‘I think the cold would start her coughing again,’ she told her father. ‘But don’t worry. I can stay here with her and while you’re all gone, Sarah and I can get the box of baubles down from the attic, ready for when you bring the tree home. Then you can help me decorate it, can’t you, Sarah?’
The little girl was disappointed at not being able to go with the rest of the family, but the thought of being allowed to help put the baubles and the lights on the tree mollified her a little so she nodded in agreement.
*
It was mid-afternoon and already getting dark by the time the family returned, with Alfie nearly leaping with excitement as his father dragged the tree into the kitchen.
‘We got a smashin’ tree,’ he told Briony. ‘An’ look,’ he showed her a twist of brown paper clutched in his small palm, ‘Dad got us all a quarter o’ sweets each. He got liquorice twists fer Sarah, ’cos they’re her favourites an’ we got pear drops fer you. Yer like them, don’t yer? An’ I had gobstoppers.’
Her father winked at Briony as he disappeared back out into the yard to find a bucket to stand the tree in.
‘Then aren’t we the lucky ones?’ Briony smiled indulgently as she reached for the kettle, which was whistling its head off. She had guessed that her mum and dad would be ready for a hot drink when they got home and she wasn’t far wrong. It seemed that Lois didn’t need anything stronger than tea to keep her happy while she had her husband at her side, and Briony thought how sad that was. It just went to show how much she missed him.
Once her father had returned with a sturdy bucket full of earth, Briony quickly drew the blackout curtain across the windows and the next hour was happily spent dressing the tree while James Valentine cooked the evening meal. He had bought some sausages in the market and they all sat down to a steaming plateful of sausage and mash each.
‘Cor! That were lovely,’ Alfie declared as he rubbed his full stomach once he had cleared his plate. Even Sarah had made an effort to eat something this evening, for which Briony was thankful. The little girl was so frail now that she looked as if one good puff of wind would blow her away. Briony knew that her father was worried about her, but as they were washing the dirty pots together she tried to reassure him.
‘Don’t worry. I try to make sure that she eats,’ she told him.
‘You’re a good girl, Briony,’ he smiled. ‘I really don’t know what we’d all do without you.’
Briony glanced into the little sitting room where her mother was reading a story from a book James had bought the children from the market, and lowering her voice she said, ‘Mum told me about our grandparents in Cornwall.’
‘Did she now? Well, you had to know about them sometime,’ he answered.
‘Mum says that our grandfather has said that if things get bad, we can go and stay with them,’ she added.
‘I know, she told me.’ James grappled with his feelings. Truthfully, he had no love for Lois’s parents after the way they had treated her, but he knew that he would rather his children were somewhere safe if things became too dangerous, so he would just have to bite his tongue. ‘And how do you feel about that?’
Briony sniffed. ‘I feel I’m too old to be evacuated,’ she admitted. ‘And I would have to give my job up. But then I don’t like the thought of the two little ones having to go away on their own. Especially Sarah. She needs someone who knows her to look out for her . . . but what are our grandparents like? Mum won’t say too much about them when I’ve asked her anything.’
Checking to make sure they couldn’t be overheard, his hands became still in the soapy water, and lowering his voice James confided, ‘Actually, I rather liked your grandfather. He was a gentleman and he gave me work in the grounds of the house when I first landed there. It was more your grandmother that was the problem. She’s a bit of a tartar, to be honest, and your grandfather is rather under the thumb if you know what I mean? She ruled him with a rod of iron from what I could see of it, and he was so besotted with her that he allowed it. There wasn’t a problem until I became involved with your mum, and then the trouble started and she made him sack me. I wasn’t good enough for her daughter, you see.’ He grinned ruefully as the memories flooded back. ‘Between you and me, your mum is a lot like her in some ways. She likes to be waited on and looked after, but I put that down to her upbringing. She was used to having servants do everything, and it was a bit of a shock when we first got married and she had to learn to do a few things for herself.’ He chuckled. ‘I don’t think your mum had ever cooked a meal or lifted an iron in her entire life, and we had many burnt offerings and scorched shirts in the early days, but she did try.’ He became serious then. ‘I know she leaves you to do more than you should, lass, but it isn’t because she doesn’t love you – she does, I promise you. She adores all of you.’
‘I know that,’ Briony answered. ‘And I don’t mind helping out, really I don’t. But I’ll be glad when the war is over and you can come home. Mum is no good without you.’ She briefly wondered if she should mention that Lois had taken to drinking to drown her loneliness and heartache, but then thought better of it. Her dad had enough to worry about as it was and she didn’t want to make things worse for him.
‘And what about Mum’s brother, Sebastian – what is he like?’
James’s face darkened as he slapped another dirty plate into the water, sending a shower of suds onto the wooden draining board.
‘I never got on with him from day one,’ he said tersely. ‘And if you do end up going there, I’d suggest you keep your distance. There was something about him that I just couldn’t take to, although he could do no wrong in your grandmother’s eyes. She thought the sun rose and set with him. On the few occasions when our paths did cross he talked to me like I was something dirty stuck to the sole of his shoe – but then he thought he was a cut above everyone, from what I could see of it.’
‘Oh, I see.’ Briony didn’t like the sound of this uncle at all.
Seeing that he’d worried her, James added hastily, ‘Of course, this was all a very long time ago. He will probably have changed and settled down by now, so don’t get worrying about it.’
She managed a weak smile whilst silently praying that she would never have to meet any of them. They went on to speak of the camp where her father had been training.
‘It’s hard work,’ he said, ‘especially the physical training, and you get shouted at as if you’re still at school, but it’s nothing I can’t cope with. The accommodation leaves a lot to be desired as well. It’s certainly not the Ritz. We sleep in Nissen huts and they’re freezing for most of the time but then we’re all in the same boat and you learn to just get on with it.’
Briony thought how brave her father was, but then he had always been her hero.
‘Do you think there will be an invasion?’ she asked.
He hesitated before answering. The last thing he wanted to do was frighten her. She had more than enough on her plate at present, but then he didn’t want to lie to her either so eventually he said, ‘Hopefully not – but we have to be prepared for one, just in case. Up to now we’ve missed the bombing, but I have a horrible feeling that we might cop it eventually because of the local munitions factories. They’re always going to be a target – and if that does happen then I would sooner you lot were away from here.’
The thought was terrifying but Briony plastered on a smile. She was truly her father’s daughter in every way.
On Sunday James cooked them all a wonderful roast-lamb dinner and Briony wished that time could stand still. Her whole family looked so happy – even Sarah seemed to have perked up considerably – and her mum was positively glowing. As she cleared the table after the meal she tried not to think of what it would be like when her father left again. Once the dishes were washed and put away, Mrs Brindley watched Sarah for them while the others all went for a long walk. They took the tow path from the Cock and Bear Bridge and walked along the canal for miles, and by the time they returne
d their cheeks were glowing and Alfie was hungry again.
‘I swear that lad has hollow legs,’ James commented as he prepared a pile of meat-paste sandwiches and hot buttered crumpets. They were one of the little boy’s favourites and he tucked in as if he hadn’t eaten for a month. It was nice to see him smile again. Many of his friends had been evacuated and he had been feeling miserable, but having his father home again, if only for a short time, had acted like a tonic on him.
‘I saw Mrs Moreton on Friday on me way home from school,’ he informed them, spraying crumbs all over the fringed chenille cloth. ‘An’ she reckons that she’ll be fetchin’ their Jimmy home again soon ’cos they’re sayin’ this is only a phoney war. She says she wishes she hadn’t let him go an’ be ’vacuated now. If that’s true, you’ll be home for good soon, won’t yer, Dad? An’ we won’t have to keep cartin’ our gas masks an’ our identity cards round with us then, will we?’
A silence settled around the table as they all looked at James expectantly.
‘Well, I’m afraid I can’t rightly say, son,’ he said quietly. ‘But let’s all hope that she’s right, eh?’
Chapter Five
All too soon, it was almost time for Briony’s father to return to his unit and as she made her way home from work that Monday evening, Briony’s heart was heavy. A freezing fog had descended during the afternoon and it was impossible to see more than a few yards from the window of the bus.
‘Cheer up, mate, it might never happen,’ Ruth prompted.
‘Huh! You’re a right one to talk,’ Briony responded. ‘You’ve had a face like a wet weekend on you ever since Ernie went away.’
‘I suppose I have.’ Ruth sighed and blew on her cold hands. ‘But I don’t half miss him, don’t you?’
‘I suppose I do.’ Briony said carefully. It wouldn’t do to let Ruth know that she too had developed feelings for Ernie that went beyond friendship. ‘But we’re all having to get used to saying goodbye to people we care about because of this damn war.’
The bus swayed to a stop then and the girls clambered down the steep metal staircase and hopped off into the chilly evening air.
‘Right then, I’ll see yer in the mornin’,’ Ruth shouted as she set off for home, and waved as the two girls went their separate ways.
The kitchen was bright and cheery when Briony entered a few moments later and an appetising smell hung on the air.
‘Hello, love, I thought I’d do us all a nice chicken dinner seeing as it’s my last night home for a while,’ her father greeted her as Briony tugged her outer clothes off. There was a fire roaring up the chimney and she noticed that the clothes-horse was heaving with freshly ironed clothes, placed by the fire to air. Her dad had obviously been busy. The lights on the Christmas tree were twinkling and the two younger children were happily engaged in doing a jigsaw on the hearthrug. Lois looked immaculate, her hair freshly waved following a trip to her favourite hairdresser’s that afternoon and there was a broad smile on her face as she watched her husband adoringly. Lois loved looking her best and Archie Carmen, her hairdresser, always ensured that she did. James would often tease her about going all the way down to Coton Road when there were other salons so much closer, but Lois insisted that none of them could hold a candle to Archie. ‘Why do you think all the local businessmen’s wives go to him?’ she would say. ‘It’s because he’s the best, of course.’
James was greatly amused by Archie, who was a well-known local figure and something of a curiosity to the townsfolk as he was the only man they knew who dared to walk out wearing make-up. He could often be seen strolling about the market with his rouged cheeks and his brass-topped walking stick, with not a whisker of his waxed moustache out of place. He was a dapper little man, but as James had found out long ago, his customers adored him pandering to them and he had long since accepted that Lois would go to no one else, even if Archie was considerably more expensive than the rest.
A large bowl of holly with shiny red berries was placed in the centre of the table and Briony glanced at it admiringly.
‘Me and Alfie got that when I went to collect him from school this afternoon,’ her dad informed her, and once again Briony’s heart ached as she thought of him going away again. Lois was thinking much the same thing as she looked fondly at her family. She was under no illusions and knew that she wasn’t always the best wife and mother. Sometimes she thought she had never been cut out to perform domestic duties but she did do her best and she loved them all dearly.
In no time at all they were enjoying the tasty meal that James had cooked, and even little Sarah did it justice tonight. Her cough finally seemed to be easing and there was a little colour back in her cheeks, but Briony had a sneaky suspicion that this was down to the fact that her dad was home. His presence had done her far more good than any of the medicine that the doctor had prescribed, and Briony just prayed that she would continue to improve even when he had gone again.
Once the meal was over, Briony helped her father to wash and dry the dishes and he told her quietly, ‘I heard on the wireless this evening that HMS Nelson was struck by a mine off the coast of Scotland today.’ He shook his head sadly. ‘Between you and me, I think things are going to really hot up now. Rumour has it that Hitler is only waiting for the milder weather before he begins his raids. If that happens I want you to promise me that you’ll get the children away to Cornwall to your grandparents, Briony.’
‘I will, Dad,’ she said sombrely, as she didn’t relish the thought of going there one little bit.
They all settled down to a game of snakes and ladders, which Alfie cheated at abominably until it was time for the younger ones to go to bed.
‘What time are you going tomorrow, Daddy?’ Sarah asked with a catch in her voice and James kissed her forehead tenderly as he tucked the blankets beneath her chin.
‘Oh, now don’t you get worrying about that,’ he soothed. ‘You just be a good girl for your mummy and remember that I’ll be home soon.’
Briony felt a huge lump form in her throat and scuttled away to the warmth of the little sitting room. James was subdued when he came back downstairs, and sensing that her parents would value a little time alone she told them, ‘I think I might get an early night too. Night, Mum. Night, Dad.’
‘Night, pet.’ Her father hugged her soundly then tipped her chin to stare into the eyes that were so like his own. ‘You take care now,’ he said. ‘And remember that I love you and I’ll be thinking of you all, every single minute.’
Too full to speak, Briony could only nod as she hurried away up the steep narrow staircase.
A sound woke her early the next morning and she lay disorientated for a moment in the pitch darkness. Then she realised it was muffled sobbing, coming from below. Getting up and feeling her way to the door, she went downstairs. The sight of her mum crying uncontrollably met her when she opened the door leading into the little kitchen-cum-sitting room. Hurrying across, she placed an arm about her shaking shoulders and asked, ‘What’s wrong, Mum?’
Lois waved a sheet of paper at her as she rocked to and fro in the chair. ‘It’s your dad – he’s gone,’ she sobbed. ‘He says in the note that it would have been too painful and upsetting to have to say goodbye to everyone again, so he slipped away whilst we were all asleep.’
Somehow Briony was not surprised. She had sensed that her father was saying goodbye to her the night before when she retired to bed, and it was just like him to try and save them any more heartache.
‘He left a little note for you too,’ her mother told her, passing over a small envelope with her name written on the front of it.
Briony quickly tore it open and began to read;
Dear Briony,
I’m sorry to take the coward’s way out, but I just couldn’t face seeing you all getting upset again. I know you will keep an eye out for the children and your mum for me, and if you look in the sideboard in the front room you will find I have left a little gift for each of you, to be opene
d on Christmas Day. Will you see that everyone gets them for me? God knows where I will be by then, but you can rest assured that I will be thinking of you all and that I will be with you in spirit. Let’s pray that this will be the one and only Christmas that we will ever have to be apart.
Take care of yourself, my special girl, and know that I love you.
Dad xxxxxxxxxx
Briony swallowed deeply and blinked away the tears that were trembling on her lashes; bending down, she lifted the poker and jabbed some life back into the fire, then threw some coal on before saying, ‘Well, sad as it is, I think Dad did the right thing, Mum. It would have been really hard for him to leave us all in tears again. At least this way he’ll take away the memories of how happy we all were together last night. And now the least we can do is keep things going so that he has a home to come back to, so I’m going to make us both a nice strong cup of Camp coffee and then you can help me get the children up and ready for school before we set off for work, eh?’
‘Yes, all right,’ Lois sniffed, almost as if she were the child and Briony were the adult. James was gone and there wasn’t a lot she could do about it now except to try to go on.
As Christmas raced towards them, the food in the shops became sparser. ‘There’s hardly anything to be had and the rationin’ ain’t even started yet. Gawd knows what we’ll do for Christmas dinner,’ Mrs Brindley grumbled when she popped round one evening. Briony had already invited the woman to spend Christmas Day with them rather than be on her own, and her offer had been gratefully accepted.
‘Don’t you worry about that – I have everything in hand,’ Briony winked, and when their neighbour raised a questioning eyebrow she told her, ‘I’ve ordered a nice plump cockerel off Charlie Mannering – you know, the man that has the large allotments off Church Road? He’s been fattening the birds up for months and I got my order in early, guessing that everyone would be after them. He has some pigs as well so we’re going to have a small joint of fresh pork too.’
Soldier's Daughter, The Page 5