Lizzie's Secret (12 page)

Living with her aunt was not an option. Aunt Jane had barely spoken to Lizzie since Uncle Jack died, and then only when she had to; her aunt had never cared for her, but now they were like two strangers forced to share the same living space, and after the funeral it could only get worse.

*

‘Well, if you don't mind sharing your room until after Mary's wedding, Lizzie can come as soon as the funeral is over. I shall want fifteen shillings for her food and washing, same as your sister and you pay, Beth – but if she's happy with that I shall be glad of the money.'

‘Lizzie gives her aunt a pound a week,' Beth said. ‘She was pleased when I told her she'd be welcome here. I think she dreaded moving into lodgings.'

‘Well, she can move some of her things here when she's ready. We don't have much room, but we'll store them somewhere until Mary's room is empty.'

‘I don't think Lizzie has much of her own, apart from a few clothes and some drawing things. Her aunt is so mean to her…'

‘Well, we'll look after her when she comes to us,' her mother said.

‘I think Mr Oliver is trying to take advantage of her too. Lizzie is so clever, Mum. You should see the designs she draws – and she makes hats look really special. She should have her own hat shop.'

‘Perhaps she will one day, but we'll look after her in the meantime.' Mrs Court finished setting the table. ‘ What are you doing this evening, Beth? Is Tony taking you out?'

‘No, he's working late again,' Beth said. ‘I saw him at the bus-stop this morning. He went to look at a shop in Whitechapel but it wasn't what he wants so he didn't take the lease. He was disappointed, but, it's probably better to wait for a while. If there is a war – well, he would have to leave everything to his staff and that wouldn't work.'

‘It might, if you were there to look after things – don't you think that's what Tony wants?'

‘Yes, I know it is. He thinks if he had the shop, Dad would let us get married at Christmas, instead of making us wait until after I'm twenty – but I don't want to give my job up yet, Mum.'

‘Perhaps your dad isn't so wrong, love. After all, it's only eighteen months or so now. It's surprising how time flies, isn't it?'

‘Yes, I know.' Beth felt anxious. ‘Supposing it does come to a war, Mum, what happens then? What happens if Tony is called up and he wants to get married quickly?'

‘I don't know, Beth. If it happens you will have to ask your dad. I think he will still say you should wait until you're twenty – but if there's a war and you really want to marry Tony, he might relent. That nice Mr Chamberlain keeps saying it isn't going to happen and Germany would never declare war on us. And perhaps he is right…'

Lizzie didn't cry in church or even as she stood by the grave and threw a rose into the open ground. She'd cried all her tears and now felt empty and numb. She was glad that both Harry and Beth had got a few hours off to be with her. Ed had wanted to come but Mr Oliver couldn't spare him.

‘I'll be thinking of you, Lizzie,' he'd told her. ‘Madge says you're to come to us whenever you like… we're your family now.'

Lizzie had thanked him but she'd decided that she would stay with Beth's family once she'd settled things with her aunt. Mrs Court had come to the funeral and told her she was welcome to stay with them for as long as she liked, which was a relief since her aunt was still ignoring her and Lizzie knew she wanted her out of the house.

‘Come on,' Harry said, squeezing her hand as they left the churchyard. ‘I'll take you home and then I can cart your stuff round to Beth's house.'

‘Yes, please stay until everyone else has gone,' Lizzie said. ‘I have to talk to my aunt and I'm not looking forward to it. If you're there, we shan't come to blows…'

‘She'd better not touch you.' Harry looked so fierce that for the first time in days Lizzie felt like smiling.

She'd been cleaning and baking every spare moment she'd got since her uncle's death. A spread of ham sandwiches, home-made biscuits, small cakes and sausage rolls was waiting for the guests at her uncle's house. Lizzie had thought it might only be her and her friends that went back, but instead about twenty other people piled into their tiny sitting room and overflowed into the kitchen. Uncle Jack had been a popular man, and a lot of his friends had turned up to see him off.

Aunt Jane wore the face of a suffering martyr all the time the guests were there, but gradually they drifted away, leaving a mountain of washing up behind them.

‘We'll help with this before we go,' Mrs Court said and gave Lizzie a hug. ‘Come to us whenever you like, love.'

‘I'm going to talk to my aunt when you've gone, and Harry will bring my stuff over. I don't have that much, a suitcase and a couple of cardboard boxes…'

‘Just as well or we'd have nowhere to put them,' Beth's mother said and wiped up a delicate china cup.

‘I'll see you later.' Beth hugged her. ‘We'll go now, because the sooner you leave here the better.'

Lizzie nodded. Harry had taken no part in the washing up, watching the others and saying nothing, but after they'd left, he took her hand and held it firmly.

‘Come on, let's get it over…'

They were about to walk into the sitting room when Aunt Jane entered the kitchen. Lizzie saw by her face she was angry, and then she noticed that her aunt was holding something that looked like a will.

‘Do you know what this is?' she asked in the bitter tone she'd used of late towards Lizzie. ‘It was delivered by hand a few minutes ago. It's your Uncle Jack's will. As usual, I'm the last to know, because I can see by your face that you know the terms of it…'

‘He told me something before he died…' Lizzie faltered, feeling glad that Harry was standing at her shoulder.

‘He left everything to you, apart from the insurance policy… about fifty pounds they told me when I telephoned and asked yesterday. Everything else – this house and the business is yours…' If a look could kill, it was aimed at Lizzie now. ‘Twenty-five years of marriage and I get a paltry fifty pounds…'

‘The house is yours rent-free for your lifetime…' Lizzie stopped as her aunt moved towards her threateningly. ‘I didn't know until he said…'

‘Oh no, of course not.' Aunt Jane hit out, but Harry moved too quickly for her and all she contacted with was his arm. ‘Yes, she's got you running after her, hasn't she, but just you wait until you know what she really is…'

‘You'd better shut your foul mouth, madam,' Harry said, glaring at her. ‘You're speaking of the girl I love, and one day she's going to be my wife.'

Aunt Jane stared at him and then started laughing. Her laughter got wilder and wilder until she was clearly hysterical and Harry took her by the shoulders and shook her.

‘I don't know what's so funny, but we're going to fetch Lizzie's things now and we're leaving.'

‘Mrs Court has asked me to stay with her,' Lizzie said, delaying him for a moment with a touch of her hand. ‘I'm sorry we had to part like this, Aunt Jane, but I don't think you'd want me here even if I said I'd stay…'

Her aunt had stopped laughing. ‘I shan't be here that long myself, but don't think you're getting the house that easily. I'm going to consult a solicitor about my rights, and if I can't actually get what belongs to me, I'll see you don't have it for as long as I live. You can't stop me letting it to a tenant and having the money.'

‘I'm not so sure about that,' Harry said, but Lizzie placed a gentle hand on his arm.

‘I don't want to stop you renting the house,' she said. ‘It should have been yours. I know that and so did Uncle Jack, but he chose to leave things the way he did. I could speak to the solicitor, because the house should be yours.'

‘No,' Harry said. ‘Don't give into her, Lizzie. Think about it before you make any promises. Your uncle wanted you to have it and you owe it to his memory to believe he knew what he was doing…'

Lizzie looked at him uncertainly. She felt uncomfortable about inheriting most of her uncle's property, because it really ought to be his wife's, despite the way she'd treated him.

‘I doubt the solicitor would let you,' Aunt Jane said bitterly. ‘Jack will have it all sewn up tight enough. I always knew it might come to this… he was a damned fool and it was his fault…'

‘You mean the accident,' Lizzie said, staring at her intently. ‘Just because he sent me out for a packet of cigarettes and I fell and hurt my head…'

Her aunt smiled strangely, a cold cruel glint in her eyes as she said, ‘A fall – is that what you believe Oh, no, Lizzie, that wasn't what happened. Believe me.'

‘What did happen then? You've never told me…'

‘Don't give her the chance to hurt you.' Harry took Lizzie's arm, steering her from the room. ‘Don't listen to her, Lizzie darling. She's a vindictive old witch and she'll tell you a pack of lies. We'll get your things and leave.'

Lizzie looked back and the smile on her aunt's mouth chilled her. Harry was right. Aunt Jane wanted to hurt her. It was a good thing she was leaving right now…

*

‘I'm really happy you're going to stay with us,' Beth said when Lizzie hung her things in the wardrobe and put her undies in the drawer Beth had emptied for her. ‘You'll be like another sister, Lizzie – and we can go everywhere together…'

‘Yes, we can,' Lizzie said and hugged her. ‘I always wanted a sister and now I've got you. Things are going to be so much easier for us both now, Beth.'

Beth agreed and they went down to have the tasty snack Beth's mother had prepared for their supper: a slice of toast and dripping and a mug of sweet cocoa made with condensed milk. It was yummy sitting by the fire tucking into the treat and Lizzie realised what she'd been missing all these years as she listened to the Court family bickering and laughing, teasing each other, especially when Mary came home after seeing her fiancé and Beth's other sister Dotty and her husband popped in with their baby for a few minutes on their way home from visiting his family. The small kitchen was crowded and Lizzie felt a part of the family, surrounded by friends and the love and kindness of people she knew she could trust. At last she was free to enjoy life, meet her friends and do what she wanted, just as her uncle had wanted for her…

Uncle Jack's death was going to hurt for a while longer, made worse by the bitter accusations and the hatred she'd seen in her aunt's eyes, but it was over… Now she could put the past behind her and move on.

‘Well, Lizzie, I don't do this for all my girls,' Mr Oliver said that day in early August. ‘I always make them serve their full term as an apprentice, but you've proved quick and clever – and neither Ed nor Harry will give me a moment's peace if I don't put you on full wages.'

‘That's very kind of you, Mr Oliver.' Harry had hounded his uncle these past few weeks, telling him that Lizzie was a marvel and if she didn't stay he would regret it. ‘I'm glad you're pleased with my work.'

‘Well, don't take advantage of my good nature,' her employer said. ‘Get on with your work. I need that order fulfilled by tomorrow – but Ed is right, you do make a good team.'

Lizzie laughed softly, delighted with the news, as Mr Oliver moved on. ‘Thanks, Ed,' she said. ‘I know you warned him that you'd never cope if I left, and after both Nancy and Meggie went to work in the munitions factory it put the wind up him.'

‘Don't compare their work with yours,' Ed said. ‘You've learned to cut and shape the hats in record time, Lizzie, and you can sew the pieces together and then trim them if you want, though you tell Oliver that you need Tilly to help you.'

‘I didn't want him giving her the sack,' Lizzie said. ‘Brian, that's her husband, is just about hobbling around now, but he won't get his old job back at the docks. All he will be able to do is the job of a caretaker or something that doesn't involve heavy lifting.'

‘Do you know if he can drive?' Ed asked. ‘I reckon Oliver would take him on to replace Harry. He has only waited this long for your sake, because he wanted to be off weeks ago, Lizzie… When is the big day to be?'

Lizzie blushed and shook her head. ‘Not yet,' she said. ‘He has asked me to marry him, but I said we've got to wait for a while. I'm not twenty-one until January and I don't think Aunt Jane would sign the consent form if I asked her.'

‘Do you know where she's living?'

‘Some kind of apartments…' Lizzie wrinkled her brow. ‘I'm not sure, but I think it's a home for people who need help and can't manage alone. I suppose she found herself a little job helping the warden or something…'

‘You haven't written to her?'

‘No, not yet. We parted on bad terms and I would rather leave it for a while.'

Ed arched his eyebrows. ‘Do you want to get married, Lizzie?'

‘I might,' she said, her cheeks warm. ‘I'm fond of Harry… I might love him, but I'd rather wait until next year and not ask Aunt Jane.'

‘Well, Oliver won't be keen on losing you…'

‘I shan't leave even if we get married. I've got lots to learn yet,' Lizzie said. ‘I love my job; especially now you let me make up my orders and I do the final touches… it's almost what I wanted to do…'

‘You should work for a top-class milliner,' Ed said. ‘Some of the designs you draw are wonderful. Oliver will never let you make them up here – you do know that?'

‘Oh yes, I know, but I shan't be here forever. Besides, he lets me buy materials and I've been making hats for Beth's sister's wedding. None of them know yet, but I shall finish them this week and I'll take them home and surprise them all…' She'd rented her uncle's shop out for a few shillings a week and the solicitor had got her fifty pounds for the lease, which she'd put safely in the bank, but she could afford to spend a little on hats for her friends, especially after all they'd done for her.