Lost & Found (31 page)

Tommy stood in the yard and watched as his men drove off. They were decent signwriters and he was glad to have found them. Ed was doing a shop sign for a new greengrocer that was about to open a few streets away, and Bill just had the finishing touches to do before his job was complete and he could start the next. The business was flourishing and he’d have to employ another bloke soon, but in the meantime, rather than turn work away, Tommy would do the latest job himself. Not that he minded. It was good to keep his hand in and it got him away from the office for a while, even if it meant leaving the telephone and the yard unattended. Maybe he should think about taking a girl on, a school leaver perhaps, who could at least man the telephone and do a little to keep his ever-growing files in order.

Tommy’s heart sunk when his mother walked into the yard. Bloody hell, five minutes later and
he’d have been gone, the gate locked, but now he had to put up with another barrage as she marched up to him.

‘I rang Belinda this morning and she told me that you’ve only been to see Davie once since you left her.’

‘What’s the point? I’ve told you before, I’m sure he isn’t mine, and Belinda should think herself lucky that I still support him. I was hoping she’d marry the latest mug who has taken her on, and then I wouldn’t have to support her too.’

‘What are you talking about? What mug?’

‘The latest bloke she’s got living with her.’

‘Belinda didn’t mention another man.’

‘Well, believe me, she’s got one and I wish him the best of luck.’

‘You should never have left her and I still dread to think what my neighbours will say if they find out you’re divorced. The least you can do is find a yard out of this area.’

‘Mum, please, not this again.’

‘Now you listen to me. Unlike Lily Jackson, I won’t be the subject of gossip. It was bad enough that she left Cullen Street to live with another man, but from what I’ve heard her daughter has turned out to be just as bad.’

‘What are you on about?’

‘They’re saying that Mavis has left her husband. Apparently she’s gone off with another man.’

‘That’s rubbish. Yes, Mavis has left her husband, but she had good reason.’

He saw his mother frown, the puzzlement on her face as she asked, ‘How do you know that? Have you seen her?’

‘Oh, yes, Mum, I’ve seen her. In fact, she stayed in my flat for a while.’

‘Stayed with you! You’re…you’re the other man! No, Tommy, no! You can’t do this to me. What will people say? Mavis is backward, an idiot. You can’t take up with her—you just can’t.’

‘My God, listen to yourself. Mavis isn’t an idiot, and I know that now. Her husband was knocking her about and she’s been through hell, but what’s the point in telling you about it? All you care about is yourself and your own reputation.’

‘That isn’t true. I…I’m thinking about you,’ she blustered, ‘about what people will say when they find out.’

‘Yeah, if you say so, but you can relax, Mum. Unfortunately, Mavis isn’t interested in me.’

‘I’m glad to hear it. If you took up with her I’d never live it down, and I’d never forgive you, Tommy.’

‘Just go, Mum. I’ve got work to do.’

‘All right, I’m going, but keep away from Mavis,’ she warned.

Tommy shook his head in disgust as his mother left the yard. She’d never change and he was
regretting moving back to Battersea. As long as he remained she’d keep on nagging him to leave again, but that was nothing compared to the hell she’d put him through if he took up with Mavis. Tommy loaded the van. If Mavis had agreed to go out with him he wouldn’t have given a fig about what his mother said, but she had turned him down. Jenny was wrong, Mavis wasn’t interested in him, and somehow he had to face that.

It was now June and Alec had disappeared four months ago. Mavis was worried and her voice echoed her concern. ‘What am I going to do, Mum?’

‘I dunno, love,’ Lily told her daughter.

‘Alec seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth.’

‘Yeah, well, I know how that feels. Your father did the same.’

‘But unless Alec’s found, I won’t get my settlement.’

‘You’ve still got the money I gave you and that should last you for a good while. There’s your sketching too and you’ve got three more orders.’

‘That won’t bring in enough to pay you back.’

‘I told you, the money’s yours and I wouldn’t have taken it even if you’d tried to repay me.’

Mavis rubbed a hand across her forehead, worried about what was now an uncertain future.
As it was warm now, at least she wouldn’t have to buy coal, but the children needed new clothes, shoes, and the money her mother had given her wouldn’t last forever. She had a little income from her sketches to replenish some of it, but what if the orders dried up?

‘I’d best get back,’ Lily said. ‘Bobby’s gone down for the night, but he’s teething again. If he wakes up screaming, well, you know what Pete’s like. He’d bring him downstairs in a jiffy and it’ll be murder to settle him down again.’

‘All right, Mum. I’ll see you in the morning.’

‘Try to stop worrying, Mavis. Things will work out, you’ll see.’

Mavis managed a small smile, but her face straightened as soon as the door closed behind her mother. For a while Mavis sat deep in thought, wondering how she could increase her income, and finally coming up with an idea.

If more people saw her sketches, perhaps the orders would increase. She could start by showing a sample of her work to the other mothers at Grace’s nursery. After that she could widen the area, try others, even schools. It could work, surely it could. Feeling uplifted, Mavis decided to start a new sketch to use as a sample, using Grace as her subject.

Deep in concentration as she sketched, Mavis was startled by a knock on her door at eight thirty.
She put down her pencil and opened the door, smiling when she saw Rhona. ‘What’s this? Saturday night and you haven’t gone out?’

‘I did, but I got stood up. I hung around for half an hour, but then thought, sod it, and came home. There’s plenty more where he came from.’

‘I only ever had one boyfriend and we married very quickly,’ Mavis mused.

‘Blimey, fancy that. What was it? Were you in the club?’

‘No, of course not, and before you ask, I hadn’t slept with him either,’ Mavis said, and though Rhona was unabashed, unembarrassed by the mention of sex, Mavis still found herself reticent.

‘Sod that. You should have sampled the goods before you married him.’

‘Rhona,’ Mavis admonished, trying her best not to smile.

‘You should see your face,’ Rhona giggled, ‘you’re trying to look like a shocked virgin, but I can see you’re trying not to laugh.’

‘I
was
married, so I’m hardly a virgin,’ Mavis said.

‘You still act like one. What’s the matter? Wasn’t your old man any good in bed?’

‘Er…er…’

‘All right, it was a daft question. If your husband was the only man you slept with, how would you know?’

‘I don’t, but most girls are probably in the same position when they marry.’

‘Leave it out, Mavis. This is the 1960s and we know better than to lie back and think of England. As for you, do you mind if I ask you a very personal question?’

‘It depends. Ask me and we’ll see.’

‘Did you enjoy sex?’

Mavis flushed. It wasn’t a subject she’d ever discussed with anyone and Rhona was only seventeen. Yet she’d been younger, sixteen when she married Alec, and had gone to bed with him with no idea what to expect. She knew that Rhona was on the pill, that she wasn’t a virgin, and, in fact, according to Lily, she was sex mad. But why? She countered the question with one of her own. ‘Do you?’

‘Enjoy sex? Yeah, with the right bloke it’s great.’

‘I just don’t see what there is to enjoy.’

‘Was your husband a virgin too?’

‘Well, yes, I think so.’

‘They’re the worst. They ain’t got a clue and it’s over before you can say bingo. There’s the selfish ones too, who although they aren’t virgins, are only interested in their own enjoyment and leave you wanting more.’

‘My…my husband was like that.’

‘You poor cow, but honestly, Mavis, you don’t know what you’re missing. You should get yourself
another bloke, and with any luck he’ll be good in bed.’

‘No, thanks. I’m happy as I am.’

‘For now, maybe, but you’re only in your twenties. A bloke is sure to come along, one that you’ll fancy something rotten and then you’ll change your mind.’

‘No, I won’t,’ Mavis insisted. A man
had
come along, one who had haunted her dreams for years—Tommy. Yet she didn’t want him, or any other man in her life.

Rhona had said that sex was wonderful, but Mavis was sure that, despite the feelings Tommy aroused, it was something she could do without. She relished her independence, still loved making her own decisions, doing what she wanted, when she wanted.

The barriers she had managed to put in place whenever she saw Tommy would remain. The more Mavis lived alone, the more Mavis liked it, and there was no way on earth she was going to place her trust in a man again.

‘Pete, I’ve been thinking,’ Lily said.

‘Oh, yeah, about what?’

‘The future and what’s going to happen to Mavis if she doesn’t get her settlement.’

‘I know what you’re going to say, Lily.’

‘You do?’ she said, surprised by his foresight.

‘It’s obvious. Mavis will have to get a job to support them and you’re going to offer to have the kids.’

‘Would you mind?’

‘No, of course not.’

‘I’m worried about the house too. It isn’t big enough and though I suppose James and Grace can share that tiny bedroom for a while longer, there’ll come a time when they’ll need their own rooms again.’

‘Lots of kids have to share. It won’t do them any harm.’

‘Maybe not, but one day Mavis is going to want a bigger house. I dread the thought of her moving away from us.’

‘Blimey, Lily, talk about a worry guts. If Mavis doesn’t get her settlement she’s gonna find it hard enough to find the rent for a two bedroom house, let alone three. It’ll be years before she can think about moving.’

‘With a job and the money she earns from her sketches, it might not be out of reach.’

‘Yeah, maybe, but if you’re gonna look after the kids, she’ll have to stay in this area.’

Yes, Pete was right, Lily thought. Maybe she was worrying about nothing, but she loved having Mavis living next door and it wouldn’t be the same, even if she stayed in the same area.

‘It’s daft to worry about the future all the time,
Lily. I mean, what’s to say that we won’t move one day?’

‘Move—but why would we?’

‘Peckham is changing, with lots of demolition and development going on. It means plenty of work for me, but who knows, one day it could be the houses in this street that are coming down.’

‘Pete, don’t say that. I love it here. I like this house, and it’s smashing to have a back garden instead of the concrete yard I had in Cullen Street.’

‘Sod it, now I’ve given you something else to worry about, and I wish I’d kept my mouth shut.’

‘Have you heard something? Is that it?’

‘No, Lily, it was just a passing thought, that’s all, but listen, if it’ll stop you worrying I’ll make you a promise. If the day ever comes that we have to move, I’ll do everything I can to make sure that I find two houses side by side, one for us and one for Mavis.’

‘Oh, Pete, I love you,’ Lily cried, and as the words left her mouth she knew that this time she meant them. She did love Pete, really loved him, and at last she could let Ron go.

At one time, on her mother’s suggestion, Mavis had considered getting a full-time job, but, without any skills, cleaning was the only option open to her, and the pay would be hardly enough to pay the rent.

It was now August, and thankfully her ideas had paid off and Mavis was happy as she fulfilled yet another order. Her sketch of Grace had captured the child perfectly, the chubby cheeks and cheeky grin endearing. When she had shown it to the other mothers at nursery last month, she’d received a flood of orders, and thanks to Pete she could now offer a framing service too. He had found a company that sold frames in bulk, and though it had bitten into her funds they were proving popular, giving her a good profit on the investment.

There was still no news of Alec, but now that her worries about the future had eased, Mavis
didn’t care. He was gone, out of their lives, and she was earning enough to support them. She never wanted to see Alec again, in court or anywhere else, and soon hoped to replace the money she had taken from her mother’s tin box. Despite her mother insisting that she wouldn’t take it back, Mavis had never really felt it was hers. She had hated feeling dependent, hated spending what she would always feel was her mother’s money, but at last she was living off her own earnings.

Mavis was hot, her face beaded with perspiration as she held up the latest order. She was pleased with it—pleased that somehow she always managed to capture the essence of every child she sketched.

A glance at the clock surprised her. It was time to collect the children from her mother’s. Mavis didn’t know what she would have done without her mother during the school summer holidays. She took the children off her hands every day from ten in the morning until three in the afternoon, giving her plenty of time to work.

‘Hello, Mum, have they behaved themselves?’ Mavis asked as she walked into her mother’s house.

‘Yeah, they’ve been in the garden most of the day, and it’s only this one who gives me any trouble,’ Lily said, though she was grinning as she looked at Bobby.

He chuckled, arms out as he toddled over to
Mavis. She picked him up, planted a kiss on his cheek, and then hugged him to her. ‘Hello, you bruiser, and what have you been up to this time?’

‘He broke my doll,’ Grace complained, but then she said confidently, ‘Granddad will mend it.’

Mavis smiled. It hadn’t taken the children long to call Pete Granddad, but she didn’t mind. He was wonderful with them, the perfect man to have in their lives, and, yes, no doubt he’d be able to mend Grace’s doll. ‘Come on, let’s go,’ she said. ‘It’s time to give your gran a bit of peace.’

‘Yeah, and it’ll give me a chance to clear this lot and the garden up,’ Lily said, smiling ruefully at the toys strewn all over the living room floor.

‘I’ll do it if you like,’ Mavis offered.

‘No, just take Bobby as usual and without him around I’ll get it done in a jiffy.’

‘All right. I’ll bring him back in a couple of hours. See you later, Mum.’

‘See you, pet.’

With Bobby still in her arms, Mavis returned home. Like her mother’s, the house was stifling when she walked inside. ‘Why don’t you two play in the garden?’ she suggested to James and Grace.

‘And Bobby,’ Grace said.

‘Yes, all right, but let me get a chair and then I’ll sit outside too.’

It wasn’t much cooler in the garden, the heat making Mavis feel somnolent as she forced her
eyes to remain open. Jenny was coming over again on Sunday, and Mavis loved it that they had remained friends.

She had a surprise waiting for Jenny when she arrived. In a spare moment she had done a sketch of Greg; and though she still loved pencil art, there were times when she longed to use another medium, especially oils.

Though still watching the children, Mavis found her mind wandering to the past and the portrait of her grandmother she had painted at school. It was the only oil on canvas she had painted, but Tommy had ruined it. Despite all this time, the memory of that day still had the power to upset her, and she wondered if that was why she still found it difficult to relax in Tommy’s company.

Thankfully he no longer pestered her for a date, but even that left her wondering. Had someone else caught his eye—yes, probably. A good-looking man like Tommy would have his pick.

Alec knew he was considered eccentric by most of the villagers, but he didn’t care. He loved living in the heart of Devon, loved the countryside, the long walks, his dog by his side. The Labrador was obedient, faithful, his constant companion and all the company he needed.

‘Morning, Mr Collier,’ someone called.

Alec just nodded as he continued on his way,
leaving the village to climb Ham Hill. He was Charles Collier now, choosing initials that held no clue to his parentage. The shop brought in little money, but he didn’t care about that either. He had purchased the premises with living accommodation on the top floor, the price reasonable and leaving him sufficient funds from the sale of his mother’s house. There were also her investments, of course, ones that had passed to him and that provided a monthly income.

‘Hunter, fetch,’ Alec called as he threw a stick. The dog bounded off, soon returning with the stick in his mouth, which he dropped at Alec’s feet.

Alec threw it again, his mind still on his business. The location of the shop was wrong, he knew that, but what little custom he had was enough. He only opened the premises from ten till four, and the few customers who crossed the threshold were like-minded, fellow stamp enthusiasts, men like him who could talk for hours about their latest finds.

Yes, men, no women, and the first one who had dared to venture into his shop had soon found out that he didn’t welcome female customers, whether she wanted to purchase stamps for her husband’s collection or not. He had chased her out and word had soon spread in the small village, but that suited him just fine.

What did he care if there was gossip—if some villagers thought him mad? He didn’t need people, especially not women. He had his dog, his stamps and the comfort of his flat above the shop. His life was all he wanted now; unencumbered, and the only things that still had the power to unsettle him were thoughts of his wife and mother.

Hunter dropped the stick at Alec’s feet again and this time when he picked it up, Alec flung it in anger. He hoped Mavis was suffering, that she was back to living in the poverty she had come from.

Alec reached the top of the hill, where he stood for a while, his mind calming at last as he drank in the wonderful view, thoughts of his wife and mother safely tucked away again.

‘Hello, love,’ Lily greeted when Pete came home from work, but as he wrapped his arms around her she pulled a face. ‘Blimey, you stink.’

‘Working in this heat, what do you expect?’ he asked, then released her to swing Bobby up into his arms. ‘You’re not going to complain too, are you?’

As always when he saw his father, Bobby chuckled, and when he was then thrown up into the air to be caught in strong arms, he giggled with delight. ‘Your daddy has got some good news.’

‘Oh, yeah, and what’s that?’ Lily asked.

‘I’ve got a new contract, a big one.’

‘Have you now, and is it local?’

‘Yes, and you and me are gonna be in clover. In another year, maybe less, we should be able to think about buying our own house.’

‘But I can’t leave Mavis!’ Lily said, recoiling at the thought.

‘Who said anything about leaving her? I’ve got it all planned. We could find a big old house and divide it into two flats. Three bedrooms for Mavis, two for us. How would that suit you?’

‘I said I didn’t want to move from here—but our own house, that’d be smashing,’ Lily said, but then she sobered. ‘A place that size would cost a lot of money.’

‘I know, but I’ve looked at the profit margins and I reckon we can do it.’

‘Less than a year,’ Lily mused.

‘Yes, but don’t count your chickens yet. A lot can happen in a year. Tommy Wilson is still sniffing around Mavis, and eventually she might give in.’

‘No, Pete, he hasn’t asked her out for ages.’

‘Well, if not him, someone else might come along.’

‘I doubt it,’ Lily said confidently. ‘I know that Mavis is happy as she is, and she’s told me herself that she isn’t interested in having another man in her life. Not only that, even if she did meet someone, she can’t marry again, not until she can
divorce Alec and, unless he’s found, she’ll have to wait seven years.’

‘Lily,
we
lived together and there’s nothing to stop Mavis from doing the same.’

‘It’s different for Mavis. She’s got the kids to think about and living with a man is still frowned on.’

‘If you say so. But for now, if I want another cuddle I’d better get cleaned up.’

‘Yes, do that,’ Lily said as Pete put Bobby onto the floor again. Their own house! All of them living under the same roof. It sounded wonderful and Lily couldn’t wait to tell Mavis.