Welcome Home

by Margaret Dickinson

  Archie tried to smile and nod his approval. He was grateful to the girl who’d brought the good news to his wife and daughter. And yet, somehow there was something about her that still didn’t sit easily with the intuitive fisherman.

  Christmas was a quiet affair in the two neighbouring houses, where once, laughter, love and friendship had flowed between them in abundance.

  Edie, taking a few moments alone in her bedroom whilst Shirley, Jessie and Ursula did the washing-up and Archie and Harry snored in the front room before a roaring fire, shed a few tears for her missing family. Laurence, whom she mourned with an aching sadness; Frank, who’d written only spasmodically throughout the whole time he’d been away, was now being kept away by his unfaithful wife; and Reggie, well, he was just an ungrateful little beggar. He could have come home, but he’d chosen strangers over his own flesh and blood. And as for Beth, well, Edie really daren’t think about her. But in the New Year, she promised herself, she would make some enquiries. She would start by writing to Alan Forster; she had his address in London. Yes, she comforted herself, that would be a good start. Things couldn’t be allowed to drift on any longer. They’d left it long enough – too long – as it was, hoping each day that they would hear something and not daring to find out what might be the dreadful truth.

  If it hadn’t been for Tommy running freely between the two houses this Christmas, Edie didn’t know what she’d have done. But she had to put on a brave front and try to make the two days a happy time for those who were with her. And Ursula, too, for the poor girl couldn’t be with her family. Never let it be said, Edie thought, that the Kelseys didn’t make a lonely young woman welcome at Christmas.

  And Lil? Edie shied away from thinking about her, unable to admit even to herself that she missed her friend sorely.

  ‘But now,’ she said aloud to the empty bedroom, ‘you’d better get yourself downstairs and play charades with Shirley, Jessie and Ursula.’

  Forty-Nine

  They hadn’t seen Ursula since Boxing Day, but on the morning of New Year’s Eve, she arrived early in the morning at Edie’s front door, looking flustered and wide-eyed. ‘May I come in, Mrs Kelsey? I – there’s a man following me.’

  Edie poked her head out and scanned the street. ‘Is there? I don’t see anyone, but come in anyway.’ As she led the way into the living room, she asked, ‘Do you know him?’

  Ursula shook her head as she removed her coat and hung it on the pegs behind the door. ‘No. I’ve never seen him before.’

  ‘Mm.’ Edie eyed her speculatively. ‘You ought to be more careful about the company you keep. Archie’s seen you around the docks. It’s not a good place for a young lass to hang about on her own.’

  ‘I’m only trying to find stories – articles – for the paper.’ She glanced round the room. ‘Where are Mr Kelsey and Shirley?’

  ‘Shirley’s gone into town. She wanted a few bits and pieces before she goes back and Archie’s just nipped down to see Harry.’

  ‘I – I thought he might have gone back to sea.’

  Edie shook her head. ‘He’s not going back until after New Year and Shirley’s to go back the day after tomorrow.’

  ‘Ah, yes, I remember now,’ the girl murmured, still seeming distracted.

  ‘And then I’ll be on my lonesome again. Still, we had a nice time at Christmas, didn’t we? Even if it was a lot quieter than it used to be. What we would have done without young Tommy to brighten things up, I don’t know. And you, of course, love,’ she added hastily, anxious not to let the girl think she hadn’t been welcome.

  Ursula smiled weakly. ‘You’ve been very kind to me. All of you.’

  ‘Sit down and I’ll make us a cuppa.’ Edie was glad to have someone with whom to share of cup of tea and a natter. If only Lil . . . But she closed her mind to thoughts of the countless cups of tea she’d shared with her friend over the years. That was all in the past, she told herself, but her heart ached with loss.

  They chatted for a while, but Ursula seemed on edge; she was not as comfortable as she had been at Christmas. Then she had laughed and joked over the dinner table and played board games with Shirley and Tommy in the afternoon and even joined in the inevitable game of charades. But now her thoughts seemed elsewhere and when the back door rattled, Edie noticed that she drew in a breath and held it until Archie appeared from the scullery.

  He nodded to her and sat down at the table, as Edie rose to make a fresh pot of tea. ‘And I’d better get the dinner started,’ she murmured, trying to give their visitor the hint that she should leave. But Ursula remained seated, looking down at her cup and twisting it round and round on its saucer.

  ‘There are three policemen at the top of the street,’ Archie said, deliberately making his tone casual, but his keen gaze was on Ursula. ‘Just outside the house where you live.’

  Ursula’s head snapped up, she gasped and her eyes widened in terror. ‘Oh please, don’t tell them where I am.’

  Edie, halfway to the scullery, carrying the teapot, turned and gaped at her. ‘Why?’

  When Ursula didn’t answer, Archie said slowly, ‘I think our young friend here has reason to believe that the police might be looking for her. Am I right, Ursula?’ he asked softly, ‘or is that not your real name?’

  She stared at him for a long moment before she dropped her head. Her shoulders slumped and she said flatly, ‘It’s – it’s Helga.’

  ‘That’s a German name, isn’t it?’ Edie gasped, coming back to the table and sitting down again, the fresh pot of tea forgotten.

  Ursula – for that was the name they knew her by – nodded.

  ‘And are you, as I suspect, a German spy?’ Archie said.

  ‘An agent – just like you’ve been sending over to France for years.’

  ‘But why here? Why Grimsby?’ Edie asked, but it was Archie who answered her.

  ‘The shipping, love. Movements of the minesweepers, for one thing. And I’m sure there’ve been other bits of useful information she’s been able to pick up.’

  ‘So that’s why you’ve been hanging round the docks,’ Edie began and then frowned. ‘But you can’t still be spying; the war’s over.’

  ‘I was trying to get home.’

  ‘She’s been asking various skippers to take her across to one of the German ports. Bremerhaven was the favourite, I think, wasn’t it, Ursula?’

  ‘And no one would,’ Edie murmured without Archie having to tell her.

  ‘No. Word got round and someone went to the police.’

  ‘Was it you?’ Ursula asked.

  Archie shook his head, ‘No, it wasn’t, though I can’t say I’m sorry that someone did. I did have my suspicions about you, I must admit. So, what are you going to do, because I have to tell you now, we’re not going to hide you. You can leave by the back door, that’s as much as I’ll agree to, but if the police come here, I shall tell them—’

  As if on cue, someone battered at the front door. Ursula gave a little squeak of alarm and turned white. ‘They will hang me,’ she whispered.

  Archie did not move to answer the door. Then, suddenly, he stood up and grabbed her coat from the peg and pushed it towards her. ‘Go on, out the back way and run. For God’s sake, run, girl.’

  She hesitated for only a moment and then was out of the door and running down the yard and out of the back gate. Both Edie and Archie stood staring out of the window overlooking the yard.

  ‘Archie Kelsey,’ Edie said at last, as an even louder knocking sounded on the front door, ‘you’ve just aided and abetted a criminal.’

  ‘I know,’ he admitted solemnly.

  ‘You’ve shocked me. You’re the most law-abiding citizen I know. And what are you going to tell them? You’re going to have to answer the door else they’ll batter it down.’

  ‘I will. Just – give it another minute or so, eh?’

  Now Edie turned to him. ‘But she was a spy, Archie. She could have told the enemy all sorts of things. Mebbe it was her
what told them where to drop their bombs. Have you thought of that?’

  There was another banging on the door and Archie turned slowly to Edie. ‘Just go along with whatever I say, all right, love?’

  Edie hesitated for a moment. She had such a strong sense of right and wrong that all this went against her nature, against her instincts. But she didn’t want to see a young girl hanged whatever she’d done. The war was over and surely it was time to forgive . . . The thought came unbidden and a little voice reminded her What about you doing a bit of forgiving, then, Edie Kelsey? Her wandering thoughts were brought back to the present by Archie whispering urgently, ‘Edie, I can’t give the girl away – I’m not going to lie but let’s just act stupid as if we know nothing about her. Let’s just give her time to get away.’

  ‘But she’s a criminal, Archie,’ Edie hissed. ‘We ought to hand her in.’

  Archie stared at his wife and then touched her hand gently. ‘And is that what you’d’ve wanted the French to do with our Beth?’

  ‘Beth? What d’you mean, Archie? What are you talking about?’

  Archie sighed. The knocking had stopped for the moment. Maybe they had a few more minutes before someone came back to try again.

  ‘I think Beth may have gone over to France as a British agent. You know how well she spoke French. She was just the sort of person they’d have been looking for.’

  Edie sat down suddenly as if the strength had drained out of her legs, but still she was staring open-mouthed at him. ‘Beth – our Beth – an agent?’

  ‘Of course, I don’t know that’s what she’s been doing, but don’t you think it strange that she’s never been home over the last four years? And only a measly postcard now and again. Don’t you remember how her first letters were full of everything she was doing – at least what she could tell us? The people she’d met, the friends she’d made. And then it all went very quiet. Her letters were stilted, not a bit like our Beth, and then the postcards started arriving with a strange regularity. Now, we both know that Beth’s letters were spasmodic, to say the least.’

  ‘I – did notice, yes,’ Edie admitted, ‘but I just thought she was like the rest. Caught up with – with other folk. Like Frank, who doesn’t want to come home – and I can’t blame him for that, but Reggie . . .’ She shook her head sadly. ‘He didn’t even want to visit his mam and dad at Christmas.’

  Archie squeezed Edie’s hand, knowing how much she’d missed the family this week. Christmas had heightened the fact that there were faces missing around the table.

  ‘So, you see, love, I couldn’t turn the lass in – whatever she’s done, just in case . . .’ He said no more, letting the words hang between them. But Edie knew what he meant. Just in case, somewhere in France, Beth had been in exactly the same position.

  ‘But what are we going to do? We’ll get done for helping her, won’t we?’

  ‘Oh, I’m not going to lie to them. I won’t go as far as that. I’ll answer their questions truthfully. I’m just not going to tell them that we knew what she was, because until five minutes or so ago, we didn’t. Not really. So, here’s what we’ll do, when they come back – and they will – we’ll say she was here but that when she heard there were police in the street, she ran out of the back door. All right?’

  Edie nodded, biting her lip. She wasn’t very good at lying. She was sure the policeman would see it in her face.

  The anticipated knock, not so loud as before, came about twenty minutes later, as if they’d reached the end of the street and turned back to try again at the houses where no one had answered the first time.

  ‘Evening, Archie,’ a deep friendly voice said when he opened the front door. ‘Could I come in for a minute?’

  ‘Hello, Bill. Of course – come in. The wife’ll make you a cuppa, if you’ve time.’

  ‘Oh aye, I’ve time now. We’ve apprehended the person we were looking for.’

  Archie’s heart sank. ‘And who was that?’ he managed to ask cheerfully. Walking in front of the officer he managed to pull a face at Edie to warn her that Ursula had been caught.

  ‘A young woman,’ Sergeant Bill Fenton began as he sat down and laid his helmet carefully on the table. ‘We’ve been interested in her for some time. She lodged at the top of this street and we’re just asking everyone if they know owt about her.’

  ‘What’s her name?’

  ‘Helga Wolff, but we understand she was living here under the name of Ursula.’

  ‘Good Lord!’ Archie exclaimed and Edie, despite the seriousness of the situation found herself having difficulty in stifling hysterical laughter. She’d never known Archie had such acting skills. ‘She’s a friend of our daughter’s. She spent Christmas with us. What’s she been up to?’

  The policeman sighed. ‘We have no proof – yet. But we believe she may have been working as a spy.’

  ‘A spy?’ Now Edie was able to give vent to her laughter. ‘In Grimsby? Never!’

  But the policeman’s face was solemn. ‘Grimsby’s just the sort of place, Mrs Kelsey; the movements of shipping and suchlike would be useful to the enemy and we’re not a million miles from Hull, are we? And Hull’s been a prime target for their bombers.’

  ‘We’ve had our share.’ Edie was indignant.

  ‘Exactly,’ the sergeant said solemnly. ‘So, tell me what you know about her. You say she’s been friendly with your girl. Shirley, isn’t it? How did they get to know each other?’

  Archie glanced at Edie. ‘I don’t rightly know, Bill. I’m away such a lot. When I came back after a trip, she’d been here to tea and it’ – he shrugged – ‘sort of led on from there.’

  This was the truth so Edie felt able to take up the story. ‘I think Shirley just happened to get to know her because she lived in our street. She asked if she could bring her home to tea. We felt sorry for her because she couldn’t be with her family, especially at Christmas and that.’

  ‘Did she tell you where she was from?’

  Now Edie was on safe ground. ‘Switzerland,’ she said promptly. ‘From Zurich and that explained her funny accent because she told us that they speak German there.’

  Bill Fenton nodded. ‘I believe that is correct, but as yet we have been unable to verify her story.’ He smiled grimly. ‘We’re fully aware of the sort of cover stories agents use.’ He shrugged. ‘Our own Special Operations Executive was very creative in the tales they dreamed up.’

  Archie and Edie dared not look at each other. Beth, they were both thinking. Is that what our Beth’s been doing?

  ‘Do you know if she had a job?’ Bill asked.

  ‘She told us she was writing articles for the Telegraph.’ Edie glanced at Archie. ‘We know she used to hang around the docks. I warned her about it’ – Edie waved her hand vaguely – ‘you know what folks might have thought about her, but never this. It never entered my head.’ Of the two of them, Edie at least could speak the truth here. She’d never thought to question what the girl had told them. She was too trusting by half, she told herself angrily. To think she’d let Shirley go about with someone who was a spy. For the first time, Edie was thankful that Shirley had gone away from home and at least put some distance between herself and Ursula.

  ‘Ah yes, the newspaper. It was the editor who first alerted us,’ the sergeant said. ‘Someone asked him why he was employing a girl with a foreign-sounding accent, which, as it turns out, he wasn’t. He’d never heard of anyone called Ursula and he’d certainly never employed her – not even as a freelance. So – he got in touch with us.’

  There was a slight pause whilst Bill wrote some notes in his book.

  Archie cleared his throat. ‘What will – um – happen to her?’

  ‘They won’t execute her, will they?’ Edie couldn’t stop the question.

  ‘I shouldn’t think so for a moment,’ the sergeant answered. ‘We’ve still got agents over there who haven’t come home yet. Maybe some sort of exchange will be arranged. I really don’t know. But firs
t, we want to find out – if we can – just what sort of information she gave away to the enemy, though I suppose,’ he sighed again, ‘it’s all a bit futile now. Anyway, we would like to speak to your daughter – just a formality, like. Ask her to come to the station in town, will you?’

  ‘I wouldn’t like to think they’d hurt her,’ Edie murmured. ‘I know she might have worked for our enemy and maybe she’ll have to face some sort of imprisonment, but – but’ – her head dropped – ‘it was war. She was only serving her own country, wasn’t she? Like – like . . .’ Now her voice faded and she turned away lest the two men should see the tears in her eyes. Oh Beth, Beth, is this what you’ve been doing? And have you been caught like Ursula? Are you languishing in some filthy jail somewhere or – or has a worse fate befallen you?

  Fifty

  When Shirley breezed in from her shopping expedition, gleeful at the range of goods that could now once more be found in the shops, though there were some things that were still in short supply, Edie said, ‘Sit down, love, I’ve got a bit of news and I don’t think you’re going to like it.’

  As she recounted all that had happened that morning, Shirley’s mouth fell open. ‘Oh Mam,’ she said at last. ‘I’ve been such a fool, so gullible. I never thought—’

  ‘Neither did I, love, so don’t blame yourself.’

  ‘Oh heck, d’you think I’ll be in trouble for consorting with – with a spy? I mean, we’re always being told to watch out what we say and to whom we say it. We’re not even supposed to tell our families much. Oh Mam . . .’ Tears filled Shirley’s eyes. ‘I could be in real trouble.’

  ‘If you’re asked, love, just tell the truth.’ Edie leaned closer and lowered her voice, almost as if she feared someone might be listening. ‘You didn’t tell Ursula – I still can’t get used to calling her by her real name – anything about what went on in the ATS, did you?’

  Shirley shook her head firmly. ‘No, I do know that. Ever since we did the training, I’ve watched what I’ve said to anyone, never mind her.’