“I sometimes think that woman is a lost cause,” Dorothy muttered. “Sorry, go on.”
“Well, I had nowhere to go but the Graingers’. They were away for Christmas, so I had the house to myself for a while. It gave me time to think and I remembered what everyone had told me about Jos, and what she must’ve been feeling. So I decided I would go back and talk to her, try to be more understanding.”
“Which is really more than she deserves, if you ask me.”
“Well, I’m afraid I love her.”
“I can see that, darling. I could see it all day, yesterday. She’s bloody lucky too.” Dorothy smiled. “So what happened?”
“I didn’t get to see Jos. I was about to go out when Lilian and James got home. I don’t think Lilian had a very happy time with their family and she was in a strange mood. She stormed off upstairs and left me with James. I honestly don’t know what came over him but he chose that moment to propose marriage to me.”
“With no warning at all?” Dorothy looked honestly surprised.
“No. I had a hint that he liked me—he’d suggested we go to the pictures or for a walk in the park—but I didn’t expect him to propose out of the blue.” Evelyn was still confused by James’s actions now. “Of course, I said no, but he wouldn’t believe me. So eventually I told him that I’d been engaged before, in West Coombe, so it wasn’t that I was scared of being engaged, and that there was actually someone else that I love. I didn’t say who.”
“I bet that went down very well.”
“He was so furious, Dorothy.” Evelyn felt a little frightened just seeing his face. “He told me to get out of his house. I have no doubt Lilian was listening from upstairs too and she did nothing.”
“What’s gone wrong between you and Lilian, darling? I know she’s a perfect idiot, but for something like this to happen…”
Dorothy’s interest seemed earnest rather than an attempt to gather gossip. Evelyn decided to tell her the whole truth. “I think it’s more than one thing. Like you said, she thinks I’m involved with Vernon. She saw me at the cafe with him when I was actually looking for Jos. Of course, she wouldn’t think I was with Jos—her mind is too narrow for that—so she guessed I had a thing with Vernon. When I told James that I loved someone else, I think her mind went straight to Vernon. It’s not just that though. I happened to go into her room when she was injecting herself with cocaine. I know it was cocaine, I’ve read about it in the papers. She said it was medicine to begin with but then she didn’t deny it, she just swore me to secrecy. I made my disapproval clear and she didn’t like it. She’s not really been the same since then.”
“Oh, my Lord,” Dorothy said. “I half thought she was on the stuff, she seemed so bright and full of energy all the time, even when her eyes were tired. But I didn’t think she’d be brave enough to go out and get it. It explains a lot, really.”
Evelyn told her the rest, about the slap and Lilian’s lies.
Dorothy shook her head. “Vernon said he tried to talk sense into Lilian, but she informed him it was over between them and then stormed off. Somehow, I don’t think he’s devastated.” Dorothy allowed a small smile. “But I’m so sorry, Evie. You didn’t deserve to be treated that way. I’m not going to say you handled it all perfectly, but who would?”
“I’m not worried about Lilian, although I don’t want her to think I used her brother’s death to prey on her kindness. I’m more concerned that all of my belongings are in her house. It’s Jos I’m really worried about.” Evelyn hoped Dorothy would help her, somehow.
“I know, Evie. And I’m sorry she’s so bloody stupid. She’s been the same for years, never manages to hold on to something good. But I don’t think she meant this to happen. She was different yesterday. She loves you, all right.” Dorothy patted Evelyn’s arm.
Evelyn tried to smile, despite the tears that threatened. “I don’t know where she is.”
“She’ll be in a nameless public house where no one knows her, drinking as much whisky as she can afford. It’s always how she deals with her own distresss. And no, there’s no hope of finding her until morning, when she’ll crawl home. I will help you, then. For now, you’d be best to sleep.”
“What about all of my things, at Lilian and James’s house?” Evelyn asked.
“I will go and fetch them in the morning, myself. Or summon the assistance of Clara and Courtney or someone else helpful who isn’t at all afraid of Miss Idiot Grainger.”
“Thank you, Dorothy,” Evelyn said.
“No problem at all, sweetheart. You go through to bed now. I’m going to go back to the Orchid and let Vernon know all’s well. He’s uncharacteristically concerned.”
“That’s nice of him.”
“Yes. Well, I’ll put his mind at ease and then come back. So if you hear the door being unlocked, it’s only me. Goodnight, try to rest.”
Evelyn did as she was told, going through to the Dorothy’s spare bedroom. The mattress was rather soft and badly sprung but Dorothy had put a warming bottle between the sheets and the warmth was soothing. Despite a racing mind and an aching heart, Evelyn fell asleep, exhausted.
*
Jos slumped in her chair in the corner of The King’s Arms in Shoreditch. The interior of the public house was a far cry from the modernity of the Yellow Orchid. Here, the dark wood fittings were of the last century, the paint on
