Miss May returned to the shop three days later to find everything running smoothly, which made what she had to say to Holly all the harder.
‘How is your sister?’ Holly enquired and Miss May fidgeted nervously with her glove.
‘As you would expect. Very upset, of course. We have decided that as soon as the funeral is over early next week, Martha will come to live with myself and my husband. She is packing up all the belongings she wishes to bring with her even as we speak. And that leads me to something that I have to talk to you about, my dear.’
‘Oh yes?’ Holly cocked a curious eyebrow wondering what it might be. Miss May seemed to be all of a fluster about something.
‘The thing is …’ Miss May paused to clear her throat. ‘Now that my brother-in-law has passed away my sister has no income. She has some savings, of course, but unfortunately they won’t last forever so I thought that perhaps she could come and work with me in the shop … The trouble is I can’t run to another wage so—’
‘So you thought she could have my job?’ Holly finished for her. She plastered on a smile, but inside her stomach was churning. She had loved working in the shop and now she was going to have to adapt to yet another change in her life. ‘It won’t be a problem at all,’ she assured the woman. ‘If I’m not working in the shop I can work at the hospital full-time. I know Matron would love it but … what about the flat?’ Holly was terrified that she was about to lose her home as well as her job.
Miss May was so relieved that Holly didn’t appear to be upset about losing the job that she rushed to reassure her. ‘Oh, things can stay just as they are. And please don’t think this is happening because I haven’t been pleased with your work. It’s quite the contrary, you’ve been a true help and can run the place now as well as I can. I don’t mind admitting I shall miss you terribly. But you and Ivy can stay on upstairs for just as long as you want.’
‘Actually, I have something to tell you as well,’ Holly said. ‘Ivy left on the evening you went to your sister’s. She’s going to be married shortly.’
‘Really? Well, how wonderful. I had no idea she and her young man were so serious. But can you manage on your own?’
Holly nodded. ‘I think so but if need be I thought I might offer one of the nurses at the hospital Ivy’s room, if you have no objection, that is.’
‘I’d have no objection whatsoever. I trust your judgement implicitly,’ Miss May assured her. And so it was decided and once again it felt to Holly like her life was about to change.
Just as Holly had hoped, the matron was only too happy to offer her full-time employment and, relieved, Holly felt that things had worked out well. It was agreed that she would start in two weeks’ time, which would give Miss May time to settle her sister in and let her take over Holly’s job in the shop. But she missed Ivy terribly. The evenings were the worst. They had usually prepared their evening meal together and chatted about what they had been up to during the day but now when she got home only silence greeted her. Ivy had already popped round once to drop off Jeremy’s address for her and one evening Holly decided she would visit her. She had asked Dora for directions as she lived in that area, although she had still had no luck in tracing anyone by the name of Farthing as yet.
It was a brisk autumn evening and as Holly walked along she was glad of the warm scarf and gloves she had treated herself to the week before. As she neared the address that Ivy had given her she found that it was as dismal an area as the one she and Ivy had rented when they had first arrived in London. Buck’s Row, where Ivy lived, proved to be just as depressing and as she strolled along she glanced worriedly from side to side. This place was a breeding ground for thieves and vagabonds and she felt nervous being there after dark. At last she arrived at number 38. It was a tall, terraced house the same as all the others in the row and equally as depressing from the outside. The stench as she stepped into the hallway made her screw her nose up and she had to step past a gaggle of children playing on the floor there to reach the stairs. Ivy had told her that Jeremy lodged in the top two rooms so she began to climb. The higher she went and the more she saw of the state of the place, the stranger it seemed that someone from Jeremy’s background should lodge there. At the top of the house she paused as she looked at a number of doors. What number had Ivy said? Ah, room 12, that was it. She tapped on the door tentatively and seconds later she heard footsteps inside and the door slowly inched open. Ivy stood there but this was not the Ivy that Holly knew. Her hair was straggling on her shoulders and she had a thin shawl wrapped about her. But it wasn’t that that Holly was focusing on, it was Ivy’s eye, which was swollen and almost shut.
‘Crikey, Ivy, that’s some shiner you’ve got there. Whatever have you done?’ Holly asked with concern as she squeezed past her into the room. She had the impression that Ivy was none too pleased to see her for some reason.
‘I, er … walked into a door when I got up to go to the toilet in the night,’ Ivy told her but somehow the words didn’t ring true and Holly gazed at the girl’s bruised face suspiciously.
Glancing around the room Holly saw that Ivy was alone and asked, ‘Jeremy out, is he?’
Ivy nodded. ‘Yes, he’s working. Would you like a cup of tea? I’m afraid I ain’t got no milk. I forgot to get some on the way home from work.’
‘That’s all right. I can drink it without,’ Holly said pleasantly as she settled into a rather worn armchair. There was something not right here, every instinct told her so but she kept the smile on her face. ‘So you’re still working then?’
Ivy nodded as she filled the kettle at the sink. ‘Yes, just for the time bein’ till I start to show. But how are you managin’?’
‘Fine, although I’m missing you terribly, Ivy.’ Holly smiled at her affectionately. She then went on to tell her about Miss May’s sister and that she would soon be nursing full-time and Ivy looked pleased for her.
They sat with their tea in front of them and as Holly sipped at the scalding liquid she asked casually, ‘Have you set the date for the wedding yet?’
‘Er … no, not yet. Jeremy’s always so busy, you see? We will very soon. But how do yer feel about workin’ full-time at nursin’?’
Ivy was clearly keen to get off the subject of Jeremy and marriage, which only added to Holly’s worries about her.
‘Oh, I quite like the idea now that I’ve got used to it,’ Holly answered, glancing around the shabby room. ‘And I had a letter from my mother yesterday. Everything seems to be all right at home, thank goodness. Perhaps the next time I go for a visit you could come with me and go to see your mum too?’
‘We’ll see,’ Ivy said cagily and they went on to talk of inconsequential things for a time. But Holly could sense that Ivy was on edge, and the conversation was stilted, so she gathered her things together, but before she left, she took Ivy’s hand and stared earnestly into her eyes. ‘Please, Ivy, promise me you’ll come to me if ever you need me. I miss you and you know I’d do anything to help you.’
She hoped her words would encourage Ivy to confide in her, but although Ivy squeezed her hand and tears came to her eyes, she remained silent, so, with a sigh, Holly left and made her way back home through the rancid-smelling streets, feeling more than a little concerned.
She could understand why Ivy wouldn’t be thrilled for her to visit. She probably didn’t want her to see the state of the place they were living in, but it was the black eye that was giving Holly the most cause for concern. Walked into a door indeed! And yet she would rather believe that than the alternative, she didn’t think she would be able to bear it if she found out that Jeremy was ill-treating her friend.
She had just turned into Oxford Street when someone calling her name made her glance nervously over her shoulder, and there hurrying towards her was Dr Parkin. Her heart did its customary little leap at the sight of him and she was suddenly glad of the darkness that would hide her blushes. She stopped and when he caught up with her he smiled.
‘Hello, what are you doing out and about on such a chilly night?’
‘I’ve just been to see a friend,’ she explained.
‘And are you in a rush to get home?’
She shook her head.
‘Good, then perhaps you’d join me for a bit of supper? I haven’t eaten since early this morning and I’m starving. There’s a rather nice little restaurant just a little further up the road, what do you think?’
Holly hadn’t had her evening meal yet either so she nodded shyly and taking her elbow he led her along chattering all the time. Soon he ushered her into a cosy-looking restaurant with tables covered in crisp, white tablecloths and tiny vases of flowers on each one; the waitresses were all dressed in smart black dresses and frilly white aprons. They were seated at a table by the window where they could watch the world going by, and as Dr Parkin handed her the menu, their hands brushed and Holly felt a little tingle run up her arm and she blushed. He looked so handsome sitting there that he almost took her breath away and she had to force herself to concentrate on choosing what she wanted to eat. When they’d placed their order he asked the waiter for a bottle of wine and Holly sipped hers cautiously.
‘So, was it Ivy you were going to see?’ he asked as they waited for their food to be served and she nodded. She had told him about her friend moving out during her lunch break at the hospital a couple of days before.
‘And how is she?’
‘Oh fine,’ she answered airily, reluctant to share her concerns with him. She hadn’t told him, or anyone else for that matter, about the baby either, considering it to be no one else’s business but Ivy’s. The way she saw it the gossip would spread quickly enough when Ivy began to show.
He went on to speak of his mother and his family then and she warmed to him even more. He was clearly very fond and proud of his mother, which Holly found endearing.
‘I’ve tried to get her to move out of Spitalfields and into a better area now that we’re all grown up,’ he grumbled. ‘But she won’t even consider it. She can be a stubborn old devil when she makes her mind up to be.’ He chuckled as he topped Holly’s glass up. ‘She says she’s always been happy enough where she is so why move now? Some of her neighbours have been her friends for years and she doesn’t want to leave them.’
‘I can understand that.’ Holly was feeling decidedly light-headed and was smiling like a Cheshire cat. ‘I don’t think I’d better have any more wine, I’m not really used to it,’ she admitted and he grinned.
‘In that case I’ll order us some coffee.’ He patted his stomach contentedly. ‘And I have to say that meal was delicious.’
‘Yes, it was.’
It was almost an hour later when they finally left the restaurant. Holly thanked him profusely for such a treat, but he waved her thanks away, saying she was doing him a favour by keeping him company. He insisted on walking her home and it seemed the most natural thing in the world to link her arm through his as they strolled along. When they reached the shop she looked up at him in the glow of the street lamp and was sure that she had never seen a more handsome man in the whole of her life.
‘Thank you so much for a lovely evening,’ she said shyly and he smiled down at her.
‘Thank you for keeping me company. I can assure you the pleasure was all mine.’ He hesitated for a moment, then said, ‘I would love to do this again, but it may not be possible for a while. I didn’t tell you before, but I will be transferring to another hospital next week to continue my training.’
Holly felt her stomach drop in disappointment.
‘But, I would be honoured if you would allow me to write to you?’
‘I’d like that. And I will write to you too.’ She smiled happily, thought it wouldn’t be as good as seeing him, but at least he wanted to stay in touch.
‘Nothing would make me happier.’ He smiled into her eyes, and lifted her gloved hand to his lips, kissing it gently.
After he’d left, Holly felt as if she were walking on air, although this feeling was tempered with the knowledge that just as she would be starting to work at the hospital full-time, he would be leaving. But he wanted to write to her, which must mean he liked her. Unable to stop smiling, as she climbed the stairs to her little flat, she wondered if she was falling just a little in love with him. Never having been in love before she couldn’t be sure, she only knew that she liked the feeling and wanted it to continue.