Winter on the Mersey(70)

‘Say, can I get you girls a drink?’ Gary offered. ‘I guess the bar will still be open.’

‘Oh, it will, but no need to go so far,’ Gloria said. ‘The management are very generous with their backstage supplies. We like a cocktail, don’t we, Nancy?’

‘I’ll make them,’ Nancy offered, knowing where everything was. She turned her back and went to the little cupboard that was almost in darkness in the corner of the room, fetching three mismatched glasses and the silver shaker. Carefully she mixed the drinks the way she had seen Gloria do it, adding a twist of lemon. She concentrated hard, not wanting to drop the glasses, which looked as if they were high-quality cut crystal, and tuned out the low buzz of idle conversation between Gary and her friend. This was the height of sophistication, she decided, as she took back two glasses and then returned for her own.

‘Cheers, Gloria,’ she said, thinking she’d never been happier.

Gary’s eyes twinkled. ‘To the two most beautiful ladies in Liverpool,’ he said, and Nancy laughed affectionately at him.

‘You’re very kind,’ Gloria said gracefully. ‘Nancy’s told me so much about you. You’ve just got back from France, haven’t you?’

‘He’s been so brave,’ Nancy couldn’t resist saying. ‘He led his boys on Omaha Beach, and he’s been fighting ever since.’

‘Me and many thousands of others,’ Gary pointed out. ‘Yeah, it wasn’t a pretty business but we did what we had to do. We didn’t come all the way over here for a tea party; we knew what we were in for.’

‘Well, we’re very glad you did,’ said Gloria, serious now. ‘Without you GIs we’d be in a whole lot of trouble. As it is, it looks as if things are going our way at last.’

‘To victory,’ said Gary boldly, raising his glass. ‘It’s within our grasp at last, ladies.’

Nancy gazed at him with adoration. He was her hero and she would deny him nothing. She waited until he had finished his drink and then said, ‘Gloria, you must be tired after your long evening.’

Gloria took the hint. ‘Just a little, maybe. Don’t let me keep you, Nancy. It’s been lovely meeting you, Gary.’ She smiled once more as the handsome soldier held Nancy’s coat for her and then held the door open.

‘It’s been swell talking to you,’ he said.

‘And you,’ said Gloria. As Gary moved to leave, she quickly took hold of Nancy and gave her a hug. ‘Remember, be careful,’ she whispered in her friend’s ear.

Nancy tapped her playfully on the shoulder as she broke away. ‘Of course. See you when you’re next in town, Glor.’

Gloria stood at the door to her shabby dressing room and waved goodbye to the couple, so visibly excited to be back in each other’s company. She hoped Nancy knew what she was doing. She didn’t want to spoil her friend’s enjoyment, but if she were in her shoes she’d be a little more cautious. Something about Gary Trenton had put her on the alert, but she couldn’t say what it was. Maybe he’d been just that little bit too flirty while Nancy’s back was turned as she sorted out the drinks.

Or maybe it was because she was getting older and more cynical, Gloria told herself. She couldn’t begrudge Nancy some fun. She could see her friend was falling hard for this man – and yet she herself didn’t trust him one inch.





CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO


‘Right, do we all know what we’re doing?’ Kitty asked. It was Christmas morning and the planning of the dinner was like a military operation. Dolly was cooking the turkey and some of the trimmings, but there would be so many people to feed that some of the preparations would have to be done in Kitty’s kitchen and others in Rita’s.

Tommy nodded gravely. ‘I’m going to look after Michael and Megan as soon as they arrive. We’re going to go to the victory garden and see if there’s anything last minute to be brought back.’

‘And you are not, on any account, to allow them to get dirty,’ said Kitty forcefully, even though she knew this was a forlorn hope.

‘Of course not,’ said Tommy, stung by the very suggestion.

‘And what are you going to do, Kitty?’ asked Danny, leaning against the side of the mantelpiece, relaxed and relieved at having made it home on the last train on Christmas Eve. It had been a close-run thing, but he was heartily glad to be back in his own home. Kitty had told him of what had gone on in his absence, but they’d decided to say nothing about it today so as not to spoil the celebrations.

‘I’m waiting for Michael and Megan too,’ she grinned. ‘Or rather, for Joan and Seth. Seth’s managed to get hold of a van and so he’s bringing more food and some real eggs and butter, so I’m going to make a cake. It won’t give me time to make a proper fruit cake, but I can manage a sponge all right.’

‘Now I know I was right to come home,’ said Danny.

‘Will it have real icing?’ demanded Tommy, his eyes lighting up.

‘No, we won’t have the sugar,’ said Kitty. ‘But we’ll have a filling of Dolly’s home-made jam from all that fruit she saved from the victory garden, and I’ll whip up the cream that Joan has promised to bring. You won’t go hungry, believe me.’