by Joan Jonker
Andrew’s eyes shot open wide. ‘Charlotte, keep your voice down and don’t make a show of me.’
‘If you don’t make use of your chance, Andrew, I will make a show of you by falling flat on my face,’ Charlotte hissed. ‘And I’ll pull David down with me.’
‘Is this a conspiracy, or can anyone join in?’ Neither brother nor sister had noticed Poppy behind them, and they were startled. Charlotte was the first to recover her wits. ‘Andrew was just saying he would like to ask you to dance, Poppy, but he’s afraid you would refuse because he can’t dance to your standard. I told him not to be so silly, that you weren’t the type to turn him down. But he doesn’t know you as well as I do, so he doesn’t know how kind you are.’
‘I’m sure Andrew is quite capable of choosing his own partners, Charlotte,’ Poppy said. ‘And seeing that Peter and Kate are already on the dance floor, and David is waiting for you to fandango with him, Andrew will have to be a gentleman and ask me for this dance. Otherwise I’ll be left alone, like a wallflower.’
Andrew thought his ship had come in. ‘It will be my pleasure, Poppy, but I doubt if it will be yours. I’m not exactly the best dancer in the world.’
Charlotte, hands on hips, tutted. ‘Really, Andrew, you’re getting better than me at telling fibs. You and I often have a dance at home, and we do very well. And anyway, Poppy is my friend, and I’m sure she won’t complain if you get a few steps wrong.’
David tapped her on the shoulder. ‘Are you coming to dance, or not? Honestly, you aren’t the size of six pennyworth of copper, but you can’t half talk. Now come on, or I’ll look for the next-best-looking girl in the room.’
When his sister had walked off with David, Andrew raised his brows at Poppy. ‘Are you willing to take a chance? I’ll quite understand if you want to sit this one out.’
‘I’m not only willing, I’m determined,’ Poppy said. ‘If you can’t tell your left foot from your right, at the end of this dance, then I’ll take up ballet dancing.’ She took his hand to lead him through the people standing at the edge of the dance floor, but quickly dropped it because it didn’t feel quite right. And when he took her in his arms as they stepped on to the floor, she felt most uncomfortable. It was queer, she told herself, that each time he’d touched her she’d felt the same. She could even remember the first time it happened, on the day he’d knocked her over, when he’d given her his hand to help her to her feet.
They covered the floor without a word being spoken. Andrew thought he was walking on air, and told himself only heaven could be a better place to be, while Poppy kept her eyes glued to his shoulder. ‘You are a good dancer, Poppy.’ Andrew was afraid his lack of conversation would have her thinking him a very dull person. ‘How well do you think I’m doing, or should I take up another hobby, like skydiving?’
Poppy chuckled. ‘I don’t think you’re doing badly at all.’ She raised her head to find herself staring into the deepest brown eyes she’d ever seen. She lowered her gaze quickly, as that feeling of discomfort returned. She was annoyed with herself, but couldn’t understand why. He was a nice-looking man, but so were hundreds of other men. He came from a rich family, there was no doubt about that, but money wasn’t everything. The one thing Andrew did have in his favour was a loveable sister whom Poppy had grown fond of. And for Charlotte’s sake she would not be rude to him. ‘If you came a couple more times, you would soon be as good a dancer as anyone here.’
‘Do you come often, Poppy?’
‘I haven’t been coming as often as I used to, because of night school two nights a week, and doing homework a few nights.’
‘My sister tells me you are now qualified to look for work as a secretary. She wasn’t talking about you behind your back, I hasten to say; it’s just that she seems very fond of you and likes to praise you. So, with night school finished, you’ll probably be coming here more often?’
‘I doubt it. I’ll have to watch my pennies after next week, for I gave my notice in at work today. I haven’t told the family yet, so please don’t mention it to anyone.’
‘That was rather impetuous, wasn’t it?’ Andrew regretted the words as soon as they left his lips. ‘I’m sorry, that was out of order. I have no right to criticize what you do. You must have had a good reason.’
The music came to an end and the dancers were leaving the floor when Poppy said, ‘Ask me up for the next dance and I can explain. I don’t want you thinking I packed my job in on a whim, without good reason.’
Charlotte was delighted to see Poppy and Andrew talking, and was giving herself a mental pat on the back. David was curious, but not to the point where it interfered with the fun he was having with Charlotte. Kate wasn’t concerned about how and why Andrew was there; she was just happy he was. And Peter was trying to figure out who the bloke was, and where he fitted into Poppy’s life.
And then someone else came on the scene, who didn’t confuse Peter because he knew him, but caused David to look at him with curiosity, and Andrew with jealousy.
‘How about the next dance, Poppy?’ Jim sounded bright and cheerful. ‘You told me I could ask, so here I am.’
‘Oh, hello, Jim,’ Poppy said. ‘I’m sorry, but I’ve promised the next dance to someone. However, there’s a nice young lady here who may fancy a change of partner. Charlotte, this is Jim, a good friend of mine and a smashing dancer.’
‘But what about David, Poppy? He’d be left on his own.’
‘The next dance is a “excuse me” quickstep, so we can excuse anyone we like.’ This was Poppy’s bright idea. ‘Which means we all get a chance to dance with each other.’
‘Oh, goody!’ Charlotte was thrilled. ‘I’ve never played that before, Poppy. How does it work?’
It was Jim who answered. ‘If yer see someone you would like to dance with, then you just walk up to their partner, tap him on the arm, and he has to pass the girl over. And yer can keep on doing it until yer get fed up, or the girl’s partner punches you and breaks yer nose.’
A strangled noise came from Charlotte, and all heads turned to see her eyes wide and a hand covering her mouth. ‘What’s wrong, sweetheart?’ Poppy asked. ‘You look as though you’ve seen a ghost.’
The girl was shaking her head. ‘I don’t want to dance in the “excuse me”, Poppy, My father would be really angry if Andrew or I went home with a broken nose.’ When the laughter came, Charlotte looked surprised. ‘He would, Poppy, and Mother would be inconsolable. She would need the smelling salts to stop her from fainting.’
Andrew crossed over to his sister and put a protective arm across her shoulder. ‘Look around at the men, my darling sister, and you will see there is not one with a broken nose.’
Jim was flabbergasted that his innocent joke had caused any trouble. I mean, he thought, how could anyone believe noses got broken because of a dance. ‘I was only kidding, girl. It doesn’t happen for real. I’m always excusing someone, and I’ve never had me nose broken, not once.’
Charlotte thought her acting deserved an award. Oh, she had such a lot to tell Papa. He would be really amused, and proud of her, of course. ‘All right, Jim, I’ll dance with you, and Poppy can dance with Andrew, while Peter dances with Kate.’
‘Pardon me,’ David said, looking down in the mouth. ‘You promised this dance to me.’
Charlotte tossed her curls as she linked her arm in Jim’s. ‘Well, it is an “excuse me” dance, David. Just tap my partner on the arm, and then duck.’
When Poppy was led on to the floor by Andrew, she said, ‘Your sister never ceases to amaze me. She acts like a child, but she has her head screwed on the right way. She’s a really good actress when she puts her mind to it, and with such innocence you can’t help falling for her charms.’
‘Charlotte really is a little love, and the kindest person I know.’ Andrew was back in heaven with Poppy so close in his arms. ‘She is not as childish as she makes out, and has an intelligence that often surprises me.’ He held her away and asked,
‘Now, are you going to tell me why you gave your notice in? I really am interested.’
Poppy found she was at ease with him when she wasn’t looking into his face, so her tale was told as she was looking somewhere between his chest and his shoulder. ‘The man is a brute. I couldn’t allow him to speak to anyone the way he spoke to Jean. So I gave my notice in when Jean did. And now you have the whole sorry tale. I don’t regret it, and would do it again if such a situation arose.’
‘I think you did the right thing,’ Andrew said. ‘I know John Sutherland, not as a friend but through business transactions. And he is not a man I could be a friend to. His father is a gentleman, but unfortunately the son is anything but. Anyway, you are better off away from him. And with a good reference, you will soon find other employment.’
Andrew argued with his conscience. Should he offer to help? For he could, and would love to offer her a position in his office. But he knew any offer would be turned down flat, and could even break their fragile friendship. ‘I have no doubt you will not be long out of work.’ He laughed, hoping what he was about to say would be taken as a joke. ‘Have a word with my sister. She’ll help. She’s quite the little businesswoman when it suits her. If she was the one looking for a job, whoever interviewed her would take her on just to stop her talking. My father is putty in her hands.’
‘Peter could get me a job immediately, so I wouldn’t need to be out of work at all. But I prefer to be independent. I do have my pride, you know.’
‘Don’t forget you promised to visit my office for tea and cakes,’ Andrew reminded her. ‘Come in with Charlotte one day, and let me know your news. I would like that.’
‘I will, I promise.’ For the first time since they’d set foot on the dance floor, Poppy looked into his face. ‘And if I have landed a job, the cakes are on me.’
Chapter Twenty-Three
‘Peter didn’t seem very happy tonight, seeing you dancing with Andrew,’ David said, hanging his coat up in the hall. ‘He asked me who he was, and was he taking you out. I’d say Peter is very jealous.’
‘What did you tell him?’ Poppy asked.
‘What could I tell him? I don’t know much about Andrew, except he has a lovely sister. I really enjoyed myself tonight, thanks to Charlotte. She’s really very funny.’
Eva came in from the kitchen. She’d had a kettle of water on the boil for twenty minutes, so there’d be a hot drink ready for when they came in. ‘All I heard was that you had a good time, David, but Peter didn’t. So while I’m pouring the tea out, fill in the rest of the story.’
David pulled out a chair and sat with a satisfied smile on his face, rubbing his palms together. ‘I had a whale of a time. Charlotte is a great girl. She’d be the life and soul of any party.’
Eva put the cups of tea down in front of them, then drew out a chair for herself. ‘Now, who is Charlotte, and who was the Andrew you said Peter was jealous of? It’s all very confusing.’
‘Andrew and Charlotte are the brother and sister who knocked me over that day when it was raining. I’ve bumped into them a couple of times. Our office is very near to theirs,’ Poppy said. ‘I don’t know Andrew very well, but Charlotte has become a friend of mine and Jean’s, as you know.’
‘And why didn’t Peter like you dancing with this Andrew?’ Eva asked. ‘I thought he was back with his old girlfriend?’
‘He’s getting there, Mam, but it’s not going to happen overnight. It’ll take time, but Kate will win him round, and she deserves to. Peter is used to dancing with me, but he’ll get over it. That’s why I asked David to come with me tonight, so Kate could get a look in. I was surprised when Charlotte and Andrew turned up, but I was glad to see them, for it relieved the tension.’
‘I wonder if Charlotte will come to the Grafton again, Poppy?’ David asked. ‘Let me know and I’ll come along, just for a laugh.’
‘I doubt she’ll come again, David. And don’t get too fond of her ’cos she’s way out of our league. I’ve grown very fond of her myself, but I know it won’t last, our friendship, ’cos I couldn’t keep up with her social life.’
‘Money isn’t everything, sweetheart. It shouldn’t come between friends,’ Eva said. ‘One person sits in the front stalls in the picture house ’cos that’s all they can afford. Another person sits in the dress circle ’cos they can afford it. But there’s no reason why those two people can’t be friends.’
Poppy could feel her tummy churning as a voice in her head told her to get on with it. ‘I’ve got some news, Mam and David, and it’s not good news.’ She saw her mother and brother look startled, and was quick to assure them, ‘Oh, it’s nothing serious. No one has died! But it’s not good news, either. I gave a week’s notice today, and I’m leaving my job next Friday. And as I haven’t got another job lined up, I might not be able to put in the usual housekeeping money until something turns up. I’m all right for this week, and next, and I’m hoping not to be out of work for long. But I can’t say for certain.’
It was David who asked, ‘How and why did that come about, sis? You’ve never given any hint you were thinking of leaving so soon.’
‘I wasn’t. It just happened. My pride wouldn’t allow me to stay there.’
Eva put a hand over one of Poppy’s. ‘You must have had good reason, sweetheart. Why don’t you tell us, and get it off yer chest. A trouble shared is a trouble halved. And me and David are here for yer. So tell us what brought it about.’
Poppy began her tale with standing outside the office block waiting hopefully for Jean to arrive with good news about her interview. There was no sound or movement from Eva or David until she came to the part where she’d decided she couldn’t sit and listen to her friend being ridiculed, insulted and sworn at. Then David said, ‘Good for you, Poppy. You did what any self-respecting person would do. If I’d been there, I’d have lost my temper and thumped him one.’
‘David is right, sweetheart,’ Eva said, ‘except about thumping your Mr John. Violence never solves anything. But I’m glad you kept your dignity. I wouldn’t have wanted you to work with such a dreadful man, so I’m glad you handed your notice in. And don’t you worry about money. We’ll manage fine.’
‘I’ll give extra every week so your money won’t be missed, Poppy,’ David said. ‘I don’t spend much on myself, and I’m on a decent wage.’
‘It won’t be for long,’ Poppy said with determination. ‘I brought the Echo in with me earlier, so I’ll have a look down the job vacancies. And I’ll go to the Labour Exchange and see if they know of jobs going.’
‘Ask Charlotte’s father,’ David said. ‘He may help. He must know plenty of firms.’
‘No!’ Poppy shook her head. ‘I will not ask Charlotte, Andrew or their father for help. I’ll get there on my own. I was determined to learn shorthand, and I stuck with it. And I’m just as determined to become a private secretary, and I’ll do that as well, you’ll see.’
‘Of course you will, sweetheart.’ Eva wasn’t saying it just to bolster her daughter’s feelings; she was certain in her own mind that Poppy’s struggle to learn shorthand wouldn’t be wasted. She wouldn’t be out of work long, not if Mr Jones gave her a good reference. With that in her hand, and a smart appearance, she shouldn’t have a problem. ‘Put it out of your mind for now. It’s time for bed. You’ve had a hard day, but yer’ll feel better in the morning after a good sleep.’
‘Don’t you worry about me, Mam. I’m no shrinking violet, I’m tough. It’s Mr John you should be worried about, because it will be all round the offices why we gave our notice in. His father is bound to know by now, and he’s not going to be very happy about the way his son runs his office. I bet he gets a good ticking off, and he won’t be able to answer his father back. He’ll have to stand there and take it. Like Jean’s had to for so many years.’
‘That’s enough now, sweetheart, because if yer go to bed with an active brain yer’ll never get to sleep.’
‘I’m on my way, Mam, and I w
ill sleep because I’m tired.’ Poppy gave her mother a kiss, then leaned over to David. ‘Thanks for coming to the dance with me, our kid. It was a good thing really, with Charlotte and Andrew turning up out of the blue. I’m glad they did, because now when I talk about Charlotte you’ll know what she’s like. So here’s a whopping big kiss to say thank you.’
‘I should be thanking you, our kid, because a game of cards seems dull in comparison. And seeing as it’s Saturday tomorrow, when you and our mam don’t go to work and I only do a couple of hours, how’s about me taking you both to the pictures? A little outing for the Meadows family.’
‘Oh, that would be nice,’ Poppy said. ‘I’ll look forward to it. What do you say, Mam?’
Eva chuckled. ‘As soon as you two go to bed, I’ll wash these few cups, then get the Echo out. I’ll look down the list of cinemas, and see what’s on. If we don’t all favour the same film, we’ll toss for it.’ She waved a hand towards the door. ‘Off you go. Goodnight and God bless.’
Sunday morning the family were having a leisurely breakfast while reading articles in the News of the World. Eva had the first few pages, Poppy the middle section and David the sports pages near the back. ‘Liverpool got beaten yesterday,’ he informed them. ‘Lost by one goal.’
Aren’t you glad you weren’t there, son?’ Eva asked, a smile hovering around her mouth. ‘It’s bad enough reading that your favourite team lost, but it must be heartbreaking to have to stand and watch them.’
‘Ay, just look at this,’ Poppy said, holding the pages between her two hands. ‘They’re advertising television sets for thirty pound. They’ve come down in price from last year. The cheapest then was fifty pound, going up to a hundred. It would be nice to have one, to see what’s going in the world. And they have plays and films on.’ She lowered the paper. ‘When I’m working, and getting a decent wage, shall we save up and buy one?’
