Pat scoffed at his words. ‘I’m going to work on the farm over Slades Green way, where I help out now. You’ll not catch me working down at Gilbert’s – especially not if he’s my boss,’ she pouted.
‘By “he” I suppose you mean your mum’s boyfriend?’ Eddie laughed.
‘Why are you laughing? Don’t you realize he could take Mum away from you forever?’
‘My darling daughter, your mum has not been mine for many years. I’m not sure she will ever speak to me again, let alone continue to be my wife. Perhaps you need to understand that adults can grow apart?’
Much as Eddie hoped his words wouldn’t come true, he felt he ought to prepare Pat for the possibility. She might not get her own way and see her parents together – ever. Seeing her eyes start to water and a sob escape before she started to cry inconsolably, he hurried to her side and pulled her to him, rocking her back and forth. ‘Come on, now, there’s no need for this. I’ll do my best to make your mum see sense.’
As her tears slowly subsided, a shout could be heard from outside, followed by screams. They both rushed to the door – and before Eddie could ask what was happening, a grumbling explosion could be heard from the direction of the river.
Ruby had gone to shed number six to check the girls under her supervision had set to with their work. A happy group, they seemed to enjoy the job of prising open the Verey Light cartridges and emptying out the explosive powder, placing the casing and the powder into the right receptacles. Ruby thought it was monotonous work, but so had her job been when she’d worked for hours stuffing explosive into the bombs that were sent to the front during the war. She wandered back and forth along the long wooden building, answering queries and checking stock numbers from her clipboard. Hearing chattering and laughter from the next shed over, she put down her clipboard and headed to hut number five.
‘It’s Lil’s birthday,’ one of the girls said as Ruby entered the shed.
Ruby smiled. ‘Keep the noise down, girls,’ she warned them, nodding to a supervisor to follow her outside.
‘The girls were still working,’ she explained before Ruby could speak. ‘It’s just a bit of high spirits.’
‘I have nothing against high spirits as long as safety is observed. I’d hate anything to happen to the girls if their minds were taken off their work. Here,’ Ruby said as she took her purse from her pocket and handed over some coins. ‘Treat the girls to a bun and a cup of tea on me when they stop for their break.’ God knows they need a treat sometimes, she thought, knowing that some of them came from poor homes.
‘Thank you, Mrs Caselton,’ the supervisor said as she hurried back inside the hut.
‘Ruby!’ Herbie called out before she could return to her duties. She turned as he came rushing up to her, pulling her away from the door to the hut and leading her around the corner, out of sight of prying eyes. He pulled her to him and kissed her in a way he’d never done before. ‘I’m sorry to have left you so abruptly earlier. I felt you had something you wanted to tell me,’ he said as his eyes searched her face for an answer.
Ruby felt as if her breath had left her, such was the effect of his kiss. He’d never acted this way before. Did he feel she was about to call off their relationship? ‘Why, Herbie . . .’ she said, feeling flustered, and at the same time wishing they were somewhere more private and hoping he would kiss her again.
‘Ruby, please tell me you will stay with me and you want to live out the rest of your life with me?’ he begged, kissing her again before she could draw breath.
Ruby froze. Why was it that when Herbie’s kisses swept her away on a cloud, she thought of Eddie? Her Eddie . . . Would he ever leave her dreams? Would she ever stop thinking of him, while rejecting him every time he made contact?
‘What the hell?’ Herbie said suddenly. His hands dropped from her shoulders and Ruby turned to follow his gaze. A plume of black smoke was billowing out from the back of shed five.
‘Oh my God,’ Ruby cried out as an explosion erupted from the shed, followed by screams of panic from the girls inside.
Eddie rushed from the house, telling Pat to stay where she was. From the road, he could see clouds of smoke rising from the river. The woman who had been screaming was on her knees in the middle of the road, sobbing and wailing. ‘It’s Gilbert’s, I know it’s Gilbert’s going up in smoke, and my daughter works there,’ she cried out in desperation. ‘Please – can you help me get to her?’
‘Come with me,’ Eddie called as he ran away from the smoke and up Alexandra Road towards his milk cart. Helping the woman up onto the seat next to him, he told her to hold on tight and set off as fast as his gentle, passive horse would allow. Waving to Pat to reassure her as he passed number thirteen, he carried on at a brisk pace down Manor Road towards the banks of the Thames and the dirt track leading through the marsh towards the filling factory. It stood out against the morning skyline, outlined by black smoke. He could hear a series of explosions, and what sounded like gunfire.
‘That’ll be the Verey Lights. They’re emptying them of gunpowder,’ the woman said anxiously.
As the track became rougher, and the horse had trouble pulling the milk cart over the ruts, the woman jumped down and ran on towards the buildings,
