13

‘Mrs Neville, where have you been? I thought you’d perished and put the child in danger.’

‘Hello, Councillor Mould. I’ve been out for lunch, and “the child” was with me. Would you like to come in?’ Flora asked as she squeezed past the red-faced woman and put the key in the door. ‘Perhaps you could make yourself useful and bounce the pram up the steps, please?’

‘Well, I don’t think . . .’ the councillor blustered as Marina and Annabelle took charge of the pram and Lady Diana carried the sleeping child in her arms.

‘We’re home, Lily. Stick the kettle on,’ Flora called towards the kitchen, while they removed their coats and shoes and found the right slippers to slip their cold feet into. ‘Come on, everyone, let’s go and have some tea and toast,’ she said, ushering the children ahead of her. ‘You’d best follow me,’ she added to the councillor, who was standing in the middle of the hall, not sure what to do with herself.

‘I’ll bring a tray in, shall I?’ Lady Diana said, with a wink that only Flora noticed.

‘That would be delightful, Diana, thank you,’ she replied as she headed into the small reception room, closing the curtains against the late afternoon gloom and turning on a lamp that stood on an occasional table in a corner. ‘Please take a seat,’ she said formally to their visitor.

‘Are we all sitting in here?’ a voice asked from the doorway. ‘It’s a bit on the cold side. Shall I light the fire?’

‘Ah, Miss Tibbs, I think you would be cosier down in the kitchen, don’t you?’ Flora smiled at the elderly lady, who was growing more confused by the day.

‘I’ll just light this fire,’ Miss Tibbs said, going to the where the fireplace was surrounded by a grand oak surround and reaching for a box of matches. ‘Oh dear, the kindling is rather damp. Let me see . . .’ she said, looking around until she spotted a piece of paper tucked behind an ornament on the mantelpiece. ‘This’ll do.’ She folded the paper several times until it resembled a taper, and slowly bent until she was close to the fireplace. Striking a match, she lit the end of the taper and poked it into the fire, gently blowing on the small flame until it ignited the rolled-up newspaper underneath the kindling. ‘That’ll do it,’ she said, rubbing her hands together. ‘I’ve always been able to make a good fire. Anyone will tell you that,’ she announced to no one in particular before disappearing in the direction of the kitchen.

‘Mrs Neville, I do wonder if some of the inhabitants of this establishment should really be living here. Perhaps arrangements should be made . . .’

‘To put her in the workhouse? While you’re at it, you can place our Daisy in a children’s home. Oh, and perhaps we could stick our Lily in the asylum, as that’s where they used to put unmarried mothers, wasn’t it?’

‘Really, Mrs Neville, there’s no need to be so hostile. Anyone will tell you I’m always on the side of the unfortunate people in this town, and you seem to have a few living under your roof. I came here today in good faith to inform you that I have found a family willing to take on Daisy and give her a good home. These people are Christians and feel it is their duty to care for a child who has lost everything due to the war.’

‘Daisy is settled here, and we are happy to have her as part of the family. We all love her,’ Flora said in an even tone. ‘I couldn’t love her more if I’d given birth to her myself.’

Councillor Mould looked down her nose and sniffed. ‘There’s no need for that kind of talk,’ she said. ‘I came here to tell you the good news. You should be grateful you have one less mouth to feed. It can’t be easy running a boarding house with the kind of people who you take in.’

Flora held her breath for a moment. She was all for grabbing the woman and throwing her into the street – but that would not help her to keep Daisy, and that was what mattered right now. ‘Councillor Mould, every person in this guesthouse pays the going rate and on time. I never have cause to complain about anyone under my roof.’

‘I beg to differ, and this is the reason I’m against the child staying with you. Unmarried mothers, for a start, do not set a good example.’

Flora frowned. ‘I’d like to know what you are up to. Pray explain,’ she said, doing her utmost to protect Lily, who she knew to be a perfectly lovely young woman.

‘For a start, there is Miss Lily Douglas, carrying on with a fellow employee at the Margate teashop.’

‘Lily is not carrying on, and if you snoop . . . if you investigate a little more, you will find that Mr White is no longer in the employ of Joe Lyons. Also,’ Flora continued as the councillor opened her mouth to speak, ‘Lily does not live here. She owns a third of that delightful cottage on the road to Margate. You may know it – Captain’s Cottage? I did my Christian duty and cared for the girl for a while when she came out of hospital. Any decent person would have done the same. I’m sure you would, too, under the circumstances,’ she finished, raising her eyebrows and giving the councillor a hard stare. ‘Oh, good – it sounds like tea is here.’ She rose to open the door, trying not to look surprised when Diana entered carrying a laden tray and wearing a pinny.

‘Here we are, my dear. I hope you don’t mind, but I brought along a cup and saucer for myself.’ She didn’t wait for an answer, but sat down beside the councillor. ‘Now, what were you chatting about?’ she asked.

‘Councillor Mould was informing me that Sea View is not the right place to bring up a child, and that she has found a Christian couple to take Daisy in,’ Flora said, wondering what Lady D was up to. ‘She feels the women living under this roof are not the right type of people to have near a child.’

‘I agree, in a way,’ Lady Diana smiled sweetly. ‘One never knows who will turn up on the doorstep. Why, look at me. I was taken in along with my motherless grandchildren at a moment’s notice. Who in their right mind would do such a thing? I pay my way, of course,’ she said, smoothing out the pinny. ‘Thankfully that dreadful Cardew man has gone. Who’d have thought a man like him would be a spy? But then, you knew him, didn’t you, Councillor?’

Flora and the councillor gasped at the same time.

‘Yes, Flora dear. It seems Mr Cardew is a cousin of the councillor’s dear husband.’

Councillor Mould opened and closed her mouth like a goldfish. ‘How did you . . . Who told . . . I deny it all!’ she exclaimed, once she could catch her breath.

‘Calm down, my dear, and drink your tea,’ Diana said as she poured out the tea and passed a cup to Flora and her guest. ‘I talk to people. It’s one of my failings, I’m afraid. My husband says I can get information out of people as easily as a winkle out of a shell. I like to think it’s a compliment, don’t you? Would you like a biscuit? We brought them back from the teashop today. We paid for them, as well,’ she added with a sly wink.

‘Mrs Neville, I came here to speak to you, not your staff,’ the councillor said as she stirred her tea. ‘Perhaps you could dismiss her. I’m sure there must be cleaning to be done in an establishment like this.’

‘Oh, Diana is not staff, she’s almost family. Her son will soon be marrying my daughter,’ Flora said proudly. ‘They’ve just named the day. We are looking forward to a Christmas wedding, aren’t we, Diana?’

‘We are, and I’ll be mighty glad to hand over those two children to Rose to bring up. I supposed they will be adding to the brood before too long. As long as I don’t get called upon to care for them. I’m not really what you’d call the maternal type. I hear you aren’t either, Councillor?’

‘Whatever do you mean? I sit on many committees concerning children’s welfare,’ she replied, looking down her nose at Diana.

‘But never had any yourself, ducks?’

Flora knew that when Lady Diana put on her fake cockney voice, she was trying to wind someone up. Yes, she was up to something, all right. This could be interesting, she thought, as she sat back in her seat ready to observe Diana in action.

The councillor put her cup down upon a side table and took a handkerchief from her handbag. Delicately dabbing at her nose, she put on the air of a wounded animal. ‘My husband and I were never blessed,’ she sniffed. ‘That is why I do my best for all the unfortunate youngsters in this town.’

‘Was it because of something that happened to you before you married?’ Diana said, dropping the cockney accent as quickly as she’d put it on, and instead using her plummy voice. She leant forward and smiled. ‘Pray tell us about the days while you were climbing the social ladder and had to visit one of those people who give women like you a helping hand. I hear the father of the child you got rid of was married? A man of some influence in this county, so the rumours go.’

The councillor sprang to her feet, knocking the side table over as she did so; one of Flora’s best teacups shattered as it hit the nearby hearth. ‘How dare someone who is no more than a skivvy tell such lies about my past? I have a reputation to uphold, and I’ll see you are never accepted in social circles in this town – not that anyone would invite you into their home,’ she snarled at Diana. ‘I came for the paperwork. I take it you have signed to say you accept us taking the child?’ she asked, turning to Flora.

‘I placed it on the mantelpiece,’ Flora said, and they all looked to where Miss Tibbs had taken a piece of paper to light the fire.

Councillor Mould’s mouth dropped open as she realized that she’d watched the paperwork turn to ashes in the fireplace.

Flora too got to her feet. ‘Before you leave, Councillor, I feel it would be rude of me not to formally introduce you to my guest.’

‘I have no wish to meet your common friends,’ the councillor sniffed as she tried to walk past Flora. ‘Please allow me to pass.’

Ignoring the woman’s request, Flora held her hand out towards Diana. ‘May I introduce you to Lady Diana McDouglas.’ She smiled. As she would later tell anyone who would listen, Flora would remember the look on Councillor Mould’s face as long as she lived. She’d also remember the great weight that lifted from her shoulders.

‘Let me see you to the door, ducks,’ Diana said as she took the woman by the arm and assisted her outside.

Flora sank back into her armchair and finished her tea. In a moment, she’d have to clear up the mess made by the shattered cup and saucer. But for now, she intended to enjoy the feeling of happiness that was sweeping through her body.

Joyce hurried towards the spot where the brick wall had collapsed onto Rose. The elderly man who had joined them followed more cautiously.

‘Can’t you do something?’ she screamed to Gerald, who was watching rather than moving a finger. As she approached them, she overheard Eileen say, ‘This is a gift we didn’t expect. We just need to know . . .’ Joyce shook her head – perhaps she’d heard wrong, in her panic to help Rose. ‘Come on! We have to get Rose free of the rubble. Can you see where she was?’

Gerald seemed reluctant to help, and stayed rooted to the spot. ‘A brick must have hit me. I feel dizzy,’ he said, clutching his head.

‘Here, let me help you, my dear,’ Eileen said as she led him away from the pile of rubble, fussing over him as she did so.

‘Please – you’ve got to help me find Rose,’ Joyce implored. ‘Can you see where she was standing when it happened?’

‘Down there somewhere,’ Eileen said, pointing vaguely. ‘It all happened far too quickly for me to notice. I was more concerned for my own safety.’

‘No, it’s more that way,’ the old man said breathlessly. ‘You there – you go and call some of those men from down the street to help. Don’t just stand there, hurry – or it may be too late,’ he shouted at Eileen, before turning to Gerald. ‘If you are injured, keep out of the way – you’re no use to man nor beast right now,’ he barked. ‘Do you think you can help me until others arrive, Miss?’ he asked Joyce, who was grateful that someone was here who intended to help Rose.

‘Whatever you tell me, I’ll do,’ she said.

‘What’s the lady’s name?’

‘Rose Neville. Why do you want to know?’

‘So I know what to call out as we look for her. Now, my feeling is she was standing around the middle part of the wall, where it butted against the side of that house. We will start there. Pick your steps carefully, over the graves or grass rather than rubble, in case your friend is underneath. Do you understand?’

Joyce swallowed and nodded. ‘Yes, I can do that. Do you think she’s dead? There’s so much fallen,’ she said, looking at the bricks from the wall and the rubble and timber from the derelict house.

‘While there’s life there’s hope,’ he said, as he led the way to where he wanted to start the search.

But is there life? Joyce asked herself. What if Rose was dead? How would Flora cope without her daughter, and Ben . . . what about Ben? She shook her thoughts aside as she picked up bricks and pieces of wood and started to move them to one side. A few more people were approaching to help.

‘Stick it over there,’ the man shouted. ‘It’ll give us all room to work.’

‘But the graves . . .?’ Joyce shuddered.

‘The dead won’t be bothered. And if we don’t act quick, there could be another one to bury before too long.’

So he does believe Rose has been killed, Joyce thought miserably. Then, as if a great strength washed over her, she set to. She’d be damned if she was going to let Rose die. This bloody war had done enough to destroy families; it wasn’t going to destroy the group of friends – who were more like a family – that she’d come to know and love since she and Pearl arrived at Sea View. Everyone had welcome them with open arms, and now it was time she repaid their kindness by helping to find Rose.

‘Step back a bit, Miss,’ said a tall man with strong, broad shoulders as, along with three others, he joined the search.

‘Stop!’ someone shouted, and they all stood still.

‘Rose, can you hear us? Rose?’ they started to shout, until the same man raised his hand for silence. ‘Carry on,’ he called to the men.

Joyce stepped over to where Eileen had joined Gerald. ‘Are you sure you can’t remember where she was standing?’

‘No, it’s all a blur. I think I’m in shock,’ Eileen replied. ‘Gerald isn’t well. I feel I should take him back to our hotel. I couldn’t bear to see my half-sister’s body pulled from the rubble.’

Gerald put his arm over his wife’s shoulder and leant heavily on her small frame. His face held the look of someone attending a funeral.

‘Please let us know the outcome,’ Eileen said before the couple walked away.

‘Well, I never,’ Joyce said out loud to herself. ‘There’s something not right there.’ She shuddered as she hurried back to help look for Rose. Anyone in their right mind would hang about to help. Especially if they were long-lost family. ‘It’s all very strange,’ she muttered as she started to take bricks from a man in front of her and pass them to someone further back, efficiently clearing a space. This meant that the man who had taken charge could get closer to where they thought Rose was buried.

‘Quiet, everyone,’ the man called out as yet again they stopped and listened. ‘Rose?’ he shouted. ‘Can you hear us, Rose?’ He raised his hand for silence before shouting, ‘Over here – I swear I heard something.’

The men, along with Joyce, worked with renewed vigour until they reached a large marble headstone. ‘Is that you, Rose?’ the lead man called. They all cheered as a muffled voice could be heard in reply. ‘Don’t move, Rose. We’ll have you out as soon as we possibly can. You are in a dangerous position at the moment, so we want you to remain calm until we make the area safer.’

More people had arrived by now, and a woman took Joyce’s arm and led her away. ‘You’ve done a grand job, love, but let the men take over now. It’s best you don’t see your friend until they know she’s all right.’

Joyce suddenly felt her legs give way beneath her and stumbled against the woman, who helped her over to where she could sit down on a relatively undamaged bench.

‘Here, take a few deep breaths; it’s been a big shock to you. Let’s get you a drink,’ the woman said kindly, as someone passed a cup of water. ‘I bet you could drink something stronger, eh?’

‘I’m not one for drinking. I could kill a cup of tea, though,’ Joyce said as she sipped the water gratefully. ‘Rose – my friend who is buried – is manageress of Lyons teashop in Margate. She’s going to be married at Christmas,’ she said, before collapsing against the woman and sobbing. ‘Why do these things happen to the sweetest people?’

‘Don’t fret, love. My Alf will have her out of there. He’s done a fair bit of rescue work, what with being one of our ARP wardens. Your friend is in safe hands,’ the woman said, patting Joyce’s back to console her. ‘Here, look – someone’s made you a cuppa. A nice strong one at that.’

‘I put a spoonful of sugar in it for you,’ the woman carrying the mug of tea said.

‘You shouldn’t have done that, but thank you,’ Joyce said. ‘I’ll pay you back.’

‘Don’t talk so soft. You’d do the same for any of us if the boot was on the other foot.’

Joyce nodded. She knew she’d do just that. ‘You said your husband’s in the ARP?’ she asked Alf’s wife. ‘I wonder if he knows Rose’s mum. Her name is Flora Neville, and she owns Sea View guesthouse down near the harbour.’

‘I should say he does. I do, too. It’s a close community here in Ramsgate.’

‘Do you think someone could put a call through to her; that’s if the lines aren’t down? Flora should be home by now. If not, someone will be there. She should know.’

‘The overhead cables are down, but I’ll get our Cyril to shoot down there on his bike. It’ll only take a few minutes.’

‘Please tell him to say that I’m here – my name is Joyce,’ Joyce added, as she started to shiver.

‘Here, love, let me put this blanket round you or you’ll catch a chill.’ The woman took a blanket that had seen better days and draped it over Joyce’s shoulders. ‘It’s not much to look at, but it’s clean and that’s the main thing. Would you like to come and sit in my house while they get your friend out?’

‘I’d rather stay here, if you don’t mind. Rose will want to see a familiar face when she’s pulled out. I hope she’s not too frightened.’

The women standing around Joyce exchanged glances that conveyed their fear of how badly injured Rose might be, but Joyce missed the look that passed between them. As she sipped the hot tea, she watched the men carefully continuing to peel back the debris. They were talking out loud to Rose, although Joyce could not hear any response.

‘Bugger me,’ one of the women beside Joyce said as she looked towards the horizon. ‘Get the kids down the shelter, and make it quick. Why hasn’t the air-raid siren gone off?’

‘Those are Messerschmitts, and dozens of ’em,’ called out one of the children hanging around the entrance to the cemetery. ‘Look – our lot are attacking them.’

Joyce tore her eyes from the rescue to see that the children were right. ‘But if they start bombing us, Rose could be killed,’ she cried out. ‘What shall we do?’

‘Don’t fret, love. We’ve seen worse, and our menfolk are working flat out to rescue Rose. Look, here comes a fire engine, so we’ve got extra pairs of helping hands.’ She didn’t add that there was also an ambulance coming up the road behind it.

The women gazed in wonder as the RAF fought off the Messerschmitts, the Spitfires weaving around the German planes and picking out several that went spiralling out of sight over the sea, leaving smoke trails in their wake. Each time, there was a cheer from the crowd of residents who had all come out of their shelters to watch. Joyce shuddered as one plane came low over the town, trailing black smoke with its engine spluttering, before crashing further inland.

As the crowds cheered again, Joyce said, ‘That was someone’s son.’

‘And there are other women’s sons up there defending our country,’ someone added in a sad voice. ‘It’s a cruel war.’

‘Look, someone’s bailed out,’ a man shouted, pointing to where a parachute could be seen floating down towards the harbour.

Joyce thought of Anya’s husband Henio, one of many brave Polish pilots who had escaped and come to England to continue fighting with the RAF. He could be up there now, defending them. Then she remembered Anya mentioning that he had gone to another airfield over the other side of Kent. She must remember to ask how he was when next they spoke. Anya wouldn’t say much – she most likely didn’t know much, as Henio wouldn’t say. But at least she could let Anya know she was thinking of her husband, and was grateful for what he was doing.

‘Some of the bombers are dropping their loads,’ a woman screeched, just as the air-raid warning started to wail.

‘I’m staying here,’ Joyce said firmly, as someone tried to help her to her feet. ‘Rose needs to know I’m close by. Besides, Flora will be here soon, so I need to look out for her.’

‘I’ll stay with her,’ an older woman said. ‘The rest of you, get yourselves down into the shelter. We will be fine. To me it looks as though the fight is over the sea, but you never know. We can shelter against the wall of this house.’ She nodded to an empty property at the side of the cemetery.

Joyce agreed. From that spot she could see how the rescue was going, and also the road from where Flora would appear. ‘I just pray Rose can be saved before something awful happens,’ she whispered, looking skyward.

‘Oh my goodness, you pulled a blinder there, Diana,’ Flora exclaimed as she sank into the one armchair in the kitchen usually occupied by Miss Tibbs. ‘I’m not so sure she will take the comments about her former life without fighting back. Whatever made you make them up?’

‘My dear, they were not made up at all. When I take my constitutional each day, I pop in to chat with people who will know these things. There’s the ex-mayor who runs a newsagent shop, who loves a little chat if the shop is empty. Then there’s a retired policeman who sits on the same bench each day and seems rather lovely. The man who I use when I need a taxi-cab is rather chatty too. He knows a lot about the councillor’s husband having ripped off people who use his motor services . . .’

‘You mean it’s all true?’

‘Every single word, my dear. However, if she were to challenge me in court I’d have a problem, as I couldn’t prove a word of what I’ve said. I promised the people I spoke to that what they told me would be kept between us.’

‘I’ll not say a word,’ Flora promised.

‘Feel free to tell anyone you wish here at Sea View,’ Diana grinned. ‘Just tell them not to gossip outside the house. I’d hate our friends to get into trouble. She wouldn’t dare question me, as she’s in awe of my title. People like her are easily impressed. That’s why I do not include her ilk as my friends.’

Flora shook her head in amazement. ‘Well, I know I’m impressed, but I must say I’d not like to cross you. You are a good friend, Diana Desmond. Thank you.’

‘Oh for those days when life was less complicated, and the only people I fell out with were my three sisters,’ Diana sighed.

‘You must miss them.’

‘It’s complicated. As you know, one is in Canada, and I do see her at least once a year. The years fall away, and we are young once more. Rather like when you and I start to chat about the old days when we danced for our living. I miss my other sister terribly since she passed away, and of course Doris vanished from our lives when she fell in with a bad crowd. Perhaps I’ve been unlucky with my family. But there was a short time when we were close. However, I’m happy with my lot and couldn’t be prouder of my husband, children and grandchildren, as well as my friends; I’m a very lucky woman.’

‘I must say I feel the same, although my family is made up more of friends. And much of that is thanks to living here at Sea View.’

‘But Eileen is a relative, being Rose’s half-sister, isn’t she?’

‘Not a blood relative for me, but I’ll accept her with open arms once I get to know her better.’

‘Hmm, yes, I know what you mean. There’s something about her . . . but I don’t know that I can put my finger on it. I feel as though I’ve seen her somewhere. Gerald seemed to recognize me, too. Oh well, it’ll come to me in time. Now, why don’t we look at our plans for this concert? Christmas is creeping up so quickly, and I do want to have everything just perfect for the day.’

Flora moved to sit at the table beside Diana so she could look at the detailed notes her friend had made. ‘I’m extremely impressed.’

‘It’s amazing what one can obtain with a visiting card, especially while wearing one’s best mink. You should try it some time.’

‘If I had a mink coat, I’d be wearing it down the tunnels during the air raids to keep me warm. I’m not sure anyone would be fooled by Flora Neville and a posh coat, although I may just send you queueing for our rations if you keep obtaining such results.’

‘Any time, my dear. In fact, I can take on that daily task for you. I feel quite useless at times, when you are all so busy. I’ll take Miss Tibbs with me for guidance around the town. She knows her way better than I do.’

Flora was horrified. ‘No, I can’t ask you to do that. You are a guest here and pay for your board.’

Diana raised her hand and stopped Flora before she could say any more. ‘I’ve decided, and I’ll not listen to another word. You make a list and I’ll get cracking. Perhaps when that young girl Jennie isn’t working, I can get her involved in helping with some of the housework. She’s more than fit since her illness passed, and seems to have been adopted by Miss Tibbs.’

‘I’m not sure she will be staying that long. I can’t expect Miss Tibbs to keep sharing a room with her. It was only supposed to be temporary while she needed caring for during the night.’

Diana thought for a moment. ‘Anya has a larger room. Would she share, do you think?’

‘I share with no one,’ an indignant voice boomed from the doorway. ‘If you insist, I shall leave at once. I will follow to wherever my Henio has gone to.’

Flora groaned to herself. ‘Anya, dear, please don’t upset yourself. We would not think of you leaving us. Don’t even say such things. Come and sit down and tell us what is wrong. You look exhausted.’

‘I didn’t mean to offend. Please accept my apologies,’ Diana said.

‘There is no need. I am just a little grumpy and upset. I hear today that my Henio is missing.’

‘Oh, my dear,’ Flora said leaping to her feet to take Anya’s arm and lead her to a seat. ‘How did you hear? I didn’t know there’d been a visitor from the RAF.’

‘That nice pilot friend of Lily’s who fell into her apple tree. He told me when he came to the teashop.’

‘That doesn’t sound right to me,’ Lady Diana said with a frown. ‘News like that would normally be delivered by an officer or a special letter. They would not leave it for someone to tell you in a teashop.’

A bleak look crossed Anya’s face. ‘I lose him once and come to England. I find him and we are happy. Although he is on duty saving the English, I see him from time to time, so it feels like we are still the married couple. Then he is sent from Manston to this Biggin place, and I lose him again. He didn’t even say goodbye.’

It was Flora’s turn to feel confused. ‘Anya dear, are you saying Henio is lost in action or are you saying he has moved from Manston to another airfield? I know we are not supposed to talk about such things, but you do need to know if he has . . . if he has . . .’

‘Popped his clogs?’ Anya said, shrugging her shoulders as she used words she’d picked up from working in the teashop.

‘I’ll make the tea,’ Lady Diana said. ‘She looks chilled to the bone.’

Flora took Anya’s cold hands and rubbed them in her own. ‘We need to warm you up. I don’t know if it is shock or the nasty weather. Diana, would you be a dear and put a shovel of coal into the stove? Perhaps that hot water should be for a hot-water bottle. There are a couple under the sink. Do you mind?’

‘Not at all. I told you, I want to pull my weight more, so how better than to warm up our Anya?’ Diana said, getting onto her hands and knees to rummage behind a curtain under the sink and pulling out a stone bottle. ‘This will have you warm in no time,’ she said, wiping off the dust and placing it onto the draining board ready for when the kettle boiled. ‘I’ll just be a minute.’ She hurried from the kitchen.

‘I do not wish to be any trouble to you,’ Anya said quietly.

‘Anya, you are never any trouble to me. In the time you have been here, you have become a dear friend. I don’t know what I would do without you here at Sea View.’

‘What if it was me and a little one?’ Anya suggested.

‘You mean . . .’

‘Yes, I am with child. Henio doesn’t know. It was my wish to surprise him and we would share the joy together. Now, I do not know how we will cope. Flora Neville, you know what it is like not to have a husband around when you have a child. Tell me how it is I will cope?’

Flora was still trying to choose the right words to say to Anya, when Lady Diana hurried back in with her mink coat. She draped it round the woman’s shoulders. ‘This’ll keep you warm, my dear.’

‘It is beautiful,’ Anya murmured as she ran her hands down the sleeves. ‘I had furs when I lived in Poland,’ she said, ‘but that was a different time. I must forget that life and think of my Henio.’

‘And your baby,’ Flora insisted as she went to help Diana with the tea.

‘A baby? Oh, that is something to rejoice about.’ Diana beamed as she poured hot water into the stone bottle and screwed the stopper as tight as she could. Wrapping it in a tea towel, she placed it on Anya’s lap.

‘With no husband?’ Anya said scathingly, sounding more like her old self.

‘Perhaps we should wait for official news of what has happened to Henio?’ Flora said as she straightened the tablecloth before carrying the tea tray over and sitting down.

Diana followed with the cake tin. ‘That is a good idea. I feel a small slice of cake lifts one’s spirits, don’t you? I must do some baking,’ she sighed as she looked inside at the remains of a seed cake.

‘Anya, would you mind very much letting us both know exactly what you were told about Henio? Perhaps between us, we can make sense of it?’

‘There is little to tell. This Peter said that he understood that my husband was a pilot, just as he was. I told him that my husband knew better than to lose an airplane and fall from the sky into a tree. My husband is a good pilot who came here to fight Hitler.’

Flora did her utmost not to smile at the way Anya spoke. She could be outspoken and, not having a complete grasp of the language, could come across as blunt and sometimes rude. ‘What did he say to that?’

‘Would you believe he laughed?’ Anya huffed. ‘He told me that many pilots landed in the drink, and he’d seen my Henio do just that only recently. I asked if he had seen him since, and he said that he hadn’t,’ she finished, looking at Flora through unshed tears.

‘I reckon you got the wrong end of the stick,’ Flora said, looking to Diana for support.

‘Flora could be right. Why weep just yet, when we don’t know for sure what has happened to your husband? I know just the person who could look into this for you,’ she smiled. ‘Let me make a telephone call to my daughter. Why have family working in the War Office when one can’t make use of them from time to time?’

‘Thank you, but I do not think you should be making use of this War Office place for such things. Your daughter has her work to do and will not know about my husband. I did make the telephone call to the airfield, but no one would speak to me.’

‘Anya’s right, Diana. You may get her in trouble,’ Flora said, looking worried. ‘Besides, someone untrustworthy may overhear that a pilot is missing, and it will get back to the enemy. Why, anything could happen. Only the other week we watched one of those short information films at the cinema where a waitress overheard a sailor talking to his lady friend about his ship leaving port. Before you knew it, word had got to the enemy and the ship was torpedoed and the sailor perished – careless talk costs lives.’

‘Stuff and nonsense. My daughter works for someone who can ask a colleague to make enquiries. As long as we don’t talk to waitresses, we will be all right,’ Diana said, dismissing Flora’s words.

‘It is rather hard to do when I work for Joe Lyons and talk to waitresses many times each day,’ Anya said seriously before a rare smile appeared and she started to laugh. ‘Please speak to Ruth, but do not cause her any trouble. Me, I intend to visit this place called Biggin and enquire as to what has happened to my husband. They may not wish to speak on the telephone, but they cannot ignore me when we are face to face.’

‘That might not be a bad idea,’ Diana said, nodding thoughtfully. ‘I’ll speak to Ruth, and she can tell me who we know socially who is based at Biggin Hill. There may be an unofficial way to find out what has happened to your husband.’

‘Oh, for goodness’ sake. I can’t believe what I am hearing,’ Flora said. ‘Do you honestly think you will be able to walk into an airfield and ask after someone?’

‘I have faith in Lady Diana,’ Anya said. ‘What else is there, if I don’t have faith?’

‘In that case, I’ll accompany you to make sure you aren’t arrested and locked in the Tower of London,’ Flora huffed. ‘Please don’t go dashing off until we’ve made plans. As if I don’t have enough on my plate right now. I shall have to make a list – then the children will need caring for. I wonder if Joyce and Miss Tibbs will look after them . . .? I take it this will be a day trip?’

‘It depends if we are locked up in the Tower you speak of,’ Anya said, biting into a slice of cake. ‘This cake is stale.’

‘That sounds like Joyce coming in,’ Flora said as they heard the front door open, followed by voices in the hall. ‘She must have brought Rose back with her. I wonder what I can give them for their tea?’ She got to her feet and hurried to the stone pantry to check provisions.

‘Flora, are you home?’ Mildred shouted ahead before she rushed into the kitchen.

‘Gosh, whatever’s wrong? You look all a-fluster, my dear. Have you had a busy day out on your fishing boat?’ Lady Diana said, noticing her red face. ‘Are you feeling unwell?’

Mildred ignored Lady Diana. ‘Flora, I found a young lad out on the street. He’s been looking for you. Come in here, son,’ she shouted towards the hall. ‘We won’t bite you.’

A young boy entered the room, with a dirty face peering out of a balaclava. ‘I ’ave a message for Mrs Neville,’ he said shyly.

‘I’m Mrs Neville,’ Flora said, wiping her hands on her apron. ‘What’s the message? I hope I’ve not been called out for fire-watching. I’ve just done three nights on the trot.’

‘I’ve not been told anything like that,’ the lad said, looking fearful. ‘Me mum said to tell you there’s been an accident up at the cemetery. Someone called Rose is trapped and it doesn’t sound good. There’s a ton of bricks on top of her,’ he added, getting engrossed in his story. ‘There’s a fire engine and lots of people ’elping.’

‘Oh no,’ Flora said, reaching to hold onto the back of Anya’s chair. ‘I must get to Rose right now,’ she said, looking round, her expression vacant with shock.

Mildred reached into the pocket of her overalls and handed the lad tuppence. ‘That’s for your trouble. Now get yourself back home, and if there’s an air raid, take shelter. You know where to go?’

‘Yes missus, and ta,’ he said, cuffing his nose with the back of his hand. ‘I’m sorry for yer troubles,’ he called to Flora before running out the front door, which remained open.

As Flora tore off her apron and pulled her everyday coat from a hook behind the door, the sound of air-raid sirens could be heard out towards the estuary.

‘I’m surprised they’ve only just sounded off,’ Mildred said. ‘I’ve been watching the dogfights for the past hour while I was coming back into harbour and sorting out my catch. You’d best get yourselves down the tunnels,’ she instructed Lady Diana and Anya. ‘If you take care of Daisy I’ll drive Flora up to the cemetery to see what’s happening.’ She turned away so that Flora couldn’t see the look of consternation on her face.