Winter on the Mersey(48)

‘Frank?’ She turned a little to face him as she walked and he almost stumbled. He hoped there was no trace of his thoughts on his face but couldn’t be certain. ‘I have a few days of leave coming, but perhaps Commander Stephens could arrange everything with Danny?’

‘Yes, of course, that would be easy to do,’ Frank assured her, regaining his balance.

Kitty nodded. ‘That’s so kind of you to think of Tommy, Frank. He’ll appreciate it, he really will. We can’t keep him cooped up at home, and at least this way I’ll know he’ll get back safely.’

‘Don’t mention it,’ he said. ‘It’s no trouble—’

‘We couldn’t think how—’ she began, then she blushed even more in embarrassment as they both apologised for speaking over each other.

She paused to make sure he had finished, and gave an awkward laugh. ‘We were struggling to find a way to get a bike,’ she began again, ‘so thanks a lot, Frank …’ She looked as if she was about to say something more, when Moira from the meeting came striding back along the corridor to look for her.

‘Callaghan. There you are. Do you think you can spare a minute? One of the newer recruits has got herself in a right pickle.’

Kitty smiled at Frank and hurried after the other woman, leaving him with a strange mixture of emotions. He was pleased to help out, and Tommy was almost like a young brother to him, their two families had been so close for so long. But he couldn’t deny that the main feeling rushing through him was pleasure at bringing that look of happiness to Kitty’s face.





CHAPTER SIXTEEN


‘This should do the trick. Do you like it?’ Rita pulled a big checked shirt from her wardrobe. ‘It used to be Jack’s but he hardly ever wore it because he doesn’t like anything too baggy. It was just the ticket for my last couple of months.’

Violet took it and noticed that it was a lovely soft flannel. ‘Are you sure? Won’t he want it when he comes home on leave?’

Rita laughed and shook her head. ‘You must be joking. It won’t fit under his pilot’s jacket and he’ll want to wear that all the time, if I know Jack. No, you take it and put it away somewhere for when you need it.’

‘That won’t be for a while,’ replied Violet, touching her belly self-consciously. She reckoned she was five months gone but there was little to show in the way of a bump as yet. At least the constant sickness had stopped, and she wasn’t quite as tired. Now it had become clear what had been causing her symptoms, she had far more energy, and she was determined to give her baby the best possible start, war or no war.

‘You’ll be surprised,’ predicted Rita. ‘Once you start to swell you keep on ballooning at a proper old pace. You’ll be due in January, won’t you? So this will keep you nice and cosy too.’

‘It will,’ said Violet. ‘I’m ever so grateful, Rita. You’ve all been so good to me, more than I deserve.’

‘Stuff and nonsense,’ said Rita robustly. ‘You’ve more than pulled your weight helping out everyone, so it’s our turn now.’ She knew that Violet didn’t have any real family of her own. Her father had died many years ago, her mother had died in a raid quite early in the war, and she’d always hated her drunken stepfather. The Feenys were her family now. Rita for one didn’t know how she’d cope without her sister-in-law.

Rita’s mind then turned to her other sister-in-law, even though she never called her that, since Ruby had never been acknowledged as Winnie’s daughter while the vile old woman had been alive. Now, though, Ruby had stepped up to help out in the shop, not just to mind it for a moment or two when nobody else was around, or behind the scenes with the bookkeeping. She was down there now, holding the fort, and with none of her former crises of confidence.

‘I hope Ruby’s all right,’ she said, going to the door so she could hear if the young woman should call up the stairs for assistance.

‘Oh, I think she will be,’ said Violet with a grin, looking almost like her old self. ‘As I was coming in, I could see she had a visitor.’

‘A visitor? Ruby? Are you sure?’

Violet tapped the side of her nose. ‘And it won’t be the first time. I’d meant to mention it before, but, you know … it went out of my mind, what with everything else that’s happened.’

‘And no wonder,’ said Rita forcefully. ‘Who is it?’

‘Mr James.’

‘What, the old fellow down at the allotments?’

‘No, not him.’ Violet tilted back her head and gave one of her horsy laughs, which, even though it was a sound that took some getting used to, gladdened Rita’s heart, as she hadn’t heard it since before the dreadful day when the telegram had come. ‘His son. Reggie. Have you met him? You must have, he often brings the vegetables.’

‘Oh, him. The one who limps a bit,’ said Rita, remembering now. ‘Are you sure he isn’t just delivering more boxes of tomatoes?’

‘If you ask me, Rita,’ said Violet wickedly, ‘Ruby’s getting more than tomatoes from him.’

Rita gasped. ‘No! Surely not! Not Ruby.’

Violet shrugged. ‘All right, maybe I’m making more of it than there really is. But it’s more than bringing the vegetables, just you mark my words.’