Chapter 39
Chapter Thirty-Nine
‘I remember Maggie at work telling me she always came to Sheffield to buy her children’s school clothes for the September term.
She liked the Marks and Spencer here. They’d catch an early train and make a day of it.
She always made it sound like a lovely place to come.
I often said I’d have a day out shopping in Sheffield.
Now, whenever I think about this city, I’ll think about what I’ve done to my poor boy. ’
Pauline was standing by the window in her hotel room, looking out over the cloudy Steel City.
Leo was sitting on the bed. He’d removed his tie and kicked off his shoes. They’d left the court room in silence, and although he was hungry, he didn’t feel as if he could suggest they go for something to eat. Not after her performance in court.
‘Why did you do it?’ Leo asked.
She turned to him. ‘What?’
‘Why did you say all that to Susan Livesy? She wasn’t a bad girl.’
Pauline wiped her eyes. ‘I didn’t like her. I didn’t like the whole family. She had a sister, Rita, a few years older than her. She certainly put it about, and I could see Susan going the same way. I didn’t want Anthony to…’ She trailed off and returned to looking out of the window.
‘He needed to make his own mistakes though, Pauline. We were all eighteen once. We’ve all done things we regret. It’s part of life.’
‘She would have dropped him as soon as she’d had her fun. That’s what girls like Susan Livesy and her sister are like. And I’d have been left to pick up the pieces.’ She looked over to Leo. ‘You’d have handled it differently, wouldn’t you?’
‘Hindsight is a wonderful thing, isn’t it? Yes, Anthony would have been hurt had Susan dropped him, but you’d have been there to make everything all right. Then he’d have learned from that and moved on.’
Pauline’s bottom lip began to wobble, and more tears fell. ‘I’ve ruined everything, haven’t I?’
‘No. Of course not.’
‘The jury will find him guilty and it’s all my fault for not giving him any freedom. I thought I was doing the right thing, Leo.’
‘You have done the right thing.’
‘I bet he hates me now.’
‘He won’t. Come here.’ Leo stood up and went over to her with his arms open. He pulled her into a tight embrace and comforted her. Her sobs were muffled against his thick jumper.
Leo didn’t want to admit it, but Pauline’s testimony had played into the hands of the prosecution. There was very little left in the trial and the jury would go out to consider their verdict. Leo tried to put himself in their shoes. Would he find Anthony guilty? Very probably.