Katy's Men (24 page)

Katy
walked slowly back to where the cab stood at rest, the driver down on the road beside it, both cabbie and horse looking back at her. She was close to tears as she apologised, ‘I’m sorry. I thought I saw someone I knew but I was imagining it.’

He
grinned sheepishly, ‘You had me worried for a minute.’ And then, concerned as he peered into her face, ‘Are you all right, lass?’

Katy
smiled wanly, ‘I will be.’ She went to climb into the cab.

‘
Here y’are. Ups-a-daisy!’ He took her arm and almost lifted her into her seat. Then he dug into the pocket of the ancient coat he wore and brought out a flat bottle, unscrewed the cap and offered it to Katy: ‘Have a drop o’ rum. That’ll cheer you up.’

‘
No.’ Katy shook her head. ‘But thank you. You’re very kind.’

He
took a swig himself, then climbed up onto his box and the cab rolled forward. Katy sat back in the corner of the cab and wept.

Chapter
Nineteen

MONKWEARMOUTH. FEBRUARY 1917.

N
o
!
I
simply can’t manage on this — this
pittance
!
I
want another pound a week at least.’ Fleur posed in the middle of the office floor, head thrown back and looking down her nose at Katy where she sat at her desk. When Fleur had stormed into the office, Katy had offered her a chair but that offer had been ignored. Fleur raged on, ‘The price of everything has gone up,
if
you can get it — because most of the time the shops are sold out! You ask them for something and they look at you and say, “Shortages.” It’s
ridiculous
!
’

Katy
could sympathise there to a certain extent. There were shortages in this third year of the war. Nobody knew it better than she because petrol was now restricted. That had reduced the firm’s income even more because some days the lorry stood idle for want of fuel. Katy did not complain because she knew that the petrol brought into

the
country came at the cost of men’s lives as the U-boats were sinking the ships. It seemed Fleur did not care.

She
fumed, ‘And it’s degrading that I should have to come to you to beg for money that is mine by
right
, and at this unearthly hour! When I called yesterday that old woman said you were out. Was that true?’

Katy,
stung by this reference to Annie, snapped back, ‘Of course it was! Annie wouldn’t lie to you.’

Fleur
insisted, scowling, ‘I’m not so sure. She was off-hand to the point of rudeness. God knows why you employ her. It seems to me like a waste of the firm’s money.’

Katy
tried to keep her temper. This was Matt’s wife and he would want her treated with respect. ‘Annie earns her keep and more. Most people wanting jobs done come to the office. If they don’t find anyone here they take their custom elsewhere.’

Fleur
sniffed, ‘Well, anyway, I want more money, an increased allowance.’

Katy
looked out of the window and across the yard. Danny was sitting in the driving seat of the Dennis and its engine was ticking over. He had learned quickly over the past months and now started the Dennis every morning. He had become a useful assistant and Katy had paid him a rise because of that, but now he was talking of joining the Navy. Katy sighed, ‘I have to start work soon.’ She tried to explain as calmly as she could: ‘Matthew authorised the allowance and only he can increase it. Have you asked him?’

Fleur
bridled, ‘No, I haven’t. As his wife I’m entitled to the money.’

Katy
tried another tack: ‘I know prices have gone up but we’re all in the same boat.’

‘
No, we’re not,’ Fleur cut in furiously. ‘You aren’t in
my
, position! All the money passes through your hands before it gets to the bank so you’ll never be short! I think
that
needs looking into!’

Katy
was stunned by the allegation for a moment. Then she jerked to her feet and pointed at the door,
Get
out
!
’

Fleur
fell back before her anger but paused in the doorway to hurl a final threat: ‘I’ll get a solicitor onto this and he’ll see I get what is mine.
And
I’ll write to Matthew this very day to tell him just how you’re mismanaging his business and keeping me short of funds!’ Then she was gone, flouncing across the yard to the motor taxi-cab which waited for her with its engine running.

Katy
sat down with a bump. She felt sick. Fleur was greedy and in the wrong because there was no way that a solicitor could obtain more money for her. Her allowance already took up all of Matt’s share of the profits of the firm. The firm still made a profit but only because Katy worked six long days every week. She was not worried by the charges levelled at her, could account for every penny earned and spent by the firm. But if the solicitor took the case to court? Or wrote to Matt? And Fleur was going to do just that. Katy could not let that happen to him.

She
changed from her overalls into a dress, pulled on her coat and told Danny, ‘Annie said she was going to queue at the butcher’s for some meat and then come to

work.
Will you wait and help with any jobs she can find you? I’ll be back in a couple of hours.’

She
had to wait at the bank because she did not have an appointment but the manager saw her after some twenty minutes. Her business completed, or rather, the easiest part of it, Katy went on to deal with the worst. She had never been to Matt’s house in Ashbrooke and was not looking forward to this visit. It was one of a terrace, with a long garden and steps leading up to the front door. She rang the doorbell and a maid, a girl of seventeen or so in black dress, white apron and cap, opened to her.

Katy
asked, ‘May I see Mrs Ballard, please?’

Before
the girl could answer, a male voice called, ‘Who is it?’

The
maid replied, ‘A lady wants to see madam.’

‘
A lady?’ There was a pause and then the owner of the voice appeared at the maid’s elbow. Katy noted that the girl not so much stood aside as shrank from him. The newcomer was tall and slender, with oiled hair parted in the middle and brushed flat, like patent leather. He stroked this as he ran his eyes over Katy. Then he eased the maid aside and opened the door wide. ‘Come right in! Fleur’s at her dressmaker’s but she should be back real soon.’ And to the maid: OK, kid, I’ll see to this.’

Katy
recognised the accent as North American because she had once heard such spoken by some seamen whose ship had berthed in Sunderland. She hesitated a moment, but she had to see Fleur, so she passed him to enter the house and he followed her. ‘I’m Harry Dawkins,’ he drawled, ‘originally from New Orleans but lately I’ve played in London and a few other spots.’ They stood in a hallway with a wooden floor polished until it shone. Katy guessed that the maid had done the polishing down on her knees. Harry Dawkins guided her with a hand in the small of her back. ‘In here and sit right down.’ It was a drawing-room crowded with chairs and small tables. A huge mirror on one wall reflected an image of the room. The seat Dawkins indicated was a couch. Katy perched stiffly at one end of it and he sat next to her. ‘So what did you want to see Fleur about?’

Katy
answered, ‘A personal matter.’

‘
Well, any friend of Fleur is a friend of mine.’ He sat smiling at her and she could feel his eyes probing her body. ‘And nothing’s lost that’s given to a friend, that’s what I say.’ Now his smile was suggestive. Katy stared straight in front of her and she saw a clarinet lying in its open case on an occasional table.

To
distract him, she asked, ‘Do you play?’ She nodded at the instrument.

He
got up from his seat. ‘Sure.’ He picked up the clarinet and blew a ripple of notes, then bragged, ‘I’m one of the best jazz players around. That’s how I met Fleur; she came to a dance where my outfit was playing. I guess she hadn’t heard anybody play like me before and that goes for a lot of other folks around here.’

He
started back towards Katy and that was when the front door was opened. They heard the turning of the key in the lock and then the tapping of high heels on the polished floor. Fleur called, ‘Mary Ann! Take a brush and sweep the front path and steps. You shouldn’t need to be told.’ And then, ‘Hullo°, darling! I’m home!’ Dawkins slid into an armchair several feet from Katy just before Fleur entered the room. Then he stood up in leisurely fashion as she did so.

Fleur
was smiling but her face changed as if a curtain was pulled across when she saw Katy. ‘What are you doing here? That girl had no right to let you in.’

Dawkins
said nothing but stood close behind Fleur. Katy got to her feet and now she could see in the mirror that he was fondling Fleur’s haunches. She said, ‘This —gentleman — invited me in.’

Dawkins
said quickly, ‘She said she was a friend of yours, Fleur.’

Katy
denied him: ‘No, I didn’t. You assumed that.’ Her gaze switched to Fleur: ‘I told him I wanted to see you on a personal matter.’

Fleur
snapped, ‘Then tell me what you want and get out. I don’t want you here.’ Katy glanced at Dawkins but Fleur waved a hand impatiently. ‘I don’t mind him hearing and I’m not going to be left alone with you. The way you looked at me this morning — murderous!’ She shuddered. ‘So?’

Katy
said, forcing out the words, anger and revulsion choking her, ‘I talked to the bank manager and they are going to increase your allowance as you asked.’

‘
Aha! Fleur threw back her head triumphantly. ‘So you’ve seen sense and given in! That shows you told me a pack of lies this morning!’ Katy walked past her and made for the door. Fleur shouted after her, ‘Yes, get out! Harry! See her off the premises!’ Then she laughed. Dawkins got to the front door just before Katy reached it. He swung it open but only wide enough for her to sidle through. As she did so he slid an arm around her waist and whispered, ‘I’ll come and visit some time.’ His face was close to her and Katy seized his nose and twisted it. He yelped with pain and she shoved him aside. He fell back holding his nose, tears in his eyes and bleating, ‘You Goddam bitch!’

Katy
left them, sickened. As she walked down the path she came on the maid, industriously sweeping. The girl stood aside but she was grinning. ‘I saw that, miss. Good for you. I wish I had your nerve.’

Katy
paused and asked, ‘You’re not happy here?’

The
girl’s grin slipped away. ‘I’ll be off out of this before long. I’m working my notice now. I have to do that to get my money. The way they carry on! I take up the tea in the mornings and they’re in bed together. But there’s others
he
doesn’t know about, nor anybody else around here. They’re in and out by the back way. They think I don’t know but I’ve seen these fellers going out of a morning. And what he does to me . . . He’s all hands, but
she
doesn’t know about that.’ The girl was watching the house all the time and now she resumed her sweeping: ‘She’s looking out o’ the window.’

Katy
went on her way. She reflected bitterly that Fleur had won, got all she wanted, but there was nothing Katy could do. How could she tell Matt, thousands of miles away, about his wife’s demands — and about Dawkins and the rest? She could not torment him like that. So she had authorised payment of Fleur’s increased allowance out of the firm’s account, which was the same as out of Katy’s money because Fleur had already had all of Matt’s share. But — Fleur had described Katy as murderous. She was close to that now.

*

The winter passed, summer came and went. Perversely and as if to torture her, where once Katy had seen Fleur scarcely at all, now she saw her every few weeks. As Katy drove the Dennis about her business she caught glimpses of Fleur: sauntering along the High Street, strolling in Mowbray Park in a summer dress and a wide picture hat, going to a dance. Once, returning from a long trip after midnight, Katy even saw her coming out of the Palace Hotel after attending some ball. Katy had stopped the Dennis because of people crossing the road. The door of the Palace opened, sending a shaft of light which cut through the blackout imposed because of air raids and lit a party which spilled out onto the pavement. Katy saw Fleur was one of them and Dawkins was holding her, his arm around her waist. She was in a low-cut silken gown that clung to her as she clung to him and he was peering down into the valley of her breasts. Katy drove on, raging inside. Dawkins was with Fleur more often than not but she was never alone. There was always a man fawning on her, usually a young officer.

It
was in October that Katy set out to drive to a mining village in West Durham. She went without Danny because he had gained his heart’s desire and joined the Royal Navy just a week before. Katy and Annie had gone with his mother to see him off at the central station and they all wept together afterwards. So Katy drove alone on that foul morning of fog and driving rain. She had much to occupy her mind as she strained her eyes to make out the road which wound about and up and down. She needed a man or a strong boy to replace Danny and help her lift the heavy loads. It would not be easy to find one because the shipyards took those the Army left behind. The yards were so desperate for labour now that they were employing women. That had been unheard of before the war. The yards had always been a male preserve. Katy could manage on her own for a short time but it meant turning down heavy work — and most of the work was heavy. If she found a man she would have to pay him a man’s wages and that would not be easy. There were too many days when she could not get the petrol to work. She still grieved over Louise, yearned for her. She had not heard from Matt . . .

The
Dennis was climbing around the outside of a hill. Katy knew the road and that the view out over the countryside was lovely despite the pitheads which scarred the landscape. This day the view was hidden by drizzle and fog. It was a road on which there was little traffic as a rule but Katy was on her own side of it anyway. It was the lorry on the other side and coming down the hill which skidded on the turn and slid across the road. Katy twisted the steering wheel frantically to avoid a head-on collision and succeeded, but only at the cost of sliding off the road. She glimpsed the white, frightened face of the driver of the other lorry then the Dennis bucked as it lurched over the rocks marking the roadside and slewed across the turf beyond them. Katy saw the almost sheer drop ahead of her, let go of the wheel and jumped.