A rose and a promise, p.1
A Rose and a Promise, page 1
About the Author
Katie Flynn is the pen name of the much-loved writer, Judy Turner, who published over ninety novels in her lifetime. Judy’s unique stories were inspired by hearing family recollections of life in Liverpool during the early twentieth century, and her books went on to sell more than eight million copies. Judy passed away in January 2019, aged eighty-two.
The legacy of Katie Flynn lives on through her daughter, Holly Flynn, who continues to write under the Katie Flynn name. Holly worked as an assistant to her mother for many years and together they co-authored a number of Katie Flynn novels.
Holly lives in the north east of Wales with her husband Simon and their two children. When she’s not writing she enjoys walking her two lurchers, Sparky and Snoopy, in the surrounding countryside, and cooking forbidden foods such as pies, cakes and puddings! She looks forward to sharing many more Katie Flynn stories, which she and her mother devised together, with readers in the years to come.
Keep up to date with all her latest news on Facebook: Katie Flynn Author
Also available by Katie Flynn
A Liverpool Lass
The Girl from Penny Lane
Liverpool Taffy
The Mersey Girls
Strawberry Fields
Rainbow’s End
Rose of Tralee
No Silver Spoon
Polly’s Angel
The Girl from Seaforth Sands
The Liverpool Rose
Poor Little Rich Girl
The Bad Penny
Down Daisy Street
A Kiss and a Promise
Two Penn’orth of Sky
A Long and Lonely Road
The Cuckoo Child
Darkest Before Dawn
Orphans of the Storm
Little Girl Lost
Beyond the Blue Hills
Forgotten Dreams
Sunshine and Shadows
Such Sweet Sorrow
A Mother’s Hope
In Time for Christmas
Heading Home
A Mistletoe Kiss
The Lost Days of Summer
Christmas Wishes
The Runaway
A Sixpenny Christmas
The Forget-Me-Not Summer
A Christmas to Remember
Time to Say Goodbye
A Family Christmas
A Summer Promise
When Christmas Bells Ring
An Orphan’s Christmas
A Christmas Candle
Christmas at Tuppenny Corner
A Mother’s Love
A Christmas Gift
Liverpool Daughter
Under the Mistletoe
Over the Rainbow
White Christmas
The Rose Queen
The Winter Rose
Available by Katie Flynn writing as Judith Saxton
You Are My Sunshine
First Love, Last Love
Someone Special
Still Waters
A Family Affair
Jenny Alone
Chasing Rainbows
All My Fortunes
Sophie
We’ll Meet Again
Harbour Hill
The Arcade
The Pride
The Glory
The Splendour
Full Circle
Katie Flynn
* * *
A ROSE AND A PROMISE
Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Epilogue
For Sharon Matthews
Prologue
March 1944
Cadi woke with a start as the air raid siren blasted its mournful wail across the base. Swinging her legs out of bed, she reached for her greatcoat and threw it over her shoulders, then headed for the Anderson shelter.
‘They should build decent shelters before setting up these new bases,’ mumbled Ethel, one of the recent arrivals, as she settled on the bench next to Cadi.
‘With the Luftwaffe destroying airfields faster than we can build them, we have to make do with what we’ve got,’ said Cadi. She smiled kindly at the other girl. ‘Helping to build new airfields does come with one advantage.’
Ethel eyed her doubtfully. ‘Oh?’
‘We aren’t on any maps, so the Krauts don’t know we’re here,’ said Cadi.
‘I hadn’t thought of it like that,’ replied Ethel, glancing at the wedding ring that adorned Cadi’s finger. ‘Is your husband in the services?’
‘Jez is a mechanic in the RAF, so he has both feet firmly on the ground – something for which I shall be for ever grateful.’
Ethel swallowed hard as a series of sickening thuds sounded in the distance. ‘How close are they, do you think?’
Cadi tilted her head to one side as she considered the new girl. ‘I take it this is your first posting?’
Ethel nodded nervously. ‘First air raid too.’ She continued before Cadi had a chance to express her surprise. ‘I come from Llangollen, a village not far from—’
‘Wrexham!’ Cadi beamed, interrupting Ethel mid-sentence.
Astonished that Cadi had heard of Llangollen, Ethel’s lips rose into a small smile. ‘You know it?’
Cadi nodded fervently. ‘I was born in Rhos.’
Delighted to be in the company of someone local to her own area, Ethel’s smile widened. ‘Talk about a small world.’ Her eyes fell to the corporal’s stripe that adorned Cadi’s arm. ‘You’ve done ever so well for a woman from a small mining village.’
Cadi glanced at the stripe with pride. ‘I love my life in the WAAF, although it’s a far cry from what I’m used to.’ As she spoke, Cadi realised that Ethel was no longer paying attention to the bombs that continued to fall. Not wanting her to turn her attention back to the Luftwaffe, Cadi continued to talk, telling Ethel how she and her best friend Poppy had left Rhos for Liverpool when they were just sixteen.
‘We hadn’t been in Liverpool for more than a few days when we got attacked by a man called Eric Taylor,’ she said. ‘He was a real brute – someone who liked his drink.’
The Waaf’s eyes rounded. ‘What happened?’
Cadi went on to explain how Jez – the man who was now her husband – had come to their rescue. ‘He fought Eric off with one punch before escorting us to his friend Maria’s pub, where I could clean my bloodied head before catching the train back to Rhos.’ Cadi sighed happily. ‘Maria was the answer to all our prayers. Not only did she see to my wounds, but she gave Poppy and me jobs at the Greyhound, running the upstairs as a B&B.’
‘Every cloud,’ said Ethel
‘Or fate?’ suggested Cadi. ‘After all, if we hadn’t stayed in Liverpool, we’d never have rescued Eric’s daughter Izzy from him.’
Ethel’s jaw dropped. ‘The man who attacked you?’
Cadi nodded. ‘It seemed we weren’t the only women Eric had raised a hand to – only in Izzy’s case he used his belt, leaving her scarred below her eye.’
Ethel tutted disapprovingly. ‘Where is she now?’
‘In the WAAF, same as Poppy.’ Cadi paused before continuing, ‘She’s gone from being frightened of her own shadow to giving orders. She’s a sergeant.’
Enthralled by Cadi’s tale, Ethel shuffled eagerly in her seat. ‘Is that why you joined, or were you conscripted?’
Cadi grimaced. ‘The Luftwaffe destroyed the Greyhound whilst we were sheltering in the cellar.’
Ethel held a hand to her mouth as her eyes grew ever rounder. ‘Was anyone killed?’
Cadi nodded sadly. ‘Jez’s adoptive grandmother, Carrie.’
Ethel pulled a sympathetic face. ‘To lose someone you love is bad enough, but to lose your home and job on top of that?’ She shook her head. ‘It must’ve been dreadful.’
‘It was,’ agreed Cadi, ‘but sometimes you just have to pick yourself up and get on with things, and that’s why I joined the WAAF.’
Ethel stared at Cadi in awe. ‘I think you’re marvellous. It’s no wonder you made corporal.’
Cadi blushed as a smile tweaked her lips. ‘I’m sure most people would’ve done the same in my position …’ She was interrupted by the siren sounding the all-clear, and got to her feet. ‘That was mercifully short.’
Ethel rose from the hard wooden bench. ‘Thanks for taking my mind off things. I thought I was going to go to pieces for a minute back there.’
Cadi led the way out of the shelter. ‘I think we all feel that way at first, but don’t worry, you’ll get used to them in time. And keep it in mind that we’re not the target.’ She flagged down an airman who was jogging past. ‘Any news?’
He nodded grimly. ‘They’ve destroyed the runway at RAF Connington.’
Cadi cursed softly beneath her breath. ‘Good job our runway’s operational; at least they’ll have somewhere to use in the meantime.’
Bidding the airman goodnight, she entered the billet ahead of Ethel, taking off her greatcoat and hanging it up before sliding between the sheets. When all the Waafs were back in their beds, there was a general murmur of goodnights before Cadi pulled the light cord above her bed. As she settled down to sleep, her thoughts turned to her forthcoming trip to Lincoln, where she would meet up with Poppy and Izzy for the first time since her wedding the pr
Having always believed that wartime weddings were a bad omen, Cadi had only agreed to marry Jez after talking to Izzy’s estranged mother Raquel. They had traced the missing woman just over a year back, and Cadi still found it hard to comprehend everything that had transpired as a result. Not only had it turned out that Izzy’s mother was alive and well, but to their horror they learned that she had been pushed into working as a prostitute. The girls had marched into the brothel determined to take Raquel back to Liverpool, but during the altercation that followed Cadi’s friend Kitty had thrown the nearest object to hand, which turned out to be an oil lamp. Fortunately everyone got out in the nick of time, and Cadi had believed there was nothing left to discover until Raquel had revealed that not only was she Izzy’s mother, but she was Jez’s as well. There had been many tears, some of sorrow, some of joy, but for the first time in a long while it looked as though everything had come up trumps.
Chapter One
Seeing the outskirts of the city looming into view, Cadi removed a compact mirror from her handbag and checked her appearance. Her fair curls were still neatly nestled in place, and the merest dab of lipstick was just visible on her lips. Informing the clippie that she wanted the next stop, she placed the mirror back in her handbag and readied herself to get off as the bus drew to a halt.
The mirror had been a wedding present from Jez, who’d had the outer lid inscribed with the date of their wedding. In return Cadi had given him a wallet with a picture of the two of them inside. Jez had treasured it, saying that it was the perfect fit for his breast pocket, and as such would mean he would be keeping her close to his heart. A reminiscent smile crossed her cheeks. Her husband could charm the birds out of the trees, and she loved him for it.
Thanking the clippie, she stepped down on to the pavement. She was very much looking forward to seeing her friends, and with the pub being only a short walk from the bus stop it wasn’t long before she ducked through the small doorway of the Horse and Groom. Casting her eyes around the bar, a broad grin spread across her face as she spied Poppy and … ‘Ronnie!’ she cried.
Turning in her seat, Ronnie beamed. ‘We thought it would be nice to surprise you.’
‘And what a nice surprise it is too,’ said Cadi. She walked over to the bar and spoke directly to the landlord. ‘Hello, Alfie. The usual for me, please.’
Alfie took the bottle of R. White’s lemonade and unscrewed the lid. ‘Another fleeting visit, I assume?’
Cadi nodded. ‘You know me, here one minute, gone the next.’ She turned to face her friends. ‘Where’s Izzy?’
‘Call of nature,’ said Poppy, glancing in the direction of the Ladies. ‘We’ve already ordered our meals, but Alfie’s waiting for you before serving up.’
Taking the hint, Cadi thanked Alfie for the drink, then ordered a plate of fish and chips before handing him the money and joining her friends at their table. ‘It’s wonderful to be back in Lincoln.’ She turned to Ronnie. ‘Are you here for a visit, same as me?’
Ronnie shook her head. ‘If you remember, I was supposed to be posted to Waddington not long after we found Raquel, but with one thing and another it got put on the back burner, and I’ve only just moved.’
‘That’s the WAAF for you,’ said Cadi, ‘tell you one thing, then do something else. How long have you been there?’
‘I arrived the day before yesterday,’ Ronnie told her. ‘First person I bumped into was Mike.’ She quickly corrected herself. ‘I mean Flying Officer Grainger.’
Cadi waved a dismissive hand. ‘He’s always insisted we call him Mike when off base. He hates formalities.’
‘I remember the first time we met him in Innsworth,’ Ronnie went on. ‘I thought he was a corker then, and I still do. Izzy’s a very lucky girl.’
‘She certainly is,’ agreed Cadi, and grinned at Poppy. ‘Remember the first time Izzy met Mike? What a night that was!’
Poppy raised her eyebrows. ‘That was when we found out that Eric had been murdered.’
‘It was quite an adventure,’ Cadi recalled, ‘rushing off to Liverpool in the middle of the night.’
Exiting the Ladies, Izzy walked towards them, smiling. ‘And finding out that my mam was alive.’
Remembering how painfully thin Izzy had been when they first met her, Cadi welcomed her friend with open arms. ‘I swear you look better every time I see you.’
‘I feel it too,’ Izzy beamed. ‘Mam’s been in touch; she said to say hello.’
Cadi smiled. ‘I love hearing you talk about your mam.’
Izzy sank down on to a chair next to Cadi’s. ‘And I love talking about her.’
Alfie approached the table and placed Cadi’s meal down, along with two plates of sausage and mashed potato and a fourth containing liver and onions.
‘Best fish and chips in Lincoln,’ said Cadi as she sprinkled salt over the chips. She grimaced at the plate in front of Ronnie. ‘Urgh! I don’t know how you can eat that stuff.’
Ronnie paused, a forkful of liver before her lips. ‘It’s good for you,’ she said, before popping the fork into her mouth.
‘Full of iron,’ said Alfie approvingly. ‘A plate of that is all you need to give you the energy to keep you goin’ whilst you’re running round like a headless chicken.’
Cadi pulled a face. ‘I’ll stick with fish and chips, thanks all the same.’
Chuckling, Alfie left the girls to eat their meals in peace.
‘Has anyone heard from Kitty?’ asked Cadi, slicing her knife through the gold and crunchy batter.
Ronnie nodded. ‘She’s still in RAF Little Snoring, although she wishes she was closer to the rest of us.’
‘Same here,’ Cadi affirmed. ‘I’ll not deny that I really enjoy setting up the new bases, but there’s nowt like having your pals around you to help brighten up your day.’
Poppy smiled before swallowing her mouthful. ‘We miss you too! As for Kitty, I can’t see that the officers at Little Snoring are going to let one of their best cooks leave in favour of pastures new, nor would I blame them …’ She clapped a hand to her forehead. ‘I’ve got a head like a sieve at times.’ She stared at Cadi. ‘I forgot to tell you that I saw Marnie the other day.’
‘Aled’s girlfriend?’
Nodding, Poppy continued, ‘I didn’t know it was her at first, but after we got chatting she asked where I was from, and when I said Rhos, she asked whether I knew Aled. Of course I said yes, and that’s when she asked if I knew about his new posting.’
‘Oh?’ said Cadi. ‘What new posting is this?’
Poppy eyed her in a speculative manner. ‘RAF Finningley.’
‘The same base as Jez.’
‘Indeed. I know you said they were on friendly terms now, but I’m not sure how Jez will welcome the news.’
Cadi shrugged. ‘Only one way to find out; I’ll call him when I get back to my base later this evening.’
‘I can’t see him objecting,’ said Ronnie, ‘not after everything they’ve been through.’
‘Neither can I,’ said Cadi, ‘but I don’t want Jez thinking I’m holding anything back from him, not after the last time.’
‘That bloomin’ Daphne’s got a lot to answer for,’ said Izzy bitterly. She began counting Daphne’s misdemeanours off on the tips of her fingers. ‘First she fixes Aled’s pilot’s exam papers, then she sends Jez a rotten letter full of hogwash …’
Cadi interrupted her friend mid-flow. ‘I agree Daphne shouldn’t have fiddled with Aled’s papers, but she only did it to stop him gaining his wings.’
‘Not because she was in love with him, though,’ interjected Izzy. ‘She did it because she wanted a farmer for a husband, and Aled fitted the bill.’
‘Granted,’ Cadi conceded, ‘but the letter wasn’t entirely hogwash. I did give Aled a peck on the cheek, as well as agreeing to let him show me around Lincoln …’
‘So? That’s still no excuse for her to behave the way she did,’ said Poppy.
‘Maybe not, but I shouldn’t have let her get under my skin, because that’s what gave her the ammunition to tell Jez that I was chasing Aled in the first place.’
Ronnie frowned. ‘Why are you defending her?’
‘I’m not!’ insisted Cadi. ‘But I do believe that she thoroughly regretted fixing his papers, and had I not deliberately set out to rile her, she might never have sent that letter to Jez.’
