riding boots but he looks ready for anything all the same.’
‘Yeah … don’t he just,’ Geoff grunted wryly. ‘Give him all them togs as a going-away present. Had to pay fer it ‘n’ all. Old man Milligan’s been watching me like an ’awk. He ain’t daft. He knew I’d be eyeing a bit of new clobber.’
‘You’re a big softie, Geoff Lovat.’
‘Not where Dan’s concerned, I ain’t. Just glad to see the back of him.’ To avoid Alice’s mocking look he added gruffly, ‘Still don’t know why there weren’t no big ruckus over it all.’ He frowned. ‘I was expecting me mum ‘n’ dad to kick up a helluva lot more over losing him and his pay.’
‘Me ‘n’ Sophy have been waiting for the same in ours. Even up to this morning when we were packing her things we were expecting round one to start. We was afraid me mum might decide she’d got to stop home after all.’ She gazed into the distance. ‘Strange really … but it seems since the war started things’ve been a bit different. It’s hard to explain what sort of different,’ she said slowly, reflecting. ‘I can’t put me finger on it ’cos the fighting’s all a long way away and it’ll probably be over soon in any case. But it seems like everyone’s expecting something big might happen so they’re not bothering making a song ‘n’ dance over other stuff like they would normally. Hope what’s coming turns out to be good.’
‘Can feel it all in yer bones, can you?’ Geoff’s tone was lightly teasing, but his thoughtful frown displayed he’d attended intently – more closely than he was willing to let on – to Alice’s simple, jumbled philosophy.
‘Yeah … suppose I can feel it in me bones. It’s peculiar just waiting, knowing it could turn out bad, but really hoping it’ll be good instead.’
Having reached the station the group trooped onto the platform where the train was standing. A lot of people were milling around and Margaret and Tilly ordered the kids to be still and not hare about and get lost.
Sophy turned and rushed back along the family queue to where Alice was standing with Geoff. She snatched her sister in a determined embrace.
‘I want some letters off you,’ Alice mumbled against Sophy’s shoulder. ‘I want to know all what’s going on in Essex. Especially want to know what the people’s like, and what your digs are like ‘n’ so on.’
Sophy nodded then, rubbing at her streaming eyes, she pushed away and moved amongst the other members of her family to give them hugs and kisses.
Having given her eldest daughter a perfunctory cuddle Tilly pushed Sophy away. ‘Geddoff with you,’ she fondly chided. ‘Ain’t much to tell you that ain’t already been said. Just make sure you behave yourself and keep yer job,’ was her blunt maternal advice. ‘Don’t forget: if you can spare it send it ’cos we need it. And come back and see us soon as you can. That’s all.’
Sophy nodded at her mum and cuffed her nose. She turned to her dad and went immediately into his open arms.
‘Be a good gel,’ he whispered achingly softly against her temple. ‘Keep safe. God bless you.’
‘And you …’ Sophy choked.
Bert and Margaret Lovat were bestowing similar advice on Danny while he attempted to free his legs from his clinging little siblings and Geoff hung back, looking amused. Finally Geoff approached his brother and shook Danny’s hand and then rather self-consciously he found his place at the back of the family group again.
At last the goodbyes were done and the couple boarded the train with moments to spare as the guard paced officiously up and down, whistling and signalling. As the train pulled away a thicket of waving hands sprung up and some of the little ones shot along the platform to follow in its juddering black wake. Even little Lucy trotted a few steps after her big sister Sophy before Beth caught her up in her arms and nuzzled her pink cheek.
‘That’s enough. Let’s get going,’ Geoff muttered gruffly to Alice.
She understood his reasons for wanting to be off now. She wanted some time away from the rest of her family too on what seemed to be a particularly significant day. An ending and a beginning … perhaps not just for Sophy and Danny, Alice mused as she nodded agreement to Geoff’s suggestion that they make their escape.
‘Off down the caff fer a cuppa,’ Alice called out to her mum. She’d chosen the right time to slip away. Tilly was preoccupied and simply acknowledged Alice’s shout with a wave. She was in the process of comforting Margaret over the loss of her firstborn by planting two work-raw hands on Margaret’s shaking shoulders. Margaret continued to weep loudly into her hanky as Geoff and Alice made their way out of the station.
Before they disappeared round the corner Alice glanced back to see her father and Bert Lovat were already marshalling the kids into some sort of order for the tramp home. In the distance she could just see the train that was carrying her sister away. ‘Bye, Sophy,’ she murmured before the view was lost to her.
‘Why ain’t you in uniform? Too yeller to go to war?’
Alice snatched the white feather that the woman had thrust against Geoff’s chest and threw it on the ground. ‘You stupid old fool!’ she hissed. ‘He ain’t even old enough to join up. He ain’t even sixteen yet.’
The woman showed no sign of remorse. Her features remained contorted by bitterness. She was dressed head to toe in black and it was easy to guess what caused her spite: she’d recently lost her husband or son to the war. Women of all ages, sour of countenance, dressed in mourning clothes, were an increasingly common sight on the streets.
Alice marched on, urging Geoff to do the same by clutching tightly at his elbow. Her hostile glare clashed with the woman’s belligerent stare until they’d passed her by.
‘Me husband’s gawn and me son were short of seventeen when he joined up,’ she yelled after them. ‘Brave as a lion, he were. Now he’s dead fighting fer the likes of them’s too yeller to go and do their bit. You’re big enough to do your bit.’
‘Don’t take no notice,’ Alice mouthed at Geoff as they kept walking. She took a keener look at Geoff’s strained features. He was too young to officially join up but Alice could tell he’d been affected by what the widow had shouted at him. There were tales going around of boys as young as twelve who’d lied about their age and gone off to help win the fight against the Germans. The street was crowded and people were turning to stare at them. ‘Gotta make allowances,’ Alice announced loudly. ‘The poor old soul’s grieving and it’s done her a damage in the brainbox.’ Alice gave Geoff a playful nudge to try and coax a smile from him.
Geoff obliged with a little grunt of laughter. ‘Times like this I wish I weren’t so tall. That’s the second time this week some old gel’s said I should get meself to France in uniform.’
‘Good job your mum weren’t about. She’d have something to say about it!’
‘Bleedin’ hell … would she,’ Geoff agreed in alarm. ‘If I decided to go down the recruiting office, and she found out, she’d be down there after me to drag me home. She’s still not got over losing Dan’s wages.’
‘I’ve got a letter from Sophy in me
