‘Joe must be very brave.’
‘He’s a good man, Daisy. A bit old and weathered but he’s loyal to his wife and country. Not like the Micky Wolfs of this world, all mouth and trousers and after the women. Or, like him over there - that bugger hiding in the shadows - I spotted him a while ago!’
Daisy turned to see Uncle Ed and Aunt Betty, Mother, Pops and Bobby, standing with Amelia. Unobserved - and a few yards behind the family group - stood a tall figure.
Daisy took a sharp breath.
‘Failed the medical for conscription,’ whispered Mrs Hayes scornfully. ‘Colour blind, apparently. Didn’t know his greens from his blues.’
Just then, a London lifeboat sailed its lonely way midstream, a Union Jack hoisted above the deck. A loud cheer went up and Mrs Hayes reached out.
‘Give us your arm, ducks. I want to stand up and add me own salute to the city’s lads.’
After helping Mrs Hayes to her feet, they moved closer to the water’s edge to get a better view of the breathtaking sight. But no matter how hard she tried, Daisy couldn’t stop thinking about the man standing only a few feet away.
When she looked again, Mr Calder was gone.
CHAPTER 37
DAISY WAS BURSTING to ask Bobby if he’d seen Mr Calder at the factory, but there was no opportunity until they went to bed. ’Did you see who was at the wharf today?’ Daisy said as they paused on the landing.
‘About a thousand people,’ Bobby shrugged. ‘Why?’
‘I saw him.’
‘Who’s him?’
Daisy looked behind her. ‘Mr Calder of course.’
Bobby shrugged. ‘So what!’
‘He was sort of - hidden in the shadows. As if he was spying on Aunt Betty.’
Bobby rolled his eyes. ‘Another Daisy drama. I thought you’d grown out of that.’
‘Ask Mrs Hayes. She saw him too.’
‘I’m not asking anyone, least of all the factory gossip.’
Daisy gasped. ‘That’s a dreadful thing to say about Mrs Hayes.’
Bobby had changed since coming back from Wattcombe. He didn’t have time for her any more. When they were at school it was as if he was ashamed to be with his younger sister. He only wanted to play football with the boys or hang about with the older children like Gary and Grace. In Wattcombe they had shared so many adventures, like the day when the Spitfires had flown over and had discovered their old house was in ruins. Living in the country again had somehow brought them closer. But now they were in London and Bobby was back to being a boy again.
That night, she lay in bed and her thoughts went giddily round and round. Then she thought of something she had seen at school. At the time, she had dismissed it, but now it all came back. Grace Mellish had been sitting on one of the broken walls that skirted the waste ground. She had been swinging her feet and her dark hair had come loose from her plaits. It flowed down almost to her waist, which made Daisy think how untidy it looked. But Grace hadn’t seemed to mind as she shook her waves back and laughed, her dark eyes twinkling mischievously.
At the time, Daisy hadn’t thought much about it, but now she recalled the moment distinctly.
Bobby had kicked the football deliberately probably, to where Grace was sitting. The other boys were urging him to hurry, but that hadn’t bothered her brother.
He only had eyes for Grace.
Before taking the register, Mrs Howard stood before the class. Her sombre expression told Daisy that she had something very important to say.
‘Our Little Ships are at this moment evacuating the Allied forces from the beaches of Dunkirk,’ she announced solemnly. ‘We understand that some have been successful. But others are still labouring against phenomenal odds.’
‘We’ll win, though, won’t we, Miss?’ called a boy who sat by Bobby.
‘ ‘Course we’ll win,’ shouted Jimmy Burns. ‘Just like Charlie Chaplin did when he captured the Kaiser.’
‘That ain’t real,’ argued his friend. ‘It’s just a story.’
Mrs Howard held up her hands for silence. ‘But stories are relevant, children, to our own lives. Every man who survives the fighting will have a story to tell. But not necessarily with a happy ending as you see on the pictures, Jimmy. Many men have been lost to a barrage of gunfire. Others have been drowned or died in the wreckage of their planes. But there will be survivors - and they will need your help and support on their return. Prepare yourselves, class. Be strong. And pray that never again will the world see such violent waste of life.’
Daisy saw that the impact of Mrs Howard’s words had touched everyone. Why had she been thinking so unfairly of Bobby?
For if Bobby was a little older, he might have been a soldier who died in the sea under a hail of bullets. Or, if Matt had his wings, a pilot who never returned.
None of those terrible things had happened to her family. Bobby and Matt were both safe, at least for now.
CHAPTER 38
A BRIGHT AUGUST sunshine stole through the curtains as Daisy woke to the sound of raised voices. Suddenly the door burst open and Bobby appeared. Already dressed in his white shirt and grey shorts, his cheeks were flushed with excitement.
‘Tilbury and Purfleet have been attacked,’ he said breathlessly. ‘I’m going out in the garden to see if I can see our Spits.’ With that, he disappeared, leaving Daisy to put on her dress and quickly brush her hair. Halfway down the stairs, she heard Mother’s voice again.
‘You must telephone, Lincolnshire, Nicky. If Matt is flying I want to know.’
‘I’m sure he’s still grounded,’ replied Pops. ‘You mustn’t worry.’
‘But I am worried,’ Mother argued. ‘Our son may be - ’
The conversation stopped as Daisy entered the living room. ‘What’s happened? Is it true what Bobby said? Is Hitler here?’
‘Calm down,’ said Pops.
