Lizzie's War (24 page)

‘You don't want to do that…'

‘Then find out who is responsible…' Bernie's voice was threatening. ‘And now get out – don't come here again unless you've got something important to tell me…'

Beth fled upstairs as the door handle was grasped. She was trembling and she felt sick with fear, because she'd never suspected that her husband could be involved in something involving shady business that might come to the attention of the police.

What was he talking about when he spoke of closing the houses? The only thought that came to mind was that he might mean brothels – a tide of vomit rose up her throat and she made a dash for the bathroom to be sick. If the man she'd married was mixed up in something so awful… her thoughts were suspended as the door was thrust open and Bernie walked in.

‘What's wrong with you?' he asked, glaring at her.

‘I was being sick,' Beth said. ‘It must have been something I ate.'

‘You hardly ate anything from what I saw,' Bernie said, his frown intensifying. ‘Maybe you're pregnant…'

Beth hesitated before answering. He hadn't been near her for some weeks now but if she denied it he might start at her again.

‘I might be,' she said.

‘Go to the doctor tomorrow,' he said. ‘If you're having my kid I want you to take care of yourself – don't lose it…'

‘All right…' Beth drew a sigh of relief. He was turning away, going to his own room. He wasn't going to force himself on her and he didn't suspect that she'd overheard him talking to that man in his study.

Beth washed her face, then went through and locked her door before getting undressed. She didn't want Bernie walking in on her in her petticoat, because he might change his mind.

As she lay wakeful, Beth thought about what the two men had been saying in the study. If Bernie was involved in something illegal and worried that the law might catch up with him, he was vulnerable. If Beth could discover what his secret was she might convince him that if he ever tried to hurt her again, she would send her evidence to the police – but where would she get hold of any evidence? Would Bernie keep anything in the house that could incriminate him?

It was very unlikely but Beth was going to have a good look round when he was out. She'd had enough of her bully of a husband and she didn't intend to let him carry on dictating her life a minute longer than she had to…

*

Beth glanced round the study. She'd tried the desk drawers, one of which was locked. The ones she'd searched had nothing of any importance other than a few bills and a cash tin, which she hadn't bothered to open. Bernie gave her enough money for the housekeeping and she didn't need anything else – though she wouldn't hesitate to take his money if she decided to leave.

Hearing the clock in the hall strike the hour, she decided to leave her search for now. Matt and Jenny were dressed and playing in the pen Bernie had bought for them. It was time she got them into the pram if she wanted to see Lizzie – and she did need to talk; though she wasn't sure how much she dared to tell her best friend…and she would have to be careful, because there would be a big row if Bernie discovered she'd been to see her friend. He'd had no choice but to let her go to her parents after Mary's sudden death, but he'd warned her not to make a habit of it.

‘Why don't you leave him?' Lizzie asked as Beth finished her recital later that morning. ‘You should have walked out the first time he hurt you…'

‘He threatened the children,' Beth said, because she hadn't told Lizzie all the sordid details. She couldn't tell even Lizzie how humiliated she'd felt. ‘You probably wouldn't risk it if you had Betty to think of – and how could I explain to my father? If I'd told him what Bernie did – Dad would have gone after him and… he's dangerous, Lizzie. He frightens me.'

‘Your father is a strong man. I think he could handle Bernie Wright…' Lizzie said but Beth shook her head.

‘It wouldn't be like that, Lizzie. Bernie wouldn't try anything himself – he knows people. People who might kill Dad… stick a knife in his back or something.'

‘What makes you say that?' Lizzie asked.

‘I've heard him talking – to men, secretly,' Beth said and wrinkled her brow. ‘I think Bernie is mixed up in something nasty…'

‘Like what?'

‘Maybe brothels…' Beth nodded as she saw Lizzie blench. ‘Yes, it made me feel sick too, but I don't know anything for certain. I need to find some proof – something that would send him to prison…'

‘And what then – shall you turn him in?'

‘Yes, if he threatens the twins …' Beth said. ‘But, I'll use whatever I find to blackmail him if I can…'

‘That's dangerous…'

‘It's the only way I can live with him, Lizzie. I'm on thorns all the time in case he takes it into his head to attack me again. If I can get some evidence that would incriminate him…I can force him to leave me and the twins alone.'

‘Why not just leave him?'

‘Because my parents would feel bad about it if I told them why I'd walked out on him. They were both so set on my getting married, Lizzie. I was uneasy from the start, but I let myself be pushed into a situation and then I didn't know how to stop it.'

‘You wanted to stop it on your wedding day,' Lizzie said. ‘Why didn't you tell me you were worried?'

‘You've had so much worry over things and you went through too much when Harry was killed – I couldn't talk to you…'

‘I know I was partly to blame, Beth,' Lizzie said, nodding her head regretfully. ‘I realized that on your wedding day, but it was too late by then – I'm so sorry for all that's happened to you.'

‘It isn't your fault; it isn't my parents' fault either. I should have seen what he was, Lizzie – but he kept his true nature so well hidden. I glimpsed it once and should've been warned, but I felt in the way at your house after you married and I didn't want to live with my parents again.'

‘I'm sure your parents would listen if you talked to them; besides, I would never have asked you to leave – and you know Sebastian isn't here often. I may not see him for months or even years. You're welcome to come home to me whenever you wish.'

‘I think Bernie would put up with anything but that,' Beth said. ‘I don't know why he hates you, but he does…'

‘I don't know what I've done – unless it was to give you a home and a job …'

‘Well, I'm going to go home and find that evidence if I can,' Beth said and sighed. ‘I can't leave him yet, Lizzie. Mum and Dad are devastated by Mary's death. If they thought, I was so unhappy it would hurt them…'

‘But why should you have to bear the brunt of Bernie's meanness? I'll take the risk of whatever he wants to try if you will.'

Beth smiled. ‘I know what a good friend you are, Lizzie – but I'll manage for a while longer.'

‘Be careful, Beth,' Lizzie said. ‘I think you're right – and I believe Bernie might have tried to have me roughed up, even killed…'

‘By someone called Norm?' Beth asked. ‘That's the name of the man the police found in the river… Bernie says it must have been a professional killer, because he, and the man who came to see him, said Norm was too clever for most to get near him.'

‘Oh, that's frightening…' Lizzie felt chilly, because she felt responsible if Jack had killed for her sake. ‘Someone did try to kill me one night, Beth – I was saved by a young soldier who ran at him and got a knife in his arm as a reward, but he scared him. I don't think Sergeant Jones would have killed this Norm –if it was him – and put his body in the river. It must have been someone who could get close to him, surely?'

‘Bernie and his friend seemed to know all about things like that – I think Bernie is afraid someone may be out to move in on his territory – I'm not sure what it's all about but it's nasty…'

‘It sounds like it,' Lizzie said with a frown. ‘But Bernie works in the munitions factory and he looks as if wouldn't say boo to a goose…'

‘Not when he's angry,' Beth reminded her. ‘I would never have believed it either – but he's not what he pretends to be. As for his job, well, it's the perfect cover, isn't it? He's doing a patriotic and worthwhile job for his country – and no one would suspect him of being involved with the underworld.'

‘I suppose he might have been called up if he wasn't in charge at the factory,' Lizzie agreed. ‘It's a good cover and allows him to go on with whatever he's mixed up in…'

‘Yes, it does,' Beth said and then as Matt let out a yell of anger. ‘I'd better go. Bernie thinks I've gone to the doctor, so I need to make an appointment.' She pulled a face as Lizzie questioned with her eyes. ‘He thinks I might be pregnant…'

‘Are you?'

‘No – but he caught me being sick after I'd heard what he was saying last night and it was all I could think of…'

‘Go on then,' Lizzie picked Matt up and sat him in the pram despite his yells of protest. ‘You are getting a big boy…'

‘He'll soon be too heavy for me to carry far,' Beth said and smiled at her son. ‘Matt looks more like his father every day. He reminds me of Mark and what might have been …'

‘He's a lovely bonny boy,' Lizzie said and kissed the little boy's forehead.

Beth picked up his twin. ‘Jenny isn't anywhere near so heavy. I sometimes wonder if anything is wrong… they're so different…'

‘Perhaps it's because she's a girl,' Lizzie suggested. ‘Why not take her to the doctor and let him check her out?'

‘Yes, I will,' Beth said. ‘I hadn't thought much about it until you mentioned how heavy Matt is getting – I'll make an appointment for her and tell Bernie I'm waiting for my tests. Hopefully, I'll have found something that I can use against him by then… Bye for now, Lizzie.'

‘I'm so glad you came round. Whatever Bernie says or does, Beth, don't let him make you think less of yourself – he's at fault not you. You've done nothing wrong. You'll recover from this and be stronger for it. I know, because it happened to me.'

Beth nodded but she was thoughtful as she left Lizzie. Lizzie had been attacked and hurt and she had been deserted by her husband – but she didn't remember the attack when she was fourteen and Beth was willing to bet Harry hadn't done to Lizzie what Bernie had done to her. Beth had been terrified of Bernie for a while, but now her fighting spirit was back and she was angry – angry with him for using her and angry with herself for falling into his trap. How on earth could she have thought him a meek, kind man? One way or another she would free herself from his petty tyranny.

*

Lizzie was thoughtful after Beth left. She prayed Beth would be careful in her search of the house. If Bernie caught her, he might decide to teach her a lesson – or he might take his meanness out on the twins.

Lizzie would've liked to go to the police with her own suspicions but she knew they wouldn't help – and she'd need proof or she would be accused of slandering a good man and dragging Beth's name through the mud. Bernie cleverly hid his true nature in public. Lizzie had glimpsed malice in his eyes a few times and Beth had experienced his cruelty, but Lizzie couldn't prove anything… and Beth wouldn't be pleased if she interfered with her plans.

If Mr Court knew what his son-in-law was really like, he'd go round there and fetch his daughter home instantly. Lizzie toyed with telling him, but it could have unfortunate repercussions and it wasn't her decision. For as long as Beth chose to keep her problems from her parents, Lizzie must do the same…

‘Lizzie, how many of the specials does Mr Jenkins want?' Ed said, coming into the office with the order sheet. ‘It looks like twelve, but then down here it says sixteen…'

‘Yes, but it's two different hats,' Lizzie said. ‘This is the straw with silk trimmings and this one is the grosgrain but in the same broad-brimmed style. He wants four of each colour we have on show, which is three in the straw and four in the grosgrain…'

‘Ah yes, I couldn't read it,' Ed said and shook his head. ‘Tilly is a brilliant seamstress, but her writing is shocking.'

‘I know,' Lizzie laughed as she handed him the order sheet back. ‘I might not have known if I hadn't heard him give her the order – it's a big one again this time. I think he's stocking up in case we run out of materials…'

‘We shan't be able to get any more of that Italian silk once it's finished,' Ed said, ‘but that new source of English materials will be just fine. It's different, but it's lovely quality, and once you decide how best to use it I think it will be just as popular.'

‘Yes, I agree,' Lizzie said. ‘I think the Italian silk was softer but this new stuff is good. It should retain its shape well… and the artificial silk makes good trimmings for the lower end of the trade.'

‘We haven't got much left of that silk velvet you bought from Arthur Stockton last year.'

‘No, I noticed that,' Lizzie said and sighed. The war was making it difficult to find so many things. Naturally, the Merchant Navy was too busy to import things like fine straw or silks for making hats, because they needed to bring in many other more important things. However, so far they were managing to buy most of what they needed from various sources, in England, Scotland and Wales. Because they could come by rail or the rivers, there was no restriction on what could be bought – and a lot of the manufacturers in the district had either been bombed or moved out into the country recently. That meant the manufacturers were keen to find new buyers for their products and Lizzie had made several useful contacts recently. ‘We'll find something to keep us going, Ed – I've got a young woman coming to see me next week. Her family's firm produce materials we can use and she thinks we can do business, so let's hope she's right.'