A Broken Family (27 page)

‘Maybe you should warn her.’

Amy was about to reply when there was a knock on the door and she went to open it, surprised to see Tommy’s brother. ‘Jeremy?’

‘Tom asked me to tell you that he can’t see you tonight. I’m afraid he’s stuck in bed with bronchitis.’

‘Oh no,’ Amy cried, all thoughts of Carol at that moment flying from her mind. ‘Do you think it would be all right if I pop up to see him?’

‘I don’t see why not.’

‘Mum, Tommy’s ill,’ she said, grabbing her coat from a hook by the door.

‘Amy, your dinner!’

‘I’ll have it when I come back,’ she said, hurrying out and asking Jeremy as they quickly walked up the hill, ‘How bad is it?’

‘He’s pretty rough, but he’s been put on antibiotics so that should sort him out.’

The wind was biting and Amy pulled her collar up, almost halting in her stride when Jeremy put an arm around her to draw her closer. ‘You’re cold,’ he said softly and with what sounded like concern.

Amy didn’t know how to react. She felt awkward to be this close to Jeremy and to have his arm around her, but if she pulled away it would look churlish. Confused, she just carried on walking and was glad when they arrived.

However any relief she felt was wiped away when Celia saw her, the woman saying, ‘Amy, what are you doing here?’

‘I … I’ve come to see Tommy.’

‘
Thomas
is in bed, and as I’ve told you before, it wouldn’t be proper for you to go up to his bedroom.’

‘Leave it out,
Mum
,’ Jeremy protested. ‘They’re engaged.’

‘Nevertheless, it wouldn’t be right,’ Celia argued.

‘The days when couples needed chaperones have well gone, but if you’re going to be prissy about it, I’ll take Amy upstairs and act as one.’

‘Oh, very well, but only for five minutes. Thomas is ill and needs his rest.’

‘Thanks, Jeremy,’ Amy whispered gratefully as they went upstairs.

‘I didn’t realise my mother was such a prude.’

Any comment Amy might have made died on her lips when they walked into Tommy’s bedroom. He looked awful and she flew to his side. Tommy tried to smile, and tears filled Amy’s eyes. This was the first time she’d seen him like this, and it was heartbreaking to hear when he began coughing, his chest heaving and perspiration beading his forehead. ‘Oh, Tommy,’ she cried, feeling utterly helpless.

‘I … I’ll be all right,’ he gasped. ‘Sorry about tonight.’

‘Don’t be silly, it doesn’t matter.’

‘I … might be stuck in bed for a good few days.’

Amy felt it would take longer than that and said, ‘Don’t try to get up before you’re fully recovered.’

‘I’ve got a business to run,’ he croaked.

‘Don’t worry,’ Jeremy said, speaking for the first time. ‘I can keep an eye on things for you.’

‘No … no need,’ Tommy said, but Amy looked sideways to see that Jeremy was leaning casually against the door frame and she smiled at him gratefully. He winked and she flushed, turning to see that Tommy’s eyes had closed. Softly she kissed his cheek, but he didn’t stir, and after just sitting beside him for another couple of minutes, she indicated to Jeremy that they should leave.

Celia was waiting for them at the foot of the stairs, and Amy wondered if she’d been timing the visit. ‘As you saw, Thomas is very ill and he needs lots of rest.’

‘Would it be all right if I just pop in for a few minutes each day?’

‘Yes, of course it will,’ Jeremy agreed before his mother got a chance to answer. ‘That’s all right, isn’t it,
Mum
?’

Celia hesitated, but then said stiffly, ‘Yes, I suppose so.’

‘Thank you,’ Amy said. ‘I’ll go now, but I’ll call in after work tomorrow.’

‘I’ll walk you home, Amy,’ Jeremy offered.

‘There’s no need,’ she said hurriedly.

‘I insist,’ he said.

‘Jeremy, you heard her,’ Celia snapped. ‘There’s no need.’

Before he could respond, Amy pulled open the street door, calling a swift goodbye before hurrying out, relieved that Jeremy didn’t follow her. There was something about Jeremy, a sort of dangerous magnetism that made her nervous and she was glad to get away from him.

Carol had done her Christmas shopping and had put a small tree in front of the window, adding fairy lights and baubles. It was Sunday morning, so she had wrapped the presents chosen for her brothers and placed them under the tree. She hoped the hint would work, that some would be added for her, but more than anything she longed for her mother to get in touch. It had been around seven months now without a word, and when she’d been to see her gran, the old lady still insisted that she hadn’t heard from her either. Carol didn’t believe it. Before she left her mother had been to see her gran every day, and it didn’t make sense that she hadn’t at least been in touch to make sure that the old woman was all right.

Not only that, if Gran hadn’t been in contact with her mother, she wouldn’t know that the house on Lark Rise was now empty, and if she did come back it would be a bit of a shock. Thoughts of the recent past, the things that had happened in that house, suddenly crowded Carol’s mind. It was too painful to think about, so when there was a ring on the doorbell, Carol was glad of the distraction.

Even though there had been no sign of her father, Carol still looked out of the window to make sure it wasn’t him at the door, and was thankful to see that it was Amy. She ran downstairs to let her friend in, but Amy said, ‘Are you on your own? I’ve got something to tell you, but it needs to be in private.’

‘It’s all right, my brothers aren’t in. Come on up,’ she said and when they sat down in the living room, Carol could see how tense Amy was. ‘What’s wrong? Why do you need to talk to me in private?’

Amy swallowed as though nervous, but only said, ‘Tommy’s got bronchitis and he’s really rough.’

‘Oh, no wonder you look upset.’

‘Tommy’s brother has come home too. Jeremy is older than Tommy and has been away for about seven years. He seems all right, and he’s really good looking.’

‘Is that what you’ve come to talk to me about? Do you fancy him or something?’

‘No, of course not,’ Amy protested.

‘Then what is it?’

‘I … I was going to tell you about this yesterday, after work, but I saw your brothers arriving home and I didn’t want to talk to you in front of them. That’s why I came today, hoping they were out …’

Amy’s voice had trailed off and worried that she was in some kind of trouble, Carol urged, ‘You’re safe, we’re on our own, and if I can help you know I will.’

‘This … this isn’t about me. It’s about you. I hate to tell you this, and of course it’s all lies, but there’s some nasty gossip going round and I thought I should warn you.’

Carol’s stomach clenched. Surely it hadn’t come out after all this time? She dreaded what was coming, but had to ask, ‘What are they saying about me?’

‘They’re saying that you … well, you had an abortion.’

Carol lowered her head and ran both hands over her face as she groaned, ‘Oh God, if this reaches Paul and Davy they’re going to go mad.’

‘Maybe they should,’ Amy said. ‘If they sort the gossips out, it might put a stop to them.’

‘No, no, you don’t understand,’ Carol cried. ‘It’s me they’ll sort out, probably chuck out me of this flat. Oh, Amy, what am I going to do?’

Amy looked bewildered for a moment, but then as though the penny had dropped she gasped, ‘Are you saying it’s true?’

Carol nodded, and then it all came out in a rush as she told Amy what had happened; about Roy, the rape, the abortion, sobbing when she came to the end.

Amy had tears in her eyes too as she said, ‘If I’d known I might have been able to help, or at least be there for you.’

‘I was too ashamed to tell anyone, and if the abortion hadn’t been botched, nobody would have needed to know.’

Amy moved to her side to put an arm around her, and at her friend’s show of sympathy tears ran, unchecked, down Carol’s cheeks. ‘Oh, Amy, I dread to think what’s going to happen when my brothers find out.’

‘If you tell them your side of the story before they hear it from anyone else, I’m sure they won’t be angry with you, or throw you out. None of it was your fault, and like me, they’ll realise that.’

Carol clung to Amy, hoping she was right, but deep down she doubted it.

Jeremy thought Amy looked upset when she called in to see Tom, and she didn’t look any better when she left. So far the antibiotics hadn’t made any difference and Tom was
still rough, with his mother insisting that Amy’s visit was
a short one.

He couldn’t understand why she was so against Amy. From what his mother had said in her letter he’d expected a hard-faced, common, gold-digger, but from what he’d seen Amy was far from that. As they walked into the living room he said, ‘
Mum
, I don’t know why you don’t like Amy. I think she’s rather nice.’

‘Nice! I thought you’d have more sense, but it seems you’re as blind as your brother. You’ve been taken in by her innocent act, but as I told you before, when Amy marries Thomas she’ll take control of the money and I won’t see a penny of it.’

‘Amy doesn’t seem that type of girl,’ Jeremy argued. ‘From what I’ve seen you easily intimidate her and I don’t think she’d dare go up against you.’

‘You hardly know her, but she’s just the type, a consummate actress who has already pulled the wool over your eyes. Amy has a good teacher in one of her relatives too, a tart who married an old man to get her hands on his money.’

Jeremy’s eyebrows rose. ‘Really? I didn’t know that.’

‘Here’s something else for you to think about. We talked about having a share of the business, but if Amy’s got anything to do with it that’s never going to happen.’

Jeremy didn’t like the sound of that. Was his mother right about Amy? He didn’t know, but it wasn’t something he was prepared to risk. ‘In that case,
Mum
, we’re going to have to put our heads together and do something about it.’

‘Don’t you think I’ve tried? I’ve done everything I can, but Thomas is so besotted with Amy that he won’t hear a word against her.’

‘Let me think about it. Maybe I can come up with something,’ Jeremy suggested.

‘Very well. Anyway, with the roast nearly ready I’ll need to cook the vegetables.’

By the time she returned, Jeremy had come up with a plan that would serve him well. ‘Mum, I’ve got an idea, but to make it work I need to spend more time with Amy,’ he said, going on to explain what he had in mind, and was pleased when she readily agreed.

‘There’s only one thing,’ she said. ‘Don’t you think Amy would find it a bit odd if I suddenly change my attitude towards her?’

‘Yes, she might,’ Jeremy conceded. ‘Right then, we’ll have to take it slowly.’

‘If this works, it’ll be worth it,’ his mother said.

‘Oh it’ll work, I’ll see to that,’ Jeremy said confidently. It might take a little longer to achieve his ultimate aims – ones he had kept from his mother to ensure her cooperation, but in the end he’d have everything he wanted.

‘I still can’t believe that Carol had an abortion. The poor girl, she must have been through hell,’ Phyllis said.

They had been talking about it for some time, her mother sympathetic, and Amy nodded, deeply sad for her friend. She couldn’t imagine the horror of being raped, nor of being left pregnant, let alone having a back-street abortion. ‘Yes, she’s been through hell, and now, thanks to the gossips, it’s all been dragged up again.’

‘I know,’ Phyllis agreed, ‘and Mabel has already felt the length of my tongue.’

‘Hello my lovelies,’ Stan said, grinning as he walked in. ‘I hope my dinner is ready ’cos I’m starving.’

‘With all that beer in your belly it’s a wonder you’ve got room for anything else,’ Phyllis chided.

‘I only had a few pints,’ he said, but then Amy saw her father’s face straighten as he looked towards her. ‘What’s up, love? Are you still upset about this garbage that’s flying around about Carol?’

‘I went to see her this morning,’ she said, going on to tell him what had happened, but then shocked by her father’s response.

‘Well now,’ he said, ‘that explains it. With his wife walking out on him, and his daughter getting herself knocked up, it’s no wonder Frank Cole turned to drink.’

‘Carol didn’t get herself “knocked up”, as you so crudely put it. The poor girl was raped!’ Phyllis snapped.

‘So she says, but if you ask me women are too fond of leading blokes on and then crying rape.’

‘My God, all these years and I’ve only just realised that I married a Neanderthal.’

Amy didn’t want to hear any more and dashed upstairs. She couldn’t believe her father’s attitude, and if he was anything to go by, no wonder Carol was dreading telling her brothers.

Carol was trying to pluck up the courage to do just that, but so far her nerves were failing her.

‘Come on, Carol, what’s up?’ Paul asked. ‘You’ve had a gob on you since we came home and you’ve hardly said a word.’

‘It’s probably a woman’s thing,’ Dave commented. ‘She always gets a bit moody around this time of the month.’

‘Is that it, Carol? Is your belly giving you a bit of gyp?’ Paul asked.

‘No, no, it … it’s just that I’ve got something to tell you.’

‘Go on then.’

‘You’re going to be furious and I’m scared,’ she said, wringing her hands.

‘Has Dad been round? Is that it?’ Paul asked sharply.

‘No, I haven’t seen him.’

‘What’s wrong then?’ Paul asked.

Carol began hesitantly, her voice quivering, but when she got to the part about being raped, Paul’s face reddened with anger. ‘Who was it? I’ll kill him!’

‘Yeah, me too,’ Dave growled, ‘but I’ll castrate him first.’

‘You won’t be able to find him,’ Carol said, her voice still quivering as she continued.

‘So Dad knew about this,’ Paul snapped, finally stopping his pacing when she came to the end.

‘Yes, he … he called the ambulance and while I was in hospital, he told everyone that I had food poisoning.’