by Kitty Neale
‘I want to see her face when I tell her my news.’
Adrian’s brows rose. ‘Well, come on then, spit it out.’
‘We’ve set a date for the wedding,’ Nelly said, smiling happily.
‘When’s it to be?’
‘We didn’t want a long engagement, so we’re getting married in May.’
Adrian only had to think about it for a moment before he said, ‘Well then, you might as well go to see Dottie now.’
‘But it’s only four o’clock.’
‘I know, but if you leave now, by the time I arrive home all the talk of dresses and flowers and venues will be done and dusted so I can eat my dinner in peace.’
Nelly rose to her feet, put her coat on and picked up her handbag. As she hurried out she called, ‘Adrian, you might have an ulterior motive for letting me leave early, but you’re a diamond and I love you.’
Adrian knew Nelly didn’t mean it in the same way, but he wished Dottie would say those words to him. He rubbed his hands across his face, fearing it would never happen. He worried that he was mad bringing Robbie to live with them, but what choice did he have? He couldn’t see his brother going into an institution, but he was concerned that Dottie still harboured feelings for him.
Chapter 44
The first thing Robbie noticed was that the front step had been adapted. Adrian had obviously gone out of his way to make the house wheelchair friendly, but Robbie didn’t feel any gratitude towards his brother. When Adrian pushed his wheelchair into the living room where Dorothy and Yvonne were standing, he said mockingly, ‘Ah, the welcoming committee. You needn’t have bothered to make such an effort for the cripple.’
Dorothy paled, but said, ‘We’ve put a bed in what was my father’s sitting room for you, and Adrian managed to find builders to do a rush job so there’s a small bathroom too with everything you need.’
‘I see, so there’s a new set of legs in there for me?’ he asked.
‘That’s enough, Robbie,’ said Adrian. ‘Dottie has been working hard to get everything prepared for you and you could at least thank her.’
‘Oh, I’m so sorry, where are my manners? Thank you, Dottie, thank you for instigating my so-called accident, and thank you for reminding me that I’ll have to sleep downstairs as I can’t walk up the fucking stairs.’
‘I said, enough!’ Adrian barked, and proceeded to push Robbie through to Bill’s old room.
‘You don’t need to push me. I may be stuck in a wheelchair, but I’m working on strengthening my arms and shoulders,’ Robbie barked. The thought of being dependent on Adrian and, worse, Dottie was abhorrent to him. He was growing stronger by the day and he was determined to gain as much independence as possible.
‘Until you do, it’s no problem,’ Adrian said.
‘I said I can manage,’ he growled, taking control of the chair, and as he manoeuvred it past Dottie he glared at her with all the venom he felt inside. This was all her doing and he’d make sure she never forgot it. The bitch, he thought, he’d see her downfall soon enough. He’d make sure she hated seeing him in his wheelchair as much as he loathed being in it.
As Robbie disappeared, Dottie sat down, reeling from the way he had spoken to her.
‘I’m sorry, Dottie. I can’t believe Robbie behaved like that.’
‘It wasn’t your fault. He’ll come round eventually. He can’t be that angry for ever,’ Dottie said, but she had seen the look in Robbie’s eyes, a look so hateful that it physically hurt her.
‘I hope you’re right,’ said Adrian as he sat down to light his pipe. Smoke billowing round him, he continued, ‘Or he’s going to make life difficult for us. Are you sure you can cope with him? I feel like I’m asking too much of you.’
‘I’ll manage,’ Dorothy said, ‘and anyway, what choice do we have? We can hardly pack him off to your sister in Scotland, and it wouldn’t be right to put him in a home. At the end of the day, he’s still family.’
‘Dottie, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, you’re an amazing woman. To take this on after everything my brother has done, along with caring for your father, well, you astound me.’
‘My dad doesn’t need a lot of care. He mostly just needs watching to make sure he doesn’t wander off. I’ve got Yvonne to help me with that now, haven’t I, love?’ she said, turning to the young woman.
‘Yes, I like helping. I’ll pop up and see if Bill’s all right,’ Yvonne answered and left the room.
‘Thanks, love. Try to encourage him to come downstairs. It might do him good,’ Dorothy suggested, just as the sound of Elvis Presley singing ‘Hound Dog’ blasted out. She’d put Robbie’s old record player in his room, but hadn’t expected him to play his discs at full blast.
‘That’s a bit much,’ Adrian commented.
The music was so loud that Dottie struggled to hear what Adrian said, but if she asked Robbie to turn it down, he would probably snap at her again. It was in that moment she realised that life was going to be very different from now, and probably far from perfect.
Yvonne was glad to be upstairs with Bill. It was a sanctuary from Robbie downstairs, and it gave Adrian and Dorothy some private time to talk.
She’d been nervous about seeing Robbie again. The thought had kept her awake for many nights, and when she had slept it had been fretful, full of nightmares about him and what he’d made her do. Yet now that she’d seen Robbie, and knew it was really true, Yvonne felt she’d sleep soundly. Robbie couldn’t get upstairs to her room. He couldn’t walk. It made her feel something she hadn’t felt before, and though Yvonne couldn’t put her finger on it, she felt empowered and smiled.
‘Hiya, Bill. How are we today?’ she asked.
‘See garden.’
‘Robbie’s in the back room now, but it’s a nice day so if you get dressed you can sit outside.’
Bill slowly climbed out of bed and put his slippers on. He shuffled over to the window and looked down, a wide smile appearing on his face. ‘Lots tulips.’
‘Yes, and them yellow things.’
‘Daffodils.’
Yvonne knew that Bill was going to miss his sitting room. She’d grown fond of him and didn’t want to see him upset, especially if it was because of Robbie. ‘You go and have a wash. I’ll make your bed,’ she offered.
‘Where’s my suit?’
‘What do you want your suit for?’ Yvonne asked, puzzled. Bill couldn’t go anywhere alone and rarely wanted to leave the house.
‘Special day.’
‘What’s special about today?’
‘Baby,’ Bill said, his face beaming.
‘Baby?’ Yvonne asked, more confused than ever. ‘Who’s having a baby?’
‘You are, silly. You’re having baby,’ Bill said, looking delighted.
Yvonne stood in stunned silence. When her monthlies stopped she didn’t know why, but now Bill was saying she was having a baby. How did he know? Her mind was all over the place and she flopped down on the side of Bill’s bed. She knew that women’s bellies swelled when they were having a baby and now ran her hand over her own and felt a small lump. No, no, she thought frantically. If Dottie and Adrian found out they might throw her out and she had nowhere to go. She’d have to hide it from them.
‘Baby,’ Bill said again, pointing at her stomach.
‘Shush, it’s a secret. You mustn’t tell anyone,’ Yvonne pleaded.
‘Secret,’ he repeated.
‘Yes, that’s right,’ Yvonne said, hoping that it was a secret she could keep for a long, long time.
Chapter 45
Dorothy sat dabbing her watery eyes and turned to smile at Adrian. She’d found the lovely May wedding ceremony quite moving, even amidst the chaos of Nelly’s nieces and nephews running around and causing havoc.
Adrian returned her smile and gently stroked the back of her hand.
‘Doesn’t Nelly look gorgeous,’ Dorothy whispered.
‘Yes, and it’s nice to see her so happy.’
With the officiating completed, Nelly and Malcolm stood on the steps of Wandsworth Register Office. Nelly had her arm linked through Malcolm’s and was holding a small bouquet of pink roses with white gypsophila. The colour of the roses perfectly matched her pale pink dress, secured with a wide white belt, and she wore a white crocheted bolero jacket over her shoulders.
Dorothy pulled her Brownie camera from her handbag. ‘I knew this present you bought me would come in handy,’ she said to Adrian, then called to the newly-weds, ‘Say cheese.’
‘Dottie, I’d like a photo with you and Adrian,’ Nelly said, beckoning her friend over.
Dottie turned to Yvonne. They hadn’t wanted to leave her out, so they had asked Mrs Hart to sit with her father and the woman had kindly agreed. ‘Yvonne, if I show you how to work the camera, do you think you could take a photo?’
‘I’ll give it a go,’ she agreed.
The camera wasn’t hard to use and, when Yvonne seemed to have grasped it, Dottie went to stand alongside Nelly, and Adrian stood next to Malcolm.
‘Cheese,’ Yvonne called, and they all beamed, but suddenly the girl placed the camera on the floor and fled to the other side of the building.
Puzzled, Dottie ran after her to find her around a corner. She was bent over and holding onto a wall as she vomited. ‘You all right, love?’ Dottie asked, concerned, as she walked up to her.
Yvonne jumped, obviously startled, and when she looked up Dottie could see that her face was drained of colour. ‘I … I’m fine. It … it must be something I had to eat.’
‘Here,’ said Dorothy, offering the girl her handkerchief. ‘You had the same as me this morning, just a bit of toast and marmalade, so I don’t think it’s your breakfast that’s upset your stomach.’
‘It’s all right now.’
Dorothy couldn’t help noticing that Yvonne looked nervous and she was avoiding eye contact as though she had something to hide. In fact, when she thought about it, Yvonne had been acting strangely for a while now. It had started when Robbie had come to live with them, so she’d put it down to that, but that had been about a month ago. She looked at the baggy blouse Yvonne was wearing and it was then that the penny dropped. ‘Yvonne, are you having a baby?’
For a moment Yvonne said nothing, her head low, but then she nodded.
‘How far gone are you?’
‘It’s not gone. It’s here,’ Yvonne answered as she pointed at her stomach.
Dottie heaved a sigh. ‘How many times have you missed your period?’
‘Lots of times.’
Dorothy knew she would have to take Yvonne to see a doctor and her heart went out to her. She had been in this situation herself and knew how she’d be treated as an unmarried mother. Though it was a cruel thing to cross her mind, she felt that Yvonne would be better off if she lost this baby too. Yvonne had slept with any number of men and, though it seemed a bit pointless to ask, she still posed the question. ‘Yvonne, I don’t suppose you have any idea who the father is?’
‘Of course I do!’ Yvonne replied indignantly, ‘Robbie’s the dad.’
Dorothy gasped but tried to hide her shock. ‘Considering how many men you slept with, how can you be sure?’
‘Robbie was the first one who did it to me, and … and he didn’t use anything, but when he made me sleep with other men, he told them they had to use a … a thing he called a Johnnie. He said it would stop me from having a baby, but I am, so it must be his,’ Yvonne wailed as tears flooded her eyes. ‘Are you going to chuck me out now?’
‘No, of course not. This isn’t your fault, it’s his, and for goodness’ sake stop crying,’ Dottie said, rather more sternly than she meant. Robbie had left her pregnant too, but this time he wouldn’t get away with it. He’d be there to face the music. ‘Now come on, pull yourself together. We don’t want to spoil Nelly’s big day so we’ll keep it quiet for now. I’ll talk to Adrian tonight and we’ll work out what’s the best thing to do.’
As they walked back to join the others, Dottie’s emotions were all over the place. Robbie had been a complete pig to live with this last month, constantly insulting her whenever he could and going out of his way to be inconsiderate. Her patience was beginning to wear thin and she’d been wondering how much more she could take. Yet, on hearing that Yvonne was having his baby, jealousy burned and her buried emotions resurfaced once again. Though Dottie hated to admit it, and raged against her feelings, she wished it was her who was carrying Robbie’s child.
Adrian was pleased to put his feet up and relax in his armchair. It had been a nice day but a long one, and with the cost of the cake, the celebratory meal and Dorothy and Yvonne’s new outfits, it had been an expensive day too. Not that he minded; he’d enjoyed seeing Nelly and Malcolm so happy together, and it reminded him of the day he’d married Dottie.
As Dorothy came into the lounge, he noticed the frown on her face and wondered why she looked so worried. Robbie couldn’t have upset her as he wasn’t in, probably in some seedy pub spending his ‘pocket money’ on a game of cards. So what had happened to put that look of consternation on his wife’s pretty face?
‘We need to talk,’ Dorothy said as she sat on the sofa. ‘It’s Yvonne and you’re not going to believe this, Adrian. She’s pregnant.’
Adrian nearly choked on his pipe. ‘What?’ he spluttered. ‘You have got to be kidding me. Who’s the father?’
‘Please, keep your voice down. I know Yvonne’s upstairs but she still might hear you. As for the father, she said it’s Robbie’s baby.’
Adrian cleared his throat, thinking hard. Yvonne wasn’t really their problem, but if Robbie was the father of her unborn child, then that put things in a whole different light, though he doubted Robbie would agree to marry the girl.
‘Bloody hell, Dottie … sorry for swearing, but, well, I’m at a loss for words. Robbie will have to be told, and I hope he does the decent thing, but I think we both know that won’t happen.’
‘No, I can’t see him agreeing to marry her.’
‘With Yvonne living here, it’s going to make things very awkward.’
‘I know, but this isn’t her fault and we can’t throw her out.’
‘Of course not. She’ll stay, have the baby and then we’ll help her to support the child.’
‘The more I think about it,’ Dottie said, ‘the more I realise how hard it’s going to be for Yvonne. You know what people are like when it comes to unmarried mothers. She’ll not only lose her little cleaning job, she’ll be shunned. At least talk to Robbie and try to make him see that he’s got to marry her.’
Adrian rubbed his chin. Dorothy was right in what she said, but he doubted that his brother would listen to him. ‘All right, I’ll talk to him, but I can’t force him to marry her. I suppose I could threaten to kick him out, but you know how obstinate he can be.’ Adrian paused to relight his pipe. ‘Still, you never know, Robbie might be over the moon to find out he’s going to be a father.’
Dorothy looked doubtful, but nevertheless he’d talk to Robbie when he came home. He had to try, and not just for Yvonne’s sake.
‘It’s getting late so why don’t you go on up to bed?’ he said gently. ‘I think it’s best I talk to Robbie alone so I’ll wait up for him.’
‘All right,’ Dottie agreed, leaning down to kiss him. ‘Night, love.’
Adrian said goodnight and then poured himself a large whisky. It had been a long day, and now it looked like it would turn into an equally long night.
Robbie slammed the front door behind him, hoping it would disturb the rest of the house. He’d worked hard on improving his physique and was pleased with the width of his shoulders and the way his biceps bulged. However it had been impossible to find a cab and despite his new bulk his arms ached from wheeling himself home from the pub. At least the roads had been clear so he’d used them rather than the pavements and it had saved him from trying to tackle the challenging kerbs.
He wheeled himself into the sitting room
and was surprised to see Adrian asleep in an armchair.
‘Ha, she’s chucked you out of the bed then?’ Robbie said with a sneer into his brother’s ear.
Adrian woke up, shaking his head to clear it. ‘Robbie, you’re home, good.’
‘Yes, I’m home, but there’s nothing good about it,’ Robbie said, ‘I’m going to bed, so sweet fucking dreams to you.’
‘Wait,’ Adrian called, ‘we need to have a little chat.’
This could be interesting, thought Robbie. It must be important for Adrian to have waited up. He wheeled his chair over to the sideboard and poured himself the last of the whisky. ‘Come on then, out with it,’ he said, then knocked back his drink, expecting to get another earful about his bad language and being nicer to Dorothy.
‘Robbie, I know life hasn’t turned out how you were expecting it to, but that wheelchair isn’t the end, you know.’
‘What are you going on about? It’s a bit late for any pep talks about my legs, and anyhow, it’s you that put me in this thing so you’re the last person I want any advice from,’ Robbie said and swung his chair to leave the room.
‘Robbie, you have a child on the way,’ Adrian blurted out.
Shocked, Robbie stopped in his tracks and, unable to take it in, he said, ‘I think you’d better elaborate on that.’
‘It’s Yvonne, she’s pregnant with your baby. I’m hoping that for once in your life you’ll do the right thing and marry the girl.’
Adrian sounded as pompous as usual and Robbie started laughing.
‘What’s wrong with you? I’ve just told you that you’re going to be a father and you find it funny?’
‘It’s not being a father I find funny. It’s the bit where you think I would marry that tart. Yvonne’s a fucking whore and, baby or not, I’d never marry her.’ Robbie paused, his eyes narrowing. ‘And anyhow, who’s to say it’s mine? I’m telling you, the amount of blokes she’s had, her knickers have been up and down more times than the big dipper ride in Battersea Park funfair.’
‘Robbie, you disgust me. Yvonne only slept with men because you forced her into it. For goodness’ sake, she’s carrying your child and this is a chance for you to turn things around. You could have a family of your own, and being in a wheelchair won’t stop you from being a good father.’
