Lily of Love Lane (21 page)

‘Lily, don’t let the past hold you back,’ he said quietly, but his voice was firm.

‘I’ve only ever worked on the market.’

‘Then this is a golden opportunity, is it not, to spread your wings?’

Lily was torn. Uncle Noah had advised her to know her own mind. But as much as she wanted to accept Charles’ offer, she was afraid of stepping into the unknown.

‘It’s not that I’m not grateful . . .’

‘So the answer is no?’

They looked at one another. Charles sighed heavily, shaking his head. ‘Such a pity. A talent gone to waste. You would have gained a great deal of knowledge and improved your standard of
life.’

Lily felt terrible. How could she tell him she wanted to accept but couldn’t. She and Hattie were only just getting back together after what happened at the party. Her parents had already
made their feelings clear on Charles. And Reube, who had always been a good friend, would be deeply upset if she left. As Lily gazed around at the beautiful house that she was being invited to work
and live in, it seemed like a dream, an impossible dream. She knew though, her dream could never come true.

That afternoon Lily wanted to tell Hattie all about what had happened. But Hattie was full of excitement about her engagement ring. Reube had promised her that next Saturday
they would go up to Aldgate and buy it.

‘You will come, won’t you?’ Hattie said as they walked, arms linked, to the park. ‘Reube said he’ll get Pedro to mind the stall in the afternoon. It will be just
like the old days,’ Hattie promised excitedly, ‘the four of us going out to have fun.’

Lily looked into Hattie’s happy face and couldn’t refuse. She had to tread carefully after all the upset. As they walked, Hattie’s excitement bubbled over as she described her
wedding plans for next year. Lily listened, wishing that she could reveal her own innermost thoughts. Thoughts which she knew wouldn’t please her friend.

That night as Lily lay in bed, the picture came to her of Charles this morning as he had offered her the miracle of making her dream come true. Why had she refused? She wanted to be with him so
much. Yet she was afraid to leave her family and friends behind. What would it be like to live in that beautiful house, to care for it and furnish it as she knew she could? And what of his late
wife, Delia? Would Charles ever recover from his loss? Would he find love again?

These and many other questions tumbled through her mind. But Lily knew as much as her heart longed for him, her head was saying no.

The following week the sensational news was released that Sir Oswald Mosley had stormed out of parliament. His radical policies had been overthrown and he had defected
immediately, causing his followers to become angrier than ever that their leader could not mount a challenge to Britain’s leadership. On Thursday morning, as Lily arrived at the market, a
small group of Blackshirts had gathered on the corner. They were not wearing their uniform, but everyone knew who they were. One of the men was waving a book in the air and the others were all
cheering.

‘What are they shouting about?’ Lily asked as she took her place behind the stall.

Reube had got out his stick, so too had the other traders as a shadow seemed to fall over Cox Street. ‘They got this book they call their bible and are trying to thrust it down
everyone’s throat.’

‘What book is that?’ Lily felt her legs begin to shake. Trouble was in the air. Where were the police when they were needed?

‘It’s called
Mein Kampf.
It’s said that the royalties go to the Red Cross, but I don’t believe that. Who wants to know about that bloke Hitler anyway?’

‘Perhaps they’ll leave,’ said Lily hopefully.

‘If they set one foot in our direction,’ said Reube, swinging the stick, ‘they’ll regret it.’

Lily clutched his arm. ‘It’s only a book. Can’t we ignore them this time?’

Reube looked down at her in surprise. ‘What, and let them spout off at us with all their rubbish?’

‘They’ll get fed up and move on.’

‘Meanwhile we lose custom. Look at the street, it’s deserted.’

Lily tried to pull Reube back as he took a step from the stall. He was joined by Ted and Freda Shiner, Sammy and Elfie Goldblum, the two barrow boys and Vera Froud’s husband, Jock. Soon,
the rest of the traders left their stalls and banded together across the street. The Blackshirts stopped creating a din and turned to face them. Lily felt more afraid than ever. What could she do?
There was only one thing she could think of. Somewhere there had to be a policeman on duty. If she could find one quickly, she might be able to stop the fight.

When, a little later, Lily returned with a constable, she soon realized she was too late. Her mouth fell open at the scene. The market was in chaos, with Ted’s and
Reube’s stalls upturned and Vera Froud’s clothes scattered over the cobbles amongst the fruit and veg. Lily looked at the broken china, glasses, ornaments and nuts and bolts that were
scattered far and wide. As the traders sifted through the wreckage, Reube was nursing a black eye.

‘What’s happened ’ere?’ demanded the young constable, as he studied the damage.

‘Them bloody Blackshirts!’ exclaimed Reube as he searched for his cap, found it under a broken pot and shook it out. Pushing it on his head, he kicked at his broken stall angrily.
‘See what they done? Look at all me broken stock. And me stall! The two legs at the front are snapped in half where one of ’em fell into it.’

‘You say it was the Blackshirts?’ the policeman frowned.

‘Course it was.’

‘They were in uniform, I take it?’

‘No, but we knew their faces.’

The policeman frowned. ‘You’re saying they were Blackshirts, yet they weren’t in uniform.’

‘We seen them before causing trouble,’ Reube answered indignantly.

‘And, of course, you informed the police – before?’ The policeman’s tone was sarcastic.

‘No bloody good telling you buggers, is it?’

‘No need for that kind of language, sir.’

‘Then why don’t you go after ’em,’ Reube shouted, losing his temper again. ‘They went that way, ran off as soon as we taught ’em a lesson.’

‘Did you teach them a lesson with that?’ The policeman pointed to the stick Reube was still holding in his hand.

Reube looked at Lily. ‘What did you bring this daft ’apporth round for, Lil? Christ, I told you the law was no good.’

‘But Reube—’

‘The young lady did her duty as a good citizen,’ the constable interrupted sharply. ‘Now, perhaps you’d like to come down to the station, where you can make a formal
complaint.’

‘You must be jokin’!’ Reube almost jumped back. ‘I’m not going anywhere with you, chum.’

‘What’s up?’ Ted Shiner asked as he came up, mopping his bleeding nose.

‘He wants to take me down the station,’ cried Reube, waving the stick in the air.

‘You got nothin’ better to do with yerself?’ accused Ted, his face streaked with dirt and blood. ‘You should be off chasing the criminals. See what they did to me stall?
That’s half me stock gone for a burton, and a good day’s trade lost. You wanna find them buggers and make ’em pay. That’s what you should be doin’ not giving
aggravation to innocent parties like ’im and me.’

The policeman looked at the two men then rocked back and forth on his heels, an unpleasant smile on his face. ‘Well, if that’s the attitude you want to take, you leave me no choice
but to insist you both come with me and make your complaints to my sergeant.’

Reube laughed without humour. ‘I ain’t going nowhere, nor is he. It’ll take us all day to mend our stuff.’

The policeman took out his whistle and waved it in their face. ‘I’m within five seconds of blowing this and summoning reinforcements and you’re within five seconds of getting
nicked. Now, we’ll start again, shall we?’

Lily felt her heart sink as both Reube and Ted, with expressions of fury on their faces, were made to follow the constable, leaving the devastation behind them.

‘T
hem bloody Blackshirts, now they’ve gone and spoiled everything,’ complained Hattie as they sat in Lily’s bedroom. It was
Friday evening and the day after the big fight. ‘Now I won’t be getting me ring because Reube has to mend the stall and buy a lot of new stock.’

‘You can go for the ring another day.’

‘I doubt it.’

‘Why do you say that? You’re getting engaged. You must have a ring.’

‘Now Reube’s saying with all the damage, he can’t afford it.’

‘It might not be as bad as he thinks.’

‘I dunno. He’s too angry still to talk any sense.’

It wasn’t only Hattie who was suffering the repercussions of Thursday, Lily thought unhappily. She, too, had been given the cold shoulder by Reube after he’d returned from the
station. Ted had told her that Reube had got so angry at the sergeant, that he’d been locked in a cell. It was only when Ben had arrived and smoothed matters out, that they’d agreed to
release Reube.

‘A fat lot of good calling the law was,’ Hattie continued, her chin sticking out. ‘It only made matters worse.’

‘I wanted to stop a fight before it got started.’

‘Yeah, so you said,’ Hattie answered in a martyred tone. ‘Anyway, you must be pleased. You’ve got a day off tomorrow whilst the stalls are mended.’

Lily and the other market traders had salvaged what they could of the broken stock and squashed fruit. But the two stalls were damaged so badly some pieces had to be replaced. Meanwhile,
business had continued out of boxes, whilst Reube had gone around like a bear with a sore head.

‘As I’m not at work we could walk over to Greenwich tomorrow,’ Lily suggested, trying to take her friend’s mind off the ring. ‘And have a coffee and cake in the
park?’

Hattie nodded. ‘I suppose so.’

‘It’ll be something to look forward to.’

Hattie yawned and got up from where she was perched on Lily’s bed. ‘I’m all in. See you tomorrow, then.’

Lily went with her friend to the front door and waved goodbye. It was a soft, warm May evening and the light had still not faded. A tangerine sun was setting and spinning shadows across the
houses on the other side of Love Lane. The James’ house was silent. There was no sign of Ben or Reube.

Lily went back indoors to the sound of her father coughing. His chest had become troublesome again. Her mother came out of the parlour, a small bottle in her hand. ‘Your dad didn’t
go into work today as he had a bad coughing fit. I’ve just given him the last of his medicine.’

‘Does he need more?’

‘Yes, but I can’t afford any till next week. I haven’t got anything left in me purse and he didn’t pick up his pay packet.’

‘Will he be docked a day?’

‘Yes, they ain’t gonna pay him if he don’t work, are they?’

‘I’ve got me wages to give you,’ Lily said quickly, reaching for her bag on the coat stand and pulling out her purse. ‘I only got twelve and six this week because of the
upset with the Blackshirts.’

‘It wasn’t your fault they came,’ said her mother indignantly.

‘No, but we lost all our business on Thursday and today it wasn’t much better as everything that’s left is in boxes and crates. I can’t expect to be paid if
nothing’s coming in.’

‘When will you be up and running again?’ her mother asked anxiously.

‘Reube ain’t much good with repairs, so Ben’s gone to help him out.’

‘Those Blackshirts should be lynched,’ remarked her mother.

‘I just hope we’ve seen the last of them.’

Josie looked down at the money in her hand. ‘I wish I didn’t have to take this off you but I’ll be able to buy some medicine now.’ She glanced up at Lily. ‘Have you
got a few pennies to keep for your needs?’

‘Yes, but I don’t need much. Only a bob to go out with Hattie if we stop for a coffee and cake.’

Lily accompanied her mother to the kitchen, where the kettle, as usual, was boiling. She saw her mother pick up the tea caddy and peer into the bottom of it. ‘I’m afraid this brew is
going to be worse than cat’s pee as we’ve run short.’

Lily knew that running short on tea was the first sign of danger. Were they behind with the rent again? And what other debts were accruing?

She sat down and watched Josie make the tea, her actions slow and deliberate as she scooped the last few leaves from the caddy. ‘I don’t know where it all goes, Lil. Even with you
and your father working, we’re only just making ends meet. I seem to be spending a lot on medicine and the doctor but they come first before anything.’

Lily nodded her agreement. ‘What does the doctor say about Dad?’

Her mother shrugged as she placed out the teacups. ‘That with his bad chest he shouldn’t be out in all weathers. But he’s lucky to have a job at all. At least the winter is
over.’

Lily looked into her mother’s face. Was her father really well enough to work at the yard? Outside in the hall, she heard her father climb the stairs slowly, wheezing loudly as he did
so.

‘Take him his tea, love,’ her mother said. ‘He’s going to have an early night. Tomorrow he’ll be right as rain.’

Lily hoped that was true.

The next morning when her father got up for work, he said he would be at work all day Saturday to make up for the money he’d lost.

‘I tried to reason with him,’ Josie said after he’d gone. ‘But you know your father. You can’t tell him anything.’

Lily wished it was her that had been able to work all day. The money would have meant her dad didn’t need to do overtime. As usual it was money or the lack of it that dominated the
household. It seemed that there was never enough to pay the bills and keep them out of debt.

That morning Lily helped her mother with the chores before calling for Hattie who was eager to get out as Sylvester was in the depths of depression. His nightmares coloured his moods and he
would become very tiresome and gloomy. The family put up with this because they knew he couldn’t help himself.

Soon they were falling into step along Westferry Road, with the smell of spring in the air. They weren’t wearing coats for the first time that year and a mild breeze blew through
Lily’s soft blonde waves as they bounced gently on her shoulders. She was wearing a thin summer frock that was as old as the hills, but the pale green colour was very attractive.