Sunday raised a quizzical eyebrow. ‘Oh yes, and what would that be then?’
He coughed to clear his throat before going on. ‘Well, with the weather being so bad you and Kathy are a bit stuck in here with the twins and I was thinking that perhaps you’d all like to move back into the house. Purely on a no-strings basis, of course,’ he added hastily when he saw her eyes widen. Then with a sigh he said, ‘Look … I realise I was probably out of order when I proposed to you and you were most likely right – we probably are both a bit long in the tooth to be starting a new relationship – but that shouldn’t mean we can’t enjoy each other’s company. I’m missing Giles and I know you’re missing Livvy. And this place …’ He spread his hands as he looked about the small room. ‘As comfortable as you’ve made it it’s hardly on the level of Treetops, is it? The twins would have more room to play and you’d be doing me a favour. You and Kathy could help Edith with Peggy and Bobby and I know they’d love to have the twins there.
‘There’s something else to think of as well. Anderson shelters are popping up everywhere. I was thinking that we could make the cellar suitable for a shelter just in case of a raid. You’d all be so much safer there. I think we’ve all been lulled into a false sense of security with us living out in the sticks. But what we have to remember is that all the car factories in Coventry are now making tanks or ammunition and they’ll be a target. What if the Jerries decide to randomly drop bombs on us on the way there or back? Won’t you at least consider it, if not for yourself for the children?’
Sunday paused in the act of pouring the tea and bit her lip as she thought about what he’d said. ‘All right,’ she agreed eventually. ‘I will think on it, but I’m not making any promises, mind. I need to know what Kathy thinks of the idea too.’
‘That’s good enough,’ he answered with a beaming smile and they went on to talk of other things.
But when Sunday relayed the conversation to her daughter the next morning, Kathy had very mixed feelings about the idea.
The thought of living back in her old home was tempting and because of his many kindnesses, she had long since lost any feelings of resentment she’d felt towards John. And she could see the sense in what he said; they would all be much safer there if the bombings were about to start. But still, like her mother, Kathy had her pride.
‘It’s very kind of him,’ she said cautiously as she watched the twins pottering happily about. ‘And John is right, we would all be safer there and the twins would have so much more room to play. But …’ She paused. ‘I suppose it would just feel strange being back there when it isn’t really our home anymore. Not that I’m not grateful for the offer,’ she added hastily.
‘I know exactly what you mean,’ Sunday agreed, much to Kathy’s relief. ‘I’ll thank him but tell him we’re happy here for now, shall I?’
Kathy nodded, hoping they were making the right decision.
As January came to a close, and much to her relief, Livvy’s training had finally come to an end and the girls were waiting for the results of the test they had taken to see if they were to be accepted for the job of working the barrage balloons. There had been a lot more to it than Livvy had expected. No one would guess when they saw them flying like great grey elephants in the sky just how hard it was to get them airborne, nor how heavy and dangerous they could be for the people who operated them. Of the five of them only four would be accepted for the job and she hoped that she would be one of them.
Just then a female officer stepped into the hut, clipboard in hand, and they all instantly stood.
‘Right.’ The woman consulted her clipboard. ‘Meadows.’ Amanda instantly stepped forward with a smug smile on her face. ‘Blake.’ Susan was the next. ‘Shaw and Wiseman.’ Pauline and Nell took their place next to the others, casting a sympathetic glance at Livvy, who clearly had not been chosen as one of the balloon operatives. ‘All go and report for duty,’ she ordered them. ‘And you, Branning, come with me.’
With a sinking heart Livvy managed a smile at her friends before following the officer from the hut with a glum look on her face. It would be just her luck to be chosen to work in the NAAFI, she thought miserably as they picked their way through the snow.
Once they had reached the office that was located at the end of the huts, the officer ushered her inside and Livvy stood before the desk, her back straight and her hands clasped behind her back, while the other woman took a seat.
‘Branning, it’s come to our attention that of the five of you hoping to become balloon operatives you were the quickest to pick the job up.’
Livvy was more confused than ever now. If that was the case, why had she not been chosen for the job?
‘And so, what I have in mind for you is an even more important job,’ the woman told her not unkindly. ‘If you feel you’re up to it, that is. It would of course involve a great deal more training but what we have in mind for you is a radio operator communicating with the pilots in the air.’
Livvy’s eyes almost popped out of her head and a little gasp escaped her. She knew what an important job that was. Men’s lives depended on the operators to guide them in and out of the airfields and also to keep track of them while they were airborne.
‘So, what do you think? Would you like to do it?’
A broad smile spread across Livvy’s face. ‘Yes … ma’am, definitely.’
‘Good, then go and pack your things. You’ll be transported to an airfield in Lincolnshire this afternoon where your training will commence. And, Branning, don’t let me down. It was me that put you forward for this. Good luck.’
‘Thank you, ma’am. I promise I’ll do my very best.’
Livvy was on such a high that she didn’t even notice the snow leaking over the top of her boots as she raced back to the hut. She felt sad that she wouldn’t get to say goodbye to her friends, though. She would probably be long gone by the time they came off duty. Still, she thought, I can leave them a note telling them what’s happened and asking them to keep in touch.
Hastily she grabbed a pad and pen and scribbled a note, which she propped on Nell’s bedside locker.
As soon as she was ready Livvy was transported to her new headquarters. She couldn’t help her heart beating a little faster with excitement. She knew how highly the operators were regarded, and now she had the chance to become one of them, she intended to take full advantage of the opportunity.
Chapter Thirty
May 1940
Ben sat shoulder to shoulder in the bowels of the ship with men and boys almost all of whom were many years younger than him. As the large craft ploughed through the icy seas towards their destination, Ben found, to his surprise, that he was looking forward to working with horses again; he had missed them. He knew, though, that what lay ahead wasn’t going to be anything like being back in the stables at Treetops – in fact it wasn’t going to be pleasant at all.
The day before he had visited a solicitor and left a letter for Sunday with strict instructions that it should be forwarded to her immediately should anything happen to him. It would be ironic, he thought, if the money he had taken so much trouble stealing from her should end up being returned.
Suddenly, the youth next to him, who had turned an alarming shade of green within minutes of leaving the port, leaned forward and deposited his breakfast all over the floor. Poor little sod, Ben thought as he eyed the lad, the thought of joining up had initially seemed like a big adventure but it appeared that already the reality of what he had done was coming home to him and he was openly crying. Ben awkwardly patted his shoulder, trying to ignore the stench of vomit. They were crammed in like cattle and there was no chance of cleaning the mess up. He glanced around the gloomy confines and shuddered as if someone had walked over his grave, and he wondered if this was a portent of what was to come.
David was in theatre in a field hospital in France battling to save a young man’s life. He had been on duty for almost eighteen hours and his eyes were gritty from l
ack of sleep as he battled to stem the flow of blood from the stump of the leg he had just been forced to amputate.
The young man on the table looked to be no more than seventeen or eighteen years old at most and David’s heart went out to him. Even so, he was one of the lucky ones. The two he had operated on before this boy had both died. One on the operating table and the other shortly after he had been taken back to the ward, which David looked on as his failure. Truthfully, no one could have saved them. The first had had half of his head blown away and the second had been so peppered with bullets that blood had spurted from his wounds like water from a colander. Eventually, David knew he had done all he could and as he turned from the table, rubbing his eyes wearily, the theatre sister pounced on him. ‘It’s time you took a rest now, Doctor. Dr Sayer will take over.’
David opened his mouth to protest but then promptly shut it again. When he was this tired it would be easy to make mistakes and his patient could pay for it.
‘Very well, I’ll try and catch a couple of hours sleep,’ he agreed as he snapped off his gloves. Already another wounded soldier was being wheeled into the theatre and David turned despondently and made his way to his sleeping quarters.
He was so weary that he didn’t even bother to undress but simply dropped onto his bunk. He could hear the whistle and explosion of the guns in the distance as the men fought it out and again it hit him how pointless it was. There would be another influx of wounded this evening and another batch of telegrams going out to relatives informing them that they would never see their loved one again. He shut his eyes and tried to think of pleasanter things and instantly an image of Kathy and the twins flashed before his eyes. He could picture them all safe and cosy in the lodge with a lovely fire roaring up the chimney. The twins were growing like weeds and he imagined he would see a big change in them when he next got some leave. He just hoped they would remember him when he did see them again. His thoughts turned to Kathy then, but exhaustion quickly claimed him, and he slept with a smile hovering at the corners of his mouth.
In Wiltshire, Giles was facing his flight officer, back straight and arms at his side, looking straight ahead.
‘You’ll be pleased to know that you passed all your exams with flying colours,’ the man told him. ‘And so tomorrow, you’ll be transferred to another airfield where you will start to fly Spitfires.’
‘Sir.’ Giles tried not to show how thrilled he was as he stood to attention and saluted.
Once outside he punched the air and gave a whoop of delight. Spitfires, no less. His favourite plane. Then with a wide smile on his face he hurried away to find his friends to tell them the good news. Perhaps they’d get to have a celebration at the local pub that evening if they were all off duty. He’d have to write to his grandfather and tell him the good news too. He had an idea the old man would be quite proud of him. Whistling merrily and looking very handsome in his uniform he went on his way.
Chapter Thirty-One
November 1940
Cissie and Sunday sat together in the kitchen of the lodge listening to the wireless, which was reporting what was ever after to be known as the Coventry Blitz. It had apparently been the worst air raid of the war to date; hundreds were dead and the city lay in ruins.
‘It don’t bear thinkin’ about.’ Cissie shuddered as she thought of the devastation. Men were busily digging through the ruins of people’s homes looking for bodies, and fires were raging everywhere. Even the fine old cathedral had taken a hit and people’s spirits were low.
The month before the army had come to take all the horses apart from the elderly ones and Kathy and George had watched them go with tears in their eyes. Even before the horses had been taken, the beautiful gates that led into the drive of Treetops had been removed to be melted down and made into ammunition. Worse still, only months before, Nuneaton had been bombed by the Luftwaffe who had mistaken the town for Birmingham causing chaos and bringing home to them all the fact that they were now as vulnerable as the rest of the country. All along the coast barbed wire had been strung along the beaches like lethal sparkling necklaces to try to prevent attacks from the sea and now everyone was fearful.
‘It makes yer wonder where it’s all goin’ to end,’ Cissie said fretfully and Sunday could only nod in agreement. She was now nearly seventy-one years old and sometimes recently she felt so tired that she wished she could just close her eyes and join her beloved Tom, but she knew that she wouldn’t. Not until the war was over and Livvy was home safely. Only weeks before her daughter had managed to get a forty-eight-hour pass and had made a fleeting visit, much to her mother’s delight.
Sunday had been shocked when she first saw her, for in the time Livvy had been away she seemed to have grown from a girl into a level-headed young woman. She held a very responsible job, and although Livvy enjoyed the challenge, Sunday knew it could be very hard sometimes. She’d told Sunday about a time when she suddenly lost contact with a pilot who was out on a mission only to learn hours later that he hadn’t made it home. Even so, Livvy tried to concentrate on the ones who did make it safely back and made sure that despite a number of flirtations she never got serious with any of the young pilots. It would have been just too heartbreaking to become attached to one who might be shot down.
Kathy came into the kitchen then, to find her mother and Cissie hanging over the wireless, and sighed. She was struggling with frustration. Daisy and Thomas were a mischievous pair who kept her on her toes every minute of the day. She was looking forward to them starting school the following year when she would be able to return to part-time nursing. Admittedly both her mother and Cissie had offered to watch them for her if she wished to go back sooner but Kathy didn’t feel right about placing such a responsibility on their shoulders, particularly as they were both in their seventies now.
On top of that, they were all feeling the strain of the war. Rationing was tight, even new clothes were difficult to come by now and they had had to resort to trying new recipes as the food rationing got tighter still. Only the day before Cissie had baked a carrot cake that Thomas had declared was ‘disgusting’, which had won him a clip around the ear, despite their amusement.
‘Well yer either eat it or go wi’out,’ Cissie had told him sternly. ‘We none of us get enough sugar to go wastin’ it on cakes now an’ the prime minister keeps tellin’ us, we’re to make do an’ mend.’
Thomas had gone off in a huff, although Daisy had eaten his and then asked for another slice. But then Daisy was like a bottomless pit and would eat anything if it was halfway edible.
All their thoughts were gloomy, until Cissie suddenly said, ‘I’m a bit concerned about young Bobby. He’s taken to seekin’ out the newspapers when Mr John has read ’em an’ he’s frettin’ somethin’ terrible about the bombin’s in London. He’s worried about his mam an’ I’m feared he’ll take it into his head to try an’ go an’ check she’s all right.’
‘But he’s far too young to try and go all that distance alone,’ Kathy said worriedly as she watched Daisy’s rear end disappear into the Morrison shelter that took up one wall in the kitchen. It was a great cumbersome thing, but John had insisted they should have it just in case there was an unexpected air raid and they didn’t have time to get down the drive to the cellar at Treetops. Both Kathy and Sunday hated it, but the twins had made it into a little den, which Kathy supposed was something, although how they were all supposed to squash into it should the need ever arise, she had no idea.
‘You’ll just have to keep a close eye on him and see that he doesn’t disappear,’ Kathy told Cissie, and the older woman snorted with derision.
‘Oh, an’ just how am I supposed to do that, may I ask? I ain’t got eyes in the back o’ me head an’ he does have to go to school. Still, Edith is keepin’ as close an eye as she can, bless her. She surely loves them little ’uns as if they were her own.’
They all nodded in agreement. Edith adored both Peggy and Bobby and thanks to her loving care they were
now almost unrecognisable from the poor little waifs they had been when they first arrived.
Kathy filled the kettle at the sink, and she had just placed it on the hob to boil when there was a rap on the front door.
‘I’ll go,’ she volunteered and seconds later the women in the kitchen heard her scream with delight. ‘David … whatever are you doing here? Why didn’t you let us know you were coming? Oh, hark at me rattling on, come on in out of the cold.’ She took his arm, which seemed much thinner than she remembered, and hauled him over the step, then laughing she prodded him towards the kitchen, saying, ‘Look who’s here. Isn’t this a lovely surprise?’ Turning back to David she told him bossily, ‘Give me your coat and hat and get yourself over by the fire to get warm. I was just making some tea. How long are you here for?’
He slowly removed his coat and after greeting Cissie and Sunday he answered, ‘I’ve been sent home for two weeks leave. I’m actually on my way to stay with my parents in Yorkshire but thought I’d pop in and see you on the way. It seems ages since I’ve seen Daisy and Thomas.’
Suddenly two little heads appeared out of the Morrison shelter and when they saw who it was Daisy screeched with happiness and charged across to him, while Thomas hung back shyly with his thumb jammed into his mouth
‘Crikey, you two have certainly grown.’ David chuckled as he tousled Daisy’s hair and held his other hand out to her brother.
‘Have you got anything for us, Uncle David?’ Daisy asked hopefully, remembering how he had never come without a treat for them and he laughed.
‘As it happens, I have.’ He fumbled in his jacket pocket and produced two sugar candy canes, causing the twins’ eyes to grow round with anticipation.
‘Thank you,’ they chorused greedily. ‘Can we eat them now, Mummy?’
Kathy gave them an indulgent smile. ‘I suppose so, just so long as you promise to eat your dinner,’ she warned. Then turning her attention back to their guest, she said, ‘You may be on your way home to Yorkshire but surely you could spare us just one night of your company at least? You could sleep in Livvy’s room. Is that all right, Mum?’
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