Trust Me by Lesley Pearse Page B

you help wif the Welfare?’
    ‘How do you mean, getting extra money for the children?’
    ‘No, I can sort that out meself. I’m scared they’ll take the kids away from me. Could you put in a good word?’
    ‘I’ll do my best,’ Susan said. She could see for herself that this house with its gas lighting and lack of bathroom wouldn’t be considered ideal. But it was Mrs Taylor’s age which was the real problem, and the fact that Reg wouldn’t be tried for some weeks yet. ‘I’m sure I can convince them it’s better for the children to stay with you at least till the trial. But I can’t make any promises further than that.’
    She meant if he got life, or worse still was hanged. But she couldn’t say that.
    ‘PC Hewitt said that the coroner said Anne’s injuries were consistent wif a bad fall and ‘itting ‘er ‘ead on the wall at the bottom of the stairs,’ Maud said, her eyes filling up with tears. ‘But even if they didn’t find no other injuries, like she’d been given a pasting by Reg, there was still the fingermarks on ‘er neck, and the coroner couldn’t say if she were pushed, thrown or just tripped and fell.’
    Susan reached out and patted her arm. ‘I know he didn’t push her or throw her,’ she said firmly. ‘He thought too much of his children to do that, however angry he was with Anne. We have to trust the lawyers to make the jury see that.’
    ‘But everything’s stacked against ‘im,’ Maud said sorrowfully. ‘Anne were a cow, she were carryin’ on wif someone, she taunted ‘im she were going to take the kids away from ‘im. ‘E even looks like a thug. ‘Ow the ‘ell can we get round that?’
    ‘I have every faith in British justice,’ Susan said more firmly than she felt. ‘I shall speak up for him if I’m given the chance.’
    Maud smiled. ‘Gawd, I feel better for you comin’ round.’
    Dulcie accompanied Susan down to the High Street later on. May had returned to her skipping game. Over tea and fruit cake, it had been decided that they were Susan and Maud now. Maud had spoken of her apprehension about the funeral on Monday – she had no wish to go herself and she didn’t feel the girls should be put through it either. But Anne’s uncle who lived out at Crayford was arranging and paying for it, and as he was sending a car over for them she supposed there was no way out of it. Maud had explained briefly how this same uncle had inherited Anne’s father’s money, and Susan felt that he might be trying to make amends, and also that it could be beneficial to the girls in the long run to meet their great-uncle.
    ‘Daddy never let us play in the street,’ Dulcie said suddenly. ‘Do you think I should tell Granny that so she stops us?’
    Susan felt as if her heart was being squeezed. It was too bad that this little girl felt she’d got to try and hold on to all her father’s old standards, on top of everything else she had to cope with.
    ‘I think you and May will be happier if you can play outside,’ she said carefully. ‘Granny’s house is very small after all, and she’s a bit old for little girls running around making a lot of noise. But maybe you should speak to Granny about it and make rules, like not going beyond your street. That’s what grown-ups call a compromise.’
    ‘Daddy hated living in Deptford,’ Dulcie said, looking up at Susan. ‘He must be really worried because we’re here now.’
    ‘No, he won’t be. He knows you are safe and well looked after with Granny. So don’t worry about that, Dulcie. What he’d want you to do is to try and like your new school, keep up your reading and carry on taking care of May the way you always used to. Do you think you can do that?’
    ‘Yes, miss,’ Dulcie said. ‘But what’s going to happen to Daddy?’
    ‘Why don’t you call me Susan now?’ the teacher said as she thought how to answer the question. ‘I can’t tell you what the outcome of your daddy’s trial will be, no one could.