The housekeeper took over as soon as he put Sarah on her bed. The room wasn’t warm, a meagre fire in the grate, and although there was a radiator it was stone cold.

  Sarah smiled, albeit somewhat feebly, at him. ‘Thanks. I hope you don’t catch my cold.’

  ‘I rarely catch anything. Rest and recuperate. I’ll come and see you when I get another couple of hours free.’

  ‘No, stay way until I’m germ-free. Doesn’t matter if I’m ill, but you’ve got a war to fight.’

  ‘I’m not flying, just supervising. It’ll be different in a few weeks.’ He touched her hair briefly and then strode out. No time for sentimentality – he’d been absent from his post for too long.

  Jimmy filled him in with what he’d missed – not much of any importance, really. ‘Just a couple of Blenheims on reconnaissance flights and the Hurries have practised scrambling. Seems extravagant to keep two squadrons of fighters here just to protect Canterbury Cathedral.’

  ‘The Archbishop of Canterbury is the most important Church of England cleric, at least I think he is. All cathedrals are important, but St Paul’s and this one hold a sentimental place in the hearts of Englishmen.’

  Jimmy grinned. ‘I don’t suppose many Englishmen give a damn about cathedrals, it’s Englishwomen who care about things like that. I’m afraid the WAAF will be getting their travel warrants next week. Not what you wanted to hear when Miss Harcourt is out of action.’

  ‘It’s the taxpayers’ money being wasted by having them idle here when they could be doing something useful elsewhere. I’m sure Lady Harcourt will find a suitable replacement for her daughter until she’s back on her feet.’

  ‘Bloody bad luck her getting injured like that. Still, better than you in the circumstances.’

  Tony was pleased to have him back. ‘Had no idea how much you did about the place, old boy, been tearing my hair out this morning trying to keep up with all the paperwork.’

  ‘Sorry about my absence but even more so about the Hillman.’

  ‘Water under the bridge, my friend. How is the young lady? Nasty business – you take as much time as you need to go and see her. By the way, there’s an official-looking letter on your desk. I think your posting might have come through.’

  A few weeks ago, he’d have been overjoyed he was about to be sent somewhere he could use his training, but now he was dismayed he might have to leave so soon. He’d been eagerly anticipating getting to know Sarah better and possibly persuading her to consider herself his real girlfriend and that they might have a future together one day. After holding her in his arms all night, however innocently, he realised she was beginning to mean a lot more to him than a girlfriend.

  ‘Right, sir, I’ll have a deco. I take it you’ve heard about your posting if I’ve heard about mine.’

  He shook his head. ‘Not a dicky bird, so maybe I jumped the gun and it’s something else entirely. To tell you the truth, I’d be absolutely buggered if you left before I did.’

  The telephones were ringing constantly. The three weeks of comparative peace at Manston were over and he had a nasty feeling life was about to get a hell of a lot busier.

  Angus worked flat out all day dealing with admin tasks – requests for twenty-four-hour passes, permissions to leave the base for an evening, requests to see the local medic, as well as the usual tedious stuff about stores, spare parts and so on.

  It wasn’t until the blackout blinds were drawn and he was the only one left at his desk that he remembered the unopened letter. He checked the time. Eight o’clock – he hoped it wasn’t too late to ring and find out how Sarah was doing.

  The operator connected him. A voice he didn’t recognise answered. ‘Goodwill House. How can I help you?’

  ‘Flight Lieutenant Trent here. How’s Miss Harcourt?’

  ‘The doctor came this afternoon and said she’s poorly with a nasty head cold. Her leg isn’t infected. She said to tell you, sir, if you called, that she’s doing well and doesn’t want you to come until she’s no longer contagious.’

  ‘Thank you. Please convey my best wishes. I’ll telephone tomorrow for an update.’

  He disconnected and then thought he should have asked about the puppy, asked if they’d managed to find someone to take care of the horses, but he wasn’t going to ring back. Whatever her wishes, he would take her a gift of some sort tomorrow if he got a spare moment.

  Finally, he picked up the letter knife and slit the buff envelope. It was indeed news of his posting. His eyes widened and for a moment he couldn’t assimilate what he was reading. He read it a second and third time and then put the letter down. What he needed was a stiff drink with his chums and, from the sounds of merriment coming down the corridor, they were already enjoying themselves in the makeshift officers’ mess.

  He put the letter back into the envelope and safely inside his jacket. No doubt he’d want to read it again – more than once. Did Tony know the contents? Would they have told him?

  It took him several minutes to bring the five of them up to speed with Sarah’s progress. ‘Tony, meet your replacement. I’m now a squadron leader and am to take over as CO, as well as leading the squadron when necessary.’

  By the middle of February, the snow had gone and Sarah was fully recovered from both her head cold and the leg injury. Dr Willoughby had come to remove the stitches and was sure that she wouldn’t have a scar.

  ‘You’ll be glad to be fully fit and able to exercise your horses. I don’t envy you taking them out for the first time after they’ve been confined for so long.’

  ‘I’ve been able to lunge them as well as turn them into the ménage this week. To tell you the truth, I can’t wait to gallop around the countryside again. The house is so quiet now the girls have gone, but our new lodgers should be arriving any day.’

  ‘Land girls, if I’m not mistaken?’

  ‘Yes, there should be at least six of them. They’ll be working as a team on the three farms in this area. Actually, I’m surprised they’re being sent here as only one of the men has been conscripted so far and none have volunteered.’

  ‘Lord Harcourt was completely against ploughing up your park in order to plant potatoes – has your mother agreed to do so now?’

  ‘The man from the Ministry of Agriculture gave her no choice. Either she agreed or there would be a fine. Our new boarders might well be working here as well as on our other farms.’ She flexed her leg and was happy with it. ‘By the way, you might well hear from the Royal Free in London as I sent off my application the other day. Dr French and you, as well as the brigade, are down as my references.’

  ‘I’m sure they won’t hesitate to offer you a place. I hope they can see you’re the perfect candidate for a bursary.’

  He picked up his bag and she escorted him to the front door. There was the pattering of feet behind her and the puppy skittered across the boards in his eagerness to greet her.

  ‘This must be the famous puppy you rescued. He’s got a lot of wolfhound in him. I hope Lady Harcourt can manage a dog that size when you’re not here to exercise it.’

  ‘I hope so, too. I’ve also got to make arrangements for the horses before I leave. If we’ve got land girls living with us then I’m hoping that one of them can do it.’

  She reached down and picked Lazzy up by his scruff. He wriggled around in her grip and licked her chin. ‘Come on, naughty boy, back to the kitchen. I’m sure Betty has a treat for you.’

  The housekeeper was looking for her errant charge. ‘Sorry, Miss Sarah, he’s learned to open the door if it’s not properly latched.’

  ‘Betty, has your husband said anything else about when the land girls are coming?’

  ‘My Bert says the land girls will be living here as long as they remain in the Land Army. Goodwill House is in the middle of the three farms they’ll be working at and it’s no more than a couple of miles in any direction.’

  ‘That’s just the news I wanted. It also means we’ve got room for another four girls if WAAF, ATS or any other service personnel want somewhere to live.’

  ‘Is your young man coming today?’

  Sarah rather liked hearing Angus referred to as ‘her young man’. Spending the night with him, seeing how kind and honourable he was, had made her reconsider her opinion on having a boyfriend of her own.

  He’d called twice and they’d talked for ages and the more time she spent with him, even just remotely, the better she liked him. If only she was a few years older, had more experience of the outside world, then it would be more straightforward. Did she have real feelings for him or was it just having someone of her very own to share things with that she found so appealing?

  ‘He’s frightfully busy getting used to his new position and I saw him two days ago. I wonder if he’s the youngest squadron leader in the RAF? Did you know he flew over the house yesterday and did a victory roll just for me?’

  ‘I think everybody in the village knew. He’s ever so good-looking and I’m not surprised you like him.’

  ‘I don’t like him because he’s handsome, but I must say it does help, but because he’s kind, intelligent, funny and brave. What I don’t understand is why he’s going out with me when he could have any girl he wanted.’

  ‘Go on with you, Miss Sarah. You’re the perfect match. I wonder if any babies you have will be red-headed like him.’

  ‘Golly, we’re not even engaged. Please don’t talk about babies and certainly not to Mummy. She’d already be planning the wedding and he’s not even asked me to marry him.’ She laughed. ‘We scarcely know each other, far too early to even talk about anything permanent.’

  Betty wouldn’t let the subject drop. ‘Go on, Miss Sarah, would you say yes if he did?’

  ‘I’m determined to become a doctor and I can’t be a wife and mother at the same time so obviously I would say no to anyone who might ask me in the next five years.’

  She shuddered at the thought of what her father would say if he heard her talking about such things to a servant. Daddy was old-fashioned and believed in the separation of the classes. Discussing such personal matters with a member of staff would never have happened if he was at home but things were different now and she needed someone to talk to.

  The puppy wriggled to get down and she clung onto him until they were safely in the kitchen and the door was closed. ‘Do you know of anybody in the village who would like to earn a few extra shillings by helping out here when we need them? There are families with the man of the house in France as well as those with their men at sea. Do you think any one of them would be interested?’

  ‘I reckon they’d bite your hand off. They don’t get much from the government to make ends meet. Those with young children can’t take jobs in the factories or the services because of the nippers.’

  ‘It’s going to be too much for Mummy and you to manage possibly as many as ten boarders. We’ve been lucky because the WAAF girls didn’t have to work so were really no trouble at all.’

  The telephone jangled noisily. Sarah hurried into the hall and picked it up. ‘Sarah Harcourt speaking. How can I help you?’

  ‘Bert Smith here, Miss Harcourt. Them girls will be arriving tomorrow. Can you take them?’

  ‘Absolutely. Do you know how many we’ll be getting?’

  ‘There’s six expected but I ain’t too sure if they’ll all be arriving.’

  He didn’t say goodbye and the line went dead. She’d rather liked Bert when he first married Betty, but he’d turned into a bad-tempered, abrupt man and she didn’t envy the girls working under his control.

  Six boarders? These girls wouldn’t be doing household chores like the WAAF, they’d be too tired after working on the fields all day. This was going to make a lot of extra work for Betty and herself and she just hoped Mummy would do more as well. She was pleased the huge, empty house would be doing something helpful for a change and the money would make things easier.

  14

  Joanna had never been so busy. The WVS and WI meetings postponed during the bad weather had now been rescheduled. As most of the ladies concerned were in both groups, she decided it made sense to hold the meetings consecutively and to hold them at Goodwill House.

  WI members had no uniform and only she, as the chair of the WVS, had a green herringbone tweed suit, red blouse and hat. There were also green overalls but so far none of the women had volunteered to wear them. As these had to be purchased, it was hardly surprising the ladies of the village didn’t want to spend some of their precious shillings on something they didn’t really like.

  She went in search of her daughter, confident the doctor would have finished removing the stitches by now and Sarah would be able to talk to her. She discovered her in the kitchen with Betty.

  ‘I just came to remind both of you that later this afternoon the WI and WVS meetings will be taking place here. Can you light both fires in the drawing room and make sure there are biscuits and tea available?’

  ‘I’ve already taken care of the fires, my lady. I was able to buy two packets of digestives at Raven’s. I don’t like going into that shop as his cat sleeps on top of the open bags of rice. I think I was lucky to find any biscuits considering deliveries to the village have been so delayed recently.’

  ‘Well done, Betty. I do hope your young man isn’t thinking of coming this afternoon, darling, because as a member of both groups you should be there and not gallivanting around the countryside with him.’

  ‘I expect you’ve noticed, Mummy, that I’m dressed for riding. I’ve got three horses to exercise before I can attend any meetings. As far as I know, Angus isn’t coming. By the way, we should be getting the land girls tomorrow.’

  Joanna frowned. ‘I know the wretched animals have to be exercised but please don’t come to the drawing room smelling of the stables.’

  ‘I wouldn’t dream of it. I can’t believe how much Lazzy has grown since you found him. He also appears to know his way around a horse so I’m thinking maybe he came from a farm with horses.’

  ‘My Bert said that they had a litter of cross-breed puppies at the kennels. Do you think he might have come from there?’

  ‘I’m certainly not going to ask. He belongs to us now and I defy anyone to say differently. I’ve got several letters to write and telephone calls to make. Perhaps you could bring me a coffee and a sandwich of some sort for luncheon, Betty?’

  There was a loud knock on the front door as Joanna was about to duck down the passageway to her own sitting room but instead she hurried across to open it.

  ‘Morning, my lady, quite a bundle for you today. I reckon everything’s been held up by the weather,’ the village postman said cheerfully as he handed over a dozen assorted envelopes.

  She saw there were three from David. The flimsy blue airmail envelopes were easily distinguished from the others. Her throat constricted and it was as if a weight had settled on her chest. Her darling daughter had sent off her application for a scholarship to train to be a doctor at the Royal Free Hospital in London. What if her husband had written to say he forbade her to do any such thing?

  Maybe she would leave those letters until another time. After all, one of them had already taken over a month to arrive so it would hardly matter if she left them for another day or two. She had far more important things to do than read letters.

  The first of them being to write the agenda for the WVS meeting. She rather thought that she’d been a less than satisfactory wife, an adequate mother, but was an excellent committee member. Planning what her group was intending to contribute when the fighting really started, when shortages of everything were widespread, when bombs were dropped and people lost their homes, was the one time she was confident in her abilities and knew that she was doing a valuable job.

  Angus had put a metaphorical rocket up the backsides of the builders and finally things were moving on at speed. The enlarged and improved officers’ accommodation, mess and so on would be completed and ready for occupation in two weeks. The underground fuel storage facility would be filled in the next day or two and they now had half a dozen bowsers ready to refuel any kites that arrived from the continent once the balloon went up over there.

  He’d caught the men listening to Lord Haw-Haw’s nightly broadcast yesterday evening. That man was seeking to undermine public confidence but as far as he could see none of his chaps took it seriously and listened because they thought the man’s strange use of English funny. There was no point in banning the broadcast – better to encourage the men to listen and laugh.

  He’d managed to requisition a battered motorbike from the motor pool and now used this to zoom around the base keeping an eye on things. Every day, lorries trundled in with spare parts, furniture, miscellaneous items as well as spare uniform, and the vast quantities of food and drink required for the hundreds living there.

  They were also getting things delivered by air – which made perfect sense as they were an RAF base. The Avro Ansons, or Annies as they were often called, had no difficulty landing on the massive runway and they were unloaded, refuelled and back in the air in a commendably short space of time. This was at his insistence as he wanted the men involved to get practice with a rapid turnaround.

  All too soon, fighters would be landing here to refuel before returning to the fray. No doubt damaged bombers would use the strip on their return from raids over Europe and hope to be patched up before continuing to their home base.

  Dressed in his sheepskin jacket, flying boots, helmet, gauntlets and goggles, as always when he was about to take a trip on his motorbike, he stepped out to the welcome sight of builders looking industrious for a change. Tradesmen weren’t immune from conscription and most of the blokes were either too young to shave, or too old to be working at all.

  Only twenty-one to twenty-eight-year-olds had been drafted so far, so presumably the missing thirty-year-olds had volunteered. Nobody would be conscripted into the RAF – it was a volunteer-only service. Many of the men working here were regulars like himself but there were a few that signed up already qualified and experienced mechanics. Those who worked as orderlies, catering and other routine tasks had only required the basic training before being posted.