Hannah massey (24 page)

"Well, what did you expect me to do?" Rosie glanced fiercely upwards as she asked the question.

"Oh, I just expected you to make a run for it once you got in the street, then go to the Salvation Army or something, anywhere that would get you home. Except the Police Station; I didn't expect you to go there after I warned you."

"I nearly did."

"It's as well you didn't, kid, for he would have got you. If he had done time he would still have got you. Dickie's vindicl-HM

tive, I've seen it. An' he's scared of jail. "

"Be quiet!" Rosie was looking towards the door through which were coming Jimmy and Shane, their faces set. She knew ^what had

happened.

Jimmy had brought Shane with him to confirm his opinion of the woman their Rosie knew.

Ada, following Rosie's gaze, turned her head slowly towards the

approaching men. Her look was lazy, confident.

"Another brother?" she mumbled through her teeth.

"Yes."

"I don't believe it." She pulled herself up straight, and looked at Shane as he "came to the table, and as Shane stared down at her, she said, " Rosie's brother? "

"Yes, I'm Rosie's brother."

The woman laughed.

"Any more at home like you two?" She moved her head in Jimmy's direction, then looked back at Shane.

"Two more," said Shane; "and me mother's a big woman an' all."

"No kidding?"

"Ncxkidding."

"I'd like a drink," she said.

"Come on, Rosie." Jimmy lifted his head in a beckoning movement to Rosie, but looking pleadingly at him she said, "I'd " like a drink an'

all, Jimmy. Would you bring two gins? "

Jimmy hesitated for quite some time, then sucking in his lips he went to the bar counter at the end of the room for the drinks. Shane

remained standing gazing down at the woman, taking in the nipples of her breasts imprinted sharply through the dress, the length of

uncovered knee crossing the other and the tightness of the dress where it pulled in under her stomach. He said to her, "Staying long?"

"It all depends."

"How did you get in here?" he asked her.

"It's members only."

"A gentleman friend brought me." Her eyes narrowed and her face became grim.

"And don't you be so snotty."

"Shane... look, Shane. Go on, please. I'll come along in a minute."

"I've plenty of time. I'll go when you do." Shane was now carrying a good few drinks and he looked and sounded stubborn.

When Jimmy came back to the table bringing the two gins and no drink for himself or Shane, Rosie said to him, "I won't be five minutes, Jimmy, I'll join you in five minutes."

"I've told her we'll go when she goes, not until." Shanc nodded at Jimmy.

At this Rosie bounced to her feet saying under her breath, "Look, Shane, leave me alone. I'm not a child. Now get yourself away. And you an' all. Jimmy. You don't want me mother to come in here looking for me, do you?"

At this pointed question the men exchanged quick glances, and Shane said, "All right, all right, but if you're not back in five minutes, ten at the outside, we'll come for you." He nodded significantly at her. And Jimmy repeated like a parrot, "Aye, we'll come for you." He, too, nodded at her before turning away.

"Who do they think they are, anyway?" The woman pulled the glass of gin towards her and gulped at it.

"They didn't mean anything," said Rosie.

"Oh, don't start to consider my feelings or I'll cry." She knocked the bottom of her glass twice on the table.

"And look, you're not getting rid of me until I know where I can lay my hands on that ring."

"I can tell you the name of the shop; it was Gomex's."

The woman's eyes stretched wide, and there came into them a gleam that looked like a smile.

"Gomex's?" she said.

"Well, fancy! How did you know about him?"

"What do you mean? I didn't know anything. I... I used to pass the shop coming from the office, that's all. It was quite near the

office."

"Well, for your information you hit on one of the biggest transferors that's a nice term, isn't it, transferor, one of the biggest in the business. I bet he put two and two together and hoped you would die before you got that ring out again." She paused.

"Did you put your own name and address on it?"

"I put my own name but not my address."

"What address?"

"Eight Brampton Hill."

"Rosie Massey, eight Brampton Hill, eh?"

"Yes."

"Well, things seem to be going my way after all. From what I know of Mr. Gomex, he's not partial to our dear Dickie. Here." She pulled open her bag and pulled out an address book.

"Write along there: I authorise Miss Ada Lang to redeem the ring I pledged under the name of Rosie Massey, of 8 Brampton

Hill, on February twenty-second. I have lost the ticket. and sign it at the bottom. It mightn't carry any legal weight but it will help to convince him that I know you, and when I tell him the whole story he'll likely see it my way and we can come to some monetary arrangement. "

She smiled now with her lips only.

"That's after I point out to him that if he doesn't produce it after twelve months and you fail to turn up there could be some enquiries....

Now what about another drink, just for old times' sake, eh?" As she turned her face towards the bar, the room door opened again, and as a man entered she exclaimed, "Oh, I knov/ this bloke, I was talking to him last night.

He could be easy. Ooh-ooh, there," she called down the room.

Rosie made no protest, but just stared like a fascinated rabbit as Ronnie MacFarlane came walking towards them.

When she had hailed him Ronnie had looked at Ada Lang, but only for a second before his gaze had jumped to Rosie, and he kept his eyes on her until he reached the table; and not until Ada Lang asked, "You looking tor me?" did he blink and turn towards the woman, saying, "Yes..." No no, I wasn't, I was looking for a pal. "

"Well, make up your mind.... Anyway, sit down now you're here." She flicked out a chair with the point of her long shoe, and he looked at it for a moment before he sat down. Then he stared at the table for another moment before, his glance slipping between them, he said, "You two know each other?"

"Of course we know each other. This is," the woman jerked her thumb across the table, "this is Rosie, Rosie Massey."

"I know it's Rosie Massey." Ronnie was staring at the woman now, then slowly turning his head and addressing Rosie's averted face he said in an odd tone, "Hello there, Rosie."

Slowly Rosie pulled herself to her feet. She had felt sick before but it was nothing to the feeling she was experiencing now.

"What's your hurry? Sit down." As Ronnie put out his hand to touch her she curved her body from it as if it was a reptile. At this he laughed, a deep laugh, a man's laugh, yet it sounded like laughter preceding madness.

"Look, sit down ... sit down. What's your hurry?" The woman was looking up at her.

"Anyway wait till those pieces of beef come for you." She put out her hand, and Rosie, knocking it aside, snapped, "You've got what you want, now leave me alone."

As she walked down the room she was conscious that they were both

looking at her and she had the desire to run. She was almost on the point of it when she reached the door, there to be confronted by Jimmy and Shane again. She walked between them and into the passage before turning and facing them.

Jimmy's brows were down, his lower lip was moving as though it were an independent feature from side to side, as it always did when he was beginning to carry a heavy load.

She was surprised at the steadiness in her voice as she said, "It's a long story, and you wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"We'll take a chance on that." It was Shane speaking.

"She's a tart.

You know that, don't you? And an old one at that. "

"How do you know?"

Her voice was snapping now.

"Ah, come off it, Rosie, it's sticking out all over her. An' what's more, she was here last night and tried it on with one or two of the lads."

"If me mother knew you knew anybody like her she'd go clean up the lum," said Jimmy now; "an' if I catch you with her again I'll clout your lug, as old as you are."

"Steady on, steady on," said Shane, pushing his brother with the flat of his hand.

"Those dames are clever; they make friends with people an' not everybody can spot 'em. Come on, come on." He took hold of Rosie's arm.

"Me mother's been asking for you. An' for God's sake, an' your own,"

he nodded solemnly towards her, "don't let her and that piece meet up."

"I'm going home." She pulled her arm from Shane's.

"Oh no, you're not, you're coming back to me ma and we'll alt go home together. Come on." Jimmy's grip was not as gentle as Shane's, and Rosie found herself being hustled through the door into the main

room.

Someone had just stopped singing and everybody was clapping. When they reached the table Hannah greeted her with a broad, oily smile.

"Where've you been, me dear?" she asked. Her voice was thick and lazy sounding.

"Talking," said Rosie.

"Talking? Who to? Was it young Graham Benson? He was at me a while ago enquiring after you.

"How long is she staying?" he asked.

"She's a smasher," he said. He's a nice fellow is young Benson, and doing well. "

"I think I'll go home, Ma, I'm feeling a bit tired."

"Aw, home hell!"

Jimmy looked warningly at Rosie.

"We'll all go shortly. Let's have another round first. An' it's your turn, Shane, me boy." He turned to his brother.

"An' I'll have a double me self this time, I'm sick of beer."

( There was a babble of talk now and it went over Rosie's t head. She watched Shane go for the drinks and return with them, and as he placed them on the table someone began to play the piano and a voice broke into song, and soon almost everybody in the room was singing.

It was when the community singing ended that Rosie saw Ada Lang and Ronnie standing by the bar. Ada had one elbow on the counter and was looking at Ronnie, but Ronnie, with his broad back tight against the counter, was looking directly at her.

Hannah had seen him too, and leaning heavily towards Broderick, she whispered thickly, "Who's that piece with Ronnie MacFarlane over there?

I've never seen her here afore. She doesn't fit in... cheap she is.

What's things comin' to? She can't be a member, I've never seen her here afore," she repeated.

"He should have his wife with him; aye, he should. She looks loose, that one...," "I'm going home, Ma." Rosie was on her feet and she glanced at Jimmy defiantly as she made this statement, and Hannah

looking up at her and still smiling said.

"Oh, it's early. What time is it?"

"It's after ten."

"Aye it's after ten," put in Broderick, "an' not far off shutting- up time."

"Is it, be god Well then, just a minute, just a minute." As Hannah looked back at Rosie she appeared to be the essence of amenity.

"Let me drink this an' I'll come along. Always go when you're feeling happy I say, never overdo a good thing. It's been a grand evenin'.

What say you?" She looked round the table but did not wait for their affirmation, and emptying her glass she rose unsteadily to her feet, crying, "Ups-a-daisy," and as she staggered slightly she grabbed at Broderick and they both laughed.

"Where's Bamy and Arthur?" she asked.

"Over at yon side," said Shane.

"You get goin an' I'll collect them.

You go along with them. Jimmy. " Shane nodded at his brother, and Jimmy said thickly, " Aye, I'll go along with them. " What his tone implied was that he would go along with Rosie.

And he did go along with her. He preceded his 'mother and father out of the room, pressing Rosie before him as he waved good-bye to right and left, and swaying and lunging on the crusting slush, he hung on to her until they reached home. Yet he didn't speak a word to her.

Although he was talking all the time all his remarks were thrown over his shoulder to his mother and father, who, arm in arm, came slithering and laughing behind them.

Rosie made no protest whatever against Jimmy's possessive hold on

her.

Outwardly, she appeared docile, but inwardly she was in a turmoil. She must get her things together and get out of the house as soon as

possible. It wasn't Jimmy or Shane's questioning she was afraid of as much as Ronnie MacFarlane's. Whereas Jimmy and Shane could not believe that she was more than lightly acquainted with a woman like Ada Lang, Ronnie seemed to have gauged the truth from the moment Re saw them together. And Ada's form of introduction had clinched it. When she had left them she hadn't considered whether or not Ada would give her away, and when she had seen Ronnie looking so pointedly at her she had come to the conclusion that Ada hadn't said anything. But the fact remained that Ronnie guessed at what the lads didn't want to believe, and she must get away. When they were all in bed sleeping their

drink-drugged sleep, she would bring downstairs just what she could carry, and she would go to Dennis's until the morning, and from there she would go to her new digs in Newcastle.

Flopping into the big chair near the banked-down fire, Hannah shouted at Broderick, "Oh, take me shoes off, lad, they're killing me." Then flinging her arms out towards Rosie, she cried, "Have you had a good night? Have you enjoyed yourself, lass? You still dance like a

fairy.

I came and watched you once or twice. You didn't know I did but I

did.

Oh, you were a sight, with the finest pair of legs in the land. I've always had the faculty of enjoying a pair of legs, like a man. " At this she let her head flop back and the laughter gushed from her. And Broderick roared with her, but not Jimmy. Jimmy was looking really surly now. He was sitting by the table, his elbow on it, his head

resting on the palm of his hand, his brow puckered and his lip working as if his fuddled mind was trying to puzzle something out.