Chamberlain’s efforts. Mrs Pearson insisted on turning on the wireless when Haw-Haw came on with his ‘Gairmany calling, Gairmany calling,’ followed by his eerie knowledge about which English town hall clock was five minutes slow, and where the air raid shelters were placed in another town, and how ineffectual they would be in a serious air raid.
Mrs Pearson listened to what he had to say, and then loudly contradicted him, point by point, as if he could hear her. If I have to listen to that man one more time, thought Valerie, I shall scream,
‘Turn him off! For God’s sake turn the bugger off!’
And the next thing she knew was that she was lying on the floor with Lady Neville and Mrs Kennard on each side of her, holding her hands and soothing her with ‘Sssh, sssh, dear, sssh, sssh,’ and somebody was handing her a handkerchief.
Heavens, what a disaster, she must have
shouted the words out loud
, and now she could not stop crying.
Lady Neville was helping her to her feet. ‘Come with me, Valerie, come this way,’ she said, and taking her arm she led her out of the room and into Alan Kennard’s study.
‘Sit down, dear, there’s a cup of tea coming for you soon.Now, would you like to tell me what’s the matter? Are you not well?’
Valerie wiped her eyes and nose. ‘I’m sorry, Lady Neville, I’m not ill—’
‘Please call me Isabel, and tell me what’s the matter, Valerie.’
‘I feel so
useless
, while other people are busy with war work, like yourself, Lady – Isabel,’ she faltered, ‘and my mother listens to that horrible man, and I can’t
bear
it!’ The tears began again, and Isabel took her hand, somewhat alarmed at hearing this.
‘Hush, Valerie, don’t upset yourself.
What
horrible man? You can tell me in strictest confidence, you know.’
‘That Lord Haw-Haw, she always listens to him and answers him back,’ said poor Valerie, thinking what a silly goose she must seem. Isabel laughed with relief.
‘Oh,
him
! That traitor to his country, he’ll come to no good end, and isn’t worth worrying about! I think you’ve got yourself thoroughly run down, my dear, but is there anything else that’s troubling you? Some friendship, perhaps?’
Valerie could not speak of her unrequited love for John Richardson, so shook her head. Isabel Neville felt deeply sorry for the girl, dominated by her mother and with nobody to confide in. She must be handled gently.
‘Listen, my dear, would you like to do some local war work? There are lots of things you can do as a voluntary worker, if only for a few hours a week. Come and see me next Monday morning at St Peter’s church hall, where the Women’s Voluntary Service has its North Camp headquarters. We could talk things over, and find something to suit you. Do you like children? There’s a nursery at Everham for under-fives ,poor little mites whose mothers work at the munitions factory. Come and have a talk with me, and we’ll work out a trial plan for you, how many hours you can give and so on. How does that sound to you?’
Valerie gave a watery smile. ‘It’s very kind of you, Lady, er, Isabel, but my mother would never agree to anything like that. She’s elderly, you see, and needs me to do the shopping and everything. Besides, I’ve got my work at Thomas and Gibson’s.’
‘I would like to have a word with Mrs Pearson, and with Mr Richardson. I’m sure he could find a part-time replacement for you – an older woman, perhaps.’ Isabel paused and looked very thoughtful. ‘Because you see, Valerie, you’re quite right – you
are
needed for the war effort, and you’re too valuable to waste your potential as you are doing.’ (And heading towards a nervous breakdown, she added in her head.) ‘I believe it would be good for Mrs Pearson to do the local shopping, and a lot more besides. Leave it to me – don’t say anything to her, and I’ll persuade her. Come on, let’s see you smile again!’
Even after a cup of tea and
Mrs Pearson listened to what he had to say, and then loudly contradicted him, point by point, as if he could hear her. If I have to listen to that man one more time, thought Valerie, I shall scream,
‘Turn him off! For God’s sake turn the bugger off!’
And the next thing she knew was that she was lying on the floor with Lady Neville and Mrs Kennard on each side of her, holding her hands and soothing her with ‘Sssh, sssh, dear, sssh, sssh,’ and somebody was handing her a handkerchief.
Heavens, what a disaster, she must have
shouted the words out loud
, and now she could not stop crying.
Lady Neville was helping her to her feet. ‘Come with me, Valerie, come this way,’ she said, and taking her arm she led her out of the room and into Alan Kennard’s study.
‘Sit down, dear, there’s a cup of tea coming for you soon.Now, would you like to tell me what’s the matter? Are you not well?’
Valerie wiped her eyes and nose. ‘I’m sorry, Lady Neville, I’m not ill—’
‘Please call me Isabel, and tell me what’s the matter, Valerie.’
‘I feel so
useless
, while other people are busy with war work, like yourself, Lady – Isabel,’ she faltered, ‘and my mother listens to that horrible man, and I can’t
bear
it!’ The tears began again, and Isabel took her hand, somewhat alarmed at hearing this.
‘Hush, Valerie, don’t upset yourself.
What
horrible man? You can tell me in strictest confidence, you know.’
‘That Lord Haw-Haw, she always listens to him and answers him back,’ said poor Valerie, thinking what a silly goose she must seem. Isabel laughed with relief.
‘Oh,
him
! That traitor to his country, he’ll come to no good end, and isn’t worth worrying about! I think you’ve got yourself thoroughly run down, my dear, but is there anything else that’s troubling you? Some friendship, perhaps?’
Valerie could not speak of her unrequited love for John Richardson, so shook her head. Isabel Neville felt deeply sorry for the girl, dominated by her mother and with nobody to confide in. She must be handled gently.
‘Listen, my dear, would you like to do some local war work? There are lots of things you can do as a voluntary worker, if only for a few hours a week. Come and see me next Monday morning at St Peter’s church hall, where the Women’s Voluntary Service has its North Camp headquarters. We could talk things over, and find something to suit you. Do you like children? There’s a nursery at Everham for under-fives ,poor little mites whose mothers work at the munitions factory. Come and have a talk with me, and we’ll work out a trial plan for you, how many hours you can give and so on. How does that sound to you?’
Valerie gave a watery smile. ‘It’s very kind of you, Lady, er, Isabel, but my mother would never agree to anything like that. She’s elderly, you see, and needs me to do the shopping and everything. Besides, I’ve got my work at Thomas and Gibson’s.’
‘I would like to have a word with Mrs Pearson, and with Mr Richardson. I’m sure he could find a part-time replacement for you – an older woman, perhaps.’ Isabel paused and looked very thoughtful. ‘Because you see, Valerie, you’re quite right – you
are
needed for the war effort, and you’re too valuable to waste your potential as you are doing.’ (And heading towards a nervous breakdown, she added in her head.) ‘I believe it would be good for Mrs Pearson to do the local shopping, and a lot more besides. Leave it to me – don’t say anything to her, and I’ll persuade her. Come on, let’s see you smile again!’
Even after a cup of tea and
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