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
