The Darkest Hour

by Barbara Erskine

  He lowered his voice still further. ‘I’ve been talking to Mummy. She dislikes Eddie intensely but she pretends to welcome him for Evie’s sake. He takes advantage of the fact that he is the gateway to the War Artists Advisory Committee and she thinks Eddie is in love with Evie. Really in love.’ He glanced up at Tony. ‘He is a strange man. Very clever. Very manipulative.’ He paused again, reaching into his pocket for a packet of cigarettes. He passed one to Tony and brought out his lighter. ‘I think he could be quite unscrupulous.’ Flipping the lid on the lighter open he stroked his thumb across the wheel and held out the light. ‘She only knows half the story. Eddie lent Daddy some money,’ he went on gravely. ‘To get him out of debt. And now he is threatening to tell the whole world and shame him, if Daddy doesn’t throw you out. He is blackmailing him, trying to make him force Evie to forget you.’

  ‘He wants to marry her himself?’ Tony’s voice hardened.

  Ralph nodded. ‘I assume so. To keep his interest in the money with her share of the farm. I don’t know how much it was he lent, but I suspect it was more than my dad has admitted. It must be. He wouldn’t sell his daughter unless –’

  ‘Unless he was desperate.’

  Ralph gave a grim nod. ‘I don’t think Eddie is interested in getting the money back, even if we had it. He’s a wealthy man. But this gives him one hell of a hold over my father. Eddie doesn’t like being thwarted, I know that much about him. And he will not put up with any competition.’

  Tony leaned forward and drew on the cigarette. ‘So you are telling me he could be dangerous?’

  ‘I’m telling you to be careful.’

  ‘The CO told me the same thing,’ Tony said carefully. ‘But with no names.’

  Both men smoked quietly for a while. ‘Should I go and confront him?’ Tony asked at last.

  ‘No!’ Ralph spoke out loudly and raised his hand to the barmaid as she looked round, startled. He pushed back his chair and stood up. ‘I’ll get us another one. When are you rostered on?’

  ‘Tomorrow. More sweeps, I suspect. I wonder what the Hun are up to.’

  Ralph nodded. ‘Don’t say anything at the moment, especially not to Evie. She has a very complicated relationship with Eddie. He told her you were dating another girl, but she didn’t believe him. She didn’t say anything though. She knows her career rests with him, or she thinks it does. I suspect that is what he has told her. She’s painting again.’ He went over to the bar to pick up the fresh drinks. ‘I wasn’t sure if you knew she had stopped, but the committee asked her to do some more of the street scenes in Southampton after the bombing. She was there during a raid and it affected her very deeply. You can imagine, it is very hard to stand by and make sketches when people have been so terribly injured and their homes destroyed.’

  ‘And that is our fault. We let the bastards through.’ Tony clamped his jaw shut.

  ‘We do our best.’ Ralph sat down again. He rubbed his face wearily. ‘In fact we do more than our best. When you think how many of them there are. Those great formations of bombers coming in over the coast, heading for London.’ He shuddered. ‘I shall dream about them to my dying day.’

  ‘So, if you don’t think I should go and confront Eddie, what do you think I should do? I have already been warned to watch my tail.’ Tony sounded bitter. ‘I can’t just sit there in my plane and wait for some low life in Eddie’s pay to take a pot shot at me when they should be trying to take down a Junkers 88!’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Does Evie still love me?’ Tony leaned forward towards Ralph suddenly. ‘Does she ever talk about me?’

  Ralph looked evasive. ‘I’ve never encouraged her to, to be honest. Besides, I’ve hardly been home, and when I am there are other people there.’

  ‘I tried to ring her. Your mother answers every time. She didn‘t pass on my messages. Does she know about all this?‘

  Ralph shook his head. ‘I don’t think so. Daddy told me not to tell her. But she is very loyal to my dad. If she thinks he is against you –’

  ‘You said he wasn’t, not if I plan to marry Evie.’

  ‘That was before Eddie started tightening the screws.’

  Tony sighed. He reached for another cigarette.

  ‘And what did Evie say last time you discussed it with her?’ Ralph asked curiously.

  ‘She loves me, Ralph.’ Tony shook his head, clearly bewildered. ‘She wants to get married, but there is always something in the way. She doesn’t want me to go up there or phone any more. Now I know why. She must be completely torn in two.’

  ‘She is, poor kid.’ Ralph downed the rest of his pint and stood up. ‘Come on, we’d best be getting back. I’ll drop you off on the way past the Mess. There is a young lady near here I need to see before I go back to Tangmere.’ He gave a coy wink. ‘I don’t know what you should do, Tony. Just be bloody careful.’

  ‘Would you speak to her for me? Tell her I know and I understand it’s difficult. Tell her I love her.’

  Ralph held the door for him as they walked out into the village street. He nodded reluctantly. ‘Of course I will. But I may not get the chance to get up there for a few days and if I do I may not get the chance to speak to her alone. I’ll do my best.’

  It was bitterly cold with a sharp wind blowing. Both men pulled up their collars.

  They climbed into the Morgan. ‘If she asks I will tell her you would make a great brother-in-law,’ Ralph said with a laugh. ‘God forbid that Eddie should step up to that position!’

  Monday 19th August

  Lucy was on duty in the gallery the next day; Robin was looking after Phil’s bookshop in North Street and Phil had gone to Brighton to visit a friend in hospital. The gallery was quiet and Lucy was taking the chance to catch up on checking the books and ordering some more greetings cards. When the door opened she looked up and, not recognising the man who walked in, bent once more to the computer screen. The sound of card hitting glass, however, made her look up again. He had flipped the open/closed sign over and he was bolting the door.

  ‘What are you doing?’ She was shocked by his sudden action and not a little apprehensive.

  ‘I take it you are Lucy Standish?’

  He was fairly short, about forty, good-looking, with neat dark hair and a smart expensive suit. His eyes were hard as flint.

  ‘Christopher Marston?’ It was an easy guess. The man radiated hostility.

  ‘Are you surprised I’m here?’ He walked towards her and came to a standstill some four feet away, folding his arms as he looked at her.

  She stood up and felt better, nearer his height. ‘I was expecting you to come in person in the end.’ Adrenaline was coursing through her body but she managed to keep her voice steady. ‘I’m glad. We need to talk. Please, sit down.’ She indicated the armchair.

  He ignored her invitation. ‘I want you to stop interfering in my family’s business. I give you two days to return to me any papers or articles which belong to my grandmother’s estate and if you do not comply with my wishes I will take out an injunction against you. Is that clear?’

  Lucy looked at him, stunned. ‘I have taken nothing without the permission of the current owner, your cousin Mike. I don’t believe anything I have belongs to you.’

  ‘As a senior member of the family I have the right of veto. There will be no biography.’

  ‘I believe your father, George Marston, is the senior surviving member of the family,’ Lucy said, thinking fast. ‘Are you acting with his authority?’

  Christopher narrowed his eyes. ‘My father knows nothing of this whole débâcle! He is not well. He is not to be bothered by any of this.’

  ‘I see.’ Lucy paused. ‘I am sorry to hear he is not well.’ Her brain was racing. ‘I will consult my solicitor about your request and your desire to veto the biography. You do understand that I have academic backing for it, and considerable interest has been shown by a great many people. The biography doesn’t need authorisation by anyone.’ She was pretty ce
rtain that was true.

  She saw two red patches appear just below his cheekbones and realised too late just how angry he was becoming. He leaned forward and seized her arm, twisting it up behind her. She heard herself gasp as the pain knifed through her shoulder. ‘I suggest you do as I say,’ he hissed in her ear. ‘Don’t underestimate me, Mrs Standish; I am accustomed to being obeyed. Is that clear?’

  She was incapable of replying.

  ‘Do I make myself clear?’ he repeated. He jerked her arm up a little further.

  Her scream seemed to come from some distant place far inside herself, and it was sufficiently loud for him to drop her wrist. ‘This is what you do to your wife, is it?’ she gasped. ‘You’re a vicious bully but you have made a big mistake taking me on.’ She wasn’t sure where the words were coming from. ‘Don’t you dare threaten me! Go!’ She pointed to the door. ‘Go now. I have activated the security alarm. The police will be here in less than two minutes and it won’t look good if you are arrested for attacking me.’

  To her astonishment he seemed to believe her. He gave her one more furiously angry glance, then turning on his heel he strode towards the door and drawing back the bolt he pulled it open and walked out, leaving it swinging to and fro behind him.

  For several moments Lucy just stood there incapable of moving. The pain in her arm and shoulder was excruciating but worse than that was the shock at what had just happened. She couldn’t think what to do. She wanted to ring Robin but that wasn’t fair. He was busy. She should shut the door and lock it in case Christopher returned. The voice from the doorway made her jump painfully.

  ‘Lucy, are you all right?’ It was Maggie Redwood. ‘I was in Chichester today so I thought I would call in passing and make sure you were OK. My dear, what on earth has happened?’ As she walked in Lucy burst into tears.

  They relocked the door and they went upstairs.

  ‘We should call the police.’ Maggie was immediately practical. ‘He can’t get away with this.’

  ‘No.’ Lucy shook her head. ‘I did something stupid. I let him know that I knew he beat his wife.’

  ‘Then it’s even more important we report him.’

  ‘She will never admit it and there is no proof.’

  ‘You are proof, my dear.’ Maggie took Lucy’s arm and gently pushed back the sleeve. ‘Look at the marks on your wrist. I know someone in the police who will handle this sensitively –’

  ‘No! Please.’ Lucy walked over to the sink and ran some cool water over her wrist. As she was patting it dry on a towel they heard a loud crash coming from the studio. Both women looked towards the door, startled.

  ‘Oh, no.’ Lucy paled.

  ‘Stay out here.’ Maggie went over to the door and pushed it open. She glanced in and then disappeared into the room.

  The door banged behind her.

  Lucy watched in anguish for a moment then taking a deep breath she went over and reached out to the handle. It refused to budge. ‘Maggie!’ she called. ‘Are you all right?’

  There was another crash from inside the room. And then she heard the sound of splintering wood. ‘Maggie!’ she screamed. She dragged at the handle and this time the door opened.

  Maggie was just the other side of it. Her hair was wild as though she had been out in the wind and her clothes dishevelled. ‘Stay away!’ she cried. ‘Ring Huw.’

  Lucy ran towards the living room and grabbed her phone. Behind her she could hear the sound of crashing again and then Maggie’s voice. It sounded as though she was swearing.

  As soon as it had started it was over. Maggie appeared in the living room. She looked exhausted but she was smiling. ‘We have a real evil so-and-so here. Something has stirred him up and I reckon it was Christopher. Did he come upstairs at all? Did you reach Huw?’

  Lucy nodded. She was shaking. ‘He’s on his way.’

  ‘Good. I am sorry, Lucy. This is awful for you and not that good for me, to be honest.’ Maggie blew her hair out of her eyes with a great sigh. ‘I have never come across anything like this before. Testing times.’ She gave Lucy a determined smile. ‘I want you to come and stay with us for a few days. I suggest you pack a bag, my dear. Bring your research material – anything to do with Evie and her story – and we’ll put a notice on the door downstairs saying that the gallery will be closed for a bit. I know it’s not good for business, but better we sort this out completely. I want you to be able to be happy and safe here.’

  This time Lucy didn’t argue. By the time Huw arrived she had collected up all her research, her letters and notes and books and thrown some clothes into a suitcase.

  He ran upstairs two at a time after Maggie went down to let him in.

  Lucy was happy to leave it to them. She sat looking out of the window, her eyes fixed on the rooftops opposite where a crow was sitting on the TV aerial surveying the street below. Straining her ears in the direction of the studio Lucy clenched her fists. She could hear nothing. Minutes passed. She ought to get up and go and see if they were all right, but she was too afraid.

  ‘It’s all right, Lucy. It’s over for now.’ She realised that Huw was standing beside her and she hadn’t heard anything he had said. ‘There is nothing there now. All is quiet and Maggie and I have surrounded the room with prayer, each in our own way.’ He smiled at her reassuringly. ‘Leave it now. Have you rung Robin to tell him what is happening?’

  ‘No.’ It was a whisper.

  ‘Would you like me to?’

  She couldn’t believe she nodded. She felt like a frightened child.

  Obediently she followed them down the staircase and climbed into Huw’s car. Maggie leaned in after her and kissed the top of her head. ‘Huw will drive you back home. I’ll go and pick up my car from the car park and follow you.’

  Her bedroom at the vicarage was small and pretty and cosy. To her relief there had been no sign of the crated picture in the hall. They must have moved it somewhere and for the time being she didn’t even want to ask where it was. It seemed ironic that she had followed it here and that once more she was under the same roof as the cause of all her troubles. She dragged in her belongings and sat down on the bed with a sigh. No one knew where she was. Here she was safe. From Christopher, from Mike and Charlotte, and hopefully from her unwanted ghostly intruder as well. As though to confirm her situation the door opened and Roger strolled in. He gave her bags a cursory sniff and then jumped on the bed, circling three times before curling up on the pillow. Lucy smiled. Maggie, she was sure, would take this as a benison, three times a circle, a magic blessing and a sign that all was well.

  19

  November 22nd 1940

  Tony drove up the lane and parked in the farmyard right by the back door. He climbed out of his little Morris and walked straight into the kitchen. Rachel’s sewing basket lay on the table. There was no one about. He went through into the hall and stood at the bottom of the stairs, holding the newel post, looking up. ‘Rachel? Evie? Is there anyone there?’ For a moment he thought the place was empty, then he heard a door opening and the rattle of footsteps on the stairs.

  ‘Tony?’ It was Evie.

  She hung over the banister on the landing above his head. ‘What are you doing here?’ she whispered.

  ‘I need to talk to you.’ He took the stairs two at a time and swept her into his arms. For a long moment she clung to him, her whole body melting against his, then she pushed him away. ‘You can’t stay. It’s not safe.’

  ‘What do you mean, it’s not safe?’

  ‘My parents might see you.’

  ‘I don’t care. I want to marry you, Evie. I’ve been thinking and I can’t let all this misunderstanding and delay go on. Let’s do it now. As soon as we can. We can get a special licence. My parents are wealthy people, Evie. If there is a need for money for the farm, they will help. They could pay Eddie off. Surely your father won’t forbid us if this is what you want? We’ll ask him to give you away. Ralph can be my best man.’ He put his hands on her shoulde
rs and held her for a moment, looking into her eyes. ‘I love you, Evie. I want you to be my wife. Nothing has changed. I’ve wanted to marry you since the first time I set eyes on you.’

  She was about to answer when a loud voice floated down from the landing above. ‘But she doesn’t want to marry you.’

  Eddie walked slowly and deliberately down the stairs, coming to a stop only when he had reached them.

  ‘What were you doing up there?’ Tony stared at him in shock, his hands falling away from Evie’s shoulders. He looked at her. ‘Well, what were you both doing?’

  Eddie smiled slowly. ‘What do you think we were doing?’

  ‘We were in my studio, looking at pictures,’ Evie said hotly. ‘What else?’ She thrust Tony away from her. ‘Stop it, both of you. I can’t cope with this!’

  ‘You heard her,’ Eddie said. ‘She wants you to go.’

  Evie turned on him. ‘It is not for you to tell anyone to go, Eddie. I want you out of here as well. I want some peace to paint!’

  ‘And I want you to make some decisions,’ Eddie snapped back. ‘You need to get your priorities in place, Evelyn. Either you want a career as an artist or you don’t. It is time you made some choices. If you want to play with boys,’ he threw a sneering glance at Tony, ‘so be it, but don’t expect me to waste any more time on you or your work.’

  Both men were silent for a moment. Eddie stepped forward. ‘After you.’ Grim-faced he gestured at Tony to go down.

  Tony was clenching his fists. ‘I don’t think so. Not till I’ve finished my conversation with Evie.’

  Eddie stepped forward, his jaw clenched, his eyes narrowed with hatred, reaching out as if he intended to punch Tony in the chest. Evie stepped between them but she was halted in her tracks by a shout from Rachel, who had appeared in the hall at the foot of the stairs.

  ‘What do you think you are doing?’ She was staring up in horror. ‘What is all the noise about? Your father’s in there, Evie,’ she pointed towards the kitchen, ‘and he is ill. He’s collapsed!’