Chapter 14
Where I’m needed most. The words whirled around Bobby’s head all that day.
She didn’t have an ARP shift that evening, and had been hoping to keep it free to give some thought to the predicament she was in.
It wasn’t to be, however, as one of the village lads appeared at the door that afternoon with a note for her.
Mary brought it into the parlour with a cuppa each for Bobby and Reg.
‘Looks like young Topsy’s writing,’ she observed. ‘Happen she’s got some wedding jobs for you, Bobby.’
Bobby unfolded the note.
‘You’re right,’ she said. ‘She wants me to go over this evening to help her and Mrs Hobbes with their sewing. Don’t knock, just come right in, she says. I never realised society weddings involved quite such a huge amount of sewing, did you?’
Mary raised an eyebrow. ‘More sewing? I’m sure I’ve sewn myself silly for that girl since she announced the engagement.’
‘I know, I was hemming tablecloths for hours in the ARP hut last week. I thought every last scrap of linen in the Dales had been used for our pantomime, but Topsy’s friends have been donating material and clothing coupons in swathes.’
‘Topsy Sumner-Walsh never could do things by halves,’ Mary said, smiling. ‘Will you go?’
‘I don’t suppose I can say no, since I was the matchmaker for the thing,’ Bobby said with a laugh. ‘I won’t stay late though. I’ve things to do at home.’
Reg, who had been contributing only the odd muttered ‘humph’ while this female nonsense ate into the working day, glanced up.
‘Filled that form in yet?’ he asked Bobby.
‘No. That was the other thing I needed to do tonight.’
‘Well, don’t leave it too long. You can’t depend on the post these days. Pop it in the box soon as you can.’
Mary said goodbye and left the room with her ever-present teapot. Bobby didn’t start work again immediately, however. She blew on her tea thoughtfully. For once it was a rich conker brown – made with real milk, not the evaporated stuff or powdered Household Milk, and brewed with fresh leaves.
An idea had been evolving since her conversation with Don. It had come back to her that morning, as Jessie had casually divided Reg’s property between their three families.
She had to agree with Don. Tony’s chances of getting back on the Courier staff now Clarky was in the editor’s chair again were slim to none, no matter who put in a good word.
He only had himself to blame for that. But Bobby had a better idea – one that, if everything worked out, could solve two of the problems that had been worrying her in one go.
It wasn’t ideal, but it was better than any of the alternatives.
‘Reg?’ she said.
‘Hmm?’
‘You know you said that if I had to go – I mean, if they don’t accept I count as a hardship case – you were going to advertise for someone to take my place?’
‘Aye, what of it?’
‘Don’t advertise. I know a chap who could be just what you’re looking for.’
Reg looked up. ‘Got a good nose for it, has he?’
‘When he applies himself,’ Bobby said, thinking about the meat-raffling story Tony had uncovered that had ended up getting poor Lilian into this mess. It had been a good bit of journalism, despite the consequences. ‘He’s got experience too.’
‘Hmm. It’s not much money. Does he know that?’
‘He’s not in a position to be choosy. He’s to be married soon and needs to find work to support himself and his wife.’
Reg frowned. ‘What age is this lad?’
‘Thirty.’
‘Thirty!’ Reg gave a hoarse laugh. ‘A man that age’ll not work for a quid a week, lass. Besides, the Army will have him soon enough if they haven’t already.’
‘He can’t be called up. Asthma. And he really does need the work, even at that salary. If it included accommodation, that would make a big difference to him.’
‘Well it don’t – not any more,’ Reg said, going back to his work. ‘Not unless I kick your old man out, which for his sake and yours I’ve no intention of doing.’
‘That’s just what I mean.’ Bobby flushed. ‘This man. The woman he’s engaged to is… is my sister.’ She met his eyes. ‘Please don’t say anything to my dad though, Reg. She hasn’t broken the news yet.’
Reg frowned. ‘Your sister? I thought she were engaged to some naval sort.’
‘That didn’t work out.’
‘Well who is he then, this young man?’
Bobby hid her face behind her tea for a moment. This was the difficult part.
‘Tony,’ she said quietly. ‘Tony Scott, from the Courier. I mean, formerly from the Courier.’
Reg laughed. ‘What, him?’
‘Well, why not? He might not’ve been crafting deathless prose on the paper but when it comes to writing up a story, he knows what he’s doing. Don Sykes has given him a glowing reference.’
‘Huh. Scott slip him a oncer for it, did he? I remember Nobby Clarke telling me about that one. Wouldn’t know a hard day’s work if it bit him on the ar— on the backside.’
‘He’s changed now,’ Bobby said, realising even as the words fell from her lips how unlikely this sounded. ‘Tony’s really settled down since he and Lil started walking out.’
Reg watched her for a moment, one eye narrowed.
‘There isn’t any more to this, is there?’
‘In a way.’ Bobby forced her voice to remain even.
‘You know I’ve been worried about leaving my dad.
If Tony was able to find work here, then he and Lilian could move into the cow house.
I know there’s not much room but Lil knows how to take care of our dad when he…
well, you know. And she’d have friends and family nearby to support her once she—’ She stopped.
‘I mean, if she and Tony were to start a family.’
‘I see.’ Reg went back to his work.
Bobby waited, but Reg didn’t say anything else. It seemed as if, to all intents and purposes, the subject was now closed.
‘Um, Reg?’
‘What?’
‘Are you going to… If I asked Tony to send you a letter of application, would he be wasting his time?’
‘No need, is there? If you send that form off.’
‘And what if I don’t?’
He looked up sharply. ‘That’s what you’ve decided, is it?’
‘I haven’t fully decided anything, but I can’t help thinking about it. That I really ought to do my duty and go.’
‘Listen, Bobby, I already waved off a brother who for reasons best known to himself developed a sudden case of chronic patriotism.’ His brown eyes, like his brother’s in everything except their sternness, met hers.
‘You stay here, where you’re best off. If you want to serve the war effort, do it by giving folk summat to smile about on the pages of the magazine.
As a writer you’re worth ten Tony Scotts. ’
‘This isn’t about the magazine, Reg,’ Bobby said impatiently.
‘Don’t you get it? There are things happening out there – big things that are going to change the whole world, for a long time after they’re over.
Things that matter more than you and me, and the damn magazine.
Charlie understands that. Perhaps it’s time I started getting my priorities in the right order too. ’
He blinked. ‘All right. What’s brought this on?’
She sighed. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to go off at you.
Just… Charlie said some things when he had that bit of leave the other night.
It got me thinking that I really didn’t have any right to make a claim for hardship.
I’d hate him to resent me for trying to duck out of doing my bit while he’s up there with his hide on the line. ’
Reg laughed. ‘What, because you didn’t give your all shorthand typing for the war effort? They’re hardly asking you to go to the front lines.’
‘But it isn’t about that, is it? I’d be typing to free up a man from somewhere else. I might not be on the front lines, but he could be. Because of me.’
‘Huh. Then I’d think you might stay for that poor sod’s sake.’
‘If everybody thought that way, we’d lose the war.’
‘Aye, all right. It were only a joke.’ Reg sighed. ‘Well, do what you think you have to. Mind, I can’t promise I’ll be able to take you back once you go.’
Bobby bowed her head. ‘I know.’
‘God knows if the mag’ll even make it through the war, the way they’re rationing paper. A few more years of it’ll finish us.’
‘And… Tony?’
‘He can apply, but I’m not promising owt.’
Bobby smiled. ‘Thank you. That was all I wanted.’