Coronation Day. Kay Brellend

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СКАЧАТЬ shook his head but didn’t look up. ‘D’you know where I could start looking?’

      ‘Bexleyheath,’ Matilda said. ‘I reckon if you was to go there and make some enquiries you might find out something about Pam Plummer … or Pam Wild. She might have kept to her married name, but I know when it all happened, and the two of ’em was eaten up with bitterness, she didn’t want to be known as a Wild. Then of course, she might have married again in the meantime, which would make it all a bit harder.’ She paused. ‘And you’ve got to accept that she might be dead, Chris. Whole of London took a battering during the war and lots of casualties … so if she stuck around in town …’

      ‘Yeah …’ he sighed. ‘Just be nice to know though. What makes you say Bexleyheath?’

      ‘Ran into a friend of your mum’s I hadn’t seen in a while, before the war. Vicky Watson was her bridesmaid. She said she’d sort of lost touch with Pam but thought she’d gone south of the river, Bexleyheath way. I remember Vicky seemed a bit cagey. It made me think Pam might have a new man in her life. Or perhaps Vicky just thought I harboured grudges over what went on between yer mum and dad. But that weren’t the case then and it ain’t now.’

      ‘Where does Vicky Watson live?’ Christopher immediately asked.

      ‘Ain’t Vicky Watson now; she’s married to David Green who works for the Water Board. Or he was working there when I spoke to her. But that were over thirteen years ago. I think they had a place in Clapham, but ’course they might’ve got bombed out.’

      ‘Thanks, Aunt Til.’

      Christopher had spoken so huskily, so gratefully, that Tilly dipped her head to conceal the tears in her eyes. ‘I’ll be getting off then,’ she croaked, putting her empty cup down on the draining board.

      ‘Want a lift back?’

      ‘If you’ve got time it’d save me poor old legs,’ Matilda answered with a smile.

      ‘Don’t reckon your old legs are as bad as you make out,’ he ribbed her, glad to lighten the atmosphere.

      ‘You try falling out a bleedin’ first-floor winder and see how you feel,’ she came back indignantly, but with a rueful chuckle.

      When he was younger, Christopher had had a macabre fascination with knowing all the details about Matilda’s narrow escape from death. It had never been kept a secret from him that his paternal grandfather had been the black sheep of the family and had tried to murder Matilda. There had been no point trying to cover up the scandal as many people knew it first-hand. The younger generation had had gruesome details passed down to them about the night Jimmy had a fight with a gangster and was mortally wounded. Rather than wait, and let nature take its course, Jimmy had committed suicide by falling from a window and dragging Matilda out with him. Jimmy had died that night, although his legend lived on. He was still spoken about by some locals with a mixture of dread and awe. At school, Christopher had enjoyed his mates being envious of him because of his notorious ancestor. But those juvenile feelings had passed; now he felt an acute sense of loss at never having known even one of his grandparents.

      ‘Did Mr and Mrs Plummer ever try to keep in touch with me? I suppose even if they had me dad wouldn’t have allowed it.’

      Matilda slowly walked to the front door. She turned to Christopher before opening it. ‘They were ashamed, Chris. Not of you – of their daughter and what had gone on. They were strait-laced people … not like us. Staying respectable and not being gossiped about could’ve been more important to ’em than seeing their grandson.’ She sighed. ‘That’s just my opinion. Could be there were other reasons they kept quiet. If you get to speak to yer mum she’ll tell you about them, I expect.’

      As Chris helped Matilda out of his van in Whadcoat Street he spied Kieran Murphy pushing a pram over the threshold of his house. The man raised a hand to them but didn’t stop to talk; he immediately disappeared inside.

      ‘Ain’t seen much of Noreen lately; I reckon he’s got her under lock ’n’ key.’ Matilda scowled.

      ‘Not done no more babysitting?’

      ‘He don’t want her workin’. Thought Noreen had told Kieran she’d got a little job cleanin’ but seems she went behind his back and he hit the rafters over it. He’s made her promise to give it up and stay home with the kids. Know she ain’t lyin’ over his temper ’cos I’ve heard them going at it hammer ’n’ tongs on a few occasions.’ Matilda gave a sorrowful shake of her head. ‘Pride’s all well ’n’ good when you can afford it. But that man can’t.’

      ‘Could tell he had the ’ump about you minding Kathleen the day I took her home. Asked me for work that day too.’

      ‘Rob wouldn’t wear it, would he?’

      Chris barked a laugh. ‘I didn’t even bother asking him ’cos I didn’t want me ears chewed off.’

      Matilda gave her nephew a wave and proceeded towards her house. She knew Kieran was angry with her as well as his wife because he’d found out she’d put Noreen in touch with the client in Tufnell Park. Pigheaded men didn’t intimidate Matilda; if Kieran Murphy had an axe to grind he could come right out and say what was on his mind. And she’d tell him his fortune in return.

      But for now Matilda had more important people’s troubles weighing on her mind. A short while ago Stevie had gone storming off with a face like thunder but, like Noreen’s husband, he’d eventually realise not to ride roughshod over loved ones ’cos sometimes a battle led to all-out war.

      CHAPTER SIX

      ‘There’s been an accident. You’d better get back up there fast.’

      Smithie’s general store was still trading on Whadcoat Street and Christopher had been inside buying cigarettes when Vic Wilson burst in to garble out his terrifying message.

      ‘Accident?’ Christopher parroted, staring at him, but he’d already moved towards the shop’s exit. A knot of bystanders could be seen congregated outside the house they were working on close to the junction with Lennox Road.

      ‘Yer dad’s fallen off that bleedin’ old ladder …’

      Even before Vic mentioned his father, an instinctive dread had started churning Christopher’s guts. He sprinted as fast as he could towards the scene with Vic puffing in his wake.

      The first thing Christopher saw was the wooden ladder – the one nobody was supposed to be using at heights because a lot of top rungs were worn – lying in bits on the ground. Stephen was curled up close by, moaning, with Bill crouching over him looking petrified.

      Christopher fell to his knees beside them. ‘What you done?’ He bellowed at his dad, gripping his arm. He shot a stare at Billy. ‘Anyone called for an ambulance?’

      ‘Ted’s gone to telephone for help …’ Bill burbled.

      ‘What’s he done? Where’s he hurt? Where you hurt?’ he demanded, leaning over his father in an effort to make him open his eyes, but they remained squeezed shut. Christopher could hear laboured breathing interspersed with chilling whimpers of pain.

      ‘Come off that old ladder, he did,’ Bill СКАЧАТЬ