East End Angel Part 14

The rest of the short journey to Victoria Park pa.s.sed in silence but Kathy was glad her candid remark hadn't turned him narky. The atmosphere between them remained mild and she relaxed further into the seat when he started to whistle.

'Do you have children?'

Nick turned his head. 'No ... no kids.'

He'd been leaning forward, elbows on knees while they sat quietly on a park bench, by the lake. They'd arrived in the park just a few minutes ago and had sat down, each occupied with a.s.sembling his or her thoughts ready to air them. Now, Nick sat back, looking reflective.

'No need to be downhearted; sometimes it takes a while for babies to come along,' Kathy blurted, unconsciously slipping into her professional mode. 'A patient of mine is overjoyed to be expecting at thirty-six,' she rattled on. 'Not that I think your wife looks that old, of course.'

'How old does she look?'

'Close to your age, I suppose,' Kathy answered, wishing she'd not started this conversation.

'Yep ... about right ...' Nick said.

'I saw you together,' Kathy owned up a touch defiantly. 'You were both standing by your car, outside the Goldsteins' shop.'

He nodded, said nothing, frowning at the water.

Kathy felt her temper rising. The least he could do was attempt an explanation or an apology. If he realised she had him down as a liar and a cheat he gave no outward sign of it bothering him.

'Is that why you can't stay out long? Because you saw me with my wife and think I'm lying to you about getting divorced?'

'I can't stay out because I have a lot to do ... notes to write ...' Kathy retorted, flushing guiltily; all her work was up to date.

'So let's talk about Ruby and her kids and then I'll take you home to get stuck in. I'm guessing you want my help, so what are you expecting me to do about it all?'

His hardening att.i.tude made her equally snappy in response. 'What can you do about it? What can any of us do?'

'Hasn't Ruby got a family to lend a hand?'

'Her mother was a widow and pa.s.sed away a few years ago. She never talks about any brothers or sisters, so if she has some they can't be close.' Kathy frowned. 'Perhaps her in-laws might be decent folk. If they don't know what Charlie's like they'd be horrified to find out.'

'They know what he's like,' Nick said drily. 'Vi Potter's probably been in more fights than that particular son of hers. She had a houseful of them and they're all villains. She won't lend a sympathetic ear.'

Kathy sighed in disappointment. 'I really could shake Ruby sometimes,' she burst out. 'She ought to up and scoot. I've told her so before. Her answer's always the same: no money and nowhere to go.'

'She'd rather suffer Charlie than the Public a.s.sistance Inst.i.tution.'

'She's frightened the authorities will get involved and she'll lose the kids.'

'Yep ...'

Kathy felt tears of frustration stinging her eyes and turned her face from his searching gaze. 'It's not fair,' she said huskily, blinking into the distance.

'Hard life, ain't it, for a lot of people,' Nick stated, matter of fact.

'I'm going to speak to Mrs Keiver.' Kathy sprang to her feet, pacing to and fro in front of the bench. 'Matilda will know if any rooms are going in Campbell Road. Ruby can take the kids there; the rent's dirt-cheap. It'll be safer than staying where they are.'

'Even desperate people avoid the Bunk if they can.' Nick sounded dubious.

'She is desperate and so long as it's a dwelling, and it keeps her and her kids away from that husband of hers, it'll do, I'm sure of it.' Kathy sat down again. 'Ruby might relish moving from the East End. She's got no friends or family that she speaks about. I don't even think she has much to do with her neighbours.' Kathy felt exhilarated by her brainwave. 'I should of thought of it sooner. Matilda always knows of somebody who needs a char. They might be a rough lot but some of the women in the street can be kind souls when they want to be. I'm sure they'd help with the kids while Ruby earned a little bit ...'

Nick stroked a long cool finger down her flushed cheek. 'You're getting too involved, and too optimistic, Kathy. You can't make up Ruby's mind for her. Even if she agrees to the move, there's a lot of sorting out to do.'

'Will you help? If Charlie follows her to the Bunk, would you sort him out? You made him leave your mother alone.'

'It's not quite the same thing, is it? Ruby's his missus and I imagine two of the kids are Charlie's ... could be wrong, though ...' Nick added ruefully.

Kathy knew he was presenting sensible arguments, yet she felt disappointed that Nick hadn't immediately agreed to protect the Potter family from Charlie's brutality. Other practicalities began eroding her enthusiasm for the solution she'd found. Peter might want to stay close to his school friends in the East End. If he chose to remain with his father Ruby might not leave either.

'I'd better call in and speak to Ruby soon,' Kathy said. 'She might tell me I'm poking my nose in where it's not wanted.'

She kept her eyes averted, feeling bashful for having been overeager. In the cold light of day there was only a limited chance of Ruby agreeing to her suggestion. The woman might, understandably, consider moving to the worst street in north London as jumping from the frying pan to the fire.

'If the Bunk turns out to be no good for her, I'll find Ruby somewhere local to stay, if that's what she wants. And I'll explain things to Charlie if he comes after her.'

'Somewhere to stay?' Kathy parroted. 'What do you mean by that?'

'I've got a couple of spare rooms in a house,' he said, vaguely amused.

'I don't think she should move in with you,' Kathy choked. 'What would your wife say?'

Nick threw back his head, cursing softly at the clear blue sky. 'There are times, Kathy Finch, when I wish I'd never met you. I can remember being reasonably content.'

'I don't see what's so funny ...' Kathy retorted, averting her pink cheeks.

'Me neither. I've an empty house. Ruby can move into a couple of rooms. As for my wife, it won't inconvenience her or be any of her d.a.m.n business because I separated from her over three years ago and, like I told you, soon we'll be divorced. She's not happy about it ...' He shrugged. 'I am.'

'You sound very callous,' Kathy said after a lengthy quiet.

'Do I?' He turned his head, stared at her. 'That's because you don't know all that went before, do you? And don't bother telling me you're not interested in hearing about it, 'cos I already get the message.'

Kathy flinched from the hard grey eyes on her profile.

'Has Charlie ever manhandled you when you've been at his place?'

His abrupt change of subject took Kathy by surprise. She hoped guilt didn't show in her eyes when she eventually answered with a shake of the head. She'd had several scratches on her chin after Potter grabbed her for threatening to set the law on him for beating Ruby.

'Right ...' Nick said. 'Better see what Ruby has to say about a move to Islington then.'

'It's good of you to offer her shelter ... thank you ...' Kathy said.

Nick stood up and started walking back towards the path that led to the entrance gate where his car was parked.

Kathy felt rather churlish. She expected that was his intention, but nevertheless said something conciliatory.

'I'm sorry about ... you know ... you're wife and everything ...' she began awkwardly, trotting up behind him. 'It's sad your marriage didn't work out ...'

'No, it's not. You still want my help with the Potters, don't you, Kathy?'

'Of course.' She angled her face to read his expression. 'Are you about to change your mind?'

'You keep your sympathy about my divorce to yourself and I reckon I won't change my mind.'

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE.

'Do you want to stop at Ruby's on the way back so you can talk to her?'

'I'm not sure it's a good idea to see her today,' Kathy replied slowly. 'If she jumps at the chance to move but there's nothing for her in the Bunk, I'll have made things worse, not better. I shouldn't raise her hopes before having a word with Mrs Keiver.'

'Head straight over to Islington, shall we, and find out how the land lies?' Nick steered the car to the kerb to wait for Kathy's answer.

'Don't you have work to get to?'

He shrugged. 'Nothing that can't wait.'

'Right ... no time like the present, I suppose.'

'You could call in and see your mum and dad while we're that way, if you want.' Nick shoved the car into gear. 'Don't worry, I'm not asking for an introduction.' He'd noticed Kathy's startled reaction. 'I'll wait outside.'

'Thanks for the offer but I usually see them at weekends. Besides, if you knew my mum and dad, you wouldn't want an introduction anyhow.'

'Can't be as bad as all that.' Nick sounded amused as he glanced at her.

Kathy wanted to return him a flippant reply but found she couldn't. She wished she didn't feel shame or pity when thinking of her family. Of course, she also loved them all, even Jennifer, and especially Tom. 'Do you have any brothers or sisters?' She recalled Nick had told her his father had pa.s.sed away when he was young.

'Nah ... wish I did have. After me dad died in the Great War, me mum never got together with anybody else. How about you?'

'A younger brother and a twin sister.'

'A twin, eh? Looks like you, does she?'

'Her hair's darker and she's an inch shorter ... but I think she does.'

'What's her name?'

'Jennifer. And my brother's called Tom. He's leaving school soon and he's driving my mum up the wall, I'm afraid.' Kathy thought it wise to turn the conversation away from Jenny, just in case by some chance Nick Raven had crossed paths with her sister before. G.o.d only knew how many clients Jenny had had amongst the men in the East End, or if Nick might be one of them. Kathy believed he hadn't; he seemed too wholesome to a.s.sociate with the likes of her sister. She wasn't sure whether acknowledging it pleased or depressed her.

'Young Tom's a bit of a tearaway, is he?' Nick grinned.

'Mum doesn't like the company he keeps in Campbell Road because she reckons he'll end up in bad trouble.'

'Your father'll straighten him out, I expect.'

'Mmm ... hope so ...' Kathy could have trumpeted a laugh. Her father had never managed to keep himself on the straight and narrow; there was little chance he'd ever set Tom right, no matter how many belts he gave him in an attempt to do so. Kathy understood Tom's lack of respect for the man who would preach one thing and do another.

'Is your sister still living at home?'

Kathy whipped a glance at him. 'No ... she left home a long while ago.'

'What's she up to? Nursing, like you?'

'No ...' Kathy could feel his eyes on her profile as he waited for her to elaborate. 'She sort of went off the rails a bit. Mum and Dad lost touch with her.'

'Have you lost touch with her?'

Kathy frowned, wishing he'd take the hint and not ask such direct questions. 'I still see her sometimes,' she admitted quietly.

'Is she married now?'

Kathy shook her head.

'Got work, has she?'

'Sort of ...' Kathy knew she was sounding snappy and felt ashamed of herself. He was only making conversation so they didn't finish the drive to north London in silence.

'What does Jennifer do?'

'What she shouldn't.' Kathy hoped he'd not heard her mutter beneath her breath. 'Oh ... that's handy ...' she burst out, grateful to divert their conversation from her twin. 'Matilda and Beattie Evans are out having a chat with some neighbours.'

They had turned in at the bottom end of Campbell Road and Kathy immediately pointed to some women outside the corner shop. With Matilda and Beattie were two other long-standing Bunk dwellers: Davy's mum, Polly Wright, and Margaret Lovat.

'If you drop me here, I'll just nip over and have a word.' Kathy gave Nick a smile.

The women had spotted Kathy's arrival. Smart cars driving up Campbell Road were a rare sight indeed and caused people to stop and stare.

''Ere ... that's Winnie's daughter, ain't it, Til?' Beattie nudged Matilda in the ribs.

'That one's a nurse, ain't she?' Margaret Lovat piped up. 'Never found out how the other one turned out.'

'Ain't seen Jenny in years,' Beattie said. 'Sort of just disappeared, didn't she?'

'I heard she's a wrong 'un and that's why Winnie won't have her near nor by,' Polly Wright chipped in.

'Yeah ... well, if Winnie Finch wanted you lot to know her business, 'spect she'd have told yers more about it.' Matilda had her own ideas as to what had befallen Jennifer Finch but tried not to judge people, or pry into others' secrets. She had hosts of skeletons rattling in her own cupboards and that's where she intended them to stay. Round these parts desperate women did desperate things to keep a roof over their heads when the money and the men ran out. It had been that way for as long as she could remember.

'Bleedin' h.e.l.l ... who's that with Kathy? Don't rekernise him as being local.' Beattie smirked, her raised eyebrows signalling she liked the look of the blond fellow lighting up in the car parked across the road.

'I'd take a ride with him any time,' Margaret chortled dirtily.