Half past eight! She was supposed to unlock the office in fifteen minutes!
The clock couldn’t be right. Marmaduke always woke her at half past six, without fail. He was so reliable, she didn’t even bother to set the alarm now. The thing must have stopped.
Bobby went to peep behind the blackouts, and blinked at the thin light.
That meant the clock had to be right. Oh Lord, she was going to be so late! She couldn’t possibly get to the office in less than three-quarters of an hour, even if she missed breakfast and hid her hair under a scarf. Tony would never let her live it down, after all the times she’d told him off for turning up a few minutes after nine. And there was the bed to strip down, and jokes all over her ruddy face, and no Charlie to help her get everything in order.
‘Why did you have to choose today of all days to start sleeping in?’ she wailed to Marmaduke.
Bobby was nearly an hour late for work, running all the way. She found the office unlocked, with Tony at his desk looking exceptionally smug.
‘How did you get in?’ she panted.
‘Parry had a spare key. Good thing too or I’d still be outside, freezing my bits off.’ He gave her a stern look. ‘Well, young lady, what time do you call this?’
Bobby shook her head. ‘You’ve really been looking forward to this, haven’t you?’
‘What do you think?’ he said with a grin. ‘So, are you going to confess to Reg or do I need to tell tales?’
‘Really? After all the times I’ve covered for you?’
‘Aye, and never let me forget it.’ Tony leaned back and lit a cigarette. It was no wonder Lilian struggled on the housekeeping, given the amount he must spend on fags. ‘Tell you what, I’ll make a bargain with you. I’ll say nowt to the old man in exchange for… the next ten tea rounds.’
‘I’d rather come clean and make the time up.’ Bobby sat down without removing her coat. ‘I don’t suppose the captain will mind if I stay an extra hour.’
‘How come you’re late anyway?’
‘Oh, Charlie’s away visiting an RAF pal in hospital. He usually reminds me to set the alarm before bed,’ Bobby said vaguely. ‘I dropped off listening to the wireless and overslept.’
‘You all right then?’ Tony asked, peering at her. ‘Thought you might be ill. You don’t look too good.’
‘Ta very much.’
‘Honestly, you’re dead pale. Not sickening for summat, are you? Because Lil was counting on you to mind the baby tomorrow night.’ He rolled his eyes. ‘She’s got it into her head for us to go dancing.’
Bobby smiled. ‘Has she? Good.’
‘Your doing, was it? I’d be happier with the pub, if we must go out.’
‘I’m sure you would, but Lil wouldn’t.’ Bobby met his eyes. ‘Just do me a favour and take her out on the town. It’s good for you to spend time together away from Annie.’ She held up her hand as he opened his mouth. ‘Somewhere that isn’t the ruddy pub. You spend half the time there chatting to your mates while she sits on her own. If you care about her as much as you say, do something she wants to do for once.’
‘Course I care about her. Married her, didn’t I?’
‘Mmm. You seem to be forgetting that I remember exactly why you married her. It didn’t have much to do with romance, I recall.’
‘Well, I didn’t have to. Plenty of blokes wouldn’t have bothered.’
Bobby shook her head. ‘Honestly, why do people keep mentioning that like it’s some great magnanimous act? Yes, you married her, and so you bloody should have when you were theone—’ She took a deep breath. ‘Look, never mind. It’s in the past. Just take her out and show her you appreciate her once in a while, will you?’
‘Aye, all right. I was going to anyhow, so you’d no need to stick your oar in,’ Tony said, truculent at being lectured to. ‘You going to be able to mind the baby? You look sick as a dog.’ He narrowed one eye. ‘You weren’t out on a spree last night while your other half was away, were you?’
‘No I was not. I’m not you. And yes, I can mind the baby.’
‘Get the kettle on, then.’
Bobby put a hand to her head. ‘In a bit. I’m not getting ill but I do feel dizzy. I suppose it’s from running all the way here.’
As the morning wore on, however, Bobby started to worry there was more to the way she was feeling than her rushed start. The feeling of dizziness persisted, and although she’d had no breakfast, she couldn’t stomach the thought of drinking tea. There was an unsettled queasiness in her belly that extinguished appetite entirely.
