by Tania Crosse
‘Oh, Doris.’ Meg breathed a sigh of sympathy, and kneeling down in front of the chair, wrapped the child in her embrace. ‘I’m so sorry. But… it’s going to come to us all with the way things are going.’
‘I know,’ Doris sniffed. ‘And now poor Mummy’s all on her own.’
‘Well, it could be like Ralph,’ Meg tried to encourage her. ‘That your dad’ll have a long period of training and he’ll be able to see you before he goes, well, wherever they send him. And maybe your mummy could come here? What d’you think, Mrs C? We could find a bed of sorts to squeeze into Doris’s room, couldn’t we? Or Joyce and Maureen could have the spare room in the cottage with me.’
But before Clarrie had a chance to answer, Doris shook her head. ‘That’d be very kind, but Daddy’s put in his letter that he’s suggested that – well, not to come here, of course, but that she moves to the country. But she won’t. She says she’s not giving up our little house. And she’s got herself a part-time job as a nippy in a Lyons Corner House. You know, one of those waitresses. She says she wants to be there for when Daddy comes home on leave. I’d rather she stays on here when she comes for my birthday. But she won’t.’
‘Well, you just enjoy having her here next week,’ Meg encouraged her. ‘And we’ll be starting hay-making before too long. We might not be able to borrow the tractor this year, so we’ll all have to pitch in to do it by hand. That can be lots of fun. I’m sure you’ll love it, especially if the weather’s good.’
Out of the corner of her eye, Clarrie watched as Doris’s face brightened. Clarrie couldn’t have cheered the child up any better herself. Just as she was thinking how proud she was of Meg, Penny came hurrying along the terrace, puffing and panting and her face red as she blundered up to them as fast as her fat legs would carry her.
‘It’s just been on the wireless!’ she wheezed. ‘France are signing a blooming armistice with Germany. And Gaud knows what’ll happen next!’
Clarrie snatched in her breath, and gazed across at Meg and Doris whose faces also reflected their shock. They’d known it was coming, hadn’t they? And yet there always had to be that hope. But now it had happened. France had fallen. And France was only just across the Channel.
Clarrie’s heart began to thunder so violently in her chest that for a moment, she thought it might give out, and her vision wavered. She had to fight to pull herself together. She was mistress of the house, and must show leadership. Even now, Penny was looking at her as if demanding answers.
‘Poor France,’ she muttered, and then her voice lifted. ‘But we have Churchill. Now let’s go and see what Ada has cooked for us tonight. Nana May, time to wake up, dear,’ she said, gently shaking the old lady’s shoulder.
Meg rose to her feet, but lingered a moment on the terrace after the others had gone inside. She gazed up at the clear, cloudless sky. And said a little prayer.
For Ralph.
Thirteen
‘Cor, what d’yer fink that’s all about?’
Leslie and Cyril stopped in their tracks and their eager young faces turned towards the late July sky. They were supposed to be mowing what remained of the lawn, taking turns to push the mower and empty the grass cuttings into the wheelbarrow before trundling it down to the compost heap. But among the distant, wispy clouds, groups of small aircraft were gathering from all directions, and that was infinitely more interesting than lawn-mowing! The planes appeared to be aiming to converge over the south coast, resembling swarming gnats against the azure canopy of the sky.
‘Them’s been scrambled from all the airfields, I s’pect,’ Cyril answered with a knowledgeable shrug. ‘The Luftwaffe’s probably started attacking again, and we’ve got ter fight ’em off. Don’t yer pay any attention ter what’s in the news?’
‘Course I do. Calling ’em dog fights, ain’t they?’ Leslie retorted indignantly. ‘Trying ter stop the Krauts bombing our airfields. Cor, d’yer fink we might be able to see ’em from here?’
‘Dunno. Probably a bit too far away. Maybe we could ask if there’s a pair of them bino-what-d’yer-call-’em thingies somewhere in the house.’
‘Well, if there is, bags first go.’
‘It was my idea.’
‘Fight yer for it.’
The next instant, they were chasing each other around the lawn, arms outstretched like wings, making engine and machine-gun noises.
Meg came to a halt as she reached the top of the steps leading down from the terrace. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. In the last few days, so many young airmen on both sides had been shot down over the Channel or just inland. Ralph was still in training, but one day, it could be him up there. She shuddered as she looked down on the twins’ game. Boys would be boys. But one day, they became men.
‘Look who I’ve got here!’ she called, forcing her thoughts to the back of her mind. And she stepped aside to let them see the young soldier balancing on crutches beside her.
‘Bob!’ the twins cried in unison and, forgetting all about asking for binoculars and pretending to be aeroplanes, they raced up to their old friend.
‘Hey, you two! Don’t knock me over! I’m only learning on these things.’
‘Yes, you boys be careful!’ Sally warned, though as she came up behind Bob, her ruddy face was split in a huge grin.
‘We heard yer got hit. Cor, can we see the scar?’
‘Still hidden under a dressing, I’m afraid. But when it’s better, you can.’
‘So when yer going back then?’
Meg saw that Bob shot Sally a wry glance. ‘I’m not. My ankle was smashed up pretty bad. They say I’ll probably be given a desk job instead.’
‘Oh, right.’ Leslie’s exuberance wavered for just an instant before he piped up brightly with, ‘Did it hurt lots?’
‘Now you two get back to doing the lawn.’ Meg took charge of the situation. ‘Bob’s tired after his journey, and needs some rest. He’s staying for a couple of days so you’ll have plenty of time to talk to him.’
‘Spoilsport,’ Leslie pouted, and then his face brightened as he pointed skyward. ‘Looks like there’s gonna be a huge dog fight over there.’
Bob shrugged his eyebrows warily. ‘Let’s hope we win, then.’
‘Come back inside,’ Meg urged, desperately trying to put aside all thoughts of the war. It seemed to be the only way she could cope, burying herself in what remained of her parlourmaid duties, together with caring for the animals and growing and storing their fodder. ‘Mr W’s going to open a bottle of something. While there’s some left,’ she finished with a grimace.
‘It was good of him to drive me down from London,’ Bob said as all three of them went in through the open French doors to the drawing room.
‘Well, you couldn’t have managed by train, and how would you have got here from the station? Lucky, though, that he had enough petrol ration left.’
Inside, all the adults had been invited to take a glass to celebrate Bob’s return, even if he wasn’t quite in one piece. But at least he wouldn’t be going back, which delighted Sally, of course. She clearly couldn’t bear to leave his side, fluttering around him and anticipating his every need.
‘Sally’s thrilled to bits you’re back for good,’ Meg mused when Sally eventually peeled herself away from Bob’s side to start collecting up empty glasses.
‘Yes, I know, even if I am going to be a bit of an old peg-leg for the rest of my life.’ Bob smiled at Sally’s back across the room. ‘I’d been thinking that I might pop the question next time I came back on leave. And there on the beach, when I was trying to drag myself towards the water and praying I’d get picked up, all I could think of was Sally. So, I’ve made up my mind. I’m going to ask her later. When we get a private moment. You won’t let on, will you?’
Meg felt a burst of happiness in her heart. It was always uplifting to have good news among so much gloom. ‘No, of course not. Mum’s the word,’ she winked. ‘But Sally’s not the only one who’s glad you’re home safe and sound. Well,
almost sound. We all are.’
‘Not everyone was so lucky.’ Bob’s voice suddenly dropped to an agonised whisper, and Meg squeezed his hand.
‘It must’ve been awful, trapped there on the beach,’ she said with deep feeling. ‘Of course, we didn’t know you’d been involved or that you’d been injured until Sally got your letter from the hospital.’
‘It was utter hell, Meg.’ Bob’s face had moved into solemn lines. ‘Dunkirk. I’ll die with that name on my lips. But I tell you, the bravery of all those men in their little boats who came to help. Just shows what people can do when they all pull together. But God knows how we’re going to fight off this Hitler. He’s got too far. Got almost the whole of Europe now. How’s little us supposed to stand up to him?’
‘I don’t think he’d bargained on Churchill, mind. Rumour has it he’s in negotiations with America for their support. And getting some. I reckon he could be pretty persuasive.’
‘Huh, words don’t win wars. And ask the people of the Channel Islands what they think of him.’
Meg nodded grimly. On the last day of June, the Nazis had invaded the Channel Islands and Churchill had decided not to take any action. ‘Yes, that was a huge blow,’ Meg sighed. ‘But they say Churchill was devastated, only there was little he could do about it and his hands were tied. But people are really getting inspired by his speeches. We shall fight them on the beaches, we shall fight them in the hills, remember?’
‘We might have to—’
‘I don’t think Churchill’s giving up yet,’ Wig assured him, catching the end of their conversation as he came over to join them. ‘Not by a long chalk. As far as he’s concerned, it’s just the beginning, even if he has nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat. You know what he said in the same speech. Victory at all costs. I for one have confidence in him.’
‘Well, I hope you’re right,’ Bob said glumly. ‘You’ve met him in person, so you should be a better judge than us.’
‘I have indeed,’ Mr W agreed. ‘He’s the sort of man whose strength rubs off on others. If anyone can hold the country together, it’s him. But changing the subject, can I have a word with you, Meg?’ Mr W went on, taking Meg gently by the elbow. ‘In private? Don’t worry, it’s not bad news. Just something I need to tell you.’
‘Oh. OK,’ Meg frowned, allowing him to steer her out onto the terrace. ‘What is it?’
Mr W looked uncharacteristically uncomfortable. ‘I had a visitor at the factory last week.’
‘A visitor?’
‘Yes.’ Wig studied her face before he continued, ‘It was Esme Carter.’
Meg was at once shot through with the old hatred. The very thought of her made Meg explode. ‘Esme! But I thought—’
‘On remand for good behaviour.’ Mr W’s tone matched her own bitterness. ‘But, with her criminal record, she hadn’t been able to get work. So she came to me, full of remorse and asking for a job.’
‘What a cheek! Well, I hope you didn’t give her one.’
‘That’s not like you, Meg. But I understand how you feel because I feel the same. So, I told her she could never be forgiven, but I’m afraid I did give her a job,’ he concluded, somewhat abashed.
‘What!’ Meg’s eyes flashed, but she saw Mr W’s lips twitch at the corners.
‘The worst one I could think of, and the least well paid. She now has the unenviable task of cleaning the toilets for nearly a thousand people, and working twelve hours a day for peanuts. She’s going to wish she was back in prison.’
Meg put her hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle. ‘There is justice in the world, then. Thank you, Mr W. But what about Green?’
‘Still inside, as far as I know. He’ll probably be released early as well, but I expect they’ll put him straight in the army. So, if you’re not too cross with me, shall we go back to this little celebration?’
Meg nodded briefly. She couldn’t say anything, of course, but hopefully there’d be an engagement to celebrate as well later on. It did you good to have normal, happy events to enjoy when there was so much gloom in the world.
She followed Mr W back into the drawing room. And then she stood still with shock. Whilst they’d been outside, another visitor had arrived, a grin creeping across his face as he stretched out his arms. Meg hadn’t recognised him for a second in his smart, grey-blue uniform, but now her heart soared as she flew across the room and into his arms. He lifted her off her feet and she clung to him, drawing everything about him, the feel of him, the smell of him, into her very soul.
‘Oh, my darling,’ Ralph murmured into her ear as he set her on her feet. But she was having none of it, and wrapped herself around him again, too emotional to speak.
‘Ralph, my boy.’ Wig and Clarrie coming over to welcome him meant that Meg had to let him go. ‘It’s good to see you. We had no idea—’
‘Nor did I until last night, so I thought I’d surprise you.’ He smiled down at Meg again and she exploded with joy. ‘Where are Mum and Dad?’
‘I’ve just sent Cyril over to fetch them. We’ve got Bob here for a few days as well, so we were just having a little drink. Now we can have a double celebration!’
Meg was swept up in euphoria as she hugged Ralph again, and then everyone was welcoming him home.
‘I said to Meg earlier,’ Bob grinned, balancing his crutches so that he could clap his friend on the shoulder. ‘Congratulations on becoming an old married man! I was gutted I couldn’t get home to be best man.’
‘Oi, not so much of the old, if you don’t mind!’ Ralph laughed back. ‘And you’re here now. So maybe we can enjoy the next day or two together instead.’
‘Tell you what,’ Jane piped up, catching their conversation as she passed by with a tray of teacups. ‘There’s a hop on at the village hall tomorrow night. Just someone with a gramophone and some records. Not the band we have for the dance after the summer fête. That’s not till next month. Eric and me are going, so why don’t we all go?’
Ralph saw the look on Bob’s face. Jane was always so well-meaning, but she didn’t always think. ‘I’m not sure that’d be such a good idea,’ he muttered, using his eyes to indicate Bob’s leg.
‘Oh, that’s all right,’ Jane shrugged in her inimitable way. ‘If we can’t get a lift for Bob, Eric’ll wheel him on his bicycle. And I know you can’t dance, Bob, but wouldn’t it be fun just to be there?’
There was a moment’s silence as everyone exchanged glances. But then Bob declared with a broadening grin, ‘D’you know, she’s right! After weeks of hospital wards and what have you, it’d be great to let my hair down.’
‘That’s settled, then!’
‘Ralph, son!’ Gabriel and Mary hurried in through the French doors, and Ralph stepped across to greet his mum and dad with long hugs. Meg knew she shouldn’t, but she felt jealous of every second Ralph spent speaking to his parents or anyone else, but she jumped across to his side and clung to his hand all the while as if they were glued together. And to think that morning, she’d had no idea what an amazing day it was going to turn out to be! And although it wasn’t a surprise, she was utterly thrilled when some time later, hobbling back from a few minutes alone with Sally at the far end of the terrace, Bob announced their engagement, his face shining with pride.
‘Any idea when the big day will be?’ Meg asked, sharing Sally’s excitement, when the rounds of congratulations had died down.
‘Well, as soon as possible,’ Bob answered, still grinning. ‘They’re sending me on to a convalescence home for a few weeks, and then we’ll arrange the wedding. Mrs C has offered for us to have it here, which is so kind of her.’
‘Oh, that’ll be lovely!’
‘Well, my family’s in Tunbridge Wells,’ Sally put in, ‘so it makes sense. Only Bob’s parents will need to travel down from Norfolk.’
‘And by then, I should know where they’ll be posting me.’
They chatted on about the plans for some time, and it wasn’t until later tha
t Meg and Ralph were able to extricate themselves from everyone else, and go for a stroll in the woods, with Thimble, as usual, prancing about their ankles. They didn’t know, but when Wig had noticed them setting off, he’d given the twins, who were likely to be the main culprits, instructions not to follow them.
‘I can’t believe everything that’s been done outside,’ Ralph mused. ‘I know you said in your letters, but it’s different seeing it for myself. The kitchen garden and greenhouses are fuller than I’ve ever seen them, and I see someone’s dug up most of the lawn and turned it into a vegetable patch as well.’
‘Yes, we’ve done such a lot for the war effort since you’ve been away. The twins have been terrific, and they’ve been helping your dad, especially with the heavy work. And everyone helped me get in the hay from the front fields. We did it all by hand, and it was great fun. It’s been such a good summer that I think we’ll get a second cut later, too. And we’re going to get a couple of extra pigs soon, now meat’s on ration. Oh, but never mind all that. It’s so good to have you back! I just hope I’ve got enough tea, with it being on ration now.’
Ralph gave a soft laugh, but then the glow faded from his face. ‘I’ve only got a forty-eight-hour pass, so I’m only here until the morning after tomorrow, I’m afraid. And I’ve got something to tell you.’
‘Oh.’ Meg felt panic grip her chest.
‘Don’t worry, it’s not bad. It’s just that you know I was accepted to train as air crew rather than ground crew. Well, they’ve decided I don’t have what it takes to be a fighter pilot. Too steady, whatever that means. But my strength seems to be in navigation, so my training from now on’s going to be as navigator-cum-co-pilot. Probably as bomber crew on meticulously planned missions. It’s a totally different ball game. But it means my training has to be extended for a while yet, and I’m going to be sent further away. So a forty-eight-hour leave won’t be long enough to come and see you.’
‘Oh, is that all?’ Meg couldn’t contain her relief. It was a temporary reprieve, at least. ‘And if you know in advance, surely I can travel up to you.’