Thanks for all your reviews and it seemed like people were happy that Anna and John finally got it together. But where there is happiness, Vera is not far behind. This chapter is a bit long by my standards. Vera is the star here and if you find her a bit nutty, neurotic and irrational, it is because she is meant to be. As always, reviews are welcome. Finally thanks to ephoard for all her help and excellent editing.
I just wanted to get back to London, but the damn train was late. Now that John knew that I knew where he was, he wouldn't be at peace. He should've known he couldn't escape. But I had this nagging feeling. Something wasn't right. He was nervous, right edgy. Normally my presence makes him angry, not nervous. Something was up. He wasn't welcoming, but that's nothing new. You'd think a man would treat his wife of so many years with some consideration. And that old hag, you'd have thought she was his gatekeeper. Tried to keep me away, she did. Reminded me of his mother, she did. That old woman didn't treat me right either. I was never good enough for her precious boy. If only she could be here now and see me ruling her house! I'll suck the last penny out of him, I will. He'll never be rid of me. He doesn't get away that easily. What does that floozy see in him? I know he worships her. When he came back to London with me, I knew she'd got him right and proper. All choked up and honourable he was. He loved her, whatever that meant. Made me sick. His mam had liked her too. She was her type, all worthy and pure, good enough for her boy. But I knew she wasn't as innocent as she looked. That girl didn't know who she was tangling with. I got Johnny boy to ditch her before, and I'll do it again.
It hit me so hard I stopped in my tracks. How could I have been so stupid? It was as clear as daylight. How had I missed it? That girl was more wily than I'd thought. No wonder he'd come running back to Yorkshire. Now it all made sense. She was there, hiding in his rooms. He was passing her off as his wife to that old hag and God knows who else. How dare he? Did they have no shame? , Mr. Honourable, he had no respect for his wedding vows! No wonder he couldn't wait to seeme out. And I didn't see it! But he won't get rid of Vera Mildred Bates that easily. We have a lot of history behind us, John Bates and me. I thought I was marrying a man of prospects, but he turned out to be just a drunk. I was reduced to a life of poverty and stealing. Just because his life has improved now he thinks he can discard me like a used dishcloth. I demand to be treated in the manner as befits his wife! Nobody treats me like dirt. John Bates will be sorry he ever met me.
Just then the train arrived, but I decided I still had business up here. I took the coach back to Kirby Moorside and headed to his rooms. I'd wait outside until they appeared and confront them. Looking around though there was no place to wait, and I would not hide behind a tree. For all I knew that old hag would be keeping watch from her windows and alert them.
I hadn't eaten a crumb since morning. That wretched man hadn't offered me so much as a glass of water. I turned around and saw that the road led to the market square. There were a few shops, a pub, and a large and busy eating house. As soon as I walked in the eating house, all the farmers and merchants looked at me as though they'd never seen a well-dressed woman before. If I wasn't so busy, I could've had a bit of fun. But something told me I'd be visiting John often. Maybe next time. I smiled at one who knew enough to tip his hat at me. After my sandwich and tea and I decided to walk around the town, such as it was. Just two streets and the market square. On my way back to the square, I saw him, them. There he was, all smiles, and her holding his arm like she owned it. I quickly retreated to the edge of the road, but they were so immersed in each other, I don't think he would have noticed me if I'd walked straight past them. They entered the eating house. I could wait.
I'd been waiting for almost an hour. They were still in there. If only I'd taken longer, we could do this in public. All the folk walking past stared at me like they had never seen an elegant lady before. Just as I was about to enter the eating house, the lovelies emerged, still arm in arm. They headed towards a wooded area. I followed them at a distance, quietly and carefully. I could hear them laughing away all wrapped up in their little world. She could chat with him and hold his arm, but she'll never have him. He is far to honourable for his own good. Honour is all he cares about: the honour of his precious Lord Grantham, that tart, Lady Mary and the reputation of his virginal Anna. In minutes I was able to threaten their honour and get him to do my bidding before. A single word uttered against his darling Anna, he'll come limping back to me again.
I could hear their voices getting closer. He was talking to her about poetry. God help her. Who is bothered about discussing daffodils or is it tulips. I was beyond caring. When we were first married, I tried to act interested in his books and poetry, but I was bored to tears. One day I told him to shut up. That was the beginning of the end. Johnny always had ideas above his station. Sure he was a good servant and knew his place, but he reads too much. It is not much fun either. It was probably his mother who got him into all this, and she was no fun either.
They stopped to sit on a bench. I guess that gammy leg finally caught up with him. You'd think she'd want man who could walk properly. She was sitting far too close to him, big doey eyes full of devotion. Yes, she was a fast one, she knew how to win him over. He never wanted to sit with me, yet here he was, worshipping her. After the first few months of our marriage, he could barely bring himself to touch me, much less talk or walk with me in public. It wasn't much different behind closed doors either.
Thenhe went to Africa, leaving me all alone and near penniless. Even after he returned, things weren't much different, except his temper showed itself more often. He was useless then, a cripple, good for nothing. I'd wasted my youth on him, I had. But I had my own life and he was neither willing nor capable of satisfying me. He still acted like he was too good for me, but he was just a drunk cuckold who I conned into going to prison.. He probably thought he went to prison for me. But no, he went to prison for himself, for his honour and to get away from me. I hoped that was the end of him. I hoped he'd sink deeper into the bottle and never come back.
But he'd managed to surprise me. He became a respectable man, a valet to an Earl. There he was all well dressed, giving himself airs, almost a gentleman himself. I had heard about his new luck, and went to his mother's to see for myself. I was almost impressed. Once I would've been content with the money he offered me, but he was happy now. That would never do. If he couldn't be happy with me, he can't be happy with her. I knew how to get to him. My old friend, honour, came good again. John liked to suffer and I liked to see him suffer. He'd come into some money, and as his wife, it was my right to spend it. I'd suffered for years being married to him. He'd never appreciated me. He needed to pay the price for his indifference. So I played my hand and he came back with me to London. Away from Downton, I thought he'd forget her, but no, he was hooked good and proper. It was like living with a corpse, but one that got in my way. But at least he was unhappy. I had friends, men friends, and I had my needs. I didn't really want him, but I could not let him enjoy a life with her either. He wanted a divorce; I was happy to let him think he could get one.
He couldn't take his eyes off her. It would be so delicious to wreck their little world again. There he was, all attentive, nodding and smiling at everything she said. It was revolting. He tucked back a strand of her hair that had come loose. He pulled her closer to him, his hands softly stroking her cheek. She placed one hand over his and slowly moved his palm across her lips, kissing and lightly nibbling on his fingers. There was nothing chaste about that. I wondered. Surely they hadn't. No, he wouldn't sully her honour. He wanted to marry her, not make her his mistress. He had that look in his eyes. I could remember it from long ago. He moved towards her and kissed her on the lips. Did they have no shame?
I'd had enough of this watching and waiting. As I strode towards the bench I could see the horror in his eyes. He quickly pulled away from her, but she held on to his hands. Insolent slut.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" I smiled at them. "I would never have imagined that my dear, perfect Batesy would lead a young girl astray." I enjoyed watching their faces.
"What do you want, Vera?" he composed himself. "I have nothing more to say to you."
"Well, I do, to both of you." I looked at her. "Don't you have any shame, you hussy, wrecking my marriage and stealing my husband?"
She was made of sterner stuff than I thought. She didn't flinch. "He's your husband in name only," she retorted. "And not for very long either."
"Keep hoping, missy. You'll never have him. I'll never agree to a divorce," I shot back triumphantly.
But she kept her nerve, the bitch. "We're already together in every possible way, whether you like it or not." The tart actually stroked his arm and smiled. And then I knew for certain that he'd had her. That old devil, no wonder he was so besotted with her.
"You'll never be able to marry him. When I tell Lady Grantham about your tricks, she'll turn you out faster than you can blink."
But she continued to look straight at me. This girl was turning out to be a worthy foe.
"You can do what you like. We're going to Australia to start a new life. My uncle lives there and he's agreed to help us start over. No one there will care whether we're married or not."
I looked at John, but he face was as unreadable as ever. This wasn't good. I didn't know how I could stop them.
Then I saw the chain on her neck and the ring on her finger. It was the gold and pearl set which had been in his family for years. By right it should have been mine when we married, but the old hag kept it. And now he'd given it to her! There she was with my husband on her arm and my jewellery around her neck. I couldn't bear it.
"Get packing and get out of his mother's house," she barked at me.
That did it. She had some nerve, ordering me. "How dare you?" I charged at her and tried to yank the chain away from her neck. She tried to fight me off but I was too strong for her. Before I realised it, John stepped in front of her and pulled away my hand. I noted with satisfaction that I'd left a red welt on her neck. A dark look, that I recognised from days past, clouded his face.
"Don't you lay a finger on her," he said through clenched teeth.
"Let go," I cried and tried to free myself from his iron grip. "Once I show these marks to the police, they'll put you in again!" That did the trick.
He recovered his calm as he stepped back to stand next to her. She took his arm and he softly brushed at her neck with concern. Unfortunately, the redness was fading. Hey, I am the one with the nearly broken wrist here. They did not care about me. He turned back to me with a look of pure contempt.
"You have no choice, Vera. You can either agree to a divorce or be destitute and in prison," he informed me calmly.
I was surprised by this. "Is that so? And how do you intend to make those things come about? You can't make me do what I don't want to?" I laughed.
But he continued to look at me coolly with a strange confidence. "Let's see then," he drew it out, "you remember Topsy the spiv, don't you?"
I didn't like where this was going. Not one bit. "I don't know anything or anyone," I blurted out.
"Come, come don't be so coy. You must remember tipsy Topsy, gangly chap with red hair, your one- time lover and partner in crime." John's smile had a gleam I didn't like.
"So what, he's got nothing to do with me now," I countered.
That smiled really bothered me. "That's not what he would say. He is currently enjoying the hospitality of His Majesty, at Wormwood Scrubs. He had some interesting tales to tell."
I didn't want to give anything away. Best find out how much he knows. I should never have relied on Topsy. He never could hold his tongue. He sneered at me, "Give up this pretence, Vera."
"Old habits die hard, don't they Vera? I found your stash of stolen goods hidden in the attic. Everytime I looked there was a bit less left. I mentioned it to my lawyer in passing. Turns out he's well worth his exorbitant rates." He was positively grinning now. He was enjoying this. I had to find out how much he knew before I said anything. I couldn't risk giving myself away, not now. Too much was at stake now.
"There was a major robbery at the home of Lady Susan Flinstshire. A robber gained access through a back door left accidently open near the servants' quarters. Family heirlooms and silver were taken. He must have had help on the inside,"
He looked at me with an amused smile. "But why am I telling you all this? You must already know it. After all, weren't you employed as a maid in the Flinstshire household? Surely you must have an idea who helped."
"You can't prove anything. There's no evidence left in my house and Topsy is a real man, he won't give me away!" I was mortified. He'd tricked me into saying it.
"Not your house, my dear, it's my house, and you best be out of there soon," he replied harshly.
"As for your Topsy, it is so touching to see your faith in him. He had very little choice. My lawyer has statements from him and your pawnbroker at Deptford. Once he passes those on to the police, it will only be a matter of time before they connect the dots. Topsy will fold sooner than you imagine; prison is not a pleasant place for a weak alcoholic."
He had me where he wanted, the brute. I couldn't believe it. I could have been half way to London by now.
"Topsy has always had itchy fingers . He was caught red handed breaking into a jeweller's in Bow Street. They found him drunk and stuck in the window," he guffawed. "He will probably get a few months for that. But once they find out about the Flintshire robbery, he is looking at years inside. However, if he confesses before he is charged to that robbery, he could be out sooner. They will want to know about his accomplice," he looked at me pointedly and I knew the game was over.
"It all points at you, Vera. And this investigation will uncover everything. All your old schemes and sordid affairs will come out. You haven't been as careful as you think. No judge will deny me a divorce. Be ready for a long spell behind bars."
Where did this John come from? He always tried to ignore my activities. He must have known it for a while. Why didn't he threaten me with this earlier? He always had this queer sense of honour and fairplay and would not use any underhand methods. That was until this hussy came along. Now he would stoop to anything to be with her, I shook my head, he was lost to me now.
She appeared to be just as surprised. She looked at him and smiled, "Why didn't you tell me earlier?" She didn't wait for him to finish, "I know why you didn't."
Then she turned towards me triumphantly.
"You're a thief and we can prove it now. Prepare to spend a good few months, maybe even a few years rotting in prison. A woman like you should be comfortable enough in there." The shameless little bitch smiled.
I didn't have the energy to lash back at her. I was panicky and I needed some help.
"What if the police find out about the theft anyway? I'll still go to prison," Not prison. It had worked before. "Johnny, don't make me go to prison."
"You made this mess, and it is about time you suffered for it. You have a choice, but I'm not going to wait forever. Get out of my mother's house within the week. I need to hear from your lawyer with a court date for the hearing within the next two weeks. If not, my lawyer is going straight to the police with all the evidence. The police will come looking for you eventually no matter what happens. If you cooperate, you can keep the money I gave you and disappear as you know how to," he replied coldly.
He fixed his gaze on me. "Don't try my patience, Vera. I've indulged you long enough and put up with all your shenanigans. This is your absolute last chance."
I knew it was over. He had me.
"Very well, I'll see you in court," I walked away from them. They thought they'd got the better of me. And for now they had. But I would not rest until I had my vengeance. He was no longer just the John Bates of years earlier. He had a new-found strength: her. Yes, she was his biggest strength. But she was also his biggest weakness.