Page 40 of Neighbors at War

Helen supposed she was right and felt slightly better at the thought.

* * *

The snow showers eventually stopped after a few days but instead of temperatures rising they continued to drop, turning the melting snow to ice and the pavements very slippery.

Helen couldn’t wait for spring to arrive and bring some warmth with it. Maybe some decent weather might help cheer them all up. She hadn’t been home long when Babs came to see them. She and her aunt were sitting, each with a blanket around them, next to the cold, empty grate. Her aunt knitted and Helen watched Bobby playing with his wooden train and his teddy. They were too fed up to bother talking.

‘I just wanted to ask if you heard that the RAF bombed Guernsey harbour earlier.’ Babs refused a seat, excitement in her voice as she told them the reason for her visit. ‘I have to get back. Mum wants me to go up to the attic and see if we’ve missed anything we’ve stored up there that might be useful.’

‘Like what?’ Helen asked, unsure what this could have to do with her and her aunt.

‘We’re tired of being cold and are hoping to find anything made of wood. Old picture frames none of us want any more, that sort of thing.’

‘To burn them?’ Aunt Sylvia lowered her knitting onto her lap and stared thoughtfully at Babs.

‘That’s right. We’ve run out of almost everything else. I was worried about keeping something to use for firewood next winter, but Mum insisted that without heat she doubted she would last until then.’

Helen knew Ida must be desperate to burden the girls with something so worrying. Seeing how thoughtful Sylvia seemed, Helen worried that she might be thinking about her own worsening health. ‘What about the bombing though, Babs?’ she asked, wanting to change the subject.

Babs bit her lower lip before replying. ‘There was a terrible kerfuffle. I wanted to let you know about the RAF, just in case you hadn’t heard.’

‘I hope no one was hurt in the bombing,’ Sylvia said.

‘Mum said the same thing, but we don’t know. At least it shows us, as with those leaflets, that we haven’t been entirely forgotten here.’

‘Poor Guernsey.’ Sylvia picked up where she had left off with her knitting. ‘This awful war is interminable.’

‘It is,’ Helen agreed feeling sombre.

For someone who was supposed to be hurrying home, Babs didn’t seem as if she was in any rush to leave. Helen sensed something was troubling her and was about to ask what, when her friend spoke. ‘I’d better go before Mum sends Peggy to fetch me. I’m not looking forward to going up into that attic again,’ she scowled. ‘It’s full of dust and creepy-crawlies, and it’s dark. Not to mention horribly cold.’

Helen tried to find something encouraging to say. ‘But if you do find a few useful things it will be worth it.’

Babs pulled a face. ‘I suppose you’re right. Bye, then.’ She hesitated before leaving the room and, wanting to check she was all right, Helen followed her into the hallway.

‘Is something wrong?’ Helen whispered, checking over her shoulder that they were alone.

Babs thought for a second then shook her head.

Helen didn’t like to pry. ‘You can tell me anything, I hope you know that, Babs. I promise I wouldn’t tell a soul.’

Babs seemed to contemplate something. ‘It’s Tony,’ she said staring down at her hands. ‘He’s been arrested.’

Helen covered her mouth to stifle her shock. ‘That’s terrible. How’s Peggy?’

‘Distraught.’ She sniffed. ‘I went into her room without knocking earlier and found her sobbing. It was awful, Helen. I sat next to her on her bed and asked her what was wrong. She didn’t want to tell me and I don’t know what he’s supposed to have done. She made me promise to keep it to myself.’ She looked up at Helen again and winced.

‘It’s fine. I promise I’ll keep it to myself.’

‘Thank you. I just wish I could do something to help but she insists there’s nothing.’

Helen hugged her. ‘Just being there for her is probably a great help.’

‘I hope so.’

‘You’d better get going,’ Helen said, quietly relieved to have comforted Babs, if only a little.

When Babs had left, Helen thought about Peggy and how frightened she must be to know her boyfriend was in jail. What would happen to him? she wondered anxiously.