‘I just thought I’d pop down and spend a neighbourly hour with you,’ Vera said.
‘I’m in no mood to be neighbourly,’ Ruby said, with a stony expression. ‘So, you can go back home to your Sadie and her young man. You must have a lot to discuss if there is a wedding in the offing.’
For a moment Vera looked puzzled before turning away and heading back up Alexandra Road to her own house.
‘Well I never. That woman has the nerve of the devil sometimes,’ Ruby huffed as she opened the front door that Maisie had pulled shut behind her. ‘As for her Sadie, the girl only volunteered for war work to get away from Vera, and if she does have a young man he must have met her in a blackout!’ She hurried into the house leaving Irene, Maureen and Freda lost for words.
‘So, George, how are things at Vickers?’ David Carlisle asked as he passed a pile of plates to Alan to put back on Ruby’s dresser. He was aware that careless talk cost lives, as the posters were always reminding them, but with just himself, George and Alan on washing-up duties while Bob Jackson and his son spent half an hour in the garden sorting out the weeds from the vegetables, he knew it was safe to talk.
‘More work than we can cope with at the moment, David. Even taking on extra staff we are pushed to meet the demands the government has set. That’s what made me decide to move up this way, rather than travel back and forth from Devon so much. Apart from petrol rationing, it’s hell travelling. I’ve wanted to move home for a while now but our Irene would miss her social life, committees and the golf club.’
‘The war comes first, George,’ David replied. ‘I’ve been trying to talk Maisie into moving in with my mother, but she won’t leave Erith and her friends or her job.’
‘She’s safe here, David, and Ruby will look out for her,’ Alan pointed out. ‘She’s near enough family.’
‘Even though we live several streets away? There are times when I’m away and I hear about air raids and can’t stop wondering if she’s all right. Maisie is my life and I don’t want to lose her,’ David said desperately.
‘We all feel the same, lad, and it makes no difference where our family is. We can only work to get this war over and done with as soon as possible.’
Alan, who had been washing up at the sink, placed the last cup on the draining board and dried his hands on a towel hanging behind the kitchen door. ‘I’m thinking of putting in a request to go back on active duty for that very reason. I don’t feel I’m doing enough at the moment.’
George, who had pulled his pipe from his pocket and was about to place it in his mouth, stopped what he was doing. ‘Why, Alan? You are doing an admirable job teaching young pilots to fly. Why would you want to put yourself in danger again?’
Alan sighed. ‘I don’t feel as though I’m doing enough in this war. I’m not blowing my own trumpet when I say that I’m a good pilot and if we are to win this war, we need good pilots who can go out there and beat the enemy at their own game.’
‘Now’s not the time to discuss this. The women will be home anytime soon and we don’t want them upset, do we?’ David said.
‘That sounds like them now. I’d better help them in with my daughter,’ Alan said as he left George and David alone.
‘I don’t like to ask but is there anything you can do?’ George said.
‘As you know, George, I can pull strings in my job, but I’m not sure I can put Alan in a safe job. And anyway, is anyone safe in this war?’
Leaving instructions to chase the men out of the kitchen and put the kettle on, Ruby entered her front room to find out what the problem was with Maisie. She had a good idea why there were so many tears, but wanted to get the news herself from the horse’s mouth. ‘Now, what’s going on here? You left me to sort out Vera and that wasn’t nice, was it?’ she said with a smile.
Sarah, who was sitting next to Maisie on an overstuffed sofa, looked at her nan with worried eyes. ‘Why is Vera Munro so horrid, Nan? There was no need for her to pry into Maisie’s private life like that. None of us would ever ask such a question and we are all friends.’
‘She’s a nosy so-and-so, that’s why, and never happy unless she’s poking her nose into other people’s business. She’ll never change,’ Ruby huffed as she pulled back the heavy green velvet curtains and let some light into the room. ‘That’s better,’ she declared, looking approvingly around her ‘best’ room, ‘although the aspidistra looks a bit on the dry side. Remind me to give it some water, Sarah love, and perhaps when you’ve time you’d wipe the leaves over with a drop of milk. They seem to have lost their shine.’
Sarah nodded in agreement as she continued to hug Maisie, who was still sniffing into her handkerchief. ‘I’ll do that shortly, Nan. Can you tell me why Vera Munro is your friend if she is so nasty to people? You don’t usually give people like her the time of day.’
‘I always give her the benefit of doubt, love. Vera’s had a hard life and if anyone is entitled to be bitter then it’s her.’
Sarah was puzzled by Ruby’s words. ‘I don’t understand, Nan. You are always calling her names and hardly a day goes past without you both having words. How can you still be friends?’
Ruby sat at the other side of Maisie and brushed away a few stray hairs that had stuck to the girl’s tear-stained face. ‘Vera’s not had a good life, but she is a good woman underneath all her nosiness. Have you ever wondered why her granddaughter, Sadie, lives with her?’
Sarah screwed up her nose as she thought hard. ‘No, I’ve never given it much thought. It’s always been just Vera and Sadie living up the road. Not that we ever see much of Sadie. What happened, Nan?’
‘Let’s just say that Sadie’s mum was no better than she ought to be. She preferred to entertain men down at the docks rather than earn a decent living and that’s how she met a sticky end. Vera was always a strict mother, perhaps that’s why Doris went off the rails as she did, but that was no reason for people to turn their backs on Vera. That’s why I’ve stuck by her all these years.’
‘Oh, Nan, that’s such a sad story. No wonder Vera is like she is. I’ll do my best to put up with her from now on as long as she doesn’t overstep the mark with my friends. Thank goodness Sadie had Vera to take care of her. No child deserves a mother like Doris.’
Sarah’s words brought on another wave of sobbing from Maisie.
‘There, there, love. Don’t let on so. You’ll have your babies one day and what beautiful kiddies they will be,’ Ruby said, enveloping Maisie in her arms. ‘Ignore Vera and her sharp words. I’m right? That is what has upset you? Now, I’m going to get you a hot drink. That’ll see you as right as rain in no time,’ she continued, pulling herself up and stretching her back. ‘You sit there a while and chat with our Sarah,’ she added, patting Maisie’s shoulder gently.
Sarah waited until Maisie’s sobs subsided and she’d wiped her eyes.
‘Nan’s right, Maisie. You’ll make a wonderful mum.’
‘I don’t deserve to have kiddies. You know what happened just before Christmas.’
‘If you mean you lost your baby, it can happen for many reasons. It don’t mean you don’t deserve to have another child.’
Maisie’s eyes flashed with anger. ‘But it does. You see, I was no better than Vera’s daughter. I used to earn money from men just like she did and now I’m being punished.’
3
Betty looked up from her ledgers, disturbed by the sound of tapping on her office door. She valued these quiet moments tucked away in the office on the first floor of the Woolworths store in Erith. She was so behind with her work and being understaffed on the shop floor didn’t help at all. There was an overall hanging on a hook by the door and she was seriously contemplating pulling it on and helping out downstairs, before they received complaints from shoppers who were tired of queuing in order to feed their families and didn’t expect to face yet one more queue in Woolworths.
‘Come in,’ she called with a sigh, hoping it was nothing terribly important.
/> Freda put her head around the door. ‘Can you spare me a couple of minutes please, Betty?’
‘Of course I can, Freda. Move that pile of overalls and sit down. Is there a problem?’ she asked, noting Freda’s expression.
‘No . . . no, not a problem as such. It’s just that I’ve been thinking about war work.’
Betty held her breath. Please, not another staff member leaving, she thought as her heart plummeted to her feet. ‘What has made you think of this, Freda?’
Freda sighed. ‘I love my work here at Woolworths, but I don’t feel I’m doing much to help us win the war. I’d rather find work I enjoy before I’m given something awful to do. I don’t want to sound ungrateful,’ she added quickly.
Betty nodded in agreement. Her mind went back to when Freda left her job in Woolworths to work in Burndept’s factory on the other side of Erith and the night the whole of town seemed to be alight when the factory caught fire after enemy action. They’d all been worried until Freda appeared only a little worse for wear and later resumed her job in the store. ‘We will miss you, Freda, but I do understand how you feel. I’ve been tempted to volunteer myself, you know.’
Freda raised her eyebrows in surprise. ‘I never knew you felt like that. Whatever would Woolworths do without you?’
‘It’s very kind of you to say such a thing but, like you, I feel I’m not quite doing all I can to bring this war to a speedy conclusion.’
‘Why, Betty, if Woolies wasn’t run properly, the whole town would suffer. Even when we only have canned snoek to sell, you are the person who shows our customers how to serve the awful stuff,’ Freda insisted.
Betty smiled. ‘The recipe competition was a good idea, but I can’t take all the credit for that. We have many staff members who are adept at making a meal out of only a few ingredients. Now, tell me, which war work has taken your fancy?’
‘I read in the Erith Observer about a need for more people to join the Auxiliary Fire Service. I made enquiries at Erith fire station and they said it would be possible for me to fit my shifts around working here. That’s if you approve?’
Betty thought for a moment. She was thrilled that she wouldn’t be losing Freda completely. ‘Why, I think that’s an admirable idea but I don’t want you wearing yourself out. You still help out at the Brownies, as well as giving Ruby a hand around the house.’
‘I feel I’d be able to cope, if you agree . . . ?’ Freda held her breath as Betty considered the situation.
Betty thought for a moment longer. ‘No, I don’t think it would work.’
Freda’s face fell. ‘But . . . ’
Betty raised her hand, silencing Freda. ‘It would be better if you reduced your hours here; that way you could concentrate more on being a firewoman. We could always reconsider the arrangement at a later date.’
Freda could have hugged the rather stern woman sitting in front of her. So many of the staff were slightly afraid of the temporary manager of Woolworths, but Freda and her friends had got to know Betty Billington quite well since the Christmas of 1938 when she’d first hired them. Although they always called her Miss Billington in front of other staff she preferred to be called Betty in private. ‘Thank you . . . oh, thank you, Betty. I’ll work extra hard when I’m here to make up for my lost hours. I promise.’
Betty smiled at the young girl. It was hard to believe how shy and timid Freda had been when she first joined the company. ‘Now, one more thing before I send you back to the shop floor. I assume you will be working some late shifts?’
‘Yes, I believe I will and of course there will be times when I’m working late due to any fires that have to be put out. Is that a problem?’
Betty dug into one of her desk drawers and pulled out a key. ‘I don’t like the idea of you walking through the streets late at night. Here is a key to my house. Now, I live only yards from the fire station so you’re welcome to come to my home and sleep there. But please discuss this with Ruby as I’d hate her to be up all night fretting when you don’t arrive home after a shift. In fact, why not tell her you will always stay with me when you have to work late at the fire station?’
Freda rushed around the large wooden desk and hugged her friend. ‘Betty, you don’t know what this means to me. Thank you. Oh, thank you.’
‘It’s wonderful to get you to myself for a few hours,’ Alan said, putting his arm around his wife’s shoulders as they settled back to watch the Pathé News before the main feature started.
‘Perhaps we should think about finding our own place, Alan, then we can be together more often,’ Sarah said as she snuggled as close as she could, given there was an armrest between them.
Alan stared ahead at the cinema screen and remained silent.
‘Alan?’
‘What about my mother? Would it be fair to leave her alone in her house while we have air raids and blackouts?’
Sarah had a feeling that Alan might mention Maureen. ‘We could find somewhere close by. I’ve heard there is a house to rent about twelve doors up from her in Crayford Road, so we would be very close by in case something should happen.’ She longed to create a cosy home for Alan and their daughter and after over two years of marriage the longing was growing stronger day by day.
Alan shook his head. ‘No. I’d then be worrying about two households – three if you count your nan’s house. I can’t do that while concentrating on flying.’
‘But, Alan, you are on the ground more than in the air now you are teaching new pilots. Whatever do you mean? What are you saying?’
From the dim lighting in the Erith Odeon Sarah could see the firm line of her husband’s jaw as he continued to stare ahead at the screen. ‘Alan, please speak to me.’
‘There’s nothing to discuss. I’m simply thinking ahead. It’s something I’ve been taught to do,’ he whispered back.
‘But Alan . . . ’
An annoyed ‘shh’ from the row behind silenced Sarah as the lights went out and the film began. In the darkness Alan raised Sarah’s hand to his lips and gently kissed her fingers, before squeezing her hand and holding it tight throughout the film. Everything will be fine. Alan will not leave me again, she reassured herself.
‘You stepped out of a dream . . .’ Alan sang as he held Sarah at arm’s length then spun her around and waltzed her across the pavement in front of the Odeon and into the darkness.
‘Alan, do stop it. People can still see even if there is a blackout.’
‘Why shouldn’t I sing to my beautiful wife? You are as beautiful as Hedy Lamarr and Lana Turner any day. You could hold your own in Ziegfeld Girl and any other film come to that.’
Sarah laughed and pushed him away. ‘You daft thing. I’d look a right so-and-so dancing across the screen in my Woolworths uniform and holding Georgina in my arms,’ she giggled.
‘You can dance me off my feet any day, young man,’ cackled an elderly lady who passed them by with her friends, who all joined in with the friendly banter.
Sarah playfully punched her husband on his chest. ‘See, people can see us even in the dark. It must be all those carrots we eat.’
Alan took her hand and pulled her down the side road of the cinema and into an alley before wrapping his arms around his young wife. ‘They can’t see us now,’ he murmured before claiming her lips.
Sarah closed her eyes and enjoyed her husband’s embrace. They had so little time together these days. She felt as though they were courting once again and revelled in the memories and the thrill of those first fleeting kisses when they met back in 1938. She felt the roughness of Alan’s RAF jacket on her face as the kiss ended and he held her close.
‘I do love you, Sixpenny,’ he murmured into her hair. ‘To me you are more wonderful than any film star on the silver screen.’
Sarah smiled to herself. Alan had never forgotten the nickname he gave her the very first time they’d met when she was applying for the job of saleslady and Alan was still a trainee manager. In fact, she still wore a silver sixp
ence on a chain around her neck, a gift from Alan when he returned to her after many months apart when she felt she’d lost him forever. She stood on tiptoes to kiss him as a torchlight shone on them.
‘Time to be on your way home,’ a familiar voice said in a formal voice.
Sarah and Alan both blinked to make out who was speaking. As the torch beam was lowered they could see it was Sergeant Jackson. Sarah was so embarrassed to think their family friend had found them in a compromising situation. ‘Hello, Sergeant Jackson,’ was all she could think to say.
‘Why, Mr and Mrs Gilbert, taking the air, I presume? I’ll bid you goodnight.’ Nodding his head and giving Alan a wink, he went on his way.
Sarah giggled as Alan took her hand and they headed towards Maureen Gilbert’s house in nearby Crayford Road.
‘It’s not as glamorous as the Ziegfeld Girl, but Mum will have the milk on for our cocoa and no doubt our darling daughter will still be awake.’
‘It sounds wonderful to me,’ Sarah said as she hurried to keep up with Alan’s long strides. ‘By the way, Judy Garland . . .’
Alan stopped and looked down at his wife. ‘What do you mean, Judy Garland?’
‘If I had to be a film star, I’d rather be Judy Garland and sing “I’m always chasing rainbows”, just like she did in the film.’
‘Then never stop chasing them,’ Alan said as he kissed the tip of her nose before they hurried home.
‘Nan, is Mr Jackson here?’ Sarah asked as she let herself in, using the key tied to a string and hung inside the letter box of number thirteen. After hours on her feet serving customers, she was relieved that her nan’s house was only two streets away from Pier Road and Woolworths. For a while Ruby Caselton had removed the key, as she had feared Hitler’s soldiers would invade and find a way to break into her home. However, when she had become shut out of her own home after forgetting to put a key in her bag, she had decided to risk a visiting German and replaced the key, leaving the handle to an old broom behind the door so she could see off unwelcome visitors.
Christmas at Woolworths Page 4