Across the Mersey - Annie Groves [14]
‘Ah, I see, Campion. Well, my dear, it’s there for you to think about and I would be delighted to recommend you. If you should see a way to undertaking the training the cost would be around twenty pounds for your uniform and your books, you’d be paid eighteen shillings a week during your first year, and of course you’d be living in.’ She patted Grace on the arm. ‘My advice to you is to have a word with your parents and tell them what I’ve told you. It would be a pity if the nursing service were to lose the opportunity to acquire a girl like you.’
Her praise left Grace feeling slightly dizzy.
Ten minutes later, when Grace stepped out of the church hall, she was surprised to see Luke waiting for her.
‘I thought you were going to an ARP meeting tonight with Dad,’ she said.
‘I was – I did – but I thought I’d come this way and walk back with you.’
Smiling at him, Grace tucked her arm through his. They were close in age and close emotionally as well, and she sensed immediately that he had something on his mind but she also knew him well enough to wait to let him tell her in his own time what it was. It was no mere impulse that had brought him round this way to walk home with her.
‘There were a lot of them that was there tonight saying that their lads had had letters and that, telling them to report to their units …’
Grace gave a small shiver. She didn’t need Luke to explain to her what that meant – not after what her father had told her earlier. The whole country must surely know now that although no official declaration of war had been made, things were moving towards that with increasing speed.
They were walking only slowly and Luke was dragging his feet a bit, scowling and scuffing the side of his shoe in a way that she knew would have drawn a rebuke from their mother. Something was definitely wrong.
‘They were painting out the name of Edge Hill Station when I cycled past it earlier on me way home from work. Mr Smethwick that’s in charge of the ARP unit said that the Government has given orders that anything that might identify a place to the Germans had to be got rid of.’
Abruptly Grace stopped walking. ‘It’s going to happen, isn’t it?’ she asked in a hushed voice. ‘We are going to be at war with the Germans.’ She gave a little shiver, then told him sadly, ‘There were some kiddies in Lewis’s at dinnertime, brought in by their teacher. They’d been to choose gas masks for themselves, ready to be evacuated. I heard the teacher saying that the school had thought if they were getting them from Lewis’s it would be a bit of a treat and it wouldn’t scare them so much. Thank goodness the twins are old enough not to have to go. I reckon it would break Mum’s heart if they did.’
‘I can’t say anything at home but I fair hate listening to other chaps talking about how they’ll do their bit for the country, Grace, whilst thanks to Dad all I’m going to be doing is skulking here at home like a ruddy coward.’
‘Luke, that’s not true,’ she protested, genuinely shocked. ‘Of course you’ll be doing your bit. And, anyway, as for Charlie, he said himself that the only reason he’s joined the TA is because it means he can stay at home and show off to pretty girls in his car.’
Luke squeezed her arm and then told her with elder brother directness, ‘If I was you I’d think twice about going to that Tennis Club dance with Bella, Grace.’
‘I can’t not go now,’ she protested. ‘Not when I’ve said that I will. Besides, I think it will be fun.’
‘Well, all I can say is that you’ll need to watch out.