The West End Girls by Elaine Roberts

Author:Elaine Roberts [Roberts, Elaine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781838933500
Publisher: Head of Zeus

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‘Are you going up to Whitehall?’ Joyce asked the girls as they sipped their hot tea, while tucking into their soft-boiled eggs and lightly buttered bread soldiers at the dining table.

Arthur Bradshaw shook the newspaper straight as he held it up in front of him. It rustled loudly as he turned the page over and smoothed it down the centre crease. The girls stared at the headline on page three, ‘British Troops Press The Germans Back On Their Flank’ screamed out in bold print along the top of the page. They all sat in silence for a moment.

Arthur peered over the top of his newspaper. ‘What’s the matter?’

Joyce shook her head. ‘Nothing, Uncle.’

Arthur let his gaze wander over the three of them in turn. ‘Then why has your endless chatter stopped?’

Joyce’s hands clasped together on her lap, the folds of her black skirt held firm beneath them. ‘No reason, we were just talking about going to Whitehall later.’

Annie giggled. ‘I don’t even know where Whitehall is or why I should be going there.’

Joyce looked solemn as she stirred her tea. ‘It’s not far from Westminster Bridge, where you were waving at the men on the boats.’ She chuckled at the memory. ‘It’s also near St James’s Park.’

‘Oh, not that far then.’ Annie put down her cup. ‘What’s happening there?’

‘I heard someone say yesterday that, apparently, soldiers will be marching there, and I wondered if we should go and support them. You know, cheer them on.’

Rose’s lips tightened. ‘I don’t know, mainly because I don’t understand why we have to get involved at all. Why should our men risk their lives?’

Annie nodded. ‘I don’t disagree, but whatever we think the men are going so it would be nice for them to see they had the support of the country behind them. What do you think about it, Mr Bradshaw?’

‘We’re just sending children to their death, that’s what I think.’ His chair scratched along the wooden floor as he pushed back his chair. ‘I’m going in the other room to get some peace and quiet.’ He folded his paper and marched out of the room, leaving his chair away from the table.

Rose watched him leave. ‘Joyce, did you know he felt that strongly about it?’

Joyce shook her head. ‘Why would I know? He never talks to me about anything except food.’

Annie and Rose smiled.

‘Apparently, according to Simon and the newspapers, thousands and thousands of men have enlisted since war was declared. He said the papers say that they expect it to be over by Christmas so hopefully the men that are going will all be back soon.’ Joyce raised her eyebrows. ‘At least most of them should.’

‘I suppose Christmas is only two to three months away so that’s not too bad, and those headlines sound promising.’ Rose let her teaspoon fall onto her plate. ‘That egg was lovely.’ She licked her lips. ‘Simon seems to chat to you a lot about what’s going on, especially with the war.’

‘He doesn’t talk down to me if that’s what you mean.

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