Wild Blue Yonder by M. W. Arnold

Author:M. W. Arnold [Arnold, M W]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: 1940s; Family Saga; Cosy; Friendship; Historical Fiction; Historical Romance; Mystery; Romance; War
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Published: 2021-06-21T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Two

Squeezing an extra three people and a rather wet and bedraggled dog into an already full cottage took some imagination, a lot of cooperation, and on Bobby’s part, plenty of moaning.

The first thing Betty did once she’d settled Ruth in her bed—this had entailed a lot of protesting before the adrenalin Ruth had been running on ran out—was to prepare the promised cocoa. Ignoring her own discomfort, she’d taken her a cup, but Ruth was already fast asleep, the best medicine she could have taken. She was so far gone she didn’t hear the commotion the others caused when they came home. A herd of elephants would have been quieter!

“Quieten down a bit, you lot. Ruth’s asleep,” Betty rebuked them.

Shirley had to be told twice, and even then, she had to see for herself. “Like a baby,” she’d declared, taking her seat around the kitchen table and accepting her cocoa. “Thanks, Betty. Where’s Walter?”

“I left him trying to call the hospital to find out about Doris,” Lawrence said, stretching and stifling a yawn, whilst hanging onto Bobby’s leash. The poor dog looked like he’d been dragged through a hedge backward.

Betty picked up the phone, listened for a few seconds, and replaced the handset. Turning to the others, she informed them, “The phone lines must be down.”

“Bloody hell,” Lawrence muttered, taking a hefty swig of his cocoa. “I’ll bet he’s running to the hospital.” Hobbling through, sans crutch, into the kitchen, he put his now empty mug on the table. “Penny, mind if I borrow your bike?”

“You’re not going to do something stupid as well, are you?” Penny asked, whilst handing him her cycle clips. “Like, riding a bike with a broken leg?”

Ignoring her comment, he took one, clipped it around his uninjured trouser leg and looked up. Somewhere amongst the soot coating his face, was a grin. “I reckon I can catch him, yes, Betty, even with this duff leg, before he gets halfway there. I know how anxious he must be, but there’s no way they’ll let him in to see her at this time of night. Plus,” his voice turned serious, “with Portsmouth taking a pasting tonight, there’s a good chance our local hospital is being used as an overflow.”

Without wasting time on any more words, and leaving his crutch behind, Lawrence made his lumbering way out the back door.

“Do you think she’ll be all right?” Mary asked the room. “Do you think he’ll be all right?” she added.

“Doris, yes,” Penny declared, her voice filled with confidence. “This is our Yank we’re talking about. I dare say she’s nagging their ears off to let her go home right now. Not too sure about Lawrence, though, if I’m being honest.”

“Do you really think so?” Shirley wanted to know.

Betty took one look at the girl and immediately told her, “Sit down before you fall down, girl! You look like you’ll fall asleep standing up, if you don’t.”

At her words, Shirley slumped into the seat closest to her, the pile of bedding in her arms tumbling to the floor.

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