Women on the Home Front

by Annie Groves

  ‘I know, I know now, but this mess’s not what I wanted. All week doubt’s been crawling through my head, chewing up all my good intentions. It comes down to three choices. If only I can ignore his pompous attitudes and make it work. If only I can shut my eyes to his views and his mother and not let them get to me. I just hoped my fears would go away but they got worse, not better. I’ve been as jumpy as a dog with fleas.’ Lily looked across to the familiar lined face, her mother sitting in all her morning glory, as if she was seeing her for the first time.

  ‘We had noticed but thought it was wedding nerves. So you realised you couldn’t lump it. Did you try to change it then?’

  ‘It’s silly but it was when he wouldn’t even get his passport that it dawned on me that Walt was one of life’s stay-at-homes, a steady sort of chap with no ambition but solid as cement when it came to how his wife should behave. If he can’t listen to me now what hope is there after we’re wed? That’s when I knew I’d have to leave.’ Lily searched for her hanky up her cardigan sleeve. ‘Like it, lump it or leave-that about sums it up, don’t you think? I’m sorry I’m like a leaking tap,’ she wept. ‘I was daft to think I could change him. If he won’t budge before we were wed, he sure as hell won’t after he’s put the ring on my finger.’

  ‘I knew something was up. I just wish you could have talked it over with me. I’ve let you down in so many ways, putting on you.’

  ‘It’s not you that’s let me down. All the arrangements, the church, all your outfits…That’s what’s worrying me: all the expense, the disappointed children and embarrassment.’

  ‘Outfits can be worn any time, lass. Churches are usually empty on Saturdays. Nothing’s been baked that can’t be shared out. Money is only money, but this is your life and your future, and that’s far more important. You’re a champion, Lily. Your dad would’ve been proud of you and he was as good a man as ever put a shirt over his head. I miss him that much. You never get over the loss of a man like that. He was my strong wall in a time of crisis. I wanted a man like that for you but Walt’s weak and you can’t lean on a broken fence.’

  ‘Oh, Mam, what a mess I’ve made of it all.’

  ‘Better to be strong now than suffer a lifetime of regrets, I’m thinking. What’re your plans?’

  ‘I’ll catch the coach tomorrow. Today I’ll just disappear. The Crumblehumes have been wonderful. I might ask to rent their flat when they find somewhere bigger for their new family. It’s time I stood on my own feet. My friends will understand, I hope.’

  ‘You’ll do fine as long as you follow your heart this time. It sees clearer than your brain,’ she said, feeling her own tears welling up. ‘What a pickle we get ourselves into when we don’t talk things over.’

  Lily got up and hugged her. ‘Thanks. I’m sorry.’

  ‘Now none of that, just get yourself back upstairs. You’ve done nothing to be ashamed of. There’s nothing here that can’t be undone in time. I’m not having you wandering the streets on your wedding day.’

  ‘What about the wedding presents?’ There were boxes piled up in Well Cottage.

  ‘I’ll get Levi to deliver them all back after work.’

  ‘Ivy will be crowing with glee,’ sighed Lily.

  ‘Levi will understand. Believe me, if he could turn the clock back and do a runner before his wedding, he would. He’s got a life sentence there. Now upstairs out of the road.’

  ‘I’ve got a letter for Walt. He’s got to know first.’ Lily pulled the letter out of her handbag in a fluster.

  ‘Give it here. I’ll make sure he gets it, if I have to deliver it myself. Now upstairs. We won’t say anything till I’ve rung Reverend Atkinson. He’ll know what to do. This won’t be the first time this has happened. Just stay calm and say nowt. Upstairs, and I’ll bring you some breakfast, just as we planned.’

  ‘I couldn’t eat a thing,’ Lily sobbed.

  ‘Upstairs, my girl, and I’ll bring you a brandy.’

  ‘Just some hot water in a cup,’ Lily said, climbing the stairs. ‘What I need is a herbal tea and there’s something in my hope chest that might settle my nerves. Drastic times deserve drastic measures. I’ve got just the cure. Are you sure you can manage?’

  ‘I’m not in my dotage yet. Leave everything to your mother; she knows best.’

  ‘Thanks, Mam.’

  When Lily had crept back upstairs, Esme was about to phone Levi when she looked up and saw him creeping through the back gate with an attaché case. What a relief!

  ‘Now, son, I want you to stay calm and give me a lift. This morning I want you to be chauffeur, postman and brother to your little sister for once.’

  ‘But I’ve left Ivy,’ he squeaked like a lost boy. ‘I didn’t go home last night. I’ve been wandering all over town. It’s a right mess…I’ve brought my suit.’

  ‘Be that as it may, your marital problems are the least of my worries now. It’s your sister who needs sorting out. Yours will blow over, hers won’t.’

  ‘What’s happened?’

  Esme shoved the envelope in his hand. ‘We’re going to deliver this to Bowker’s Row. It’s her letter of resignation. Our Lil is declining the post of resident dogsbody to Elsie Platt and her gormless son, that’s what.’

  ‘Hell’s bells! Ivy’ll play pot. She’s cut up one of her best velvet frocks to make Neville’s pageboy suit.’

  ‘This is not about her or your son, it’s your sister’s big day and it’s going to be ruined if we don’t do something, and fast.’ She was in no mood to pander to Ivy Southall as was. ‘Family first, Levi, and it’s an emergency. We must look after our own.’

  ‘I don’t fancy facing the wrath of Elsie with a strop on her by myself,’ he replied.

  ‘That’s why we go together, to deliver the glad tidings like one of those sheriff’s posses. I never took you to be a coward.’

  ‘I never thought of myself as one either, until I came back to Blighty and found myself with an albatross of a wife round my neck. She’s making a right sissy out of my son.’

  ‘Then do something about it…but not today. Today is Lily’s big day, or was, and we’ve got to salvage something out of it for her. Redvers would expect, Freddie would expect. Give me five minutes to pin my face on. I don’t want to miss Elsie’s face when we present this summons at her door.’

  ‘I’ll put on another brew then.’

  ‘I think we’ll be needing something stronger before this day is out but first I must ring the Minister. We don’t want anyone turning up at Zion. He can put a notice on the door and tell them they’ve got a boiler burst, for now.’

  ‘But it’s high summer, Mother.’

  ‘He’ll think of something. I don’t want the world knowing our business. Won’t be long.’

  This was going to be the biggest challenge for years but the Winstanley honour was at stake. She would wake the two in the attic to see if they had any ideas.

  It sounded like bedlam downstairs, muffled sounds past her room, the phone ringing, the doorbell jangling as the bouquet and posies arrived from the florist and telegrams of congratulations arrived in the post. Someone was on overdrive down there, shouting instructions and giving out lists.

  Lily lay smiling under the bedclothes, content to let them get on with it after a long hazy sleep and wonderful dreams. This was the life, being waited on hand and foot. All her quandaries had vanished in a fug of swirling dreams, floating over a lake in her midnight-blue ballgown, waltzing and laughing with not a care in the world. Levi’s herbal tealeaves had come in useful after all these months and hit the spot.

  The deed was done. No going back or dithering. This was her decision and it was time to face the worried features peering round her door to see if she was still sleeping. Time to put on a brave front of courage and resolve.

  You’re not a child, she sighed. Tomorrow it’ll all be past history, but how would poor Walt take this desertion? Perhaps he was already taking his comfort down The Coal Hole with his best man, S
ydney Beswick, drowning his sorrows in Wilson’s best bitter? No one would blame him.

  He didn’t deserve such humiliation but Grimbleton life would roll on whatever they did or didn’t do today. Families would be catching trains for Blackpool, visiting relatives, catching charabancs for mystery tours, mowing their lawns and going down town to the market, unaware that she was turning her life upside down.

  She opened the door to see Levi’s best Masonic outfit, black jacket with pinstriped trousers, complete with a buttonhole white carnation in his lapel, hanging over the banister. He won’t be needing that today, she sighed, fleeing back into her room.

  Reality was striking home at long last.

  ‘Are you all right?’ Su put her head round the door.

  ‘I will be when I know Walt’s got that letter. Have I done the right thing?’ she cried.

  More tears and wet handkerchiefs followed when Ana and Su brought more cups of tea and sympathy. The phone was ringing and hushed voices in the hall muttered.

  Lily sat on the bed, surrounded by Dina and Joy bouncing up and down, already dressed in their petticoats and puffy blue satin dresses with velvet sashes.

  At least they had something new to show for the day and the little crosses made from the sovereigns were waiting in their boxes. They were still here. She’d forgotten to give them to the best man for safekeeping.

  ‘Everyone sends love.’ Ana tried to smile, but her eyes were sad.

  Only last night she had brought in some crocheted gloves with a sugar lump squeezed into the palm. ‘You wear the sugar in the glove to make sure your life together is sweet,’ she explained. ‘It is Greek custom.’

  ‘I’m so sorry to spoil everything.’ Yet Lily was feeling as if a blanket of concern and love was being wrapped around her shoulders. ‘And it’s such a lovely day.’

  They parked the Rover out of view of Bowker’s Row. Esme didn’t want prying fingers all over their polished bonnet. No use telling the world their business on this bright morning. The doorsteps were all donkey-stoned white for the weekend, the windows were open to let in fresh sooty air. Children were already playing hopscotch on the pavement and the paraffin man’s horse had just done a dollop outside Walt’s front door. Serve ’em right!

  They marched up the street to number 4. This was not a back gate occasion. There was no reply so Levi thumped harder on the knocker. Esme peered through the valance curtains that could do with some starch and dolly-blueing.

  ‘Shall I shove it through the letterbox?’ Levi asked.

  ‘No. This is a face-to-facer. Bang again.’

  A neighbour from across the road came to join them. ‘They’re not in, love.’

  ‘When’re they back?’ Esme asked, thinking the Platts’d gone to meet someone off the bus.

  ‘Dunno, love, not for a bit. They’ve gone on holiday. Cancelled the milk yesterday. I saw them off with their suitcases to the bus stop. That’s right, isn’t it, Hilda?’ Another woman, in wraparound pinny and turban, stood with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth, watching them all. ‘The Platts’ve gone on their holiday?’

  ‘Caught the boat train to Heysham last night, Isle of Man; nice for Elsie to get a bit of sea air. She’s not a well woman. I thought Walter was getting wed soon, someone said so, but it all fell through. There was some girl making a racket at all hours last weekend. Happen he’s best out of it. Who are you?’ She looked them up and down as if they were tallymen come to collect the rent.

  ‘Just visiting,’ Esme replied, going hot and cold, stuffing the letter back in her pocket.

  They walked back to the car in silence. She turned to her son. ‘Who’s going to break the good news, you or me?’

  It seemed like only minutes before Levi and Esme appeared through the vestibule, looking hot and flustered. Lily was sitting at the top of the stairs and shouted down.

  ‘You’ve done it then?’ she sighed.

  ‘Not exactly,’ her brother stuttered, not looking her in the face.

  ‘You didn’t go and put it through the wrong door?’

  ‘There was no one answering the door.’

  ‘So what’ve you done with my letter then?’ Lily cried, suddenly panicking. ‘He’s got to know.’

  ‘Calm down, lass. A neighbour came out to see who was making the racket. You know how nosy they are round there.’ Esme looked up. ‘She said they’d gone on holiday to the Isle of Man.’

  ‘There’s no easy way to tell you this, Sis, but Walt and his mother have eloped to Douglas without so much as a word to any of us. Done a moonlight flit!’

  Esme was sitting on the hall chair, puffed with indignation. ‘He got in first, Lil!’

  Everyone looked up the stairs to the bride-not-to-be. The tears were rolling down her face.

  ‘Blood and sand!’ she roared. ‘I never knew he had it in him, the bugger, leaving me in the lurch.’ She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. What a wedding day! In fact it was better than any romance from the library, and no mistake. What a relief! Walt’s own bid for freedom had let her off the hook. They’d done the dirty on each other. Even stevens and all that, but it was still a shock.

  ‘Don’t look so worried,’ she said, seeing the concern on their upturned faces. ‘I’ll survive. Give me that letter back. No one need know. I bet the jungle drums’ll be beating all over Grimbleton soon but it’s me that’ll get the sympathy vote, I hope. Let’s just keep it that way. We’ll just keep this under our hats, another Winstanley secret to add to our collection, right?’

  Now they could relax for the first time that morning. ‘So what are we going to do with the rest of my big day? I suppose I’d better get changed. There’s still all the catering to sort out.’

  ‘Leave that to us,’ smiled Su, nodding to Ana. ‘You have friends to do that. You have enough to do. Your day is not over yet.’

  ‘You reckon? From where I’m standing, it looks pretty bleak.’

  ‘Wait and see, Miss Lily, you wait and see. A day not over until the sun goes down.’

  The emergency breakfast meeting of the Olive Oil Club was held in Diana’s dining room in Green Lane at eight o’clock. There were Force flakes and milk, toast and crumpets, rhubarb and marrow jam and milky coffee to fortify the troops. Those present were looking to their commanding officer to chair the meeting and do something to salvage the day.

  Diana was hoping for some kip before the wedding began. She had been on night duty and was hit with the news by a distress phone call from Su. There was no time to delay.

  ‘Let’s take this in order of priority. No chance of a change of mind?’

  ‘The groom put the Irish Sea between him and his bride last night.’

  ‘Righty ho…Vicar and church?’

  ‘Being done as we speak. Mother of the bride is seeing to all of that official stuff and making sure the Brownie guard of honour is disbanded,’ said Queenie, who had come straightaway on the bus.

  ‘Catering?’ Diana consulted her list.

  ‘Sandwich production at the church hall halted. Cake can’t be returned but the plaster of Paris decoration and silver tray have gone back. Maria will organise.’

  ‘Photographer?’ Diana queried.

  ‘Friend of Levi. He’s dealing with that,’ Su offered.

  ‘Transport?’

  ‘That depends on what we decide. Mrs W. would like things to look as normal. She wants Lily to have some sort of do.’

  ‘I see. And location of said “do”?’ A semblance of a vague idea was forming in Diana’s mind. Thank goodness she was used to thinking on her feet, improvising at the last minute.

  ‘I don’t think she’s got that far.’

  ‘And poor Lily, how is she coping?’

  ‘Sylvio’s going to set her hair. Ana is taking her out to the allotment to pick strawberries. We have a few hours to change plans but that is all,’ Su replied, looking anxious.

  All eyes were fixed on Diana to pull a rabbit out of the hat. She shut her eyes for inspiratio
n but nothing would come. All she kept seeing was a river, or was it a lake, with swans gliding across. Where was it? Of course, suddenly everything was clear and she knew just what they might do.

  ‘Right, folks, Operation Top Hat is what we’ll call it. And keep it under your hat until the appointed hour.’ She outlined her idea and how they might organise it. No one thought it was a crazy scheme. In fact they were all full of suggestions.

  ‘Queenie and Maria will be the quartermasters and forage for suitable supplies. I shall be in charge of relocation, logistics and overall command. I leave diversionary tactics to Su and Ana. Transport and communications will be left to Esme Winstanley and son. We will reconvene at noon, ready for departure at appointed time, thirteen hundred hours, when bridal party should be leaving for the church. Any questions?’

  ‘What if the bride wants to vamoose?’ asked Queenie.

  ‘You keep her, by force if necessary. Just keep her busy and get her and yourselves ready. Meeting is closed. If we’re to pull this off, everyone will need a phone, some foot soldiers and helpers. Find whoever you can to help and bring them along. Good luck, and thanks for coming at such an ungodly hour.’

  ‘You are a miracle worker,’ whispered Su.

  ‘No, if we pull this off, we’ll all be magicians,’ Diana replied, crossing her fingers under the table.

  26

  A Mystery Tour

  She had come with Ana to the allotment just to get out of the house, away from the phone calls and reminders that this should have been a day of celebration not a funeral.

  ‘Come and see how my garden grows. We pick strawberries and Billy says we pick fruit for him too,’ Ana said as she marched ahead, pushing Dina, who was now back in her little leggings and jumper.

  Ana’s patch had filled out since Lily’s last visit, with lettuces, saladings, onions, and garlic she had grown from Maria’s cloves. There were clumps of mint in pots and thyme, sage and other pungent herbs. Their plot had never looked so good.