forced her thoughts to the future. Yes, she would join the armed forces, but first she had to find a buyer for the smallholding.
Hilda was happy as they drew closer to Crewkerne. Soon they’d be on a train and heading for London, and, as Mabel had offered to put them up untilthey could hopefully move into the downstairs flat, she wondered if her friend would mind taking the cat in too. It would break Ellen’s heart if they had to get rid of Socks, and as her daughter was already unhappy about leaving Somerset, that was the last thing Hilda wanted.
For a moment Hilda felt a shiver of doubt. Was she doing the right thing? And was Mabel right about London now being safe? As the station loomed, Hilda pushed her worries to one side. Ellen would go to school, make friends, and though she learned a lot under Gertie’s tutelage, it wasn’t right that for so long she’d only had adults for company.
Still, it had been good of Gertie to teach her, and that was something she had to thank her for. If only Gertie had kept her hands to herself. If only she hadn’t tried to kiss her; but even if she hadn’t, Hilda knew that she’d still be heading for home. Doug’s last leave had been the catalyst that unsettled her, made her look at Gertie differently, and only her illness had held her up from leaving.
‘Here we are,’ Gertie said as she reined in the horse in front of the station.
Hilda climbed down. Please, please, let the train be on time, she thought, dreading a prolonged goodbye. With Gertie helping with the luggage, she bought their tickets, relieved to be told that there was only a small delay, and then they moved onto the platform.
‘I suppose you’ll be staying with Mabel until you get your flat,’ Gertie said. ‘If you give me her address, I’ll post Ellen’s books.’
Hilda wasn’t sure that she wanted to keep in touch with Gertie. After what had happened, things could never be the same between them, and though she had agreed to remain friends, she wasn’t sure it was possible. She hadn’t told Gertie that the flat was in the same house, so said, ‘It might be better if you wait until we move into our own place. I’ll write to you from there.’
‘Will you, Hilda?’ asked Gertie, her brows rising in scepticism.
‘Yes, of course.’
‘I’d best get back to the smallholding. Good…goodbye Hilda.’
‘Don’t go yet,’ Ellen begged, throwing her arms around Gertie.
‘I’m sorry, but I’ve got to see to the animals.’
‘You won’t forget to post my books?’
‘Of course not, but we’ll have to hope I get your new address before I sell up and leave. Goodbye, sweetheart. I’m going to miss you.’
‘I…I love you, Gertie. I wish we could stay here.’
‘And I love you, darling,’ she said, her voice sounding strangled.
Despite everything, Hilda was touched by the scene. It was clear to see that Ellen was very fondof Gertie, and that her affection was returned. She pulled a piece of paper out of her handbag, hastily scribbling Mabel’s address. ‘You’d better have this. If the flat falls through it might take me a while to find another.’
Gertie took the piece of paper, her face taut with emotion as she croaked, ‘Thanks.’
‘Stay safe when you join up, Gertie, and let me know where you are.’
‘Do you mean that, Hilda?’
‘Ellen’s going to miss you and she’ll want us to stay in touch.’
Gertie gave Ellen another hug, and then, her eyes awash with tears, she hurried from the platform and out of sight.
Ellen was crying too and Hilda reached out to put an arm around her. She didn’t like seeing her daughter unhappy, yet felt a surge of excitement. It was June 1943, and at last they were going home – going back to London.
Chapter 13
When they arrived in London, Ellen found it strange, alien now. People, so many people, rushing around, and noise, there was so much noise. In the sky she saw huge, silver barrage balloons and she shivered with fear. All her
Hilda was happy as they drew closer to Crewkerne. Soon they’d be on a train and heading for London, and, as Mabel had offered to put them up untilthey could hopefully move into the downstairs flat, she wondered if her friend would mind taking the cat in too. It would break Ellen’s heart if they had to get rid of Socks, and as her daughter was already unhappy about leaving Somerset, that was the last thing Hilda wanted.
For a moment Hilda felt a shiver of doubt. Was she doing the right thing? And was Mabel right about London now being safe? As the station loomed, Hilda pushed her worries to one side. Ellen would go to school, make friends, and though she learned a lot under Gertie’s tutelage, it wasn’t right that for so long she’d only had adults for company.
Still, it had been good of Gertie to teach her, and that was something she had to thank her for. If only Gertie had kept her hands to herself. If only she hadn’t tried to kiss her; but even if she hadn’t, Hilda knew that she’d still be heading for home. Doug’s last leave had been the catalyst that unsettled her, made her look at Gertie differently, and only her illness had held her up from leaving.
‘Here we are,’ Gertie said as she reined in the horse in front of the station.
Hilda climbed down. Please, please, let the train be on time, she thought, dreading a prolonged goodbye. With Gertie helping with the luggage, she bought their tickets, relieved to be told that there was only a small delay, and then they moved onto the platform.
‘I suppose you’ll be staying with Mabel until you get your flat,’ Gertie said. ‘If you give me her address, I’ll post Ellen’s books.’
Hilda wasn’t sure that she wanted to keep in touch with Gertie. After what had happened, things could never be the same between them, and though she had agreed to remain friends, she wasn’t sure it was possible. She hadn’t told Gertie that the flat was in the same house, so said, ‘It might be better if you wait until we move into our own place. I’ll write to you from there.’
‘Will you, Hilda?’ asked Gertie, her brows rising in scepticism.
‘Yes, of course.’
‘I’d best get back to the smallholding. Good…goodbye Hilda.’
‘Don’t go yet,’ Ellen begged, throwing her arms around Gertie.
‘I’m sorry, but I’ve got to see to the animals.’
‘You won’t forget to post my books?’
‘Of course not, but we’ll have to hope I get your new address before I sell up and leave. Goodbye, sweetheart. I’m going to miss you.’
‘I…I love you, Gertie. I wish we could stay here.’
‘And I love you, darling,’ she said, her voice sounding strangled.
Despite everything, Hilda was touched by the scene. It was clear to see that Ellen was very fondof Gertie, and that her affection was returned. She pulled a piece of paper out of her handbag, hastily scribbling Mabel’s address. ‘You’d better have this. If the flat falls through it might take me a while to find another.’
Gertie took the piece of paper, her face taut with emotion as she croaked, ‘Thanks.’
‘Stay safe when you join up, Gertie, and let me know where you are.’
‘Do you mean that, Hilda?’
‘Ellen’s going to miss you and she’ll want us to stay in touch.’
Gertie gave Ellen another hug, and then, her eyes awash with tears, she hurried from the platform and out of sight.
Ellen was crying too and Hilda reached out to put an arm around her. She didn’t like seeing her daughter unhappy, yet felt a surge of excitement. It was June 1943, and at last they were going home – going back to London.
Chapter 13
When they arrived in London, Ellen found it strange, alien now. People, so many people, rushing around, and noise, there was so much noise. In the sky she saw huge, silver barrage balloons and she shivered with fear. All her
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