The Evacuee War

by Katie King

  But if he didn’t keep his mouth zipped and was then found out for having ratted on the boys’ planned fight, it would be a disaster, as he would never be left alone after that. And for a moment, Jessie had an acute recollection as he relived lying in the alley on that summer’s day, with the kicks and thumps of the rival Hull gang kicking and bruising him, and him slipping in and out of consciousness.

  It wasn’t a nice memory in any respect, and for a moment Jessie thought how much simpler his and Connie’s life would be if they had never had to leave Bermondsey in the first place, if Connie hadn’t been placed in 1E and he hadn’t had to go to James for help as that was breaking the pal code and, given Jessie’s luck, was bound to come out at some time.

  If these complexities were a sign of how grown-up life was going to go for him, frankly he’d rather stay as a child for the rest of his days, Jessie thought despondently.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Later in the week Peggy was walking slowly down the road near the shops with Holly toddling beside her as she manhandled an empty pushchair which a customer at June’s had lent her, when who should she bump into but James.

  She would have chosen another route had she known. But although she had been telling herself repeatedly not to think about James (and, by association, the pretty nurse), and actually she had been relatively successful about this in recent weeks, now that she faced him unexpectedly, it was inevitable that Peggy’s heart did a somersault, and then a second, slightly smaller one.

  He looked equally shocked to see her, and then a bit relieved, which made Peggy wonder if he did in fact want to speak to her.

  But James had an inscrutable expression, although he managed a bleated ‘Hello’ which, frustratingly, was a sight more than Peggy did.

  She pulled herself together, and forced out the sort of grin where the giver isn’t quite sure if it will come across as a smile or a scowl, as there was no point in her being sniffy about the fact that James hadn’t had the good manners of replying to her letter, despite her expressly telling him that she didn’t need an answer (and what a mistake that comment was proving to be, Peggy thought as she felt her neck stiffen in sympathy with her thoughts). A separate urgent churn she felt deep inside her guts proved how much his inactivity rankled now that he stood before her.

  For a moment Peggy experienced once more, with a quiver of horror, the indignity of having to push Holly’s heavy perambulator down the long road away from the temporary hospital after she had given him the letter she’d written in the wake of the fight with Bill, feeling James and the nurse might be looking at her, and perhaps even sharing a chuckle about her, as she stomped furiously away. The thought that they might not have been looking had felt almost as bad, as it would suggest that on a whim, James had merely transferred his attentions to another, and that they had never been more than trivial, as far as she had been concerned.

  ‘Ah. Um. Er, hello, James,’ Peggy managed, once she had driven her thoughts away from this unpleasant territory, and reminded herself that she should hold her head up high and not feel embarrassed that she thought herself worthy of a second stab at happiness, should love ever come calling again. This wasn’t as spine-straightening a thought as Peggy hoped as there was a little bit of her deep inside that thought herself a fool for being so romantic, especially given her less than impressive track record.

  There was a pause, and then Peggy was able to ask, with only the smallest of stutters, ‘How are you?’

  James ignored what she had just said.

  Instead he said in his disarming manner, ‘Peggy, please let me apologise profusely. I am just so sorry that I have been incredibly rude by not replying to your letter. It’s been very busy as we had some casualties from the bombings elsewhere sent here, although I know that is no excuse. I have been unforgivable.’

  Peggy nodded, but it wasn’t so much that she was agreeing with James that his behaviour towards her had been shabby. It was the reminder of what a very engrossing and busy job he had, in itself a perfectly adequate reason for sloppy etiquette these days.

  The wind felt taken rather from Peggy’s sails, and then she hoped James hadn’t thought her nods were an admonishment.

  It was hard to tell, as James continued in what seemed like his normal voice, ‘But it would be disingenuous of me if I didn’t admit also that really I just couldn’t think how to reply to you. Everything seemed wrong, and so in the end I took the easy way out, which was to do nothing, always promising that I would work out what to do tomorrow. And the more time passed, the worse I felt. I wanted to speak to you when I saw you in the café from the other side of the street, and I made it over to the rectory one evening – but neither time could I find the courage to make the first move and actually speak to you face to face. You looked so self-sufficient and capable, and I felt such an ass in comparison. And, harrumph, well, you know the rest …’

  ‘James, please don’t waste another moment thinking further on this. I found your silence eloquent in a way that any letter could never be. And I did suggest that you weren’t to reply, after all,’ Peggy said, even though silently she finished this statement to herself with the imagined comment, ‘Although I didn’t really mean that, you oaf.’

  James gave a sniff of acceptance he had been caught wanting, and then he said, ‘You are polite not to be more horrid to me, when both of us know I should have been in touch. Anyway, how have you been, Peggy?’ Without waiting for an answer, he looked at Holly, and added, ‘I see this little lady has been eating all her greens as a good girl should, as she is so much bigger, and hale and hearty. And she is well and truly walking now …’

  Peggy thought James must feel nervous to be pointing out that Holly was walking, as it was obvious that as her mother, Peggy wouldn’t need reminding of the fact. She felt herself soften a little at his obvious awkwardness.

  ‘She has been eating up her food, and she is into all sorts of mischief given half a chance,’ said Peggy. ‘Meanwhile my biggest news is that I am no longer working with June – it all ended very amicably, and she threw me a lovely tea party at the café to which everyone at Tall Trees came, and a lot of June’s regular customers too.’

  James looked, Peggy thought, a tad wistful at this, perhaps as if he wished he’d been there, but Peggy still didn’t know whether he had been asked and had decided not to come, if so possibly a decision he was now regretting. It was probably sensible that she didn’t enquire further though.

  She ploughed on, ‘June and I became anxious about Holly being at the café once she was up and about, and I knew I needed to make better provisions for her. And so I thought that a way of doing this might be if I ran a playgroup for under-threes, and then it would be useful for local mothers who need to work. The more I thought about it, the more I thought that some of the space in the old coach house at Tall Trees might be suitable, and luckily Roger and Mabel agreed. And Gracie is going to help me, as she can have Jack there and earn herself some money. I’d like to open it before Christmas, but I think it might have to be in the new year as everything takes such an age to organise. By the way, did you know that Gracie and Kelvin Kell have got married?’

  ‘I know! I had heard about this, and so the Harrogate grapevine hasn’t been found wanting. But Gracie is very young for such a big step, isn’t she?’ said James.

  ‘Gracie is unlikely to make a worse hash of being married than me and Bill, and so good luck to them, I say.’

  James nodded on cue, and Peggy felt herself relax, very slightly. ‘I am glad you have decided on something to do in Harrogate, and aren’t planning to leave quite yet,’ he said.

  Peggy wasn’t sure she’d heard him correctly.

  But then she thought perhaps she had, as James turned around and walked slowly at Peggy’s shoulder and Holly toddled alongside, clutching one of her mother’s fingers, as Peggy and James’s conversation once more took on the familiar companionable bent with which they had talked to each other prior to Bill’s une
xpected arrival on the scene.

  As they strolled along side by side, James asked Peggy a few questions about the playgroup, and how the rooms would be fitted out.

  And then, after they had chatted quite a while and Holly had begun to grizzle, which was the sign that she was getting tired of being asked to walk quite such a long way, James stopped and turned to face Peggy as he asked, ‘Did Jessie tell you that the other day he came to see me at the hospital?’

  ‘No, he never breathed a word. Whatever did he want?’ Peggy felt a small prod of shock as she swung Holly up and on to her hip, and she hoped that she hadn’t given any sign to James that her heart had made an uncomfortable lurch again, as just when they were having a pleasant conversation it would be too bad if it then became awkward between them again if Jessie had clumsily been trying to play matchmaker.

  ‘It was a while back, and I’ve been thinking about it since. Jessie was very worried about Connie, actually, and her being in the lowest stream at school. He kept saying she seems so bright, but she won’t apply herself to her lessons, and he wondered if I had advice to give,’ said James.

  ‘Bless him. Dear Jessie, that’s so like him to think of others; he really is a nice, caring boy,’ said Peggy, who then contrarily felt a little sad that Jessie hadn’t been playing matchmaker.

  She rallied, and went on, ‘But I am worried about Connie too, I admit. She’s still as bright as a button, but only if school and schoolwork aren’t on the agenda.

  ‘And she’s upsetting the status quo amongst the children by seeming far too keen now on the Hull lot, and especially the one called Dave who I think may have been the ringleader when Jessie was beaten up. Aside from upsetting her brother, this has put Aiden’s nose badly out of joint, and so it’s not all been sweetness and light as far as the children are concerned these past few weeks. And Connie is proving very temperamental and difficult to talk to about it. She’s got tonsillitis though, but I don’t think she’d be saying anything if she hadn’t. I’m feeling very at sea in what to say to her.’

  James looked at his watch, and said, ‘I’m sorry, but I am going to have to go, Peggy, as there is somewhere I need to be.’

  Peggy hoped this ‘somewhere’ wasn’t to do with the blonde nurse.

  James added, ‘But in fact, although I wasn’t yet quite brave enough yet actually to do anything about it, I had been working up to taking the bull by the horns and suggesting to you that in any case maybe I should have a quiet word with Connie about her schoolwork? I was thinking that perhaps her eyes should be tested, or that someone impartial should investigate a little about why she is struggling at school. Would you like me to do that?’

  ‘Oh James, that is thoughtful of you. Yes, I think that would be wonderful. If you have the time, and the energy, as I know how busy you are.’ Peggy felt a weight of concern slipping away with James’s offer.

  They looked at each other, and then one grinned and immediately so did the other. These were the first proper smiles that they shared since before Bill had arrived in Harrogate spoiling for a fight.

  As James walked away he allowed himself a tiny sigh of approbation for being honest with Peggy as to why he’d not been in touch. And in having the nous to use whatever was making Connie struggle to his own advantage by offering to canvass a professional opinion. Hopefully, this meant that talking to Peggy next time should be much easier.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Thursday night was sleepless for Jessie, and for Aiden too.

  Tall Trees had long been quiet and in darkness when Aiden hissed quietly, ‘Jessie, are you awake?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Are you sleepy?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Shall we get up and go down to the kitchen?’

  Jessie thought Aiden sounded in need of some moral support. ‘Okay,’ he said.

  They each pulled on a woolly, and padded out of the bedroom in their bare feet as quietly as they could as neither boy wanted to wake Tommy or Larry.

  They crept downstairs, carefully avoiding all the creaky floorboards. Once they were in the kitchen they didn’t dare make themselves a drink or find a snack, but they pulled two chairs close to the Rayburn and put their bare feet on the warmth of its enamel as the stone flags of the floor were very cold.

  ‘Aiden, I don’t think you should fight Dave.’ Jessie sounded very grave.

  ‘I don’t want to, but if I don’t, then I think those boys will make the lives of all of us a misery. I think it’s easier to go along with what they want. And that’s not to mention Connie, and whatever she might do.’

  ‘Do you think she knows about it?’

  ‘I doubt it as she’s not been to school because of her throat. I guess everyone else knows though, as people keep looking at me oddly. Well, I don’t think Angela knows, as I expect she’d be too scared of what Connie might say to her if she knew about it and hadn’t told her. Connie hasn’t given me any sign that she knows though.’

  ‘Yes, I think you’re right about Angela and Connie, Aiden, as they would never be able to keep quiet if they knew, and Connie hasn’t hinted to me that she knows anything. Should I tell Peggy, do you think? Or a teacher?’

  ‘No, don’t say anything, Jessie. That would only stop the fight on that day, and then it would just happen another time. Kieran has given me some coaching, and so while I don’t expect to win, I do hope to put up a good show to preserve something of the Tall Trees honour. I’ve been thinking about it lots and I’m sure it’s better just for me to get it over and done with.’

  ‘I do think Connie has a lot to answer for,’ said Jessie. ‘It sounds disloyal of me, I know, but if she had kept Dave at a distance, then this wouldn’t be happening.’

  ‘I disagree. It was only ever going to be a matter of time before that Hull lot pulled something like this. Connie is just the excuse for it to happen, with the added benefit for Dave that I have to stand back from her once he’s leathered me.’

  ‘Ugh,’ sighed Jessie as sympathetically as he could.

  Next day at school, the tension ramped up during the morning to an almost unbearable level.

  It was obvious that virtually all the pupils knew about the planned fisticuffs, and several of the fifth-formers were openly totting up the odds and taking bets.

  Jessie felt he should have a bet on his pal for loyalty’s sake, but he didn’t as he couldn’t afford to lose the stake.

  In fact the pre-fight furore seemed to reach such fever pitch by the time that lunchtime ended that Jessie could hardly believe that the teachers remained oblivious, as everywhere he looked there seemed to be pupils standing around in clusters, casting appraising glances at either Dave or Aiden.

  But apparently the teachers hadn’t twigged what was going on, as over the rest of the afternoon not a single master or mistress did anything to prevent the fight.

  With a horrible inevitability, after the final bell had rung, there was a drift of pupils to the designated spot where the fight would take place.

  Trying to ignore his rapidly beating heart and roiling stomach, Jessie accompanied Aiden, who was now pale and monosyllabic.

  They turned the corner and Jessie could see practically the whole school, aside from the teachers, had already gathered in a loose circle in the time-honoured way that pre-arranged fights between schoolboys take place.

  The Hull boys were gathered on one side of the space, and once Tommy and the others from Tall Trees had joined them (aside from Angela in her wheelchair), Aiden and his pals took up a spot in a group on the other.

  Every time Jessie thought the fight was about to begin, one of the fifth-formers would say time was needed for more betting, and so there would be yet another delay.

  Eventually, though, all bets were laid, and the crowd fell silent.

  The fighters removed their jumpers, which they gave to their seconds, and they rolled up their sleeves.

  Softly the crowd began to chant ‘Fight! Fight!’, with each repetition becoming a
little louder.

  At last, as if there had been an unseen signal between them, Aiden and Dave moved close to each other, and as they raised their clenched fists with both boys keeping their thumbs on top, they began to circle in unison first one way and then the other, neither being keen to make a first move other than an occasional parry from which the other would skip back. Jessie couldn’t help but think that for all the world they looked as if they were taking part in some macabre parody of a country dance.

  Then there was a shout from someone in the crowd of ‘Get on with it, yer lummox!’, as others began to call ‘go on!’ and ‘sock him!’, with even Jessie, Larry and Tommy joining in the melee of shouting and air-punching amongst those watching.

  And suddenly Aiden sprang forward and ducked nimbly under Dave’s pugilistically positioned arms, to punch the Hull aggressor squarely on the nose before darting back to beyond the reach of his opponent.

  Aiden may have been smaller than Dave, but this meant that he had a huge advantage in a nippiness to his movement that the wider and heftier lad clearly couldn’t match, Jessie realised, while over the past couple of days Aiden’s boxer cousin Kieran had clearly schooled Aiden very effectively in how to land a painful punch on somebody’s hooter.

  Jessie flinched as there had been an audible crack on the impact of Aiden’s fist, and a sudden splatter of Dave’s blood that pebble-dashed the shirts of both boys.

  Dave looked stunned and shocked at what had just happened, and he raised a hand to his nose and then frowned as he examined the blood on his fingers.

  But before he could respond there was a commanding yell of ‘OI, YOU TWO!!’

  And with a windmill of arms and legs, harum-scarum hair and flashing eyes, Connie flung herself between the two boys, and quick as a flash she sucker-punched each of them hard in the soft part of their bellies just beneath their ribcages, first Dave and then an even more surprised Aiden, causing them both to double over immediately in what looked like immense pain.