The Orphan of Farthing Street by Beryl Matthews

Author:Beryl Matthews [Matthews, Beryl]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781405952422
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2021-11-25T00:00:00+00:00

23

By the time April 1939 arrived, Amy could no longer ignore the talk of war. It was the only thing to mar her happiness. The threat was in all the newspapers, the cinema newsreels and on the wireless. Production of armaments was increasing, and it was clear that the country was preparing for the worst. Young children had even been fitted with gas masks.

They were listening to the wireless one evening when it was announced that conscription was to be brought in for twenty- to twenty-one-year-old men.

Amy gazed at Ben, Howard and John as they sat around the kitchen table, their expressions serious. Relief was her immediate reaction to the news. She knew Ben and Howard were twenty-five, and John a year younger.

‘None of you will have to go.’ She smiled rather shakily, terrified for the men she loved so much.

‘Not yet.’ Ben stood up and began to pace the floor. ‘But this is just the start.’

‘If we do go to war, then I shall join up straight away.’ Howard looked his usual calm self, but his mouth was set in a determined line. ‘There won’t be any point waiting because they’ll have us all in the end.’

‘I’ll do the same.’ Ben stopped his pacing and leant against the sink. ‘What about you, John? They’re going to be crying out for doctors.’

‘Oh, you won’t have to go into the forces, will you?’ Now Amy was really alarmed.

‘I’ll be needed at the hospital, I expect, so they might not call me up.’ John squeezed her hand. ‘But we’ll have to wait and see what happens.’

Ted and Mrs Dalton came into the kitchen.

‘I can see from your faces that you’ve heard the news.’ Ted looked in the teapot and, finding it almost full, poured two cups as Mrs Dalton sat down as well.

‘Ben and Howard say they will join up if war comes.’ Amy chewed her lip with worry. ‘What will we do about the shop?’

‘We’ll have to close it.’ Ben gave her an apologetic pat on the shoulder. ‘I’m sorry, but there won’t be much call for luxury goods like ours.’

‘I think you are all jumping ahead too far,’ Mrs Dalton told them. ‘It might not come to anything, and I’m a great believer in not crossing your bridges until you come to them.’

‘The voice of reason.’ Ted grinned. ‘But she’s quite right.’

‘Of course she is.’ Amy gave Mrs Dalton a grateful smile. ‘One step at a time, eh?’

The tension broke as they all laughed at Amy’s use of one of Mrs Dalton’s favourite sayings.

Two weeks later John had some time off so he took Amy to Brighton for the day. The weather was perfect: blue skies, a soft breeze, with the sun giving enough warmth to hint at the summer to come. They walked hand in hand along the pier, silent, content in each other’s company. It was often like this with them; they didn’t need constant talk – a smile now and again was enough. Amy loved this quietness about John.

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