Day Will Come by Beryl Matthews

leave, he declared us friends, and that was how it felt.’
    ‘I wish I’d met him.’
    ‘You would have liked him.’ Grace smiled wistfully. ‘I needed those few weeks. Now I’m ready to move on.’
     
    The two days spent with Helen had been fun. It had been wonderful to be together again, to talk and joke like old times. Those old, carefree days were gone, unfortunately. The battle raging in the sky day after day was desperate, and the threat of invasion was still hanging over them. With the enemy now occupying France, it was easy for them to attack shipping. Being an island it was vital the convoys got through, but the losses were awful. Grace’s heart went out to all those merchant and Royal Navy sailors. The army was building up to strength again after Dunkirk, and the factories were working day and night to turn out the needed armaments. Everyone was doing so much, whatever the cost to themselves, and so must she. Brian would have wanted her to do what she could.
    The recruitment office was crowded when Grace reached it, and she had to wait an hour for her turn to talk to one of the officers.
    ‘Sit down,’ he said, without looking up from the files on his desk.
    She watched him shuffling through papers, and smiled to herself. Here was another soldier who didn’t want a desk job. Boredom and irritation practically radiated from him.
    ‘Right, miss,’ he said sharply, pushing a form towards her. ‘Fill that in and sign it.’
    She pushed it back. ‘I don’t sign anything without knowing what it entails.’
    He looked up, eyes narrowed. ‘Then don’t waste my time. You came to join the ATS, didn’t you?’
    ‘I came to discuss it, but if you are not prepared to do your job properly, then you are wasting my time. I’ll see someone who is more civil.’ She stood up and started to walk away.
    ‘Wait!’ He was suddenly in front of her. ‘I apologise for my rudeness. I am not having a good day, but that is no excuse. I’ve been at this for three weeks without a break, and my temper is frayed. Can we start again?’
    ‘We’ll give it a try.’ She sat down again.
    ‘What would you like to know, Miss—?’
    ‘Mrs Lincoln.’
    ‘Ah, well, if you’re married …’
    ‘My husband was killed in France,’ she said, not giving him a chance to finish what he was saying.
    He inclined his head in acknowledgement. ‘And how do you feel about that?’
    ‘Angry. If you are going to ask me daft questions, then we have nothing else to discuss.’
    ‘Humour me, Mrs Lincoln.’
    ‘All right, but you are only allowed one more stupid question.’
    He laughed, showing interest for the first time. ‘Do you believe we should be fighting this war?’
    ‘Fighting is the only way we are going to win it – and we must win.’ She held his gaze as he studied her intently.
    ‘Tell me about yourself.’
    Grace gave him a brief outline of her work at the lawyersand her qualifications. Before leaving, Dan had given her a sealed envelope to give to any prospective employer. She handed it to the officer.
    ‘This is a reference from my last job.’
    ‘And why did you leave that job?’
    ‘Major Chester had recovered enough from his injuries to be able to rejoin his regiment, so my services were no longer required.’
    His head shot up. ‘You worked for an officer?’
    She nodded. ‘At the War Office.’
    He quickly slit open the envelope and read the contents. ‘Major Chester states that you speak fluent French and good German. You can also drive, having received instruction to army standards.’
    ‘That’s correct.’ Grace was surprised that Dan had included German, but he had made her work at it, and if he thought it was good enough, then she wasn’t going to deny it.
    He stood up. ‘Please wait here, Mrs Lincoln. I won’t be long.’
     
    Lieutenant Greaves knocked smartly on the door at the end of the passage, and stepped inside.
    ‘I’ve got a present for you, Captain,’ he said, a smile on his face.