couple of urgent jobs.’
‘I can do that for you. Just tell me what you want this foreman of yours to do.’
With his head swimming, Tommy doubted he could make it downstairs, so he gratefully sank back again. ‘My foreman’s name is Len Upwood,’ he said, going on to explain what work needed to be given priority.
‘Right, leave it to me,’ Jeremy said confidently. ‘I’ll sort everything out.’
‘You just need to pass on what I’ve told you to Len. He’s a good bloke and he knows what he’s doing.’
‘So do I, Tom. I know just what I’m doing,’ Jeremy said as he left the room.
As far as Tommy knew, his brother knew nothing about the glass trade and he doubted he’d ever fitted a window. Still, Jeremy only had to pass on the message, so feeling that he had nothing to worry about now, Tommy relaxed, only to be hit by another fit of coughing that left him gasping for breath.
This wasn’t a mild bout of bronchitis, Tommy worried. It was a bad one and maybe it was just as well that his mother was calling the doctor. At least a course of antibiotics would get him back on his feet, and sooner rather than later.
Jeremy rang Len Upwood, but he wasn’t going to leave it at that. He was going to take a look at the business and after breakfast he said, ‘Mum, with Tom laid up I think I’ll drive to the unit. There’s a saying that while the cat’s away the mice will play, so I want to make sure there’s no slacking.’
‘All right, dear,’ she said. ‘I’m sure Thomas will appreciate that.’
‘Where does he keep the van keys?’
‘On the hall table,’ she said, ‘but have you got a licence to drive?’
‘Of course and I’ll see you later,’ Jeremy said, glad to get out of the house and onto the road. Of course he didn’t have a driving licence. He’d never stayed in one country long enough to get one. Thankfully his mother was too distracted by Tom and his bronchitis to realise that, and anyway, he had learned to drive. He just hadn’t passed any sort of test.
It didn’t take Jeremy long to get a feel for the van, and soon he was pulling up outside the unit, finding only two men in sight when he went inside and asked, ‘Which one of you is Len Upwood?’
‘That’d be me,’ said a round-faced man of around thirty, who was in the process of cutting a sheet of glass. ‘What can I do for you?’
‘I’m Jeremy Frost. We spoke on the telephone earlier.’
‘Oh, right, you’re Tommy’s brother.’
‘Yes, and I’m here to make sure that things are running to schedule in his absence.’
‘Well you can tell him they are, including the jobs he wanted prioritised,’ Len said as he bent over his work again.
‘It doesn’t look like it to me. There are only two of you working. Where are the rest of the men?’
Len’s head snapped up again. ‘Where do you think? They’re where they should be, out in their vans working on repairs and installations.’
Jeremy felt a fool and didn’t like it. Nor did he like Len Upwood’s derogatory tone. He’d spent too many years working as a menial; being shown little respect, and he’d had enough of that. For now though he had to make a dignified exit and said, ‘Right, that’s good. I’ll report back to Tommy and if you come across any problems, give me a ring.’
Len just looked at him, saying nothing, and Jeremy left the unit, jaws grinding as he got into the van. If he’d been the boss, Len would have shown him some respect, deference, and now it infuriated him that the business belonged to his brother. Tom was a weakling, always had been, but he had the life that Jeremy wanted, along with the girl.
Jeremy drove off, his grip tight on the steering wheel, determined to find a way to usurp his brother.
Mabel was in Edna’s house, and as she looked around the untidy living room she was trying to hide her distaste. Edna was dishevelled as ever; her hair greasy and unwashed, her body odour foul.
‘Well, I must say I was surprised when you knocked on my door,’ Edna said, as she puffed on a cigarette, two fingers stained a yellowish brown from the nicotine.
‘Yeah, well, I thought you might be interested to hear about Rose and Samuel Jacobs.’
‘What’s to know? It’s common knowledge that Rose married him, no doubt for his money.’
‘Yeah, and she persuaded him to buy a big house close to Battersea Park.’
‘I’ve heard about that too, and that Phyllis is working for her. From what I’ve seen, what with that posh furniture being delivered, Phyllis has done all right for herself too.’
‘It was only stuff Rose didn’t want any more.’
‘What about you getting your roof repaired?’ Edna said sarcastically. ‘I’ve been on about mine for years, but I’m not one of the favoured few like you.’
‘I had nothing to do with it,’ Mabel protested. ‘From what Phyllis tells me, ours aren’t the only ones that are getting repaired. Yours might be next.’
‘It’d be about time.’
‘I couldn’t agree more,’ Mabel said, hoping to overcome Edna’s slightly hostile manner. ‘It’s about time Samuel Jacobs did something about our complaints. After all, he’s had enough rent out of us over the years. He’s been living in luxury on the money he’s raked in, while we’ve been living in squalor.’
‘Yeah, that’s right. Would you like a cup of tea, Mabel?’ Edna asked.
Mabel smiled. The ice had been broken and she said, ‘Yes, please.’
‘I’ve got a bit of juicy gossip to tell you, but I’ll put the kettle on the gas first.’
Mabel fidgeted with expectation while the tea was made, but it turned out to be worth it and her eyes rounded in surprise. ‘I don’t know why I’m shocked. After all, it’s no more than I’d expect from the likes of her.’
‘I only found out about it recently,’ Edna continued. ‘A friend of a friend’s daughter was in there at the same time, but I don’t get to see her very often. Mind you, as the two of them were such good mates, I should think Amy knew about it.’
‘If she did, she never said a word,’ Mabel said, wondering if Amy had kept it from Phyllis too. Well she’d soon remedy that. Phyllis had refused to hear a bad word about that girl, but at last Mabel had been proved right. She was looking forward to seeing Phyllis later and pointing that fact out.
‘No, Mum, I don’t believe it,’ Amy said. ‘It sounds like Mabel is back to her old ways, and this is just nasty, wicked gossip.’
‘I thought the same, and I gave her a mouthful, but I’ve had time to think about it since then. I’m not so sure now. When you look back, Carol was supposed to have had food poisoning, but don’t you remember the state she was in when she came out of hospital? We were both worried sick about her.’
‘Yes, but then we found out that it was because her mother had walked out.’
‘I’m beginning to think there was more to it than that. If you remember, you were worried about Carol before she went into hospital. You said she’d become moody and withdrawn.’
‘That doesn’t mean she was pregnant, or that she had an abortion,’ Amy said indignantly.
‘I’m only saying it’s possible that the gossips have got it right.’
‘No they haven’t!’ Amy argued. ‘They’re just a bunch of nasty-minded women who seem to enjoy ruining people’s reputations. I dread to think how Carol is going to feel if she hears about