Victoria stopped and threw her arms around her sister. ‘You are, and I’m very proud of you, as I know our mother and father would be.’
Daisy squeezed her sister tight, before pulling away. ‘You now have a determination about you; it’s not something I have seen before.’
Victoria shook her head. ‘You know, Alice is right, when you see the injured soldiers; it puts your own problems into perspective. Me moping around about our family things isn’t going to change anything.’ She sighed. ‘I told a corporal that, whether we liked it or not, life goes on, and I realised I had to move on or get left behind. The truth is, I don’t want to get left behind. Alice is expecting her second child and Molly is arranging her wedding for next month, but I’m still where I was seven years ago.’
Daisy thrust her arm under Victoria’s. ‘No, you’re not, we’re not as poor as we were then.’ She glanced across at her sister. ‘Don’t think Stephen and I didn’t know you were selling and pawning things, to make ends meet. We’ve all done a lot of growing up since then, and please remember, I may be your little sister, but I’m an adult who can share your worries and concerns.’
Victoria looked at her sister through watery eyes. ‘I don’t know what to say. I tried hard to protect you and Stephen, but I was young myself and didn’t know what I was doing. I should have tackled the bedroom years ago.’
‘Don’t punish yourself. You’re a great sister and we’re moving ahead in leaps and bounds now, so that’s all that matters. I’ll get Peter to help me take those bags somewhere, like the Salvation Army.’
Victoria nodded. ‘Are you sweet on him?’
Daisy blushed.
Victoria laughed. ‘You don’t have to say anything; your colour says it all.’
Daisy squeezed the thin cotton material of Victoria’s jacket. ‘Do you mind?’
‘Of course I don’t. Why would I?’
Daisy shrugged.
Victoria looked down at the pavement, fleetingly wondering why the ants didn’t drown when it was wet; maybe they did. Someone jolted her arm. ‘Sorry,’ the man shouted as he sped past her.
Daisy looked over her shoulder. ‘Are you all right? Everyone’s in such a hurry these days.’
‘You don’t have to worry about me, I’m good. As for Peter, I just want you to be happy, that’s all.’ She stopped and looked ahead. The large black and white Foyles Bookstore sign could be seen from where they were. ‘I have chosen to wait for Ted, even though he’s not writing to me anymore. If I’m honest, it’s hard.’ She paused. ‘Mainly because I don’t know whether or not he’ll come back from the front and even if he does, it doesn’t look like he’ll want me so there’s no prospects of love, marriage or children happening for me, but that’s the decision I’ve made.’
Daisy frowned. ‘You do know it’s not only Ted’s decision, don’t you? You’re not the same person you were seven years ago; a lot has happened since then.’
Victoria nodded. ‘I know, but I still feel it’s the right decision to wait and see how everything goes. If it’s in God’s plan for me, it will happen, and if it isn’t, then something else will happen instead.’
Daisy nodded. ‘He’ll be lucky to have you, but don’t think he’s your only chance of happiness. You’re a lovely, kind person and anybody that has you in their life is very fortunate.’
Victoria laughed. ‘Stop it, you’re embarrassing me.’
‘That may well be, but I meant every word of it.’ She looked up and saw men and women milling outside Foyles. ‘It looks like you’re in for another busy day.’
Victoria followed her eye line. ‘I prefer to be busy, as the time flies by. What about you, do you know what you’ve got ahead of you?’
‘Lily and I will just walk the streets, showing a presence for anyone who needs to talk to us, or to stop any problems developing further. A few days ago, we caught a young lad who’d pinched an apple for his sister. Their mother was ill, so couldn’t work. We were going to take him back to the stallholder, but there was a police shout that the Germans were coming, so we let him go. He did promise to go and talk to Mr Wilson, but we don’t know if he did or not, so I’d like to see if the lad has kept his word.’
Victoria shook her head. ‘It must be hard for the children who are left to fend for themselves like that. I suppose we were lucky we were that much older, when we were left on our own.’
Daisy nodded. ‘I just hope his mother didn’t fall prey to this flu epidemic that’s going around. Lily and I wanted to go and see her, and maybe get a doctor, but we didn’t know where she lived.’
Victoria gasped. ‘Oh my goodness, if you find them and they are on their own, bring them home with you.’
Daisy laughed. ‘I’m not sure it’s as simple as that, and anyway, I may never see them again.’ She looked at her sister, scowling into the sun that was breaking through the clouds. ‘If it’s any consolation, I’m going to look for him, but I do think he’s one of life’s survivors.’
Victoria squinted as she looked up at the Foyles Bookstore. ‘Let’s hope so. I’d better get in, before Mr Leadbetter sacks me.’
Daisy nodded. ‘He seemed really nice when he ushered us down to the basement.’
Victoria laughed. ‘He is.’ She stepped forward and hugged her sister. ‘Stay safe.’
Daisy squeezed her back. ‘I will, and you.’
At the sound of raised voices coming from inside the shop, the girls pulled back from each other. They both ran towards the doorway.
Victoria stopped in her tracks, but Daisy pushed forward, gasping when she saw the man sprawled out on the floor.
‘Give the man some room.’ Daisy looked up at her sister, who was quite ashen. ‘Sit down Victoria, before you fall down.’
Victoria didn’t take her eyes off the man on the floor.
Gradually, the murmurs of staff and customers that had wandered in to see what was going on invaded her numbed mind.
‘Do you think he’ll be all right?’
‘I saw it; he dropped like a stone.’
People moved in closer, to get a better look.
Victoria gripped her hands tight, as her body began to tremble. She sniffed and closed her eyes for a moment. Floral perfumes, mingled with carbolic soap, were overpowering and nausea began to rise from her stomach. It wouldn’t be the same at Foyles without him. He was the face of Foyles Bookshop. She had to do something. A voice shouted out. ‘No, this isn’t what Mr Leadbetter would want; this shop is his life.’ She felt everyone’s eyes on her and looked up, only then realising it had been her voice. She clapped her hands together. ‘Come on everyone, the shop is open in a few minutes, so please get to your posts.’
Daisy leant over the man and pressed her ear against his chest for a few minutes. She ran her hands down his arms and legs, before pushing him on his side and quickly unbuttoning her uniform jacket. Removing her arms, getting tangled in the jacket in the process, she rolled it up and put it under the man’s head.
Victoria cleared her throat, but her voice was barely a whisper when she spoke. ‘Is he going to be all right?’
Daisy didn’t take her eyes off him. ‘I think so.’
Victoria looked around her, to see if Alice was in yet; at least she’d had some training, driving an ambulance, but there was no sign of her. She knelt down beside Mr Leadbetter, touching his forehead, which was warm. He looked grey. ‘Do you think we should get an ambulance for him?’
‘What’s going on?’ Alice’s voice carried through the people that were still hanging around, waiting to see if the man in the suit was going to be all right. She gasped. ‘Mr Leadbetter, what happened?’ Alice immediately fell to her knees, expertly finding his pulse at the base of his thumb.
Victoria held her breath as Alice looked at her watch from time to time.
Mr Leadbetter groaned.
‘What happened? Did he faint?’
Victoria shook her head. ‘I don’t know. Daisy and I were outside, when we heard a noi
se. We rushed in, but he was already out cold. Daisy turned him on his side.’
Daisy looked startled at the sound of her name. ‘I only did it in case he was sick.’ She looked down at Mr Leadbetter. ‘I ran my hands down his arms and legs first, but couldn’t feel anything broken, so I assumed he must have fainted.’
Alice nodded. She loosened his tie from around his neck, pulling it down so she could undo his shirt button. ‘Victoria, can you get a small glass of water.’
Victoria stood up, looking down at the man that had come to mean a lot to her. He groaned.
Alice looked up at her friend. ‘It looks like he’s coming round, so we’ll let him sip it and see how he goes.’
Victoria gave him a last look, before running to the back of the shop, swerving to miss customers and their children. She turned the three-pronged tap to the right and water gushed out, spraying her and everything in sight. Victoria quickly twisted it to the left, to turn it down again. Her heart was racing, as she mumbled to herself, ‘Stop rushing and you’ll get it done much quicker in the long run.’ Placing a cup under the cold water, she let it half fill, before turning it off again and rushing back into the shop, unaware of the splash marks on her blouse and skirt. When Victoria reached them, Mr Leadbetter was sitting propped up against Daisy. His skin was still grey.
Alice reached out for the cup. ‘Take a sip of this cold water.’
Mr Leadbetter did as he was bid and swallowed a few sips of the water. ‘It’s all right, folks, there’s nothing to see, just an old man fainting, nothing more.’ As the people began to disperse, he looked at the girls. ‘I think I need to move from here, so business can continue.’
Victoria watched him grimace, as he tried to move. ‘You gave us quite a scare, sir. What happened? Do you need a doctor?’
Mr Leadbetter gave a faint laugh. ‘I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to frighten you all. I think I just fainted. To be honest, I don’t really remember.’ He paused, looking at their concerned faces. ‘I’m all right; I expect it was just the heat.’
‘What’s happened?’ Molly came rushing from around the bookshelves.
‘Have you just got in, Miss Cooper?’
‘No, sir.’ Molly looked indignant for a second, before her features relaxed a little. ‘I was upstairs working and someone said you’d collapsed, so I naturally came down to see if I could do something.’
Mr Leadbetter smiled, as he looked at the concerned faces staring down at him. ‘I’ll be all right, but if someone could just help me up off this floor, that would be good. This old body of mine can’t manage to get up from down here, these days.’
The girls all held out their hands, to support him up under the arms.
Daisy eyed him, as he strained to lift his body. ‘Go careful, sir, just in case you’ve hurt yourself falling.’
As Mr Leadbetter moved his legs, Victoria saw him wince. ‘I think we need to get him to a doctor, or a hospital.’
Mr Leadbetter raised his eyebrows and growled at Victoria. ‘Going to a hospital would cost me a small fortune.’
Victoria stood her ground. ‘That may well be, sir, but you may have hurt yourself, so I think you should be looked at.’ She looked over at Alice. ‘Can you at least drive him home?’
Alice looked confused. ‘In what?’
‘In the Foyles van, I’m sure Mr Leadbetter can’t live far away, as he’s here all the time.’
Alice nodded.
Mr Leadbetter frowned. ‘I don’t suppose there’s any point in me objecting, is there?’
Victoria smiled. ‘Absolutely not, and I don’t want you coming back tomorrow, if you’re still unwell.’ She chuckled. ‘It’s so disruptive, this kind of drama.’
Mr Leadbetter shook his head. ‘I’ve created a monster.’ He couldn’t resist a smile at her words.
Victoria chuckled. ‘Don’t worry, sir; the bookshop will be safe in my hands. You’ve taught me well.’
14
Molly glanced over at Victoria. ‘You must have frightened old Leadbetter, because he didn’t come in today. I hope he’s all right.’
Alice looked over at her friends. ‘He promised me he would see a doctor. Hopefully, he’s just been overdoing it and some rest will see him return to Foyles in good spirits.’
‘I hope so. He’s a good man; a little bit scary, but he has a heart of gold.’
Alice and Molly nodded at Victoria’s words.
Molly leaned in a little, examining the dark circles under Victoria’s eyes. ‘You look tired.’ She pulled back again. ‘I know we’ve been extraordinarily busy here today, but that’s nothing new. Are you missing Mr Leadbetter?’
Victoria smiled. ‘I have been busier, running up and down stairs, and it’s not a wonder he needed help to manage the shop. I don’t think I ever realised how big it was, until I went up the stairs for about the fifth time in a couple of hours.’ She picked up her tea and sipped the hot liquid, burning her top lip and tongue. ‘I’m glad the day is over, and the shop is shut.’
Molly chuckled. ‘And yet here we are, sitting in the staff area, sipping tea, like we have nowhere to go.’
Victoria clasped her cup tight. ‘I do appreciate you staying with me; it’s a bit spooky in here, once the shop has shut and everyone has gone home.’
Alice clasped her hands around her cup. ‘It’s not a problem, although I’ll have to get home soon.’
‘Of course.’ Victoria squirmed on her chair. ‘Are you having the sickness that you had with Arthur?’
Alice eyed Victoria, wondering what was really going on with her, and why she had wanted them to stay after Foyles had closed. ‘No, thankfully.’
Molly beamed. ‘Perhaps it’s a girl then.’ She looked across at Victoria. ‘We’ll be able to take her clothes shopping.’ She clapped her hands together, with excitement.
Alice looked down at her rounded tummy. ‘Yes, well, I feel like I’m getting bigger with every passing second.’ She chuckled, rubbing a protective hand over her baby bump. ‘And you’ll probably both have your own children by then.’
Victoria forced a smile. ‘I think Molly may have, but I wouldn’t count on me having any anytime soon.’
Alice couldn’t stop the worry showing on her face. ‘What is really bothering you tonight, Victoria? This isn’t just about locking up, is it?’
Victoria put down her cup, staring into it, as though the answers she was looking for were about to float to the top. She sighed and looked up, to find her friends staring at her, silently waiting.
The clock ticked away the seconds and the minutes, but no one noticed. They sat very still, waiting for Victoria to let them know what was bothering her.
‘All right, I took a good look inside that keepsake box, you know, the one with all the money in it, and before you ask, no, I haven’t counted it.’ Victoria paused, searching for the words to move forward. ‘At the bottom of the box were some certificates.’
Molly held up her hand, to stop Victoria. ‘What sort of certificates?’
‘My parents’ marriage certificate and our birth certificates.’
Alice nodded. ‘That’s a good find, right?’
Victoria’s stomach was doing somersaults; nausea and dizziness came from nowhere. She took a deep breath and sipped her tea, before continuing. ‘There was also another birth certificate, for someone I’ve never heard of.’
‘What? Whose?’ the girls yelled as one.
‘I haven’t mentioned this to Daisy yet, so it’s not to be repeated.’
‘No, we promise, don’t we, Molly?’
‘Of course, of course; just tell us.’
Victoria sighed. ‘My parents are down as being the mother and father to a John Appleton.’
The girls sat in silence, letting their gaze flick between Victoria and each other.
Victoria moved her hands to her lap and twisted the black skirt material between her fingers. ‘And according to the birth certificate, he’s a year younger than Stephen.’
; The three of them sat in silence.
Molly was the first to break it. ‘So where is he?’
Victoria shrugged. ‘I’ve never seen or heard of him before, at least not to my knowledge.’
Molly rested her head in her hands, for a moment.
Alice frowned. ‘Perhaps he died when you were young.’
Victoria nodded. ‘I thought that too.’
Molly looked up, her eyes widening, as the answer filled her head. ‘That would explain all the baby boy’s clothes in the drawer, and the christening gown.’ She tilted her head to one side. ‘Well, maybe not the christening gown, because everyone tends to keep them, anyway.’
Victoria nodded. ‘But there’s no death certificate in the box, so that implies he’s still alive.’
‘So that brings me back to my question, where is he?’
Again Victoria shrugged. ‘I don’t know where to begin to look, and does he want to be found? What I don’t understand is, why I don’t know anything about him.’
Molly stood up and wrapped her arms around Victoria, her rose perfume mingling with Molly’s jasmine scent. ‘We’ll figure it out.’ She pulled back. ‘Maybe we could get the two policewomen on to it.’
Panic ran across Victoria’s face. ‘Daisy doesn’t know she could have a younger brother yet, so don’t go mentioning it to her or Lily.’
Alice reached across the small round table. ‘It’s all right. Everything is going to be all right. I promise I won’t say anything.’
Molly sat back down. ‘I certainly won’t, either. For one thing, I never see them, unless one of you is with them.’
Victoria closed her eyes and tried to calm herself. ‘I’ve also wondered if that money was meant for John, especially as it was in the same box. If my parents were still alive, I wouldn’t ever have known about it, or him.’
Alice frowned at her friend. ‘Please try to hold on to the fact that your parents adored you all, and they wouldn’t have kept a brother or sister from you without good reason.’
Christmas at the Foyles Bookshop (The Foyles Girls) Page 17
