Page 43

BEFORE

June 1980

Sally

Elite, Wandsworth, London

A crash echoed through the salon as Nicola’s new apprentice, Andrea, dropped a gallon of shampoo onto the floor, sending a pile of newly folded towels in their wake.

‘That girl will be the death of me,’ Nicola muttered as she placed Sally’s hair into rollers. ‘Can I persuade you to come back? Please. For my sanity, if nothing else.’

There had been many moments over the past few months when Sally wished she hadn’t resigned from her job here. But Ian was adamant that his wife should be at home, as his mother had been for his father before him. At first it had been a novelty as she turned their new house into a home.

Ian had surprised her shortly before their wedding with the keys to a three-bedroom detached home in a new estate in Harrow. She spent her days cleaning the house from top to bottom each day. Plumping the pillows just so. Polishing the floor till it shone. And making delicious meals for Ian, ready for his return each evening.

But lately the novelty of living in a home that she had dreamed of as a child and young woman had waned. She’d begun to feel bored and constricted. There wasn’t time to think about that now, as a wave of nausea rushed over her. Sally placed a hand to her mouth.

‘You’ve gone as white as a ghost,’ Nicola said, her forehead wrinkled in a frown. She walked into the back office and returned a few moments later with a glass of water. ‘Here, drink this.’

The water helped, and the nausea subsided. ‘I’m afraid I wouldn’t be much use to you right now anyway,’ Sally admitted as another crash echoed through the salon. ‘You see, I’m—’

‘Up the duff!’ Nicola squealed, finishing her sentence for her. ‘Oh my days, I’m so happy for you.’

Sally reached for her friend’s hand over her shoulder, to squeeze it, looking at her in the mirror before her. ‘I’ve wanted a family of my own for as long as I can remember. And it’s finally happened.’ She placed her other hand protectively over her non-existent bump. ‘I’ve never loved someone so much in my life. I will do everything I can to keep this little one safe.’

‘Course you will. That’s a mother’s love right there. This is the best news I’ve heard in a long time.’

‘When I think about that day I came here begging for a job . . .’

‘I’ll thank the stars I said yes that day. You’re like my own daughter now, Sally. I don’t have a family, so having you in my life has been such a blessing for me.’ Nicola placed her hand over Sally’s on her stomach and promised, ‘Aunty Nicola is going to spoil this little one so much.’

Sally felt her heart constrict with love for her friend. ‘I hope that maybe you might be this little one’s godmother.’

‘Well, that would be my honour, love. But you’ll have to get his lordship’s approval first. You know what Ian’s like. He likes to be the one to make all the decisions.’

Sally was sure she saw a hardening in Nicola’s eyes as she mentioned Ian, and her friend’s words stung her. Was Nicola intimating that Sally didn’t have a voice of her own, that she was under Ian’s beck and call? That wasn’t true, was it? Yes, he did like things his way, but he was so good to her.

But what about that little voice that niggled her every week when Ian handed over her housekeeping money. She had no control over their finances. He insisted on paying all bills and the mortgage. And when Sally had expressed an interest in sharing this role, he’d smiled indulgently, telling her she shouldn’t worry about such matters. And when she’d pushed it, enquiring about their savings, he’d got angry. Accused her of not trusting him. She’d ended up apologising to him, and balance had been restored. But the memory of that still irked her a little.

She wouldn’t tell Nicola this, though. She’d made her vows, and loyalty to her spouse was part of that.

Instead, Sally said firmly, ‘Ian will want what I want. And I can’t think of a better person to be the godmother than you.’

Nicola smiled placatingly, and Sally couldn’t help but think her friend didn’t buy her protestations. She decided to change the subject.

‘How’s Elsie doing? I haven’t managed to see her for a little while. Is she all right?’

‘She’s back on again with Reggie,’ Nicola said.

The two women rolled their eyes in unison. Elsie’s on-off relationship with Reggie had worn thin with them both at this stage. No sooner would they dry their friend’s tears, than she’d be back in his arms again. Then he’d disappear for weeks on end, on the run from the Old Bill, for some trouble he’d got himself caught up in.

‘I worry about Elsie,’ Nicola admitted. ‘She always looks on the edge of –’ she wrinkled her nose as she searched for a word – ‘chaos.’

This surprised Sally. She didn’t see Elsie that way at all. Her friend was the strong one. But, unfortunately, Nicola wasn’t the only one who doubted Elsie.

‘Ian has concerns about her too.’

‘Go on,’ Nicola urged, leaning in for the gossip.

‘You know that Reggie was in prison for forging banknotes when he was twenty. Elsie swears she already knew this, when I told her. But I wonder if she did. And Reggie runs favours for some of London’s heavyweights. Not to mention the scams he’s always got on the go. Last week, Ian said that he’s now a suspect in an armed raid.’

‘Oh my days, that’s not good, but Reggie always wriggles his way out of trouble, doesn’t he? I can’t help but like Reggie, though. He’s a decent sort.’

Sally agreed. ‘I’ve grown fond of him too over the years. I have no issue with him, as long as he treats Elsie well. But hearing about armed raids . . . well, that’s a different matter.’

‘Well, all you can do is advise Elsie to take care of herself.’

Sally sighed. ‘I’ll try. The thing is, Ian wants me to keep my distance from Elsie and Reggie. Especially now, with the baby on the way . . .’

‘But Elsie is your best friend, love. How can you keep away from her?’

Sally shrugged. For that, she had no answer.