‘So, let’s hear all about it,’ Dorothy demanded as they settled down for their lunch in the canteen.
‘Gloria here wouldn’t tell us a thing, miss,’ Angie groused.
Gloria looked at Rosie and rolled her eyes heavenwards.
‘Just that you’d gone to Harrogate to see that Mrs Willoughby-what’s-her-name,’ Martha said.
‘And that it was something to do with Charlotte being bullied,’ Polly said, taking a bite of her sandwich.
Everyone looked at Rosie expectantly.
As Rosie began to relay the real reason for Charlotte’s refusal to go back to Runcorn, their expressions changed to ones of outrage.
‘Poor Charlotte,’ Hannah said, her big brown eyes pooling with empathy. ‘Why would anyone pick on another person because they’d suffered such a terrible tragedy – and at such a young age?’
‘They should have been nicer to her because she didn’t have a mam and dad, not nastier,’ Olly said.
Hannah nodded vigorously.
‘Perhaps in an ideal world,’ Rosie said sadly.
‘And Charlotte’s friend with the asthma – what’s her name again?’ Polly asked.
‘Marjorie.’ Dorothy beat Rosie to it.
‘Poor Marjorie,’ Polly said. ‘Thank goodness she’s not there any more.’
‘I know,’ Rosie said. ‘I think that was when Charlotte decided she’d had enough.’
‘When she was totally on her own,’ Martha surmised.
‘Exactly,’ Rosie said. ‘It sounded like no one wanted to be friends with Charlotte after the fight for fear of being bullied themselves.’
‘Honestly,’ Polly said, ‘makes me glad I went to Hudson Road School.’
‘I just can’t get the image of them all taunting Charlie and laughing at her.’ Rosie dropped her voice on seeing Gloria nod her head at the counter, warning her that Muriel was about.
‘And,’ she added, ‘I do feel a bit guilty for being so hard on her. Especially as the reason she didn’t tell me was because she was worried about hurting my feelings.’ She sighed. ‘I should have realised that there was more to it than she was letting on.’
‘Well, I don’t think there’s been any permanent damage done,’ Gloria said, taking a sip of her tea. ‘I think Charlotte’s a chip off the old block. Like her sister – got broad shoulders.’
Everyone murmured their agreement. They were all glad Gloria was back in the fold. Their mother hen had returned to rule the roost.
When Rosie told them she had worn her overalls and boots, there were cries of disbelief, a huge guffaw from Martha, and an actual scream from Dorothy.
‘Sorry.’ Dorothy belatedly put her hand across her mouth and looked around her.
Dozens of nearby workers had swung round to see what the emergency was.
‘Eee,’ Polly said. ‘I wish I’d seen you.’
‘I wish I’d seen the looks on their faces,’ Gloria said
Rosie thought for a moment and then laughed.
‘In hindsight, it was a bit of a crazy thing to do.’
‘I’d say! Wouldn’t you, Ange?’ Dorothy nudged her friend.
‘Too bloomin’ right,’ Angie agreed. She hadn’t thought it possible to idolise her boss any more than she did already.
‘Oh, I forgot,’ Rosie said, rummaging around in her bag. ‘Charlie asked me to give you this, Hannah.’
‘Oh,’ Hannah said, taking the brown paper bag and looking inside. ‘A book!’
She carefully took it out.
‘Cicero,’ she said, touching the hardbacked book as though it was newly discovered treasure.
‘Who’s he when he’s at home?’ Angie asked.
‘He’s Hannah’s favourite philosopher,’ Olly explained.
Hannah opened the book but hastily shut it again.
‘I’ll read it properly when I’m at home,’ she declared. ‘Please tell Charlotte “Thank you thank you thank you!”’
‘But how was it that Charlotte ended up telling you the truth in the end?’ Polly asked, puzzled.
Rosie groaned.
‘A story for another time.’
Seeing Bel and Marie-Anne coming into the canteen, she waved to them.
‘Hi, everyone,’ Bel said as she and Marie-Anne reached their friends. They pulled up a couple of chairs and sat themselves at the top of the table.
‘Just in time,’ Rosie said, wanting a change of subject. Much as she liked Marie-Anne, she still didn’t want her to know too much about her personal life. ‘Dorothy was just on the verge of grilling Polly about her wedding.’
‘How did you know?’ Dorothy looked at Rosie in amazement.
‘Just a guess,’ she said, looking across at Polly, whose face had dropped at the mention of her nuptials.
They all caught Bel raising her eyebrows at her sister-in-law.
‘Oh, that’s a look if ever I saw one,’ Marie-Anne said.
‘Yes, it was!’ rose Dorothy’s voice.
Polly sighed and looked at Bel.
‘Come on, Pol, you’ve got to tell them,’ Bel said. ‘It’ll be good practice for when you confess all to Tommy.’
Now all the women were enrapt.
‘Eee, yer not ganna call it off, are yer?’ Angie said, aghast.
There was silence as they all awaited Polly’s answer.
‘Well,’ she said. ‘Not exactly.’
‘What you mean, “not exactly”?’ Martha asked, her face deathly serious.
Polly let out a nervous laugh.
‘Oh, it’s not bad news. I’m not calling the wedding off.’ Polly paused. ‘But there might be a bit of a delay.’
‘A delay?’ Gloria asked.
‘Why?’ Rosie asked.
Polly took a deep intake of breath.
‘I still can’t believe you did what you did,’ Dorothy said to Polly as they all headed back to the dry basin. ‘But I don’t think you should put off the wedding just because you’ve given away all of Tommy’s wages, don’t you agree, Ange?’
‘I agree,’ Angie said automatically. She was still slightly dumbstruck that anyone could give that amount of money to charity. And Polly of all people. She was meant to be the sensible one.
‘What about you, Martha?’ Dorothy asked.
Martha nodded her head in silent agreement. She, too, had been gobsmacked by Polly’s revelation, but more so about the poor girl who had lost her hands. She kept looking down at her own hands, imagining what it would be like to have false ones.
‘I suppose you could do what Rosie did,’ Gloria suggested.
‘What? Run away and get married in a registry office?’ Angie asked.
‘It wouldn’t cost much,’ Martha said.
‘I’d be up for that,’ Polly said. ‘More than up for it, but I think my ma would have me hung, drawn and quartered for even thinking about it. Mind you, she’s probably going to do that anyway when I tell her about the money.’
‘Oh. My. God.’ Dorothy said. ‘You’ve not told Agnes?’
Polly turned pale.
‘No, and I’m not telling her until I’ve told Tommy.’
‘When yer gonna tell Tommy?’ Angie asked. ‘He’s gonna go bonkers, isn’t he?’
‘Ange,’ Dorothy reprimanded. ‘That’s not really what Pol wants to hear.’
‘I’m sure Tommy won’t go “bonkers”,’ Gloria said.
‘I hope not,’ Polly said. ‘Although I bet you he’d be up for doing a Rosie and Peter.’
‘It did sound very romantic, didn’t it?’ Dorothy mused, a dreamy look on her face.
‘Yes, I thought so,’ Polly said. ‘Just the two of them. In a whirlwind romance, like they were eloping. Although,’ she added thoughtfully, ‘I wouldn’t have liked the end bit – my new husband going off to war. Imagine getting married, then two days later kissing him goodbye, not knowing if you’re ever going to see each other again.’
‘It’s not unheard of these days, though, is it?’ Gloria said.
‘It must be awful,’ Marie-Anne said.
Polly gave an involuntary shiver, thinking of her own heartache when she’d waved Tommy off to war after just getting engaged.
‘I know,’ she said. ‘I keep telling myself how lucky I am. At least I’ve got Tommy back for good.’