Chapter 21
This was it. This is how it ends she thought as she peered down into the murky depths of the Thames. How many others had taken the decision? She wondered. Nancy knew she was just putting off the inevitable. It was the right choice she convinced herself. It would be better for everyone if she wasn't around to ruin their lives. She took a step closer to the edge. Had it been only two years ago she had been happy with Bill? Had it only been a year ago she had been married to Nicholas? It all seemed like a lifetime ago. Her lifetime was over now though she knew it was. "Get on with it the you fool" she whispered to herself and took yet another step closer to the beginning of the end. Just one more step and that would be it. Nancy would be no more, I will be no more. She gazed up to the cloudy London sky "Who will be your next victim? Who's life will you toy with next until there is nothing left? Well it won't be mine, I shall entertain you no more oh great one" she uttered mockingly She took a final look around the place she had called home and took the last step she wold ever take.
There she was, his Nancy, gazing into the waters edge, they had often walked along the river together in comfortable silence as lovers do. Her lips were moving and she moved closer to the waters edge. He smiled to himself as she gazed up, lips still moving and he wondered what little snippet of the music hall she was singing. Then he watched in horror as she stepped off the edge.
Bill moved like lightning, his hand shot out like a bullet from a gun as he grabbed her own small one. He pulled her towards him hugging her body to him the fear that she might fall in if he let her go. He would never let her go, not now, not ever.
It had all happened so fast. One moment she was about to plunge into the depths of the Thames and the next she was in his arms, and he was squeezing the life out of her. Then he was kissing her.
Nicholas felt like he had been walking for miles but there was the bridge.
As he got closer to the rivers edge her saw a couple in a passionate embrace and smiled, wondering if Nancy would be as welcoming to him. The lovers pulled apart, the man had his back to him, but the womans face was as clear as day.
She pulled away from Bill, about to smile at him and tell him that he always was in the right place at the right time, when her eyes focused on a figure behind him. Nicholas. Why couldn't things be easy for her? Just for once?
Bill turned to see what had caught her attention and saw a young man and knew in an instant who he was.
Nicholas looked sadly at Nancy "I came to see if you had changed your mind about me. It would seem once again I have made the wrong decision" he turned away from her and walked back the way he came. Why had he ever thought that her feelings would have changed? How could he of been such a fool?
Nancy called out to him, struggling in Bills arms "Nicholas wait please I-"
"Let him go Nance, he just said you've made your choice and you have ain't ya?" Please don't let me lose her again he thought. He held on to her with a vice like grip.
"Bill let me go, you don't understand I have to tell him! If I don't…. please Bill if you love me let me go please…." The pleading look in her eye won him over and with a heavy heart he let go of her arms.
Nicholas made his way back to the main road at the bottom of Saffron Hill. At least now I know he thought. But it didn't do anything to ease the pain he felt. As he crossed the road he heard her.
"Nicholas wait please!"
He shock his head and carried on walking across the road. He had seen enough to know what she felt.
"Nicholas please… I love you!"
He stopped dead in his tracks and turned towards her. She loved him! She loved him! The words went round in his head and he thought his heart would burst!
"NICHOLAS!!!!!" she had screamed the warning but it was too late. The Shire horses trampled his body as if it was a bag of hay.
The horses reared as the driver tried to pull them back. She was beside him in a flash.
"Oh God" the tears rolled down her cheeks as she cradled his head in her lap.
"You love me?" He said huskily, she could hear the blood bubbling in his throat.
"With all my heart"
He smiled then coughed, the blood spilling down his chin. He could see the tall figure of Bill standing behind her and he tried to focus on his face "Make her happy"
Bill looked down at the dying man. It was strange that the man who had kept them apart for so long had brought them together again. He nodded to Nicholas and then placed his hand on Nancy's shoulder.
His vision was going, it was getting dark and he could feel himself choking. But he could still see her face.
"Don't leave me" she sobbed
"Be happy" then he was gone.
This was it. This is how it ends she thought as she peered down into the murky depths of the Thames. How many others had taken the decision? She wondered. Nancy knew she was just putting off the inevitable. It was the right choice she convinced herself. It would be better for everyone if she wasn't around to ruin their lives. She took a step closer to the edge. Had it been only two years ago she had been happy with Bill? Had it only been a year ago she had been married to Nicholas? It all seemed like a lifetime ago. Her lifetime was over now though she knew it was. "Get on with it the you fool" she whispered to herself and took yet another step closer to the beginning of the end. Just one more step and that would be it. Nancy would be no more, I will be no more. She gazed up to the cloudy London sky "Who will be your next victim? Who's life will you toy with next until there is nothing left? Well it won't be mine, I shall entertain you no more oh great one" she uttered mockingly She took a final look around the place she had called home and took the last step she wold ever take.
There she was, his Nancy, gazing into the waters edge, they had often walked along the river together in comfortable silence as lovers do. Her lips were moving and she moved closer to the waters edge. He smiled to himself as she gazed up, lips still moving and he wondered what little snippet of the music hall she was singing. Then he watched in horror as she stepped off the edge.
Bill moved like lightning, his hand shot out like a bullet from a gun as he grabbed her own small one. He pulled her towards him hugging her body to him the fear that she might fall in if he let her go. He would never let her go, not now, not ever.
It had all happened so fast. One moment she was about to plunge into the depths of the Thames and the next she was in his arms, and he was squeezing the life out of her. Then he was kissing her.
Nicholas felt like he had been walking for miles but there was the bridge.
As he got closer to the rivers edge her saw a couple in a passionate embrace and smiled, wondering if Nancy would be as welcoming to him. The lovers pulled apart, the man had his back to him, but the womans face was as clear as day.
She pulled away from Bill, about to smile at him and tell him that he always was in the right place at the right time, when her eyes focused on a figure behind him. Nicholas. Why couldn't things be easy for her? Just for once?
Bill turned to see what had caught her attention and saw a young man and knew in an instant who he was.
Nicholas looked sadly at Nancy "I came to see if you had changed your mind about me. It would seem once again I have made the wrong decision" he turned away from her and walked back the way he came. Why had he ever thought that her feelings would have changed? How could he of been such a fool?
Nancy called out to him, struggling in Bills arms "Nicholas wait please I-"
"Let him go Nance, he just said you've made your choice and you have ain't ya?" Please don't let me lose her again he thought. He held on to her with a vice like grip.
"Bill let me go, you don't understand I have to tell him! If I don't…. please Bill if you love me let me go please…." The pleading look in her eye won him over and with a heavy heart he let go of her arms.
Nicholas made his way back to the main road at the bottom of Saffron Hill. At least now I know he thought. But it didn't do anything to ease the pain he felt. As he crossed the road he heard her.
"Nicholas wait please!"
He shock his head and carried on walking across the road. He had seen enough to know what she felt.
"Nicholas please… I love you!"
He stopped dead in his tracks and turned towards her. She loved him! She loved him! The words went round in his head and he thought his heart would burst!
"NICHOLAS!!!!!" she had screamed the warning but it was too late. The Shire horses trampled his body as if it was a bag of hay.
The horses reared as the driver tried to pull them back. She was beside him in a flash.
"Oh God" the tears rolled down her cheeks as she cradled his head in her lap.
"You love me?" He said huskily, she could hear the blood bubbling in his throat.
"With all my heart"
He smiled then coughed, the blood spilling down his chin. He could see the tall figure of Bill standing behind her and he tried to focus on his face "Make her happy"
Bill looked down at the dying man. It was strange that the man who had kept them apart for so long had brought them together again. He nodded to Nicholas and then placed his hand on Nancy's shoulder.
His vision was going, it was getting dark and he could feel himself choking. But he could still see her face.
"Don't leave me" she sobbed
"Be happy" then he was gone.