Pontypridd 07 - Spoils of War

by Catrin Collier

  ‘Very good, Mr Ronconi.’

  He watched her every move as she prepared the coffee, and much as he would have liked to, he couldn’t fault her methods. She levelled the measuring spoon off with a knife to get exactly the right quantity as she mixed the milk powder with water. She polished the cups with a clean tea towel before filling them with coffee essence. She heated the milk mix in the steamer for the correct time and even remembered to wipe the rod with the steamer cloth afterwards.

  ‘So, why are you here?’ he asked as she served him his coffee and laid hers in front of the chair opposite his.

  ‘Because Mr Angelo said I was free to negotiate my wages with you,’ she answered pertly, waiting to be invited to sit down.

  ‘I’m sure he told you no such thing. All our waitresses get standard rate.’

  ‘One pound ten shillings for six shifts – in my case two in the afternoon until gone midnight six days a week with one twenty-minute main meal and two ten-minute tea breaks. Food and drink provided but no choice offered.’

  ‘That’s right.’

  ‘Last pay packet I had from munitions was seven pounds nineteen shillings and sixpence.’

  ‘Then you must be sorry the war’s over.’

  ‘Not that sorry, because you’re going to make up my pay.’

  ‘I’ll make it up as far as one pound ten shillings.’

  ‘Can’t keep a dog on that.’

  ‘Then look elsewhere for something better.’

  ‘If I did that I might have to tell people about the night you came home.’ She narrowed her eyes, reminding him of a cat. A hungry, predatory alley cat.

  ‘How you dumped me drunk and half naked in the street to get pneumonia?’

  ‘More like how I offered you a room out of pure kindness when you told me you had nowhere to go. And how you raped me.’

  ‘And after I raped you I ran no further than your doorstep to sit in the gutter and almost freeze to death? And you were so upset at being raped, you waited until now to complain? A likely story?’

  ‘We fought, you were so drunk I managed to throw you out and I didn’t complain because I was too ashamed of what you’d done to me but then you tried to do it again when we were alone in the café – now. That’s not so far from the truth and you were found in Leyshon Street.’

  ‘I wandered there in a drunken stupor.’

  ‘And left your property in my bedroom?’

  ‘You dumped my kitbag on my sister’s doorstep.’

  ‘Your kitbag, not your underwear, and they have your name-tape sewn into them. I wonder how your German wife-to-be would react to the news that her fiancé is a rapist.’

  ‘Or your father, brothers and neighbours to the news that you’re a prostitute.’

  ‘No one who knows me would believe that.’

  ‘No?’ He pushed his chair back from the table and propped his feet on the chair in front of her coffee. ‘The landlord saw you talking to me in the Graig Hotel. And you were very friendly, so friendly in fact he had to remind you that you had other customers to serve. Something in his attitude towards you that evening suggests that you might not have left that job of your own accord. After all, a barmaid makes a fair number of tips in free drinks, I’d say about double what the average waitress gets in this café. So all I have to do is go to the police, say you offered to have sex with me, and when I refused to pay, threw me out.’

  ‘You wouldn’t dare.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘Everyone would think you were looking for a prostitute – your mother, your sisters – your fiancée …’

  ‘And I would remind them I’m a normal red-blooded male who stooped uncharacteristically low after six hard years of war.’

  Bringing her hand back hard she slapped him soundly across the face, sending his chair rocking. He grabbed her wrist.

  ‘You little bitch!’

  ‘And you’re a bastard.’

  ‘Looks like we’re well matched. You’re fired.’

  ‘Two waitresses in one day?’ she jeered. ‘Everyone knows you and your brothers don’t get on. All I have to do is go back to the restaurant like Maggie and they’ll give me a job just to annoy you.’

  ‘Not if I tell them I found a pound note from the till in the pocket of your overcoat after I caught you taking money from a customer.’ He flicked a note from the side pocket of his khaki work coat and held it up in front of her.

  ‘I’d tell them the truth.’

  ‘What truth, Judy? You’d protest your innocence and I’d point out I have no reason to lie. Then I’d hint that a woman used to earning seven pounds nineteen shillings and sixpence a week in munitions would undoubtedly have difficulties managing on one pound ten shillings, which is all we can afford to pay our waitresses. It would look as though the temptation of the unguarded till and me out of the way in the kitchen was too much. And if you bring up that night in Leyshon Street it would only succeed in spicing your motive for stealing with a touch of revenge. After all, no tart likes giving it away for nothing. Believe me, my brothers would see it my way – and so would the police – if I chose to take the matter to court.’

  ‘You’d do it and all, wouldn’t you?’

  ‘To a stupid bitch who tried to blackmail me, yes. You’ve only worked in the restaurant a week, don’t bother to go there or come in here tomorrow.’

  ‘I’m entitled to wages …’

  ‘Here,’ he tossed her the pound he was holding, ‘and …’ he dug into his pocket again, ‘a ten-shilling note and half a crown, bonus. Don’t bother to return my underclothes. You can keep them in return for the two shillings’ worth of exercise I got out of you. That is the going rate for a woman of your class, isn’t it?’

  Cheeks burning, she went to the coat rack in the front of the café. Ripping her coat from the peg she ran to the door.

  ‘Here!’ He was there before her, flinging it wide and holding it open, ‘and don’t ever come into any of our premises again or rumours might start flying.’

  ‘I won’t forget this, Tony Ronconi. I’ll pay you back if it’s the last thing I do.’

  ‘I think not, Judy, not if you want to find yourself another job in this town. It’s surprising just how fast gossip can spread, especially when it comes from the horse’s mouth.’

  ‘So.’ Ronnie shivered in Megan and Dino’s unheated parlour as he poured himself and William two small whiskies from the bottle he had brought back from Europe, which was diminishing far too rapidly for his liking. ‘Why the insistence that we have to talk business in private?’

  ‘Because I do need to talk business with you.’

  ‘You could have done it over tea.’

  ‘I don’t want my mother, Tina or Dino hearing what I have to say.’

  ‘We’ve been working together all day.’

  ‘I’ve been hauling meat around all morning and sorting the scrap yard all afternoon. I haven’t seen you for longer than a minute or two at a time.’

  ‘True. Well, make it short. I want to get a full day in the garage tomorrow. Those accounts are in a hell of a mess.’

  ‘Anything to stop thinking about Diana. When Mam sees her tomorrow –’

  ‘Business, Will, before I freeze to death.’

  ‘It’s the scrap yard. I cleared the bottom end.’

  ‘Well done you. Want a pat on the head?’

  ‘Forget the sarky remarks, Ronnie. I found some things.’

  ‘Saleable things, I hope.’

  ‘All right, I know we’re down about a fiver on that bloody cow Gwilym talked us into taking.’

  ‘You talked Gwilym into giving us.’

  ‘Whatever, either way. It’s not good business to sell to family. They expect rock-bottom prices and if you ask for enough to cover costs they think you’re trying to rip them off,’ William said quickly, not wanting to dwell on his mistake.

  ‘Out with it, what “things” did you find?’

  ‘Three US Army Jeeps, two lorries …’
/>
  ‘That’s crazy. I walked all over that field …’

  ‘They’ve been stripped down but they’re all there, all right.’

  ‘You took the mechanic up from the garage to check?’

  ‘You think I’m stupid? No, I checked everything myself. Some of the parts were hidden under the tyre mountains, some under rusting piles of junk, and a couple of the more vital pieces were in the shed by the gate.’

  Ronnie let out a long low whistle.

  ‘And there’s more.’

  ‘More Jeeps and trucks?’

  ‘Boxes of uniforms. I haven’t checked through everything but there does seem to be a hell of a lot of stuff there. Do you think Ianto’s widow knew they were there?’

  ‘I don’t know.’

  ‘Could be someone hid the lot there after he died and they’ll come back looking for it. Ronnie, what do we do? Go to Dino and David Ford? Everyone knows we’ve only just bought the yard …’

  ‘And if someone has hidden the stuff, comes back for it and discovers we’ve handed it to the Yanks?’

  ‘It’ll be tough on them.’

  ‘And us. It doesn’t pay to have too honest a name in the scrap trade.’

  ‘So what do you think we should do?’

  ‘We’re partners, aren’t we? You’ve had more time to think about this than me. What do you suggest?’ Ronnie finished his drink, corked the bottle and replaced it in the sideboard.

  ‘Sell it on quickly and if someone turns up looking for it, offer them half of whatever we get.’

  ‘That’s not a bad idea. You got a buyer in mind?’

  ‘I had a word with the landlord in the back bar of the Horse and Groom early this evening. Mentioned that I might be in the market for an American Jeep. He suggested a scrap yard down the estate on the left-hand side as you’re going towards Cardiff. They don’t hold anything long, but he said they take orders. On that basis I reckon they might take some, if not all of what we’ve got off our hands.’

  ‘Did he pass on any names?’

  ‘All he said was ask for Jerry.’

  ‘Don’t know any Jerry’s, do you?’

  William shook his head.

  ‘Perhaps we should take a trip down the estate tomorrow morning. On the other hand it might be more sensible to go there after we’ve walked around the scrap yard. You might have missed something.’ He picked up their empty glasses. ‘You were right not to mention this to Megan and Tina. They’d only worry.’

  ‘Not to mention nag us into an early grave. All I’ve been hearing from Tina since I’ve got back is how this or that bloke has been sent down for dodgy dealing.’

  ‘Like me, she’s worried about your business ideas.’ Ronnie opened the door.

  ‘Tina, what are you doing?’ William demanded furiously, when he saw her standing in the passage.

  ‘Getting our coats, it’s time to go.’

  ‘I would have got them,’ he snapped, knowing full well she’d been trying to eavesdrop.

  ‘You and Ronnie are up to no good, aren’t you?’

  ‘This is where I go into the kitchen.’ Ronnie kissed Tina’s cheek. ‘Good night, little sister. Thanks for the visit and the children’s sweets.’

  ‘You stay where you are.’

  ‘You can order your husband about, sweetheart, but not me.’

  ‘It comes to something when Ronnie and I can’t have a word in private about the business, without you sticking your ear against the door …’

  ‘You’re up to more black market dealings, aren’t you? The pair of you!’ She blocked Ronnie’s passage to the kitchen. ‘Go on, admit it.’

  ‘Will’s the expert on that subject, not me.’

  ‘I’ve been talking to Megan and we’re agreed we’re not putting up with it.’

  ‘Putting up with what?’ William questioned innocently.

  ‘You and Ronnie breaking the law.’

  ‘I give you my word, Tina,’ Ronnie said, ‘my days as a lawbreaker are over, not that there were ever that many of them. Now, with your permission, I’ll take these glasses into the wash house before I drop them.’

  ‘It’s you, isn’t it, Will?’ Tina asked as Ronnie closed the kitchen door behind him. ‘You were the one who wanted to talk in private, not Ronnie. You’ve done a deal with some idiot who thinks he can outwit the police. What is it this time? More meat? Cheese? Eggs? Clothes? Shoes? You’d flog anything on, if you thought you could make a pound or two out of it.’

  ‘I would not. And I give you my word, you don’t have to worry. It’s the straight and narrow for me from now on.’

  ‘Why don’t I believe you?’

  ‘Sometimes I think those two have only stayed married six years because they’ve spent less than six weeks together since their wedding day,’ Megan said softly as Tina and William’s high-pitched argument echoed into the kitchen.

  ‘They’ll sort it out, Megan.’ Ronnie took the cigarette Dino offered him.

  ‘As long as they don’t wake the children with their sorting.’

  ‘Young love. What it is to have the energy to quarrel.’

  ‘Jealous, Dino?’ Megan asked.

  ‘Not me, honey. I’ve reached the age where I appreciate the benefits of a quiet life, especially a good woman who’s prepared to make all my decisions for me.’

  ‘Trying to quarrel with you is like trying to punch water.’ Megan set aside her knitting and studied Ronnie, who was standing in front of the stove, staring at the fire. ‘You’ll have Catrina for me tomorrow when I go up to the hospital, Ronnie?’

  ‘I’ll take her to Diana and Alma’s shop in High Street. I want to check it’s being run properly.’

  ‘And you’ll be close enough to pounce on me the minute I walk out of the gate.’

  ‘I need to know Diana’s well.’

  ‘Andrew’s optimistic and he’s not one to get people’s hopes up for no reason.’

  ‘I can’t imagine Diana not knowing she’s married to me.’

  ‘Give her time, she’ll remember,’ Megan patted his shoulder as she left her chair. ‘Anyone for a last cuppa?’

  ‘Tea, please, honey, and a piece of that apple pie if there’s any left.’

  ‘You’ll look like a barrage balloon if you carry on eating the way you are, Dino,’ Megan remonstrated.

  ‘A happily married man should look contented.’

  ‘Ronnie?’

  ‘Nothing thanks, Megan.’ Ronnie drew heavily on his cigarette. ‘I think I’ll go on up to bed.’

  ‘If I were you I’d hold on for a few minutes. Judging by the noise Will is making I’ve a feeling my daughter-in-law has just told him something he didn’t want to hear.’

  ‘And I’m telling you that no wife of mine is going out to work!’ William slammed his fist into the wall and glared at Tina.

  ‘You and Ronnie wanted me to work in your grubby little garage.’

  ‘That was different. The garage is a family business.’

  ‘Too right it’s different from the Park Hotel, and I know which I’d prefer to work in.’

  ‘You’ll be next door to the man’s bedroom. I won’t let you do it, Tina, and that’s final.’

  ‘Won’t let me! Won’t let me!’ she repeated furiously. ‘Just who do you think you are, William Powell? A bloody staff sergeant dealing with a conscript?’

  ‘And I won’t have any wife of mine swearing.’

  ‘Any wife? How many do you have?’

  ‘It’s not ladylike,’ he retorted wondering how she’d managed to switch the argument from a serious matter like her wanting to work for David Ford to women swearing.

  ‘Ladylike! What do ladies have to do with anything? It wasn’t ladies who kept the home fires burning while you men were gadding about in Africa and Italy.’

  ‘Gadding! I was bloody well fighting and I’ve the bullet holes to prove it.’

  ‘And I heard you were shot by a sentry on our own side. What were you doing, Will? Crawling back through th
e lines after a night drinking and carousing with the women of the town?’

  She’d hit so close to the truth William didn’t answer for a moment, and when he did it was to steer the argument back on the course he wanted it to take.

  ‘I won’t have you working for a Yank and certainly not in the Park Hotel.’

  ‘What do you object to? The Park Hotel or the Yank?’

  ‘Both. The Park Hotel is full of bedrooms.’

  ‘That’s why it’s called a hotel. People stay there and sleep overnight when they’re away from home.’

  ‘And that’s not all they do. Everyone in town is talking about David Ford and Bethan.’

  ‘And you believe them?’

  ‘I believe Andrew John’s a fool for putting up with it. If Bethan was my wife she wouldn’t be allowed to give David Ford the time of day.’

  ‘Perhaps, unlike you, Andrew realises a wife is a human being with her own opinions, not a dog to be brought to heel.’

  ‘I’ll not have the town gossiping about you too.’

  ‘I’ll be working in an office that’s open to the public.’

  ‘Tina, you’re no clerk …’

  ‘You think I can get something better? The man’s offered to pay me three pounds a week to type his letters, man the telephone –’

  ‘You can’t even type,’ William broke in heatedly.

  ‘How do you know what I can and can’t do. You’ve been away for the last six years.’

  ‘Tina –’

  ‘And don’t try soft-soaping me. I’ve told David Ford and Dino I’m taking the job and that is exactly what I’m doing. Taking it. If you don’t like it, you can damn well lump it.’

  ‘I told you two not to get married.’ Ronnie stuck his head around the door.

  ‘And you can stay out of our business!’ Picking up the nearest thing to hand, which happened to be a clothes brush, Tina flung it at Ronnie’s head. He only just managed to close the door in time. The brush hit the door, denting one of the panels.

  ‘Why don’t you two go home and do your arguing in your own house?’ Megan called from behind the closed door.

  William picked up his hat. ‘I mean it, Tina. You work for David Ford and I’ll …’ His voice trailed when he realised he couldn’t think of a single thing he could do if she defied him.