by Pam Howes
‘And I will,’ she said as they got off the bus. The blond airman who had played saxophone with the band at RAF Benson had given her his details and asked her to drop him a line when she got time. His full title was Flight Lieutenant Steven Collins, but he’d told her to call him Stevie. Edie had promised to write when she got a chance. She’d also told him that their post was a bit hit and miss as sometimes it was sent on to them from a general collection point for ENSA members, only to miss them when they’d already left for another destination, so not to worry if she didn’t reply right away to his letters.
Two smart young women dressed in the blue uniform of the WAAF greeted them individually as the entertainers assembled by the bus with their bags and suitcases. Bella’s mouth dropped open as she recognised the slim-built blonde, with a bossy air about her, as Alicia. She frowned and nudged Fran. Now what the heck was Alicia doing here? When it came to Bella’s turn the other girl, who was as dark as Alicia was blonde, shook her hand. Alicia was busy greeting Basil and looking full of self-importance. The young women led the entertainers to two large Nissan huts.
‘One for the ladies and one for the gentlemen,’ Alicia announced. As she turned in Bella’s direction she paused and her mouth tightened momentarily into a thin line of disapproval.
Bella wondered if she’d been recognised. After all, she was in military uniform with her hair fastened up off her shoulders and her cap fixed firmly in place. But she’d recognised Alicia instantly in spite of her uniform and hair tucked under a cap. Alicia came to stand in front of her and frowned. ‘It is Bella, I presume? I didn’t realise you were in the forces. I thought you worked in the match factory.’ This last was said with a tone of disdain in her voice and Fran rounded on her as Bella seemed lost for words.
‘Yes, it is Bella,’ she began. ‘And no, we’re not in the forces, we travel in uniform so that we look the part. We no longer work in the match factory. We are now part of ENSA and are known collectively as the Bryant Sisters. But then you’ll know that already, won’t you, Alicia? It will be on the poster you were sent and we’re here to entertain your troops.’
Alicia’s cheeks flushed pink and she spluttered over her reply. ‘Oh, well, er well, yes. The name is on the poster in the NAAFI but I didn’t connect it with Liverpool, not for one minute. I mean, why would I? I had nothing to do with that side of things back there.’
‘What do you mean, that side of things?’ Fran snapped.
‘Well, the sort of things Robert got up to before we became engaged.’ She raised her left hand and waggled her third finger, then put it down by her side again. ‘Oh, I’m er, not allowed to wear my ring on duty.’
‘You’re engaged to Bobby?’ Bella said; her voice was little more than a whisper.
Alicia nodded and turned away, a blush creeping up her neck as well as her cheeks now, but not before Bella had seen a look of panic in the girl’s eyes.
The dark-haired girl showed them to their accommodation, which was clean and well set out with ready made-up camp beds. ‘The showers are just in that little brick building next door, as is the toilet facilities. When you’ve unpacked, if you’d like to make your way over to the NAAFI, there’ll be a nice cuppa and some sandwiches waiting for you.’
She was kind and the girls thanked her.
‘I hope you’ll be very comfortable and I look forward to the show later. I’m Marie, by the way. Alicia and I work in the administration department here on telephony and postal duties, as well as making sure our visitors are looked after and cared for. If there’s anything you need, just give us a shout. There are clean towels in the shower room on the shelves. Just help yourselves. We’ll see you later.’
Bella stared after the girl as she hurried away with Alicia, who had waited outside, on her heels. ‘What do you make of that then?’ she asked.
Fran shook her head. ‘I don’t know, but I’d want to scratch her eyes out if I were in your shoes. Engaged to Bobby indeed, is she? I’d like to know how that happened and why, after what he said to you. Makes him a bit fickle, doesn’t it?’
Edie nodded. ‘You’ve got to have it out with him if he’s around, Bella. Something doesn’t feel right.’
Bella sat down on the edge of her camp bed and burst into tears. Fran handed her a hanky. ‘I smell a rat,’ Fran began, narrowing her eyes. ‘And didn’t Marie say they both worked in the postal department? I wonder how long Alicia has been working there? I bet she’s intercepted the letters you and he wrote.’
Bella blew her nose. ‘Well it can’t be that long, unless she started as soon as she and Bobby’s mum moved down to Oxfordshire. But she wouldn’t do that, surely? She’d get into really serious trouble if it were true.’
‘She wouldn’t if there was a witness to report her,’ Edie said. ‘But she’s sly enough to make sure she was alone. We could ask Marie.’
‘No, we can’t go barging in and causing trouble like that,’ Fran said. ‘We’d be sent packing. We need proof first. You’ll have to ask Bobby if he sent any letters to you after the first ones you received.’
Bella nodded. ‘I will, if I see him. But Alicia and his mum didn’t come down here until after I wrote to him and he didn’t reply after the first few letters he sent, so the timing for that doesn’t really fit, does it?’
‘Hmm,’ Fran said, wrinkling her nose. ‘Well I still think there’s something odd about it all and the fact that she said they’re engaged now. I mean, crikey, he didn’t waste much time. Anyway, let’s go and get that cuppa. I’m spitting feathers here.’
17
Oxfordshire, Christmas Eve 1940
As the Bryant Sisters began their final song of the first spot Bella’s eyes were fixed on the back wall of the NAAFI near the doors. The makeshift stage lights were bright in her eyes and it was difficult to make out anyone in particular, but as the doors had opened, and then closed quickly, she was almost sure she’d just seen Bobby slinking into the room. She blinked rapidly but was still blinded by the lights and it was almost impossible to make out any individual. Still, her stomach had turned over and her heart beat so hard she could feel it in her chest. She felt shaky and almost missed the opening chords. Fran gave her a nudge as the band struck up and she took a deep breath and concentrated on her singing.
The girls left the stage to uproarious applause and hurried into the dressing room. Bella leaned against the door and closed her eyes. They’d had a lovely day so far; afternoon rehearsals with a fabulous band made up of various members of the RAF and some of their own ENSA musicians, followed by a festive NAAFI meal that had left them so full to bursting that Fran had worried they’d never be able to do the zips up on their dresses.
It was hard to believe there was a war on and strict rationing with what they’d eaten today. All day she’d kept a lookout for Bobby, but apart from the quick glimpse of someone that she thought was him just now, there’d been no other sign. Alicia had been hanging around like a bad smell, mainly ignoring Bella and addressing Fran or Edie if she’d had to speak to the trio about anything.
Those stage lights had prevented her from seeing anything beyond the first few rows of airmen, so for all she knew he could have been sat at the back of the room and that man she’d seen wasn’t him after all. Whatever, he must know by now that she was on the premises, surely; unless of course Alicia had decided not to tell him. Maybe neither of them was watching the show this evening. Perhaps they had left earlier and were spending Christmas with Bobby’s mother at the place where she was staying.
Bella jumped as a knock at the door disturbed her thoughts. She opened it a fraction, and then wider as Marie smiled at her and handed her a tray of glasses and a jug of orange squash.
‘That performance was so good,’ Marie said, her round face beaming with excitement. ‘They all loved it. We can’t wait for you to come back on for more. Enjoy your refreshments.’ She dashed away before Bella had a chance to say anything to her. She wanted to ask if Alicia was here tonight, which woul
d probably mean that Bobby was too. She put the tray down and poured three glasses. Fran and Edie knocked theirs back in no time.
‘I needed that,’ Fran said, putting her glass back on the tray. ‘Have you spotted him yet?’ she asked Bella as she slipped her red dress off and placed it on the back of the door on a hanger.
Bella shrugged her shoulders. ‘I’m not sure. I thought I saw a man that had a look of him coming in at the door but the lights were in my eyes so I couldn’t really tell if it was him or not. He’s probably not here. Might be at home with his mother and her.’
‘I think Alicia is out there.’ Edie nodded towards the door. ‘I’m sure I saw her at the back of the room with a couple of lads in wheelchairs and she was showing some last-minute audience members to their seats, just before we started to sing.’
‘Was she?’ Fran asked. ‘I didn’t see her.’ She shivered and pulled on her khaki uniform. ‘It’s cold in here. We could do with an electric fire or something to take the chill off.’ She looked around the small room that appeared to be a storeroom, turned into a makeshift dressing room. There was a dark brown carpet on the floor with splashes of white paint on it, which was better than bare floorboards like some of the rooms they’d had to get changed in.
It’s hardly Hollywood, Bella thought, smiling to herself. Her last letter from Mam, along with a Christmas card, had made her chuckle. Mam was telling everyone at work that her daughter was now in show business. She felt a small pang and half-wished she were at home with her, and then shook herself as she realised how lucky she was to be here where she felt relatively safe, not to mention well-fed.
Counting her blessings, she hurriedly got changed into her uniform. Edie pinned her hair up for her and she was just fixing her hat at a jaunty angle when another knock sounded at the door. A quieter knock this time, which wasn’t Basil as he usually knocked loudly and shouted, ‘Are you decent?’
Fran went to answer and stepped back with a shocked expression on her face. ‘Edie,’ she called. ‘Come on; let’s make ourselves scarce for a few minutes.’ She bundled Edie out of the room as Bobby walked in and closed the door.
Bella’s hand flew to her mouth and she stared at him, lost for words.
‘How are you?’ he asked, half-smiling, but the smile didn’t quite reach his worried blue eyes.
‘Okay, thank you. And you?’
He shrugged. ‘It was a shock to see you out there onstage tonight. I saw the poster, but never for one minute did I think the act would be our own Bryant Sisters. I just assumed someone had taken the name for themselves. You could have at least warned me and let me know what was happening in your life.’ His tone was bitter.
Bella frowned. ‘But I did let you know. I wrote to you twice, even after you stopped writing to me. I told you we’d joined the ENSA team ages ago.’
‘I never stopped writing to you,’ Bobby said, shaking his head. ‘I’ve written to you every single week and not had one reply, and certainly nothing to tell me about ENSA.’ He ran his hands through his blond hair, which was shorter than he used to wear it. ‘I assumed you’d met someone else and that was it. You didn’t want to tell me things were over between us, so just stopped all contact.’ He faltered and looked at her, his eyes anxious.
Bella took a deep breath. ‘Bobby, I can assure you, I haven’t had a letter from you for ages. I thought it was your way of breaking up with me. And when Alicia told me you were engaged, well it seemed I was right. You’ve chosen her above me after all.’
Bobby closed his eyes and gripped the back of a chair. ‘When did you see Alicia?’
‘Yesterday, when she and Marie met us off the bus as we arrived.’
He shook his head. ‘I was out of the camp on business yesterday and didn’t get back until this afternoon. She never mentioned that she’d seen you.’
Bella raised an ironical eyebrow. ‘Well she wouldn’t, would she? Not now she’s got what she always wanted and she’s your fiancée.’
He clapped a hand to his head and muttered, ‘This wasn’t meant to happen, Bella. I love you. Alicia pretty much forced my arm to get engaged after her father died last month. She knew I hadn’t heard from you and said it was for the best and must have been meant to be as now she and I could be together.’
He stepped towards her and Bella stepped back, but he grabbed hold of her and pulled her into his arms, kissing her and holding her tight like he’d never let her go. ‘I love you, Bella, I always will,’ he whispered.
She could hear the emotion in his voice and felt tears running down her cheeks. She loved him, more than anything, even though he was no longer hers to love. ‘But what about Alicia? You’re engaged to her. It’s too late, Bobby.’ She wriggled out of his arms. ‘You’d better go.’ She swiped at her wet cheeks with the back of her hand.
‘I’m going nowhere. We need to sort this mess out tonight. I’ve no idea why you didn’t get my letters or I didn’t get yours, but I will get to the bottom of it.’
‘I’m back onstage soon,’ she said. ‘I need to compose myself, ready.’
He nodded. ‘But I need to talk to you again later. I’ll come and find you.’
‘Okay. But Alicia will be looking for you.’
He shook his head. ‘I’ll wait until I know she’s in bed. Are you in the visitors’ Nissan huts?’
‘Yes. It’s the one closest to the shower block.’
He paused, his hand on the doorknob. ‘Do you still sing “Over the Rainbow?”’
She smiled. ‘Occasionally. And I am doing tonight, for Betty, for Christmas; in the finale.’
His face softened. ‘I’ll look forward to it. See you later.’
She closed the door behind him and took a deep shuddering breath as Fran and Edie burst in.
‘What did he say?’ Fran demanded. ‘He looked white as a sheet and quite angry as he dashed past us in the corridor.’
Bella told them what Bobby had said.
‘It’s her, you can bet your life on it,’ Fran said. ‘She’s been nicking the letters and hiding them, yours to him and his to you. There’s no other explanation.’
Bella shrugged. ‘Maybe. But that doesn’t explain why I got a couple at first and then nothing for a few weeks before she joined the WAAF. Anyway, he’s meeting me later to talk some more.’
‘Good. Get it sorted out. Right, come on; let’s give them all the best night of their lives.’
Bella peered through the smoky fug that filled the room before announcing the final song of the night. She could see neither Alicia nor Bobby as the pianist played the opening bars of her chosen song. Maybe they’d left already, she thought, although she could see Marie, right at the back of the room, smiling from ear to ear. So Alicia must be around somewhere; they usually worked as a pair.
She took a deep breath and, as an expectant silence filled the room, Bella began to sing ‘Over the Rainbow’. Her eyes closed, her voice rang out clear and note-perfect. Picturing little Betty flying freely over the rainbow, she was conscious of a movement to her right and a hand slipping into hers as a familiar voice blended perfectly in harmony with her own. The emotion rose within her and carried her through to the final bars and she opened her eyes to see Bobby smiling into them.
The applause was thunderous and shouts of ‘More!’ and whistling and stamping from the air force audience had the Bryant Sisters and Bobby looking at each other with delight and grinning. Fran held up her hand and silence fell as she made an announcement. ‘Just to let you know that Bobby here was one of our team back home in Liverpool and we performed together a lot. So it’s a pleasure for us to have him back for a short time tonight, and we’ll give you a couple more songs if you’ll all join in.’
Bobby stood close to Bella as they all sang the final two songs, both popular Andrews Sisters choices. He linked his fingers through hers, hidden behind their backs, and she loved the warmth of him standing beside her, just like old times. Bobby singing with her again was the last thing she’d been e
xpecting today, but it felt good. As they took a final bow and he whispered ‘See you later’ and jumped from the stage, she saw Alicia approach him with a furious look on her face. There seemed to be an angry exchange of words between them before Bobby took her arm and propelled her to the back of the room and out through the double doors.
‘Oops, well that’s well and truly put the cat among the pigeons,’ Fran chuckled as they filed offstage. ‘Alicia doesn’t look too happy, does she?’ She led the way into the girls’ dressing room and flopped down onto a chair. ‘I’m shattered. It’s been a very long day. I’m looking forward to time off tomorrow and Christmas dinner here before we head off again.’
Bella shrugged as she changed out of her uniform and into her black wool slacks and a warm red sweater. They were travelling south on Boxing Day, avoiding London as it was deemed dangerous, and heading to Kent, near Basil’s hometown, for New Year.
After that they would be back up north with a few days off that Bella planned to spend with her mam before they went back to the Didsbury digs. If Bobby wanted to resume writing to her, it would be a bit hit and miss but he could send the letters to her mam’s house for now and she could send them on to Didsbury, where Bella would pick her post up when she could.
The girls grabbed a sandwich and a hot drink in the NAAFI and, rather than stay and socialise as they’d done at the Benson camp, took them back to their bedroom. They ate their supper and then, yawning, Fran and Edie got undressed for bed but Bella kept her clothes on, ready for when Bobby came to call.
‘So what do you think he’ll do?’ Fran asked, climbing into bed and snuggling down under the extra blankets they’d been given.
‘No idea,’ Bella replied, running a brush through her hair that now fell in soft waves to her shoulders. She touched up her lippy and smacked her lips together. ‘Will I do?’