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‘But who on earth would have married her? Do you think it was one of hercustomers?’

‘And what if he doesn’t know? Don’t you think the Navy should tell him?’

It had been the same story all over the ship For the last few days Frances Mackenzie, possibly the least conspicuous passenger the Victoria had ever transported, had becos with her were fascinated that this supposedly de woman had such a chequered past Others found the story of her past career coed to embellish it with information that no one was yet in a position to disprove That was if anyone had had the inclination to do so; the next shore leave was still a fair distance away and there was little doubt it was the e so far

‘I heard she was on the train You know, the one they used to send up to the troops It was full ofthose sorts’

‘Do you think they had to check her for diseases? I know they did on the A a bathrooe to interrupt, to infor wo about But it was difficult when she herself had no idea of the truth

It wasn’t as if Frances was saying anything On the night of the accident, she had retired to her bed and lain there, pretending to be asleep until the others had gone out in thethe sa her conversation to an absolute practicalsoht with thearet wasn’t sure that she was eating anything at all

Avice had asked, rather ostentatiously, to be moved to another cabin, and when the only other bunk on offer had proven not to her liking, she had announced loudly that she wanted as little to do with Frances as possible Margaret had told her not to be so bloody ridiculous, and not to listen to a load of bloody gossip There would be no truth in it

But it was difficult to be as vehe so little to defend herself

And even Margaret, never usually lost for words, had difficulty in knohat to say to her She was, she suspected, a little na&iu the severely dressed, rather prie of such women came from the poster with a picture of one in Dennis Tie: ‘Venereal Disease – the Silent Killer’; and the Westerns she had seen with her brothers, where the woether in the back of soht-bodiced dresses and a dollop of rouge on her face to welcos and invited thearet, colouring her every exchange with Frances, despite all the kindnesses the girl had shown her She knew it and it made her ashamed She suspected that Frances knew it too

‘Well, I think it’s disgusting Frankly, ifwith soirl in front of her straightened her shoulders with a self-righteous shudder

Margaret stared at the powdered-egg recipes in front of her, at her distracted scrawl

‘It aret stuffed her notebook into her basket, got up and left the roo on board – quite a surprise, all things considered I so for Queen of the Victoria, a prize they award to the bride who has proven themself a cut above in all matters feminine It will be lovely to be able to show Ian that I can be such an asset to him and his career I have so far won points in craft, dress ‘Shenandoah’ – the audience were uess – Miss Lovely Legs! I woresatin heels I hope you didn’tthem You see them ‘for best’ when there is so little social life left in Melbourne now the Allies are leaving

How are you? Muer in correspondence with that nice young ue about what had happened – I find it very hard to think anyone would so cruelly drop a girl like that Unless he had found sooodness every day that Ian is such a devoted soul

Ithe hands to bathe’, and I am simply desperate for a swim I will post this e next dock, and be sure to tell you of any adventures I have there!

Your loving sister,

Avice

It was the first time the brides had been allowed to bathe, and there were feho, still feeling the effects of the water shortage, were notthe most of it As Avice finished her letter and headed out on to the foredeck, she could see around her hundreds of wo as they floated around lifeboats, while thethe boats leant over the ship’s side, sn of the baby yet Avice had examined herself with some pride, the still-flat stomach but an attractive hint of fullness to her bosoaret, who sat puffing and sweating in corners, ankles and feet as grotesquely swollen as an elephant’s She would make sure she stayed trie she would retire into her hoain until the baby caer felt nauseous, she was sure that pregnancy would positively agree with her: aided by the constant sunshine, her skin glowed, her blonde hair had new highlights She drew attention wherever she went She had wondered, now that her condition was public knowledge, whether she should cover up a little, whether it was advisable to be a little more modest But there were so few days left before they entered European waters that it seehtened up a little, just to e before she lay decoratively on the deck to sunbathe Apart from that unfortunate business with Frances (and what a turn-up that had been for the books!), and ith her steady notching up of points for Queen of the Victoria, she thought she had probably e into rather a success

A short distance away, on the forecastle, Nicol was propped against the wall Normally he would not have smoked on deck, especially not on duty, but over the past days he had srim deterhts

‘Going in later?’ One of the seamen, hom he had often played Uckers, a kind of naval Ludo, appeared at his elbow The men would be piped to bathe when the last of the woarette