“Tom, those children are sad because they had to leave their families and their homes. The Iron-rations are the name given to the food parcels they were given to last forty-eight hours until they find new homes.”
“Are they Jewish too?” Tom looked so puzzled that Sally couldn’t hide her smile.
“No darling, although some of them might be. They have been sent here, as the Government doesn’t think they are safe living in London. They live in areas near the docks, which could be bombed. So, they have to live in safer areas.”
“They are like us then. I should be friendly to them.”
“Yes, darling. You should. They will be placed with different families in the village.”
“Will some come here to live with us?”
“No, we don’t have room. Now, what are we going to do today?” Sally wanted to get off the reason for the evacuees leaving their families.
“Heinz wanted to take some pictures with the camera. You said he could. It’s a sunny day. Could we go to Brooklands?”
“Brooklands?” Surprised, she looked at him. “What do you know about Brooklands?”
Tomas stared at her as if she had two heads. “Every German boy knows Brooklands. It’s where the car drivers used to race their cars. Can we go see it? Please?”
“Not now. It’s not a racetrack anymore. It’s been turned into a factory and we wouldn’t be allowed near there. Why don’t we go to Virginia Water instead? To the lake? Would you like that?”
Tom considered for a few seconds, “can we bring a picnic?”
“Yes Tom, now go and get ready.” Sally exchanged a smile with Harry.
“He loves living with you. He is so happy here.” Heinz reached over to hand Liesl to Sally. “Liesl loves you too.”
“You don’t mind that she calls me Mum? It was the first word she said to me.”
“No, you are like her mother. You protect her, feed her, keep her warm. You are a good parent.”
Embarrassed, she looked away. “Do you think Tom minds? He’s sleeping a little better, I think. He has lost that haunted look he had when we first met at Liverpool Street station. But I think you building the Anderson shelter at the weekend made him a little scared.”
Heinz grimaced. “I tried to turn it into a game. He has to know if the siren goes, he must go to the shelter. Tomas is right. All Germans know about Brooklands. The Luftwaffe will know it is near London and could use it as a target.”
Sally didn’t want to think about bombing raids. It was frightening enough to have to carry gas masks everywhere.
“When we get back this evening, Sally, I will have to cover the windows for the blackout.”
“Thank you, Harry. I don’t know what I would do without your help.”
She could see he was pleased, even if he found it hard to show it.
When they got home from the picnic, Harry and Sally covered all the windows in Rose Cottage. On the inside, they covered the windows in a crisscross fashion with tape.
“This way, if the glass breaks it won’t fly all over us,” Sally explained. Harry helped her hang the black-out curtains. They had to be closed carefully every evening or the ARP man would come around and threaten to fine her. Sally made sure she never broke any regulations. She’d listened to enough horrible comments from her old friend, Enid Brown, as well as Aggie Dalton, to know that having Germans living in her house caused suspicion.
“Harry, soon it will be Christmas. I always have a Christmas tree, will that upset you?”
“Me? No. Why?”
“I know Jews don’t celebrate Christmas.”
“No, but you’re not Jewish, Sally, unless you want to convert. I would say it is not the best time.”
Sally laughed at his black humor. “I would like to have a tree. It’s not Christmas without it.”
“I shall go and find you the best tree there is. My thank you for looking after my family.”
“I will take everyone out for a treat. We shall go and see a Laurel and Hardy picture.”
“But it will be in English. You shouldn’t waste your money.”
“No Harry, don’t think that way. You will laugh so much your tummy will hurt. I promise.”
Her prediction turned out to be true. Rachel and Harry, seated together, both laughed so much they cried. Maggie and Sally enjoyed seeing the young couple act their age for once and not have to act like an adult.
At Christmas, Reverend Collins, Maggie, and the girls came to Sally’s house where she cooked a traditional Christmas dinner.
“Have you heard from Derek?”
Sally shook her head. “I got a letter, but he doesn’t seem to have got any of my letters. He’s somewhere in France. I don’t know where, but he says he is involved in training men. He was supposed to get leave but fell ill and landed in hospital for a bit. He wasn’t bad enough to send him home.”
Maggie patted her back.
“I never thought I’d wish my husband ill, Maggie but if he had been worse, I could have seen him. It’s so hard not seeing him. I miss him so much.” Sally turned away not wanting her friend to see her tears.
“Sally, go upstairs and let the tears come. You’ll feel better. Come back in a while. The children won’t even notice.”
Sally escaped while she could. After a good cry, she felt much better and rejoined the celebrations. When she came back downstairs, she found Harry alone in the front room.
“Harry, it’s freezing in here. Why aren’t you in the kitchen with the others?”
“I needed to think.”
“You miss your family?”
“Always but it is not what I think about. I wonder what will happen to me. I can’t stay here without going to school or working. I feel useless.”
“Never say that Harry. I don’t know what I would
