Tuppence to Tooley Street (36 page)

In the tiny parlour the two young people sat facing each other beside the black–leaded grate and gleaming brass fender. The girl looked down at her tightly clasped hands as the young man talked softly.

‘What’s past is past, Kathy. All the wishin’ in the world won’t make it any different. I’m talkin’ about now. I should ’ave made it clear when I came ter see yer in the ’ospital. I couldn’t say it then, Kath, but I can now. I luv yer, an’ I want yer. Are yer listenin’?’

Kathy looked up with tears in her eyes. The lump in her throat prevented her from answering. She nodded and his hands reached out and took hers in a firm grip.

‘Don’t torture yerself, Kath,’ he said, his voice sounding loud in the quietness of the room. ‘I told yer once we were good fer each uvver. I meant it, an’ I’m sayin’ it again. I used ter dream about you an’ me gettin’ married an’ ’avin’ kids. They don’t ’ave ter be dreams any more, Kathy. We can bury the ghosts an’ be ’appy tergevver. We can, can’t we?’

Kathy’s eyes blinked against the tears and she swallowed hard. ‘I’ve never stopped lovin’ yer, Danny, but I was never sure about you. You always seemed ter put a wall between us. I dunno what it was, but I was always aware of it. It seemed as though you was frightened ter say the fings I wanted to ’ear. When yer came back ’ome an’ I first saw yer that night in the pub I wanted ter die. After we made love I knew that my feelin’s fer yer were stronger than ever. That’s what made it so bad. It’appened too late, it should ’ave ’appened before yer left, Danny.’

The drone was far too distant for them to hear as Danny held her hands in his and looked deep into her eyes. ‘Listen, Kath,’ he said. ‘I don’t pretend ter understand the reasons fer what’s ’appened. I dunno about this fate business, but I’ve asked meself, ’ow comes I got back ’ome an’ the feller next ter me ended up dead on the beach? ’Ow comes Jack Mason gets killed an’ you lose ’is baby? I don’t know the answers. What I do know, is that yer an’ me are sittin’ ’ere tergevver. Will yer walk out wiv me?’

The drone was still some way off as Kathy smiled through her tears. ‘If yer really want me to, Danny.’

He reached out and took her in his arms. His lips touched hers and he could taste her tears as they kissed softly and gently and her arms held him tightly. Their lips parted and Kathy buried her head into his shoulder.

‘Yer know, I was glad ter leave Clink Lane,’ she said. ‘The only fing I regretted was that I wouldn’t see yer around.’

Along the river estuary the formations of aircraft were darkening the summer sky. As the planes followed the bank of silver water the drone became nearer. Danny smiled. ‘Anybody would fink yer moved ter the uvver side o’ London.’

They could both hear the drone now, as he said, ‘After all, it’s only tuppence ter Tooley Street . . .’