‘It’s important that you hold on to that thought, Molly. They had a good life, from what you’ve told me, and they are remembered with fondness. In my book, that counts for something. All the same, you’re right it’s time we got to the bottom of this, even if it’s so we can confront that miserable bugger and tell him he’s been wrong all these years. Now that would be worth doing,’ Sally said with a grin.
‘But how can we? I have no idea how to look into the past, or where to look.’
Sally smiled. ‘That’s where I can help. I shall make it my business to find Norman’s family and then we can ask them what they know of this sorry affair. They can’t have vanished off the face of the earth, can they?’
Molly thought her aunt was becoming overenthusiastic, although she loved her for wanting to help. ‘They could have passed away by now. Plus I’m concerned that they too consider Dad to be some kind of thief. Why else would there have been no communication with his family all this time?’ Molly’s thoughts went to Harriet and Simon. Harriet had married her dad’s cousin. Would she have been told about the family having fallen out all those years ago? Perhaps she should speak to her. She quickly shrugged off that idea. It would be better for her parents’ past life to remain a mystery than to involve Harriet and her son. She wasn’t even sure if she would believe what they told her.
‘Then we have to find out once and for all. There is one thing that bothers me, Molly. What if we do find out your dad did something wrong? How would you feel?’
Molly thought for a moment. ‘It would make no difference to me. My dad was a good man in my eyes and that will never diminish, whatever we uncover. Thank you, Aunt Sally. Please find out what you can.’
‘One final thing, Molly. Please stop calling me “aunt”. I’m only ten years older than you. “Sally” will do for me. Now, let’s head back to the house. I see that Johnny has arrived and is at the mercy of my daughters. They will have him making daisy chains and playing princesses before too long. He seems to be putty in their hands. He’s a good one, Molly, like my Dan. You’re a lucky girl.’
‘Yes, Sally, I’m beginning to believe I am indeed extremely lucky.’
Molly hadn’t expected to enjoy the wedding. The black cloud that was her grandfather quickly dissipated and she enjoyed meeting Sally and Dan’s friends and family. Johnny was soon busy talking food production with the men, and Molly was not surprised to learn he intended to discuss buying local produce with the governor when they next met. The biggest surprise of the day was when Johnny handed the twins an envelope just before they left the reception.
‘We’re going to Butlins,’ Avril and Annie chanted together, before flinging themselves on Johnny, almost pulling him to the ground in their glee.
Sally took the envelope and looked at the contents. ‘Why, Johnny, I don’t know what to say. This is far too generous. A whole week at Butlins in a family-sized chalet. My goodness.’
‘It’s the last week of the season. Many campers will be returning after having won a free holiday in one of our competitions. It will be a special week to end the first Butlins season since the war. Next year, there will be more chalets and even more entertainment for visitors,’ he explained.
‘It would be lovely to show you the camp. Please say you can come,’ Molly urged.
‘I know I’d like to see where you both work. I’ve always had a hankering to visit Butlins. Knowing it’s not far away from here, the camp has always held a fascination for me. I’d love to accept, and I know the girls wouldn’t forgive me if I said no. Dan will have to find someone to cover his work for the week. I’ll put my foot down if his boss objects or we will come on our own,’ she said, looking at her husband as he read the contents of the envelope.
Johnny laughed. ‘I don’t want to cause dissent between husband and wife. If you can’t get time off from the farm, Dan, I can change the booking to next season.’
‘Oh no!’ Sally said. ‘We will be there and can’t thank you enough. Life for farm workers doesn’t give much time for holidays. We are going to enjoy ourselves.’
The twins became more excited and Molly, who had been dreading the end of the season at Butlins, was overjoyed that her last week at the camp would be spent not only with Sally and her family but Freda as well, who was returning to Butlins after forgoing her previous holiday in order to work at the camp.
‘What will you do once the camp closes, Molly? Will you go home to Erith?’ Sally asked as she walked her niece to Johnny’s car. ‘I know things aren’t right for you at the moment in your home town, but there are people who love you and will make sure you are safe.’
‘Yes, I’m going back to Erith and will stay with George and Kath to begin with. I’ll help out in the shop for a while, but there are enough staff who can do the job better than I can, and I’m not sure the profits can carry another person on the payroll at present. When I thought Mum and Dad’s house would be passed to me, I was considering taking in paying guests, but that isn’t going to happen now.’
‘Before you head south, I’d like to invite you to stay with us for a week. I can’t offer the same entertainment as Butlins, but the girls would love to spend time with their new cousin. They’ve never had one before.’
‘I’ve never had a cousin before either, and now I have two, as well as an aunt and uncle,’ Molly said as she kissed Sally goodbye. ‘I’m a lucky, lucky girl.’
Molly leaned back in the car seat and sighed. ‘Despite the disastrous meeting with my grandfather, it has been a lovely day. It was so good of you to give such a generous gift to Sally and Dan. Thank you, Johnny.’
‘Don’t thank me – thank Butlins. I can use my discretion when awarding prizes, and if there are chalets empty in the last week, why not fill them? It’s good publicity for the company. Holidaymakers tell their friends and next season some of those will book. Besides that, I like your relatives.’
‘Whatever you say, I think it was pretty good of you to treat them,’ she said, giving him a big smile.
‘It was worth it just for that smile.’
Molly slapped his arm. ‘Don’t be daft.’ She thought for a moment. ‘What about your family? You’ve never mentioned them. Here I am always crying on your shoulder about my family problems and accepting your help, but you never mention your own family. Do you mind me asking?’
‘Not at all. It’s rather boring really. I’m an only child, just like you, although my parents are alive. My father runs a successful talent agency in London and owns a hotel in Margate, Kent.’
‘So we both have roots in Kent. That’s nice. There’s no better county to live in,’ Molly said enthusiastically.
‘I agree. I’ve lived there, man and boy. I hope to settle in the county one day.’
‘Do you mind if I ask why you are working for Butlins and not your father’s business?’
‘Of course not. In fact, I used to work as a junior talent agent in the agency but had itchy feet to try something else. I fell into acting through the agency and enjoyed it. Then the war came along and made me think long and hard about my future.’
‘You joined the RAF?’
‘Better to jump than be pushed in the wrong direction. I enjoyed myself as a pilot – if you can say you enjoyed war. As a minor celebrity, I was able to make the occasional film. Patriotic movies in which good triumphs over evil. They were made to keep up morale and show the world England would not be walked over by the enemy.’
‘Your films kept up my morale, thank you very much, as well as that of many other women.’ Molly grinned and was surprised to see Johnny’s cheeks turn pink. ‘Are you blushing, Mr Johnson?’
‘That’s the side of show business I don’t enjoy. I’m happy to put my minor fame to good use for others, but I’m not a natural movie star. I’ve turned down offers to go to Hollywood.’
‘Instead you came to Butlins?’
‘I was offered the job of working on the entertainment team as an adviser for the season. The job interes
ted me because I’d be working as part of a team creating memorable holidays for families, and it would give me the summer to think about my future,’ he answered, turning the car right into Butlins at the end of their journey. ‘As it is, my decision has been made for me.’
‘You’re returning next season?’ Molly asked hopefully.
‘No. I had intended to return for at least one more year, but circumstances have dictated otherwise. I travelled down to London a couple of months ago to see my father. He’s been insistent I return to the family business. He’s not getting any younger, and my mother wants to travel and enjoy their retirement before he gets too old. He begrudgingly gave me another year but was taken ill soon after and it has rather forced my hand.’
Molly took his arm as he helped her from the car. ‘I’m sorry your father is unwell. Is it serious?’
‘Yes and no. He will recover but is under strict instructions from his doctor, and my mother, to retire and take things easy.’
Molly was disappointed that Johnny would not be working at the Skegness camp next season but knew that under the circumstances his father’s health came first. ‘How do you feel about the changes?’
‘Not as bad as I thought I would. The old man has given me carte blanche with the business, so at least he won’t be interfering. A bonus has been that the governor has invited me to remain part of the overall entertainment team. I’ll be involved with finding entertainers for the camps, and that will be done through my London office.’
‘So you’ll not be visiting the camp?’
‘Possibly, but my work will be more office-based. Does that disappoint you?’
Molly sighed. ‘Yes. So much of my life has changed in the past year that I was hoping for some stability. Now Bunty has gone, Plum has William back, Freda is in Erith, and I don’t know what to do with my life. Should I come back to Butlins in the spring or stay in Erith, if that is possible? If truth be known, I feel a little tired and more than a little scared of the future.’ She turned to face Johnny as he locked the car doors. ‘I was looking forward to being here next year and seeing you every day.’
Johnny pulled Molly into his arms and held her close. ‘My dear girl, do you honestly think I’d walk away and forget you? I thought I’d made my intentions clear. I love you, Molly. I want us to spend the rest of our lives together.’
‘You’re moving too fast, Johnny,’ Molly said. ‘I feel as though everything is being rushed. Can we not spend time getting to know each other? I enjoy being with you, and I do love you, but so much of my life is still a mess. I don’t want to bring that into a relationship.’
Johnny kissed the tip of her nose. ‘I can make everything right for you. I’ll spend my life caring for you and protecting you . . .’
Molly pulled away. ‘No, Johnny. I need to be able to fight my own battles sometimes. Don’t think I’m not grateful for all you’ve done, but I must be prepared to stand on my own two feet. Do you hate me for saying that?’
Johnny thought for a few seconds and then smiled gently. ‘You’re right. I was running away with the notion of us being together. I won’t push you. I promise. I had another suggestion, but it may be the wrong time to mention what it is.’
Molly thought she loved Johnny more then than she had ever done. She could have lost him forever for saying what she had, but instead he was prepared to wait. ‘Johnny, I adore you,’ she replied, reaching up to kiss him. Johnny’s response took her breath away as he held her as close as was humanly possible and returned her kiss until she could hardly breathe.
He groaned. ‘We’d better say goodnight before you drive me completely crazy.’ He took her hand and they walked towards the main building, where campers could be heard singing ‘Goodnight Campers’.
‘By the way, Johnny, what was your suggestion?’ she asked shyly.
‘I was going to ask you to come and work with me in my London office over the winter while you decided whether to return to Butlins in 1947 or perhaps marry me . . .’ He grinned.
Molly stopped dead in her tracks. ‘I shouldn’t have asked. Now you’ve given me something else to think about.’
He looked sideways at her and laughed. ‘You mean marrying me is a problem?’
‘I’ll ignore that,’ she said, joining in with his laughter. ‘It was the suggestion of a job that I was referring to. Can I think about it?’
‘Take as long as you want. The job is yours until you say you don’t want it.’
‘You haven’t told me what the job entails. I can’t type, and I’m useless at taking telephone messages.’
Johnny led her to a nearby bench, where they sat side by side. ‘I need someone to devise holiday activities for children. You’d be ideal for the job, Molly. I’ve seen you work with the children here and you are a natural. Furthermore, you’re good with the parents, and you care about the holidaymakers.’
‘But I don’t have any qualifications or training, Johnny. You need someone who trained as a teacher or perhaps a nurse.’
‘No, I need someone who cares about the job. I need you, Molly.’
‘I’m seriously interested, Johnny, but shouldn’t this work be done in the holiday camp rather than your office?’
Johnny shook his head. ‘This is for the family hotel in Margate. I want to offer families with young children the same kind of entertainment that is available at Butlins. Why shouldn’t children have aunties and uncles whose sole job is to entertain them so they have enjoyable holidays?’
Molly nodded. ‘I think it’s a wonderful idea. I’d say yes straight away, but there are things I need to do back home before I commit to another job. Would that be possible?’
‘It’s more than I thought you would agree to. What if we say you start at the beginning of December? If you feel you wish to start work earlier, then you just have to say.’
Molly agreed. She’d been wondering about finding work once Butlins closed for the winter. A job as a shop assistant in Erith would have been the obvious choice, but until the ongoing problem with Harriet and Simon was resolved, she felt it was better she didn’t work in the town she called home.
‘It doesn’t seem five minutes since we were waving goodbye to you,’ Gladys Sangster said as she sat down next to Molly in the busy ballroom, ‘and now here we are, on the last night of our second holiday at Butlins. We will definitely be back next year. I suppose you’ll be moving on as well soon?’
‘Yes. At the end of next week, I leave the employ of Butlins, but I’ve been invited to return as a redcoat next year.’
‘You sound unsure,’ Gladys said as she nodded to a man who had asked for the next dance.
‘I have a few options and will consider them carefully.’
‘We’ll miss you if you aren’t here next year, but either way you will visit us, won’t you?’ she said as the man took her hand for the Gay Gordons.
Molly nodded with a smile as the young woman was whisked away. She knew she’d be seeing plenty of her new friend in the months and years to come.
Molly had been delighted to see the Sangster family back at the holiday camp, after they’d won a free week’s holiday during that memorable bingo game during the first week the holiday camp reopened. It was the change to Gladys that had astonished Molly. The shy widow had disappeared and in her place was a confident, self-assured, pretty woman who was facing life full on and enjoying the experience. Molly had watched Gladys as she’d entered sports events, the adult fancy-dress competition and the Butlins beauty pageant. The first time she’d entered, she’d come second, and the next time, she’d won, much to the excitement of her family and redcoats, who remembered the family with affection.
‘We’ve got you to thank for the change in our Gladys,’ Olive Sangster said as she moved over to sit next to Molly.
‘Me?’ Molly was confused.
‘Yes. You encouraged her to enter the beauty competition back in May. It played a big part in her regaining her confidence. Understandably, she’d not been t
he same after my boy passed away. Now we have our old Gladys back.’
‘You don’t mind that she will be courting again?’
Olive shrugged her shoulders. ‘I won’t say I don’t wish my boy wasn’t still alive, but life has to go on and she’s a good girl. She deserves to be happy.’
Life goes on, Molly thought to herself. If the Sangster women could move on from losing a loved one, she should be brave and do the same thing. It didn’t mean she loved her parents less, but if it meant letting go of the family home, then so be it. An idea began to grow in her mind from that evening on.
Sally, Joe and the twins enjoyed their holiday at Butlins so much. Molly was amazed at the energy of her two little cousins, who didn’t stop from dawn to dusk. As the cousins of a redcoat, they assumed the role of junior redcoats and had their own followers. During Molly’s popular nature trail, Avril and Annie instructed the younger children and showed they were true leaders.
‘I’m thinking of teaching them both to ride; then I can have a couple of days off while they take over.’ Plum laughed as she watched the twins organizing their house team during the junior sports day. ‘I wouldn’t be able to cope if my Lizzie was as lively as those two. Thank goodness she takes after her father and prefers to draw and paint.’
‘How is Lizzie getting on with her father?’ Molly asked.
‘They are still getting to know each other. Lizzie’s been to visit him in the convalescent home three times, and although it’s early days, they seem to be bonding.’ She smiled to herself as she thought of William patiently showing his daughter how to draw a horse. Lizzie had been so keen to show her father how her work had improved that she’d spent a day at Butlins drawing the ponies and donkeys in the stables. ‘I never thought in a million years that I’d see my William alive. I wake each morning and have to pinch myself to believe it is true that he is back with us. It will be a while before he’s strong enough to be home with us, but each day brings us a step closer.’
The Butlins Girls Page 28