Tilly's Story

by June Francis

  ‘I was just looking to see if my family had arrived,’ whispered Tilly. ‘I posted their tickets to them.’

  ‘And have they?’

  ‘I can’t see them.’

  ‘Well, looking won’t get them here any faster. Besides, it’s easy to miss people when so much is going on. Now away with you.’

  Tilly did as she was told and went in search of Gabrielle, wondering all over again whether she should let her know the family were supposed to be coming. As it was, Gabrielle turned up only minutes before they were due to go on. She was not alone but accompanied by Sergeant Jones.

  ‘He’s going to watch from the wings,’ she said to Tilly. ‘You ready, girl?’

  Tilly nodded, thinking the older woman looked magnificent in a black silk gown with a red floral print that revealed a couple of inches of cleavage. She wore red ostrich feathers in her hair and a red boa about her shoulders. Tilly could imagine what Alice would think when she saw her. They walked onto the stage to a thunderous applause. Gabrielle smiled and bowed and signalled to Tilly with a wave of a graceful hand to take her place at the piano. Tilly felt a calmness come over her as she sat at the piano and began to play the introduction, as she had done so many times in rehearsals, with skill and precision. Suddenly she knew that the pair of them were going to excel for no other reason than that they found pleasure in what they were doing.

  ‘You were marvellous,’ said Leonard, pushing his way through the crowd gathered about Tilly and Gabrielle. ‘You’re much more than an amateur, Tilly,’ he added, lowering his head and kissing her cheek.

  ‘Who’s this?’ asked Gabrielle, eyeing him up and down.

  ‘I think I have one over on you there, mother-in-law,’ said Alice, smiling at Leonard. ‘If I’m not mistaken, this is Mr Parker.’

  He turned to Alice and held out a hand. ‘You have to be Tilly’s sister. The pair of you look so alike.’

  ‘Yes. But I was only fifteen when she was born,’ said Alice promptly. ‘Has she told you that I brought her up after our mother died in childbirth?’

  ‘No! I mean, you could almost be taken for twins,’ he said.

  Alice’s smile deepened. ‘You flatter me, Mr Parker.’

  ‘He certainly does,’ murmured Gabrielle. ‘I wonder what he’s after?’

  Leonard stared at her. ‘You sang very well for a woman of your age, Mrs…’

  ‘Waters,’ replied Gabrielle.

  Tilly swallowed a gasp, wondering how Leonard could be so rude.

  Gabrielle added with a sweet smile. ‘If you can perform half as well as I can at my age, Mr Parker, then you’ll be doing well. Handsome is as handsome does, I always say. Now, if you’ll excuse me I have my admirers to consider.’ She turned to her grandchildren and said, ‘Ready, kiddiewinks? How about if I take you all for some macaroons?’

  Seb had been listening with a sense of growing unease to the conversation between the man who might possibly be Tilly’s future husband and his wife and mother, and did not like him one little bit. Perhaps he should try and instigate some letter writing. There was always the chance that Don might be back in America again so he would write and tell him how matters were with Tilly and hope his friend would do something. If he didn’t then he could lose her.

  ‘Where are you taking them for macaroons, mother-inlaw?’ asked Alice.

  ‘To my house, it’s not that far from here,’ answered Gabrielle, glancing at her son’s scarred face with a hint of pain in her eyes. ‘You don’t mind, do you, Seb? The night is young. You’ve met my friend, Sergeant Jones, haven’t you? He’ll drive us.’

  ‘Yes, Ma. The sergeant and I have met,’ answered Seb patiently. ‘But we have to get back to Chester and it’s getting late.’

  ‘I’d like to go to Grandma’s house,’ said Flora, tugging on her father’s sleeve.

  ‘Yes, let’s stay with Grandma,’ said James.

  Alice frowned. ‘I don’t know if that’s a good idea.’

  Seb said, ‘I don’t see why not. It is Sunday tomorrow so I don’t have to go into work and the children don’t have school.’

  ‘Perhaps I should leave you all to sort this out,’ said Leonard.

  ‘Yes, that might be for the best, Mr Parker,’ said Seb, a glint in his eye.

  Leonard turned to Tilly. ‘Perhaps I could take you home.’

  ‘Kind of you, Mr Parker,’ said her half-brother. ‘But my wife and I are staying overnight in Liverpool and we’d like to see a little more of Tilly.’

  Leonard’s smile vanished. ‘Of course. Family! I understand,’ he said stiffly, and walked away.

  Tilly stared after him, angry at her family’s interference in her affairs. ‘Now see what you’ve done,’ she said. ‘He might not ask me out again.’

  ‘Good thing, in my opinion,’ said Kenny. ‘He’s too handsome for my taste.’

  ‘What has your taste got to do with it?’ snapped Tilly. ‘It’s me that wanted to go out with him.’

  ‘Tilly’s right,’ said Alice, linking her arm through her sister’s. ‘You shouldn’t have interfered.’

  ‘I think we should drop this subject,’ said Seb, frowning at Alice. ‘I’m going with Ma and the children to her house. Are you coming with us or staying with Tilly?’

  ‘I won’t be staying here,’ said Tilly. ‘I’m going back to the Bennetts’ to tell them and Joy how well everything went this evening.’

  ‘We’ll come with you,’ said Hanny, linking her arm through Tilly’s other arm. ‘I want to see Joy and tell Eudora that this idea of hers was marvellous; a pleasure to watch.’

  ‘Well, if you’re going to her house,’ said Alice, removing her arm from Tilly’s, ‘I’m not coming.’

  ‘I have my car,’ said Gabrielle. ‘Seb and Alice, children, why don’t you crowd in the back and Sergeant Jones will drive us to my house. I’ll make macaroons and your favourite mocha coffee, Alice.’

  ‘You’re on,’ said Alice, ‘although I wouldn’t mind a glass of sherry, instead.’

  Gabrielle smiled. ‘Sherry I can provide.’ She beamed at her son and grandchildren. ‘Come on, my cherubs, let’s go.’

  They all left the hall and Tilly, Hanny and Kenny watched them crowd into Gabrielle’s car and waved as they drove off. ‘So where do we get the tram?’ asked Kenny.

  ‘Follow me,’ said Tilly, her anger having abated once she saw Alice and Gabrielle being friendly with each other.

  The tram was crowded and far too noisy to have a proper conversation, so neither of them made the effort to talk. Tilly was feeling slightly deflated and she thought that was as much a reaction to the fact that the excitement of the evening was all over as it was to her family’s interference and Leonard’s obvious annoyance. She needed to talk to him but was unsure about exactly what to say.

  It was dark by the time they reached the Bennett’s house and made their way round the back. Tilly knocked on the kitchen door and pushed it open. ‘Got visitors for you, Joy,’ she called.

  There was no one there but Tilly could hear someone crying. ‘It must be one of the children,’ she said.

  She left the kitchen and went through into the hall, followed by Hanny and Kenny. Suddenly she stopped and they collided into her. ‘What is it?’ asked Hanny.

  Tilly did not answer but could only stare down at the man lying on the carpet in a pool of blood with a spade beside him. She reached a hand behind her and fumbled for one of Hanny’s. ‘There’s a man here. It looks like he could be…’ Her voice trailed off and she took several deep breaths, aware of her half-brother coming forward and standing next to her.

  ‘My God! Who is it?’ he asked.

  Tilly moistened her dry mouth and said, ‘It’s not Dad. This man is-isn’t tall enough.’

  ‘Turn him over,’ said Hanny.

  ‘No, wait!’ Tilly shouted, ‘Joy! Mrs Bennett! Patricia!’

  The drawing room door opened and Joy stood there. ‘Thank God, you’ve come!’

  Hanny let go of Tilly�
��s hand and hurried over to her sister. ‘You’re as white as a sheet. Who is this man? What happened?’

  Joy clutched her sister’s arm. ‘He’s the children’s uncle. He came in here like he owned the place and frightened the life out of us all.’

  ‘What happened with the spade?’ asked Tilly.

  ‘Never mind that for the moment,’ said Joy, her face quivering. ‘Mrs Bennett’s dead! She stood up to him and he hit her. Then she collapsed on the floor – her heart must have given out.’

  Tilly’s eyes filled with tears. ‘Where’s Dad?’

  ‘He was here. He was doing something in the garden and heard the shouting and the screaming. He came in with the spade in his hand and-and, when he saw Mrs Bennett crumpled up on the floor, he went berserk.’

  ‘Where he is?’ croaked Tilly.

  Joy blinked back tears. ‘He picked her up in his arms and carried her into the drawing room and put her on the sofa. He was weeping.’ She swallowed. ‘Then he went out and looked at the man and said that he was the burglar,’ added Joy. ‘After that he muttered something about the police not believing him and left. He took the car.’

  Tilly’s legs suddenly gave way and she would have sunk to the ground if Kenny had not caught her. He wrapped his arms round her and held her tightly, not uttering a word, only stroking her hair.

  ‘Mr Bennett, where is he?’ asked Hanny. ‘And have you sent for the police?’

  ‘He’s still at the Palladium,’ replied Joy, wiping her damp face. ‘He was going to quit after Christmas.’

  ‘So he doesn’t know,’ said Kenny.

  She shook her head. ‘I don’t know how I’m going to break the news to him.’

  Tilly lifted her head. ‘The police?’

  ‘I telephoned them about ten minutes ago. Patty was against it. She thought we should just bury her uncle in the garden and keep them out of it.’

  ‘Oh, my God!’ whispered Tilly. ‘It’s just like…’ She couldn’t go on, thinking about her father and worried sick about what he might do.

  ‘I suppose the uncle was another Bert,’ said Hanny.

  ‘Could be. But I’m so going to miss her. I loved Mrs Bennett,’ said Joy, her voice cracking. ‘She was so good to me when Chris went missing during the war, and then Dad died and Mam lost her mind an-and – I don’t know what we’ll do without her. Mr Bennett’s going to be lost.’ She put a hand to her mouth and tears trickled down her cheeks.

  ‘Then he’s going to need you to be strong,’ said Hanny, her own eyes filling with tears.

  ‘What about his sister?’ asked Kenny. ‘She’ll need to know what’s happened.’

  Tilly struggled to pull herself together. ‘We’ve got to find Dad.’

  ‘And where do you suggest we look?’ asked Kenny.

  ‘I don’t know.’ Tilly’s bottom lip trembled.

  ‘What about the children?’ asked Hanny.

  Joy took a deep breath. ‘Patty took them upstairs. She’s staying with them. The poor kid. She’s only eleven and she’s like a mother to them. It shouldn’t be so.’

  ‘I’d like to know how the uncle knew they were here,’ said Kenny.

  Tilly felt even sicker, wondering if Leonard could have told him. She opened her mouth to tell them that she had seen him with the uncle but was prevented from speaking by Joy saying, ‘He could have read about the concert in the Echo and recognised her picture amongst the faces of the committee.’

  ‘He could have checked a Kelly’s Directory or the telephone book for her address,’ said Kenny.

  ‘He would have already known it,’ said Joy. ‘I told you that your dad recognised him.’ She stared down at the body. ‘That man killed Nanki Poo and he killed the children’s mother and Mrs Bennett. I’m glad he’s dead.’

  ‘What are we going to do?’ asked Tilly, relieved that Leonard seemed to have had no part in their deaths.

  ‘There’s nothing we can do but wait for the police,’ said Kenny.

  The police, thought Tilly, filled with dread. Her father had killed a man even though he was a murderer. They would arrest him and put him in a cell. How would he cope with that?

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  ‘I still can’t believe it,’ said Robbie, running a hand through his hair. ‘I knew she hadn’t been feeling too good but I never expected her to die like this.’

  ‘Here, drink this,’ said Hanny, who had taken over Joy’s role of carer for the moment. Her sister was with the police in the dining room. Just before the police had arrived, Tilly and Kenny had gone to the shop so Tilly could change out of her best dress and inform Mrs Wright and the family of the dreadful news. Hanny expected them back soon. Even as she thought about it there was a sound outside and Kenny, Tilly and Rita Wright entered through the french windows.

  Rita immediately went over to her brother and patted his shoulder. ‘I’m sorry, Robbie. What a thing to happen, but at least you’ve your family close by.’

  His eyes filled with tears and he took a gulp of brandy. She remained there, patting his shoulder as if he were a child. Tilly exchanged looks with Hanny and Kenny and the three of them left the room and went into the garden. ‘Any news about Dad?’ asked Tilly.

  ‘None,’ said Hanny. ‘But I’m sure the police will be searching for him.’

  ‘I’m worried he’ll do something crazy,’ said Tilly.

  ‘Such as what?’ asked Hanny.

  Tilly did not say but was remembering Joy and Robbie talking about people committing suicide.

  ‘I’m sure he could get off with manslaughter or self-defence,’ said Kenny. ‘It depends on what story Joy tells them.’

  ‘They’ll still put him in jail,’ said Tilly on a sob. ‘I don’t think he could handle that.’

  Silence.

  Unexpectedly, Kenny said, ‘We were supposed to be at the hotel by now.’

  ‘I telephoned them just after the pair of you left saying that we wouldn’t be coming,’ said Hanny. ‘I didn’t think it was right for us to leave Tilly and Joy to cope with this.’

  ‘What’s going on?’ asked a voice suddenly from the other side of the fence.

  The three of them jumped.

  Tilly stared at the woman’s face that shone pale in the moonlight and wondered whether Leonard now knew what had happened. ‘Is Leonard at home?’ she asked.

  ‘No. He’s still out.’

  ‘Perhaps you can tell him that Mrs Bennett is dead and that the burglar who robbed the house has been caught.’

  ‘I am sorry about Mrs Bennett but glad they’ve caught that burglar.’ She bobbed down again.

  ‘We’d best go in,’ said Kenny.

  There was a constable on guard outside the kitchen door. ‘I’ve been watching you three,’ he said.

  Tilly recognised him. ‘We’ve met before,’ she said.

  He peered into her face. ‘Aye. You’re the gardener’s daughter. I’ve to keep a watch in case he comes back and sneaks past the man at the front.’

  Tilly felt a stab of pain in her heart, wanting her father to come home but terribly anxious about what might happen to him when he did.

  That night was to be one of the longest in Tilly’s life, comparable to that terrible time when Alice had received the news that Seb was missing. She remained at the house, as did Kenny and Hanny. Rita went back home to her children. Joy sat with Robbie beside Eudora’s body, which had been carried upstairs to their bedroom.

  The following morning there was still no news of Mal. Kenny and Hanny said they would have to go home. ‘We can’t expect Clara to look after the twins and Mother, as well as little Nicky,’ said Hanny.

  ‘You’ll let us know as soon as you hear anything about Dad?’ said Kenny.

  ‘Of course!’ said Tilly.

  She saw them out and, soon afterwards, the children made an appearance, creeping into the kitchen like mice, led by Patricia. Joy told them to sit at the table. Robbie vanished into the drawing room with a cup of tea and a slice of toast. Tilly he
lped Joy to serve them breakfast whilst Patricia gave the baby his bottle.

  An hour later there was a rat-a-tat-tat at the front door, which caused Tilly, Joy and Robbie to make a concerted rush to answer it. On the step stood Sergeant Jones and his expression was grave and filled Tilly with dread.

  ‘You’ve found Dad,’ she rasped.

  ‘Yes. He’s been taken to a hospital in Glasgow.’

  ‘Glasgow!’ Tilly could scarcely believe it. ‘What’s Dad doing up there? What happened to him?’

  ‘Perhaps it would be best if I came inside and you sat down,’ he said gently.

  ‘Tell me now,’ she said in a trembling voice. ‘He’s dead, isn’t he?’

  ‘No, love. He’s still alive but it’s bad. He crashed into a fallen tree on a country road and has serious head injuries. They found identification on him. Name and address on a card pinned inside an inner pocket.’

  ‘I must see him,’ said Tilly. She stared blindly at Robbie. ‘I’m sorry about your car, Mr Bennett.’

  ‘The car doesn’t matter,’ he said in a dull voice.

  His shoulders drooped as he turned away and went back inside the house. Tilly signalled to the sergeant to come inside. ‘I’ve put a call through to Chester and they’re going to let your brother know what’s happened,’ he said. ‘No doubt, he’ll want to go with you.’

  Tilly thought he most likely would, but what about Alice? ‘Sergeant Jones, do you know if my sister and her husband have left his mother’s house yet?’

  ‘I don’t know, love. But I could ask Mr Bennett if I could put a call through to the station in Tuebrook. Gabrielle’s house is only five minutes away.’

  Tilly drew herself up. ‘I’d appreciate that.’

  It seemed ages before she heard back that Seb and Alice and the children were just getting ready to leave his mother’s. She had offered them the use of her car and they were coming here straight away. Tilly could not help wondering what her sister felt about it all.

  She was soon to know.

  Tilly answered the door to Seb. ‘Hello, love,’ he said, stretching out a hand to her.