Cockney Orphan by Carol Rivers

Author:Carol Rivers [Rivers, Carol]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781849835206
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK

Chapter Fifteen

‘Five bob says our office is first for the chop,’ Len English muttered to Connie as they joined the queue in the corridor outside Mr Dalton’s rooms. ‘They’ve got to make cuts with business going downhill like it has.’

‘The government might step in,’ Connie posed. ‘And take us over for the war effort.’

‘They could have their own people,’ Len speculated as they moved forward. ‘We might prove expendable.’

‘No one’s expendable in war. Everyone has to do something,’ Connie whispered as they entered the large outer office that was usually strictly off limits to the staff and reserved for Mr Dalton’s sole use. In front of them were rows of wooden chairs placed neatly in front of a small raised platform.

‘Blimey, this looks official,’ Len muttered as they filed in and sat down.

‘I’ve never been in here before.’ Ada looked cautiously around the room as the thirty or so other clerical workers and members of the typing pool joined them. Rumours had abounded as scarcity of petrol had crippled Dalton’s transport services. The import and exportation of food, vegetables and household goods had sunk to an all time low as the war had intensified. Government inspectors had visited the shop floor; Dalton’s, it was said, was ripe for requisitioning.

‘The ball-bearings factory up the road needs staff,’ Ada whispered suspiciously. ‘But if they think I’d work in one of them factories, they can think again. My fingernails would chip something rotten and I couldn’t stand the noise of those machines! Bang, crash in your ears all the time.’ She frowned across Len, who was sitting between them. ‘Anyway, I’m a trained shorthand typist like you, Con. Why should we work on a shop floor?’

‘Because you’ll have to, if that’s what the government wants,’ Len intervened. ‘You don’t get a choice, Ada. None of us do.’

‘Well, I’d rather piss off somewhere else,’ Ada said indignantly. ‘Sign up for the Land Army even.’

‘Can’t see you looking after pigs when you can’t even stand the smell of fish in the canteen.’ Len smiled ruefully. ‘And, anyway, what about Wally?’

Ada shrugged carelessly. ‘What about him? He don’t even notice me around most of the time. And to tell you the truth, sharing a stable with a horse would be an improvement on living with his sister. At least horses don’t criticize and keep telling you how lucky you are to have a roof over your head. And they don’t pinch your clothes or spy on you, either! When I complain to Wally all he does is tell me to stop nagging and make the best of things. It would teach him a lesson if I left.’

Connie knew things between Ada and Wally were at an all time low. But would she really consider joining the Land Army just for spite?

‘Shh, ladies.’ Len jerked his head as Mr Burns and Mr Layman, the workforce manager, entered the room and ascended the platform. Mr Dalton, leaning heavily on his stick, followed at a snail’s pace, aided by his secretary, Miss Cummings.

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