Phoebe woke to the sound of birdsong and the smell of freshly baked bread. It was heavenly. She slowly opened her eyes, relishing the comfort of the bed and soft downy pillows. She saw from the light behind the curtains that the weather was fine. Good, she thought, there was nothing stopping her from going for a long walk. She stretched and rubbed her eyes, wondering what the time might be and was stunned to notice that it was after ten. She never slept that late.
She flung the covers back and got up.
The sound of happy burbling and Jocasta singing greeted her as she walked along the passage towards the kitchen. She was a little embarrassed to be arriving for breakfast so late, even though her hostess had told her to come down whenever it suited her.
‘Good morning,’ Phoebe said, walking into the warm kitchen. She looked at the cherubic face of the baby sitting in the highchair, hands mushing some concoction that looked like porridge onto the wooden tray.
Jocasta looked up from where she was washing up dishes at the sink. ‘Hello,’ she said, wiping her hands on a towel. ‘How did you sleep?’ she asked.
‘Extremely well, thank you. That has to be the most comfortable bed I’ve ever lain on.’
‘I’m so pleased to hear you say so.’
‘I don’t recall the last time I slept for so many hours,’ she said, embarrassed. ‘I do apologise for rising this late.’
‘Please don’t worry about it. We agreed that there was no need to stand on ceremony, and I want you to make the most of not working while you’re here. You need to rest and sleep, and hopefully eat well. It’s what my brother prescribed to you!’ She laughed. ‘And I’m not joking when I say as much.’
Phoebe thought of Doctor Sutherland and could almost hear him saying such a thing.
‘Take a seat and I’ll make you some fried eggs and bacon, or I could make scrambled eggs, or boiled,’ Jocasta said.
‘Fried with bacon sounds heavenly.’ Phoebe pulled out a chair and sat, smiling at the baby who was now staring at her intently. ‘Hello, Bryony,’ Phoebe said, unsure how exactly to address the baby. She realised how unused to them she was.
‘She’s transfixed by you,’ Jocasta said, placing a rasher of bacon into a pan. ‘She has her father’s eyes, large and blue, unlike mine.’
Phoebe pictured Doctor Sutherland’s hazel eyes and noticed that Jocasta’s were almost the same colour but with flecks of gold in them. She wondered if she should ask about Jocasta’s late husband and, recalling how patients often wanted to talk about lost friends, decided to take a chance.
‘You must miss him very much,’ she said.
Jocasta leaned against the worktop and crossed her arms. ‘I do,’ she said, her voice small. ‘I sometimes try to pretend that he’s still away fighting. Then, when I think of something Bryony does and want to share it with him, that’s when I remember that he’s never coming home to us.’ Her voice wavered. ‘I can’t bear that he’ll never see our beautiful daughter growing up, getting married and hopefully having children of her own.’ Her eyes met Phoebe’s. ‘He’s missed out on so much already and it seems so unfair.’
Phoebe nodded. ‘It does. I’m so very sorry.’
‘As am I. We were so happy.’ She swallowed. Turning back to the range, she picked up two eggs, cracked them on the side of the pan and dropped them in to cook before addressing Phoebe once more. ‘He was the sweetest man.’ Jocasta gave a sad smile. ‘We were childhood sweethearts, did you know that?’
Phoebe shook her head. ‘No. All your brother told me was that you were a widow.’
‘That’s right.’ She flicked oil over the eggs with a spatula. ‘I suspect Geoffrey offered for you to stay here to give me company as much as to find somewhere where you could relax for a couple of weeks. He’s very thoughtful that way.’
‘He’s a lovely brother to have.’
‘He is. He and Ronnie were best friends since they started school. I think he almost felt his loss as much as I did.’
‘Did Doctor Sutherland live around here too?’
Jocasta poked the bacon with a fork and flipped it over to cook the other side. ‘He lived here,’ she said, surprising Phoebe. ‘You’re staying in his room.’
Phoebe didn’t know why she was surprised and realised she must have shown it on her face when Jocasta added, ‘He inherited this house from our father when he passed away two years ago. Ronnie and I rented a cottage on the other side of the village, but when he died and I found it difficult being there with all my memories of everything we had shared together, Geoffrey insisted I come live here with him. Then he was called away and I was happy to be living in my childhood home with Bryony where everything seemed familiar.’
‘I’m pleased.’ Phoebe thought of her parents’ home and how pretty it had been before the bombing. The thought saddened her. ‘I’m glad you have each other.’
‘So am I. I feel very blessed.’
‘You don’t have any other siblings then?’
She shook her head. ‘No. Sadly not.’ Jocasta took a plate from the plate rack and placed the eggs and bacon onto it before serving it to Phoebe. ‘I’ll cut you some bread to go with that and we’ll have a cup of tea. How about you? Do you have any siblings?’
Phoebe explained that she had a sister and about Charlie having been killed.
‘That’s terrible,’ Jocasta said, buttering the thick piece of fresh bread. ‘How about your parents? Are they still alive?’
‘They were killed in the same Zeppelin bombing raid. Charlie was home on leave when it happened,’ Phoebe explained, having to breathe deeply to calm herself. ‘I feel guilty that I wasn’t there with them.’
Jocasta shook her head. ‘But then you would have also been killed, most likely.’
‘I know, but I sometimes find the guilt that I survived, when they didn’t, a little overwhelming.’
‘I know what you mean,’ Jocasta said, cupping her chin for a few seconds. ‘I feel guilty that I’m here, enjoying watching Bryony grow and change each day, while my darling Ronnie is missing everything.’ She sniffed and, pulling her handkerchief from her sleeve, blew her nose. ‘Sorry. My sadness hits me like that sometimes.’
‘Mine does too,’ Phoebe soothed.
Neither spoke for a while, then Jocasta busied herself slicing bread and buttering it before cutting it into quarters and putting it on a side plate. She put the plate on the table near to Phoebe.
‘Thank you.’ Lifting a piece, she noticed it was still warm. Phoebe took a bite, relishing the soft doughiness. ‘Mmm, this is perfection.’
Jocasta laughed. ‘I’ve never had my bread called that before now.’
‘That does surprise me.’ Phoebe was happy to think that she had cheered Jocasta slightly. ‘I don’t think I realised quite how much I needed time doing normal things.’
‘I’m please to help you in any way I can.’
‘Thank you, and I want you to know that you can ask me for anything, any time you need it.’
‘That’s very kind of you,’ Jocasta said, picking up a cloth and wiping the work-surface before making them both a cup of tea.
Phoebe watched as her new friend cleaned Bryony’s face with a damp cloth and handed the baby a teething ring to play with.
‘What do you plan to do this morning?’ Jocasta asked, leaning back in her chair. ‘It’s a beautiful day, if bitterly cold, but at least you should be able to see for miles and enjoy the view. It’s pretty spectacular, if I say so myself.’
‘I thought I’d go for a walk along the cliff path, if there’s one nearby.’
‘There are many. I’ll give you directions, though, so you know where you’re going.’
Phoebe thought of Archie and felt the need to contact him. ‘Is there a post box nearby anywhere?’
‘There’s one down the lane and if you turn right at the top of the road and follow the road away from the sea for about three hundred yards, you’ll come across the heart of the village. There’s all the usual shops there – baker, butcher, greengrocer and a post office. A couple of other shops too. Naturally there’s a pub. Actually there are two: The Nag’s Head and The Penny Farthing. They’re in the same old building, but one side is run by one brother and the other side by another. They can’t stand each other and so the residents have had to choose sides if they want to drink in one of the locals.’
‘That sounds rather complicated,’ Phoebe said, amused. ‘Which does Doctor Sutherland frequent when he’s at home?’
Jocasta took a sip of her tea. ‘Oh, he prefers the brother at The Penny Farthing. He’s the older one, but a little less competitive than his younger brother. It’s all rather silly, I think, and apparently their dislike of each other stems back to when they were at school and one cheated on sports day. Sad rather than silly, really.’
‘It is. When you think how most of us would give anything just to have a loved one back, and they spend their time working against each other.’
‘I would have thought that they might agree to disagree, if nothing else,’ Jocasta said, passing what looked like some sort of rusk to baby Bryony.
Phoebe finished her breakfast. ‘That was delicious, Jocasta. Thank you for everything.’
Jocasta grinned. ‘You’ve only been here a few hours,’ she said. ‘Hopefully you’ll feel the same way when it’s time for you to leave us.’ She sighed. ‘I have a feeling I’m going to get used to having you here with me very quickly.’
Phoebe knew what she meant. ‘I suspect I’ll find it difficult to leave and have to sleep in my dormitory back in France.’ She clapped her hands together. ‘I’m not thinking about that now, though. I’m going to have fun and hopefully spend a lot more time getting to know you and this little angel.’
Jocasta reached out and stroked her daughter’s curly blonde hair. ‘She is adorable, isn’t she?’
‘She is.’ Sensing Jocasta might need some time to do her chores, Phoebe stood and went to carry her plate and cutlery to the sink to wash it.
‘No you don’t,’ Jocasta said, reaching out and placing her hand on Phoebe’s. ‘You leave that there and go out and see what a beautiful area this is. You’re on holiday, don’t forget.’
She was itching to go but didn’t like to be rude. ‘Can’t I first help you with any chores? I want to do my bit while I’m here.’
‘No. It’s enough that I have you for company. Now, go.’
Phoebe did as she was told and once she had freshened up and put on her coat, hat, scarf, gloves and grabbed her purse, she went back downstairs.
‘I’m going for a walk to the cliffs,’ she said before leaving. ‘I’ll pop back after that to write a letter and then take it to the village to post it.’
‘That sounds like a good plan.’ Jocasta smiled. ‘Enjoy yourself and don’t go too close to the cliff edge.’
Phoebe promised that she wouldn’t and left, looking forward to her walk along the cliffs. She stood at the end of the short front path and breathed in the refreshingly cold sea air. It was still windy but less so than the previous day, she noticed with relief. And best of all, the sun was shining and she could see high cliffs rising to the east and a pretty golden beach about a mile to the west of her. She understood now why Geoffrey insisted she take him up on her offer to come here.
As she walked, she thought about Archie and wished he was there to experience this breath-taking place with her. Maybe he lived somewhere similar to this. Did they have cliffs like these in Sandsend? If they did, then he was a lucky man to have experienced something this magnificent before.
She stopped and stared out over the sea as waves crashed against the cliffs far below. This was nature at its most magnificent. Why, she mused, were humans so intent on killing each other and causing destruction when they had places like this to go to and simply be? It didn’t make any sense. Maybe one day she would be lucky enough to bring Archie here and walk with him hand in hand in the sunshine, marvelling at how lucky they were to have found each other. They were still at war though, she reminded herself, and there were probably months – even years maybe – until either of them might be free to do such a thing.
* * *
She arrived back at the cottage feeling invigorated and desperate to put her thoughts down on paper in a letter for Archie. Deciding first to check with Jocasta and see if there was anything she needed her to do, Phoebe walked down the passage and into the kitchen. Her friend was sewing and deep in thought. Jocasta jumped when she suddenly realised Phoebe was there.
‘Oh, you’re back. Did you have fun?’
Phoebe nodded. ‘It’s stunning scenery out there, isn’t it?’
‘I think so.’ She cocked her head in the direction of the range. ‘Why don’t you make us both a cup of tea? I’ve been trying to darn these stockings for ages and I’m making a real mess of them.’ She laughed. ‘I’ve never been good at any needlework.’
‘I’m not so good at it either,’ Phoebe said, picking up the kettle and shaking it slightly to gauge how much water was inside before holding it under the tap at the sink. At the mention of scenery, Phoebe’s mind drifted to the show. It would be taking place today, she mused. She thought of Archie and how much fun they’d had together during the planning. He would be sad to miss the show, no doubt.
When they were sitting with their cups of tea Phoebe reminded Jocasta that she planned to walk into the village to the post office. Remembering that tomorrow would be Christmas Day, she decided to try and buy little gifts for Jocasta and Bryony. She had no idea if there was much choice of presents in the village but knew it was the thought that counted most where gifts were concerned. She would also look out for some tidbits to make their Christmas a little special. ‘If you need me to do any shopping for you or to post any letters, do let me know.’
Jocasta smiled. ‘We could do with a couple of sausages for our breakfast tomorrow and maybe some potatoes, if they have them at the greengrocers.’
‘Of course.’ She made her excuses then and went upstairs to pen a letter to Archie while everything was still fresh in her mind. She missed him so much already, despite it only being twenty-four hours since their parting.
Dearest Archie,
I hope you’re settled in well and aren’t misbehaving too badly. Those poor nurses will have enough to keep them busy without you being mischievous. I only wish that I was one of them. I’m already missing you terribly and I’ve no idea how I’ll bear not seeing you every day once my holiday is over and I return to work.
Enough wallowing though. I thought you might like to know a little about Pennwalloe. Oh, Archie, it’s the most beautiful place. I’ve never been to Cornwall before but I’m certainly going to return and I’d love to introduce you to the area. I’ve yet to see the village but will be going there straight after I’ve finished writing this letter so that I can post it to you. There are cliff paths with the most incredible views down to the sea below. The wind is invigorating although it is rather cold, but then it is December. There’s a pretty beach on the other side of the headland and I’m intending going there in the coming days.
I needn’t have worried about coming to stay with Jocasta. I felt as if I’d known her for years within a few minutes of meeting her. She is friendly and terribly kind, although a little sad at times, which is understandable seeing that she lost her beloved husband Ronnie only last year. Her baby girl is about a year old and is the prettiest angel with blonde curly hair and big blue eyes. Her name is Bryony and she is bright as a button.
I’ve just seen the time and don’t want to miss the post this afternoon, so I’ll sign off now and send you all my love. I hope you have a peaceful and entertaining Christmas at the hospital. I only wish that we could have celebrated our first Christmas together in France and been able to entertain the patients there with the planned show. Never mind. We are where we are and we must make the best of it. Not that it’s too difficult for me where I am but as I mentioned above, I do miss you, dreadfully.
Take care, dearest Archie,
Love, your friend,
Medina Glenn
Phoebe read through her letter, then quickly penned one to her sister so she could post it at the same time, all the while remembering what Jocasta had told her about the nights drawing in at about four in the afternoon at this time of year.
Dearest Celia,
I’m writing this thinking about you and hoping that your Christmas isn’t too busy, but busy enough that you don’t have too much time to think about everything. I hope you are keeping well and wanted to share that I am lucky enough to be staying in Cornwall with a new friend this Christmas. I wish you were here too and hope that one day I’ll be able to introduce you to Jocasta and this beautiful part of the world.
I hope you’re taking good care of yourself. I am doing my best and apart from missing Captain Archie Bailey, I’m doing all right. Yes, that’s right, I am in love with a wonderful man who I met at the hospital in Étaples. He is an architect and funny and sweet, and I’m sure you will like him. Maybe we’ll all be able to meet, if this war ever comes to an end. Either way, I hope it’s not too long until I can introduce you to Archie and Jocasta.
I must hurry though because I want to get my bearings around this village before it gets dark and I need to post this letter to you and one to Archie before the evening draws in.
My love to you, dearest Celia.
Your loving sister,
Phoebe xx
Satisfied that she had said all she needed to for the time being, Phoebe addressed two envelopes and, sealing her letters inside, slipped them into her coat pocket.
* * *
The walk along the quiet lane from Jocasta’s home to the centre of the village took her less than ten minutes. There were the shops and pubs that Jocasta had told her about and a small village green that Phoebe thought must look very pretty in the summer when the flower borders were more than likely filled with colourful blooms.
Having bought the potatoes and sausages Jocasta had requested, she crossed the road and went to the post office and posted her letters to her sister and Archie, then bought several stamps, notepaper and envelopes so that she could write to them both again. At least now they would both know where she was staying, should they wish to contact her.
As she left the post office, she noticed a small shop with paper chains hanging across the window and went inside.
‘Good afternoon, Miss,’ the elderly lady behind the counter said with a smile on her face. ‘Looking for something in particular?’
‘Hello,’ Phoebe said, looking all around her, hoping for inspiration. ‘I’m staying with a friend for a couple of weeks and was hoping to find a little Christmas gift for her and her baby girl.’
The woman seemed intrigued. She placed both hands on her hips and came out from behind her counter, staring thoughtfully at the display before making her way to a large cupboard. ‘Would that be young Jocasta Chambers and baby Bryony, then?’
‘Yes, that’s right,’ Phoebe said, excited that the woman knew who she intended buying the presents for. ‘You know them?’ As soon as Phoebe had asked the question, she realised what a stupid thing it was to say. This was a small village and no doubt everyone knew everyone else. ‘Sorry, I suppose that goes without saying.’
The woman laughed. ‘It does. We’re a close-knit bunch here in Pennwalloe. In fact, I was wondering who the newcomer was who had been seen walking by the cliffs today.’
It was Phoebe’s turn to laugh. ‘Right, I see. Yes, I took a stroll up there. It’s very beautiful.’
‘Oh, it is that, dear.’ The woman sighed. ‘Let’s find these presents for you.’ Phoebe waited while she stood staring thoughtfully at the contents of the cupboard. It was mostly boxes but the woman probably knew what was in each one. Phoebe was tempted to have another look at the display but didn’t like to interrupt the woman’s train of thought.
‘I’m Mrs Lanyon,’ the lady said as she pulled out a box from the pile on one of the shelves and placed it on the counter. She then pulled out a flatter box and took that to the counter as well.
‘I’m Phoebe Robertson. I’m pleased to meet you and to be here in this pretty place.’
‘It is rather special. Good for lots of things,’ Mrs Lanyon said, closing the cupboard and returning to her place behind the counter. ‘For friends, beautiful scenery and for healing.’
‘Healing?’ Phoebe asked, taken aback. What on earth did the woman mean?
Mrs Lanyon took the lid from the first box and, turning it to Phoebe, indicated the teddy inside. It wasn’t too big for the little girl to cuddle and Phoebe was delighted. ‘It’s perfect for her. Thank you.’
Mrs Lanyon gave her a self-satisfied nod and then, replacing the lid onto the box, moved it to one side and opened the other. This revealed a knitted hat-and-scarf set in cherry red. ‘I thought this would suit young Jocasta’s colouring and I’ve never seen her in anything this colour before. What do you think?’
Phoebe had no idea if her friend would wear the bright hat and scarf but thought it was the perfect colour for a Christmas present. ‘I know it would suit her if she did,’ Phoebe said. ‘I’ll take them both. Thank you very much.’
‘I don’t suppose you have anything in which to wrap them, do you?’
Phoebe hadn’t thought of wrapping. She shook her head. ‘No, I don’t. Would you have something I could buy for the gifts and maybe a ribbon to tie around each of them?’
‘I’ll tell you what, as you’re most likely my last customer of the day, I’ll wrap them for you for an extra penny. How does that sound?’
Phoebe smiled at her. ‘It sounds wonderful. Thank you.’
Recalling the postcard she was hoping to find for her friends, Phoebe asked Mrs Lanyon where she might purchase one.
‘Are you looking for anything in particular?’
‘Something with a photo of the village, or the cliffs, or beach? I want to give them an idea of what it’s like here so they can imagine it.’ She realised she ought to send one to Geoffrey Sutherland as well. ‘In fact, I’ll need two.’
Mrs Lanyon tapped the side of her mouth for a few seconds and gave Phoebe’s request some thought. Then, raising her finger in the air triumphantly, she grinned. ‘I was trying to recall where I might have put the ones I had in the shop before the war. We haven’t had much cause for them recently and I usually put them away in the winter to keep them fresh looking. No one wants to buy a creased postcard. If you’ll wait here, I’ll fetch what I’ve got and you can see if any of them suit you.’