Chapter Forty-Three

Meggie’s letter arrived and everyone was delighted, with a feeling that at last, they knew she was alive and hopefully well.

Dear Mammy and Tom and All at Home,

Hope you are all well and happy, as I feel sure you are. I am fine and I have settled in here nicely. The weather is great and everyone has a glorious tan. Tell Willie he should hurry up and join the navy. The food is excellent and we were surprised when we were asked how many eggs we wanted for breakfast. No rationing here; plenty of everything, fruit, chocolate, sweets, although I don’t think the quality of the chocolate is as rich as good old Cadbury’s. Even the cigarettes are free. We get them supplied in round tins and I think there are about fifty to a tin and I take them for a mate of mine here, who smokes like a chimney. I haven’t started smoking, Mammy and I know you’ll be pleased to hear that. Now just before I dry up talking about my own lifestyle here, let me just say that I have been very lucky to have a friend of mine; a native of London, posted here with me. I honestly don’t know how that happened as he is not of the navy, but an officer of the Royal Army Medical Corps. He is a doctor or Medical Officer as they are called in the Forces and he is twenty-four years of age I know Mammy will want to hear all this and especially that he is of ‘OUR persuasion’ He is handsome very handsome, but very, very shy. I like him a lot and as I have said, I was surprised when I saw him here. We were on the same Draft and I didn’t know it until we arrived at our destination. So you can see, I am not lonely and you needn’t worry about me as I have a doctor to take care of me if I get sick ... His name is George C. Ambrose. Don’t know what the ‘C’ stands for but I think it might be ‘cute’ Ha! Ha ...

I am sending you all some tinned fruit, as we can get it here easily and the NAAFI will post it home for us, so expect a parcel or two soon. I am also sending some sweets for Fiona. I miss her terribly and think about her a lot. Hope she is well and has got over her teething troubles. Is Sadie able to get a good night’s sleep? I miss everyone at home more than I ever thought I would and I know I will give no offence to anyone when I say I miss Charlie the most ... Well, I would do, wouldn’t I, he being my twin. I guess that’s natural although he can be a ‘devil’ at times. CHARLIE, I LOVE YOU. Take care of Rachael and give her my love also. Is Willie courting yet? Big Handsome Willie ... He’s going to tear some little girl’s heart apart one of these days, I know it bless him. Love to my special sister and friend Aggie. Darling Aggie ... I do miss you and our little heart-to-heart talks. I wish you well, with every joy and happiness ... and to my darling Sadie you should take more care of yourself and get out a bit more, whenever you can. You never know if Errol Flynn or Tyrone Power might be waiting by the bus stop in Girvin Street unless you take a look now and again ... I love you, Sadie. Take care.

Now Mammy I want to tell you how happy I am for you and Tom. You know we all love Tom and we are happy for you both. I wish you long years ahead of happy companionship and love and tell him you are the luckiest of women to have got him and that he should realise how lucky he is too. I’m sure you both realise that without me telling you, but I think it’s nice to be re-assured don’t you?

I’m meeting ‘Cutie pants’ in half-an-hour so I had better go now and get ready for the dance he has promised to take me to. All uniforms, of course, but never mind. The war will soon be over, we hope. I miss you all and send my fondest love, hoping it won’t be long before we are all together again. With lots of kisses to everyone ... and a special big one for Fiona ... Your daughter,

Meggie.

P.S. This letter is full of ‘alls’, but I am so excited. Forgive me!

P.P.S. George is looking forward to meeting the family when we can get some leave.

***

Mary sat quietly as Aggie read the letter aloud and she reached for Tom’s hand when Meggie mentioned him. Aggie was thrilled that her little sister was so happy and especially now when she had a goal of her own to achieve and of course, someone out there with her to look after her. Sadie sighed in despair of ever meeting Errol or Tyrone at the bus stop, but a colour came to her cheek at the thought of meeting Robert Wells that evening if she could get a baby-sitter, so as soon as the family had digested all the news from Meggie’s letter, she took the opportunity.

“Can anyone look after Fiona this evening, Mammy? I’d like to go out, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course I don’t mind Sadie. I’ll be delighted you know that and you don’t have to ask.”

“There’s something else, Mammy.”

“Yes Darling. What is that?”

“There is a young man who is interested in me at the moment and I rather like him too ... Would you mind if I asked him round to tea, one day?”

Mary beamed her delight.

“Sadie, I’m so pleased for you. Of course you must bring your friend to tea. Shouldn’t she Tom?”

“Of course you should Sadie. You know your friends are always welcome here at any time.”

Against Mary’s usual reserve and sagacious caution to meddle in the affairs of any of her family, she asked,

“Do we know this young man, Sadie?”

Sadie lifted Fiona on to her knee and diddled her as her little head swayed contentedly from side to side and she gurgled as Sadie put the baby’s head closer to her own, to tease her by ‘eating’ her fingers. Fiona chuckled with joy and excitement.

“No Mammy, I don’t think you do,” she answered briskly as she thought again about Meggie’s letter. “He’s not of ‘our persuasion’ Mammy. He’s a ‘Billy’ “

Mary’s brow puckered for a moment. She did not understand, nor want to understand the expression Sadie had used.

“Darling Sadie ANYONE is welcome here at our home if he is your friend, but I wish you wouldn’t use that word. It sounds well, disrespectful and I’m sure your friend is anything but that.”

“Sorry Mammy. He is a Protestant he’s not a Catholic.”

“He will be welcome Darling. You know that. Would Wednesday evening be alright?”

Sadie reflected before she answered.

“I think that will be O.K. Mammy but I’ll ask him and let you know.”

Willie had just heard the tail end of the conversation when he came into the room.

“I can baby-sit, if you need me, Mammy. I mean, if you and Tom want to go anywhere. I’m not doing anything this evening.”

“That’s kind of you Willie, but Tom and I will be here and we’d love to look after Fiona. Aren’t you taking that nice nurse Peters out in the evenings?”

Willie hesitated and looked from Tom to Mary and then to Sadie.

“No I won’t be going out well, not this evening anyway.”

He could have added that Lindsey Peters was ‘not of his persuasion’ but he knew it would only complicate matters more deeply. Willie’s persuasion had nothing to do with Religion. His persuasion was Rachael Harris, the Jewess ... Rachael first Rachael second and third ...just Rachael.

***

Willie passed his driving test just two weeks before Charlie sat his. The examiner put Charlie through his paces and he failed on the three point turn.

“I never stood a chance. The bugger got me into such a small area that it would have needed a six point turn to get out. I was sweating my balls off by the time I got the bloody thing straight and then I knocked shit out of the pavement as I backed. I’m fed up. I had hopes of taking Rachael to Inverness this weekend too.”

“I’ll take her if you like, Charlie?” Willie intercepted the dialogue with enthusiasm, perhaps knowing he might annoy Charlie, but he had hopes nevertheless.

“No thanks. I won’t go gooseberry on any joy ride. I’ll pass that bloody test next time. You see if I don’t.” Tom and Mary could not stop laughing, although Mary was a little distraught at the rude anatomical descriptions of her elder son.

“Will you give me a few extra lessons, Tom?”

Tom looked up from his newspaper. He wasn’t reading it, but it hid his laughter.

“Delighted Charlie, but please don’t knock shit out of my tyres, will you please?” he said and Mary dug him in the ribs.

“You are like a set of schoolboys,” she said, “Bloody this and shit that disgusting.” she complained and minced into the garden as she spoke whilst Charlie closed the French doors behind her.

“Sounds nice coming from Mammy ... doesn’t it Tom,” he remarked as he took out his Highway Code to study it further. He swung his leg across the arm of the chair and noticed that his flies were undone.

“Gawd ... I would have had a rollickin’ from Mammy, if she’d seen that,” he said and buttoned his flies as he sniffed and continued to read.

Willie’s first consideration was to drive Rachael to Inverness and his second was the new Site he was to attend on Monday at Clarkston. He had got on well at ‘Charlie’s Site’ and was confident that he would be alright on his own, without Charlie’s supervision, although he had heard that the Foreman at Clarkston was a bit of a b ....... but Mary would never approve of that description, so he dismissed it from his mind.