Secrets of the Singer Girls (20 page)

‘Now then, love,’ said Vera, shivering despite the warmth of the fire, ‘let’s get you patched up.’

With that, she hurried to the kitchen and filled a bowl with steaming-hot water from the kettle. Once she had bathed Sal’s cuts and bruises and applied a hot poultice to the worst of her
wounds, she fixed her more hot, sweet tea using the last of her sugar rations. After Sal had drunk her tea, Vera insisted she lie down.

‘Just rest for an hour or so, love,’ she insisted. ‘You need to gather some strength for the journey. I’ll wake you in an hour. Then we must wake up Daisy and be on our
way before Frank returns home.’

Sal fell into a shattered sleep, as Vera hurried to her room and packed her a small case of clothes. No matter that they would be a little on the tight side. Vera’s figure went straight up
and down like a piece of paper, whereas Sal was blessed with womanly curves, but there was no time to worry about that, or purchase her some that would fit. Sooner or later Reggie was sure to come
here looking for her. There was not a moment to lose.

Hurriedly, Vera changed out of her nightgown and tore out her curlers, before tying a headscarf round her head. On impulse, she took another scarf from her chest of drawers for Sal to wear. Her
flaming-red curls would stand out like a beacon and it was imperative she get out of Bethnal Green without being recognized.

Next, she tiptoed back down the stairs to the kitchen. Working quickly, she filled a flask with Bovril, prepared some sandwiches with what little potted meat she had and tucked some more money
carefully into Sal’s case. Hopefully it would tide her over until she reached the safety of the countryside.

She walked into the front parlour and drew aside her blackout blinds. With a jolt Vera spotted the first blush of dawn bleeding over the chimney pots of Tavern Street. Sunrise was creeping over
the East End. Loose skeins of smoke drifted over from the nearby factories, and shortly the night-shift workers would blearily be clocking off, Vera realized in alarm. That meant if her father had
been telling the truth about picking up a night shift, he would be on his way home soon. Frank knew Reggie well from the boxing clubs and drinking dens of Bethnal Green, and would surely delight at
informing him of Sal’s whereabouts.

‘Sal,’ she urged, gently shaking her from sleep, ‘it’s getting on. We must wake Daisy and be on our way.’

Vera hurried up the stairs, but a minute later returned, ashen-faced.

‘She’s not there,’ she gasped to Sal. ‘Her bed’s not been slept in.’

‘She was with Robert when I left her at the dance . . .’ Sal blurted, trailing off as she realized what she had inadvertently revealed.

‘And who the devil might Robert be?’ Vera demanded to know.

Sal closed her eyes. ‘I’m sorry, Vera . . . I . . .’ She faltered, racked with guilt for hiding Daisy’s secret, especially after all the kindness Vera had just shown.

At that moment, the front door clicked and they heard soft, furtive footsteps tiptoeing down the passage, the aged wooden boards gently creaking underfoot.

‘Stop right there, madam,’ Vera called out from the parlour. ‘Don’t worry, Sal,’ she muttered. ‘Now it’s up to Daisy to explain exactly where
she’s been instead of using you to cover her tracks.’

A second later, the door swung open and Daisy stood pale-faced and stunned to find an audience in the parlour.

‘Well, look what the cat dragged in,’ Vera tutted.

Daisy went to protest, but Vera silenced her with a single icy glare. ‘I knew you were up to something all along. Don’t tell me where you’ve been, because quite frankly I
don’t want to know right now.’

No sooner had Vera dealt with one problem than another was following hot on its heels. ‘Men,’ she muttered despairingly as she marched through the kitchen to get Sal’s case and
her coat. ‘I wouldn’t give you tuppence for the lot of them.’

By the time she had gathered their things and returned to the parlour, Sal was telling Daisy all about her night.

‘Reggie’s back, Dais,’ she said in a shaky voice. Sal pulled down her blouse and Daisy paled even further when she spotted the bruises that had already deepened to the colour
of coal. Her face crumpled in anguish at the sight of her friend’s injuries.

One look at Daisy’s tear-stained cheeks and Vera felt her anger at her little sister’s behaviour melt away.

‘This is all my fault, Sal,’ Daisy sobbed inconsolably ‘I should never have let you leave the dance hall on your own.’

‘Don’t be so daft,’ soothed Sal. ‘You weren’t to know he was coming home on leave; none of us could have known. He decided to keep it secret and surprise me in the
only way he knows how.’

Sal got up to hug Daisy, wincing as she did so. ‘Ooh, that sod’s got a mean right hook on him,’ she laughed sourly. ‘His time in the army’s obviously taught him
some new skills.’

Vera wasn’t fooled by her gallows humour. She could read Sal like a map and she could see the fear lurking behind her smile.

‘But couldn’t you just stay here with us? We’ll keep you safe,’ pleaded Daisy. ‘We’ll go to the army police, get him reported.’

Vera shot Sal a warning look, a look that implored her not to reveal that she would be no safer under their roof with Frank than she would be back with Reggie. Fortunately, Sal did not betray
her confidence.

‘I’ve been through all this with Vera already, Dais,’ she said wearily. ‘I just don’t trust the police to protect me. Besides, you didn’t hear him. He was bad
before, but now he’s unhinged. I’ve seen boys go to war and come back as men. Tonight, I saw a man go to war and come back a monster.’

Vera stepped to the window and nervously shot a glance up the slowly lightening street. Already she could hear the distant clanking of glass bottles as the milkman trundled up the cobbled street
in his horse and cart.

‘Come on,’ she urged. ‘We can discuss all this once we’re safely on our way. There is no time to waste. Sal, put this headscarf on and be quick about it. We must get you
on a train out of London.’

It took them three buses to get to Paddington Station and for the first time ever Vera thanked the chaos that war had thrown up. None of the buses was running to its usual route. Many of the
streets were nothing but rubble and roped-off bombsites, so Reggie would have a job following them.

At the station, Vera got Sal safely booked onto a train bound for the West Country and only then did she feel as if she could breathe. Clouds of smoke hung over the platform as Daisy clung to
Sal and cried like her heart was breaking.

‘When will we see you again?’ she sobbed.

‘Come on, Daisy, put her down and let her get on the train, for pity’s sake,’ said Vera. ‘The guard’s about to blow his whistle.’

The stationmaster began to walk towards them, slamming the carriage doors, and beckoned at Sal to board. Finally, she disentangled herself from Daisy’s tearful embrace and turned to Vera
with a shaky smile.

‘I’ll never forget what you’ve done for me today. You’ve saved my life, Vera.’

‘Be on your way, love,’ Vera said softly. ‘And stay safe.’

‘I’ll try,’ Sal promised chokily.

There was one last hug all round, then Sal boarded the train, and it slowly slid away from the platform.

Daisy waved furiously, but Vera simply stood and watched as it vanished from sight, taking Sal far away from the East End and to her children, where she truly belonged. When at last the train
was nothing but smoke in the distance, Daisy broke down with an anguished wail. Vera put her arm round Daisy and led her towards the exit.

‘Come on,’ she sighed. ‘I think you have some explaining to do.’

By the time they had walked the six miles back to Bethnal Green, Vera knew the whole story of Daisy and Robert’s brief, ill-fated love affair.

Vera was overwhelmed with sadness at her little sister’s efforts to deceive her. But what was the point in being angry anymore? It was like crying over spilt milk. It didn’t change a
thing.

‘Promise me this, though,’ Vera said, as they walked. ‘Nothing untoward happened between you and this . . . this . . . American chap.’

‘Robert,’ interrupted Daisy. ‘His name’s Robert.’

‘That you did nothing you could later come to regret with Robert,’ Vera added warily. The note of caution and warning in her voice did not escape her younger sister. ‘You were
home at an ungodly hour, after all.’

‘I told you already,’ Daisy protested. ‘We stayed very late at the dance hall and then Robert walked me home like the gentleman he is. We wanted to make the most of our last
hours together. Besides,’ she muttered crossly, ‘do you take me for a total fool?’

‘No, of course not,’ Vera replied. ‘But you are a young woman, and he is a young man, and we are living in extraordinary times.’

‘You’ve nothing to worry about,’ Daisy muttered, squirming at the line of questioning. ‘I’ve done nothing to bring shame on our family.’

‘Very well, then,’ sighed Vera. ‘I believe you.’

They walked in silence the rest of the way home, but when they rounded the corner of Tavern Street, Daisy paused.

‘So you’re not cross?’ she asked.

‘No, Daisy,’ sighed Vera. ‘I’m disappointed that you felt the need to lie to me.’

‘But how could I not?’ Her eyes clouded over. ‘You disapprove of everything I do.’

Vera suddenly saw her reflection in her little sister’s eyes. Her lips were pursed and her eyes dark with condemnation. She had tried, God knows she had tried, to raise her sister the way
their mother would have wanted, but this war was making life impossible. Keeping Daisy on the straight and narrow was like trying to nail jelly to the ceiling. If she kept on this way, she risked
pushing her away altogether.

Vera took a deep breath and smiled gently. ‘Very well. I’ll promise not to judge you if you promise not to lie to me in the future. Aside from anything, you could have put yourself
in grave danger staying out so late with a man you scarcely know.’

‘Oh, Robert’s not a danger,’ Daisy gushed. ‘He’s the most amazing man I’ve ever met, and as soon as the war’s over, he’s going to take me back to
America with him and we’re going to start a new life together.’

Vera smiled sadly. ‘I dare say, love,’ she replied. She could have said a whole lot more besides, but what good was it shattering her youthful dreams? She had had them once,
hadn’t she? Instead, she straightened herself up. ‘Now then, Mr Gladstone’s told me what a difference your visits make to the children up at the hospital. Just because your
sweetheart’s gone doesn’t mean you can stop visiting them. And I like this more domesticated Daisy, so you can keep pulling your weight around the house more too.’

‘On my honour,’ Daisy vowed.

The rest of Sunday passed by mercifully without incident, but the following morning, as Vera and Daisy were on their way to clock in to work, a familiar figure was hanging
about outside the high walls of the factory.

As Vera had feared, Reggie was waiting outside Trout’s for them as they arrived. She shot a sideways glance at Daisy and saw her sister’s fists had tensed into tight balls.

‘How dare he show his face here after what he did to Sal?’ Daisy muttered.

Vera knew her younger sister could be a hothead, but with men like Reggie you needed to stay calm. That was the last emotion she felt right now, however. Reggie was cut from the same cloth as
Frank and her heart quickened in her chest as she watched the soldier’s expression harden when he spotted the Shadwell sisters approaching.

‘Let me deal with this,’ she warned in a low voice.

‘Morning, Vera, Daisy. Long time no see. How’s Frank?’ Reggie smiled unconvincingly.

Vera forced down her revulsion and smiled brightly. ‘Oh, you know Frank,’ she replied coldly. ‘Surviving. As are we all.’

‘I just wondered if you’d seen Sal at all,’ he said casually. His voice was light, but his narrowed eyes bored into hers. ‘Only, I come back on leave to surprise her and
she’s done a vanishing act. Apparently she works here now. Married women working . . . Whatever next, eh?’

‘Sorry, Reggie, I don’t know where she is,’ replied Vera, refusing to be drawn into conversation. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’re late for our
shift.’

‘That’s right, Reggie,’ chipped in Daisy testily. ‘We don’t know where she is right now, but even if we did, we wouldn’t tell you.’

Vera silently cursed her little sister. Why could she never see fit to listen to her?

Taking Daisy’s arm, Vera moved past Reggie, but as they drew level with him, he shoved his foot in the factory door and pushed Daisy hard against the wall.

‘Don’t give me that,’ he growled. ‘You two are as thick as thieves. If I find out you know where she is and you’re not telling me, there’ll be
trouble.’

The door swung open and in a flash, Reggie was pinned face-first to the wall with his arm twisted tightly behind his back. Mr Gladstone may have been short, but he had a vice-like grip and could
move like a whippet. Vera had never seen his face so overtaken with anger. This was a side of Mr Gladstone she had never witnessed before and she was floored by his courage. His usually placid face
was rigid with rage, as he held firm to a wriggling Reggie. She simply had not thought Mr Gladstone had it in him to stand up to a bully like Reggie, and she had to admit she was impressed by his
bravery.

‘No one threatens my girls,’ he said through gritted teeth. ‘You’re nothing but a nasty little bully, picking on defenceless women. You should be ashamed of yourself,
Reggie Fowler.’ He twisted Reggie’s arm higher up his back and there was a yelp of pain. ‘Now get outta my factory. Go on, sling your hook, and don’t come back unless you
want to find yourself wearing your guts as a necktie.’ With that, he pushed Reggie hard into the road. Stumbling, Reggie glared back at the group but moved on without saying another word.
With a shaking hand, Mr Gladstone pulled a hanky from his pocket and mopped his brow.

‘Come on, ladies, let’s get you inside,’ he said, opening the door for them.

Vera stared dumbstruck at the foreman. He returned her gaze. The outraged look of moments earlier had now melted into concern. Vera felt a sudden tug at her heart. Her head teemed with a
cacophony of strange new thoughts and feelings . . . feelings she thought she had long since buried.