Page 167 of The Gathering Storm

‘Yes, ma’am,’ said Elphinstone. ‘If there’s any way we can wriggle through and avoid catastrophe, we’ll take it. Henderson’s offering to mediate talks between Germany and Poland for a peace, but the last I heard, Hitler handed Henderson a list of demands, including Germany taking back Danzig and the corridor, which Poland would never accept.’

‘I should think not,’ Vivian said.

‘So we’re teetering on the edge,’ Charlotte said.

Stuffy looked at her, and she saw in his eyes that he didn’t hold out much hope. ‘He’s got troops in place on the Polish border, and some sources say this has been in planning since March. I don’t think it’s a question of “if” any more. It’s “when”.’

‘And when is “when”?’ she asked.

‘A few days at the most.’ He looked at Molly. ‘You were wise to send your children down to the country, ma’am.’

‘A part of me keeps hoping I’ll have them back by the time school starts.’

‘We all keep hoping,’ Stuffy said. ‘We’ve got air-raid precautions in place, the National Service Bill ready to enact, our expedition force primed and ready, the French have the Maginot Line, the Poles have mobilised their navy and they have a million men in arms, close to the border. But if it all proved for nothing and there was peace after all, we‘d be very happy.’

‘Will you be going into uniform?’ Molly asked, thinking he looked at his best during that speech – almost noble.

‘Oh, yes, straight into the Guards, with a commission. It’s all arranged. But I’ll be staying at the War Office, at least at first.’

Charlotte smiled faintly. ‘You’ll look splendid in Guards’ uniform,’ she said. ‘You have the height.’

Stuffy blushed with pleasure, and Molly, on impulse, said, ‘What is your first name, Stuffy? I can never remember.’

His blush deepened. ‘Nobody ever uses it, not even the mater. Everyone calls me Stuffy.’

‘But what is it?’ Molly insisted.

‘Eadred,’ he admitted. ‘Damn silly name. Family tradition, apparently.’

He looked quite put out, and Molly was sorry she’d asked.

There was scaffolding up in the chapel, and the house reverberated to hammering. It was felt that there was a real urgency about getting the roof repaired and as much of the inside work done as possible. It was Thursday, the 31st of August, and that morning the Royal Navy had been mobilised and the reserves of the Army and Air Force had been called up. Who knew how much longer the workmen would be available to do the job?

The day before, Ambassador Henderson had handed Ribbentrop the British government’s reply to Hitler’s demands over Poland:

His Majesty’s Government repeat that they reciprocate the German Government’s desire for improved relations, but it will be recognised that they could not sacrifice the interests of other friends in order to obtain that improvement. They fully understand that the German Government cannot sacrifice Germany’s vital interests, but the Polish Government are in the same position and His Majesty’s Government believe that the vital interests of the two countries are not incompatible.

‘Still hoping,’ said Lennie. The wireless receiver in the drawing-room was permanently tuned to the Home Service for the news, and he haunted it for bulletins. Just after eleven in the morning, came the news that the government had issued an order to evacuate civilians from cities and towns that were likely targets for enemy bombing.

‘That doesn’t sound like hoping,’ Polly said.

‘I can’t see the British people going along with it,’ Lennie said. ‘They might send the children, perhaps. But can you imagine Londoners, for instance, running away with their tails between their legs?’

‘You’d never get Londoners to go to the country for any reason,’ Polly said, with grim humour. ‘Give up their pavements and streetlights and pubs and cinemas for fields full of cows?’

She had been worrying for days about James, from whom she hadn’t heard in weeks. France was safe enough at the moment, but if war broke out, would he be able to get back?

Alec, Bibi and Mimi got home from school, gas-masks slung around their necks – the school was insisting that the children all carry one – and Polly intercepted them and sent them straight up to the nursery for tea. Alec wanted to hear if there was anything on the wireless, but she didn’t want the little Lohmanns to hear any more unsettling bulletins. She promised to come up after tea and play a game of Ludo with them.

They had hardly gone up the stairs when the station taxi rattled over the drawbridge, pulled up outside, and the dogs rushed out in a flood to engulf it. Polly was passing through the hall, and followed Barlow to the door, and her heart lifted when she saw James climbing out. There were cases tied to the roof, as well, which was even more heartening. ‘You’ve come home!’ she cried, running down the steps to hug him. He hugged her tightly but briefly, and put her back just as she noticed someone else getting out of the other side of the taxi, where Barlow had hurried to open the door. A young woman in a beige raincoat over beige trousers, and a shapeless felt hat on her short, dark hair.

James held out a hand to her, and when she reached his side, he said, strangely formal, ‘Polly, this is Meredith. Meredith, my sister Polly.’

Meredith’s hand was as hard and strong as Polly’s, though with fewer calluses.

‘How do you do? Welcome to Morland Place.’ She looked quizzically at James. ‘Is this the Meredith you met on your Canadian trip, all those years ago?’

‘The very same,’ James said, with a rueful grin. Helmy had found him and he was holding off his ecstatic advances with his free hand.