still got your hair wrapped up in dinky curlers and swathed in a turban. And for heaven’s sake, take off that bloody awful cross-over overall and dump it. It does nothing for you.’
‘And I suppose you think that because you’ve been working in Coventry that you’re up sides with Ginger Rogers.’
Laura started to dance herself about the room. ‘Well I do like the dancing. Have you been lately?’
‘To a dance hall? Good heavens, no. The Polish refugees are here now – you know them that get the name of being the world’s best lovers …’ Kitty now sucked in her lips to give the impression of being kissed sensuously.
‘Well they’ll sure as hell beat the Scottish men hands down. Especially the like of wee plooky Shug McKenzie!’ Laura laughed in reply.
‘Oh, Laura, forget Shug and listen to what Sally Day told me.’ Kitty stopped to savour the moment then quickly blurted out, ‘She went to the Palais dance hall up in Fountainbridge just last week and one of them Polish refugee blokes asked to walk her home.’
‘And I hope she said no.’
‘No, Laura, she didn’t. And see when they got to London Road Gardens he guided her on to the wooded path and then he tried …’ Kitty gulped. ‘You’re never going to believe this … but he actually tried to … well, you know what. And Sally, like us, is still pure, so she got such a fright!’
‘Sally Day got a fright?’ Laura exclaimed with a wry chuckle. ‘Come off it, Kitty. Everybody, except you, kens she’s as pure as the driven slush. Besides, men trying it on is par for the course nowadays.’
Kitty gasped. ‘Laura, please don’t tell me that it’s happened to you too.’
‘Maybe aye or maybe no … but that’s for me to know and you to wonder. But one thing’s for sure, Kitty, I don’t want to end up like your Aunty Kate.’
‘What are you going on about? My Aunty Kate has never ever even had a boyfriend.’
‘That’s what I mean – when she dies they’ll pin a note to her chest saying, “Returned unopened”!’
Before the girls could continue with their banter, the door opened and old Mrs Dickson hobbled in shouting, ‘Nothing to worry about. It’s no the White Warden – it’s only me.’
‘Who in the name of heaven is the White Warden?’
‘He’s a man who dresses up in an off-white Mackintosh raincoat before he goes stalking around Craigmillar – scares the very life out of all the young women over there, so he does.’
‘Don’t think a white raincoat would put the frighteners on me,’ chuckled Laura.
‘Laura, what frightens everybody is that he suddenly jumps out of stair doors and attempts to …’ Kitty gulped before adding, ‘Well, you know what.’
‘Oh, well at least there seems to be someone trying to lift old Edinburgh out of the doldrums.’
Ignoring Laura’s comment Kitty started to get herself ready. Whilst taking out her curlers and brushing her hair she tentatively began to speak to Mrs Dickson. ‘I made up Rosebud’s bottle, Mrs Dickson. So if she wakens, and I’m sure she won’t, just let her have a sook on it. We won’t be late and as there have been no air raids these last few nights I’m sure there won’t be any tonight either. If there is, don’t panic because no matter what, even if I’m blown to smithereens, I’ll still come straight home.’
Kitty was now dressed to go out and it was then that Laura noted that she was wearing a black band on the right arm of her coat. ‘Oh, Kitty,’ she blurted, ‘please don’t tell me that your brother Bobby …’
‘No. He’s in the Merchant Navy, right enough. A Fourth Engineer now would you believe …’ Kitty stopped chattering to lovingly stroke the band on her coat sleeve. ‘But this band’s for my granddad.’
‘Sorry, I forgot that he was … and how is your granny doing?’
‘It will be some time before she gets over it. You see … it was just so horrible. These blasted German bombers were to blame and they
‘And I suppose you think that because you’ve been working in Coventry that you’re up sides with Ginger Rogers.’
Laura started to dance herself about the room. ‘Well I do like the dancing. Have you been lately?’
‘To a dance hall? Good heavens, no. The Polish refugees are here now – you know them that get the name of being the world’s best lovers …’ Kitty now sucked in her lips to give the impression of being kissed sensuously.
‘Well they’ll sure as hell beat the Scottish men hands down. Especially the like of wee plooky Shug McKenzie!’ Laura laughed in reply.
‘Oh, Laura, forget Shug and listen to what Sally Day told me.’ Kitty stopped to savour the moment then quickly blurted out, ‘She went to the Palais dance hall up in Fountainbridge just last week and one of them Polish refugee blokes asked to walk her home.’
‘And I hope she said no.’
‘No, Laura, she didn’t. And see when they got to London Road Gardens he guided her on to the wooded path and then he tried …’ Kitty gulped. ‘You’re never going to believe this … but he actually tried to … well, you know what. And Sally, like us, is still pure, so she got such a fright!’
‘Sally Day got a fright?’ Laura exclaimed with a wry chuckle. ‘Come off it, Kitty. Everybody, except you, kens she’s as pure as the driven slush. Besides, men trying it on is par for the course nowadays.’
Kitty gasped. ‘Laura, please don’t tell me that it’s happened to you too.’
‘Maybe aye or maybe no … but that’s for me to know and you to wonder. But one thing’s for sure, Kitty, I don’t want to end up like your Aunty Kate.’
‘What are you going on about? My Aunty Kate has never ever even had a boyfriend.’
‘That’s what I mean – when she dies they’ll pin a note to her chest saying, “Returned unopened”!’
Before the girls could continue with their banter, the door opened and old Mrs Dickson hobbled in shouting, ‘Nothing to worry about. It’s no the White Warden – it’s only me.’
‘Who in the name of heaven is the White Warden?’
‘He’s a man who dresses up in an off-white Mackintosh raincoat before he goes stalking around Craigmillar – scares the very life out of all the young women over there, so he does.’
‘Don’t think a white raincoat would put the frighteners on me,’ chuckled Laura.
‘Laura, what frightens everybody is that he suddenly jumps out of stair doors and attempts to …’ Kitty gulped before adding, ‘Well, you know what.’
‘Oh, well at least there seems to be someone trying to lift old Edinburgh out of the doldrums.’
Ignoring Laura’s comment Kitty started to get herself ready. Whilst taking out her curlers and brushing her hair she tentatively began to speak to Mrs Dickson. ‘I made up Rosebud’s bottle, Mrs Dickson. So if she wakens, and I’m sure she won’t, just let her have a sook on it. We won’t be late and as there have been no air raids these last few nights I’m sure there won’t be any tonight either. If there is, don’t panic because no matter what, even if I’m blown to smithereens, I’ll still come straight home.’
Kitty was now dressed to go out and it was then that Laura noted that she was wearing a black band on the right arm of her coat. ‘Oh, Kitty,’ she blurted, ‘please don’t tell me that your brother Bobby …’
‘No. He’s in the Merchant Navy, right enough. A Fourth Engineer now would you believe …’ Kitty stopped chattering to lovingly stroke the band on her coat sleeve. ‘But this band’s for my granddad.’
‘Sorry, I forgot that he was … and how is your granny doing?’
‘It will be some time before she gets over it. You see … it was just so horrible. These blasted German bombers were to blame and they
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