Authors: Carol Rivers
‘I don’t know. And there’s something else. I asked her to be my bridesmaid.’
‘What did she say to that?’
‘She wasn’t sure, as she didn’t want to stay with Mum and Dad. So I said she could come to us at Manchester Road.’
‘What?’ bellowed Bing.
‘I know I should have talked to you first.’
‘But we’ll have only just got spliced.’ Bing held out his gloved hands. ‘Blimey, Marie, what were you thinking?’
‘I thought it might encourage her to leave Teddy.’
‘She’s got a home to go to, if she wants.’
‘I know.’
Bing closed his eyes and sighed long and deep. He turned and walked on, his breath curling up in the cold air. Marie knew he was a kind and thoughtful man who would do anything for her and, as
she caught him up and slid her hand through his arm, she hoped that if Vesta did come to their wedding he would reconsider and let her stay with them.
When they reached the market Bing looked over to the coffee stall. ‘Fancy a hot drink?’
‘Yes please.’
Marie sighed. She felt as though she was being pulled in all directions. But she understood why he was angry. She went over to the first stall, full of bric-a-brac. Her mind was churning. She
would soon be Mrs Brown – would they have many arguments like these when they were married? Bing was easy-going and nothing seemed to ruffle his feathers. Marie feared she had taken advantage
of his good nature.
She looked around for something they needed for Manchester Road. Even the girls at work had got together to buy them beige chenille curtains for the front room. Bing’s mum and dad had got
them a posh set of china from Petticoat Lane. And Elsie, Ada and Hector were also contributing to their bottom drawer. Marie looked at the many items: tea strainers, picture frames, lavender bags,
bits and pieces of jewellery and dozens of ornaments. But her mind kept straying back to the quarrel they had just had.
Then someone nudged her elbow. ‘Hello, ducks, remember me?’
Marie looked at the woman; a long, lined, pale face framed by tight black curls trapped under a floral headscarf gazed back at her. Her crumpled raincoat smelled strongly of mothballs.
‘Bev, is that you?’ Marie gasped.
‘Yes. It’s me. I ain’t a ghost, though I expect you thought I might be, after that night at the club.’
‘It’s a relief to know you’re still around.’
‘Only just.’
‘What happened?’
Marie saw Bev look around nervously before she answered. ‘I dyed my hair to change my looks after the quarrel with Rose.’
‘You dyed it because of that?’
‘Rose was in with the Scoresbys. She was paid to tell them what was being said amongst us. She had it in for me from the start cos I was friends with Joanie. After Wally fired me that
night, Pedro forced me out in the alley and gave me a slap. He tried to make me tell him where Joanie was, but I truly didn’t know. I thought I’d had me chips, but luckily a copper came
along. I managed to get away, but I knew if I didn’t get out of the East End, I’d wind up like Irene.’
‘I thought she fell in the dock.’
‘She fell in, but with someone’s help. See, once or twice she got stroppy and bad-mouthed Wally, the silly cow. It was only a matter of time after that.’ Bev looked around
again, her eyes flying here and there. ‘After that pasting from Pedro I’m always looking over me shoulder. I ain’t been back to these parts till today and, blow me down, I bump
into you. What’s going on in your life now? Where’s Vesta? Is she still as daft over Teddy?’
‘She’s living with him now,’ Marie explained.
‘Christ!’ Bev rolled her eyes. ‘She always liked him. Think that was only a matter of time.’
Marie felt a stab of pain. It was true.
‘I saw Sal over Greenwich,’ Bev continued in a whisper. ‘Did you know that Pedro kicked the girls out without a penny? Wally’s only interested in his new club.’ She
touched Marie’s arm. ‘Is your dad still working there?’
‘No, and neither am I. Dad fell over in the cellars and couldn’t get up. Pedro threatened to shut him in down there.’
‘What!’ cried Bev.
‘If it wasn’t for Bing, my husband-to-be’ – she pointed to the tall figure at the coffee stall – ‘coming to help us, Dad might have been down there all
night.’
‘Pedro is a sadistic sod. Him and Teddy are a heartless pair.’ She glanced quickly at Bing. ‘But your bloke looks a good ’un.’
‘Yes, he is.’ Marie suddenly realized how good Bing was. Why had she hurt him? She wanted them to be on their own on their wedding night as much as he did. But she also loved Vesta
and was afraid she wouldn’t leave Teddy without somewhere she could go.
‘I hope that sister of yours sees sense,’ warned Bev. ‘Tell her from me, Teddy’s a bad ’un.’ Bev adjusted her headscarf, pulling it over her face.
‘Listen, as much as I’d like to catch up on old times, there’s always a chance someone might recognize me. It was nice seeing you, gel.’
Marie watched her leave; a round-shouldered, dowdy figure in an old raincoat and flat shoes. What had happened to the bubbly Bev with the glamorous makeup and blonde hair? The Duke’s had
changed her, just as it had Vesta.
Marie walked over to Bing, who was paying for the coffee. He turned round. ‘Was that our first ding-dong?’ he asked with a grin.
‘I think so.’
‘We’d better put things right, then.’
She looked into his brown gaze. ‘I’m sorry about what I said to Vesta.’
‘Any other time wouldn’t have mattered.’
‘It just came out of me mouth.’
He grinned. ‘And what a lovely mouth it is.’
She blushed as he looked at her with love, all trace of anger gone.
They sat on the old wooden seats close by. ‘Guess who I’ve just seen?’
‘Go on, surprise me.’
‘Bev, the dancer from the Duke’s who Wally fired.’
‘What did she have to say?’
‘Pedro hit her to make her tell him where Joanie was. She didn’t, as she didn’t know herself. After that, she left the East End. Now she has dark hair and wears no makeup so
she’s not recognized.’
‘One day that Pedro is going to get his comeuppance.’
‘She told me to tell Vesta that Teddy is no good.’
‘A bit late, don’t you think? And anyway, once Vesta wouldn’t have listened to a word against Teddy, as your mum found out.’
‘That’s all changed now.’
‘Then she’s got to make the break. People like Teddy and the Scoresbys are bullies, the worst of their kind. They build their trade on fear and are successful at it. Vesta has to
leave whilst she can or else I’m concerned it will be too late.’ Bing took her hand. ‘Sorry I lost me rag. Your sister will never be turned away from our door, and that’s a
promise. I’ll always do what I can to help her because I know how much she means to you.’ He bent and kissed her.
Marie’s heart filled with love. She knew they would have quarrels and life would have its share of ups and downs. But she also knew Bing would always be there for her.
Just as she would be for Vesta.
Vesta gazed from the window. The rain had stopped and the March wind was blowing the skirts of the women who walked by. Some held their hats. Others tugged at their scarves,
pulling them closer round their chins. The clouds were grey above and although she couldn’t see clearly from her swollen left eye, she could still see from her right. Lifting her hand to
touch the swollen skin of her cheek, she jumped. Even the pressure of her fingertips hurt. But it wasn’t her black-and-blue face that was troubling her, it was something much worse than that.
She had missed two periods now. Was she pregnant? The thought of it made her feel sick. What would Teddy do, if he found out?
Vesta left the window and walked round the small room. It was her prison now, until she was released to see Bill. The thought of this made her feel much worse. Why had she been so gullible? Why
had she believed that Teddy and Bill had wanted to further her career? She had been so stupid. She’d even decided that if Bill had asked her to move in with him she would have. After all,
Teddy didn’t want her. She knew that now. Neither man wanted her. They only wanted to use her.
Vesta sat down on the couch. She was trapped. She had to sit within these four walls each day, wondering what she had done with her life. After the beating Teddy had given her last week, because
she had refused to go to Bill’s, she was trying to think of a way to escape. But where could she go? She wanted to see Marie again. She wanted be Marie’s bridesmaid. She wanted to be
part of the family again and forget her terrible past. But she couldn’t see Marie like this. She couldn’t walk out in the street like this. And would Teddy follow her? He’d told
her she was their possession now, that she could never go back to working in a factory. She liked the good life too much. Was that true, she wondered as she thought of Ellisdon’s, the dust,
dirt and grime and the life she had always resented. What man would have her now? Even a man like Charlie.
Slowly she got to her feet and went to the cocktail cabinet to pour her favourite drink, gin and lime. Waiting to feel it warm her inside, she caught sight of herself in the mirror. She looked
like an old hag. Peeping out from the swollen mounds around her eyes were two tiny, pale blue moving marbles. The contrast of purple and mauve skin surrounding them was shocking. The split above
her eye was healing. Thank goodness it wasn’t visible below her hairline. But her hair! She put her fingers through it. Lank and colourless, it clung to her head. She hadn’t been able
to raise her arms properly to wash it. Her right arm had been bent back when Teddy threw her to the floor.
Vesta gave a sob and sank down on the couch again.
What was going to happen to her? At least, looking like this, she wouldn’t be forced by Teddy into seeing Bill again. She shuddered as she thought of his hands exploring her. All his
wealth and status didn’t change the fact it was only sex he wanted from her. She had been sold, tricked into believing Bill was her friend, then given some awful drink that had gone to her
head and something else – a pill. And, just like at Christmas, she had woken up in Bill’s apartment, unable to remember anything clearly. Vesta closed her eyes. She wanted to cry, but
she couldn’t. She had shed so many tears.
And now she lived in fear. Fear of waking up in this place on her own, fear of Teddy arriving. She stiffened as she heard the key in the door. It opened suddenly. Teddy stood there. Vesta
wondered how she could ever have loved him. She looked into his dark, menacing eyes that she had once thought were so handsome.
‘So you’ve bothered to get up at last.’ He looked around. ‘This place is a dump. You live like a pig in a sty.’
She took a step back and said nothing. She had learned that silence was better than opening her mouth. Everything she said seemed to annoy him.
‘Here,’ he said, dropping a bag on the table. ‘There’s some make-up in there to cover your face. You don’t seem to have done a very good job of it so far. And look
at the state of you. Next week, I’ve told Bill you’ll be ready to see him again.’
Vesta was wearing her dressing gown and slippers. She couldn’t put on her bra or slip as it was too painful to move her arm. Teddy walked towards her. ‘Your hair’s a
mess.’
‘Teddy, it’s my arm. I—’
‘Not more moans and groans?’ he snapped, pulling the dressing gown apart. ‘It was those that got you into trouble before.’
Vesta put her lips together to force herself not to cry out as Teddy held her breast. She couldn’t stand his touch. But she had to. If she refused to let him do what he wanted, he got
angry. That was how she wound up like this.
‘Go in the bedroom whilst I pour myself a drink.’
Vesta felt sick again. Not just the normal sickness that happened when Teddy or Bill touched her, but another type. A sickness she was even more afraid of.
‘Well?’ He glared at her. ‘Go on, you silly cow.’
She turned and went to the bedroom. She hadn’t bothered to make the bed. She knew Teddy would be angry when he saw it. She pulled the cover over quickly.
When Teddy came in, she watched him take off his clothes and stand naked before her, a surly smile on his face. He took his drink in one gulp and handed her a glass.
‘Drink it down.’
She did, hoping it would soon put her out of her misery.
Teddy came towards her. She felt her skin crawl as he guided her fingers to his body. She knew what he wanted her to do. And there was nothing else to be done, but do it.
At last Easter Sunday was here, celebrated by Marie and Bing at St Luke’s, where they were to be married and their banns had been called. As it was Easter, the Reverend
had asked them to attend the service. The tall spire had glistened as though welcoming them as they walked arm in arm through the big wooden doors. The stained-glass windows shed rays of coloured
light as the couple walked down the aisle. Although they weren’t regular churchgoers, everyone seemed very friendly. The organ pealed and the choir sang stirring hymns; age and history seemed
to rise up from the polished pews as they sat there.
‘Imagine, Marie,’ whispered Bing, looking handsome in his dark grey pinstripe suit and blue spotted tie. ‘We’ll be standing at that altar in five days’ time. And
Charlie will have your ring in his pocket. My mum and dad and your parents and Elsie and all our friends will be here to see us get wed. And you’re gonna be the most beautiful bride on
God’s earth.’ He gave a long sigh of satisfaction. ‘And, although we won’t be going away, we’ll have our honeymoon in September to look forward to.’
Marie smiled up at the man beside her. In September they were going to Southend for a week, when they both had two weeks’ holiday from work. Southend was by the sea, with all the fun of
the fair. At the end of the season it wouldn’t be too crowded for them to find a nice bed and breakfast place.
As much as she was looking forward to the day, Marie was beginning to lose hope that Vesta would be her bridesmaid. She’d heard nothing, receiving not even a letter. So she had written to
Vesta care of the Blue Flamingo, to remind her about the wedding. Had she got the letter? And if she had, why hadn’t she written back? Even if it was only to say no, that she had decided to
stay with Teddy, it would have been better than nothing.