Page 83 of Neighbors at War

‘And exercise,’ Babs said, bringing a pot of tea over to the table. ‘It was fun to be out together, wasn’t it?’

‘It was. I really can’t thank you all enough.’

Ida walked in from the scullery drying her hands on her pinny. ‘I think we’re all more cheerful this morning. It was a good idea of yours, Peggy. Well done, love.’

‘Thanks, Mum.’

They ate their breakfast of toast and a scraping of margarine, each lost in her own thoughts.

‘I know you’ll probably think me silly,’ Helen said eventually. ‘But I wish he could have a run around somewhere.’ She sighed deeply. ‘Don’t get me wrong, I’m aware there’s no way that could possibly happen.’

Peggy looked at the little boy. She realised her friend hadn’t used his name so he wasn’t aware they were talking about him. ‘I must admit I’d love to see that, too.’

‘Is there no way?’ Babs gave Peggy a questioning look before turning to her mother.

‘Don’t look at me,’ Ida said. ‘Your sister’s the clever one when it comes to making plans.’

Peggy didn’t want to give Helen false hope after such a successful outing. ‘I don’t see how that can happen when we’re not supposed to have a child in the house. We don’t want nosy neighbours reporting us.’

‘Yes, I’ve heard of some people grassing on people they know, to pay them back for silly grievances.’ Babs scowled in disgust. ‘We already have those neighbours at number 2 and they’d be delighted to catch us out.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘It is a shame, though.’

‘It is,’ Helen agreed. ‘I shouldn’t have said anything.’ Her muscles still ached after walking so far, and that made her think about how Bobby was missing out on valuable exercise while his body was growing. She didn’t know what she could do about it. She just hoped that it wouldn’t have a lasting effect on her little boy.

Chapter Fifty-Three

HELEN

It was just after seven-thirty a few evenings later when someone knocked on the door. Helen was sitting with the family after supper and the unexpected sound made them tense. They stared at each other for a second before Helen and Babs stood up.

‘Quick, get upstairs,’ Ida hissed at Helen. Then, pointing at Babs, she added, ‘You answer the door but wait until the coast is clear.’

Helen quickly carried Bobby to the first landing and gave Babs a nod when she glanced up at her from the front door. She heard Babs speaking to Tony and then to a woman. She froze when she recognised the voice. Why was Mrs Edwards visiting Ida’s home?

‘Please, do come in,’ Babs was saying.

Unsure what to do, Helen stayed where she was on the first floor, deciding it was safer to wait until one of the Hamels came to fetch her, as they usually did to let her know when it was safe to join them again. She heard Ida asking probing questions and smiled. Her fondness for the woman who had taken her and Bobby in was increasing all the time. If only her own mother had been as approachable and put others’ needs before her own like Ida had done, then she wouldn’t have felt compelled to run away and Bobby would be living in relative safety with her family in East London.

Hearing footsteps, Helen moved further back into the shadows.

‘Helen,’ Babs called to her quietly. ‘Mum said for you to come down. You have a visitor.’

Unsettled by the unusual event, she smoothed down her skirt and pushed her fingers through her hair, wanting to look her best before going down. She entered the living room wondering why the woman who had employed her at Villa Millbrook had come to number 3.

‘Mrs Edwards. How nice to see you.’

The housekeeper got to her feet and held out her hand. ‘Hello, Helen. You’re looking well.’

Helen knew she was much thinner than when they had worked together, but then so was everyone else. She noticed more lines around the housekeeper’s eyes and streaks of grey in her neat hair and wondered what the upright but kind woman had gone through in the time since they had last met.

‘It’s lovely to see you,’ Helen said honestly.

Ida motioned for them to sit.

‘I’m sure you’re surprised to see me here,’ said Mrs Edwards.

‘I am a bit,’ Helen answered.

Mrs Edwards folded her hands in her lap. ‘Tony came to see me,’ she began. ‘And I have a suggestion to put to you.’