A Rare Ruby (11 page)

Mr Cox drew himself up to his full five feet four and said, very seriously, ‘You might not be aware, but your sister’s daughter is a trollop.’

Ruby was trying hard to keep a straight face.

‘What are you talking about, Mr Cox?’ her mother asked with a serious look on her face.

‘She was behind the bar tonight in the Royal Albert.’

‘I know that,’ said Mary Jenkins.

He wagged his finger. ‘Ah, but you didn’t see the way she looked and flirted with all the men.’

‘I was only being polite,’ said Beth, grinning.

‘Polite? Is that what they call it now?’

‘Please, Mr Cox. It’s very late.’ Mary Jenkins looked nervously towards her bedroom door.

Beth took off her hat and tossed her head back; her blonde hair fell round her face. ‘You’re only jealous because I didn’t pussyfoot up to you.’

‘You mind your tongue, young woman.’

From being amused at Mr Cox’s condition, Ruby was suddenly filled with horror. How could Beth talk to him like that? Beth knew how important it was to keep Mr Cox happy.

‘That’s it. I’m not having her take that tone with me. You can all go. I want you out of this house by the end of the week.’

Ruby could see the tears filling her mother’s eyes. ‘You can’t do that,’ she cried out.

‘I can and I will.’

Ruby went and put her arm round her mother’s shoulder, then she turned on Beth. ‘Thank you. You have just lost us this place.’

Beth shrugged. ‘Well, I ain’t having him telling me what I can and can’t do.’

‘You will all the time you live here.’ Ruby was desperately worried. She didn’t want any more trouble for her mother. She quickly turned back to Mr Cox. ‘It’s her you should be throwing out, not me mum and dad.’

Mr Cox was having a job keeping his balance. ‘What, a mother and her baby? Dear me. You ain’t got a lot of respect for your cousin, now have you?’

Mary Jenkins dabbed at her eyes with her shawl. ‘Don’t say any more, Ruby, please.’

‘Beth, how could you be so stupid?’

‘You know what a dirty old bugger he’d be, given half a chance! Look how he wanted you to go upstairs with him at Christmas!’

‘What?’ said Mary Jenkins.

Mr Cox looked alarmed. ‘I only wanted to show her some drawing I’d done. There ain’t nothing wrong in that.’

‘It depends. I’ve met a lot of dirty old men like you,’ said Beth. ‘I’m going to bed. I’ve got work to do in the morning.’ With that she went into the bedroom.

Mr Cox was trying to find the bottom stair. ‘You should keep that girl in check,’ he said over his shoulder.

‘I’m sure she didn’t mean it,’ said Mrs Jenkins.

‘I’ll talk to you in the morning. Goodnight, madam.’

Ruby and her mother stood in the passage watching their landlord slowly make his way up the stairs. The popping of the gaslight was filling her ears. In her heart, Ruby was almost wishing he would fall and break his neck, then all their worries would be over.

When he shut his door, Mary Jenkins turned to her daughter. ‘Ruby, did he really touch you?’

‘He tried.’

‘I’m sorry. Why didn’t you tell me?’

‘Didn’t think you’d believe me.’

‘I don’t know what we can do. We can’t upset him. This place is all we can afford. It’s going to be hard when Beth moves on.’

‘Is she moving on?’

‘She will one day and it might be sooner than we thought, and us along with her.’ Her mother sat on the stairs. ‘Where will we finish up?’ She looked up at Ruby and the tears ran down her face. ‘If we get thrown out they could take your dad away. We could finish up in the workhouse.’

Ruby sat next to her mother and put her arm round Mary’s thin shoulders. ‘Mum, don’t say that. I’m sure we’ll be able to manage. What was Beth thinking about?’

‘I’m sure it wasn’t really her fault. She’s such a nice girl. Perhaps tomorrow she’ll go up and tell Mr Cox she’s sorry.’

‘I’ll have a word with her and see if she’ll do that.’

‘I’m sure she will. Ruby, if anything happens to me, promise me you’ll look after your dad and Tom. You will, won’t you?’

‘For goodness sake, Mum, nothing’s going to happen to you.’

Mary Jenkins clutched her daughter’s hand. ‘Promise me, Ruby, promise me, please.’

‘Now honestly, do you have to ask?’

Her mother slowly shook her head.

‘Well, come on then. Let’s stop all this silly talk and get to bed. We’ll worry about Mr Cox tomorrow.’

Her mother held Ruby’s face in her thin red hands and kissed her cheek. ‘You’re a good girl, Ruby.’

Ruby watched her mother go into her bedroom. She was looking old and very thin. Many times Ruby had told her that now money was a little easier she didn’t have to work so hard, but she worried it might not last, and if she lost her customers now she wouldn’t get them back.

Beth was flat out on her back snoring. Ruby lay next to Tom. His steady breathing told her he knew nothing of the drama that had been unfolding. Danny was making funny little snuffles. Beth was lucky to have such a lovely son. Ruby knew sleep wasn’t going to come easily. Her mind was going over and over all that had happened. Why wasn’t Beth more diplomatic? She had known how they got these rooms and knew what was at stake. Perhaps tomorrow she would go up and tell Mr Cox she was sorry.

 

Beth was feeding Danny when Ruby opened her eyes.

‘I bet you’re really angry with me, ain’t you?’

Ruby sat up. ‘What do you think? I’m worried we might get chucked out.’

‘It won’t come to that.’

‘How do you know?’

‘It was the drink talking. ’Sides, he ain’t that daft. He won’t throw you out; he knows he’s on to a good thing. Who else would do his washing and cooking?’

Ruby didn’t reply as she pulled her frock over her head.

‘And I earn my own living, so he can’t hurt me,’ said Beth.

‘What happens when Mrs Moss gets back and you’re out of work?’

‘I’ll cross that bridge if and when I get to it. Something always turns up.’

‘Ruby, what’s the shouting about?’ asked Tom, sitting up.

‘Nothing. Come on, it’s time to get up.’ Ruby gathered up the bedclothes and put them in a pile away from the door.

‘What’s wrong?’ asked Tom looking bewildered. He could see Ruby was angry.

‘I had a little drink last night and me and Mr Cox had words.’ Beth was smiling. ‘Don’t worry about it.’

 

‘Is Dad all right, Mum?’ Ruby asked when she went into the kitchen.

Her mother gave her a slight smile and nodded. ‘I don’t think he heard the rumpus.’

‘That’s good.’

‘Is she awake?’ Her mother inclined her head towards the door.

‘Yes. I’ve told her to go up and apologise.’

‘D’you think she will? I don’t know what we’ll do if we have to move out.’

‘I told you. I don’t think it’ll come to that.’

‘I hope not. I didn’t sleep a wink last night.’

Ruby looked round the tidy room. On top of the range, which had been black-leaded, the kettle was singing softly, and the hearth had been whitened. ‘What time did you get up?’

‘I couldn’t get back to sleep, so I got up and carried on with me chores. The first lot of washing’s on the line.’

‘Mum, this ain’t going to do you any good, working like this and not getting any sleep.’

Mary Jenkins patted the back of her daughter’s hand. ‘I’ll be all right. Don’t you go worrying about me. You find yourself a nice rich young man then we’ll all be in clover.’

Despite feeling down, Ruby gave a little chuckle. ‘Chance’d be a fine thing.’ The only person she really liked was Ernie Wallis, and he was far from rich.

The following morning, as soon as Ruby caught sight of Elsie outside the laundry, she ran up to her and without giving Elsie time to take a breath, poured out all her problems. ‘I’m ever so worried, I just had to tell someone.’

Elsie had listened in silence. When Ruby finished, her first words were: ‘The silly little cow. Why did she do that?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘Was she drunk?’

‘Didn’t look like it, but she did stink of beer.’

‘I expect working in a pub you must get a few drinks spilt on you. How old is she?’

‘She’s never said, but I reckon she must be about eighteen.’

‘That all? Eighteen and married with a kid, she must be mad. So what are you going to do?’

‘I don’t know. I’m hoping she’s going to go up and apologise. That Mr Cox can be nasty. But it’s Mum I’m worried about. She didn’t get any sleep last night.’

‘You didn’t tell me about Christmas and him wanting to take you up to his place. What’s he like?’

‘Short, fat, smelly and needs a shave.’

‘Nice.’

‘I tried not to think about it. The thought of it makes me shudder.’

‘Me too.’

They slowly walked towards the door, standing to one side when a horse pulling a delivery van trotted past them very close.

‘Watch it,’ shouted Elsie.

‘Sorry, girls,’ yelled the driver, peering round his cab.

‘That’s Ben Stone. He’s a bit of all right. I went out with him once.’

‘You didn’t say. What’s he like?’

‘Very nice.’

‘So why did you stop seeing him? He married as well?’

‘Na. He’s a bit shy and quiet, not like his brother. There’s a few of ’em in there that’d like to get their hands on him though, but he’s not my type. Let’s hope there’s some good-looking blokes at the tea factory.’

Ruby was a little shocked at Elsie’s revelations. All the time they had known each other she had never told her she had been out with both of the boss’s sons. The cobbles felt hard under Ruby’s feet as they got nearer the door and the hooter blew for them to start work.

Ruby held on to Elsie’s arm. ‘I wish you wasn’t leaving on Saturday. I don’t know what I’ll do when you go.’

‘Now come on, don’t go upsetting yourself. I’ll see you later,’ said Elsie, taking Ruby’s arm from hers. ‘I’m sure everything will work out.’

Although Ruby smiled, her heart was heavy. Who would she be able to talk to when Elsie left? All through the day she thought about home. She had told Elsie she would be going home as soon as she could get away. The day dragged; even the women she worked with couldn’t bring a smile to her face with their tales of what they’d be doing over the weekend. Doris would tell them about her husband and how she’d put salt and even pepper in his tea when he was drunk, but according to her he always drank it before falling asleep. Then there was Mrs Ramsey; she would carry on about her two sons who had been caught pinching. As they were only six and seven they got away with just a clip round the ear from the copper, but she knew they would finish up in prison just like their father and two older brothers. They were lovely down-to-earth ladies and she enjoyed being with them. They didn’t mind being up to their ankles in water every day, just as long as they earned enough money to put food in their children’s mouths.

Ruby was fed up and couldn’t wait for the end of the day, and then she would know if she still had a home to go to next week.

 

Ruby rushed down the passage and threw open the kitchen door. ‘Well?’ she shouted.

Tom was sitting at the table and her father in his usual chair. They both looked up.

‘Where’s Mum?’ Ruby asked.

‘I’m here, what on earth are you shouting about?’ Her mother came into the kitchen from the washhouse wiping her hands on her sacking apron. She pushed her hair behind her ears.

Ruby stood and looked at them all in surprise. ‘Did she go up?’

‘Yes,’ said her mother.

‘And?’

‘Don’t worry, it was all a misunderstanding.’

Ruby could have cried with relief, but also with frustration. All day she had been worried sick, and now it was all over and no one else seemed at all concerned. ‘What did she tell him?’

‘I don’t know. I think she took him a bottle of something. Anyway, she said we had nothing to fear.’

‘He didn’t say anything when you took his dinner up to him then?’

‘No, but he’d had a shave.’

‘So how do we know she’s telling the truth?’

Her mother was signalling with her eyes, but it was too late. ‘You don’t,’ said a voice.

Ruby turned. Beth was right behind her.

‘As I told your mother, it’s all right.’

Ruby sank into the chair. ‘I’m sorry. But I was so scared.’ Was it really going to be OK?

 

‘Ruby, I know you ain’t best pleased with me,’ said Beth that night as she got undressed ready for bed. ‘But I’d had a couple of drinks and me tongue ran away with me.’

Ruby eased herself up on her elbow. ‘You know me mum didn’t get a wink of sleep last night through worrying?’

‘I know, and I’m really sorry about that. I think the world of your mum. You’re very lucky.’

‘Well, it’s a pity you didn’t think about that last night. That’s why we try to keep him upstairs happy.’

‘It won’t happen again, I promise. Ruby, please don’t be cross with me. I’ve said I’m sorry. You’re much too young to worry so much. Look, why don’t we go out one Sunday afternoon now the weather’s getting better?’

‘I’d like that. We could show Danny the ducks.’

‘I might even buy you an ice cream.’

Ruby smiled. ‘That would be really nice. Could we take Tom?’

‘Why not. We can make it a family outing.’

 

Ruby hadn’t got used to the idea of Elsie leaving and when Saturday arrived she didn’t want to go to the market as they usually did.

‘Now come on, cheer up,’ said Elsie. ‘We’ll go to the café and have a nice cuppa, and then we can make arrangements to go to one of those picture houses again.’

Ruby’s face lit up. ‘D’you mean that?’