Lizzie's War

by Rosie Clarke

  Lizzie thanked her again and left the surgery, carrying the soiled nappy in her string shopping bag. She hurried home and gave Beth the welcome news that it wasn’t serious but they had to be careful about not passing it on to the other two.

  ‘The nurse said it was a good thing I took Matt, because it might have been serious if we hadn’t realised he was unwell.’

  ‘Matt is always the one that screams the loudest,’ Beth said looking concerned. ‘It’s a lot for Mum to cope with – the three of them – and I suppose she didn’t realize he was ill.’

  ‘I wasn’t sure which of them to see to first this morning, and I thought Matt was just having a tantrum. I expect that’s why your mum hadn’t noticed he wasn’t quite right.’

  ‘We’ll have to think hard about the future,’ Beth said. ‘Mrs Jones from down the road popped in a few minutes ago. She’d heard about Mary and said she would look after the children for a few hours if I wanted to go up the hospital. I think she might help out on a regular basis if we paid her. She told me she’d had to give up her job at the jam factory because it was too hard on her feet.’

  ‘What a shame for her. It was good of her to offer,’ Lizzie said. She didn’t tell Beth that she considered Mrs Jones a well-meaning woman, but a bit slapdash. Although she’d only been to her house once, that had been enough for Lizzie; everywhere had been in need of a clean, and the kitchen smelled of old greens. ‘We shall have to think about it for a while. Now, I must get off – remember what the nurse said about keeping Matt’s nappies separate.’

  ‘I’ll do them later,’ Beth yawned. ‘I’m going to have a rest in here with the kids, catch up a bit on the sleep I lost. Mum said she would come round when she could, but it depends on how bad Mary’s baby is and if she’s perked up at all…’

  Lizzie nodded. The children were in the playpen, Jenny and Betty curled up together like a pair of little kittens, while Matt rocked himself and grizzled but less loudly than before. It seemed that the first dose of his medicine had done some good, and Lizzie hoped Beth would get some rest before he started to scream again.

  She ran for a bus and arrived at the showroom at half past ten. Ed was serving a customer and greeted her with a smile.

  ‘Everything under control at home now?’

  ‘Yes, I think so,’ Lizzie said and went into the workroom. She filled the kettle, made tea and took one to Ed as he finished with the customer.

  ‘He’s a new customer and he bought ten of the new lines,’ Ed said. ‘Sebastian Winters’ manager told him about us and I think he will be a regular from now on.’

  ‘Thank you so much for holding the fort, Ed. I don’t know what I’d do without you.’

  ‘Bless you, Lizzie,’ he looked pleased with her praise. ‘I don’t know what I’d have done if you hadn’t given me this partnership. I think I’d have been down the boot factory hating my work and life…’

  ‘Well, you’re here with us,’ Lizzie said. ‘I’d better get busy. I promised Mabel her order would be ready by Monday and I need to get started…’

  It was mid-afternoon when the telephone rang in Lizzie’s office. She answered it and heard a sob at the other end, and then Beth crying.

  ‘What’s wrong, love?’ Her heart caught with fright. ‘Matt isn’t worse, is he?’

  ‘No, it’s Mary’s baby…’ another sob of grief broke from Beth. ‘The child died a couple of hours ago. Mum was with Mary when they told her and she went mad, screamed at them and tried to get out of bed. She was shouting that they’d killed her baby, fighting everyone that came near her. Mum tried to calm her and she punched her in the face. She’s got a black eye…’

  ‘That is terrible, Beth. Is your mother very upset?’

  ‘Yes, she is – but about the baby and the way it will affect Mary rather than her own injury. She says that is nothing. She offered to look after the children while I came into work, but I’m not going to, Lizzie. She needs company and to be looked after herself for a few days.’

  ‘Yes, of course she does and we can manage here. We’ve only had two customers in this morning – so don’t you worry about me. I’ll be home at the usual time and do what I can. Shall you visit your sister this evening?’

  ‘I’ll go to the hospital and ask how she is, but I don’t think she’ll want to see me. She’s going to resent me more than ever.’

  ‘No, Beth, you mustn’t feel like that,’ Lizzie said. ‘It isn’t your fault that Mary lost her baby. Your mum has been telling her for weeks that she should take more care of herself.’

  ‘Yes, I know, but Mary has always been stubborn. She thinks she knows best because she is a qualified nurse. When we were all at home she never took much notice of me. I think she was jealous when I was born…’

  ‘Oh, Beth,’ Lizzie sighed, feeling for her. ‘I always wanted brothers and sisters, but it seems that isn’t always as good as it might be.’

  ‘You’ve been better to me than either of my sisters,’ Beth asserted. ‘I don’t want to let you down, but especially with Matt unwell, I feel I shouldn’t leave Mum alone. I can’t leave her to cope by herself…’

  ‘Yes, of course I understand.’

  They talked some more and then Beth rang off. Lizzie went back to her work, packing Mabel’s hats in tissue as she finished them. She only had one to complete now and then she could start on some new ideas for stock… but she felt a little bit unsure of the future. If Beth had to stop coming in she would need to find another assistant but supposing the orders dried up and she couldn’t afford to pay her? The girl she really wanted was Tilly, but she couldn’t entice her away from Harry’s uncle – especially if her own business was in danger of going down…

  Even as she sat in gloomy contemplation of the future the doorbell went and Lizzie saw two young women enter the showroom. They reminded her a little of the girl who had stolen from her, but she refused to let that unpleasant incident ruin her pleasure in dealing with new customers who wanted a pretty hat.

  ‘Can I help you?’ she asked and one of them blushed shyly.

  ‘I’m getting married and I want a pretty hat to go on honeymoon and my friend Sheila wants a hat for the wedding, don’t you, Sheil?’

  ‘Yeah, if yer got anythin’ we can afford… it’s a bit posh in ’ere, ain’t it?’

  ‘I like it to be nice for my customers,’ Lizzie said. ‘I’ve got hats you can buy from thirty shillings upwards – if that isn’t too expensive?’

  ‘No, I can afford a bit more than that,’ the prospective bride said. ‘How much do you want to pay, Sheil?’

  ‘As little as possible. ’Ave yer got any cheap in the sale?’

  ‘I haven’t had a sale yet,’ Lizzie replied, frowning. ‘It would be old lines or shop-soiled goods, but I’m not ready for anything like that yet.’

  ‘We was told yer were havin’ a closin’ down sale soon, so we thought we would get in first.’

  ‘That’s a silly rumour. I’m not closing down – and thirty shillings is my lowest price, other than a simple cloche or a beret.’

  ‘Show us what yer’ve got then,’ Sheila said grudgingly. ‘We see a nice white straw in the winder didn’t we, Mave?’

  ‘Yes – a cloche with a navy ribbon and a silk rose…’ the girl looked hopefully at Lizzie.

  ‘I’m afraid that one is silk and it costs three pounds,’ Lizzie said. ‘Look, why don’t I show you some that range from thirty shillings to two pounds ten and see if there is anything you like.’

  ‘Go on then,’ Sheila said. ‘It’s a bit of a lark any road – can we try ’em on?’

  ‘Yes, of course you can.’ Lizzie opened the cupboards and took out three cloche-style hats, one in white felt, one in navy felt and one in yellow straw. They all had price tags of thirty-five shillings. She took two other hats from the stands, which were a similar shape, but a little softer and made of silk velvet; these were priced at two pounds and two guineas. Lizzie knew she had more in their price range in the back room b
ut wasn’t inclined to fetch them after her previous unpleasant experience.

  She showed the girls the hats they could afford, including some smart berets at twelve shillings and a brown cloche with a cream ribbon at the same price, but they didn’t seem interested in them, because they were after the more stylish hats. Mave wanted a special hat and tried on three of the more expensive ones. She hovered between the white felt and one of the silk velvets and sighed as she preened before the mirror.

  ‘I love them both,’ she said. ‘I’ve got three pounds and that isn’t enough to buy them both, is it?’

  Lizzie did a calculation in her head. She would be making just three shillings on the sale, but she was tempted to give in and agree to sell both for the price, but then Sheila spoke up.

  ‘This navy one is all right, but I’ve only got twenty-seven and sixpence ter spend. Can’t yer let me ’ave it fer that?’

  Lizzie would still make five shillings on the hat. She took a deep breath and then inclined her head. ‘I’ll let you have that one for twenty-seven shillings and sixpence, but I need three pounds and five shillings for the other two – and that’s a special price for you, Mave, because it’s your wedding. I don’t usually discount my hats, but you were misinformed about a sale so I’ll offer them for what I’ve suggested.’

  Mave’s face fell. ‘I ain’t got no more…’ she hesitated, then, ‘I’ll bring yer five bob when I get back from me honeymoon. Bobby is taking me to Southend for a week…’

  Lizzie hesitated, knowing that she could quite easily end up losing the five shillings, but for once she was willing to take a chance. ‘All right, just this once,’ she agreed, ‘but don’t tell your friends, because I shan’t make a habit of it.’

  ‘Thanks,’ Mave said and her thin, pretty face lit up. ‘I shan’t let yer down, miss. I promise. I’ll ’ave both them hats please.’

  ‘Yeah and I’ll ’ave this un an’ all.’ Sheila grinned. ‘You’re all right – Lizzie, ain’t it, same as the name over the shop?’

  ‘Yes, Lizzie Larch,’ Lizzie said, using her professional name. She packed the hats carefully in tissue and a box, just as she would for customers who bought large orders from her. ‘I hope you’ll be happy, Mave – and enjoy the wedding, both of you.’

  They thanked her and went out, giggling and looking at each other as they walked off down the road. Lizzie wondered what Ed or Harry’s uncle would say if they knew what she’d done. They would probably think she’d gone soft, but Lizzie hadn’t forgotten what it felt like to spend almost the whole of your wages on a hat. Somehow she didn’t mind whether she got her five bob or not, because those hats had suited Mave, and after all wasn’t that what making pretty hats was all about…?

  Chapter 4

  Matt was sleeping peacefully when Lizzie got home that evening. His tummy trouble had passed and neither of the others had caught the bug. Beth had fed the children and put them to bed, and her mother had gone back to the hospital to visit Mary.

  ‘Dad’s gone with her so I decided I’d stay home and look after the kids,’ Beth said. ‘I gave Matt some more of that medicine the nurse made up for you and he seems much better. I didn’t want to leave him with anyone, though, just in case.’

  ‘Very sensible,’ Lizzie said and hugged her. ‘He’s your priority for the moment, Beth. Mary will have your mum and dad, and I expect Dottie will call and see her too. You can go tomorrow if you feel like it.’

  ‘Bernie said he would sit with them for a few hours if I wanted.’ Beth looked at her oddly. ‘Would you mind if he did that, Lizzie? I trust him to look after the twins, but it would mean leaving Betty as well…’

  ‘Perhaps I could take her in with me,’ Lizzie said. ‘It wouldn’t be so much for you to manage – and I’m sure the twins would be enough for Bernie, and it isn’t fair to ask him to have Betty as well.’

  Lizzie wasn’t sure why she didn’t like the idea of Bernie looking after the children, but something niggled at her. She couldn’t tell Beth what to do, but she would prefer Betty to be where she could keep an eye on her rather than leaving her with a stranger. Bernie seemed perfectly respectable, but Lizzie had her reservations, even though she couldn’t have said why she didn’t quite like the man. It was just something about him that made her distrust him, but she hadn’t voiced her feelings aloud, for Beth’s sake.

  Beth frowned for a moment. ‘Well, that’s up to you – but won’t she be in the way when you want to work?’

  ‘I’m sure we can fix up a makeshift playpen for her,’ Lizzie said. ‘Ed loves her – he loves your two as well, Beth, but three might be too many. Yes, I think I’ll try it and see how we get on. I may need to do it in the future sometimes, because I can’t expect your mum to be responsible for my daughter all the time…’

  ‘Well, if you want to,’ Beth looked at her oddly. ‘Bernie could put their carrycots in the car and drive me to the hospital.’

  ‘It’s a good idea to see how he copes with the twins,’ Lizzie said. ‘If you do marry him, he’ll have to help out a bit with them, won’t he?’

  Beth nodded but turned away to take the pie out of the oven. She’d made a fish pie with mashed potato on top and sliced carrots and chopped cabbage to go with it.

  ‘Gosh that smells good,’ Lizzie said. ‘A lot of people don’t like fish, but I think it’s nice like this with a tasty sauce. I’m getting spoiled with you staying home, Beth.’

  ‘Mum showed me how to make it,’ Beth said, looking pleased. ‘I’m quite a good cook, according to Mum.’

  ‘Yes, you are,’ Lizzie agreed. ‘I think you’re better than me, Beth. I’ve no idea what I shall do if you get married. It will be awful coming back here alone…’

  ‘Don’t talk about me getting married,’ Beth snapped. ‘You’re as bad as my mother. That’s all I’ve had from her today. Bernie popped over in his lunch hour and wanted to fuss round me, telling me that he’ll have a girl in to help me with the twins when we’re married so I’m not tied all the time – taking it for granted that I’m going to say yes eventually… you’d think it was all cut and dried the way he and mum went on about it.’

  Lizzie looked at her and saw that she was really upset and shook her head. ‘I’m sorry, love. I didn’t know how you felt…’

  Beth stared at her for a moment and then gave a strangled sob. ‘It’s what both my parents want, Lizzie but – I sometimes feel as if I’m being trapped into something…’

  ‘Yes, I know,’ Lizzie gave her an understanding look. ‘People can be very thoughtless – me included. I was being selfish, thinking of how much I should hate living here alone.’

  ‘That isn’t selfish,’ Beth said. ‘You’ve stood by me all this time and I don’t want to fall out with you. I’m just tired and upset after sitting up the hospital all the time last night on those hard chairs – and Mary can’t stand the sight of me. I think she hates me now, Lizzie.’

  ‘Of course she doesn’t hate you. She’s just very sensitive right now because you’ve got two lovely children and she’s lost her baby, but she doesn’t hate you.’

  ‘Yes, I expect that’s it. It’s awful for her and I’m being unfair.’ Beth sighed. ‘Eat your supper and forget my silliness. I know you’ve got your own worries. How did you get on today?’

  ‘I had a couple of girls from the munitions factory in today,’ Lizzie told her. ‘One of them is getting married and she wanted two hats, and her friend bought one.’

  ‘Could they afford your prices?’

  ‘I gave them a bit of a discount,’ Lizzie said, ‘but I told them not to tell their friends.’

  ‘They will,’ said the practical Beth. ‘They’ll soon get told what’s what if I’m in the showroom. I’m not as soft as you are, Lizzie.’

  ‘You’ve proved my point – I can’t do without you.’

  Beth nodded her head and they both started laughing. ‘Yeah, that’s what I’ll tell Bernie when he next asks. I’ll say Lizzie can’t manage without me…’


  *

  ‘Right, I’ll get off then,’ Lizzie said one evening a week or so later. ‘I’ll leave you to lock up the workrooms when you’ve finished, Ed. I promised Beth I’d be home a bit earlier so that she could go to the hospital to visit her sister.’

  ‘How is the poor lass?’ Ed said sympathetically. ‘That was a terrible thing to happen to her… I remember how my Madge felt when we lost our son.’

  ‘Yes, of course you do,’ Lizzie said and felt the tears sting her eyes. She’d been very fond of Madge and she still got emotional when she thought about her loss. ‘Mary must feel awful. She’s lost her baby and she hasn’t heard from her husband for ages.’

  ‘It’s worrying for her but the post from over there can be dreadful,’ Ed said. ‘A lot of letters go astray for months, sometimes they just get lost altogether.’

  ‘Yes, I expect that is what has happened, but Mary thinks the worst, of course. Oh well, I’d better go…’

  ‘Are you sure you don’t want me to walk you to the tram stop?’

  ‘No, I’m all right. I haven’t seen anyone lurking about for a while now, so I should think whoever was following me has given up.’

  ‘Well, if you’re sure. I need to finish this cutting if we’re to get Mr Johnson’s order out on time and we don’t want to let him down.’

  ‘No,’ Lizzie understood his meaning. Two of their regular customers hadn’t been in this month and she suspected it was due to Harry’s uncle meddling. They really couldn’t afford to upset the regulars who remained loyal. ‘Don’t work too late, Ed. Goodnight.’

  ‘Night, Lizzie.’

  Ed bent over his work and Lizzie left him to it. He often worked late, perhaps because there was no one waiting for him upstairs in his flat. In his late forties, he was surely young enough to find someone else if he wished, but he was the faithful sort and he wouldn’t rush into things. She could only hope he’d find happiness again one day.

  Outside, it was chilly again even though it was officially spring, and Lizzie hugged her scarf tight round her neck, feeling the cold nip at her nose. Oh, she would be so glad when they got some sunshine!