He had been the very best of friends. Without his dogged persistence in searching for her she would probably have died in Paris. He and his uncle had loved and cared for Mog too.
At least she could say truthfully that they were friends to the last and he would always have a special place in her heart. But now she must stop agonizing over what might have been and the wrong she’d done, and start a new life.
All three of them were very excited to go into Lyons Corner House on the Strand. Owned by Liptons, the tea people, who had made their mark by opening these large places with several floors, it was so modern and elegant. The ground floor sold chocolate, cakes, biscuits and flowers, but each of the restaurants on the upper floors had a different theme, with musicians playing.
They went into the one on the first floor which was more of a tea shop and also served special ice creams. The waitress served them with tea, and brought a two-tier china cake stand arranged with dainty sandwiches, scones and a selection of cakes.
‘Vera suggested we could go and live in New Zealand,’ Belle said bluntly. ‘What would you say to that, Mog?’
Mog was just pouring out the tea, and was so surprised at the question that she overfilled the first cup.
‘I don’t know,’ she said. ‘Are you being serious?’
‘Never more so,’ Belle replied. She took the overfilled cup, drank some of the tea and tipped what was in the saucer back into the cup. The Corner House was very busy, and it had a lovely romantic atmosphere as a man in a tailed coat was playing a piano, and there were scores of men in uniform with their wives and sweethearts. ‘You liked the sound of everything Vera told you yesterday. You could have your tea shop there, or a haberdashery shop, whatever we found was most needed when we got there. Vera said we could stay with her parents until we got settled.’
‘You could probably get assisted passages too,’ Vera said. ‘What have you got to lose, Mog? You could always come back if you didn’t like it.’
‘If all New Zealanders are as nice as you I wouldn’t want to,’ Mog said. ‘But what about my furniture? I’ve got some things I wouldn’t want to part with.’
Belle knew by that question that Mog liked the idea. She grinned at Vera, who then began to tell Mog much more.
They were in Lyons for over two hours, talking over everything from the weather in New Zealand to what clothes to wear, whether they had the same money as in England, everything and anything. It was only when the waitress pointedly asked them if they might like to have dinner in one of the other restaurants that they realized how the time had flown.
‘We’ll have to talk to Noah about this,’ Mog said as she paid the bill. ‘He’ll know more about how we should go about it.’
‘Then you want to go?’ Belle said, taking Mog’s arm as they left.
‘Well, it sounds a lot more exciting than Tunbridge Wells,’ she said. ‘I’ve always wanted to go on a long sea voyage.’
‘I don’t suppose you’d get a passage until the war ends,’ Vera said. ‘There’s still the danger of being shelled or torpedoed. I’m going back on a troop ship and I’ll be helping with the wounded going home. But everyone is saying there is going to be an Armistice any day now.’
While Belle and Mog were in Brighton they’d heard much the same thing. But as people had been saying for the last four years that the war would all be over by Christmas, they didn’t want to get their hopes up until there was an official announcement.
‘We couldn’t go yet anyway, not until all our affairs are straightened out,’ Mog mused. ‘But what a wonderful thing to look forward to!’
That evening after Mog had gone off to bed, Vera and Belle discussed it further.
‘I can hardly believe Mog was so excited about it,’ Belle said.
‘I think going back to Seven Dials did it,’ Vera said thoughtfully. ‘I noticed she looked horrified some of the time, like she thought she might end up there again.’
‘Maybe,’ Belle said. ‘When this place is sold it will be the first time in her life she’s ever had more than a few shillings of her own. She’s also aware that she’s got the responsibility to make it work for her. I expect she thinks it will go further in New Zealand. Will it?’
‘I’d say a great deal further,’ Vera said. ‘My father seems to think there will be something of a boom in New Zealand when the war’s over. Not straight away obviously, but in the next two or three years. Russell is tiny, Belle, it’s had a shocking past, but that history makes it appealing to visitors. And of course there’s the sailing, fishing and the lovely scenery. Pop’s farsighted. He started the bakery with next to nothing and built it up; if he thinks visitors will come for holidays, then I’d be inclined to put my shirt on it. But even if you find Russell is too sleepy for you both, you can always go to Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch.’
Belle smiled at her friend. She had worked a small miracle on her and Mog, brought them out of themselves and given them new hope.
‘We’re going to miss you so much after you’ve gone,’ she sighed. ‘You’ve cheered us both up, you’ve given us so much to think about. I can’t thank you enough.’
‘It won’t be goodbye, only au revoir,’ Vera grinned. ‘Anyway, we’ve still got tomorrow.’
Across London in St John’s Wood, Noah was in his study typing up an article for a magazine when Lisette came in. She had put on a little weight after giving birth to Rose, but she was still a very pretty woman with her lustrous dark hair, creamy skin and delicate features. Noah had always considered her to be the personification of French elegance, and today he thought she looked good enough to eat in her cream and brown striped dress.
‘Come to distract me?’ he asked.
‘Would you welcome distraction?’ she said in her delightfully accented English.
‘Always, from you,’ he said, holding out his arms for her to come and sit on his lap.
She ruffled his wavy hair with her fingers. ‘Theese needs cutting,’ she said. ‘It is like a bush.’
Noah laughed. ‘Is that all you came to say?’
‘No, I was thinking about Etienne,’ she said. ‘What proof is there that ’e is dead?’
‘Jimmy got a letter from a comrade about him getting the Croix de Guerre.’
‘Yes, I understand that, but the Engleesh always seem to think that honour only goes to Frenchmen when they die in battle. That isn’t so.’
‘Isn’t it? But surely the man who sent the letter must know if Etienne survived?’
‘’Ow would he? You of all people must understand that stories get twisted and added to as they get retold,’ she said. ‘If Etienne had received such an honour on ’is death, I believe the French army would ’ave written to you immediately. That medal is a very special one, it means great honour.’
‘We’ve got no way of knowing if Etienne got around to informing anyone that I was to be contacted. The French army were late in getting to the lines at Ypres. The assault had already been delayed because of that. You, my sweet little wife, have no idea of the confusion at such times. Even the best-laid plans go awry.’
‘I think you should try and get confirmation one way or another,’ she said. ‘If ’e is dead, then ’is affairs will need to be put in order. But if ’e is alive, ’e won’t contact Belle because ’e thinks she is taking care of Jimmy. ’E will have no way of knowing Jimmy is dead now.’
‘Did I ever tell you that you are a very caring, clever woman, as well as a very beautiful one?’ Noah said.
‘Not often enough,’ she laughed, kissing his nose. ‘Belle and Mog are making plans for their future, and from what you ’ave told me, Belle ’as grieved long over Etienne. If ’e is dead, then ’is farm in Marseille should go to her, and if ’e is alive, then maybe she should go to ’im.’
‘What if he is alive and badly wounded like Jimmy was? Wouldn’t that be even worse for her?’
‘Should we be the people to decide that?’ She raised one black eyebrow questioningly. ‘And you, Noah, you are ’is friend. Don’t you want to know if ’e needs ’elp?’
‘Well, yes. Until you brought this up I didn’t question whether he was really dead. Tomorrow I will make some inquiries. But we must not give Belle false hope. This is just between us until we know for certain, either way.’
Lisette held his face between her hands and kissed him on the lips. ‘Je vais garder l’espoir d’un regroupement romantique, mon chéri.’
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The bells were ringing out all over to London to celebrate that the war was over. People were out on the streets shouting, laughing and hugging one another in shared joy.
Although Mog and Belle felt happiness and huge relief it was all over at last, and had gone out on the street earlier to add their voices to the gathering joyful throng, like so many others who had lost husbands, sons and brothers, they hadn’t got the heart for any wild celebrations.
They had spent their day sorting and packing, and once that was done they sat by the fire together and talked about the good times before the war. Tomorrow, 12 November, they would be leaving the Railway for good.
A gentleman by the name of Charles Wyatt wanted to buy it, and as he was anxious to start trading as soon as possible, Mog was renting it to him as a temporary measure until Probate was settled. When everything was finalized her solicitor would act on her behalf to exchange contracts with Wyatt, and then pass on the proceeds of the sale to Mog.
Thanks to Noah and his knowledge of business, it had worked out well, as Mog would be getting rent from Wyatt until the sale. He was delighted that he could move in, and Mog and Belle could move away knowing the building was in safe hands. Wyatt had already purchased all the stock in the bar and cellar, and most of Mog’s furniture.
They had decided that New Zealand was where they wanted to go. After Vera left they discussed it endlessly. Oddly enough, it was Mog who wanted to go the most; she claimed she’d never had an adventure in her life and never been on any ship, apart from the river boat on the Thames.
Belle had brought up many counter-arguments – that Mog might be seasick the whole way, that she might find it dull living in a small, isolated place with no theatres, big shops, trams and markets. This wasn’t because she herself didn’t want to go, but she wanted to be absolutely certain Mog knew what she was letting herself in for.
But Mog just laughed. ‘I’ve only been to two or three theatres in my whole life, in fact I’ve spent most of my life indoors, cooking and cleaning. I want to see new places, try food I’ve never tasted before. I really love the idea of starting all over again.’
Noah was very shocked when they told him what they intended to do. He said it seemed so drastic, and couldn’t they wait a couple more years? But when he saw they were serious about it he admitted he was being selfish, because he knew he was going to miss them. He did agreed that New Zealand would be a much pleasanter country to live in, with no bitter winters, and that it would be good for them to leave the past behind. But he made Mog promise that when her financial affairs were sorted out, she would put some money aside just in case they ever wanted to come home.
All Mog’s favourite things, items she and Garth had bought or were given as wedding presents, including a velvet button-back chair, her sewing machine, an ornate mahogany dressing table, chest of drawers and their bed, were being taken into storage until they could be shipped to New Zealand. Belle had kept only the very smallest of keepsakes, and her millinery blocks and steamer.
For now they were moving into a beautiful apartment in St John’s Wood. It belonged to a friend of Noah’s, who had gone to America and was anxious to have someone reliable there to look after it. If everything went to plan they’d be leaving for New Zealand in February.
‘I’d forgotten how cold it can be in this place,’ Mog grumbled, pulling a shawl around her shoulders and huddling closer to the fire in the living room. ‘But we’ll be beautifully warm from tomorrow. Imagine us living in a place with heat in every room. I never saw the like before.’
Belle smiled. The apartment block they were moving into had a boiler in the basement which sent up hot water to heat radiators in all the apartments. Mog thought this was miraculous; she couldn’t really believe she wouldn’t be called on to stoke the boiler.
‘A kitchen full of light and a huge bath with constant hot water too,’ Belle reminded her. ‘We won’t know ourselves. And we can see more of Lisette and the children.’
‘Are you sure you don’t want to go and see what’s going on out there?’ Mog thumbed towards the window. The noise had grown steadily louder all day as people up the street had joined together for a party. There had been banging on the pub door too, despite the notice pinned to it explaining why it was closed. It seemed very odd to hear such commotion; Blackheath was usually such a quiet, genteel place.
Belle winced. ‘No, I don’t. It’s cold and I’d sooner be in here with you and remember all the good times.’
Mog smiled. ‘We had a lot,’ she said. ‘My wedding, then you opening the shop. Do you remember when this whole room was full of hats, feathers and artificial flowers? Then there was your wedding. And Garth got so drunk I had to leave him down on the bar floor all night.’
Belle laughed. They had tried to get him upstairs but failed because he was a dead weight.
She remembered the lovemaking with Jimmy that night too. He was so nervous she’d had to undress him. He’d scuttled under the bedclothes to hide his nakedness, yet he’d watched her undressing with eyes full of wonder.
‘Your body is so beautiful,’ he said in such an awed tone it made her eyes fill with tears. ‘How did I get so lucky to have such a treasure?’
‘Because,’ she said filling two glasses with the champagne she’d rescued from the bar downstairs, and holding one of them to his lips to drink, ‘someone up there knew what a good man you are and what a bad girl I can be, and decided you had to rescue me.’
As he drank the champagne, his hand reached out to caress her breasts. She had been afraid he would grab at her and remind her of moments in her past she wanted to forget. But his touch was sensitive and erotic, and she was instantly aroused. When she slid into bed beside him and her skin met his, he moaned with pleasure and enfolded her in his arms.