Bloodlines: Home Fires Burn (Lethbridge-Stewart) by Gareth Madgwick

Author:Gareth Madgwick [Madgwick, Gareth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Candy Jar Books
Published: 2019-12-09T00:00:00+00:00

Matthew typed the last sentence of his report, hit the full stop and sat back, massaging his hands. It was an ironic fact that secretaries in the civil service could rarely type well. He had heard no sign of the return of Professor Travers or the arrival of the squad from the War Office Special Support Group. He stood and went to find Cownall.

Rather surprisingly, he and Beatrice were in the parlour. They were playing chess.

‘No sign of the squad or the professor yet?’ Matthew asked.

Cownall didn’t look up. Matthew hadn’t revealed his old rank, but he could at least expect some respect as a civilian. He restrained himself from barking at the man.

‘The professor keeps his own timetable. He’s not keen on the military,’ said Cownall, slowly moving his bishop. ‘As for the squad, well, I had to arrange to radio them to tell them to get some explosive ordinance on the way up. They’re probably stuck arguing with the quartermaster at some base off the Great North Road. Checkmate.’

Beatrice looked down at the board. ‘Damn,’ she said. ‘Looks like we’ll need a decider then.’ She set the pieces again. ‘I’ll say this, Matthew. Conscription does produce a better class of NCO.’

Matthew smiled, a smile that froze as he heard the haunting familiar wail of a siren howling in the city outside.

‘Air raid. To the shelter!’ he snapped.

Beatrice shook her head slowly and pointed at the window, where the road would have been without the blackout. ‘Just up there is the biggest POW camp in England. This is one of the safest places we can be in a raid.’

Matthew relaxed slightly, lowering himself stiffly into a chair. ‘What were you on civvie street, Cownall?’

The corporal sat back. ‘A lot of things. I raced cars, gambled, made money. Mostly I’m in finance. Not much of a financial industry even before that little twerp invaded Poland. The point is, nothing I did was reserved. So here I am.’ He shrugged and grinned lopsidedly.

‘Why the War Office Special Support Group? I didn’t trust them when I heard they’d been handed this job.’ Matthew folded his hands behind his back, watching everything Cownall did.

‘Well, that was my mistake. Saw they were based in Blighty and assumed they wouldn’t see any active service. My family pulled some strings. Now I know what they’re about, joke’s on me isn’t it?’ The grin had frozen now.

Matthew pulled a chair up. ‘I wasn’t conscripted in the last war. I couldn’t wait to sign up. My brother tried to jump the queue. He lied about his age. It didn’t work. By then, they were on to that sort of thing.’ He glanced at Beatrice, flicking his eyes to the door.

She nodded slightly and stood to leave. As she stepped out the door, Cownall turned to Matthew, his face taking on a less flippant look as he leaned forward.

‘What was your rank?’

‘Captain.’

‘Sir.’ Cownall made to stand.

Matthew waved him down. ‘Not high enough for the family’s liking. I didn’t join up again this time.

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