The Woolworths Girls (43 page)

Sarah shuddered. ‘Please don’t tempt fate.’

‘Quick, over here!’ Sarah shouted out to Maisie. ‘We need more water if we don’t want the store to go up in flames.’

Maisie struggled over to a flat part of the roof, balancing two buckets of water, to where Sarah and another staff member were valiantly working the stirrup pumps to dampen down burning debris as it landed on the roof. ‘Blooming ’eck, this is the worst it’s ever been. It looks as though half the town has copped it. Where’s a fire-tender when you need one?’

Sarah stretched her aching back, using the back of her hand to wipe the sweat and smoke stains from her forehead beneath the tin helmet that Woolies provided for staff to wear when undertaking firefighting duties. ‘It looks as though the worst of the fire is in the direction of Burndept’s. I would think that’s where the fire service is right now. We’ll just have to make the best of a bad situation.’

Maisie ducked as a flurry of orange sparks flew overhead. ‘Are you sure there aren’t any incendiary bombs being dropped?’

‘Not that many. The enemy seem to have gone straight for the factories down the road, but that’s just as bad for us. The wind’s blowing the embers and smoke in this direction. What’s happening downstairs?’

‘I’ve got four people filling buckets in the staffroom kitchen and running them to the bottom of the ladder. We’re taking turns carrying them up here to the roof. I’ll ’ave muscles bigger than a navvy’s by the time the fire’s out.’

If
we put the fire out, Sarah thought to herself. It was fortunate that staff were still in the building when the bombing raid started. Thank goodness for Betty, who, realizing that factories had been hit nearby, decided to ask for volunteers to check the store. Every person had left the safety of the cellar and started to put out the small fires on the roof and in the surrounding street.

‘It’s going to be a long night, Maisie. I just hope everyone is safe in the shelter at home . . . Can you remember what shift Freda was on at Burndept’s?’

‘Oh my God, I think she was on the two-to-ten shift. That means she could be caught up in that.’ Maisie pointed to where a glow in the night sky was all that could be seen of the large factory.

Sarah handed her the stirrup pump. ‘Take over here and I’ll see what’s happening in the store. David said he would walk us home, so he may just be downstairs with some news. I’ll send up a couple more people to help. It looks as though it’s going to take a while before everything subsides.’ In the distance, they could see searchlights piercing the black sky, while further down river, the sound of ack-ack guns could be heard.

Climbing down the ladder and in through the staffroom window, she bumped into David. ‘I was just on my way up to give you a hand. It looks like a busy night out there. How are you coping?’

‘We’re just about on top of things, but it’s Freda we’re worried about. She would have been working a shift this evening and may be caught up in the fire. Do you know if she made it back to number thirteen?’

‘I was there not half an hour ago. Everyone is safe, but Freda isn’t home. I should go and look for her.’ He peered through the open window to where the glow of the burning building lit up the night sky.

‘Wait. I don’t think you should go alone.’

‘I’m not taking you. It’s too dangerous and you have a child to think about.’

Sarah wanted to stay and help Betty. It was her duty as assistant manager to look after the staff. ‘I can’t leave Woolworths while it’s at risk. I’ll get someone to help you.’ She quickly climbed back through the window and up the ladder to where Maisie was supervising the stirrup-pump operation. ‘Maisie, I need your help,’ she called as she beckoned to her friend to follow her.

Maisie was behind Sarah by the time she climbed back through the window. ‘Blimey, this going up and down ladders isn’t much of a lark.’

David took her arm as she staggered into the room. ‘I need your help, Maisie.’

Maisie blushed bright red, pulling off her tin helmet and trying to straighten her hair, oblivious to a large black smut on her nose. ‘Hello, David. What’s the problem?’

‘I’m going to find Freda and I need your help. Sarah won’t let me go on my own.’ He grinned.

‘Right, I’m your woman. Just wait while I grab me coat and we’ll get cracking,’ Maisie said.

Sarah reached for David’s arm. ‘Take care of her, David. She’s not as tough as she pretends to be.’

David squeezed her hand. ‘She will be safe with me, Sarah. I’ll treat her like a precious jewel.’

It was past midnight when Sarah reached number thirteen. She’d convinced Betty to come back with her, as Alexandra Road was closer than Betty’s home. They were tired, hungry and extremely dirty, but more than anything else they were worried about Freda. ‘No news is good news,’ Betty had told Sarah as they stumbled along the dark street by only the light of a torch.

‘I just wish someone had thought to tell us what has happened,’ Sarah muttered. She was annoyed with David and Maisie that they’d not thought to stop off at Woolworths and give them an update on Freda. For all they knew, she could have died in the fire. She tried to keep her dark thoughts from surfacing as they closed the door and made sure the blackout curtain was in place before switching on the light. They could hear voices in the front room but thought it best to go through to the scullery and wash off the worst of the grime first.

Sarah scrubbed her face and arms as well as she could, with Betty pointing out any bits she’d missed. They’d done their best at Woolworths to clean themselves, but with the water pressure low and other staff wishing to clean their smoke-stained faces and hands, they’d decided to finish cleaning themselves up at number thirteen.

Sarah put on the kettle as Betty dried herself. ‘That’s a grand idea. I could kill for a hot drink,’ Betty said.

‘It’s only cocoa. We’re a bit short on tea at the moment,’ Sarah apologized.

‘That suits me down to the ground. There’s nothing better before bed than a cup of cocoa. Shall I go see if anyone else would like one?’

‘That’s a good idea, Betty. I’m surprised Nan hasn’t been out to see us yet.’

Sarah placed cups and saucers onto a tray. She followed behind Betty into the front room, almost crashing into her back when Betty stopped suddenly with an ‘Oh my gosh!’ Betty then tried to stop Sarah entering the room.

‘Whatever is wrong, Betty? Let me in – this tray’s heavy.’

‘Come in, the pair of you, and don’t be so daft,’ Maisie called out.

‘Well, if you’re sure,’ Betty said in a surprised voice.

They both entered the room to find Maisie sitting on David’s lap. Her usually perfectly applied lipstick was smeared, and David had loosened his tie. Betty looked between Sarah and the couple with trepidation.

‘Is this what I think it is?’ Sarah grinned.

‘I thought you’d be angry, Sarah. That’s why I tried to stop you coming into the room.’ Betty sat down on the sofa. ‘I’m somewhat confused.’

Sarah placed the tray onto a side table. ‘There’s no need to be confused, Betty. David and I had a little chat earlier today. You could say I made him see sense, although I never expected this. Let me get the cocoa and you can tell us everything that happened since you set off to find Freda.’

‘So no one was killed at Burndept’s? I find that amazing,’ Betty said as they sipped the last of the cocoa.

By now they knew that Freda was tucked up in bed none the worse for her experience, although it seemed her hair got singed when she dashed back into the building to help an elderly colleague. Maisie had promised to give her a trim the next morning. ‘The poor kid was more distressed that she didn’t have a job anymore.’

‘But she has. I’ve already said I’d have her back at Woolworths in a shot, so if she is willing, and when she is over the shock, she can have her old job back,’ Betty said.

‘Is tomorrow too soon?’ a quiet voice said from the doorway. ‘I heard voices and wanted to check that you were all in one piece. We heard that people were trying to put out fires in the town as we walked home.’

‘That’s where we found Freda,’ Maisie added. ‘She was at the top end of the High Street ’elping her workmates get home. We went with her to make sure they were all safe, then got her home to her bed. It’s been a long day.’

Betty patted the seat next to her on the sofa. ‘Come and sit down, Freda.’

Freda sat down, refusing the cocoa that Sarah offered to make for her. Nelson trotted along behind her. The dog had taken to creeping onto her bed at night and had been woken by the people talking downstairs. ‘I just want to know what you’ve all been talking about. Have I missed anything?’

‘For a start, David has asked me to marry him,’ Maisie declared to her stunned friends. She gazed at their dumbstruck faces. ‘There’s no need to look like that. Seeing the destruction in the town this evening made us realize that life could be cut short at any moment. David had already told me about yer little chat, Sarah. He’d said how he felt about me, but as there was no chance of us getting together, he had buried his feelings. Tonight those feeling came tumbling out.’

David, who had kept quiet and let Maisie talk, said, ‘It seems that when Maisie saw us together, Sarah, it made her aware of how she felt about me.’

‘Please don’t think that I’ll ever forget my Joe. He was a big part of my life. With David and Joe growing up together, it seems natural for us to become close. We have shared memories.’

‘I’m so pleased for you both,’ Sarah said, and rushed over to hug them. ‘So when is the wedding to be?’

‘Soon. We thought the end of June would be lovely.’

‘That is only two months away,’ Betty said. ‘Does it have to be so soon?’

‘There is a war on,’ the three girls said together, and burst out laughing.

‘Well, that was a day and a half and no mistake,’ Vera said as she followed Ruby up the path of number thirteen and waited for her friend to unlock the door. ‘I’ve not tasted ice cream in a while. How did they come by it?’

‘I’ve no idea, Vera. I thought it was very good of Woolworths to treat their staff and customers to ice cream after they all worked together to put out the fire the night that Burndept’s burnt down. All I want now is to put me feet up for a while. I’m fair shattered. Spending half the night in the shelter hasn’t helped none.’

‘It’s time you gave up that job at Woolworths. You’re far too old to be doing things like that. Your Eddie would turn in his grave if he was here.’

Ruby tried not to laugh at Vera’s words, but in a way she knew the woman was right. She was finding it tiring to care for baby Georgina, who was now a lively eight months old, and also do her shifts at the shop. The girls mucked in when they could, but with Freda back working at Woolies, it meant Ruby no longer had her around in the daytime to help in between her shifts. There was talk of Maureen moving back to Erith, so perhaps she would resume her job in the Woolworths staff canteen? Ruby decided to have a word with her next time she came to visit her granddaughter. Yes, she’d do just that.

Ruby sat down to take off her shoes. ‘Stick the kettle on, Vera. I’ll find us something to eat in a minute.’ She rubbed her feet and yawned. Hopefully it would be quiet tonight and she could catch up on her sleep. Her eyelids started to droop. Perhaps just five minutes . . .

‘Ruby!’

Ruby woke with a start. Whatever was wrong with Vera? She stepped into her slippers and hurried to the kitchen, where hopefully Vera had a brew on the go. She pulled up sharp as she saw that Vera was not alone. ‘Lenny, whatever are you doing here?’

They hadn’t seen Freda’s brother since he’d run away the previous summer. Ruby had hoped the lad would take himself back to prison, but it wasn’t to be. He looked the worse for wear, his face dirty and his clothes torn. Lenny kept looking over his shoulder towards the door.

‘Sorry, Ruby. I heard a noise at the back door and thought it was Nelson wanting to come back in. The lad rushed in as if the devil was after him. He smells a bit.’

‘Have you been living rough, lad?’ Ruby asked.

‘The boy’s fine. I’ve been taking good care of him. Haven’t I, Lenny?’

A tall man with dark hair slicked back from his face and wearing a grey striped suit stepped in through the open door. He was wrapping a silk handkerchief round his left hand, which was dripping with blood. ‘You’ll find your dog shut in the Anderson shelter, Mrs Caselton. He’s not a friendly chap, is he?’ he said in a broad Birmingham accent.

‘He’s good to his friends. You must be Tommy Whiffen. What are you doing here where you ain’t wanted?’ Ruby asked, wondering if his two sidekicks were about.

Tommy kicked the door closed and turned the key in the lock. That answered her question. He was alone. ‘You could say you have something that I want, Ruby.’

‘Mrs Caselton to you, sonny.’

‘Now, now, Ruby. There’s no need to be unfriendly. The lad here told me as how you have some information about my business dealings. I’ll be taking it off you and be going on my way.’

‘There’s nothing here that concerns you. Now, be off before the rest of my family get home.’ She looked at the clock on the mantelpiece in the living room behind her, praying that Maisie and Freda clocked off on time at Woolworths and would be home soon to help. Thank goodness Sarah had baby Georgina and had gone to queue at the butcher’s for something for their tea. She didn’t want the baby hurt, and there was no knowing what this bloke could get up to.

‘I’ll go when you give me the papers,’ Tommy sneered, gazing around the room.

‘Ruby, who is this man?’ Vera asked fearfully.

‘This, Vera, is Tommy Whiffen, a small-time crook who got Freda’s brother here to carry the can for him when the lad had done no wrong.’ She turned to face Tommy. ‘I said I ain’t got nothing for yer, so get out of my house.’

‘That’s not strictly true, now, Ruby, is it? Lenny told me what he had written down for you.’

Ruby gasped. How could the lad have been so stupid?

‘I’m sorry, Mrs Caselton. Tommy found out where I was and wanted to take me back ’ome to help him with some more of his work. He said if I didn’t, he knew where Freda lived and would come and hurt her.’