Wartime Blues for the Harpers Girls

by Rosie Clarke

  ‘No! Don’t say that—’ Sadie exclaimed. ‘I know you’re different in some ways, but I like you as a person and you’re not bad or wrong – just… different.’

  ‘Yes,’ he smiled as she tried to find another word that he wouldn’t consider rude and couldn’t. ‘You’re a lovely girl, Sadie, and I’m not surprised that Pierre loved you. He was foolish to give his life for mine when he had so much more to live for, but I should be proud to offer you my name, home, and support for your son as he grows up.’

  ‘But why?’ she asked in wonder. ‘Why should you do so much for me? Or is it for Pierre – because you regret his death?’

  ‘I do regret it,’ Marco said, ‘but living here at the farm with you and the boy, I have become fond of you both. I shall never have a son and I’d like to help bring up yours…’

  Sadie nodded her understanding. He was very good with Pierre and would make a wonderful father but was unlikely to have his own child. ‘I am grateful and honoured, Marco – will you let me think about it?’

  ‘Yes, but don’t take too long. They want me back in England and I’d like to get you settled there if you agree…’

  ‘I’ll give you my answer when you’re up and about,’ Sadie said, a hint of mischief in her eyes. ‘It will give you an incentive to get better…’

  Marco chuckled. He wouldn’t be the first man of his sexual preferences to marry for reasons other than love and Sadie would give him something he’d never thought to have – a family of his own.

  7

  Sally read the letter from her old friend Mick O’Sullivan, who was with the Irish tunnellers overseas, with a frown. It had been sent some weeks back and asked if she knew how Maggie Gibbs was. Clearly, he was anxious because he hadn’t heard from her in a while. The post from abroad was getting worse if Beth’s complaints were anything to go by and Mick obviously felt something towards Maggie, the young woman he’d informed about the death of her fiancé. He asked if Sally had heard from her recently and hinted that he might be seeing her soon without saying it openly.

  Sighing, she put the letter aside for answering later, though whether Mick would receive her reply, wherever he was, she had no idea. How she was to tell him that Maggie was seriously ill in hospital was a problem; however, she pushed it from her mind as Jenny came toddling towards her.

  ‘Mum, mum, up…’ she demanded imperiously. ‘Mummy, lift Jenny up.’ Up was her newest word and she added words infrequently. Ben was forever telling her that they spoiled Jenny, but he was as guilty as everyone else, because she was such an enchanting child.

  Sally picked her up, kissed her, tickled her and then asked her if she wanted to go to the swings. It was a sunny summer day, though the wind still carried a chill, but Jenny liked to visit the open stretch of green where there was a children’s play area, complete with a slide and a swing. On Sunday mornings it was always busy and there wasn’t much chance of getting on the swing for a small girl, but today was a Monday and Sally had decided not to go to Harpers. She had no appointments with travelling salesmen and she would do what ordering was possible from home. Besides, Jenni was at the store and had an appointment of her own.

  Sally tried to avoid clashing with her sister-in-law. They didn’t always agree on what stock should be bought, but since Jenni was a part owner, Sally thought it best not to interfere in her departments. She’d taken over the buying for the men’s department, the shoes and the glassware, leaving Sally with her jewellery, bags, scarves and gloves, as well as the stationery and ceramics. The chocolates, special cakes and flowers were standing orders, though the order could not always be met by suppliers these days and was nearly always incomplete. Toys were almost impossible to buy now, since so many of them had come from Germany or Europe. Sally wondered about closing those departments down for the duration, but hesitated because they were dear to Ben’s heart. Everything else was shared between Sally and Jenni and mostly done from catalogues these days since firms had lost many of their salesmen to the war. Sally was quite pleased to be relieved of some of the responsibility. It had been a heavy burden at times these past years and she’d never been meant to carry it all, but some important staff had left to do their bit in the Army, giving her no option but to take over.

  Sally bought a newspaper as she walked, holding tightly to Jenny’s hand and just glancing at the headlines before tucking it into her bag. The Prime Minister, Lloyd George, had said, ‘Peace will come through the German people not their rulers…’

  Sally nodded her silent agreement. The ordinary German people did not want war any more than she or any of her friends did. It was power-hungry men looking for position and advantage that started wars in her opinion and she didn’t care how they painted it. If the Government was sensible, it would go along with one of the peace plans that were being talked of in the paper. All ordinary folk wanted was for life to get back to normal, which would suit Sally Harper and Harpers Emporium just fine.

  However, her thoughts were soon far from Harpers as she pushed her daughter high in the air on the swings, listening to her squeals of delight. Jenny wasn’t too keen on the slide yet; it was a bit too high for her, so Sally stuck to the swings. After she’d had enough of them, they went to a little tea shop close by where they were well known. Sally had a pot of tea and a toasted teacake and Jenny had a small dish of ice cream, which she tucked into – apart from what she put on her frock and cardigan.

  Sally cleaned her up and put her coat on after asking for and paying the bill. She took Jenny’s hand as they left, walking home slowly and letting her daughter skip along happily at her side.

  ‘Doggie…’ Jenny cried suddenly and broke from Sally’s grasp, running to the big dog and attempting to stroke it. The dog was startled and barked, but before it could make up its mind to snap, Sally had scooped her daughter up.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she said as the man started to apologise. ‘I didn’t even know she knew the word dog…’

  ‘They pick up all sorts of things,’ the man told her with a smile. He was older, perhaps in his sixties. ‘My daughter was always rushing up to dogs when she was small – she adored them. I hope Fido didn’t upset her?’

  ‘No, I don’t think so,’ Sally said because Jenny was still staring at the dog and didn’t seemed bothered by its size. Fido had begun to wag his tail and graciously allowed Sally and then Jenny to stroke him. ‘He’s very gentle, isn’t he?’

  ‘He knows children. My daughter has three youngsters – is this one your only child?’

  ‘Yes, she is,’ Sally said and set her back on her feet while holding tightly to her hand. ‘We hope for more one day – perhaps when the war is over.’

  ‘The war,’ the man scowled. ‘It’s a wicked waste of life. My son was killed at Ypres…’

  ‘I’m so sorry,’ Sally said. ‘It is awful how many young men we’re losing.’

  ‘Yes.’ His smile had disappeared. ‘Well, I shan’t take up more of your time.’

  He walked off and Jenny started wailing. ‘Want doggie, Mum, mum…’ Jenny strained to follow the man and his dog.

  ‘No, darling, the doggie belongs to someone else.’

  She bent to pick up her daughter and then noticed a woman staring hard at her. Something clicked in Sally’s mind. She was certain she’d seen the woman several times before – Yes! She was the person who Sally had thought had been watching her at Harpers and on other occasions too!

  ‘Did you want something?’ she asked, making a move towards her.

  The woman turned and walked off hurriedly.

  ‘Who are you?’ Sally called after her.

  The woman increased her pace, not looking over her shoulder once.

  Had she frightened her – had she made a mistake? Sally felt confused, a little embarrassed and concerned. If the woman was watching her, why hadn’t she approached Sally?

  A feeling of fear went through her. Was she one of those women that desperately wanted a child – was she after stealing Jenny?r />
  No, thinking about the various times she’d felt someone was there, but couldn’t see who it was, Sally was sure that she’d experienced it even when she was alone. Besides, she must be fifty or more and would not want the bother of a young child – and thinking about it, she looked tired and a little unwell. So, what did she want? Had she seen Sally in Harpers and thought she might give her money?

  It was a mystery, but the more Sally thought about it, the more she was convinced that the woman had been following her for a while.

  ‘What makes you think she is following you?’ Beth asked when Sally took Jenny round to call on her a little later that afternoon. ‘Perhaps she saw the incident with the dog and was curious. She may have thought Jenny was in danger from such a large animal…’

  ‘It was some sort of sheepdog,’ Sally told her. ‘All Jenny can talk about is the doggie. I’m not sure whether to get her one…’

  ‘You’d need to be sure it had a good temperament,’ Beth said. ‘I should wait for a while if I were you – she might not like it when she gets it.’

  ‘Perhaps and dogs have to be taken for regular walks. We don’t have a garden either in the flat.’

  ‘Has Ben said any more about getting a house with a garden? We’re lucky here. Fred’s garden isn’t the biggest, but it is nice and pleasant to sit in in the sun. Jackie can go wherever he likes and I know he is safe. If I take him to a green or playground, I have to watch all the time because he crawls faster than I can walk and he’s taking a few steps now.’

  ‘Gosh, he’s doing well,’ Sally said. ‘Jenny was still crawling at a year old. It was a couple of months or more before she walked safely.’

  ‘Maybe you just remember it that way – or perhaps you gave her whatever she wanted? Jackie is independent and he’s going to get it for himself if he can.’

  Sally nodded. ‘Ben says we’ve spoiled Jenny. I think he is right. She knows words I haven’t heard her say, but when she wants to, she comes right out with them.’

  ‘Children are all different,’ Beth replied, smiling as her son attempted to pull himself upright and fell back on his bottom. She picked him up and sat him on her lap, where he laughed and patted her face for a moment and then struggled to get down again. ‘He is like his father – never sits still for long…’

  Sally nodded thoughtfully. ‘So, you think it was just a coincidence that the woman was staring at us.’

  ‘You spoke to her and she went off,’ Beth said. ‘If she’d wanted money, that would’ve been the ideal time to ask and she doesn’t sound like a child snatcher to me. Wealthy women who are childless might be obsessed with having one, but that woman sounds as if she was down on her luck – she wouldn’t be thinking of grabbing a child. Well, not in my opinion.’

  ‘I tend to agree,’ Sally said. ‘I suppose I’m worrying for nothing – but I know she has followed me more than once.’

  ‘You’re a successful woman,’ Beth told her. ‘Perhaps she just admires you.’ She shook her head as if to dismiss the subject. ‘I had a letter from Maggie – well, it came from a nurse, but Maggie told her what to say. She thinks they may be moving her to a convalescent home in the country. Apparently, it is one of those big country houses they’ve commandeered for the wounded. Maggie said she’d rather come home to Fred and me; she knows she’s always welcome, because we’ve both told her and it was Tim’s home, of course – but the doctors won’t let her.’

  ‘They know she’d be back to work tomorrow if she had her way,’ Sally said. ‘I told her she could have her old job back whenever she liked – but I’m not sure she was interested. She seems to have her mind and heart back in France…’

  ‘She was out there a very long time,’ Beth said. ‘I suppose it seems more like home than England just now – and she still wants to help nurse the wounded.’

  ‘Well, the doctors say she can’t go out there again, because another fever like that one might kill her and they won’t take the risk.’

  ‘Perhaps they would let her go back to nursing here?’

  ‘Yes, perhaps,’ Sally agreed. ‘I’m going down tomorrow.’

  ‘They may have moved her already. You should check, Sally, or you could have a wasted journey.’

  ‘Yes,’ Sally agreed. ‘It was easy to get to the military hospital by train. We shall have to catch buses or get a taxi if this convalescent home is way out in the country.’

  ‘Yes, that’s what I thought,’ Beth said. ‘I’m learning to drive, because Jack said it was sensible, but I couldn’t drive a long way yet.’

  ‘No, I wouldn’t expect you to, Beth. I should learn myself, but I didn’t much like it when I tried. I suppose I’m just lazy.’ She laughed. ‘Perhaps that’s where Jenny gets it from. When Ben is home, he takes me wherever I want to go.’

  Beth laughed. ‘Perhaps you’re a little bit spoiled, just like your daughter!’

  Sally laughed but didn’t answer.

  When Ben rang that evening, Sally told him about the incident with the dog but didn’t mention the mysterious woman following her.

  ‘Any idea when you’ll be home, love?’ she asked as the line crackled. ‘Where are you – or shouldn’t I ask?’

  ‘I’m in Scotland at the moment,’ Ben said. ‘I’ll be home at the weekend – is there anything you’d like me to bring you? Not for the shop, for yourself?’

  ‘I’ve got all I need, Ben – but if you see anyone who makes those lovely brooches with agates and other stones, you could bring some for Harpers. We always need something pretty for stock.’

  ‘Will do, but I’ll bring some whisky and some shortbread for you. Take care, darling. I love you.’

  Sally smiled as he replaced the receiver. It would be nice having Ben home again and she hoped he would be around for a while. He’d said he would think about a dog for Jenny, but he’d been a bit vague over it, perhaps like Beth he thought it was too soon.

  She reached for the telephone again. She would ring the military hospital and ask when Maggie was being transferred to a convalescent home.

  8

  Maggie was well wrapped in blankets and scarves for the journey. Although the county of Wiltshire was only eighty-seven miles from Devon as the crow flies, the car followed winding, twisting roads and it took almost four hours to reach their final destination, which was not far from Torbay. Two recovering soldiers were taken down at the same time and she sat in the front of the large car with the doctor and listened to their banter, smiling to herself as she heard their colourful language. The sound of injured men recovering and laughing was something she’d missed stuck in the hospital and she was glad to be moving on, though sorry they wouldn’t just let her go home.

  ‘I’ll come down and see you one day,’ Nurse Shelly had promised. ‘It’s where my brother convalesced and it’s really nice.’

  Highcliff House was set in large grounds at the end of a long drive through private grounds. Maggie had never been in such a house and thought it looked much too grand to shelter recovering soldiers. It must be at least two hundred years old and built in what she thought was the Tudor style, with two wings surrounding a courtyard at the back.

  ‘Cor blimey!’ one of the men sitting behind her said. ‘Have we come to the bleedin’ palace?’

  ‘Mind yer language, Bert,’ his mate told him. ‘We’ve got a lady in the front seat…’

  Maggie smiled but didn’t say anything. She rather agreed with the sentiment, though she wouldn’t have put it quite the same way.

  In the shadows of the late afternoon, the house looked rather beautiful as they got closer and she could see the ivy growing up the old stone walls. A family must have lived here once, but now there were men standing about on the lawns or sitting in wheelchairs. Some were smoking cigars and in one case a pipe – something Matron Mayhew would not have allowed her patients to do and Maggie wondered what kind of a place she’d come to. Of course, the patients were supposedly recovering here, though some of them still looked quite i
ll to her practised eye, as the car halted outside the main entrance and then a man in a white coat was opening the car door. He asked them all their names, took charge of the men and left Maggie to the care of a shy-looking nurse who came forward to help her from the car into a wheelchair.

  ‘I’m Nurse Mann – and I’ve been assigned to look after you for a few days.’

  ‘I could walk,’ Maggie protested, but the nurse shook her head. ‘Sister would have me on a charge. You’re here to rest, Nurse Gibbs. We want to look after you – we’re all so proud of you. It’s an honour to have such a heroine here with us.’

  ‘Those men are the heroes,’ Maggie told her but allowed herself to be wheeled inside and through a long corridor to the back of the house where there was a sunny annexe, built, she thought, in the last few years. ‘Oh, this is lovely…’

  ‘We have mostly male patients here,’ Nurse Mann explained. ‘This annexe was used as a day room, but we’ve turned it into a little suite for you – there’s a toilet at the end and a bedroom, but also a sitting room so that you can be quiet when you wish. The men can be boisterous as they get better – restless too and wanting to be off home as soon as they feel fit, or back to the front line…’

  ‘Yes, most of them want to get back out there and fight again,’ Maggie said. ‘They are so very brave, Nurse Mann.’ She smiled at the young girl who was clearly a probationer. ‘What is your first name? Mine is Maggie.’

  ‘I’m Veronica, but Sister says I’m not to tell the patients—’

  ‘Perhaps she thinks the men might become too familiar,’ Maggie suggested. ‘We used our first names out there, because the senior nurses thought it helped men who were dying or in terrible pain to be gentle and friendly. They do need a friendly smile when they haven’t much hope of a future.’