Chapter Four

The women welders had been doing touch-up work all day over in the Manor Quay at the far end of the North Sands yard. It was where most of the fitting out and the repair work was done. They’d been set to work on Empire Dynasty, which they had seen go down the ways in May and which was due to leave soon on her maiden voyage. It had been a long day and they were tired, but they were determined not to renege on their arranged get-together at the Admiral after work. They’d all agreed it was well overdue. They had not been out en masse for an age.

Hurrying across the yard to the main gates, they got caught in the bottleneck of workers all lining up to hand in their time boards.

‘Helen not coming?’ Rosie asked Gloria as they shuffled forwards.

‘She said she was leaving work early – ’ Gloria dropped her voice ‘ – to go ’n see her relative over in Ryhope. She said she probably wouldn’t be back in time.’

The crush of workers inched forwards.

‘Actually, there’s something I need to tell everyone about Helen and Dr Parker.’ Gloria glanced round at her workmates, who were squashed up next to her. ‘And Dr Eris.’

‘Sounds intriguing,’ said Dorothy.

‘What is it?’ Polly asked, letting her long chestnut hair free from the confines of her headscarf.

‘Well, in a nutshell, Dr Eris knows about Henrietta,’ Gloria said with a grim face.

‘She knows?’ Dorothy hissed.

‘How come?’ Martha asked.

Gloria took a deep breath. ‘To cut a long story short, Helen was gonna tell Dr Parker how she felt about him the day Rosie found out that Peter wasn’t dead. She drove to the Ryhope after ringing to tell him she wanted to see him ’n that it was urgent.’

‘Sounds romantic,’ Dorothy said.

‘Yes,’ Gloria agreed, ‘and it would’ve been if Dr Eris hadn’t beaten her to it ’n told her to stay away from Dr Parker otherwise she’d blow the whistle on Henrietta – about her being you-know-who’s wife.’

‘So, she’s found out?’ Hannah said sadly.

‘She has,’ Gloria said.

They all inched forward.

‘Obviously, she just thinks Helen’s worried about the Havelock name – she doesn’t know about everything else.’

The women huddled nearer as Gloria lowered her voice.

‘So, Helen agreed?’ Angie said, getting out her clocking-off card, ready to hand it over.

‘She did,’ Gloria said. ‘She didn’t really have any choice.’

‘We’d have been done for if she hadn’t,’ Dorothy said, digging around in her haversack.

‘Poor Helen,’ said Hannah. Her feelings for Helen had grown considerably, as had all the women’s, after Helen had put her life on the line and saved Gloria and her daughter, Hope, on the day of the Tatham Street bombing

‘Yeah, ’n poor Dr Parker – being with such a horrible, conniving cow,’ said Angie.

They had now reached the timekeeper’s cabin and took it in turns to hand their white boards over to Davey.

‘That makes me so angry,’ Dorothy said through pursed lips.

‘Me too,’ said Polly. She had a particular soft spot for Dr Parker and Helen after they had helped to deliver Artie; it was why she had asked them both to be godparents.

The rest of the women muttered that they, too, felt the same as they made a beeline for the Admiral, the yard’s main watering hole.

‘Is there anything we can do?’ Rosie asked.

Gloria shook her head. She had thought long and hard about a possible solution.

‘I really don’t think there is.’

Pulling open the door, they were hit by the overriding smell of spilled beer and wafts of cigarette smoke. Hannah suppressed a cough.

‘There’s a seat!’ Dorothy said, pointing over to the table by the window.

‘I’ll grab it,’ said Hannah. As the smallest in their group, she was the best at weaving her way quickly through a thick sea of overall-clad shipyard workers.

‘I’ll get the first round in,’ Dorothy said. She didn’t need to ask what they all wanted.

‘Give us a shout if yer need a hand,’ said Angie, before following the rest of the women over to the table that Hannah had just commandeered.

Dorothy eased her way to the bar, which was full to heaving.

Feeling someone nudge up behind her, she looked round. It was Bobby.

‘I just wanted to grab a quick word,’ he said.

Seeing Pat, the barman, heading towards her, Dorothy shouted out her order.

Turning her attention back to Bobby, she glared at him. ‘You’ve got until the drinks arrive.’

Suddenly, there was a burst of raucous laughter behind her. A group of platers were well on their way and getting rowdier by the minute. One of them staggered back, pushing Dorothy against Bobby. For a moment their bodies were pressed together. Dorothy could feel herself wanting just to melt into his arms and stay there. She watched as Bobby put his arm over her shoulder. For a moment she thought he was going to pull her close and kiss her.

But he didn’t.

‘Watch yourself, mate!’ Bobby shouted out, giving the bloke who had pushed Dorothy a quick, sharp shove. The man turned round. His expression instantly snapped from lairy to angry.

‘There’s ladies present!’ Bobby looked at Dorothy to prove the point.

‘Pfft! Ladies!’ The man looked Dorothy up and down, taking in her dirty overalls, her hair still tied up in a faded green headscarf, her face smeared with dirt, and guffawed.

‘Call that a lady?’ The man laughed loudly.

Bobby’s face had gone like thunder. He gave the plater another robust shove, causing him to stagger back.

‘Enough!’ Dorothy said, grabbing Bobby’s arm.

Bobby looked at Dorothy’s worried expression and took a deep breath.

‘Apologise!’ Bobby glared at the bloke, who was now rubbing his shoulder.

‘Sorry, mate, I didn’t knar she was yer bit.’ He looked at Dorothy and gave her a sheepish smile. ‘Sorry, pet, didn’t mean to offend.’

‘Apology accepted,’ Dorothy said, holding back from informing him that she was not Bobby’s, or anyone else’s, bit.

Looking back at Bobby, she saw he was still glaring at the man.

‘Leave it,’ she said. ‘He’s said he’s sorry.’ She tugged his arm so that his focus was back on her. Just then the drinks arrived. She handed over the money.

‘I’ll take them,’ Bobby said, picking up the tray.

The women had seen the exchange between the two men and were watching as Dorothy and Bobby weaved their way through the crowded pub and arrived at their table.

‘Everything all right?’ Rosie asked, looking over at the gang of platers now singing some kind of football song.

‘Aye, beer in, wits out,’ said Bobby, putting the tray down.

‘Thanks,’ Dorothy said. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the women forcing themselves to turn away and start making conversation amongst themselves. ‘For bringing the drinks over – and for defending my honour.’

Bobby laughed out loud.

‘Aren’t I meant to be the one living in the “Dark Ages”?’ he said, quoting Dorothy. He smiled at the woman who he was crazy about – who had been driving him crazy in more ways than one since his medical discharge four months ago.

Dorothy allowed herself a slight chuckle. ‘You’re right. It does sound like I’m endorsing some medieval code of chivalry.’ She looked up and held his gaze. ‘Anyway, forgetting that – you said you wanted a quick word?’

Bobby took a deep breath.

‘I did.’ He paused. ‘I wanted to say that I understand you’re in an awkward position after what happened the other week.’

Dorothy felt herself blush just thinking about it. She hoped it wasn’t obvious.

‘I know you’ve been courting Toby—’ Bobby started to say.

‘And am still courting Toby. Present tense,’ Dorothy said, her angry words pushing back her guilt. She’d only spoken to Toby on the phone once since the day of the proposal. She’d tried to sound normal, like her usual self, but it was obvious something was up. Not jumping up and down with excitement when he’d popped the question was a bit of a giveaway.

‘OK, are still courting Toby,’ said Bobby. He hesitated. Talking about his feelings was not his forte.

Dorothy widened her eyes to encourage him.

‘I guess,’ Bobby said, ‘what I want to say to you is that you’d be making a big mistake if you said yes to Toby.’

Dorothy had guessed Gloria would have told Bobby that Toby had asked for her hand in marriage.

‘So much for keeping secrets,’ she said, glancing over at Gloria.

‘She is my mam. Blood thicker than water and all that.’ He let out a burst of incredulous laughter. ‘Anyway, it was you who was on at us to talk. You who pummelled me into submission.’ It was actually something for which he wanted to thank Dorothy. So far, though, he’d not had the chance. Since they’d kissed that day, Dorothy had been avoiding him like the plague.

Dorothy was at a loss for words. She tried to feel angry but couldn’t. All she really wanted to do was lean into Bobby and kiss him and have a repeat of their two minutes of passion standing in the middle of her kitchen.

‘Why would saying yes to Toby be such a mistake?’ she asked, forcing herself back into combative mode. She saw Bobby turn his head slightly to the left and knew he was struggling to hear her. She spoke into his good ear. ‘Why would marrying Toby be a mistake? It’s not as if you really know me or Toby.’

‘Perhaps not.’ Although he did feel as though he and Dorothy had got to know each other these past few months. ‘But I do think it’d be a mistake, marrying someone else after what happened between us.’ Bobby paused. ‘Even if you didn’t want to marry me.’

‘What?’ Dorothy let out a mock gasp. ‘Am I hearing my second proposal in a matter of weeks?’

Bobby ran his hand over his head self-consciously, aware that Dorothy’s squad were near and would undoubtedly be straining to hear what was being said. ‘You know what I’m meaning, Dorothy.’

He looked down at her with serious eyes.

Dorothy allowed herself to return his look.

He touched her arm gently. ‘You know I want you.’

Dorothy looked into his eyes. He was making no effort to hide his desire.

‘I do,’ Dorothy said with a sharp laugh. ‘You want me for one thing.’

Bobby was just about to say something when Jimmy came over.

‘Yer gonna gerrus that round in, mate? We’re all dying of thirst over there.’ He looked over to the far corner where the riveters had been waiting for Bobby to return from the bar.

Bobby looked at Dorothy.

‘Just think about it,’ he said, before turning away and heading back to the bar with Jimmy.

‘Look, the ferry’s in!’ Dorothy shouted out as the women bustled out of the Admiral.

They all hurried down to the landing and piled on, paying Stan, the ferry master, the penny fare.

‘So, come on, Dor, spit it out,’ Angie said as they reached the bow of the old paddle steamer.

‘Yeah, we couldn’t hear a thing in the pub,’ Martha chuckled.

‘Try as you might!’ Dorothy jibed back.

Dorothy looked at Rosie, Gloria, Polly, Martha, Hannah and Angie. Their faces were expectant. It had been too loud in the pub to talk and they were all aware they could be overheard.

‘Well, we did hear Bobby say something like “You know I want you”,’ Hannah said, dropping her voice as a couple of shipyard workers started chatting and smoking next to them.

‘Yeah,’ Dorothy laughed a little bitterly. ‘He wants one thing. And I think we all know what that is.’ She looked at Gloria. ‘Sorry, no offence, Glor, but I think we all know what Bobby really wants.’

Polly looked at Dorothy. ‘Actually,’ she said in earnest, ‘I think Bobby wants you. You know – Dorothy. The person.’ Since Bobby had started lodging at the Elliots’, Polly had got to know him well. He was brilliant with Artie and he was always keen to chat about Tommy, who he clearly saw as a brother in arms, them both being in the navy.

‘Yes, I agree with Polly,’ Hannah said. ‘I think Bobby wants Dorothy the person.’

‘I agree too,’ Rosie said. She was leaning against the metal railing, enjoying the feel of the evening sun on her face. ‘There’s no doubting Bobby’s a red-blooded male, but I don’t think that’s the only reason he wants you.’

‘You all think he wants to court me properly?’ Dorothy looked askance at the women.

‘Of course he wants to court yer properly, yer daft narna,’ Gloria said in exasperation. She wanted to add that her son was completely besotted with her, but didn’t.

‘Why wouldn’t he want to court you properly?’ Hannah asked, genuinely perplexed.

‘’Cos she’s as nutty as a fruitcake,’ Martha chortled.

Dorothy looked at Martha.

‘Many a true word’s said in jest,’ she said with a heavy sigh. ‘Martha’s got a point. Toby loves me, the whole of me – the nutty me as well as the packaging.’ She looked down at her dirty overalls and suddenly felt deflated.

She and Toby had been an item since he had turned up at the bordello and mistaken her for one of Lily’s girls. They’d been attracted to each other from the off. She had invited him to Polly and Tommy’s wedding and they’d been an item ever since. They might not have seen each other as much as a couple would in normal times, but whenever Toby was given leave, he’d jump into his little grey Austin and drive up north to see her. She loved him. Had wanted nothing more than to be his wife. Everything had been clear-cut – until Bobby had come on the scene.

Angie elbowed her best friend. ‘What’s wrong, Dor? You’ve got a face like a slapped backside. Yer should be cock-a-hoop yer’ve got two blokes after yer.’

‘But that’s just it,’ Dorothy said, as the ferry bumped into the landing and they all made their way off. ‘I was quite happy with just the one – Toby – and then Bobby came and put a great big spanner in the works.’

They all started the walk up the embankment to High Street East.

‘I know Toby wants me – all of me – wants me as his wife. For life,’ Dorothy said, thinking of his soft brown eyes, so soulful, so sincere whenever he spoke of his love for her.

‘Whereas Bobby definitely wants me,’ she added, thinking of his mischievous eyes, dancing as he enjoyed their verbal sparring, ‘but for what, and for how long, I’m not so sure.’

They all walked on in silence.

Seeing her bus, Rosie waved it down.

‘Perhaps you should decide who it is you want. And what it is you really want,’ she said, hurrying off.