As Rosie made her way over to see Helen in the admin building, she looked up at the squawking seagulls settling on top of one of the cranes that wasn’t in use.
So that was why Polly had been so evasive the other day. She must have been out of her mind with grief to have done something so insane. Rosie wished she’d known; she might have been able to talk her out of it.
Rosie had known Tommy for years during his time working for the Wear Commission and she knew he’d not make a song and dance about it all, but she’d wager he’d secretly be gutted. There was no way he’d be able to afford a ring, never mind pay for an actual wedding. And it wasn’t as if Agnes had any money.
‘All right, Jimmy!’ Rosie waved over to the head riveter. He opened his mouth to speak but before he could say anything, she beat him to it.
‘No! You can’t have her!’
It was their regular banter concerning their long-standing tug-of-war over Martha.
Opening the door to the main entrance to the admin department, Rosie was hit by a blast of warm air. Taking the stairs two at a time, she felt lighter for having told the women about her meeting with the deputy head. They’d made her see the funny side of it all.
Rosie spotted Helen in her office as she opened the inner door. She was on the phone and her face looked serious.
She hung up and gestured at Rosie to come in.
‘There’s been another accident at Doxford’s,’ she said, lighting up a Pall Mall and waving at Rosie to sit down. ‘A rope from a ship being launched wrapped around a ship in the next berth and dislodged a ladder, which landed on top of some poor bloke. Fractured his skull … He was only forty-five.’
‘Dead?’ Rosie asked, aghast.
Helen nodded solemnly.
‘Leaves a wife and nine children.’
‘Oh God, that’s awful.’
‘I know,’ Helen said. ‘They’ll end up ruling accidental death, but in my opinion that was negligence.’
Just then, Rosie felt something brush against her leg. She jumped and looked down to see Mrs Crabtree’s ginger cat. She gave it a stroke before it sauntered over to a saucer of water in the corner of the room.
‘Does Gloria know?’ Rosie said, nodding at the cat.
‘Yes …’ Helen blew smoke up to the ceiling ‘ … she does. They were reacquainted yesterday.’
‘And?’ Rosie asked.
‘And she was not at all amused. I think her words were something along the lines of, “It’s your choice if you want that flea-bitten moggy getting under your feet and tripping you up, as long as you don’t go chasing after it if there’s a bloomin’ air raid.” I did, of course, try and argue the case that I’d really done her a favour since the cat had taken up permanent residence on her doorstep and would not leave. There was also a practical reason for bringing the cat to work.’
‘As the resident rat-catcher?’ Rosie asked.
‘That’s right,’ Helen said.
‘And has it many scalps to its name as yet?’ Rosie looked at the marmalade-coloured cat now making itself comfy right next to the heater.
‘Not that I’m aware of,’ Helen said, getting up to pour a cup of tea from the tray on the side. She pointed to the pot, but Rosie shook her head. ‘Anyway,’ she said, ‘how did it go yesterday?’
Rosie let out a slightly bitter laugh. ‘As well as to be expected, all things considered.’ She thought of the cheque that George had given her when he’d dropped her and Charlotte off. It had made her feel a lot better about the outcome.
‘Which is why I’m here,’ Rosie said. ‘First of all, thank you for having Charlotte work at the yard last week and paying her—’
‘But,’ Helen interrupted, ‘you’re going to tell me she won’t be coming back as she’ll be starting at the Church High School.’
‘That’s about the sum of it,’ Rosie said. She had mentioned the school when she’d popped in to see Gloria on Sunday. ‘If I can get her in there. I don’t know if they’ve got any places, or if they’ll have her,’ she added.
‘Oh, they’ll have her,’ Helen said, taking a sip of her tea. ‘They’ll be jumping at the chance to have someone like Charlotte – with brains, and I’ll bet you she’s good at sports as well.’
Rosie had to think. She wasn’t sure about her sister’s sporting prowess.
‘Plus, they’ll need all the pupils they can get at the moment,’ Helen added. ‘I’ll bet quite a few of the parents have packed their little Jezebels off to stay with relatives in the country for the duration.’
‘To be honest, that would have been my preference. But as Charlotte has no relatives, never mind any in the country, I’m going to have to risk her staying here.’
Helen wondered again how on earth Rosie was able to afford paying for her sister’s private education.
‘I went there, to the Church High School, you know?’ Helen said.
‘Did you?’ Rosie did, in fact, know Helen had attended the school. ‘Would you recommend it?’ she asked, suddenly realising that the two of them – formerly silent foes at the yard – were now chatting like good friends.
‘I’m sure Charlotte will love it there,’ Helen said. ‘And it does have a good reputation. If your sister wants to go on to university, they’ll get her in.’ She knew Charlotte would get the grades she needed. She’d seen how quickly she’d picked up anything she was asked to do at the yard. The girl was as bright as a button.
Rosie pushed herself out of her chair.
‘I better get back. Poor Gloria’s meant to be on light duties. I’ve leant on her heavily these past two days.’
‘Oh, Gloria’s as tough as old boots,’ Helen laughed. ‘But if you’re worried about her for any reason, come and see me. Just put her wherever they need a spot-welder and make sure whichever squad she’s with knows that she has to rest her leg as much as possible. And if you get any gyp from anyone, just send them my way.’
‘I will.’
Rosie made to leave, then stopped, thumping her head with the base of her palm.
‘I forgot. The main reason for coming here. I need to take a few hours off later on in the week to go and see the head at the Church High School. I’ll work overtime on Sunday and make it up then, though.’
‘Yes, of course, that’s fine. And put the word out that from now on in, there’ll be all the overtime anyone wants.’
‘You on target for Brutus?’ Rosie asked.
‘Yes.’ Helen’s face lit up. ‘Fingers crossed she’ll be going down the ways a week before Christmas.’ Her joy, though, was immediately dampened when she thought about her father. If only he could be there to see what she had achieved. He’d be so proud of her. God, she missed him.
Rosie made to leave for the second time.
‘Actually,’ Helen said, ‘when you go up to the school, send the head my regards, will you?’
Rosie looked at Helen.
‘Are you sure? I’m going to be honest about what I do for a living. I don’t intend to make the same mistake twice. They’ll know I’m a welder here.’
‘Oh, I’m very sure,’ Helen said, a slightly mischievous look on her face. ‘In fact, send her my “warm regards”, and tell her that I might be popping in for a visit sometime soon.’
Rosie smiled her thanks. She had no idea that on hearing Helen would be ‘popping in’, the headmistress would be rubbing her hands with glee. Any visit by a member of the Havelock family meant a sizeable donation to the school.
What Rosie did know, however, was that if the headmistress was harbouring any doubts about taking Charlotte on, the mere mention that Rosie knew Mr Havelock’s granddaughter would have the head pushing Charlotte through the school gates faster than a ship careering down the slipway on launch day.