Perseverance Street (39 page)

‘Charlie,
I don’t even want to think about that. We all thought you were dead until that man in the boat ambulance told us he’d found a pulse. Even then it was two days before the hospital told us you were out of danger.’

‘I’m told you stayed with me all through the first night.’

‘Somebody had to. You saved Michael’s life.’

‘I knew you were there, you know.’

‘You didn’t say anything.’

‘No, I decided to devote what little energy I had to staying alive. Sorry if I seemed a bit rude.’

‘You’re forgiven.’

‘Thank you. Bannister also mentioned that Godfrey’s in serious trouble with the police for selling black-market meat. He was at it in a big way – could end up doing time, apparently.’

‘Oh, dear,’ said Lily. ‘I must write and tell them they’re not allowed to see my boys ever again. I don’t want their sort bringing shame on my family.’

‘There’s something else that might cheer you up,’ Charlie said. ‘The coppers have made Godfrey write a list of all his black-market customers. He knows he’s got to cooperate otherwise a judge’ll come down on him like a ton of bricks. Apparently several of his fellow magistrates were on the list, including the one who sent you to the nuthouse – a bloke called Iredale.’

‘You don’t have to remind me. I remember him well.’

‘I don’t
think he’ll be sitting on the bench for much longer.’

‘I reckon Godfrey persuaded Iredale to have me sent away so he could get his hands on Christopher.’

‘It’d do no harm to mention that to the cops,’ said Charlie. ‘If Godfrey’s singing he might as well do his whole repertoire. You never know, they might end up as cell mates.’

Lily laughed. ‘Now that’s too good a chance to miss. The other inmates’ll love ’em.’

Charlie was still looking out of the window. His conversation was on one subject, his mind on another: he couldn’t understand why he was so nervous about asking Lily out on a date. He’d dated plenty of girls before, but never one who might break his heart by turning him down.

‘I can’t remember the last time I went to the pictures.’

‘Could you manage it?’

‘What, sitting in a seat for a couple of hours, why not?’ He paused then added. ‘I don’t suppose Larry would mind you going to the pictures with a friend.’ He said it as casually as he could.

‘Charlie,’ she said, quietly, looking at the back of his head. ‘Is that what you are – just a friend?’

His heart quickened. ‘Lily,’ he said, turning to her, leaning heavily on his stick. ‘I’ll be whatever you want me to be.’

She left it for several seconds before saying, ‘Actually, I don’t know.’

‘More than just a friend,’ he said. ‘A lot more if you like.’

Their eyes
met. Lily was frowning as she tried to make sense of her feelings for him. Her emotions had been in a turmoil for a long time now and she wasn’t entirely sure of what she felt about anything, or anyone, except her boys. They were the only certainties in her life – or were they? Was there another certainty, staring her in the face? She knew how devastated she’d felt when she thought he was dead. But was that love, or just pity for a wonderful friend who’d died to save her son’s life?

‘Charlie, there’s only one thing I can think of that would make us a lot more than just friends.’

‘That’ll be it, then.’

‘Charlie, do you mean … ’til death us do part and all that?’

He didn’t respond. He could read the signs. Reading the signs had kept him alive in Italy more than once. Rejection loomed. Lily looked up at him and remembered all the risks he’d taken on her behalf. She remembered the pangs of jealousy she’d felt when she thought Brenda was making a play for him. She remembered the time he’d put his hand on her shoulder after her confrontation in Leeds market with Hilda. It had been just what she needed. It had felt unbelievably welcome. Strong, comforting and undemanding – just a hand, but it had done all that. And he’d just proposed to her – at least that’s what it had sounded like.

‘Oh, by the way,’ remembered Charlie, changing the subject once again, to postpone the inevitable rejection, ‘I’ve been asked to go to Venice as soon as I’m well enough, to give evidence at the trial of the Italian guys who were trying to beat me to death. Apparently they’ve all been charged with my attempted murder. The
carabinieri
are key witnesses but I’m told I’ll be asked to appear in court as well. They’d like you to go as well if you’re up to it, all expenses pa—’

There was
a loud knock on the door. Charlie gave a mild curse under his breath He’d been carefully working his way round to a critical moment, which was about to be disturbed. It was a special knock that Michael, who was upstairs, remembered with a huge grin. He raced down and answered it. Tony Lafferty, scruffy and snotty as ever, stood on the doorstep. His mother stood beside him. Lily followed her son to the door.

‘Mrs Lafferty, how are you?’

‘Better than I would be if it weren’t for you. I’ve just come ter tell yer that I’ll pay yer back as soon as I can.’

She was around the same age as Lily but there the similarity ended. Irene Lafferty was a short, stubby woman with wild hair and a ruddy face. Her teeth looked to be on their last legs, awaiting the dentist’s pliers, to be replaced by a set of dentures, should she ever be able to afford them. Maybe when this free health service the new Labour government were talking about got started. Lily noticed that Tony was wearing newish boots and a half-decent Fair Isle pullover and he wasn’t looking quite so emaciated. Her money seemed have been well used.

‘It won’t be necessary, Mrs Lafferty. It was a gift to thank you for not believing I killed Michael. You were the only one round here who didn’t. It meant a lot to me.’

Mrs Lafferty looked down at her son. ‘I suppose Buggerlugs told yer that, did he?’

Lily confirmed
that Buggerlugs had indeed told her.

‘Well it were right. I never did believe such a thing. My lad’s felt the weight of my hand on his backside more than once, but that’s all. Yer can’t do away with yer own, can yer?’ She gave Lily a cracked smile and added, ‘I was wonderin’ what that note meant.’

The note accompanying the money had said, simply,
Thank you for believing in me
.

‘Anyroad, I don’t s’pose we’ll be seein’ too much of yer from now on. I don’t know if yer’ve heard but my Wally buggered off wi’ some French tart. Never came home.’

‘Oh dear. I’m sorry to hear that.’

‘Yeah. Left us high and bloody dry with no money fer rent nor nowt. And by the way, don’t think I’m lookin’ fer another handout, ’cos I’m not. I haven’t sunk to beggin’ – not yet.’

‘I didn’t think for a minute—’

‘Your brass helped me a lot. New boots fer Buggerlugs and I paid off some back rent, but we’re still behind. T’ landlord wants us out next week if I can’t pay me arrears. God knows where we’ll live.’

‘Mam, can I play out, with Tony?’ asked Michael.

Lily hesitated as the realisation of normality hit her. She looked down at her son who was still not five years old and yet had been through so much. How could she let him out of her sight to play with the likes of Tony Lafferty? Then she thought of the pampered life he’d just left and she was grateful he’d totally forgotten that life, to the extent that he was happy to play with Tony Lafferty on the cobbles of Perseverance Street.

‘Play
where I can see you through the window, and put your coat back on.’

Michael grabbed his coat and charged out of the house.

‘Can’t say as I blame yer fer not wantin’ him out of yer sight,’ said Mrs Lafferty, craning her neck to see who else was inside the house. If it was a man she wouldn’t blame Lily, not one bit. She wouldn’t say no to a new man herself. Lily suddenly felt immense pity for this woman who was a bit rough and ready but had probably never done anyone any harm.

‘Do you have any idea where you’ll be living?’

‘Norra clue. I expect we’ll end up in some bed and breakfast dump. One thing I do know. The buggers aren’t gonna take my Tony off me. Not for summat what’s not my fault.’

Her next words seemed to tumble out of Lily’s mouth of their own accord. It was as if she lost control of her voice. Charlie heard what she said and stiffened in surprise, hoping she knew what she was doing.

‘Mrs Lafferty. I’m not staying on here. You can live in this house if you like and pay me whatever rent you can afford.’

Mrs Lafferty stared at her as if she couldn’t believe her ears.

‘What?’

‘You and Tony can stay here.’

‘We can’t … can we?’

‘Yes you can. I’m leaving most of the furniture as well. It’s all quite good stuff.’

‘Quite good? Buggerlugs reckons it’s like a palace. Are yer sure about all this, Mrs Robinson?’

‘Absolutely
sure. You can move in tomorrow if you like. When I leave here this afternoon I’m gone for good. Too many bad memories of the neighbours – that doesn’t include you, of course.’

Tears had now filled Mrs Lafferty’s eyes. She clamped her hand to her mouth. Her voice was tremulous. ‘Bloody hell, Mrs Robinson. I’ve never known no one do nowt like this for anyone. It’s like a bloody dream come true. I can pay some rent, yer know. I can gerra job on t’ school dinners and do a bit o’ cleanin’. It all adds up.’

‘I’m sure you can manage.’ Lily took a key from the door lock and gave it to the weeping woman. ‘Look, take this key. Come back tomorrow and have a look round. The place might need a bit of a clean. I’ll be staying with my auntie in Bradford. I’ll leave you her address and phone number. We’ll sort out all the details later.’

Mrs Lafferty was frozen to the spot, her shoulders shaking with emotion. All her worries had been suddenly lifted from her shoulders. She turned to go, then she turned back, still not believing this was happening. Lily read her thoughts.

‘It’s OK, Mrs Lafferty. I mean what I say. The house is yours to live in.’

‘For how long?’

‘Until you get back on your feet.’

‘That could take years.’

‘Then you’ll be staying here for years.’

The woman nodded, then turned to go again and hurried off down the street. Charlie joined Lily at the door. ‘Who was that?’ he asked.

‘Just
a woman on hard times. There’s a lot of them around.’

‘One less by the sound of it.’

‘I hope so.’

Lily looked out at her son who was busy telling Tony his unbelievable story. She took Charlie’s hand without taking her eyes off Michael.

‘How is he?’ Charlie asked.

‘Amazing. They’re so resilient at that age. We had a little talk about what went on that day in Venice and his life with the Cominellis. To tell the truth he got a bit bored so I took him to the pictures. He’s never mentioned it since. Charlie, did you just propose to me?’

‘What?’

She turned her head and looked at him. ‘I said, did you just propose to me?’

‘Well, it was kind of conditional. I mean, it wasn’t a proposal if you’re going to turn me down. I couldn’t handle that.’

‘Charlie, that’ll make me Lily Cleghorn. Not much of a ring to it – Lily Cleghorn. Before I married Larry my maiden name was Windsor – Lilian Marie Windsor. I could have married a prince with a name like that, and you want me to be Lily Cleghorn? I thought you liked me.’

‘It never did me any harm.’

‘Ah, Cleghorn’s the most beautiful name in the world when you put Charlie in front of it, but Lily Cleghorn … now that’d take some getting used to. Anyway, what’s this about an all-expenses-paid trip to Venice?’

‘Well, we could fly to Paris and take the Orient Express through to Venice. It’s running again, so I understand. We’d have to spend a few hours in court at some stage, but we could stay in Venice for a good week, all paid for by the Italians. I’ve kind of arranged it. My mother would look after Michael and Christopher.’

‘You
seem to have it all organised – almost as if it were a honeymoon.’

‘Well,’ Charlie admitted, with courage he didn’t realise he possessed, ‘that certainly crossed my mind.’ He grasped the shaft of his stick in both hands and went down on one knee. He took a deep breath and came right out with it.

‘For God’s sake, Lilian Marie Robinson or Windsor or whatever your flipping name is, will you marry me?’

‘Hmm. Can we go on a gondola and be serenaded by the gondolier?’

‘If it’ll help you say yes.’

‘Do you love me, Charlie?’

He got back to his feet. ‘Of course I love you. If I didn’t love you would I be quaking in my boots afraid you might turn me down? Do you love me?’

‘Charlie, I think I fell in love with you some time ago only I daren’t admit it to myself.’

He breathed out an immense sigh of happiness and relief, moved away a lock of hair that had fallen over her left eye and kissed her forehead. ‘So, we’re agreed that we’re in love?’

‘It seems so.’

‘And you really want to marry me?’

‘Yes, Charlie. I really want to marry you.’

He let his stick go and put both arms round her, kissing her with as much passion as his injured body would allow. Lily responded in like fashion. It was a kiss that swept away all the bad stuff that had happened to her over the past eight months. A kiss that told her the future with this lovely man was going to be a bright future, full of love and laughter. He suddenly drew back from her. Lily was concerned that their embrace had hurt his chest.

‘Charlie,
are you in pain?’

‘A bit, but all in a good cause.’ He fumbled in his pocket. ‘I’ve been wanting to give you this ring for months.’

She laughed with delight when he opened a small box.

‘Oh, Charlie! Are you sure it’s a real diamond?’

‘If it’s not,’ he said, sliding the ring on to her finger, ‘some woman in Leeds market’s done me out of four quid.’

To my wife’s
late mother Lilian who, in her youth, lived on Perseverance Street, although the inhabitants back then were far nicer than some of the people I’ve invented in this book.