Live the Dream (6 page)

For just that split second, Amy took her eyes off Daisy. When she looked up again, they were gone. 'Where are they?'

Beginning to panic, she quickened her steps, with the young man striding out beside her.

'Don't worry!' he told her. 'They can't be far.'

Amy wasn't convinced. Something told her that Daisy was out of her depth. Her fears were confirmed when she heard Daisy calling her name. 'That's Daisy! Maybe she's in trouble.' Beginning to panic, she looked this way and that, trying hard to pinpoint where the shouts were coming from, in the maze of alleys. 'DAISY! WHERE ARE YOU?'

She set off at a run, in the direction of Daisy's voice, with the young man coming up behind her. Fear gripped her heart. She didn't trust him.

When Amy came running into the alley she saw Daisy struggling against Roy. He had her pinned against the wall and his mouth was clamped to hers, while one hand groped inside her coat. Daisy was struggling against him, moaning and trying to push him away.

Amy misunderstood. Thinking Daisy was in real trouble, she kicked out and caught Daisy's attacker a nasty blow on the shin. He went down with a look of agony on his face. Amy was briefly aware of Daisy's astonished expression, but then the other man, Jack, darted forward and grabbed Amy's arm.

'Leave him. It's OK,' he said, but his hand on her arm only served to panic her.

Twisting away from him, she grabbed a half-brick that was lying in the alley. She aimed for his head but the brick bounced off his shoulder and fell at his feet, delivering no more than a bruise.

Meanwhile, Daisy had caught her breath and was buttoning her blouse. While Roy moaned at her feet, Jack looked shocked.

'Now just a minute…' he began.

'It's OK,' Daisy promised Amy. 'No harm done.' She giggled. 'It were a bit heavy for a first kiss, though.' Her hair was dishevelled and her lipstick smudged, but her eyes were mischievously twinkling in the light of a nearby streetlamp.

'But…I thought…' When realisation dawned Amy was embarrassed. Oh, no, this was awful. She began her way back down the alley. 'I think we'd best be off home,' she said lamely.

'I think we had,' chuckled Daisy, winking at Roy.

'But you said—' he began.

'Never mind what I said,' replied Daisy. 'Perhaps you'd better learn some manners, rushing a girl like that.' She patted her hair in place, straightened her coat and trotted back up the alley behind Amy.

'Time to cool off!' Daisy quipped as she went.

Softly laughing, she grabbed Amy's hand and they were soon running back towards the main road, their heels pounding the cold pavement, and the sound of their laughter echoing through the night air.

The street was relatively quiet, with the exception of a big black saloon motor car which passed them, slowing briefly before accelerating away, as they turned towards the tram stop and raced to meet the oncoming lights. He couldn't be certain but Luke wondered if they were the young women from Tooley's Cafe.

In the lamplight, Amy took a good look at her friend. 'My God, Daisy…look at the state of you!' Amy was horrified. 'We'll have to try and tidy you up. They'll never let you on the tram like that.' With her dishevelled hair and rumpled clothes, Daisy looked like a refugee from hell. 'The tram's coming now—quick!' She took Daisy by the shoulders. 'Let's see if we can make you presentable.'

'Been in a fight, 'ave yer?' The conductor gawped with open mouth as they boarded the tram.

'You could say that,' Amy replied, stifling her laughter.

'Sit yourself down then, and don't start anything.' Convinced they'd been drinking, the conductor warned, 'These are decent, God-fearing passengers, so mind you behave! I want no trouble on my tram!'

During the journey they relived the night's events. 'By! You went for him like a blinking Jack Russell,' Daisy said. 'That'll teach him to get fresh with me without a by your leave. The look on his face…" When she laughed loudly, the conductor, who had been eyeing the red-faced pair suspiciously, came to give her a warning. 'Start trouble and I'll put you off!'

'I'm not "starting trouble"!' Daisy protested, and would have said more, were it not for the dig in the ribs she got from Amy, who was herself beginning to giggle; which then set Daisy off.

Somehow managing to remain fairly composed until disembarking at their stop, the two of them were helpless with laughter. 'You're a bad 'un, you are!' Amy spluttered.

'I've had the best night o' my life.' Swinging her arms round Amy, Daisy marched her forward at a galloping pace.

'Get off!' Amy shrugged her away. 'You'll have us both arse over tip!'

Daisy was astounded. 'Language, my girl.' She feigned indignation. 'I'll thank you to mind your tongue when you're in my company.' To which they both started laughing again.

Some short distance away, a strolling constable gave them a knowing wink. 'Evening, girls.'

'Evening, officer,' Amy replied.

'You two look like you've had a good night.'

'Not so's you'd notice,' Daisy replied.

On looking closer, he saw how tousled they were. His tone grew serious. 'All right, are you?'

'Right as rain,' Amy replied.

'Aye, well, you'd best get off home,'
he
advised. 'There are some strange folks hanging about this time of night.'

They watched him go, shaking his head as he went.

As they wended their way home, the streets echoed with their merry laughter.

One thing was certain, Amy thought. Life was never dull with Daisy about.

Switching off the engine, Luke Hammond climbed out of the car. His business meeting had overrun and then he'd had to entertain clients. 'I'm sure that was Amy with the young woman from the cafe,' he murmured. But the lamplight played strange tricks on the eye, so he couldn't be absolutely certain. He'd learned Amy's name by eavesdropping at Tooley's, and now it was a name inextricably linked to Tuesdays—those days of freedom and dreams.

He closed the car door and made his way to the house. As he walked on, the image of Amy's face was bright in his mind.

There was something irresistible about her. She had a warm, magical, memorable smile, and those bluest of eyes. It was the face of a woman you could trust. That was why he had a need to paint her: so he might capture that special something, and keep it for ever. Smiling, gentle, constant, her portrait brought him nearer to living the dream he conjured up on Tuesdays. Whenever he was feeling low, he thought of Amy and his heart was lifted.

His reverie was, however, suddenly shattered as he approached the house. Through the kitchen window he could see a woman frantically pacing the floor and, judging from her manner, she seemed to be in a dark, dangerous mood.

'Oh God, that's all I need…
Georgina
.'

A slim, attractive woman with thick, dark hair, she was his wife's sister. He didn't care much for her, a scheming, greedy woman. 'What the devil can she want?' Because of her, he was able to enjoy his one day of freedom and keep his sanity. But he knew her well enough to be certain that she never did anything out of the goodness of her heart, and for that reason his suspicions were aroused. 'I can be sure of one thing,' he mused, 'she won't be here for any good reason.'

Growing anxious, he quickened his steps.

Sensing his nearness, the woman peered out of the window, delighted to see him there. Before he had even opened the door, she was there to greet him.

'Oh, Luke, I'm so glad you're back!' Her voice was entreating; her wide dark eyes glittering with excitement. 'It's been awful. I didn't know which way to turn.'

At once he was on his guard. 'What do you mean?' Looking about he asked pointedly, 'Where's Sylvia?'

'In the bedroom.' Casting her gaze to the upper reaches of the house she told him in a whisper, 'She's sound asleep.'

'Is she all right?'

'She is
now
.'

He began to understand. 'Is Edna with her?' Edna, originally employed as housekeeper, was a good and loyal friend who had seen him and his wife through thick and thin.

'No.' Bristling at his question, she snapped, 'She is
not.
'

'So, where is she? She promised to stay until I got home. The meeting went on longer than was planned.'

With eyebrows raised and a marbling of anger in her voice, she asked sweetly, 'What kind of meeting…or am I not allowed to ask?'

'A meeting of business minds,' Luke answered sharply. 'A long-awaited meeting, too important to miss.'

'Really?' Again the eyebrows were raised, the smile devious. '
I
thought you might have a secret rendezvous with some attractive female,' she suggested softly. 'After all…the way things are, who would blame you?'

'If you thought that, then you were wrong. There is no other woman. There never has been, nor is there likely to be.' Bitterly he cast all lingering thoughts of Amy from his mind.

Taking a long, deep breath he squared his shoulders. 'Now…will you tell me what's been going on?' he asked quietly. 'You say Sylvia is asleep?'

'That's right. And, as you well know, it would be best if she was not disturbed.'

He nodded. 'So, if Edna is not with my wife, where
is
she?'

Georgina gave a cunning half-smile. 'I sent her home of course.' Her expression changed to one of disgust. 'To tell you the truth, I'd sack her if I had my way.'

Anger darkened Luke's face. 'Then it's just as well you
don't
have your way!' he snapped. 'That dear soul is a godsend to us. She's been with us through very difficult times. Anyone else would have been long gone, but not Edna. She's a good woman…and, thank God, she's made of sterner stuff than most. What's more, she knows as much about what's happening as any one of us.' His voice trembled with anger. 'You had no right to send her home.'

'Sylvia is my sister. I had every right! I've said it before and I'll say it again. Sylvia needs a proper nurse, not an old has-been like Edna!'

'You've got a short memory, Georgina.'

'What do you mean?'

'Cast your mind back to when Sylvia came home from hospital.' With his eyes burning into hers, he explained the situation for the umpteenth time. 'She had bruises and marks where she'd taken that terrible beating, but to look into her eyes, you'd think she was recovering well. Oh, yes, the doctor warned us that it was a possibility, but we hoped beyond hope for her sake that he was wrong. But he wasn't, was he? What was it—a month, maybe two—before the fits started; the unpredictable violence, the depression and amnesia.'

'I know all that!'

'Then you also know how I got Sylvia the best nurses money could buy. First one then another. They had all the certificates and experience. They came with the finest references, but Sylvia sent them packing.' He paused, allowing the words to sink in. 'She would have nothing to do with any of them, and worse, nothing to do with the medication they administered. And then, when I'm about to despair, we discover that the finest nurse of all is our own housekeeper, Edna—fully trained, qualified, and with years of experience. What was even better was that she already had Sylvia's complete and absolute trust…mine too. I can go to work during the week and know that Sylvia is in safe, loving hands, and that she isn't hiding her tablets or pouring her medicine away.'

Georgina knew how every word Luke uttered was right, but she still had her say. 'Except for Tuesdays.'

He nodded. 'Yes, except for Tuesdays, but then Edna has to have at least one day off and she visits her aged mother. They go to the old lady's whist club. But then you kindly offered to stay with her on that one day, and the arrangement seems to have worked out really well. Like you say, Sylvia always seems content in your company.'

Eaten with jealousy, Georgina persisted. 'If you ask me, Edna is far too familiar. It never pays to let the servants know too much.'

'Why don't you let
me
worry about that?' Finishing the conversation, he turned away with the parting words, 'Besides, you know we never think of Edna as a "servant".'

'Then you
should…
because that's exactly what she is. A housekeeper pretending to be a nurse again!'

'To be honest, the fact that you sent her away is neither here nor there, because if I know Edna, the minute she realises I'm home, she'll be back again…if only to make certain Sylvia is all right.' He smiled knowingly. 'In fact, I suspect our Edna has nothing but dislike for you.' ·

'Hmph,' Georgina narrowed her eyes and spat. 'The feeling is mutual, because I can't stand the sight of the damned woman!'

Treating her remark with the contempt it deserved, Luke made no reply. Instead, he went out of the room and on up the stairs.

At the top of the stairs he turned left towards his wife's room. He knew from experience that it was best to leave her sleeping, but he had a deep-down need to check on her. He had to be certain she was all right.

Lingering outside her door, he listened. There was no sound. There never was. Gingerly he turned the handle, opened the door and, ever so softly, let himself inside.

Standing by her bed, he studied her sleeping face. Sylvia never liked complete darkness, and in the kindly haze of light from the standard lamp, her quiet, pale features took on a ghostly aspect. With her soft skin and long, tousled chestnut hair, she seemed almost like a child lying there. He stayed a moment longer, thinking how beautiful she was, and how fortunate he had been.

Raising the blanket to cover her arms, he tenderly stroked the strands of rich-coloured hair from about her face. When she was sleeping like this, everything seemed so perfect.
Yet he knew it was not.

Beside the bed, her supper plate lay untouched: two small, plain biscuits, and a dainty wedge of cheese with the knife lying beside it; all exactly as it was when brought up by Edna. Untouched, unwanted.

The empty tumbler was on its side, half drunk, half spilled. As he carefully righted it, the dregs ran down his wrist. He wiped it away, but the stale milk remained, sticky and uncomfortable. It occurred to him it might well contain something medicinal, but it was spilled now, and anyway, she was sound asleep.