

‘I couldn’t agree more,’ Mabel said, hoping to overcome Edna’s slightly hostile manner. ‘It’s about time Samuel Jacobs did something about our complaints. After all, he’s had enough rent out of us over the years. He’s been living in luxury on the money he’s raked in, while we’ve been living in squalor.’

‘Yeah, that’s right. Would you like a cup of tea, Mabel?’ Edna asked.

Mabel smiled. The ice had been broken and she said, ‘Yes, please.’

‘I’ve got a bit of juicy gossip to tell you, but I’ll put the kettle on the gas first.’

Mabel fidgeted with expectation while the tea was made, but it turned out to be worth it and her eyes rounded in surprise. ‘I don’t know why I’m shocked. After all, it’s no more than I’d expect from the likes of her.’

‘I only found out about it recently,’ Edna continued. ‘A friend of a friend’s daughter was in there at the same time, but I don’t get to see her very often. Mind you, as the two of them were such good mates, I should think Amy knew about it.’

‘If she did, she never said a word,’ Mabel said, wondering if Amy had kept it from Phyllis too. Well she’d soon remedy that. Phyllis had refused to hear a bad word about that girl, but at last Mabel had been proved right. She was looking forward to seeing Phyllis later and pointing that fact out.

‘No, Mum, I don’t believe it,’ Amy said. ‘It sounds like Mabel is back to her old ways, and this is just nasty, wicked gossip.’

‘I thought the same, and I gave her a mouthful, but I’ve had time to think about it since then. I’m not so sure now. When you look back, Carol was supposed to have had food poisoning, but don’t you remember the state she was in when she came out of hospital? We were both worried sick about her.’

‘Yes, but then we found out that it was because her mother had walked out.’

‘I’m beginning to think there was more to it than that. If you remember, you were worried about Carol
before
she went into hospital. You said she’d become moody and withdrawn.’

‘That doesn’t mean she was pregnant, or that she had an abortion,’ Amy said indignantly.

‘I’m only saying it’s possible that the gossips have got it right.’

‘No they haven’t!’ Amy argued. ‘They’re just a bunch of nasty-minded women who seem to enjoy ruining people’s reputations. I dread to think how Carol is going to feel if she hears about this.’