Harpers Heroes

by Rosie Clarke

  ‘I’ll leave you to unpack,’ she said to Sarah. ‘Just put Robbie’s things into the hallway for now and I’ll find a place for them. I’ll get the kettle on and fetch Milly and then we’ll all have a cup of tea before I get our supper.’

  ‘Who is she and why is she here?’ Kathy asked when she came into the kitchen a little later. Sarah was still upstairs unpacking, but Kathy had been told they had a visitor by one of their neighbours and from the look on her face she wasn’t pleased.

  ‘She is Dan’s wife, Sarah,’ Marion told her. ‘She seems very nice, Kathy, and she had nowhere else to go – and she’s having Dan’s baby.’

  Kathy glared at her. ‘Why should we have to look after her? Dan just went off and left us to the mercy of that man.’ In her bitterness, Kathy refused to name her father. ‘We’ve had to struggle to survive with little help from him – why should we have to take on his wife and child?’

  ‘Please don’t be bitter,’ Marion said, looking at her sadly. ‘I know it’s been hard and I’ve had to ask more of you than perhaps I should – but Sarah is nice and she will help in the house.’

  ‘She’s still one more mouth to feed – and you don’t get much for yourself now, Marion,’ Kathy said, looking angry.

  ‘We manage fairly well. Besides, Sarah has a little money of her own – and I’m sure Dan will send her money to help out.’ Marion frowned. Her eldest brother had taken over the tenancy of the house after her father went off as a fugitive from the law. He’d been paying the rent ever since, having arranged for it to be taken from his pay in the Merchant Navy each month, so in actual fact it was Dan’s house – and therefore his wife’s. Marion felt a little trickle of unease as she realised that she was no longer the mistress in her own home. Sarah could, if she wished, assert her authority and even ask them to leave… However, Marion had no intention of reminding either her sister or her sister-in-law of that fact. Dan might have taken over the rent, but that didn’t give him or his wife the right to order her and her family out of the house. Besides, Marion knew that he would never do such a thing – but Sarah was an unknown factor.

  ‘Just be nice to her,’ she advised her sister now. ‘Sarah needs our help – and I like her.’

  Kathy sniffed but didn’t say anything more. It was just as well she hadn’t put Sarah in their mother’s room, Marion reflected, or she would never have calmed Kathy down.

  ‘I’m sorry I’ve been such a long time,’ a voice said and they both turned to look at Sarah, who had just entered the kitchen. ‘Marion, I packed your brother’s things into my suitcases and put them in the hall. I thought that would make them easier for you to store or move.’

  ‘That was very thoughtful of you,’ Marion said and smiled at her. ‘This is my sister, Kathy. Come and have a cup of tea. I’ve got lamb chops, mashed potatoes, mint sauce and cabbage for supper. I hope that will be all right for you?’ Marion felt a little ashamed that she couldn’t offer something special, but they didn’t often have a roast chicken or a joint midweek, because it was too expensive and took too long to cook.

  Kathy nodded at her but didn’t speak.

  ‘It sounds delicious,’ Sarah said and laughed. ‘The best meal I’ve been offered in weeks. My landlady was a terrible cook.’ She had a pretty laugh and Marion smiled with her.

  ‘I’m not too bad – but my neighbour is much better. She cooks wonderful pies and treats for her family – and sometimes she makes one for us.’

  Sarah smiled and nodded. ‘Are your neighbours all friendly?’

  ‘Yes, they’re very good to me, especially the ones next door. I’m engaged to Reggie Jackson and Mrs Jackson looks after Milly every afternoon when she gets in from school.’

  ‘You haven’t fetched her yet?’ Kathy looked at Marion accusingly. ‘I’ll go and get her now. She will think you’ve abandoned her.’ She threw a darkling glance at Sarah and went out.

  ‘That is my fault,’ Sarah said. ‘You were busy looking after me and your sister must be anxiously waiting to be fetched.’

  Marion laughed and shook her head. ‘Milly is probably happy playing games with Paula – she’s a nurse – or one of Reggie’s brothers. He has two brothers and both of them work in reserved jobs on the docks and still live at home. Both of them tried to join up but were told they couldn’t because they’re needed where they are. Paula’s sisters are all married now and Mrs Jackson says having Milly around is like a breath of fresh air to her.’

  ‘So, your Reggie is the only one serving in the Army from his family then?’

  ‘Yes, but they all do volunteer work in the evenings.’ Marion told her. ‘John drives a van for the WVS and Malcom does fire watching at various important locations on three nights a week.’

  Sarah nodded in understanding. ‘Your sister isn’t very pleased that I’ve come to stay…’ she said hesitantly.

  Marion bit her lip, hesitating for a moment. ‘Don’t take too much notice of her, Sarah. Kathy will see sense before long – but she’s still grieving hard for my mother and she blames Dan for not stopping our father before it was too late. It wasn’t his fault. Even if he’d been here sooner, it would still have happened; he couldn’t be here every minute of every day. In a way it was Ma’s fault, because she should have taken us children when we were small and cleared off while our father was at sea. She could have made a new life for us all somewhere else, but she never did.’

  ‘Dan told me it all, I’m really sorry, Marion, but sometimes you have to be brave and take that first step,’ Sarah said, looking sad. ‘It was hard for me to leave my father’s house, but he threatened to kill my baby – that common brat, as he called it…’ Her eyes filled with unshed tears. ‘He thought Dan could never be good enough for me and that’s why he refused to accept our marriage. He said if I gave up the child and divorced my husband, he would take me back and leave me everything, as he’d promised long ago, but if I persisted in giving birth to the brat, he would kill it.’ Sarah looked at her bleakly. ‘I thought he loved me – but that isn’t love, is it, Marion?’

  ‘No, it isn’t, Sarah,’ Marion said and held out a hand to her. Sarah took it and held it briefly. ‘You’re welcome here – and this is your home as much as ours. Perhaps more so as Dan pays the rent.’

  ‘It’s your home,’ Sarah said. ‘I’m just grateful that you’ve let me share it until Dan comes home and sorts things out.’ She smiled at Marion. ‘I would never want to push you out of your place, Marion. This is your home, and your decision is the one that matters.’

  Marion’s last doubts flew away as Sarah looked at her earnestly. She wished her brother had told her of his marriage, but she liked Dan’s wife and could only think she would be a happy addition to their family. ‘Good, I’m glad we’ve got that sorted. I know Kathy will warm towards you in time, Sarah. She’s out of sorts with the world at the moment and we all have to be patient with her.’

  As she spoke, the door opened and Milly burst in. She stopped short, looking at Sarah doubtfully for a moment. Marion held out her hand and Milly took it, looking up at her.

  ‘This is Sarah – she’s Dan’s wife and she’s having his baby,’ Marion explained. ‘Won’t that be nice – a new baby in the family? Perhaps Sarah will let you help her bathe her baby one day and you can knit some bootees for her like I showed you.’

  Milly’s puzzled look disappeared and she sidled up to Sarah, staring up at her. ‘Can I touch your tummy?’ she asked. ‘My friend’s mummy lets her listen to the baby’s heart beating, she says it kicked her and she thinks it’s a footballer.’

  Sarah laughed and bent down to Milly, holding out her arms to her. ‘Sometimes my baby kicks me,’ she said. ‘Do you think he will be a footballer?’

  ‘It might be a girl,’ Kathy said with a sour look.

  ‘I like playing football,’ Milly said. ‘It could be a girl and still play football with me – couldn’t it?’

  ‘When he or she gets big enough,’ Sarah told her, smiling. ‘Yo
u know, when I was a little girl, I liked playing football too.’

  ‘The teachers at school say I can’t play in the team because I’m a girl,’ Milly pouted, ‘but Reggie and Malc and John say I can play as good as any boy and they would have me in their team if they had one.’

  ‘I don’t see why girls can’t play if they want to,’ Sarah agreed. ‘I played hockey and netball at my school – but we often enjoyed kicking a football when the teachers weren’t looking.’

  ‘You’re all right,’ Milly decided and giggled. She turned to Marion and pulled at her skirt. ‘What you cooking, Marion? I’m hungry.’

  ‘Didn’t you have any tea with Mrs Jackson then?’

  ‘A slice of apple pie with cream,’ Milly said and rubbed her tummy. ‘It was lovely, Marion, but I still love your tea.’

  ‘Yes, you can have a bit of my chop and some mash with mint sauce,’ Marion said, laughing. ‘If you eat that you can have a bit more.’

  Milly smiled. ‘I just want a taste because they smell so good.’

  ‘They do, don’t they?’ Sarah said. ‘Milly, while we’re waiting, I’ve got something upstairs you might like.’

  ‘Something for me?’ Milly’s eyes widened. ‘It’s not my birthday – Marion gave me lots for my birthday.’

  ‘Yes.’ Sarah met Marion’s eyes and asked the question. ‘Is it all right? It is something that belonged to me as a child.’

  ‘Yes, of course,’ Marion said. ‘You don’t have to ask, Sarah. You’re a part of this family now.’

  Milly was giggling as she went upstairs with her new friend.

  Kathy was sitting on the old sofa, making a point of reading one of her schoolbooks and ignoring what was going on.

  ‘Will you set the table for us, Kathy?’ Marion asked as the kitchen door opened to admit Dickon. He was looking pleased with himself and tipped up his wage packet on the table.

  ‘There’s an extra six shillings this week,’ he said proudly. ‘What do you think of that, our Marion?’

  ‘Oh, Dickon, that is wonderful,’ Marion said. ‘Pick it up and take your usual half a crown too. You’ve earned it and you must keep it.’

  ‘No, I’ll take three shillings and you have the rest,’ Dickon said. ‘I want you to have it, Marion. After this, I’ll have four shillings a week – but that’s enough for me. You should use it to treat yourself or Kathy.’

  ‘Thank you, Dickon,’ Marion said, smiling at him. He was so proud of being able to bring home what was almost a man’s wage now and she wouldn’t spoil his pleasure by rejecting it. She would buy Kathy something nice this week and then save a bit of Dickon’s money whenever she could and give it to him one day – perhaps when he wanted something badly and couldn’t afford it. It was what her mother would have done. ‘I think Kathy deserves a new pair of shoes.’ She looked at her sister. ‘I’ll meet you from school on my half-day this next week and we’ll buy you that pair of tan court shoes you saw and liked the other day.’

  ‘New shoes from the shop?’ Kathy stared at her in disbelief, because she’d always had nearly new from a stall on the market and this would be her first new shoes since she was a little girl and her mother had bought them as a birthday gift for Kathy. ‘Really?’

  ‘I’ve been saving and now I can buy them,’ Marion said. ‘I would have got them for your birthday, but you can have them now and I’ll get something different when it’s your birthday.’

  ‘Oh, thank you, Marion,’ Kathy said and the sulky expression was gone.

  ‘Dickon’s money made it possible.’

  Kathy grabbed her brother and kissed him. He grinned and shoved her off. Laughing, Kathy set about setting the table. Her smile dimmed a little as Milly returned carrying a beautiful doll with a china face and the prettiest clothes they’d any of them ever seen, but she was too happy to be mean and told her little sister it was lovely.

  ‘Are you sure you want to part with such a lovely thing?’ Marion asked and Sarah nodded.

  ‘Yes, I’m happy for Milly to have it. I’ve got small gifts for all of you in my room. I’ll give them to you later.’

  ‘You don’t have to give us anything,’ Marion said.

  ‘I want to,’ Sarah replied. ‘It’s so good of you to take me in.’

  ‘You’re Dan’s wife,’ Dickon said, and came forward to offer his hand. Sarah shook it and he smiled. ‘Welcome to the family. Dan will be glad you’re here, and so are we.’

  Marion looked across the room at Kathy. She had a faint blush in her cheeks, but she lifted her head. ‘Yes, welcome to the family, Sarah,’ she said. ‘If Marion and Dickon say it’s all right, you can stay…’

  ‘Thank you,’ Sarah said and smiled. ‘Gosh, I’m hungry – that mint sauce does smell good.’

  19

  Beth saw that Marion Kaye was looking a bit pensive when she tidied the hats that morning. She did her work well, as always, but she didn’t seem quite herself, so at lunchtime when Miss Stockbridge and Miss Jones had gone for their break, she took the opportunity to ask her if something was the matter.

  ‘Oh no, not really,’ Marion replied and smiled. ‘It’s just that my brother’s wife turned up on Friday night unannounced. She’s very friendly and I think we’ll get on, though my sister Kathy isn’t too sure about her – but she’s having a baby and I’m a little bit anxious about what she ought to do. I don’t think she’s been to a doctor…’

  ‘Then that’s the first thing you need to see to,’ Beth said with a smile. ‘Ask your doctor to take her on his panel – it’s best to be registered and then he will advise about a midwife and all that kind of thing. I expect you’ll want to be with her when she has the baby, so when you know the date it is expected you could book your holiday.’

  ‘Yes, that is what I’ve been thinking about.’ Marion nodded. ‘I think that’s a good suggestion. I’m not sure Sarah knows how to knit. She hasn’t made any provision for the baby yet. I was wondering whether I should buy some wool in my lunch break so we can all start to knit things for her.’

  ‘That’s a lovely idea – and if Sarah doesn’t know how, you can show her.’

  ‘Yes, we can. My sister Kathy is a wonderful knitter. She does lovely lacy patterns and made me a beautiful cardigan one year. She loves it and the only reason she doesn’t do more is that we can’t always afford the wool…’

  ‘It is expensive if it’s just for pleasure,’ Beth agreed, ‘but home-made baby clothes are much cheaper than those you buy in the shops. We only have a small department here, but the things are exquisite – too expensive for many young mothers.’

  ‘Sarah has a little money put by,’ Marion said. ‘I thought I would get her started and then she might realise she needs to start making things, otherwise she’ll have nothing ready when the baby comes – in about two to three months, I think.’

  ‘Well, that will be exciting for you all,’ Beth replied with a smile. ‘Ah, Miss Jones is back from her break, so you may go if you wish. There’s a lovely shop just down the street that sells wool and patterns.’

  Marion thanked her and went off to get her coat.

  Shirley Jones smiled at Beth and came to stand by her counter.

  ‘You’re back a few minutes early,’ Beth said. ‘You don’t need to start immediately.’

  ‘I wanted to check my counter,’ Shirley replied. ‘I had three customers altogether earlier and they were all picking up the scarves and asking to see more. I was very careful, but I just wanted to check nothing was missing.’

  ‘I’m glad to see you are so conscientious.’ Beth nodded her approval as the girl checked her stock against what she’d sold. She looked relieved when she’d finished. ‘Everything is as it should be?’

  ‘Yes, thank you, Mrs Burrows.’ The young girl smiled happily. ‘I should hate to lose anything. I enjoy my job here so much.’

  ‘Stock does go missing – it may be that it has been taken for the window and not written down or on rare occasions it may have been stolen.
That doesn’t happen often in this department, though I know the ground floor lost a few items at Christmas in the rush.’

  ‘Mrs Harper must be so cross when that happens,’ Shirley said and frowned.

  ‘She knows that it can’t always be avoided, but as long as it isn’t habitual or all from one girl’s stock, no blame is fixed to the salespeople – though we must make every effort to ensure it doesn’t happen.’

  ‘Oh yes, Mrs Burrows,’ Shirley said, her innocent young face earnest. ‘I think it is terrible to take what doesn’t belong to you. My mother says folk that do that should have their hands chopped off.’

  ‘Oh, dear me,’ Beth said and smiled at her. ‘That is a bit drastic – but I certainly think they should be locked up in prison. We had a young woman here – her name was Janice Browning – and she stole from Harpers. We discovered it too late and she got away with it, but I often think about her and wonder what she is up to these days. I hope she isn’t using Harpers’ name to blind employers to the truth. If they wrote here for a reference, they certainly would not get one.’

  Shirley shook her head, but customers were beginning to flood into the department again after the lunchtime break, which was sometimes slower.

  Beth went to stand behind her counter, frowning as Becky Stockbridge came rushing in five minutes late. She glanced at her watch pointedly, but her own counter was busy so she couldn’t say anything to the girl and Shirley was managing very well. However, Beth would have a word later on.