The Grafton Girls - Annie Groves [118]
Ruthie tried to focus on the normal morning routine of changing out of her own clothes and into her overall, tucking her hair up into the cotton cap provided for that purpose, as she got ready to go into the cleanway area. All around her the other girls were doing the same, meticulously removing anything they were wearing containing metal because of the danger from the TNT.
‘Here, give us the key to your locker a minute, will you, Ruthie?’ Maureen whispered quietly, sidling over to her. ‘Only I’ve bin promised a bit of stuff for the kiddies, like, for Christmas. Just a few tins…’
Ruthie winced, lifting her hand to her forehead, her head was aching with worrying so much. If only Glen would just get in touch and tell her that Walter was all right and that he had explained what had happened, but she knew she mustn’t worry. After all, Glen had told her not to. Instead she should think about their wedding and how happy they were going to be. How long would it be before she and Glen were interviewed by his commanding officer? Two months’ notice of their planned wedding date, Glen had told her he had had to give. They had told the vicar that and so he had suggested the third Saturday in October, which gave them a bit of extra time.
‘Are you listening to me?’ Maureen demanded impatiently.
‘Yes, of course I am,’ Ruthie told her. ‘Only you know I don’t approve of black-market things,’ she reminded her uncomfortably.
‘Oh, that’s just typical of someone like you wot’s got a GI boyfriend,’ Maureen snapped angrily. She had adopted the fashion amongst some of the girls for keeping a piece of her hair free of her cap so that the TNT could turn it yellow – or if one’s hair was very dark, orange.
‘You’d never get me doing nowt like that,’ Mel had sniffed critically. ‘Who wants everyone knowing that you’re working in munitions?’
‘Aye, and just think about what could happen if a chap leaned over to offer you a light for your cig, with them TNT fumes dying your hair,’ Leah had grinned.
Personally Ruthie couldn’t take to the fashion at all, and was only too glad to protect her hair from the effect of the TNT. It was bad enough ending up with yellow-tinted skin.
‘It’s all right for you, isn’t it? You don’t have to go wi’out nothing. I’ll bet he brings more than a few tins when he comes round your house. I’ll bet there’s chocolate and stockings, and ciggies and all sorts gets given to you, all stuff wots on ration, and you’re getting it for free. And then you’ve got the nerve to go telling me that I shouldn’t have a bit of black-market stuff for the kiddies wot’s cost me an arm and a leg.’
As usual, Ruthie acknowledged, as she gave in and handed over her locker key, Maureen had managed to make her feel both in the wrong, and very selfish.
‘Please make sure you give me the key back, won’t you?’ Ruthie asked.
The woman who had been covered in TNT was back at work, her face and hands looking very red and sore.
‘That’ll teach her to go nicking,’ Ruthie heard one of the other women remarking with obvious satisfaction as she glared at her.
Perhaps she was too soft-hearted, but she couldn’t help feeling sorry for her, Ruthie admitted, even though she could understand the anger of those whose things she had taken.
When would she hear from Glen? She could hardly bear the waiting, but she knew she would have to do so.
She had hardly slept last night, Diane admitted, as she stepped out into the early morning sunshine, and that meant that for two nights running now, thinking about Major Lee Saunders had kept her awake.
She had done the right thing, she knew that. But that hadn’t stopped her