The Woolworths Girls (34 page)

Freda opened the door to the pantry and stepped into the large, cool cupboard. Reaching for the bowl of eggs on one of the stone shelves, she called out to Ruby, ‘There’s just one thing I’d like to make clear.’

‘What’s that, love?’

‘I’ll never go back home,’ Freda admitted. ‘There’s nothing for me in the Midlands anymore. Mum made it clear she would always side with her new husband if anything went wrong, and she reminded me of that when Lenny went to prison. I’ll send her a card on her birthday and Christmas, but that’s as far as it goes. Erith is my home now.’

Ruby took the bowl of eggs from Freda and put her arms around her. ‘No need to get yourself upset, love. You’re as welcome here as my own family, whatever happens in the future. Now, let’s have our breakfast.’

22

‘We have another consignment of canned snoek due in today.’ Betty checked the list in front of her. ‘It may be advisable to put another member of staff on the counter. It is rather popular.’

Sarah wrinkled her nose. ‘Who’d have thought the war’s a year old and we’re eating this awful fish?’ She’d only popped into Woolworths to see her friend. Being confined to home, waiting for the birth of the baby – who was due in just over a week – was driving her to distraction. She relished being talked to as a colleague by Betty rather than a delicate flower. Her mum had written from Devon almost every day telling Sarah to stop working, as it wasn’t dignified for a woman in her condition to be seen at work. Only the threat that Irene would get George to collect Sarah and take her back to the West Country had made Sarah stop working the few hours each day at Woolworths that she so enjoyed. Even Ruby kept reminding her to ‘think of the baby’ when she was caught planting a few vegetables in Maureen’s small garden. Sarah would be glad when the next few weeks had passed and she had her baby in her arms.

The one chore she had been allowed to continue with was feeding Nan’s chickens, who had recently become the latest residents at number thirteen and were most amusing. The girls had given them names, despite Ruby reminding them that their new pets would be destined for the pot if they stopped laying. However, discussing the sale of the horrid canned fish called snoek was beginning to make her feel slightly nauseous. ‘Ugh, it’s disgusting. It tastes like burnt rubber and is only popular because it isn’t rationed.’

‘We must make the most of this product. With rationing starting to make supplies of some goods almost impossible to obtain, we need to make sure our counters and shelves look full. If that means stocking previously unheard-of items like canned snoek, so be it. How we make it sound appealing to our customers I do not know.’

Sarah thought that with food now becoming scarce, customers would be happy just to be able to fill the bellies of their families. However, Betty had a point and they should try to help them as much as possible. She thought hard. ‘We could advise customers how to turn it into a meal, I suppose. We could learn a few recipes and share them. That would encourage them to try something new.’

Betty nodded. ‘Yes, that’s an excellent idea. In which case, we should have the married women work that counter, as they would know more about preparing food.’

Sarah tried not to giggle. Betty could be a bit of a stuffed shirt sometimes. ‘I think you’ll find that most women know how to cook, Betty. It’s something we learn at our mother’s knee.’

‘Oh dear, I feel a bit of a ninny. I’m one of those rare females who never knew what to do in a kitchen. I have to admit I had a lot to learn when I first lived alone.’

Sarah was amazed at what her friend told her. Surely every woman knew her way around a kitchen? ‘Did your servants do all the cooking?’ she joked.

Betty nodded and looked embarrassed. ‘We had live-in help and someone who came in once a week to deal with the laundry. I’m afraid I was not prepared for life. My mother didn’t think it right for a young lady to learn such things. If my Charlie had come home from the last war, my life would have been so different to what it is now.’

‘You mean you’d have had servants?’ Sarah couldn’t imagine that someone working at Woolworths would have had servants. Betty was the first person she had ever met who had been in that situation.

‘No doubt I would have had some help in the house. That was the way my family lived in those times. That war changed a lot of things, Sarah.’

‘Does your family mind that you work?’

Betty sighed. ‘Sadly I was an only child. My arrival was . . . Let us say I was a pleasant surprise after they had been married many years. My elderly relatives are now long gone. I kept in touch with Charlie’s sisters, but time has moved on and we now just exchange a card at Christmas and occasional pleasantries. When I lost Charlie, I also lost any chance of having a family.’

Sarah’s heart ached for her friend. ‘But you have a family now. You’re part of my family. You were a bridesmaid, and you will be an honorary aunty to my baby along with Freda and Maisie.’

Betty smiled. ‘I’m so thankful that you decided to work for Woolworths when you came to live with your nan. My life has changed so much since I met you. Considering we are at war, I had so much fun going to the cinema to celebrate your birthday last week and just being able to share confidences. What am I saying? Why, your life has changed too. You would never have met Alan if it were not for Woolworths.’ Betty noticed the smile fade from Sarah’s face. ‘Have you still not heard from him?’

‘No. Not a word. Maureen is being very brave. She has decided that no news is good news and until we hear otherwise, we are to assume he is very busy protecting our country.’

Betty considered what Sarah had said. She admired the girl greatly, and when Sarah had confided in her that she feared Alan no longer loved her, as he’d made no attempt to get in touch for the past eight months, she had done her best to comfort the girl and give reasons as to why Alan had remained silent. They’d grown accustomed to planes overhead. Not just the squadrons flying towards the coast, but also enemy fighter planes in dog fights over the Kent countryside. Each time she spotted a Spitfire in the sky, she thought of Alan. Goodness knows what Sarah thought. The girl had adopted a calm exterior and thought only of the child she was carrying.

Erith had yet to experience the war directly. Staff at Woolworths religiously carried out fire-watch duties and knew exactly how to help customers and direct them to the basement if an air-raid warning was to sound. There were now few male staff, apart from the much younger men and older retired staff who had returned to work when contacted by Betty. Several staff members had already lost family, including Maisie, and there were many reports of injuries, but the little town by the Thames carried on day by day, preparing for whatever would be thrown its way. Woolworths was ready and waiting should Hitler attempt to do his worse.

‘Have you thought about writing to someone in authority and enquiring about Alan? They may be able to give you some news.’ Betty still wore her tweed suits at work and took her role as temporary store manager seriously. However, her friendship with the younger women had influenced her slightly and she had taken to wearing a dab of powder and a little lipstick. The blouses beneath her suit jacket were not so severe, thanks to Maisie and her dressmaking skills.

A look of horror spread across Sarah’s face. ‘I couldn’t. Either way it would be bad news.’ She lay a protective hand across her stomach. ‘Either my baby’s father is dead or he just doesn’t care about us anymore. I’d rather not know at the moment. When the baby comes, we can face the future together.’ She rose to her feet. Apart from swollen ankles after a day spent at Woolies, Sarah had sailed through her pregnancy. The only sign she was expecting a child was the swell of her stomach under the colourful smocks made by Maisie in the days before she’d heard of Joe’s death. ‘It’s time I headed back to Nan’s. She insists I stay there during the day while Maureen’s at work. She’s convinced the baby will be early and I’ll give birth alone in Maureen’s front room.’ Sarah started to laugh at her own joke until a sharp pain made her wince.

‘My goodness, Sarah. Are you in pain? Is it the baby?’ Betty jumped to her feet and rushed to take her friend’s arm. ‘Perhaps we should get you home. I’m sure you wouldn’t be the first woman to give birth in a Woolworths store, but there are better places. I’ll walk you back to Alexandra Road myself. That’s if you think you can walk?’

‘Don’t fuss, Betty. I’m fine. I’ve had a few pains like this. Nan said it’s to be expected. I have over a week before my due date and first babies are notoriously late. Maisie said she would walk back with me when she takes her lunch break.’ Looking at the clock on the wall of Betty’s office, Sarah started to pull on her coat. ‘She’ll be looking for me very soon, so I’ll start my way downstairs. Now, you will come round for your tea this evening? Nan told me to remind you. Dad’s working up here and will be home this evening. It seems an age since we’ve all had a family evening at home.’

‘Yes, I’m looking forward to it. Thank you again for thinking of me. Now, let me help you downstairs and I’ll hurry Maisie up. She tends to dawdle rather a lot.’

‘Her heart isn’t in anything much anymore. It’s like the light’s been taken out of her life since Joe’s death. I wonder if she will ever be the same again.’

‘I miss the old Maisie,’ Betty said. ‘She could be brash and loud at times, but the customers liked her. I’ve tried to give her more responsibility – God knows I could do with the help – but she just drifts through the day without taking much notice of the world around her. She arrives for work as tired as she was when she left the night before.’

Sarah nodded. She didn’t like to say that Maisie was never at home much of an evening, and when she did arrive, at some unholy hour, there was alcohol on her breath and a different member of the armed forces waving her goodbye at the gate. Something had to change before Maisie gained the reputation of being a good-time girl. ‘We need to give her time, Betty. She has friends that care for her. Together we can see her through this.’

Betty linked arms with Sarah as they headed to the stairs that led to the shop floor. ‘Don’t forget that we are here for you as well, Sarah.’

‘I know, Betty, but I’m fine, really.’ She kissed her friend on the cheek. ‘I’ll see you this evening.’

Sarah and Maisie walked in silence back to number thirteen. Sarah’s thoughts returned to a year ago. She’d not long been home from her honeymoon and was full of hope for the future with Alan. The war was only days old, and the town was ready to face Hitler and his army. Alan was preparing to join the RAF, and although the country was at war, they still looked forward to a life together. Now, Alan had all but vanished, Joe was dead, and Maisie had turned into a stranger and was no longer the happy woman Sarah had met the day she stepped over the threshold of Woolworths.

They walked on deep in thought. Not once did Maisie mention something funny that had happened at work or tell a joke, as she would have done in the days before Joe died. The only time a smile crossed her face was when a lorry with soldiers on board drove past. Whistles and cheers were heard from the cab as the driver tooted the horn. Maisie burst into her usual smile and waved back. ‘See you down the boozer later, lads.’

‘Do you know those soldiers, Maisie?’

Maisie shrugged. Her smile vanished. ‘I’ve met ’em down the Running Horses a few times. They’re a bit of a laugh.’

Sarah nodded her head thoughtfully.

‘What’s wrong with that? You look as though you don’t approve of a girl ’aving the odd drink to cheer herself up.’ Maisie pouted. ‘With what I’ve been through, no one would begrudge me the odd drink with me mates, would they?’

‘Of course not, Maisie. It’s just that . . .’

‘What?’

‘It’s not the odd drink, though, is it? You’re out every night and the worse for wear the next morning.’

‘Oh, so that’s it, is it? You’re pulling rank on me, what with being me supervisor at work. Well, you ain’t in charge of me anymore, as you’ve got a baby on the way and you’re going to be a mother now, not a boss at Woolies anymore.’

Sarah sighed. She didn’t wish to argue with Maisie. Not today. Her back ached and she felt uncomfortable. She just wanted to get home and put her feet up for a while. With Dad staying at number thirteen tonight, he might be able to put a smile on Maisie’s face. Perhaps he could even have a word with her. Yes, she’d ask Dad to sort things out. She could rely on him to put the world to rights.

‘I’ve not packed up my job. I plan to go back after the baby is born. It’ll only be for a few hours a day and Nan is going to help out. Freda said she’d be only too pleased to take a turn as well when she isn’t on one of her shifts.’

‘What about me?’

‘Pardon?’

‘What about me? Why haven’t you asked me to ’elp out? I thought I was yer friend.’ Maisie sounded hurt.

Sarah sighed. Her friend had changed since the loss of her husband. Although someone meeting Maisie for the first time would think she was well turned out, people who knew her could see that her hairstyle was not as perfect and her make-up was a little too heavy. There were also grey shadows around her eyes, and Maisie didn’t smile as much as she used to. ‘Of course you are, Maisie. I only suggested it to Nan and Freda the other night. You were down the pub at the time. How could we have discussed it with you?’