Elm Tree Road by Anna Jacobs

terrified. ‘Are you going to hit the baby next? You could really do some damage to someone so small.’
    She pulled herself to her feet and looked into the mirror. ‘I’ll have a black eye tomorrow. Everyone will know you’re a wife beater.’
    He stared at her in shock. Clearly this aspect hadn’t occurred to him.
    ‘And if they ask me how I hurt myself, I’ll tell them. I’ll say you hit me because I wanted to have my sister to stay.’
    ‘All right, damn you, you can have her to stay – as long as she pays her way and you don’t say anything about that bruise.’
    She shrugged. ‘I won’t say anything. And I’ll have to ask Renie to help out, because there’s nothing spare in what you give me each week.’
    But she took secret satisfaction in the thought that everyone would know he’d hit her, whether she admitted it or not. Their neighbours knew everything in the court, yes, and so did the members of the chapel congregation.
    No one said anything next time she went out, but theylooked at her. Oh, yes, they looked. She tilted her chin and stared back defiantly at the world.
    Only Mrs Garrett dared to say anything. ‘Did he hit you?’
    ‘I promised him I’d not talk about it.’
    ‘He did hit you.’
    She shrugged.
     
    Mrs Rayner surprised her by stopping her in the street the next day. Nell knew her husband’s employer’s wife by sight from chapel, but had never had much to do with her.
    ‘I’ve told my Don to have a word with your Cliff about hitting you,’ the older woman said bluntly.
    Nell looked at her in dismay. ‘Oh, no! He’ll think I told you and he’ll be even angrier.’
    ‘You need to fight back, lass.’
    ‘I am doing. I’d already told him if he hit me I’d hit him back when he’s asleep. But this time,’ tears came into her eyes, ‘I got him to let me have my sister to stay with me. So it was worth it. If your husband speaks to him, he’ll change his mind again and say she can’t come.’
    Mrs Rayner looked at her sympathetically. ‘Your Cliff’s good at his job, earns a decent living, but I hear he drinks.’
    Nell sighed. ‘All the men who live near us drink. He doesn’t come home drunk, though, so he can’t be drinking that much.’
    ‘I’ll make sure your sister still comes to stay.’ Mrs Rayner turned and walked briskly away.
    How could she make sure of that? Nell wondered as she walked slowly home, pushing Sarah and wishing the littlepram worked better. It always tried to pull to the right.
    She waited anxiously for Cliff to finish work and come back, sure he’d be in a bad mood. She had the rolling pin nearby to defend herself with.
    Sure enough, he burst into the house and greeted her with, ‘You broke your promise. You told people.’
    ‘I didn’t say a word.’
    ‘I don’t believe you.’
    ‘They guessed. You can’t hide a bruise like this.’ She slammed her hand down on the Bible. He knew she wouldn’t tell lies when she did that. ‘I swear I didn’t say anything.’
    He was staring at her as if she was a total stranger and suddenly she couldn’t bear it. ‘Cliff, can’t we start again, try to get on better? We used to talk, be friends.’
    ‘A man doesn’t talk to his wife. He talks to his mates at the pub.’ He sighed and sat down at the table, surprising her by saying, ‘I’m sorry I hit you, though. I am … really.’
    She sat down opposite him, not knowing what to say.
    He looked across the table at her. ‘It’s all gone wrong since we came here. I miss Swindon. I miss the railway works. I miss my family. We’d be going on the annual works trip if we’d stayed there. I always used to enjoy the employees’ outing.’
    ‘We could go on our own trip here. It’s not expensive to go on an excursion to Blackpool.’
    ‘It’s not the same. Nothing’s the same.’ He looked across at the stove. ‘Is that pan burning?’
    ‘Oh, no!’ She jumped to her feet and ran across to save her stew. When she turned round, Cliff was