dunno about that,’ Dave complained. ‘What about when I bring a girl home?’
‘Don’t worry about it. We’ll work something out,’ Paul told his brother.
‘I’ll need my clothes,’ Carol said, ‘and my other things, make-up and stuff.’
‘Right then, come on, Dave. If we want to try out that place in Old Compton Street tonight, we’d better get Carol’s stuff now.’
‘What place?’ Carol asked.
‘It’s a coffee bar, called the 2i’s. A skiffle group called The Vipers perform there and we’ve heard they’re good.’
‘Paul, will you do something else for me? If I write a quick note, would you give it to Amy? If there’s no one in, just shove it through the letterbox.’
‘Yes, all right,’ Paul agreed, and soon he and Dave were on their way to Lark Rise. He wasn’t looking forward to seeing his father again, unable to believe that the man he’d looked up to had turned into a pathetic drunk; one who was so out of his mind on booze that he’d almost raped his own daughter.
As Tommy had feared, his mother had reacted badly to his engagement. There had been more histrionics and tears, but he’d stood firm and she had lapsed into sullen silence. That had been over four months ago, and his mother had calmed down since then, the subject never mentioned – as though by burying her head in the sand she thought it would go away.
Tommy had left it like that, but nothing was going to stop him from marrying Amy and he’d put all his energies into expanding the business. It was now the end of October, and the contract to supply windows on the housing development had been completed on schedule. On the strength of recommendations from the builder Tommy hoped to acquire another large one. In the meantime other, smaller jobs were flowing in so he’d kept the men on, and when on full stretch he often worked late, cutting glass ready for the next day’s work. It was something else his mother complained about, but he wasn’t late when he arrived home at five on Friday, his chest heaving from another asthma attack.
‘If you aren’t careful you’ll go down with bronchitis again. You’re working too hard, doing too much,’ his mother warned, rushing to his aid until at last, his breathing came under control.
Tommy knew she was right and hated his weakness, but too drained to discuss it now, he closed his eyes. If he got another contract, along with the work that was coming in now, the only answer would be to take on more men, but that would entail buying more vans too. He’d have to look at the accounts to see if that was a viable option. For now he was too tired to think and with his breathing easier, his mind closed as he drifted off.
‘What …’ Tommy said, blinking as his mother’s voice intruded.
‘I said it’s after seven and you haven’t had anything to eat yet.’
Tommy rubbed his eyes, hardly aware that he’d gone to sleep as his mother continued, ‘Now you’re awake I’ll reheat your dinner.’
‘All right, thanks,’ he said, sitting up. He hadn’t seen Amy since Tuesday and was missing her, and though they were going out tonight he would have to get up early in the morning to get to the yard. Tommy knew he couldn’t let up on the work. He didn’t want a long engagement; he wanted to marry Amy as soon as possible, and to make that happen he’d graft for seven days a week if necessary.
‘There’s been a right old carry on today,’ Phyllis told her daughter when she came home from work.
‘What do you mean?’ Amy asked.
‘Frank Cole has been evicted.’
‘No, but that’s awful. Why?’
‘Because he hadn’t paid his rent for ages and on top of that his place is in such a filthy state that it’s infested with rats. Mabel found one in her kitchen and went absolutely barmy.’
‘It’s still awful that he’s been chucked out. Couldn’t Rose have done something? She must’ve known him from when she worked in the Park Tavern.’
‘She tried, but Samuel is a businessman and when his tenants don’t pay the rent for that length of time, they’re out. At least Frank has got somewhere to go. He’ll probably turn up on his sons’ doorstep, so Carol’s going to be stuck with him again.’
‘Yes, I suppose so,’ Amy said.
Phyllis frowned. ‘Frank fell apart when Daphne left. He’s turned into a dirty, smelly drunk, scrounging off everyone, but like you, I still feel sorry for him. Did I tell you that Mabel now thinks that it was Daphne Cole who ran off with Tommy’s dad?’
‘Yes, but I hope she’s not spreading it around. There’s been enough trouble caused by gossip.’
‘Mabel has learned her lesson. She only told me, but has Carol heard from her mother?’
‘She’s never mentioned it, so I don’t think so,’ Amy replied.
‘Does Carol still like living with her brothers?’
‘Yes, and she’s got a new job as a receptionist in a hairdressing salon. Paul and Davy take her out with them and she’s like her old self again, into the latest fashions and music.’
‘That’s good, but here’s your dad so I’d better get our dinner sorted out,’ Phyllis said as she hurried through to the scullery. She had something else to tell Amy and Stan, and though she had made a tentative decision, she was still a bit unsure.
Stan seemed unsurprised when they told him about Frank, and though sympathetic, he said that the man had turned into such a scrounger that he’d been barred from the Park Tavern. When they were seated at the table, Stan lightened the atmosphere by joking around, pretending his chop was too tough to cut. ‘What’s this,’ he asked, ‘the sole off an old shoe?’
‘Mine’s all right,’ Amy said.
‘Your dad’s is too,’ Phyllis said. ‘Stan, stop being a silly bugger and listen. I haven’t said anything until now, because I’ve been thinking about it since Rose came to see me.’
‘Thinking about what?’ Stan asked.
‘Rose isn’t happy in Bethnal Green so she’s persuaded Samuel to buy a place here in Battersea. They’ve already found a house close to the park, and Rose wants me to work for them.’
‘Doing what?’ Stan asked.
‘I’d be a sort of housekeeper-cum-cleaner.’
‘Can’t Rose do her own cleaning?’ Stan asked.
‘Of course she can, but Rose has gone up in the world now. She’s got used to having a cleaner, but the one they’ve got now won’t want to travel this far.’
‘How big is the house they’ve found?’ Amy asked.
‘It’s got six bedrooms, two receptions, a dining room and study, two bathrooms and a kitchen.’
‘Flaming hell, why do they want a house of that size?’ Stan exclaimed. ‘There’s only the two of them.’
‘It’s about the same as the one in Bethnal Green,’ Phyllis said. ‘Anyway, Rose has offered me a third more pay than I’m earning now.’
‘That sounds good,’ Stan said.
‘Yes, it does,’ Amy agreed, ‘but how many hours would you have to do?’
‘From nine till two, five days a week.’
‘That’s not much different to your combined jobs, so why are you thinking about it?’ Stan asked. ‘It’s more money, without