For Better, For Worse

by June Francis

  ‘Did Davy come and let you know?’ asked Milly.

  Grace nodded. ‘I suppose it’s asking too much for Aunt Polly to come by. I just hope she’ll have some pleasure from having a grandson now.’

  ‘I’m sure she will,’ said Milly. ‘Perhaps she’ll stop going to see Dougie in prison so often. Didn’t Beryl tell you it gets her real down every time? Surely Marion could go in her place, alternate fortnights say?’

  ‘You’d think so, wouldn’t you, because the pair of them used to be close,’ said Grace. ‘Anyway, thinking about all that business still makes me feel funny – I just wish Aunt Polly and I could be friends again, but she didn’t respond to my last Christmas card or the invitation to Irene’s christening. I just got replies from Beryl and Davy. Ben’s not in favour of me paying her a visit either. I thought Aunt Polly might come around with a bit of time, once she’d had a chance to think it all over, but the rift’s still there,’ Grace said sadly.

  Soon the friends parted and Grace carried on with her shopping. As she visited the greengrocers she wondered how much more of his prison sentence Dougie had to serve and whether he would stay in Liverpool when he was released. She hoped he might return to London. She doubted he would be able to go back to Australia, worse luck. She dreaded the thought of him remaining in the city and bumping into him when she was out. Still, no point in worrying about that now. Besides, she had Ben to protect her.

  That evening she began to tell Ben the gossip Milly had told her about the King, but he stopped her, saying that Jimmy had already told him. ‘I’m not interested,’ Ben added. ‘I just hope that all that nonsense doesn’t distract the government and end up allowing Mosley and his British fascists to grow too powerful. We don’t want another Hitler or Mussolini over here.’

  ‘Thinking of Germany,’ Grace said. ‘It’s the Winter Olympics next month over there.’

  ‘We never win much in the winter ones,’ he grumbled, ‘but I suppose we’ll still be taking part to keep face with Hitler.’

  However, despite Ben’s dismissal of the King’s growing attachment to Mrs Simpson, Grace found herself increasingly transfixed by the affair. By the time Irene’s first birthday had past and autumn was well underway, the nation was in turmoil. The late October headlines reported that Stanley Baldwin, the Conservative Prime Minister, had met with the King to confront him about the growing constitutional crisis centred on his relationship with the glamourous socialite. Grace could not believe it when a few days later, the news came that Wallace Simpson had divorced her husband. Both she and Milly were agog to hear what would happen next. They did not have to wait long, as a fortnight later, it was reported that the King had informed the prime minister that he intended on marrying Mrs Simpson. Mr Baldwin told the King that the British people would never accept the twice-divorced American as queen.

  When Grace and Milly met the next day at Milly’s house, they could not conceal their shock and unease. ‘Do you think the King really means to marry her?’ said Grace.

  ‘Jimmy says the King knows that as the Prince of Wales he was popular and maybe he believes the people would forgive him for marrying the woman he loves.’

  ‘Some might, but the majority wouldn’t. It’s not as if she’s British, is it?’

  ‘I suppose now there’ll be talks behind the scenes, until somebody backs down,’ said Milly. ‘Cup of tea?’

  ‘Thanks,’ said Grace. ‘And have you a biscuit for Irene? She didn’t eat all her breakfast this morning.’

  ‘What about half a Farley’s rusk? I’m out of biscuits.’

  ‘Ta, that’s fine,’ said Grace. ‘Well, I suppose we’ll know what’s going to happen with the King and Mrs Simpson before this year’s out.’

  Grace’s premonition proved right, as by the beginning of December, the Bishop of Bradford gave a speech in which he hinted that the King might abdicate if the government did not agree to his marriage to Mrs Simpson. Following the speech, early that evening, Ben, Jimmy and their wives, discussed the turn of events over a fish-and-chip supper at Ben and Grace’s house, while the little children played with Simon in the parlour.

  ‘I think there must be some truth in it,’ said Ben. ‘But if so, even considering abdicating in order to marry an American divorcee is a slap in the face for us. It feels like a betrayal for our own King. I can’t imagine it can come to this, he’ll think of his people first.’

  But three days later, Ben, Grace and Simon huddled around the wireless, as did most of the nation, to hear an address from the now former King, as he informed the nation that he had abdicated that very day; he explained that he had given up his throne for the sake of the woman he loved.

  ‘So that’s that,’ growled Ben, turning off the wireless set with a snap. ‘He hasn’t told us anything that we didn’t already know.’

  Grace said, ‘The Royal Family must feel that he’s let them down, as well as us.’

  ‘That means the Duke and Duchess of York are now King and Queen, I suppose,’ said Ben. ‘It’s not going to be easy for them, but at least the Duke has a good wife at his side, by all accounts.’

  ‘And they have two children,’ murmured Grace, thinking of Simon and Irene.

  ‘I wonder what other unforgettable events might happen next – it seems like so much is changing so quickly,’ interrupted Simon suddenly. ‘When you think that these days aviators such as Amy Johnson are flying singlehanded through the skies – across oceans even! I’d like to go up in an aeroplane…’

  ‘Thank God, you’re too young,’ said Ben. ‘In Spain, cities are being bombed from the air. Attacks from the air are a reality if war does come—’ he stopped speaking abruptly.

  ‘And by their own countrymen!’ Grace wailed. ‘Civil war is so much worse than an ordinary war. Though if Hitler did cause another war, his air force would try and bomb us into submission.’

  ‘Of course, it’ll be a war like no other before…’ Ben looked grim, as Grace cuddled Irene against her breast instinctively. ‘Let’s change the subject,’ he continued hastily, turning to look at Simon. ‘It might never happen, eh?’

  Grace glanced at her husband, thinking that despite his cheerful manner, Ben was beginning to believe that there was a real possibility that Hitler would start another war, and soon. If that happened there was bound to be conscription, but with Ben not far off forty, then surely he would not be in the first batch of men to be called up, especially as he was married with children? She could only hope he would not volunteer. Grace checked herself, as her thoughts were running away with her. Her heart sank though, as she couldn’t believe that after the casualties of the last war there would ever be another one so soon. She quashed her worries realising that it did no good. In fact, it was positively harmful. Britain and their Allies had to prevent war whatever the cost.

  Part 3

  1939–1941

  Chapter 24

  Liverpool: February 1939

  Grace and Milly and the children had been invited over to Jane and Kyle’s house for tea. Kyle was out for the day, working at the orphanage, but the women were just sitting down at the tea table when the telephone rang. Jane rose and went over to pick up the receiver. She checked on her way through the window that the children were playing nicely together in the back garden. The other two women could not help hearing Jane’s end of the conversation. They did not have long to wait before Jane returned to them and then asked politely, ‘Do you want a refill?’

  Grace and Milly nodded and waited while she poured the tea. ‘That was Anne on the phone. Apparently two bombs have gone off at two London Underground stations.’ She paused. ‘And no, it wasn’t the Germans, but the IRA!’

  ‘Hell!’ exclaimed Milly. ‘What are they playing at? Jimmy said that the Republic of Ireland got what they wanted last April with that trade deal, where the navy had to withdraw from trade ports in the south. It’s bad enough that if there is to be a war and German U-boats are bent on destroying British shipping in the Atlantic then the
lack of a friendly port for the British in the south of Ireland could really aid the Germans. I’m sure the Irish government wouldn’t side with Germany, but who’s to say what the IRA might do – they hate the English. Let’s not forget that they tried to assassinate our King in the summer of ’37.’

  ‘Well, I hope the IRA have not now made a pact with the devil and his henchman, Hitler…’ agreed Grace. ‘If so, they should lock them away and throw away the key.’ She was suddenly reminded of Dougie. ‘Was anyone hurt?’ she countered, pushing the thought of Dougie from her mind. She hadn’t heard from her aunt for a couple of years now and their estrangement continued to weigh on her mind.

  ‘Nine people injured, two seriously,’ said Jane.

  ‘I’m surprised they haven’t set off bombs in Liverpool,’ said Grace. ‘They could escape on a boat back to Ireland quicker than from London.’

  ‘Give them time,’ Milly said. ‘I suppose the plan is to unnerve our government and take their minds of what Hitler will be up to next.’

  ‘It’s not going to work,’ said Jane conspiratorially. ‘You can bet we have spies over in Europe, keeping their eye on things. That’s what Andrew says – Anne told me.’

  ‘I wonder when Hitler will make his next move,’ said Grace, ‘Ben doesn’t agree with Chamberlain. He thinks Churchill’s got it right and Hitler can’t be trusted and that we’ll be at war with Germany sooner or later,’ she added, thinking with a chill about the last year of worrying political news and Ben’s growing anger at the dinner table, which was, more often than not, directed towards the new Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain. The elderly statesmen had tried to stave off war honourably in the face of mounting Italian and German aggression. Following the shock of the abdication, events had followed swift and fast during the course of 1938, and Grace had felt as though she couldn’t quite keep up: Italian armies had invaded Ethiopia and Germany had annexed Austria, making it a part of the German nation again, against the pact made in Versailles after the Great War.

  At fourteen, Simon had also become increasingly interested in the world news and Grace had overheard hushed conversations between him and Ben late at night when they thought she wasn’t listening; so not to worry her. Rumours were also coming out of Germany that the Jews were being persecuted. Hitler was a bully and a tyrant, and he needed to be stopped, that much was clear, but Grace still hoped in her heart for peace, despite what her menfolk thought was likely. But since the autumn just gone, she was becoming more fearful, as Britain felt precariously on the brink of war. Alarming headlines greeted her on what seemed like every street corner. Hitler had turned his eye on a part of Czechoslovakia called the Sudetenland, and despite Chamberlain’s assurances that he had appeased Hitler at a big summit in Munich in September 1938 – heralded as ‘peace in our time’ – even Grace had grave misgivings by now.

  ‘It can’t go on,’ agreed Jane. ‘But I suppose the longer Chamberlain can appease Hitler, the more time we have to prepare and step up rearmament, but in the meantime other countries suffer.’

  * * *

  The tea party ended quite soon after that and Grace, feeling blue, made her way home with Irene. Both of them carried gas masks with them as they were issued to all British civilians last July. Even Irene received a mask which was supposed to resemble Mickey Mouse. Grace found herself thinking back to the show when the Mersey Tunnel was opened by the old king and how a player dressed up as Mickey Mouse had appeared. How that had made her laugh! She was only twenty-six, but she felt about a hundred years old with all the warmongering news at the moment. Irene’s mask did not even really resemble that player’s mask, she thought sadly. She just prayed that they would never have need to wear them.

  Grace had carried a partied-out Irene the last bit home, and Ben was in from work when she got through the door. Grace told him about the call that Jane had received from Anne and how their talk had turned to the likelihood of war. Ben agreed wholeheartedly with Jane’s gloomy assessment.

  ‘But surely you don’t want a war, Ben?’ said Grace heatedly.

  ‘Of course not, but neither do I want fascism and a dictator gaining power in Britain,’ he replied. ‘Which is what could happen in Europe. Hitler started rearming a while ago – we’re way behind, and I bet France is, too. It looks like Hitler and Mussolini have signed some sort of pact and are out to gain as much territory as they can. Chamberlain has to realise that Hitler and Mussolini are toying with him and we can’t believe a word they say! We don’t want our young men to suffer the same as the previous generation, but we just can’t allow the fascists to have their way, Grace.’

  ‘You’ve really thought about this, haven’t you?’ said Grace, calming down.

  ‘Of course – I think there will be war because Hitler will go a step too far and he’ll have to be stopped,’ said Ben grimly.

  ‘You won’t go and volunteer, will you?’ Grace’s voice trembled.

  He gazed down at her and his sleeping daughter in her arms, and his face softened. ‘No, I’ll bide my time until I’m called.’

  ‘Oh, Ben, I know it’s right, I just don’t want to lose you. We need you.’

  Ben placed his arms around them both and hugged them. ‘I’m going to be here for you both and Simon as long as I can. We’re not alone in this situation, so we have to stick together and help each other. We need to be of good courage, Grace.’

  Somehow, his words did give her courage and Grace blinked back the tears that threatened. She took a deep breath. ‘Shall we see if there’s any music on?’ she said as she relaxed into his hold.

  Ben kissed her before moving over to the wireless and fiddling with the knobs until lively music flowed out. ‘Let’s dance,’ he said.

  The two of them, with Irene caught up between them, danced slowly around the kitchen until Irene woke up and began singing nonsense. They were all still dancing when Simon entered the kitchen after college. He laughingly removed Irene from her perch between her parents and placed her arms about his neck. The four of them danced alongside each other in time to the music.

  Chapter 25

  Ever since Grace had thought of Dougie while she was at Jane’s for tea she was conscious that she must go and see Dougie’s sister, Beryl, to find out how her parents and Marion were. Grace still saw Beryl intermittently out and about, and occasionally for tea, but there had been no contact between the warring sides of the family for years. Making amends to her aunt Polly felt increasingly unlikely, but it still troubled Grace, especially when she thought of the kindness her aunt had shown her when her mother had died. And although she shied away from the idea, Grace was curious to find out if Dougie was out of prison. She had lost count of time, but suspected that his jail term was coming to an end.

  As it turned out Grace did not need to visit Beryl, as the following day, she turned up at Grace’s house, looking obviously pregnant, with Sammy, her two-year-old son who had his father’s light brown hair, in tow.

  ‘I didn’t know you were having another baby,’ said Grace. ‘Congratulations!’

  ‘Thank you, it’s due in June. I hope you don’t mind my calling, I was passing nearby.’

  ‘Sit down and make yourself comfortable.’ Grace removed several toys from a chair by the fire and went to put the kettle on. At the same time, she removed a cardboard box of toys from behind the sofa and placed it on the floor. She wondered idly what it would be like to be pregnant again. Ben and Grace did make love, but he was not taking the chance of getting her pregnant just yet. Secretly she was glad about that because although she wanted another child, she had seen Milly struggle with controlling two young children. It would probably be easier if they waited until Irene was a bit older and had started school. Let alone worry about being pregnant at an uncertain time like this.

  Instantly Irene began to empty the box, watched by the younger lad. She offered Sammy a stuffed rabbit, but he tossed it away and joined her in emptying the box. Once everything was thrown out, he tipped the box on
its side and crawled inside.

  ‘I should have brought some of his cars,’ Beryl said. ‘He’s mad on cars, but his favourite is a fire engine that Dad bought for his birthday.’

  ‘How is Uncle Douglas getting on? I’ve not seen him in passing since he kindly popped round to catch up with my dad in his last days.’ Thinking about Norman made Grace feel emotional all of a sudden and she knelt on the floor and began to gather the scattered toys in one place in order to hide her face.

  ‘Fed up! Mam’s kicking up a fuss about our Dougie because Dad wants him out of the house—’

  ‘So, he’s out of prison!’

  ‘Oh, yes – he’s been out for months, just lounging around their house. I didn’t realise you didn’t know, sorry. Dougie says he’ll return to London and stay with his mate if Dad kicks him out.’

  ‘Your dad should put his foot down, especially if Dougie is back to his usual nonsense,’ Grace said bluntly. She stood up and went to fill the kettle in the back kitchen. She heard a sudden yelp and hurried back into the kitchen to find Irene attempting to drag Sammy out of the box.

  ‘Stop that, Irene,’ she said.

  Irene shook her fair curls. ‘It’s my box and I want to get inside.’

  ‘It’s big enough for two of you,’ Grace said. ‘Sammy just needs to move to one side.’ She smiled down at the boy. ‘Come on, sunshine, move over.’

  He folded his arms across his chest. ‘No!’

  The boy’s expression and obstinacy reminded Grace of Dougie and her spirits sank. She turned to Beryl. ‘Could you tell him to share, please?’

  ‘Waste of time,’ she said. ‘Anyway, they’ll just fight if they were both in the box. They’d be squashed.’

  Grace decided that there was only one thing for it, and she lifted the struggling child out of the box and quickly replaced all the toys in the box before returning it to behind the sofa.