The Woolworths Girls (41 page)

Betty was soon seated behind the piano, accompanying Maisie as she belted out a rousing rendition of ‘Bless ’Em All’.

As she finished her song, she grabbed Sarah by the hand and nodded to Betty, who started to play. After a faltering start Sarah soon lost her nervousness and sang. Around the room, the men put down their beer glasses and listened. Some were glassy-eyed and lost in memories as her sweet voice soared.

‘. . .
and a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square.
’

The men cheered, and those who were able to got to their feet and applauded Sarah. She felt her cheeks start to glow with embarrassment and was grateful to David when he swept her into his arms as Betty started to play a waltz. Around them, others joined in and the party continued.

‘I didn’t know you could sing like that,’ David said as he held her close.

‘I don’t often sing in public, but we have so few staff available to entertain the guests this year that it would have been churlish of me not to volunteer. We’ve had some lovely parties in years gone by.’

‘This one seems perfect to me,’ he said as he pulled her closer.

It felt good to be in the arms of a handsome man. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of being held and desired once more. She was oblivious to what was going on around her until the song finished and another started. Sarah froze, then pulled away from David.

‘Is there something wrong, Sarah?’ David asked, showing concern.

Sarah could feel the blood pulsing through her body. If she wasn’t careful, she would faint.

Around her, the old soldiers joined in with the song. ‘
If you were the only girl in the world . .
.’

It felt like only yesterday that Alan had pulled her onto his knee and serenaded her with the same song, when in fact it had been two years ago – Christmas 1938, when the country was not yet at war and she was falling in love with Alan.

‘I’ll be all right. I just need some water. I feel rather hot.’ All Sarah wanted to do was run away from her memories. She needed to move on and forget that her dreams of living happily ever after with a man who loved her were not to be. She may have been in love, but she knew better now. Alan didn’t feel the same. He showed that only too well last Christmas. She would always be saddened that Georgina would not know her daddy, but perhaps one day there would be a man she could look to as her second parent. Forget Alan, she told herself; start a new life with Georgina. However, as much as she told herself to move on, the memories of her short, happy life with Alan just wouldn’t stop haunting her.

David helped Sarah to a seat and returned with the drink she so desperately needed. ‘How are you feeling?’ he asked, after watching her sip the cool water.

‘I’ll be fine,’ she assured him. ‘Why don’t you rescue Maisie from the old folk? I’m sure she would rather be dancing with you.’

David didn’t need a second bidding and went to seek out Maisie, who was only too pleased to join him in a foxtrot round the staffroom floor.

All too soon the evening came to an end. Maisie and David accompanied Woolies staff as they took their guests home. By this time the fog was thick, and aided by the blackout, it was almost impossible to see a hand in front of their faces. The staff intended to see every last man to his front door. Sarah stayed behind to help Ruby and Betty clear up the remains of the party. It was as she was sweeping the floor around the piano that Betty put down the sheet music and faced Sarah.

‘Sarah, I do hope you don’t mind me asking you a question.’

‘By all means, Betty. I don’t have any secrets.’

Betty had a slight frown on her face and wouldn’t make eye contact with Sarah. She seemed worried. ‘Who is the man in the RAF uniform that you were dancing with?’

Sarah smiled. ‘That’s David Carlisle. He was a cousin of Maisie’s husband, Joe. He will be joining us for dinner on Christmas Day. You’ll like him.’

‘I gather you like him, Sarah?’

‘Oh yes, he’s very nice. Nan likes him too. Even more since he delivered a hamper from his mother for us to celebrate Christmas in style.’

‘I’m sure he is a very pleasant young man. What I mean is, do you like him in a specific way?’

Sarah felt her face grow warm. ‘If you mean, am I stepping out with him, then the answer is no. However, if he should ask me, my answer will be that I’d be only too happy to.’ She noticed Betty purse her lips into a thin line of disapproval. ‘I no longer have a husband and can do as I wish. David would make a very suitable daddy for Georgina and she is now my only concern.’

Sarah flounced off to the cloakroom to find her coat, not allowing Betty to finish the conversation. From across the room Ruby raised her eyebrows in sympathy as she observed Betty Billington’s discomfort. Betty had asked the very question that was playing on her own mind. Sarah’s answer was not what she had wished to overhear.

‘I haven’t had a feed like that in a long while. You must have some good contacts, if you know what I mean?’ Vera winked at Ruby.

Ruby bristled. ‘I’ll have you know that every morsel of food on my table was come by completely legit. If you thought that way, Vera, I’m surprised you even put one forkful of that goose in your mouth. David’s mother very kindly sent me a hamper and I for one am very grateful. Now, who wants custard on their pudding?’

Vera slid her bowl forward. ‘So, David, are you and Maisie courting?’

Maisie spluttered with laughter and grinned at David. ‘Gawd love you, Vera. David’s an old family friend. I’m sure he ain’t interested in someone like me. No, it’s our Sarah he’s taken a shine to.’

A silence spread round the dining table. The only sound was Ruby spooning dollops of thick custard onto the bowls of plum pudding. ‘Look out for the silver thruppenny bits,’ she said, trying to break the ominous silence. ‘I don’t want anyone choking on ’em.’

‘Did you hear the announcement on the radio that we were not to use them nickel thruppenny bits, as they can kill us?’ Vera asked, her eyes like hawks as she surveyed those present. Something interesting was occurring and it was more important than any plum pudding or another slice of the tasty goose.

‘More likely to choke someone than poison them, Vera,’ George answered as he watched his daughter, who was looking down into her lap. ‘They are a fair chunk of metal. Now, Vera, did you go to church this morning?’

‘No, I didn’t. I told the vicar that it didn’t seem right not having any church bells ringing on Christmas Day. I bet that Hitler allowed bells to ring in Germany.’ She snorted with disgust.

Freda smiled at the older woman. ‘But, Vera, think how it would have frightened so many people if they’d heard the bells ringing out. They may have thought we were being invaded.’

‘I’m sure even Hitler observes Christmas and won’t send any planes over today,’ Vera said.

‘Even if he does, we can still enjoy Christmas in the Anderson shelter. Maisie helped me put up a few old decorations in there to make it look a bit more festive.’

Irene, who had seated herself next to the handsome airman and was oblivious to the rising tension round the table, patted his arm possessively. ‘I know that if the opportunity was to arise, I would be more than proud to accept David into the family. Now, George, are you going to pour us all a drink so we can toast the King? It must be almost time for his speech.’

Sarah watched as her dad filled glasses and instructed Maisie on how to tune in the wireless. She could feel Vera’s eyes burning into her and knew that more than one person seated round the table was wondering what was going on in her life. She would not be ashamed of her growing friendship with David, whatever anyone thought.

‘
. . . The future will be hard, but our feet are planted on the path of victory, and with the help of God we shall make our way to justice and to peace.
’

They all stood as the national anthem was played at the end of the King’s speech.

George raised his glass as the last notes faded away. ‘To absent friends.’

Ruby dabbed at her eyes and joined in the toast along with her family and friends. ‘That was a lovely speech.’

‘It’s all right for them up there in London in their posh palace. I bet they aren’t going short. They might have allowed us a few more ounces of tea and sugar for Christmas, but what they give with one hand they’ll be taking away with the other when they cut the meat ration in a couple of weeks’ time.’

‘But, Vera, that is the government, not the Royal Family, and besides, we can all manage if we try really hard.’

Vera snorted. ‘You’ll believe anything they tell you, Ruby Caselton.’

Sarah felt stifled. She needed some fresh air, not that the patchy fog outside was very fresh. ‘I think I’ll go for a walk, if that’s all right? I’ll help with the washing-up when I get back.’ Although she didn’t wish for company, she would feel bad if she didn’t at least ask if anyone wished to join her. ‘Who else feels like stretching their legs?’

‘I’ll get started on the clearing up,’ George replied. His leg wasn’t up for a long walk yet, but he could manage standing at the sink in the scullery. Ruby started to rise to her feet. ‘Sit yourself down, Mother, and have a rest. You’ve worked hard today to provide us with a feast. Why not open that bottle of port and have a glass or two with Vera and Irene?’

‘I won’t join you, if you don’t mind?’ Maisie said. ‘My feet still ache from working late yesterday. I know it was festive and fun, but I’m fair whacked still, and Betty is almost asleep in her chair as well.’

‘I must admit I am a little tired,’ Betty said. ‘I’ll stay here and take care of Georgina. She has been a little star.’

‘It’ll be different next year. She’ll be toddling and into everything, I’ve no doubt,’ Ruby added, clucking over her great-granddaughter, who was gurgling happily in her pram.

‘That’s if we aren’t all murdered in our beds by the Luftwaffe,’ Vera chipped in somewhat gleefully.

Sarah pulled on her coat and gloves, and headed to the front door as the room erupted into laughter at Vera’s comment. ‘Trust you to cheer us all up,’ she heard Maisie retort.

‘Wait up.’ Sarah turned at the gate to see David following her, pulling on his overcoat at the same time. ‘You don’t want to be out alone. It’s getting dark, and this fog might be shifting, but visibility’s not so good. Besides, I want to give you something.’ He tucked Sarah’s arm through his and they strode out at a brisk pace towards the river.

Sarah shuddered. ‘It’s rather spooky in the gloom, isn’t it?’ Out on the river, they could hear the mournful sound of ships’ horns in the fog, as well as a bell ringing dolefully on a nearby buoy as it bobbed on the waves. Sarah leant on a wall and watched the waves lap against the small pier. ‘I’ve always loved the Thames. When Dad brought me to see Nan and Granddad when I was a kid, we always came to the river. Sometimes we walked downstream to the marshes. It’s lovely there in the summertime.’

‘I’m sure it is,’ David said, reaching into the pocket of his coat. ‘I have a present for you. I wanted us to be alone when I gave it to you.’ He handed her a small, square box.

Sarah pulled off her warm gloves and took the box from him. ‘Thank you, David, but you shouldn’t have done. The silk scarf you gave me was more than enough.’

David shrugged off her comment and encouraged her to open the box. ‘It belonged to my grandmama. She told me I would know the right time to give it to someone special.’

Sarah lifted the lid and pulled back the small wad of cotton wool that lay underneath and gasped. ‘David, I can’t accept this. It’s beautiful and must be so valuable.’

She ran her fingers over the small silver brooch in the shape of a bow that lay in the box. A row of pearls edged the delicate piece of jewellery. ‘It’s lovely,’ she sighed.

David reached for the lapel of her coat and removed the brooch she’d pinned there to brighten it up for the festivities. ‘As soon as I saw this, I knew that Grandmama’s brooch would be the perfect replacement. No cheap glass jewellery for you, my love.’ He pinned the silver-and-pearl bow to her coat.

Sarah could only gaze to where David had placed the other brooch on the wall beside them. She recalled so well the day she’d first seen the piece of jewellery when she opened a similar box and discovered with joy the brooch from Alan nestled inside. She slipped it into the pocket of her coat, suddenly feeling sad. She would share the memory with Georgina when she was older.

26

‘Who’d have thought Woolies staff could have bought two Spitfires for the RAF?’ Sarah said as she pinned the announcement to the wall of the staff canteen.

‘What? Where will we put them?’ Maisie snorted with laughter. ‘I can’t see them landing in the High Street.’

Sarah giggled. ‘Don’t be silly. Look, it says here that the donations we made from our pay packets each week have not only amounted to enough to buy one plane but that head office have matched the money and bought another one. It makes me proud to think that up in the sky somewhere are our planes fighting the enemy.’ A faraway look appeared in her eyes.

Maisie stopped laughing as she saw the change in her friend’s expression. ‘You still miss him, don’t you?’ she asked softly, placing her hand on Sarah’s arm.