Unspoken: A story of secrets, love and revenge T. Belshaw (good books to read for beginners txt) 📖

‘I’d never do that, Alice,’ he said.

‘Never? You attempted it when we were on Sheppey. You came close the night my father died, and don’t even think about denying you were closer still, on Wednesday night.’

‘I wouldn’t have, I was just angry about you and that posh bloke.’

‘Because I gave him a kiss for helping me?’

‘Because I was jealous. I can’t give you the things that he can.’

‘He hasn’t given me anything, Frank. I paid for everything I’ve had from him.’

His eyes narrowed. ‘Paid with… Never mind. The thing is, I’m thinking of leaving in a month or so. There doesn’t seem to be a lot for me here, so I’m going away.’

‘There’s your daughter,’ I reminded him.

‘I know that, but, I mean, well, I can’t take her with me, can I?’

‘No. I don’t suppose you can. But, what about your mother, Frank? Have you told her?’

‘Not yet. I’ve told the lads I’ll be gone soon, though. They didn’t seem to care, either.’

‘I thought they’d taken to you? Still, I suppose you know better than me. When are you leaving and what are you going to do, have you decided yet?’

Frank bridled. ‘You see. You aren’t even attempting to talk me into staying. You don’t care either.’

‘Oh, stop feeling so sorry for yourself, Frank. You know the reasons I won’t miss you. If you had stayed off the drink, things might have worked out, but you’re a different person when you’re under the influence. I got sick of seeing it, day in day out, when my father had his problem.’

‘I’m not feeling sorry for myself. I know what I’ve done.’

I nodded to him. ‘So, what are you going to do?’

He sat at the kitchen table and pulled a scrap pf paper out of his pocket. ‘I’ve applied to join the Merchant Navy. This advertisement was in the paper, yesterday. I’ll get to see the world, have a bit of fun.’

‘Have you told Edna?’

‘Not yet. She’s ill. I didn’t want to upset her.’

‘So, you’re just going to leave without saying anything? Won’t that hurt her more, Frank? What’s wrong with her?’ She had seemed fine when I was giving birth to Martha, though she had been a little quiet.

Frank shrugged. ‘I don’t know, I’m not a doctor, and she’s used to me going back and forth anyway, she’ll be okay with it.’

‘When are you leaving? We’ve got the harvest coming up and I’ll have to get a replacement, if only temporary.’ We did get local men, their wives and even their kids helping out at harvest, but to be an experienced man down would be a bit of a blow.

‘I’ll give you a month’s notice, Alice. I’ll leave at the end of July. That should give you time to find someone else.’

I decided to talk to Barney about it at lunchtime, when he came for his wages. We were fine before Frank came. Maybe we’d be all right without the extra man.

Frank shuffled his feet and looked a little nervous. ‘Will it be all right… I mean, can I still stay here until I leave? I’ll put the camp bed up in the parlour again.’

‘We have to get through the parlour to the bathroom now, Frank, so, put the camp bed up in the room you slept in the other night, but please, don’t even think about coming into my room again. One more episode like that, and you’re out on your ear. I’ll tell Barney and the lads if you try anything.’

‘You won’t wash your dirty washing in front of the workforce,’ he said.

He was right. The gossip about my private life would have reached Sittingbourne by nightfall.

‘I might just surprise you, Frank. The offer of the camp bed is conditional anyway.’ I looked at him sternly to make my point.

‘Don’t worry, I won’t bother you again.’

‘You had better not, Frank. It’s Friday, you’ll be out with the lads tonight, so think on. Don’t even think about coming back here drunk. You won’t get in. The door will be locked and double bolted. Stay at your mother’s if you’re going to the pub.’

Frank looked as though he was going to argue, but in the end, he bit his tongue. He picked up his torn-out advertisement from the table and walked slowly out into the yard.

When he had returned to the fields, I searched the entire house to see if I could find any hidden bottles of whisky, but found nothing. Either my father had some truly imaginative places to hide the stuff, or I had found them all.

Frank didn’t come back that night, and I didn’t see him until lunchtime on Saturday. Miriam and I were chatting in the kitchen about her date that afternoon, when he knocked on the back door, and stepped in.

‘Alice, Miriam.’

‘Hello, Frank,’ replied Miriam, who hadn’t forgiven him for waking up Martha on Wednesday night. She had dealt with a brutal, drunken, husband and knew how quickly the abuse could escalate.

‘I’d like a word with Alice, in private,’ he stated, calmly.

Miriam looked at me questioningly, I nodded, and she went into the front room. ‘I’m just through here,’ she said.

Frank pulled out a chair and sat opposite me, across the kitchen table.

‘I need a favour,’ he said.

‘I’m listening, Frank.’

‘I telephoned the recruitment people for the Merchant Navy this morning, from the call box near The Old Bull. There are vacancies all over the country. There’s a ship leaving from Hull in the next few days that is short on crew, and as I’ve had a bit of experience, they’ll take me on. The first voyage is to Spain, then on to Tangiers via Gibraltar. I’ll be gone about six weeks.’

‘That’s good news, if that’s what you want, Frank. What’s the favour?’

‘There are two, actually. Firstly, could you lend me a few quid. I know I got paid yesterday, but I need train fare to Hull, then at least one night in a hotel and I’ll need