Poppy's War (22 page)

‘Isn’t that throwing the baby out with the bath water?’ Mavis said with a puzzled frown.

‘Don’t be so literal.’ Jean slipped her arm around Poppy’s shoulders. ‘We think it’s a crying shame, and we’ll miss you like billy-o.’

‘I’ll write to you,’ Poppy said, sniffing. ‘And you must write and tell me everything that’s going on. Tell Algy to send my love to Amy, because I haven’t got an address for her. I asked Mrs Carroll but she kept forgetting.’

‘Typical,’ Jean snorted. ‘Never mind. I promise to mention it to Algy, if I ever see him again. We’re not an item …’

‘Just good friends,’ Edie and Mavis chanted in unison.

‘Shut up,’ Jean said without malice. ‘Anyway, here comes your train, Poppy.’

Amidst tears and hugs, Poppy somehow managed to board the London-bound train. She let the window down and leaned out waving until they were out of sight. She picked up her suitcase, slung her gas mask over her shoulder and trudged through the corridors in search of a non-smoking compartment. After being buffeted about and doing an involuntary cake-walk as she crossed the concertina-like area where the carriages were joined together, she found an almost empty compartment next to the guard’s van. A young woman in Wrens uniform was asleep in the far corner next to the window and a thin woman with a baby in her arms was seated opposite, staring blankly out of the window while her child slept. No doubt she was grateful for the rest, Poppy
thought
sympathetically. The poor soul looked exhausted.

Poppy settled down by the window next to the corridor and closed her eyes but she could not sleep. All she could think of was Squire’s Knapp which had become her home, and the friends she was leaving far behind. If only Guy had been there he would have stood up for her. He would have seen how well she had looked after the horses and appreciated how hard she had worked on the farm. He would not have allowed his mother to send her away. Neither would Amy, who had done so much for her in the past, but at least she was safe in Singapore.

Poppy smothered a sigh and unwrapped the chocolate bar, breaking off a square and popping it into her mouth. The sweet scent of cocoa and cream had the effect of waking the Wren and the woman with the baby looked up, showing a spark of interest for the first time. ‘I can’t eat it all,’ Poppy lied, breaking the bar into chunks and offering it round. ‘Do have some. I don’t want to make myself sick.’

‘Ta, I don’t mind if I do,’ the thin woman said, smiling.

‘Go on then,’ the Wren said, taking a square of chocolate. ‘I never could resist anything sweet. My name’s Sally, by the way. What’s yours?’

‘I’m Poppy Brown, and I’ve got sandwiches too. Mrs Toon made enough to feed an army. Would you like one?’ She passed round the packet of cheese and pickle sandwiches and Sally produced a Thermos
flask
of tea which they also shared. The thin woman, whose name was May, had three apples in a brown paper bag, although both Poppy and Sally said they were too full to take advantage of her offer. Exchanging knowing glances with Sally, Poppy thought privately that the apples were probably the only food that May was likely to get that day. They parted at Waterloo in a spirit of camaraderie and went their separate ways.

Feeling as though she had been travelling for days, Poppy arrived at the house in Ilford just as Mabel was setting the table for tea.

‘Well this is a turn up for the books,’ Mabel said cheerfully. ‘I wasn’t expecting to see you again so soon, Poppy. When I got the telegram from that posh woman you could have knocked me down with a feather. I thought you was set to stay there for the duration.’

‘So did I,’ Poppy said tiredly. ‘I hope you don’t mind.’

Dropping a knife with a clatter, Mabel enveloped her in a warm embrace. ‘Of course I don’t, ducks. You’re my Joe’s sister and part of the family. You’ll have to put up with Ma, who isn’t such a bad old stick when you get to know her, but we’ll rub along nicely, I’m sure.’

‘I heard that,’ Mrs Tanner said, glowering at Mabel. ‘And who’s going to pay for her keep, I’d like to know? Make sure you get her ration book off her.’

Poppy fished in her pocket and handed her ration
book
to Mabel. ‘I’ll go out tomorrow and look for a job. I won’t be a burden to you.’

Mabel’s mouth turned down at the corners. ‘Oh, love. Don’t talk like that. You’re a good kid and I’m glad to have your company.’

‘There is a war on,’ Mrs Tanner said grimly.

‘I’ll find something, even if it’s scrubbing floors.’

Mabel laid her hand on Poppy’s arm. ‘Tell you what; I do a cleaning job at the hospital. Perhaps they’ll have something for you too. I’ve seen plenty of young ’uns doing all sorts of things from running errands to helping the nurses. I’m sure they’ll be glad to have you.’

‘I always wanted to be a nurse when I was little,’ Poppy said with a sigh. ‘But I’d need more qualifications, which I could have got if I’d stayed on at school.’

Mabel nodded sympathetically. ‘Never mind, ducks. Sit down and have something to eat. You’ll feel better after a good night’s sleep. Let’s hope the blooming siren doesn’t go off tonight.’

‘Even if it does I’m not getting into that damn Morrison shelter again, Mabel.’ Mrs Tanner emphasised her words by striking the floor with her stick. ‘I’ll take me chances in me own bed. Bloody Hitler.’

Largely due to Mabel’s efforts, Poppy was taken on as a cleaner at the local hospital. She scrubbed floors, cleaned sinks, basins and lavatories, and returned
home
each day with rough reddened hands and the smell of disinfectant clinging to her clothes and hair. She was too young to train as a nurse but at the suggestion of one of the ward sisters she joined the Red Cross as a cadet, spending three or four evenings a week attending classes in first aid, home nursing, hygiene and even ARP training. In the winter evenings she not only had to contend with wind, rain and bitter cold, but also the blackout, which made the walk to and from the church hall where the classes were given quite hazardous. Sometimes it was impossible to see her hand in front of her face, and the newspapers said that the number of road traffic accidents had doubled despite strict petrol rationing. As the winter progressed, Poppy was beginning to feel like a mole. She left for work in the dark and returned home after dusk. She rarely had time to stop and look out of the windows at the hospital, unless she was cleaning them, and on her day off she slept.

A few days before Christmas, on a Sunday when Mabel’s off duty happened to coincide with Poppy’s, they had just finished washing the dishes after lunch when Mrs Tanner called out from the front room where she had retired to take her afternoon nap.

‘Come and look, Mabel. There’s a bloody big limousine pulled up outside.’

Mabel and Poppy hurried into the room to peer out of the window.

‘It’s chauffeur driven,’ Mabel said in an awed tone.
‘Maybe
the King and Queen have invited themselves to tea?’

‘Well, I hope they like fish paste,’ Mrs Tanner said grimly. ‘And liquid paraffin gives me the runs.’

Poppy’s hand flew to her mouth as she recognised the car. Unless she was very much mistaken it belonged to the Pallisters, and when Harper stepped out to open the door she knew she was right.

‘Good heavens. Just look at that coat.’ Mabel grabbed Poppy by the shoulder, pushing her towards the window. ‘That’s mink or I’m a Dutchman.’

‘It’s Mrs Pallister.’ Poppy hurried to the front door and opened it in time to see Pamela picking her way daintily over the cracks in the concrete path.

She looked up, twisting her scarlet lips into a smile. ‘Hello, Poppy.’ She turned to the chauffeur. ‘Bring the basket, Harper. This is the right house.’

‘Come in,’ Poppy said, standing back to allow Pamela to step inside. The chauffeur had dutifully followed her up the path carrying a wicker basket which he handed to Poppy with a smart salute.

‘Thanks,’ she murmured. ‘Won’t you come in and have a cup of tea?’

‘Harper will wait in the car,’ Pamela said firmly. ‘Close the door, Poppy. Your neighbours are staring at me. I can feel the fluttering of net curtains from here.’

Somewhat reluctantly, Poppy closed the door on Harper. She remembered the kindness that Jackson
had
shown her when she was ignored by everyone else at Squire’s Knapp. If she lived to be a hundred she knew she would not be able to treat servants like lesser beings. She eyed Pamela warily, thinking that she looked distinctly out of place in her mink coat and matching hat. The crocodile-skin handbag that she clutched in her gloved hands was certainly not imitation, and her stockings were silk. No gravy browning for Mrs Hector Pallister.

‘Are you going to keep me standing in the hall, Poppy? I thought we’d taught you better manners at Squire’s Knapp.’

‘I’m sorry. I’m just so surprised to see you, Miss Pamela.’

‘Mrs Pallister. I’ve told you a dozen times if I’ve told you once.’ Pamela turned to look at Mabel, who was standing in the doorway, staring at her in amazement. ‘And you are?’

‘Mrs Brown, madam. I’m Poppy’s sister-in-law. Do come into the sitting room and make yourself comfortable. I’ll put the kettle on.’ Mabel hurried into the kitchen and closed the door.

‘I can’t stay,’ Pamela said, shaking her head as Poppy made a move to show her into the front room. ‘I’m not supposed to use the car this afternoon. Petrol coupons, you know. Even though Hector gets a special allowance because of his job, we have to use them judiciously. I simply came to wish you the compliments of the season from everyone at home and to bring you some gifts from the land girls. Mrs
Toon
baked a cake for you and asked to be remembered.’

‘That was kind of her.’ Poppy clutched the basket handle tightly in her hands, staring down at the starched white table napkin that covered the contents. ‘Thank you. It was good of you to come all this way.’

‘Well, I must confess I wasn’t too happy when my mother sent you back to London without so much as a word to any of us. You were good to Rupert and he misses you. I’m afraid he hasn’t taken too kindly to Nanny, although she’s a most competent and experienced woman.’

‘I’m sorry. I miss Rupert too. He’s a lovely little boy.’

‘Yes, well he’s going through a rather naughty stage at the moment, but Nanny is very strict and doesn’t allow him to get away with tantrums. I’m sure she’s right.’

Before Poppy had a chance to say anything, Mabel stuck her head round the kitchen door. ‘D’you take sugar, Mrs Pallister?’

‘No, too kind, but I really can’t stay for tea. I must be toddling along.’ She turned to Poppy. ‘I almost forgot to tell you. Guy sends his very best wishes.’

Suddenly Poppy was finding it hard to breathe. ‘He came home?’

‘He had a twenty-four-hour pass. I think he only wanted to see that wretched horse of his, but he was quite upset to think you’d been sent back to London
with
the Blitz and everything. But then he always took your side. I suppose it’s his instinct to look after helpless creatures like animals and small children.’

‘I’m glad he’s all right anyway,’ Poppy said, ignoring Pamela’s patronising remarks.

‘Yes, but I think they’re sending him abroad. He didn’t tell us, of course, that wouldn’t have been the done thing at all, but Hector says there’s going to be a push in the Western Desert, but don’t you dare mention that to anyone else.’

Flattered to be taken into her confidence, Poppy shook her head. ‘No, I won’t say a word. Cross my heart.’

‘Yes, well I really must go now. Good luck and merry Christmas, Poppy.’

Poppy stood in the doorway, watching Pamela teeter down the path. Harper leapt out of the car to open the gate for her. He moved swiftly to hold the door while she took her seat in the limousine. The net curtains in the house across the road fluttered as old Mrs Marshall peered out of the window. It would be all round the street by teatime that the Tanners had a posh visitor. Poppy could not have cared less, but she imagined that Mrs Tanner would be secretly delighted. She stepped back into the hallway almost bumping into Mabel who was standing close behind her.

‘Well, I never did.’ Mabel snatched the basket from Poppy’s hands. ‘What a turn up for the books. Close the door, love, it’s perishing freezing outside.’

Poppy did as she was told, but her mind was elsewhere. The fact that Guy was safe and had not completely forgotten her was the best Christmas present anyone could have given her. She did not know much about the Western Desert, in fact she was not quite certain where it was, but she had complete faith in Guy. If he flew a plane with the same dash and expertise as he rode a horse, then he would be a more than able pilot. She followed Mabel into the front room feeling much happier than she had done since she left Squire’s Knapp.

Mabel placed the basket on the tea table. ‘Let’s see what they sent you. I must say that Mrs Pallister’s a bit posh, but at least her heart’s in the right place. It was decent of her to come all the way out here to bring you a present.’ She gave Poppy a gentle shove towards the table. ‘Open it up and let’s take a peek inside. You go first. After all, it’s for you.’

‘I hope it’s something to eat,’ Mrs Tanner said, taking off her glasses and wiping them on her skirt. ‘Why didn’t you bring that woman in here to see me, Mabel? Anyone would think you was ashamed of your old mother.’

‘Nonsense, Mum. She was in a hurry.’ Mabel nudged Poppy in the ribs. ‘Get a move on. Whatever’s in there won’t bite you.’

Poppy peeled off the napkin, passing it to Mabel who felt the cloth and passed it on to her mother for her inspection. ‘Irish linen, Mum. I bet that cost a bob or two.’

Mrs Tanner laid it across her knees. ‘It’ll do nicely for me when I have me tea. I haven’t seen anything as good as this since I was in service, which is when I met your mum, Poppy. She was a good bit younger than me, but we got on all right.’

Poppy was barely listening as she took out a Madeira cake wrapped in a tea towel and placed it on the table. Underneath there were three small packages wrapped in brown paper bearing labels from Edie, Jean and Mavis and a note bearing the legend
Do not open until Christmas
.