Page 134 of The Gathering Storm

‘And you want me to take her as well?’

‘It turns out,’ Mrs Hughes said, scanning Polly’s face for reaction, ‘that there were two of them, but a mistake was made. Bibi was registered with his father’s surname, but for some reason the little girl was put down under her aunt’s. So, of course, we didn’t know they were brother and sister. Arrangements were made to foster them separately. But naturally they are upset by the whole evacuation business, not to mention their father’s death, and I really don’t want to make it worse by separating them now.’

‘No, of course not,’ Polly said.

Mrs Hughes hurried on: ‘The little girl was to have gone to a family in Leeds, but they haven’t room to take two. Oh, Mrs Morland, if you could take them both, just for the present, it would help me so much! It will take time to find another home that has room for two children, but room is not the problem here, and it’s late and it’s cold and—’

Polly held up her hand to stop her – she could see the loquacity was the result of tension, anxiety and exhaustion. ‘Please don’t worry. Of course we’ll take both children. It would be monstrous to part them. They can have a home here for as long as they need it, until they go home to Germany. As you say, we have plenty of room. Do go and bring the poor things in – they must be perished.’

Mrs Hughes looked so relieved, Polly thought she might cry. But she was made of sterner stuff. She pushed a stray strand of hair back behind her ear, smiled, and said, ‘You are very good. I’ll fetch them.’

She went out to the car, and Polly used the interval to send people away, thinking how overwhelming a crowd of staring strangers would be. Everyone but Nanny and Alec drifted reluctantly off; Barlow remained at the door, and presently opened it again to admit Mrs Hughes ushering two children in winter overcoats, woollen hats and stout boots. The girl had on black woollen stockings, but the boy’s knees were bare and red-blue between his short trousers and long socks. His coat was navy, worn pale at the seams; hers was brown, with a brown velvet collar that must once have been a touch of smartness and was now rubbed shabby. She put down beside her a cheap cardboard suitcase; he had a knapsack on his back. They were both pale and looked exhausted, and their dark eyes were wide with apprehension.

‘This is Bibi and Mimi Lohmann,’ Mrs Hughes said, a hand on the shoulder of each child. She gave them a little shove, and they took half a step forward.

Polly thought they looked like calves arriving at the slaughter house. She smiled at them, laid a hand instructively on her chest and said, ‘I am Mrs Morland. You are very welcome. And this is my son Alec.’

Alec had been practising for this moment. ‘Ich heiße Alec,’ he said very clearly. ‘Sie sind hier willkommen.’ He beamed at the children, but there was no reaction, and he looked up at his mother, puzzled. ‘Didn’t I get it right?’ he whispered penetratingly.

The boy’s lip began to tremble, and the girl was holding back tears, both still looking as if they thought they might at any moment have their throats cut.

Nanny had had enough. She surged forward, gently pushing aside her mistress and the young master. ‘Now then, there’s no need for long faces, never mind tears,’ she said. ‘You’re tired out from the journey, and hungry too, I expect.’ She inserted herself between them and took a hand of each. ‘You come along with me, and we’ll get you out of those coats and boots. There’s a nice fire in the nursery, warm as toast it is, and I’ve got some hot milk and biscuits ready for you, while you warm yourselves up. Then you can have a nice hot bath, and have your supper by the fire in your pyjamas. And it’ll be early to bed for the both of you, because I never saw two children look so worn out, indeed I never.’

They could not, of course, understand what she was saying, but a nanny is a nanny in any language, and they went with her without resistance and without looking back. Alec went to follow, but Polly caught him back. ‘Leave them to Nanny for tonight.’

‘But I’ve got presents for them,’ he said, disappointed.

‘They’re too tired to want presents just now. Wait until tomorrow. They’re going to be here for a long time – you don’t have to do everything at once. Your best present was talking to them in German. You did that very well.’

‘I can see they’re in good hands,’ Mrs Hughes said. ‘Your nurse is a treasure.’

‘She couldn’t be happier than having two new children to spoil – and children who really need it, too, not like Master Alec here. Won’t you come in by the fire and have a glass of sherry? And stay to supper?’

‘Thank you, but no. You are very good, but I just want to get home. It’s been a long day. I’ll check on you all tomorrow.’

‘I put them in beds next to each other, madam, at the other end of the nursery from Alec,’ Nanny reported to Polly the next day, ‘but when I went to check on them a bit later they’d got in together and were huddled up like two puppies. I don’t hold with girls and boys sharing beds, not when they’ve got to that age, but with your permission, madam, I think I’ll let them, just at first.’

‘I expect it will give them comfort. They’ve come through such a lot, poor things.’

‘Poor things is right, madam – puny, I’d call them. The boy is the same age as Alec but not nearly so well grown, and both of them pale as milk. City complexions, I suppose – not rosy and healthy like Alec. They need feeding up, plenty of good country food and running about in the fresh air.’ She glanced doubtfully at the window, outside which the snow was falling again, softly and heavily, obliterating the view.

‘Playing outside may have to wait a day or two. But feed them up by all means. How are they this morning?

‘Very quiet. Creeping about like they think we mean them harm. Start when you speak to them. Sit where you put them, as if they’re scared to move. I don’t know what was done to them where they came from …’

‘It’s all a big change for them,’ Polly said. ‘And this house will be a lot to get used to – so many rooms and so many people.’

‘That’s what I was going to suggest, madam, that for the first few days, I keep ’em up in the nursery, till they get used to things, then they can see the rest of the house gradual. And no-one to come up there but me and Jenny and Doris.’ Jenny was the nursery maid and Doris was the housemaid who did the nursery fires and cleaned. ‘And Alec, of course. And you, naturally, madam.’

‘I think you’re quite right,’ Polly said. ‘Let them get used to things gradually. Do they speak any English? Do they understand anything you say?’

‘They understand what I mean,’ Nanny said, ‘and I make sure to tell them the words for things – milk and fire and bath and so on. They’ll soon catch on.’

‘I’ll come up later and see them. For now, I think you’re doing just what’s right, Nanny. Thank you.’

‘Thank you, madam.’ She hesitated.

‘What is it?’