Sweet Memories of You (Beach View Boarding House) (39 page)

‘Hello, Ivy.’

Ruby was at her shoulder, and her doleful expression didn’t augur well. ‘What you doing ’ere, mate?’ Ivy asked.

‘The same as you, I expect,’ said Ruby. ‘Thought I’d come and ’ave a butcher’s to check whether Andy’s here.’

‘Well he ain’t at work, that’s for sure.’ Ivy quickly told Ruby what she’d been up to. ‘But he ain’t here neither,’ she said. ‘Must’a gone to a different boozer.’

Ruby took her hand and held it tight, her expression sorrowful. ‘No, love, he’s here all right – and he ain’t alone, neither.’

Ivy felt her heart miss a beat. ‘Who’s he with?’ she managed.

‘I’m sorry, mate, but you’d better come and see fer yourself,’ Ruby said quietly below the surrounding racket. ‘They’re in the lounge bar.’

‘He’s with a woman, ain’t he?’

Ruby didn’t reply but kept tight hold of Ivy’s hand, and they began to push and shove their way through the melee by the bar. They reached the narrow corridor leading into the more salubrious lounge. The wall dividing the lounge from the rest of the downstairs was half-panelled in dark wood and topped with thick stained glass, and Ivy looked away, suddenly reluctant to have her worst fears confirmed.

‘Over there,’ said Ruby as she pointed. ‘By the fireplace.’

Ivy hesitated momentarily and then looked through the thick swirl of glass, saw them immediately and turned away without a word. Holding back the tears and the hurt, she pushed and elbowed her way through the chaos of the other bar and wrestled to get past the heavy door and out to the pavement. She’d been so sure of him – had begun to trust him – but he was nothing more than a rat-faced cheat.

‘It’s all right, mate, I’m ’ere,’ soothed Ruby as she put her arms round her. ‘You ’ave a good cry and get him outta your system.’

‘He ain’t worth crying for,’ Ivy rasped, struggling to keep her tears at bay. She eased herself from Ruby’s embrace. ‘Lying, two-timing pig. He’s lucky I didn’t storm in there and tip that beer all over his flaming ’ead.’

‘I was a bit surprised you didn’t,’ said Ruby with a chuckle. ‘If it were me, I’d ’ave upended the bloody table over the pair of them.’

Ivy knew her friend was only trying to cheer her up, but her heart was so heavy she doubted she’d ever smile again. ‘At least I know now,’ she murmured. ‘But I did think he ’ad better taste than that.’

‘Yeah, she were a bit of a tart, weren’t she? All that bleached hair and red lipstick.’ Ruby shuddered. ‘You’re well out of it, gel.’

Ivy didn’t feel well out of it. Her emotions were jumbled and conflicting: hurt and heartsore one minute, furious and vengeful the next. ‘Thanks, Ruby, you’ve been a real mate, but I wanna go home now.’

‘Not like that, you’re not. Peggy will know immediately that you’re upset, and unless you want to go through it all again, I reckon we ought to go back to mine until you feel a bit better.’

Ivy realised this was good advice, so she nodded and they turned away from the Crown and headed off, arm in arm.

Peggy stirred hot water in with the mash for the chickens and handed the bowl to Ron, then tidied up the mess Daisy had made of her breakfast, cleaned her face and hands and set her on the floor. There was something going on in this house, and she was determined to find out what it was before the day was out.

She sat down at the table and watched Daisy pushing her wheeled horse about while Cordelia read her newspaper and Ron clattered about in the chicken coop outside. Ivy had called from a telephone box last night to say she was staying at Ruby’s and not to worry because she’d borrow Ruby’s spare working boots and overalls for the morning. There had been something in her voice that had alerted Peggy, but when she’d asked if everything was all right, the girl had quickly replied that of course it was and hung up.

Peggy sipped her tea, her fretfulness now centred on Dorry. She’d been pale when she’d first come down for breakfast, had eaten very little and said almost nothing before she’d gone back up to her room. Ron had noticed, too, for she’d caught him watching Doreen and seen the concern in his eyes.

Peggy scrubbed her face with her hands and gave a deep sigh. She had to be at the Town Hall later this morning to do her stint with the WVS, and there was a great pile of washing to get through first. She finished her tea and went down into the basement to light the boiler and start sorting through the laundry. It might not be Monday, but the washing stacked up during the week, what with all the work clothes and Daisy’s nappies, and she liked to be clear of it before the weekend. But she hated wash days, especially when she hadn’t had much sleep and there were so many things to fret over.

The hot water gushed into the large stone sink and she added the soap powder, swirling it around with a wooden stick to get the lumps out. The whites could be left to soak for a while until the water cooled enough to put her hands in, so she exited the steamy atmosphere of the scullery and went outside to talk to Ron.

‘There’s something the matter with Dorry,’ she said without preamble. ‘And with Ivy. I don’t suppose you know anything about it, do you?’

Ron shook his head and eased his back as the chickens pecked away at the mash, and Harvey stretched out on the sun-warmed garden path to watch them. ‘Ivy’s probably had a falling-out with her fireman,’ he said. ‘You know what girls are like at that age.’

‘Only too well,’ Peggy replied, remembering how Cissy used to fall in and out of love at the drop of a hat. ‘I hope that’s all it is. But I get the feeling something far more serious is troubling Dorry, and that it has nothing to do with our dear sister.’

‘Why don’t you ask her?’ His blue eyes regarded her steadily from beneath his wayward brows.

‘I tried that. She denies anything’s wrong. I can hardly force her to tell me, can I?’

Ron smiled and patted her shoulder. ‘You can’t take everyone’s troubles on those narrow shoulders, Peggy girl. Dorry and Ivy are both old enough to solve their own problems. Leave them be, is my advice. Things will sort themselves out – they always do.’

She watched as he whistled up Harvey and clumped down the path in his wellingtons to go and fetch Monty from the Anchor and take them for their walk. He was right, as always, but it was frustrating to be kept in the dark. With a sigh of acceptance, she turned back into the house and got on with her washing.

Doreen was feeling sick with nerves and thoroughly out of sorts as she sat on the bed and looked out of the window. It was now almost ten o’clock and soon she’d have to leave and meet Eddie. He wouldn’t be at all happy that she couldn’t give him the full amount of money he’d demanded, but perhaps there was another way to get him off her back.

She opened the leather case in which she kept her few pieces of good jewellery and plucked out the engagement ring he’d given her all those years ago. It had been pawned several times during their marriage, but she’d managed to redeem it, planning one day to give it to Evie when she turned eighteen. The small ruby was surrounded by diamonds on a gold band worn thin by wear – although it hadn’t been on her finger for more than four years.

The wedding ring was a simple, thin gold band that she still wore because it was expected of a woman who had children. It had once been too tight, but now it slipped easily from her finger. She held the two rings up to the light. They had to be worth something, surely?

Doreen carefully placed the rings in the envelope that already held the forty pounds. Dropping it into a side pocket of her handbag, she applied her make-up and brushed out her freshly washed hair, knowing that if she looked better, she’d feel more confident when it came to facing him.

She paused as she fastened her clean blouse and caressed Archie’s signet ring, which lay with her grandmother’s crucifix between her breasts. It was the only ring she needed now. Doing up the last button, she pulled on the neat jacket she wore to the office, smoothed down her pleated skirt and picked up her handbag. She’d seen Ron go off earlier with Harvey and his pup Monty, and watched as Peggy had wheeled the pram down the alley on her way to the Town Hall. With the others either sleeping after their night shifts or at work, there wasn’t much chance of bumping into anyone and having to explain where she was going.

She went downstairs, and without first going into the kitchen to say goodbye to Cordelia, she let herself quietly out of the front door and hurried away. The Post Office would be open now, and as long as she could collect the rest of the money and hand it over, she wouldn’t have to hang about. She needed to get Eddie out of Cliffehaven and out of her life as swiftly as possible.

There was no sign of him as she joined the inevitable queue, but she knew he’d arrive promptly at eleven, for he was never late when it came to collecting money. The queue edged forward and finally she reached the counter. It was a man behind it this time. ‘I want to take out the balance and close the account,’ she said firmly.

He scrutinised her identity card and then opened the book. ‘Thirty pounds, three shilling and tuppence halfpenny,’ he said. He opened the drawer and began to count out the money. ‘Treating yourself to something nice?’ he asked as he set it aside and stamped the passbook.

‘Not particularly nice,’ she replied, ‘but certainly something necessary.’

He looked a bit confused by her answer but wisely made no further comment. He closed the book and tucked it away before pushing the identity card and money beneath the grille.

Doreen took the money and card and left the counter. Sitting on a chair at the front of the Post Office, she put every last halfpenny in the envelope and stuck down the flap. It was blood money as far as she was concerned, and the resentment at having to hand it over was as bitter as bile. Tucking her identity card back into her purse, she looked out of the window and saw him leaning nonchalantly against a nearby lamppost as he smoked a cigarette and ogled the passing women. The loathing made her want to throw up again, but she fought down the urge and went out to meet him.

‘That’s all I have,’ she said as she handed the envelope over. ‘Now go away and stay away.’

He tossed the cigarette away and opened the envelope. Frowning, he flicked through the notes and then plucked out the rings. ‘There’s only seventy-odd quid there. I told you I needed a hundred.’ He fished out the rings. ‘And what am I supposed to do with these?’

‘They’ll make up the shortfall,’ she said briskly.

‘Ha! Is that what you think? They’re not worth a light.’

Doreen felt a cold shiver run over her spine. ‘But that’s a ruby and diamond, and they’re both gold.’

‘You’re not very observant, are you, Doreen?’ he said nastily. ‘The wedding ring might be gold, but the ruby and diamonds are paste, the ring itself just cheap yellow metal.’ He thrust them into her hand. ‘Keep them. They’re no use to me.’

She clasped the rings and looked at him in bewilderment. ‘But the last time I had to pawn them the stones were real enough,’ she managed.

‘That was before I had a copy made and sold the original.’

‘But how … when did you do that?’ Her voice was tremulous as she stared back at him.

‘Just before they repossessed the house.’ He looked again at the money in the envelope. ‘You’re still thirty quid short, Doreen. So what are you going to do about it?’

‘I can’t do anything,’ she said. ‘I have nothing of any value, and that’s all my savings. If you don’t believe me, go into the Post Office and ask the man behind the counter.’

He regarded her as he slipped the envelope into his jacket pocket. ‘What’s that round your neck?’

She instinctively put a protective hand to her throat. ‘Just the chain and crucifix I inherited from my grandmother. The only value they have is sentimental.’

‘I seem to remember they were eighteen carat gold,’ he replied, and his hand whipped out to snatch the chain and rip it from her neck.

‘No!’ she cried out in distress. ‘No, Eddie, you can’t have that!’

He pushed her away as he dangled the chain from his fingers and greedily eyed Archie’s signet ring. He felt the weight of it and grinned. ‘Now that’s more like it,’ he said, slipping it free of the chain and dropping it into his pocket. ‘Here, you can have the other rubbish.’

Doreen was in tears as he dropped the broken chain and little crucifix at her feet. ‘Please, Eddie, don’t take that ring. I’ll get the money somehow, I promise,’ she sobbed.

Eddie’s smile was smug as he patted his pocket. ‘I haven’t got time to hang about here waiting for something that’s never going to materialise. I’ve got a train to catch. See you around, Doreen.’ He mockingly tipped his hat at her and then strode away towards the station.

‘Are you all right, ma’am?’

Doreen’s tears blinded her as she looked up from scrabbling on the ground for her chain and crucifix and let the young GI help her up. ‘I’m fine, but thank you.’

‘Was that guy bothering you, ma’am?’ His expression was deeply concerned.

‘No more than usual,’ she muttered, trying desperately to stem her tears. ‘I’m all right, really.’

‘Well you don’t look all right to me, ma’am,’ he persisted. ‘I think we should call the cops.’

‘No, please don’t do that. It was just a domestic set-to, and I’m fine, really I am.’ She brushed past him and started to run. She didn’t know where she was going, knew only that she needed to find somewhere that was quiet and private so she could give in to the tears and the anguish of losing Archie’s precious ring.

Havelock Gardens were quiet at this time of day, and Doreen staggered along the cinder path until she reached the old rose arbour that was almost hidden in the far western corner. She’d often come here to play as a child because she loved the peacefulness and the smell of the roses, and now she slumped down on the bench, buried her face in her hands and wept for all that she’d lost.

Ivy and Ruby came out of the factory together, studiously avoiding Fat Beryl, who’d been smirking at them ever since she’d come on to her shift. They didn’t rise to her loud and nasty comments, but just kept on walking.

‘What you gunna do about tonight?’ asked Ruby as they headed for the gate.