The Forgotten Family (11 page)

‘Will you wait here, sir?’ Jack jumped out of the cab. ‘Let me see what state he’s in first.’

The house they had pulled up outside was dilapidated and dingy, making Ellie grimace at the contrast with the house they had just left. But they had come this far and she was determined to see Ted. ‘Father, if Jack goes in alone, he might refuse to see us.’

‘I was thinking the same. We’ll come with you, Jack. Don’t tell your brother who we are, merely say that there is someone here who wants to see him.’

‘All right.’ Jack looked rather doubtful, but didn’t argue. Albert Warrender seemed a strong man and well able to handle himself if Ted proved difficult.

The stairs didn’t look, or sound, too safe, as they made their way up to Ted’s room. They made alarming cracking noises.

‘This is awful.’ Ellie held up her skirt to prevent it from sweeping along the stairs. They were rickety, covered in dust and litter.

‘Ted, it’s me, Jack,’ his brother called when they stopped outside a door at the end of the landing. ‘You in? There’s someone here to see you.’

The door crashed open, making Ellie gasp in horror. The man standing – no swaying – in front of them was haggard, unshaven and filthy. The smoke and smells coming from inside the room were appalling.

‘What do you want, and who the bleeding hell have you got with you?’

‘Watch your language!’ Albert pushed him aside, strode in and stood in the middle of the room, surveying the utter chaos. The bed was unmade, dirty linen and clothes were tossed everywhere, and several empty bottles lay on the floor.

Ellie edged in, coughed and put her hand over her mouth to prevent the cigarette smoke from choking her, relieved when her father threw open the window.

Ted snarled and turned on Albert. ‘What you bloody well doing? Get out of here or I’ll throw you out, and take that fancy bit with you.’

‘Don’t make threats you can’t carry out, young man. I may be years older, but I’m in better health than you. I assure you that you will come out the worse in any fight.’

‘Oh, listen to the big man.’ Ted clenched his fists, taking a step forward. ‘But I’ll bet your easy living has made you soft.’

Albert stood his ground. When Ted threw a punch it
wasn’t very accurate, missing completely. Albert only had to move his head slightly. ‘You’ll have to do better than that.’

‘Don’t fight, please!’ Ellie was nearly in tears. They shouldn’t have come.

Jack caught her arm to stop her from moving towards the two men. ‘Leave them, your dad knows what he’s doing.’

‘I don’t understand.’ She searched in her purse for a handkerchief to wipe her eyes.

Jack grinned. ‘If anyone can knock some sense into Ted, then your father’s the man. I should have done this myself before now, but it’s hard to see your big brother suffering so much.’

She watched in horror as her father lifted Ted right off his feet and tossed him into the only chair in the room.

‘Sit there and don’t move. There’s someone who wants to meet you.’ Albert held out his hand to Ellie. ‘Come on, my dear, tell this drunken fool who you are.’

The belligerence had drained out of Ted for the moment and he was now subdued, knowing he had met his match.

Edging towards her brother, she said quietly, ‘I’m your sister, Queenie.’

When he didn’t speak, just stared at her open-mouthed in disbelief, she held out her hand in a gesture of friendliness. ‘I really am Queenie.’

‘What the hell you playing at, Jack?’ he asked, turning to his brother. ‘Why’d you bring them here to see me like this? I don’t want their pity.’

Ellie’s head came up, she’d had enough of this. ‘And you won’t get it. Can we leave now, Father?’

‘Aren’t you pleased to know your sister has been well looked after? Don’t you even have a kind word to say to her after all these years?’ Albert spoke softly, but there was no disguising the anger running through him.

‘I’m sorry, sir.’ Jack shook his head when his brother remained silent. ‘I shouldn’t have brought you here. Ted’s beyond help. He won’t even make the effort to pull himself out of this mess.’

‘Then we shall have to make him.’ Albert reached out and caught Ted by the shoulders. ‘Stop wallowing in self-pity.’

‘You don’t know what you’re talking about,’ Ted shouted. ‘I lost my wife and baby. We had a nice home, then I lost my job, and it’s all gone.’

Albert pulled the protesting man upright until they were face-to-face. ‘It’s gone because you drank too much, and you let everything you had worked for slip through your fingers – even your dignity. It is a very foolish man who allows that to happen. And I do know what I’m talking about. My wife and I lost three babies, and she died a short time ago.’

‘What’s going on here?’ A scruffy man came in, stinking of beer and a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. ‘Don’t want no fighting in my house.’

Pushing Ted towards Jack, Albert said, ‘Get his things together. We’re taking him away from here.’

‘’Ere, you can’t do that. He owes me four sodding weeks’ rent.’

‘How much?’ Albert towered over the man.

‘Thirty bob.’

‘You’re a liar.’ Taking a ten-shilling note out of his pocket, Albert held it out. ‘That’s all you’re getting, and it’s more than this disgusting place is worth.’

The note was snatched and deposited in a trouser pocket. ‘I’ll be glad to get rid of him.’ Then the landlord shuffled out and disappeared down the stairs.

Jack was supporting his brother, who had a bewildered look about him.

‘Father, what are you doing? He doesn’t want our help.’ Ellie was clenching her hands in agitation.

‘We can’t leave him here.’ He smiled comfortingly at her. ‘He needs help, whether he wants it or not, and I won’t have my daughter treated with such disregard.’

‘Your daughter?’ Ted came to life again. ‘Are you the bastard who bought her?’

‘Your parents sold her to my wife and her brother, and yes, I am the bastard who adopted her.’ He swept a disgusted glance around the room. ‘Now, collect everything you want to take with you. We’re leaving.’

‘You can’t bloody well do this.’ Ted struggled to stand by himself.

Albert ignored him, speaking to Jack. ‘Are the public baths open today?’

‘We needn’t go to all that trouble. I have a bath in my house, and I can find him some fresh clothes.’

‘Good, we’ll return to your place then, get him cleaned up, then I’ll take him home with us.’

‘Come on, Ted,’ Jack urged. ‘This man’s giving you a chance to make a fresh start. What do you want to take with you?’

Swaying alarmingly as he reached for the bed, Ted fell to his knees and pulled out a small attaché case. ‘This. It’s got my picture of Annie in it, and the only things I want to keep.’

‘Right.’ Jack picked it up with one hand, using the other to support Ted as he struggled to his feet. ‘Let’s get you out of this dump.’

It took the two men to get Ted down the stairs and into the cab. It had exhausted him, and it was apparent that, not only was he terribly drunk, but he was a sick man as well. He was asleep as soon as he slumped in the seat.

‘He can stay with me for a while.’ Jack spoke quietly, not wanting to wake his brother. ‘It’s very kind of you to offer to take him home with you, but you don’t have to do this. Now we’ve managed to get him away from that place, we might stand a chance of getting him well again.’

Albert was doubtful. ‘If he stays here he will continue drinking, but if he comes with us he’ll have more chance of recovery. I have a brother-in-law living close by, and between us we might be able to give him the help he needs.’

Jack sighed. ‘You could be right. Fresh surroundings will help, I expect. He was so happy with Annie, and he’s right clever. Got more brains than the rest of us put together.’

‘Really?’ Albert sat up straight, interested in that piece of news. ‘What was his work?’

‘He’s a real wizard with figures. As a kid he did anything he could to earn enough money for special lessons. He had a good job in an office, but when he couldn’t stay off the drink, they sacked him.’

‘Who was he working for?’

‘A firm called Spencer and Spencer. They’re in the City somewhere. We was all so proud of him. Fancy one of us working in an office!’

Albert gasped in amazement. ‘I know of them; they are accountants of high repute. Your brother must be good.’

‘He is, and it broke our hearts to see him sink to this state. He’s a kind man and don’t deserve to suffer like this. He’s needed a strong hand to make him pull himself together, but I just haven’t been able to bully him.’

‘That’s why he must come with us.’ Albert gave Jack a slight smile. ‘Henry and I are quite expert at – bullying – when necessary.’

The cab pulled up at Pearl’s house and she came out with her husband.

‘Give us a hand here, Dave,’ Jack called. ‘We’ve got to get Ted into my place and clean him up.’

Ted was still out cold, and a dead weight, but the three men managed to carry him into the house, then Albert came out again to see to the cab. ‘I will be another hour, I’m afraid. Would you still wait for us, or send another cab along for us?’

‘I’ll go to the Coach and Horses, sir, to get food for the horse and myself. But I’ll be back by the time you want to leave.’

‘Thank you.’ Albert slipped him a generous tip, then turned to Ellie. ‘Go and stay with Pearl while we sort out Ted. He must be in a more sober condition before we can travel.’

‘Come on.’ Pearl took hold of Ellie’s arm. ‘I’ll make you a nice cuppa. You look as if you can do with it.’

Albert smiled encouragingly at his daughter. ‘Don’t look so upset, my dear. Everything will be all right, and I do believe he’s worth saving.’

‘I expect that’s so, but I don’t like him very much, Father.’ Ellie’s voice trembled.

‘He isn’t very likeable at the moment, but –’ Albert grinned, enjoying himself – ‘you wait and see the difference after Henry and I have worked on him for a while.’

Her father’s amused expression made her gloom fade a little. ‘Ah, he doesn’t stand a chance, but where is he to stay? The gatehouse is already occupied and you can’t put him in there with Mr Rogers.’

‘No, of course not. Ted must have some privacy while he tries to deal with his inner demons. Henry has accommodation above the carriage house. Ted will be comfortable there.’

‘And what is Uncle Henry going to say about that?’ she asked.

‘Quite a lot, I expect.’ Albert turned and strode back into the house, chuckling quietly to himself. They didn’t have long to get Ted ready.

It was chaos in the scullery. A large tin bath had been pulled up to the fire, and water was boiling in every possible receptacle. Ted was sprawled in a chair, taking no interest in the proceedings. Albert studied him with compassion. The man was in a bad way, but there was something about this brother of Eleanor’s that had stopped him from walking away and leaving him to his fate. He had been harsh with him, knowing it was the only way to reach through the stupefying haze of drink.

As soon as the bath was filled with steaming water, Albert said to the others, ‘Right, let’s have him out of those clothes.

With the three of them stripping him, all Ted could do was snarl in protest. He was soon dumped in the bath, and Jack and Dave began scrubbing him and lathering his hair. Seeing they were coping very well, Albert picked up the old clothes and tossed them out the back door.

‘I’ll give those to the rag and bone man tomorrow.’ Jack ducked just in time as his brother threw a punch and tried to get out of the bath. But months of too much drink and not enough food had taken its toll, and he was too weak to put up much of a fight.

Jack had found him a set of clothes, and after drying him it took all three of them to dress the uncooperative man.

‘That’s better.’ Albert mopped his brow. ‘Put the kettle on, Dave, and let’s get some tea into him.’

‘I’d better come on the train with you.’ Jack had stopped calling him ‘sir’ now Albert was as dishevelled as the rest of them with his jacket off and sleeves rolled up.

‘He looks quiet enough now.’ Albert rolled down his sleeves and slipped on his jacket. ‘Eleanor is strong and will be able to help support him if he still finds it difficult to stand.’

‘She was both shocked and upset when she saw him.’ Jack explained to Dave how Ted had just ignored her.

‘That was rotten for her,’ Dave agreed.

‘It was.’ Albert checked the time on his pocketwatch. ‘But she knew this wasn’t going to be easy. She is determined
to see everyone we can find, and she won’t back out now, no matter how unpleasant or distressing the search may be. We had no idea what we were going to discover when we started out on this quest, but Eleanor has a determined nature, and her mind is set on this.’

‘Get me a drink, Jack.’

All eyes turned to the man in the chair.

‘Is the tea made?’ Albert asked Dave, who nodded. ‘Good, then give Ted a cup, and something to eat.’

‘I don’t want tea or food.’ He sounded quite rational now, only mildly irritated.

‘That’s exactly what you
do
need. And all you are going to get.’

Ted’s hand was shaking badly as he ran it over his eyes. ‘I don’t know who the hell you are – and do you always get your own way?’

‘Invariably.’ Albert smiled. ‘As you have no recollection of what happened in your room, I’ll introduce myself. My name is Warrender. I have an adopted daughter who happens to be your sister, Queenie, but I don’t think you believed her when she told you.’

‘Queenie? Is this true, Jack?’ He looked round wildly. ‘Where is she? Is she here?’

‘She’s next door with Pearl.’

‘I got to see her.’ With a tremendous effort he managed to stand. ‘Our little Queenie’s all right?’

‘Not so little now.’ Albert pushed him gently back into the chair. Good, he was coming round slowly, and there was already a faint indication of the real man. ‘You’ll be able to see a lot of her because I’m taking you with us to
Kent. Fresh air and good food will help your return to full health.’

Frowning, Ted shook his head as if trying to clear it, his breathing becoming more and more laboured. ‘Why are you doing this?’