Home Front Girls

smile as she saw Lucy out, then moving back to the table she took up Freddy’s letter again and reread every word, wondering if the whole damn world had gone mad. The war won’t last for long – it can’t do, not after the last lot, she told herself, and helped herself to a Garibaldi biscuit to dunk in what remained of her tea.

Chapter Four
     
    ‘Right then, young ladies,’ Mrs Broadstairs said the following Monday morning as she eyed the new recruits critically. ‘A few rules before I show you to the departments where you will be working. First of all, you must remember that the customer is always right! You must never, and I repeat never, argue with a customer even if you feel their choice is unwise. Customers are hard to come by in these difficult times. And Miss Smythe, I have to say those shoes are most unsuitable. You were told to wear flats, not high heels. I have no doubt you will wish you had by the end of the day when your feet are aching.’
    Annabelle stared back at her haughtily. ‘I don’t own any flat shoes, nor do I wish to.’
    Mrs Broadstairs positively bristled. She could see that she might have problems with this one. Miss Smythe was a right little madam if she wasn’t very much mistaken, but then no doubt she wouldn’t be quite so cocky after a long day on her feet. The other girl, Miss Ford, looked all right though. Her clothes were plain but smart and her auburn hair was tied neatly back into a ribbon at the nape of her neck. She didn’t appear to have a cocky attitude like the other girl either, which was something to be thankful for.
    ‘You two will have your morning break at eleven a.m. The staff dining room is located on the top floor but you will be back in your departments at eleven fifteen promptly. Your lunch break is from one to one thirty, and afternoon break three thirty until three forty-five. Is that quite clear?’
    When both girls nodded, Annabelle somewhat resentfully, Mrs Broadstairs went on, ‘Neither of you will have access to the tills until you have more experience – you are junior sales personnel. And you will both do exactly as the shop-floor manager tells you, be it dusting or stock-taking.’ She got a little thrill of satisfaction when she saw the look of horror that flitted across the blonde’s face. She obviously wasn’t used to such lowly tasks if her clothes were anything to go by, especially the white ruffled blouse she was wearing, which looked suspiciously like pure silk; Mrs Broadstairs wouldn’t have minded betting that they’d probably cost more than the girl would earn in a whole month here. Still, there was a war on and everyone was having to make sacrifices, so why should this young woman be exempted?
    ‘For now you will both work on whichever floor you are needed on, on any particular day,’ the woman continued. ‘It could be that one day you may find yourselves in the shoe department and the next on lingerie or wherever. Sadly, many of our gentlemen employees have gone to join the war, so we have to do our best to keep the shop running efficiently whichever way we can. Working in different departments will also give you a wider knowledge of the way the store is run. As I have explained, for the first few weeks you will probably do the more menial jobs, but when the floor managers feel that your skills are sufficiently developed, you will be allowed to start to serve the customers.’
    Mrs Broadstairs was quick to note that Annabelle was looking gloomier by the minute, although Lucy appeared quite happy with the arrangement. ‘Come along then, girls,’ she told them. ‘Before you begin work I will give you a brief tour of the store and introduce you to the various floor managers. Follow me.’
    Patting her hair, which was so thick with setting lotion that it looked as if it wouldn’t budge even in a gale-force wind, the woman turned about, heading for the lift that ran from the ground floor to the very top of the store. The lift stopped at each floor and in no time at all both girls were wondering how they were ever going to find their way about. The shop was enormous and there was so much to remember. But eventually, Mrs Broadstairs stopped in the men’s department and told Lucy, ‘This is where you will be working for today. Mr O’Dell is the floor manager and I’ve no doubt he will find you plenty to do.’
    Lucy looked over to see an elderly man coming towards them with a broad smile on his face and she thought perhaps