When the Music Stopped

by Matthews, Beryl

  That evening she sang gentle songs that seemed to settle everyone down for the night, and even the medical staff stopped to listen. She felt rusty after not exercising her vocal cords for some time, but she didn’t need to use her full power, and everyone expressed their appreciation. Evidently it had helped to calm patients and staff as well. At the request of the doctors she did this every evening, and it did appear to help many of the wounded.

  Ben was also leaving on the hospital ship, and after all the patients had been settled on board, he kissed Lillia on the cheek. ‘It’s been a joy meeting you, and I shall watch to see your name in lights one day soon.’

  ‘Have a safe journey,’ she told him.

  Ruth watched as he walked on to the ship, and then turned to her friend. ‘What was that all about? A doctor kissing a nurse is just not done.’

  ‘Just a little harmless flirting.’ She laughed softly. ‘He was rather nice, though, don’t you think?’

  ‘I suppose he was, but don’t let James know you’ve been kissing a handsome doctor.’

  ‘It was only one peck on the cheek, but I won’t tell if you don’t.’

  The girls were in a lighter mood as they boarded the train for the return journey, and when they got back they found a pile of letters waiting for them. There was also an excited buzz around the place that the war could be over very soon.

  In their letters the boys were optimistic they would be home for Christmas, and Alex, although more cautious, was hopeful the end was in sight. And when on November 9th Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated, it looked as if they could be right.

  Chapter Thirty

  ‘Gentlemen, stand down, your work here is finished.’

  The boys stared at Preston in disbelief, and then at the planes waiting for them on the field.

  ‘You’re grounding us, sir?’ James asked.

  ‘That’s right. You’ve flown your last mission.’

  ‘But why? What have we done?’ Lester couldn’t understand why this was happening.

  ‘What you’ve done is a damned fine job, but it’s all over.’ He broke into a huge smile. ‘You’re so tired you don’t know what I’m saying, do you? Haven’t you been following the news?’

  ‘We’ve only been concentrating on flying and trying to stay alive,’ James told him. ‘What’s happened?’

  ‘All fighting has ceased as from today, and an armistice has been signed. The war is over.’

  ‘Who won?’ James asked dryly.

  ‘We did, and we’ll try to get you home for Christmas.’

  They felt dazed. They had been flying and being shot at for so long it had become a way of life to them, filling their thoughts and nightmares. It had suddenly come to an end and they were stunned. They had always jokingly told the girls that the war was nearly over, but only to raise their spirits. In truth they had never been able to see an end to it. Now they were being told it had really happened and they were having trouble grasping this fact.

  Preston shook his head. ‘I expected more reaction than this, but when it sinks in there will be a celebration in the operations room this evening. I’ll expect you to be there. Until then why don’t you go back to bed and get some sleep? You look as if you need it.’

  ‘Sir.’

  They watched the officer walk away and looked at each other. James shook his head. ‘Over? What are we going to do now?’

  Lester shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged. ‘Shouldn’t we be jumping around and shouting for joy?’

  ‘That would be the normal thing to do, I suppose. Heavens, what has this war done to us? I just feel numb.’

  ‘Me too. Let’s get a cup of tea and something to eat. Perhaps we will feel like celebrating after that.’

  ‘Good idea.’

  When they reached the canteen a couple of the ground crew rushed up and slapped them on the back, grinning wildly. ‘It’s all over! We won’t have to wait anxiously each time wondering if any of you are coming back. Isn’t that wonderful? The war is all over.’

  A cheer went up from the crowded canteen and it was so noisy they took their food to the lounge the pilots used. It was quieter there and the pilots were more subdued. They had lost so many pilots over the time they had been here, and as their numbers had diminished it had been necessary to fly more and more missions. They hadn’t had time to think of anything else, but now those losses were uppermost in their thoughts.

  ‘We made it.’ James sat down, still looking slightly bewildered.

  ‘You said we would, but we’re not the same as those two boys who first arrived here. We’ve grown up and are carrying scars, mental and physical.’

  ‘Change was inevitable, of course, but once we get home we’ll soon pick up our lives again. You’ll start playing your piano, Lillia will be singing, and I’ll be looking after both of you. That will be my new mission in life from now on.’

  ‘Are you still set on marrying my sister?’

  ‘I am. Nothing could ever change my feelings for her. Our two girls have been through a lot and must have seen awful things.’ Suddenly James brightened up. ‘But it’s all over. We have a future again.’

  Lester yawned, then finished his tea and stood up. ‘I’m going to take Preston’s advice and sleep for a couple of hours. Perhaps I’ll be able to take this all in after that.’

  ‘Good idea. I’ll see you for the celebration later.’

  Lester slumped onto the bed and buried his head in the pillow, allowing a few tears to trickle down his face. The killing was over, thank God, and he would soon see his mother, Lillia and Ruth again. He hoped the brigadier was safe, as well. His thoughts turned to his piano and the way they had studied day after day, but that life seemed like a dream now and after all that had happened to them it wasn’t going to be easy to start over again. He wondered if his sister was feeling the same at this moment. Knowing her temperament, she would probably walk straight in and demand lessons from the professor. He smiled at the thought of being with his twin again and drifted off to sleep.

  Refreshed from their afternoon nap they joined everyone else for the celebration. When they walked in they were handed a glass of something. James sniffed his. ‘I say, this is champagne. Where did you get it, sir?’

  Preston sipped his own drink and smiled. ‘I had it put away waiting for this day. Help yourself to food. A local farmer insisted on supplying us with a few treats as a thank you for helping to end the war.’

  ‘What happens now, sir?’ Lester wanted to know.

  ‘We start packing up here, and I want to get you two home as soon as possible. You should have been repatriated after you got shot down, but you had other ideas. I didn’t expect to see you again, but was delighted when you arrived back, willing and ready to fly again. I couldn’t have asked for better pilots, and will be recommending that you both receive medals for your excellent service.’

  ‘Ah, sir, we’ve already got one medal, we don’t need any more.’

  James hit his friend’s arm. ‘Yes, we do. It will impress our girls.’

  ‘I doubt that,’ he told him. ‘What will impress them is the fact that we are still in one piece.’

  ‘I’ll have his medal as well, sir, if he doesn’t want it,’ James joked.

  ‘The pair of you ought to be in the music halls. You’ve been a good double act from the moment you arrived,’ Preston told them, laughing with amusement at their antics. Then said more seriously, ‘I’m damned glad I don’t have to send any more young men out to get killed.’

  ‘You’ve had a tough job,’ Lester agreed.

  ‘We all have, but now it’s over. Enjoy yourselves tonight, and for once you don’t have to worry how much you drink because there’s no flying tomorrow. In fact, if you ever fly again it will be for pleasure.’

  ‘That will be strange. I will have to keep searching the sky to see if someone out there is intent on killing me. Still, I might buy myself a little plane when I get home. It could be useful.’ James emptied his glass and loo
ked around for a refill. ‘Want another?’

  Lester shook his head, and indicated his still nearly full glass. ‘This will do me.’

  ‘You never have been keen on alcohol, have you? I remember when you were playing you only ever had water, or sometimes tea. I bet you can’t wait to get back to your piano.’

  ‘I’ve been thinking about that, and do you know, I can hardly recall those days. Everyone’s excited about going home, but adjusting to that life again isn’t going to be easy.’

  ‘It will take a while,’ James admitted. ‘You can both come and stay with us if you find it hard to settle. Your mother as well, of course.’

  ‘Thanks, but we will have to see how things go at home first. If Father starts being too difficult we might well take you up on that offer. He’s never written to us, though we didn’t really expect him to, and Mother has never once mentioned him in her letters.’

  James didn’t comment. He still had the newspaper cutting and dreaded to think what the twins were going to face when they arrived home. It was unlikely to be a happy homecoming, and that was why he had invited them to stay at his home.

  ‘One thing we must do before we leave is go and see that family who helped us.’

  ‘Definitely.’ Lester looked thoughtful. ‘I hope they are all right. Do you remember where the farm was?’

  ‘Should be able to find it again, but it’s quite a way and we will need transport and a couple of days’ leave. I expect we can manage that.’

  ‘There are plenty of vans around now with nothing to do. Can you drive?’

  ‘Of course I can.’ James called Preston over and explained what they needed and why. The officer readily agreed and they retired for the night, happy to have something positive to do while they waited to be sent home.

  They set off early and after careering around the countryside for most of the day, pulled up at a farm that looked familiar.

  It was the right place, and to their relief the family were all right and delighted to see them. They stayed the night with them and returned to base the next day, happy they had been able to fit in this visit to thank them for their help. Without them, it was doubtful if they could have gone much further in their exhausted state. It was right to come and tell them how much it had meant to them.

  ‘There’s a ship arriving in two days to take the first lot of soldiers home, and I have been given orders that you are to go with them. Clearing up here and moving men and equipment is going to be a big undertaking, and the sooner we start, the better.’

  Alex was surprised by the order. ‘I am happy to be returning home so soon, but wouldn’t I be of more help here?’

  ‘That isn’t my decision. My orders are to send all wounded and sick first. You have been wounded, so you are with the first batch.’

  ‘But my injury healed a long time ago, and it wasn’t bad enough to take me out of the front line.’

  ‘I understand you refused to leave.’

  ‘We had just lost six officers in the fighting. I couldn’t leave. The medic patched me up and I was able to carry on. I’m perfectly fit now, so this order doesn’t apply to me.’

  ‘It does, because I say so,’ the brigadier general told him. ‘Go home, Alex. You can be of great use back at base. You’re excellent at strategy and planning. Clear heads are going to be needed to sort out this mess, and you know what it’s like out here. Your experience will be invaluable.’

  ‘It’s unlikely I will be given such a commission.’

  ‘You never know. Here are your papers. Go home, and then after seven days’ leave, report back to Aldershot. And stop arguing with me.’

  The brigadier general was a slight man, but when he gave orders there was no mistaking his authority. ‘I wouldn’t dream of arguing with a superior officer, sir. I have my orders.’

  ‘Make sure you damned well obey them – and the name is Edward to you.’ He reached in the drawer of the table he was using as a desk and brought out a bottle of whisky. ‘Grab a mug and have a drink with me before you leave.’

  ‘What plans have you for the future?’ Edward asked while they were enjoying the drink.

  ‘I’m hoping to get married and settle down at last.’

  ‘Really? If you don’t mind me saying, you’ve left it a bit late to do that and possibly start a family, haven’t you?’

  ‘She already has two delightful children I am very fond of.’

  ‘Ah, she’s a widow then.’

  He ignored that remark. ‘I don’t know yet if she will accept me, but I’m hopeful.’

  ‘Will you stay in the army if she does?’

  ‘Not sure. That is something we will have to discuss, but at the moment the thought of retiring is attractive, and there is a business venture I have been considering for some time. However, that is something for the future because there is going to be a hell of a lot to do sorting out the terrible consequences of this war.’ Alex ran a hand through his hair, his expression sad. ‘So many young men dead, wounded and with mental problems they might never recover from. The scars of this madness are going to be felt for a very long time.’

  ‘I agree. Many homecomings are going to be stressful, but I hope yours will be happy, and that this woman has the good sense to marry you.’

  ‘We shall see.’ Alex finished his drink and stood up. After the first shock of being told he was to be among the first to return home, he was now glad and eager to be on his way. ‘I had better pack my gear ready to meet the ship.’

  Chapter Thirty-One

  The day he arrived back, Alex took the train to Cornwall to see his parents. In his father’s last letter he had told him that he was retiring and they would be living permanently in their Cornish home. It was a place they loved for its rugged beauty and tranquillity. Neither of them had ever cared for the hustle and bustle of London.

  ‘Will you be stationed at Aldershot after your leave?’ his father asked.

  ‘Those are my orders.’

  ‘Are they going to promote you?’

  Alex laughed at his mother’s question. ‘I really don’t know, or care. If things go as I hope, then I might follow Father’s example and retire.’

  ‘I can understand if you’ve had enough after the long years of war, but don’t make any hasty decisions.’

  ‘Have you ever known me to act in haste?’ he asked his mother.

  ‘No, I haven’t. So what are your plans? You must have made some.’

  ‘It’s all uncertain at the moment, and will take a while to sort out. I will only be staying with you for three days and then I’ll spend the rest of my leave in London. Have you still got the house there, or have you sold it?’

  ‘We’ve kept it, because we will want to go to London from time to time. You’ve got your own keys still, haven’t you?’

  ‘I have, and that will save me booking in to a hotel.’ He recognised the speculative glint in his parents’ eyes and knew what was coming next.

  ‘You’ll see Sara while you’re there?’

  ‘That is the reason for my visit, Mother.’

  ‘Thought it might be, and do tell her she is always welcome here. Care to tell us what you intend to do about that family? We know you have become very fond of them.’

  He shook his head. ‘As I’ve said, I don’t know anything for sure at the moment. I’ll be able to tell you more when I know what I’m going to do. I’ve had a plan in the back of my mind for some time, and I’ll have to look into that before I leave the army.’

  ‘So you really are thinking seriously about leaving?’ his father asked.

  He smiled at the continual questions. They were probing him for answers, but he didn’t want to say too much at the moment. ‘Thinking about it, yes, and that is all I can say at this time.’

  ‘We shall have to be patient then,’ his mother said, and changed the subject. ‘I’m so pleased those two lovely children have survived, though it could have been very different for both of them. One on a ship that was sunk and
the other shot down. That must have been terrible for them, and Sara must have been frantic with worry.’ She smiled at her son. ‘I know how worried I was while you were in France.’

  ‘Just about every mother in the country was worrying about some member of their family,’ Charles pointed out.

  ‘Well, it’s over now, and settling down to normal life isn’t going to be easy for a lot of men.’ Alex stood up. ‘I think I’ll go for a walk along the cliff path before lunch.’

  ‘I’ll come with you.’ His father hesitated. ‘Unless you’d rather be on your own.’

  ‘I’d be glad of your company.’

  They walked in silence for a while, enjoying the beauty of the countryside, then Charles said, ‘While you were away, Sara did come and stay with us for a week, and we like her very much. She has shown courage and dignity in the way she coped with the scandal of that man, and him dying like that saved her from a lot more heartache. She was relieved to drop the investigation into the legality of the marriage, and a possible divorce if that became necessary. I know you are fond of her and suspect your feelings may go deeper than that, but if you’d rather not talk about it, I understand.’

  ‘I didn’t want to say too much in front of Mother because she would get her hopes up, only to be disappointed if things don’t work out the way I want them to. I am going to ask Sara to marry me, but after all she went through with that man, I’m not sure she will even consider taking such a step again.’

  ‘Ah, but that marriage was forced on her. This time she will have a choice, and if she does accept, you will also be taking on the twins.’

  ‘That shouldn’t be a problem. I am fond of them and I believe they like me but, of course, their acceptance will be necessary for this to work. I would be able to give them a stable home life where they can relax and concentrate on their careers.’

  ‘You will be taking on a lot, so are you sure this is what you really want? You’ve waited a long time, and we had given up hope that you would ever marry.’