Gina and Phyllis giggled.
“I’ll have them finished in a few weeks,” Mister Johnston said.
Ma handed him the clothing ration books, and he took out what he needed. “We’ll check back with you before school starts,” Ma said.
“Cheerio,” Gina said.
“Ta.” Mister Johnston waved and then turned back to his workbench.
We walked down Derby Street to a row of shops.
First, we went in the chemist’s shop. Ma bought us each a comb, a brush, a toothbrush, and a tub of tooth powder to share. I wondered what tooth powder tasted like, but I didn’t want to ask. It seemed there were lots of things I didn’t know about, and I didn’t want to look foolish again.
Then we went into a fabric shop and looked at all the different pieces of fabric. I slid my fingers across a bolt of creamy silk with tiny pink flowers on it, but it was far too posh for a school dress. Plus, I would never ask my mum for something so posh, let alone asking Ma for it.
Ma picked out some dark blue and brown fabric to make our dresses. She found some white fabric for our blouses. She also got blue and brown thread and a huge piece of pink and white striped fabric and some padding.
She winked at me as she put it on the shop’s counter.
“What do you need all this for?” asked the lady behind the counter.
“I’ve been blessed with these two lovely evacuees, and I can hardly wait to make them some new clothes.”
“Did they bring money and ration cards to pay for their keep?” she asked.
“Here are their cards.” Ma held them out. “And they brought me something much better than money. They brought friendship for my Phyllis. Our house is full of smiles and giggles.” Ma smiled sweetly at the gruff lady. I wanted everyone in Leek to be like Ma, but it appeared not everyone would welcome us Londoners.
The lady behind the counter made a little huffy sound and put out her hand. Ma placed the money and the ration cards on the counter and put everything in the carrier bags. She continued smiling sweetly to the rude lady, never once losing her composure. We had gotten lucky. Ma, Grandpa Wood, and Phyllis seemed to be a great host family. I hoped Molly and Sam found good hosts too.
Chapter Twenty-Six
September 12, 1940
12:00 PM
“Where are we going next?” Phyllis asked.
“We have to pop in one more shop, drop by the house and then walk to the Mermaid Inn for a cup of tea and a sweet.”
“Are mermaids real?” Gina raised an eyebrow.
“Well, that depends on whom you ask.” Ma smiled.
I loved mermaids. We had seen a statue of one when we visited the seaside with Nanny. Gina was still young enough to believe in magical things, but I was far too old for that.
“It’s quite a long walk to the Mermaid Inn,” Ma said.
Gina’s eyes shone with excitement. “Do you think we’ll see any real live mermaids?”
“I don’t expect we will,” said Ma.
“Perhaps if we camped out by Black Mere Pool, we might see one during the night.” Phyllis flashed me a secret wink.
“Thanks for entertaining Gina,” I whispered. All the distractions seemed to be helping Gina cope with being away from Mum and Daddy.
Phyllis waved a dismissive hand. “She’s the little sister I always wished for.”
“Could we camp there, Ma?” I asked.
“I don’t think so. These are dangerous times,” Ma said. “But perhaps we’ll have a family picnic there one Sunday afternoon.”
I cleared my throat. “Would be all right if we asked Molly and Sam to go with us?”
“Who are Molly and Sam?” Phyllis asked.
“They’re our friends from the train. They got off in Leek too.”
“Sounds like a wonderful idea.” Ma smiled broadly.
Phyllis said, “I can’t wait to meet them. Sometimes it gets lonely when you live in the countryside.”
A splash of sadness crossed Ma’s face. It made me wonder about our beautiful bedroom. Had someone else once lived there?
“We have to find Molly and Sam,” I said.
“We can do that on our way back from the Mermaid Inn. We’ll stop by the warden’s office and see if they can tell us who Molly and Sam are staying with,” Ma said.
Phyllis and I smiled at each other.
Gina giggled. “I like Sam.”
“It sounds as though you two made some good friends on your way here,” Ma said. “Tonight, I plan to make you a bed out of the pretty pink and white striped fabric I bought.” Ma patted Gina on the head.
“Are you going to make it ‘specially for me?”
“Yes, it was going to be a surprise, but perhaps you can help me make it.”
Gina frowned. “I’ve never sewn anything before.”
Ma patted her on the back. “Then it’s probably time you learned.”
Gina’s face glowed like the sun at high noon on a July day. Relieved that Ma planned to make Gina something better to sleep on, my heart felt lighter and did a little flutter. I didn’t like her sleeping on the floor, but I didn’t know how to stop her from having accidents.
When we got back to Ma’s house, we helped put away the shopping and then readied ourselves for the three-mile walk to the Mermaid Inn for afternoon tea.
“Everyone needs to put on a cardigan and a coat before we go,” Ma said. “It gets a bit brisk walking out on the hilltops. There aren’t many trees to block the wind.”
“We don’t have cardigans, Ma,” I said. My face flushed. It seemed we needed something at every turn. Ma must be at her wit’s end with us.
“Phyllis can find you one of hers, it might not be the exact size, but it’ll keep you warm.”
Phyllis found a lovely pale blue cardy for me and a mint green one for Gina. Mine fit fine, but Gina’s sleeves covered her hands, so I helped her roll them up. Gina stroked the sleeve of her cardy with glee. I was thankful it didn’t cost anything extra to wear Phyllis’s clothes. We slipped on our coats and left for the Mermaid Inn.
“They say no animals will drink out of Black Mere Pool because of the mermaid,” Phyllis said in a croaking voice.
“And no bird will fly over it or land in it,” Ma added.
“That’s batty!” I giggled. “I can’t wait to get there and see it. Perhaps we’ll see a mermaid today.” I winked at Phyllis.
“The legend says she can only be seen at midnight,” Ma said. “I’m sure they’ll be able to tell us the whole story when we get to the inn.”
“I can’t wait!” I said.
“Can we go swimming in the pool?” Gina asked.
“Not unless you want to be dragged under by the mermaid,” Phyllis said with wide eyes and a serious face.
I could see she was teasing, but Gina’s face went very serious. I almost burst out laughing.
Her face turned the colour of a gourd that had been left in the sun to dry out. Ma patted her on the shoulder.
“No one swims it,” Ma said. “The water is black. If you swam in it, you would come out a filthy mess.”
“That sounds horrid,” Gina said.
“I’m going to dive in and find that old mermaid,” Phyllis said.
Gina gasped.
“You’ll have to promise you’re not going to do that or we won’t be having a picnic there any time soon,” Ma said.
Phyllis shrugged. “I was just pretending. It would be exciting to see the real mermaid, though.”
“I bet sh
e’s pretty,” Gina said.
“I expect she’s probably very sad,” I said. “Imagine if you are the only mermaid living in a pool of water on top of a hillside.”
We could see the inn in the distance. It appeared to be a big farmhouse. The walls were a sandy colour. Small white framed windows were set deep inside the stone walls. They reminded me of the windows at Buckingham Palace.
“Straighten your hair, girls,” Ma said as we approached the doorway.
We all tried to, but it had been a windy walk.
“Remember your manners,” Ma said as we sat down at a round table near the fireplace.
“What can I bring you?” asked a lady wearing a faded floral dress and red high heeled shoes.
“A pot of tea and four scones, if it’s not too much trouble,” Ma said.
“Not a problem at all. Would you like some homemade strawberry jam and clotted cream with those scones?”
“That would be lovely.”
The fire was cheery, and after the long windy walk the warmth radiated through my cardy and warmed me up. The wooden floor was dark brown and had lots of scrapes in it. The walls were painted snow white. Dead birds were mounted on the walls. A huge painting of a beautiful mermaid with long red hair and a silvery blue tail hung above the fireplace. A mermaid statue sat inside an alcove above the well.
“Is that the mermaid?” Gina asked when the lady came back with our afternoon tea.
“Aye, they say she’s so beautiful she can call to a young man, and he’ll follow her to his death. Black Mere Pool has no bottom, and once she reaches for you, you’re caught in a trance and cannot escape her.”
Gina got out of her chair and stood beside Ma.
“How did she get there?” I asked.
“Oh my, it’s a long sad story…Over a thousand years ago a beautiful young woman was accused of being a witch. A man named Joshua Linnet took the poor girl to Black Mere Pool to execute her. They drowned witches in those days.” She shook her head.
“So, she was a witch, not a mermaid?” I asked.
“It’s said she turned into a mermaid when she was drowned. And as Joshua drowned her, she cursed at him and promised him the same fate. Three days later he was found drowned in the same pool with his face torn to pieces.”
Gina climbed on Ma’s lap and covered her ears with her hands.
“Ever since then, it’s been said she calls to travelers in the dark of night and draws them into her pool of death.”
“Do you still want to have a picnic there?” Ma asked.
“Oh, yes,” I said.
“I’m not scared,” said Phyllis.
Gina held tightly to Ma’s cardigan. “I don’t want to go there.”
“Don’t worry, you don’t have to, Gina.” Ma turned to Phyllis and me. “Let’s finish our tea and go find your friends.”
I watched Phyllis and copied what she did with her scone. I heaped strawberry jam and clotted cream on it. It tasted better than anything I had eaten in my entire life, but I wished everyone would hurry up so we could find Molly and Sam. I was uncomfortable enjoying myself when I wasn’t sure of their fate.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
September 12, 1940
2:00 PM
The warden’s office stood behind Saint Edward Church.
Ma marched inside, and we followed. The gentleman behind the counter leaned back in his chair, scratched his stomach, and stretched like a cat.
“Wot can I do for you today, Missus Wood? Are you looking for news on Mister Wood?” he asked.
“No, I had a letter from him last week. He’s struggling along through France.” Ma put her hands on her hips. “That Hitler’s really something. Taking over countries and killing people.” She shook her head. “God’ll get him for that.”
“I’m hopin’ someone gets him soon, so he can answer to God or to whoever he goes to,” he said.
“I’m looking for two children,” Ma said. “They’re friends with my two evacuees. Do you have a list of where all the evacuees went?”
“I don’t, but Mister Platt up the road at Home Guard will know. The Local Defense Volunteers are housed under Saint Edward Church. You stop by there, and they can help you.”
“Ta,” Ma said.
We followed Ma out of the warden’s office and back to Saint Edward Church.
“We’ve never been in a church, Ma.” I grimaced. “We never had fancy church clothes.” Again, another failure. “We do have a Bible though. Mum read it to us sometimes when she tucked us in at night.”
“Saint Edward’s isn’t that kind of church. Everyone is welcome…as long as you’ve bathed in the last few weeks.”
“I hope God’s there,” Gina said.
“God is always there, but we won’t be going in the chapel. We’ll go downstairs to find out about your friends.” Ma pulled the handle of the huge wooden door. It creaked as she opened it. A blast of cool air hit us in the face as we entered the church. A damp smell filled the air.
“It’s creepy in here.” Gina shivered. “It feels like we’re in a bomb shelter.”
“Saint Edward’s is a very old building,” Ma said. “Sometimes old buildings made of stone are dark and damp.”
We followed the steps into a small room at the end of the dimly lit hall.
“Excuse me, Mister Platt,” Ma said. “I’m looking for two evacuees. The warden said you’d know where they are.”
“Why’d you need more evacuees? Don’t you have enough already?”
“Oh, my! You have a grand sense of humor, don’t you? I’m trying to find them, not trying to get more of them.”
“Well, if you were a bit more careful perhaps you wouldn’t have lost them in the first place,” Mister Platt said.
Ma took a long slow breath and shook her head slowly. “Do you have a list of the evacuees and the host families in Leek?”
“Of course, I do. It’s my duty to know where everyone is.” Mister Platt tipped his hat.
Ma took another slow deep breath. “Please show me that list, so I can find out where two specific children are staying?”
Mister Platt shook his head like a dog shakes after he’s been in the water. “Why didn’t you say so? Here, have a look.” Mister Platt handed Ma a stack of papers. Ma thumbed through them.
“Here we are. Molly Neal is staying with Leah and Moses Stone and Sam Nurdy is staying with Mister Badderly. Oh my…Mister Badderly took in an evacuee.”
“What’s wrong with Mister Badderly?” I asked.
Phyllis twisted her hair around her finger.
“He doesn’t have much experience or patience with children. I’m rather surprised he hosted anyone. Pretty sure his sons left home as soon as they were old enough. The Badderly house hasn’t been very happy since Missus Badderly died.”
“Aye, he’s an odd one,” Mister Platt said. “But if yer needin’ something that’s hard to come by, he’d be the person you’d go to.”
Ma sighed. I didn’t know what Mister Platt meant, but I thought it sounded as if Sam’s host was not a pleasant person.
“Can we find Sam first?” Sam had been battered around enough already. I crossed my fingers behind my back and hoped Mister Badderly was nice to Sam.
“What about Les?” Gina asked.
“Who’s Les?” Ma asked.
“A little boy who was on the train with us, he got lost from his sister. She left the train without him.” I said. “We took him to a lady in uniform at the train station. She said she’d find his sister. Do you think the list might say
something about him? His full name is Leslie James.”
“Let me see.” Ma flipped through all the pages until she turned to the last page. “Oh, there’s a note about Les. It says: Les James was returned to Stafford and reunited with his sister.”
“That’s good news. Can we go check on Sam?” I walked towards the door.
“Phyllis, why don’t you and Joyce go to Mister Badderly’s house? Gina and I have a couple more errands to run,” Ma said. “I believe Dad’s plans to sign up for Home Guard later this week, Mister Platt,” Ma said as she ushered us out of the office.
“That’d be wonderful. We can always use another hand to fight those stinkin’ Germans.”
Phyllis led the way down the road to Mister Badderly’s house.
“No one dares step foot in his front garden.” Phyllis took my hand. “He’ll tell you to bugger off. He’s not very nice.”
I quickened my pace. Sam wasn’t the bravest boy in the world. He didn’t deserve someone being ghastly to him after all he’d already been through.
As we turned the corner, we saw a lovely cottage with a small stream in front of it. Pretty yellow and orange flowers grew in a freshly weeded flower bed. Two ducks swam in the stream. If Mister Badderly’s house indicated anything, he must be a good host. Maybe everyone misunderstood his temperament.
“Such a pretty house,” I said as Phyllis opened the white gate. She frowned and dragged her feet. I cautiously followed her.
She knocked on the door. No one answered. “We should go around the back to see if they’re out there.”
Around the back, we discovered Mister Badderly sitting in a chair and Sam working in the Victory Garden.
“He…Hello, Mister Badderly,” Phyllis said. “Your V…V…Victory Garden is looking wonderful. How did you ever get it to grow so well?”
Mister Badderly scowled. “What are you children doing back here?”
“We went to the front door, but there was no answer,” Phyllis said.
“Children are to be seen not heard,” he grumbled. “Shouldn’t you be with your parents instead of interrupting hard-working people?”
Keep Calm and Carry On, Children Page 10