‘Maybe you could do nursing duties and get paid whilst you train, but I don’t know enough about it. I do know that surgeons are gods at the hospitals they work in so if Uncle George is in favour of you coming then the board won’t argue.’

  Her smile changed everything. It lit up her face and suddenly he saw her as a potential girlfriend and not an irritating schoolgirl. If he was honest with himself, he hadn’t thought of her like that for some time. How could he not see her as an equal after what she’d just done?

  ‘There might be a scholarship or bursary of some sort I could apply for because, even if they agree to train me for nothing, I’ll still need money to live on. From what I’ve read, a medical student doesn’t get any free time so offering my services as a nursing assistant wouldn’t work.’

  ‘I shouldn’t worry about it at the moment. Let’s get through the next couple of days and things might look a bit clearer.’

  ‘I’m afraid I can’t dawdle about here as there are too many things to do with so many people in the house at the moment. I’ve got to dig out enough bedding for your men to be able to sleep tonight.’

  ‘I’ve got plenty of fit men lounging around who are perfectly capable of doing a lot of that for you. What would you like me to organise them to do first?’

  ‘They could fill all the coal scuttles and tend to all the fires and the kitchen range. It would be really useful if a couple of them could clear the path from the house to the stables to make it easier for me to get out and feed the horses and the birds in a couple of hours.’

  ‘I’ve already got a team taking it in turns to watch Sid Harrison. I’ll sort out the others and get them moving immediately. By the way, I’m impressed by the efficiency of the WAAF you’ve got here. My opinion of them has also radically changed.’ Again, her smile made him feel ten feet tall.

  ‘I think it’s time men stopped thinking of women as incapable of doing more than run a house and bring up the children. We’re going to be needed to do all sorts of things that before the war started would never have been considered suitable.’

  ‘Radical thinking, Sarah. Women are weaker physically and therefore need our protection. I don’t suppose you’re suggesting they should be wielding guns or flying fighters?’

  ‘Of course I’m not, I’m not stupid. I was thinking about driving ambulances, buses, perhaps even joining the Observation Corps. There’s already the Land Army, which is women being trained to take over as the men are conscripted to fight. They will have to do all the jobs the men used to – including driving tractors and so on.’

  With some reluctance, he stood up and collected both his mug and hers. ‘Take a breather, Sarah, you deserve it.’

  ‘I will – I’ll put the wireless on and hope there’s some jolly music to listen to.’

  ‘I should have said, don’t worry about providing actual beds if we do have to stay overnight. They can kip perfectly well on the floor if you can find a few blankets.’

  The remainder of the afternoon passed more quickly than one might have expected. His men were only too happy to have something to do as they weren’t used to idleness. Three of them were more than enough to take care of the fires so the rest, led by himself, braved the elements.

  The snow had stopped but the skies were still grey and the wind bitter. He’d been pleased to find a couple of the blokes were familiar with horses and domestic fowl, so they were taking care of the animals so that Sarah didn’t have to come out again.

  ‘Come on, chaps, we need to collect the shovels and dig out the lorry and then see if it’ll start.’

  Jimmy slogged through the knee-high snow beside him, cheerful as always. ‘It would be better if we could get both vehicles into the barn where the Bentley’s stored. Miss Harcourt said there’s more than enough room.’

  It took the combined efforts of all the men to clear the snow from under the wheels of both vehicles. Jimmy volunteered to drive the tractor. ‘If I can get it into reverse then I reckon I can push the lorry backwards and give myself room to turn round. Then if the lorry starts you can turn it round in the space the tractor and plough have left.’

  ‘Sounds sensible – but I’m not holding my breath. If by some miracle both start then you could tow the lorry back to the barn. I doubt it’ll get through two feet of snow under its own volition.’

  The tractor started immediately. Jimmy’s plan worked and the lorry slid backwards without any trouble. He tried the ignition whilst the lorry was moving and after a few coughs and hesitations the engine fired into life.

  It had taken an hour and a half, they were frozen and filthy, but triumphant when the snowplough, tractor and lorry were safely in the barn.

  9

  The snow stopped but it remained several degrees below freezing and there was no sign of an imminent thaw. Soldiers from a nearby base had helped the RAF clear the roads so the ambulance had arrived to take Sid to hospital.

  Sarah had been sorry to see the unexpected guests depart the morning after their arrival, but Angus had promised to deliver the replacement groceries himself, which cheered her up somewhat. There was still no sign of Bates or his son, therefore taking care of the livestock was still down to her.

  ‘Mummy, we haven’t heard from Betty. Do you think she might be coming back soon?’

  ‘The roads are clear so why don’t you walk down to the village and ask? I would dearly like a newspaper that isn’t more than a week out of date.’

  ‘I’ll suggest some of the girls might like to accompany me; they must be sick of being cooped up indoors.’

  Only Ada and Eleanor wanted to come so the three of them set out together. The sun was out, the snow was blindingly white, and all three of them were forced to admit that despite the inconvenience it did make the world look beautiful.

  ‘I think now the roads are clear you might get sent to your correct posting,’ Sarah said.

  ‘Actually, although we’ve thoroughly enjoyed our stay with you, we are all frightfully bored with nothing important to do. After all, we didn’t volunteer to sit on our bottoms in a stately home.’

  ‘Speak for yerself,’ Ada replied. ‘I’ve spent all me life working and although I’m happy to do me bit, I’m enjoying doing bugger all.’

  ‘Mummy and I are just glad that you came to us. Our intention is to continue to take in paying guests of one sort or another. If we weren’t so close to Manston then I expect we’d be full of evacuees and their families.’

  Ada missed her footing, lost her balance and vanished head first into a pile of cleared snow. By the time they’d extricated her they were laughing and the excursion became far more enjoyable. Sarah hadn’t been into the village since before the bad weather had hit two weeks ago.

  ‘I have to pop in and see Betty, our housekeeper, her husband had an accident a week ago and I want to know how he’s getting on.’

  ‘Righty ho. I’ll get your ma’s paper and see if there’s any chocolate. That’s what I miss worst – me, I love a bit of Cadbury’s fruit and nut.’

  They’d now arrived outside the detached cottage where Betty lived with her husband. It was a tied cottage supplied by one of the tenant farmers on Harcourt estate – so she supposed it actually belonged to her family.

  ‘Did you notice that every path has been cleared? I think the soldiers and airmen must have done it for them. I suppose they’re all equally bored being so idle,’ Sarah said as she unlatched the small wooden gate.

  ‘Keep an eye out for us, Sarah, we’ll wait for you at this gate. I don’t reckon we’ll be very long – too bleeding cold to hang about.’

  Eleanor winced every time Ada swore but Sarah found it amusing. She’d never use profanity or blaspheme herself, but rather admired those who had the courage to do so. After having so many men in the house, she scarcely noticed any more.

  Betty had obviously seen her from the front room window and had the door open as she approached. ‘I was going to come up myself later today, miss, you didn’t have to walk down in this weather.’

  Inside the cottage was warm, far warmer than Goodwill House, and she didn’t blame Betty if she decided to stay absent from work for as long as possible.

  ‘How is your husband? Is he home now?’

  Betty drew her into the empty sitting room. ‘He’s been back three days. He had a nasty head injury and concussion but he’s fine now. He can’t go back to work until the stitches come out. Dr Willoughby is coming to do them tomorrow.’

  ‘That’s really good news. I don’t suppose he likes being at home.’

  Betty pulled a face. ‘He thinks nobody can look after the cows the way he can. To be honest, I’ll be glad when he’s back at work. I can’t do anything right and he’s constantly snapping and snarling at me.’

  ‘I’m sorry to hear that. Does that mean when he goes back you can come back?’

  ‘I’d have come yesterday but he won’t hear of it. He doesn’t like me working at the best of times. He blames me for not providing him with the son he so desperately wants.’

  ‘I’ve told you before, Betty, it’s not necessarily anybody’s fault. I’ve read about infertility and some specialists think worrying about it can aggravate the problem.’

  Her mother would be shocked if she overheard this conversation as most girls her age wouldn’t know anything about such things and certainly wouldn’t talk so freely about them to an older woman.

  Betty was more than just a housekeeper to her – she was like an older sister. Even though she refused to call her Sarah, they talked to each other as equals. Obviously, when she was younger this hadn’t been the case, but for the past eighteen months things had been different.

  ‘There’s no chance I’ll be in the family way now as he’s moved into the spare room.’

  Sarah quickly changed the subject. ‘I haven’t got long and there’s a lot you don’t know.’ She quickly told Betty of the exciting events of the past week and of their plans to continue to take in lodgers.

  ‘That’s the best bit of news I’ve heard in an age, miss. Mr Root will be getting some land girls in the next couple of weeks and Mrs Root’s refusing to have them in the house. If I can tell my Bert they can come to you, he’ll be that pleased.’

  ‘Then do so. The WAAF will be gone in a few days and I have to tell you the extra money has been an absolute godsend.’

  Betty nodded towards the window. ‘There’s two of them waiting at the gate. Thank you for calling in, miss, and I’ll be back the day after tomorrow.’

  ‘Goodbye, then, and I hope your good news will improve things with Mr Smith.’

  Angus had promised to visit but so far had failed to arrive with the promised tea, butter and sugar. There’d also been no news for the girls, who were eager to leave and begin their new life in Norfolk.

  It was highly unsuitable to be the confidant of one’s housekeeper, to hear intimate details of her married life, but she did so anyway. If her parents ever found out, they would be furious, and no doubt Betty would be dismissed.

  Domestic staff were almost impossible to come by as the women who could work preferred to do so in factories making munitions, uniforms and so on where they would be paid far more. She didn’t blame them – who would want to be a servant if they’d got an alternative? The only reason they still had Betty was because it was the only employment her husband would allow her to do.

  Sarah had decided that if she ever did get married it wouldn’t be to someone like him, or her father, who’d expect her to follow his every instruction and not think for herself. The girls she’d been at boarding school with had thought only of marrying well, having a grand home and a life of leisure. This had never been her aim in life – she supposed one day she would be married but being a doctor was her priority and wedded bliss, if there was such a thing, would come later.

  Joanna listened to the girls laughing and squealing as they dashed about the house playing hide-and-seek. There had never been any children’s games here. David had disapproved of any frivolity – he loved Sarah but believed children should be seen and not heard.

  She had no friends of her own – the only women she knew were the wives of his friends and once he’d decamped for France, they no longer invited her to dinner or even contacted her to see how she was doing. As the only child of a bank manager, she’d married above her and had always suspected that David’s friends merely tolerated her because of him. She was never really one of them. She was jerked from her reverie when her daughter dashed in.

  Sarah tossed over a copy of the News Chronicle with a wry smile. ‘I’m afraid that’s all they’d got left. They’d sold out of The Times and The Daily Telegraph.’

  ‘I’m sure your father would be horrified to see me reading it but to tell you the truth I rather think I’m going to enjoy seeing things from a different perspective.’

  ‘Betty will be back the day after tomorrow. Isn’t that absolutely spiffing news?’

  ‘I’m delighted to hear that, darling. Flight Lieutenant Trent telephoned to say he would be here this afternoon.’

  ‘I hope he brings more tea as we’ve completely run out and there was none to be had in the village.’

  ‘The other girls are having a riotous game of hide-and-seek – why don’t you join in?’

  Her daughter looked at her as if she was speaking in tongues. ‘Why ever would I want to do that? I’ve got lunch to prepare and I’ve got to light the fire under the copper in the laundry. That’s something Bates usually does but he’s not here again today.’

  ‘I really don’t like you doing those sorts of jobs. If only we had a larger income then I could employ more staff…’

  ‘It doesn’t matter how much money one’s got nowadays, Mummy, one won’t get anyone to do domestic work.’

  The telephone interrupted their conversation and Sarah hurried off to answer it. Joanna carefully put the newspaper on the side table, straightened the cushions, and then followed her. She intended to offer to help with the lunch. Once Betty had returned, there’d no longer be any need for her to frequent the kitchen, which would suit her perfectly.

  Sarah was replacing the handset on the receiver. ‘That was Dr Willoughby. The surgeon didn’t need to reset Sid’s leg. Isn’t that wonderful?’

  ‘It certainly is. You’d be wasted as a nurse, darling, and I really don’t think you should make any hasty decisions about giving up your place at Oxford. You never know, something might turn up so you can go after all.’

  ‘I’m glad you mentioned that as I’ve not given up. I might not be able to go to Oxford but it’s possible I could train at a London hospital. The fact that I’m already semi-qualified should help.’

  ‘Are you going to apply before we hear from your father?’

  ‘Daddy shot off without a second thought for us. As far as I’m concerned, we’re on our own. I’m going to make any decisions about my future. I don’t think I can go until September even if I did find a place, but I’ll have to apply now.’

  ‘Then do so, you have my full support. I’ve never done anything useful with my life and it will give me the greatest pleasure to know that you will become a valuable member of society.’

  ‘You’ve run this house, attended numerous functions at Daddy’s side, you are the most important person in the neighbourhood and everybody looks up to you. How can you say your life hasn’t been important?’

  ‘Yes, I agree that I’ve done all that. However, I’m not equipped to do anything to help the war effort…’

  ‘That’s not true either. We’re going to run a guest house for young women who need somewhere safe to live. Which reminds me, we might well be getting some land girls very soon. How many do you think we can manage if we’ve got Betty to help us?’

  ‘There are two more bedrooms available on that floor and both rooms are big enough for two or three girls to share without getting in each other’s way. The room you turned into a sitting room is perfectly adequate for ten, don’t you think?’

  ‘Definitely – so we can accommodate ten at least? Imagine what a difference that will make to us. We could keep the horses. I’ve been wondering if the gig could be resurrected and have my mare pull it for us. I’m really not comfortable using the Bentley when it’s so uneconomical and petrol is already in short supply.’

  ‘What a super idea, darling, I don’t know why we didn’t think of it before. I wonder if Daddy’s hunters could be made to pull a plough?’ The two women made their way to the kitchen, laughing at this ridiculous idea.

  Angus had put in a requisition and was just waiting for someone to deliver the various items that he had to take to Goodwill House to replace what had been consumed by the men who’d stayed there for twenty-four hours. He’d already had the lorry deliver half a dozen bags of coal. He’d promised to take the food and so on himself but was so bogged down with paperwork relating to the incident he was beginning to feel he wouldn’t have the time.

  The weather report he’d studied that morning showed the unprecedented storm had moved on and things should be moving again in a few days. Kites didn’t fly when it was sub-zero temperatures if they could avoid it, as the wings iced up.

  Tony yelled from the office across the passageway. Why the hell couldn’t he use the internal telephone or get up and speak to him like a normal bloke?

  ‘Yes, how can I be of assistance? After all, I’ve got nothing at all to do today.’

  ‘Point taken, old boy. I’ve just been on the blower. I’m afraid HQ wants you to remain here as adjutant for another few weeks.’ He raised his hand as if warding off a blow. ‘Don’t glare at me, I did my best. They want you to expedite the building work so we’re ready when things get going.’

  ‘They’ll need me to fly soon, so I’ll just have to get on with it until then. Was there something else?’

  ‘They don’t think I’m up to commanding an active fighter base. I’m going to be transferred somewhere inland, miles away from any action.’