A Rare Ruby (33 page)

At one side of Beth’s bedside sat Mr Thompson holding a very fidgety Danny. Her father and Tom sat on the other.

Ruby looked at the scene. If it weren’t for the dreadful circumstances, it would have been a heart-warming scene: all the people she cared about gathered together. She wished with all her might that Beth would wake up.

Tom was crying. ‘I love Beth,’ he whispered.

‘I know,’ said Ruby.

Her father sat, ever motionless.

Danny began crying. ‘Mummy. Mummy.’

Mr Thompson put Danny’s face close to Beth’s. Danny tried to touch her eyes, then he grinned. ‘Mummy sleep.’

‘Yes,’ said Mr Thompson. ‘Mummy’s asleep.’

Ruby let her tears fall too. What would happen to this dear little boy? ‘The doctor said we can take you home now, Tom,’ she sniffed.

Tom’s head shot up. ‘I don’t want to go back to that house. He might be there. He might try to hurt me again.’

‘You don’t have to worry about him, lad. He’ll be taken care of,’ said Mr Thompson.

Ruby was filled with horror. ‘Who told you?’

‘Tom, and the doctor. He’ll have to tell the police. I just want to know why Cox did it.’ Mr Thompson looked back at Beth. ‘And if anything happens to her, he’ll have me to answer to.’

Tom was still crying. Ruby put her arm round his shoulders. ‘Come on. Let me get you home. Mr Thompson, shall I take Danny?’

He nodded. ‘As soon as things improve I’ll be along with his stuff.’

Ruby took Beth’s son in her arms. ‘You’re such a big boy now. Say goodbye to Mummy.’ Ruby bent down so that Danny could kiss his mother’s cheek.

‘Bye, son.’ Mr Thompson kissed him. Turning to Ruby, he added, ‘Thanks. You’re a good girl. A rare jewel.’

‘Come on, Dad,’ she said, trying very hard to keep her feelings under control.

The four of them left Beth’s bedside. Would this be the last time Ruby saw Beth alive? How could so many things go wrong? Ruby let Danny walk as they slowly made their way along the corridor and out into the cold. It had stopped snowing and the early-morning sunshine had melted the snow, but it was now a grey, gloomy, miserable day. Although the weather matched her mood, Ruby was grateful that for the moment at least they would stay dry as they started the long walk home.

It was dark and the streets were empty when they turned into Hill Street. Ruby could picture the happiness and laughter behind the closed doors. Everybody would have finished their dinner by now and be settled in front of a cosy fire. Those that had a piano would be singing round it and in many houses the beer would be flowing. It didn’t matter how hard up people were, every week most of them somehow managed to put in a few pence in a Christmas club for the big day. Tomorrow everybody had to go back to work, but a hangover would keep some away, even if half the home was in the pawnshop and it would take them till spring to recover their possessions.

As they got closer to number thirteen, Ruby could feel the atmosphere grow ever more tense. Would Mr Cox be there? Would he say it wasn’t him? She had been carrying Danny for well over an hour. He was a big boy and she was tired.

‘Ruby. I’m frightened,’ said Tom.

‘Don’t worry. Nothing’s gonner happen. I’m here now.’

But despite her brave words, her mind was churning over and over. Her father had remained silent throughout the long journey home. Would he snap out of it again? Should she let that doctor send him away? Could she cope with all that was in front of her? Danny began to wriggle to get down. Who was there to look after Danny? Did Beth actually have a husband? In all the time they’d known her he had never appeared, not even a letter, as far as Ruby knew. Would Mr Thompson know who her family was and where she’d come from? How would she be able to look after her father, Tom - and Danny if need be - and go to work? This wasn’t how Christmas should be.

Milly must have been looking out of the window because as soon as Ruby had collected the front-door key from the ledge she was at her side.

‘That’s a smashing hat you’re wearing,’ she said to Tom.

He gave her a watery smile and touched his bandage.

‘At least it’s keeping your brains in. How’re things with Beth?’

Ruby didn’t answer at once. In the narrow passage she put Danny down. ‘He’s a ton weight.’

Her father, Tom and Danny moved on to the kitchen. Milly went to follow them but Ruby put out her hand to stop her.

‘Milly, they think Beth will die.’

Milly put her hand to her mouth. ‘No! Do they know who did it?’

Ruby nodded. ‘Mr Cox.’

‘What?’ Milly screamed out.

‘Shhh, keep your voice down. He might be upstairs.’

They both looked up at the stairs to the door of his kitchen - it was closed.

‘Have the police been here?’ asked Ruby.

‘No. I would have seen them from the front-room window.’

‘Ruby, it’s freezing in there,’ said Tom, poking his head out of the kitchen door.

‘I expect it is. I’ll get the fire going as fast as I can.’

Milly waited till Tom went back into the kitchen, then asked, ‘Why did he do a thing like that?’

Ruby didn’t answer and, as they moved on, Milly asked, ‘What you gonner do about it?’

‘That’s up to the police.’

‘Look, it’ll take a while for the fire to take hold and the oven to get hot, so I’ll just pop home and get you a few bits.’

Milly was back and forth to the shop fetching a pot of tea and food for Danny and the Jenkinses. She wanted to stay a while to help, but Ruby told her she had to get back to her own family. After all, it was Christmas night. All the while the only time Thomas Jenkins moved was to pick up Danny and sit silently with him on his lap.

After a while Danny fell fast asleep. Ruby took him and put him on the floor in her and Tom’s room. She sat next to him. If only she had finished sewing that mattress. Tom would be in with her father and she wouldn’t have any fear of touching his head in the night. She gazed down at Danny sleeping peacefully. Thank goodness he was too young to know what had happened. This was all wrong. He should be playing with new toys. He didn’t know he could be all alone. Who was his father? Was there any way of finding out? She gently kissed his forehead. ‘This is a wicked world you have been born into, but I’ll do my best for you. Your mother’s bravery in looking after my brother may have cost her her life, and I’ll never ever forget that.’ Ruby lay next to her charge hoping she wouldn’t roll on him in the night. Soon she was sound asleep.

It was Danny crawling all over her that woke Ruby up. She screwed up her nose. ‘You smell.’

He gave a little chuckle.

‘Ruby. Is Mr Cox home?’ Tom’s voice came through the darkness.

Ruby gave a start. ‘I don’t know.’ She hadn’t really thought about him.

‘Don’t let him get me.’

‘He won’t. How are you feeling?’

‘Me head hurts.’

‘I expect it does, you’ve got a nasty bump.’

‘Can I stay here for a bit? It’s nice and warm in bed.’

‘Course. Now, I’ve got to get this young man changed and fed.’

With Danny over her shoulder Ruby went into the kitchen. It was cold and she was taken aback to see her father sitting in front of the empty fireplace. ‘Dad.
Dad.
’

He looked up. ‘I’m sorry, Ruby.’

‘Ain’t you been to bed?’

He shook his head.

Ruby stared at her father. ‘You should have kept the fire in.’

‘Wasn’t thinking.’

She sat Danny on the floor and began clearing out the grate. ‘Keep your eye on Danny while I get some wood and coal.’ Outside it was just beginning to get light. Although the snow had kept away it was still freezing. She collected the wood and as she made her way back to the house she suddenly stopped. There on the ground was a large dark patch of blood. She felt sick at the thought of what must have happened here such a short while ago. She carefully stepped over it. ‘Please let it rain and wash it all away.’ Ruby knew that if she had to scrub it away, she would feel she was scrubbing Beth away.

Deep in thought she laid the fire and soon it was blazing and the kettle in place.

‘Dad, I’ll take a drop of water to wash Danny with. When the rest boils, make the tea.’

‘I can’t.’

‘Why not?’

‘The voices.’

Ruby couldn’t help herself as she shouted, ‘Tell them to go away.’

‘They won’t. I’ve tried.’

Her shouting made Danny cry.

‘Now see what you’ve done.’ Tears filled her eyes.

‘It was the blood.’

‘Oh Dad, please don’t give up. We’ve got to get through this together.’

‘It was seeing young Tom and Beth lying there. I haven’t slept worrying about her. She was there because of our Tom.’

‘I didn’t think you was listening.’

‘I was listening, but the voices in my head were getting louder.’

‘Look, I’ve got to get Danny changed. I’ll have to go down the ragbag to make him some sort of nappy. Later on you can go up to Mr Thompson and collect some of his things.’

‘I can’t.’

‘You’ve got to help.’

‘I don’t know if . . .’

‘That doctor said you could go to some sort of home. They can help you.’ As soon as the words left her lips Ruby regretted them. A look of horror filled her father’s face.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said immediately.

‘The doctor wants to put me away?’

‘No. No, course not. They can help war victims. Look, I’ve got to get Danny cleaned up.’ Ruby took the kettle into the washhouse and poured the water into the large butler sink. She sat Danny in it and gently let the warm water trickle over him, making him splash and laugh. She laughed with him but her thoughts were with her father. He must be having a terrible time fighting his demons. She should be more tolerant. Then there was Mr Cox - where was he? He hadn’t come down, nor had she heard him moving about upstairs. Does he know what he’s done? she wondered.

A knock on the front door startled her, then she heard Milly’s voice calling from the passage. ‘It’s me, may I come in?’

Milly walked into the washhouse. ‘Mum’s in the shop and Dad’s doing the books. I don’t think we’ll be very busy today. I’ve brought you over a couple of eggs and a bit of bacon. The bread ain’t that fresh, but it’ll do for toast.’

‘But we can’t—’ began Ruby.

‘Call it a late Christmas present. Besides, we’ve all got to help.’

‘You’re so good to us. I don’t know what we’d do without you.’

Milly shrugged her shoulders. ‘How’s Tom this morning?’

‘Got a headache and a bruise on his face, but other than that, he seems fine. He’s worried about seeing Mr Cox though.’

‘Where is he? Is he upstairs?’

‘I don’t think so. I ain’t heard him.’

‘D’you want me to go and look?’

‘I don’t know. If he knew what’s happened wouldn’t he run away?’

Again Milly shrugged. ‘Knowing him, I wouldn’t have thought so. D’you know why he did it?’

Once again Ruby ignored the question as she lifted Danny from the sink and wrapped him in a towel.

‘He’s a lovely kid,’ said Milly, holding his hand. ‘What’s gonner happen to him, if anything . . .’ She couldn’t finish the sentence.

‘I don’t know. But we mustn’t give up. Beth is still alive and you hear of wonderful things happening these days.’

‘Yes, that’s true. Are you going to work?’

Ruby shook her head. ‘I can’t go and leave all this.’

‘Perhaps it will sort itself out.’

‘I wonder if Mr Thompson’s home? I need clean clothes for Danny and nappies. And I could do with his pram and high chair.’

‘It sounds as if you’re taking over.’

‘Who else is there?’

‘I don’t know. I’ll tell you what, I bet when this gets out all sorts of people will come and tell us about Beth. We might even find out if she really is married and who Danny’s father is. How’s your dad taking this?’

‘Not well. It looks like he’s slipping back to the way he was before Mum died.’

‘Look, I’ll go up and see if he’s home.’ Milly raised her eyes to the ceiling.

‘Give me a minute to dress Danny, then I’ll come up with you.’

Milly followed Ruby up the stairs. Ruby could feel her heart racing. What would she say to him? Not that she wanted to talk to him: she wanted to hit him.

Ruby knocked on the door. Silence.

‘Let’s go in,’ said Milly, grabbing the handle and attempting to turn it. ‘It’s locked.’

‘He always keeps his door locked.’

‘So how we gonner get in?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘What happens when you do his cleaning?’

‘He leaves it open.’

They stood for a moment or two looking at the door.

‘I’ve got an idea,’ said Milly, rushing down the stairs.