The Liberty Girls

by Fiona Ford

  Jean’s face immediately broke into a relieved smile. ‘I’m so glad you said that, Mrs Milwood. I was worried what you would think of me.’

  ‘There’s nothing for you to worry about,’ Alice said kindly. ‘None of this is your fault and I would hate for you to feel bad. Tell me, I know I’ve seen you about the store but I don’t know much about you. Have you worked at Liberty’s long?’

  ‘Two years.’ Jean smiled, her cat-like hazel eyes lighting up her heart-shaped face. ‘I got taken on by Mrs Claremont on my twenty-first birthday, when the store was crying out for staff after war broke out. It was the best present of my life.’

  Alice returned the grin. She could well understand how Jean felt; Liberty’s got under your skin. ‘You must have learned a lot by now.’

  ‘I don’t know about that,’ Jean replied, with a hint of a West Country accent. ‘I know everything Mrs Claremont has taught me.’

  ‘Then I’m sure she’s told you everything you need to know,’ Alice replied diplomatically. ‘Are you from London? Only I thought I could detect an accent.’

  ‘Cornwall.’ Jean smiled. ‘I thought I’d done my best to dampen down my accent. Mrs Claremont said customers wouldn’t like it.’

  Alice pursed her lips and said nothing. She could only imagine just what the new fabric manager had been telling her. ‘You’ve a lovely accent,’ she insisted. ‘It’s nice to hear something a bit different. What brought you up this way? Family, was it?’

  Jean shook her head. ‘No, me and my sister just wanted to see the big city so we moved up. Anyway, I’d better get back to my paperwork or Mrs C. will have my guts for garters.’

  With that Jean beat a hasty retreat and Alice couldn’t help wondering what on earth had really brought her all the way to London. After all, people didn’t move great distances like that without good reason. Still, she thought, getting to her feet, who didn’t have skeletons in their closet? She certainly did, and she wouldn’t want them getting out. Although Percy Wilmington had known of Alice’s heritage, he had assured her that he was the only one at Liberty’s aside from the family that did know, and that was only because he had grown up just outside Bermondsey. Nobody else would think twice, he had assured her, and he had been proved right, as nobody ever mentioned Alice’s past – something she was grateful for. So lost was she in thought that it took her a moment to recognise Jack beaming down at her and when she did, she almost jumped two feet high in the air. ‘Oh my days!’ she gasped. ‘You scared me witless.’

  Jack chuckled. ‘So sorry, ma’am. Are you OK?’

  ‘I’m fine,’ Alice breathed, still clutching her chest with a hand full of needle packets. ‘What are you doing here anyway? I thought Fridays were spent training in Surrey?’

  ‘They are, but I’ve the afternoon off and thought I’d see if you’d like to come see a movie with me when you get off work.’

  A flicker of confusion passed across Alice’s face at the term ‘movie’. ‘Oh, you mean a film.’

  ‘Yes, exactly,’ Jack said, rolling his eyes. ‘So anyways, you wanna see something with me? Or shall we do something with Arthur instead?’

  Alice bit her lip. With all the joy surrounding Luke’s return, as dreadful as it sounded, she had forgotten about Jack.

  Glancing around the busy shop floor, she beckoned him over to the window where it was a bit quieter. ‘I’ve got something to tell you,’ she said hesitantly.

  ‘Go on,’ Jack replied, his voice even.

  Alice looked at the floor. She knew she had to tell him, he was her friend, he would be thrilled for her – of course he would – but she also knew that Luke’s return would change things between them. ‘The thing is … the thing is Luke’s come back,’ she said quickly.

  ‘Alice, that’s wonderful,’ he gasped, looking for all the world as though he meant it. ‘I’m so happy for you guys. Did he say what had happened to him?’

  ‘He was shot down by the Jerries. Then the Resistance helped him across the Channel, but it took a while, you know, and of course he’s injured.’

  ‘You must be delighted to have him home,’ Jack cried. But his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.

  Alice nodded enthusiastically. ‘I’m thrilled. Arthur’s got his dad home.’

  ‘And you guys can be a family again!’

  ‘Until he goes back to the RAF.’

  Jack frowned. ‘He’s talking about that already? I thought you said he was injured?’

  ‘He is. But he won’t rest until he’s back on active duty.’

  ‘Well, that may never happen.’

  ‘But it might,’ Alice snapped, before her face softened. The last thing she wanted was to fall out with Jack. ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap, it’s just been a lot to think about.’

  ‘Of course.’ Jack nodded in understanding as he gazed intently into her eyes. ‘I guess that means you can’t come to the movies with me tonight?’

  Alice shook her head, her eyes no longer able to meet his.

  ‘Or any night?’ he said, his tone full of knowing.

  She gave another small shake of her head. ‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered.

  Jack reached for one of her hands and clasped it with both of his strong ones. At the feel of his flesh against hers she let out a gasp of surprise; his touch still had the power to take her breath away. ‘Don’t be sorry,’ he whispered, bending down to kiss her lightly on the cheek. ‘I’m happy for you. I’ll see you around.’

  With that he turned on his heel and walked out of the store without a backwards glance, leaving Alice feeling emptier than she ever had before.

  Once Liberty’s shut up shop for the night, Alice made her way to the pleating room where Dot had set everything up for a small party for the Liberty girls and Joy. Wandering through the maze of corridors and across the little bridge that connected Kingly Street with East India House, Alice remembered how she and the girls had spent several nights here before Arthur was born, sewing and gossiping. It seemed a long time ago.

  Still, she thought, pushing open the door and finding almost all of their guests had already arrived, that was all in the past. Now Luke was home, it was time to look forwards not back.

  Watching her husband now, chinking his pint glass against Mr Button’s as he held tightly on to his son, Alice felt a surge of warmth. This was what she had wanted for so long; now it was finally here and it was time to celebrate.

  Mr Button grinned at Luke. ‘I remember when I came home from the last war. It took me a while to find my feet. I imagine it will be the same for you too, Luke.’

  ‘Yes, although I haven’t got much time to find my feet,’ Luke replied. ‘I need to be on the mend as soon as possible. I’ve got to get back on active service.’

  Alice was just about to say something when someone else beat her to it. ‘Oh, not this again,’ Joy sighed as she sidled up next to Alice. ‘Luke, honestly, you’re like a broken bleedin’ record. Just enjoy a bit of time off, would you?’

  At the sight of her sister, Luke’s face hardened. ‘And what the hell would you know about it? You’re frightened to death of a bit of hard graft – always have been, always will be.’

  ‘Luke, that’s enough,’ Alice cautioned. ‘Joy was only joking, weren’t you?’

  ‘’Course. Have a day off, will you, Luke?’ With that Joy rolled her eyes, knocked her ginger ale back in one and went off in search of another drink.

  ‘Sorry,’ Luke sighed. ‘I shouldn’t have spoken to her like that. I’ll apologise later. There’s just something about Joy that brings out the worst in me; we’ve never got on.’

  Dot smiled. ‘Don’t worry about it, darlin’, she has that effect on all of us.’

  ‘True,’ Alice ventured. ‘Though she has been trying lately.’

  ‘That she has,’ Dot agreed, raising an eyebrow and earning herself a round of laughter in the process.

  Just then the sight of Mary, Rose and Flo walking into the pleating room lifted Alice’s spir
its and she waved them over. They hadn’t had a chance to meet Luke yet and she was looking forward to showing him off.

  ‘Luke,’ Alice beamed as the girls drew closer. ‘I’d like you to meet my very good friends: Mary, Flo and Rose.’

  ‘Very pleased to meet you.’ Luke shook each of their hands. ‘Am I right in thinking one of you helped Alice deliver my son?’

  Mary put her hand up shyly. ‘That was me, though I must say I couldn’t have done it without Mr Button – he was absolutely marvellous.’

  ‘Now, now,’ Mr Button said, waving away the compliment.

  ‘Nonsense,’ Flo offered loyally. ‘You were both a wonder that day.’

  ‘Yes, I’d have been no help at all,’ Rose said bluntly. ‘What with me not being able to see a thing.’

  There was an awkward pause then as everyone glanced at Rose and wondered how best to respond. Fortunately Dot stepped in and raised her glass. ‘I think we can all agree everyone was wonderful, and everyone’ – she nudged Rose good-naturedly – ‘has been very helpful to Alice over the last few months.’

  Alice nodded eagerly. ‘I’d have been lost without you all.’

  ‘Which is why I’d like to raise a toast to all you Liberty girls.’ Luke grinned. ‘Knowing Alice here had you all to help take care of her made being apart so much easier. I knew you would never let her down.’

  ‘And we never will either,’ Dot added, chinking her glass against the others. ‘Here’s to Luke’s homecoming and to us Liberty girls.’

  ‘To Luke and Liberty’s,’ everyone chorused.

  Alice basked in the delight of being surrounded by so many of their friends, but as her eyes drank in the love and laughter in the room, she realised that there was one very dear friend missing: Jack.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  When Alice woke the following morning she turned over to find Arthur sleeping on one side of the bed and Luke fast asleep on the other. She couldn’t help smiling at the scene, before she wordlessly got dressed in the dark, not daring to raise the blackout blinds in case she woke her husband. Scooping up her still-sleeping son, she held her close to him as she padded out of the room and down the stairs.

  As Alice approached the kitchen she heard the sound of voices and she was surprised to find Flo and Dot sitting at the table. Armed with a pot of tea and heads bent low, they clearly hadn’t heard Alice enter and she wondered if she ought to tiptoe away. However, Arthur had other ideas and opened his mouth to let the world know he was finally awake.

  ‘Morning, darlin’,’ said Dot smiling wanly. ‘You three sleep all right?’

  ‘We did – even Arthur was out like a light.’ Alice moved hesitantly towards the table. ‘Flo, are you all right? I don’t want to intrude.’

  Flo lifted her head, her red-rimmed eyes as obvious as the fact she had barely slept all night. ‘You’re not,’ she croaked. ‘I came to see you both actually, but Dot said to let you sleep as you’d been getting precious little lately.’

  Grimacing, all Alice could do was shrug. It was the truth and the price you paid for being a mum. ‘What is it, love? What’s going on?’

  ‘It’s Aggie,’ Flo said tonelessly. ‘She’s dead.’

  Alice’s jaw dropped open in shock as she turned to Dot for clarification.

  ‘It’s true, love,’ Dot murmured, her eyes pooling uncharacteristically with tears. ‘Flo says she had a heart attack last night. She’d gone to see Blithe Spirit – you know that Noël Coward thing over at St James’s Theatre? I encouraged her to have a night out when I popped in on her the other day. She was looking forward to it, reckoned it would give her a lift.’

  ‘Oh Flo,’ Alice exclaimed, ‘I’m so sorry. How did you find out?’

  ‘Her mate Rita told me,’ Flo said monotonously. ‘She tried to find me last night to let me know but of course I was out myself. Poor Aggie, she was all alone. I should have been there for her.’

  ‘Come on now,’ Dot said gruffly as tears began to pour like rivers down Flo’s cheeks. ‘Aggie was not all alone, she had Rita with her for a start, and she’d hardly have expected you to have been there all the time, you did enough for her as it was.’

  ‘Aggie just hadn’t been herself since Dad turned up on my wedding day. She was so nervous all the time, though she did her best to keep it hidden. I can’t help wondering what would have happened if he hadn’t turned up out of the blue like that. Maybe, if Aggie’s nerves hadn’t been so frayed, she would still be here now,’ Flo said, as if Dot hadn’t spoken.

  ‘Flo, love, you can’t think like that,’ Alice said kindly. ‘That’s the last thing Aggie would have wanted.’

  Flo dipped her head. ‘I just keep thinking what if. What if I hadn’t gone out? What if I’d let Dad give me away after all? What if I’d spent more time at home rather than spending every hour I could at work, worrying about my new job and getting everything right? Then I might have seen something was wrong with her.’

  At that, Flo’s shoulders heaved as great sobs coursed through her body and Alice looked at Dot in despair. She could tell there was nothing either one of them could say that would make her feel better, but one thing was clear, Flo was not fit to go into work today and nor was she fit to be alone.

  ‘Do you mind holding Arthur while I get washed and dressed?’ Alice asked Dot as she handed her landlady her son. ‘I’ll go with Flo and help her.’

  Flo waved her hands at Alice. ‘You don’t have to do that. I’ll be fine. I’ve got to finalise an order for Beath’s over in Canterbury today.’

  Dot snorted in disgust as she cradled the baby. ‘Well, you can forget that, lady. You’re going straight home. I’ll clear it with Edwin and someone else can sort the order out.’

  ‘And I’m coming to help you,’ Alice said firmly. ‘We can sort everything out together.’

  ‘But who’ll look after Arthur for the rest of the day?’ Dot asked. ‘You can’t take a baby up to Islington and start dealing with hospitals and paperwork, never mind what else.’

  ‘Luke,’ Alice replied firmly. ‘I’m sure he won’t mind.’

  ‘Sure he won’t mind what?’ Luke said gruffly as he walked through the door. Hair mussed up and day-old stubble covering his face, he looked like a little boy lost, Alice thought as she watched him sink down into the hard kitchen chair and devour in almost one gulp the tea that Dot poured out for him.

  ‘Taking care of Arthur.’ Alice smiled, perching on the chair next to his. The morning sunshine streamed into the kitchen now, giving Luke’s hair a golden glow. ‘Just for a couple of hours. Flo’s aunt has just passed away and she needs some help.’

  Luke nodded at Flo. ‘I’m very sorry for your loss, love,’ he said, before turning to Alice. ‘But I don’t see why that means I have to look after Arthur.’

  ‘Well, it’s just like Dot said,’ Alice said, feeling uncomfortable under Luke’s glare. ‘I’ll be too busy to look after Arthur properly, and as you’re here I thought you wouldn’t mind.’

  There was a pause then as Luke took another gulp of tea. ‘Taking care of kids is woman’s work, Alice. It’s bad enough I can’t fight for my country at the moment, never mind being insulted further by being asked to take on a woman’s job as well,’ he snapped, slamming his cup down so hard the dregs of brown liquid sloshed on to the table. ‘For once in your life, Alice, will you think about someone besides yourself? Life does not revolve around you and Liberty’s.’

  Alice jumped at the severity of his words. ‘Luke, I’m sorry,’ she began, ‘I didn’t mean to upset you. Of course I’ll look after Arthur – I’m sorry.’

  But Luke was already on his feet. ‘Forget it,’ he grumbled, reaching for the paper and helping himself to the last of the tea from the pot. ‘I’m going back to bed.’

  With that Luke limped back up the stairs and left Alice feeling stupid. ‘I’m so sorry,’ she said to the girls, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. ‘You shouldn’t have had to see that, and it’s my fault; I don’t k
now what I was thinking.’

  Dot reached an arm around Alice’s shoulders. ‘Don’t be silly. He’s probably just tired.’

  ‘It was a nice idea,’ Flo sniffed, reaching behind her for the coat she had left on the back of her chair. ‘But I’d better get back; there’s so much to sort out.’

  ‘Nonsense,’ Alice said fiercely. ‘You’ve hardly slept; you’re not fit to go anywhere. Why don’t you have forty winks on the settee, and when Joy gets up I’ll ask her to look after Arthur for a couple of hours.’

  ‘That a good idea?’ Dot asked. ‘Joy and Rose were out later than us last night.’

  A small sigh escaped Alice’s lips; she had forgotten that. ‘In that case,’ she said in a tone that brooked no argument, ‘I’ll bring Arthur with us. But first, Flo, you need to rest.’

  As Dot and Flo stared helplessly at her, Alice refused to back down. Her friend needed her help and she wasn’t about to shy away from that. Once it was clear that there was to be no disagreement, she went upstairs to tell Luke.

  Gently pushing open the door, she felt a stab of relief to see her husband propped up in bed holding the paper.

  ‘Just wanted to let you know I’ll be taking Arthur with me up to north London today,’ she said, perching on the end of the bed.

  ‘Good,’ Luke muttered as he continued to read.

  ‘I’ll try not to be too late back,’ she continued, trying to catch his eye, but Luke’s face was glued to the headlines.

  ‘So I’ll see you later,’ she said.

  ‘Don’t forget Chris is coming tonight so we’ll need tea before we go out to the pub?’

  A frown crossed Alice’s face. ‘Your brother Chris? But I thought he wasn’t coming at all? I mean he didn’t arrive for your party last night.’

  Her voice trailed off as Luke put the paper down and met her gaze with disdain. ‘I told you last night, Alice, that Chris sent a telegram saying he wouldn’t be able to make it to the party but that he would come the following day.’