Chapter Nine

‘Mam!’ Bobby shouted over to Gloria, who was leaving the canteen with the women welders. ‘I’ve just got word from Gordon saying he’s fine.’ He headed over to her, waving his brother’s letter in the air.

Gloria put her hand on her chest and let out a sigh of relief.

‘Let’s have a read,’ she said, stretching out her hand.

Bobby slowed down as he reached the women. Seeing Dorothy, he smiled at her. She ignored him. It had been two weeks now since the punch-up with Toby, and Dorothy had not spoken a word to him. He knew to let well alone until Dorothy’s temper had dissipated. He was happy to wait, though, as he’d learnt from his mam that it was all over with Toby. Now it was just a matter of playing his cards right. It would not be wise to charge in there like a bull in a china shop.

Handing over his brother’s letter, Bobby laughed. ‘Mind you, he sounds a bit cheesed off Opportune didn’t get to see much action.’ Gordon was stationed on HMS Opportune, a British destroyer whose job during the D-Day landings had been to keep the waters clear of any enemy ships or submarines.

‘Well, that’s good, isn’t it? No action?’ Hannah said.

‘It is good,’ said Gloria.

Bobby didn’t say anything, just smiled and gave them his usual mock salute. They all watched as he turned and strode back over to his squad. It was hot and he had his overall top tied around his waist. It was hard not to admire his muscular body, tanned after weeks of blazing sun beating down on them all.

‘Come on, let’s find some shade,’ Dorothy said, leading the way over to a part of the yard overcast by the shadow of one of the larger cranes.

They all sat down on some empty crates and a pile of stacked-up pallets to eat their lunch.

‘Do yer think it’s time yer talked to Bobby?’ Angie asked, fiddling with the peaked cap she had taken to wearing to keep the sun off her fair skin. The weather had brought her freckles out in full force.

‘Yes, just talk to him,’ said Hannah, looking at Olly, who nodded his agreement.

Dorothy looked at Gloria, who didn’t say anything. As Bobby’s mam and Dorothy’s friend, she had to tread carefully.

‘I’m confused,’ said Martha.

‘You’re always confused,’ Dorothy jibed back.

‘She’s not the only one.’ Polly defended her. ‘I’m confused too. Now that you’ve called things off with Toby, why don’t you just give it a go with Bobby? It’s obvious the two of you have got the hots for each other.’

Dorothy tutted, but didn’t deny it.

‘Yes, and it’s been two whole weeks since you told Toby, so I think that’s a respectable amount of time before you start seeing someone else, don’t you agree?’ Polly looked around at her workmates and they all nodded.

‘Just what I was sayin’ last night, weren’t it, Dor?’ Angie said.

‘Wasn’t it,’ Dorothy corrected. ‘And yes, it was, Ange. That was, of course, after you’d been discussing the topic with Quentin for hours on the phone.’

‘It wasn’t hours. I just mentioned it briefly ’n he agreed. We’ve got better things to talk about than you, yer knar … Anyway, yer shouldn’t have been earwigging in on our conversation.’

Dorothy was just about to bat back a reply when Rosie butted in.

‘I think you’re suffering from a bad bout of guilt, Dorothy.’

‘And because she’s feeling guilty, she’s taking it out on Bobby,’ Martha said.

‘Exactly,’ Rosie agreed, taking a sip of her tea.

‘But it’s because of Bobby that I’m feeling guilty,’ said Dorothy. ‘If he hadn’t come along, I’d be fine and dandy and showing off a great big diamond ring to anyone who’d look.’ The mention of the ring sent her mood plummeting.

‘But it’s not Bobby’s fault that you like him,’ said Hannah.

‘Yeah, you can’t be angry at Bobby because of how you feel about him,’ Martha argued.

Dorothy was quiet. She looked over to where the riveters were having their lunch. Bobby wasn’t there, which meant he must be getting his food from the canteen.

‘I think what you’ve all said might be true,’ she conceded. ‘I think I might be angry with myself as much as with Bobby for spoiling what I had with Toby – for what I could have had with Toby.’ She took a breath. ‘And annoying though it is, I do like Bobby.’ She thought about their passionate kiss and the goosebumps he gave her whenever he was near. She blew out air. ‘But what if that’s all it is? Physical attraction.’ She looked at Gloria. ‘He might think he wants me, but once he’s got what he wants, he’ll lose interest.’

‘Blimey, Dor!’ Gloria couldn’t keep shtum any longer. ‘Talk about having a low opinion of yerself. Yer probably the least boring person I know.’

They all chuckled their agreement.

‘Have you thought any more about the ring?’ Rosie asked.

Dorothy exhaled heavily.

‘Lots,’ she said.

‘But we’re still no further forward,’ said Angie.

‘It’s like a poisoned chalice,’ Dorothy added dramatically. ‘Every time I look at it, I feel awful. Guilt-ridden. Horrible.’

Angie looked at the women and nodded. ‘It’s presently stuck behind the tea caddy in the back of the cupboard.’

‘But someone keeps getting it out to check every five minutes,’ Dorothy added, rolling her eyes in the direction of her flatmate.

‘I can’t help it,’ said Angie. ‘I’ve never seen a ring like it. Come to think of it, I dinnit think I’ve ever seen a real diamond before.’

‘Well, you’re making up for it now,’ Dorothy said. She turned her attention away from Angie to the rest of her squad. ‘She doesn’t just look at it. She puts it on and waltzes around the kitchen with it, staring at it like she does Quentin, all love-struck and gooey-eyed.’

Angie thumped her on the arm.

‘Ow, that hurt!’ Dorothy stared at her best friend and rubbed her arm.

‘Well, if it feels like a poisoned chalice – to Dorothy, at least,’ Rosie said, ‘then I think we should all have a good think and try to come up with a solution about what to do with it. See if we can’t turn a negative into a positive. Perhaps sell it and do something with the money? Agreed?’

‘Agreed,’ everyone chorused.

As they walked back to the dry basin, Rosie dropped back to speak to Gloria.

‘How’s Jack?’ Rosie asked. ‘Is he any nearer getting his divorce?’

Gloria let out a bitter laugh. ‘Oh God, don’t mention the D-word. Miriam’s been back nearly a month now ’n there’s not been a squeak from her.’

‘No divorce papers dropping on the mat?’

‘No. Nothing.’ Gloria sighed. ‘I just don’t understand why she’s not getting it all sorted. When she was in Scotland, we put it down to the fact she’d want to wait until she was back home so she could use the family solicitor, but now I’m wondering.’

‘Strange,’ Rosie said. ‘I mean, Jack must have ticked every box there is for the granting of a divorce.’

Gloria gave another exasperated sigh. ‘I know. If living in sin with his mistress ’n illegitimate daughter doesn’t have the divorce papers flying through the courts, I don’t know what will.’

They reached the main gates and handed their clocking-off boards to Davey.

‘I dunno,’ Gloria mused. ‘I have a bad feeling in my gut. Like this is the calm before the storm.’