Love or Duty--A saga set in 1920s Liverpool (16 page)

She looked round the table and saw how they were all listening to Arnold who was glowing with pleasure that he was so popular. Even her own parents seemed to be under his spell and were avidly interested in what he was telling them.

Or were they? Or were they merely being polite, she wondered.

Remembering what her mother had said about her father and William Watson amalgamating their companies when they both retired, she suspected that her father was most definitely counting on a reconciliation between her and Arnold.

She knew he dreamed of the day when this would be possible and he could retire. Had it not been for the motoring accident and her involvement with Kelly she knew she would have accepted his plans; what was more, she would have felt that it was her duty to do so.

Now she felt a shudder go through her as she realized what the outcome would have been. Arnold would not only have had supreme power and control over both companies but over her as well.

Penny chose a Saturday for her visit to Liverpool. It was the one day of the week when she knew she could rely on her father being at home to keep her mother company.

She bought the biggest chocolate Easter egg she could find to take as a present for Kelly. It was wrapped in brightly coloured shiny foil and she could imagine how Kelly's eyes would light up when she saw it.

In the spring sunshine Cannon Court looked even more grimy and dismal than she remembered it. Mrs Murphy was wearing a stained dark red dress and her hair was straggling around her face when she answered the door after Penny had knocked several times. As usual she was clutching the baby in her arms, and the other two were hanging on to her skirt. She frowned darkly when she saw who her visitor was.

‘Young Kelly ain't here, she's out somewhere with her brother Paddy,' she stated before Penny could even greet her.

‘I see. Do you have any idea where they may have gone?'

‘No, as I just said, they're out somewhere,' Mrs Murphy repeated. ‘That something for her?' she asked staring at the large brown paper bag Penny was carrying.

‘Yes, it's an Easter egg but I was hoping to give it to her myself,' Penny said, as rather reluctantly she handed the bag over to Mrs Murphy.

Penny watched helplessly as Brian grabbed at it and snatched it from his mother's hand. Lily joined in and the egg tipped out on to the floor. They both scrabbled for it, pushing and giggling. As they started to tear at the bright shiny foil Ellen Murphy cuffed them both over the ears and retrieved the egg and put it back in the paper bag.

‘You will tell Kelly that I will be calling back later because I very much want to see her and to find out if she has settled back in.'

‘She's had to hasn't she,' Mrs Murphy said tartly. ‘Took her a bit to drop all her airs and graces, though. You spoilt her something rotten while she was living with you at your place, didn't you?'

Penny didn't answer. There seemed to be no point in entering into an argument with Mrs Murphy. With a tight smile she said goodbye.

As she was walking away Mrs Murphy called after her, ‘If you're lucky you might find them somewhere in town. I think that's where Paddy said they were going.'

Penny was on the point of asking why they would go there but decided it was probably a waste of time to do so.

As she made her way back into Scotland Road, picking her path through the litter that seemed to be strewn everywhere, she wondered if it was Mrs Murphy's way of getting rid of her. It was obvious that she didn't want to invite her in and have her hanging around on the off-chance that Kelly would soon be home and she wondered if it was because she didn't want her to meet up with Kelly for some reason.

It made her all the more resolute to do so. It was such a lovely spring morning that she decided that a walk into Liverpool city centre would be no great hardship. If, as Ellen Murphy had said, that was where Kelly and her brother had gone then she might meet them on their way back.

Lord Street was busy with shoppers and as Penny approached the Kardomah Café in Church Street she stopped in surprise when she spotted Kelly standing outside the doorway singing. A gangly looking lad that she assumed must be Paddy was with her and he was passing his cap around and taking a collection of coins from the small crowd of bystanders that had gathered to listen to Kelly.

To her dismay Penny saw two policemen approaching and she dreaded what might happen next.

Kelly and her brother had also spotted them. As the two children tried to make their escape a man in the crowd stopped them. He grabbed Kelly by the arm but her brother managed to avoid his grasp and within seconds was lost in the maze of nearby streets.

Penny stepped forward and touched the policeman's arm as he was about to march Kelly away. ‘Don't worry, officer, I know who she is and I'll take her home. I'm sure it was simply a childish prank. I'll make sure she doesn't do it again.'

The policeman stared from Kelly in her torn dress and grubby bare feet to Penny in her neat dark green suit and crisp white blouse. He frowned as though trying to establish a connection between the scruffy little street urchin and the smartly dressed well-spoken young lady.

‘Come along, Kelly, it's time for us to go home,' Penny said with a forced smile. She reached out and took hold of Kelly's hand to lead her away but the policeman's hand tightened on Kelly's shoulder.

Recognizing her, Kelly grinned broadly as she twisted away from the policeman's grasp and then grabbed tight to Penny's hand.

The policeman looked slightly bewildered then raising his eyebrows commented sternly, ‘Very well, miss, I'll overlook it on this occasion but make sure you don't let her do this sort of thing again.'

Once they were clear of the crowd that had lingered to see what was going on Kelly squeezed Penny's hand. ‘Have you come back for good because your ma is better?' she asked hopefully her small face wreathed in smiles.

‘No, I came over to visit you because I wanted to make sure that you had settled in with your family and that you were well and happy.'

Kelly's face clouded. ‘I hoped you were back for good and I could live with you at Ma Reilly's house again,' she said in a sulky voice.

‘I've brought you a present, an Easter egg, a really big one,' Penny told her. ‘I've left it with your mother.'

When Kelly didn't answer Penny said brightly. ‘Shall we go and see Mrs Reilly before I take you back to Cannon Court?'

Kelly stubbed her toe against a lamppost angrily. ‘No,' she shouted, ‘If you are not coming back for good and you aren't going to let me live with you then I never want to see Ma Reilly or you ever again.'

Before Penny could stop her Kelly had scampered off down the road dodging among the crowds and in seconds she was lost to view.

Penny hesitated wondering if she should try and follow her but realized it would be futile. Kelly probably knew all the backstreets to get home and would reach Cannon Court well ahead of her.

Feeling defeated Penny made her way to Blenheim Road to see Ma Reilly. As they enjoyed a cup of tea in Ma Reilly's warm cosy kitchen Penny related what had happened.

‘Perhaps you should forget all about her,' Ma Reilly advised. ‘You did your bit looking after her all those months after the accident. It was a sight more than most folks would have done.'

Over the next few weeks Penny tried to put Kelly out of her mind but it was not very easy. Her mother was making such good progress that she required less and less attention. She had reached the stage where she wanted to do things for herself and it meant that Penny was beginning to find time hanging heavily on her hands.

Several times she thought of asking her father if he would have a word with Miss Grimshaw about her returning to her teaching post but her courage failed her. At the moment things were going so well between herself and her parents that she didn't want to stir up the past.

The highlight of her week was when she went out with Bryn Cash. Usually she met him in Liverpool and once the tennis season restarted they played tennis at his club. If it was raining they went for a meal or to the pictures instead.

When he came over to see her they either went for a walk along the promenade at New Brighton or out to a restaurant for a meal.

She toyed with the idea of taking him to the tennis club she belonged to in Wallasey but there was always the chance that they might bump into Arnold. She hadn't seen or heard from him since the evening he had come to dinner and he and Bryn had met. Although she no longer had any feelings for Arnold she thought it might be embarrassing for all of them if the two men met again.

Each time she and Bryn met she asked after Kelly. He always said that as far as he knew she was all right and not to worry about her. Now that Kelly no longer had to attend his clinic at the hospital the only time he saw her was when he caught sight of her out in the street.

‘Stop being so concerned about her,' he chided, a frown on his rugged face. ‘You can't go on worrying about Kelly forever, you know. You did everything you possibly could when she needed care and looking after and you most certainly got her back on her feet again.'

‘Yes, I know but I feel responsible for her. I have only been to see her once since I went home to look after my mother. My visit was such a complete fiasco that I feel guilty about it,' Penny confided.

‘I remember and that's why I think it might be best for you not to visit the Murphys again. Leave things as they are,' he advised.

‘I know, but in some ways I still feel accountable for Kelly. I often wonder if I've unsettled her and made her discontented by showing her a different way of life,' Penny persisted.

‘What utter nonsense! If you go somewhere for a holiday it doesn't make you discontented for ever afterwards now does it. You simply enjoy the experience at the time and retain a happy memory of it.'

‘Yes, you are probably right,' Penny agreed. Her face brightened. ‘Actually, that's given me an idea. Perhaps I could take Kelly away somewhere for a week during her school holidays in August.'

Bryn shook his head. ‘Think about it very carefully before you make a decision,' he advised. ‘You don't want to do anything you might regret later on.'

Before she could make up her mind, Bryn brought her some very worrying news about Kelly. She and her older brother had been apprehended by the police for stealing from a shop in the city centre and had to appear at the magistrates' court.

‘Oh my goodness,' Penny gasped. ‘Whatever will happen to her now? Do you think it would help if I went along and offered to take her back to live with me?'

‘Are you sure that your parents would agree to you doing that?' he asked cautiously.

‘I didn't mean that I would take her home! I'm sure that wouldn't be possible. No, I would have to move back to Mrs Reilly's place in Blenheim Road and look after her there.'

Bryn frowned. ‘Do you want to do that and to have to live in such cramped conditions again, Penny?'

They discussed it at great length but in the end Penny felt she had no choice. When Kelly and her brother Paddy eventually appeared in court they were both found guilty. In the brother's case it was not his first offence and so they were both sent to remand homes.

Penny felt quite devastated; she even went as far as discussing the matter with her father. After carefully explaining all that had happened she plucked up the courage to ask him if he could intervene in some way.

‘Really, Penny! I'm surprised you have even dared to ask me to do such a thing. You know perfectly well what I think about your behaviour when the child was knocked down,' he said dismissively.

‘Surely that's all in the past,' Penny sighed. ‘This is a completely new development and I really feel I ought to do something to help her.'

‘If you have some foolhardy idea of volunteering to look after that child again then you can forget about it,' he said abruptly, his face becoming florid with anger. ‘In fact I forbid it. I don't want you living back in the Scotland Road area ever again. Furthermore, I most certainly have no intention whatsoever of harbouring that slum child here in this house,' he added angrily.

‘I feel it is my duty to do something,' Penny said stubbornly. ‘I feel I am responsible to some extent for what has happened because I showed her a better way of life.'

‘Yes, you should feel guilty about that,' he agreed forcibly, ‘Your action has caused damage enough so don't make things any worse.'

‘I want to help her; I want to put things right,' she said quietly.

‘Penny, apart from probably disrupting that child's life you also caused havoc in your own family. Arnold has broken off your engagement so you have sacrificed the opportunity of a good marriage. Furthermore, the distress that you caused worried your mother so much that she had a heart attack.'

‘I know all that and I do feel terrible about it,' Penny said apologetically.

‘Your duty is to think of your mother instead of trying to change things in other families. Furthermore, if you insist on supporting this child I can well see that you will lose your new friend, Dr Cash.'

Penny bit her lip. Remembering Bryn's caution she knew there was a grain of truth in what her father was saying but she refused to let it pass unchallenged.

‘I don't think for one minute that Bryn would react as Arnold did. They are completely different in the way they look at life. Bryn practises in that area of Liverpool and he understands the plight of the people living there.'

‘He works there as a professional man but it doesn't mean he has to be a friend of all the people he meets there or assume responsibility for them when they digress.'

‘Well—'

‘Cut along, Penny. This conversation is over,' Captain Forshaw said impatiently. ‘Go and read to your mother and forget all about this wretched child.'