by Carol Rivers
‘No,’ Danny muttered, ‘. . . no police.’
‘Well, it’s the ’ospital, then,’ Bert said firmly. ‘You’ve got a blooming great chunk out of yer head.’
Danny looked at Bert. ‘No . . . I’m worried about Tom. He’ll wonder where I am.’
‘But you need to have this seen to.’ Lizzie didn’t know what to do. He should go to hospital. And what about Frank? If they went to the police would they take action against him? Frank would deny it all.
‘The car’s outside.’ Danny gripped Bert’s arm. ‘Out the back . . . by the jetty . . . key’s in it . . . drive it round the front, Bert. Do like I taught you. Crank it with the starting handle, rev it up and put it into first gear, then second.’
‘I dunno, Danny. I ain’t never done it without you,’ Bert protested, gently restraining him.
‘You’ll do it. You got to, Bert. Take me to Napier Road . . . my lodgings . . . Tom will have gone home—’ Danny was trying to stand up. Bert helped him. Lizzie slipped an arm round his waist.
‘There’s some bales of hay behind the lorry,’ Danny said muzzily. ‘I use them to spread over the grease on the floor. Give a couple to the horse on your way out.’
Bert nodded and looked at Lizzie. ‘I’ll give a toot on the horn, right?’
She nodded. ‘Hurry up, Bert, please.’
Whilst Bert was getting the car, Lizzie helped Danny to the small door at the front. He leaned against her, groaning softly, the blood still running down his face.
‘I wish you’d go to hospital, Danny.’
He held on to one of the wooden struts of the warehouse. ‘I’ll be all right. Don’t worry.’
‘You can’t be on your own like this. You and Tom can come back with us.’ The cold air whipped across them as she opened the door. Lizzie looked out but there was no sign of Bert. Would he really be able to drive a motor vehicle on his own? Just as she was about to step back in there was a loud backfire. From round the side of the warehouse came a large grey car. Bert was driving it, his large head right up to the windscreen.
‘I done it!’ Bert yelled through the window as he pulled up with a screech of brakes. The engine shuddered and spluttered. Bert climbed out.
Lizzie opened the back door. Bert lowered Danny on to the seat and pressed the rag against his head. Lizzie slid in beside him. ‘Do you know where Napier Road is, Bert?’
‘Yeah,’ nodded Bert as he jumped into the front once more. ‘It ain’t far. You’d better ’old tight, though.’
Danny closed his eyes. His head fell back on the seat. It was the worst journey Lizzie had ever experienced. Bert crunched his way through the gears and they went up on to the pavement with a huge bump. Luckily, as it was Sunday, no one was about. It was getting dark and Bert lost his way twice. When they arrived at Napier Road, Lizzie let out a sigh of relief. She looked at Danny. He seemed to have fallen asleep. Was he unconscious, she wondered?
‘Go in and get Tom,’ she told her brother hurriedly. ‘Tell him his dad’s had a bit of an accident, so he’s coming home with us.’
‘Right you are, gel.’ Bert pulled on the hand brake and jumped out to knock on the door of the small terraced house. A few moments later, Tom was sitting safely in the front with Bert as he drove them back to Ebondale Street.
His brow furrowed in a deep frown, Dr Tapper wound the bandages tightly around Danny’s chest. ‘Fractured ribs will heal in time,’ he muttered grimly, ‘but as for that wound on your head – you were lucky it wasn’t any lower, young man. You would have lost the eye.’
Danny sat on the bed in his old room, now occupied by Flo. She had moved her things into the glory hole as soon as Bert and Lizzie had brought Danny in. There was a chest of drawers and a maple wardrobe, but Lizzie had never discovered what Frank had done with all Danny’s maps, books and other possessions. Certainly they weren’t in the house. Danny hadn’t yet asked after them and she was glad.
‘I’ll mend,’ Danny murmured. ‘Thanks for the stitching up, Dr Tap.’
‘The scar it will leave won’t improve your looks, young man.’
‘That’s the least of me worries.’
Dr Tapper cleared away his things and rolled down his shirtsleeves. ‘Remember, no exertion for the next few days. The more you rest the quicker those ribs will heal.’
Lizzie picked up a clean shirt that she had found in one of Frank’s drawers. She had also given one to Bert to change into. Her wet and bloody coat was awaiting a scrub and the soiled rags had been disposed of. Carefully she helped Danny put on the shirt. His movements were slow and painful.
‘I don’t suppose any of you are going to tell me what happened?’ Dr Tapper drew on his black coat. His hair was now pure white, his old shoulders drooping with age. He no longer used a carriage but drove a small black car to visit his patients.
Danny said quietly, ‘It’s personal, Doc’
The old man hesitated. ‘You know, with injuries such as those, the police should be informed.’ He snapped his bag shut. ‘I’m an old man, but I’m no fool. My professional advice is to go to the police. Report the incident. But knowing this community as I do, I’m well aware that you’ll deal with this amongst yourselves.’ His eyes went slowly to each of them. ‘As a friend of the family, I would simply say, be careful. You were fortunate today. Next time . . . well . . . you may not be so lucky.’ His gaze rested on them a few moments more.
Lizzie glanced at Danny, then followed the doctor to the front room. Flo, Bert and the children were waiting there.
‘Is Dad going to get better?’ Tom ran across from the table.
‘Yes, he’s going to be fine.’ Dr Tapper patted Tom’s fair head. ‘But don’t pester him. Let him rest.’ He looked up. ‘And you, Bert, remember I’ve put several stitches into that cut on the back of your head.’
Bert went red. ‘Dunno what done that.’
Dr Tapper had a wry smile on his face. ‘No, I don’t suppose you do.’
‘I’ll see you out, Doctor.’ Lizzie led the way.
‘Call me if you need me.’
Lizzie knew he had his suspicions. She also knew he would keep them to himself. On the island, everyone accepted that rough justice was the only law that counted.
For Tom and Polly’s benefit, the story was that Danny had been injured by the engine hoist. Tom had seen his father working with the big chain and hook. If it wasn’t secured properly, it could swing perilously in all directions. Polly knew better than to ask too many questions. She was thrilled that Tom and Danny were staying there.
Whilst Danny, Bert, Flo and Lizzie sat in the kitchen, the two children curled up by the fire, drawing.
Flo and Bert lit up their cigarettes. Danny sat stiffly, his face cleaner but the big white patch over the top of his forehead showing the blood beneath. His eyes were still puffy and his knuckles grazed.
‘I don’t think you should be on yer feet,’ Flo said as Lizzie set a pot of tea on the table. ‘You must feel rotten.’
Danny smiled crookedly. ‘You shouldn’t go by appearances.’
Flo laughed. ‘You can say that again.’
‘How are you, Bert?’ Danny asked. ‘You got a bit of a wallop too.’
‘Didn’t feel a thing,’ he shrugged.
‘Yeah, well, that stands to reason. No sense, no feeling,’ joked Flo, nudging Bert in the arm. Everyone laughed again, but the laughter was forced.
‘Does Dad know about this?’ Danny asked suddenly.
‘I went and told him whilst Dr Tapper was stitching you up,’ Flo said, looking quickly at Lizzie. ‘We thought he’d better know –just in case. He said he’d come down and see you later. I didn’t say what happened, only that you’d had a bit of an up and downer with Frank.’ Flo turned to Danny. ‘I still can’t believe yer brother would do this.’
Lizzie sat down at the table. ‘What do you think he’ll do now?’
‘Try again,’ said Danny humourlessly.
‘He won’t stop until he sees y
ou off this island,’ Bert sighed. He balanced his thin cigarette on the glass ashtray. His big, drooping eyes blinked several times. ‘I’d like to get me hands on Vinnie, too.’
Lizzie shuddered. She hadn’t said what had happened at the top of those stairs. She still couldn’t believe Vinnie would attack her. There had never been any love lost between them, but doing what he had done today, standing by whilst Frank tried to kill Danny and then coming after her, it was not the act of a man in his right senses. Perhaps Vinnie was sick or mad. She shivered again.
‘This time I’ll be ready for them,’ Danny said. His hand unconsciously went up to the wound.
‘What do you mean?’ Lizzie stared at him.
‘I mean, that’s the last time anyone ever threatens me or mine and gets away with it. And that includes everyone under this roof.’
‘I’m right with you on that, mate,’ said Bert loyally.
‘And you can count on Syd,’ Flo burst out angrily. ‘Frank’s a bloody coward, always has been. I just wish Syd and his brothers could meet him in a dark alley one of these nights. Trouble is, Frank wouldn’t go up a dark alley, he’s too afraid of his own shadow.’
Danny looked at Lizzie. ‘I don’t want you going anywhere alone for the next few days. Not even up to the market or over to the school. Flo or Bert can go with you.’
‘But Frank wouldn’t show his face round here, surely?’
‘Why not? He came to the workshop.’
‘Do you think he’ll go looking there again?’ Lizzie felt a ripple of fear run through her.
‘He might.’
‘I wish I’d kept me hands round his neck and squeezed harder,’ Bert said with sudden aggression. ‘It would’ve saved us all a lot of trouble.’
‘And you’d be on a murder charge,’ Danny pointed out. ‘Bert, I appreciate what you did for me and I owe you my life, but this is down to me.’
Everyone was surprised when Bert shook his head. ‘No it ain’t, Danny. I got me own bone to pick with Frank and me brother. And they both know it.’
Lizzie was shocked. She hadn’t ever heard Bert speak like this.
‘Well, just watch your step,’ Danny warned.
Lizzie knew that, despite his injuries, Danny meant what he said, but it came as a surprise when he told them he was returning to the workshop.
Flo choked on her tea. ‘What, now? You must be joking. Look at the state of you.’
‘What do you wanna go back for?’ Bert asked.
‘All my tools are there.’
‘You think Frank might nick them?’ Flo spluttered.
‘Anything’s possible.’
Bert shuffled his feet. ‘To be truthful, I was going to go over t’night without telling anyone. I thought now I can drive I’d borrow yer car and take over food and water to the ’orse.’
‘I got an idea,’ Flo interrupted. ‘Syd’ll be over soon. We was going up the pub for a quick one. He can go with you.’
‘No,’ Danny objected at once, ‘I don’t want Syd involved.’
‘I don’t reckon you got much choice,’ Bert said with shrug. ‘You ain’t in no state to go lifting tools, even if you did manage to get over there.’
And what Flo said next settled the argument. ‘You gotta sink yer pride, Danny, and let us help. After all, what are family for?’
‘Well I think you’re all mad,’ Lizzie said angrily. ‘The horse will survive one night on his own and the tools aren’t as important as being safe. You heard what the doctor said. You had concussion and you’ve two broken ribs—’
She stopped when she saw Danny was smiling at her.
‘So you do care?’ he grinned, jerking up an eyebrow.
She knew she was going red and that everyone was looking at her. Hiding her blush, she got up and went to put the kettle on.
Whilst the men were away, Lizzie and Flo made up the mattress for Tom beside Danny’s bed.
‘Don’t worry, they’ll be all right. They’re big enough and ugly enough to look after themselves,’ Flo tried to reassure Lizzie.
‘You didn’t see what happened today,’ Lizzie replied shortly. It was all very well Flo saying that. She hadn’t been there.
‘Well, it’s out of your hands now.’
‘I still keep seeing it all in my mind,’ Lizzie murmured. ‘Frank hitting Danny with that iron bar and the look in Vinnie’s eye as he came up those stairs.’
‘Our Vinnie wants his brains tested.’ Flo tucked in the sheet and pulled over the blankets. ‘Terrifying his own sister like that.’
‘I don’t know what he’d have done if he’d got into the office.’ Lizzie felt the awful lead weight in her stomach again. She had tried to think of another explanation for his behaviour, but she always came up with the same one: Vinnie had said he didn’t want a witness, and, sister or not, she was a witness.
‘Come on, it’s over. Forget about it,’ Flo said, attempting to shake her out of it.
Lizzie knew it wasn’t over. It had only just begun. What would they try next and where? Wouldn’t it better if Danny went back to Australia? He had Tom to think about. But what would happen if he did leave? She couldn’t bear to think of life without him again. At the same time, she could never have him in her life the way she wanted. She was married to his brother.
Later, Bill came down with a bottle of port. By nine o’clock the children were asleep and Lizzie had been over the whole story again, answering all Bill’s questions as best she could.
Lizzie knew that Bill was deeply shocked. In silence, he listened to every word that she said. She saw the dismay spread over his face. He was an old man, hoping for a peaceful retirement. He had always known what Frank was, but he had tried to protect Frank from himself. He had hoped that it was not too late for his eldest son to reform. Now Bill was having to face the truth, that Frank would never change.
Conversation exhausted, the three of them sat by the fire. Lizzie wondered, as she had wondered many times before, how their lives would have turned out if she hadn’t married Frank. Would Frank have been a better son? Would he now be running the shop? Would Danny have remained in Australia? Would she have married someone else? And Polly . . . what of her?
Polly had brought meaning to her life. She was like her own daughter. Lizzie would have been content to be a loving aunt if things had been different between her and Babs. But they weren’t. Babs had shown no love for her own child. How could she have neglected Polly the way she had?
Lizzie thought of Danny, his body bruised and his handsome face disfigured. Her love for him was stronger than ever. She ached for his love, to have his arms round her and to feel his body lying beside her. Fate had not dealt kindly with their love. What was to become of them?
At a few minutes past ten, they heard the sound of Danny’s car outside. Lizzie jumped out of her chair. ‘They’re back,’ she cried, waking Bill, who had just drifted off, his cheeks red from the port.
Flo and Lizzie ran to the door. Danny entered looking very tired. The blood had seeped right through the bandage. Syd and Bert were quiet, but they smiled as a strong odour of petrol wafted in with them.
‘We’re back safe and sound, Mrs F.,’ Syd said in a subdued tone.
‘Is everything all right?’ Lizzie asked breathlessly.
Bert nodded. ‘Yeah. There weren’t no sign of them.’
‘I should hope not.’ Lizzie closed the door. ‘You don’t mean to tell me you really went over there expecting to . . . to—’
‘No, no,’ said Danny quickly, glancing at the other two. ‘All me tools are in the boot, and Benji’s got plenty to eat and drink.’ He saw his father sitting in the chair. ‘Hello, Dad.’
‘Hello, son. Well, come and tell me all about it.’
Syd and Flo disappeared into the kitchen. Lizzie left them alone to say goodnight. She watched Danny sit wearily down in the fireside chair opposite his father. She sighed. She didn’t know whether she believed him about the reason for their mission over there. But s
he did know she would have been worried sick if she thought they’d gone to find Frank.
‘You remember them old ’urricane lamps we had for the cart,’ Bert told Lizzie as he took her arm and steered her to the chairs by the sideboard. They sat down. ‘Well, we took them with us. Put all Danny’s stuff that was too big for the car in the office and locked it. All the small tools we brought with us. I give Benji a good feed and he was right as ninepence. Tomorrow I’m gonna get him back. Danny said that big lorry he’s mending is big enough.’
‘What, to put Benji in?’
Bert nodded. ‘All we got to do is make a ramp.’
‘I hope you know what you’re doing.’
Bert grinned. ‘No, but Danny does.’ He looked bashful for a moment. ‘I ain’t good enough to drive a lorry yet, but I reckon I can learn.’
Lizzie had to smile. Out of all this, something special had happened to Bert. He’d never been very bright and always felt inferior. Now he could drive a motor vehicle, after a fashion, and the wonder was written all over his face.
Lizzie looked over at Danny, speaking quietly with Bill. He had made an impression on all their lives since he had returned. What would happen if, in the end, he was forced to leave the island?
Chapter Thirty-One
Lil walked into the shop the next morning. She was dressed in a smart brown coat and a new hat. She had her large shopping bag with her, in which she carried her cakes. But before Lil could take them out, Lizzie put her finger to her lips, then led her into the storeroom.
‘I won’t be a minute, Bert,’ Lizzie called.
‘Yeah, all right.’ Bert continued to serve the customers.
Lizzie closed the storeroom door. ‘Danny and Tom are staying here.’
It took a moment to sink in. ‘Blimey, what’s happened?’
Lizzie sighed. ‘It’s a long story.’
‘Tell me whilst I unwrap these.’ Lil began to take the cakes from her bag but stopped when Lizzie told her about Frank and Vinnie’s visit to the warehouse.
‘Never!’ Lil exclaimed, wide eyed.
Five minutes later Lizzie had given Lil the whole story.
‘Well, you know what I think,’ Lil said angrily. ‘I think that Frank needs to be taught a lesson he won’t ever forget.’ She paused. ‘You know, gel, maybe you should’ve called the coppers even though Danny didn’t want to.’
