Far From Home (40 page)

Peggy blew her nose and dabbed her eyes in an attempt to pull herself together as they stood on the church steps and watched the happy couple greet their friends. Pearl looked ready to pop as she stood in Billy’s embrace, her face radiant with happiness. Peggy took a quick glance round the gathering and was thankful there was no sign of Sally’s awful mother, Florrie. She’d left Cliffehaven months ago and hadn’t been heard from since – which was a good thing, thought Peggy, for if she had dared to show her face again, she would have socked her in the eye.

She collected her frazzled thoughts and looked up at Jim. ‘You look very handsome, Jim Reilly,’ she murmured. ‘You should wear a suit more often.’

‘And you’re a fine-looking woman, so y’are, Peggy Reilly.’ He grinned down at her, his dark blue eyes twinkling, his smile roguish. ‘Or at least you would be if half your make-up wasn’t running down your face.’

She gasped in horror and was about to rummage in her bag for a mirror when he stopped her with a kiss. ‘You look beautiful,’ he murmured against her lips. ‘I was only teasing.’

‘Jim Reilly, you’ll be the death of me,’ she giggled.

He put his arm round her waist and gave her a squeeze. ‘I don’t know what it is about weddings,’ he muttered, ‘but they always make me want to marry you all over again.’

She was so taken aback by this declaration that she didn’t quite know how to respond. ‘You are so full of the blarney, Jim Reilly, that they should turn you into a national monument in Galway.’

His eyes lost their sparkle and his expression was almost yearning as he looked into her face. ‘I know I’m not the best husband in the world,’ he said softly, ‘but I’d be lost without you. You won’t ever leave me, will you, Peggy?’

Peggy stared up at him. What on earth had got into her husband? ‘If I was ever going to leave you,’ she said firmly, ‘I’d have done it years ago. You’re stuck with me, Jim, like it or not, so let’s stop talking nonsense and concentrate on celebrating this wedding.’

The afternoon had sped by once everyone had left for the wedding. The other three girls were asleep upstairs after their night shift, and Polly had promised Peggy she would make sure they had a proper meal before they left for the hospital that evening, so she had a vegetable stew simmering on the hob.

By mid-afternoon she was pleasantly tired. It had been rather nice to have the house to herself for once, and she was enjoying being a housewife for a few hours. She had finished all the ironing she’d found in Peggy’s laundry basket. There were clean sheets and towels flapping on the washing line in the brisk breeze that was coming off the sea, and the kitchen lino had been scrubbed.

She sat down for a sandwich and cup of tea at four o’clock and decided she might take Harvey for a short walk before it got too dark. The days were shorter now they were rapidly approaching Christmas, and if she didn’t leave soon she ran the risk of getting caught somewhere in the middle of a raid.

Washing her plate and cup, she left them to dry on the wooden drainer and wrote a note for the other girls to help themselves to the stew if she wasn’t back in time. She leant the note against the bottle of tomato sauce that stood in the middle of the kitchen table and hurried upstairs to get her coat, sturdy shoes and gas mask.

The knock on the front door came just as she was about to put on her coat, and she hurried downstairs to see who it was. When she opened the door she could only stare at the woman on the doorstep.

‘Polly,’ said Kate Jackson. ‘Do you remember me?’

‘Yes.’ The muscles in Polly’s face felt stiff and something cold seemed to be clutching her heart. ‘What do you want, Miss Jackson?’

Kate’s smile made her look positively youthful. ‘Can I come in? Only there’s something I have to tell you.’

The icy band round Polly’s heart tightened. ‘I’ve heard all you’ve got to say,’ she began.

‘But this is important, Polly,’ Kate broke in. ‘It’s good news. I promise.’

Polly let her in as if she had no control over what happened. ‘Good news?’ She shut the front door and followed Kate into the kitchen. ‘The only good news would be that my family survived. Anything else means nothing to me.’

Kate was almost hopping with excitement. ‘Alice is alive, Polly.’

‘What?’ Polly sank into a chair and stared at her. Her brain didn’t seem to be functioning at all. ‘But she’s dead. She drowned with Mum and Megan and the boys. You sat there only a few weeks ago and told me so.’ Tears pricked and the anger rose. ‘What sort of cruel game are you playing?’

Kate squatted beside her and took her hands. There were tears in her eyes too. ‘I’m not playing any kind of game, Polly. She’s alive. She didn’t drown with the others. She’s safe and well and asking for you.’

Hope surged like a warm tide, melting the ice, shattering her fear and sorrow. ‘But how? Why didn’t …? When did you know this?’

Kate pulled another chair close and sat down. ‘She was among the original survivors of one of the lifeboats that were picked up by a destroyer, but because she’d lost her identity tag, no one could identify her. It was thought at first that she was another child, but then it was proved to be a mistake. The other child’s body was found and identified by her aunt who’d been travelling with her.’

‘Where is she?’ Polly could barely breathe.

‘She’s been admitted to the Smithston Hospital in Greenock, which is in western Scotland.’

The truth was at last sinking in, but with it came confusion and a tide of questions. ‘But I made sure she knew her name and address. I drummed it into her when she was old enough to understand how important it was if she ever got lost. Why didn’t she tell you straight away?’

Kate bit her lip. ‘According to survivors’ reports, the U-boat struck in the middle of the night, and many of the children were killed before they could be put in the lifeboats. Alice’s lifeboat had been drifting in the Atlantic for over eight hours before they were rescued. It was bitterly cold, with enormous waves washing over and threatening to sink them. She was badly traumatised, Polly, and suffering from exposure.’

Polly stared at her, the visions of what had happened to Alice vivid in her head.

Kate took her hands. ‘Alice couldn’t speak until two days ago. It was as if she had closed herself off to the outside world, and it was only after some very specialised care by trained doctors that she began to talk again.’ Kate smiled. ‘You taught her well, Polly. She told us her name and age, and the address where you lived in Hereford.’

Polly still couldn’t believe it. She wanted to – desperately – but so many mistakes had already been made and it would be too cruel to let this hope take hold. ‘You’re sure?’ she whispered. ‘You’re absolutely positive it’s my Alice?’

Kate dug into her large handbag. ‘The doctor took this photograph and sent it special delivery as proof.’ She held it out.

Polly’s hand was trembling as she took the small black-and-white photograph. ‘Oh, Alice,’ she breathed, ‘Alice my darling, darling, precious baby. You’re safe – really and truly safe.’ She held the photograph to her lips and kissed the image of the little girl smiling back at her.

‘As you’ve gone through such a terrible few weeks, the Overseas Board has arranged for you to travel to Scotland to see her. It will be a long, hazardous journey, Polly, but I’m sure you won’t mind that.’

‘When can I go?’ she breathed.

‘I have your travel pass here. You can leave first thing tomorrow morning.’

Polly threw her arms around Kate and hugged her so hard she had to gently extricate herself. ‘I’m just so sorry you’ve been through such a bad time,’ she said, dabbing at her tears. ‘Some terrible mistakes have been made. But in defence of the authorities, the
City of Benares
wasn’t the only ship to have been torpedoed that night. The SS
Marina
was hit too, and with so many to rescue from those terrible seas, it was no wonder one of the lifeboats was overlooked. It was a miracle it was spotted by that plane, and those children brought home to safety.’ She blew her nose. ‘Your Alice was one of the lucky ones, Polly. She was rescued fairly quickly, so no lasting harm has been done.’

Polly’s smile was joyous. ‘My baby’s safe. She’s safe, and soon I’ll see her and hold her again. It’s a miracle, Kate, an absolutely wonderful, unbelievable miracle.’

Kate nodded. ‘Even in the midst of war there are miracles,’ she agreed. ‘I’ll leave you to celebrate, Polly. And if you need me for anything, you have my private telephone number.’

Polly hugged her again, thanking her profusely right up to the moment she closed the door. Alice was alive and only a few days’ journey away. Some might think that Scotland was too far to travel, but she wouldn’t have minded if she’d had to go to the ends of the earth to hold her again.

She stood in the hall, filled with wonder and joy and wanting to shout her news to the rooftops. But the house was silent, the only occupants asleep. It didn’t matter, she’d wake them anyway.

Pounding up the stairs she called out to them. ‘Alice is alive. She’s alive and in Scotland, and I’m going to be with her in just a few days.’ She burst into their bedrooms. ‘Wake up, wake up. It’s wonderful news. Alice is alive.’

They leapt out of their beds and rushed to hug her, jumping up and down as they stood on the landing in their nightwear. Harvey barked and leapt and tried to join in as Polly was bombarded with questions and hugged and kissed. Then they all charged downstairs to celebrate with a bottle of sherry Suzy found at the back of the pantry.

Polly’s head was buzzing by the time the girls left for the hospital, and she realised she’d had enough sherry, and a cup of tea might calm her down. There was a lot to do before she left tomorrow, and she needed to keep her wits. She had to ring the hospital and warn Matron that she wouldn’t be able to start her week of night shifts the next day. Then she had to pack, and tell Adam …

She glanced at the clock on the mantelpiece and grabbed her coat. If she ran all the way she might just make the end of visiting hour. She’d been so busy celebrating that she’d lost track of the time.

Mary wasn’t on duty, and Polly felt a stab of disappointment, for she wanted to tell everyone her wonderful news. She hurried to Adam’s bedside and sat down. Reaching for his hand, she gently tried to wake him. ‘Adam? Adam, it’s Polly,’ she said, unable to keep the excitement out of her voice. ‘Please wake up, darling. I’ve got something to tell you.’

His eyelids fluttered and he turned his head towards her. ‘I’m really tired, Polly,’ he murmured sleepily. ‘Can’t it wait?’

She gripped his fingers. ‘Adam, I have to go and see Alice,’ she said urgently. ‘I don’t know how long I’ll be gone, but I won’t be able to come and visit you for a while.’

‘That’s all right,’ he muttered, clearly not understanding.

‘Adam,’ she said firmly. ‘Please try and listen. I am going to see Alice, and I might not be coming in to see you for a long time.’

‘Alice?’ he muttered as he struggled to wake. ‘Why, what’s the matter with her?’

Polly had already worked out what to say. ‘She’s not been very well and is asking for me. I’ve been assured it isn’t serious, but I need to see her for myself. She’s so little, and she needs me.’

‘All right,’ he said on a deep sigh. ‘Give her a kiss from Daddy.’

‘Adam?’ He was asleep again and Polly cursed the drugs he was on. ‘Oh, Adam,’ she murmured, ‘I so wish things were different. I need you, my darling. I need you to hold me, to be Adam again. Am I greedy to ask for more miracles tonight?’

She fell silent, accepting that she was. Adam would come through this and sleep would help him recover. She kissed his cheek, lingering for a moment in the hope that he’d know she was there. When there was no response, she left the ward to the sound of the bell ringing out the end of visiting time.

POLLY HAD PACKED
her bags, and everything was prepared for the next day. Her travel pass, identity card and tickets were carefully tucked in an inside pocket of her handbag along with her food ration book which she’d liberated from Peggy’s kitchen mantelpiece. All she had to do now was clean her shoes and remember to pack her nightclothes and washbag the following morning.

Her happiness was clouded, at times, by the knowledge that there had been no miracle to save her mother, sister and nephews. They would never return – and in those quiet, still moments, she asked them to forgive her joy. She would never forget them, never stop loving them, but Alice and Adam had to be her priority now.

She decided not to go and sit alone in the Anderson shelter when the sirens went off just after seven o’clock. There was too much to do and she felt as if she was untouchable now – which probably wasn’t wise – but she simply couldn’t believe that the fates could stop her from going to Scotland now. Why work a miracle only to have it destroyed by a Nazi bomb? It didn’t make any sense.

She discovered she was singing along to the late-night concert on the wireless as she polished her shoes over a piece of newspaper on the kitchen table, and Harvey snored beside the fire. It was almost eleven and everyone would soon be home. Danuta was out in her ambulance somewhere, waiting to be called if there was an emergency, but it didn’t sound as if Cliffehaven had been a target for the bombers tonight, and the only explosions she’d heard seemed to come from far out to sea.