Chapter 10 #2
‘I don’t think they’re what you’d call walking out. When I spoke to him earlier, George told me he was going to telephone her to make a date. That’s why Mary and Reg are minding the children.’
‘Could it be the children he’s thinking of?’ Bobby asked. ‘Mary was saying she was surprised he’d given up on courting, with two motherless girls. I assumed he’d never got over the death of his wife.’
‘No, I don’t think he has. Still, I’m glad he’s looking to find happiness again. He’s too good a man to be lonely.’ Lilian hadn’t removed her gaze from the pair. ‘She’s very glamorous, isn’t she? I wonder where she gets such nice clothes.’
‘Perk of working in a department store, perhaps.’
Lilian smiled dryly. ‘I bet her knickers never fall down in public.’
‘Oh, I don’t know,’ Tony said with a grin. ‘Maybe if Parry strikes lucky tonight.’
Bobby shook her head. ‘Show a little class, could you, Tony?’
Tony was too busy running appreciative eyes over Veronica Simpson’s curves, however.
‘Never would’ve thought Parry could hook a woman like that,’ he said. ‘I thought his type would be a librarianish sort, all oversized cardigans and specs.’
‘You might want to stop ogling the poor girl before George looks this way,’ Lilian observed.
Tony turned to give her a kiss. ‘Looking’s just looking. I keep my heart for you, darling.’
Lilian, partially appeased, treated him to a half-smile.
‘I’m sorry, Lil,’ he said in an undertone. ‘I never meant to nag. It’s only because I worry about keeping you well. Love you, don’t I?’
‘I know.’
‘I’ll fetch you another drink, eh? My horse came in yesterday so I’ve got an extra few bob in my pocket to treat you with.’
‘No, you’re right. Two’s enough for me. You have another though.’
Bobby beamed, pleased to see the row of earlier made up. As Lilian had observed, Tony wasn’t someone to whom ‘love talk’ came naturally, but he knew his wife appreciated it and tried for her sake. In his unpolished way, he was a bit of a romantic.
Bobby had barely drunk any of her sherry.
She was worried the sweet, strong drink might upset her stomach, where Marmaduke was stirring.
Her baby-related sickness wasn’t as severe as earlier in her pregnancy, but strong tastes and smells could still set it off.
The smoky environment of the pub was unpleasant enough, especially with Tony chain-smoking his way through Charlie’s cigarettes right in her face.
And always she could feel the eyes of Ernie King on her. She knew she was being ungracious by ignoring him, but Bobby was feeling far too sickly to make polite conversation with jilted suitors.
‘I need to go outside for a moment,’ she said to the others.
Charlie frowned. ‘Are you all right?’
‘I’m all right. It’s just all this smoke.’
‘I’ll come with you then.’
‘No, you stay here. Have another drink. I’ll only be five minutes while I fill my lungs with some clean air.’
Bobby put on her coat and made her way outside. She sat down on a horse trough and gulped in mouthfuls of crisp winter air until the feeling she might be sick abated. There was a full moon that night, glinting off the water in the trough.
A clear night would mean another raid over Germany. It made Bobby think of what Charlie had said earlier. All those people on the ground who would be suffering. Women. Children. Women like her, their babies unborn inside them…
She shivered, and tried to push the thought away.
Bobby smelt Ernie before she saw him. Even with the heavy scent of pub smoke on him, she recognised the distinctive smell of the Canadian shaving soap he used.
‘Hey, Slacks.’
As anxious as she’d been to avoid him, Bobby couldn’t help smiling. She’d missed Ernie’s teasing. He sounded gentler than usual but not exactly sad, and certainly not cross or bitter. That was something.
‘Ernie,’ she said. ‘I, um, didn’t notice you in there.’
He grinned. ‘Yeah, like hell.’ He leaned against the trough. ‘Avoiding me, kid?’
‘OK, yes,’ she said, deciding to meet frankness with frankness. ‘I’ve had a bugger of a day, pardon my language. I could have done without one more awkward conversation.’
‘All right, Bobby, no need to get all mushy on me. I missed you too, OK?’
She smiled. It was better if he was joking.
‘I did miss you actually. Life wasn’t the same without you to mock me for my clothing choices. Where’s Chip tonight?’ She had noted the absence of Ernie’s other billet mate when she had spotted him drinking with Sandy.
Ernie was looking up at the stars, his eyes moving over the constellations as if he was counting each pinprick of light.
‘Gone.’
Before she had served in the Air Force, Bobby might have assumed his friend had been posted back to Canada. Not now, though.
‘Oh Ernie, I am sorry,’ she whispered. ‘I know you two were close.’
He shrugged. ‘Just one in a long line of pals I’ve lost in this thing. Still, I miss him. Good man.’
There was a moment’s sombre silence.
‘So, um, did you know I’d left the WAAF?’ Bobby asked.
‘Not when I came back. Her Ladyship was good enough to fill me in on the changes round here when she roped me in to the latest Topsy Nowak production.’ Ernie lit a cigarette. ‘Shame. The uniform looked good on you.’
‘I thought you didn’t approve of women in uniform.’
‘No, but I’ve always approved of Bobby Bancroft in a skirt.’
Bobby closed her eyes. One of them was going to have to tackle the subject that was hovering unspoken between them, and if he wasn’t going to do it, she supposed it would have to be her.
‘Ernie, I’m sorry,’ she said quietly.
He didn’t meet her eye, continuing to smoke as he gazed carelessly at the stars. ‘About what?’
‘You know what.’
‘Oh, that?’ He glanced at her with a hint of his old grin. ‘I’d forgotten all about that.’
‘You know that’s not true. I never meant to hurt you. But I did, and I feel awful about it.’
‘Ancient history, Slacks. If you must know, I’ve been engaged this past month.’ He took his cigarette out of his mouth, noticing her wince of nausea. ‘Sorry, is this bothering you? Should’ve asked before lighting up.’
‘No, it’s all right.’ Bobby swallowed as she battled the sick feeling. ‘The smoke in the pub was making me feel ill, that’s all.’
Ernie looked at her curiously as he stamped out the cigarette. ‘Oh?’
‘That’s why I came outside.’ She flashed him a weak smile. ‘I hope you didn’t think it was a ruse to lure you out here.’
‘If anything, I thought it might be an attempt to run away. You seemed very keen to pretend you hadn’t seen me in there.’ He smiled. ‘Thought I ought to corner you before we ended up dancing round each other in every public place in the village.’
‘So… are we still friends then?’
He took her hand and shook it in a frank, manly fashion that made Bobby smile. ‘You got it. Friends.’
‘And you’re engaged.’ She summoned her warmest smile. ‘Congratulations, Ernie. I knew a handsome boy like you would meet the perfect girl before long. Is she Canadian?’
‘No, one of your lot. A WAAF from Cambridge – Barbara. Pretty. Vivacious. The boys think she looks like Dorothy Lamour.’
Bobby laughed. ‘So not at all like me then. That’s for the best. You and I could never have suited.’
‘In some ways you’re alike,’ Ernie said. ‘She’s a smart cookie, and she likes to tell me off if she thinks I’m being “stuffy”, as you used to put it.’ He dabbled his fingers idly in the horse trough. ‘She’s going to come to Canada with me if I make it through. Help me run the family farm.’
Bobby felt comfortable enough now to squeeze his arm.
‘I’m thrilled for you, Ernie,’ she said softly. ‘I’d love to meet her. Charlie and I can make up a foursome with you and show her the sights, such as they are.’
Ernie smiled. ‘That sounds mighty civilised. By which I mean, mighty British.’
‘And listen, thanks for being chummy with Charlie. He told me you offered to buy him a drink. I’d like you two to be friends.’
Ernie was silent, watching the water break the full moon into pieces as his fingers moved through it.
‘Doozy of a scar he’s got since I saw him last, your Mr Atherton,’ he observed after a while.
Bobby nodded soberly. ‘Flak during his last op.’
‘Anything else get broken?’
‘His arm was badly burnt. The nerve damage is quite extensive – that’s why they invalided him out. He was trying to put out a fire on the wing with his parachute.’
Ernie raised an eyebrow. ‘You mean he climbed out the hatch?’
‘That’s right. He saved the lives of his entire crew.’
‘Whoa. Brave guy.’
She laughed grimly. ‘Don’t say that to him, for God’s sake.’
‘Why do you say that?’
‘He has strong views about being called a hero when so many of his pals are dead, that’s all.’
‘Can’t say I’d feel any different.’ Ernie turned to her, all traces of teasing gone. ‘A man goes through all that, it’s bound to leave him with a few problems.’
Bobby flushed. ‘It’s not my place to talk about it.’
‘But he’s good to you? Treats you right?’
‘Very much so.’
‘Then I’ll make sure he lets me buy him that drink next time I run into him. Sounds like the least he’s owed.’
‘He’d like that. Thank you.’
‘He knows, I guess. About what I asked you in spring.’
‘You mean the thing you’ve forgotten all about?’
‘Yeah, that.’
‘He knows, but he isn’t one to hold a grudge,’ Bobby reassured him. ‘Besides, you didn’t do anything wrong. I wasn’t his girl then – or at least, it had become rather complicated. I’m sure that now he and I are happily married and you’ve moved on, we can put it behind us, can’t we?’
‘Happily married?’ His eyes sought hers in the pale glow of the moon. ‘You swear to that?’
‘I’d be lying if I said marriage was hourly bliss, but… yes. It isn’t always easy but it’s always… right, I suppose.’
‘Well, if you’re genuinely happy then that makes it all bearable.’ He smiled. ‘I do feel cheated of my opportunity to kiss the bride though. I was a mite too heartsick to offer my congratulations when you came back to Ryland Moor after your wedding. Am I too late to claim it now?’
Bobby smiled too. ‘You aren’t too late,’ she said, presenting her cheek.
Ernie planted a gentle kiss there.
‘All the happiness in the world, Bobby Bancroft,’ he said softly. ‘I guess the right guy struck lucky in the end, but every time I hear “The Lambeth Walk” I’ll think of the first girl I ever fell for. See you around, kid.’
He strode back to the pub, passing Charlie, who had emerged in search of his wife. Charlie gave him a curious look, but Ernie only nodded in friendly fashion before heading back inside.
‘What did he want?’ Charlie asked when he joined Bobby at the trough.
‘To clear the air.’
‘If I’d spotted him following you, I’d have come out right away. I hope he wasn’t pestering you.’
‘He was the perfect gentleman. We talked, that’s all.’
‘About what?’
‘Just… things. I’ll tell you at home.’ Bobby took his stick and rested it against the trough. ‘Now stop being jealous and hold me, will you?’
‘I can’t refuse that, I suppose.’
When she was in his arms, Bobby rested her forehead on his chest and breathed his scent deeply.
‘I think I’ve had enough of other people,’ she whispered. ‘How about we say goodbye to the Scotts and you take me home to bed?’
He smiled. ‘Now there’s a plan I approve of.’