Gaslight in Page Street (71 page)

Danny shrugged his broad shoulders and grinned, his blue eyes twinkling in his wide face as he picked up his kitbag. ‘I bin doin’ some boxin’, Pop. I was the regimental champion,’ he said proudly.

Nellie shook her head and sighed deeply. ‘I’ll never understand you men. Didn’t yer see enough blood wivout knockin’ yer mates silly?’ she moaned.

Danny glanced quickly at his father and then beckoned to a strong-looking lad who was watching the homecoming. ‘’Ere, son, carry me kitbag upstairs fer me, will yer?’ he asked, handing the lad a silver threepenny piece.

‘Ain’t yer comin’ in?’ Nellie said with a disappointed look on her face.

‘Later, Ma. I wanna see Billy Sullivan first,’ he replied, backing away up the street.

Danny was stopped in his tracks by a loud shriek as Carrie came running into the turning. He staggered back a pace as she threw herself into his arms.

‘I knew yer’d be all right. I jus’ knew yer’d come ’ome in one piece,’ she gasped, kissing him.

Danny was grinning as he finally broke away. He gave the lad by his kitbag an exaggerated glare. ‘Well, go on then, carry it up,’ he growled.

Carrie slipped her arm through his and smiled lovingly at him. ‘C’ mon in an’ I’ll tell yer all the news,’ she said excitedly.

‘Look, sis, I wanna slip round an’ see Billy first,’ he said.

Carrie took a tighter grip on his arm. ‘Billy can wait a bit longer. First yer gonna eat,’ she laughed, pulling him close to her. ‘Fred give me some sardines fer yer. I told ’im ’ow much yer like sardines.’

Danny knew it was useless to protest any more and he allowed himself to be led up the dusty wooden stairs to the family home.

The Kings Arms was packed with customers on Friday evening and in the public bar the Tanner family was gathered to celebrate Danny’s homecoming. Carrie sat with her mother in one corner and they chatted happily their eyes occasionally straying towards their menfolk who were standing at the counter. Fred and William were listening to Danny’s account of his experiences in France but their attention was being distracted by a noisy conversation going on beside them. The large figure with a bloated and battered face was leaning on the counter his massive fists clenched on either side of his half-empty glass of ale.

He suddenly turned his head sideways, his eyes boring into his companion’s. ‘That was the fifth inside the distance. None of ’em last very long,’ he sneered. ‘Not against me they don’t.’

‘Got anyfink lined up?’ the carman asked respectfully.

His harsh laugh boomed out. ‘Yer better ask Galloway. I don’t make the matches or pick me opponents, I only knock ’em out.’

Danny was becoming irritated by the man’s loud boasting. ‘Who’s that loud-mouthed git?’ he asked, the muscles in his jaw tightening.

His father’s face became stern. ‘That’s Jake Mitchell,’ he told him. ‘’E’s always in ’ere braggin’ about the fights ’e’s ’ad. Take no notice.’

Danny became quiet as he sipped his drink. While he was away Carrie had been writing to him about everything that was happening at home and she had explained how Jake Mitchell had taken over their father’s job. Danny’s blood had boiled when he learned of his father’s treatment at the hands of George Galloway and now he could feel his anger slowly rising again as he listened to the ring-scarred brute at the counter. His handsome face became set hard. Slowly he moved so that he was standing against the counter with his back to Jake Mitchell.

‘Does ’e ’ave ter shout? We don’t all wanna ’ear ’is business,’ Danny said loudly.

William shook his head and pulled a face but his son ignored the warning. ‘Does ’e fink everybody’s deaf in ’ere?’ he went on goading.

Mitchell was bellowing with laughter, unaware of what Danny was saying, and the young man became impatient. He turned to Mitchell’s companion and whispered something in his ear. The carman’s face took on a frightened look and he stared at the young Tanner with wide eyes.

‘What’s ’e say?’ Mitchell asked quickly, seeing the carman’s reaction.

‘Nuffink, Jake.’

‘I asked yer what ’e said,’ the large man growled menacingly.

Danny turned to face Mitchell. ‘I told ’im ter tell yer ter keep yer voice down. We can’t ’ear what we’re talkin’ about,’ he said, putting his glass down on the counter.

The frightened carman backed away from the counter as he saw Mitchell’s eyes start to bulge, and William quickly stepped in front of his son. ‘’E’s just back from the front,’ he said quietly, trying to defuse the situation.

‘So this is yer boy, is it?’ Mitchell sneered. ‘Got a lot ter say fer ’imself, ain’t ’e? Well, if I was you I’d tell ’im not ter get too lippy, ’e might come unstruck.’

Before William could reply, Danny took him by the shoulders and gently eased him to one side. ‘So you’re the famous Jake Mitchell, are yer?’ he said quietly. ‘I’ve ’eard a lot about you. Bin knockin’ ’em all out, so yer told everybody. Well, maybe now the war’s over you’ll get a better class o’ fighter up against yer.’

Mitchell moved forward menacingly. ‘Yer not includin’ yerself on that list, are yer, sonny?’ he sneered.

Danny grinned calmly. ‘Yer past it, Mitchell. Yer wouldn’t go the distance wiv me.’

Carrie and her mother had jumped up from their seats and as they tried to pull Danny away Alec Crossley leapt smartly over the counter and placed himself in front of Jake Mitchell. ‘The war’s over, pal, an’ I’m not gonna be a party ter any more ’ostilities. Now drink up an’ let’s ’ave no more of it. That goes fer you too, Danny. Understood?’

Mitchell’s eyes were bulging. ‘Me an’ you, sonny, first opportunity. An’ we’ll ’ave our own little side bet on the outcome,’ he sneered.

Danny nodded. ‘Suits me fine. Sooner the better,’ he said, turning his back.

‘You’ll be ’earin’ when, Tanner,’ Galloway’s foreman shouted over as the publican hustled him to the door.

When Mitchell had left Nellie rounded on her son. ‘I’m not ’avin’ it!’ she raved. ‘I told yer, I won’t allow a boy o’ mine ter be a fighter. Christ Almighty! Ain’t yer ’ad enough o’ fightin’? Do somefink, Will. Tell ’im.’

William shrugged his shoulders. ‘’E’s a bit too big fer me ter chastise. Did yer see the way ’e put me ter one side?’ he grinned.

Nellie gave him a withering look and flounced back to her seat, while Carrie smiled slyly at her younger brother. ‘Yer’d better get inter trainin’,’ she said quietly.

Florrie Axford was sitting in her parlour with her friends. Nellie had joined the company but looked pale and ill. She clasped her hands nervously as Florrie banged her fist down on the table.

‘We done it before at the Kings Arms an’ we’ll do it again at the Crown,’ she declared. ‘If we all go there tergevver, they daren’t stop us goin’ in. We’ll tell ’em we want ter place bets an’ we’re gonna cheer our boy on.’

‘I couldn’t go,’ Maudie said, shuddering. ‘First drop o’ blood spilled an’ I’d be ill, I know I would.’

‘Well, nobody’s makin’ yer. Jus’ give us yer bet money an’ we’ll put it on fer yer,’ Sadie scowled at her.

‘I couldn’t bet on men killin’ each over,’ Maudie went on.

‘Don’t be so melodramatic,’ Florrie said sharply. ‘Danny ain’t gonna kill ’im. ’E’s only gonna knock that ugly great git right out, ain’t ’e, Nell?’

Nell looked very worried. ‘I wish ’e’d never got ’imself inter this,’ she sighed weakly. ‘’E knows ’ow I feel about fightin’.’

Sadie waved her anxieties away with a sweep of her large arm. ‘Don’t worry, Nell,’ she blustered. ‘My Billy’s ’elpin’ ’im wiv ’is trainin’ an’ ’e knows all about such fings. Matter o’ fact it’s a pleasure ter see Billy takin’ an interest in somefing at last. ’E’s bin a different lad since your Danny come back ’ome. It was nice ter see the pair of ’em this mornin’, goin’ out runnin’ in the park. Mind yer, my Billy come back lookin’ like a train ’ad ’it ’im an’ ’e was wheezin’ like a concertina. Poor sod’s chest ain’t too good.’

Florrie held her hand up for silence then leaned forward over the table. ‘Now listen, gels, me an’ Sadie ’ave bin puttin’ our ’eads tergevver an’ this is what we’re gonna do ...’

Carrie Tanner shivered against the cold wind as she stood beside her brother on the platform at Waterloo Station. All around them soldiers in full kit were hugging their loved ones and sweeping young children up into their arms before climbing aboard the military train to Southampton. Charlie turned anxiously to his sister.

‘Now listen, Carrie,’ he said as he looked at her intently, ‘I want yer ter be ’appy. Try an’ keep an eye on Mum an’ Dad, won’t yer?’

She sighed heavily. ‘Gawd, I wish yer ’adn’t signed on, Charlie,’ she said sadly. ‘I won’t be seein’ yer fer ages an’ ages, an’ I’m gonna miss yer terribly.’

He smiled at her and softly kissed her cheek. ‘It’s fer the best, Carrie,’ he said quietly. ‘I wouldn’t ’ave ’ad any ’appiness if I’d stayed in Bermon’sey. It ’olds too many memories, too many ghosts. Anyway, India sounds like an excitin’ place,’ he added quickly. ‘Who knows? I might get the chance ter ride an elephant or be the guard of honour in some prince’s ’arem!’

His lightheartedness was lost on Carrie who bit back tears as the guard appeared on the platform, holding his flag.

‘Now you take care, bruv,’ she cried as she hugged him tightly. ‘Write ter me as soon as yer can.’

He climbed aboard the train quickly and stowed his kitbag in the luggage rack before leaning back out of the carriage window.

‘Be ’appy, Carrie, an’ don’t worry about Danny. ’E’s gonna win,’ he shouted above the din as the train started to move. ‘I love yer, sis.’

Carrie stood in the pale January sunlight and waved until the train was out of sight, then she turned slowly and walked out of the station, blinking back her tears. Charlie had looked cheerful, but the deep sadness in his eyes had cut into her like a sharp knife. She could still see the look on her mother’s face as she said goodbye to him that morning. Nellie had embraced him gently and then stood there gazing at him with a faraway look in her eyes. It felt to Carrie almost as if something inside her mother died.

She pulled her coat around her against the cold as she stood at the tram stop, and a feeling of dread began to grow inside her. Her mother had been looking ill lately, and Charlie’s departure seemed to have shaken her badly. She had already been worried out of her life over Danny’s coming fight with Jake Mitchell. Carrie knew instinctively that her mother needed her, and decided to go straight home. Fred would be able to take care of the café for a while, she was sure.

By the time Carrie stepped down from the tram in Jamaica Road and reached the dilapidated buildings in Bacon Street it was nearing midday. She climbed the dusty wooden stairs and knocked on the front door of her parents’ flat. As she stood waiting she could smell the stench rising up from the communal dustbins below. It seemed a long time before anyone answered, and when her mother finally opened the door Carrie could see dark circles around her puffed eyes.

‘Are yer all right, Mum?’ she asked with concern as she walked into the flat.

Nellie did not answer. She slumped down into a chair beside the table and buried her head in her arms, sobbing bitterly.

‘I couldn’t tell ’im, Carrie,’ she moaned. ‘I dunno what I should’ve done, but I couldn’t tell ’im.’

Carrie bent down and slipped her arm around her mother’s shoulders. ‘What is it, Mum?’ she said gently. ‘What couldn’t yer tell ’im?’

For a while Nellie said nothing, and then after what seemed like an eternity she took Carrie by both hands and pulled her down into a chair beside her. Nellie’s eyes looked tortured.

‘I was just a young woman, not much older than you are now, Carrie,’ she began in a broken voice. ‘James was a baby at the time an’ there was fousands o’ men round ’ere out o’ work. Yer farvver was gettin’ a load of ’ay from the farm when George Galloway called roun’ ter see me one mornin’. ’E told me ’e might ’ave ter put yer farvver off ’cos o’ the slump. Galloway said ’e wanted me ter know before’and so I could look fer anuvver place ter live. Oh, ’e was very sorry an’ full of apologies an’ ’e said ’e’d give us a reference ter ’elp us get a place. ’E told me not ter let on fer the time bein’ in case fings changed, but it looked very likely if there was no more contracts comin’ in the yard.’

‘What are yer tellin’ me, Mum?’ Carrie asked, suddenly feeling sick as the awful truth began to dawn on her.

Nellie tugged at the handkerchief in her hands as she went on: ‘I was so terrified we’d get put out on the street I pleaded wiv Galloway not ter let yer farvver go. I broke down and cried, an’ ’e put ’is arm aroun’ me. Yer gotta understand ’ow desperate I was, child. It was as though I was turned ter stone. I couldn’t feel anyfing, an’ I didn’t try ter stop ’im when ’e got familiar. That mornin’ George Galloway got me pregnant. Charlie is George Galloway’s son.’

Carrie looked at the floor, feeling sick. She could think of nothing to say. She felt her mother’s pleading gaze on her.

‘Don’t ’ate me, Carrie,’ Nellie said, bursting into tears. ‘Don’t ’ate me.’

Carrie’s eyes misted and she hugged her mother tightly. ‘I don’t ’ate yer, Mum,’ she said gently. ‘It ain’t your fault.’

Nellie sobbed loudly. ‘Charlie told me ’e’d asked Josephine ter marry ’im,’ she spluttered. ‘The poor child must ’ave found out when she asked ’er farvver fer ’is permission. It come out at the inquest that she was very drunk. She must’ve done ’erself in.’