The Nightingale Sisters (20 page)

The maid brought in a tray of tea. Miss Fox poured it, put a cup into Violet’s hands and then sat back.

Violet understood she was waiting for an explanation. She took a deep breath. ‘It’s not what you think,’ she began. ‘I am – I was – married. I’ve been a widow for five years. Tanner is my maiden name.’

‘I see.’ Miss Fox considered this for a moment. ‘Why didn’t you tell me you had a child?’

‘Would you have given me the job if you’d known?’

Miss Fox met her gaze steadily. Out of her severe black uniform she seemed so much younger and more human. Wavy chestnut hair softened her face, but her grey eyes were as direct and challenging as ever.

‘Probably not,’ she conceded, and set down her cup. ‘But it can’t have been easy for you, living this curious double life. How have you managed to look after your son?’

‘I’ve managed.’ Violet’s chin tilted, sensing criticism. ‘My landlady Mrs Bainbridge keeps an eye on Oliver while I’m working here. And working nights means I can be with him during the day.’

‘All the same, I’m surprised you chose to live in such a place. That appalling damp room can’t have been good for your son’s chest.’

‘I didn’t have much choice!’ Violet felt her frustration flaring. ‘Don’t you think I’ve tried to find somewhere better to live? But people don’t like to rent rooms to mothers without husbands. It’s not respectable, you see.’

‘I suppose it doesn’t help that you wear no ring?’

‘I do sometimes. But it’s only a cheap secondhand one so no one believes it.’ Violet looked down at her bare hand. ‘I sold my real wedding ring,’ she said quietly.

She heard Miss Fox sigh. ‘Please don’t think I’m criticising you, Violet,’ she said. ‘On the contrary, I admire you for coping so well. As I said, it can’t have been easy for you.’

Her gentle sympathy thawed Violet’s defences. ‘It was easier when I was caring for a private patient,’ she admitted. ‘We lived in, so I was able to look after Oliver while I was nursing.’

‘I wonder you didn’t look for a similar job after you left?’

Violet managed a small smile. ‘Not every invalid wants a child around the place. I was very fortunate to find an employer like Mr Mannion.’

‘Indeed.’ Miss Fox sipped her tea thoughtfully. Then she said, ‘Well, obviously this situation cannot continue.’

Violet took a deep, steadying breath. She had expected it, but it was still a blow.

‘I understand.’ She put down her cup and stood up. ‘Would you like me to work out my notice, or would you prefer it if I left immediately?’

Miss Fox stared up at her. ‘Who said anything about your leaving?’

‘But I assumed—’

‘I was referring to your living arrangements. You can’t stay in that awful place. And you can’t go on leaving your son night after night to the tender mercies of that landlady. I only met her briefly, but I have to say, I wouldn’t trust her to take care of a cat!’ She had a down-to-earth northern edge to her voice that Violet had never noticed before. It made her seem warm and approachable.

‘Actually, Matron, the only creature Mrs Bainbridge has any time for is her cat,’ she said.

Miss Fox smiled. ‘That doesn’t surprise me at all.’ She waved Violet back into her seat. ‘I know you’ve done your best, but that house is riddled with damp and no good at all for your son’s health. Which is why you must come and live here.’

Violet stared at her. For a moment she wondered if she’d heard her correctly. ‘Here, Matron?’

‘Why not? There is plenty of room in the sisters’ block for you and Oliver. Although it might be better if you had somewhere bigger, so he could have a room of his own. I know . . .’ Her grey eyes brightened. ‘You could have my flat.’

Violet’s mouth fell open. ‘I couldn’t do that!’

‘Why not? It’s far too big for one person anyway. I’d be perfectly happy in a smaller set of rooms.’ She smiled. ‘It seems like the perfect solution, don’t you agree?’

Violet was certain she must be going mad. Or perhaps she had fallen asleep and this was all a dream? ‘You can’t do that,’ she whispered.

‘Mrs Tanner, I am Matron here. I can do as I please.’ There was a hint of amusement in her eyes. ‘So what do you think?’

Violet felt herself smiling reluctantly, but still she didn’t dare allow herself to hope.

‘What about the other sisters?’ she asked.

‘What about them?’

‘They might not like the idea of Oliver and me moving in.’

‘I’m sure most of them will find it perfectly acceptable.’

‘And the ones who don’t?’

Miss Fox gave her an imperious smile. Suddenly she seemed every inch the Matron. ‘Leave them to me.’

She stood up. ‘Now,’ she said, ‘I’m sure the registrar will have finished examining your son, so we should go up and see what he has to say. I suggest you move your things into the Night Sister’s room for now, until we can sort out something more permanent.’

‘Yes, Matron.’ Violet stood for a moment, at a loss for words. It took all the restraint she could summon up for her not to throw herself into Miss Fox’s arms in sheer gratitude. But instead, she managed a quiet, ‘Thank you.’

‘That’s quite all right.’ She was almost at the door before Miss Fox called her back. ‘Mrs Tanner?’

She turned. ‘Yes, Matron?’

‘You don’t have any other secrets you’re not telling me, do you?’

Violet paused. All kinds of thoughts chased one another through her mind, but she cut them off. ‘No, Matron,’ she said.

THE MEANS TEST
man was small and wiry, with a pencil moustache and slicked-back hair that smelled of brilliantine. Dora and her family watched helplessly as he walked around their home, his clipboard under his arm, peering into drawers and cupboards.

‘Look at him, poking his nose in as if he owned the place!’ Nanna hissed furiously.

‘But I don’t understand. Why is he writing everything down?’ Bea asked.

‘He’s working out what can be sold.’ Dora fought to keep the emotion out of her voice. ‘We’re allowed to keep what we need, but everything else has to go.’

‘He’s stripping us bare, that’s what he’s doing. I dunno how he can sleep at night, doing this to decent people,’ Nanna said, loud enough for the man to hear.

‘Shh, Mum. He’s only doing his job,’ Rose replied under her breath.

‘Your daughter’s right, Missus. I wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t applied for Public Assistance, would I?’ He pointed his pencil at Nanna’s rocking chair. ‘That should fetch a few quid.’

‘Not my chair!’ Nanna stood in front of it. ‘You can’t take that. It’s been in my family for years. My mum used to sit in it, and her mum before her.’

The man shrugged. ‘You’ve got other chairs. I’m leaving you enough furniture for your basic needs. That’s the rules, I don’t make ’em up.’

‘Yes, but you enjoy carrying ’em out, don’t you?’ Nanna glared at him.

Dora heard a whimper, and looked around. Her mother was holding herself rigid, but tears were running down her ashen cheeks.

‘This is all my fault,’ she whispered. ‘I’m so sorry, kids. I’ve let you all down.’

Josie put her arms around her mother. ‘Don’t, Mum. You haven’t let us down.’

‘’Look at us. Look what we’ve sunk to. Having to sell off all our possessions just so we can pay the rent.’ She dashed tears away with her sleeve. ‘We wouldn’t be in this position if your dad was here. And it must be my fault he’s gone, mustn’t it? I did something to drive him away, I must have done.’

‘Oh, Mum.’ Dora wrapped her arms around them both. ‘It’ll be all right, honest. We’ll get back on our feet soon.’

Nanna twitched back the net curtain and peered outside. ‘At least the neighbours are enjoying it,’ she commented grimly. ‘Look at ’em out there, gawping over their fences. I’m surprised Lettie Pike isn’t putting out the flags.’

Next door, Lettie Pike already had a grandstand view out of the upstairs window.

‘He’s been in there a long time, hasn’t he? Honestly, you wouldn’t think they’d have that much stuff, would you?’ She twitched with excitement.

‘Enjoying it, are you?’ Nick sat at the kitchen table, his thumb tracing a scratch in the wood so he wouldn’t have to look at Lettie’s gleeful face. Any minute now he would pick her up and throw her out of that wretched window.

‘Come away, Mum, for gawd’s sake.’ Ruby shot him a wary look. ‘Ain’t you got nothing better to do on a Saturday morning than spy on the neighbours?’

Her mother ignored her, her nose still glued to the glass. ‘Ooh, look, the Means Test bloke’s come out now . . . He’s calling to those other two in the van . . . They’ll be moving the furniture out in a minute, I expect!’

She let the curtain drop and went to put on her coat. ‘Where are you going?’ Nick asked.

‘Downstairs, of course. I’m not going to miss this, am I?’ She looked at Ruby. ‘Are you coming, or what?’

Ruby glanced at Nick. ‘No,’ she said, hesitating just a fraction too long for his liking. ‘What do you think I am? Dora’s my mate. And you didn’t ought to go either,’ she added.

‘Why not? All the neighbours are out there. I’m not going to miss the chance to see the Doyles taken down a peg or two, am I?’ Lettie’s narrow face gleamed with relish.

‘What have they ever done to you?’ Nick asked.

Lettie stared at him, lost for words. ‘That’s not the point,’ she snapped.

The door slammed behind her, and Ruby turned to Nick. ‘Take no notice of her, she doesn’t mean any harm by it.’

‘Your mum’s a vicious old witch.’

‘I can’t argue with that.’ Ruby smiled. She came round to his side of the table and slid on to his lap, winding her arms around his neck.

He jerked his head away. ‘Your mum’ll be back in a minute.’

‘Then we’d best make the most of it, hadn’t we?’ she purred, moving in for a long, lingering kiss.

Nick breathed in the scent of eau de cologne in her blonde hair and felt his treacherous body respond instantly. Ruby was such a gorgeous girl, a man would have to be dead from the neck down not to be aroused by her. Every time he touched her he was lost, and every time he hated himself for it.

He hadn’t meant to get so involved. She had made all the moves the first time, and every time since, but that was no excuse. He knew whenever he touched her he gave her false hope, and he cared for her too much to do that.

‘No.’ He pulled away from her kiss, pinning down her hands.

‘Why not?’ Ruby looked hurt, her full lips pouting. ‘It’s been so long, Nick. Almost a week since we last . . . you know.’ She looked up at him coyly through her long, sweep-ing lashes. ‘Anyone would think you’ve gone off me?’

Nick didn’t reply. He stood up, gently tipping her off his lap, and went over to the window.

‘Don’t tell me you’re spying on the Doyles too?’ Ruby teased him. ‘Shame on you, Nick Riley. And after you had a go at my mum, too!’

She tiptoed over to stand behind him, wrapping her arms around him. Nick ignored her, gazing down into the cobbled backyard. Two men were carrying furniture out of the Doyles’ house.

‘Look at them,’ he said. ‘They’re just old bits and pieces to them. They don’t realise what they’re doing, do they?’

‘Don’t watch if it upsets you so much.’ Her hands roved up his chest, unbuttoning his shirt.

Nick’s body tensed when he saw Dora following the men out of the back door. He watched her turn to confront the neighbours, proud and utterly defiant. But her hand shook as it pushed back the red curls that were whipping across her face, and Nick could tell how much the fearless gesture was costing her.

‘We should be down there with her,’ he said.

‘Why?’ Ruby’s hands stopped moving.

‘Because she’s your mate.’

‘Dora’s a big girl,’ Ruby replied dismissively. ‘She can take care of herself.’

Nick stared down at the solitary figure, standing in the yard.

Not while I’m around, he thought.

She didn’t blame the neighbours for staring. Most of them didn’t mean any harm by it, they were just curious. But Dora felt her anger flaring all the same as she faced them all on the other side of the low, broken fence. These people had known them for years. They were supposed to be their friends.

‘Seen enough, have you?’ she challenged as the men marched past her carrying a chest of drawers. ‘Don’t be shy, come a bit nearer . . . get a better view. You don’t want to miss anything, do you?’ She fixed her eyes on Mrs Peterson, who was hovering near the edge of the crowd. ‘Tell you what, why don’t you all bring your chairs out, make yourselves comfy? We could have a bit of a party. It’ll be just like the flaming Jubilee all over again!’

The neighbours shuffled their feet and looked embarrassed. All except for Lettie Pike, who stared straight back at her.

‘You want to know why we’re watching? To see you lot get what you deserve,’ she shot back. ‘That mother of yours was always looking down her nose, reckoning she’s better than the rest of us. Now look at her.’

Dora swung round to face her. ‘She could be on the streets and starving and she’d still be better than you, Lettie Pike!’ she spat.

‘And I expect that’s what will happen to her!’ Lettie’s face was twisted with spite. ‘You wait, it’ll be the workhouse next.’

‘Shut it, Lettie.’

They all looked round at the sound of Nick Riley’s voice. He rarely involved himself with the neighbours’ petty squabbles, so Dora was as surprised as any of them to see him shouldering his way through the crowd towards her.

Lettie gave a squawk of indignation. ‘Now listen here—’

‘No, you listen. All of you.’ He pushed through the crack in the fence to stand at Dora’s side. ‘The show’s over, all right? Any of you lot got anything to say to this family, you can say it to me first.’ He stood eyeing them all menacingly, his arms folded across his muscular chest.

Dora couldn’t bring herself to look at him but she felt his presence through her skin, tall, strong and protective.

The neighbours started to move away. A couple of them mumbled apologies, although none of them could meet her eye. Except for Lettie, of course, who gave them both an icy glare.

‘Are you coming back upstairs?’ she said to Nick.

‘In a minute.’

‘But my Ruby will be waiting—’