The letter from Dr Hazelwood came back by return. Edwin read it aloud over breakfast:
‘. . . I should be delighted to have your son and his colleague join me. Although your daughter has no nursing experience, the fact that she is willing to do anything – and that she could drive an ambulance – will be a valuable asset. Please reassure your wife that we will be well behind the front lines and not expected to be in real danger. If any – or all three – decide to come along, I will let them know when they need to be ready. There is still a lot to prepare before we are ready to go abroad. I will keep you informed and I look forward to hearing further from you . . .’
‘I shall definitely go,’ Pips said. ‘What about you, Robert?’
‘I intend to talk to Giles again at the weekend,’ Robert replied. He glanced at Edwin. ‘Are you sure you wouldn’t mind me going, Father?’
Edwin glanced at his wife before saying slowly, ‘We have discussed this and though we are both reluctant to see you go into danger – because despite what John says, it will be dangerous – we give you both our blessing. We are proud that you want to do your patriotic duty.’
Pips leapt up from her chair and hugged first her father and then her mother. ‘Oh thank you, thank you. I didn’t want to go against your wishes, but I have to go.’
‘There’s just one thing, Philippa,’ Henrietta said. ‘We wondered if you would ask Alice if she is willing to go with you. We’d feel so much better if you had another young woman with you.’
For a moment, Pips stared at her mother and then a slow smile spread across her face. ‘Now that is good thinking, Mother, and you’ve given me another idea too.’
‘But of course, her parents might not let her go.’
‘I don’t think there’s much fear of that happening, not after the way they’ve treated their son.’
‘But they might see it differently for a girl.’
‘I doubt it,’ Pips said wryly. ‘I think they’d leap at anything to restore their family’s credibility in the eyes of the villagers.’
Edwin and Henrietta now knew all that had happened and they too had been appalled.
‘Of course William must stay here,’ Henrietta had said at once. ‘Is he all right living with Jake?’
‘They’ll be fine,’ Pips reassured her. ‘I think they’ll be company for each other, if truth be known.’
‘I’ll see them both later today and find out if there’s anything else they need. Poor boy. How anyone can treat their son – or brother – like that is quite beyond me.’
Not for the first time, Pips realized that her mother’s severe manner hid a kind and generous heart.
After breakfast, Pips went in search of Alice and found her in Henrietta’s bedroom sorting out the laundry. The bedroom where Henrietta and Edwin slept was known as the Holly Room, with a four-poster bed with patterned curtains. But the most impressive feature of the room was the old tapestries that lined all the walls. Henrietta was a clever needlewoman and kept them in an excellent state of repair. She had tried to teach Pips the same skill, but Pips had no talent for embroidery.
‘You could do it if you applied yourself.’
‘I haven’t the patience, Mother. Why don’t you teach Alice? She has all the patience in the world.’
Henrietta’s mouth had twitched as she’d remarked drily, ‘She has to have, being your lady’s maid.’
Pips had laughed and agreed.
And so it had been Alice whom Henrietta had taught to repair the delicate works of art and even to embark on creating new tapestry chair-seat covers. But at this moment, the young girl was fulfilling her duties as their maid. Swiftly, Pips told her all about Dr Hazelwood and his flying ambulance corps. ‘I don’t exactly know yet what it will entail, but I’m going to go. Alice, will you come with me?’
Alice’s eyes sparkled. ‘Oh miss, yes, of course I will. I wouldn’t let you go on your own and I’d be doing my bit too, wouldn’t I?’
Pips hardly ever cried; in fact, her family couldn’t remember the last time they’d seen her shed tears, but now she felt a lump at the back of her throat and tears prickle behind her eyelids. She’d never doubted Alice’s devotion to her, indeed to all the Maitland family, but if ever proof were needed, here it was.
Her voice was husky as she said, ‘You certainly would, Alice. But you must realize that it could be very dangerous.’
Alice shrugged. ‘That doesn’t worry me – not too much, anyway. The soldiers are likely to face far worse than we would, Miss Pips.’
‘I’m thinking of asking William if he’d like to go with us. Dr Hazelwood needs all sorts of helpers. Maybe William could be a stretcher bearer, because it’s highly likely that I’m going to be asked to drive an ambulance. That way he could stay with us.’
‘I can’t answer for him, miss, but you can certainly ask him.’
‘I’ll go this minute . . .’ And like the whirlwind she was, Pips ran from the room and down the stairs leaving Alice smiling and shaking her head fondly over her young mistress’s impetuosity.
Pips found Jake cleaning out Midnight’s stable. She paused briefly to pat the horse’s head. ‘No gallop today, old feller. I have work to do.’ The horse harrumphed his understanding.
‘Jake, is William around?’
‘He’s still in bed, miss. I didn’t like to wake him. He’s still suffering from what happened to him.’ He looked anxious for a moment. ‘But I’ll get him up if—’
‘No, no, let him rest. He obviously needs it. But when he does get up, please tell him I’d like a word.’
Pips returned indoors. She could hardly wait until the weekend to find out if Robert and Giles would go too, but she intended to join Dr Hazelwood’s venture anyway. She had Alice’s promise that she would go with her, so now there was nothing standing in her way.
Later that morning, word came from the kitchen that William was waiting at the back door to speak to Pips. She went down immediately.
‘Come into the kitchen,’ she said.
‘I’ll stay out here, miss, if it’s all the same to you. I’m not sure what the others—’
‘Nonsense, William, come in. Cook, please will you make us a cup of tea? Here, sit down at the table, William.’
As the young man moved hesitantly inside, Pips glanced at the members of staff and was relieved to see that, taking their lead from Mr Wainwright, they were all smiling a welcome at William.
As they sat down at one corner of the table, Pips once more explained swiftly about Dr Hazelwood’s idea. ‘I intend to join him and I shall offer to drive an ambulance. Alice has agreed to go with me and I wondered if you would come too. It’s a private venture, so there’s nothing military about it. I don’t think we’ll even carry weapons, though we’ll probably have to go into the danger zones to pick up wounded, but I understand that Dr Hazelwood has cleared it with the authorities that we’ll all be allowed to wear white arm bands with a red cross, so it will be obvious to everyone what we’re doing. It’ll not be easy. We’ll be working in all sorts of difficult conditions; rain, snow – whatever the weather – and there will be some dreadful sights and awful wounds to dress. To say nothing of the hard physical work of carrying heavy stretchers for hours.’ She smiled and her glance roamed over his tall frame and his muscular shoulders. ‘But if anyone can do that, William, you can. What do you say? You’d be doing something very worthwhile.’
He stared at her. ‘I’m not afraid of the danger, miss. I just don’t want to kill folk. Yes, of course I’ll come.’
Of course he’d go, he thought. He’d follow Miss Pips to the end of the world and into whatever hell she chose to go.
‘Good,’ Pips said briskly. ‘Do you want to go home and tell your parents?’
William shook his head vehemently. ‘I aren’t ever going home again.’
‘In that case, I shall take great pleasure in telling them.’
In the late afternoon, just before dinner, Pips walked into the village. The blacksmith’s workshop was silent and Len was just closing up the wheelwright’s.
‘May I have a word with you and the rest of your family, Mr Dawson?’
His eyes narrowed as he regarded her warily, but then he shrugged, walked the short distance to his home with her and ushered her inside.
‘Miss Maitland has something to say to us,’ he said bluntly and, by the use of her formal name instead of the usual ‘Miss Pips’, she knew she was unwelcome in their home. The family were all gathered in the kitchen, waiting for their evening meal to be served.
‘This is not to seek your permission, but just to inform you. I am joining a private flying ambulance corps which is being formed in London to go out to the war front. Alice is coming with me – and so is William.’
Norah turned from the range. ‘I won’t let Alice go. Len, you have to stop her.’
Her husband shrugged. ‘She’s twenty-one, Norah. I couldn’t prevent her going even if I wanted to – and I’m not sure I do.’
Norah gasped and turned white. She reached for the nearest chair and sat down as Len added, ‘The only person I can – and will – stop, is Boy.’
Harold said nothing. But behind his eyes, Pips thought she could see a mutinous and calculating look. He’ll go, she thought, he’ll keep volunteering until they take him and there won’t be anything Len can do about it. But she kept her thoughts to herself. Instead she said quietly, ‘And William?’
Len glared at her. ‘I’ve told you ’afore, he’s nowt to do with us. I don’t care what he does.’
In her chair by the fire, Ma lowered her head.
‘Very well.’ Pips turned and left the house.