Tin Hats and Gas Masks (11 page)

‘Johnny.’

He straightened himself up, flexed his muscles to try and make them ripple as he remembered the strong man at the fair used to do. During the time he had been upstairs he had worked out what he hoped was a plausible story. No use telling his mother that he and Annie met every Saturday – not now, it wasn’t. She’d be sure to kick up about it because it had been going on for so long without her knowing. And at the back of his mind was the fact that if she banned them from meeting, it would mean either never seeing Annie again, or telling more lies.

With a certainty he had never before experienced he knew which he’d opt for. Annie was the girl he would marry when they were both old enough. He loved her like his dad loved his mum and together they would be a great team. Unless she did marry someone else, but only if that someone was her choice. He would have to accept it then.

Johnny didn’t want to lie to his mum, but it seemed to him it was the lesser of two evils. This was a phrase she herself often used, so maybe she would understand his predicament if she found out later. Best to tell one lie now about today and hope she left it at that so he wouldn’t need to do it again.

She had her ‘no-nonsense’ face on when he entered the room. In fact, he thought, her whole bearing was the same.

‘I want the truth, Johnny. You didn’t go to Dave’s or anyone else’s today. So where were you and what were you doing?’ He looked towards the floor.

‘Well, Johnny. Start talking.’

‘We had a fight. Now don’t get it wrong – it was outside. Several of us, so we simply didn’t go to Dave’s house.’

‘Look at me, Johnny?’

He looked up quickly.

‘I see. So where did you go instead?’

‘Oh just around. The park, the common.’

‘Do I know this Dave? Is he from round here?’

‘He – he lives the other side of the park, in Benstead Road. I told you when I went there once before.’

‘That’s right, so you did. I’d forgotten. Well, bring him round here one Saturday when I’m off, Johnny.’

‘Is that all. Can I go now?’

‘Yes, except I’m going out tonight with some of the girls from the factory. Your dad’s firewatching and as I thought you’d be having dinner and tea with your friend Dave I haven’t cooked anything. Better get yourself some chips from Mrs Joe on the corner. I’ll give you some money.’

Johnny suddenly realized how very hungry he was. Since the cream horn in the café this morning he’d had nothing to eat or drink.

‘Thanks, Mum. Sorry I snapped, but you did make me look a fool in front of Doris and her mum. Sometimes I don’t think you realize how old I am. Soon I’ll be out at work proper and you won’t be able to tell me what to do then.’

‘We’ll see. All the while you’re in this house you’ll do as your dad and I say. We’re older than you and we know best. Now listen, I won’t be late this evening – if the warning goes get under the Morrison table and stay there. Understand.’

‘Yes mum,’ he said in an exaggerated tone.

‘And watch yourself, Johnny. Liars always get found out.’

Annie fought back tears as she went with her parents. No further word was spoken until they reached a bus-stop. There was a queue and her mother said crossly, ‘Almost impossible to get a taxi and the buses are so crowded.’

She had her arm firmly tucked into her daughter’s although she seemed to be addressing her remarks to nobody in particular. Then suddenly she turned her face towards Annie’s. ‘You had better watch your step, Anita. Running after a boy like that.’ She pulled her lips together in a thin, disapproving line.

The girl and her father kept silent. When she saw their bus approaching Annie said, ‘I have to get back to Winchurch.’

‘Oh no, you are coming back with us tonight. I shall telephone Mrs Dover and find out about a few things. And you have some explaining to do. We want to know exactly
what has been going on.’

‘Nothing’s been going on. Johnny and I simply had a day out. Nothing to make such a fuss over.’

Mrs Evesham gripped her arm tighter and almost pushed her on to the bus. ‘We will discuss the matter at home, not in public if you don’t mind,’ she said.

By the time they reached home Annie had conquered her tearfulness and was simply feeling rebellious.

‘You’re treating me like a child,’ she said. ‘We were doing no wrong and you were extremely rude to Johnny.’

‘That’s enough. I knew we should not have allowed you to be evacuated with the rest. I wanted you to go to my sister in America, but no, that wasn’t right for your father.’

Half-turning towards her husband she said bitterly, ‘I should never have listened to you. Look at the result of your great idea now. Our daughter mixing with boys like that one this afternoon. What are you going to do about that?’

‘We don’t know the lad, do we? He may be—’

‘That is not the point,’ his wife interrupted; her voice sharp with anger and anxiety. ‘Anita is still only fourteen and we thought she was safely in the country. Mrs Dover has something to answer for here. Where did you tell her you were going today?’ She turned back to her daughter.

‘All right, I’m completely in the wrong. I admit it. I told her I was having a day out with a friend. That was the truth, but I didn’t tell her it was in London in case she wouldn’t let me go.’

‘So. Did she not ask where you were going?’

Annie thought quickly. If she landed Mrs Dover in too
much trouble she might have to come back here to live.

‘Yes, she did actually, and I’m afraid I lied to her.’

Mrs Evesham closed the door while she telephoned Mrs Dover. Anita and her father sat opposite each other and listened to the muted sounds from the hall. Then he smiled at her. ‘How many times have you had a day out with young Johnny, Anita?’ he asked softly.

‘Q-quite a lot,’ she said.

‘He is also billeted with the Dovers, isn’t he?’

‘He used to be. He came back to London two years ago.’

Mrs Evesham returned. ‘I have told the Dovers I shall bring you back myself tomorrow. We were coming down then anyway to talk about your future. I shall have quite a bit to say to them, too, about allowing you to run loose. I won’t have it. They take money for looking after you and I expect the job to be properly done. If she can’t do it, then we will find somewhere else. What is that on your finger? Show me.’ She pulled Annie’s hand towards her as the girl made to cover Johnny’s ring with her other hand.

‘A ring. And you’re wearing it on your engagement finger. You silly little fool, what sort of game do you and that stupid boy think you’re playing?’

She tugged at her daughter’s finger and, red-faced and with tears spilling over now, Annie resisted with all her might.

‘Leave it alone, it’s mine.’

‘I suppose he gave it to you. A cheap bit of jewellery—’

‘Leave it alone, leave it alone,’ Annie screamed, ‘you don’t know what you’re talking about.’ She wrenched her hand from her mother’s grasp, and sobbing uncontrollably,
rushed out of the room and upstairs.

It was Mr Evesham who tapped on her door an hour later. ‘Anita, may I come in?’ he called softly.

She was calmer then, and already making plans. She knew there wasn’t anything she could do until tomorrow, but somehow she had to smooth things over sufficiently to enable her to stay in Winchurch a few months longer until she was fourteen. Until then they could force her home, but after that, she thought, I can be independent.

‘Anita, your mother was worried, that’s why she carried on. She’s very fond of you, and it was a great shock to her to see you in London with a young boy when she thought you were safely in the country.’

She had put the ring away in her purse, not risking it round her neck even, where the silver chain would show in the V of her summer-frock.

‘We weren’t doing any harm and she didn’t give us a chance to explain.’

‘Well, you know your mother, Anita. Listen, I’ve persuaded her to leave it until tomorrow, when we go to Winchurch and sort everything through. Meanwhile you must be hungry, so come downstairs and have some tea with us and let it simmer down a while. Come on, what do you say?’

‘All right, Dad.’ She found her voice was trembling with tears still. ‘I’ll just go and and clean up a bit.’ She brushed her hand across her eyes.

‘Good girl. Don’t be too long, will you?’

Annie had often suspected that if it came to a real crisis between her and her mother she would have her father’s
backing. She often wished she could get to know him better, but she had been at home so little during her life, and then it was always her mother who was dominant. He had obviously intervened on her behalf now, with success. Well, she could play a waiting game. Once she was back with the Dovers, although her movements would probably, almost certainly be curtailed she could contact Johnny and make plans for when she left school. What sort of plans she didn’t yet know, but if she could get a job and earn some money, then she didn’t think her mother would enforce the law to make her live at home.

The atmosphere was not convivial, but her mother accepted the truce. Neither Johnny nor the ring were mentioned, although Annie saw her mother’s eyes look at her bare fingers. She was amazed to discover how hungry she was once she began eating. Guiltily, she thought she shouldn’t feel ravenous like this when she was so unhappy. Resolutely she pushed away her images of Johnny and what he might be doing at this minute. She wanted to be clear-headed now for the battle that, in spite of the current calmness, was still in progress.

After tea they listened in silence to the wireless. Mrs Evesham knitted steadily throughout, and Annie wished she too had something to prevent her hands from fidgeting.

The set was turned up for the nine o’clock news and Annie listened as they talked of Kasserine and the Mareth Line, strange sounding names to her. She watched various expressions flit across her father’s face as he spread a well-worn map across the table by the side of his chair, and
study it intensely. The only sound apart from the newsreader’s voice was the even click of her mother’s knitting needles. As soon as the news bulletin was over, her father switched the set off. He glanced down at the map, then across to his daughter, and for a moment she thought he was going to discuss it with her, but he just smiled and settled back into his chair. Annie looked at her mother.

‘I’ll – get off to bed,’ she said.

‘Everything is as you left it,’ Mrs Evesham said, without a pause in her knitting.

Annie went upstairs.

She opened the drawer of the chest in her room, took out one of the nightdresses and thought how strange it was to be back in this bedroom tonight. If anyone had asked her this morning where she would be this evening, the last place she would have thought about was here. The idea gave her courage, for if this turn of events could happen so suddenly and unexpectedly, who knew what might happen in a few more days, or another week, or month?

‘Goodnight Johnny,’ she whispered, her hands clasped round the ring, back on her finger for the night.

The journey to Winchurch and the meeting with the Dovers were as distressing as Annie suspected they would be. But, back in her own room in Kerry Avenue that night, she consoled herself with the knowledge that she had won a reprieve. There had been much anger and wringing of hands between her mother and Mrs Dover and, as she had known would happen, she came in for her share of blame. ‘Lying to meet a boy …’

‘It is not entirely Anita’s fault.’ Mrs Dover actually stuck up for her. ‘Johnny Bookman is a persuasive boy, he has a certain …’ she seemed at a loss for the right word for a moment, then she said, ‘a certain way with him …
almost
a charm….’

Annie nearly laughed. She must remember this to tell Johnny. She imagined his reaction.

‘Poo, bloody poo,’ he’d probably say.

How stupid they all were, she thought many hours later when she was in bed, Johnny’s ring once more on her finger. Normally she took it off from round her neck, still on its chain, and laid it on the dressing-table ready for the morning, but tonight she wore it again, just to be sure.

The ring had not been mentioned again, either to her or to Mrs Dover. On the whole she had got off lightly, she thought, pushing away the idea that it was only because her mother didn’t want to be bothered with her at home that she had been allowed back here to Winchurch. The feelings of being unwanted hurt her, perhaps even more now that she was older, but she was grateful not to have been sent anywhere else. If that had happened she could have been too far away for the weekly trips.

She thought over some of the things that had been said. Tighter restrictions; that wasn’t so good. She would have to work out a really sound plan now to be able to escape on Saturday. She would need proof to show Mrs Dover where she was going, and if she was to get to London to meet Johnny she would have to think of something.

She thought of it on the way to school on Monday morning. Janet was her answer, surely. They were good friends,
and if Janet would help her then the meetings could continue until she left school and went to London to work. It would mean confiding in Janet of course, but that couldn’t be helped. She would have to do it.

Not wishing to waste time she asked Janet at playtime. ‘Can I talk to you privately, Janet?’ she said, ‘it’s rather important.’

‘Sure, Annie.’ They all called her Annie at school now since Johnny had started the fashion.

She told Janet about the weekend and its result. ‘So you see, Janet, I need to go on Saturday because I promised. And I want to. But Johnny will be terribly worried if I don’t turn up. He’ll probably ring through to the Dovers to try and talk to me and I’m sure they won’t let him. My mother gave them such a roasting I’m surprised they kept me on, really I am.’

‘I’ll help you,’ Janet said. ‘I’d love to. We must be very careful though. We’ll draw up a plan for each week. It mustn’t be the same thing every time because that will arouse their suspicion.’

‘Janet, you are a sport. And my very best friend.’

It was several days before the girls had worked out what they were going to do. Then Annie wrote to Johnny to tell him. Janet and Annie were going to the railway station together – in fact Janet was even going to call for Annie. She would travel two stations, to Bushton, have a look round the shops and then return home, but Annie would stay on the train to meet Johnny and everything would be as normal.

Of course
, she wrote,
we shall have to vary this a bit because
Janet won’t want to go into Bushton every week, and this in itself will arouse suspicion. But for this week I will be there an hour later than usual because we think it unwise to leave too early
.

On Friday night Mrs Evesham telephoned. That was unusual, and it made Annie realize even more that she would need to be very careful and devious if they were not to be found out. The thought of being discovered and stopped appalled her. Johnny might just shrug his shoulders and not bother any more. She didn’t think he would, but he might.…

He was waiting by the ticket-barrier when she arrived on Saturday.

‘Gosh, Annie, am I glad to see you. Was it awful? She didn’t hurt you, did she?’

‘No, not physically anyway. But it was dreadful bad luck, wasn’t it, bumping into them like that?’ He nodded his head vigorously. ‘How about you, Johnny, how did you get on?’

‘Bit of a barney with me mum, but we soon sorted it out. I didn’t tell her where I’d been or who I was with, of course.’

‘Johnny,’ she touched his arm, ‘would your mum mind so much, do you think? I mean, if I can get a job in London when I leave school in a few weeks it will be easier if we can meet openly, won’t it?’

‘I suppose so, Annie, but, oh heck, I don’t know. See, I’m going to marry you some day – that is if you’ll have me of course, and, well I don’t think grown-ups understand that sort of thing.’

‘Johnny.’ She stopped so suddenly he was still walking
on, and she ran to catch him up. ‘Was that a – a proposal, Johnny?’

‘Now don’t go all funny on me, Annie. I guess it was, really. I don’t want any other girl but you, but it’ll be years ’n’ years before we can do anything about it.’

‘I know,’ she said, ‘and you’re absolutely right, we have to be practical. But I – I accept Johnny. I’ll marry you when we’re older and are earning some money. I’ve got some savings too.’

‘Well, we can talk about it in a few years’ time, when the war’s over and everything. I’ve been thinking about you all week, Annie. Come on, we’ll get a fizzy drink. Bet he won’t give us cream horns again this week.’ Their fingers touched as they both ran down the road to the café.

Their arrangements for meeting worked well, but they now varied the venue more. Because Johnny was a freer agent and could leave as early as he needed to, he sometimes travelled further from London now to meet her. Janet stuck to her part of the bargain with Annie and always provided an excuse for her to be gone all day. This didn’t easily fool Mrs Dover, who asked many searching questions of Annie and, when she had the opportunity, of Janet too. But as she did not know Janet’s parents, and as the girl refused all invitations to Kerry Avenue, this was more difficult, Annie’s plan couldn’t be checked on.