Christmas at the Foyles Bookshop (The Foyles Girls)

by Elaine Roberts

  Victoria pushed herself off the edge of the bed, forcing a laugh. ‘I will, and I’ll let you know how I get on.’ She leant forward and touched his hand. Butterflies immediately started fluttering around her stomach as Ted’s fingers wrapped around her hand. There was no doubt in her mind she still loved him, but would he forgive her for not telling him who she really was? Her voice dropped to a whisper. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’

  ‘I shall look forward to it.’

  Victoria pulled her hand away and, without a backward glance, pushed the empty trolley to the other end of the ward. Was he looking forward to seeing a stranger instead of her?

  A few minutes later, Victoria was pulling her coat over her grey dress, and walking out the door. She hadn’t worked for as long as she would have liked, but three or four hours was better than not doing anything. At least, that’s what she told herself as she left the hospital.

  ‘At last!’ Molly chimed. ‘Victoria, we’ve been looking everywhere for you.’

  Alice smiled. ‘Well, not everywhere. We went to your home, but there was no answer.’ Alice frowned at Victoria. ‘Although you had left the front door key on the outside of the door, so we pushed the string through the letterbox.’

  Victoria groaned. ‘I left in a hurry.’ She looked at her friends. ‘It’s too cold for you to be out looking for me, especially you Alice.

  ‘My mother’s convinced I’ll give birth soon so she doesn’t want me leaving the house. I’m having difficulty getting in and out of chairs these days.’ Alice looked down at her feet. ‘Not that I can see them, but my ankles are swollen most days.’

  ‘Edith’s also quite a size now.’ Molly grabbed Victoria’s arm. ‘But never mind all that. How did it go in Brighton?’

  Victoria took a deep breath. ‘It was horrendous. Mabel and I got on really well; we managed to clear the air a little, before we reached the family home. But once we were there, my grandfather threw me out, so I never met John.’

  The girls gasped.

  ‘When I told Daisy about going to Brighton, she got angry and flew upstairs sobbing, mumbling something about losing me to another family. I haven’t heard from Stephen for weeks, so I don’t know what has happened to him and I can’t bring myself to think about it. I came here to see if Mabel was back, so I could ask how it went after I left, but she isn’t working tonight, so I’m none the wiser.’ Victoria’s voice dropped to a whisper. ‘I’ve made such a mess of things, and what’s more, I keep making a mess of things. Ted has just been talking to me about me, and I’m too scared to tell him who I am, in case I lose him again.’

  Alice and Molly looked at each other and nodded.

  Molly squeezed her friend’s arm. ‘If anywhere was open, this would be a tea and cake moment, but I think it’s too late for that, so we’ll just have to go home and have tea. What was it you told me once, “tea solves everything”, or something like that?’

  Victoria grimaced. ‘I’ve made such a mess of everything.’

  Alice stroked Victoria’s back. ‘No you haven’t; they just don’t understand that you were trying to protect them, and yourself, from being hurt all over again.’

  Molly sighed. ‘We need to go back to Brighton and tell your grandfather what day of the week it is.’

  A chorus of laughter came from the girls.

  ‘Who do you think we are?’ Victoria spluttered, in between gulps of air. ‘Some gangster, in a film? I think we’re more like Charlie Chaplin.’

  The three girls roared.

  Molly giggled. ‘I actually prefer the three musketeers.’

  ‘It’s good to hear you laughing, Victoria, despite your bad day.’ Alice paused. ‘I don’t want to let you down, but I’m not sure Freddie will approve of me going to Brighton, in my condition.’

  ‘Definitely not,’ Molly and Victoria said as one.

  Victoria bit her bottom lip. ‘Look, I appreciate you both wanting to support me in the fight ahead, but I think it’s important I speak to Daisy and get her to come with me.’

  The girls both nodded.

  ‘The thing is, I don’t want Daisy thinking she’s losing a family, instead of gaining one.’ Victoria paused. ‘In reality, Daisy and Stephen are the most important people in my life.’

  ‘Oh thanks.’ Molly chuckled. ‘There was I thinking it was me, for both of you. In all seriousness, you know we’ll support you, whatever you choose to do.’ Molly leant into Victoria slightly. ‘And don’t worry about Ted; you can’t have messed up as much as I did with Andrew.’

  The girls laughed, as they walked down the road arm in arm.

  *

  Victoria and Daisy walked down the hill from Brighton train station and stood in almost the same spot on the seafront as Victoria had done with Mabel. She and Daisy stared out at the grey, murky sky, meeting the darkness of the sea. They both stood and watched the waves crashing in on the pebbled beach, leaving water trapped amongst the stones.

  Victoria was mesmerised by the sea and licked the saltiness from her lips. ‘It doesn’t look very inviting, and yet I could watch it all day.’

  Daisy nodded. ‘Victoria, you were very quiet on the train. Are you worried about what we are about to do?’

  Victoria stared straight ahead, her hands clenched together in front of her, wondering about the wisdom of what they were about to do.

  Daisy gave a small sigh. ‘I should have said earlier, on the train, but…’ She shrugged. ‘Thank you for persuading me to come with you, and I’m sorry I acted in such a childish manner yesterday.’

  Victoria glanced at her sister. ‘None of that matters, Daisy. We’re sisters and nothing will ever come between us, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for one more, does it?’

  ‘No, it doesn’t.’

  ‘Anyway, it’s probably my fault for not including you more.’

  Daisy shook her head. ‘I could have offered to do more, perhaps even use the police resources, but I didn’t. If I’m honest, I was hoping you would give up looking.’ Colour rose in her cheeks. ‘I was so worried about losing you to another family.’ She paused, and then opened her mouth to say more but changed her mind.

  ‘The trouble is Daisy, in my head, it’s not another family. It’s our family.’ She smiled across at her sister. ‘And for the record, I’m glad you didn’t use police resources, because the last thing I need is my little sister in prison. It doesn’t bear thinking about.’

  Daisy chuckled. ‘You are funny, and you don’t even realise it.’

  Victoria looked back at the sea. ‘Well, this isn’t about blame, this is about keeping the family together.’ Drops of rain started to hit the path. ‘We should come here again in the summer, perhaps walk along to the pier and the pavilion, maybe have an ice cream.’

  Daisy smiled, as she looked further along the seafront. ‘I expect it looks totally different with the blue sky meeting the sea, and the sun beating down.’

  Victoria took a deep breath. ‘It’s time we went. You need to know our grandfather wants nothing to do with us, so it could get rather unpleasant. Are you ready for this?’

  Daisy thrust her arm under Victoria’s. ‘We’re in this together and I don’t want you to ever feel you can’t rely on me.’

  Victoria’s vision became blurry. She blinked rapidly. ‘We’ve been through a lot and I’m thankful we have had good friends to get us through some of it.’

  Daisy nodded. ‘And it’s time I was added to that list of people. Please don’t ever feel you can’t discuss things with me again.’

  Victoria smiled. ‘It should be me saying that to you.’

  Daisy squeezed Victoria’s arm. ‘Come on, let’s get this over and done with.’ She pushed back her shoulders and lifted her chin. ‘No one is going to stop us from meeting our brother. I don’t care who they are.’

  Victoria’s stomach churned, as they both walked purposefully along the seafront and got nearer to the house. She forced a smile to her lips, trying to hide her worry. ‘It’s
the grand-looking house with the black door and sash windows.’

  Daisy frowned. ‘They all look pretty grand to me.’

  ‘Yes, I suppose it was a silly thing to say.’ They took another couple of steps and Victoria stopped, taking a deep breath. ‘This is it.’ She took the lead and walked up to the front door, not wanting to think about what was ahead of them. Victoria lifted the door-knocker, which thudded back down, when she let go of it. She pulled herself upright, determined to fight for her brother, whether he wanted it or not.

  The door opened.

  Victoria breathed a sigh of relief to see her grandmother’s petite frame. ‘Hello, Grandma.’ Victoria stepped aside. ‘I thought you might like to meet my sister, Daisy.’

  Daisy nodded.

  Beatrice beamed and stepped to one side. ‘Come in.’ She stretched out her arms, enveloping them both in a hug, belying her age and size. ‘I’m so pleased you came back. Mabel is still here.’ She paused and stepped out on to the doorstep, before looking up and down the street. ‘My husband, your grandfather, isn’t in at the moment and, hopefully, he will be gone a while.’ Beatrice stepped back though the doorway, closing the front door behind her.

  ‘Ma, who are you talking to?’

  Victoria looked in the direction of the voice.

  Mabel stood in the sitting room doorway. She stepped forward, with outstretched arms. ‘Thank goodness you came back.’ She pulled Victoria into a bear hug. ‘I’m so sorry about my father.’

  Victoria pulled letter from the pocket of her coat. ‘He sent my father a letter, a very brief and cold letter at that, telling him his brother had died in action.’

  Behind her, Beatrice gave a sob. Daisy immediately wrapped her arm around her grandmother.

  ‘Come; let’s sit down before we all fall down, particularly Ma. It’s been a hard few days.’ Mabel turned and led the way into the sitting room.

  Daisy gasped. The room was twice the size of theirs, in Percy Street. There were gold-coloured curtains and a matching fringed pelmet at the windows. The large cushions on the sofa matched and contrasted with the brown and gold pattern in the carpet.

  Beatrice indicated towards the sofa. ‘Sit down and I’ll make you some tea.’

  Victoria rested her hand on her grandmother’s arm. ‘No, please, I don’t know how long we have to talk, so I would like us to make the most of it, while we can.’

  Beatrice nodded and sat down on one of the leather wingback chairs.

  Victoria looked from her gran to Mabel and back again. ‘I don’t want to appear rude, but can we see John?’

  Beatrice nodded.

  Mabel stood up. ‘Wait, before we go along to John’s room, there are a few things you need to know.’

  Beatrice sat back down again.

  Victoria and Daisy looked at each other, before Victoria spoke in almost a whisper. ‘What is it?’

  Mabel took a step towards the window, staring out at the grey sea, thrashing on the beach. ‘John isn’t at all well.’ She sighed and turned back to the girls. ‘We called a doctor out to see him yesterday and they want to run some tests but he definitely has more wrong with him than asthma. The doctor mentioned something about reading an article about salt and vitamin loss in the body and he thought it would explain some of John’s symptoms especially as he now coughs up stuff quite a lot.’ She looked back out at the sea. ‘He recommended John lay on his front and one of us repeatedly bangs on his back to try to clear his chest a little but we have to do it every day, maybe twice a day. I’ve seen that done before with children, but never with an adult, but hopefully it should help bring up whatever is sitting on his chest and ultimately give him some comfort.

  Beatrice sniffed. ‘I think John has only kept going, because he wanted and hoped he would see his London family again. He couldn’t, doesn’t, understand why your father never returned to see him again.’ She paused. ‘And I’ve never had the answers for him, although he knows all about you all.’

  Victoria shook her head. ‘It’s all such a mess. If I’d been braver seven years ago, and cleared out my parents’ room, I would have discovered about John earlier. I’m so sorry.’

  Daisy wrapped her arm around her sister. ‘It’s no one’s fault and there’s nothing to be gained by blaming yourself.’

  Victoria gave a watery smile. ‘I think that could be said for all of us. We just need to do what we can for John and bring him peace.’

  Mabel nodded. ‘He’s in a deep sleep at the moment; well, we are unclear whether he’s asleep or unconscious. All we know is he’s been asleep for a few hours and doesn’t stir when we go in and check on him.’ She paused. ‘If it’s anything to go by his breathing sounds calm so that’s a good sign.’

  Victoria’s eyes widened. ‘Can we still see him, maybe talk to him?’

  Beatrice nodded. When she spoke, her voice sounded frail, and older than when she had opened the front door. ‘I’m not convinced he’ll hear you, and I shouldn’t think he’ll answer you, but you never know.’

  Victoria looked over at her aunt, and then at her gran. ‘I know, but my friend Molly’s husband was unconscious after an explosion, and they told her to talk to him. They said they didn’t know if it would help, but equally, it wouldn’t do any harm.’

  Mabel stretched out her arm to her nieces. ‘There’s nothing to lose, but he’s frightfully thin.’

  Victoria and Daisy stood up. They gripped each other’s hands and followed Mabel along the hall, to a room at the back of the house.

  Mabel looked back at the girls and waited for the go-ahead to open the door.

  Victoria nodded and the door was sprung free of its lock. The room was in darkness and John was barely visible in the bed, which was in the centre of the large room. A couple of armchairs were situated by the window, with a small table between them.

  Mabel stepped forward and pulled the green and gold curtains open a little; shafts of grey light immediately broke up the darkness.

  Victoria looked over at the ashen colour of the thin man, lying in the bed. She wanted to get nearer, but hesitated. He looked unwell but, contrarily, at peace as well. ‘Hello, John.’ She stepped nearer the bed. ‘It’s lovely to finally meet you. We’re your sisters. I’m Victoria and this is Daisy.’

  Daisy stepped forward, tears rolling down her cheeks. ‘Hello, John.’

  Mabel stepped over to her mother and guided her out of the room, leaving the girls alone with their brother.

  The girls pulled up a chair each and sat down, close to the bed. Victoria held his bony fingers in hers. ‘Let me tell you a little about myself, then Daisy can do the same.’ She looked anxiously at Daisy, then back at John. He was lying so still that she fleetingly wondered if he had already passed, but then his finger twitched in her hand, giving her some comfort that the time hadn’t yet come. ‘Let’s see, where shall I start? I work in Foyles Bookshop. It’s on Charing Cross Road, and I love it. I love being surrounded by books, whereas Daisy is a police officer. She walks the streets of London, but I’ll let her tell you about her work. Apparently, I’ve been to Brighton before but I don’t remember it, so when I came the other day with Mabel, it was like the first time.’ She chuckled. ‘Oops, I should say Aunt Mabel, but I think I might be coming again, now I have a brother that lives here.’ She paused, stroking the translucent skin across his knuckles. ‘Maybe, when you come round, you can tell us about you, and what you get up to here in Brighton.’ A tear ran down her cheek.

  ‘Hello, John, I’m Daisy.’

  Victoria’s head jerked round to face the closed door, as she became aware of muffled voices. He was back.

  21

  The sound of glass hitting the floor was quickly followed by a thud.

  Victoria stood up. ‘You stay here, Daisy, and keep talking to John. You never know, he might be able to hear us.’

  Beatrice’s voice sounded along the hallway. ‘No, Herbert, I’m not going to allow you to do this any longer. You’ve torn this family apart
.’

  Victoria opened the bedroom door. The atmosphere was tense. Her stomach churned. Should she go and confront him? She knew she wouldn’t get to see John again, but she couldn’t leave her gran and Mabel to deal with him. She stepped through the doorway, shutting the door quietly behind her. She tiptoed along the hall, not wanting to disturb the raised voices coming from the sitting room.

  ‘You need help, Father.’ Mabel’s feeble voice could just be heard in the hallway. ‘You’re just a tyrant and a bully.’

  ‘Am I, indeed? Well you can always leave, and not come back.’ Herbert growled. ‘This is my house, and I will not have you dictate who comes and goes, do you understand?’

  ‘This is Ma’s home too, as well as John’s, and they are entitled to have visitors.’

  ‘Mabel, leave it.’ Beatrice’s voice was thin and broken. ‘It doesn’t matter.’

  Victoria quickened her pace. A glass vase was lying shattered in the hallway. Flowers lay in the pool of water that was spreading its tendrils out towards the stairs. She dropped her handkerchief onto the tiled floor, in a futile bid to stop it spreading further. Victoria stood in the doorway, watching the three of them. Sadness enveloped her, as she noticed the redness forming on the side of her grandmother’s face.

  ‘It does matter, Ma; how am I meant to leave you here, if he can so easily raise a hand to you?’

  Victoria took a deep breath. ‘Excuse me, I don’t mean to interrupt, but there are pieces of broken glass and water on the floor in the hall, so please be careful if any of you go out there.’

  Mr Appleton turned and glared at Victoria.

  Colour rose up into Victoria’s cheeks, as she felt everyone’s eyes on her. She hadn’t thought this through. ‘Mr Appleton, or should I say Grandfather.’ Victoria pulled herself up and straightened her shoulders. ‘If you have any problems with my sister and me visiting our brother, then you should be taking it out on us, not an elderly woman, who you would blow over as easily as a feather. Surely that’s no match for your manliness.’ She paused, as she took in his jaw dropping open. ‘What’s the matter, are you used to people giving in to your tantrums? I mean no disrespect to you, sir, but you are nothing to me, so other than showing respect to the elderly, which is what I was brought up to do by my parents, I have no allegiance to you at all.’