Blue Moon
Page 39
Ruby explained all this to the police, telling them how cleverly Albert had thrown his voice to amuse the children at High Salvington. Back then it had been a bit of fun. Who could have guessed that he was already putting his talents to a much more sinister use?
She looked around the restaurant. It was so tastefully done, and well worth the wait. Ruby loved the art deco gallery and the potted ferns dotted around the room. Her mother, her sister-in-law and May were coming back now. She smiled warmly. What a year this had been.
Jim had been in hospital for weeks, and his recovery was very slow. Both legs were broken and he’d suffered crush injuries. She remembered how she and Percy had run through the streets to get to the hospital on Lyndhurst Road that night. No chance of getting a bus or a taxi, with the rioters spilling out onto the street all around the pavilion and along Marine Parade.
When she arrived at the hospital, Ruby had waited anxiously while Jim was in theatre for an operation to fix his legs, only to be dragged away by the police to answer their questions. She’d returned the next day, exhausted, but relieved to know that her husband had survived the procedure.
The next few months were far from easy. As far as Jim’s health was concerned, there was the ever-present fear of infection. The operation on his legs had been so difficult that the doctors feared he would never walk again. Jim had been devastated and had had to battle depression as well.
Her mother and May had returned to Worthing to help, and Rex had sold up his practice by the sea and come to join them. He now had a GP’s practice in Heene. He had been such a wonderful support and, because Jim was related to him, it was obvious that he was getting the very best of care.
Without Jim at the helm, the photography business had to be put on hold. Now Ruby was left with the problem of how to make a living. When the doctors said Jim might never walk again, Mabel did something rather wonderful; she gave Ruby Linton’s cottage, which, with a lot of hard work and plenty of help from friends and neighbours, Ruby turned into a guest house, with Mabel as a sleeping partner. That meant she could rent out the house in Newlands Road, to generate more income.
‘She’s nothing if not gutsy, that girl of yours,’ Mabel told Bea.
Ruby wasn’t afraid of hard work and, with the guest house now up and running, she was happy. She might never get to see those places Imogen had told her about, when she’d sent her postcards, but she wouldn’t swap what she had for anything in the world.
The pianist began to play Connie Boswell’s song ‘Blue Moon’ and Ruby found herself humming along.
Those postcards she’d received from Miss Russell were all in an old shoe box up in the loft, but she hadn’t heard from her for ages. She was probably married herself now, maybe with children of her own. Ruby hoped she was happy. Life moved on, and her dear friend Edith was now only a year away from the moment when she could marry Bernard from the bacon counter. Ruby smiled to herself. He was an under-manager now, but somehow, to Ruby, he would always be ‘Bernard from the bacon counter’.
She hummed a little more. The past few months had been far from easy but Ruby was luckier than most. Like the words of the song, she really had found someone to care for.
The only loose end from all the events of the past year and a half was finding Charlie Downs. Everybody hoped he was safe. And then one night Ruby had woken with a start. She suddenly remembered the lift operator at Warnes. He was an old soldier. They’d always called him ‘Scotty’, but Ruby recalled that Colonel Blatchington had called him ‘Charles’. She’d had to wait a while, until she next saw Edith, to ask her if she could find out his name, and, sure enough, Scotty’s real name was Charles Downs. With Albert gone and Winifred in hospital, he was safe and sound, so Ruby decided there was no point in telling him everything. But it made her smile to think that he was there all the time, right under their noses, and they never knew.
She heard a slight commotion by the restaurant door and looked up, fearing the worst. The waitress was on her way down, but most likely they couldn’t get Jim’s wheelchair through the door. She rose to her feet and waved, so that they would know where the table was. Her wave died in mid-air. Rex and Percy were moving very slowly, because Jim stood between them. He had two sticks and he looked a bit wobbly, but he was walking … walking with his head held high. Ruby drew in her breath and put her hand to her mouth.
‘He’s been practising for ages, so that he could do this for you,’ Bea said quietly as Ruby gaped in astonishment. ‘We’ve all been sworn to secrecy – even May.’
Her little sister looked up at Ruby, her face shining. Tears welled in Ruby’s eyes. Then she heard the pianist strike up ‘Happy Birthday’, and every eye in the restaurant was upon her. When Jim finally stood right in front of her, everybody began to clap spontaneously.
‘Bravo, Jim!’ cried Rex.
‘Happy birthday, darling,’ said Jim, handing Bea his walking sticks. He held out a brightly coloured box. ‘I hope you like your present.’
Ruby knew whatever he’d given her in the box would be lovely, but the best present in the world was seeing him walking towards her. Her blue moon had just turned to gold.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Firstly, I would like to thank Bettina Sands, who kindly checked the German text in the story. Thanks Bettina, you’re a star! I should also like to thank my editors, Caroline Hogg and Victoria Hughes-Williams, for their skilful talents and, most of all, for their encouragement. The genuine stuff – not just flattery – is like gold dust to a writer, and they have been very generous. Also, I can’t miss an opportunity to thank my agent, Juliet Burton. I’m running out of clichés with which to thank her, but she has helped to make this journey a truly enjoyable one.
TURN THE PAGE FOR A Q&A WITH AUTHOR PAM WEAVER
AUTHOR Q&A
1. When did you first become an author?
My first book was published in 2011.
2. Where did the idea for Blue Moon come from?
That’s a hard question to answer. There are several story lines in the book so I’ll tackle one to answer this question. Worthing has a reputation as a place where not much happens but I have discovered that this is far from the case. Oswald Mosley, admirer and friend of Adolf Hitler, headed up a fascist movement which gained popularity in the early thirties. I discovered that there was not one but two HQ’s in Worthing so I asked myself ‘What if …?’ What if a family member joined the Blackshirts? What if that decision divided the family? What if, over time, that family member’s belief in Oswald’s idea of utopia began to crumble? And so part of the story of Blue Moon began to evolve.
3. Do you have a favourite scene in Blue Moon?
I love to weave a little mystery into a story – family secrets and thoughts of revenge and murder – so my favourite scene has to be when Ruby discovers that her mother … ah, but if I told you I might spoil the surprise!
4. Do you do any research for your novels?
I do loads of it! My bookshelves are lined with autobiographies and books about the war years and the austerity years. I go to the reference library and read the newspapers of the day. I look at old magazines and I talk to elderly neighbours who have lived in Worthing all their lives. I attend lectures on Worthing’s history and try to soak up all that I can.
5. Is there a particular place where you like to write?
I write in my office, at the kitchen table and in the summer, outside in the garden. My favourite place is wherever the mood takes me.
6. Why do you set your books in Sussex?
I met and married a Sussex lad and came to live here. Over the years, I have fallen in love with this beautiful county.
7. What are your favourite things about living in Sussex?
Sussex cream teas! Seriously, there are so many beautiful places in Sussex. We have the sea and unspoiled beaches, the Downs to the north, high places such as Highdown Hill and Cisbury Ring where we can get great views, rolling hills and sheep, castles and stately homes. All th
at and a Sussex cream tea … who could want more?
8. Which authors have inspired you?
Daphne Du Maurier, Jean Plaidy, JoJo Moyes and Philippa Gregory.
9. Are you writing a new novel at the moment?
Yes I am. Its working title is These Foolish Things and it is a sequel to Blue Moon, taking Ruby through the war years.
10. What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
It took me sixteen years to become an author. During that time, I read, I did my best to soak up every bit of good advice, I read some more and I went to writer’s days whenever possible. If I came across a competition I had a go, and then I read my critique and the winning story. I would say if you want to write, just do it and get all the help you can along the way. If an athlete has to train and learn how to cope with criticism and failure, so does the writer. As with any journey, there will be dips in the road as well as high hills – enjoy the ride, it’ll be worth it in the end!
If you enjoyed Blue Moon, look out
for Pam Weaver’s first novella available
in ebook for Christmas 2015
EMILY’S CHRISTMAS WISH
Can a wish come true?
Emily Farrent should be looking forward to Christmas. Instead she lies petrified under her bed, fearful for her life. Following a blood-curdling scream, her father is missing and her mother is fighting for her life. All little Emily knows is that she will have to escape, far far away …
Ushered away from the horrendous scene at her family home, she is driven to the local home for unwanted children. Since the attack, she hasn’t spoken a word and now the local children are making her life a living hell. The poor little mite doesn’t even know whether her parents are alive, but she has to learn that life can be tough.
With her parents missing, a long-lost aunt is the only hope she has. Will little Emily ever be united with her family again? Or will she be alone for Christmas?
BLUE MOON
Pam’s saga novels, There’s Always Tomorrow, Better Days Will Come, Pack Up Your Troubles and For Better For Worse, are set in Worthing during the austerity years. Pam’s inspiration comes from her love of people and their stories, and her passion for the town of Worthing. With the sea on one side and the Downs on the other, Worthing has a scattering of small villages within its urban sprawl, and in some cases tight-knit communities, making it an ideal setting for the modern saga.
Praise for Pam Weaver
‘What a terrific read – saga fans everywhere will love it and be asking for more from this talented author’
Annie Groves
‘An engaging and gripping post-war saga … a hardhitting story of female friendship tested against the odds’
Take a Break
‘A heartrending story about mothers and daughters’
Kitty Neale
‘Pam Weaver presents us with a real page-turner – with richly drawn characters and a clever plot’
Caring 4 Sussex
‘The characters are so richly drawn and authentic that they pull the reader along through the story effortlessly. This book is a real page-turner, which I enjoyed very much’
Anne Bennett
‘An uplifting memoir told with real honesty’
Yours
First published 2015 by Pan Books
This electronic edition published 2015 by Pan Books
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ISBN 978-1-4472-7587-9
Copyright © Pam Weaver 2015
The right of Pam Weaver to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
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