The Mersey Daughter (Empire Street #3)(29)

‘I know. I’m afraid after the past couple of days we might be in for another big one.’ Rita looked grim. ‘Come on, let’s get these back before it starts to get dark. I don’t want to get caught out here in the open.’

Violet began to pack away her tools. ‘Yes, and if you come back to ours, I’ll show you what I got down at Lewis’s. They had some lovely stuff going cheap for once. It fair made my day.’

Rita nodded eagerly. ‘You lucky thing. It’s ages since I had anything new. Maybe I’ll make time to slip down there tomorrow.’

Back in Dolly’s cosy kitchen, Rita admired the neat blouse and cardigan in a gorgeous shade of lilac that Violet had found on sale. ‘See, there’s a tiny bit of stitching gone wrong under the collar, that’s why they reduced it,’ Violet explained.

‘But you can put that right in two shakes,’ Dolly said. ‘That’s a real bargain, that is. Rita, will you stay for some stew? There’ll be plenty, thanks to you two and all your hard work today.’

‘I’d love to, but I need to get back,’ sighed Rita. ‘Winnie won’t have thought to cook anything and Ruby will need to eat, even if Winnie refuses again. She’ll waste away one of these days and I’m not going to stop her. Does that sound awful?’

Dolly shook her head. Winnie was one of the most exasperating women she knew and she wasn’t going to waste any sympathy on her. ‘No, love, you make sure you look after yourself and Ruby. What Winnie does is up to her; she’s old and ugly enough to make up her own mind. Finish your tea, though.’

Rita nodded and lifted her cup. She felt confused and guilty about her mother-in-law, but she was more concerned for Ruby, who didn’t seem to have been taught how to cook at all. What if she was delayed getting back from the hospital for any length of time? Winnie wouldn’t lift a finger to help Ruby who was, after all, her own unacknowledged daughter. Yet again it was all down to Rita. She didn’t even want to contemplate what might happen if Winnie’s sordid little secret was blown. People had begun to gossip – it was only natural, and the resemblance between mother and daughter was there for those who cared to look closely. Violet had mentioned more than once that some of the customers had started to speculate why the strange young woman was still there, or why she kept herself in the background so much. It was only a matter of time.

‘Thanks, Mam.’ She set the cup down again and was just about to reach for her coat when the siren sounded, pushing all other thoughts from her head. ‘Not again.’

‘Well, I’m not leaving this stew for Hitler to ruin,’ Dolly declared. ‘Good job we got those big flasks. Come on, Rita, we’ll pour as much of it in as we can.’

‘I’ll bring the biscuits,’ said Violet, automatically turning to Georgie and making sure he was safely in his siren suit, which was always at the ready. She caught Rita’s glance. They both knew this could be a big raid. It was what they had feared that very afternoon. Last night’s damage was still evident, with the big ship that had been hit on nearby Huskisson Dock burning away. Violet shrugged off the old jumper she had been wearing for gardening and pulled on her new cardigan. ‘At least I’m going to have some use of this,’ she said staunchly. ‘Ready, Georgie? Off we go, we’ll have singsongs down at the shelter and you’ll see everyone you know.’ Georgie beamed back up at her. He was used to this, and they all made sure they made it as much fun as possible for him so he wouldn’t fret too much.

Swiftly and efficiently, the women packed everything they needed, including the flasks of delicious stew, and made their way down Empire Street to the shelter at the end. Rita looked around anxiously for Ruby, wondering if the young woman could be trusted to find her own way, but there she was, her distinctive, strange hair visible in the gloom. ‘Come on, Ruby, walk with us,’ she called. Ruby hurried across, anxiety etched on her otherwise baby-smooth face.

‘Will we be all right?’ She was shaking.

‘We’ll be safe as houses down there,’ Dolly assured her, then realised that might not be of much consolation to the young woman. But she couldn’t worry about that. Once she’d got her family to safety, she was going to take up her position as fire-watcher for the street. Something told her she was going to be busy. She sent up a silent prayer for Sarah, on duty down at the docks. There was nothing she could do for her brave youngest child. Then there was Frank, whose digs were towards the centre of the city – although maybe he was safe in his top-secret job in the bunker. She’d wanted him to move home once he was posted back to Merseyside, but he’d protested that there was no room and she’d had to concede he was right. She had no way of knowing where he was right now, and worrying wouldn’t make it any better. ‘Oh, there’s Danny,’ she said in relief. ‘Danny, you go with them to the shelter and get them all settled.’ She handed him her big basket. ‘There’s plenty there, Rita will sort you out, but I have to go to my post.’

Rita barely had time to say goodbye to her mother when Danny swept them to the door of the shelter and through to comparative safety, escorting them to the back where there was more room. ‘There’s another letter for you,’ he whispered as he came close to her ear. ‘I got one too. He’s coming home on leave soon.’

‘Oh Danny, that’s wonderful.’ Rita had a burst of hope, even as the anxious crowd surged around her. ‘I just hope we survive this raid to see him.’