Always in My Heart (20 page)

She thought about Jim and his brother Frank, waiting for the dreaded call-up papers to arrive. For once, Peggy felt helpless. It was all very well for Winston Churchill to ask them all to make sacrifices, when they were already scraping the barrel when it came to food, heating, clothing, and even the most mundane of everyday necessities – just how much more could everyone be squeezed when morale was already at such a low ebb?

These were dark days indeed, and although it was important to appear cheerful and to shrug off the inconveniences, Peggy was beginning to waver beneath the weight of all the responsibilities of keeping
her family in good spirits. Poor Cordelia was worried sick about her nephew, and she couldn’t think how she could ease that anxiety, for they could have no idea of whether he’d been killed in the fighting or had been taken prisoner. There were terrible rumours coming out of the Far East of brutal treatment handed out to prisoners by the Japanese, and she just hoped that Jock had managed to escape.

She stubbed out the cigarette and went to fetch Daisy, who was beginning to stir. It wouldn’t help anyone if she became gloomy, and it was up to her to keep up morale and think about the positive things, she decided as she bathed Daisy in the kitchen sink. Having dressed her in the sweet knitted layette, she carried Daisy to the fireside chair and fed her, glad of her comforting warmth and weight in her arms as the household continued to slumber and her fretfulness ebbed.

Churchill was right about keeping strong and steadfast, for little Daisy and the rest of her family had to be protected from the terror that was exploding across the world – and if that meant making sacrifices, then she would soldier on willingly.

Having come to this conclusion, Peggy finished feeding Daisy and put her in the playpen so she could stretch and kick and watch her while she finished the ironing.

‘Good morning, Peggy,’ said a bright-eyed Suzy as she came into the room half an hour later. ‘You’re up early.’

‘So are you, considering how late it was when you came in,’ replied Peggy with a soft smile as she stirred the porridge.

Suzy blushed. ‘The time just seemed to fly,’ she said as she poured a cup of tea. ‘We have so much in common; I don’t think we stopped talking all evening.’ She smiled back at Peggy. ‘He even knows my brother,’ she said in a kind of wonder. ‘They were both up at Oxford and in the same debating team.’

Peggy couldn’t help but smile. Suzy looked radiant this morning, despite the early hour, and just talking about Anthony had brought a sparkle to her eyes. ‘It’s a small world, isn’t it?’ she said quietly as she scooped out a good helping of rather watery porridge and placed the bowl in front of her.

Suzy nodded and tucked into the porridge, her fair hair gleaming beneath the starched nurse’s cap, the blue of the uniform enhancing her eyes. ‘Anthony says the world has got even smaller now Singapore has fallen. I do so hope that Grandma Finch’s relations make it safely on that long journey.’ She finished the porridge. ‘Anthony says they’ll have to go via Africa, then across the North Atlantic to the west coast of Scotland.’ She shivered daintily. ‘The thought of all those U-boats lying in wait, and the rough seas – I don’t know if I’d be that brave.’

‘I’m sure you would if your life depended upon it,’ murmured Peggy.

‘That’s what Anthony said.’ She looked at her watch, quickly finished her cup of tea and reached for
her thick woollen cloak. ‘I must dash or I’ll be late, and then Matron will be down on me like a ton of bricks. Tell Fran I’ll meet her in the canteen at lunch-break.’

Peggy grinned as the girl rushed out of the house. With all her Anthony this and Anthony that, anyone would think Suzy was in love. But at least her happiness was catching, and that small interlude had cheered Peggy no end.

Ron and Jim returned just as Cordelia, Fran and Rita had sat down to their breakfast. The men looked exhausted after their long night on duty, but Jim was due to start his shift at the factory in less than three hours, so she quickly put the porridge in front of them and went to fetch the newspapers from the letter box.

Silence fell as they read the headlines and the following articles. Churchill’s speech had been much commented upon by the columnists, and there was a good deal of condemnation of the Government for not having had the foresight to ensure that the Far East was adequately covered by air and sea.

‘Come on, Cordelia,’ said Peggy after breakfast was over and everyone had gone their separate ways. ‘Cover your hair with this scarf. I know they’re not due for several weeks yet, but we need to prepare rooms for your family, and I need help to get them straight as they’ve been empty for so long.’

Cordelia eyed her knowingly but didn’t argue. With the scarves knotted over their hair, they were soon on their way upstairs armed with fresh linen, the Hoover and a basket full of cleaning materials and dusters.

The large room at the front looked out over the nearby rooftops to a narrow glimpse of the sea, which glittered in the early spring sunshine. With two single beds, a gas fire, wardrobe and chest of drawers, it would accommodate the two young girls very well. The room next door was a single, with a window overlooking the back garden – it was always a bit dark in there, and Peggy had tried to combat the gloom with white-painted walls and cheerful yellow curtains and bedspread.

The morning was spent scrubbing, airing, polishing and making beds. Now the windows gleamed, the beds looked welcoming and the furniture smelled lovely with beeswax. ‘I’ll get Jim to bring up the two spare armchairs from the dining room,’ said Peggy as she flicked the duster needlessly over the spotless windowsill. ‘The girls might need a bit of time to settle in, and they can sit in here if it all gets a bit much downstairs.’

‘I don’t know about you, Peggy, but I could do with a cuppa,’ replied Cordelia.

‘Then I suggest we put on our coats and hats and walk to the little café opposite the hospital in Camden Road and treat ourselves to tea and scones. I think we’ve earned it, don’t you?’

Cordelia smiled. ‘You don’t have to spend money trying to cheer me up, Peggy dear, but that sounds a lovely idea. I could do with some fresh air, and it’s so much easier to walk when I have the pram to hold onto.’

Cordelia put on her hat and coat and waited patiently in the chair by the range until Daisy had been changed and fed and was warmly tucked into her pram.

They set off at a slow pace, with Cordelia pushing the pram and Peggy keeping a steadying hand on it to steer it straight. The wind was quite blustery as it tore up from the sea and the gulls were wheeling and screaming overhead – but there were shoots of snowdrops and early daffodils pushing through the grass verges, and the sun was bright, cheering them up no end.

They stopped frequently to exchange pleasantries and discuss the fall of Singapore, and it was almost half an hour before they reached the little teashop that was squeezed between the ironmonger’s and the chemist in Camden Road. It wasn’t as grand as the teashop on the top floor of Plummers, the High Street department store, but it was cosy and warm with a far more relaxed atmosphere. There wasn’t room for the pram, so Peggy parked it by the window where she could keep an eye on Daisy, who was asleep.

They were greeted by a dozen or so familiar faces and the wonderful smell of fresh baking. Finding a table close to the window, they settled down and ordered a pot of coffee, which would be a huge treat, and scones and jam, which was an even bigger treat. Peggy and Cordelia knew most of the other diners, and the conversation flowed back and forth easily as they waited for their food.

And then Doris walked past, glanced into the
window and headed straight inside. ‘I’m surprised you can afford this sort of thing,’ she said with a sniff as she arrived at their table.

‘Hello, Doris,’ said Peggy with brittle breeziness. ‘I’m very well, thanks for asking. How are you?’

‘Rather put out, if you must know,’ she said waspishly. She pulled off her leather gloves and, after a momentary hesitation, brushed non-existent crumbs from a chair and sat down at the next table. ‘That’s why I was on my way to see you.’

Peggy eyed her warily, wondering what she’d done now to upset her sister.

‘Anthony told me he was going to visit you yesterday afternoon, and although he’d promised to be home in time for a glass of sherry with may friend, Lady Charlmondley, he didn’t get in until after midnight.’ She glanced around the room, then continued, in strangled vowels, ‘Lady Aurelia was most understanding, but then she and I are very close friends.’ This was said just loudly enough for everyone to hear.

Peggy didn’t dare catch Cordelia’s eye and she had to bite her lip to stop giggling. ‘Well, he is over thirty,’ she managed finally, ‘and probably found something more interesting to do after he left us than sit about drinking dubious sherry with a couple of old women.’

A few hastily muffled titters went round the room and Doris reddened. ‘It would never occur to may Anthony to think in such a disrespectful way,’ she declared. ‘Ay have brought him up to behave with
impeccable manners. Something must have happened to distract him.’

Suzy had certainly done that, thought Peggy. ‘I’m sure you and Aurelia managed quite well without him,’ she said as the waitress brought their order.

‘That is not the point, Margaret. May Anthony has never let me down before unless it was something unavoidable like his important work for the MOD. Ay mean to get to the bottom of this, you mark may words.’

The waitress finished clattering china and cutlery and turned towards Doris, notepad and pencil at the ready.

‘Ay’ll have coffee, toasted teacake and jam,’ said Doris.

‘Sorry love,’ said the middle-aged waitress, who didn’t seem to realise that no one called Doris love – especially not underlings like waitresses, ‘but that’s the last of the coffee, and there ain’t no teacakes to be ’ad. I can do yer a bit of toast, if you like.’

Doris eyed her with disdain, pulled her gloves back on and stood up. ‘Then Ay will take my custom elsewhere,’ she said haughtily, and without a goodbye to Peggy or Cordelia, swept out of the teashop.

‘She’s a one, ain’t she?’ said the waitress with a frown. ‘Did I say summink to upset ’er?’

Peggy smiled back at her. ‘Doris is easily upset,’ she said lightly. ‘I wouldn’t take it personally.’

They settled down to enjoy the delicious coffee and scones, and once the pot was empty and the final
crumbs had been gleaned from the plate, Peggy sat back and lit a cigarette. It would be lovely to have the time and money to do this once a week, she thought as she relaxed in the warm ambience. But then she wasn’t Doris, and counted herself lucky that such a treat was possible maybe a couple of times a year.

Half an hour later they reluctantly left the warm fug of the tea room and began the short walk home. The sun was much lower in the sky now and almost obliterated by the thick, dark clouds that were gathering. The seagulls were still screeching from the rooftops and lamp posts, but the wind had changed direction, and was now coming from the north, threatening snow.

Cordelia held grimly to the pram handle as they slowly made their way back to Beach View, and Peggy had to put a steadying arm round her waist to stop her from being blown over.

They reached the back gate all in one piece only to be almost knocked down by Harvey, who came tearing out of the basement to greet them. Leaping up, his great paws reached their shoulders as he tried to lick their faces.

‘Get down, Harvey, for goodness’ sake,’ snapped Peggy as she shoved him away. ‘You’ll have us both in the vegetable patch in a minute.’

Harvey was just too pleased to see them to take any notice, and he rested his front paws on the side of the pram and proceeded to wash Daisy’s face.

Daisy gurgled and batted at his long nose, and
Peggy grabbed his collar. ‘Ron,’ she shouted. ‘Will you come and get your dog?’

Ron appeared in the doorway, his expression rather more solemn than usual as he carefully made his way down the garden path. He grabbed Harvey and hauled him off the pram. ‘Sorry, Peg,’ he muttered with a slur. ‘I’ll clean those paw marks off for you later.’

Peggy eyed him sharply as she caught the smell of whisky on his breath. ‘You’ve been drinking,’ she said flatly and pushed the pram into the basement. ‘It’s a bit early, isn’t it?’

‘Jim and Frank are here,’ he said. ‘We’ve been drowning our sorrows, so we have,’ he said with a lopsided grin.

‘Oh God, what now?’

He said nothing as he shooed Harvey upstairs and then helped her lift the pram into the kitchen.

One glance told Peggy something was up, for Jim and Frank were sitting at the table with a half-empty bottle of whisky between them. She made no comment as she pulled off her coat, helped Cordelia out of hers and settled her in her usual chair by the range.

Peggy’s pulse was racing and she began to regret the rich afternoon treat as her stomach clenched in dread. All three men liked a drink, but not this early in the day – and not when they were supposed to be at work. Something was very wrong. ‘What’s happened?’ she asked sharply.

Frank was a mountain of a man and he seemed to
fill the small kitchen chair beside the much slimmer Jim, but they both had the dark hair and blue eyes of the Reillys, and now they both wore the same sour expressions. ‘We’ve had our call-up papers,’ he said. ‘Arrived at the factory with the second post.’

Peggy sat down hard on the chair beside Jim. ‘I thought you’d be deferred call-up now you’re both working at the munitions factory?’

‘Aye, so did we, but with women doing the job equally as well, the powers-that-be decided we’d be of more use elsewhere.’ Jim slopped more whisky into their glasses, his expression morose.

‘But you did your bit in the last war,’ protested Peggy. ‘Where are they sending you?’

‘We have to report to Southfields barracks in Yorkshire,’ said Frank, his voice slurred from the amount of whisky he’d been drinking. ‘It seems the Army can’t do without us again – our experience is much needed to reinforce the war effort.’

‘But Frank, you only have a couple of years before you turn fifty. Surely you won’t be expected to—?’