Page 25 (1/2)
Chapter 1
Tommy Beresford re it up with so ti
He squared his shoulders, affixed a resolute s roo a Balaclava helmet in khaki wool
It was the spring of 1940
Mrs Beresford gave hi at a furious rate She said after a minute or two:
"Any news in the evening paper?"
Tommy said:
"The Blitzkrieg is cos look bad in France"
Tuppence said:
"It's a depressing world at the moment"
There was a pause and then Tommy said:
"Well, why don't you ask? No need to be so damned tactful"
"I know," ad about conscious tact that is very irritating But then it irritates you if I do ask And anyway I don't need to ask It's written all over you"
"I wasn't conscious of looking a Dismal Desmond"
"No, darling," said Tuppence "You had a kind of nailed to theI have ever seen"
Torin:
"No, was it really as bad as all that?"
"And ?"
"Nothing doing They don't want me in any capacity I tell you, Tuppence, it's pretty thick when a randfather Ar - I'm too old I may be required later"
Tuppence said:
"Well, it's the sa - no, thank you Nor for anything else They'd rather have a fluffy chit who's never seen a wound or sterilized a dressing than they would have me orked for three years, 1915 to 1918, in various capacities, nurse in the surgical ward operating theatre, driver to a trade delivery van and later of a General This, that and the other - all, I assert fir, tiresoed woht to do"
Toloomily:
"This war is Hell"
"It's bad enough having a war," said Tuppence, "but not been allowed to do anything in it just puts the lid on"
Toly:
"Well, at any rate Deborah has got a job"
Deborah's mother said:
"Oh, she's all right I expect she's good at it, too But I still think, Tommy, that I could hold my oith Deborah"
Torinned:
"She wouldn't think so"
Tuppence said:
"Daughters can be very trying Especially when they will be so kind to you"
Tommy murmured:
"The way young Derek makes allowances for me is sometimes rather hard to bear That 'poor old Dad' look in his eye"
"In fact," said Tuppence, "our children, although quite adorable, are also quite "
But at the mention of the twins, Derek and Deborah, her eyes were very tender
"I suppose," said Tohtfully, "that it's always hard for people theed and past doing things"
Tuppence gave a snort of rage, tossed her glossy dark head, and sent her ball of khaki wool spinning from her lap
"Are we past doing things? Are we? Or is it only that everyone keeps insinuating that we are? Sometimes I feel that we never were any use"
"Quite likely," said Tommy
"Perhaps so But at any rate we did once feel i to feel that all that never really happened Did it happen, Tommy? Is it true that you were once crashed on the head and kidnapped by Gererous criot hold of irateful country? Us! You and me! Despised, unwanted Mr and Mrs Beresford"
"Now, dry up, darling All this does no good"
"All the sa back a tear, "I'm disappointed in our Mr Carter"
"He wrote us a very nice letter"
"He didn't do anything - he didn't even hold out any hope"
"Well, he's out of it all nowadays Like us He's quite old Lives in Scotland and fishes"
Tuppence said wistfully:
"They ence"
"Perhaps we couldn't," said Tommy "Perhaps, nowadays, ouldn't have the nerve"
"I wonder," said Tuppence "One feels just the same But perhaps, as you say, when it came to the point -"
She sighed She said:
"I e could find a job of some kind It's so rotten when one has so much time to think"
Her eyes rested just for asmile so like Tommy's
Tommy said:
"It's worse for a man Women can still knit, after all - and do up parcels and help at canteens"
Tuppence said:
"I can do all that in twenty years froh to be content with that I' nor another"
The front door bell rang Tuppence got up The flat was a small service one
She opened the door to a find a broad-shoulderedfairon the mat
His glance, a quick one, took her in as he asked in a pleasant voice:
"Are you Mrs Beresford?"
"Yes"
"My naested I should look you and your husband up"
"Oh, how nice, do come in"
She preceded hi-room
"My husband, er - Captain -"
"Mr"
"Mr Grant He's a friend of Mr Car- of Lord Easthampton's"
The old noence, "Mr Carter," always came more easily to her lips than their old friend's proper title
For a few ether Grant was an attractive person with an easy manner
Presently Tuppence left the roolasses
After a few minutes, when a pause came, Mr Grant said to Tommy:
"I hear you're looking for a job, Beresford?"
An eager light came into Tommy's eye
"Yes, indeed You don't mean -"
Grant laughed, and shook his head
"Oh, nothing of that kind No, I' active s I can suggest are rather stodgy, I' the"
Tommy's face fell
"Oh, I see!"
Grant said encouragingly:
"Oh, well, it's better than nothing Anyway, come and see me at my office one day Ministry of Require"
The telephone rang Tuppence picked up the receiver