face on that Sunday morning after church when he had said goodbye to neighbours and friends in North Camp. Everybody had wanted to shake his hand,and Lady Neville and Mrs Kennard had kissed him. He had held out his hand to her, and she had shaken it, but there was no kiss, not even the briefest peck on his cheek; she had looked into his eyes, and quickly lowered her gaze.
I should have kissed him
, she now accused herself.
However bad the news of war, spring had returned to earth again, bringing a green mist of early foliage on the trees, and the orchards were sweet with pink and white blossom. A tall, fine-featured young woman stood at the door of St Peter’s church hall, waiting for two friends to join her – and there they were, smiling in anticipation as well as a degree of apprehension.
‘Come along, girls,’ she said. ‘Let’s go in and offer ourselves up!’
Dora Goddard grinned, and Valerie Pearson was thankful for Rebecca Neville’s offer to accompany them before the recruitment board run by the Women’s Voluntary Service. Inside the hall, all was bustle and activity; long trestle tables were set out with senior members of the WVS interviewing female applicants of all ages and sizes. There was a queue, but Rebecca led Valerie to the table where Lady Neville sat, and pushed her forward.
‘You’re next to see her, Valerie, so take a few deep breaths and get ready to answer her simple questions,’ she whispered with a distinctly unladylike wink, then returned to Dora who was waiting for the next vacant chair.
‘Good morning, Miss Pearson!’ said Isabel Neville pleasantly. ‘How very nice to see you, and isn’t it a beautiful morning! I’ve been thinking about you a lot since I spoke to your mother, and we both agree that The Limes Nurseryat Everham would be very glad to have you as a part-time assistant. Have you thought about that?’
‘Yes, Lady Neville,’ replied Valerie who had been astounded at the change in her mother’s attitude since her ladyship’s visit, when a ‘discussion’ had taken place, though it had actually been shameless flattery on the part of Isabel Neville to persuade the lady that this had been her own idea. First she had remarked that a girl as sensitive as Valerie could not possibly work in a munitions factory, but that there were other openings, such as working as a part-time nursing assistant on the wards of Everham Hospital, or helping to care for children placed at The Limes while their mothers worked on munitions.
‘She’d learn First Aid and basic nursing skills,’ said cunning Isabel, not mentioning the changing of nappies and wiping runny noses. ‘Just two days a week would be most helpful, and I’ve spoken to Mr Richardson at Thomas and Gibson’s. He’s willing to take on a young girl just out of school to replace Valerie when she’s not there. I am sure that you can spare her, Mrs Pearson – in fact that would count as your own war effort.’
Seeing Valerie now sitting before her, it seemed that her diplomacy had worked.
‘So, Valerie, shall we go for a trial period? You’ll be given a special pass to use on the bus to Everham and back, though it would be a very good idea to learn to ride a bicycle. How do you feel about this?’
Valerie spoke up and said she would try to do her very best. She shook Isabel’s hand with mixed emotions, but also with determination to succeed at the Limes; what would John Richardson say when he heard about this? Shy, timid little Valerie caring for children!
Dora Goddard sat down in front of Councillor Mrs Tomlinson who was now wearing the grey-green uniform of the service, and the silver and red badge with the letters WVS under the King’s crown, for Her Majesty the Queen was their new President.
‘Good morning, Mrs Tomlinson,’ Dora said politely.
‘Good morning, Miss Goddard,’ came the formal reply. ‘Well, at least we know where
your
talents lie – a farmer’s daughter through and through, so I
I should have kissed him
, she now accused herself.
However bad the news of war, spring had returned to earth again, bringing a green mist of early foliage on the trees, and the orchards were sweet with pink and white blossom. A tall, fine-featured young woman stood at the door of St Peter’s church hall, waiting for two friends to join her – and there they were, smiling in anticipation as well as a degree of apprehension.
‘Come along, girls,’ she said. ‘Let’s go in and offer ourselves up!’
Dora Goddard grinned, and Valerie Pearson was thankful for Rebecca Neville’s offer to accompany them before the recruitment board run by the Women’s Voluntary Service. Inside the hall, all was bustle and activity; long trestle tables were set out with senior members of the WVS interviewing female applicants of all ages and sizes. There was a queue, but Rebecca led Valerie to the table where Lady Neville sat, and pushed her forward.
‘You’re next to see her, Valerie, so take a few deep breaths and get ready to answer her simple questions,’ she whispered with a distinctly unladylike wink, then returned to Dora who was waiting for the next vacant chair.
‘Good morning, Miss Pearson!’ said Isabel Neville pleasantly. ‘How very nice to see you, and isn’t it a beautiful morning! I’ve been thinking about you a lot since I spoke to your mother, and we both agree that The Limes Nurseryat Everham would be very glad to have you as a part-time assistant. Have you thought about that?’
‘Yes, Lady Neville,’ replied Valerie who had been astounded at the change in her mother’s attitude since her ladyship’s visit, when a ‘discussion’ had taken place, though it had actually been shameless flattery on the part of Isabel Neville to persuade the lady that this had been her own idea. First she had remarked that a girl as sensitive as Valerie could not possibly work in a munitions factory, but that there were other openings, such as working as a part-time nursing assistant on the wards of Everham Hospital, or helping to care for children placed at The Limes while their mothers worked on munitions.
‘She’d learn First Aid and basic nursing skills,’ said cunning Isabel, not mentioning the changing of nappies and wiping runny noses. ‘Just two days a week would be most helpful, and I’ve spoken to Mr Richardson at Thomas and Gibson’s. He’s willing to take on a young girl just out of school to replace Valerie when she’s not there. I am sure that you can spare her, Mrs Pearson – in fact that would count as your own war effort.’
Seeing Valerie now sitting before her, it seemed that her diplomacy had worked.
‘So, Valerie, shall we go for a trial period? You’ll be given a special pass to use on the bus to Everham and back, though it would be a very good idea to learn to ride a bicycle. How do you feel about this?’
Valerie spoke up and said she would try to do her very best. She shook Isabel’s hand with mixed emotions, but also with determination to succeed at the Limes; what would John Richardson say when he heard about this? Shy, timid little Valerie caring for children!
Dora Goddard sat down in front of Councillor Mrs Tomlinson who was now wearing the grey-green uniform of the service, and the silver and red badge with the letters WVS under the King’s crown, for Her Majesty the Queen was their new President.
‘Good morning, Mrs Tomlinson,’ Dora said politely.
‘Good morning, Miss Goddard,’ came the formal reply. ‘Well, at least we know where
your
talents lie – a farmer’s daughter through and through, so I
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