Lily of Love Lane (12 page)

‘Is he still ill, then?’

‘No, he’s a lot better, but I think I should stay in.’

Her mum came out of the kitchen. ‘Hello, son. It’s nice to see you. How are you doing?’

‘Fine thanks, Mrs Bright.’ He shifted from foot to foot. ‘Er, I was just asking Lil if she’d come to a dance on Saturday at the town hall but she’s worried about
her dad.’

Josie Bright smiled at her daughter. ‘You go and enjoy yourself, love, you’ve not been out at all lately.’

‘But Mum—’

‘Your dad would be upset if he thought you refused because of him.’

‘I’ll give you a ride in me new motor,’ said Ben, sticking out his chest proudly.

‘Have you bought it yet?’ asked Josie.

‘You bet!’

‘Well, we’ll all want a go in that. Do we have to book seats?’

Ben laughed. ‘Course not. You and Mr Bright are welcome to come for a spin any day of the week.’

Josie chuckled. ‘I’ll keep you to that as soon as my other half is better.’ She went back into the kitchen.

‘So that’s settled then!’ Ben exclaimed. ‘We’ll pick you up at half six. Doors open at seven.’ He went to rush off then stopped, raising his hand to his head.
‘I’ve just had a thought! Tell your dad I heard of a timber yard job going this morning. I’ll make enquiries to see what it’s about and let him know later.’

‘Oh, all right. Thanks.’

He gave her a wink as he left.

Lily closed the door and leaned heavily against it. How could she have refused going to the dance without offending him? And why had her feelings changed? Dances were always enjoyable with her
friends, but now, after what her mum had said, it seemed different.

‘Who was that?’ her dad asked when she went in the parlour and sat down.

‘Just Ben.’

‘Nice youngster that,’ said Bob Bright.

‘He said he’s going to ask after a job for you with the timber people.’

Bob Bright lowered his newspaper, looking suddenly like his old self. ‘A timber job, you say?’

‘Yes.’

‘They don’t come up very often. That’s good of the lad.’

‘What would you have to do?’

‘Stack all the timbers, I expect.’

‘That’s a heavy job, Dad.’

Bob Bright laughed and patted his daughter’s hand. ‘You women are never satisfied. What would you like me to do? Work in a stuffy old office all day?’

Lily wanted to say that was exactly what she wanted, somewhere nice and warm and far away from the infected carcasses of the skin ships.

‘That boy’s a good ’un,’ remarked Bob Bright, giving her a knowing look. ‘The type of lad I could look on as a son.’

Lily looked into her dad’s hopeful eyes. How could she tell him that she wasn’t interested in Ben that way?

It was Saturday night and Lily was pleased with her appearance. She had been reluctant to go to the dance, but now, as she looked in the mirror, some of the old excitement had
returned. They had left market early as Reube wanted to wash and change too. Now Lily was dressed in a deep pink georgette dress, with a twenties style dropped waist. She had bought it second-hand
years ago, but after adding three strands of beads, all in different shades of grey, and a deep grey chiffon scarf, it looked quite attractive. Although she had no matching footwear, her bar strap
shoes went well enough. Having washed her hair the night before, Lily had tried to straighten it overnight. Carefully dampening it and tying on a scarf, it had been much straighter this morning.
But later, in a brief shower of rain, it had sprung back into its bouncy waves. Borrowing a thin strand of pink silk from an under bodice, she looped it across her forehead and tied it at the back
of her head. The idea had been fashionable in the twenties, but was it now? What would Hattie wear? The last time the four of them had been out together was late summer. The dance had been held at
the Dockland Settlement, a club for the young people of the island. It had been a wonderful evening. She’d last worn this dress then, but had teamed it with a blue overblouse. Would anyone
recognize it tonight?

Her mother put her head round the door. ‘You nearly ready, ducks?’ she called. Then when she saw Lily she came in. ‘You look lovely, Lily.’

‘Do I?’

‘That pink suits you. It makes your eyes bluer.’

‘As long as it don’t make me eyes look pink!’ Lily laughed.

‘That’s better. It’s nice to see you smile. It worries me that you don’t get the chance to go out and dress up like young girls should.’

‘I’m happy, Mum. You shouldn’t worry over me. I’d get meself a job in a factory, you know, if I thought it would keep Dad off the skin boats.’

Josie smiled radiantly. ‘You won’t have to do that, love. You’ll be pleased to know he won’t be going on them any more.’

Lily gasped. ‘I thought he wasn’t going to take any notice of what we said?’

‘You thought right, he wasn’t.’

‘What’s made him change his mind?’

‘Young Ben James.’

‘Ben?’ Lily frowned. ‘
He
persuaded Dad not to go?’

‘He got your dad the timber job.’

Lily walked slowly towards her mother. ‘He did? How?’

‘The Good Lord only knows. But Ben called by this morning and took your father up to the yard and he was taken on.’

‘You mean Dad’s got the job?’

Her mother nodded. ‘The wage mind, ain’t so good, just fifteen bob a week, but we’ll be fifteen bob better off with your dad breathing fresh air and not skins.’

Lily grabbed her mother’s arm. Tears sprang to her eyes. ‘Oh, Mum, that’s wonderful.’

‘I hope you’ll remember to say that to Ben.’ Her mother smiled anxiously at her.

‘Of course I will. I’m very grateful.’

‘We all are.’ Her mother’s eyes were conveying a message. But Lily didn’t want to acknowledge it. She knew that her parents felt grateful to Ben for his good deed. They
were hoping that tonight would make a difference to what she had said about her feelings for him.

Lily turned away and picked up her purse. The tears of relief for her father had quickly evaporated as she began to think what this would mean to her personally.

It was hot and stuffy on the town hall dance floor. Crowded with couples with their arms wound round each other, it was hard to breathe. So now they had come to sit down at the
table and drink their lemonades.

Lily had danced every dance, either with Reube or Ben. Once, when the boys had gone to buy drinks, she and Hattie had danced with strangers, two young men who were good at the waltz.
They’d both giggled a lot afterwards as they sat in their seats.

‘Mine trod on me corn,’ said Hattie, rubbing her toe, trying to stifle her laughter as Lily nodded.

‘Mine had a grip like a vice. I thought he was glued to me hand,’ laughed Lily.

When Reube and Ben returned, they pretended to get annoyed they’d been abandoned. Lily and Hattie said what good dancers the other two had been but couldn’t keep up the pretence as
Reube and Ben had looked forlorn.

It was now half past nine and the band had paused for refreshment. They had played a selection of boogie woogie and swing jazz tunes. Bodies had flown all over the place. Some couples had done
the Lindy Hop from America and everyone had stood clear. Legs and arms went everywhere as the girls were thrown skywards and under their partner’s legs.

The lights were up and the gleaming boards of the wooden floor were being cleared of any unwanted debris. As Lily and her friends laughed and joked, she thought of the good times they had always
had together. She was lucky to have such a good dancing partner in Ben, he made every dance effortless, unlike the tailor’s dummy who had stuck to her like glue in the waltz. Reube
wasn’t as smooth or talented with his steps, but he partnered Hattie perfectly who was very dramatic with her head, shoulders and facial expressions.

The evening so far had been a success. They had travelled up in the charabanc, waving to the pedestrians as they passed. But parking had been a problem as Ben hadn’t quite got the hang of
reversing. Ignoring the rude comments he’d drawn from his passengers, he had finally found a small stretch of wasteland close by.

Now, as Lily gazed at Hattie and Reube they looked in love. As the lights began to dim, they held hands, with eyes only for each other. Hattie had worn a beautiful calf length chiffon dress and
matching silk shoes. Her dark brown hair had been cut carefully into her preferred Eton Crop. Reube was wearing a dark suit and dickie-bow tie. Lily always noted that when Hattie wore shoes with a
good heel, as she did tonight, Reube pulled himself up straight to partner her. Ben, on the other hand, was so lean and lanky he towered above Lily. Tonight he looked dashing in light grey. His
brown hair was combed back and Lily thought she could smell a certain pomade, an exotic lotion, as she danced with him. These were her friends, and she loved them. But she was not
in
love
with Ben, as Hattie was with Reube.

‘Hey, Funny Face! What are you thinking?’ Ben was staring at her, his arm around the back of her chair. His light grey eyes were bright and sparkling.

‘I was thinking about what you’ve done for me dad.’

‘You mean the job at the timber yard?’

‘Course I do. We don’t know how to thank you.’

‘I didn’t do it for thanks.’

As there was no music there was no need to shout for the first time in the evening. Lily knew she had to make him see how grateful she was. ‘I know you didn’t, but it means he
won’t have to go back to the docks.’

‘No one should have to do what he did there.’

‘That’s what Mum and me said to him, but he wouldn’t listen.’

‘Well, he has now.’

‘You must have done something, Ben, as there had to be others after that job.’

He smiled slowly. ‘I shouted “Fire” and the others ran away.’

‘Now you’re kidding me.’

He laughed and leaned forward. ‘No, honest, it was just that we struck lucky. And bear in mind, the wage ain’t a fortune.’ He lay his hand on her shoulder and gently pressed
it. ‘Now p’raps you can have a bit of time off yourself.’

‘I’ll think about it.’ Lily could feel the warmth of his fingers and the gentle, intimate pressure that was different from ever before.

‘You’re only young, Lil. I don’t like to see you working so hard. Now that your dad is fixed up, you could drop the Saturday afternoons at market and come out with
me.’

Lily sat back a little. Had that been his intention when finding the job for her dad? Had he said anything about this to her parents?

‘Would you come out tomorrow morning for a drive?’ he asked when she didn’t speak.

Lily didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but she knew she must tell him about Charles. ‘I’m sorry, Ben, but I can’t.’

‘Why not?’

‘I’m going out—’

‘On a Sunday morning?’ he interrupted, his hand dropping away. ‘Where to?’

Lily swallowed and mustered her courage. ‘Charles Grey has asked me to help him buy more things at Petticoat Lane.’

Lily saw the change in his expression. She wanted to dispel the coldness that suddenly came into his eyes, but as she was trying to think of something, the band began to play again.

Hattie jumped up beside her. ‘Come on, you two lovebirds, this is a good one,’ she called as ‘I Can’t Give You Anything But Love Baby’ resounded out.

Lily blushed as she looked back at Ben. He was still sitting down, his eyes staring up at her.

As everyone crowded on the floor, Lily waited. Slowly he got up and took her into his arms. But she knew as they danced in silence that she had hurt him deeply.

‘Have a good night, Lil?’ Uncle Noah stood in his dressing gown and slippers as Lily hung up her coat.

‘Yes, thanks. I’m not too late, am I? It didn’t end till eleven and then we had to walk to the bit of wasteland that Ben parked on.’

‘What’s the new motor like?’

Lily followed him into the kitchen. ‘It’s not meant for around the town really. It’s so big. With thirty seats to fill you need a lot of space to turn it round.’

‘It’ll take a bit of practice no doubt.’

‘That’s what Ben said.’

He picked up the kettle that had already boiled and half filled the teapot. ‘Here you are. It’s a bit stewed from before your dad and mum went to bed. I said I’d wait till you
got in to bolt the door.’

‘Thanks, Uncle Noah.’

‘Well, I’m off to get me z’s. Dare say you need your beauty sleep too. Is it in the morning you’re seeing your gent again?’

Lily looked up at her uncle and smiled. ‘We’re off to Petticoat Lane to look for a bargain.’

‘Remember when I used to take you up on the cart? How we’d drive past and I’d stop to see my old mate from the china stall? Don’t ’spect he’ll be there any
more, but give the Lane a “hello” from me.’ He bent and kissed the top of her head. ‘Night, love.’

Lily heard him climb the stairs. She sipped the warm, stewed tea and thought over the evening. Ben had said very little on the way home. Hattie and Reube had chosen to sit in seats at the rear.
They hadn’t been aware of anyone but each other. When Ben had delivered them all safely, she and Hattie had watched Ben and Reube drive off to the Quarry. It was then that Hattie had landed
her bombshell.

‘Lily,’ Hattie had said breathlessly, holding her arm very tightly. ‘I’ve got something to tell you.’

The stars twinkled above them as Lily held her breath in anticipation. ‘What, Hat?’

‘Reube says he wants us to get engaged.’

Lily could see her friend could hardly contain her excitement. ‘What did you say?’

‘I said yes, of course.’

Lily had hugged her close. ‘Congratulations, Hat. You make a lovely couple.’

Hattie wouldn’t let her go as they stood in the silent, dark street. ‘I wish we could make it a double engagement. Wouldn’t it be lovely if we could do it together? After all,
Ben is crackers about you.’

‘Hattie, I don’t want to get married.’

‘Oh, Lil, it’s not that bloke again, is it?’

‘If you mean Charles, no, it’s not him. I just ain’t in love with Ben, that’s all.’

Hattie had stepped back and sighed. Then shrugging her shoulders she had said goodnight and gone indoors. Lily had felt desperate. Why was everyone trying to pair them up? She didn’t want
to lose her friends. But neither did she want to lose Charles.