A Sister's Sorrow

by Kitty Neale

  ‘I’m not sure I like the idea of you waltzing back in there just yet. I think you’d be better off staying a while longer. You know you’re more than welcome, ain’t that right, Mum?’

  ‘Yes, but if Sarah feels she needs to go home, then why don’t you run her over there and check out the place first? I can take Tommy to Joan’s with me and at least that way he’ll be out of harm’s way,’ Lena suggested.

  Sarah smiled thankfully. ‘If you wouldn’t mind, that would be great.’

  ‘All right,’ George said firmly, ‘but if we get there and there’s any doubt, you’re coming straight back here with me.’

  Sarah agreed and went upstairs to kiss Tommy goodbye, warning him to behave himself with Lena. She quickly grabbed a comb from her handbag and ran it through her hair. As she placed it back inside her bag, she saw the handkerchief full of jewellery, and was reminded of her promise to Jenny and Doreen to get payback on Godfrey. Her plan to visit Mrs Alderton-Steele had been put on hold while she’d been staying at George’s, but she’d make it a priority once she was back at home.

  George pulled up outside Sarah’s house, and immediately noticed the front door had been repaired in a makeshift fashion. He assumed it had been kicked in. ‘Are you sure about this, Sarah?’

  ‘I’m as sure as I’ll ever be,’ she replied, drawing in a long breath.

  George climbed out of the van first and walked in front of Sarah. ‘Looks like this door’s had a bit of a bash,’ he commented. ‘Give me your keys.’

  Sarah handed them to him and he slowly opened the door to step inside, saying over his shoulder, ‘Wait there a minute.’

  He walked across to Sarah’s room and saw black scuff marks on her door, probably from heavy boots, but when he went to unlock it, the key wouldn’t fit. ‘Are you sure this is the right key?’ he called.

  Sarah walked into the hallway and answered, ‘Definitely.’

  George fiddled some more with the lock, but it wouldn’t open.

  ‘Sarah, you’re back!’ Mo called from the top of the stairs. ‘Hang on a tick. Sam changed the lock so I’ll get the new key,’ she said before running back into her room.

  ‘That explains it,’ George said.

  Mo quickly returned and came running down the stairs. ‘Hello, George,’ she said cheerily and handed him the new key.

  ‘I take it your brother’s been here then?’ George asked as he opened the door.

  ‘Go inside and I’ll tell you all about it,’ Mo said, ‘but first, if you put the kettle on the gas to boil, I’ll pop upstairs and bring you some sugar and milk for a cup of tea. I won’t be two ticks.’

  Sarah looked around her room and was pleasantly surprised to see everything looked intact, in fact, tidier than she’d left it. Even the window pane had been replaced, which she hadn’t noticed when outside. She walked over to the stove, picked up the kettle and filled it with water from the single tap over the sink.

  ‘Are you OK?’ George asked.

  ‘Yes, I’m pleased to see my place hasn’t been damaged.’

  Mo came back into the room carrying a small tray. ‘Well, as you could probably see from the front door, they came, but I’m hoping that’ll be the last we see of them.’

  Once the tea was made and they’d all sat down, Mo continued with her account of what had occurred. ‘We stayed in a hotel for a couple of nights, but you know what my Sam is like about spending money, so we came home. It was obvious they’d already been ’cos the front door was smashed in. Your door had been forced open as well, but it seems they didn’t do any damage in here. Shame I can’t say the same for upstairs.’

  ‘How bad was it?’ George asked.

  ‘It was awful, they’d completely trashed the place. All of Sam’s paintings were ripped up, my mattress, the sofa … everything. They slashed the lot, but as Samuel said, it’s just things and better they knifed all the furniture than us. It was a scary thought though, ’cos it showed they’d come armed and meaning to get us.’

  George felt his blood run cold. Sarah could have been in the house and come to serious harm.

  ‘Sam worried about them coming back and he didn’t want to leave me alone here. He took the week off work on the sick and got his brother to come and stay too. His brother brought a mate with him, Tony. He’s a bare-knuckle fighter. Turns out he’s a bit of a legend in the East End, and as hard as bleedin’ nails. It was a bit of a tight squeeze, but we managed and I felt quite safe with three big blokes in my room.’

  ‘You should have put them down here,’ Sarah said.

  ‘To be honest, I did think about it but I didn’t want to take liberties. Anyhow, later that night, just as Samuel had predicted, Danny and my dad came back, but we were ready for them. When they saw they were outnumbered, they ran off. Sam said to give it a couple of hours, and then they’d be back again. He wasn’t wrong. Only this time there was seven of them. Honestly, Sarah, when I saw them marching towards the house, I’ve never been so scared. I could see they had weapons too, bats, hammers, all sorts.’

  ‘Oh, Mo, no wonder you were scared.’

  ‘I begged Sam not to go outside, but he wouldn’t listen. I thought there was going to be a murder, and prayed it wouldn’t be my Sam who copped it. Tony, the bare-knuckle fighter, was out the door first and managed to take three of them out before Sam was even at the bottom of the stairs. Then I saw Sam lay into Danny, and Sam’s brother got into a scuffle with my dad. The next thing I know, there was only one of them left standing and he was begging Tony not to hurt him. Tony grabbed him round the neck, and warned the others that if they didn’t leave me and Sam alone he’d find them all, one by one, and kill them.’

  ‘Blimey, Mo, sounds like it was terrifying! Did Sam or the others get hurt?’ Sarah asked.

  ‘A couple of shiners and small cuts between them, but not a mark on Tony. I’ve never seen anyone fight like that before. No wonder he’s a legend. He stood over the rest of them, fists clenched, and then one by one they staggered to their feet to leg it.’

  ‘I take it they haven’t been back? George said.

  ‘No, it’s been quiet since and with Tony’s threat hanging over them, I don’t think we’ll see them again.’

  ‘Are you sure that’s an end to it, Mo?’ George asked, feeling protective. ‘I don’t want Sarah to risk bringing Tommy back here if it’s going to kick off again.’

  ‘I’m sure it’s all right. I managed to get one of my mum’s neighbours to have a quiet word in her ear. I got a message back from her to say that as far as my dad’s concerned I’m dead to him and my brothers. They never want see me again. So, that’s it, all over and good bloody riddance to them.’

  ‘At last. Now you can relax and get on with your life,’ Sarah said.

  ‘Yes, though I must admit to still feeling nervous when I’m out. Time will tell, but I’m pretty sure they won’t bother me any more.’

  ‘Well, Mo, it looks like I’m moving back home.’

  George was pleased to hear there’d be no more trouble, though his heart sank at the thought of Sarah leaving. He wanted her to remain at his house, but with no threat from Mo’s family, there was no reason for her to stay. ‘I’ll run you back later with Tommy,’ he offered and tried to hide the disappointment in his voice. At least he’d be getting his bed back instead of having to sleep on the lumpy sofa, though it was little compensation.

  He had a few hours left alone with her, and his stomach knotted at the thought. If he could bring himself to be bold enough, he’d make his move later. He’d been thinking about it for a while, and now seemed like the right time to ask her the big question, before it was too late and the opportunity passed.

  Sarah had been chatting all the way back to George’s house, but she’d noticed he seemed very quiet. As they pulled up outside, she went to get out of the van, but George stopped her, telling her to wait.

  She turned to look at him and saw he was staring straight ahead with his hands gripping the steering wheel
. ‘What is it, George?’

  ‘I … er … I don’t want you and Tommy to go back home,’ he answered.

  ‘It’s been lovely staying with you and your mum, and I’m not sure I want to go home either. I know Tommy will miss you, but there’s no reason for us to stay now.’

  ‘There is …’ George said, and slowly twisted himself around to take her hand in his.

  ‘What are you doing, George?’ Sarah asked as she laughed uncomfortably. From the look in George’s eyes, she had the impression that he was about to become romantic.

  ‘Would you really prefer to be here, you and Tommy?’

  ‘Well … yes, I suppose. It’s great for Tommy to have a loving family around him, and your mum is so nice to us both, but it’s not our home, George.’

  ‘It could be, Sarah, if you want it to be.’

  ‘It can’t, George. It’s not fair on you to be turfed out of your room, and I’m sure your mum would like her peace and quiet back.’

  ‘Sarah, can’t you see what I’m getting at? Gawd …’ George took a long breath, then blurted, ‘Marry me?’

  Sarah sat stunned and speechless. She knew George liked her, he’d told her before that he loved her, but she hadn’t been expecting a marriage proposal.

  ‘I know that wasn’t very romantic, but if you say you’ll be my wife, I’ll do it again and properly, down on one knee with a ring.’

  Sarah’s mind was racing. She hadn’t misheard him the first time, he’d just confirmed it. She thought maybe he was larking around, but one look into his eyes told her he was serious. She liked George as a person, but he didn’t give her butterflies like Roger did. All the same, she didn’t want to hurt him and searched for the right words to let him down gently.

  ‘I know it’s a bit of a bolt out of the blue, Sarah, so perhaps you want some time to think about it?’

  She slowly pulled her hand away from his. As far as she was concerned there was nothing to think about, and if she didn’t respond to him now it would only prolong his agony. ‘I’m sorry, George, but my answer is no. You’re like my best friend, and I love you, but not in that way.’

  George turned away, his shoulders slumped and Sarah could see that she had cut him deeply. She wanted to take him in her arms to offer him comfort, but that might give him false hope. Instead, she climbed out of the van, hating that there would now be an awkward atmosphere between them.

  ‘Don’t feel bad about turning me down,’ George said as he too got out of the van, ‘but you’ve missed your chance now, woman. You’ll be sorry when you see some other bird snap me up.’

  She turned to see him grinning and kissed him on the cheek, relieved that he wasn’t sulking. ‘Just as long as she’s good enough for you and makes you happy.’

  They went indoors, and Sarah went upstairs to George’s room to pack the clothes she’d brought with her. She took a moment to sit on the edge of the bed, and thought again about George’s proposal. He was such a sweet, kind man, and though he’d put on a good front when she’d turned him down, she could see straight through him and knew he was upset. Sarah sighed heavily and decided that once she was back in her own home she’d put some distance between them for a while. It would give George a chance to get over her and maybe, just maybe, he might meet someone who could give him all the love he deserved.

  Chapter 30

  Lena was stacking tins of Spam, but her mind was on her son. It had been a week since Sarah and Tommy had returned to their own home, which seemed to have left George feeling down in the dumps. She missed his cheery smile in the mornings, and having been through a spell of depression herself, she hoped her son wasn’t going down the same path.

  The shop door opened, and Lena was surprised to see Albert Bosco walk in. He rarely came to his store, but was always amiable and polite when he did.

  ‘Good morning, Mrs Neerly, how are you today?’ he asked as he doffed his hat to reveal his thick white hair.

  ‘Mr Bosco, hello. I’m very well, thank you, but you’re lucky to have caught me here at this time. Sarah would normally be working now, but she’s at a school play so I’m covering for her for the rest of the afternoon.’ She thought he was such a nice gentleman and always dressed smartly. He had a Mediterranean look about him with light-brown skin in striking contrast with his hair. He wasn’t much taller than her, and, unlike her, hadn’t kept his youthful figure, so now had a paunchy stomach. Yet he had the deepest dark-brown eyes, which Lena thought were his best feature.

  ‘I’m glad I’ve caught you then, as it’s you I was hoping to see.’

  Lena carried the box of remaining tins towards the counter.

  ‘Here, let me help you with that,’ Mr Bosco said as he rushed across the shop and took the box from her.

  ‘Thank you. What did you want to see me about? I hope you’re happy with the way I’m running the shop?’

  Mr Bosco placed the box on the counter, then turned to look at Lena, but she noticed he looked somewhat uncomfortable.

  ‘Yes, yes, I’m more than happy with all your hard work, and Sarah seems an asset to the business too.’

  ‘Yes, she is.’

  There was a long, silent pause, then Mr Bosco said, ‘I have tickets to a dinner and dance being held at Battersea Town Hall. It’s one of those events to promote small businesses in the area, and, well, can be a bit stuffy as it’s a black-tie do.’

  ‘It sounds like a good excuse to get dressed up and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it,’ Lena said.

  ‘I’m not very good at this … It’s been a long time since I’ve asked a lady for a date, so please excuse my fumbling, but would you like to come with me?’

  ‘Oh,’ Lena answered, taken aback, and stuttered, ‘I … I—’

  Mr Bosco interrupted, ‘It’s all right, I understand and I do hope I haven’t embarrassed you. Sorry, it was a silly idea. Anyway, I’ll be off now then.’

  He turned to leave, but Lena called, ‘Yes.’

  Mr Bosco spun back around.

  ‘Yes, I’d love to come with you, Mr Bosco.’

  He looked delighted as a huge smile spread across his face. ‘Wonderful, I’ll pick you up at seven on Saturday, and please call me Albert.’

  ‘Albert, seven is fine, and I think you should call me Lena.’

  Albert doffed his hat again, then left, while Lena flopped down on the chair behind the counter. She couldn’t believe she’d agreed to go out on a date. It would be the first since her husband had died, and suddenly she worried about what she would wear. Not only that, what on earth would George have to say about it?

  Sarah had watched Tommy in his school play production of The Three Little Pigs. The short stage act had brought her so much enjoyment, and she’d swelled with pride at his performance as a talking tree. Now he was back in his classroom, but Sarah wasn’t ready to go to work yet. Lena had opened up the shop and stayed on for a few hours, so now it was time to put her plan into action. It had been put on hold when she’d had to move in with George and his mum, but now that she was home again, she was ready.

  Sarah stood at the bottom of the stairs leading up to Mrs Alderton-Steele’s house, gazing with admiration at the three-storey building, with stairs leading down to a basement. The large front door was adorned with brass fixtures, and through the front sash windows she could see luxury drapes. Everything she’d heard about this side of the water was true. The people looked smart, and the houses were opulent.

  It was a bold plan and Sarah had expected to feel nervous, but instead she was filled with determination to correct a wrong. She had no idea how Mrs Alderton-Steele would receive her, or if the woman would even allow her in the house, but walked up the wide stairs to ring the doorbell, her body stiff.

  ‘Yes, can I help you?’ an elderly gentleman asked when he opened the door. He was dressed in a black suit with a crisp grey shirt matching his grey hair, which was immaculately swept back. Sarah knew from what Jenny had told her that he must be Henry, the butler.

 
; ‘Good afternoon,’ Sarah said, trying to speak properly without her cockney twang, ‘Miss Jepson to see Mrs Alderton-Steele.’

  ‘She isn’t expecting you,’ Henry said, and eyed her suspiciously.

  ‘No, but she will want to see me.’

  ‘There are no service positions currently available,’ Henry said, and began to close the door.

  ‘Wait,’ Sarah said, ‘I’m not here for a job. I have some information that I believe she will want to hear.’

  ‘You will have to be more precise.’

  Although the man initially came across as being snobbish, Jenny had said he was a nice bloke, and Sarah could see he had a kind face. ‘It’s about a watch, and some other things that I believe belong to her.’

  Henry’s eyes widened. ‘You’d better come in,’ he said, and showed Sarah into a large hallway. ‘Wait here,’ he instructed before going through a door to the left of a large staircase.

  Sarah gazed around her surroundings. The walls were panelled with rich dark wood, and statues stood on marble plinths. A sparkling chandelier hung from the ceiling, and scattered rainbow reflections of sunlight over the walls. Blimey, thought Sarah, the hallway was bigger than her entire house.

  ‘This way, Miss Jepson,’ Henry said from the doorway.

  Sarah had been feeling brave, but suddenly felt out of her depth in the lavish house and began tapping her finger and thumb. She walked past Henry and into a large room where Mrs Alderton-Steele was sitting on the largest sofa Sarah had ever seen. She quickly scanned the room, taking in a grand piano, the oil paintings framed in gilt, and the foreign-looking vases. She thought the place looked how she imagined Buckingham Palace to be, and Mrs Alderton-Steele was like royalty. It even crossed her mind that perhaps she should curtsey.

  ‘Henry tells me you know something of my late husband’s missing watch,’ Mrs Alderton-Steele said.

  ‘Yes, that’s right.’

  ‘You had better sit down then, girl. Henry, bring us tea … oh, and a slice of Dundee cake. I’m sure Miss … Miss …’ Mrs Alderton-Steele looked at Sarah with a furrowed brow.