up and stretched. ‘Do you think we have enough yet, Gladys?’
Gladys looked around critically at the now-filled trug and the other bags the nurses had brought along. ‘Yes, that should do. Thank you, it would have taken me hours on my own.’
‘Hours you don’t have,’ Edith said under her breath. She had never known Gladys to have any time to herself and wondered if that would ever change.
‘We can go back and get cleaned up, then pop over to Dr Patcham’s,’ she said to Alice, who was shaking the worst of the earth from her hands. ‘Then I might write to Harry this afternoon.’
Alice nodded. ‘And I might write to Joe,’ she said quietly, unable to keep the delight from her voice.
‘Joe?’ Edith stopped in her tracks. ‘Joe? Have you finally heard from him?’ She was all but hopping on the spot.
‘Yes, at last.’ Alice gave a huge smile, allowing the strength of her feelings to shine through. ‘He’s safe; he’s probably based in Plymouth. He’s alive. I got a card this morning. He’s safe, Edie.’
Peggy smiled as she caught sight of Belinda being swirled around the dance floor. Her partner was in a Canadian uniform and the top of his head reached as far as the tall nurse’s ear, but he was full of enthusiasm and she seemed to be having a good time. At least he was keeping to the right beat. It was too bad when you were asked for a dance and the man turned out to have two left feet.
The place was crowded and the air felt hot, despite the coolness of the winter evening outside. Peggy took a moment to compose herself. She had had three different dance partners so far, all of whom had been perfectly polite, friendly even, but she did not feel inclined to seek out any of them again. She didn’t want to give them false hope. She was interested only in dancing, nothing more. She patted her light brown hair into something like its intended shape.
Clarrie whirled by, the skirt of her bias-cut frock flaring out just as it was meant to, emphasising the shape of her calves. In this light, and moving at that speed, nobody would notice that the hem was frayed and the seams much mended. It had lasted for several dance seasons, and would have to last for many more unless the war ended soon. They all knew how unlikely that was.
Peggy grinned and shook her head as Clarrie raised her eyebrows at her and cocked her head a little to one side. She knew it was shorthand for ‘Are you going to dance with any of them again?’ Clarrie could be very protective, which Peggy appreciated, but she still didn’t want to accept a second dance with any of the young men.
She was in no hurry to get back on to the dance floor. Sometimes it was more fun to watch, guessing who was going to dance with whom, or trying to recognise anybody she had met here before. The music was lively and she tapped her feet along with the rhythm, almost without realising it. She knew most of the tunes from hearing them on the wireless, which was on full blast throughout her shifts at the factory.
‘You look as if you like the music.’
A voice sounded from just behind her, and she turned to meet the eyes of a man who was clearly a GI from his uniform. The Americans had begun to arrive now their country had entered the war good and proper and already some people resented their presence, but Peggy had nothing against them. He was taller than her, perhaps by a head. He was slimly built but she could tell he was fit from the curves of his muscles beneath his olive shirt. Something about the way he held himself made her think that he would be a good dancer.
‘Want to have a spin?’ He smiled, and his expression was bright, almost teasing. She thought his accent might be from New York – or as far as she could tell from watching Broadway Melody more than once at the local Odeon. His skin was a warm brown colour, a couple of shades lighter than his eyes, which sparkled as they fixed on her.
Suddenly the idea of standing at the edge and watching the entertainment was not as compelling. ‘Yes, all right,’ she said after a moment. It didn’t do to seem too keen.
His smile broadened as if he knew exactly why she’d made him wait, then he opened his arms and she stepped into them. She fitted exactly. As he began to move to the first notes of the new song, she knew she’d made the right choice. He was an excellent dancer – not flashy, but naturally assured. He made her seem as if she was far more accomplished than she’d ever been before.
‘Do I pass the test?’ he asked lightly, never missing a beat.
This time she didn’t pause. ‘You do,’ she said, tipping her head back and laughing in surprised delight.
‘Oh, I don’t want to go home yet.’ Peggy’s voice was full of regret. ‘Go on, Clarrie, stay for another song. Just one more.’ She gazed soulfully at the entrance to the dance hall as they lingered by the chilly cloakroom.
Clarrie shrugged into her big winter coat with the astrakhan collar. ‘No can do, Peggy. It’s my sister’s last day at home tomorrow and it’s all hands on deck to make her a Sunday roast to remember and give her a proper family send-off. She’ll have my guts for garters if I oversleep and ruin it.’
Belinda shivered theatrically as she pulled on her own big coat. ‘I’ll be too late for curfew but I can get in through the back fence and the common room window. Mary’s going to make sure it’s unlocked. I don’t want to push it too far, though, or they’ll think I’m taking the mickey.’ She buttoned up her cardigan all the way to the neck. ‘Good evening, wasn’t it? I think you’ve made a conquest, Peggy.’ She nodded to the group of American soldiers to one side of the entrance.
Peggy raised her eyebrows. She knew she should deny it and play along, but life was too short – she of all people should know that. ‘He was a lovely dancer,’ she said, keeping her voice as neutral as she could. ‘We only had a couple of turns though.’
‘Six or seven, more like,’ Clarrie said at once.
‘Ooh, who’s counting?’ Peggy didn’t know whether to be flattered or annoyed that her best friend had noted exactly how much of the evening she’d spent in the soldier’s arms. ‘Anyway they’ll all be off soon, so nothing will come of it. They’re just passing through.’ More’s the pity, she thought.
She fiddled with her clip-on earring; it had become tangled in her hair, which she had worn loose for once. It wasn’t a valuable earring, just paste, but she liked it – it was one of a pair Pete had given her for a birthday years before. She didn’t want to lose it. God knew she had little enough to remember him by.
‘Peggy?’
She was shaken from her memories by the voice at her side. It was the soldier.
‘You want me to walk you home?’ His voice was warm. ‘I’d be happy to do so.’ He gave a small grin.
‘No … no, you don’t need to bother. I’m with my friends.’ She nodded across to where Clarrie and Belinda were tying on their scarves.
‘It’s no bother.’ His smile grew and she had a sharp feeling of certainty that he meant it. Her knees weakened at that voice and those melting eyes. But he was just passing through.
‘Thanks, though.’ She wanted to prolong the moment a little longer.
‘Peggy,
