Wartime at Liberty's

by Fiona Ford

  ‘Why?’ Max asked, getting right to the point.

  Flo found herself faltering; it was such a personal thing to explain, but much to her surprise Max seemed to understand.

  ‘You don’t have to tell me; the ingredients that make up our talents are deeply personal. I’ve had times in my career when I couldn’t sing,’ he replied in his lilting, slightly American accent, that Flo guessed came from spending so much time working in the States.

  ‘Really?’ Flo gaped at him in surprise.

  ‘Really,’ Max affirmed. ‘You’ll come back to it when you’re ready.’

  Flo nodded, amazed someone understand so readily.

  ‘In the meantime, you said you played piano?’ He scratched his chin thoughtfully. ‘I like to take a chance on new performers and my regular pianist can’t get the time away from ENSA. How would you feel about accompanying me for my performance? Might get you in the mood to sing?’

  Flo opened her mouth to speak, only for Dot to beat her to it. ‘Are you sure, Mr Monroe? I mean, you ain’t heard her. She’s good enough for our girls, but you must have a professional on stand-by. She could make those ivories sound like an out-of-tune parrot for all you know.’

  Max laughed once more, revealing all his gleaming white teeth as he did so. ‘I’m willing to take the chance if you are,’ he said, turning to Flo. ‘If Mrs Hanson speaks this candidly in front of you I have a good feeling. What do you say?’

  ‘I should be honoured.’

  ‘Then that’s settled’ – Max beamed – as is the material for my outfit. Are you going to run it up for me, Mrs Hanson? If your sewing skills are as sharp as your tongue, I’ll be in safe hands.’

  At the quip, Dot giggled. ‘Yes, Mr Monroe, I can run up your suit. Now if you’d just like to accompany me to the pattern-cutting table, I can measure you up and we can go from there.’

  ‘Excellent, thank you, Mrs Hanson. And, Mrs Canning, I shall look forward to your accompaniment at rehearsal on Thursday.’

  With that he turned on his heel, leaving Flo shaking her head in surprise. What a treat to be playing the piano for Max Monroe. Aggie would have been over the moon and it struck Flo with astounding clarity just how cruel life could be that she wouldn’t be here to see it.

  She wondered what Evie would say as she was the one who had brought Max in. But Flo quickly realised she didn’t care what Evie thought. In fact she didn’t care what anyone thought. It was time to take a leaf out of Bess’s book and start living her life while she still had the chance. You never knew what was around the corner.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  That Wednesday Flo returned to her new role at the school with more than a spring in her step. Learning that she would be playing for Max Monroe had left her feeling elated and more than confident in her own skills as she walked into the large school hall.

  Lifting the piano lid Flo ran her fingers across the keys and found she couldn’t stop smiling.

  ‘Well, you look like the cat that got the cream,’ Celia marvelled as she walked into the hall. ‘What’s happened to you?’

  ‘Nothing … Well, something.’ She explained to Celia that her piano skills were now in demand. Jaw dropping in shock, Celia tried to talk, but failed, standing there looking like a goldfish for what felt like hours but was in fact only a few seconds. ‘You’re playing for Max Monroe?’

  ‘The very same.’ Flo grinned.

  ‘Oh my days!’

  ‘Well, why don’t you come?’ Flo said suddenly. ‘Bring your husband.’

  Now it was Celia’s turn to make a face. ‘My husband’s long gone. Just me now.’

  ‘Oh, I’m sorry,’ Flo said sincerely.

  ‘No need to be,’ Celia said brightly. ‘But my sister would be screaming in her grave if she knew I was working with someone who was playing the piano for Max Monroe of all people. She loved him, she did … Flo love, are you all right?’ Celia asked, squeezing Flo’s arm gently.

  Flo, who had become lost in reminiscence, came to. ‘Sorry,’ she said, blinking the unexpected tears from her eyes. ‘I was just thinking about my aunt.’

  ‘Oh love, I am sorry,’ Celia apologised. ‘I shouldn’t have been so silly. And your husband died not so long ago as well, didn’t he?’

  ‘Yes,’ Flo said, feeling a lump catch at the back of her throat. ‘I’m so sorry, Celia, I don’t know what’s got into me.’

  Taking her arm, Celia led Flo to a chair and instructed her to sit down.

  ‘It’s grief, Flo,’ Celia said, her voice barely more than a whisper. ‘It’s a funny thing. Hits you when you least expect it. I’ve loved and lost in my time and there were days I thought I would never get over it. One day I’d be fine, then the next it was as though someone had hit me square across the back of my head. I’ve never felt a pain like it.’

  Flo nodded. ‘It’s as though I have become a duller version of myself,’ she said, grateful now for this chance to be honest. ‘Before, I used to feel so happy that even when war broke out, even when Neil joined the Navy, I could see the pleasure in life. Now I sometimes I wish I could get run over or even bombed, just so something would take me out of my misery.’

  There was a silence then and for a second Flo wondered if she had gone too far. But when she saw there were tears in Celia’s eyes, she could tell her new friend understood entirely.

  ‘I felt like that when I said goodbye to my husband. He was a waste of space, but he was my waste of space. When he was gone, it was as though my world went with him. Then when my sister died I was so angry and I wondered how I could stand to be in a world filled with so much pain.’

  Flo nodded. ‘I keep trying to be brave, really I do.

  At that Flo felt Celia wrap her warm hand over her cold one. ‘Sweetheart, I understand, and I’ll tell you this: you never have to put a brave face on anything when I’m around.’

  Despite Flo’s tears, it had in fact turned out to be a lovely lesson. The children had pulled Flo from her dark mood; they had adored singing the Max Monroe songs that Celia had insisted they try, and although Flo had been worried about deviating from the official hymn book she was expected to play, Celia had assured her all would be well and she would take the blame if there was any trouble. As Flo made her way back to work, she couldn’t take the smile off her face.

  She pushed open the old staffroom doors at Liberty’s and took off her hat and coat. Keen not to become doom-laden once more, she made her way to Rose’s office. There was only an hour left of store trading and instead of going back to the shop floor she had offered to help her friend set up for the first-aid night. As she neared Rose’s office Flo was surprised to hear the sound of laughter. Pushing open the door, she saw Bess and Rose sitting opposite each other giggling over a mound of first-aid supplies.

  ‘What’s all this?’ Flo gasped in surprise.

  At the sound of Flo’s voice the girls grinned. ‘We’re putting the world to rights,’ Rose said. ‘Bess has been reminding me what life was like when I was in hospital and recuperating.’

  ‘Oh no,’ Flo groaned, perching on the edge of Rose’s desk. ‘Is the convalescent home that bad?’

  Bess shook her head. ‘It’s not bad, I mean I’m free to come and go as I like now and I’ll be able to stay with Jean in a few weeks for a couple of days at a time to help me get used to normal life. It’s just not what I’m used to. Me and Rose here were swapping war stories.’

  Flo nodded in understanding, very much aware that this seemed like a private conversation she had intruded upon, and she got to her feet, intending to go. ‘You must let me know if there’s anything I can do, Bess, won’t you?’

  ‘You’re doing more than enough,’ Bess said reassuringly. ‘You just keep taking care of my Jean. I worry about her.’

  Flo sighed. ‘And she worries about you.’

  ‘There’s no need for her to worry about me,’ Bess replied tightly. ‘I’m the one that looks out for her; she knows that. Now shall we get down to the cryp
t and start sorting everything out?’

  ‘Good idea.’ Rose smiled, getting to her feet.

  As Bess followed, Flo took a minute to assess her. She looked as if she was doing much better than she had been. Her face had filled out a bit more now, and the long dark hair she had always worn long down her back had been cut into a short bob around her ears, highlighting her angular cheekbones. Although she still had her right arm in a sling, Flo was delighted to see that the old fire was in her heart. Bess was a survivor, of that she was certain.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Downstairs in the crypt, Flo was thrilled to find Rose running her first-aid night with ruthless efficiency. She was barking orders at Bess and the volunteers from the Red Cross with the confidence of a woman who had been doing this for years. Once the chairs had been put in place, Rose had stood there with one hand clamped around her white stick and the other resting on her hip, her eyes screwed up so hard they formed two slits in her face. It was the only sign that something was wrong and, for a moment, Flo thought her heart might break.

  ‘Everything’s perfect, Rose,’ Flo whispered in her ear.

  ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘More than sure.’ Flo nodded. ‘It’s nice to see you like this – back in charge again, I mean.’

  Rose blinked slowly, the unexpected compliment clearly catching her by surprise. ‘I am trying. And I’m trying to be encouraging for Bess too, and all for the other people who are coming here tonight who will have been affected by the blasts.’

  ‘You’re doing so well. The chairs are laid out in perfect rows, the first-aid leaflets are at the back next to the tea urn and the Red Cross props are on the stage all ready for our volunteers to use,’ Flo reassured her friend.

  ‘Thanks, Flo,’ Rose said, nodding approvingly.

  ‘You’re welcome. Looks like this might be the making of Bess,’ Flo said, watching Jean’s sister directing some of the staff that had come down to see if they could help.

  ‘It’s what I needed when I was first injured and struggling to come to terms with my new life,’ Rose admitted. ‘I just wish I’d stuck to it instead of falling in with a bad crowd.’

  Flo nudged her playfully. It was sometimes easy to forget that Rose had followed a minor criminal path with Alice’s sister a few months ago as she struggled to come to terms with the loss of much of her sight.

  ‘That’s all water under the bridge now,’ Flo said quietly. ‘You must forget it. You’re doing brilliantly tonight.’

  Rose flushed with pride at the compliment. ‘I just hope we get a few people in now.’

  Hearing the sound of people already filing through the doors and taking a seat, Flo chuckled. ‘I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.’

  In fact it seemed that the world and his wife were on their way to support the first-aid night as row after row of chairs were filled with members of the general public and Liberty’s staff alike.

  Spotting Mary, Dot, Jean and Alice, complete with Arthur in her arms, Flo waved excitedly and beckoned them to join her and Rose.

  ‘Look at all this,’ Alice gasped in wonder as Arthur gurgled with delight.

  ‘I think he approves,’ Flo said, kissing the little boy tenderly.

  ‘What’s not to approve?’ Mary agreed. ‘You’ve done a fine job, Rose.’

  ‘Is Bess all right?’ Jean asked anxiously.

  ‘She’s fine,’ Rose replied. ‘You mustn’t worry so much about her. I know it’s only natural but you’ve got to let her find her own way. Don’t coddle her all the time.’

  ‘I’m not coddling her,’ Jean protested. ‘I’m protecting her. She needs my help.’

  ‘Help, yes,’ Rose admonished, ‘but she doesn’t need smothering.’

  Dot leaned forward and held Rose’s hand. ‘Nobody’s smothering nobody. This is all new territory for Jean. We know better now how to handle things, but don’t start lecturing people, Rose. Jean is bound to be concerned. Bess is her sister, and you have to remember that.’

  At Dot’s advice, a look of contrition passed across Rose’s face. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to go on.’

  ‘You didn’t.’ Jean chuckled. ‘Well, not much anyway. Now, haven’t you got bandages and safety pins to go and sort through?’

  Rose laughed. ‘I get the hint, I’ll see you girls later.’

  As Rose slowly walked away clutching her stick, Flo saw Jean cast her eye about looking anxiously for Bess.

  ‘She’s over there,’ Flo said, pointing towards the back of the room, where Bess, much to her surprise, was deep in conversation with Evie.

  ‘I’ll just go and rescue her,’ Jean said hurriedly. ‘No doubt Evie will be chewing her ear off about something.’

  ‘Good idea.’ Dot sniffed. ‘Poor Bess is no doubt being lectured about something or other.’

  But Dot’s words were lost on Jean as she scuttled across the floor.

  ‘Whatever can Evie want with Bess?’ Alice asked.

  ‘Who knows, who cares?’ Mary snapped, arms folded. ‘What Evie wants is anyone’s guess.’

  ‘Who’s nicked the sugar out of your tea?’ Dot exclaimed. ‘You’ve been in a bad mood all day.’

  Mary managed a smile. ‘Sorry, girls. It’s just I’ve got my first interview with the adoption people in a couple of days. I’m nervous, and I wish David were here with me.’

  ‘Well, it can’t be helped,’ Flo soothed. ‘You’ll make a great impression; there’s nothing to worry about.’

  ‘It’s just a formality, isn’t it?’ Alice said, switching Arthur from one arm to the other as he began to cry.

  ‘I don’t know,’ Mary replied, reaching out a finger to stroke Arthur’s cheek. ‘Mrs Matravers might raise a last-minute objection. She could be out of prison in two years if she behaves herself and she would no doubt want to have custody of her daughter.’

  Dot snorted. ‘When has that woman ever behaved herself? No court in the land would let that woman near a child, not even her own. No, Mary darlin’, Alice is right, this is just a formality: you and David will make perfect parents.’

  ‘But the law is so much stricter now,’ Mary whined as if Dot hadn’t spoken. ‘This new adoption act they’re bringing in next year means it’s going to be much more difficult.’

  ‘Not for you, Mary, surely,’ Flo said. ‘You and David would be model parents, anyone can see that.’

  ‘David might be, but I’m not,’ Mary said, looking furtively around her and then lowering her voice: ‘What if they find out about what happened in Ceylon? What if they find out about why I was discharged from the army?’

  There was silence then as the girls considered what Mary had gone through last year. To have lost a baby was one thing, but to have conceived a child through a brutal and violent attack was something else.

  ‘You put that straight out of your head, darlin’,’ Dot said, breaking the silence and wrapping an arm around Mary. ‘You’ve suffered more than enough for what went on and you don’t deserve to suffer no more. You’ve nothing to be ashamed of and when you go into that room tomorrow and meet with all them bigwigs, I want you to hold your head up high and remember you are more than good enough to take on baby Emma. Don’t you let anyone say otherwise.’

  ‘Thanks, Dot,’ Mary said, leaning forward to kiss her cheek. ‘I don’t know how you always manage to say just the right thing, but you do.’

  ‘And sometimes the wrong one,’ Alice laughed, shooting her landlady a cheeky smile.

  ‘You girls give over,’ Dot admonished. ‘I just say what needs to be said, that’s all.’

  ‘Speaking of which, you very much kept your mouth shut when Evie was being so rude to you in front of Max Monroe yesterday,’ Flo exclaimed over the chatter of the people in the rows in front of them.

  Dot took Arthur from Alice’s arms and held him close to her chest. ‘The thing I’ve discovered in this life is that if you give people enough rope they’ll hang themselves. There was no need for me to show Evie up; she d
id a good enough job of that herself.’

  Alice snorted. ‘Yes, word went round the entire store how you made her sort through the remnants pile, Flo.’

  Flo shrugged. ‘What was I supposed to do with her? She had been unspeakably rude. How she’s on the Board of Trade I don’t know.’

  ‘Neither do I,’ Dot sighed. ‘People are funny folk, that much I do know.’

  With that Flo’s gaze drifted towards Evie at the back of the room. She was still locked in conversation with Bess and Jean and it looked as if it was getting quite heated. Bess’s cheeks were flushed with colour and her eyes were narrowed in anger, while Jean’s head and shoulders were slumped, her whole body radiating despair. As for Evie, she was wearing that smug expression which so frequently graced her face.

  Looking at the trio, Flo felt a stab of worry. Just what was going on between them all? She could understand why Evie would need to talk to Jean: there were after all plenty of Liberty and department matters that always needed discussing. But what did Bess have to do with it? As department manager, it was down to Flo to get to the bottom of whatever was going on.

  Steeling herself for Evie’s sharp tongue, she gave the girls a brief smile before she threaded her way through the crowds towards the warring women. Yet she had only taken a few steps when the sound of Rose clapping her hands together caught everyone’s attention. Realising the first-aid night was just about to start, Flo returned to her seat. Finding out whatever was going on would have to wait until later.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Flo arrived at work the next day feeling exhausted. The night had been a brilliant success for Rose, but Flo had hardly slept for worrying over the exchange she had witnessed between Evie, Jean and Bess. Flo couldn’t understand it and had worried that it would ruin the first of Rose’s first-aid nights, even though she had gone to so much trouble to organise everything.

  Yet to her credit, Bess hadn’t let her anger show when she had been invited up by Rose on to the little makeshift podium to talk about her accident. In fact she had looked positively fired up with pride as she talked about how lucky she was to have Jean by her side, insisting that the best thing anyone could do in the face of an emergency was offer love and support to their nearest and dearest. It had been an unusual yet rousing speech that had captured the hearts of everyone there and Jean had been reduced to tears.