The Street (5 page)

Alice launched herself at Louisa, punching ineffectually at the rolls of fat in her back. Suddenly she was whipped away by an arm girdling her waist. She landed on her feet and turned about to swipe out but the younger Lovat boy dodged aside so her fist smacked air rather than him.

‘You’d better let her go, fatso.’

Alice gasped in a breath and simply gaped at the two Lovat boys. Danny had spoken; he was standing looking quite nonchalant, his eyes fixed on Louisa. But there was something menacing about him that quietened the crowd. Danny Lovat’s face might betray him as about fourteen but he was a strapping lad, easily five feet eight inches tall. And that was quite lofty for a man, let alone a youth, around these parts where stunted runts abounded.

‘What’re you going to do about it, little boy?’ Louisa jeered but she didn’t sound so confident now and her grip on Sophy’s hair loosened a bit.

‘Well, I don’t usually hit girls, but you’re so big ‘n’ ugly I’m gonna make an exception.’ Danny didn’t respond by as much as a blink to the laughter his comment produced. ‘Let her go, fatso, ‘n’ piss off home. Or I’ll have to make you.’

Louisa considered herself to be a bit of a rough handful. She wasn’t going to let a kid who might still be at school make a monkey out of her. Shoving a flat palm against Sophy’s skull, she sent her tottering backwards to crash to the ground. She then turned to swing a left at Danny that barely connected with his shoulder as he swayed like a pro. Quite gracefully he then stepped back in and floored her with a single punch on the chin. It was obvious he’d put little weight behind it and, after a stunned moment, the crowd showed its appreciation with a smattering of applause before dispersing.

Alice rushed to Sophy to try and get her up off the ground. She noticed that a clump of her sister’s hair was straggling on her shoulder where Louisa had yanked it out. Before Sophy could see it Alice brushed it off and stamped her foot on top of it. ‘Where’s Sarah gone?’ Alice asked.

‘She scarpered after you went and left me with that maniac,’ Sophy sobbed. ‘She’s nutty, that Louisa. She needs lockin’ up.’

‘You alright?’ Danny asked gruffly and stuck out a hand to help Sophy.

‘Yeah . . . thanks,’ Sophy mumbled. She ignored his hand and sprang up in an ungainly jumble of limbs.

He shrugged and he and his brother were soon heading down the road.

‘Oi . . . you two . . . you can’t just go off like that,’ Alice shouted spontaneously after them.

The boys sauntered back and looked questioningly at them. ‘What d’you want, then?’

Alice flushed. Now they’d come back she didn’t know what answer to give. ‘What’s his name?’ She pointed at Danny’s brother, who was unconcernedly chewing as though he’d never hoisted her to safety from Louisa’s fat back.

‘Geoff,’ Danny said while Geoff gave Alice a long look.

‘And how d’you come to fight like that?’

‘I’ll have yer next time, yer bastards.’

Danny stuck two fingers up at Louisa without bothering to even glance her way. ‘Done boxin’ in Essex,’ he told Alice whilst looking at Sophy.

Sophy continued fiddling with her hair to try and tidy it, blushing furiously. She grabbed at Bethany’s hand and shushed her to stop her crying.

‘You get going home now, Beth. Sophy’s alright, see.’ Alice wiped her younger sister’s face clear of tearstains with her thumbs. Then she turned her about and gave her shoulder a little push to start her off home.

‘You got blood on your lip,’ Danny neutrally told Sophy.

‘Did you do boxing ‘n’ get paid?’ Alice asked interestedly, cuffing away her sister’s blood on her sleeve when she saw Sophy searching in vain for a handkerchief.

‘Yeah . . . sometimes,’ Danny replied. ‘Never saw no money though. The old man soon had any purses.’

‘Ain’t worth workin’,’ Sophy chipped in. ‘Never get to keep nuthin’. They always have it off you.’

‘Why d’you come here then?’ Alice asked. ‘Ain’t nothing worth having round here.’

‘Got in a fight with the landlord where we lived. Broke his jaw. He threw us all out then the coppers got involved when it all turned nasty.’ Danny saw Geoff frown at him as though warning him to hold his tongue. Danny shrugged in response. He didn’t see the point in trying to hide it. The Keivers knew they’d only have tramped miles because something serious had happened.

Alice’s eyes grew round. ‘Did your dad go mad at you for getting you all thrown out?’

‘Nah . . . was his fault. If he hadn’t borrowed money off the landlord none of it would’ve happened. Had the money for almost a year and never paid none back, y’see. Never could ’cos he lost his job when he done his foot in.’

‘How’d he do it?’

‘Cart fell on him down the market.’

‘You turned fourteen yet?’ Sophy asked shyly.

Danny nodded. ‘While back.’

‘You’re lucky. No more school,’ Sophy said wistfully.

‘You going to get work round here?’ Alice asked.

‘Soon as I can find something decent. Don’t want no dead-end errand-boy capers. Want me own business.’ Danny looked about with disgust in his eyes. ‘Then when I’ve got a few bob I’m moving on, going home to Essex. Can’t wait to get out of this dump.’

‘Me neither . . .’ Sophy and Alice chorused passionately.

Feeling quite relaxed in their camaraderie, Alice opened her palm and showed her half a crown.

Three pairs of hungry eyes darted to it.

‘Where d’you get that?’ Sophy gasped. ‘Mum never give you it.’

‘Uncle Jimmy did,’ Alice said. ‘’Spose I should give it back, ’cos I ain’t giving it to Louisa after what she’s done.’

Nobody said anything, they all kept their eyes pinned on the shiny silver coin.

‘Let’s go and get some chips.’ It was an impetuous decision. ‘You two can come ‘n’ all,’ Alice magnanimously said to Danny and Geoff.

‘When you was boxing did you get knocked out much?’ Sophy asked Danny before chewing on a chip.

The four of them were lined up, sitting on a low wall in Blackstock Road with scrunched newspapers filled with chips and meat pies nestled on their laps.

‘Reckon that’s insulting,’ Danny said, all solemn.

‘No . . . didn’t mean you weren’t no good, or nuthin’,’ Sophy blurted, and quickly turned to give him an earnest look. ‘Just wondered if you ever got injured, that’s all.’ The last thing Sophy wanted to do was start another row with Danny.

Danny and Geoff exchanged a look and laughed.

‘He’s winding you up,’ Geoff said easily and tipped his head back to swig from a bottle of pop.

‘Undefeated champion, weren’t I?’ Danny said, deliberately puffing out his chest to make the girls giggle. ‘Mind you, weren’t no reg’lar fights I got into. More like bare-knuckle street scraps where bets were took off the audience. Well-arranged, though, they were. Had to be, of course, ’cos the law would’ve put a stop to it if they’d found out. Could make fifty quid a night . . . sometimes more.’ He looked off into the distance. ‘Should’ve stuck with it. Might’ve got a backer who’d have took me pro. A couple of fellers showed an interest in managing me. But me mum wouldn’t have it. Said I was too young. Could’ve ended up like Kid Lewis ‘n’ made some
real
money if I still had them contacts.’

‘Could’ve ended up all bashed about ‘n’ all,’ Sophy lectured. ‘You’re lucky yer nose ain’t all squashed and yer ears shaped like cauliflowers.’

‘You sound just like our mum,’ Geoff said wryly and slid his brother a significant look before he turned his attention to Alice, sitting rather quietly beside him.

‘When you leaving school?’ he abruptly asked.

‘Not for ages.’ Alice grimaced sadly. ‘Not even thirteen yet.’ She frowned again at the crumpled newspaper on her lap containing her delicious food. It had seemed like a good idea to come and have something to eat with the Lovat boys. But now doubts about what she’d done were worming into her mind. In her pocket she had change from the half crown her uncle had lent her but she knew she must offer him back the whole amount and she’d no idea where she’d find that money. She was regretting having shown off and offered to be generous with money that wasn’t hers to spend. If her mother ever found out what she’d done she’d be for it.

‘There . . . take yer poxy half a crown!’ Tilly roared. She drove a fist into her pinafore pocket, pulled out a coin and lobbed it.

‘No need to be like that, Til,’ Fran said, swiping the money off the dirty floorboards. ‘I’m just saying that your Alice has took what’s rightfully mine. Jimmy’s give me no money and the boys need something for tea.’

‘Well, ain’t that a surprise . . . Jimmy’s give yer no money!’ Tilly sarcastically echoed her sister’s words back at her.

‘Well, perhaps he would’ve done if your Alice hadn’t been out beggin’ and got to him first.’

Tilly turned her savage, narrowed gaze on her sister, making Fran flinch. ‘My kids don’t beg, and don’t you ever say they do. He should’ve told her no when she asked.’

‘He’s got a kind heart.’ Fran coloured at the sound of her sister’s scoffing hoot of laughter.

‘He’s a fuckin’ animal and you know it,’ Tilly spat. ‘He’s deliberately making trouble between us, you know that too.’

‘Don’t talk about him like that. He’s me husband,’ Fran shouted, narked.

‘Yeah, he’s your’n alright, more fool you,’ Tilly replied and turned her back on her sister. ‘Shut the door on your way out.’

‘Oi . . . you . . . here!’ was the greeting that Alice got when she returned home with Sophy.

Immediately Alice felt her stomach lurch. She knew straight away from her mother’s voice and fearsome look that she was in for a hiding and she could guess why.

‘You two in back,’ Tilly commanded her other daughters.

‘You been asking Uncle Jimmy for money?’

‘No!’ Alice protested. ‘I didn’t ask him for nuthin’. He give it me.’

‘But you was telling him our business, and that I’d not give you money you’d asked for. You took his half crown.’

Alice nodded then howled as a rough hand swiped her cheek.

‘You tell him nothing, you hear? Never tell him what goes on in this place. Have you given that half a crown to fat Louisa on account of her blouse going missing?’

Alice miserably shook her head. She knew she was in trouble whatever she said. All she had left to return to her uncle Jimmy was a shilling and threepence in change. ‘I didn’t give Louisa it. When I got back she was beating Sophy up and Sarah’d scarpered.’

Tilly’s features tightened on hearing that Sophy had been set about. ‘Right. Give it here, then,’ she ordered and stuck out a hand to take the coin.

‘Spent it,’ Alice muttered and hung her head.

‘You . . . done . . .
what?
’ Tilly demanded in genuine astonishment. She grasped her daughter’s chin and forced it up.

‘Bought chips; we was hungry.’ Alice knew that wasn’t explanation enough to satisfy her mother. A few penn’orth of chips didn’t make half a crown. She’d bought pies and pop too. ‘Bought some for the new boys too ’cos Danny was on our side and knocked down Louisa for what he did to Sophy.’

‘Feeling generous, was you?’ Tilly’s hand cracked against the other side of Alice’s face this time. ‘You little pest. Give ’ere what’s left of it. Every penny.’

Alice dropped the coins into her mother’s waiting palm. ‘I’ll pay back the rest from me doorsteps,’ Alice mumbled while the tears rolled down her scarlet, stinging cheeks.

‘Too bleedin’ right you’ll pay it back,’ her mother agreed harshly. ‘Now get out o’ me sight else I’ll really give you something to cry about.’

Alice sank onto the bed in the back room and shrugged off Sophy’s comforting hand. She turned her face into the musty old mattress and closed her hot, dribbling eyes.

‘Wish I was old enough to leave school,’ she muttered. ‘I’d be out of here and miles away by tomorrow.’

‘Me ‘n’ all,’ Sophy agreed. ‘Hope Danny gets a decent job soon.’

Alice turned on the bed to look at her sister. ‘Won’t help you what job he gets,’ she said shortly and cuffed the wetness from her face.

‘Might do . . .’ Sophy looked away. ‘Only just met him but I know he likes me and I like him,’ she said a bit defensively. ‘Can’t wait to get away from this dump and nor can he. When he goes home to Essex I’m going with him.’

Alice levered herself up on an elbow, momentarily shocked into speechlessness. Her sister looked oddly calm and confident and there wasn’t a sign of the self-conscious smile that usually accompanied her daft hopes. ‘I never heard him say you can,’ Alice reasoned. ‘Anyhow, you don’t hardly know him.’ She’d spluttered that with a grin, already recovering from her mother’s chastisement. It wasn’t an unusual occurrence for any of them, even Bethany, to get a good belt off her when she was het up over something. And she had given her mother something to get very het up about. Inwardly her stomach squirmed in regret because she knew the money must be found from somewhere to pay back Uncle Jimmy. He wouldn’t wait for payment while she did her doorsteps for the next few months. Alice focused on her sister’s expression, considered the meaning behind it. She looked secretive but in a nice way. Danny
did
like Sophy. He’d made that pretty obvious this afternoon by the way he was looking at her and touching her. At one point Alice had feared he might try and kiss her behind a wall in Seven Sisters Road. And Sophy had just let her know . . . as if she hadn’t already guessed . . . that she liked him right back. ‘You reckon he’ll marry you or something?’ Alice asked. ‘You’re not even old enough to leave school.’

‘Soon I will be.’ Sophy nodded in emphasis. She glowered fiercely at Alice. ‘Don’t you go telling Mum I like him. She’ll put a spoke in. She can’t wait for us to get out to work neither but only so’s she can have our wages off us.’

Alice knew that was true. Even the little bit they managed to make on their odd jobs was under scrutiny from their mother. They’d learned to hide very well their few coppers for their mother had been known to prise up floorboards searching for them.

‘You could marry Danny’s brother Geoff, if you like,’ Sophy said, revelling in her romantic daydream.

Alice snorted. ‘I’m not getting married for a long while. When I get a job and get some money I’m getting meself some decent clothes from Chapel Street. I’m never going in the rag shop again once I’m working.’ She paused and thought about being married and found the idea of it didn’t seem as ridiculous as once it would have done. She wondered if it was because in her mind she’d pictured Geoff sitting opposite her at the table, drinking tea in his vest. ‘And I’m saving too,’ Alice rushed on, feeling confused. ‘I’m saving as much as I can to get away from here.’

‘Shall I go out now?’ Bethany suddenly piped up. She’d been fidgeting on the bed for a while. ‘I want to go and see me friend Sally over the road. Is Mum still on the warpath?’

Alice encouraged Bethany to go away. She was quite enjoying this talk with Sophy. They’d never before chatted for so long about their plans for the future. Before, getting work and being a grown-up had all seemed to be a long way in the distance. Now, for some reason, it didn’t.

‘Danny probably won’t take you with him anyhow.’ Alice hoped in her heart that she was wrong. She hoped Sophy got to live her little dream, if that’s what she wanted.

‘We’ll see . . .’ Sophy said and with that she lay down on the bed too. She rolled over and stared at Alice, her eyes wide and concerned. ‘I bet he don’t know.’

‘Don’t know what?’

‘He don’t know to keep his mouth shut about where he lives. If he tells people he’s living in Campbell Road he’ll never get a decent job.’

‘It’s too late to go after a job today,’ Alice wisely pointed out. ‘You can tell Danny all of that tomorrow.’

‘What in Gawd’s name is that?’

‘What’s it look like?’ Jack asked, still smiling widely.

Tilly had a look on her face halfway between disbelief and despair. ‘It looks like a bleedin’ piana,’ she roared at him. ‘Don’t dare tell me that you’ve paid good money fer it.’

Jack knew that before Tilly got worked up enough over wasted cash to launch herself at him he must stop teasing her and reveal his good news. In fact he’d no need to say anything at all. He simply shoved a hand in a pocket. When it reappeared it held several pound notes.

For once in her life Tilly Keiver was momentarily dumb-founded. They were stationed on the pavement just outside their home. At the kerb was a cart that Jack had just pulled up the road. Tilly had seen him from the window when he came round the corner from Paddington Street. After a stunned few minutes gawping at her husband ferrying a gleaming piano on an old cart she’d flown down the stairs to confront him over it. Her eyes darted about the street as though she reckoned someone might be close by and spot her husband had a wad in his pocket. As far as she knew Jack had been working as a runner for a bookie because nothing better had presented itself. That paid shillings not pounds. ‘Put that away for Gawd’s sake,’ she squealed.

Jack obligingly shoved the cash back where it came from but said, ‘Let ’em see. I come by it fair ‘n’ square.’

‘Did you now?’ Tilly sounded sceptical. ‘What you done? You pulled a stunt?’

‘No . . . I ain’t pulled a stunt. I ain’t been gambling neither. I got work, Til. I got good work from Basher Payne.’

Basher Payne had started out with just one horse and cart. He now owned half a dozen and hired them out. He also owned doss houses in Campbell Road and the surrounding streets. He protected his little empire fiercely despite the fact he stood little more than five feet four inches tall, and had earned the name and reputation of a formidable fighter.

‘What work’s he given you?’ Tilly eyed her husband suspiciously.

‘I’ve been painting out his places in George’s Road ’cos the sanitary inspector’s been in and condemned ’em. I started Monday. I kept it as a surprise for you. He’s pleased as punch with what I’ve done so far.’ Spontaneously Jack pulled Tilly in to a hug. ‘He paid me this on account.’

Energetically Tilly elbowed free of her husband’s embrace, not yet convinced that such good luck could be theirs. She needed more information. ‘So you got a job off Basher and a sub off him so thought you’d buy a joeyanna with it to celebrate.’

‘Why not?’ Jack asked simply. ‘You want a bit of a drink and a laugh, don’t you?’ He grinned at her. ‘Well, I don’t mind if I join in. No need to go down the Duke all the time. We can have a few bottles and a singsong right here. The kids can stay home instead of dawdling in the corridor of the Duke or out on the pavement.’ He plunged a hand into his pocket and scrunched the notes till they crackled. ‘Ain’t as if I spent it all. Supper from the chippy tonight. Kids’ll like that.’

‘Yer daft git,’ Tilly said quite affectionately. ‘We ain’t got room enough upstairs to swing a cat and you bring us home this monstrosity. Where we gonna put it? Out on the landing?’

Jack bent to snatch a kiss from his wife. ‘You’re pleased really, ain’t you?’ he teased. ‘If Basher keeps me in work for a good while perhaps we’ll finally get out of here ‘n’ get up the other end of the road in something bigger ‘n’ better.’ He ruffled her thick, fiery hair. ‘This Saturday we’ll have a bit of a knees-up. Ask a few of the neighbours over.’

‘You daft git,’ she repeated with a grin. She slipped her fingers over the glossy lid of the piano. ‘How we gonna get the bugger upstairs?’

‘I’ll see if Jimmy’s in,’ Jack said. ‘He can give us a hand with it.’ He disappeared into the dank interior of the house, whistling cheerfully.

The smile on Tilly’s face faded at the mention of her brother-in-law. She wouldn’t ever forgive Jimmy for beating Fran, or for causing trouble over the half crown he’d given to Alice. Several months might have passed, and things might have calmed down between them all, but Tilly knew it wouldn’t be long before Jimmy was up to his old tricks again. Jimmy was work shy. He also thought he was a bit of a hound round these parts and the fact that he had a wife and kids relying on him wouldn’t stop him poncing about doing nothing or showing off to his mates . . . most of them younger than he was by some years. When he thought he could he’d take up with fancy women again and generally act flash with the bit of cash that should be given to Fran as housekeeping. And if Fran didn’t like it, he’d show her who was boss . . . in the way he always had . . . with his fists.

A few minutes later Jack reappeared with Jimmy loping at his side. It was early summer and Jimmy had on just a vest belted into his trousers. From his lips dangled a stumpy crumpled roll-up.

‘Alright, gel?’ he greeted Tilly.

She mumbled a response, her eyes flashing dislike at him.

Jimmy smirked and unconsciously flexed the muscles in his naked arms. He knew Tilly despised him yet it didn’t stop him preening. Such was his conceit that he thought every woman must find him irresistible. He’d plenty of time on his hands to keep himself in shape by sparring with the lads at the YMCA in Pooles Park. His eyes lingered on Tilly, running over her top to bottom. He was just waiting for the right opportunity to impress on her once again he was a bloke you didn’t mess with. He’d done so once before,. She’d deserved another lesson on numerous occasions since. It might have been a while ago but he hadn’t forgotten the way she’d showed him up in the street when he’d been caught out with Nellie. His pals still ribbed him over it and made him feel a bloody fool. He was more careful with Nellie now. They’d had to make use of alleys and dark corners instead of her room along the road.

But Nellie was pulling in a good few quid a week from working the streets up west and sometimes Jimmy thought he might be better off moving in with her. He didn’t see why he should knock himself out acting as Jack’s labourer doing painting and decorating, or helping Billy the Totter for a few measly bob a day, if he could act as Nellie’s manager and take a bit of commission off her.

‘Oi, daydreamer . . .’ Jack called and started Jimmy from his brooding. He undid the rope that had lashed the piano to the cart.

‘Where d’you get this fucker then, Jack?’ Jimmy enquired past the drooping dog-end in his mouth.

‘Off old man Bailey. He said he’d give me first refusal on it. He kept to his word. Been put by since Christmas.’

‘You give him a deposit?’ Tilly demanded shrewdly. She knew that Victor Bailey had a secondhand furniture store in Holloway Road. She knew too that he wasn’t generally soft-hearted. He was a wily businessman.