Lily of Love Lane (35 page)

‘A definite improvement,’ Lily nodded, ‘to know me dad is getting out and about again.’

‘I often see him and your uncle walking round the houses.’

Lily nodded. ‘Last Sunday we walked up to Island Gardens. It’s something we’ve not done since I was a kid. The only thing that worries me is his cough.’

‘The fags he smokes don’t help.’

‘Tobacco is his only indulgence. Now did you get that pay rise you were expecting?’

Hattie shook her head. ‘No, and we’ve got all these new clients that I have to take responsibility for.’

‘Why don’t you ask her for one then?’

‘Because I was hoping I’d get pregnant and leave.’

Lily smiled. ‘So that’s your master plan?’

‘Me dream is to live in Brighton.’

‘You had a lovely honeymoon there.’

‘It probably wouldn’t seem the same now I’m married. I wonder if that old dragon still runs the boarding house?’

‘You and Reube should go on holiday there.’

‘That’s an idea. We could stay in bed all the time!’

The two girls burst into laughter, until finally Hattie sighed and murmured wistfully, ‘I just wish I could conceive, Lil, then all my big problems would be solved.’

‘You’d have a lot of little ones instead.’

Hattie chuckled. ‘I’d like that, though.’

‘You’ll make a good mum.’

‘I’d like to think so, but like you, I’m twenty-seven,’ said Hattie as she frowned lightly. ‘And I want to have a family before I’m thirty. I don’t want
to be too old to enjoy me kids. I imagine meself playing with them and taking them up to Lyons for tea when they get old enough.’

Lily, too, had imagined children of her own. Her son would have black hair and earth brown eyes, just like Charles. He would grow tall and strong, followed by a blonde-haired, blue-eyed little
sister, whom Lily could dress in pretty, feminine clothing. Lily had even thought about the day when she could design her own nursery and playroom. Now, as Hattie’s comments brought all these
dreams to life before her eyes, it seemed as though a future with Charles was almost possible.

Hattie yawned and stretched her arms. ‘Lil, as much as I’d like to sit here all night gassing, I’m all in.’

‘Come on then, let’s go up to the bathroom.’

‘You mean I can have bath?’

‘I’ll run the hot water.’

As they went up the stairs, Lily felt so proud of her lovely house. Quickly she rephrased her thought – of Charles’ lovely house. But she had put all of herself into it. She knew
every nook and cranny and had spent hours debating with herself on what was best for it. Surely in time Charles would show his true feelings for her. She loved him because he was a gentleman in
every sense of the word, but sometimes she wished he wasn’t. That he would forget she was his employee and allow his feelings to show.

‘Here are some of Mrs Brewer’s freshly washed towels,’ she told Hattie a few minutes later as the steam began to fill the room.

‘Lil, you’re spoiling me. I won’t want to go home,’ Hattie said as she pressed the fluffiness against her cheek.

Lily’s sentiments were entirely the same and had been for some while. Home for her now would always be Dewar Street. She couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.

Ben parked outside number four Dewar Street and honked his horn. He had just dropped off his last fare in the city and had made his way to Aldgate through the Saturday morning
traffic in time to collect Hattie and Lil at midday.

The two girls soon came out of the house, as always, with their heads together, gossiping. Ben climbed out to greet them, taking their bags. How beautiful Lily looked these days! She was not the
pale, thin girl who had worked at the paint factory but was now an elegant and fashionable young woman. Her short, wavy hair was freshly washed and bouncy. Her slim figure was attired in the latest
fashion, a pale blue suit with the padded shoulders that gave women the film-star look. Ben smiled to himself. He couldn’t for the life of him see how they walked on those shoes, but with the
legs Lily had, she looked a million dollars in them. He knew from Hattie that Lily shopped up West now. Not that she didn’t take a stroll down to the market on Saturdays. She never forgot her
roots and her friends. But the past two years had changed her into an elegant, self-confident young woman of her time. His only regret was that he couldn’t have instigated the change that
another man had. Charles Grey had given Lily everything she could want. Ben was under no illusions about that, as her happiness clearly reflected in her eyes.

Smiling at their girlish chatter, he helped the two girls into the car. He was happy enough to drive Lil in her employer’s absence, though he would like to have seen a bit more of her. But
now that he had moved to Stepney and lived in his own little house, he had his own affairs to deal with.

As he glanced at the two girls sitting in the back seat of his cab, laughing and chatting, Ben wondered what the future held for his old friend.

Were there to be wedding bells, a lavish and no-expense-spared wedding ceremony that was a reflection of her new status with Charles Grey?

At this thought, Ben felt a heaviness inside him. But as Lily sat forward to eagerly include him in their topic of conversation, he quickly put the thought aside.

‘Well, well, let me look at you.’ Noah Kelly held his niece away from him. In her high heels she towered above him. Her smart clothes always took him aback.
‘You look a real bobby dazzler, our Lil. I don’t recognize you.’

‘You say that every week,’ she laughed.

‘I know. But each week you’ve got something different on.’

Josie pushed past him. ‘Come and give your mother a hug. I’ve got lots I want to ask you.’

‘I’ll put the kettle on,’ Noah said, but his sister caught his arm.

‘No, I’ll do that Noah, or we’ll be waiting all day. Take Lily in to see her father.’

In the parlour Bob Bright looked up from his newspaper. ‘Lily girl! You’re a sight for sore eyes.’

‘Hello, Dad. I’ve got lots of nice things for you.’ Lily opened her bag and brought out tea and coffee, cake and chocolate.

‘Your mum will be pleased with those.’

‘Yes, but you better hide this.’ She passed him a tin of tobacco which he quickly put away. ‘And one for you, Uncle Noah.’

He gave her a wink as he did the same. ‘Thanks, gel. Josie has us out in the yard now, to smoke.’

‘Well, with two of you at it, no wonder!’

He laughed with her and listened as she told them about the evening she had spent with Hattie.

‘I expect you two stayed up all night gossiping.’

‘We gossiped, but not all night. You look better, Dad.’

‘Not bad, considering.’

‘Are you getting out?’

‘Yes, your mother makes sure I do.’ He coughed and hit his chest with his fist. ‘Just this bloody cough still.’

‘It ain’t the coughing that carries you off,’ said Noah with a grin, ‘it’s the coffin.’

They all laughed at the joke now many times told.

Noah listened as his niece and brother-in-law spoke. It was just like old times, but nothing would make up for the lack of her presence in the house. From a little girl, he’d watched her
grow, but he’d never seen her look like she did now. Shining, with a kind of inner glow. Was this down to her gent? What was the situation there? Was the bugger going to make an honest woman
of her?

‘Did the boy drop you off?’ her father was asking.

‘Yes, Charles is away.’

‘Goes away a lot, don’t he?’

‘That’s his job, Dad.’

‘Do you ever get lonely, Lil?’ Noah asked. ‘That’s a big house you’ve got there and with only you in it.’

‘No, I’m always busy. And anyway, I’ve got Mrs Brewer.’

‘Young Ben has his own place now,’ said his brother-in-law. ‘Up Stepney.’

‘Yes, I know.’

‘He’s cabbying in the West End with his new motor. Managed to buy himself a licence and is doing very nicely now.’

Noah saw the look on her face. Bob was on a losing wicket there. She wasn’t interested. There was only one man in that girl’s head.

‘Now tell us about yer news, love,’ said Bob, settling back to listen.

As she began to speak, Noah wondered if what he’d heard from Charlie Brent was true. And what connection Charles Grey had with the disturbing rumours that were circulating the docks.

I
t was half past eleven on Sunday morning when Ben drove Lily back to Dewar Street.

As she got out, Lil opened her purse.

‘Put it away,’ Ben told her as he carried her bag up the steps.

‘You won’t ever let me pay,’ she complained as she followed him. ‘I’ll always be in your debt.’

‘Nothing of the kind.’ Ben placed her bag at her feet. He never went in the house. It reminded him of all those years ago when he had first brought Lil in the lorry. He hadn’t
known then that the love of his life was about to meet her Prince Charming.

‘I still owe you five pounds, remember?’

‘It wasn’t a loan, it was a gift.’

She smiled up at him. ‘You’ve got an answer for everything.’

‘I’m a cockney, ain’t I?’

She laughed and Ben felt that same old sensation inside as he looked into her beautiful face. He resisted the urge to put his arms around her and hold her tight. Instead, as usual, he leaned
forward and pecked her cheek. ‘Well, I’m off now.’

‘What are you going to do with yourself?’

‘I’ll motor on up West this morning for a few fares.’

‘Well, see you next weekend?’

Ben seized his chance. ‘How about we all go out to the Black Cat next week when you come home? Hattie and Reube and you and me. Just for a run in the country and a quick drink.’

Her face clouded. ‘I’d have to see, Ben.’

‘It would be nice before the weather turns.’ He shrugged and pulled on his driving gloves. ‘Well, cheerio, Lil.’

‘Bye and thanks for the lift.’

That was a daft thing to do, he berated himself as he drove away. The girl wasn’t interested. ‘When will it sink into that thick skull of yours?’ he muttered aloud as he
pounded the steering wheel with his palm. ‘Get yourself a nice bit of stuff to knock around with, just make the effort.’ He knew Lily wasn’t bothered about a trip out. She was in
a different league now.

After driving for a while, he suddenly put on his brakes. Two cars sped past him, forcing him over to one side. He was about to move off again when another vehicle hurtled past. It was a lorry
full of men. Some were shaking their fists, others pieces of wood and pick axes. They looked like dockers and he began to wonder if the rumours he’d heard were true. Were Mosley and his
supporters really marching on the East End?

Shaking his head in confusion, he began to continue his journey, but no sooner than he had gone a mile up the road, the same thing happened again.

Winding down his window, he shouted to a group of men. These, too, were dockers, with their flat caps, working jackets and heavy boots secured by string. ‘What’s going on?’ he
frowned as one of them came over.

‘Don’t you know? Mosley and his Blackshirts are meeting at Tower Hill.’

‘It’s true then?’

‘The buggers are planning to come down to the docks. But we’re gonna see they don’t.’ He held up a smooth wooden laundry bat and shook it. ‘They won’t find a
welcome here no more.’

‘Ain’t that a bit risky, chum? Shouldn’t you leave it to the law?’

The man leaned down, resting the wooden stick on the window ledge. His face became red and angry. ‘The law? You’re having a laugh, ain’t you? When have they stopped Mosley and
his ilk before? I tell you, son, we’re set for another war with all the agitators in this country. Old Blighty has got to stand up for what she believes in and it ain’t what the bloody
commies or fascists expound.’

Before either of them could speak again, another band of men marched past. Some were carrying placards, others homemade weapons. ‘We’re heading for Cable Street just up the
road,’ called one of them. ‘That’s where we plan to stop ’em.’

The docker nodded. ‘You’d better turn round if you don’t want to join us,’ he told Ben.

Ben wound up the window. He tried to reverse the car, but another mob formed behind him. He realized he was cut off and neither way was open to him. Then he saw a turning opposite and drove into
it. But at the end someone had rolled a line of barrows across the lane. Ben felt the sweat trickle under his collar. This was a riot and he was in the middle of it.

At the sound of raised voices, Lily hurried from the kitchen to the drawing room.

From the window, she saw a procession of men. They walked together, shoulders hunched against the October breeze. ‘The dockers are coming!’ they shouted angrily.

At this time on a Sunday the street was usually deserted. Most families were eating or resting. As she stood there, more men followed. She wondered where they were going. Then she thought of Mrs
Brewer. What had she said about the meeting of the Blackshirts at Tower Hill? Lily had meant to ask Hattie about this, but had forgotten.

As more men followed, some clasped wooden sticks and others raised their fists angrily. A few women joined them. They looked as militant as the men.

When at last all was quiet again, Lily went back to the kitchen. Dockers were normally hard-working men and sat with their families on Sundays and enjoyed their one day of rest. What was their
intention today? Did Oswald Mosley and his Blackshirts plan to visit the East End?

Lily sighed as she thought of the last time there had been riots. Ten years ago the general strike had caused ordinary men to take up arms and protest. She hated to think the same thing could
happen again. And if it did, she prayed that no one would be hurt.

Ben hoped his motor would be safe. He’d paid an old man ten bob to hide it in his backyard. When he’d left it, there were chickens clucking on its bonnet.
He’d have a lot of mess to clean off no doubt, but it was better than the street. The mood of the crowd was frightening. As he walked along he was joined by others.

‘The dockers are coming, you commies!’ some shouted.