The Halfpenny Girls at War

by Maggie Mason

Genres: World War II

Synopsis

THE THIRD NOVEL IN THE HEART-WARMING SAGA SERIES BY MAGGIE MASON - MEET THE HALFPENNY GIRLS. . .

Don't miss Maggie Mason's brand-new saga series, The Fortune Tellers, available to pre-order now!

'In the grand tradition of sagas set down by the late and great Catherine Cookson ' Jean Fullerton on Blackpool Lass

Will friendship see them through the struggles of war?

As war approaches, Alice, Edith and Marg fear for the safety of their families, while trying to decide the best way they can do their bit for their country.

Alice decides to volunteer with the Red Cross, helping those most in need, Marg is preparing to marry her true love at the most dangerous of times, and Edith hopes to finally realise her dream of becoming a teacher, and starting a family of her own.

Things have never been easy for The Halfpenny Girls, but family, friendship and community spirit will always see them through the darkest of days. . .

The third in a brand new series from reader favourite Maggie Mason, The Halfpenny Girls at War is the perfect heart-warming family saga about overcoming hardship and the value of friendship. Perfect for fans of Val Wood, Kitty Neale and Rosie Goodwin

'In the grand tradition of sagas set down by the late and great Catherine Cookson' Jean Fullerton on Blackpool Lass

Readers LOVE Maggie Mason's Blackpool sagas:

'5 stars - I wish I could give it more. Wonderful read.'

'Another must read book'

'What a brilliant book. I couldn't put it down!'

'I was hooked from the first page . . . this author is a must read'

'A totally absorbing read'

Release date: April 14, 2022

Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group

Print pages: 400

Sample

MargOctober 1939

Marg sat with Edith and Alice on the doorstep of her home in Whittaker Avenue, Blackpool, the street where they’d all been born within a week of each other.

Sitting like this was something they’d always done – huddled close, drinking mugs of hot cocoa, giggling over nothing and finding comfort if they needed it, whilst around them neighbours called out to one another, chastised kids or had a blazing family row. Normal life for this street.

But now, since the declaration of war, nothing was normal. Blackout curtains stopped any light from splashing onto the pavement, and closed doors blocked out the snippets of the neighbours’ lives.

There was a feeling, too, of having the rug pulled from under you; that you were no longer safe and could be torn apart from loved ones at any time.

Already, Philip, Edith’s husband, a language teacher at the posh Rossall School, had been conscripted into a position in the War Office and Edith didn’t know from one week to the next if he would be home with her for a day, or even a few hours. And Harry, Alice’s brother, had received his call-up papers – though suddenly going down with appendicitis had delayed his departure.

But despite these upsetting events and changes, daily life had gone on.

‘You know, I reckon this street’ll always stay the same. Nothing will change the routine of those who live here, even if the menfolk go to war. The women will carry on busybodying into each other’s business and shaking their heads in disgust if anyone’s doorstep hasn’t been scrubbed by ten in the morning, borrowing a bowl of sugar from each other, and being ready to drag anyone’s name through the mud to fuel their gossiping.’

‘Aye, you’re right there, Marg, and yet, they stand firmly by each other’s side if the chips are down, as they have by us at times.’

‘They have, Alice.’ Marg sighed. ‘I just feel uneasy about everything.’

No one spoke for a moment. Marg let her mind dwell on what war would be like and what it would mean for them all and for their loved ones.

Edith nudged her. ‘Hey, no quiet moments, we said, remember?’

This jolted Marg out of the sadness that had threatened to engulf her at the thought of it all. She giggled and hitched closer to Edith. ‘Sorry, lass.’

‘I know it’s difficult not to mull over things, but think of something good like it only being two weeks to your wedding day, Marg.’

‘Ooh, don’t remind me, I’ve a lot to do yet, but the worst thing is having to face meeting Clive’s parents for the first time tomorrow.’

‘Well, about time, I say. Eeh, you’ve been seeing Clive for two years now and you ain’t yet seen his house or met his parents!’

‘Aye, I know, Alice, but with us being just friends till recently, there never seemed the need. Besides, with Clive being a widower, he had the feelings of his kids and his mum and dad to consider.’

‘For all that, it took a long time for the pair of you to wake up to what we all knew, lass. But it happened in the end and Clive’s a lovely man and his kids are adorable. I just know you’ll be happy, Marg, and I’m that glad.’

‘Ta, Alice. I know I will, but . . . well, everything’s going to be so different.’

‘No talk of war . . . or of you moving across to the posh end of Blackpool once you’re wed. Only meeting your new ma-in-law and your wedding day is allowed!’

‘Not talking about it won’t make it go away, Edith, love, you know that more than most. Every time I’ve seen you, you’ve been bright and cheerful when you don’t have to be, not with us. How have you really been since Philip had to leave?’

Edith let out a huge sigh. ‘Lonely, tear-filled, but I have the kids to help me through and they need me to help them to cope an’ all. Poor things are missing Philip, on top of missing their own families.’

‘By, Edith, you were brave to take on three evacuees, lass. Mind, Mandy, Alf and Ben stole my heart when they landed on the station that day, when we were helping your ma-inlaw and the WRVS. And now, it feels like we’ve always had them around. But it can’t be easy for you, nor them. Just say if you need anything as you know we’re here for you.’

‘I will, Alice, lass, ta. But it ain’t all doom and gloom for me, I do have some hope of good news . . . Remember that I told you three weeks back that I was late with me monthlies?’ Edith gave a little giggle. ‘Well, I still ain’t started . . . Eeh, what I want most in all the world is to have Philip’s babby . . . Oh, Alice, I’m sorry, lass. Here’s me going on about wanting a babby. I – I didn’t think . . .’

‘No, Edith, love, don’t feel sorry, I’m pleased for you. I’ve come to terms with how things are for me – not with losing me babby, I’ll never come to terms with that, but well . . . Anyway, you mustn’t think you can’t talk about your dreams in front of me.’

Feeling now that Edith had been right and that she shouldn’t have started this conversation, Marg felt at a loss as to how to comfort Edith as she coped with three little evacuees and the possibility of being pregnant without Philip by her side. And Alice having lost her newborn son earlier in the year and then finding out that she couldn’t have any more children. Poor Alice had been devastated, but she’d thrown herself into her work with the Red Cross and was taking each day as it came.

Edith put her arm around Alice. ‘I wish we could change everything and go back a few months, love. All our dreams seem to be crumbling.’

‘I know. Every morning I sift through the post to see if there’s a call-up paper for Gerald, even though he tries to assure me that he won’t be called to duty for a while. He reckons that he won’t be needed unless the fighting begins in earnest and the army medics can’t cope, then it’s likely they will call up those doctors who have volunteered.’

‘Let’s hope that’s a long way off or, better still, never happens.’ Marg sighed. She knew what it was like to worry about being parted from your man and all the wondering about how it would feel not knowing if he was safe or not. Clive had told her that he was considering asking his dad to come out of retirement for a few days a week and leaving him and his manager to take care of the rock factory that Clive owned, so that he could take up the position offered to him of full-time coxswain on the lifeboat. This could mean him being in danger at times. ‘Eeh, me lasses, I’m sorry I started this now. It’s just with us living next door to each other, Edith, I felt guilty not knowing how you really are.’

‘It’s all right, Marg, I should have been more open with you and come to you.’ Edith reached out her other arm to Marg and snuggled her into a hug, giving Marg the thought that this was her safe place. As long as she had Alice and Edith she’d cope.

‘Right, me lasses, that’s it. I refuse to let this evening be full of war talk. We’ve Marg’s wedding to look forward to and it’s only a week since we were all jolly and having our September Christmas Day!’

This made Marg smile as Edith sounded like the schoolteacher she was. ‘Eeh, hark at you. We’d better do as she says, Alice, or we’ll get to stand in the corner!’

This started them giggling, and Marg felt better for it.

‘Ha, a September Christmas! Were we mad?’

‘I think we were, Alice, but it were a grand day, weren’t it?’

‘Aye, it was, Marg . . . Anyroad, no matter what’s happening when the real one comes around – I mean, if things ain’t good – then we’ll always have a wonderful 1939 Christmas to remember.’

‘Aye, we will. Me gran hasn’t stopped talking about it – when she has a good moment, that is. Though, some of the time she’s mixed it up with Christmases in the past.’

‘Has she mentioned living with you and Clive again, Marg?’

‘Aye, she keeps saying, “Me John said it would be a good thing for me to do, and so I’m doing it, but I ain’t going without me chair!” ’

‘Aw, it was a lovely moment when Clive’s lad, Carl, asked her. Both of his lads seem to really love Gran.’

‘Carl does, Alice, but George is a little wary still. Mind, he’s only little and it’s difficult enough for grown-ups to understand Gran’s ways with her dementia, bless her, let alone kids.’

Alice looked wistful. ‘You know, whenever I hear George spoken of I think of me dad. It was lovely of Clive to name him after him.’

‘And deserved, Alice, as Clive wouldn’t be here but for your dad’s saving him.’

They were quiet for a moment. Marg sensed that each was thinking of how things used to be for them.

The sound of a telephone ringing cut into her thoughts and brought Edith to her feet. ‘That’ll be Philip! Excuse me, lasses, I’ll be back in a bit.’

As Edith disappeared into her house, Marg looked at her watch. ‘Nine o’clock! No wonder Edith was on edge. Philip usually rings in time to say goodnight to the kids.’

‘Eeh, Marg, I hope he’s all right. Poor Edith, it must be unbearable to be without him so soon after their wedding day.’

‘I know, it’s me fear of raking them feelings up for her that stops me wanting to talk about me own wedding – well, and me nerves about meeting Clive’s family tomorrow.’

‘It’ll be fine, lass. Like you say, Clive’s parents lost a daughter-in-law that they were very close to. Maybe they just weren’t ready to have those feelings for another yet. Though you have to take heart in how Clive’s mum made that shawl for Carl and George to give to your gran as a present on our Christmas Day. Gerald said it was like she was offering a little something to say she was ready.’

‘Aye, it was a nice gesture, wasn’t it? Gran hasn’t taken it off since. She even wants it over her when she’s in bed.’

‘That’s good. Your biggest worry was concerning Gran. But now with her being happy to go to live with you in Clive’s home you won’t have to live apart from him just to keep her in her own home. I’m so pleased it all turned out in the end, love.’

Marg felt Alice’s hand clutch hold of hers and they both hitched their bums into the gap Edith had left to be closer to one another. ‘But, Marg, love, don’t take on all of our troubles as yours. You’ve been through so much, you need to concentrate on your own happiness for a while . . . Eeh, I can hear someone coming. I bet it’s Jackie, she’ll soon sort you out.’

Marg looked up. In the little light the moon gave, she saw her younger sister coming towards them.

The joy of her life, Jackie made her proud every day. A clever girl, she’d recently taken a job in the accounts office of the biscuit factory. Marg had worked there for seven years now, packing an endless number of biscuits as they came off the line. She couldn’t wait to leave when she wed as it just hadn’t been the same since Alice and Edith had left to get married. Though she wondered if Edith had truly escaped as Philip’s parents owned the factory and one day Philip would inherit it.

As if she’d conjured her up, Edith popped her head back out of her door. ‘By, I’m sorry, lasses, but the phone woke Mandy and she’s a bit upset, so I’ll not be out again.’

‘Aw, I’m making cocoa in a mo, shall I bring you some and for Mandy an’ all? She loves me cocoa.’

‘We all do, Marg. Aye, that’d be grand, ta.’

‘I’ll have to go an’ all, Marg, sorry, love, but with Jackie coming home that means Harry and the lads are on their own as Gerald’s on night duty at the hospital. I don’t like to put too much on Billy. He’s really good looking after Harry, but with him starting work at Clive’s factory on Monday, he’s feeling a bit anxious.’

‘I ain’t surprised, poor lad. He loved his job with Blackpool Football Club. Such a shame they had to close, and now, with the prospect of Harry going away to war when he’s better, him and Joey must feel their world’s been turned upside down. You tell Billy not to worry, Clive’ll look out for him at work.’

‘Ta, love. It’s all change for everyone at the mo. But, you know, though I didn’t want Harry to be as ill as he has been, I can’t help feeling glad that it stopped him taking his call-up for a while . . . Eeh, it don’t seem right, lads of eighteen having to go.’

‘Jackie’s dreading him going. It were lovely to hear them saying they wanted to get engaged before he went but I don’t know how she’ll cope when he’s gone.’

‘She will. As we all will. But we must make something of their engagement as soon as Harry’s well.’

Marg didn’t have time to answer this as Jackie had reached them and Alice stood up, opened her arms out to Jackie and hugged her. ‘How’s me brother been behaving tonight, lass?’

‘He’s so much better but . . . Oh, Alice, he’s talking of contacting the army if he keeps improving.’

‘I know, lass. Be strong, eh? Don’t forget, you’re a Halfpenny Girl now, and we’ll all look out for one another.’

Marg felt tears prickling her eyes. She wanted to rail against all that was happening in the world, but she put a brave smile on and joined in the hug.

They were the Halfpenny Girls – a name given to them long ago by Edith’s dad, as he told them they hadn’t got much, but they had the best thing ever: a loving friendship that would sustain them through life. It always had and she knew it would through anything that horrid Hitler thought to throw at them.

Edith

Wanting to be out of the house the next morning, trying to make light of how low she felt, and hoping the fresh air would calm her, Edith jollied the children along to get them ready for school, ignoring their petty little disagreements.

Mandy was the main culprit. Crotchety from lack of sleep as the poor little mite had cried for a long time, she was picking on her long-suffering twin brother, Alf. Ben, who was the same age as the twins and from the same street in the East End of London, was quiet – unusually so. But then, he wasn’t feeling himself, though he said his sore throat felt better since she’d helped him to gargle with salt water – the cure-all for throat infections.

Even a few words on the phone with Philip last night hadn’t lifted Mandy’s mood, nor had reassuring her that she and Alf hadn’t heard from their granny as the letters they had sent, and Ben had sent to his ma, giving their address and telephone number, wouldn’t have arrived yet.

Edith hadn’t broached the subject of writing to the twins’ ma as even mentioning her could make things worse where Mandy was concerned.

Mandy rarely talked about her ma and if she did, it was with a kind of hatred. This was sad for Alf who obviously missed her, but Edith understood how Mandy felt after she’d told her that her ma worked the streets. She knew what it was like to have a less than perfect ma, who embarrassed you. But still, the hatred was hard to understand as she’d always loved and cared for her own ma despite her drunken ways, and she missed her every day.

As they walked to school nothing improved as Alf tried to pacify Mandy. ‘Don’t be sad, Mandy, our gran will come to visit, I know she will. And she might bring Mum with ’er.’

‘Shurrup, you. I don’t want our mum to come, she’d make a laffing stock of us.’

‘She wouldn’t!’

Alf cowered. Edith felt his little clammy hand come into hers and felt compelled to stand up for him. ‘Mandy, don’t go for your brother like that.’ But then sighed as Mandy stormed ahead.

Just as peace reigned, they turned onto Newton Drive, leaving them only a few hundred yards to walk to St Kentigern’s Roman Catholic school.

Edith loved her teaching job there and could feel the anticipation of another day, only to have this feeling shattered by a child’s voice.

‘If it ain’t Cockney Mandy, teacher’s pet!’

The lad stood across the road from them, mocking with his gestures. The gang with him laughed out loud.

Before Edith could react, Alf took his hand from her grasp and dashed into the road towards them.

The world as she knew it stopped at that moment and went into a loud screeching of brakes, screams from Mandy and a car horn seeming to be stuck in blasting mode leaving Edith crowded by the horror of it all and unable to react.

The gasp she took to end this second of disorientation hurt her throat and stopped the air in her lungs from releasing.

Alf lay on the floor, unmoving.

It was seeing Mandy screaming as she ran towards her brother that moved Edith from the daze that had taken her and compelled her towards what she didn’t want to face.

Into her anguish came the angry words of the driver. ‘What do you think you are doing? Can’t you control your children? You should never be allowed to be a mother!’

Tears stung Edith’s eyes. She made no retort but flung herself on the ground next to Alf. ‘Alf, Alf, oh, Alf, love, are you hurt? Speak to me, Alf!’

Alf didn’t respond.

‘I’m going to that telephone box over there to ring for an ambulance. For goodness’ sake, stop your other brat from screaming the place down!’

Edith wanted to hit out at him, but took off her coat and covered Alf with it, before cradling his head on her knee. Her other arm she extended towards Mandy. Mandy flung herself at her, but Ben stood as if turned to stone on the same spot he’d been when it happened.

‘Ben, come here, love. It’s all right.’ But he didn’t move, just stared at her. Feeling at a loss as to what to do for him, she held Mandy close, trying to soothe her while her own heart was almost frozen with fear for Alf. Unconscious and with his little body twisted out of shape, she prayed he wouldn’t die.

Suddenly, she was surrounded by her fellow teachers and the headmaster, Mr Raven, who took charge, urging the teachers to get the gaping children into school. ‘See that they all get a hot, sweet drink. They’re all in shock . . . Oh dear, Edith, how did this happen?’

The sob that had caught in Edith’s throat came out as she tried to tell him.

‘Now, now, hold yourself together. I heard the driver say he was going to call an ambulance; I am sure it won’t be long. Alf will be all right. Children are very resilient, but what on earth made him run into the road?’

Mandy answered, her voice distraught, her face wet with tears that ran like a river and joined the snot running freely from her nose. ‘It were that Ivan Baker, he called me a name and Alfie went to punch ’im one, but he didn’t see the car . . . he . . . it knocked ’im over . . . He won’t die, will he? Please don’t let ’im die!’

‘Now, now, Mandy, calm yourself, my dear. I know this is very frightening, but we won’t help matters by getting into a state.’

The sound of clanging bells in the distance brought some relief to Edith.

‘I don’t think he could be badly hurt.’

Edith looked up to see the driver, looking pale and shaking. His voice had a kind, gentler note to how he’d spoken to her before.

‘I saw him start to dash out and braked; by the time I hit him I was almost stopped.’ He looked appealingly at the headmaster. ‘I only nudged him, but I think he hit his head when he fell.’

‘Well, that’s serious enough, but no one is blaming you. There were several witnesses that have already told me as I came out that the lad just suddenly dashed out. None told me what you have, Mandy, and I will look into that, I promise.’ He shook his head. ‘Mind, children will be children and though we all love them, they do have a side to them that is nasty and horrible. You yourself have had a few tantrums, Mandy.’

Mandy didn’t answer. Her little body trembled in Edith’s arms. Edith wanted to protest, but the clanging of the bells of the ambulance took her words.

By the time they reached Blackpool Victoria Hospital, Alf was awake and, though confused, didn’t seem to be in any real pain other than saying his head hurt. His movements didn’t tell of anything broken.

Relief at this flooded Edith as she was told to wait in the corridor. She’d only just sat on the bench with Mandy and Ben each side of her when a familiar voice called out, ‘Edith, what are you doing here?’

Gerald came towards them, his open, thick woollen coat flapping out at the sides. ‘What’s happened . . . Oh . . .’

Mandy had left the circle of Edith’s arms and flung herself at Gerald. ‘Alf’s ’urt, please make him better.’

‘What? How? . . . Edith?’

Edith shook as she related what had happened.

Hugging Mandy to him, Gerald looked from her to Ben. ‘Are you all right, Ben?’

Ben stared back unmoving, not answering.

‘He looks in shock, Edith . . . Mandy, you go back to Edith, dear, and don’t worry, I’m sure Alf will be fine. Let me take a look at Ben.’

As Gerald approached, vomit projected from Ben.

‘All right, son, you’ll be all right, you’ve had a shock. Come with me, and you too, Edith. I think you all need checking out.’

Ben didn’t move.

‘Ben?’

Edith went on her haunches. ‘Ben, love, don’t be afraid. Alf ain’t hurt badly. Let’s go with Gerald so that he can make you feel better an’ all, eh?’

Ben’s large brown eyes looked appealingly back at her. Mystified, Edith turned her head to see Gerald had moved away and was speaking to the receptionist. She guessed he was arranging for someone to come and help clean up the mess.

‘Ben? Come on, lad, hold me hand. We’ll go together, eh?’

As soon as she had him off the chair, and his feet touched the floor, Ben’s legs gave way. ‘Gerald!’

Everything became a frenzy of activity then – a nurse and a porter wheeling a bed appeared from nowhere and were whisking Ben away under Gerald’s instructions.

Edith, with Mandy in tow, had a job to keep up as she ran after them. ‘Gerald, what’s happening?’

‘We don’t know, it may just be the shock, which is serious in itself, but when it has this effect, we need to treat it as an emergency and check if there’s anything else going on. How has he been lately?’

‘Very quiet, but he misses his mum and dad, especially his dad who joined up as soon as war broke out . . . Oh, and he complained of a sore throat this morning. I helped him to gargle with salt water, and thought it would pass.’

‘Hmm, any temperature?’

‘I don’t know . . . Oh, Gerald, you don’t think there’s sommat really serious going on, do you?’

‘Look, you go with the nurse. They’re taking him to the same bay that Alf has been taken to, it’s where we assess a patient when we first have contact. I’ll be with you in a moment. I was on my way home, so I need to take my coat off and don a white coat . . . Oh, and I need to ring Alice to tell her I’ll be late. No doubt she’ll be around here in a shot once she hears what’s going on.’

Edith had no answers when, as Gerald predicted, Alice arrived at the hospital.

She was standing next to the trolley that Alf was lying on when Alice came running towards her.

‘Edith, eeh, lass, are you all right?’

‘Oh, Alice, for such a thing to happen. And now Ben an’ all, I don’t know what’s going on with Ben.’

There was a curtain around Ben’s bed. Doctor after doctor seemed to come and go and nurses scurried back and forth but no one had taken a moment to give Edith any information.

Alice hugged her before going to Mandy. ‘Eeh, lass, poor little Alf.’

‘He’s all right now, Alice.’ Edith looked at Alf. He was shaken and pale but happy to be the centre of his sister’s adoring attention – as he always was, but not in this way. Usually, Mandy took on the role of very cross mother with Alf and he could do no right, but now she was sitting with him on his bed, her little hand holding his, her other one stroking the hair back from his forehead where he had a nasty gash. ‘Apparently, he got off lightly, as so far all they’ve found is that gash that will need stitches and they’re observing him as he’d been knocked unconscious.’

‘That’s a relief, love, I was frantic when I heard. And I’m sure Ben will be fine. You know what kids are like, they bounce back while you’re still worrying over them.’

‘I just wish someone would say something.’

‘I know. But, lass, they probably don’t know yet, so have nothing to tell you . . . Look, you’re shaking, that’ll be delayed shock. I’ll see about a cup of tea for you, eh? And you can take the weight off for a mo. There’s a couple of chairs over by the window. Go and get them and sit down. I know everyone here from when I worked here, so I needn’t bother anyone, I can make the tea meself.’

The tea was more welcome than Edith thought it would be. Hot and sweet, it seemed to settle her a little.

Alice sat next to her, but didn’t talk – a comforting presence, with her hand on Edith’s knee. Every now and then she would pat her as if to say everything would be fine. But would it? What would happen? Please God, don’t let them judge that I’m unfit to take care of the children! I couldn’t bear that.

Edith’s thoughts went back to when she and Alice had first met the three little evacuees on the platform of North Street station. As it turned out, she’d had to take the lead to organise everything as the leader of the WRVS was ill, and the volunteers were in a state of chaos without her. In the process she and Alice had fallen in love with Mandy, Alf and Ben.

But then she had been saddened to find when she later met them again at the school where she worked that they weren’t happy in their placement. Sue, her ma-in-law and a big one for charity work, had helped her and Philip to be allowed to take over their care. Neither had dreamt that Philip would have to go away so soon and had hoped that all would be sorted out with Chamberlain’s peace movement, so that he never would. Now, she couldn’t imagine life without the children. They had brought such a joy to her and, lately, become a salve to the pain of missing Philip.

Though Philip hadn’t been posted abroad like so many, London to her could have been on the moon, it seemed so far away from Blackpool – another world even.

‘Feeling better, love?’

‘Yes, ta, Alice. By, you were cut out to be a nurse, lass.’

‘Aye, but being a teacher, as you are now, and a nurse, as I wanted to be, weren’t open to the likes of us from the poor end, was it?’ Alice sighed. ‘Our change of circumstances in you marrying Philip and me Gerald opened up a lot of avenues to us, though a bit too late for me as they don’t accept married women in the nursing profession.’

‘Does working with the Red Cross compensate?’

‘It does, more than. I love it, Edith. I know I haven’t been with them long, but I’m loving me training. Miss Tenby, our director, is talking of me being an ambulance driver since she learnt that I can drive. Eeh, I’m looking forward to the practical training for that. I’ve nearly finished me advanced first aid course now.’

Edith didn’t have time to reply as a worried-looking Gerald emerged from behind the curtain.

‘Edith, may I have a word? Alice, darling, can you stay with Mandy and Alf?’

Something about Gerald’s tone stopped Edith’s heart from beating for a second. It was as if her body did things without her as she followed him into an office.

The room was light and airy after the unnatural light of the electric lamps that hung low from the high ceiling in the receiving ward she’d just come from.

Gerald didn’t speak until he’d seated himself behind a desk. ‘Take a seat, Edith.’ He indicated the one on the opposite side of the desk. This seemed to divide them in more ways than one and unnerved Edith even more, as now she saw him as a doctor rather than her dear friend.

His expression deepened her fear.

‘I’m sorry, Edith, but Ben isn’t well at all. There are several things we are looking at this being. One of them is polio.’

If Edith had thought the bottom had dropped from her world when the accident happened, that was nothing to how she felt now. The shock of Gerald’s words hit her in the stomach as if she’d been kicked. She couldn’t speak, only stare in disbelief.

‘I know this is a blow, but bear in mind it hasn’t been confirmed, and if it is, there is a lot we can do to save Ben’s life and even to. . .