The 9 by Madalyn Morgan

Author:Madalyn Morgan [Morgan, Madalyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-05-29T22:00:00+00:00

The next morning, Ena and Freda met at the factory gates. After parking their bicycles, they walked to the factory, entered by the main door and walked across the shop floor to the annexe. Mr Silcott was at his desk.

Knowing the real reason why her boss had been off work, Ena held back a little to let Freda greet him first.

‘Herbert!’ Freda gushed, ‘Thank goodness you’re better.’

‘Good to have you back, Mr Silcott,’ Ena said.

‘Thank you.’ Herbert Silcott nodded as Ena drew level. ‘It is good to be back. And thank you,’ he said, looking from Ena to Freda, ‘for holding the fort while I’ve been off sick.’

‘You are better?’ Ena asked, concerned that her boss looked extremely pale, had dark shadows under his eyes, and appeared to have lost weight.

‘I’m fine, thank you. I’ve been fit enough to come back for days, but Mrs Silcott wouldn’t have it.’ Ena smiled that she understood.

Freda fussed about, offering to make cups of tea and asking if Herbert would like anything from the canteen. He said he didn’t want any food but would like a cup of coffee. There was a tin of tea, dried milk and sugar in the cupboard, but no coffee. So, promising not to be long, Freda dashed off to the canteen.

‘I’ve spoken to Commander Dalton,’ Mr Silcott said as soon as Freda was out of earshot. ‘He tells me he wants you to take the work to Bletchley tomorrow.’ Ena nodded. ‘I’ll be with you of course. I wouldn’t let either of you travel to the Park alone. Not after what happened last time. I feel responsible--’

‘You shouldn’t, sir. It wasn’t your fault. You couldn’t have known what was going to happen.’

‘That’s as maybe, but it won’t happen again. I shall be on my guard in future.’

Ena looked at her boss’s gaunt face. ‘Are you sure you’re fully recovered, sir?’

‘I’m fine. What about you? They drugged you, the commander said.’

‘Yes. There’s no other explanation for what happened.’

‘Horace Dalton had you put through your paces by his intelligence people, I understand.’ Herbert Silcott didn’t pause for Ena to reply. ‘Bloody man!’ He looked briefly at the door. ‘The petrol coupons,’ he whispered, ‘came through this morning, before you arrived, but I shall take them home. Commander Dalton wants us to travel to Bletchley on the same train as before. Don’t worry, we shall go to the ticket office together and board the train at the same time. I will not leave you on your own for a single second.’

Ena’s heart sank. If Mr Silcott stuck to his word, there would be no chance of her seeing Ben. ‘You’re sure you’re well enough, Mr Silcott?’

He put his hands on either sides of his ribcage, pressed slightly and breathed in. ‘The damage to my ribs wasn’t as bad as the hospital first thought. My body is still black and blue, and my ribs are still bound up, but they are only badly bruised, not broken. I had concussion from the blow to my head.

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