A Moment to Remember (15 page)

Milly’s dilemma was solved when Richard came home. He took Jane to the park whenever she wanted, and she was able to dangle her feet. The laughter that accompanied the three of them was a joy to hear. Both Richard and Milly joined in and paddled, and didn’t care who saw them, and at every opportunity Richard held Milly’s hand. She loved every minute of her days and didn’t want them to end. She loved him, and in her wildest moments she thought that if he attempted to come up to her room, she would welcome him with open arms and worry about the consequences afterwards. She was worried, though, that she might show her feelings when others were around. Jane thought it was lovely that they were so happy together. Richard had told his sister not to mention it to the family.

‘If you do, you know Ma would send Milly away, and you don’t want that, do you?’

Jane shook her head. ‘My lips are sealed,’ she said, smiling at them.

At the end of August, Milly was very sad when it was time for Richard to go back to college. He had told her that he loved her, and as much as he wanted to come to her room, he knew it wouldn’t be very wise.

Although Milly admired his strength, she was disappointed, and deep down she knew nothing could ever come of this relationship. He would meet someone of his own class one day.

 

It was still very warm at the beginning of September, and Milly continued to take Jane to the park and let her have her little paddle. Although she always felt very guilty, it pleased her to see her friend so happy, and they laughed and ate ice creams and were almost like children again. But she knew that if Mrs Green found out what they did, that would be the end of their trips, and could be the end of her life with the family.

This particular day, she told Jane she was only going to push her round the houses, but Jane insisted that she wanted to go to the park.

‘I love going there, and I’ve got a towel with me,’ she said almost as soon as they left the house.

‘Oh no. We’re not going through that again, are we? Why can’t you just be happy that I’m taking you out?’

‘It’s because I want to be naughty and enjoy being disobedient; after all, I’m not a child. Besides, it’s hot today and I’m sure you would like a paddle too.’

Jane could be very persuasive, and Milly had to admit that it was warm, and the water would look very cool and appealing. So against all her common sense, she found herself heading for the park.

‘Please, Milly. Push me to the water’s edge.’ Jane mopped her flushed face with her handkerchief. ‘You can come in as well; that way you can hang on to my chair and then I can go in a bit deeper. Please.’

‘I will do no such thing.’

‘You are such a spoilsport. It does look inviting, doesn’t it? And I am so hot I think I might faint.’

‘Please, Jane, don’t keep on.’ Milly sat on the bench; she too was feeling the heat. Pushing the heavy chair always made her hot, and the sparkling water looked wonderful.

‘Come on, Milly. Please.’

Jane’s pleading got through to Milly. She knew her friend must be very uncomfortable in her chair, and the parasol they always carried hardly kept the sun off her. ‘All right then. But for goodness’ sake don’t let your mother know.’

Jane was laughing as Milly sat on a bench and discreetly took off her shoes and stockings. Then putting the blanket over her friend’s legs, she did the same for Jane.

The water lapped gently over their feet, and Milly had to admit it felt wonderful.

They were laughing and splashing, and after a while Milly said, ‘That’s enough, we have to go back now.’

She took hold of the wheelchair’s handles, but Jane put her hands on the wheels and stopped her from moving it.

‘I don’t want to go.’

‘Jane. Let go.’

‘No. I told you, I don’t want to go.’

‘Please, Jane, stop it. People are looking at you.’

‘I don’t care.’

‘Well I do.’

‘You should do as I ask.’

‘Jane, please be reasonable.’ Milly was beginning to panic. ‘Your mother will wonder where we are.’

‘I told you, I’m not going home just yet, so let go.’ With that she pushed herself forward. As she did so, Milly slipped and sat down hard in the water, looking on in horror as the chair rolled down the slope and into the deeper water, where it tipped over.

‘Jane!’ screamed Milly. She got to her feet and paddled after her, but her long skirt quickly became waterlogged, making it difficult for her to move fast.

One or two people looked up and came towards the water.

‘What happened?’ asked a woman who was standing on the edge.

‘Help me. My friend’s under the chair.’ Milly was desperately trying to right the chair, but it was very heavy. She pulled at the blanket, which was weighed down with water, and tried to drag Jane free. Jane was struggling, but Milly couldn’t move her, as her feet were wedged under the chair. Frantically she tried to lift Jane’s head above the water, but the sodden blanket was holding it down. ‘Help me!’ she was screaming. She was filled with horror. She looked helplessly at the people who were watching the scene. ‘Help me!’ she screamed again. ‘For God’s sake someone help me.’

Milly felt she had been struggling in the water for hours when a man waded in and after a struggle helped her to right the chair.

‘Oh my God,’ he said, taking the blanket off Jane’s face. ‘I fink she’s gone.’

‘No!’ screamed Milly. ‘She can’t have.’ She began shaking her friend, but there was no response. She stood in the water looking at the beautiful ringlets hanging straight and straggly over Jane’s lovely face. Gently she pushed the hair away and kissed her friend’s wet cheeks. As she held the lifeless body, she could see her friend’s soggy bow bobbing about on the water.

‘Miss, where d’yer live? Miss? Miss?’ The man was shaking Milly’s arm.

Milly knelt down and held Jane close. She rocked her backwards and forwards, chanting, ‘Jane. Talk to me, Jane. Please talk to me.’

The man tried to pull her away as people began to crowd round them, but she held on.

‘I saw yer. What was yer doing pushing her in the water like that? You ought ter have more sense. Silly moo,’ said someone.

‘Leave it out, Maud, can’t yer see the poor little cow’s in shock?’

‘Better go for the cops,’ said a woman holding on to a pram that contained a screaming baby. ‘Shut up, you,’ she yelled at the pram, rocking it hard back and forth.

‘Fink somebody’s gorn for the park keeper,’ said another woman.

‘Poor little cow. What was wrong with ’er, love? What was she doing in that chair?’

All this was going on around Milly, but she didn’t really hear anything; her thoughts were full of her friend. Why had she let her go in the water? It was all her fault for agreeing to it, and now she had killed her. She continued to hold Jane and rock her backwards and forwards as tears ran down her face. People were all around her asking questions, but she wasn’t listening. Her thoughts were concerned only with Jane. She’d loved this girl and now, as she held her close, she knew she had lost her best and only friend.

‘
Y
OU WICKED GIRL!’ Walton was shaking Milly and screaming at her. ‘I hope they send you to prison.’

‘It was an accident,’ sobbed Milly.

‘But you were supposed to be looking after her. What were you thinking of taking her to the park?’ Walton was visibly shaking herself.

‘She wanted to go. I’m so sorry. I tried so hard to help her, I really did. You know I would never hurt Jane. You know that, don’t you, Betty?’ Milly asked Betty, who had just come into the kitchen.

Walton was still holding on to Milly and shaking her with every word, making her teeth rattle. ‘It’s no good you being sorry. You should be ashamed of yourself. All that this family have done for you, and you have killed their daughter. They trusted you.’

Milly was sobbing so much she couldn’t hear everything Walton was saying, but one word was clear.

‘You know you could go to prison for murder!’

‘Murder? I didn’t murder Jane.’

‘You did in the eyes of the law.’

Betty looked at Milly. She was a sorry sight. Her eyes were red and sore and her face blotchy. Betty nervously smoothed down the front of her apron and said, ‘I’ve given the missus a hot drink, and the doctor’s with her and is going to give her a sedative. The police have sent telegrams to Mr Green and Mr Richard. Hopefully Mr Richard will be here tonight.’ She sat down at the table. ‘I can’t believe this has happened. Whatever made you do it?’

‘I’ve told her that she could go to prison for this; she could even hang.’ Walton had suddenly grown in stature and confidence.

At that statement Milly felt her knees buckle, and she slid to the floor.

 

‘Milly. Milly.’ Betty was gently patting her cheek. ‘Come on, there’s a love, wake up.’

Milly opened her eyes, looked around her and quickly closed them again. She didn’t want to remember what had happened. She hoped it had been a bad dream, a nightmare.

‘Drink this,’ said Betty, holding a cup to her lips. ‘It won’t hurt you, it’s a drop of brandy. Medicinal.’

Milly took a sip, and coughed as the fiery liquid took her breath away.

‘That’s better.’

‘Has Walton gone?’

‘Yes.’

Milly grabbed Betty’s arm. ‘I didn’t mean for it to happen.’

‘I know you didn’t.’

‘What am I going to do?’ She clung on to Betty’s hand. ‘Could they hang me?’ She gave a long, deep sob. ‘You know that I wouldn’t hurt Jane for anything. She was my best friend. I loved her.’

‘Of course I do.’

‘But will the police believe me?’

‘I hope so.’

‘What shall I do? I can’t face Mr or Mrs Green or Richard ever again.’

‘I don’t know, love. I really don’t.’ But in Betty’s mind she knew that Milly had to get away from here. The Greens were very influential people, and Milly could finish up in prison. She didn’t deserve that.

Milly knew that her life here had ended. Her wonderful world had crashed all around her. But the worst thing of all was that Jane, her beloved friend, had gone, and it was all her fault. She knew Walton was right, she shouldn’t have taken her to the park, but it had happened, and Milly would give anything to turn the clock back. But that was impossible. ‘I’m going up to my room. I’ll be down in a little while,’ she said as she stood up.

‘All right, love. Try not to bump into Walton, she’s very upset.’

Although her legs were a little wobbly, she gave Betty a faint smile. ‘I’ll try.’

 

Sitting on her bed, Milly was frightened. What Walton had said worried her. Could she go to prison? Surely if the police thought she had done something wrong they would have taken her to the police station and questioned her there. Perhaps they were coming back. After all, when they’d brought her home she’d been wearing wet clothes. Betty had dried her off and given her clean ones. She had answered their many questions and they’d seemed satisfied, but what if they came back and arrested her? She lay back and closed her eyes, hoping this nightmare would go away, but it didn’t. She could still see Jane’s pale face and hear her gargling noises as she struggled to get free of the blanket. Why didn’t I take the blanket away before we went into the water? she asked herself in despair. It wasn’t that deep, but the wheelchair was very heavy and I couldn’t turn it over. And poor Jane was trapped underneath. Tears ran down her face. What could she do? Her mind was in turmoil. What would Richard say? She knew she couldn’t stay here, but where could she go? She stared up at the ceiling, trying to think.

After a while she realised that she had to leave right away, before the police came back. She began packing some of her clothes. She felt guilty about taking them, as the family had given them to her. It felt like stealing, but she knew she had to have a few things if she was to start a new life. Carefully she put them in a cloth bag, then looked around the room, tears running down her face. She was having to leave this wonderful place, but poor darling Jane would never come back here, and it was all her fault.

Milly made her way silently downstairs. She didn’t want to bump into anyone. She knew that Mrs Green was in her room and Betty was in the kitchen, so she had to go out of the front door. It was Walton who worried her most. She had never seen the woman so angry, but then she would be. She had loved Jane almost as much as Milly had.

Milly closed the front door behind her and ran down the path without looking back. Out in the streets, she avoided walking anywhere near the park. She was worried that someone might recognise her. Could she be had up for murder? Her mind was in turmoil and she was wandering aimlessly, unaware of where she was going. She wasn’t thinking of anything except Jane and what had happened. She knew she would never see or speak to her friend again. She felt so guilty and sad. Suddenly she realised she was just a few streets away from her old home. She stopped. Did she want to go back there? Did she want them to see her again? Would they want to see her? She would love to see her mother, but could she face the wrath of her father?