My Name is Eva(15)
‘I’m sure he did. But that must have been a very long time ago. Do you ever remember seeing any other guns at Kingsley Manor?’
‘Of course I do. In the shooting season we had at least a dozen or more guns on the estate on several occasions.’
‘More than a dozen? You mean you acquired extra guns?’
‘No, dear. We invited friends over to shoot the pheasants. It was such fun. Very jolly going out on a frosty day with all the dogs. Papa had a dear working spaniel – Milo, he called him. And Mrs Glazier would send out a hamper with delicious consommé. I think she used to add a dash of sherry. It makes all the difference, you know. So, some years we had several brace hanging in the cellar. Do you like pheasant?’
‘I’m not sure. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten it.’ WPC Thomas stops taking notes and frowns at Evelyn.
‘Oh, it’s marvellous. But you must let it hang for a few days; no more than a week, though, or it will get a bit too high. The flavour is vastly improved with hanging and that makes the meat more tender too. You must check, mind, that none of the shot is left in the bird. That can make them taste a bit off, you know, and you don’t want to go biting on a bit of lead. That won’t do your teeth any good. Our cook used to roast them and sometimes she made the most superb game pie, with a mixture of rabbit, pheasant and pigeon. Absolutely delicious.’
‘It sounds wonderful. Now, these guns—’
Evelyn waves at her niece. ‘Pat, I want you to check the freezer at Kingsley. I’m certain I left a couple of brace there and this young lady would like to try pheasant, I’m sure.’ Evelyn beams at the young officer. ‘You’re in for quite a treat, dear.’
‘The freezer is totally empty, Aunt.’ Pat is rolling her eyes again. ‘In fact, it’s not even there any more.’
‘Not there? Why ever not? It was a perfectly good freezer. Served me well for the last twenty years.’ Evelyn turns to pat WPC Thomas’s hand. ‘I bought the pheasants from that excellent butcher in Petworth. I used to shoot them myself when I was younger too, but in later years, I bought them in, ready dressed.’
‘Aunt, there are no pheasants at Kingsley. You’re getting confused again.’
‘What nonsense, Pat. Of course there are pheasants at Kingsley. Our gamekeeper saw to it. Papa would have had words if he hadn’t done his job properly. There were always plenty of birds for the shoots. You can’t invite people along to a shoot and not give them a decent day’s shooting. Whatever would they think? Of course there are still pheasants.’
‘But not in any freezer, there aren’t.’ Pat shakes her head in exasperation. ‘Not any more.’
WPC Thomas closes her notebook and turns to Pat. ‘I think that’s all I need. I’ll have to write a crime report, just for the record, but I don’t think you’ll have any more trouble. The firearms people will have to take a look at the guns and the serial numbers, just to be sure, but I shouldn’t think you’ll have to come down to the station again.’
‘Thank goodness for that. I’ve got more than enough to cope with, as you can see from today’s performance. But do you think they were her guns? And were they still working?’
‘I really couldn’t say. It’s not something I know much about. If the guns are still usable, they’ll eventually be decommissioned, put out of action, once the firearms boys are satisfied.’ She looks down at the forms in her file. ‘But I’ll include some information in the report about all the other items that were found in the cases, just in case that’s relevant.’
As WPC Thomas starts to leave, Evelyn calls out, ‘Goodbye, dear. Do come again, won’t you? I’ve so enjoyed our little chat.’
16
10 February 1944
My darling,
This will be quite short, as I am so excited to be starting in a new, and, I hope, much more rewarding role, both for me and for the nation. I was sent to an address in Broadway Street, opposite St James’s Park Underground station. While I was waiting in the corridor, I could hear a man and a woman saying, ‘She should be all right. She’s got the right background.’ I think they meant me, but I don’t know who had been telling them about me. Maybe they knew Charles. Then, after a short interview, I was told they would like me to join a unit that interviews evaders and escapees who have managed to return to this country from enemy occupied territory.
I said I didn’t really want to just sit safely in an office, when others, like you, are out there risking their lives. I said I would rather be playing an active part in the war. They said they might review my position in due course, but at least I feel I will now be used properly and be close to the action!
I believe evaders are those service personnel who have avoided capture after being involved in action of some kind. I am well aware that some of their reports will be full of ghastly harrowing details, so I know it will remind me of that awful business that finished you off, darling, but I am determined to be calm and strong for your sake.
I was so excited by my success at last that I celebrated by walking through the park to Fortnum’s for tea and before I left, I bought a chocolate bar they have produced specially for serving military personnel. I’m going to send it out to Charles, assuming his influence helped me get this position. I’d have bought some for you as well, of course, darling, if you were still here, as I know you would have loved such a treat.