Just as Evie put her arms round his neck and lifted her face to kiss him, Betty woke up and started to cry, making low whimpering sounds as she snuffled round for food.
Evie looked over Albie’s shoulder and flashed her eyes at Babs, signalling urgently for her to do something.
Babs rolled her eyes and went over to the drawer at the bottom of the bed. She picked up the crying baby and took her outside onto the landing. As she jiggled Betty up and down over her shoulder, she could hear what Albie was saying to Eve, even over Betty’s cries.
‘Cor,’ he complained. ‘Does she make that racket all the time? And what’s that smell in here? Sick?’
There was a pause then Albie spoke again; he had an impatient laugh in his voice. ‘I think it’ll be best,’ he said, ‘if you and the nipper stay here for a while. Till it gets a bit bigger. I mean, girl, that flat ain’t no place for a kid, now is it?’
23
By the time Betty was six weeks old, Evie was back to her old self. At first, Babs was relieved that she’d got over the baby blues so quickly. She had her figure back, her dark roots had been freshly bleached and she was going out enjoying herself again. But when she showed no signs of any maternal interest in her daughter or even a touch of domesticity, Babs wasn’t sure that she was so relieved after all. Especially as Evie didn’t even think to ask her if she minded when she left her caring for Betty every night, while she divided her time between going out with Albie – when he deigned to see her – and doing the rounds of the local pubs. At least when Evie had been depressed she’d stayed indoors.
Babs threw her coat over the banister and hauled herself up the stairs to the front bedroom. Thursday night, she reminded herself, so only one more day at work before the weekend and the chance of having a rest. But no matter how tired she felt, she was still elated at the prospect of seeing her little niece, always the first thing she wanted to do when she got in from work.
She crept into the bedroom so as not to disturb her, but pulled up short in the doorway when she saw Evie sitting at the dressing table smoothing her long blonde hair into a careful roll round a twisted scarf that she had fastened to the back of her head.
Evie didn’t greet her sister, she just looked at her reflection and asked, ‘So, what do yer think? It’s all the go, this look.’
‘I think yer taking the piss if yer going out again, Eve. That’s what I think.’ Babs bent over the drawer that stood on the ottoman at the bottom of the bed. The sight of her beautiful little niece, tucked up so cosily in the pale pink blanket that Blanche had given her, made her smile.
‘I’ll have to remember to take a rag out with me to wipe me legs,’ sighed Eve, as she began applying the first layer of lipstick. ‘There’s mud and rubbish all over them bloody streets from the bombsites. Someone should do something about it.’
Babs straightened up and stuck her hands on her hips. ‘Shut up about the mud a minute, Eve, and tell me where you think you’re going.’
‘Out.’
‘Where?’
‘Some feller I met the other night, his mate’s got a boozer up Whitechapel way. He’s asked me to sing a few songs in there tonight. Give all the soldier boys a bit of a treat while they’re home on leave.’ She smacked her lips together to blot the lipstick then grinned into the mirror. ‘And they’ll have all that lovely back pay to spend. It’ll make a nice change enjoying meself.’
‘Nice change? Yer out nearly every night of the week.’
Evie raised her eyebrows and shrugged.
‘Ain’t it about time yer thought about going back to yer flat? This room was crowded enough when it was just the two of us.’
Eve twisted round on the stool to face Babs. ‘You saying me and the baby ain’t welcome?’
‘Course not, and keep yer voice down, yer’ll wake her up. But it don’t seem right, Betty not being with her dad. What must Albie think? You and the baby hardly ever see him.’
‘Albie? Don’t make me laugh.’ She turned back to the mirror and began dusting her face with powder. ‘Why should I worry about him? He only ever turns up when he ain’t got nothing better to do. Or he fancies a bit of how’s yer father.’ She grinned at Babs’s reflection. ‘Not that he’s had any luck there for a while.’
Babs tried another tack. ‘Don’t yer wanna stay in, spend some time with the baby?’
‘Here, you saying yer don’t wanna look after her?’ Evie countered.
‘No. Yer know I’m not. It’s just that you’re her mum.’
‘Yeah? So? I have her all day.’ Evie spoke to Babs as if she were stupid. ‘And you like being with her. So everyone’s happy. So what’s the problem?’
Evie had only been gone half an hour when yet another raid started. Babs was torn between making the dash along the street to the Drum in the chilly evening air with all the things needed to keep Betty fed and comfortable, or staying put and sheltering under the table. But, tired as she was, she knew she had to keep Betty safe. So she gathered up bottles and nappies, threw them in a basket, lifted Betty gently out of the drawer and wrapped her in a blanket.
‘Let’s just hope yer mum’s safe, eh, sweetie?’ Babs whispered to the baby, and made a run for it.
The next morning, bleary-eyed from spending yet another uncomfortable night sleeping on a makeshift bed and tending to Betty, Babs crawled back to number six. There was no sign of Evie.
She laid Betty in Rita’s big old pram that almost took up the entire passageway and went into the kitchen. She put the kettle on to boil for tea, steeped the night’s dirty nappies in the enamel bucket outside the back door and then, summoning what she felt was the very last of her energy, had a wash in cold water at the sink.
She peered up at the clock over the top of the towel. Wherever Evie had got to, Babs hoped she’d hurry up; she had to leave for work in half an hour.
She was just finishing her second cup of tea, fighting her craving for her bed, when the street door opened.
She heard Evie swear angrily as she bashed into the pram.
‘For gawd’s sake, Eve,’ she hissed, ‘don’t wake her up.’
Evie dropped down onto one of the kitchen chairs. ‘Aw, stop moaning.’ Her voice was slurred with drink.
‘Where’ve you been?’
Evie grinned lopsidedly. ‘Did singing in the pub. They loved me.’ She closed one eye in an effort to focus on her sister’s face. ‘Then we went to get fish and taters but the warning …’ She paused, trying to keep her thoughts on track. She nodded. ‘Yeah. The warning went. So me and the boys, we went down the Underground. Right laugh, it was. Singing. Dancing. Drinking. Like a night club. Mind you, yer should have seen the lavs.’ She screwed up her nose in distaste. Her elbow somehow slipped off the table, making her burst into a fit of hiccuping giggles.
Babs got to her feet and looked down at her sister. She wouldn’t argue with her, she wouldn’t waste her breath when she was like this, but she had to say something. ‘It’s all right for you staying out all night, but I’ve gotta get out to work.’
Evie clasped her hands to her chest in a pose of melodramatic shock, then she batted her lashes and said, in a mock posh voice, ‘What, would yer rather your only sister risked her life by running through the streets in the middle of an air raid?’
‘You ain’t funny, Eve, yer a pig. Now just shut up. I should have knocked for Blanche five minutes ago.’ She deliberately bashed into Evie as she stepped past her. ‘I’ve fed and changed Betty, so she should sleep for a couple of hours yet, give you a chance to sober up before Dad gets in off shift.’ She swept out of the room before Evie had a chance to speak: she knew she would only try and persuade her to stay and look after the baby while she slept the day away.
Babs knocked impatiently on Blanche’s street door. ‘Come on, Blanche,’ she muttered under her breath. ‘We’re late enough as it is.’
The door opened.
‘Blanche!’ Babs stepped forward and put her hand on Blanche’s arm. ‘Yer look
terrible. It’s not Archie, is it?’
‘No.’ Blanche pulled her coat on and shut the door behind her. ‘I was over with our Ruby last night.’
‘The baby still no better?’ Babs glanced sideways at Blanche as they fell into step. Babs thought she herself looked rough after the hard night she had had, but Blanche looked totally drained.
‘No. Poor little bugger. They’re hoping for the best but it ain’t doing very well. All we can do now is pray for a miracle.’
‘I’m sorry, Blanche.’
‘Yeah, we all are. Heartbroken, she is. No reason, just one of them things, the doctor said. Don’t seem right, does it? She wants it so much. And there’s your Evie, couldn’t give a …’ She stopped in her tracks. ‘Sorry, Babs, I’m just a bit upset, that’s all. There was no need for that.’
‘No, you’re right, she don’t wanna know about Betty.’
‘You still doing everything?’
‘Just about. And, I can tell you, Blanche, it’s tiring me out, but what choice have I got? I’ve gotta keep going, get on with it.’
‘And hide it all from Ringer?’
‘Yeah.’
‘What a pair we are,’ Blanche said. ‘Come on, we’d better get going or we’ll never get to work.’ She linked arms with Babs.
They had only taken a couple of steps when this time Babs stopped dead. Her head jerked round and she glared across the street to where Alice was pretending to clean her doorstep. Nobby was standing next to her, arms crossed and eyes narrowed, sucking on his pipe.
‘What did you say, Alice?’ Babs asked, striding across the street, arms swinging menacingly.
Blanche followed her.
Alice grabbed hold of the door frame and dragged herself to her feet. She folded her arms and looked contemptuously from Babs to Blanche. ‘I was saying to my Nobby how I thought there was shocking goings on down this turning lately, what with young girls coming home at all hours, pissed as farts, when they should be indoors minding their kiddies. Neglect, that’s what it is.’ She turned to Nobby. ‘Her old man should be in the forces and all,’ she said.
Nobby knew his place, and he knew the price of disloyalty. He nodded his agreement, his stumpy pipe bobbing up and down in his mouth.
Babs went to speak, to give the vicious old bag a piece of her mind, but in that moment she knew she couldn’t find the words that would silence Alice without bursting into tears and making a fool of herself. Because, deep down, she had to admit that Alice, cruel as she was, was right.
Blanche, however, didn’t have any such problem. She shook her head, an expression of loathing darkening her usually generous, open face. ‘There’s a sodding war on, Alice.’ She pointed angrily at the pile of rubble at the end of the street that had once been the Jenners’s home. ‘Innocent people are getting killed and maimed. Brave men are fighting to protect the likes of you. And all you can do with yer time is run young girls down when it’s nothing to do with you. Nothing at all.’ She prodded Alice in the chest. ‘So why don’t you just shut that trap of your’n, you interfering, miserable old bastard, and let things alone that are none of your business?’
With that, Blanche took Babs by the arm and dragged her away.
‘Charming!’ snapped Alice. Then she shoved her scrubbing brush into the bewildered Nobby’s hand and yelled furiously, ‘Now get that bloody step finished. And do it right.’
Babs felt someone pushing her. ‘What, what’s up?’
‘I’m so tired, Babs,’ Evie moaned pathetically. ‘You get up and feed her this morning. Please. I can’t. Go on, it’s Saturday, so you ain’t even gotta go to work.’
Betty was crying softly in the brand new cot that, since yesterday afternoon, had stood at the bottom of the bed in place of the dressing table drawer.
‘I never got a wink of sleep last night. I was so upset about that old cow coming round here yesterday. She must’ve known I’d be here by meself.’
As she lay there in the dark, Babs could just visualise Evie’s lip trembling dramatically.
‘I dunno what all the fuss is about. Queenie only come round to bring all that gear for Betty. I thought yer’d be pleased.’
Evie’s tone immediately hardened to one of complaint. ‘Well, she took her time coming round with it, didn’t she? Fancy letting yer granddaughter kip in a drawer when yer’ve got all her money.’
‘You hypocrite! It was you what didn’t wanna see her.’
Evie returned to her whining. ‘How can yer talk to me like that, Babs? Yer know all she really come round for was to have a go at me. Reckons I should be at home in that flat with her precious bloody Albie. If only she knew the half of it, it’d be him she was having a go at, not me.’
‘I can imagine Queenie having a go at Albie. She thinks the sun shines out of his backside.’ Babs paused, then added, ‘Just like you used to.’
‘Aw, shut up, Babs.’
Betty’s whimpering started to get louder, closer to an all-out bawl, as she demanded her breakfast.
Babs sighed loudly. She knew she would be wasting her breath arguing with Eve; she’d still wind up feeding Betty even after they’d been rowing for half an hour, and by then Betty would have worked herself up into a real state and wouldn’t be able to take her feed anyway. Babs threw back the covers, crawled out of bed and got on with it.
‘This is the last time I do this today, Eve. And I mean it.’
Evie smiled to herself as she turned over and pulled the blankets up over her head.
As Babs sat with Betty suckling at her bottle contentedly on her lap in the peace of the little kitchen, she stared up at the sky though the window over the sink. It was a lovely spring morning, clear, bright and full of hope. And it was a Saturday.
She sighed, happily this time, as she looked down into the baby’s wide blue eyes – she looked so much like her and Evie it was difficult to take in at times. Betty’s little face puckered into a smile of recognition round the rubber teat that filled her tiny rosebud mouth.
‘I dunno if that’s wind or a real smile,’ Babs said to her, as she put her over her shoulder and rubbed her back, ‘but I reckon it makes yer look pretty as a little princess. Tell yer what, it’s a nice day, I think we’ll go for a walk down the Roman and show you off. You ain’t been out much yet, have yer? Then we’ll have a little turn round the park. How would that be?’
When Babs went upstairs to get herself and Betty dressed for their outing, Evie was still sound asleep.
As Babs wheeled Betty past the baker’s on the corner, Rita came running out of her shop to have a peep at the baby, but her face fell when she saw the gleaming new, elegant black coach-built pram with its cream leather lining and satin coverlet.
‘Morning, Reet.’
‘Morning, Babs. That’s a flash old get-up,’ she said, nodding at the pram. ‘Must have cost a bit.’
Babs blushed. ‘Yeah. Don’t think we ain’t grateful for the one you give her, but Queenie, you know, Albie’s mum, brought it round for her yesterday. Laden down like bloody Father Christmas, she was, according to Evie. This baby’s got everything she’s gonna need till she goes to school, I reckon.’
Rita wiped her hands down the front of her white, flour-sprinkled overall, leant over the pram and pulled down the edge of the cover to get a better look at the baby. ‘Who can blame her for wanting the best for that little angel,’ she smiled. ‘I know I’d wanna give her everything if she was my granddaughter.’ She straightened up. ‘Evie having a rest, is she? It might be a long time ago but I still remember what it was like having to look after a new baby. I’ll bet she’s whacked out, ain’t she, Babs?’
‘Yer could say that, Reet.’ Babs released the pram’s brake and smiled. ‘Gotta get on, we’re off down the Roman.’
‘But I ain’t had a chance to tell you how well my Bill’s doing,’ Rita called after her. ‘Right hero, he is.’
‘Sorry,’ Babs said over her shoulder. ‘Tell me later.’
Babs had only
got as far as looking over the first couple of stalls when she bumped into Percy Bennett.
‘Hello,’ he said. ‘What’s all this? I know I’ve been away a while, but you with a nipper?’
‘She’s Evie’s.’
‘Blimey!’ Percy took off his forage cap and scratched his head. ‘I always thought it’d be you first.’
‘Yer know, Perce, so did I.’
Percy moved closer to Babs and said quietly out of the corner of his mouth, ‘Fancy a night out with a soldier, toots?’
Babs grinned at him. ‘Yeah, why not. I’d love to.’
‘Tonight?’
Babs waggled her hand from side to side. ‘Maybe. I’ll have to make sure that I can get someone to mind the baby first.’
Percy looked baffled. ‘How about Evie?’
Babs widened her eyes. ‘Evie?’
‘Still a bit of a girl, is she?’
Babs laughed. ‘Just a bit.’
‘Tell yer what, I’m just off round me gran’s to show meself off in me uniform …’
‘’Cos yer mum said?’
Perce grinned. ‘Course. And so’s Gran can feed me till I’m sick. But when she’s finished with me, I’ll pop into your’n to see if yer’ve sorted something out for tonight. How’s that?’
‘It should be all right.’
‘Good, ’cos I wanna hear the full story of this little chavy. See yer about, what, six?’
‘Sounds good to me, Perce.’
‘Smashing.’
It was gone midnight when Percy walked Babs back home through the dark East End streets, but she didn’t feel the least bit tired; in fact, she felt she could have stayed out all night.
‘Yer know, Perce, in that pub, when we was dancing with all them people in that big circle, and with our arms all wrapped round each other and singing at the tops of our voices, I felt all the weariness and bad feeling that I moaned to you about just drain out of me.’
The Bells of Bow Page 32