by Kitty Neale
‘Did you hear me, or are you deaf as well? I said get out. Your sort ain’t welcome here!’ she spat. She walked behind the chair, pushed him to the front door and opened it.
‘Hold on,’ he appealed, but to no avail as he was shoved roughly over the step.
As the door slammed, the nerves immediately set in, and Robbie looked around, convinced that someone would leap out to give him a good hiding. He pushed himself down the street, frantically trying to think of somewhere he could go to hide out. A car came around the corner and as it slowed down Robbie’s heart hammered in his chest. With his hands on his wheels, he froze, but thankfully it passed, though he was sure the man driving it had looked at him intently.
He set off again, but his paranoia was at a new height. Even an old woman washing her front window seemed to look at him with a wary eye. His fear continued to grow as he pushed himself through the streets, unable to think of anywhere to go that would offer him a safe haven. The streets he had grown up in and loved so much were no longer a safe place for him. His family had disowned him, and Cynthia, his only real friend, had cut him out of her life. He had nothing but the clothes on his back, and had never felt so alone and dejected.
Chapter 59
It hadn’t taken Dorothy long to get used to Mrs Willis coming in every morning. She soon realised the benefits of having someone to help her, especially as it gave her more time with Rosie.
Her father was much happier downstairs in his own sitting room again, and he had taken to Mrs Willis. Dorothy would often find them playing cards together, or, when the weather permitted, having a natter in the garden. He also thrived on having Rosie around and, though he might never be the man he once was, she had seen a vast improvement in him.
Mrs Willis left at one, and Dorothy sat down to give Rosie her bottle. She had a joint of pork ready to go in the oven later as Adrian was bringing Nelly and Malcolm home with him after work. It wasn’t Sunday but she knew that Nelly loved a roast dinner, and apparently they had something they wished to discuss.
Dorothy locked eyes with Rosie. ‘I’m not blind and I can guess what they want to talk about,’ she cooed. ‘Nelly’s going to tell me she’s having a baby, so you, my little darling, will have a new best friend.’
Rosie never took a whole bottle, and it wasn’t long before Dottie saw her eyes begin to droop. She lifted her up to place her in the pram and began to rock her to sleep, her thoughts drifting. Three weeks had passed since Adrian had thrown Robbie out, but she was still nervous about leaving the baby unattended. Her fears were slowly abating, but she was sickened by what he’d intended to do. It was impossible now to fathom how she’d ever fallen in love with him. They say love is blind, but she must have been blind, deaf and bloody stupid to have not seen what Robbie was really like.
Dorothy pottered around doing some housework and checked on her dad, but then heard Rosie crying. She lifted her out of the pram, holding her close to soothe her, and with a burp Rosie brought up some sour-smelling milk that went down the front of Dorothy’s dress. ‘Oh dear, Rosie …’ she said, ineffectually trying to wipe it off.
She changed Rosie’s nappy and then carried her upstairs. She’d seen there was no point in trying to sponge down her dress so decided to get changed, and after placing Rosie in her cot she took off her soiled garment and rummaged through her wardrobe for something else to wear. ‘This will do,’ she said out loud as she pulled out a white blouse and blue skirt, but as she slipped on the skirt and pulled up the zip, she noticed that the waistband was a little tight. ‘Well, Rosie, I know for a fact that I’m not pregnant so I’m going to have to stay away from those cream buns.’
Rosie gurgled, little arms waving as though in agreement. Dorothy picked her up again and held her close. Rosie had brought so much joy into her life and, as she held her, she was thankful that Robbie’s plan hadn’t succeeded.
Hours later, Dorothy checked on her meal. The pork was cooked perfectly with crispy crackling on top, and the roast potatoes were nicely browning. It was almost ready to go. She’d opened up the drop-leaf mahogany table and set it for four, and a bottle of wine had been decanted. She didn’t normally drink wine during the week, saving the treat for weekends, but with Nelly’s impending news, tonight was going to be a special celebration.
Right on time, Adrian pulled up outside and Dorothy went to the door to greet everyone. It wasn’t long before the dinner plates were cleaned and Dorothy was receiving compliments on her finely prepared roast.
‘Nelly, if you want a pudding, you’ve got to tell me what it is you want to discuss,’ Dorothy said across the table.
She saw her friend glimpse nervously at Malcolm.
‘OK … me and Malcolm … we’re … I’m going—’ Nelly said, but was interrupted.
‘You’re going to have a baby,’ Dorothy finished for her.
Nelly’s eyes widened in surprise. ‘Yes, but how do you know?’
‘We’ve been friends for years, Nelly, and I didn’t think your increasing girth was due to putting on more weight.’
‘I’ve been putting off telling you,’ Nelly said, blushing. ‘I wasn’t sure how you’d take it, you know, what with you wanting a baby so much.’
‘I’m over the moon for you both, really I am. Anyway, I’ve got a baby now,’ Dorothy said, and, loving Rosie as much as she did, she meant every word. ‘How far gone are you?’
‘Nearly four months.’
‘Goodness, you really have taken your time to tell me, but it’s wonderful, Nelly. Rosie will have a new playmate and, like us, they’ll grow up being the best of friends.’
‘I’m just glad I haven’t upset you.’
‘But you’ve upset me,’ said Adrian. ‘I’m going to lose my secretary.’
‘Well, funny you should mention that,’ Nelly said and once again gave Malcolm a nervous look before she continued. ‘To be honest, we can’t really afford a baby right now, what with paying our rent and Malcolm’s mum’s too. I know it isn’t conventional for married women to work, especially with a baby, but I’d love to stay on. If you’d agree to it, maybe I could cut my hours or do three days a week.’
Dorothy looked at her husband, who appeared almost gobsmacked. He was quite an old-fashioned sort of chap and she wasn’t sure he’d agree to it. However, for Nelly’s sake she hoped he would.
‘I don’t see why not,’ he finally answered.
‘What will you do with the baby when you’re at work, Nel?’ Dorothy asked.
‘Before you offer, our Linda has already insisted on looking after it. I’ll pay her, so she’s more than happy. You know how hard up they always are.’
‘Oh, so before you asked me if I’ll be willing to let you work part-time, you’d already made these arrangements with your sister,’ Adrian said.
‘Err … well … yes,’ Nelly said, looking sheepish, ‘but I would have had to tell my sister it was a no go if you didn’t agree.’
Dorothy hid a smile. Adrian had no chance against Nelly’s wily ways. She said, ‘Come on, don’t you think it’s time to toast the lovely news?’
Adrian poured the wine, and it turned into a jolly evening. It felt good to be free of living under the shadow of Robbie, and Dorothy fell to sleep that night happy, albeit a bit dozy from the wine.
Chapter 60
Robbie had lost track of days and weeks passing and his mind was muddled. At night he foraged in bins for food and had spent a fretful night hiding under the railway arches near the gasworks. He’d tried to sleep, but every noise had him jumping in fear, convinced that someone was about to attack him. The morning sun didn’t bring him any peace either and, though he was cold and hungry, he was reluctant to leave the relative safety of the dark arch.
This was useless, he thought to himself. He couldn’t stay here for ever. With trepidation he slowly began to wheel himself out of the shadows. Then he suddenly stopped in his tracks as he could hear the sound of men speaking. He pricked his ears. It sounded like there we
re at least two men, possibly three, and they were heading his way.
He quickly turned his wheelchair and darted back to the corner of the arch where he hunched down in the dimness, hoping not to be seen. He squinted towards the light as two men in flat caps came into view. To his dismay, one of them spotted him.
‘Hey, lad, are you all right in there?’ the man asked.
Robbie’s stomach churned in dread. They’d found him. He didn’t know if these men worked for Brian or if they were just a couple of blokes who’d heard about him being a so-called pervert, but either way he guessed his time was up.
Then Robbie heard the man say, ‘He don’t look too clever, Arthur. Do you think we should get him some help?’
‘Nah, we ain’t got time to hang about. Come on, leave the poor bugger be,’ the other man replied.
Robbie watched as they carried on past the arch, but his heart was racing. He felt convinced they were going to fetch others.
In a panic, he wheeled himself out of the arch and fled along the road. He noticed a group of schoolchildren walking towards him. They seemed to be pointing at him and whispering. They know, thought Robbie, they know I’m a marked man.
He turned down the next street, heading towards the train station. Maybe he’d have a stroke of luck and be able to beg a free ride with the train guard. Then he stopped again. What was he thinking? He couldn’t risk being seen in such a public place.
Robbie flicked his head from left to right, scanning the street for his potential killers. His breathing was rapid and sweat dripped from his brow. Never had he felt such despair.
He saw a young couple turn the corner. They were marching straight for him. For a moment, Robbie thought of turning his chair to flee, but then decided it would be pointless. His arms ached and his energy was low. It wouldn’t take much for the young man to give chase and catch up with him.
The couple were just steps away and Robbie braced himself. Thoughts of his own demise flashed through his head. Would they stab him? Would it be with a gunshot? He just hoped it would be quick.
He watched in horror as the couple stopped next to his chair and the man reached into his inside jacket pocket.
‘I didn’t do it … I swear. Please don’t kill me …’ Robbie cried.
He saw the man and woman exchange a strange look.
‘I don’t know what you’re on about, mate. I only wanted a light,’ the man said, bemused. Then he turned to his girlfriend and said, ‘Come on, love, the bloke’s a bloody nutter.’
Robbie’s head dropped in relief, but then snapped back up. What if it was just a ruse and they planned to jump him from behind? He didn’t dare look over his shoulder and instead mustered all the strength he had and pushed hard on his wheels in a bid to escape.
He inadvertently turned into a busy main road, only to find a sea of faces who were all staring intently at him. Anxiety coursed through his veins as the mob of people seemed to be closing in on him. He saw someone out of the corner of his eye. Was it Brian? He was sure the man was in the crowd.
‘I’m innocent!’ Robbie shouted. ‘Why won’t you listen to me?’
Then his body jerked in fright as he felt someone place a hand on his shoulder. He apprehensively turned his head, expecting to see Brian. Instead, it was a policeman with a colleague, which gave Robbie some small amount of comfort.
He frantically grabbed at the policeman’s arm. ‘Officer, they’re going to kill me … you’ve got to help me!’ he said.
‘It’s all right, son, calm down. Who’s going to kill you?’
‘Them! All of them … Look …’ Robbie answered, pointing to the people in the street.
‘They’re not out to hurt you, son. They’re just everyday folk doing their shopping. What’s your name?’
‘You don’t understand … they want me dead, all of them!’
Then a thought occurred to Robbie. If he ’fessed up to the jewellery shop robbery, he’d be taken into custody and thrown into prison. At least he would be safe there, and fed and watered. It was a better option than living in fear on the streets, or, worse still, living in a care home for the crippled.
‘You have to arrest me. I robbed a jewellery shop in Knightsbridge … go on, take me in, I’m guilty.’
‘Whoa, one thing at a time. So, no one’s out to kill you, but now you’re saying you did a robbery? How did you do this then, son?’
‘I got up on the roof and through a skylight. I cleaned out the safe.’
The look Robbie saw pass between the policemen told him that they weren’t taking him seriously. He felt frantic.
‘That isn’t all. I jumped a bloke and threatened him with a gun then stole his car too. I did a wages snatch as well, and robbed a pub. See, I’m bad … You have to lock me up,’ he said in desperation.
‘I don’t think he’s right in the head,’ the first officer said to his colleague. ‘I think we’d better take him in to see the doc.’
At last, thought Robbie, I’m going to be out of harm’s way.
Adrian tiptoed down the stairs. It was unusual for Dottie not to be up, but he knew the wine the night before had gone to her head. He made himself some breakfast and then quietly left for work, sure that very shortly Rosie would begin exercising her lungs and his wife’s lie-in would be over.
When he arrived at the office and got out of his car, he was surprised to see the door ajar. Either Nelly had bedbugs and was in the office early, or he’d been burgled. He walked up the few wooden steps that led to the door, but noticed something wasn’t right. The door looked as if it had been forced open. His immediate thought was Robbie, but then he realised Robbie couldn’t have got up the steps in his wheelchair. Fearfully he pushed the door and peeped inside.
‘Mr Ferguson,’ a man said in a very gruff, croaky voice. ‘Come in. I’ve been waiting for you.’
The man was sitting behind Adrian’s desk, but he didn’t recognise him.
‘Please, take a seat,’ the man ordered.
He didn’t like the man’s tone, or that he was treating the place as his own, but seeing the two huge, thuggish men standing each side of him, Adrian decided that self-preservation was the best option. He sat down and looked uneasily at the man, wondering what this was about.
‘I’m Brian,’ the man croaked, ‘and there’s something you should know about me. I’m not a nice man. In fact, some would say I’m their worst nightmare. I don’t know if I’d go that far, well, not unless someone fails to repay a loan. Ain’t that right, boys?’
Adrian knew this was something to do with Robbie and this was confirmed when the man spoke again. ‘So your little brother … where is he?’
‘I … I … honestly don’t know,’ Adrian told him.
‘I had a feeling you might say that. I could have my boys here put a bit of pressure on you and see if we can’t get an address off you, but I think you might be telling me the truth. From what I’ve heard, the shitbag tried to stitch you and your missus up too.’
Adrian nodded, thankful that Brian believed him. He’d hate to think what the man might have done if he hadn’t.
‘Now personally I don’t give a shit about what Robbie did to you and yours, but I do care about the money he owes me and I want it back. Now you’re a sensible man. You’ve got a good little business here, and a nice home. Don’t look so surprised, I know all about your house and your wife – Dorothy, I believe? Pretty little baby girl too. You wouldn’t want them to come to any harm, would you?’
Adrian was fuming inside, but shook his head. He could put up with picking up the pieces from Robbie, but drew the line at veiled threats to his family.
‘I thought not, so I’ll tell you what I want. You pay me two hundred quid in cash, and we’ll call it quits. I’ll make sure nothing untoward happens to your business, home, wife or baby. How about that? Do we have a deal?’
Adrian found his voice, and, though he was afraid, he spoke up. ‘I’ll give you the money, but leave my family out of this.
Stay away from them, or else! I know what my brother is like and this isn’t the first time I’ve had to bail him out of trouble. You’ll have your money.’
‘Ha, so you ain’t a wimp. Good, I like it. A man should protect his own, not try and sell them like your brother was going to do. Unless you’ve got the cash now, Big John will be here at five to pick it up. Don’t let me down.’
‘Fine, and I take it that’ll be the last of it?’ Adrian asked.
‘I said so, didn’t I? A deal’s a deal. You pay me my dues, and you’ll never see me again. I’m not a man to break his word.’ He scraped the chair back and stood up. ‘Nice to have met you,’ he said, before leaving the office, followed by Big John and the other man.
Adrian went to stand up too, but his legs had gone quivery. He didn’t know why Robbie owed Brian money, but assumed he had run up gambling debts again. He doubted it was two hundred pounds’ worth, but he didn’t care, just as long as Dorothy and Rosie were safe.
Chapter 61
Robbie shook his head, trying to clear the fuzziness. He remembered being taken to the police station and becoming upset when no one seemed to believe him. Then he recalled a man in a suit injecting something in his arm. Now he was in the back of an ambulance.
‘What’s going on?’ he asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.
He heard the ambulance man call out, ‘He’s coming round, Ted.’
The ambulance came to a stop, and Robbie was wheeled out. He stared in disbelief at the imposing double doors in front of him. The stonework above was etched with the words ‘Lambeth Asylum’.
‘No … no … you can’t take me in there … no … I’m not mad,’ Robbie said, but his voice was just a mumble.
‘That’s what they all say,’ the ambulanceman said, and once the doors were unlocked he proceeded to push Robbie through.
Although Robbie wasn’t thinking clearly, he knew he couldn’t let them take him into the asylum – he’d never come back out. He wished he could have jumped from his chair and run away, but he was completely at their mercy.
