Perhaps what amazed her more than anything was that Romily had been so understanding. Another woman might have been only too keen to get rid of Allegra in her so-called disgraceful state, but Romily had stressed that there was no hurry for her to leave Island House; it was Allegra’s home until she had sorted out where to go next. And that was her priority: she had to find a home of her own. Thanks to Uncle Jack, that would now be possible, and without too much trouble. Originally London had been her first choice, but now, two days after war had been declared, people were leaving the city in their droves, all seeking a place of safety. Even Hope wasn’t sure about returning to her flat there, but then she was the most timid of things. No, that wasn’t fair. Hope had a child she was now responsible for, she had to think of Annelise, not just herself.
The search for blackberries all but forgotten, Allegra quickened her pace in pursuit of the real reason she had chosen to walk in this precise direction. She was on her way to see Elijah, and it was he who had suggested that she bring the evacuee with her. She had gone in search of Elijah in the garden earlier that morning, wanting to know if he had received his call-up papers yet, and had found him in the kitchen garden in amongst the raspberry canes. Stanley had been there with him, the boy’s mouth and hands revealing telltale signs of the fruit he’d picked and eaten. When Allegra had asked Elijah if he had a moment to chat, he had invited her to visit him at Clover End Cottage when he’d finished work for the day. Glancing at the boy, he’d said, ‘Maybe Stanley would like to come along too. As your chaperon,’ he’d added with a wry smile.
‘Is it much further, missus?’ asked Stanley now as they passed a freshly ploughed field where the earth was deeply furrowed. The boy was starting to get on her nerves, puffing and panting and making a great performance of lagging some yards behind her.
‘A little further,’ she said over her shoulder. ‘We’ll soon be there.’
‘I’m thirsty, missus.’
‘I’m sure if you ask Elijah nicely, he will give you a drink.’
‘Why’s ’e your friend, missus, if ’e’s just the gardener?’
Allegra came to an abrupt stop and turned angrily on her heel to look at the boy. ‘Don’t you ever talk about Elijah like that! Do you hear me? Gardener or not, he’s as good a man as any I know! Probably the best! And just you remember that!’
She walked on fast, not caring if the boy could keep up. Who did the little moccioso think he was to refer to Elijah as just a gardener? she muttered furiously. How dare he!
‘I’m sorry, missus,’ said a plaintive voice behind her. ‘I’m sorry I upset yer.’
She whipped round. ‘Then you should be more careful with what you say. If you can’t be polite about Elijah, you’d better go back to Island House.’
‘I can’t go back. I dunno the way.’
‘In that case, I suggest you remember your manners. Or better still, keep quiet.’ She marched on ahead, still furious.
A few minutes later, the same plaintive voice called out breathlessly. ‘Please missus, please slow down. Me feet hurt.’
Reluctantly she did as he requested. ‘For heaven’s sake, what’s wrong with your feet?’
‘It’s me shoes, missus.’
She looked down at his scruffy shoes and saw gaping holes where his toes were pushing through. ‘You’ll have to have a new pair,’ she said absently.
He stared at her, shocked. ‘New shoes?’
Her temper cooled. ‘Yes,’ she said, remembering the first time she herself had been bought a new pair of shoes. Within days of her arrival at Island House, Nanny Finch had been instructed to take her shopping. Allegra had never been in a shoe shop before and had been overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of shoes in the window, and all the many boxes stacked in neat shelves. At the orphanage she had only ever had hand-me-downs, but even those she had worn with pride, knowing that there were children on the streets with no shoes at all. The shoes she had left the shop with that day had meant the world to her – she had actually slept with them under her pillow that night, and for the following two nights, terrified that somebody might sneak into the room and steal them from her while she slept. But when Nanny Finch discovered what she was doing, she made fun of her in front of the others.
‘Whoever heard of such a stupid thing?’ Arthur taunted her.
Perhaps glad that they weren’t on the receiving end of Arthur’s baiting, Kit and Hope had joined in, asking her what else she kept under her pillow. From then on, the three of them used to play a game of hiding her shoes from her. In the end she had refused to wear the shoes, had walked around in bare feet to show her cousins she didn’t care.
‘But I don’t ’ave no money,’ the boy murmured, rousing Allegra from the past. He was staring at her, his eyes brimming alarmingly with tears.
She bent down to him. ‘While you’re here at Island House, it is not for you to buy your shoes or clothes,’ she said gently. ‘We’ll go shopping tomorrow before school starts later this week.’
Elijah was waiting for them at Clover End Cottage. He’d changed out of his work clothes and was wearing a collarless white shirt with the sleeves rolled up. She guessed it was his one good shirt and was touched that he had put it on for her benefit.
He greeted Stanley with a friendly smile and offered him a drink at once. ‘Glass of ginger beer all right for you, lad?’ he asked.
Stanley nodded.
‘Say please,’ said Allegra, then chided herself. She sounded so pedantic, almost as prim and pedantic as Hope!
Elijah winked at Stanley. ‘No need to stand on ceremony here. And no need to stay inside on a fine day like this. Let’s go out to the garden.’
‘Am I not to be offered a drink?’ asked Allegra.
Elijah winked again at Stanley. ‘What do you think, shall we let her have one? Mind you, she has to say please, doesn’t she?’
