by Anna King
Standing outside her door on this sunny July afternoon he waited for her to answer, his mouth dry, as he pondered on the reception that would greet him. Maggie opened the door and stared at him. Not saying a word she turned and walked slowly to the centre of the room then stopped, her back towards him.
‘So, she got off, I knew she would.’ Her voice, dull and lifeless sent a shiver up his spine.
‘Maggie, I know what the newspapers are saying, but it isn’t true, none of it. There was no conspiracy. Bella is expecting a child. You know a pregnant woman cannot be hanged, whatever her class. As for the story about her languishing in luxury… Oh Maggie, you’ve no idea, no idea at all.’
Pulling her round to face him he said urgently. ‘I’ve just come from the asylum. I didn’t want to go but my mother insisted on visiting Bella and my father refused to have anything more to do with her. I couldn’t let her go alone, but dear God, I wish I had. The luxury room the newspapers are shouting about is a tiny cell. A cell with dirty straw littered on the floor, a wooden plank for a bed and a tin bucket for a toilet.’
Letting go of her arms he walked over to the mantelpiece and rested his elbow on the shelf.
‘The bucket is never used, because Bella prefers to squat on the floor like an animal. The stench of the place is with me now. I should never have taken my mother there; it was a pointless visit. Bella didn’t recognise either of us – she’s completely insane. If you could have seen her, Maggie, you would know you have no need to fear her. She sits on the floor talking to the unborn child. Her hair and body are matted with her own filth. My mother is distraught and my father hasn’t been to court since she was committed. That’s why I haven’t been round before now, I’ve been staying with them, trying to persuade them to go away for a while, without much success until today. I think now my mother may take my advice. Now that she has seen for herself that Bella is beyond help, I hope she’ll start thinking about herself and my father. My uncle has a chalet in France; we’ve been there many times for holidays. It is situated in a very peaceful spot and would be the ideal place for them to go.’
‘It sounds lovely,’ Maggie said bitterly. ‘It must be nice to be able to escape to a chalet in France when things get too much for you.’
Harry bent his head in despair. He couldn’t cope with this, not today, not after the horror he had witnessed this morning.
Angrily picking up his hat and cane he said abruptly, ‘I’d hoped you would understand. I never expected to feel pity for Bella; I never did and I’m her brother. But after seeing her in that place…’ He drew himself up. ‘I won’t trouble you with any more distressing details. I will tell you this before I go. If I were in Bella’s place and had the choice between what she has now and the rope, I know what I’d choose.’
Maggie remained standing until the door slammed before letting the tears fall. Why had she acted like that? It wasn’t his fault. She shouldn’t have been so hard on him. Hot tears splashed the back of her hands as she listened to his footsteps clattering on the stairs and pleaded silently.
‘Oh, Harry, I’m sorry. Come back, please come back.’
* * *
Charlie came running around the comer, a newspaper-wrapped parcel under his arm.
‘’Ere, watch it, mate… Oh, it’s you, ’Arry, you been ter see Maggie?’
‘Yes, I’ve had that pleasure,’ Harry answered, his face grim.
Charlie saw the look, his heart sinking. ‘Look, ’Arry, yer don’t want ter take any notice of Maggie. She’s got a rotten temper, but she doesn’t mean ’alf of wot she says.’
‘That’s as may be,’ Harry said stiffly, ‘but I’m in no mood for her tantrums today. I’ll come back when she’s in a better frame of mind.’
‘Now, ’old on, ’Arry,’ Charlie protested indignantly. ‘She got a right to be in a tantrum. It wasn’t right, ’er getting off like she did, yer sister I mean. I’d be bloody angry an’ all if I was Maggie.’
Harry shifted impatiently. ‘I’m sorry you feel that way, Charlie. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have business to attend to.’
Charlie watched Harry go with mounting panic. What if he didn’t come back? Him and Maggie were as bad as each other. Why couldn’t one of them tell the other how they felt? Maybe he should say something, but what?
‘’Ere, ’Arry, I’ve got some pie and peas for dinner. Do yer fancy sharing ’em wiv us? Yer know, like we used ter in the park.’ Harry looked over his shoulder and smiled weakly, then shaking his head he walked on.
Clutching the grease-stained parcel tighter, Charlie took a deep breath, then shouted loudly, ‘She loves yer, ’Arry. She won’t admit it, but she loves yer.’
Harry stopped in his tracks. Hardly daring to breathe he spun round on his heels and marched back to where Charlie was standing, his eyes seeming to stand out of his head. Taking the boy by the arm Harry’s grip tightened.
‘What’s that you said, Charlie? Are you sure, are you absolutely sure?’
Charlie winced as the pressure on his arm increased.
‘’Course I’m sure. She won’t say anyfing, ’cos she thinks you just want ter make ’er yer fancy bit. Yer don’t do yer, ’Arry,’ he pleaded, ‘’cos if that is all yer want, then don’t bother coming back. I like yer, ’Arry, I like yer a lot, but I love Maggie, and she deserves better than ter be some rich man’s bit on the side.’
Harry’s eyes lit up. Grabbing the startled boy around the shoulders he pressed him to his chest before running into the house.
‘’Ere, you’ve squashed me dinner,’ Charlie called out ruefully. Then, hunching his body, he followed Harry into the building, his face troubled. Those things he’d told Harry were merely his own interpretation of how Maggie felt. She’d never said anything to him. What if he was wrong?
* * *
Maggie heard the door opening and said listlessly, ‘You took your time. Anyway I’m not hungry any more. I don’t feel like eating now.’
‘How do you feel about having this instead.’
A small black box was thrust under her nose: a diamond ring set in the middle of blue silk sparkled up at her. Unable to believe her eyes she stared at the ring, her heart racing. Then Harry was on his knees, his eyes gazing into hers.
‘I love you, darling. I think I’ve loved you from the first time I set eyes on you. Will you marry me, Maggie?’
Out in the hallway Charlie hovered, his fingers tightly crossed as he waited for Maggie to reply. The silence from the room lengthened as he prayed silently, ‘Say yes, Maggie. For Gawd’s sake, say yes.’
Peeping around the door his heart leapt with joy at the sight of the couple closely entwined in the chair. Forgetting the parcel tucked under his arm, he threw his hands in the air with delight, sending the contents spilling out onto the cold floorboards. Grinning broadly he bent to pick the squashed pies and peas from the floor, then settling himself on the stairs he began to eat his dinner.
First published in the United Kingdom in 1994 by Warner
This edition published in the United Kingdom in 2017 by
Canelo Digital Publishing Limited
57 Shepherds Lane
Beaconsfield, Bucks HP9 2DU
United Kingdom
Copyright © Anna King, 1994
The moral right of Anna King to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 9781788630092
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead
, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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