Mrs Boots Goes to War by Deborah Carr

Author:Deborah Carr [Carr, Deborah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780008436322
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Chapter Nineteen

Florence arrived at work the following morning. She had gone ahead of Jesse for once, wanting him to sleep a little longer while she stopped by Margaret and Dorothy’s homes to check that they and their little girls were safe and well. He needed to catch up with a little of the sleep he had lost the night before. Relieved to know that those closest to her were fine, she rushed to the Pelham Street store to check that there had been no damage caused by the bombing raid seven hours earlier.

Florence stepped out of her car and stood facing the shop front, studying it to see if there was any obvious damage to the red-brick building. She sighed with relief, noting that there didn’t seem to be anything.

She entered the store and, as she walked past the counters and bid her staff her usual good mornings, couldn’t help sensing that the mood was rather sombre. She wasn’t surprised. After all, she thought, most of the area must have had their night’s sleep interrupted. She herself felt a little worse for wear after the frightening sight and sound of that enormous airship and the bombs exploding.

She supposed Jesse would be reading out reports from the newspapers later in the day and hoped that there hadn’t been any fatalities. Florence reached her office to be met by Enid ready with a cup of tea and the early morning post opened and sorted by her assistant secretary, ready for Florence to read through and draft her replies.

‘Were you disturbed by that horrendous raid last night?’ Florence asked, taking off her coat and hanging it up then unpinning her hat and doing the same with that. She sat at her desk and waited for Enid to finish placing the tea and post on her desk and reply to her question.

‘We were, Lady Boot,’ she said.

Florence noticed dark circles under the girl’s pale eyes. ‘Sit down, Enid,’ she said gently. ‘Are you all right this morning?’

Enid gave her question some thought. ‘Just a little tired, that’s all.’

‘And your mother?’

Enid nodded. ‘We’re fine. Thank you.’

Florence knew something was wrong and that Enid would never like to burden her with anything from her personal life. She wished it wasn’t the case. She valued Enid’s loyalty even if she had not turned out to be as efficient as either Miss Tweed or Gladys, and wished she was more comfortable confiding in her.

Surely, her instincts were not wrong on this? ‘I can tell there’s something the matter though,’ Florence said. ‘Please won’t you tell me what it is? Maybe I can be of some help.’

Enid pressed her right hand against her chest. Florence wasn’t sure if it was to steady herself or because she had a lot to say. ‘We’re fine, Lady Boot, but our neighbours four doors down were killed in the raid.’ Florence frowned. ‘That is, the husband and son were. The mother and daughter were taken to hospital with cuts and bruising and I believe they’ll be all right.

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