The Mersey Daughter (Empire Street #3)(27)

‘What? What is it?’ Gloria rushed across the room. ‘Blimey, are you all right, Nance? You’ve gone as white as a sheet. Whatever’s the matter?’

‘He’s … he’s …’ Nancy gulped and then burst into tears. ‘He’s given me the push, Glor. I can’t believe it, he’s … oh no. He … he says it’s not right, me being married and Sid being a prisoner of war. He says it’s preying on his conscience.’

‘Conscience my arse,’ said Gloria pithily. ‘Wasn’t much sign of his conscience when he was having his way with you before Christmas, was there? How very convenient. What a bastard. Really, Nancy, if that’s what he’s like, then you’re better off without him. Bet he’s got a girl or several closer to where he’s based, that’ll be the truth of it. Conscience, I ask you.’ She sat on the bed and went to hug her friend.

‘But … but …’ Nancy’s tears poured down her cheeks. ‘I was going to tell him … I’ve been so sick, I thought I might …’

Gloria sat back a little. ‘What are you saying, Nancy? Spit it out.’

Nancy sobbed bitterly. ‘I wasn’t sure. You know, this wartime diet and everything, you can’t tell … it’s all different now. I lost count.’

‘Lost count? What are you on about, Nancy? You’re not making sense.’

‘My monthlies,’ Nancy confessed miserably. ‘I lost count of my monthlies. I don’t know when I had my last one. But I’ve lost so much weight. They went haywire anyway, so it might not mean anything. I thought he’d help me, he’d stand by me if I needed him …’

‘Nancy, come on, don’t upset yourself like this.’ Gloria hugged her, trying to calm Nancy’s shaking body. ‘He’s not worth it. Look, if you haven’t seen him since Christmas and you’ve still not put on weight, then you’re probably all right, aren’t you?’

Nancy screwed up the letter and threw it across the room. ‘I don’t know, I hope so, I don’t know what to think. Oh, Gloria, I’ve been such an idiot. I was kidding myself he loved me, he was so good-looking and everything, he treated me like I was special …’ She gulped again. ‘Where’s the bathroom? I’m going to be sick.’

‘Through there.’ Gloria pointed to a narrow door and Nancy hurriedly got up and dashed through it, slamming it behind her. Gloria paced around the bedroom, doing her best to ignore the noises coming from the bathroom, grimly hoping her friend hadn’t been caught out. She didn’t want to imagine the reception she’d get if the worst happened – Nancy pregnant but Sid still a prisoner of war and everyone knowing it couldn’t have been his child. He’d never even seen Georgie, let alone had a chance to father a little brother or sister for him. Nancy’s name would be dragged through the mud.

Gloria mixed herself another cocktail, figuring that one more wouldn’t hurt and that this was an emergency. She knew she’d been lucky herself – she was no stranger to men, and she’d taken a few risks before the war broke out, although she’d usually been very careful. That was one thing she had to say in favour of being brought up above the Sailor’s Rest – you heard everything. So she knew how to take care of herself. Of course, that one time with Giles, there hadn’t been a chance to … but nothing had come of it. In some ways that had saddened her; it would have been the one way of keeping him alive and with her for always. But it wasn’t meant to be. She shook herself. Maybe it was just as well. She couldn’t have gone on tour with a baby on her hip.

The retching noises had finally stopped and Gloria was just about to knock on the connecting door when there came a terrible groan from inside. Hastily she ran across and barged into the little bathroom. There on the white tiled floor lay Nancy, her hands pressed to her stomach. There was a bright red smear of blood on the thick white towel crumpled up beside her.

‘Nancy! Are you hurt? What’s …’ Then she realised where the blood had come from.

‘Sorry, Gloria.’ Nancy tried to get up but couldn’t. ‘I’m so sorry. It’s the shock … or the cocktail … or both. I didn’t mean to make such a mess.’

‘Never mind that.’ Gloria crouched beside her friend. ‘Don’t worry about that, they’ll have seen worse. No, listen, are you all right? How heavily are you bleeding?’

‘I’ll be all right. Just give me a minute or two.’ Nancy breathed deeply, rubbing her stomach. ‘I don’t think it’s as bad as it looks. It’s just cramps now. I don’t think it was … a you-know-what. It’s just bad cramps. It was all a bit sudden, that’s all it was. That’s all,’ she repeated, as if to convince herself. ‘Nothing to worry about.’ But she knew this was more than her monthlies coming late. She didn’t want to admit it, but deep down she’d recognised the symptoms from when she’d fallen with Georgie. Thank God it had happened here and nobody at home would see. If she was careful, nobody would be any the wiser, and she knew Gloria wouldn’t say anything.

‘Nothing to worry about,’ Gloria said soothingly, stroking Nancy’s head where the victory roll had come undone, her red hair spilling across her shoulders. ‘Come on, then, let’s get you up. You can have my bed for the night, I’ll have that sofa. Nothing to worry about.’