Breakfast passed quickly, with campers enjoying plates of eggs, sausages and tomatoes, mopped up with thick slices of bread and margarine prepared in the vast Butlins kitchen. Molly stopped to chat with parents who had children old enough to go on her nature walk. Announcements were made during the meal urging people to join in with physical fitness on the lawn near the swimming pool or to help make Kent House the winning house that week by entering the swimming gala, boxing match or even the knobbly-knees competition. Announcements were always greeted with cheers by the holidaymakers, who took all suggestions in good spirit.
Molly spotted Bunty across the dining room cheering and applauding the redcoat who was on the microphone. She looked as though she hadn’t a care in the world. With a healthy glow on her face and not a spot of make-up, she appeared closer to eighteen than the twenty-eight years of age that Molly knew her to be. What the girl had blurted out last night worried Molly. Was Bunty really in trouble with the police?
Once breakfast was finished, Molly headed over to the stable block. It was a little early for campers to begin lessons and Plum was alone mucking out the last of the stables. She’d expected to see Bunty already there, but the girl had not yet arrived.
‘Hello, Plum. I’ve brought you a bacon sandwich. I thought you might have missed your breakfast.’
Plum took the food, wrapped in greaseproof paper, and sat on a nearby bale of hay. ‘Scrummy. Thanks a bunch. I never seem to find time to eat in the mornings. Take a seat and make yourself comfortable. Where’s Bunty?’
Molly shrugged her shoulders. ‘I’ve no idea. I thought she’d have been here by now.’ She checked her wristwatch. ‘I only have half an hour before the children’s nature trail starts and Bunty is supposed to be helping. I don’t want to be late, as Mr Johnson has decided to tag along and I’m always making mistakes when he’s around. For once I want to show I can do a job properly.’
Plum finished chewing a mouthful of bacon and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. ‘Have you known him long?’
‘Goodness, no. I met him in London during my interview, then saw him again outside a theatre while I was doing “The Lambeth Walk”. Before that, I’d only ever seen him on the cinema screen.’
‘What?’ Plum hooted with laughter. ‘And there’s me thinking you were the quiet one.’
‘What do you mean about me being the quiet one? What about Bunty?’
‘Oh, come on – you must have thought there was something strange about her creeping off to the fairground so many times,’ Plum said.
‘I’ve only seen her going once, yesterday, but she did seem distant that time we visited the fair together.’
‘It was twice yesterday,’ Plum said knowingly. ‘The first time, she was wearing her uniform, but last night, she was in civvies. Before that, I spotted her going a couple more times. I did ask her about it, but she ducked the question and never gave me an answer.’
‘I’m sorry about that,’ Bunty said as she joined the pair and sat down beside Molly. ‘I didn’t know where to begin and you both deserved the truth.’
Molly felt embarrassed at being caught discussing Bunty. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to talk behind your back. We are worried about you. Connie warned us about hanging around the funfair during the first staff training session.’
Bunty sighed. ‘If it were only that simple.’
‘You’d better tell us before my punters arrive for their morning ride and our heart-throb Johnny comes looking for his latest conquest,’ Plum announced, screwing up the wrapper from her sandwich and stuffing it in the pocket of her dungarees. ‘That’s if you still want to confide in us?’
Molly glared at Plum. ‘Don’t take any notice of Plum – she’s only larking about. We’re both worried about you, Bunty. Why not start at the beginning?’
‘I’ll try. The truth is . . . The truth is . . .’ Bunty held her breath, almost afraid to speak. ‘I’ve been in prison. So has my fiancé, Gordon.’ She noticed the look of horror on Molly’s face and saw Plum’s eyes open wide in shock. ‘I knew I shouldn’t have said anything.’ She got up to walk away.
‘You can stop right there. You’ve started now, so sit down and tell us what happened. I’d rather like to know if I’m sharing a chalet with a murderer,’ Plum said, not unkindly. ‘Come on, kid – spit it out,’ she added in a mock American-gangster voice.
Bunty sighed but did as she’d been instructed. ‘I’m not sure where to start.’
‘At the beginning is as good a place as any,’ Plum said. ‘Tell us how you met Gordon.’
Bunty nodded. ‘I was a nurse in the same hospital where Gordon worked as a doctor. I was attracted to him from the first day we met. You could say we were flung together. That first day, there was an air raid and so many injured were brought to the hospital. We worked non-stop helping those who were hurt, holding hands with people who weren’t going to make it through the night and consoling their relatives. Gordon patched patients up, and I was there to dress wounds and help where I could. Afterwards, when we’d done all we could, we found ourselves sitting together in a pub and chatting. It wasn’t until much later that I found out he was married, and by then it was too late.’ Her face had taken on a haunted look as she gazed into the distance, her mind now on a time and place long gone.
‘So you had an affair with a married man?’ Plum said, her face taking on a hard look.
Molly was surprised by Plum’s attitude. ‘Let Bunty finish her story,’ she said, giving the girl a nod to continue speaking.
‘I didn’t know about Aileen for a long time. Gordon and I were just colleagues. I wasn’t even sure he felt anything for me. We were thrown together because of the Blitz . . .’
‘Don’t tell me you blame Adolf for this,’ Plum scoffed.
‘No, I only blame myself for falling in love. We worked night and day together and got along so well. We were friends before . . . before anything happened.’
‘And his wife? Where was she while you were working with Gordon?’ Molly asked. ‘Did she find out about you?’
Bunty nodded, causing Plum to sniff in disapproval. ‘Yes, but it’s not like you think. Aileen had gone to live in Scotland with her parents. She had taken Jamie, their son, with her. They thought it would be safer than living in London. She didn’t like the bombing. Her nerves weren’t very good, and with Gordon working such long hours at the hospital, she was alone with the child and afraid. This all happened long before I met Gordon,’ she added hastily.
‘She found out?’ Molly urged her, aware that time was passing and they would need to head towards reception for the start of the nature ramble.
‘Aileen was making a trip to London, as she had an important meeting to see the family solicitor on behalf of her parents. Or so she told Gordon. They’d been apart for two years by then. Gordon had hoped to see Jamie, but he’d been left with his grandparents. She said it was for his safety.’
‘That’s understandable,’ Plum said. ‘No one wants a kiddie to be in danger.’
‘Gordon decided to tell Aileen about us. He went to see her alone. It was a very dignified meeting. She asked to meet me.’
‘You went to see your lover’s wife?’ Plum asked in astonishment.
‘We weren’t . . . It wasn’t like that. We were close but nothing more at that time.’
‘But you went to see her?’ Molly asked.
‘She sent a note to tell us when she would be at her hotel. You’ve got to understand about their marriage. Aileen had never been close to Gordon. He married her to save her reputation.’
Plum burst out laughing. ‘I’ve heard it all now. He’s made excuses to you so he could have an affair behind his wife’s back.’
‘No, please believe me. It wasn’t like that at all. I just wish someone would believe me.’
Molly put her arm round Bunty as she started to sob and tried to soothe her. ‘Plum, let’s give Bunty time to explain, shall we? She didn’t have to tell us about her past lif
e. I like Bunty. I don’t think she’s a bad sort. Come on, Bunty. Tell us what happened next.’
Bunty wiped the tears from her eyes and continued. ‘She instructed us to be at her hotel at three and go straight to her room. I was almost sick with nerves. To face a man’s wife and tell her we were in love and wanted to marry isn’t something I’d done before.’ She gave a sad laugh. ‘I really didn’t want to wreck someone’s life. I was so frightened. I was even offered a glass of water by the bellboy, who saw how nervous I was as we travelled up in the lift. He said he’d call a maid to fetch me one.’
‘That sounds like a posh hotel,’ Molly said.
‘It was one of the larger hotels in Mayfair, which made me even more nervous,’ Bunty added.
‘Forget the glass of water and the posh hotel. Tell me what you meant about Gordon saving Aileen’s reputation,’ Plum insisted.
‘Gordon married her in 1938 because she was expecting another man’s baby. He felt responsible. He’d introduced Aileen to the man. Gordon’s family had known Aileen’s family. They’d both grown up together,’ she blurted out through shuddering breaths.
‘This gets worse by the minute,’ Plum muttered as she got to her feet. ‘Look, I’d like to hear more but I have people over there waiting for a pony. You’ll have to tell me the rest later.’ She patted Bunty’s shoulder. ‘It’s not that I don’t believe you, but I didn’t expect to hear something like this. Chin up – I’m sure it’s not as bad as you think.’
‘It was. It is. You see, when we arrived at Aileen’s hotel suite, the door was slightly ajar and we found her collapsed on the floor.’
‘Oh my goodness, the poor woman,’ Molly gasped. ‘Whatever did you do?’
‘Gordon checked to see if there was a pulse. There was, but it was faint. She was trying to speak but was very agitated. We did our best to calm her, but she wanted to talk. We couldn’t make out much. She was worried about Jamie and begged Gordon to take care of him. She also kept speaking of Richard. He’s Jamie’s father,’ she added, seeing Molly’s puzzled expression. ‘Gordon promised to take care of the boy. He has always provided for him, but we could see she was fading fast.’
‘Was she ill?’ Molly asked.
Bunty shook her head violently. ‘We thought she’d tried to take her own life. The empty bottle was in her hand. She kept waving it at us. We assumed she was trying to show us what she’d done, but then she pointed to an empty tumbler on a side table. We realized she was trying to reach it and that must have been why she was lying on the floor. Gordon picked it up and checked the dregs at the bottom of the glass. It seemed the pills had been crushed and mixed with whisky.’
‘My goodness, how awful. She must have been desperate,’ Molly declared.
‘She wasn’t desperate and she hadn’t taken her own life. She managed to tell us that she had found out Richard had taken all her money. She had come to London to confront him, but they’d had several drinks before he’d drugged her and left. She managed to explain that to us. She’d also wanted to set Gordon free so we could marry. Her trip had been to put her life in order, but instead she died.’
Molly was puzzled. ‘Did you not tell the police what she had said?’
‘We tried. It was as Gordon was lifting Aileen onto the bed that a maid arrived with my glass of water. After that, it was a blur, as the maid’s screams brought people to the room. The police arrived just as Aileen passed away.’
Molly didn’t know what to think. There were so many questions she wanted to ask. ‘Did they catch the person who did it, this Richard?’
Bunty sighed. ‘They never looked for anyone else.’
‘What do you mean, they never looked for anyone else?’ Molly exclaimed. ‘Surely if it was foul play, there would have been an investigation?’
Bunty looked sad. ‘It was the height of the Blitz. There was enough evidence to show the culprits were in the room. I was charged along with Gordon and we went to prison.’
‘Did the police find out the truth?’
Bunty shook her head and started to sob. ‘No. I was let out a couple of months ago and met Gordon here.’
Molly was mystified. ‘But if they didn’t find the real murderer, why did Gordon get out of prison so soon?’
Bunty gulped and tried to speak between her sobs. ‘Gordon escaped during an air raid. He’s been on the run these past years and waiting for me.’
10
Molly was surprised that she managed to get through the next couple of hours with so many thoughts buzzing around inside her head. It wasn’t until she was marching the crocodile of children along the beach with a bracing wind in her face that she was able to focus on what was happening around her. After Bunty’s disclosure about Aileen’s death in the hotel and how Gordon had escaped from prison, the girl had burst into hysterical sobs that had only subsided into quiet tears when Plum had rushed over and slapped her face to bring her to her senses.
They’d helped Bunty back to the chalet and tucked her up in bed. Molly then dashed to reception, where she’d reported to Connie that Bunty was unwell and most likely off duty for the day. She’d found another redcoat to cover her friend’s duties on the nature trail and had managed to get her large brood of happy children under control just as Johnny Johnson arrived to observe proceedings. Fortunately, he was content to take the tail end of the long line of excited children as they marched off towards the beach.
‘Come closer, children,’ Molly called loudly as they reached the shoreline. The tide was out as far as it would go, so at least there was no chance of the more adventurous youngsters being knocked over by an incoming wave.
‘Are we going to fish for the crabs now, miss?’ young Freddie Sangster asked.
‘We don’t fish for crabs. They crawl out of the sea and bite our toes,’ a girl with a large white bow in her hair informed Freddie. She stood a head taller than the boy and looked down on him as some children tittered and others shrieked, trying to stand on one leg in case the dangerous crustaceans crept up on them. ‘Doesn’t your daddy teach you anything?’
Molly felt nothing but sympathy for young Freddie, but needn’t have worried. ‘My dad’s dead.’ He squared up to the girl. ‘But he did tell me about crabs, and you can go fishing for them,’ he announced pointedly.
The girl opened her mouth to continue the conversation, but before she could utter a word, Johnny stepped forward. ‘Whoa there! You are both right,’ he said, kneeling down so his face was level with theirs.
The girl was not going to back down easily. ‘Crabs can’t swim like fish,’ she said, staring back at Johnny indignantly.
Molly fought the urge to laugh and had to place her hand over her mouth to hide her grin. How ever is he going to get out of this? she thought.
Johnny looked at Molly and smiled. For just a moment she felt a connection with the man. Perhaps beneath that movie-star persona there was a perfectly normal man who didn’t have women falling at his feet and glamorous starlets on his arm.
‘You are right, Susan,’ he said, looking at the label pinned to her cardigan. ‘Crabs can’t swim, but they do live in the sea and we can catch them.’
Susan thought for a moment before answering. ‘I’ve only seen them in rock pools, and there aren’t any pools here, so we can’t catch them.’
Freddie sidled closer to Johnny. ‘Tell us how you fish for them, mister.’
‘Well, Freddie, it takes a special kind of fisherman to catch a crab. We need a length of string, a rock and a piece of bacon,’ Johnny explained.
‘Nah!’ Freddie laughed. ‘You’re pulling my leg.’
The children who had gathered round expecting a fight between Susan and Freddie joined in with his laughter.
‘Who would like to come crabbing?’ Johnny asked.
Excited children raised their hands and started to shout, ‘Me, me!’ and jump up and down.
‘Perhaps we can ask Redcoat Molly to arrange a crabbing trip.’ He looked at Molly and winked.
‘I’m sure that can be arranged.’ Molly nodded. ‘If Redcoat Johnny will come along and show us what to do.’
Johnny agreed. ‘Now, let’s get cracking with this nature trail. Is it a competition, Redcoat Molly?’ he asked as he brushed sand from his trousers.
Molly quickly called the children together and put them into their house groups with a redcoat in charge of each. ‘You have an hour to find all the items on the list I’ve given to your group leader. When your time is up, I’m going to blow my whistle. Then there will be a quiz about what you’ve found. Points will be awarded for your house. Good luck, everyone. Three, two, one, go!’ Molly blew her whistle and the children raced off with their redcoat leaders in hot pursuit. It was going to be a busy hour!
Johnny had been put in charge of Kent House, much to the glee of young Freddie, who had taken the entertainment adviser by the hand and was busy chatting about crabs as they headed off to find seaweed and shells.
Molly checked that each group of children was engrossed in their tasks and then sat down on the soft sand to check her notes. She didn’t want to miss out even one part of the itinerary she’d planned for the children but was finding it hard to concentrate after learning about Bunty and her fiancé.
The wind had eased off and Molly enjoyed feeling the sun on her face. If she didn’t have the responsibility of her job, she could easily have closed her eyes and dozed for a while. A shadow passed over the papers on her lap, making Molly squint up into the sun. She shaded her eyes to see more clearly. A tall man dressed casually in slacks and an open-necked blue shirt, his hair a little too long and stubble on his chin, stood over her. Molly jumped, more in surprise than fear. ‘Can I help you?’ she asked for want of something better to say.
‘Good morning,’ he replied in a polite, well-spoken voice. ‘I was looking for Bunty Grainger. I thought she would be on duty here today.’
The Butlins Girls Page 12