Towards a Dark Horizon Read online

  Although I had felt fine when I had left the house, I was now feeling a bit weak and could have done with a seat. Still, the sun was shining and overnight rain had scoured the pavements clean. The street looked as if it had had its face washed and the air was fresh. It was a lovely day.

  Jean looked uncertain. As we had walked along the road, we chatted and soon we were now outside the Royal Hotel.

  ‘Come on,’ Jean said, ‘let’s go in here for our tea.’

  I must have looked dubious because she added, ‘It’s my treat.’

  We made our way to the posh-looking coffee lounge. The carpet was thickly luxurious and the atmosphere calm and quiet. There were no farmers in here all debating about the current price of potatoes or animals. A clock chimed loudly from some unknown source but the chimes were melodic. The coffee lounge was really a small part of a grander cocktail lounge and we sat down at a table in the alcove by the door.

  A young waiter appeared and took our order before silently drifting away towards the unseen kitchen. It was such a contrast to our usual teashop that we looked at one another and almost burst out laughing. At our usual place, the noise was deafening as the sounds of customers’ chattering voices mixed with the clattering sounds of the waitresses carrying trays of crockery and cutlery.

  The waiter soundlessly reappeared and placed two china cups and saucers in front of us along with a silver coffee pot.

  I whispered to Jean, ‘I hope you’ve brought a lot of money with you, Jean. What will this cost?’

  ‘Och, it’s just once in a blue moon that I’ll ever be in a place like this and no doubt you’re the same so let’s just enjoy the experience.’

  I nodded. It was very peaceful sitting in this quiet sanctuary and I slowly began to relax and to feel better.

  Jean studied me. ‘You must’ve had a rough time, Ann. I only hope you’re not doing too much till you’re fully recovered.’

  I told her about Lily and how desperate I was to get her back.

  ‘Just take one step at a time, lassie. Wait until you’re truly better. Now tell me about Margot.’

  I told her everything I knew. Even right down to her fabulous wardrobe. I added, ‘I’ve no idea what she saw in my father. I know he’s still handsome but he hasn’t any money and I have the feeling she loves money. But maybe she just fell in love with him.’ I sounded dubious. I mentioned Rosie, and Jean shook her head in sympathy. I then mentioned Kathleen’s wedding and the impending birth and the good news about Danny and Maddie.

  Her eyes were shining with all the gossip. ‘Och, I just love a good blether with you, Ann.’

  I gazed at her with mischief in my eyes. ‘I’ve left the best till last, Jean.’

  Her eyes sparkled with interest.

  I showed her the ring with its unusual twist of the ruby and the pearl. ‘We’re engaged but it’s a secret at the moment.’

  ‘What do you mean a secret?’

  ‘I don’t want to clash with Maddie’s wedding plans because they’ve just got back together after that awful misunderstanding. And also we’re waiting till Greg gets a shift back to Dundee and that could be a long wait. Plus I’ve got to sort out the problem of Lily. She’ll be living with us after we’re married.’

  Jean sat in silence. After a moment, she said, ‘Well, I wish you both all the best for the future. Now, I’ve got some news as well. I heard a couple of days ago that Miss Hood has died. She’s being buried tomorrow at two o’clock.’

  Miss Hood – my heart sank at the mention of her name as I remembered how miserable she had made my life at the Ferry and how she had even tried to kill me. Now here I was almost bursting into tears at the mention of her death.

  Jean was still speaking. ‘I’m going to the funeral, Ann. Not because I liked her but I think there will be nobody else there.’

  I made up my mind and said, ‘I’ll come with you, Jean.’

  She tried to make me change my mind but I wanted to go – if only to finally lay old ghosts to rest.

  Jean called the waiter over and asked for the bill. We tried hard not to look shocked at the amount and Jean acted like a lady who was used to dealing with bills this size. ‘Just keep the change, son,’ she said.

  I had my back to the door and was putting my coat on when a couple appeared and headed for a table at the far end of the lounge. To my utter surprise, I saw it was Margot. More surprising was the fact that her companion was John Pringle – Dad’s boss. For a moment or two, I was totally confused. What on earth was Margot doing with Mr Pringle in this luxurious place?

  Jean saw my confusion. ‘What’s the matter Ann? If it’s the size of the bill, don’t worry about it. I asked you to come in here.’

  ‘It’s not the bill, Jean. It’s Margot. She’s just come in with Dad’s boss – Maddie’s uncle.’

  By now Jean’s eyes were like saucers. She peered over at the couple but they didn’t notice us. They were too intent with one another.

  Margot was beautifully dressed as usual. She had on the yellow dress she had worn on the day we went to Clepington Road. Over this she was wearing a pale lemon jacket and her dark hair swept forward as she leant towards her companion. It was such an intimate scene.

  Jean whispered, ‘What if she sees you?’

  I had been thinking the same. ‘Oh, let’s get out of here in case she does.’

  But Jean wanted to witness some more. ‘I don’t think she’s seen us because she’s so intent on him.’

  Still, I wasn’t taking any chances and we made our escape. I found to my surprise that I was shaking.

  Jean took my arm. ‘Come on, Ann, I’ll take you home.’

  We sat in the kitchen of my house and had another cup of tea. My head was going around in confused circles and I had been unable to get the scene out of my mind all the way home.

  ‘Are you going to tell your father?’ asked Jean.

  I was shocked. ‘Oh, I can’t do that. I mean maybe they were there for some innocent reason.’

  Jean looked sceptical. ‘Maybe you’re right but they looked really chummy to me, Ann.’

  I had thought the same but what could I do? I made up my mind to get Lily back here as quickly as possible. If Margot was romantically involved with John Pringle then Dad would soon find out and I didn’t want Lily being in the middle of the stramash when it happened.

  ‘Dad will just have to deal with it on his own Jean. I’ve had enough of his nonsense these past few years. He ditched Rosie who would have made him a lovely wife to marry Margot on the spur of the moment and now he’s going to reap what he’s sowed if you ask me.’

  Jean stood up. ‘Good for you! You look after yourself and Lily and let the grown-ups look after themselves. Now I’ll get away but I’ll meet you tomorrow. I’ve booked a taxi so we’ll pick you up here.’ When she saw my face she hurried on. ‘I know it’s an expense, Ann, but it’ll be a much more comfortable journey, especially for you, and again it’s my treat.’

  I watched her leave with a mixture of relief and sadness. The room was very quiet – especially after all my visitors over the past weeks. I missed Greg and Granny and Lily and my thoughts were in turmoil. Although I had sounded brave in front of Jean I knew there was no way I could abandon Dad when he found out about Margot. Would that be sooner rather than later? I also wondered whether I should confide in Granny. On that confusing note I went to lie down for an hour. I still seemed to need this afternoon rest but I knew it wouldn’t last for much longer. I was getting stronger every day.

  I dozed off but a noise from the kitchen woke me up. I lay on the bed wondering if I had imagined it because everything was now quiet. I called out, ‘Is that you Lily?’

  There was no answer but another faint sound like the door slowly closing. I got up and went into the kitchen. It was empty. I must have dreamt it, I thought, remembering the vivid dreams I had during my fever. There was a faint aroma in the room – a perfume. I wrinkled my nose but the smell evaded me. Perhaps it was Jean’s
scent, I thought, until I recalled that she never used any make-up or scent. She had told me years ago that she just used plain soap and water – God’s own beauty treatment, she had called them.

  I looked at the clock. It was almost four o’clock. Would Margot bring Lily to see me today? At half past four I knew she wouldn’t and I made my tea. I felt so forlorn and alone, sitting at my solitary meal. Maybe I should have taken up Granny’s offer to stay at the Overgate. After my tea, I wrote a letter to Greg and one to Minnie then went to bed.

  The taxi arrived the next afternoon and it transported us swiftly to Balgay cemetery. I’d still had two pounds in my purse from the day before which I had taken to pay for our tea but, as Jean had paid the bill at the hotel, I had decided earlier that morning to buy two bunches of flowers – one bunch to put on Miss Hood’s grave as a small gesture from Jean and me and the other to put on Mum’s grave.

  It was another beautiful day and I realised how lovely and peaceful the cemetery was. For some reason, all my previous visits seemed to be during snow or rain showers or, if it was dry, it was always cloudy. This grey depressing weather had coloured my view of the place but today it all looked so calm, peaceful and green and a warm golden haze hung over the weathered headstones.

  Jean had been right in her assumption about how few people would be attending Miss Hood’s burial service. Apart from ourselves, Maddie’s father and the minister, the only people in attendance were two men who looked like they could have come from the hospital that had been Miss Hood’s home for the last few years – ever since the night of Mrs Barrie’s death – and I felt a great sadness at the waste of her life.

  The warm still air made me feel sleepy but, as the minister intoned the sacred words of the burial service, I felt tears stream down my cheeks. Miss Hood who had hated me with an intensity I could never understand was now dead and I was shedding tears at her funeral. Emotion was a strange thing I thought.

  I remembered her little boy and the tragic love affair with her West Indian actor and I was crying for all her lost years with them. As I said to Jean at the time, perhaps, if she hadn’t lost them to the West Indies, her life might have turned out differently.

  Then the service was over and Mr Pringle and the minister came over to thank us both for coming. Mr Pringle looked concerned and said, ‘You should take better care of yourself, Ann. Don’t go running around after everyone so much. No wonder you were ill and I just wish you had mentioned how you were feeling that afternoon to me.’

  I promised to take his advice. Once again I was being told off for looking after Lily. Oh, I know he hadn’t said it outright but I got the impression that he thought my devotion to Lily was bordering on being obsessive. Perhaps I should let go, I thought.

  Back in the taxi, I had an anxious moment wondering what it would cost but Jean seemed unconcerned. It took me straight to the close. Jean stepped out on to the pavement with me while the driver stared into space. ‘Have you heard any more about what we saw yesterday?’ she asked.

  ‘No, Jean, not a word but I’ll keep you in the picture if something does happen.’

  I pulled out my purse to give her my share but she waved my hand away. ‘No, Ann, I said it was my treat. I’ve only got my man and myself to spend my legacy on. You’ve got to bring up your sister so just you hold on to it.’

  On that note, she disappeared back into the vehicle and it set off down the hill and I had the feeling of déjà vu. The last time I had watched a taxi like this was on Dad and Margot’s wedding day.

  As I was climbing the stairs, I suddenly realised I had forgotten to put the flowers on Mum’s grave. Without thinking, I had placed both bunches on Miss Hood’s.

  ‘Well, Miss Hood,’ I said aloud to the walls, ‘that’s a bunch from us and a bunch from Mrs Barrie.’

  Lily didn’t appear that afternoon either and so I made up my mind to be at the school gate one afternoon to see her.

  I started work a few days later and Connie was comical. ‘Do you want a chair to sit on, Ann?’ When I said no thank you, she added, ‘Well, if you get tired, please sit down.’

  I didn’t tell her that, if I sat down, the customers wouldn’t see me behind the huge mound of papers but I was still touched by her concern.

  It was good to be back in the shop. Davie blushed when I thanked him for the flowers and Connie laughed. ‘I’d better watch you two.’

  Then the three girls came in, full of laughs and smiles. ‘Och, it’s great to see you again, Ann. We all missed you and we had to get our sweeties and fags from Connie but it wasn’t the same. We like getting served by a young person.’

  Connie knew they were joking and she pretended to be annoyed. ‘Away you go, you three besoms, or you’ll feel the back of my hand.’

  Oh, yes, it was good to be back.

  At four o’clock, I was at the school gate. There was no sign of Margot as the children came screaming across the playground. I was worried. Had she stopped collecting Lily? I wondered. But there was no sign of Lily either.

  Then I saw Janie and I went over to speak to her.

  ‘Hullo, Ann,’ she said. ‘I told my ma that I thought you were dead.’

  I ignored her childish curiosity. ‘Is Lily not at the school today?’

  She gave me a queer look. ‘Lily doesn’t come to this school any longer, Ann. Did you not know that?’

  I was speechless and as she went to dart away I called her back. ‘Janie, I’ve been ill and I didn’t know that Lily had moved. Where is she now?’

  Janie had to give this a bit of thought. ‘I think it’s the Victoria Road School, Ann – at least that’s what Ma says. She said if you were dead then Lily must have gone to live with her father and stepmother and that’s why she’s changed schools.’

  She was desperate to get home, especially as neither of her parents were at the gate so I let her go. What did this new development mean? Oh, I knew it was a bit further to walk here from Margot’s flat but surely it wasn’t that much further.

  I felt the old tiredness sweep over me and I wished there had been a seat to sit on. Instead I leaned against the wall and watched as the children disappeared in all directions. For a moment, my mind was a blank. I knew I had to do something but what? Then I made up my mind. I would enlist the help of my grandparents.

  They were both at home when I arrived and I was suddenly overcome with a feeling of emotion as I stepped into the room. Grandad was in his chair with his pipe and paper and Granny was sitting chatting to Alice. They all looked pleased when I walked in.

  I had too much to tell them but my first worry was Lily. Any other time, I would have probably waited until Alice had left but I was too tired and concerned to bother about her knowing the problem. ‘Granny, did you know that Lily has been taken out of Rosebank School and put into Victoria Road School?’

  She went white and shook her head, her eyes suddenly fearful. ‘No, Ann, that’s the first I’ve heard of it.’

  ‘Well, she has. Margot hasn’t brought her to visit me for about a week now and I went down to the school this afternoon to see her. Janie, her pal, tells me that I was dead and her father and stepmother had put her into another school. What do you make of that?’

  Granny was beside herself with anger. ‘Did your father or Margot not tell you this, Ann?’

  ‘No, they didn’t and I’m not pleased about it either. As far as I’m concerned they were only looking after her while I was ill but I think it’s time we had her back with us.’

  Granny put on her coat. No matter how warm the weather was, she always wore her coat. ‘Come on – we’re going round to Victoria Road to sort this out.’

  Alice got to her feet. ‘Just make sure you sort out both of them, Nan.’ It was obvious that she still hated Dad.

  We both headed for the flat and, by the time we reached it, I was out of breath. When was I going to feel better?

  Dad opened the door and I was shocked by his thin appearance. He had just finished work by the lo
ok of it and he was still in his dungarees. At first he didn’t seem keen to let us in but the gleam in Granny’s eye made him stand aside.

  Lily was sitting quietly in a chair in the living room. There were no toys or crayons or colouring books lying around. Everything was pristine and neat. Today the jardinière held a mass of mixed flowers and leaves and I noticed there wasn’t a crease in the neat seat cushions.

  Lily saw us and rushed over. She was crying. ‘I want to come home with you and Granny, Ann.’

  Margot rose elegantly from the bed settee. Again leaving no wrinkles on its surface.

  ‘Well you can’t go home with them, Lily. We’re your legal guardians now, your father and I.’

  Granny ignored her. ‘Do you like your new school, Lily?’

  After a fresh bout of tears, Lily said, ‘No, I hate it. I’ve no pals there and I miss Janie and Gladys and Cathie. They were my best pals at Rosebank and I liked the teachers there as well.’

  Margot pulled her away from Granny. ‘Sit over there and be quiet.’

  Granny looked her straight in the eye. ‘We’re taking her away with us. You were only looking after her while Ann was ill.’ She looked at Lily. ‘Get your coat on, lass.’

  Margot immediately burst into a spate of anger. ‘She’ll do no such thing. Johnny, please see your mother and sister out of my house.’

  Dad looked ill but he did as he was told. ‘You had better leave now, Mum – after all, Lily is my responsibility and not Ann’s.’

  We found ourselves on the doorstep with the sound of Lily’s howls following us to the foot of the close. I was beside myself with grief. ‘We have to get her away from that awful woman, Granny. What will we do?’

  ‘I know what I’d like to do but I would get the jail for it!’ she said, looking fierce. ‘Still, there’s nothing we can do, Ann, because she’s right. Lily is your father’s responsibility and, just because he never took it on before, it doesn’t mean he’s lost the right. You get all the bother of bringing her up then along comes madam and she takes over.’