Chapter 30

‘Good grief, who can that be?' Ida gasped when someone knocked on the front door just after eight the following morning. ‘Go and see who it is. Quickly, Peggy.'

Peggy was about to put down her piece of bread when Babs bellowed from the hallway, ‘I'll get it, Mum.'

Peggy heard voices and smiled. ‘It's Helen and Bobby.' Peggy exchanged a curious glance with her mother.

‘Something must have happened,' her mother whispered. ‘She's never usually out this early.'

The two of them hurried to the hall.

Peggy saw Helen's puffy eyes and ashen face, and knew that whatever it was must be bad. Hadn't the poor girl already suffered enough?

Ida stood in front of Helen looking at Bobby. ‘Is there something wrong with the little one?'

Helen sniffed and shook her head. ‘He's fine.'

‘That's a relief.' She took Bobby from Helen's trembling arms and handed him to Babs. ‘Take him through to the living room while your sister and I chat with Helen.'

Peggy could tell Babs was disappointed not to be included in the conversation, but she knew Helen needed to have the freedom to show her emotions without worrying about frightening her little boy.

‘Let's sit down,' Ida said. ‘Peggy, fetch this lamb a cup of tea.'

Helen raised a hand. ‘No, please. I don't want to take your rations. I've had a cup already this morning. Water will be fine, thank you.'

‘Tell us what's happened,' Peggy heard her mother say, as she held a glass under the tap and half filled it with cool water. ‘You clearly haven't slept a wink.'

‘I've been up all night fretting about what I should do.'

Peggy couldn't understand how Helen had heard about the deportations when she knew Tony wouldn't have told anyone, and she certainly hadn't shared the information with anyone other than him. She joined them at the table and listened miserably as Helen relayed all that had happened the evening before. ‘I can't understand why we didn't hear them banging.'

So that's what had happened, she mused, wishing Helen could have come to them the previous evening but knowing she would have been unable to because of the strict curfew.

‘I'm at my wits' end,' Helen said before taking a sip of water. ‘They said that the house is too big for just me and Bobby.' She began to cry, and Peggy wished she didn't have to tell Helen about having to leave the house, anyway. She listened as Helen continued. ‘They're moving us elsewhere but wouldn't say where. Apparently Aunt Sylvia's house has been requisitioned to house officers.' She sobbed into a hanky before looking up at Peggy, then Ida, her large eyes bloodshot. ‘Nazis sleeping in my aunt's house. She would be horrified.'

Peggy gritted her teeth. ‘How dare they do this, and to a grieving woman, too.'

‘Never mind that,' Ida snapped. ‘We can waste time going on about how dreadful it is later.'

‘What do you mean?' Helen asked, clearly thrown by Ida's reaction.

Peggy watched as her mother took Helen's hand in both of hers. ‘Helen, dear, the most important thing to your aunt, and to me, is yours and Bobby's safety. She spoke to me a few weeks before she died and asked me to promise to look out for you both, which I have done and will continue to do. I always keep my promises.'

It was the first Peggy had heard of her mother speaking with Sylvia.

‘I don't understand,' Helen said, looking from Ida to Peggy.

Peggy sensed exactly what her mother was about to say. She was glad that the three of them had already worked out a plan.

‘You're going to move in here,' Ida insisted in a voice that Peggy recognised as one that didn't invite argument.

‘Pardon?' Helen looked startled. ‘I don't understand.'

Ida sat back and focused on Helen. ‘Peggy was coming over to see you shortly to explain about everything.' She reached out and rested a hand on Helen's arm. ‘Peggy's learned there's to be deportations from the island.'

Helen turned to Peggy. ‘When?'

Peggy felt deeply sorry for her friend and willed her to find the strength to cope with this unexpected turn of events. ‘Imminently, I'm afraid,' she said in the gentlest voice she could muster. ‘I was translating the order yesterday and the three of us decided then that the best thing for you and Bobby would be to move in here.'

‘Here? But you don't have room for the two of us.' A look of hope crossed her face. ‘Do you?'

Ida smiled. ‘We'll make room. It will be safer for you and Bobby to hide in the attic, especially now those parasites are moving in next door.'

They watched as Helen thought about their offer. She didn't seem convinced.

‘Don't you like the idea?' Peggy asked, wondering if it was the prospect of living in the attic that had put Helen off. ‘I promise it'll be fine when we clean it up.'

Helen shook her head. ‘It's not that. I love the idea of being here with you. I'd feel much safer than anywhere else, and it'll be,' she thought for a moment, ‘comforting to be in a family environment again.'

‘Then what's worrying you?' Peggy asked, confused.

‘What if Bobby cries or misbehaves and they overhear him next door? I can't risk your safety,' she explained, her voice cracking with emotion. ‘And have your lives, most probably, on my conscience.'

‘We hadn't thought about the noise side of things, Mum.' Peggy turned to her mother for an answer.

Ida waved the comment away. ‘Nonsense. These walls are thick enough not to let any sound travel through them. Well, not too much. The only difficulty I can see is having to keep the window closed in the summer when Bobby is awake or upset, but that's something we can worry about when we need to.'

Helen bit her lower lip and closed her eyes briefly. ‘Thank you all ever so much. I'd rather come here than go anywhere else. I admit I'm terrified of being deported to one of those camps in Germany.'

Relieved that Helen hadn't turned down their offer, Peggy went to comfort her and put an arm around Helen's shoulders. ‘I promise you we'll do our best to make sure that never happens.'

‘We will.' Ida rested her palms on the table and stood. ‘I doubt we have much time before those devils return. We need to start moving you in here as soon as we can.'

Peggy listened as her mother began instructing Helen about what to do next.

‘You need to pack up any essentials for you and Bobby. I'll send my girls over to you shortly and they'll bring your bits back here.' She turned her attention to Peggy. ‘You'll have to be careful none of the neighbours or other passersby spot you bringing things here.'

Peggy wasn't sure how they could manage that and said so. ‘It's daytime, Mum.'

‘We can't help that. I'm worried about how soon those soldiers may return. We can't move Helen and Bobby once they're back there, so we have little choice but to bring them here as soon as we can.'

‘I'm afraid I'm a little stunned by everything that's happened in the past few hours.' Helen gave a weak smile. ‘But I'm very grateful to you all for helping us in this way.'

Ida rested her hands on her hips. ‘I know you and Sylvia would have done the same if things were the other way round.'

‘What about Aunt Sylvia's belongings?' Helen asked her as the enormity of what she was about to do began to register. ‘I can't leave her things there. Not for those…those men to take.'

Ida leant forward and Peggy sensed her mother was getting impatient. ‘You listen to me, my girl. Now is not the time for sentiment. We're talking about saving your lives. You need to be brave and move fast. Choose the most precious of your aunt's belongings – jewellery, favourite family photos – that sort of thing.' She thought for a moment. ‘And maybe a scarf of hers, or a warm coat you might find useful for next winter. Some meaningful and some useful things.' She chewed her lower lip briefly. ‘And anything that Bobby can make use of over the next few months.'

Peggy thought of the meagre stock in their pantry. ‘And bring whatever food you have. Also don't forget your identity card.'

‘They're good suggestions, Peggy,' her mother said, her voice softening as she turned her attention back to Helen. ‘I don't mean to be harsh, my dear. All I want is for you both to be here and safe.'

‘Yes.' Peggy immediately backed up her mother's words. ‘Leave the house looking as if you've hurriedly packed up and run away. Maybe leave a few drawers open that sort of thing. Hopefully then they'll assume you've gone into hiding elsewhere.'

Ida agreed. ‘We need them to be too busy rounding up the poor souls who won't be able to hide from them to spend too much time worrying about you two.'

Helen wiped her eyes and got to her feet. ‘I know you're taking a chance helping us and I really am grateful. I'll take Bobby home now and start putting our things together.'

‘You have too much to do already without having the little one with you. Babs can watch him while you go and pack.' Ida tapped her lips thoughtfully. ‘I'll send my girls over in an hour to help bring back some of your things. We'll have to make it look as if you're not doing anything suspicious,' she said. ‘Pack things under your coat, that sort of thing. I'll expect you whenever you're ready, but,' she said, pulling Helen into a hug, ‘don't take too long, dear. You don't want to still be there when they return.'