The Bells of Bow (32 page)

‘Don’t worry. We won’t see no one. Now, just start walking and we’ll go indoors.’

Evie let her sister take her hand and Babs led her as fast as she could back through the alley and along Darnfield Street. By the time they had got indoors and into the kitchen, the siren had long since stopped and that evening’s episode of the Blitz was well under way.

Babs made sure the blackout curtains were pulled and then she turned on the kitchen light. She could hardly believe how awful her sister looked. She pulled the wet fur coat off Evie’s shoulders and threw it down on the floor under the table.

‘Get under there, Eve. Now.’

Evie crawled under the table without a word and sat there silently while Babs, with a constant ear to how close the planes sounded, rushed around the kitchen making tea.

Babs crouched down, careful not to spill the tea, and squeezed under the table next to her sister. She put the cups down on the floor and wrapped a tea towel round the end of her finger. ‘Well, at least I know what the matter is now,’ she said as she gently tried to wipe the streaks of mascara away from Evie’s eyes with the cloth. ‘Now drink yer tea while it’s hot.’

Evie looked up at her sister pathetically. ‘What am I gonna do?’

Babs put her hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles. ‘I’m sorry, Evie, I don’t mean to laugh, but I thought … I thought you had the ’flu.’

Evie’s face crumpled and she dissolved into loud, heart-rending sobs.

‘Aw, Eve, don’t cry. I wasn’t laughing at you, I was only laughing ’cos I’m relieved yer home. And ’cos I’m nervous. And ’cos I’m worried. And … Aw, Evie, don’t. Please.’

‘I love him so much, Babs. I really love him.’ Evie threw her arms round Babs’s neck and cried as if she would never stop.

Even though it was only the beginning of November, it already felt as if the bad weather had been going on for ever. But it wasn’t only the exceptional cold that was making life in London difficult and unpleasant. It was also the dark, the shortages and the continual danger from the Blitz. But people carried on, and most had resigned themselves to accepting the fact that it was going to be a long, hard winter.

In the kitchen of number six, Babs was dishing up two bowls of neck of lamb stew and dumplings, while Evie sat listlessly at the table with her chin resting on her hands. Babs put one of the plates down in front of her twin.

‘Get stuck in, Eve. Dad won’t mind if yer start. Go on, while it’s hot. Yer’ve gotta keep yer strength up.’

Evie picked up her fork and stuck it in one of the dumplings. She examined it wearily, making no attempt to put it even near her mouth.

Babs put her own plate on the table and sat down. ‘Fancy coming to the pictures with me and Lou tonight?’

‘Not really.’

Babs picked up one of the lamb bones and began nibbling at the meat. ‘Yer don’t wanna stay in on a Friday. Dad’s only gonna wanna go to bed after being on shift. So yer’ll be sitting moping by yerself.’

Evie let the dumpling fall from her fork back into the stew. ‘I said no.’

Babs carried on eating, sucking the meat clean from the bone then forking up the vegetables. ‘Why not?’ she asked between mouthfuls.

‘I’m exhausted, that’s why. You don’t know what it’s like. Being sick and wanting to wee all the time.’ Evie pushed the plate of food away from her and Flash jumped up eagerly, hoping for leftovers. ‘Bloody get down, yer rotten hound. Look at my stockings.’

‘I’m just about fed up with all this, Evie.’ Babs threw her fork into her bowl, splashing hot stew across the oilcloth-covered table. She got up to fetch a cloth from the sink. ‘I’m doing me best, working me fingers to the bloody bone and are you even a bit grateful? No. Course yer not.’ She rubbed vigorously at the spills. ‘And d’you care how long I queued up to get that meat? No. Well, all bloody dinner time I stood there in the cold, never even had a cup of tea, while you stayed in the workshop all nice and warm.’

‘What, d’yer want me to go out and stand in the queue? Look at me, I look like a sodding elephant.’

Babs tossed the cloth into the sink and sat back down at the table. ‘Eve, you are four months’ pregnant. You don’t even show.’

‘Liar.’

‘Come on, cheer up. Come out with me and Lou. We’ll have a laugh.’

‘No, I can’t.’ Evie ran her finger through the gravy that was congealing round the rim of her bowl. She avoided looking at her sister. ‘I’m probably seeing Albie tonight.’

Babs nearly choked. ‘So that’s it. He’s back on the scene, is he? I thought he’d disappeared up his own—’

‘Shut up, can’t yer, Babs,’ Eve snapped. ‘I’ve got enough on me mind wondering what to do next.’

From the passage came the sound of the street door opening.

Babs stood up and filled a third bowl with stew. ‘Well, yer gonna have to tell Dad soon for a start,’ she said, putting the food on the table.

‘Tell Dad what?’ Georgie asked as he peeled off his uniform jacket and hung it on the back of his chair. ‘This grub looks nice.’

‘I’m having a baby.’ Evie blurted the words out, more as a challenge than as a statement.

‘I know that,’ said Georgie, sprinkling salt over his stew. ‘I ain’t stupid. I’ve been wondering when yer’d get round to telling me.’ He reached across and patted Evie’s hand, while Babs gaped at him in astonishment. She’d never have believed he would take it so calmly. ‘Now get that dinner down yer,’ he went on. ‘Yer’ve gotta look after yerself in your condition. And my grandchild.’ He waved his fork at Evie to emphasise his point. ‘And don’t you let me catch you worrying yerself about that no-good rat Denham dumping yer like that. Yer old dad’ll see yer all right, sweetheart. You don’t need the likes of him.’

Evie flashed a warning look at Babs not to mention that she was seeing Albie again; she couldn’t face another row.

She was more than thankful that Georgie had already gone up to get some sleep when Albie turned up to collect her.

The next morning, Evie astonished Babs and Georgie when she called upstairs for them to come down for breakfast. When they got to the kitchen, the table was set and the toast had been made.

‘What’s all this in aid of?’ yawned Georgie, scratching at his unshaven chin. ‘Ain’t me birthday, is it?’

Babs dropped down onto one of the chairs. Sleepily she lifted the teapot lid. The pot was full. ‘Someone ain’t hit you over the head and sent yer crackers, have they, Eve?’

‘Say what yer like to me, you two, nothing could upset me today.’ Evie held her left hand out and wiggled her finger at Babs. ‘I’m engaged.’

‘You’re what?’ Georgie was now wide awake.

‘Last night. I saw Albie and he asked me to marry him.’

‘Him, doing the decent thing? Never.’

‘That’s it, try and spoil me day for me. Yer make it sound like he’s doing me a favour.’

‘Dad didn’t mean it like that,’ Babs said. Shivering, she wrapped her dressing gown tightly round her and went over to turn the gas higher. ‘But yer’ve gotta admit it’s a bit of a turn up. He ain’t even been around for the last couple of weeks.’

Evie took a bite out of a piece of toast. ‘If yer must know, he said us being apart give him the chance to think and he realised that he wants to marry me.’ Evie paused. ‘No matter what his old cow of a mother says.’

Georgie folded his arms and leant back in his chair. ‘So that’s what it’s all about. He’s had a ruck with the old lady about yer and now he’s showing her who’s boss.’

‘Why d’yer have to be so horrible to me? If it was like that, why’d he get me this?’ Evie gave them another flash of her ring.

Georgie looked at the sparkling stones.

‘They’re real diamonds. Not rubbish.’ Evie admired the ring. ‘Got it off some bloke he knows. A contact of his.’

‘Wonder if the owner had any say in it?’ Georgie’s voice was hard, unrelenting. ‘Or was she laying dead in some bombed-out house somewhere?’

‘You ain’t gonna ruin this for me, no matter how hard yer try.’ Evie bowed her head sadly. ‘I really thought yer’d got over all that jealousy. Can’t yer just admit that Albie’s done well for himself and be pleased for me, Dad?’

Georgie leant across the table to her. He lifted her chin in his hand. ‘Look at me, Eve. All I could ever ask out of life is that you and Babs are happy. I’d give the world to make things right for you two after all the time I wasted and what I put yer through.’ Georgie spread out his hands, trying to find words to express what he was feeling. ‘Look, darling, I know yer think the sun shines out that no-good bastard, but why don’t yer wait a while, see how yer feel? Yer don’t have to rush into it or nothing. Be sure of what yer doing before yer marry him. There’s plenty of room for a baby here. Me and Babs’d help yer. Please, Eve, don’t get hiked up with him.’

‘Yer just don’t understand. Yer’ve got him entirely wrong.’ Evie pulled out a necklace that had been hidden under the collar of her dressing gown. ‘Look, he’s bought me new pearls and everything.’

‘Yer’ve changed yer tune,’ Babs jeered. ‘Don’t I remember you going on about how pearls brought tears? But that was what – getting on for a fortnight ago now, wasn’t it? I forget sometimes how you can change yer mind like a bloody seesaw.’

‘I don’t care what either of yer say. I love Albie and he loves me. And I’m getting married as soon as possible and it’s up to you two whether you’re there or not.’

Georgie stood up and pulled Evie to her feet. He put his arms round her and kissed the top of her head. ‘Course we’ll be there, sweetheart.’ He looked over her shoulder at Babs and raised his eyebrows in a gesture of resignation. ‘You just try and keep us away.’

The wedding preparations got under way that very morning with Maudie agreeing to have a word with the vicar to see if he was prepared to conduct the service even though Evie was pregnant. Evie had insisted on telling Maud that she was expecting, to show Georgie that she was going to keep everything above board and have no more deceit.

By the time Maudie got back from the church with the vicar’s answer, Evie was prowling nervously around the house not knowing what to do with herself. When Maudie gave her the news that the vicar had agreed to marry them in the middle of November, Evie practically threw herself at Maudie with relief.

‘I appreciate yer help, Maud,’ Georgie said.

‘I’m only too glad to help.’

‘You’d have made a good mother, I reckon, Maud.’ Evie was glowing with happiness. ‘Yer kind and yer not like some people, yer don’t judge no one.’

‘Don’t be silly.’ Maudie blushed, she felt almost as happy as Evie. ‘But before you get too carried away, you’ve got to think about sorting things out. There are barely two weeks until the big day. There’s going to be a lot to organise.’

Evie pulled a face. ‘Yeah.’

‘I could help some more if you like.’

Evie kissed her noisily on the cheek. ‘I would like that, Maud, I really would. I need someone to stick up for me.’

Maudie was now blushing even deeper. She was elated. It was a long time since she had felt really needed, or even useful. It was almost like being part of a family. ‘We’d better get organised then,’ she said, beaming at Georgie.

As they made their way through the bomb-damaged London streets to Styleways on Monday morning, Evie told Babs and Blanche that she was going to speak to Mr Silver about handing in her notice.

When they got to the workroom, Babs and Blanche hung up their coats and hats and settled down at their machines. But Evie kept her coat on and stood by the double swing doors that led through to the stairs and the offices.

‘Wish me luck, Babs,’ she said, holding out her crossed fingers as she backed through the doors. ‘I’m gonna get it over with right away.’

‘Just remember not to strong it too much,’ Babs hissed at her. ‘He ain’t a fool.’

‘She’s right, Evie, you watch what yer say,’ Blanche called after her – as much to intrigue and infuriate Ginny as anything else. ‘Good luck, babe.’

Evie knocked on her boss’s door and poked her head inside his office. ‘Could I have a private word with you, d’yer think, Mr Silver?’ she said, peering at him through her heavily mascaraed lashes. ‘It’s about handing in me notice. I’m getting married, yer see.’

Mr Silver didn’t seem very surprised. ‘Sit down, dear,’ he said with a warm, avuncular smile. ‘Good-looking girl like you, I can’t believe you’ve not been snapped up before. It’ll be that twin of yours next.’

Evie smiled sweetly back at him.

‘So. When did you want to leave?’

‘Soon as possible really, Mr Silver.’ Evie gave him the full dimple treatment. ‘See, me fiancé’s only gonna be on leave for … for …’ She rummaged around in her bag looking for her handkerchief. ‘I’m sorry.’ She sniffled pathetically as she peered over her hankie at him. ‘You know what it’s like with these brave soldiers going off to fight for their country …’

Evie was back home before midday with a ten pound note by way of a wedding present from Mr Silver tucked in her bag, and his best wishes for her brave husband-to-be.

‘Dad. It’s only me:’ Evie found Georgie and Flash out in the back yard. They were both covered in white specks and splashes of varnish – Georgie had been whitewashing the back walls and painting the wooden lavatory seat.

‘Want it to look respectable, don’t we?’ he said with a wink.

‘Blimey, Dad, no one’s done that since …’ She stopped short of saying it.

‘It’s all right, Eve. I know what yer mean. Since yer mum buggered off.’

‘Sorry, Dad.’

‘Don’t be daft, love. You go in and put the kettle on while I just finish this last bit here. And you wait and see what else I’ve got and all. A bit of carpet for the stairs. That feller Vic from the station, who I went to see last night, he used to be in the carpet game before the war. Let me have the whole roll for next to nothing.’ He leant towards her and whispered. ‘No coupons neither.’

‘No coupons? You, Dad?’

He grinned. ‘Special occasion, girl. Vic brought it round this morning. I was gonna lay it before yer got in as a surprise. Here, I ain’t thinking, what yer doing home so early?’ Georgie frowned. He dropped his brush in the bucket and rubbed his arm across his cheek, spreading the flecks of whitewash all over his face. ‘Yer not sick or nothing, are yer?’