Chapter 18

Eve joined them for supper that evening and Nicole asked her if she was well enough for a chat afterwards.

‘I’d like that. You’re a good listener and my cough’s much better,’ she smiled.

Hélène chipped in, ‘I’ll clear away. You take Mother to her room while I make a…a phone call.’ She looked pointedly at Nicole who grinned. Eve wondered what was going on but thought it better no to ask.

 

 

In her sitting room Eve was settled in her usual place by the French window. One door stood open, allowing the warm evening breeze to flow in from the garden, enriched by the scent of roses and honeysuckle. Oh, what I’d give to walk around my garden again! She sighed inwardly as Nicole made her comfortable, tucking a rug around her thin frame.

‘When we last had a chat you mentioned being evacuated,’ Nicole prompted. ‘Would you mind telling me more, please?’

Eve’s mind was dragged back to that fateful day in June 1940 when she, aged seventeen, and her sister, Lottie, twelve, arrived at the harbour. They lined up with thousands of children and their accompanying school teachers at White Rock, ferried there by buses. She could still hear Lottie’s cries, mingling with those of the other young children waiting to board the SS Viking. It had been painful to see them wrenched from their mothers, only the women with babies being allowed to leave. Space and time were at a premium; the Germans were on their way. Eve had not been upset, seeing it as an adventure, a chance to get away from the parents who had never had much time for her. It was agreed that she would work as a volunteer Land Girl, while keeping a close eye on Lottie.

As the memories flooded in, Eve could smell the smoke belching out of the coal-burning ship, mingling with the stench of vomit from the sea-sick passengers. The cries of the children tug at even her love-starved heart. She hugged Lottie close, reassuring her that all would be well.

‘I’m sure we’ll be back before you know it, Lottie. Our boys will drive that bully Hitler back to where he belongs, you’ll see.’

‘I want Mummy and Blackie!’ Lottie cried, hanging onto Eve in the overcrowded cabin they shared with a dozen others. Eve frowned, knowing that Blackie, Lottie’s pet rabbit, was about to become stew. She shushed Lottie with endearments as she rocked her to sleep.

For the island children, accustomed to peace and quiet, the noise and mayhem on board aggravated their fear after being virtually dragged from their mothers’ arms.

As Eve reminisced she thought how much worse it would have been if they’d all known that it was to be five years before they could return.

‘Are you all right?’ Nicole’s voice cut across her thoughts.

‘Yes, I was just remembering the evacuation. It’s all coming back to me…’

She told Nicole about the ship with its precious cargo of more than two thousand children and adults and how it had been a long, difficult crossing to Weymouth.

‘We knew we were an easy target for enemy planes with the funnels smoking so much so the Captain zig-zagged about to avoid them. This made the journey a lot longer than normal. When we eventually arrived, hungry and tired, crowds were lined up on the quayside at Weymouth. Most of the little ones were starving, having eaten the meals packed by their mothers soon after we left Guernsey.

‘At Weymouth we were put on trains for different parts of the country. Most of the children went to Scotland and the north, considered to be safer. The teachers were meant to set up local schools where needed. I was joining up as a Land Girl and allocated to a farm in Devon. Lottie was to go to a neighbouring family and attend the local school. Our train journey wasn’t too long but it was dark when we arrived at Exeter station.’

Oh, how well she remembered that night! As she and Lottie stumbled onto the platform, carrying their small cases and gas masks, a tall, fair-haired young man in an air force uniform strode up to them.

‘Are you the Misses Eve and Lottie from Guernsey?’

Eve had stood rooted to the spot. Not only was this young god smiling at her with a smile that went from ear to ear, but he knew who they were!

‘Yes that’s us. I mean, I’m Eve and this is Lottie. But…but how…?’

The god laughed. ‘I was asked to look out for two young ladies carrying cases and gas masks and I believe that’s a Guernsey flag on your case, Miss Lottie?’

Lottie nodded. Their father had painted the little flag on her case to “remind her of Guernsey”, he’d said.

‘Oh, right. And you are…? ’

‘Sorry, should have introduced myself. I’m Flight Lieutenant Philip Andrews, at your service, ladies.’ His execution of a smart salute had the girls dissolving into giggles, with Philip joining in.

Eve regained her composure enough to reply, ‘Pleased to meet you Flight Lieutenant. But why are you looking out for us?’

‘I understand that you, Miss Eve, are joining us as a Land Girl and that Miss Lottie is to stay with one of our tenant farmers. My father owns an estate north of here,’ the god waved his arm in what she assumed was a northerly direction. ‘I’ve just arrived home on leave, so it fell to me to escort you. The car’s waiting outside.’

Philip smiled broadly and offered an arm to Eve and a hand to Lottie and they marched, that was the only word for it, thought Eve, out of the station. Spotting the gleaming limousine resembling the Governor’s car back home, she turned to Philip and asked, ‘Is it a big estate then? Your father’s?’

‘Pretty big. It’s been in the family forever. But don’t worry, you’ll be based on our Home Farm which is quite small, really. And I’ll look after you when I’m around.’ Eve blushed at his intent gaze and studied her feet.

As the chauffeur went to open the front passenger door for Philip he said he’d rather sit in the back with “the ladies from Guernsey”. Which he did. By the time they arrived at their destination Eve had lost her heart.

‘Grandmother? Are you tired? If you’d rather I left – ’

‘Oh, no I’m fine, Nicole. I was just remembering.’ She cleared her throat and told Nicole how they were taken to their new homes that night. She didn’t mention Philip.

‘I was joining three other land girls on the Home Farm and Lottie went to live with Mr and Mrs Jones who leased an adjoining farm. It was hard saying goodbye to each other but I promised I’d get over to see her as often as I could. And I managed to do that on my days off.’ Eve paused, remembering the well-trodden path across the fields to the Jones’s farm. Lottie had been so pleased to see her at first but, over the months had settled in and made friends with both the Jones’s daughter and the children at school. She began to prefer to spend time with them rather than her sister.

At first Eve had felt hurt but gradually accepted that they were growing apart now that she, Eve, was virtually an adult. And there were compensations, she thought, smiling. The few boys her own age who were not conscripted seemed more worldly than the Guernsey lads. And how they liked to flirt! And then there was Philip…

Nicole got up to close the door; the evening air was cooling. The sound brought Eve back to the present.

‘What was it like as a Land Girl?’ Nicole asked as she sat down again.

‘It was hard work, but I was used to that. We had to look after the animals; cows, pigs and chickens, which wasn’t too bad. I’d helped with the milking at home after my brother left to join the army, so I ended up being in charge of that. The other girls were town bred, finding it a bit of a struggle and only too pleased to let me take over. We also planted the fruit and vegetables for the family and helped with the harvest.’

‘What was the family like?’

‘Oh, we didn’t see much of them. Sir Michael and Lady Andrews they were, and they had a big house in the middle of the estate. There were several tenant farmers on the estate and Sir Michael employed a manager for Home Farm. He was away in London a lot. A member of the War Cabinet, he was. Lady Andrews often joined him, staying in their town house.’ Eve coughed and took a few sips of water. Oh, that magical night in London! If only…

Nicole looked astonished. ‘Surely two people didn’t need a whole farm to provide for them!’

Eve smiled. ‘No, of course not. The main part of the house had been commandeered as a convalescent home for wounded soldiers. Sir Michael and Lady Andrews had to move into a wing with the boys.’

‘They had sons?’

‘Yes, Philip and Richard. Richard was eighteen when I arrived and away on officer training in the army. Philip, well he…was twenty-one and in the Royal Air Force.’

Eve closed her eyes and for a moment had such a vivid feeling of being seventeen and meeting Philip for the first time that she could hardly breathe.

‘Grandmother! Are you okay?’ Nicole touched Eve’s arm and she was brought back with a start.

‘Oh, Nicole. Sorry, I…I drifted off. I think I’d like to rest now, if you don’t mind.’

‘Of course. I’ll say good night then.’

Eve settled back in the chair and gave herself over to those bittersweet memories of a time which would be forever burnt into her brain. And heart.