The Orphan Twins

by Lesley Eames

  Elsie or Phyllis must have told him that. ‘Yes. Artie and I lost our parents young so we lived with our grandmother. She was a wonderful person. Hardworking, brave, selfless… And very loving.’

  ‘But then you lost her too and were separated from your brother.’

  ‘Two blows in swift succession,’ Lily confirmed. ‘But Artie was offered an amazing opportunity and it would have been selfish of me to object.’

  ‘Artie’s benefactor was only interested in educating boys?’

  ‘Mmm.’ Lily smiled as a thought struck her. ‘I doubt Phyllis could have persuaded Mr Alderton to go to a lecture on women’s suffrage.’

  ‘Men like that are fools. Everyone has potential. Male, female, rich, poor…’

  ‘That’s how I see it.’

  ‘You’re ambitious, Lily.’

  ‘For my little tea room, yes. While I’ve got it anyway.’

  She explained about Mr Bax’s plans for retirement in the not too distant future. ‘I want to learn all I can before then. Afterwards… Who knows? I’m not interested in growing rich or building an empire, but I do want to feel satisfaction in a job well done.’

  ‘I understand,’ he said.

  ‘But enough of me.’ Lily was suddenly self-conscious again. ‘Tell me about your childhood.’

  ‘It was a lot easier than yours.’

  He was an only child brought up in a happy home. His father had been a carpenter, a craftsman who was much in demand until an accident cost him the strength in one of his arms. ‘It wasn’t practical for him to work with heavy wood after that so we moved to Switzerland where he learned chocolate. He was good at it too. He was never afraid of hard work and he valued perfection over speed.’

  ‘Are your parents still alive?’

  ‘No, but I was lucky as both of them lived until I reached adulthood. My father died five years ago when I was twenty. My mother lived two years longer. I lost my grandfather earlier this year. He’d been ill for a while and I promised to stay with him until he no longer needed me. It’s thanks to the money he left me as well as my own savings that I’ve been able to set up the chocolate shop. Pierre refused to be my partner as he had little money to put into the business but I regard him as my partner in practice if not in law.’

  ‘Which is why you called the shop Goddard & Glasse?’

  ‘I insisted.’

  Lily liked him for it.

  ‘I expect it seems odd that I’ve opened a shop when I’m going off to the war,’ he said. ‘I suppose I like the idea of there being a future waiting for me if I’m lucky enough to return. If I don’t return… Well, Pierre will inherit the business so I’ll have given him a chance to make something of himself. He’s older than me. Strong as an ox in some ways but he was run over by a cart when he was a boy. His leg was badly broken and badly set by an incompetent doctor. It took Pierre a long time to recover. He was unlucky with his family too as his father was a drunk while his mother was one of those clinging, weeping women. They left Pierre with debts he felt honour-bound to clear even though it took him years. He deserves some good fortune.’

  ‘He does,’ Lily agreed. ‘But does he deserve Elsie?’ She smiled and Luke smiled with her.

  ‘Your brother is in training at the moment, isn’t he?’ Luke asked then.

  Lily nodded.

  ‘You’re worried about him. Is he worried about himself?’

  ‘Yes, but that doesn’t make him weak or cowardly.’

  ‘Of course it doesn’t. Only fools are unafraid.’

  ‘It isn’t just the thought of falling or being injured that troubles him. He’s worried his fear will get the better of him and he’ll let himself down. Let his men down too. He was in the Officers Training Corps at school so he’s been made a junior officer even though he’s never been near a battlefield.’

  It seemed to Lily that Luke with more years and experiences behind him would make a more effective leader than an untried boy. Not that she doubted Artie’s courage or ability. He was just so young. ‘I wish he could have enlisted as an ordinary soldier so he wouldn’t be under such pressure but it seemed to be expected that he’d become an officer.’

  ‘The army needs junior officers and the OTC gives young men like Artie a head start with training and discipline,’ Luke said. ‘Compared to men who’ve never been near a parade ground, I mean.’

  ‘I understand that, but it seems unfair to put boys who’ve only just left school in charge of men who are older and more experienced. Don’t those older men resent it?’

  ‘Some do,’ Luke admitted, ‘but others feel paternal towards their young officers.’

  Lily smiled, grateful for Luke’s kindness. But something else was troubling her. She didn’t like to mention casualty lists, though. Not when Luke’s own life was in danger.

  ‘What is it?’ he asked.

  Lily opened her mouth to tell him she was fine but he raised an eyebrow in a way that suggested he wouldn’t fall for anything less than the truth. Even then she hesitated.

  ‘You’re thinking of all the young officers who’ve lost their lives,’ he guessed.

  ‘Well…’ The casualty lists in newspapers included a frightening number of them.

  ‘It isn’t easy being a junior officer,’ Luke conceded. ‘They don’t sit on the side lines in battle but get out there and lead their men into the thick of it.’

  Lily had even heard that the enemy deliberately picked off officers so the men under their command would flounder. The thought made her wince.

  ‘If Artie is anything like you, he’ll find his courage somehow,’ Luke said, and he gave a small nod that meant that Lily had to keep her courage high too.

  He was right.

  They looked in on another tea shop on the way home and this time went inside. ‘Lily’s Tea Room still wins my vote,’ Luke said, looking around.

  ‘Goodness. I must repay you for your compliment by treating you to your tea.’

  ‘This is my treat. I wanted to enjoy my leave and thanks to Elsie, Phyllis and you I’ve enjoyed it a lot.’

  Had he enjoyed their company equally, though? Lily had no way of knowing.

  They walked home arm in arm but Luke drew her to a halt just before they reached the bakery. ‘Thank you for a terrific afternoon, Lily. It’s been lovelier than you can know.’

  Bending forward, he kissed her cheek and Lily’s heartbeat quickened. But then he straightened and looked down on her, thinking… If only she could tell. ‘Look after yourself,’ he said.

  ‘You too.’

  They walked the few steps to the bakery door and Lily went inside but she couldn’t let him go without another word. She pulled the door open and leaned out. ‘Take care!’ she called to his retreating figure.

  Luke turned and smiled. ‘I will. I’ve a lot to live for.’

  TWENTY-FIVE

  Lily didn’t see him again before he left. Without him, the mood of both tea room and chocolate shop felt flat. ‘What a grumpy old ogre Pierre can be,’ Elsie reported.

  ‘He’s worried about Luke,’ Phyllis said.

  ‘Yes, but what good does moping do? Pierre will help Luke far more by building up the business.’

  ‘Easier said than done,’ Phyllis suggested.

  Lily agreed with both of them. It was impossible to stop worrying but they had to press on with life.

  Several days made no improvement to Pierre’s mood but on the fourth day Elsie came in looking pleased. ‘I’ve sorted out Pierre’s temper,’ she told them.

  Lily and Phyllis exchanged glances. ‘What did you do?’ Lily asked.

  ‘Stuck his head into a bowl of melted chocolate. I told him I’d do it again if he didn’t pull himself together.’

  ‘He didn’t threaten to dismiss you?’ Lily wondered.

  ‘Or murder you?’ Phyllis added.

  Elsie snorted. ‘’Course not. Once he’d washed the chocolate out of his hair, he laughed and said I’d done him good.’

  ‘I ho
pe you’ll never be tempted to do me good that way,’ Phyllis said, but Elsie only grinned.

  They were all glad when letters came from Luke. One was addressed to Pierre and another to the three girls together. Did that mean they were equal in his affections? Just the thought of a soft look from Luke’s gleaming eyes made Lily’s breath catch, but either Luke felt differently or he was postponing any tenderness until after the war. Time would tell.

  In the meantime Lily resolved to be thankful that Luke had been safe when he’d written and in good spirits too. In the weeks that followed he wrote more letters, often relating lively stories about the men who were serving with him.

  The girls stored up funny stories to include in the letters they sent in return. Lily wrote about seeing a carter’s horse snatch the flowers off a passing woman’s hat. Elsie wrote about a customer who thought chocolate was brown because it was made with milk from brown cows. And Phyllis wrote about a young man who’d rushed out of a women’s suffrage meeting saying he was in the wrong room and his dad would kill him if he got involved with females who meddled in politics.

  Lily admired Luke for putting a brave face on things in his letters but knew he must be suffering terrible sights and conditions.

  ‘Another letter from Luke,’ Elsie said, waving the envelope one morning. ‘I’ll read it first, shall I?’

  ‘Just as you like,’ Lily told her, but the all-seeing look was back in Elsie’s eyes.

  Had she guessed that Lily had more than ordinary feelings for Luke? At the very least she suspected it, Lily guessed, because Elsie handed the letter over with a knowing smile.

  ‘Actually, I’d better get next door before Pierre starts doing his French swearing,’ she said.

  Lily could only hope she hadn’t confirmed Elsie’s suspicions by blushing.

  *

  Time went on and it was Artie’s turn for embarkation leave, though he hadn’t had long in training. He was pale but dignified when Lily saw him. ‘I’m as ready as I’ll ever be for whatever lies ahead,’ he told her, then smiled wryly. ‘Sorry, Lil. I’m always leaving you, aren’t I? Perhaps one day I’ll be able to fulfil my promise to help you.’

  ‘It isn’t your fault and I’m managing well so you’ve no need to worry about me.’

  They were in the tea room alone, Elsie and Phyllis having gone to Pierre’s to allow brother and sister time together. Mr Bax had insisted on making a steak pie for their dinner so Lily took it out of the oven and served it onto hot plates alongside vegetables. Artie produced a bottle of wine Mrs Lawley had found in Mr Alderton’s cellar.

  Lily had drunk wine with the dinners Pierre cooked so didn’t feel totally unsophisticated. ‘I wonder what Gran would make of us sitting here like this?’ Lily asked. ‘Mum and Dad too?’

  ‘They’d think we’d come a long way from Jessy Street and they’d be proud. Especially of you, Lil. Your success is entirely down to your own efforts.’

  ‘I’ve been lucky in other ways,’ she said.

  She wondered what Artie and Luke would make of each other and decided that Artie would admire Luke’s calm self-possession while Luke would feel kindly to such an open, eager-to-please young man as Artie.

  Thoughts of Luke also reminded her of how he’d said he wanted to enjoy his leave. ‘What would you like to do in your time off?’ Lily asked Artie. ‘I won’t have to work all of the time because Pierre is going to serve in the chocolate shop while Elsie helps in here.’

  ‘I’ll have to spend a little time with Mrs Lawley,’ Artie said. ‘She’s rattling around in Mr Alderton’s house by herself these days. Mr Grover has asked me to spend some time in the office too. Apparently, his clerk left to work in a munitions factory so he’s short-staffed. It won’t hurt me to start learning the business anyway.’

  ‘We’ll still have a day out together?’

  ‘Definitely. I’d like to look at London landmarks, if you don’t mind?’ Artie said. ‘I’ve seen them before but I want to remind myself of them. I know I won’t be fighting for landmarks exactly, but I suppose I see them as representing England.’

  They travelled around London on foot and on buses, climbing the spiral staircases to the top decks to give themselves the best possible views. Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square…

  ‘I haven’t exhausted you?’ Artie asked, and Lily laughed.

  ‘Not at all.’ Not when she spent most days on her feet, rushing around.

  She didn’t see him the following day as he went to Grover’s but he arrived the day after looking excited. ‘I took some papers round to Mr Grover’s house last night and he invited me to stay for their family dinner. So kind! Celia Grover had the most wonderful idea.’

  Celia was the elder daughter, if memory served Lily correctly.

  ‘She thinks I should have my photograph taken before I leave. I’d like a photograph of you too, Lil, so I can have it with me at the front.’

  It was indeed a wonderful idea. Lily would be glad to have another photo of Artie to add to her small collection.

  The visit to the photographer’s studio was fun. The photographer posed Lily in a stiff-backed armchair then instructed her to hold very still while he went to the tripod that held his camera and took her picture. Artie went next, looking handsome and proud in his uniform. Then the photographer took a photograph of Lily sitting in the chair with Artie standing at her side.

  The photographer promised to develop the photographs quickly and provide them in a number of sizes – larger ones for framing and smaller ones for carrying in wallets or purses. ‘What an enjoyable way to spend a morning,’ Lily told Artie.

  ‘I must write to thank Celia for suggesting it,’ he said, and there was a glow in his eyes that made Lily begin to suspect he rather admired Celia Grover.

  Not wanting to embarrass him, Lily said nothing but her curiosity about the young woman was aroused.

  Artie collected the photographs the following day and presented copies to Lily. ‘I’m going to buy a frame for this one,’ she said, admiring the larger picture of Artie. ‘I’ll keep it by my bed so I can see you last thing at night and first thing in the morning.’

  ‘Are you sure you want to come to see me off at the station tomorrow?’ Artie asked. ‘Celia and her sister have said they’ll see me off, so if you’re busy…’

  ‘I want to come,’ Lily insisted.

  As she approached Waterloo Station the following day she saw a taxi pull up. Artie got out and so did two young women. Lily was too far away to see them clearly but both looked to be very smartly dressed. She quickened her pace, ready to meet them with a smile but they merely exchanged a few words with Artie then got back in the taxi and drove away. Artie stood waving to them.

  ‘Lil!’ he said, as she reached him. ‘It’s good of you to come.’

  ‘Was that the Grover sisters?’

  ‘They insisted on bringing me in a taxi.’

  ‘That was kind. They couldn’t stay?’

  ‘They were being considerate and giving us time alone. Well, here goes.’ He picked up his kit bag and another smaller bag which he held up. ‘Gifts from the Grovers. A Fortnum’s fruitcake, some gentleman’s relish, and brandy.’

  ‘You’re going to have a lot to carry because I brought cake too, and some of Pierre’s chocolates,’ Lily said.

  ‘I’m sure I’ll manage.’

  Inside the station crowds were surging this way and that as men in khaki were seen off by loved ones. Lily accompanied Artie to his platform then clutched him close, not wanting to let him go. But it wasn’t fair to make leaving awkward for him. She took a deep breath and released him, unable to keep the tears from her eyes but managing a wobbly smile. ‘Don’t be a hero,’ she urged. ‘Just do your best and come home.’

  He bent to kiss her.

  ‘And write,’ she said. ‘Write often.’

  ‘I promise.’ He stepped through the barrier and got on to the train. Moments later he leaned out of
a window and waved. Lily waved back. Steam hissed, a whistle blew and the train lurched forward. Lily kept on waving long after the train was out of sight.

  *

  Both Artie and Luke wrote often and uncomplainingly though Lily had overheard enough customers talking to know that life in the trenches was truly dreadful – periods of relentless rain and mud, overflowing latrines, bad food, exhaustion and, of course, the terror of bullets, shells and evil gasses that burned from the inside out. Lice too.

  ‘It’s all very well getting our uniforms fumigated now and then,’ Lily had heard one soldier say to another in the tea room. ‘It doesn’t touch the eggs the buggers lay in the creases and the moment a man works a sweat up, out they hatch and it starts all over again.’

  ‘I pinch them out with my fingers,’ the other man said.

  ‘I try to burn them with a candle.’

  ‘Mate of mine did that. Set fire to his uniform.’

  It was impossible to avoid the dread of Artie or Luke being hurt – or worse – but they were being brave and Lily had to be brave too. At least they were in France so there was hope of seeing them on leave at some time in the future. Some families hadn’t seen their menfolk in more than a year because those men were serving far away in countries such as Egypt and their leave wasn’t long enough for them to travel to Britain and back again.

  June brought terrors to London too. Not just Zeppelins but German aeroplanes – Gothas – which dropped bombs from on high. The bakery had a cellar reached via a hatch in the kitchen floor but no one had been down there for years. The threat of the Gothas persuaded Mr Bax to clear it out one Sunday so it could be used as an air raid shelter. He rigged up a ladder people could use to get in and out, and took chairs, blankets, food stores and candles down there. He also filled buckets with sand and water and kept them behind the counter, to help put out a fire if the bakery should be struck.

  August came and as usual Mr Bax shut up shop for a week. Lily spent a few days in Hastings with Hilda and Marion, touched by how pleased they were to see her. They’d mentioned in a letter that there’d been a fire on the pier. Walking along the beach one day Lily looked over at the blackened ruins and felt sad. When she’d last walked here with Artie, the pavilion at the end had looked pretty and joyful. Lily could only hope that its destruction didn’t symbolise the country’s hopes in the war. Three years had passed since the war’s beginning and still there was still no sign of peace.