The uniformed doorman was busy hailing a taxi for a waiting mink-clad lady so he walked in unobserved. The spacious vestibule was full of women in glamorous evening wear, dripping with diamonds, and their false laughter set his teeth on edge.
Apart from a couple of army officers all the other men were dressed like him. He’d heard that exiled royalty resided here but he didn’t know if that was true. What he did know was that there was a bar downstairs, known as the Pink Bar, where homosexuals mingled freely. As always, if you had enough money you could flout the law with impunity. Ordinary men faced arrest and prison if they were caught. He believed that what people did in the privacy of their bedrooms was their own business.
He should have asked exactly where this reception was taking place. Then Billings and a woman, presumably his wife, arrived and he strolled across to join them.
‘Good evening, I’m Denny. I’m delighted to meet you, Mrs Billings.’ He offered his hand but she ignored it. The woman was thin, dressed entirely in black, her grey hair scraped back and only a diamond choker for decoration. The gown was so elegant it needed nothing else. Her smile did nothing to alleviate the impression he’d got that she wasn’t pleased to see him. Her smile was fleeting and her words insincere.
‘Mr Denny, how delightful to meet you at last.’ She glided away leaving him alone with her husband.
Billings frowned and patted David on the shoulder. ‘Ignore her, my dear boy, it’s what I do and it works for me.’
‘I warn you – I don’t intend to stay long. If you’d be kind enough to introduce me to the people I need to know, then I’ll make my excuses and vanish.’
‘It won’t just be board members. You’ve not met many of your fellow consultants and this is your opportunity to do so. We have half a dozen women in that role, which you might be surprised to know I thoroughly approve of.’
‘That sounds more promising. Is this just a drinks thing or will there be food as well?’
‘Something my dear wife calls a running buffet will be set out at eight o’clock. A lot of nonsense if you ask me; I’d rather have fish and chips than devilled eggs and cucumber sandwiches.’
David shook hands with dozens of people and promptly forgot their names. He was cornered several times by middle-aged women determined to discover if he was someone they could invite to make up the numbers at one of their social functions. He was pretty sure when he finally managed to escape that he was now on a variety of lists and would receive a stream of unwanted invitations in the future.
The insincere laughter, the crystal-cut diction, the overdressed guests, just reinforced his opinion that the majority of wealthy people had no idea of the hardship and suffering that the ordinary person was enduring. From their conversation one would have thought that rationing, making do and mending, losing loved ones, possessions and homes, only applied to other people. The people in this room were living as if there was no war.
What bemused him was the fact that a lot of them worked at the Royal Free, saw for themselves on a daily basis the destruction and devastation caused by the bombing, and yet could forget what they’d seen during the day and behave like this in the evening.
Any future invitations of this sort would be politely refused – he’d rather have no friends than mingle with the so-called elite again.
*
David was on call a few nights later, on the 10th, but didn’t wait for the telephone to ring. The sky was clear, it was a full moon and the perfect night for those bastards to come in their droves and drop bombs and incendiaries indiscriminately all over London. The fact that the Thames was at low ebb as it had been in the last massive raid in April would just make things so much harder for the rescue services.
The sirens wailed their warning throughout the city as he ran towards the hospital. The ARP wardens were blowing their whistles and yelling for everyone to get into a shelter. The fighters were out in force. The boom from the ack-ack guns almost drowned out the noise of the approaching bombers.
The sky was filled with ominous black shapes and as he watched strings of bombs began to tumble towards the buildings. Not only were bombs being dropped but also wave after wave of incendiaries. This was going to be a very long night.
He expected to see his boss turn up and help as he would have been called in too. However, the casualty department was soon overrun with the walking wounded, those on stretchers and a horrific number of patients who were already past his or anyone else’s help.
A constant stream of men, women and children were wheeled into his theatre. There was no respite and he lost count of how many patients he’d had to operate on that night.
‘We only lost two, sir, quite remarkable in the circumstances,’ the theatre sister told him as she helped him to strip off the final gown. God knows how many he’d got through during the night.
‘Is Mr Billings now in the other operating theatre?’
‘He started ten minutes ago. You need to get something to eat and then go home for some sleep.’
He stepped outside expecting to blink in the sunlight but the air was so thick with smoke he couldn’t tell if it was actually out. This was even worse than the air raid a month ago.
It was a miracle the hospital hadn’t taken a direct hit as he was quite sure others might well have done. He staggered home and into the dining room. He collapsed into the nearest chair and Jensen appeared with not a pot of tea, but a large jug of real coffee.
‘This is kept for emergencies, Mr Denny. Breakfast is on the way and if you leave your laundry bag outside the door it will be washed and returned to you by this evening.’
After three cups of coffee, a bowl of porridge and half a dozen slices of toast thickly spread with real butter and actual marmalade he was beginning to feel human again.
Jensen was waiting on him personally today, not something that had happened before. ‘Sit down, join me – there’s at least two more cups in this jug.’
The concierge didn’t need asking twice. ‘Thank you. I’ve been hearing the most dreadful things about last night. Paddington and Euston are blocked, King’s Cross took a direct hit and most of the railway stations are shut on the south side of the Thames.’
‘I’m not surprised. Even with the doors and windows closed you can see the smoke in here and certainly smell it. Was anything around here hit? I’m afraid I didn’t notice on the way home.’
‘Several fires but they’ve been put out. One of my other gentlemen came through the West End and said the damage is as bad there as anywhere else. There’s an unexploded bomb on Regent Street and the road was blocked by a landmine on the corner of Bond Street. What hasn’t been hit by a bomb has gone up in smoke and the roads are covered in broken glass.’
David drained his cup and, with some difficulty, pushed himself to his feet. ‘Thank you for your conversation and the coffee. I’m going to have a hot shower and fall into bed and hope nobody wants me for a few hours.’
*
Nancy could hardly believe that her baby had been born on the actual day she was due. From what she’d heard on the news London had been all but destroyed by the bombing and the fires. There was nothing in the newspaper about the Royal Free being hit so she had to believe David was all right.
The midwife told her she must stay in bed for a week but she’d no intention of doing so. Jenny couldn’t manage both children, the cooking and everything else on her own for more than a day even though she was a very capable girl.
Nancy was a bit sore downstairs, had like a heavy monthly, but apart from that was tickety-boo. Her daughter was going to be called Charlotte Jane after her two friends and she decided to write to them immediately and give them the good news. It would take her mind off what might be happening in London.
As well as the letters to her friends she also wrote to her ma telling her that she had a granddaughter. She decided not to put her new address in this letter as she didn’t want her family turning up. If they needed to contact her then they co
uld do so at her old address.
As soon as she was up and about she’d go to the nearest telephone box and ring Jill and see if there was any mail for her. It then occurred to her that Mr Smithson would be in contact with David’s solicitor so if anything had happened to him the information would eventually filter through to her. There was no need to call anyone and risk giving away her location.
The midwife was unsurprised to find her patient up and about when she came on the Monday. ‘Your milk’s coming in, little Lottie is thriving and as long as you don’t overdo it, I can see no harm in you being up and about so soon. Some mothers need the rest, but you obviously don’t.’
‘I’m feeding her when she cries – doesn’t seem sensible to wake her up to do it.’
‘Whatever you’re doing, Mrs Smith, if you and the baby are happy then that’s all that matters.’
*
At the end of May Lottie was an established member of the family. The children adored her and Polly now slept by the crib keeping guard on the new arrival. The money from David’s house was in the bank and she splashed out and paid a ridiculous amount of money for a lovely new pram. What she’d spent would keep a family of four in food for weeks and she was uncomfortable about having bought it.
‘Can I take Lottie out for a walk in the pram, Mrs Smith?’
‘I’m not sure – it’s market day and it’ll be really busy. I don’t think a new baby should be in a crowd. If there’s an air raid you won’t be able to take the pram down and someone will pinch it.’
‘It’s ten o’clock in the morning and those Germans don’t come in the day very often. They’ve not been coming every night since Lottie was born, have they? Folk are saying that the Blitz is over.’
Nancy smiled. Jenny was right – it would be perfectly safe for her to push the baby around town for half an hour. ‘Go on then. Take the ration books and see if you can get any sweets or a small bar of chocolate. We could all do with a treat and Billy and Betty have been ever so good.’
The children were out in the garden with the dog, helping Sid and Danny – the old blokes who were clearing the garden – pull up weeds. She doubted they were actually doing anything useful but they loved being out there and the old men kept a close eye on them.
The front garden was done and she’d been delighted to see there were well established borders with actual flowers growing in them. Now the grass had been cut there was plenty of room for the little ones to play safely as it was surrounded by a high brick wall and had no access to the rear without going through a locked side gate. She was that worried about the back garden, which was huge, and the river, although not that wide, was quite deep enough to drown them if they fell in.
She’d had a brief note from both her friends saying they would come as soon as they got time off. The spare room, which fortunately had twin beds not a double, was ready for when they did arrive. She watched as Jenny wheeled the smart pram out of the front gate. She’d yet to venture into town herself with the pram as she knew it would draw unwanted attention from envious young mothers.
She kept the gate locked as there was a chain with a handle set into the wall by the gate, which rang a bell loudly in the kitchen and the garden so she could hurry out and let any visitors in. The kettle had scarcely boiled when the bell jangled loudly.
That was a very short walk – she hoped nothing untoward had happened to bring Jenny home a few minutes after she’d left. Running was no longer possible as her bosoms bounced around painfully if she did. Therefore, she walked briskly to the gate and unlocked it. She was delighted to see her two friends standing outside. Jane just had her overnight bag but Charlotte had her large kitbag with her. Neither of them were carrying gas masks – nobody bothered nowadays.
‘Charlotte, Jane, I can’t believe you’ve arrived together. You must have passed your namesake as Jenny only went out with the pram a few minutes ago.’
‘Didn’t pass anyone with a pram. You look absolutely splendid, Nancy; motherhood obviously suits you,’ Charlotte said as she hugged her.
‘This is a lovely house in a perfect position. I can see why you wanted to move.’ Jane also hugged her.
‘You both look so smart in your uniforms. I can see you’ve been promoted from the stripes on your arm, Jane. You’ve got a badge with two animals on it, Charlotte. What does that make you?’
‘I’m a warrant officer and am going to Bulstrode Park in Buckinghamshire when I leave here to undergo an officer training course. If you recall I should have gone months ago.’
‘Congratulations. I do remember you told me before that they were sending you. What about you, Jane?’
‘I’m a sergeant now but I’m hoping to leave for the same reason as you did, Nancy, very soon.’
‘Have you missed your monthly?’
‘No, but Oscar’s broken his arm and will get four weeks’ sick leave starting tomorrow when he leaves hospital. As I’ve not had a day off in months our Queen Bee has given me two weeks’ leave. Oscar’s coming here to collect me and then we’ll spend the time at the vicarage. I’m hoping I’ll get pregnant.’
The conversation was interrupted by a frantic barking on the other side of the gate that led to the back garden. ‘I’ve got to let her in and you can meet my oldest two. Billy will be six in November and Betty will be four next February.’
They stared at her as if she was barmy. She grinned. ‘David adopted them when their mother died. They were evacuated to Chalfont Major and lived with us. They’re my responsibility now and I’ve the papers to prove it.’
She opened the side gate and the dog and the children rushed in to see who’d arrived. Her friends were lovely with them, as she’d known they would be, and kept their questions to themselves for the moment.
When Jenny returned the baby was fussed over and admired. The day flew past and she didn’t have a moment to sit down until the children were asleep. Lottie slept in the crib in the sitting room during the day and in a drawer from the chest in her room at night.
The three of them took their cups of tea out into the garden. Four deckchairs had been found in one of the outbuildings and these had pride of place on the newly scythed lawn. Jenny was listening to the wireless and keeping an eye on the baby so they were free to sit and catch up on each other’s news.
Nancy felt the odd one out in her civvies but didn’t regret for one moment that her life had changed so dramatically. She told them everything, including how she’d almost married David and why she’d sent him away.
‘I can’t believe you let him think that you believed him to be the sort of man who would abuse a child. No wonder he hasn’t made a push to find you,’ Jane said. ‘I wasn’t sure about David but have changed my mind.’
‘How could the two of you be so stupid that you threw away a lifetime of happiness on so flimsy an excuse?’ Charlotte added.
Nancy had expected them to be more sympathetic but they were the reverse. ‘You know what I am. Can you see me wandering about in somebody’s drawing room making small talk to a crowd of toffs?’
‘Then don’t do it. For heaven’s sake, Nancy, if you don’t want to mix with people you don’t like and don’t fit in with then stay at home and let David go on his own. I can’t believe you’ve both been so foolish. You’re two intelligent adults and yet you’ve behaved like a pair of ninnies.’ Jane looked at Charlotte who nodded vigorously.
‘From what you said you love each other, you’ve adopted two stray children together, he’s given you a house and a small fortune to live on – why in God’s name would you think you didn’t deserve to be his wife?’
‘People like me don’t marry people like him.’
‘Poppycock! Believe me, if I’m ever lucky enough to fall in love with a chap I won’t care who he is.’ Charlotte spoke from the heart and meant every word.
‘It’s all very well for you to say that David and I should have ignored what people would say and get married anyway. You’re forgetting about Lottie,
that last August I was about to marry Tommy and as far as everyone else is concerned I did marry him. If it was just a class thing then I’m sure we would have just got married and ignored the gossip.’
‘So you chose to run away? How will that help your children? If you’d married him Lottie would be legitimate.’
‘Please, Charlotte, don’t go on about it. David’s gone and I’ve just got to accept it and get on with my life and do the best I can for my children.’
28
By the end of May David found that his time at the Royal Free was less fraught and his list became more routine operations than emergencies caused by the bombs. It seemed to him that civilians, mainly women and children, were the ones being killed by this bloody war.
Of course, the Bismarck had sunk HMS Hood somewhere in the Atlantic last week and it was feared that most of her fourteen hundred crew had perished. Since then the Royal Navy had been relentlessly pursuing the battleship and today it too was lying at the bottom of the ocean. Revenge was sweet but not much comfort to the widows and orphans of those poor sailors who’d drowned.
The only drawback with having more regular hours was that it gave him too much time to think. Nancy would have had her baby by now. She certainly had the money from the house, and he wanted to believe that they’d made the right decision. His life was certainly well ordered, no emotional upheavals, and he loved his job and his skills as a surgeon were improving every day. So why wasn’t he content?
He was mulling over this at the small bar at Primrose House when he was joined by Digby, a junior consultant in the orthopaedic department, the one he thought was an ass.
‘Denny, just the fellow I wanted to see. There’s a shindig in Grosvenor Square and I’ve been asked to bring you along.’
‘Not in the mood, sorry.’
‘You need to get out a bit more, old boy, meet a few pretty popsies, enjoy yourself. We could all be dead tomorrow so why live like a hermit?’
‘I haven’t got any petrol in the old bike.’
The East End Girl in Blue Page 27