Édith took off her hat and hung up her coat. Claire and Thérèse followed her. ‘Alain?’ Édith called. ‘Tune in the wireless for General de Gaulle’s speech. And André, take the children into the sitting room, while Thérèse, Claire and I prepare lunch.’
Claire laid the table while Thérèse put the saucepan of vegetables on the stove. Édith took out a joint of beef, a gift from Thérèse’s parents, and cut into it. ‘Another half hour,’ she said, spooning fat over it. ‘Are we ready?’ Thérèse and Claire nodded and Édith led the way to the sitting room. ‘André, Thérèse’s mother and father sent two bottles of very good wine to accompany the meat. They are under the sink.’ André looked shocked. ‘I didn’t want anyone to drink it, so I hid it there. Go on son, we will drink a bottle while we listen to the speech.’
Thérèse followed André out of the room, returning with five glasses. André poured the wine as the programme began.
‘Parisians are gathering in their tens of thousands at the Place de la Concorde, Tour d'Eiffel, Arc de Triomphe, and many other famous landmarks in our beautiful city,’ the wireless presenter said. ‘And now it is time to hear General de Gaulle give his Victory Europe speech.’
‘The war has been won. This is victory. It is the victory of the United Nations and that of France. The German enemy has surrendered to the Allied Armies in the West and East. The French High Command was present and party to the act of capitulation.’ Everyone cheered. ‘In the state of disorganisation of the German public authorities and command, it is possible that certain enemy groups may intend here and there to prolong on their own account a senseless resistance. But Germany is beaten and has signed her disaster.’
‘The Resistance will put paid to them! Sorry,’ André said.
‘While the rays of glory once again lend brilliance to our flags, the country turns its thoughts and affection first of all toward those who died for her and then toward those who, in her service, struggled and suffered so much. Not one single act of courage or self-sacrifice of her sons and daughters, not one single hardship of her captive men and women,’ Claire thought of Eddie and closed her eyes, ‘not one single bereavement and sacrifice, not one single tear will have been wasted in vain.’
‘I’ll check the meat,’ Claire said, and, taking her wine with her, she left the room. In the kitchen she lifted her glass and made a toast to Eddie. ‘Love you, Ed,’ she said. ‘Thank you for getting the Canuck out of Paris for me.’ Drying her eyes, Claire went back to the family and the celebrations. De Gaulle’s speech was over and everyone was in tears. Claire laughed inwardly. She needn’t have left the room.
‘Well,’ Édith said, drying her eyes, ‘the war is really over. We are free citizens again. Vive la France,’ she sang out.
‘Vive la France!’ everyone echoed.
‘Come on, precious,’ Édith called to Aimée. ‘Grandma needs you to help her in the kitchen.’ She looked over her shoulder at André and Thérèse and, jerking her head, summoned them to come too. Looking bemused, they left baby Frédéric asleep in his pram and followed her.
As Claire got up to leave, Mitch caught hold of her hand and pulled her back down. ‘I love you, China,’ he said, looking into her eyes. ‘Will you marry me?’
‘Yes,’ Claire said.
THE END
Outlines of the last books in The Dudley Saga
The last book in the Dudley Sisters Quartet, The 9:45 To Bletchley, is Ena Dudley’s story. Ena works in a local factory, making components for machines bound for Bletchley Park, during World War 2. Ena finds herself involved in blackmail and theft. Is someone where she works setting her up? If so, who can she trust? Accused of breaching the Official Secrets Act, Ena must find out who is trying to incriminate her and expose them before it is too late.
I have had an idea for a fifth book, The Foxden Hotel, which begins ten years after Foxden Acres and brings the characters of the four novels together. The Foxden Hotel opens on New Year’s Eve, 1948. Friends and family of the Dudley sisters are celebrating the opening of the hotel when a group of fascists gatecrash. Bess, Margot and several guests recognise one of the men from London during the war. Along with the other uninvited guests, he is thrown out of the hotel and chased off the property. When spring comes, the action of that night reveals shocking consequences.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Madalyn Morgan has been an actress for more than thirty years working in repertory theatre, the West End, film and television. She is a radio presenter and journalist, writing articles for newspapers and magazines.
Madalyn was brought up in a busy working class pub in the market town of Lutterworth in Leicestershire. The pub was a great place for an aspiring actress and writer to live. There were so many wonderful characters to study and accents to learn. At twenty-four Madalyn gave up a successful hairdressing salon and wig-hire business for a place at East15 Drama College, and a career as an actress.
In 2000, with fewer parts available for older actresses, Madalyn learned to touch type, completed a two-year course with The Writer’s Bureau, and began writing. After living in London for thirty-six years, she has returned to her home town of Lutterworth, swapping two window boxes and a mortgage, for a garden and the freedom to write.
Madalyn is currently writing her fourth novel, The 9:45 to Bletchley, the last of four books about the lives of four very different sisters during the Second World War. The first three novels, Foxden Acres, Applause, and China
