The East End Girl in Blue

by Fenella J Miller

  ‘I should jolly well think so. It isn’t a hotel. I expect whoever it is will find your laundry room an absolute marvel. An electric washing machine that heats the water and has its own ringer attached – I’ve never seen the like. Where did you get it?’

  ‘I had it imported from America. My wife didn’t want someone else to do our personal washing and I didn’t want her to do it. This was the ideal compromise. There’s still the old copper, the mangle and the deep sink and washboard. I know that sometimes it’s quicker to do it the old-fashioned way – or so my previous housekeeper told me.’

  ‘Would you mind if I gave it a try with my own things? If it’s a good windy day I reckon I could get it dry and ironed before I go home and still get everything done for you.’

  ‘It might be a good idea to see how robust it is before it has to deal with the laundry for a family of small children – possibly with nappies as well.’

  He was smiling as he headed for the surgery and his first patient of the morning. He’d just spent ten minutes talking about laundry. Not something he’d ever expected to do.

  Several of the men he’d qualified with were now in the services. His was a reserved occupation, but if this war wasn’t over by the end of the year he was going to volunteer. Having poor eyesight shouldn’t matter for a medic as he wouldn’t have to fire a gun. Whoever took over his practice could keep an eye on the evacuee family and his dog.

  9

  Nancy wasn’t used to talking over a meal. In her family you ate first and then talked. She’d have to get used to the way things were done here if she was going to fit in.

  ‘I thought you might like to join the WI and the WVS and come to meetings with me. It’s not just old busybodies and do-gooders, if that’s what you were thinking – all the young mothers are members of both of them. It’s a way of doing our bit for the war effort when we can’t actually join one of the services, work in a munitions factory or something like that.’

  ‘I’d be happy to, Mrs Stanton. I never learned to knit or crochet but I can sew as good by hand as with a machine. Do you have a sewing machine?’

  ‘There’s one in the box room. I never got the hang of the pedal underneath that makes the needle go up and down. If you could take over the mending and so on that would be absolutely wonderful.’

  ‘What about me laundry? I don’t expect anyone else to do it even if you have someone in for yourselves.’

  ‘I do the ironing. I find it very therapeutic especially since I’ve now got a lovely modern electric one and don’t have to use the flat irons any more.’

  ‘I’d be happy to do the weekly wash. I used to do it for me ma and with three men working on the docks it was hard graft, I can tell you.’

  The vicar joined in the conversation. ‘If you’re going to do the mending and the laundry then that’s it. I don’t want Nancy to do anything else, Sylvia, is that clear? We must consider her as part of the family and as such we can’t expect her to work like a servant.’

  She held her breath expecting Mrs Stanton to be upset or cross by his ticking her off like that. Instead, she laughed. ‘Giles, I have absolutely no intention of letting Nancy do our laundry. We have someone who comes in to do that for us and it would be depriving them of much-needed income. Taking on the mending is more than enough.’

  ‘I don’t want to be sitting about twiddling me thumbs. I like to be busy. I’ll do whatever I can to help.’

  ‘Thank you, Nancy my dear; we’re going to love having you here. I don’t suppose you sing, do you?’ The vicar raised an eyebrow.

  ‘I do. I’ve got a good voice.’

  ‘Excellent, then you can join the choir. Choir practice is tonight. Mr Sibley will be delighted to have an extra member as it’s sadly depleted since all the single men and women have now left to join various services.’

  Nancy wished she’d kept her mouth shut. The only church she’d ever been in was a Catholic one and then only for weddings, funerals and such.

  ‘I’m baptised a Catholic…’ She remembered a priest kicking up a stink when the girl from the street had married someone from the Church of England.

  ‘Did you go to mass and confession every week?’

  ‘Never been to either.’

  ‘In which case, my dear, we shall consider you a lapsed Catholic and free to attend whatever church you wish.’

  It wasn’t being a Catholic that had made her reluctant to join the choir but the fact that she couldn’t read very well and wouldn’t be able to follow the words, not of the hymns nor the prayers and so on.

  ‘There’s no need to harangue the poor girl, Giles. Nancy can join the choir when she’s ready. Let’s allow her time to settle in first, shall we?’

  The vicar wandered off to his study and Mrs Stanton refused to let her wash up or even clear the table. ‘Why don’t you go for a walk, Nancy? You need to register at the grocer’s so I can use your points when I do the shopping.’

  ‘Will the post office be open this afternoon?’

  ‘Early closing day in the village is Wednesday, so everything will be open today. If you’re going there would you be kind enough to buy me some stamps?’

  *

  Paying the money into her savings book was a big relief. Nancy kept out a pound for incidentals. She counted the silver and coppers to pay for the stamps and then talked to a few locals who seemed friendly enough. They obviously weren’t all like that nasty Ava and her friends.

  She stepped out into the sunshine and came face to face with David walking towards his house. He nodded as if he didn’t know her and was about to walk past but then stopped.

  ‘Nancy, I do apologise, I didn’t recognise you out of uniform. I hope you’ve decided to make your home here.’

  ‘I have. I went to see my family and there were bombs dropping everywhere. I can tell you I was glad to get away.’

  ‘Do you have half an hour to spare? I need to pick your brains.’

  ‘I’ve got nothing to do at all. I prefer to be busy, so how can I help?’

  ‘I’ve got a young woman with two small children arriving from Bow. Her house was bombed yesterday.’

  ‘You’re taking in evacuees then? I’m surprised you haven’t got half a dozen already.’

  David had reached his front gate and he stepped back politely to allow her to go in first. He was a real gent – such a kind man. Pity he didn’t have a nice wife to share his life with.

  ‘I’ve got a new housekeeper. You can hear her boys playing in the garden. She’s prepared the bedroom for Mrs O’Brien and her children but I’d really like you to give it a once-over and see if we’ve got it right.’

  ‘I don’t know anything about children, not really…’

  ‘I don’t suppose you do at the moment. However, I don’t want to overwhelm them, make them feel uncomfortable, out of place, so want to be sure we’ve set up their accommodation in a way that they’re familiar with.’

  Nancy’s pleasure at having been asked faded. ‘I see. You think because I’m from the East End that I’m the best person to ask?’

  He frowned at her tone, not understanding why she was offended. ‘I can’t see the problem, Nancy. Have I upset you by asking?’

  ‘I’ve just spent a year in the WAAF, Doctor Denny. I’ve moved on in the world and I’m sure that whoever this woman is she’ll soon change her ways to fit in. It’s insulting to her and to me to suggest that you should make her room like the back-to-back she’s come from. Do you think that we like to live in overcrowded houses?

  ‘Our homes might be small, but every step will be scrubbed clean and every window will be polished with newspaper and vinegar. We might be poor but we stick together, help each other out and don’t turn our noses up at anyone.’

  This was the longest speech she’d ever made to anyone and from the look on his face he was as surprised as she was.

  ‘I’ve got this most dreadfully wrong, haven’t I? Jumped in with both big feet – Julia always said I spok
e without thinking first. I apologise. How can I make it up to you?’

  ‘Mr Stanton wants me to join the choir but I can’t read good enough. I’ll help you with your family, make them feel at home, explain what’s what, if you’ll teach me my letters like we talked about before. I’m not stupid – I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it quick enough.’

  He nodded vigorously. ‘Done. Please, I’d still like you to look at the bedroom and make sure everything is as it should be. Sally, my housekeeper, suggested they should all be in the same room as that’s what they were used to, but I think that might be a mistake.’

  The boys stopped kicking the ball and waved and David waved back. Their mum – the housekeeper – was a lot older than Nancy had expected – in her thirties at least. She had faded blonde hair, watery blue eyes but a lovely smile. David introduced them and she thought she might like her.

  ‘I’ll leave you two young ladies to inspect the accommodation. I’ve got a letter to write. Nancy, I’ll see you at the vicarage after surgery.’

  He’d gone before she could say she didn’t want to have the lessons there because the Stantons would know she was ignorant and uneducated, and she didn’t want to disappoint them.

  *

  David had no letter to write; it had been an excuse to get away after his appalling faux pas. Both he and Sally had made assumptions about those who were forced to live in the East End. He ran his finger around inside his collar and loosened his tie. He should know better. He was a doctor, for God’s sake, and shouldn’t have made those suppositions.

  He could hear the two young women moving about upstairs and he sincerely hoped Sally wouldn’t make the same mistake he had. He rather liked Nancy and admired the way she was taking pains already to improve her speech.

  She’d been attractive in her uniform but in that frock she was rather pretty. There was something familiar about her outfit and he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Then his eyes widened. She was wearing Julia’s dress – one of the things that had been given to Mrs Stanton for those in need.

  He supposed that Nancy qualified as well as the next person as she’d nothing at all to wear apart from the clothes she’d arrived in. He lurked in the surgery until he heard footsteps on the stairs and then emerged with what he hoped was a convincing smile for them both.

  ‘Don’t look so worried, Doctor Denny. Whoever’s coming to live with you will be delighted with the way you’ve organised things. The little ones wouldn’t be happy away from their ma and there’s plenty of room for all three of them and then some over for playing.’

  ‘I’m relieved that you approve, Nancy. I beg your pardon, I should have called you Mrs Smith.’

  Her smile was genuine and for some reason he was pleased that she was no longer at odds with him. ‘I’ll see you later. Nice to meet you, Sally.’

  For a small woman she was remarkably graceful even when wearing her unflattering ex WAAF shoes.

  ‘I don’t know how she’s still smiling. If my Sydney died out in Africa I’d be all over the place for weeks.’

  ‘You wouldn’t; you would think about your children and get on with it. There were two young men from here lost at Dunkirk earlier this year and both families have accepted what happened and moved on.’

  ‘That’s what you think, Doctor Denny. They might put on a brave face in public but there’s plenty of tears in private. Whatever you say, Nancy needs to grieve properly if she’s going to get over something like losing a husband a few days after she was married.’

  He could hardly tell her that Nancy was pregnant as the information was confidential. If she hadn’t been then she would have remained in the WAAF and done her duty without a fuss. She was that sort of young woman.

  *

  At eight o’clock he went around to the back door of the vicarage and Nancy was waiting for him. ‘We can work in here. It’s quiet and Mrs Stanton has gone to visit a friend and the vicar’s doing something at the church.’

  ‘Good. I know you’d prefer to study elsewhere, but it might be misconstrued if you come to my house in the evening when neither Sally nor my receptionist is there.’

  ‘I was worried about them knowing I couldn’t read very well but I’m not bothered now. I heard Mrs Stanton talking to him about pestering me to join the choir and saying that I needed time to get used to how things worked in church before I became part of it.’

  ‘Makes sense to me. I found some simple texts, have got a notebook and pencils. I think it will work best if we combine your reading with writing.’

  An hour later he was astonished at the progress she’d made. Her handwriting was neat and fluent; it had just been her spelling that was bizarre.

  ‘I’d better get back in case there’s anyone having an emergency. I’m the only doctor in the neighbourhood at the moment. God knows what they’ll do if I enlist next year.’

  Her hand jerked, sending the book she’d been holding to the floor. ‘Why would you do that? You just said that there’s nobody else to take care of your patients here. You have a duty to them first; that’s what I think anyway.’

  ‘I won’t go unless I find a locum to take my place. I’m sure there are plenty of retired medics who’d be delighted to take over this rural practice for a year or two. I’m still relatively young and fit – apart from my eyesight. I’m not comfortable being on the sidelines indefinitely. Better that I go, as I’m a single man, than someone with a family.’

  ‘I was hoping you’d be here to deliver my baby, or at least be available if you’re needed, but that’s selfish I suppose.’

  ‘I can’t promise as I intend to apply in the New Year. Of course, they might consider me a liability, as without my glasses I can’t see anything worth a damn.’

  She smiled and pointed at them. ‘You could use sticky tape to fix them to your forehead. That way they wouldn’t fall off whatever happened.’

  ‘I’ll suggest that to whoever gives me my medical. I’m sure he’ll appreciate the suggestion.’

  ‘The Stantons will be back in a bit and I said I’d have the kettle on to make the cocoa. Will you stay?’

  He stood up and shook his head. ‘Sadly, I must refuse. Bugger – I forgot my torch and it’s Stygian darkness out there.’

  She giggled. ‘I ain’t… I haven’t the foggiest what that means but you can borrow me torch. I’ll pick it up tomorrow.’

  ‘My torch, not “me torch” – that’s your next task. Thanks, I’ll find something more suitable for you to read and you can take it with you next time and practise. How often do you want to do these sessions?’

  ‘As often as you can. Hang on a tick, it’s in me – it’s in my bag.’ Her footsteps echoed up the stairs and then she rushed back and handed it over. ‘You told me not to swear but you just used a bad word yourself.’

  ‘I apologise. Anyway, bad language doesn’t sound so bad coming from a man.’

  She turned out the central light and prepared to open the back door. They had a vigilant ARP who was revelling in the power of being able to shout at people for letting the slightest glimmer of light out into the darkness.

  ‘Another thing, Doctor Denny, you didn’t bring your gas mask with you. Black marks for that as well.’

  ‘Good night, Nancy. I’m glad you’re back.’

  He was halfway home when he met Mrs Stanton returning from her friends. ‘How did the lesson go, Doctor Denny? We’re so pleased Nancy wants to improve her literacy. She’ll find life so much easier when her reading and writing is commensurate with her intelligence.’

  ‘She’s an able student and made remarkable progress. I doubt it’ll take more than half a dozen before she’s ready to join the choir.’

  The vicar’s voice boomed from the other side of the road. ‘Good show. The verger’s already sorted out a cassock and surplice that will fit her. Good night and thank you for your help.’

  David couldn’t remember enjoying an evening so much since Julia had died. He felt rather like Professo
r Henry Higgins from George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion and Nancy was his Eliza. All they needed was a Freddy Eynsford-Hill to fall in love with Nancy and they’d have a full list of characters.

  *

  Nancy went to bed happy – well, happy was a bit of an exaggeration, but she was feeling less miserable. Somehow being away from Hornchurch, out of uniform, living somewhere completely different had pushed her old life into the back of her mind. She’d always love Tommy – he’d given her a baby to remember him by – but as long as she stayed away from anywhere that reminded her of him, she reckoned she could get through this.

  She was up with the lark and washed out her smalls and also gave the fire-damaged material a good pummel in the sink using the washboard. It came out lovely and would make a smashing frock and a skirt as well if she was clever with the cutting.

  During the morning she cleared a space in the box room so she could get at the sewing machine. It was a Singer treadle and in good nick. In fact, it was as good as new.

  ‘There you are, my dear, I was wondering where you’d got to,’ Mrs Stanton said as she came in carrying a cup of tea.

  ‘Ta ever so, Mrs Stanton, but you don’t have to wait on me. Give me a shout and I’ll get my own tea from the kitchen.’

  ‘I try not to shout, Nancy. Giles does more than enough of that for one household. Actually, I came to tell you that the evacuee family have just turned up at Doctor Denny’s house. I rather think you might be needed as the young woman and her children are apparently not as impressed with their new surroundings as one might have hoped.’

  ‘Blimey, I’d better get over there smartish and put her right. I reckon being bombed out and then dumped in the middle of nowhere, without her family, among strangers would be enough to set anyone off.’

  ‘Drink your tea first, my dear. Things might settle down. Mrs Arbuckle is a competent young woman and it would take a lot to upset her.’

  ‘What about the doctor? He’s used to a quiet life and won’t like a lot of ructions.’