The Bells of Bow

by Gilda O'Neill

  ‘So, what did you do over Christmas?’ she asked eventually.

  ‘Not much. No one to do much with. I stayed in the hostel place they fixed me up with and saw a few mates who were at home, but they wanted to be with their own families most of the time.’ He shrugged. ‘Obvious, ain’t it, that people wanna be with them what they love this time of year. Not strangers.’

  ‘Yeah.’ Babs nodded again. ‘So what yer doing round this way then?’

  Harry shuffled his foot from side to side, making a little mound of snow. ‘I was coming to see you, as a matter of fact, Babs.’

  ‘Me?’

  ‘Yeah. Makes yer think all sorts of things, Christmas time does.’ He looked over Babs’s shoulder, off into the distance. ‘And all I could think about was you.’

  ‘Me?’

  He nodded. ‘I wondered if yer’d consider coming out with me tonight. See if we can start again.’

  ‘I don’t know what to say, Harry. I was meant to be going with Evie …’

  Harry nodded again, his lips tight. ‘Fair enough. Maybe I should have been less pig-headed and asked you earlier. Should have swallowed me stupid pride.’ He pulled his collar up round his neck. ‘See yer around sometime then, eh?’ And he started to walk away.

  ‘No, Harry,’ she called after him. ‘Hang on a minute. I’m gonna do what I wanna do for once, not what Evie wants.’

  He turned round.

  ‘Please. Wait there.’

  Harry nodded.

  ‘Yer promise?’

  ‘Yeah. I won’t move.’

  Babs ran along Grove Road, slipping and sliding on the snowy pavement, the icy air freezing her lungs. When she got to the corner of Burdett Road, she was gasping for breath.

  ‘Eve,’ she panted. ‘I’ve made a decision. I’m making a life for meself just like you are.’

  ‘Eh?’

  She put her hand to her chest and took a deep breath. ‘I ain’t sure how it’s all gonna work out yet, but I know that I want Betty and I’ll take care of her like she was me own. But you, Eve, yer gonna have to start growing up a bit and realise that other people ain’t always gonna be there to run after yer. Yer gonna have to start looking after yerself.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘I want happiness as well, Eve.’

  ‘You ain’t coming to Essex with me, are yer?’ She wrinkled her nose and giggled. ‘Yer staying here with Harry.’

  Babs grinned. ‘Yeah, I am.’

  Evie shook her head. ‘Go on. Yer can meet Ray when he comes up to meet Dad and Maud.’ She threw her arms round Babs and squeezed her tight. ‘No matter what, Babs,’ she whispered in her ear, ‘no matter what’s happened between us, we’ve always been best friends as well as sisters, haven’t we?’

  ‘Course we have. Now stop it, or yer’ll make me cry.’

  ‘Go on,’ Evie called with a wave as she walked briskly away towards the station. ‘Grab yer happiness while yer can.’

  Babs waved back to her sister. ‘Give him my love,’ she shouted after her.

  ‘Give who yer love?’ she heard Harry call from behind her.

  She turned round and saw that he was running towards her.

  ‘The bloke that I think’s gonna be me new brother-in-law,’ she said with a smile as he came to a skidding halt beside her.

  ‘So long as it ain’t yer boy friend.’

  ‘I ain’t got a boy friend at the minute,’ she said demurely.

  ‘Good,’ he gasped, his breath forming into little clouds in the freezing air. ‘I had to run after yer. I was scared yer wouldn’t come back. And I couldn’t let yer go, Babs.’

  Babs looked up into his eyes. ‘Couldn’t yer?’ she whispered.

  He slowly shook his head. ‘Not the way I feel about you, no,’ he said. He took her in his arms and kissed her, a long, breathless kiss that left her in no doubt as to exactly how he felt. ‘And I ain’t never letting yer go again.’

  Babs rested her head on his chest. ‘I’m glad, Harry,’ she said. ‘Real glad.’

  ‘But I dunno what I would have done,’ he laughed, ‘if yer really had been married with a baby.’

  Babs took his hand. ‘Let’s go and get a drink somewhere, eh? I think we’ve got some talking to do.’

  37

  It was over a month before Ray finally came to London to meet Georgie and Maud.

  He stood in the front room, his hands behind his back like a schoolboy waiting to be given a dressing down by the headmaster.

  Georgie, who had been sitting at the table with Maud, stood up and held out his hand. ‘So, we get to meet yer at last.’ He smiled as he spoke, but it was a wary, hesitant smile, with little warmth in it.

  Ray shook his hand. ‘Mr Bell,’ he said.

  ‘George, or Ringer,’ he replied firmly. ‘It’s all the same to me.’

  Ray smiled.

  Georgie sat down again and pointed at a chair for Ray to do the same. ‘So. Ray. What d’yer do then? What’re yer prospects as a provider for my Evie?’

  ‘Dad!’ Evie rolled her eyes.

  Maudie stood up and signalled to Babs with a brief nod. ‘Shall we go out to the kitchen to make some tea?’

  Babs jumped up. ‘Good idea.’

  But Georgie motioned for Maud and Babs to sit down again. ‘Got no secrets that these two can’t hear, have yer, lad?’

  ‘I don’t believe this.’ Evie was fuming. ‘He’s doing it on purpose.’

  ‘No, Evie,’ Ray said, keeping his gaze fixed on Georgie. ‘It’s OK. Your father has a right to know all about me.’

  Evie slumped, defeated, into one of the armchairs.

  ‘Yer a millionaire, I suppose,’ Georgie said cynically. ‘Like all the other Yanks you hear about.’

  ‘No, sir. Not me. I’m just a regular guy. But I’m a hard worker. And I’ve got plans to get on in my field.’

  ‘Aw, so yer a farmer, are yer?’

  ‘No, sir. I didn’t mean that sort of field, I meant—’

  Evie almost leapt out of her armchair. She threw her hands up in despair. ‘He is, he’s doing it deliberately. He’s torturing me.’

  Babs went over to her sister and shoved her hard in the ribs. ‘Sit down,’ she hissed at her.

  ‘It was a joke,’ Georgie said flatly. ‘I was trying to be friendly.’

  Ray immediately smiled; his even white teeth gleamed. ‘I’m a trained electrical engineer. And after the war I hope to make my career in Philadelphia, working on a new type of machine they’ve been developing there.’

  ‘What sort of a machine’s that then?’

  ‘It’s called a number integrator and computer, sir.’

  Babs looked wide-eyed at Evie.

  Evie shrugged and whispered, ‘Don’t ask me. I just know I’m gonna marry him.’

  ‘Sounds complicated,’ said Georgie. He shifted on his chair, reached into his waistcoat pocket and took out his tobacco pouch.

  ‘I guess it is, sir,’ answered Ray, offering Georgie a cigarette from the packet he produced from the breast pocket of his uniform.

  ‘Thanks, Ray.’ Georgie took the offered smoke and tapped the cigarette on the back of his hand. ‘I’m not sure what yer talking about with this machine of your’n, but yer think there’s a living to be made in working with it, do yer?’

  ‘Yes, sir. I do.’

  Georgie stuck the cigarette in the corner of his mouth. ‘Babs, Evie, go and make us all a cuppa tea.’ He looked at Ray. ‘Tea all right?’

  ‘Thank you, sir.

  ‘I’ll come and help you,’ said Maud, hurrying after the twins.

  Ray stood up while the women left the room then held out his lighter to Georgie, who bent his head forward to catch the flame. Ray sat down again.

  ‘It’s going to. be a very important machine, sir. A machine that will probably change a lot of things in the future.’

  Georgie took a drag on his cigarette, blowing the smoke out of his nostrils. ‘Changes for the better, I hope.’

 
‘Of course, sir.’

  ‘Ringer.’

  ‘Ringer,’ smiled Ray.

  Someone knocked on the front room door. It was Evie. She poked her head into the room. ‘Dad, I thought I ought to say something while Babs and Maud are in the kitchen.’

  Ray stood up and guided her into the room.

  ‘Just so things are straight, Dad.’ She bowed her head.

  Ray took her hand in his and smiled encouragingly.

  ‘I’ve told Ray about Albie Denham,’ she said.

  ‘Everything?’ asked Georgie.

  She nodded.

  ‘I know he was a crook, sir. That he beat her.’ Ray squeezed Evie’s hand. ‘And I know about Betty.’

  Evie raised her chin a little and gazed at Georgie, trying to gauge his reaction.

  His face showed no sign of what he was thinking.

  ‘That’s why Babs took Betty into Blanche earlier this afternoon, Dad,’ she said quietly. ‘So we could talk to yer about it without her hearing.’

  Georgie flicked the end of his cigarette into the hearth and watched it until it had burnt away to nothing. He kept his eyes on the flames and said, ‘And it don’t make no difference to how yer feel about her, Ray?’

  Ray also paused before he spoke. ‘It was hard to understand at first,’ he said eventually. ‘That Eve could feel that way about her own child.’ Another pause. ‘It nearly broke us up when she told me back in January.’

  George looked at him. ‘So that’s why it took so long for yer to come and see us?’

  Ray nodded. ‘I think we both needed time. But, in the end, I knew that I wanted Evie more than I wanted anything else in the world. And that accepting her for what she is was part of that; it wasn’t about trying to change her into some person I’d prefer her to be.’

  Evie had to bite hard on her bottom lip to stop herself from crying.

  ‘And I know she loves Betty in her own way. She just can’t help it that she doesn’t love her the way Babs does, the way she should.’

  ‘Should?’ repeated Georgie carefully.

  ‘Sure, I’d be a liar if I didn’t find it difficult. But she was honest with me and that counts for a lot. And we’ve worked it through between us. And everything’s going to be just fine.’

  Georgie stood up and put his hand on Ray’s shoulder. ‘I hope so, son,’ he said. ‘I really do.’ He chucked Evie gently under the chin. ‘’Cos this little girl of mine’s been hurt enough. And I’d kill anyone who hurt her again.’

  ‘There’s something else, Dad.’

  ‘Well?’

  ‘Ray’s found a room for me, down near the base. I’m going back with him tonight. Babs knows already.’ She covered her face with her hands. ‘It’ll help Betty get used to me not being here,’ she whispered and bolted from the room.

  The two men stood in silence as they listened to her run up the stairs and slam the bedroom door.

  Evie and Ray had left for Essex and Babs had gone next door to fetch Betty. Maud and Georgie were sitting in the front room. The wireless was on, Georgie was staring into the fire, and Maud was darning a sock.

  Without looking up from her sewing, she said, ‘Why don’t you have a glass of that bourbon that Ray brought for you, George?’

  He got up with a sigh. ‘Good idea. Want anything?’

  Maudie shook her head. ‘No thanks.’

  He poured his drink, sat down and took a sip of the whisky. ‘Babs is a long time,’ he said.

  Maudie put her darning down on the arm of the chair. ‘Blanche’ll be showing her that letter again.’

  Georgie nodded grimly. ‘Yeah, she’s happy as Larry that young Len’s coming home.’

  ‘She really thought she’d lost him to the farming life,’ smiled Maudie.

  ‘It’s funny with kids. Yer can never tell how they’ll turn out.’ Georgie bent forward, unhooked the poker from the companion set and raked it through the hot coals, sending sparks dancing up the chimney. ‘Won’t be having too many more fires now the weather’s improving,’ he said, staring unseeingly into the flames. ‘I’ll have to see about getting this lot swept. Ain’t been done for a couple of years.’

  Maudie returned to her darning. ‘I’m glad you got on with Ray, George.’

  He put the poker back on the stand. ‘Yeah,’ he said vaguely. ‘That was a surprise, wasn’t it? I’d built meself up to dislike the feller without ever having met him.’ He drank some more whisky. ‘I can’t pretend I understand him accepting about Evie and Betty though. It hurts me to think of that girl moving down to live in lodgings in Essex and leaving her baby here. Just like her mum, when yer come down to it.’

  ‘There’s more to it than that, George.’

  ‘Yeah, I suppose so. She ain’t a bad girl, not heartless like her mother was. Still, what do I know about women? Yer all a right bloody puzzle, if you ask me.’

  Maudie smiled to herself, pulling the heel of the sock tight over the wooden darning mushroom. ‘I think Ray will do her good, George. Make her happy.’

  ‘I hope yer right. He seemed decent enough. Clever and all.’ He lifted his glass. ‘Mind you, that bottle of bourbon he brought helped.’

  ‘And the soap. And the shaving cream. And the tinned fruit. You’ve got enough to feed the whole street.’

  ‘I already have with half the last lot he sent up for Eve.’

  Maudie smiled. ‘I sometimes think you’re too generous for your own good, Georgie Bell.’

  ‘No I’m not, I’m just a feller who realises he’s well off and wants to share it about a bit.’

  ‘That’s a good thing to say, George. There’s not many people realise when they are well off, you know.’

  ‘I’ve got two beautiful, healthy daughters that any man would be proud of. I’ve got an angel of a granddaughter. A job that makes me feel like I’m worth something. A roof over me head.’ He sipped at his drink and studied Maud across the rim of his glass. ‘And now I’ve got you for company and all, haven’t I?’

  Maudie put her mending down again. ‘Do you think I could have a glass of that now?’

  ‘Course.’

  She took the glass from him and gulped down a mouthful of the bourbon. Her eyes watered and she started coughing as it hit the back of her throat.

  Georgie took the glass from her. ‘All right?’

  ‘Not used to it,’ she gasped, patting her chest. ‘That’s better. I’ll take it a bit slower next time.’

  Georgie handed the glass back to her.

  ‘I’m going to say this outright, George. There’s no point me beating about the bush or messing around. And I know you’ll think I’m being a bit forward. And I know I’m no spring chicken.’

  Georgie laughed, the first time he had done so all day. ‘Come on then, spit it out.’

  Maudie stared at the half-moon rug in front of the hearth.

  ‘Do you think the two of us might make a go of it, George?’

  ‘What d’yer mean? Me and you, proper like?’

  ‘Why not?’ Maudie took another big gulp of the whisky, and this time she didn’t notice the effects. ‘I only thought …’ she began, then ran out of words.

  ‘Blimey,’ Georgie said.

  Maudie took a deep breath and stood up. ‘Look, George,’ she said firmly. ‘Maybe you’ll think I’m terrible but I’ve gone too far to stop now. I thought that you could move in with me and leave this place for Babs and Harry.’

  ‘Babs and Harry?’

  Maudie grimaced. ‘Don’t tell me you hadn’t realised? I’ve really put my foot in it now, haven’t I?’

  Georgie ran his fingers through his dark, wavy hair. ‘I knew they were seeing each other, but I didn’t realise they was serious.’ He shook his head slowly. ‘Yer know, I think I must be half daft sometimes.’

  Maud looked at him expectantly. ‘Well?’ she said.

  ‘Well what?’

  ‘George!’

  ‘There’s a problem.’ Georgie swallowed the remains of his bourbon. ‘I�
��m still married.’

  ‘I know.’

  Georgie’s chin dropped. ‘What? And yer don’t mind? You being a churchgoer and everything?’

  ‘I’d rather you were free, but it can’t be helped. The war’s made me see a lot of things very differently.’

  ‘Yer full of surprises, you.’

  ‘I hope so, George.’ Maud got up, walked over to him, took his face in her hands and kissed him gently on the lips.

  Georgie stood up too. ‘Before anything else’s said, would you tell me something, Maud?’

  She smiled gently. ‘Anything.’

  ‘It’s something that I ain’t been able to get off me mind. About that frock.’

  ‘Frock?’

  ‘The one you gave to our Evie to get married in. Did you ever wear it?’

  Maudie sat down and nodded for him to do the same. ‘I did wear it,’ she said. ‘But only to have it fitted by the dressmaker.’ There was a faraway look in her eyes as she spoke. ‘I was engaged to a young man. Richard, his name was.’

  Georgie went over to her, sat on the arm of her chair and took her hand in his. ‘I’m sorry, Maud, I didn’t mean to pry.’

  ‘No, you should know. But where do I begin?’ Maudie took out her handkerchief and twisted it round and round her fingers. ‘The old couple I lived with here in Darnfield Street, George. They weren’t my parents. They were Richard’s.’

  ‘Well, there’s a turn-up; everyone round here just presumed they was yours. So how about yer own mum and dad?’

  Maudie hesitated.

  ‘Sorry, Maud.’ George stared up at the ceiling. ‘Me and my big mouth. I didn’t mean to poke me nose in.’

  ‘No, you’re not doing that, George. It’s just that I haven’t spoken about my parents for so many years. Although I still think about them. All the time.’ She stuffed the hankie up her sleeve and drained the whisky glass. ‘They were musicians,’ she began. ‘There were times when we didn’t have much money, but the house where we lived was full of love and there were always lots of people laughing and singing. Your girls would have loved it.’

  ‘Where was that then?’

  ‘London. Bloomsbury.’

  ‘I always knew you wasn’t from round these parts.’

  Maudie smiled.