Wedding Bells for Woolworths

by Elaine Everest

  Tony let go of Freda and managed to grab hold of the man, who saw his chance to escape, still holding onto Freda’s bag. ‘Oh, no, you don’t, mate,’ he said, as the thief continued to wriggle until a bystander stepped in to help Tony. By now his leg ached like hell and he hoped it hadn’t impeded his recovery too much, but then he immediately felt bad as Freda could have been hurt. Lemuel appeared by his side and quickly saw what was going on. He took hold of the thief so that Tony could concentrate on Freda.

  ‘You look a right mess,’ he said as he helped straighten her coat before handing her bag back to her. ‘Why the hell did you chase after this fellow? He could have hurt you.’

  Freda was still breathing heavily and trying to catch her breath. ‘We caught him,’ she grinned. ‘Is Maisie all right?’

  ‘Maisie will be fine once she stops mourning the damage to her shoes. You did tell her she should have worn something more sensible to go walking all over London. She learnt the hard way.’

  Freda frowned. ‘You seem angry with me. There’s no need.’

  ‘There’s every need. That chap could have hurt you, and all because of a handbag. I didn’t think you were one for possessions. I’ll never forgive myself for not staying with you.’

  Freda felt wounded that he thought her so superficial that she’d put her life in danger for chasing after someone who’d pinched her old bag. Taking her bag from his hand, she opened it and pulled out a tarnished powder compact. ‘It doesn’t look much, does it? But I’d go after anyone who tried to pinch it. This is all I have to remember my mum by, and it was all I could think about when that piece of scum took my bag. He was stealing a memory, and it made me angry. That’s why I laid into him when I caught him up.’

  Tony reached out and touched the side of her face. ‘You’re going to have a right old shiner there by tomorrow. It might be an idea to tell people you’re taking up boxing . . . I can understand why you chased after him. The pull from lost loved ones must be strong. I can only imagine how that must feel. It’s just that . . . It’s just that the thought of something happening to you almost ripped my insides out. I thought I might lose you.’

  Freda wasn’t sure she had heard correctly. Was Tony saying he loved her? Granted they were friends, and she thought a lot of him, but they’d never even exchanged one kiss or spoken of their feelings. ‘But, Tony . . .’

  He pulled her into his arms and held her close while Freda stood still, looking over his shoulder to where she could see Sadie and Sarah hurrying towards them. The look on Sarah’s face spoke volumes. Freda kissed Tony’s cheek. ‘Oh Tony,’ she sighed, knowing that she wanted all the mess with Alan to be done and dusted before she started a romance. She knew she had strong feelings for him, but didn’t want her growing love to be tainted with everything else that was happening. Going by the look on Sarah’s face, it was clear that she thought there was more between Freda and Tony than there really was. At least Sarah’s obsession about Freda being overly fond of Alan would stop, if Sarah thought there was something going on between her and Tony. Feeling like a fraud, she linked her arm through his. ‘Let’s see if the policeman needs my details, and then we can head for home.’

  Maisie arrived, limping, but refusing to remove her one remaining shoe. ‘Does anyone fancy hailing a taxi cab ter the station? I’m going ter find a telephone box and place a call through ter David to collect me at Erith. Anyone fancy joining me?’

  The two men declined, leaving the four women to jump into the vehicle that pulled over once Maisie had placed two fingers between her lips and given a shrill whistle. ‘See you both on the platform,’ she called from the open window as they sped away, with the cab driver tooting his horn as he weaved between the happy crowds.

  Maisie hurried frantically towards the platform, where her friends were meeting up for the homeward-bound train.

  ‘Slow down, we’ve got ten minutes before the train’s due out,’ Sarah grinned. ‘I dread to think what colour your feet are,’ she added as she spotted that Maisie was running barefoot. The smile faded as she saw the look of panic on her friend’s face. ‘Whatever’s wrong?’

  Maisie stopped in front of her concerned friends and leant against Lemuel, gasping for air. ‘Something’s ’appened back ’ome. David told me as much as he could before my money ran out. Your dad will be at the station to pick you up, Sarah.’

  ‘My dad? Why not Alan?’ Sarah asked, trying to make sense of the little Maisie had said.

  ‘He can’t, as he’s up the ’ospital.’

  Sarah’s face turned pale. ‘What has happened? Has Alan hurt himself? My God. Please tell me what’s happened,’ she all but screamed as her voice was almost drowned out by the incoming steam train.

  ‘Alan’s fine. He’s up there with Maureen and Ruby. It seems your Georgie took poorly.’

  ‘Poorly? She was fine yesterday when we left,’ Sarah said as Lemuel opened the train door, and Tony helped her up the steps and into a window seat. ‘I have to be with her,’ she continued frantically. ‘She’ll be scared on her own . . .’

  Freda took her hand and patted it gently. ‘Her daddy, her nanny, and her great-nanny are with her, and she will be in good hands,’ she said, trying to calm Sarah. ‘We will be pulling into Erith station in an hour.’

  ‘An hour?’ Sarah said, pulling away and burying her face in both hands.

  ‘Fer heaven’s sake, Sarah, don’t you go getting all hysterical on us. All’s being done what can be done, and if there are any developments, yer dad and David will be able ter tell us when we reach Erith. Bob and yer dad are at number thirteen in case there is a telephone call, and they will let David know. Bob and Vera are looking after the little ones so the men can run people about.’

  ‘But petrol?’ Sarah asked.

  ‘My nan?’ Sadie asked at the same time.

  Maisie gave a snort of laughter as she delved into her bag, then thought better of it under the circumstances. ‘Sorry . . . here, you finish off the gin. It’ll make you feel better,’ she said, passing over the bottle, which still held two inches of alcohol in the bottom.

  ‘No thank you. I can’t really go into the cottage hospital with the smell of gin on my breath, can I? But I appreciate the offer,’ she said, seeing the glance Maisie gave Freda.

  ‘The thing is, Sarah . . . she’s not in the cottage hospital.’

  ‘What do you mean, she’s not in the cottage hospital? Where is she?’ Sarah demanded.

  ‘They’ve taken her to West Hill in Dartford.’

  Sarah frowned. ‘West Hill? Nan still calls that the workhouse, just like her mum used to. But why would our Georgina be there? How much will it cost? If we are unable to pay then Dad will sort it out,’ she said before bursting into tears.

  Maisie found herself trying not to laugh, but Sarah thinking the hospital was still a workhouse really did take the biscuit. She should try to remain serious, she thought as she took a deep breath, knowing that it was her nerves making her laugh. ‘It’s an isolation hospital. The doctor took one look at her and called the ambulance.’

  ‘Isolation . . .? I don’t understand.’

  ‘They think she may have scarlet fever.’

  ‘That’s contagious, and Arthur has spent the last two days at Ruby’s house,’ Sadie said, looking as distressed as Sarah.

  ‘I think we should all calm down and wait until your dad tells us more,’ Freda said, although she too felt panic rising in her stomach. She’d heard a fair amount about scarlet fever from customers at Woolworths, and she knew that not only could it spread like wildfire, but it could be a killer too. With the families being so close, Maisie’s kiddies, as well as Mike and Gwyneth’s daughter, Myfi, would often meet at number thirteen and play with Georgina and Buster. Whatever would they hear when they reached home? How were the other children?

  ‘God, why won’t this train go any faster?’ Sarah asked as she checked her watch. ‘I wish I’d had time to speak to my dad. Perhaps I should have done, and then we
could have caught the next train.’

  ‘Then you’d have been home even later – we all would,’ Sadie said, thinking that she wanted nothing more than to be holding her son in her arms and thanking her nan for helping Ruby. It was time to start to build bridges, even if Vera would be shocked by what she told her. Sadie would be needing her family even more pretty soon.

  ‘I’ll never leave the children on their own again,’ Sarah said as she fell into Alan’s arms after running from her dad’s car and into the hospital, demanding a nurse tell her where to find her daughter. She’d found Ruby, Maureen and Alan sitting quietly on a long, hard wooden bench. Empty teacups lay on a small table in front of them.

  ‘Don’t say that,’ Maureen said. ‘None of us know these things are going to happen.’

  ‘Mum’s right,’ Alan said as he held her close. ‘Why, I fell out of a tree right in front of Mum and Dad when I was a nipper. I’d have still fallen out of it if I’d been on my own.’

  ‘Although you’d have probably climbed higher if you’d been alone,’ Maureen said, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere.

  Sarah nodded, and wiped her eyes with the handkerchief Ruby had passed to her. ‘Tell me what happened – right from the beginning, and please don’t leave anything out.’

  They filled her in. ‘So if it hadn’t been for Vera hurrying up the doctor and nagging us all, we could have still been at home worrying over the poor child. I should have noticed something earlier – then she might not be so poorly now,’ Ruby said, starting to look upset.

  ‘Mum, it wasn’t your fault. These things happen,’ George said. ‘Look, it could be a really long wait. Why don’t I take you home to Bob? I can use the telephone in reception to ring you if there’s any news. You look all in,’ he said to Ruby. ‘Me and Maureen will stay here as long as we are allowed.’

  ‘You’re right, and no doubt Bob will be fretting.’ Ruby stood up, wincing as she always did these days. ‘There’s no need to look at me like that. I’m just a bit stiff,’ she scolded George. ‘Now, you two,’ she added, giving Sarah and Alan both a kiss on the cheek. ‘Be brave, and give my great-grandchild a big kiss from me when they let you go in to see her.’

  ‘Thank you for all you’ve done, Nan. I wouldn’t have known what to do if Georgie had been home with me. You and Vera and Bob, well, you’ve been marvellous,’ Sarah said, putting on a brave smile. ‘I’ll see you later.’

  ‘I’ll walk out to the car to see them off,’ Maureen said, knowing that Sarah and Alan would want to be alone to talk. She knew the pair were still under a lot of strain, and she feared the worst for their marriage. Perhaps if little Georgie pulled through, this would bring them together again – but more than anything else just now, Maureen feared for her granddaughter. She would walk to the chapel after she’d waved goodbye to George and Ruby, and say a little prayer.

  ‘I’m pleased you’re here,’ Alan said as he reached for Sarah’s hand and squeezed it tight. ‘The family mean well, but I prefer it when it’s just the two of us against the world.’

  Sarah really wanted to ask him why, if that was case, he had shut her out all these months – and why he was so close to Freda. Instead she squeezed his hand back and replied, ‘I prefer it when it’s the two of us as well.’

  She shivered as she sat waiting for what he would say next. The room was a pale green with dark, almost black painted woodwork. The worn, rubber floor covering was practical if dull. The only sound came from a tall, thin sash window, which rattled slightly in the wind that had not long started to blow.

  ‘Cold?’

  ‘A little.’

  ‘Come closer and share my coat,’ he said, holding open the front of his overcoat as she snuggled in.

  ‘I can’t recall the last time I did this,’ she murmured as she breathed in his masculine odour along with a faint smell of the washing soap she used for their laundry.

  ‘We should do it more often,’ he murmured into her hair.

  ‘I’d be fighting Buster off. You know how much he loves his daddy,’ she smiled up to him. ‘Just like I do.’ She waited for him to reply and declare his love, but he stayed silent. ‘Alan, you are supposed to say you love me too,’ she said as her throat tightened with emotion. She sat up, and pulled away.

  Alan groaned and ran a hand through his hair. ‘Everything is such a mess, Sarah. I don’t feel worthy of your love right now.’

  ‘But why? What has changed to make you feel like this? You need to talk to me, Alan, so that I can share your problems and we can work through them together. Does this have something to do with the workshop? You know that the insurance Dad took out will cover what the owner of the building needs for recompense – and with Douglas Billington offering you that shop and yard, it won’t be long before you are up and running again.’ She wanted to remind him again that there was always a job for him at Woolworths, but she didn’t wish to enrage him.

  ‘Let’s not talk about it now, eh?’ he sighed.

  ‘But when can we talk about it? And exactly what is this “it” we aren’t supposed to talk about? Freda seems to know, going by how close and secretive you two seem to have been. At least I know now that you aren’t having an affair with her . . .’

  ‘What are you talking about?’ he sighed.

  ‘Freda and Tony – Anthony – have become very close. I’ve noticed it during the time we’ve been in London.’

  Alan simply shook his head and got up to leave, just as a doctor entered the waiting room followed by a worried-looking Maureen. ‘Mr and Mrs Gilbert? I have news about Georgina.’

  Sarah reached for Alan’s hand, all thoughts of their earlier harsh words forgotten. ‘Please – tell us how she is?’

  ‘Our initial suspicions are unfounded, but she is still a very sick little girl.’

  ‘What suspicions?’ Maureen asked as she followed the doctor into the waiting room.

  ‘The symptoms Georgina showed could be a number of things, but we have ruled out scarlet fever, which I believe was your worry,’ he said, turning to Maureen.

  ‘That was her great grandmother’s thought, too,’ Maureen explained, ‘but does it matter what it is named? We just want her well again.’

  Sarah could have kissed Maureen for getting straight to the point. ‘Can I see her, please?’ Sarah asked urgently.

  ‘First a few questions, if you don’t mind,’ he said, sitting down opposite her and holding a pen to a clipboard. ‘Can you tell me what she ate, and anything unusual she did, during the last twenty-four hours?’

  ‘I was in London watching the royal wedding,’ Sarah said, feeling as though she’d let her daughter down by being away. ‘She slept at her great-grandmother’s house last night. That was Mrs Jackson, who was with us until just now,’ she added. If only her nan hadn’t left – she could have answered some of the questions.

  ‘I had the children this morning,’ Maureen said, ‘and I took them to work. I’m the cook at Erith Woolworths.’

  ‘Then I collected them,’ Alan said, ‘and we went to my new business premises in Erith. They played while I took a few measurements. After that we went up to the allotment to help Sarah’s, Mrs Gilbert’s, grandfather dig over the ground and prepare it for the next season of vegetables.’ He looked at Sarah, who smiled at him, glad that he had involved the children with his work. ‘After that we went back to Mrs Jackson’s house, where they had their tea and I went home as I had paperwork to finish.’ He didn’t add that he’d popped in to the Prince of Wales for a swift half, as it didn’t sound like the actions of a responsible parent. ‘It couldn’t have been long after that when she was taken ill.’

  ‘That’s all very helpful. My immediate thoughts are that she came into contact with a substance that has caused a problem. However, there’s also a chance she ate something that has disagreed with her, although her younger brother is perfectly fine. Now, if you’d like to follow me, you can have a quick visit. We have her in a separate building where we keep patients
in isolation, as they may be contagious. I’m of the impression this isn’t the case with Georgina but, as she is sleeping, perhaps you should just look into her room and then leave. She was given an emetic to clear her system, which has helped immeasurably. If you’ll follow me . . .’

  Alan took Sarah’s hand, and they followed the doctor from the room. Maureen looked on, hoping against hope that the little girl they all loved so much would be all right – and that this scare would be a turning point for the couple. Only an idiot couldn’t have noticed the cracks in their marriage, and she’d not stand by and see two of the people she loved most in the world suffer so much. She’d been silent so far. However, if this continued, she’d not keep quiet for much longer.

  ‘Come in for some tea,’ Freda said, as Lemuel turned to go across the road to number thirteen. ‘It’s a bit on the late side for a meal, but I think we could all do with something to eat. I did ask Effie if she could have something ready for us that could be kept warm in the oven.’

  ‘If it’s not too much trouble, I’d like that, thank you. I don’t feel I should be under Ruby and Bob’s feet while they are worried about the child,’ Lemuel said. Freda, Tony and Sadie went into the house and he followed, avoiding eye contact with Sadie.

  ‘Hello, you lot, did you have a good time? Let me pour you a cuppa, and then I want to hear all about the wedding,’ Effie said excitedly. ‘Mrs Billington had her husband put a wireless in the staff canteen, and some of us got to listen to the service. Oh, Princess Elizabeth sounded so nervous – and Prince Philip – did you know he’s been made a prince? Well, he sounded so handsome . . .’ She chattered on from the kitchen as the four friends took off their coats and made themselves comfortable around the table.

  ‘How can someone sound handsome?’ Tony chuckled.

  ‘Don’t be horrid,’ Freda said as she threw her knitted mittens at him. ‘I know exactly what Effie meant. He has a strong voice.’

  ‘And he speaks so nicely . . .’ Sadie chipped in, albeit rather sadly. ‘I hope they have a long and happy life together.’