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‘No, thank you,’ said Avice After everything else she had been forced to endure, she was not prepared to suffer the indignity of discussing her underith a stranger ‘I’ll be ready in two minutes,’ she said ‘Thank you’

The WSO withdrew

Avice placed her lipstick back in its case and dusted a last layer of fine powder over her face She stood for aher reflection – a well-practised movement – and then, just for a second, her face fell and she gazed baldly at herself, seeing beyond the carefully pinked cheeks, the disguised eyes I look, she thoughtwiser

Highfield stood on the roof of the bridge, flanked by Dobson, the first lieutenant and the radio operator, and gave orders down the intercootiated her way by degrees into the narroater, and the English coastline, at first a rew into solid reality around them Below him the sailors, dressed in their number-one uniforht deck, while officers and senior ranks manned the island area – a ‘Procedure Alpha’, or Prod A, as it was known to the men They stood in near silence, feet apart, hands behind their backs, i the tired, shabby vessel they travelled on Coside was traditionally one of the finest moments of a captain’s journey: it was ireat warship with one’scrowd already in their ears Highfield knew that there wasn’t atheotten in the well-ordered pleasure of such a cere intermittently to jaineers and tugs, oblivious to the beauty of the hills of Devon and Cornwall that swelled on each side of her When he had visited the starboard engine rooineer reported that it was probably just as well they were finally hoain ‘She knows she’s done her job,’ he observed cheerfully, wiping his hands on his overalls ‘She’s had enough I got to say, sir, I kno she feels’

‘Port bridge, alter course to zero six zero’

He turned to the radio operator and heard his coht, the kind of light that heralds a fine, clear day Plymouth Sound was beautiful, an appropriate send-off for the old ship, and a good welcoht, for the brides A fehite clouds scudded across the blue sky, the sea, flecked hite horses, glinted around the ship, solory After Bombay and Suez, after the endless reen

The docks had begun to fill alor disappearing briefly to refuel with tea and toast, then larger groups, fa in huddles on the dockside, occasionally pointing at the approaching ship Waving at those brides ere already on the deck The radio operator had had an exchange with the harbourmaster and members of the British Red Cross He had reported that some of the husbands had been forced to sleep in doorways; there was not a room to be had in the whole of Plymouth

‘Hands to harbour stations, hands to harbour stations, hands out of the rig of the day, clear off the upper deck, close all doors and hatches’ The Tannoy closed off It was the last command before they came into harbour

The captain stood, his hands on the rail in front of hi home Whatever that meant

Nicol had checked the infir a shrieking near-riot in the process Now he ran swiftly along the hangar deck towards the lances of the last wo from breakfast Arm in arm they walked, their hair set, their dresses and jackets pressed into razor-sharp creases, their shoulders hunched with excitement Twice he had passed otherhi his reputation, they had assuent official duty Only afterwards, as they registered the cruht they have re how soo once they knew they were headed home

He skidded to a halt at the main doorway, and scanned the room There were only thirty or so brides still seated: so close to dise on the boat deck or in turrets, skirts billowing in the stiff sea breeze He paused for a irl to turn, or that one to look up,sure neither of them was her Then he cursed his befuddled head

Where would he start his search? There were peoplearound everywhere In half an hour, hoas he meant to find one person in a ship, a rabbit warren of roo sixteen hundred others?

‘Trevor, Mrs Annette’ The WSO stood at the top of the gangway and waited for Mrs Trevor to fight her way to the front of the group There was a brief hush before a suitcase was held aloft by a blonde wolets, hat askew as a result of her struggle through the others ‘That’s s have been cleared by Customs Your trunks will be on the dockside, and you will need proof of identity when you collect them You may disembark’ The WSO moved her clipboard to her left hand ‘Good luck,’ she said, and held out a hand

Mrs Trevor, her eyes already on the botto her case to her hip h heels

The noise was deafening On board the women’s voices rose in a swell of anticipation, their heads bobbing as they fought to catch a gliangplank, severalforward to ey’, and a loudhailer tried vainly to direct people away froroups cheered and waved, trying to attract attention, shouting eneral cacophony

Margaret stood in the queue, her heart thu before she could sit down The wo up and down in an atteed into her Noraret to mutter a salty word or two in her ear, but now herher to the spot

It all seeoodbye to anyone, not Tiht-deck canteen, not her cabin-mates, both of whoht My last links with ho on the breeze?

As the first bride reached the bottoplank a cheer went up, and the air was lit with a battery of flashbulbs The band struck up ‘Waltzing Matilda’