A Sister's Shame (28 page)

Marie saw her mother sit up in the chair. ‘I never spoiled her. There was no money to spoil her with!’

‘I don’t mean with money.’ Elsie flipped her hand at Marie. ‘Go on, girl, get some glasses. The bottle won’t pour into thin air.’

Marie hurried to the kitchen and returned with the glasses. Elsie was still lecturing Ada. ‘Vesta knew how to wind you and Hector round her little finger. When she couldn’t get
something she wanted, there would be tears and tantrums. You’d always give in, because you didn’t want to get on the wrong side of her. Now, if that ain’t spoiling, I don’t
know what is!’

Ada stood up, her cheeks flushed. ‘You’ve no right to speak to me in that way.’

Marie put down the tray. ‘Mum, Elsie is only trying to help.’

‘A fine way of helping,’ Ada said bitterly. ‘I don’t need advice from someone who ain’t ever had kids.’ Ada’s hands trembled. ‘Have you ever
looked after a husband and children and worked all the hours God sends?’

At this, Hector stood up. ‘Ada, think what you’re saying. Elsie has been a second mother to our girls.’

‘And you!’ Ada exclaimed, turning on her husband. ‘Call yourself a good father? Our Vesta would still be here if it wasn’t for you!’ She sank down on the chair and
wept.

Quietly, Elsie sat beside her. ‘Come on, love, it’s New Year’s Day.’

Ada shook her head, sniffing. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean what I said.’

‘I know you didn’t.’

‘I dunno what come over me.’

‘We ain’t going to let a few cross words come between us.’

Ada sniffed loudly again. ‘No, course not.’

Elsie lifted her glass. ‘Well, here’s to us all, old friends, good and true.’

Ada wiped her cheeks. ‘Elsie, I could bite my tongue out.’

‘Don’t do that, love.’ Elsie chuckled, smacking her lips as she sipped the strong spirit. ‘I’d miss our long chats.’

Ada glanced at Hector. ‘I’m sorry, Hector.’

He gave her a grin under his moustache.

Marie listened to the loud tick of the mantel clock. Though peace reigned again, none of them could think of much to say as the minutes dragged by. It was Vesta who was on their minds.

When there were footsteps in the hall, they all looked up. The door opened. Dressed in a beautiful coat, with a pill-box hat sitting on the side of her head, as if by some miracle Vesta appeared
and smiled widely.

‘Happy New Year, everyone!’

Marie jumped up and ran into her arms. It was as though their thoughts had brought her back home.

Bing looked around his small gaff in Blackwall. It was just one room full of his clobber. When he was married, their home would be very different from this. His boss at the PLA
had a house on Manchester Road, with rooms for rent. Though not having discussed the date of their wedding yet, Bing fancied the spring. Last week, his mum and dad had offered them two rooms
upstairs. But he’d seen too many of his docker pals start married life that way and regret it. Not everyone got along with each other. He loved his mum and dad dearly, but he liked his
independence better.

Bing thought of the mid-Victorian house he had earmarked. Two ground-floor rooms, a scullery and back yard, with basement rooms that could be let out to lodgers to earn a few extra pennies.
Manchester Road was acknowledged to be a cut above the rest of the island districts. Its broad width and elegant houses, accessed by flights of steps, and clean-cut black-painted railings were not
dissimilar to Sphinx Street.

He knew Marie would feel at home here. And he would do all he could to see she was happy; she meant the world to him and, if he could, he would make her the happiest girl in the world.

He took a brand-new sheet of music from his pile by the bed. He had sung ‘Let Me Call You Sweetheart’ a few times at the pub. It was easy to carry off the famous crooner’s
drawl. Not that the patrons of the Cubby Hole gave him any credit. They preferred the livelier tunes. But this was special. ‘Sweetheart’ was his favourite word; one he would only use
for the girl he loved. And that, of course, was Marie.

With a smile on his face and tucking the papers into his breast pocket, he glanced in the mirror and gave himself a wide grin. For a docker, he scrubbed up well. Nodding his approval and humming
a few bars of ‘Let Me Call You Sweetheart’, he left his room, hurrying down the flight of concrete steps, setting off to call on his new landlord before seeing Marie.

‘Well, how do I look?’ Vesta twirled around, happy to have her family’s full attention. She had dressed for the part and, showing off the brown velvet
fur-trimmed coat that Teddy had bought her, she felt confident and sophisticated. The coat was a gift from Teddy to make up for the way he had left her at the manor. For this, she had Bill to
thank. He had brought her home in his chauffeur-driven car. True to his word, he had told Teddy that he’d arranged an overnight room for her at the manor. To her surprise, Teddy had thanked
him, then when Bill had gone, said their quarrel had been a storm in a teacup. He wanted to forgive and forget.

And, when Teddy bought her the coat and a beautiful evening dress to match, she had given in. She had also felt guilty about Bill. But, as no more was said about that night at Ossmingley Manor,
she was trying to forget it.

‘You look beautiful,’ said Ada, as she helped her daughter off with the expensive coat. Vesta pressed her hands down over the slim-fitting green dress and looked at her sister. After
her initial welcome, Marie didn’t look very pleased to see her. Nor did Elsie.

‘We thought you’d come on Christmas Day,’ said Marie in a flat voice.

‘Yes, it didn’t seem the same without you,’ added Hector as he took the coat from Ada and folded it carefully over the couch.

‘Teddy took me somewhere special, a party, in fact,’ Vesta said quickly. ‘I meant to visit, but time just flew.’

‘We missed you,’ said Ada. ‘But now you’re here, it doesn’t matter.’

‘Is there anything to drink?’ She didn’t want a lecture. After all, she wasn’t to blame for what happened on Christmas Day.

‘Yes,’ said Ada eagerly. ‘I’ll go and put the kettle on.’

Vesta was about to say it wasn’t tea she wanted when Elsie said, ‘I’ll see to that, Ada. Vesta, your mother has one or two questions she’d like to ask you. She
hasn’t seen you since you walked out, remember?’

‘It wouldn’t have happened if you’d been nice to Teddy.’

‘He hurt Kaiser,’ Elsie reminded her.

‘He didn’t mean to.’

‘Let’s forget all that,’ Hector reasoned, plumping the cushion on the couch. ‘Come and sit down. Tell us all your news.’

Vesta sat close to her father. She knew he was her ally and always had been. To her, he was the voice of reason in this family.

‘So, are you happy at this new club?’ said her mother as she sat down beside the fire.

‘Yes.’ She didn’t say that she hadn’t sung at the club since before Christmas. Teddy had got another act to sing there for the New Year celebrations. Her guilty
conscience had caused her to wonder if he was punishing her for the embarrassment she caused him at the manor. ‘I’m certainly not missing the factory,’ she said instead. ‘In
fact I can’t believe I stuck it out so long. My nails are actually growing.’ She held out her long red nails that she’d taken hours to manicure and colour last night. ‘The
Blue Flamingo is very choosy. The members are all rich people who are never rowdy and always applaud.’ She glanced at Marie. ‘It’s not a bit like the Duke’s.’

Marie smiled. ‘I’m glad you’re happy.’

‘What’s been happening here, then?’ Vesta hoped Elsie would hurry up with the tea. This was more difficult than she’d thought. Expecting to find everyone pleased to see
her, she was surrounded by critical faces.

‘Well, your sister got engaged,’ Ada said.

‘What?’ Vesta felt her insides tightening as she looked across the room to where Marie sat.

‘Yes, Bing asked me to marry him,’ Marie answered quietly.

‘And you agreed?’ Vesta swallowed, trying to hide her shock that Marie hadn’t been moping about missing her.

‘Yes, I did.’

‘Is that the ring?’ Vesta stared at Marie’s hand.

‘It was a Christmas present.’

‘I thought you didn’t want to get married.’

‘I didn’t once.’

Vesta narrowed her eyes. ‘I suppose you blame me for ruining your career.’

To Vesta’s surprise, Marie only smiled. ‘I fell in love and that changed things.’

‘So it seems. Congratulations.’ Vesta forced a smile on her lips but the emotions inside her were painful. Marie was her twin and they always shared everything. Well, they
couldn’t share men, of course, but being the last to know about Marie’s engagement made her, once more, feel left out. ‘I hope you’ll be very happy.’

‘Thank you.’ Marie looked down and touched the ring, as though she was thinking of Bing.

Ada reached out to squeeze Vesta’s hand. ‘Now, dear, tell us more about yourself and of course . . .’ Her mother hesitated. ‘Teddy. Are you still seeing him?’

‘What a daft question, Mum!’

‘I only asked. We know so little about what goes on in your life. Does he sing at the Blue Flamingo too?’

Vesta rolled her eyes. ‘You know he does.’ How many more questions were to be fired at her, she wondered. ‘We have important people to please, like I said. So Teddy acts as a
host when Wally and Leo are busy. Like at the Christmas party I told you about, Teddy introduced me to lots of famous people. Have you heard of William Dearlove?’

Vesta was disappointed when they all shook their heads. None of her family appreciated how much she’d come up in the world. ‘He’s a director,’ she explained, ‘a
very well-known one in the world of theatre. Bill says I’d make a good actress. I’m going to read for him soon.’

‘Who’s Bill?’ asked Ada.

‘William Dearlove. Bill’s what he’s called by his friends.’

Ada’s expression was bewildered. ‘But you don’t know anything about acting.’

‘Me and Marie were always putting on shows.’

‘Yes, but you was only kids.’

‘That doesn’t mean I can’t do it.’ Vesta thought of all the occasions in her life that Ada had discouraged her. Now she was doing it again. Well, it wasn’t going to
work. She was free to do as she wished and that was the way it was going to stay. She could look after herself now. After all, she’d managed to put things right between herself and Teddy, and
keep Bill as a friend too. In fact, he’d called round the house this week when Teddy was at work, to see how she was. At first, she hadn’t wanted to let him in. She didn’t want to
talk about that night at the manor. But he hadn’t mentioned it. Instead, he reminded her he was going to do all he could to help her.

‘Bill is going to get me elocution lessons,’ she said, tossing back her blonde waves. ‘As he says I have promise.’

Ada’s mouth opened on a gasp. ‘But he don’t know you and you don’t know him. Why’s he doing that?’

‘I told you, I show promise.’ Vesta wondered irritably what more she had to say to make an impression.

‘But why should he be interested in a young girl who ain’t never acted before?’ Ada persisted.

Vesta was close to tears. It was only her pride keeping them from falling. Why did her mother always have to spoil things?

‘Your mother only cares, love, she’s not having a go,’ Hector interrupted. ‘We’re sure you could do anything if you really wanted.’

‘Stop that, Hector,’ Ada admonished. ‘It was you that gave her all them big ideas before.’

Vesta saw her father’s shoulders droop. It was still Ada who always had the last say. Her father never seemed able to defend himself.

‘Here’s the tea,’ said Elsie, coming in with a tray. Setting it down on the table, she arranged the cups, saucers and plates. ‘There’s a slice of Christmas cake for
everyone. So you won’t go hungry, Vesta.’

That all sat in silence as Elsie served the cake. Vesta looked at Marie and the ring on her finger. She felt the painful stirrings of envy. She wanted Teddy’s ring on her finger. But would
she ever get it? ‘So when’s the big day, Marie?’ she asked curiously.

‘We haven’t decided yet.’

‘Are you still going to work at the factory when you’re married?’

‘Your sister got promotion,’ Ada said before Marie could reply. ‘To the offices.’

Vesta was shocked. ‘You can’t type or do shorthand.’

‘No, I check in the goods, mostly, from the barges. Then take the paperwork to the offices.’

‘How did you manage that?’

‘I filled in Flo Davis’s place.’

‘Flo Dav—’ Vesta stopped. She glanced at Ada, who didn’t know anything about the girl who said she was having Teddy’s baby. She met Marie’s eyes, who looked
away quickly.

‘Where are you living, Vesta?’ Ada asked. ‘We haven’t got your address. You left without giving me one.’

‘You know very well I’m with Teddy.’

Everyone was silent again. Vesta glared at them defiantly. ‘What’s wrong with that?’

‘You’re only eighteen,’ Ada cried. ‘You don’t know what life is about.’

‘Would you still say that to me if I was married and had a couple of kids hanging round my ankles?’

‘Vesta, come home to where you belong,’ her mother begged. ‘You can’t live in sin.’

‘Mum, that’s an old-fashioned idea. One day me and Teddy will be married. But it’s my career that comes first.’ Vesta pushed away her tea and stood up. ‘I’ve
got to go now.’

Ada tried to stop her putting on her coat. ‘Please don’t leave.’

‘Ada, calm down,’ Hector said, as Vesta walked to the door.

‘Don’t let her go. You’re her father. Put your foot down.’

Hector stood in the middle of them. ‘Vesta, don’t leave like this. Let’s try to work things out.’

‘It’ll only end up in a row,’ Vesta grumbled. ‘As long as I’m with Teddy, Mum will never be happy.’ She shrugged him off and grabbed her bag.

‘At least leave us your address, love, somewhere we can write to.’

‘Just write to the club.’ She didn’t want her family turning up on their doorstep. Teddy would go mad.

Vesta hurried out. She didn’t look at Marie as she knew the pleading expression in her eyes would drag her back. She loved her sister, father and mother, but she had her own life to lead.
And it wasn’t the life they wanted for her. If Ada had her way, she would be leading a drab and boring life that would eventually drive her crazy.