Blitz by Claire Rayner Read Free Book Online Page A

only wish they’d kept you longer. But she’s your mother and she suffered hell because of you – ’
    ‘So how could I have sent him away, Poppy?’ Jessie looked up at her, and her eyes were reddened with unshed tears. ‘Hmm? Like you said, I’m his mother! How could I send him away? And how could I cause you pain? So I did the best I could. I told him to be careful, not to let you find out that he was here, everything’d be fine. And now look at how we are!’ And she bent her head over her hands and this time let her tears go and after a moment Poppy bent over and held her close, letting the old woman cry her heart out on her shoulder. And Bernie stood and watched with a faint grin on his face.
    Eventually Jessie’s tears slowed and changed to occasional hiccups and she sat up and mopped her ravaged face, as Poppywent over to one of the hobs where a coffee pot stood bubbling gently, and fetched it, together with a mug.
    There was a silence as Jessie sipped the coffee and then, looking better, set down the mug.
    ‘Well, Bernie, what have you got to say for yourself?’
    ‘Me? What should I have to say?’
    ‘Listen, you didn’t come here at this time just to make mischief?’ Jessie looked sharply at him then. ‘Or did you?’
    ‘Would I do that?’ He opened his eyes wide and then laughed. ‘Well, all right, maybe I would. Only I didn’t. No, I had to talk to you fast. It’s important. Believe it or not, I tried to keep out of Poppy’s way. I don’t like rows no more than you do. But she hung around so long I had to come through from the shop. There’s a limit to how much of Lily’s chatter one man can take.’
    ‘So, what’s so urgent?’ And Jessie glanced uneasily at Poppy, who was still standing staring stonily at him.
    Bernie shot a sharp glance at her too, and then looked back at his mother. ‘It’s nothing all that much, no big deal. It’s just that I need some warehouse space and I want to rent yours. It’s hard to find anywhere these days that’s really safe, you know? And you’ve got all these cellars here – ’
    ‘We’re using them as shelters,’ Poppy said shortly.
    ‘All of them? Hardly. As I recall, those cellars go not only right under these buildings but half-way under Cable Street as well. It’s an enormous space.’
    ‘So? It’s enormous. We’re using it ourselves for storage.’
    ‘All of it?’
    ‘That’s none of your business.’
    ‘I’ll pay a decent rent,’ he said with a studiedly casual air. ‘A more than decent rent. You can have twenty pounds a week.’
    Poppy blinked. ‘Twenty – are you mad? That’s a crazy amount for a cold cellar!’
    ‘But it’s a dry cellar as well as cold, isn’t it?’ he said quickly.
    ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘That’s why we use it to store our dry goods – ’
    ‘Right. Then it’ll suit my needs too.’
    ‘What do you want them for?’
    ‘I told you. Twenty quid a week.’
    ‘How will you use them, damn you? Don’t be clever with me!’
    ‘Twenty quid a week, and no questions asked,’ he said and turned away. ‘Take it or leave it.’
    ‘I’ll leave it,’ Poppy said at once. ‘You can’t think I’d let you have our premises to use any way you like, do you? With your record? I’d have to be mad to do that.’
    He looked at her for a long moment and then sighed. ‘Always the perfect little angel, eh, Poppy? Well, suppose you mind your own business? This is my mother’s place, not yours and – ’
    ‘Like hell it is,’ Poppy snapped. ‘I’m an equal partner in this enterprise, as you ought to know by now if you’ve been in London all this time. Jessie must have told you – ’
    ‘I did,’ Jessie said weakly. ‘Honestly, I did, Poppola. I told him you’d never agree – ’
    Poppy whirled on her. ‘You mean you knew about this – this whatever it is he wants our cellars for?’
    Jessie looked miserable. ‘He’s talked about it before,’ she mumbled.
    ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ Poppy