The Girl From Number 22 (21 page)

Hetty giggled. ‘Did yer mother have her false teeth in when she said that to yer? Or was she gummy, like mine?’

‘My ma had a routine,’ Ada told her with a chuckle. ‘If she wasn’t expecting visitors she didn’t have a tooth in her head. But if a knock came to the door, she wouldn’t answer it until the false teeth came out of the glass and into her mouth. Then she would open the front door with a beaming smile on her face.
She had some funny ideas, though, that I loved her for but couldn’t understand. She had no objection to the coalman seeing her without her teeth in, but she’d have died if the landlord had caught her out.’

‘I can understand that,’ Hetty said. ‘Yer mother was a proud woman. Like you and me will be when we get to that age. I bet neither of us would face our landlord if we didn’t have a tooth in our heads.’

Ada clicked her tongue. ‘I’m going to change the subject again, sunshine, just in case ye’re taking notes. Yer see, talking about landlords brought Mr Stone to mind, and what he said about the Phillipses being a decent family. Which brings me back to where we were earlier, and how it might be a good idea to make the acquaintance of Mrs Phillips.’

‘That’s your idea, girl, and if I’m honest, I have to say I’m not keen on it. Yer know what I’m like, I run a mile if I smell trouble.’

‘So yer’d rather I went on me own, would yer, sunshine? I will if yer feel so strongly about it, but for the life of me I can’t see what ye’re afraid of. There’s nothing out of the ordinary about calling on new neighbours and making them feel welcome. And if Mrs Phillips doesn’t want to fit in with the people she’s come to live among, then that’s fine by me. I’ll just walk away and get on with me own life.’

‘Are yer thinking of going now, girl?’

Ada nodded. ‘There’s no time like the present, Hetty. If we keep on putting it off, we’ll end up leaving it too late. I’ll go over on me own if yer don’t feel right about it. You can stay here until I come back.’

Hetty’s chair was quickly vacated. ‘No, ye’re me best mate and we’ll stick together. Put yer coat back on, and let’s get it over with.’

Ada slipped her arms into her sleeves. ‘Ye’re acting as though we’re off to witness a public hanging. Put a smile on yer face, even if it kills yer.’

When Annie Phillips heard the knock on the door, her hand flew to her throat. She stood in the middle of the room like a statue, hoping whoever had knocked would go away. There was no reason for anyone to call, for she didn’t know a soul in the area. And none of their old neighbours were told where they were moving to, she’d made sure of that. And she knew the children wouldn’t have let it slip, they knew better.

Her mouth dry, and her tummy turning over, Annie told herself this was no way to live. But this was the life she’d been forced into by her bully of a husband. And she had long ago lost the strength to fight him. Sighing deeply, she waited to see if the knock was repeated. Seconds ticked by, without a sound, and she told herself that whoever it was must have gone away. So she moved across to the window and lifted the end of the lace curtain, only to find herself looking into the face of the woman she knew lived in the house opposite.

Ada smiled, and mouthed the words. ‘Open the door, Mrs Phillips, please.’

Annie stared at her for a few seconds, trying to think what to do. The last thing she wanted to do was open the door, but what else could she do? She couldn’t ignore the woman, that would be downright rude. Her pride and dignity had been knocked out of her over the years, but she still knew her manners. Nodding briefly, she let the curtain fall back into place and walked towards the front door.

Ada nudged Hetty when she heard the bolt being drawn. ‘Smile,’ she hissed, ‘for heaven’s sake, smile.’

Annie heard what was said as she was bending down to unbolt the door, and something unusual happened. She felt her lips stretch into a smile. But it didn’t last, for it was many a long day since a smile sat comfortably on her face. She’d had more reason to cry than laugh.

‘Hello, Mrs Phillips. We’ve called to say we hope ye’re settled in yer new home, and to welcome yer family as neighbours. My name’s Ada Fenwick, and this is me mate, Hetty Watson. We live across the street in thirty-three and thirty-five.’

‘Yes, I’ve seen yer through the window, going to the shops together. I haven’t found me bearings yet, I’ve been too busy getting boxes and chests sorted out.’ Annie hated telling lies, but she’d had to tell many over the years, as excuses. And now she was going to tell another. ‘I was busy emptying one of the tea chests when yer knocked. So I hope yer’ll understand when I say I won’t be able to stand and talk for long. But I really appreciate your calling, it was very thoughtful of yer.’

‘We won’t keep yer, sunshine, we’ll let yer get on with what ye’re doing. Besides, it’s time we were getting the dinner ready for our families. But if yer ever need a helping hand, yer know yer can knock on either my door or Hetty’s. Or yer can rap on the window if yer like, we don’t stand on ceremony.’

‘Thank you, yer’ve both been very kind.’ Annie was stepping back as she spoke, and the door was closed very quietly.

The two friends looked at each other, then without a word they crossed the cobbles to Ada’s house. Their silence lasted until they were seated facing each other across the table. ‘Well, what did yer make of that?’ Hetty asked.

Leaning her elbows on the table, Ada said, ‘I don’t know what to make of it, sunshine, except we didn’t have the door slammed in our faces. I’ll go over it again tonight, in bed, when everyone
else is asleep and it’s nice and quiet. If I was to tell yer now what my first impression was, without giving it any deep thought, then I’d say I believe she’s a woman who wants to be friendly, but something is holding her back.’

‘That doesn’t make sense to me,’ Hetty said. ‘All I could think of was that at one time she’d been a really good-looking woman. But now she looks tired and weary.’

‘Don’t we all, at some time in our lives?’ Ada slapped a palm on the table. ‘It’s going to be a rush now, getting the dinner ready for the family. So, instead of being chased by Mrs Phillips, yer’re being chased by yer best mate. I’ll see yer in the morning, sunshine, same time as usual, and we’ll be able to see things more clearly in the light of day. But if yer fancy some biscuits with yer cup of tea, then yer’ll have to bring some with yer, ’cos I haven’t got any, the cupboard is bare.’

‘Oh, so I’m invited if I bring me own biscuits, eh?’ With a good-natured laugh, Hetty punched her mate on the shoulder. ‘And as I couldn’t sit and dunk me biscuits in front of yer without offering yer one, I’d better nip down to the corner shop before I come, and buy a packet. What would yer prefer, girl, arrowroot or ginger snaps?’

‘Ask Sally to give yer half a pound of mixed. She won’t mind.’

‘Oh, I think I can rise to the occasion, girl, and buy a full packet.’

‘Yer can rise to the occasion now, sunshine, and scarper. Jimmy likes his dinner on the table when he comes home.’

‘I’m on me way, girl, and I’ll see yer in the morning. I’ll close the front door after meself, save yer bothering. Sweet dreams! Ta-ra.’

It was five weeks now since the Phillips family had moved into Eliza’s old house, and Annie had worked hard to make it into a bright and comfortable home. She was a methodical woman, believing there was a place for everything, and everything should be in its place. And she had a strict routine when it came to housework. Once the family had left for work, she didn’t sit down and have a quiet break with a cup of tea, she’d set to and work non-stop until everything was done to her satisfaction. Even though it meant a long, lonely day ahead for her, by ten o’clock every morning her house would be like a little palace. No one would see it, for there would be no visitors. But it gave Annie peace of mind. And only then would she make herself a pot of tea and relax with her thoughts. That was until ten to eleven, when she would leave her chair and move to stand at the front window. And she would wait there until Ada and Hetty came out of the house opposite. She wasn’t being nosy, and knew that people would think it was a pity she didn’t have something better to do with her time. They wouldn’t understand that she didn’t have anything better to do. There were no friends she could go shopping with, or share a joke. She didn’t seek to make friends, for she had learned the hard way that neighbours didn’t stay friendly with
her once they found out her husband was a foul-mouthed drunkard who was fond of lashing out with his fists. And the only time she would see a smiling face, during the long, lonely day, was when she stood behind the net curtains of her living room, and watched the neighbours opposite. They always came out of the house happy and laughing. And seeing their smiles as they linked arms, and pushed each other in a good-natured way, made a lonely woman feel better.

Annie was so wrapped up in her thoughts, she didn’t notice the time passing. It was the noise of a door banging that brought her to her feet. ‘I was miles away,’ she told the empty room. ‘I’ve probably missed them now.’ But she was in time to see Ada stepping down on to the pavement. And whatever she was saying had Hetty bent over with laughter. And the sight brought a faint smile to Annie’s face. Her life could have been as happy and carefree as theirs, if she hadn’t married the wrong man.

The two women on the pavement opposite began to walk down the street, arms linked and still laughing. And after letting out a deep sigh, Annie was turning away from the window when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw an object fall to the pavement. It seemed to have fallen from Hetty’s pocket, but when the two friends didn’t stop to pick it up, Annie thought she must have imagined it. For surely Hetty would have felt, or heard, if she’d dropped something. ‘Me eyes must have been deceiving me,’ she muttered. Then, just to satisfy herself, she moved the net curtain and pressed her face to the window. And sure enough, she could see something lying on the opposite pavement, and it looked like a small purse. She wondered what to do, for there was no point in knocking on the window, the friends would be halfway down the street by now.

After shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Annie said to herself, ‘I can’t stand here gawping, someone might come along and pick it up. And not everyone is honest.’ She rubbed her chin. ‘The least I can do is make sure it goes back to its rightful owner.’ Without giving herself time to change her mind, Annie took her coat down from a hook near the front door. She slipped it on, then picked up the key from the sideboard. ‘If I hurry, I should catch them up before they get too far away. I’ll only be out five minutes.’

When Hetty felt a tap on her shoulder, she pulled her arm free and spun round. A hand to her breast, she said, ‘Oh, Mrs Phillips, yer frightened the life out of me!’

Ada didn’t let her surprise at seeing their new neighbour show. But she really was surprised, for they hadn’t seen hide nor hair of her since the day they’d knocked on her door and received a very cool welcome. ‘Take no notice of her, Mrs Phillips, it wasn’t a fright yer gave her, it was a big disappointment. For one heavenly moment, she thought it was a bloke trying to cop off. In the blink of an eye, her whole life flashed before her eyes. She saw herself being whisked out of her two-up-two-down house and taken to a mansion in the country. This knight in shining armour has fallen madly and passionately in love with her, and he gives her anything her little heart desires. She forgets her poor husband, what has worked his fingers to the bone for her, and she turns her back on her two lovely children. All for the sake of living happily ever after with Prince Charming.’

Hetty looked at Annie and shook her head. ‘She is as mad as a hatter, Mrs Phillips, but not dangerous. Really, she’s as tame as a pussy cat when yer get to know her. And I’m sure she’ll behave herself long enough for yer to tell me what yer wanted me for.’

‘It was to ask if yer’ve lost anything?’

Hetty looked at Ada and pulled a face, before lifting her shoulders in surprise. ‘I haven’t lost anything, Mrs Phillips. What makes yer ask?’

Annie held up the purse. ‘Is this yours?’

Hetty gasped before putting a hand to her mouth. Then she moved her hand to her pocket. ‘Oh, my God, I’ve got a ruddy big hole in me pocket! Me purse must have fallen out. Where did yer find it, Mrs Phillips, and how did yer know it was mine?’

Annie handed over the purse. She couldn’t tell the two friends she watched them every morning, they’d think she was queer. ‘I happened to be cleaning the inside of me front window, and saw yer coming out of Mrs Fenwick’s house. Then, by sheer luck, I saw it falling. I did knock on the window to try and attract yer attention, but yer obviously didn’t hear. I didn’t know it was a purse then, but I thought whatever it was I’d better get it before someone else came along and picked it up.’

‘Oh, thank God yer’ve got sharp eyes, Mrs Phillips, ’cos all me money is in it. And with Christmas so near, I need every penny I can get. I’d have been in Queer Street if it hadn’t been for you.’

‘The first thing yer do when yer get home, sunshine,’ Ada said, ‘is sew that ruddy pocket up. If it hadn’t been for Mrs Phillips, yer’d have been up the creek without a paddle. Someone else could have come along, picked it up and thought it was their lucky day. And that would have been the last yer’d seen of it. At least yer family will eat tonight now.’

‘Oh, for heaven’s sake, don’t be so ruddy dramatic, girl. The family wouldn’t have starved, I’d have borrowed off you.’

‘Some hope, sunshine, ’cos I’ve only got about four bob on me.’

Annie looked around, feeling very uncomfortable. ‘I’ll leave yer to it now. I’m glad I was of help, but don’t forget to sew yer pocket up.’

‘Ay, hang on, don’t go running off.’ It wasn’t often Hetty put her foot down as hard as she did now. Her tummy was still turning over at the very thought of the consequences if she had lost her purse. It didn’t bear thinking about. ‘The least I can do is treat yer to some cakes, or chocolate, to show my appreciation. Come to the shops with me and Ada, and let me buy yer something.’