Chapter 31

The lunch with Rita Pinkley later on was fun. There was a lot of laughter and Rita enquired after all her models. She had thought Nell looked enchanting at her wedding. Business was discussed though and Rita was thrilled that there would be a local outpost of Damsels.

"First of all," began Becca, "we're not on the scrounge for vans or anything."

Rita grinned.

"Where do you think we should base ourselves?" Becca went on. "We'll be looking for a large house like we have at the moment: five or six bedrooms and three recep and a garage."

"Difficult to say but probably either side of the Manchester Road would be the best place to look. Have you found an estate agent?"

"No that was my next question."

Rita gave her the names of three. "There are plenty of others," she said, "but those are the ones I'd start with."

"Oh crumbs!" said Becca suddenly turning to Anita. "You're going to have to learn to drive, love."

"I have done," said Anita. "Terry made me."

"Whew! That's a relief."

"Becca love," said Rita, "I hate to be a killjoy, but when are all these girls going to arrive and how many are there?"

Becca stared at her and then looked crestfallen. "I've let my enthusiasm run away with me," she said. "Two in June and July, one in August and then one in November and one in December."

"So even with Anita you're not going to really have a working team until August and three of them will be novices."

"Yes but we'll take in some school leavers."

"Not before the middle or end of July you won't and they'll be novices too."

Becca nodded. "I hadn't thought it through," she admitted ruefully.

"Tell you what," said Anita, "Why don't you take Tania and Mandy to your end and bring them back in August just before Chloe arrives? We'll interview school leavers in July for three to start when Tania and Mandy come back. That way we'll have two trained girls and four novices. Those four can learn the business redecorating the house while I keep an eye on them and do any estimates that come up."

"That's a great idea." Becca looked thoughtful. "We might go one further. I'll ask whether three or four of our present girls would like a break until Christmas at Huddersfield. That way we wouldn't need to hire school leavers yet and we could get all five girls used to our way of life."

Rita chuckled. "Indoctrination," she said.

"Dead right," replied Becca with a smile.

They visited the three estate agents that afternoon. None had anything suitable but they left Anita's address and telephone number.

In May Becca and Steven found a house they liked. It was a bit further away from the Damsels than Becca would have liked but it was just what they wanted with five bedrooms, two bathrooms, one being en suite, a big sitting room with a French window that opened onto the garden, a good-sized dining room and a study. The kitchen was large and had a breakfast area with a utility room leading to the back door. It also had a double garage. The garden was about three-quarters of an acre largely laid to lawn and childproof.

The house was in good shape having been well looked after by the previous owners who were moving to somewhere smaller. Nevertheless, Becca wanted to change some of the decoration which of course the Damsels did. Becca herself did the estimate because she was pretty certain that if one of the girls did it they would knock something off the price. It was done at no profit though.

They moved in in early June and felt at home immediately. Garry was thrilled to have a double room. He had never known such space.

About a fortnight after they moved in a woman from the prison welfare service called to see Garry. She told him that his father had cancer and only weeks to live. He had been transferred from prison to the infirmary to die in care. He had expressed a wish to see Garry before he died. Garry heard her out, thanked but said nothing more. She left her card.

Polly had come over after work and was staying for dinner. She found Garry sitting with a cross yet puzzled look on his face. She sat down beside him, kissed his cheek and then waited for him to tell her what he wanted when he wanted. He put an arm round her but remained silent for several more minutes.

"Why?" he said at length. He told her what the welfare woman had said. "He knows I hate him for what he did to my mother and me. He knows that's why I've never visited him. Why does he suddenly decide he wants to see me?

"Perhaps he wants to say sorry."

Garry snorted. "He's been inside for five years that's more than long enough to decide he wants to say sorry. He could have written if he wanted to. He knew I was in the home."

"Yes, darling, but possibly he felt he ought to wait until you reckoned he had been punished enough but now he's dying he's got to do it now."

"He'd never be punished enough. Three years ago all I wanted was to be around so that when he came out I could beat the living daylights out of him but Becca persuaded me not to."

"So why not go one further and let him say sorry now?" she asked him softly.

"Because he bloody well doesn't deserve it."

Polly said nothing and there was silence. It started to drag on Garry.

"You don't agree with me."

"No, Garry, my darling." Another pause. "Because it doesn't do you any good to store up such bitterness and hatred."

"Have you ever tried to find your mother?"

"No, darling but I never hated her. Despite being useless she loved me and I loved her. I've no idea where to start and she's probably drunk herself to death by now."

There was another long silence as Garry pondered Polly's remark about storing up bitterness and hatred. Becca owed no one except Uncle Steven anything and yet she radiated love for people, particularly unhappy ones like him. If she had not shown him that love and rescued him from his bitterness and mistrust of others he would never have become friends with Polly. He would never have been able to fall in love with her. A sob escaped him and he pulled her to him. Her arms went round him. She said nothing but put all her love for him into that hug.

"You and Becca are the same," he said softly. "You both give so much love that it rubs off on other people. I'll go and see him."

Polly's head came up and she beamed at him. "That's the man I love."

"On one condition: that you come with me."

She nodded.

"I'm not saying I'm going to forgive him or anything."

"No, darling, I understand." She kissed him on the tip of the nose. "Stubborn old mule."