‘Well, at least they do now,’ Sunday said kindly. A couple of days before Giles had driven Edith into town and she had come back loaded with new clothes for them, so with those and the ones from the attic the children were now very well rigged out. Sunday had a sneaking suspicion that Edith had bought some of the clothes with her own money and she could hardly believe the change in the woman. Since the children had arrived, she seemed to have blossomed and already it was clear that she adored them. Sunday just hoped that this wouldn’t lead to heartache for her when the children had to return home, but for now she was content to see Edith so happy. They would face the separation when they had to.

Chapter Twenty-Six

‘My, don’t you both look just beautiful!’ Edith said proudly as she surveyed the children dressed and ready for their first day at the village school, the following week.

Peggy’s hair was tied into two neat plaits with red ribbons that matched the little kilt she was wearing, while Bobby was squirming in his smart shirt, tie and grey trousers.

‘Why’s we ’ave to go anyway?’ he muttered, rubbing the toe of his highly polished shoe across the flagstones in the kitchen. He would much sooner have spent his time in the stables with Giles and the horses.

‘To learn your lessons of course, young man,’ Edith responded brightly as Cook looked on with an indulgent smile on her face.

‘I can already read an’ write,’ he objected sulkily, but Edith didn’t waver.

‘So, you can but there’s still a lot more to learn. Oh … and don’t forget to wear your name tags an’ take your gas masks.

Bobby frowned as she tied the name tag she had made for him about his neck and tucked it down underneath his shirt before doing the same to Peggy. She then lifted the two little boxes she had prepared for their lunch and after handing them one each she nodded at George who was waiting to take them to school in the horse and trap. That, at least, Bobby was pleased about; he loved the trap and Edith was sure he would have driven around in it all day had he been able to.

‘Come on then,’ George said amiably. ‘Say ta-ra to Cook an’ Edith. Yer don’t want to be late on yer first day now, do yer?’

Edith quickly planted a kiss on each cheek, much to Bobby’s disgust, then he reluctantly followed George from the kitchen, leaving Edith with tears in her eyes.

‘Eeh, I hope they’ll be all right,’ she commented to the cook and the rosy-cheeked woman grinned.

‘Now why ever wouldn’t they be? They’ll be meetin’ some o’ their mates from home there no doubt, an’ anyway they’ll be back afore yer know it.’