‘No, me and Josh’ll go under our stairs and you go under yours.’
Later that day Mick arrived home on leave. ‘Mick!’ Cathy exclaimed when she opened the door. ‘Why didn’t you let us know?’
‘But I did. I sent a card,’ he said. ‘Aren’t you going to let me in?’
Cathy laughed and flung her arms around him. ‘Oh, it’s great to see you, son.’
Greg, Sarah and Kate were all at home and all delighted to see Mick. He looked very smart in his uniform with a strip of white in the glengarry he wore at a jaunty angle and a two-bladed propeller badge on his sleeve.
‘I thought it was a dog’s bone,’ Kate said when he told them why he wore it, and that it meant that he was now a Leading Aircraftman.
He had been briefly in London, at St John’s Wood, and told them that his squad drilled at Regent’s Park Zoo and had their meals there. ‘What about the animals?’ Kate asked.
‘We let them watch,’ he said. ‘The baboons and the monkeys imitate us. They’re going to be issued with rifles to defend the Zoo.’
Kate looked at him suspiciously. ‘I never know when to believe you,’ she said.
Cathy was relieved to hear that Mick was being moved from London, but not so pleased when she heard that he was going to Scarborough. ‘They’ve been having it bad on the East Coast, haven’t they, as well as in London?’
‘Don’t worry about me,’ Mick said easily. ‘Only the good die young, you know.’
Mick told them that he would be billeted in a girls’ public school in Scarborough. ‘Unfortunately, the girls have been evacuated, like the animals from the Zoo,’ he said, winking at Kate.
Later, when Mick had gone to see friends, Cathy said to Greg, ‘He’s made up, isn’t he? I hope it doesn’t make John feel worse, seeing him so settled.’
‘No. John’ll be glad to see Mick happy,’ Greg said. ‘Has he mentioned changing his job, by the way?’
‘He only told me he was applying to the Ordnance Factory,’ she said.
‘That’s all he told me,’ Greg said hastily. ‘He’s a stubborn blighter, you know, Cath. While he was having a bad time at work about his politics, he wouldn’t leave. Yet now that gang has gone and he likes the fellows he works with, he applies for another job.’
‘I suppose he wouldn’t give in to that crowd,’ she said. ‘But he wants to do war work, if he can’t get into the Army.’
‘I think he talks a lot to Anne,’ Greg said. ‘She’s a good listener, and his own generation, of course.’
‘She’s a nice girl,’ Cathy declared. ‘I hope—’ She looked at Greg and smiled. ‘I’m match making.’
‘Why not?’ he said he stood up and kissed her. ‘She’d get a nice mother-in-law, anyway.’
After their evening meal Sarah went to wash the dishes and Mick came out to dry them. ‘How’s the boyfriend?’ he asked.
‘All right, I think,’ Sarah said. ‘He can’t say much on those cards, but Joe says he’ll be well treated.’
‘I thought Joe would be more your sort than Terry,’ Mick said casually.
Sarah stood with her hands in the bowl, rigid with shock. Was it so clear? Could other people tell how she felt? But he went on calmly, ‘I only saw them a few times, but I was surprised when it was Terry you settled for.’
‘You’re the only one then,’ she said bitterly. ‘Everyone else seemed to have me paired off with Terry before I knew what was happening.’ She looked at Mick and forced a smile. ‘I’m not grumbling,’ she added hastily.
‘Both nice fellows,’ said Mick. ‘What about John and Anne? What’s happening there?’
‘Search me,’ Sarah said inelegantly. ‘Neither of them say anything to me, and Grandma told me not to ask.’
She had recovered from the shock of Mick’s words and said curiously, ‘Why did you say that about being surprised, Mick?’
‘Just that I thought you and Joe were well suited, and Terry seems a bit flip for you,’ he said. He grinned. ‘Must be the well-known attraction of opposites.’
‘Must be,’ she agreed, but respect grew in her for Mick’s quick perception. No one else, she was sure, saw her and Terry as anything but a perfectly matched couple, or suspected all that lay unspoken between herself and Joe.
He had been home again on leave, and they had been unable to resist seeing each other frequently on one pretext or another, but Joe’s manner to her was scrupulously brotherly and Sarah was as careful to treat him in the same way. Only when they looked at each other did they betray the longing that they felt for each other, but no one else noticed.
Sarah had received several cards from Terry and one had greatly annoyed her. He had written as usual that he was well and in good spirits, and then had added: “Don’t worry, Sarah. There are no frauleins available here.”
She was furious. Big head, she thought. Little does he know that I’d be glad if he met a fraulein, but he must know there are plenty of men available to me. She was never tempted, though, because her heart was filled with love for Joe.
Later she felt ashamed of her thoughts and wrote an affectionate letter to Terry. She and Joe wrote to each other sometimes, stilted letters saying nothing of their feelings though each could read between the formal phrases.
Sarah had been careful not to let her grandmother see her with Joe, knowing that her eyes were as sharp as Mick’s.
All the family were worried about Sally at this time. She looked tired and worn, and they thought that the strain of the air raids was telling on her. Sally never betrayed the real reason. She had no fear of death, and the air raids would not have worried her, but every time there was a raid her strength was sapped by Josh’s clinging to her, whimpering with fear, and even more by concealing his behaviour from everyone.
Peggy still came in for a cup of tea every morning, but Josh kept to his room except for meals now. ‘Did you see that funny light in the sky last night?’ Peggy said one morning. ‘It was these incendiary bombs, the Major said.’
‘Is he still giving his views?’ Sally said dryly.
‘He’d get on your nerves,’ Peggy declared. ‘You’re lucky with a quiet old man like Josh. The Major’s always giving the pay out. He listens to every news bulletin, and he told me Lord Haw Haw said Liverpool was finished. Nearly everyone dead, and the few that were left starving.’
‘I never listen to that fool.’
‘Neither do I,’ Peggy said, ‘but I can’t stop the Major telling me. I went to Meg’s shelter last night, but I believe the Major wouldn’t go under the stairs or in the street shelter, and wouldn’t let his wife go either.’
‘Have you heard from Michael?’ Sally said, anxious to turn the conversation away from shelters and air raids.
Peggy readily talked about Michael and Meg. ‘I’m made up Willie failed the medical when he was called up,’ she said. ‘He’s as good as gold with Meg. All through the raids he sat there with his arms round her, telling her stories, and she never bothered about the crash bang wallop going on outside.’
I could do with Willie here, thought Sally ruefully.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
John was notified that his application for a job in the Royal Ordnance Factory was successful, but on the same day was told that one of his frequent attempts to join the Army had been successful also.
‘Which will you take, son?’ Cathy asked.
‘The Army,’ he said without hesitation. She sighed, and he said gently, ‘Sorry, Mam, but you know how long I’ve been trying for it.’
‘Yes, I know. What shift is Anne on?’
‘Afternoons,’ he said. ‘I think I’ll slip round there now and tell them.’
He dashed away and Cathy was not surprised when they returned at lunch time with Anne proudly wearing a three-stone diamond engagement ring.
‘Anne’s dad was on nights so he was home and I could ask,’ John explained. ‘We went right away for the ring.’
‘No sooner the word than the deed with you,�
�� Cathy said, smiling. ‘You’ll have to cure him being so headstrong, Anne.’
‘Headstrong!’ John exclaimed. ‘You can’t say that, Mam. The way I’ve felt about Anne for ages, but I couldn’t ask her while I had this stigma on me.’
‘I didn’t see it as a stigma, John,’ she said quietly. He kissed her and Cathy flung her arms round both of them.
‘I’m made up, and everyone else will be too. It’s what we’ve all been hoping for.’
There was a light knock at the open front door and Sally came down the lobby. ‘Mam, quick,’ Cathy cried. ‘Tell her, John.’
‘We’re engaged,’ he said with a beaming smile, while Anne shyly held out her hand to show the ring.
‘What kept you?’ Sally said sardonically to John, but she took Anne’s hand and looked at the ring, then kissed her warmly. ‘Welcome, love,’ she said. ‘He’s a lucky lad, and we’re lucky too. Look after him, girl, and I know he’ll look after you.’
Anne’s eyes filled with tears. She flung her arms around Sally and kissed her with fervour. ‘I will,’ she promised.
‘Hey, it’s me you’ve got to say that to,’ John said, laughing.
Anne had gone to work when Sarah and Greg arrived home, but they were delighted with the news, and so was Kate.
‘Can I be a bridesmaid?’ she asked.
‘That’s up to Anne,’ her mother said, and Kate declared that she would ask her.
Sarah was thrilled with the news and delighted when Anne came the following morning to walk to work with her and show her the ring. ‘I can’t possibly tell you how pleased I am,’ Sarah declared. ‘Mam says our John’s walking on air and I feel as though I am too. Although not the same, of course,’ she added hastily. ‘I know it’s different for him, but I’m so pleased, Anne.’
‘I feel a bit mean flashing my ring around while Terry’s away,’ said Anne. ‘But I’m sure he’ll soon be home to give you yours.’
‘Don’t worry about that,’ Sarah said. ‘And don’t let it spoil your pleasure, Anne.’
She had wondered sometimes if Anne had encouraged the idea that she and Terry were a courting couple because she wanted to strengthen links between the Fitzgeralds and the Redmonds, but she knew that if so, her friend’s actions were simply from unconscious longing, not a deliberate ploy.
All Anne’s family were pleased about the engagement, particularly her mother. Mrs Fitzgerald looked more frail every day, Sarah thought. She often went to see her because she was fond of her, as well as to hear any news of Joe, and was always warmly welcomed.
‘It does her good to see you,’ Mr Fitzgerald said. ‘I worry about us all being out so much, but what can you do?’ He was working long hours and fire-watching, and Maureen was now driving an ambulance. Stephen had been sent to Newcastle to organize another factory for his firm.
The air raids continued and Sally hoped that Josh might become accustomed to them, but his terror was still as great. On the night of August the thirtieth he was not sheltering under the stairs when Sally came downstairs in answer to a warning siren. She knocked at his door. He couldn’t sleep through this, surely? she thought, as the heavy throbbing drone of hundreds of bombers filled the air, adding to the noise of antiaircraft guns and loud explosions.
Cathy came running in in her WVS uniform. ‘You and Josh’ll have to go to the street shelter. It’s too bad to stay under the stairs. Kate’s gone with Josie’s family.’
Sally turned to her, looking bewildered. ‘I can’t wake Josh,’ she said. Their eyes met. Cathy came and took the handle of the door.
‘Wait here, Mam,’ she said, but Sally followed her into the room. Josh lay in bed, curled up in a foetal position, with his face buried in the clothes. Cathy bent over him then stood up and shook her head.
‘He’s gone, Mam,’ she said. The next moment there was a tremendous crash. The house shook and glass fell from some of the windows. Cathy flung her arms protectively round her mother and pulled her to the floor.
‘Whew, that was a near one,’ she said, helping Sally to her feet. ‘Look, Mam, we can do nothing for Josh now, not even bring a doctor because the living need them more. You’ll have to come to the shelter.’
For the first time, she thought, her mother seemed like an old woman, bewildered and docile. Cathy brought her a coat, her handbag and a warm shawl, but before they left Sally suddenly reasserted herself.
‘Help me to straighten him out,’ she said, turning back the bedclothes from Josh. Then, when his limbs were straight, she took two pennies from her purse and laid them on his eyelids, and drew the sheet over his face.
All this time bombs were falling and the house seemed to vibrate as some fell nearby. ‘We’ll have to go, Mam,’ Cathy urged. ‘I’m on duty.’
‘It must have been his heart,’ Sally said as they left the house. The sky was filled with the glow from incendiary bombs, and the noise was deafening. ‘It’s like Bedlam,’ Sally gasped, as they hurried along. ‘Thank God he’s spared this.’
Peggy was in the shelter, as well as Kate and Josie and her family, and Cathy was able to leave her mother there and hurry back on duty.
‘I hadn’t got time to get to Meg’s,’ Peggy said. ‘That first one come so fast, I just run in here.’
‘Where’s Josh?’ Kate said pertly. ‘Was he too frightened to come?’
Sally frowned at her. ‘Mr Adamson is dead,’ she said severely, ‘and I’ll thank you to show more respect.’
Kate fell silent as Peggy and Josie exclaimed. Peggy said in alarm, ‘Was it a bomb?’
‘No, he had a heart attack,’ Sally said. ‘You know his heart’s been bad for years.’ There was another tremendous explosion and they could hear distant shouts and screams.
‘Good God, I wonder where that was?’ Josie said. ‘Maybe I should let these two go away. Our Eunice is safe there in Wales.’
‘Ah eh Mam, don’t make us go away,’ nine-year-old Danny protested, and five-year-old Frank smiled at his mother.
‘I like it,’ he announced. ‘It’s exciting.’ His two front teeth were missing, and all the women smiled at his eager expression. Sally took two bars of chocolate from her handbag and gave one each to the boys.
‘That your iron rations, Sal?’ Peggy laughed.
‘Yes, I’m like the Boy Scouts. Always prepared,’ she said.
She was already recovering from the first shock of Josh’s death and reflecting that it had been merciful, coming before he had experienced what was happening now and before anyone else knew of his fear.
‘I wonder if that sailor got through?’ Peggy said. ‘There was a seaman here but he made a run for it to reach his ship.’
‘He was in a shelter in Longview last night, and he said they had a fine time. Someone had a melodeon and they were all singing,’ Kate said.
‘It’s a wonder you didn’t offer to give him a performance,’ Sally said sharply, but the next moment there was an explosion which threw them all to the floor.
‘Merciful God,’ Josie screamed, clutching her boys, and instinctively Sally threw her arms round Kate as they fell.
She had given Josie the shawl to wrap about the little boys a few minutes earlier, and they were muffled in it as they all fell. Everyone was too shocked to speak for a moment, then Frank peeped up from the folds into his mother’s face. ‘Are we the only ones left, Mam?’ he asked. ‘Are all the others dead?’
‘No, lad, we’re all here,’ Peggy said. Sally found that she was shaking, less with the shock of the explosion than with fear for the rest of the family. ‘I wonder what’s happened to my lodgers?’ Peggy said to her.
‘I’m worried about Cathy and Greg and Sarah,’ Sally said quietly. ‘They’re all in different parts too.’
A woman at the end of the shelter screamed, ‘Jesus God,’ after every crash, and another one moaned quietly, ‘Oh, God, will it never end?’ But the little group round Kate and the boys felt that they had to keep up a brave front for the sake of the children, alt
hough Kate would have been annoyed to hear herself classed as one of them.
At long last the All Clear sounded and they stumbled wearily from the shelter, stiff and exhausted. The sky was lit with the flames of burning buildings, and the street was littered with broken glass and fallen chimney pots and slates, but as they picked their way along, a woman clutched at Sally’s arm.
‘Oh, Mrs Ward, I’ve been looking for you. Me neighbours’s lad’s been killed. Will you come?’
Sally left Kate with Josie and without hesitation took up her familiar role of comforter to the afflicted. Anxiety about her own family still gnawed at her, but some time later Sarah came to the door of the house. ‘Will you tell my grandma we’re all safe?’ she said. ‘My mum and dad are still on duty and I’m going to get a few hours’ sleep before I go to work.’
She was dirty and dishevelled, and the woman asked where she had been. ‘Fire-watching,’ she said. ‘We had a lot of incendiaries. We put them out with sandbags so we got a bit dirty.’
‘They got Mill Road Hospital,’ the woman said. ‘My sister lives just by there and she said it was terrible. Women were having babies coming down in the lifts, and all the ambulances and everything were messed up.’
‘Were the ambulance drivers all right?’ Sarah said in alarm. Joe would be heartbroken if anything happened to Maureen, she thought, but the woman looked doleful.
‘I don’t think so,’ she said. ‘Some of them were killed, and I seen some being put into ambulances from other hospitals.’
Sarah found the next day that Maureen had been injured, but fortunately not seriously. Cathy went with her mother to visit Mrs Fitzgerald and was shocked by the change in her.
‘I’m glad Maureen’s only slightly injured,’ she said to Mrs Fitzgerald.
The sick woman smiled weakly. ‘It’s a hard time for mothers, isn’t it?’ she said. ‘We used to worry about the men in the last war, but now we’ve got to worry about the girls as well. How is your lad in the Air Force?’
There is a Season Page 48
