The District Nurses of Victory Walk Read online

  ‘Right, then let’s get on with it.’ Flo went back to the oven to check that all was well, the aroma of roasting chicken becoming stronger by the minute.

  Stan began to talk to Edith, prompted by Harry, and Alice slipped away from them to have a word with Joe.

  ‘Are you all right?’ he asked with concern.

  Alice gave a little shrug. ‘It feels strange, now that it’s been said out loud, but it’s what we’ve been waiting for all summer, so in a way it’s a relief.’

  Joe acknowledged this with a sigh. ‘Yes, it does sound odd, but that’s how I feel too. Now nobody can say we were making a fuss over nothing. I know I’m doing the right thing, more than ever.’

  ‘I’m glad you decided beforehand,’ said Alice quietly. ‘I bet lots of people are panicking and rushing into things right now. You know what you want to do and the best way to do it.’

  ‘What about you?’ he asked, worry in his eyes. ‘Is the nurses’ home protected?’

  Alice laughed. ‘Our superintendent has seen to it that we’re all stocked up with material for blackout blinds. There’s also a big basement under half of the building and she’s been quietly making plans to equip it as a refuge room. We should just about all fit in, though it won’t be exactly luxurious. Several of the other nurses have started carrying around good-luck charms. Mary’s got a rabbit’s foot but I always feel sorry for the poor rabbit. Edith used to have a shamrock but I don’t know if she’s still got it. Her Irish grandmother gave it to her when she was little and she’s kept it for years.’

  ‘Maybe they’re easier to come by than four-leafed clovers,’ Joe suggested.

  ‘Perhaps. I’d sooner have a leaf than a bit of an animal,’ Alice admitted. ‘In any case, I’d put more faith in a well-stocked refuge room.’

  ‘That sounds like a good idea.’ Joe was glad the women would be safe. He didn’t like the thought of leaving Alice unprotected in a city at war.

  ‘I can’t say I’m looking forward to using it, but I’m sure we will cope,’ Alice said confidently, partly to reassure herself.

  ‘I’m sure you will,’ Joe replied, ‘it’s what you nurses are known for, isn’t it?’

  ‘It certainly is …’ Alice was just beginning to work out a smart response though the tender look on Joe’s face as he spoke to her made her pause, but before she could respond a loud wail suddenly filled the air, drowning out their conversation. She turned around in confusion and was met by several other equally dismayed faces.

  ‘What’s that?’ mouthed Edith.

  Flo dropped the lid to one of the saucepans in shock, but its din could hardly be heard.

  Stan took charge. ‘Air-raid warning,’ he shouted.

  ‘Air raid?’ Kathleen stuttered. ‘What … what do we do? Where do we go?’ She cast around frantically and then dashed into the garden to fetch Brian, snatching him out of his pram and hugging him fiercely as she brought him indoors. His cries added to the sinister wailing.

  Stan briefly shut his eyes. This was the nightmare he had dreaded – being caught unprepared. He should have got his sons to help him dig the shelter sooner, but he’d held out in the hope that there would be a last-minute solution. Now he could only keep his fingers crossed that they’d all still be around to do it as soon as this was over. He made his decision.

  ‘We do nothing,’ he said steadily in a brief lull in the noise. ‘It will be a drill; it’s too soon for Germany to have sent a proper bombing raid. We don’t run into the streets and panic. We stay inside and have our dinner just like we planned.’ He gave Flo a significant look and she promptly started her final preparations, removing the warmed plates from the bottom of the oven, checking the Yorkshire puddings. She held up a hand with three fingers out.

  ‘Ready in three minutes,’ she mouthed as the noise increased again, beckoning to Mattie for help. Edith got up to help as well but Flo frowned and shooed her off. Still, she was pleased that Harry’s girl had made the offer. It showed she had been brought up properly.

  Hesitantly they all took their seats around the extended table, Harry having the stool at the end, and Kathleen balancing a grizzling Brian on her lap. Flo served up and Mattie passed the plates along, then placed the tray of Yorkshires in the middle for everyone to help themselves. The noise abated as they began to tuck in.

  ‘Takes more than a declaration of war to ruin your roast, Ma,’ said Joe, eagerly shovelling forkfuls of peas into his mouth.

  ‘This is lovely, Mrs Banham,’ exclaimed Edith, slicing through her chicken. ‘We don’t get food like this at the nurses’ home, do we, Alice?’

  ‘We certainly don’t,’ Alice agreed, spearing a carrot and potato in one go. ‘You are spoiling us and we’re very grateful.’

  ‘I’m sure you deserve it,’ said Flo staunchly. ‘We need to keep you nurses well fed. Who knows what you’ll have to help out with now? Stands to reason you’ll need all the energy you can get.’

  ‘Ma’s right,’ said Harry with a glint in his eye. ‘Can’t have you girls getting tired out before the action’s even started, can we?’

  ‘Harry, behave yourself,’ said Mattie sternly, dodging as he reached out to tousle her hair.

  ‘Now, now, not at the table. Honestly, how old are you two?’ Flo pretended to be cross but she couldn’t keep it up for long.

  Mattie pulled a face and took another bite of chicken, but inside she was in turmoil. What would this mean for Lennie? He hadn’t had leave all summer as it was. Would she see him again before he was called off to fight – or, even worse, would she see him again at all? Suddenly there was a lump in her throat and the chicken didn’t seem so tasty after all.

  Flo caught her daughter’s expression and realised what she was thinking. She reached under the table and discreetly took her hand. ‘He’ll be fine, love,’ she said softly. ‘It’s what he’s trained for, remember? Why don’t you write to him when we’ve finished eating and say you’re proud of him, build up his spirits a bit.’

  Mattie gulped and then nodded. ‘I am an’ all. But I want him to come home and see me and Gillian. She’ll forget what he looks like if we aren’t careful.’

  Flo cocked her head. ‘Gillian will be fine. She’ll appreciate him even more when she’s a bit older. I’m sure they’ll give them leave, love. Meantime, you eat up your food and keep building yourself up for the days to come.’

  Mattie nodded, even though her heart was heavy, knowing that her mother made sense.

  Edith smiled to herself at Harry’s teasing his sister, and decided that she could feel at home here. His parents were welcoming and friendly, as he’d assured her they would be, but you could never tell such things in advance. Mothers could be very protective of their sons and she had dressed with care, wanting to make the right impression. Not for her the low necklines and tight waistbands favoured by Mary Perkins. Just as well, she thought, she’d never have managed the roast chicken if she’d worn her most fitted skirt. There was still the apple pie to come as well.

  Harry glanced across at her and gave her an encouraging look. He was pleased with how it was going, or at least the way his parents had reacted to Edith. He was glad; now that he would definitely be off to war he wanted to know that she’d have someone looking out for her. He knew that she and Alice were as close as sisters, but sometimes you needed the advice of someone who’d been alive for longer. He wanted the comfort of knowing that if anything dreadful happened, his parents would help her.

  Joe caught the exchange of glances between his brother and Edith. Who would have thought it – Harry bringing a girl home. He had no illusions about his brother’s reputation with women, and had assumed he’d go on happily playing the field for many years yet. Although it was very early days, surely this signified something. He could see Harry treated her differently to any of the girlfriends he’d had in the past – not that many had been around for long enough even to meet Joe. At first he’d thought Edith flirty and silly, but that was just her outward demeano
ur. He could see she had a core of steel underneath the smiles.

  As for her friend, Alice … well, he had to admit he’d totally misjudged her. She was an intriguing woman, all right – but there was a wall of reserve he hadn’t even begun to break down. If circumstances had been different … but they weren’t. He got the strong impression that all she wanted was friendship and – given that he could soon be deployed anywhere – maybe that was all he should try to offer. He’d liked being around her, and he would have to put aside the underlying draw he felt towards her, something that had sparked off the first time they’d spoken and he’d got so angry so quickly. Maybe it wasn’t anger he’d sensed – but whatever else it was could be of no use now.

  Edith broke her glance with Harry to notice that everyone had now finished, with nearly every plate wiped clean. She got up and began to gather the crockery and cutlery, despite Flo’s protests: ‘Sit down, Edith, you’re our guest.’

  ‘Well, you did the cooking and Mattie helped, and so I reckon it’s my turn to do something,’ Edith replied, standing her ground. Alice rose and began to pass used plates along the extended length of the table, so that Edith wouldn’t have to reach across people.

  Only when they’d cleared the table did they agree to sit down, as Flo brought out the warmed apple tart. Mattie vanished into the back kitchen and reappeared with an earthenware jug of cream, which she set in the middle of the table. ‘And don’t you go taking it all,’ she said to Harry, before he could even reach for it.

  Before Flo could cut into the fragrant pastry, another loud noise started, and this time Stan visibly relaxed. ‘It’s the all clear,’ he told them, relief flooding his voice. ‘We don’t have to worry. We’re safe now for the time being.’

  ‘Good, because I don’t want this tart to go to waste,’ said Flo forcefully. ‘Eat up, everyone. We don’t know what’s in store for us in the future, but let’s make the most of the next five minutes.’

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  It was early evening when Alice and Edith left Jeeves Street, knowing they should get back to the home in good time so that they’d be fresh for their rounds in the morning, but reluctant to go nevertheless.

  ‘I’m so full I can scarcely move,’ Edith admitted as Harry helped her on with her coat. ‘You must thank your ma again for me, Harry.’ He led her through the front door and on to the pavement, where he turned to give her a quick kiss on the forehead. He was keenly aware that neighbours might be watching and didn’t want to cause her embarrassment.

  ‘She loved having you here,’ he assured her. ‘We all did. Both of you,’ he added as Alice stepped through the front doorway too.

  ‘I’m glad I was with you when we heard the announcement,’ Edith said seriously. ‘At least we know where we stand now.’ She reached up and gave Harry a quick kiss before forcing herself to break away from him. ‘See you Wednesday, then.’

  ‘Wednesday,’ he agreed, waving to them as they walked towards the main road. He couldn’t help appreciating Edith’s figure in her neat light coat as she turned her back. Alice was more elegant, he supposed, but she couldn’t hold a candle to his Edie.

  Alice tucked her arm into Edith’s as they reached the other side of the high road. ‘That went well, didn’t it?’ she said.

  ‘Apart from the fact we’re now at war with Germany,’ Edith said tartly. ‘You know when you worry about all the things that could go wrong when you first meet your chap’s parents? Didn’t imagine it would be that, did I?’ She shook her head. ‘But no, you’re right, they are lovely.’

  ‘I think they thought the same about you,’ Alice said. ‘It’s funny, isn’t it, Joe’s so like his father and Harry is more like his mother. They all seem so close.’

  Edith sighed, thinking of her own big family, who somehow never managed that welcoming atmosphere. She was pretty sure her mother would have immediately sat Harry down and quizzed him about how much money he made. Stan and Flo had been open and affectionate but hadn’t interrogated her in any way – although she’d been aware that Mrs Banham had been covertly sizing her up most of the afternoon. ‘Harry’s ma said I could go round there even when Harry gets sent away,’ she said.

  ‘You should, especially if there’s food on offer,’ Alice replied at once. ‘I haven’t had a roast like that since … well, since the last time I was with my parents.’ Her thoughts flew to Liverpool, and she realised she hadn’t been back since Easter. Her mother and father would be worrying about her now war had been officially announced, and although they lived a fair distance from the main dockside area of the city she recognised with a sinking feeling that they were by no means safe either.

  Edith shot a sharp glance at her friend. ‘Do you think you will go home for a visit?’ she asked. ‘I’m sure Fiona would give you time off, she’ll understand. We’re all entitled to a month’s holiday a year and you have hardly used any, have you?’

  Alice straightened up. ‘I don’t know. They’ll probably be more concerned if I hurry up there – they’ll assume something’s wrong.’

  ‘Well, we have just gone to war with Germany,’ Edith pointed out.

  ‘No,’ Alice replied decisively. ‘My place is here, as this is where I’ll be needed. That has to come first. I’ll write to them when we get back.’

  ‘Up to you,’ said Edith, able to read between the lines and understand what Alice really meant. She didn’t want to go back to Liverpool, as her parents would want to see that their daughter had put Mark firmly behind her and Alice wasn’t ready to do so quite yet. ‘I might try to get a day off to go to see my ma and the younger ones. Just in case she’s at all worried – although she won’t be.’

  Alice nodded, knowing that Edith was probably right. Her mother was too busy to fret over her older children; she regarded Edith as a fully independent adult who needed nothing more than a hurriedly scribbled card at Christmas.

  ‘Nurse!’ A small voice cut through her thoughts. ‘Oy, Nurse! It is you, ain’t it?’

  A little figure dashed out from a side road and stood before them, followed by a much slower stooping one.

  It took Alice took a moment to snap out of daydreaming about families, wondering if something had happened – an accident due to the air-raid warning, perhaps. Then she recognised who it was.

  ‘Pauline!’ she exclaimed. ‘Fancy seeing you here.’

  ‘That’s cos I only lives over there,’ Pauline answered, pointing back along the side road. ‘Not far to go for school, see.’

  Alice nodded. ‘I can see that. Although most of your school friends aren’t here any more, are they? They were all evacuated on Friday.’

  Pauline sniffed. ‘I didn’t want to go with them though. Me gran don’t hold with all that. Do you, Gran?’

  The stooping figure drew level with them and peered up at Alice with suspicion.

  ‘This is me gran,’ Pauline said, remembering her manners.

  ‘Pleased to meet you.’ Alice held out her hand but the old lady didn’t do the same.

  ‘And who might you be?’ she demanded instead.

  ‘Alice Lake. I’m a nurse, and I have been to St Benedict’s several times this last term,’ Alice explained, noticing that Janet Phipps, the teacher, had been right – the grandmother had hardly any teeth.

  ‘You’re the one what gave our Pauline the notion that she had to use a toothbrush,’ the old woman snapped, pointing her finger accusingly. ‘You’re wasting your time, Miss. We never had any truck with such things and we’ve done all right. My old ma, God rest her soul, lived to be ninety-two and she never so much as set eyes on one. So don’t you go bothering us with such newfangled pieces of nonsense.’

  ‘It’s entirely up to you, but we do encourage—’ Alice began.

  ‘Stuff and nonsense,’ Gran proclaimed, and both Alice and Edith noticed she smelt distinctly of gin.

  Pauline hopped up and down. ‘We got to get back, we left me brother on his own,’ she told them.

  Alice’s eyebro
ws shot up, as she remembered Pauline’s brother was even younger, but Gran didn’t seem to be worried. ‘He’ll be all right, he never come to no harm before,’ she said. ‘Still, you and him are best off with me rather than being sent away to God knows who living in a field somewhere.’

  ‘I’m sure all evacuated children are sent to perfectly good houses …’ Alice protested, but Gran was having none of it.

  ‘Sent away from all they know, with cows and pigs and God knows what,’ she went on. ‘Poor little mites. My grandkids are Hackney born and bred, they’re Londoners through and through. They ain’t going nowhere. We’ll stick it out together. That old Hitler ain’t going to break up our family, I can tell you that for nothing.’

  Alice sighed. ‘Well, it’s not compulsory, but if you ever change your mind …’

  ‘We won’t,’ Gran snapped. ‘Come on, Pauline, stop your dallying, you got work to do once you get home.’ She took the little girl by the elbow and marched her away. Pauline didn’t seem at all bothered but twisted around and waved.

  ‘Bye, Nurse,’ she called.

  Edith let out a big breath as the pair disappeared around another corner. ‘There’s gratitude,’ she remarked.

  ‘What can I do?’ Alice asked hopelessly. ‘That child is bright as a button but what hope will there be for her if she grows up with a woman like that?’

  Edith shrugged. ‘All you can do is keep an eye out and let her know that, if there’s any trouble, she can always come to you. She clearly trusts you, that much is obvious.’

  ‘I suppose so.’ Alice began walking slowly towards their home as Edith strolled beside her. ‘I can’t make it right for everyone. Not all at once anyway.’

  ‘Exactly,’ said Edith. ‘We’ve got quite enough to worry about after today without you taking up the cause of one little girl, Alice. Now let’s get back before the light fades any more and Fiona makes it worse by putting up all the blackout blinds.’