Free East End Angel by Carol Rivers Page A

familiar faces. Amongst them were one or two young men. There would be no excuse for Ruby not to dance. Perhaps tonight she would meet someone who would make her forget all about Ricky.
    The four girls were talking when Jim arrived with the drinks. ‘I got in a round early,’ he told them as he lowered the tray. ‘Shandy it is, girls – not much in the way of choice, I’m afraid, but I count meself a lucky man tonight, having four lovely ladies to entertain.’ His eyes twinkled and a big smile stretched across his face. Pearl liked to hear him flirt because she was proud of him and knew she could trust him. Sometimes she couldn’t believe this handsome man was her husband!
    The band had been belting out music all evening – Glenn Miller, Joe Loss, Ted Heath, Jack Hylton and even George Formby. The jitterbug, from America, had been the most popular dance. All the young couples had swung themselves up and down the floor, including Pearl and Jim. And though Jim hadn’t quite thrown Pearl over his head, as some of the male dancers did their partners, they had joined in as energetically as the others. Pearl thought that even Ruby looked as though she was enjoying herself. It hadn’t taken long for a young man to ask her to dance and she hadn’t refused.
    The good-looking singer of the band had attracted some admirers. He was dressed in a white jacket, black trousers and black bow tie. The small group of young women from the typing pool stood watching him. He crooned out the old favourites as he stood in the spotlight; ‘I’ll Be Seeing You’, ‘We’ll Meet Again’ and ‘Run Rabbit Run’, followed by the sentimental tunes like ‘Dinah’, ‘Say It (Over and Over Again)’ and ‘Whispering Grass’. Ray James, the leader of the band, a small man with a moustache, kept the three saxophone players, two trombonists, one drummer and pianist playing without a pause. But when the food was served at nine o’clock the band took a break.
    Pearl was amused to see that Arnold Raven, a cook from the canteen, had taken a liking to Moira. He sat at their table, a big, cheerful young man who, Pearl thought, looked as though he’d eaten too many of his own pies. Em, too, had found a nice dancing partner, a tall young man from the rent department, called Colin.
    When the men went out for a smoke, the gossip started. Moira was the first to suggest that someone was on the fiddle in the canteen. ‘Arnie saw a jam roll he’d made this morning turn up in the refreshments,’ she whispered.
    ‘How did he know it was his jam roll?’ asked Ruby.
    ‘Oh, he can tell,’ Moira assured her, and everyone hid their amusement.
    ‘Colin’s nice,’ said Pearl to Em, who was quietly sipping her lemonade.
    Em went scarlet. ‘Yes, but I’ve got two left feet.’
    ‘If you have,’ said Ruby, ‘he’s not noticed.’
    ‘He’s too polite to say anything, I expect.’ Em looked even more embarrassed. Pearl thought how pretty she was in a blue suit, which made such a change to her preferred utility wear. Her hair was newly waved, and once or twice Colin had put his arm around her. Was there a budding romance?
    ‘These are delicious,’ said Em, changing the subject quickly as she nibbled a biscuit. ‘I know it’s not chocolate but it tastes the same.’
    ‘That’s ’cos you’ve forgotten what chocolate tastes like,’ sniffed Moira. ‘I saw some jellies in the kitchen. Bet there won’t be any left for us as the front tables went up first.’
    Pearl and Ruby glanced at one another. Pearl had to smother a giggle as, without Moira seeing, Ruby rolled her eyes.
    Suddenly a young man came to the table. Pearl knew him only as Blackie, a friend of Jim’s who worked in the vehicle maintenance department. ‘Hello, Pearl.’
    She smiled. He had called in a couple of times to see Jim on his way to the pub. ‘Hello, Blackie.’
    ‘You enjoying yourselves, girls?’
    They all nodded. Blackie looked at Ruby. ‘I was wondering if you’d