Bobby regarded him with one eye narrowed.
‘All right,’ she said at last.
‘Believe me, do you?’
‘You’ve successfully exorcised any lingering desire to thump you, at least. But do you have to move your family down to Liverpool? It’s so far away.’
‘A few hours on the train isn’t too bad. I mean, if you wanted to come help out when the baby gets here.’
All right. Now was the time for Operation Damsel-in-Distress. Bobby lowered her gaze.
‘I will if I can get the leave,’ she said solemnly.
Tony blinked. ‘Leave? From that magazine?’
‘No, from the WAAF. Didn’t Lil say? I’m to be drafted in a few months. I don’t mind telling you, Tony, I’m worried sick about it.’
Bobby sighed again, making sure it sounded good and heartfelt. In his own way, Tony was a bit of a romantic. At least, he had a soft spot for a woman in need, despite his roving ways. If he thought he was doing Bobby a favour rather than the other way around, she could avoid wounding his oh-so-fragile male pride.
‘What’re you worried about?’ Tony asked. ‘They’re not going to send you up in a Spit, you know.’
‘Can I have one of your cigarettes?’
‘If you want.’ He tapped one out of the packet and struck a match to light it for her. ‘Didn’t know you smoked.’
Bobby took a drag and coughed.
‘I don’t,’ she gasped. ‘Bloody Nora, Tony. Are they those Egyptian ones?’
‘Yes, why?’
‘Your throat must be like sandpaper.’ She coughed again, then for appearance’s sake took another drag, trying not to inhale. ‘Ithought it might help settle my nerves. I honestly don’t know what I’m going to do.’
She wondered if now would be a good time to turn on the waterworks, but decided that would be a bit much. Tony had known her too long to fall for fake hysterics. Instead, she worked on making her eyes wide and helpless. Men liked that.
‘About what?’ Tony asked.
‘My dad. The cottage we live in is a sort of grace-and-favour arrangement courtesy of my job. Once I go, he’ll be homeless.’ She swallowed hard to suggest tears might be just around the corner. ‘He earns forty shillings a week as a gamekeeper, which isn’t too bad considering he’s new to the work, but it wouldn’t be enough to rent a decent cottage and hire a housekeeper to look after it.’
‘Hmm. Guess it wouldn’t.’
‘And Lord knows how Reg is going to find someone for the magazine,’ Bobby went on. ‘He needs someone who can write and who’s nimble enough to get around the Dales, and there are so few young people left now the War Office seems intent on conscripting the world and his wife. Me leaving is putting everyone in a proper pickle. I feel ever so guilty about it – and that’s on top of worrying about Lilian.’
‘Lilian’s all right. I’m looking after her,’ Tony said, putting out his cigarette and immediately lighting another. Deciding that the one he’d given her had served its purpose as a prop, Bobby stubbed it out and tried to wash away the acrid taste with a mouthful of beer.
‘You’re not though, are you?’ she said. ‘You’re in the pub, Tony.’
‘Aye, looking for a job.’
‘And failing to find one,’ Bobby pointed out, tapping his newspaper. ‘What with worrying about Lil, my dad, themagazine and the damn war, I’m finding it hard to sleep.’ She let out another deep sigh. ‘It’s all such a mess.’
Tony didn’t say anything. He just drew thoughtfully on his cigarette. Bobby drank her beer in silence, waiting for his brain to make the connection she’d pointed it so firmly towards.
‘Not much money on that mag, I suppose,’ he said at last.
‘No. Only twenty bob a week.’
He snorted. ‘You manage on that?’
