“Eileen won’t ’afta go to an orphanage, will she?” Alf asked.

“No, you noddlehead,” Binnie said. “Only children get sent to orphanages.”

“Eileen’s been feeling very sad since Mr. Davis was killed,” Polly said, “and I was hoping you two might cheer —”

“Was it a bomb what killed ’im?” Binnie cut in.

“Yes, and Eileen—”

“What sorta bomb?” Alf demanded. “A thousand-pounder or a parachute mine?” Before Polly could answer, he said, “Parachute mines is the worst. They blow you up! Ka-blooie!” He flung his arms out. “And bits of you go everywhere!”

What was I thinking? Polly asked herself. These two have no business going anywhere near Eileen.

But now how would she get rid of them? Especially when Binnie was saying, “So you want we should cheer Eileen up?”

“Yes, but Eileen’s too sad to see anyone yet. I thought perhaps you could send her a condolence card.”

“We ain’t got no money,” Alf said.

“We could come to the funeral,” Binnie said. “When is it?”

“We don’t know yet,” Polly said, fumbling in her bag for money. She had to get rid of them before Eileen came out.

“ ’Ow can we send ’er a card?” Binnie said. “We don’t know where she lives.”

And I have no intention of telling you, Polly thought. “You can send it to Townsend Brothers.”

“And we ain’t got money for a stamp,” Alf said.

“Yes, you do,” Polly said, coming up with a shilling. “Here.”

Alf snatched it, and the two of them darted off immediately, thank goodness.

But she was back to square one, and Eileen was more determined than ever that Mike was alive. “People don’t just disappear.”

Yes, they do, Polly thought.

“Perhaps Mike went to Bletchley Park again, to see if Gerald came through after he’d left, and he can’t tell us because of Ultra’s being so secret and everything. So he had to make it look like he was dead.” Which made no sense. “He didn’t want to, but it was the only way he could get you out before your deadline.”

And that’s what this is about, Polly thought. If she admits Mike’s dead, that they weren’t able to pull him out before he was killed, then it’s also admitting they won’t be able to pull me out either.

But this couldn’t go on. Polly wondered if she should write the vicar again, but she didn’t have to. He walked up to her counter, wearing his clerical collar, just before closing. “Miss Sebastian?” he said. “I’m Mr. Goode. I believe we met briefly in Backbury last autumn. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to come sooner. Your letter didn’t reach me till two days ago, and I had difficulty making arrangements—”

“Thank you so much for coming,” Polly said, smiling at him. “I can’t tell you how much this will mean to Eileen.”

“Were Miss O’Reilly and Mr. Davis …?” He hesitated.

“Romantically attached? No. He was like a brother to us, and Eileen’s taking his death very hard.”

Polly glanced at her watch. It was nearly closing time, and she didn’t want Eileen to see the vicar till she’d had a chance to explain the situation to him. “If you’ll give me a moment, I’ll ask my supervisor if I can leave early,” she said, and hurried off to speak to Miss Snelgrove, who was nowhere to be found.

“She went up to sixth,” Sarah said, and the closing bell rang.

Polly hurried back, but she was too late. Eileen was already there. “I was so sorry to hear of your loss, Miss O’Reilly,” Mr. Goode was saying.

Eileen stiffened.

Oh, no, Polly thought, she’s not going to listen to him any more than she has to anyone else.

“I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner,” he said.

Eileen was glaring at her.

She knows exactly why I sent for him, Polly thought.

“Miss Sebastian’s letter had to be forwarded on to me,” the vicar said. “And then it took several days to arrange for leave.”

“Miss Sebastian’s letter had to be forwarded on to me,” the vicar said. “And then it took several days to arrange for leave.”

“Leave?” Eileen echoed.

“Yes. I haven’t told you, I’ve enlisted as a chaplain in His Majesty’s Army.”

The color drained from Eileen’s face.

Oh, no, Polly thought, I’ve only made things worse.

“I couldn’t stay in Backbury,” he said, “preaching sermons and heading up committee meetings when so many others were making sacrifices. Like you, facing danger every day here in London. I felt I had to do my bit, as it were.”

Вы читаете All Clear
Добавить отзыв
ВСЕ ОТЗЫВЫ О КНИГЕ В ИЗБРАННОЕ

0

Вы можете отметить интересные вам фрагменты текста, которые будут доступны по уникальной ссылке в адресной строке браузера.

Отметить Добавить цитату