by June Francis
‘You couldn’t have foreseen it.’
‘I certainly didn’t, but I was aware that I could still be a target for my enemies.’
‘Shall we change the subject?’ suggested Lucia. ‘We don’t want such talk to spoil our day out.’
Tim agreed and asked if she had heard anything from Gabrielle and James.
‘Not yet, but I’m looking forward to hearing how they’re getting on, and hopefully there’ll be photographs, too.’
At last they arrived at the Mersey tunnel, and fortunately they were soon on the other side in Birkenhead. It was not long before they reached the turn-off for Queensferry and North Wales. Although there was a fair amount of traffic on the road, Tim did not expect there to be much of a hold up at Queensferry, which was known to be a bottleneck during the summer months for those heading for the north Welsh coast and the isle of Anglesey.
‘It’s beautiful countryside here, isn’t it?’ said Lucia. ‘The trees might be beginning to turn and some fields have been harvested, but there’s still a lot of green to be seen.’
‘You haven’t mentioned the mountains in the distance,’ Tim said. ‘That’s Snowdonia if I’m not mistaken.’
‘Keep your eyes on the road,’ said Lucia.
‘I am, but I’m also keeping my eyes on that van behind me. He’s a bit close.’
‘What are you going to do? Go faster and get away from him?’
‘No, I’m going to signal to him to overtake me. I’d rather he was away in front.’
Tim signalled and watched through the mirror as the van made a move, only to realize the driver was not giving himself enough room and was going to veer into him. Surely the fool was not trying to run him off the road? But Tim soon realized that was exactly what the driver was attempting. His vehicle scraped along the side of the van with a horrible shrieking noise. The van shook so violently that Tim thought it was going to topple over.
‘What’s happening?’ cried Lucia, gripping her seat.
Tim did not reply as it was taking all his concentration and strength to escape the road hog without speeding up and hitting the car a few yards ahead. He glanced towards the passenger window to see what was on that side. He could see trees and had spotted a narrow pavement earlier. He eased his foot slowly down on the brake and prayed. His van shuddered to a halt. He glanced out of his side window and saw and heard his mirror being ripped off. Then their attacker drove past and had soon overtaken the car in front.
Tim had done his best to note the van’s licence-plate number but had trouble seeing clearly. He looked at Lucia. ‘You all right?’
‘I’ve banged my head. What about you?’
Tim held out his hands which trembled. ‘As Elvis said “I’m all shook up”. Although, really, this isn’t the time for jokes.’
‘No, but if we didn’t laugh we’d cry.’ Lucia covered his hands with hers and added, ‘This has given me a dreadful fright. We could have been killed.’
‘It’s going to be all right. We’re both alive, but I can’t see us getting to Llandudno today. I could murder that swine for putting the kibosh on our day.’ He drew her close and kissed her. She kissed him back.
At that moment there was a sound at the passenger window and they both looked in that direction. A man was there and he signalled to them to open the window. Lucia did so.
The man said, ‘I thought you were going to go over. I’ve never seen such crazy driving in my life. The side of your van is in a right mess, but it could have been worse. There’s a phone box a couple of miles back, I’ll go and phone the police and explain what’s happened. That idiot might just go and hit someone else, the way he’s driving. He needs catching.’ He added, ‘That’s a nasty cut on your head, luv.’
Lucia touched her head where it hurt, ‘It could be worse,’ she said.
Left alone Tim said, ‘It is a nasty cut. I bet your head aches.’
‘It does.’ Lucia decided to take a look at herself in the driving mirror. ‘It shouldn’t spoil my good looks,’ she joked before turning to Tim. ‘Now where were we? I’d like to get a few things sorted out before the police arrive.’
He drew her close. ‘I love you, Lucia.’
‘I love you, too.’ She gazed at him expectantly from moist eyes and, taking out a handkerchief, blew her nose. ‘Perhaps we can go to Llandudno for our honeymoon.’
‘It’s a thought,’ he said. ‘We’ll discuss it later. I can hear a siren.’
A few minutes later, the police arrived and took statements from Tim and the driver who had phoned them. Shortly after, an ambulance arrived, as well as a breakdown truck, although Tim was more concerned about Lucia’s head injury than the van at that moment. He noted the name of the garage to which the van was being taken, and hoped the insurance company would fork out for the repairs. Then he went in the ambulance with Lucia to the nearest hospital, where they did various tests before deciding to do an X-ray as an added precaution. It showed no fracture or bleeding, and she was given the all-clear to go home. Tim was given a check-over and prescribed tranquillizers because his nerves were in a state. He rang Marty from the hospital and his brother volunteered to come and pick them up.
Marty arrived just after a policeman had informed Tim that the road hog had been caught. He had been spotted further along the A55 near Conway and been arrested for dangerous driving. Fortunately Tim and Lucia’s Good Samaritan had been able to supply the police with a description of the van and the driver’s licence-plate number. The driver did not have a driving licence on him and was keeping quiet about his name and address, but had a definite Scouse accent. This caused Tim to wonder if there could be more to the incident than appeared on the face of it. All Tim could do was to wait and see what the police came up with.
Despite the doctor’s reassurances that Lucia would be fine, Tim could not help worrying about her, and decided to stay with her once they arrived back at her house. She was willing, saying she would get comfort from him being under the same roof as her and she didn’t care what people thought. Marty did not hold back from saying what he thought of Tim’s plan to stay at Lucia’s house before he drove off home.
‘You’ll have all the tongues wagging,’ he said. ‘I know what that’s like, and Irene and I didn’t spend even one night alone together in the house before we were married.’
‘Lucia and I aren’t going to be alone,’ said Tim. ‘There’s the boys and Theresa.’
‘That won’t make any difference to the neighbours. Spend the night under the same roof without a grown-up to act as chaperone, and they’ll believe the pair of you have slept together.’
‘Well, time will prove them wrong. I’ve no intention of ruining Lucia’s reputation.’
‘Then think again about what you’re planning,’ Marty said.
‘No, I want to be on hand if she needs anything,’ said Tim, his mouth setting stubbornly.
Marty said mildly, ‘Well, that says something about how much you’ve changed.’
‘Yeah, I’m not as selfish as I used to be. And thanks, our kid, for everything,’ said Tim, waving his brother off.
He went indoors and found Lucia sitting on the sofa in front of the fire, Jerry and Joseph sitting either side of her and Theresa and Chris gazing down at her.
‘So tell us again what happened?’ asked Chris.
‘Don’t you be bothering Lucia,’ ordered Tim. ‘You can ask me any questions you want answers to – and, you boys, it’s time you were in bed.’
‘Am I sleeping here?’ asked Jerry.
‘Tonight you are,’ replied Tim. ‘And so am I.’
Theresa and Chris shot him a glance but neither commented.
Lucia stood up, as if intending to see the boys to bed. Tim immediately told her to sit down and rest. ‘You’ve had a bit of a day of it, so you’ve got to take it easy.’
She did not argue with him but sank on to the sofa and patted the seat next to her. ‘That goes for you too. You’ve had a day of it as well.’<
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Theresa said, ‘I suppose that means I’ve got to get the boys to bed.’
‘No, it doesn’t. We can put ourselves to bed,’ said Joseph. ‘Come on, Jerry. Up the apples and pears.’
‘What does up the apples and pears mean?’ asked Theresa.
‘It’s Cockney rhyming slang,’ said Jerry. ‘I learnt some when I lived in London. They say that instead of saying up the stairs.’
Theresa looked confused. As well she might, thought Lucia. A few minutes later, she heard the boys chanting, ‘Up the apples and pears’, as they went up to bed.
‘Anyone for a cocoa?’ asked Theresa.
She received a resounding ‘yes’.
While they waited for their drinks, Chris sat the other side of Tim and asked him about the accident.
‘It was no accident,’ Tim answered, ‘but a deliberate attempt to run us off the road.’
‘But who would want to do that? Your old enemies are in prison, aren’t they?’
‘Perhaps not quite all.’ Tim ran a weary hand over his face. ‘But how he happened to be on the A55 at the same time as us mystifies me.’
‘The van has a name on the side,’ said Chris.
‘I’m going to have to change that,’ Tim muttered.
‘By the way, does this crazy person have a name?’
‘He wasn’t giving it to the police, but they’re going to get back to me tomorrow. I’ll let you know then if my suspicions are correct.’
Chris was on his way out of the front door when a car pulled up at the kerb. Nellie climbed out and hurried up the step. ‘Hold that door!’ she called. ‘Goodnight, Chris,’ she added, brushing past him.
Theresa stared at her aunt. ‘Who told you?’
‘Irene phoned a few minutes ago, so I came without even combing my hair.’
‘Or changing your slippers by the look of it,’ Theresa said, glancing at her aunt’s feet.
Nellie swore beneath her breath. ‘What does it matter? Where are they?’
‘On the sofa. There was no need for you to come, though. I’d made up my mind to sleep with our Lucia.’
‘That’s the spirit,’ said Nellie.
‘So you’ve had a wasted journey.’ Theresa slammed the door shut behind her aunt and shouted, ‘We’ve another visitor.’
‘Hang on,’ said Nellie, opening the front door and descending the steps hastily, only to lose a slipper. She called out, ‘Michel, don’t drive off. Come in a moment.’
Her husband got out of the car and came up the step, picking up her slipper on the way. ‘I knew we should have stayed home.’
‘Don’t be like that,’ Nellie said. ‘You’d like to see that Lucia and Tim are all right, wouldn’t you?’
‘It could have waited until morning. We’ve gone and left the kids in the house on their own. Tony’s away, remember.’
‘All right! We’ll only be here five minutes.’
‘They’ll guess why you’ve come.’
‘So what? Lottie and David trusted me to keep my eye on their children.’
‘Well, you took your eye off the ball with Michael,’ said Michelangelo.
‘I can’t be everywhere. Besides, Marjorie was her mother’s responsibility.’
Theresa smiled to herself, wishing her sister could hear this conversation. Although they both appreciated all that their aunt did for them, times had changed since their mother and aunt were young. This was the sixties and it was a much freer age. She could not wait to see Lucia and Tim’s faces when her aunt and uncle entered the kitchen.
As it was, Lucia and Tim concealed their feelings well and instead just showed surprised pleasure at their arrival.
Lucia said, ‘Who told you?’
‘Marty told Irene and she phoned me. I wanted to see for myself that you were all right, otherwise I wouldn’t have slept a wink.’
‘We’re fine,’ said Lucia. ‘Just a bit shaken.’
‘What about that plaster on your forehead?’ Nellie asked.
‘Nothing to worry about.’
‘I believe they caught the fellow who did it,’ Michelangelo said.
‘Yeah, but he still wasn’t giving his name or address last time I spoke with the police. Daft when you think about it. They’ve the number plate of the van and they’ll get his name and address from the government department where it’s registered.’
‘Unless the van was stolen,’ Nellie said.
‘Why should it have been?’ Lucia asked.
Nellie was conscious that her husband was slanting her a look that seemed to say now get yourself out of that. ‘Because, by the sound of it, he appeared to be in a helluva rush.’
‘Well, we’ll know soon,’ said Tim, who had been wondering if the police had thought of taking the driver’s fingerprints. If he was one of the gang, they would be in the police records. ‘I suggested to the Welsh police that they might like to get in touch with Inspector Sam Walker, as apparently the driver had a Scouse accent. He would recognize the name if they found a match for his fingerprints in the criminal files.’
‘Are you thinking it’s someone who knows you who could be responsible?’ asked Michelangelo.
‘It’s possible.’
‘Well, Tim, if he turns out to be connected with that gang you were involved with,’ said Nellie, ‘then I would like you to stay out of Lucia’s life. You’re not good for her.’
Lucia said, ‘I know you care for me, Aunt Nellie, and I appreciate all the help you give me, but it’s me who decides what is and what isn’t good for me.’
‘She’s right, Nellie,’ said Michelangelo. ‘Lucia isn’t a child. I’m sure Tim will do what’s best for her and Theresa and Joseph.’
‘You can trust me on that,’ Tim said.
‘I’m sure we can,’ said the older man. ‘I remember when you were warned not to have anything to do with me, Nellie, simply because I was Italian.’
‘Would that have been because of the war?’ Tim asked.
The other man nodded, adding to his wife, ‘Come on, Nellie, time we were home.’
She accepted his hand and rose from the sofa. ‘Goodnight. I’m sorry if my advice wasn’t welcome. I only want what’s best for you, Lucia.’
‘Enough said.’ Her husband pinched her arm. ‘There’s no need for you to have the last word.’
Theresa saw them out and then returned to the kitchen. ‘Now who’d have thought they would have turned up like that?’ she said. ‘What are you going to do, Lucia?’
‘About what?’ Lucia asked sharply.
‘Any favours you want from Aunt Nellie.’
‘You mean I’ll find it difficult asking a favour of her in the circumstances?’
‘Exactly!’
Later, after he had returned to his apartment, Tim received a phone call from Sam, who told him that the name of the driver who was guilty of dangerous driving had been traced in criminal records and was one of the gang who had it in for Tim. The news was enough for Tim to put into motion plans to move away from Lucia in the hope there was no risk of her being hurt again because of her involvement with him. He knew it was not going to be easy – either telling her that he was going away, or being parted from her.
It proved to be even more difficult and upsetting than he’d thought, as Lucia reminded him that he had told her that he loved her and they had even agreed that they would go to Llandudno for their honeymoon.
‘And now you’re telling me that you and Jerry are moving,’ she cried, folding her arms across her chest. ‘The lovely future I foresaw for us and the boys has evaporated into thin air. Is it that you’ve changed your mind about loving me?’
‘Of course not! I’ll never stop loving you.’
‘Then how can you possibly want to go away from me?’
‘I want you safe. I’ve caused you and yours enough pain. Your aunt Nellie was right. I have to get out of your life.’
‘I don’t care what she thinks. It’ll break my heart to see you go,’ said Lucia on a
sob.
‘Please don’t cry, love,’ said Tim, attempting to put his arms round her.
She ducked beneath his arms and stepped back. ‘Don’t touch me. You’ve relinquished that right. If you’re leaving me, go now. I hope you’ll be happy on your own. I don’t suppose you’ve given any thought as to how this will hurt Jerry and Joseph.’
He rubbed a hand across his eyes. ‘Of course I have. And I don’t see why they can’t carry on seeing each other. Jerry will have to change schools, but there’s no reason why they can’t meet up either here or Joseph can go to the kids’ matinee in Crosby. He can meet Jerry outside and I’ll pay for their tickets. And this doesn’t have to be goodbye forever. If there’s no more trouble we can meet up again – say around Christmas.’
Lucia’s heart lifted. ‘All right, we’ll see how things go.’
Tim forced a smile. ‘You do believe I love you, Lucia, and I’m only going away for that reason?’
‘I want to believe it,’ she said. ‘What about Isabella? Does she know you’re moving?’
‘No, I’ll write and tell her I don’t need to see her for a while and that I’ll get in touch when I’m ready for her to see the completed manuscript.’
‘That sounds sensible,’ Lucia said. ‘I’d much rather you didn’t see her.’ She took a deep breath. ‘So when are you leaving?’
Not wanting a long-drawn-out farewell, Tim said, ‘As soon as I’ve loaded my and Jerry’s few belongings in the van, we’ll be off to Crosby to have a butcher’s there for a likely place.’
‘Right,’ said Lucia. ‘I’ll go in and tidy the house. I’ll be returning to work in a fortnight and I not only want to be on top of the housework, but I want to have a few days out with the kids before the end of the summer holidays.’
‘I’ll say ta-ra for now then,’ Tim said.
‘TTFN to you as well.’ Lucia lifted a hand in farewell and ran into the house before she gave way to tears again.
During the aftermath of Tim and Jerry’s departure, Lucia felt as if life would never feel the same again. She felt worse than after James and Gabrielle had left. Now Joseph moped around, completely bereft without Jerry, whom he was accustomed to seeing every day.
At least their spirits lifted when the letters arrived with American stamps on them, which Joseph instantly purloined for his stamp album. There were also several photographs with James’s letter, showing Babs and Gabrielle at the top of the Empire State Building and one of James on his own and another of him with Babs’s two sons dressed in a baseball cap and shirt with a baseball bat beneath his arm.
