The Girls of Victory Street: An absolutely heartbreaking World War 2 family saga (The Bryant Sisters Book 1)

by Pam Howes

  Bella and Edie smiled gleefully. Bella recalled her dad’s comments about his daughter not working on licensed premises, but maybe she could persuade him to change his mind. After all, the four of them would be together at all times and quite safe.

  10

  Christmas Day 1939

  Mary frowned as Molly waltzed into the kitchen, flicking her hair back over her shoulders. ‘Have you got lipstick on, miss?’

  Molly blushed. ‘Just a bit. Our Bella said it was all right.’

  ‘Oh she did, did she? Well it’s not all right. You’re thirteen. I’m not having the Harrisons thinking I’m bringing up a tart. Wash it off right now.’ She handed Molly a flannel from the draining board. ‘And then rinse that flannel out when you’ve finished.’

  Molly tutted but did as she was told. ‘Just thought it looked nice, that’s all. Seeing as we’re going somewhere posh for our dinner.’

  ‘Yes, well, you need to look smart, never mind posh.’ Looking at her daughter, Mary softened. ‘That dress is nice on you. Fits you better than it ever fitted our Bella, anyway.’

  Molly nodded and looked down at the bottle-green fine wool dress she was wearing. It had been Bella’s best dress for ages until she grew out of it. It was still in a nice condition because it had only ever been worn for special occasions and church on a Sunday, and Mary had stitched a Peter Pan collar in white to the neckline, which had given it a more modern look.

  ‘Have you got a green ribbon for your hair up in that mess of a bedroom?’ Mary asked.

  ‘Aw, Mam, I don’t want a ribbon in my hair. That’s too babyish at my age.’

  ‘Well, go and sit in the front parlour with your dad while I finish off in here and then we’ll open the presents before we walk round to the Harrisons’ for half past twelve.’

  Mary sighed as she finished wiping round the sink and tipped the washing-up water away. She thought about her little Betty and how she’d have loved to have her hair tied up in ribbon bows today. It had been hard last night wrapping the presents and there being nothing under the tree in the parlour for her.

  They’d got some flowers and greenery to take to the churchyard on the way out, to put on the grave. Her eyes filled and she swiped her hand across her face and filled the kettle. A quick cuppa before the present-opening would be nice and might make her feel better. She’d wrapped the mince pies she’d made to take with them in greaseproof paper, and a bottle of sherry that Harry had bought from the off-licence last night was wrapped in tissue paper, ready to go. Bella would be back from Fran and Edie’s shortly. She’d just popped out to wish them a happy Christmas.

  Fran’s little brother Alfie let Bella in and then went back to playing with his Christmas presents on the sitting room floor. He was surrounded by lead soldiers and a wooden fort. The smell of seasonal cooking filled the air and Granny Jackson was sitting in her usual fireside chair, examining the dentures clasped in her hand. Bella’s stomach lurched. She hated dentures. Her dad had a bottom set, to replace the teeth he’d lost and broken when he’d got into a fight in the school playground as a teenager, and they were dropped into a jam jar on the kitchen windowsill to soak each night, staring at her as she got washed or had a soak in the tin bath.

  Mrs Jackson popped her head around the kitchen door.

  ‘Morning, Bella. How’s your mam today? Not going to be easy for her, it being the first Christmas without young Betty and all. Granny, put your bloody teeth back in!’ She shook her head. ‘Honestly, what to do with her at times, I do not know.’

  Fran half-smiled. Missing Betty was one of the reasons she’d come out as the sadness was overwhelming at times like this. ‘Mam’s bearing up, thank you. We all are; the best we can. I’m glad we’re going out for our dinner, at least it’s a nice change for Mam and it will stop her getting too upset as the day goes on.’

  ‘Best all round if you ask me. And you get to have a nosy in Fenella Harrison’s house. Lucky you. Fran’s in her bedroom. Go on up, love. It’s a bit more peaceful than down here with our Alfie pretending he’s a battalion fighting the Germans and what have you.’

  Bella ran lightly up the stairs and knocked on Fran’s door.

  ‘Come in,’ Fran called. Bella squeezed into the tiny back bedroom, where the bed was crammed under the window and jammed in by a chest of drawers at the end and a bedside table at the top. How on earth Mrs Jackson managed to change the bedding was anyone’s guess, but she obviously did; the room was spotlessly clean and smelled fresh, like Fran herself always did.

  ‘Morning, Merry Christmas,’ Fran greeted her. ‘Park yourself.’ She was sitting on the bed touching up her nails with the same red varnish they’d worn for the show the other night. ‘Got a few chips,’ she said and moved over to make room for Bella. ‘So, are you all ready for the royal dinner party?’ she asked, waving her hands in the air to dry her nails.

  ‘Oh, stop it,’ Bella said with a giggle. ‘I’m nervous enough as it is and Mam is acting like we really are going to royalty. Bet she’ll hardly be able to stop herself curtseying.’

  They both laughed and Fran picked up a box to show Bella the pretty silver charm bracelet that Frankie had given her for Christmas last night.

  ‘Oh, that’s so lovely. How thoughtful of him. Did he like his pressie?’ Fran had shown her and Edie the gift she’d bought last week for Frankie. A silver St Christopher medallion on a chain, just in case he was sent abroad when he joined up, as he seemed determined to do. It would help to keep him safe, she hoped.

  ‘He did. We got a bit weepy last night, well I did anyway. I had a large glass of sherry at his sister’s and it went right to my head. Made me feel all over-emotional. Not used to it, you see. It was nice though, I have to admit. Maybe next time I’ll eat something first.’

  Bella smiled. ‘Did you enjoy yourself at his sister’s?’

  ‘Yeah, she’s really nice. Have you asked your mam and dad about us performing in the Legion yet? I thought I’d wait until after Christmas when it’s a bit less fraught in this house and Mam won’t be half as mithered.’

  Bella nodded. ‘That’s what I’m doing too and I’ve just come from Edie’s and she’s kept it to herself for now as well. First week of January will be a good time. I suppose I’d better get back, I’ve been out over an hour. They’ll be waiting to open their pressies before we go on the royal visit.’

  Fran leaned over and gave Bella a hug. ‘All the best. I hope everything goes well for you today. Can’t wait to hear about it.’

  Bella rolled her eyes. ‘Can’t say I’m looking forward to it really. It’s a bit different to what we’re used to. Must remember which knife and fork to use first, and all that. Be nice to see Bobby again though. I haven’t seen him since we did the church hall show just after our works do. He’s had family stuff on and we didn’t go to church this morning as Mam was too upset. Anyway, I’ll call in tomorrow with a news bulletin. Enjoy your day and have a good time tonight at Frankie’s.’

  Bella held Molly’s hand while their mam and dad laid the flowers they’d brought on Betty’s grave. Dad slipped his arm around Mam’s waist and she leaned into him. Bella had never really thought about it before, but to lose a baby that you’d brought into the world, a baby that you’d loved with all your heart, must be the cruellest thing that could happen to any mother, and any father, come to that. Life could be so hard at times.

  ‘Right then, are we ready?’ Dad said, leading the way back down the short path to the church gates. ‘Let’s go and get it over then. I almost wish we were having our dinner at home now. I don’t really feel like making small talk with people I don’t know from Adam.’

  ‘But you know Bobby, Dad, and you’ve met his mother,’ Bella said. ‘Come on, it’ll be all right. And it saves Mam having to cook a dinner for us. It’s a day off for her and she deserves that. Let’s make the best of it.’

  A tall woman in a black dress covered with a white apron opened the door to their ringing the bell at the rather grand
Prince Alfred Road house as Bella peered in the window, admiring the heavily decorated Christmas tree that filled it. ‘Please, do come in,’ she said, smiling.

  She took their coats and hung them in the small cloakroom that also housed a toilet and sink, but Mam kept hold of her shopping bag with the sherry and mince pies inside. ‘Mrs Harrison is waiting in the drawing room. Follow me. Your guests, madam,’ she announced, opening a door on the left at the end of a long hallway. Bella shook her head. There were more doors in this hall than they’d got in the whole of their Victory Street house. The woman stepped back to let them pass.

  ‘Thank you, Margaret.’ Mrs Harrison nodded towards the woman and invited the family to sit down. ‘I’m afraid my husband had to pop out with Robert, but they will be back shortly. Now what can I get you to drink? Tea, coffee, or a drop of sherry perhaps?’

  ‘Tea for me, please,’ Mam said, reaching down for her brown paper carrier bag. ‘And Harry’ll have the same and so will the girls. We don’t want to put you to any trouble when you’ve got a dinner to get ready. Here, I’ve brought some sherry.’ She pulled out the bottle and handed it over, missing the slightly raised eyebrow when Fenella looked at the label. ‘Just as a thank-you,’ Mam continued, ‘and there’s some mince pies I made in that bag as well.’

  ‘Oh, well thank you, my dear. I’ll take the bag through to the kitchen. Cook’s preparing lunch in there, so she can put them in a tin. Back in a moment.’

  ‘Now I feel a right fool,’ Mam said, looking at her family. ‘I presumed Mrs H would be doing the dinner, not a bloody cook. They’ve even got a waitress.’

  ‘Aye,’ Harry said, pulling at his collar and the tie he wasn’t used to wearing. ‘How the other half lives, eh?’

  ‘Dad, shush,’ Bella whispered as Molly giggled. She looked around the tastefully furnished room. A banked-up fire crackled and burned in the black-leaded grate that was set in a marble surround. Two large, light-coloured sofas sat either side, with a coffee table in the centre, placed on a red Persian rug.

  A well-stocked bookcase took up one alcove near the chimney breast and a bureau filled the other. Framed pictures adorned the walls and lamps on small tables cast a glow in dark corners. The curtains at the windows were red velvet with gold tassels tying them back. What a beautiful room, Bella thought. Mrs Harrison had good taste.

  ‘She’s come a long way from that tatty little house in Old Swan with the torn bed sheets at the broken windows,’ Mam muttered, shaking her head.

  Mrs Harrison came back into the room. ‘Margaret will bring the tea through shortly,’ she said. ‘Now, shall we have a nice bit of music on in the background? I believe the Light Programme has a carol service on at the moment. I’ll tune the wireless in and then it can stay on for the king’s speech after lunch.’

  The door opened and Margaret pushed a polished wooden trolley on castors, laden with tea things, into the room.

  Bella had never seen a trolley like that before. She spotted a small plate full of fresh shortbread fingers. Mrs Harrison poured the tea into delicate china cups decorated with pink roses. Bella could see the beads of sweat on her dad’s face; probably terrified at the thought of holding such a delicate cup in his big hands, she thought. He was used to a chunky pint-sized mug with chips around the top from being dropped in the sink numerous times when Molly had done the washing up.

  Mrs Harrison handed the cups and saucers out and Dad immediately placed his on the coffee table. ‘Would anyone like a piece of shortbread? I understand it’s only been out of the oven a short time and it smells delicious.’

  Molly nodded and was handed a slice on a small china plate that matched the cups, along with a crisp white linen napkin. She thanked Mrs Harrison and tucked in, rolling her eyes in pleasure as she savoured the shortbread.

  ‘What about you, Bella?’ Mrs Harrison asked as Mam and Dad shook their heads and said ‘no thank you’ at the same time.

  ‘Yes please, I would love some,’ Bella said. ‘It looks very nice.’

  As they enjoyed their unexpected snack voices sounded in the hall, the door opened and Bobby popped his head into the room. ‘Merry Christmas everyone.’

  ‘Merry Christmas,’ they chorused back.

  ‘I’m so sorry I wasn’t here to greet you. We had to make a mercy Father Christmas dash across Liverpool. My godfather and his daughter, who should have come to us last night for supper and to collect their presents, were taken ill and had to stay home. We couldn’t let them be without something to unwrap on Christmas Day, so we delivered the gifts ourselves.’

  ‘How are dear Howard and Alicia?’ Mrs Harrison asked as Bobby sat down beside her on the sofa.

  ‘Both a bit weary and Howard’s cough is quite shocking. We’ve told him he needs to get the doctor in tomorrow if he’s still as bad. Alicia is picking up slightly but she’s upset that she missed coming here last night.’

  ‘Poor girl. Alicia’s mother passed away two years ago and Howard also lost his mother recently,’ Mrs Harrison told her guests. ‘She was helping him to bring Alicia up, but now the two of them are alone. It’s so tragic.’

  ‘He needs to get some staff,’ Bobby’s father said, coming into the room. ‘He’s got the space to accommodate them. I told him not to be so bally tight and employ a cook and a maid so that Alicia isn’t left to do it all on her own. It’s not right.’

  ‘How old is she?’ Bella asked, imagining a young girl around Molly’s age left to look after a big house, as it surely would be if it had the room for staff to live in.

  ‘Alicia is the same age as Robert,’ Mrs Harrison said. ‘They’ve grown up together and were the best of friends as small children. Well, they are still very close, aren’t you, darling?’ She ruffled Bobby’s hair as his cheeks turned pink. ‘Our families always hoped that one day they’d be the perfect match. One never knows, does one?’ She smiled at her husband, who smiled back.

  Bella’s stomach flipped as Margaret came back into the room. ‘Madam, lunch is ready to serve,’ she announced.

  ‘Thank you, Margaret. We’ll come through to the dining room. Follow me,’ she instructed and walked away, leaving a waft of expensive perfume in her wake.

  Bella and Bobby were last to leave the drawing room and she was conscious of him trying to catch her eye. He pulled on her arm to stop her walking into the hall.

  ‘Err, what Mother said then,’ he began, ‘Just ignore her. She’s living in cloud cuckoo land over Alicia and me and the future. It’s never going to happen.’

  Bella stared at him. Was Alicia the reason he’d never asked her out? It was the first she’d heard of her, so maybe it was all in his mother’s head, but still. Mrs Harrison had seemed quite sure of herself and perhaps Bobby harboured feelings for Alicia that stopped him getting involved with Bella. Whatever the case was, she’d now lost her appetite, in spite of the wonderful aromas of food wafting down the hall from the open dining room doorway. ‘You’d better go,’ she told him. ‘I’ll just visit the cloakroom. See you in a minute or two.’

  She dashed away into the small cloakroom that Margaret had hung their coats in and leaned her head on the tiled wall above the sink. She felt sick now, like someone had punched her in the stomach. She didn’t want to join the others for dinner. Without giving it a second thought, she grabbed her coat and scarf and let herself out of the house, closing the door quietly behind her.

  Outside, the cold air hit her. She ran across the nearby Mystery Park and didn’t stop until she was home. Remembering her mam had the keys to the front door, she ran round the back into the yard and rooted under an old brick for the spare back door key. There was no one about; the neighbours were probably all inside tucking in to their Christmas dinners.

  Bella let herself in and locked the door behind her. She ran upstairs and flung herself on the bed and burst into tears. Maybe she was overreacting, but the feeling of hurt when Bobby’s mum had implied he was pretty much spoken for had knocked her for six. For months she’d bee
n pretending to herself, and everyone else, that she didn’t mind them being just friends. But now his mam had taken away all her dreams of a romantic future with him, as well as a singing career, that may have blossomed into something huge for them in time.

  11

  Mary frowned at the empty chair where Bella should have been sitting. Where the devil was the girl? Bobby had come in and said she’d gone to the cloakroom, but that was ages ago. He’d looked a bit sheepish as he’d taken his place and he wasn’t meeting anyone’s eye. She wondered if they’d had words about that Alicia his mother had mentioned.

  Mary knew her daughter was sweet on Bobby and her whole family and her friends thought he felt the same for Bella. Although he’d never asked her out. She’d thought that odd as they were always together, but just as good friends, she’d always said, and she’d put it down to him being maybe a bit shy. Now it seemed there was good reason why, and Bobby hadn’t bothered to mention there was another girl in his life that he was close to.

  ‘Excuse me.’ She got to her feet. ‘I’m just going to see where Bella is.’ She left the room and went to knock on the cloakroom door. When she got no response Mary pushed the door open and peered inside. Bella’s coat and the bright red scarf she’d been wearing earlier were gone from the peg.

  Mary took a deep breath and wondered what to do. It would be rude to just walk out and besides, she was starving and that beautiful food on the table would go to waste. Bella would have gone home and she might want to be alone while she had either a good cry or a good think. She’d have to go back into the dining room and make up an excuse.

  They could eat their dinner and get away straight after. That way they wouldn’t need to sit around making small talk, which she knew was inevitable and she also knew was something Harry was dreading. They were like fish out of water here and no matter how kind the offer when it was issued, they should have said no and stayed in their own little home with the memories of Betty all around them. She’d have managed somehow to produce a decent dinner.