Authors: Pam Weaver
Percy shook his head vigorously. ‘If you don’t mind me saying so,’ he said, ‘I think you exaggerate.’
The girl leaned forward and pointed at the scar on her face. ‘You wouldn’t say that if you had this.’
Percy was speechless.
At that moment the nurse asked him to leave. He was upsetting her patient. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said helplessly. He turned to go, then stepped back. ‘Can I see you tomorrow?’
She leaned back on the pillow with a tired sigh. ‘Don’t come in that uniform.’
His heart soared, but he was halfway out of the ward before he realized he didn’t even know what she was called. ‘What is your name?’
‘Rachel,’ she said. ‘Rachel Stein.’
He spent the whole night in a state of turmoil. There was no doubt that the BUF meetings were attracting a lot more violence. Mosley talked about strong government and upending the social structure of the country, and, while it was true there was a lot wrong with it, for a while now Percy had been forced to admit that he wasn’t exactly comfortable with his leader’s proposals. That night he had been given one of the most coveted positions, as flag-bearer, and yet he had been treated with contempt and ridicule. Not only was the movement open to question, but so was its leader. Rachel represented the face of the downtrodden, and he didn’t like the way she had been treated.
Visiting hours were a long time coming, but when he reached the ward and the sister opened the doors at 3 p.m., Percy could hardly contain his excitement.
Rachel was right at the end of the ward. As he strode towards her, his heart pounded. He’d brought her flowers and some grapes.
‘You look quite handsome in your suit,’ she smiled.
Percy felt his face colour. He loved the soft lilt in her voice. He loved the way her hair, loose and long, rested on her shoulders. He loved her smile, and her eyes.
They made small talk and then Percy asked her, ‘Can you tell me what happened to you? You were very positive that Hitler is a bad thing for Germany. Do you mind telling me why?’
She blinked, as if she was unsure of his motives.
‘I’m serious,’ he said quietly. ‘I know I joined the Blackshirts, but …’ He shrugged helplessly.
‘I was with my sister and her baby,’ Rachel began. ‘It was becoming more and more difficult for Jews to make a living in Germany. The Hitler Youth made trouble all the time.’
‘You are Jewish?’
‘Yes,’ she said, with a defiant toss of her head. ‘You have a problem with that?’
‘Not at all.’ Percy shook his head. He’d been surprised more than anything else. ‘Go on.’
‘We were walking together: Griselda, the baby and I,’ she began. ‘They came out of nowhere – pushing us, trying to grab the baby out of Griselda’s arms, calling us “Jewish whores”. One of them tried to put his hand down my blouse, so I slapped his face.’ Rachel turned her head away and Percy could see that her chin was shaking.
‘If it’s too difficult …’ he began.
‘No,’ she said, collecting herself again. ‘I’ll tell you. I want to tell you. They dragged me into a shed and tore off my clothes.’
Percy’s eyes widened.
Dear God … what was she going to tell him?
‘Then one of them – the one with the knife – did this.’
‘But why?’ asked Percy incredulously.
‘Because I am Jewish,’ she said simply. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears, but she stared straight at him. ‘They hate the Jews and the Gypsies, and the cripples
and the mentally ill. They want to kill us all. We don’t fit in with the master race, d’you see? This is what your Mosley wants too.’
‘I’ve never heard him say anything like that,’ said Percy stoutly.
‘Of course not!’ cried Rachel. ‘He needs to get into power first, then he will do it.’
Percy stared at her, horrified. He leaned back in his chair. ‘What happened to your sister?’
‘She took the baby and ran away,’ said Rachel. ‘She ran across a railway line. One of the men that followed was hit by a train.’
‘How awful. But it must have been a bit of a relief.’
Rachel’s eyes filled with tears as she shook her head. ‘When one of them is hurt, they always take revenge,’ she said sadly. ‘A week later the police found Griselda and the baby in an alley; they had been beaten to death. Of course they never caught the person responsible. Then someone told me my brother-in-law had been arrested. I was terrified …’ Her voice trailed off. ‘And when I heard that our house was marked for demolition, some friends helped me to escape. I was the only one who made it to England.’
Percy’s hand went to his head and he looked down. He had no words. He was appalled by what she’d said, but he believed everything. All the things he didn’t like about the BUF came marching out like an army.
She leaned over and touched his shoulder. ‘I’ve given you a shock,’ she said quietly. ‘I’m sorry. You are a good man. You came to help me and I am grateful.’ Her face
was pale, but she was no coward. Terrible things had happened to her, but her eyes still blazed with passion. He could see now why she had been at the meeting. She was determined to make sure that people understood the dangers of Hitler’s rise to power and, by default, Mosley’s too. Now that she was in a place of safety, she had every right to choose anonymity and the quiet life, but something told him Rachel would never do that, and he admired her all the more.
‘How
did
you get to England?’
As he sat in the chair beside her, listening to her story, Percy realized two things. First, he was going to have to change direction once again; and second, and perhaps most surprising of all, he had fallen head-over-heels and hopelessly in love with Rachel Stein.
The sisters and the nurses from the hospital had given Ruby a tremendous send-off. She had cake and flowers, good wishes and a present of a bale of towels. It seemed grossly unfair that, just because she was getting married, the law of the land was making her give up a job she loved. The Marriage Bar meant that women working in the public sector were not allowed to carry on after marriage. On the other hand, it did mean that she could give Jim’s photography venture 100 per cent of her attention. He had already created a darkroom in what had been John’s little workshop, and he had begun to teach Ruby how to develop film. If she became proficient, it meant Jim could spend more time at the seafront with the day-trippers.
Bea had persuaded a neighbour to create a canvas booth that hung on a wooden frame. She planned to sit inside and sell the finished photographs, and take orders for more copies. Ruby had worked out a system of cross-referencing, so that they could even manage a postal service and be sure of getting the right photographs to the right people. They had started on a small scale just after Easter, and it was already a well-oiled machine. Choosing a name had been a bit of a headache, but they had settled on ‘Magic Memories: a photography service to capture your seaside moment’. The weather was mixed, but there were some warm days and, every moment he could, Jim was standing on the promenade with his camera.
Their wedding day was warm, but overcast. They had begun the day with Bea washing Ruby’s hair. She used rainwater from the water-butt outside and put some vinegar in the final rinsing water. The night before, they had pulled out the galvanized tin bath and had each taken a turn: May first; then, while Bea put her to bed, Ruby soaked; and then Bea had the water last.
A succession of friends and neighbours came in during the morning of Ruby’s wedding day, which kept Cousin Lily busy with the teapot. Ruby couldn’t remember what everybody talked about, but she had never felt so happy. She kept hoping that Percy would come in the door, but deep down she knew he wouldn’t. Still, she was determined not to let it spoil her big day.
‘How’s Nick?’ Ruby asked Lily, with little confidence that he’d still be around.
‘Fine,’ said Lily. ‘We’re going to get married.’ Ruby
raised an eyebrow. ‘And don’t look at me like that,’ Lily whispered teasingly. ‘You were right. When it happened he didn’t know.’
‘You mean you’re …?’
Lily glanced across the room towards her mother, but Aunt Vinny was deep in conversation with Susan Marley. ‘We’ve only just started – and oh, Ruby, he’s wonderful.’
‘Be careful,’ Ruby cautioned.
‘Oh, Nick won’t let me down,’ said Lily.
Ruby sighed. She had hoped Lily had learned her lesson, and that with a brand-new relationship she wouldn’t give herself too soon.
Just after lunch, they dressed Ruby in her wedding dress. It was plain white satin with sleeves to the elbow. The bodice was fitted, and she had a sweetheart neckline with a stand-up collar. On her head she wore a coronet of orange blossom trimmed with silver thread. She looked stunning, and everyone agreed that no one would ever believe she’d made the dress herself. All she needed now was her bouquet. She glanced at the clock. It was already one thirty. The wedding was at three and they still had to walk to St Matthew’s.
Winifred Moore arrived at the house soon afterwards and didn’t disappoint. Ruby was thrilled with her bouquet. It was massive, reaching from her waist as far as her knees, and was made up of creamy roses and white carnations, caught together with maidenhair fern and ivy.
‘Oh my goodness!’ cried Bea, clapping her hands. ‘You look wonderful.’
Winnie had also prepared two more bouquets – one
for Edith and another for May – using white carnations, but when the child held her flowers in front of her, Winnie decided it was much too big. Despite protests that it would be all right, she pulled it apart over the sink and quickly re-created a smaller, more attractive posy. Everyone agreed that May looked fantastic. Edith wore blue satin with a blue halo headdress, while May’s frock was gold satin with a gold halo headdress.
It was time to walk to the church. The sink was still full of flower bits and stems.
‘You go on ahead,’ said Winnie. ‘I’ll clear up the mess and let myself out.’
‘Are you sure?’ asked Ruby.
‘Of course, my dear,’ smiled Winnie. ‘You run along – and be happy.’ Ruby moved to kiss her, but Winnie moved deftly out of the way.
‘Thank you,’ said Ruby. ‘You’ve been so good to me. How can I ever repay you?’
Winnie waved her away and stood by the door as the wedding party set off. At the end of the street, Ruby turned to wave, but Winnie was already gone.
After a while, there was a soft tap on the door. Wiping her hands on a tea towel, Winnie opened it cautiously. ‘Oh, it’s you.’
Ruby arrived at the church at two fifty-five and Bernard was waiting outside for her. He looked very handsome in his suit, and had a carnation in his buttonhole. As he smiled down at her, Ruby knew exactly why Edith loved him. He was the strong, dependable type.
‘All right, lass?’
Ruby nodded and they made their way down the aisle. The church was dark inside. There was little light, and the walls were of plain red brick. Their friends and neighbours waiting in the pews rose as one when she walked in, and the organist struck up ‘Here Comes the Bride’. She saw Jim come from the front pew and turn to watch her walking towards him. She was trembling with nerves, and her shaking bouquet gave her away.
‘Hello, Ruby Bateman,’ he whispered as she stood beside him. ‘May I say that you look exceptionally beautiful today.’
The wedding party walked back to the Foresters’ Hall, where Susan Marley and their other neighbours had laid on a spread fit for a king. The speeches, the music and the dancing went on until late in the evening. For Ruby it was the best day of her whole life.
‘Thanks for being my bridesmaid.’ She had cornered her old friend in the ladies’ cloakroom. ‘I’m so grateful to Bernard for giving me away, as well.’
‘Oh, Roob,’ Edith beamed, ‘you look so lovely, and I can’t believe how handsome my Bernard looked. You will come to my wedding, won’t you?’
‘Try and stop me,’ said Ruby, giving her a hug.
As the happy couple left the hall, Ruby aimed her bouquet at where Edith was standing, but Cousin Lily caught it. Perhaps it was just as well. Lily seemed very happy with Nick, and she deserved some happiness of her own after the way Albert had treated her. Thinking
about it, it occurred to Ruby that she hadn’t seen Albert lately. Where had he gone? Had he left Worthing for good? Maybe he really did have a fiancée in Hastings.
Back at the house, Ruby and Jim got ready for bed. In between kisses they took it in turns to wash in the scullery and then retired to their very own room for the first time. To Ruby, it was her palace, her little piece of heaven on earth. She’d lit candles on the mantelpiece and their soft glow, reflected in the overhead mirror, gave the room a cosy feel.
Jim was a gentle lover. Ruby could tell that he was as hungry as she was, yet he didn’t rush her. He built her desire, until she thought she would die for want of him, and when he finally lifted her nightdress over her head, she felt no embarrassment at all. When he entered her, it stung a bit, but she was transported. It surprised her how well her own body accommodated him, and they both shivered with delight as he made love to her. It didn’t last very long, but Ruby was content.
As they lay in each other’s arms, they heard Bea and May come home. Bea put the radio on and Ruby’s favourite singer, Connie Boswell and the Boswell Sisters, filled the room. ‘Blue moon …’
Jim kissed his new wife tenderly as the sounds of his mother-in-law getting May ready for bed gradually faded and the words of the song grew in intensity. He rolled on top of Ruby and gazed lovingly into her eyes.
They heard a click and Bea turned off the radio. A few bumps from the ceiling, and a creaking floorboard or two, didn’t hinder their second session of making
love, which was even sweeter than the first. As she reached an amazing climax that she didn’t even know existed, Ruby couldn’t help but utter a cry of ecstasy. At almost the same moment, Jim cried out too. For some time they lay spent in each other’s arms, still naked and glowing.
‘I love you, Mrs Searle,’ Jim whispered into her hair.
The candles were guttering and so, unashamed, she climbed out of bed to blow them out. He caught her hand and drew her back, leaning up on his elbow and kissing her breasts, her tummy and her pubic hair. ‘Oh, Ruby. Ruby, my love.’