A Moment to Remember (26 page)

‘I’ll get back to work,’ said Milly, closing the door as she left.

He was such a good-looking, polite man. He said he’d been thinking about her and was upset when she wouldn’t go out with him. But how could she? Not with her background.

 

It was a while before Tom came back down into the shop. ‘Well, everything seems to be fine with Miss Phillips,’ he said, slowly pulling on his gloves.

‘Is your mother well?’ asked Ada.

‘Yes, she is. She didn’t go to the rally as she’s having problem with her leg.’

‘Not too bad, I hope.’

‘No, but she must take it easy, so I made her promise to stay home.’

‘It might have been just as well. It did get a little out of hand.’

‘So I believe. We had a few come to the hospital, and I understand that Mrs Pankhurst got herself arrested again. That woman will go down in history.’

‘Yes, she will, and hopefully we shall see her in Parliament one of these days.’

Milly was standing listening to this conversation. Tom had told her that his mother believed in their cause, but she hadn’t realised that Ada knew her, or that she was an active member.

As Tom moved towards the door, he put his trilby on and with a slight bow said, ‘Goodbye, ladies.’

‘Goodbye,’ said Ada and Milly together.

Once he had left, Ada turned to Milly. ‘His mother is a lovely woman. She belongs to one of the other groups, but she’s not very active these days.’

Milly smiled. She knew that her son was also lovely. If only she could be honest with him and tell him all about herself.

M
ILLY WASN’T SURPRISED when Lizzie told her that Dr Walsh was taking her to the hospital to have her stitches out, as on Sunday afternoon he’d come and taken her for a walk round the park. Lizzie was thrilled, and seemed so happy that Milly felt a little jealous. But it was her own fault that it wasn’t her in his arms. If she had felt that strongly about Tom, she would have told him about herself and her past and let him make up his own mind.

‘He’s so handsome,’ said Lizzie. ‘D’you know, I’m really pleased in a way that I had a bang on the head now that I’ve met Tom. I hope I shall see him again after I’ve had these horrid things out.’ She gently touched her head.

‘I’m sure you will, and he does seem very nice.’ Milly hadn’t told Lizzie about how well she knew him, and as far as she knew, he’d told Lizzie only that he’d met Milly when Ada had her accident.

‘Oh Milly, do you think so? I’ve never felt like this before. I’ve met a lot of Daddy’s friends’ sons, but they are all so silly and full of themselves. That was one of the reasons I joined the suffrage movement, to give them something to think about and show them that women do have a voice and are not just pretty things to take to dinners and the like. They needed to be taken down a peg or two. But Tom is different.’

Milly was always surprised when she heard other women’s reasons for joining the movement. For some it was to get at their husbands or their fathers. But some were genuinely devoted to the cause of getting women the vote and were determined that they should have a voice in Parliament.

 

For months there had been rumours about a war in Europe, but to most it was something that was happening very far away. At the end of June, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife were shot and killed. According to the papers, things were now beginning to look very uncomfortable for Europe.

‘Tom said that could open up a whole can of worms,’ said Lizzie when she came into the room and pointed to the headline of the newspaper Milly was reading. Tom had taken Lizzie out to one of the new picture houses that showed moving pictures; he hadn’t come up to the flat, as he had to get back to the hospital for his night shift.

‘What did he mean, a whole can of worms?’ asked Milly as Lizzie sat next to her.

‘I don’t really know. Anyway, let me tell you about the film we saw this evening. It was so exciting, and very funny. It was that silly little man Charlie Chaplin. I did get a bit cross with Tom once or twice. Do you know, he was laughing so loud he almost drowned out the pianist. I told him to be quiet, and he didn’t like that. I can’t have him showing me up. Everybody was turning round to look at us. I wanted to die.’

Milly didn’t say anything. She only knew that she would have laughed with Tom, not told him to be quiet.

 

As the weeks went by, Lizzie and Tom often went out together to the cinema or the music hall. Lizzie got very angry if he didn’t turn up. She would stamp about the flat, throwing her hat and gloves on a chair.

‘He does have to work,’ said Milly.

‘I know that, but he could let me know.’

Milly decided not to pursue this argument when Lizzie was in a bad mood. But after they had been out, she was all smiles and very happy.

‘I’m going to take Tom to meet my father,’ she said one evening when she got back.

‘Could this be serious?’ asked Milly.

Lizzie smiled. ‘It could be.’

‘So when are you planning this outing?’

‘Tom will let me know when he has a day off. You know, I should ask him to bring along a friend one evening. I don’t like the idea of you sitting here alone while I’m enjoying myself. Besides, it would be nice to go out in a foursome.’

Although Milly smiled and agreed, she knew that that wasn’t for her. She could get very fond of Tom, but she didn’t want him to know her background. Every time he came to take Lizzie out, he always spoke to Milly and made her feel special, but she knew he must never come back into her life. ‘I’ll make some tea,’ she said. She needed something else to think about.

 

On August bank holiday Monday, everybody would be having the day off. For weeks there had been unrest about news from Belgium and France, but most people thought it would all blow over and were determined to enjoy the holiday.

‘What are you planning to do, Milly?’ asked Ada on the Friday evening as they were putting the goods away.

‘Nothing. What about you?’

‘I thought I would go and visit my sister. I don’t see her very often, but Mother wants to go and see the children.’

Milly knew that Ada lived with her mother. ‘Is that very far?’

‘No, just the other side of London. I must say, I don’t really enjoy going there, as my sister’s husband doesn’t approve of what we are trying to achieve. I have to be very careful what I say, as it can sometimes lead to words, and that upsets Mother.’

Milly thought of her own family. In some ways she would like to go and see them, but she knew that if she did, she would once again get involved. She knew that was very selfish of her. She often wondered how they were getting on, and sometimes she would send them money, but never said who it was from.

‘Is Lizzie going out with the doctor today?’ Ada asked.

‘Yes. She’s taking him to meet her father.’

‘Oh dear. That sounds very serious. Is it?’

Milly smiled. ‘I think it could be.’

‘I only hope they know what they’re doing.’

‘I think Lizzie does.’

 

On Monday the weather was beautiful, and Milly decided to take a walk along the Thames. After a while she sat and watched the people pass by. The women looked lovely in their big hats and pretty frocks. There was an air of excitement everywhere, and she noticed that people walking along the Embankment were beginning to hurry in the direction of the Houses of Parliament. She decided to join them. There had been talk of going to war, but surely the government wouldn’t do that, not today.

She was swept along with the crowd as they moved towards Downing Street, which was packed with people. Everybody was singing the national anthem, and when the prime minister came out, the noise was deafening. It took a while for the crowd to quieten down, and when he announced that he had given Germany an ultimatum, the noise and cheering was unbelievable.

‘Does that mean we’re at war?’ asked a woman close to Milly.

‘Could be, love,’ said her husband.

‘Will you have ter go and fight?’

‘If they’ll ’ave me.’

‘But what about me?’

‘I daresay you’ll be looked after.’

Milly stood dreamlike. What was going to happen to everybody now?

 

It wasn’t till Milly was sitting quietly in the flat that she tried to imagine what would happen. Would the men all be sent to fight? But this war was far away, in a different country. She suddenly thought of her brothers. Would this affect them? And what of Richard? Dear, dear Richard. He must hold a very high rank by now. What would a war mean to her and the people she knew?

She was in bed when Lizzie came in.

‘Milly, have you heard the news?’

Milly sat up.

‘Isn’t it exciting? We are at war with Germany. My father reckons it will only last a few months. Tom said he’s volunteering to join up. I am so excited about it. He will look so handsome in uniform.’

Milly couldn’t see that there was anything to get excited about. People could be killed. ‘Did you have a nice day?’

‘Yes thank you. Daddy likes Tom.’

Milly lay back down again. She let her thoughts drift. Tom was a very easy person to like.

 

As the week went on, men were rushing to join the army.

‘What’s going to happen to us?’ asked Pat. She was looking at the paper and pictures of men queuing outside the recruitment office. ‘What will it mean for the cause? We were making so much progress.’

‘I really don’t know,’ said Ada. ‘I’m sure we shall hear very soon.’

Milly was printing out the newsletter. She hadn’t thought about what would happen to her. She could be out of a job and a home. She suddenly felt very sad. Where could she go and where could she live? The thought of going back home filled her with horror.

‘Milly, you’re very quiet,’ said Ada. ‘Is anything wrong?’

‘It’s just that if we disband, I shall be out of a job
and
a home.’

‘I’m sure it won’t come to that,’ said Ada. ‘After all, the papers are saying it will all be over by Christmas. We shall just have to wait and see, so don’t you go worrying yourself unnecessarily.’

Milly gave her a weak smile and continued turning the handle of the printing machine.

As the month drew to an end, everybody knew that this could be a long and bloody war. It wasn’t going the way people had hoped, and many men had already been killed and wounded.

One evening Lizzie came in and announced that she was moving back home.

‘I’m sorry, Milly. I have really enjoyed living here with you. But Daddy needs me to be with him. I know I work in his office and see him most days, but he says I should come home.’

Milly was taken a back, though in her heart she’d known that this wonderful life wouldn’t last for ever. ‘I shall miss you,’ she said softly.

Lizzie hugged her. ‘And I shall miss you. You must come and see us any time.’

Milly nodded. Although Lizzie had said many times that she would take Milly to her father’s house, Milly had always found an excuse. She knew it was silly, but she was frightened that there might be somebody there who knew the Greens and would recognise her.

By the end of the week, Ada and Milly were the only ones left in the office. The rest of the staff had gone and it was very quiet and lonely. Milly looked out at the leaves, which had started to change colour. Autumn and then winter would be on them, and where would she be?

Eve had gone to be a conductress on the trams, and Pat said she would probably have to work in a factory. Milly knew that that was the way she would have to go too, but the thought of it made her feel very sad.

Ada looked at her. ‘What are you going to do now we’ve had the orders to disband?’

‘I don’t know. I don’t want to go back home. I’ll have to find a job, but even so I don’t think I could afford to pay rent. I haven’t been trained for anything, so I expect I shall have to do the same as Pat.’ She had been worrying about this for days.

‘I wish I could help you. You are such a good, enthusiastic worker. I’m going to try and get an office job.’ Ada gave Milly a warm smile. ‘Mother is pleased that I won’t be out smashing windows and chaining myself to railings.’

‘Those days are all over now. The soldiers need us to help them.’

‘Yes, they do.’

For the rest of the day they quietly went about their task of clearing and boxing up their past. It was getting dark when the door opened and Tom walked in.

‘Dr Walsh. To what do we owe this honour?’ said Ada. ‘Miss Phillips doesn’t live here any more.’

‘I know,’ he said, looking at Milly.

‘I thought you were going into the army,’ she said, wondering what he wanted.

‘I was, but I’ve been told to stay here.’ He looked round the room. ‘This all seems very empty and sad.’