by Joan Jonker
‘Yer didn’t say anything about using our feet, girl, so I take it yer’d have no objection to me kicking her from here to Pier Head, eh?’
‘There’s no fear of that, sunshine, not if I’m with yer. Anyway, I think I told yer before, yer couldn’t kick high enough to reach her backside so forget it. And give Edna yer money so we can get the rest of our shopping in.’
Outside the shop Nellie asked, ‘Where are we going now, girl?’
‘The butcher’s, to see if we can cadge some brawn or corned beef to help out with the pies. And I’m making chips, so it’ll be an easy meal for tonight.’
Tony Reynolds was leaning into the window, filling a tray of diced stewing meat when he saw them coming. ‘Here’s yer neighbours, Ellen. Put those tins of corned beef under the counter so they can’t see them. Pretend we’ve nothing for them today.’
‘Tony, yer wouldn’t keep that up for two minutes,’ Ellen told him. ‘Ye’re a sucker where Molly and Nellie are concerned.’
‘I know. They have that effect on me.’ He was all smiles when the two friends entered the shop. ‘Good morning, ladies! I hope ye’re both well on this beautiful sunny day?’
‘We’re hoping you can make it even sunnier for us, Tony,’ Molly said. ‘Perhaps a few slices of corned beef? That would be really nice. But if yer can’t manage that, brawn will do, though I don’t like the stuff much. Still, beggars can’t be choosers, sunshine, so we’ll throw ourselves on your mercy.’
‘I’ll tell yer what, I’ll let yer throw yerselves on Ellen’s mercy today. Let’s see what she can come up with for yer.’
‘Now that’s what I call very decent of yer, Tony, lad.’ Nellie was beaming. ‘Why don’t you go next door for a packet of fags and leave Ellen to serve us?’
It was that sort of remark that made the two women his favourite customers. ‘Oh, aye!’ He grinned. ‘And I’d come back to find half me stock gone! I might look like a cabbage, Nellie, but I’m not that green. Besides, I want to see the look on yer faces when Ellen serves yer. Seeing as ye’re her neighbour, I’ve got to make sure she doesn’t give yer over the odds.’
‘Miserable bugger, isn’t he, girl?’ It was supposed to be a whisper, but Nellie couldn’t do anything quietly. ‘I bet he saw us coming.’
‘Oh, I saw yer coming all right! I told Ellen to put everything out of sight except the scales and me chopping board.’
‘Take no notice of him, he’s having yer on.’ Ellen wiped her hands down the front of her apron. ‘What would you like, ladies?’
‘Cary Grant on a plate,’ Molly grinned. ‘But if he’s not available, I’ll settle for James Stewart or Randolph Scott.’
‘I’m sorry, but I can’t help yer there, Molly. We had Tyrone Power left until ten minutes ago, then he got snaffled up.’ Ellen bent down to the shelf under the counter, and when she straightened up she was brandishing a tin of corned beef in each hand. ‘Will these do instead?’
‘Oh, you lovely woman!’ Molly was highly delighted. ‘There’ll be enough over to make corned-beef hash for tomorrow. Isn’t that the gear, Nellie?’
‘It certainly is, girl, it’s the bloody gear! If yer’d like to come out from behind the counter, Tony, I’ll give yer a big kiss.’
Tony lifted his hands in mock horror and stepped back a pace. He backed into the large round hooks suspended from a bar which ran across the width of the window, and his straw hat was sent flying. ‘Stay where yer are, Nellie, for God’s sake! I wouldn’t be responsible for me actions if yer kissed me, knowing how hot-blooded yer are.’ He picked his hat up from the floor and was wiping the sawdust off, when he spied two familiar figures crossing the road from the other side. ‘Oh, that’s all I need! Here comes Fearsome Fanny and Terrible Theresa. Put those tins out of sight, Molly, before they see them, or there’ll be blue murder.’
Molly threw the tins in Nellie’s basket and covered them with a loaf just as Fanny Kemp swayed through the door, with Theresa Brown behind her. She walked like a bruiser, did Fanny, with her shoulder movements exaggerated and telling everyone they’d better not mess with her, she was the queen bee.
Molly looked her up and down and asked herself why she should be frightened of this woman. Anyone would think she owned the place, the way she walked around, but all she was, was a woman who bullied everyone into being afraid of her. And she was as coarse and common as muck. I’m not bowing down to the likes of her, Molly told herself. Someone has to stand up to her and put a spoke in her wheel. ‘Me and Nellie heard someone talking about you before, Fanny, and it wasn’t very complimentary.’
Nellie quickly recovered from her surprise and moved to stand close to her friend. ‘No, it wasn’t nice at all, what they said about yer.’
‘Oh, aye, who was this? I’ll break their bleedin’ neck for them!’
‘Actually, it wasn’t only one person, it was a group. We didn’t hear every word that was said, mind yer, but I told them they must have got it wrong, ’cos no one would do the terrible thing that they said you were going to do.’
Fanny moved closer and pressed her pugnosed face close to Molly’s. Her very manner was threatening and Molly felt a flicker of fear. ‘What was said, and who said it? Come on, out with it.’
Nellie wasn’t going to stand for that. Pushing in between the two women, she put her hands on Fanny’s chest and shoved her back. ‘Don’t you talk like that to my mate unless yer fancy nursing a broken jaw.’
‘Huh! Did yer hear that? And look at the flamin’ size of her!’ Fanny sneered down at Nellie. ‘Is yer mate going to lift yer up?’
When Tony saw Nellie curl her fist and bend her arm back, he was around the counter in the blink of an eyelid. ‘All right, ladies, break it up. I don’t know what it’s all about, but I’ll have no fighting in my shop.’
‘That’s all Fanny Kemp knows, Tony,’ Molly said. ‘Yer couldn’t have a normal conversation with her, she wouldn’t know where to start. She can use her mouth and her fists, but seems to be lacking a brain. There would have been none of this if she’d just listened to what I’ve got to say. But no, unless the words are coming out of her own mouth, she doesn’t want to know.’
‘Fanny, just back off, will yer?’ Tony said. ‘And if yer’ve got anything to ask Molly, then try and be rational about it. And I’ll stand here until yer’ve finished. Any fighting and yer’ll not be asked to leave the shop, but escorted off the premises.’
That wasn’t a bit to Fanny’s liking and she thought about it for a while. But it was a case of giving in or being booted out. ‘What is it yer heard people saying about me?’
‘Oh, not just you, yer mate was included too. They say that when Frank Sheild comes home from hospital, ye’re going to tell him about the men his wife’s been going with. I didn’t believe them, though, ’cos surely yer wouldn’t do that? Not to a man who’s been in a prisoner-of-war camp for nearly four years?’
‘Who wouldn’t? Just you stick around and see whether I would or not. He’s got a right to know what the bitch has been up to, and I’ll make sure he does.’
‘And what gives you the right to interfere between man and wife?’ Molly asked quietly. ‘It would do you good to keep yer nose out of their business. Ye’re a troublemaker, Fanny, and yer sidekick, Theresa Brown. It’s a pity neither of yer haven’t got better things to do.’
Before Tony knew what was happening, Fanny had closed in on Molly and was jabbing a stiffened finger in her chest. ‘If yer know what’s good for yer, yer’ll keep yer trap shut, right? Me and Theresa are going to tell Frank as soon as we see him, and it’s got nowt to do with you, so put that in yer bleedin’ pipe and smoke it.’
This was too much for Nellie. She wasn’t going to stand by and see her mate being poked by anyone. Mustering all her strength, she turned on Fanny. Using one hip and an arm, she sent the woman tottering backwards towards the window, her arms seeking something to hold on to for support. And for the first time, Theresa entered the fray. But she only had t
ime to curl her fist ready to jab at Nellie before Tony decided things had gone far enough.
‘Right, that’s it!’ The butcher’s tone of voice was such that the four women were stopped in their tracks. He was of a mind to throw the two troublemakers out, but first there was something he wanted to know. ‘Ye’re supposed to be grown-up women, so will yer please act yer age.’
‘Serve me and Theresa first, and let’s get out of here,’ Fanny said. ‘Before I marmalise the pair of them.’
Behind the counter, Ellen was standing with her eyes and mouth wide open. In the five years she’d worked in the shop she’d never seen anything like it. It was a good job Tony was here, she wouldn’t have known what to do. If it came to tangling with Fanny Kemp, or legging it hell for leather down the road, she’d have chosen the latter option. Molly was very brave for facing up to the neighbourhood bully.
‘Before I serve anyone, I’d like yer to tell me, Fanny, what it is ye’re so determined to tell Frank Sheild? I don’t think me ears heard yer right.’
Fanny squared her shoulders as a boxer would, and her chin jutted out. ‘Me and Theresa are going to tell him what no one else has got the guts to. That brazen wife of his has had about fifteen men over the war years, and each one used to sleep the night. And that’s not counting the Yank, the one she had a baby to. Frank’s going to get his eyes opened all right, and not before time, I say.’
Tony’s voice and face were expressionless. ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea, Fanny. The man spent four years in one of the worst prison camps, and saw many of his friends die of starvation or cruelty. The Germans broke his body, his mind and spirit, and now you want to finish the job and break his heart. I think that’s such a wicked thing to do, I wouldn’t want you in my shop again. So yer’d better find yerself another butcher, you and Theresa, for I’ll never serve yer again.’
‘Huh! See if I care!’ Fanny was full of bravado. ‘There’s plenty more butchers’ shops will be glad of our custom.’
‘I don’t think it’s only a new butcher yer’ll be looking for. Mike from the greengrocer’s, his son got wounded in the army and he’s never been the same since. I don’t think Mike will want yer in his shop when he finds out. And when Andy from the newsagent’s hears, yer might find that yer husband has to go elsewhere for his fags and paper. Yer see, Andy lost one of his sons in the war and it’s left him a broken man.’ Tony walked to the door and gestured for the two women to leave. ‘Good afternoon, ladies. Please don’t call again.’
There wasn’t a sound in the shop as the women left. And when they were out on the pavement, Theresa could be heard saying, ‘Ooh, what are we going to do now, Fanny?’
‘Oh, shut yer bleedin’ face, for God’s sake! Yer never opened yer mouth in there, just stood like a bloody statue. Useless, that’s what yer are.’
Molly took a deep breath and blew out slowly. ‘Tony, I am so sorry. I should have waited until we were outside to tackle them, not started a fight in your shop.’
‘I’m glad yer did, Molly, otherwise I wouldn’t have known what they were up to. They’re bad buggers, the pair of them.’
‘But yer’ve lost two customers because of me, that’s not fair!’
‘It’s meat we’re short of, Molly, not customers. Besides, me and Ellen couldn’t stand the sight of them.’ He looked over to where his assistant stood, her face as white as a sheet. ‘Too much excitement, was it?’
‘I really thought there was going to be a fight.’ Ellen rubbed her hands together for warmth. It was a lovely day, and she hadn’t felt cold until the row started and her blood turned to ice. ‘Ay, Tony, it’s a good job yer went to the abattoir early. If I’d been here on me own, yer would have come back to yer shop wrecked.’
‘No, it wouldn’t have come to that, girl.’ Nellie hadn’t turned a hair. In fact, she’d enjoyed it. ‘Did yer see the way my mate stood up to Fanny? I was dead proud of her.’
Tony chuckled. ‘It’ll be something to talk about over dinner tonight. My wife loves a bit of gossip with her liver and onions.’ He raised his brows at Ellen. ‘Will you see to Molly and Nellie? I want to nip along to the paper shop to have a word with Andy, and then to Mike in the greengrocer’s. By the time word gets around to all the shopkeepers, those two villains are going to have to travel far afield to do their shopping. Unless, of course, they have a change of heart.’
‘Thanks, Tony, ye’re a real pal,’ Molly said. ‘I won’t forget yer for this.’
Nellie nodded. ‘Yeah, thanks from me too. For everything – including the corned beef!’
Tony turned at the door as a thought entered his head. ‘Keep away from those two, they can be dangerous.’
‘Don’t worry about that,’ Molly told him. ‘That’s the first conversation I’ve had with them in years, and it’ll be the last. I’m not a sucker for punishment.’
‘Honest, yer had to be there to believe it.’ Nellie’s eyes, mouth and hands were all in motion as she related the events in the butcher’s shop. ‘Never in a million years did I think I’d see Molly standing there, as large as yer like, telling Fanny Kemp what she thought about her. And so calm, as well! When Fanny was poking her in the chest she didn’t even bat an eye. That’s when I moved in and sent the queer one flying. I wasn’t going to have no jumped-up bully doing that to my mate.’
‘I should say I’m ashamed of yer for fighting in a shop,’ George said. ‘But in this instance I think you and Molly did right. And I take me hat off to Tony for sorting the pair of them out.’
‘It would be the price of them if none of the shops will serve them,’ Steve said, before chuckling. ‘I bet Mr Kemp will play merry hell if the newsagent refuses to sell him his fags and paper.’
Lily was only half-listening to the conversation. Her eyes were on Paul, willing him to suggest she go to the dance with him and Archie. She’d been cutting her nose to spite her face for the last week, feeling sorry for herself. Now, after she’d refused so often, her brother probably wouldn’t ask her any more. Her mam had given her up as a bad job, too, so she couldn’t expect any help from that quarter. Oh, what a fool she’d been, sitting in every night instead of going out and enjoying herself. She’d wasted two years of her life, wasn’t that enough?
Nellie hadn’t given up on her daughter, she’d just been taking Molly’s advice to let the girl move at her own pace. But seeing Lily wasn’t even moving at a snail’s pace, Nellie decided a little push was in order. So as she was putting her coat on to go to the Bennetts’ to have her measurements taken, she asked casually, ‘Are yer staying in again tonight, love?’
‘It looks like it!’
George lifted his eyes from the evening Echo. ‘Why don’t yer go dancing with the lads?’
‘It’s manners to wait until ye’re asked, Dad.’
‘Ye gods! It’s no wonder they say all women are contrary.’ Paul shook his head in disbelief. ‘I’ve asked yer every blinking night and yer say yer’d rather stay in.’
‘I can’t help being a woman and contrary, can I? If yer ask me tonight, I’ll say yes, I’d like to go to the dance with you and Archie.’
‘Then go and get ready, girl, ’cos Archie will be here any minute. And wear yer best dress and bags of make-up.’ Nellie was well pleased with herself as she closed the front door behind her. That was a turn-up for the books, eh? Wait until she told Molly! All in all, it had been quite an eventful day.
Archie felt like a little boy who’d been given a treat when Paul said Lily was upstairs getting ready to go with them. His flagging hopes suddenly rose again and he felt like singing. And when Lily came down looking so pretty in a pale blue floral dress, with her hair shining and her smiling face wearing just the right amount of make-up, he couldn’t help but tell her, ‘Yer look very nice, Lily.’
‘Thank you, kind sir! And might I say you look very dashing, as always?’
There was contentment in George’s smile. He’d been worried about his daughter, but tonight she looke
d happy, as though she’d put the past behind her. ‘Enjoy yerself, love.’
‘I will, Dad.’ She bent to kiss his cheek. ‘If I don’t, yer can blame me two escorts.’
Paul was first out of the door, and when he jumped from the top step he landed right in front of Phoebe. ‘Yer daft nit!’ she said. ‘Yer nearly knocked me flying.’
‘Nearly, but not quite.’ He saw the bag under her arm and grinned. ‘Off to Connie Millington’s, are yer? Surely ye’re good enough to go to a proper dance by now? Our Lily’s coming with us tonight, why don’t yer come along?’
‘No, I’m meeting me friend.’ There was a secret behind Phoebe’s smile. She was good enough to go to a proper dance, but in another couple of weeks she’d be better still. And although the lad grinning down at her didn’t know it, she’d made a promise to herself that when the time came for Paul to ask her to dance, she’d be able to match him step for step. And then she wouldn’t feel so shy.
‘Connie’s a good teacher, isn’t she?’ Archie’s smile was directed at Phoebe, but the reason for it was standing by his side. ‘She taught me everything I know.’
‘I could do with going there for a few lessons,’ Lily said. ‘I can’t keep up with these two, with their fancy footwork. I lack confidence, yer see.’
Oh, Phoebe knew only too well what it was like to lack confidence. She wasn’t as shy now as she used to be, not since she’d been going to Millington’s. But she needed to feel a lot more sure of herself if she was to compete for a certain young man. ‘I’ll have to go, I don’t like to keep me friend waiting. Enjoy yerselves! Ta-ra!’
‘I think I’ll go with her one night,’ Lily said, as they walked on. ‘I could do with a few lessons.’
‘I’ll teach yer, then it won’t cost yer anything,’ Archie said. ‘We’ll start tonight with me favourite dance, the slow foxtrot.’
Chapter Twenty-Four
On Monday morning, when Nellie made her daily call to Molly’s for their morning cup of tea, she found her friend in a state of excited agitation. ‘What is it, girl?’