girls. Jack had always been sensible. Rita needed someone like that outside her own family, where nobody could say a thing without the entire house knowing. Jack would be the voice of reason. So he’d agreed. Jack would be pleased that Danny was prepared to help; he’d maybe even think his irrepressible younger brother was finally growing up.
Danny had just made himself a sandwich with Joan’s bread and butter and some Spam he’d found in the cupboard when there was a knock at the door. Some instinct made him shove the bag of farm produce away out of sight before going to see who it was. Usually he wouldn’t have bothered, but somehow his suspicions were raised.
He opened the front door and there was Alfie Delaney.
Danny groaned inwardly. His former colleague from the docks was the last person he wanted to see. But he couldn’t exactly turn him away.
‘Evening, Danny,’ said Alfie, all smiles. That had to mean he wanted something. ‘Aren’t you going to ask me in?’
Danny grunted and led the way back into the house, to where the fire was now burning brightly. He pulled up a chair and sat beside it. Alfie didn’t wait to be asked but did the same. ‘Oh, this is nice. Lovely warm fire, Danny. Proper little housewife, aren’t you?’
Danny glared at him. ‘Come round this late just to say that, did you, Alf?’
Alfie looked up. ‘No need to take that tone with me, Danny. I was paying you a compliment.’
Danny shook his head, knowing it was no such thing. Alfie reserved his compliments for when they were useful, when they would get him something he wouldn’t be able to have otherwise. Danny wanted the man out of the house as soon as possible, not to have him making himself comfortable in front of the fire. ‘So, what’s this about, then? What’s brought you sniffing around here?’
‘I’m concerned for your welfare, Danny,’ said Alfie, a sly smile on his face. ‘Haven’t seen you down the docks for ages, and we all know you’ve been ill with your dicky ticker. Heard you were all alone in here so I thought I’d better see that you were all right.’
‘Very kind of you, I’m sure.’ Danny eyed his visitor warily.
‘And of course I wondered if you’d had any more thoughts on that little proposition we spoke about,’ Alfie went on, his voice as light as if he was just talking about the weather.
Danny wasn’t fooled for a minute. ‘If you mean am I going to take the medical test for you, the answer is no and it’s going to stay that way. It’s fraud and we could both end up in hot water. You know it as well as I do.’ Alfie had been keen to dodge the call-up, and knew that if Danny took the regulation medical exam in his place, he’d be granted exemption. There was no way Danny’s heart could pass for normal.
‘Danny, Danny, you aren’t making any sense,’ sighed Alfie. ‘You having a bad heart could be a golden opportunity. I’d make it worth your while. Come on, make the most of this gift – it’s been handed to you on a plate.’
Easy to say when it wasn’t your heart that was damaged, thought Danny sourly, but he was far too proud to complain about his condition to the likes of Alfie Delaney. ‘No,’ he said shortly.
‘And talking of gifts,’ Alfie continued, his voice more menacing now, ‘did Tommy like those boots? I hear he’s got lots of fields to run around in now.’
Alfie had given Tommy some brand-new top-quality football boots for Christmas, but Danny had known it was a bribe, intended to make him feel he owed Delaney something. ‘You leave him out of it,’ he said. While it was no secret that Tommy had been evacuated to the countryside, he felt uneasy that Alfie was apparently so well informed.
‘And how’s the lovely Kitty? A little bird told me she’s not around at the moment either.’
‘What’s it to you?’ Danny demanded. He’d never liked the way Alfie looked at his sister. Thank God she was safely out of his grasp down in London.
Alfie raised his eyebrows. ‘Doing her bit for king and country, is she? Well, I expect she’ll have some leave soon. I’ve always had a soft spot for her and I reckon she likes me ’n’ all. I shall look forward to getting reacquainted with her,’ he leered.
Danny fought to keep control of his temper. Alfie wasn’t fit to lick Kitty’s boots. ‘Yes, some people do the right thing now there’s a war on,’ he snapped, knowing that Alfie, for all his bluster and menace, was an utter coward who would do anything to avoid being called up. ‘And for your information, no, she isn’t coming back any time soon. So if that’s all you’ve come to say, you’re wasting your breath.’
‘Lucky for you that I’m still in a reserved occupation,’ Alfie said, slowly getting to his feet. ‘But if I need that favour done sharpish, you can be sure I’ll be back. After all, me and Harry Calendar know a few things about you, Danny. Not always so high and mighty, were you? Not always so keen to stay on the right side of the law. When I need you, you’ll find it better all round to do as I say.’ He buttoned his coat, a luxuriously soft woollen one that must have cost him a fortune – which he wouldn’t have managed on a charge hand’s wages. ‘Give my fondest regards to your sister. Show myself out, shall I? We don’t want to upset the invalid now, do we?’ With that final dig, he was off, slamming the front door behind him.
Danny put his head in his hands. Suddenly the thought of his sandwich didn’t seem so appealing after all.
‘Are you sure this is all right?’ Kitty said nervously, brushing her hand against the soft silk collar of the dress she was wearing. It was the perfect shade for her, a deep dusky pink, accentuating her rosy cheeks and shiny dark hair. Laura had offered to lend her the dress as soon as she’d confessed she didn’t have anything smart. But it made her uneasy – she didn’t like borrowing when she couldn’t return the favour.
‘Of course I’m sure,’ Laura said briskly. ‘Couldn’t have you going out dancing in your overall, now could we? Please, don’t even mention it.’ She turned around. ‘Come on, Marjorie, keep up. We’ve got to get in the queue as early as possible so we can bag a decent table. We want to be close enough to hear the band and to see everyone who’s there. It will be a big crowd tonight, I’ll bet you any money.’
Marjorie hurried along the pavement in her peep-toe sandals, which she’d admitted she hadn’t worn very often. ‘Not sure I like the sound of crowds,’ she said uncertainly. ‘Really, I’m not used to them.’
Laura looked perplexed. ‘I thought you said you came from near Brighton? That’s hardly a village, is it?’
‘Yes, but I always spent my Saturday evenings studying, or else preparing lessons,’ Marjorie explained, nearly tripping over her own feet as she breathlessly drew level with the other two young women. ‘This is all a bit much. Why did we have to go so far from our billet? It’s taken us ages and we had to change buses.’
‘Because the Hammersmith Palais is the place to be, no question about it,’ Laura insisted with a knowing air. ‘Trust me on this. If you like dancing, there’s nowhere to beat it. And if you don’t like dancing, well, you’re no friend of mine,’ she added grandly, sweeping around the corner and joining the back of the queue. ‘Well done, girls. We’ve made it in good time. You won’t be disappointed, I swear.’
Kitty glanced around her. There was a tangible air of excitement as the revellers huddled out of the wind, all dressed up in their finery. There might be a war on, but that wasn’t stopping this group of young people – and some not so young – from wearing their best and going out with the determination to have a proper night of dancing and enjoyment. She pulled up the collar of her old coat, glad of its meagre protection. There seemed to be a lot of men in uniform, either in groups with the women or in small gatherings of three or four, eyeing the crowd for prospective