7

Flora looked at Anya’s stricken face. ‘Have you not told me the complete truth, Anya?’

The Polish woman slowly shook her head. ‘I fear I will be put into prison if anyone should find out,’ she said as her voice started to break, before she put her hands over her face and cried. ‘I just wanted to find my Henio and to know he was alive and safe. I had to get from London to here at any cost.’

Flora went to the woman and put her arms about her. ‘So you hid in a lorry and the man stole most of your possessions; there is nothing wrong with that,’ she said comfortingly.

Anya rubbed the tears from her eyes with her fingers. ‘I did not tell you all. This man, he gave me false papers for travelling. My friend Marta, the person I left Poland with, her family arranged it and told me to be very careful. I had to meet him in London and hand him money. My travel papers are, what you say . . . fake.’

Flora frowned. ‘Are you telling me you are not Anya Polinski? I’ve seen your identity papers, and that is the name on them. I don’t understand. We showed them to the sergeant at the police station and he didn’t say anything. I’m totally confused.’

‘The policeman was a fool. He did not look close.’

Flora had to admit the man had been caught at a busy time; there had been someone else at the station desk reporting his chickens stolen from his garden, and he had caused a great deal of fuss. ‘Can you tell me what is wrong with your identity papers? Is there false information on them?’

‘Not at all. I am Anya Polinski, and I do come from Warsaw. There was no time to apply in the normal manner. Marta’s papa said he knew a man who knew a man, and I had my papers much quicker than others who were waiting. Marta joked and told me the words, wink wink, which I did not understand. It was meeting this strange man in London who used the same words that made me understand something was wrong, and my papers were not right . . . I could be arrested.’

Flora started to chuckle. ‘My dear, I don’t think you have to worry. It seems to me that your friend’s papa simply greased a few palms – I mean, he paid someone to hurry up with your identity paperwork. They are not fake or illegal.’

The two women were still laughing when Rose joined them.

‘Hello, love, did you have a nice evening? I thought you might have brought your friend in for a cup of cocoa,’ Flora said.

‘He had to get off,’ Rose said, looking distracted. For all their closeness, she had no idea where Ben was staying. Their goodbyes on the doorstep had been hurried due to the thought that someone may be watching at the attic window. A polite kiss goodnight and a whispered confirmation to meet the day after tomorrow in London was all they’d had time for.

‘Oh my, I complete forgot to tell Anya about the Sally job,’ Flora said, clapping her hand to her mouth. ‘My goodness, I’d forget my head if it was loose.’

Anya shook her head in despair. ‘Do not forget, I am foreigner. You are talking rubbish – and who is Sally, and what is wrong with your head?’

Rose giggled. ‘I’m making cocoa. You can explain all of that, Mum.’

Flora gently explained that she had simply meant she was forgetful.

‘Then say you forget, don’t confuse matter,’ Anya scoffed. ‘So who is this Sally?’

‘Sally is the name given to the ladies who sell baked goods at the front counters in the Lyons teashops.’

Anya thought about the proposition and nodded. ‘When do I start?’

‘You will have to have an interview, and then there is the training,’ Rose said as she put a tray of drinks down in front of the women and joined them at the kitchen table.

‘Will I wear the dress with the wrong thread colour?’ Anya asked, looking slightly affronted. ‘I do not like dresses with wrong thread.’

‘You lost me now,’ Flora said with a confused look on her face.

‘It’s the red thread we have to use to sew the white buttons onto our dresses, Mum,’ Rose explained. ‘It’s part of the design of the uniform, Anya,’ she explained. ‘I agree it’s a daft notion, but our bosses made the decision, so who are we to argue?’

‘I would argue,’ Anya said stubbornly.

‘You won’t have to wear the same uniform, so there’s nothing to worry about,’ Rose said with a smile. ‘Your uniform would look much smarter,’ she added, hoping to tempt Anya. ‘Shall I tell Miss Butterworth you would like an interview for the Ramsgate teashop?’

Anya’s face took on a stubborn look. ‘No, I thank you, but I will work with you in Margate. You will be manageress, so you will give me interview.’

‘Then you will have to wait until I return from my own training in London and have started my job as manageress,’ Rose said, wondering if in fact there was a vacancy for a Sally at the Margate teashop.

‘Then I will go to the teashop in Ramsgate and see Miss Butterworth. I need job now, not in future,’ Anya said, finishing her drink and standing up. ‘I will wash cups and lay table for breakfast. You,’ she said nodding at Flora, ‘you will go to your bed now. You work too hard, and will end up in your grave before you are old. Then there will be no more forgetting of your head,’ she said, shooing Flora from the room.

Rose laughed. Anya was like a breath of fresh air at Sea View.

‘As for you,’ Anya continued, taking the cup from Rose’s hand, ‘you go to bed too and dream of the man you like to kiss.’

‘What? How did you know . . .? I mean . . .’ Rose stumbled over her words.

It was Anya’s turn to laugh. ‘Lipstick smudged and your eyes shine brighter than the stars. Off to your bed for happy dreams,’ she commanded.

Anya watched Rose walk out of the kitchen and head towards the stairs. ‘One day the stars will come back to my eyes and there will be much smudging of lipstick,’ she said to herself before making a start on the washing-up.

Lily wriggled her toes and sighed. The bed was warm, and she did her best to snuggle beneath the blankets to avoid a bright light. On losing the battle she peeped above the bedclothes; perhaps she’d left the lights on the night before? No; it was the early morning light, through open curtains that framed a window she didn’t recognize. Rubbing sleep from her eyes, she peered about her. This most certainly was not her bedroom, and no wonder the bed was so comfortable – it was not the narrow, hard bed she slept on at home. Gradually her memory of the night before came back to her, and she blushed in shame. Feeling beneath the sheets, she was mortified to find she was as naked as the day she was born.

‘So you’ve woken then? You’ve missed breakfast. I’ve got to get a move on. I’m due at the Ramsgate teashop at nine, and it’s nearly that now. Hurry up and get dressed; we’ve got to vacate the room by ten. I only paid for the one night.’

Lily was puzzled. ‘I thought this was your room – the one you lived in while you worked down this end of the county?’

Tom laughed. ‘As if I’d take every woman I met back to my lodgings! My landlady would soon let Lyons know I was up to no good. Impressions count in this business if you want to climb the management ladder,’ he said, tightening his tie and taking his hat from the hook behind the door. ‘Thanks for a pleasant night. I’ll see you around.’

Lily burst into tears. ‘What do you take me for? I’m not that kind of girl, I thought you liked me. This is the first time I’ve ever done anything like this,’ she sniffed, wiping her eyes on the back of her hand.

‘You could have fooled me,’ he mocked. ‘I could tell, you know; I’m not daft,’ he added before leaving the room.

Lily fell back onto the pillows and sobbed her heart out. ‘But it was my first time,’ she mumbled. ‘The first time I thought somebody loved me, and the first time I’d agreed to be loved and not had to fight off my awful stepfather.’ She cried silently for some time before falling asleep. A loud knock at the door startled her awake. ‘Who is it?’ she called out.

‘Madam, it’s ten o’clock. I need to come in to clean the room.’

‘I’ll . . . I’ll just be a few minutes,’ she replied, hurrying out of the bed and searching for her clothes strewn around the room. Shoving her stockings into her handbag and pulling on her coat over her dance frock, she didn’t stop to check her make-up or even to run a comb through her hair. Passing the maid on the landing, she did her best to look the other way as the woman tutted and hissed the word ‘prostitute’ at Lily’s back.

Lily fled, looking neither left or right, trying hard not to make eye contact with the staff or other guests as she hurried away from the hotel and towards the teashop. She felt so ashamed of herself, and the maid’s voice rang in her ears. A thought buzzed around in her head as she gave a manic laugh: how could she be a prostitute when money hadn’t changed hands?

‘My goodness, Lily, whatever has happened to you?’ Katie asked as her friend hurried through the teashop into the staff area, indicating that Katie should follow her.

‘Why are you wearing your clothes from last night?’ she asked as she closed the door after them so as not to be seen by others. She looked at her friend’s pale face as Lily pulled open her locker, dragging out items of her uniform, before the penny dropped. ‘Oh no, you never . . . you never stayed out all night . . . with a man?’

‘I can’t explain now. I’m over an hour late, and I must already be in Miss Butterworth’s bad books. Where is she? I expected her to jump on me the moment I walked in the door.’

Katie was worried for her friend, and knew she would have to wait to hear her tell the full story, so there was no point in asking questions now. ‘You are safe. She’s been holed up in her office with Mr Grant and Mr White since nine. Rose is in there too. I overheard Mr Grant say that Rose could do well by learning what happens in these meetings for when she starts her new job. If you hurry and get dressed you may not have been missed – I’ve been covering your workstation this morning. I signed you in as well,’ she grinned.

Lily stopped and quickly gave Katie a kiss on the cheek. For her young friend to have done such thing was brave. ‘Blimey, Katie, you’re becoming a bit of a rebel,’ she said with a weak smile. ‘I’ll repay the favour one day, not that I can see you doing what I did last night, at least not before you and Jack married.’

Katie look shocked. ‘You mean you . . . you never did?’

Lily nodded her head. ‘I’ve already wished I hadn’t. It’s all a big mistake, and not worth losing my job over. You wouldn’t happen to have a pair of stockings in your locker, would you?’ she asked, knowing the ones in the handbag weren’t fit to wear and would soon be in the dustbin.

‘You’re in luck. I did some darning at the weekend and there’s a spare pair washed and ready in case I need to change them at work,’ Katie replied, opening her locker. ‘I hope you don’t mind stockings with the toes stitched up?’

‘Katie, you are a lifesaver. Now, if you could cover for me for another five minutes I’ll be out on the floor and working twice as hard. I owe you the biggest favour going for this.’

‘Knowing you still have a job and will be my bridesmaid in a few weeks’ time is good enough for me,’ her friend smiled.

‘Jack said yes?’ Lily asked, a big grin covering her face.

‘He did, and is very grateful for all you both suggested. He is going to speak to his captain today. I just hope and pray he’s not shipped off overseas before the wedding.’

Lily gave her a quick hug. ‘I’m sure he won’t be,’ she said, holding up her hands to show her crossed fingers. ‘Now, I must finish getting dressed before Miss Butterworth finds us in here, or we will both get the sack.’

Lily was as good as her word and worked like a Trojan, even covering a couple of Katie’s tables when Miss Butterworth wasn’t looking, as questions would have been asked. She turned her back when Tom appeared in the teashop on his way to the front door. It was easy enough to pretend she was busy collecting dirty plates and loading a tray. If she’d seen any form of expression cross his face when he looked at her, she wouldn’t have been accountable for her actions.

‘Where were you this morning?’ Rose asked when she joined the girls for their midday meal.

‘I was late,’ Lily said as she prodded a sausage with her fork. ‘Katie covered for me, so everything is all right. She has news about the wedding,’ she added quickly, just in case Rose was going to ask for more details.

‘I’m going to walk up to the vicarage this evening and ask Reverend Peterson if he will marry Jack and me. I just hope there is time.’

‘I think you can get a special licence,’ Rose said. ‘Didn’t one of the Sallys do that recently?’

‘It was Christine. She’s on duty at the moment. I’ll go back to my workstation early and see if I can catch her eye and ask her about it,’ Lily said. ‘I’m the closest to the counter staff to be able to have a few words without Miss Butterworth telling me off.’

The girls chatted excitedly about the wedding and what the two bridesmaids would wear, until Lily checked the time and headed back to her customers.

‘Rose, do you mind if I ask you something?’ Katie said as Rose started to collect the dirty plates from the table.

‘By all means; is it about the wedding?’

‘No, it’s Lily. I’m so worried about her. She didn’t go home last night – and she was in quite a state when she arrived for work. I had to lend her some stockings. I hate speaking out of school, but she’s so dear to me, as are you; I’d hate anything to go wrong in her life.’

Rose sat down, looking worried. ‘She was out with Tom White last night. If she was with him, why did he come in to work on his own? And so much earlier than her?’

‘I don’t know; she didn’t tell me,’ Katie said.

Rose knew it had taken a lot for innocent Katie to say these few words.

‘I’ll see if I can have a word with her, but as I’m going off to London tomorrow morning, there may not be time. I’ll do my best,’ she promised, seeing the fear in her friend’s eyes. ‘You are not to worry about a thing. Just enjoy organizing your wedding. You must go to Mum for anything that worries you. She’s itching to see me walk up the aisle, so you’re doing me a favour by letting her practise on you,’ Rose laughed. ‘I just wish I didn’t have to go to London for my training at the moment and miss all the fun.’

‘Write to me as soon as you arrive, and I promise to keep in touch to tell you everything. Our main problem will be finding something for you and Lily to wear as my bridesmaids. I do wish we had more time in that respect. I saw a lovely dress pattern that would double as a summer dress once we get some nice weather.’

‘Did you know Miss Tibbs is teaching Anya how to sew? Why not ask if the pair of them would take on the job of making the dresses? Anya is such a lovely lady, and I reckon she would be delighted to get involved with your wedding. Shall I ask her when I get home this evening?’

Katie’s face lit up. ‘Oh, would you? I’d be too embarrassed to ask. I’m sure Anya is very nice, but she frightens me a little. Now she has settled in she seems so confident, and a little forthright with her comments.’

Rose thought Katie was spot on with her impressions of their Polish friend. ‘She fits in very well at Sea View and is a great help to Mum. I’m hoping she decided to have an interview to be a Sally. She would be perfect, especially as Lyons like taller girls to work behind the counters.’

‘If she gets to work here, I’ll help her all I can,’ Katie promised. ‘It’s going to be so sad not seeing you every day once you’re living and working in Margate. So much is changing in our lives,’ she added wistfully.

Rose gave her a quick hug. ‘The changes are going to be so exciting. You will be a married woman and will have a husband to care for, while I’ll just have a teashop to look after,’ she said.

Katie laughed. ‘I don’t know which will be harder work. My Jack can be so untidy at times! His landlady is always telling me how she has to nag him to tidy his room. I hope the navy will teach him a thing or two. Now, this is enough chatting – we must get some work done. Come along, Miss Neville. Do you realize this is your final afternoon working as a Nippy?’

‘Gosh, I’d never given it a thought. I’ll miss wearing this uniform.’

‘Really?’ Katie said in amazement.

‘Haha, I was joking. At long last I won’t be told off for my dress being the wrong length, or having a button missing.’

‘You’ll have to dress extra smart once you are a manageress,’ Katie said as they left the staffroom to head back to their workstations.

‘I’ll be fitted for my manageress outfits while I’m at Orchard House having my training. I’m told I will be able to bring at least one outfit home with me by the end of my training period – rather like we did when we went up to London for our Nippy training.’

Katie shivered. ‘Rather you than me,’ she replied. ‘Do you remember how frightened we were to be in London? We hardly left the hostel unless it was to go to Orchard House for our lessons. I’m not one for London, especially now we’re at war. Why, anything could happen.’

‘It could happen here too, though. There’s no knowing what Adolf will get up to, is there?’

Katie shivered. ‘Let’s talk about something else. Did you hear about the customer who tried to leave without paying this morning? Thankfully that Mr White caught him at the front door.’

Rose smiled, but Katie mentioning Tom White had reminded her about Lily and her escapade last night.

‘Goodnight, Miss Neville. I wish you well with your training,’ Clarice Butterworth said as she held open the door. ‘I will have left by the time you return to Thanet. I hope our paths cross some time in the future,’ she said, holding out her hand for Rose to shake.

Rose heard a slight snigger and knew it would be Lily, who had been helping one of the other Nippies to put up wooden shutters over the windows at the front of the teashop. Although the town had been free from attack so far, the staff at Lyons were ever vigilant. She ignored them and smiled at Miss Butterworth as she shook her hand. ‘I’d like to thank you for recommending me for the position. I hope I can be as good a manageress as you have been.’ Clarice Butterworth nodded and glared past Rose to where Lily stood. ‘Believe me, there was very little choice,’ she said before entering the teashop, closing the door and pulling down the blinds.

‘That put you in your place,’ Lily laughed as she looped her arm through Rose’s and fell into step beside her. They fought their way along the icy pavements down the street towards the harbour, where Rose would turn off to head up Madeira Walk.

‘At least the snow has stopped,’ Rose said. ‘I just hope the trains will be running tomorrow. I don’t fancy standing about at the station waiting to see if there is one heading up to London.’

‘I’d rather have your problem than mine,’ Lily said.

Rose stiffened. Was Lily going to tell her what had happened last night? ‘What problem is that?’ she asked, dreading what the answer would be.

‘Why, waiting on people all day long who only want to come in out of the bad weather and then only order a cup of tea and a bun. Then there will be the people moaning that we don’t have enough baked goods on sale – they have no understanding that if the roads are full of snow, the delivery vans can’t get down here from Cadby Hall with fresh supplies of food. Then of course old Butterworth will have us out the front of the teashop shovelling snow off the pavements. I call that a cheek, and nearly told her so as well. I could hardly feel my fingers to serve my customers after half an hour outside. I swear I have frostbite.’

Rose smiled to herself. Lily had been quick enough to volunteer for clearing the snow when Miss Butterworth had asked the Nippies during their afternoon tea break. It was best to ignore her complaints when she started. ‘Why don’t you come back to Sea View for some dinner? We could chat to Miss Tibbs and Anya about the wedding dress and the possibility of them making our bridesmaid outfits. That’s if you don’t have to get back home for your stepfather?’

‘Blow him. He’s no doubt half cut by now, or off down the pub. Yes, I’d like to come back to your house, thank you,’ she replied, losing some of her sarcastic tone. ‘I don’t always say it, but I’m grateful to you and your mum for looking out for me since Mum died.’

Rose steadied herself as she started to slip, and her grip tightened on Lily’s arm. ‘Phew – that was close. You must miss your mum a lot? I know I would, if it was mine who had passed away. You don’t speak about it much. You know I’m always here to chat if you want to?’

‘Yeah, I miss her, but not in the way you think,’ Lily said slowly as they concentrated on walking up the steep incline of Madeira Walk and watching where to place their feet in the fresh snow that had recently fallen. ‘She always managed to keep George from picking on me. She was a barrier for my safety. Now . . . now things are so different.’

‘He must miss your mum,’ Rose said, trying to pick her words with care. Lily wasn’t one to talk about her feelings.

‘Oh yes, he misses her in many ways,’ she said before stopping to look back down the hill towards the waterfront. ‘Ramsgate looks so different with a layer of snow. It’s as if the town has been cleansed and is hiding all the bad stuff for a while.’

Rose stood close to her friend as Lily gazed out towards the water. She could see a single tear escape from her friend’s eye, but somehow she felt that now wasn’t the place or time to delve into what was bothering Lily.

They quietly turned and made their way further up the steep road.

‘Look, there’s an army lorry in front of your house,’ Lily said, grabbing Rose’s arm in horror. ‘Look at all the soldiers – some have guns! I wonder what’s going on?’

Rose stood transfixed, staring at the scene in front of her. Her gaze was focused on Ben, who was talking to her mum on the doorstep when he should have been in London. Whatever was going on?

‘Such a shame you missed all the excitement, dear,’ Miss Tibbs said as Rose sat by her side in Flora’s sitting room. They all had tea served in her mum’s best cups and saucers. Rose could feel Ben watching her from across the room, which was making her feel just a little flushed. ‘Why, we could all have been murdered in our beds if it wasn’t for Captain Hargreaves. Who would have thought our Mr Cardew was a spy and living one floor above me! Whatever will my friends at the beetle drive say? I hope they don’t think I was involved,’ she twittered on.

‘I’m sure they won’t,’ Rose said, patting her hand. ‘If you’ve finished with your cup, I’ll take it out to the kitchen.’ She headed for the kitchen, grateful for its silence and cooler air. Flora had banked up the fire in the sitting room to the point the windows had been opened. Rose had so many questions flying around in her head; but above all, what was Ben doing drinking tea with her mum when he should be miles away?

‘I’m sorry I couldn’t warn you,’ Ben said as he entered the room. ‘It all happened rather quickly,’ he added, placing a pile of crockery by the sink. ‘I’ll give you a hand with the washing-up.’

Rose tipped hot water from a kettle that had been kept warm on the hob into a large enamel bowl before sprinkling soap flakes. She carefully started to wash the cups and saucers. ‘These were a wedding present to my mum and dad,’ she explained as she placed each one onto the wooden draining board. ‘They only come out on high days and holidays. You should feel honoured.’ She smiled, thinking of her gentle father and how much he would have enjoyed Ben’s company.

‘Your mother is a very gracious lady. When we appeared on her doorstep to take Cardew away she didn’t flap at all, but led us up to his room, and then knocked on the door to say she had bed linen for him. It made it very easy for us to enter and take him into custody.’

‘Is this all because we spotted that glint of light from the attic window last night?’

‘Yes. The local police were able to tell us who lodged in the house, and along with what you’ve said to me, it was thought best to take him into custody.’

Rose felt a little miffed. ‘I didn’t realize that when we were making small talk you were storing up all I’d said in case I was a danger to the security of this country.’

Ben put down the tea towel and took her by the shoulders, turning her to face him. ‘Please don’t ever think such things. I recalled our conversation about your mother’s guests, and it worried me you could have someone dangerous in your midst. My thoughts were always for you. Cardew was in with a dangerous crowd of people who have sympathies with the enemy. God forbid if you or your mother had met with danger . . .’

Time stood still as they looked into each other’s eyes. Rose longed for Ben to kiss her, and she just knew he felt the same way.

Young Pearl Hannigan ran into the kitchen, breaking the spell, and Rose turned back to the washing-up.

‘Rose, Mrs Neville said to put the kettle on again an’ I’m to take in her best biscuit barrel – not the old one she uses every day,’ Pearl added shyly when she spotted Ben. ‘Could we also have a cloth dipped in cold water, as Mildred has a sore hand?’

‘Whatever has she done?’ Rose asked as she reached for a clean cloth kept behind a gingham curtain that covered a shelf below the sink.

‘She thumped Mr Cardew,’ Pearl said with glee. ‘Just like that,’ she added, punching the air like a seasoned boxer.

‘She does pack a punch.’ Ben grinned. ‘He’ll have a right shiner by the morning, which will add to his woes.’

Flora came out to the kitchen, leading a reluctant Mildred by the arm. ‘You deserve everything you got,’ she said sternly, making Mildred sit down at one of the hard wooden chairs set around the table. ‘Why, you could have done serious damage to your hand – how would you have worked then?’

Mildred grinned. ‘It was worth it even if I’d broken a few bones in my hand. Even if he isn’t a spy, I never did like the man, so that punch is worth a little pain. Just to think a spy was in this house makes my blood boil! I had to do something. In fact, I think we should have done something earlier, as we were far too welcoming. You carrying his food to and fro, Miss Tibbs sewing buttons on his shirts, and me . . . well, I was the worst possible person, as I fixed his telescope, and Ben here told me he was using it to watch shipping movements,’ she said, looking shamefaced. ‘That’s why, when he pulled away from the soldiers, I took my chance and thumped him as hard as I could – just in case he was going to make a run for it. I’m glad I did it,’ she added, giving Flora a determined look. ‘It’s just a shame my fist made contact with the wall as well as his cheek.’

‘The wall will survive,’ Flora said, trying hard not to smile. ‘I wish I’d had the chance to join you. Although grown-ups shouldn’t do such things,’ she added as she noticed young Pearl listening.

‘What I’d like to know is how all this happened, and why you aren’t in London,’ Rose said to Ben. ‘If this is the kind of thing you’re going to get up to, I’ll have second thoughts about going off and leaving you. Spies in the house, and Mildred here throwing punches – whatever next?’

‘I too had expected to be in London by now, but after what we spotted last night as I walked you home, I thought it prudent to report back to the relevant authorities. I thought they would take over, but it wasn’t to be. After liaising with local police I found that your Mr Cardew had a question mark against his name. He’d slipped the net while in another part of Kent – near Bromley,’ he added, seeing Rose’s quizzical expression. ‘Even though Mrs Neville had notified the local police station that Cardew was one of her residents, it appears checks weren’t made.’

‘Oh my,’ Flora said, looking flustered. ‘Did I do something wrong? Is it my fault that a possible spy was left to roam Ramsgate?’

‘No, not at all,’ Ben assured her. ‘Sadly these things happen.’

‘It was more likely that lazy Sergeant Atkins wasn’t doing his job,’ Mildred huffed. ‘It makes me wonder how many other foreigners are in this town who haven’t been checked out properly?’

‘I’m sure this was just a slip-up,’ Flora said quickly, noting how Anya had turned rather pink-faced and averted her eyes. ‘Besides, from what I could tell, Mr Cardew was British. If not, he was doing a pretty good job of pretending to be one of us.’

‘So what happened next?’ Rose prompted.

‘Trust us to miss all the excitement because we were at work,’ Lily said as she joined them in the kitchen. ‘Hitler could invade and we would miss it just because we were busy pouring cups of tea for all and sundry.’

Young Pearl burst out laughing. ‘That would be funny,’ she said, enjoying the conversation.

‘Time for your bed, young lady,’ her mother said, taking her hand. ‘Say goodnight to everybody.’

By the time Pearl had gone round all the visitors, politely making her goodbyes and kissing Miss Tibbs and Flora on the cheek, Rose was beyond agitated, desperate for more details about what had happened. ‘Please tell me everything, or I shall burst,’ she exclaimed.

‘I was requested to bring my men to the guesthouse. They waited around the corner while I and a police inspector based at the station had a little chat with Mr Cardew. I’m not at liberty to say how the conversation went, but when Mr Cardew became agitated and it was obvious he was not innocent, we decided to bring him in while we made further investigations. It was while we were walking downstairs that he tried to give us the slip. Thankfully Miss Dalrymple assisting us with detaining him. After that, he went calmly with the inspector in the back of the lorry.’

Rose thought for a moment of all she had been told. ‘Did you know this was going to happen, Mum?’

Flora nodded. ‘Ben came in and spoke to me so that I was prepared. He did have the decency to ask if he and the inspector could go to Mr Cardew’s room to speak to him. I thought it was handled very well, and no one seemed alarmed. Ben allow me to inform the ladies who were at home so they were not alarmed.’

‘So what will happen to Mr Cardew’s property in his room – and would you want him back here after what’s happened, Mum?’

Floor looked flustered. ‘I hadn’t given that any thought,’ she said, looking towards Ben for help. ‘He has only paid his rent up until Friday.’

‘With the evidence we have already, I don’t think Mr Cardew will be allowed to remain in Ramsgate after this. My feelings are that he will be in custody but that’s all I can say at this time.’

‘But his things . . .’ Flora said.

‘I shall arrange to have everything collected by tomorrow morning so as not to inconvenience you,’ Ben said politely.

‘You will have to let the billeting officer know that you have another spare room,’ Miss Tibbs added.

Flora sat down, looking flustered. ‘After this, I’m not sure I want another gentleman living in my house. Ladies seem much easier to get along with,’ she sighed.

‘Perhaps I can have a word with the officer in charge and explain what has happened. It could be that if you found another tenant very quickly, we could then consider this house full to capacity.’

For a moment Flora looked happy, but then her face dropped. ‘Usually I would have a waiting list of people requiring rooms, or with the summer season approaching it would be holidaymakers staying here. But at the moment I can’t name one single person to fill the rooms – and with Rose off to live in Margate before too long, I will have two rooms to rent out.’

‘We could probably turn a blind eye to one small room being vacant, but two bedrooms is a different matter when we have to make so many sleeping arrangements at the moment,’ Ben said.

Rose looked around the room and watched as the residents of Sea View tried to come up with an answer.

‘I will move into Rose’s room when she goes to Margate,’ Anya declared, ‘but I wish to pay more money. I insist,’ she added, as Flora started to protest. ‘That box room is not large enough for one soldier to stretch his legs, so I’m doubting the army will want to use it.’

Rose suddenly thought of a solution that would suit both parties. ‘Why don’t you move into my room, Lily, and Anya can use Mr Cardew’s room?’ She smiled at her friend. ‘I’ll feel much happier about being away from home if someone is looking out for my mum – someone who’s known her for many years,’ she added quickly, just in case she had offended any of the tenants. She could see that Lily was interested by the way her face lit up. Whatever had been troubling Lily of late might be helped by having Flora nearby to care for her while Rose was away. ‘Would you do that for me?’ Rose asked.

Flora knew her daughter was up to something, but went along with the suggestion. ‘It would be lovely to have you living here, Lily. Rose, you can have the box room when you come to visit and you can store your things in my room,’ she said to her daughter with a smile. ‘That seems to have sorted out everything nicely,’ she added, giving another sigh.

Lily looked quite tearful as she accepted the offer of a room at Sea View. ‘It will be like living with family,’ she sniffed.

‘There’s just one more thing, Mrs Neville. May I ask your permission to drive your daughter to London tomorrow? It seems silly, with both of us heading in the same direction, for Rose to have to stand about waiting for trains in this awful weather,’ Ben said.

‘That is a very generous offer, Ben, and if Rose agrees then I agree,’ Flora said, giving them both a big smile.

Rose groaned inwardly. She could almost see her mother making wedding arrangements and choosing an outfit to wear in church.

‘I’ll be here at nine, if that suits you?’ Ben said, giving Rose a gentle smile. ‘Wrap up warm, as the transport can be a little draughty,’ he added, before wishing everyone good evening and taking his leave of them.

After he’d gone, while the others continued to chatter excitedly, Rose sat quietly with her thoughts. She felt as though her life was beginning to move in a new direction and, whether she liked it or not, she was being swept along on the crest of a wave to goodness knows where. But, as long as Ben was by her side, she didn’t care one little bit.