Lizzie of Langley Street (11 page)

‘Yes. And he’s due promotion soon.’

‘Does his mother still look after the kids whilst you’re at work?’

Ethel looked up to the ceiling. ‘Yeah, and still trying to teach them the king’s English – at their age!’

They laughed as Ethel pulled two-year-old Rosie on to her lap and wiped the crumbs off her mouth. Lizzie knew that on the quiet Lil thought Ethel’s mother-in-law was a snob.

‘You gonna have some more kids, Ethel?’ Lizzie asked.

‘You must be joking!’ Ethel threw back her blonde head. ‘One kid at eighteen, the other at nineteen. Sometimes I wonder where me brains were when I married so young. But there
you are. I was bowled over by me fella’s good looks and extreme wealth.’ Both girls laughed again. ‘Oh, I’m not being rotten,’ Ethel smiled. ‘I’m happy
with me lot, really. I like working at Rickards. All the lovely materials and that. I like bringing in a wage.’

‘Rickards is a lovely shop.’ Lizzie felt a moment’s pang of envy. Ethel not only had her kids but a good job, too. She’d been to Rickards once, a long time ago, when
Ethel had put aside some cheap lace for Kate. Shelves overflowing with roll upon roll of materials, trimmings, buttons, zips and fastenings.

‘You’d do well in a shop,’ Ethel commented. ‘You was good at figures at school, I remember me mum saying. And you’ve had a fair bit of training now, selling stuff
with your pa.’

‘I couldn’t do a job as well as look after the family,’ Lizzie sighed. ‘I have to consider Flo.’

‘Yes, but it would have been nice to have the choice, I ’spect.’ Ethel blushed. ‘Sorry Lizzie, I didn’t mean to put me foot in it. Just seems a lot for you to take
on, that’s all.’

Lizzie changed the subject quickly. She looked down at her dress. ‘Recognize this?’

Ethel frowned. ‘I think I do . . .’

‘Your mum give it to her, Ethel,’ Flo interrupted, arriving on the scene in time to hear the last of the conversation. ‘It was yours.’

Ethel and Lizzie grinned. Lizzie pushed the plate of sandwiches under Flo’s nose.

‘I’ll have one of each.’ Flo reached out to grab a handful.

‘No you won’t, you’ll have one at a time.’ Lizzie pulled the plate back.

Flo muttered, ‘bossy boots’ under her breath. Lizzie ignored it. There would be no family row today. She thought of Lil’s words earlier. ‘You’ve got to be mother to
your lot now and put food in their mouths and clothes on their backs. You ain’t got time to cry, gel, not if you’re gonna keep the family together, you need to lay your own rules down,
’cos believe me, those girls will need ’em.’

Another fleeting pang of envy went through her as she looked at Ethel. Lovely kids, a nice job and a new house in a posh part of London. Lizzie pulled herself up short. Ethel’s life
wasn’t hers and she mustn’t wish for it.

Flo grabbed hold of Rosie’s hand. ‘Does she wanna come out in the yard, Ethel?’

Timmy piped up. ‘I do.’

‘You be a good boy, then,’ Ethel said and gave him a wink.

‘I’d better go and hand these round,’ Lizzie said. ‘See you in a minute, kids.’

In the passage there was chaos. The market traders had arrived. Fat Freda, Boston Brown, Dickie Potts and Elfie Goldblum stood squashed together, trying to assess where the drinks had
disappeared to.

‘Sorry we couldn’t get to the cemetery, Lizzie.’ Dickie grabbed the last sandwich with his black nails. ‘But better late than never, eh?’

‘Thanks for coming, Dickie.’

‘Wouldn’t ’ave missed it for the world. Where’s yer dad?’

‘Next door. Lil’s putting him up till we get sorted. The beer’s in there too.’

Dickie pushed Elfie towards the front door. ‘We’ll be having ourselves a pint or two, then. Where’s Danny and the ’orse gorn?’

She hadn’t seen Danny since they’d arrived back from the cemetery. After helping to get the drinks ready he’d driven Benji back to the shop. ‘Bert said he’s gone
back to fetch Mr Flowers and Frank.’

‘Frank coming, eh?’ Dickie nodded slowly. ‘Oh well, see you in a bit, gel.’

Lizzie knew Frank wasn’t popular amongst the tradespeople. He hadn’t joined up in the war. Instead he’d got a job in the docks as security. People never trusted him after that.
But the war had been over two years. Frank was always polite and had a civil word for her when she went in the shop.

As the traders left, a big black car stopped outside Vi’s. A man in uniform got out and opened the back door. Miss Hailing and another girl climbed out.

‘I’m so sorry we are late, Elizabeth.’ Miss Hailing extended a gloved hand. Tall and slim, she always looked very regal, despite the hard work she did in the soup kitchens.
Kate had taken Lizzie up to the House for sewing classes, held once monthly. It was there that Lizzie had learned to sew properly.

‘Thank you for coming,’ Lizzie said quietly, feeling the soft, expensive leather in her palm.

‘There were delays in the city. The traffic was diverted from Westminster and James couldn’t find a short cut.’ Felicity Hailing gestured to the girl beside her. ‘This is
my younger sister Annabelle. She’s helping me at the House.’

‘We are very sorry to hear about your mother,’ Annabelle said. Two large grey eyes stared into Lizzie’s. She had soft, light brown hair cut into a fashionable bob and a
friendly smile.

‘Thank you for arranging for Reverend Green to take Ma’s service,’ Lizzie said. ‘And for the grave in the cemetery,’ she added quickly.

‘It was the least we could do.’ Felicity’s accent was cut glass. ‘You mother was well regarded at the House. We are eternally grateful to her for Babs’ help. Your
sister is proving a very valuable member of staff’

Lizzie stood back for them to enter. Undaunted by the noisy crowd, the Hailing sisters made their entrance. It was odd what Miss Hailing had said about Babs being a valuable member of staff. It
was only charity work she did.

Lizzie found Lil and Ethel sitting in the kitchen. ‘Royalty arrived, has it?’ Lil smirked.

Ethel laughed. ‘Come on, Mum, they do a lot of good.’

‘So would I, if I had their money.’ Lil shrugged, flicking ash from her cigarette into a saucer. ‘You want to imagine them sitting on the lavvy. That brings ’em down to
size.’

‘Can’t take you anywhere,’ Ethel giggled.

For a moment Lizzie felt sad. She missed Kate as Lil and Ethel joked together.

‘You all right, Lizzie?’ Ethel asked.

Lizzie sat down at the table. ‘I was just thinking how much Ma would have loved all this.’

Suddenly they all saw the funny side. ‘Now
that’s
what Kate would have liked,’ Lil remarked, wiping the tears of mirth from her eyes. ‘A bloody good
laugh.’

They all nodded, remembering old times.

‘Mind you,’ Lil took a deep gulp of smoke, ‘we could do with a bit of class round here. When I was a girl the only way to see a bit of life was to go into service.
Lizzie’s mother was a lady’s maid, you know, in her younger day. Had very high values did Kate Allen. Kept her house really nice till that bloody war made her pawn everything she
treasured.’

Lizzie nodded slowly. ‘Even those bloody boots.’

The other two women looked at Lizzie in surprise. They all burst into laughter again and were still laughing when Flo came running into the kitchen.

‘What you all laughing at?’

‘Nothing,’ said Lizzie, sniffing. ‘What’s up?’

‘Vi Catcher says she’s leaving if there ain’t no more food.’

‘Lippy old mare!’ Lil rose and removed a tea towel from a plate of cheese sandwiches. ‘Go on, Flo, take her these. Then come back for the cheese biscuits.’

‘I wonder how they’re doing next door?’ Lizzie said as Flo went out.

‘I’ll go and find out.’ Lil took her lipstick from her bag and smoothed it on. ‘I’ll leave you two to talk about yer blokes,’ she said with a wink.

Lizzie went red as she looked at Ethel.

‘Don’t forget to offer the cake round,’ called Lil from the yard. ‘And don’t forget to tell the Hailings who made it.’

The two girls looked at each other and giggled. Lizzie pulled the large iced fruit cake across the table. ‘Would Rosie and Timmy like some?’

‘No, but I will. Mum’s cakes are lovely.’

‘Don’t I know it,’ Lizzie said as she put a slice on a plate for Ethel.

Ethel licked the icing. ‘Where’s your Danny got to, then?’

Lizzie went very red. ‘Who says he’s my Danny?’

‘Well, isn’t he?’

‘Who told you?’

Ethel grinned mischievously. ‘Your mum told my mum and mum told me. You can’t keep anything secret round here.’

‘I never really thought Ma knew.’ Lizzie had another pang. Now she would never be able to talk to Kate about Danny.

‘Well, she had a bloody good guess then.’ It was unusual to hear Ethel swear and Lizzie grinned.

‘Has he asked to take you out?’

Lizzie nodded.

Ethel’s eyes widened. ‘Never! Where? When?

Lizzie told Ethel the story.

‘The Lyric! Oh, Lizzie, are you going?’

‘No. Course not. How could I?’

Ethel shrugged, nibbling at her cake. ‘Never mind, there will be other times.’

Lizzie smiled. ‘I never thought of that.’

Ethel roared with laughter. ‘You wouldn’t.’

Just then Timmy appeared. ‘She pinched me!’ he cried, pointing to Rosie. ‘She’s always pinchin’ me!’

‘I never!’ gurgled Rosie, all innocent blue eyes.

‘So much for a bit of peace and quiet.’ Ethel hauled her little blonde daughter on to her lap. Timmy looked daggers. ‘Happy families,’ Ethel muttered, grabbing hold of
his collar. ‘At times like this I could happily trade the kids in for a nice barrow-boy meself.’

Once more they ended up laughing. Lizzie’s spirits had lifted. What her friend had said about there being other times with Danny had cheered her up. Life hadn’t ended today even
though it felt like it.

Once more the peace was shattered. Flo returned, tears streaming down her face.

‘What’s the matter now?’ Lizzie sighed.

‘Our Babs said I was a fat little cow. She said I’ve been pinching all the sandwiches, but it ain’t me. It’s her what’s been stuffing them on the quiet.’

Lizzie and Ethel looked at each other. It was back to the real world with a bump.

At four o’clock that afternoon, Violet Catcher and Beryl Sweet were the last to leave. Next door, the booze-up was still in progress.

‘Oh well, time to clear up,’ Lizzie said to herself, as for a moment she saw her mother at the sink, head bent over the washing-up. ‘Fetch in the glasses first,’ Kate
would be telling her, since glass was never washed with china. Everything was done according to how she had learned in service. Each glass would have to be washed carefully, then placed upside down
on the wooden draining board.

‘Stack the china in piles on the table and throw all the fags in the pig bin.’ There weren’t any pigs, but the bin was tipped on Doug’s vegetables, the only fertilizer
his beans ever saw.

‘Then, when we’ve finished the washing up, you and me will have a nice cuppa, love, before we get started on the clearing up.’ Her mother’s voice drifted from the
kitchen.

Tears were close when a figure appeared. Danny strode down the passage. Lizzie quickly blinked them away. Danny stood opposite her and stuck his finger down the neck of his starched white
collar. He lifted his chin and stretched his neck.

‘I’ll undo the studs,’ she offered, reaching up. Her hands brushed against his warm skin.

He looked into her eyes. ‘Never was one for suits.’ He smoothed the dark hair from her cheek, then drew her against him. ‘Listen, I want to tell you something.’ He held
her gently in his arms. ‘I’ll be here to help you out for a bit, at least for a month or two. As far as money goes, Bert can work in the shop. Me dad needs someone to cart the boxes
around. It’ll mean a few extra bob for the kitty. But . . . but there’s other things I’ve been mullin’ over lately . . . a decision I have to make soon. I don’t wanna
burden you with it today. With your Ma just gone, it don’t seem right.’

‘What is it?’ she whispered anxiously. ‘Tell me.’

He paused. ‘Well, we’re close, gel, ain’t we? No point in denyin’ it, is there? You and me . . . I ain’t imaginin’ it, am I?’

She nodded slowly. What was he going to tell her?

‘You see, I’ve been thinking about travelling and putting it off for a while. Putting it to the back of me mind, like. But, I want to do something with me life. The barrow will never
make me rich, but I’ve always had a yen for Australia—’

‘Australia!’ She looked at him in astonishment.

He nodded. ‘There’s gold there, free to anyone who’ll stake his claim. All a man needs is his health and strength. I’ve got plenty of both. I’ll make meself a
fortune.’

‘But Australia’s on the other side of the world. How you gonna get there?’

‘I’ll work me passage. There are ships out of Liverpool that’ll take a man on if he’s willing and able.’

‘But it’s so far away. You might never come back.’

He laughed. ‘Don’t be daft.’ He gazed into her eyes. ‘But there’s another way.’ He bent his head slowly. His breath was warm on her cheek as he whispered,
‘You could come with me.’

‘Me? Go with you?’

‘Why not? It ain’t such a bad idea. I’ve a bit of savings put by. That’d pay your passage. When we got to the other side, we’d soon find our feet.’

‘Danny . . . I couldn’t . . .’ She pulled back. ‘How could I, with the family?’

He shrugged. ‘Babs is fourteen. She’ll have to do what you did when you was her age. When we’re rich we’ll come back and take care of’em all.’

‘Danny, I can’t. It just ain’t possible . . .’

‘Don’t turn me down now. Think about it. I shouldn’t have opened me big mouth today. I dunno what come over me.’

The front door slammed and men’s voices drifted down the passage. Danny let her go. Vinnie strode into the kitchen. Falling against the table, he laughed. ‘Oh, ain’t that a
shame, looks like we’re disturbing the ’appy couple.’

Lizzie saw Danny and Vinnie look at one another. The bad feeling between them was evident. She knew that after the fire, they disliked each other intensely. Vinnie had no time for law-abiding
folk like Danny and Danny wouldn’t tolerate Vinnie’s behaviour.