positive. ‘Maybe your Harry could take us.’
‘His car’s laid up now for the rest of the war. He can’t get the petrol.’
‘Then we’ll find out about bus or train times. The train might be easier. Irene said the last halt before Louth is Fotherby and that’s near where the farm is,’ Lil said,
determined not to be beaten. ‘At least we can go and see them somehow and no doubt Frank will be in this country for a while, training. He’ll get leave.’
Edie sighed. ‘But they’ll not be
here
. They’ll not be at home where they should be, will they?’
The following morning, Edie watched her youngest child walk down the street away from her, the box containing his gas mask slung around his thin shoulders. He carried his little suitcase in one
hand, but the other was clinging to the handle of the pram, which Irene was pushing.
‘Now, you stick with Irene,’ Edie had warned him, trying to give Reggie’s face yet another wash and to smooth his hair, but he’d wriggled away from her.
‘Aw, Mam, don’t.’
‘Hold tight to the pram. I don’t want you getting lost. I think I ought to come to the station . . .’
‘He’ll be all right, Auntie Edie,’ Irene had said, ‘I promise. The billeting officer has said we’re going to the same place. A farm right out in the countryside.
He’ll soon be running around in the fresh air and – hopefully – there’ll be plenty of food.’
‘I wouldn’t bank on it, duck. Farmers have to abide by the rationing just like the rest of us.’
Irene had laughed, her long blond hair blowing in the wind, her cheeks dimpling prettily. ‘Oh aye, and you reckon they’ll send men from the ministry to scour the hedgerows counting
just how many eggs the hens have laid.’
Edie had laughed with her, but as her young son, daughter-in-law and brand-new grandson walked away from her, she felt her heart constrict.
‘They’re all going, Lil,’ she’d said with a catch in her voice, though she was determined not to cry. ‘First Laurence and then Frank and Beth and now those three.
I’ve only got Shirley left.’ The words were left unspoken, but Lil was in no doubt that of her five children, Shirley was the last one Edie would have wanted left at home. Lil knew Edie
well enough to be able to say gently, ‘Mebbe you and Shirley will grow closer now.’
Edie’s ‘Mm’ was non-committal.
‘Come on in to my place and I’ll make you a nice cup of tea,’ but Edie resisted the invitation until her family rounded the corner at the end of the street and disappeared from
her sight.
‘There they go,’ Edie said shakily. ‘How am I to bear it?’
Tactfully, Lil did not remind her friend that it was the same for every mother in the land as Edie added mournfully, ‘And when we’ll see Beth again, I don’t know.’
Ten
Despite the terrible news about Laurence, which she must learn to live with, Beth was enjoying herself, though she felt a little guilty at admitting it when the country was
plunged into war, when the blackout increased motoring accidents and even pedestrians in the darkened city didn’t feel safe. Rationing was now beginning to bite and the black market was a
temptation many could not resist as even goods that were not on ration soared in price. She wrote home to her family reassuring them that she was fine and that she was still with the Forsters,
which, at the moment, was the truth, even though she was no longer acting as a nanny to the children. Each day, she travelled into the city with Alan Forster and acted as his secretary, though she
could tell her family none of this. Alan Forster, because of his knowledge of France, was getting more involved in secretive work.
‘I want you with me, Beth,’ Alan told her as they journeyed to work together one morning in late October. ‘I can’t tell you much at the moment, but it’s all very
exciting and I think you’re the right sort of person we need, if only,’ he added, his voice
‘His car’s laid up now for the rest of the war. He can’t get the petrol.’
‘Then we’ll find out about bus or train times. The train might be easier. Irene said the last halt before Louth is Fotherby and that’s near where the farm is,’ Lil said,
determined not to be beaten. ‘At least we can go and see them somehow and no doubt Frank will be in this country for a while, training. He’ll get leave.’
Edie sighed. ‘But they’ll not be
here
. They’ll not be at home where they should be, will they?’
The following morning, Edie watched her youngest child walk down the street away from her, the box containing his gas mask slung around his thin shoulders. He carried his little suitcase in one
hand, but the other was clinging to the handle of the pram, which Irene was pushing.
‘Now, you stick with Irene,’ Edie had warned him, trying to give Reggie’s face yet another wash and to smooth his hair, but he’d wriggled away from her.
‘Aw, Mam, don’t.’
‘Hold tight to the pram. I don’t want you getting lost. I think I ought to come to the station . . .’
‘He’ll be all right, Auntie Edie,’ Irene had said, ‘I promise. The billeting officer has said we’re going to the same place. A farm right out in the countryside.
He’ll soon be running around in the fresh air and – hopefully – there’ll be plenty of food.’
‘I wouldn’t bank on it, duck. Farmers have to abide by the rationing just like the rest of us.’
Irene had laughed, her long blond hair blowing in the wind, her cheeks dimpling prettily. ‘Oh aye, and you reckon they’ll send men from the ministry to scour the hedgerows counting
just how many eggs the hens have laid.’
Edie had laughed with her, but as her young son, daughter-in-law and brand-new grandson walked away from her, she felt her heart constrict.
‘They’re all going, Lil,’ she’d said with a catch in her voice, though she was determined not to cry. ‘First Laurence and then Frank and Beth and now those three.
I’ve only got Shirley left.’ The words were left unspoken, but Lil was in no doubt that of her five children, Shirley was the last one Edie would have wanted left at home. Lil knew Edie
well enough to be able to say gently, ‘Mebbe you and Shirley will grow closer now.’
Edie’s ‘Mm’ was non-committal.
‘Come on in to my place and I’ll make you a nice cup of tea,’ but Edie resisted the invitation until her family rounded the corner at the end of the street and disappeared from
her sight.
‘There they go,’ Edie said shakily. ‘How am I to bear it?’
Tactfully, Lil did not remind her friend that it was the same for every mother in the land as Edie added mournfully, ‘And when we’ll see Beth again, I don’t know.’
Ten
Despite the terrible news about Laurence, which she must learn to live with, Beth was enjoying herself, though she felt a little guilty at admitting it when the country was
plunged into war, when the blackout increased motoring accidents and even pedestrians in the darkened city didn’t feel safe. Rationing was now beginning to bite and the black market was a
temptation many could not resist as even goods that were not on ration soared in price. She wrote home to her family reassuring them that she was fine and that she was still with the Forsters,
which, at the moment, was the truth, even though she was no longer acting as a nanny to the children. Each day, she travelled into the city with Alan Forster and acted as his secretary, though she
could tell her family none of this. Alan Forster, because of his knowledge of France, was getting more involved in secretive work.
‘I want you with me, Beth,’ Alan told her as they journeyed to work together one morning in late October. ‘I can’t tell you much at the moment, but it’s all very
exciting and I think you’re the right sort of person we need, if only,’ he added, his voice
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