A Wartime Christmas (31 page)

‘She ain’t home. She’s gone—’ Vi paused. She knew better than to blurt out that Kay was in Bethnal Green and following up on the events of 3 March in the hopes that
she might discover Sean’s whereabouts. For as far as Vi knew, Kay hadn’t written to Lil about that night, nor did Lil know anything about Sean or Dolly.

Vi tried to gather herself, but then she saw Alfie playing up by the bombed site of her old house. Tim and Alfie had stripped to the waist and were throwing clumps of dried mud at each other. It
was then Vi remembered that Babs had ordered a clean-up of the backyard and the Andersons. It was she, Vi, who had suggested the boys load their cart with the weeds and dirt that had grown over the
tunnel roof and take it up the road to dump. The workmen had dug a hole for some reason and left it; a space that Vi had noted and thought could prove useful.

With a quick glance to the end of the street, Vi hoped she would see the familiar figures of Kay and Babs approaching. Unfortunately, the street was empty. ‘What time is it?’ asked
Vi, completely forgetting Lil’s question.

‘Half one,’ said Bob.

‘Oh,’ replied Vi vacantly. How long would it take Kay to get back on the bus from Bethnal Green?

‘Where’s she gone?’ asked Lil, frowning. Her silver hair was styled smartly around her head and she was wearing a brown two-piece outfit. Bob wore his usual titfer and a big
smile on his face. Vi wondered anxiously if, like last time, they’d come to stay.

‘Is she out shopping?’ asked Bob.

‘No – well, yes,’ Vi corrected herself. ‘She’s with Babs.’

‘When did they go out?’ asked Lil.

‘Not long ago.’

‘Well, we’ll just have to wait.’ Lil looked through the open door.

Vi suddenly remembered her manners. ‘Come in and I’ll make you a cuppa.’

‘That’d be nice,’ said Bob cheerfully. ‘We’re only down for the day,’ he added, to Vi’s relief. ‘Jumped on the train and then got the bus to
Poplar. Thought we’d see how our nipper is.’

‘You mean Alfie?’ said Vi, flummoxed, as she saw Alfie returning a fistful of dirt at Tim.

‘Course we do.’ Lil deepened the frown on her forehead. ‘Vi, are you all right?’

Vi nodded. ‘Just had a bit too much sun.’ She took one last furtive glance at Alfie and the dirt fight and prayed Gill would have the sense to break up the fun and make the boys put
on their shirts. Lil would have a fit if she saw her grandson looking like one of those street kids she so deplored.

‘Kay, I don’t like it round here,’ said Babs anxiously as they made their way towards Stock’s Lane. As Dave had informed them, the Luftwaffe had done
their job well in this part of the East End. Though the markets and thoroughfares were busy and thriving on the hot summer’s day, there was always a reminder of the bombing.

Kay and Babs stopped to stare down the winding alley in the heart of Bethnal Green. The area had once been the busy heart of London’s rag trade. Kay remembered how her father had told her
all about the capital’s clothing sweatshops. But now only a faint reflection of the past remained: toppled walls that had once been the supports of the Huguenots’ silk attics, finally
polished off by Jerry’s bombs; capsizing floors of a chapel that no longer contained an altar, just the frame of a glass-stained window and the fragments of tiles that might have once led to
an altar. Beyond this the synagogue rose, untouched by the air raids, and there were still a few bagel-sellers, but even these traders, it seemed, were using the alley as a shortcut between the
derelict buildings.

It was so dark and dreary here that even the sun seemed to prefer shining in the busier streets. One or two unsavoury characters passed them as they walked along. Babs stopped and pulled on
Kay’s arm.

‘Even Dolly wouldn’t live in a place like this.’

‘It was where Dave said he saw her go.’

‘Yes,’ agreed Babs, ‘but this ain’t Dolly’s style.’

‘Let’s look at that terrace of houses,’ Kay suggested. ‘There’s a curtain in one window. Well, what’s left of it.’

They approached the block of three terraced cottages. Two of the three doors were boarded up. The windows were also shut-off, a measure that must have been taken long ago, as the boards over the
windows were as black and grimy as the crumbling red-brick and mortar.

Kay craned her neck upwards. There was no roof to be seen on the third house. It only seemed to be standing by the grace of the building beside it – a warehouse of some kind, whose large
wooden doors were bolted and barred.

‘Could there be someone living in there?’ Kay pointed to the window with the ragged lace curtain. They walked closer, going as near as they dared. The broken pane of glass let out a
strong smell of urine. Kay and Babs stepped quickly away.

‘Lord almighty,’ gasped Babs, covering her nose with her hand. ‘It stinks to high heaven.’

Kay nodded, just managing not to gag. ‘I’m going to knock at the door.’

‘Don’t,’ begged Babs, clutching her arm. ‘Nothing . . . nothing human can come out of there.’

‘I’ve got to try.’

Kay walked cautiously up to the door and knocked. Seeing no movement at the window, she knocked again, calling out, ‘Dolly! Dolly! It’s me, Kay. I’ve got your money.’

Babs hurried beside her. ‘What did you say that for?’

‘If Dolly’s in there, she’d come out at the mention of money.’

They waited. Kay thought she heard something, but then decided it could be a rat. She’d seen one or two scampering across the road. Then there was a creak and a shuffling noise.

Babs clutched her arm as they waited. Kay felt her knees knock as the door slowly opened.

‘Whatdywant?’ The hiss came from inside the dark hovel. Kay and Babs stepped back again. ‘I . . . I’m looking for Dolly, Dolly Lewis,’ Kay spluttered.

‘Yer out of luck. She ain’t here.’ The woman’s face was old and haggard. Too old for Kay to put an age to. A long nose and shifty eyes took in their presence and a
filthy, bony hand came round the rotten wood of the door. ‘Anythin’ else yer want to know, yer’ll ’ave ter pay for.’ The hand opened to reveal a dirty palm, encrusted
with what looked like oil and grease. The smell was so overpowering that Kay tried to hold her breath. Forcing down her heaving stomach, she took a shilling from her bag. It wasn’t much, but
it was all she had. Slowly she stepped forward and placed the money on the woman’s palm. It disappeared in a second.

‘Don’t! Don’t shut the door!’ Kay stuck her foot in the gap. The smell made her eyes water. ‘Have you a boy in there, a young boy of about six? His name is
Sean.’

‘Get away or I’ll ’ave the dogs on yer!’

‘And I’ll come back with the bobbies,’ replied Kay in desperation. ‘Just tell me if he’s there.’

‘Course he ain’t, yer silly moo,’ came the reply. ‘A kid can’t pay me the rent. Nor would that mean sod wot gave an eye to ’im. I booted ’em both
out.’

‘Where did they go?’

‘How should I know?’ spat the woman. ‘Now bugger off.’ She pressed the door hard against Kay’s foot. Kay yelped with pain and fell back. The door slammed.

Babs put her arm around Kay. ‘The old witch. Did she hurt you?’

‘No, but what if she’s lying and Sean’s in there?’ Kay bent and rubbed her foot.

‘Why would she lie?’

‘To get rid of us.’

‘Dolly can’t be there. Sean was her way of getting her money.’

Kay nodded. ‘I think Dolly died that night.’ Kay looked up at the building. She turned to Babs. ‘I’m going to get help.’

‘Who?’ Babs asked in surprise.

‘Jean Pearson.’

Babs looked around and shuddered. ‘Can’t see Jean coming to a dump like this.’

‘She will if I ask her.’

Babs looked at Kay and grinned. ‘We’d better get going then.’

As they hurried out of the slum Kay glanced behind her. Was Sean inside that terrible place? Or were they too late?

Alfie burst in the back door, Tim beside him, their faces so filthy the rims of their eyes stood out in gleaming white circles. Vi took in a sharp breath. Neither boys wore
their shirts. As for sandals, they were barefoot, pushing out their dirty chests and beating them as they ran in the kitchen.

Vi looked at Lil, who was seated on one of the kitchen chairs drinking her tea. Lil’s tea splashed into the saucer. ‘Alfie, is that you?’ demanded Lil. ‘Where have you
been?’

‘’ello, Gran.’ Alfie smiled widely. His teeth shone white under the dirt.

‘Young man,’ said Bob, getting up from his chair, ‘what do you think you’re playing at?’

‘We live in the zoo,’ said Alfie, proudly beating his chest again. ‘Me an’ Tim are monkeys.’

‘You look like ones an’ all,’ laughed Bob. ‘But you can’t bring all that dirt in your mother’s kitchen.’

‘Me mum won’t mind.’

Tim nodded. ‘We can sound like monkeys too.’ They both beat their chests and howled.

Was it not for the fact that Lil was speechless, staring at the small heaps of dried mud falling on the floor as they yelled and began to prance around, Vi would have joined in their laughter.
They were little monkeys indeed.

Lil’s head snapped round. ‘Has Alfie been running the streets?’

Vi was about to declare they hadn’t, but Alfie answered first.

‘We been in a ’ole the men dug.’

Lil clattered her cup in the saucer. ‘Have you been playing on bomb sites?’

‘We’re not allowed on them,’ Vi was relieved to hear them say.

‘Well, at least you’re not likely to get blown to bits,’ Lil said, scowling at Bob. ‘Bob, bring in the tin bath. We’ll soon have these two sorted out.’

‘But we’re playin’ a good game, Gran.’

‘You were, love, and it was nice while it lasted, but now you’ve got us to talk to. We’re only down for the day and half of it has gone already.’ Lil rolled up the
sleeves of her cardigan. ‘Now, take off them dirty shorts, both of you.’ She marched them out into the yard, calling over her shoulder, ‘Start boiling some water, will you,
Vi?’

Bob glanced at Vi. ‘Lil ain’t one for messes.’

‘It’s only a bit of fun,’ said Vi, rising to her feet. She felt giddy again and Bob reached out.

‘Leave this to me, darlin’. Go and have forty winks.’

Vi nodded. ‘Don’t mind if I do.’

He grinned. ‘We’ve got a nice surprise for Kay. A train ticket for her and the boy to come up to us in September. Should be nice weather then. And it will give her a break from the
Smoke.’

Vi nodded. ‘Very nice an’ all. Well, I’ll leave you to it.’

Vi made her way upstairs and, after closing the door to the bedroom, hurried over to the window.

‘Hurry up, Kay,’ she whispered to the empty street. ‘There’ll be trouble in paradise if you don’t arrive home and explain to your mum that Alfie ain’t a
street urchin.’

Sitting on the bus to Slater Street, Kay and Babs were discussing their visit to Jean Pearson. Hampered by the traffic from Bethnal Green to Poplar, they hadn’t arrived
at the council offices until late that afternoon. Then they’d had to wait until Jean arrived back from business elsewhere.

‘Do you think Jean will go to Stock’s Lane as she promised?’ asked Babs reflectively.

‘She said she would put it to her superior.’

‘Don’t think she’d want to go there on her own.’

Kay frowned. ‘Nor would I if I was her.’

Babs sighed, pushing her damp hair away from her face. ‘Let’s hope this time, they’ll get their act together.’

By the time they arrived at Slater Street it was almost half past six. There were no children in the street and Vi’s chair, positioned by the front door, was empty.

‘Bit quiet round here,’ said Babs, frowning.

‘P’raps they’re in the Anderson,’ said Kay. ‘Let’s go round to the Cut and surprise them.’ But when Kay and Babs arrived in the lane and looked across
the wall, both yards were empty.

‘Look, the boys cleared all them weeds,’ said Babs, delighted. ‘And all the dirt too.’

Kay smiled at the sight of the scraped-clean Anderson roofs. Just then the back door of Kay’s house opened and the two boys ran out. They were dressed in clean clothes with their hair
parted on the side and shiny fresh faces to go with their smiles.

‘Gran’s been here,’ shouted Alfie as he ran towards them. ‘She says we’re goin’ to stay with her for an ’oliday. What’s an
’oliday?’

Kay caught Alfie as he clambered up the wall and jumped into her arms. She smelled Lifebuoy in big wafts as she hugged him against her. Then Gill ran out of the house, eager to see Babs.

‘Alfie’s gran washed the boys in the bath,’ she giggled. ‘Everyone saw their willies.’

Tim spun round and pushed his sister over. Soon the children were shouting and laughing, returning the yard to its normal mayhem. Above the racket, Vi appeared at the kitchen door, rolling her
eyes heavenward.

‘Sorry, love,’ Vi apologized that evening, as she sat with Kay in the front room after Alfie was in bed. ‘I’m afraid your mum didn’t take kindly
to the fact Alfie was playing in the street and in a bit of a state. I think you’re gonna get it in the ear when you see her next.’

‘It can’t be helped,’ Kay replied as she placed a mug of hot tea beside Vi. ‘Just the day I needed to be here and I wasn’t.’

‘At least you spoke to Jean Pearson about that dump.’

Kay nodded. ‘She tried to be helpful.’

‘When’s she going to this Stock’s Lane?’

‘She has to get permission first.’

‘Do you reckon they’ll find the lad?’

Kay had been convinced the old woman was hiding something or someone. ‘I can’t be sure,’ she admitted. ‘I can’t bear to think of him living in a slum like that. But
at the same time, if the chips were down, I’d rather him be there, where they’ll find him, instead of disappearing again.’ Kay looked at Vi and smiled. ‘Thanks for what you
did today, Vi.’

‘I didn’t do nothing.’

‘You didn’t land me in it with Mum.’

Vi laughed. ‘Alfie did that all by himself.’

‘Mum will have to take us as she finds us. Anyway, she might have forgotten all about it by the time we go to Berkshire.’

‘You’re going, then?’

‘It’s not on the top of me “to-do” list, but I can’t disappoint them again. Especially as they paid the fare. And anyway, Alfie was excited when I explained what a
holiday was. He hasn’t had one before.’