‘Phew, let’s put our feet up an’ have a cuppa for ten minutes before we start on the cleanin’,’ Cissie suggested an hour later as she filled the kettle at the sink and everyone agreed that was a very good idea.

They were still all there when George returned from the railway station ten minutes later.

‘Did they get off all right?’ Sunday asked as she peeped at him over the rim of her cup.

‘They certainly did and will be on their way to Brighton by now, lucky devils.’ He glanced at Cissie then. She’d been looking a little tired and agitated these last few weeks and he wondered if he should ask Sunday whether they could have a few days off for a little break somewhere, just the two of them. They could afford it if he pinched a bit out of their savings, and as their own children had all flown the nest now there was nothing to stop them. He then remembered the letters in his coat pocket and the happy feeling faded away. Much as he hated to do it, he couldn’t withhold Ben and Tom’s mail for any longer.

‘Ah, these came just before we went to church,’ he said with a forced smile. ‘Everyone was in such a dither to be on time that I stuffed them in my pocket and forgot all about them.’

He handed them to the two men and as Sunday saw the envelope over Tom’s shoulder the colour drained from her face.

‘It’s asking me to report for training the week after next,’ he said solemnly.

‘I’m to go at the beginning of next week,’ Ben told them and a silence descended on the kitchen.

It was broken when Tom said in a falsely jovial voice, ‘Well, it stands to reason you’ll need more training than me. I’m only going to be tending the horses and stretcher-bearing. Where have you got to go, Ben?’

‘Warwick.’

‘Oh!’ Tom was quietly disappointed. He had hoped that they might be able to stay together. ‘I’m to report to a training camp in Worcester. Still, I dare say we’ll both get leave when the training’s done before we get shipped out, so we’ll no doubt see each other again after you’ve gone.’

As Sunday stared at the two of them, she saw the deep love that had grown between father and son, and once again she was ashamed at how she had behaved, and she ran to put her arms about them both and gather them to her. Now the nightmare was about to begin.

Chapter Forty-Two

‘What do you mean, they’re closing down some of the theatres and music halls?’ Ruby snapped.

‘Exactly what I say,’ Max answered patiently. ‘And don’t snap at me. It wasn’t my decision.’

Ruby was vexed. And just when Kitty was earning really good money as well, she thought. Still, it wasn’t all doom and gloom. At least Richard would still keep her busy, ‘entertaining’. The girl was in great demand now.