Bleddyn repeated Johnny’s reminder that the wool and material she had collected to start her rug-making was still stored in his back bedroom, ready for when she returned.
‘I can’t see you staying in London for much longer, Eirlys,’ he said. ‘Take a little while longer to get over the mess of yours and our Johnny’s engagement and then come home. You won’t be my daughter-in-law, but I’m still fond of you and I miss you, like a lot of other people do.’
‘Not easy to retrace your steps, Mr Castle,’ she said sadly.
‘Then the sooner you do it the better, young lady!’
* * *
Joseph needed to get out, and trying to forget Shirley’s previous attitude he went to the newsagent and invited Shirley to go with him to the Saturday dance. He coped with his miserable life well enough most of the time but occasionally the dreary monotony of each day made him need to escape, to be among people and pretend to share the laughter and camaraderie.
She accepted, knowing that Max Moon and Ken Ward were away. Better to have someone to walk in with than arrive alone.
‘I won’t promise to dance every dance with you, mind.’ she warned.
He agreed. It was something he would have to face, for the present.
When she danced three times in a row with a small, energetic soldier, who seemed to be making love to her in the way he held her and stared into her eyes, he couldn’t stand it. ‘Come on, it’s after eleven,’ he said, taking her arm and guiding her towards the cloakroom. ‘You have to be up at six, and I’ve had enough even if you haven’t. If you don’t come with me now you’ll have to find your own way home.’
To his surprise and relief, she agreed. They walked home through the dark streets and he kissed her lightly on her warm cheek as she unlocked her door.
‘Watch it! No taking liberties,‘ she warned, and he smiled as he walked away.
* * *
On Eirlys’s last day she walked with the boys to see Bernard Gregory, who worked a smallholding and ran the donkeys on the beach during the summer. Bernard’s son Peter was soon to marry Beth Castle – another hasty engagement following the break-up of wedding plans to another.
‘Peter can’t ever be sure when he’ll get leave so when he and Beth marry it’ll be at short notice.’ Bernard Gregory told her. ‘My son and Bethan hope you’ll be able to get home for the celebration, even though you won’t get much warning.’
Eirlys thanked him but didn’t think she wanted to see her friend on her special day. That might make her seem miserable, but too much happiness was hard to bear while she felt loveless and homeless.
Although she stayed less than four days, Eirlys was relieved when it was time to leave. She stood on the station platform confused and more unhappy than when she came. She had deliberately chosen a time when her father was working and the boys were out. She didn’t want them to see her off, she wanted to wallow in her misery. It was not homesickness but something far, far worse. St David’s Well seemed no longer to be her home.
Coincidentally it was Shirley who saw her go. Working early each morning, she had a few hours off every afternoon before going back to deal with the evening papers. She was strolling past the station when she saw Eirlys standing near the wire fence.
‘Come back again soon,’ she called cheerfully, as the people on the platform moved closer to the edge as the train steamed to a hissing halt. ‘We’ll have a night out, just you and me, right?’
Eirlys waved acknowledgement, a pretence of understanding. Pointless to shout above the noise.
* * *
Beth Castle picked up the letter from the doormat and at once recognised the writing. It was from Freddy. She was tempted to throw it away and for a moment held it as though about to tear it in half. Curiosity was too much to bear, however, and she slit the envelope and pulled out the small sheet of notepaper – notepaper she had given him in the hope of hearing from him when he first joined the army. How naïve she had been. The few letters she had received from him had been pleas to send him some money.
Surely he wouldn’t have the cheek to make the same request now? To her surprise it was a loving note, begging her to write to him, telling her that he had been foolish to leave her for Shirley who had abandoned him. He went on to explain how important it was to have news of home.
At once she was flooded with guilt. She was so happy now she and Peter Gregory had found each other. Although it was Freddy who had messed everything up she felt she was basing her present contentment on his misery. But guilty or not, she couldn’t put everything back as it had been. How could she write and pretend they could reverse everything that had happened?
Putting the note aside, she wrote Peter a loving letter telling him how much she longed for the day she would become his wife. As Mr Gregory had told Eirlys, they hadn’t set a date. With Peter’s unpredictable and secret work, often – she suspected – behind enemy lines, he was likely to be away for weeks and it was impossible to arrange a date and be certain of him being there.
She didn’t know exactly what he did but guessed from various words he let slip that he was often out of the country, undercover and in a dangerous situation.
When he had leave they were going to marry by special licence. That sounded more romantic than the grand wedding her family had planned when she and Freddy had named the day. She had given her wedding dress away. For her marriage to Peter she wouldn’t be wearing anything like the one she had chosen before. A pale blue suit with a silly frothy hat were her choice and she had chosen them alone.
Being a member of the Castle family, it had been almost impossible to persuade them to allow her to arrange everything herself, but they had. This wedding was going to be one of many war weddings: sensible, simple and sincere.
She looked at the note from Freddy and sighed. Perhaps she would reply, just to tell him about her and Peter’s plans. She wrote a letter, gently reminding him that she couldn’t promise to write regularly but would sometimes let him know what was happening in St David’s Well. Then she put his note aside to show Peter. Peter was very easy-going and tranquil about everything and he was unlikely to be worried, but she didn’t want to risk any misunderstandings. Deep down she didn’t trust Freddy not to try to cause trouble.
When the letter box rattled again, she went to investigate and found another letter, obviously pushed through the wrong door and delivered by a neighbour. This one was from Peter, and in her usual excited way she ran up to her bedroom to read it where there wouldn’t be any interruptions.
The letter was not his usual interesting one telling her amusing stories and reassuring her about his health and safety by means of a code they had devised; it told her not to plan on getting married until at least August. He was going away and it seemed unlikely she would see him for four long months.
* * *
Shirley Downs saw Beth later that day when both girls were searching the market for vegetables other than carrots and leeks.
‘I’d love a helping of spring greens, wouldn’t you?’ Shirley said, ignoring the fact that Beth did not appear to want to talk to her. She was not a person to be put off by frosty glares or past anger. ‘I’ve heard there’s some coming next week. About time too, eh?’
‘Yes. Very nice,’ Beth said. How could she be expected to chat in such a friendly manner to Shirley, the girl who had carried on with Freddy while she and Freddy were engaged?
‘I expect you get plenty from Peter’s father, eh? Him with a smallholding an’ all.’
‘Mr Gregory is very kind, yes,’ Beth said. ‘Now, I have to go, I’m in a hurry.’
‘Oh yes, you help at the fish-and-chip café tonight, don’t you?’
‘You’re very well informed. Perhaps you’d write to Freddy Clements and let him know what’s going on!’
‘No time these days. I go dancing two nights, then there’s the pictures and dance class and besides, Freddy will come to see me when he gets leave. Better than a letter, eh? The real thing?’<
br />
Shirley smiled and pulled a face at Beth’s retreating back. She had no idea when Freddy would be home, and wasn’t interested to learn, but some devil inside her couldn’t resist teasing the po-faced Beth Castle. No, this weekend, she had arranged to meet Max Moon and enter a dance competition. More fun that anything Beth had planned, she was certain of that.
Walking around the various stalls, seeing the variety of goods offered, the two girls bumped into each other again, this time near the back entrance where Beth’s brother Ronnie and his wife Olive had a greengrocery stall.
Ronnie was Beth’s oldest brother. He had served in the forces but had been invalided out. He and Olive now ran the stall and were content. Ronnie had loved working on the sands with the rest of the Castle family but Olive had not been happy. Now with their own business, small though it was, they were content and waiting for Olive’s first child to be born in early July.
‘Hi yer, Ronnie and Olive,’ Shirley said in her confident manner. She never seemed to worry that people wouldn’t be pleased to see her. Old quarrels were best forgotten, was her attitude. ‘How’s the baby coming on? You’re looking well and truly plump now, isn’t she, Ronnie?’
‘You’ve got a nerve, coming here after what you did to our Beth,’ Ronnie growled. Olive put a hand on his arm and shook her head to stop him.
‘What I did to your Beth was do her a favour and she well knows it.’ snapped Shirley. ‘Best for her, finding out what a useless husband that Freddy Clements would have made – if she hadn’t already guessed but was too cowardly to admit!’
‘Careful what you’re saying,’ Ronnie threatened, but Beth smiled and said, ‘She’s right. Ronnie. We all know she saved me from a terrible mistake.’
At that moment a young woman appeared carrying a tray on which there were two steaming cups of tea. Shirley turned away from Ronnie’s glowering face and asked brightly. ‘Is one of those for me then?’
‘Plenty in the café, it’s only a couple of yards away,’ the young woman smiled, placing the tray down beside Olive.
Shirley took Beth’s arm, waved a cheerful cheerio to Ronnie and Olive and guided Beth towards the market café. There were few customers and in her usual confident manner, Shirley began talking to the owner, Janet Copp. They soon discovered a mutual interest in dancing.
‘I’ve never had lessons,’ Janet told her, ‘never been able to afford them, but I love both dancing and singing. In fact, my dream was to earn my living at it. Fat chance of that, eh? There’s daft it sounds, me serving tea and sandwiches in a market café, wrapped in my pink and white pinny.’ She held up the edges of her apron and sighed.
In moments Shirley had arranged to go with her to the next dance. Better than walking in alone and Max was in Scotland. Joseph Beynon had invited her but she had refused. Better to take a chance on finding a partner rather than being stuck with him and his two left feet all evening.
‘It’s dancing bust to bust, mind,’ she laughingly told Janet. ‘There are never enough men there, so it’s girl partnering girl most of the time. Still, we could perhaps do a sort of demonstration act, just for fun of course. What d’you say?’
‘I don’t think I’m good enough for anything like that.’ Janet frowned.
‘How d’you know, eh? How d’you know before we’ve even tried?’
Two
Janet and Shirley went to the dance and Shirley was surprised and somehow disappointed to discover that Janet was a talented dancer. She was relaxed and moved easily with the music, keeping time and inventive in her movements. Like Shirley, she soon had a group of admirers watching her and enjoying her performance on the floor. Shirley had expected to show her how, be kind to her and have Janet feeling grateful for her kindness, but in fact, Janet taught her a few moves and this was not easy for Shirley to cope with. Since she began dancing and singing, she had been the centre of an admiring group and she was loath to share that with her friend.
When a song she knew was played during the interval. Shirley began to sing and again she was surprised and none too pleased when Janet joined in, her voice strong and true. Competition was good for her. To win was important and competing with others was a part of that, but it had been so unexpected to find rivalry coming from Janet. Then, as she began singing ‘Carolina Moon’. Janet began to harmonise and their voices soared as everyone fell silent to listen. She knew in that moment that rather than harm her burgeoning ambition, Janet might be an asset.
Joseph Beynon watched from a dark corner, envious of those close to Shirley, hating her talent without which he might stand a chance of getting close to her.
A glance at the wall clock made him sigh. It was time to leave. Like a schoolboy, he had to get home before the end as it was time for his mother to throw the bolts on the doors and go up to bed. Since the war began, his mother had been convinced that doors had to be bolted securely for fear of German soldiers landing on St David’s Well Bay and walking in, choosing their house above all others.
* * *
Eirlys Price had lived in London for the past year and, until her recent weekend stay, she had not been home since she had walked away from the sight of her father in bed with Teresa Love soon after her mother’s funeral. Now she wished she had waited even longer. An only child, used to being the centre of her parents’ lives, she had been reduced to being a visitor who put everyone on edge. Words had been considered before they were spoken, there was hesitation whenever their activities were discussed in case she was hurt or offended. Even Stanley, Harold and Percival seemed to treat her like a stranger after their first ebullient welcome.
It wasn’t only her father; all her friends had moved on. Like a pebble thrown into the water, the ripples widened then ceased and left no sign of the disturbance. She had no place in St David’s Well any more.
Sitting in a café during her lunch hour, she settled down to write letters wondering whether she ought to address one to her father and Teresa, instead of her usual ploy of writing to the boys and letting them tell her father her news. She thought about it, decided she couldn’t and wrote to the three boys as usual. She was unable to talk to her father with the previous ease, not even through letters to the boys. Much was left unsaid.
The letter to her father via the boys wasn’t the only one she had to write. Although it was difficult with the amount of travelling he did, she kept in touch with Ken, hoping some of the places where he and Max Moon performed would keep mail for him. She had the occasional postcard telling her his news and was glad of the friendship they shared.
They had once been more than friends and she knew that if she gave him any encouragement, Ken would return to their former love. Staying with his family created a kind of closeness she couldn’t avoid. Hearing his mother talk about his childhood, and his sisters relating amusing stories about his growing up, brought about an expectation of love and happy ever after that she tried to avoid.
There were moments when she felt tempted to let it happen, but unlike many girls, she knew that marriage to someone compatible and loving was not enough. She wanted to feel a strong bond that nothing would break and so far, both with Ken and Johnny Castle, that was something she had not experienced.
Restlessly she returned to the office for the afternoon and as she left the sunny streets with their sandbagged entrances and the taped-up glass windows, and the distant bomb damage that left a miasma of decay on the air, she felt an aching loneliness like she’d never before experienced. Since her mother’s death and the arrival of Teresa Love she belonged nowhere. Why had she gone home? The visit had only emphasised the gap between her father and herself. Didn’t people say you can never go back? Now she understood what they meant.
Everything had changed. Her space in the small town that had been her home had been filled by the jostling of others and it was as though she had never been there.
* * *
The Castle family had once had at its head Granny Molly Piper. Her youngest daughter Marged and her fami
ly ran all the stalls and cafés that made up the family business of Piper’s. When Moll had died, Marged’s husband Huw and Huw’s brother Bleddyn ran the business as they had done for many years, but with the change of name to Castle they felt more valued and in control.
Huw and Marged had four children; Ronnie, who ran the market stall with his wife, Olive, Lilly whose child was expected soon, Beth who worked in the sands and the café, and Eynon, who was in the army serving a sentence for going AWOL – absent without leave.
Huw’s brother, Bleddyn, was a widower whose wife had committed suicide. His two boys, Taff and Johnny, were both serving in the army so he lived alone. The summer was a busy time for the whole Castle family and Bleddyn was grateful for having the days filled. Irene used to complain about the long hours he worked, but he was glad not to have to spend much time in the house: then as much as now, he admitted sadly. His marriage had not been a happy or fulfilling one.
Molly Piper’s other daughter, Audrey, still lived in the house that had been Moll’s, running the home and caring for the two girls they had rescued from poverty, Maude and Myrtle. During the summer season she also looked after the small shop on the promenade selling seaside rock and sweets, plus a few postcards and small gifts. Alice Potter helped her there and Audrey left the shop to her more and more as she found herself happily occupied at home.
At the home of Marged and Huw, in Sidney Street, Marged was awake, worrying about her daughter, Lilly. Since the girl’s pregnancy had become apparent, Marged had tried to persuade Lilly to stay indoors, exercising only after dark. She knew that people criticised Lilly and the rest of the family for the baby she carried, with no husband in evidence. Marged knew also that several people had shouted names at her daughter in the street.
Holidays at Home Omnibus Page 63