Authors: Ellie Dean
‘Blimey, you’ve thought of everything,’ breathed Ruby. ‘It’s a smashing idea, Rita. You are clever.’
Rita shrugged, but her expression told Ruby that she was pleased with the compliment. ‘The circuit’s been here for years, but since the war started it fell out of use. I’ve just tidied it up a bit and got the council to agree to me using it again.’ She squinted into the sun as she looked back at Ruby. ‘You could help out if you’re not working. We can always do with a hand behind the bar, or selling raffle tickets.’
‘I can do the bar with me eyes shut,’ said Ruby. ‘Count me in for the next meeting when I’m off work.’
‘In that case, you’d better learn how to ride a motorbike. Come on, hop on and I’ll show you how to get her started.’ Rita grinned as she handed over the goggles and helmet. ‘I’m ever so glad you came to live with us, Ruby. You’re what the Aussies call a “bonzer Sheila, too right”, and I reckon you and me are going to be good mates.’
Ruby gave her a swift hug and then climbed onto the bike and pulled on the helmet and goggles. The other girl’s open-hearted friendship meant more than words could express, and she was a bit embarrassed to discover there were tears in her eyes.
Chapter Twenty
RUBY HAD LEARNED
to ride her dad’s old bone-shaker bicycle when she was small, but she hadn’t realised how difficult it was to keep a heavy motorbike upright and steady while she controlled the speed. There had been one or two near tumbles and heart-stopping moments before she’d got the hang of it and managed to hiccup her way round the cinder track without falling off or stalling the engine. Her confidence had grown after that, and by the time they had to head for home, she’d dared to go a bit faster, even into the bends.
Now she was happy to perch on the seat behind Rita as they roared down Camden Road to the fire station. Rita parked the motorbike in the rear of the vast garage and covered it with a tarpaulin while Ruby returned the borrowed jacket and collected the shopping, and then, arm in arm, they strolled out to the sunlit forecourt. Their faces were dirty, their clothes blackened by the dust from the cinders and Ruby’s trousers had a tear in one of the knees, but they were happy, and looking forward to a nice bath and some tea before they went down to the Anchor for a drink and a sing-song.
As they reached the hospital, Ruby thought about the holdall hidden beneath her bed. ‘If Ron’s not planning to see Peggy this evening, then I’ll have to pop in there for a few minutes before I come with you to the Anchor.’
‘There’s still just time to see her now,’ said Rita as she drew to a halt. ‘Visiting time doesn’t finish until four.’
‘Good idea, but I need to go and fetch something first.’
Rita eyed her keenly. ‘You’re being very mysterious all of a sudden. What’s Peggy asked you to do?’
‘Just to fetch her something from Beach View,’ said Ruby vaguely.
Rita chuckled. ‘Okay, I get the hint. It’s a secret.’ She quickened her pace as they walked down Camden Road, and they both broke into a run, racing to reach Beach View Terrace and the front door first.
Rita won and they were both laughing and out of breath as she slotted in the key. ‘I’ll have my bath while you’re out,’ she panted as they stepped into the hall.
‘You’re not going anywhere, Ruby Clark.’ Doris stood there, arms folded, her expression thunderous.
Both girls stared at her in amazement, and the joy in Ruby drained away, leaving her cold and empty. ‘I can go wherever I like,’ she stammered.
‘Not if you’re in prison,’ snapped Doris.
Ruby felt the colour drain from her face as her legs threatened to buckle. How did Doris find out about Ray? Did this mean he was dead and the police were waiting for her somewhere in the house? ‘What do you mean?’ she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
‘You are a thief, Ruby Clark. And there’s no use in denying it, because I have the proof.’
‘That’s a bit strong, even for you, Mrs Williams,’ protested a stunned Rita. ‘You can’t go about accusing people like that.’
Ruby was staring at Doris, her thoughts confused. This wasn’t about Ray – it was something entirely different. ‘I ain’t a thief,’ she rasped, ‘and you got no right to say such things.’
‘Really?’ Doris’s eyes were like flint as she turned to the chair behind her and picked something up. ‘How do you explain this then?’
Ruby couldn’t take her eyes off the tartan holdall. ‘I can explain,’ she stammered. ‘It ain’t what you think.’
‘Ruby?’ Rita put her arm about her waist.
‘This is my holdall,’ said Doris flatly, ‘and it was on the top of my wardrobe this morning. I’d be most interested to know how it came to be hidden beneath your bed.’
‘I didn’t realise it were your bag,’ said Ruby, swallowing the lump in her throat.
‘So you admit stealing it?’
Ruby was aware of Rita’s frown and the way her comforting arm had tightened about her waist. ‘I only borrowed it,’ she said, ‘and if you ask Peggy, then she’ll tell you why.’
‘I fail to see how my sister can have anything to do with this – this act of
treachery
,’ Doris hissed. ‘My family took you in, trusted you – and you repay us by creeping round in other people’s rooms and stealing their possessions.’
‘I didn’t steal nothing,’ shouted Ruby. ‘And if you bothered to open the bag you’ll see there are only Peggy’s clothes in there.’ Ruby snatched the bag from her, opened it, and tipped everything out onto the floor. ‘There – see? There ain’t nothing there that’s yours.’
‘What the divil is going on out here?’ Ron stomped into the hall with Harvey at his heels as Cordelia, Suzy, Fran and Jane crowded into the kitchen doorway. He looked from Doris to Ruby and Rita and then down to the pile of clothes scattered at Ruby’s feet.
‘She’s a thief,’ barked Doris.
‘I’m not,’ stormed Ruby. ‘Peggy asked me to get her some clothes, and I thought that were her bag.’
‘I hardly think my sister needs outdoor clothing when she’s stuck in a hospital bed,’ snapped Doris.
‘She needs them because she’s coming home tomorrow,’ said Ron. He put his arm round Ruby’s shoulder.
‘No one told me she was coming home,’ retorted Doris.
‘It was supposed to be a secret,’ he replied flatly, ‘but because of you, the whole surprise has been spoiled.’ He glared at Doris, his eyebrows lowered in a deep frown. ‘I knew what Peggy asked Ruby to do, and gave her my full support. You owe her an apology, Doris.’
Doris stared at him. ‘You knew she’d been in my room?’ she gasped. ‘Knew she’d been poking about in the cupboards amongst my most intimate things?’
‘It’s Peggy’s room,’ he said firmly, ‘and you still owe Ruby an apology, Doris.’
‘Why the secrecy? Why wasn’t I told that Peggy was coming home tomorrow?’
‘Because it was none of your business,’ said Ron. ‘Apologise to Ruby, Doris, or pack your bags and get out.’
Ruby’s face was burning with embarrassment. She hated being the centre of attention and certainly didn’t want any more trouble. ‘Look,’ she stammered, ‘everything’s been explained and I’m willing to forget this if Mrs Williams agrees. It were just a misunderstanding, that’s all.’
‘I apologise,’ said Doris stiffly, ‘but I still don’t like the thought of you creeping about and rifling through my things. See it doesn’t happen again.’
‘It won’t,’ said Ruby.
‘You’ll have to move to Cissy’s room if you’re planning on staying, Doris,’ said Ron. ‘Peggy will need her own bedroom back.’ He regarded her with clear dislike. ‘Or you could go home to your husband where you belong and leave us to get on with things the way we’ve always done.’
Doris glared at him, then turned on her heel and slammed the bedroom door behind her so hard it shook the walls and startled the sleeping baby into a storm of high-pitched bawling.
Ron gave Ruby’s shoulders a reassuring squeeze as Suzy rushed to pluck Daisy from the pram and console her. ‘To be sure, I’m sorry it came to this, Ruby. You were only trying to help.’
‘I’m sorry too,’ said Rita, her face scarlet with humiliation. ‘I should never have doubted you, not even for an instant.’
‘It’s all right,’ she assured them all as they rallied round her in support and Harvey licked her hand. ‘Doris made a pretty good case out of it, and I don’t blame you for believing her.’ She gave a shaky smile as she knelt to gather Peggy’s things from the floor, but hot tears were threatening and she had to dip her chin so her hair veiled her face while she tried to rein in her emotions. ‘Do you have something else we can put these into, Ron?’
‘Aye, I do that. And I’ll see Peggy gets her clothes tonight.’ He gave her a reassuring smile, took the bundle and carried it into the kitchen.
Ruby shot Rita a watery smile as she placed the empty holdall outside Doris’s bedroom door. ‘I don’t know that I feel much like going out tonight after all that,’ she said.
Rita took her hand and gave it a squeeze, her little face full of contrition. ‘It strikes me that a drink and a sing-song amongst good company is exactly what you need.’
‘Rita’s right, Ruby,’ said Suzy, ‘and if I wasn’t on duty tonight, I’d join you. Come on into the kitchen and let me pour you both a cup of tea. The kettle’s just boiled.’
Ruby was feeling decidedly fragile and not at all sure she wanted to do anything much but climb into bed and hide from the world beneath the blankets. The unfair accusation had hit her hard, but not as hard as the realisation that she was still on a knife-edge over what she’d done to Ray, and the fate of her mother.
‘Never mind, dear,’ said Cordelia as she patted her hand. ‘A good cup of tea and a long hot soak in the bath will soon have you to rights again.’ She grimaced as she shot a glance at the bedroom door. ‘Doris always was a cat – and it’s about time someone clipped her claws.’
Ruby smiled despite herself and followed them all into the kitchen, where Ron was packing Peggy’s clothes into a large cotton shopping bag. She took the cup of tea and, after the first soothing sip, turned to him. ‘Ron, can I ask a favour?’
‘Fire away,’ he replied, his blue eyes twinkling.
‘Could I use the telephone to call someone in London? I’ll pay for the call,’ she said hurriedly. ‘Only I need to know if my mum’s all right.’
‘If you can get through, then of course you can,’ he said. ‘The lines aren’t good at the moment, but it’s worth a try to set your mind at ease.’
Ruby finished the tea and then went back into the hall and lifted the receiver, all too aware that Doris was only feet away behind the closed bedroom door. She would have to be careful what she said, for she wouldn’t put it past her to eavesdrop.
She hadn’t used a telephone very often, and was used to the one in the box on the corner of Bow High Street. There was no slot for pennies in this one, so she waited for the operator to answer. ‘I want to make a call to London,’ she told the woman at the exchange.
‘What’s the number, dear?’
‘Bow Lane three-one-nine,’ she replied, ‘and is it possible to let me know how much the call costs, ’cos I’ll need to pay Mrs Reilly back.’
‘Of course, dear. How is Peggy? I meant to visit, but—’
‘She’s doing all right,’ replied Ruby, impatient now to get on with her call.
‘Putting you through,’ said the other woman, rather too briskly.
Ruby heard the buzzing tone and then the click of an open line. ‘Tanner’s Arms.’ Fred Bowman’s voice was unmistakable.
‘Fred? This is Ruby. Can you talk?’
‘Blimey, girl, didn’t expect to ’ear from you after I got that note for yer mum. Ain’t nothing wrong, is there?’
‘I’m fine. More to the point, how’s Mum?’
‘She’s doin’ all right, gel. She and me ’ad a bit of bother from Ray’s family, but we managed to convince them we don’t know where you are, and they’ve left us alone since.’
Ruby gripped the phone in her anguish. ‘They didn’t hurt no one, did they?’
‘Nah, nothing like that. Just a bit of strutting about and making their presence felt, but I don’t reckon they’re that bothered now Ray’s causing them so much grief.’
Overwhelmed with relief that she hadn’t killed him, Ruby couldn’t have cared less about the trouble Ray was causing his family. ‘What’s he done?’ she asked tentatively.
Fred cleared his throat, and his tone became conspiratorial. ‘He beat up Micky Flannigan so bad it were a miracle he survived, and now the plods are after him for attempted murder as well as a long list of crimes connected to his black-marketeering. They’ve rounded up most of the Clark family as well as the thugs what worked for ’em, and now Ray’s gone to ground. He’s a loose cannon, Ruby, and you’d be wise to stay well away and keep schtum.’
Ruby discovered she was trembling so badly she almost dropped the receiver. ‘I ain’t planning on leaving here for a long while,’ she managed to assure him. ‘But will you keep an eye on Mum for me, Fred, and tell ’er I’m all right?’
‘Yeah, I’ll do that for you, Ruby, gel. You take care now, y’hear?’
‘And you, Fred.’ The line went dead, the woman at the exchange came on to tell her how much the call had cost, and Ruby replaced the receiver.
She sank into the nearby chair, her thoughts in a whirl. Ray’s vicious temper had finally led him into real trouble, and she just prayed the police would run him to earth quickly before someone else got hurt. Isolated and in hiding, Ray would now be more dangerous than ever. The only comfort she could take from her conversation with Fred was that Ray had absolutely no idea where she was, and certainly wouldn’t risk being seen anywhere near his old haunts – therefore Fred, his family, and her mum were safe.
Peggy had heard about the fracas between Doris and Ruby from Ron – and then from Suzy, who’d taken a few minutes off her night shift to come and see her. Peggy had been most distressed by it all, and although her secret was out, she knew she’d made the right decision. She had to get home to Beach View before Doris did any further damage.
She hadn’t slept at all well, for her thoughts and emotions were jumbled. Excited about going home, and a little nervous about her planned escape, she was nonetheless concerned about how to deal with her sister. Doris hadn’t visited at all during the past two and a half weeks, and that in itself was a mystery – but according to the others she’d taken great care of Daisy, and had proved she did indeed possess some sort of maternal feelings.