house of women (14 page)

place, and higher. D'you hear? Higher. I'm all set and you're

finished. "

Another implement was hurled, and the men scattered, trying to make for the door; but when the second metal vase went through the glass pane, they crouched behind the cars and then watched Hammond wreak his vengeance on one of the cars. Picking up a loose jack from against the wall he smashed through the car's windscreen and was on the point of attacking the bonnet when suddenly he fell to the side and leant against the door. It was Willie Anderson who, rising slowly from behind the shelter of a car, said quietly, "He's ... he's having a seizure."

Now he and Alee Fox moved cautiously forward over the broken glass, to see the wrecker slumped on the floor beside the car, his arms folded across his chest and groaning aloud.

"Straighten him out."

They were all standing round him looking down on the blue face, the mouth gasping for breath, and Alee Fox muttered, "Phone for a doctor .

no, an ambulance, quick!"

Pat Kenyard said, "It's a stroke all right. My dad died with one similar to that. My God! Look at this place. He went mad." He turned now and looked at Andrew, adding, "All through your bloody poster."

"It wasn't through his bloody poster," Alee Fox said, nodding at Andrew; 'he's been going mad for

a long rime. This isn't unexpected. So, don't let it worry you, son.

"

Andrew was leaning against the bonnet of a car;

he felt sick, he wanted to vomit. All those weeks of work smashed up.

He didn't care if Hammond died;

it would be a good job if he did.

As though prompted by these thoughts, a feeling of guilt brought about by his having said he'd get his place, and higher, assailed him: he hadn't meant it to come out like this. He wouldn't like it to get back to Mrs. Funnell; he had already gathered that she was a woman who liked you to keep your place until she thought fit to change it. But that madman could have done for him if that vase had hit him.

Suddenly all their thoughts were brought together again by the opening of the door. Mrs. Hammond stood there. No-one spoke as they watched her eyes move from the wall and the shattered poster to the broken windscreen on the first car, then come to rest on the scattered glass about her feet. When she moved slowly into the showroom it was Alee Fox who said, "Your ... your husband's had an attack, Mrs. Hammond.

We . we've sent for an ambulance. "

She walked over to the figure lying curled up on the floor of the showroom, and she put her hand over her mouth before she said, "What happened?" She said it merely for something to say, for she knew what had happened: there was evidence to the side of her; he couldn't take the poster or the fact that his son-in-law had dared to enter his sanctum.

She was saved from further action or comment by the siren proclaiming the arrival of the ambulance.

They were all pushed back, and the ambulance men were bending over the figure, straightening him, testing his heart. Then gently they lifted him on to a stretcher. And one of them, turning to her, said, "You a relative, ma'am?"

"I'm his wife."

"You'd better come along then."

She went along, sitting next to the blue-faced figure on the stretcher, now and again putting her hand out, as did the ambulance man, to stop it from rocking. Then as the ambulance drew to a stop, the man leant over and placed his hand over Leonard's heart. He lifted his eyelids, then slowly turned to Lizzie and said, "I'm afraid, missis, I'm afraid By the time they got him into the theatre it was confirmed that Leonard Hammond had died following a stroke.

Five days later he was cremated at twelve noon. The parson from the church was there because his presence was necessary; the members of the family, the three women and the young married couple, were present; neither of Andrew's parents had come:

his mother was at work and his father said openly he wouldn't be a hypocrite, for the man hadn't recognised his son so he could see no reason why he should recognise him, even in death. Only four men represented the Works because Mrs. Funnell had pooh-pooh ed the idea of closing it for an hour or so. Two young men represented the Boys'

Club.

Mrs. Funnell saw to it that the men from the Works were given a glass of spirits and the choice of some eatables in the dining-room, and by two o'clock the whole business was over, and the house returned to normal. There was no need for a solicitor to be present for there was no will to read. Leonard Hammond had had nothing to leave except, as Lizzie was to discover, the evidence that he had tried to murder Henry.

what had happened: there was evidence to the side of her; he couldn't take the poster or the fact that his son-in-law had dared to enter his sanctum.

She was saved from further action or comment by the siren proclaiming the arrival of the ambulance.

They were all pushed back, and the ambulance men were bending over the figure, straightening him, testing his heart. Then gently they lifted him on to a stretcher. And one of them, turning to her, said, "You a relative, ma'am?"

"I'm his wife."

"You'd better come along then."

She went along, sitting next to the blue-faced figure on the stretcher, now and again putting her hand out, as did the ambulance man, to stop it from rocking. Then as the ambulance drew to a stop, the man leant over and placed his hand over Leonard's heart. He lifted his eyelids, then slowly turned to Lizzie and said, "I'm afraid, missis, I'm afraid By the time they got him into the theatre it was confirmed that Leonard Hammond had died following a stroke.

Five days later he was cremated at twelve noon. The parson from the church was there because his presence was necessary; the members of the family, the three women and the young married couple, were present; neither of Andrew's parents had come:

his mother was at work and his father said openly he wouldn't be a hypocrite, for the man hadn't recognised his son so he could see no reason why he should recognise him, even in death. Only four men represented the Works because Mrs. Funnell had pooh-pooh ed the idea of closing it for an hour or so. Two young men represented the Boys'

Club.

Mrs. Funnell saw to it that the men from the Works were given a glass of spirits and the choice of some eatables in the dining-room, and by two o'clock the whole business was over, and the house returned to normal. There was no need for a solicitor to be present for there was no will to read. Leonard Hammond had had nothing to leave except, as Lizzie was to discover, the evidence that he had tried to murder Henry.

It was when she had been going through his things in the bedroom on the day after his death that Lizzie found his suitcase in the bottom of the wardrobe. It was locked, and none of the keys she found in the room or those in his clothes, which had been returned from the

hospital, would fit. She had taken a screwdriver and wrenched the case open, all the while feeling that she would find something in it. What she found was his dark grey suit, with bloodstains on the sleeves and down the front of the coat and one trouser leg. Evidently he hadn't had time to dispose of the clothes before death had hit him

unexpectedly. But the condition of the suit linked up with the washed soft cuff of his shirt that her mother had found so odd.

After the discovery, she had sat on the edge of the bed and questioned why he had done it; that he was willing to murder a man because he had been given a position he thought should be his. He had intended

murder, and so it would have been if Henry hadn't had such a strong constitution and managed to get to the phone . It was three days later that Lizzie found out her husband had another reason for wanting to murder Henry.

She had defiantly donned a brown mackintosh instead of her black coat.

The weather had changed

over the past two days and there was now intermittent rain.

In the hall, she saw her grandmother talking to Andrew. She was

saying, "Well, it's up to you now, Andrew," and the young fellow replied, "Yes, Mrs. Funnell, I know that, and I won't let you down."

In spite of the life she had experienced with Len and what he had aimed to do to Henry she felt a spurt of deep anger on his account. If only her grandmother had spoken to him like that from the beginning, how different things might have been. And there entered her mind a faint suspicion of her young son-in-law's motives. Looking at him now, she thought he was too pleasant to be genuine. And what was more, why wasn't he at work with the rest of the men?

Andrew smiled at her, nodded, then turned away. And her grandmother said, "Where are you off to? It's raining."

"I know that."

The old woman looked her up and down, saying now, "You've quickly shed your black."

"For God's sake! Gran, don't be a hypocrite."

"Lizzie! Lizzie! Now you be careful."

"Well, you are, you are. You loathed him. You're glad he's dead. And, oh yes, yes, yes' her head was bobbing now 'you're not the only one.

But to chide me because I'm not keeping in mourning to portray

my loss is . well--' She made a scornful motion with her hand, then opened the door, bringing forth the immediate reaction of, "May I ask where you're off to?" from her grandmother.

"Yes, you may. Gran, I'm off to the hospital. And I may have news for you when I come back. But I don't know what time that'll be, so I'd keep awake."

"Dear Lord! Dear Lord! What's come over this house?"

Lizzie repeated the words as she got into the car:

What's come over this house? Well, there would be more coming over this house, if her gran only knew it, because she would be leaving it, please God, at the first opportunity . Henry was propped up on his pillows. The tubes had been taken away, but his head was still

bandaged, as was his arm. But he was more lucid than he had been for days. He held tightly on to her hand as he said, "Well, you've got it over."

"Yes, yes, I've got it over. But apart from that, how are you feeling?"

"Better, except when I move. I never knew there were so many bones and muscles in one body." He smiled wanly. Then the smile disappearing, he added, "I've got something to tell you."

"Yes?"

"I know who did this to me."

"And I know, too."

"What! How?"

"I found his clothing all bloodstained." She shook her head.

"To think he could have killed you he meant to just because you got that place. It's all Gran's fault. At bottom, it's all Gran's

fault."

He squeezed her hand tightly, saying, "It wasn't ... it wasn't only because of that."

She remained silent, staring at him for a moment before she whispered,

"No?"

"No. It was because he had found out about us."

"But how do you know?"

"Well' he turned his head slowly on the pillow 'after you had gone, I remained downstairs doing a little bit of work. My mind wasn't really on it. I was thinking of us. And then there was the heat. I had

taken my shirt and trousers off and was sitting in my pants; in fact, I was on my way upstairs when I heard the rattle outside. It was as if something was at the dustbin. I thought it was the fox, and I wanted to see her again. You know, I had a fox that reared her cubs in the hillock not ten yards from the back window and I used to watch her.

She used to bring them out around twilight, three of them, and they would play, and she would cuff them. I thought it was she making the noise, that she'd come back. I was so pleased. She had become a sort of distant companion to me, but I hadn't seen her for months.

Well, it was dark but it wasn't black, and I guessed I should be able to make her out, so I didn't take a torch, and opened the front door and stepped quietly on to the path. And then it came at me, something well, all I can say now it was like something black. As the blow hit me on the head I swung round and glimpsed his stockinged face, and then after something hit my arm I could feel myself falling. I tried vainly to strike out as I fell, but the last thing I remember was the

stockinged face staring at me and then of being lifted from the ground, as if I was being pulled up by the shoulders;

then the face talking as if through a long tunnel, yelling, "Lizzie.

Your dear Lizzie. You stole my job and now you've taken her. But I'll deal with her. " I just faintly recall the word " her" echoing down the tunnel. Then something hit me again and the next thing I remember was waking up in this bed. I can't recall phoning or even how I got into the house. But there's one thing sure, he not only used a blunt instrument on me, he used his feet too. It's a good job he's dead.

Lizzie, because I would have certainly had him up for this. He didn't intend only to knock me out. The doctor tells me it was touch and go for the first two days . Don't cry, dear. Don't cry. "

Lizzie swallowed deeply, then said, "But... but how could he have guessed?"

"Likely you changing your pattern; and going out at night. Or perhaps he just came out to see where I lived and saw your car. We'll never know. There's only one thing I know now and that is, I'm glad he's dead, because if this had been brought to light, and it would have, the scandal would have been too much for you. Nor would I have been able to stay at the Works. And if you had married me then ... well, you know what people are, we would have had to move, because round here we would have been hounded. But now--' He drew in a long breath before he ended, " You won't consider proprieties now, will you.

Lizzie? I mean, making us wait? "

"No, no; never! Henry. As soon as you're well enough, I'm ready."

"They'll get a shock; I mean, your people."

She nodded.

"It won't be before time," she said.

Lizzie looked from her grandmother to her mother, then to her daughter.

They were all gaping at her. And when, after a long pause, her

grandmother said, "I knew there was something going on," Lizzie came back at her: "Well, as always, you were right. Gran."

"You mean to say you're going to be married almost straightaway?" It was her mother speaking, and she answered her, "Yes, Mother, as soon as Henry is on his feet. By the look of it, it won't be for some weeks, but it will be as soon as he can possibly make it."