Winter on the Mersey(88)

‘That is no trouble at all, sir,’ said Kitty, careful that her face did not betray her true feelings. More time alone with Frank – but she’d coped with the long train journey down and so this would be bearable. She’d keep her mind on the evening to come, catching up with Laura.

‘Then we’ll have a car waiting for you outside the side entrance when this is finished,’ the officer said. ‘Don’t let me detain you from your tea and biscuits, Miss Callaghan. You see we can run to biscuits here – it’s not like being stuck out in the provinces, you know.’

‘Yes, sir,’ said Kitty, annoyed that he’d had to have a snide dig at where she came from. London officers – they were all the same.

‘Now you be a good boy and don’t cause any trouble for Auntie Sarah or Tommy,’ Nancy instructed her son as they stood on the doorstep of the Callaghans’ house. ‘Remember to clean your teeth and go straight to bed when they tell you.’

‘Yes, Mam,’ said Georgie impatiently, hopping up and down on the spot. He couldn’t wait to be inside. He’d visited this house many times but had never been allowed to sleep there, and he could hardly contain himself.

Tommy opened the door, a big grin on his face as he caught sight of the little boy beaming up at him. ‘All right, young Georgie?’ he said affectionately, ruffling the boy’s hair. ‘Come on in.’

‘Don’t you stand for any nonsense from him, Tommy,’ Nancy said, half worried that it would be too much for the lad, but proud too that her little boy was having this small adventure. ‘He’s got everything he needs packed in that canvas bag.’

‘I put in my picture book an’ all,’ Georgie said solemnly. ‘So I won’t get under your feet.’

‘Course you won’t get under my feet,’ said Tommy warmly. ‘We’re going to have a grand time. So don’t you worry,’ he said to Nancy, who was hovering.

‘I know you will. All right, give Mammy a kiss and then off you go,’ she said, wondering why she suddenly felt a surge of trepidation. The little boy’s cough seemed to be on the mend at last, and she’d left Georgie with lots of babysitters before, including Tommy himself. In any case, it wouldn’t be long until Sarah got home from work. Her younger sister was one of the most sensible, capable people she knew, so there was, as Tommy said, no need to worry. She was just being silly. She bent and gave Georgie a brief hug and then waved goodbye as Tommy shut the door. As she walked away she could hear Georgie’s shrieks of excitement.

Nancy drew the collar of her best coat up around her neck, shivering with her own excitement. Gary had booked them into the select hotel they’d been to once before. It was so much more risky now the days were longer and people would be around who might know them – but she didn’t care. He’d be off on active service from tomorrow. He couldn’t tell her where he was going; she wasn’t sure if he knew himself. So it would be a night to savour. She was now all but certain he was going to ask her to come away with him after the war was over, which everyone said would be soon. She knew there were a few legal obstacles in the way, but she was sure they could find a way around them. Gary was so clever, so caring and protective. He’d make sure a little thing like a hasty marriage undertaken when she wasn’t old enough to know any better didn’t get in the way of their lasting happiness together. She just had to trust him.

Singing to herself, she hopped on to the bus, ignoring all the looks coming her way, knowing that her joy was radiating off her like heat from the sun.

Kitty had kept her eyes facing the front windscreen as they were driven across town and shown to the large office where she was to repeat her report from earlier in the morning. There was no need for small talk with Frank as Captain Harris, apparently unaware that she’d ever been to the capital before, kept up a running commentary. It mainly consisted of pointing out bomb sites, something she could have done without.

They were met by a polite but brisk senior Wren, who swiftly ushered them upstairs to an echoing corridor, leading to a meeting room with rows of chairs which had the air of having been hastily put together. Kitty suspected they’d had about as much notice of this as she and Frank had. Still, she delivered her report, and Frank added a few points from his side of things, which seemed to go down well. Within less than an hour they were back on the street again.

Frank looked at Kitty. ‘That was rather a whirlwind, wasn’t it?’ he said, rubbing his forehead as he did so. ‘I hope we were able to tell them what they needed.’

Kitty could feel her resolve to keep her distance slipping away. ‘They wouldn’t have asked us if they hadn’t thought we could contribute something vital. It’s not our fault we aren’t as up to date on how some of our communications were designed – we’re the ones who know how to work them, after all. I’m glad we had the chance to meet some of the people who do a similar job and check we’re all working in the same way. Are you all right?’ she added anxiously, as he continued to rub his temples.

Frank straightened up at once, always sensitive to any implication he was less than one hundred per cent. ‘Of course.’

Kitty sighed, realising he’d assumed she meant his leg, when all she’d intended was to be considerate. ‘Only you look as if you might have a headache,’ she added.