by Joan Moules
‘Mmm. Where does your mum think you go on Saturdays, Johnny?’
‘Out with me mates. I never actually say. What was the word old man Dover was so fond of— yes, specific, specifically. Sometimes she asks leading questions, but I always fob her off.’
‘Would she mind, do you think? You and me meeting, I mean?’
He shrugged. ‘Why should she?’
‘No reason,’ Annie answered quickly, ‘but you know what grown-ups are?’
Annie always wore the ring Johnny had bought her on her finger on Saturdays when they met, but during the week at school it stayed comfortingly on the silver chain around her neck.
‘Still got it,’ he said now, awkwardly taking hold of her hand.
‘Mmm. It’s pretty.’
‘So are you, Annie. I’ve always thought so. Prettier than any other girl in the school.’
She squeezed his fingers in appreciation, and he let go of her hand so suddenly she laughed. ‘Sorry, Johnny, did I hurt you?’
‘No, ’course not.’ He touched her clumsily. ‘What would you like to do today?’
‘Go to Buckingham Palace.’
Afterwards she wondered whatever had induced her to say that. She had seen the palace before, several times, yet once the words were out she felt excited at the thought.
‘Don’t expect the King and Queen are there, but come on, then, and afterwards we’ll go and feed the pigeons in Trafalgar Square, shall we?’
They returned to the station for the next train into town. It was crowded, soldiers, sailors and airmen of all nationalities, WAAFS, ATS and WRENS as well as a smattering of the civilian population.
‘I should like to go in the Wrens when I leave school,’ Annie said, ‘but you have to be seventeen, I checked. That’s why I thought about a job in London for a few years …’
‘Seems funny to think of you in a uniform,’ said Johnny. ‘You know how I always think of you before I go to sleep at night?’
She held her breath. ‘No Johnny, how?’
He bent his head low, so it was almost touching her shoulder and he didn’t look at her face as he said, ‘In that pink dressing-gown, and your hair all loose and hanging round your shoulders. You looked like a film star, Annie, honest you did.’
The train jerked to a stop and they both shot forward. They were nearly into the station, and Johnny was glad of the chance to change the subject. He hadn’t meant to say anything along those lines to Annie, they were his nighttime thoughts, and sometimes his dreams.
‘Wonder what we’ve stopped for?’ he said loudly, and at that moment they started again, puffing steadily into the terminus.
On the platform a couple of American airmen went by and gave them a friendly grin. Johnny felt for her hand. ’I could lose you in this crowd otherwise,’ he said, his face flushed. She smiled at him as she returned the pressure.
Both knew their way about London well, Johnny possibly better than Annie. She knew the monuments and famous buildings, and he knew these and lots of smaller interesting places too. Alleys that led to elegant squares where they sometimes walked, gazing at the houses.
‘Aren’t they wonderful?’ Annie would say. ‘Can’t you imagine them when people wore crinolines and horse-drawn carriages pulled up outside to take sir and madam for a drive or to the pleasure-gardens?’
Johnny didn’t know about the pleasure-gardens, but he listened to Annie and asked questions and one week she brought up a library book about them. He was fascinated.
‘Reckon I could have worked in a place like that, Annie,’ he said when he returned it the following week, ‘and you’d have been the fine lady who came to watch and buy.’
But today they headed for Buckingham Palace. They weren’t surprised to find a small crowd gathered there, many in uniform, but to their great delight within minutes of their arrival the policeman on the gate strode forward and held up the traffic to allow a large black car through. It happened very quickly, and they had a wonderful view of the King and Queen and two princesses.
‘Golly, gosh,’ Annie said, ‘that’s the very first time I’ve seen them except on the newsreels. Weren’t they lovely? Princess Elizabeth was nearest to me and she looked right into my eyes. Gosh, Johnny I’m so thrilled I – I think I’m going to cry.’
‘Aw, don’t cry, Annie, not with all these people about. You liked seeing them, didn’t you?’
‘Yes, of course I did.’ She looked at him with shining eyes. ‘How lucky we were, Johnny. Just that very moment.’
‘I’ve never seen them before either,’ he said. ‘They’re more beautiful than their photographs, aren’t they?’
‘Mmm. Such blue eyes the princesses have. Oh Johnny, what a perfect day. Shall we go to Trafalgar Square now?’
They turned from the palace gates and almost bumped into a lady and gentleman who gazed at them with amazement showing clearly in their faces.
‘Anita. What are you doing here?’
‘Mummy.’
Johnny found the next few minutes very confusing indeed. Annie touched his arm and he could feel her hand trembling. ‘Johnny, these are my mother and father,’ she said.
He held out his hand. ‘How do you do.’
‘This is Johnny Bookman,’ Annie told them.
Mrs Evesham barely acknowledged him, but Annie’s father held out his hand too. ‘Glad to know you, Johnny,’ he said.
‘What on earth are you doing in London, Anita?’
‘Well, Mummy …’ She drew a deep breath, trying frantically to find the right words.
‘Anita, I’m waiting. I want the truth. Why aren’t you in Winchurch or Bushton – wherever it is you go on a Saturday?’
Johnny burst in then. ‘I can explain that, Mrs Evesham. I asked Annie to come to London with me today.’
‘You did?’ The scorn in her voice made Johnny wince.
‘Yes, I did.’ He strove to keep his tone low, smothering his natural indignation at being spoken to in that manner. ‘Annie is a friend of mine and I invited her out for the day.’
He thought Mrs Evesham was going to burst wide open. She seemed to swell all over, her face grew rounder and pinker, she waved her arms about, and she looked just like a barrage-balloon about to break from its moorings.
‘Look, Mummy, I can explain …’ but Annie’s mother didn’t allow her to get any further.
‘You’ll have to, my girl, you’ll have to. Come along.’
‘Oh, I say, Eunice, let the young people have their chance. How about a cup of tea somewhere and we can sort this out.’
Johnny warmed to Annie’s dad, but Mrs Evesham was tugging at Annie now, and she shot her husband a look of such venom that Johnny wasn’t surprised when he said quietly, ‘You had better come with your mother, Anita.’
Annie touched Johnny’s arm gently. ‘Might be better if I do,’ she whispered.
‘But …’ Already Mrs Evesham was almost dragging Annie away.
‘They could force me, Johnny,’ she hissed, ‘and you’d be in trouble too.’
‘I don’t know what your parents are about,’ was Mrs Evesham’s parting shot to Johnny, ‘but I’ll warrant they don’t know about this. Wandering about London at your ages and in these times.…’ She hustled her husband and Annie away, and Johnny stood there afterwards and wondered whether he was dreaming and would suddenly wake up and find himself in bed instead of outside Buckingham Palace, where the gold of the day had suddenly turned to grey. He was standing there still when Annie broke away and rushed back.
‘Next week, Johnny – I’ll be there.’ She turned and slowly, with great dignity, walked back to where her parents were waiting.
Johnny went home. His thoughts were all of Annie. She was certainly some girl. It took courage to defy her parents, especially that old dragon of a mother. He felt a surge of gratitude that his mother wasn’t like that.
On his way back he saw nothing of his surroundings, his thoughts were all for Annie. What would happen to her? What wo
uld her parents do to her? He berated himself for not being able to protect her – if only he was a few years older it couldn’t have happened, he thought, but she was still a minor and neither she nor he would have a leg to stand on if anyone decided to part them.
He was so worried he almost went past his bus-stop. The clippie smilingly chided him for day-dreaming when he jumped up as she had her hand to the bell.
His sister-in-law Doris and her mother were there when he got home. He had forgotten this was his mother’s Saturday off – she worked two out of three.
‘You’re early,’ she said.
‘Yes.’ He walked through to the hall to go upstairs to his bedroom.
‘Where’ve you been?’ she said.
‘Out.’ His voice was belligerent.
‘Johnny. I asked you a civil question and I expect a civil answer. Where have you been?’
‘Messing around.’
‘You said you were going to someone’s house for dinner and tea. You haven’t been sent home, have you?’
He held back the words that sprang to his lips, and glancing at Doris and her mother he said, ‘Mum thinks I’m still a little boy in short pants.’
‘Never mind what I think.’ She came and stood in front of him, so he would have to look her in the face. ‘You made a point of saying not to save dinner or tea for you today because you were going to be at some boy’s house – Dave’s, wasn’t it? all day. It’s half past three, so what happened?’
‘For crying out loud, Mum. Do I have to account for my movements as though I’m a criminal? I didn’t stay as long, that’s all. No reason, I just didn’t.’ He slammed out of the room.
He heard the babble of talk as he entered his bedroom, but he was left in peace. He flung himself on to the bed and swore.
Over half an hour later he heard sounds downstairs and realized that Doris and her mother were leaving. Now he’d be for it. He wished he’d kept his mouth shut, but his mother’s questioning had been the last straw in a day that had begun so well and finished so badly. And he was worried over Annie. What if they beat her?
‘Johnny.’
He straightened himself up, flexed his muscles to try and make them ripple as he remembered the strong man at the fair used to do. During the time he had been upstairs he had worked out what he hoped was a plausible story. No use telling his mother that he and Annie met every Saturday – not now, it wasn’t. She’d be sure to kick up about it because it had been going on for so long without her knowing. And at the back of his mind was the fact that if she banned them from meeting, it would mean either never seeing Annie again, or telling more lies.
With a certainty he had never before experienced he knew which he’d opt for. Annie was the girl he would marry when they were both old enough. He loved her like his dad loved his mum and together they would be a great team. Unless she did marry someone else, but only if that someone was her choice. He would have to accept it then.
Johnny didn’t want to lie to his mum, but it seemed to him it was the lesser of two evils. This was a phrase she herself often used, so maybe she would understand his predicament if she found out later. Best to tell one lie now about today and hope she left it at that so he wouldn’t need to do it again.
She had her ‘no-nonsense’ face on when he entered the room. In fact, he thought, her whole bearing was the same.
‘I want the truth, Johnny. You didn’t go to Dave’s or anyone else’s today. So where were you and what were you doing?’ He looked towards the floor.
‘Well, Johnny. Start talking.’
‘We had a fight. Now don’t get it wrong – it was outside. Several of us, so we simply didn’t go to Dave’s house.’
‘Look at me, Johnny?’
He looked up quickly.
‘I see. So where did you go instead?’
‘Oh just around. The park, the common.’
‘Do I know this Dave? Is he from round here?’
‘He – he lives the other side of the park, in Benstead Road. I told you when I went there once before.’
‘That’s right, so you did. I’d forgotten. Well, bring him round here one Saturday when I’m off, Johnny.’
‘Is that all. Can I go now?’
‘Yes, except I’m going out tonight with some of the girls from the factory. Your dad’s firewatching and as I thought you’d be having dinner and tea with your friend Dave I haven’t cooked anything. Better get yourself some chips from Mrs Joe on the corner. I’ll give you some money.’
Johnny suddenly realized how very hungry he was. Since the cream horn in the café this morning he’d had nothing to eat or drink.
‘Thanks, Mum. Sorry I snapped, but you did make me look a fool in front of Doris and her mum. Sometimes I don’t think you realize how old I am. Soon I’ll be out at work proper and you won’t be able to tell me what to do then.’
‘We’ll see. All the while you’re in this house you’ll do as your dad and I say. We’re older than you and we know best. Now listen, I won’t be late this evening – if the warning goes get under the Morrison table and stay there. Understand.’
‘Yes mum,’ he said in an exaggerated tone.
‘And watch yourself, Johnny. Liars always get found out.’
CHAPTER 9
1943
Annie fought back tears as she went with her parents. No further word was spoken until they reached a bus-stop. There was a queue and her mother said crossly, ‘Almost impossible to get a taxi and the buses are so crowded.’
She had her arm firmly tucked into her daughter’s although she seemed to be addressing her remarks to nobody in particular. Then suddenly she turned her face towards Annie’s. ‘You had better watch your step, Anita. Running after a boy like that.’ She pulled her lips together in a thin, disapproving line.
The girl and her father kept silent. When she saw their bus approaching Annie said, ‘I have to get back to Winchurch.’
‘Oh no, you are coming back with us tonight. I shall telephone Mrs Dover and find out about a few things. And you have some explaining to do. We want to know exactly what has been going on.’
‘Nothing’s been going on. Johnny and I simply had a day out. Nothing to make such a fuss over.’
Mrs Evesham gripped her arm tighter and almost pushed her on to the bus. ‘We will discuss the matter at home, not in public if you don’t mind,’ she said.
By the time they reached home Annie had conquered her tearfulness and was simply feeling rebellious.
‘You’re treating me like a child,’ she said. ‘We were doing no wrong and you were extremely rude to Johnny.’
‘That’s enough. I knew we should not have allowed you to be evacuated with the rest. I wanted you to go to my sister in America, but no, that wasn’t right for your father.’
Half-turning towards her husband she said bitterly, ‘I should never have listened to you. Look at the result of your great idea now. Our daughter mixing with boys like that one this afternoon. What are you going to do about that?’
‘We don’t know the lad, do we? He may be—’
‘That is not the point,’ his wife interrupted; her voice sharp with anger and anxiety. ‘Anita is still only fourteen and we thought she was safely in the country. Mrs Dover has something to answer for here. Where did you tell her you were going today?’ She turned back to her daughter.
‘All right, I’m completely in the wrong. I admit it. I told her I was having a day out with a friend. That was the truth, but I didn’t tell her it was in London in case she wouldn’t let me go.’
‘So. Did she not ask where you were going?’
Annie thought quickly. If she landed Mrs Dover in too much trouble she might have to come back here to live.
‘Yes, she did actually, and I’m afraid I lied to her.’
Mrs Evesham closed the door while she telephoned Mrs Dover. Anita and her father sat opposite each other and listened to the muted sounds from the hall. Then he smiled at her. ‘How many times have you
had a day out with young Johnny, Anita?’ he asked softly.
‘Q-quite a lot,’ she said.
‘He is also billeted with the Dovers, isn’t he?’
‘He used to be. He came back to London two years ago.’
Mrs Evesham returned. ‘I have told the Dovers I shall bring you back myself tomorrow. We were coming down then anyway to talk about your future. I shall have quite a bit to say to them, too, about allowing you to run loose. I won’t have it. They take money for looking after you and I expect the job to be properly done. If she can’t do it, then we will find somewhere else. What is that on your finger? Show me.’ She pulled Annie’s hand towards her as the girl made to cover Johnny’s ring with her other hand.
‘A ring. And you’re wearing it on your engagement finger. You silly little fool, what sort of game do you and that stupid boy think you’re playing?’
She tugged at her daughter’s finger and, red-faced and with tears spilling over now, Annie resisted with all her might.
‘Leave it alone, it’s mine.’
‘I suppose he gave it to you. A cheap bit of jewellery—’
‘Leave it alone, leave it alone,’ Annie screamed, ‘you don’t know what you’re talking about.’ She wrenched her hand from her mother’s grasp, and sobbing uncontrollably, rushed out of the room and upstairs.
It was Mr Evesham who tapped on her door an hour later. ‘Anita, may I come in?’ he called softly.
She was calmer then, and already making plans. She knew there wasn’t anything she could do until tomorrow, but somehow she had to smooth things over sufficiently to enable her to stay in Winchurch a few months longer until she was fourteen. Until then they could force her home, but after that, she thought, I can be independent.
‘Anita, your mother was worried, that’s why she carried on. She’s very fond of you, and it was a great shock to her to see you in London with a young boy when she thought you were safely in the country.’
She had put the ring away in her purse, not risking it round her neck even, where the silver chain would show in the V of her summer-frock.
‘We weren’t doing any harm and she didn’t give us a chance to explain.’