The Clippie Girls Page 11

  Grace took a deep breath and gave a weak smile. ‘Yes, you’re right.’

  The three of them worked hard for an hour, sweeping and cleaning. And then they heard the rattle of the front door opening.

  From the outside their house looked unscathed and, as Terry set her down gently outside their front door, Peggy felt the least she could do was to invite the young soldier in for a cup of tea after all his kindness.

  ‘That’s very kind of you,’ Terry said, deliberately holding back his eagerness. ‘As long as it’s no trouble.’

  Rose was already opening the door and shouting, ‘Mam – Gran? Are you all right?’

  ‘Mam would never forgive us if we let you go without a proper thank you,’ Peggy said. ‘Come on in. And be prepared,’ she added, with a laugh that was still unsteady. ‘We’re a houseful of women, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.’

  ‘I won’t.’ Terry grinned back at her as he placed his hand gently under her elbow to guide her across the threshold into the house.

  ‘Oh my goodness, whatever’s happened?’ Mary came hurrying from the living room when she heard the front door open. She was still fully dressed from the previous day, but dusty from a long night spent in the cellar.

  ‘Now don’t panic, Mam. She’s all right,’ Rose tried to reassure their mother. ‘Just a little cut on her forehead and she’s a bit shaky. She’ll soon be as right as ninepence.’

  ‘But how did you get hurt, Peggy? Oh—’ Suddenly, she became aware that her daughters were not alone.

  ‘Terry helped Peggy get her passengers out of the tram when it was hit—’

  ‘Hit?’ Mary’s voice was high-pitched with fear. ‘What do you mean – hit? Did another vehicle run into it? Oh my God!’ Her eyes widened in fear as she realized exactly what Rose meant. ‘The bombing. Your tram was caught in the bombing. But didn’t you get to a shelter? Didn’t you—?’

  ‘Look, come and sit down and we’ll tell you,’ Rose said, taking charge and trying to quieten the panic she could hear in her mother’s voice. ‘I’ll get the kettle on. This nice young soldier could do with a cuppa before he has to face his sergeant. He’s lost his cap in the confusion.’

  ‘Oh, Rose, we can’t. We’ve had some bomb damage. The place is in a dreadful mess.’

  ‘Is everyone all right?’ Rose asked, suddenly anxious. ‘Gran? Myrtle?’

  ‘Yes, yes, we’re fine, but Gran’s upset about the house. There’s soot everywhere and several things have been broken.

  ‘Can I sit down?’ Peggy said suddenly and put her hand to her head. At once Terry’s arm was around her and he half-led, half-carried her through to the living room and set her down in the armchair on the opposite side of the hearth to where Grace always sat. It still bore traces of soot, even though Grace had brushed it, but that was the least of their worries just now.

  ‘Hello. What’s going on?’ Grace demanded, struggling to her feet from where she’d been on her knees sweeping the carpet with a dustpan and brush. ‘What’s happened?’

  ‘That’s what I’d like to know,’ Mary demanded of Rose. ‘Well?’

  ‘Perhaps I can explain,’ Terry said. He was still standing close to Peggy, watching her with solicitous eyes. ‘The tram I was on, that is, Peggy’s tram, was caught in a bomb blast.’ Mary gasped, turned pale and sank into the nearest chair, not caring now if she was sitting on a layer of soot. Her legs just gave way as she heard how close her daughter had been to serious injury – or worse.

  ‘Go on, young man,’ Grace said.

  ‘Not a direct hit, thank God, else I don’t think either of us would be here. Peggy was very brave.’ His eyes softened as he gazed at her. ‘She thought nothing of her own safety nor even of her injury.’

  Peggy gave a wry laugh. ‘To be honest, I didn’t know I was injured until you got me off the tram. I was knocked to the floor and I think I must have passed out for a minute or two.’

  ‘All she thought about was getting all her passengers, those who could move, off the tram.’

  ‘Was anybody – seriously hurt?’ Mary asked and added in a whisper, ‘or killed?’

  ‘There are several in hospital—’

  ‘Bob’s one of them,’ Rose blurted out. ‘He’s in a right daze. Doesn’t seem to know where he is or what happened. It might be concussion, the nurse said. We had to leave – bring Peggy home – but we can go back tonight.’

  ‘Peggy’s going nowhere tonight,’ Mary said firmly. ‘One of us can go up and see how he is.’ She turned to Rose. ‘Does his mother know?’

  ‘I don’t know. I’ll go and see her later. I’ll have to walk though. I’ve no idea what transport will be able to operate now – if any.’ Hester Deeton, Bob’s widowed mother, lived just under a mile away in the Walkley district. ‘I hope she went into the Anderson that Bob built in the back yard.’

  ‘We were in the cellar, but we heard all the noise. And then there was one dropped very close. The whole ground seemed to shake. It must have been that one that did all the damage.’

  ‘It’s just round the corner from here,’ Rose said. ‘You were lucky it wasn’t any closer or . . .’ She stopped and bit her lip. It didn’t bear thinking about.

  ‘I never thought one of you might be caught up in it. Whyever weren’t you in the public shelters, like Laurence – Mr Bower – instructed? And what about you, Rose? Where were you? How come you’re with Peggy?’

  Rose had the grace to look a little shame-faced. ‘I – er – went to find Peg.’ She omitted to add ‘and Bob’.

  Mary gasped. ‘Didn’t you go into the shelter? There’s one under the cinema, isn’t there?’

  Rose avoided her mother’s gaze.

  ‘You didn’t, did you? You went out in the middle of an air raid. Oh, Rose – what am I to do with you? If I’d known . . .’ Mary shuddered and Grace muttered sagely, ‘Good job you didn’t know. I wouldn’t have been able to do a thing with you until you’d known they were both safe.’

  Terry looked up, caught the old woman’s eye and winked broadly. ‘Mothers, eh?’

  Grace blinked, but instead of fixing him with a steely glare at such sauciness, she actually smiled. She liked a bit of spirit in a young man and he reminded her of her dear husband when she’d first met him: he’d had a similar cheeky grin and a roguish sparkle in his eyes.

  ‘Well, I’m sorry we can’t offer you tea, young man. We’ve nowhere to boil the kettle at the moment. But, Rose, you might be able to find a piece of cake in a tin in the kitchen cupboard. Go and look.’

  When Rose came back into the living room a little while later with a tray of slices of cake set out on plates, proper introductions had been made and Terry was sitting beside Peggy still regaling Grace, Mary and Myrtle with details of the bombing. To Rose’s amusement all three women appeared to be hanging on his every word. But then her smile died. Not one of them – not even Peggy – appeared to be giving a thought to Bob.

  Sixteen

  With a supreme effort, Rose managed to hide her feelings and her overwhelming desire to rush back to the hospital and demand to sit at Bob’s bedside. She knew she wouldn’t be allowed to do that anyway, but the need to go back there as soon as she could to see him was hard to rein in. Instead she handed round the cake, smiling, laughing, and trying to make her mother and grandmother forget what might have happened to them all. The damage that lay all around them was a constant reminder; a reminder too of what had happened to Bob. What if he was so badly injured she’d never see his wonderful smile again, never be able to enjoy saucy banter with him? Rose couldn’t bear to think that he’d be changed by his injuries. She loved him just the way he was, even though that love must remain her secret. Soon she couldn’t help bringing the conversation back to Bob.

  ‘Peggy, do you want me to go round to his mother’s? She might like some company.’

  ‘Oh, Rose, would you? I’m sure Bob’d be so grateful. Thanks.’

  ‘You’re beginning to look better. The colour’
s coming back into your face,’ Terry said.

  Peggy pulled a wry face. ‘I still feel dizzy.’

  ‘You’re bound to. Just take it easy.’ He glanced round the room, his gaze coming to rest on Grace, whom he’d guessed to be the head of the household.

  ‘I’m not due back at camp until Sunday night. I could give you a hand here, if you like.’ He grinned. ‘Cleaning’s one of my sergeant’s favourite punishments. I’m quite a dab hand now.’

  ‘That’s very kind of you,’ Grace said, ‘but there are plenty of us. We’ll manage.’

  He shook hands politely with Mary and Grace, but it was Peggy whose hand he held a little longer than was absolutely necessary, Peggy’s eyes he looked into a little too earnestly as he murmured, ‘Take care of yourself.’

  ‘I will.’ Peggy was gazing up into his brown eyes and making no effort to pull her hand away from his. ‘And – thank you so much for – for everything.’

  ‘I’ll see you out,’ Rose said tersely, breaking up the tender moment. You should be thinking of Bob, she wanted to shout at her sister, not making cow’s eyes at a complete stranger. ‘Goodnight, Terry, and thanks again for all your help.’

  ‘Don’t mention it,’ he said, picking up his kitbag, which he’d left in the hall.

  As he began to walk along the street, Rose heard him whistling jauntily. The sound brought a smile to her lips and she shook her head. He was a likeable rascal – even their grandmother had been bowled over by him. But it was obvious to her that his interest was in Peggy and, to her dismay, Peggy had responded.

  Rose sighed as she closed the door. Much as she loved Bob herself, she knew he had eyes for no one but Peggy and she couldn’t bear to see him hurt. Plastering a smile on her face, she went back into the living room. ‘Right, who’s coming to the hospital with me to find out how Bob is for Peggy?’

  ‘I will,’ Mary said. ‘But aren’t you going to wait until this afternoon? Besides, there’s work to think of.’

  Rose made an impatient gesture. ‘Mr Bower will understand. Besides, how d’you think the trams can keep running after last night? The whole city centre is devastated.’

  ‘Maybe they won’t, but they’ll run what they can and it’s not for you to decide not to turn up for work,’ Mary said firmly. ‘I think we should all get a bit of sleep now, have some lunch and then you and I, Rose, will report in for work. If we’re not needed, we’ll go to Hester’s to make sure she knows about Bob and then we’ll go to the hospital.’ She paused and looked at Peggy. ‘As long as you’ll be all right.’

  ‘She’ll be fine,’ Grace said. ‘I’ll keep my eye on her. Myrtle, hadn’t you better be getting ready for school?’

  The girl yawned. ‘Do you think they’ll be opening?’

  ‘Well, you’ll find out when you get there, won’t you?’ She turned to Peggy. ‘And you, young lady, would be better in bed.’

  ‘No, I’ll stay down here for a while.’ Peggy leaned her head against the back of the chair and closed her eyes. Mary fetched a blanket from Peggy’s single bed and tucked it around her, but Peggy was already asleep.

  ‘Right, Mam, are you ready?’ Rose was fidgeting to be off. The sooner they reported for work, the sooner she could find out how Bob was.

  ‘Like I said, a rest now, some lunch,’ Mary said firmly, ‘and then we’ll go. Dear me, what a Friday the thirteenth this is turning out to be.’

  ‘What about all this?’ Frowning, Grace waved her hand around the room. ‘I can’t manage it on my own and Peggy’s not fit. I wish I’d taken up that nice soldier’s offer now.’

  ‘I’ll wash the paintwork down tonight,’ Rose promised swiftly, ‘but I think the wallpaper’s spoilt.’

  ‘I’m not redecorating yet just to have the same thing happen again,’ Grace said, her fighting spirit restored. ‘A good brush down and a wipe over will have to do for now. And I doubt you’ll do much washing down tonight, Rose. The water’s off. Let’s hope that’s only temporary. No doubt they’ll come round with water carts.’ Grace pulled a face. ‘More queuing – this time with jugs and buckets. And all drinking water’ll have to be boiled.’

  ‘It could be a lot worse, Gran. At least our house is still standing.’

  As Rose had rightly predicted, the duty board at the depot was in chaos. Poor Laurence had no idea which tram routes could operate – if any.

  ‘I’m still getting information in. Nothing’s running at the moment. There have been over thirty cars damaged beyond repair and about another thirty need major work on them. Then there are a lot more with minor damage – broken windows and the like – to say nothing of the poles and overhead cables. The centre of town is out of the question and even outlying routes have been badly affected.’ He ran his hand through his hair. ‘It’s a nightmare. Look, you two go home, but keep in touch and I’ll let you know when you’re needed. How’s Peggy?’

  ‘Badly shaken. She’ll not be into work for a few days. And I suppose you know about Bob?’

  Laurence nodded. ‘Let me know how he is, will you? I can’t get up to the hospital myself yet. Maybe tonight.’

  As they walked, Rose could sense that Mary was feeling the same horror that she’d felt at the sight of the carnage the night’s bombing had left. When they arrived in the street where Bob and his mother lived, Rose breathed a sigh of relief. Bombs had fallen not far away, but thankfully not near their home. But when she rapped on the front door, there was no reply.

  ‘Let’s try round the back.’

  They went down the alleyway between Mrs Deeton’s home and the adjacent house and knocked on the back door. Still, there was no answer. Then the neighbour’s back door opened and a man came to the fence and leaned on the top of it.

  ‘Looking for Hester, a’ yer?’

  ‘That’s right,’ Rose said and stepped towards him.

  ‘She’s gone up t’ hospital, lass. Her lad was injured in one o’ them trams that was hit last night.’

  ‘Oh, she knows. That’s all right then. We’d come to tell her. We’re on our way there now. Thanks very much.’

  ‘No trouble, love. I hope you find him on the mend.’

  ‘Yes – thanks,’ Rose murmured and beneath her breath added, ‘I hope so too.’ Louder she said, ‘Come on, Mam, we’d better get ourselves up there, else visiting will be over.’

  But when they arrived at the hospital, it was to find that they were not allowed in to see him.

  ‘Next of kin only, I’m afraid,’ a nurse told them. ‘I am sorry.’

  Rose turned pale. ‘How – how bad is he?’

  ‘He has a head injury. We suspect a fractured skull, but we’ll know more when we get the results of the X-ray.’

  ‘Is his mother still with him?’ Mary asked and the nurse nodded.

  ‘Then we’ll wait for her, if we may?’

  ‘Of course.’

  They went back to the entrance hall, through which Hester was bound to pass when she left. Whilst they waited, Mary said, ‘I’ve known Hester a long time, you know. We were at school together.’

  ‘Really, Mam? You’ve never said.’

  ‘The Askews – that was Hester’s name before she married – lived two streets away from us then.’ Mary paused and bit her lip. ‘If I was being snobby – and you know I’m not – I’d say that Hester married beneath her. Her husband was a hard worker, though,’ Mary added quickly. She never liked to speak ill of anyone, not even if they richly deserved it. ‘He worked at the steel works, but died following some sort of accident.’

  ‘Wasn’t he in the Great War, then?’

  Mary shook her head. ‘No, exempted because of the job he was doing.’

  ‘But he died anyway.’

  ‘Yes. Sad, isn’t it?’ Mary whispered and Rose knew she was referring not just to all the men who’d died in the previous war, but also all those who were dying right now. And this time the enemy were targeting the civilian population too.

  They were trying to demoralize not only Lond
oners but the citizens of other big cities too. And one of those was their very own Sheffield.

  ‘There she is,’ Mary said suddenly, as the tide of visitors came flooding down the corridors and out through the entrance hall.

  The little woman, shabbily dressed and clutching a shopping bag, came hurrying past them. Her face was creased with anxiety and she chewed her bottom lip nervously.

  ‘Hester?’ Mary stepped forward and touched the woman’s arm. The woman jumped and turned frightened eyes towards Mary, but recognizing her, her face relaxed a little.

  ‘Oh, Mary, how good of you to come.’ She turned to look at Rose, but it was obvious that she’d been expecting to see Peggy. At once the anxious look returned. ‘I thought Peggy would have come. Oh dear, she’s not hurt too, is she?’

  ‘Only very slightly, but she’s badly shaken. She’s resting at home. But how is Bob, Hester? The nurse wouldn’t let us come in.’

  Mary guided Hester to the side of the hallway so that they could stand and talk without hindering those rushing to get home before the blackout, their journey hampered by the lack of public transport and the bomb damage. There was even the fear of unexploded bombs or, worse still, another visit from Hitler’s Luftwaffe.

  ‘They think he’s got a fractured skull.’ Tears filled Hester Deeton’s eyes.

  ‘Is he conscious?’

  ‘Yes, but he’s very dazed. Says he has no recollection of what happened.’

  ‘We’ll walk a little way with you,’ Mary offered, linking her arm through Hester’s. ‘Is there anything we can do to help?’

  ‘That’s kind of you, Mary, but I don’t think so. Only – only if Peggy could visit him as soon as she feels able. He’s asking for her.’

  Hester’s words were like a knife through Rose’s heart.

  By the time they reached home Peggy was in bed and asleep.

  ‘I told her that bed was the best place for her,’ Grace said, setting down mugs of steaming cocoa on the table. ‘I managed to boil some milk on the fire, so, come on, drink it while it’s hot, ’cos I don’t know how much longer we’ll be able to enjoy cocoa. That’s the last we had in the cupboard.’