by Rosie James
‘I’ve been up there once or twice,’ Mabel went on, ‘and I’ve seen Citizen Kane – Orson Welles and Joseph Cotton were in that…I like Joseph Cotton,’ she added, ‘a smasher, ’ee is, isn’t he? Oh yes, ’ee’s a smasher.’
The girls smiled at each other as they imagined Mabel Foulkes having a crush on a film star.
‘And the other one I saw was Dance, Girl, Dance with Maureen O’Hara and Lucille Ball in it. Now, she’s a scream, Lucille Ball is! A real comedienne! I laughed all the way through that one,’ Mabel added, still chuckling at the memory.
‘Must have been a bit tricky for anyone sitting next to you, Mum,’ Roger observed as he helped himself from one of the vegetable dishes. Mabel’s throaty laugh could be a lively distraction at times – but her genuine sense of humour was one of the many things that the girls loved about her.
They learned that the performances apparently always began at 8 o’clock – with the cowboy feature and news first – and Alice said –
‘Is it usually crowded, Mrs. Foulkes? Will there be a queue to get seats?’
‘Oh no, dear,’ Mabel said at once. ‘The hut holds a fair few. That shouldn’t be a problem – should it, Roger?’ she said, glancing across at her son.
Roger shrugged. ‘I haven’t been to a film up there for some time,’ he said, ‘but I wouldn’t mind seeing that one.’ He glanced at Fay. ‘If I go on early, I could get the tickets, and put coats on four of the seats to reserve them for us…people always do that. And it’d give me time to nip over to the Wheatsheaf for a pint first,’ he added.
‘Well, that sounds a very good idea to me!’ Mabel exclaimed happily. It always gave her a warm glow to think of Roger out enjoying himself. With female company.
The others readily agreed to the plan, Fay wishing she could think of an excuse to go up with Roger for a pint first. But as they all began to leave the table, she said out of the corner of her mouth, ‘Make sure you get seats in the back row. I only like sitting in the back row.’
Roger grinned down at her. A slow, lazy grin.
‘Leave it to me,’ he said.
A few weeks later, as they were getting into their uniforms at the start of another day, Fay announced to the others –
‘I have made a decision.’ She paused for effect. ‘We are going to London. On Saturday – our next day off – the three wise monkeys are going to London. And I am not expecting any dissenters because this is a fact. We – are – going – to – London. For the day. For one whole long, glorious, day.’
Alice had never been to London, and she said as she pulled up her breeches, ‘Do you know it at all, Fay? I mean, it’s massive, isn’t it…shall we know how to get everywhere?’ She hesitated. ‘And d’you think it’s safe for us to go…?’
‘Oh don’t worry about any of that,’ Fay said dismissively. ‘I’ve been there several times – I’ll be able to find our way around. And anyway – there’ve been no air raids there for a long time now if that’s what you mean. It’s all gone quiet. I can’t imagine that Hitler will pick the one day the three wise monkeys are in town to resume operations!’ She finished brushing her hair and put the grips in place. ‘Come on – let’s do it…it’ll be fun!’
‘I’ve never been there either,’ Eve said, as she finished making her bed. ‘And I’d love to go! But you’ll have to be in charge, Fay…’
‘It’ll be a piece of cake,’ Fay replied, pleased that her suggestion had been taken up – even if Alice seemed slightly perturbed. But Alice was game for most things – and Fay knew she’d enjoy herself. Everyone enjoyed being in London. It was the place to be, and always would be. And one day, one day, when this war was over, that’s where she, Fay Reynolds, would be going – permanently. She had a head on her shoulders and a tongue in her head…she’d get a job all right. People all over the world had always gone to London to find work. And she would, too. One day. Get right away from everything she’d ever known…make a fresh start. Perhaps in some ways, war was a good thing, because it changed people, changed their attitude to life, freed them up. Especially women. After all, women working in factories, driving buses and ambulances, and yes, working on farms…these were things they would never have done normally. And it made everyone realize that there was another world out there waiting to be discovered…new challenges, new opportunities…
The clothes they were to wear on their day out had been the object of some discussion. It was early June and the weather was fine – though not too warm, yet. Fay had chosen a pair of grey slacks, teamed with a vintage blouse (which had huge shoulder pads) and loose jacket. Eve had on the brown dress she’d worn before, with a cream, lacy cardigan, and Alice’s choice had been her one and only pale blue costume, worn with the coral blouse Gloria had given her for her last birthday.
At 9 o’clock the small train drew up, and the three girls got on, taking their seats in the first carriage. There were only four other passengers, who went into another carriage, and Fay said –
‘Well – we’re on our way! Though I couldn’t find out what time the next link to London is.’ She hadn’t gleaned much while chatting to customers at the Wheatsheaf. ‘Someone said the trains go every couple of hours or so…anyway…our day’s our own. If we have to hang around for a bit we can always sit in the waiting room and drink coffee…watch the world go by!’
All the girls admitted to feeling excited. This was going to be something different…and Fay wondered why she hadn’t thought of it before. Her eyes clouded for a moment as she remembered how envious Roger had been when he’d heard what they were going to be doing. She knew he’d loved to have come as well, but he couldn’t be away from the farm for perhaps fifteen hours…the last train from Chippenham back to the Halt was 11pm, and they’d have to walk back to the farm after that. Making this a very long day, and Fay knew they’d all be dead tired at the end of it…but so what? They’d get over it.
The massively crowded train – many of the passengers in uniform – steamed into Paddington at 12 o’clock precisely, and everyone tumbled out and made for the exit
Fay realized that the other two were looking slightly awe-struck as they all joined the rest hurrying along, and she made them take an arm each. ‘Come on,’ she said, ‘let’s get out of here!’
When they emerged into the London daylight, it could have been another planet to Alice and Eve. There was such a lot of noise, everyone was in such a hurry, jostling and pushing to get where they wanted to…and the traffic! Cars, motor bikes, black cabs racing each other, red double-decker buses every few yards…after the peace and solitude of the farm it was a revelation. This couldn’t be compared with Bristol – itself a bustling city…the whole atmosphere was totally unbelievable…
But Fay was in her element as she shepherded them along the streets, seeming to know just where to take them, and deciding that they should walk rather than take a bus. And amazingly, the ravages of the Blitz were less obvious than they might have imagined. For one thing, after the worst of the bombing, replacing the infrastructure had been very quickly carried out as an obvious necessity – as much for morale as for need. And although many buildings were still no more than rubble, others nearby seemed untouched, and many shops were open and doing business, competing with the barrow boys shouting their wares from every street corner.
Some time later, the three reached Marble Arch, and Fay said, ‘It’s time for some lunch! I’m starving! Come on – we’ll go to Lyon’s Corner House! You’ll love it!’
The huge building of several stories had plenty to offer, and they chose the All Day Breakfast bar – which, like everywhere else, it seemed – thronged with men and women in uniform. But they found a table easily enough, and lined up with a tray to have their plates filled with bacon and eggs and sausages, and soon there was silence between them as they satisfied their hunger pangs.
When they left the restaurant, Alice said, ‘I’d love to walk down Regent Street and Oxford Street…and stand outside Buckingham Palac
e,’ and Eve chipped in –
‘Oh, so would I! Can we get there easily, Fay?’
Fay smiled. ‘We can get anywhere we want to,’ she said, raising her hand. And almost immediately a black cab drew up, and they all got in. And for the next few minutes Alice and Eve looked around them in a kind of wonderment as they sped along, the driver clearly expert at weaving in and out, and avoiding countless jay-walkers who couldn’t wait for the traffic lights to change in their favour.
Finally, they started strolling down the wide streets where all the shops they’d ever heard about were situated…all with their windows dressed and brightly lit as if war was something they’d never heard of. To Fay, it felt like taking two children to their first grown-up party…and seeing their faces she felt an almost overwhelming desire to hug them, right there in front of everybody. They had all become such good friends, enjoying each other’s company in a way none of them had thought possible.
Then she had another idea.
‘Let’s walk down Piccadilly,’ she said casually. ‘It’s not far – and there’s Burlington Arcade we can stroll through. Though I don’t think we’ve brought enough money to actually buy anything there!’
The others fell in with her suggestion without any argument – after all, they were in Fay’s hands, and enjoying every single minute. Alice couldn’t remember feeling so happy and excited for a long time. She was in a bubble of pure happiness.
They got to the Arcade Fay had talked about, and she turned to look at them. ‘You stay here – I’ve just got to go somewhere for a minute…shan’t be long. I’ll come and find you.’
Alice and Eve didn’t even bother to question that. Fay had apparently been to London many times before – she knew what she wanted to do, where she wanted to go. They would be quite happy sauntering through Burlington Arcade.
Alice and Eve followed Fay past the uniformed commissionaire at the entrance of the world-famous hotel, and made their way along the luxuriously carpeted floor and up the wide, shallow steps to a table for three, beside which a waiter stood ready to receive them. As he courteously moved a chair back for each of them to sit down, Alice thought, Am I Alice Watts – or am I Alice in Wonderland?
They were at the Ritz. They were at the Ritz! This was a dream…she was dreaming!
The beautifully lit, pillared room, its walls enhanced by gilded mirrors, was full of people about to take afternoon tea. And managing at last to actually say something, Alice murmured –
‘Fay…you didn’t tell us anything about this! I can’t believe we are actually about to have tea at the Ritz…’
‘I didn’t tell you, because I didn’t know myself,’ Fay answered. ‘It was a sudden whim on my part…well, you and Evie are having such a good time I wondered if I could put some icing on the cake!’ She lowered her voice. ‘I told the manager that we were all on war work, and only here for a few hours …and he said they’d had a cancellation for three, and could fit us in!’ Fay sat back, highly satisfied with herself. Well, she hadn’t had afternoon tea at the Ritz before, either.
They didn’t need to give an order – the scrumptious food arrived as if by magic. Tiny sandwiches, scones with jam and cream, fancy cakes of every description, all arranged on tiered stands. And alongside were an elegant silver teapot and water jug.
The girls sat back slightly as the waiter began to fill their first cups with tea. Then he departed, leaving them to enjoy the rest of the occasion by themselves.
And nothing had been left out. Almost at once, a formally dressed pianist began to play the grand piano which stood in the corner of the entrance hall. Mostly Ivor Novello songs – all popular numbers beloved by everyone. Alice and Fay exchanged glances. Evie would absolutely love to have a go on that!
They’d begun to start their tea in earnest, when suddenly Alice dropped the knife she’d been holding in her hand and gasped, leaning forward. Fay stopped eating and raised her eyes, concerned at Alice’s expression.
‘What’s the matter, Alice…is there something stuck in your throat?’
Alice shook her head, her face beginning to turn a deep crimson. ‘No…it’s…it’s just…’
‘Well, what on earth is the matter?’ Fay demanded. ‘You look as if you’ve dropped a pound and picked up sixpence! What’s going on?’
Alice tried to calm down, knowing she was being silly. And she really had been silly in not thinking there might be a possibility that she would bump into Sam! But she’d never once given that a thought…even though it was the sort of thing that she knew really did happen sometimes. People coming across others they knew well, in the most unexpected places and circumstances. Well, it had been more than three years since she’d set eyes on him – since they’d set eyes on each other…and there had even been days when she didn’t think of him at all.
Alice’s tongue felt as dry as a piece of leather, and she tried to calm herself, taking long, deep breaths. But she was afraid to pick up her cup because she knew that her hands were shaking so much she’d probably drop it.
After a moment, she was able to say quietly, ‘Don’t look now, but sitting over there in the corner is someone I know…someone I grew up with…I don’t think he can see me because of this pillar, but I can see him…’
The others looked with some concern at Alice’s face – which was losing its heightened colour and beginning to look pale and pinched. And Fay said – picking up another sandwich to put in her mouth –
‘Does it matter if he sees you?’
By now, the appetite Alice had had for her afternoon tea had completely disappeared, and she nodded miserably.
‘Yes…I don’t want him to see me…or what I mean is…I don’t want to see him,’ she said.
Fay looked up sharply, her intuitive mind and perceptive nature kicking in. And after a moment, she said very quietly, ‘Is this the letter writer? The man you wish was yours?’ Fay always came straight to the point.
And after a moment, Alice said, ‘Yes. It is.’
Because there he was. With Millicent.
They were sitting opposite each other at a secluded table, deep in conversation and so close that their heads were almost touching. Then Alice watched as Sam lifted one of his cousin’s hands gently to his lips and held it in a long, slow gesture of love.
And at the same moment, Alice’s early bubble of pure happiness burst into thousands of bitter, painful fragments.
Her trembling fingers reached for the anchor at her neck. Face reality, she told herself. The class system had been embedded in the history of this country for centuries, and nothing was ever going to change that. She, Alice Watts, was no Jane Eyre, to marry someone above her station. That was pure fiction. No wonder Alice had never told her mother about her life-long wish to be Samuel’s wife, because Ada would have reminded her to face reality. The Carmichaels were their employers. Stay grounded, she would have said.
Chapter Sixteen
The months of January and February 1944 in Britain would be known for some time as the coldest and wettest anyone could remember, making work everywhere, and especially on farms, extra difficult.
But however uncomfortable and messy working outside might be, inside was always warm and welcoming, Mabel’s constant provision of hearty, appetizing meals more than compensation for the day-to-day hardships. Anyway, after nearly three years, Alice, Fay and Eve had learned to take everything in their stride, not even grumbling in private – about anything.
One morning, the three girls were just finishing the early milking shift when they heard the van drive up very fast outside. They knew Roger had been to the village to get petrol, but today, unusually, he didn’t pop his head in to say hello but went straight into the farmhouse, shutting the door behind him. Fay raised her eyes at the others.
‘That’s funny,’ she remarked, ‘what have we done to upset Roger?’ Roger never missed an opportunity to stop for a chat – especially when he had the girls to himself.
Presently, after they’
d finished with the cows, they went inside to get cleaned up before being told what the next job was. The smell of coffee greeted them as they entered. They were always glad of a hot drink after milking. Roger was sitting at the table, drinking his, and Mabel was putting more coal on the range. She turned to look at them.
‘There you are, luvvers – well done…now, come and ’ave this while it’s ’ot,’ she said. Then – ‘Rog has come back with some news. Real news. Taken everyone by surprise, that’s for sure,’ she added.
Although to receive news of any kind was fairly unusual on the farm these days, Alice, Fay and Eve waited until they’d taken off their overalls and washed and dried their hands and arms before joining Roger at the table. Then they sat down opposite, and Fay said –
‘Right then, Roger…spill the beans. What’s new?’
Roger shrugged, as if the news was not that important really – and anyway, what did it matter to them? Then –
‘Well, overnight the village has had some visitors,’ he said. ‘They’re running all over the place up there like a nest of ants.’
‘What visitors?’ Alice asked, frowning.
Roger took another drink of his coffee, clearly reluctant to say too much. Then – ‘Apparently, without so much as by-your-leave – the American army crept in here after dark and put up their tents…hundreds of huge brown things, lined up as far as the eye can see. And rows and rows of lorries everywhere.’ He shook his head as if he thought it was a real cheek for them to have arrived without invitation from the locals. ‘They’ve taken up the whole area beyond the Green, and there’s more of them down in the bottom fields as well, so I’ve been told,’ he added.
Now this was news indeed! No one had heard about any American army invading the quiet peace of their village! But Fay immediately looked interested, her eyes lighting up. She had never actually met an American, but thanks to all the pictures she’d sat through she knew all about them, their fabulous lives, their fabulous wealth, their glamour…everyone enjoying life in the land of plenty.