A Whisper of Life Read online

  ‘What?’

  ‘Making the place dirty with ash.’

  ‘What does it matter? Father don’t care. He’s too busy giving Dulcie Tregaskis a regular seeing-to nowadays. Wouldn’t be surprised if he marries that juicy widow and moves out. Hope he does, there’d be more room for the rest of us then. And Sidney don’t give a tinker’s cuss what happens here.’

  ‘I care! But that counts for nothing, doesn’t it?’ Her life was better in some ways without Biddy’s invidious harping – she got the house to herself most days – but in other ways it was just as bad or worse. ‘I was so ashamed when the district nurse called first thing this morning – not that anyone here bothers to ask how I’m progressing. Good job I can get all my treatment free with this new National Health Service. I could have this baby in Redruth Hospital, you know. Wish I could, it would be wonderful to get away from you lot for a few days somewhere nice and properly clean. The nurse must have thought the place a hovel. I went to bed early last night and when I got up I couldn’t believe the mess you men had made. Coats on the floor. Fag ends tossed about, crumbs all over the table and dirty crockery because you’d helped yourselves to food, which you had no right to! It isn’t you lot who has to stretch the rations and queue up for fresh food or try to eke out the money. And there was beer bottles everywhere, the place stank like a brewery. Worst of all, one of you had been sick!’

  ‘You’re turning into a bleddy grouch,’ Tony muttered, tossing the stub of his smoke into the black fender.

  Delia sighed in frustration. Much more of this and she would give up trying to keep the wretched place clean. ‘Well, it’s no wonder, is it? You lot treat me as no more than a skivvy. I’m getting near my due date and it’s all I can do to get any of you to fetch in a bucket of water. Even you don’t bother to help me any more. And I don’t get as much as a penny to myself to buy a woman’s magazine. If your father moves out there would be one less wage coming in, have you thought of that? Sidney’s in a bad mood about money as it is. Now your mother’s dead he’s taken to going out drinking and he’s grumbling there isn’t enough coming in because work’s been slack for you lately. He never stops moaning about the cost of your mother’s funeral because she had no insurance. The undertaker’s not been paid yet.’

  ‘Well, he’s got a bloody cheek! He’s the one who’s wasting money. He should act more responsible, with you to support and a kid on the way.’

  ‘Don’t say anything like that to him, for God’s sake. I’m the one who gets it in the neck when he gets teasy or quarrelsome.’ Delia knew a dart of fear. Just like Tony, Sidney had grown swanky now he was no longer ruled by Biddy. He didn’t beat her quite so often but sometimes there was a terrible evil look in his eye.

  ‘Don’t worry. I know when to keep my mouth shut.’ Tony wouldn’t confront his brother. He may have killed his mother without a second thought or a moment of guilt since, but Sidney was bigger and stronger and had a brutal way of grinding his fists in when involved in a fight. Tony had no money to go to the pub tonight. The other drink he was partial to was Camp Coffee. ‘Make me some coffee.’

  ‘Don’t be so lazy! I’m not your slave.’

  ‘All right!’ He leapt to his feet. ‘I’ll do it my bloody self.’ He put the kettle on the hob of the slab and went to the larder.

  Delia got up when he started pushing things about impatiently on her tidy shelves. ‘What are you doing?’

  ‘Where the hell is it? The coffee?’

  ‘There’s not much in here. Can’t you see for yourself that there’s no bottle of coffee?’

  ‘Why the hell didn’t you say so in the first place?’ he snapped, pushing her aside. ‘Why haven’t you got no coffee in?’

  Sidney, who had been changing upstairs for a trip to the pub, had entered from the stairs door. He had heard Tony’s angry complaint and witnessed Delia tottering to keep her balance. He stormed up to Tony and hauled him away from the larder by the front of his shirt. ‘You dare speak to my wife like that and shove her around, you bastard! Do something like that again and I’ll rip your eyes out. If you want coffee buy it out of your own money, when you can be bothered to earn some that is, you lazy runt.’ He thrust Tony away and he fell backwards, hitting his back on the slab and ending up in a huddle on the rush mat.

  Pain shot up Tony’s spine. Reminded of how he had coldly murdered his mother he was furious and unafraid. He was too winded to get up but he balled his fists and thrust them up. He rasped between laboured breaths, ‘You got no right to accuse me. I never stop looking for work. I sometimes bring in more than you do because I don’t booze my wages away. And you treat Delia worse than dirt. Does she know you’re shagging her younger sister? You’ll have two of ’em here soon with big bellies.’

  ‘You dirty, rotten—’ Sidney lashed out with his boot at Tony’s guts.

  Tony howled like an animal and grabbed himself there, doubling over.

  Whirling round, Sidney faced Delia. Her eyes were wide in shock and she was clutching the wobbly dresser. ‘He’s lying. I’ve been nowhere near your sister. Your father would take his shotgun to me for a start.’

  Eager to show she was on his side, afraid she would be the next to suffer violence, Delia nodded. ‘I believe you, Sidney. He had no right to say any of that to you.’ She took it from Sidney’s manner that although he wasn’t getting sex off her sister, who wouldn’t do such a thing anyway, he was seeing someone else. She didn’t care about that. He wasn’t bothering her so often in bed now. The baby inside her shifted about, something she hated. She had been disappointed when the district nurse had said all seemed to be going well. Delia couldn’t stop hoping the baby would die. She hoped it would be born dead. Then she could get away from this wretched place. It wasn’t just a woeful thought. She meant it with all her heart. If the baby was delivered safely she would likely have another the following year and then more, and she would be more and more trapped and dragged down. Sidney straightened his cuffs. ‘Did he hurt you?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘I’m off out then.’

  Go out and never come back, she thought, as he went to the hooks on the back door and put on his jacket. He put his thumb on the latch.

  Simmering with rage, Tony had got up on his knees. Grabbing the poker, he used the arm of the chair to heave himself up. ‘You’ll pay for what you just done, Sidney. No one bullies me and gets away with it.’

  While Delia edged to the stairs door ready to run safely up out of the way, Sidney spun round on his toes. He laughed to see his brother coming towards him brandishing the poker. ‘What do you think you’re going to do with that, runt?’

  ‘Finish you off, you bastard, that’s what. I’ve done it before!’ Tony halted, stepping sideways from foot to foot. His face was a twisted mask of hatred.

  ‘You’ve what?’ Sidney sneered. ‘You’re not capable of taking sweets off a baby. I admit I let Mother bully me but she had you quaking in your boots!’

  ‘Not at the end she didn’t.’ Tony tapped the poker on the palm of his hand. ‘She fell and was hurt but I made sure she didn’t get the chance to torment me ever again.’

  Delia gasped. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Are you saying you killed her?’ Sidney demanded. It was laughable, until it struck him something was giving Tony the courage to challenge him like this.

  ‘I pushed her head back against the oven door. The old bitch deserved it.’

  The confession made Delia fear for her life. If Tony could commit murder and if he won a fight against Sidney, he might kill them both now they knew about his crime.

  Sidney saw the crazed look in Tony’s eyes. Normally he’d have no trouble beating him senseless but there was no guarantee of that against the sort of terrible strength and intent Tony had now. He altered his stance and put on a placatory smile. ‘You’re right there, little brother. The old bitch had it coming to her for years and you were the one brave enough to do it. You’ve done us all a great favour. Look, the
re’s no need for us to quarrel, is there? You’ve made life easier for all of us, and we should all thank you. Eh, Delia?’

  She nodded, wanting only to get away but too frozen in horror.

  ‘I’m sorry I swiped and kicked you, Tony. Wouldn’t have done it if I’d known all the facts. It’s worth every penny of the funeral money. And you needn’t worry about that. I’ve got an idea how to get hold of some good hard cash.’

  Still expecting his brother to fly at him and try to disarm him, Tony was suspicious. He kept the poker at a hostile height. ‘Are you really sorry?’

  Sidney spread his hand over his heart. ‘On my life. I’m sorry I hurt you, Tony. Let me make it up to you. Why don’t you come down the pub with me for a drink and a game of darts? There’s a bloke there who deals on the black market. I’ll ask him to get some coffee for you. Eh, Tony? Delia will fetch you a clean shirt. What do you say?’

  Sense softened Tony’s murderous rage. If he killed Sidney violently he wouldn’t get away with it like he had his mother’s death. ‘All right, but I want to be treated with respect from now on.’

  ‘You will be, you have my promise.’ Sidney would have tried a handshake but he was worried Tony might strike out at him with the poker. ‘We should all make the effort to get along. We’re brothers, after all. It was the old woman who caused the strife. She liked to pitch us one against the other. We could all be happy, and the baby will have a better home to grow up in than what we had. Eh, Tony?’

  Tony was thinking about Sidney’s promises. If all this could be put behind them then perhaps life really could be good. On the other hand his secret was out. Delia was unlikely to tell the police but it made Sidney dangerous. Life would be so much better without him in the picture… ‘All right, I’ll go with you.’

  Delia went up to Tony’s tiny room – Kate’s old room – wishing her sister-in-law were still here to take the strain off her. She took a white shirt out of the rickety chest of drawers. The new arrangement probably wouldn’t go as far as making things better for her. If only the brothers had fought outside and killed each other, that would have been wonderful. Then if her father-in-law remarried and left she would have the place to herself and could take in lodgers for an income.

  Tony and Sidney were shuffling round the kitchen, each still wary of the other. ‘You mentioned you could get your hands on some money. You planning a robbery?’ Tony said. His newly formed confidence made him again consider stealing from old Miss Chiltern.

  ‘Nothing like that. It’s strictly legit,’ Sidney grinned meanly. ‘It involves our little sister.’

  Chapter Twenty

  Humming contentedly to herself, Kate was grooming Cully after taking an hour’s ride. The keen wind had blown drizzly rain against her face but she had enjoyed every invigorating minute. This evening there was the final play rehearsal and she was looking forward to it and the actual performance at the weekend. The cast and support people had remarked that she was a far cry from the shy little maid she had been when they began. The only one missing was Jonny. The father of one of the pupils had taken his part. Alan was a really good actor, his natural wit perfect for the portrayal of a duped Robin Hood as Maid Marian got the better of him at every turn. He would steal the show. He had other pleasant qualities, thoughtfulness and patience just two of them. Kate had noticed he was a ready listener, never cutting off anyone sharing a concern or just an ordinary piece of news.

  Dale Patterson had pounced on her one evening. ‘The play is a bit short of bystanders, Kate. For the market and the archery contest scenes. Fancy taking a small part in each?’

  An instant rise of nerves had made her stammer, ‘N-no. I don’t think so.’

  ‘Don’t be shy.’ Alan, who always seemed to be close by her, had thrown in the warmest, most cajoling smile. ‘You’ll be in costume and you’ll feel different then. You’d only have to shout your wares during the market scene and stand about for the other one. I’ll be there both times. You’ll be fine. Go on, Kate. Give it a go. Anyway, we’re all going to be a bit nervous, but you’ll love it when it all gets started, honestly.’ It was Alan’s infectious enthusiasm and his promise to guide her through that made her succumb in the end. She regretted it as soon as she got home, but his arrival at the farm the next, and subsequent, evenings to help her rehearse, quickly soothed away the worst of her nerves. It was good having Alan as a friend, and being with him.

  Kate had hung her raincoat and rain hat over the stall door. They were thrown at her feet, making Cully falter and toss her head. ‘What the… Denny! How could you be so stupid? You know it’s dangerous to suddenly alarm a pony.’ This was just the latest nasty trick he had played on her. Jill had noticed his growing animosity towards her and had warned him to behave. Because he was no longer pulling his weight on the farm, Tom had threatened him with the sack.

  ‘I hope you don’t expect me to muck out the stables after you.’ Denny had taken up smoking and struck a match on the stable wall, cupping his hands while lighting up and tightening the corners of his eyes in what, she supposed, he thought was a macho manner. He looked silly and it made Kate want to laugh. ‘You prance around here like you’re Lady Muck nowadays. I’ve got enough to do.’

  ‘It’s my afternoon off so I’m not expected to do any work. And don’t be so pathetic.’ Kate carried on with the currycomb and ignored him, but not for long.

  Denny draped an arm over Cully’s neck, bringing himself in very close to her. ‘How am I being pathetic?’ He had added a drawl to his voice, copied off the movies by the sound of it.

  Kate sighed with exasperation. He was more of a pest than a horse fly. ‘You should just hear yourself. You’ve turned into a complete idiot.’

  ‘And you’ve turned into a hoity-toity bitch.’ His tone was the same and she wondered why there was no hostility or challenge. One quick glance answered her question. He was eyeing her up. ‘But a very pretty one.’

  He touched a tendril of damp hair on her forehead and she swiped his hand away. ‘Have you gone mad? What do you think you’re up to? Get away from me. Go on, clear off. Denny, you’re no screen idol, if that’s what you think. You’re a country bumpkin and not a very good one at that. Stop making a fool of yourself and for goodness sake grow up!’

  ‘You little bitch! Who the hell do you think you are? I’ll show you exactly what I am.’ Lightning quick, he grabbed her round the waist, trying to thrust his face close to hers to force a kiss. With Cully whinnying and pacing in alarm, Kate fought against him and twisted her face away, but he was strong and managed to get a hand on the back of her neck. He smacked his open mouth on her cheek, dragging a wet trail towards her lips. Gritting her teeth with rage Kate jabbed the currycomb into his side.

  Denny bawled out, letting her go and dashing both hands to the bleeding wound. ‘You bitch!’ he roared, using the foulest swear words. ‘You nasty little cripple. You’ll pay for that!’

  Kate couldn’t keep her balance and fell to the ground, terrified Cully would kick out and she would receive a dangerous blow. Scrabbling away from Cully’s range, she heard Denny howl and shriek and thought he had received a just punishment from the pony’s hooves. She heard a familiar snarl. Then her brother shouting.

  ‘Go near my sister again, boy, and I’ll grind you into dust!’ Sidney yelled in an ugly voice. Sprawled on the straw, Kate watched in horror as he pounded his fists into Denny’s jaw, chest and gut. Denny hit the cobbles, curled up and whimpering. ‘You’d better give your notice in here, sonny, or I’ll have you up for attempted rape. I won’t have you near my sister again. Got it?’

  Denny stayed in the foetal position, his arms wrapped round his head, blubbering and sobbing. Sidney used the toe of his steel-capped boot to turn him over roughly. ‘Got it!’

  ‘Ye-es,’ Denny bawled. ‘Yes!’

  ‘Good. Now clear off and never come back.’

  Kate got up on shaky legs and settled the fitful Cully. It was horrible to see Denny crawling away o
n his hands and knees, his clothes wet and fouled, until he found the strength to haul himself up and slink away, still doubled over. Her eyes were wide with shock and disgust when Sidney turned to her. His hard features softened but Kate thought it an act. ‘You all right, Kate? Did he hurt you?’

  ‘Why did you come?’ she demanded, shutting Cully in her stall and moving off towards the house. The family needed to know what had happened and she needed them around if she was to face her bullying brother. He was wearing his demob suit, overcoat and best cap, and for once was cleanshaven, but his sudden presence here, even though smartened up, could only mean trouble.

  Sidney brought her to a halt. ‘Kate, I’ve come with bad news.’

  This was unexpected. ‘What’s happened? Has Delia lost the baby?’

  ‘She’s fine. It’s Mother. She’s dead.’

  Her immediate reaction was not grief or sadness but an awful kind of dread and horror. It took her back to the terrible day of her grandmother’s death. ‘How?’

  ‘An accident. She fell, hit her head and pegged out within minutes. None of us are sorry, Kate. It’s a lot pleasanter at home. In fact we’re all quite content. Father goes out of an evening now, he’s courting the Tregaskis widow.’

  ‘So her death happened a while ago. Why bother to tell me now?’ There was obviously a selfish reason.

  ‘Why should you be expected to come to the old woman’s send-off after she’d turned you out, we all thought. We had her buried quick, wanted it over and done with. But Delia kept saying she thought you had the right to know. It gives you the chance to pop home now and see the baby if you want to.’