‘I’ve been thinking about what you offered,’ Ethel told Mary early on Friday evening. ‘I know it’s a long way off yet, but when you get married next May, I won’t be moving in with you and Percy.’
‘In that case, I ain’t getting married.’
‘Don’t be silly.’
‘I’m not being silly. If it means leaving you here on your own, the marriage is off.’
‘Look, I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself, and anyway, I’ve had another offer.’
‘Oh yeah, who from?’
‘If you remember, Constance offered us both a home.’
‘You said you didn’t want to move back to Clapham.’
‘I’ve changed my mind and that means you can marry Percy knowing I won’t be on my own.’
‘I don’t see why you won’t move in with us. It’s a nice house, with three bedrooms, and a garden.’
‘I don’t want to be in the way, and I like my independence.’
‘You’ll have that. Percy is going to make sure you have your own part of the house.’
‘Let me think about it.’
‘All right, but in the meantime we need to think about Christmas. It ain’t far off.’
‘It doesn’t feel like we’ve been here for nearly a year. It’s been a happy time though.’
‘Yes, it has,’ Mary agreed. ‘Well, mostly. It was awful when you were ill.’
‘But something good came out of it. I think it brought you and Percy together.’
Mary frowned. ‘Maybe, but I won’t be happy next year.’
‘Don’t be daft, you’re getting married in May.’
‘I’ve told you, I won’t be, not unless it’s the three of us. You, me and Percy, living in his house.’
‘You’re saying it’s down to me whether you get married or not and that’s not fair, Mary.’
Mary ran to kneel by her side. ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. It’s just that I … I love you and I want you to live with us.’
‘All right, don’t start blubbering,’ Ethel said, so touched that she was close to tears herself. ‘If it means that much to you, I’ll move in with you and Percy.’
Mary leaned forward to throw her arms around her, and Ethel hugged her back. Truth be told, she didn’t want to live alone, and wasn’t that keen on moving back to Clapham. It was so quiet there compared to the hustle and bustle of this area that she loved, the market, the shops, and popping into the café for a cuppa most days. If Percy was going to convert part of his house for her use, it sounded ideal, and thinking of conversions, her mind turned to Constance. She had conversions in mind for her house too, and she hoped all her plans were running smoothly.
‘I’m still on edge,’ Jill said on the same Friday evening. ‘If Ivy tells Denis what she heard, he might come looking for me.’
‘She saw the state you were in so I can’t see her doing that,’ Constance said, more concerned that Ivy might had spoken to Albie.
‘Denis might try to drag me back.’
‘He can’t force you, and if he tries, I’ll call the police.’
‘You shouldn’t let him frighten you,’ Penny said. ‘We can take a leaf out of my mum’s book – if he turns up, I’ll whack him with a frying pan.’ She chuckled warmly.
‘If there was a man around I think he’d soon back off,’ Constance said.
‘Well, there isn’t a man, but we’ll still manage to see him off,’ Penny insisted.
Constance smiled at her and said, ‘I think you’re more like your mother than you realise.’
‘Yeah, maybe.’
There was a loud thump on the front door, and all of them jumped. ‘Oh, no, what if it’s Denis?’ Jill cried.
‘Then as I said, we’ll see him off,’ Penny told her, picking up a poker from the hearth. ‘Stay there, I’ll see who it is.’
Constance couldn’t let Penny face Denis on her own and hurried in front of her, saying, ‘We’ll both go.’
‘It should be me,’ Jill cried, but remained rooted to her chair.
‘With that broken rib you’d be useless,’ Penny told her as the doorbell rang, followed by another loud thump.
With trepidation but trying to appear brave, it was Constance who opened the door, and was startled when Albie barged in.
‘You’re not welcome here. Get out!’
‘Well, look at this, not just Jill, but Penny here too. Where’s your father?’
‘He … he’s away on an extended holiday.’
‘I see, and he gave you permission to allow your friends and their kids to move in did he?’
‘Well … no …’ Constance blustered. ‘It … it’s only temporary until they can find somewhere else to live.’
‘If he’s away, how did you intend to ask him for my money?’
‘I … I …’
‘You were never any good at telling lies, Connie, and that’s what you’re doing now.’
‘No I’m not,’ this said with a little more bravado. ‘Anyway, why are you here? Surely you should be at work.’
‘If my suspicions are right, I’ll never have to work again.’
‘I don’t know what you mean.’
‘Yes, you do, you bitch,’ he spat. ‘I think your father has kicked the bucket.’
‘No … no … he …’
‘Who are you calling a bitch?’ Penny interrupted, glaring at Albie. ‘You heard what Constance said. Get out!’
‘As soon as I’ve got proof that her father is dead, it’ll be you who’s shown the door, you little slut. I’ll be moving in and I’ll say who lives here.’
‘Just go, Albie,’ Constance said, managing to pull herself together, ‘and don’t come back until you’ve got your so-called proof.’
‘I’m going, but not for long, and then I’ll be moving in here whether you like it or not.’
As the door closed behind him, Constance slumped. How could Albie have worked out that her father had died? She felt sure she hadn’t given anything away and as her father had been in good health she wondered how Albie could have jumped to that conclusion. Not that it mattered. He knew – Albie knew that her father was dead – and there was no way she’d be able to pay him off now with ten thousand pounds.
When Melvin turned up half an hour later and Penny let him in, he found all three women subdued. ‘What’s up?’ he asked.
‘Albie has been here,’ Constance told him. ‘He knows my father’s dead. All he needs is proof and then he said he’s going to move in.’
‘Yeah, and he’ll chuck me and Jill out,’ Penny told him.
‘Mum told me what she’d heard, and no doubt passed it on to Albie, but I don’t think he can do that. The house was left to you, Constance, not him.’
‘The marriage hasn’t been annulled yet. I’m still his wife and surely that means he has a right to my assets.’
‘I’m not so sure. I think you need to talk to a lawyer.’
‘Yes, I’ll do that, but Albie will probably demand half of my assets and that means an end to my plans to open a refuge.’
‘Constance, I may be able to help. Can we talk in private?’
‘Well, that’s nice, ain’t it?’ Penny said. ‘Why can’t you say what you’ve got to say in front of all of us?’
‘Because it’s a delicate and private matter.’ He held up his hand. ‘Please, Penny, just accept that what I’m about to tell Constance must be in the strictest confidence.’
‘Oh, all right then,’ she said sulkily.
‘We’ll use my father’s study,’ Constance said, leading him to the room and shutting the door behind them.
‘Constance, this isn’t going to be easy for me,’ Melvin said.
‘Let’s sit down,’ Constance suggested.
Melvin took a seat and then said, ‘I’m going to tell you something that I think will help you. I just hope you can keep my part in it a secret.’
‘Of course I will.’
‘This is a huge risk for me and if it comes out I could end up in prison.’
‘Whatever you tell me will be kept between us.’
‘You might not feel the same when you’ve heard what I’ve got to say.’
‘Melvin, I promise, I won’t tell a soul.’
Melvin nodded, then began to speak, watching the range of emotions that crossed Constance’s face. When he finished explaining, he held his breath, unsure how Constance was going to react. But after a stunned silence, she leaped up and threw her arms around him.
‘Thank you. Thank you so much. And don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.’
‘It should give you all the ammunition you need to take Albie on.’
‘Oh, it will, I’m sure of that. I had offered him ten thousand pounds to agree to an annulment, but with what I now know, maybe I should decrease the offer.’
‘That’s up to you, but he doesn’t deserve a penny from you.’
‘At least William wasn’t born a bastard.’
‘Yes, I suppose there is that.’
‘I’ll speak to my solicitor to arrange some sort of financial settlement and then wait for Albie to turn up again.’
‘I’d like to be a fly on the wall when he does,’ Melvin said, wishing he could be there to see the confrontation.
Unaware of what Melvin had told Connie, Albie was determined to get the proof that her father had died. He would go to the Registrar of Birth, Deaths and Marriages as soon as he could to obtain a death certificate that he’d take great pleasure in waving in Connie’s face.
He glanced at his watch and saw there was no chance that he could make it to work on time. There’d be sulks from the love of his life when he didn’t turn up, but they could catch up in the Soho flat later. The sulks would soon disappear with his news. Though he’d threatened to move into the Burton Blake house, he had no intention of doing that. He’d just enjoyed seeing the looks of dismay on their faces. Instead he’d insist that it was sold and he got his share of the proceeds, along with half of any money his wife had inherited.
Albie smiled happily, thinking of all that lay ahead for him and his true love. They’d be able to travel, the world their oyster, staying in the finest hotels. Then, when they eventually returned, they could settle in the Soho flat, or buy somewhere larger.
Albie parked his car, walked into the local pub and ordered a pint to celebrate. He quickly followed one beer with another, then he spotted Denis at the other end of the bar. Denis’s wife had left him too, and Albie decided he would put the cat amongst the pigeons by telling him where she was. ‘Hello, Denis,’ he said, going to stand beside him.
‘Hello, mate,’ the man said morosely.
‘I hear your missus has done a runner.’
Denis bristled. ‘Who told you that?’
‘Gossip soon gets around in Kibble Street. No doubt you’ve heard that mine did the same.’
‘Nah, that’s news to me. Bitches, the pair of them,’ Denis slurred.
‘Yeah, you’ve got that right, especially as they’re living together.’
‘What? Where? Tell me and I’ll go and sort my missus out.’
Albie told him, and smiled as Denis left the pub. He ordered another drink, and then another, until he too left the pub on unsteady legs. He knew he was in no fit state to drive and though it took a while, he was eventually able to hail a passing cab, his voice slurred as he gave the address to take him to in Soho.
Albie was happily inebriated, and remained that way until he walked into the flat, where he looked at the bed and said, ‘What the hell!’
‘What do you expect, darling? You didn’t come to work and left me sitting at the bar alone all evening.’
‘I got held up.’
‘Well, don’t let it go down, darling, and come and join us.’ The invitation came saucily with outstretched arms.
‘All right, I don’t mind if I do,’ Albie said, throwing off his clothes.
The third party was just a diversion, not a permanent fixture, and he was happy with that. It was something they occasionally indulged in, something they both enjoyed.
At the Burton Blake house in Clapham, everyone was ready for bed when there was another loud thump on the door and all three women looked at each other. ‘Who do you think it is this time?’ Penny asked.
‘Do you think Albie has told Denis where I am?’ Jill asked nervously.
‘I don’t know, but I suppose it’s possible.’
Once again Penny picked up the poker. ‘I’ve had enough of blokes putting the wind up us. Whoever it is, I’ll tell them to bugger off.’
‘I’ll come with you,’ Constance said.
‘If it’s Denis, it’s me he wants. I don’t want him going for either of you.’
‘Huh,’ Penny said, ‘I’d like to see him try.’
‘You’re like one of those ancient warrior women. I wish I was brave like you,’ Jill said, wringing her hands.
‘Less of the ancient,’ she said, the smile taking the sting out of her words. ‘You don’t have to be a warrior to see a man off. If a bloke tries to hit you, all you’ve got to do is knee him in the balls. That’ll stop him in his tracks.’
The thump came again, louder this time, and followed by a voice. ‘Jill … Jill, get out here. I know you’re in there.’
‘Right, that’s it,’ Penny said, her face set as she marched out of the room.
Constance followed her to the door, and when Penny flung it open, Denis blinked at the sudden flare of light before staggering forward. ‘Oh, no, you don’t,’ Penny spat. ‘You ain’t coming in and if you try, I’ll flatten you.’
‘I want to see my wife.’
‘Well, she doesn’t want to see you, so bugger off.’
Denis did the wrong thing, and as he stepped inside, Constance saw Penny fly into action. Her knee came up and Denis wailed in anguish, doubling over, but Penny hadn’t finished. With an almighty shove she pushed him outside again, her voice a menacing growl. ‘You might have used your wife as a punchbag, you cowardly bastard, but you ain’t laying a finger on her again. Now as I said, bugger off, or there’ll be more where that came from.’
With that, Penny slammed the door and stood for a moment, waiting. When all remained silent, she turned and said, ‘I think he’s gone, and he’d better not come back.’
‘My God,’ Constance said. ‘You were amazing – and to think I said we needed a man around.’
‘They come in handy for some things,’ she said with a saucy wink.
Constance laughed, the tension leaving her body. She had seen what Penny could do and doubted Denis would have the nerve to come back again that night.
‘What are you laughing at?’ Jill asked, hovering nervously in the drawing room doorway.
‘Something Penny said, but you can relax. Denis has gone, Penny saw him off.’
‘She did? That’s amazing.’
‘She was right about kicking them in a certain place. I just saw a demonstration.’
‘If you can pluck up your nerve, Jill, and we all stick together,’ Penny said, ‘nobody can mess with us.’
‘You’re right, Penny. I shouldn’t let Denis rule me, or punch me. And if he turns up again, I’ll face up to him.’
‘I’m pleased to hear it. Now, I don’t know about you two, but I’m knackered and I’m gonna turn in. I’ll see you in the morning.’
Impulsively Constance hugged her and was hugged in return. She did the same to Jill, and then they all went to bed, Constance happy that she had the ammunition to face Albie when he turned up, no doubt waving her father’s death certificate in her face. However, with what she now knew, she would wipe the smug smile straight off his face.