Missing Person (35 page)

‘Oh, you bet,’ said Tim, putting his knife and fork down and darting to the sideboard. He uncovered the cage. Percy blinked, hopped about, pecked at his seed and cocked an eye.

‘Speak up, Percy,’ said Boots.

Percy said not a word.

‘It’s ashamed of itself, I shouldn’t wonder,’ said Chinese Lady.

‘Who’s a pretty girl, then?’ said Percy.

‘What’s wrong with that?’ asked Boots, and Tim spoke up.

‘But, Dad, in the kitchen he said—’

‘Never mind repeatin’ it, Tim,’ said Chinese Lady.

‘Maisie, we have to establish the cause of the upset,’ said Mr Finch with due gravity. ‘Perhaps you’d like to repeat what was said?’

‘I’ll go to me grave before I get into the habit of repeatin’ vulgarities,’ said Chinese Lady firmly.

‘Percy, see what you’ve done?’ said Emily.

‘Bleedin’ Amy,’ said Percy.

Boots coughed. Chinese Lady shuddered.

‘Well! In my own house and all,’ she said, ‘and the creature brought for me by my own son.’

‘’Orrible,’ said Emily, ‘I never heard the like except from hooligans.’

‘Oh, lor’, Daddy,’ said Rosie, who thought the whole thing a riot.

‘There’s a solution,’ said Boots. ‘Your grandma can teach it to say “Rule, Britannia”.’

‘Oh, you think so, do you, my lad?’ said Chinese Lady. ‘Let me tell you, if that bird says one more vulgar thing, I’ll cook it and serve it to you for your Sunday dinner.’

‘All right, old lady,’ said Boots, ‘let’s say with sage and onion stuffing.’

Rosie collapsed with laughter. Chinese Lady eyed Boots stiffly, but her mouth twitched.

‘It’s like I always thought,’ she said, ‘you’re headin’ for perdition, Boots. I can’t hardly believe sometimes the way you’ve grown up.’

‘How’s yer knickers?’ said Percy.

It took Chinese Lady quite a while to restore order.

‘Freddy, I’ve got news for you,’ said Cassie later that evening.

‘For me?’ said Freddy. ‘D’you mean Tottenham ’Otspurs want me for their football team?’

‘No, course not, you daft thing. Freddy, you really are gettin’ daft lately.’

‘Talk about the pot callin’ the kettle black,’ said Freddy.

‘I’m sure I don’t know what that means,’ said Cassie. ‘Anyway, I ’ad a letter today from the flower shop, and I’m startin’ work on Monday.’

‘Well, I’m pleased for yer, Cassie. I like the idea. You’ll be able to do your share of payin’ when we go to the flicks.’

‘Freddy, don’t be silly, girls don’t treat boys.’

‘But mates treat each other,’ said Freddy.

‘Freddy, if you don’t stop sayin’ mates, I’ll kick you,’ said Cassie. ‘Oh, and Mr Rogers ’as had Tilly lookin’ after Bubbles and Penny-Farvin’, ain’t that
nice
for him? I like Mr Rogers, don’t you? I wonder if Tilly likes ’im as well? Me dad knew a lady called Tilly once, he met her on a horse-bus on his way to Buckingham Palace, and she wanted to marry ’im, only me dad couldn’t, because he’d just got married to our mum. By the way, Freddy, did yer know Mrs ’Arper and her ’usband and brother-in-law have moved? I saw them gettin’ into a taxi with all their luggage this mornin’ when I was takin’ Bubbles and Penny-Farvin’ out. I called hello to Mrs ’Arper as she got into the taxi, but she didn’t answer, she didn’t look very ’appy. Freddy, we won’t be able to take Cecil to see Percy any more.’

‘Won’t we?’ said Freddy. ‘That’s goin’ to break me heart, that is.’

‘Oh, you’ve still got me, Freddy love.’

‘Have I, Cassie? Well, I daresay I can grin and bear it.’

Dan came out of his house then. Seeing Cassie and Freddy at the gate of Freddy’s house, he approached.

‘Oh, how’d you do, Mr Rogers,’ said Cassie, ‘the girls were ever so good this mornin’.’

‘Glad to hear it, Cassie,’ said Dan, and told her that Tilly had solved the problem of getting the girls looked after on a full-time basis by making contact with a woman called Mrs Brooks. Did Cassie mind that he wouldn’t need her any more? Cassie said she didn’t mind a bit, that she’d been going to tell him tomorrow morning that she was starting work as an apprentice in a flower shop on Monday. Dan said the news was uplifting for everyone, and that he’d like to pay her for tomorrow morning, in any case. Cassie said how kind, but no, she couldn’t really take anything.

‘How about just a bob, then?’ suggested Dan.

‘Well, if it pleases you, Mr Rogers, all right, then,’
said
Cassie graciously, and Dan happily gave her a bob. He was never short of money, his job paid him well.

‘And thanks for bein’ a great help,’ he smiled.

‘Oh, I was born to be a great ’elp,’ said Cassie. ‘You can ask me dad. And Freddy.’

‘Well, I’ll say this much, Mr Rogers,’ said Freddy, ‘it’s me honest opinion that when she’s older, Cassie could be a great ’elp as a plumber’s mate.’

Cassie gave a little yell, and Freddy had to run then, Cassie flying after him.

Mrs Brooks arrived at eight the next morning, and Dan summed her up at once as just what the doctor would have ordered for Bubbles and Penny-Farving. A buxom woman with a distinct air of motherly warmth, she declared she’d never seen two sweeter little angels. Dan cautioned her that they had their moments.

‘Well, what little girls don’t, Mr Rogers? I know about little moments, and little girls. And little boys too, which are a lot more of an ’andful than girls. That’s Bubbles, is it, and that’s Penny-Farvin’? My, I never knew such a pretty way to call girls. You leave them to me, Mr Rogers, I’ll give them kind but sensible motherin’. Just show me where everything is before you go off to your work, like.’

When Dan did leave, he had a feeling Tilly had found him a real treasure.

Rachel came through to Boots on his office line.

‘Won’t keep you a moment, Boots.’

‘Make it a little longer,’ said Boots.

‘Oh, I only need to know when you’ll be taking me to lunch again.’

‘You’ve finished finding out?’

‘I’ve some very interesting information for you.’

‘I’m not surprised,’ said Boots, ‘you’re a very interesting woman.’

‘My life,’ purred Rachel, ‘haven’t I said a hundred times that your mother had no right to produce three sons like you, Tommy and Sammy? Is it fair on weak women?’

‘What weak women?’ asked Boots. ‘Never met any myself, only the normal kind, and I’ve had to run from some of them. Am I to receive the interesting information over lunch with you, and not before?’

‘Yes, d’you mind a little blackmail, lovey?’

‘Not from you,’ said Boots. ‘Next Tuesday, then? Trocadero?’

‘I should say no to Chinese Lady’s son and heir?’

‘Twelve-thirty, then, next Tuesday,’ said Boots.

Emily, of course, when she was told five minutes later, said, ‘What’s goin’ on? It’s bad enough watchin’ Polly Simms eatin’ you with her eyes.’

‘Imagination, Em.’

‘Don’t make me laugh,’ said Emily, ‘Polly Simms’ll get you one day with your trousers down.’

‘God, I hope not,’ said Boots, ‘you know what Confucius says. “Woman with skirts up runs faster than man with trousers down.”’

‘Oh, yer comic,’ said Emily, and burst into laughter. ‘All the same, I hope I don’t have to start watchin’ Rachel.’

‘Rachel isn’t that kind of woman, Em. She’s an orthodox wife and mother.’

‘So am I,’ said Emily, ‘so watch yourself when you’re havin’ lunch with her. I might just be behind you. D’you think the information she’s got might make Sammy think twice about callin’ a shareholders’ meetin’?’

‘It might,’ said Boots.

‘You still don’t want to let the scrap metal business go?’

‘Not yet,’ said Boots. He had no real desire to be rich. He always felt life had given him as much as he deserved. He had survived the trenches, even the first horrendous battle of the Somme, and found Emily waiting for him, Emily the godsend to the family. His sight had been restored, even if his left eye was of very little use. Rosie had appeared, little five-year-old Rosie, who had sat on his doorstep with him and taken hold of so much of his affection. Then Tim had come along, a boy of eager friendliness who now shared his love of cricket. And there were other people, his indomitable mother paramount among them, while not forgetting the two men he admired more than any others. One, his company commander, Major Harris, was gone, shot to pieces on the Somme. The second was Edwin Finch, his stepfather. Polly, the woman, he kept out of any analysis or any reflections. Because he had survived, because he had been given so much, Boots never experienced moments when he wanted more. He and his sister Lizzy were alike in that respect. ‘It’s not really a question of an itchy palm, Em,’ he said, ‘it’s a question of good business. Is it better to sell now or to wait? I’d say wait. Also, I’m very curious as to Johnson’s real reasons for wanting to buy.’

‘I see,’ said Emily, ‘that’s what’s taken your fancy.’

‘That’s a clever girl,’ said Boots.

‘Same to you,’ said Emily.

When Dan arrived home he found everything in perfect order, including the girls. They’d enjoyed a full day, been taken out and about by Mrs Brooks, had their faces and hands washed regularly, and been
given
a very appetizing midday meal. And they had been dressed in the late afternoon in their new frocks, socks and vests, with the result that when Dan came in he was confronted with a vision of two little angels indeed. He thanked the good lady and paid her for the day, her preference being for a daily setttlement.

Tilly came down as soon as Mrs Brooks left.

‘Well?’ she said.

‘Look at my little sausages,’ said Dan.

‘I’ve looked at them.’

‘Look at their hands and faces.’

‘I’ve seen them,’ said Tilly. She had been up and down several times to see how Mrs Brooks was coping. She couldn’t think why she kept bothering, but she did, and each time she had to admit she’d recommended the perfect solution to a serious problem. ‘Well, say something.’

‘What can I say?’ said Dan.

‘What about their frocks?’

‘Lovely, Tilly me treasured friend,’ said Dan, and looked so delighted with everything that Tilly, correctly, thought he was going to give her a kiss of robust manly gratitude. Dan, however, held the impulse in check in case she landed him one in the eye. ‘I’ve got to say it, Tilly, it was me lucky day when you turned up, strike me if it wasn’t.’

‘Yes, Tilly’s nice, ain’t she, Dad?’ said Penny-Farving.

‘I’ve never asked before,’ said Tilly, ‘but where do your parents live?’

‘Greenwich,’ said Dan.

‘Don’t you take the gels to see them?’

‘Not much,’ said Dan.

‘You mean they don’t approve of them bein’—’ Tilly wanted to say born out of wedlock, but stopped herself.

‘It ain’t that,’ said Dan, ‘it’s more that they’ve both taken to drink.’

‘Well, I’m sorry for you, Dan Rogers,’ said Tilly, ‘I don’t know many men daft enough to choose a woman like Gladys Hobday and parents that ’ave taken to drink.’ She smiled at the angels. ‘When you two are older, you’ll ’ave to keep an eye on yer dad or he might get barmy enough to fall down a coal-hole and never be seen again.’

‘Oh, crumbs,’ said Bubbles.

‘Don’t worry, sausage, it won’t happen if you keep yer fingers crossed,’ said Dan, and both girls crossed their fingers immediately.

‘When does Penny-Farvin’ start school?’ asked Tilly.

‘September,’ said Dan, ‘at St John’s.’

‘Well, by then you might ’ave been unlucky enough to get Gladys Hobday to a church,’ said Tilly.

‘Well,’ said Dan, and moved out of the kitchen, taking Tilly with him.

‘Well what?’ said Tilly.

‘A letter came by the midday post,’ said Dan.

‘From ’er?’ asked Tilly.

‘Yes, Elvira.’

‘Elvira my eye,’ said Tilly forthrightly. ‘What did she say?’

‘No.’

‘No?’

‘Yes, just that. “No” in capital letters.’

‘I see,’ said Tilly.

‘And underlined,’ said Dan.

‘So now what’re you goin’ to do?’ asked Tilly.

‘I thought of goin’ down by train and givin’ her a good hidin’,’ said Dan. ‘Well, all your other advice has made sense.’

‘You’re actu’lly goin’ to put ’er over your knees?’ said Tilly.

‘Well, no. I only thought I would, then I decided I wouldn’t.’

‘Oh, yer dozy ’a’porth,’ said Tilly.

‘Still, it ’asn’t been a bad day,’ said Dan, ‘and I’ve arranged for Gus to come round this evenin’.’

‘Gus? Gus who?’

‘Gus Bradley, one of our best mechanics.’

‘The tall, dark and ’andsome bloke?’ said Tilly.

‘That’s him,’ said Dan. ‘I didn’t make a mistake, did I? You’d like to meet him socially? It’s my opinion a fine woman like you, Tilly, ought to be able to enjoy some sociable get-togethers with a sound upstandin’ bloke like Gus.’

‘Well, ’ow thoughtful of you,’ said Tilly, ‘but I wish you wouldn’t be so bloody cheerful about it.’

‘But it’s a cheerful prospect, ain’t it?’ said Dan. ‘He’ll be along about half-seven.’

‘Listen, you ’aven’t told ’im I’m dyin’ to fall over meself, ’ave you?’

‘Haven’t said anything about you, except I’ve got a lady lodger he might like to meet. I’ll bring him up after I’ve split a bottle of beer with him.’

‘Well, thanks very much, I’m sure,’ said Tilly, ‘I can ’ardly wait.’

The sound upstanding bloke turned out to be as described: tall, dark and handsome. Dan, having introduced him to Tilly, left them to get to know each other. Tilly looked him over, and Gus, a man of thirty, eyed her with interest.

‘Nice to meet yer, Tilly,’ he said.

‘Well, you look all right,’ said Tilly. ‘Mind me askin’ why you ain’t married?’

‘Pleasure,’ said Gus. ‘It’s just that I never wanted to rush into permanent wedlock, yer know, not till we was sure we’d found the right woman.’

‘We?’ said Tilly. ‘Who’s we?’

‘Mother and me,’ said Gus.

That was the end of Gus as a proposition. Tilly asked him to kindly leave the room. Gus said he didn’t need to, he’d gone before he left home. Tilly said what she meant was thank you for coming up, but good night. I’ve got things to do, she said. I don’t get it, said Gus. So long, said Tilly. Gus left, looking puzzled. He reported to Dan that the lady lodger was a bit peculiar. Dan, of course, went up to see Tilly after Gus had departed.