9

‘That child is making a hell of a mess,’ Bob grumbled as he squeezed past Ruby and Georgie to reach the pantry. ‘Is there anything to eat in this house?’

‘Nanny Ruby told me practice makes perfect,’ Georgie said, shaking flour from a large packet onto a board where she was kneading suet pastry, closely supervised by Ruby.

‘What’s it supposed to be?’ Bob asked as he peered over her shoulder.

Ruby frowned at Bob. ‘We are making steak and kidney puddings, as well you can see, from the pan of meat cooling on the hob.’

‘The smaller one will be for Mrs Munro, as she is still poorly. I’m making that one,’ Georgie said proudly.

‘Thank goodness for that,’ Bob murmured as he reached for a loaf. ‘I really don’t want my meals to be something a child has practised on,’ he muttered to Ruby.

Ruby’s glare was enough to have Bob backing into the living room. ‘I’ll go up the allotment for an hour or so,’ he said, thinking he could pop into the New Light for a pint on the way.

‘It would help if you could bring some veg back with you. The big pudding will be for our dinner tonight. We have visitors.’

Bob nodded his head, thinking of what there was up at the allotment. February wasn’t much of an interesting month for vegetables, but he was sure there was a cabbage. He started to whistle cheerfully as he left the house, contemplating a steaming plateful of Kate and Sidney pudding.

‘Why doesn’t Granddad Bob like my cooking?’ Georgie asked after hearing the front door close behind Bob.

Why indeed? Ruby wondered as she looked at the mess in her kitchen. ‘Let’s just say he’s a bit set in his ways, being on the older side of life, and likes me to cook his meals.’

‘He is rather old, and he can be grumpy sometimes, but then so can my daddy,’ Georgie said thoughtfully, picking up a rolling pin to tackle the suet pastry on the board in front of her. ‘Perhaps I should make them a cake. Cakes are so much more interesting than pastry, don’t you think?’

‘I do, lovey, but you should never forget that making nutritious meals for our family is much more important, even though we all enjoy a slice of cake.’ She grinned, seeing her great-granddaughter’s glum expression. ‘I know, let’s get these puddings on to steam and then we can clear up and eat the cake Granddad Bob failed to find in the pantry.’

‘Perhaps I’ll make a cake when I’m at home,’ Georgie said as she passed the pastry to Ruby. ‘I know where everything is in the kitchen there.’

‘You do that, lovey,’ Ruby replied distractedly as she carefully lined the pudding bowl with the pastry, before adding the meat mix. ‘You do that.’

Ruby looked around the room and at the satisfied faces of her extended family. ‘If you have room, there’s steamed pudding for afters. Do I have any takers?’

George groaned and rubbed his stomach. ‘Mum, I couldn’t eat another morsel.’

‘I don’t know how you managed,’ his wife Maureen said, giving Ruby a crafty wink.

‘Many hands make light work, and your contribution to our meal was gratefully received,’ Ruby said. She was pleased when Maureen took half the ingredients, so that she could concentrate on her great-granddaughter’s cooking lesson. Ruby was thoughtful; perhaps they were wrong to dissuade the child from her dream of being a cook? Georgie was growing up fast and although she could be a pain in the neck, Ruby knew it was time the girl learnt about keeping house, and that included cooking nutritional meals for her own family one day. It wouldn’t be that many years before she left school, and perhaps cooking would be her path in life. Granted, the girl had a bee in her bonnet about baking cakes, but that would pass and one day her great-granddaughter would be a competent cook. That was, if she could learn to clear up after herself. No amount of telling Georgie about rationing, and how they went without during the war, could hammer home to her that she should be prudent with her ingredients.

‘There is a reason for me to invite you all for a meal this evening. There’s no need to look at me like that, either, George. I’m not about to announce I have some terrible illness and to tell you about my last will and testament.’

‘Oh, Nan, hurry up and tell us what it is you have to say. I feel quite flustered,’ Sarah said, holding one hand to her chest while flapping the other in front of her face to cool herself. ‘Whatever is the problem?’

Bob patted his wife’s hand, while Maureen looked towards George to see if he knew what his mother was about to say. George simply shook his head at his wife to indicate that he was in the dark.

‘There’s no need for you all to look so worried. It came to me that no one has mentioned going to pay their respects to our late King. This family has always prided themselves on travelling up to London to mark royal events, whether they be happy or sad. What do you have to say?’

Freda was the first to speak. ‘I would very much like to go, as long as one of you would come with me. I’m sure I could take William in his pram; he won’t remember anything about it, but one day I can tell him he was there.’

‘I don’t think that’s advisable, not in your condition,’ Maureen was quick to say.

‘I have a while to go yet, so as long as I take it steady and have a sit-down when I’m puffed, and we know where the public toilets are, I don’t see it would be a problem at all,’ she said, looking towards Sarah, whom she thought would be an ally.

‘I’ll accompany you. Our King stood by us during the war and set an example to us all; it is only right we say thank you. I reckon Maisie will want to be with us. What about you, Gwyneth?’

‘Most certainly,’ Bob’s daughter-in-law chipped in. ‘My family back home in the Valleys have already written pointing out that, as I live so close to London, it is important for me to do my duty. I take it you are keen to be part of our trip, Ruby?’ the soft-spoken Welsh woman asked.

Bob and George both objected at the same time.

‘Mum, you’d be daft to undertake the journey,’ George spluttered.

Bob was more to the point. ‘You’re too old to be gallivanting off up to town.’

‘I’ll decide whether I’m daft or whether I’m too old,’ Ruby said to her husband and her son. ‘However, any doubts I had have been swept away by your objections.’

‘Thank goodness for that,’ Bob said, looking relieved.

‘I mean I’m going, and I don’t want anyone arguing about it,’ she went on, giving Bob a steely look.

‘I’ll stay behind and look after the children. My gammy leg wouldn’t be up to standing in a queue for such a long time, although I’ll be sad not to be able to pay my respects,’ Maureen said, giving the children around the table a bright smile. ‘I’m sure we can find something interesting to do.’

‘We could do some baking,’ Georgie was quick to chip in, causing many of the adults to groan.

Sarah’s youngest child, Buster, looked up from where he’d been trying to hide cabbage underneath a pile of suet pastry. ‘Why do ladies always want to know where the toilets are?’

‘Don’t worry your little head about that,’ Ruby replied. ‘It’s just a case of being prepared, in case we . . . well, in case someone with us wants to go.’

‘Then you’d better make sure you have a purse full of pennies, as Dad is always asking if we want to spend a penny when we go to the seaside,’ Buster said, looking serious.

As the laughter subsided, Gwyneth thanked Maureen for offering to look after the children. ‘Mike reckons he will be on duty in the days leading up to the funeral, so I can’t rely on him being off duty to have the kiddies. He wanted to be here tonight, as he loves your steak and kidney pudding. Thank you so much for saving some,’ she said to Ruby. ‘I take it your Alan is very busy as well, Sarah?’

‘Gosh, yes, he’s working all hours at the shop; that’s why he’s not here this evening. Since it has been announced that the funeral service is to be shown on television, he’s had no end of enquiries about purchasing television sets. Dad, you know more about this than I do.’

‘I don’t mean to say this in a disrespectful way, but the King’s passing has been a great help to the business. Not only that, but we have also seen an increase in wireless sales as well as repairs. Some people will be disappointed because, even if we doubled our staff, we won’t be able to keep up with the demand. I’ve managed to secure some stock of televisions that will be delivered in the next couple of days.’

‘Fancy watching a funeral on the television. I’m not quite sure I approve,’ Ruby said. ‘Something should be private, and for the family alone.’

‘I suppose it’s no different from people standing in the street, watching it go by,’ Bob replied, still annoyed with Ruby for saying that she intended to travel to London.

‘I disagree with you,’ Gwyneth said, looking embarrassed to be speaking against her father-in-law’s opinion. ‘When there is a funeral of someone we know in the town, don’t we stand still as the cortège passes by and silently pay our respects? In a way that is no different to standing on a pavement in London as our monarch goes to his final resting place.’

‘You’re right, lass. I didn’t think of it that way,’ Bob replied, giving her a sheepish grin.

‘You’d best not forget to close all our curtains,’ Ruby told him. ‘I don’t know what people would think if they were left open during such a sad day.’

Bob groaned. ‘How will I see anything, with the curtains pulled? You know my eyes aren’t as good as they used to be. I can’t really turn the lights on in the daytime, as that would be silly.’

‘Why not come to our place?’ George asked. ‘I want your advice on our garden, and we can watch the funeral on our television set.’

The children cheered at the mention of George and Maureen’s television set.

‘Can I watch the funeral too?’ Myfi asked her mum, Gwyneth.

Gwyneth stroked the young girl’s hair. It was as dark as her own, with people often commenting on how the apple hadn’t fallen far from the tree, even though Myfi was her late sister’s child. She was growing up so fast, and in a few years she would be a beauty. Gwyneth was thankful that Myfi was shy and not one to take the lead, unlike Maisie’s eldest two, who seemed so worldly-wise. ‘I’m thinking you could come with us to London, cariad,’ she smiled, looking to Freda and Sarah for their approval.

Both women agreed, with Freda giving Myfi a broad smile. ‘Perhaps you could keep me company on the trip? We could look out for a shop where we could purchase more knitting patterns.’

‘Aren’t there enough in Woolworths?’ Myfi asked innocently.

Sarah hooted with laughter. ‘Freda has every single one already; that baby is going to be the best turned out child in Erith by the time it comes along.’

‘And will be royally spoilt by all his or her aunties and cousins, just as William is. I know none of you will be blood relatives, but as far as I’m concerned, each and every one of you are my family.’

Ruby wiped her eyes while Bob blew his nose noisily. ‘I’ve always thought of you as a granddaughter, Freda, but to hear you say how we are all part of your family has touched me deeply. Now, who has room for spotted dick and custard?’

‘I told you to go and sit down and rest, Mum, you’ve been on the go all day,’ George said as Ruby joined him in the kitchen, where he had his sleeves rolled up and was tackling the washing up, assisted by Bob.

‘I’ll do that in a moment, but first I wanted to catch you on your own and ask if you’d found out anything about Vera’s son?’

‘Give him a chance; it’s only been a couple of days since he offered to help,’ Bob scolded his wife.

Ruby turned to leave the kitchen as George called after her. ‘Actually there is something, but best not say anything to Vera at this early stage, as it may get somebody in trouble.’

‘Then keep it to yourself, lad,’ Bob said with a grin. ‘Loose lips and all that.’

‘Stop it, or you can go and sit with the girls in the front room. They are talking about problems in childbirth,’ she replied, seeing how his face turned pale. ‘Now, what have you found out? Be quick, as no doubt one of the kiddies will be out here in a minute.’

‘I thought there would be a possibility that Vera’s son still lived in the area. I was in the town hall yesterday and stopped to speak to a couple of women in the housing department about something else. I’ve known both for quite a while and they’re helpful ladies, so I asked if they’d come across the man, as I needed to speak with him and had misplaced his address.’

‘Be careful, George. I don’t want you getting in trouble because of Vera’s foolhardiness years ago.’

‘It’s all right, Mum. I wasn’t asking anything untoward. With me being a local councillor, I’m always in there asking for help with a housing problem for the constituents. I was told to pop back in tomorrow and they would have had time to go through their index system. I did mention the address where he lived as a child, before the family moved away. I’ve not done anything wrong or rung any alarm bells. It is more than my political career is worth to do that.’

‘Thank you, love. I’ll not say a dicky bird to Vera. I’d hate to get her hopes up. I’m taking a small steak and kidney pudding up to her tomorrow and will see if she has had any other thoughts that could help the search. By the way, I’ve not told her you are helping me. She knows I told Bob, and her response to that is unrepeatable.’

‘Tell her I think fondly of her too,’ George said with a grin. ‘She may be a strange woman at times, but I’m keen to help Vera. I can’t imagine what it must be like to lose contact with a child, let alone give one up, as she did.’

Ruby kissed his cheek. She’d never felt so proud of her son as she did at that moment.

Freda made herself comfortable in an armchair close to the fire and held her hands out towards the flames. ‘I could sit here forever,’ she sighed.

‘It’s all right for some. I have a basket of ironing waiting for me at home, and these two will need a bath before they go to bed,’ Sarah said as she knelt on the hearth rug beside her young friend.

‘Make the most of this time,’ Gwyneth said as she bounced her young son, Robert, on her knee. ‘You will be run ragged once the little one arrives. I’m in awe of anyone who has two babies close together.’

Freda smiled at her friends. ‘I’m looking forward to it so much. Tony adores the thought of his own little family; being an orphan, he never had a normal childhood. There is still a fair time to go and, to be honest, I’m a little bored with the waiting, even though I have William to care for.’ She smiled at the fair-haired baby in her arms. ‘By the time baby number two comes along, this little lad will be toddling. The small back bedroom is as ready as it can be. I’ve even chosen a new pram that will hold the two of them.’

Sarah and Gwyneth both gasped. ‘Whatever you do, don’t bring it home until after the birth,’ Gwyneth said, her words rushing out before Sarah could say anything.

‘It is customary to put a deposit down, and then your Tony can collect it when you are ready to come home.’

Freda kept quiet, rather than mention that she’d had William’s pram at their rented home in Birmingham two months before he’d arrived. She wasn’t one for superstition.

‘I wish I’d hung on to our Buster’s pram, as you’d have been welcome to it. As it was, I donated it to the WVS, and no doubt by now it is doing a good turn for another mother,’ Sarah apologized.

Gwyneth’s cheeks turned pink as she spoke quietly, making sure her daughter Myfi could not hear. ‘You would have been welcome to our pram, but . . .’

‘Is there another baby Jackson on the way? I’m so pleased for you,’ Sarah said.

‘I may be wrong, and I’ve not even said anything to Mike.’

Freda sighed. ‘How glorious, our babies will be growing up together. I won’t feel so alone, being the last of the friends to give birth.’

‘You will never be alone, Freda, that is as long as Tony doesn’t go taking you off to another part of the country again,’ Gwyneth said. ‘I’m grateful Mike is happy to work at the local police station and has no desire to move to another police force. He may work strange duties at times, but he’s always ready to care for the children.’

‘I’m really hoping Tony will be given the Erith store to manage, once his Olympic duties are over,’ Freda replied. ‘I want my children to grow up here in Alexandra Road, as it’s a place I’ve come to love so much.

Gwyneth agreed, before clapping a hand to her mouth. ‘I meant to tell you, Sarah, one of the young girls on the biscuit counter had a run-in with that awful floorwalker.’

Sarah groaned. ‘Oh no, not another. I’m going to have a word with Mr Harrison about the chap. Tell me what you know; it will go no further, I promise.’

‘He cornered her at the bottom of the staff staircase and made certain suggestions to her. The poor child was petrified, but fortunately another colleague came along, and Mr Argent scarpered. I do wonder whether you could have a word with the female staff before some of them decide to leave. After all, you are the senior female member of staff in the Erith store.’

‘Yes, I’ll do just that, as we can’t have women being treated like this. Thank you for bringing the problem to my attention, Gwyneth. I’ll make sure something is done, and as soon as possible.’

‘Why the glum faces?’ Ruby asked as she joined the women in the front room. ‘Stay where you are, Freda, I’ll sit here with Gwyneth,’ she added as Freda started to stand up.

The girls explained about the problem they had with the floorwalker. Ruby tutted in annoyance. ‘In my day we carried a hat pin to defend ourselves in such circumstances, but I doubt you girls require hat pins to secure your work caps.’

‘It’s a pretty good idea, though,’ Freda said.

Maureen had been sitting knitting quietly in an armchair set in the bay window. ‘I know I only work a few hours a day, but please make it known to your colleagues that I’m always there as a shoulder to cry on, if Sarah isn’t on duty. This does need to be brought to the attention of Mr Harrison, as Mr Argent’s actions are unacceptable. I can see a few husbands hearing about this and paying him a visit.’

‘I’ll ask Mike if there is anything we can be doing,’ Gwyneth said, looking shocked at Maureen’s words. Violence in the store would not look good for F. W. Woolworth.

‘I shall speak to Mr Harrison first thing in the morning and then we will know what course to take,’ Sarah said. ‘I promise I will put a stop to all of this.’

Ruby looked thoughtful. ‘There is something else you could consider. Why not take a leaf out of Maisie’s book? She’d not stand for being propositioned. She’d be bellowing at the top of her voice, so that other staff members knew what was going on and came to her aid.’

Sarah chuckled as she imagined the scene. ‘Gosh, that’d soon stop his wandering hands. But, seriously, I don’t have confidence in our manager. My feelings are that he will side with the floorwalker, as Mr Harrison and Mr Argent are drinking buddies.’

‘I’ve heard that as well,’ Gwyneth said. ‘Whatever can be done?’

The women fell silent until Sarah spoke. ‘We were safe when Betty was in command, and the store was such a happy place to work in. I’m going to ask her if she would apply to return to work. That will make us all happy.’

Freda’s quiet voice piped up. ‘As much as I love Betty, I’d not be happy to see her installed as the new manager, if Mr Harrison were moved on. If my Tony doesn’t get offered the Erith store, we could end up living and working in another part of the country.’