‘Ain’t it wonderful though?’ Florrie continued. ‘Us short of a couple of nice chaps and along comes you two. Dolly and Maddie rather got left out so it’s really fortunate finding you two. Maddie is Dolly’s new friend and we only met her this evening but she’s ever so nice, you’ll like her.’
She stared across at Stan. ‘Be a love, Stan, and find us another chair for Alfie here.’
The extra chair having been brought, Alfie promptly occupied it to instantly fall into reminiscent conversation with her, Dolly becoming occupied with the young sailor George, leaving the cocksure Joe to remain where he was beside Madeleine.
‘Now, tell me about yourself,’ he crooned. ‘You’ve not said much so far but from what you ’ave said, I’d say you was somewhat on the posh side, well brought up like. Where d’you come from?’
Compelled to respond, she said faintly, ‘I lived in Buckinghamshire.’
‘Posh family then,’ he said. ‘Well brought up, eh.’
‘Not exactly,’ she began but broke off as his arm came about her, seeing him grin at her attempt to squirm out of the embrace.
‘You said lived. Then if I’ve guessed rightly, you’ve left home, run off. And now you’re free to do as you like, eh? I bet Mummy and Daddy would be horrified to see you now. Still, they’re there and you’re here and so am I. But don’t worry. I’m not going to start anything, at least not here. I’ll just tell you all about meself fer now and you can tell me all about yourself.’
Hemmed in on both sides, there was no room to stand up and walk off, and where would she go if she could? Stiff and tense she suffered his arm about her shoulders as he continued to tell her practically the whole of his life story: born in Norwich, one of eight children sleeping four to a bed in a tiny old house; hardly any schooling, had worked in a factory making jam, joined up to escape his humdrum job, seeing fighting as much more exciting, now hardly unable to wait to get into the thick of it.
‘I bet your edjication was somewhat more brighter than mine,’ he drawled. ‘Boarding school fer young ladies, I don’t doubt, no doubt finishing school to boot. You don’t know how damned lucky you are, love. So tell me then, why’d you decide to leave home an’ walk out on such a comfy life?’
He paused, awaiting her reply. Knowing she had to say something, she told him as best she could how she’d fallen in love with a tradesman’s son to the disapproval of her family and consequently made to leave.
He listened sympathetically, every now and again nodding intently, so much so that without realizing it, too late she heard herself touch on her horrible experience of the refuge for unmarried mothers. To her dismay he picked up on it instantly.
‘Oh, you’ve been a naughty girl then,’ he broke in, his arm tightening around her. ‘Well, who’d ’ave believe it, looking at you. Got you in the family way, did he? And left you in the lurch. No wonder you was turned out. Well, I’ll tell you this, love, I’d look after you a damn sight better than he did.’
Alarmed, Maddie tried to pull away, but his grip tightened still more. ‘I mean it, love. I’ll look after you. I always do.’ He gave a laugh. ‘No out-of-wedlock nippers if I can help it.’
Realizing instantly what he meant she turned to ask Hilda to let her out so that she could escape, only to discover that Hilda and her other two friends had already got up from their seats, all three on the point of leaving with their respective partners, saying cheerio to everyone.
The clock on the wall showed ten forty-five. A quick kiss and a cuddle would be the order of the evening, perhaps even a little fumbling before they made off to be home by eleven.
She’d not even noticed that Florrie and her rediscovered sailor friend had already gone, only Dolly left, now in deep conversation with George.
Suddenly desperate, Madeleine leapt up. ‘Dolly, I think I’d like to go home now.’
The girl turned to regard her in surprise. ‘We don’t have to be back early, love. We ain’t got people watching the clock, not like the others.’
‘But I want to go!’ From his seat Joe was regarding her with some amazement. Dolly began to look peeved.
‘Well, I’m not yet ready to go. You go. Joe will see you home, safely, won’t you, love?’
‘I’ll look after her OK an’ that’s a fact,’ Joe said, a strange and eager ring to his tone. ‘She’ll be safe enough in my hands, as right as rain.’
He stood up, his arm coming about her waist. ‘Get your coat, love, it’s perishing out there, but I’ll keep you warm orright.’
Hearing him, Dolly laughed. ‘I bet he will an’ all! I’ll see you later, Maddie. Enjoy yourself. Be good.’ With that she turned back to her Alfie, no doubt hoping to enjoy herself later too.
Such were the times, Madeleine realized as she stood uncertain how to escape. In the nine months since August and war breaking out bringing instant emancipation after all those years of suffragettes fighting for their rights, young women had come to feel they could do more or less as they pleased. Maybe such women had always done so, but now it was far more blatant.
Women like Dolly, taking over men’s jobs, had come into their own after so long being cherished as sweet and delicate little dears to be protected, and now saw themselves no longer bound by male protection.
Perhaps she too had joined those ranks with Freddy Dobson, totally unaware of it at the time. But now she was aware, and frightened. Women might think themselves now on a par with men but when it came to a man taking advantage, their strength could never compare. What would she do if this Joe suddenly overpowered her in some dark
