by Paul Kelly
Alison stared at her with wide eyes.
“What the hell are you talking about?” she asked, “Why the bloody hell should you think that Daniel was in love with Frieda at one time when that is the last thing we should even think about. Love, my arse,” she screamed. “That woman only knows how to love herself.”
Rosie bit her lip as she tried to continue talking, but Alison put her hand in the air.
“No ...no, I don’t want to hear more of that sort of talk, Rosie and if you don’t mind, I’d like to have some time on my own.”
Rosie took her coat from the hallstand, but seemed reluctant to go, however Alison was insistent ...
“Please Rosie. I know you mean to be kind, but I need time to think, so could you please leave me?” she snapped, but as Rosie was about to leave the flat, she turned to Alison and shook her head.
“I don’t know what to think of all this,” she said, but her voice was deliberate, “I wish this bitch Frieda had never crossed our paths. I was she was dead,” she exclaimed and Alison wondered for a moment about the excessive anger in her friend’s voice. Rosie was not a vindictive person and it was so strange for her to say what she did, but Alison knew only too well, what she and her friends thought about Frieda and she concluded that Rosie’s anger was only to be expected as she closed the flat door.
Chapter Thirty Seven
Daniel rose very early the following morning and his head felt as though he had been put through a washing machine. He reached across the bed for a glass of water where he always placed one the night before, but as he touched the glass it fell to the floor and rolled across the carpet. He lay back in the bed and rubbed his hand across his forehead, knowing what was about to happen if he rose up.
“My God,” he muttered to himself, “how long have I to endure this torment where I don’t know where I am nor what I am doing?” and then he threw the sheets away from him as he tried to get up.
The first attempt was useless but Daniel took a deep breath and with a second effort, his feet touched the carpet and he waited for a few moments before he made any further attempt to get up.
He looked at the clock. It was ten minutes to eight in the morning and as he always did, he judged how long it would take him to get to the toilet, have a wash, if he couldn’t manage to get into the shower, as the bath was impossible ... and it took him nearly half an hour.
He sat on the settee and tried to read a book, but he had difficulty in seeing clearly. It was at that moment that the telephone rang and he struggled to reach the phone which was on a small table near to where he was sitting.
“Hello ... yes ... speaking,” he replied and then his face took on a smile. It was Alison and she stuttered her news with delight.
“Daniel, I’ve just been reading the newspaper and I noticed an add where they are looking for a new music teacher for St. Michael’s ... Isn’t that where Frieda was teaching? ... St. Michael‘s school for young ladies?”
Daniel thought hard as he rubbed his forehead again.
“Yes, I believe it is, but why are you so delighted about ...” but before he could say another word, Alison interrupted with more glee.
“She must have left ... or was sacked,” she blabbered, “or else she might be pregnant ... or even dead. What good news, eh?”
Daniel lay back on the settee. He didn’t know what to think and he certainly could never have reached the conclusion that Alison had done.
“Well, “ he replied very softly as if it was an effort for him to speak, ”if the cow is pregnant, I am not to blame for that and as for anything else, your guess is as good as mine, but it certainly looks as though she had gone somewhere, doesn’t it, Alison?”
“Sure does, but how could we find out where? Do you think I should check the morgue?”
“Don’t be so cruel, “ Daniel replied, “but if you do, let me know what you find, will you?” he added and Alison giggled as she listened to him talking.
“Do you think I could ring the school and ask them where she is?” suggested Alison as Daniel raised his eyebrows and glanced up at the ceiling. Why hadn’t he thought of that? “Would you like to do that, Daniel?” Alison went on, “or better still why don’t we visit the school together and get a better view of what’s happening, eh?”
Daniel closed his eyes and shook his head,
“I’m sorry Alison ... I don’t feel too well this morning. Nothing serious, but I get these sort of funny feelings from time to time. It’s the MS and I just have to accept it.”
“Daniel, I’m so sorry. I should have asked how you were before I went on screaming what I thought would be a joy for both of us. Can I come across to the flat and do something for you?”
“No thank you Alison. That’s very kind of you to offer and I do appreciate that, but I would just like to be on my own for a little while, if you don’t mind. I’ll give you a ring later this evening if that’s O.K.?
Alison assured Daniel that whatever he wanted was alright by her, but she was more than a little disappointed that he would not let her help him as she was sure there were many little things she could have done around the flat which would give him more chance of resting, especially as Dillon was at school and Daniel would be on his own. She rang him later that evening, hoping he might have changed his mind and let her visit him at his flat, but the answer the got was just the same ... except for one thing. Dillon was with Daniel at the flat and he was accompanied by Rene ...
Daniel tried to explain the situation on the phone to Alison and it transpired that Dillon had visited his mother when he got a telegram at his school to say that Rene was going into hospital and that she was seriously ill and had asked that her son should visit her, URGENTLY ...
The fact of the matter was quite the opposite and Rene was very well and without any illness apart from missing her son, a situation that surprised Daniel and especially as they both turned up at his flat.
Alison knew there was nothing she could do and concluded that she would leave well alone and visit Daniel the next day, but meanwhile she decided to do a little exercise of her own and telephoned St. Michael’s ...
“Good afternoon, I am sorry if I am troubling you but ...” and before Alison could say another word, the school secretary interrupted very breezily assuring Alison that there was no trouble in her enquiries and she would be only too happy to oblige in any way if she could ...
Alison raised her eyebrows in surprise. How accommodating and how obliging was this secretary and she wondered would she feel the same when she was asked about the gorgeous Frieda ...
“Thank you. You are most kind,” Alison continued, “I would very much like to speak to Mrs. Roberts ... that is if she is not too busy ... as it is rather important.”
There was an immediate cessation to the conversation as Alison asked her question and it seemed as though the telephone had been disconnected. Alison made her enquiry again and after a few moments the secretary came back. “I am sorry but we have no-one here by that name,” came the reply and Alison stared into the telephone, wondering what she should ask next.
“Oh! I thought Mrs. Roberts taught music at your school,” she continued and the secretary responded immediately.
“Oh! Perhaps you mean Mrs. Sullivan? She is our music teacher, but she is not at the school today.”
Alison pondered, wondering how else she could find out about Frieda. Perhaps Frieda had changed her name to Sullivan ... perhaps she had married again ... perhaps,
“Can you tell me when Mrs. Sullivan will be back?” she enquired and again there was a long silence on the telephone.
“I’m afraid I am unable to help you there,” the secretary went on, “Mrs. Sullivan hasn’t left any message about her return to the school and I have just enquired of the Headmistress, but she can only tell me the same.”
Alis
on grinned ... Aren’t you a quick and thorough little madam, she thought, reflecting on how speedily the secretary had made her enquires of her Headmistress, but she was determined to get as much information on the elusive Frieda as she could as she started her conversation again.
“Could I speak to the Headmistress, please? It is very important that I get in touch with the ... music teacher” she enquired, hesitating over the name Sullivan and choosing to refer to the ‘music teacher’ instead.
“If you would hold for a moment, I will try to put you through,” came the reply and after quite some time, where Alison was beginning to wonder if the Headmistress had gone off on holiday abroad, a sharp voice spoke into the ‘phone.
“Miss Bradley-Smith here, what do you want?”
Alison woke up from her little dream when she heard the Headmistress speak, thinking how unpleasant this woman was, for the manner in which she used her telephone.
“I wanted to speak to Mrs. Roberts, please?” she asked, ignoring that fact that she had already been told that Mrs. Roberts did not exist at St. Michael‘s.
“Who are you and why do you want that information?” came the reply, equally as sharp as it had come through before, but Alison was becoming rather annoyed by this time and thought she should retaliate in the same manner.
“Well, thank you for the courtesy of your attention, “ she snorted angrily, “I wanted to speak to Mrs. Roberts, because I am led to understand that she is the music teacher at your school. Now will you please answer my question and let me speak to the music teacher, PLEASE ...”
Again there was a protracted silence before Alison heard the Headmistress speak again.
“My secretary must have told you that we have no-one here teaching at this school by that name, so if you don’t mind, I have a lot to do and this school to run so ...” but Alison wasn’t going to be put off so easily as she interrupted the Headmistress in a more pleasant voice,
“I really don’t mind what the music teacher calls herself, but I would be very grateful if I could have a few words with her please. It is very important.”
There was a heavy sigh heard at the other end of the telephone before the Headmistress spoke again.
“The music teacher is not here and we don’t know when she will be back. She had to leave urgently and that is all we know ... but if you are a friend of hers, will you tell her that I would like her to get in touch with me as soon as possible ... that is if she wants to keep her job.” The Headmistress snapped and banged the telephone down.
Chapter Thirty Eight
DANIEL listened to Alison as she chattered on excitedly to him on the telephone to tell him that Frieda was not at St. Michael’s unless she was using another name and when Daniel asked her what name she referred to, she told him it was Sullivan ... a Mrs. Sullivan.
“Does that name ring a bell, Daniel?” she asked impatiently, but Daniel could only shake his head and murmur into the phone that the name meant nothing to him.
“I don’t know anyone of that name,” he said, “and besides, I think if Frieda wanted to change her name ... unless she had married a guy by the name of Sullivan, she would have chosen a much more impressive name ... something like Gonzales or Montserat-Smith, but not just plain Mrs. Sullivan.”
Alison felt disappointed when she heard that, but she shrugged her shoulders and suggested she could try again, if Daniel could give her some idea of what to do.
“Wait a minute ...” Daniel went on, “I told you in the beginning not to be bothered doing this query at the school, but perhaps it might not be such a bad idea.”
Alison switched the telephone from one hand to another.
“What do you mean, Daniel?” she asked and he replied very solemnly into the phone that she may have given him an excellent idea,
“I’m gonna hang up now, Alison, but I’ll get back to you as soon as I can, Bye.”
Two minutes later Daniel was telephoning St. Michael’s and the secretary answered in her usual high spirited voice asking him what she could do to help him.
“I wonder if you can,” he said with a firm voice, ”I see by the newspapers that you are looking for a new music teacher, is that correct?”
The secretary answered in the positive without hesitation and within a few seconds he was talking to the Headmistress, where he repeated his enquiry.
“Yes,” she asked, but her voice sounded much lighter and more patient than when Alison had spoken to her earlier and Daniel asked her the same question about the music teacher’s position.
“Well, I know it may sound strange and I know it shouldn’t, but I didn’t expect a man to make this enquiry. Are you musically trained?” the Headmistress asked.
Daniel cleared his throat and explained to her that he was qualified from the Royal College of Music with a degree in teaching music.
“Oh! that sounds interesting, but what sort of salary are you expecting?” the Headmistress asked and Daniel was prepared for such a question with his knowledge of applying for similar jobs in the past.
“At the moment, I am prepared to accept whatever you are offering as I have a problem in my married life and money can only be considered to be a secondary item,” he said and it was obvious from the change of the Headmistress’s voice that she was pleased.
“When can you come to see me, Mr?”
“My name is Roberts,” he replied, Daniel Roberts,” and the there was a long silence on the telephone.
“Is this some game you are playing, Sir?” asked the Headmistress and Daniel knew by that enquiry that something wasn’t just quite right at St. Michael’s school for young ladies.
“No.” he replied “Why do you ask that?”
“The last music teacher we had here was a Mrs. Roberts; a Mrs. Frieda Roberts and she left because of some trouble in HER marriage. I believe her husband used to beat her ... would that be correct, Mr. Roberts?”
Daniel smiled and wished he could have spoken to the Headmistress face to face.
“The name is correct but the facts are wrong, madam. My wife walked out on me for another man ... and a man who is teaching at your school at the moment. Would you like to ask her how she did that ... or better still, would you like me to tell you the teacher‘s name; the man she went to when she left me?””
There was a strange gasp heard at the other end of the line, before the Headmistress spoke again.
“Mr. Roberts,” she said and her voce was very sober, “Mr. Roberts that will not be necessary. I fired your wife, if this was indeed your wife ...”
“Yes, it was. Well my ex wife now. We are waiting for a divorce.”
“I fired her Mr. Roberts because she was the cause of a great deal of trouble at this school and I can tell you now, I know the person of whom you speak. He too has been ... well not fired, but severely reprimanded, as I feel it was your wife who was the ring leader in this business. She was trouble personified, if you don’t mind my saying so.”
“Not at all, I quite agree,” said Daniel with a grin and the Headmistress went on, “ I don’t want to know where she is now, but several men have tried to get in touch with her by phone since she was dismissed and I am tired of it all, to tell you the truth. We have had several enquiries about the vacant situation, but none seemed very satisfactory with the exception of one; a Mrs. Marjorie Sullivan and she seemed alright ... until she let slip that Mrs. Roberts had suggested she should apply for the post and when I found that she was a friend of this evil woman, I fired her too. I just couldn’t take a chance of having all this trouble start again at the school, Mr. Roberts because as you know this is a private school and we are here to teach young ladies, where our reputation must be of the highest and without any trace of scandal.”
Daniel apologised for his intrusion into the affair, knowing full well that he would not be offered the job e
ven if he wanted it, but the Headmistress dismissed that apology and surprised Daniel with what she said next.
“I am sorry for your problem, Mr. Roberts and I believe you when you say that your wife ... your ex wife was never treated badly in the marriage. I felt all along that this woman was lying, as there was something in the way she went about her work; in her eyes and the way she spoke to me ...and if I can help in another way perhaps? ...”
Daniel was surprised as he listened more carefully into the phone.
“Yes ... I don’t understand what you mean, madam,” he said but the Headmistress came back very quickly to tell him that her name was Miss Bradley-Smith and that she would be very willing to act in any way at the divorce proceedings where she might be able to help him. She also added that if he was still teaching, she could put forward some pupil’s names from the school whom she knew would be interested. “That would indeed be very kind, Miss Bradley-Smith,” replied Daniel, “ but there is one other thing I would like to know ... that is, if I may?”
“Yes, Mr. Roberts and what is that?” she asked.
“Do you know where Mrs. Roberts is living now ... and with whom?”
Miss Bradley-Smith hesitated for a moment before she spoke again.
“ I have her address in my files, but I hope this information will not add to your troubles, Mr. Roberts,” she went on, “and I don’t want any rows or fights from what I am going to tell you.”
“I have no fears about that, Miss Bradley-Smith,” replied Daniel and the Headmistress left the telephone for a moment whilst she checked her files.
“Ah! yes, I have it here,” she went on, “Frieda Roberts,” she said and Daniel could hear her laughing.
“Yes, Miss Bradley-Smith. Have you found it?”
“I am sorry to sound so rude Mr. Roberts, but your wife, or rather your ex wife has so many names on this file. Roberts was the last name she gave us and we just presumed from the other names that she had been married before ... and several times it would seem.”
