Bob stepped forward. He’d seen this kind of obstruction many times in his work as an ARP warden. ‘Come on, Sarah, this is perfect training for you. That’s if you really do wish to be part of my team? You’ve saved three children already so what about doing the same for your own family?’
Sarah didn’t need any second bidding. She cuffed her eyes, smearing dust and smoke over her face. ‘Sorry, Bob, I don’t know what came over me. What should we do next?’
Bob liked the plucky young woman. Now wasn’t the time to tell her that he too had shed tears over the sights he’d seen but would try to bottle it up in front of the public, who waited to see their loved ones fit and well. Sadly, that wasn’t always the case. ‘We need to make a chain so we can pass the bricks and rubble out of the way, then we can release the women and young Georgina.’
Quickly the men and Sarah lined up and set to, passing from person to person and out to the small front garden, where Maureen’s neighbours joined those helping to rescue the trapped women.
‘Shh! Quiet, everyone,’ Bob shouted out. ‘I can hear something.’
‘. . . Roll out the barrel, we’ll have a barrel of fun . . .’
Bob grinned back at the row of brick-dust-covered helpers. ‘They seem to be in good spirits.’ He banged on the part of the door he could just about reach and called out. ‘Can you hear me, Maureen?’
Everyone held their breath and waited for a reply to Bob’s words.
‘Maureen, tell me who is down there with you,’ Bob shouted clearly.
The singing stopped.
‘Bob, is that you?’ Maureen shouted back from the other side of the cellar door. ‘I can’t seem to get the door open. I think it’s jammed.’
Bob repeated his words. ‘Who is down there with you?’
‘I have Ruby, Irene and Georgina down here. We are all well but a little fed up,’ she replied.
‘We’re bloody hungry!’ Ruby bellowed. ‘Is that you, Bob?’
‘Yes, love. We’ll have you out in next to no time. Just keep clear of the door in case we have to break it down,’ Bob said as a big smile crossed his face. Thank goodness they were all well. The amount of damage to the house had him worrying that those in the cellar would be hurt . . . or worse.
Sarah pushed past Bob and shouted to the women. ‘Is Georgina all right?’
‘She’s fine, love. We’ve been singing to her to keep her amused. She’ll be glad to see her mummy, though,’ Ruby called back.
The rescuers set to with gusto, clearing as much as possible so that the women could not only exit the cellar but would also be able to get out of the house. Half an hour passed before it was deemed safe enough for the three women and Georgina to escape from their underground prison. The door to the cellar was opened and willing hands helped the ladies out of the house to the pavement just as George arrived on the scene, huffing and puffing from the cycle ride from Crayford. Sarah hugged Georgina close and murmured words of endearment as the child clapped her chubby hands in glee to see so many people calling her name and clapping in their delight to see that all four were safe.
Maureen stood looking up at the roof of her terraced home. ‘Oh my, I didn’t realize the damage would be this bad. There’s no way I can sleep in my bed tonight.’
Mike Jackson put an arm around her and sympathized. He wasn’t about to tell the woman he’d known for many years that her bed was in pieces, having crashed through the floor with half a chimney stack on top of it. ‘We need to find you somewhere to sleep tonight while we make your home safe. A tarpaulin over the rest of the roof will keep it water tight.’
Maureen nodded, too stunned to argue. ‘Can you let my landlord know? He will have to do the repairs. We’ve been telling him for ages that the roof’s been leaking and the chimney stack needed repointing. He can’t turn a deaf ear now.’
‘That Ken Barnham’s always been a tight bugger. No doubt he’ll blame this on the enemy rather than him being a bad landlord, just so he gets the government to cough up for the repairs,’ Ruby said indignantly.
‘Don’t you worry about it, Maureen,’ Bob said, patting her shoulder as the woman looked about to burst with anger. ‘I’ll make a point of writing a report and watch him closely while he gets the work done. What we’ve got to sort out now is a bed for you, as well as Sarah, Alan and the little one.’
‘Don’t you worry about a thing,’ Irene said, stepping forward to take command. ‘We have two large spare bedrooms at my house. You can all come and live with us in Crayford. Don’t you agree, George?’
George could see the look of horror on his daughter’s face and Maureen’s wasn’t very happy. ‘Don’t be too hasty, Irene love, they may have other ideas about where they will live for the foreseeable future. After all, our Sarah does work in Erith, as does Maureen. The journey would be hard for them and of course that would leave you caring for our Georgina every day.’
Irene blanched at her husband’s words.
Sarah could have hugged her dad. As much as she loved her mother, the thought of staying under the same roof didn’t bear thinking about.
‘There’s no need to worry about where to lay your heads when I’ve got room at number thirteen,’ Ruby said, halting the conversation. ‘In fact, let’s get back there now and put the kettle on. I’m fair parched. Your sherry was tasty, Maureen, but after that long underground only a strong brew will hit the spot for me. Are you coming back with us, Bob, Mike? I was going to do a bit of dinner for us all.’
‘I’ll stay here and check everything’s secure, Ruby. I’ll see if I can get hold of some clothes for you all,’ Mike said.
‘I’d be grateful for Georgie’s pram if it’s still in one piece,’ Sarah said. ‘Thank goodness we left some of her bits and pieces at Nan’s.’
Ruby and Bob headed the crocodile of people making their way back to Alexandra Road. All were weary and covered in dust of varying depths. ‘I feel you’ve been a little overenthusiastic inviting Sarah and Maureen to live with you,’ Bob said gently, not sure of how Ruby would take his words.
‘I know,’ she answered back, checking that no one was within hearing distance. ‘I’d forgotten Gwyneth and Myfi were staying with us.’
‘We have a spare room. They’d be welcome to stay with us if you’d rather have family in your home?’ Bob suggested gently.
‘That may not be a good idea,’ Ruby whispered as they reached the gate of number thirteen. ‘Gwyneth needs women around her at the moment. Something’s not right with her and that poor child. I’d like to keep an eye on them, if it’s all the same with you. Also, I’ve noticed your Mike has more of a spring in his step when Gwyneth’s in the room. Perhaps it’s best not to force them together. I smell a possible romance and it may not blossom if they live under the same roof.’
Bob tapped the side of his nose and winked. ‘Bob’s yer uncle!’
‘He’s also a very good friend and I’d be lost without him,’ Ruby replied, giving the man a hug. ‘I have an idea how we can squeeze everyone under my roof.’
‘Let me know what you have planned and I’ll give you a hand. I’ll leave you here for a while and pop home and have a wash. See you shortly, love,’ he said, giving Ruby a peck on the cheek. ‘I’m glad you wasn’t hurt.’
‘Me too, Bob, me too!’
Freda let herself into number thirteen. It had been a long shift and all she wanted was a bite to eat and her bed. She stopped dead in the hall, blocked by Mike Jackson pushing the end of a bedstead up the stairs. From the voice above her it was Maisie’s David holding the other end. ‘Whatever is going on?’ she asked no one in particular.
‘There you are, Freda. I was beginning to think you’d gone missing as well,’ Ruby said as she stuck her head around the door of the front room. ‘Come in here and I’ll get you up to speed. Once Mike’s out of the way I’ll fetch your dinner. I’ve kept it warm on a pan of hot water. I’ll pour you a cuppa, the teapot’s still warm.’
Freda perched on the arm
of the settee, enthralled as Ruby and Sarah told her all that had happened since the afternoon. ‘So, it means deciding who sleeps where until Maureen has a roof back on her house and we’ve sorted out the mess,’ Ruby explained.
‘Alan will be off with his squadron by next week so we thought, if you don’t mind, that we’d take over your room and you could go in with Gwyneth and Myfi for the time being,’ Sarah said.
‘Myfi can climb in with me. There’s plenty of room,’ Gwyneth explained. ‘But you may not want to share with a stranger so in that case we can find other lodgings. I don’t wish to impose,’ she added, looking at Ruby.
‘Don’t be daft,’ Ruby and Freda said in unison before bursting out laughing.
‘Gwyneth, the girls all lived here before some of them went off and married. Even then Sarah returned to live here when Alan was missing in action. This house has been fit to bursting at times, but we all rub along together so I’ll not have you say you’re leaving us. Why, I’d miss the pair of you even though young Myfi never utters a word. You’re staying and that’s the end of it.’
‘So you don’t mind us sharing a bedroom?’ Gwyneth asked Freda.
‘Not at all. It’ll be fun and I’m sure you don’t snore like Maisie did when we shared a room.’
Freda ducked as Maisie pretended to throw her shoe at her. ‘I’ll ’ave you know I don’t snore,’ she scolded.
‘Don’t throw your shoe away,’ David said, ‘we need to make tracks for home. You, my love, need your beauty sleep.’
Maisie snorted with laughter. ‘Gawd, I must be a fright, what with snoring and needing me beauty sleep.’ David helped her into her coat as they made to leave. ‘Don’t forget, Maureen. Pop up to ours tomorrow and I’ll have some bits and bobs for you to wear. I can make some alterations at the same time. They’ll do until we get yer own clothes washed and mended.’
‘Mike’s been a diamond going through the mess and getting me some clothes and stuff.’ Maureen smiled to where Mike was now sitting on a rug in front of the unlit fire after setting up the single bed in Ruby’s bedroom.
‘I did get some funny looks pushing Georgina’s pram round the road piled high with Maureen’s worldly goods,’ he laughed.
‘But where will Maureen sleep?’ Freda asked.
‘In with Ruby, that’s where Mike and David were putting the bed when you came home,’ Sarah explained. ‘Thank goodness Nan has three bedrooms or someone would be sleeping in the Anderson shelter. I’ll go up and make it now it’s assembled,’ she said.
Freda jumped up. ‘I’ll do it as soon as I’ve eaten my dinner. You must be shattered after rescuing those three kiddies out of that fire this afternoon, Sarah.’
Ruby looked between Bob and Sarah. ‘Fire? Is there something the pair of you haven’t told me? I thought you said you’d take care of my granddaughter, Bob?’
‘I wasn’t in danger, Nan. The Fire Service did all the hard work.’ She raised her eyebrows at Bob, warning him not to elaborate on what really happened as it would worry Ruby. ‘I sat with the children until the fire brigade arrived and their parents were located.’
Ruby frowned. ‘I’m not sure you’re telling me the complete truth, Bob Jackson. I’m sure you are leading my granddaughter into danger. Goodness knows what the pair of you will get up to next.’
13
‘A few days away from work sounds ideal,’ Betty smiled after Maisie outlined David’s suggestion. ‘Thank you for inviting me, Maisie,’ she said, opening her diary and flicking through a few pages. ‘There’s nothing here that can’t be rescheduled or dealt with by someone else. Of course, we do have our staff dance before then, but I know my girls have planned everything perfectly. We should raise a tidy sum towards another Spitfire.’
‘I’m looking forward to it,’ Maisie said, ‘although I’ll not be dancing as much as I usually do. The old man’s already put his foot down. Blimey, he’s wrapping me in cotton wool.’
‘And so he should, although I would think a slow waltz wouldn’t be a problem. Life will be so busy before we head off on our little trip. I’m wondering if perhaps I’ll be able to visit a couple of our stores while we are away. It would be most pleasant to meet my fellow managers.’
‘I know it’s short notice, but David’s colleague has a room going begging and I thought it would be ideal for us to share. It won’t be long before I’m waddling like a duck and won’t feel like travelling, let alone enjoying a few days by the sea. Not that we can go paddling or anything,’ she laughed.
Betty smiled. Even if she did waddle like a duck Maisie would still look beautiful. Pregnancy suited her and the girl was absolutely blooming. ‘I will enjoy your company. Tell David that I shall not allow you to overdo things and will make sure you arrive home in the best of health. Now, I need to rearrange my work roster and make sure my most reliable supervisors are on duty while I’m away enjoying myself. Can I offer you some tea?’
‘No thanks, I’m off to Ruby’s to help Maureen repair some of her clothes that were salvaged from her house.’
‘A most unfortunate situation. I wish we could do more to help. Please tell her that her job will be here waiting when she is ready to return. Already we miss her cooking.’
‘I’ll do that, Betty. Bob’s been a blessing chasing up her landlord. He’s made the bloke pull out his finger and get cracking with the work. He’s quoted all kind of official stuff at him. Why, the bloke’s feet ’ave hardly touched the ground. Bob reckons it’ll be months before she’s back in her home, though.’
Betty clapped her hands together in delight. ‘Well done to Bob. We need more people like him running our country. Perhaps we should encourage him to enter politics.’
Maisie hooted with laughter. ‘Bob Jackson for Prime Minster. I’m not sure Ruby will like that, especially if he gets to smoking one of those big cigars just like Churchill does.’
Betty smiled. ‘She is rather fond of Bob, isn’t she?’
‘Yeah. It would be lovely to see them get together, but she is always telling us she is a one-man woman and that man was her Eddie. Sarah’s told us a lot about her grandad and it sounds as though he’d take some beating. It makes yer think, though, doesn’t it?’
Betty frowned. ‘What do you mean?’
Maisie shrugged her shoulders. ‘I know I was lucky to marry David not long after I lost my old man, but when we get older can we be bothered with all that courting lark and marrying someone else? Ruby must be set in her ways by now, so why take up with another bloke?’
Betty was about to answer when one of her staff knocked on the door.
‘I’ll be off and let you get on with yer work. I’m pleased you can come away with me, Betty. I’ll keep yer posted when David tells me more about where we’re staying.’
Betty said goodbye to Maisie and quickly dealt with the staff query. Getting up from behind her desk, she stood looking out of her office window through the crisscross of paper stuck to the panes of glass. Outside, locals were getting on with their daily routines, working around air raids and their war duties. Was she too old to take up with courting and possibly marriage? After all, she was over forty years of age and considered very much an old maid in the eyes of many people. Was she taken up with the dream of being with Douglas and not thinking of her responsibilities? She had still to meet his daughters after cancelling their get-together on the day Maureen’s roof collapsed. Perhaps it was fate intervening and telling her to stop being such a fool as to have feelings for Douglas. She would reconsider her life whilst away with Maisie. Douglas’s presence made it hard to think straight and she certainly needed to think of her future. As much as she was attracted to the handsome man and the links he had with her past, she must be careful or she could be making the biggest mistake of her life.
‘Up a bit . . . to the left . . . Perfect!’ Maisie called to Sarah as she watched her chum pinning bunting to the walls of the hall in the Prince of Wales pub. ‘It looks a little skew-whiff but it’ll do. I think
we’ve done a good job,’ she said, looking around the drab hall that was now bedecked with bunting of all colours of the rainbow. ‘Where did you get it from?’
‘Alf, the landlord, found it in the cellar. He reckons it’s been there since the coronation.’
‘Queen Victoria’s going by the dust on it,’ Freda added, brushing down her dress. ‘If I’d have known I’d have got this mucky, I’d have worn my Fire Service overalls.’
‘Can someone help me down from this ladder?’ Sarah called to her friends. ‘Goodness knows where Alan and David have got to.’
‘I’ll give you one guess,’ Maisie said, pointing to the door that led through to the public bar. ‘They said they’d go and sort out a barrel for the dance. I reckon they’ve stopped to test the stuff. What I wouldn’t give for a drop of gin right now. Watching you two work is making me thirsty.’
‘Now, now, Maisie, think of the baby,’ Freda scolded as she held the ladder steady while Sarah gingerly made her way back down to the floor. ‘We can’t have you staggering home and having a fall or something, can we?’
‘As if I would,’ Maisie hooted out loud. ‘I’ll have a drop of muvver’s ruin later. It’ll perk me up.’
‘Here we are, ladies,’ Alan announced as he pushed through the double doors into the hall balancing a tray full of drinks.
‘Gosh, Alan. That’s rather a lot for a lunchtime. Are we celebrating something you’ve not told me about?’ Sarah said as she took a glass of shandy from the tray and handed the same to Freda.
Alan’s smile dropped as he turned to place the drinks on a nearby table.
‘Alan, no!’ she cried out as an awful thought hit her. ‘Not yet. I thought we had few days more together.’
Christmas at Woolworths Page 18