Hardly able to stop herself from laughing, Bess left her mother to the chef’s charms and returned to reception. Ena asked if she could make a couple of telephone calls from the office, and Frank took Nancy out to see the animals.
Reception was busy. It always was at weekends. Bess stood back so she could observe Jack, letting him deal with guests on his own unless two came to reception at the same time. He was polite, he listened, he answered their questions confidently, and was very patient with an elderly lady who was hard of hearing. Bess couldn’t help but smile. The old lady made Jack repeat everything he said. He did, and he was charming without being sickly.
Jack was good at his job, Bess observed, but then he’d had an excellent teacher. Bess was wondering how Maeve was getting on when Ena stuck her head round the door and beckoned her.
‘Will you be all right if I pop into the office, Jack? My sister wants a word with me. I won’t be long. Call me if you need me.’
‘There’s no record of Katherine Hawksley’s mother after Katherine’s birth. It’s as if she disappeared into thin air. Or she never existed.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Katherine Hawksley’s birth is registered at Somerset House. Father, Gerald Hawksley; mother, Dorothy Hawksley, nee Pemberton from Cumberland - and that’s it! There’s no wedding certificate or death certificate in the name of Dorothy Hawksley, or Dorothy Pemberton. Nor is there a divorce petition, or a decree absolute, registered in her name, or his name. I can’t access some of the government’s classified records from outside the building where I work in London, so I telephoned a pal who works in the same department, and asked her to look for me.’ Ena shook her head slowly. ‘There is no marriage, divorce, or death certificate.’
‘Then what happened to her?’
‘I’m wondering whether she ever existed. I managed to get hold of Henry and I told him what I’d found out. He wants me to go up to Cumberland to check out the Pemberton family who, like Hawksley, are wealthy business people. If Dorothy Pemberton was only a name on Katherine’s birth certificate, it could mean the Pembertons are Nazi sympathisers too, in which case they could be involved with Hawksley.’ Bess stood open mouthed. ‘Don’t look so shocked, it’s work.’
‘Is it?’
‘Yes. And it’s linked to Inspector Masters’ investigation. But apart from that, there was once a woman in Katherine Hawksley’s life when she was small who she called mummy - and if this woman is still alive I want to find her for Katherine.’
‘But Henry wants you to find the woman for MI5.’
‘It isn’t quite as simple as that,’ Ena said. ‘If the Pembertons are part of Hawksley’s Fascist Association, MI5 is worried that when the net starts closing in on Hawksley he’ll do a moonlight flit and disappear to a bolt hole in the wilds of North West England.’
‘Isn’t Henry worried about your safety?’
‘Of course he is. And I’m worried about his safety, but it’s our job, Bess. It’s what we signed up for after Bletchley.’ Neither sister spoke for some time. ‘So,’ Ena said, first to break the silence, ‘I shall have to leave early in the morning. Will you drive me into Lowarth?’
‘Where to, the station?’
‘No, I’m driving up. The office are arranging for a car to be brought from a company in Leicester. It should be at Burton’s garage for me to collect at nine.’
‘I’m glad you got to speak to Henry.’
‘Yes.’ Ena sighed loudly and blew out a long stream of air. ‘He couldn’t say anything about the operation, in case someone was listening to the call, but my pal at the London office said they’re closing in on the men who provide the documents and money for the Fascist Association that Hawksley runs.
‘Before they can shut down the escape route, they need to know the names and addresses of every member of Hawksley’s organisation. They need to arrest them all at the same time. They can’t risk one person falling through the net. It’s going to be a huge operation. Don’t look so worried, Bess, I’m not involved in any of that.’
‘Maybe not, but going to Cumberland on your own could be dangerous.’
‘Yes, well, as I said, it’s part of the job.’
‘I wondered what you did all day in that big flat of yours in London, when Henry was working.’
‘I’m working too,’ Ena said. ‘I’m rarely at home these days.’
The sounds of guests arriving seeped through the door. ‘I’d better get back to reception and help Jack.’ Ena didn’t reply, nor did she lift her head from the hotel’s road atlas of the British Isles. ‘I’ll see you later,’ Bess said, to which her sister mumbled an acknowledgement.
‘Can I help you?’ Bess asked a couple standing at the reception desk.
‘No thank you, we’re being dealt with.’
The new porter arrived a second later, Jack gave him the key to a room with a view on the first floor and, as smooth as clockwork, the porter swept up the couple’s cases and led the way to the stairs.
Bess was feeling slightly redundant and a little unwanted when Frank returned with Nancy. ‘We’re going to take your mother home,’ he said. ‘It’s getting dark, so we’ll run her down in the car.’
‘I’ll get Nancy’s coat.’ Bess turned towards the office door.
‘I’ll get it. I’ll get your mum’s too. Did Ena put it in the office?’
Bess looked up at the ceiling, and then at her husband. ‘Sorry, were you asking me?’
‘Are you feeling left out? Or is it that you’re a little under-employed?’ Frank teased, opening the office door. Appearing with two coats over
