Please Come Home: A totally addictive and heartbreaking World War 2 historical novel (A Cornish Wartime Story) by Elaine Johns

Author:Elaine Johns [Johns, Elaine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781837905645
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 2023-09-10T16:00:00+00:00

26

PECKHAM

1 OCTOBER 1940

The Armstrongs’ kitchen was a warm, welcoming space, and when Anna walked in that morning, Gladys was already bustling about, a pot of porridge bubbling gently on the stove top. After a week of being there, Anna felt at home in this wonderful kitchen. It wrapped around her comfortably, naturally, as if she’d always lived there. It was the heart of the house, a cosy place where, despite the rationing, miracles happened daily: Glad producing food from meagre wartime supplies like a magician. Anna still wasn’t sure how she did it. A lifetime of cooking for a family, she supposed. She marvelled at how Glad never seemed to weigh things in her cooking and claimed that any successful result was due to the hand of God. But Anna was beginning to understand that Glad was modest and felt no need to take credit for her meals. As long as her family was fed and the house was a safe haven, she was content to be the anchor of the ship while her husband Harry did the steering. They both seemed supremely happy with how their lives dovetailed into each other’s; the way they cherished what they had.

It was exactly what she hoped for her and Jimmy.

She and Gladys exchanged smiles. The smile that pulled at Glad’s eyes, and the way her mouth lifted – it was so much like Jimmy.

The two women went about their separate jobs. Anna set the table with the crockery and spoons from the kitchen dresser, while Gladys carried the porridge to the table and spooned it into her and Anna’s bowls.

‘Blimey, what you call this then?’ asked Harry, his sudden arrival prompting Glad to ladle out his breakfast as well.

‘Call what?’ asked Glad.

‘My two best girls starting without me. Ain’t I the head of this house?’ said Harry, winking at Anna.

‘Well, you’re the loudest one in it,’ said Glad, ‘if that’s what you mean.’

‘See how it goes, Anna? When a bloke don’t get no respect in his own home.’ But Harry smiled at his wife.

The innocent expression on Harry’s round, dimpled face was almost angelic, Anna thought, making him look like a cherub from a painting. She watched him rush through his breakfast as if there was a time limit on it. Then he kissed his wife on top of her head and patted Anna’s hand by way of goodbye. She found him a kind man. A man whose family was important to him. He also took his wartime job and his obligations to his neighbours seriously, she thought.

‘Just mind you’re home in time,’ said Glad. ‘Anna’s got something special planned for tea. And if you’re back at the canal, leave them boots in the hall this time before you muddy all my floors.’

When he’d gone, Anna poured her and Glad more tea.

‘So,’ Glad said, ‘today’s the day. You haven’t changed your mind? Still want to learn a bit about cooking?’

‘I’m looking forward to it. Excited, though I’m a novice at cooking and I appreciate you taking me in hand.

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