‘Oh, you’ll be all right with Sam, duckie,’ Mavis says, patting Sophie’s arm. ‘Sweetest fellow you’d ever meet. Even all those years he was down in Boston didn’t rub it out of him. That’s as long as you don’t gets on his bad side. Now that’s another story. Whatever you do, you don’t wants to do that.’
Chapter 8
Norwich, England – 27 July 1940
The late afternoon sun slides into Dame Edith’s attic art studio through a window filmed with a fine layer of dust. The light casts a halo around the helmet worn by the young woman perched on a stool in front of the artist. She holds a gas mask as she looks past the artist’s shoulder at Dame Edith’s parrot, Sir Ralph, who sits preening his rainbow plumage on his perch by the door.
Dame Edith thrusts her paintbrush at Ellie and wipes her hands on her beige gaberdine smock, smearing it with streaks of the cadmium yellow, raw sienna and chromium oxide green paints Ellie had had to rush out to Jarrolds to buy during her lunchtime.
‘That will do for today, Corporal Cross. When can you come by again? We’ll only need a couple more sittings. I’ll fill in the background scenery afterwards.’
The young woman yawns and stretches. ‘I’ll check my rota and ring you tomorrow, if that’s all right. Things have been pretty quiet since that chap popped a few blighters down on us on the nineteenth. We’re working on getting a barrage balloon up over by Fairfield Road, and they’ve got me doing recruitment now.’ Handing the gas mask and helmet to Ellie, she sweeps her eyes over the younger woman. ‘Have you thought about joining up with the WAAF? We could use capable young women like you.’
Ellie smiles politely as she glances over at Dame Edith. ‘Thank you very much, but I’m rather taken up with my art studies right now.’
The young corporal adjusts her cap. ‘Of course. Well, things look like they may hot up, so do have a think about it. If not the Air Force, there’s always the Red Cross or the fire service. We all must do our bit.’
Ellie nods. Corporal Cross had no idea how busy her schedule was. She’d been up till midnight last night working on sketches for her submission to the college’s summer exhibition. Then she’d overslept this morning, missing Ruthie at the bus stop on her way into town to the college, and earned a reprimand from the principal, Mr Harris, for being late.
‘Yes, of course, Corporal Cross. I’ll think about it.’
***
Ruthie drags the blackout curtains across the cottage window and switches on the ceiling light in the tiny front room.
‘Mum’s out at her knitting club, Dad’s gone up to Uncle Jack’s in Fakenham, and Richie’s staying over at Bobby’s tonight. Do you want to stay for tea? We’ve got some tinned salmon. I can make a salmon loaf.’
Ellie kicks her shoes onto the blue carpet and flops onto the overstuffed green sofa. ‘Can’t tonight, Ruthie. I promised Pops I’d babysit Dottie. It’s Boy Scout night. He’s teaching knots.’
‘He’s the Scout Master now as well as the headmaster? He’s rather a glutton for punishment, don’t you think?’
Ellie shrugs as she thumbs through an issue of Woman’s Own. ‘He’s starting up a marching band too. He says it’s good for the boys’ morale.’
‘Righto. Two hundred Catholic boys running around, day in and day out, would do my head in.’ Ruthie heads towards the kitchen. ‘You’ll want bickies? Mum’s made her orange drop cookies. I’ll put the kettle on and we can have a quick cuppa. Turn on the wireless, would you, Ellie? See if there’s any music on the Forces Programme.’
Tossing aside the magazine, Ellie wanders over to the large wooden wireless on a table beside the gas fire and fiddles the knob until the strains of ‘I’ll Never Smile Again’ filter into the room. She sways around the sofa and the two armchairs with their chintz slipcovers and lacy antimacassars, careful not to knock Ruthie’s mother’s china budgie collection off the display table.
Ruthie enters the sitting room carrying a pink plastic tray laden with a brown teapot, a small jug of milk, a dish with a couple of teaspoons of sugar, flowery china mugs and a plate of round cookies flecked with orange rind. She sets it down on the coffee table and pours out the tea, adding dollops of milk and a sprinkling of sugar. She hands Ellie a mug of the milky tea and sits on the sofa, tucking her legs beneath her.
‘So, what do you think of Charlie?’
Ellie blows on the hot tea and sits on the sofa. She peers at Ruthie over the rim of her mug. ‘The Newfoundland chap? Really?’
Ruthie dunks a cookie into her tea. ‘I think he’s a doll. He’s invited me out to the cinema next Saturday. We’re going to see Gone with the Wind at the Electric.’
‘You’ve seen that a half a dozen times already. I should know. You dragged me with you.’
Ruthie giggles. ‘All the more reason to see it again. I can concentrate on Charlie instead of Rhett!’
‘Oh, Ruthie. You’re incorrigible.’
Ruthie smiles slyly at Ellie as she chews her cookie. ‘What about Tom Parsons? He seems nice. Clumsy, but nice.’
Ellie shrugs. ‘I suppose so. George liked him. He’s going to give George the Newfoundland stamps from his letters for George’s stamp collection.’
‘So, George liked him, but you … didn’t?’
‘I honestly didn’t think anything of him one way or another.’
‘That’s a shame. I thought he was dreamy. A Gary Cooper type, except friendlier.’ She makes a face. ‘Oh well, I’ll have to find someone else to double date with me and Charlie.’
‘Ruthie, I’m engaged, remember? I couldn’t date the fellow even if I wanted to. Which I don’t.’
Ruthie bites into another cookie, catching the crumbs in her tea. ‘He’s a good one, that George. He never gives you any bother. You’re so lucky to have a fellow like that.’
Ellie settles back into the spongy cushions. She is lucky to have George. She’s just never really thought about it. He’s always been there, ever since they were children at St Augustine’s Catholic School. She just wishes he was a bit more … No, she’s being silly. Ruthie can have her Tyrone Powers and Clark Gables and Charlie Murphys. Maybe George isn’t a dish, exactly, but he’s certainly presentable. George is all she needs. And her art, of course.
Why everyone thinks life is so complicated, she’ll never understand. Life is incredibly simple. Only people make it complicated.
Chapter 9
Northern Newfoundland Coast – 12 September 2001
Sam takes off his helmet and looks over his shoulder at Sophie. ‘There’s a payphone around the back by the toilet. Didn’t know they’d closed the library today. You hungry? I’m getting myself a Coke.’
‘I’m fine.’ Sophie winches the helmet off and runs her fingers through her brown fringe. She squirms off the motorbike seat and straightens her velvet skirt. What was she thinking, accepting the ride to Tippy’s Tickle on the back of a stranger’s motorcycle to see an aunt who might not even know she existed? She probably should have stayed in Gander with the others. This was quite likely a huge mistake.