Blood Brothers (25 page)

‘Well, yes, but…’

‘Well there you are. So, don’t go wasting the doctor’s time.’ Alice knew only too well how persuasive her father could be. The last thing she needed was for him to bombard the doctor with questions.

Once inside the porch, Ronald called out, ‘Maureen!’

When there was no answer, he reached into his jacket pocket for his house key. He was about to put it into the lock when suddenly the front door was flung open and there stood Pauline.

‘Ah! So, the prodigal daughter, returns?’ She stepped back, into the shadows. ‘Come in, why don’t you?’

Alice and her father went through to the drawing room, and there, standing to attention beside the fireplace, was her mother, looking regal and sour-faced as ever. ‘Well, Alice, here you are, back home again. When you got married to that Arnold fellow I really thought you had left this house for good. Apparently I was wrong, wasn’t I?’

‘Maureen!’ Ronald cut in. His stern face was a clear warning. ‘Your daughter has just been discharged from hospital. Have you nothing more encouraging to say to her?’

Maureen Jacobs was a proven expert at hiding her true feelings, so now she put on a smile, and spoke with a softer voice. ‘Why of course, Ronald dear. I was only thinking of Alice, and how she would prefer that none of this business had ever happened. I didn’t mean anything harsh.’

She stepped forward stiffly to plant a fleeting kiss on Alice’s forehead. ‘I’m well aware of our responsibilities, Alice. So you really mustn’t fret. I know you must feel very guilty about what happened, but I’m sure the whole shocking business was not altogether your fault.’

Her implication was well disguised, but Alice was not fooled.

And now it was her sister Pauline’s turn to pile on the sweetness. ‘Alice, this is Tony…my husband.’ She drew him forward.

Tony Butler was a man who looked to be in his mid-thirties, with fine dark hair scraped back, and the air of a businessman about his stocky person. ‘We’re almost a whole month married,’ she smirked, ‘and deliriously happy.’

She turned to him. ‘Isn’t that so, darling?’

Sliding an arm around her shoulders, he was obviously embarrassed. ‘If you say so, my dear. As you know, I would have preferred a big wedding for you, but you swept me off my feet, and now you’re the best thing that ever happened to me.’

Pauline’s smile stiffened. ‘Really Tony, you are such a tease.’

Ronald quickly interrupted. ‘Look, Maureen, poor Alice is worn out. She needs to rest. Here, take this…’ Handing his wife the canvas bag, he explained, ‘I wonder if I could leave Alice in your capable hands, my dear? Tony and I have this important issue to thrash out.’

Maureen was none too pleased. ‘Can’t it wait? I had planned
on getting my hair done. It’s all arranged. They won’t take kindly to me breaking an appointment.’

‘What? Not even when your daughter is straight out of hospital? I’m sure they wouldn’t mind at all.’

‘How long will you be?’

‘A few minutes…ten at the most. It’s just a matter of tying up a few loose ends, but time is of the essence, and it needs to be done sooner, rather than later.’

Having heard her mother’s whining protests and excuses, Alice was deeply uncomfortable. ‘It’s all right,’ she interrupted. ‘I don’t need looking after. I’m well enough to be discharged from hospital, so I’m well enough to take care of myself.’

She looked from one to the other. ‘The last thing I want is to interfere with your routine. Please just go about your business as always. I really am capable of looking after myself.’ In fact, she was beginning to wish that she was back at the hospital.

Ronald proudly smiled. ‘Independent as ever, eh? Well, I’m sorry, child, but you’re going to be looked after, whether you like it or not.’

Addressing his wife, he told her, ‘I shall leave you to it, my dear. Make sure Alice doesn’t do anything too strenuous. She’s still very weak. When I get back, we can maybe discuss taking on a nurse part-time…kill two birds with one stone so to speak. The nurse can keep an eye on Alice, which will leave you free to do whatever it is that you do.’

He gave a sigh. ‘I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before…’ In truth, he had foolishly believed his wife would want to take care of her youngest child. ‘Oh, and Pauline, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if your sister was ready for a hot drink of sorts?’

Pauline was visibly shocked at being given an order, and when Alice began protesting, he gently shushed her. ‘Father knows best,’ he chided, ‘We need to get you strong again.’

Placing a hand on Tony’s shoulder, he suggested, ‘Let’s head
away to the office for our little chat. Better make it short and to the point.’

Pauline bristled. ‘Oh, and what little chat is this, might I ask?’

Tony discreetly reminded her, ‘You remember our discussion yesterday?’

He gave her a meaningful look and Pauline said no more.

The minute the two men were out the door, Maureen dropped the canvas bag at Alice’s feet. ‘You might be able to wrap your father round your little finger, but I will not let you pull the wool over
my
eyes. I can tell you right now, you are not wanted in this house. Your sister and I have suffered intolerable insult and injury because of you! People of a certain kind, pointing at us in the streets…jeering; yelling obscenities, and all because you find it amusing to play one brother off against another!’

When her mother paused for breath, Pauline had her say. ‘You should be ashamed! What kind of a trollop would promise herself to one man in marriage, and then crawl into bed with his brother? You’re a disgrace…you’ve dragged the name of this family into the gutter, and I for one wouldn’t care if I never clapped eyes on you ever again!’

‘That makes two of us!’ Closing the distance between herself and Alice, Maureen calmly raised her hand and slapped Alice across the face. Shocked, Alice reeled back in the chair.

‘Oh, dear me!’ Maureen lent forward, her face almost touching Alice’s. ‘Why don’t you tell your father that I slapped you? Then I can tell him how you got hysterical…swearing at me and your sister Pauline. You lost control, and no wonder, after what you’ve been through…all that suffering and pain, it’s a wonder you haven’t gone completely out of your mind!’

The sight of Alice in tears and clutching her face spurred her on. ‘You should know by now, Alice, you might be Daddy’s little favourite, but I’m a better liar than you will ever be. So
for your own sake, don’t set yourself up against me, because you will lose out every time!’

Pauline emphasised her mother’s warning. ‘The best thing you can do is get as far away from here as you can. No one would miss you…except maybe Father, who is fast becoming a deluded old man where you’re concerned! Oh, but then he never could see the faults in you, could he? Last born first loved! Always Daddy’s darling. Alice this…Alice that! Never Pauline. And then you wonder why I detest you!’

As Alice scrambled to get out of the chair, her mother held her there. ‘You’re
nothing
, Alice! I was overjoyed that one of the Arnolds had taken a fancy to you…enough to want to marry you. I couldn’t get you out of my house fast enough. But now here you are again, trying to creep your way back in. You’ve no idea how much happier we are without you.’

Shocked and dazed at the bitter onslaught from both women, and with her face stinging from the spiteful slap, Alice saw red. ‘I don’t want to be here!’ she told them angrily. ‘I never meant to come back, but Father insisted.’

Her mother placed her two hands one on each arm of Alice’s chair. ‘I want you out of here, and when you’re gone, the door to my home will never again be open to you.’

Alice looked into her mother’s eyes. She glanced up at her sister, and their hatred of her was like a palpable presence.

‘I want you to go,’ Maureen hissed. ‘Before your father comes back. You have caused him a great deal of worry.
He
won’t tell you…old fool that he is! But, because of you his most valuable customers have deserted him. Long-standing, lucrative contracts have been cancelled. He’s lost money and status; his pride and reputation is in tatters.’

‘Yes! And even then, after all the harm you’ve done…he
still
tries to protect you!’ Pauline shouted. Grabbing Alice by the shoulders she began shaking her backwards and forwards,
like a rag doll, until Alice felt her senses going. ‘Leave me be!’ she pleaded. ‘Stop it!’

Finding it hard to catch her breath, Alice began to panic. ‘Mother! Make her stop it!’ she yelled. But her mother made no move to help. Instead she looked on, her face impassive.

Buckling under the ferocity of Pauline’s jealous rage, Alice was desperate. ‘Leave me alone…get off me!’ But Pauline was like someone demented. ‘Pauline! Get off me!’ When Maureen made no attempt to intervene, Alice blurted out the only thing that might make Pauline stop. ‘I’m pregnant!’ That was the last thing she wanted them to know, and now it was out, and they were shocked to the core.

The silence was deafening. Pauline fell backwards, a look of disbelief on her face, and Maureen stared at Alice, as though she was seeing a stranger.

When Ronald’s voice softly shattered the silence, Alice realised the dreadful enormity of what she had done.

‘Alice…did I hear right?’ The two men had entered the room, just as Alice called out.

Alice did not look up. Instead, she sat hunched and desolate in the chair.

‘Alice! Answer me!’ He came closer. ‘Did I hear you say you were…
pregnant
?’

Quietly sobbing, Alice appealed to him, ‘I’m sorry, Father. I only found out this morning. I wanted to tell you, but not like this. Never like this, no!’

For what seemed an age, Ronald stood silent, his sorry gaze resting on Alice.
‘Whose is it?’

Pauline laughed aloud. ‘How would
she
know?’

‘BE QUIET!’ Ronald was devastated. ‘Or leave the room!’

Sulking, Pauline crossed the room to be with her husband, while Ronald returned his attention to Alice. ‘I want the truth, Alice. Who’s the father of this child?’

Ashamed, Alice dropped her gaze.

‘So, does that mean you
really
don’t know?’

Alice gave no answer; but to her father, the silence was answer enough.

‘I see.’

Suddenly Maureen was screeching, ‘I want her out of here! She’s no better than a tramp who jumps into bed with any man who’ll have her, and now she’s carrying a brat and she doesn’t even know who the father is!’

While Maureen was yelling, Tony quietly took Pauline out of the room. ‘This is not our business.’

Like everyone else, he knew the sordid story of Alice and the brothers, and in truth he had a certain compassion for her sorry situation. But he was only new to this family, and did not want to be seen as interfering.

Into all of this commotion, Joshua and Tricia arrived.

As they climbed out of the car, they were pounced on by Pauline, who gleefully greeted them. ‘Hello again! Your darling little grandaughter is inside, but I wouldn’t go in there if I were you!’

‘Whatever do you mean? What’s going on?’ Tricia was anxious.

‘All hell just broke loose in there…’ Pauline started.

‘Pauline!’ Tony ushered her away. ‘I’m sorry,’ he apologised to the grandparents, ‘but, well, there’s been a bit of an upset.’

While Tricia hurried towards the house, with Pauline excited to accompany her, Joshua asked him, ‘What kind of an “upset”?’

‘It’s
Alice
’s fault!’ Pauline angrily informed Tricia. ‘It’s
always
Alice! She’s caused so much trouble, and she doesn’t even seem to care!’

‘I can’t believe that for one minute!’ Tricia was aware of the animosity Pauline had for her sister.

Behind them Joshua was quizzing Tony, who explained there
had been a row, while deliberately omitting the news of Alice’s pregnancy.

Tricia however, was already finding out the truth.

As she approached the open front door, she could hear Maureen’s raised voice. ‘You just can’t see it, can you? Your precious daughter knew exactly what she was doing! She got herself into this predicament, and I’m telling you now, if she stays under this roof, I’m leaving. It’s her or me, Ronald!’

‘Good heavens!’ Tricia was shocked and angry. ‘My granddaughter is just out of hospital, and her mother’s screaming like a fish wife! Whatever are they thinking of?’

Quickly now, she hurried across the hallway, while Pauline gleefully slunk back to the men.

As Tricia approached the sitting room, she was almost knocked over when Alice came bursting out in floods of tears. She collided full on with her grandmother. ‘Good lord, Alice!’ Reaching out, Tricia took hold of her granddaughter and crushed her in a hug. ‘What in God’s name is going on here, child?’

Distraught, Alice confided, ‘I can’t stay here, Grandma. Mother doesn’t want me, and I don’t blame her. I’m a disgrace to everyone.’

When Ronald came rushing out, he was astonished to see his mother there. ‘I’m sorry,’ he muttered. ‘There’s been a bit of a row, but it’s all right now.’ He held out his arms to Alice. ‘Come back in, Alice, please. It won’t happen again, I promise.’

He felt suddenly old, and immensely tired. He was too long in the tooth for all this upheaval. Even though he loved her dearly the news that she was pregnant had shocked and saddened him.

Holding on to Alice, his mother took control. ‘I have no idea what happened here,’ she stated, ‘…and I don’t need
to know.’ She gave him a look that only a mother could when chastising her child. ‘Alice is coming to stay with her old grandma for a while, and I’m looking forward to having her. So, Ronald! Is that all right with you, son?’

Secretly relieved, Ronald nodded. ‘If that’s what Alice wants.’

‘And will
Maureen
be in agreement with that?’ Tricia made no mention of the fact that she had heard Maureen say he must choose between her and Alice. After her outburst, she had chosen to disappear and sulk in her room,

‘Maureen will agree, yes. Absolutely!’ Whether she agreed or not was of little consequence to him. He had witnessed the true feelings his wife felt for her youngest daughter, and it had cut him deeply.