caught the evening sun. ‘I know it was a bit unlikely,’ she said. Rallying again, she turned to Laurence. ‘So, where have you visited so far?’
He smiled easily and even Edith admitted to herself he was very good-looking. ‘Well, my mother’s from Scotland and so when I first got here I went to see my long-lost relatives up near Edinburgh. But for the rest of the time I’ve been down south. Alfie here took me to Brighton yesterday but it wasn’t how we imagined it.’
‘No,’ said Alfie. ‘For a start you aren’t allowed on the beach now. Even the streets near the sea have a curfew, so you can’t go down the seaside pubs after nine thirty. Put a bit of a kybosh on our plans.’
Peggy patted her hair. ‘All the more reason to enjoy tonight then,’ she suggested.
Billy met Edith’s gaze behind their friend’s back, and gave her a quizzical look. Edith gave him a little shrug. She didn’t know what Peggy’s game was either, but this wasn’t turning out to be the quiet night out she’d foreseen.
Laurence and Alfie offered to get in a round of drinks. Edith didn’t mind that; she only wanted half a shandy, and it was well known that the RAF men generally weren’t short of a bob or two. Peggy ordered a port and lemon, while Mary and Belinda chose lemonade.
‘They seem nice,’ Peggy said, coming over to her. ‘Makes a change, seeing new faces in here. Usually it’s full of people I’ve been to school with, or at least their brothers and sisters.’
‘Yes, but that’s why I like it,’ said Edith. ‘Not that I was at school with them all but … well, you know, Harry was, and so I felt like I had this new group of friends to count on. It was never like that where I came from.’
Peggy bit her lip. ‘I know. I’m only having a bit of fun. You don’t mind, do you? It feels as if I’ve been sitting in Pete’s mum’s front room for ever. It was driving me nuts. It’s a real breath of fresh air coming here again.’
Edith recognised that Peggy was dealing with her grief in a very different way, but didn’t want to blame her. ‘Of course not. I’m just not feeling very chatty yet. It’s nice to be out, so don’t mind me if I’m a bit quiet.’
Peggy’s face broke into a big smile. Then the RAF men returned and she hurried over to help hand round the glasses. She took her own and raised it. ‘Cheers!’ she said, beaming at Alfie and Laurence, then knocked back half of the gleaming purple drink in one go. ‘To having fun.’
‘Blimey,’ said Billy under his breath, yet loud enough that Edith heard, while Laurence raised his own pint and said, ‘To a fine evening, in the best city in England!’
‘To the best bit of the best city in England!’ said Peggy, and knocked back the rest of the port and lemon.
After a couple of hours, Edith was more than ready to go home. She’d tried her best, keeping up her end of the conversation when one of the others spoke to her, but it was an effort and her heart wasn’t in it. After a while she drifted to the edge of the group and watched them rather than joining in. Billy’s friends seemed nice enough, but she wasn’t remotely interested in getting to know them any better. What would be the point? She’d probably never see them again anyway.
Peggy, however, continued to accept the port and lemons, which the RAF men obligingly bought her, and to drink them down as if there was no tomorrow. Her voice grew louder and she laughed at everything they said, playing with her hair or shaking it loose around her shoulders. Edith was slightly shocked. She was no prude, but it was no time at all since Pete had died, and here was Peggy behaving as if she hadn’t a care in the world.
Mary detached herself from the conversation she’d been having with Ronald and Kenny and came over. ‘You all right, Edie? You’ve gone quiet.’
Edith grinned awkwardly. ‘Just tired.’
Mary nodded. ‘Me too. Shall we go?’
Edith nodded, grateful that Mary had made the suggestion. As a point of pride she hadn’t wanted to say anything, but the light was beginning to fade and she wasn’t keen to stumble back in the blackout. Besides, she simply didn’t have any energy left to socialise. She longed for her bed in her little attic room, where she wouldn’t have to speak to anyone.
‘Would you mind?’ she said.
‘Not a bit. I’ll see what Belinda wants to do.’
After a brief chat with Belinda, and a word or two with Billy, Mary came back and told Edith: ‘Belinda wants to stay longer, but Billy said he’d make sure she gets back all right. I’ve said goodbye on your behalf, so we can leave whenever you like.’
Edith sighed with relief. ‘Let’s go right now. No point in hanging around. Thanks, Mary.’ She shrugged into her bolero and drew it around her. ‘Come on, we can go out the back way.’ She linked her arm through her friend’s and they quietly made their way through the gate into the little lane behind the beer garden – where once Harry had led her, the night she’d realised he was the only man for her.
At breakfast the next morning, Belinda was last down, almost missing the porridge. Edith, who had been chatting to Alice, waved her over. ‘How was the rest of last night?’ she asked. ‘Did Billy walk you home like he said he would?’
Belinda looked guilty. ‘Yes, but I lost track of time and I missed the curfew. I didn’t realise it was after ten o’clock until he looked at his watch. I had to sneak past the front door and hope nobody was watching. I remembered what you used to do, though, and found the loose fence panel. I almost ripped my skirt getting through the gap – I’d hate to think what would have happened if I’d been any bigger. Mary said she’d leave a window open just in case and so I climbed in that way.’
Edith grinned. ‘Good job you’re so tall. I always needed help to reach the windowsill. I’d have been completely stuck on my own.’
‘I scraped my knee as it was,’ Belinda said ruefully. ‘Still, it was worth it. I really enjoyed myself and it took my mind off David. I’m trying not to think about what he’s doing, you see.’
Edith and Alice nodded in sympathy, although Alice had no brothers and sisters, and Edith wasn’t close to any of her brothers in the way Belinda evidently was.
‘Billy’s ever so nice, isn’t he?’ Belinda went on. ‘He had to come out of his way to bring me back. I assumed he must live near here when he offered but, no, his house is in the opposite direction, yet he swore he didn’t mind.’
Edith agreed. ‘He’s one of the kindest people I know. That’s typical of him.’ She watched Belinda with curiosity. Was there something more than friendly appreciation behind what she’d said? Had Billy taken her fancy? Belinda had never talked about a boyfriend so perhaps it was possible. Edith decided not to mention the complication of Kathleen.
‘Anyway, Peggy certainly seemed to enjoy herself,’ Belinda continued. ‘She and that Canadian airman got on like a house on fire. I think she’s going to see him again.’
Alice raised her eyebrows in surprise. ‘Really? Isn’t that a bit soon?’
Edith pulled a face. ‘Well, I’d have thought so, but if that’s her way of getting over Pete then I don’t suppose we can blame her. Perhaps it’s just a bit of fun.’
‘What’s
