Elizabeth Elgin - Where Bluebells Chime

‘Spare us the details,’ Drew grinned. ‘And we won’t snitch on you, Tatty, just so long as you watch it – you know what I’m getting at?’

‘Of course I know and you needn’t worry, Drew. I didn’t come down with the last fall of snow,’ she flung testily, though what she would do if Tim ever wanted to do that , she wasn’t entirely sure. ‘And I think you should mind your own business and watch yourself with the land girl. You’re gone on her, aren’t you?’

‘No, I’m really not. I like Gracie, though, to dance with. Now for Pete’s sake let’s get a move on or we’ll miss the bus!’

He was pleased, for all that, to see how attractive Gracie looked in the borrowed blue dress and found himself hoping that other men at the dance didn’t find her equally so. They danced well together, and tonight Gracie had promised to teach him the dip and the spin; if he could get a look-in, that was, because, on seeing her legs for the first time, it had to be admitted they were wasted in breeches and dungarees!

‘Are you all clued up for Saturday, then?’ Julia settled herself on the hearth rug, leaning her back against Nathan’s armchair.

‘The wedding? Yes. I’ve had a chat with them both and gone over the service. Mary wants the obey bit left in,’ he laughed, ‘though once she’s got the ring on her finger, I think we know who’ll be obeying.’

‘Mary has waited a long time for Will Stubbs,’ Julia defended.

‘Like I waited for you, wife.’ There was no rancour in Nathan’s voice.

‘Mm. And soon we’ll be having our second anniversary. Shall we have a bit of a do, if the rations will run to it? I tried to persuade Mother to have a party for her eightieth birthday, but she won’t hear of it. She doesn’t want reminding, she said, that she’s been living on borrowed time for the last ten years. I wish she’d let us make just a little fuss. A lot of the tenants seem to be expecting it, and Tilda’s saving some of the rations to make her just a little cake – with one big pink candle on it.’

‘I don’t think we should push her.’ Nathan wound a strand of Julia’s hair round his forefinger.

‘You could be right, love. But we might be able to pull something off. How about a get-together for our anniversary and whilst we’re about it we could toast Mother’s birthday – belatedly, sort of. There are still a few bottles of decent stuff in the cellar – why leave them for Hitler’s lot to get their hands on?’

‘Julia! I thought we’d agreed, no more invasion talk. There isn’t going to be one, I know it.’

‘Oh? Got God’s phone number, have you?’

‘No. He’s ex-directory. But it’s a gut feeling I’ve got that we’ll be all right, so let’s talk about turning our anniversary into a surprise party for your mother’s eightieth, because that’s what you really intend, isn’t it?’

‘It is, actually. We’d have to be careful – make sure she didn’t get wind of it.’

‘You’re a scheming woman, Julia Sutton.’ He wasn’t at all sure it was a good idea. Aunt Helen had aged visibly this last year. The coming of another war so soon after the last one had upset the elderly, many of whom would never quite push the carnage of the trenches behind them. And Drew joining the Navy hadn’t helped. There were times, Nathan had to admit, when Helen’s frailty worried him. ‘Scheming and devious and I don’t know why I love you so much.’

‘I’m perfect, that’s why. And stop fiddling with my hair! You’re only looking for grey bits! Now – about Mother’s birthday party. Pity it’ll be a couple of months late, but I’m determined she’ll have one. Tell you what – why don’t we hold it in the parish hall? That way we’d have a better chance of keeping it a secret, though we’d have to find a way of inveigling her down there. But I’ll think of something …’

‘I’m sure you will.’ His wife always got her own way; always had, ever since he could remember. But she was so open and charming in all she did that she got away with it every time. It was one of the things he loved about her. ‘And I’m sorry, darling, but I promised I’d look in on Father – make sure he’s settled in at Denniston. Are you coming?’

‘Not tonight, if you don’t mind. I’ll maybe take Mother over tomorrow. And don’t worry about him, Nathan. He’ll be fine with Anna and Tatty. It wasn’t good for him being all alone in that place. Best thing They ever did was commandeering Pendenys.

‘You’ll have to try to find out who’s taking it over, and what they intend using it for. Alice told me Tom saw a convoy of army lorries this afternoon that seemed to be heading in that direction. They aren’t wasting any time, are they? Give my love to Uncle Edward, won’t you?’ She rose to her feet, clasping her arms around his neck, drawing him close to kiss him. ‘And don’t be away too long,’ she murmured throatily as he left her.

Agnes Clitherow rose stiffly to her feet, the last of her possessions packed carefully into tea chests and clearly labelled for when the carrier collected them. She had delayed her departure for Scotland until after the wedding, which would give her the opportunity to say goodbye to her friends; less sad, too, since everyone would be in a happy frame of mind.

Yet leaving would not be easy. Saying goodbye to her ladyship and Miss Julia would be near-heartbreaking and need all of that self-control she had learned over the years as housekeeper to the gentry. Nor would she relish saying goodbye to Sir Andrew on Saturday morning when his leave was over. Such a fine young man Drew had grown into. Sir Giles would have been so proud of him.

Agnes Clitherow blinked away her tears, blowing her nose loudly. Packed carefully away was a silver-framed photograph of Drew she would treasure always; a memento of a fine young man who would come safely through this war, she knew it, and marry and have sons for Rowangarth. Oh please, God, he must !

Flight Sergeant Timothy Thomson was waiting outside the Plaza dance hall in Creesby when the Holdenby bus stopped outside.

‘Tim!’ Tatiana’s cheeks flushed hotly. ‘I said to meet me inside!’

‘Oh, aye? So you think I’m mean, do you? Meet my girl inside so I don’t have to pay her in?’

‘I didn’t think that at all!’ She took a step away from him because she knew he was going to kiss her and it simply wouldn’t do – not when someone from Holdenby might just be walking past. It was one of the awkward things about being a Sutton. So many people knew her. ‘But I’m glad you could make it. Were you on ops. last night?’

‘Aye, but it was only a milk run. Counts as an op. for all that. One more off my tour.’

‘Your – tour ?’

‘Thirty bombing operations in a tour. Not a lot of aircrews make it to a full tour, but those that do are taken off flying for a while.’

‘And how many have you done, Tim?’

‘Last night was the eleventh, so it’s fingers crossed for the next two. Crews seem to think that once they’re over the thirteenth there’s a good chance of making it. The first op., the thirteenth and the very last of the tour are the dicey ones. But the others have gone in and we’re standing here blethering.’

They were wasting time when he needed so desperately to have her in his arms, to dance close so he could feel her breath soft on his cheek, smell the clean, sweet scent of her hair. And damned fool him, too, when he’d vowed never to get entangled with girls; to love them and leave them. Get the war over first, then concentrate on a decent degree. But now there was Tatiana and all he could do was think about her all day, then fall asleep hoping to dream about her all night. Soft in the head, he was.