by Dilly Court
‘You could try there, but I don’t think they’d be as flexible about hours as I would and they might not take you as you’ve got a baby to look after.’
Shirley shook her head. ‘I’ve really messed up my life, haven’t I?’
‘No. Never say that. You’ve got a gorgeous little boy and you’ve got Mum and me solidly behind you.’
‘But I’ll never live down this business with Laurence. What will happen when he comes home and Olivia tells him what I said?’
‘You’ll have to face that when it happens, but he’s a decent chap. I really liked him and he’s got a sense of humour. Maybe he’ll see the funny side.’
‘There isn’t one,’ Shirley said sorrowfully. ‘I’ve lost Charlie, who loved me to bits, and the man I really adored is dead. Sometimes I wish that I’d died with Tony in that car crash.’
Ginnie bit back a scathing remark. They had both fallen in love with men who were now far beyond their reach and she understood the agonising pain of loss only too well. She reached out to cover Shirley’s hand with her own. ‘You’ve got another bloke in your life now, and he’s bawling his head off.’ She hung the damp tea towel on the rail above the hot water boiler. ‘Start on Monday. Do a couple of hours in the morning and a couple in the afternoon, and we’ll see how we go. You can’t hide away forever, and people will soon find someone else to talk about.’
Shirley wiped her hands on her apron. ‘I’ll give it a try.’
Despite the war and the privations of strict rationing it felt as if spring had come at last to Cherry Lane. The ornamental trees were in full bloom, and the air was filled with the heady scent of wallflowers as Ginnie walked to work early one April morning. She liked to be in the shop long before opening time in order to make everything ready for the day ahead.
She went through the order book to make certain that Jimmy had loaded the correct items in the old field ambulance that was now their delivery van. Strict petrol rationing was still in place, making it necessary to plan deliveries carefully and where possible to get customers to collect their purchases in person. Stock had to be reordered and availability checked. Shortages were a problem, but wherever possible she tried to visit wholesalers and deal with them face to face, which she found produced the best results. She had discovered that being young and reasonably pretty was a great advantage in a male-dominated business, and she was soon on first name terms with her suppliers. But the basic problem remained that utility furniture was only available to newly-weds and civilians who had lost everything in bombing raids. With this in mind she made a detour to the newsagent’s shop to purchase a copy of the local paper, which she bought every week in order to study the For Sale column. Selling second-hand furniture would have been totally against her father’s principles, but to Ginnie it made good business sense.
She took the newspaper to the office and was about to set it to one side when one of the headings on the front page caught her eye. ‘Local naval officer fights for life in hospital.’ But it was the sight of the photograph beneath that wrenched a gasp of horror from her lips.
Chapter Eight
After many successful missions escorting convoys across the Atlantic, the destroyer HMS — was sunk by a mine in the southwestern approaches. Amongst the survivors is Lieutenant Laurence Mallory, son of much respected local solicitor and Justice of the Peace Councillor Colin Mallory and his wife Isabelle. Lieutenant Mallory is receiving treatment in the naval hospital, Gosport. His condition is said to be critical.
Ginnie’s hands shook as she put the newspaper down. Memories of their brief time together in the station buffet came flooding back. The faded old photograph image of the tea room and the aroma of toasted teacakes and hot tea filled her head with snapshots of frozen moments in time. She could hear the shriek of the guard’s whistle and the roar of the steam engine as it pulled away from the platform. She could feel the damp caress of the steam in her hair and smell the smoke from the glowing coals in the firebox that sent sparks and cinders flying as the train picked up speed. She could picture Laurence’s smiling face as he leaned out of the carriage window waving to her until he was out of sight.
She took a deep breath. She would have to break the news gently to Shirley. She picked up the telephone receiver and was about to dial home when she had second thoughts. Perhaps it would be better to wait until Shirley arrived for work, and then she would sit her down with a nice strong cup of tea and let her read the article in the local rag. It was probably exaggerated in order to make a good story.
Shirley studied the newsprint, saying nothing.
‘Are you all right?’ Ginnie asked anxiously. ‘I mean it’s not as if he was your steady boyfriend or anything.’
Shirley raised her head and her expression was stark. ‘I treated Charlie so badly, but I really thought I was in love with Laurence. He was so sweet and kind and I was very drunk that night after the tennis club dance.’
‘But you can’t be sure that he’s Colin’s father.’
‘You know I can’t, but I want it to be him.’
‘So that’s why you called your son after his father. I didn’t realise that Mr Mallory’s first name was Colin until I saw it in the newspaper.’
‘The name just popped into my head. I suppose I must have heard Mrs Mallory call her husband by his Christian name, but I don’t remember. Anyway, everything was a blur after the accident.’ Shirley shook her hair back from her face. ‘Stop asking all these questions. I’m confused enough as it is.’
The shop bell jingled. ‘We’ve got a customer.’ Ginnie opened the office door. ‘I’ll serve her. You’d better sit here until you feel calmer.’
‘I must go and see Laurence in hospital,’ Shirley said urgently. ‘I can’t let that bitch Olivia get to him first with a pack of spiteful lies.’
‘What lies? If she tells him about Colin he’s bound to think that the kid is his. He’s too much of a gentleman to think the worst of you.’
Shirley reached for her handbag and fished inside for a hanky. ‘Don’t be cruel. Can’t you see that I’m upset?’
‘Why? Is it because the lies you told have come back to bite you on the rear end? You said you loved Charlie and then Tony was the light of your life and your heart was buried in the grave, and now you’re worried because Laurence might die before you can get a real wedding ring on your finger.’
‘That’s a rotten thing to say. I do care for Laurence. I do.’
‘It’s not me you have to convince, Shirley.’ Ginnie’s patience was stretched to the limit and she hurried onto the shop floor before she could say something she would regret.
Minutes later, having explained that the imitation bananas and oranges were for display purposes only, Ginnie returned to the office to find Shirley leafing through the telephone directory. ‘What are you doing?’
‘I’m going to speak to Olivia or her mother. I don’t care who’s at home but I must find out if they’ve been to see Laurence.’
Ginnie snatched the directory from her hands and closed it with a snap. ‘That would be a big mistake. You’ve already told Olivia that Laurence is Colin’s father and she’s not likely to have kept that to herself. You’ll just have to tough it out, as Nick would have said.’ She stopped short. The mere mention of his name left her breathless with longing, quickly followed by despair. She put her arm around Shirley’s shoulders. ‘Maybe the least said the better at this stage. Wait until he’s better and then go and see him.’
‘But he might not recover.’ Shirley jabbed the article with the tip of her finger. ‘It says here that he’s in a critical condition. What if Olivia tells him that I’m a lying bitch who’s trying to blackmail the family into supporting me and my little bastard?’
Shocked, Ginnie dropped her arm to her side. ‘Why are you talking like this? Olivia didn’t say anything of the sort.’
‘It’s what she accused me of when I happened to bump into her in town. She was with her snooty pal, Bernice Fuller. I was going
to walk past them but Olivia made a pretence of bending over the pram to admire Colin. Then in a loud voice she told Bernice that I’d lied about Laurence and me so that I could claim maintenance for my illegitimate baby. She called me a tart and said I’d slept with so many men that I didn’t know who the father was.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me before now?’
‘I didn’t say anything because I was embarrassed and totally humiliated. It never crossed my mind to ask the Mallorys for anything. I wouldn’t do a thing like that even if I was certain that Laurence was Colin’s father.’
Ginnie shook her head. ‘What a mess, but you’ve only got yourself to blame, Shirley. If you hadn’t mixed with the Monk Avenue crowd none of this would have happened.’
‘What are you saying? Do you think I’m too common to attract a top bloke like Laurence?’
‘No, of course not.’
‘Then do something for me, Ginnie. Help me, please.’
Ginnie hesitated, torn between pity and a desire to shake some sense into her wayward sister. ‘All right,’ she said reluctantly. ‘What do you want me to do?’
‘Go and see Laurence in hospital. Get in there before Olivia has a chance to spread her poison. Tell him the truth.’
‘Why me? You’re the one he seduced, or maybe it was the other way round given your track record. You’re the one who ought to visit him and put things straight.’
‘I can’t. For one thing I can’t leave Colin, and for another I’d fall apart if I saw him in a hospital bed. It would bring it all back. Losing Tony was the worst thing that ever happened to me and I’ll never forget the way he looked after the crash.’
Startled by this admission, Ginnie sank down on the desk chair. ‘I thought you didn’t remember anything about the actual accident.’
‘I must have passed out before the police and ambulance arrived on the scene, but I remember the skid on the icy surface of the road and Tony yelling at me to hold tight. I remember screaming as he struggled to regain control of the car and then the crash as it hit the tree. He slumped forward and then his head fell back – there was blood everywhere and his eyes were open, but he wasn’t breathing. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t help him – he was dead.’ Shirley buried her face in her hands and wept.
Ginnie turned round to see Mrs Richmond standing in the doorway. ‘Be a love and put the kettle on, please, Ida. Shirley’s had a bit of an upset.’
‘Course I will, ducks.’ Ida Richmond plucked the key to the outdoor lavatory from its hook. ‘Be back in two ticks.’ She whisked out of the office and a gust of wind rustled the papers on the desk as she opened the back door. Ginnie stared in horror as the front page of the newspaper undulated in the breeze, causing Laurence’s photograph to move gently as if he were trying to attract their attention.
Shirley slammed her hand down on the page with a gasp of horror. ‘It’s a sign. He must be told the truth before that evil sister of his gets to him. I simply can’t go, but you could do this for me. Please, Ginnie.’
Ginnie had a sudden vision of Betsy sitting at Nick’s bedside in a Los Angeles hospital, holding his hand as they discussed their marriage plans. He was lost to her forever, but Shirley deserved a second chance and Colin needed a father. ‘Okay. I’ll go to Hampshire, but I can’t promise anything, Shirley. He might not be in a fit state to see anyone.’
‘Just don’t let Olivia get to him first.’
‘That might be difficult, but I’ll try. What do you want me to tell him?’
‘The truth. Don’t varnish it – tell him everything.’
It had not been easy to persuade the sister in charge of the ward to allow her to see Laurence, but Ginnie explained, without resorting to an actual lie, that she had come to give him news of his baby son. The sister’s stern expression melted into a genuine smile. ‘That’s just what he needs. Lieutenant Mallory is on the road to recovery but he tires easily and you mustn’t stay long.’
Ginnie entered the side ward half expecting to see Laurence in an oxygen tent, but to her surprise he was fully conscious and propped up on pillows. His expression lightened when he saw her and he held out his hand. ‘Ginnie. What a wonderful surprise.’
She hesitated in the doorway. His warm welcome was unexpected and she was suddenly at a loss for words and inexplicably shy. It had seemed so simple on the train journey from Waterloo. She had had it all worked out in her head, but she had not been prepared for the look of genuine pleasure in his eyes, or for the leap of sympathy she experienced on seeing him looking pale and vulnerable in his hospital bed. ‘Hello, Laurence.’
‘Pull up a chair and take a seat. It’s good to see you again.’
‘How are you, Laurence?’ She knew it was a silly question, but she could think of nothing else to say.
He grinned. ‘I’m getting there, but how are you? You look absolutely splendid.’
Her hand flew to pat her windblown hair into place. ‘I’m fine.’
‘And Shirley? She was a bit under the weather when I last saw you.’
‘Yes, she’s fine too.’ Ginnie sat down and began peeling off her gloves. She wanted to tell him about the baby, but she didn’t know how to start.
‘It’s good of you to come all this way,’ Laurence said easily. ‘I certainly didn’t expect you to. Tell me what’s been going on in Cherry Lane. How are your parents? I hope they’re well.’
She stared down at her hands clutching the well-used leather bag that had once belonged to her mother. ‘Dad was killed in an air raid.’
‘Oh, Ginnie, I’m so sorry. I had no idea.’
‘Of course not. You’ve been away at sea for months.’ She raised her eyes to meet his sympathetic gaze. ‘It’s hard, but we’re coping as best we can.’
‘I only met your father once, but Shirley worshipped him. It must have come as a terrible blow to both of you.’
‘Everybody has lost someone in this beastly war.’
He nodded silently, allowing her time to compose herself.
‘At least you survived,’ she said, forcing a smile. ‘I read about the sinking of your ship in the local paper.’
‘Livvie tells me that I’m a local hero, which is absolute nonsense. I was lucky, that’s all.’ He raised himself to a sitting position. ‘What is Shirley up to these days?’
So he really didn’t know. Ginnie smothered a sigh of relief. ‘We spent six months in Shropshire with our aunt. She owns a lovely old riverside pub on the edge of a small village.’
‘It sounds idyllic.’
She pulled a face. ‘I suppose it was before the war, but the whole place had been taken over by the US army. Not that they were any trouble,’ she added hastily. ‘Most of them were quite charming, and I worked in the American hospital for a while.’
‘I didn’t know you were a nurse.’
‘I was a ward maid. It wasn’t very glamorous.’
‘But essential. I’m truly grateful for everyone who slaves away in this hospital. I was in a pretty bad state when they brought me in here.’
‘I’m really pleased to see you looking so well. You were at death’s door according to the local rag.’
He chuckled. ‘I’m sorry to disappoint you.’
‘Don’t be silly.’ She hesitated, eyeing him thoughtfully, wondering if this was the right time to break the news. She decided that it was. ‘Actually, Laurence, I did come here with a purpose.’
‘I guessed as much. I mean, I’m delighted to see you, but I don’t flatter myself that you came just to hold my hand.’
She took a deep breath. ‘It was Shirley who asked me to come and see you.’
‘Why didn’t she come herself?’
‘She wanted to, Laurence, but she was afraid you might have heard things.’
‘I’m not with you. What things?’
There was nothing for it now but to tell him the truth and the words came tumbling from her lips. ‘She was pregnant when you last saw her. That’s why we went to Shropshire.’
‘And she wanted you to come here to tell me that?’ The colour drained from his face. ‘Am I the father?’
So he was not going to deny all knowledge. A wave of relief flooded over her. ‘Shirley had a beautiful baby boy.’
‘I have a son.’
‘His name’s Colin.’
‘That’s my father’s name.’ Laurence stared at her dazedly and then a slow smile spread across his handsome features. ‘I’m a father. I can’t believe it.’
She could not bear to deceive him. ‘Shirley wanted to be absolutely honest with you, Laurence. She was virtually engaged to Charlie, a chap she’d known for years, but he died during an air raid.’
‘So the boy could be his?’
She nodded her head. ‘I’m afraid so. It sounds awful when you put it like that but Shirley isn’t a bad person. If anything she’s too generous. She’d give you her last penny if you were in trouble.’
‘I know that, Ginnie. You don’t have to defend her to me, but I still don’t understand why Shirley felt she couldn’t come here and tell me to my face. It’s not as if I’m an ogre.’
‘She made the mistake of falling out with Olivia. They were like that when they were in school, if you remember.’
He grinned. ‘I seem to recall Livvie falling out with everyone in her class, and next day they’d be the best of friends.’
‘This is different, Laurence. Your sister is telling everyone that Shirley is trying to extort money from your family, which is totally untrue.’
‘That sounds like Livvie in a strop. My dear sister has a devil of a temper when she’s roused, and she’s inclined to exaggerate. I wouldn’t have believed what she said, but I’m very glad you came here to put me in the picture.’
Ginnie rose from her seat, light-headed with relief. ‘That’s all that matters. Shirley will be so relieved when I tell her that you’ve taken it like this.’
‘Hold on a moment.’ Laurence raised himself on his elbow. ‘Don’t run away, Ginnie. Please don’t go.’
‘But I’ve done what I had to do. I just wanted to reassure you that we don’t expect anything from you.’
