Dead to Me by Lesley Pearse Page B

that Ruby had told someone about her, as it implied she meant something to her. ‘I really liked her too. I wanted her advice on what I should do; we’ve got some problems at home.’
    The older woman smiled, revealing very badly stained teeth. ‘I don’t think Ruby would ’ave much good advice for a posh girl like you. But come on inside, I’ll make us a cup of tea and maybe I can help you. I’m Maggie Tyrell by the way. And you?’
    ‘Verity Wood.’ Verity shot out her hand to shake the woman’s. ‘I’m delighted to meet you, Mrs Tyrell.’
    ‘Just Maggie will do fine,’ she said with a smile. ‘Ruby was right about you, you are a toff.’
    It was very dark inside the public house and Verity, who had never been in one before, almost gagged on the smell, which she realized must be beer and cigarettes. The back door brought them into a kind of vestibule behind the bar, and beyond that she could see lots of small tables and chairs. The walls were covered in advertising mirrors; they looked very old, as the mirror glass was speckled and tarnished.
    But Maggie led her through to a small room along a narrow corridor. It was an office with piles of papers on adesk and clutter covering almost every surface. Maggie removed a box filled with jars of pickled eggs from a chair and told Verity to sit down.
    ‘I put the kettle on earlier, so it must be nearly boiling now,’ she said. ‘I ’ope you don’t mind being in ’ere, but upstairs is even worse. I never get time to give it a tidy-up.’
    As Maggie disappeared back up the passage, Verity looked around at the piles of paper, boxes, tins, toilet rolls and even a large hank of rope lying on the floor and wondered why they didn’t sort it all out. Her own home was so orderly, she found mess like this disturbing.
    ‘Nice cuppa tea,’ Maggie said as she came back with two earthenware mugs like Miss Parsons gave the gardener his tea in. ‘Now you wanted to know about our Ruby?’
    Verity took the tea; it was very strong and had a few tea leaves floating on the surface, she didn’t think she’d be able to drink it. ‘Yes. I haven’t been well since the day it all happened, so I couldn’t come before.’
    ‘Well, it seems a copper down the nick felt sorry for ’er, on account of ’er ma. ’E got some welfare lady to the court, and what wiv me speakin’ up fer her and that copper, the welfare lady come up wiv the plan to send Ruby down to Devon.’
    ‘To what in Devon?’ Verity was still imagining a prison.
    ‘Well, it sounds like it’s sommat like a children’s ’ome. Only Ruby wrote to me when she got there and said she’s the only kid just now, cos the lady of the ’ouse is too old to cope with little ’uns. It’s by the sea, and she sounded ’appy.’
    ‘I could do with being sent somewhere like that myself,’ Verity blurted out without thinking.
    ‘You! You’ve got the life of Riley, ain’t yer?’
    ‘Maybe I did have, but that’s about to change,’ Verity said hesitantly.
    Maggie looked at her long and hard. ‘Something bad ’appened?’ she asked. ‘You can tell me, if you want. It won’t go beyond these four walls.’
    Verity had been brought up never to talk about family matters to anyone, but this rather slovenly woman had a kind face, and she’d obviously cared about Ruby – and besides, Verity had an overwhelming desire to unburden herself. So she told her about her father, about the house and that she and her mother had to go and live with her Aunt Hazel.
    ‘Well, well, well,’ Maggie said thoughtfully. ‘That is a pretty kettle of fish. I’m sorry for you, ducks, you are as nice as Ruby said you were. But it might be okay at your aunt’s.’
    Verity shook her head. ‘She’s mean, her house is nasty and she’s always been horrid to Mother because she was jealous of her. I’ll have to go to a new school, they’ll laugh at me because I’m posh, and I’m going to hate Lewisham.’
    ‘Well, yer aunt won’t be