by Molly Green
‘Don’t worry – I’ve got her, Miss Dummitt.’
There was a pause. Then Dora barked, ‘Jess, yous and Angela come out and start bashin’ the ice round the boats with the poles. After an hour me and Sally will do it. We gotta stop the boats icin’ up.’
‘All right,’ Jessica called, pulling Ronnie back through the safety of the hatch. ‘We’re just going to have our porridge and Angela and I will be out.’
‘It’s lethal,’ Ronnie grunted. ‘You need to be really careful.’
‘Why did she pick me and not Ronnie?’ Angela demanded.
‘It’s not for us to question,’ Jessica snapped. ‘Just shut up if you haven’t got anything constructive to say.’ She turned to Ronnie. ‘You clean the cabin and make drinks for us, love.’
Jessica put a meagre lunch on the table – baked beans on toast – and told them it might have to be their supper as well, their supplies were so low. The three of them were eating in silence when a loud bang, as though someone was battering the side of the boat with a plank of wood, made them leap up.
‘Anyone at home?’ a voice shouted.
Ronnie’s heart thudded. Will? It couldn’t be.
With difficulty she managed to prise open the hatch again, and there he was, grinning all over, and carrying a cardboard box.
‘I reckon yous’ll be wantin’ some grub sooner or later.’ He dumped the box on the table and took the items out one by one with a triumphant flourish. ‘A loaf, condensed milk, two quarters of tea, porridge oats … oh, and a packet of powdered eggs – I didn’t trust meself to bring the real ones,’ he chuckled. ‘But there’s real butter—’
‘Real butter!’ Jessica exclaimed. ‘We haven’t seen that since we started on the boats.’ She pounced on a tin. ‘Nescafé instant coffee? And Golden Shred marmalade?’ Her eyes suddenly narrowed. ‘Will, how did you get these things. They’re luxury items these days. You can’t even get them if you’ve got the money … unless—’ She paused and looked directly at him.
Will tapped the side of his nose. ‘Unless you know the right folks,’ he said, chuckling. He peered in the box and took out something flat, wrapped in greaseproof paper. ‘Bacon,’ he said. ‘Bet yer not had that since yer started on the boats neither.’
‘I can’t believe it,’ Ronnie said, eyeing the food, her mouth watering at the thought of fried bacon.
He looked round at the three girls. ‘That should do yer for a few days.’
‘It’s wonderful, Will,’ Ronnie said and was treated to a huge wink, making her giggle.
What a kind person. Why did everyone always say such horrible things about him? Especially Dora.
‘I suppose we’ll have to share it with Miss Dummit and the others,’ Angela said, squeezing nearer to have a look.
‘Nah. This here’s all yours. Me mate’s gone to them and taken a box. ’Cept theirs don’t have them extra special things.’
Ronnie glanced at Jess, wondering why she’d gone quiet. Her face, beautifully made up as usual, was set like a mask. She was watching Will intently. Ronnie’s stomach gave an unexpected flutter. Was something wrong? Impatiently she dismissed the idea. Jess made no bones about disliking Will either, but surely now she’d seen how he’d brought them food when they were desperate, knowing they were trapped in the ice with no means of getting to a shop, she’d change her mind.
‘How did you know we’re running really low?’ Angela asked him.
‘Stands to reason,’ Will said. He brought out the last items. ‘That’s it – three tins o’ sardines.’ His gaze fell on Ronnie.
‘It’s really kind of you,’ Ronnie said, ‘especially in this awful weather.’
‘I’m used to it.’ Will held her gaze. ‘It’s not kind – I’ll be wantin’ payment for me services.’
‘Of course. How much do we owe you?’ Angela said.
‘That depends.’
‘On what?’
‘On her,’ he said, his eyes not leaving Ronnie’s even though he was answering Angela.
‘Who’s her?’ Jessica said. ‘Doesn’t she have a name?’
‘A boy’s name,’ Will grinned, allowing his gaze to rest on Ronnie’s chest. ‘But she ain’t no boy underneath them jumpers. So give us a kiss, Ron.’
Ronnie felt the heat rise to her face. Will was rather cheeky, but she couldn’t help the frisson of excitement he gave her just by one penetrating dark look.
‘All right,’ she said recklessly. ‘One kiss. That’s all. Do you promise?’
‘Yeah, I promise.’
He bridged the small distance between them in one leap, then grabbed hold of her and half flung her over his arm. She glimpsed the wooden ceiling for the space of a second before his mouth came down on hers, crushing her lips, blocking everything out, as though she and Will were completely alone. For a few mad moments it was thrilling, but then she felt something not hers – hot and wet, whirling into the private space that used to be the inside of her mouth. She felt something hard pressing against her thigh.
Almost choking, she put her hands on his chest and with all her might shoved him backwards. Will laughed.
‘That was prob’ly your first proper kiss,’ he grunted. ‘You’ll like it better next time.’
‘There isn’t going to be a next time!’ Jessica roared, grabbing hold of him. ‘How dare you!’
‘Jess—’ Ronnie started, her face and neck feeling as though it were on fire, but Jessica took no notice.
‘Clear out!’ she bellowed. ‘And don’t show your face again.’
‘That’s nice, that is, when I’ve brought you some grub.’ Will eyed the items as though weighing up whether he should snatch them back.
Jessica released her grip on him and reached for her bag. She drew out a pound note.
‘This should just about cover it,’ she said, slapping it into his hand. ‘But you can take those extra goods we can’t afford back where they came from … then Ronnie owes you nothing.’
‘That’s fer Ronnie to decide, not you.’ Will threw Jessica a furious look. ‘And I in’t takin’ nothin’ back. They’re special for Ronnie and you don’t have to eat them.’
Ronnie’s breath came in short bursts. She felt shaken. This wasn’t how it was meant to be in her dreams. She’d longed for him to kiss her properly but not like this. And in front of the others. He’d ruined a romantic moment. But it hadn’t been romantic. She’d been frightened. Now, angry for not standing up to him – telling him how upset she was, and letting Jess take over – Ronnie forced herself to face him.
‘You’d better go, Will,’ she said, a sheen of moisture beading on her forehead. She drew in a deep breath, glad Jess and Angela were with her as she met his penetrating gaze.
Long seconds passed. Will didn’t take his eyes off her.
‘If you don’t leave this minute I’m fetching Miss Dummitt,’ Jessica said, ‘and I don’t suppose you want her to know what Angela and I have just witnessed.’
Will muttered something under his breath. He looked at Ronnie and smiled – a slow smile that made her skin prickle. ‘I’ll see you when you least expect it. I ’spect you’ll soon be needin’ rescuin’ again. And then I’ll be collectin’ my reward good and proper … with no one gawpin’.’
He was gone.
Ronnie felt the back of her eyes begin to sting. She wouldn’t cry. She wouldn’t.
Angela sniffed. ‘If you want my opinion, he was showing off.’
‘I’m afraid I agree with Angela.’ Jessica went to take Ronnie’s hand, but Ronnie flapped it away.
‘I can stand up for myself,’ Ronnie said. ‘You needn’t have interfered.’
‘Someone had to. How he behaved was unforgivable. And that last remark about collecting his reward … to me it sounded like a threat. Not the sort of tone you’d expect from a boyfriend.’
‘For the last time he’s not my boyfriend,’ Ronnie snapped, her temper rising, knowing she was being unfair to Jess who’d only been trying to prote
ct her. If Jess only knew what Will had done that had made her feel so peculiar. So lightheaded. It must have been a proper adult kiss that she hadn’t been ready for. And that odd sensation against her thigh. She felt the heat rush to her cheeks again. All she knew was that it should have been a special private moment. She glared at Jessica, her confusion with Will bursting out as anger to her friend. ‘You never have a good word to say about him, even though he’s brought us food when we were nearly out.’
Why am I defending him?
‘Look, Ronnie, I’m older than you—’
‘Please don’t use that excuse.’ Ronnie pressed her lips together. ‘Raine used to say exactly the same when she wanted to give me her uncalled-for advice. Age doesn’t mean to say you’re always right.’
‘I want you to listen to me. I know how you feel.’
‘How can you possibly know how I feel?’
‘Because I have more experience than you. I’ve—’
‘Oh, just drop it.’
In bed that night Ronnie lay wide-eyed, staring at the wooden ceiling, wishing she and Jess hadn’t fallen out. It was Will she should have told off, not Jess. Raine would have sat her down and given her a good talking-to. She bit her lip. How she missed her and Suzy. And Maman. Ronnie let her lids fall. The realisation of being so far away from everything and everyone she loved swept over her. All she could do was console herself that when the training ended Dora had promised them three whole days off. She couldn’t wait. It was then that she gave way to her tears, muffling them under the blanket so Jess wouldn’t hear.
She wiped her eyes with the edge of the sheet and with the tip of her finger touched her bruised lips, still not sure exactly what had happened between her and Will.
Chapter Twenty-Five
When Ronnie opened her eyes the following morning she sleepily put her arm out but there was only a warm space where Jess had lain, and a sharp, salty tang she hadn’t smelt for months. Bacon sizzling!
‘You’re awake?’ Jessica touched her arm.
‘Oh, Jess.’ Ronnie didn’t know what else to say. Suddenly she felt ashamed. What had Jess started to say yesterday? Whatever it was, she hadn’t given her a chance to explain.
‘Jess, I’m sorry—’
‘Forget it, Ronnie. I have. Here, I’ve made you a cuppa. And a bacon sandwich. However your friend got it, it shouldn’t go to waste. And it’ll perk you up.’ She handed Ronnie a plate.
‘Mmm. It smells wonderful. Oh, what a treat.’ She glanced at up. ‘Where’s yours?’
Jessica smiled. ‘I couldn’t wait. I’ve had mine but I’ll bring my tea to bed so we don’t disturb madam.’
Angela was giving a vicious snore on every intake of breath.
‘Jess, listen, I’m sorry about yesterday. I can just hear my mother. “I ’ave not brought you up to be so rude”,’ Ronnie quoted, imitating Maman’s accent.
Jessica smiled. ‘I don’t want you hurt, that’s all. And I really didn’t like that display of Will Drake’s. Angela was right. He was showing off to let us know you were his property. And I despise men who treat women like that.’
Ronnie was silent.
‘And I’m not at all happy about some of those goods he brought.’ Jessica took a sip of tea. ‘I think he’s a shady character who only does nice things for his own benefit. Certainly his parting shot sent shivers down my spine. All that about collecting his reward with no one looking on. That rang alarm bells for me and it should you.’ She gave Ronnie a direct look. ‘Your sister wouldn’t thank me if I didn’t warn you, so here goes – I don’t want you to ever be alone with that boy.’
‘I’m used to looking after myself. I’m pretty sensible.’
‘More sensible girls than you have been swept off their feet … and raped.’
Ronnie drew in a quick breath. ‘Will wouldn’t—’
‘How do you know what he would and wouldn’t do?’ Jessica said fiercely. ‘If you don’t take any notice of me, then at least take notice of Dora. She seems to know him better than anyone, and she doesn’t have a good word to say about him.’
Ronnie opened her mouth to argue but it wouldn’t do any good. To change the subject, she said, ‘What were you about to say yesterday?’
Jessica paused, studying her as if wondering if she should divulge something personal. ‘All right, I’ll tell you,’ she said eventually. ‘I was very much in love with someone for a long time. He said he loved me. We had so much fun together and I didn’t for one moment question anything about him. But as the time went on I couldn’t understand, if we loved each other so much, why we weren’t making plans to get married. My friends kept saying how lucky I was to have such a handsome, charming man who obviously adored me and asking when was the happy day. I came to the conclusion it was obviously me who was being unreasonable – trying to rush things. So I tried hard to just enjoy the time I spent with him and not worry.
‘And then the war started. By this time he’d joined the RAF. He told me he was being sent abroad and wasn’t allowed to tell me where as he’d had to sign the Official Secrets Act. I believed him. Until one day my friend said she’d seen him in London – in Selfridges – with a woman on his arm and twins.’ Jessica briefly closed her eyes as though the pain was still fresh. ‘My friend doesn’t think he recognised her. He’d only met her briefly once.’
Ronnie swallowed the last bite of her sandwich, her eyes fixed on Jess.
‘At first I thought she must be mistaken. But when she overheard the woman call him by name, I knew she was speaking the truth. At first he denied it, but then he broke down, begging me not to leave him. He said he was going to ask his wife for a divorce. Can you believe it? Married with a couple of kids. I wasn’t stupid. I knew he’d never leave his family for me. He was like most men – wanted to have his cake and eat it.’
She sighed, but Ronnie saw her eyes fill, then look away. She obviously wasn’t over him yet.
‘Will’s too young to be married with twins,’ Ronnie said lightly, then was ashamed. How could she be so thoughtless. She took Jessica’s hand. ‘I’m sorry, Jess. I don’t mean to belittle your horrible experience, but you’ve got to believe me – Will’s not like your ex-boyfriend. And anyway, we’ve never even been out together so there’s not much chance of falling in love with him.’ She looked steadily at Jessica. ‘Is this man the same one who sent the tickets?’
‘Yes.’
Before Ronnie could change her mind, she said, ‘Then we’ll have a fabulous evening at his expense, the swine.’
Jessica broke into a broad smile. ‘Really? You’ll come with me to the dance?’
‘Even if I have to dance in my wellies,’ Ronnie chuckled. ‘Come on, Jess. Let’s get going before Angela wakes up.’
It was another three days before the sun appeared and began to melt the ice. Three days listening to Angela’s moaning and groaning. That morning Dora told them she’d managed to flag down a boatman and his family, and according to Dora he had two strapping sons. Upon opening the hatch Ronnie could hear a commotion outside – loud noises of banging and cracking – and a roar from what sounded like the boatman ordering his boys what to do and getting some stick back from the pair of them.
‘Break the h’ice round t’hull first,’ he bellowed, ‘or them timbers’ll break, sure as eggs.’
‘Bleedin’ wind’s a booger t’day,’ one of the sons shouted back. ‘It keeps blowin’ the moty inter the rhubarb.’
What on earth did he mean? Ronnie wondered. It was like another language. She had to watch. Perhaps she could help in some way. Pushing her way through the hatch she crawled onto the roof. It was bitterly cold. Too late she realised she hadn’t got her hat and gloves on. It was too precarious to shove her hands in her pockets. The boatman on his narrow boat with an enormous pole in his hand caught sight of her and waved frantically. Was he trying to tell her something? If he was, she had no idea what he meant. She was about to brave it and see how the others were faring in the motorbo
at when a sudden gust of wind caught her off-guard, threatening to sweep her off her feet.
‘Back inside, miss,’ Dora screamed above the noise. ‘I’m not havin’ no more accidents from any of yous.’
Using every ounce of her strength, her heart racing, Ronnie managed to scramble back as Dora instructed. Relief flooded through her as her boots touched the floor of the cabin, and the warmth from the stove enveloped her, making steam rise in puffs from her raincoat.
‘Take your coat off at once, young lady,’ Jessica ordered.
‘In a minute,’ Ronnie said through chattering teeth. ‘I didn’t think it would be that cold when I saw it was sunny out.’ She spread her hands towards the fire. ‘It’s the wind. The men were having a terrible time trying to break the ice with the wind nearly knocking them over.’ She wouldn’t tell them how close she’d been to being swept over the side. She took in a few slow breaths, willing her heart to stop hammering. ‘By the looks of things, I can’t see us going anywhere today.’
The boatmen were several hours before they were able to break the ice and free Persephone and Penelope. By then it was dusk and Dora came to give the trainees instructions for tomorrow morning.
‘If the cut’s iced up again we’ll have ter untie the boats and use the motor ter clear a passage in front, then come back for the butty.’ She glared at the little group. ‘It’ll take twice as long, so mind yer ready half seven sharp.’
‘I’ll barely have time to put my make-up on,’ Jessica grumbled.
Ronnie glanced at her and smiled. Jessica grinned back. Even if they didn’t agree on Will Drake, Ronnie was happy they were friends again. And if she were absolutely honest, she wasn’t at all sure she felt quite the same towards Will herself.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Bit by bit Persephone and Penelope were making their cautious way up the Grand Union Canal towards Royal Leamington Spa, Dora ensuring the trainees all took turns on every aspect of handling the pair of boats.
‘Pair of boats comin’ towards us,’ Dora said, squinting. ‘They be trainee wenches’ boats.’
