They settled back against opposite walls, their chests heaving with every painful breath, straining to listen for a sign that they’d been followed.
Five minutes passed in the dim corridor without a sound other than their suppressed pants, but the young women’s eyes remained wide open and locked together. Suddenly Dawn took a tentative step towards the door and eased it open an inch. There was a sound of frantic industry in the area as the rescue crews raced from place to place. But there had been no more blasts close by. Further afield could be heard the rattling retorts of anti-aircraft guns and the crump of exploding bombs. Immediately Dawn was thinking of her mother and brother in the East End that was surely now bearing the brunt of an attack.
‘Cor … the smell of that Chinese grub’s making me feel hungry.’ Rosie sniffed the stale aromatic air in the building, her voice high and cheery as though she’d never been snivelling earlier. ‘I bet the kitchen’s through there. If they’ve all gone off down the shelter we could see if they’ve left any noodles in the pot and help ourselves.’
Dawn shook her head. ‘Time to go,’ she said quietly, realising the young woman might be on the verge of having hysterics, she was talking such rot.
‘I suppose I’ll have to settle for a bit of toast and dripping for me supper.’ Rosie pushed past Dawn into the street. ‘Hope a bloody bus is running my way. I’ve got blisters all over me feet from me new shoes …’ She swung the leather courts she’d been carrying in her hand.
‘Well … if yer a good gel, maybe I’ll give you a ride home on me cart and save yer tootsies.’
A man plunged out of the shadows, clamping his fingers over Rosie’s mouth, stifling her shriek of fright.
‘’Course, if you upset me I’ll feed you a bunch of fives and you won’t get home tonight … nor any night …’ he threatened close to her ear.
Dawn had been on the point of defending her companion when she felt as though her arms might be ripped from their sockets. Another one of the looters had sneaked from the gloom to drag her backwards.
Dawn stamped her heel down hard on her captor’s foot making him howl and loosen his grip. She spun to confront him. ‘Brave lot, aren’t you?’ She glared at the short fellow who’d had hold of her, then turned her attention to his stocky accomplice. ‘So where’s your lanky pal? Hiding the stuff you nicked?’ She guessed the third man had scooted with the night’s haul.
‘You’ve got a big mouth for a little gel,’ the big man snarled. ‘Now … you two are gonna keep your gobs shut if you know what’s good for you. You ain’t seen us do nuthin’ … ain’t that right?’
Rosie quivered her head in agreement, blinking in fright.
‘That’s good … very sensible, ’cos pretty gels like you two wouldn’t want yer faces rearranged, would yer?’ He pinched Rosie’s chin in hard fingers.
‘You leave her alone!’ Dawn shouted, pleased to see that Rosie had elbowed her tormentor in the ribs. ‘As you’re not off fighting the Germans the least you two brave souls can do is go and give a hand clearing up the mess they’ve made.’ She pointed at the orange glow in the sky, visible above the rooftops. The smell of charred timber was heavy in the air. Suddenly she was bubbling with fury. Her mother and brother might be digging themselves out of rubble … if they were lucky. She might not have a home or a family to return to, yet these vile men were out to make a profit from the raid.
Without a clue as to what had jarred her memory Dawn realised why the small fellow seemed familiar. Yet, according to his sister, Michael Williams had shipped out and was on his way to Malta with his crewmates. Gertie’s brother shouldn’t be in London at all.
‘What you staring at?’ Michael snapped. He’d got a brief glimpse of Dawn by the outfitters and thought he recognised her. Stupidly he’d mentioned that to his associates and they’d been furious at the idea they might be arrested before the goods were concealed in the warehouse. ‘What you staring at, I said?’ he snarled.
Dawn’s intuition was telling her to play dumb as though she didn’t know him. Inwardly she prayed that the horrible little man was for the high jump – from his sister and the authorities when they found out he’d deserted.
‘Never seen such a short-arse before, has she?’ the stout fellow taunted his cohort. He’d taken Dawn’s blank response at face value and was reassured that she didn’t recognise Midge, as Michael was nicknamed by those who knew him.
‘Shut yer mouth, Roof.’ Midge Williams was sensitive to such comments, especially when women were around.
‘That’s fuckin’ clever, ain’t it, blabbermouth?’ Roof roared. ‘Want to tell ’em me address ’n’ all, do you?’ He loosened his grip on Rosie to swing a fist at his sidekick.
While Michael nimbly ducked away from the punch Dawn saw her chance. She grabbed Rosie’s elbow and they bolted to the end of the turning, out into an empty lane then kept going. Finally Rosie’s whimpering penetrated the deafening thud of blood in Dawn’s ears. She let go of the hand that was straining in hers.
Rosie folded over at the waist gasping in breath, hugging her shoes to her waist. ‘Me feet are cut to ribbons!’ She hopped from foot to foot. She was in pain and still scared. ‘We lost ’em, d’you reckon?’ she moaned.
Dawn shrugged and grasping Rosie’s hand again she began tugging her towards the crossroads ahead.
‘This is me only pair of nylons,’ Rosie wailed. ‘They only had one ladder ’n’ all – now they’re like lace!’ She lifted a torn and bloodied foot for inspection. ‘Look at the state of me!’
‘You’ll live …’ Dawn returned shortly, aware of mingling shouts up ahead. Turning the corner she was relieved to see that people were milling about a few yards away. Mounds of debris had fallen to block the road and flames were dancing from a gaping hole that once had been a window of a house. She and Rosie merged into the crowd. There were cries from people desperate for help for an injured companion, while others could be seen wandering dazedly to and fro.
Despite the chaotic scene Dawn was still conscious of pursuit, and glanced over her shoulder to see if there was any sign of the men. They had followed! And they hadn’t been far behind even if they had taken a different route, no doubt in the hope of intercepting them.
Roof and Michael were standing at the mouth of a junction, watching them. Roof slowly raised a finger and jabbed it in their direction. Dawn swung her face away, understanding the threat in the looter’s gesture. But she knew they’d not hound them further with so many witnesses about.
‘Mum says she’s gone up to bed with a headache and to tell you to get me supper ready.’
Dawn had barely put a foot over the threshold when she received that greeting from her brother. Weary she might be, following her run-in with the crooks, but she was relieved to have arrived back and found that her family was safe. A house on the corner of their street had lost its side, showing how close to home the bombardment had been. Curbing her exasperation with her surly brother she managed to give him a smile.
‘You’re old enough to get your own supper ready, y’know.’ Dawn hung her coat over the back of a chair then rolled up her sleeves and went to the pantry to see what it contained. She didn’t hold out much hope of an appetising selection: if her mother were under the influence again the grocery shopping would have borne the brunt of the cost of her ‘medicine’.
‘Don’t want no tea anyhow,’ George muttered. ‘Lost me appetite cramped up in that Anderson shelter for hours. ’Nuf to make you want to puke, it is.’
‘Stop whining and thank your lucky stars you got out of it in one piece. I’ve only had a shop doorway for protection