Fairlyden At War by Gwen Kirkwood

Author:Gwen Kirkwood [Kirkwood, Gwen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lume Books
Published: 2016-04-05T04:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Four

It was impossible to look up at the clear blue of the late summer skies and think that war had actually been declared, that men and women were already fighting, the long-talked-of air raids a real possibility, the gas masks an essential part of daily life. It was Lucy who made them all realise how far-reaching the awful effects of war could be. Some months ago there had been an appeal for householders to register if they had room for evacuees. The childless Lucy, with a wealth of love and compassion to offer, had registered eagerly. Now she was filled with a mixture of trepidation and excitement.

‘The evacuees are really coming! They’re expected at the station some time this afternoon. Any that arena placed are to be brought to the village hall until places can be found for the puir wee mites. Oh Mistress Fairly, I asked for a wee bairn, even a babe if there were any, but d’ye think I’ll be able to look after one?’

‘Of course ye’ll manage fine, Lucy,’ Beth smiled. ‘You helped to look after Kirsty when ye were little more than a bairn yourself.’

‘Oh I do hope the wee soul will like the bedroom. Paddy helped me paint it weeks ago in case it came to this. We dinna ken whether we’ll get a boy or a lassie so we painted it pale green and Paddy stuck a border o’ flowers round the walls and I’ve made new curtains out o’ the ones I had in the old cottage, and I’ve lined them well for the blackout regulations.’

‘I’ll drive you to the station, Lucy,’ Kirsty volunteered. ‘I don’t suppose children from the town will be used to walking very far. They’ll miss the buses and trams.’

‘Ach, that would be good o’ ye, Miss Kirsty. We shall be back in good time for the milking. What about the petrol rationing though?’

Kirsty grimaced. ‘Six gallons a month. We shall just have to get used to walking again. I have plenty of petrol for now though.’

‘Aye, and the children will be tired and excited,’ Beth sighed. ‘And I think some o’ the mothers are supposed to accompany the young ones. They’ll be glad to reach their destination. Maybe we should have prepared a room too, but I couldna face the prospect o’ welcoming strangers at the time o’ the registrations.’

‘Of course ye couldna,’ Lucy agreed sympathetically, ‘and ye’ve plenty to do with the auld Mistress and Master Luke, as well as the milking and hens to attend to, and that big hoose to keep. Is the Mistress any better today?’

‘No, but she isna any worse. She says she is just very tired. Doctor Broombank says it’s her heart. She is still in bed.’

‘Well, that’s a sure sign she isna in good fettle! I remember weel how she was aye the first to rise in the auld days when Miss Kirsty was a bairnie.’

‘Yes. She still likes to get up early and make sure Luke eats his porridge before he cycles to the station.

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