Wings of the Morning

by Beryl Matthews

  ‘Pity Annie didn’t come back with us.’ Bouncer gave his friend a studied look. ‘You could have whisked her away for a couple of days on your own. That house was so full it was a job to find any privacy.’

  ‘It nearly always is. I understand that Rose won’t turn anyone away who needs help.’ Reid drained his glass.

  ‘An extraordinary woman.’ Bouncer examined his empty glass and held it up. ‘Want another one?’

  ‘No thanks, I’m heading for home right now to see my parents.’

  ‘It would have been more exciting to take Annie away, eh?’ Bouncer suggested with a waggle of his eyebrows.

  ‘What makes you think she would have come?’ Reid asked drily.

  ‘Because she’s crazy about you.’ He gave a knowing wink. ‘I don’t think you’re trying hard enough, old boy.’

  Reid stood up. ‘It’s damned near impossible carrying on a courtship when you can only meet a couple of times a year, if you’re lucky. Especially with someone as tricky as Annie.’

  ‘Courtship!’ Bouncer exploded. ‘There isn’t time for that kind of messing about. When you fix the target in your sights you’ve got to go in and conquer, or else she’ll slip away to safety.’

  ‘Is that how you pursued Jenny?’ Reid asked, his eyes gleaming with amusement. He’d never heard such eloquence from his friend before.

  ‘Of course, she never stood a chance, so stop mucking about, dear chap. Go and get her. Start writing letters and phoning her,’ Bouncer advised. ‘Show her your romantic side.’

  Reid opened the door and glanced back over his shoulder, his mouth set in a determined line. ‘I’ve been trying to do that, but don’t worry, she won’t get away without one hell of a fight.’

  ‘Oh dear.’ Marj’s brow furrowed as she read the letter.

  ‘What is it, Mum?’ Annie asked. Her mother had been looking rather worn out just lately, which was hardly surprising considering the chaos this house was always in, with people coming and going all the time.

  ‘Bob’s been wounded and they’ve brought him back to a hospital in Folkestone. I must go and see him.’

  ‘I’ll go,’ Annie said. She didn’t want her mother making the long journey at the moment. ‘I must return to camp now Sam and Maria are settled. I’ll visit Bob first and let you know how he is.’

  ‘Oh, would you, Annie?’ Marj smiled gratefully at her daughter.

  ‘Don’t worry,’ she advised her mother, ‘if he was in a bad way he wouldn’t have been able to write the letter.’

  ‘You’re right, of course. I never thought of that, and it is his handwriting.’ The frown left Marj’s face and she smiled in relief.

  Annie knew that her mother treasured the few letters she’d received from Bob over the years, and often took them out of her dressing-table drawer to read them again. He had been the most difficult and unruly of her children, but she’d always loved him.

  A check on the train times showed there was one in two hours. Providing it was on time, of course. What a shame they hadn’t known the day before; she could have returned with Reid and Bouncer. It didn’t take Annie long to pack, and she headed for the cottage to tell Sam she was leaving.

  Sam and Maria were taking a gentle stroll in the garden and Sam waved when he saw her. It was lovely to see him looking so relaxed and content, Annie thought, as she hurried over.

  ‘I have to leave this morning,’ she told them. ‘Bob’s been wounded and I’m going to see him before I return to camp.’

  ‘Hope it isn’t too bad, Annie.’ Sam made Maria sit on a seat while they talked.

  ‘I won’t know until I get there. He didn’t say much in his letter.’

  ‘When will you come back?’ Maria asked.

  ‘Not for some time; I doubt if I’ll be able to get any more leave until the war is over.’

  ‘That is a shame.’ Maria smiled at Sam. ‘You will miss our wedding.’

  ‘We are to be married in four weeks’ time,’ Sam said, ‘and we shall be very sorry if you can’t be there.’

  ‘So will I, but I’m sure the rest of my family will make a real party of the occasion.’

  ‘No doubt,’ Sam said and smiled. ‘Bill is going to try and return in time to give Maria away, and Wally will act as my best man.’

  Maria became serious, stood up and reached out to kiss Annie on both cheeks. ‘I have been told how kind you and your family have been to my son, and now also to me. I am deeply grateful.’

  Annie hugged her. ‘We are happy everything has turned out so well.’ She glanced at her watch. ‘I must hurry if I’m going to catch my train.’

  ‘Mind you behave yourself when you get back,’ Sam said with a grin.

  Annie pretended to be hurt. ‘I’m always good, and without your disruptive influence my life will be one of tranquillity.’

  Sam tipped his head back and roared with laughter. ‘That sounds deadly dull. It has been a pleasure working with you, Annie Webster.’

  ‘And you.’ She hugged him also. ‘You be happy, Sam.’

  ‘I shall,’ he assured her.

  The journey back to Roehampton had been interminable, with delay after delay. She’d been sorry to leave so soon after Bill had come on leave. He was over fifty now and she hoped he would soon be free of the navy. Her sister would be relieved as well. She never voiced her concerns but Annie knew she was worried about him – he looked so dreadfully tired.

  She let herself into the house. It was too late to go on to Folkestone today, so she’d sleep in her own bed tonight and see Bob tomorrow.

  Annie threw her bag on to the stairs. That could be taken upstairs later, but she needed a cup of tea now. Much to her surprise the kitchen wasn’t empty, and the girl standing by the cooker turned and glared at her.

  ‘Who are you?’ the stranger demanded.

  ‘I think that’s my question.’ Annie’s gaze raked over the girl and certain things about her registered. She was average height, ample curves, very obvious in a tight-fitting red skirt and cream jumper. She had carefully tended blonde hair, eyes green and hostile.

  The scrutiny was returned. ‘You must be Annie,’ she sneered. ‘Well, you’ll have to sleep next door because I’m spending a few days with Charles – alone.’ She emphasized the last word.

  ‘Pat!’ Charlie was standing behind Annie. ‘This is my sister’s home and she has every right to be here.’

  Annie turned and hugged her brother. ‘Charles?’ she murmured in his ear, and they both burst into laughter.

  ‘I didn’t mean to be rude.’ Pat slipped her hand through Charlie’s arm and gazed up at him. ‘I was just disappointed we weren’t going to be alone after all.’

  The girl’s attitude had changed completely and with imploring smiles she leaned against Charlie. ‘You do forgive me, don’t you?’

  Her act didn’t fool Annie for one minute. She might appear to be contrite but the coldness in her eyes could not be disguised. All that Annie had seen and done in the war, and the loss of Paul, Jack Graham and George had hardened some of the soft edges. She was no longer the trusting girl who thought everyone was inherently nice. This girl of her brother’s was quite transparent, and Annie didn’t like her – in fact her feelings were stronger than that.

  Annie filled the kettle and put it on the stove. ‘I’m dying for a cuppa. Anyone else want one?’

  ‘Please.’ Charlie sat at the kitchen table.

  ‘Charles,’ Pat said with a pout. ‘You promised to take me out for a drink.’

  ‘After I’ve had a chat with my sister.’ He took the cup from Annie and smiled. ‘Now tell me all the news.’

  ‘We’ve had a letter saying Bob’s been wounded and I’m going to see him tomorrow.’

  ‘What!’ Charlie exclaimed. ‘Where is he?’

  ‘Folkestone, and we only found out this morning. Mum wanted to come but she’s a bit run-down at the moment.’

  ‘Has she seen a doctor?’ Charlie looked concerned.

  ‘Y
es. He said she’s been overdoing things and needs to rest, that’s all. It’s nothing serious,’ she assured him.

  ‘That’s a relief. How’s Sam and his family now?’

  ‘They’re fine.’ Annie wasn’t prepared to discuss this in front of Pat. The girl looked as if she was eating every word.

  Charlie drank his tea and dropped the subject. He’d clearly picked up Annie’s reluctance to discuss things in front of Pat. ‘You know I’ve only seen Bob once since he came back so I think I’ll come with you tomorrow.’

  ‘He’d like that.’ Annie smiled.

  ‘Oh, Charles,’ Pat wailed. ‘You were going to show me Richmond Park tomorrow.’

  ‘It’ll have to wait, I’m afraid.’ He headed for the door. ‘Let’s leave Annie in peace, and go and have that drink.’

  Annie watched them leave, and worry for Charlie gnawed at her. How on earth had her brother got involved with a girl like that?

  Pat insisted on coming with them to Folkestone but refused to come in the hospital.

  ‘I’ll have a walk around and find a tearoom somewhere.’ She smiled appealingly at Charlie.

  With only a faint sigh, he pulled some money out of his pocket and handed it to her. After counting it she gave him a quick peck on the cheek and was off.

  Charlie watched her for a moment then gave a rueful smile. ‘She thinks I’m made of money.’

  Annie didn’t comment. ‘Where did you meet her?’

  ‘It was at an RAF dance. She’s a Londoner, but they were bombed out and now she and her family are living near Bognor.’

  ‘What are her family like?’ Annie chose her questions carefully. After all, she had no right to interfere in her brother’s relationships.

  ‘I’ve never met them.’ Charlie held the door of the hospital open for his sister. ‘Grief, look at this place, it’s crowded. Do you know which ward Bob’s in?’

  ‘No, we’ll just have to queue up.’ Annie resigned herself to a lengthy wait.

  ‘You don’t like her, do you, Annie,’ Charlie remarked.

  ‘My opinion isn’t important,’ she told him. ‘You’re a grown man and if she’s your choice then I’ll do my best to get along with her.’

  ‘I know you will …’ He hesitated. ‘At first I was absolutely besotted with her but now something worries me. I think she believes we’re rich.’

  Annie looked at her brother in amazement. He looked so handsome and a man of the world in his air force uniform, and she couldn’t help laughing at his expression. ‘But we are, Charlie. We have a great deal more than a lot of families.’

  ‘I keep forgetting that.’ He grimaced. ‘The hunger, violence and poverty of our childhood made an indelible impression on me.’

  ‘Does Pat know we originally came from Garrett Street, one of the roughest places in London?’

  ‘I told her, yes, but she didn’t seem interested. She’s asked a lot of questions about Rose, Bill and George but I’ve been cagey about telling her too much.’

  ‘Why is that?’ Annie wanted to know.

  ‘Dunno.’ Charlie frowned. ‘I suppose I don’t quite trust her, and I believe our family business is our affair and nothing to do with outsiders.’ He looked at his sister and pulled a face. ‘When I first met her I believed she was the one I’d been waiting for but I have some doubts now.’

  ‘Can I offer a little sisterly advice?’ Annie asked.

  Charlie nodded.

  ‘Don’t make any hasty decisions. Take your time getting to know her, and if you’re serious insist on meeting her family.’ Annie smiled. ‘You can learn a lot from families.’

  ‘Sound advice.’ Charlie looked at his sister with renewed respect. ‘You’re tougher and a lot more cautious than you used to be.’

  ‘So I’ve been told.’

  They finally reached the information desk and asked where Bob was, then made their way along the corridor. Annie paused outside the ward. Her brother was in the mood to talk and she felt he needed to. He seemed to be having serious doubts about Pat and she found that reassuring. They were a close family and it would be awful if someone joined them that they couldn’t stand. But that could happen, as it wasn’t possible to like everyone you met in life. Look at the way she’d disliked Reid after their first meeting.

  ‘Why have you never married, Annie?’

  She thought about this for a moment. ‘Perhaps I’ve been looking for the impossible, but to be honest I don’t think I’ve ever really wanted to. I was quite happy with my life and career before this war started.’

  ‘I know what you mean. Will and I felt the same but things are different now, aren’t they?’

  Annie sighed and pushed open the door. ‘Yes, everything’s changed.’

  ‘Annie, Charlie!’ Bob waved to them from his bed. ‘What a marvellous surprise.’

  ‘We’ve come to see how you are.’ Annie kissed him. ‘What happened to you?’

  ‘I was caught in heavy shellfire and got peppered with shrapnel.’ He grimaced. ‘They’ve dug loads of the stuff out of my back and legs.’

  ‘Will there be any permanent damage?’ Charlie asked.

  ‘They don’t think so, but it will take some time before I make a full recovery.’

  ‘Well, as soon as you’re out of here you can go to Wales and rest.’ Annie sat on the chair that Charlie had pulled up for her. ‘Mum was worried about you.’

  Bob looked gloomy. ‘All I’ve ever caused Mum is worry. I was a swine of a kid, wasn’t I?’

  ‘That’s all in the past.’ Annie held his hand in comfort. She knew how easy it was to become depressed in hospital. ‘And forgiven.’

  ‘One good thing,’ Charlie said, ‘by the time you’re fit the war will be over.’

  ‘God, I hope so! I miss my wife and nippers something awful,’ Bob exclaimed.

  ‘You’ll be on your way home to Australia before you know it.’ Annie felt sad at that thought. Bob had fitted in as if he’d never left and Annie knew her mother was going to be very upset when he went back to his home so far away. She pushed the gloomy thought away, dived into her pocket and produced a small bar of chocolate. ‘That’s all I could manage to get, but I expect you could do with a treat.’

  ‘Oh, thanks, I’ll eat that when nurse isn’t looking.’ He popped it in the cupboard next to him. ‘Now tell me all the news.’

  It took quite a time to bring Bob up to date with all the happenings, and they overstayed their welcome and were ordered to leave by a stern nurse. But they came away happy, knowing that although their Australian brother had been quite badly injured he would make a full recovery. Though he’d been separated from them for many years Annie and Charlie felt they knew and loved him.

  ‘Where have you been all this time?’ Pat complained when she saw them. ‘I’ve been waiting ages.’

  ‘We had a lot to talk about,’ Charlie told her.

  ‘Can we get something to eat?’ Pat moderated her tone and smiled at Charlie. ‘I’ve found a smashing café.’

  ‘Good idea.’ He took Annie’s arm. ‘Our train doesn’t leave for another two hours, so we’ve plenty of time.’

  As they made their way to the café Pat chatted away, but Annie noticed that she never once asked about Bob.

  34

  December 1944

  The weeks dragged by. Annie was as busy as ever but felt strangely depressed. It was ridiculous, she told herself repeatedly. She still found her work as exciting and challenging as it had always been, but it had been a strange year with many ups and downs. There had been D-Day in June, the liberation of Paris in August, and the steady advance of Allied troops towards Germany. However, the VI flying bombs had caused damage, including the death of George, and also the V2 rockets that had followed them. But it was becoming clear that the end of the war could only be months away and she should be feeling ecstatic.

  ‘Why the gloomy face?’ asked Greg – a bomber pilot who had come to the end of his flying days due to injury – as he sat down
at her table in the mess.

  ‘I really don’t know and I’m just berating myself for feeling so low.’

  ‘Don’t give yourself a hard time,’ he advised. ‘Waiting is always the worst, as I well know. Before a bombing raid I used to feel physically sick.’

  Annie nodded in understanding. ‘That’s a bit how I feel now. Suppose the Germans launch an offensive and start to regain the upper hand?’

  ‘They won’t.’ He spoke with confidence. ‘They’ve taken a severe pounding, and when Hitler’s own generals tried to assassinate him, like they did in July, then they know they’re beaten.’

  ‘You’re right, of course.’ Annie sat up straight and smiled. When that bit of news had come through it had caused elation, and then disappointment that it hadn’t succeeded. ‘I expect I’m down in the dumps because I can’t get home for Christmas.’

  ‘Never mind. We’ll have a good knees-up here.’

  Annie watched him walk away, leaning heavily on a cane, and set about pulling herself together. She had never felt so unsettled in her life. Even if she couldn’t spend the holiday with her family that was no reason to act like a sulky child. That was something she had never been.

  Rose’s last letter had told her that Bill would be on leave for a couple of days; Bob had arrived in Wales and would convalesce there; Sam and Maria were now married, and Jacques was a very happy little boy. Annie was dreadfully sorry she hadn’t been able to get leave to go to Maria and Sam’s wedding, but they’d sent her some lovely photographs. Charlie would also be in Wales, but they weren’t sure about Will. Dora and her grandmother were arriving in a couple of days’ time as well, so the house would be crammed full for Christmas. That was just the way the Webster family liked it.

  Annie mentally shook herself. It was no good wishing she were somewhere else, she still had work to do. There was a lot to be grateful for and who knew what would happen next year.

  Hopefully they would all be together.