22

Mildred shook Anya’s shoulder. ‘Pull yourself together; it is almost time to transfer to the other boat.’

Anya groaned and lifted her head. ‘I want to die,’ she whispered, her voice echoing into the metal bucket.

‘That may well happen if we don’t get a move on.’ Mildred shook her harder as lightning flashed overhead, illuminating the sky as well as the approaching fishing boats.

Anya got to her feet and sipped at the mug of water Mildred handed to her. ‘What is this?’ she gagged.

‘I’ve put some brandy in it to buck you up. Knock it back and get yourself ready.’

‘Perhaps the Germans will not be about in this terrible weather,’ Anya suggested as thunder rumbled around them, followed by more fork lightning.

‘We may be lucky and they’ve fled back to a safe harbour; there again, they could be sniffing about, expecting us to take advantage of the bad weather.’

Anya knocked back the rest of the water and found her way to the lower deck to retrieve her things, holding tight to anything that would keep her upright. She grimaced at the smell of oil and rotting fish as she collected her coat, which was folded up with the bag she carried, and climbed the narrow steps back to where Mildred was hanging on to the wheel. The Saucy Milly fought against the wind as she turned off the engine.

‘Ahoy, Nancy,’ a man called from the French boat as it pulled alongside. Ropes were thrown onto the deck of the Saucy Milly, with one brave young fisherman leaping across after them, quickly grabbing each rope and securing them before the two vessels could drift apart in the rough sea.

‘Bonjour, Alphonse.’ Mildred shook the hand of a second man who leapt on board. Anya was speechless as she looked at the large, broad-shouldered figure dressed from head to toe in oilskins; he spoke to Mildred in French, and she replied sounding equally fluent in the language. Anya recognized very few words apart from the name given to her for the mission, Monique. As it was mentioned, they both looked towards her, and the man scowled.

‘We are ready,’ Mildred said as she rejoined Anya. ‘Alphonse will assist you into their boat. He suggests you speak very little, as your lack of French could give you away or at the very least draw unwanted attention – as could your Polish accent.’

Anya nodded. Her seasickness was driven away by sheer terror as Alphonse lifted her into his strong arms and, leaning over the side of the Saucy Milly, threw her across to another man in the French boat. She shrieked, but before she knew it she was standing on two wobbly feet watching Mildred receive the same treatment. Their bags followed and a few minutes later, with Alphonse back on his own boat and a pair of Frenchmen left in charge of the Saucy Milly, the ropes were untied and they were on their way.

Anya was shown below deck, out of the driving rain, and given a blanket to wrap around her shoulders. The sickness she’d felt earlier did not return, and in its place was a feeling of fear tinged with excitement. There was no going back now. The sound of the Saucy Milly could just be heard, as if it fought against the storm, until it faded away completely. She was here in French waters and must concentrate on the task ahead.

‘I will do this for you, Henio, even if it is for your memory. I will succeed to get home to our child and do my part to make the future a safer place for him,’ she whispered, before closing her eyes to try to sleep and gain the strength for whatever lay ahead.

‘It is time,’ Mildred said, leaning close to her ear. ‘But there is a problem.’

‘What is the problem?’ Anya asked as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. ‘Please don’t say the mission cannot go ahead.’

‘No; it’s just that the storm has taken us off course and we are further down the coast, so we will miss our rendezvous. Alphonse is using the radio to try to make contact, but that is dangerous as the message could be picked up by the enemy.’

‘I see. Is it possible for us to walk back to the meeting point? I have no idea where we are going for me to identify Anouska; perhaps we could walk inland . . .?’

‘We will have to wait to hear what Alphonse is told. We are in their hands.’

Anya’s mind was turning over their situation. ‘Tell me, can we trust this Alphonse?’

‘He has been part of my last three missions. I don’t have any cause to doubt his judgement or his loyalty. He is a reliable member of the resistance and has no love for the Germans. In that respect you are both alike. However, I cannot speak for the men who work on this boat with him. We learn not to speak to too many people, just in case there are those not as reliable who would sell us to the Germans for a few francs.’

Anya spat out her words. ‘Life is cheap to these Germans. I have lost too many family members in Poland, and possibly my husband as well, to be able to collude with these barbaric animals.’

‘That is the spirit, madame,’ Alphonse said as he joined them. ‘I have news, but it is not good. You must make your way back to the original meeting point. Your contact will be there to guide you in forty-eight hours. I wish I could help you more, but if the Germans spot my boat fishing in the wrong area, they will start to ask questions. As it is we must explain about the storm taking us off course during the night, and for that reason you have to be onshore as soon as possible. I will draw a map to guide you; you will have to avoid several villages and stay as close to the shoreline as you possibly can,’ he said as he scribbled on a crumpled piece of paper.

Mildred nodded as he explained, while Anya tried to understand but failed. After he handed Mildred the map she turned to Anya. ‘It is time to take off the overalls and turn yourself into a French woman, or at least a passable impression of a French woman,’ she said, as she unbuttoned her own overall to reveal a creased and faded floral dress. From her canvas bag she pulled out scuffed shoes and an old felt hat. ‘Hurry up,’ she said, as Anya stood looking astonished at the transformation.

Anya removed her disguise, thankful to be rid of the smelly fishing clothes, and waited to be told what to do next.

‘I will help you into the rowing boat,’ Alphonse growled as Mildred shoved the map into the pocket of her dress. ‘Here is some food to sustain you; it isn’t much but will see you through,’ he added, holding out a paper bag.

‘Thank you,’ Mildred said, kissing him on both cheeks. ‘You won’t be forgotten for this,’ she added, as Anya copied her and mumbled her thanks.

‘Godspeed,’ he called, and the women were rowed towards French soil as dawn began to break.

‘When will Anya be back?’ Joyce asked, as Rose did her rounds of the teashop.

Ever since Miss Butterworth’s arrival the week before, Rose had been on tenterhooks, checking not only the staff but the whole of the premises each morning for any reason the woman could complain. When Joyce asked her question, Rose was on her hands and knees looking under the main counter at the front of the shop for crumbs that might attract vermin. She stood up and brushed down her skirt.

‘I have no idea; I plan to ask head office,’ she lied. What she really meant was that she was worried beyond belief, and would be speaking to Ruth soon to find out if there was any news of their friend.

‘I’m only asking as I know I’m not perfect for this job; Miss Butterworth told me so in no uncertain terms when she noticed I was not as tall as the typical Sally.’

‘Why ever would she have said that? I wish I’d known. I’d have told her you are worth two of any of the other Sallys.’

Joyce blushed. ‘I wasn’t fishing for compliments; I like to do the best job I can.’

‘Think no more of it. The only reason Lyons originally wanted taller women as Sallys was because the job involves reaching across the counters and up to the high shelves. Have you found that a problem?’

‘No, not at all. When I started, Mildred brought along a small set of steps that fit perfectly behind the counter and can be pulled out when needed. She is such a thoughtful person; in fact, I think she made them herself when she heard I had the job.’

‘Hmm – that’s another person who seems to have gone missing,’ Rose said, thinking aloud. Seeing the questioning look on Joyce’s face made her realize she ought not to have spoken.

‘I beg your pardon?’

‘Don’t listen to me, I was being silly. Mildred is enjoying a visit to her family,’ she said. It was a shame to deceive Joyce, but she didn’t want to say that she had no idea where Mildred had really gone. ‘Getting back to your work here, I have no intention of sending you packing when Anya returns; I’d be a fool to do so. In fact, we need to have a chat at some point – I’d like to extend your hours, if you are agreeable?’

Joyce beamed. ‘That would be wonderful, thank you. I need to be around for when Pearl isn’t at school, but I’d love to work more hours.’

‘That’s good. Let’s have that chat in a couple of days, when you’ve had time to think about it,’ Rose smiled back, pleased that she’d made Joyce happy.

‘Any news?’ Lily sidled up to Rose as she was nipping to the service area to collect a customer’s meal.

‘Is this about the war, or something else?’ Rose asked.

‘About Jennie looking out for that friend of Tom White? I thought she may have spotted her by now, especially as you’ve transferred her back to the Ramsgate shop while we cover her workstation. Just coming, sir,’ she called to a man who was waving in her direction. ‘I don’t know how long I can cover this many tables.’

Rose returned to her office, her mind on Alexsy and how frightened he must be away from all those he knew and who loved him dearly. It was so frustrating that nothing seemed to be happening to look for him. Each day her mother walked to the police station and enquired about their investigations and each day she listened to how sorry they were and how they were no further forward. Each afternoon she picked up the telephone and asked to speak to the person in charge of the investigation and most days he wasn’t there, so she left a message – and no one returned her calls.

It was as if they didn’t care. It was explained that they were looking, but Flora and the girls felt it wasn’t enough and were doing all they could to find the child before his mother came home to the distressing news. Between them, the Nippies and the Sallys had visited all the shops in Ramsgate and the surrounding area asking them to look out for a woman or couple who suddenly had a child around the age of one year old with them. Flora’s phone number was prominently shown on the posters they left with shop owners, but so far very little had happened, apart from a junior journalist arriving to eat cake and spell Alexsy’s name wrong when the short piece went to press on page ten of the local newspaper.

Rose reached for the telephone and rang Katie at the Ramsgate branch. ‘I have a half day, so I thought I’d pop into your teashop on the way to Mum’s house. I think it’s time we did more to find Alexsy.’

A little later, Katie greeted Rose at the door of the Ramsgate teashop. ‘I have it on good authority that Miss Butterworth isn’t in the area today,’ she said, ‘so we can have tea in my office and talk to Jennie. She was trying to tell me something earlier, but I was busy handling a complaint. Nothing serious,’ she added as Rose showed concern. ‘Some woman complained her pot of tea was cold. She was only trying to get out of paying,’ she shrugged. ‘I replaced it and conveniently left it off her bill.’

‘Oh, Katie, you’ll get the sack if Miss Butterworth finds out.’

‘The woman was hard up; I could see it in the way she only ordered for her children and was going without herself. She finished up the few scraps on their plates. It was heartbreaking.’

‘Just be careful, all right?’

‘I was. Anyway, I spoke to her as she was leaving and mentioned that if she knew of anyone looking for a part-time job, she was to send them to me, as we have a few vacancies.’

‘Do you think she will return?’

‘She already has,’ Katie replied. ‘She starts tomorrow in the kitchen.’

‘I’m envious that you filled a vacancy so quickly,’ Rose sighed. ‘Now tell me, how is our Jennie getting along? Has she found any leads to the anonymous woman who was spotted with Tom White?’

‘I’ll let her tell you herself,’ Rose said, going to the office door and waving to the young girl, who hurried into the room.

‘Hello, Rose,’ she smiled. ‘Have you heard the news?’

‘I thought I’d let you explain,’ Katie said as she indicated for Jennie to sit down. ‘In your own time,’ she prompted the girl.

‘Well, as I said the night we had our fish and chip supper, I thought I’d seen her in the town and, more importantly, in here.’

Rose tried to contain her impatience. ‘We know that much, Jennie; that’s why we’ve moved you to this branch, in case you see her again.’

‘The thing is, I was chatting to the new woman you took on this afternoon while I served her children with ice cream . . .’

Katie grinned at Rose. ‘I treated them.’

‘We were standing by the poster we’d stuck up on the wall and I asked her to keep an eye out and gave her some more description. Blow me down, she did better than that: she told us where the woman lives. I was all for going up there straightaway, but Katie said as how we should wait to speak to you and Mrs Neville and plan what to do. I don’t think you should wait long, in case she moves on.’

It only took Rose a moment to make her decision. ‘I’m going to Mum’s from here, but I’d like you both to join us by teatime. Can you arrange that, Katie?’

‘Yes, I can ask two or three Nippies to work an extra shift. What about Lily and Joyce at Margate?’

‘I’ll use Mum’s telephone to ring them. I’d best give the afternoon tea a miss and get cracking straightaway,’ Rose said, making a move after noting the name of the road Jennie had mentioned.