Lizzie of Langley Street (18 page)

She glanced down at the tray she was carrying. Apple dumplings. They were tender and juicy, made from the cooking apples that Bert brought home from the shop. There were two slices of bread
beside this and a scraping of jam. It didn’t look much, but it was filling and apple dumplings were Pa’s favourite.

She knocked first before pushing open the door. He was sitting by the window in his chair. ‘Tea’s up, Pa.’

‘Leave it on the cupboard.’

She went over and lowered the tray. ‘Don’t let it get cold, Pa. It’s your favourite, apple dumplings.’

He turned to frown at her. ‘Who was that who called this morning?’

‘It was Reverend Green. He was only here a few minutes.’ She had hoped the visit had gone unnoticed.

‘What did he want?’

‘Miss Hailing asked him to call because it was Easter.’

Her father pushed his chair from the window. ‘Well, you can give him his marching orders if he comes again. I don’t want no holy Joes coming round this house and trying it
on.’

‘He was just being friendly. Giving us all a blessing.’

‘Let him go and bless the poor buggers waiting at the dock gates. We don’t want the likes of him round here. They’re only interested in one thing. Telling you how to live your
life and charging you for it.’

Lizzie looked at her father. The light shone on his hard, set face. There was no reasoning with him lately; he suspected everyone and trusted no one. Leaving the room, she stood in the passage
and blinked back a tear. As she stood there, Flo came slowly down the stairs.

‘I’ll get you something to eat,’ Lizzie said.

‘I’m not hungry.’

‘That’s not like you.’ Lizzie went towards her. ‘What’s the matter?’

Flo burst into tears. ‘I dunno. I got a sore throat and these . . .’ There were tiny red spots covering Flo’s neck. When Lizzie undid her blouse, Flo’s chest was covered
in them.

The ambulance had just left as Bert and Frank pulled up in the cart. ‘What’s goin’ on?’ Bert shouted as he jumped down. ‘What’s the
ambulance round ’ere for?’

Dr Tapper said quietly, ‘You’d better take your sister inside, young man.’

‘What’s wrong?’ Bert asked again as Frank joined them.

‘Go in,’ Lil told him firmly, ‘and she’ll tell you.’

‘I’ll be on my way, then.’ Dr Tapper clutched his Gladstone bag and pulled at the brim of his top hat.

‘Give us a shout if I can help,’ Lil called as she disappeared through her front door.

Lizzie went to the kitchen and sat down. She looked up at Frank and Bert, who stood hesitantly in the doorway. ‘Dr Tap says Flo’s got scarlet fever.’

‘’Struth,’ breathed Frank, moving towards her. ‘Poor kid.’

‘How did she get it?’ Bert asked bewilderedly as Frank ushered them along the passage.

‘I don’t know, Bert. She was covered in spots. She might have got it at school. Miss Evans said there was one girl in Flo’s class who had it.’

‘Where have they taken her?’ Frank asked quickly.

‘To the Mile End Road hospital. There’s a special place there for people with infectious illness.’

‘Mile End,’ muttered Bert. ‘How are we gonna get up there?’

‘I’ll walk up to Poplar and catch a tram,’ Lizzie told him. ‘I’ve packed a few clothes, but she’s only got one good nightdress. I’ll have to get her
another one from Cox Street.’

‘I expect they’ve got plenty at the hospital,’ Frank murmured.

‘Do you think so?’ Lizzie bit down on her lip. ‘She won’t like being away from home . . .’ Tears welled up in her eyes.

‘Hey, come on, now.’ Frank sat down beside her at the table, patting her arm. ‘She’s gonna be all right. You wait and see. I’ll take you over on the
cart.’

‘Would you?’ She looked up at him. ‘But ain’t it a long way?’

Frank shrugged. ‘I’ll give Benji a nosebag while you’re gettin’ ready.’ He stood up and went out to cart.

‘Do you want me to come too?’ Bert asked.

‘No, I’d rather you stay with Pa. He still ain’t come out of his room, though he must have heard all the commotion.’

Bert nodded slowly. ‘I’ll tell him what’s happened.’

Leaving Bert she went upstairs to the bedroom. The evening sunshine spilled through the window. Gathering Flo’s few possessions and putting on her coat, she went back downstairs.

‘Got everything?’ Frank asked as he came in the front door, rubbing the oats from his hands.

‘Yes.’ She looked up at Bert. ‘Look after Pa, won’t you? Lil’s next door if you need her.’

‘Yeah. Don’t you worry, gel.’

They went out to the cart and Frank helped her up on to the seat. Taking his place beside her, he picked up the reigns. ‘Get on there!’ he shouted, shaking the reins.

All the lights went on in the houses as the cart trundled along. When would Flo return home? she wondered. Could she be cured?

Benji began to trot faster, the shadows settling over their path as they clattered along the empty street.

Frank went the quickest way, through Limehouse. The last of the sun had disappeared and a yellow fog filled the streets. Even the gas lamps were indistinct as the mist crept around them, giving
them an eerie glow. Frank stopped the cart and pulled a potato sack up from the back. ‘Put this over yer legs, gel. It’ll keep you warm.’

Lizzie was grateful for the rough protection. She was shivering, though more from nerves than cold. Frank told her not to worry, that everything was going to be all right, and though the journey
seemed endless they finally reached the hospital. Frank drew the cart up outside the front entrance of the big Victorian building. Light spilled out of the many windows. An ambulance was parked by
the doors.

‘I don’t know if I’d ever have found it.’ Lizzie held on to his shoulders as he lifted her down. ‘Thanks, Frank.’

He smiled at her, holding her gently. ‘Might clear up a bit by the time we go home.’ He took her arm and they walked up the stone steps.

Inside it was warmer and the high ceilings gave off a clear, bright light. ‘Can I help you?’ A nurse came towards them along the corridor. She wore a white cap and a high, starched
collar. Her long blue dress was almost entirely covered by a white apron.

‘My name is Lizzie Allen. My sister was brought in by ambulance at tea time.’ Lizzie glanced down the long corridor hopefully.

‘Was she involved in an accident?’ the nurse asked, looking them up and down.

‘No, she’s got scarlet fever.’ There was a tremble in Lizzie’s voice. ‘Her name’s Florence, but we call her Flo. The ambulance men said it would be better for
me to wait till tomorrow to come over. But Flo don’t like being away from home.’ Lizzie clutched her small bag of possessions.

The nurse, who had very dark, piercing eyes, glanced at Frank. ‘Are you a relative too?’

‘No.’

‘Frank brought me here,’ Lizzie said quickly.

‘Well, I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to wait in the waiting room, sir. We have very strict rules for visitors. Especially for those patients who are being
assessed.’

Frank shrugged. ‘Fair enough. I’ll have to go out to the horse anyway.’

‘The horse?’ The nurse frowned. ‘You came on a
horse?

‘Horse and cart,’ clarified Frank in a brisk tone. ‘It’s a long way from Langley Street, ’specially at night.’

The nurse’s voice softened. ‘Well, in that case, perhaps we’ll be able to find you a cup of tea. Come into the waiting room when you’ve seen to the horse.’

Frank smiled at Lizzie. ‘See you later. Give Flo me love.’

When Frank had gone, the nurse crooked her finger. ‘Come along. We’re quite a way from the isolation wards. But as we go you can tell me what happened.’

As they walked, Lizzie explained about Flo’s spots and sore throat, then Lil going round for the doctor and his diagnosis. Part of her was hoping the nurse would tell her it was wrong and
that Flo was sitting up in bed, well again. But instead, the nurse, who was a sister, explained that all infectious cases were assessed in a special ward.

The long, echoing corridors seemed never-ending. Some of the people they passed looked very sick. They huddled on benches and chairs and sometimes in Bath chairs, like her father’s. She
saw several men missing their limbs and she thought of how Pa must have suffered during the long months in different hospitals.

‘Has Flo been ill for long?’ the sister asked as she pushed open an outside door and a gust of foggy air blew in.

‘She’s been a bit off-colour for a week,’ Lizzie told her as they walked across to another building and up a ramp. Inside, a gust of heat and strong disinfectant enveloped
them. ‘She wouldn’t eat tonight and I knew something was wrong. She loves her food. Then I saw the spots.’

‘Does Flo take any medicine?’ They turned into a brightly lit room where a secretary sat at a desk piled high with papers.

‘Ma used to give us Galloway’s lung syrup and sometimes camphorated oil or wintergreen.’

‘Is that all? Cough medicine and balms?’

Lizzie stiffened. ‘They always did us good. Ma was very particular about medicines.’

‘I’m sure,’ said the sister, quickly patting her arm.

‘It costs a shilling every time the doctor calls,’ Lizzie felt impelled to explain. ‘And there’s five of us kids.’

The sister smiled kindly. ‘It must be very expensive for your mother.’

‘She died last year,’ Lizzie told her. ‘It’s me that looks after everyone now.’

‘Oh dear. I’m sorry.’ The sister was quiet for a moment as they entered a small, warm room. ‘And your father?’

‘He lost his legs in the war.’ Lizzie was afraid to tell this woman too much, but in the circumstances what could she do?

‘Mary,’ said the sister to a girl sitting behind a desk. ‘A young girl by the name of Florence Allen was admitted this afternoon. Do you think we could arrange for her sister
to see her? She’s come all the way from the island in this dreadful weather.’

‘I’ll ask the doctor,’ the secretary replied and hurried out of the room, her leather soles squeaking on the lino.

There were six wooden chairs lined along the wall. The sister gestured to one of them. ‘Take your coat off and sit down, Lizzie. If they allow you to see Florence, you’ll have to
wear some very peculiar clothes to protect against germs coming in or going out of the hospital.’

Lizzie took off her coat. ‘Will Flo get better?’

‘She will have very good treatment here,’ the sister replied, adding quickly, ‘Is there an inside toilet or bathroom in your house?’

Lizzie shook her head. ‘No, but we’ve got the shed. Me grandmother used to call it the closet. We wash out there and bring the tin bath in for a good soak.’

‘I see. Well, one of the things that we do to fight infectious diseases is to look at the problem of overcrowding. Some houses can also be insanitary—’

‘Ma always kept a clean house,’ Lizzie protested at once. ‘She made certain we all kept clean too.’

‘Yes, I’m sure she did. But the doctors ask a lot about their patients’ circumstances. As you are in charge of your family, I’m afraid you’ll have to be prepared
for questions of this nature.’

Lizzie sniffed. ‘Yes, I suppose so.’

‘You have a lot of responsibility on those young shoulders,’ sighed the sister, shaking her head slowly. ‘And the expense can be no easier for you than it was for your
mother.’

‘Except that I’ve got a job now.’ Lizzie didn’t want the authorities to think she couldn’t afford to look after Flo.

‘What kind of job?’

‘I work in a greengrocer’s four days a week. And me two older brothers bring in a wage.’ She didn’t mention Babs, who had been staying out a lot and had refused to give
any money.

‘Well, that must certainly be a help.’ The sister nodded.

‘How long will Flo have to stay here?’

‘Well, if possible, the doctor will keep her under observation here in this ward. But depending on her recovery he might transfer her to the children’s ward of the New Cross
Isolation Hospital.’

‘New Cross? That’s miles away.’ She would have to go through the Blackwall Tunnel under the river and then walk or catch a bus to Greenwich and Deptford.

‘Let’s wait and see,’ said the sister with a reassuring smile. ‘Now, here’s Mary.’

The secretary was carrying a neat pile of starched white linen. ‘The doctor said you may spend a few minutes with your sister,’ she told Lizzie. ‘You must change into these and
wash your hands and face before going in.’

The sister laughed at the expression on Lizzie’s face. ‘You’ll get used to our funny ways. You’ll see lots of other ‘ghosts’ floating about too.’

Lizzie was shocked. Flo lay with her eyes closed in a bed with iron rails. Her spots were bright red and seemed to have increased. They had cut all her hair very short and
Lizzie was grateful to be hidden behind the mask, hood and gown. She could hide her expression of shock at everything she saw: the small room containing only the bed, a chair and a wooden locker;
the brick walls were painted cream and brown and the window was very small.

‘Just a few minutes,’ said another nurse who had brought her from the cubicle where she had washed and changed her clothes.

Lizzie walked to the bed and Flo opened her eyes.

‘Lizzie?’ Flo spoke weakly, her lips trembling. ‘Why are you dressed up like that?’

‘We have to wear this to keep the germs away.’ Lizzie wanted to give Flo a hug but she wasn’t allowed to touch her.

‘I don’t want to stay here, Lizzie.’

‘It won’t be for long. As soon as you’re better you can come home.’

‘Will I get better?’

‘Course you will, you daft ’a’p’orth!’ Lizzie tried to joke.

Flo sniffed back her tears. ‘They put me in a bath that smelled funny and then they cut off all me hair.’

‘They have to do that,’ Lizzie assured her gently. ‘And your hair will soon grow again. It needed a good cut anyway.’

‘The doctor said I’ve got to eat grapes. I don’t even know what they taste like.’

‘They’re nice. I’ll bring you some from the shop.’

A big shiny tear rolled down Flo’s cheek.

‘I’ll be back tomorrow,’ Lizzie whispered as the nurse came in and told her it was time to leave. ‘Now try to sleep and dream of them lovely grapes I’m going to
bring you.’