They walked on round the stables to the front of the house, Ester pointing over towards the swimming pool. ‘There’s an orchard, vegetable patch. You could grow your own veg, be self-sufficient. It’s a dream place for kids, Dolly.’
Dolly sighed. ‘I dunno, Ester, it’s an awfully big house.’
‘All the better. And we can all give you a hand, stay on and work it up for you, get the place shipshape. Hell, none of us have got anythin’ better going for us. We’d be your helpers, it’s a brilliant idea.’
The women watched from the slit in the curtains. Kathleen turned away. ‘Home for battered wives! She’s out of her mind. I’ve been one most of me life and I’m not about to start livin’ with a bunch of them. She’s got a screw loose.’
Gloria kicked at the dying embers of the fire. ‘Well, I’m pissed off. I think this was all Ester was after from the start. She wanted us to break our backs cleaning the fuckin’ place up so she can flog it to Dolly. That’s what she got us here for – she’s used the lot of us to sell this bleedin’ place.’
Julia poured another brandy and swirled it in her glass. ‘No, she hasn’t, she’s being clever.’
‘You can say that again. We all done it up and she’s the only one that’s gonna make any dough out of it.’
Connie joined in. ‘I didn’t even know she was selling this place, she never told me. I mean, is this why she’s got us here?’
‘You really are dumb, all of you, aren’t you?’ Julia shook her head. ‘You heard Dolly say she’s got two hundred grand. Well, this place will swallow that right away so where’s she going to get the money to get this place up and running as a kids’ home?’ She drained her glass. ‘She’ll have to go for those diamonds. Ester knows it. Can’t you see what she’s doing? She’s creaming her, you stupid cows.’
Gloria frowned. ‘So when she’s laid out the cash for this dump, you think she’s going to go for those diamonds?’
‘What do you think she’ll go for?’
They looked at each other and then Kathleen yawned. Well, in that case I’m staying on.’
They all agreed to stay on and wait – wait for Dolly to go for the diamonds.
Ester showed Dolly all the estate agents’, valuers’ and solicitors’ letters, all the old surveys of the manor house. It had been on the market for over two hundred and fifty thousand. She offered it to Dolly for two hundred.
‘That wipes me out, Ester.’
Ester felt her belly tighten: she’d guessed right. It tickled her that she could always suss out people’s cash-flow. It came with dealing for the girls, pushing the punters to the limit. She gave a wide smile. ‘But you’ll get big grants for the kids.’
Dolly looked over the documents again. ‘I dunno, Ester. What if the others won’t stay on? I can’t run this place on my own.’
‘All the better. And listen, none of them have got a place to go. They’ll stay on, believe you me. And then we got Julia, she’s a doctor, you got a strong group behind you.’
Dolly was still unsure.
‘Look don’t do anything right away, think about it, take your time. If you’re not interested, fine, I’ll sell it to someone else. No skin off my back, think about it …’
Dolly suddenly took out her cheque book. ‘You’re on. Here, I’ll give you a cheque right now.’
‘Now don’t do anything you’re going to be sorry for. Maybe you should sleep on it. I don’t want you thinking I bamboozled you into this. It’s your choice. The only thing that might be a problem is the other offer that I got but it can wait at least until tomorrow.’
Dolly wrote out the cheque there and then, still heady from the wine. She insisted Ester take it and she did, fast, and pocketed it.
‘You got a telephone here?’
‘Course. You called in, remember?’ smiled Ester.
Ester slipped out of the kitchen, leaving Dolly looking over the papers. The women had all gone up to bed, the fires were dead, the candles burnt out. She went upstairs, to her bedroom, closed the door silently and crept to the bed. She leaned over Julia and showed her the cheque. ‘I’ll put this in the bank first thing tomorrow before the old cow changes her mind.’
Julia took the cheque from Ester to look at it for herself.
‘Bet you any money she’ll go for those diamonds. She’s got to when she sees how much this place needs pouring into it. She’ll be desperate.’
Julia leaned back. ‘She might change her mind.’
Ester shook her head. ‘No, she won’t, because we’re going to work that woman over, every one of us. We make her believe we love this place, want the home to be up and running. We all egg her on and keep it going until she …’
‘Goes for the diamonds.’
Ester smiled. ‘Right, and then …’ She made a plucking motion with her fingers. We take them, and then, Julia, we’re free, we’re rich.’
Julia stared at the cheque for two hundred thousand pounds. ‘You could do okay on this.’
Ester sighed. ‘Yeah, but do you think I could cash it? I got debts that’d eat up more than two hundred grand.’
‘What if she doesn’t want to share with you, with any of us?’
‘Like I said, we take them. I don’t give a shit about the others, we’re using them as well. All I care about are those diamonds, two, three million quid’s worth, Julia, and I’m going to have them.’
‘I love you when you’re like this,’ Julia whispered.
‘Like what?’
‘Cruel. Come to bed.’
Ester gave a soft sexy laugh as she crawled towards Julia and then froze, slithered from the bed to listen at the door.
Dolly stood in the marbled hall, the phone in her hand. ‘Jimmy, is that you?’
Jimmy Donaldson was in his pyjamas, his hand shaking, as DI Palmer gestured for him to keep talking.
‘Yes, this is Jimmy Donaldson. Who’s this? You know what time it is?’
‘Oh, I’m sorry to ring so late. It’s Dolly, Dolly Rawlins.’
Palmer leaned forward, hardly able to contain himself. It was going down even faster than any one of them had thought. Mike Withey had been right. Dolly Rawlins was going for the diamonds. Again he gestured for Donaldson to keep talking.
‘I need to see you,’ Dolly said softly. Tomorrow. I’m out, Jimmy. Have you got my things for me?’
‘Yes, yes, I’ve got them.’
‘Well, what say we meet up tomorrow, about noon?’
Jimmy looked to Palmer. They still didn’t have the stones but he reckoned they would by the following day. He wrote on a notepad. Jimmy nodded. ‘Can you make it later – like late afternoon?’
‘They are safe, aren’t they, Jimmy?’
‘Yes, of course.’
‘Fine, I’ll call you tomorrow, then.’
Dolly hung up.
Donaldson looked at Palmer. ‘She’s gonna call me tomorrow. She hung up before I could say anythin’ different.’
Frowning, Palmer drummed his fingers on the telephone table. ‘We better find those diamonds, Jimmy. You sure they’re where you said they are?’
‘If they’re not some bastard’s nicked them.’
Palmer jerked his head for Donaldson to return to his bed. He checked the time and replayed the message. Dolly Rawlins had carefully not said the word diamonds but she certainly hadn’t wasted much time. She’d only been released that afternoon. She was out all right.
Chapter 4
Dolly woke with a start, unable for a moment to orientate herself, and it scared her. Her heart thudded, she started to pant, then to talk herself down. It was the sound of birds, ravens cawing from the woods, an alien sound, one she had not heard for a long, long time.
The curtain was drawn and the fast recall of the evening made her feel good until she looked out of her window. ‘Holy shit.’ Now she took in the derelict gardens, the dank, dark poolside. ‘Oh, my God, what have you got yourself into, gel?’
She was used to rising at six and sh
e listened at her door, could hear no sound of movement so she went out on to the landing. In the cold light of morning, she moved silently round the old manor, peeking into each unoccupied room, from the attic to the ground floor, her heart sinking at every level as the realization dawned of what she had let herself in for. The place was a monster, not only in proportion but the run-down state of the house was obvious, from the peeling wallpaper to the cracked ceilings and crumbling woodwork. The banister rail was fine, thick mahogany, but many of the pegs were missing and the carpets worn and dangerous on the old wide stairs. The smell of mould, damp and mildew made her nostrils flare but she kept on moving from room to room until she entered the old kitchen, easing back the bolts from the back door to walk outside into the stable yard.
She had inspected the pool, the woods and the run-down orchard, the vegetable garden that was a wild, overgrown mess of brambles and throttling weeds. She had muddied her shoes, her legs were scratched from the brambles, the hem of her coat sodden, before she eventually returned to the kitchen. No one was up so she put on the kettle, working out how to use the big lidded Aga, fetching a mug and making a cup of tea, her mind working overtime.
The house was a dog, she knew that – any fool could feel it – but she couldn’t help liking it. Was she really prepared to take it on? She knew she’d given Ester a cheque but that could always be stopped. Dolly sat with her hands cupping the chipped mug. The place could certainly accommodate at least ten, fifteen kids with ease; there were enough rooms and she hadn’t even been down to the basement. She went over all the old deeds and survey reports, all a few years out of date. She started to calculate on the back of an envelope just how much money it would take to get a place this size back into order. All her cash would go with the one cheque to Ester so it would mean she was dependent on the sale of the diamonds. If they had been valued at two million all those years ago, she reckoned they’d be worth maybe three and a half to four now. If she fenced them, she’d probably clear maybe one and a half million cash. The house would need a hell of a lot of money spent on it but just how much she would have to check into. From the plumbing to the decoration, she began to list all the blatantly obvious requirements. The project was much bigger than she had dreamed of but if it was fate, then maybe it was meant for her to take on such a giant enterprise. She could use ex-prisoners to help her, perhaps even the women from last night.
Dolly spent over an hour making notes and working out costs and then went down to the basement. There were saunas, steam cabinets, an old gym and a large laundry room. None of the machines appeared to be in working order and the stench of damp was even worse down there. She looked over the old boilers and knew they’d all have to be replaced. She began to doubt seriously that she would take on the project because the more she calculated, the more money she knew she would have to raise.
By the time she returned to the kitchen, Gloria was up and Ester and Julia were washing dishes in the big stone sink. Angela was clearing the debris in the dining room and passed Dolly carrying a tray filled with dirty glasses. ‘Good morning, you’re up bright and early, Mrs Rawlins.’
Dolly gave a brittle smile. ‘Yes. Is everyone else up yet?’
‘No, not yet. Do you want breakfast?’
‘Yes.’
‘Eggs and bacon coming up.’
Dolly opened the front door to look down the big wide drive.
‘Good morning, Dolly.’ Connie beamed, wrapping a silk kimono round herself.
Dolly turned round as Kathleen appeared. ‘My God, I’ve got a hell of a headache. How about you, Dolly?’
The relaxed atmosphere of the women coming and going made Dolly feel good – or better. ‘Get some coffee down you,’ she said to Kathleen, and then walked behind the old reception desk to look for a telephone directory. The shelves were dusty and old circulars had been stuffed beneath the desk so she rummaged around.
Ester appeared at the kitchen door. ‘Hi, good morning. You looking for something?’
‘Directories.’
Ester wandered to the desk. ‘Be out of date, get the operator. Who are you calling?’
Dolly sighed. Well, I should have a word with the local social services, just to see about the possibilities of opening this place up as a home.’
‘You don’t waste much time, do you?’
‘Nor do you, Ester. You certainly hustled me into this place.’
‘What? Look, it was up to you, love. I mean, I’m not forcing you into anything you don’t want to do.’
Dolly raised an eyebrow. ‘Fine, just don’t bank the cheque yet. I’m not too sure about this.’
Ester moved into action, instructing the women to get the breakfast on the table and to look as if they loved the place. By the time Dolly joined them, the kitchen was filled with the smell of sizzling bacon and eggs, hot toast and coffee, all laid out ready and waiting. Their smiling faces greeted Dolly warmly as she sat down.
‘I been all round the grounds. Place is in a terrible state.’
‘Get a few locals to clear the gardens. It used to be beautiful, in the summer especially.’ Ester continued to sell the manor, hinting time and again what a wonderful place it would be for children.
Angela gave Dolly the number for the social services but it was almost nine thirty when Dolly put in a call and arranged for a meeting at the town hall. She was still unsure and not giving much away. She had only the few things she had brought with her so she would need to do some shopping. Good opportunity to see what the local village was like.
The other women looked at Ester to know what they should or shouldn’t do, exchanging furtive glances and nudges. As soon as Dolly was out of earshot, they whispered questions to each other: Was Dolly serious? How long was she going to keep them all waiting? When would she go for the diamonds? Ester hissed at them to keep their mouths shut, no one was to mention diamonds.
‘Yeah, well, that’s why we’re all here, Ester, and so far she’s not said a dickie about them. All that’s gone down is you’re two hundred grand up. What if they don’t exist?’ Gloria was irritable.
‘They exist,’ snapped Ester. She crossed the kitchen and looked out into the hallway, drawing the door shut. ‘Make her think we’re all behind the project, right? Offer to stay and help out, start clearing the place up. She’s gonna need hard cash to get this place up and rolling so we watch her like a hawk and—’
Dolly called from the stairs, asking if the boiler was working as she wanted to have a bath before she left. Ester opened the door and shouted that the water was on and hot. She waited until she could hear the thud of the old pipes before she went to give the women more instructions. She then paid off Angela and said that when they went into the village she could catch the next train home.
‘I got to go and see Eddie,’ Gloria said tetchily.
‘Fine, you go,’ said Ester.
‘I need my gear.’ Connie pouted.
Ester sighed. ‘Look, all do what you have to but, whatever you do, keep your mouths shut about being here. You don’t say a word to anyone about us being holed up here and especially not about the diamonds. Is that clear?’
By eleven they were all waiting for Dolly, Ester out in the yard in her Range Rover. Julia was looking into the stables. ‘You know, this place must have been something,’ she said.
‘It was. What the hell is she doing in there?’
Ester paced up and down, impatient to go into the village to bank the cheque.
Julia came close. ‘You going to be okay?’
Ester nodded. ‘Yeah. Nobody knows I’m here and besides, I got to bank the cheque to get her the deeds of the house.’
Julia cocked her head to one side. ‘Well, you take care.’
Gloria teetered out with Connie behind her. ‘I’m off, see Eddie. I’m givin’ Connie a lift in. Can you take us to the garage see if me car’s ready?’
Connie put her bag into the back of the Range Rover. ‘I won’t even see Lennie. He always leaves
by twelve so I’ll just get my stuff and come straight back.’
Kathleen wandered out. ‘Where you all going?’
Ester sighed. ‘Into the village. Where’s Dolly?’
‘She’s on the phone, the social services again, asking what they want her to bring in. I dunno.’
‘Are you stopping, then?’ Ester demanded.
‘Yeah, I got nowhere else to go, have I?’ muttered Kathleen.
Angela joined them, followed by Dolly, so they all squashed into the Range Rover and departed, leaving Kathleen alone.
‘I’ll need builders’ estimates, see how much the place will cost to get into order,’ Dolly said, as they bounced down the lane. ‘Get these potholes filled in,’ she said, staring out of the window. She looked back at the house. ‘I don’t know about this, Ester, I mean …’
Ester pulled on the brake. ‘Dolly, look at the place. Take a good look. It’s crying out for kids, isn’t it?’ A dull chorus of, ‘Oh, yes, kids’ll love it here.’
Gloria’s car wasn’t ready so Connie and Angela were dropped off at the local railway station. Ester took Dolly on to the Aylesbury town hall. ‘I’ll wait here for you.’ She smiled.
Dolly nodded but seemed ill at ease. ‘I’ll just see what they say. I shouldn’t be too long, then I’ll need to do a bit of shopping, tights and stuff like that.’
As soon as she walked into the town hall, Ester drove straight to the bank. She kept a good lookout for anyone following her and hurried inside.
Dolly waited in the anteroom and eventually a pleasant-faced woman called Deirdre Bull asked if she would come into her office. Dolly was offered a seat and coffee, as Deirdre sat down behind her cluttered desk. The walls were lined with posters for foster carers and adoption societies.
‘Now, it’s Mrs Rawlins, isn’t it?’
‘Yes, Dorothy Rawlins. I’ve come to ask you about opening a foster home. I’ve done a bit of research with a probation officer but I thought I’d just run a few things by you.’
Deirdre nodded and began opening drawers. ‘First there are some forms you’ll need to look over and fill in. Have you ever been a foster carer before?’
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