by Rosie Hendry
‘I know, I just miss ’im and worry about him.’ She paused for a moment. ‘I had a shock in there, Ivy’s got a visitor . . . That spiv, Micky Chandler, and they were looking very cosy.’ Her friend looked uncomfortable and avoided Frankie’s eyes. ‘Do you know anything about this?’
Josie nodded. ‘She’s been ’anging around with him for a few months. I’ve seen them together walkin’ down the street when you’re on shift—’
‘Why the hell didn’t you tell me?’ Frankie interrupted her. ‘You’re supposed to be my friend!’
‘I am your friend.’ Josie reached out and touched Frankie’s shoulder. ‘And that’s why I didn’t tell you. You’ve got enough on your plate workin’ and worrying about Alastair without getting into more fights with Ivy over who she chooses to spend her time with. She’s a bleedin’ fool, if you ask me.’ She paused for a moment. ‘You know, even if I did tell her to stop seeing Chandler she wouldn’t, so I’ve saved me breath. What would you ’ave done if I told you?’
Frankie bit her bottom lip. ‘I know what I’d like to do – chuck her out. I’ll ’ave to tell her to stop seeing him, try and make ’er realise how upset Grandad would’ve been with her.’
‘Save your breath, ducks. She won’t take a blind bit of notice of what you say, and it’ll only cause more rows and upset in the ’ouse. Least it’s been fairly calm lately with her, and until now she’s had the sense to hide it from you, it was only you coming ’ome unexpected that’s let the cat out of the bag.’
‘It explains a lot, the extra butter and eggs and other black-market stuff.’
‘Look, I know it ain’t right and she’s gone from one extreme to the other, from your grandad to Chandler, but look on the bright side: maybe she’ll marry ’im and leave, that would be good, wouldn’t it?’
Frankie nodded. ‘Let’s hope she does then, and the sooner the better. Josie, just promise me that you’ll tell me anythin’ else she gets up to, please. I’d rather know what’s going on than stumble in on something like I did just now.’
‘All right, ducks, I promise, but I only did it because I thought it was for the best for you. Your grandad asked me to look out for you and that’s all I was doing.’
‘I know.’ She smiled at Josie. ‘I don’t know what I’d ’ave done without you here in Matlock Street. Since Grandad died you’ve been a treasure to me, you really ’ave.’
Josie laughed. ‘Get away with you, you’ll be makin’ me blush.’
‘Now, are you all right? Have you heard from the children?’ Frankie asked. Josie’s children, including little Flora, had been evacuated at the start of the week along with many others because of the new threat posed by the doodlebugs.
‘I ’ad a letter yesterday, they’ve been lucky, and all kept together, fallen on their feet billeted to a big ’ouse in the countryside.’ Josie smiled but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. Sending her children away to safety hadn’t been easy for her, but she’d done it to keep them safe. ‘It’s so quiet in the ’ouse without them, though . . . Why don’t you and Rose pop round for a cuppa tomorrow when you’re at home?’
‘We will do, that’d be nice. I’d better get going, I’m due at Station 114 on Rifle Street next.’ She started the engine and put the car into gear. ‘See you tomorrow then.’
As she drove out of Matlock Street, the car juddering over the cobbles, Frankie was glad that she’d decided to go home to check for the post. She didn’t like what she’d found but, with Ivy, it was always better to know what was going on than be kept in the dark. The vile woman had sunk to even lower depths than before but, if her hooking up with Chandler led to her marrying him and leaving Matlock Street for ever, it could be a blessing in disguise.
Chapter 30
Winnie knew there was something wrong as soon as she walked into the kitchen and saw Connie’s face. Winnie’s carefree, happy mood from her long walk in Regent’s Park with Trixie, enjoying the warmth of the summer’s day, evaporated as her eyes were somehow instinctively drawn to the buff-coloured envelope lying on the kitchen table – a telegram. Trixie, sensing the sudden change of her mistress’s mood, whined and jumped up, resting her small paws on Winnie’s leg. She leaned down and patted the little dog’s head, glad of a few moments’ normality.
‘It might not be what you think,’ Connie said, rushing over to Winnie and putting her arm around her.
She picked up the telegram, her hands shaking as she checked the name and address on the front: it was for her. She looked at Connie, feeling like a young girl again, wishing that her godmother could fix things and make her feel better. She feared that the information contained within the envelope was going to alter her life irreparably.
‘Do you want me to open it for you?’ Connie asked, gently.
Winnie shook her head. Taking a deep breath, she tore the envelope open and took out the single sheet of folded paper. Bracing herself for what it might contain, she unfolded it shakily and read the words, her eyes skittering over them, not wanting to believe the news they carried.
* * *
DEEPLY REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR HUSBAND 576329 PVT MCCARTNEY MISSING IN ACTION FROM OPERATIONS 4TH JULY.
* * *
‘Mac’s missing in action,’ she managed to say, her voice choked with emotion, before her legs buckled, her bones seeming to have turned to jelly. Connie grabbed hold of her arms and steered her towards a chair which Winnie gratefully slumped down on, leaning her head forwards in her hands. Mac was missing. What did that really mean? Was he missing and dead, but not yet found? Missing and injured but not found? Or missing and being held prisoner somewhere? She had no answers to these questions.
A cold wet nose butted at her hand and she sat up. Trixie immediately jumped onto her lap and leaned against her, her liquid brown eyes watching Winnie’s face closely. She wrapped her arm around the little dog, glad of her solid, comforting presence.
‘Here, drink this.’ Connie put a glass of brandy on the table in front of her. ‘It’ll help.’
She grabbed hold of it and took a sip, the fiery liquid warming her as it went down, its flame-like heat easing the icy chill that had settled in her stomach after reading those terrible words.
Connie kneeled down beside her and took hold of one of Winnie’s hands. ‘I know it says missing, but that doesn’t mean what you’re thinking. He could just have got separated from his unit, it doesn’t mean that he’s dead, Winnie. Don’t go crossing bridges until you have to, keep hoping, you must keep doing that.’
She looked into her godmother’s blue eyes, which were bright with tears. Connie had suffered the loss of her fiancé in the Great War and knew too well the pain of losing someone you loved in wartime.
‘Where is he then?’ Winnie’s voice broke and she started to cry, silent tears to begin with but then the momentum of sobs took over, and she felt Connie’s arms wrap around her and heard Trixie whining at her mistress’s distress.
‘Winnie.’ Bella’s voice filtered through to her, pulling her back from the heavy drifting feeling as she dozed. She felt a soft, warm hand brush her forehead and opened her eyes to see her friend anxiously peering at her, while Trixie lay on the edge of the bed watching her every move.
Bella sat down on the side of her bed. ‘Connie told me about the telegram.’ She took hold of Winnie’s hand which lay on top of a blanket. Connie must have come in and draped the blanket over her when she’d fallen asleep on her bed after she’d come up to her room to be alone. ‘You mustn’t give up hope, not while there’s still a chance. Promise me you won’t, Winnie.’
‘But it’s so hard not to think the worst.’ Winnie sighed. ‘Of course, I want him to be found alive and well, more than anything, but what if he isn’t?’
‘Now look here.’ Bella put her hand on her hip. ‘You don’t know that and until you’re told otherwise. You need to keep on hoping. You’ve always talked about showing some stiff upper lip when times get tough, well the time has come and you need to do jus
t that. Mac would want you to keep going, not crumble, you’ve got a job to do and, with doodlebugs being fired at us every day, you’re very much needed at Station 75. You’ve got to get a grip!’ Bella’s cheeks were flushed pink by the time she’d finished.
Winnie stared at her friend in shock. Bella had never spoken to her like that before, and it was quite a revelation to see her so emboldened. Winnie couldn’t help smiling.
Bella frowned. ‘What are you smiling for?’
‘You! You gave me a jolly good telling-off there. And I probably deserved it. I know what you say is right, but it feels impossible to keep my chin up, my upper lip stiff.’ She did her best to smile, again. ‘But I’m going to have to, aren’t I?’
‘Yes, because if you don’t, the not knowing will eat away at you and you can’t let that happen, not when you’ve got an important job to do with casualties’ lives depending on you doing it well. There’s no telling how long it will be before you get any news about what’s happened to Mac. So, in the meantime, you must keep on going, even when it feels so hard to do just that. Right?’
Winnie nodded. ‘Keep reminding me please, Bella. Will you?’
‘Yes, I will, we’ll all do everything we can to help you. Connie’s been on the telephone to your father at the War Office to see if he can find out anything more and he said he’ll do his best. It’s useful having him in the right place.’
She sighed, grateful that her father was prepared to help. Unlike her mother, he hadn’t shown direct dislike or rudeness to Mac, in fact they hadn’t actually met properly, not even at their wedding, as her parents had sat at the back and then slipped away before she could introduce him to her new husband. He’d always been a distant father who left dealing with the children to his wife and generally went along with her ways, preferring a quiet life, but in this case he was obviously prepared to do what he could for her.
‘And in the meantime, I need to keep hoping, yes?’ Winnie said.
Bella smiled at her. ‘You’re learning fast. Now let’s get you up, you should come downstairs and help peel some potatoes – that will help to keep you occupied. I managed to get some rabbit from the butcher’s this afternoon so it’ll be rabbit stew tonight.’
Chapter 31
‘This arrived for you in this morning’s post.’ Station Officer Steele handed Bella an envelope with her first name and the address of Station 75 written on the front in bold handwriting.
Bella stopped sweeping out the back of the ambulance and took it from the boss, frowning, as she stared at the unfamiliar writing, wondering who had written to her here. Anyone she usually had letters from knew her address at Connie’s, and sent them there. ‘Thank you.’
‘You look rather surprised, if you don’t mind me saying so,’ Station Officer Steele said. ‘I hope it’s not bad news.’
‘Only one way to find out,’ Frankie suggested, appearing at the back of the ambulance from where she’d been polishing the wing mirrors during the regular morning preparations on their vehicle. ‘Open it.’
‘Or perhaps you’d rather wait and do it when you’re on your own,’ the boss said.
‘No, it’s all right. I’ll do it now and see who it’s from.’ She opened the envelope and took out a single sheet of paper and looked at the name signed at the bottom – it was from Stefan. Immediately her cheeks grew warm and she was aware of her friend’s and the boss’s gaze on her.
‘Who’s it from then?’ Frankie asked.
‘Stefan.’
Station Officer Steele raised her eyebrows. ‘Ah, the Polish pilot.’
‘What does he say?’ Frankie leaned forward to try and get a look but Bella quickly snatched the letter out of the way so she couldn’t read it.
‘I haven’t read it myself yet.’ She sat on the back of the ambulance and began to read.
* * *
Dear Bella,
Would please you do me great honour of accompany me to dance on Saturday evening? I very much like to take you. I enjoy to be with you on Tuesday.
If you say yes, please telephone the officers’ mess at West Malling 359 and ask to speak to me. I hope you say yes.
Yours,
Stefan
* * *
‘Well?’ Frankie said. ‘What does it say?’
‘He’s asked me to go to a dance with him on Saturday night,’ she said. ‘But I can’t go.’
‘Why ever not?’ the boss said. ‘I had the impression you rather liked him.’ It hadn’t taken long for word to get around Station 75 that Bella had had a cup of tea with a handsome Polish pilot, who had sought her out and gone to find her at the allotment. Station Officer Steele had been very interested in what had happened and had quizzed Bella about him and their visit to the café earlier in the week, always looking out for her crew members in a motherly fashion.
‘I do, like him, we got on very well and I enjoyed spending time with him, but it wouldn’t be right to go out to a dance while Winnie’s so worried about Mac. She’s doing reasonably well but needs our support.’
‘I appreciate your sentiment, Bella, but I think it’s totally wrong in this case,’ the boss said. ‘Winnie’s a grown woman and yes, she is very anxious about her husband’s disappearance, but it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t go out and enjoy yourself. I doubt very much that Winnie would want you to say no because of her.’
‘You should go,’ Frankie agreed. ‘Ask Winnie when she gets back, I bet she’ll tell you to go as well.’ She grinned. ‘She was delighted when Stefan turned up at the allotment the other day, so there’s no way she’ll tell you to turn him down.’
Bella nodded. ‘All right, I’ll go, but only if Winnie doesn’t mind. I’ll ask her when she gets back from the incident with Rose.’
‘And then you can telephone Stefan’s aerodrome from my office and accept his invitation.’ Station Officer Steele beamed at her. ‘It will do you good to go out dancing.’
Bella caught Frankie’s eye and her friend winked at her. ‘Why do I get the feeling that I’m outnumbered here?’
‘Because we want you to be happy and enjoy yourself,’ Frankie said.
Chapter 32
The air-raid siren began to wail across the rooftops of London, rising and falling like some frightened beast and making the crew of Station 75 once again abandon what they were doing and run for the shelter.
‘Here we go again! Another bleedin’ doodlebug!’ Sparky shouted, looking up into the sky, shielding his eyes with his hand against the glare of the July sunshine.
‘Come on, Sparky, you know the routine.’ Frankie dropped her rag into the pail of soapy water, grabbed her steel helmet from where she’d left it on the front seat of the ambulance and put it on. ‘Don’t stand there lookin’ because if it’s heading our way we need to get to the shelter.’ She caught hold of Sparky’s arm and pulled him along with her, following the rest of the crew across the courtyard to the brick-built shelter which it felt like they were in and out of, some days, like yo-yos.
‘Right, that’s everybody now in here,’ Station Officer Steele said, ticking off their names on her list of crew members on duty, as Frankie closed the door behind her and Sparky.
Coming in from the bright light outside, it took a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the dimness of the shelter, which was packed with the crew.
‘Over here, Frankie,’ Rose called to her. ‘I saved you a seat.’
‘Thanks.’ She sat down next to Rose and leaned back against the brick wall, glad of the cooler temperature inside after the heat of the sun.
‘Do you think we’ll be long in here?’ Rose asked.
‘Who knows, it—’ Frankie stopped as the all too familiar sound of a doodlebug’s engine, getting louder by the moment, could be heard. Other crew members fell silent, the atmosphere in the shelter changing as if everyone was willing the ‘phut-phut’ noise of the engine to keep on going, at least just enough to get past them, as it got louder and nearer. The sudden cut-out of the rocket’s
engine seemed to draw all the air out of the shelter and Frankie was sure that hers wasn’t the only heart that had started to beat harder and faster as she began to count inside her head. Every second that passed meant the rocket was nearer to exploding, but how near it was when it began its deadly descent towards the ground, they had no idea.
‘Brace yourselves!’ Station Officer Steele yelled, and as one, everyone curled themselves up as best they could. Rose reached out and grabbed hold of Frankie’s hand as a loud explosion rocked the ground somewhere close by, sending dust pattering down onto their steel helmets from the ceiling.
‘Is everybody all right, anybody hurt?’ The boss’s voice rang out loud and clear through the dusty atmosphere of the shelter.
Frankie sat up, aware that she was shaking, and from the feel of Rose’s hand in hers, she wasn’t the only one.
‘No,’ many of the crew called out, looking around at each other, checking everyone was unhurt.
Frankie noticed that Rose also had tight hold of Bella’s hand, on the other side of her, and Winnie, who was on the far side of Bella, was cuddling Trixie tightly in her arms. All three of them were looking as shaken as Frankie felt.
‘That was bleedin’ close!’ Sparky said. ‘Do you want me to go out and have a look first, boss, see what the damage is?’
‘I’ll come with you. The rest of you stay here until we get back,’ Station Officer Steele instructed before she and Sparky hurried outside. The moment they left, the remaining crew erupted into discussion about what had happened, where the doodlebug could have landed.
‘Are you all right?’ Frankie asked Rose.
Rose nodded. ‘It was a bit of a shock. Where do you think it hit?’
