This seemed to be the last straw. Sheila gulped and then sank on the floor, howling like a child.

Iris gazed at her with eyes on stalks.

“She cries worse than me,” she told Maggie. “I never knew grown-ups did.”

Janet sat down beside Sheila and patted her.

“Come on, pull yourself together.”

Sheila’s voice rose in a wail.

“I can’t go, I simply can’t! I’ve stayed and stayed in this dead and alive hole where nobody even sees me, and now when I could be happy I’m made to go.”

Iris leant down.

“Would you like a ginger-nut?”

Maggie had strained to hear through Sheila’s tears what she was saying.

“Going away from home is a big step, dear, but all the other girls in the country are taking it. You must do your share.”

“Janet isn’t taking it. She isn’t being thrown out of her home.”

Maggie became more severe.

“That’s enough, Sheila. Janet wanted to be a Wren. She gave up the idea to stay with me.”

“She’s jolly glad now that she did.”

Maggie glanced at Iris’ interested face.

“I think you might go in the garden, Iris.”

“I haven’t finished my milk.”

“Never mind, take it with you.”

Iris got off her chair. She looked disparagingly at Sheila. “I don’t want to be mean, but it isn’t at all a nice day, and I’m being sent outside because of you. Little pitchers have long ears.”

Janet laughed.

“All right, Mrs. Honeywell, I’ll come with you.”

“Now, Sheila dear,” said Maggie, “what is all this?” Sheila sobbed dismally.

“I won’t go.”

“It’s no good going on like that, you’ve got to go. You’ve signed on. I don’t know what the law is, but I should think it’s a police matter if you don’t turn up.”

Sheila sat up, her face distorted and swollen.

“Police!”

Maggie laughed.

“Don’t look like that. It won’t be a police matter because you’ll go. Now run along and wash your face. Come on, give Mum a kiss.”

A few minutes later Janet looked in at the window.

“Has she cheered up?”

“No.” Maggie raised herself on her elbow. “Do you know, Janet, I’ve a feeling that this is something more than silliness. There can’t be anything wrong, can there? I feel she’s frightened to leave home.”

“It isn’t frightened she seemed to me; it’s more as if there was something she wanted to stay for.”

“What, here? In Worsingfold?”

“I know it seems queer, but that’s the impression she gave me. But who or what could it be?”

Maggie shook her head.

“She’s such a funny child. Somehow, although she signed on and all that, I don’t believe she really saw herself going away. It’s all this film nonsense, I expect. She can only imagine happy endings.”