The Bondage of Love

by Catherine Cookson

  Both Fiona and Nell stared up at her. ‘He’s been my friend,’ she was saying vehemently, ‘the only real friend I’ve got, or had. If anything’s happened to him, I’ll give up, because then there’ll be nothing decent or good in the world. His father had to go, but he had experienced life. But Sammy had hardly started on his, and he had so much to give. You don’t know, you don’t know. We talked.’

  ‘Yes, dear, I know you did.’ Fiona had risen to her feet. ‘You’re going to be in no fit state for anything tomorrow if you don’t have some rest. We’ll all have to rest.’

  When the phone rang, Katie darted from them and into the hall, and there, picking it up, she said, ‘Yes? Yes?’

  ‘Katie?’

  ‘Yes, Dad. Yes.’

  There was a long pause before Bill said, ‘They’ve found him.’

  ‘Oh, Dad! Oh, Dad! Where? How is he? Is he all right?’

  ‘We don’t know yet. He’s in hospital. He’s been knocked about somewhat, but he’s—’ There was another long pause before Bill said, ‘He’s alive. But listen, put your mother on the phone.’

  Fiona was already standing at Katie’s shoulder and she took the phone, and she said simply, ‘Bill.’

  ‘Yes dear; they’ve got him. Is…is she still there?’ Fiona turned and looked to where Katie was walking slowly towards the drawing room, her head held in her hands, and she said, ‘No, Bill.’

  ‘He’s…he’s in a very bad way, dear. They haven’t got much hopes of him. He’s been heavily drugged and he was left in the freezing mud waiting for the tide to take him out.’

  ‘Is he in the hospital?’

  ‘Not in Fellburn; we’re here in Newcastle, the General, and there’s a lot of fuss going on. It’ll be in the morning’s paper. You won’t believe it. There’s reporters already kicking around. They must never sleep, these fellas. I’m tired of trying to be civil to them. Listen, dear, Bert and Mark are coming home. I wanted Willie to go with them, but he won’t.’ He did not add, ‘I’m staying, too,’ because she would know that went without saying.

  ‘Can…can you get some rest?’

  ‘Oh, don’t worry about that, woman. They’ve put nice big leather reclining chairs into the waiting room for us. They’ve been very good. But anyway, I…I want to be here when he comes round. I’m sorry that I have to put it like this to you, Fiona…if he comes round. God!’—she heard the break in his voice—‘How that lad got under my skin right from the beginning. I’m going to say this to you, Fiona. We have a daughter, you and I, and you have sons and a daughter, but…but I feel and always have done from the day I first met up with him that he could be mine, my son.’

  There was silence on the line, and then she said quietly, ‘Oh, I’ve always known that. Yes, I’ve always known that…When he comes round, or if there’s any change, will you phone me?’

  ‘Of course, of course. Goodnight, love.’

  ‘Goodnight, Bill.’

  The tears were running down her face as she turned to Nell, and Nell said, ‘He’s safe?’

  Fiona swallowed deeply before she glanced towards the drawing room and then she said softly, ‘Just. By the sound of it, it’s touch and go.’

  Nine

  The morning headlines gave a sketchy account of the incidents:

  Eleven-year-old twin leads police to drugged and battered body of a student, Samuel Love. Mr William Bailey’s adopted daughter, Mamie, was found earlier. She was also drugged but otherwise unharmed. Police are sitting by her bedside in Fellburn hospital, hoping that when she can talk, she will throw some light on the matter of who her assailants were. Samuel Love was taken to the General Hospital in Newcastle where he is still in a very critical state.

  Another paper waxed more lyrical:

  The terrible twins, Danny and Jean Gallagher, were where they shouldn’t have been and where they saw something they shouldn’t have seen. And it’s lucky for young Samuel Love that these eleven-year-olds disobeyed their father’s orders never to go near the old jetties, especially the derelict one on the southern side of the shore. But they did, not once but a number of times, and they had a find last Saturday. It was a box of hairpins. However, this time, and in the dark, they made out something happening, but kept quiet about it in fear of their father’s wrath. Then what should happen but Master Danny is listening to the twelve o’clock news, his head under the bedclothes, when he hears that they are searching for Master Sammy Love. And he knows Master Sammy Love because that young man had visited their house on Saturday. So, the terrible twin braves his brother’s wrath by waking him up. And they both brave their father’s wrath by waking him up. They enter the police station at twenty past twelve and Mr Michael Gallagher explains to the officer the reason for their errand, with the following result: the great black bundle the twins saw men thrusting through the wood supports of the old jetty turned out to be the drugged and battered Samuel Love. And, by accounts now coming out of the hospital, he was found only just in time.

  The local radio gave out the story in a plainer fashion. But the following day the story was headlined on one or other of the pages of the national dailies, not so much concerning the twins’ escapade, but that the Fellburn police had discovered what they had been looking for, for a long time; the storehouse for the street-trading in drugs in the town and city. And they hoped that when Samuel Love was fully recovered, he would give them enough information to lead them to the ringleaders.

  It was when Mr Gallagher read the newspaper that he said, ‘You talk about silly buggers. The ringleaders of such a business as they had won’t be bloody fools and sit waiting to be picked up, they’ll be scattered countrywide now.’ And to this, his taciturn son Mike said, ‘No, Da, they’re not bloody fools, they won’t sit waiting to be picked up; they are mere tools, the ones who make and bag and push the stuff. I’d like to bet their bosses are living somewhere on Brampton Hill here in Fellburn, or Jesmond in Newcastle, respected citizens, doing good work here and there. Remember the case last year of that insurance agent who did so much for the Boys’ Club? And he’s doing a stretch now. No-one could believe that such a nice man was in the drug trade on the side. Never touched it himself, of course. And they had some job in convicting him. You know me, how I love our dear constabulary, but I was with them over him.’

  Len Gallagher looked at his son and laughed now, saying, ‘Oh, but you’ve changed your opinion about the pollis, haven’t you, lad? You could have called those two that were in here this morning brothers.’

  ‘I was merely being civil, or trying to be.’

  Len laughed again as he said, ‘You’ll have your picture in the paper the morrow. See if you don’t. Flanked by the terrible twins. ’Tis a pity though, there’s no money as a reward.’

  ‘I don’t want any bloody money,’ growled Mike. ‘I wouldn’t take it if it was offered, not from them lot. But anyway, I was only the spokesman. If there is anything to come out of this, it should go to Danny. But I don’t see from what quarter there’ll be any reward.’

  ‘You never know, lad, you never know. You never know where a blister might light,’ his mother said.

  ‘Oh, Ma.’

  ‘Never mind the Ma. Anyway, I don’t know about money coming in, but money is going out. There’s our Daisy, she’s lost a day’s pay: she’s been hovering round that hospital all day. And if he’s not round the morrow, she’ll likely lose another day’s pay.’

  ‘Oh, but Ma, why are you worrying about her losing a day or two’s pay?’ There was a sarcastic note in Mike’s voice now as he went on, ‘For where is she at this minute, but up in the Bailey mansion? And who got her up there? Well, no other than their stinking, snobbish daughter that she couldn’t stand. Oh, things are changing on the Gallagher horizon. We’re going up in the world. Oh, yes. Yes.’

  ‘Many a true word spoken in joke.’

  ‘Oh, Annie!’ This came from her husband, and she turned on him and said, ‘When you’re at the bottom, there’s no way out but up; and
even skimmed milk has got a skin on it.’

  When laughter came from the scullery from Frank and Sep, their mother yelled back, ‘I’ll knock the sniggers off both your faces, if I come in there to you.’

  There was a short silence in the kitchen until Mike, speaking as if to himself, said, ‘Sep can afford to snigger.’ His mother’s voice, equally soft, said, ‘Ah, Mike, lad; give over, give over. Things can’t remain as they are for ever. Believe me, lad, believe me.’

  When Bill entered the waiting room and saw Daisy sitting there, he said, ‘I thought you had gone home for a bite with Katie.’

  ‘Yes, I did, Mr Bailey. But Katie was all in and her mother said she must go to bed for an hour or so.’ And Daisy smiled as she added, ‘Mrs Bailey wanted me to lie down an’ all; but I said once I put my head down I’d lie there till the morrow. Anyway I must look in at home; they’ll be thinking I’ve left for good, but I couldn’t go without calling in to see if there was any change.’ She paused, then added, ‘Is there?’

  ‘No, lass. But now you get yourself off home and to bed. I’m staying for an hour or two; then Mrs Bailey will relieve me. And don’t worry; if there’s any great change I’ll get word to you right away. Willie’s with him now; but he’s another one who must get his head down for an hour or so, else he’ll be finished. Go on now, lass; get yourself away, and keep hoping for the best.’

  After she had gone, he stood thinking: that lass had been on her feet for more than twenty-four hours. He had first met her yesterday morning and within a short time had learned much about her and her family. What surprised him more was that she seemed to have an influence on Katie, who had simply gone to pieces; she would not stop talking about Sammy. Neither Fiona nor he could do anything with her, but this Daisy lass had talked back at her, about her own family and what had happened to them over the years, more than she had heard last Saturday. She had told Katie she knew how much she thought about Sammy, but that she wasn’t the only one who cared for him; in their own ways they all loved him.

  One thing was certain in his mind: whether Sammy lived or died, he felt duty bound to do something for that family.

  He wasn’t a praying man, but he had the wish now to slip into the hospital chapel, not to pray in the ordinary way but to ask a power higher than that any of the doctors possessed to bring the lad round.

  When he remarked to the sister that Sammy seemed to be sweating all the time, she had said, yes, that wasn’t very good; and that he may be heading for pneumonia, but let them tackle one thing at a time. And, apparently, the thing they were tackling now was the effects of the drug that had been washed out of him. Of course, lying in that ice-cold water for hours would lead to pneumonia, and in his present state, pneumonia would be dangerous …

  In the chapel, Bill found himself alone and ill at ease. He did not kneel but sat in a pew, and stared at the gleaming brass cross standing on the little white altar.

  It was odd, but he could not think of one thing he had intended to ask.

  He later recalled he did not know how long he had continued to sit before he seemed to come to himself by emitting a deep sigh. Then, as if he were talking to someone in that altar, he heard himself think, you know what I’m after, but I can’t put it into words; so I suppose it’s as good as said.

  He remained seated, feeling a strange sort of peace on him now, something he had never experienced before. Then he rose slowly and walked out, and stranger still, there came to him the thought that there could be something in this God business after all.

  Ten

  It was the following day when Daisy burst into the kitchen and to the surprise of the whole family, who were seated round the table finishing their evening meal, gasped at them, ‘I’m…I’m going up to their house for a meal, Ma.’

  ‘What!’ Annie Gallagher got to her feet.

  In a much lowered voice, Daisy said, ‘He’s…he’s outside in the car. He asked me to go up and keep Katie company. Somehow I think it was just an excuse. But anyway, I’m going.’ She now nodded down at the menfolk, who were staring up at her as if they had said something to which she must give a reply.

  It was Sep who rose from his chair and in an awe-filled voice said, ‘You mean Mr Bailey, the boss? He’s outside in the car?’

  ‘Aye, he is.’

  A smothered bark from his mother halted Sep: ‘Come away from that window, else I’ll swipe the lugs off you.’

  Daisy was looking at her father now; he hadn’t spoken and she said, ‘They’re kind, Da, they mean well. Not patronising or anything. And the way he talks at times he’s as rough as you.’ She grinned at him, and for answer, he said, ‘How’s the lad?’

  Her face went into its usual stiff pattern and she bowed her head as she said, ‘Pretty rotten.’

  ‘He hasn’t come round yet, then?’

  ‘No, Da. But…but if it’s all right with you, I’d…I’d like to go back with them.’

  ‘It’s all right with me, lass.’

  Daisy now bobbed her head from one to the other of the family and, her face becoming bright for a moment, she said, ‘I’ll give you all the news of the palace the morrow.’

  ‘Aye, do that. Do that, Daisy.’ This was from Frank. ‘See if they want a butler. I wouldn’t even mind being a footman, I’m sick of navvying.’

  She smiled at her brother now as, making for the door again, she said, ‘I’ll keep me eyes open and drop a word.’

  ‘Do that, Daisy. Do that.’ Frank laughed back at her …

  When she took her seat in the back of the car, Bill leant his head back as he drove off, saying, ‘Everything OK then?’

  ‘Aye. Yes. Thanks.’ Then she couldn’t resist being herself for a moment for she added, ‘They were a bit peeved because they weren’t all invited. But, as me da said, he couldn’t have come anyway, his dinner jacket was at the cleaners.’

  ‘Now, now, Daisy! Let me put you in the picture. You’re going to a big house standing in its own grounds, but it’s a home you’re going to an’ all, and it’s full of very ordinary people. By God! Yes, very ordinary people, fighting, squabbling, worrying, ordinary people. The only difference between our house and yours is a bit of money, and money isn’t everything…’

  My God! What was he saying? Money isn’t everything? Money was everything in these days.

  Look at this area he was driving through now in this big, posh car; it was as it was through the lack of money; not that there wasn’t money about and being wasted by many people, and in this district too, for booze and betting would often be found top of the list. Oh, aye, they must have their booze. Yet most people found at the bottom of the list would be there because there was no work. What would happen when this scheme of his closed and he had to lay off two hundred or more, he did not know. Oh, what the hell was he thinking about! The scheme would last for almost three years. And he was working on getting other plots, even though they’d be far afield. The old trouble would then start, a lot of them didn’t like to travel…What in the name of God was he on about? He was going home to have a bath; he was worried to death about the lad; and also, don’t let him forget, about that damn little monkey. If only they could get her to speak the truth: she would keep saying she knew nothing, even insisting that she had been to school and to the concert practice. Oh, he was going to get in touch with her grandfather and he would have to take her on; Fiona was fed up to the teeth trying to do anything with her …

  When Daisy entered the house, she tried to stop herself from gazing about the hall; she tried to stop herself from gazing about the drawing room; she tried to stop herself from gaping at the dining room, especially the way the table was set out.

  After saying, ‘Hello,’ to a very surprised Willie and a slightly gaping Mark who for a moment forgot his manners, the only one she seemed to relax with and who saw nothing strange in her was Angela, for the child made straight for her, held up her arms and put them around her neck, and was hugged in return. When the child kissed the face un
der the blonde hair, Daisy felt a lump in her throat.

  Looking on at this greeting was Nell who thought, they’re two of a pair, loving oddities in their own way. She could understand how Willie was smitten by this girl. His pleasure at seeing her when she entered the house had been evidence of this. And if Sammy had been all right, she would have said that this, in a way, was a good thing, no matter how it turned out, for then Sammy’s spare time would become more his own.

  Willie was saying now, ‘Dad, why don’t you have a few hours sleep and I’ll go down and sit with Mam until twelve, then you and Mark could come in.’

  ‘And where do I come in?’ Katie looked from one to the other, and it was Bill who answered her, saying, ‘Katie, dear, if you’re wise, you’ll stay here, go to bed and be fresh for tomorrow morning when you can take over all day. None of us can go on without sleep and…and when Sammy does recover, we won’t be able to crowd in on him at all hours. They’re letting only one at a time sit there now so he’ll be able to see someone he knows when he comes round, and perhaps speak to them, tell them what happened. He’s more likely to tell us than the policemen, at least at first. But I bet your bottom dollar, whatever he’s got to tell us will be about that little cat who is still lying.’

  The result of this discussion was Willie got his way. And it was Bert who drove him and Daisy back to the hospital, where Daisy stayed long enough to ascertain if there was any change in Sammy. She had realised that if she stayed longer it would be in the waiting room and she would be alone with…the woman, Willie’s mother, at least until she replaced her son at Sammy’s bedside. And she knew she wouldn’t have to be long with her, for they both found out they weren’t bouncing their balls against the same wall, that they were two people who couldn’t play together: as in the wall game she had played as a child, your partner had to be one of your own lot, not someone from another street. And being no fool, she knew that Mrs Bailey, of all of them, was certainly from another street. So, she asked Mr Bert Ormesby if he would drop her at her house, and she, too, would have a sleep and then return early in the morning before she went to work.