The sun was beginning to set as the train drew into Lime Street. Kitty knew she should have thought of this but she’d just missed the previous train when saying farewell to Laura and had had to wait for the next one. She’d taken her book to the buffet, and to her relief it had emptied out a little and she’d found a corner in which to pass the time.
At least it wasn’t like groping around in the dark down in Sussex. There were plenty of people about as she slowly descended the steps and began to head towards the bus stop. Her mind was whirring with what Laura had had to say. Was this peculiar note Freddy’s way of making contact after all this time, or was her friend deluding herself, because she’d wanted it so badly for so long?
She was wandering along at the edge of the pavement when a car pulled up just ahead of her, almost against the kerb. The driver got out and came around the back of the vehicle, and she saw with a start that it was Alfie Delaney. She’d heard he was back but hadn’t seen him. Tommy had been right – his head was a bit like a snooker ball.
‘Kitty Callaghan, as I live and breathe,’ he said, his smile wide and seemingly friendly. ‘What brings you out at this time of the evening? Off to meet your boyfriend, are you?’
When she was younger, Kitty might have blushed and admitted that she didn’t have one. She had an idea that this was exactly what Alfie would have liked her to do. Instead she turned to look at the car and then back at him. ‘Didn’t know you had a car, Alfie,’ she said.
‘Oh, you know me, Kitty, I can get my hands on most things I want if I try,’ he replied, still keeping it friendly, but Kitty could tell there was an edge to what he said, even if he was trying to hide it. ‘Are you heading back to Bootle? Fancy a lift?’ He moved swiftly to the passenger side door and opened it.
If it had been just about anyone else, Kitty would have jumped at the chance. The evening was cooling rapidly and she’d only brought a light cardigan as she hadn’t expected to be out so late. She drew it round her, but its lack of warmth wasn’t enough to persuade her to accept his offer. Even in the dull twilight, the car didn’t look in great shape. Being stuck with Alfie Delaney in a broken-down vehicle miles from home was all she needed.
‘Thank you, but I’m going to meet a friend,’ she said firmly.
It was as if she hadn’t spoken. ‘Go on, Kitty, get in, and then we can catch up on what we’ve been up to these past few years,’ Alfie urged. ‘You can tell me all about this new job everyone’s talking about. Mam says you’re doing well. And how’s your Tommy? You know I’m getting him a bike, don’t you?’
Kitty tried hard not to be flustered by that comment. He was just trying to make her feel like she owed him a favour, she could see that. ‘He’s very well,’ she said, ‘but he’s already got a bike, so don’t go putting yourself out, Alfie. I’d hate you to go to extra trouble.’
‘Very kind of you, Kitty,’ Alfie said, edging nearer, ‘but then you were always the generous sort. Never hurt anyone, would you, Kitty?’ His hand came forward and took hold of her arm. ‘Why don’t you get in the car and we can have a nice ride home, eh? You’d like that. I can tell.’ His grip grew tighter.
Kitty knew she mustn’t panic, but inside she was squirming at his horrible touch. What a disgusting man he was. If anything he’d got worse in the years since she’d last seen him, and she’d never liked him much before. You couldn’t trust him as far as you could throw him. There was no question of her getting in the car with him.
‘Like I said, Alfie, I’m not on my way home, so I shan’t be needing a lift,’ she said in what she hoped was a steady voice.
‘Is that really true, Kitty?’ His shifty eyes stared into hers. ‘You wouldn’t lie to me, would you? You wouldn’t be trying to get rid of me?’
She tried to twist away but his grip was too strong. ‘Alfie, let go of my arm,’ she hissed. ‘I have to go.’
He didn’t, but pulled her closer to him. ‘I thought we could go for a drive,’ he said. ‘Bet you don’t get the chance of that very often. None of you lot down Empire Street have got a car, have you? Still relying on old man Feeny and his horse and cart, that’s what I heard.’
‘There’s nothing wrong with Pop’s horse and cart,’ snapped Kitty, stung at the insult to the man who had protected her like one of his own ever since she was eleven. She glanced around to see how many people were nearby. Though the light had faded, surely Alfie wouldn’t try anything serious. She couldn’t really believe that he wouldn’t let her go, that he might try to force her into the car. All the same, a little shiver of fear wormed its way through her.
Alfie must have sensed it, because he gave her a horrible excuse for a smile. ‘Come on, Kitty, don’t hang about. We’re missing the best part of the evening.’
She pulled her arm away harder and heard the fabric of her sleeve rip as she got free.
‘Now look what you’ve done, Kitty. You’ve gone and ruined your nice cardigan,’ Alfie scolded. ‘You’ll get cold now. Go on, get in, my car’s nice and warm.’
Kitty backed away, still facing him. ‘Go home, Alfie. I’m not getting in that car with you.’
Alfie made as if to take a step towards her, his expression now far from friendly, when abruptly he halted. There were footsteps behind her – with a slightly irregular rhythm. She swung around and there was Frank.
Her eyes widened. ‘F … Frank!’ Her mind spun, then she gathered her wits in a hurry. ‘I was just coming to meet you. You … you took me by surprise coming from the other direction.’ She widened her eyes at him and hoped he caught her meaning.
He stared for a moment but then cottoned on. ‘Sorry I’m late,’ he said smoothly. ‘I was waylaid, I’ll explain later.’ He looked at Alfie. ‘Mr Delaney. I’d heard you were back.’
‘Alfie’s just going,’ said Kitty. ‘Aren’t you?’ She glared at him.
For a moment she thought he would protest and even try to take out his frustration on Frank, but common sense seemed to prevail as he realised he was outnumbered and Kitty really had no intention of getting in the car with him. He turned on his heel without another word, got into the car and slammed the door heavily, before accelerating noisily away.
Kitty felt her shoulders sagging in relief. Frank caught her by the elbow and noticed the ripped wool.
‘Good lord, Kitty, what’s wrong? What did he do to you?’ He could feel fury boiling inside him.
‘It’s nothing, it’s nothing.’ She took a couple of deep breaths. ‘He just saw me walking along and wanted to give me a lift. He wasn’t very happy when I said no.’
‘But your arm,’ said Frank, touching the rip in concern.
Kitty felt her flesh react to his touch, even as she tried to minimise the danger she’d been in. ‘It’s just an old cardie, it rips at the slightest thing. He didn’t hurt me. Really, it’s all right.’ Now she was embarrassed and didn’t want to cause a fuss.
‘Damn him, Kitty, he’s got no right to behave like that,’ Frank fumed. ‘I’m glad I came along when I did.’
‘So am I,’ Kitty admitted. ‘Are you going back to your digs?’
‘Yes. I’d been to the cinema with Sylvia and just walked her to her bus stop. Shall I walk you to yours? You are heading back to Bootle, aren’t you?’
For a split second Kitty’s heart dropped at the mention of Sylvia’s name, then she told herself not to be silly and to be thankful that Frank had been out with the pretty young Wren, or he wouldn’t have been here to come to her rescue. She should simply tell him to go on his way, that she was all right. But here he was, looking at her with those warm, caring eyes, and suddenly the thought of his company, even if only as far as the bus stop, seemed very appealing.
‘Yes, please,’ she said.
Tommy was pleased with his first session of PT. He could tell everyone was looking at him to see how he would cope, whether he was fit enough to cycle around the city all day. But years of helping on the farm had toned his muscles and he breezed through the exercises without a problem, barely breaking a sweat. He noticed one or two of the old timers nodding in approval. He wasn’t the only new recruit, and a couple of them seemed to be struggling, which drew several disapproving glances. He was glad he’d got through that part of the morning.
Now he was out on his first real job. ‘You do know where this address is, don’t you?’ his supervisor had said, unsure about the new boy in his team.
‘Oh, yes,’ said Tommy confidently. ‘It’s around the corner from Oriel Road station. I know it like the back of my hand.’ He’d set off at top speed, handling the red bike as if he’d had it for years, negotiating the potholes in the road, feeling the sun on his face. What a stroke of luck he’d got this job. He was going to enjoy himself, he could tell.
It took him no time at all to find the address and he swung himself off the bike, propping it against a low wall. This must be the door: a tarnished brass number 5 hung at a crooked angle above the letterbox. He rapped smartly on the wooden panel.
He noticed a net curtain twitch in the neighbouring house but couldn’t see more than an outline of a figure behind it. Now he could hear the sound of footsteps and the door opened. In front of him stood a young woman, pretty, with long chestnut hair neatly plaited, but in a threadbare apron and a print dress frayed at the edges. She must be about Sarah’s age. When she saw who he was, her face fell.
Tommy’s mood of happiness evaporated as the meaning of what he was about to do hit home. He knew he couldn’t show his feelings, though. He checked the name he’d been given and asked her: ‘Mrs Pelham? Mrs Vincent Pelham?’
‘Y-yes.’ The woman held her head up but her eyes were already beginning to fill with tears.
Tommy handed her the telegram and she immediately scanned what it said. A single sob escaped her.
‘Oh, no. Not my Vince. Not Vince.’
Tommy squirmed awkwardly. He shuffled his feet, not sure what to say.
The woman slumped against the doorframe and shut her eyes. Then, as if remembering where she was, she felt in her patch pocket and drew out a small coin. She handed it to him. ‘For your trouble,’ she said very quietly.
‘Oh, no, I can’t …’ From the state of her clothes, Tommy could tell she could scarcely afford to part with even the lowest-value coin, but she grabbed his hand insistently and pressed it into his palm.
‘Yes. Please take it. Vince would want me to.’ Her teary eyes met his and he knew this was something she needed to do for her husband. He couldn’t say no.
‘Thank you, missus. Now I have to go.’ He picked up his bike as quickly as he could, as the neighbour’s net curtain twitched again. He hoped the neighbour was friendly and would help the devastated young woman, whose world he had just brought crashing down.
Cycling along past Oriel Road, he replayed the conversations he’d had with Danny and Kitty about this job, and how it would require responsibility and tact. He’d said ‘yes’ and ‘of course’ to them, but hadn’t really thought what it would mean. Now he had a better idea of what they were on about and his heart sank. He knew he would see that woman’s face in his dreams for a very long time.