Mermaids Singing

by Dilly Court

  ‘You got a funny way of showing it.’

  ‘I’ll leave you to it then,’ Jem said, hoisting his ditty bag over his shoulder. ‘Nice to meet you again, George. Any friend of Kitty’s is a friend of mine.’ He started up the staircase, holding Charlie by the hand, and grinning up at Violet, Leonie and Harry, who were peering at him through the banisters.

  ‘You see, George,’ Kitty said, with an apologetic smile. ‘Jem’s more like a brother to me, so naturally I’m pleased to see him.’

  The carter cleared his throat and shuffled his booted feet. ‘Er – Miss?’

  Turning to the carter, Kitty started towards the sewing room. ‘If you’d come this way, please.’

  ‘I suppose I’d better go then?’ George said, in a sulky voice.

  ‘Just hang about a bit, George, I’ll be with you in a tick,’ Kitty said, opening the door to the sewing room and ushering the carter inside. ‘Most of the boxes are in here and there are a couple of tea chests on the top floor.’

  ‘Righty-ho, Miss.’

  ‘Stay and have a cup of tea,’ Kitty said, turning to George, but he had gone. ‘Bother,’ she said. ‘Oh, bother!’

  ‘What’s up?’ demanded Jem from the staircase.

  ‘I was a bit hard on him,’ Kitty said, frowning. ‘He’s a good sort and I’m fond of him, but George gets too serious.’

  ‘I’ll put him right for you, Kitty. Just say the word.’

  ‘Just say the word, Kitty,’ called Frankie, grinning at her through the banisters. ‘I’d like to see Jem take on old ginger George.’

  ‘You watch your tongue, young man,’ Kitty said, trying not to laugh.

  Behind her, the carter gave a polite cough. ‘Excuse me, Miss.’

  His arms were full of boxes and Kitty stepped aside to let him pass.

  Jem bounded down the last few steps. ‘Here, mate, let’s give you a hand and we’ll get it done in half the time.’ He beckoned to Frankie and Billy. ‘Come on, lads, make yourselves useful.’

  The carter having filled his wagon and departed, Kitty settled down to make a plate of sandwiches for Jem and the children. While they were all munching, she told Jem everything that had happened during his absence. But once the food was eaten, it was impossible to have a sensible conversation. The children were bubbling over with excitement about the move and Frankie and Billy bombarded Jem with questions about his voyages. In the end, Jem solved the problem by taking them for a walk in the park with the promise of ice creams all round if they behaved themselves.

  ‘We’ll have plenty of time to chin-wag when they’re in bed,’ he said, winking at Kitty. ‘Right then, troops. Line up, two by two, holding hands and don’t break ranks. All except you, young Harry, you get the special sailor’s hoist.’ Hefting four-year-old Harry onto his shoulders, Jem opened the front door. ‘Quick march.’

  ‘Good Gawd, what’s happened?’ Maria exclaimed, yanking the long hatpin from her straw hat. ‘Have you locked them dratted nippers in the cellar?’

  Kitty raised her eyes from the afternoon gown that she had been finishing off. ‘Jem took them to Hyde Park.’

  Maria curled her lip. ‘So the sailor boy has turned up again, has he? Nice of him to let us know he was coming home.’

  ‘He could hardly send us a telegram from the ship,’ Kitty said, folding the soft silk and setting it carefully aside. ‘And Betty will have a lovely surprise when she comes back from Mableton Manor.’

  Maria threw her hat and gloves onto the hall table. ‘I dunno, we get rid of the kids and then we have a man to feed. I’m fed up with it all.’

  Kitty recoiled, upset. ‘That’s not fair, Maria. I didn’t hear you complaining about the crush in Betty’s house. You were glad enough of a roof over your head then.’

  ‘That was then. Humpty Dumpty has made Bella an offer that she’d be mad to refuse and she won’t even consider it now she knows that bloody, toffee-nosed Captain Edward is coming home. Selfish cow! We could have had our own house in Hampstead or Swiss Cottage with a couple of servants and no snotty kids messing up the place and leading Leonie astray.’ Maria stomped off in the direction of the back stairs.

  Incensed, Kitty followed her to the bottom of the staircase. ‘Our kids are good kids and they’re not snotty. Leonie loves them and they love her.’

  ‘Leonie was born to be a lady. I don’t want her brought up with a lot of street urchins.’

  ‘Don’t you dare call our kids street urchins.’

  ‘I’m not going to argue about it,’ Maria said, mounting the stairs. ‘I’m going for a lie-down before we have to go back to the theatre.’

  Kitty bit her lip; there was no talking to Maria when she was in one of her moods. She went back to the salon and slammed the door, leaning against it with her arms folded across her chest until the angry pumping of her heart calmed to normal. Maria was just a selfish old woman who didn’t know the meaning of love and loyalty. How dare she say things about Maggie’s kids?

  Shaking her head, Kitty went to pick up her sewing and sat down by the window, where she had a good view of the street. She kept looking up from her work, keeping an eye open for Jem and the children, but it was Humphrey Chester’s motor car that arrived first. Kitty watched as the chauffeur leapt out and opened the door for Bella. Brushing his offer of help aside, Bella sprang from the vehicle and ran up the steps. Jumping to her feet, Kitty hurried to open the front door.

  One look at Bella’s face told her that something was wrong.

  ‘Bella? What is it?’

  Bella pushed past Kitty, throwing her weight against the door, but with one push Humphrey sent her skittering across the tiled floor as he barged his way into the hall.

  ‘Bella. You’re behaving like a hysterical schoolgirl.’

  Bella turned on him, her eyes flashing and two bright spots of colour staining her cheeks. ‘Hasn’t any woman ever said no to you before, Humphrey?’

  Humphrey’s expression changed subtly and he raised an eyebrow. ‘Quite often, my dear, but they didn’t mean it.’

  ‘Well, I do,’ Bella said, stamping her foot. ‘And you should treat me with more respect. I’ve made a fortune for you in the past year.’

  ‘Undoubtedly, but without me you’d still be living in that rat-infested slum.’

  ‘I sang for the Prince and Princess of Wales when they attended one of the free dinners that the King gave for the poor to celebrate his accession,’ Bella said, her voice breaking with emotion. ‘I’d have sung to the King himself if he hadn’t been confined to his bed after having his appendix out. If he hadn’t been ill, I’m sure he’d have clapped my performance just as enthusiastically as everyone else did. They all loved me, Humphrey. They loved me.’

  ‘So I made you a star!’ Humphrey said, showing his teeth in a wolfish smile. ‘I made you and I can break you too, my pet.’

  ‘And I’ve made you even richer than you were before. I’ve turned down offers from other theatre managers, but I chose to stay with you. You can’t bully me into becoming your mistress, Humphrey. I have my daughter to think about.’

  Humphrey struck his silver-headed cane against his gloved hand. ‘For God’s sake, Bella! You know I can’t marry you but I can offer you my protection.’

  ‘And I’m supposed to be grateful for that?’

  ‘With your reputation, my love, I think you ought to be grateful for any offer.’

  Bella leapt forward, slapping him hard across the cheek. ‘No man speaks to me like that. If Edward was here you wouldn’t dare say such things to me.’

  ‘This has gone far enough,’ Kitty said, unable to keep quiet a moment longer. ‘You can’t talk to Bella like that.’

  Holding his hand to his cheek, Humphrey shook his cane in Bella’s face. ‘Do you really believe that Edward Mableton would have anything to do with you now? You poor stupid bitch, he’d never marry you. No respectable man will ever touch you.’

  Kitty made a move towards Humphrey but Bella, now icy calm, held her
back. ‘I’m asking you to leave, Humphrey. Please go.’

  ‘You are used goods, my dear Bella. Beautiful and talented but tarnished. Without me you are nothing.’

  ‘That’s not true!’ Bella’s voice shook, but she drew herself up to her full height.

  ‘And you owe me money,’ Humphrey said, his eyes narrowing so that they almost disappeared in the fleshy folds of his cheeks. ‘Don’t forget we made a bargain, Bella. You haven’t repaid my capital and I’m not prepared to wait any longer.’

  ‘You’ll get your money, you dreadful man,’ Kitty said, placing herself squarely in front of Bella. ‘We’ll pay you back every last farthing.’

  ‘You don’t care about me.’ Bella’s voice cracked with suppressed passion. ‘If you cared about me at all you wouldn’t hold me to that foolish bargain.’

  ‘I care enough to offer you a good home, comfort and security. What more do you want, woman?’

  ‘I want love,’ Bella cried, clasping her hands to her bosom. ‘You don’t know the meaning of the word.’

  ‘Romantic rubbish. Your pretty little head is stuffed with dreams and cotton wool, but it’s your body I want, my pet, not your brain.’ With a half-turn towards the door, Humphrey hesitated, glaring at Bella. ‘If I leave here alone your career in my theatre is finished.’

  ‘You can’t do that. I have a contract for the new show.’

  ‘And I can cancel it just like that,’ Humphrey said, snapping his fingers. ‘There wouldn’t be a theatre manager in the whole of London who would take you on. You’d end up singing on street corners, my pet, or running back to that scoundrel Rackham.’

  ‘At least Giles was always honest with me.’

  Humphrey threw back his head and let out a shout of laughter. ‘Honest? Rackham? He used you just as the honourable Captain Mableton used you. Face up to it, my dear. You are a high-class whore.’

  ‘You bastard.’ Kitty flew at Humphrey, catching him off guard so that he stumbled and fell against the door. ‘You are a disgusting, evil man. Get out of here.’ Knocking his straw boater off his head, Kitty stamped on it.

  For a moment she thought he was going to strike her, but Humphrey righted himself and, picking up the ruined hat, he opened the front door. ‘I expect that sort of behaviour from a common little slut like you. Two sluts together – you should deal famously. I suggest you turn this establishment into a bordello. It’s the only way either of you will make a living now.’

  But before the last words left his mouth, Humphrey was hoisted off his feet and thrown bodily down the steps. Jem stood in the doorway, slapping his hands one against the other as if brushing off dirt. ‘I don’t know who you are, but you could do with a few lessons in good manners, mate.’

  Kitty peered over Jem’s shoulder to see Humphrey sprawling on the pavement with his chauffeur trying to help him to his feet.

  ‘I’ll have you in court for assault, you hooligan,’ Humphrey shouted, shaking his fist at Jem.

  ‘You do that,’ Jem said, hitching his thumbs in his belt. ‘The newspapermen would enjoy telling the public about a rich bloke who bullies helpless women.’

  ‘I’d enjoy it too,’ Kitty said, linking her arm through Jem’s.

  Brushing off his chauffeur’s helping hands, Humphrey picked up his crushed boater, his face dark with rage. ‘You’d better watch out for yourself, son. I haven’t finished with you. And as for you, Madam,’ he added glaring at Bella, ‘your career is over.’

  He climbed stiffly into his car and they watched it glide away.

  ‘Where are the children?’ Kitty said, panicking. ‘You never left them all alone in the park, Jem?’

  ‘I saw the motor car outside the house and I took ’em in the back way. They’re all safe and sound eating their ice creams in the kitchen.’ Shooing them inside, Jem closed the front door. ‘Now, are you ladies going to tell me what the devil has been going on?’

  Sitting around the kitchen table for the second time that day, drinking tea laced with generous quantities of sugar, Kitty told Jem everything, while Bella sat pale-faced and silent. Outside the children played noisily in the back yard.

  Jem listened without comment until Kitty had finished. He was quiet for a moment, considering, then he turned to Bella. ‘I think you did right refusing him, but can he really stop you getting work?’

  Bella’s hand shook and the teacup rattled as she put it back on its saucer. ‘I thought he was my friend.’

  ‘Leave her alone, Jem,’ Kitty said, jumping up and flinging her arms around Bella. ‘Can’t you see she’s had enough for one day?’

  ‘Someone has to be practical. Can you keep this house going with what you earn from your dressmaking?’

  ‘I can try.’

  ‘I really wish that Giles was here,’ Bella said. ‘He can always see a way out of any situation.’

  ‘He’d tell you to fight back.’ Getting up from the table, Kitty went to the oak dresser, picked up the bundle of postcards and flung it on the table in front of Bella.

  ‘What’s that got to do with anything?’ Jem asked, frowning.

  ‘Mr Rackham has been sending Bella a postcard every week from wherever he travels in France and Italy.’

  ‘Every casino and every racecourse,’ Bella said, smiling as she untied the ribbon and spreading the cards out on the table. ‘Giles is a hopeless gambler and he’ll never change, but at least he hasn’t completely forgotten me.’

  Jem stared at her, running his fingers through his hair. ‘Giles Rackham? But I thought you were in love with this Captain Edward, chap?’

  ‘I am, of course I am,’ Bella said, shuffling the postcards into a deck as if she were about to deal a hand. ‘And he should be home any day now. After all, Lord Kitchener returned in triumph only last week.’

  ‘He did, Jem. It’s a pity you missed all the excitement,’ Kitty added, momentarily forgetting their troubles and smiling at the memory. ‘You should have been here to see the celebrations and the people lining the streets to cheer him on. Me and the children went to watch and wave our Union Jacks and join in the shouting. What with that, and the Coronation coming up next month, I’ve never seen London so festive.’

  ‘Even so,’ Bella said, her eyes lighting up, ‘it can’t be long before Edward comes home. That’s why I wanted Leonie to be at Mableton Manor, for I’m certain he meant us to live there. At least now I’m free to go and wait for him.’

  A cold hand of anxiety clutched at Kitty’s stomach. ‘Bella, he’s been gone a long time.’ She wanted to say that Captain Edward’s actions were hardly those of a man deeply in love, but it would be cruel to dash poor Bella’s hopes when she had been through so much.

  ‘But everything has changed now,’ Bella said, jumping to her feet. ‘I’m going round to Dover Street this minute and make Iris tell me exactly when he is due home.’

  Despite Kitty and Jem’s combined efforts to make her change her mind, Bella refused to listen and only reluctantly allowed Kitty to accompany her to Dover Street. Waiting outside the front door and listening to approaching footsteps echoing around the vast entrance hall, Kitty felt a strange sense of foreboding. Warner opened the door and a momentary flicker of astonishment crossed his set features.

  Bella sailed past him, dragging Kitty by the hand. ‘Good afternoon, Warner. Is Miss Mableton at home?’

  Seeing George standing to attention in the background, Kitty smiled at him, but he looked away. Kitty suppressed a sigh. She was fond of George and she had enjoyed his company; they had been friends for a long time, but he had wanted more than she could give. A pang of guilt shafted through her heart; she had not deliberately led him on, but his hurt expression made her feel terrible. She would have to make things right with him.

  ‘I’ll see if Miss Mableton is receiving visitors, my lady,’ Warner said, looking down his nose.

  ‘I’ll ask her myself.’ Without waiting for his reply, Bella made for the drawing room, followed by Kitty.

  ‘Please
, my lady.’ Warner came hurrying after them, an anxious note creeping into his voice. ‘Allow me to speak to the mistress first.’

  But Bella had already flung the double doors open and marched into the room. If Kitty had not been so anxious, she might have laughed at the comical expression of horror on Iris’s face as she leapt up from the sofa, scattering fashion magazines onto the Persian carpet.

  ‘What is the meaning of this?’ Iris cried. ‘Warner, how dare you allow this person into my house?’

  ‘Don’t blame Warner,’ Bella said, ice cold. ‘And it isn’t your house, Iris. It belongs to Edward.’

  ‘Get out of here.’ Iris’s voice rose to a screech. ‘Leave immediately or I’ll have Warner call for a constable.’

  Glancing over her shoulder, Kitty could see George peering into the room, with Dora and Olive hovering behind him. She went to the door, closing it and shutting them out.

  ‘Sit down, Iris and stop being melodramatic,’ Bella said, maintaining her calm. ‘I only want a moment of your time, and then I’ll leave, and I’ll never set foot in this accursed house again.’

  Iris sat down suddenly, her flat chest heaving above her tightly laced corsets. ‘What do you want?’

  ‘I want to know when Edward is expected home. Just that and then I’ll go.’

  Warner gave a small cough and made a move towards the door. ‘Shall I go for the constable, Miss Mableton?’

  Kitty leaned against the door folding her arms. He would have to lift her bodily out of the way if he wanted to call for help. But strangely, a slow smile had spread across Iris’s face and she began to laugh.

  ‘You poor, stupid bitch. I heard that Rackham had deserted you again.’

  Kitty wasn’t going to stand for that. ‘He had to leave the country because of you, Miss Iris.’

  ‘Just answer my question, Iris.’ Bella’s voice shook but she did not move a muscle.

  Iris’s smile widened and her eyes flashed with malicious pleasure. ‘All right, I’ll tell you. Edward will be arriving home next Tuesday and bringing with him his new wife. A beautiful and virtuous young lady, by all accounts, and extremely wealthy too. I believe they are idyllically happy together – why, Bella, aren’t you feeling quite well?’