With Daisy and Florrie looking more presentable, they all bravely walked them towards the group of nurses wearing the same grey-and-maroon nurse’s uniform. Then as they disappeared, only to reappear with their heads hanging out of a window, they all waved and waved, until the smoke puffing from the engine took them from view. Silence fell for a moment. Sibbie felt lost. It was as if a large part of her had left on that train.

CHAPTER EIGHT

London and Portpatrick

Sibbie and Marjie

The vast buildings of London that still stood seemed to engulf Sibbie, as she and Marjie alighted from their taxi in Baker Street. As Sibbie looked up, she had the feeling they were proudly proclaiming to the world that they had survived the Blitz with honours.

Finding Druce & Co. furniture store on the corner, as instructed, the girls didn’t speak as they entered the hallway of the doorway next to the shop. Sibbie’s first impression was of entering someone’s home, as the thick golden-brown carpet silenced their tread.

They were shown into a large waiting room with leather chairs placed around the walls. A table in the centre held newspapers and magazines. Neither Sibbie nor Marjie bothered with these, and both of them, attacked by nerves, sat together and waited quietly.

Sibbie was called first by a young army officer, who didn’t introduce herself. ‘Would you come this way, Miss Roford? You are to see CD. We don’t use names or ranks here, just code letters. M will also be present.’

This added to Sibbie’s nerves, but she marched behind the officer, feeling as if she were on a charge for some misdemeanour.

Sitting in a cafe an hour later, Sibbie could tell that although they hadn’t yet talked about their experience, Marjie was as excited as she was. The briefing had been just that: very brief and to the point. ‘You will be told nothing about the expectations of you, or what your role will be, until you have passed out from several training courses. The first one will be an assessment process – a preliminary training course. If you get through that, you will be told what is next. In the meantime, say absolutely nothing about your experience today, or what you know so far. Enjoy the rest of your leave, as if it is your last, and report back here one week from today, at ten a.m. precisely.’ And that was that.

‘What did you think, Marjie?’

‘I’m not sure, but somehow, I don’t think we should discuss it here. Let’s talk when we’re back at our boarding house, as we pack for Scotland. We only have two hours before we catch our overnight train, and I’m hungry. I think I’ll order a pie and peas – I really enjoyed that yesterday.’