Mother grabbed me and pulled me under the heavy kitchen table. She crossed herself and recited the ‘Hail Mary’ while I trembled with fear.

After a few minutes, Mother placed her hand on my cheek and whispered, ‘Don’t be afraid, we’ll be fine.’ She reached up and retrieved the cooking sherry, and there we sat for an hour, sipping the mince-pie-plonk. All my fear of being bombed was taken away by the wonder of my mother treating me like an adult . . . like an equal, for the first time in my life. For me, it was a wonderful moment of closeness that I’ll never forget.

‘Shall we go and look, Gertie, while we can still walk?’ We both giggled nervously, then rushed out and peered over the cliff to see if there was a German gunboat pointing its cannons at our home. There were no ships to be seen, but still, Mother rolled her sleeve up and shook her fist across the English Channel.

‘Don’t you ever dare frighten my daughter like that again, Kaiser Bill, you dirty devil, or you’ll have me to deal with!’ she cried, and I could hardly walk back up the path for laughing. Still, we managed to finish making the mince pies, and nobody seemed to notice the lack of sherry, or that the pastry lids were askew.

Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

SHELLY

Dover, present day.

‘YOU’LL BE LATE, GET AWAY with you,’ Gordon said gruffly, as Shelly came downstairs for work. ‘Can’t afford you slacking, and taking exotic holidays.’

She smiled, kissed his cheek, and hurried out, almost bumping into the postman.

‘Morning, vet. I’ve got a letter for you.’ He thrust it towards her and glanced into her face with a flash of adoration.

‘Thank you, Malcolm. Very kind of you to cycle all this way.’ A tinge of pink brightened his plump cheeks.

‘It’s nothing, m-miss.’

Shelly glanced at the envelope, saw the Cambridge postmark, and felt the blood drain from her face.

He’s found me then . . . after all these years, he’s returned to his roots.

‘Not bad news, I hope?’

Shaking her head a little too fast, she shoved the letter deep into her pocket. ‘Must run, Malcolm. Busy day ahead.’

‘Fancy a cuppa, Malcolm?’ Dad called.

‘I don’t mind if I do.’

*

Shelly hurried outside into a bright, blustery morning. She watched a gull out over the cliff, wings spread, heading into the wind. Almost stationary, it floated on air, free, determined to be where it was. Captivated by the magnificent views and the dramatic light of stormy weather, she was reminded of her good fortune.