Wartime Friends, page 15
Steve finished his tea and stood up, ‘Well, I’d best be off. See you tomorrow.’
As Lilian saw him to the door, Carolyn murmured, ‘He seems a nice feller.’
Eddie nodded. ‘Yar mam’s very taken with him. Fusses over him like a mother hen.’
‘Well, that’s nice. He’s a long way from home.’
Eddie nodded but said no more as Lilian returned and sat down by the fire. ‘He’s such a nice lad. Shame he’s married. You could do worse than find yarsen someone like him, Carolyn, if you’re set on refusing Peter’s proposal.’
‘Lilian, love, Peter hasn’t proposed to her. She’s told us that.’
‘Ah well, that’s as maybe, but I’m not sure I believe her. It’s not what Phyllis says.’
Eddie frowned. ‘As far as I know, our daughter has never lied to us in her life. And I don’t think for one moment that she is doing so now.’
Lilian shot him a fearsome look, but she said no more. There were times in their married life when his voice took on a firm tone that caused even Lilian to remain silent. This was one such moment.
‘Mam,’ Carolyn said quietly, ‘I promise you I’m telling you the truth. If only you and Mrs Carter would accept it.’
Lilian sniffed. ‘Well, I suppose I might – in time – but I don’t think Phyllis ever will. She’d banked on his being married to you and staying safely on the farm here. But now he’s gone to war, she’s frightened to death that he’s going to be killed.’
There was silence in the room before Carolyn licked her dry lips and said, ‘Actually, I have met someone.’
Lilian said nothing, but Eddie said, ‘Have you, love? Tell us about him.’
‘His name’s Michael Dunkley. He’s in the RAF and stationed at – well, I don’t know exactly where, but it’s not far from where we are. And – and he’s very nice,’ she finished lamely. She found it hard to put into words – especially to her mother and father – just how she felt about Michael.
Lilian stood up suddenly. ‘I’m going to bed and it’s high time you were going up, Tom. You’re looking tired.’ She paused by Carolyn’s chair and looked down at her, anger sparkling in her eyes.
‘Mind you don’t come home with yar belly full, girl, because if you do, you’re out on your ear.’
The door slammed behind her. Tom whispered goodnight to his father and sister and followed her. Eddie and Carolyn sat in silence for a long time. At last, with a heavy sigh, Eddie said, ‘I don’t know how much you know, love, but that’s not what her parents did when she – when we . . . your grandad didn’t even raise his fist to me, let alone get out his shotgun. They just organized a quiet wedding and built an extension on his farmhouse at the southern end.’
Carolyn nodded. She knew the part of the farmhouse her father was referring to. Although it had not been used in recent years, the rooms were always given a good spring clean every year.
‘When you were about three,’ Eddie went on, ‘this cottage became free and your grandad made it and a bit of land around it over to Lilian. There were no recriminations, no disappointed looks, no threats of being turned out. They just helped us. My parents too. But if you check our wedding date and your birthday, you’ll see that there is only a good four months between the two. But I would advise you not to let it happen, love. It’s not the best way to start a marriage.’
‘Oh Dad, I’m sorry.’
‘Don’t be, love. It wasn’t your fault. It was ours, all ours.’
They were silent again for a while before Eddie said softly, ‘So, tell me about Michael. I do want to hear.’
They sat talking for another hour until Carolyn yawned and said, ‘We really should go to bed, Dad. You’re up early every morning and I ought to go and see Aunty Eve tomorrow.’
As she kissed his forehead and turned towards the door, she didn’t see his anxious gaze following her.
‘Did you go home?’ Carolyn asked Beryl when she returned to Beaumanor.
Beryl shook her head. ‘No. It – er – didn’t work out. I spent some time with Jeff and, to be honest, the rest of the time sleeping.’ She paused and then asked, ‘Did you tell your family about Michael?’
‘Yes.’
‘And how did they take it?’
‘Dad was fine about it – wanted to know all about him – but Mam, well, she was a bit nasty. I think it’s because she’s still upset about Peter and me not getting married.’ She paused and then asked, ‘Won’t your parents at least be interested to know about Jeff?’
‘No, they won’t,’ Beryl said shortly and turned away abruptly. ‘Sorry, I’ve got to go.’
By the time Carolyn reached the set hut to report for duty, Beryl was already hard at work with her headphones on, scribbling furiously. It wasn’t until their break that Carolyn was able to say, ‘I’m seeing Michael briefly tonight. What about you?’
‘Well, I’m not seeing Michael. He hasn’t asked me.’
Carolyn laughed, pleased that her friend’s good humour seemed to have been restored. ‘No, silly, I meant are you seeing Jeff?’
‘Not tonight. He’s on duty. Maybe next time we get an evening that coincides. Anyway, have a good time. And don’t do anything I wouldn’t.’
The next time the girls had a thirty-six-hour leave Beryl said a little self-consciously, ‘I won’t be back tonight. I’ve applied for a sleeping-out pass. Jeff has got leave to coincide with mine and we’re heading into the country. He’s booked two rooms at a little hotel in Derbyshire . . .’ Carolyn noticed that she laid heavy emphasis on the word ‘two’. ‘He’s been able to borrow that car again from his mate, so we’re travelling in style.’ Beryl was busy packing her kitbag for her night away so they had time for a quick chat. Carolyn sat on her bed and watched her friend folding her underwear neatly.
‘Are you sure you’re allowed to go that far? We were told we had to stay around here.’
Beryl shrugged. ‘No one’ll know. It’s not far and I’ll be sure to be back in time for our next shift.’
Carolyn sighed inwardly. She didn’t want to be a spoilsport, but she hoped her friend wasn’t heading for trouble. ‘Don’t forget your gas mask and do you want to borrow my little torch? It might come in handy.’
‘Please, if you don’t mind. I ought to get one for myself, but I never seem to get round to it. Thanks, Carolyn. Right, I think that’s everything.’ As they both heard the sound of a car pulling up below their window, Beryl said, ‘Now, I’d better be off. Don’t want to keep him waiting.’
Carolyn hugged her and went downstairs to wave her off.
‘Don’t come outside,’ Beryl said, when they reached the hallway. ‘It’s raining.
‘All right. Have a good time.’ Carolyn switched off the light in the hallway, pulled the heavy blackout curtain back and opened the front door for Beryl to slip out. She watched as her friend ran to the waiting car. She closed the door and leaned against it for a moment, letting out a huge sigh.
‘I just hope she’s back in time for work and that no one else finds out where she’s been,’ she said quietly to herself.
Twenty-Four
‘So, did you have a good time?’ Carolyn asked Beryl when she rushed into the hut just before they were both due to start their first shift after the thirty-six-hour break. Beryl had obviously only just made it back in time; she still had her kitbag with her, which she tried to stow out of sight in the cloakroom.
‘What? Oh – er – yes.’ But Beryl was avoiding her friend’s gaze. Instead, she deflected the attention back towards Carolyn. ‘What did you do? Did you go out with Michael?’
‘Yes, we went to a concert in the De Montfort Hall in Leicester.’
‘And did you want to go to that? You don’t seem a lover of classical music to me.’
Carolyn shrugged. ‘I don’t mind what we do. I’m happy just to be with him. We’re going dancing next time we both get a decent leave.’
‘I thought you weren’t too keen on dancing.’
‘Michael’s teaching me.’
Beryl pulled a face. ‘You’ve got it bad, girl.’
Carolyn blushed. ‘I have, haven’t I? It’s proved one thing for me, though.’
Beryl raised her eyebrows. ‘What’s that?’
‘If this is what really being in love is like, then I was certainly never in love with Peter.’
Carolyn thought about the butterflies in her stomach every time she was due to meet Michael: how, when she saw him walking towards her, her legs felt weak, as if they were going to give way at any moment. When he kissed her and held her close, she felt as if a thousand stars were bursting in the heavens. Every moment apart from him felt like wasted time. She counted the days, the hours, even the minutes, until the next time they would be together.
‘So, is everything all right between you and Jeff? When are you seeing him again?’
‘Same time as you see Michael, I expect.’
‘They don’t seem to do a lot of flying, do they? I mean, they seem to get a lot of time off. More than we do.’
Beryl stared at her. ‘Don’t you know what they both do?’
Carolyn shook her head. ‘No, I’ve never dared to ask them.’
‘Where they are is mainly a training base, mostly for Polish units, Jeff said. I think they’re both instructors. Right, we’d better get to work. We’ll catch up later. Tell you what, we’ll all go dancing together. I’ll ask Jeff if he wants to go.’
Carolyn opened her mouth to speak, but Beryl had turned away to sit down in front of her wireless set. When she put her headphones on, Carolyn knew any more conversation was impossible. She sighed. Michael wasn’t too keen on them sharing their precious time with other people. He liked to have Carolyn all to himself. The thought made her feel warm and fuzzy inside.
Carolyn didn’t have a chance to tell Michael that Beryl and Jeff would be joining them, and when the four of them met up on the following Saturday evening, Michael’s face was thunderous. ‘What on earth are they doing here?’ he hissed.
‘I’m sorry. I didn’t think you’d mind.’
‘Well, I do,’ he said shortly. ‘I want you to myself.’
For once, the warm and fuzzy feeling didn’t happen. Beryl was her friend and she’d thought that Michael was good friends with Jeff; it was how they’d all met. Surely he didn’t mind being with them for an evening now and again? But it sounded as if he minded very much.
‘Come on, let’s dance,’ he said as he stood up and held out his hand to her.
‘I – I’m sorry. I can’t do this one. It’s a tango.’
For a moment, Michael glowered, before saying, ‘Then I’d better find someone who can.’
‘Oh Michael, please . . .’ Carolyn began, but he’d already turned away from her.
She felt her face burning with embarrassment. Why was he being so horrid? He knew she couldn’t dance at all before he met her. He’d taught her the waltz, the foxtrot and the quickstep. It was hardly her fault she didn’t know any other dances yet. She pushed her way through the chattering girls, who were still ranged along the side of the dance floor waiting for someone to invite them to dance. No doubt one of them would end up in Michael’s arms, she thought bitterly. She found the cloakroom, but it too was crowded with girls applying make-up or combing their hair. She dived into one of the cubicles and locked the door. She dug her nails into the palms of her hands; someone had once told her that that could stop you crying. It seemed to work, for the tears that had welled in her eyes didn’t fall.
When the noise outside the cubicle’s door lessened, Carolyn ventured out. There was only Beryl there, washing her hands and smoothing her hair.
‘Hey, there you are. I’ve been looking for you. I saw Michael dancing with another girl. Everything all right?’
Carolyn forced a smile, though it was rather a watery one. ‘Yes, fine. I can’t do the tango.’
Beryl pulled a face. ‘That’s no reason for him to dance with someone else. A bit mean, I call that.’
‘No, no,’ Carolyn said hastily. She didn’t want Beryl speaking to him about it. ‘It’s fine. Really. He’s a good dancer. There’s no need for him to sit out the ones I can’t do.’ She gave a forced laugh. ‘I’m not the jealous type.’ Though in her heart she knew that wasn’t true. The thought of another girl in his arms was a physical pain.
After Carolyn had washed her hands, Beryl said, ‘Come on. Let’s go back. I think they’re playing a waltz. You’ll be all right with that.’
When they returned to the dance floor, they found Michael and Jeff sitting at a table together. As they approached, both men got up. Michael was smiling now and holding out his arms. ‘Now this one you can do, because I taught it to you.’
Gratefully, Carolyn slipped into his arms and he nestled his cheek against her hair and held her close. They were together for the remainder of the evening, Michael sitting out those dances she couldn’t do yet.
‘We’ll have to have a lot more lessons,’ he murmured as they danced the last waltz together at the end of the evening.
‘That’d be lovely,’ she said, the earlier hurt forgiven, if not quite forgotten.
As they got ready for bed, Beryl said hesitantly, ‘I hope you don’t mind me saying this, Carolyn, but Jeff said he’d prefer us to go out as couples, like we were doing, not in a foursome. He found this evening a bit – a bit – awkward.’
‘Oh Beryl, I’m so relieved you’ve said that. It’s exactly how Michael feels too.’
The two girls laughed, then Beryl said, ‘You know why that is, don’t you?’
‘Well, not really. Why?’
‘Because they want to have their wicked way with us, that’s why.’
Carolyn looked shocked. ‘Oh, I’m sure you’re wrong. Michael’s not like that.’
Beryl smiled smugly. ‘I’m telling you, that’s the reason. You wait and see.’
The two girls had settled into their life at Beaumanor. More ATS girls arrived on a regular basis and a few of the civilian men began to leave. Although the work was intense, there was still time for fun, even sometimes on site.
‘Let’s sneak into the house,’ Carolyn said one day, greatly daring. ‘I’d love to see inside.’
‘Are we allowed? I don’t want to be on a charge and I certainly don’t want to be stopped by an MP and his Alsatian dog.’ Beryl shuddered. ‘They scare me, especially if I meet one in the dark.’
‘Look, there’s Bill just coming down the steps. He’ll take us in.’
‘Oh I don’t know . . .’
But Carolyn was already waving animatedly. ‘Hey, Bill . . .’
He saw her, waved back and came towards them. ‘What are you two doing here?’
‘We want to take a peek in the house. Can you take us in?’
‘Don’t do anything that will get you into trouble,’ Beryl said swiftly.
Bill smiled, his eyes twinkling. ‘Of course, I’ll give you a conducted tour and no, it won’t cause any problems. There are rooms we won’t be able to go into, though, but you’ll get a good idea of what the house is like.’
They followed him up the steps and into an entrance hall with a beautiful white fireplace and then into a much bigger, but rather gloomy hall in the centre of the house. The two girls gasped at its magnificence. On the right-hand side, a flight of dark wooden stairs led up towards a boarded-up window, then divided into two, continuing up to left and right to where a cantilever balcony ran round the whole square of the hall at first-floor level.
‘What’s behind the boards?’ Beryl asked.
‘A wonderful painted window. Sadly, you won’t see it until all this madness is over, but it’s well worth protecting. It looks, at first glance, just like a stained-glass window, but it’s been very cleverly painted to look just like the real thing.’
‘I’ll come back one day and see it,’ Beryl murmured.
‘Just look at the size of that chair,’ Carolyn exclaimed pointing to a huge chair set against the wall to one side of the stairs. ‘Who lived here? Giants?’
Beryl was already going towards it and climbing up onto the seat. ‘Come on, Carolyn. There’s room for both of us. In fact, I think there’s room for most of the watch.’
They sat in the chair, looking just like two naughty, giggling children. Bill laughed too. ‘I wish I’d got my camera.’
They climbed down, still laughing, and returned to where Bill was standing. He pointed up to the ceiling with carved panels and to the carved bulls’ heads set around the cornice. ‘You’ll see that motif repeated all around the house.’
‘Does it have any significance?’
Bill wrinkled his forehead. ‘Just an emblem of the family’s strength, I suppose. No one argues with or confronts a bull, do they? Now, I can take you into one or two rooms, but not all of them, obviously.’
He took them into a well-proportioned room to the side of the main entrance. ‘This was where the last owner of the hall had his office. Sitting here he could see whoever was coming or going.’
‘He could keep an eye on everything, you mean. How clever. I’m surprised the commander doesn’t have his office in here.’
Bill chuckled. ‘He does have a room overlooking the entrance, but it’s a bedroom on the first floor. Now, I can show you the library with another lovely white fireplace and then only the cellar, which is a very good air-raid shelter and a store for ammo. The Beaumanor unit of the Home Guard have use of it too for storage.’
They trooped after Bill, fascinated by the rooms he was able to show them. Lastly, he led them out into the courtyard, where the buildings were now used as stores, the Motor Transport office, maintenance and other workshops.
‘Thanks, Bill,’ they said as they left. ‘It’s been interesting to see how things work behind the scenes.’
‘I’m just off into Leicester on my motorbike, if either of you fancy a trip. Can’t take both of you, I’m afraid.’
