MB08 - I’ll Be Your Sweetheart

by Joan Jonker

  ‘I know what ye’re up to, sunshine, but ye’re not on. Yer want to spend the afternoon here to pass the time away. Well, whether yer like it or not, you and me have got things to do this afternoon which won’t wait. So try and keep yer lips close together while I fill Corker and Jack in with the news.’

  Nellie looked pained, or tried to. ‘What have we got to do this afternoon that can’t wait?’

  ‘Sadie’s wedding present, that’s what. And don’t ask any more questions ’cos I won’t answer them. Corker has been here so long he’s taken root, so behave yerself.’

  Nellie lowered her head and could be heard muttering, ‘I should never have said she could go first, ’cos the power has gone to her head.’

  Molly ignored her, for time was moving on, and she wanted to go to the sweet shop for some decent wrapping paper for Sadie’s present. Then get the tram to the market to hand it to the girl she’d grown fond of. They might not have time to spare next week, and she didn’t think she could hand the present over at the church.

  ‘We called to Flora’s yesterday, Corker, and yer’ve never seen such a change in anyone. She looks a different woman, now she’s got her husband’s watch back. I don’t believe she will ever know the truth about how it came to be back in her possession because we can’t tell her, it would spoil the happiness she now has. But if she did find out, I know one thing for certain. You would be a hero to her, and she’d love you for the rest of her life.’

  Molly went on to repeat everything Flora had said, and how she had a permanent smile on her face. How she praised Inspector Willard for his kindness to her. ‘All she was told was that it had been handed in at the police station. And I think that should be the end of it. We’ve all played a part in giving her the one thing in life she wanted, some a bigger part than others, and I believe we can congratulate ourselves. And because I know you would like to see Flora, Corker, I’ll ask yer ma to walk round there with yer one night for a visit. That would be a happy ending to the story.’

  Molly turned to Nellie. ‘You can take over now, sunshine, ’cos ye’re right about getting a dry mouth when yer talk too much. Start by telling the men what we did when we came out of Irwin’s shop this morning.’

  Nellie wriggled her bottom until she was sitting on the edge of the chair. Her legs swinging, she rested her bosom on the table and circled it with her arms. ‘This is going to come as a big surprise to yer, Corker, so hang on to yer hat.’

  Molly tapped her on the shoulder. ‘In case yer haven’t noticed, sunshine, Corker hasn’t got his hat on. It’s on the sideboard.’

  Nellie glared. ‘Then the bleeding sideboard had better hang on to it! And if yer don’t mind, girl, no more interruptions, please. I kept me gob shut when you had the floor, so kindly keep your gob shut now.’ She held her head in her hand. ‘Yer’ve put me off me stroke now. I don’t know where I was up to.’

  ‘Yer hadn’t started, me darlin’,’ Corker told her. ‘So begin at the beginning. That’s always the best place to start.’

  ‘Good thinking, lad, good thinking.’ Nellie, accompanied by her chins, nodded knowingly. ‘Well, me and me mate had just come out of the shop when I reminded her that Spencer Street was just across the road. And I asked her if it wouldn’t be a good idea if we called in on Ena, that old neighbour of mine. The one what has the corner shop. Me mate wasn’t exactly over the moon with the idea, but she gave in, and we crossed over to Spencer Street. And yer’ll never guess what we saw when we came to the Blakesleys’ house.’

  Corker showed interest and leaned forward. ‘What were they up to, Nellie? Were they fighting, causing trouble with the neighbours?’

  ‘No, ye’re not even warm, lad. Have another guess.’

  Molly huffed. ‘This is not a guessing game, Nellie, and Corker hasn’t got all day. Tell him what we saw.’

  ‘We didn’t see nothing, girl!’

  ‘And why didn’t we see nothing, sunshine?’

  Nellie was getting ratty now. She should never have let Molly tell the first part of the story, ’cos she had all the juicy bits. ‘We didn’t see nothing ’cos there was nothing to see. The bleeding house was empty.’

  Molly raised a hand when she saw Corker open his mouth to speak. ‘Leave it, Corker, I’ll get Nellie to tell yer this bit if it kills me.’ Her smile fixed, she looked at her mate. ‘This is the part Corker will like, so tell him why the house was empty.’

  The light dawned. ‘Oh, yeah, silly me, I remember now why the house was empty. See, Corker, the Blakesleys had done a moonlight flit. Me and Molly were looking through the window when the woman next door came out and told us they’d done a flit last night. Put what bits of furniture they had on a handcart, and buggered off. The woman said all the neighbours were glad to see the back of them.’

  Corker was thoughtful as he stroked his moustache. ‘That is certainly a surprise. We put a halt to their gallop all right. They’ll have moved to another district, and they won’t show their faces round here again. We must have put the fear of God into them. Heaven help the next lot of neighbours they get. It would be good if we could warn them, but that would complicate matters. Anyway, they may have been taught a lesson and might change their ways. Not the father, he’s too ruddy lazy to change. But the boy could turn over a new leaf and get himself a job. And the same could happen to the manager of the pub, and the pawnbroker. They nearly got their fingers burned, so perhaps the fear of losing their jobs will have given them food for thought. Who knows, they could stay on the straight and narrow path in future.’

  ‘They’re fools if they don’t,’ Jack said. ‘My ma used to say that crooks never prosper, and she was right. But the main thing here is that Flora got her watch back. It was worth all the trouble you three went through to get it. It’s a story with a happy ending.’

  ‘Ooh, me husband is going all sloppy,’ Molly said, leaving her chair to give Jack a hug. ‘Ye’re right, sunshine, it is a happy ending, and we can go back to our normal daily tasks knowing we’ve done a bit of good. And our daily tasks are going to start right now. You two men can sit and have a chinwag, with a ciggy in yer hands, and a pot of tea on the table that Jack will make. Or does the pub sound more to yer liking?’

  ‘Molly, me darlin’, ye’re a mind reader. If Jack will put his coat on, we’ll be up to the corner pub and leave you and Nellie to go on your errands. But first I must thank both of you ladies for the part you’ve played, the tips you’ve given me, and for keeping me informed. I take my hat off to yer, and next week when all the gang are having a night out while Ruthie is having her party, well, the drinks are on me.’

  Nellie sat to attention. ‘That’s what I like to hear, lad. Just line the bar with bottles of milk stout and me and Molly will get drunk.’

  ‘Ay, less of that,’ Molly said. ‘I’ve never been drunk in me life and I’m not starting now.’ She wagged a finger. ‘And you can get off that throne of yours, ’cos we’re off to the shops. I want to be in when Ruthie gets back from town. I’m dying to see the dress and shoes she’s bought. So, off yer backside, sunshine, and we’ll be on our way.’

  ‘What do we have to buy paper for, when the towels are already in a bag?’ Nellie was doing a hop, skip and jump to keep up with Molly. ‘It’s a waste of money.’

  ‘Nellie, if we’re giving a wedding present to a girl we like, and who has been good to us, then the least we can do is make it look presentable in nice wrapping paper.’

  Nellie grunted. ‘She’ll only throw it away, so I don’t see why we should bother.’

  Molly lost her patience. ‘Okay, then, Nellie, you have it your way and I’ll have mine. There’s two towels and one bag. You keep your towel in the bag, and I’ll buy paper to wrap mine in. I hope that satisfies yer.’

  Nellie put on her bulldog face. ‘How much is this paper ye’re talking about, and where d’yer get it from?’

  ‘If yer used yer eyes, Nellie, yer would have seen it in the sweet shop. They have it hanging up, in diff
erent colours, and it costs tuppence a sheet.’

  ‘No thank you, I’ll stick to the paper bag. I’m not paying tuppence for a piece of paper. If I put a penny to it, I could buy meself a cream slice.’

  ‘Have it yer own way, sunshine. It’s no skin off my nose.’

  But when Nellie saw the fancy paper, she changed her mind. She watched as Molly took one of the towels out of the paper bag, and coaxed the girl behind the counter to wrap it in the wedding paper for her. And when Molly moved away from the counter, Nellie moved in. ‘Here yer are, girl, yer can wrap mine up like yer’ve done me mate’s.’ She plonked two pennies down. ‘And don’t crease the paper.’

  ‘You changed yer mind quick, didn’t yer?’ Molly said when they were outside the shop. ‘Did yer have a guilty conscience?’

  ‘Was it heckers like a guilty conscience! You’d have made me look like a poor relation, girl, and I wasn’t having that.’

  Molly pinched her mate’s chubby cheek. ‘Good for you, sunshine, and now if we catch this tram we’ll be there and back from the market in no time. I’m not looking for anything to buy; we’ll give Sadie her presents then scarper.’

  Molly need not have worried about being long at the market, for Sadie and Mary Ann were run off their feet. There was no time for a conversation, so Molly and Nellie waited until Sadie came down to the stall, and they passed their presents over. ‘They’re not much, Sadie, ’cos we’re not rolling in money. But we wanted yer to know we appreciate the way yer’ve looked after us. We look on you and Mary Ann as friends, don’t we, Nellie?’

  Nellie nodded. ‘We sure do, girl. And we’re looking forward to seeing yer getting married next Saturday.’

  Sadie held the presents close to her chest. ‘Yer shouldn’t have bothered, but I’m glad yer did. I’ll give yer a big hug next time I see yer. I hope ye’re definitely coming to the church, ’cos I want yer to meet my lovely Harry.’

  ‘We wouldn’t miss your wedding for a big clock, sunshine,’ Molly told her. ‘Yer’ll be a beautiful bride.’ She waved a hand to Mary Ann, who had just spotted them. ‘Tell Mary Ann we couldn’t stay to talk to her, but we’ll see yer both at the church next Saturday at twelve o’clock. Have a good week, and enjoy yer wedding. It’ll be the best day of yer life, and yer have my word on that. Ta-ra for now, sunshine.’

  Nellie nodded. ‘You take care now, girl, and do as me mate said. Ta-ra.’

  Chapter Twenty Seven

  There was a strong wind blowing when Ruthie and Bella came out of the factory gates, and both girls shivered. But because they were so excited, the cold weather wasn’t going to be allowed to spoil the first day they really felt grown up. ‘There’s a tram coming,’ Ruthie said, ‘let’s run for it. We might have to wait ages for another to come along, and we’d freeze to death.’

  So, holding hands, the girls ran towards the stop, and reached it just as the tram shuddered to a halt. ‘I’m staying downstairs,’ Bella said, being first to board the platform. ‘It’s too cold to climb those stairs.’

  ‘There’s an empty seat at the back,’ Ruthie told her, pushing her friend down the aisle. ‘You can have the window seat into town, and I’ll have it on the way home.’

  The conductor came along clicking his ticket machine, and calling, ‘Tickets, please. And can yer have the right money ready?’

  Ruthie and Bella had the fare clutched in their hands, and they passed it over. They watched the conductor turn the small silver handle on the ticket machine, and both giggled and blushed when he said, ‘The sight of two pretty girls has warmed the cockles of me heart.’ Then he went down the aisle collecting fares, leaving the two young girls very happy.

  ‘D’yer know which stop to get off?’ Bella asked. ‘I’m relying on you, ’cos I haven’t got a clue. I’ve only been into town a few times, and that was with me mam. I’d be lost if I was on me own.’

  ‘Well, ye’re not on yer own, soft girl, are yer? If we stick together we’ll be fine. Me mam said the big shops in Church Street would be expensive, and we should try London Road first,’ Ruthie said, her tummy doing somersaults with excitement. She had her wage packet in her handbag, and the two pound ten shillings it contained was all hers. She’d never had so much money in her life. ‘The conductor will shout out when we get to London Road, so we’ll take me mam’s advice and get off there. We’re in no hurry, so we can take our time and look in a few shops.’

  ‘My mam said there was a Co-op shop there, and they sell clothes and everything.’ Bella was half excited and half nervous. She wasn’t as outgoing as her friend, for being an only child she’d been mollycoddled all her life by an over-protective mother. ‘Shall we try there?’

  Ruthie tossed her head, and her long blonde hair fanned out. ‘We can try, there’s no harm in that. If we don’t see anything we like, we can walk out and try another shop. I’m not buying a dress just for the sake of it, I want one I really, really like. And I know what kind of dance shoes I want, as well.’ She grinned into the face of the girl she’d been best friends with since they could toddle. That friendship had lasted all through their school years, and they’d even been able to secure jobs in the same factory. ‘I want silver shoes with straps, and heels an inch and a half.’ She giggled. ‘Amy in work, she goes dancing nearly every night, and she said her dance shoes have got three-inch heels.’

  ‘Is Amy the girl with ginger hair, who works in the dye room?’

  ‘Yes, she’s dead funny when yer get to know her. But can yer imagine you and me tottering around on three-inch heels? I couldn’t walk in them, never mind dance.’

  ‘Your Doreen always wore high heels,’ Bella said. ‘I used to think she looked like a film star with her long blonde hair, smashing figure and those shoes.’

  ‘What about our Jill?’ Ruthie wasn’t having anyone favour one of her sisters over the other. ‘She’s beautiful, is our Jill, inside as well as outside.’

  Bella nodded. ‘I know that. I’ve always loved Jill, ’cos she’s so gentle. I don’t think I’ve ever heard her raise her voice. When Doreen was about our age, I used to hear her being stubborn with your mam over being out late, but never Jill.’

  Ruthie agreed with a chuckle. ‘Doreen was always arguing. She was hot-headed and always thought she was right. But she’s changed a lot since she got married. In fact she changed from the night she met Phil at Barlows Lane dance hall. It was love at first sight for both of them.’

  The conductor’s voice called, ‘Next stop, London Road.’

  ‘Ooh, that’s us.’ Ruthie was down the aisle before anyone else left their seats, and she was standing on the pavement when Bella jumped down from the platform. ‘What took yer so long, slow coach?’

  ‘I had to let the other passengers get off,’ Bella said. ‘I couldn’t push them out of the way. As me mam keeps telling me, if I want to grow up to be a lady, I’d better start acting like one.’ She looked up at the building behind where her friend was standing. ‘That’s the Co-op store me mam was talking about. Shall we go in?’

  ‘May as well, girl, as Auntie Nellie would say. We won’t get anywhere standing gawping at it.’ Ruthie always took into consideration her friend’s shyness, and she now held her arm out. ‘Stick yer leg in, Bella, and then we won’t lose each other.’

  ‘No fear of yer losing me, I’m going to stick to you like glue. Where you go, I go.’

  ‘Don’t forget we’re not buying our dresses in here. We’ll have a look round, see what they’ve got, then look in other shops. That way we’ll have plenty of choice. There’s shops both sides of the road, so we’ll see what they’ve got. Then if we see a dress we fancy we’ll remember which shop we saw it in, and come back if we don’t see anything we like better. Don’t yer think that’s a good idea? It’s better than buying the first ones we see.’

  ‘Have yer made up yer mind what colour yer’d like? I think blue for me, ’cos it suits me.’

  ‘I haven’t thought what colour I’d like,’ Ruthie said. ‘I�
�ll know the dress I want, as soon as I see it. Colour doesn’t really matter. Mind you, bright red is out, and black, ’cos me mam would have something to say. I can guess what she’d say, that red was common and black for funerals.’

  Bella jerked on her friend’s arm. ‘Look, there’s a shoe shop over the road. Shall we have a look, then we can compare the shoes there with any other shops?’

  ‘That’s a good idea,’ Ruthie said. ‘We’d kick ourselves if we bought a pair of dance shoes in one shop, then saw some we liked better in another shop. And we’re not in a hurry; we’ve got a couple of hours to browse around.’

  London Road was a busy road, with trams and buses running in both directions. The girls stayed close to the kerb until there was a break in the traffic, then they made a dash to the shoe shop on the opposite side. But their faces fell when they looked in the window, for half the window was taken up by a display of men’s shoes for every occasion. Brogues, heavy working shoes and boots, and walking shoes in fine leather. They were arranged on three of the tiered shelves, the first to catch the eye of window shoppers. Below them, there were two shelves of women’s shoes. Those, like the men’s shoes, were in brown and black, with Cuban heels. Some were lace-up, and others adorned with a silver buckle.

  ‘There’s nothing here for us,’ Ruthie said, disappointment in her voice. ‘They’re all old-fashioned, like me mam and Auntie Nellie wear. They’ve got no young styles at all.’

  Bella had been peering through a side window. ‘They’ve got a lot more shoes inside, and I’m sure I can see a pair of silver dance shoes on top of a shoe box.’

  Ruthie joined her friend, and they pressed their noses to the window. ‘Oh, yeah, I can see them. But what’s the use of one pair? I want the chance of choosing from a selection.’

  ‘It’s a big shop inside,’ Bella insisted. ‘They can’t show all their shoes in the window. It wouldn’t hurt to go in and ask about the dance shoes. They may have more in the stockroom. And you’re the one who said we’d try all the shops, then go back to the one where we liked the shoes best.’