‘That put you in your place,’ Lily laughed as she looped her arm through Rose’s and fell into step beside her. They fought their way along the icy pavements down the street towards the harbour, where Rose would turn off to head up Madeira Walk.
‘At least the snow has stopped,’ Rose said. ‘I just hope the trains will be running tomorrow. I don’t fancy standing about at the station waiting to see if there is one heading up to London.’
‘I’d rather have your problem than mine,’ Lily said.
Rose stiffened. Was Lily going to tell her what had happened last night? ‘What problem is that?’ she asked, dreading what the answer would be.
‘Why, waiting on people all day long who only want to come in out of the bad weather and then only order a cup of tea and a bun. Then there will be the people moaning that we don’t have enough baked goods on sale – they have no understanding that if the roads are full of snow, the delivery vans can’t get down here from Cadby Hall with fresh supplies of food. Then of course old Butterworth will have us out the front of the teashop shovelling snow off the pavements. I call that a cheek, and nearly told her so as well. I could hardly feel my fingers to serve my customers after half an hour outside. I swear I have frostbite.’
Rose smiled to herself. Lily had been quick enough to volunteer for clearing the snow when Miss Butterworth had asked the Nippies during their afternoon tea break. It was best to ignore her complaints when she started. ‘Why don’t you come back to Sea View for some dinner? We could chat to Miss Tibbs and Anya about the wedding dress and the possibility of them making our bridesmaid outfits. That’s if you don’t have to get back home for your stepfather?’
‘Blow him. He’s no doubt half cut by now, or off down the pub. Yes, I’d like to come back to your house, thank you,’ she replied, losing some of her sarcastic tone. ‘I don’t always say it, but I’m grateful to you and your mum for looking out for me since Mum died.’
Rose steadied herself as she started to slip, and her grip tightened on Lily’s arm. ‘Phew – that was close. You must miss your mum a lot? I know I would, if it was mine who had passed away. You don’t speak about it much. You know I’m always here to chat if you want to?’
‘Yeah, I miss her, but not in the way you think,’ Lily said slowly as they concentrated on walking up the steep incline of Madeira Walk and watching where to place their feet in the fresh snow that had recently fallen. ‘She always managed to keep George from picking on me. She was a barrier for my safety. Now . . . now things are so different.’
‘He must miss your mum,’ Rose said, trying to pick her words with care. Lily wasn’t one to talk about her feelings.
‘Oh yes, he misses her in many ways,’ she said before stopping to look back down the hill towards the waterfront. ‘Ramsgate looks so different with a layer of snow. It’s as if the town has been cleansed and is hiding all the bad stuff for a while.’
Rose stood close to her friend as Lily gazed out towards the water. She could see a single tear escape from her friend’s eye, but somehow she felt that now wasn’t the place or time to delve into what was bothering Lily.
They quietly turned and made their way further up the steep road.
‘Look, there’s an army lorry in front of your house,’ Lily said, grabbing Rose’s arm in horror. ‘Look at all the soldiers – some have guns! I wonder what’s going on?’
Rose stood transfixed, staring at the scene in front of her. Her gaze was focused on Ben, who was talking to her mum on the doorstep when he should have been in London. Whatever was going on?
‘Such a shame you missed all the excitement, dear,’ Miss Tibbs said as Rose sat by her side in Flora’s sitting room. They all had tea served in her mum’s best cups and saucers. Rose could feel Ben watching her from across the room, which was making her feel just a little flushed. ‘Why, we could all have been murdered in our beds if it wasn’t for Captain Hargreaves. Who would have thought our Mr Cardew was a spy and living one floor above me! Whatever will my friends at the beetle drive say? I hope they don’t think I was involved,’ she twittered on.
‘I’m sure they won’t,’ Rose said, patting her hand. ‘If you’ve finished with your cup, I’ll take it out to the kitchen.’ She headed for the kitchen, grateful for its silence and cooler air. Flora had banked up the fire in the sitting room to the point the windows had been opened. Rose had so many questions flying around in her head; but above all, what was Ben doing drinking tea with her mum when he should be miles away?
‘I’m sorry I couldn’t warn you,’ Ben said as he entered the room. ‘It all happened rather quickly,’ he added, placing a pile of crockery by the sink. ‘I’ll give you a hand with the washing-up.’
Rose tipped hot water from a kettle that had been kept warm on the hob into a large enamel bowl before sprinkling soap flakes. She carefully started to wash the cups and saucers. ‘These were a wedding present to my mum and dad,’ she explained as she placed each one onto the wooden draining board. ‘They only come out on high days and holidays. You should feel honoured.’ She smiled, thinking of her gentle father and how much he would have enjoyed Ben’s company.
‘Your mother is a very gracious lady. When we appeared on her doorstep to take Cardew away she didn’t flap at all, but led us up to his room, and then knocked on the door to say she had bed linen for him. It made it very easy for us to enter and take him into custody.’
‘Is this all because we spotted that glint of light from the attic window last night?’
‘Yes. The local police were able to tell us who lodged in the house, and along with what you’ve said to me, it was thought best to take him into custody.’
Rose felt a little miffed. ‘I didn’t realize that when we were making small talk you were storing up all I’d said in case I was a danger to the security of this country.’
Ben put down the tea towel and took her by the shoulders, turning her to face him. ‘Please don’t ever think such things. I recalled our conversation about your mother’s guests, and it worried me you could have someone dangerous in your midst. My thoughts were always for you. Cardew was in with a dangerous crowd of people who have sympathies with the enemy. God forbid if you or your mother had met with danger . . .’
Time stood still as they looked into each other’s eyes. Rose longed for Ben to kiss her, and she just knew he felt the same way.
Young Pearl Hannigan ran into the kitchen, breaking the spell, and Rose turned back to the washing-up.
‘Rose, Mrs Neville said to put the kettle on again an’ I’m to take in her best biscuit barrel – not the old one she uses every day,’ Pearl added shyly when she spotted Ben. ‘Could we also have a cloth dipped in cold water, as Mildred has a sore hand?’
‘Whatever has she done?’ Rose asked as she reached for a clean cloth kept behind a gingham curtain that covered a shelf below the sink.
‘She thumped Mr Cardew,’ Pearl said with glee. ‘Just like that,’ she added, punching the air like a seasoned boxer.
‘She does pack a punch.’ Ben grinned. ‘He’ll have a right shiner by the morning, which will add to his woes.’
Flora came out to the kitchen, leading a reluctant Mildred by the arm. ‘You deserve everything you got,’ she said sternly, making Mildred sit down at one of the hard wooden chairs set around the table. ‘Why, you could have done serious damage to your hand – how would you have worked then?’
Mildred grinned. ‘It was worth it even if I’d broken a few bones in my hand. Even if he isn’t a spy, I never did like the man, so that punch is worth a little pain. Just to think a spy was in this house makes my blood boil! I had to do something. In fact, I think we should have done something earlier, as we were far too welcoming. You carrying his food to and fro, Miss Tibbs sewing buttons on his shirts, and me . . . well, I was the worst possible person, as I fixed his telescope, and Ben here told me he was using it to watch shipping movements,’ she said, looking shamefaced. ‘That’s why, when he pulled away from the soldi
ers, I took my chance and thumped him as hard as I could – just in case he was going to make a run for it. I’m glad I did it,’ she added, giving Flora a determined look. ‘It’s just a shame my fist made contact with the wall as well as his cheek.’
‘The wall will survive,’ Flora said, trying hard not to smile. ‘I wish I’d had the chance to join you. Although grown-ups shouldn’t do such things,’ she added as she noticed young Pearl listening.
‘What I’d like to know is how all this happened, and why you aren’t in London,’ Rose said to Ben. ‘If this is the kind of thing you’re going to get up to, I’ll have second thoughts about going off and leaving you. Spies in the house, and Mildred here throwing punches – whatever next?’
‘I too had expected to be in London by now, but after what we spotted last night as I walked you home, I thought it prudent to report back to the relevant authorities. I thought they would take over, but it wasn’t to be. After liaising with local police I found that your Mr Cardew had a question mark against his name. He’d slipped the net while in another part of Kent – near Bromley,’ he added, seeing Rose’s quizzical expression. ‘Even though Mrs Neville had notified the local police station that Cardew was one of her residents, it appears checks weren’t made.’
‘Oh my,’ Flora said, looking flustered. ‘Did I do something wrong? Is it my fault that a possible spy was left to roam Ramsgate?’
‘No, not at all,’ Ben assured her. ‘Sadly these things happen.’
‘It was more likely that lazy Sergeant Atkins wasn’t doing his job,’ Mildred huffed. ‘It makes me wonder how many other foreigners are in this town who haven’t been checked out properly?’
‘I’m sure this was just a slip-up,’ Flora said quickly, noting how Anya had turned rather pink-faced and averted her eyes. ‘Besides, from what I could tell, Mr Cardew was British. If not, he was doing a pretty good job of pretending to be one of us.’
‘So what happened next?’ Rose prompted.
‘Trust us to miss all the excitement because we were at work,’ Lily said as she joined them in the kitchen. ‘Hitler could invade and we would miss it just because we were busy pouring cups of tea for all and sundry.’
Young Pearl burst out laughing. ‘That would be funny,’ she said, enjoying the conversation.
‘Time for your bed, young lady,’ her mother said, taking her hand. ‘Say goodnight to everybody.’
By the time Pearl had gone round all the visitors, politely making her goodbyes and kissing Miss Tibbs and Flora on the cheek, Rose was beyond agitated, desperate for more details about what had happened. ‘Please tell me everything, or I shall burst,’ she exclaimed.
‘I was requested to bring my men to the guesthouse. They waited around the corner while I and a police inspector based at the station had a little chat with Mr Cardew. I’m not at liberty to say how the conversation went, but when Mr Cardew became agitated and it was obvious he was not innocent, we decided to bring him in while we made further investigations. It was while we were walking downstairs that he tried to give us the slip. Thankfully Miss Dalrymple assisting us with detaining him. After that, he went calmly with the inspector in the back of the lorry.’
Rose thought for a moment of all she had been told. ‘Did you know this was going to happen, Mum?’
Flora nodded. ‘Ben came in and spoke to me so that I was prepared. He did have the decency to ask if he and the inspector could go to Mr Cardew’s room to speak to him. I thought it was handled very well, and no one seemed alarmed. Ben allow me to inform the ladies who were at home so they were not alarmed.’
‘So what will happen to Mr Cardew’s property in his room – and would you want him back here after what’s happened, Mum?’
Floor looked flustered. ‘I hadn’t given that any thought,’ she said, looking towards Ben for help. ‘He has only paid his rent up until Friday.’
‘With the evidence we have already, I don’t think Mr Cardew will be allowed to remain in Ramsgate after this. My feelings are that he will be in custody but that’s all I can say at this time.’
‘But his things . . .’ Flora said.
‘I shall arrange to have everything collected by tomorrow morning so as not to inconvenience you,’ Ben said politely.
‘You will have to let the billeting officer know that you have another spare room,’ Miss Tibbs added.
Flora sat down, looking flustered. ‘After this, I’m not sure I want another gentleman living in my house. Ladies seem much easier to get along with,’ she sighed.
‘Perhaps I can have a word with the officer in charge and explain what has happened. It could be that if you found another tenant very quickly, we could then consider this house full to capacity.’
For a moment Flora looked happy, but then her face dropped. ‘Usually I would have a waiting list of people requiring rooms, or with the summer season approaching it would be holidaymakers staying here. But at the moment I can’t name one single person to fill the rooms – and with Rose off to live in Margate before too long, I will have two rooms to rent out.’
‘We could probably turn a blind eye to one small room being vacant, but two bedrooms is a different matter when we have to make so many sleeping arrangements at the moment,’ Ben said.
Rose looked around the room and watched as the residents of Sea View tried to come up with an answer.
‘I will move into Rose’s room when she goes to Margate,’ Anya declared, ‘but I wish to pay more money. I insist,’ she added, as Flora started to protest. ‘That box room is not large enough for one soldier to stretch his legs, so I’m doubting the army will want to use it.’
Rose suddenly thought of a solution that would suit both parties. ‘Why don’t you move into my room, Lily, and Anya can use Mr Cardew’s room?’ She smiled at her friend. ‘I’ll feel much happier about being away from home if someone is looking out for my mum – someone who’s known her for many years,’ she added quickly, just in case she had offended any of the tenants. She could see that Lily was interested by the way her face lit up. Whatever had been troubling Lily of late might be helped by having Flora nearby to care for her while Rose was away. ‘Would you do that for me?’ Rose asked.
Flora knew her daughter was up to something, but went along with the suggestion. ‘It would be lovely to have you living here, Lily. Rose, you can have the box room when you come to visit and you can store your things in my room,’ she said to her daughter with a smile. ‘That seems to have sorted out everything nicely,’ she added, giving another sigh.
Lily looked quite tearful as she accepted the offer of a room at Sea View. ‘It will be like living with family,’ she sniffed.
‘There’s just one more thing, Mrs Neville. May I ask your permission to drive your daughter to London tomorrow? It seems silly, with both of us heading in the same direction, for Rose to have to stand about waiting for trains in this awful weather,’ Ben said.
‘That is a very generous offer, Ben, and if Rose agrees then I agree,’ Flora said, giving them both a big smile.
Rose groaned inwardly. She could almost see her mother making wedding arrangements and choosing an outfit to wear in church.
‘I’ll be here at nine, if that suits you?’ Ben said, giving Rose a gentle smile. ‘Wrap up warm, as the transport can be a little draughty,’ he added, before wishing everyone good evening and taking his leave of them.
After he’d gone, while the others continued to chatter excitedly, Rose sat quietly with her thoughts. She felt as though her life was beginning to move in a new direction and, whether she liked it or not, she was being swept along on the crest of a wave to goodness knows where. But, as long as Ben was by her side, she didn’t care one little bit.
8
‘Whoops! Mind how you go. We don’t want you having to walk down the aisle with a broken leg,’ Jack said, putting an arm round Katie’s waist to help her stay upright. ‘Let’s hope this snow eases off a bit before our wedding day.’
Katie stopp
ed walking and turned to face him. He was only a couple of inches taller than her, so she could easily see his face even though there wasn’t a street lamp or a light from a window to be seen. Perhaps it was the waning of the moon, or the pure white of the drifting snow. ‘Our wedding day.’ She sighed. ‘Those few words sound magical. Aren’t you excited? I know I am.’ She linked her arm through his. ‘Wasn’t it splendid of the vicar to be able to fit us in so soon? In a few weeks I’ll be Mrs Jack Jones. Isn’t it just wonderful?’
Jack laughed and kissed the tip of her cold nose. ‘It was indeed splendid of him,’ he said, loving her even more for her enthusiasm. He didn’t add that when Katie had gone to help the vicar’s wife make tea, he’d told the vicar his ship would soon be sailing and he had no idea where they were heading or when they might return. The vicar understood immediately. He had known the young couple since the days when both were in the children’s home, and he promised to move heaven and earth so that Katie could have her special day before Jack left.
‘Now let’s go and have a swift drink to celebrate us naming the day,’ Jack said, steering her carefully down the path from the church towards the nearest public house.
The pub was quite full of sailors as well as airmen, and just a few army lads who were grouped around a piano singing loudly. Jack managed to guide his fiancée through the crowded bar to where there was a seat by the fireplace, with a dismal fire giving off just a little heat. Katie took off her hat and coat, stuffing her gloves into the pockets. She rubbed her hands together to help bring the circulation back. She couldn’t remember the last time it had been so cold. Even wearing a woolly hat to bed and piling blankets and her coat on top, before cuddling up to a stone hot-water bottle in order to ward off the terrible chill, didn’t help. She wished they would have more than that one small room in which to start their married life. First thing tomorrow she would begin searching for something better, somewhere Jack would be happy to return to when he came home on leave. Perhaps Rose’s mother would know of suitable rooms?
The Teashop Girls Page 13
