by Rosie Clarke
Maggie’s hand went straight up. Surprisingly, hers was the only one. He looked disappointed until his warm brown eyes came to rest on her.
‘And your name is?’
‘Maggie Gibbs,’ she said. ‘I had my interview a few days ago and I’m joining a training unit tomorrow, sir.’
‘Good, we need all the intelligent young ladies we can get,’ he said. ‘What made you decide to offer your services, Miss Gibbs?’
‘I thought I might be able to help, sir. I know that I’m not a nurse, but if I can do the jobs trained nurses do not have time for, I can serve.’
‘Excellent.’ His smile deepened as his eyes swept the audience. ‘Are there any other young ladies who think they might like to join but are not sure what to do?’
Now, hands went up all over. He spent the next half an hour telling them how necessary their limited skills might prove and how much more they could do if they had the courage to volunteer their services.
‘Remember, if your father, mother or brother thinks that nursing is not ladylike, tell them that Captain Stephen Morgan asked you to consider giving up a little of your life to help those that will most definitely need your help.’
A round of applause met his closing remarks and then everyone got up. Tea was served with shortbread biscuits and a demonstration of how to give life-saving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation was given by Captain Morgan. His words and actions were watched avidly and there was an eager queue ready to try out the techniques he advocated. Becky was the second in line and demonstrated her skills.
‘I hope you are thinking of joining our little band of brave ladies, miss?’
‘Becky Stockbridge,’ she said and smiled awkwardly. ‘I don’t think I should be much good at it, sir – I don’t care for blood…’
‘Ah, I see.’ He nodded understandingly. ‘Not everyone does, Miss Stockbridge. I am sorry you won’t be joining us, but I suppose we can’t expect all of you lovely ladies to become nurses; there would be no one left to do anything else.’ He smiled at her and then turned to Maggie. ‘I take it you have no such reserves, Miss Gibbs?’
‘I doubt if I’ll be asked to do more than scrub floors, sir,’ she replied with a smile. ‘However, I should be honoured if I was deemed good enough to help tend the wounded.’
‘I think you’ll do well.’ He looked at her thoughtfully. ‘Remember one thing, Miss Gibbs – Sister is usually right and Matron is always right…’
‘That’s two things,’ Becky said and gave a nervous little giggle.
‘Yes, Miss Stockbridge, you are perfectly right,’ he said and looked a little stern. ‘But I am sure Miss Gibbs understood what I meant?’
‘Oh yes, sir,’ Maggie agreed. ‘Whoever is in charge is to be obeyed and I’m sure it applies to the doctors too.’
‘As a matter of fact, most of us are terrified of Matron,’ he said and laughed. ‘You’ll soon discover that’s the truth – even though she pretends to refer to us, we doctors know our place.’
Becky caught sight of the clock and touched Maggie’s arm. ‘I need to go, Maggie, or I’ll miss my last connection.’
‘Yes, of course,’ Maggie said, looking at Captain Morgan as he touched her arm.
‘Yes, sir?’
‘I thought we might talk some more…’
‘Oh, that would have been nice – but Becky has to catch her bus and her purse was stolen on the way here. A man barged into her and took it without us even seeing and so I have to go with her.’
Captain Morgan frowned and looked angry. ‘That is disgusting,’ he said. ‘If two young women cannot walk through the streets without being robbed…’ Glancing at his own watch, he said, ‘If you would give me the pleasure, I could run you both home in my car, it would give us a little time to talk…’
‘Well…’ Maggie looked at Becky. ‘What do you think?’
‘I don’t mind,’ Becky said. ‘We live about a mile apart. Maggie usually gets off and I just continue on the bus.’
‘I can take both of you home,’ he said, smiling easily. ‘You never know, Miss Stockbridge, I might convince you to volunteer.’
Becky dimpled at him. ‘You might convince me, sir – but I doubt you would convince my father.’
32
Beth was explaining their stock system to Becky the next morning when Mr Marco entered the department. He hesitated for a moment and then approached them, smiling easily.
‘Mr Marco,’ she said, looking at him expectantly. ‘What may I do for you? Have you come looking for new items for the window?’
‘Not this time,’ he said. ‘Actually, I had a message for Miss Stockbridge…’
‘For Miss Stockbridge?’ Beth was surprised.
‘I came to tell you that the police have recovered your purse,’ he said, looking at Becky. ‘It was found thrown down in the street and since it had your staff card for Harpers in it as well as a photo of your father, it was taken into the police station. They rang the manager, who is of course your father and he asked us to bring it here. A constable brought it over earlier. I regret to tell you that any money you had has been taken…’
‘It wasn’t very much,’ Becky said, blushing. ‘I went to the first-aid classes last night with Maggie – I mean Miss Gibbs – and a man barged into me. Afterwards, I realised that my purse was missing. I didn’t expect I would see it again.’
‘Well, some rather more honest person found it and took it in for you,’ Mr Marco said. ‘I decided I would bring it straight up for you, as it is a nice leather purse and I thought you might miss it…’
‘Oh, thank you,’ Becky said and blushed. ‘It is very kind of you, Mr Marco. I really didn’t expect to get it back…’
‘It looks undamaged,’ he said and handed it to her. ‘Forgive me for disturbing your briefing, Mrs Burrows. I wonder if I could have a word?’
‘Yes, of course, Mr Marco,’ she said and moved aside with him.
Becky heard her say, ‘What can I do for you?’
‘I was wondering if you might spare Miss Kaye for an hour or so, perhaps a longer lunch hour…’ He glanced around the department. ‘Is she in this morning?’
‘Yes – I sent her for a cup of tea because she had a headache. Why?’
‘I have something to ask her – something to her advantage, if she is interested.’
‘Well, I might be able to spare her, when she comes back from her tea break – but why?’ Mrs Burrows looked concerned.
‘I should like to see how well she does with window display. I believe she might consider giving part of her service at Harpers in that department, Mrs Burrows. If I could arrange it with Mrs Harper – you could probably have another junior for a few hours a week…’
‘If you really think she could do well at it.’ Mrs Burrows frowned. ‘Why now?’
‘I am leaving to join the army on Saturday afternoon. If I’m going to get her started, it has to be now.’ He smiled as Mrs Burrows gasped in shock. ‘I do have a small team ready – but I think Marion could be a part of it, if you will permit me to give her a little try?’
‘How could I refuse?’ she said. ‘We shall be sorry to see you leave, Mr Marco. Harpers is going to miss you…’
‘That is why I want to set up the best team I can and I think that includes Miss Kaye, even if only part-time.’ He smiled at her. ‘I shall call in to see everyone when I have leave and I hope to return to Harpers at the end of hostilities, of course.’
‘Yes, of course,’ Beth said, still a little shocked. ‘But aren’t you Italian? I mean you don’t have to join, do you?’
‘My grandmother was Italian,’ he said with an odd smile. ‘I get my looks from her – but my mother was half-French and my father British. My name is actually Mark Henshaw, but for my profession Mr Marco sounded more artistic, and now I must leave you. Thank you for your cooperation.’ He flashed her his brilliant smile and went out with a last little wave.
‘Well, good gracious,’ Beth said, astounded by his rev
elation. She’d been so taken aback that she hadn’t even wished him good luck. ‘I had no idea – did you, Miss Stockbridge?’
‘My father said his mother was half-French and his father British,’ Becky said. ‘I didn’t know about his Italian grandmother or that his name was Mark Henshaw…’
‘I just never thought he would join the army,’ Beth said, shaking her head. ‘He didn’t seem the sort.’ Clearly, she’d known nothing about him. Mr Marco hid his heart behind his charming smile and his little jokes. ‘We are going to miss him a great deal. I wonder if Mrs Harper knows.’ She shook her head and looked at Becky. ‘Go and put your purse away, Miss Stockbridge. I hope you were not hurt last evening?’
‘Oh, no, Mrs Burrows. I lost two shillings, but Miss Gibbs paid my shilling for the classes – and someone took us home in his car. He was a doctor and recruiting for volunteers to become nurses. He told us on the way home that they will be needed at the front. Maggie – I mean, Miss Gibbs – told him she would be willing to go out to a field hospital in Belgium or France…’
Beth stared at her in shock. She would have a word with Maggie when she got home that evening. Surely, she wouldn’t be so foolish as to risk her life like that?
She frowned at Becky. ‘I hope you are not thinking of volunteering, Miss Stockbridge?’
‘No, Mrs Burrows,’ Becky said and went off to put her purse away as Marion Kaye returned.
‘Are you feeling better, Miss Kaye?’ she asked her and Marion nodded.
‘I took a headache powder that Mrs Hall from glassware gave me and I’m sure it will ease me. I shall be all right, Mrs Burrows.’
‘Good, because I am letting you have an extra half an hour for lunch – but you are to report to Mr Marco in his office; he has something to ask you.’ Beth smiled at her encouragingly. ‘Now, go to your counter, we have customers waiting.’
Beth was still feeling shocked and wondered what her employers would think of their window dresser joining the army. Mr Marco could not be replaced as easily as a sales assistant.
Marco was thoughtful as he left the department. He reflected on his time here, particularly that spent with Sally Harper, and thought that if he’d been a different man and wanted what most men wanted, a wife and children, he would have envied Ben Harper his wife. Sally Harper understood him, welcomed him with a smile that was filled with the love for all things that was in her. Most women seeing him in the park with the young man he loved would have walked away, pretending not to see, but Sally had linked arms with them both, protected them from the louts who’d tormented him by her very presence and when Julien had killed himself, she’d comforted him by her quiet understanding.
Marco had had several affairs since he’d discovered the nature of his sexuality but only once had he fallen deeply in love. Julien was the love of his life, the one he would never forget, and the manner of his death was like a weeping sore inside.
Julien was the main reason Marco had decided to fight. He would have joined up immediately, because he was brave and beautiful and a patriot and so Marco would take his place. He wasn’t particularly anxious to die, although sometimes his life felt like a barren waste without Julien, but he wanted the one he loved to be proud of him. Sometimes, he felt Julien so close to him, whispering in his ear, apologising for taking his own life.
‘I’ve always been frightened of my father’s anger – the names he called me, Marco. I couldn’t bear it…’
Marco ached to hold Julien in his arms and comfort him, to take him back from that cold dark place that was death and burial outside the holy ground. Instead, because that was impossible, he would fight, and if he died, then he would be reunited with his lover…
Eyes wet with tears, Marco brushed his arm across them impatiently. He’d been lucky. There were good people here. Fred in the basement had talked to him when he was down after Julien’s suicide, more understanding than most.
‘I had two lads at my school,’ Fred had told him as they’d talked once over a brew of tea. ‘James was young, face of an angel, Harry was older and more serious. One hot summer day they went swimming in the river in the nude and in the midst of their fun fell in love. Like all young things, they did what came naturally – but they were seen and James was taken away from school by an irate father. He demanded that I beat Harry and then expel him. I did neither, though he left soon after to join the church and is even now in South America working with the street children and saving lives.’
‘Was that the reason you were forced to give up your post as a headmaster?’ Marco had asked and Fred had nodded.
‘That and a few other things I didn’t care for, but don’t imagine I’m a martyr, Mr Marco. I love this job, because it brought me a wonderful daughter-in-law and a house filled with friends, love and laughter – and that is worth sixty of being headmaster any day.’
Marco had smiled and agreed. Beth Burrows was like Sally Harper in her way. Both of them were remarkable women and he would miss working here, but it was his duty to fight, because Julien couldn’t.
Beth was not surprised when a message came asking her to have coffee with Sally during her lunch break and she went up to the office, expecting to see shock and distress in her employer’s wife’s face.
‘You’ve heard that Mr Marco has joined the army?’ Sally asked as soon as she entered the office. ‘I could hardly believe it when Ben told me last night – but he’s known for a few days. He couldn’t talk him out of it.’
‘It will make things difficult for you, won’t it?’
‘Yes and no…’ Sally frowned. ‘He has a junior he’s been training and Jean is competent, but she doesn’t have his flair. Ben says that I’ll have to help her come up with the ideas. Jean can do the physical work and she has a young lad to help her – we’ve just taken him on and he seems to have a good eye. He got a scholarship in art and will combine his job here with college classes. Philip is sixteen and he looks as if a puff of wind would blow him over and he claims to have flat feet, which should prevent him from becoming a soldier. He says he doesn’t want to fight anyway – he is a pacifist apparently – so unless they start conscripting boys, he should be fine, for a while anyway…’
‘But why did Mr Marco want to fight?’ Beth asked, shaking her head. ‘I can hardly believe that he volunteered. I mean, if he’d been forced to go, I’d understand, but he’s always seemed such a gentle person, and he isn’t a young lad, is he? I mean he must be around forty…’
‘I think that smile hides a lot,’ Sally said and looked serious. ‘I can’t tell you any more, Beth, but Mr Marco confided in me once and I believe he may have his reasons for wanting to go to war. Perhaps he isn’t quite the calm, amusing man we think he is.’
‘Do we ever know anyone?’ Beth said and shook her head. ‘What with Minnie getting married out of the blue and Maggie going off to be a nurse – she may even volunteer to nurse in a field hospital so I’ve been told…’ She repeated what Becky Stockbridge had told her and Sally shook her head.
‘Maggie doesn’t surprise me,’ she said, making Beth’s eyes open wider. ‘I always suspected the passions ran deep in her – but you could have knocked me down with a feather when I was told about Minnie. I think there is something in the water…’ She laughed and Beth smiled. ‘Anyway, let’s hope that no one else goes off to join up just yet or you and I will be the only ones left running the store…’
‘Ben isn’t thinking of joining?’
‘No, not yet, thank goodness,’ Sally said. ‘At the moment he feels that he has too much responsibility for the shop and everyone dependent on it – and with the extension to see to, he couldn’t think of leaving me with all that.’
‘Surely he wouldn’t anyway?’ Beth said. ‘It is different for Jack – he knew the merchant navy would be after him immediately and so he went straight out and enlisted. He joins his ship this weekend…’
‘Oh, Beth,’ Sally said and looked at her with sympathy. ‘I’m wittering on and you’re
so brave about it all.’
‘I’m not brave at all inside,’ Beth told her. ‘Every time I think about him leaving, I could weep. It’s funny, but when he was on the ships, I never used to worry, I always expected that he would come back to me – now I’m terrified…’
‘Well, there’s a war now,’ Sally said and touched her hand. ‘I know it hardly seems to have started yet, but it has and there are already casualties out there on the Belgian front. It’s just that we haven’t seen much action here yet.’ The enemy had invaded neutral Belgium almost immediately and the British regular army would soon be deeply engaged in the hostilities.
Beth nodded, biting her lip. ‘Fred always seems to know it all. He’s got a map of Belgium and France in his room and he sticks pins in it. I don’t go in there except to clean, but I know he follows every move.’
‘Maybe we’ll both be lucky,’ Sally said and Beth nodded.
‘I’d better get back to work,’ Beth whispered close to tears. ‘Sorry, I’m being silly. It’s better if I don’t think about it.’
‘What about the hotel?’ Sally asked. ‘I mean, I know Ben promised to look in – but is everything all right for now?’
‘Jack’s partner will be in charge.’ Beth frowned. ‘I know he didn’t run it well before, but Jack has changed things a lot and he does have better staff in place. Perhaps he will manage until Jack comes home…’
‘Ben will look in regularly as he promised. He has Jack’s authority to do whatever he thinks best.’
Beth nodded, gave Sally a wan smile and left. She had another secret sorrow that she didn’t wish to tell anyone. She’d thought for a while that she might be pregnant, but her period had come a week late and been heavier than normal. She’d cried a few tears when she was alone. It seemed so easy for some women to conceive and carry a baby full term, but for Beth it was proving a problem.
‘I was surprised to hear that Mr Marco was leaving,’ Beth said to Fred as they travelled home on the bus that evening. ‘Sally was shocked too, but Mr Harper knew some days ago.’