‘Then we radio for help, lad.’ Bill smiled. ‘But don’t worry, no captain likes to do that, and the owners like it even less. It can cost money, but we’ve got some clever engineers on board. If it can be repaired they’ll do it.’
‘Can you swim, Jack?’ one of the men asked.
He nodded, looking puzzled.
‘In that case you can get out and give us a push if we need it.’
Everyone in the mess roared with laughter, including Jack. ‘I might need a bit of help to do that. It would be a job for more than one person.’
Chuckling, Frank poured more tea for those who wanted it, and winked at Jack as the engines fell silent.
It was an eerie feeling being on a silent ship, but it was a new experience for Jack, so when he had finished his allotted work for the day he went up on deck. He leaned on the rail and gazed at the sea – something he never got tired of doing. They were miles and miles away from England now, and he couldn’t remember ever feeling so fit and content. Never in his life had he ever had the peace of mind he now felt as he gazed at the ever-changing sea.
A mug of tea was put in front of his face and he took it, looking up. ‘Thanks, Bill, I need that. It’s been a busy day even if we aren’t going anywhere. How are the repairs going?’
‘Nearly done, but we’ll see how successful they are when they try to start the engines up again.’ Bill laughed softly. ‘A few of the men are praying we can get going soon. The old ship wallows a bit when she isn’t moving and that doesn’t do their stomachs a lot of good. We’re lucky we don’t suffer like that.’
They stood there for some time enjoying the quiet, then the peace was shattered when there was a roar and the ship shuddered, and then fell silent again. It took three attempts before the engineers were able to start up again, and Jack could hear cheers coming from various places on the ship.
The two men grinned at each other, and Bill said, ‘That’s another experience you’ll be able to tell your sister about.’
‘I know, and I’ve got plenty to tell her. When I get home I’ll be talking for days.’
Ten
It seemed to Hanna as if Jack had been away for years, but of course it was only a few months. She had looked after him from the moment their parents had been killed, and this was the first time they had ever been apart. Things were different now though. They were older and Jack had to make his own way in life, she knew that, but she missed him so much and really hoped he would be home in time for Christmas. If he wasn’t she knew he would have a good time on board ship, or at whichever port they were in, but she would be lonely without him. Mrs Harcourt had already heard that her husband would be home and they were going to spend the holiday with his mother, so she wouldn’t be needed. The rest of the staff all had their own plans and she would be the only one left here.
She read Jack’s last letter through again and then carefully put it back in the tin box. It was unlikely that would happen, but if it did then she would go to the library and get out some books. It was a long time since she’d had a good read, and would enjoy that.
She would also enjoy going dancing with Alan this evening, and she had better start getting ready. They had been out together a few times now and she liked him very much, they got on well together, but she didn’t dare think beyond that. They had learnt while in the orphanage that it wasn’t wise to hope for too much as it could easily lead to disappointment. Things were going so well for her and Jack at the moment, and she couldn’t ask for more. Their lives had changed dramatically – and for the better.
They were steaming at full speed, proper repairs having been made to the engines while they were in New Zealand, and that had delayed them. But everyone wanted to be home for Christmas. Jack pulled his collar up and blew on his hands. The sea was churning, angry looking and grey as he braced himself against the pitching of the ship. Such a change from the blue waters they had been in. Due to the delay they had spent more time in New Zealand than originally planned, and they had been able to explore quite a bit. It was a beautiful place, and he looked forward to going there again so he could see more. There was no doubt in his mind now that the merchant navy was where he belonged and he would make this his career. One day he might even be able to study for a master’s certificate, and that thought made him grin to himself. Such lofty ambitions! But what was it Mrs Freeman had told Hanna – nothing is impossible? He straightened up. Quite a thought, but now his stomach was telling him it was time to eat.
The mess was nearly empty when he arrived. ‘Where is everyone?’ he asked Frank.
‘Been and gone.’ Frank eyed him. ‘I can see from your red nose that you’ve been gazing at the sea again.’
He nodded and sat down. ‘I like to watch it, whatever its mood.’
‘Phew! Cold out there.’ Bill came in blowing on his hands. ‘Shame we’ve got to make a detour instead of going straight home, but we managed to pick up a cargo for Germany on our way back.’
‘Will we have a chance to go ashore?’ Jack was always eager to see another country.
‘Probably.’ Bill’s expression sobered. ‘But you’re not to go ashore there unless the two of us are with you. Promise?’
‘All right, I promise.’ Jack was puzzled by their serious expressions, but didn’t ask why. They had looked out for him ever since he’d joined the ship, and he trusted them. In fact, Bill had become like a father to him, and Frank an uncle. He followed their advice without question. They were experienced travellers, and he wasn’t, so he was happy to do as they said.
They reached Hamburg the next day and Jack watched the activity on the dock, and it wasn’t long before Frank, Bill and three more men joined him.
‘We’ve only got three hours, and then we’ll be under way again, so it will have to be a quick look round.’
‘That will be enough,’ Frank muttered.
‘At least I’ll be able to say I’ve set foot in Germany.’ Jack smiled at the group of men. ‘Are we all going?’
‘Yes, and we’ll stay together. Come on, let’s go.’
They caught a bus into the centre of the town and began to walk along a street. Jack frowned. ‘Are all those men in brown police?’
‘No lad, they are members of the Nazi Party.’
‘There are quite a few of them.’ There was a sound of breaking glass and Jack spun round, pointing in amazement. ‘They’ve just broken that shop window!’
‘None of our business.’ Frank urged Jack to keep walking when it seemed as if he would go over to the commotion.
‘Why isn’t someone calling the police?’ he asked, looking back over his shoulder.
They stopped round a corner and Bill turned Jack to face him. ‘This is what’s going on here, lad. The fascists are gaining the upper hand and no one is trying to stop them. If we interfere we’ll end up in prison – or worse.’
‘That isn’t right, Bill. They shouldn’t be allowed to get away with it.’
‘We know that, Jack,’ Frank said. ‘But this isn’t our country, or our problem – yet.’
The truth suddenly dawned on Jack. ‘So this is the reason for all the talk about war?’
‘It is. There’s a lot going on in this country, and it could spill over to involve other countries. It’s worrying.’
Jack grimaced. ‘You know, I haven’t taken much notice of all the talk, but I understand more now.’
‘That’s why we brought you ashore, lad, and why I was insistent that you shouldn’t come alone. You could easily have got yourself into real trouble.’
‘I could, and thank you all for looking after me, but I hated walking away from there. Why did they pick on that shop?’
‘Because it was a Jewish tailor’s shop, I expect.’
‘That’s terrible!’ Jack shook his head. ‘I don’t like it here. Can we go back to the ship?’
They all readily agreed and caught the next bus back to the docks.
The memory of what he’d seen lingered, and Jack kn
ew he would never dismiss the speculation about what might happen with Hitler and his party again. That brief visit had been an eye-opener, and he was glad the men had taken him ashore.
They arrived back three days before Christmas, and after receiving the pay due him, Jack signed on for the next voyage, and made his way to Kensington, eager to see his sister. They would have so much to talk about.
The house was just as his sister had described, and excited to be seeing her again, he went round to the back door and knocked.
A young girl opened the door and stared at him. ‘Yes?’
‘Could I see Hanna Foster, please?’
‘Oh, you must be her brother!’ Smiling broadly she opened the door wide. ‘Come in. She’ll be so pleased to see you. Cook, look who’s here!’
An elderly woman looked up from the pastry she was rolling, dusted the flour from her hands, and said, ‘Sit down, Jack, you look perished. I’ve got a pot of stew on the stove and a bowl of that will soon warm you up. Mary, go and tell Hanna she’s wanted down here, but don’t say why.’ She beamed at Jack. ‘Don’t stand there, my boy. Sit down.’
He felt quite bemused by the welcome. ‘Thank you, madam.’
She was busy filling a bowl with stew and looked over her shoulder. ‘My name’s Gladys Potter, and you can call me Mrs Potter or Cook like everyone else does.’
The food looked and smelt delicious, and as always, he was starving. ‘This is wonderful, Mrs Potter,’ he said between mouthfuls.
‘I expect it is after the food on the ship.’
‘We have a very good cook.’ Jack looked up and smiled. ‘Not as good as you though.’
‘So polite,’ she laughed. ‘Just like your sister.’
At that moment the kitchen door opened and Jack scrambled to his feet and gazed at Hanna. She had two children with her, one either side holding her hands, and they made such a picture that he burst out laughing. ‘Oh, it’s so good to see you. And you’re right. They are like bookends.’
Letting go of the twins Hanna rushed to throw her arms around her brother, then she stepped back, looking him up and down. ‘You’re taller, you’ve filled out and are tanned. You look so different I hardly recognized you.’
He wrapped her in his arms again and rocked her gently, choked with emotion. ‘We took a terrible risk, didn’t we, Hanna? But everything has turned out all right for us.’
She nodded, her eyes misty. ‘I think we were due a bit of good fortune, Jack. Now, say hello to the boys, but I warn you, they are going to want to hear all about your voyage.’
He stooped down and found himself looking at identical faces. ‘Which one is Andrew?’ he asked.
‘I am,’ they said in unison.
‘Ah, that poses a problem then. One of you sent me a lovely drawing, and I can’t thank you properly if I don’t know which one of you it is.’
Andrew pushed a strand of hair away from his eyes. ‘It was me. Did you like it?’
‘I certainly did.’ Jack sat on the floor and took something out of his pocket. ‘One of the sailors had a camera and he took these photos for you. This one shows my bunk with the picture stuck up so I can see it, and the others are of the ship. They are for both of you to keep.’
‘Wow! Thank you. Look at these!’ They began running around the kitchen showing them to Mary and Cook.
‘There’s a lot of noise going on in here.’
The twins stopped immediately, spun round to face the man who had just come into the kitchen, and rushed over to him.
‘Daddy!’ They threw themselves at their laughing father, nearly knocking him off his feet, and holding out the photographs. ‘Look what we’ve got!’
He disentangled himself from them and stood up. ‘Give me a chance to greet Hanna’s brother and then I’ll have a look at those.’
Jack watched in bemusement and not a little heartache. How wonderful it must be to belong to a family like this.
‘I’m pleased to meet you, Jack.’ Captain Harcourt shook Jack’s hand. ‘Glad you made it home for Christmas.’
‘It was a close thing, sir.’ Jack smiled at the impressive man who had only just arrived and was still wearing his uniform. ‘We had engine trouble, and that delayed us while repairs were made in New Zealand.’
Mrs Harcourt also came up to Jack, smiling warmly. ‘Welcome home. There’s a room ready for you in the annex. It’s yours any time you want it.’
‘That’s very generous of you, and we’re both grateful.’ He slipped his arm around Hanna’s shoulders and grinned. ‘We’ve got so much to tell each other.’
‘I’m sure you have. We are going to my husband’s mother for the holidays so Hanna will be free to spend the next few days with you undisturbed.’ She cast her sons an affectionate smile as they talked excitedly to their father. ‘And thank you for giving the boys the photographs. They will treasure those. Hanna, show your brother to his room and get him settled in. The boys will stay with us until it’s time for them to bath and go to bed.’
‘Thank you, Mrs Harcourt.’
Jack watched the family leave and let out a deep sigh.
Understanding how her brother was feeling, she took hold of his arm, and said quietly, ‘They are good people, Jack, and we’ve been very lucky to find them. Come on, let’s get you settled.’
Lifting his bag on to his shoulder, he turned to Cook. ‘Thank you for the food, Mrs Potter.’
‘My pleasure, young man. I’ll expect you both back here at eight o’clock for dinner.’
While the family and all the staff were away, Hanna moved into the annex. It contained a small kitchen and they had great fun cooking a Christmas dinner for themselves. Neither of them had ever had to prepare their own food before, but Cook had left copious instructions, along with a chicken, Christmas pudding and a cake.
They never stopped talking and laughing. It was a wonderful time for them and Hanna knew she would remember this as the best Christmas they had ever had. They were finally free of the orphanage and all the unhappiness it represented.
After washing up they sat by a log fire in the sitting room, relaxing with a nice cup of tea.
‘Well, that wasn’t bad, considering we didn’t know what we were doing.’ Jack sighed with contentment, stretching out his long legs in front of him.
Hanna watched him relax, smiling gently. Her little brother was so grown-up now, and she couldn’t believe just how tall he had grown in such a short time. He was also strong and muscular looking. Life at sea clearly suited him.
Draining his cup, Jack put it on the floor beside his chair and began to search through his pockets, until he found two small packages. He handed them to her. ‘I bought these for you on my travels.’
She took them from him and asked, ‘What are they?’
‘Open them,’ he grinned. ‘Then you’ll find out.’
She opened the soft one first and gasped when she saw the beautiful silk scarf, immediately draping it around her shoulders. ‘This is so lovely. I’ve never had anything as fine as this. It feels like real silk, Jack?’
‘It is, and I was right, the colours do suit you. I bought it in India. Open the other one. I got that in Ceylon.’
‘All these exotic places,’ she teased as she eagerly unwrapped the other package and carefully opened the small box. ‘Oh, Jack, this must have cost a fortune!’
‘Not as much as you’d think, especially when you have Bill doing the negotiating,’ he laughed. ‘Put it on and see if you like it.’
Lifting the delicate pendant on its fine gold chain out of the box, Hanna went over to the mirror on the wall and let Jack fasten it for her. ‘I’ve never seen anything so beautiful. I’m lost for words.’
‘That makes a change,’ he joked. ‘But seriously, it looks really nice on you. Hey!’ He turned her to face him. ‘You’re not going to cry, are you? I didn’t want to upset you. I just thought it was time you had something pretty to wear.’
She blinked away the moisture from her eye
s and hugged him. ‘Of course I’m not crying. Thank you for buying me the most beautiful presents. I love them both.’
‘Good. And you can stop frowning, Hanna. I know what’s going through your mind, but I didn’t spend all that much because Bill bargained a very good price for me on both of them – and yes, I could afford them.’
‘You know me too well, little brother, but I’ve always had to be careful with what little money we had, and it’s hard to break the habit of a lifetime.’ She reached behind the settee and gave Jack a bulky parcel. ‘Happy Christmas, Jack.’
‘Oh, thanks.’ He ripped it open eagerly and pulled out knitted socks, gloves, a jumper and a woollen hat, all in navy blue. ‘Wow! Just what I need. Did you make these yourself?’
She nodded. ‘I only hope they fit. You’ve grown a lot more than I anticipated. Try them on.’
On went the socks, jumper, gloves and even the knitted hat, each a perfect fit. They both roared with laughter as Jack paraded in front of the mirror, and then spun round in front of her so she could inspect every item.
Then they found some dance music on the wireless and Hanna began to teach Jack how to waltz, being careful not to step on his stocking feet.
Eleven
September 3rd, 1939
Hanna felt as if her world had been torn apart, as did everyone else as they listened to Prime Minister Chamberlain tell them that they were now at war with Germany. Jack had returned to his ship after a lovely Christmas, and they had both been full of hope that a bright future was ahead of them. During this year he had come home a couple of times for brief visits, and had made friends with Alan, which had pleased her. Alan was now very much a part of her life, and they had even talked about marriage some time in the future.
‘Damned man!’ Cook exploded as she switched off the wireless. ‘Hitler should never have been allowed to gain so much power. Now look what’s happened. We’ve got another war to fight!’
Hanna was numb and fingered the pendant around her neck. What would happen to Jack? Would he leave the merchant navy? He was still so young, but knowing her brother she guessed that was unlikely. He loved his ship, the life it offered him and the friends he had made. He wouldn’t leave them. And what about Alan? Could he avoid call-up by being in the police force? Her thoughts went out to everyone she knew. Rose Freeman’s husband, being an experienced navy officer, would certainly be called upon again, and Captain Harcourt would be in it right from the start. Poor Mrs Harcourt, she must be feeling sick with worry, as would just about every family in the country.
A New Day Page 7
