East End Angel by Rivers Carol

Author:Rivers, Carol [Rivers, Carol]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Published: 2010-11-11T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

On the morning of Tuesday 6 June, five weeks after Ruby’s wedding, Pearl switched on the wireless to hear a broadcast made from the Home Service of the BBC. Shortly after midnight, three airborne divisions, the US 82nd and 101st and the British 6th, had flown over the English Channel to secure the beaches of Normandy for the D-Day landings. No longer was the invasion of Europe a rumour, it was a reality.

Pearl stopped what she was doing and, with Cynthia, rushed down to the shop. The whole street were talking about the news. Little by little the information was coming through that everyone had waited so long for.

‘This is it then,’ Fitz said as Pearl pushed her way through the shop. ‘God bless all our lads and bring them home safely.’

Gwen was twiddling the knobs of the old wireless in the shop. ‘Makes you proud, don’t it?’ she called, and Pearl nodded, experiencing the feeling of national pride as more news crackled out of the set. John Snagge, the BBC commentator, had revealed that at six thirty in the morning, when Britain was just waking up, the first landing craft had begun the assault on the French beaches. So far, the country was told, everything was going according to the Allied plan for the liberation of Europe.

Once again Pearl wondered where Jim was. Two days ago, the newspapers had reported that Rome had been liberated by the Allies. It was said that the city had fallen easily after the harsh and bloody battles of Anzio and Monte Cassino. Women had thrown flowers to the troops, and even given bottles of wine. The pictures in the papers had shown English and American soldiers being embraced and kissed. Had Jim enjoyed such a welcome? The young Italian women were beautiful. It would be easy for any man to fall into temptation. Especially after two years away from home.

It was Fitz who, as usual, gave a word of warning to his assembled customers. ‘If we’re successful and they pull it off, Hitler won’t take it lying down. We have to be prepared for reprisals.’

‘Like what, you old Jonah?’ a woman in a headscarf demanded.

‘The secret weapon he has up his sleeve,’ declared Fitz. ‘I don’t want to be a killjoy, but we must be vigilant.’

‘How can we be vigilant against something we don’t know?’ shouted another woman, looking annoyed. ‘And you are a bloody killjoy, Fitz. Can’t you wish our boys success?’

A man in a cap next to Pearl rolled his eyes. ‘That’s been the story of this war. There’s always something invisible round the corner to be frightened of. You can’t even celebrate a small victory.’

Fitz heard the comment. ‘Well, it’s only my opinion.’

‘And you know what you can do with it,’ chuckled the woman in the headscarf. ‘Now sort me out some of them spuds, ducks, and I can get home and turn me own wireless on without all these interruptions.’

‘And hurry yourself up, Fitz!’ called Gwen, hands on hips as she stood at the counter.

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