Lizzie's Secret

by Rosie Clarke

  Chapter 14

  ‘Well, Lizzie, I don’t do this for all my girls,’ Mr Oliver said that day in early August. ‘I always make them serve their full term as an apprentice, but you’ve proved quick and clever – and neither Ed nor Harry will give me a moment’s peace if I don’t put you on full wages.’

  ‘That’s very kind of you, Mr Oliver.’ Harry had hounded his uncle these past few weeks, telling him that Lizzie was a marvel and if she didn’t stay he would regret it. ‘I’m glad you’re pleased with my work.’

  ‘Well, don’t take advantage of my good nature,’ her employer said. ‘Get on with your work. I need that order fulfilled by tomorrow – but Ed is right, you do make a good team.’

  Lizzie laughed softly, delighted with the news, as Mr Oliver moved on. ‘Thanks, Ed,’ she said. ‘I know you warned him that you’d never cope if I left, and after both Nancy and Meggie went to work in the munitions factory it put the wind up him.’

  ‘Don’t compare their work with yours,’ Ed said. ‘You’ve learned to cut and shape the hats in record time, Lizzie, and you can sew the pieces together and then trim them if you want, though you tell Oliver that you need Tilly to help you.’

  ‘I didn’t want him giving her the sack,’ Lizzie said. ‘Brian, that’s her husband, is just about hobbling around now, but he won’t get his old job back at the docks. All he will be able to do is the job of a caretaker or something that doesn’t involve heavy lifting.’

  ‘Do you know if he can drive?’ Ed asked. ‘I reckon Oliver would take him on to replace Harry. He has only waited this long for your sake, because he wanted to be off weeks ago, Lizzie… When is the big day to be?’

  Lizzie blushed and shook her head. ‘Not yet,’ she said. ‘He has asked me to marry him, but I said we’ve got to wait for a while. I’m not twenty-one until January and I don’t think Aunt Jane would sign the consent form if I asked her.’

  ‘Do you know where she’s living?’

  ‘Some kind of apartments…’ Lizzie wrinkled her brow. ‘I’m not sure, but I think it’s a home for people who need help and can’t manage alone. I suppose she found herself a little job helping the warden or something…’

  ‘You haven’t written to her?’

  ‘No, not yet. We parted on bad terms and I would rather leave it for a while.’

  Ed arched his eyebrows. ‘Do you want to get married, Lizzie?’

  ‘I might,’ she said, her cheeks warm. ‘I’m fond of Harry… I might love him, but I’d rather wait until next year and not ask Aunt Jane.’

  ‘Well, Oliver won’t be keen on losing you…’

  ‘I shan’t leave even if we get married. I’ve got lots to learn yet,’ Lizzie said. ‘I love my job; especially now you let me make up my orders and I do the final touches… it’s almost what I wanted to do…’

  ‘You should work for a top-class milliner,’ Ed said. ‘Some of the designs you draw are wonderful. Oliver will never let you make them up here – you do know that?’

  ‘Oh yes, I know, but I shan’t be here forever. Besides, he lets me buy materials and I’ve been making hats for Beth’s sister’s wedding. None of them know yet, but I shall finish them this week and I’ll take them home and surprise them all…’ She’d rented her uncle’s shop out for a few shillings a week and the solicitor had got her fifty pounds for the lease, which she’d put safely in the bank, but she could afford to spend a little on hats for her friends, especially after all they’d done for her.

  ‘Well, that hat you’ve been making for yourself is very different,’ Ed said and chuckled. ‘I don’t think our customers would touch it with a bargepole, far too impractical as well as expensive, but I love the originality. Will you let me come and work for you when you’re a famous designer?’

  ‘Oh, Ed,’ Lizzie giggled. ‘I do love working with you; if ever I have my own shop – or workshops, I’ll be sure to ask for you.’

  ‘Well, we’d best get on or Grumble Guts will be after us,’ Ed said. ‘He doesn’t give extra wages for nothing. Let’s get that order ready for tomorrow, or we’ll be in trouble…’

  *

  ‘Are we going to the dance this week?’ Harry asked when Lizzie went into the restroom for her lunch break. ‘Beth says she’s going with Tony. Apparently, they’ve made it up for the moment…’

  ‘It’s a bit on and off with them. Tony wants to get married, and he wants Beth to leave Oliver’s and work in a shop he’s bought, but I don’t think she’s sure how she feels…’

  ‘Well, she’ll have to make up her mind soon, because once the war starts he’ll be called up, same as the rest of us…’ Harry hesitated, then, ‘I’d like us to get married soon, Lizzie. You know I love you – and I want you to be my wife. I’ve told my uncle he should let you take over as much of my work as you can…’

  ‘Oh thanks; like I don’t have enough to do!’ she teased.

  ‘I didn’t mean you should do more. Good grief, I don’t do that much, especially now I order the stock in advance by phone – which was your idea, Lizzie. It’s just deliveries…’

  ‘We had an idea about that. Could you teach Tilly’s husband to drive the van? Tilly was telling me he’s worried about getting a job that will pay the rent…’

  ‘I’ll go round this evening and see if he wants to try. With his leg in plaster, he might have a bit of a job with the pedals at the moment, but if he’s game I am…’ Harry said, grabbing her and kissing her. ‘What a clever girl I’ve got!’

  *

  ‘This is for you, Mrs Court,’ Lizzie said, taking out a white felt hat trimmed with pink tulle and a deep pink rose. ‘And this blue one is yours, Beth, with my love. This navy one is for Mary to go away in, and this is mine…’ She took out a pale lemon, fine straw hat with a curving brim and a frill of pleated tulle that swirled over the brim and right round the dome. ‘Ed loved it when it was finished, but he didn’t think it would sell.’

  ‘Of course it would,’ Beth said, looking at it admiringly. She tried on her own hat, which was a small pillbox shape that perched on the back of her head and was decorated with veiling and a small silk bow at the back. ‘This is lovely, Lizzie. It will go with my costume perfectly… and a lot of other things too.’

  ‘Well, blue is your favourite colour,’ Lizzie said and smiled as Beth ran to try it on in front of the mirror.

  ‘These must have cost such a lot of money,’ Mrs Court said. ‘I’m very grateful, Lizzie, because I couldn’t find a pretty hat I could afford – but you must let me pay for mine.’

  ‘Certainly not,’ Lizzie said. ‘I made them all as presents, and I’ve just had a big rise at work. Mr Oliver let me buy the materials at cost, providing I didn’t work on them in his time, so I’ve been working on them in my lunch break – and at Ed’s. Madge is so much better and she loved seeing them. Ed made her a pretty hat for her birthday, but she doesn’t get out much to wear it.’

  ‘Bring her to Mary’s wedding if you like,’ Mrs Court said. ‘One more won’t make any difference, and it will be nice for you to have another friend there – because Beth may be busy with her sisters sometimes.’

  ‘Are you bringing Harry to the wedding?’ Beth asked as they put the hats away and sat down to a supper of cold ham and big ripe tomatoes with some fresh bread and butter.

  ‘I asked if he wanted to come but he wasn’t sure. He’s going to enquire about joining the RAF tomorrow and they might want him to report straight away…’

  ‘I doubt it,’ Mrs Court said. ‘It will be a few weeks before they want him…’

  ‘I wouldn’t be so sure about that,’ Mr Court said, coming into the kitchen from the backyard and washing his hands at the sink. ‘With war looming, he’ll likely be sent straight off to join a training unit…’

  ‘I hope not,’ Lizzie said, her heart catching with fright at the thought of what might happen to him. ‘We were going to the dance this Saturday.’

  ‘Well, he may not have to go just yet,’ Mrs Court sai
d and shook her head at her husband. ‘Sit and eat your tea, all of you. I’ve got loads of ironing to do this evening.’

  ‘I’ll do some of it for you,’ Lizzie offered.

  ‘You’re a good girl, Lizzie, but there’s no need for you to bother. You and Beth can wash up though, and give the kitchen a bit of a clean.’

  The girls nodded their willingness to perform the tasks asked of them. They chattered throughout the meal and then as they washed up afterwards, and did whatever tidying was necessary.

  ‘You’re not seeing Tony this evening?’

  ‘He’s viewing property again, though I keep telling him it’s a waste of time.’

  ‘Harry had to see someone,’ Lizzie said. ‘We could go for a walk if you like, or just sit and listen to the radio.’

  ‘Let’s walk down to that pub near the river and have a drink,’ Beth said. ‘We don’t have to go inside, because they have tables outside in the summer and a lot of girls from the factories go there. I don’t feel like staying in all evening and I don’t see why we shouldn’t go to a pub without Tony and Harry, do you?’

  ‘No,’ Lizzie said with a dreamy smile. ‘We can do what we like…can’t we?’

  *

  The pub had put up some fairy lights on poles set around the yard, which looked out over the river. There wasn’t much of a view, because of the cranes and warehouses that crowded the waterside, but there was a tiny gap through to the river and the water looked dark and mysterious. Every now and then they caught sight of a riverboat moving downstream, lights twinkling from its decks.

  Hearing a scream of laughter from the girls at a nearby table, Lizzie glanced towards them and saw that Nancy was one of the party. She waved to her and Nancy waved back enthusiastically, then jumped to her feet and came over, drawing up a spare chair and exchanging greetings and surprise at meeting them here.

  ‘We come here once a week if it’s nice. It’s good to get some fresh air after being in the factory all day.’

  ‘What is it like there?’ Beth asked.

  ‘We ain’t supposed to talk about it much, but some bits are all right and some are a bit scary…’ Nancy lowered her voice. ‘Did you hear about the accident last week?’

  ‘No, what happened?’ Beth asked.

  ‘One silly cow went and blew herself up,’ Nancy said. ‘They tried to hush it all up and they closed that department for a few days, but it’s open again now, but we ain’t supposed to talk about it, so don’t say nuthin’.’

  ‘Of course not,’ Beth assured her. ‘Why don’t you come back to us, Nancy?’

  ‘Not on your nelly. I get a pound a week more and they don’t nag like Oliver when he’s on the warpath.’ Nancy laughed coarsely. ‘We work hard down the factory but we ’ave a laugh. I’m not in that department anyway, so I’m not worried… ’Sides, the silly cow was careless or it wouldn’t have ’appened.’

  Nancy stopped to have a drink with them and then a girl from the factory crowd beckoned her and she rejoined her friends. Beth and Lizzie finished their drinks and got up to leave. They were walking home through the gathering dusk when the car pulled to a halt just ahead of them. Recognising it, they paused and waited for Sebastian Winters to get out and walk back to them.

  ‘Hello, you two,’ he said. ‘Been gadding out again?’

  ‘Just for a glass of lemonade in the Willows Pub,’ Beth gave him a flirtatious smile. ‘You been waitin’ for us then?.’

  ‘What makes you think that, Miss Court?’ he asked, a mocking smile on his lips as he turned to Lizzie. ‘Have you made any new hats recently… anything different?’

  ‘You should see the hats she made for my family and herself for the wedding… They’re wonderful, much better than Oliver’s sell…’ Beth answered before Lizzie had the chance.

  ‘Wedding? Someone I know?’

  ‘My sister Mary – next week,’ Beth said, and then, recklessly, ‘you can come if you want. It’s at St Peter’s at two o’clock and we’re having a reception at the church hall afterwards. Mum decided on a buffet and there will be plenty of food…’

  ‘I might, if I have time,’ Sebastian said. ‘I should like to see those hats – but I meant is there anything new for me?’

  ‘Nothing new,’ Lizzie said, ‘but if you like, I’ll show you some designs Mr Oliver is considering.’

  ‘Can I see them now?’ he asked. ‘Shall I walk with you – or may I take you in the car?’

  ‘Tell your driver to follow us and Lizzie can bring the book out to the car. My parents won’t want visitors at this hour.’

  ‘Of course not,’ he said. ‘I was thinking of asking if you’d both like to come to a party next Saturday, but obviously you have the wedding. Perhaps another time?’

  ‘Yes, please, next time,’ Beth said. Lizzie walked silently at her side as she chatted away to Sebastian Winters, laughing and giving him flirtatious looks.

  Beth stood outside talking to him while Lizzie went in and fetched her sketchbook. She thrust it at him, slightly piqued because he was responding to Beth’s flirting. ‘This book is full so I shan’t need it for a while. Take it away and then bring it back to me at work. If there’s anything that appeals, we can cost it up and let you know how much it would be.’

  ‘Goodnight, Mr Winters. It was nice meeting you – don’t forget to ask us to your next party, will you?’ Beth said.

  ‘You will be the first to hear about it,’ he promised and Beth fluttered her eyelids at him, before going into the house.

  ‘Have you thought about me or the offer I made you?’ he asked Lizzie as they were briefly alone. ‘I meant every word – you’re wasted at Oliver’s.’

  ‘I wasn’t sure you meant it. I think you say a lot of things you don’t mean. See if you like anything in my book and let me know.’

  ‘Thank you,’ he hesitated again, then took hold of Lizzie’s arm and held it, bringing her round so that he gazed into her eyes. For a moment she was close enough to inhale the scents of his body and whatever he used on his hair; it had a pleasant woody smell, not the sickly violets scented oil that a lot of men used. ‘I may flirt around, but I really do like you, Lizzie Larch – don’t forget that…’ Lizzie thought that if they’d been somewhere more private he would have kissed her and she wasn’t sure whether she wanted it to happen or not. ‘You’re something special. Remember my offer, Lizzie, please?’

  ‘How could I forget?’ Then, giving him a tantalising smile, she went inside while Beth lingered.

  ‘Be careful of him, Beth,’ Lizzie said as she joined her in the hall. ‘He’s a flirt and I wouldn’t trust him if I were you.’

  Beth laughed softly, her eyes full of mischief. ‘It’s you Sebastian Winters wants, not me – worse luck…’

  ‘He’s interested in stylish hats that’s all…’

  Beth’s brows went up. ‘I think he wants more than that and I’d warn you to be careful, but I know I don’t have to.’

  ‘Good.’ Lizzie wondered at her own feelings of jealousy because Sebastian had enjoyed Beth’s flirting. After all, he meant nothing to her other than as a customer….did he?

  Chapter 15

  I’ll call for you at five this evening, and we’ll have tea somewhere before we go to the dance,’ Harry said that Saturday morning. ‘I want to celebrate because I’m off next Tuesday. I’ve been told to report to somewhere in Norfolk, so this may be our last outing for a while…’

  ‘You’ve actually done it then.’ Lizzie’s stomach contracted with fear, because once the war started Harry would be in danger. ‘Oh, Harry, I’m going to miss you…’ She didn’t want him to go but she knew it was what he’d set his heart on.

  ‘I’ll miss you too, but if I wait any longer I’ll get called up into the Army and I’d hate that, the RAF is far more civilised, Lizzie.’

  ‘Does your uncle know?’

  ‘He’d expected it before this and he’s going to take Brian on as a replacement driver…’

  ‘He’s picked
the driving up all right then?’

  ‘The first time I took him out his plaster cast got stuck on the accelerator and we nearly went through a shop window,’ Harry chuckled, ‘but after that he was fine. I’ve told my uncle to give him a chance, because Brian won’t be one of the first to be called up – if he ever is with that leg.’

  ‘Don’t,’ Lizzie begged. ‘It’s too awful to think about…’

  ‘We’ll talk tonight,’ Harry promised, gave her a quick kiss and sent her on her way.

  *

  She was dressed and ready when Harry came to call for her that evening. He looked very smart in his dark grey suit and white shirt with blue spotted tie. His shoes were shining, proper patent dance shoes, and she was glad she’d bought herself a new pair of shoes with her extra wages.

  ‘You look beautiful,’ Harry said. ‘Come on, I want to make the most of this evening. My uncle told me to take the van, and it’s better than queuing for a bus when we come out.’ He bowed to her mockingly. ‘Your chariot awaits, my lady.’

  Glancing at Harry as he drove through streets alive with people, going out for the evening, Lizzie felt a tingle of excitement. The bright lights of the shops and theatres gave the city a special atmosphere at night, because it came alive in a different way. People threw off the cares of everyday life and looked forward to a couple of hours down the pub or the working men’s social clubs, unless they could afford the upmarket restaurants and theatres in the West End. Harry was making the most of the time before he joined his unit and taking Lizzie to one of his favourite places. Somehow she knew that the evening would turn out to be special. Harry had something on his mind and Lizzie was almost certain she knew what it was.

  They went to Luigi’s, the little Italian café that Harry had taken her to previously

  ‘This is lovely,’ she said as they sipped their second cup of cappuccino. ‘You spoil me, Harry. I know it’s expensive here and then the dance…’