‘Anyone can shoot a gun, but not many have his talent. He found the right job, but my goodness, he’s given us some worrying times.’
Becky chuckled. ‘Hasn’t he just! Is he still asking you to marry him?’
‘He puts it at the bottom of every letter. Just as a reminder to me not to forget, he says.’
‘Any idea what you’re going to do about him?’
There was silence for a moment, then Alice said, ‘What do you think about having me as a sister-in-law?’
Becky’s squeal of delight made people in the queue turn and stare. ‘Oh, Alice, we’ll all be delighted.’
‘You mustn’t tell Will or your family yet. We have to wait until he comes home, because I’m going to let him propose properly, then he can tell everyone the good news.’
Becky couldn’t stop smiling, so happy for her brother and Alice. ‘I promise to keep my mouth shut.’
‘What about David?’
‘I’m going to talk to him when he gets back. When I was driving the ambulance the suffering I saw tore me apart, but it also helped me to put things into their proper perspective. The wounded on those ships are all ranks, including officers. They’re all out there facing the same dangers. I’ve been worrying too much about the class difference and the fact that he is an officer.’
‘And now?’
‘I don’t care any more, and I don’t believe David ever did. I just need to be sure of his true feelings for me. Once I know that I’ll be able to decide what the right thing to do is.’
‘Thank goodness. You’re talking sense at last!’
They were both happy as the queue finally began to move into the cinema.
Chapter Thirty-Six
It had been a sad Christmas and New Year, with Becky and her family feeling the loss of Jim deeply, and not one of the boys at home to help cheer things up. Everyone was waiting for the weather to improve, and praying that 1945 would see the end of the war.
The months dragged for Becky, but finally spring arrived, and as the trees burst into life they seemed to trigger new hope. It couldn’t be long now.
Becky looked up when she heard shouting and saw Alice tearing towards her, waving her arms frantically, and hugging everyone she came near. Not a bit like the dignified Alice she knew.
‘It’s over!’ Alice threw herself at Becky and hugged her as well. ‘The bugger’s killed himself and Germany has surrendered. The eighth of May is a date we will always remember.’
‘At last!’ Becky cried as she lifted Alice off her feet in excitement. ‘They’ll all be coming home! I must go and see David’s family.’
‘Come on,’ a group of soldiers urged. ‘There’s a party starting in the mess.’
‘Er …’ Becky glanced around, hesitating.
‘Go on.’ The sergeant was beaming, and that was not a sight they came across very often. ‘Everyone’s excused. Go and celebrate the end of the war in Europe. But while you’re doing that we mustn’t forget there’s Japan to deal with, and a lot of our boys are still in Burma.’
‘Oh, Lord.’ Alice grimaced. ‘I hope Will doesn’t decide to go out there now.’
‘He’d better not,’ Becky declared. ‘He’s got two of us to deal with now.’
It was three months later when Japan surrendered, and everyone’s thoughts began to turn to the future. Troops were pouring back and eager for demob. Alice had already said she was leaving at the earliest opportunity, but Becky was holding back until she had seen David. He might not feel the same now that the war was over, and if that turned out to be the case, she was still toying with the idea of staying in the army. She liked the life, and wasn’t sure she could settle down to working in a shop again – in fact she was positive it would be impossible to readjust to that kind of life.
David was still in Berlin, and there was no sign of him returning yet, so she would have to be patient. Will was already home and Alice had gone to meet him, but there was no sign of Bob.
Becky walked up the drive to the Hammonds’ house. Before she reached the door, it opened and the dog made for her at speed. The animal was quite a size now and Becky managed to sidestep just in time to avoid being knocked off her feet.
‘Aha! You thought you had me that time, didn’t you?’ She bent down to make a fuss of the dog, and was sure the animal was laughing.
‘Rebecca.’ Sara joined them, her smile as wide as it could get. ‘The war’s over everywhere, and Grandma says Daddy will be coming home soon.’
‘Isn’t that exciting?’ She let the little girl pull her into the house.
Mr Hammond was not at home, but Mrs Hammond was pleased to see her. ‘Let’s have tea in the garden, shall we?’
It was a pleasant day and so peaceful in the garden. While Sara was playing with the dog, Mrs Hammond turned her attention to Becky. ‘We’re expecting David back within the next couple of weeks. He couldn’t say exactly when.’
‘I don’t suppose he knows, but it will be such a relief when things are more settled and we can start planning for the future. We’ve spent years not looking past the next day or the one after that.’
‘Yes, it’s been hard.’ She stared into space, and then back at the girl sitting next to her. ‘What are you going to do now, Rebecca?’
‘I haven’t decided yet.’
Sara had stopped running around and was now standing next to Becky, looking up at her with a worried expression on her face.
‘If you leave the army you won’t stop coming to see me, will you?’
‘Not if you want me to keep coming. I wouldn’t like it if I couldn’t see you any more.’
‘Please keep coming, Rebecca.’ She was leaning on Becky’s knees and gazing up at her. ‘We went to your house yesterday for a party.’
‘Really? I didn’t know about any party.’
‘Your parents kindly invited us,’ Mrs Hammond explained. ‘It was arranged unexpectedly to celebrate your brother’s engagement to Alice. Your father came for us himself.’
‘Oh, that’s wonderful!’ Becky was so excited. ‘I wish I could have been there, but I expect I’ll get a letter tomorrow telling me all about it.’
‘They were sorry you weren’t at home, but I believe they’re planning a huge party when they can gather you all together.’ Mrs Hammond smiled wistfully. ‘It was such a happy occasion, and we were honoured to have been included.’
‘I like your mummy and daddy,’ Sara told her. ‘They’re nice. There were two American soldiers there, and they made me laugh and they danced with me. One of them threw me right in the air, and everyone joined in. It was a lovely party.’
‘Greg and Hal were there?’ Becky asked Mrs Hammond.
‘Yes, that’s right. They’d only just arrived and had come straight round to see your family.’
Becky clasped her hands together tightly in an effort to control her emotions. ‘I’m so relieved they’re back safely. Will told me he’d seen them in France, so I knew they had got off the beaches all right, but I’ve still been worried about them. In fact I seem to have spent this entire war worrying about everyone.’
To have received two lots of good news had made Becky’s visit to the Hammonds a very happy one, and she returned to the camp absolutely delighted. She had missed that impromptu party, but they would have another one later. Alice wasn’t due back yet so she would write to her and Will tonight.
Two days later Alice arrived back at camp and Becky pounced on her, demanding all the details. She also received a letter from Will and her parents. They said that the Hammonds had been invited on the spur of the moment, and they had really enjoyed themselves. The dog came as well and had been very excited at all the attention she was given. Hal said he had a dog at home and couldn’t wait to see him again, as well as his family and friends. Her father said Greg and Hal appeared war weary, just like all the returning troops, and a boisterous gathering was just what they needed.
Alice and Will planned a Christmas wedding because Will would b
e going back to Berlin for a few weeks. Then he said that he had a couple of offers for broadcasting and would be considering those at a later date.
A week later Alice was demobbed, and Becky bid her a sad farewell, knowing she was going to miss her being around the camp. But she would soon be her sister-in-law, so that was a happy prospect.
She had just driven into the camp after taking an officer to the London HQ when she saw a tall officer talking to the sergeant. Her heart leapt with pleasure when he turned and smiled. There was no mistaking David, and she was overjoyed to see him home at last.
With a few long strides he was beside the car and opening the door for her. She jumped out eagerly. ‘Oh, you’re back! It’s so good to see you. Have you been home …?’
In her excitement she had momentarily forgotten where they were, and she snapped to attention. Before her hand could lift in a salute, he caught hold of her arm.
‘You don’t need to salute me.’ He turned his head to speak to the sergeant who was watching with avid interest. ‘You know what to say if you’re asked. And thank you, Sergeant.’
‘My pleasure, sir.’
‘Come with me, Rebecca. We can’t talk here.’
David’s MG was a short walk away and he opened the passenger door for her. ‘I’ll drive.’
She got in. ‘I haven’t got a pass, David. Where are we going?’
‘We’re going somewhere quiet, and you don’t need a pass – you’re with me.’
‘Ah, of course.’
He cast her an amused glance. ‘No argument about my unprofessional conduct?’
‘Not a word.’ She was far too happy to be concerned.
‘That is progress. When are you leaving the ATS?’
‘I don’t know yet if I’m going to. I’m still trying to make up my mind, and I’ve got another two weeks to make my decision.’
He let out a pent-up breath, but he said nothing, which surprised her. Then she noticed he was gripping the steering wheel rather tightly and suddenly realised that he was nervous. Then her pleasure evaporated. He was going to tell her that he had changed his mind, and wouldn’t be seeing her again. Perhaps he had met someone else he considered more suitable. Neither of them spoke for the rest of the journey.
He took her to Virginia Water where they had once had that lovely picnic, and after parking the car they got out and began walking. There were few people around, and those they did see smiled at them, all enjoying the warm sunshine and the fact that the long war was finally over.
When they reached a secluded spot, David stopped and turned her to face him. Becky took a silent deep breath and waited, sure this was the moment he was going to tell her he had changed his mind about her.
‘When I met you at the recruitment office I thought you were lovely, intelligent and lively, but so young and innocent. Just over five years of war have changed you into a beautiful woman. All the way through France and into Berlin, I have cursed my stupidity for the clumsy way I proposed to you. When I told you that my feelings for you were attraction, and that I didn’t want to love again, I was lying, not only to you, but to myself as well. I tried to tell myself that I was acting for the benefit of my daughter, but that was nonsense. She couldn’t have more loving grandparents to care for her, and I know they would have been very willing to bring her up if I hadn’t survived the war.’
When she started to speak he stopped her.
‘No, let me finish. I’ve loved you from the moment you smiled at me the first time we met, and I don’t want to spend the rest of my life without you. Please marry me, Rebecca. I love you so much.’
It took her a brief moment to take in what he had just said, and then with tears of joy in her eyes, she nodded. ‘I’ve also been doing some hard thinking, and I realised that my worries about you being from the officer class were silly. Once I had come to my senses about that, all I needed to know was that you love me. So yes, I will marry you, David.’
She was swept into a fierce embrace, neither of them caring that they were in a public place and might be seen.
‘Thank God,’ he said, his voice husky with relief. ‘I felt sure that I had ruined any chance I might have had.’
They were both smiling now, and Becky admitted, ‘I also thought I had lost my chance with you, and that you were about to tell me you’d changed your mind.’
‘We both nearly made a terrible mess of this, didn’t we?’ he said wryly. ‘Thank heavens we came to our senses in time.’
‘I would have regretted it all my life if I had walked away from you and Sara. When I was driving the ambulance and saw so much suffering, I was filled with regret that I had let you go without telling you how much I loved you.’
‘Well, that’s all behind us now, my darling, and we can start planning for the future. We’ll go and tell Sara and my parents first, then straight round to your family.’
Sara had been attending school for the past two years, and had grown a lot since Becky had first met her. She was beginning to look like her father now as she ran to greet them when they arrived.
David ushered everyone into the lounge, and then stooped down to his daughter. ‘We’ve got something to tell you, sweetheart. Rebecca has just agreed to marry me.’
Becky was shaking with nerves. How would Sara take the news? Would she object? They got on well together, but how would she feel about another woman being in her father’s life? Would she be jealous?
‘Umm …’ Sara was looking from one to the other. ‘Does this mean Rebecca will be living with us all the time?’
‘It does, sweetheart, and when I move around, you and Rebecca will be able to come with me and live in the officers’ quarters.’
Suddenly the girl was hugging her father, and then rushing to Becky to do the same. ‘You won’t have to leave us now. Whoopee!’
Becky sagged with relief.
‘I think she approves,’ David laughed.
‘And so do we!’ Becky was kissed and hugged by David’s parents, then Mrs Hammond said, ‘This is what we had hoped for, but my goodness you two really did keep us waiting.’
Mr Hammond took a bottle of champagne out of the sideboard and placed it by glasses already laid out. ‘We’ve discussed what we would do if you did marry Rebecca, David, and we’re giving you this house as a wedding present. We shall be moving out.’
‘Oh, but you mustn’t!’ Becky was alarmed. ‘This is your family home.’
‘Rebecca’s right. We shall be away for long periods; you must continue to live here.’
‘No.’ Mrs Hammond shook her head. ‘We’ve made up our minds.’
‘But where will you go?’
Mr Hammond filled the glasses and handed them around. ‘Have you forgotten, David, that at the end of the garden is that parcel of land my father bought, and we’ve never done anything with it? We’re going to build ourselves a new house there. The plans have been in place for some time, and now would be a good time to go ahead.’
David’s frown smoothed out. ‘I had forgotten that. Well, if you are determined to do this, then we will accept your very generous gift, won’t we, Rebecca?’
She nodded, quite overcome. ‘I don’t know what to say. Thank you seems so inadequate.’
‘Thank you will do, my dear.’ Mr Hammond appeared to be very satisfied.
‘However, we insist you stay here until the new house is ready for occupation,’ David said.
‘Agreed.’ Mrs Hammond smiled and held up her glass. ‘We are delighted at the news, and we wish you both a long and happy life together.’
‘I’ll drink to that.’ David touched his glass to Becky’s, and placed an arm around her waist.
Sara had been given a glass of orange juice so she could join in the toast, and she watched her father and Becky over the rim of her glass. ‘Will I call you mummy now?’ she asked Becky.
‘Only if you want to, but it’s quite all right for you to carry on calling me Rebecca if you prefer.’
‘Hmm, I�
��ll think about it. What will your brother be to me after you’ve married Daddy?’ Sara was clearly thinking this all through.
‘He’ll be your uncle.’
Her face lit up with a smile and she turned to her grandmother. ‘I haven’t got one of those, have I?’
‘No, darling,’ Mrs Hammond told her. ‘And Rebecca’s mother and father will be more grandparents for you. We’re going to have a lovely big family.’
‘Oh, isn’t this exciting! Have you told them, Daddy?’
‘Not yet, but we’re going there right now, and we think you should all come with us.’
Mr Hammond went back to the sideboard. ‘I’ve got another bottle of champagne here.’
‘Good, I need all the support I can get. I’m not sure if your father approves of me, darling. Though I did tell him I intended to marry you. He said he trusted your judgement, but I got the feeling he was sure you would keep on refusing me.’
‘Well, he was wrong about that.’
David nodded. ‘Thank goodness he was. Now, Dad, we’re going to need the Rolls, so how’s the petrol situation?’
‘I haven’t got much, but there’s some in your MG. Can I siphon it out?’
‘Go ahead.’
‘I’ll do it.’ Becky had already turned towards the door when David caught her arm.
‘We can manage that little job while you discuss wedding plans with Mother. October at the latest,’ he said as he left the room with his father.
Mrs Hammond gasped. ‘That doesn’t give us enough time!’
Now Becky was worried. ‘We can’t have a huge wedding, Mrs Hammond. Mum and Dad haven’t got much money, and there will be my brother’s engagement and wedding to think of as well.’
‘We know your family lost everything in the bombing, my dear, so don’t you worry, we’ll work it out with them. You and David discuss it when you have a chance, but it would be lovely if you had a military wedding. And the guest list would, of necessity, be rather long.’ She gave Becky an understanding smile. ‘And talking of engagements …’
The Uncertain Years Page 28
