Only one thing had changed. All his life, he’d had an unspoken feeling that she wasn’t a happy woman, but now, at last, all that had changed. As she rose to meet him, and they kissed, he gave her a tender hug.
‘Darling,’ she said as she sat back down and moved a pile of glossy magazines onto the empty chair beside her, ‘I’ve ordered tea and cakes. How are you?’
‘Fine,’ said John. He didn’t need to ask how she was. She was positively glowing. ‘The play didn’t make the summer season at Bournemouth. That went to Jimmy Jewel and Ben Warris.’
‘Oh dear,’ said his mother, ‘but I shouldn’t worry. As Mr Micawber says, “Something will turn up.”’
‘I rather think it has.’
‘Oh John,’ she said, her eyes dancing with excitement. ‘The girl?’
He laughed softly. ‘Not much gets past you, Mother, and yes, I’ve asked her to marry me.’
The waitress had arrived with the tea and the next few minutes were taken up with rearranging the table. When she’d gone, his mother was wiping a tear from her eye. ‘I’m so happy for you. Now tell me all about her.’
‘Actually, she’ll be here shortly. I hope you don’t mind but I’ve invited her to meet you.’
His mother gasped. ‘Oh John, you should have said. We could have waited.’
‘Perhaps we can order another pot of tea when she comes,’ said John. ‘I rather wanted you all to myself for a bit.’
‘Darling …’ She handed him a cup and saucer. ‘Now tell me all about her.’
John spent the next ten minutes waxing lyrical about Dinah. He told his mother he’d been seeing her for some time, that she was the love of his life and that she positively shone on the stage. He explained how she lit up a room when she walked in and was not only talented but also clever and lovely to look at.
‘I can see that you are very much in love with her,’ his mother said at last. ‘I’m glad to see you looking so happy, John dear.’
‘Which brings me on to something else,’ said John. ‘I can’t think why on earth you never told me but I’ve found out that I’m adopted.’
‘Oh good.’
He was taken aback. That was the one reaction he never expected. ‘
Good?
Is that all you can say, Mother? How could you keep such a big thing a secret? Don’t you think I have a right to know?’
‘I always wanted you to know,’ she said. ‘But your father wouldn’t allow it. I’m so sorry it’s taken all this time. Do you mind awfully?’
‘It takes a bit of getting used to,’ he said. ‘It never once occurred to me. I was very angry at first. It felt like a betrayal.’
‘I loved you from the moment they put you in my arms,’ she said gravely.
They talked in hushed tones about what had happened until finally John said, ‘I don’t care much about Father. He and I have never got on, but I want you to know that you’ll always be my mother.’
‘Thank you, John dear,’ she said brightly. ‘You’ve just given me the best moment of my whole life … and my freedom.’
He frowned again. ‘I don’t understand.’
‘There’s still a lot you don’t know, John,’ she said. ‘Perhaps you’re the one who is going to have a shock.’
‘Go on,’ he said cautiously.
‘Your father is a vain man,’ she said. ‘We found out soon after we married that he couldn’t have children. It was a bitter blow for him. At the time, I was a little relieved. I’m sure now that he only married me for my father’s money.’
John went to say something but she lifted her hand to stop him. ‘Let me tell you everything, dear. I’m all right about it. It really doesn’t hurt any more.’
He smiled and took the second scone she offered.
‘When you came up for adoption, he did something incredibly stupid. He went to another district to get your birth registered and falsified the documents. He had you registered as our child. I was so besotted by my beautiful little baby boy, the seriousness of the matter didn’t really register.’
John shook his head in disbelief. ‘Isn’t that a criminal offence?’
She nodded. ‘When I found out what he’d done, I wanted to put it right, but he told me they would take you from me and that I would go to prison as an accessory. By that time, I loved you so much, it was a risk I couldn’t bear to take.’
‘I always knew you weren’t a happy woman,’ said John slowly, ‘but you stuck it out all this time because of me?’
‘Oh, don’t be sad, dear,’ she protested. ‘It’s fine. From that moment Norris and I lived very separate lives and to have you as my son was more than worth it. You brightened every dark day and made me so proud of you. I would do it all over again, and gladly.’
John felt his throat constrict.
‘I’m sorry that you’ve been hurt,’ she went on, ‘but there wasn’t a moment in your whole life when you weren’t truly loved.’
He felt so emotional he could hardly speak and he could barely believe the level of self-sacrifice meted out on his behalf.
‘Let’s talk of happier things,’ she said changing the subject. ‘Tell me what you’ve found out about your mother.’
‘I haven’t met her yet,’ he said, ‘but I have found my half sister.’
‘How wonderful,’ she cried. ‘It wasn’t right that you were an only child. Tell me about her.’
‘She’s training to be a nursery nurse,’ he said. ‘I am to be godfather to her child.’
‘So you’re an uncle too.’ She gave him a quizzical look. ‘You’re keeping something back. I want you to tell me everything. The time for keeping secrets is over between us.’
It was relief to tell her about Bonnie and Shirley and the incident in the London flat. ‘We weren’t sure why, but Father threatened her and her daughter. Now that you’ve told me what he did, it’s obvious to me why he wants the letter my grandfather wrote to Grace Follett. I’ve seen it and it clearly states that my grandfather acknowledges me as part of his family.’
‘Bring it all out into the open,’ his mother said.
‘But what about you? I don’t want you to be in trouble with the law.’
‘I wasn’t the one to falsify the record,’ she said. ‘I can always plead ignorance and with a good lawyer, I can stand up for myself. That man doesn’t scare me any more.’
‘I’ve never heard you sound so confident before,’ he remarked.
She smiled mysteriously. ‘There are going to be a lot of changes around here. I’ve had your father trailed and I have plenty of grounds for a divorce.’
John reached for his wallet. It was very flat but hopefully he would find a few quid in there to help her out.
‘No, no,’ she cried. ‘I don’t need any money, really I don’t.’ She looked at him with an expression he’d never seen before. ‘Your father would be furious, but I’ve made myself a very wealthy woman.’ She lifted the pile of glossy magazines from the chair and handed them to him. ‘Look at the middle page on that one, and page nine in that one.’
He turned to the middle page and found himself looking at a sweet little house. On page nine there was a two up two down cottage which had been completely transformed and modernised. The before and after pictures were stunning.
‘I don’t understand,’ he said.
‘I’ve gone into property,’ said his mother. She giggled like a naughty schoolgirl. ‘Your father will be livid.’
John’s jaw dropped. ‘I don’t understand. It’s difficult enough for women to get bank accounts without their husbands knowing.’
‘Not if you’re called “Finley’s Holdings Co”,’ she smiled. ‘That sounds very masculine.’
‘Mother …’ John grinned.
‘A year ago, the magazine sent a photographer round,’ she went on. ‘He’s very good, isn’t he?’ She pushed some more magazines under his nose and he glanced at some of the other transformations she’d done. ‘I’ve written a book about it,’ she said. ‘A sort of “how to” book. They say they’ll be all the rage one day. Anyway, I came up to London today to sign a contract from a book publisher and Sebastian says …’
‘Sebastian?’
‘Oh didn’t I tell you?’ his mother teased. ‘Sebastian took the pictures. I hope you’ll like him, dear. He’s become rather important to me.’
With that, John threw back his head and laughed. He was still laughing when Dinah came.
Grace was sitting at the table with a cup of tea and a pile of letters when Rita came in from work. It was obvious that her mother had been crying.
‘What’s happened?’
‘Sit down, love,’ said Grace. ‘It’s about Bonnie.’
Rita’s heart sank. She lowered herself into a chair, all the while watching her mother’s face. What now … not more bad news.
‘Miss Reeves’s niece came round,’ said Grace. ‘Your sister was writing to Miss Reeves and she’s found the letters.’
‘That’s wonderful,’ gasped Rita. ‘So where is she living?’
‘We don’t know,’ said Grace fighting back the tears again. ‘She used a box number.’
‘But we can still write to her,’ said Rita eagerly. ‘She’ll keep checking the box, won’t she?’
Grace blew her nose. ‘I suppose so.’
Rita shook her mother’s arm. ‘Come on, Mum. Don’t give up yet. We’ll find her. We’ll be a family again one day.’
Grace put on a brave smile. ‘There’s a letter for you on the mantelpiece.’
Rita tore open the official-looking envelope eagerly. ‘It’s about the divorce. I have to go to court on Thursday.’
There was a sharp knock at the front door. When Rita opened it, Snowy fell in.
‘My God, Grace, have you heard? The police came to the factory today looking for Norris Finley.’
Norris was beside himself with worry. When he’d got back to the flat, the concierge refused to let him in and threatened him with the police. He’d waited outside all day but neither Bonnie nor her wretched kid had turned up. He had to get that letter and destroy it.
He’d sorted everything else from the safe. He should have destroyed it all but in the end, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. They were so enjoyable to look at. Shame about little Polly. She was a little peach but he dared not risk taking her to a hotel again. He’d foolishly given her a couple of pieces of his wife’s jewellery so he’d created a row and she’d thrown them back into his face. He smiled to himself. Women were so predictable. He had planned to accuse Polly of theft when he grew tired of her and that would have bought her silence.
He was the first to admit he’d gone too far with the Wilcox girl. He’d been as shocked as the next man when she’d taken herself over the bloody cliff. What did she do that for? It was only a bit of fun. He never would have gone to the police about the gold watch. He was only making sure she kept mum.
He would have liked a bit more of Grace Follett but she hadn’t come back to the factory after her mother died and besides, he’d picked up with Polly by then. The only thing he’d never found was that locket. Somehow or other, Grace had got it. Well good luck to her. If she did manage to open it up, it would silence her for good. Just touching that stuff was deadly.
He’d told Grace the locket was her daughter’s but of course it wasn’t. What would a kid like that be doing with a Nazi suicide pill on a chain? No, it belonged to Manny Hart. Manny had dropped it in the factory on the day he’d done for that boy so he’d kept it as insurance in case Manny tried to pin the blame on him for George’s death. He never should have got involved with the man but loyalty to the party and the good old days had clouded his vision. They’d never expected someone like George Matthews to work out who Manny was. That’s why he had to be silenced. It was pure luck that George had telephoned Norris with the revelation that he’d recognised Manny at the station. Norris had arranged to meet George at the old factory but as soon as he’d put the phone down, he had rung Manny. Manny said he’d deal with it. Norris shuddered. He’d never wanted to be a part of murder, but what could he do?
He looked at his watch again. It was almost seven. The girl wasn’t coming back, was she? He jumped as a bobby on the beat tapped his nearside window. Norris wound it down.
‘You seem to have been here rather a long time, sir?’
‘Yes, officer,’ said Norris willing his voice to sound casual. ‘I’m beginning to think she’s stood me up.’
‘Better move along then, sir,’ said the policeman touching his helmet. ‘Only we’ve had a report that a gentleman was harassing one of the residents in this block of flats.’
‘Poor woman,’ Norris sympathised. ‘I hope she’s all right?’
‘She’ll be fine,’ said the bobby. ‘Probably gone home to Mother by now.’
Norris started the car.
When she came out of the front door first thing in the morning, the fog was so dense Rita couldn’t see the end of the street. She had been on 7 till 2s for a few days but today she was on earlies. It was 5.15 and everywhere was deserted. Her footsteps sounded muffled as she walked towards the bus depot along the sea front.
Along the High Street, Bob came out of his house and fell into step beside her.
‘Nice day,’ he smiled.
‘Grand.’
Rita was a person of few words first thing in the morning but she and Bob had worked together for long enough for him to be used to her abrupt manner. They walked in what seemed like a companionable silence the rest of the way. She liked being with Bob. He made her feel so … comfortable.
When they finally arrived at the depot, the few drivers, conductors and conductresses who had turned up were gathered in a huddle by the office door. Joseph Thompson, the area manager, was busy allocating the routes.
‘We’re still going out then?’ said Bob.
‘I think you should cancel,’ another driver said, shaking his head. ‘You can’t see a thing out there.’
Joseph shook his head. ‘We’re supposed to provide a service to the public no matter what the weather,’ he said gravely.
There was some mumbling but they all knew he was right.
Rita and Bob were put onto the Horsham run. ‘Take it steady,’ Joseph cautioned. ‘If you’re late, you’re late, but for God’s sake get there in one piece.’
The fog hung around for most of the morning. Rita and Bob did the first run to Horsham with few passengers and managed to arrive more or less on time. It wasn’t until the mid-morning return that it began to lift in places, but if the fog was easing off elsewhere, it was much worse inland. By the time they reached the outskirts of Findon, Bob had to slow the bus down to less than twenty miles an hour, even less as they headed towards the village. On this run they had quite a few passengers and everyone was good-natured even though the bus was already fifteen minutes late.