Love or Duty--A saga set in 1920s Liverpool

by Rosie Harris

  ‘Anyway, Kelly must stay here in hospital overnight for observation,’ Bryn interrupted. ‘We will see how she is tomorrow and then decide what action we must take.’

  ‘Would you like one of us to get in touch in the morning and let you know what is happening?’ Penny asked.

  ‘Yes, yes; you must do that,’ Ferdinand Bilkie stated forcefully. ‘Meanwhile I shall give the matter some serious thought.

  ‘Dr Cash, promise me that you will not report what has happened to the police; not before consulting with me first?’ he requested as he moved towards the door.

  Penny tensed as they waited for Bryn’s answer. She hated the thought of Kelly having to go back to St Saviour’s knowing she would be punished for absconding. Yet, at the same time she wondered if it would be an equally fraught future for Kelly if she remained with the circus people and they took her to Spain with them.

  She sensed that Bryn was also concerned about Kelly’s future but, when he finally replied, he was noncommittal.

  ‘I will contact you in the morning, Mr Bilkie and let you know how Kelly is and what I propose to do,’ Bryn said dismissively as Ferdinand opened the door to leave.

  There was a long uneasy silence between Penny and Bryn after Ferdinand Bilkie left the consulting room.

  Finally, Bryn stopped shuffling the papers on his desk and looked up. Penny saw how exhausted he looked and on impulse suggested that they went for a meal.

  Bryn nodded. ‘I think it’s what we both need. Once we are clear of this place then perhaps we can think more clearly about what is the right thing to do.’

  ‘Can I go along and see Kelly before we leave?’

  ‘There’s not much point in doing that. She’s been sedated and I don’t imagine she will be awake until morning,’ Bryn told her as he walked towards the door and waited for her to follow.

  Twenty-Five

  Penny and Bryn barely spoke, apart from discussing the menu, as they ate their meal. Both of them were immersed in their own thoughts about what had happened that day.

  Before they left the restaurant an hour later they’d agreed that perhaps it would be better if they delayed discussing what to do about Kelly’s future until the next morning.

  ‘Let’s sleep on it, shall we,’ Bryn suggested as they reached his flat and he took her into his arms and kissed her goodnight outside her bedroom. ‘It may all look better in the morning.’

  In that he was very wrong.

  Penny tossed and turned most of the night unable to put Kelly and what she had witnessed at the circus out of her mind. Whatever happened now, no matter how much it might anger her father, or even what Bryn might advise was right, she was quite determined to protect Kelly. She would also endeavour to give her a better life.

  By the time the first morning light crept round the edges of the curtains she had everything planned out in her mind. She knew what she was going to say as well as what she intended to do.

  When she joined Bryn in the kitchen for breakfast she told him of her plans to disappear from Liverpool and take Kelly with her as soon as she came out of hospital.

  ‘I thought if I changed my name and Kelly’s so that no one knew who we were and then moved to North Wales you would be able to recommend somewhere where we could stay. I also thought that since your family are living in that area then when you visited them you could check that Kelly was all right.’

  ‘It all sounds quite feasible but will you be able to find a teaching job there?’ he questioned as he poured her out a cup of coffee and handed her a slice of toast.

  ‘They have schools there don’t they?’ she asked in a teasing voice.

  ‘Yes, but the children all speak Welsh; you don’t do you?’

  Penny shook her head, her face registering her dismay. ‘I never thought about that,’ she admitted.

  ‘Even if you do find a school that accepts you as a teacher there’s also the question of a reference.’

  Penny sighed. ‘Never mind, I suppose I will have to find some other kind of work.’

  ‘You will have to wait until Kelly is well enough to leave hospital and by then after all the newspaper headlines about Kelly’s accident at the circus the police will doubtless have tracked her down.’

  ‘I thought you said that she was only staying in hospital overnight as a precaution so that they could make sure there were no after-effects from her accident.’ Penny frowned.

  ‘That was the initial idea but we will have to wait and see what the report on her is today.’

  ‘Then in that case let’s get cleared up here and I can come to the hospital with you and find out,’ Penny urged picking up her cup and plate and taking them over to the sink where she began to fill a bowl with hot water.

  ‘Not so fast! The paediatrician won’t be making his rounds until mid-morning so nothing will be decided until after that. I’ll come back for you when I hear his verdict.’

  The waiting seemed to be endless to Penny. She tidied the flat and then prepared lunch for them both all ready to serve the moment Bryn came in at midday. When he did, he told her the news was good, Kelly had not suffered any lasting ill effects from her accident.

  ‘The police haven’t come looking for her either?’

  ‘Not yet, but we really must tell them, Penny. I know you are anxious to make a better life for Kelly but I’m sure you must realize how impossible your plan to run away with her really is and that I simply cannot condone it.’

  ‘Very well, but let me take her to North Wales first, even if it is only for a few days’ holiday. I want to have some time on my own with her so that I can explain why she will have to go back to St Saviour’s for a little while but after that she will be able to live with me for as long as she wants to do so.’

  It was barely two o’clock when they reached the hospital. ‘I didn’t expect to see you back here again today, Dr Cash,’ the ward sister said as she came forward to meet them. ‘I trust everything went smoothly,’ she said with a smile.

  ‘Everything went smoothly?’ Bryn repeated in a puzzled voice. ‘What do you mean, sister?’ he asked looking at her questioningly.

  ‘With little Kelly.’

  ‘I’m afraid I don’t understand. We’ve come to collect her; since I understand that she is well enough for us to take her home.’

  It was the sister’s turn to look bemused. ‘She has already gone, Dr Cash. She was collected shortly before eleven o’clock by a young woman who said she had been sent by you.’

  Bryn and Penny exchanged bewildered glances. ‘Surely not the police,’ Penny murmured, clutching tightly to Bryn’s arm.

  Bryn frowned. ‘Can you explain what has happened, sister? The arrangement was that Kelly should stay here overnight for observation and that she would be checked over by the paediatrician this morning. If there were no complications then Miss Forshaw would be allowed to take her home.’

  ‘There were no complications and she was ready for discharge from here so when this young lady said she had been sent by you to collect Kelly we let her go.’

  ‘You have her signature?’

  The sister shook her head. ‘We didn’t ask for one. I … I thought that it was you,’ she said looking at Penny. ‘She was the same height and build and about the same age. She had fair hair and was wearing a very smart navy-blue suit and a white blouse under it.’

  ‘Didn’t Kelly seemed surprised; didn’t she tell you she didn’t know this woman?’ Bryn asked.

  ‘Well, she did protest at first but the young lady said she was taking her to Spain and that seemed to make Kelly quite happy.’

  ‘Marcia Miller,’ Penny said quietly.

  ‘Who on earth is Marcia Miller?’ Bryn asked looking even more puzzled. ‘What on earth was a stranger doing collecting Kelly?’

  ‘I’ll explain later,’ Penny said her mouth tightening.

  ‘You think someone from the circus has collected her and taken her back to New Brighton?’ Bryn persisted.

  ‘Oh n
o! It’s much more sinister than that,’ Penny said, tight-lipped.

  ‘What on earth do you mean?’

  ‘I’ll tell you later. I think we should be going,’ she added quickly, pulling on Bryn’s arm so firmly that he hastily thanked the sister and followed Penny from the ward.

  ‘What was all that about?’ he demanded once they were outside the ward.

  ‘Come on, Bryn, we must get to the docks right away if we want to rescue Kelly.’

  ‘Rescue her? What are you talking about; I don’t understand.’

  ‘You will,’ Penny said grimly.

  ‘Do you mean that this woman is someone from the circus; someone Bilkie has sent?’

  ‘No!’ Penny shook her head emphatically. ‘I’m pretty sure she’s not from the circus. I think from the description the sister gave us that the woman was Marcia Miller, who is Arnold’s secretary. I think she’s collected Kelly under instructions from Arnold; who in turn has been put up to this scheme by my father.’

  ‘Penny, none of this makes any sense to me,’ Bryn protested as she raised a hand to hail a passing taxi and hurried towards it.

  ‘I’ll tell you on the way,’ she promised as he opened the door and she scrambled inside.

  ‘So where are we going?’ the cab driver asked, half turning in his seat and looking at Bryn.

  ‘Watson’s Dock,’ Penny told him crisply. ‘Hurry please, it’s urgent.’

  ‘Now do I get an explanation?’ Bryn asked, as they settled back in their seats and the cab took off in the direction of the Pier Head.

  ‘Arnold’s company have boats that travel regularly to Spain and I think he is going to put Kelly on one of them to get her out of the way.’

  ‘What makes you think that? How could Arnold know, or for that matter care, about Kelly.’

  ‘After what happened at the circus they probably read about it all in the newspaper.’

  Bryn frowned. ‘I don’t understand. I know it said that the circus people were going to take her with them when they went back to their winter quarters in Spain at the end of the season, but why would Arnold want to take her over there now all on her own.’

  ‘Do you know very much about Spain?’ Penny questioned.

  ‘I know it’s warm and sunny with some lovely beaches.’

  ‘Ships from the Watson company visit all the main ports there and many of their crew come from Spain,’ Penny went on, ignoring what Bryn had said. ‘My father took me over to Almeria and showed me the hill villages just outside where most of the crew come from. Many of their homes were caves dug into the sides of the mountain. The poverty and slums in that part of Spain are far worse than what we have here around the Scotland Road area.’

  ‘And you think that is where they are going to take Kelly? To leave her with one of the families over there.’

  ‘Either that or turn her loose and leave her to fend for herself.’

  ‘They couldn’t do that; it would be criminal!’ Bryn exclaimed in a shocked voice.

  ‘Who would know? They have only to say she ran away when they docked. I remember Arnold once saying that they often get stowaways on board and when they reach Almeria they disappear up into the hills.’

  ‘Surely not children as young as Kelly,’ Bryn stated.

  ‘No, that’s true. They’re usually boys of thirteen or fourteen,’ Penny admitted.

  Bryn shook his head contemplatively. ‘You know, Penny, we should have informed the police the moment we knew where Kelly was and then none of this would have happened.’

  ‘No; she’d have been put straight back into St Saviour’s Remand Home.’

  ‘At least she would have been safe in there and if we’d gone through the right channels she may well have been released and back in your care again by now.’

  Bryn told the cabbie to wait when they reached Watson’s Dock. A cargo ship bearing the Watson insignia was lying at anchor and gangs of stevedores were busy loading it.

  Penny and Bryn hurried towards it. As they made their way up the gangplank a burly seaman shouted at them to stop but they ignored him.

  The commotion that resulted brought a uniformed man on to the deck and he barred their way.

  ‘We wish to speak to Arnold Watson; we understand he is on board,’ Penny stated.

  The man hesitated. ‘He is with Captain Parker and they cannot be disturbed because we are about to sail …’

  ‘I know and we must see him immediately before you leave.’

  ‘I’m afraid that is impossible, miss. The captain has issued an order that they are not to be disturbed.’

  As they made to push past him the officer grabbed hold of Bryn’s arm but Penny managed to slip by. She had been on the ship before and knew exactly where the captain’s quarters were and headed straight for them.

  Arnold and Captain Parker were deep in conversation but they broke off abruptly when she burst into the cabin without knocking.

  ‘Why did you take Kelly away from the hospital this morning?’ she demanded hotly looking directly at Arnold.

  ‘Well, hello Penny, this is an unexpected pleasure, I had no idea you were on board’ Arnold said coolly.

  ‘What are you planning to do with her?’ she went on, ignoring his sarcastic greeting.

  ‘I’m arranging for Captain Parker to take her to Spain. As I understood it this was where she was going anyway,’ he announced pedantically.

  ‘And once he reaches Almeria I suppose you have told him to abandon her!’

  ‘No! As a matter of fact one of the crew has volunteered to give her a home. I am finalizing the necessary arrangements right now with Captain Parker.’

  ‘How dare you! You have no right to do this,’ Penny exploded.

  ‘Saint Penny to the rescue once again,’ he mocked. ‘So what are you intending to do this time. Are you going to go to Almeria with her and live in a cave?’

  ‘If I have to; if it is the only way of protecting Kelly,’ Penny told him, squaring her shoulders and facing him boldly.

  He stood up and came over to her and put a hand under her chin, tilting her face up. ‘Isn’t it time you grew up and stopped trying to be a do-gooder?’ he sneered, his grey eyes boring into hers.

  ‘Take your hands off me,’ she railed, using both her own hands against his chest to push him away. ‘Everything is over between us.’

  His eyes hardened. ‘Your father has begged me to forgive and forget,’ he said softly.

  ‘You might be prepared to do that but I never will,’ Penny told him contemptuously.

  ‘Not even for the good of your family? Not even for your father’s sake? Perhaps you didn’t know,’ he went on, ‘his future depends on it.’

  ‘What do you mean?’ Penny’s heart thudded and for a moment her attention was distracted from Kelly’s welfare.

  Arnold lowered his voice. ‘He’s in trouble, Penny, extremely serious financial trouble, but you have the power to save him from disgrace.’

  Penny raised her brows. ‘I have no idea what you are talking about.’

  ‘No, he hasn’t told you has he. How do you think he has managed to provide such a beautiful home, run a very expensive motor car, pay for you to attend a private school, buy you your own motor car and to be a member of so many exclusive clubs?’

  ‘You know quite well that my father has always run a very successful business and that he has always had a good income,’ she said, her voice full of pride.

  Arnold puffed out his cheeks. ‘Yes,’ he said softly, ‘that is where the problem lies.’

  ‘I don’t understand what you are inferring.’

  ‘It’s come to light that your father has been embezzling money from the company for a good many years.’

  ‘What absolute rubbish! What grounds have you for saying such a thing,’ she asked, flustered.

  ‘When he ran into financial trouble my father and I took some shares in his company to help him out. Now he says he is unable to pay any dividend, so as shareholders we have to t
ake a decision about what to do next. The obvious answer is to prosecute and take him to court. Can you imagine the headlines? “Respected magistrate sued for swindling his own company”.’

  The colour drained from Penny’s face. ‘Your father wouldn’t do that, surely. You must intervene, Arnold. If you are also a shareholder then surely you have a say in how the matter is handled.’

  ‘Oh, I do,’ he agreed. ‘What’s more, my father will listen to my advice.’

  ‘Then for heaven’s sake give my father a chance to explain how it has happened and time to repay you. I am sure there must be some way he can do so.’

  Arnold shrugged. ‘I need some inducement. He is the one in trouble not me.’

  Penny felt the colour creep into her face. ‘You mean …’ She hesitated not knowing how to put it into words.

  ‘I mean that I need to have our wedding plans restored. Once you have fixed a date then his debt to us will be wiped out completely.’

  ‘And what about Kelly?’

  ‘Kelly?’ He stared at her for a moment as if he didn’t know what she was talking about. ‘Oh, you mean the slum kid.’ He laughed sneeringly. ‘Agree to my terms and you can take her with you; you’ll find her in that cabin opposite.’

  Twenty-Six

  As she pushed open the door of the cabin Arnold had indicated Penny’s heart sank as she saw Kelly huddled up on the bunk. She was white-faced and it was obvious from her red eyes that she had been crying. Her face lit up when she saw Penny and she spread her arms in greeting.

  ‘You’re here at last, that other woman said you wouldn’t come,’ she sobbed as Penny hugged her close.

  Penny looked across at Arnold who was now standing in the doorway observing what was going on with a cynical expression on his handsome face.

  ‘She’s all yours for the moment so take her with you,’ he ordered. ‘Don’t forget about what I’ve asked you to do,’ he added cryptically.

  Penny looked at him with loathing in her eyes. ‘And if I don’t obey your orders?’

  ‘Then remember that your father and the kid will both suffer.’